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

< Back Product Manager Apply Now San Francisco, CA, USA Job Type Full Time Workspace On-Site About the Role This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Requirements This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. About the Company This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. You can create as many collections as you need. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own, or import content from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, videos and more. You can also collect and store information from your site visitors using input elements like custom forms and fields. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Preview your site to check that all your elements are displaying content from the right collection fields. Apply Now

< Back The Royal Hotel paints the slippery slope of toxic male behavior See-Saw Films, 2023 91 minutes Director/Writer: Oscar Redding / Kitty Green Reading Time: 6 minutes The Royal Hotel Quiet Desperation Part 2 (SYYIRAK1LRXPB8EA) 00:00 / 06:30 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Chris Chaisson 2023-10-12 A couple of years ago, I went on a cross-country trip with a group of four friends on a school bus (long story). At one point, we stopped at a remote motel in the middle of Nebraska and noticed a couple of strangers scoping out our vehicle, which had all of our stuff in it. Two of my friends, both female, stayed outside at one point to watch the bus, and I felt compelled to also stand guard. When I joined them, one said, “Chris…are you watching us watch the bus?” I very dryly replied, “Yeah.” As we continued our conversation, she mentioned a study she read showing that significantly more women than men feel uncomfortable in social settings . It was a sobering reality that did not surprise me at all to hear. This conversation came to mind as I watched Kitty Green’s new suspenseful indie, The Royal Hotel . This See-Saw Films production follows Hanna (Julia Garner, Ozark ) and Liv (Jessica Henwick, Glass Onion ), two backpacking Canadian friends who decide to vacation in Australia. Their travel agent sets them up at a rural bar attached to a hotel that is just outside a mining town. In order to save money for their vacation, they agree to bartend at the pub for a few weeks. Once they arrive and begin working, they discover that the regulars at the bar are not only rowdy but dangerous and predatory. As they debate whether to stay or go, they find themselves in compromising situations night after night with steadily heightening stakes. The Royal Hotel stands as a strong examination of drinking culture and toxic masculinity’s impacts on women. While it comes off as a thriller with horror elements, there is nothing fantastical or escapist about it. Many women have personal stories that resemble any one of the encounters that happen in the movie. What the film illustrates is how mildly bad behavior can escalate to dangerous and criminal based on environment, state of mind and familiarity. On their first night, Hanna and Liv tolerate crass jokes, demanding patrons and spontaneous bar top dancing. As the male regulars get more comfortable, their behavior quickly turns to sexual advances, harassment, and violence. Hanna in particular goes from feeling annoyed and angered on the first few nights to severely frightened. She fails to convince Liv to flee the town early on, paving the way for the tumultuous days that follow. Liv serves as the more forgiving character who parrots catchphrases and enabling language that excuse bad behavior. When Hanna says that she does not trust one of the volatile bar regulars, Liv says, “He’s just lonely” and “Why can’t you just give him a chance?” These are phrases often aimed at women who reject men’s advances and get held accountable for how poorly the men take it. Similarly, when Hanna is ready to leave right away, Liv says, “Let’s just put up with it for a few more weeks.” Her comment highlights how women are faced with the choices of tolerating bad behavior or leaving rather than men being forced to behave more appropriately. While the co-leads are female, the film also consists of male characters that encapsulate different aspects of toxic masculinity. One of the regulars at the bar plies Liv with drinks on multiple occasions, hoping to get her away from the sober and protective Hanna and into his car. In one particular scene, he yells at an older couple who turns down his offer to pay for another round of their champagne, highlighting the unhealthy aspect of drinking culture that refuses to accept moderation from others. Another character, normally more subdued and polite than his fellow patrons, violently protects Liv from harm, but only because he views her as a prize. This occurs days after he asks her out in front of the other patrons, a common lose-lose situation female bartenders are frequently placed in. Billy, the bar owner played by Hugo Weaving ( The Matrix ), enables his patrons’ unruly behavior by refusing to confront them. He also suffers from substance abuse himself, leading to confrontations with his assistant manager and neglecting to pay his vendor for several months at a time. Rather than having any male character exist as a paragon of virtue, the patrons in The Royal Hotel display differing traits that contribute to the same larger problem. Their behaviors are consistently egged on by one another in the spirit of having a good time, and while their actions begin as micro-aggressions, they spiral into much more obvious, destructive and threatening conduct. An important scene occurs when Liv interacts with the Aboriginal vendor (Baykali Ganambarr, The Nightingale ) as he unloads his truck. While unspoken, it is obvious he understands the climate of the bar and what troubles she and Hanna. When Liv invites him to stick around for the night, he is immediately discouraged by one of the patrons helping to unload the truck. Obvious to both him and Liv is that if he joins them in The Royal Hotel, he will be ostracized and possibly harmed based on the color of his skin. Even when Liv connects with a purely intentioned male character, he is essentially scared away. Thus, she and Hanna are never accompanied by a sobering presence that can highlight how problematic everyone else’s behavior is. The Royal Hotel would best be described as a psychological thriller and resembles the generally unsafe ambiances of folk horror films like Midsommar or Deliverance . However, it does not take place in a universe that’s easy to dismiss as high concept or surreal. Rather, the drinking culture and misogyny displayed are very grounded in reality. The community depicted in The Royal Hotel is isolated, but these same interactions happen in other environments as well. The film’s pervasively ominous atmosphere is most similar to the 1970s Dustin Hoffman film Straw Dogs . In that film, a couple visits the wife’s childhood town in rural England and encounters strange, threatening behavior from the townsfolk, many of whom are heavy drinkers. The same groupthink and substance abuse drives the action in both stories and shows that general rowdiness can quickly devolve into life-and-death scenarios. 