Greetings again from the darkness. The film draws its title from both the town it studies and a Maya Angelou poem. It opens with a short excerpt from that poem; though not until we have watched documentarian Alexander Glustrom’s film do we fully understand the connection. Mossville is a rural community just outside Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was settled by free slaves in the 1800’s, and this is the story of how that history is literally being bulldozed from existence.
Mr. Glustrom makes the story personal by serving up the stories of Mossville residents Stacey Ryan and Erica Jackson, with Mr. Ryan getting the most attention since he is truly the last holdout. Holdout from what? Well that would be the massive industrial construction project of SASOL (South African Synthetic Oil Limited), which the state leaders excitedly announced would bring a $14 billion investment inside the Louisiana borders. We learn the Mossville population peaked at more than 8000, but after the SASOL land purchase, most of the community no longer exists.
Stacey Ryan is a holdout, and aerial views show the stunning transformation of the land from majestic trees and comfortable homes to acreage stripped of anything living that’s not operating heavy equipment … other than Mr. Ryan. His little plot stands out as an anomaly – a mobile home and battered pickup in the midst of a steady stream of bulldozers and dump trucks. Even after his utilities are cut off, Mr. Ryan remains. He explains that during his school days, he was referred to as “Greasy” because he was constantly working on cars. His mechanical skills allow him to rig up electrical, water, and sewer. He’s a resourceful guy fighting industrial facility encroachment.
“Fenceline community” seems to be an insufficient description of Mossville. An EDC spill … a toxic industrial accident … affected many in the area, and that’s where Erica Jackson comes in. She’s located in the “voluntary buyout” area, and explains how her family has been inordinately impacted by disease since the spill. The widespread health issues of her family and previous neighbors are addressed by an Environmental attorney, but it’s a story we’ve heard many times before. Corporate negligence and systemic racism seem to be ignored when it comes to “progress” and when capital investments are at stake. A reasonable middle ground seems possible, though that’s rarely the case.
Mr. Ryan states, “I elected to stay behind because there is no other place for me.” He has his own personal dreams for raising his son, and no one can spend this time with him and judge him as some radical or rebel … he even introduces us to the Mossville Sabretooth Squirrel! He’s simply trying to stay connected to his family roots, though deep down, he knows the days are numbered. There is no fairy tale ending, as this is the reality of a population that is outgrowing its home planet. Mr. Ryan states, “To them, I don’t exist.” This brings us back to the Maya Angelou poem: “They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be better. For they existed.”
Greetings again from the darkness. Most all of us built a terrarium for science class when we were in junior high. Did you ever fantasize about living in it? Well that’s basically what happened in 1991 when 8 scientists were sealed up in Biosphere 2, a giant terrarium built in Oracle, Arizona. Their mission was to live a self-sustained existence for two years, and this was done in the name of scientific research that might one day lead to humans living in space. It was known as Biosphere 2 since they considered Earth to be number one, and filmmaker Matt Wolf kicks off the documentary with actual news clips from that day in 1991 when the door was shut behind the eight biospherians.
After running those initial clips, Mr. Wolf immediately takes us back 25 years prior, and introduces us to The Synergists – a group of resourceful, very smart, free-thinkers who assembled in San Francisco under the charismatic leadership of John Allen. At first, it’s a little confusing why we are watching these old ‘home movies’ from what appears to be a commune, and listening to these people, now 50 years older, talking about the good old days. Of course, the backstory of these folks with nicknames like Johnny Dolphin, Flash, Salty, and Firefly turns out to be the foundation of Biosphere 2 … but not before they form Synergia Ranch in 1969 New Mexico, and then build a ship in Oakland from scrap metal in 1974. Their ship was named Heraclitus, after the Greek philosopher, and their inspiration was derived from writers Buckminster Fuller (“Spaceship Earth”), Rene Damaul (“Mount Analogue”), and William S Burroughs.
It’s understandable if your thoughts drift towards ‘cult’ or ‘commune’, but as one of them states, they were “a corporation, not a commune.” With international interests in a hotel, an art gallery, and a theatrical group, amongst other enterprises, they were able to sustain their creative pursuits … unlike the many hippies of the era numbed by drug use. Inspired by the 1972 movie SILENT RUNNING, Mr. Allen and their in-house architect Phil Hawes began working on the idea of a self-contained space colony. By 1986, design work for Biosphere 2 had begun and Ft Worth oil billionaire Ed Bass was bankrolling the project. It was a massive undertaking both from planning and construction, plus the training and selection of biospherians began in 1990.
