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Tardes De Sol. Noches de Agua. (Afternoons of Sun. Nights of Water.) provides a glimpse into the many systems perpetuating violence against vulnerable people. < Back Tardes De Sol. Noches de Agua. (Afternoons of Sun. Nights of Water.) provides a glimpse into the many systems perpetuating violence against vulnerable people. CAY Productora, 2019 20 minutes Director/Writer: VD Menzella Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, CAY Productora Tardes De Sol. Noches de Agua A Dark Past (JLBBO78WK8JWZXUT) 00:00 / 03:19 Dandelion Movies/shows with heavy subjects Ginger Thought-provoking movies/shows Chris Chaisson 2022-09-25 Tardes De Sol. Noches de Agua. centers around Lamia, a young woman who is developmentally disabled. She resides in a small Argentinian village under the close supervision of her devoutly Christian mother. Forced to dress conservatively and refrain from any hint of promiscuity, Lamia draws and writes in her diary as an outlet for her fantasies. She creates a character, Sister Rosa, to contrast with the deity that her mother worships and wants her to fear. In her ventures through the village to deliver groceries and her mother’s knitting to neighbors, she develops an infatuation with Rabbit, a local man in the neighborhood who seduces her. After he violently assaults Lamia, she goes into a comatose state, prompting her mother and the village priest to nurse her back to health. This stellar short film highlights several significant social issues, not the least of which are the attempts of men, religious institutions and older generations to suppress women’s sexuality. Despite the close parental supervision, Lamia lives a very lonely and vulnerable existence. Her mother forces her to recite mantras about the evil nature of men, instructs her to conceal her figure at all times, and physically punishes her upon finding out about her crush on Rabbit. Director VD Menzella highlights this suppressive environment through shots of Lamia hiding her diary or avoiding eye contact with the other characters. Rabbit’s disturbing assault illuminates the reality that many people with developmental disabilities become victims of violence, despite the frequent narrative that they are more often perpetrators of it. The motive behind many such assaults stems from the culprit’s belief that they will get away with it, largely because the victim’s credibility is questioned. Lamia’s mother, for instance, believes that she has harmed herself, a theory that the local priest adheres to without much pushback. The skepticism and attempts to control women’s behavior have historically led to torture in the name of religion, be it through execution, exile, or other means. Such institutions do offer support and comfort to community members, giving them direction and hope during tough times. However, they also chastise conduct and thought processes that are different from theirs. As opposed to showing compassion, Lamia’s mother and priest instead ostracize her. T ardes De Sol. Noches de Agua. is reminiscent of feature films such as Boys Don’t Cry and Precious . Lamia, Brandon Teena and Precious are all vulnerable protagonists existing in environments where they are subject to abuse because of their sexuality, gender and skin complexion, either in the household or the larger community. While the films all have different conclusions, they each center around a young character attempting to survive and break free from authoritarian surroundings. 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 Studio provides laughs with its bungling protagonist < Back The Studio provides laughs with its bungling protagonist Lionsgate Television, 2025- 25 minutes Creator: Evan Goldberg Reading Time: 5 minutes 📷 : Used with permission, Christian Niemann https://www.instagram.com/justbychris/ The Studio Groove Station (XLK5J9TJBAVMOYXC) 00:00 / 05:58 https://x.com/justbychris Ginkgo Biloba Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Chris Chaisson 2025-06-23 Many comedies center around a person or a friend group who are just regular people. They have a regular job and no real power to speak of, making them relatable to most of the audience. While this works just fine for many comedies, it is refreshing to occasionally see a show revolving around a boss who is out over his skis. Having an authoritative figure who lacks an authoritative presence reminds the audience that often, no one knows what they’re doing in life and everybody is faking it to some degree. This persona also serves as the perfect setup for endless hi-jinks. Such is the case in Seth Rogen’s new Apple + hit The Studio . The inciting incident of The Studio involves its protagonist, Matt Remick (Rogen), realizing a life-long dream as he is promoted to the lead executive. With his new responsibility to green-light projects and approve of spending requests from filmmakers, you would think that he is the most popular man at The Continental Studio; as it turns out, far from it. While Matt gives off a less cold and detached vibe than the stereotypical studio head, his desire to be viewed as an artist leads him to be overbearing. He consistently inserts himself into the filmmaking process rather than simply making decisions and observing at a distance. Thus, many of the actors and directors grow tired of him but consistently suck up to him to get what they want. Matt lacks the self-awareness that his right-hand man Sal (Ike Barinholz, MadTV ) has, leading to many cringeworthy moments throughout the series. Matt often overstays his welcome (if he was ever welcomed) on sets and in trailers, interfering with any progress being made on a project. Even though he cares more than your average executive, he takes his persona as a creator too seriously, and his performance as the studio head suffers. The hilarity of The Studio comes from the fact that despite Matt’s nerdy demeanor, lack of social grace and inability to project any modicum of strength, he still holds an authoritative position. His decisions, sometimes calculated but often impulsive, hold great influence, and even other producers and executives must defer to him. His character could be summed up as “if Michael Scott bought movies instead of selling paper.” The protagonist from The Office , played for many years by Steve Carell, Michael Scott had very endearing qualities but often seemed like too much of a stooge to be in charge. Nonetheless, he was. Not only did his place as the decision-maker