Watched on Saturday May 17, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday May 14, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday May 13, 2025.

Watched on Friday May 9, 2025.

Watched on Thursday May 8, 2025.

Amy is the final boss you face when learning peace and forgiveness.

Watched on Monday May 5, 2025.

I appreciated the film focusing on the grand effect of oppression and racism rather than the grand acts. The mistress was generally a spoiled person, as you could see her aggression toward her husband, drinking, and her lack of affection toward her kids by casting them away outside with Diouana. A highlighting contrast to this was the acts of her husband, such as him checking on Diouana and being the one to take the boy to bed, which go against the stereotypical gender roles. There were various microaggressions. An overt one to pinpoint is the first guest dinner when a man who had “never kissed a black woman” before took it upon himself to make an introduction in a dehumanizing way to Diouana.

The sub-theme of simply wanting more out of life, outside of what is given to us, made Diouana relatable beyond the main theme of race-related oppression. The pain and regret of things not being as they seemed, yet not wanting to go back to the way things were, provides an ultimate dilemma and tragedy.

A stapled aspect throughout was the communication barrier and lack of communication.
There was never a clear discussion from the mistress to Diouana on her daily tasks. I see this written with intent through Diouana’s dialogue of expecting to only be focused on the children. The mistress expresses her orders as they pop into her mind, starting at the first dinner or lunch party. She yells at her husband about Diouna, and later Diouana herself, without any formal discussion or boundaries.

Though more level-headed, the monsieur has a character of entitlement, seemingly blind. He opens Diouana’s letter, and though he reads it with her permission, it's still an odd thing to ask, with it being personal. Showing up unannounced in Dakar is an example of this as well. My favorite scene is the development of his detachment from the environment, eventually leading to him feeling the energy of being unwelcome.

The low-budget, indie-style camera work works well with a first-person narrated documentary-esque feel. It’s poetic in how it shows a grand impact on one’s person without giving a continuous montage of grand circumstances. The resolution sees two different cultures looking through two different lenses.

It fits its time while being modern in its handling of narrative.

This was a pleasant hit for my Saturday night movie crate dig. It has strong themes that mimic modern ideologies, such as independence versus conformity, male and female relationship dynamics, and the caste system.

Sybylla proclaims herself as ugly early on in the film, something unrefuted by those around her, such as family and friends. Throughout the narrative, the actual truth seems to be the lack of traditional elegance and what society expects of her. She is sought by two men who are respected in the social hierarchy. She has a natural charm that even the most critical finds amusing at times.

There is a beautifully written friendship between Sbylla and Harry after a shaky introduction. The trials come from the elder women in her life sharing either their story of disappointment or the possibilities of her romantic future. Aunt Gussie seems to be the most accepting of her among the women.

Conventionality is the breach between the simplicity of a beautiful relationship. The idea of belonging. The problem is that Syblla not only has ambition and a longing for self-discovery, but she also knows a life that is not for her.

I enjoyed the slowness and stillness of the film. It enhanced the moments of chaos and disagreement.

The most profound element is that of showing the loneliness and macro/micro pushback of self-discovery. In the latter, we see social expectations of adult male and female relationships cause a ripple in a joyful, platonic relationship.

A film that shows you can be quietly profound. Will watch again.

I love that they involved people directly in this Black horse riding culture. It was pleasant to learn about a community I did not know existed. Would definitely like to do more research, so I thank those involved with bringing this film to light. We see two themes of a chosen family through common interest and another of reconnection. One is much more unique than the other.

With what was given to work with of the writing, familiar favorites did not disappoint in the likes of Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, and a personal one of mine, Jharrel Jerome. A standout for me would be Method Man, as I feel he brought out the most charm in the film, ironically, as having antagonist characteristics. Paris, played by Jamil Prattis, brought a very humanistic and authentic emotional appeal throughout his screentime. Rome, Bryon Bowers, brought a lot of energy and comic relief that was much appreciated.

