On the surface, Black and Blue appears to be a “day in life” of a protagonist, played by Johnson. It begins with him waking up in bed and getting ready in the bathroom. Filmed in his home and featuring his family, Black and Blue takes its title from the Fats Waller jazz standard (popularized by Louis Armstrong), which can be heard in the video (played on the piano by Johnson’s son). The film is also connected to Johnson’s work and artistic practice, showing interspersed clips of his own as well as artworks by other Black artists (like Deana Lawson), books ( like Roy deCarava), and traditional African masks in his home.
"The Platform" is horror and science fiction film doubling as a visual commentary on capitalism and economic inequality. The movie is not for the faint of heart nor the viewer hoping for political neutrality in their film's depth.
Desi’s “straight man” to Lucy’s playful exuberance subverted people’s expectations of what a Latino man could be and added respect and nuance to the way onscreen marriages between men and women were portrayed.
The social issues The Half of it takes on are handled well, between the antagonization brought on to Ellie for her race and the conflict that arises from her being gay. Both aspects of her character are built up over the course of the film and don’t seem abrupt or rushed. The film shows racism towards Ellie and her and father in varying levels, from having her schoolmates specifically address her as "Chinese girl” to the fore mentioned way her Dad is treated due to language barriers. The same can be said about Ellie being a lesbian. While she never truly “comes out” in the narrative, that does not undermine her journey of self-discovery from being meaningful. These ideas aren’t thrust upon the viewer in a preachy manor, the scenarios that occur feel believable given the rural setting. The film presents watchers with problems whom those like Ellie may face, and leaves us to sit with them and reflect.
Based on a true story, this sports movie is centered around a college football player.
Growing up without a dad, I got a lot of my fatherly advice from the prototypes I saw on the silver screen. It’s these characters and films that gave me a glimpse into a dynamic I had never known but also made me realize that I was missing out. Here are my top 10 paternal films.
The live-action remake of the classic Disney film based on a wooden puppet is finally here.