bring about a lot of hilarious and cringe-worthy moments, it made him a sympathetic figure. Much of the audience undoubtedly has bosses they do not respect. So protagonists such as Matt and Michael serve as somewhat of a confirmation bias, while also providing us enough emotional distance to laugh at their mistakes—mistakes that are not so funny in our actual workplace. Despite all the comedy deduced from the characters’ ineptitude and faux pas, The Studio ’s appeal also comes from its authenticity. Many of the discussions between the executives and the creatives, and the concerns expressed mid-conversation, feel very true to real life. For instance, Matt obsesses over delivering an unfortunate note to Ron Howard about a scene that needs to be cut from his newest film, as he does not want to give negative feedback. In discussing with his team, he tries to pawn the responsibility off on the head of marketing, Maya Mason (Kathryn Hahn, Tiny Beautiful Things ), who responds by saying no creative would ever take a note from marketing seriously. This moment speaks to how strictly roles and power structures are defined in the entertainment industry. Thus, having reluctant bosses in positions of power creates so many problems that are, in a fictional world, very fun to watch. The style of the shooting involves very long takes as Matt drives around the studio lot, walks through active movie sets, or greets people in the foyer of his office building before leading them upstairs. The takes are accompanied by soft, percussive jazz music, reminiscent of the Best Picture winner Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) , starring Michael Keaton. This shooting style leaves audiences stuck with Matt in every uncomfortable moment after there is friction between him and a director or member of his team. When he needs to juggle meetings or quickly convey information, we see how dizzying his job can get and how often he needs to quickly put on a friendly face. These scenes give the audience a hint of empathy for people in positions of power, who may have a very disorienting daily routine. It also reinforces how difficult such a position is to occupy without the appropriate Type A personality. Between its well-written characters, tremendous acting, uncomfortable scenes and gut-busting physical gags, The Studio may very well be the next award-winning comedy to be considered the best on television. Fans of The Office will surely see a hint of Michael Scott’s influence in this Apple + hit and may take to it the same way. The Studio offers countless laughs every episode and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. 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 Civil War centers war photography and its desensitizing effects A24, 2024 109 minutes Director/Writer: Alex Garland Reading Time: 6 minutes Civil War Quiet Desperation Part 2 (21TRXKFWFOPYJLBU) 00:00 / 05:57 📷 : Used with permission, Ryan Layah https://www.instagram.com/grievity/ https://twitter.com/grievity/ https://posterspy.com/profile/grievity/ Rosemary: Movies and TV shows with intense action Saffron Movies and TV shows with great visual effects Chris Chaisson 2024-04-11 There is a lot of talk in screenwriting circles about world-building. Audiences tend to go with the flow and suspend their disbelief if you can establish early what universe they will be escaping to: the protocols, the hierarchies, and the consequences. Generally, there will be a common thread between our society and the one we are introduced to, and moviegoers tend to recognize it while latching onto all of the fantasy. Alex Garland has gained a reputation over the last decade for his dystopian futures. Between Ex Machina , Annihilation , and Dredd , he has provided us our fair share of robots and aliens. But a dystopian future does not have to be science fiction; it could simply exaggerate the same conflicts that currently exist. Instead of machines and animals being more human, maybe human beings are a little less so. Garland presents such a universe in his newest A24 project, Civil War . Kirsten Dunst plays Lee, a war photographer hardened by decades of prominent and dangerous work. Much of society has broken down, and major metropolitan areas have become wastelands overrun with militia men fighting amongst each other. A specific rebel group is heading to Washington D.C. to overtake the White House and assassinate the president, played by Nick Offerman. Before what seems inevitable, Lee, her press partner Joel (Wagner Moura, Narcos ), and longtime friend Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson, Lincoln ), embark on a trip from New York to D.C., hoping to beat the rebel groups there to get a scoop with the Commander-in-Chief. Before heading out, they are joined by the ambitious twenty-something Jessie (Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla ), an aspiring photojournalist looking to follow in Lee’s footsteps. Jessie embraces the danger associated with the profession, or so she believes, despite Lee’s skepticism. Similar to a show like The Walking Dead , Civil War goes the route of explaining very little to its audience about how we got here and even what exactly is going on currently. For much of the film, we simply follow Lee and her group blindly on their trip, our uncertainty mirroring theirs. I’d imagine many expected a thorough rundown featuring flashbacks and exposition dumps in the first 30 minutes. Instead, the audience is dropped into several large gunfights with no real sense of what side anyone is on or what instigated any particular conflict. This style of storytelling could have a polarizing effect, as some people want all the information upfront. Others may decide that this is the most effective way to build the universe. Knowing what we know about our socio-political climate, a story about a very muddied up war on our own soil seems self-explanatory. The most dangerous people that the main characters encounter simply act on their own prejudice without speeches or explanations, which feels true to real life. Also, without context or preambles, the audience cannot take sides or empathize with any particular group in combat. The biggest takeaway from the film is how in this dystopian setting, our main characters have become very desensitized to the loss of life. Lee has had to compartmentalize witnessing violence while doing her job for many years, and she no longer seems to have the need to process it. Joel and Sammy are much the same way, while Jessie learns