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Tailgate – Pride without Grace

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“The time for apologies is behind us.”

Tailgate, from writer/director Lodewijk Crijns, is a psychological thriller built around road rage (and perhaps just rage in general). What begins as a simple road trip turns into a journey into fear and danger.

Hans (Joroen Spitzenberger), along with his wife Diana (Anniek Pheifer) and their two children, are heading off to visit his parents. Even before they leave, Hans is beginning to complain. They’re running late. Every little thing seems to aggravate him. He and Diana bicker as they travel. And then he gets behind a slow moving van. Already anxious about the time, he honks, flashes his lights, and rides the van’s bumper. The van just goes slower. Finally, he gets by and begins to make up time.

When they stop for gas, the van comes in as well, and the driver (Willem de Wolf), lectures the children not to behave like their father and demands an apology. Hans is in no mood for all this. And once they get back on the road, the van is in pursuit. We already know (from a brief prologue) that the van driver is a psychopath who seems to be on a mission to rid the world of people who don’t fit his view of behavior.  His method of dealing with them is to put on a hazmat suit and shoot pest control chemicals into them.

Through most of the film, Hans and family are in a cat and mouse game as the Exterminator tracks them down. It is all magnified by a series of bad choices that Hans makes along the way. (Kind of like in all those slasher movies when people always go into the basement alone.) There are many choices that might have mitigated some of the road rage. Some we may think were fairly obvious, but still the bad choices keep piling up.

A key element that propels the story is pride (the kind of pride that earns it a place among the seven deadly sins.) The Exterminator obviously has way too much belief in his own rightness, but that is is consistent with being a psychopath. Hans, on the other hand, frequently acts out of pride, even when it is self-destructive. Keep in mind that we don’t really see Hans as very sympathetic because of the way he is acting even before he encounters the slow van. He expects the world to adjust to his wishes—not unlike the Exterminator. It’s just that the Exterminator is much more violent and aggressive in acting out that vision of the world.

For me this is a story about the absence of grace in the world. Whether by Hans or the Exterminator, grace is never offered or even seen as a possibility. Perhaps that is an outgrowth of the way pride affects the characters throughout the story. If one always assumes they are in the right and others are wrong, where is the room for grace within any relationship? For Hans, that lack of grace is seen in many little ways, even within his family relationships. As the story plays out, we see that such a lack of grace can be deadly.

Tailgate is in theaters and available on virtual cinema and VOD.

Photos courtesy of Film Movement.

North Hollywood: Sk8 For Your Life

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Whether its skateboarding or something else, everyone has to decide who they’re going to be.

Set in Los Angeles, North Hollywood tells the story of Michael (Ryder McLaughlin), a young man on the cusp of adulthood. With high school having just ended, Michael and his friends spend the summer trying to figure out what’s next for them in their lives. While some of his friends are preparing for college, Michael yearns to becoming a pro skater. As he figures out what it’s going to take to turn his dream into a reality, his father (Vince Vaughn) tries to push him towards more tangible jobs for his future.

Directed by Mikey Alfred, this trip to North Hollywood is an enjoyable coming-of-age story that highlights the challenges it takes to break free from our youth. With a simple but effective script, Alfred takes a ‘fly on the wall’ approach to his filmmaking that feels authentic. This is not a film driven by wild plot points or overly dramatic moments. Instead, Hollywood wants to be seen as a slice of life. While some will inevitably find this type of storytelling ‘slow’, there’s a joy embedded within the story that absolutely charms its audience. 

Much of the film’s success lies within the strength of its performances. While Vaughn and Miranda Cosgrove are enjoyable, much of the film rests on the shoulders of its lead Ryder McLaughlin who turns in some good work here. As the young and impetuous Michael, McLaughlin carries himself with an insecure swagger that helps the character feel real. 

However, Alfred’s most interesting decisions come through the soundtrack as he floods the film with music from the 1950s and 60s. By drawing a sonic line between generations, he fills Hollywood with an aura of youthful innocence and exuberance. Suddenly, teenage acts of rebellion feel pure and harmless. What’s more, this simple musical decision allows the eras to blend together to remind the audience that teenagers aren’t that different now than they were then. While the styles may change with time, the desire to come into one’s own remains the same.

