Author | Lightnews

Darrel Manson

Darrel Manson

@revdem.bsky.social

42 followers 43 following 57 posts

Retired Disciples of Christ pastor. Film reviewer for ScreenFish. Dodger fan.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 1d

A man trying hard not to be depressed. bit.ly/43tUHiM

Blue Moon: Exuberent sorrow | ScreenFish

Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon is a study in contradiction. From the title card that opens the films with two contrasting comments about Lorenz Hart, it push ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 18d

She's certainly not innocent, but can we pronounce her guilty? bit.ly/3VR69RE

Stella: A Life - Can we judge? | ScreenFish

Most stories we see about the Holocaust focus on the noble actions or withstanding of suffering in the midst of such a dark evil. Stella: A Life, from direc ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 24d

Hamilton and the stress of a working mother. bit.ly/3KMVMf2

Satisfied: The life of a working mother | ScreenFish

For fans of Hamilton, this film gives a chance to remember the extraordinary event that it was. Renée is part of the development at a very early stage, and ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 24d

3 generations coming of age bit.ly/4gHT7iI

The Summer Book: Hoping for new life | ScreenFish

“Life is long.” For a young girl and her family, a summer at their island summer cabin is filled with many things: boredom, excitement, discovery, loss, the ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 27d

My review. now on VOD
bit.ly/4nkFqJ5

Death of a Ladies' Man - Dying to the lyrics of Leonard Cohen | ScreenFish

“Who am I and who are the ghosts?” Philosophers often note that our mortality brings insight into our understanding of life. For example, Samuel Johnson not ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · 27d

My review of The Ugly: kind of a Korean podcast-ish mystery
bit.ly/3VC4cbE

The Ugly: Digging up the truth | ScreenFish

“If a bad person pretends to be a good person, does that make them bad? Or good?” The Ugly, written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho based on his graphic novel, ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Sep 12

Reviewing a saint. bit.ly/4gk2uoC

Triumph of the Heart: A martyr's story | ScreenFish

“Into death and beyond it.” There are many times that I will think of a film derisively as hagiography (life of a saint). I say derisively, because it seems ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 29

My review of Pools.
bit.ly/3Vp1ypm

Pools: Sinking in grief | ScreenFish

On the surface, Pools, written and directed by Sam Hayes, is about escaping the heat into the cool blue water. There are currents at work below the surface ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 25

some quick looks at Jewish life from #Hollyshorts. #Mashhad, #Babka, #WeShouldEat.
bit.ly/4lL4Tdi

HollyShorts Film Festival: Slices of Jewish life | ScreenFish

Among the hundreds of films at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, there were several that involved religious perspectives. I’d like to share a ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 25

Some based on real life shorts from #HollyShorts. #PaperRockScissors, #OneofThem, @Largo, #JamesHyde, #TheKidInYou.
bit.ly/45SznnI

HollyShorts Film Festival: Based in real life | ScreenFish

Real life is often fodder for filmmaking. Films that are “based (or inspired) by true events” are not uncommon. That is true for shorts as well. Here are a ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 22

Making (or not) connections. #ThePaintingAndTheStatue, #TheSecondTimeAround. #Freyr, #MyFavoriteMurderer, #MaxDistance, #ItsNotYouItsTheAliens
bit.ly/4mrmpEh

HollyShorts Film Festival: Making (and missing) connections | ScreenFish

Lots of stories involve finding an important connection—or failing to find one. It’s the basis of romcoms, but also of more serious romances. Here are a few ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 17

Looking for magical realism or horror. From #HollyShorts: #ThePearlComb, #TheQuintasGhost, #Moving, #ABearRemembers, #Eeohtoh
bit.ly/4lAXNrN

HollyShorts Film Festival: Spookiness | ScreenFish

Horror and magical realism aren’t really my favorite genres, but when they are in smaller doses I can be enticed to watch a few. Here are some that are part ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 17

