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< Back Theater Camp excels in creating humor through self-awareness Searchlight Pictures, 2023 92 minutes Director/Writer: Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman Reading Time: 5 minutes Theater Camp Hope Springs Internal (C4309WFEUTCMHX2D) 00:00 / 05:10 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Oolong: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Chris Chaisson 2023-07-27 It’s no secret that comedy is an ever-evolving art. Not everything that was funny in the ‘70s, ‘80s or ‘90s induces the same raucous laughter now. Sometimes, avid fans of acclaimed comedies from these decades cringe at how outdated or tasteless the humor is on a re-watch. Nonetheless, certain principles of comedy and its performers will always hold true. Good timing, authenticity and self-awareness will always succeed no matter the social climate. These strengths are what make Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s Theater Camp such an endearing indie project. When the owner of Adirond Acts theater camp, Joan (Amy Sedaris, Elf ), slips into a coma, her son Troy (Jimmy Tatro, 22 Jump Street ) is tasked with keeping the business afloat. Meanwhile, Amos (Ben Platt, Pitch Perfect ) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon, Booksmart ) must co-produce and co-direct a play within three weeks for the talented camp members to honor Joan. Joined at the hip, both aspire to perform professionally but agree to teach until they get their big breaks. Not only have they not even started writing the play, but they must deal with Troy’s ill-fitting fundraising attempts to head off bank foreclosure on the camp. Adapted from a 2020 short film of the same name, Theater Camp is shot as a docu-style comedy and leans entirely on humor. There are no love stories or action sequences to make the motion picture a blend of multiple genres, meaning its comedy has to be even more on point. The quirky indie excels in this regard due to the performances of its cast, the editing, and most of all, its authenticity. A key element of successful comedy is respecting the audience’s intelligence. Theater Camp not only does this well but simultaneously respects the intelligence of its characters. Rather than writing the child characters as silly and ignorant, as many adult writers feel compelled to do, Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman create child characters that are smart and self-aware. Designated stagehand Glenn (Noah Galvin, Assassination Nation ) even conveys this to Troy, saying, “These kids are smart; you just have to meet them on their level.” Additionally, Theater Camp does an impeccable job of balancing the displays of stereotypes in the world of theater. It presents three-dimensional characters without being disingenuous. For instance, Troy plays a fairly dense “bro” character completely unfamiliar with anything related to theater. On the other hand, Amos and Rebecca-Diane are very expressive and dramatic in their disagreements, a common personality trait for performers in many fields. The film even mocks influencers, as Troy tries to get a young group of social media investors called The Founding Ballers to financially support Adirond Acts. They walk around the camp with selfie sticks and give constant monologues about what they are doing, a familiar site for those who spend time on YouTube. Despite having stereotypical traits, the way the characters interact with each other is what gives them depth. Even though he has no passion for theater, Troy treats everyone with kindness and respect, defying the expectation that he would act as a bully or a bigot. Amos and Rebecca-Diane consistently uplift the children at the camp and put aside petty differences for the good of the production. Rather than a “man vs. man” conflict, the struggle in Theater Camp is the group’s short time frame and the impending foreclosure. Money and deadlines provide the biggest obstacles to success rather than mean-spirited people. This allows for the camp to be portrayed as a place where theater actors are accepted rather than bullied or marginalized. Gordon and Lieberman also make sure no matter how absurd or theatrical any scene gets, there is a straight man calling out the absurdity. Even with Troy as a central character, the children and other counselors often provide this stabilizing presence. Rebecca-Diane’s earthy vernacular draws raised eyebrows and frank responses from either the kids or Janet (Ayo Edebiri, The Bear ), a counselor with no theater background who lied on her resume to get the job. Just the same, when Janet tells fake stories about her qualifications, another counselor asks her, “What exactly do you do here?” The characters achieve three-dimensionality simply through their interactions with each other. For the best comparison to Theater Camp , venture into the world of animation and look at the 2016 children’s movie Sing . In the critically acclaimed kid’s comedy, a theater owner in a city of human-like animals tries to save his struggling business with a singing competition. The film acknowledges the quirks and eccentricities of talented performers, regardless of background, instead of pretending they don’t exist. Rather than including a cartoonish villain, both Sing and Theater Camp cleverly use life circumstances as the antagonist, leaning on self-awareness and introspective characters for laughs. 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< Back What's that Sound? The Profound Seamlessness of Film Scores Reba Chaisson 4/4/25 Reading Time: 16 minutes 📸: Cup of Tea Critiques I’ll share a secret with you. Since I was 16, I have aspired to be a musician, specifically an acoustic guitarist and a pianist. Indeed, I fell in love with the acoustic guitar the moment I saw a shiny picture of it in a Sears Roebuck catalog when I was 9-years-old. But something about the way my structured brain works doesn’t lend itself to being the gifted, creative musician I aspired to be. So, in addition to admiring my sons who have serious musical chops, I greatly admire the people I learned about as I burrowed down a rabbit hole into the world of film composing. Since film composers are not front and center like actors and movie directors, we have to be intentional about learning anything at all about them. So, I rummaged through historical information on the Web, scrolled through IMDB listings, read the blogs of music historians, and watched music documentaries. No worries, it’s all digital so I didn’t sneeze once. I actually found it to be an enjoyable and immersive learning experience, and I could continue down that rabbit hole but I have a deadline! Suffice it to say that the way composers’ minds work and the sounds they create just moved something in me. In film, their music manifests as an ever-present, invisible character seamlessly weaved into the production. But consider for a moment that this wasn’t always the case. The Past I have no intention of approaching the history of film composition chronologically, but it is worth mentioning that this art form was not always an integral element of films. As a matter of fact, the first motion-pictures didn’t even have sound. First, you should know that there’s some debate around who invented the first motion-picture camera, and even who recorded the first movie. Nonetheless, the date on the patent and the evidence of a moving image indisputably prove that Frenchman, Louis LePrince was the first to do both in the late 19th century. In subsequent decades, Wurlitzer organs were placed in theaters (yes, this predates TV folks!), and a musician would play something consistent with the goings-on in the film. A train moving fast, the organist played fast. A couple walking slow, the organist played slow. Something scary, the organist’s fingers alternated quickly across a few keys. Needless to say, this approach augmented the entertainment value of going to the movies or at least kept the audience from getting bored. If they didn’t come to the theater for the film, at least they would come for the music. Indeed, the addition of the music opened up huge possibilities for what could be done with film, if music were truly integrated into the events in the movie — following its ebbs and flows, emotional ups and downs, moments of intensity, fear, sadness, adrenaline rushes, etcetera. Max Steiner’s symphonic composition for the 1933 release of King Kong , you know, the one with Fay Wray sitting in Kong’s hand, is considered groundbreaking in this regard. Steiner’s music was not only a part of the production, but it filled in the film’s spaces that were once left vacuous, spaces that voided the film of the crucial element of emotion. Less than a generation later, composer Alex North introduced orchestral jazz into the 1951 release, Streetcar Named Desire . The movie’s composition signaled a departure from traditional European symphonic music to