SEARCH RESULTS

Explore Critical Evaluation of Film & Short Film Reviews with Cup of Tea Critiques, your online source for sharp insights on movies and television. Click here to see what we have to offer! Tea Brew Legend Our critiques are tagged with a tea brew that evokes a feel for the movie or television show. So, instead of likes, ratings, emojis, or thumbs up or down, they are assigned a tea that, based on its benefits, gives you a sense of the production's feel and substance. Below we show several plants that teas are made from. So, scroll to figure out which tea best fits the movie or TV show that matches your mood. We hope you enjoy our critical evaluation of film & short film reviews Photo by Emma Van Sant on Unsplash Tea: Barley Category: Herbal Barley tea is good for oral health, which translates nicely to shows that have a lot of dialog like: The Accident , Between the Temples , and Flamin' Hot — to name just a few! Genre: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Tea: Chamomile Category: Herbal Chamomile tea induces sleepiness. This is not to say that shows marked with this tea are boring; they're actually rather calming — not action packed. Try the Oscar-nominated film, American Fiction , The Long Game, or The Old Oak for example. Genre: Family dramas Photo by Rebecca Asryan on Unsplash Tea: Coca Category: Herbal Coca tea can produce psychosomatic effects, making it perfect for marking movies and shows about drugs or disorienting presentations such as Back to Black , Lonesome Soldier , and The Substance . Genre: Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Licensed from Adobe Stock Photo by David Dawson on Unsplash Tea: Dandelion Category: Herbal Dandelion tea is a bitter herbal tea that fits with movies and shows with difficult or heavy subjects like Fair Play , the Oscar–nominated film, Killers of the Flower Moon , Monkey Man , and Presumed Innocent . Genre: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Tea: Ginger Category: Herbal Ginger tea has many benefits, one of which is protecting the brain against disease. This translates perfectly to thought-provoking movies and shows, for example: the Oscar-nominated film, Drive My Car , Life After , Maestro, and War is Over! . Genre: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Photo by Joris Neyt from Pexels Photo by Uwe Nake on Unsplash Tea: Ginkgo Biloba Category: Herbal Ginkgo Biloba tea slows signs of aging, so what better movies and shows than fun, youthful , and lighthearted ones like Nobody is Crazy , Rye Lane , and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar . Genre: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Tea: Ginseng Category: Herbal Like Chrysanthemum, its floral counterpart, Ginseng tea acts as a stimulant. We reserve this designation for suspenseful and intense thrillers that contain some violence. From, Leave the World Behind, Longlegs , and Rebel Ridge are among these. Genre: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Photo by Rodion Kutsaev from Pexels Licensed from Adobe Stock Tea: Honeybush Category: Herbal Honeybush tea is calming. But unlike chamomile, this one is best for non-family dramas with adult themes like A Good Day Will Come , Challengers , and Rez Ball . Genre: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Tea: Jasmine Category: Green Jasmine tea is sweet and relaxing, making it a great sip for movies and shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages like the ones in these: Babes , Bob Marley: One Love , Perfect Days, and the Oscar–nominated film, The Holdovers . Genre: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Photo by Tanya Nedelcheva on Unsplash Photo licensed from Shutterstock Tea: Masala Chai Category: Black Masala Chai is a black tea that promotes strong bones, oral and digestive health, and reduces the risk of stroke, making this drink perfect for movies and shows about toughness or athletic competition like Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Napoleon, and The Brothers Sun . Genre: Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Tea: Matcha Category: Green Matcha improves mental focus, making it perfect for navigating mysteries and figuring out whodunnits such as Decision to Leave , Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, The Independent , and The Night Agent . Genre: Mysteries or whodunnits Photo by Michael Burrows from Pexels Photo by Simon Lee on Unsplash Tea: Mint Category: Herbal Mint tea has a cooling effect and is known to reduce fever, which makes it a good fit for movies and shows filmed in cold weather or blizzards, such as Blow the Man Down, Society of the Snow, and Wind River . Genre: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Tea: Oolong Category: Oolong Oolong tea is fat burning, supports weight loss, and helps mental performance, making it compatible with movies and shows that make you laugh or involve physical activity like dance and exercise. Chevalier, Florida Man, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are just three examples! Genre: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Licensed from Adobe Stock Photo by Jared Subia on Unsplash Tea: Peach Category: Floral Peach tea has a sweet and pleasing aroma, making it perfect for movies and shows with a springtime feel and imagery of the season, such as Bloodline, Florida Man, and I Love That for You . Genre: Movies and TV shows with a springtime feel or with images of the season Tea: Rosemary Category: Herbal Rosemary tea has a sharp pine fragrance and is proven to boost memory, making it perfect for signaling stimulating shows with intense action like Civil War , Lawman: Bass Reeves , and Monkey Man . Genre: Movies and TV shows with intense action Photo licensed from Shutterstock Photo by Mohammed Amiri on Unsplash Tea: Saffron Category: Herbal Besides the beauty of its color, Saffron tea promotes eye health, which transfers well to movies and shows with great visual effects like Dream Scenario , Leave the World Behind , the Emmy– and Golden Globe– nominated series, The Bear, and The Substance . Genre: Movies and TV shows with great visual effects Tea: Sage Category: Herbal Similar to its floral counterpart (Lavender), Sage tea is an anxiety/stress reducer, which makes it great for watching films with low-key characters like those in Bob Marley: One Love, Living, and Perfect Days . Genre: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Photo by Phillip Larking on Unsplash Tea: White Category: White White tea is fat burning, supports healthy weight loss and skin, and slows aging. All are qualities that make it a good fit for shows that make you laugh or involve urgency like chase scenes or other rigorous physical activity such as those in Full Time and I Got This . Genre: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Licensed from Shutterstock Tea: Yarrow Category: Herbal Like Ginger, Yarrow tea promotes digestive health, reduces fever, cold, and cramps, and even relieves itchy skin, making it appropriate for movies and shows about illness or that are set in hospitals or other medical institutions such as those in A Girl Upstairs, From, the Oscar–nominated film, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Swarm . Genre: Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Licensed from Adobe Stock Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

Cup of Tea Critiques delivers Cinema & Film Reviews online, helping film lovers find hidden gems and explore movies worth watching. Click here to see what we offer! Cup of Tea Critiques Movie and Television Reviews At Cup of Tea Critiques, we believe film should spark conversation, reveal truth, and yes, even challenge your comfort zone. Whether you're a casual moviegoer or a film buff, our reviews are brewed just for you. We do more than rate; we dig into what makes a movie work (or not) from story and direction to character, tone, visual style, and emotional impact. What to Expect Fresh Takes on new releases, indie gems, and festival favorites Deep Analysis of themes, pacing, cinematography, and sound design Spoiler-Free Summaries so you can decide if something’s your cup of tea—no surprises unless you want them Context & Comparisons, because knowing what a film is aiming for often makes all the difference Why Read Our Reviews? Every review is crafted to help you think critically—not just about whether a movie is “good” or “bad,” but why. You'll get insights that go beyond trailers and publicity: what works, where things falter, and how it all comes together (or doesn’t). ® Subscribe for updates! Email us at hello@cupofteacritiques.com Project Hail Mary inspires us to find our tribe Image: Amazon MGM Studios Oscar Winner: One Battle After Another Image: Used with permission, Alessandro Montalto Oscar Nominee: Bugonia examines the mind of a conspiracy theorist from every angle Image used with Permission, Netflix Project Hail Mary inspires us to find our tribe Image: Amazon MGM Studios 1/10

