By William Engel “The Rebound” takes us through the lives of the Miami Heat Wheels, a wheelchair basketball team on the verge of going to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) National Tournament. The film delves into the genesis of the league, the personal lives of several of the teammates, and what they have to go through in order to qualify for the nationals. What … Continue reading “The Rebound” Rolls With The Punches Of Life
By William Engel “Letter from Masanjia” tells the story of Sun Yi, a Chinese man who spent years detained in a prison camp for taking part in Falun Gong, a spiritual practice outlawed by the Chinese government. In the camp, he and the other detainees were forced to make cheap products to export to the United States. It was here that Sun Yi spied an … Continue reading “Letter from Masanjia” Shows an Inexorable Resolve In The Face Of Adversity
By William Engel “Surviving Home” takes us through the lives of four different veterans, each of whom fought in a different war – Richard Green, a World War II veteran, Claude Thomas, a Vietnam war veteran, Robert “Bobby” Henline, a Gulf War veteran, and Tracey Cooper Harris, an Iraq War veteran. The film alternates between the four veterans’ lives, demonstrating the struggles that each of … Continue reading “Surviving Home” A Fascinating Look at What It Means To Be A Veteran
By William Engel The year 2009 saw the release of “The Cove”, a harrowing documentary about the Japanese village of Taiji and their barbaric practice of ritualistic whaling. Nearly ten years later, “A Whale of a Tale” strives to set the record straight. “A Whale of a Tale” documents the journey of Jay Alabaster, an intrepid journalist sent to Taiji to take a more comprehensive … Continue reading The Documentary “Whale” Takes A Comprehensive Look At A cornerstone Of Tradition Of The Japanese Village Taij
By William Engel “3 Years in Pakistan: The Erik Audé Story” documents the story of a Hollywood stuntman who got roped into a drug smuggling operation in Pakistan, leading to him being placed on death row for a crime he wasn’t responsible for. We’re taken though his desperate struggle to survive and prove his innocence to a court who seems determined to find him … Continue reading “3 Years in Pakistan: The Erik Audé Story” Is An Pulse Pounding Suspense Thriller Documentary
By William Engel “Virgin Blacktop: A New York Skate Odyssey” is a documentary chronicling the genesis, peak and dissolution of The Wizards, a team of nine New York teenagers united by their passion for skateboarding. The film is comprised of footage, news articles and stories spanning more than thirty years, compiled by Charlie Samuels, one of the Wizards’ most prominent members. The film has … Continue reading The Documentary “Virgin Blacktop: A New York Skate Odyssey” Is A Chronicle Of Passion, Life And Skateboarding
By William Engel “Transformer” is a documentary following the life of Janae Kroczaleski (née Matt), a world champion weightlifter and bodybuilder who came out as a trans woman in 2015. The film chronicles her life leading up to that point, and her trials and tribulations as a person in the process of transitioning, caught between her two identities. (“I’m not comfortable as an extremely muscular … Continue reading Caught Between Two Identities The Documentary “Transformer” Tries To Find The Balance
By William Engel Grief, bullying, teen suicide, domestic abuse, homophobia and drug addiction are just a few of the issues incorporated into the tumultuous plot of “Reach”, a heartrending drama about a developing friendship between two troubled youths. The film follows Steven Turano (Garrett Clayton), a depressed high schooler who struggles to deal with the grief of losing his mother at a young age, and … Continue reading “Reach” Is A Film With A Tumultuous Plot Of Troubled Youths
By William Engel “A Chance in the World” genuinely uplifting drama, bolstered by several compelling performances from the cast. “A Chance in the World”, based on the autobiographical book of the same name, cinematically depicts the life story of Steve Pemberton, a child left with an abusive foster home at the age of five. In the film, Steve strives to get himself an education, … Continue reading Mark Vadik Cinematically Depicts The story of A Harsh Life Through An Child’s Eyes
By William Engel “To a More Perfect Union: U.S. v. Windsor” is an hour-long documentary telling the life story of Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that ruled the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, allowing same-sex unions to receive the same protections as heterosexual unions under federal law. The film takes us through Edith’s life story, as she moves to New … Continue reading “To a More Perfect Union: U.S. v. Windsor” A Documentary About Love And Perseverance In A Age Of Intolerance