the diverse styles and genres that characterized the United States. As if on cue, later in the decade, Miles Davis was tapped by French filmmaker, Louis Malle, to compose the jazz score for his film noir, Elevator to the Gallows , which Olajide Paris of Film Independent says “[made] him one of the earliest African-American film composers, paving the way for later artists like Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard to follow in his footsteps.” Since the 1960s and the advent of synthesizers, electric piano, and the growing popularity of folk and pop music, film scoring has been derived from a number of sources. In addition to symphonic and jazz, shrieking synthesizers, acoustic guitars, and original and licensed music made their entrée into the cinematic space. Think of Simon & Garfunkel’s folk song “Mrs. Robinson,” the only original tune from the 1969 movie The Graduate . Think of the full soundtracks for the hit films, Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984) . And let’s not forget the acoustic guitar. Ennio Morricone wasn’t shy about inserting this incredible sound (yes, I’m biased!) into the 1984 film, Once Upon a Time in America . The list goes on. Don’t worry, there were (and still are) plenty of films with traditional symphonic compositions, such as Mad Max , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Raiders of the Lost Ark . And yes, the list continues even today. It is worth noting that the use of film soundtracks similar to the aforementioned Saturday Night Fever and Beverly Hills Cop eventually faded due to licensing costs. What is it, though, about music that makes such a big difference in the cinematic experience? I mean, is there science behind the way it makes us feel? The science behind the music In the documentary Score , Kalamazoo College professor, Dr Siu Lan Tan, sheds light on our sensory connection to music by linking elements of it to processes in our brain. She explains that there are visible signs of the body’s “physiological response” when music is heard. There’s a system in the brain, ventral striatum; it’s our reward center. Things like chocolate or sex, these are reactions that we can see involve these structures. So, it’s interesting because the same kinds of pleasurable feeling we get from chocolate, dopamine release, we could see some of the same kinds of activations in the brain to music. ( Score , 2016) When Dr. Tan suggests researchers can “see” our reactions when we like something or experience pleasure, she really means they can observe this occurring in our brain with the use of medical imaging devices. So, our reactions to hearing music are more than just emotive or psychological, but initially they are physical. The act of hearing the music emanating from a poignant scene, for example, triggers the physiological response and subsequently shifts our emotional state to sadness, joy, anger, etcetera. I like to think of its effect as a chain reaction or a set of carefully constructed dominoes, where the catalyst is – you got it – the music itself. It is so amazing that this intangible thing, music, has the power to affect us so profoundly. So, how do they do it as a group? How do filmmakers and composers collaborate on a film project? How do filmmakers and composers collaborate on a film project? When famed Guns & Roses guitarist, Slash, received word from his agent that Michael Jackson requested him to play on some of his songs, Slash agreed. This sounds reasonable, right? Even if one could argue that Michael Jackson’s and Slash’s music specialties are slightly different, they’re pretty close and the project is still a music-to-music collaboration, making it seamless for both parties. But what if Steven Spielberg approached Slash about a composition for say, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , or if Michael Jackson had approached John Williams about doing the guitar solo for “Give in to Me?” Now, things get interesting. James Cameron remarked that film directors know little about how to use music to invoke emotion, leading them to rely on the composers to do this. So, while the aforementioned scenarios are far-fetched, it is reasonable to want to understand how movie directors and music composers work together. Mychael Danna, who composed Moneyball , Life of Pi , Storks , and Where the Crawdad Sings , notes that film composers view themselves as part of the storytelling team, even though they are not brought into the project until the movie itself is completed. Generally, film directors choose the composers they want to score their films. Once the film is shot, edited, and finished, the director meets with the composer in what is formally referred to as a spotting session. During this meeting, the director verbally steps through the film, explaining his audio-vision, if you will, for various scenes. The composer mainly listens but occasionally chimes in and provides a sample of sound from an instrument to confirm his understanding of the director’s vision. It is clear that in addition to being musically talented, film composers must have patience and good interpersonal skills as they work with filmmakers in their struggle to communicate what they want using a language they don’t necessarily speak — music. It is reasonable to surmise that composers must also be quite disciplined in finishing the score by the deadline, as missing it can cost the studio tens of millions of dollars in wasted marketing, lost opportunities for award nominations, and ultimately raise the ire of the filmmaker and the studio’s executives alike. So, film composing, while fun, glamorous, and perhaps a life-long dream of some, is at its most basic level rooted in the business of film production and distribution. As such, money, careers, and reputations are at stake. Despite having deep experience and being trusted with scoring multimillion-dollar movie projects, some composers experience imposter syndrome. Hans Zimmer, who has scored such films as Gladiator , Inception , and The Crown , expounds on this notion, saying that while you’re excited and flattered that they want you to do this, you suddenly feel you have no idea how to do this. Hans’s reaction to a new project, though, is not unlike that of many people who, despite their proven talent and past accomplishments, have sudden moments of panic and strong sense of dubiousness about their abilities. Researchers estimate that 70% of us will experience this at some point in our lives. I would argue that we will experience it at multiple points, especially those of us who are perfectionists or see ourselves as experts. Psychologists have suggestions for getting past imposter syndrome. Me? I just drink a glass or two of Cabernet, get a good night’s sleep, and I’m good - usually! To be fair, though, we’re not all the same. But now that you know film composers are human like everyone else and that film is at its core a business, how can you, a gifted musician and composer who is patient and possesses strong interpersonal skills and good self-discipline, make your foray into film composing? How to navigate your path to professional film composing? There is plenty of information available on how to do film composition and on refining your skills in this area, but little by way of marketing your talent or where best to find opportunities. In such cases, firsthand knowledge is best, so I present two recommendations, one from a film composer getting started in his career and another who is quite experienced. I present them to you in order. First, read COTC’s interview with film composer, Greg Sgammato. Greg has composed more than 10 short films and a TV episode in his short career. In this wide-ranging conversation, he talks about the importance of finding your niche with respect to film genre as well as developing strategies for finding work and collaborative opportunities. In explaining how he got his start in scoring films, Greg recalls that he was playing piano and drum accompaniment for dancers when a friend approached him and asked him to score a short film for him. Surprised, he said, “Yeah, of course. I'll do that.” From that experience, he got referrals and from there scored more short films. Greg’s first scoring opportunity occurred by happenstance, but it took only one for him to show his chops and get his foot in the door. Since that time a few years ago, he has scored ten short films, a TV episode, and has other projects in the works. Another point to note here is that Greg started with an accessible film segment. So, the lessons learned from Greg are to start small by composing for low budget features, TV shows, or short films, while keeping two things in mind. Stay loyal to your passions. Build your reputation by scoring films in a movie genre that fits the music you want to write. If you relish comedies, compose scores for comedy shorts. Prefer animated films? Look to write music for animated shorts. Collaborate by