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 Nobody is Crazy takes societal norms to task with humor and a light touch Vendetta Furiosa, 2022 104 minutes Director/Writer: Federico J. Arioni Reading Time: 6 minutes Nobody is Crazy Today is Your Day (EGAIQRQSFMG7GYPP) 00:00 / 07:54 📷 : Used with permission, Federico J. Arioni Barley: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2024-03-22 Nobody is Crazy is about Rafael, a teenager who feels like an outsider because of his difficulties with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Exacerbating his struggles is his mother’s plan to send him to military school if he does not take steps to improve his social life. While ditching his self-help group, he stumbles upon a jovial, mid 20-something masked man who describes himself as a time-traveler named, “Nobody.” Viewing him as “crazy,” Rafael, played by Manuel Gutierrez ( Por un puñado de pesos ), is skeptical, but the two nonetheless quickly become friends. They are later joined by Daria (Lara Ammi Wheeler), an early 20-something who is smitten by Nobody and intrigued by his mask, philosophical nature, and outgoing personality. The three spend time together roller skating, playing pool, and lightly challenging one another at arcade games. Set in Argentina, Nobody is Crazy is available with English subtitles and shot mostly outdoors during the daytime in the warm, sunny, and dry weather of Neuquén. The set design is flat and non‑descript, which is perhaps strategic on the part of filmmaker Federico J. Arioni in his effort to convey the emptiness that is Rafael’s social life. The buildings in the scenes have no names or distinct markers. The lone boat on the water makes the lake itself appear forgotten by its population. Even the arcade, which in the U.S. is typically full of young people running about, consists of only a handful of folks, including the staff. Ironically, Nobody is Crazy heavily centers on the character whose name suggests unimportance, but Nobody, played by Federico J. Arioni, has a lot of important things to share. So much so that in some ways, it feels as if we are listening to a high-energy philosopher proudly regurgitating his vast knowledge to a captive audience. In this case, it is largely Rafael, an audience of one who is a lonely and naïve kid just pleased that someone notices him – even if he doesn’t know who this person is or why he has taken an interest in him. Because Nobody’s dialog is extensive, a richer set design could have given depth to the film and enhanced the viewing and listening experience. Budget limitations notwithstanding, I imagine some low-cost options exist in proximity to Neuquén province to give a glimpse of Argentina’s uniqueness. Villa Traful, for instance, has a beautiful landscape that includes a view of a mountain range, so just imagine this as a backdrop for some of the more poignant dialog in the film. Junín de los Andes has trails for hiking and horseback riding, so consider two members of the trio as skilled riders and the other as hesitant. Dinosaurs roamed in Cañadón Escondido, so scenes of the three gazing in wonder at fossils and planting their feet inside dinosaur footprints would be both awe-inspiring and fun to see. Scenes such as these hold the potential to add depth to the on-screen visuals and the dimensionality of the characters. The actions themselves constitute bonding moments, much more so than playing arcade games, throwing rocks in a lake, and talking in front of a building with no people present. These give us very little sensory information to gradually construct the emotional context needed to connect with the characters and their predicaments throughout the film. Nobody is Crazy comes close to presenting an enriching experience when the three friends visit an art gallery and several shots of them are shown in different formations, much like those in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ( Ferris Bueller ). In this regard, Nobody is Crazy strives to mimic the wildly successful film that has maintained its popularity since its release in 1986. In Ferris Bueller , two guys and a girl ditch school to hang out together and do random things, including sharing funny moments at an art gallery. However, the lead in Ferris Bueller takes several actions that are daring, entertaining, and allow space for other characters to get involved. The trio go to a baseball game, where Cameron (Alan Ruck), Bueller’s depressed friend, releases his inhibitions with “Hey Batter Batter. S-wing Batter Batter.” They eat at a posh restaurant and are forced to dodge Bueller’s father, who happens to arrive there for lunch. Finally, Bueller jumps atop a float going through downtown Chicago, grabs the microphone and sings “Twist and Shout,” interspersed with funny shots of folks dancing on the streets and in their offices. Undoubtedly, the budget for Ferris Bueller was much bigger than that for Nobody is Crazy . Let’s face it; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was a John Hughes movie! Still, the beautiful, natural areas surrounding Neuquén had the potential to add depth to Nobody is Crazy , which could have gone a long way in enhancing the viewing experience and connecting us to the story and characters. Rafael is presented in the film as having OCD, but other than the two watches he wears, we quickly forget that he has this disorder. While it has a wide range of manifestations, OCD is typically revealed through obvious patterns of repetitive behaviors, such as an obsession about cleanliness which leads to a compulsion to frequently wash your hands. This happens once in the film and only because Nobody tells Rafael that he hasn’t exercised his compulsion in a while. The Mayo Clinic , though, describes OCD as a disorder that takes up a great deal of time, reduces the person’s quality of life, and gets in the way of their daily routines and responsibilities. Thus, the idea that Rafael is cured of his OCD after spending a few hours with Nobody and Daria or that he has to be reminded of his compulsion is a distortion. The disorder isn’t realistically depicted in the film, which suggests that it is presented in the story as a convenient way to understand Rafael’s predicament. It’s unfortunate, though, that the disorder is not addressed with more authenticity here, as people dealing with OCD are rarely depicted on‑screen in humanizing ways. Not addressing it as such in the movie was a missed opportunity. Despite Nobody is Crazy ’s shortcomings, the movie carries some very strong themes, and we don’t have to work hard to figure them out since they are evident in the dialog. Nobody notes that “some crazinesses are more accepted than others,” later adding that people who talk to themselves, lie, or have a gambling addiction are considered “normal.” “We’re all crazy,” he says; “what matters is what kind of crazy you are.” Sociology deals quite a bit with cultural norms and the degree to which we label people as deviant because they do not conform to them. Specialists in the field begin their critique of deviance with the question of who gets to establish the norms. Who is the authority that gets to decide what is normal and what is not, particularly in societies that are diverse on so many human dimensions and cultural traditions? Throughout this film, Nobody is conducting this same critique — taking the label of “crazy” to task because Rafael is alienated by others’ assumptions of him as an outcast because of his disorder. Rather than dealing with it though, Nobody encourages Rafael to escape it, screw it. Hmmm. I’m not sure that’s the answer either. Then again, I’m probably crazy myself. But I’m good with that — for now. 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 Opus poses questions about tribalism and the allure of fame A24, 2025 103 minutes Director/Writer: Mark Anthony Green Reading Time: 6 minutes Opus Feast (9L5SNPNTMM9NAGCF) 00:00 / 06:08 📷 : Pixabay Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Oolong: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Chris Chaisson 2025-03-14 Fandom creates communities. Whether it’s for a sports team, a movie franchise, or a pop star, people form lifetime bonds over their shared love for a source of entertainment. It can rear its ugly head just as quickly when fans assume the role of protector. We’ve seen online bullying and doxing when writers criticize Taylor Swift, or fights and verbal abuse break out at Raiders games. Tribalism has a strong hold on anyone who feels the need to belong and can evoke criminal behavior from otherwise mellow, well-intentioned beings. What makes it worse? When the worshipped entity contributes to and encourages the behavior; maybe even demands it. First-time writer/director Mark Anthony Green tackles this phenomenon in the new A24 movie Opus . Ariel (Ayo Edebiri, The Bear ) is a magazine writer in her late 20’s who wants to have her breakthrough story. When her friend points out that she is lacking the life experience necessary for a gripping perspective, Ariel feels compelled to join her boss Stan (Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus ) on a retreat to the compound of a former pop star, Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich, Burn After Reading ), who is releasing new music. His