quickly the difficulty of this task. Both Lee and Jessie clearly love the art of photography, and at times throughout the movie, they speak about “getting the shot” when the shot in question is a dead or dying person. As the story progresses, Lee and Jessie’s sensibilities seem to switch, as one’s jitters disappear while the other’s return. However, this theme of desensitization continues all the way until the very last moments of the film. While the crew’s reaction to the violence around them may come off cold and detached, they are the closest we get to a humane presence on screen. Most of the other characters simply fight and kill one another, with no indication that anyone is merely defending themselves. Even characters outside of the field of battle seem to lack compassion. For instance, as Lee lugs her stuff toward an elevator at her hotel in New York, the front desk clerk informs her of the inconsistent power connection and the potential to be stuck mid-trip. Rather than pitch a realistic alternative for someone on the tenth floor or an emphatic warning, he states it matter-of-factly, still willing to let Lee risk her own safety. Similarly, while stopped in a town removed from any of the war violence, a cashier expresses complete disinterest in engaging with Joel or Lee. She merely answers their questions in aloof fashion before returning to her book. Such moments reveal a subtler reflection of the times they are in than the militaristic violence happening. Even aside from death and destruction, people are apathetic and disconnected from each other, making it easier to dehumanize them. War movies tend to fall into two buckets: a fictional representation of an actual war in world history or human beings fighting another species (i.e. zombies, robots, or aliens). For this reason, it is difficult to come up with a comparable dystopian future war film, other than the Mad Max franchise. However, the theme of journalism’s ability to desensitize individuals is reminiscent of the 2014 thriller Nightcrawler . Jake Gyllenhaal plays a driven but sociopathic individual striving to make a footprint in crime journalism at any costs. While Lee and Jessie are much more grounded, they share with Gyllenhaal’s character a seemingly disproportionate focus on perfectionism in work amidst a swath of inhumanity. 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 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!

Dope Thief shares important lessons about family < Back Dope Thief shares important lessons about family Apple Studios, 2025 50 minutes Creator: Peter Craig Reading Time: 6 minutes 📷 : Apple Studios Dope Thief Survive (PNTD034EZSCMMHXD) 00:00 / 08:12 Coca Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Rosemary Movies and TV shows with intense action Reba Chaisson 2025-09-04 Many years ago, I read a book called All Our Kin , penned by Carol Stack and based on her research in The Flats, a working-class neighborhood in a major city in the Midwest. In the book, she reveals how she used participant observation to gain entrée into the community and get to know her new neighbors. Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed is similar, as it is based on her time living in several poor communities and working in nearby diners and hotels, so she could experience life and living as her neighbors did. Participant observation allows for researchers to gain a deep appreciation for residents’ hardships, triumphs, and everyday survival strategies. One of the big takeaways from both studies is how people in the communities rely on kinship networks, that is, support from people who are not related by blood but are considered family nonetheless. I mention all of this because the limited series, Dope Thief , stirred these themes in my head once again. Apple TV+’s limited series is about two best friends who front as federal agents to steal money and drugs from dope dealers in Philadelphia. Donning shell jackets with bright yellow DEA lettering and phony badges around their necks, the duo look legitimate as they invade dealers’ homes, intimidate the occupants, and help themselves to money and drugs. The scenario is reminiscent of the character Omar in the HBO series, The Wire . Omar (Michael Kenneth Williams), with the help of a shotgun hanging from his shoulder and tucked under his long coat, made his living robbing dope dealers—without the use of a DEA jacket! In one episode, Omar simply stood under the window of an apartment and the dealer just dropped the drugs down to him. Brian Tyree Henry ( Class of ’09 , Atlanta ) leads the cast of Dope Thief as Raymond Driscoll, an early 30-something who has never left home but tells his mother, Theresa Bowers (Kate Mulgrew), that he works all day as a painter. Theresa, who is not Ray’s biological mother, is not as gullible as Ray seems to believe, as she casually queries him about such things as his odd hours and how he is able to paint houses in the cold weather. Still, she surprises him with a birthday treat with a candle on top. “You thought I forgot. Happy Birthday you piece of sh**,” she says with a smile. He looks at her with much appreciation. Wagner Moura ( Civil War , Shining Girl ) is Ray’s best friend, Manny Carvalho, and the two are quite literally thick as thieves. Ray’s and Manny’s business continues as usual until they learn that they can get a big haul in a rural area on the outskirts of Philly. On a rundown piece of property, according to their source, the owners manufacture and sell large quantities of dope. Excited about their potential take, the two rush their usual surveillance and planning. The heist goes awry, and the cartel-linked, biker-gang-affiliated property owners inform them through an anonymous, raspy voice on a walkie talkie that they know they are the perpetrators, adding “You think you’ll be tough to find in your Scooby Doo van?” The call puts Ray and Manny in fear for their own and their loved ones’ lives, forcing them to leave their homes to evade the cartel, the biker gang, and the real DEA that is now investigating the crime. Ray has quite a contentious relationship with his dad Bart, played by Ving Rhames. We realize this when he confronts his dad for convincing Theresa to fund his release from prison on a medical discharge. “Ain’t one part of my life that you didn’t [mess] up,” says Ray. This is a chilling exchange. That Ray’s words spew with such clarity and vile in the moment, as if oblivious to his existing cartel/DEA problems, indicates he still carries raw