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< Back Dark Night of the Soul compels us to let it go Trick Candle Productions, 2024 80 minutes Director/Writer: SJ Creazzo Reading Time: 6 minutes Dark Night of the Soul Pour it Slow (J2QO8N7X2VQATPQ1) 00:00 / 07:29 📷 : Used with permission, Trick Candle Productions Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2024-11-06 I suppose we all have unresolved issues. You know what I mean; things that still don’t sit right on our minds and our hearts decades into adulthood. Sibling rivalry: Mom was mean to me; Dad liked you best. The high school gossip started by your best friend. The betrayal of a lover we’d only known for six months. Even that slight by a passerby on a train or in a passing car can be added to the list. Some of these things just roll off our conscience, but others stay with us and mess us up more than we realize. Think about our work for instance. When faced with a problem, sometimes we need to walk away from it to gain some clarity. There’s something about getting some distance from our work that loosens the tension in our brain so disparate connections can naturally occur, murkiness can give way to lucency, and logic can begin to flow freely. Time constraint, though, is often the impediment to such clear thinking. We need more than just a 15-minute break for this to happen. Like a snack is insufficient to satisfy a dinner-sized hunger, giving our brain the space to think requires much more than a tea break or even a regular afternoon siesta. SJ Creazzo’s Dark Night of the Soul brings the importance of rest and reflection into focus by stranding its protagonist after a serious car accident. Dark Night of the Soul centers on Dr. Alex Waldan, a brilliant CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control) scientist tasked with finding a cure for a deadly virus that has led to a global pandemic. The state of emergency becomes even more complicated when she crashes her car in an isolated area near the Catskill Mountains while reviewing her notes, examining test data, and listening to cynics on a talk radio station. Interestingly, Dr. Waldan crashes her car while engaged in a non-digital form of distracted driving. Played by Kristanna Loken of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines fame, Alex wakes to find herself severely hurt in a deserted clearing. Her gruesome injury contrasts sharply with the backdrop of a bright day, complemented with surrounding trees freshly bursting with reds, browns, and yellows signaling the nascent stages of fall. Noticeably absent from the movie is any form of digital technology, which plays only about a five second role as her call to 9-1-1 on her cell phone immediately fails. What do you do, then, when you have none of the modern technological conveniences? Whereas Cast Away focuses on Chuck Noland’s (Tom Hanks) survival and self-entertainment on an island when his cargo plane crashes, Dark Night of the Soul hones in on Alex’s mandate: developing a cure that can save lives and end the pandemic. Undoubtedly, the urgency of the matter and the stress of being “singularly tasked” to find a cure contribute to her feeling compelled to multitask behind the wheel. From her point of view, she has no time to waste. Ironically though, the accident gives her the gift of time to rest and reflect. Alex’s reflections manifest as memories of people in her life. The most vivid of which consists of contentious conversations with her deceased father, exquisitely played by Martin Kove, best known for the Cobra Kai and Karate Kid franchises. In one memory, she vents to him about a time when he forced her to sleep on a bed in the woods after telling her there was a bear nearby. He calmly responds that she did well and thought she was smart to raise the bed to a height the bear couldn’t reach, adding that there really was no bear. Writer/director SJ Creazzo’s technique of memory triggers for Alex conveys the need for us to sometimes draw on adversarial experiences to motivate us to survive dangerous or challenging situations. For instance, after several such memories with her dad, Alex angrily asks him, “How can you possibly help me at all?” He responds, “By being here.” Not all survival must necessarily be drawn from challenging times. Among Alex’s other memories are conversations with her sister, Lori, played by Courtney Warner ( McVeigh , Valentine’s Town ). The two discuss their remembrances of their parents, particularly their father. During one of their talks, Alex lets it slip that their dad loved Lori more than he loved her. Surprised, her sister explains that they were treated differently by their dad because he knew they had different strengths and talents. She adds, “Treating people equally is objectively crazy because not any one person is the same.” Lori’s statement serves the purpose of calming Alex’s latent angst about her father’s feelings for her given how she was raised by him. As worded though, the statement renders like a political opinion rather than Lori’s personal assessment of the way her father operated. The U.S. is still undergoing its centuries-long struggle with treating people equally under the law, without regard to their race, gender, class, or religion. As such, Lori’s line would land much more impartially had it been phrased, “Treating us the same when our aptitudes and interests differed would have been ludicrous.” This keeps the matter personal and family-related rather than what seems like a pronouncement about a broader political issue. Dark Night of the Soul reminds me in some ways of Challengers , the 2024 theatrical release about Tashi, a tennis phenom played by Zendaya, who injures her knee and misses out on the opportunity to play professionally. In my review of the film, I talk about the emotional weight we carry from loss when we don’t reach the point of acceptance. Indeed, Alex is also dealing with loss with which she has yet to reconcile. In Challengers , I discuss the damage we inflict on others as a result of not dealing with loss. What is never addressed, though, is the damage we do to ourselves. I like the creativity of Dark Night of the Soul with respect to its use of Alex’s memories of loved ones to remind her that she has a larger purpose and must survive to fulfill it. SJ Creazzo’s calm and thought-provoking story convinces not only Alex but also us that staying closed in our anger and blinded to truths keep us in the dark, stunting our growth and preventing us from seeing things clearly. While I wouldn’t recommend getting into a car accident to realize this, I agree that we have to find ways to let the emotional baggage go so that we can fulfill the promise of our lives. Dark Night of the Soul will debut on Amazon Prime on November 12, 2024. 