reaching out to composers who have scored films featured on short film sites like Film Shortage or Make-Believe Machines’s Shrieking Tree . Getting to know others in the film composing community can be a huge source of support whether things are going well or not. Being on that bumpy journey with others not only makes for a less lonely road but it increases the likelihood of stumbling onto ideas that move you closer to your goals. Those in the music composition community for short films are much more accessible than those in communities where members typically score major theatrical releases with big-name directors attached to them. A second useful source for navigating a career in film composing is the very experienced British film composer, Pete Thomas. Pete has scored the music for TV and film productions in the UK like Best (the Movie) , Another Side of London , and Barred Love , along with commercial compositions for Playstation, Dewars Whiskey, and Vidal Sassoon, and even the Cannes Film Festival broadcast for the BBC. Expressing deep empathy with aspiring film composers, Pete talks about the vicious and frustrating catch-22 of needing experience to get work scoring films. To address this, he emphasizes the importance of showcasing work on your website by taking, for example, a silent image and putting music to it. He encourages exploring options for access to the industry by getting bartending jobs or barista gigs near a film or TV studio to increase the chances of those serendipitous moments of meeting directors or big-time film composers. To enhance exposure, Pete suggests performing with a band because you never know who is in the audience. In his forum, he tells of a band performer who is approached by someone who turns out to be the client of an advertising agency. She wants to recommend the performer to do her company’s spot for their commercial, and the performer’s career takes off from there. The point is you never know where your next break will come from, nor where that break can take you next. Summary A blank page is a scary thing for a writer. As we saw with Hans Zimmer, it’s a scary thing for a composer as well when they have been charged, or should I say, gifted, with the opportunity to score a film for say, Steven Spielberg, Garry Marshall, George Lucas, or some other highly accomplished director with huge expectations. And they approached you because you are known to be one of the best, if not THE best, composer in the film industry. Sorry, I didn’t mean to add any pressure here — because there’s already plenty of that! Despite the expectations being so high on film composers and their influence on our emotions so great, we rarely hear anything about them or even know their names, save for a handful. We are profoundly influenced by film composers’ melodies and motifs that ultimately become our friends as we hum them for months if not years on end. They physiologically trigger memories of movies, characters, and story progressions, and we suddenly decide we want to watch that film tonight. Yet we don’t have a clue about the composer who planted that tune in our head, and we wouldn’t know them if we stair-stepped next to them at the health club every Tuesday and Thursday. Lucky them?! Perhaps they prefer it that way. When my son was about 9 years old, it was clear that he felt drawn to writing. When he told me and my husband that he wanted to be a screenwriter, he added that he could still maintain his privacy while doing the work he loves. People readily recognize actors and most filmmakers, but they don’t generally recognize screenwriters. My son said that he could do his work and still go into a restaurant and enjoy a meal without being gawked at or being asked to take a picture. I was taken aback that a kid that young would visualize his adult life with such forethought. The point I am making is that this relatively private life is indeed the life of film composers. Yet they find incredible ways to make music that seamlessly moves around inside of us for years on end, sometimes changing our lives in profound ways. Thank you, whoever and wherever you are. References Casey, Kieron. (2013). The mystery of Louis Le Prince, the father of cinematography. Science+Media Museum. (2013 August 29). https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/louis-le-prince-created-the-first-ever-moving-pictures/#:~:text=While%20Thomas%20Edison%20and%20the,his%20home%20in%20Roundhay%2C%20Leeds . Chaisson, Chris. (2023). A Conversation with Film Composer Greg Sgammato. Cup of Tea Critiques . (2025 June 2). https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/team/greg-sgammato. Davis , Miles. Elevator to the Gallows . https://www.milesdavis.com/film/elevator-to-the-gallows/ . Fracacio, Rafael. 1888- Roundhay Garden Scene [Film] https://youtu.be/F1i40rnpOsA . Murray, Conor. (2023). What To Know About Imposter Syndrome (2023 May 8). https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/05/08/what-to-know-about-imposter-syndrome-the-psychological-phenomenon-making-people-doubt-their-success/ . Paris, Olajide. (2024). The FI Hall of Fame: A Brief History of Film Music. Film Independent . (2024 July 5). https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/know-score-brief-history-film-music/ . Sakulku, Jaruwan & Alexander, James. (2011). The Impostor Phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science 6(1), 75-97. https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/521/pdf . Schrader, Matt (Director). (2016). Score [Film]. Prime Video. https://www.score-movie.com/ . Thomas, Pete. (2024). How to become a media/film/TV composer. Café Saxophone . (2024 November 28). https://cafesaxophone.com/threads/how-to-become-a-media-film-tv-composer.36275/ . Thomas, Pete. Taming the Saxophone . https://tamingthesaxophone.com/about/credits . Winter, David. (2024). The Symphony Behind the Screen: Understanding the Impact of Soundtracks in Film. Lightworks . (2024 February 7). https://lwks.com/blog/the-symphony-behind-the-screen-understanding-the-impact-of-soundtracks-in-film . 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 Plainclothes wraps a forbidden love story in an unconventional package Lorton Entertainment, 2025 95 minutes Director/Writer: Carmen Emmi Reading Time: 6 minutes Plainclothes Bouar 00:00 / 06:23 📷 : Pixabay Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Chris Chaisson 2025-02-14 Stories of romance can have all sorts of complications: rich girl/poor guy, love triangle, wartime draft. Generally, we see a couple pulled apart by circumstances beyond their control such as meddling families or political strife. Thus, Carmen Emmi’s Sundance darling Plainclothes provides an original angle, offering both an examination of an oppressive culture, a predatory law enforcement practice and the bounds of societal expectations. Set in 1997, Plainclothes revolves around Lucas (Tom Blyth, Robin Hood ), a plainclothes police officer that participates in a continual sting operation run by law enforcement. He goes to a public place with his team, seduces gay men, lures them into public restrooms and coaxes them into exposing themselves. Once they do, he signals to a nearby officer to move in and make an arrest on the grounds of indecent exposure. At one point, this was indeed a standard practice by law enforcement, leading to the arrest of some notable public figures. Lucas seems conflicted with his task much of the time, and amid one such operation, spares the target, a man named Andrew (Russell Tovey, Pride ). Andrew instead gives Lucas his number before they part ways. When Lucas later contacts Andrew, they begin a private but complicated romance where they each have something to lose. Separate from his work life, Lucas grapples with what is at times overwhelming anxiety, spurred on by doubts about his sexuality. He has a complicated relationship with his ex-girlfriend, to whom he admitted that he may be attracted to men while they were still dating. Though clearly hurt, she supports his efforts to discover his true identity. Interfering with Lucas’s path to self-discovery is a bigoted uncle, the reality of his everyday job, and his grief over the recent passing of his father. An increasing number of films in recent years have shed light on homophobia and same-sex romance, but few have tackled the volatile relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and police. Plainclothes sheds light on this dynamic through a protagonist at the crossroads. Lucas faces all the typical pressures of a closeted homosexual man in the late ‘90s: a strained heterosexual relationship, a general feeling of loneliness, and a close family member unaware of his sexuality who makes disparaging comments. Lucas just so happens to have the huge additional weight of his job, which is to entrap men like himself. Even though his time with Andrew allows him happiness that he hadn’t known before, Andrew contends that their romance