With that in mind, Hollywood is very much about learning what it means to step into the future. As Michael pushes towards his dreams of becoming a professional skateboarder, so too does he come up against voices who try to tell him who he must be, especially his father. Although there remains a purity within his desire to skate, his father fails to see anything but the potential downside. A construction worker, Michael’s father believes that work comes by the sweat of your brow as opposed to sponsors and fame. As a result, he refuses to take his son’s dream seriously and Michael must decide whether his passion for skateboarding is worth enduring the pressure to conform that he experiences at home.

At the same time though, Michael’s relentless pursuit also threatens to steal his soul. Despite the courage he shows while pushing towards who he wants to be, he also begins to forget who he is. With the glamour of fame set before him, Michael starts to lose sight of the people in his life who have helped him get where he is. To him, the dream is within reach but this begins to change him. As he begins to step into adulthood, there’s a natural tendency to separate from the past but at what cost? As enthusiasm borders on arrogance, Michael struggles to stay true to himself and faithful to those who have supported him.

Though North Hollywood may slip under the radar of many, there’s a lot of value in this pleasant indie drama. While Michael’s story takes place in the heart of California, his emotional journey is one that everyone goes through. As a result, there’s something universal about this heartfelt story that remains appealing. In light of this, while not everyone will want to make the journey, this is a trip to Hollywood that’s worth taking in the end.

North Hollywood is available on VOD on Friday, July 23rd, 2021.

Cultural Crossovers: 1on1 with Will Gluck (PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY)

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It’s no secret that the work of Beatrix Potter is beloved by her fans.

As the author of the Peter Rabbit franchise, Potter’s stories have been read to millions of children over the years around the world. Of course, these expectations also make translating these stories onscreen even more challenging, especially if you want to honour what has come before.

Directed by Will Gluck, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway takes us back to McGregor’s garden for the wedding of Bea and Thomas (Rose Byrne and Dohmnall Gleeson). Though they have no kids of their own, Bea and Thomas have developed a makeshift family with the rabbits and other animals and all seems well in their abode. Even so, despite the fact that he wants to be a good rabbit, Peter (James Corden) can’t seem to break free from his reputation of causing trouble. Then, when Bea gets a call from a publishing company about her book, the family hops into the truck and travels to the city. Suddenly out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where being a rascal is celebrated. After he meets Barnabas (Lenny James), an old friend of his father, Peter is invited into the criminal underworld (well, for bunnies that is) and must decide what type of rabbit he wants to be.

After having so much fun with the crew directing the first entry, Gluck was excited to return to the world once again. Admittedly though, one of the other major factors in his decision was the opportunity to share the experience with his family as well. 

“I had an idea for the second one,” he explains. “I didn’t want to walk away from something, but I also wanted to bring my family down to Australia. We all moved down there for more than half a year and gave them a new experience and that was a big part of it, to be honest.”

“[We shot in] Sydney and London. We all moved down to Sydney and then we went to London… and they went to school down there. They all fell in love with the country. I [also] loved the crew the first time. I had such a great time. As you go through life, you realize that, when you meet people that you like and work well with, why not try to replicate it with them? I think, when I was younger, I probably would’ve not done it. But as you get older and say, ‘Wow, these are these people that are amazing. Let’s keep going.’” 

Having directed mostly character-driven films early in his career, the move to a CGI-heavy franchise was a difficult transition. Even so, he and his team embraced the challenge of blending computer effects with live action and fought hard to give it the same authentic feel of traditional filmmaking.

“I didn’t know anything in the first film. I was completely blind then,” Gluck recalls. “They always say being a director is having the illusion of control, but being director of a live action/CGI movie is not even an illusion. You have to just kind of give yourself up and trust everybody. It was such a fun process to learn. So, the second time, since I knew more about it, we could play even more. I know it’s something that people don’t notice but, for a CGI/live action movie, this is so, so complicated. They always say that the simplest things are so complicated to pull off, but we never wanted to do a stationary shot. We never wanted to make it easy for ourselves. We never locked off. The camera’s always moving. It’s just like it’s a regular live action movie, which makes it really hard. But everyone was up for the challenge and it was challenging but fun, ultimately.” 

Certainly, taking on the Peter Rabbit franchise is not an easy task. Beloved for generations, the works of Beatrix Potter held in high regard for their classic sensibilities and innocence. While Gluck did everything he could to respect these memories, he also recognizes that these memories are also tainted by our own sense of nostalgia.