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 Emily the Criminal shows the deceptive innocence of white-collar crime Low Spark Films, 2022 97 min Director/Writer: John Patton Ford Reading Time: 5 minutes Emily the Criminal Grimey a River (S7NF0YJXBZ7YPSYM) 00:00 / 05:05 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Ginseng Suspenseful/Intense thrillers Chris Chaisson 2022-12-23 Many of you reading this have probably had the experience of knowing someone for a decent amount of time, then being blindsided by information about them that changes your perspective. You might have gone to karaoke with them and found out they sing like Whitney Houston. Maybe they cooked you a Gordon Ramsay-caliber meal. Or in a darker vein, maybe they told you about their past misdeeds. Depending on the severity, it could influence your trust level or even end your relationship entirely. John Patton Ford’s newest work, Emily the Criminal , presents a protagonist with a cloudy history who falls back on her old behavior in a moment of desperation. Starring Aubrey Plaza ( White Lotus, Parks and Rec ), Emily the Criminal ’s title character has a relatable struggle: she’s broke and saddled with student loan debt. Her day job as a food runner does not pay her nearly enough for financial security, leaving her on the verge of moving from California back to New Jersey. While Emily could find a better job, one big caveat stands in her way: she has a criminal record. In fact, the movie opens with her lying about it in the midst of a job interview. Though not explicitly stated, her past interferes with any chance she has at financial stability. One day, her co-worker gives her a lead to a one-off gig for some quick cash. As it turns out, the gig in question is credit card fraud. Emily pursues the lead, completes the mission and is offered the chance at another quick score. She is initially reluctant, but she finds success and continues when her problem of gaining a legitimate income source continues. However, the missions escalate into more and more dangerous territory. The majority of moviegoers probably do not lend much credence to the titles of the movies they watch. We are mainly hooked in by trailers, lead actors, directors, and brand familiarity (*cough* Marvel *cough*). For this particular indie piece, the title gives the audience an interesting dilemma in how they perceive Emily. Her struggle is all too common, and her veneer seems innocent enough. Since Emily is the character we follow for the entirety of the film, it is tempting to give her the benefit of the doubt on her past transgressions, vague as she is about them. After all, no one wants to dwell on or be forever judged by their lowest moments. In spite of our initial leniency, every story worth its salt puts their characters in situations that reveal to us who they really are. As the plot progresses, Emily finds herself (and places herself) in volatile circumstances. The film suggests that she is not simply a docile character struggling to survive, but rather, she has her own demons. Though student loan debt is practically a rite-of-passage for any former student, most people would not engage in theft, violence and deception as the means for dealing with it. Emily is sometimes on the receiving end of the violence but delves out her share as well. Whether intentionally or not, the film calls attention to how much we profile people. Emily does not have the hardened exterior we associate with a felon. She does not scowl at people or snap at the first provocation. She does not curse like a sailor or carry a firearm. Her criminal activity put in context seems relatively victimless, until it’s not. A moment emblematic of her character occurs when she commits her first theft and leaves the store wearing a hat that she absent-mindedly took off the shelf. The store security guard, unaware of her more serious ongoing crime, confronts her about it in the parking lot, to which she willingly hands the hat back and apologizes. Her disarming presence and relatable need make her appear much more well-intentioned than she actually is. Emily the Criminal and its protagonist bring to mind the 2014 film Nightcrawler , starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Louis, the main character, is ambitious and desperate for work. While it is clear from the start that Louis is not exactly a boy scout, he largely appears to possess an entrepreneurial spirit, trying to excel in a career that he has carved out for himself. He gradually becomes more controlling and manipulative, crossing the line further and further. Emily, on the other hand, just wants to be free of debt and maintain her current living situation. Nonetheless, in both films and other crime dramas as well, the characters dipping their toes in the pool of illegal activity always end up doing a full-fledged cannonball. 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!

Fool Me Once unveils the continuing spiral of interdependence < Back Fool Me Once unveils the continuing spiral of interdependence Quay Street Productions, 2024 50 minutes Creator: Harlan Coben Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Fool Me Once Storm Before the Calm (N6J42VARUMKBN5UC) 00:00 / 06:19 Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Reba Chaisson 2024-02-05 I find a lot of similarities in British television series. For example, each episode tends to end on a crescendo so you’re anxious to come back for the next. The crescendo in Anatomy of a Scandal is in the form of sharp and sudden slow motion special effects that gives us the sense of being hit in the stomach and getting the wind knocked out of us. While weird and over the top, it is effective at sending us into an anticipatory state – impatiently awaiting the next episode. Fool Me Once is similar, but thankfully it executes without such dramatic special effects. I need no reminders of sci-fi. (Sorry folks. With the exception of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back , I am just not feeling the genre. I do love some Yoda though!) Michelle Kegan plays Maya Stern in this 8-episode series about a recently widowed 30-something year-old determined to find out who is behind the murders of her husband, Joe Burkett, and her sister, Claire Walker. Complicating this is a covert effort underfoot to challenge her sanity. Although Joe is shot dead in front of her during a stroll in the park, she sees him playing with her 2-year-old daughter, Lily, on the child’s nanny cam several weeks later. Maya, a former Air Force captain already haunted by events that occurred during her service, suspects her wealthy and powerful mother-in-law, Judith Burkett, who heads the family’s long-established pharmaceutical company in Britain. Feeling her daughter-in-law was never good enough for her son, Judith neither likes nor trusts Maya. Their mutual disdain constitutes the main source of tension in the series. During her investigation, Maya must deal with the intrusions of the 50-something year-old Detective Sami Kierce, played by Adeel Akhtar ( Utopia , Sweet Tooth ). Detective Kierce’s idiosyncrasies bring “Lieutenant Columbo” to mind. Played by Peter Falk, Columbo is a smart, shrewd, yet quirky police detective in the popular 1970s series of the same name that ran for nine seasons. My parents loved this show because Columbo, in his iconic beige trench coat, always got his guy or girl because they dismissed him due to his unpolished appearance and quirky behaviors. Detective Kierce’s quirks and occasional clumsy appearance are like that of Columbo’s. He wears a trench coat in the beginning of the series, and at an upscale gathering, he is told, in a disrespectful manner, that his shoes are untied. Maya underestimates Kierce and often treats him like an annoyance, which, as we learned from the Columbo series more than 50 years ago, is never good practice. Fool Me Once is missing elements we take for granted in a murder mystery/police story. People brought in for questioning are neither harassed nor tricked by the police (yeah, right). In fact, doing so is frowned upon. When Detective Kierce reluctantly partners with the younger and impressionable Detective Marty McGreggor (Dino Fetscher), he confronts McGreggor about a story he told during their “interview” of a suspect. He asks McGreggor about the veracity of his story, and McGreggor laughs and admits it was a lie to get the suspect to talk. “It’s good policing,” he adds proudly. Kierce responds with seriousness, “Lying is never good policing.” McGreggor’s smile slowly fades. The exchange conveys the age divide in the detectives’ ideas of what constitutes good policing: Kierce’s sense of old-school ethics versus the young McGreggor’s belief in doing what is necessary to get information. The twenty or so years between them and their difference in perspectives convey the sense that adherence to traditional police behaviors in Britain is fading with each generation and will likely