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< Back Rye Lane blends surrealism and cold hard truth together Searchlight Pictures, 2023 82 minutes Director/Writer: Raine Allen-Miller / Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia Reading Time: 5 minutes Rye Lane Hope Springs Internal (D9N6UOZMHBI8EFXI) 00:00 / 05:14 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Gingko Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Chris Chaisson 2023-04-06 “What makes you think I've got a mess?” “Everyone has a mess.” Break-up movies can take many different approaches. Some, like Legally Blonde , vilify the significant other and center the story around the main character’s payback. Others shed light on the relationship and force the protagonist to bear some responsibility, such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall . A lot of films pair the melancholy protagonist with a fun and upbeat new person, like Along Came Polly . While having a short running time, the new indie rom-com Rye Lane manages to combine all these elements while avoiding the many clichés of its genre. Rye Lane follows Dom (David Jonsson, Industry ) and Yas (Vivian Oparah, Then You Run) , two twenty-somethings fresh off of break-ups who meet at a mutual friend’s art exhibit. After leaving, they improvise the rest of the day together in South London and open up about how they are coping. Yas does her best to boost Dom’s self-esteem and convince him that he is better off without his old flame, who cheated on him with his best friend. Along the way, the two meet each other’s exes, hang out with family members, and of course, get into a couple of sticky situations. First-time director Raine Allen-Miller uses visual gags and surrealist scenes to appeal to the audience. Rather than simply having Dom and Yas converse or show narrated flashbacks, Allen-Miller inserts the co-leads into the flashbacks as if they are reliving the moments themselves. The most entertaining of these scenes is when Yas recalls her ex’s disdain for hip hop music while she plays her A Tribe Called Quest album. This scene could have simply been a throwaway line amidst her and Dom’s conversation, but instead the audience sees Yas and her ex onstage in a black box theater as if they are starring in a play. All of the seats in the audience are filled by clones of Dom watching while Yas narrates. All of the Dom doppelgangers react in unison: laughing, slapping their knees, gritting their teeth in anger at the ex’s off-putting comments. In illustrating the flashback this way, Allen-Miller maximizes the comedic potential of the story beat. This scene, and other such flashbacks, provides the audience with added context for the breakdown of Yas’s and Dom’s relationship. It is one thing to hear differences of opinion between couples and feel them to be too petty to lead to a breakup. But depicting the disagreement instead gives the audience a better sense of the chemistry (or lack thereof) between the two. Yas’s ex maintained a hyper-serious nature that, combined with his dismissive tone, did not mix well with the free-spirited, goofy personality of Yas. Many rom-coms involving a recent breakup attempt to place the exes in a scene together to show the audience why they did not work, and Rye Lane accomplishes this with its absurdist elements. While the stylized humor may be too quirky for some, it certainly holds the audience’s attention. Rye Lane also flips gender norms on their heads right from the jump. In the opening scene, Yas enters a unisex bathroom and overhears Dom crying in one of the stalls. In countless rom-coms from past generations, the female character is the crying, inconsolable co-lead while the male attempts to comfort her. Without being preachy or overbearing, the film continues to subvert expectations of masculinity and femininity. Dom rocks a pair of pink sneakers, which is how Yas recognizes him when he later exits the bathroom. As the film progresses, Yas is consistently the authority on relationships and plans of action, also going against rom-com gender norms. She offers Dom life advice since she seems to be handling her breakup better emotionally. Despite being joyous and impulsive, Yas is still down-to-earth and flawed enough to not assume the “manic pixie dream girl” stereotype. On the flipside, Yas never belittles Dom’s personality as less than or “beta male.” She seeks to instill confidence in him without playing to any toxic traits associated with old-fashioned masculinity, simply urging him to stand up for himself. Similarly, Dom is never put off or intimidated by Yas’s confidence. He instead voices his admiration for who she is and aspires to be more like her. Though the respect could be attributed to them withholding judgment due to having just met each other, it can also be seen as an example of allowing people to grow into their own without denigrating them. Though the rom-com genre is chock full of recent breakup stories, Rye Lane definitely forges its own story path. It does, however, come across as a perfect mix of the 2000 John Cusack flick High Fidelity and the late 2000’s Michael Cera comedy Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist . Between the reliving of breakups, stylistic flashbacks and emphasis on musical tastes, all three films offer what newly single people need: acceptance, good times, and a glimmer of hope moving forward. 