emotional scars from his childhood experiences. From this scene, we get a strong sense of why Ray seems determined to rely only on himself to protect his mother and Manny. The days are always overcast, cool, and seemingly wet in Dope Thief . Perhaps this is why Ray and Manny’s situation seems perpetually hopeless throughout much of the series, suggesting that the weather plays just as much a role in the show as the human characters. Theresa, however, brings levity to this intense story by acting independent of Ray’s demand to not pay for Bart’s lawyer, for instance, and challenging Ray in ways that come across as humorous, as she did with his claims about being a painter. She is undeterred and unflustered by Ray’s obvious untruths, self-imposed hardships, and even his efforts to dictate certain demands. When he is fiercely adamant, for instance, that he is not to be taken to the hospital for a serious injury, Theresa ignores his protests and implores the group to stop letting “this lunatic” run the show and get him to the hospital. Unable to go to the police given the crime they were committing at the time, Ray and Manny have to duck and cover on their own and ultimately fend for themselves. Sometimes, however, help comes from the most unexpected places. We see this when Bart’s lawyer, Michelle Taylor (Nesta Cooper), meets a reluctant Ray in a bar outside of Bart’s prison. Ray, using verbal cues and body language, signals to her that the people after him are in the bar waiting to follow him outside. Suspecting all along that he was in some kind of trouble, she helps him out of the situation rather than leaving him at the mercy of his would-be killers. The old saying that blood is thicker than water means there is nothing like the bonds of blood relations, but Dope Thief challenges this. The series has an ethnically diverse cast, with characters similar in social class and not related by blood. Yet, they are all connected to one another in ways traditionally conceived as a family unit. Manny and Ray have been best friends since high school, and while they butt heads like friends (and even biological brothers) do on occasion, each repeatedly risks his life for the other. Theresa, though not Ray’s biological mother, is loyal and strong-willed, both of which serve her well in protecting her son from himself and others. Michelle, albeit a lawyer and not a part of the social network, bonds with Ray and his family, despite the risks to her career and life in doing so. Hence, family is more than blood relations; it is a mutually supportive kinship. And as Stack and Ehrenreich showed in their studies, shared biology is not a prerequisite for gaining entrée to 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!

I Got This calls into question what it means to be a family < Back I Got This calls into question what it means to be a family Funclub Unlimited, 2018 22 minutes Director/Writer: Erik Bork Reading Time: 3 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock I Got This Long Weekend (IB9NFREA1TRJSFJ8) 00:00 / 03:52 Jasmine Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages White Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Reba Chaisson 2022-12-22 We don’t typically review comedies on the platform. But in thinking about Chris’s wonderful Crumpets article on the purpose of short films, I got to thinking about the breadth of stories told through independent cinema. Compared to mainstream, the range of genres seems narrow (predominantly drama, documentary, and horror). This reality means we need to dig deeper to find nuggets and granules of other works in this segment of the industry. Given the random approach to seeking out more thematic variety, I stumble upon one. I Got This is a comedy short starring Rome Shadanloo ( The Last Shift , Beyond Paradise ) as Jennifer, a reticent mother who comes clean to her partner about the fact that he is not her 3-year-old daughter’s father and she doesn’t know who is. Jack De Sena ( Lego Monkie Kid: Embrace Your Destiny , This Could Be a Podcast ) plays Chris, Jennifer’s self-effacing and dedicated partner who insists that the biological father, nonetheless, has the right to know he has a child. The late 20-something year-old couple sets out to covertly collect biological samples from each of her past encounters for DNA testing. (Despite the humor, one scene in this part of the film should be accompanied by a trigger warning since it is quite graphic.) Except for the courage of such young people, this is not an unusual story. Several past and present daytime television talk shows commodify personal stories like this — about women who are less than forthcoming about their child’s biological father. Billed as entertainment, the shows typically devolve into silliness, rancor, and even physical fights among family members. It was refreshing to see that this film was a quiet story centered only on the two people involved. Instead of family conflict and high-level acrimony, this story is tame and honest as it depicts another, more humorous, way of handling an awkward and emotionally painful situation. The film got me thinking about the notion of family, which is similar to themes in the film, Mr. Church . In our critique, we noted that a family isn’t just limited to shared genes. Along these lines, I couldn’t help but wonder if the answer Jennifer and Chris are looking for really matters. Yes, I know, but hear me out. Often the relationships between children and stepparents are indistinguishable from those between children and their biological parents. Having already stood in the role of dad for three years — which included changing diapers, playing with her in the snow, reading to her before bed, and all the things that parents often do for their children — Chris’s love and affection for his child is highly unlikely to change after learning who the biological father is. Case in point: After breaking the news to Chris and announcing her plans to move, Jennifer adds, “Maybe you can live nearby or come visit regularly. That would be ideal.” Such a statement likely sounds ridiculous to someone who is emotionally attached to the child he has raised since birth. Simultaneously, it conveys the emotionally wrenching prospect of pulling a family apart – blood-related or not. So, what constitutes family, and what does it mean to be a father? One thing for sure, a shared biology is not a necessary condition for either, right? Available on Film Shortage 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!

