The San Diego Film Foundation , best known for presenting The San Diego International Film
Festival, launches their FOCUS on Impact Film Tour, May 2nd – 4th in San Diego Schools. The
tour reaches out to San Diego students of diverse backgrounds with a goal to educate on social justice
and create empathy for social issues – with a 2017 focus on homelessness. They will present the
documentary Storied Streets – shattering stereotypes about our homeless population. The tour provides
teens with a basic understanding of social justice, a personal connection to homelessness and an
awareness of how they can encourage change and empathy within their own community.
Storied Streets is an acclaimed documentary – by Executive Producer Susan Sarandon, Director Jack
Robbins and Producer Thomas Morgan – that explores homelessness across America by telling the
stories of those who live it every day. The San Diego Film Foundation will offer the documentary at 5
local schools followed by discussions with Giuseppe Pizano, the former homeless youth featured in
Storied Streets , Thomas Morgan, Filmmaker and Producer of the documentary and Sarah Hernholm
President and Founder of WIT, a San Diego based organization that works with teens to empower
them to become social entrepreneurs and leaders.
Executive Producer Susan Sarandon embraces the opportunity to make a difference with educational
outreach in the community. She shared, “Our passion for making documentaries allows us to shine a
light on issues of social justice both here at home and around the globe. But making the film is only
the first step. To have an impact, the film has to be seen. We are so grateful to the San Diego Film
Foundation for their partnership to take Storied Streets into the classrooms where it will make a
difference in the overall understanding of the issue of homelessness and provide students with the
knowledge and compassion to make changes within their own community.”
Tonya Mantooth , Executive and Artistic Director of the San Diego Film Foundation shares
Sarandon’s passion for both film and social justice. “We’ve been working with Susan and Thomas to
make the San Diego Film Foundation’s FOCUS on Impact Educational Series Film Tour a reality for
over two years now. We can’t wait to get into the classroom to share these stories and encourage our
youth to step up and make a difference.”
Understanding and addressing homelessness is an active conversation in San Diego as we navigate our
city’s struggles with addressing homelessness. San Diego’s microcosm falls in line with some
unsettling National Statistics. Most homeless individuals – up to 70%, go undetected across the United
States. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are as many as 2.8 million
homeless youth in the United States – which equates to 1 out of every 30 children . 34% of the
homeless population in the US is under the age of 24 and the average age teen who becomes homeless
is 14.7 years old. 75% of homeless or runaway youth ultimately drop out of school . These national
statistics are reflected in thousands of individuals – adults and children in San Diego.
Storied Streets personalizes homelessness for students by introducing them to individuals instead of
statistics. Giuseppe Pizano , a former homeless youth who is featured in the film – will also be on site
for discussion with students. Abandoned by his mother at age 15, Giuseppe was prepared to fight for
his education. With no other options, Giuseppe moved to the stadium box at his high school and lived
among the bleachers for five months. Toward the end of his freshman year, a teacher stepped in, as he
was unable to enroll for the upcoming school year without parental help. This teacher registered him
for his sophomore year and connected him with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.
Giuseppe praises the association to this day for saving his life. Thanks to the support of the Nevada
Partnership, he was able to attend college and became the first in his family to attend university. He
studied biomedicine and nutritional science at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. The 22-year
old is willing and eager to create change for others. He believes “every action, no matter how small,
can have a positive effect.”
Filmmaker, Thomas Morgan is eager to speak with San Diego students at the screenings and shared
“The impact of Storied Streets for audiences across the country over the past three years has truly been
remarkable. The opportunity to carry this message with the San Diego Film Foundation into more
schools at a time when the community is truly polarized on this issue is so timely and important. I am
sure that the students will never see the issue the same— and my ultimate hope is that they work
toward and find creative solutions to eradicate homelessness in their community and in this country.”
How Additional San Diego Schools Can Get Involved:
For information on the 2018 tour, schools should contact Cindy Saylor cindy@sdfilmfest.com
How Patrons can Support FOCUS on Impact Film Tour :
To support ongoing education on social justice through film in San Diego through the FOCUS on
Impact Film Tour , patrons should contact Merridee Book at merridee@sdfilmfest.com or donate
online at https://secure.sdiff.com/e/donation/charities
We are now in a new season for the team, and they have started off on the wrong
foot. The team is broken up and Ted has his work cut out for him. The team goes
through a slump, and Ted is now doubting his coaching ability. Ted’s personal life
has also gotten out of control, and he discovers his ex-wife Michelle has started a relationship with their therapist. The wonderkid, Nathan Shelley, the former manager of West Ham has had a change of heart and leaves his job to be with his one true love, the waitress from his favorite restaurant.
She convinces him to return to the Richmond team he started out in and it’s quite evident that
everyone wants him back and held no hard feelings. All of Lawrence’s series he has worked on with others have just that right balance of slice-of-life drama with a little bit of ridiculous comedy that reality dishes us, normal folks, every day.