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 Conclave highlights the elusiveness of infallibility Indian Paintbrush, 2024 120 minutes Director/Writer: Edward Berger / Peter Straughan and Robert Harris Reading Time: 9 minutes Conclave Over the Years (T5KTL7QBINSTAQET) 00:00 / 11:27 📷 : Used with permission, Theo Peng https://www.instagram.com/mrtheodorepeng/ https://x.com/mrtheodorepeng Honeybush: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Reba Chaisson 2025-01-31 I was raised Baptist and my church felt like my second home. In addition to choir rehearsal and Bible Study during the week, I was there every Sunday with my family from 9:00 to 1:30. I stopped going to church when I went to college and actually felt liberated from the more than half-day Sunday service. So, when we broached the topic of declining church attendance during a graduate seminar in the late ‘90s, I humorously speculated that long services could be the reason for the decline. Church attendance has been shrinking since the 1990s. Gallup studies this phenomenon regularly. Its most recent report shows that 30% of people in the U.S. attend religious services on a weekly basis, which is down from 42% 20 years ago. Adding to this phenomenon, Pew Research reported in 2009 that 17% of people claimed to be agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.” Ten years later, 1 out of every 4 indicated as such. Individuals and families are often blamed for problematic social phenomena. But I’ve been considering what responsibilities the institutions themselves have for declining attendance and perhaps even diminishing faith? As I watched Conclave , these decades-old questions began to swirl in my mind once again. Conclave ’s inciting incident is the sudden death of the sitting pope. Ralph Fiennes headlines the film as Cardinal Lawrence, the pope’s dear and trusted friend. Soon after arriving at the Vatican, Lawrence learns of the Holy Father’s written order that he lead the Catholic church’s traditional conclave to select a new pope. Distraught but touched by his friend’s trust, Cardinal Lawrence carries on his duties by first summoning all the cardinals from across the globe to the Vatican for the proceedings. Consulting with Lawrence is Cardinal Bellini, a close friend and confidant of he and the late pope’s, played by Stanley Tucci. In case you’re unaware, a conclave is the process whereby Catholic cardinals appoint a new pope after the one in office has resigned or passed away. During this time, the cardinals are sequestered to the Vatican’s campus to avoid any outside influences on their decisions. The meeting itself is held nearby in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals' exchanges and votes are kept secret, and their notes and ballots are burned at the end of each session to ensure their inviolability. Black chimney smoke from the burnings signal to Catholic faithful that a decision on a new pope has not yet been reached, while white smoke indicates that a pope has been selected. The process can run from days to years. During their stay, each cardinal has a private room in the large dormitory on the Vatican’s campus. They eat meals together in an airy, spacious dining hall, while dressed in clean and starched robes and zucchettos. Isabella Rossellini plays the tough, stubborn, and protective Sister Agnes in Conclave , who leads the group of international nuns called in to support the cardinals’ domestic needs in the form of cooking and cleaning. Interestingly, their role is little different than that of most women in the secular world. That Sister Agnes is tight-lipped, stern-faced, and has few lines in the film signals the nuns’ narrow and traditional functions in the midst of a group of men with prestige and who each has authority over them. We know this for sure when she cracks a slight smile as one of the cardinals acknowledges the sisters during a prayer over the food, thanking God for the sisters who prepared it. On the one hand, the gathering of the cardinals brings to mind domestic and international college students converging on campuses for the start of fall semester. Like predominantly White college campuses, the Vatican has a predominance of White cardinals with a smattering of cardinals of color. Together, like students, the group is diverse in nationality. On the other hand, the setting feels like a high school with a strict dress code and beginning its first week of classes for the semester. Early on, there are smiles, hugs, and a bit of catch-up after the summer away from one another. And over time, they form cliques, secrets are revealed, and voice is given to what were once implicit biases. Quickly, we learn from this film that what we often view as perfect in religious institutions is far from it when we get to observe the goings-on in its inner sanctum. The movie reveals that conclave proceedings are more like politics than a process we might imagine as steeped in prayer, humility, and melancholy. While the cardinals are serious about the task at hand, for many, their own aspirations to be king — oh, sorry — pope, are top of mind. And those who insist they have no such ambitions, well, we learn differently not only when their names suddenly appear on the ballot, but especially as their names begin to drop in the number of votes they receive. When Lawrence suggests to Bellini early on that he is likely to succeed the pope, Bellini is modestly surprised and insists he doesn’t want it. But when his voting numbers begin to slip, he becomes indignant about the people who move ahead of him on the ballot. He even accuses Lawrence of wanting the papacy for himself despite his name not appearing on the ballot. So much for being close friends! Different from Bellini’s initial modesty, other cardinals are not shy in expressing their desire to be head of the Catholic Archdiocese. Cardinal Tremblay, who is played by John Lithgow, not only insists he should be the next pope, but he has a cadre of cardinals who agrees with him and votes in his favor. When Lawrence asks Tremblay if there is any truth to an allegation he learned from a priest who came to see him at the Vatican, Tremblay responds as if he’d been accused of blasphemy – “Oh God, of course not!” But as he does with others who throw their zucchettos in the ring, Lawrence instructs his assistant to conduct a background investigation on the cardinal. When