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< 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!

Small Axe depicts the multifaceted experiences of people from Carribbean islands living in Britain during a tumultuous period. < Back Small Axe depicts the multifaceted experiences of people from Carribbean islands living in Britain during a tumultuous period. Turbine Studios, 2020 60 minutes Creator: Steve McQueen Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Small Axe Port Town (NGKEV1LNFLSDFQ2A) 00:00 / 07:24 Honeybush Nonfamily dramas with strong socioeconomic themes Masala Chai Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 Small Axe is a series of five film shorts ranging from just over one hour to a little over two. The distinct docudramas focus on the experiences of people from the Caribbeans living in Britain between the late 1960s and early 1980s. The filmmakers exquisitely capture the aesthetics and cinematography of the era through dim lighting, signage, and tight spaces. Afros, big glasses, bell bottom pants, and soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up,” Al Green’s “Still in Love,” and Bob Marley’s reggae take us back to the house– and on‑campus parties of the period, further driving home the old-school feel. As depicted in “Mangrove,” the first episode of the series, any place Blacks gather is viewed by British law enforcement as a place where crime and conspiracies are plotted, even Mangrove Restaurant where West Indian cuisine is served. Despite immigrating to Britain to pursue “educational and economic opportunity,” people from the Virgin Islands and countries like Jamaica and Antigua endure suspicion by police who patrol their communities on foot and by car. Men are continuously and casually harassed, beaten, and arrested by police who simply resent them for standing alone on a corner, walking down the street, or even looking them in the eye. The brutality reminded me of documentaries like Eyes on the Prize that chronicled the Jim Crow South, where Blacks were relegated to segregated communities and forced to adjust their upbeat and confident demeanors when White police officers came around. They did this out of fear of being beaten and/or arrested—for being Black. And interactions with police traumatize and change people when there is no justice and accountability. In 1970, the late Roscoe Lee Brown starred in a film set in the segregated South called The Liberation of L.B. Jones. I remember my older sister watching it on television when I happened to see a scene where two White officers on patrol in a Black community at night, stopped a woman walking home with a bag of groceries. One coerced her into the back seat of their vehicle and let her out sometime later. Clearly ruffled and shaken, she was without one of her shoes, turning her ankle as she got out of the car. Her blouse was buttoned incorrectly, and her skirt was twisted. I was young—very young—but even I knew what happened in that back seat. The sweaty officer slicked his hair back, got in the front passenger seat, (His partner remained in the driver’s seat during the assault.) bid the woman ‘Good evening,’ and calmly drove off. Watching the police encounters across several of the Small Axe episodes brought back this memory of the police operating in Black neighborhoods in the South with impunity. While similar scenes are not depicted in Small Axe, the series shows women like Altheia Jones and Barbara Beese being dismissed, arrested, and frequently called derogatory names by law enforcement. Played by Letitia Wright (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther) and Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty, Criminal: UK), both women vehemently protest, resist police action, and lead calls for justice and accountability. In the “Red, White and Blue” segment, Leroy Logan, played by John Boyega, joins the London police force with the aspiration of changing the way policing is conducted in West Indian communities. He quickly learns how challenging this is when his fellow mates are unwelcoming in the station house and unsupportive on the streets. During walking patrols in the community, he is also treated as a traitor by residents, soon realizing that it is lonely being a bridge between his community and the police. Frustrated, he breaks down and declares “Sometimes I think this earth needs to be scorched, replanted, so that something good will come of it.” Not all West Indian experiences in Britain are portrayed as negative though. “Lover’s Rock” depicts a house party where young men and women dance, drink, smoke ganja, and even fall in love. A slice of heaven, the party makes it clear that the group strives to carve out a space where its members can freely express themselves and tune into their culture through music and dance. Many of the songs played by the DJ are quite familiar to the group as evidenced by several sing-alongs. Even a spiritual bonding occurs during the playing of a highly popular instrumental reggae tune called “Kunta Kinte.” The music, dancing, and even cat-mouse love games at the party are entertaining, though the sing-along and single-song dance scenes go on for much, much too long. Long, drawn-out, over-narrated, and monotonous or silent scenes are the downsides of Small Axe, particularly when contrasted with the substantially shorter emotional scenes. In “Alex Wheatle,” Alex, played by Sheyi Cole (Boxing Day, Made in Hollywood), is shown laying isolated on a floor in a straitjacket and revealing his deadpan eyes for 1 minute and 45 seconds. No music, no movement, no dialog, only this long period of silence. On the other hand, an emotional scene over a family dinner in “Education,” the final episode, is short-lived, only 60 seconds. I cannot help but feel that the audience needed to share in the family’s emotion and feel its pain in order to connect with the cost and significance of racist educational practices. In crucial moments like this, the films missed opportunities to immerse the audience in the stories and give viewers the space to absorb the messages being posited. The big takeaway from Small Axe though, is for Blacks in the U.S., specifically Baby Boomers and older, to appreciate the similarity in struggles with Blacks in Britain. In doing so, it broadens viewers’ perspectives about the treatment of Blacks in the West and informs thinking about strategies for progress. If you like good music and can tolerate the dim aesthetics of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, this could be a worthwhile view. Listen carefully to the dialog though. Occasionally, the West Indian dialect and British accent can be tough to discern. 