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< Back Blue Bayou brings well-rounded characters and a humanizing touch to a complex issue Focus Features, 2021 119 minutes Director/Writer: Justin Chon Reading Time: 3 minutes Blue Bayou Dialogues (OYGI4OTBHPZB4HUA) 00:00 / 04:23 📷 : Pixabay Chamomile: Family dramas Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Chris Chaisson 2021-11-13 Rarely does a movie succeed in highlighting an ongoing political issue that affects millions of people through the lens of a personal story. Many films opt for the multi-protagonist approach, such as Crash , Traffic , or Requiem for a Dream . Having several characters as the main focus rather than one makes it easier to represent as many facets of the issue as possible. Written, directed and produced by lead actor Justin Chon ( Twilight trilogy), Blue Bayou manages to capture the turbulence and obstacles that befall many U.S. immigrants through the eyes of just one character. Through Chon’s brilliant performance, we see him navigate circumstances both in and out of his control. Blue Bayou centers around Antonio (Chon), a Korean immigrant with a daughter, Jessie (Sydney Kowalske), and pregnant wife Kathy (Alicia Vikander, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ). Antonio is a devoted father attempting to improve his family’s circumstances and overcome his past mistakes. Along the way, he strikes up a friendship with Parker (Linh Dan Pham, Mr. Nobody ), a terminally ill woman from Vietnam who bonds with him over their shared journey to the U.S. However, friction between himself and Jessie’s biological father, a police officer named Ace (Mark O'Brien, Ready or Not ), leads to Antonio being on the verge of deportation. Blue Bayou skillfully displays the complexity of its characters. Rather than present them as purely good or evil, the film allows the audience to see them as three-dimensional. For instance, one of Antonio’s good friends is an ICE agent (Toby Vitrano) who frequents his tattoo parlor. Despite his job, the officer hangs out with and looks after several of his immigrant friends, subverting the expectation that he would harbor any hostility towards them. While Antonio is a family man that viewers are inclined to root for, he has a criminal record that he must reconcile. Despite appearing to be a villainous character, Ace simply wants to see his daughter Jessie and has no desire to negatively impact Antonio’s life. Though Kathy is a strong mother who loves Antonio fiercely, she struggles to get out from under her mother’s influence. Even Denny (Emory Cohen, T he OA ), Ace’s bigoted and morally bankrupt partner, views his actions through the lens of being a loyal friend. All of the major characters have well-established wants and tragic flaws that impact the chain of events in the story. The complexity of the characters is mirrored by the convoluted rules around gaining U.S. citizenship, as displayed in several scenes between Antonio and his attorney, Barry Boucher (Vondie Curtis-Hall, Chicago Hope ). Though being born in the U.S. grants you citizenship, arriving in the U.S. as a toddler does not. Despite being a child of adoption, Antonio is handcuffed by his specific circumstances. Antonio’s back story reveals a dizzying upbringing in which he did not feel safe or supported. As the movie delves into his childhood, we further understand the strong bond he has with Jessie and Kathy, raising the stakes for what is about to unfold. As many natives’ exposure to the issue of immigration is merely through dehumanizing commentary, a story like Blue Bayou decreases the emotional distance many people have. While not seeking to impose a viewpoint, the film puts into perspective that immigrants are human beings with hopes, dreams, and loved ones to look after. Tonally, Blue Bayou resembles a family drama of a similar name, Blue Valentine . The 2010 drama provides more of a non-linear storyline without a political backdrop, but it consists of similar family strife. Both films include a strong father-daughter relationship, a resentful and interfering ex-boyfriend, and a mother trying to escape the influence of her family to make her own decisions. Despite strong bonds, the desires of the families in both movies to stay together become threatened by outside forces and stressful circumstances. Though it tugs at the heart strings, Blue Bayou may be the family melodrama you’re in the mood for. 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 CODA displays a young girl caught between loyalty and personal ambition Vendrome Pictures, 2021 111 minutes Director/Writer: Sian Heder / Sian Heder, Victoria Bedos, and Stanislas Carré de Malberg Reading Time: 4 minutes CODA The Found (YKSIWLISR6QCNHWJ) 00:00 / 04:17 📷 : Used with permission, Seven Heavens Design https://www.instagram.com/sevenheavensdesign/ https://twitter.com/SevenHeavensART https://www.sevenheavensdesign.com/ Chamomile: Family dramas Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Chris Chaisson 2022-04-24 From the outside looking in, the togetherness of any family can be very enviable. Many adolescents come from a home full of fractured relationships, constant arguing and emotional volatility, if not worse. This reality can make us look at any loving family as a perfect, problem-free unit. CODA (“child of deaf adults”) examines the dynamics of a loving family that still has their differences. It centers around the only hearing member in a hearing-impaired household, Ruby (Emilia Jones, Locke & Key ), who suddenly experiences a conflict of interest after joining high school choir. While she never planned on going to college, her music teacher, Arthur (Lonnie Farmer, Black Mass ), believes she has the talent to audition for Berklee School of Music. He offers to train her, which makes her less available to be the American Sign Language (ASL) translator for her father and brother who are fishermen. CODA excels in showing a family that struggles with communication, despite their love, togetherness and shared fluidity in ASL. As many teenagers do, Ruby suddenly realizes herself capable of more than she previously thought and experiences a shift in her life goals. Her parents cannot fully understand her newfound passion and are dismissive, hitting on a common truth in life. Even many well-meaning guardians are the first to dash their offspring’s dreams without realizing it. As every generation carries out what they learned, many parents who did not have as many options as their kids fail to embrace the full potential of their children’s futures. Jackie (Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God ) and Frank (Troy Kotsur, The Number 23 ), though initially unsupportive, learn to be there for their daughter with the help of Ruby’s older brother Leo (Daniel Durant, Switched at Birth ). This perspective is driven home by Ruby’s duet partner, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Vikings ). After visiting Ruby’s place and gossiping about her family to their classmates, he apologizes and admits that he envies the relationship she has with her parents. From his vantage point, her home life is sunshine and rainbows, but she, along with the audience, knows that this