disintegrate altogether over the next 20 years if the generations before them do not put them in check. In murder mystery/police stories, we usually observe a lot of shooting or other forms of violence, but other than Joe and Claire’s murders, we don’t see this across the eight episodes of Fool Me Once . One reason for this is the absence of guns in Britain, as British police officers carry police batons. I am reminded of this when McGreggor happily gives Kierce a hug because of a compliment he paid him for an action he took. Kierce, clearly not wanting to be hugged, quips, “This is the real reason we don’t carry firearms.” The funny moment is presented as if series creator, Harlan Coben, wants us to know this “guns-free” tradition in the UK, hoping we ponder for ourselves the reasoning behind the superabundance of firearms in the U.S., particularly amid the high incidents of gun violence. Fool Me Once is an aesthetically pleasing production that takes us into Britain’s posh countryside and expansive estates to unravel a murder mystery. Having the threads pulled from an upper-class insider like Claire and an outsider like Detective Kierce gives a sense of balance to the show as she works from the top down and he from the bottom up. It helps us see how people across social classes are not as disconnected as they seem, that there is a strong web of interdependence among them. The degree to which wealthy families rely on their employees to commit wrongdoings for them is one example, and the impossible situations the workers find themselves in and so do what is asked is another. The degree to which people, out of greed, sell their souls for money and favors, or to remain in the good graces of their benefactors, are even more examples of these interdependent relationships. So, unlike the crescendo in Anatomy of a Scandal , we are not shocked or flabbergasted when we get a hint that makes us question, what could this person over here possibly have to do with this matter over there? We are, however, frequently blindsided, which makes each episode so tough to just stop there. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

< Back The Old Oak suggests another path towards harmony StudioCanal, 2023 113 minutes Director/Writer: Ken Loach / Paul Laverty Reading Time: 6 minutes The Old Oak Spring Unfolds (G7NYPT90IMRWOG46) 00:00 / 07:48 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Chamomile: Family dramas Jasmine: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Reba Chaisson 2024-06-29 There’s nothing like underestimating people because they hail from a culture different than our own. Indeed, it reminds me of the identities imposed on Indigenous Peoples by the newcomers in the 17th century. Because of differences in appearance and the practicing of certain customs, Pilgrims viewed Native Americans as “savages” who needed taming, and that those who resisted needed eliminating. More than four centuries later, the tendency to view unfamiliar people as something other than human lingers. Ken Loach’s film, The Old Oak , helps us see that there is another way. Set in Northern England, The Old Oak centers on a present-day working class Irish enclave, where childhood friends grew to become adult neighbors. TJ Ballentyne (Dave Turner) is the 50-something year-old proprietor of the struggling Old Oak tavern, fraught with problems like a broken sign, unreliable plumbing, and an unused reception room filled with memorabilia that makes the space resemble a forgotten attic. All is good until what many in the community view as “trouble” comes to town in the form of immigrants pushed out of war-torn Syria, needing a new place to call home. The unwelcoming committee consists of a patron of The Old Oak who comes out to gawk at the newcomers as they exit their bus. In addition to the usual racist jibes, the grown man snatches a child’s Nikon-era camera and purposefully drops it on the ground, destroying both the camera and its contents. In terms of demographics, the neighborhood around The Old Oak reminds me of that in the HBO series, Mare of Easttown . It is predominantly White with an appearance here and there of persons of color. Also, like Mare of Easttown , The Old Oak consists largely of overcast skies with a hint of early fall weather. Here though, the weather seems to suggest pervasive hardship in the community. The poor condition of TJ’s tavern and patrons’ frequent complaints about mine closures and barely getting by indicate that the town has fallen on hard times. Thus, the weather plays a role in the film, serving as an intervening variable to help explain the resistance of some residents to their new neighbors. While this can be viewed as an excuse for the behavior of some, the community members make familiar points about immigrants not being taken to more affluent areas to live, where the utility infrastructure, schools, and housing resources are relatively plentiful. Finally, unlike Mare of Easttown , the characters in The Old Oak lack energy. Even those who are vindictive have sedate personalities despite their sharp tongues. What adds a bit of energy to the movie is 20-something-year-old Yara (Ebla Mari), who demonstrates tenacity and spunk when she enters the tavern looking for the bully who broke her camera. Covering for his patron, TJ offers to purchase a new camera, but Yara insists (paraphrasing) “I don’t want a new one, I want this one.” Yara’s assertiveness is contrary to the quiet and docile demeanor we have come to expect of newly arriving residents. Here, her action constitutes a subtle but likely empowering moment for people pushed out of their homelands into a new country that is hostile towards them. She, in effect, symbolizes the importance of immigrants’ getting past the fear of the new, so that townspeople are forced to see them as human too. Sometimes, what is construed as racist is really a reflection of cultural dissonance. For instance, when Yara helps a sick girl home, the mother arrives and angrily kicks Yara out. Some might view the mother’s behavior as racist, but it is also a normal response from a parent who finds an unfamiliar adult in her home with her kids. Culturally, Yara likely did not view entering the home as a problem; after all, she was just helping the young girl. But out of deference to the culture she has entered into, she needs, in essence, to learn to respect the space and privacy of the residents. Thank goodness for the gun restrictions in Britain, or this situation could have ended very badly. What The Old Oak conveys is the significance that food and sharing a table with others can have in making connections. This is exemplified in a scene where Yara and her mother, Fatima (Amna Al Ali) bring food to TJ at his home after learning about a loss he experiences. TJ heads to the cabinet to retrieve three plates, when Fatima insists that he bring only one for himself. Perplexed, he does as he is told. After dishing the food onto his plate, Fatima tells him (paraphrasing) “Eat, don’t talk.” Confused, he complies. The director sits in this tender, generous moment as if to convey to us the power of silence at a shared table in achieving mutual understanding and grace. Indeed, the scene reminds me of the movie, Soul Food , where an African American family comes together every Sunday to share a meal of traditional soul food. This regular sharing of a meal strengthens their bond, even through tough times. As in Soul Food , the food and sharing of space in The Old Oak facilitates relationships and a deepening sense of appreciation for one another. To improve relations in the community, Yara suggests to TJ that they clean up the bar’s backroom and use it to cook and serve meals to anyone in the neighborhood who wishes to come by. Over time, we see people from across the community talking, sharing stories, and laughing while enjoying a meal. We feel tensions