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< Back Napoleon makes us consider how much ambition is enough Apple Studios, 2023 158 minutes Director/Writer: Ridley Scott / David Scarpa Reading Time: 6 minutes Napoleon Accelerate (WCWSCSXBAM4IZ3E4) 00:00 / 07:09 📷 : John Hanley https://johnhanleyartist.com/ https://twitter.com/HanleyArtist https://johnhanleyartist.com/ Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Masala Chai: Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Reba Chaisson 2023-12-26 In the 2009 song, “So Ambitious,” Jay-Z raps that lack of ambition is “so wack.” But is there such a thing as too much ambition? I ponder this while watching the 2-hour 38-minute movie, Napoleon , as it follows the Frenchman’s military, political and personal exploits. The film opens in 1789 with the dethroning of King Louis XVI and the subsequent beheading of his wife, Mrs. “ Let them eat cake ” herself, Queen Marie Antoinette. Played by Joaquin Phoenix, 20-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte, dressed in military vestments, watches the violence and celebration around the uprising and executions as if deep in thought. Already a well-known and influential military official in the French government, he stands alone and pensive - perhaps relieved he is not the one heading to the guillotine. Oops, pun not intended! Or maybe he is just wondering what all the upheaval means for him. Napoleon , the movie, consists mostly of war and tension. Indeed, France experiences constant war and turmoil throughout Bonaparte’s 51 years, much of which he initiates. In this sense, though, the movie is similar to the 2002 film, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , which is three full hours of war – for a noble cause, but war nonetheless. And as exemplified in the United States’s own profitable military industrial complex, so much war creates opportunities for opportunists looking to increase their wealth and advance their status. As other French officials conspire to move closer to the throne, so too does Napoleon. British writings and caricatures of the period describe Napoleon Bonaparte as “diminutive, raging and boastful—like a child throwing a temper tantrum.” In one English cartoon, for example, he is depicted as a small man sitting at a large table and cutting his meat with an oversized knife, which happens to be his sword. Bonaparte was about 5’6”, roughly average for French men during his lifetime. Still, his stature (and the jokes that come with it) remains the master narrative centuries later, as can be seen in this film, where he is depicted as he was then by the country he hated most. Given this contentious relationship, Napoleon , the film, should be viewed with skepticism. After the 1789 coup d état, French officials ask Napoleon to put down subsequent revolutions, and he later jumps at the chance to lead wars against Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and other countries vying for European supremacy. On each request, he forcefully reiterates his love for France and willingness to fight for his country, but it is well understood that he expects something real and grand in return with each victory. His determination is palpable, as shown in the battle he leads against the British. Physically stumbling when heading towards a wall in his fight to break up Great Britain’s blockade of French ships, Napoleon refuses the help of his comrades when he is knocked down awkwardly by the vibration of cannon fire. Knocking their hands away, he insists, “I’m fine.” He then gets up and clumsily continues to run towards the wall as if unfazed (physically or psychologically) by the incident. It strikes as if he has something to prove, or a goal he is striving for, refusing to be deterred. Dubbed “Napoleonic Wars,” each of Napoleon’s skirmishes is bloodier and more brutal than the last in terms of the numbers of troops he loses on the battlefield. For the ones he wins, he is rewarded with medals and promotions. As he gains fame in France for his military exploits, women call on him. Yes, a man in a military uniform – nothing’s changed! Josephine, a war widow, sends a message to Bonaparte requesting his company. Smitten by the mother of two, he marries her and soon after informs her that she must bear his son. Typically, male members of monarchy are concerned with successors whom they prefer to be male. But at this point, Napoleon is a military general, and the monarchy no longer exists in France. When Josephine isn’t pregnant in a year’s time, Bonaparte confronts her at the dinner table in front of numerous servers and guests. Sitting opposite Josephine, he stares and yells, “Why aren’t you pregnant with a child yet?” The dinner chatter stops. “We’ve had plenty of lovemaking, why haven’t you bore me a child?” Initially shocked but settling in and taking his comment with ease, Josephine, played by Vanessa Kirby ( Mission Impossible: Fallout , Pieces of a Woman ), laughs and responds, “We don’t make nearly enough love,” implying that Bonaparte engages in sex with a goal rather than lovemaking. Bonaparte’s comments not only suggest his preoccupation with legacy but also his own sexual insecurity. It is important, it seems, that their friends know he is “taking care of business,” that they think of him as virile and Josephine as barren or somehow defective. Contemporary research indicates that tall men are paid more money, promoted more frequently, and given higher deference in everyday interactions than men who are shorter. This heightism, while prevalent across time, has only recently been recognized as an implicit bias that manifests as favoritism for some and discrimination against others based on one’s stature. Other than the usual career aspirations, Napoleon’s “ Napoleon complex ” helps explain his unrelenting determination to prove the reigning master narratives about him wrong. But in his desperation to do so, he instead proves them right. He is immature, boastful, and prone to throwing temper tantrums. As the movie suggests, Napoleon is even preoccupied with the idea that friends may think he is less of a man because he and his wife have not yet bore a son. Accomplishing this is more about affirming his manhood to others than it is about experiencing the joy of having a child of his own. In a weird ceremony, he even goes so far as to crown himself Emperor of France, a role with no ruling authority, simply to satisfy his ambitions and to prove he is better than he believes others think of him. There are some real problems with this film with respect to the timeline of events and showing the dates to offer us a sense of the chronology. Nonetheless, the gist of Napoleon’s life and travails are presented on screen. Despite his military accomplishments, wealth, and his ascendancy in the French government, he still feels as if these are not enough. Hmmm. That Napoleon complex is serious business. I guess too much ambition can be wack too. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back The Knife immerses viewers in a story about clear-eyed choices Iam21 Entertainment, 2024 82 minutes Director/Writer: Nnamdi Asomugha / Mark Duplass and Nnamdi Asomugha Reading Time: 5 minutes The Knife Escape Plan (EVYBJGSJJLNNPOWV) 00:00 / 06:09 📷 : Relativity Media Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2025-08-22 In the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast episode, “What is the Goal of a Short Film?”, we comment that many short films are not only standalone stories but also stories with strong, life-relevant themes. At 82 minutes, The Knife is not considered a short film. It is , though, a short feature that carries valuable life lessons despite its theatrical brevity. In case you’re unfamiliar, The Knife is a drama directed and co-written by former NFL cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha and Aja Naomi King lead the cast as Chris and Alex, respectively, a married couple with three children. The family recently bought a fixer-upper in a Towson County, Maryland neighborhood known for crime. A talented construction worker and the sole provider of his family, Chris spends his evenings and weekends renovating the home and feverishly preparing his oldest daughter’s bedroom, so she doesn’t have to share rooms with her slightly younger sister. All is well until Chris awakens one night to an intruder in his home. Melissa Leo of The Equalizer movie franchise is Detective Carlsen, the smart and affable cop with a nose for BS who insists throughout the investigation that “there is a process” that must be followed. As we learn through Detective Carlsen’s questions and our own observations of the family, the details uncover a complex narrative. I will admit that when it comes to dramas containing scenes of police interacting with Black people, I tend to expect unpleasant exchanges and the worst (or least helpful) outcomes. I anticipate that the police are going to get indignant or do something unjust that will raise my ire. But a brilliant plot twist occurs in The Knife that sharply changes the stakes in the movie early on. There I am, suddenly dropped into the deep end of the story, and forced to make a mental readjustment. It is fair to say that police dramas are intense on their own. In addition to the interrogations themselves, the environments in which police question people and the conditions under which they do so are stressful. As such, time and space can vary the intensity of a police drama. Darkness, for instance, is used quite effectively in The Knife . The home invasion occurs at night, a time when many of us feel most vulnerable, as evidenced by the fact that we check our door locks and set the alarm before heading to bed. Darkness brings fear and uncertainty. The Knife also makes effective use of location. While likely a budget decision, the entire film is shot in Chris’s and Alex’s home, which is eventually transformed into a crime scene. A space that symbolizes comfort and peace is then occupied by strangers in uniform, who strip Chris, Alex, and their children of the freedom to move about, express themselves as they choose, and even to speak freely in their own home. The struggle over control of this space increases the tension in the film. Finally, all the events occur when the family is normally sound asleep in their beds, making the entire process surreal and disorienting. So, the conditions brought about by time and space heighten the intensity and intrigue of this story, making the family’s fear palpable and the police officers’ intentions questionable. I was exposed to Gramscian theory during graduate school—you know him, Antonio Gramsci, the Italian theorist who wrote in the early twentieth century. While he unapologetically acknowledged how prevailing ideas influence our thinking and lead us to accept life as it is, he also emphasized that agency plays a role in our circumstances. In other words, sometimes we act in ways that make things worse for ourselves. He suggests that even though so much is out of our control given ideology, bureaucracy, laws, police power, etc., we can still make clear-eyed choices that help us control our own destinies. While I generally agree, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and living since graduate school. What Gramsci’s theory doesn’t account for are the emotional elements people experience, like panic and desperation, when they suddenly find themselves amid consequential entanglements that can spur a fight-or-flight response. To what degree can we be clear-eyed when we are in a situation that doesn’t offer the time and space to be clear-headed ? When we’re not clear-headed, what we have is confusion, chaos, and disorder rather than an opportunity to use agency to make a clear-eyed choice. In such situations, it is more likely this results in a mistake in judgment with potentially unintended consequences. The Knife does a laudable job of driving home these very points. Hmmm, perhaps the filmmakers critiqued Gramsci too. The Knife is an intense film with high stakes. It gives us pause, makes us dig deep, and forces us to consider the choices we make, as well as the constraints around those choices. Crawling inside ourselves for this introspection is probably one of the most important things we can do, since it is likely to sharpen our judgment and lead to fewer grave errors. And who would have thought such a profound message would come in a package as small as an 82-minute theatrical release. 