The storyline of choosing street life versus humble civilian life did not have much uniqueness, but I appreciated the humanity of Smush simply wanting peace. Even with it being muted by Cole’s story, I think it was a very strong message that likewise coincided with the horse-riding community fighting to keep their stable.

A charming film and modern Western echoing and listening to the voice of a Philadelphia community that deserves to be heard. I wouldn’t mind seeing even more about their community through the likes of film.

Beautiful Cinematography. I could watch it endlessly for its aesthetic alone. I appreciated the simplistic, clear divide of right and wrong, which also held moments a bit more complex.

In a film enthralled with various forms of masculinity, it was refreshing to see a woman in the ultimate power position for a significant portion of the storyline (especially in the 50s). Regarding masculinity, we even saw our humble protagonist still needing to prove something to himself while combating the brute mentality of his opposition. Furthermore, a need to act as a protector.

We have a slight progression from the simplistic storyline, with the antagonist character arc that seems to have been there all along.

The beautiful scenery and the shooting age very well. The only elements that aren’t so timeless for me are the writing of Ramón as an unintelligent minority in “The Big Country” and an attempt at assault by an outlaw being more ionate than the relationship of the main characters. Though I do it, for the 50s, there was a lot of kissing.

Overall, it is such a beautiful film to look at and will be on my short list of 2:40:00 plus films that get a second watch from me.

It satisfied my Western itch for the night.

Watched on Tuesday April 22, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 20, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 20, 2025.

Watched on Friday April 18, 2025.

Watched on Friday April 18, 2025.

Watched on Saturday April 12, 2025.

Watched on Saturday April 12, 2025.

Watched on Thursday April 10, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 8, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 8, 2025.

As a Coleman Domingo fan, this has been on my list since I first saw his promotion. I truly was missing out. There’s a charm about this film. It felt organic yet fluid and structured. We are met with an opening theatre monologue with dream-like staging met with applause. It is short lived as it continues into the inmate's reality. This is a great use of time without explicitly showing us how it is rationed with the rest of their stay.

The character of Divine Eye is a wonderfully written embodiment of what the inmates are trying to escape as the Protagonist Divine G is a clear leader who embodies the rehabilitation and mental rest the group is trying to achieve. Instead of showing graphic chaos, we are given a controlled reality check with Divine Eye’s anger and paranoia. His pushback throughout the film feels natural as someone who is all too aware of their confines within the system.

It's emotional in a mostly cerebral way. It defies toxic masculinity while remaining masculine. We are shown the strength of vulnerability and how it allows them to keep their heads with what they are going through.

The situation is bleak, but the story and feel are consistently centered around warmth. Even the lowest moments of the plot still try to tug toward the arc of hope and deliverance.

My standout moment was when a former inmate came back to speak with the group. The way he touches on enjoying the simplicity of being free is touching and can put life and joy into perspective for any one from any walk of life.

I did not know what to expect going into it, but it is a film deserving of all the critical acclaim it has gotten and perhaps more.

Watched on Sunday April 6, 2025.

While fatigued and watching with subtitles, the plot and storytelling still garnered my attention. The ultimate blend achieved is romance and tragedy. It is a multi-dimensional tragedy of relationships, worldview, and self. We’re drawn in by an uphill battle of two individuals trying to escape a world of homophobia and, more importantly, do so together.

The reasoning behind Martin’s incarceration doesn’t give a pull to empathy. He does accuse of a double standard of his crime as being further punished because of his sexuality. Even though the story seems to revolve around Martin, heaviness is placed on Thomas's shoulders.

Thomas is young and sure of himself and his wants. He fearlessly acts out his desires with naivety to the dangers that could fall upon him. However, Martin encourages him to face the ugliness rather than run away into bliss, which, unfortunately, becomes ironic.

This is one of those avant-garde films that often remind me that the plethora of insults for gay men are nothing new. Even more so with the dictatorial reformatory it depicts we sit along with these characters unable to escape its consistency.

