By Nils Skudra Three years ago, I watched Septembers of Shiraz, a 2015 film directed by Wayne Blair which portrays an affluent Jewish family in Tehran whose lives are profoundly changed by the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Starring Adrien Brody and Salma Hayek-Pinault, the film focuses on Isaac Amin, …

By Nils Skudra This week, I had the opportunity to watch After Thomas, a heartfelt 2006 film based on the true story of Kyle Graham (Andrew Byrne), a young British boy with severe autism whose close bond with his Golden Retriever enables him to develop emotional connections with his parents. The fi…

By Nils Skudra This weekend, I had the opportunity to watch Rescued by Ruby, a heartwarming biographical drama about Daniel O’Neil, a Rhode Island State Trooper who adopts Ruby, a hyperactive half-Border Collie, and trains her to be a K9 search and rescue dog. I felt this film was especially compel…

By Nils Skudra Recently I had the opportunity to watch The World’s Fastest Indian, a 2005 biographical sports drama starring Anthony Hopkins in the role of Burt Munro, an eccentric speed bike racer from Invercargill, New Zealand, who set multiple land speed records for motorcycles with engines less…

By Nils Skudra This past weekend, I had the opportunity to watch Craig Gillespie’s Lars and the Real Girl, a heartwarming romantic comedy/drama about Lars Lindstrom, a socially awkward young man who orders a life-size female doll for companionship and treats it as a real person. The film provides an…

By Nils Skudra This week I had the opportunity to watch “I Can”, a faith-based film based on the true story of Katelyn Pavey, a young girl born with only one fully formed arm who pursues her passion for softball in the face of adversity, with the encouragement of her parents. As a disabi…

By Nils Skudra This weekend I had the opportunity to finish watching the second season of Love on the Spectrum, the acclaimed Netflix miniseries chronicling the dating lives of several individuals on the autism spectrum. Picking up from where the first season left off, this season explores the conti…

By Nils Skudra As a fan of military history, I always relish the opportunity to watch engaging movies about famous military leaders. Recently I watched the acclaimed 1970 film Patton, starring George C. Scott as the iconic World War II hero George S. Patton. Having studied the life of General Patton…

By Nils Skudra In recent weeks, I have begun watching the miniseries Annika, a Scottish crime drama revolving around Annika Stranhed (Nicola Walker), a Marine Homicide detective who investigates a series of murders in Glasgow, Scotland, while trying to navigate a challenging relationship with her re…

By Nils Skudra One of the most compelling musical films that relates to neurodiversity and social anxiety is Dear Evan Hansen, a 2021 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical about an isolated high school senior who becomes the motivational force behind a campaign for mental health awareness fol…

Infinitely Polar Bear articulates an encouraging message about the ability of neurodivergent individuals to be successful parents, a goal they can achieve through love and support from their partners and from their children. By Nils Skudra This week I had the opportunity to watch Maya Forbes’ 2014 p…

Keep the Change makes a significant departure from traditional film portrayals of autism since it has the unique distinction of casting actors who are actually on the autism spectrum in the roles of autistic protagonists and supporting characters who are on the spectrum. By Nils Skudra I recently ha…