is an unfair characterization. In admitting his immaturity and reconciling with her, he comes to understand that every family has their issues, even if they maintain their camaraderie. Another major takeaway from the film is the importance of not simply pitying people with disabilities. Throughout the film, Jackie, Frank and Leo display charming senses of humor, emotional fortitude and affection. Though they are the target of scorn from fellow fishermen or classmates, they still have friends, relationships, and moments of joy like everyone else. The true way to embrace people with impairments is to build relationships through communication and caring rather than harboring guilt. Leo points this out to his and Ruby’s parents, saying the burden should not always be on Ruby to translate or on the rest of them to communicate with the other residents. At some point, other members of the community should meet them halfway rather than ignore or chastise them. The best comparison for a movie like CODA is the 2000 drama Billy Elliott , where a boy obsessed with ballet dance becomes torn between his art and his family. While his home life was turbulent in a different way than Ruby’s, it shows the same struggle between the need for creative satisfaction versus the need to take care of loved ones. Interestingly enough, both Ruby and Billy are the antithesis of a classic movie character: Michael Corleone. Ruby begins CODA accepting her role in the family business before wanting to leave it. Michael’s initial disdain for the family business in The Godfather gradually becomes a desire to take it over. As you might guess, this is not the only way Ruby and Michael would be considered polar opposites, but combined, they do provide balance in the world of cinema. 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 Blow the Man Down highlights people and places often left out of the picture Secret Engine, 2019 91 minutes Director/Writer: Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy Reading Time: 3 minutes Blow the Man Down Ceridig's Heart (K7VMKEGNPSX83RBL) 00:00 / 04:08 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Mint: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Chris Chaisson 2021-07-25 The beauty of indie films is their ability to step out of traditional characters and settings to tell a less often heard story. ( Winter’s Bone comes to mind.) In doing so, they often transform the setting into an additional character of the film. The way conflict plays out in these stories can be far different than the average screenplay, leading to interesting decisions and actions from the main characters that we would not otherwise see. Whereas typical Hollywood tales show everything eventually coming to light, stories set in small or rural towns show us that some skeletons stay in the closet for good. Such is the case in the coastal thriller Blow the Man Down . Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy co-direct this indie project set in the small town of Easter Cove, Maine. Revolving around two young girls who cover up a murder committed in self-defense, Blow the Man Down highlights characters that often do not appear in prominent roles of Hollywood stories. Just a few of these characters include the town matriarchs (June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, Annette O’Toole), a brothel owner searching for stolen cash (Margo Martindale), and a pair of sisters (Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor) struggling to sort out the financial responsibilities left behind by their deceased mother. The film’s appeal comes from its willingness to take us away from the standard metropolitan setting into a small, coastal, blue-collar town. It incorporates small town life into the story in many creative ways; fisherman singing standards, town gossip, even a cardboard sign falling on a car. Additionally, despite efforts to highlight gender inequality in the entertainment industry, it is still very rare to see a female director duo along with a predominantly female cast. Not only does the film pull this off, it highlights women of various age groups in a blue-collar setting, whose perspectives are often underrepresented. Blow the Man Down ’s character mix generates much natural conflict, not just by the difference in individual perspectives but also ways of life. The town matriarchs clash with the brothel owner and her sex worker. The young ambitious cop attempting to solve the case clashes with the older, apathetic cop who succumbs to the town code. And Mary Beth, the adventurous stubborn sibling who despises Easter Cove, clashes with her loyal, obedient, wholesome sister Priscilla. The film does however possess one glaring shortcoming; it incorporates its minor characters at the expense of making Mary Beth and Priscilla more proactive. Integrating the town matriarchs, brothel owner and police officers (Skipp Sudduth, Will Brittain) into the story, slowly turns our protagonists into bystanders. By the latter half of the movie, the sisters push the story forward much less than the supporting cast. Thus, they are not put in desperate situations where they must make character-revealing decisions. Stephen King’s influence on the Cole/Krudy writer-director duo is quite apparent, even beyond the Maine setting. The style of this indie thriller is reminiscent of classics like Misery and Stand by Me , both King adaptations. The additional story element of the missing cash might take you back to non-King thrillers such as No Country for Old Men , Blue Velvet, or the aforementioned Winter’s Bone . Each movie involves cover-ups, secrets and characters determined to get to the bottom of a mystery, even imploring violence to do so. Blow the Man Down provides a departure from metropolitan landscapes and urban ways of life and gives a glimpse into how matters are handled in a setting we do not see as frequently on the big screen. 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 Fall from Grace puts the matter of trust at center stage Tyler Perry Studios, 2020 120 minutes Director/Writer: Tyler Perry Reading Time: 5 minutes A Fall from Grace Rampant (18I3YMSBSMH3VNJU) 00:00 / 05:45 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 A Fall from Grace is a contemporary film about an independent, older single woman named Grace, played by Crystal Fox ( The Haves and the Have Nots, Big Little Lie s), who falls in love with Shannon, a young charismatic photographer played by Mehcad Brooks ( The Game , Necessary Roughness ). Predictably, the fairy-tale affair ends when all hell breaks loose after their inevitable nuptials. The heartbreaking story is reminiscent of the 1990 film, Pacific Heights , with Melanie Griffith as “Patty” and Matthew Modine as “Drake.” The newlyweds invest their savings in a beautiful San Francisco apartment building and then struggle to remove Carter, a vile tenant played by Michael Keaton, who has wormed his way into legal squatter’s rights. In A Fall from Grace , despite Grace’s efforts to get Shannon out of her house and bank account, he unabashedly exploits his new legal entitlements, remaining entrenched and entangled in both. “What’s mine is ours” is twisted by Shannon into: “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too!” As with Patty, we can feel Grace's frustration and hopelessness. But A Fall from Grace takes a huge departure from Pacific Heights as its story unfolds. At center stage of the film is the matter of trust, which no written documents, legal contracts, and mutual understandings and sentiments can tightly wrap in a bow and make ironclad. While Spiderman has his “spidey” senses and Fred Flintstone “The Great Gazoo,” we only have our instincts, feelings–our hearts–as fallbacks, and we ultimately take giant leaps of faith based on these. When we are shaken like a rag doll because we were wrong, we feel foolish. But as Grace’s young lawyer intimates, taking the risk to trust someone only means we are human. Grace’s lawyer plays a key role in the film. At age 26, Jasmine, played by Bresha Webb, seemingly accepts her lot as the public defender with a specialty in plea bargaining, until she encounters her new client. Although even then, there are some problematic moments where she pouts and appears to lack any legal training at all. Also pivotal in the film are Phylicia Rashad as Grace’s best friend, "Sarah," and Tyler Perry as Jasmine’s jaded boss who demands nothing more of Jasmine than her legal expertise. Two-hour movies are rare today and what filmmakers make of the extra 20 to 30 minutes can be intriguing. A Fall from Grace is presented out of order, layered in like a puzzle and forcing the audience to figure out how and where pieces fit to make the story a full yarn. Here, the technique has the effect of inviting viewers into the weaving of the story. Guided through Grace’s narration of past encounters with Shannon, her confidences shared with Sarah, and then combined with Jasmine’s present-day investigation, the film unfolds into something we could have never anticipated. The level of suspense raises the story from something more than a simple, predictable drama to a story that pushes viewers to the edges of their seats. The Southern urban aesthetics of the film include large, old, picturesque homes pushed back from the street as if giving the audience room to breathe. The addition of dark hues draws the audience’s focus and has the effect of inviting viewers into the story. This setting, though, was disrupted with a single, isolated scene of Grace and Shannon having dinner at a diner that looked like a Checkers - yes, the fast food restaurant. The oddity was compounded by capping off the meal with the two drinking wine from stemware. During this moment, the film lost its aesthetic magic, its feel. Minus the distraction, I felt like I was in the room during the scenes at Grace’s home and being blanketed with a healthy dose of Southern hospitality. The warmth made it starkly apparent that Shannon did not belong in this space. Calling her "a fool" – and in her own home, he remarks that “A woman your age is low hanging fruit.” Speaking of age, a treat of the film is an appearance by Cicely Tyson. This is one of her last roles before her death in early 2021, at age 96. Reviewers talk a lot about aging as the subject matter of films (i.e. Book Club and perhaps Trouble with the Curve ), but seldom is the topic of age diversity in films broached. While the cast of A Fall from Grace is predominantly Black, age representations range from the youngest Millennials through the Greatest Generation, and all in prominent roles with significant on-screen time. And as for color-struck, this film is a step toward priming audiences to get over it! Several themes run throughout A Fall from Grace , most more overt than subtle. Among them: Youth is no excuse for lack of persistence. Skepticism is healthy. And at times, you have to trust somebody or you will end up alone. If you are in the mood for a contemporary and suspenseful story with a Southern feel, you might want to give this one a try. 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 Honor proves that villains need to show action < Back Your Honor proves that villains need to show action CBS Television Studios, 2021 60 minutes Creator: Peter Moffat Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash Your Honor Passage (NMVFDEUVERIIQV0F) 00:00 / 03:18 Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 The ten-part series epitomizes irony and hypocrisy at every turn. Starring Bryan Cranston as Judge Michael Desiato, the story chronicles the pangs of a desperate father trying to protect his teenage son from a New Orleans mob family. Aesthetically, the show hits on all cylinders as it takes us to what is now a balkanized city, particularly so since Hurricane Katrina. Affluent areas are completely restored since the disaster and urban centers are active. But poor residential areas are desolate, containing numerous vacant buildings with decades-old signs, and homes appearing worn and barely touched with a nail and hammer since the waters receded. As for lived experiences, wealthy people own well-to-do hotels and live in sprawling mansions. The professional, middle-class live in newly constructed brick buildings with modern interiors, and poor people live in “shot-gun houses.” Intrigued? A decades-long career on the bench where he is both considered and referred to as honorable, Judge Desiato tramples on the very meaning of honor to protect his son. Apart from the first two segments though, I left each installment vexed. At 18 years old, the judge’s son, Adam, played by Hunter Doohan ( Truth Be Told , Schooled ), repeatedly puts himself at risk despite his father’s extreme efforts to protect him. Also, not only is the mobster, played by Michael Stuhlbarg ( Shirley , Traitors ), not scary, but it never became clear how he ‘earns’ his ill-gotten gains. The dynamic with his wife, played by Hope Davis ( For the People , Love Life ), makes his character even more problematic. Villains should be scary, not just present a stern face. The latter usually works with parents, but we generally know they will back it up with action. This doesn’t work with villains in dramatic cinema. They need to show the audience what they are capable of doing, how far they will go to get what they want. In other words, they need to do something. Your Honor reminded me of Bad Boys II . In it, the villain was not scary; he was random and engaged in silly, over-the-top things that did nothing more than disrespect the audience and call attention to himself. Good dramatic villains do not want to call attention to themselves. Remember Denzel Washington’s character in American Gangster ? He was livid that the new coat his girlfriend gave him as a gift called attention to him. As for action, he beat up his own brother! And the first Bad Boys movie? That one also had a good villain. Your Honor could certainly be your cup of tea though if a formidable villain is not needed to draw you into a dramatic story. It might also be for you if you don’t mind characters that frustrate you, particularly if they move the story along or if their actions seem to be in line with the writer’s intent. However, if your aesthetic tastes do not align with these or you are not in the mood for it, perhaps you might do better to consider something a little different 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!