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 Girl Upstairs centers the dangers of agoraphobia Goreella Media, 2024 90 minutes Director/Writer: Kevin Van Stevenson / John Gee Reading Time: 4 minutes A Girl Upstairs Feast (ZG3K1GRB0QYOOPPU) 00:00 / 04:59 📷 : Used with permission, Goreella Media Yarrow: Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Chris Chaisson 2024-04-25 Over the past decade, many adolescents in the Gen Z age group have tuned into a minimalist music genre called lo-fi hip hop , for which there are many YouTube live streams to help tune out your surroundings and focus on studies. One such beat from this genre is titled “Solitude” by the artist Nymano. It borrows a sound byte from a popular anime called Cowboy Bebop in which a character says, “Instead of being in a group, it’s better to have real solitude all by yourself.” The man she is talking to responds, “You were just afraid they’d abandon you, so you abandoned them. You distanced yourself from the whole thing.” The exchange is meant to shed light on how humans can use isolation to shield themselves from pain, even if the loneliness is painful itself. This sound byte, as well as the song, echoed through my head as I watched Kevin Van Stevenson’s psychological thriller A Girl Upstairs . Written by John Gee, A Girl Upstairs revolves around a talented canvas artist named Dulce who, due to a traumatic childhood event, has developed agoraphobia. She remains barricaded in her loft above a movie theater, only occasionally peeking out of the window or a hole in the wall facing the screening room. Her only consistent interaction is over the phone with an art gallery owner who sells her work. Their conversations only contribute to Dulce’s mounting anxiety. Throughout her day, Dulce sporadically interacts with her paintings, much in the way Robert Neville in I Am Legend converses with the store mannequins. The single character, single-location story approach poses its fair share of challenges, but it is also oddly relatable for viewers. Though we interact with peers, neighbors and family on a regular basis, the most neurotic of us identify with Dulce’s feelings. With an excess of thoughts pinging around in your head, you can feel alone a lot more than you are by never expressing them to those you confide in. Watching Dulce, played by Holly Blair, meander around her apartment, two main questions enter the audience’s mind: what happened to trigger this agoraphobic state and will she eventually face her fear? After discovering that a movie theater employee that she has admired from afar has a girlfriend, Dulce tries to destroy a painting she made in his likeness. To her surprise, her efforts have an unexpected consequence, as her art comes to life. She enjoys the new company and takes on the role of caregiver. Assuming this responsibility not only boosts Dulce’s spirits but allows her to take better care of herself in turn. One looming reality is that her painting-come-to-life is not encumbered by her own past trauma and will likely seek to explore the world, forcing Dulce to face her agoraphobia simply to hold onto her newfound happiness. The set design and music in A Girl Upstairs paints the bleakness of Dulce’s mental state. While she has space to move around in her loft, the clutter, peeling wallpaper and dim lights accentuate the pressing need for her to overcome her fear. This seems a clever depiction, as a more luxurious environment would undermine her main inner conflict. Similarly, the soundtrack creates an ominous mood throughout, foreshadowing the eventual climax and heightening several nightmarish moments during the course of the story. Dulce’s haunting flashbacks are revealed in very short, sporadic clips that accurately represent the imperfect memories we all possess. It also gives the added bonus of hinting at a traumatic event without fully displaying it in a triggering manner. An old quote from Seneca goes, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” With this in mind, leaving Dulce’s childhood trauma as a fragmented memory for much of the film allows the viewer’s imagination to run wild. A Girl Upstairs presents as a single-location psych thriller and delivers its fair share of tense moments. Nonetheless, my closest comparison comes from a more light-hearted crime drama from the early 2000’s, Matchstick Men . Nicolas Cage plays Roy, a con-artist with his own affliction, similar to Dulce. When his estranged teenage daughter unexpectedly arrives, similar to Dulce’s humanoid paintings, he must assume new responsibilities and face fears that he’s been avoiding for years. Though Dulce does not mirror any of Nicolas Cage’s patented rants , A Girl Upstairs entertains, shocks and makes you reconsider the thought of embracing loneliness. 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!

Nimic serves as a sneak peek for the rest of its creator’s filmography < Back Nimic serves as a sneak peek for the rest of its creator’s filmography Superprime Films, 2019 12 minutes Director/Writer: Yorgos Lanthimos / Efthimus Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, and David Kolbusz Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Nimic Sliced Bread (X82MDOT4PFWFSZ2O) 00:00 / 03:26 Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Oolong Movies/shows that make you laugh or involve physical activity like exercise/dance Chris Chaisson 2023-08-02 Most film students are no stranger to the term “auteur,” often used to describe a well-known filmmaker with a signature style. Indeed, some writer/directors become well-known for the universes that they consistently represent. Maybe their characters speak in monotone voices and are void of facial expressions. Maybe their movies always have a clever plot twist at the end. Maybe every feature of theirs has at least 78 and a half explosions in it. Regardless, their personal taste is reflected in every project they undertake, including short films. While they are often meant to give investors a sense of story or universe, short films can also provide interested parties with a sense of the director’s personal style. Director Yorgos Lanthimos effectively pulls this off in his 2019 short Nimic . Nimic stars Matthew Dillon as the nameless protagonist, a routine-oriented family man and professional cellist. He has a wife and three children and plays for a classical string ensemble. One day while riding the train, he asks a stranger for the time in what turns into a regretful encounter. She recites his question, then follows him home in an effort to take his place as the husband and father figure. Though it at first seems ludicrous, his wife and children seem nonplussed by the presence of the stranger and willingly accept her as his replacement. As a feature, Nimic would likely include a second and third act of the protagonist attempting to regain control of his life. However, being the short film that it is, Yorgos Lanthimos’s project simply serves as a snippet reflecting his storytelling. Known as an existentialist, Lanthimos often depicts a bleak existence where characters feel very forgettable or replaceable, hence Matt Dillon’s character. The stranger he encounters demonstrates her ability to fill his role in the family and string ensemble so aptly that he may as well be invisible. In order to reflect this replicability, Lanthimos often presents humorless characters with no inflection in their voice (i.e. Dr. Steven Murphy in The Killing of a Sacred Deer ), as these features would make someone seem unique and endearing. Adding to the existentialist vibe is the fact that none of the characters in the film have a specified name. Dillon’s character, once followed home by the stranger, addresses his kids simply with a collective “children.” Most reflective of Lanthimos’s philosophy is the short film’s title itself, which is Romanian for “nothing.” The ominous tone of Nimic is reinforced with a soundtrack filled with strings being played violently, inducing anxiety in multiple scenes. The music is reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho soundtrack and is consistent with Lanthimos’s longer projects. From both a technical standpoint and a philosophical perspective, Nimic , in just 12 minutes, precisely conveys to a viewer unfamiliar with Yorgos Lanthimos what to expect in his other works. Available on Vimeo 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!