Given today’s ‘social distancing’ due to COVID-19, it’s a bit ironic that we are looking back at a 28 year ago small group isolation in a self-contained environment. Filmmaker Wolf doesn’t shy away from the science world skeptics who, with a smidge of jealousy labeled the venture “trendy ecological entertainment.” Whatever you call it, this was an international event and drew interest from all walks of life, right up until 1993 when the biospherians walked out of the dome. In another sign of remarkable symmetry to today’s world, in 1994 Mr. Bass fired most of the original group, and put Steve Bannon (yes THE Steve Bannon) in charge of Biosphere 2. It might not surprise you that most of the scientific data and research soon disappeared.
Wolf takes us 25 years after the mission to catch up with Mr. Allen and other Synergists. The Synergia Ranch still exists and John Allen remains as energetic and idealistic as he was in the 1960’s. Biosphere 2 is now open to the public and being managed by the University of Arizona, and we still aren’t sure whether a pre-fab paradise will work in space. Wolf’s film is filled with interesting tidbits from 3 different eras, and though the early days are quite entertaining, it seems entirely too much time is devoted to the time prior to the Biosphere. And because of that, many of our questions remain unanswered as to whether the two years advanced research, or whether the effort was nothing more than a glorified publicity stunt. Either way, capturing this in documentary form allows the 1991 Biosphere 2 project to be explained to future generations … some we hope will be as innovative, and dream as big as the Synergists.
The documentary will release May 8, 2020 on Hulu, VOD, Virtual Cinemas, and participating Drive-Ins.
Greetings again from the darkness. British writer Caitlin Moran has adapted her own 2014 semi-autobiographical novel-memoir for the screen, because who better to write about the coming-of-age of a talented outcast than that talented outcast herself? Given the profusion of coming-of-age movies that hit the screen every year, it’s a welcome change when one takes a different approach. And this one does just that.
Beanie Feldstein (BOOKSMART, and Jonah Hill’s sister) stars as Johanna Morrigan, replete with British accent. Johanna is a dreamer, and as she sits in her usual spot at the library, she fantasizes about Mr. Darcy riding in to save her from this mundane life. We quickly learn that Johanna is bright, and treated as quite the misfit at school. Even her English teacher asks her to scale back her writing assignments. See, in addition to being a world class dreamer, Johanna is a very talented writer … and she sees that as her only means to escape Wolverhampton.
At home, Johanna has a “Wall of Gods” featuring photographs of her literary and historical heroes, including: Sylvia Plath (Lucy Punch), Elizabeth Taylor (Lily Allen), Bronte sisters, Sig Freud (Michael Sheen), and Maria von Trapp (Gemma Arterton). Johanna speaks to these photos, and they answer her. Johanna’s family hustles to stay just above poverty. Her dad’s (Paddy Considine) dream of rock stardom has passed, and now he breeds black market Border Collies while remaining optimistic about life. Her mother (Sarah Solemani) suffers from post-partem depression after giving birth to twins (kids number 3 and 4).
Johanna shares a small bedroom space (divided by “the Berlin wall”) with her cool brother Krissi (Laurie Kynaston). We know he’s cool, because he hangs out in the cool room at school – a room to which Johanna has never been invited. After embarrassing herself on a televised poetry reading show (hosted by Chris O’Dowd), Johanna is encouraged by brother Krissi to apply for a music critic job at a local publication. Her heartfelt submission on “Annie” the musical causes guffawing among the ultra-cool writing staff at the magazine; yet her writing skill and persistence land her a shot. It’s at this point that things change for Johanna.
An unusual interview with popular and earnest singer John Kite (Alfie Allen, brother of singer Lily Allen and son of actor Keith Allen) results in a connection and teenage crush, leading to a sappy article rejected by her employer. Given a second chance by the magazine, Johanna’s alter-ego Dolly Wilde does in fact turn wild. Her ‘bad girl’ image and mean spirited critiques of bands gain her a cult following – a type of notoriety. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but when the pen is used as a sword, the damage is severe. What follows, of course, are the inevitable hard (and painful) life lessons.
Director Coky Giedroyc has spent most of her career on TV shows, but she has a feel for this material. However, it’s mostly the no-holds-barred performance of Beanie Feldstein that makes this work – both the comedy and drama. We’ve seen the outsider with talent many times before, and because of that, expectations are a bit low going in. This time, a different twist and passionate filmmakers and actors turn this into quite an entertaining 100 minutes.