he confronts him with his findings, Tremblay is forced to moderate his arrogance and swallow his indignation. Cardinal Wozniak, played by Jacek Koman, is openly racist and xenophobic, once even proclaiming in his native Italian, “We tolerate Islam in our land, but they revile us in theirs. What we need is a leader who believes that we are facing a true religious war. … We need a leader who fights these animals.” While this sounds more like a military zealot than a priest, Wozniak too has a cadre of cardinals who sides with him and casts votes in his favor. But when his bigotry is confronted by an unlikely source, his run too is short-lived. Even the Black cardinals get behind Cardinal Adeyemi, an ambitious cardinal from Nigeria played by Lucian Msamati, who insists he deserves the opportunity to be pope. But Lawrence finds that he too has blemishes on his record. Watching Conclave made me realize why conclaves can last years. It is an endless search for perfection among fallible human beings, none of whom began their lives as adults or priests. The process reinforces the ever-present somber reality that infallibility is both elusive and an illusion, that we must recognize we are works in progress and strive to be better. The film suggests, however, that strict adherence to the rules of the church is required and that there’s no margin for error when it comes to the papacy. This lack of flexibility could help explain why people seem to feel alienated from religion and religious institutions. While they are not one and the same, they both manifest in the lack of church-going. It makes you wonder, then, if the church itself is lacking in a relatability factor, where its leaders present themselves as pure and infallible and the congregation by contrast is made to feel like heathens. An interesting aspect of Conclave is the difficulty in locating the villain in the story. Coincidentally, COTC recently recorded a podcast on the different forms that a villain can take. In it, we also pose a question regarding audiences’ patience to watch films where the villain is not readily obvious. On the one hand, Cardinals Tremblay and Wozniak can be considered the villains for their dishonesty and bigotry, respectively. But perhaps the villain is less obvious. In his background checks and confrontations with cardinals, Cardinal Lawrence is determined to honor the late pope’s trust in him. But his efforts can also be viewed as a desperate fight to keep evil out of their sacred space. In this sense, he is not fighting the cardinals themselves; rather he is fighting the lust for power, which has the potential to corrupt the church throughout if that kind of power wins. From this perspective, power is the villain rather than the individuals themselves. Cardinals Tremblay and Wozniak behave poorly because they have been infected by a thirst for power that can ultimately fracture the church if they ascend to the role of pontiff. Given what is at stake, Lawrence’s wariness and diligence are warranted and admirable. At the same time though, it suggests he is in pursuit of an infallible human being, or perhaps just the appearance of one. I love movies that give you a glimpse of places and processes we would not otherwise see or experience. The value of Conclave is that it helps us appreciate Catholic clergy, or clergy in general, as flawed people, much like everyone else. What distorts this view, I believe, are the religious institution’s frequent adorning of accoutrements like crosses, starched robes, hats, and even certain colors (i.e. the notion of white for purity) to mask their imperfections and present themselves as holy, unbiased, without ambition, and always upright. We lowly parishioners can’t possibly measure up. Perhaps this is just naïvete on my part, but I wonder how clergy might modify their presentation to make themselves more relatable to the people they serve. Maybe this could be the beginning of making church feel like a second home again. 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!

< Back Marty Supreme centers an anti-hero and his wild adventures A24, 2025 149 minutes Director/Writer: Josh Safdie Reading Time: 5 minutes Marty Supreme Sliced Bread (GBULSNNMPBYKVLSH) 00:00 / 05:12 📷 : A24 Masala Chai Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Chris Chaisson 2026-03-13 Co-dependency can be a blessing in certain instances, spurring people to socialize, connect with others on a deeper level and learn empathy. However, when driven, talented people become co-dependent, their addiction to success can lead them to use it to manipulate others and become an imposition. Some people have no problem asking however many favors they have to ask, and even when told “no” will circumvent the rules and possibly put others in harm’s way. Best Picture nominee Marty Supreme tells the story of just such a character. Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet), a hot shot table tennis player, dreams of competing in the World Championships. While some of his obstacles are practical, like lacking the money and resources to support himself, the biggest factor standing in his way is his abrasive personality. He talks a big game and makes impulsive decisions, and while that leads to him getting noticed and revered, it also costs him opportunities at every turn. He behaves like a swindler for much of the movie, bluffing and conning his way into the lives of others more privileged than him. For instance, while eating at a restaurant, he uses his waiter to get the attention of wealthy businessman, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), sitting at an adjacent table by offering to pay for his group’s dinner. Knowing that Rockwell will be insulted by the notion and confront him, he uses the opportunity to make an impression by putting his massive ego on display, bragging about his own table tennis abilities and even throwing