TV Shows Dope Thief Dope Thief shares important lessons about family Tea Brew: Coca, Rosemary 📷 : Apple Studios Creator: Peter Craig Reading Time: 6 minutes Read More The Studio The Studio provides laughs with its bungling protagonist Tea Brew: Ginkgo Biloba, White 📷 : Used with permission, Christian Niemann Creator: https://www.instagram.com/justbychris/ https://x.com/justbychris Evan Goldberg Reading Time: 5 minutes Read More Your Friends & Neighbors Your Friends & Neighbors gives a birds-eye view into a type of social mobility Tea Brew: Ginger, Honeybush 📷 : Apple Studios Creator: Jonathan Trooper Reading Time: 6 minutes Read More Black Doves Black Doves, a quirky spy thriller that avoids tokenism Tea Brew: Matcha, Ginseng 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Creator: Joe Barton Reading Time: 7 minutes Read More Echo Echo shines a light on the gifts of generations past Tea Brew: Coca, Masala Chai 📷 : Used with permission, Rye Coleman Creator: https://www.instagram.com/coleman811/ Marion Dayre Reading Time: 9 minutes Read More Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist makes us reprioritize the gift of respect Tea Brew: Barley, Matcha 📷 : Used with permission, Geoffrey Riccio Creator: http://www.riccioproductions.com/ Shaye Ogbonna Reading Time: 9 minutes Read More Load more

Ten Days in the Valley is a clinic for story-writing < Back Ten Days in the Valley is a clinic for story-writing Pentimento Productions, 2017-18 43 minutes Creator: Tassie Cameron Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Photo by John Joumaa on Unsplash Ten Days in the Valley Deceptive Cadence (4HVF4WGKRWDJRMEA) 00:00 / 03:26 Chamomile Family dramas Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 Ten Days in the Valley puts the fundamentals of story writing on screen with Kyra Sedgwick ( The Closer , Brooklyn Nine-Nine ) as the protagonist and her missing daughter as the complication. The quest to find the child is depicted in a fast-paced and ever-evolving series of rising actions, reminiscent of the 1999 film Double Jeopardy and 2002 release, High Crimes , both featuring Ashley Judd in the lead roles. The three works are similar in storyline with respect to the search for people and answers. The older films were high adrenalin and focused on ‘who done it’ and ‘is it true?’ In contrast and consistent with classical story writing, the ever-present sense of frustration and need for a resolution best define the feel of Ten Days in the Valley . Not only is the ten-episode series a clinic for story writing, but Sedgwick gives aspiring screenwriters a glimpse inside the writer’s room on the studio lot. Her character, Jane Sadler, frantically searches for Lake, her precocious 8-year-old daughter played by Abigail Pniowsky ( The Rest of Us , Arrival ), while trying to keep the production of her new television drama on-track and on-schedule. Despite being encouraged to take a sabbatical, she continues to work though preoccupied with the whereabouts of her child. It is not an entirely unfamiliar story about an overstressed, career-minded single mother dealing with an ex‑husband. In this case though, Jane is what her ex-husband, Pete, played by Kick Gurry ( Edge of Tomorrow , Spartan ), refers to as “a high functioning, award-winning documentary filmmaker.” And this was not meant as a compliment. In the middle of a career change, Jane is switching from documentary to fictional drama, compounding her stress with a self-imposed insistence that there is no room for mistakes. Ironically, she and everyone in her circle compound the struggles to find Lake (and confound police efforts to do the same) by obfuscating the truth at every turn. Every character has an agenda in this story, and everyone has a secret. But as the adage goes, “Everything done in the dark comes to light.” A dominant underlying theme of the series is that lying takes a lot of work. Not only does it expend physical and emotional energy, but it also adds stress to already stressful lives. It keeps us from being at our best when pursuing endeavors—whether they be our careers, our hobbies, or just getting some much-needed rest. At one point, Matt, played by Malcolm Jamal Warner ( The Cosby Show , Reed Between the Lines ), declares “Truth is just another story. Another good story that’s gotta be told, right?” Ten Days in the Valley gets us to think of our own made-up stories—also known as lies—as an alternate truth. And that maybe if we just start with the truth, we can make life so much easier for ourselves. 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!

