In this age of increasingly untrustworthy AI, rampant fake news, and unabashedly self-serving social media, it’s becoming ever more difficult for many of us to distinguish what’s “real” and what isn’t, almost as if we’re stuck in a frightening new Orwellian paradigm. That’s significant, not only for how we perceive existence and our connections (or lack thereof) to it, but also in terms of how we experience and respond to it. But how do we cope with such circumstances? Find out more in a review of the hilarious and thoughtful new Austrian dark comedy-drama-satire, "Peacock," on the next episode of The Cinema Scribe.

It’s been said that “life is what you make of it,” that “we become what we believe.” To some, this probably seems like the content of a warm, fuzzy, inspirational greeting card. But, if we truly take the time to examine ourselves and our lives, we’re likely to find that there’s more than a small kernel of truth in these observations. Find out more in a review of the insightful new romantic comedy-drama-fantasy, “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Those who insist on being themselves, no matter what, are often met with staunch opposition from those expecting them to strictly comply with their wishes. But, by willingly giving license to their inner rebels, these free-spirited mavericks are often subjected to sanctions aimed at stifling their actions, beliefs and behavior, even for the slightest of deviations from conventional expectations. Find out more in a review of the new period piece coming of age comedy-drama, "We Were Dangerous," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

When we’re fortunate enough to find ourselves in love, we should do all we can to cherish this blessing. After all, it seems like many more of us these days are having difficulty drawing this into our lives, so, when it’s present, we should do all we can to preserve and protect this precious commodity. Unfortunately, however, all too often we let incidentals get in the way of giving love its proper due, allowing insignificant influences to intrude upon our appreciation and enjoyment of its many gifts. Find out more in a review of the hilarious new dark romantic comedy, "The Roses," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

As much as one would like to believe that humanity is capable of great things, we’ve also seen many instances where the opposite, unfortunately, is true. And, to make matters worse, many of those unsettling developments remain out of view, hidden in the shadows – that is, until someone comes along to courageously expose them. Those revelations often come at tremendous personal cost, too, but when the world becomes aware of such horrors, opportunities for change, justice, and healing begin to emerge. Find out more in a review of the superb new biographical drama, "Words of War," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Some would say – and quite astutely at that – there’s plenty of madness to go around these days, and they’d be right. But where and when did this begin? Many would increasingly agree that a good place to start looking would be the COVID-19 Pandemic, a time when fear was ratcheted up, conspiracy theories ran amok, and people’s imaginations were let loose without restraint. So why did this happen? Find out more in a review of the insightful new comedy/drama/modern-day Western, "Eddington," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Successfully vanquishing global ills like environmental degradation, economic inequality, insufficient health care and armed conflict in order to purposely create an earthly paradise is undeniably an ambitious and virtuous goal that most of us would probably support. The benefits of creating a healthy, sustainably managed future are undeniable. But how far would we be willing to go to realize it? Find out more in a review of the thoughtful new social sci-fi release, "Can I Get a Witness?", on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Social Sci-Fi Release Can I Get a Witness ?

Recapturing the past may be an enticing, seductive prospect, especially when it involves revisiting pleasant memories of days gone by. If nothing else, it can help to plug holes of loneliness and despair in our psyche, filling us with feelings of warmth and happiness. But is it realistically achievable or just wishful thinking? Find out more in a review of the new alternative romantic comedy-drama, "The Ballad of Wallis Island," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Is love enough to sustain a relationship? It can certainly provide a powerful bond to keep partners together, but is that sufficient to maintain that connection when other issues arise (such as day-to-day life challenges, disagreements, and disconnects about fundamental goals and aspirations, cohabitation conflicts, a growing lack of sexual intimacy, etc.)? These matters often come to a head when specific turning points in life are reached, such as health issues or retirement, especially when each partner holds different views about what that next stage of life is supposed to be all about. So what’s to be done? Find out more in a review of the new LGBTQ+ romantic comedy-drama, "Turtles," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

It often feels like we’re constantly being assessed, evaluated on everything from our creditworthiness to our work performance to our scholastic achievements. But imagine what it might be like if we were scrutinized on highly personal matters, with intrusive investigations into our most highly intimate concerns. Is it worth putting ourselves through such intrusive and potentially intensive inquiries? Find out more in a review of the new social sci-fi thriller, "The Assessment," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe, premiering June 10.