his dinner mate under the bus. As with many anti-hero character types, Marty’s redeeming quality is his talent; he is every bit as good at table tennis as he says he is. While his charisma and arrogance does not win over everybody, his athletic prowess charms many of the people put off by him. Though table tennis can be dizzying, his flashy play style makes for some intense and also humorous scenes, in part a product of Chalamet’s tireless work off screen. Still though, when the games end, his hubris gets in the way. He is too stubborn to accept a lucrative business opportunity from Rockwell that would require him to lose a tennis table exhibition. He later insults Rockwell’s wife, Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), a famous actress, by questioning some of her life choices. In addition to these flubs, he consistently imposes on his friends’ lives, asking for absurd and sometimes dangerous favors when they have any means to help him. His entitlement is summed up in one quote to Stone: “I live with the confidence that I believe in myself and money will follow.” Fittingly, the movie opens with Marty’s shoe salesman job effectively coming to an end, setting the stage for his destabilized lifestyle. Marty gets himself into and out of trouble repeatedly, and while most of it stems from selfishness, some of it does come from a place of love. His fling, Rachel (Odessa A'zion), winds up in her own share of misfortune, and the two beg, borrow and steal their way through several mishaps. He frequently comes to her aid and protects her however he can. Similarly, he shares affection for his friends Wally (Tyler, the Creator) and Dion (Luke Manley), and in brief exchanges with the managers at his table tennis dojo, they have a clear-cut affinity for him. Marty is not heartless by any means, but his focus on a singular mission amplifies his co-dependency. The two prevailing questions as the audience watches Marty traverse his many side quests are will he accomplish his mission and will he ever be humbled. His setbacks may or may not lead him right back to some of the people that he wronged, and either his dreams will die or he will have to swallow his pride. Ultimately, the film ends in a hopeful place, with the belief that there is hope for him to be a better person. Many will compare Marty Supreme to Uncut Gems due to its frantic pace and the centering of an anti-hero with a chaotic lifestyle (not to mention a captivating soundtrack). While it is undoubtedly the easiest comparison, another film to throw out would be 2002 Leonardo DiCaprio hit Catch Me if You Can . DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, Jr., a skilled con man who keeps escaping trouble. Both his and Marty’s character are loosely based on real-life people, and some would say the start to Chalamet’s accomplished acting career has him on a similar trajectory to the fellow A-lister, as both are nominated for Best Actor. Marty Supreme delivers on thrills and several top-tier performances, making it a more than worthy Best Picture nominee. 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 Underneath its crude humor, Funny Pages presents a relatable inner conflict. Elara Pictures, 2022 86 minutes Director/Writer: Owen Kline Reading Time: 4 minutes Funny Pages Bright Sunny Day (XKZNBXMW4TPZG38B) 00:00 / 04:47 📷 : Used with permission, Izzy Aghahowa https://izzyaghahowa.co.uk/ Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Chris Chaisson 2022-09-19 It’s no secret what a dizzying time the end of high school can be. Given how hard it is for full-grown adults to make life-changing decisions, picking a place to move on to for the next four years (if anywhere) brings a lot of pressure to teenagers. The ability to figure out what will drive you for the rest of your life can be overwhelming when you can barely drive yourself, but some adolescents know earlier than others. When you discover your passion ahead of schedule, the choices you make can perplex those around you. Such was the case for the protagonist of Funny Pages , a Cannes Award-nominated indie project all about self-discovery. Funny Pages follows Robert (Daniel Zolghadri, Eighth Grade), a teenage comic strip artist grieving the unexpected death of his mentor. After he is caught breaking and entering to recover his drawings and then let off easy, Robert decides that he does not want to keep living under the protective arm of his parents, Jennifer (Maria Dizzia, True Story) and Lewis (Josh Pais, Joker). He saves up to buy a broken-down jalopy from his comic book store manager and rents a room in Trenton, New Jersey. After finding a job as a typist for the public defender that got him off, Robert runs into Wallace (Matthew Maher, Captain Marvel), a color separator for a comic that he once admired. He slowly realizes that one of his biggest influences, just like the independence he seeks, can turn out to be a huge letdown. At times, this coming-of-age story appears to be in support of adolescents rejecting familial support, going out on a limb and finding their own way. After all, Robert experiences independence with some success. He acquires his own transportation, shelter, and job while meeting one of his biggest inspirations. However, he finds himself in uncomfortable and even inappropriate predicaments that don’t seem necessary. For instance, his living situation involves him sharing a space with undesirable roommates, no ventilation, and no view to the outside world. Similarly, the public defender that he works for puts him in direct contact with Wallace, who is in a severe state of self-loathing. Robert’s struggles do lead to some creative material for his comics, but they put him at odds with the people who care about him the most. He repeatedly puts down his loyal best friend Miles (Miles Emanuel, Calidris), who has the same passion for comic strips that he does. Similarly, Robert