"Under the Same Moon" Proves Cinema is an Art Form!

            Under the Same Moon eloquently tackles immigration, the dangers children that immigrate illegally face, the post traumatic stress it provides, and depicts child labor in agricultural workplace in the U.S. The dangers a child may encounter when immigrating by themselves is present, it’s easy to see how then can fall victim to child trafficking. 

While the film encompasses immigrating into the U.S. by crossing the border, it can’t help but pull the emotional strings along the way through such a humane story. With the separation of families committed by immigration agencies being such a hot topic nowadays, the film resonates more today than it did yesterday.

            The film starts off with a lead character waking up from a nightmare. She leaves her son with her mother in her homeland in search of better opportunities for them. The ten year old sets off to cross the border illegally to reunite with his mother. 

While making his way to L.A, the lead character, Carlitos, follows his friends to work, he works besides them picking fruit, and experiences the unhealthy conditions migrant workers in agricultural workplaces face. The child actor delivers an amazing portrayal. It’s staggering to believe that in a country like this, a 12-years-old can work in agriculture on a farm if a parent has given permission according to osha.gov.

            The ill feeling produced by abuse of power is made present by an employer refusing to pay her maid her last week. Kate del Castillo gave an incredible performance. One was able to view how torn she was at every moment between what she wanted, and what was best for her son in the long run.  

With the separation of families committed by ICE being more exposed nowadays, the film reflects a growing group of people’s fear. It’s absurd to see how some become a casualty in an inhumane protocol that begs revision. Even more ridiculous is to deport a young adult that was brought to this country as a toddler, sending them to a country they may be completely foreign towards- as is the case of Juan Manuel Montes. 

            Under the Same Moon will make you shed a couple of tears, and understand the struggles that some parents must face when immigrating to another country, it correlates with subject of immigration in the U.S. I definitely recommend this film, it offers an intense humane story that will make you shed a couple of tears. Every character adds something, no one is flat, and the cast is superb at every moment. Under the Same Moon proves cinema is an art form!

"Sorry to Bother You," but You Have to Watch this Movie!

            Where to begin? The amazing way it imitated the clustered feeling working in a call center gives, the commentary on cellphone manufacturing companies using child labor in the Congo, and how detached from reality some insanely rich CEOs may be. The film tells the story of a call center employee who succeeds in his job by imitating a white person’s voice. The story takes place in the near future, not so far, managing to keep it credible. “Sorry to Bother You,” exemplifies how giant corporations screw their employees over, literally. 

            The setting is very well designed. Having hundreds of people in small cubicles fill a moderate office space, they brought to life the clustered feeling working in a call center gives. This film demonstrates how even the most soul-sucking job becomes bearable because of certain coworkers. 

            “Sorry to Bother You” uses the characters it contains to comment on hot issues. The commentary that stood out the most was that of cellphone manufacturing companies using child labor in Africa to obtain essential elements. Keeping recent reports of children mining cobalt for batteries in the Congo, the message this film sends hits deeper.  

            The time this film takes place in enables certain elements of the movie to be absurd, giving way to comedic relief. Some characters may appear odd and actions implausible, but with it taking place in the future, anything is possible.  This amazing comedy is so well constructed, it takes the comment it wants to make, and portrays it in an enjoyable form that truly resonates. 

This dark comedy portrays insanely rich CEOs as so detached from reality, that they treat their employees as guinea pigs. Lakeith Stanfield did a great job in leading this story forward, and Tessa Thompson provided a nice yin-and-yang effect, giving way to great chemistry on screen!

            Check the movie out when you can, and give it time to simmer, it took me a good twenty-four hours to realize I actually liked it. So again, sorry to bother you, but please watch this movie!  

"Catfish" Brings to Life the Fears We Quiet When Meeting Someone Online

            “I was so gullible. I’m so embarrassed.” Catfish is a genuine documentary where a guy falls for a girl online, but as the film progresses, the web of lies surrounding these Facebook profiles unravel. While following one heartwarming story, we come across another’s attempt in escaping from reality, but like any risks, there’s bound to be some casualties. This movie portrays raw human emotions, depicts the struggle in dating in today’s modern times, and the basic human longing to connect with another human being. Catfish proves that real life surpasses fiction at any given time.

            A scene in particular shows Nev, a New York based photographer, talking to a girl he’s never met before in person on the phone, giggling and blushing. 

            Nev thinks he’s found the girl of his dreams, starts to envisions a future with her, but as he goes after her, he uncovers one lie after another. The movie touches a relevant subject, online dating. This documentary shows real people testifying about a true first-world-nightmare, showing up to a date you made online, and realizing he/she sent a REALLY old picture. 

            Nev mentions at the beginning of the documentary that he doesn’t believe in long distance relationships. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and he is definitely not going to get hurt, he says. Yet, he pursues a conversation with a girl who laughs at his awkward jokes, somebody that not only gives him butterflies, but he gives butterflies to as well. We want her to be real, we want him to be happy, but life is a sick screenwriter. 

           This project deserves respect for coming into fruition. This contemporary classic includes honest human reactions captured in modern digital filmmaking. Taking a step back and seeing it as a filmmaker, you realize how much work went into this. Catfish was shot by two filmmakers documenting an ordinary guy forming an online friendship with an eight year old artist, yet the story grows into much more, and they knew how to capture it perfectly on a budget. At first the story may seem dull, but the scenery, style of shooting, and editing pull you in. The time invested into this project is evident. Catfish is so well edited that it guides your feelings, subtly and successfully.  Like documentaries, or a good thriller? Check “Catfish” out! Please don’t condemn it because it’s now a show on MTV. 

