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One day, Gianni meets Nino (Gabriele Pizzurro), and the two share instant chemistry. As the two become better acquainted, they fall in love. In trying to turn their stolen moments into something meaningful, Gianni and Nino go about town and do little things, such as setting off fireworks. Can the two younger lovers find peace, or is the volatile nature of their hometown too much to bear? Running 2 hours and 14 minutes (including credits), Fireworks is a slow but absorbing watch....

Heart of Florida takes us to Haines City, Florida. Unlike Cops, filmmakers Michel and Trout focus on the Haines City Police Department’s efforts to build a bridge with its community. Across the nation, being a police officer is a thankless occupation. Officers risk their lives every day with every phone call and traffic stop. They are highly susceptible to PTSD and, when untreated, often lead to suicide. The documentary follows Officer Webster and Officer Belfrey....

The footage is the “found” part of the film. Tara, Candy (Renfro), and Beth (Alexa Maris) are driving deep into the forests of Illinois to investigate a famous scary folk tale of the area. The friends are looking for evidence of the Hawthorne Hag, the evil spirit of a woman wrongfully killed hundreds of years ago. During the shoot, their friend Alyssa (Nora McKirdie) shows up, only to be promptly shot in the head by three rednecks, up to no good....

From there, Baichwal interviews lawyers, farmers, victims, and experts to understand how and why Round Up was allowed onto the market and what happened to those exposed. If all that sounds rather academic, that’s because it is. But that does not mean the documentary is boring. By focusing on the human element and honing in on Johnson’s plight, the director (along with story consultant Michael McGowan) makes the case that this affects everyone, even if they’ve never heard of Round Up before....

Or if Jeff (Segal), the title character from the Duplass Brothers’ latest film “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” were there, he’d say it was all a sign that our destiny was upon us. We weren’t meant to be in that bus crash because something bigger was just on the horizon. See, Jeff is the kind of guy who doesn’t know what he’s doing with his life so he spends his days alone in his mother’s basement watching M....

As far as documentary structure goes, it is pretty standard, with talking heads and performances carrying the day. Where the film most interestingly strays is in its visual presentation, utilizing layered imagery and digital compositing to create performances and edits that seem to flow together in an almost dream-like atmosphere. It does seem to misstep slightly with the opening score, however, as it has a sense of foreboding to it, and I suspect that was supposed to invoke a feeling of mystery as opposed to impending doom....

The Posters There are two posters that show different takes on the same theme. On one, the stranded swimmers are shot from a distance. The antagonists of this poster are the elements, with a huge wave behind them, ominous storm clouds on the horizon and endless stretches of water all around them. The other has a tighter shot of the two almost completely eclipsed by the dorsal fin of a passing shark setting the stage for the other main “villain” of the movie....

Upon hearing this information, Justin springs into action, determined to find his estranged sibling. His quest leads him to northern Connecticut, an area known to locals as the Quiet Corner. As the military man finds meaning again, the ghosts of his deceased Army brothers talk to him, helping him sort out certain facts in their talks. Eventually, Justin learns Charlie has taken up with a dangerous militia and vows to save him from them, even if it means certain death....

To get there, the boy walks all over, contacting everyone he can think of. His mom’s boyfriend, Todd (David Futernick), is out looking for him, as the little one blew up on him earlier that day. Will the sixth-grader make it to the party? Or has he disillusioned everyone around him? The fact that the main character is difficult to like or understand is the point of Sonshine. The film observes what sets him off and the few things that calm him down....

As the film goes on, we see oil dispersant Corexit being sprayed into the Gulf to make it look like the oil has gone, at least from the surface, and a sort of unintended biological warfare on the residents of Louisiana begins as people have dangerous physical reactions to the chemicals. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’ll stop, especially when those who can make the most convincing case for the problem also tend to be getting big corporate grants from the ones they’d be speaking out against....