is just a fling and can be nothing more. This is the last thing Lucas, battling self-esteem and anxiety, needs to hear. Plainclothes uses many technical elements to create a ‘90s feel. For starters, many of Lucas’s sting operations take place in malls, a setting much more popular at the time. Director Carmen Emmi shoots with a hi-8 camera, reminiscent of home movies, also more common back then. The most effective use of hi-8 in the movie is during Lucas’s sporadic anxiety attacks, displaying how disconcerting the experience can be. Emmi uses abrasive noises combined with rapid cuts and sped-up visuals that convey Lucas’s disorder. These scenes give us empathy for a character who, at the beginning of the film, is not quite as easy to root for. A couple of scenes consist of the lens being the view through a camcorder, with the familiar time display in the bottom right. This not only clearly establishes the year the film is set in but gives the nostalgic feel of what it was like to record pre-camera phone. Seeing a family member walk around with a camcorder highlighted special occasions and prompted us to create memorable moments with one another. Similarly, another scene depicts a character playing a Gameboy, a handheld video game device synonymous with the late ‘90s. While it premiered in 1989, the Gameboy continued to rise in popularity throughout the next decade. As many gamers now opt for interactive headset devices from home, the presence of the handheld device in Plainclothes , even in just one scene, contributes greatly to the feel of the movie. It reminds the audience of an inexpensive gaming option that still allowed adolescents to be out and about while playing. Possibly the subtlest representation of the ‘90s in Plainclothes was the fashion. The premise of the film and the sting operation allow for the protagonist to be donned in the attire of the time rather than the standard uniform of a police officer. Because of this detail, we see Lucas contributing to the casual chic look, wearing flannel shirts, bomber jackets, stonewashed jeans and a logo-less baseball cap to make himself look younger. Andrew rocks a pair of Dockers and a puffy winter jacket, also popular in the era. As sometimes, the costuming in a period piece can put you way over budget (think The Get Down ), these fairly simple outfits contribute to a minimalist feel. There are not many comps for a film like Plainclothes , but as far as its relationship dynamic, this Sundance entry oddly enough reminds me of the 2009 dram-edy Up in the Air . George Clooney plays a consultant whose job is to fire people on behalf of their employers, leading him to become emotionally detached. Though Lucas certainly expresses his emotions, the job of luring people into handcuffs has caused him to suppress part of himself. Clooney’s character falls for a business partner (Vera Farmiga) who has her own obligations and views him as a fling, even telling him, “You are an escape. You’re a break from our normal lives, you’re a parenthesis.” Lucas feels the same rejection from Andrew and struggles to cope. Ultimately, both characters must change their approach to life in order to love themselves. 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!

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< Back Denzel Washington plays an old-school homicide detective who shows a young investigator, played by Rami Malek, the need to pay attention to the smallest details. Gran Via Productions, 2021 127 minutes Director/Writer: John Lee Hancock Reading Time: 3 minutes The Little Things Life's Mystery 00:00 / 03:37 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Matcha: Mysteries or whodunnits Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 We could say that The Little Things is a waste of time. That it contains a star‑studded cast with a weak storyline that left us disappointed. Or we could say that the film does an excellent job of conveying the loudness of subtlety. That the absence of things is just as important as the tangible evidence to getting at truth, or in this case, solving a crime. The Little Things is a film about just that – what it is that we are not seeing. Denzel Washington plays Joe “Deke” Deacon, a California deputy–formerly a homicide detective in the Los Angeles Police Department–who encounters young, hotshot but reserved detective, Jim Baxter. The viewer is quickly drawn in by Deke’s obvious demotion from big city to small town, wondering about the story behind his fall from grace. Played by Rami Malek ( Mr. Robot , Bohemian Rhapsody ), Baxter struggles to solve a string of murders when he meets Deke, who is running an errand to LA to pick up evidence for an unrelated case. Fittingly, the film is dark and shrouded in the aesthetics of the 1970s to mesh with Deke’s old‑school approach to solving crime. Indeed, the dark, dense forests and empty highways give it the southern feel of Mississippi Burning , rather than the palm trees, warmth, sun, and blue skies that typically signal Southern California. Clearly respected by his former colleagues, Deke draws the curiosity of Baxter, who begrudgingly but desperately finagles a way to get the "old man’s" help on the case to catch a serial killer. A predictably bumpy relationship at the start, the two grow to trust and rely on one another, as Baxter resigns himself to the need to look at his case a different way. What he learns is that he relies more on what he sees than what is not so obvious. The suspect adds enough mystery to make him a conundrum. His walk, appearance, and lack of predictable behavior make him a puzzle piece that belongs but fits the completed work too loosely. He challenges, perplexes, and even frustrates Baxter, while Deke’s response is one of deep thought, patience, and process. It is difficult to say if you will enjoy this film, despite its intrigue and the familiarity of its cast. We think, though, if you are willing to go deep to appreciate the lessons of the story, you might find it worth the sitting. Some of the themes are quite relevant to our common lived experiences, while others reiterate well‑known adages: that young people learn from older ones; the myth that older people have outlived their usefulness; the belief that outdated tactics are too old and slow to be of any value; and the piéce de résistance—that things don’t always appear as they seem. A barn burner? No. Emotionally impactful? We didn’t think so. But if you like good acting and a story with themes that spur discussions with family and friends, go for it! 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 Are Mumblecore Movies Relatable or Just Boring? Examining a Subgenre of Indie Filmmaking Chris Chaisson 11/15/23 Reading Time: 9 minutes 📸: Used with Permission, Scott Saslow (scottsaslow.com Instagram: @scottsaslow Twitter: @saslow_scott) During the pandemic, many consumer trends changed, some temporarily and others permanently. One particular uptick was younger people tuning in to YouTube live streams of lo-fi hip-hop. Loosely defined, lo-fi (low fidelity) hip hop is a music genre that consists of short, downtempo, repetitive beats meant to give a raw, unpolished sound. Rather than mixing and mastering to create clean audio for mass consumption, producers leave the static, feedback, and other aural imperfections in. The style stems from both the desire for a more authentic sound and the limitations of the artist’s recording equipment. As a genre, lo-fi hip hop’s raw sound and down-to-earth feel not only create a sense of nostalgia and heart but also hope, particularly for anyone that does not have the means to record on high-tech gear. What does this have to do with film? Lo-fi hip hop has its doppelganger in the world of film with a subgenre that many cinephiles call mumblecore . This label describes movies in the independent space that contain imperfect dialogue, naturalistic acting, and minimal budgets. Much like lo-fi, the genre was born out of directors’ lack of resources and connections to shoot more polished, grandiose productions. Over time, it became a preferred style for some romantic comedy (rom-com) filmmakers. Once a handful of directors succeeded in gaining traction with these films, the movement over time attracted more familiar faces and increased budgets for the filmmakers themselves. In addition to bigger name actors gravitating towards such projects, the familiar faces already in the mumblecore space became household names. Mark Duplass, a mumblecore mainstay as both actor and director, starred in the popular FX series The League and Apple TV+ hit, The Morning Show . Adam Driver played a supporting role in 2012 mumblecore favorite Frances Ha before going on to star in both small screen and big screen productions, such as episodes VII and VIII of Star Wars . Not to be outdone, the star of Frances Ha , Greta Gerwig, just directed one of the top grossing movies in cinema history, Barbie . I must say, if you were