expansive resort exists in an isolated location, over 50 miles away from civilization. Upon arriving there, Ariel notices strange behavior from the fan community that has assimilated. Combined with the removal of their communication devices, she realizes that she, Stan, and a few other professionals from the outside world may be in grave danger. Can she figure out a way to escape? While Opus evolves into a suspenseful thriller, Mark Anthony Green takes full advantage of the comedic talents his cast possesses. For the first hour, Ayo Edebiri effectively plays the straight man in a comedy skit. Her compadres, including Stan, an entertainer named Clara Armstrong (Juliette Lewis, Yellowjackets ) and social media influencer Emily (Stephanie Suganami, Something from Tiffany's ) find themselves seduced by Alfred’s charisma and entertainment skills, while Ariel has her guard up from the very beginning. Several humorous moments ensue, like when a concierge tails her for a morning jog, mirroring her strides only a few steps behind. Similarly, another of Alfred’s cohorts wants to give Ariel a makeover and asks her an invasive question about her shaving habits. The humor escalates when Alfred later performs his single on stage with all the newcomers and unveils several suggestive dance moves while wearing an unorthodox costume. The camera flashes to close-ups on the surrounding fans entranced by the beat and repetitive lyrics. Even when it is evident the vibes will eventually take a sharp turn, the behavior of Alfred and his fans, met with Ariel’s skepticism, provides several big laughs. Opus quickly approaches the point of no return, where the comedy falls away and Alfred’s fans prove themselves capable of violence. Knowing that she and the others are being surveyed full time, she sneaks away through a window to recover her phone and computer. The somewhat friendly but overbearing concierge kicks her bedroom door in to look for her and finds her missing. The aggressive act and thud of her kick marks the end of the comedic part of the film and beginning of the horror and suspense. When Ariel realizes that she will not be escorted out but will instead have to run, hide and fight, the movie shifts to a darker mood and the action ensues. This part of the film still provides a couple of laughs but also more gore and suspense. Ultimately, it feels rushed and somewhat clunky. Like a gymnastics routine, films are ultimately judged by their dismount. Many moviegoers will question Opus ’s ending, which ironically enough seems to question us. Even if we can be observers of toxic fandom and ruminate over its effects, can we just as easily partake in it and even wish to be the object of it? Most of us want to be considered remarkable whether we are or not, meaning we can both be seduced by the fame of others and want it for ourselves. While we are all familiar with the idea of a cult in its most literal form, we readily join more subtle and assimilated versions of cults surrounding our favorite entertainers. Do we draw a line in how committed we are to them? It remains an individual choice; some of us choose different places to draw the line and others don’t draw it at all. Even when we think we have, we may jump at the chance to elevate our own status and influence others to be fanatics just the same. Opus incorporates intentional humor into its premise better than many other like-minded films. Movies that it may bring to mind include A24 predecessor Midsommar , as well as the 1970s film The Wicker Man and its more farcical 2006 remake featuring Nicolas Cage. A more recent work tackling the same subject was the Amazon Prime Original Swarm about a fan obsessed with a modern-day pop star. Opus chooses the more literal portrayal of a cult and features a dated pop star, which highlights just how much of a grip fame can have on fans, even long after a celebrity’s heyday. It holds a mirror up to us in the same way as Swarm while placing us in an environment like Midsommar and The Wicker Man . Though it provides a few more laughs thanks to well-timed gags and a very capable cast, Opus leaves us with some food for thought as well. 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< Back Our Son centers the pain of a break-up with an atypical couple Tigresa, 2023 104 minutes Director/Writer: Bill Oliver / Peter Nickowitz and Bill Oliver Reading Time: 5 minutes Our Son A Father's Love (SBPKC2XMTQYWW7G6) 00:00 / 06:08 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Honeybush: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Reba Chaisson 2023-12-14 Our lives can get messy. What even our closest friends see and hear doesn’t reveal what’s underneath the façade masking the messiness of our realities. But I guess it depends how closely we hold our friends. In the movie, Our Son , Gabriel and Nicky are married with an 8-year-old son named Owen. To their relatives and friends, they appear to be a happy family. But while Gabriel is close to his son, he no longer feels close to Nicky. A stay-at-home dad, Gabriel is the prototypical homemaker: cooking, cleaning, walking Owen to and from school, dealing with the PTA (Bless him!), and comforting him in time of need. Nicky is a successful publishing executive who works outside the home to financially support the family. The two share a tight-knit group of friends with whom they regularly get together for dinner, special events, and just hanging out. Hints of problems in Gabriel and Nicky’s relationship appear as they initially exchange small slights in private, which then evolve into larger put-downs in front of their friends. Owen, while generally a happy child, senses a breakdown of the harmony at home as he overhears the two arguing more and more frequently, despite their efforts to keep it down. When one of them files for divorce, what was once a tightly woven relationship begins to unravel and the pain experienced by everyone in proximity to them becomes palpable, even to us in the audience. I can remember a visit to the emergency room when I was in severe abdominal pain, so much so that I would not allow the doctor to touch me. It doesn’t make sense, but we rarely do when we are in excruciating pain. We get a sense of the emotional parallel to this when Gabriel insists that he and Nicky tell Owen that they are splitting up. Nicky responds by promptly kicking Gabriel out of the house. Incredulous, Gabriel asks, “Are you serious?” Nicky angrily points to the door, “Go, now.” Nicky stands in the foyer as Gabriel very slowly puts on his slippers, opens the door, and turns to look at Nicky in disbelief before walking through the threshold and softly closing the door behind him. Similar scenes in dramatic films are usually performed fast, in fits of anger with raised voices, and ending with the slamming of a door, as in the 2010 film, Blue Valentine . The absence of such histrionics in Our Son is undoubtedly by design, so the audience is permitted the time to sit in the scene and feel the pain of the deep emotional wounds often associated with divorce. This tactic is not unique to this film, though, as it can be found in other compassionate works on the subject, such as the 2019 release, Marriage Story starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, and the 2021 HBO mini-series, Scenes from a Marriage , with Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac. True to form for stories about divorce, there is some yelling. But yelling neither dominates nor defines these pieces so exquisitely crafted to depict the pain and dynamics of the break-up of a marriage. Another major distinction between Our Son and other films about divorce is that the lead characters are a gay couple rather than heterosexual . I love this switch. Indeed, one of my pet peeves about films with LGBTQ+ individuals and communities is their tendency to center the story on the people rather than the problem that needs to be solved. Think Boys in the Band , The Miseducation of Cameron Post , and numerous other films. In contrast to these, Our Son focuses on divorce as the dilemma requiring a resolution. This is a refreshing contrast from past films because it presents LGBTQ+ individuals and families dealing with the same kinds of issues and struggles that others do – the most