IFC Films will release the film on VOD on Friday, May 8, 2020
Greetings again from the darkness. A lovely opening sequence shows Karen in bed, the morning sun barely able to match the light of love emanating from inside her. We never see Karen’s lover’s face, but we hear D’s voice as the two ladies share the beginning of a day. Our next scene has Karen unable to enter the house the two shared. Ramsey the dog barks at her through the glass pane of the door that Karen’s key no longer opens. Frustrated, she hops back in her car.
We soon learn that Karen’s idea of revenge (or coping) after being dumped is to break into D’s Oregon lake house, take down a painting from over the bed, smoke some pot, drink some wine, and replay D’s voice messages. Her plan doesn’t seem to go much deeper, but it’s not long before she has met Lana, a local girl who claims to be 19 years old – though we all know she’s younger. Lana is a bit odd, though clearly attracted to Karen, herself intrigued by the unusual girl. This strange little cat and mouse game is then crashed by Beau, the handyman for D’s lake house.
The first feature from writer-director Lara Gallagher excels at keeping us off-balance, despite moving at a pace that allows the viewer plenty of time for thought and observation. Complementing the uneasiness is the score from Katy Jarzebowski, with its harsh single piano note, sometimes accompanied by violin … the sound of a horror film, though this is no Hollywood cabin in the woods. Three times we are shown the handgun in the drawer, and though it plays a significant part, it’s not in the way that our movie mind has been trained.
Otmara Marrero plays Karen, and rising star Sydney Sweeney is Lana. The two joust very well, though it’s Lana who fascinates. She’s curious of love and life, while not quite being ready. Lana is a manipulator thanks to an innocence that draws Karen in. Will Brittain (BLOW THE MAN DOWN) plays Beau in a manner of which we are never really certain – friend or foe? Finally, Sonya Walger is D. She doesn’t show up until late in the film, but she is precisely what we have envisioned.
There is an odd cadence to the film, and the performances assist with confounding us. It’s a coming of age story for two females of different ages, and we can’t help but notice that Karen has been involved in two relationships featuring the older woman/younger woman dynamic. Of course, her role reversal in the two relationships is at the core of the film. Indie band Lightning Dust contributes an outstanding song with “Antonia Jane”, and we are left thinking this is a psychological thriller without the thrills. Filmmaker Lara Gallagher has delivered a personal project reminding us that toxic relationships aren’t limited to man-woman.
Greetings again from the darkness. Natasha Gregson Wagner recalls hearing that the body of her mother, actress Natalie Wood, had been found near Santa Catalina Island. It was November 21, 1981 and Natasha was 11 years old. Now she’s a producer of this documentary, as well as providing her own perspectives, and conducting some of the interviews, in particular the one with her stepfather Robert Wagner. If you are looking for a definitive answer to one of Hollywood’s unsolved mysteries, you won’t find it here (or anywhere). Instead, it’s a dive into the life and career of one of our brightest stars through the words of her friends, family, and co-workers; plus some clips, personal home movies, previously unseen photographs, and Natalie’s own words.
Natalie Woods’ on screen luminescence lasted nearly forty years, which is remarkable considering she died at age 43. It’s noted that generations (plural) watched her grow up. She delivered memorable roles at all stages of her career: as a child actor playing the Santa Claus skeptic in MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (1947); as an angsty teenager opposite James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955), as a blossoming young woman in SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961); as a 1960’s swinger in BOB AND CAROL AND TED AND ALICE (1969); and in her final role (released posthumously) in BRAINSTORM (1983). She was nominated for 3 Oscars by the time she was 25, and is also remembered as Maria in Best Picture winner WEST SIDE STORY (1961), as famed stripper Gypsy Rose Lee in GYPSY (1962), co-starring with Steve McQueen in LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER (1963), co-starring with Robert Redford in THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED (1966), and opposite George Segal in the comedy THE LAST MARRIED COUPLE IN AMERICA (1980).
Clearly, given the films and roles listed above, Natalie Wood was the epitome of a movie star. She was beautiful, talented, and lived a life that kept her in the fan magazines (known today as tabloids). The film is structured in an unusual manner for a biographical documentary. A loose outline would start with the personal life (husbands, kids, love interests), then move into the career, and wrap up with her death, the aftermath of her death, and the impact she had on loved ones. Of course, there are many overlaps, but the key takeaway is that this is a very personal look by those who were connected to Natalie.
