Who owns a song? The song writer, even though what they wrote might not be all that commercial without help? The performer, who shapes the words and expands it musically? The listener, who applies their experiences and feelings to their interpretation of what the song means? That’s the central question of John Carney’s POWER BALLAD, […]
2026 Milwaukee Film Festival – Closing Day – “Power Ballad” Read More »
The 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival is moving into its final days, but there were still some traditions that needed to be carried out. One of them was the Super Secret Members Only Screening for Milwaukee Film members. It’s always a mystery movie which the audience doesn’t know until moments before it starts. This year they
It’s becoming rarer, but some moments are truly lost to time. Important events too. The 1972 to 1973 production of Godspell in Toronto proved to be a landmark, being both a hit show and introducing people to the likes of Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Paul Shaffer.
Ghosts are memories. Ghosts are the past intruding on the present. Ghosts are people that haven’t been or refuse to be forgotten. Those are just some of the thoughts that occurred during a late night screening of A USEFUL GHOST during the Milwaukee Film Festival. I was expecting a good time based on a silly
2026 Milwaukee Film Festival – Day Twelve – “A Useful Ghost” Read More »
Sports documentaries are a tricky beast. They can bring out the best in people, have ready metaphors, and have clearly defined stakes. They can also be somewhat gimmicky and subsume their subject characters in artificial games with no larger relevance and artificial rivalries. That’s the challenge that KINGS OF VENICE faces. KINGS OF VENICE is
2026 Milwaukee Film Festival – Day Eleven – “Kings of Venice” Read More »
Last night the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival staged a world premiere with BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL WORLD: THE INFECTIOUS JOY OF PAT MCCURDY. I don’t think it’s too say that Pat McCurdy is a regional institution. At least if you describe a region as consisting of Chicago, Wisconsin (with a concentration on Milwaukee and Chicago) and Minneapolis.