“It’s challenging for many reasons,” Gluck begins. “I want to honor Beatrix Potter, for all the reasons you can think of. I feel incredible responsibility to the British people and the people in the Commonwealth who loved and grew up with Peter Rabbit. I did too. But you also have to make a movie that people want to see. So, it’s a constant dance. Now, if I were to actually think all the time about how much pressure it is, I would be paralyzed. So, at some point, you just have to say, ‘we’re doing it this way, and this is the way it is.’ It’s tough [because] it’s Beatrix Potter. She’s so beloved as she should be. She’s so beloved.” 

“Everyone has their own memory of Beatrix Potter,” he continues. “But, really what their memory is… when they read the book or when they read the book to their kids, like me. It’s not necessarily the actual [material]. I’ve had so many people say, how could you kill Peter Rabbit’s father? I’m like, I didn’t kill Peter Rabbit’s father. Beatrix Potter put him in a pie. So, we took every inch of the source material we could and used it. So it’s more their fond memories of the grandmother, of their dishes, of their samplers. That’s a tough memory to mess around with. It’s dangerous.“

As he attempted to blend more modern humour with Potter’s fabled characters, Gluck did his best to bring them together in a healthy balance. Despite the franchise’s success, he’s still not entirely certain that he was able to fully accomplish his goal.

“I don’t know if we did [find the right balance],” admits Gluck. “A lot of people think we didn’t. The majority of people in the UK think we did, but there’s a lot of people who think we [didn’t]. Listen, there’s a line in the movie [where] Rose Byrne says ‘I’d be spinning in my grave if my pictures ever get turned into some puerile hip-fest.’ All those lines in that scene were taken directly verbatim from critics.”

Over the course of his career, Gluck has created a wide variety of film styles, ranging from more R-rated comedies such as Easy A and Friends with Benefits to the family-oriented, CGI-heavy Rabbit franchise. When he thinks about what types of stories he wants to tell, he believes that the best stories are more upbeat and stem from our common experiences.

“I’ve done all different types of movies [and] all different genres,” he says. “I don’t like seeing bummers of movies. I like seeing movies that have really bummer stuff in them, but ultimately are very optimistic and positive. That’s what I choose to watch. I understand the value of the other movies. I want to be on a happy, fun and a funny set. Whenever I have to do dramatic scenes… just a straight sex scene, or even an action scene. I’m bored out of my mind because it seems like math to me. I like kind of fun, upbeat, funny movies about the human condition.” 

For Gluck, the driving force behind his creative process remains his own life experiences, regardless of style.

“All the stuff I do for a living is informed by my life,” he contends. “It’s a hundred percent. So, it’s what I’m going through, what I enjoy and who I’m with. Friends with Benefits is a sex comedy because that was before you got married. Before that, [Easy A was] in high school. Then, guess what? I had kids, so now I want to do stuff for kids. It’s’s not calculated. It’s not that hard to figure out. My next movie is adult action comedy because my kids are now like, all right, we got that part. Dad give us something for us. So, my family is always so close to me and that’s what I’m inspired by.” 

As with any film, Gluck believes that the soul of the character matters most. With the latest entry into the franchise, he wanted to show Peter at a time in his life when he had to decide for himself what type of rabbit that he wants to be.

“In the first movie, in my head, Peter was 11 or 12 years old and figuring life out,” Gluck points out. “He thinks he knows better, as we all do, often wrong, never in doubt. Then, when he gets older, and in this movie he’s about 14, 15 years old, you go through different things. We wanted to kind of honor the time in your life when you are right at that crossroads and deciding who you are going to be in life, whether you’re going to be who people tell you to be, or whether you’re going to be who you really are. That really is kind of like an identity search for the soul of Peter. This is the moment in life so many people figuring out who they are, right. It’s in high school, [at the age of] 15, 16. That’s when they kind of take that path and it kind of imprints them forever. Some people change. My theory is that no one does, but some people change. So, this is kind of like the fight for Peter’s soul in this movie. Unlike other kids in life, you actually saw him dealing with it and talking about it and, ultimately, he makes the right choice, I think. This movie was kind of imprinting his soul.” 

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is now available on demand and in theatres.

To see our complete conversation with Will Gluck on YouTube, click here.

7.23 Living la Vida LUCA

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Set against the Italian Riviera, Pixar’s LUCA tells the story of a young merman as he steps into the surface world for the first time. With his friend Alberto, young Luca experiences a whole new world of adventure, pasta and endless Vespa rides. However, when the world discovers that sea monsters exist, so to does the pressure for the boys to remain hidden, out of fear for their lives. This week, ScreenFish’rs Heather Johnson and Alan Sharrer return to talk about Disney’s tendency to play it safe and the relationship between fear and knowledge.