cool at all growing up, you probably won’t relate to anything you see onscreen. The films are called mumblecore for a good reason. There is a lot of staring at feet, “I dunno,” and unnecessary apologizing. At some point, you may shout at the screen, “Just say something! Anything!” The characters in this genre wear their neuroticism around their necks. Their mannerisms and speech reflect the same lack of assurance about the direction their lives are going in (or not going in). Your late teens and early twenties can certainly be a confusing and scary time, and for some people, it is hard to break out of their shell. The portrayals of aimless characters serve as a reflection of where most twenty-somethings are mentally. Knowing your life path at that age is admirable and reassuring, but it takes many people a decent amount of time to figure it out as they gather life experience. In mumblecore movies, the characters typically get around to voicing some of their insecurities or uncertainties, likely reminding viewers of their own sentiments at such an age. For instance, in the 2014 Lynn Shelton indie, Laggies , Keira Knightly’s 20-something year-old character, Megan, panics after her boyfriend proposes and hides out for a few days at a teenager’s house. At one point in the film, Megan utters, “I'm sure it does seem kind of stupid to make some sort of rigid plan for the future. But... It's stupider not to start paying attention to who you are and what makes you happy. Otherwise, you just float.” Her aside is both relevant to the plot and a message for twenty-somethings watching the film to process. Despite, or maybe even because of, their technical imperfections, mumblecore movies have received critical acclaim on the festival circuit. Many originators in the mumblecore genre earned recognition from critics and audiences alike. Drinking Buddies , directed by Joel Swanberg, won Narrative Spotlight at SXSW in 2013. Girls creator Lena Dunham’s first feature, Tiny Furniture , won numerous festival awards, including Best First Screenplay at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2011. Plenty of criticisms of this style could be voiced by…well, critics. One particular critique is that the movies do not have enough conflict from scene to scene. When you show awkward teens and tweens hanging out and struggling to have conversations, the story is lacking an antagonistic force. Nothing is stopping the characters from getting what they want, since at times, they don’t even seem to want anything. Traditional Hollywood movie plots rely on goal-oriented characters striving to achieve something, which is how the audience finds them endearing. Watching a 25-year-old with no hopes or dreams could frustrate a viewer who wants to root for him or her. Furthermore, the element of imperfect dialogue can be cumbersome for audience members to endure. It is certainly truer to real life, as we don’t all have perfectly timed exchanges, quips, and witty responses to one another. True conversations are rarely as rhythmic as the ones we witness onscreen and often just trail off. However, movies are entertainment, and a conversation with no flow to it becomes either boring or uncomfortable. Despite these perfectly valid bones to pick with mumblecore, any criticism can have pushback. If you sit down to watch a slice-of-life film about characters and relationships, what better way to display them than through imperfect dialogue and occasional conflict? Most of us are not constantly at odds with those in our social circle; if so, it may be time to do some vetting. When meeting new people, we often try too hard to make an impression, straining to say something relatable, speaking out of turn, or making a joke that falls painfully flat (I just got a shiver thinking about something I said 15 years ago to break the silence). It may not be the height of entertainment to watch characters do the same for 90 minutes, but one could argue this flaw is as endearing as any buttoned-up character could exhibit. Mumblecore movies likely won’t offer the same escapism as Mission: Impossible , but they can bring about nostalgia and appreciation for the struggles of young adulthood. A harder critique to push back against would be the exclusivity of the mumblecore subgenre. Often, the main characters and their priorities tilt heavily toward a middle-class, white-collar perspective. The protagonists may be “broke,” but they are generally college educated and have parents to support them, whether they are part of the story or not. Generally, they have no one financially dependent on them and no dire concern relating to their situation (i.e. getting evicted). Most mumblecore characters seem as though everything is going to work out for them, which makes each of them a little less of an underdog. That said, many films and television shows follow exceedingly rich people who are petty beyond belief and somehow still endearing to the audience. Additionally, as the community of mumblecore filmmakers can be somewhat insular, the projects often lack racial diversity among both the main characters and the communities in which the films take place. One notable exception is the 2008 indie Medicine for Melancholy , starring former The Daily Show regular Wyatt Cenac, about two San Franciscans bonding over their status as minorities in a city being gentrified. Its director, Barry Jenkins, went on to direct the Best Picture winner Moonlight , further illustrating what a great foot in the door this genre provides for aspiring filmmakers of all demographics. Mumblecore has proven over the years to be somewhat malleable, as it extends beyond slice-of-life comedy. An offshoot of the movement has coined the phrase “mumble-gore,” indie movies with the same types of characters and dialogue but in the horror genre. One such unsettling movie is the 2014 Mark Duplass hit Creep , where a videographer drives to a remote location for a gig and meets a strange man who wants to make videos for his unborn son (or so the videographer thinks). Sometimes, mumblegore movies will have several silent or one-actor scenes that later culminate in extreme violence, such as Blue Ruin (2013). Other times, these projects feature similar conversations between characters as the comedies, except the nerdy or awkward character is actually a lunatic. They can go in several directions, but the common thread is the same minimalistic feel. Some might wonder what the future of this subgenre holds. It is likely to continue evolving, especially since as smartphones evolve, more creative and motivated people have the technology to make something . One can only hope that the plots expand to include more perspectives, as that is the best way for any movement to continue growing. As for the other criticisms, they are all a matter of taste. Maybe heavily rehearsed dialogue, fancy set designs and top-flight visual effects are too perfect for some. In any case, mumblecore provides us with more of the variety we always seek in our entertainment. 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 Yes Day delivers on multicultural messages through fun, family time Entertainment 360, 2021 86 minutes Director/Writer: Miguel Arteta / Justin Malen, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and Tom Lichtenheld Reading Time: 3 minutes Yes Day Baldur (XGH4NDUYHTCTICSD) 00:00 / 03:29 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Oolong: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 Yes Day is a fun, bright, family film about a couple who decides to give their kids a Yes Day, 24 hours where they agree to everything their children want, but with certain ground rules. The film stars Jennifer Garner ( Alias , The Kingdom ) as Allison Torres and Edgar Ramirez ( The Undoing , American Crime Story ) as her even-keeled husband Carlos. Leaving her career to be a stay-at-home suburban mom to her three children, now ages 14, 11, and 5, she has evolved into the prototypical soccer mom whose kids are her priority and her answer to anything they perceive as fun and liberating is “No.” With the film shot in warm and sunny California, the family’s Yes Day proves to be a fun, hilarious, and wild adventure that brings the family even closer. While watching and laughing, I realized I had not seen a film like this since my own boys were young and in the house. Then, we watched movies like Little Big League (still a grossly underrated film), Sandlot , Home Alone , Blank Check , and The Mighty Ducks . Preparing for the flicks was exciting: warm popcorn, early arrival at the theater for good seats (no reserve seating then), and kids abound with laughter and chatter throughout the showings. Besides the simple passage of time, what distinguishes Yes Day from these films is its array of cultural representations. In Yes Day , a White woman is married to a Hispanic man and they have children who actually look like a melding of them both. Add to this that the kids are bilingual, indicating a warm embrace of their blended cultures! Black and Asian teachers are in the film, as well as higher-weight paramedics. An Asian woman fights without the use of martial arts. And the kids have friends that span the racial and ethnic spectrum. The special appearance by H.E.R. just adds to the inclusiveness of this film. The breadth of diversity drives home the degree to which fun family life has been legitimized in the past by White representations, and therefore viewed as the norm for Whites but not a way of life for Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Indigenous People, and other groups. In addition to the subtle themes about diverse representations and inclusiveness, Yes Day pushes to the forefront overt messages about parenting that likely resonate with many mothers. Mothers often bear primary responsibility for the home and child-rearing, and this is the case across race, class, and regional boundaries. In response to Allison’s hurt that the kids view her as a tyrant, Carlos responds in a most unexpected way. If you are looking for a bright, fun, and upbeat family film to share with your little ones, you might want to give this one a try. You will laugh a lot, dance, and perhaps even cry a little. 