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 past weekend, I had the opportunity to watch ASD Band: The Movie, a highly informative documentary about a group of young musicians on the autism spectrum in Toronto who have formed a band, named “ASD Band,” that actively promotes autism awareness and acceptance. Each of the band…

By Nils Skudra This past week, I had the opportunity to watch Tyson’s Run, a 2022 film directed by Kim Bass, on Netflix. The film portrays the compelling story of Tyson Hollerman, a 15-year-old boy with Autism who aspires to be a marathon runner and actively pursues his dream with the support of his…

By Nils Skudra In studying the lives of Autistic prodigies, I recently learned about Stephen Wiltshire, a British artist of West Indian descent who has earned international renown for his detailed cityscape sketches, drawn entirely from photographic memory. These drawings have become immensely popul…

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 As a passionate fan of European history, I have a strong fascination with Napoleon Bonaparte, the brilliant and charismatic general who became dictator and then emperor of France in the period following the French Revolution. One of the most enigmatic figures in world history, Napole…

By Nils Skudra Recently I had the opportunity to watch The Horse Boy, a deeply intriguing and thought-provoking documentary on a couple’s efforts to find an effective source of therapeutic treatment for their young son on the autism spectrum. This documentary, released in 2009, provides a highly com…