Category Archives: indie

Being a makeup artist

How to Be a Successful Makeup Artist

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Renae Goodhew is one of the most in-demand VFX and makeup sorcerers in Hollywood. Horror is her specialty.

Being a makeup artist in the industry gives you a chance to live your dreams. Hear how the pros built their careers working in film.

Makeup Artists on Movie Sets

I know some talented makeup artists in the industry, some in San Francisco and others in Hollywood. Being a makeup artist can be a fun and challenging job.

The hardest part is establishing yourself in the industry. You start at the bottom and work your way up to the top. If you appreciate working with people intimately and helping them look their best for the camera and fans, you will do fine.

But you must be willing to work hard and be on your feet all day. You will most likely be one of the last people to leave the set. The job is yours if you can handle its responsibilities.

Once you have your foot in the door with steady and well-paid work, you can keep it glamorous by setting up appointments with celebrities before red carpets, interviews, and the like. Or you can work on a film set. Whatever you desire.

Whatever you choose as a makeup artist, you must keep your integrity and never bank on your profession. Keep your cards to your chest and your nose clean. You will succeed far more than your dreams could imagine.

Makeup artists enjoy themshelves and know they are taking a step in the right direction.

Reana Goodhew Makeup Artist: Independent Horror

Reana Goodhew’s credits include One, a Lance Henriksen horror movie; a horror movie with Eric Roberts called 7 Deadly Sins; William Baldwin and Bill Moseley in Minutes to Midnight; Tony Todd, Bill Moseley, and Kane Hodder in Harrison Smith’s Death House. She also worked on the “555” video by Jimmy Eat World.

“I’m a huge horror fan. The first horror film I saw was The Exorcist, with Dick Smith’s makeup. From there, I fell in love with all the Hellraiser movies, Halloween, and so forth.”

Goodhew talks about becoming a professional makeup artist in Hollywood. “I like the challenge of creating good horror makeup. Making something horrifying look truly believable is a challenge,” she exclaims.

She also enjoys working in horror because “you’re able to create things aside from application makeups.” She is talking about creating body parts, wounds, dead bodies, fake heads, and so forth.

“I definitely get to use my artistic background to create and color, which I enjoy,” adds Goodhew.

She has been working as a special effects makeup artist for seven years. Her background comes from art in painting and sculpting, but she attended the Cinema Makeup School.

Creating Body Parts, Wounds, Fake Heads, and Dead Bodies

The advice Goodhew gives to those who want to work in Hollywood:

“Work hard, be persistent, and always keep pushing yourself. As an artist, we never stop learning or growing in our career. Always try to build on your skills, even when you’re not working on a job. Not everyone will have the same path pursuing makeup as a career. There are so many options. Ultimately find your path and go with it.”

See the Echoes of Fear trailer below to see some of Goodhew’s creature work.

Laura’s Stage Jobs

Laura lived in Los Angeles and worked at a cosmetic counter when she got involved in doing makeup on performers for school plays.

While putting makeup on the performers, she studied and learned various stage makeup techniques, and eventually knew how to apply all types of makeup on a performer.

In the process, she discovered how much she liked doing makeup and flourished in her career.

Makeup artist can live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York

Makeup Artist Movie Jobs

Deciding that she wanted to make this her career in films, Laura got in touch with some major studios.

However, they wouldn’t hire her because she wasn’t a union member and needed a job to be in the union.

The common problem for most novices in film careers is that you need the experience to get a job, but you can’t get experience unless you have a job.

Laura decided to contact several independent movie companies because independent films often have agreements with the union that they don’t have to hire union members.

With some persistence, she talked her way into a job on a biker movie as a makeup assistant, helping the makeup artist do whatever she wanted her to do.

Another essential point to breaking into the film business is to do whatever the production needs to help get the movie made. You have to be willing to work hard and be ready to serve your immediate boss.

Oscar Winner Joe Harlow Sets the Tone

The remake of Hellboy revamped the character and makeup design with Oscar-winning Joe Harlow set the tone for the crew to create a new Hellboy character.

In a press junket interview, Harlow talked about designing the look of Hellboy and imagine how much work went into creating the comic book anti-hero.