Check it out and lemme’ know what you think at the comment section below!

"The Big Sick" tackles Prejudgments and Arranged Marriages set in our Modern Tinder Era

            “The Big Sick” not only delivers good laughs, but a look into the Pakistani culture surrounding arranged marriages, and a compelling modern love story. The film features an aspiring comedian falling for a girl, and as the two grow closer, an opportunity to impress a big talent scout arises, but couldn’t come at a worst time, as his girlfriend is placed in a medically induced coma. The entire cast does an incredible job at pulling the comedic strings in this musical instrument of a film. The story places likable characters in a difficult situation, enabling the humor to come in as a surprise, making the film much more enjoyable. The Big Sick takes it a step further by portraying a Pakistani-White American relationship.

The love story told in this film explores racial verbal attacks, prejudice behavior, and a clash between two different cultures.

            As the aspiring comedian, Kumail, chooses to stay by Emily’s side, her parents deter him from doing so. Emily’s father creates a memorable moment when he presents Kumail with a conversation on 9-11, which Kumail handles very eloquently. 

Emily’s parents soon get to see another side of Kumail when seeing him perform on stage, and their prejudices are soon belittled by real ignorance being outpoured in a malice intension. The film also succeeds in re-enforcing some pretty well known information like, “all racist frat boys have small shriveled up penises.”

            The love interest that grows between Kumail and Emily captivates as both try to not grow attached to one another. As both our lead characters find comfort in each other, Kumail has a hard time stopping his mother from finding him a Pakistani wife. Our lead character seems torn by two cultures, the one he’s been brought up in, and the one he meets outside of home. 

He even comes to question why his parents would immigrate to a country if they didn’t expect their children to simulate to the culture surrounding them. The film offers a comedic look into the culture cultivating arranged marriages, which happens to create another barrier for our leading character.

            The Big Sick provides an interesting modern love tale set in our tinder-era. Kumail and Emily are the type of couple one roots for until the end of the film. Humor leaps out even in the most ordinary scenes, like Kumail and his brother having a conversation in public. As their conversation grows heated, a concerned white family turns to them, Kumail can’t help but to notify them that they hate terrorist, too. Overall, the film gives us an example of how when one forms a strong attachment to someone, not even belonging to different worlds can stand as an obstacle. The Big Sick is a must watch! In the mood for a comedy, or a good love story? You found it!

"Wind River" Succeeds in Portraying Injustices Inflicted on Native American Women, Yet Indulges in the White Savior Complex

            “Wind River” stands as a strong well-rounded story with metaphors, embodies injustices inflicted on Native American women in the U.S, but also indulges in the “white savior” complex. This powerful narrative uses symbolism, such as the upside-down flag in the intro, commenting on the urgent help the Indian reservation needed. The film turns terrifying statistics on the disappearance of Native American women into a scary reality. While standing as a strong story, it can’t help but to indulge in the “white savior complex,” where a white character rescues people of color from their plight. “Wind River” delivers a vital message on the lack of statistics on Native American women going missing, while also providing a memorable murder mystery.

            According to the United States flag code, the flag should only be displayed with the union down when signaling dire distress […]. With that fun fact kept in mind, the opening shot of the upside-down flag being hit by the strong cold wind, forms a deeper impact.  “Wind River” follows a wildlife officer and an FBI agent solving the mystery behind the death of a young woman in an American Indian reservation. Within the story following the murder mystery, the wildlife officer is on a mission to kill a group of lions killing livestock. The job task the officer faces is parallel to the truth behind the death of the 18-year-old Native American woman, where another pack of lions is responsible.

            While the movie delivers a compelling story, it also manages to inform it’s audience of the morbid statistics surrounding Native American women. Without giving too much away, the film shares a quote at the end; “While missing person statistics are compiled for every other demographic, none exist for Native American women.” According to the New York Time’s article, “Higher Crimes, Fewer Charges on Indian Land,” tribal members have sued the government for declining prosecutions. Director Taylor Sheridan shared research done before shooting the film with Newsweek, like how it wasn’t until 2013, that “sexual assault of a Native woman by a non-Native couldn’t be prosecuted because it was a state crime on federal land…[.]” The lawsuit was an example of how the United States attorney’s office has a tendency of declining cases where the victims are Native American.

            While Native American actors played the criminal, meth-head, and victim, it would’ve been interesting to have another Native American actor as the good guy of the film. The lead character helps solve the case behind the death of a young woman, and also can’t help but to learn something about himself in the process. It makes sense why the FBI agent brought in to help would be of another race, since she’s an outsider. Yet, the lead male role was brought in because of his knowledge of the area, so it would be understandable if he were Native American, but was not. The film sadly fell into the white savior genre.  

            “Wind River” is an intriguing murder mystery set in a natural beautiful environment. Symbolism and metaphors adorning this film give way to a satisfying aftertaste. Director Taylor Sheridan succeeds in portraying the injustice inflicted against Native American women in the U.S. Even though the film partakes in the long cinematic tradition of the white savior complex, it still succeeds in many forms. The acting, scenery, and purposeful shots, are delivered eloquently in this motion picture. 

Check out the trailer and give the movie a shot, you won't regret it!