Month: August 2020

‘Chemical Hearts’ has some magic

Jeff Mitchell

“Chemical Hearts” – “You’re never more alive than when you’re a teenager.” – Henry Page (Austin Abrams) Raise your hand if you’ve heard a version of Henry’s aforementioned statement during your teenage years.  Parents, teachers, or older brothers or sisters are usually the main prophets to bestow this wisdom, but in this case, Henry is narrating his story, as he looks back on his high school senior year.  Before meeting Grace (Lili Reinhart), Henry never really believed it, though. He never felt it. Nothing emotionally noteworthy rocked Henry’s universe, but…

Movie of the Week: ‘Burning’

Jeff Mitchell

Bong Joon-ho and his landmark film “Parasite” (2019) made Oscar history with his Best Picture Oscar win on Feb. 9, 2020, the first foreign language movie to win the award. South Korea has a long, fruitful history in cinema, and this week, AHFW looks to a brilliant film from Bong’s countryman Lee Chang-dong.  “Burning” (2019) is potent drama that sparks unconventional mysteries. “Burning” (2018)– Director Lee Chang-dong’s picture – which is South Korea’s 2019 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar entry – is about haves and have-nots, belief and uncertainty, clear direction…

Here’s an enthusiastic vote for ‘Boys State’

Jeff Mitchell

“Boys State” –  “Political parties are likely to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government.” – George Washington, 1796 The aforementioned quote appears at the beginning of “Boys State”, a highly compelling documentary – from directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss – that presents Texas Boys State, an American Legion-promoted event in which over 1,000 teenage boys descend on Austin to engage in a government simulation. Given the…