fundamental of which is keeping their families safe and intact. Phylicia Rashad makes an appearance in Our Son as Gabriel’s loving mother, who reminds him that despite their differences, Nicky, played by Luke Evans ( Beauty and the Beast , The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug ), is someone he cares deeply about. The two, however, are at odds over who gets custody of Owen - Nicky who says he “can support him financially in the way he has become accustomed,” or Gabriel, played by Billy Porter ( Pose , Fairfax ), who feels it is appropriate since he has been “Owen’s primary caretaker since he was born.” These are not atypical claims for fractured families who live middle-class lifestyles, such as those with college degrees, low to mid-six-figure incomes, and multi-story homes in communities with Blue Ribbon public schools. This is the context of Gabriel and Nicky’s existence, which leaves one to wonder if such a story about divorce would be appealing within a different set of socioeconomic circumstances - a movie, for example, about the divorce of a working-class couple (same-sex or heterosexual) presented in a similarly humane and palpable way. For working-class families, such stories are rarely central to the film, and when they are, they tend to be presented as modern-day comedies ( Crazy, Stupid, Love. Def initely, Maybe ) or tragedies ( Safe Haven , Enough ). In this respect, Our Son depicts more of the middle-class lifestyle often presented in film and television. Despite the social-class rub, Peter Nickowitz and Bill Oliver’s moving piece does an excellent job of maintaining the focus not on the couple’s sexual orientation, but on the unimaginable yet relatable pain that is part and parcel of the break-up of a love that once was. This is needed to help us remain mindful that these are people’s lives and the sh**’s real no matter the couple’s sexual orientation. 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 Killers of the Flower Moon tells an intense but necessary story Appian Way, 2023 206 minutes Director/Writer: Martin Scorsese / Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese, David Grann Reading Time: 5 minutes Killers of the Flower Moon Altar Call (PAGLJGCDIPFBYQHN) 00:00 / 06:29 📷 : Used with permission, Matt Needle Design & Illustration https://www.instagram.com/needledesign/ https://twitter.com/needledesign https://www.mattneedle.co.uk/ Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Yarrow: Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Reba Chaisson 2023-11-20 Factual stories are compelling, sad, angering, and at times exhilarating. Based on David Grann’s 2017 best seller, the movie, Killers of the Flower Moon , is all these things. Set in the 1920s, Director Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon highlights the widespread conspiracy to extort money from an Indigenous American tribe in Oklahoma. After striking it rich from oil found on their land, members of the Osage Nation lived in luxury. Many had automobiles, horse-drawn carriages with drivers, furs to keep them warm, and large multi-level homes with fireplaces and servants. The idea of wealthy “Indians'' didn't sit well with White citizens near or far. So, paternalistic structures were put into place to force Osage to see “the man” any time they wanted to withdraw money – and requiring them to justify the amount of their request. White people with influence, like sheriffs, local politicians, and prominent community members, devised schemes for White men to marry Osage women as a way to partake in the family’s wealth. Soon after marrying, the women began to fall ill with what the local doctors described as “wasting,” a mysterious ailment symptomized by weakness, lack of appetite, and eventual death. It seems that to avoid sharing the wealth at all, the men slowly and methodically killed their brides to inherit the wealth exclusively. The film reveals the boldness of this pursuit, as one scene depicts a White man presenting a hypothetical to a lawyer of his plans to do just that. Paraphrasing: “You realize by telling me this you are telling me you plan to do this, right?” says the lawyer. “Right,” says the man matter of factly. “So, can I do it?” This epic film stirs a range of emotions. For one, it feels good to see Osage citizens basking in the yields of the resources from their lands. Understanding this means knowing that the U.S. has a very long history of exploiting Indigenous groups: attempted genocide through war and intentional exposure to disease ( smallpox blankets ), forced assimilation practices through Indian boarding schools , and the habitual breaking of treaties. It also has a history of relocating Indigenous groups from valuable lands that the groups rightfully own. So yes, it feels good to see a film that shows this group triumph and display the accoutrements of wealth. The second emotion stirred by the film is the way in which Indigenous Americans are represented. Historically, the groups are presented speaking in monosyllabic utterances and situated opposite White people with little if any negotiating power. Such is not the case in Killers of the Flower Moon , as the Osage Nation has economic leverage. This, however, goes only so far when we realize that wealth does not necessarily translate to political influence when the money is held by a marginalized group. So, the stirring of emotions slows as the insidious nature of the schemes, the scale of the conspiracies, and the breadth and magnitude of the crimes become evident, and the ability to do something about them amounts to the equivalent of using a banana to drive a nail into a wall. Starring Al Pacino as William Hale and Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, Killers of the Flower Moon is led with star power. But the strength of other performances in this film deserves mention as well. Lily Gladstone ( Fancy Dance , The Unknown Country ) who plays Mollie Burkhart, Ernest Burkhart’s wife, delivers a powerful performance as she balances her love for self and her Osage identity with her love for her husband and family. Ernest, however, is caught between his overbearing Uncle Will (Pacino) and his genuine love for his wife - and he must figure out where his loyalties lie. Mollie’s mother Lizzie Q, played by Tantoo Cardinal ( Wind River , Shouting Secrets ), is “old-school” Indigenous American, as she distrusts White men and sees Osage women dying not long after marrying them. “It is not wasting,” she insists. “They are being killed.” But as with many older adults today, few if any young people listen to Lizzie Q or believe what she says, not even her own children. Unlike older and even some newer films featuring Indigenous American characters (i.e. Geronimo (1962), The Lone Ranger (2013), numerous Westerns starring John Wayne), Killers of the Flower Moon is cast with Indigenous American actors. This serves the dual purpose of representing authentic Indigenous American identities on-screen and providing them with the space and the microphone to tell their own story. The result is a film that grabs the lapels of our humanity with both hands and shakes us to our core. I am saddened by the experiences of this group, but also by the fact that we are just now learning about such a travesty a century after it occurred. In terms of aesthetics, Killers of the Flower Moon brings to mind the 1965-69 television series, The Big Valley (a show my parents watched). Created by A.I. Bezzerides and Louis F. Edelman, the weekly hour-long Western is about a wealthy White family living in a big multi-level home on their California ranch in the late 19 th century. Fast forward 40 years, add automobiles, and change the setting from rural to urban, and you have the feel of Killers of the Flower Moon . The movie’s lighting is darker to reflect the subject matter, but Mollie’s home is similarly designed with a long staircase to the upper level. It does, however, feel less expansive due to the tight urban setting - and likely that Mollie’s money is new! Based on a true story, this film stirs a range of emotions as good films often do. If you can handle this intense experience, I encourage you to see Killers of the Flower Moon . It is an epic covering a piece of history we should know and never forget. 