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Crumpets Food for Thought! Imagine taking an afternoon break on a calm sunny day in the low 70s. You sit in a nearby park filled with maples and oaks, birds chirping, and a pond with families of ducks floating about. In your 15 to 20 minutes of bliss, you sip your Sage tea while engrossed in an article about the changing cultural landscape of movie‑going, why short films are made , or perhaps just curious about the trends in the horror genre. Crumpets articles are food for thought that are also perfectly suited for a cup of Jasmine, Matcha, Peach—and sometimes even Dandelion! Enjoy! What's that Sound? The Profound Seamlessness of Film Scores Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 16 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Cup of Tea Critiques A Clash of Knuckles: Movies and the System of Rating Them Highlighting the Tension Between Filmmakers and the MPA Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 19 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Cup of Tea Critiques Are horror movies and thrillers one and the same or completely different? Distinguishing Two of Cinema's Most Popular Genres Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 10 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Used with Permission, Sarah Sumeray https://www.sarahsumerayonline.com/art How Do You Like Your Cinema? What You Said about What You Watch Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 15 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Licensed from Shutterstock Are Mumblecore Movies Relatable or Just Boring? Examining a Subgenre of Indie Filmmaking Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 9 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Used with Permission, Scott Saslow (scottsaslow.com Instagram: @scottsaslow Twitter: @saslow_scott) How to Increase Latin-American Representation in Film What a Recent Horror Blockbuster Can Tell Us About the Importance of Representation Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 7 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Used with permission, Vini Kick Winnie the Pooh and the Public Domain How a New Horror Movie is Shedding Light on an Old Concept Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 7 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Photo from Pixabay Do Slasher Movies Still Cut It? (No Pun Intended) Examining the Shift in the Thematic Trends of the Horror Genre Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 8 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Used with Permission, Snollygoster Productions (hello@snollygoster.productions ) Soft and Quiet, Along With 6 Other Movies Shot in One Take A Brief List of Movies Shot in One Continuous Take -- er, Supposedly Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 9 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Used with Permission, Snollygoster Productions (hello@snollygoster.productions ) Why and How Short Films are Made An Examination of Short Films and How They Serve Aspiring Filmmakers Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 9 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Photo from Pixabay Getting Up Close and Personal with Crawdads and Vengeance A look at how film informs our perspective Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 11 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Licensed from Shutterstock Game of Thrones Audience Appeal The Enduringness of Story Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 18 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Licensed from Shutterstock The Source and Impact of Smith's Actions Two Perspectives on "The Slap" Chris and Reba Chaisson Reading Time: 10 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Licensed from Shutterstock How Do We Measure Box Office Success Considering the Value of a Movie Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 5 minutes Read More Image: 📸: Photo from Pixabay

Short Films Liquor Bank Liquor Bank displays the complexities of an intervention Tea Brew: Dandelion, Honeybush Director/Writer: Marcellus Cox Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Marcellus Cox Read More Almost Certainly False Almost Certainly False drives home the risk of reductionist language Tea Brew: Honeybush, Ginger Director/Writer: Cansu Baydar Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Cansu Baydar Read More The First Time I Never Met You The First Time I Never Met You adds a wrinkle to the time-traveling genre Tea Brew: Coca, Saffron Director/Writer: Eric Kole Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Eric Kole Read More A Good Day Will Come A Good Day Will Come sheds light on a real-life tragedy Tea Brew: Dandelion, Honeybush Director/Writer: Amir Zargara Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Amir Zargara Read More Life After Life After presents a short story with a big screen feel Tea Brew: Ginseng, Ginger Director/Writer: Jesse Edwards Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Evolve Studios Read More River of Grass River of Grass makes us consider the predicaments of young veterans Tea Brew: Dandelion, Honeybush Director/Writer: Derek Magyar / Jon Bloch, Chad Christopher, and Derek Magyar Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Skinny Lee Productions Read More Load more

Interviews Derek Magyar A Conversation with River of Grass Director Derek Magyar River of Grass Writer/Director Derek Magyar sits down with Cup of Tea Critiques Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 13 minutes Read More Greg Sgammato A Conversation with Film Composer Greg Sgammato Cup of Tea Critiques chats with Greg Sgammato, film composer and member of the Society of Composers and Lyricists Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 18 minutes Read More Steven Renkovish Interview: A Talk with Writer/Director Steven Renkovish Interview with Writer/Director Steven Adam Renkovish on The Awakening of Lilith Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 18 minutes Read More Alain Fleury A Conversation with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Assistant Editor Alain Fleury Alain Fleury joined COTC to discuss the ins and outs of assistant editing for big-budget Marvel movies Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 16 minutes Read More Anton Deshawn A Conversation with The Untold Story of Mild Sauce Writer/Director Anton Deshawn Writer/Director Anton Deshawn joins COTC for a deep dive into his short film Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 11 minutes Read More Dani Abraham A Conversation with Murder, Anyone? Producer Dani Abraham Cup of Tea Critiques has a chat with Murder, Anyone? producer Dani Abraham Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 14 minutes Read More Alex Morsanutto A Conversation with Operation: Cavity Writer/Director Alex Morsanutto Cup of Tea Critiques sits down with indie director Alex Morsanutto Chris Chaisson Reading Time: 10 minutes Read More