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 Palm Trees and Power Lines humanizes the victims of grooming Neon Heart Productions, 2023 110 minutes Director/Writer: Jamie Dack / Jamie Dack and Audrey Findlay Reading Time: 5 minutes Palm Trees and Power Lines A Dark Past (8X1ML5IYINJAVVLB) 00:00 / 04:41 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Chris Chaisson 2023-03-14 As Millennials and Gen Z’ers become increasingly open about their dating experiences, people of all ages collectively re-examine their teenage romances. The openness has helped people smile for the fun times they remember. For others, it has helped them both heal from abuse and recognize problematic behavior in retrospect, specifically with relationships involving large age gaps. While films and documentaries dive into the behavior of groomers, we generally do not get the perspective of the young, impressionable party being manipulated. In this way, recent indie and Sundance darling Palm Trees and Power Lines can provide a deep understanding from a different vantage point. Palm Trees and Power Lines illustrates how groomers operate by zeroing in on Lea (Lily McInerny, Tell Me Lies ), a 17-year-old on summer break struggling to find her support system. An only child with an absentee father, she does not have an emotional connection at home, as her mother Sandra (Gretchen Mol, Manchester by the Sea ) cycles through boyfriends that Lea does not care for and who do not show the slightest interest in being a husband or dad. While she has a group of friends, she feels a disconnect as they gossip and share in sex-obsessed discussions. One evening, her friends dine and dash, leaving her to fend for herself in a physical altercation with the dishwasher. Fellow patron Tom (Jonathan Tucker, Hostage ), who is twice her age, comes to her defense, then gives her a ride home. After giving her his phone number, Tom stays in touch with her and gradually seduces her. Feeling an emotional connection for the first time, Lea looks past the inappropriate age difference. Tom becomes more possessive and eventually reveals his even darker intentions. Though not the first film about predatory behavior, Palm Trees and Power Lines effectively humanizes the character being preyed upon. Many stories surrounding the grooming of teenagers focus on the older perpetrator and their repulsive tactics. The film certainly puts those tactics on display, as Tom not only draws Lea away from her friends but tells her he does not want her being involved with anyone else. However, director Jamie Dack, who won Best Director at The Sundance Film Festival, shows not only how Lea is not on the same wavelength as her friends, but also how her detachment from friends and family allows for Tom to pull the wool over her eyes for so long. The scene that best illustrates Tom’s ability to play mind games with Lea is when they eat lunch at a diner. The waitress, recognizing Tom, waits until he leaves the table to encourage Lea to desert him. Lea ignores the waitress’s prompts and mentions her warning to Tom as they leave the restaurant. When Tom goes back in to confront the waitress, the camera stays outside with Lea. We never hear the exchange, and neither does she. This tidbit allows Tom to manipulate the narrative, and Lea, however he wants. Instead of feeling uneasy about Tom, Lea feels that he is protecting her. Dack uses the camera to illustrate Lea’s mindset in several other scenes as well. When Lea is with her friends or her mother, she remains centered in the shot while they are often completely out of frame or on the periphery. As she sits with her friends, they often banter back and forth off frame or stare at their phones, while the camera rests on Lea sitting in uncomfortable silence. These shots contrast sharply with the scenes where she accompanies Tom. Both are centered in the frame, making solid eye contact and speaking directly to one another. The shot composition, along with Tom’s manipulation, convey how one can trust a stranger when they make you feel seen in ways that your loved ones do not. The third act of Palm Trees and Power Lines is sure to make stomachs turn, if the first two acts did not already do so. A similar movie in tone and message is the 2010 David Schwimmer-directed indie, Trust . Though that film dealt more with online predation and the fallout from such encounters, it depicted the same manipulation tactics that Tom uses in building false trust through isolation. These disturbing strategies are employed not only by individual predators but also cults and hate groups. Hopefully, the telling of stories like Palm Trees and Power Lines can help those being preyed upon and their well-intentioned loved ones to recognize warning signs. 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 American Skin deals with justice, fairness and accountability in this film about a father's loss. Tiny Giant Entertainment, 2021 90 minutes Director/Writer: Nate Parker Reading Time: 3 minutes American Skin R Naught (CRLTXLK9CDNFAEV2) 00:00 / 04:15 📷 : Used with permission, Sterling Light Productions Barley: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 I recently reconnected with a cousin I hadn’t been close to in more than 30 years. Hearing about her life now made me realize how I had frozen her in time. She had been, in my mind at least, still the teenager I went to school with and the young lady I last saw just beginning her life as an adult. It has happened to me before, where I had frozen people in time because I had not interacted with them in so long. This is the sensation I felt with American Skin, like I was frozen in time because somehow life just stopped during this story. Written and directed by Nate Parker ( Birth of a Nation , Eden ), the film is about a Black man’s reaction to the murder of his 14 year‑old son, Kajani, by a White police officer during a traffic stop. We often hear that children are the center of their parents’ lives, and that losing them to tragedy depletes their own lives of meaning, making it difficult to move on–freezing them in time. When asked why he still works at his son’s school, Kajani’s father simply could not respond. It was as if he had no answer for the question. But while this film’s storyline is familiar, the father’s way of dealing with his immeasurable grief, loss of purpose, and subsequent lack of justice is far from typical. And it is a step he rationalizes as necessary to propel him forward again. Lincoln “Linc” Jefferson, played by Parker, stages a direct confrontation with the police that deals head‑on with questions around justice, fairness, and accountability. The film does far more than nibble around the edges and offer platitudes, but instead takes a deep dive to explore and reveal the ugliness underlying these issues. For a period, the dialog feels like an intense exchange among passionate students in a sociology or political science course. Long overdue, the discussion is both needed and welcome. The emotional depths of the performances compel us to face ourselves as individuals and acknowledge our part in perpetuating the disrespectful and inhumane treatment of people of color in America. At its core, the film beckons us to grapple with what it means to be an American. And the strong acting and meaningful dialog keep viewers interested, engaged, and perhaps even wanting to participate in addressing this question. Clearly, American Skin is being used to educate. The film spurs us to critically think about a number of searing, enduring, and relevant issues, such as: What it means to have a jury of your peers. The degree to which Blacks and Hispanics in particular are dehumanized by police and further diminished in the justice process, as well as the cumulative stress they endure as a result. The depths of denial people will travel to protect their outward identities, even at a cost to themselves. The readiness of White jurors to empathize with police officers and attach meaning to their lives, and refusal to recognize the same humanity in Blacks and Hispanics. Like classroom discourses, the film leaves us with the understanding that it is okay to be conflicted at times, and that it is okay not to have all the answers. That the importance lies in having an informed perspective and being aware of our own stance. That courage lies in shedding the veneer and being true to ourselves. American Skin insists that these prerequisites be fulfilled to ensure tragedies like this one don’t repeat. If you are interested in attending this class, then take a seat. Be prepared to be transfixed for 90 minutes and to feel emotionally spent when it ends. 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!