War is Over! shows how bonds can be formed amid desperate situations < Back War is Over! shows how bonds can be formed amid desperate situations ElectroLeague, 2023 11 minutes Director/Writer: Dave Mullins / Dave Mullins and Sean Lennon Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Photo from Pixabay War is Over! Storyteller (ISEAHXTOBZNX3FRV) 00:00 / 04:14 Ginger Thought-provoking movies/shows Mint Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Chris Chaisson 2024-03-18 I spend a lot of time playing chess online, mostly against one of the many bots that are free to play against. His name is Antonio, and I can’t stand him or his stupid pre-programmed responses. My resentment is built up from having played him dozens (hundreds) of times, and I have reached the conclusion that it is way too easy to start new games and play over and over again. If it took more of a concerted effort, I may appreciate the game and my opponent more. Now pluck me from the comfort of my heated apartment unit and into a more primal setting, and this game may become my only escape. War movies can be dark, grisly and bleak. Despite the critical acclaim many receive (i.e. Platoon , Saving Private Ryan , Braveheart , The Hurt Locker ), they can be a tough second watch, particularly for the squeamish. Nonetheless, the genre consists of some of the most visually stunning works cinema has seen, thanks to creative filmmakers and sizable budgets. The biggest challenge for war movies, one could argue, is instilling their story with a glimmer of hope for the audience to take with them as they file out of the theater. Particularly when based on real-life events, this challenge can prove too much, if embraced at all. Dave Mullins' Oscar-winning short, War is Over! , pulls off this feat by juxtaposing war with a fun board game. This critically acclaimed animated work takes place during World War I, as a pair of soldiers on opposite sides of the battlefield become entrenched in a spirited game of chess. Both have their own board set up and communicate their moves via carrier pigeon. The pigeon takes the messages containing the newest move back and forth across the battlefield, dodging flying projectiles to reach the other side. The catch is that neither soldier really knows who the opponent is, let alone that they are technically an enemy. The game becomes an escape not just for the two, but for the soldiers around them who observe and cheer their comrades on. The fun comes to an end when a general discovers the game and berates his soldiers for taking part instead of focusing on the mission at hand. He knocks the board over and even physically assaults his soldier to teach him a lesson. Forced back into battle, the soldier ends up engaged with his chess opponent in a fight to the death before their carrier pigeon finds them in the middle of the battlefield. Is the realization of their connection enough to stop the violence? While only 11 minutes, War is Over! highlights several unfortunate truths. For instance, in the course of their training, soldiers are often forced to purge any shred of their individuality. This tactic makes it easier for them to dehumanize their enemy and even themselves to a large degree. The display of a soldier playing a game he enjoys and the response from his general show the deliberate attempt to suppress any humanity that may come about during wartime. The fact that the soldier is able to bond unknowingly with someone on the other side shows that there is common ground to be had, even among senseless violence. Aside from any war themes, the biggest takeaway from War is Over! is that limitations create not only bonds but increased levels of passion. Many people might like chess or any other game, but playing via carrier pigeon takes a different level of dedication. In our comfortable, tech-filled lives, many modes of communication have made it too convenient for us to discover what, or who, we care about the most. While our productivity has been boosted, we no longer must give the same effort to maintain relationships or follow through on promises. So the next time you think of a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while, pull out your feathered quill and parchment and send them a handwritten, bird-delivered hello (kidding). 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 Source and Impact of Smith's Actions Two Perspectives on "The Slap" Chris and Reba Chaisson 4/3/22 Reading Time: 10 minutes 📸: Licensed from Shutterstock Chris’s Thoughts To catch the unaware up to speed, Chris Rock took to the Oscars stage to present the Academy Award for Best Documentary. However, being the seasoned comedian that he is, Rock threw in a couple of quips, certainly with the encouragement of the producers, before moving on to the presentation. Among those quips was a punch line at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith, sitting front and center with husband Will. “Jada, love you, G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.” As Jada has recently shaved her head in response to an alopecia diagnosis and subsequent hair loss (reportedly unbeknownst to Rock), she was not amused and rolled her eyes. Will Smith, sensing her discomfort, then rose, marched toward Rock, and smacked him across the face before returning to his seat and screaming, “Keep my wife’s name out your f— mouth!” Though it may not seem so on the surface, there is nuance to this exchange. Chris Rock poked fun at both Will and Jada when he hosted the Oscars several years ago. Will and Jada have been transparent about the ongoings of their marriage, making them the butt of many jokes online and even amongst colleagues. Lastly, Will himself has admitted to continuously coping with the feelings of inadequacy he developed as a child from not being able to defend his mother from abuse. Another topic to provide context to the incident is how award shows for entertainers are often produced and the resulting tension. Frequently, the committee chooses someone with a comedic background, if not a standup comic themselves, to host. The objective of this booking is to have a recognizable jester poke fun at the regal atmosphere that the committee generates. Having exceedingly rich people gather in fancy garb to exchange pleasantries and take turns congratulating themselves will draw a larger TV audience if someone is there to poke fun at them (you may have heard about the exploits of one Ricky Gervais, for instance). There is an unspoken divide here, as many actors (whether they say it or not) do not take kindly to being mocked. Regardless of their feelings on roast comedy, they want nothing to do with being the butt of any gags on their special night. Beyond all these details exists an even larger talking point, which is the normalized ostracizing of Black women’s hairstyles. In both comedy and society at large, it has become so commonplace to denigrate how Black women dress, speak, respond to situations, and wear their hair that many people do not even recognize these disparaging remarks when they hear them. Thus, Jada’s decision to shave her head was measured and well thought out, knowing what the aftermath would likely be. Chris Rock, being the critical thinker that he is, still chose to take a jab at her. Contrary to popular belief, few people just snap over one comment. The