The Elisa Lam case was mysterious, perplexing, and one that received a lot of attention. I'm sure I saw the news reports of her disappearance in 2013, but she resurfaced through paranormal Youtube videos I'm prone to watching late at night. Many accounts speculated that the young woman popping in and out of an elevator... Continue Reading →
In Plain Sight: Indigenous Representation
I'm furious about an editorial piece in a Toronto newspaper with an inflammatory headline asking why racism against Indigenous people isn't getting more attention. The editors cite that there has been more reporting on anti-Black racism, and that's the most divisive thing I've heard during the uprising. I'm not adding a link to this... Continue Reading →
In Plain Sight: Octavia E. Butler and Black Futures
Octavia E. Butler’s birthday was on June 22, 1947. She is the mother of black futures and would have been 73 years old this year. Her worlds explored Black people and situations where race, sexuality, and hierarchy determined the fates of her characters. She never sugar-coated scenarios, often bringing the worst of human nature to... Continue Reading →
Reclamation and Resistance in The Last Black Man in San Francisco
There are a lot of pretty movies and series about San Francisco, like the recent hit Always Be My Maybe, and Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City; but there is also a growing concern about the sterilization of neighborhoods once thought to be multicultural, unique and a site of generational preservation. Childhood friends Joe Talbot... Continue Reading →
Jordan Peele’s Us and The Impostor Within
This past weekend, Jordan Peele’s second feature film Us opened to record numbers at the box office, once again proving our confidence in his talent as well as the need for more horror. His latest contribution takes another look at (North) American culture, but this time it’s a deep dive into who we see in... Continue Reading →
mother! and the Art of Sacrifice
Yet another festival film has divided the masses in the way of Darren Aronofsky's latest film Mother! Making its rounds in Europe and playing TIFF 2017 in Toronto; and much like previous TIFF premiere The Witch from over a year ago, critics and viewers either love or hate this allegorical masterpiece that confounds the horror genre and elevates the artistic experience. A married couple... Continue Reading →
The Women of Hounds of Love (Spoilers Ahead)
In Hounds of Love, Ben Young’s first feature-length film, a murderous couple in the city of Perth, Australia, stalks teenage girls to fulfil their sexual fantasies. The acts are orchestrated by John (Stephen Curry), a sexual predator who is cold, mean and conniving. His character is riveting because Young gives you just enough to wonder... Continue Reading →