Lucas Godfrey’s Special Effects Makeup for Hell Fest

In an interview with Lucas Godfrey, who did special effects makeup for the horror movie Hell Fest and The Walking Dead series, talks about his experience with special effects makeup during the production of Hell Fest.

Watching these types of interviews helps you understand what these people do and who they are. The more you know about them and their credits, the more chances you have of recognizing them and their work.

Nothing impresses an artist more than someone truly recognizing them for their work in films.

Reese Witherspoon looks dazzling because of her talented makeup artists.

One Way to Get Started as a Makeup Artist

Laura’s advice for those who want to do special effects makeup is to get a job selling cosmetics.

“Once you learn the basics,” she says, “you can offer to do makeup for school and community theaters or talk to your friends into letting you practice on them.

The important thing,” she asserts, “is to practice your craft.”

Depending on the production, makeup artists on a film set make roughly $40–$50 an hour. They make $73,250 to $88,200 or more a year.

Working With Sir Anthony Hopkins and Anne Hathaway

Makeup and hair designer Nana Fisher worked with Sir Anthony Hopkins on Armageddon Time. In an interview, Fisher discussed working with the actor and their steps to show his character’s health decline.

Fisher talks about the skin color choices, such as yellow, green and grey.

In another interview, Fisher talked about matching the hair colors of the family. She talks about working with Anne Hathaway.

Makeup Artists Salaries

All in all, you can live your dream and become a makeup artist in any field. Laura entered a fabulous field that is rewarding artistically as well as financially. The same thing can happen if you learn your craft and start finding jobs.

13 Popular Movies to Stream Anywhere

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Hit movies to stream anywhere.

Check out these movies, as they surprised audiences and remain worth watching even today.

Sleeper hit movies demonstrate that any filmmaker can create a low-budget movie that becomes a box office success. Tentpole or high-budget movies are not always a shoo-in because, for the most part, they are rehashed stories that producers don’t have to gamble on or question the outcome. Circling back to sleeper hits is a treasure when the public flocks to the movie houses and celebrates a surprising success.

Sleeper Hit

A “sleeper hit” is a surprise smash hit movie that the film industry didn’t expect to succeed at the box office. Let’s take a look at some films worth mentioning, renting, or streaming because they’re sleeper hits.

Best Movie You’ve Ever Seen

Why would you want to see a sleeper hit movie? The same reason you’d like to see a film is that it is the best movie you have ever seen. We’re not talking tentpole movies with large marketing schemes. These are movies made on a low budget without special effects. The story is believable, and the acting is top-notch. Usually, the director is relatively new to the industry. Go down my list of sleeper hits, and discern whether or not they deserve the “sleeper hit” nod.

1. “Happy Death Day”

Must see horror movie you can stream.

When I heard about Happy Death Day and saw the trailer, I predicted that horror fans would flock to the movie theaters to see this movie. Watching the trailer, it appears to be a super-entertaining yet horrific movie, with a plot similar to Groundhog Day.

Apparently, the producers didn’t expect the movie to be a real success, but it was, and now they are releasing a sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, with the same director and cast.

2. “Don’t Breathe”

Don’t Breathe was never considered the best new horror movie and was projected to gross under $14 million. The minuscule amount was fine with the producers because it cost $9 million to produce. It became a sleeper hit, as the movie, a low-budget horror film, grossed over $89 million in North America alone. In other markets around the world, it brought in $67.9 million – the end of the summer box office hit.

Produced by Sam Raimi, known for directing the earlier Spider-Man movies starring Toby Maguire, the movie’s director, Fede Alvarez, is now working on a sequel.

The horror movie follows a blind man who is mugged by three teenagers but turns the tables on them in a hurry. The rest of the story is about how the blind man terrorizes the teenagers. Stephen Lang plays the blind man, and he will look familiar because he’s had a long and fruitful career as a strong character actor.

3. “Lady Bird”

Lady Bird is about my hometown. Greta Gerwig’s film takes place in Sacramento, where she grew up and attended high school. Yes, it is very cool to see the landmarks of my city in such a poignant film. The story itself is endearing, regardless of where you live, whether in Los Angeles or Scottsdale, because it resonates deeply, making it a sleeper hit.

The teenage girl is trying to become who she truly is while contending with the craziness of life in High School and a mother-daughter relationship that is both push and pull.