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 Society of the Snow encourages us to be grateful by keeping it real El Arriero Films, 2024 164 minutes Director/Writer: J. A. Bayona / J. A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, and Jaime Marques Reading Time: 6 minutes Society of the Snow La Guitarra Triste (TVJ38JUQQ7JHHYAA) 00:00 / 07:42 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Mint: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers Reba Chaisson 2024-01-24 We are good at saying what we would or would never do. After all, we’ve been doing it since we were six years old. But I’m not sure we have a clue what we would do if we found ourselves in the most desperate and unimaginable circumstances. This is the situation a group of early 20-somethings set to attend law school, medical school, and with aspirations for other careers, find themselves in when their plane crashes into South America’s Andes Mountains, the highest mountain range outside of Asia. Society of the Snow is a true story based on the October 1972 plane crash, which stranded 29 members of the Uruguayan amateur rugby team and their family members in the snowy Andes Mountains. With excruciating detail, director J. A. Bayona depicts what happens to airline passengers when control of a plane is lost, and it nosedives into the earth. Fair warning that these scenes are intense. Numa Turcatti, a popular player on the team played by Enzo Vogrincic ( Christian , A Twelve-Year Night ), uses occasional narration to tell the story from his perspective. Numa explains how the survivors organized themselves as a community. But the film’s sounds and visuals pull no punches in depicting the group as being exposed to nothing short of brutal cold and harsh weather over the 72 days that they are stranded. Uruguay carries fall temperatures in the 55 to 70-degree range. However, nighttime on the mountain is especially difficult, as the temperatures drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. So, what the survivors feel is a bone-chilling, excruciating cold, as evidenced by people screaming throughout the night due to the weather’s impact on their bodies. Taking shelter in what remains of the plane’s fuselage, survivors pull out the seats and carefully remove the bodies of their family members and friends to make a temporary home that doubles as a hospital for those who are injured. Without gloves or shovels to help shift the snow to cover their loved ones’ bodies, the young men use their bare hands, pieces of broken metal from the plane, and whatever else they can find. They adapt suitcases and blankets as weather stripping to seal breaches in the fuselage to block the wind and blowing snow. This is something we think very little about when at home, since sealing windows and doors entail a simple walk or short drive to the local hardware store for supplies. The survivors’ efforts to create a semblance of secure shelter for themselves make us consider what life was like before modern shovels and ditch digging machines. Layers are important when it’s cold, so they put on whatever additional clothing they can find, and they get frustrated when viable shoes and boots don’t fit their feet. Each savors his lone cracker per day as if eating the perfect cut of filet mignon, escaping for just that sliver of a moment the thought that they must stretch the food supply until they are rescued. Many families in Western societies stretch food, but rarely if ever to this extreme, nor because of a real fear of starvation. The survivors’ self-rationing is not motivated by a need to save money. Rather, it is a conscious focus on literally surviving. Still, their numbers continue to dwindle from injuries and exposure. When they run out of food, their urine turns black, and reality sets in that their rescue is not imminent, the young men are faced with a decision that tests their lifelong commitment to their Christian faith. Should they eat the bodies of the dead for nourishment in order to survive? Society of the Snow reminds me of other films about people stranded on mountains after plane crashes. I think of Hany Abu-Assad’s 2017 movie, The Mountain Between Us , where a small plane crash-lands in Utah’s snowy Uinta Mountains. Starring Kate Winslet as Alex Martin and Idris Elba as Ben Bass, the story feels like one about the need for immediate survival, with several intense scenes of the pair fending off a mountain lion and desperately searching for a way out of the wilderness with one of them severely injured. Although the two travelers do not know one another, they come together to support and protect each other, bonding as they go along. Researchers who study disaster write extensively about this phenomenon of closeness and community that naturally develops out of disaster. Scientists, who have not made each other’s acquaintance, for instance, collaborated across oceans to develop a cure for COVID-19. Time and time again, everyday folks help pull people they don’t know from rubble left by hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Researchers explain that this is due to the need for social connection in times of disaster. It is true that the passengers on Uruguay flight 571 on October 13, 1972 already knew one another and enjoyed a sense of community, but their experiences together on the mountain became their shared connective tissue. Alex and Ben in The Mountain Between Us were strangers until that fateful day, and yet, from their disaster, a bond between them was forever forged. Unlike Society of the Snow , The Mountain Between Us is a fictional story, so other than the cold and the mountains, we wouldn’t think the films share anything significant, but they do. News media simply informs us that a plane has crashed and occasionally the reports are accompanied with distant images of the aftermath – the fuselage here, the tail there, a wheel found in a family’s backyard or a farmer’s cornfield. When possible, reporters interview survivors days, weeks, or months after the crash when they look no worse for wear. These limited (and dare I say selective) pieces convey the sense that while some lives were lost and some people suffered catastrophic injuries, everything turned out alright, as can be seen from the survivors they present to us. But after watching Society of the Snow , we realize that these news reports and images wash over what are actually horrific crashes and unfathomable experiences for the passengers – those who perished as well as those who survived. There are still some who say “yuk,” “blasphemy,” and “heathen” when they consider what some of these young men did to extend their lives for 72 days. Little is said, though, about the ingenuity of the men in sewing together pieces of insulation to create a sleeping bag. Or in their cooperation with one another in rationing their food supply so everyone had a chance. Or in Nando and Roberto (Agustín Pardella and Matías Recalt, respectively) enduring a days-long walk in the cold and snow with busted shoes on a quest to save themselves and their now extended family. None of us can fathom enduring the kinds of conditions that would lead us to the level of desperation that prompted these young men to do the things that they did. Let’s pray, hope, and pray again that we and our loved ones never have to find out what we'd do, firsthand. 