gaiamuse

How could you wrong with Laura Linney, Kathy Bates and Maggie Smith together in a film? I feel like these three brilliant actors must have had some choice in working with each other to pull this off so beautifully -- under sensitive direction by Thaddeus O'Sullivan working from a story by Jimmy Smallhorne about common human experiences, failings and learnings. The three women decide to go to Lourdes from Baillygar, Ireland -- each to seek a miracle which they hope will be the solution to their lives. But what if what they really want is beyond what they're seeking? This one will stay in my library of films to watch when I need the reminder that the combination of good script, story, acting and direction is unbeatable for those of us who appreciate fine filmmaking.

Benji the Dove lives in a small town neighborhood where nothing ever changes. Even in 2018 he and his friends ride around on bicycles in the middle of the Main Street, unaware of the dangers that exist in the real world. Into their midst comes a young Scottish boy who hails not only from the country but from the philosophy of ancient Scottish knighthood - nobility, justice, and ethics. Bringing the thoughtfulness of the knight's philosophy into the 21st century is a great idea and boys learn lessons way beyond iPhones or game boxes. Really enjoyed this. Including a young Gerald Jones (Benji) and his Scottish friend Roland (Steven Braunstein).

This is an odd film, but ends up on the right side of odd. It's A little creaky on the direction and so the acting is a B rating. But the premise is interesting and I found myself enjoying that there was no melodramatic tension artificially written into the script. Instead the dramatic arc focused on how and why this ghost came to be, why they were tethered in one place and what you actually do if you have one in your house that won't seem to go away. One of the living charcters is as medium, which also comes in handy in the story. In the end, this is a fun story with a plausible premise. Even though the solution is currently far-fetched, it might be true in the future. Fun.