To Live and Write in LA

LA Film Fest: ‘Seoul Searching’ – an Homage to John Hughes and the 1980s

The LA Film Festival chose to make ‘Seoul Searching’ one of its Gala Presentations. After the red carpet arrivals, the film was introduced by its director-screenwriter Benson Lee, and had its LA debut in Regal Cinemas’ Premier House. The entire event and the film itself gave that evening at the festival an old-time Hollywood feel. ‘Seoul Searching’ takes viewers on a nostalgia trip. Its theme, its style and its presentation are all retro in a good way. Prior to the screening, the audience did a stadium-style wave for the director. That’s getting into the 80s!

LA Film Fest: ‘The Spectacular Now’

(First published on blogcritics.org) As this film got underway, I found myself thinking, “I’m not going to enjoy this. Well, that scene was pretty good, but I’m going to write a bad review.”  The protagonist was a jerk. OK, he was a charming jerk, as many of them are. He also reminded me of a […]

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