Most of us would probably agree that learning lessons is an important part of our life experience. However, at the same time, most of us would also likely concur that we seldom know what those lessons will be, what their messages are or how they will be delivered. Could they emerge from the circumstances that appear? Will they stem from the people who cross our paths? Or could it be in some other way entirely? Find out more in a review of the charming new, fact-based comedy-drama-memoir, “The Penguin Lessons,” on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Philosophers and metaphysicians are generally quick to agree that we’re all fundamentally connected, both to one another and to everything around us, that there’s a certain universality binding all there is in our existence. But how many of us actually take the time to truly recognize, consider and appreciate this or what makes this attainable? Maybe this calls for stepping away from our everyday world and immersing ourselves in some sort of alternate version of it to see the inherent connections from a fresh perspective. Find out more in a review of the delightfully quirky, offbeat, insightful new Canadian comedy, "Universal Language," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

In a throw-away age like the one in which we live, virtually everything is vulnerable. In fact, we can become so accustomed to this way of thinking that it becomes an ingrained mindset, one in which we come to believe that anything perceived as not being expediently useful is potentially disposable. But how far are we willing to go with this? Indeed, aren’t there inherent dangers that we might take this notion a little too far, perhaps even to a point of no return? Find out more in a review of the insightful and hilarious new sci-fi satire, "Mickey 17," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Sometimes, the simplest yet most profound messages come to us from the unlikeliest of sources. In many cases, those messengers deliver their insights metaphorically and unwittingly, with an almost “innocent” nature, as if to give license to the notion of “out of the mouths of babes.” So imagine how valuable that information can be when its impact is significant and inspiring and comes at a time when the stakes are at their highest. Find out more in a review of the charming, enlightening, and award-winning new animated feature from Latvia, “Flow” (“Straume”), on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Choice is arguably the most precious personal resource we possess. It makes so much possible, and it provides us with so many opportunities to seek the fulfillment of what we hold most dear. Because of that, however, there may well be times when what we choose to embrace and invoke won’t be agreeable to others. But, then, the choices in question are ours and fundamentally not subject to the approval of others. That even includes choices involving the direction that our own personal fate ultimately takes. Such is the question called for a terminally ill woman in making her decision on whether or not to willfully continue her existence. Find out more in a review of the engaging right-to-die drama, "The Room Next Door," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Many of us these days are experiencing a certain inexplicable unsettledness with our lives, a constant sense of frustration and restlessness that seems to defy explanation – or resolution. Because of those conditions, we may also find ourselves becoming increasingly aggravated, with our fuses growing progressively shorter. And, no matter what we might do to try and address these circumstances, it often feels like nothing works, that the irritation is perpetual and unrelenting. As a consequence, coping becomes virtually impossible as we struggle to find a way to keep going, circumstances all too familiar to a middle-aged British housewife in her attempts to keep from losing it. Find out more in a review of the new dark comedy-drama, “Hard Truths,” on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Hope is an undeniably powerful force, and a belief in it firmly cements our faith in it in our consciousness. It’s difficult to shake, too, hanging on persistently in our worldview. Admittedly, though, when circumstances challenge its validity and viability, that quality can come under fire, perhaps even prompting us to question its strength and resilience. But such conditions can also serve to affirm our convictions, to galvanize us in our views of the power of hope, particularly when it seems like that’s all we have going for us. Find out more in a review of the new, fact-based, Oscar-nominated  historical drama, "I'm Still Here," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Many of us often find ourselves in the pursuit of callings that may seem out of character or that we don’t fully understand ourselves. These ventures frequently require true commitment on our part, yet we may also find ourselves perplexed by their seeming inexplicability. And, if we think about walking away from them, we simply can’t bring ourselves to do so. The call to commit is simply too strong. So what’s behind these ostensibly obsessive undertakings? Find out more in a review of the revealing film biography, "Lee," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.

Engaging in acts of forgiveness can be among the most difficult life tasks that any of us undertake. In nearly every case, we’re called upon to absolve those who have harmed us. In many instances, we might feel so violated by these misdeeds that we simply don’t want to extend any type of grace toward our transgressors. And, the greater the degree of the offenses committed against us, the more challenging such absolutions can be. But, despite these inclinations toward holding grudges, we should nevertheless make the effort to ask ourselves, “What do we gain by holding on to the hurt?” Find out morein a review of the engaging new drama, "Exhibiting Forgiveness," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe, premiering January 28.

The search for self is a process that many of us believe we complete when we come of age. However, as we often later discover, it’s something we need to revisit as the circumstances of our lives evolve. In fact, we might find that this is an ongoing, life-long process that requires continual vigilance and assessment. That can be confusing, if not disconcerting, particularly if we assume we’ve arrived at all the answers we need at an earlier stage of life. Find out more in a review of the engaging new comedy-drama, "A Real Pain," on the next edition of The Cinema Scribe.