'Pain Hustlers' (2023): An Opioid Crisis
What starts off as a success story for a single mother living below the poverty line, slowly begins to weave itself into a tangled web of greed, guilt, and destruction.

Second of three compilation films of the Kuroko no Basket franchise. Seirin faces off with Yosen in the quarter finals of the Winter Cup. Facing Yosen’s impenetrable defense with Murasakibara at its center, Kuroko manages to shoot his first point. Meanwhile, the ace battle between Kagami and Himuro also heats up. An intense battle is held until the very end. Next, Seirin faces off with Kaijo in the semi finals. Cautious of Kaijo's ace, Kise, and his Perfect Copy ability, Seirin works fast and hard to take the lead. Kise hurts his leg and is benched, so Seirin thinks they now have their chance, but then Kaijo shows them exactly what they can do even without Kise.
What starts off as a success story for a single mother living below the poverty line, slowly begins to weave itself into a tangled web of greed, guilt, and destruction.
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.
This film was filled with great plot points. Unfortunately, they all contradicted each other and clashed. Had the premise of Awake been more consistent and accurately portrayed the real world aspect, I think this could have been an extreme success.
Although the budget was a dollar and a dream, Netflix's 'First Kill' managed to gain over 90 million viewing hours and a small cult following. So why was it canceled? Given the trends in series cancellations, it may have been because of the Black and queer protagonists.
The Invitation takes a creeping look at two simple premises: reuniting with forgotten friends and new-age spiritualism. Though one seems a bit scarier than the other, the film heightens social awkwardness to a macabre level that puts an uncomfortable look on when the social taboo of grief is put on public display.
Dashing in December follows the tried and true outline of a traditional holiday romance, with a less traditional middle-aged gay couple as the film's romantic focus.