Greetings again from the darkness. It happened on October 7, 2023. Hamas attacked. People were killed. Hostages were taken. A war began or rather was reignited. Documentarian Brandon Kramer (THE FIRST STEP, 2021) details each of these and chooses to focus on the plight of one family. We all know about the still ongoing (and escalated) violence between Israel and the Palestinians (more than 75 years now) on the West Bank, and Kramer’s attention to one family makes this personal, emotional, and frightening.
Liat Beinen (a Holocaust history teacher and American citizen) and her husband Aviv Atzilli were among the 250 taken hostage during that October 7 siege. The film crew picks up with Liat’s father Yehuda and her mother Chaya two weeks after the attack as they desperately long for information about whether their daughter and son-in-law are still alive. It’s interesting to note that both families have been critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu, but mostly their frustration is on his lack of effort in bringing home hostages … rather than seizing the political opportunity afforded.
Yehuda is quite adept in front of a camera and in speaking his mind. In fact, he and his daughter Taj travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. politicians in hopes of making this an American issue. It’s a strategy that may have worked, although mostly what we see are Congressmen saying very little of substance. Yehuda is not interested in playing the game. He is blunt in his observations and criticisms, and makes it clear that he wants his daughter released and returned. We feel pain alongside the family as names are read for each hostage release.
Kramer notes the weeks as they pass, as well as whatever information the family receives from the military. The stress levels and frustrations are palpable and understandable. Even while watching, we struggle to understand the emotions of the family – or their strength. The family does express appreciation to President Biden, though it’s quite clear their lives will never be the same. The film offers us much, and regardless of one’s political affiliation, the pain and tragedy caused by war should be a united stance.
Available on VOD beginning October 2, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Verity Crawford’s mid-century modern lake house/mansion is jaw-dropping and a true architectural marvel (actually located in Armonk, NY). Of course, if the best thing I can say about a film is that the title character’s house is amazing … well, you have a good idea how I felt about it. Still, I will not be bashing the movie as I might have if I had watched it on my own. Instead, I was in a theater full (mostly adult women) of fans of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2018 novel (I have not read it), and as shown by audience reactions, the vast majority thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Greetings again from the darkness. There will likely be a very distinct line of demarcation between those who ‘dig’ DIGGER and those who don’t. Director Alejandro Inarritu, who won Oscars for THE REVENANT (2015) and BIRDMAN (THE UNEXPTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE, 2014) and a list of five esteemed writers (Sabina Berman, Jez Butterworth, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolas Giacobone, Inarritu) seemingly crafted a film that looks amazing, while intentionally angering or annoying or confusing a big chunk of movie goers. Not only will those who prefer traditional storytelling be frustrated, the politics involved will surely irritate many (and drive some nasty comments).
Greetings again from the darkness. Director David Ayer (the excellent END OF WATCH, 2012) is no fool. He wisely begins the movie by putting the audience at ease. Yes, the dog survives. We learn this in the opening scene he blocks the road of a pickup driver (Anna Lambe, “True Detective”). We immediately shift to flashback mode, unsure whether the dog’s owner is still alive. The first feature film screenplay from Cameron Alexander benefits immensely from a couple of key factors: stunning scenery and a touching bond between man (Oscar winner Brad Pitt) and dog (Odin, a properly renamed Uber).
Greetings again from the darkness. One of the most frightening things in existence is when mental illness blends with brilliance. Ted Kaczynski was a 16-year-old math prodigy at Harvard in 1958, and then arrested in 1996 after being identified as the Unabomber. His reign of terror covered 1978 through 1995, and his bombings were responsible for three murders and twenty-three injuries. The manhunt was the longest and most expensive in FBI history.
Greetings again from the darkness. Shaun the Sheep is a British creation dating back thirty years or so. It’s through Aardman, the same imaginative studio as the brilliant ‘Wallace and Grommet’ characters and stories. Through multiple series and feature movies, we’ve come to know and love the claymation Shaun and his misadventures. This latest from co-directors Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, and co-writers Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, is yet another entry that will entertain adults and kids of all ages.
Greetings again from the darkness. This year’s batch of Hallmark Christmas movies hasn’t hit yet, so for those fans, here’s the next best thing … a Romantic Comedy based on the New York Times bestseller written by Ali Hazelwood. Directed by prolific TV director Claire Scanlon, with an adapted screenplay by Sarah Rothschild, the film delivers easy comedy with a burst of ‘Girl Power’.
Greetings again from the darkness. My decision to review this movie was based on one thing: it’s the feature film directorial and screenwriting debut of Agata Trzebuchowska, who starred in Pawel Pawlikowski’s excellent IDA (2013). That was the extent of my research for this film from Poland, and now after watching it, I am at a loss on how to review without spoiling anything about it. Simply stating that the twists will surely surprise you is not enough – and it helps if you are unaware, as I was, of the film’s genre prior to watching.
Greetings again from the darkness. Padraic McKinley, a film editor by trade, makes his feature film directorial debut with one that feels like a throwback. And that’s not just because it’s based in 1933 Eugene, Oregon during the depression. This is a period thriller that maintains our interest through characters and setting and story. What’s unusual is that there are four writing credits: Matthew Booi, Shelby Gaines, Leo Scherman, and Matthew Chapman … usually not a good sign, but most of it works pretty well here.
Greetings again from the darkness. I guess we were due for a “Cold War Buddy Comedy”. And who better to deliver than co-directors John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein, the team behind GAME NIGHT (2018) and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023). This time out, they deliver excellent visuals to go along with stellar comedic chemistry between first class wisecracker Ryan Reynolds and expert straight man (and Oscar winner) Kenneth Branagh.