Laurent Bouzereau is a documentarian who has specialized in shorts and “making of” (behind-the-scenes) projects for 25 years. He’s also an author, movie buff, and known collector of movie memorabilia. Here he delivers a nice tribute to Natalie Wood, though one gets the feeling that Natasha had much to do with the final presentation. We see her interview Daddy Gregson and Daddy Wagner, the only names she ever remembers having for her biological father, British Producer-Agent Richard Gregson, and her stepfather Robert Wagner. Gregson, afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, died in August 2019, while Wagner is now 90 years old. Both interviews are personal to Natasha, though it’s the Wagner session that packs the most emotional punch.
Even when we hear about Natalie’s film career, it seems most want to talk about how likable and talented she was. This includes interviews with Robert Redford, Richard Benjamin, Mia Farrow, George Hamilton, and Mart Crowley. Mr. Crowley was a screenwriter and close friend who died recently (March 2020), and had met Natalie on the production of SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS. So while Ms. Woods’ career is important, even more time is spent on the personal side. Natasha and her sisters recall time with Willie Mae, their nanny who was like part of the family. We also learn of Natalie and Wagner’s (aka RJ) first date on her 18th birthday, as well as their two marriages to each other – with her marriage to Gregson, and relationship with Warren Beatty nestled between.
One of the more fascinating segments comes from Natasha reading excerpts from an unpublished first-person article Natalie had written for “Ladies Home Journal” in 1966. It reads like a diary and provided Natasha and us with personal insights we couldn’t have known. Natalie’s parents were Ukrainian immigrants, although not much time is devoted to Natalie’s stage mother or the strained relationship the family now has with Natalie’s sister (and actress) Lana Wood. Instead, the focus is mostly upbeat. Plus we all came for the Wagner interview to hear him speak about the night of Natalie’s death. It’s surprisingly emotional.
Natalie’s oft-reported “fear of dark water” is hit head on, and there is even mention of her overdose and mental struggles. But this is mostly a positive recounting of her life, and owes a great deal to Manoah Bowman’s biography “Natalie Wood: Reflections on a Legendary Life.” Bowman is also a producer on the film. Natalie Wood is one whose mysterious and much too early death has overshadowed her work, and as daughter Natasha says, the person she was.
The documentary premieres on HBO Tuesday May 5, 2020
Greetings again from the darkness. The grill is fired up and the beer is cold. Friends and family are gathered in the Catskills. Everything seems pretty normal until writer Edgar (Scott Cohen) sneaks off to take a “work” call in the privacy of a back room. We see the reality of his FaceTime call with his mistress Gemma (Isis Massoud), who is in full baby delivery mode. Edgar talks her through it as the midwife does her thing. The delivery and baby are so realistic that I’m fairly certain writer-director Hilary Brougher has included actual footage.
Talia Balsam stars as Edgar’s wife Lila, an artist and teacher. There is a sadness connected to Lila, and it hovers like a curse. Her initial reaction to being told that Edgar is leaving her for a new life is little more than resignation to her own life where she seems to regularly get the short end. Edgar and Lila have a teenage daughter Dara (Naian Gonzalez Norvind), and daughter Sam (Macaulee Cassady) from Edgar’s first marriage. We learn that Talia has previously endured Edgar’s wanderings, though not always gracefully. She also wonders why people are constantly leaving her – a fact of life as kids grow older.
Filmmaker Brougher counts off the days in the corner of the screen for us, and it’s helpful as time jumps a bit … although most days seem eerily similar even after Edgar leaves (he’s still around a lot). This plays out like a passive-aggressive break-up, save for one unpredictable lash-out from Lila – one that is likely a frequent fantasy of wronged spouses. Lila’s close friend Gigi (Andrus Nichols) has breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, and her son Jake (Guthrie Mass) and daughter Charlotte (Violet Rea) add to the teenage angst we see from Dara and Sam. Sam’s friend Jonah (Michael Oberholtzer) has a key role as well – one that starts with sharing a sauna with Lila, and ends where you would imagine.