The roots of the stoner movie genre can be traced back to the 1970s, a period marked by the rise of counterculture movements and changing social attitudes towards marijuana. Films like “Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke” (1978) paved the way for the genre, showcasing the humorous escapades of two hapless stoners, played by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. Their comedic chemistry and unabashed embrace of marijuana culture resonated with audiences, establishing the stoner movie as a legitimate and entertaining cinematic niche....

Real world casinos are nothing alike their portrayal in movies. Today, you can even find an online casino without registration like uudetkasinot.com, for example and play from the comfort of your home. That said, one of the most common themes is the idea of winning big. This is often shown through scenes of people gambling at high stakes, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Casino films often show the highs and lows of gambling, depicting both the elation of a big win and the devastation of a loss....

The surgeon lets them know the condition is very serious and asks them to bring some distilled water immediately. The man lets him know they only have tap water. The surgeon is clearly disgusted, especially when the man says the man at the tree lot said tap water would be fine. The surgeon informs the couple about how ignorant the man in the lot is and that their Christmas tree is completely dehydrated....

Well, bad goat cheese can be very effective, but another way is to make him review a film about an ultra-left radical prone to extreme statements likely to give ammunition to the Ann Coulterish right, but who also kinda sorta maybe has a point. Throw in a certain amount of talent, the ability to survive complete tragedy, and an apparent near-complete lack of a sense of humor and excessive confidence in his own complete lock on the truth, and you have a potent cocktail of nerves indeed....

Fenix flees and arrives at Selena’s door, pounding on it to get in. The door is opened by Needles (Fawn Winters), who is dressed in a Girl Scout uniform. Needles informs Fenix that she is interrupting and slams the door in her face. After waiting on the porch with no place to go, Fenix is admitted by Needles, who is still upset over how Fenix left. Selena is none too pleased either, with Fenix begging her to be allowed back into the house....

1. Borrow Some Skills from Photography This is quite simple and true: the art of cinematography has a lot in common with photography, particularly when it comes to the basic principles. Though one might argue that there are higher stakes in photography since one frame must take full advantage of all its elements. It is only through this way that the photograph can evoke an emotion and tell a story. There are camera settings such as color temperature, exposure as well as the depth of field that are just as critical as cinematography concepts....

The unnamed couple is played by Elise Eberle and Will Madden (whose wardrobe is reminiscent of Nicolas Cage in Raising Arizona), who go back and forth with planning this one last heist. Eberle’s character is highly against it, thinking that it would be a lot safer just to get a real job, while Madden’s character pleads his case. During their argument, Eberle reveals that the couple is expecting. This explains why Eberle is so against committing another crime, and it opens the gates for a different discussion....

Beginning with the 1927 Radio Control Bill, the US government sought to create moral guidelines for what could be broadcast on the air. This led to the creation of the FCC in the 1930s, which was an additional step by the government in defining “obscenity” and what is good and bad for the “community.” The documentary points out that “obscenity” was a broadly defined term that also included black music....

Twenty years ago, just before the Berlin Wall fell and the Iron Curtain lifted, Andrei (Rudolf Martin) left for a better, more prosperous life in the U.S.A. His college preparation curriculum took off, and Andrei became rich. Unfortunately, all good things must end, as they say. For Andrei, his undoing comes in the form of the Great Recession. Andrei is having a hard time keeping his business afloat, though his assistant, Susan (Stephanie Kramer), is tenacious....

Abbie’s mother, Jess (Katherine Cozumel), is exceptionally nervous, while the little girl exists in her world of wonder, dressed in a red party dress with matching shoes. While waiting for her father outside, Abbie tries unsuccessfully to tie her shoes and chats with her neighbor Calvin (Chanden Jackson), a boy about her age. His mother, Alice (Ratoya Banks), watches from next door. Abbie doesn’t know her father when he arrives in his red convertible, which draws Calvin’s attention and makes his mother uncomfortable....