A new crossword puzzle is available every Wednesday morning on themes around movies and television series. Crossword Wednesday - 4/29

< Back Monkey Man puts a new face on martial arts thrillers Universal Pictures, 2024 121 minutes Director/Writer: Dev Patel Reading Time: 5 minutes Monkey Man Wicked Cinema (QWRUZNJLFRWMLNIO) 00:00 / 05:07 📷 : Used with permission, Ryan Keeble https://www.instagram.com/keebleryan_/ https://posterspy.com/profile/ryankeeble/ Rosemary: Movies and TV shows with intense action Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Chris Chaisson 2024-04-05 “It’s time to remember who you are.” At one point in time in the late ‘80s, Arnold Schwarzenegger got tired of being a successful bodybuilder and successful action star (tough life). He wanted to prove that he could be funny as well, a sentiment he voiced to the director of Twins , Ivan Reitman. Arnold was so confident in his yuck-yuck ability that he declined to be paid for his role in the 1987 hit, instead taking ownership of the movie. If it flopped, he would go home penniless. If it succeeded, he’d get a cut. This anecdote illustrates not only the importance of believing in yourself, but to show your versatility, you may have to take a DIY approach. In order to star in his first true martial arts action role, Dev Patel took a page out of Schwarzenegger’s book by writing and directing the new revenge flick, Monkey Man . Monkey Man revolves around its anonymous title character (Patel), a young man who participates in an underground fight club while donning a monkey mask. He loses intentionally and violently in order to get his cut from the promoter while seeking income elsewhere during the day. After catching on at a high-end restaurant, he comes face-to-face with a man from his past: the ruthless tyrant who murdered his family and tore apart his village. Once his first attempt on the man’s life fails, the protagonist recovers and trains in order to enact vengeance on all of the political leaders involved in his childhood trauma. On the surface, Patel’s directorial debut does not create any never-before-seen angle on the action genre or revenge tales specifically. In fact, it wears its influences on its sleeve, from the color schemes to the costumes to the point-of-view style action scenes. You do not have to be the biggest fan of martial arts films to recognize where the mix of styles comes from, including the John Wick and Bourne franchises with a little Tarantino sprinkled in. In the week leading up to Monkey Man ’s release, Patel stated on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Bruce Lee films introduced him to the world of cinema, and Patel’s mannerisms in the final showdown are a subtle yet clear nod to the martial arts legend. Despite all of its influences, the most important addition Patel provides is casting himself as the leading man. While we’ve seen our fair share of action stars from east Asia, martial arts protagonists of Indian descent have been rare or non-existent outside of Bollywood. To see Patel going toe-to-toe with menacing bad guys was a refreshing twist, especially after a filmography consisting of more cerebral characters ( The Newsroom ) or being occasionally shrouded in chain mail . Patel not only shows personal range here but expands the scope of who can be an action star. His mere presence in the lead role highlights that “action hero” is not limited to any gender, ethnicity, or group of ethnicities. Furthermore, Monkey Man is set in a fictional city in India and includes a predominantly Indian cast. Though very little Hindi is spoken, the film does include other cultural elements, such as currency, attire and class differences, without making a spectacle out of them. Hollywood action films set outside the U.S. can often take place in a vacuum of sorts, where everything unique about the location is pushed far into the background or depicted in mocking fashion. With Patel directing and starring, along with Jordan Peele producing, Monkey Man maintains a certain authenticity that many other films do not prioritize. To be clear, Patel’s debut goes about as dark as it can. It is not nearly as light-hearted or quirky as Kill Bill or other more humorous revenge tales. Nonetheless, he gives a little wink to the audience with the occasional misstep of his character, feeling for just a moment like past characters that he has taken on. In one scene, he tries to escape by jumping through a window and fails rather decisively. While there are at best a handful of moments like this, they, along with a carefully placed Rick Ross jingle, offer the audience just enough chuckles to make the overall darkness work. As said before, Monkey Man does not go to great lengths to hide its influences. The most direct comparison, however, would seem to be the 2003 Park Chan-wook masterpiece Oldboy . The lead in Oldboy is held captive in a cell for 15 years without knowing his kidnapper and seeks vengeance upon escaping. While Patel’s character is physically free, he remains imprisoned mentally by the events of his past and the violent losses of his loved ones. Neither film is for the squeamish, but if you are a fan of great fight choreography, it is tough to pass on either one of these revenge thrillers. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back The Holdovers lends depth to each of its fatefully stuck-together characters Focus Features, 2023 133 minutes Director/Writer: David Hemingson / Alexander Payne Reading Time: 6 minutes The Holdovers Bright Sunny Day (G7U0H1UMMC4MVGLG) 00:00 / 06:04 📷 : Used with permission, Agustin R. Michel https://www.instagram.com/agustinrmichel https://twitter.com/AgustinrMichel https://www.behance.net/agustin_rmichel Mint: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Chris Chaisson 2023-11-06 If you’re an avid TV watcher, you’re most likely familiar with the term “bottle episode.” It often refers to an anomalous episode in a series where two or more characters are stuck together due to some extenuating circumstance (i.e. locked in a room, stuck in an elevator). Often, the two characters have nothing in common or even have an adversarial relationship, and over the course of the episode, they learn not only more about each other’s interests but all of the ways they’ve misunderstood one another. This story device can make for either a memorable, compelling episode (i.e. “The Suitcase” episode of Mad Men ) or, in other cases, the absolute worst episode of a series (I’ll be nice). Sometimes, it forever changes the relationship while other times, like in most episodic sitcoms, the segment is of zero consequence. Alexander Payne’s newest film, The Holdovers , serves as a heartwarming example of such a story device, indeed having a lasting effect on its main characters. Set in the early 1970s, The Holdovers revolves around Paul (Paul Giamatti, Sideways ), a long-tenured boarding school teacher, and one of his students, Angus (Dominic Sessa). As Christmas break approaches, the headmaster assigns Paul to remain at the school to supervise the students who cannot return home. What starts out as a handful of students quickly dwindles to just Angus once the other children leave. Over the course of two weeks, Paul and Angus become more well acquainted and develop an unlikely friendship, with the help of the lead chef, Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph, On the Come Up ). The age gap and the student-teacher dynamic are enough to make Paul and Angus’s initial discord