Mare of Easttown tries to strike a balance with representations < Back Mare of Easttown tries to strike a balance with representations Zobot Projects, 2021 60 minutes Creator: Brad Ingelsby Reading Time: 8 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, HBO Mare of Easttown Shadow Passage (8K382WTLKE7VG6UX) 00:00 / 09:33 Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Dandelion Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Reba Chaisson 2021-08-30 Several elements contribute to the power of film productions. In addition to story structure and strong acting, cinema exerts its influence through the representations of groups and the relationships between characters of different race, class, gender, generation, and other categories. Mare of Easttown exemplifies the power of these images on-screen, which seem benign—yet passively teach us about ourselves and how we think of others. Set in the fictional, small town of Easttown, Pennsylvania, this 7-part series follows Detective Mare Sheehan while she investigates a missing persons/murder case. The detective, played by Kate Winslet, is self-effacing and neither crude nor cruel. She is, however, unpretentious in her interactions, be they with suspects, friends, family, or lovers. A bit of a maverick, Detective Sheehan insists on working alone as she tirelessly investigates her cases. Undeterred by passage of time, injury, personal relationships, or even station politics, she relents only when she arrives at the most granular level of truth. As she finds though, this approach can also lead to tragic and regrettable consequences. A working-class area where people earn a living standing on their feet and working with their hands, Easttown feels straddled on the boundary between urban and rural. About half of the scenes are set in an urban working-class neighborhood with modest, closely situated two-story brick homes. The other half is set in rural areas peppered with small isolated, frame farmhouses that have dimly lit interiors and require long country roads to reach. Fall is signaled with near-constant overcast skies and thick clothing, which together give the feel of cool temperatures, short days, and damp weather. Although not snowy, Mare of Easttown moves much like Wind River . The story and dialog are Andante‑paced with strong actors who hold the camera and mouth telling dialog that immerses viewers into their characters’ lived experiences. As one character admits to her adult child “Truth is, I was angry a lot. That your father wasn’t the person I thought I’d married and I was angry I couldn’t fix him. And I took a lot of that out on you. And I’m sorry. …” Divorced and the single mother of a teenager, Detective Sheehan is obsessed with her work and simultaneously juggles it with maintaining custody of her young grandson and dealing with some long‑buried feelings of guilt. Although her specialty is crime investigation, the detective’s life is so intertwined with the lives of those in her lifelong community that they rely on her for more than her policing prowess. Here, neighbors and friends call “Mare” day or night for everything from checking their security system, tracking down relatives they have not seen in the usual day or two, to investigating a young neighbor leering at them. “I wanted to make sure you knew about this right away so the community’s safe in case this pervert’s still on the loose.” This level of comfort reaching out to the detective alludes to the residents’ decades-long familiarity with, and reliance on, one another. Indeed, most people of Easttown are lifelong residents as evidenced by a big celebration of the town’s high school basketball victory 20 years prior, where many of the female characters were teammates. The disproportionate number of retirees in the series and the age variation of the cast bring to mind the 1991 film, Fried Green Tomatoes . Released when Millennials were still being born, conceived, and considered, the film stars Generation-X actress Mary Stuart Masterson, Baby-Boomers Kathy Bates and Mary-Louise Parker, and Traditionalist, the late Jessica Tandy. As with Easttown, an appreciation grows for their close-knit relationships, reminiscent of those in small towns like Easttown and even Carlinville, Indiana as depicted in the 2014 film, The Judge . In a scene with his young daughter asking to come with him to his mother’s funeral, Hank, played by Robert Downey Jr., quips, “Trust me, nobody wants to go to Carlinville, Indiana. Everybody wants to leave.” Some in Carlinville, though, appreciate the small-town feel of the place, as Hank’s ex-girlfriend, Samantha Powell (played by Vera Farmiga), later retorted, “I am never leaving Carlinville. I love it here.” Most residents of Easttown fall into the latter group, appreciating the familiarity and valuing the relationships that small-town life can bring. However, we learn in Mare of Easttown that this is not for everyone, as a character grapples with staying for the virtues offered by the town, or like Hank, leaving for something different. Although Easttown is predominantly White, it depicts a smidgeon of racial diversity. It comes in the form of a couple of passing characters as well as two Black/African Americans with more substantial on‑screen presence. They include her police chief, played by John Douglas Thompson ( The Bourne Legacy , 21 Bridges ), and Beth Hanlon, played by Chinasa Ogbuagu. Other dimensions of diversity are represented in terms of sexual preference, disability, and age. All of these go beyond just representations in the series, but work to chip away at many long-held stereotypes associated with them. Mare’s teenage daughter, Siobhan, played by Angourie Rice ( The Nice Guys , Spiderman ), is a lesbian who shatters the “butch” stereotype often associated with women who prefer same sex partners. Julianne Nicholson ( I, Tonya , Black Mass ) plays Mare’s best friend, Lori Ross, whose daughter Moira, played by Kassie Mundhenk, has Down Syndrome. Unlike many shows of the past, Moira’s character is weaved naturally, yet realistically, into her family setting, school, and outside activities. Finally, Jean Smart plays Mare’s retired, enabled, incredibly smart, bold, and funny mother who lives with her, but with whom she often finds herself at odds. The series challenges the identities of lesbians, persons with congenital disabilities, and older adults, and even humanizes people in traditional working-class occupations and communities. However, it falls short on impugning popular cinematic tropes of Blacks as drug addicts and thieves. Structural explanations for drugs and crime in working‑class communities notwithstanding, for now, it is simply important to note that their prevalence in these areas requires a semblance of illicit activities in Mare of Easttown to maintain cinematic authenticity. But connecting them with one of the few Blacks in Easttown is problematic given the plentiful options for associating the activity with one of the many White residents in the community. So, while the series works to challenge the identities around some social categories, it falls back on the age-old stereotypes of race, specifically, Black. Seeming to apologize for this boondoggle, the filmmakers strive to balance this negative depiction with the town’s Black police chief. Mare is considered by her boss, Chief Carter, to be very good at her job, but due to her difficulties with a case, he requests a federal agent for additional support. Seeing a Black man cast opposite a White woman on-screen is rare. Indeed, I remember the uproar when Idris Elba was cast opposite Kate Winslet in the 2017 film, The Mountain Between Us . A fair number of Rotten Tomatoes reviews downgraded the piece, describing it as “unconvincing,” “unrealistic,” “horrendous,” and “[the] castings feeling VERY wrong, and out of place.” Keep in mind though, that movies are typically neither produced nor viewed in isolation, but rather against the backdrop of the political and social climates of the time. Given the tumultuousness of the period in which the film was released, it is likely that these elements colored the audience’s perceptions of Winslet and Elba in the film. At one point in Mare of Easttown , Chief Carter, a consummate professional, stands in Mare’s personal space and calmly berates her for doing something quite out of bounds: “Cut the bullsh*t Mare. I know it was you…Part of me wants to make sure you never wear a badge again…” Interestingly, I have been unable to find any backlash online. Hmmm. Could the changing political and social dynamics explain this absence? Overall, Mare of Easttown makes a valiant effort to strike a balance with diverse representations and goes further to break the mold in some. It is imperfect in this regard, but it does signal the filmmaker’s conscientiousness about identities and representations. Wrapping them in an immersive small-town story helps the series along and could keep you engaged. If you are sensitive to representations and you like small-town mysteries set in the fall, you might be interested in cuddling up in a blanket for this one. 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!

