Blowing Up—A Perspective on Grief and a Lesson in Compassion
We are constantly being pushed to move on from mishaps and negative feelings. What happens if we're not ready to do so?

I Am A Traister: The Sarah Moskovitz Story is an animated film made by teens that tells the story of an unsung hero now in her 90s. In 1980s Los Angeles, Sarah Traister Moskovitz and her colleague Flo Kinsler founded the first Child Survivors of the Holocaust therapy and support group which went on to be a worldwide phenomenon. For the first time this generation of child survivors, then in their 40s and 50s, could name their experience, find community and begin to heal. Now in their 80s and 90s, these survivors consider themselves to be "phantom siblings" with Sarah as their "mother." The film was created by teens who worked with an artist mentor over Zoom, using their phones as cameras and cardboard boxes as animation stands. It is a production of The Righteous Conversations Project, a collaboration of Holocaust survivors and teens, based in Los Angeles and now in its tenth year.
We are constantly being pushed to move on from mishaps and negative feelings. What happens if we're not ready to do so?
Overall, Sand Castle was another lack luster war drama that will eventually fade into the many similar war dramas I have seen throughout my life.
Ultra-violent storytelling has never been my thing, but the issues with Scarface go beyond that. The film perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Latinx immigrants and uses gore and misogyny for shock value that never serves any purpose. The whole venture is frustratingly empty, and left me desiring something more.
One Christmas Eve, after a sudden snowstorm, a group of teenagers will discover how their lives will change forever.
Spoiler Warning
As a musical fan, I enjoyed the film and encourage anyone who likes dark humour and a bit of blood to give it a watch.