Sonic Cinema

I’ve covered four different film festivals since 2019. I think, when it comes down to how a festival’s programming aligns with my interests as a film critic, and as an individual, the Atlanta Film Festival is the festival that connects with me strongest. In discussing it with one of the programmers a couple of years ago, I think what I appreciated the most about this festival is that it has […]

The time has come, once again, for the Atlanta Film Festival. Because of personal matters, and just a bog of work and Sonic Cinema responsibilities through the first part of April, I haven’t made a big deal of it, but I cannot wait for year five of the festival, and I’m finally ready to delve into it. As with 2022, I will be doing double duty between work and the […]

We wrap up the Sonic Cinema Podcast for 2024 with an episode that I’ve had on the brain for a couple of years. The topic is Christmas movies, and the mainline between the two is director Bob Clark, who in 1974 directed the slasher classic, “Black Christmas”, and a decade later, directed the beloved “A Christmas Story”. My guest is once again Phil Fasso, and we had an enjoyable discussion […]

Hello readers and listeners! We’re wrapping up 2024 with a handful of “Class of 1999” discussions, and this is one I’m delighted to share with you. The film is John Lasseter’s “Toy Story 2”, and joining me is returning guest Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast. This was such a wonderful dialogue and experience. You can hear the Yahoos With a Microphone commentary on “Toy Story” here. I hope you enjoy! “Class […]

I don’t really write music reviews. I feel it’s a lot easier to watch a movie, and examine all it does right and what it does wrong. How do you do that for music? That said, when my friend and fellow composer Adam Scott Neal– whose website can be viewed through the link on his name- asked me about review his two latest albums of music, I agreed nonetheless, not […]

It’s the day Hitler killed himself. It’s origins date back to pre-Christian times. It’s the day during which the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence from “Fantasia” supposedly takes place. It was acknowledged in the poem “Faust” by Goethe, whose words were later used in a Cantata by Felix Mendolssohn. Now, “Walpurgisnacht”- which is defined as the evening of April 30-March 1- is the inspiration for a short film I’ve had […]