Lupin navigates class relations in the quest to seek justice < Back Lupin navigates class relations in the quest to seek justice Gaumont Television, 2021- 45 minutes Creator: George Kay Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Lupin St. Nick’s Workshop (WOE0XPRRLUP5YIZF) 00:00 / 05:45 Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Reba Chaisson 2022-06-04 Based on a series of novels written by the late 19th/early 20th century French writer, Maurice Leblanc, Lupin is about a man who seeks justice by borrowing strategies from the fictional character, “Arsène Lupin,” in Leblanc’s books. Often described by fans of the books as a gentleman burglar and a master of disguises, Lupin uses costume and sleight of hand to navigate French high society and elude the authorities. A contemporary show dubbed in English, Lupin is set in the cobblestone streets and architectural landscape of France, with the 19th century feel of Harry Potter . There’s even a surreal scene that celebrates an event of the period, where people gather on the beach in black top hats, wearing capes and carrying canes. On the surface, Lupin weaves an entertaining, fantastical tale about getting justice for the wrongs done to a family. Underneath, the series is a story about navigating class relations to get your way, whether you’re situated in the bottom, the top, or somewhere in the middle of the hierarchy. In 19th century Europe though, class lines were thickly drawn. Gatekeeping was strongly maintained with written rules and laws (as well as unwritten understandings) enforced by authorities and those directly employed by the wealthy class. Penetrating the upper echelons of society required guile. Enter Lupin. Assane Diop, the title character, played by Omar Sy ( The Intouchables , Jurassic World ), approaches his Lupin-like exploits with seeming joy, but his mission is quite serious. He sets out to expose the wealthy family and corrupt official who framed his father, Babakar, for a jewelry theft, which ultimately led to his imprisonment and death. The events set the trajectory for the young teenager’s life. While he maintains his father’s values to respect self and rules, he develops a distrust and disrespect of people with wealth, power, and authority who don’t do the same. So, stealing a necklace from the Musée du Louvre and “borrowing” a violin for his White girlfriend when the merchant refuses to rent to her because he is Black is not wrong; it’s justice. The chief antagonist, Monsieur Pelligrini, played by Hervé Pierre, is the snobbish patriarch who casually uses his influence to steal lives and livelihoods to secure and insulate his wealth and power. Even so, this could not be done without the help of authorities in the middle class. In exchange for favors, Detective Gabriel Dumont, played by Vincent Garanger ( A Cat in Paris , The Traveller ), ushers through the big lie about Babakar from arrest to imprisonment, and tops it off by handing young Assane to social services. The show moves in and out of fantastical drama to dark suspense as shady characters are introduced and commit heinous crimes. It also moves in and out of Assane’s experiences as a youth, from the time he realizes his attractiveness and charm to girls to the brashness these qualities breed even as a teen in boarding school. An avid reader of the Lupin novels, his mastery of the character’s tactics to unravel the mystery and circumstances of his father’s death is no surprise. He seems to realize the confidence is there; he only needs the strategy. Most stories like this depict a loner wallowing in anger and taking revenge, wantonly inflicting injury on others. Far from a loner, Assane is amicably separated from his wife, Claire, played by Ludivine Sagnier, and very close to his teenage son, Raoul, played by Etan Simon. He is, however, obsessed with completing his mission, which keeps them from being together as a family. There is also Benjamin, his loyal, best friend from childhood. Played by Antoine Gouy, Benjamin is both Assane’s confidant and a constant in his life, also sharing a fascination for Lupin stories. In many ways, the show is similar to The Avengers . No, not the Marvel movie. I am referring to the British spy television show that ran for eight years between 1961 and 1969. The series featured Agent John Steed, played by Patrick Macnee ( A View to a Kill , The Howling ), and Mrs. Peel, played by Diana Rigg ( Game of Thrones , Doctor Who ). The duo battled odd but wealthy, sci-fi like criminals with British grace while surrounded by the trappings of Britain’s wealthy class. Steed, always donning a suit, derby hat, and umbrella, frequently used these as weapons during his fighting escapades. Like the Avengers , Assane wears the persona of the wealthy class, and he seamlessly moves in and out of high society spaces as needed to zero in on the culprits. Sometimes, getting a glimpse of other cultures allows us to see our own objectively. For viewers who haven’t been to France, the series gives us a look inside the Louvre and a sense of what it’s like to have a seat on the Seine River. Although a work of fiction produced for pure entertainment, Lupin also allows us to see the lasting damage that can occur when power and influence go unchecked, and corruption is allowed to fester. In addition to its virtual sightseeing and underlying themes, Lupin can be a fun watch. 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!