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, Google Play or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.23 LucaDownload

Downeast: Walking the Line Between Light and Dark

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Sometimes, you simply can’t break free from the world you know.

Set off the coast of Maine, Downeast tells the story of Tommy (Greg Finley), a young lobster fisherman who lives a simple life working on his father’s boat. When he runs into his old flame Emma Maddox (Dylan Silver) sparks immediately fly once again. However, Tommy is immediately conflicted as deeply held secrets begin to re-emerge and threaten their relationship. Faced with the ire of the mob, Tommy must decide whether or not his love for Emma is worth the risk.

Written and directed by Joe Raffa (but based on an original idea by Finley), Downeast is a gritty, grounded and thoroughly entertaining film from start to finish. Backed by a well-written script and featuring some solid performances, Downeast creates a world of intrigue but never loses the soul of its characters. The North East coastal cities of the United States have garnered a certain mystique about them in recent years. In Downeast, Raffa capitalizes on this charisma and uses it to his advantage, giving the film an almost dreamlike quality at times. Lobster fisherman work hard at sea and enjoy time together at the local pub. Young romance springs up as they remember their youth at the nearby beaches.

But that innocence doesn’t last very long. 

Underneath the beautiful exterior lies a world of violence and power that runs the city. Through recent films like The Town and Black Mass, this region has begun to blend its own brand of charm and sweetness with a seedy underbelly that threatens it. Young Finley does an excellent job exemplifying this tension as lead character Tommy, a man who has the strength and size to do harm yet holds those things inside out of a desire to do the right thing.

With this in mind, this is also a world of masculine power and authority. While women are held in high esteem, it’s the men who make the decisions. However, this makes the character of Emma so much more fascinating. Having broken away from her family, she remains one of the most assertive and powerful characters in the film, despite her surroundings. As Emma, Silver brings a confidence and compassion to the role that tangibly shows her strength.

Forced to choose between the love of his life and the life that he’s known, Tommy is a man torn in two directions. On one hand, Tommy is captivated by Emma. Although they haven’t seen each other in years, Tommy has never stopped caring for her but remains conflicted due to his relationship with her brother. However, when they see each other again, he is immediately drawn to her and wants to honour her with honesty and integrity.

However, on the other hand, Tommy is also caught up in the shadows of deception that creeps throughout the town. While he wants no part of criminal activity himself, Tommy lives in a world where it shades everything he does and everyone he cares about. Every decision that he makes feels like it threatens to upset the balance of power in the neighbourhood. As a result, Tommy finds himself caught between a rock and a crime place. To follow his heart could bring pain to those he loves but to ignore his feelings would be unbearable.

In order to break free, Tommy must decide what it means to have integrity in a world that seems to have none. This is a world where doing the right thing may, in fact, be the wrong thing. (“Sometimes a man’s gotta do what he don’t wanna do,” we’re told.) But can darkness and light co-exist? In this corner of the country, the two blur together to create its own unique shade of grey, making it difficult to discern them from one another.

Portraying the region with heart and heat, Downeast is clearly a love letter to the region. Despite the apparently conflict between dark undertones and romantic environments, this is a film that understands its world and executes it well. Featuring some solid performances, Downeast bubbles with deception until it finally boils over at the end.

To hear our interview with Greg Finley, click here.

Downeast is available on VOD on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021.

The Misfits: Even with Some Movie Magic, Misfits Misfires

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Even when you have all the right pieces, some films just don’t come together.

The Misfits is one of these films.

Directed by Renny Harlin, Misfits is a globe-trotting heist movie that has enough visual style and pop to entertain but gets hindered by a muddled script. Having helmed such films as Deep Blue Sea, Cutthroat Island and Driven, Harlin has always had the ability to bring joy out of weaker material and he does his best with Misfits. (Remember: This is the man who managed to make a shark hilarious devouring Samuel L. Jackson in an underwater lab into an iconic image.) Highlighting the glamour of Abu Dhabi with the glitz and energy of other heist films, Harlin is clearly interested in engaging his audience. Unfortunately, the film’s screenplay can’t stick the landing. 