Your Friends & Neighbors gives a birds-eye view into a type of social mobility < Back Your Friends & Neighbors gives a birds-eye view into a type of social mobility Apple Studios, 2025 50 minutes Creator: Jonathan Trooper Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Apple Studios Your Friends & Neighbors Match Point (7BFGRIMDEVIEX77A) 00:00 / 07:58 Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Honeybush Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Reba Chaisson 2025-06-17 You may be familiar with the term “downward social mobility.” It refers to the loss of income and/or wealth that can lead to a dramatic drop in a person or family’s social position, lifestyle, and most immediately, living situation. According to psychologists , it is not unusual for such an occurrence to induce physical, mental, and emotional imbalance in the person or family that experiences it. Your Friends & Neighbors is an Apple TV+ series about a man who is blindsided by the sudden loss of his job. Divorcé Andrew “Coop” Cooper ( Jon Hamm) has all the trappings of wealth: mansions, swimming pools, high-end cars, and upscale parties. In Coop’s case, all of this comes with the bonus of paying alimony, private school tuition for his two teens, and a mortgage on the mansion now occupied by his ex-wife Mel (Amanda Peete) and her live-in boyfriend Nick (Mark Tallman) — you know, the one Coop caught in bed with his then-wife. Coop is well-liked by his friends and neighbors, and he is particularly close to his business manager Barney Choi (Hoon Lee), who never hesitates to speak truth to his client and close friend. Exemplary of their relationship is a scene where the two meet for lunch (at an upscale bar of course), and Coop tells Barney he was just fired. Barney’s expression quickly changes from joy to serious as he sternly asks Coop, “Who did you f***?” You might remember Hoon Lee as Jobe from the long-running Banshee series on Cinemax. His character in Your Friends & Neighbors is equally steadfast and entertaining. While Coop earned millions as a hedge fund manager, he is mildly concerned about how long he can sustain himself without income, though fairly confident that he has plenty in cash and investments. When Barney tells him that he will run out of money in six months, Coop is shocked. As with those who make substantially less than Coop, the prospect of downward social mobility is frightening, especially when family not only depends on the support but expects that the money and other resources will always be there. We see this expectation play out when Mel casually tells Coop that she has hired a private tennis coach for their daughter. When he bristles at it, she asks in frustration, “What’s the problem? It’s just ten thousand dollars a month!” Other effects of job loss are loneliness and shame, and this is particularly the case for men. Psychologists note that when men subscribe to the notion of being the family’s breadwinner, their identity is strongly tied to work, hence the shame in losing their jobs. Loneliness seeps in when they don’t share their job loss with close friends and those who rely on them. To Coop’s credit, he shared this with Barney. But family and other friends were left to wonder about his sudden aloofness, complaints about money, and altercations with long-time pals. During one of many pool parties at a neighbor’s mansion, Coop excuses himself to use the restroom and begins casually wandering throughout the house. Admiring trinkets, lifting his eyebrows at furniture, and pulling open the drawers of nightstands and chests, he nonchalantly takes an expensive watch and puts it in his pocket. Wait, what? Yes, that’s what I said. Indeed, this is so easy for Coop that he later absconds with another valuable item from a different neighbor’s house. And he does it again and again. It has been said that once someone crosses the line into deviant behavior without getting caught, the act becomes easier and easier for them to continue doing it. Coop’s stealing is an example of this. I like this series not because it centers on a man once grounded and secure and now seemingly lost, but because it depicts the process of that destabilization. While we frequently throw around labels like “criminal” and “thief,” we rarely consider the individual’s circumstance nor psychological state that led to the behavior. Understanding these aspects of the person’s life experiences can potentially engender empathy for them rather than judgment and condemnation. This is not to confuse understanding with holding the person accountable for the actions. It is to suggest that forever relegating them to purgatory for uncharacteristic behavior is problematic. What is being depicted in this series is the direct link between the triggering event (job loss), the scary prospects of downward social mobility (along with its psychological effects), and their sometimes deviant manifestations. Interestingly, for people of lower socioeconomic status (SES) than Coop, the labels “criminal” and “thief” stick, and the individuals are then forever viewed with suspicion. This is the case even if the event occurred only once. It makes you wonder if (or when) Coop’s thievery is uncovered, will he be labeled in the same way and will these labels stick. We get a sense of the likelihood of this in the series when Coop is accused of a serious crime that is unrelated to his new extracurricular activity. How he recovers from this tells us a lot about differences in the perceptions of wealthy people versus those who are not. In any event, the truth is, we all lose our footing at times, and rarely does the decline from there happen overnight. In Coop’s case, he gradually becomes emboldened and moves on to brazen and arrogant. In addition to depicting the process of downward social mobility and the wrong paths some take at the prospects of it, Your Friends & Neighbors confronts us with biases we might have about wealthy people, mainly that they are trouble-free and filled with choices. The characters in this series, though, are all carrying some kind of weight. Despite Coop’s fairly good relationship with his ex-wife Mel, he has yet to put to rest the matter of her cheating on him. Barney, who is quite wealthy as well, worries about keeping money. He struggles to talk to his wife about her excessive spending on property enhancements that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Samantha Levitt (Olivia Munn) says she is happy to be divorced from her ex-husband but repeatedly gossips with her friends around the pool about his new, young girlfriend. And then there’s Nick, the retired NBA player who enjoys spending time with his friends and neighbors but behaves as if oblivious to the fact that he and Coop’s ex are a pair. So, while some wealthy people really do have a lot of money, others not so much. Many in the latter group maintain a façade to keep up with the Joneses. And while most in the zip code are quirky and at times entitled and clueless, they carry a lot of baggage — kind of like the rest of us up and down the social hierarchy. 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!

