By: debbie lynn elias After a successful premiere in Sundance, Armando Bo’s THE LAST ELVIS makes its Los Angeles debut as Argentina’s contribution to the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival International Showcase. There is a fine line between fact and fiction, fantasy and reality and for Carlos Gutierrez those lines are
By: debbie lynn elias For many, the number 13 often bodes a negative connotation and is considered to be “unlucky”. Such is not the case here, however, with Pixar’s 13th animated feature, BRAVE. Raising Pixar’s already astronomically high bar for level of excellence even higher, writer/director Mark Andrews and co-writers/directors
By: debbie lynn elias With a nod to Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood, My #1 Must See Festival Film at the Los Angeles Film Festival 2012 celebrates a beloved genre of filmmaking, the American western – DEAD MAN’S BURDEN. There’s nothing like some good old fashioned gunfire, family squabbles, horse
By: debbie lynn elias Now in its 18th year, and bigger and better than ever, LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL 2012 is a guaranteed winner. Returning to the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles, the energy and excitement is already at an anticipatory fever pitch – and that’s just from
By: debbie lynn elias A real privilege for me is featuring OC87: THE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE, MAJOR DEPRESSION, BIPOLAR, ASPERGER’S MOVIE. A documentary written and co-directed by my fellow Philadelphian and Temple RTF alum, Bud Clayman, this is without a doubt one of the most honest and heartfelt stories you will
By: debbie lynn elias Thanks to a shared vision of director Colin Trevorrow and screenwriter Derek Connolly, and stand out performances of a small ensemble cast led by Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza, SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED is a quirky, charming, remarkably thoughtful and entertaining film that is, in essence, a
By: debbie lynn elias With the first frame of THIS IS OURS, one is swept up in the beauty and elegance of Jonathan Houser’s cinematography and drawn into this slice of life character study of a fractured relationship hiding behind the trappings of responsibility and the American Dream. Adding to
By: debbie lynn elias One of my favorite films at the 15th annual Dances With Films Film Festival at the Chinese 6 in Hollywood this week is in the documentary category. IN HEAVEN THERE IS NO BEER celebrates this generation’s unique music movement known as the “Kiss or Kill” phenomena.
By: debbie lynn elias Stealing my heart at the 15th annual Dances With Films Film Festival is the short film, LIFE LESSONS. Written and directed by Maria Finitzo, LIFE LESSONS is a humorous sweet look back on her own life as a little ballerina. A dancer until the age
By: debbie lynn elias I don’t know about you, but when I think back on my high school days, I don’t recall them being anything like the school in John Stalberg’s HIGH SCHOOL, and that’s probably a good thing, as I would have accomplished nothing but for laughing my way
