Greetings again from the darkness. Circumstances. Fate. Luck. Determination. It’s been said that what we make of our lives is up to us. Still, it seems likely that these factors play a role- often a significant role. Writer-director Emmanuel Corcol and co-writers Irene Muscari, Oriane Bonduel, and Khaled Amara have delivered a film that’s touching, funny, and grounded in emotional sincerity. The film never moves too quickly or too slowly, instead allowing the characters to guide the pace.
Benjamin Lavernhe (THE FRENCH DISPATCH, 2021) plays Thibaut, a world-renowned orchestral conductor. The film opens with him conducting to the point of apparent exhaustion. We (and he) soon learn it’s leukemia that has drained his energy. A bone marrow transplant is his only hope, and his sister Rose (Mathilde Courcol-Rozes) readily volunteers to be tested. The surprise is not that she’s no match, but rather that they aren’t true brother and sister. Thibaut was adopted long ago. Soon, he’s tracked down a biological brother he was previously unaware of. Jimmy (Pierre Lotin, THE STRANGER, 2026) is a working class divorced dad employed in a school kitchen.
The two brothers had been separately adopted at an early age, and when Thibaut learns that Jimmy also has a love of music, the flashing lights of ‘nature vs nurture’ cannot be ignored. Thibaut quickly realizes his own privilege, having been classically trained from an early age, and Jimmy can’t help but feel envious of the life his brother has led, while still accepting his own. After the procedure, Thibault discovers Jimmy is in a local marching band filled with townspeople who are striking against the town’s largest employer. The band is its own community with friends and history … oh, and music. It doesn’t take long for Thibaut to offer his talents when the band is in need, and it becomes a razor thin line on whether Jimmy is grateful or angry with the development.
Watching these two newfound brothers struggle through a relationship with no actual history is made believable thanks to the script and the actors. Sabrina (Sarah Suco), who plays the trumpet and is attracted to the oblivious Jimmy, is actually instrumental in keeping the two men moving forward. The contrast between the world of Thibaut and the world of Jimmy is obvious as the two men search for connection. Both men ask ‘what could have been’ without uttering a word. At the center of this fine film is the power of music, and those involved ensure it never devolves into the sentimental hogwash we too often see in American movies.
Nationwide theater expansion begins August 28,2026
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Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Tessa Blake and screenwriter Jennifer Manocherian have adapted Lisa O’Donnell’s 2014 novel, “Closed Doors”, and set the story in small town Minnesota rather than Scotland. This relocation works beautifully thanks to the contrast of the wide-open natural spaces of Boundary Waters with the claustrophobic nature of family life. Parents are tasked with a balancing act: protecting kids with teaching them, while also maintaining our own peace of mind. Where is the line between being honest with kids and protecting them from situations that are beyond their age bracket?
Greetings again from the darkness. It has been quite a while since the last film adaptation of Albert Camus’ 1942 novel “L’Etranger”, and filmmaker Francois Ozon (behind one of my favorites, SWIMMING POOL, 2003) went to Albert’s daughter Catherine to get approval for this project. Previous adaptations include THE STRANGER (1967, Italy) and FATE (2001, Turkey). Ozone and Phillippe Piazzo collaborated on this updated screenplay (including some variations from the source material).
Greetings again from the darkness. “Break a leg.” The well-meaning phrase dates back many years as a way to avoid the dreaded ‘good luck’ for someone preparing to perform on stage. When high school sophomore Sophie explains this to her mother, the mom hugs her and offers how bad she would feel if her daughter actually broke her leg. Such is the love of a mother … this particular mother … in this heartfelt movie from director Julia Hart, who co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Jordan Horowitz and Laura Hankin. It’s based on Ms. Hankin’s own personal story.
Greetings again from the darkness. Olmo is like most fourteen-year-old boys. His visual fantasizing about the girl of his dreams requires nothing more than a toy car and a glimpse of her walking outside. Yet, Olmo is also different than most his age because he shares caregiving responsibilities for his disabled dad, who is stricken with Multiple Sclerosis. It’s been more than a decade since he last directed a feature film, and writer-director Fernando Eimbcke delivers one of his best. He and co-writer Vanesa Garnica also collaborated on this year’s FLIES, which is currently making the festival rounds (including Cannes).
Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us would do just about anything for a grieving loved one. Kepsuke (Daigo Yamamoto) proves this when he accompanies his wife Otone (Haruka Ayase) to a presentation at ReBirth, a company specializing in humanoids meant to replace a lost child. An accident two years ago cost this couple their 7-year-old son Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki), and the husband, though skeptical of the whole thing, hopes this is what his wife needs to move on.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s such a treat when a film sneaks up and surprises you with such emotional depth that you not only feel like you know the characters, but you also want to stick around and see how they do over the next few years. The first feature film from writer-director A.R. Ephraim does just that, leaving me so touched by what I’d just watched, yet saddened that my connection with Jolene was over.
Greetings again from the darkness. What makes a movie “epic”? Most cinephiles would agree the list of epic movies includes LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), BEN-HUR (1959), and APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). Of course, arguments can be made for many other films, and it really comes down to how you define ‘epic’ and how you perceive a specific film. Regardless of your definition or perception, there is no doubt that this latest from Oscar winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan is an epic film and an epic movie-watching experience. Yes, it’s the first film to be filmed entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras, and it’s based on the Homer’s “Odyssey”, itself a piece of epic Greek literature … but it also is a piece of filmmaking unlike anything we’ve previously seen.
Greetings again from the darkness. For those who are itching to re-live the glory days of 1984 high school, writer-director Michael Walker and co-writer Susan Gomes are here for you. The surprising part is that even for non-Gen X viewers, the film is so well crafted and acted, that it flows beautifully as a time capsule for the era. As if that’s not enough, it’s also based on a true story.
Greetings again from the darkness. I usually try to avoid using the word ‘endearing’ to describe a film that strikes an emotional chord, but for this film from writer-director Lauren Meyering and co-writer Mackenzie Breeden, the word fits perfectly. Much of the reason for this is the screen presence of Lillian Carrier, who was diagnosed with autism at age 16. Here she portrays twenty-two-year-old Margarita in a way that allows us to understand her real life challenges.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 