Blue-Grotto

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe themselves free."

Laszlo, an architect, flees Hungary in the wake of World War II and attempts to rebuild his life in America. Pain as well as pleasure are on the horizon as he realigns his work, love, and soul in a new country.

The alluring images, immersive sound, actors in top form, enticing themes, and witty dialogue of The Brutalist combine to dazzle the senses (the film won Oscars for the images, sound, and acting of Adrien Brody). It kept me guessing and enthralled throughout its over three-hour length with scenes descending into the ethereal marble quarries of Carrara, Italy, ambient sounds of people talking and glasses clinking, seductive piano music, crackling neon lights of New York, close-ups of intriguing faces, haunting heroin dens, and more.

Some of the most interesting aspects of The Brutalist include its deep conversations and themes. Certain events really shape our lives, for example. Our lives are like two-hour films in how they go from one highlight to another over the course of existence. Certain events have big impacts upon our characters.

Laszlo reacts passively (at least outwardly) to some major provocations. In this I recognize that he, like me, prefers to prove his worth and ideals, rather than fight with someone about them. Laszlo is challenged in this. "If you resent your persecution," taunts his boss "then why do you make yourself an easy target." While Laszlo prefers to prove his worth, he should be more careful about who is the judge.

Laszlo's wife and love, Erzsébet, is worthy of this trust. "We have a new life and language, and can start again," she says. Even from far away Erzsébet knows everything that happened to him and all he's done.

In life, work, and love there are bound to be upheavals, yet we endure the erosion of our true selves by the kind of people, practices, and places we associate ourselves with.

For a country that once prided itself in freedom, we are increasingly failing in this regard.

"You don't look for trouble, but trouble finds you."

An abused girl, Rita, finds herself in a worse situation at an institution for abandoned and orphaned children. Rita turns to stories, imagination, and other girls to face the darkness around her and keep hope alive in her heart. Rita's story evolves like a fairy tale; innocents locked up in a castle, the forest surrounding them, song, ogres, princesses, stars, fairies, animals, angels, and all of them alive with magic. To find their happy ending the girls need to heal their hearts, spread their wings, and fly.

This beautiful and heart-breaking film mixes fantasy and reality (a tragedy that occurred in 2017 at the Virgen de la Asunción children's home). Bustamante, as is his talent, infuses the story with ethereal visions and fantastical beings. Along the way he reveals that the true monsters in this situation are not just the people who allow things like this to happen, but the cruel indifference of society to the plights of these innocents. The girls need our attention, empathy, and kindness, but instead society focuses on other stories involving entertainment, hate, and fear.

"In honor of all the fantastic beings," says Bustamante "that inhabit an adult world that turns its back on them."

A perfectly speckled egg from Valentina the chicken is the ultimate quest for a trio off scrappy, sharp-tongued kids on dirt bikes in the western mountain country. In a roundabout way the egg is the key to a password-protected video game they want to play. The quest for the egg gets more challenging and myriad complications arise as the children encounter enchanted beings intent upon keeping the egg for themselves. Yet the deeper the kids get into trouble, the more their determination grows to succeed.

Fairy tale meets paint ball in this charming, unique, funny, and refreshing old school family thriller. It seems Wes Anderson, Terry Gilliam, Walt Disney, and Kevin Smith put their heads together with the local Renaissance Festival staff, to craft this imaginative and surprisingly good story. The combined snarky and adorable child actors register some impressive performances as they seem to genuinely enjoy their character roles and have fun with the script. It isn't just an assignment or paycheck for them. Trusting in the cast sure paid off in this debut film for Weston Razooli.

"I think she is cursed. (I think she is blessed.) Maybe she's both."

While there are some issues with the pacing, acting, and other things, Riddle of Fire takes me back to another time and place when films were not so cheesy, graphics-heavy, and generally lacking in soul and spark. What would I do without independent and quirky films such as this? In viewing them, including Riddle of Fire, my heart becomes full and rich.