The Bear presents layered characters struggling in a pressure-packed profession. < Back The Bear presents layered characters struggling in a pressure-packed profession. FX Productions, 2022 30 minutes Creator: Christopher Storer Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock The Bear Need for Speed (ALTE9ZSD0ZNQDXAR) 00:00 / 05:57 Chamomile Family dramas Saffron Movies and TV shows with great visual effects Chris Chaisson 2022-09-07 On the big screen, the director calls all the shots and gains notoriety when a movie is well-received. However, in television, directors do not get nearly the same level of publicity or recognition. Often considered interchangeable, any given show can have several directors, even in just one season. Given this stark difference between television and film, the shooting style for shows can often be generic. For this reason, the new and critically acclaimed series The Bear stands out. Its stylized direction offers a contrast from many of its contemporaries and, paired with exceptional writing, has created a memorable first season. Starring Jeremy Allen White ( Shameless ), The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a world class chef, and the back of the house crew at his family-owned sandwich shop on the south side of Chicago. The show is chock full of references to The Second City, be it the transportation, major streets, architecture, or consistently disappointing sports teams (I’m not bitter at all). On the surface, the show is about the turbulence and pressure that comes with working in food service. However, as the show’s title is a reference to the protagonist’s nickname, the deeper meaning of the half-hour drama is Carmy’s relationship with his family, specifically his deceased brother Michael (played in flashbacks by The Walking Dead ’s Jon Bernthal). The Bear utilizes every element at its disposal to convey the stress of running a kitchen. Creator Christopher Storer ( Ramy ) selects shots that make the viewer feel as though they are in training and shadowing the chefs. To heighten the senses, the show incorporates fast-paced music in the background as they toil, sometimes increasing in speed when they butt heads with one another. The camera often follows the characters around every corner as they slide past each other, shout instructions and multitask. It frequently swish pans between speaking characters and swerves as it circles the kitchen island. The audience experiences an abundance of close-ups, specifically when a character is stagnant as they taste-test or check order receipts. Although there is plenty happening in regards to the restaurant in each episode, the FX series does not deny its audience three-dimensionality with its main characters. Carmy is an award-winning chef who has worked at the best restaurants in the world, so resurrecting the modest sandwich shop proves to be a humbling experience for him. In the later episodes, we learn what drove him to be so accomplished. His cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Girls ) wants to preserve the old feel of the shop and clashes with Carmy, who tries to run a tighter ship. While he is protective and loyal, Richie exhibits obnoxious, unfocused, and misogynistic behavior. Though he plays an antagonistic role at times, making Carmy’s job harder for seemingly no reason, a lot of his demeanor is explained by him masking the pain he feels at the sudden death of his best friend Michael. Two characters that try to help Carmy, but actually frustrate him, are Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Big Mouth ), the second-in-command chef, and his sister, Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Abby Elliott, How I Met Your Mother ). Sydney is ambitious and innovative but often tries to force change too quickly. A young woman and relatively new to the team, she struggles to gain the respect of the rest of the kitchen. Her efforts to connect with Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas, In Treatment ) are initially rejected, and she continuously deals with Richie talking down to her. Through some successes along with Carmy’s support, she gains confidence but still carries doubt from her past shortcomings as a culinary entrepreneur. Natalie, on the other hand, expresses concern for Carmy’s well-being. While not a fan of the restaurant, her love for her brother is obvious in how frequently she reaches out to him and attempts to get the restaurant on solid financial ground. The Bear’s best aspect is that it allows you to empathize with every character. From a professional standpoint, anyone who has worked in food service can relate to how the main characters cope with rough shifts and unwind afterward. For instance, Carmy goes home and, despite all his cooking expertise, makes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The show also allows you to relate on a personal level. Anyone watching has grieved the death of a loved one and maybe even tried to continue working a job while doing so, like Carmy and Richie. Any viewer can relate to feeling like an outsider in a new job or school, especially when coming off a failed venture as Sydney does. Many audience members have had an aloof sibling that they wanted to open up to, similar to Natalie’s experiences. While very different people, the one thing the main cast of characters has in common is their struggle to overcome self-doubt. All of their emotions are easy to understand and add depth to their interactions. The Bear will get your blood pumping during the lunch rush but may make you misty-eyed when the shift finally 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!