By William Engel Told with great simplicity and power, “Bridget and Iain” is a heart wrenching story of a mother and son who have a wedge driven between them by the latter’s drug addiction. The film begins with the mother, Bridget, visiting her son, Iain, in rehab. The two of them have a tense conversation about Iain’s current financial and residential situation. Iain claims that … Continue reading “Bridget and Iain” Displays The Impact The Walls Of Addiction Has On Family
By William Engel The PBS broadcast of “The Chinese Exclusion Act”, was a daring, sobering documentary about the titular law that prevented Chinese-Americans from being recognized as citizens for more than half a century. Through multiple accounts and both primary and secondary sources, the film provides an in-depth look at the history of the Chinese in America, beginning in the early 19th century with the … Continue reading “The Chinese Exclusion Act” Shows The true Cost And Exploitation Of The Chinese Immigrants
By William Engel “Regionrat”, based on the Richard Laskowski novel of the same name, follows Ray (Connor Williams), a broke and lonely young man who spends six months trying to make it in Seattle before deciding to move back to his hometown to finish high school. He runs into trouble before long, however, when the high school cutie Erin (Natassia Halabi) starts to hit on … Continue reading “Regionrat” Tragic Consequences Of High School Drama
By William Engel Jeremie Battaglia’s aim is to shine the spotlight of the “everyday heroes” of the world, or the people who accomplish incredible feats that go unrecognized by the public. One of his most recent films, “Perfect”, is a documentary about one of the most unappreciated and underrated sports in the world – synchronized swimming – and the athleticism and artistry involved … Continue reading Jeremie Battaglia Is A Filmmaker With A Vision
By William Engel “Troll Inc.” gives us an inside look at one of the most notorious and reviled subcultures in America today – the internet trolling community. Particular focus is given to Andrew “Weav” Auernheimer, one of the most notorious and dangerous trolls in the history of the internet. I recently sat down with Mr. Russell to get a better idea of what he … Continue reading Director George Russell Has Been Making Waves In The World Of Film With His Short, But Striking New Documentary, “Troll Inc.”
By William Engel The rebirth will be in the form of a comic relaunch and a new live-action series. The series takes place in a dystopian future, where the world is being ravaged by a global “Hacker War” and transmitting data securely is a life-threatening task. At the center of the war is the titular OMEGA 1, a genetically enhanced human hired to keep … Continue reading Mark Edward Lewis Is The co-creator of OMEGA 1, A Sci-Fi Franchise With A bold Female Lead That’s About To See A Rebirth
By William Engel It is a world that proves to be more intricate, more fascinating and even more disturbing than it appears on the surface. The film focuses on Andrew “Weev” Auernheimer, one of the most accomplished and notorious trolls in the history of the net. The prodigious provocateur has, to date, publicly revealed a flaw in AT&T’s programming that allowed him to leak … Continue reading With “Troll Inc.”, Filmmaker George Russell Gives Us A Provocative Tour Of The World Of Internet Trolling
By William Engel After years of building up a reputation as one of the industry’s top special effects gurus, Hiroshi Katagiri made his feature length directorial debut with the premiere of c. I’m happy to report that it succeeds not only as a horror film, but as a harrowing drama that casts a damning light on the consequences of colonization. In the film, a Real … Continue reading Top Special Effects Gurus, Hiroshi Katagiri Creates A terrifyingly Brilliant Horror Film For His Directorial Debut
by William Engel Who’s “Jenna?” is very Funny, daring, and surprisingly intense. The film follows Jonathan Burke (Bill Sorvino), a financial advisor who starts dating a lawyer named Jenna Casey (Tracey Birdsall) after meeting her at a bar. His best friend, Andy Roma (Joseph D’onofrio) notes that she bears a striking resemblance to a prolific porn star, leading both of them to suspect that … Continue reading Who’s “Jenna?” Is A Thoroughly Enjoyable Romp
by William Engel If there’s any doubt in your mind that synchronized swimming is a legitimate sport, that doubt will be extinguished upon viewing “Perfect”, a spellbinding documentary about one of the athletic world’s most under-appreciated pursuits. “Perfect” gives us an inside look at the Canadian synchronized swimming team as they prepare for the national tryouts – which will qualify them for the 2016 … Continue reading “Perfect” Mesmerizing And Tragic
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