Loudermilk’s crude humor goes against the grain < Back Loudermilk’s crude humor goes against the grain Primary Wave Entertainment, 2017- 30 minutes Creator: Peter Farrelly and Bobby Mort Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Adobe Stock Loudermilk Delighted (AFT4OKLKGGWMNT7B) 00:00 / 04:23 Jasmine Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Chris Chaisson 2021-08-30 In recent years, anti-bullying efforts have altered the subject matter of many comedies. Most mainstream half-hours have taken on a more wholesome approach to storytelling, highlighting family and relationship struggles. For many cable and streaming companies, comedies have shifted to dramedies, and the humor results from the characters’ overexposure to each other or complicated psychology. Loudermilk chooses a different route, opting for the older style of somewhat obscene humor. After his career as a music critic is cut short, Sam Loudermilk, played by Ron Livingston of Office Space fame, leads a support group for substance abuse that meets in a church basement. While this profession leads you to believe that he is a sensitive and caring individual, Sam is kind of a jerk. The critic in him never fades into the background. Every episode opens with him picking a fight with a stranger over their behavior, throwing out opinions he could have easily kept to himself. Nonetheless, our protagonist strives to help people fight addiction and he excels at it despite his antagonistic nature. Sam’s ability is underscored by the show’s inciting incident; a rich widow asking him to rehabilitate her troubled teenage daughter, Claire (Anya Savcic, Big Sky ). He obliges, and over the pilot episode, we see how his flaws as a human still manage to make him good at his job. His visage of apathy sets him apart from your stereotypical counselor and allows him to subvert the expectations of the cynical people he meets. Loudermilk’s imperfections set the tone for much of the series’ humor, as the recovering addicts in his group do not exhibit much tact either. On the surface, they are not easy characters to wrap your arms around. The group consists of deadbeat dads, womanizers and bookies, with Loudermilk himself having nearly committed vehicular manslaughter before finding his calling as a support group leader. However, they possess a shared redeeming quality, in that they acknowledge their wrongdoings and their need for help. They have reached a stage of self-improvement that many, addicts or not, never reach. Having this de facto family of misfits allows the series to create a diverse cast, with people of different ethnicities and nationalities represented as well as a character with a disability. The show does not shy away from storylines concerning sexism, ableism and racism, but still takes jabs at all the characters regardless of their background. In a strange way, the series exhibits a more progressive tone than many of the more culturally sensitive modern comedies. Despite their differences, the members of Loudermilk’s group bond through their efforts to mend their relationships and stay clean. We see them reconnect with people that they’ve hurt, and struggle exhibiting patience or with changing how they communicate. If you know people battling addiction, many of the show’s recurring messages may hit home. Though not overtly stated at any time, it hints at the fact of life that you cannot change the past; you can only strive to do better going forward. We see this play out specifically among Loudermilk in his attempts to atone for harsh music critiques, Ben (Will Sasso, MadTV) , Loudermilk’s best friend and roommate, and Mugsy (Brian Regan), a member of the support group who abandoned his family. A line that Claire throws back in Loudermilk’s face multiple times is that “getting clean is easy; living is hard.” In the end, Loudermilk effectively tackles difficult subject matters and shows how a group of people who are not at all family-oriented can still somehow form a family. While it is difficult to think of a strong comparison, Orange is the New Black comes close, as we see many of its main characters ponder how they wound up in prison and how to cope. It would be easy to observe the style of humor and dismiss Loudermilk as juvenile, but the show’s ability to humanize its main characters and portray the struggle to self-improvement with pinpoint accuracy make this half-hour series a tempting watch. 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!