Boys in Blue offers a raw view into the lives of high school football players and coaches < Back Boys in Blue offers a raw view into the lives of high school football players and coaches Showtime Sports Documentary Films, 2023 45 minutes Creator: Peter Berg Reading Time: 7 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Showtime Boys in Blue Vision (WHGTRGECNCLJ0AQJ) 00:00 / 07:56 Dandelion Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Masala Chai Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Reba Chaisson 2023-01-31 Okay, I am not a prude, just naïve about some things. Several years after my son graduated high school, I asked out of the blue if his high school football coaches used foul language. He was incredulous that I would ask a question that seemed to him to have such an “obvious” answer. “Yeah,” he said. I also learned that it was not unusual for football coaches to have profanity-laced practices and film sessions. Indeed, this was the norm. The documentary series, Boys in Blue , sent these memories rushing back and I could not help but laugh. So that’s what Brandon meant! Boys in Blue focuses on the North Community High School football team. Located in Minneapolis, the predominantly Black school sits in the middle of a poor community where sadly, gunfire and violence are all too common. Initially unbeknownst to the talented football players, the coaching staff consists of Minneapolis police officers. This combined with the team’s blue uniforms makes for an apt title for the piece. In addition to the jovial and open coaching staff, several of the kids are profiled. Hill, the 15-year-old varsity quarterback, is friendly but reserved, and quietly aspires to play professional football. Best friends Meiko and “Rio” are seniors whose goals are to do the same. And “Cash” is a sophomore who is focused on using football to “repay [his] family for everything they’ve done for [him].” The coaches are all in lock step with the kids, as their own goals are to help their players get where they want to go. In this sense, high school football, at least for many of the team members at North High, is a means to an end – but this is not in any way atypical. We know this from the numerous studies conducted by social researchers over the last 30 years. In The Great American Football Ritual , D.E. Foley writes about the season he spent studying a high school football team in a small Texas town back in 1990. He found that the Friday night “football ritual” played a significant role in how the players, and even the community, viewed themselves and their status relative to non-elite players and towns, respectively, based on the strength of their high school football program. The television series Friday Night Lights , which ran from 2005-2011, was based on H. G. Bissinger’s 2004 book of the same name . The critically acclaimed series was about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas, and its significance to the town’s identity. Like the kids at North Community High School, the players here aspired – even expected – to go to a major university and ultimately play in the National Football League (NFL). I think a lot about the level of emphasis kids and coaches place on getting to the pros. According to the NCAA , only 7.3% of high school football players play NCAA football, and of those, 1.6% go pro. In raw numbers, that is 254 NFL players out of 1,006,000 high school football athletes each year. Knowing these odds, should young people be given what can be viewed as false hope? Shouldn’t they instead be encouraged to pursue much more realistic, attainable goals? Admittedly over the years I have waffled on these questions. My family and I have had long, serious, and sometimes contentious debates at the dinner table on this very issue. The viewpoint I settled on is that these are not mutually exclusive paths. Pursuing the dream to play professional sports does not preclude simultaneously preparing for a more traditional career. Given the odds of going pro, grave mistakes are made when the former is heavily – or worse, solely emphasized over the latter. Still, some might say it is sad that the lofty dreams of the kids in Boys in Blue are not being tempered by the adults around them. Such statements though, reflect a lack of appreciation for the complexity of the kids’ lives. The sadness here should be reserved for the circumstances under which Hill, Rio, Meiko, Cash, and the other kids at North High are forced to learn and live every day. Gunshots are heard throughout much of the documentary’s filming. Coach Adams acknowledges the persistent violence in the surrounding community, adding with great seriousness: “But for some reason, when it’s game time (shaking his head slowly), don’t f*** up my football game. Don’t f*** up my football game.” When gunshots are heard during a talk outdoors with Rio and Meiko, Meiko casually comments: “I ain’t ‘gon lie; that sh** normal for us.” Much of the research on high school sports focuses on teams in Texas, with a smattering in Florida and New York, and all address things like identity, sense of community, unrealistic aspirations, and significantly, the dangers of concussion. Not to minimize the importance of these issues, but none hone in on the challenging and often dangerous conditions under which students learn, play, and even walk to school every weekday. Perhaps these were not the conditions of the communities that were studied. If so, then sense of community is not the same near North High as it is in the places focused on in many of the studies. So while the coaches in Boys in Blue can be criticized for not tempering the kids’ aspirations for going pro, they should be recognized if not rewarded for what they do provide. These include friendship, yet another family to trust and rely on, and a sense of security for their young players, who are experiencing daily travails that include just trying to stay alive. I was glad to see Peter Berg contextualize the players’ experiences in this work. Boys in Blue reminds me so much of the HBO series, The Wire , which ran from 2002-2008. Each season focused on a different aspect of the Baltimore community: the police, the streets, the docks, the media, and even a focus on the schools. During that particular season, viewers saw teachers find innovative ways to both connect their students to the work and show that they were there for them during difficult times. This is similar to the role of North High’s coaches in the training and support of their players. Also like The Wire , Boys in Blue delved into local politics and how the actions of leaders often impact students’ lives in unintentional but very real and stressful ways. Indeed, politics in the North High community looms over the fate of all of the boys in blue. While not technically a film, Berg’s Boys in Blue documentary series checks all the boxes for why it nonetheless fits the indie sector so well. It tells a small story of a high school football team in an urban community, allowing the audience to not only get inside the school, but inside the players and coaches’ lives. The significance of this cannot be understated. Whereas judgments are often made about predominantly Black schools and the kids in them, this work gives us the privilege of an extended firsthand glimpse over four episodes. With this, we can at least begin to form/shape/modify our own ideas about the kids, families, and coaches through a deep and broad lens. At Cup of Tea Critiques, we rarely recommend a production – this will be our first (and perhaps only) exception to this. 