The Misfits tells the story of a team of thieves with a unique vision for their line of work. Led by Ringo (Nick Cannon), these Misfits only take on heists with the goal of stealing from the oppressors and sharing with the oppressed. When they come up against a job that requires a unique set of skills, they enlist renowned criminal Richard Pace (Pierce Brosnan) to co-ordinate their efforts. Targeting the corrupt Officer Schultz (Tim Roth), Pace, Ringo and their team work together to steal millions of gold bars hidden beneath one of the world’s most secure prisons.

Written by Kurt Wimmer, Misfits has lofty goals but seems confused as to how to reach them. Shifting tones and weak character arcs keep the film from maximizing the band of… well… misfits at the film’s disposal. Despite having some solid casting in Brosnan, Cannon, and Roth, the cast are given very little to do that matches their talents. However, having said this, Jamie Chung’s work in the film is easily the most fun to watch. As the potentially violent Violet, Chung is an absolute delight onscreen as she balances mystique with mayhem.

What is most interesting about Misfits is its attempt to somewhat re-invent the heist genre. Rather than bring down a major corporation for their own benefit, these thieves have justice on their minds. Operating like modern day Robin Hoods (although Ringo despises the comparison), this team robs from the rich and give to the poor. In other words, after each job, they refuse to take any sort of reward but always want to give money back to the people who have been taken advantage of. Though the idea of giving back after a heist isn’t new, it’s somewhat refreshing to see a team that takes nothing from their job and only wants to help others. 

With this shift in ideology, Pace struggles to comprehend this new attitude of benevolence that he’s asked to embrace. Having built a career looking out only for himself, Pace can’t believe that anyone would go to so much trouble in order to get nothing in return. Though, when his daughter convinces him to give it a try, the wily veteran sets out on something of a redemption arc. Suddenly, his old mindset of ‘me-first’ has been undercut by an interest in leveling the playing field for those in need. There’s little doubt that Brosnan has all the skills necessary to make this sort of character journey believable (and fun). But he’s simply not given enough material to work with to bring it to life.

In a lot of ways, it’s frustrating that Misfits misfires in the way that it does. While it has the seeds to create something really intriguing, the script simply undercuts the end result. As a result, The Misfits ends up as somewhat of a mixed bag. Even though the film offers some entertaining performances and moments, ultimately Misfits may be one you (and its cast) want to leave in the vault.

The Misfits is available on VOD on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

Black Widow: Good Hair is a Game Changer

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Do I even have to put a SPOILER WARNING here? Because we will be talking about Black Widow, so…yeah…potential spoilers.

I have short hair. Most days I can leave it down and it doesn’t cause any distractions or issues with my day-to-day activities. But, if I’m going to be doing things like cleaning or travelling, I’m going to somehow put it back out of my face and out of the way. The last thing I want to worry about when I’m active is my hair.

Can you imagine fighting to take down the universe’s most terrifying and powerful villains with your hair in your face? Because pretty much until Endgame and this movie, our mightiest female heroes have worn their hair down. And if you’re wondering why I care about this so much, let me explain. But first, a brief summary of where we are now that Black Widow has released.

Eleven years after her first appearance in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is finally getting her story. Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Black Widow shines the light on the shadows that have been Natasha’s elusive past. We’ve gotten some brief glimpses into her Russian training and connections and we’ve seen hints to the emotional burdens she wears. Since we can’t go back to the very beginning of her story, I wasn’t sure how we were going to see the path between who Natasha was, and who Natasha now is to us.

As she begins her time on the run after breaking the Sokovian Accords, Natasha is pulled back into a mission she long-believed was handled. She describes Budapest (an event she and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) recall during the first Avengers), as the final step to her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D., effectively finalizing the cleansing of the “red in her ledger.” But she was wrong. A mysterious package arrives at her safe house with a clue about who needs her and she has to seek out the very people she once felt betrayed by.

In the later movies, Natasha thinks of the Avengers as her only family. But we quickly learn here that she once had a sister, a mother, and a father. Even though it was artificially made as a cover for a covert Russian operation, there were a few years where Natasha had a normal life. But it was not to last.

Her “father” was actually Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) aka Red Guardian aka Russian Captain America. He and brilliant scientist and fellow Widow (and “Mom”)  Melina (Rachel Weisz) had Natasha and “sister” Yelena (Florence Pugh) under their wing until the time came for the girls to begin their training at the Red Room. Together they must work to finish the mission Natasha started all those years ago.