< Back Amid an alien invasion, a young couple deals with problems faced by people of all ages. Keshet Studios, 2020 94 minutes Director/Writer: Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson Reading Time: 3 minutes Save Yourselves! Strange Science (4XOMNUYUFYAMK4BC) 00:00 / 03:39 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Chris Chaisson 2021-07-25 When you hear “alien apocalypse movie," you typically think of a blockbuster dripping with effects, action, and toxic masculinity. Even if comedies like The World’s End or This is the End come to mind, both are loaded with more crude, slapstick humor. Save Yourselves! instead goes for the heart and slice‑of-life approach, leaving the alien takeover as the backdrop. In reality, the movie is about a couple in their early thirties seeking to shake up their routine by unplugging and going on vacation. Jack (John Reynolds, Stranger Things ) and Su (Sunita Mani, GLOW ) head off to a cabin in the woods for a temporary escape from their lives (No it’s not a limerick.). Their trip coincides with an invasion of homicidal aliens in the shape of large Koosh balls, if I can date myself with a reference. With their retreat now upset, they must flee their getaway home for survival. The film, as you may have guessed, has much more to do with the couple than the situation they find themselves in. Jack and Su are both likeable and relatable; they deal with problems that young people and couples of all ages deal with. Over the course of an hour and a half, the audience hears them bemoan feelings of inadequacy, frustrations with each other’s quirks and flaws, and where they are at their age compared to their parents. Nonetheless, they love each other, and you never sense that their relationship is on the rocks. Perhaps what is refreshing about Save Yourselves! is its ability to address imperfection and insecurity in a real way rather than bury the emotions of its main characters under clichés or gunfights. While our leads could be classified as a coastal hippie couple, Reynolds and Mani possess charisma and great onscreen chemistry. Several times during the film, I nodded my head at the sentiments each of them conveyed. The film subtly expresses two major points: wherever you are in life is okay as long as you keep going, and it never hurts to be honest. Though the timing of their retreat seems ill-fated, Jack and Su are fortunate enough to speak their minds and improve their relationship in ways that could help them survive. As for the invasion itself, please do not tune in just for this. The nature of the invasion or the psychology of the Koosh ball aliens is not at all delved into, and even their behavior is inconsistent. Multiple times, the first aliens that Jack and Su encounter could easily kill them and just don’t. This is never truly explained, so if you are more of the District 9 type, the ambiguity may frustrate you. Nonetheless, Save Yourselves! is a pleasant couples comedy with enough heart to push the common “alien apocalypse” subgenre to the background. Witnessing a young couple work out their issues with honesty and a little technological detachment is a refreshing break from adrenaline-filled blockbusters. 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!

Hamdardi presents a story about how to effectively communicate < Back Hamdardi presents a story about how to effectively communicate Taba Productions, 2023 29 minutes Director/Writer: Stefan Fairlamb and Ashley Tabatabai / Ashley Tabatabai Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Ashley Tabatabai Hamdardi Just A Dream (IXCLFGULPVPQ4U18) 00:00 / 04:27 Chamomile Family dramas Dandelion Movies/shows with heavy subjects Chris Chaisson 2023-09-07 Hamdardi uses the backdrop of the controversial 2017 U.S. travel ban for its compelling story. The short film takes us into the tug of war between Ethan Reynolds, a U.S. immigration officer, and his superior, Hank Henson. When two siblings from Iran, 18-year-old Reza and 9-year-old Parvaneh, are detained at the border, Ethan struggles with whether or not to grant them admission into the U.S. to be reunited with their ill father. Hank, Ethan’s rules-oriented boss, exhibits impatience with the siblings due to the language barrier. Rather than seeking to accommodate them, Hank arranges a flight to send them back to their homeland, as he does with multiple other detainees. As Ethan is currently experiencing separation anxiety, being denied visitation rights to his own daughter, he shows more compassion than Hank and teeter-totters between following orders and rebelling. A voice in one of Ethan’s ears is Carol, a bilingual lawyer pressing Ethan to stand up to his boss. In his other ear is Hank, using his by-the-book approach to influence Ethan. Set in early 2017, writer/director Ashley Tabatabai’s enthralling short highlights the conflicting emotions that many immigration officers likely feel. Though Hank is the antagonist of the story, his mindset reflects that of most people in the middle of a chain of command. “I don’t make the rules” is a familiar refrain for anyone who does not have the freedom to make unilateral decisions. Many use the concepts of just doing their job and following orders to shed any guilt that they feel about a task that is inherently immoral or dispassionate. The act of separating families as part of law enforcement most likely does not sit well with everyone who carries out the task, but they do it nonetheless because they have been trained to obey marching orders and question nothing. Ethan, on the other hand, looks at Parvaneh and sees his daughter. He cannot maintain the emotional distance to simply abide by his boss’s wishes. His inability to disassociate is egged on by Carol, and after a game of Tic-Tac-Toe with Parvaneh, he calls the mother of his child and leaves a voicemail begging her to let him see his daughter. Drawing from his own pain, Ethan not only shows more compassion than Hank but also seeks out any path to reuniting Reza and Parvaneh with their parents. What Hamdardi adeptly highlights is how the inability to communicate can generate impatience and mistrust. Once it is clear that Reza does not speak English, Hank’s attitude becomes more and more hostile. While this could simply be written off as xenophobia, it can also be interpreted as Hank attempting to exhibit more control over a situation than he actually has. Rather than bridging the gap in communication, which would take more time and understanding, he resorts to intimidation by raising his voice and speaking sharply, a common tactic of people in positions of authority. For someone like Reza, who does not speak the language and is playing the role of protector for his younger sister, this elicits resentment and a lack of trust. All he knows is that he is being yelled at. Ethan takes a softer tone and makes more direct eye contact, highlighting how Hank’s approach is unnecessary but serves as an additional way to maintain emotional distance. The story of Hamdardi likely still resonates with anyone who follows the news and remembers this time of uncertainty. While it has a much heavier subject matter, the film reminded me of the early 2000s one-location comedy The Terminal . Tom Hanks plays an eastern European traveler stuck in the JFK airport for an extended period of time. He too encounters a language barrier with the employees of the airport, and despite the disconnect, must learn how to coexist and communicate with them until he can be on his way. Both films accentuate the importance of showing patience, making effort and demonstrating compassion with people from other cultures, as well as taking a personal risk to do right by others. 