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 Rez Ball presents Native American teens as just being teens Wise Entertainment, 2024 111 minutes Director/Writer: Sydney Freeland / Sydney Freeland, Sterlin Harjo, and Michael Powell Reading Time: 6 minutes Rez Ball Edge of Victory (ZOGDBQHT38I3VE25) 00:00 / 08:08 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Masala Chai: Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Honeybush: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Reba Chaisson 2024-10-24 My husband often says that the thing about basketball is all you have to do is get a basketball, hang a hoop on a pole and you can play. Heck, Naismith first suggested a peach basket! Many great careers have been launched with this low tech, low overhead approach to playing basketball. Lebron James’s career is one of those. Heard of him? In addition to being a future hall-of-fame player, he is one of the producers of Rez Ball , a fictional story of high school basketball on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico. Kauchani Bratt (nephew of Benjamin Bratt) plays Jimmy, the promising, contemplative star guard on the Chuska High School Warriors, who along with his best friend and team leader, Nataanii (Kusem Goodwind), make the Warriors the pride of the Chuska community. Like many young and gifted athletes, both kids aspire to play ball in college. But when Nataanii experiences a personal loss, he loses the joy and excitement teen athletes typically have when competing in sports. Still, Jimmy, his teammates, and the rest of the community are gut-punched when Nataanii takes his own life. There is a great deal of literature about the social ills on tribal lands; alcoholism, depression, and suicide are at the top of the list. The literature addresses, ad nauseam, the lack of money and resources in the communities. If this sounds cynical, it is because these problems were borne out of centuries of the dehumanization, colonization, and exploitation of Native Americans. Much of what is observed today are the remnants of what some researchers might describe as “ benign neglect .” Nataanii’s suicide in the film contextualizes the conditions of the rez. So too does Jimmy’s mother, Gloria, played by Julia Jones ( Wind River , Cold Pursuit ), whose primary role seems to be that of fatalist. Rather than comforting Jimmy when he loses his friend, Gloria blithely tells him that people on the rez are destined for disappointment and suicide. She then discourages him from getting his hopes up about attending college to play basketball because “The higher you go the greater the fall. The sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.” To be fair, Gloria is struggling to cope with disappointments she has experienced in her life. But her words of caution for her young son, rather than comfort and encouragement, ultimately leave him to deal with his anguish (and even hopes) alone, depicting how one generation’s distress can become intergenerational despair without some intervention. Jessica Matten ( Dark Winds , Frontier ) plays Coach Heather Hobbs, a former WNBA player who has her own aspirations of leaving the rez and coaching a professional team. With no bites to her inquiries, she reinvests herself in the Chuska Warriors basketball team, enlisting her reluctant former coach, Benny Begay (Ernest Tsosie III), as an assistant. On Benny’s first day, he performs a traditional Indigenous ritual with the kids, while acknowledging their feelings of uncertainty resulting from Natanii’s death. He adds that they “descend from Warriors” and that “true [Warriors are] are not afraid to grieve.” This, along with Coach Hobbs’s encouragement, brings comfort to the players as she refocuses their energies on their cultural identities as fighters against their all too-familiar adversity. They dedicate the season to Nataanii and commit to win the state championship. The team then turns its attention to their top adversary, the Santa Fe Catholic Coyotes, where the boys are much bigger than they are. With the team having lost Nataanii’s size as well as their confidence in winning, Jimmy seeks ways to gain an advantage. He devises a way to leverage the Navajo language for their in-game communications, much like what the Navajo Code Talkers did in World War II to mask the U.S.’s war strategies. When this puts their opponents on their heels, the Warriors experience success again and believe in themselves. Will it be enough, however, to beat the Coyotes? Regardless, slowly but surely, the quiet, introspective half of the Nataanii-Jimmy duo emerges as the new leader in the locker room. We see Jimmy’s continual growth as a leader when he challenges his teammate, Bryson (Devin Sampson-Craig), for going on a bender the night before a game. Waking Bryson at his home late after the game, Jimmy admonishes him for being irresponsible. When Bryson calls him a “Nataanii-wanna-be,” the intense exchange escalates into a fist-a-cuffs. Bryson’s nonverbal cues later hint not only at his remorse for his role in the team’s poor game performance, but also his acknowledgment of Jimmy as the team’s new leader. The weight of intergenerational oppression is cumulative and heavy. Jimmy’s emergence as the team leader suggests that the resulting despair is something that can be overcome, but not without some intervention. With the support of the coaches, he and his teammates manage to pull their way through a painfully dark period in their young lives to see hope and experience joy once again. The underlying themes of Rez Ball may seem sappy or even weighty as indicated by the Honeybush tea designation. But the Masala Chai tag conveys the sense that the film is infused with intense game competition, meaningful family interaction, and vibrant community dynamics. While Rez Ball necessarily contextualizes the story of the Chuska High School basketball team, it avoids dwelling on the struggles of people who live on Native American reservations. Instead, writer/director Sydney Freeland forces us to live in the lives of the kids on the team. She presents the characters as teenagers playing a game that is accessible to them and dealing with many of the same issues and quandaries of most teens (i.e. drinking, teen romance, work-extracurricular activity conflict). In doing so, Freeland humanizes Native Americans as people who love playing and watching sports as much as anyone else. Rez Ball even presents the Chuska community as one that rallies around their high school team, much like many small towns in rural areas across the country. Rez Ball reminds me of Friday Night Lights , the five-season television series about a high school football team that is the pride of its rural Dillon, Texas community. The show stars Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Taylor Kitsch, Jesse Plemons, and oh yeah, a young Michael B. Jordan! Like Rez Ball , the kids in Friday Night Lights fight with their teammates during and after games because they miss a pass, don’t hustle enough, or fail to properly prioritize because they went on a bender the night before. And like Rez Ball , the best players aspire to play college ball and ultimately go pro. I have to say that it would be nice to continue to have frequent/regular exposure to representations of Native Americans on television like this, just doing what everyone else does, being normal. 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 Diplomat brings back the reluctant hero trope < Back The Diplomat brings back the reluctant hero trope Netflix Studios, 2023- 50 minutes Creator: Debora Cahn Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix The Diplomat Sliced Bread (FEVQK74RKH2DUPI5) 00:00 / 05:33 Barley Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Chris Chaisson 2023-05-24 The age of big-budget, effects-driven media tends to offer us very willing and/or vengeful protagonists. Many superheroes either immediately accept their responsibility to protect the innocent or seek payback for loved ones that have been hurt. Even Spider-man, who at times desires a regular existence, dons his suit to pursue retribution for the murder of Uncle Ben (I would say spoiler alert, but we are about 50 Spider-mans in at this point). While revenge and righteousness are two motives easy to convey to the audience, there has been a decrease in another kind of main character to follow: the reluctant hero. Occasionally, viewers watch a disinterested but capable protagonist get dragged into a situation they want little if anything to do with (think Robin Williams in Man of the Year ). It not only creates curiosity about how they will solve the problem despite the lack of motivation but also adds humor to the story. If you’ve ever been the last to touch your nose or shout “Not it!” you can probably relate to the reluctant hero of the new Netflix political drama, The Diplomat . Keri Russell ( The Americans, Cocaine Bear ) stars as Kate Wyler, an ambassador who is thrust into the middle of a muddy foreign affairs situation after a British aircraft carrier is attacked. The assailant is unknown, though many suspect that Iran is to blame. Kate initially has no interest in playing the