REVIEW: “ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI” (2021) AMAZON STUDIOS

A stylish and promising debut with Regina King at the helm, “ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI” is a fascinating watch. King works in close collaboration with Kemp Powers to adapt his own play to the screen, delivering a story that pits four iconic figures and their beliefs against one another. The film is set mostly at the Hampton House, a motel in Miami’s Brownsville neighborhood and one of only a few places for Black entertainers and celebrities to stay while performing at the swanky clubs and hotels of the then-segregated Miami Beach. Continue reading REVIEW: “ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI” (2021) AMAZON STUDIOS

ITOL Top 15 Films of 2020 (So Far), Numbers 5-1

Phew! We’ve finally reached numbers 5 through 1. We hope you like our picks and maybe seek out the films that you haven’t yet seen. You can find numbers 15-11 here and numbers 10-6 here. Please let us know which films make your top 15 list and what films are you looking forward to catching later this year! A massive thank you to all the ITOL writers who contributed and voted. Here’s hoping the rest of 2020 won’t be so eventful! Continue reading ITOL Top 15 Films of 2020 (So Far), Numbers 5-1

Review: Clemency #EdFilmFestAtHome

As we see racist police injustices highlighted across America, it’s challenging to imagine how the murders of minority groups would unfold if they were done over a longer length of time, if there was conversation and contemplation surrounding the decision to end a human life. “Clemency” (2019) addresses these curiosities with impactful performances led by an experienced, established actor, and an eye-opening composition orchestrated by a director unafraid to tackle the deeply uncomfortable topics under the skin of the United States of America. Continue reading Review: Clemency #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: The Invisible Man

The question I am you all have on your minds is: what’s the point? Why bother attempting to remake a classic film, based on a century-old novel? I scratched my head the moment I heard Leigh Whannell (screenwriter of “Saw” and Insidious”) was attached to pen the screenplay and direct. Given the recent trend of ‘woke’ films bombing–and the decision to shift the focus away from the invisible man himself–I couldn’t help but be baffled by how anyone thought this project was a worthwhile idea.

Now that I’ve seen it, I am horrified about just how current it feels. Universal clearly wasn’t interested in re-hashing old scare tactics and merely re-presenting an old tale with updated CGI. This iteration is one designed to deliberately carve out a new domain of horror on screen; it has brought to screen a reality that has existed for many people throughout time—a reality that has never been accessed on film before, especially with this much tangibility. Continue reading Review: The Invisible Man