There is no shortage of movies or real life stories of middle-aged men starting over and “women of a certain age” are left to figure things out. Ties of a long-term marriage run deep and aren’t easily or cleanly severed; and kids, regardless of age, don’t always understand how to be supportive. Cinematographer Ethan Mass (husband to Ms. Brougher) does a terrific job with the visual landscape, as the claustrophobia of the house gives way to the stunning beauty of nature. The acting is superb throughout, and Ms. Balsam (daughter of Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten) excels in a rare leading role. If only the material were a bit more complex, she could be in awards consideration. Unfortunately, the restrained storytelling prevents us from connecting to Lila, despite the best efforts of Ms. Balsam. It’s clear Hilary Brougher is a filmmaker with talent, but the message that life goes on, no matter the inconveniences or heartbreaks, is just a bit too familiar and low key.
Greetings again from the darkness. “I want to go to Dreamland.” One might assume that phrase is related to Hollywood being the place where dreams can come true, but co-creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan take us down a much different path. The two have collaborated on the TV series “Glee”, “Scream Queens”, and “The Politician”, and here they offer up a revisionist history on the post- WWII Golden Age of Hollywood, in the vein of what Quentin Tarantino did in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS and ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD. Mr. Murphy and Mr. Brennan seemingly focused on idealistically imagining a film industry where one’s race, ethnicity, or sexual preference made little difference. In doing so, they devote significant time to racism and homophobia.
While the series mixes fact and fiction in such a way that the lines are often blurred, there are two main storylines that provide the backbone of the series: the actual suicide of 24 year old actress Peg Entwistle, which occurred in 1932 when she jumped from atop the Hollywoodland sign; and the mostly fictional crossing paths of a handful of aspiring actors, writers and filmmakers as they navigate the treacherous film industry waters. We see the new generation clashing with the establishment – a tale as old as time.
The 7 episodes cover approximately 7 hours, but it was somewhat challenging to make it through the first three. However, I’m so glad I stuck with it. The series starts off with what seems like a concerted effort to push every boundary possible in regards to sex and racism, with an emphasis on the proliferation of homosexuality within the industry. The characters that are new to town are trying desperately to survive as cling to the dream of their big break.
The series elevates significantly in Episode 4 when the attention turns to filmmaking and acting and running a studio. There is a terrific sequence where we bounce back and forth between two pairs of actors rehearsing for their auditions. We feel the pressure that actors endure during the audition process, and note the fine line … almost an indiscernible line … between success and failure. In addition to the newcomers trying to secure roles, we follow a gay, black first time screenwriter and a half-Filipino first time director. As a bonus, Eleanor Roosevelt is portrayed as preaching the social importance of a studio breaking from the industry norm.
“What if you could re-write the story?” is the tagline, and it applies not only to the screenplay of “Peg” (the movie within the movie), but also to Murphy and Brennan as they show how the industry should be, well except for the illicit sex, marital affairs, and mob interventions. Hypocrisy and double-standards are part of the fabric of the movie industry, but what if that gay, black screenwriter didn’t have his work defined by those labels, or the half-Filipino director wasn’t selected because he could pass as white, or if the talented black actress wasn’t relegated to playing domestic help? Those are the core issues at play here, and each of the characters has hopes of changing things in Hollywood.
As you would imagine, the cast here is deep and crucial to whether the project works or not. There are some acting veterans mixed with some regulars from Murphy’s previous projects. The newcomers in town are actor Jack Castello (David Corenswet), actor Rock Hudson (Jake Picking), actress Camille Washington (Laura Harrier), director Raymond Ainsley (Darren Criss), and screenwriter Archie Coleman (Jeremy Pope). These newcomers intermingle with industry types such as super-agent Harry Wilson (Jim Parsons, who gets the best dialogue in the series), Ace Studios owner Ace Amberg (Rob Reiner), his wife Avis Amberg (Patti Lupone), their daughter wannabe actress Claire (Samara Weaving), Ace’s mistress actress Jeanne Crandall (Mira Sorvino), Ace casting director Ellen Kinkaid (Holland Taylor), studio producer Dick (Joe Mantello), and Eleanor Roosevelt (Harriet Sansom Harris). Dylan McDermott shines as Ernie, the owner of Gold Tip Service Station, where customers come for the special service offered with the code word ‘dreamland’.
There is an underlying theme where most everyone here is acting – pretending to be something they aren’t. It begs the question, how much of yourself would you surrender for fame or money, or simply to avoid discrimination and hardship? There seems to a lust for fame, and a lust for just about everything except dignity. Three real life actors are noted for how they were marginalized as people and/or professionals based on either their race or sexual preference. The stories of Rock Hudson, Anna May Wong (Michelle Krusiec), and Hattie McDaniel offer up real life proof of the injustice that was prevalent during this era.
