Motherland

The word motherland evokes the idea of a totalitarian state, and that is exactly the situation facing the citizenry of this futuristic thriller. In a post-revolution society, women are no longer charged with the classic responsibility of childrearing. Instead, their newborns are snatched away and placed in government institutions, where children can be nurtured, manipulated and bent to the new order. Mothers have no say in the matter, and that may be difficult at times, but it's all for their own good and the fairness of all. 

When Cora discovers a personal secret, it impacts her in a very human way, putting her on a collision course with the utopian state and one of its caretakers, who also happens to be the supervisor of the school where she works. Love and loss may be trivial emotions to the nation's leaders, but to women like Cora, they are everything. 

The star-studded cast of Motherland includes Holland Taylor, Miriam Silverman, Nestor Carbonell, Emily Arancio and Molly Hager. Director Evan Matthews employs a sense of beauty in the characters and aesthetics, despite the dystopian setting, underscoring the survival of a nation under the weight of oppression. Writer Nicole Swinford weaves modern relevance and the power of ideas into the script, making this truly a thinking person's film. 

You can watch a teaser here: Motherland Teaser

Princeton's in the Mix

In this darkly comedic and satirical film, a mother is obsessed with status. She is the kind of person who brags about her children with bumper stickers on her luxury branded SUV and drops the names of her children's schools oh-so-casually in conversation. When she finds an angle through which her son can gain an edge over other kids on the SAT, watch out. She will run her SUV right over anyone who stands between her and that Ivy League sticker. 

Director Jonathan DiMaio serves up a troubling mix of chill and fun in this short film from California. Inspired by real world college admissions scandals, Princeton's in the Mix asks questions about elite education and the impact, particular on young students themselves, when some people become too obsessed with academic achievement. 

You can watch the trailer here: Princeton's in the Mix Trailer

Peace and Serenity

When Serenity throws a surprise birthday party for her dad, it is about much more than presents and cake. She is trying to bring some measure of peace to a home that has had none of it for a long time. Then her estranged brother shows up on the driveway, making the situation even more tenuous. But at least he showed up. 

They can talk. Try to move forward. 

Student filmmaker Triston Kollister is currently pursuing a degree in Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin, and the high production values of this project suggest he is making the most of his opportunity. The story is nuanced, and pieces of the family's puzzle are left scattered on the counter like Serenity's Best Father gift mug. 

The resolution of the story is unclear and unsatisfying, but that is not a fault of the film. As the project developed, Kollister found that it increasingly mirrored real life, where circumstances often inch forward slowly to be resolved another day, if at all. 

You can watch the trailer here: Peace and Serenity Trailer

Brothers: A Civil War Story

It's 1864. The Battle of the Wilderness pits Confederate troops led by Robert E. Lee against a Union force led by Ulysses S. Grant. The showdown between two well-matched armies takes place in the woods, where the chaos of battle is intensified by the difficult terrain. After years of suffering defeat after defeat against Lee, the Union army is the aggressor and their general is a seasoned fighter who means business. 

The battles and campaigns of this pivotal time in U.S. history were brutal affairs, and much has been made of them in cinema. But other stories existed within the melee, and these smaller bits of history shed great insight into the tragedy of a nation at war with itself. In the film, two brothers bitterly split over issues of ideas as the war develops. Now facing each other in battle, their sworn duty is contrasted with their sibling bond, however obscured the bond may be at this time. 

Writer and Director Casey Schaffer does an excellent job of orchestrating the battle scene and recreating the 19th century. At the same time, he acknowledges the humanity of the people who served and died, which begs the question of whether the disputes around this horrible war could have been resolved in a better way. 

You can watch the trailer here: Brothers: A Civil War Story Trailer

The Why

After a tragic incident that stemmed from drug addiction, a man is forced to probe his considerable problems through a court-appointed therapist. 

This intimate film takes a close look at the psychology of a major public health issue in the manner of someone who knows from experience. Student filmmaker Ciara Evans has seen the impact of drugs and alcohol firsthand in her own life, and the film is powerful due to the truth she lends to the story. This is a well-produced student project, with creative cinematography, a haunting musical score and many tense moments. 

The Why will grab and hold anyone suffering from addiction, and earnestly suggest they seek help. You can watch a teaser here: The Why Teaser