YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER (2026)

October 8, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. It would be easy to write this one off as another film in the mold of the many Liam Neeson action movies we’ve seen over the past few years. However, this one from writer-director Bassam Tariq (MOGUL MOWGLI, 2020) is more complex and has more depth … including a blend of religion, action, and family drama. As an added bonus, we get another terrific performance from two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, he of immense screen presence.

Ali (MOONLIGHT, 2016) plays Latif, a talented hitman and Muslim single dad/widower caught in a web of crime, violence, and issues with a teen and needy infant. He wants to do what’s best for his family, but once caught in that dark underbelly of life, it’s very difficult to claw back out. His Iman, Abdul Malik (Giancarlo Esposito, “Breaking Bad”) pleads for Latif to find non-violent solutions, but Latif spends most of his time reacting to bad situations that could only get worse without his particular set of skills.

Latif’s employer, Mike (Laith Nakli, 12 STRONG, 2018) compels him to protect his nephew Hatty (Abubakr Ali, ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE, 2022), an arrogant scumbag known as the King of Habibi porn. Hatty’s threat arrives in the form of flamboyant cowboy Pastor Hwan Yoon (John Cho, underrated COLUMBUS, 2017). This pastor sports a gold grill, dons a Stetson, and brandishes semi-automatic weapons … all for the sake of cleansing in God’s name. Joining in for the mishmash of religions is a sect of Mormons who prove quite helpful to a family in need.

Even with the above mentioned ‘war’ proceedings, I haven’t even mentioned Latif’s battle to do the right things for his kids: teenage Fatiha (a superb Adia, “The Midnight Club”) who is quietly rebelling against her father’s religion, and young Qadir (Jaleel Kamara, NANNY, 2022) who hopes the religion can bring he and his dad closer. If all that’s not enough, the newborn baby is in desperate need of breastmilk, which leads Latif to a stripper named Fugazi (Tiffany Boone, “Hunters”) and (of course) a trap set by the bad guys. The dad in search of breastmilk for his infant is drawn directly from the life of filmmaker Tariq (minus the Samurai sword).

The film is set in Houston, but filmed in Atlanta, and it pulls off the perfect look given the complex subject matter. After opening with a brutal bathroom fight scene, we welcome the blend of religion, action, and family drama. Most surprising, at its core, this is a story of a father-daughter relationship teetering on a decisive line. “Who deserves the best of you?” is a question to The Prophet answered three times by the film’s title … making the film’s ending a bit of a surprise.

Opens in Dallas theaters on October 9, 2026 and nationwide on October 16.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE MIDNIGHT SKY (2020)

December 22, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. Screenwriter Mark L Smith has described his adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton’s book, “Good Morning, Midnight”, as a cross between the Oscar-winning GRAVITY (2013) his own THE REVENANT (2015, nominated for 12 Oscars). It’s a lofty comparison, and unfortunately, one that doesn’t prove out. Two-time Oscar winner George Clooney takes on the dual role of director and lead actor, and it’s his first movie role since 2016’s MONEY MONSTER.

Clooney plays Dr Augustine Lofthouse, a renowned scientist, and the only one staying behind as everyone else evacuates the Arctic Observatory after some unspecified “event” as left the earth uninhabitable. Augustine has a terminal disease (also unspecified) and evidently decides to stay behind because he likes drinking alone and self-administering blood transfusions. The drinking alone fun ends when he “finds” a stowaway young girl named Iris (Caiolinn Springall in her first film) and must assume the role of father-figure. To complicate matters, Iris doesn’t speak.

It’s 2049, and the film cuts between 3 storylines. While Augustine and Iris and working on a survival plan, we get flashbacks to a time when he was a younger scientist (played by Gregory Peck grandson Ethan Peck) and sacrificing a relationship with Jean (Sophie Rundle, “Peaky Blinders”) to focus on his career. The third story occurs simultaneously with Augustine and Iris, and involves Aether, a manned spacecraft on a years long mission to determine if Planet K23 can be inhabited by humans. The crew is commanded by Adewole (David Oyelowo, SELMA), and includes his partner, a pregnant Sully (Felicity Jones, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING), pilot Mitchell (Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”), navigator Sanchez (Demian Bichir, THE HATEFUL EIGHT), and rookie astronaut Maya (Tiffany Boone, “Hunters”).

When Augustine learns of Aether and its route back to Earth, he takes it as his responsibility to inform them that they need a new plan. In order to do this, he and Iris must trek across the frozen Arctic tundra through a blinding snowstorm to reach the satellite equipment that will allow communication with Aether. This road trip through a whiteout allows for the best effects during the Augustine/Iris section. Aboard Aether, the crew is relatively non-descript, but there is a spacewalk segment that is quite something to watch thanks to the cinematography of Martin Ruhe. There is also a visually interesting segment featuring blood in zero gravity.

So what we have is a three-piece post-apocalyptic science-fiction space survival tale with a surprise twist that won’t surprise anyone. It’s likely meant as a warning about how we are destroying our planet, and global catastrophe may not easily be solved through space exploration. The film presents an interesting symmetry between the vast wasteland of Arctic winter vs the vastness of space … neither seem to have borders or boundaries, yet are fraught with dangers. If you pay much attention to the story, you’ll likely be disappointed; however, if you watch for the visuals, you should be fine.

Premieres on Netflix December 23, 2020

watch the trailer

 

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Posted by David Ferguson