Greetings again from the darkness. Almost all little kids imagine themselves as Superman, a larger-than-life figure who accomplishes incredible things … while flying through the air! Filmmakers Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui collaborate again, this time to tell the story of the man who became Superman on screen for a new generation, and then, after a horrible accident, became a real-life inspiration and advocate for so many folks around the world. We also note that it’s impossible to tell the Christopher Reeve story without also gaining insight into his equally determined wife and caregiver, Dana Reeve.
“You are still you, and I love you.” These are the words Dana spoke to Christopher after the 1995 riding accident when his horse refused to jump a fence, sending Reeve flying in such a way that the landing left him a quadriplegic near death. Rather than fading, her words gained strength over time, right up until his death in 2004. The film offers a profile of Reeve’s early days, first as a roommate of Robin Williams at Julliard, and later as an up-and-coming actor. There is discussion of his attempts to break away from the Superman cape, most noteworthy in films like SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980) and DEATHTRAP (1982).
Personal insight is provided by Reeve’s own children, Gae Exton (his ex and mother of two of his kids), and friends and colleagues – Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Daniels, and Glenn Close. Some of this is focused on his post-injury career when he pursued acting and directing (1998 TV Movie, REAR WINDOW), yet the most personal and insightful bits come courtesy of the home movies through the years, offering a window into the man, rather than the actor. It’s that man that shines through once he transitions into Christopher Reeve, activist for spinal injuries.
Reeve displayed little self-pity, instead determined to move forward with a new life where his celebrity status could bring attention (and money) to the cause. He gave speeches (the Democratic Convention) and made appearances (one at the Academy Awards ceremony less than a year after his accident). Always by his side was Dana. She was an incredible caregiver, yet so much more as she shared his determination in fundraising and medical research. A little off topic, but there’s a clip of her singing in 1987, displaying significant talent.
A devastatingly emotional sequence occurs as we see the family visiting Reeve’s death bed. He was 52 years old when he passed. Proving that the universe bears no sense of fairness, non-smoker Dana was diagnosed with lung cancer less than a year later, and died at age 44, a mere 17 months after Christopher’s death. It’s rare for a documentary to deliver such personal insight, and even rarer for one to pack such an emotional wallop. The stories of Christopher and Dana Reeve serve to remind us of what matters in life … that’s their legacy (more so than a cape).
*On a personal note, I sat by Christopher Reeve at the LA Coliseum during an NFL playoff game between the Cowboys and Rams in January 1979. He took pleasure in talking trash to the young man (me) wearing the Cowboys jersey … at least until the good guys took a commanding lead and he left early.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. The 1972 Olympics are remembered for a few highlights. Swimmer Mark Spitz set seven world records on his way to seven gold medals. Belarusian gymnast Olga Korbut won three gold medals (although not in the all-around). The United States and Russia played one of the strangest and most controversial games in Olympics history. And most importantly, the 1972 Munich Olympics are remembered for the tragedy surrounding 10 members of Israel’s team being taken hostage by a masked Palestinian militant group.
Greetings again from the darkness. With four outstanding animated films released in 2024, this one adapted from Peter Brown’s 2016 book by director Chris Sanders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, 2010) stands above the others thanks to a tremendous story and fascinating characters. This is one for all ages and all types of movie lovers. It’s simply that good.
Greetings again from the darkness. Since I missed this one on its initial run earlier this year, it became part of my end of year movie marathon where I catch up on the films that slipped through during the previous few months. Even though the premise doesn’t much sound like one I’d embrace, I’m so glad I worked this one into the schedule. On the surface, following a group of prisoners as they work to put on a stage presentation hardly sounds like a desirable form of entertainment, but what a pleasant surprise this one turned out to be.
Greetings again from the darkness. With a population of more than 20 million people, Mumbai is one of the most densely populated places on the planet. It would seem impossible to feel alone or isolated in such a place. In this follow-up to her feature film debut, A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING (2021), Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia begins with a documentary style overview of the city with multi-dialect voiceovers recapping personal experiences with life in the city. “In Mumbai, there is work and money.”
Greetings again from the darkness. Oscar winner Nicole Kidman long ago entrenched herself as one of the best and most daring actors working today. Not one to shy away from risky material, she’s appeared in such films as EYES WIDE SHUT (1999), DOGVILLE (2003), BIRTH (2004), and THE NORTHMAN (2022) to name just a few. It’s her talent and willingness to put herself out there that has earned such respect among peers and fans. However, despite that admiration, this latest is one of my least favorite films of the year, and one that I found almost no positives to discuss. I will readily admit this opinion puts me in the extreme minority.
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve said it many times, and it still holds true, Oscar winner Pedro Almodovar is the most accomplished male filmmaker when it comes to creating interesting female characters and spinning female-centric stories. Almodovar’s first English-language feature-length film is one he’s adapted from the 2020 novel, “What Are You Going Through”, by Sigrid Nunez. It features two Oscar winners, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, both extraordinarily talented.
Greetings again from the darkness. Too many view WWII as just another page in history books, when in fact, so much changed around the globe because of that war. Almost 80 years later, the war continues to provide stories for filmmakers, and when it comes to storytelling, few do it better than this latest from writer-director (actor-turned-filmmaker) Brady Corbet and his co-writer (and romantic partner) Mona Fastvold. The two had previously collaborated on THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER (2015) and VOX LUX (2018).
Greetings again from the darkness. Some filmmakers have earned the benefit of the doubt to the point where each film they release is worthy of consideration. Luca Guadagnino is one such filmmaker. He first captured my attention with I AM LOVE (2009) and has since followed that with such interesting films as A BIGGER SPLASH (2015), CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017), SUSPIRIA (2018), BONES AND ALL (2022), and CHALLENGERS, his first film released in 2024. This time he and his CHALLENGERS screenwriter, Justin Kuritzkes, take on the 1985 William S Burroughs novella, “Queer”, which was linked to his 1953 novel, “Junkie”. Taking on the writing of William S Burroughs is challenging enough as a reader, much less as a filmmaker.
Greetings again from the darkness. Every movie review provides the opportunity to walk the line between telling enough, but not too much. Some movies pose more of a challenge than others, and this is one. Director Steffan Haars (the ‘New Kids’ movies) and writer-actor Nick Frost team up to deliver a devilish and campy folk horror-slasher-comedy that brings a bit of innovation to genre that could use a boost.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 