Although the movie initially received accolades at festivals, the industry and public were captivated by the realistic, heart-pounding drama of a typical high school girl, played brilliantly by Saoirse Ronan.

4. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee and earning $1 million with 44 screens in eight days, focuses on two women, both competent fighters, who follow different paths toward a violent and blistering showdown with a dynamic ending.

Nobody expected a martial arts movie with strong heroines to succeed at the box office using hardly any marketing efforts and, let alone, win four Oscars.

5. “District 9”

Peter Jackson produced District 9, and its budget was 30 million. The science-fiction movie recouped its investment and earned $ 7 million in its first weekend of release.

The story takes place in South Africa, where extraterrestrial refugees have been stranded for 28 years. One man figures out how to tap into their technology, and the government is not too happy about it.

6. “Bring It On”

Kirsten Dunst starred in Bring It On when she was a teenager. The cheerleading movie earned $70 million. It’s about a very upbeat cheerleader navigating the politics of being the best cheerleader. The sleeper hit movie has several sequels that never match the original. Now a Broadway musical.

If you’ve never seen the movie, I recommend it because cheerleading as the backdrop shows how competitive it can be.

7. “Superbad”

Emma Stone starred in this movie with Michael Cera, Ed Helms, and Jonah Hill. Superbad is a teenage movie about getting alcohol as an underage boy and scoring with chicks.

Produced by Judd Apatow, he was virtually unknown, but it didn’t last for long. Over a summer weekend in 2007, Superbad became a household word and a must-see movie.

8. “Little Miss Sunshine”

Released in seven theaters, Little Miss Sunshine became a sleeper hit movie. It took off and generated half a million dollars in its first week, bringing its total to 200 million, with numerous Academy Award nominations and wins. It’s a feel-good movie with lots of laughs.

9. “Memento”

Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, which follows Leonard, played by Guy Pearce, features generous notes throughout the movie to aid his short-term memory loss at every moment.

The low-budget movie catapulted into a sleeper hit, earning more than $25 million at the box office and garnering two Academy Award nominations. Memento even scored big time in the DVD release, selling over a million copies.

10. “Napoleon Dynamite”

Napoleon Dynamite is a cult movie with a huge fan base of followers who quote the movie’s snarky dialogue.

The story is quirky, with small-town characters adding to the funny banter. The movie grossed $44.5 million during its summer release, despite being limited to a select number of theaters.

11. “Paranormal Activity”

Paranormal Activity is a filmmaker’s fairytale. The movie only cost $15,000 to make and grossed $100 million. It quickly became a super hit, with sequels to follow. People do walk out of the movie theater before it’s over, not because the movie was bad, but because it was too scary.

12. “The Blair Witch Project”

In 1999, another low-budget sleeper hit was The Blair Witch Project. The movie’s beginning is promising, but it gradually deteriorates. Still, the public came out in droves, and the cheesy but scary movie made millions.

I mentally berated myself for paying to see this movie, as it was so bad. It just got worse and worse until the end was flat. I am still amazed it made so much money at the box office.

13. “47 Meters Down”

Stranger Things season 1 and 2 star Matthew Modine is one of the locals in 47 Meters Down. He represents the force behind the two women’s horror.

Director Johannes Roberts mentioned in the production notes for his sequel, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, that he was surprised by the film’s box office success.

The low-budget underwater thriller follows Lisa and Kate in a protective cage, who come face-to-face with the Great Whites. The cage snaps apart from the boat, and they find themselves diving to the bottom depths of the ocean floor.

Out of radio range and getting themselves exposed to the ferocious sharks, their oxygen stores were quickly diminishing.

Low-budget Movies

Sleeper hit movies show filmmakers can create a low-budget movie that becomes a box office success. A tent-pole or high-budget movie is not always a hit movie because, mostly, they rehash stories. Producers feel they don’t have to gamble on them or question the outcome. Circling back to sleeper hits is a treasure when the public flocks to the movie houses and celebrates a surprising success.

red letter day, blood and gore

Horror “Red Letter Day” Unfolds as Thrilling Comedy

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horror, blood, guts, red letter day horror movie,
It’s a fun horror movie with lots of blood and gore.