mediator, but her presence in Britain is requested by the President of the U.S. and the White House Chief of Staff. Thus, she accepts her assignment and heads to London with her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell, The Man in the High Castle ), also an experienced diplomat. She works closely with Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh, Chicago Med ) and CIA operative Eidra Park (Ali Ahn, Raising Dion ) to put out the various mini-fires between government officials, including the British Prime Minister (Rory Kinnear, Penny Dreadful ), that could spark a preeminent but costly reaction. As a character, Kate has the perfect makeup for a reluctant hero. She has too much experience in the world of politics to be intimidated by anyone in the room, regardless of rank. Unlike characters such as Frank from House of Cards , her motive is not to climb the ladder to achieve any particular office or possess any power. The lack of desire for upward mobility, along with the amount of conflict resolution that she has overseen, makes Kate disgruntled with the superfluous aspects of her job. The audience sees this very early and often, specifically when she is asked to wear “ladylike” attire for events and photo shoots. Even when she begrudgingly acquiesces, it is less for the sake of good PR and more to stay on schedule. The biggest contributing factor to Kate’s attitude is not the direction of her career or disdain for the field, but the extremely rocky relationship with her husband. Hal is also highly intelligent, connected and accomplished in the same field as Kate. The gracious approach for him, given the stakes of Kate’s current task, would be to lay low and provide emotional support. Instead, his expertise, along with his exceedingly confident personality, allow him to be meddlesome and dishonest with her. Rather than having the source of tension between them be a secret or tangential to the story, Hal’s overbearing behavior directly impacts the chain of events, making it obvious why he and Kate are having issues. With the context of an interfering spouse, Kate’s reluctant hero persona comes off not only as understandable but relatable. An ordinary day job is tough to be invested in while experiencing marital issues, much less a job requiring you to settle volatile disputes between countries. In addition to being ethnically diverse, The Diplomat displays varying personalities, always a necessity in political dramas since everyone is wearing the exact same clothes (I kid; but really). For instance, the UK Prime Minister is crass and prickly, frequently exhibiting misogynistic behavior towards Kate. Other characters are overly self-aware and are afraid to criticize or shoot straight with her, fearing that they will come off sexist. In spite of her many years in the field, Kate still endures both dismissive and overly sensitive attitudes from other characters. As the episodes pass, she develops a rapport with the others, convincing her advisers to be direct and leaders to be respectful. The show effectively avoids being too on-the-nose with its social critique but clearly hints at what many female government officials likely tolerate on a consistent basis. The 8-episode drama’s dialogue-heavy nature feels most reminiscent of series like The West Wing and Madam Secretary . It is not as melodramatic as Scandal was at times but instead maintains an even-keeled and at times comical tone. For instance, as Kate sits down with a group of government officials in one scene, she has to drag her chair forward loudly and is embarrassed when her aides try to swap the chair out for her. Where The Diplomat differs from the aforementioned shows is that it presents a highly skilled protagonist who is not as emotionally invested as Jed Bartlett, Elizabeth McCord, or Olivia Pope. Kate is instead a reluctant hero, making her biggest antagonist her own lack of enthusiasm. 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!

Pachinko chronicles a Korean family through multiple generations that leaves their native land for Japan in order to survive. < Back Pachinko chronicles a Korean family through multiple generations that leaves their native land for Japan in order to survive. Media Res, 2022 55 minutes Creator: Soo Hugh Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Apple Studios Pachinko Warmth and Wonder (MDMO3SB9CXXSAPYB) 00:00 / 04:16 Chamomile Family dramas Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Chris Chaisson 2022-06-07 For most fictional television shows, it can be a challenge to span multiple time periods without some elements of fantasy. We see programs like Westworld and Doctor Who incorporate time travel, but rarely do dramas that exist in a more realistic universe risk pulling the viewer out of the established temporal setting. Much of a show’s appeal to its audience is giving them a sense of comfort with the setting and familiarity with the characters. Therefore, covering multiple generations across an entire century, sink or swim, is quite the experiment. Enter Pachinko , a historical drama focused on how a major world event influenced the life paths of many citizens and their offspring. Created by Soo Hugh and adapted from a 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko chronicles a Korean family through multiple generations that leaves their native land for Japan in order to survive. The trilingual story (unfolding in Japanese, Korean and English dialogue) weaves between separate timelines, highlighting characters in a different culture than their predecessors as well as the same characters in different stages of their lives. Despite its drastic timespan, Pachinko remains a story driven more by character than setting. Solomon (Jin Ha, Devs ) seeks a promotion at his sales associate job but he is wrongfully denied. In order to receive his bump, he vows to close an account back in his native land that he has personal ties to. In doing so, he must travel back and convince the current landowner to sell her property, despite her emotional attachment to the real estate. Meanwhile, in Sunja’s youth, she enters a romance with a prominent married businessman, Hansu (Lee Minho, Heirs ), who impregnates her but will not raise the child. A nomad, Isak (Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Sense8) , who Sunja’s family nurses back to health, vows to step in and act as a surrogate father. In adept fashion, Pachinko highlights class and generational differences. Solomon, of a younger generation and Western cultural influence, embodies individualist ideals. He wants to close a deal to progress his own career and is not concerned with the sentimental value of the property he is trying to acquire. Sunja, on the other hand, values family and community over personal gain, as articulated in her very first onscreen exchange with Solomon. Despite being each other’s flesh and blood, their priorities and mindsets diverge in a drastic manner. Though Solomon remains defensive about having different cultural influences, he opens his eyes to different perspectives as the series progresses. While displaying the macro-level influences of age, class and culture, Pachinko also shows how individual experiences manipulate the way its characters see the world. For instance, part of Sunja’s devotion to family stems from the pain she feels at Hansu’s rejection of her after she discloses her pregnancy to him. Just the same, an episode late in the first season reveals the origin of Hansu’s pain where he experiences the crushing and sudden loss of a close family member during his adolescence. Pachinko brings to mind another critically acclaimed period drama that highlighted classism and cultural differences, Downton Abbey . Family and loyalty are major themes of both series, and they astutely display the clash between those seeking social mobility and those always willing to sacrifice for others. Interestingly enough, the series is executive produced and directed by the creator of another project about family and loyalty, Justin Chon and his film, Blue Bayou . We will be looking forward to more projects to come from the talented Chon and hope to see more AAPI creatives welcomed into the producer space. 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!