This all comes to a head in the potential series finale where Ted announced to
Rebecca that he will be returning to the States to his family after his mother tells
him that his son misses him. This puts the Richmond owner into quite a state of denial; doing everything from offering Ted the position of being the highest-paid coach in the league to selling the team after he leaves. The team is also affected by this decision as they perform a number from the musical The Sound of Music that is a more than touching farewell to this family.
This bleeds into their playing as in the final title match the first half is met with
bumbling and possible injuries to their star player Jamie.
After an energizing pep talk and a circle back to the first motivator in the
beginning, a sign Ted made up that said “BELIEVE”, the team dominate the second
half and win with a rousing closing scene that is reminiscent of any 80’s party
movie. It’s a fitting end for this pandemic darling that emotionally carried us through. It is
a must-see series even if you don’t like soccer (football).
If you were born in the ’80s, ’90s, or literally ANY decade after those, you know about Super Mario. A cultural phenomenon was brought to life on the big screen this last weekend. One that has not only stood the test of time but reinvented itself time and time again. This wasn’t even the first time it’s been made into a movie but, well, let’s be honest.. some of us choose not to acknowledge the LIVE action adaptation of the beloved game from 30 years ago.
It was pretty bad… But this was animation. ILLUMINATION animation at that. The Universal company that brought us Gru and his Minions, showed us the Secret Life of Pets, and gave us a reason to SING! Still, I had my reservations and even some concerns, especially when the casting was announced.
Eyebrows were raised. As big of stars as they were on paper, could they really deliver on voicing characters from a staple of our childhood? They did.
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day may not be Italian, and Jack Black may not be a King or Turtle creature from the Mushroom Kingdom, but they make the characters their own all while paying homage to the lore of a video game.
From the jump, the story reintroduces us to the brothers that just want to save Brooklyn one clogged sink at a time. We feel an instant connection and relate to these “underdogs of the plumbing world”. The movie is riddled with easter eggs, each of which tugs on the heartstrings of every generation of Mario fandom. And the soundtrack was beautifully put together to not only make us feel like we’re taking a walkthrough of the game but like an experience all its own with some familiar favorites thrown in.
Every word in the movie is pure eye candy for both those that are casual fans, and those analyzing every frame to see what they’ll catch next. Bowser’s ship, the Mushroom Kingdom, Kong’s arena, and the Rainbow Road.. They’re all meant to give us just enough of a “new” look at these amazing worlds, but stay true to how we remember them.
The movie itself moves along at the perfect pace. Although, if you don’t really know ANYTHING about the Super Mario Bros, you may have gotten a little lost and felt left behind in the green tunnel. But that’s ok! It’s an adventure of the imagination and a classic story of a boy that meets a girl and tries to save the world from a monster that wants to destroy it.
What’s funny is that you could easily say this is a story about two characters who couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, battling to win the heart of a princess. Who would’ve thought that the King of the Koopas was just trying to impress his crush?
And that song? Ohhh THAT song! It’s my new ringtone and deserves the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Back to the movie.
Universal and Illumination clearly understood the assignment. Is it missing some things or could things have been done differently or even better? Absolutely! We’re the worst critics of the things we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. But if you’re up for going on a 90-minute adventure through amazing worlds, with awesome music, and characters that’ll make you smile and laugh, then this is the perfect movie to spring you into that warm summer feeling.
Plus there’s the whole part with karts and shells, and banana peels and oh my goodness how amazing was that?? It’s enough to make you want to stand up and cheer, then go home and destroy your friends and family on your favorite track haha.
The bottom line, it pays homage in all the right ways to the little guy with the mustache, while giving us something new and exciting. Take the kids and go see Super Mario Bros. You’ll be glad you did!
Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Opening Act Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. on North 200A. Talent confirmed so far to participate in the post-screening panel is Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and longtime RWBY cast member Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle ( RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (Detective Now Dead) as Blake and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – along with Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as a cyborg. Also attending the panel will be producer/director Kerry Shawcross (series RWBY) and writer Meghan Fitzmartin (Supernatural, Justice Society: World War II).
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023 with the big screen debut from DC Animated Films: highlights this year include the world premieres of the highly anticipated Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham and Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Part One the weekend of March 24-26 in Anaheim, California. Both screenings will be followed by panel discussions with actors and creators. Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham premieres at The Arena on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) as Kai Li Cain, Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, David Dastmalchian (Dune, Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon, producer/co-director Sam Liu (The Death and the Return of Superman), co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem Across the Multiverse).
Both films will have encore screenings in the Arena on Sunday, March 26. Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One will screen at 12:15pm, followed by Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham at 2:00pm
Finally, the Cinderella story of the Richmond Greyhounds has come to an end.
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Crunnchyroll presents ‘BOFURI: I don’t want to get hurt so I’ll max out my defense’: You’re not twinking!
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
An Askewed View Episode 7 Jay And Silent Bob Reboot
