Greetings again from the darkness. Whether the phrase ‘systemic abuse’ applies here is hardly worth discussing. The facts are that physical abuse, verbal abuse, cultural abuse, and sexual abuse occurred regularly over many years in the Catholic-run residential schools for indigenous children, both in the United States and Canada. Indigenous filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat has teamed with experienced documentarian Emily Kassie to bring this story to light.
This National Geographic documentary mostly narrows its focus to St Joseph Mission near Williams Lake, British Columbia. The school closed in 1981, but it was originally one of many secretive and segregated residential schools opened to deal with “the Indian problem” in Canada. We are informed there were 139 schools in Canada and 408 in the U.S. What we notice from the start is that the film is deliberately paced to emphasize the lives of quiet desperation so many have led.
In 2021, a discovery of approximately 200 unmarked graves at a different school led to a dedicated crew going deeper on research, and finding records of reported abuse and cover-ups, as well as additional unmarked graves at St Joseph. It turns out these schools required the students to speak only English, convert to Catholicism, and basically erase their native culture – all while referring to them by numbers, rather than names.
Two very personal stories are followed here. One involves co-director Julian as he re-connects with his father Ed Archie NoiseCat. Ed is one of many who never knew the truth of their past and have mostly buried the memories of the mission. With Julian’s work, not only do the two create a father-son bond, they also discover a stunning detail for Ed – involving a shoebox and an incinerator. The other personal story here involves former Chief Rick Gilbert, who along with his wife, uncovers a truly shocking connection in his family tree. We also follow Rick to Vatican City where the Pope reads a prepared statement filled with words, but no action.
The former students are referred to as “survivors”, partly because so many didn’t. And while we can see and feel the pain and quiet suffering these folks are carrying, we learn that history and those memories continue to take lives. The history of abuse within the Catholic Church is not limited to white kids, it’s just the indigenous history hasn’t received the same publicity. The suppressed memories and search for roots is so important, and yet so many unanswered questions remain for survivors and descendants. And no one has been held accountable for the atrocities. Infanticide, abuse, cruelty, and humiliation do not seem to fit the journey of these dignified and quietly suffering folks, but there is an uplifting element with Ed and Julian, father and son.
In limited theaters beginning August 30, 2024
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been thirty years since Alex Proyas directed THE CROW (1994). Unfortunately, the cult favorite is forever remembered as being the set on which lead actor Brandon Lee (son of the legendary Bruce Lee) died an accidental and tragic death. Along the way, there have been lesser sequels. There have also been so many rumors of a re-boot over the last fifteen years, that I remained a bit doubtful until the opening credits actually began to roll.
Greetings again from the darkness. It seems wrong (and a bit cheap and obvious) to use the word “unorthodox” to describe this latest movie from writer-director Nathan Silver (STINKING HEAVEN, 2015) and co-writer C. Mason Wells. However, that description fits … even if a bit too perfectly. The word also accurately describes the look and camera work from cinematographer Sean Price Williams, using harsh close-ups for immediacy and a filtered soft look for connection.
There are approximately 150 Oscar-qualifying festivals for short films each year, and the competition is always tough. So many filmmakers are looking to make their mark in short films, with many hoping to garner support for future feature-length films. Recognition is difficult to come by, although as one who watches dozens of short films each year, I find the quality of storytelling and filmmaking in this segment to be quite extraordinary.
Greetings again from the darkness. Even before the opening credits roll, we get a scene with gunpoint humor, as Antonio Banderas skips right over ‘chewing scenery’ and dives into devouring the scene. Banderas takes his crime lord Gabriel over-the-top, quoting Machiavelli, so that we understand we are in for an action-crime-comedy. Directed by Jon Keeyes and written by Matthew Rogers, some of it works and some of it doesn’t.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s understandable if this movie makes you consider whether penguins might make better friends than people. David Schurmann directs a script from Kristen Lazarian Paulina and Lagudi Ulrich that is ‘inspired by a true story’. By now, we all recognize this as code for dramatic license has been taken, and it’s up to the viewer to differentiate fact from fiction.
Greetings again from the darkness. Losing a parent is a difficult time that most of us will deal with at some point. Sorrow and guilt and anger are typically part of the grieving process, and that’s precisely what writer Brett Ryland and director Robert Schwartzmann (THE ARGUMENT, 2020) show us. For those who have been through it already, it’s likely to bring back emotions that will always be there, and for those who haven’t experienced this yet, it serves as a cautionary tale.
Greetings again from the darkness. Billed as “a fictional story inspired by true events”, the film pretty obviously draws from the 2014 case where aesthetician Dawn DaLouise was accused of plotting the murder of rival Gabriel Suarez. This is the first feature film from music video director Austin Peters, who co-wrote the script with Sam Freilich and Deering Regan (all first-time screenwriters). Although there is some entertainment value here, the inexperience of the filmmakers shines through, leaving us wishing for a bit more heft.
Greetings again from the darkness. Add this to the long list of films reminding us to temper our expectations and high hopes prior to viewing. Still, optimism seemed reasonable given an excellent director and strong cast. Director Doug Liman has delivered such entertaining films as SWINGERS (1996), THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002), EDGE OF TOMORROW (2016), and this year’s remake of ROAD HOUSE (2024). Matt Damon and Casey Affleck both have Oscars on their mantels, and Hong Chau has a recent Oscar nomination. To top it off, the supporting cast includes such favorites as Jack Harlow, Alfred Molina, Michael Stuhlbarg, Andre De Shields, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Ving Rhames, and Paul Walter Hauser. All the pieces were in place. So, where’s the spark … the pizzazz … the fun?
Greetings again from the darkness. Some slack and a certain level of compassion is due director James Marsh’s (Oscar winner for MAN ON WIRE, 2008) biopic on the enigmatic writer Samuel Beckett. The reasons no other filmmaker has previously attempted to profile Beckett are on display here, right alongside the reasons he remains such a fascinating figure. The screenplay from Neil Forsyth features surprisingly little of Beckett’s own work, and instead, generally breaks his life into three categories: his foundation as a writer, his work in the French Resistance, and the weight of his romantic life.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 