believable. On top of that, it is clear that Paul has developed a disdain for his students. Near the beginning of the film, he strolls through the classroom humming a tune as he places graded tests on each student’s desk. His apparent bliss as he delivers their subpar scores suggests that he takes delight in their underperformance. Paul offers them the opportunity for a makeup quiz, which Angus rejects due to the difficulty of learning new material right before holiday break. Paul rescinds the offer and tells everyone to thank Angus for their bad grades, making him unpopular with his classmates. Though his response is somewhat warranted, Paul’s schadenfreude suggests he enjoys seeing his pupils struggle. As the story progresses, he reveals that he views the boarding school students as being born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Their privilege makes it hard for him to feel much empathy on the surface, a prejudice that Mary helps him to shed over time. Angus serves as just the co-lead to change Paul’s perspective. He is a child of divorce and has been kicked out of school before. Should it happen again, he will be sent to military school, a thought he dreads. His initially pompous disposition causes Paul to view him the same way as his peers, but Angus opens up about his own interests while coaxing Paul into both personal conversations and more spontaneous decisions. By nature, Paul is a shut-in with his own degree of pretentiousness. Underneath it, he lacks self-confidence about anything outside of academia and even certain elements within it, revealed later in the film. Initially pressed into more open conversation by Angus, Paul starts to voluntarily share details about himself and his past. Despite previously coming across as stuck-up, Angus reveals himself to be not only curious but free of judgment, encouraging Paul to be more of an open book. Mary serves as the go-between for both Paul and Angus. Despite her role in Paul and Angus’s life, she has her own troubles and family issues independent of them. As the lead cook in the school, she copes with the recent loss of her twenty-something son, who had attended the boarding school before joining the military. Though more down-to-earth and frank than Paul, Mary still disguises the pain that she feels on a regular basis from her loss, which comes out at inopportune moments. She feels a connection to Paul, who regularly defends her against classist remarks from the students. Playing the mediator, she serves as Paul’s conscience whenever he wants to dismiss any requests from Angus or retreat into his biases on what he views as trust fund babies. While the holidays can often be a melancholy time for those estranged from their families, it can also serve as a much-needed recess from the hustle and bustle of our routines. This timeout allows us to re-assess our relationships and possibly come out on the other side with a different perspective on the people we share our space with, be they colleagues, friends or family. As with the aforementioned bottle episodes, The Holdovers serves as a great reminder not to judge a book by its cover. As the old saying goes, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” (Ian Maclaren). Though Angus has an initial view of Paul as a curmudgeon standing in the way of what he wants, he decides to be more understanding, likely brought on by the absence of his fellow students and school routines. Similarly, Paul realizes that Angus, and by extension any one of his other students, could be experiencing a turbulent personal life regardless of their financial advantages. The Holdovers seems very similar to the odd couple pairings of Up or Good Will Hunting . By unlikely circumstance, two characters who are polar opposites get stuck together and slowly see the potential that each other possesses. At a time where it can be easy to profile and vilify those of privilege, such stories allow for three-dimensionality among all of us. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Missing disorients time and place with suspense and thrill Stage 6 Films, 2023 111 minutes Director/Writer: Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick / Will Merrick, Nicholas D. Johnson, Sev Ohanian Reading Time: 5 minutes Missing Quiet Desperation (HRM7QT5CDUE33KUJ) 00:00 / 05:33 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers Reba Chaisson 2023-06-15 As adults, we sometimes carry grudges against our parents for all kinds of things. As time passes, we either shake them off or become increasingly incensed. “How could Mom possibly do that?” “Well, she didn’t do this!” “Mom likes you better than me.” In our complaints, we former kids come off as omniscient, as if we had a complete understanding of the nuances of parenting as preadolescents and teenagers. The film, Missing , humbles us by letting us know that as kids, we understood little about the decisions parents made to do what was best for their children. At first glance, a movie where the audience spends half the duration of the film looking at the reflection of the lead actor in monitors and mobile phone screens seems inconceivable, corny, and unappealing. Well actually, all are still true. However, Missing evolves into a suspenseful thriller about a woman who goes missing and her daughter’s efforts to find her. Along the way, the film reinforces the intended function of technology, which is to serve as tools that not only simplify our lives but, when used optimally, can help with challenging and arduous tasks. Storm Reid ( A Wrinkle in Time , Euphoria ) plays June, a tech-savvy 18-year-old occasionally irritated by her mother’s tendency to fuss over her. Insistent on calling and texting to check on her, Grace, June’s single mom played by Nia Long ( The Best Man: The Final Chapters , Look Both Ways ), is loving but also obsessed with keeping her only child safe. While June is a normal older teen with the obligatory best friend and a healthy peer group, she experiences moments of melancholy when sitting in front of her oversized computer monitors. Pulling up a home video of her late father James, whom she was close to as a young child, helps us understand that she still grieves his loss. On this day, Grace is excitedly preparing for a vacation in Cartagena, Columbia with Kevin, her sedate partner played by Ken Leung ( Industry , Lost ). Not as adept as her daughter at technology, Grace inadvertently Facetimes June instead of calling her. Flustered, Grace explains to June when she will return and asks her to pick them up at LAX. June replies in the affirmative with strong hints of annoyance and sarcasm in her tone – “Yes ma’am.” Sound familiar? The mood of the film suddenly turns ominous when Grace and Kevin do not get off the plane from their scheduled flight, and June’s efforts to reach them are in vain. Planting herself in front of her computer, we see her reflection in the monitors for much of the film as she desperately makes phone calls, sends texts, and breaks into emails for clues on their whereabouts. In this sense, Missing brings to mind the 2018 film, A Simple Favor , with Anna Kendrick as Stephanie, a vlogger who uses technology to locate Emily, a missing woman played by Blake Lively. Providing background noise, or what can also be viewed as the soundtrack for Missing , is the familiar sound of computer work, such as telephone ringing, text message bubble bursting, and fingernails hitting the keyboard. In addition to the audio, the film also provides an unorthodox movie experience with doorbell cameras and video chats. For example, June has video chats with personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Columbia and also with Javier, a messenger in Cartagena played by Joaquim de Almeda ( Warrior Nun , Queen of the South ). Through the video interactions, the audience is given the sense of remote work. Images of Columbians in outdoor settings reveal the architecture and the bright and clear days. People moving about in short sleeves and tank tops indicate the hot temperatures. And the honking of horns gives a sense of the city as busy and congested. The effect of these combined with the aforementioned soundtrack, gives the sense of watching a movie within a movie. So rather than the audience being contained to June’s room to stare at her reflection for much of the film, Missing uses video images to provide a sense of movement in the film, not to mention an international flair. Despite her deftness at technology, June becomes frustrated when she can neither get the answers she wants nor the help she needs. She is at the mercy of people who sympathize but do not share her urgency in finding Grace. One example of this is her need to see the hotel’s security camera video before it loops. While the embassy worker does take June’s call, he does not sufficiently engage to be of help. Javi, on the other hand, will, but for a price. Through these experiences, June realizes that technology and the skills to use them are powerful, but both have their limits when you don’t know what you don’t know. At some point, footwork and face-to-face engagement are necessary to find the answers to questions you don’t know to ask. What is uncovered in this virtual-to-reality thriller blindsides us, leaving us with the all too familiar epiphany that we ignore as children and young adults. We might think we’re smarter than our parents, but we don’t know anything. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back A Thousand and One shifts expectations and challenges stereotypes Sight Unseen Pictures, 2023 117 minutes Director/Writer: A. V. Rockwell Reading Time: 6 minutes A Thousand and One 13 Out 1 In (OYHAUOLODSLKHRSJ) 00:00 / 07:04 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Dandelion Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2023-04-18 The adage says that before judging a person, you have to walk a mile in their shoes. A cliché no doubt, but it nonetheless rings true and certainly applies to this story of a woman willing to risk it all for the chance to raise her child on her own terms. Starring Teyana Taylor ( Coming to America 2 ) as Inez de la Paz, A Thousand and One spans an 11-year period in New York City beginning in the mid-1990s, when a racially segregated Harlem consisted of tenement housing and densely populated communities of people struggling to get by. Setting the social climate of the period is audio of speeches from then-Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg promising to enhance the city’s landscape and stamp out crime (despite violating the civil rights of people to do so). After being released from a short jail term, Inez abducts her 6-year-old son, Terry, from foster care, determined to raise him on her own. A former foster child herself, she struggles to do this. Friends can only offer minimal help, styling hair for the occasional client yields little income, and the closest job she can find is a two-hour subway ride away. At times forced to leave her child home alone while she works, Inez eventually obtains the documents needed to get him into school. When Terry arrives home one day, he finds a man in the apartment with his mom. Inez introduces him as “Lucky” and happily informs the child, “He’ll be moving in with us.” Lucky, though, seems to want nothing to do with the quiet, unassuming 7-year-old, played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola ( Rise , The Tramps New World ). Too often, stories with Black characters fall on long-held stereotypes. I like this story precisely because it does not. For example, Black men are often depicted as unavailable to their children physically and emotionally. While initially aloof about connecting with Terry, Lucky, played by William Catlett ( The Devil You Know , The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray) , does eventually commit to being a father to the child and develops a close bond with him. This is especially remarkable given that Lucky was recently released from prison. Typically viewed and treated as lost causes, people who experience incarceration are often depicted as being drawn to trouble and having constant run-ins with the law. This story avoids perpetuating these cinematic tropes. Similarly, as the positive narratives surrounding African American boys are scarce, Terry, even as a teenager, is neither depicted as a troubled child at home or in school, nor a child who gets into trouble with the law. Rather, he is quiet, thoughtful and introspective, wondering for example why he should have to leave his community in order to get “a good education.” Terry’s character challenges the widely-held views of Black boys as problems and up to no good, despite occasions in the film where police throw Terry up against a wall and frisk him without cause. Regarding stereotypes about Black women, Inez’s character could have been written as a terrible mother. Instead, Inez spends time with her son and helps him understand that while things are difficult now, they will not always be this way. She meets with teachers at his school to understand the educational plans they have for her son and what it could mean for him. She resists reacting to a back-handed compliment by a White teacher, even though it is clear it took a lot for her to hold back. Had she not, the “angry Black woman” stereotype would have left its indelible mark on the audience. Inez’s refusal to react can be viewed as purposefully resisting stereotypes. She realizes that the cost of reacting means perpetuating negative ideas about Black women. So instead she chooses, then, to reserve her strength for the bigger battles she fights every day, which include protecting and caring for the two Black men in her life. The stress of this emotional work is taxing, however, as it suggests a never-ending level of vigilance. She alludes to her wear and tear at several points throughout the film, stating, “What about me? Who takes care of me?” An abundance of research exists on how African American women in particular, expend so much time and energy protecting and looking out for their loved ones that little time is left for themselves, and they often feel tired and neglected. While this movie has a small hint of the 2006 film, The Pursuit of Happyness , its feel is more reminiscent of the HBO series, The Deuce , which is set in roughly the same period and coincidentally the same city. Both make use of the dark cinematography of the day and just as with The Deuce, which ran from 2017-2019 , the lives of people in A Thousand and One were affected by politically-motivated initiatives that directly impacted their lives. Also, the sight of Inez inserting coin after coin into telephone booths, affixed just outside of subway entrances and throughout the neighborhood, pulled me into the era that predated today’s technology. Even the use of the big, printed phone books surfaced long-buried memories of how tedious everyday tasks used to be. Anyone doubting the convenience (or annoyance) of cellphones and computers is likely to think again after seeing this film. While A Thousand and One challenges prevailing stereotypes, it ensures the pendulum does not swing too far in the direction of depicting the characters as infallible. Inez and Lucky are indeed flawed characters in the film - both do scandalous things. After all, Inez did kidnap Terry. It leaves the question though: To what degree can the characters’ behaviors be explained by flaws in their personalities or their past (and present) hardships and life experiences? This is always difficult to discern. But a poignant moment in the film gives some insight into this when Lucky asks Inez why she loves him. Initially dismissing him, he insists on an answer. She slowly responds, “Damaged people don’t know how to love one another.” This was an emotionally moving film that also moved the story along, letting the audience inside Inez’s life, creating the space for empathy. This full 360 degrees was needed for the audience to appreciate her depth of character, her shortcomings, and conveyance of a story that can be generalized to women like her in major cities across the United States. In addition to kudos to writer/director A. V. Rockwell on this piece, newcomer Teyana Taylor should receive major award nods for her strong delivery of Inez de la Paz in this film. We look forward to seeing more of her and Rockwell’s work. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Project Hail Mary inspires us to find our tribe Amazon MGM Studios, 2026 156 minutes Director/Writer: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller / Drew Goddard and Andy Weir Reading Time: 6 minutes Project Hail Mary Cool Breeze (OOJ9QNNUDSGQTHEC) 00:00 / 10:05 📷 : Amazon MGM Studios Barley: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2026-04-11 It’s important that everyone finds their happy place. The thing is we need to first know ourselves well. For instance, maybe we think too much of ourselves and wind up crowding out other voices. Or maybe we think too little of ourselves, feeling we have nothing interesting to say or useful to offer. Or despite having so much to contribute, we are wallflowers, so compressed into the woodwork that people look past us and fail to recognize our value. Maybe we even purse our lips during the first year or two of meeting someone we like because we are slow to trust. Whichever camp we fall into, each of us deserves happiness. Once we know ourselves, achieving this is often just a matter of finding our tribe. This is the story so beautifully conveyed in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s film adaptation of Andy Weir’s best seller, Project Hail Mary . Starring Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary is about a talented but self-effacing geoscientist named Ryland Grace who teaches elementary school despite his lofty scientific accomplishments. So, when he wakes up to find himself in space, he experiences momentary confusion, unsure of how he got there and why. The reluctant and lone scientist-turned-astronaut, Grace fought vehemently against joining this mission, repeatedly yet ashamedly exclaiming, “I am not that guy.” Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), the mission’s determined and undeterred project manager, disagreed with him, noting not only his scientific qualifications but also his lack of a family or significant other, making him the perfect candidate for this one-way mission to space. Grace has been sent on a mission to investigate an astronomical anomaly that is rapidly draining energy from the sun and to design a solution to stunt the process. It is a critical task because the earth is cooling each year. Arriving deep in space after months of traveling, Grace encounters a ship. Fearful, he tries to get away from it but the ship mimics his movements, eventually and gracefully docking with Grace’s capsule as if extending an invitation to him to board. We know this from the light and upbeat music that gives the scenes a playful tone rather than a dramatic and ominous one that typically accompanies “the unknown” and signals danger ahead. Rather than being stilled by the ship’s docking, Grace becomes curious, as does the life form he meets and later names Rocky. Hailing from the planet Erid, Rocky (voice of James Ortiz), speaks a language other than English and has a body composed of square, rectangular, and tubular blocks seemingly shaped from rock. When the two establish a way to communicate, they learn that they are both scientists and that they share the same problem on their respective planets. From there, the duo collaborates to figure it out and become close friends in the process. The roles of music and color in the cinematic experience delivered by Project Hail Mary cannot be overstated. To illustrate this, Rocky’s ship is presented as a beautiful arrangement of shiny gold threads that really pop against the darkness of space, and Grace dons a red space suit on his treks to Rocky’s ship. Consider that space suits in movies are typically black or white, making them colorless, unprovocative, and neutral. They neither dilate the pupils nor draw any emotional or aesthetically pleasing response. Grace’s red suit and Rocky’s shiny gold ship, however, are visually appealing and emotive. Red, in particular, is associated with happiness and festive holidays like Christmas and Independence Day. In Project Hail Mary , we see the two scientists enjoy one another when Rocky makes an impromptu visit to Grace’s ship, momentarily cramping Grace’s style. We also see this when Rocky doesn’t want Grace to leave him to get some sleep, prompting Grace to set up a hammock while Rocky humorously watches him slumber out of curiosity. These observations of different ways of doing, being, and expressing are reminders that nurturing relationships sometimes requires flexibility, a bit of shape-shifting at times, if you will. The new curves and corners formed and the moments of discomfort endured can be viewed as allowances we make to move toward happier, more meaningful lives. Adding to Project Hail Mary ’s visuals is the ethereal and buoyant music signaling the fun tone of the film, along with the scientists’ enjoyment of their bonding and their work. The music occurs from the moment the ships are in proximity to one another, to Grace and Rocky’s interactions, to their exploration and brainstorming of their mutual problem, and to the use of their experiences and complementary strengths as they consider viable solutions. The music lets us know that the two are not just enjoying the work but that they are bonding, and each has found a new best friend. When I look for films similar to Project Hail Mary , the recommendations stem from the science-fiction/space and fantasy genres. While I understand the parallels, I don’t see Project Hail Mary this way. The movie focuses on our need for a sense of belonging by observing our tendencies to self-isolate. I think, for example, about the mission prelaunch party attended by Grace and other scientists and astronauts. The mood was festive and everyone was interacting and having a good time. Grace, however, sat alone at the bar with a writing pad and a drink, despite having contributed so much knowledge to the project. Even in a crowd of his peers and coworkers, he self-isolated and still, apparently, felt alone. Potentially comparable movies like Beaches and Girls Trip are wonderful stories about long-time friendships, but Beaches is sad and thus makes the tone problematic. And while Girls Trip is fun, it centers on an already-established tribe, so the audience doesn’t observe the bonds being formed between the group members. It is not a perfect fit, but Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower comes close to Project Hail Mary . Although it is a coming‑of‑age story about high‑school students, the film features a character, freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman), who struggles to make social connections with his peers until he is befriended by a pair of charismatic seniors. While Project Hail Mary is a space movie about fixing an astronomical anomaly that is affecting life on Earth and Erid, that anomaly manifests as falling temperatures that threaten life and living. This problem of falling temperatures can be framed figuratively as a cooling or devolving of personal relationships. The phenomenon may be fueled by social media, AI, politics, some phone apps, and other disrupters that lead to self-isolation and loneliness, much like Grace’s lived experience on Earth. Interestingly, Grace knew himself well; that he was “not that guy,” at least not until he stumbled upon Rocky, whom he found worth being “that guy” for. Film is both entertaining and didactic. Perhaps Project Hail Mary is encouraging us to get off the wall, out of our seat, and go find our tribe—our Rocky—like Grace did, so we can move toward a state of happiness too. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Lady Terror shrouds sinister motives in a nostalgic feel Nathan Hill Productions, 2023 78 minutes Director/Writer: Nathan Hill / Simon Salamon and Nathan Hill Reading Time: 7 minutes Lady Terror Mystery (GJDQQDB4EPM1HJ7P) 00:00 / 08:02 📷 : Used with permission, Nathan Hill Honeybush: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Reba Chaisson 2025-02-26 Lady Terror is a film about Jake Large, a 40-something-year-old Australian lawyer whose practice consists of accident victims seeking to recoup money for their injuries. Despite this being a major part of his practice, even Jake, played by writer/director Nathan Hill, wonders about the legitimacy of some of the claims, especially those that seem unfathomable from the jump. This skepticism is evident when a woman enters his office insisting that she was injured by a cat that scratched her while she was buying something from a clothing store. When Jake finally accepts her case, she is so relieved that she invites him over for a “nice dinner,” completely ignoring his engagement ring. He smiles and politely declines. When Jake arrives home after work, he and his fiancée Celine (Trita DeViSha) are, in the words of Barry Manilow, “like two ships that pass in the night.” He enters his home, sits on the sofa and turns on the TV, and the two barely say “hello” to one another. When he asks her about her day, she responds in one-word utterances. Unhappily engaged, Jake’s personal fortunes turn while leaving the grocery store one day. He stumbles upon a man attempting to rob a woman of her purse while she is getting into her car. Jake intervenes and the would‑be‑thief confronts him for interfering in his crime but the guy soon runs off. After the mild raucous, he meets Candice (Phillyda Murphy) who is quite gracious. He takes her to a nearby medical facility to address pain she is experiencing in her abdominal area and leaves her with his card. The next day, she calls and invites him out, surprising him with a private sensual dance at a sex club. As Candice’s calls increase in frequency, the two spend time having very long audible kissing sessions and eventually winding up in bed. Tension enters the relationship, though, when Anton, the husband of Candice’s late mother, bursts into the bedroom on Candice and Jake and says nothing. When he leaves, Candice complains about Anton and insinuates that she would “be happy” if he were gone. Coincidentally, her calls to Jake increase in urgency, begging him to come over because something happened between her and Anton. Not surprisingly, she again muses with Jake about murdering him. But Jake now takes her seriously, asking for details on how they would do it. Clearly, Candice’s motives are less than honest, but will Jake realize this before he does something that is both criminal and out of character for him? On one level, Lady Terror feels like a soap opera filmed with a low-gauge film stock. Its faded colors suggest an era recently removed from monochrome, giving the film a nostalgic feel. The settings are largely sterile with empty kitchen countertops and desks displaying everything in its proper place. While this and other aesthetic elements are likely driven by budget constraints, in some instances, it produces the desired effect. The colorlessness and sterility of the settings, for instance, promote the lack of a connection between the characters. The emptiness of Jake’s sitting room and kitchen convey he and Celine’s emotional detachment from one another. There are a couple of scenes in the movie, however, that take place in a bar. While the tavern has the obligatory furnishings, it lacks the social atmosphere of a bar. There is also little informal engagement between Jake and his friend, the usual banter buddies have when drinking beer together at a bar. This emptiness makes the scenes seem staged. They lack the context needed to convey the authenticity of the characters’ relationships. These aesthetic elements coupled with the film’s lack of character development make Lady Terror difficult to grasp. While watching the film, I could not get a sense of Jake’s personality nor the depth of the other characters and the relationships between them. For example, the flashback scene showing Jake and Celine early in their relationship indicates the two cared deeply for one another. But there is nothing to explain what happened that caused them to become so distant (and in some cases hostile) toward one another today. In one scene, Jake arrives home to find Celine and a man she says is her boyfriend, and they are in the process of moving her out. Among the things she says to Jake is that she “can’t stand him.” This is a stark contrast from their early relationship, yet nothing explains what happened nor how much time has passed. Rather than an emotional reaction to Celine’s declaration, Jake responds calmly and rationally, asking “what did I do?” A more apt response in the moment would be something angry or hurt‑filled like “I hate you too” or “yeah, good riddance, get the heck out of my house and take that a**hole with you.” Jake’s apathy makes his center unclear. Based on his modest office and home, Jake is an experienced and moderately successful accident lawyer who settles cases outside the courtroom. Given this, it is fair to assume that he is not a felon and that he understands the law. Yet, he shows no signs of alarm bells ringing when Candice begins to talk about being “happy if Anton were gone” and even adding details on how to kill him. These are huge waving red flags that should have signaled Jake to get away and stay away from Candice and perhaps report her to the authorities, particularly given his role as an officer of the court. Jake did neither and instead allowed himself to be manipulated by her. This, along with his lack of emotional reaction to his situation with Celine, makes him an enigma - not one who is intriguing but one who is disappointing and perplexing. At one point in the film, Candice urgently invites Jake over and he arrives to find her friend, Tonina (Challise Freer), a woman Candice introduced to him earlier in the film. Suggestively dressed, Tonina invites him in and explains that Candice will be back “much later.” This seems off but other than mild curiosity, Jake has no reaction. In fact, Jake and Tonina fall into bed together when Tonina insists that “Candice won’t mind” because they “share all the time.” While it becomes clear that the two are scheming over Anton’s money, who the women are to one another and what they want with Jake are still unclear. Nathan Hill’s Lady Terror feels nostalgic. It reminds me of The F.B.I. , a drama I used to watch as a child with my mother on early Sunday evenings. The weekly 60-minute show ran for nine years beginning in 1965 and starred Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Philip Abbott (I remember this because it was spoken during the show’s opening.). Lady Terror and The F.B.I are similar in appearance, presenting in tints rather than full color or monochrome. Neither have deep character development and both shows have unnatural dialog and frequently sterile sets. I can easily see an F.B.I story similar to Lady Terror’s premise, centering a gullible man being taken advantage of by people with dishonest motives (of course, being a weekly procedural, The F.B.I. covered a broad range of cases.). The current push for authentic characters and relationships suggests The F.B.I. would not be a successful show today as it was when it aired 50 years ago. Indeed, today’s version of the show, FBI , is not only hard‑hitting but emphasizes the relatability of the characters. Like The F.B.I ., Lady Terror presents a compelling story but its characters need to be flushed out to make them multidimensional and relatable. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Mr. Church sheds a light on what it means to be ‘family’ Cinelou Films, 2016 104 minutes Director/Writer: Bruce Beresford / Susan McMartin Reading Time: 7 minutes Mr. Church Lucky Me (TMVRAXX2NLYNIIVD) 00:00 / 07:45 📷 : Licensed from Adobe Stock Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 Sometimes Hollywood can shoot itself in the foot with genre categories. Perhaps because this film stars Eddie Murphy, Mr. Church is classified partly as a comedy despite being a purely dramatic story based on the writer’s own life, growing up in sunny Los Angeles. Set in the 1970s, the film depicts what was to be a short-lived working arrangement between a chef and McMartin’s family that blossomed into a long-term and meaningful relationship. Mr. Church is a little-known movie starring Eddie Murphy as the title character, in which he plays the reserved, personal chef of a young girl named, Charlie, played by Brit Robertson ( Under the Dome , Big Sky ) and her mother, Marie, played by Natascha McElhone ( Designated Survivor , Ronin ). Mr. Church reads literature, and he cooks with olive oil, cumin and arrowroot while enjoying the sounds of big band jazz music on the turntable. In addition to the 1970s backdrop of bus shelters, vintage public transportation, and the clothing of the day, Marie’s modest two-bedroom apartment is bathed in soft natural lighting that occasionally shines brightly through the windows, contrasting with the dark wood entryways and doors. This gives a cozy and simple family feel to the home that makes it inviting, almost as if Mr. Church was being welcomed into the space as a member of the family. Boundaries matter to Mr. Church though. While he makes subtle efforts at the outset to endear himself to the little girl who begrudgingly lets him cook for her and her mother, he makes it clear that his personal life is off-limits as her curiosity increases about who he is and where he goes when he is elsewhere. In response to her probes, he impatiently shouts, “You have me from morning to night. And what I do when I leave here is my time.” Interestingly, this adds intrigue to this aspect of the story and keeps the audience wondering as well: just who is Mr. Church? Where does he go and what does he do when he is not cooking for the family? These boundaries are typical of family boundaries. Indeed, the film’s feel and subject matter bring to mind another little-known work called, Under One Roof . Airing in 1995, the short-lived, weekly television series starred James Earl Jones, Vanessa Bell Calloway, and Joe Morton, in a story about three generations living under one roof in their two-story Seattle apartment building. The show contained tough conversations, gentle moments, and even heart-to-heart talks with a teenage foster son, Marcus, played by the late Merlin Santana, who struggled to adjust to being a part of the loving family of seven. It featured family meals together where kids wanted to sit next to their favorite people. It included a teenage daughter, coincidentally named “Charlie,” who had to be put in her place on occasion, as her mom reprimanded, “Don’t you walk away from me while I’m talking to you or you’ll be really buggin’.” And finally a husband insisting that his wife not feel guilty for going back to school and completing her degree: “Doing something for yourself doesn’t mean that you’re being selfish.” Not just limited to shared genes, a family’s binding elements include boundaries, checks, and balances. As with Mr. Church, Marcus is not related by blood in Under One Roof , but his range of interactions with family members signals yet one more connection to what becomes a long-held family bond. While unrealistic that a Black chef in a predominantly White, lower middle-class neighborhood would not have encountered some microaggressions while riding the bus or shopping for groceries, I was pleased by the absence of such scenes because of its bliss. Apparently, the filmmakers saw little need to interject language and sentiments of race into the film, likely because the exchanges would have detracted from the purity of the story itself. It begs the question, though, if a story should be presented with complete and accurate historical context, or if filmmakers have tacit permission to strip away extraneous but ugly information that can add noise to the film and disrupt its themes. The approach depends on what the filmmakers want to convey. Mr. Church is a story about family rather than history, revolution, or social transformation. Does the fact that the Black Power Movement and news around the Patty Hearst kidnapping are also occurring in California at the time mean that these events should be weaved into the film to keep the story authentic? Even though this would extinguish my bliss, I would argue that not doing so to some extent is problematic given the tumult of the period and the shared location—even if the scenes were limited to a passing television news report or the headline of a local paper lying around on a table. This would be sufficient to get a sense of the story’s context and provide some insight into Mr. Church’s thoughts and experiences. With these additional images, Mr. Church would not just be a man the audience admires because of what it sees, but he could also be a man the audience understands because of some of the experiences he lives and that continue to shape him. This is the depth missing from the depiction of Mr. Church that could have been filled not necessarily with lines, but with context. Perhaps though, containing the film’s scope to the relationship among the characters is fair. But even this falls a bit short. The story is heavily narrated by Charlie, who offers candid observations about Mr. Church: “I never once saw Mr. Church use a measuring tool, just his hand, fork and knife.” She even reveals resentments of her mother: “[Mr. Church and I] each had our duties. … My one and only job was to bathe Momma–and I hated it.” However, Charlie reveals very little about her social life. When she goes off to college and returns home for a break, the audience learns very little about her time on campus, which was the site of a great deal of social activism. What was life on campus like for her? Surely Mr. Church’s interest in jazz suggested a strong interest in Black culture. How can Charlie’s campus experiences not be shared with the person close to her, and whose life was likely affected by the social issues of the day? The absence of conversation creates a bit of a chasm in the story and disrupts much of its continuity–though, to be fair, not so much that it detracts from the story about the ties that bind. At a point in the film, Charlie says about Mr. Church, “People act strange around death. There are those who talk about everything but the person who died. There are those who only talk about the person who died. … And then there are those who say nothing at all–because they don’t have to.” Maybe this is the message the filmmakers seek to convey. While political and social climates typically serve as backdrops for film, stories such as this one about family are, or at least can be at times, insular. Respecting boundaries, saying nothing or very little at all, can convey volumes about what people mean to one another. Hmmm, sounds like family bonding. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Longlegs conveys the burden of tracking down a gruesome villain Neon, 2024 101 minutes Director/Writer: Oz Perkins Reading Time: 6 minutes Longlegs Demogorgon (UTQ3ENKFYFFDOUHW) 00:00 / 06:42 📷 : Jaime Ventura https://www.jximedesigns.com/ https://x.com/jximedesigns Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Chris Chaisson 2024-07-12 Generally, I am not a fan of true crime. I will listen to the occasional podcast about a famous bank robbery, but some of my friends watch mini-series about serial killers, or bizarre murders involving families and love triangles. Often, the most chilling aspects of such cases are the lack of criminal history by the assailant. It leaves viewers with the feeling that no one is safe and no one is trustworthy. In the case of a string of connected crimes, an even more spooky element is the notion that the alleged killers may have not been in complete control of their actions. Some find this content fascinating but I prefer to get adequate sleep every night. Nonetheless, Neon’s newest horror thriller Longlegs dives into all of these elements of true crime through the eyes of a young law enforcement agent carrying a huge burden. Maika Monroe ( It Follows ) stars as rookie FBI Special Agent Lee Harker, who has an uncanny intuition even for her profession. Her first day in the field, she locates and brings in a violent suspect, putting her on the radar of Agent Carter (Blair Underwood). He assigns Lee to work a case involving a string of ritualistic killings, seemingly murder-suicides committed by the husband/father of each family and influenced by Satanic teachings. Despite no sign of forced entry, every crime scene consists of a letter in coded language signed by someone named Longlegs (Nicholas Cage). Lee must track down Longlegs and find the common thread in the continued murders before they persist. Director Oz Perkins (formerly Osgood) reincorporates the dark, grisly atmospheres created in his past movies, such as his A24 debut The Blackcoat’s Daughter . This one, however, plays much like a crime procedural. Lee exhibits a