is snotty to his parents, who give him space while trying to keep his best interests at heart. Rather than embrace the unconditional support that he receives, Robert bends over backwards to appease his troubled source of inspiration, despite Wallace’s reluctance to befriend him. While Robert’s talent is clear, his need to be rebellious compromises his decision-making. Stylistically, writer/director Owen Kline shoots an abundance of close-ups, often highlighting the physical oddities of his main characters: acne, balding patterns, sweat stains, etc. The shots feel like a reference to what a reader would see in caricatures or comic strips. One could surmise the movie is attempting to show us life through the eyes of a comic artist, who hones in on such blemishes as their inspiration. As they would in a comic strip, the characters do not change their appearance; they simply exist in their imperfection. This element makes the story stand out from your typical mainstream flick that fine-tunes every main character’s visage through makeup, rigorous diets and exercise routines. Being that Funny Pages is an independent film, its theme of anti-vanity fits well. Though the audience may be occasionally grossed out by the lewd nature of the comics or unkemptness of the characters, it delivers a quirky story about going through a confusing phase of life and venturing off the beaten path. 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 Maestro discards the notion of simplicity Sikelia Productions, 2023 129 minutes Director/Writer: Bradley Cooper / Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer Reading Time: 5 minutes Maestro Path of Purpose (4KOGNGHXIHZBMTVK) 00:00 / 06:16 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Barley Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Reba Chaisson 2024-01-06 I have this thing about presumptuousness in writing. When statements are prefaced with terms like “simply,” “of course,” and “obviously,” I encourage authors to consider that the knowledge they are asserting is not necessarily known to their reader, so it is neither simple nor obvious. Thus, qualifiers should be removed. We should assume nothing. The film, Maestro , exemplifies this notion, which is why “Oscar contender” is likely written all over it. I am surprised to see this theater-worthy film from the comfort of my sofa, but lucky me. Director and lead actor, Bradley Cooper, outdoes himself with this biopic of Leonard Bernstein, whose 72-year life spans the identity politics divide. The film begins with a quote from the music virtuoso himself, which reads in part, “A work of art does not answer questions, it provokes them …” In an era where we seem to want and expect simple answers to some of life’s most complex questions, this statement gives us pause. It forces us to consider how far removed we are from a past when we thought for ourselves rather than relying on technology, Internet search engines, and now artificial intelligence for straightforward answers. Most researchers recognize that the questions they seek to answer with their qualitative and quantitative methods will offer some insight into the problems they are trying to solve. But in the course of their work, their results will also raise questions that require more research to be conducted by themselves and others in their discipline. In effect then, and to Bernstein’s point, a question is never fully answered. We just gain deeper insight into the scale and complexity of the problem. Leonard Bernstein was by any measure a musical genius, but what I learned from Maestro is that his depth of understanding for people and humanity were uncanny. According to the film, even “Lenny’s” wife of more than 25 years, who marries him knowing his sexual preference for men, cares for him deeply and he for her. Some of us might ask how this could be. How could she marry him knowing this? During a remote radio interview from their home soon after marrying, she talks proudly and incessantly about how busy “Lenny” is composing and directing. So, status maybe? What was she thinking? What hubris to think she could change him! Played by Carey Mulligan, Felicia, Bernstein’s wife, says to her sister-in-law Shirley Bernstein (Sarah Silverman) decades into their marriage and now with children (paraphrasing), “I’ve always known about Lenny. But I still love him.” So, if we learn anything from Leonard Bernstein’s story, and there is plenty to learn, it is that nothing is ever simple. Just as remarkable as Bernstein’s life is the film presentation itself. Director Bradley Cooper presents the first half of the movie in black and white, giving it the feel of a 1940s era film. Bernstein is constantly surrounded by large groups of musically talented friends who each keep a cigarette in their mouth or between their fingers and a bar glass with a drink nearby – and never far away from a piano. Most of the men are openly gay, as evidenced by the way they touch one another on the behind and casually rub each other’s backs and hair in the presence of others. Sometimes they even kiss. No one seems to notice or care. Interestingly, these public displays of affection are not depicted among the women in the group, which makes the playing out of gender seem out of balance. There’s a lot of noise and chatter with infectious happiness and celebration seemingly about nothing in particular. Their exchanges are more like quipping than deep engagements in conversation. It is as if they don’t take themselves too seriously. They are having too much fun and too much musical success to do so. The circumstances surrounding the circle of 20 or so friends change as time changes. When the presentation converts from monochromatic to color, the speech tempo slows as if to suggest they are all getting older now. One of the first colorized scenes is yet another gathering of the friends, now older and some married, even those