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 F1: The Movie delivers confusing characters but thrilling action Apple Original Films, 2025 155 minutes Director/Writer: Joseph Kosinski Reading Time: 6 minutes F1: The Movie Treacherous (APHTWSWPXLRIYODJ) 00:00 / 05:42 📷 : Nadhir Nawshad https://www.instagram.com/nadnaws/ https://x.com/_nadnaws Masala Chai Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Chris Chaisson 2025-07-03 I can’t say that I’ve ever sat through a car race. The inherent danger of it makes me queasy, even though I will watch two people beat the crap out of each other in combat sports. Nonetheless, artists you trust along with a reliable formula can create intrigue for just about anything. Even if a story feels like it’s on factory settings, the people driving it can elevate it to the best possible version. Whether it reaches top speed or just stays consistent, we hop out feeling that our pulse has quickened. Okay, I put as much automobile-related language as I possibly could, so I’ll go into detail about the newest Jerry Bruckheimer-produced blockbuster, F1: The Movie . Directed by Top Gun: Maverick ’s Joseph Kosinski, F1: The Movie focuses on the relationship and rivalry between Sonny, an old-school driver coming out of retirement (Brad Pitt, Fight Club ), and a young, hard-headed hot-shot, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris, Snowfall ). Sonny joins the team to help his indebted friend Ruben (Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men ), who holds a piece of ownership but desperately needs on-track success to save his place. Joshua resents the idea that an older driver who underachieved outside of the Formula 1 realm can teach him anything about his own craft. Much of the first act consists of barbs between the two, as both are cocky, stubborn, and lacking in self-awareness. It’s often said that we dislike in others what we see in ourselves, which would be true in this case if either of them actually saw it in themselves. There to play mediator are Ruben, Joshua’s mother Bernadette (Sarah Niles, Ted Lasso ), and the team’s technical director, Kate (Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin ). The highlights of F1: The Movie clearly reside in the on-track action. As many now know, the film received permission from Formula 1 to film live races up close. The mid-race adjustments and communication between driver and crew give insight into the strategy behind the sport. We see Sonny and Joshua occasionally bend or manipulate the rules, at times angering other drivers. Such a conflict occurs in the very opening scene, as Sonny is competing in the Daytona 500 and draws the ire of a rival that he nearly ran off the track. The tactics and jargon are simplified enough for a laymen’s audience yet explained well enough to draw them in. Like Top Gun: Maverick , F1 plays to its strengths and uses arrested development to heighten the most perilous moments. The straight-on shots of the helmeted drivers with their faces mostly obstructed but communicating through radio connects these two films stylistically. The best and most dogmatically consistent character is undoubtedly Bernadette, fierce in her protection of her son. Maybe the best character detail of the film is the love Joshua shows to and receives from his mother. Without being overbearing or living vicariously through him, Bernadette calls Joshua out on his abrasive behavior towards Sonny while also having his back when it is necessary. Her influence allows him to evolve throughout the movie and eventually learn to sacrifice for the good of the group. Early in the film, Joshua drives home from the track and tells his best friend he must stop somewhere to visit someone. Though it would seem to be a love interest, it turns out to be his mother, immediately establishing their bond. What the film misses is a chance to double down on the flaws and virtues of its other main characters, despite making it a point to allude to them. For instance, Joshua has a fixation on his social media presence, a characteristic loosely attributed to his age. Though Sonny verbally criticizes him for it, nothing about Joshua’s behavior reflects a drastic imbalance or obsession. A sequence where it overtly cost him something could drive the point home. Similarly, Kate is the first female technical director in Formula 1, stated many times during the film. While she discloses the occasional detail about her background, what has driven her to this point, and why winning is so important to her, her role in the film eventually becomes fluff and is more based around her romantic chemistry with Sonny (I’d say spoiler alert but anyone could see that coming). Moreover, Sonny’s reputation as a career underachiever giving one more go at it feels perplexing. For starters, he is coming off winning a major race, which would seem to be a major success. Secondly, he is crossing over into what is technically a different sport, which comes off as more experimental. And lastly, his main motivation to seize the opportunity is to rescue his friend’s financial and business prospects, which are going down the tube. These all make the characters confounding, even if the actors playing them do a stellar job. It’s almost as if the quest to make the characters look cool got in the way of them experiencing sincere rock bottoms. F1: The Movie provides the necessary thrills and intensity that is meant to be the main draw. As has been recited by those in the industry , the concept of the movie star has slowly disappeared. In a strange way, this blockbuster release feels like a needle in a haystack, relying on stars in a way many big-budget films do not anymore. While the film is inconsistent in its character-building, it delivers on its core promise. And for bonus points, it takes the same actor who played this lunatic and sticks him in a dapper suit for two and a half hours. 