The target? One of the creepiest villains I’ve seen in the MCU yet, Dreykov (Ray Winstone makes him almost TOO real). Mastermind behind the Red Room – an elite training facility that transforms orphan girls into world-wide assassins that work to keep Dreykov in power over the world’s most influential leaders – Dreykov has perfected a mind-control serum with Melina’s genius that ensures his Widows will deliver on his every command. He exploits both their vulnerability and sexuality and rewrites their reality – until Yelena defects and Natasha jumps in to free the Widows from Dreykov and destroy the Red Room for good.

How does any of this lead into a conversation about hair. Well, let’s think about it. For one, Black Widow’s hair has been a topic of conversation since Johansson brought her to life on the big screen. People complained it was too short, it was too long, it was too curly, it was too straight, it went blonde, etc. Here we have someone who regularly takes out pretty scary and powerful enemies, and we are talking about if her hair is right to the character. Dude – I just always wanted to know why it was down? In Endgame, we finally see her hair up for most of the movie, maybe because in space it’s more acceptable? Or because the scene had been set for years’ worth of searching for ways to undo all that Thanos had destroyed, and suddenly it didn’t matter? For whatever reason, I was thrilled to see exceptionally powerful women go into full battle mode with their hair up in Black Widow.

The contrast between Yelena wearing her hair up from the beginning but Natasha evidently having had to take a journey for it to be acceptable to wear her hair up is hopefully a glimpse into the future treatment of female super heroes in the MCU. Yelena has the same sarcastic wit of Captain Marvel, the same desire for what was fake to be real as Wanda, and the same moral compass of Gamora’s change of heart. She is set up to take on the mantle of Natasha and she’s not here to play games. And as silly as it’s going to seem to people, seeing her with her hair up throughout the film gives me confidence that female superheroes are being equipped to fight the same battles as their male counterparts. In continuation of illustrating this point, I give you the original Avengers:

  1. Captain America. Helmet. I don’t know how effective it is but it’s there. And he’s enhanced.
  2. Iron Man. Obviously. And he’s enhanced.
  3. Thor. Yes his hair is down but he can also fly and call lightning to his very hands. And he is a god.
  4. Bruce Banner. One word: Hulk. And he’s enhanced.
  5. Hawkeye. No head covering, but he mostly fights from a distance…because you know, #bowandarrows.

Captain Marvel had a helmet and a much more protective suit but, to this day, people condemn her character – even though she has been the closest one to receiving equal treatment. And she’s enhanced. Natasha fights on the ground, hand-to-hand, and her hair is curled and flowing the whole time. Now I don’t know much about the comics, but, as an average movie-watcher, it’s always bothered me. So forgive me if such a trivial detail has had such an impact on me. Because it demonstrates strength. And it’s just one piece of how Black Widow successfully created a storyline laced with vulnerability in such a way that made the women stronger as opposed to needy. Hair down to hair up is a key element of this transformation.

For years, Dreykov (Ray Winstone and one of the creepiest villains-to-date) exploited the emotional vulnerability and the sexuality of orphaned and discarded girls and controlled them in order to maintain his power over the world’s most influential leaders. We know this because we have seen Natasha use it in previous films, whether she is using staged modelling photos to distract Tony from her identity or secretly interrogating Loki by using her past as a tool to get what she wants out of him. She was trained to do that, and so were the hundreds of Widows trained after her. The ponytail, the braids, even the earrings…all of them work together as a visual representation of the strength of these women to do what needs to be done. In Black Widow, they are being freed from the constraints of how they have been viewed and used by those around them.

And for me at least, it’s about dang time. If I’m not going to clean with my hair in my face, I sure as heck ain’t saving the world with it in my face. And now my heroes don’t have to either.

Black Widow is now available in theatres and on Disney+.

Lift Like a Girl: The Power of Lifting Up

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In a world dominated by men, it’s powerful to see young people lift like a girl.

Directed by Mayye Zayed, the new documentary Lift Like a Girl follows a female weightlifting community in Egypt. As one of the nation’s most renown trainers, Captain Ramadan spends his days training young women on the streets of Alexandria. One of his prize students is Zebiba, a 14-year-old girl with the potential to make the Olympic team. Over the course of four years, Zebiba is shaped by her relationship with the Captain as he walks with her through multiple victories and defeats.