who are gay. A few are new to the group, including a gay gentleman who guffaws when Bernstein says that he is married. Laws at that time did not allow for same-sex marriage, so the man rightly assumes Bernstein is married to a woman. The man’s cynicism signals the ushering in of politics around sexual identity during this time, roughly the 1960s. Prior to this period, no one seemed to care about one’s sexual orientation or more likely tolerated the differences in sexuality. Sensitivities seem heightened with television media, perhaps, due to its ability to beam into living rooms how a gay person, such as Bernstein, displays his sexual identity. Bernstein, though, dismisses the man’s laughter as if wondering what all the fuss is about, not yet realizing times were changing and he might have to figure out how to balance his lifestyle with his wide popularity. Watching this film is like being in a time capsule that spans 70 years. Bernstein’s music sets the mood, providing the audio that signals the ebb and flow of the composer’s life. The dynamic music is racy and powerful in his younger years and smooths out as he gets older. Indeed, the film itself feels like a musical performance on stage with multiple acts across the chronology of the genius’s life. It mimics the look and style of the Humphrey Bogart movies, Casablanca and To Have and Have Not with cigarettes, drinks, and all. This is fitting for a guy like Bernstein who lived his life on his own terms, accepting – no, embracing it with all its complexity. Damn our perplexity about it! Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back A Girl Upstairs centers the dangers of agoraphobia Goreella Media, 2024 90 minutes Director/Writer: Kevin Van Stevenson / John Gee Reading Time: 4 minutes A Girl Upstairs Feast (ZG3K1GRB0QYOOPPU) 00:00 / 04:59 📷 : Used with permission, Goreella Media Yarrow: Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Chris Chaisson 2024-04-25 Over the past decade, many adolescents in the Gen Z age group have tuned into a minimalist music genre called lo-fi hip hop , for which there are many YouTube live streams to help tune out your surroundings and focus on studies. One such beat from this genre is titled “Solitude” by the artist Nymano. It borrows a sound byte from a popular anime called Cowboy Bebop in which a character says, “Instead of being in a group, it’s better to have real solitude all by yourself.” The man she is talking to responds, “You were just afraid they’d abandon you, so you abandoned them. You distanced yourself from the whole thing.” The exchange is meant to shed light on how humans can use isolation to shield themselves from pain, even if the loneliness is painful itself. This sound byte, as well as the song, echoed through my head as I watched Kevin Van Stevenson’s psychological thriller A Girl Upstairs . Written by John Gee, A Girl Upstairs revolves around a talented canvas artist named Dulce who, due to a traumatic childhood event, has developed agoraphobia. She remains barricaded in her loft above a movie theater, only occasionally peeking out of the window or a hole in the wall facing the screening room. Her only consistent interaction is over the phone with an art gallery owner who sells her work. Their conversations only contribute to Dulce’s mounting anxiety. Throughout her day, Dulce sporadically interacts with her paintings, much in the way Robert Neville in I Am Legend converses with the store mannequins. The single character, single-location story approach poses its fair share of challenges, but it is also oddly relatable for viewers. Though we interact with peers, neighbors and family on a regular basis, the most neurotic of us identify with Dulce’s feelings. With an excess of thoughts pinging around in your head, you can feel alone a lot more than you are by never expressing them to those you confide in. Watching Dulce, played by Holly Blair, meander around her apartment, two main questions enter the audience’s mind: what happened to trigger this agoraphobic state and will she eventually face her fear? After discovering that a movie theater employee that she has admired from afar has a girlfriend, Dulce tries to destroy a painting she made in his likeness. To her surprise, her efforts have an unexpected consequence, as her art comes to life. She enjoys the new company and takes on the role of caregiver. Assuming this responsibility not only boosts Dulce’s spirits but allows her to take better care of herself in turn. One looming reality is that her painting-come-to-life is not encumbered by her own past trauma and will likely seek to explore the world, forcing Dulce to face her agoraphobia simply to hold onto her newfound happiness. The set design and music in A Girl Upstairs paints the bleakness of Dulce’s mental state. While she has space to move around in her loft, the clutter, peeling wallpaper and dim lights accentuate the pressing need for her to overcome her fear. This seems a clever depiction, as a more luxurious environment would undermine her main inner conflict. Similarly, the soundtrack creates an ominous mood throughout, foreshadowing the eventual climax and heightening several nightmarish moments during the course of the story. Dulce’s haunting flashbacks are revealed in very short, sporadic clips that accurately represent the imperfect memories we all possess. It also gives the added bonus of hinting at a traumatic event without fully displaying it in a triggering manner. An old quote from Seneca goes, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” With this in mind, leaving Dulce’s childhood trauma as a fragmented memory for much of the film allows the viewer’s imagination to run wild. A Girl Upstairs presents as a single-location psych thriller and delivers its fair share of tense moments. Nonetheless, my closest comparison comes from a more light-hearted crime drama from the early 2000’s, Matchstick Men . Nicolas Cage plays Roy, a con-artist with his own affliction, similar to Dulce. When his estranged teenage daughter unexpectedly arrives, similar to Dulce’s humanoid paintings, he must assume new responsibilities and face fears that he’s been avoiding for years. Though Dulce does not mirror any of Nicolas Cage’s patented rants , A Girl Upstairs entertains, shocks and makes you reconsider the thought of embracing loneliness. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