source of the rage and frustration dates back much further in time for most instances. In this case, Will and Jada are a famous couple whose transparency about their marriage and daily lives comes at a time when the most possible people have access to them. In the 80s, 90s or even early 2000s, Chris Rock’s quip may have been a little easier to brush off. Unfortunately, Jada has likely caught so much flack leading up to this awards show from anonymous people that she has never and will never meet. Though it may seem trivial, these insults cut much deeper than we realize to the point that even loving friends and colleagues ribbing you becomes angering and tiresome. What we saw on Jada’s face was not just pain, but fatigue. Reba’s Thoughts During much of its existence, the Oscars has been a politically contested space. Presenters and awardees often use their time on stage to make statements on a broad range of social issues like the environment, geopolitics, human rights, Guantanamo Bay, LGBTQ rights, women’s issues, and race. And nearly since its inception, it has been wrought with controversy, some more well-known than others. In 2019, the Academy’s announcement that awards for Cinematography, Live Action Short, Film Editing, and Makeup and Hairstyling would be presented during commercial breaks created significant social media backlash. While it reversed this decision due to social pressure, the organization received quite the lashing for the absence of women nominees in the Best Director category that same year. Also in that year, the show went without a single host when Kevin Hart resigned after significant criticism for what were labeled as “homophobic jokes” he made in the nascent stages of his career. Indeed, some issues around the Oscars have been quite repugnant. Woody Allen’s award nominations, after news broke about his relationship with his adult stepdaughter in the late 1970s is one example. And Roman Polanski’s nominations after he pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor before fleeing the U.S. to avoid prosecution is probably the most egregious. The industry’s punishment was to expel Polanski from the Academy for life. Like Allen, his work, though, would continue to be recognized, celebrated, and awarded for years to come. Undoubtedly, there is a tension between where the celebration of cultural accomplishments ends and accountability for moral failings and legal troubles begin. Blending the two means canceling people wholesale. In the case of Polanski, I think this is warranted; otherwise, I am simply not down for that. Nonetheless, this seems to be the abyss where Will Smith is headed, given news of his resignation from the Academy and rumblings of various movie deal cancellations. It’s going to be a while before we know the full impact of Smith’s actions at the Oscars on Sunday. Admittedly, on the one hand, I felt some sense of validation as a Black woman – seeing a Black man stand strong for his Black wife. On the other, I felt ashamed and embarrassed even though I personally had no part in it. My feelings stem from the fact that what one Black person does typically gets transferred onto the collective. So, what Smith did affects anyone who looks like me and lives here in the U.S. Whether it was due to pent-up anger from social media comments, or the singular joke made by Chris Rock, Smith’s physical assault of Rock was unwarranted – particularly in plain view. There is simply too much at stake for Black and Brown people still working to gain entry into this space. At a time when we were all but absent at the Oscars, awardees of color and some White presenters showed that they were acutely aware of what was at stake and comported themselves in a manner that recognized this. A proverbial elephant in the room existed at the show in 1939, when Hattie McDaniel was presented with the Best Supporting Actress award. As Fay Bainter, who won the previous year’s award in the same category, makes her presentation speech, the camera pans the audience and homes in on several expectant, White nominees, but never on McDaniel. Bainter stated in part during her presentation, “To me [the award] seems more than just a plaque of gold, it opens the doors of this room, moves back the walls, and enables us to embrace the whole of America.” The White women in the audience seem a bit perplexed. When announced by Bainter as the winner, McDaniel walks to the stage with pride, shoulders back, and gives a brief, pointed speech that concludes “I sincerely hope that I may always be a credit to my race. …” In 1964, Sidney Poitier won the Oscar for Best Actor, where he simply thanked colleagues and the Academy but mentions nothing about race, despite being only the second Black performer to win the award in the Academy’s then 36-year history. Poitier is keenly sensitive to the significance of the win, however, as can be heard in his speech after receiving the Academy’s Honorary Award at the 2002 Oscars. In it, he speaks about the absence of customs for him to follow upon his arrival in Hollywood and how he benefited from a handful of visionaries who made “courageous, unselfish choices.” “Each,” he adds, “with a strong sense of citizenship responsibility to the time in which they lived. …” Eight years later, Sacheen Littlefeather, an Indigenous activist, acknowledged an award on Marlon Brando’s behalf. Dressed in traditional Indigenous garb, Littlefeather rejected Brando’s Best Actor Oscar because of the persistent, dehumanizing depictions and treatment of Indigenous people in Hollywood film. According to the report, John Wayne was offended by the statement and had to be restrained by several men to keep him from going onto the stage and removing Littlefeather during her 60-second, audience-jeered speech. This despite her concluding that “I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity.” Years later, in an interview with The Guardian , Littlefeather said, “I didn’t use my fist [she clenches her fist]. I didn’t use swear words. I didn’t raise my voice. But I prayed that my ancestors would help me. ... I went up there with the grace and the beauty and the courage and the humility of my people.” Smith showed no such grace. On the contrary, his blatant assault of Rock likely embarrassed every Black and Brown person who has been striving to get on a stage for decades. His actions marred the event and detracted from the celebrations of the nominees and their work. Coincidentally, Questlove won his first Oscar that night. His Best Documentary win was the first award announced immediately after the incident, when he and his team had to pretend as if nothing had just happened. It is not unusual for Black folks to have to suppress openly acknowledging what is obvious. For decades, people of color have fought to get their stories told on screen and to loosen their identities from unflattering depictions since the advent of film at the beginning of the 20th century. Arguably, significant gains have been made. But as recent as 2016, the absence of acting nominations for Blacks and Hispanics led to the cultivation and trending of #OscarsSoWhite , indicating we are not there yet. With much work to do still, Smith commits an act on an iconic award show streamed across the globe that reinforces and perpetuates the very associations Black and Brown people have been and are still tirelessly working to disrupt. It is too soon to know if and how much of a setback this will be. What we do know is that Smith’s actions at the Oscars are regrettable and will be difficult to detach him– and ourselves from– for years to come. 