Magpie Funeral

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Bryan C Big fan of indies. Came across this one by way of a friend... glad I did! The acting, story and directing was great. Without giving away too much, nice to hear a good message these days. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/23 Full Review Mark H I greatly enjoyed Magpie Funeral. I love movies about ordinary people, going about their lives and being presented with situations along the way. I enjoy seeing how they respond to those events. I felt that the dialogue was well written and genuinely reflected real human emotion believably. The story is cohesive and easy to follow. I love happy endings and Magpie Funeral has that too! There's also a cute little girl, the antagonist boss and great acting by all the principals. I hadn't seen Darren E Burrows in anything since Northern Exposure. He still has the chops and boy, does he look like his father. I loved the imagery of all the bird sequences and especially the funeral itself. How did they capture that? Greg Green has hit a home run with this film! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/24/23 Full Review Rick and Mary K This quiet movie reminds you, with a wallop, how to be a human being. Maybe something we need to remember? Excellent! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/23/23 Full Review Michael H Sweet story well produced. We could all profit from this movie. Good to see Darren Burrows from Northern Exposure. He was perfect as Sy the struggling screenwriter. Meredith Shank was a perfect fit as was Elizabeth Leach as the daughter. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/16/23 Full Review Daniel D The Magpie is a bird known to hold funeral-like gatherings for their deceased friends. Is this a sign of grief? Bird experts certainly thinks so. Director Gregory James Green's latest film, ‘Magpie Funeral' explores grief, loss, and hope. Coping with loss is painful and never easy. This heartfelt drama deals with how to find purpose in one's life after experiencing a tragic event. It is a story we can all relate to. It's about finding human connection. ‘Magpie Funeral' will tug at your heartstrings and not let you go until the closing credits. Put this indie gem on your must-see list. Sy McMurphy (Darren Burrows) is an aspiring screenwriter. He gets one rejection letter after another from Hollywood agencies. To make ends meet, he works as a director for a local TV station. His boss Randy (David Weisenberg) has a personal vendetta against him and takes satisfaction from Sy's failures. Sy is also a bird lover that always seems to give him solace at the right time. When tragedy strikes, Sy is faced with a painful journey. One day he has a chance encounter with Nancy (Meredith Shank) and her precocious daughter, Lisa (Elizabeth Leach). Since they are all dealing with loss, this new friendship is a welcome gift into Sy's life. The cast is first-rate. Notably the protagonist Sy played by Darren Burrows. He is best known for his role on the 90s hit TV show, Northern Exposure. Green reflects, "Darren brought a depth to Sy that I was not expecting. He blew me away. Every scene was expertly nuanced." Another praiseworthy mention goes to the actor that plays Sy's nemesis, Randy. David Weisenberg's portrayal of that guy in our lives that tries to kill our dreams is spot-on. One of the standout performances goes to Meredith Shank as Nancy. She embodies the feelings of grief and loss. Her daughter Lisa played by the delightful Elizabeth Leach delivers an endearing performance on how kids deal with loss differently than adults. The chemistry between Sy, Nancy and Lisa build this incredible connection that helps them get through this painful episode in their lives. The film was shot in Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and the Boise area where the filmmaker calls home. One of the key locations of the story takes place in a cemetery. You might think that it is a strange place for some of the scenes. It makes perfect sense. Remember the magpies and how they surround their departed friend? One magpie will fly away and return with pine needles to lay around the body. Once they pay their last respects, each one takes its turn flying away. It's a powerful metaphor throughout the film. ‘Magpie Funeral' is about overcoming loss and pursuing your dreams. It is okay if you don't achieve that precise goal. The key takeaway is enjoying the journey along the way. Green is achieving his goal with ‘Magpie Funeral.' He is excited to share his latest film to local audiences starting August 11 at The Flicks in downtown Boise. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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