Cameron Macgowan wrote and directed Red Letter Day, which is a rambunctious horror-comedy. A recently divorced mother, played by Dawn Van de Schoot, adjusts to a new life in a quiet suburban community. Her two teens, played by Hailey Foss and Kaeleb Zain Gartner, receive mysterious red letters instructing them each to kill or get killed. 

The bloodshed begins, and the family finds themselves in a chase against time to defend the people they love from the ones they assumed they knew. 

red letter day, horror movie

The movie world premiered at the renowned Cinequest Film Festival. It played at other horror fests, including Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, L.A.’s Screamfest, FrightFest London, and both Sydney Underground and Calgary Underground Film Festivals.

The movie is Macgown’s feature directorial debut. His previous work won awards and received critical acclaim worldwide for international film fests, including Fantasia, SXSW, and the Toronto International Film Festival. 

The neighborhood nightmare flows well, and the acting is believable, with Schoot carrying the overall story well. The movie is low-budget, but it’s a funny, independent horror movie. I recommend it to diehard horror fans because they have a soft spot in their hearts for films like The Red Letter. Honestly, the special effects were impressive and convincing while entertaining the 75-minute runtime. 

horror movie, red letter day

Some supporting performances were limited, but I liked the family dynamic, with Schoot strengthening the story. The story held itself with standard horror effects with vats of blood and gore — not a terrible option. The third act is intense, with a clever ending that pays off. I compare it to Stranger Things and Get Out.

The rest of the cast includes Tiffany Helm, Roger LeBlanc, and Peter Strand Rumpel. 

The Blu-ray is available, including features such as an audio commentary with the executive producer, director, and cinematographer. The exclusive featurettes Suburban Skirmish—The Making of Red Letter Day and Her Eyes—My Dance through the movies with Actor Tiffany Helm.

Japanese Artist: Kusama: Infinity Documentary Transcends Imagery

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Directed by Heather Lenz, I discovered Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in the documentary Kusama: Infinity. The movie is a spotlight on the celebrated artist, according to the New York Times the documentary is “illuminating access to an artist’s way of thinking and working,” and I agree.

Kusama accounts her journey, the well-crafted documentary encounters her journey into the world of art. It starts with her conservative family in Japan to the milestones and triumphs that evolved her career.

The documentary shows a rare, but emotional, glimpse into Kusama’s six-decade career. Lenz captures the critical moments that led to her success, though some were hard to believe. What I didn’t know was she penned a letter to renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe for guidance. O’Keeffe wrote back and recommended Kusama risk everything to move to New York City.

Kusama decided to make a name for herself in NYC based on O’Keeffe’s letter. The young Kusama hit the streets of the art world by a boom. Captivating art aficionados with her signature polka dots, she brought light to the industry, and at the same time, shook up the conventional norms.

Today, she is the top-selling female artist in the world. The story amazes me how Kusama prevail over terrible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the art scene. For years and years, she pushed her work, going beyond the boundaries that often alienated her from both her peers and those in power in the art world.

The documentary is about an underdog, who never had a chance, but made it happen despite the trauma of growing up in Japan during World War II.  Her life in a dysfunctional family that discouraged her creative ambitions, sexism, and racism in the art establishment, and emotional turmoil in a culture where that was predominantly shameful. She continued to pursue her career as a full-time artist at the point of her 90s.

In spite of it all, Kusama has endured and has created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation art, performance art, poetry, and literary fiction. After working as an artist for over six decades, people around the globe are experiencing her installation Infinity Mirrored Rooms in record numbers, as Kusama continues to create new work every day.

I still think about this documentary and hope others are inspired. Her work is spiritual and transcending. One negative aspect about the movie is how quick people like Lenz are to pigeon hole an artist as mentally ill when all they are is being themselves and living life to create their art form.

Manchester by the Sea Featurette

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Directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea follows the life of a solitary Boston janitor, played by Casey Affleck. He is transformed when he returns to his hometown to take care of his teenage nephew. The story of the Chandlers, a working-class family living in a Massachusetts fishing village for generations, is winning awards and with much anticipation for an Oscar nod.  The movie is a deeply poignant, unexpectedly funny exploration of the power of familial love, community, sacrifice and hope.

manchester-by-the-sea-postAfter the death of his older brother Joe, played by Kyle Chandler, Chandler is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick, played by Lucas Hedges. Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited 15-year-old and is forced to deal with the past that separated him from his wife Randi, played by Michelle Williams, and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to the world without him.

