Reflecting on 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday'
Lee Daniels’s Billie Holiday biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday was released on February 26th, 2021, and my immediate reaction to it was one of discomfort.

In his debut special, Grown Up, Jaspreet Singh dives into the chaos of becoming a father, the bittersweet realization of his own upbringing, and the sudden loss that changed everything. Blending absurd delivery room stories with nostalgic memories of his brothers, he pieces together a journey of growth, grief, and humor. Dedicated to his father, this special is a full-circle story of what it truly means to grow up.
Lee Daniels’s Billie Holiday biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday was released on February 26th, 2021, and my immediate reaction to it was one of discomfort.
Hutch just wanted a family vacation, but chaos follows him everywhere. Nobody 2 is violent, stylish, and over-the-top in the best way possible.
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.
Everyone needs a BFF and a "wing person" like Yumi (Chloris Li). Li brings the "straight person" persona, literally and figuratively balancing James Aaron Oh's perfectly timed comedic delivery as the unlucky-in-love.
At first glance, one wouldn't think John Carpenter's cult classic would be a thematic double-billing - or that Free Guy would be worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as They Live - but the two films of vastly different genres have more similarities upon further examination.
This film is based off of The Diary of a Young Girl, which was written during the Holocaust period.