Hot Picks
|
|
|
Stargazer
USA 2023
produced by Justus McLarty, Matt Bogart for Mountain Muse Productions
directed by Alan McIntyre Smith
starring Kate Ginna, Matt Bogart, Lei Nico, Annette Gordon-Reed, Becca McLarty, Dan Sklar, Robert Vail, Cassandra Surianello, Cymere Nobles (= Cymere Lasean), Lauren Rejent, Victoria J. Robles, Paulette White, Kaedon Knight, Marlon Crook jr, Coleen Carr, Rob Ackerman
written by Rob Ackerman, Kate Ginna, music by Katy Pfaffl, songs by Phoebe Kruetz, dance choreography by Robert Vail
review by Mike Haberfelner
|
|
A hundred years ago, Cecila Payne - later Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin -
has discovered what stars are made of, and with this discovery
revolutionized astrophysics. But her thesis claiming just that was
suppressed by her teachers because it contradicted scientific consensus,
and later one of them, upon finding Cecilia's theories correct after all,
published them as his own findings. In the here and now, Grace (Kate
Ginna) has been fascinated by this story all her life, and now she's
writing a thesis about Cecilia and wants to publish her story as well. But
she's turned down by publisher after publisher, until she attracts the
interest of journalist Spike Randall (Matt Bogart), who wants to get her
on Annette Gordon-Reed's (herself) talkshow for maximum exposure, but
wants her to make the whole thing a little more accessible, and thus tries
to make her change things around during a lengthy discussion in a library,
a discussion that's overheard by dancer Diana (Lei Nico), who eventually
steps in and makes an effort to try to prevent Diana from giving away her
story to a man, just like Cecilia gave away her findings a century ago,
and uses very unusual means to do so ... Frankly, in plain
writing, this film doesn't sound as if it had much to offer (other than
the true story of Cecila Payne-Gaposchkin) as its main conflict is a
little too on-your-nose and too unexciting at the same time - but it's
really how the story's told that makes Stargazer special, it ever
so often drifts off into pure fantasy, features several dance routines,
shows a certain predilection for the absurd and has an eccentric streak to
it. And well fleshed-out characters with interesting arcs played by a very
able cast, and an elegant directorial effort also help make this an
unusual but very worthwhile ride.
|
|
|
review © by Mike Haberfelner
|
Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned) |
The links below will take you just there!!!
|
|
|
Thanks for watching !!!
|
|
|
Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
|