Tag: Social Commentary

An Emotional Portrait of Addiction, Beautiful Boy Captures Our American Moment

************************This review contains a mild spoiler**************************** “When I discovered drugs my world went from black and white to technicolor. I can never give that up.” Beautiful Boy is based on the real-life memoirs of father and son David…

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The Hate U Give Explores the Complicated Journey toward Identity for Black Youth

“Know your rights. Know your worth.” The center of The Hate U Give’s universe is Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a 17 year old high school girl with one foot each in a different world — the inner city,…

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Uniquely Shot and Constructed with a Dose of Social Commentary, Mandy is Why We Love Film

Mandy follows couple Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) who live in the remote wilderness of the Pacific Northwest in 1983. Their tranquil existence is upended when cult leader Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache) drives past…

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White Boy Rick Has a Point to Make But Struggles to Maintain Your Attention After Making It

************************This review contains a mild spoiler**************************** “You’d be surprised how easy it is to make a wrong turn, no matter how short the journey is.” White Boy Rick is based on the true story of Richard “White Boy…

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What Ikiru Can Still Teach An Overworked Society Six Decades After Its Release

“They say there’s something noble about suffering and it’s true. Misfortune teaches us the truth.” Studies consistently show that Americans are overworked, over-stressed, and under rested as a result of our workplace culture. In addition to spending more…

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Innovative, Thrilling, and Diverse, Searching is This Year’s Breath of Fresh Air at the Movies

In Searching, David Kim (John Cho) is left to pick up the pieces of his and his daughter Margot’s (Michelle La) lives following the death of his wife Pamela (Sara Sohn) from cancer. After going to a classmate’s home to…

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BlacKkKlansman Focuses on the Enduring Duality of Being Both a Minority and an American

Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) was hired as the first African-American police officer for the Colorado Springs Police Department in the 1970s. After being promoted to the intelligence unit, Stallworth sets out to infiltrate the Colorado Springs chapter…

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Eighth Grade Presents the Familiar Emotional Turmoil of Adolescence

Eighth Grade brings its viewers into the life of rising high school freshman Kayla (Elsie Fisher) as she winds down her last year in middle school before embarking on her journey into high school. Kayla, who lives with…

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Blindspotting is a Tour de Force, Balancing Seriousness and Comedy while Examining Identity in a Changing World

************************This review contains spoilers**************************** In Blindspotting, Collin (Daveed Diggs) is serving the final three days of his probation term, anxious for a fresh start as he works his job as a mover alongside his childhood best friend, Miles…

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Sorry to Bother You Touches on a Multitude of Social Issues While Taking Absurdist Satire to New Heights

In Sorry to Bother You, Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) is a down on his luck telemarketer, struggling to get by and pay rent alongside his girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson). After receiving advice on how to become a better…

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