loosen between long-time residents and immigrants across age groups. Some people might describe The Old Oak as an idealistic story, but it is important to consider its context. The UK, for example, does not have the level of violence that we do here in the U.S. Ownership of weapons in the UK is severely restricted, and even Bobbies (British police officers) carry batons instead of guns. This leaves British residents to make use of their fists, knives, and verbal skills to deal with frustrations and conflicts. Because the likelihood of people surviving these forms of aggression is high relative to attacks with firearms, people can be less afraid to take risks. Also regarding context, the town in The Old Oak is a small one, which suggests that communication can occur by word of mouth or via local establishments where residents tend to gather. Announcements of regular get-togethers at a popular local establishment are productive in garnering decent crowds, which can grow over time and vary in attendees much like block parties, local festivals, kids’ activities, and gatherings at houses of worship in the neighborhoods of big cities. The familiarity gained by being in one another’s company while enjoying an activity loved by many (eating) is more likely to breed understanding and even affection, than alienation and contempt. While The Old Oak could benefit from more cultural diversity in the film, it successfully conveys another way of achieving harmony among neighbors. Like a dessert menu, it deserves consideration. Previous Next Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

Florida Man adds hilarity to parallel and seemingly disconnected plotlines < Back Florida Man adds hilarity to parallel and seemingly disconnected plotlines Aggregate Films, 2023 50 minutes Creator: Donald Todd Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Netflix Florida Man Another Round (TFTXNDKQV3RPRF6U) 00:00 / 07:03 Oolong Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Peach Movies and TV shows with a springtime feel or with images of the season Reba Chaisson 2023-05-18 My guitar teacher talks a lot about the importance of gradually building the music during a performance, especially when you are a solo act playing acoustic guitar. Start a song off deliberately, for example, with simple Travis picking, build it to a light strum maybe adding a 4 th to a couple of the main chords, and move into the end with a serious strum that puts all these together and gets people moving – or at least their heads shaking to the rhythm. The new Netflix mini-series, Florida Man , brings this to mind. What is interesting about the 7-episode series is rather than laying out maybe two or three main plots in the first few episodes, it develops several parallel plotlines as the story moves along. While each seems random to some degree, once converged, they fit the characters and existing storylines like a glove. Florida Man stars Edgar Ramirez ( Yes Day , Gold ) as Mike Valentine, a reluctant and unconventional mobster. In contrast to portrayals of gangsters where underlings do as they are told and go about their “business” donned in slacks, polos, and suits, Mike frequently argues with his boss and dresses in jeans and a casual untucked print collared shirt. He also hates Florida, a place where gangsters are rumored to retire, describing it as “[the place] that provided [him] with the opportunity to leave, and [he’s] not going back.” Originally “employed” by his boss’s late father, Mike wants out but Moss Yankov, who now heads the Philadelphia-based “family business,” refuses to let him go. In the absence of an emotional connection with Moss, who is also her fiancée, Delly West becomes close with Mike, as he drives her around town to nightspots and on coffee runs. One morning, Moss awakens to find her gone. She has taken the BMW he gave to her the night before and is heading towards Florida. Moss, played by Emory Cohen ( Lords of Chaos , The OA ), orders Mike to go to Florida to bring her back. Begrudgingly, Mike makes the trip and reunites with his family, which includes his seemingly well-grounded sister, Patsy, played by Otmara Marrero ( Clementine , Yoshua ), who he is very close to, and his father, Sonny, who he is not. At this juncture, the show peels back the layers of Mike’s disdain for Florida, suggesting that something is amiss between him and his father, played by Anthony LaPaglia ( Without a Trace , Halifax: Retribution ). But this is only a teaser, as the source of this tension still has not been revealed. Meanwhile, Deputy Ketcher is a detective on vacation with his family in Florida. He lost his gun somewhere in transit, and he is feeling uncomfortable without one. Frustrated at his difficulties buying a replacement at a firearms store, Deputy Ketcher, played by Clark Gregg ( Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , The Avengers ), rants, “This is Florida. The g**damn state is shaped like one. I can’t go to a mailbox without tripping over 3 of ‘em, but God forbid you sell me one.” Desperate, he buys one illegally, adding another seemingly disconnected but hilarious plotline to the story. Upon finding Delly, Mike observes her faking her own death, which makes Florida’s television news. When he confronts her, he learns that she is in pursuit of a large cache of gold, one that Moss talked about incessantly but still believed to be a myth. Mike is hooked both on Delly’s quest and Delly herself, so much so that he lies to Moss about Delly’s fate – adding more layers to the plotline. Moss is so heartbroken, he even holds a repast for Delly at his home in Philadelphia, where Tyrone Davis’s 1970 R&B hit, “Turn Back the Hands of Time,” is heard playing in the background at the all-White gathering. Things become complicated when Delly, played by Abbey Lee ( Mad Max: Fury Road , The Dark Tower ), grows impatient and invites Sonny to help in searching for and recovering the treasure. However, Sonny, who is the retired chief of police in town, turns out to be a bit unsavory and develops his own plans. All of this is occurring while the FBI is investigating a gangland style murder, which they believe was committed by Moss’s crew in Philadelphia. They need Mike and/or Delly’s help to make their case. But they, like Moss, bought the news that Delly is dead, and they cannot seem to locate Mike – whose ex-wife is one of the investigators. To sum, the numerous and parallel plotlines and characters culminate in a fun and entertaining story. Florida Man brings to mind the 1984 film, Against All Odds . Besides a terrific soundtrack by Phil Collins, the movie stars Jeff Bridges as Terry Brogan, an injured and broke former professional football player who owes favors to Jake Wise, a shady nightclub owner played by James Woods. Jessie Wyler is Jake’s girlfriend played by Rachel Ward. When she leaves Jake and heads to South America, Jake forces Terry to go find her and bring her back. Terry finds her and the two fall in love. While the stories are nearly identical, the look, tone, and feel of Against All Odds and Florida Man differ dramatically. The former is heavy and dark with adult themes, violence, and menacing characters. The latter, on the other hand, is colorful and light. While it has adult themes, they are not presented in scary and intimidating ways. Even the violence in Florida Man is tough to take seriously because it is embedded in such hilarity. What I also like about this series is that Mike speaks in a Latino dialect, and his father and sister do not. That this is never highlighted nor explained in the series suggests the filmmakers, and perhaps Edgar Ramirez himself, insisted on bringing his ethnic identity to this role and proving that it can indeed be pulled off for this character. For the first half century of cinema, White actors played people of color using makeup and wigs to modify their appearance to resemble the groups they were portraying, or sadly, present caricatures of some others. No special makeup or dialect is used for Mike Valentine’s character in Florida Man . Ramirez brought his full authentic self to the role. I wonder about the implications of this for actors in portraying characters of different racial and ethnic groups. Does this have the potential to work for or against making more on-screen roles available for people of color? This is something to ponder. But regardless of which side you come down on, Florida Man pulls this off without a hitch. 