'Fair Play'(2023) and Feminine Rage
This thrilling film about feminine rage and male hostility is an incredible depiction of the fragility of the male ego.

A beautiful waterfront house, a Swedish flag fluttering in the wind. A sailboat tied to the wooden deck below. This is the setting of the friends' annual Midsummer celebrations. The friends are gathered at Emil's family house and the herring lunch, sauna, games and compulsory skinny dipping are as always prepared. Expectations are set - Micke worries about his highly pregnant wife and the fastest way to the nearest hospital. Eva is looking for some distraction from her recent split with Patrick and Sam. Emil's college buddy from the States arrives with his own expectations of Swedish sin. Wannabe singer-songwriter Anders hasn't told his wannabe pregnant girlfriend Maria about his low sperm count and hopes to solve the problem over the weekend. To top it off Emil's surprise seems to lift the party to unprecedented heights. If everything had gone according to plan that is.
This thrilling film about feminine rage and male hostility is an incredible depiction of the fragility of the male ego.
The gentle, emotional nuances of Evan’s coming-of-age story would have been so beneficial to have incorporated into the life of a POC character. Showing a Black, Asian or Latino young man that is afforded the space to be vulnerable, flawed and sensitive while driving a compelling and widely-loved narrative would have been a game changer.
Remember when there was this amazing comedy titled "National Lampoon's Vacation"? To this day, it is a true classic of the genre and certainly put a new spin on precisely what KINDS of insanity could occur when taking the fam on the road. Then, like with so many successful films, there was the sequel (which for me was even MORE of a classic than the original!). However, the third film emerged....and then a fourth. Suddenly, the luster was gone and disappointment set in.
The characters aren’t likable, the story is predictable and the humor is either disgusting, obnoxious, or uncomfortable. The Wrong Missy is a mess of a film and it’s not really worth your time.
The one-way journey went to the desert that refused to offer an answer or a transcendence.