DuckTales, Family, and the Surprisingly Insightful Deathtrap
This review contains spoilers for Woo-oo!, the pilot for the 2017 reboot of DuckTales. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s on YouTube for free (as of the publishing of this article) and the full series is streaming on Disney+.…
Parasite: A Tragedy Without Villains
As a depiction of ordinary people who fall into an unavoidable commotion, this film is: a comedy without clowns, a tragedy without villains, all leading to a violent tangle and a headlong plunge down the stairs. You are all invited…
The Monsters Have Arrived and We are Them: The Soska Sisters’ RABID
In the history of cinema, several filmmakers have stuck out as memorable, those who left a mark on the industry and have, in some way, influenced generations of filmmakers after them. In the world of horror cinema, in particular, one…
"Broken Pieces" – Star Trek: Picard S1E08
There’s a delightful (if not disconcerting) moment near the middle of “Broken Pieces,” where Agnes Jurati asks Jean-Luc Picard if he believes in hell. Picard’s breathy sigh and casually lifted eyebrow are a wonderful piece of subtle acting from Patrick…
Love Jones (1997) & The Photograph (2020): The Value of Words
Nearly 25 years ago, the producers of the independent gem Love Jones had a modest and honest goal with its romance. They sought to make a modern film about African-American life that did not use violence and/or recreational drugs as…
"Nepenthe" – Star Trek: Picard S1E07
There are certain things in this episode that cannot go unaddressed. To begin with, it sees the return of Will Riker and Deanna Troi. This provides us with a new vision of one of the most beloved and archetypal symbols…
Hamilton: Racial Reconciliation or Revolutionary Revisionism?
Three years ago, I was mortified when my teenage daughter became obsessed with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, with its suggestive lyrics and revisionist history. Hamilton’s brilliant hip-hop soundtrack and talented, racially-diverse cast eventually won me over, especially as…
Review| Burden
Like I talked about in my review of last year’s Skin, it is difficult telling a story of America’s ugly past dealing with racism, and the terrorism that the Ku Klux Klan visited upon our African American brothers and sisters. It…
"The Impossible Box" – Star Trek: Picard S1E06
Star Trek: Picard feels like a fever dream. It’s a big ball of nostalgia bouncing around a very modern sci-fi playground; a reboot of sorts that’s not quite a retcon nor a sequel. It’s Earl Grey that’s decaf now, an…