The Cinema Scribe

“Disclosure” can be an awfully loaded word, one that carries connotations on multiple levels, nearly always with personally meaningful ramifications. However, those implications may sometimes be so subtle that they’re easy to miss, even though they do not diminish their importance. It’s also interesting to note how they’re frequently revealed simultaneously, heightening their collective impact, a...

It’s often been observed that “order comes out of chaos,” a notion that might seem counterintuitive but frequently rings true. It’s also something that can be seen in a variety of contexts, with corollaries all their own tailored to the area of endeavor in question. In the world of music, this idea can be applied to the tuning of instruments – specifically pianos – wherein it’s been said that “har...

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because you just might be surprised by what’s inside. The content may readily defy observations and expectations in unanticipated ways. And the same, of course, can be said for people, especially those who exhibit traits or behavior that’s outside the mainstream. That’s precisely the point driven home by the excellent new, award-winning, fact-based...

As we approach the finish lines of our lives, we often take time to reflect on how we’ve spent the years of our existence. It’s a process that allows us to take stock of who we are and how we’ve lived, and it frequently provides a means to help us make decisions about any remaining unfinished business we may have. However, such soul-searching may also leave us with more questions than answers at a...

Social issues frequently provide considerable fodder for documentary features. especially when they address hot-button issues that are on the minds of many of us and have the potential to affect us significantly. That's very much the case when it comes to such subjects as effective, compassionate health care and the impact of electronic technology on our daily lives. Fortunately, both of these top...

No matter how much we may care for our significant others, we sometimes appear to experience issues with them that threaten the future of our relationships. The love between us might still be seemingly present, but the overall tone of the partnership feels ... off, and we’re unlikely to know why. Unfortunately, under those circumstances, we may give up and choose to separate, but is that really th...

Courage comes in many forms, some of them plainly apparent and others seemingly unlikely. Ironically, it’s those emboldened but unsuspecting heroes who often end up achieving the greatest victories in their endeavors, even when up against formidable opponents. And now the makings of such an implausible scenario provide the focus for an insightful first-person documentary, one in which an unassumin...

One of the most inspiring messages I’ve run across in my life maintains that “The greatest joy is in creation,” a message that, ironically, came my way via a Chinese fortune cookie just as I had begun work on my first book. The timing couldn’t have been better, as this sentiment fed directly into my writing. It proved to me at the time – and ever since – that creativity is essential to help keep u...

Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a bully’s wrath can understand the hurt, anxiety, and self-esteem issues that frequently accompany such physical and emotional trauma. The abusive taunting, teasing, mockery, and ostracism that come with such cruel treatment can leave its victims devastated for years afterward, making it difficult, if not impossible, to recover. And this doesn’t eve...

When the slate gets involuntarily wiped clean, we generally have two choices available to us: (1) walking away and starting anew or (2) attempting to rebuild. Both options usually represent hard choices, not only because of the effort required, but also due to the emotional anguish we’re likely to face. Of those two choices, the restoration option can be particularly trying, given that, as we go t...

Forgiveness is one of the most challenging but potentially rewarding exercises in which we can engage. Mustering up the courage and gumption to take on this task may be difficult, even anguishing. But, once we make our way through this potentially intimidating process, we often find ourselves feeling renewed, brimming with rejuvenated emotions and grace that we never knew we possessed. In that sen...

We’ve all been taught the wisdom behind the notion of “honesty is the best policy.” It’s sound, solid guidance that’s nearly always appropriate (provided it’s not carried to an unhealthy extreme). But what about the opposite of this advice: Is there ever any benefit in a falsehood, the so-called “good lie?” At first glance, it might be easy to dismiss this idea out of hand, but what if something l...

Life can sometimes present us with hard choices. However, strange as it might sound, death might actually hand us some even bigger ones. That’s the dilemma posed to a recently deceased woman who led a long and largely happy life. But, much to her surprise, now that she's in the afterlife, she faces a decision that’s not at all what she expected, a choice far greater and more difficult than anythin...

In an age where distinguishing what seems genuine from something that’s clandestinely veiled, it may be difficult to know what to believe. As a result, we might abandon any attempt to identify inherent (and potentially significant) differences. Or, by contrast, we may become so obsessed with reconciling such matters that we descend into a sea of paranoid conspiracy theories, potentially seeing sha...

In this age of increasingly untrustworthy AI, rampant fake news, and unabashedly self-serving social media, it’s becoming ever more difficult for many of us to distinguish what’s “real” and what isn’t, almost as if we’re stuck in a frightening new Orwellian paradigm. That’s significant, not only for how we perceive existence and our connections (or lack thereof) to it, but also in terms of how we...

It’s been said that “life is what you make of it,” that “we become what we believe.” To some, this probably seems like the content of a warm, fuzzy, inspirational greeting card. But, if we truly take the time to examine ourselves and our lives, we’re likely to find that there’s more than a small kernel of truth in these observations. Find out more in a review of the insightful new romantic comedy-...

Those who insist on being themselves, no matter what, are often met with staunch opposition from those expecting them to strictly comply with their wishes. But, by willingly giving license to their inner rebels, these free-spirited mavericks are often subjected to sanctions aimed at stifling their actions, beliefs and behavior, even for the slightest of deviations from conventional expectations. F...

When we’re fortunate enough to find ourselves in love, we should do all we can to cherish this blessing. After all, it seems like many more of us these days are having difficulty drawing this into our lives, so, when it’s present, we should do all we can to preserve and protect this precious commodity. Unfortunately, however, all too often we let incidentals get in the way of giving love its prope...

As much as one would like to believe that humanity is capable of great things, we’ve also seen many instances where the opposite, unfortunately, is true. And, to make matters worse, many of those unsettling developments remain out of view, hidden in the shadows – that is, until someone comes along to courageously expose them. Those revelations often come at tremendous personal cost, too, but when...

Some would say – and quite astutely at that – there’s plenty of madness to go around these days, and they’d be right. But where and when did this begin? Many would increasingly agree that a good place to start looking would be the COVID-19 Pandemic, a time when fear was ratcheted up, conspiracy theories ran amok, and people’s imaginations were let loose without restraint. So why did this happen? F...

Successfully vanquishing global ills like environmental degradation, economic inequality, insufficient health care and armed conflict in order to purposely create an earthly paradise is undeniably an ambitious and virtuous goal that most of us would probably support. The benefits of creating a healthy, sustainably managed future are undeniable. But how far would we be willing to go to realize it?...

Recapturing the past may be an enticing, seductive prospect, especially when it involves revisiting pleasant memories of days gone by. If nothing else, it can help to plug holes of loneliness and despair in our psyche, filling us with feelings of warmth and happiness. But is it realistically achievable or just wishful thinking? Find out more in a review of the new alternative romantic comedy-drama...

Is love enough to sustain a relationship? It can certainly provide a powerful bond to keep partners together, but is that sufficient to maintain that connection when other issues arise (such as day-to-day life challenges, disagreements, and disconnects about fundamental goals and aspirations, cohabitation conflicts, a growing lack of sexual intimacy, etc.)? These matters often come to a head when...

It often feels like we’re constantly being assessed, evaluated on everything from our creditworthiness to our work performance to our scholastic achievements. But imagine what it might be like if we were scrutinized on highly personal matters, with intrusive investigations into our most highly intimate concerns. Is it worth putting ourselves through such intrusive and potentially intensive inquiri...