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. 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< Back In Syria calls cinematic heroism into question Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, 2017 85 minutes Director/Writer: Philippe Van Leeuw Reading Time: 5 minutes In Syria Al'Athir (FBG6STOWFOY4UTPR) 00:00 / 06:03 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Reba Chaisson 2021-08-30 In Syria dramatizes the life of an extended family living out the Syrian civil war from their Damascus apartment as sporadic sniper fire rings out and bombs drop around them without warning. Years after commencement of the conflict, the once-bustling city is only a shell of its former self, now closer to resembling a post-apocalyptic scene from the 1984 film, The Terminator . Giant pieces of concrete and severely damaged buildings are omnipresent remnants of the war. Abandoned, smashed, and dust‑covered cars sitting idle in unlikely places appear not only as relics of the conflict, but as reminders of the lives and neighborhoods that once thrived here. Headed by Oum Yazan as the mother of three, played by Hiam Abbass ( Succession , Inheritance ), the 10‑person household contains her pre-adolescent boy and two teenage girls, along with her young adult nephew and father-in-law. Additional occupants include her housekeeper, Delhani, played by Juliette Navis ( The Tunnel , Paris ), and a young couple (Samir and Halima) with their infant son who were neighbors in the now nearly empty and damaged building. As if being on edge about bombs dropping all around is not enough, the family is terrorized by Syrian security forces who randomly knock on the door, insisting that they enter to ensure enemy combatants are not holed up inside. Each occurrence is terrifying and nerve-wracking as Oum holds them off, repeatedly asserting that her husband is not home. In Syria feels like a play rather than a film and is reminiscent of the 1959 Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun . Released on the big screen in 1961, the film stars Sidney Poitier and the late actresses, Claudia McNeil and Ruby Dee, as an extended family struggling to get by in a small Chicago apartment. Like most of the scenes in A Raisin in the Sun , In Syria takes place in a single setting, an apartment. Both stories are about survival and depict families in desperate and emotional situations. The productions, however, differ in their struggles. In A Raisin in the Sun , the struggle relates to quality of life–the ability to pay the bills and be able to experience a piece of the proverbial American dream by owning a home. In Syria highlights the struggle to simply survive another day. The stories also differ in the characters’ views of the family unit. In A Raisin in the Sun , matriarch Lena Younger treats everyone in the household as family; conversely, In Syria’s protagonist, Oum, views family as those only related by blood. This comes through when the housekeeper explains to Oum, in exasperation, that she has been holed up there for days and needs to get home to her son. Oum stares at her and snaps “Get back to work.” And later in the film, Oum makes a grave and typically regrettable decision, yet exhibits no remorse for doing so. Not noted as a hero in the reviews is Karim, the young nephew played by Elias Khatter. In only his late teens, he stands strong and respectfully pleads with his aunt to allow him to help. She shushes him, her mind made up. Later, he does what he feels compelled to do over the objections of others. Watching this sequence, I could not help but wonder if we are so focused on designating women as heroines that we sometimes get short-circuited in our determination to do so. While Oum’s desperation to keep her family safe is understandable, she exploits and sacrifices other women to do so. The fact that the women carry traits associated with groups who have historically been exploited indicates their casting was strategic. Since their characteristics fit the stereotypes of socially acceptable expendables, their representations in the film are palatable and makes the women’s treatment by Oum easy to overlook as problematic. The impact of this casting, though, undermines the film’s goal to make Oum the heroine of In Syria . Heroism is sacrifice of self and the taking of risk for others–the very antithesis of exploitation. These do not characterize Oum’s actions; rather, they are the actions of her young nephew, Karim. Is he not viewed as the hero because he is a man and popular sentiment now leans toward making women the heroes of stories, even when their characters are not? It can even be argued that the casting of a first-time actor in the role of Karim was designed to make it easy to situate Oum as the hero of this story. Karim’s casting eliminates familiar actors from the competition for recognition. Still though, heroism occurs through deeds, self-sacrifice, and demonstrations of courage. Oum is exploitative–and worse yet, exploits other women and women in a socially weaker position than hers. Fake heroism does not yield sweet fruit. It just doubles down on the contention that identities are constructed through biased lenses. Perhaps the film warrants your own take. What you will certainly appreciate from the presentation is the terror of living in the midst of war. 