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 Twinless poses questions about the durability of friendships Permut Presentations, 2025 100 minutes Director/Writer: James Sweeney Reading Time: 6 minutes Twinless Don't Keep Me Waiting (66XECAPGHBL2DNLR) 00:00 / 07:49 Sage: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2025-10-23 Unlikely couple. If we only had a dime for every time we heard this. When we see two people who differ dramatically in appearance, speech, or even sexual orientation, we tilt our heads as if mentally shifting the duo to the metaphorical misfit category, relegating their relationship to doom. James Sweeney’s Twinless forces us to modify such responses. It’s a story about Roman, a twenty-something man who suddenly loses his twin brother Rocky in a car accident. The film opens with a shot of a colorful commuter train leaving a station. As the train clears out and the camera holds on the empty platform, we hear the screech of a car’s wheels and a terrible impact. Immediately, we know something has gone terribly wrong. Set in Portland, Twinless stars Dylan O’Brien from the long-running television series Teen Wolf , and James Sweeney, who is also the writer and director of the 2019 film, Straight Up . A native Idahoan, Roman (O’Brien) is mourning the tragic loss of his identical twin brother, Rocky. When his mother Lisa, played by Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls , insists that he needs help, he joins a support group for people who have lost twin siblings. The group’s therapist, Charlotte, played by Tasha Smith from Why Did I Get Married and First Wives Club , asks them to introduce themselves by naming a vegetable beginning with the letter of their first name and revealing something they don’t miss about their twin. At this moment, I wonder if the movie is a comedy rather than the heavy drama I surmised from the story’s synopsis. But given the timing soon after Rocky’s funeral, perhaps this was intended to bring some levity to the moment. Roman meets Dennis (James Sweeney) during a session break, as Dennis makes small jokes and shares that he lost his twin brother Dean. In their mourning, Roman and Dennis forge a bond, attending parties and hockey games together as if standing in for each other’s sibling. Roman and Dennis, though, could not be more different. Roman is heterosexual and Dennis is gay. Roman likes hockey and Dennis craves sandwiches. Roman is fit and goes to the gym regularly, and Dennis, who does not work out, is slim and lanky in appearance. Yet the two become very close. Roman struggles mightily with Rocky’s loss, as evidenced by him wearing Rocky’s clothes and avoiding everyday tasks. But when he opens the refrigerator to find only a sliced onion and discovers only stale cookies in the cabinet, he calls Dennis to go grocery shopping with him, something the two continue regularly. During a shopping trip, they bump into George, one of Rocky’s friends, who notes that he witnessed the accident and was the last to see him alive. As he clumsily and without invitation shares that Rocky was distracted by a “crazy guy” who was yelling at him at the time, Roman says he would (to put it mildly) hurt the guy real bad if he found him. Leaving a hockey game one night, the duo encounter three men, one of whom lobs a gay pejorative at them. Roman confronts him and insists he apologize. When he doesn’t, the four get into a brawl while Dennis watches fearfully but with concern. This brings to mind a scene from the limited series Black Doves , where a gay man, steeled by the gunfire around him, becomes so paralyzed, he has to be physically carried out of danger while he cries and covers his ears. LGBTQ individuals are often targets of harassment and violence, but such character portrayals can lead to the perpetuation of stereotypes about the group. While most studies in this area focus on partner violence, research out of London found that men who are gay “score higher for empathy and show significantly lower levels of physical aggression than heterosexual men.” This suggests that the former are not likely to engage in physical fighting, even when it means defending themselves against strangers. I am reminded of Hoon Lee’s portrayal of Job (pronounced Jobe) in the popular television series Banshee , where the LGBTQ character frequently demonstrates the ability to handle bullies with a sharp tongue and with or without weapons. Perhaps the London research attests to the threat response of many gay men. But I wonder if more portrayals of LGBTQ men fighting back or coming to the defense of their friends, can help disrupt stereotypes about the community as passive and thus vulnerable. Roman’s altercation with the trio after the hockey game and his expressed desire to exact retribution on the person he views as responsible for Rocky’s death suggest that he is still struggling with Rocky’s loss. He later reveals to Dennis that he regrettably used the same pejorative against Rocky soon after he came out as gay, and that he feels that “drove him” to leave home and settle elsewhere. To provide comfort, Dennis invites Roman to talk to him as if he were Rocky. Roman says through tears, “I don’t know how to be without you.” Testimonials at the therapy sessions reveal not only the patients’ sense of loss, but also how their pain can be differentiated from the pain that stems from losing a sibling who is not a twin. Roman reveals, for example, that he’s glad he has the pain because otherwise he is “actually alone.” Another notes that twins are “built-in best friends.” As if to drive home this point, in a flashback scene, Rocky describes breaking his toe as a child, and how Roman smashed his own toe so he wouldn’t have to suffer alone. Given this, it is no surprise that Roman defines himself in relation to his brother and struggles to adjust to life without him. Roman’s life changes when he meets Marcie (Aisling Franciosi) at a party. As the pair begin spending time together, Dennis becomes resentful and is seen peering at the couple during the party and later sniping at Marcie. A long time co-worker of Dennis’s, Marcie questions the veracity of Dennis’s claims of having a twin brother, leading her then to question his motives for befriending Roman. There are some great plot twists in this drama that help keep the audience in anticipation of what will unfold in the story. Central to them are what is Dennis’s motivation for lying and what he wants with Roman. These questions are posed by writer James Sweeney, to challenge the notion that friendships built on lies and half-truths, wherever they line up on the compatibility scale, cannot endure. 