In his first film since 2011’s acclaimed Margaret, Lonergan once again proves himself a powerful and visionary storyteller as he seamlessly weaves past and present together, crafting a tension-filled tale that deftly eschews sentimentality in favor of penetrating emotional insight and deeply affecting human relationships.

High-Rise

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high-riseHigh-Rise, from genre-bending director Ben Wheatley, is an attempt to adapt the classic J.G. Ballard novel of the same name with a brilliant and talented cast including Tom Hiddleston, Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss. If you watch the movie knowing it is dark satire, then you might not have a problem watching this movie. It is boring at times because the pacing is off, but the acting is what saves the movie.

But the message is clear and just as poignant today as it follows the inevitable result of a breakdown of social strata and public decorum, known as class warfare. The classic book is a dystopia with a very strong message, but the movie doesn’t even come near to the heart of the book.

Dr. Robert Laing, played pretty solid by Hiddleston, recently moved into a luxury, high-rise apartment building designed by the enigmatic Mr. Royal, played by Irons. With a literal divide of the classes, the wealthiest residents live on the upper floors with the best amenities while residents on the lower floors experience routine blackouts and other disruptions of basic services. As additional flaws in the building begin to emerge, both physically and socially, the lower floor residents revolt, turning the building into a battlefield for an all-out class warfare.

I wanted the movie to be good and worth seeing because the Ballard’s book tells a great story and the actors are really good. Yet, the script and editing could be tighter. It just dragged on and on with no reason.

The Blu-ray comes with some bonus features that includes a commentary from Tom Hiddleston, Ben Wheatley and Producer Jeremy Thomas, an in-depth look at adapting the beloved novel from the page to the screen, a look at the acclaimed film’s 70s set design, special effects, and more.

My Golden Days

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MGD Train Kiss SceneDirected by Arnaud Desplechin, My Golden Days is a French film that is a masterpiece.  The movie follows Paul Dedalus played by Mathieu Amalric, who is brilliant in The Grand Budapest Hotel and is best known for playing the villain in James Bond’s Quantum of Solace.

In My Golden Days, Amalric reprises the role from Desplechin’s My Sex Life…Or How I Got into an Argument to which he experiences a series of flashbacks – most notably on his first heart-wrenching love affair.

Desplechin next installment is a series of flashbacks as well as the story follows Paul’s flashbacks as a younger Paul, play innocently by Quentin Dolmaire, and Esther, played compellingly by Lou Roy-LeCollinet, who received a Cesar nomination. Both deliver stunning performances in their first film debut.

My Golden Days reflects on the seemingly unforgettable romance shared between the two young lovers as they attempt to salvage their relationship despite the distance that keeps them apart as Paul attends University with their shifting circles of friends and betrayal. Although an unlikely pair, both Esther and Paul compensate for one another. It is endearing to watch Esther deliver as the brutally honest, sometimes haughty counterpart, while Paul remains the understanding and forgiving sense of security she’s always sought after. As Paul reflects on his formative years, his emotions run rampant and prove that Esther has left a deep impression on his heart that not even time can erase.

The story is about the older Paul Dédalus, an anthropologist preparing to leave Tajikistan. Reflecting on his life, he has a series of flashbacks starting from his childhood in Roubaix—his mother’s attacks of madness, his father’s alienating depression. He remembers a student trip to the USSR, where a clandestine mission led him to offer up his own identity for a young Russian, whom he considered a phantom twin for the remainder of his life. He remembers University life and returning to his hometown to party with his sister and her best friend, his shifting circle of friends and their casual betrayals. And most of all he remembers Esther, the beautiful, rude, haughty soul, and love of his life.

The special features are worth mentioning and include a discussion with director Arnaud Desplechin, a behind-the-scenes look at the casting session for Paul and Esther, and a sit down with the cast.

International Kissing Day is every July 6th, and My Golden Days may prove to be the best movie to watch on this celebrated day.

Synchronicity

indie, science fiction, suspense, thriller, , , ,

Synchronicity_RGB 3D DVD OCardWritten and directed by Jacob Gentry and earning the L’Écran Fantastique Award at the 2015 Fantasia Film Festival, Synchronicity is considered a stunning science fiction adventure. The movie stars Chad McKnight, Brianne Davis, and Michael Ironside.