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 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 Leave the World Behind presents a cyber spin on apocalyptic thrillers Higher Ground Productions, 2023 138 minutes Director/Writer: Sam Esmail Reading Time: 5 minutes Leave the World Behind Feast (ADEILSFMW1RLGPNT) 00:00 / 05:42 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Saffron Movies and TV shows with great visual effects Chris Chaisson 2023-12-12 Apocalyptic movies are in no short supply. Whether it’s zombies, climate change, or biblical events, stories about the end of civilization have flooded the box office for the last two decades. They may come off cliché now as a premise, but they present their characters with reliable conflicts and the consistent theme of trust. Do you trust the news? Do you trust strangers? Do you trust your own family? Similar to movies of past decades that take place in the wilderness (i.e. Deliverance , The Grey , The Edge ), apocalyptic movies put on display the morality and psychology of its central characters, faced with what may be a “them or me” ultimatum. Netflix’s new thriller Leave the World Behind provides the latest twist on this trendy sub-genre. Due to her growing disdain for people, Amanda (Julia Roberts) rents a vacation house on a whim as a leisurely escape for her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke) and children. Soon after they arrive, they experience trouble with all of their electronic devices before George (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter, Ruth, (Myha'la, Industry ), arrive at their front door. They claim to be the owners of the house, with whom Amanda merely emailed, and explain that they were on their way back to New York City before their phones stopped working. After asking to stay in the basement with the offer of a refund, George and Ruth allow Amanda and Clay some time alone to discuss it. Once they accept, the four must get to the bottom of what appears to be a cyber-attack after strange occurrences continue happening around them, including a pileup of self-driving Teslas that blocks the highway and planes falling from the sky. What first seemed to be an innocuous prank at a local level may in fact be a more severe, intense and coordinated takedown. But is everyone who they say they are and even if so, are they divulging everything they know? Leave the World Behind provides its audience with consistent conflict between its main characters. Clay’s trusting, laid back attitude clashes several times with Amanda’s confrontational and skeptical personality, weathered from years in the advertising business. Similarly, Ruth develops a strong disdain for Amanda, feeling put off by Amanda’s distrust and the entire notion that they have to ask to stay in their own home. Her resentment towards Amanda bleeds into her interactions with George, who she feels is being too weak and accommodating. These conflicts seep into the majority of their exchanges, along with the unspoken (for a while anyway) racial undertones. As if the clash of personalities was not enough on its own, none of them know when their Internet will be restored or what the nature of the problem is, and George and Ruth have no way of contacting Ruth’s mother to find out if she is safe. The camerawork and direction for Sam Esmail’s thriller is highly stylized, including several overhead shots, tracking shots, Dutch angles, zooms, tilts and pans. Every camera movement conveys the uneasiness that the main characters feel, having no knowledge of what is happening in the outside world or whether they can even rely on each other. The accompanying string-heavy score uses familiar staccato notes while cross-cutting between strange simultaneous events the characters are witnessing, engulfing the audience in the overall ominous mood. The characters’ collective helplessness highlights how reliant modern society has become on fairly recent technology. For instance, Amanda wakes up to news alerts on the lock screen of her phone, suggesting that hackers are behind the cyber-attack. When she shows it to Clay, the messages have disappeared. Similarly, George can only send texts to his wife’s phone that never get delivered. Upon leaving the house, Clay encounters a panicked woman speaking Spanish, and since he cannot understand her, doesn’t heed any of her warnings. Their only outside source of help or information becomes Danny, an acquaintance of George’s who lives more or less off the grid and is used to existing independently of such technology. Leave the World Behind does suffer somewhat of an identity crisis, leaving it paced in a confusing manner. It waffles between the human element of characters butting heads before learning to understand each other and graphics-heavy scenes involving large machinery crashing, or wildlife gathering in a menacing fashion. The back-and-forth of these scenes leave the audience with a lot of ideas and entertaining set pieces, but no closer to the truth and ultimate resolution of the story. Rather than piece-by-piece revelations, it serves as a mystery where all the information is jam-packed into the climax. Though the movie holds the audience’s attention for its well over two-hour running time, the story leaves them in the dark for almost its entirety. Nonetheless, the film, executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, provides a star-studded cast and enough entertainment to make you feel on edge throughout. The most common and direct comparison thrown out to Netflix’s new release would be M. Night Shyamalan’s earlier 2023 film, Knock at the Cabin . While not having the same long-tenured A-listers, Knock at the Cabin raises the same questions of trust among its main characters and the similar feeling of being trapped with no sense of clarity. Also, both movies have a plane falling out of the sky, always a comforting sight during holiday season. 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!