#HollyShorts films on aging. #AFriendOfDorothy, #Gloria, #BeatrixIsInvisible, #LindaLinda, #ItsOurBall.
bit.ly/4lyuZQz

HollyShorts Film Festival: Getting older | ScreenFish

Since I fit in the demographic, I like to check out the way shorts treat aging and the changes that come with years that have piled up. The “Golden Age” sec ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 17

More docs from #HollyShorts. bit.ly/4fLQcW4

HollyShorts Film Festival - Short docs with weight | ScreenFish

Documentary shorts have the ability to introduce people to issues and people that we need to know about. They can show us a world in need of healing and com ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 17

I'll miss having you as a rep.

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 16

A look at some animated shorts at #HollyShorts. #TwoBlackBoysinParadise, #TwoShips, #Hurikan,#HelpMeTom, #OvaryActing, #RetirementPlan.
bit.ly/4lrancR

HollyShorts Film Festival: Some interesting animation | ScreenFish

Here are some of my favorites (so far) of the animated films at HollyShorts Film Festival. Animated films at festival range in style and theme, yet they are ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 16

Some short docs from the lighter side of life at #HollyShort. #TheSnip, #OutThere, #AmalHope, #LivestreamsWithGrandmaPuzzle. bit.ly/4fKlY5O

HollyShorts Film Festival: Docs from the light side | ScreenFish

Some documentaries call us to pay attention to important issues. Others show us the lighter side of life—finding happiness or just something a bit entertain ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 10

My first report from this year's HollyShorts Film Fesitval. #Snipped. #MayIPutYouOnHold? #Unholy. #OneDayThisKid. bit.ly/4fsyuqa

HollyShorts Film Festival - Quick looks at the spiritual side | ScreenFish

The HollyShorts Film Festival is underway with 427 films from around the world. Shorts are not second class films. They remind me of Edgar Allen Poe’s rules ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Aug 2

Story of a broken family.
bit.ly/4ogKYoT

The Sparrow in the Chimney: Broken family dynamics | ScreenFish

The Sparrow in the Chimney, from Ramon Zürcher, is a dark family story filled with brokenness and unspoken trauma. Yet, the title (and an early scene which ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Jul 31

The tale of an immigrant's plight.
bit.ly/45a3o1S

Souleymane's Story: Truth matters | ScreenFish

The stories we tell are not always our real stories. Sometimes, we spend so much time with the stories we tell that we risk losing our real story. Such is t ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Jul 16

Father and son divided over taxes. bit.ly/3TF6822

Death & Taxes: A story of a father and son | ScreenFish

As I write this review, the US Senate is debating a massive tax and spending bill that holds great benefits for the wealthy. (It will probably be dealt with ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Jul 11

My latest review. Tiny Lights. bit.ly/4o1zFB5

Tiny Lights: A day that spoils innocence | ScreenFish

The innocence of childhood in the midst of adult angst is the crux of Beata Parkanová’s Tiny Lights. It is a day in the life of young Amálka. A day that she ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Jun 10

A little Nordic romance.
bit.ly/4jNLuHF

The Tundra Within Me: Romancing Culture | ScreenFish

It would cheapen The Tundra Within Me (Eallogierdu) to call it Nordic Hallmark, although it does have some similarities to Hallmark romances. A young woman ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · Jun 5

1.5 hour Dostoevsky-ish. bit.ly/4kCQu2M

The Karamazovs: Sibling struggles | ScreenFish

“How does a person find something to love? Love must come from somewhere—or someone.” I remember having to read Dostoevsky’s massive The Brothers Karamazov ...

Darrel Manson @revdem.bsky.social · May 21

My latest review: bit.ly/3FnzMoR

The New Boy - Culture clash | ScreenFish

“Amen.” Part of the impact of colonialism throughout the world is the attempt to eradicate indigenous cultures. It happened in the US and Canada in regard t ...