It is a fascinating thriller that blends time travel and romance with corporate espionage. The musical score takes you even farther than the story itself. Compose Ben Lovett’s music is spellbinding.

The story follows physicist Jim Beale, played by McKnight, who invents the world’s first ever time machine. He quickly finds himself fighting to prevent a takeover from his largest benefactor, Klaus Meisner, played by Ironside. In order to keep the rights to his invention, he must journey back in time himself to prove that it works. On his travels, he soon meets a beautiful, yet dark and mysterious woman named Abby, played by Davis.  He believes she may be working with Klaus to gain control of his life’s work. What he discovers in the past brings the story to full fruition.

Gentry starts the story while it is already underway, which offers a voyeur perspective of what is happening to Beale.  At first, I felt like I was intruding, then I felt comfortable and understood what was happening in the movie.

The movie, in its own way, hooked me because I wanted to know what would happen next.

The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun

book, indie, mystery, thriller, , , , , ,

the lady with the carDirected by Joann Sfar, The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun reminds me of the 1960s European thrillers as an erotic, hazy story that spellbinds you because you can’t quite figure out what is going on with the femme fatal character. Is she good…is she bad? Still, she is the center of the movie, played by Scottish actress Freya Mavor.  Her luxuriant outfits, and cinematographer Manuel Dacosse leering camera offers the possibility of a good movie, yet the rambling mystery never fully takes shape.

Based on the 1970 remake starring Samantha Eggar and Oliver Reed, which I never saw, the story actually comes from Sebastien Japrisot’s convoluted 1966 novel.  The story follows apparently a normal French secretary Dany Doremus, played beautifully by Mavor.  She works for a shady boss, played by Benjamin Biolay. She arrives at his home to transcribe important documents. His wife, played by Stacy Martin, is at home, and she used to be friends with Dany. Now, they are uncomfortably distant. The couple asks her to drive them to the airport the next day.  They let her use his classic blue Ford Thunderbird. After dropping them off at the airport, Dany decides to take a joyride.

The movie is a bizarre journey, acid trip, and murder mystery. Nothing seems to add up as the story feels like an aimless road trip.  Situations happen to Dany, and she seems like she has a pipe in her head or a screw loose, but nothing is quite explained as to what is happening.

The story comes together, but by the time that happens, everything is lost. All except, Mavor as Dany. She is every man’s hot dream as well as Sfar, who films her at every and any angle to evocate what men want or can’t get enough of her.

The music haunts the film and crawls under the skin, especially with Wendy Rene’s “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” pulling off a mind-blowing result.

All in all, the movie has some good merits, and some will enjoy it.

“Full of Grace” Virgin Mary’s Story

drama, family, indie, , , , ,

full of graceUnderstanding the passion for Christian stories has shaped our existence since the beginning of storytelling. Each biblical story brings an example to us, while the parables offer a lesson, and here we have the Virgin Mary’s account: “It’s not about explaining things. It’s about living….”

Directed and written by Andrew Hyatt, Full of Grace captures the soul of the perfection of our Lord Jesus and his blessed Mother. Even though the movie was produced on an indie budget, it still shines with the Christian influences of heart and soul.

The movie is about the Virgin Mary, played by Bahia Haifi, with pure dignity, gravity, and a keen sense of maternity related to such a heroine. We follow as she deals with the rising church after the Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord. Mary spends her final days helping the church regain its initial encounter with the Lord.

The movie is awe-inspiring, with a very fitting musical score composed by Sean Johnson. As the film follows Mary, the story speaks from her heart to every angle for each generation. Hyatt wove a masterful message while sharing the love and understanding of a mother, particularly the Holy Mother of God. With that, Hyatt won the Reel Rose Award for Best Feature Length Screenplay at the John Paul II International Film Festival.

The movie is indeed very Christian, encompassing beliefs from Protestants to Catholics and those in between.

I would not be surprised if this movie played at every church social night because it does educate. It does reaffirm the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The story is good to know whether you are a true believer or just an interested bystander, since society has lost its idealism and social graces. We need to be reminded how important religion is to our existence.