largely stoic and uptight demeanor, most clearly demonstrated in an early scene where she meets Agent Carter’s family. She initially resists and, once coaxed by Carter, enters his house but does not engage in any pleasantries. As she talks alone with his daughter, the audience receives a moment of vulnerability when the daughter asks, “Is it scary, being a lady FBI agent?” Lee responds yes without elaborating, but it is enough to explain her disposition; she is new, intimidated, and likely holding on to trauma that may have propelled her to this field in the first place. Perkins films Lee close up and in the dead center of the camera several times when she is at or approaching a crime scene. Few times in the film does Lee share the frame with anyone, even when she is not alone. This stylistic choice heightens the sense of fear and uncertainty that she feels, as she frequently has no backup when she is in danger. In addition to fear, the centered close-ups serve as a reflection of the pressure that she is under. Having been switched onto the case due to her clairvoyance, she has an immediate realization that lives are solely in her hands. Not only does Lee feel a sense of dread and being trapped, but she also has no one else to rely on. As with many thrillers that have occult influence, Longlegs has a couple of bloody and disturbing moments. The film, however, does well to pick its spots to scare or gross out the audience. A mistake some films make is to overdo the gore to the point that it becomes absurd and laughable, but Longlegs spaces out its gruesome scenes in order to stay in the pocket. The best compliment to pay to a thriller such as this is to laud its ability to go against the rhythm of scares that the average horror movie falls into. If you watch enough movies in the genre, you can predict when the jump scares, screams or spikes in music will happen. Instead, Longlegs manages to catch its audience off guard several times. It waits for the moment that the viewer relaxes to bring a random loud noise or sudden act of violence, compounded with Lee’s close-ups to make her feel trapped. If she has nowhere to run, then neither do we. As is always the case, the effectiveness of any crime thriller hinges on how scary the bad guy is. Cage as the devil-worshiping antagonist is more than convincing. Satanic characters in media tend to go one of two ways, either well put together and dressed to the nines or complete messes. Sometimes you can look at them and go, “I bet that guy worships the devil.” One such example is the minor character Declan from the series Banshee , who has literal horns inserted into his head. While Longlegs is not quite that on the nose (no pun intended if you’ve seen the film already), he appears very uncouth and deranged, randomly shouts and pants loudly as he talks. Despite his disposition, he has the skill to hand-craft dolls that play a part in his brain-washing schemes. The fact that he can build such influential toys as well as write coded messages that only Lee can crack makes him all the more chilling of a villain. Some may compare Longlegs to the 1995 David Fincher favorite Se7en , due to the religious influence in the antagonist’s crimes. Longlegs feels far less composed than John Doe, played by Kevin Spacey, yet they may be two sides of the same coin. The killers in other similar films like Zodiac or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo may be diabolical and unsettling, but none of them feel as though they are serving some higher power. The conviction with which Doe and Longlegs carry out their acts adds the effect of feeling like they cannot be talked down or stopped, and if their own lives are taken, their influence can still lead to future violence. If you like true crime, Longlegs may serve you well; if not, you can still appreciate a well-executed thriller (and maybe turn your head before a certain character bangs his own off a table). Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back Stutz tackles a heavy topic and concludes with a positive outlook Netflix, 2022 96 min Director/Writer: Jonah Hill Reading Time: 4 minutes Stutz Therapy (Y3TJGI41LL4LT4CK) 00:00 / 04:32 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Chris Chaisson 2022-12-28 Documentaries can be groundbreaking, informative, and impactful. They sometimes even serve as the catalyst for change or long overdue accountability. Still, for all the wisdom documentaries impart, they often leave the audience feeling depressed and even a little hopeless. As they frequently revolve around sociopolitical issues, there rarely seems to be a happy ending or, frankly, any ending to the problem. Jonah Hill’s new project, Stutz , bucks this trend in a way. Sitting down with his long-time therapist, Phil Stutz, MD, Hill discusses the mental health techniques that Stutz has taught him over the years for managing grief and confronting his biggest mental hurdles. Hill’s goal in broadcasting these therapy sessions is to help those who may not have the same access to mental health resources that he does. While the subject is equally heavy to many other documentaries, its introspective nature and the coping mechanisms shared leave the audience feeling more optimistic. Similar to the way cinephiles look at a cast to decide whether or not to see a movie, Stutz , as an experimental project, undoubtedly benefits from having Hill at the helm. As a reputable actor appearing in his fair share of blockbusters and cult classics, Hill’s name recognition aids in the film’s mission of reaching as many people as possible. Those who have followed Hill’s career have seen him play both the supporting actor and the front-and-center roles, evolving from mostly comedic relief to a jack of all trades. Nonetheless, Hill lacks the All-American, magazine cover page look that many view as the “ideal” body image. While anyone can suffer from body dysmorphia, Jonah Hill may elicit more sympathy from an audience than say, Jason Momoa. On the other side of the room is Stutz, a 74-year-old native New Yorker with Parkinson’s disease. Despite Jonah Hill’s reputation as a comedic personality, Stutz cracks many of the jokes. His sense of humor and obvious rapport with Hill provides an immediate hook for the audience. Rather than sitting in reserved silence to listen to Hill’s problems, Stutz shares many of his own. Among them are dealing with the unexpected death of a loved one early in his adolescence, the discovery and diagnosis of his Parkinson’s disease, and his mother’s pessimism surrounding men based on her own life experience. Stutz’s contributions add balance, as most people’s perception of therapy is the patient doing all the sharing and the doctor merely being a soundboard. The real draw of Stutz is his ability to provide advice and exercises rather than follow-up questions and theories. As Jonah Hill points out early on, patients find themselves getting more advice from their naïve friends who just want to lend an ear, than their knowledgeable therapists. The methodology behind therapy is listening and not imposing ideas or assuming anything, which helps the patient open up. Stutz admits from the jump that he does not agree with the philosophy: “Do what the [heck] I tell you; do exactly what I tell you and I guarantee you will feel better.” Over the next hour and a half, Stutz runs through his terminology, (i.e. Loss Processing, Radical Acceptance, Graceful Flow) accompanied by drawings to visualize the concepts. Hill then shares his own experiences trying to implement said language and exercises into his own routine. His honesty allows the audience to realize that these exercises show incremental progress rather than immediate cures, an important lesson for those who view the effectiveness of therapy in absolutes. Admitting your fears, flaws and hang-ups from adolescence does not come easy to most people, which is often the biggest hurdle to even seeking help in the first place. Stutz just may provide a nudge to thousands if not millions of people who need it. Seeing a successful celebrity, alongside his anonymous mentor, show a willingness to open up and share helpful tips may spur on others to do the same. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!