Movie history buffs will enjoy the name dropping, such as George Cukor’s party, and Noel Coward, Tallulah Bankhead, and Vivian Leigh. There is also fun to be had with industry terminology, but the purpose of the project has higher meaning. The dreams of those who arrive versus the power of those already there is on full display. The internal struggles and fallout that occurs when folks are trying to fit an image rather than stay true to themselves – that message is delivered. Dylan McDermott’s Ernie is meant to represent the reality of broken dreams that happen right down the street from where dreams come true.
Stylistically, the series is beautiful to look at. Even the opening credits have a surreal quality. The set/production design is top notch, from the studio lot to the sound stages to the small apartments decorated to the era … and the cars are spectacular. Black and White images are used sparingly, but effectively to stay true to his period in cinema, and the music/soundtrack is perfectly used and could be a top seller as a standalone. Watching the great Patti Lupone is reward enough, but seeing Dylan McDermott and Jim Parsons deliver their best ever work is really something to behold. The debate of Money versus Art versus Social Responsibility could fill many textbooks, and Murphy and Brennan succeed in getting us to think. For those that can fight through the first three episodes, the payoff is there (OK, the ending is a bit hokey), and as Hattie McDaniel tells us, “the most important thing is being in the room.”
Greetings again from the darkness. Every war is ugly and devastating, and few lasted as long as the Civil War in Guatemala, which ended in 1996 after many years and many deaths. Its history tracks back to the early 1960’s, and the fighting between the government and various leftist rebel groups was violent, resulting in more than 200,000 deaths (mostly Mayan) in the 1970’s and 80’s. In his first narrative feature, writer-director Cesar Diaz chose not to examine the causes of war, but rather the fallout … the tattered lives left in its wake.
Armando Espitia stars as Ernesto, a young anthropologist at the Forensic Foundation – an institute that specializes in locating, identifying, and carefully packaging the remains of the casualties of war. It’s 2018, and the news reports we overhear call this an “historic moment”, as war criminals are brought to trial. The film opens on Ernesto as he is assembling the skeletal remains taken from a mass burial site that the Institute was recently permitted to excavate. We soon learn that Ernesto has his own personal mission – finding out what happened to his father, who is identified only as a guerilla fighter. Ernesto’s mother (Emma Dib), with whom he lives, discourages him from searching for his dad. He states ‘I need to know’, while she says ‘I don’t wish to remember.’
Director Diaz includes a gut-wrenching sequence of women in a local village. It’s almost like a series of photographs … a lineup of local woman who are victims of the war. The work of cinematographer Virginie Surdej is extraordinary in this sequence. These aren’t actors, but rather natives to the area – women whose weathered faces show the story being told by the movie. They lead Ernesto to a mass grave on private land where many of the slaughtered men and children are buried. The atrocities toward the women were often worse than death, and now they are going about living, fully aware that their loved ones never received the respect in death that is so valued.
Ernesto takes statements from the women, and is so devoted to finding his father that his social life consists of sleeping in his car and fantasizing about the local bartender. Ernesto and the women, who are the face of war, are simply looking for closure. They want dignity for the dead, and he wants to know his roots. There is much family pain and pride, and often when family secrets gets solved, the result is more pain than relief. Director Diaz was born in Guatemala and delivers a mostly quiet film that is only 78 minutes in run time, but its message rings loud and clear … the horrors of war don’t end when the war does. The film was a multi-award winner at Cannes, and justifiably so.
Greetings again from the darkness. A film focusing on an unlikely intersecting of cross-generational dead-end lives in a mostly ignored poverty-stricken area on the outskirts of Houston may not seem like much of a pick-me-up during these challenging times. And while it’s not a crowd-pleaser, it is pleasing in a high quality independent filmmaking kind of way – especially to those of us who thrive on such projects. Writer-director Annie Silverstein’s first feature film was co-written with Johnny McAllister and Josh Melrod, and it never tries to impress with any cleverness or trickery, and instead allows us to wallow in the harshness of a world that has its inhabitants grasping for hope.