There’s a fire within Lift Like a Girl that makes it riveting to watch. As we peer into lives of these young girls, we do not see young people with limitations of gender or social status. We see potential titleholders with an eye on the Olympics.  Without glossing over their flaws, Zayed depicts these youth as untapped potential who are often ignored. Led by Captain Ramadan, these ‘Champions of the Street’ work, lift and fight to win, regardless of the labels placed on them by a culture that may see them as lesser.

By following Zebiba over her four years of training, we not only see a young girl grow and mature. We also witness the positive effects of the Captain’s role in her life. As a result, although Zebiba may be the film’s primary subject, much of its soul belongs to Captain Ramadan. Having coached the nation’s most famous weightlifters, the Captain is relentless in his pursuit of success. Each day, he challenges his students to do better and focus on their goal. While the way he speaks to the youth isn’t always positive (especially after a loss), he always remains determined to see them succeed. To many of these girls, the Captain has become their father figure. He offers love, challenges them to do better and sees them as more than the culture.

But this is where Captain Ramadan becomes even more important.

In a male-dominant culture, the Captain also has exceptional views regarding gender equality. For the Captain, gender is no restriction from greatness. Fighting for his girls with a progressive voice, he refuses to let them view themselves as any less than their male counterparts. What’s more, he even argues with passersby who verbally cut down his students simply because of they are girls. Whereas many view gender or social status as a barrier, all that matters to the Captain is whether or not his students can achieve greatness and he empowers them to do so. 

In this way, there’s a beauty within Lift that beats with a heart of justice. For the Captain, the only barrier to winning comes from our own perceptions and he passes that wisdom on to his students, no matter who they are or where they come from. With an eye focused on their training, Zayed highlights the emotional journey that these young women take as they fight through various wins and losses. However, at the same time, it also highlights the fact that lifting someone up is ultimately even more powerful than lifting the weights themselves.

Lift Like a Girl is available in select theatres across Canada now and will be available on VOD as part of the Impact Series on July 20th, 2021.

Running Against the Wind: Two Men, Two Worlds

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Directed and co-written by Jan Phillip Weil, Running Against the Wind is simply stunning. Running tells the story of two twelve-year-old boys who grew up together in a remote village in Ethiopia. A promising young runner, Abdi (Ashenafi Nigusu) dreams of one day reaching the Olympics and representing his country. Meanwhile, Solomon (Mikias Wolde) yearns to become a photographer. When a conflict causes the boys to part ways, Solomon disappears into the city of Addis Ababa while Solomon remains home. Ten years later, as Abdi is competing for the chance to live his dream, he heads to Addis Ababa in order to further train. When he discovers that Solomon is still alive, Abdi attempts to save his old friend by using his celebrity status to elevate his life. But can Solomon truly move on from his past or will it come to haunt him?

Set in the heart of Ethiopia, Running not only tells the story of two men. It also highlights the vast gap between two worlds. From urban to rural or rich to poor, Weil holds different environments and philosophies up against one another, emphasizing the gap between them through his use of visuals. Bleached by the heat of its dry, summer colours, Running often burns onscreen in the daylight. However, the cool of the night also provides its own brand of menace as neon lights give the scenes a terrifying glow. For many, there is no respite from their daily struggles and Weil rarely allows the viewer to become comfortable with either world.

What’s more, the film also highlights the bizarre nature of fortune. Though both men desired success and possess incredible skills, their lives landed in very different situations. Whereas Abdi chose to remain home and develop his athletic abilities, Solomon’s attempt to make his own fortune as a photographer in the big city left him in abject poverty. As such, their parallel stories beg the question as to why these things happen? Why does one child find success and another suffer? Wisely, the film does not try to offer any particular solutions but allows these issues to linger. (Interestingly, Abdi does suggest that ‘God has blessed him’ but the film does so in a way that makes this feel more like a question than an answer.) 

Interestingly, while it suggests that fame and financial success may be desirable, neither does the film glorify it either. Although Abdi may live in a world of celebrity status, there’s an emptiness that plagues him along the way. His journey has given him much but he has lost a part of his soul in the process. At the same time, even though many may view him as a loser, Solomon has also maintained a better sense of his identity despite the struggles he faces on a daily basis.

In this way, Running shows the value of both men and the talents that they have to contribute to the world. Despite the fact that both Abdi and Solomon struggle to break free from their upbringing, so too do each find ways to take positive steps for their future without ignoring their past. Despite the fact that they are shamed by others for their childhood, so too do they attempt to reconcile both worlds. As a photographer, Solomon wants his work to feel ‘real’ rather than simply make press photos. For Abdi, his love for his brother gives him the heart to help, despite the warnings of his coach who worries about his divided attention. In moments such as these, Running demonstrates that, even in a world divided by a horrible caste system, both worlds matter.

