Sensitively and intelligently crafted by writer-director Laurel Parmet, “The Starling Girl” is a well-told coming-of-age story centering around a young woman’s struggles with her spiritual faith. The film opens at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center June 30.
Continuing is “Stay Awake” & “It Ain’t Over.”
Seventeen-year-old Jem Starling struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy of dancing with the church group is tempered by worry that her actions are sinful and she is caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and her religious devotion. With the return of Owen, an enigmatic youth pastor, Jem soon finds herself attracted to his worldliness and charm. Slowly, he draws her into a dangerous relationship that could upend their entire community.
“The Starling Girl” is rated R and is showing through July 13.
“Stay Awake” confronts a serious and common problem of rural families across the country with human mix of humor and levity. Set against the backdrop of the prescription drug and opioid crisis in the USA, Jamie Sisley depicts the individual consequences of a societal tragedy, while taking an unflinching yet gentle look at a complicated web of relationships. A quietly powerful look at the ripple effects of opioid addiction, “Stay Awake” explores addiction from the lesser-seen viewpoint of the caretakers—in this case teenaged brothers Oleff and Argus. Their mother, played by Metz, is loving and well-meaning but powerless to pull herself out of the destructive cycle of her disease. The boys must put their dreams on the backburner as they’re constantly discovering their mom passed out, dragging her to the hospital and encouraging to go to rehab—with the possibility of relapse always lingering. Anchored by three superb performances, “Stay Awake” finds surprising humor and humanity amid the tragedy of parental addiction.
“Stay Awake” is showing through July 6.
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra is one of baseball’s greatest. He amassed ten World Series rings, three MVP awards and 18 All-Star Game appearances. He caught the only perfect game in World Series history. Yet for many his deserved stature was overshadowed by his simply being himself and being recognized more for his unique personality, TV commercial appearances and unforgettable “Yogi-isms,” initially head-scratching philosophical nuggets that make a lot more sense the more you think about them.
In telling the whole story, “It Ain’t Over” gives Berra his due in following the life of a savvy, commanding, bad-ball hitting catcher with a squat frame but also a D-Day veteran, loving husband and father and, yes, product endorser and originator (mostly) of his own brand of proverbs now ingrained into everyday life. Granddaughter Lindsay Berra tells his story along with his sons, former Yankee teammates, players he managed, writers, broadcasters, and admirers (such as Billy Crystal), plus photos and footage on and off the diamond. Berra famously said, “I’d be pretty dumb if I started being something I’m not,” and “It Ain’t Over” lovingly makes clear he stayed who he was for the benefit of baseball and everyone else.
“It Ain’t Over” is showing through June 29.
Learn more about the films, including show times and ticket availability.