With low-fidelity, the cinematography provides a warm hand throughout the bleak journey. The occasional crackle mixed with gentle voices provided a late-night, fireplace-type of feeling for me.

My main critique is that it feels like we are delving into the self-pity of Martin’s perspective while another character is catching the brunt of the problem. It is like we are watching Martin watching a movie.

An encouraged Gay History viewing. Though bleak, the black and white shots mixed with low-fidelity provide some cushioning.

I appreciated the realism significantly more than the surrealism in this film. Toward the end, particularly in chapter three and beyond, I felt like I was watching multiple ideas that weren’t as cohesive as the beginning and middle portions. I enjoyed the humor throughout, and even with heavy moments again in the beginning, it felt like a pretty light form of humor, particularly coming from Lee and Joe. A standout point in regards to the narrative was the character of Allerton. The ambiguity of his sexuality doesn’t seem to be a point of self-confusion written in a cliché manner. The confusion instead comes from Lee in trying to find others like himself. I perceived Allerton’s demeanor as holding back his thoughts on how he felt about Lee concerning his time spent with Lee.

I like how deeply immersed the narrative and shots were with the main characters. When the outside was introduced, it added to the humor, such as a woman jumping in her seat when Lee yells out, “homosexual.” It also added more emotional appeal to the poetic shots. A moment that stuck with me was the outdoor aerial shots during the love scene, perhaps the most intimate in the latter part of the film. It was as if the characters were getting privacy from the viewer from the back and forth shots.

Though it is not my particular style, toward the end, I can appreciate the film for what it is. I won’t judge the artistic choice of the teeth, but points for the Omar Apollo appearance.

Watched on Thursday April 3, 2025.

Watched on Thursday April 3, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 1, 2025.

Watched on Sunday March 30, 2025.

This review may contain spoilers.

I watched this right after “My Own Private Idaho " and enjoyed it with the same warmth and nostalgia (though bleak), thanks to the naturalistic '90s appeal (1988). And of course Mr. River himself. I also found myself on edge not from the narrative of being on the run, but rather the glimmer of hope in having a different life.

We are given a plot that humanizes flawed characters who were formerly anti-war demonstrators. The predicament that rears its head is two children strung along the charade of protecting their parents for an act they are not responsible for. Most of the weight has fallen on the oldest child, Danny, who is coming of age in his late teens and has dealt with being on the run since he was two.

We are not given a traditional, singular “Monster” antagonist to overcome. The most apparent throughout is the offscreen FBI they are trying to avoid. There are moments where the father, Arthur can appear as the bad guy with his narrow-minded and ironically dictatorial approach to family matters. But then we see the love he has for his family, and the occasions of his paranoia being validated.

The mother, Annie, who is just as responsible for their situation, shows the most guilt even though she continues to adhere to Arthur's control over their situation.

Mr. Phillips spots Danny’s talent right away, leading to a close-knit relationship with his daughter Lorna. There is the interesting paradox of Lorna's worldly view of questioning the bourgeois personality of her parents closely mimicking Danny’s father and Danny’s musical gift and appreciation creating a bond with her father.

Both fathers have their temperaments challenged, particularly by the women. Their reactions further shape the idea of the ambiguous obstacles being overcome by the main and ing characters.

Each character felt believable. I particularly loved the well-rounded performances of Arthur (Judd Hirsch), Annie (Christine Lahti), and Danny (River Phoenix). There’s confidence, assertiveness, timidity, and cowardice, and we get to see the contrast highlighted by their appearance in the same setting at different points in the film.

This isn’t like the typical “Parents just don’t understand” film. There was a natural flow depicting the duality of human selfishness and selflessness and how life’s disruptions can complicate the status quo. The situation is a bit sensational for what the majority will ever go through, but there is a relatability in the ideas of love, sacrifice, trying to figure out how to make it through life, and ideas we thought we had figured out being challenged.