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 Old Oak suggests another path towards harmony StudioCanal, 2023 113 minutes Director/Writer: Ken Loach / Paul Laverty Reading Time: 6 minutes The Old Oak Spring Unfolds (G7NYPT90IMRWOG46) 00:00 / 07:48 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Chamomile: Family dramas Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Reba Chaisson 2024-06-29 There’s nothing like underestimating people because they hail from a culture different than our own. Indeed, it reminds me of the identities imposed on Indigenous Peoples by the newcomers in the 17th century. Because of differences in appearance and the practicing of certain customs, Pilgrims viewed Native Americans as “savages” who needed taming, and that those who resisted needed eliminating. More than four centuries later, the tendency to view unfamiliar people as something other than human lingers. Ken Loach’s film, The Old Oak , helps us see that there is another way. Set in Northern England, The Old Oak centers on a present-day working class Irish enclave, where childhood friends grew to become adult neighbors. TJ Ballentyne (Dave Turner) is the 50-something year-old proprietor of the struggling Old Oak tavern, fraught with problems like a broken sign, unreliable plumbing, and an unused reception room filled with memorabilia that makes the space resemble a forgotten attic. All is good until what many in the community view as “trouble” comes to town in the form of immigrants pushed out of war-torn Syria, needing a new place to call home. The unwelcoming committee consists of a patron of The Old Oak who comes out to gawk at the newcomers as they exit their bus. In addition to the usual racist jibes, the grown man snatches a child’s Nikon-era camera and purposefully drops it on the ground, destroying both the camera and its contents. In terms of demographics, the neighborhood around The Old Oak reminds me of that in the HBO series, Mare of Easttown . It is predominantly White with an appearance here and there of persons of color. Also, like Mare of Easttown , The Old Oak consists largely of overcast skies with a hint of early fall weather. Here though, the weather seems to suggest pervasive hardship in the community. The poor condition of TJ’s tavern and patrons’ frequent complaints about mine closures and barely getting by indicate that the town has fallen on hard times. Thus, the weather plays a role in the film, serving as an intervening variable to help explain the resistance of some residents to their new neighbors. While this can be viewed as an excuse for the behavior of some, the community members make familiar points about immigrants not being taken to more affluent areas to live, where the utility infrastructure, schools, and housing resources are relatively plentiful. Finally, unlike Mare of Easttown , the characters in The Old Oak lack energy. Even those who are vindictive have sedate personalities despite their sharp tongues. What adds a bit of energy to the movie is 20-something-year-old Yara (Ebla Mari), who demonstrates tenacity and spunk when she enters the tavern looking for the bully who broke her camera. Covering for his patron, TJ offers to purchase a new camera, but Yara insists (paraphrasing) “I don’t want a new one, I want this one.” Yara’s assertiveness is contrary to the quiet and docile demeanor we have come to expect of newly arriving residents. Here, her action constitutes a subtle but likely empowering moment for people pushed out of their homelands into a new country that is hostile towards them. She, in effect, symbolizes the importance of immigrants’ getting past the fear of the new, so that townspeople are forced to see them as human too. Sometimes, what is construed as racist is really a reflection of cultural dissonance. For instance, when Yara helps a sick girl home, the mother arrives and angrily kicks Yara out. Some might view the mother’s behavior as racist, but it is also a normal response from a parent who finds an unfamiliar adult in her home with her kids. Culturally, Yara likely did not view entering the home as a problem; after all, she was just helping the young girl. But out of deference to the culture she has entered into, she needs, in essence, to learn to respect the space and privacy of the residents. Thank goodness for the gun restrictions in Britain, or this situation could have ended very badly. What The Old Oak conveys is the significance that food and sharing a table with others can have in making connections. This is exemplified in a scene where Yara and her mother, Fatima (Amna Al Ali) bring food to TJ at his home after learning about a loss he experiences. TJ heads to the cabinet to retrieve three plates, when Fatima insists that he bring only one for himself. Perplexed, he does as he is told. After dishing the food onto his plate, Fatima tells him (paraphrasing) “Eat, don’t talk.” Confused, he complies. The director sits in this tender, generous moment as if to convey to us the power of silence at a shared table in achieving mutual understanding and grace. Indeed, the scene reminds me of the movie, Soul Food , where an African American family comes together every Sunday to share a meal of traditional soul food. This regular sharing of a meal strengthens their bond, even through tough times. As in Soul Food , the food and sharing of space in The Old Oak facilitates relationships and a deepening sense of appreciation for one another. To improve relations in the community, Yara suggests to TJ that they clean up the bar’s backroom and use it to cook and serve meals to anyone in the neighborhood who wishes to come by. Over time, we see people from across the community talking, sharing stories, and laughing while enjoying a meal. We feel tensions loosen between long-time residents and immigrants across age groups. Some people might describe The Old Oak as an idealistic story, but it is important to consider its context. The UK, for example, does not have the level of violence that we do here in the U.S. Ownership of weapons in the UK is severely restricted, and even Bobbies (British police officers) carry batons instead of guns. This leaves British residents to make use of their fists, knives, and verbal skills to deal with frustrations and conflicts. Because the likelihood of people surviving these forms of aggression is high relative to attacks with firearms, people can be less afraid to take risks. Also regarding context, the town in The Old Oak is a small one, which suggests that communication can occur by word of mouth or via local establishments where residents tend to gather. Announcements of regular get-togethers at a popular local establishment are productive in garnering decent crowds, which can grow over time and vary in attendees much like block parties, local festivals, kids’ activities, and gatherings at houses of worship in the neighborhoods of big cities. The familiarity gained by being in one another’s company while enjoying an activity loved by many (eating) is more likely to breed understanding and even affection, than alienation and contempt. While The Old Oak could benefit from more cultural diversity in the film, it successfully conveys another way of achieving harmony among neighbors. Like a dessert menu, it deserves consideration. 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!

