52Darleen Ortega has been a judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals since 2003 and is the first woman of color to serve in that capacity. She sees two to three films a week and has been writing about movies for well over a decade, including blogging two film festivals and publishing a list of the year's best films. You can find her movie blog at www.opinionatedjudge.blogspot.com.
Recent Stories
Two Films Not to Miss
“Seahorse” rocked my world. It follows the journey to parenthood taken by Freddie McConnell, who, as a trans man, is one of a limited number of human males who can, like male seahorses, undergo pregnancy.
Films Speak to Race and the Environment
"Mossville: When Great Trees Fall" tells the story of a once-proud and independent Louisiana community founded by formerly enslaved African Americans whose once-lush farmland has now been decimated by petrochemical and industrial plants.
‘Amazing Grace,’ a Fitting Tribute
The film's release all these years later feels, if anything, more impactful; we have the opportunity to watch the young queen of soul singing black gospel music in exactly the setting and with the exact community where such music is meant to be played, and the film conveys something of the music's genuine meaning for her.
Peele Delivers Again on Scary
"Us" is more disorienting than Peele’s first film, "Get Out." Although I found that film very scary, I identified the fear specifically with racism. "Us" is more subtle.
Film Fest is Window to World
A few of the Portland International Film Festival films that have finished their festival run are worth watching for in theaters or online.
Films to Watch or Avoid at PIFF
Now that the Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) is in full swing, here is a sampler of films to watch for (or avoid, depending on your perspective).
Films from All Over the Globe
The Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) begins two weeks of screening films from all over the globe this Thursday with its opening night film, "Amateurs," a cross-generational comedy from Sweden.
A Moving Portrait of Life on the Margins
‘Roma’ is my favorite film of 2018
Unless we prioritize the perspective of those who are relegated to the margins, our understanding of reality is bound to be hopelessly flawed and incomplete.
Absorbed by the Experience
Plays worth seeing at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Live theater productions that offer soulful windows into how humans struggle justify a trip to Ashland
A fashion icon’s remarkable story
The life and career of André Leon Talley
New documentary ‘The Gospel According to André’ a dramatic profile of a fashion icon who reached for his own expressions of style