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 Wind River gives a glimpse of life on “the rez” Acacia Filmed Entertainment, 2017 107 minutes Director/Writer: Taylor Sheridan Reading Time: 5 minutes Wind River Things Gone Wrong (WWEH576CL64WHWCC) 00:00 / 05:52 📷 : Used with permission, Snollygoster Productions https://www.instagram.com/snollygoster.productions/ https://posterspy.com/profile/snollygoster-productions/ Ginger: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Mint: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 Few contemporary stories are set on lands of Indigenous people. This one is guided by Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen who work together to catch the rapist and killer of a young woman. The 18-year-old is found barefoot in the winter wilderness on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. While the film is focused on investigating the crime, the cultural backdrop gives viewers a front seat to the Arapaho Nation’s challenges, cynicism, and humanity. Sadness, sameness, and a sense of lull hang over the film at the outset. Until the audience spends the next hour and 47 minutes on “the rez,” an appreciation for this can never be understood—short of the firsthand experience of living there or somehow becoming a part of the community. Renner ( The Hurt Locker , The Town ) plays Cory Lambert, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife specialist who hunts wild game that prey on the cattle and sheep raised by Wyoming ranchers on federal lands. Recently divorced, he is very close to his ex-wife, her family, and their neighbors who live on Wind River. When he is dispatched to the reservation to track down a lion that recently killed a rancher’s steer, he stumbles upon the body. The discovery deeply affects him because he knows the woman and her family quite well—she is his daughter’s best friend. Graham Green ( Goliath , Molly’s Game ) plays Ben, the sheriff of Wind River. The combination of his cynicism and seriousness strikes a perfect chord in the film, balancing the murder tragedy with the travesty that is life on the reservation. A valley of flat land for miles cradled by mountains so difficult to climb “you have to travel 50 miles to go five,” Wind River appears to be a forgotten place despite being only 140 miles from Jackson Hole, an affluent vacation and resort area. “The rez,” on the other hand, is a desolate and impoverished community with few prospects for young people. The geographic and social isolation of Wind River brings back images streamed of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Then, people in the once-rambunctious city motioned in the warmth to hovering news helicopters for help. On Wind River, cold and silence fill the space as residents seem to have resigned themselves to the fact that help will never arrive and no one with authority cares. When a lone FBI agent is dispatched to help with the murder investigation, no one is surprised; indeed, the scene is almost laughable if the situation were not so tragic. When Agent Jane Banner is flabbergasted that the coroner will not declare the woman’s death a homicide, noting that she will get no additional federal help unless he does so, Ben quips “Don’t look at me; hey, I’m used to no help.” Played by Olsen ( Avengers: Infinity War , Sorry for Your Loss ), Jane is a breath of fresh air in the film. Her naivete about life on “the rez” brings a much-needed outsider’s perspective. Not only is she a federal officer who works collaboratively with Ben and Cory to find the killer, Jane arrives on Wind River with no apparent assumptions about the people who live there or the conditions of the community. She displays the ability to empathize more through emotions than words, which stands out amidst the apathy surrounding her. What she learns about life on “the rez” and what the young woman endured before her death are aptly revealed as overwhelming for her. This is particularly so after an intense, action‑packed climax. In some ways, Jane’s telling emotional scene is reminiscent of the 1996 film, A Time to Kill . In his summation to the jury, Matthew McConaughey’s character described in detail what happened to the little girl who was assaulted. He then asked the jurors to close their eyes, and said, “Can you see her? Now pretend she is White.” Jake Brigance, McConaughey’s character, saw this statement as his last‑ditch effort to humanize the little Black girl for the all-White Mississippi jury. Jane’s character in Wind River functioned much like Jake’s in pushing forth the film as a story about humanity, rather than just a crime saga produced solely for entertainment value. I wonder, though, about the effectiveness of this had Jane and Jake been cast with Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous actors. Unfortunately, this is still something I wonder although the two films are separated by more than 20 years. Filmed mostly during the daylight hours and almost entirely on Wind River, the movie contains some intimate family moments. During these times, we come to understand what underlies the personal and emotional pain of the characters including that of Cory, as well as the factors that contribute to the breakdown of families on “the rez”. While it is a film about a crime, Wind River is also a story about a forgotten segment of the U.S. And ironically, the audience sees this through the empathetic eyes of White lead actors, one of whom depicts a federal agent. Wind River might be for you if you like crime mysteries, suspenseful climaxes, and particularly if the sight of mountains and the use of snow gear and snowmobiles are appealing. Also, if you are a history buff, you get to view the legacy of the U.S.’ century-long movement of Indigenous people onto reservations. 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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!

Lawmen: Bass Reeves distinguishes between fear and respect < Back Lawmen: Bass Reeves distinguishes between fear and respect 101 Studios, 2023 45 minutes Creator: Chad Feehan Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Lawmen: Bass Reeves Saddle Up (9QA0KKDY5QU5JQER) 00:00 / 07:36 Masala Chai Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Rosemary Movies and TV shows with intense action Reba Chaisson 2023-12-22 Lawmen: Bass Reeves , the 2023 Paramount+ limited series based on a true story, puts the notions of fear and respect front and center. The intense, action-filled story follows the life and career of a Black deputy U.S. marshal in the postbellum South. Recently freed from enslavement, Deputy Marshal Reeves has been hired by Judge Parker (Donald Sutherland) to travel his Southern district to catch people wanted for serious crimes such as robbery and murder. A self-assured and deeply religious man, Bass, played by David Oyelowo ( Selma , The Butler ), traverses Arkansas and what is now Oklahoma perched atop his horse. Combined with his badge, the two place him at a physical and social focal point that forces his captives and others to look up to him and acknowledge his position of authority. Indeed, much of the 8-part series shows Reeves on his horse with his badge visible, likely creator Chad Feehan’s goal of presenting a stark contrast to the previously low social level Reeves was relegated to when slavery was a legal and accepted practice just a few years prior. For historical context, after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the South underwent Reconstruction from 1867-1877. During this period, Blacks were granted citizenship and the right to vote with the 14th and 15th Amendments, respectively. Public schools and colleges were constructed for Black students, and Black men were elected to state legislatures in the South with some even serving in Congress. This was a tenuous period with many White people still reeling from the forced release of their centuries-long grip of Black people that they had become accustomed to seeing as objects and legally treating as property. Thus, the idea of a Black man freely traversing the South arresting people with the power of a marshal's badge is, to say the least, astounding, not only for some White people in this era, but even for some who are Black. For many White Southerners, a Black lawman challenges their views of where Black men are situated relative to White people in the socially constructed racial hierarchy. Conversely, Black people view Reeves as misguided, a traitor even, for arresting “his own,” particularly