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< Back Speak No Evil shows the most severe consequences of acquiescing Profile Pictures, 2022 97 minutes Director/Writer: Christian Tafdrup / Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdrup Reading Time: 5 minutes Speak No Evil Feast (UUXKG2RZM3LJUDFS) 00:00 / 05:27 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Barley: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Chris Chaisson 2023-01-17 “Why are you doing this?” “Because you let me.” Full disclosure: I rarely leave parties exactly when I’m ready to be gone. I have had a frequent problem throughout my youth cutting the cord and saying my goodbyes. I could blame this on any number of things: being indecisive, fear of missing out, or frankly, not having any other plans (insert shrug emoji). The main reason many struggle with this, and label themselves introverts because of it, is the need to be polite. Many of us squander way too much free time simply avoiding an uncomfortable exit from hosts that will likely either not be offended or will get over it quickly. Director Christian Tafdrup takes this basic level of common acquiescence and ratchets it up to a life-or-death situation in his new work, Speak No Evil . At an enjoyable retreat, Bjørn (Morten Burian, Sons of Denmark ) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch, Steppeulven ), a couple from Denmark, meet Patrick and Karin, two casual acquaintances from Holland. Patrick (Fedja van Huêt, Character ) and Karin (Karina Smulders, Bride Flight ) send them a postcard inviting them to visit their countryside property for a few days. The invite feels aggressive, as they barely know the couple. Rather than decline, they offer a reluctant acceptance and head off. Bjørn and Louise bring along their daughter Agnes to join and spend time with Abel, Patrick and Karin’s son. This unenthusiastic RSVP sets the tone for a series of uncomfortable occurrences between the two families over the course of the stay. Patrick and Karin impose several times by not respecting Louise’s dietary restrictions, invading their privacy, hiring a babysitter they’ve never met to watch the children, and being verbally abusive to Abel in front of them. Despite ample opportunities to leave and signs that something is off, Bjørn, Louise and Agnes stick around and get much more than they bargain for. Speak No Evil ’s genius is its ability to start its protagonists off with a relatable emotion, the unwillingness to offend. Patrick and Karin make such a gracious offer that many watching the movie would possibly consider it themselves. After all, some people are more trusting of strangers than others. The first act of the movie may come off as two couples with different lifestyles and different behavioral standards in the presence of others. For the viewer, it makes for some hilarious, albeit cringe worthy, scenes in the stylings of Meet the Parents . However, the visit quickly takes a turn for the dark as Bjørn and Louise express their displeasure more vocally and even attempt to leave. Patrick and Karin pull the very familiar tactics of manipulative people: play dumb, apologize and insincerely promise to change. In a word: gaslighting. A prevalent criticism of movies like Speak No Evil is that the main characters’ passivity rises to a level too far-fetched to keep audiences engaged. At some point, we like to see the protagonists stand up for themselves to complete their character arcs. The reason behind Bjørn’s consistent buckling under becomes obvious as the film progresses: he is entranced by Patrick’s type A personality. Patrick has far more hutzpah, which Bjørn both admires and envies. This desire comes through in one of the few wholesome moments of the film, where they walk to an open field and take turns shouting into the void to release their tension. The power dynamic between the two, Patrick being more in charge than Bjørn, is not confined to money, work or social status, but rather difference in personality. Bjørn’s unspoken longing to be more like Patrick compromises his judgement, a situation very common in real life. Speak No Evil could easily be compared to its contemporaries Get Out and Barbarian , movies with a general sense of dread where a character visits an ominous place and ignores signs that they should leave. Another common comparison floating around is the 2008 home invasion thriller The Strangers , particularly due to similar lines uttered between the protagonists and villains near the end of each movie. Between reading, watching, and listening to podcasts regarding the film, it instead brought to mind for me another movie from the early 2010s: Compliance . An equally disturbing film, Compliance depicts the true story of a fast food worker who is accused of stealing and strip-searched by her co-workers at the instruction of someone impersonating a police officer over the phone. Both films call to question social etiquette and the ways that people will bend to either perceived authority or the incessant need to be polite. It is so ingrained in some of us that we get taken advantage of and even put in harm’s way. For moviegoers who are less trusting in their everyday lives, Compliance and Speak No Evil are just movies about people who are either cowards or complete idiots. For those of us who have been scammed, duped, pranked or even harmed, these two projects serve as a reminder to follow your intuition and protect yourself at all costs. 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Wannabe highlights the virtues of enduring tough times together rather than alone < Back Wannabe highlights the virtues of enduring tough times together rather than alone Breach, 2020 11 minutes Director/Writer: Dorothy Allen-Pickard / Dorothy Allen-Pickard, Billy Barrett, and Ellice Stevens Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Wannabe K-Whut? (RY5O5CKHQHXAS99J) 00:00 / 03:52 Jasmine Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Oolong Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Reba Chaisson 2023-02-15 You may remember the 1997 film, The Full Monty , about six unemployed men in Britain who make the big decision to strip for money. Similarly, Wannabe is a story of five older female friends, also in Britain, who come together to help Anita, a member of their group who is struggling financially. Initially unbeknownst to her, Anita’s four friends decide the five of them will team-up and put on a show as an older version of The Spice Girls. Still working at age 75, Anita, played by Anita Donaghy, falls “in the red” when her hours are cut at work, making it difficult to keep up with her bills. When she visits Anita to ask why she has not been attending their regular line dancing outings, Joan, played by Joan Brigden, stumbles upon “a demand letter” and is sworn to secrecy. Anita’s desire to keep her financial struggles to herself exemplifies how shame and embarrassment are internalized when individuals are challenged to keep up with their bills. This is particularly the case for those who are older and expect to be past the stage in their lives where they are unable to meet their everyday obligations. The capitalist ideology of individualism - responsibility for self and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps - intensifies the sense of guilt a person feels when he or she falls short of this ideal. We blame ourselves when we can’t pay our light bill, are late on our car note, or cannot pay the full amount due on our credit card, even though we have little if any control over what got us to that point (i.e. hours being cut, being laid off, the rising cost of food and gas, falling ill, caring for family members). These events are disruptive to our lives and largely beyond our control; yet, we carry around a deep sense of shame about their consequences because of the overarching idea that each of us is responsible for ourselves. And thus, asking for help is a sign of weakness. Given this reality, it is no wonder Anita wants to keep her struggles private, even from her closest and most trusted friends. As Anita’s friends brainstormed ways to help her, I thought about how creative people in challenging circumstances have always had to find ways to make things work. Back in the day, people in some working-class neighborhoods held “rent parties,” where friends would get together and play cards for money and give the winnings to the host to help with their bills. Young kids would offer to wash cars and run errands for neighbors, or take glass bottles to the store to get 2-5 cents for each. (Today, bottles are deposited into recycling bins, so now, companies get the money!) Anita’s friends putting on a Spice Girls show was an interesting idea given their age group, and it promised to make for a fun and enjoyable 11 minutes. Not surprisingly, there are indeed some hilarious moments. But what you are most likely to be left with are the poignant ones. Throughout the film, I couldn’t help but admire the group’s dedication to their friend, their commitment to the project, and their willingness to do what was necessary to help – short of what they viewed as “embarrassing [themselves]” that is. If you have just a few minutes, this one could be worth your time. 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!