Fahrenheit 9/11 (Moore, 2004) — Ten Years Later

Last updated on: May 25, 2015 at 7:39 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

My complaints are two, and they are both the more frustrating for obscuring the occasional relevant and important pieces (such as claims that the Bush administration had decided they wanted to "do something" about Iraq prior to the 9/11 attacks). Read more

Moms’ Night Out (Erwin and Erwin, 2014)

Last updated on: September 3, 2014 at 6:55 am By Kenneth R. Morefield

Moms' Night Out is the first (and so far only) "Christian" movie that I could maybe, sort of, imagine a non-Christian enjoying. Not every non-Christian, certainly, Maybe not most. But some...and that's progress after a fashion. Read more

Inside Hana’s Suitcase (Weinstein, 2009)

Last updated on: May 25, 2015 at 6:59 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

Few events in history have been the subject of as many books and films as the Holocaust, yet paradoxically each new narrative serves to remind us that we can only ever scratch the surface of tragedies composed of the loss of human lives. Read more

Film Fest DC — 2014

Last updated on: November 10, 2014 at 9:02 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

If 2014 is, as has been rumored, the final year of Film Fest DC, the selection of films proved a fitting microcosm of both why regional film festivals will continue to struggle and why this one will be missed. Read more

The Railway Man (Teplitzky, 2013)

Last updated on: July 26, 2014 at 8:41 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

Does depicting torture automatically earn a movie three stars or more if it is inspired by a true story? Read more

White Lies (Rotberg, 2013)

Last updated on: July 26, 2014 at 11:27 am By Kenneth R. Morefield

That's probably one reason why there are so few genuinely engaging movies about abortion. Most interesting dramas have at least a bit of internal conflict. But in melodramas about polarizing issues, if such internal conflicts are too heavy, the drama risks alienating those viewers who may perceive such misgivings as signaling uncertainty. If they are too light, it risks accusations of treating a grave matter too superficially. Rare is the film that seriously challenges its characters to feel reservations about their position, much less face them. Read more

Art Recession (Lai, 2011)

Last updated on: July 26, 2014 at 3:13 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

Ming Lai's Art Recession is comprised of a series of testimonials, relentless in their focus. The thesis? Art education is devalued (and hence vulnerable) in our culture despite helping students excel in other disciplines and improving the quality of life for society as a whole. Read more

Dolphin Tale 2 — Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Bethany Hamilton

Last updated on: May 22, 2015 at 8:53 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

"God didn't say in the Bible: 'thou shalt be 110 pounds,'" the actress replied wryly when asked what advice she had to young women watching movies and questioning whether they conformed to the perfect feminine Hollywood prototype. Read more

T. C. Johnstone Interview

Last updated on: May 25, 2015 at 7:02 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

Director T. C. Johnstone visited Campbell University as part of its Undergraduate Lecture Symposium. He talks with us about how he got into film making and the challenges of filming Rising From Ashes. Read more

We Don’t Need No Education…or Do We? — Full Frame Day 3

Last updated on: July 26, 2014 at 8:30 pm By Kenneth R. Morefield

It's not surprising then that a trio of films from this year's festival look at universities. Documentaries are often about the act of self-examination. So why not documentary film festivals? Read more