when the crimes were justifiable. One Black man, for example, whom Reeves arrests for killing a former enslaver, insists the man deserved it. The man explains that the enslaver vowed to kill his people before he set them free. So, when he received the news that enslaved persons had been emancipated, he locked them in their cabins and burned them all alive. For this, Reeves’s captive asserts he has “no regrets” for killing the man and insists he would “do it again.” While clearly moved by the story, Reeves’ view is that the question of his captive’s innocence or guilt is not one for him to decide but rather one for the court. He refers to Bible verses alluding to God as the Judge and the one that his detainees must ultimately answer to. Like a focused automaton, his job, in his view, is to capture and bring them in so they can have their day in court. Reeves is guided by a set of principles that dictates how he goes about his work. But he expects, perhaps naïvely, that other lawmen operate according to a similar moral code. We see this when his assistant, Billy Crow, played by Forrest Goodluck ( The Revenant , The Miseducation of Cameron Crowe ), is distracted during a mission and ends up shooting a fleeing suspect who regrettably dies. Reeves’s facial expression conveys his annoyance with his young assistant, who later asks him if he is going to fire him. Reeves removes a bullet from his gun, pulls his horse up next to Billy’s, and tosses the bullet to him. Perplexed, Billy asks, “A bullet?” Reeves simply responds, “Each one a man’s life.” This happens more than once during the series where Reeves becomes dismayed at the irresponsible decisions, even of an overzealous peer. Because Reeves is fluent in the Choctaw language and familiar with Indigenous territories in the South, Marshal Sherrill Lynn, played by Dennis Quaid, asks for his help in finding a Choctaw man wanted for arrest. When Marshal Lynn disrespects a Choctaw woman in her home and later sets fire to the suspect’s home, burning him alive, Reeves is disgusted with his behavior. He forcefully confronts Lynn and reiterates that the goal of their job is to bring in suspects and allow them their day in court. Married with four children, Reeves asserts that he would rather continue to till the unyielding land on his farm and risk his family going hungry than work with such a man. He then promptly mounts his horse and rides off. Lauren E. Banks plays Reeves’ wife, Jennie, who holds down the fort at home guided by principles similar to those of her husband. It is unusual for women to be represented as strong back in the day. But the series depicts this in Jennie Reeves who at one point tells an imposing pastor and dinner guest that he is preaching his questionable wares to the wrong house. White women as well are often depicted as feminine and fragile, but we see them differently in the series as when Bass Reeves informs a blind woman that her husband is dead. Showing no surprise, she responds, “I take it you found him in some woman’s bed” – brutal forthrightness that leaves Reeves speechless. We also see female depictions deviate from their typical representations when a sex worker reading a book during her break explains to Billy Crow facts about the world she has read about and seen firsthand. This scene challenges his assumptions that her identity is solely that of a sex worker and her entire adult life has been spent in a brothel. Chad Feehan’s production reminds me a lot of the strong themes and meticulously crafted characters in Taylor Sheridan’s works, who coincidentallly is an executive producer on the series. Sheridan's Yellowstone is a contemporary Western-style drama series with seemingly bigger than life characters like John Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively played by Kevin Costner and Cole Hauser. Like Deputy Marshal Reeves, John Dutton has a North Star, a set of principles that guide him. In Dutton’s case, it is to keep his 750,000 acres and destroy everything and anyone who attempts to infringe upon it. Bass’s principles, on the other hand, can best be described as moral or spiritual in nature. Collins Dictionary defines respect in several ways, but they all culminate into this: courteous consideration and regard for someone’s wishes, rights, or customs, and the deference or dutiful regard for law and moral principles. Understanding this, people who give respect are not necessarily looking for it in return, but this is nonetheless a by-product of treating others respectfully. In the 1982 movie, 48 Hours , Eddie Murphy’s 20-year-old character jokes that a Black man with a badge is a person White people fear most. But Reeves isn’t at all interested in being feared by anyone. He is, however, invested in respect. Indeed, there is a difference, a big difference between the two. 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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Swarm offers interesting social commentary on excessive fandom < Back Swarm offers interesting social commentary on excessive fandom Amazon Studios, 2023 30 minutes Creator: Janine Nabers and Donald Glover Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Used with Permission, Izzy Aghahowa https://izzyaghahowa.co.uk/ Swarm My Sweet Lady (F9HC1NRUFKQHFVWE) 00:00 / 05:29 Rosemary Movies and TV shows with intense action Yarrow Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Chris Chaisson 2023-03-29 “Who’s your favorite artist?” For those that follow pop stars in the era of social media, we know the danger that comes with criticizing any of them. The biggest Top 40 artists all have their own armies (or in one case Navy ) who go to great lengths to bully critics into silence and obscurity. While it would be easy to tell those super-fans to get a life, their dedication speaks to an unbreakable bond we often feel with celebrities that have brought us so much joy. The stars’ personas and extravagant lifestyles provide fans with the same escapism that the art itself does. The cyberbullying and intimidation tactics reflect our desperation to hold onto that dopamine rush. The lengths to which anyone chooses to take their fandom is an individual choice, heavily influenced by the need to hide from real life circumstances. Such can be said for Dre in the new Amazon series Swarm . Played by the talented Dominique Fishback ( The Hate U Give ), Dre is a lonely teenager who idolizes world-famous pop singer Ni'Jah. Her fandom becomes so intense that she responds to any criticism, ill sentiments or even indifference of Ni'Jah with brutal violence. After losing a close friend, Dre goes on a killing spree across several different cities, with all of her victims having in common their disdain for Ni'Jah’s talent and fame. Outside of escaping culpability, Dre’s ultimate goal is to see Ni'Jah up close and personal. The series is very cleverly cast, as it consists of many actors who are adjacent to staggering pop star fame or are indeed pop stars themselves. The supporting characters include singers Billie Eilish and Chloe Bailey, Paris Jackson, and Rory Culkin. The latter two are the daughter of the late Michael Jackson and brother of Macaulay Culkin, respectively. This infusion of personalities and recognizable faces adds to the thematic elements of the show. Donald Glover’s name may be the draw of the series, specifically for fans of the Emmy-winning Atlanta , but the co-creator Janine Nabers deserves a shout-out as well. In addition to writing for Atlanta , she produced episodes for Watchmen , the hit HBO mini-series from 2019. Nabers is also an award-winning playwright and librettist (one who writes the words for an extended musical composition). We’ve seen successful crossovers from the stage to the screen before with writers like Aaron Sorkin, and Nabers’ contributions to Swarm certainly demonstrate her versatility. Beyoncé