Hit & Run leaves us considering if it’s worth the risk to know the truth < Back Hit & Run leaves us considering if it’s worth the risk to know the truth Artists First, 2021 42 minutes Creator: Avi Issacharoff, Dawn Prestwich, and Lior Raz Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Hit & Run Life's Mystery (OLLLP7JCTXBC9LYN) 00:00 / 07:03 Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Reba Chaisson 2023-09-12 Some people follow the old wisdom to accept things as they are, rather than digging around to find what’s hidden beneath them. Others, though, feel quite differently – that it is better to know the truth even if it hurts. Netflix puts this question front and center with Hit & Run , a 9-part series about a man desperate to know what happened to his wife, a professional dancer who was killed in a suspicious hit and run accident. And thanks to his military background, Segev Azulay, played by the series’ co-creator Lior Raz ( Fauda , 6 Underground ), has the skills to handle anyone who gets in his way of finding the truth about Danielle’s death. We realize something is awry early in the series, as Danielle “Dani” Azulay, played by Kaelen Ohm ( Taken , Flint ), prepares to leave their home in Israel for an audition in New York City. She seems distant and is frequently distracted by messages coming through on her mobile. While he clearly adores his wife, Segev, who is intense and high-energy, doesn’t seem to notice. When he bids her goodbye as she heads to the airport, he takes Ella, his 10-year old daughter from his first marriage, to school and goes straight to work as a tour guide. Upon leaving his property, he encounters a man parked by the side of the road just outside of his home, but Segev dismisses his unease when the man explains that he is waiting for someone who is late. Tali Shapira, Segev’s 30-something cousin played by Moran Rosenblatt ( We Were the Lucky Ones , Fauda ), is a captain on the police force and helps him in his investigation with mostly off-the-book research. Although she is in the third trimester of her pregnancy, she wears a gun holster around her waist, drives and crashes cars in chase scenes, and throws bad guys up against walls. Her toughness and tenacity as a woman so far along in her pregnancy make her casting unusual but likely deliberate. Women, especially white women who are pregnant, are typically depicted in cinema as fragile, often ending up in the hospital because a fall, faint, or sneeze put either the baby or the mom in distress. “The Waiting Room” episode in This is Us when Chrissy Metz’s character goes into premature labor is an example of this. Another is when Kim Raver’s character suffers a pregnancy complication in the “Add it Up” episode of Grey’s Anatomy . I could go as far back as the ‘80s with the movie, She’s Having a Baby, and the ‘90s with the “What Child is This?” episode of The Practice , but I won’t. In Hit & Run , Tali challenges this representation, as she even endures an explosion and comes away with just a few cuts and bruises and her unborn child still active in her belly. Perhaps a bit unrealistic. But while not the central character in Hit & Run , Tali is by far the most dynamic and interesting one. The Hebrew dialog in the series is overdubbed in English, making Hit & Run an easier watch than shows with subtitles, where we are tasked with reading while trying to watch what is happening on screen. The weather throughout the series is cool and perpetually overcast, likely to remind us of the somber circumstances. Also perpetual is Segev’s scowl. This is quite distinct from a look of sadness, but it hints at gender differences in how we handle grief. Though researchers emphasize that grieving can be a blend of emotional and physical displays, they acknowledge that women tend to talk with others while men express grief physically. Segev’s response to Dani’s death is unquestionably the latter. Indeed, it would have been refreshing to see him as a more complex character with a blend of emotion and physicality in the handling of his wife’s death. Instead, his character reinforces the traditional gender stereotypes around grieving. In addition to Segev’s overwhelming grief, Dani’s death sets into motion home invaders, where we see Segev display his fighting skills, explosions, and confrontations with the police because they “still don’t have any answers.” Eventually, his need for the truth takes him from his home in Israel to New York City, where he enlists Ron, his longtime friend and former military buddy, for help. Ron, who is down on his luck but enthusiastic about reuniting with Segev, provides him with weapons and accompanies him on his mission. Curiously though, he is surprised when Segev’s tactics for extracting information get out of hand. This inconsistency in the show is never explained. The show also stars Sanaa Latham as Naomi, an accomplished journalist for a high-end investigative magazine and Segev’s close friend. As with his cousin Tali and friend Ron, Segev enlists Naomi’s help in understanding the circumstances surrounding Dani’s death. Initially reluctant because she fears he will go off the rails in his coercive techniques, as he did often when they were in Mexico, she nonetheless goes down the rabbit hole with him in the investigation. In addition to the ending, the show leaves some holes. For example, the story begins in Israel, where Segev and Dani live in a rustic setting on a big, beautiful piece of property that includes a large home. Although he is a former Israeli soldier, it is unclear how his present self-employment as a tour guide generates the means to own such a large piece of real estate. This is never explained, but perhaps it is from the ill-gotten gains reaped during his stint in Mexico that is alluded to during his talks with Ron and Naomi. Another question concerns the repeating of Segev’s name. Each character states his name a minimum of three times during every exchange. It is as if the creators want to emphasize his character as the lead in the show, or that they’re concerned we will forget his name while watching it. This becomes obvious and annoying as the show moves on. Think about it. How many times do you name-drop during a 3-minute conversation? Hit & Run is comparable to The Agent , a Netflix series about a CIA agent working with his protectee to uncover who killed her aunt and uncle in their home and why. Both productions blend action and politics to render an intriguing story. As a whodunnit, action-filled, international thriller, Hit & Run offers a few surprises in the things uncovered about Dani and the circumstances surrounding her death. Nonetheless, the findings of the investigations in Hit & Run , leave us questioning if all the death, destroyed lives, and lives placed at risk were worth the truth, or if Segev should have just left well-enough alone. I don’t know. Could you? 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!