James' World 2

Red Dot is a Swedish drama as well as a thriller written by Alain Darborg and Per Dickson and directed by Alain Darborg. The film follows a couple who takes a trip to see the Northern lights while trying to rekindle their relationship. In the trailer, the red dots that were pointed on the couple’s chest and the drama surrounding them intrigued me to watch this movie. I never saw what was coming. Well done, although I did not like the way Darborg and Dickson choose to end the film.

Red Dot opens in the university cafeteria just after David’s (Anastasios Soulis) graduation ceremony. He tries to surprise his girlfriend Nadja (Nanna Blondell), by publicly proposing to her, which she happily accepts. A year and a half later, however, they are stressed due to work and school and fight frequently in their Stockholm apartment. The stress is compounded when…

The Queen’s Gambit is a coming-of-age period drama miniseries based on Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel of the same name. The title refers to “Queen’s Gambit”, which is a popular chess opening. It was written and directed by Scott Frank, who created it with Allan Scott. Beginning in the mid-1950s and proceeding into the 1960s, the story follows the life and development of an orphaned chess prodigy on her rise to the top of the chess world while struggling with drugs and alcohol dependency. I absolutely loved this series.

The Queen’s Gambit begins in Lexington, Kentucky, with nine-year-old Elizabeth Harmon (Isla Johnston) riding in the back seat of her mother Alice Harmon’s (Chloe Pirrie) car.  Alice instructs Beth to “close your eyes” as she collides into an on-coming truck, which left Alice dead and Beth homeless. Beth had no visible signs of injury from the crash and was admitted to Methuen…

Coming 2 America is a comedy that serves as a sequel to the original 1988 film. The movie is directed by Craig Brewer and created from a screenplay by Kenya Barris, Barry W. Blaustein, and David Sheffield. The story, by Blaustein, Sheffield, and Justin Kanew, is based on characters created by Eddie Murphy. It is the second installment in the Coming to America film series. I thought Coming 2 America was going to be funny, I was right, it was hilarious.

On the 30th anniversary of his wedding with Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) of Zamunda is summoned before his dying father, King Jaffe Joffer (James L. Jones). King Jaffe and his shaman Baba (Arsenio Hall) reveal to a dumfounded Akeem that he begot a son during his first visit to Queens, New York after Semmi (Arsenio Hall) had enticed two women into spending the…

American Skin is a drama written and directed by Nate Parker, who also stars in the film. The story tells of a Marine veteran who takes matters into his own hands after his son is killed by a police officer.  This film was released in September of 2019 yet I had not heard of it — talk about existing under the radar! Having said all that, American Skin was referred to me by a family member.  I believe it is the most powerful film with the most powerful message I’ve seen and heard in a decade.

Lincoln Jefferson (Nate Parker), a U.S. Marine veteran who works as a janitor at a prestigious and mostly white junior high school, is in the process of strengthening his relationship with his 14-year-old son Kajani Jefferson (Tony Espinosa) after he and his wife Tayana Jefferson (Milauna Jackson) divorced. One night, after picking his…

The United States vs. Billie Holiday is based on the book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari, and is directed by Lee Daniels. The United States vs. Billie Holiday was initially set to be theatrically released by Paramount Pictures, but was sold to Hulu in December 2020, and digitally released in the United States on February 26, 2021. I didn’t think this new and very different version of the Billie Holiday story could surpass “Lady Sings the Blues” but it truly and brilliantly held its own. The United States vs. Billie Holiday was very sad but still a pleasure to watch.

During the 1940s, jazz singer, Billie Holiday (Andra Day) was targeted by the US government in an effort to racialize the war on drugs.  Ultimately their aim was to stop Billie from singing her controversial song called “Strange Fruit”…

I Care a Lot is a 2020 dark comedy thriller written and directed by J Blakeson. The film follows a court-appointed guardian who seizes all of the assets of elderly people when she claims they can no longer take care of themselves. This film will influence the most vicious venom you can muster to severely punish this fake guardian.  Need I say more?

Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is quite the scammer who operates in the state of Massachusetts, making a living by convincing the courts to grant her guardianship over the elderly. Marla pretends her victim cannot take care of themselves. With the approval of Judge Lomax (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) of family court, she places the victim in an assisted living facility. The elderly person’s cell phone is retrieved, then he or she is sedated until all contact with the outside world is lost. She then sells off their…

WandaVision is a television miniseries created by Jac Schaeffer for the streaming service Disney+. WandaVision is produced by Marvel Studios, with Schaeffer serving as head writer and Matt Shakman directing.  The film is based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it shares continuity with the films of the franchise and takes place after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019). The series pays homage to past sitcoms, with Wanda and Vision living in a reality that takes them through different decades of television tropes.  I think WandaVision is brilliant.

Set three weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision opens in the 1950s with Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), still in her wedding dress, being carried over the threshold of their new home by Vision (Paul Bettany), still in his wedding…

Judas and the Black Messiah is a biographical drama that focuses on the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, “BPP”.  The film is directed and produced by Shaka King, who wrote the screenplay with Will Berson. Along with Keith and Kenny Lucas, the four based the story on how the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the BPP was deceieved by an undercover member. I was curious about who the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the BPP was, so I watched the movie — I thought the film was well done.

In the late 1960s, 17-year-old petty criminal William “Bill” O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), is arrested in Chicago after attempting to hijack a car while posing as a federal officer. Later, Bill is approached by FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Robert Longstreet), who offers to have O’Neal’s charges dropped if he actually works as an undercover FBI agent for…

Malcolm & Marie is a romantic drama written, produced, and directed by Sam Levinson. Kid Cudi also serves as an executive producer on the film. Malcolm & Marie explores a writer-director and his girlfriend, whose relationship is tested on the night of his latest movie premiere. Filmed in Black and White, I wasn’t sure Malcolm & Marie would interest me but low and behold, it was fabulous!

Film writer-director Malcolm Elliott (John David Washington) returns home from his movie premiere with his girlfriend Marie Jones (Zendaya). Malcolm eagerly anticipates the critical reviews of his film following the emotional audience response from the premiere screening. When he notices Marie looking displeased, he urges her to tell him what is bothering her. Initially reluctant to start a fight in the middle of the night, she tells him that she is upset that she wasn’t thanked or acknowledged in his speech…

Palmer is a drama directed by Fisher Stevens and written by Cheryl Guerriero. The film focuses on a former college football star who is now an ex-convict. I was unsure of the plot but found Palmer to be heartfelt and well written.

Eddie Palmer (Justin Timberlake) is a former high school football star who just got out of prison after 12 years. He lives with his grandmother Vivian (June Squibb), who on occasion takes care of a fervent young boy named Sam (Ryder Allen). As a child, Sam has profound issues with gender and appearance.  There are times when Palmer has to step in on Sam’s behalf to handle the bullies.

Palmer eventually begins working at the local school as a janitor, and after Vivian passes away, is forced to become Sam’s temporary guardian because Sam’s mother Shelly (Juno Temple) constantly disappears from his life for weeks and even…