This is a film that shows hope exists.

As the credits roll, there’s little doubt as to why Ethiopia would send this as their submission to this year’s Oscars. With a heart of compassion and honest, Running Against the Wind is utterly compelling from start to finish. More importantly though, it spins a narrative that both celebrates and challenges the lives of those who continue to struggle just to make it through the day.

Running Against the Wind is available on VOD on Friday, July 9th, 2021.

Black Widow: Spinning Her Own Web

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Marvel makes movies.

Of course, you could be forgiven if you’d forgotten this. With the recent push to extend the MCU into the world of streaming with buzzy series like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and (now) Loki, it might seem like they’d forgotten about their status as the Crown Jewel of the Box Office.

Even so, while this heavy emphasis recently may have been (partially) inspired by the lack of movie screens during the pandemic, Marvel refused to budge on the release of Black Widow. For Kevin Feige, the intent was always to bring people back to theatres with a bang. So, we saw release dates pushed back further and further. (So much, in fact that there are 4 films coming in the next 6 months…)

Now, with the release of Black Widow, we can finally see why.

Immediately following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow follows Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) as goes out on the run. Hunted by the US government, she takes a step into her old life with the hope of disappearing into the night. However, when Romanoff is forced to confront a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past, she must re-assemble the estranged members of her family and deal with her own broken story in the process.

Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow is absolutely something to behold. Part James Bond and part Mission: Impossible, Widow is a globe-trotting adventure that gives Widow her due. In Black Widow, Johansson steps out on her own with a film that takes itself more seriously than many other films in the MCU. Anchored by a solid script by Jac Shaeffer and Ned Benson and some marvelous action scenes, it’s easy to see that the ‘cinematic’ side of the MCU is where they believe their emphasis (read: money) lies. In Black Widow, set pieces simply feel… bigger. Avalanches crash, floating buildings fall, and motorcycles rumble through the streets of Budapest in scenes that are are absolutely eye-popping. When compared to WandaVision’s climatic magic snowball fight or Falcon’s final showdown, it’s clear that these are action sequences are designed to be experienced on the big screen.

Of course, the greatest victory in the film is that it finally gives Johansson a chance to shine without the help of her fellow men in tights. (“I’m better on my own,” she argues.) Whereas Widow’s other appearances in the MCU have either sexualized her (Iron Man 2) or forced her into various relationships with other Avengers (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Widow portrays her character every bit as heroically and confidently as her super co-workers. (In fact, several of the film’s best jokes are at the expense of her previous portrayals.) Here, Romanoff is depicted with intelligence, strength and—most importantly—individuality.

Although it has a global scale, the film itself feels very personal and, surprisingly, small in its scope. In other words, this is not a film where the fate of the world is at stake but instead focuses on Romanoff herself as she attempts to work out the traumatic events of her past. Though it has been referenced in previous films, much of her history has only been mentioned in brief segments, such as ‘Budapest’ or ‘having her surgery’. While Natasha’s rage has been the motivating factor for her character, the MCU has never taken the time to properly explore it.

With Widow though, Romanoff finally has the opportunity to face the demons of her past. By reconnecting with her ‘family’, she begins to navigate the complex nature of their relationships. By revisiting her old life, she has a chance to reconnect with the story that made her the invaluable member of the Avengers that she has become.

Then, of course, there’s the Red Room itself.

Having been moulded from childhood into a weapon by the Red Room, Romanoff has long spoken of the fact that she’s got ‘red in her ledger’. Although she has managed to walk away from the psychological torture of the Room, she still remains somewhat controlled by its abuse. Without any spoilers, there remains shadows in her mind that continue to haunt her. As a result, Black Widow is a film that is very much about reclaiming power and control. By confronting the Room, however, Romanoff has the opportunity to finally do battle with that evil influence and release herself (and potentially others) from it in the process. 

For her first (and I think it’s fair to expect more) solo adventure, Black Widow is wildly entertaining. Fueled by heart, humour and action, the film has the style and scope that you would expect from Marvel without ever losing its soul. Most importantly though, Widow finally gives Johansson the starring vehicle that she deserves and sets a standard for female-led superhero films moving forward.

Black Widow is available on in theatres and on Disney+ on Friday, July 9th, 2021.