fans, affectionately known as the Beyhive, may watch Swarm and feel slighted. After all, there are numerous references to real-life events, anecdotes, and details that make it obvious who Ni'Jah is “supposed” to be modeled after. Taken at face value, the series is nothing more than the satirizing of how Beyoncé’s most loyal followers behave, online and occasionally in person. However, if you look closer, much of Dre’s language and behavior (outside of maybe the assaults and murders) applies to fans of several other larger-than-life pop culture figures: LeBron James, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, and the list goes on. Fans become so swept up in the emotions these figures conjure up that they no longer see a difference of opinion as a positive or even an option. As Dre hops from destination to destination, her experiences become more than just homicidal missions being carried out. Her adolescence and past trauma comes into view, expanding the scope of the series’ premise beyond a parody of excessive fandom and into an examination of mental health and the foster care system. Though these details humanize Dre, her transgressions still overshadow any sympathy the audience might feel. After all, her victims are human as well. Swarm ’s innovation is not in its satirical elements but in who its story focuses around. Many serial killer stories revolve around psychotic, cognitively dissonant White men. They are often well-educated, financially successful, and completely irredeemable. This series instead chooses a young, gender-fluid Black woman suffering the effects of childhood trauma. Despite her past, Dre’s actions remain reprehensible. While her string of homicides begins with people who have questionable moral compasses themselves, it becomes clear that Dre will harm anyone of any background, no matter how virtuous. We see these qualities in anti-heroes such as Dexter, Patrick Bateman or Joe Goldberg, all distinguished White men, in Dexter, American Psycho and You , respectively. However, we rarely see a Black female protagonist allowed to exhibit rage, immorality and violence that they get away with time and again. The connotation of the term satire may mislead you to think Swarm is light-hearted and playful in tone. On the contrary, there are several grim and sobering moments, in addition to the overall violence and raunchiness. Still, viewers can take and leave as much as they want from the show’s overall theme. The series exists as a deeper conversation piece, or something to chuckle about whenever Beyoncé fans get on your nerves. In any case, these 7 episodes convinced me to keep any critical opinions of pop music icons to myself [grits teeth]. 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 Secret Agent injects surrealism into a political thriller MK Productions, 2025 161 minutes Director/Writer: Kleber Mendonça Filho Reading Time: 5 minutes The Secret Agent With You Always (GRLD2V3QGNAFGOLB) 00:00 / 05:41 📷 : Netflix Ginseng: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Dandelion: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Chris Chaisson 2026-03-14 Historical fiction as a genre provides filmmakers with endless opportunity to be creative. Despite their malleability, our first thought is probably a story about fictional characters in a historically accurate time and place, still feeling very real aside from names and occupations. However, as it is still a work of fiction not necessarily beholden to realism, filmmakers can sprinkle in some absurd visuals, sequences, or behavior. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho chooses this less common path of historical fiction with his Oscar-nominated film The Secret Agent , which at times feels very real and others like a complete fever dream. The setting in question is 1977 Brazil, politically torn by a brutal ongoing military dictatorship. Seeking refuge is Marcelo (Wagner Moura), a professor/researcher who has mercenary hitmen hired by a businessman on his trail. Before he can escape, he must receive his documentation and get ahold of his son. In the meantime, he takes cover during Carnival in his hometown of Recife, where others are seeking asylum. To establish the tone of the film, Filho opens with an extended scene of Marcelo pulling into an empty gas station on a dirt road off a desolate highway. He immediately spots a covered-up, rotting corpse not 50 feet away, which the gas station attendant does not seem bothered by at all. He calmly tells Marcelo that the corpse was a thief that was shot while trying to get away, and that the police have told him they won’t be by for a few days. In the middle of a spooked Marcelo getting gas, two cops pull in, completely ignore the body, and simply grill Marcelo while inspecting his car. After he bribes them with cigarettes, they head off. The disconcerting scene prepares the audience for the surreal film that is to come. The Secret Agent does not answer every lingering question to cut straight to the cat-and-mouse game, as many thrillers do. It leaves you wondering exactly why these men are after Marcelo, how much danger he is in, and how close they are to finding him. Instead, the audience watches Marcelo do his best to keep a low profile while offering information to comrades trying to help him. While he doesn’t appear to be in imminent danger, the sociopolitical climate suggests that he could never be too safe at any moment. Flashbacks hint at his activism and willingness to confront powerful figures, but the mystery remains a mystery with various subplots throughout. The sum of The Secret Agent ’s various threads paint the picture of a society in political turmoil, one where the regard for human life has been minimized. Marcelo being on the run from a businessman who he is not even meddling with serves as a microcosm for this condition. One subplot involving a human leg pulled from the mouth of a great white shark produces the most surreal scene in the movie, in which the leg comes to life and hops through a park attacking people. Such a scene would normally be absent from a political thriller, but Filho includes scenes like this to sidestep the possibility of preachy and on-the-nose rhetoric. Other scenes include some of Marcelo’s nightmares where he is haunted by memories such as seeing the corpse in the movie’s opening. Such sequences show how even what has become normal on a macro scale still affects the individuals living amid this chaos on a psychological level. Later in the movie, the henchmen chasing Marcelo seek the help of a food service worker to get close enough to perform the deed. Their logic is that he will surely jump at the opportunity for very little money. It furthers the film’s deeper themes, as many citizens are so poor that the notion of a contract killing piques their interest. Though it is obvious that the man in question has some experience in the field, the mercenaries encounter him as an honest, law-abiding citizen, yet still easily convince him to partake in their mission. Some may find The Secret Agent far too vague and abstract to be satisfying as a period piece mystery/thriller. As moviegoers, we are accustomed to the rule of thumb that such mysteries must tie up all loose ends by the conclusion. However, the story’s attachment to politics makes its approach fitting, as often such issues do not get resolved so easily. It is less about Marcelo’s fate individually than about a broken system and widespread corruption that will continue regardless of his life or death. Marcelo, after all, is not some revolutionary figure that would often be the subject of such a story, just a man seeking refuge. Unlike the 2002 hit City of God , which displayed gritty realism, The Secret Agent portrays some of the same socio-political issues in a more abstract manner. 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!