Toxic Masculinity in Rust Belt Cities - 'Minding the Gap'
An incredible documentary showcasing the difficulties of living in a crumbling Rust Belt city.

A young woman returns to her childhood home to discover strange circumstances surrounding her parents death and the town that she grew up in.
An incredible documentary showcasing the difficulties of living in a crumbling Rust Belt city.
Growing up with a lot of siblings, young Beth felt ignored her immediate family. Uncle Frank made her feel seen, heard, and accepted.
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.
Rather than focusing on the bleak, cynical aspects of life post-pandemic, the focus is optimistic and hopeful.
In Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (1986), we follow the love life of powerful female protagonist Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) and explore the relationship dynamics she has with her partners. She sees three men simultaneously: Greer Childs, (John Canada Terrell) Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), and Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks). Though an 80’s film, She’s Gotta Have It is surprisingly progressive with its themes of female sexuality, although at some points in the film it is handled clumsily. Overall Nola is an incredibly compelling character especially for modern women, as we as a society acknowledge female sensuality more and more without the negative stigma.
In The Novelist's Film, Hong explores the meaningful things people share and inspire by virtue of simply engaging with one another.