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< Back A Thousand and One shifts expectations and challenges stereotypes Sight Unseen Pictures, 2023 117 minutes Director/Writer: A. V. Rockwell Reading Time: 6 minutes A Thousand and One 13 Out 1 In (OYHAUOLODSLKHRSJ) 00:00 / 07:04 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Dandelion Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Ginger Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Reba Chaisson 2023-04-18 The adage says that before judging a person, you have to walk a mile in their shoes. A cliché no doubt, but it nonetheless rings true and certainly applies to this story of a woman willing to risk it all for the chance to raise her child on her own terms. Starring Teyana Taylor ( Coming to America 2 ) as Inez de la Paz, A Thousand and One spans an 11-year period in New York City beginning in the mid-1990s, when a racially segregated Harlem consisted of tenement housing and densely populated communities of people struggling to get by. Setting the social climate of the period is audio of speeches from then-Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg promising to enhance the city’s landscape and stamp out crime (despite violating the civil rights of people to do so). After being released from a short jail term, Inez abducts her 6-year-old son, Terry, from foster care, determined to raise him on her own. A former foster child herself, she struggles to do this. Friends can only offer minimal help, styling hair for the occasional client yields little income, and the closest job she can find is a two-hour subway ride away. At times forced to leave her child home alone while she works, Inez eventually obtains the documents needed to get him into school. When Terry arrives home one day, he finds a man in the apartment with his mom. Inez introduces him as “Lucky” and happily informs the child, “He’ll be moving in with us.” Lucky, though, seems to want nothing to do with the quiet, unassuming 7-year-old, played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola ( Rise , The Tramps New World ). Too often, stories with Black characters fall on long-held stereotypes. I like this story precisely because it does not. For example, Black men are often depicted as unavailable to their children physically and emotionally. While initially aloof about connecting with Terry, Lucky, played by William Catlett ( The Devil You Know , The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray) , does eventually commit to being a father to the child and develops a close bond with him. This is especially remarkable given that Lucky was recently released from prison. Typically viewed and treated as lost causes, people who experience incarceration are often depicted as being drawn to trouble and having constant run-ins with the law. This story avoids perpetuating these cinematic tropes. Similarly, as the positive narratives surrounding African American boys are scarce, Terry, even as a teenager, is neither depicted as a troubled child at home or in school, nor a child who gets into trouble with the law. Rather, he is quiet, thoughtful and introspective, wondering for example why he should have to leave his community in order to get “a good education.” Terry’s character challenges the widely-held views of Black boys as problems and up to no good, despite occasions in the film where police throw Terry up against a wall and frisk him without cause. Regarding stereotypes about Black women, Inez’s character could have been written as a terrible mother. Instead, Inez spends time with her son and helps him understand that while things are difficult now, they will not always be this way. She meets with teachers at his school to understand the educational plans they have for her son and what it could mean for him. She resists reacting to a back-handed compliment by a White teacher, even though it is clear it took a lot for her to hold back. Had she not, the “angry Black woman” stereotype would have left its indelible mark on the audience. Inez’s refusal to react can be viewed as purposefully resisting stereotypes. She realizes that the cost of reacting means perpetuating negative ideas about Black women. So instead she chooses, then, to reserve her strength for the bigger battles she fights every day, which include protecting and caring for the two Black men in her life. The stress of this emotional work is taxing, however, as it suggests a never-ending level of vigilance. She alludes to her wear and tear at several points throughout the film, stating, “What about me? Who takes care of me?” An abundance of research exists on how African American women in particular, expend so much time and energy protecting and looking out for their loved ones that little time is left for themselves, and they often feel tired and neglected. While this movie has a small hint of the 2006 film, The Pursuit of Happyness , its feel is more reminiscent of the HBO series, The Deuce , which is set in roughly the same period and coincidentally the same city. Both make use of the dark cinematography of the day and just as with The Deuce, which ran from 2017-2019 , the lives of people in A Thousand and One were affected by politically-motivated initiatives that directly impacted their lives. Also, the sight of Inez inserting coin after coin into telephone booths, affixed just outside of subway entrances and throughout the neighborhood, pulled me into the era that predated today’s technology. Even the use of the big, printed phone books surfaced long-buried memories of how tedious everyday tasks used to be. Anyone doubting the convenience (or annoyance) of cellphones and computers is likely to think again after seeing this film. While A Thousand and One challenges prevailing stereotypes, it ensures the pendulum does not swing too far in the direction of depicting the characters as infallible. Inez and Lucky are indeed flawed characters in the film - both do scandalous things. After all, Inez did kidnap Terry. It leaves the question though: To what degree can the characters’ behaviors be explained by flaws in their personalities or their past (and present) hardships and life experiences? This is always difficult to discern. But a poignant moment in the film gives some insight into this when Lucky asks Inez why she loves him. Initially dismissing him, he insists on an answer. She slowly responds, “Damaged people don’t know how to love one another.” This was an emotionally moving film that also moved the story along, letting the audience inside Inez’s life, creating the space for empathy. This full 360 degrees was needed for the audience to appreciate her depth of character, her shortcomings, and conveyance of a story that can be generalized to women like her in major cities across the United States. In addition to kudos to writer/director A. V. Rockwell on this piece, newcomer Teyana Taylor should receive major award nods for her strong delivery of Inez de la Paz in this film. We look forward to seeing more of her and Rockwell’s work. 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!

