Greetings again from the darkness. Dog people vs cat people. There have been scientific studies on the personality of those who fall on one side or the other. Surprisingly, this dog lover agreed to review a cat movie … an agreement based on the assurance that all relevant cats would be on screen and not in my lap. Australian director Sarah Jayne Portelli opens with some spectacular aerial shots of Malta, an island (archipelago) in the Mediterranean Sea dating back to 5900 B.C. She gives us a brief overview of its history, and then discloses that she lived on Malta for four years and was intrigued by the cats.
She informs us that Malta has a population of 450,000 people and approximately 100,000 stray cats. The director uses a vignette approach over the 58-minute runtime to introduce us to various citizens who share their personal cat stories. We hear the tale of a woman who rescued an injured cat that ultimately had a leg amputated. The three-legged cat still roams the streets, though it hasn’t forgiven the woman for messing up the medications. We are told that cats will sit patiently at the door of a café staring non-stop at a particular diner who is expected to provide table scraps upon finishing. A newly constructed Hilton property forced the relocation of a long-time cat village, and we meet the artist chosen to renovate the massive cat statue atop a building along the shore. Bob the large ginger street cat is shown, as is Isaac, a local boy who started feeding the cats when he was eleven years old.
All of these cats (at least the ones in the film) have been given names and are part of the community. The cats have individual personalities and quirks … some are more comfortable with humans than others; something that’s often dependent on whether early abuse or hardship was overcome. A case is made for the government to get involved with animal NGO’s and providing food, which most of the volunteer feeders pay for themselves at this time. There is simply no denying the fascinating cat culture of Malta, and the three benefits: tourism, joy to locals, and mental health therapy. Even this dog person must begrudgingly agree.
On Digital beginning October 3, 2023
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Despite his 30-year career and devotion to independent cinema, none of writer-director Kevin Smith’s films have ever really clicked with me. Because of this, I was hesitant to review Malcolm Ingram’s documentary on the filmmaker whose rabid fan base adores him. What a pleasure (and relief) to report that it turns out Kevin Smith is much more likable and relatable than his movies, at least for me.
Greetings again from the darkness. Although I was too young to attend Woodstock in 1969, I vividly recall the first time I saw the 1970 concert film, as I was stunned by the energetic performances, the dedicated attendees, and the mass of people making the best of rain, drugs, and music. By this time, I was attuned to Hendrix, The Who, Joplin, and most of the others, but the band that shook me was Santana. Familiar with only one song, “Evil Ways”, off their debut album, I was mesmerized by the pure force of their live “Soul Sacrifice” performance – the relentless drumming of Michael Shrieve (20 years old) and the blazing guitar work from band leader Carlos Santana (a 22-year-old).
Greetings again from the darkness. Remember that time you paid pop star Brittany Spears one million dollars to jump out of a birthday cake at your party? Or the times you paid huge appearance fees to celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Paris Hilton to hang around your lavish parties? If not, then you’re no Jho Low. And thank goodness for that. Jho Low was in cahoots with then Prime Minister Najib Razak to siphon billions from a fund designed to assist Malaysian citizens. Their fund was called 1MDB (1 Malaysian Development Berhad) and thanks to researchers and whistleblowers, this film from Cassius Michael Kim lays out a textbook case of corruption, fraud, and greed.
Greetings again from the darkness. There have been many great writers over the years, yet only a handful of these have become celebrities themselves … in contrast to celebrities who become “writers”. Tom Wolfe was one whose personality was as big (sometimes larger) than his books. Sporting the trademark white suits that had him labeled “a dandy”, making frequent talk show appearances and numerous public book readings and speeches, Wolfe achieved the celebrity status that evidently was important to him. Richard Dewey’s documentary is based on the “Vanity Fair” article written by Michael Lewis (“Moneyball”, “The Big Short”, “The Blind Side”), who also appears on screen here providing insight into Wolfe the writer and Wolfe the man.
Greetings again from the darkness. Let’s begin with this: Danny Wu’s documentary ties legendary filmmaker Orson Welles into one of the most tumultuous periods of history. This is done not so much in a FORREST GUMP or ZELIG style, but more like one of those push pin boards Claire Danes used in “Homeland” by looping red thread around all the key characters and events. Wu opens with Webster’s 1913 definition of an “American” – originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, now applied to descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States.
Greetings again from the darkness. Although not one of those Americans mesmerized by every move made by the Royal Family, I have long admired Queen Elizabeth II for the manner in which she conducted herself in public. Having served as Monarch for seventy years at the time of her death, the Queen displayed a rare and much appreciated decorum throughout her lifetime in the public eye. In fact, director Fabrizio Ferri begins the film by asking citizens to describe her in one word, and what we hear is no surprise: consistency, constraint, strong, constant, respect. Obviously, she was Queen for the entire life of most British citizens, so her passing was an emotional jolt.
Greetings again from the darkness. Obsession. Commitment. Dedication. Devotion. Pursuit of perfection. Whatever this is, it goes deeper than imitation. Akio Sakurai has spent thirty-plus years trying to become … well, let’s use his quote: “I want to be Jimmy Page.” Yes, Akio is not paying tribute to his guitar hero, and he zooms past the definition of fanboy. Director Peter Michael David chronicles Akio’s dream (over 8 years), and the film left me with conflicting emotions. Should I be in awe of Akio’s guitar-playing, or should I be worried about the mental state of someone so focused on being someone else?
Greetings again from the darkness. When the musical geniuses we respect and admire speak in awe and wonderment about another musician, we know it’s time to pay attention. Of course, Wayne Shorter has long been recognized as a Jazz giant, and unfortunately he passed away earlier this year. For this three-plus hour documentary, director Dorsay Alavi interviews such renowned artists as Joni Mitchell, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock. It’s fascinating to hear those on top of the mountain express high-level respect for Shorter using such descriptions as greatness, visionary, and genius.
Greetings again from the darkness. Let’s face it. The vast majority of U.S. educated folks have “learned” most of their Native American history from short segments in high school classes and from the portrayals in movies and TV shows. It seems fair to admit that these have been mostly one-sided tales. Well, here comes co-directors Laura Tomaselli and Jesse Short Bull to provide a detailed history from the Native American perspective, and I feel confident that many of you will find it as disturbing as I did.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 