Fair Use Policy Fair Use Notice The movies and TV series listed and discussed on the Cup of Tea Critiques website (https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/ ) are copyrighted productions. Cup of Tea Critiques refers to them for the purposes of social commentary and constructive criticism of the productions’ content, which constitutes "fair use" as codified in section 107 of U.S. Copyright law.

< Back They Cloned Tyrone serves as a self-aware hodgepodge of its biggest influences Federal Films, 2023 122 minutes Director/Writer: Tony Rettenmaier / Juel Taylor Reading Time: 5 minutes They Cloned Tyrone Enough Said (H8TYLJFIJ9GJWSB6) 00:00 / 05:10 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Matcha: Mysteries or whodunnits White: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Chris Chaisson 2023-08-26 If you have self-proclaimed independent thinkers in your social circle, you have probably heard the expression “simulation theory” before; maybe more times than you care to. However, the sentiment that we are living in a universe where our decision making and life paths are programmable and even predetermined has been growing for quite a few years now . Such a theory is impossible to prove, lending to endless speculation from conspiracy theorists. There is obvious privilege in even entertaining such theories, as no one struggling to make ends meet can bother to care about a question with no definitive answer. It is nonetheless fun to opine over, and a more provable hypothesis is that of how images in news and media shape our opinions, particularly regarding communities with whom we have little to no interaction. Director Juel Taylor’s new Netflix feature They Cloned Tyrone presents a universe where individuality is intentionally suppressed. They Cloned Tyrone follows Fontaine, Slick and Yo-Yo, a drug dealer, pimp and prostitute thrust together in an effort to discover why Fontaine seems to have survived a fatal encounter. Upon finding an underground lab in the basement of what appears to be a dope house, they discover that an organization is cloning Black personalities who occupy stereotypical traits. On top of this science experiment, they find that the same organization is performing hypnosis on the Black community through their food supply and their nightlife entertainment to mold them into a monolithic group. Shaken by the abrupt revelation, the three decide to fight back and expose the truth to the world. This Blaxploitation-influenced mystery hardly serves as the first film to entertain conspiracy theorists. In no uncertain terms, it pays homage to cult classics like A Clockwork Orange, The Matrix , and the more recent horror film, Us . It ponders similar questions to the others, such as “Are we living in a simulation?” or “Are we under constant surveillance?” More specifically, They Cloned Tyrone dives into exactly what its title suggests, which is that powerful organizations may be cloning personalities that reinforce negative stereotypes by manipulating their memories. Fontaine becomes aware of what he represents and must come to grips with his own lack of uniqueness. Along with Slick and Yo-Yo, he realizes that how he reacts to these revelations may allow him to claim and retain his individuality, even if it makes him a threat to the status quo. As previously stated, They Cloned Tyrone is not the first film centered around characters discovering their own programmed behavior and the conspiracy behind it. Nonetheless, the movie manages to find its own lane in its visual stylistic choices. Despite taking place in the present day, its cinematography and costume design are modeled after the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Shaft, Super Fly, Blacula, and Willie Dynamite are a few of the more popular titles for those unfamiliar with the movement. Though the genre is applauded for making Black people the central focus of its stories rather than ancillary characters, Blaxploitation films were also castigated for perpetuating negative stereotypes that associated Black people with crime. This duality makes it a perfect style for They Cloned Tyrone to adopt, and the costuming, hair and makeup, and cinematography mirror that ‘70s look to a tee. Even with the film’s technical accomplishments, it takes strong acting and great comedic timing to overshadow the film’s weaknesses. Fontaine appears in virtually every scene, and after the first 20 minutes or so, Slick and Yo-Yo are never far behind. John Boyega, Teyonah Paris and Jamie Foxx exhibit their undeniable chemistry throughout the film’s two-hour running time. Additionally, other cast members in the film, such as Keifer Sutherland and David Alan Grier, have proven track records of delivering in multiple genres, specifically comedy. In particular, Foxx and Paris deliver punch lines with the same cadence and inflection that many Blaxploitation actors of the past had mastered. Merging an older style with a contemporary film certainly requires adept on screen talent, and They Cloned Tyrone accomplishes this with its shrewd casting. The most direct comparisons to this Netflix original have already been stated. To go off the beaten path, They Cloned Tyrone also resembles a 1960s-political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate . In this conspiracy theory film, a prisoner of war is brainwashed into attempting an assassination of a U.S. presidential candidate who is considered a threat to Communism. While less tied to the government, Tyrone addresses the same overarching theme of social engineering and influential powers dictating our every move. 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!