Clarice shrouded in mystery and intrigue with diverse cultural representations < Back Clarice shrouded in mystery and intrigue with diverse cultural representations Secret Hideout, 2021- 60 minutes Creator: Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet Reading Time: 4 minutes 📷 : Licensed from Shutterstock Clarice Miles Away (CFUTYOYA5NRV01VN) 00:00 / 04:40 Ginseng Suspenseful and intense thrillers Matcha Mysteries or whodunnits Reba Chaisson 2021-07-25 A television series spinoff of the 1991 film, Silence of the Lambs , Clarice features very smart but green FBI agent, Clarice Starling. While the crimes are gruesome, the series does not present a likeness of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (at least not yet), so no need to prepare for the show with a glass of Chianti. In each week of season 1, the series unveils a piece of the evolving story, which contains multiple creepy antagonists steeped in a diabolical murder conspiracy. Despite the challenges of the case, Clarice continues to be haunted by her confrontation with Buffalo Bill, the pathological villain from the movie. Like her namesake in the film, played by Jodie Foster, Clarice has a naïve fearlessness about her that makes her very good at her job. Supporting her naivete is the character’s roots in Appalachia, which her mild southern drawl triggers with each line of her dialog. As the show reveals, this makes Clarice uniquely qualified for cases in rural geographies. And her naiveté helps her sustain a level of humility that keeps her engaged in investigations with a child-like curiosity. Played by Rebecca Breeds ( The Originals , Pretty Little Liars ), Agent Starling has a special ability in profiling offenders of gruesome crimes, and once they are pinpointed, tapping into her own instincts to solve them. Consistent with the types of crimes her team investigates, the aesthetics of the show are dark. In fact, the scenes often occur in the dimly lit halls of its east coast FBI headquarters, or at night in wet and sometimes muddy conditions. The homes and buildings they visit are designed of old architecture with dark-brown, spacious interiors and a bottom-up vantage point of long, straight staircases—all adding to the frightening nature of the show’s subject matter. Clarice’s roommate and best friend is Ardelia Mapp, a Black woman and FBI agent, played by Devyn A. Tyler ( The Underground Railroad , Antebellum ). Despite graduating from Quantico with top marks, she researches cold cases in isolation rather than investigating active cases with fieldwork, a prized part of the job. Mapp’s frustration with her job assignment is revealed during a conversation with Starling in which she excoriates the FBI for denying her opportunity while Starling’s gets dropped into her lap. Starling empathizes, even sympathizes with her friend but is at a loss for what to say or do. “The work,” Mapp responds in exasperation. The poignant exchange drives home statements about systemic racism and the complexity of friendship across race and region. The show continually revisits the salience of race in the FBI, which, in real-life, has been long‑rumored to be laden with discrimination. In Episode 4, for example, a Black male security guard, also an FBI agent, invites Mapp to a meeting of The Black Coalition, a support group for Black agents in the FBI that assists in obtaining opportunities in the Bureau. While she respectfully declines, asserting, “it’s not for me,” the frank exchange makes it clear that the show is not shying away from the hard realities of being Black in the Bureau. Lucca De Oliveira ( Seal Team , The Punisher ) plays Tomas, a young, military-trained sniper and Hispanic member of Clarice’s team. Showing strength in courage, he befriends and partners with Clarice when she is dismissed and admonished by her boss and deals with pranks by other FBI agents. Her no‑nonsense and reserved boss, played by Michael Cudlitz ( Southland , The Walking Dead ), surprises Clarice and the audience, though, at every turn. Initially resistant to her joining his team, his trust of her instincts, and her hope of his fair treatment, grows as the series moves on. For viewers who love crime mysteries shrouded in dark aesthetics, with smart, racially, ethnically, and regionally diverse characters and relationships, this is a series you might enjoy. Just don’t expect Hannibal Lecter to be lurking around. 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 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!