Living with Yourself rocks the boat using the doppelganger trope < Back Living with Yourself rocks the boat using the doppelganger trope Jax Media, 2019- 30 minutes Creator: Timothy Greenberg Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Living with Yourself Dialogues (NQ3OCH3UGSK9611V) 00:00 / 04:23 Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Chris Chaisson 2021-10-15 Human beings have an uncanny ability to adapt to their circumstances. While we typically associate this with people of modest means, the same holds just as true for the haves as it does the have-nots. Many family dramas with an element of fantasy in them choose to highlight characters who take their living situations for granted. Taking an ungrateful character and turning their world upside down paves the way for many hijinks, especially when this change includes the arrival of a new character. Such is the case in the 8-episode Netflix series Living with Yourself . Created by Timothy Greenberg ( The Daily Show ), Living with Yourself follows Miles (Paul Rudd, Ant-Man ), a suburban husband experiencing a rut who visits an obscure spa in order to rejuvenate himself. Upon arrival, he is cloned and buried alive. When he escapes his burial and encounters the clone, he must figure out how to coexist with his doppelganger and whether or not to keep his dual existence a secret. Though Miles is a regular suburbanite, his character flaw jumps out at the viewer right away: he does not appreciate his wife or job as much as he should. The show begins with him entering a work meeting unprepared for his presentation, but not terribly bothered by it. He then resents his coworker (Desmin Borges, You’re the Worst ) for being more engaging and likeable to the team. The next morning, he shares a rather contentious breakfast with his wife. The particular issue causing friction between himself and Kate (Aisling Bea, This Way Up ) is his reluctance to go to the fertility clinic. Their major want as a couple is to start a family, but they are struggling to conceive and Miles drags his feet in seeking consultation, frustrating Kate. Miles comes across as a sort of Ebenezer Scrooge before his trip to the spa. It’s not that he’s unlikeable; on the contrary, his emotions can be relatable to anyone who feels their daily routine becoming monotonous. Miles desperately needs to shake things up, and rather than go on a vacation with Kate or put his head down and strive for a promotion, he badgers his coworker for some secret remedy. This sets the table for the show’s inciting incident and Miles’s eventual transformation into a more appreciative husband and employee. Of course, like in many other clone/twin stories, Miles cannot resist the urge to coerce his counterpart into doing all the boring tasks that he is sick of, such as: going to work; hosting a dinner party; etc. There is one issue with Miles’s plan, which is that his clone is very much his superior at all these tasks. Kate takes more of a shine to the clone, appreciating his new attitude. The clone also outperforms the colleagues that Miles had been previously lagging. Rather than be introspective, Miles is consumed by jealousy and insecurity, leading to much conflict, twists and turns throughout the eight episodes. Not only does Miles experience a character arc, but Kate goes through a change in her own perspective. While she appreciates the clone’s demeanor, she realizes that Miles’s imperfections, while frustrating, make him human in a way that the clone could never be. Living with Yourself is of course not the first movie or show to utilize the concept of a main character getting cloned. While its predecessors provide the easiest comparisons, the series brings to mind other dramadies that had an element of fantasy in them, like The Family Man (2000), where a wealthy bachelor gets a glimpse into his life had he married his college sweetheart. Both present a main character who has essentially become numb to their surroundings. Though Jack in The Family Man was more content than Miles, he had still lost an appreciation for how the people around him enriched his life. The roller coaster ride that Miles’s clone takes him on brings him to appreciate the stability and support he can always count on from his significant other and his profession. If you enjoy escapist narratives with the backdrop of an average suburban lifestyle (and a Tom Brady cameo), Living with Yourself will surely quench your thirst. 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!

Borgen provides an international perspective through political drama < Back Borgen provides an international perspective through political drama Dansmark Radio, 2010-13 58 minutes Creator: Adam Price Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Borgen Sliced Bread (PMGPOVFPRLWGTPW0) 00:00 / 04:30 Barley Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Honeybush Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 For years, I have contended that there is no better way to understand the system you are in and your degree of socialization to it, without an international perspective. Insight into how other countries operate—politically, economically, and socially—is a good way to appreciate the privileges of your own and to acknowledge its constraints. That the lessons are accompanied with intrigue, tension, crises, and poignant moments is a bonus. Borgen is a present-day series about politics in Denmark and the rise of its first female prime minister. Starring Sidse Babett Knudsen ( Westworld , A Hologram for the King ) as Birgitte Nyborg Christensen, the series depicts a convergence of the different interests that make the Danish government work. Through portrayals of power‑sharing across political parties and even the process of selecting a prime minister, the show presents what it means to serve and be accountable to the electorate. Unlike the United States, Denmark consists of more than ten political parties , five of which occupy approximately three-quarters of its 179 elected parliamentary seats. The system still holds firm after more than 170 years and yields the intentional effect of forcing cooperation, negotiation, and compromise with groups that have distinct and sometimes opposing political ideas and priorities. This against the backdrop of the centuries-old buildings, small living quarters, cozy cafes, and cool temperatures gives us a feel for the culture of the North European country. A wife and mother of two, Christensen is overwhelmed by parental demands, as are most protagonists in stories about career women. Also, predictably, she is saddled with a loving but unfaithful husband, portrayed by Mikael Bikkjaer. A wise senior adviser, played by Lars Knutzon, helps her realize her power and to grasp a more complete view of the Danish political landscape. This proves to be epiphanous for the leader of the newly elected majority party in Parliament. Much like The West Wing , the series takes viewers inside the room where negotiations are conducted, tensions and ambitions are revealed, and wills are tested. Indeed, the efforts to undercut Christensen’s power are continuous. A CEO threatens to relocate his billion-dollar company if a measure passes mandating that women comprise half of all private sector board members. In a private, late-night meeting with Christensen, the man calmly sips his coffee from the fine china and states with strong self‑assurance, “… we cannot risk having incompetent leadership in our companies due to state intervention.” Politics are around the clock in this series where there is no rest for the weary prime minister. The constant wrangling for attention, power, and control are ever-present, and each has to be weighed against the country’s social-democratic values. When a cabinet minister discloses the cease-and-desist order he took against a group of journalists because he could not find a mole, the prime minister admonishes him and squashes the action, referring to it as out of line with their principles. When political tensions arise with a former colony, she dismisses the leader with niceties because of “more important matters” she needs to attend to at home. Realizing the need to recalibrate, she learns about the damage of colonization, triggering for us the experiences of Indigenous people in the U.S. What is most interesting about this series is it allows us to see up close how multiple interests can be served at the national level. The show, then, forces us to reckon with the constraints of a system that drives and cajoles us into bifurcated camps and often antagonistic political identities as Democrats or Republicans. If you like pondering political matters like these, you might want to give Borgen a try. It’s also pretty cool to see the virtues of only two people debating at a time, standing at a small round table with the moderator between them! Yeah—different. 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!