Greetings again from the darkness. Is there such thing as an ordinary life? If so, what does it look like? Writer-director Clint Bentley and co-writer Greg Kwedar have collaborated twice before – first on the underrated JOCKEY (2021), and then on SING SING (2023), the latter of which they received Oscar nominations for writing. For this latest, they have adapted the late Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella for the big screen, and the result is one of the most soulful films we’ve seen.
The story follows Robert Grainier, and evolves into a character study running cradle to grave. After a rough childhood, though not one necessarily unusual for the late 1800’s, the adult Robert is portrayed by Joel Edgerton (a career best performance). Robert is a quiet man who works as a logger. We see him on crews that clear forests, build bridges, and lay railroads for a country that is rapidly developing. His jobs during logging season take him away from home for extended periods of time. This is never an issue until he meets Gladys (Felicity Jones). These two fall deeply in love and are clearly soul mates. A terrific scene finds the giddy and hopeful couple laying rocks on a riverbank to map out the foundation of the log cabin home they are to build. The two in love become three when baby Kate arrives. Robert’s extended time away from home becomes more challenging, yet he manages since he now has a reason to return.
Although Robert rarely speaks while on jobs, narrator Will Patton and the individual scenes tell us much about him and the interesting folks he works alongside. William H Macy plays Arn Peeples, an old-timer who is not only the dynamite expert, he’s also the on-site philosopher (acting as a life mentor to Robert). Other standout supporting characters include Clifton Collins Jr as an unfortunate soul, Paul Schneider as a bad luck apostle, John Diel as one who teaches us the importance of boots nailed to a tree, and Kerry Condon as a forester who shares a sense of loss with Robert. It’s Robert’s loss that becomes the heart of the story and sticks with him for the balance of his years.
Tragedy turns Robert into a hermit, a heartbroken hermit. His titular dreams sometimes have a hallucinogenic feel as they come in flashes. Some of this revolves around his regret for not doing more to stop the mistreatment of a Chinese man, Fu Shang (Alfred Hsing) on the railroad crew. He’s haunted by that event. Of course, Robert’s other dreams take him back to childhood or recall Gladys and Kate. When it seems that Robert can’t sink any lower, a local Native American store owner named Ignatius Jack (Nathaniel Arcand) selflessly offers support, kindness, and friendship. The sequence reminds us of the humanity that exists in all of us … and that there’s a fine line between offering kindness and needing it.
This beautiful film will undoubtedly remind many of the works of Terrence Malick, mostly thanks to the connection between life and nature. One of the messages conveyed is that the deeper one loves, the more painful loneliness can be when it arrives. Life and death make up the cycle as evidenced by majestic trees being cut down to build houses and bridges. Kerry Condon’s character has the film’s best line, “The dead tree is as important as the living one.” Beauty and harsh reality are as connected as art and tragedy. Cinematographer Adolpho Veloso uses creative framing throughout the film, while composer Bryce Dessner perfectly captures the essence – with an assist from Nick Cave’s song, “Train Dreams”. For those seeking emotional depth and philosophical meanderings, this film from Clint Bentley is tough to beat. And if that’s not your thing, just enjoy the beauty of nature.
Begins streaming on Netflix on November 21, 2025
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. This sounds less like a music trivia question and more like a trick question: Who played with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jefferson Airplane, Harry Nilsson, Joe Cocker, Jeff Beck, Badfinger, Art Garfunkel, Graham Parker, and on solo albums by all four Beatles? Of course, if you are a fan of music from the 1960’s and 1970’s, you likely know it’s not a trick and the answer is the amazing and talented keyboardist, Nicky Hopkins.
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ll begin by admitting two things. First, I don’t watch many romantic-comedies. Second, I do understand why the genre is appealing to so many. That second point seems especially true around the holidays when emotions run high and the Hallmark channel peaks. Netflix is joining in the fun with this latest from writer-director Mark Steven Johnson, who in 2010 explored the genre with WHEN IN ROME. Not one to shy away from gorgeous settings, this time Johnson takes us to Paris, France.
Greetings again from the darkness. Why do 95% of schools have lockdown drills? Why are active shooter defense products a $3 billion industry? Why do thirty states allow teachers to carry firearms? Well, the answer is pretty simple and is clearly stated by one of the students interviewed: because more of us care more about our gun rights than the safety of children. That’s one of the heartbreaking points that comes from this documentary by co-directors Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock.
Greetings again from the darkness. The thing I love about documentaries is that so many tell stories that might otherwise not be told. Quite often, we don’t even realize there is a story to be told, which is the case with this latest from Celia Aniskovich about selling Christmas trees. If you’ve ever strolled the streets of Manhattan in December, then you know there’s no place like NYC at Christmas. Maneuvering through the mass of people becomes more challenging thanks to the street vendors lining the sidewalks selling Christmas trees. And there’s the story.
Greetings again from the darkness. Like most who obsess over cinema, I went through my French New Wave phase. Actually, binge is likely more accurate since the phase has yet to end. I’ll always make time for Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Varda, and Demy. American director Richard Linklater clearly shares this fondness as he releases this homage on the heels of BLUE MOON, his other superb 2025 release. Co-writers on this film are Holly Gent, Laetitia Masson, Vincent Palmo Jr, and Michele Petin … two of whom have previous collaborations with Linklater.
Greetings again from the darkness. We don’t see the fire. There is no need. We see the aftermath right along with Dusty as he takes a deep breath and surveys what’s left of his multi-generational ranch. We are also there as he auctions the cattle that he can no longer tend to. Without the assistance of any significant early dialogue, writer-director Max Walker-Silverman (A LOVE SONG, 2022) ensures we understand the man that Dusty is.
Greetings again from the darkness. Historians record events for future generations. We tend to think of history as what we read on the page in books, yet it’s the photographers who often bring those words to life – delivering visuals that hit home and make the past so memorable. Few photographers have done it better or for a longer period of time or across a more diverse cross-section than photojournalist Steve Schapiro.
Greetings again from the darkness. According to one of those interviewed, this isn’t just a Bigfoot story … it’s THE Bigfoot story! The film is directed by Eli Watson (not his first Bigfoot project) and produced by Seth Breedlove, the founder of Small Town Monsters – a production company with projects in the vein of the old “In Search of …” series.
For most moviegoers, what makes or breaks a particular film is a combination of the story and the characters. Not much (if any) thought goes into how the film was made, what techniques or technology was utilized, or how many folks were involved in the process. That’s OK, and in fact, it’s the goal of most filmmakers – produce a film that entertains or enlightens, while keeping the magic behind the curtain. Of course, that ‘magic’ is actually hard work by a large crew after a significant amount of planning and preparation. For those who do care about such things (cinephiles, aspiring filmmakers), this latest book from Sir Roger Deakins is one to read and one to absorb.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 