What do you remember? Or, was it in a dream? Do you have reality straight in your mind? In your subconscious? The confluence of such questions is the space Inception perceptively explores. Part of the genius of Christopher Nolan’s writing and directing is …more »»
Film Talks: Quick talks
Inception (2010)
by Randy HeffnerInglourious Basterds (2009)
by Randy HeffnerIf you take pleasure in revenge and you choose to go on taking pleasure in it, Inglourious Basterds will give you plenty to feed your pleasure. I don’t want that to be me, yet there is truth in what the film …more »»
It Might Get Loud (2009)
by Randy HeffnerIf for you, rock and blues electric guitar music is in itself a Beautiful thing, It Might Get Loud is a great place to get lost in reverie with it. And, if you’re a big fan of Jimmy Page, The Edge, or Jack White, …more »»
The Lovely Bones (2009)
by Randy HeffnerThe Lovely Bones is a murder non-mystery. By telling us at the start that Susie Salmon was murdered and near the start who did it, the film turns the focus to the lives and relationships …more »»
Precious (2009)
by Randy HeffnerEngaging, heart-wrenching, real, and strong, Precious delves deeply into dark places where our need for love collides with poverty — poverty of money, of spirit, of love, and of character. In the midst of the collision …more »»
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
by Randy HeffnerRachel Getting Married is in many ways a hard film to watch because of the numerous angles on family and personal dysfunction that it explores. The film has a unedited-home-video style and meditative tone that one must go with or the film will feel overly long. Still, for …more »»
The Road (2009)
by Randy HeffnerSet in a bleak and barren post-apocalyptic world, The Road intensely and insightfully explores the nature of goodness, hope, and love. How dark can your world get before you lose hope? At what point …more »»
The Savages (2007)
by Randy HeffnerThe Savages is an unvarnished exploration of family dysfunction and reunion between a father, a brother, and a sister. There are many insightful moments that well capture tenderness, animosity, mistrust, self-hiding, caring, …more »»
A Serious Man (2009)
by Randy HeffnerHave you had those times when nothing in life seems to fit? Times that you want the formula for how things work so you can try to fix them? A Serious Man is about that. But there’s more: watching the film puts you in that …more »»
The Spitfire Grill (1996)
by Randy HeffnerPerhaps it is well-worn to say that a person coming out of prison has paid their debt to society, yet how do we really know that their character is changed? How should we behave until we do know? The Spitfire Grill starts with such questions, but …more »»
Still Walking (2009)
by Randy HeffnerIn Still Walking, we are treated to an excellent, deliberately paced, progressively revealed journey through a day with a Japanese family. The characters, through their own words and through the things said …more »»
Surrogates (2009)
by Randy HeffnerSurrogates is an interesting mix of science fiction, action, and crime genres with a bit of the romantic as well. I’d like to say that it explores our struggle to be authentic humans, but …more »»
Up (2009)
by Randy HeffnerCharming, fun, and rich, Up takes us on an eventful animated ride watching the late-in-life transformation of Carl Fredricksen. Although the questions explored by the film are not particularly deep, Up’s creative coup …more »»
Up in the Air (2009)
by Randy HeffnerWhat if your job had you on the road 322 days a year…traveling alone? What if you spent most of those days firing people? Starting with this bleak relational backdrop, Up in the Air explores hope, stability, …more »»
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