Writer and Director Haroula Rose, of Lincolnwood, Ill. will be at the Gallup Film Festival September 12-14.  Her film, Once Upon a River, based on Bonnie Jo Campbell’s New York Times’ 2011 best selling novel of the same name, will be screened at 6 pm September 14.

The film features actor Kenadi DelaCerna, who plays Margo, a young 15-year-old girl whose uncle, “Cal” lures her into a situation in which he takes advantage of her in a small river town along the Kalamazoo River near Lake Michigan. Margo’s father Bernard Crane is played by Tatanka Means, who comes to his daughter’s aid and defense as a fatal quarrel ensues with Uncle Cal.

“There was something about the...

Rating: «« out of ««««

Running Time: 149 minutes

It must be especially daunting to try to adapt a Pulitzer Prize winning novel to the big screen. As a result, The Goldfinch already has the deck well stacked against it. The film is well shot and features a couple of good performances and a few interesting moments. Unfortunately, it is also a little bit stiff, awkwardly plotted, and by the close, doesn’t make the emotional impact it needs to really wow viewers.

The story follows Theodore Decker (Oakes Fegley), a young boy visiting the Metropolitan Museum at the worst possible time. A bomb is detonated in the building, killing his mother and leaving him an orphan. He’s...

The fall is here, which means it’s a great time to enjoy Blu-rays and DVDs. Numerous summer releases are now making their debuts and there are plenty of independent choices and documentaries to keep audiences informed. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

 

Big New Releases!

5th of July -This independently produced comedy follows a young professor who sets out to fulfill a last wish…to drive to the mountains and spread his dad’s ashes over a favorite lake. But by the time the lead arrives at his destination, he’s tired and curses out his late father. The universe soon turns against him. Thieves steal...

Rating: ««« out of ««««
Running Time: 169 minutes

It has been two years since the release of It, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 novel. The film became a blockbuster and grossed more than $700 million dollars worldwide on a relatively small budget. The follow-up arrives this week and is likely critic-proof, as those who went to the original picture will no doubt line up to see how it all plays out. Admittedly, IT Chapter Two isn’t quite as effective as the previous entry, but it still features some entertaining moments and a finale that will satisfy horror fans.

It is 27 years after the supernatural child-devouring clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) was defeated by a...