We first see 14 year old Krystal (Kris) and her little sister messing with a chicken that’s been killed by their pet pit bull in their backyard. The chicken belongs to their African American neighbor Abe, who threatens to shoot the dog if it comes in his yard again. Kris spends an inordinate amount of time taking care of her little sister. They live with their constantly annoyed grandmother while their mom is incarcerated. Jailhouse visits begin with hugs, and end with frustration. Kris seizes on an opportunity while neighbor Abe is gone for a weekend rodeo. She invites her friends over and they raid Abe’s liquor and pain pills, and trash his house. The kids all have fun, but Abe is understandably upset when he returns home.
In a show of mercy towards Kris’ grandmother, Abe agrees to allow Kris to clean up the party mess rather than be arrested and shipped to juvenile detention. Slowly, very slowly, Abe and Kris begin to bond. She is fascinated by middle-aged Abe’s history. He was once a bull rider, and now he’s a bull fighter – one of the guys in the arena who distracts the bulls so the riders can escape safely after their ride. His body and spirit are broken, and he’s constantly in pain and sore. Kris, a sullen teenager, carries her own pain. Her situation is such that we (and Abe) find it difficult, if not meaningless, to judge her. She desperately wants to be loved and cared for, but finds none of that through her family or “friends.”
Rob Morgan, who was so memorable in MUDBOUND (2017), plays Abe, a man who fights to maintain his dignity in a profession more conducive to younger folks, and with a body that continues to fail a bit more with each gore. He has some type of relationship with his ex, Sheila (Yolanda Ross), but mostly he’s alone and quiet until he’s around his fellow rodeo performers. Newcomer Amber Havard plays Kris, and captures the confusion and hurt with subtle facial movements of an actress far more experienced. The moment her mother (Peggy Schott) lets her down yet again is gut-wrenching, and we feel Kris’ pain every bit as much as we feel Abe’s pain at the tip of a bull horn.
Ms. Silverstein’s film is surely to draw comparisons to the excellent THE RIDER (2017), with its understated approach, and power in the quietness and stillness. It touches on African American rodeos, and provides a contrast with ‘white’ rodeos, while also showing us the sex and drug issues facing young Kris. With its multi-generational view of life, we see a girl desperate for a role model, and a man coming to terms with loneliness. Kris and Abe prove quite the odd couple as she finds a glimmer of hope in her desire to become a bull rider, and Abe finds a companion and reason to carry on. The two fine performances help us deal with the often bleak daily lives of Kris and Abe, and Ms. Silverstein directs her film in such a visceral way that, as viewers, we are appreciative when the cloud lifts just a bit.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s the first feature film from Jared Douglas, and as with most dedicated independent filmmakers, he wears many hats in this production: writer-director-producer-editor. Mr. Douglas certainly didn’t take the easy route or shy away from difficult material. Instead, he takes us deep into the dark world of mental illness.
Rather than a peek inside an asylum or mental hospital, we are up close and personal with Lucio and his struggles. Lucio is played by Christian Gnecco Quintero, and our first inclination something isn’t quite right comes when he’s buying diapers at a convenience store. Lucio gets skittish and looks around as if someone is watching or following him (the camera enhances the feeling). He calls Vanessa (Stefanie Rons) to tell her that he’s in danger and he can’t come home to her and their young daughter. Lucio then hits the road … he’s on the run from something or someone we don’t see.
Our eyes are on Lucio nearly every moment of the 84 minute run time. It’s not pleasant to see what he’s going through. Lucio is paranoid to the point of self-destruction. When his car breaks down, a kind stranger named Chris (Dwayne Tarver) takes him back to his ranch cabin. Throughout the film, Lucio flashes the ability to converse with others, but it’s never long before the illness kicks in. Even the charity or generosity of strangers isn’t enough to put Lucio at ease, and the consequences can be severe. His biggest challenge … his biggest hurdle … is himself. Periodic calls to Vanessa provide us the insight to see what a devastating scenario this is for her as well.
“I know you’re out there!” The phantom is all too real to Lucio. His reality is not ours. Cinematographer Neeraj Jain effectively captures the frantic moments and Quintero’s performance relays the urgency of every tick. Mental illness is often overlooked or overplayed in movies, but not so here. There is no comic relief, only the relentless pressure of trying to make sense of the confusion.
Greetings again from the darkness. The film draws its title from both the town it studies and a Maya Angelou poem. It opens with a short excerpt from that poem; though not until we have watched documentarian Alexander Glustrom’s film do we fully understand the connection. Mossville is a rural community just outside Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was settled by free slaves in the 1800’s, and this is the story of how that history is literally being bulldozed from existence.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 