Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation (2022)

I think 2025 was a watershed moment in recent cinematic history.

The year was littered with releases that spoke to many Americans from different backgrounds. While I think a movie like "Sinners" spoke hard truths about race relations in our current political climate against the horrors of the Jim Crow South, I think another movie mirrored our society's current strife.

Like "Sinners," "One Battle After Another" mirrored our contentious societal problems. While "Sinners" spoke to the Black experience in America, "One Battle After Another" explored the deep issues plaguing the country's immigration scene. Both films accomplish their goals in a way only movies can - through constant entertainment.

"One Battle After Another" may come across as a rowdy stoner comedy spliced with action, but the movie expresses so much more, making it one of the best movies and most diverse of the decade. Leonardo DiCaprio is the name brand of this movie, along with veterans like Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, but at its core, newcomer Chase Infiniti was the heart, soul, and future of this world.

Considering Coming 2 America, the recent sequel to the original Coming to America was filmed 30 years after the original, one would expect the film to have a bit of a modern era makeover. 30 years of technological advancements should be reflected in the CGI and cinematography, 30 years of achievements in makeup and fashion should be reflected in the films wardrobe, and most importantly, 30 years of social progress should be reflected in the film’s representation.

Overall, the original was not particularly lacking in these departments. Although there are some jokes that don’t hold up, mainly involving men dressing up like women for shock humor (how repulsive!), the movie features a handful of inspiring women, namely Lisa(Shari Headley)and Queen Aoleon(Madge Sinclair). The film even passes the Bechdel Test!

By all means Coming 2 America was on track to continue the franchise’s decently “woke” trajectory into the present day, especially with the return of Shari Headley as Lisa, as well as the casting of KiKi Layne, Leslie Jones, and singer/model Teyana Taylor. So why did I leave Coming 2 America (and by leave I mean get up from my couch) with such a bad taste in my mouth?