Wanda Maximoff: The Hero We Deserve, Not The Villain We Need
If the message here is that without a support system, grieving people turn into monsters, it’s not really well-delivered and may be flawed as a message itself.

In the notorious soapland district of Ogoto—Alice, a seasoned sex worker scarred by abuse and betrayal, is ready for a new start as she marries Honjo, a driver she once served. Despite her painful past, which includes being exploited by her stepfather and betrayed by her mother, Alice has found a semblance of family among her peers in the industry. She’s particularly close to Maya, a top earner in their shared apartment building, and maintains a complicated relationship with Dera, an intellectual companion of Maya’s. When Alice and Maya are mugged, they discover that the assailant is Tamae—Alice’s own younger sister. As the web of relationships further entangles with characters like the man Ikuno who originally introduced Alice to this harsh world, and others whose lives spiral out of control, the story builds to a series of shocking events. These include violent confrontations, explosive accidents, and tragic mishaps that leave the characters emotionally and physically shattered.
If the message here is that without a support system, grieving people turn into monsters, it’s not really well-delivered and may be flawed as a message itself.
It: Welcome to Derry proves you can have rich representation, real humanity, and still fully enjoy Pennywise terrifying kids in sewers.
Complex relationships between mothers and daughters are far from a new concept, whether the strain comes from abandonment, beliefs, or trauma. In My Only Wish, an Incluvie Film Festival submission, Brenda Gutierrez’s take on her character’s maternal divide comes in the form of abandonment.
Shadow & Bone excels in natural story representation with powerful centering of culture. Jessie Mei Li stars as Alina Starkov, the feisty cartographer with kindness, innocence, and integrity, who comes to be revealed as the legendary summoner of light.
This 2023 film serves as the final chapter of the Indiana Jones franchise.
I was able to watch the gleefully mesmerizing Disney remake that was Robert Zemeckis’ Pinocchio. I was enthralled by Zemeckis’ iteration.