Trauma

The invisible albatross

the gloating shade

it's hand upon the tiller

never firm, never vague

'Metal Lords' A Review

Metal Lords is a teen dramedy about Kevin(Jaeden Martell) an outcast who gets into drumming and metal music because of his more confident but more volatile fellow outcast friend Hunter(Adrian Greensmith). The music, both playing it and what it means, starts to click with Kevin after he meets and develops a relationship with fellow classmate and musician Emily(Isis Hainsworth).

Martell gives a remarkably grounded and open performance, much more assured and open then his(good but not great) turns in It and Knives Out. Hainsworth is, quite stunningly, equally assured if not more so, giving her character not only charm and authenticity but a commitment and dimension to the characters mental health diagnosis belies her age. Greensmith is the newcomer of the three as far as acting but, seemingly, the only real musician is good but his angst doesn't transcend much beyond the superficial. They all have great chemistry, an easy familiarity yet ingrained self consciousness that is very real for that age, Martell and Hainsworth are particularly magnetic together. The supporting cast has two good turns by Joe Manganiello and Sufe Bradshaw and the rest are all decent across the board but the scope is relatively small and as a result, outside the core trio, none have much dimension.

The movie clearly is much inspired by School Of Rock take out the mentor, bump the kids up to high school, subtract a couple band members, and you have Metal Lords. But what School Of Rock has that Metal Lords lacks is a bit of exuberance and a bit of heart. The movie has some really lovely scenes, conveys some truths about growing up and relationships and what that looks like now. But it holds back, takes a couple short cuts, and as a result is somewhat lessor than the sum of its parts. 

Fun, engaging, with two terrific leads and one good one, but like much of Netflix's middle-of-the-road cinema offerings somewhat lean.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

'Our Father' A Review

 Our Father is a documentary about "fertility doctor" Donald Cline and his serial, clandestine and unconsented to use of his own sperm in "fertility treatments" in the 70's and 80's resulting in multiple half siblings who discover each other as a result of the rise of at home genetic testing. The narrative unfolds through mostly talking head interviews with some reenactments and footage from the present.

It is fascinating subject matter and to hear the stories of the many half-siblings and their families is very impactful. But, whether because of legality or creative choice, Cline's motive is unclear and is only passingly speculated about. And because most of the half-siblings seem to all, mostly, be in a state of still-processing, they relate what there lives were like before and then when they found out, they talk very little about what it means to them now, the effect. And without this perspective the movie feels relatively incomplete.

It's a cautionary tale and a powerful one if, ultimately, somewhat thin in the conclusions it's able to draw and in the solace it's able to impart.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

An Abortion Story

I used my college graduation money
for a plane ticket

to be present

for the abortion

I couldn't afford the operation

or the rental car required 

to cross state lines

to the nearest clinic

but I was there

and as callously

as I behaved

as obtuse and immature

21 year old manchild and

newly minted drunk that I was

I can say at least

I was there.

Evening's Gloam

In the gloam
which is to say
what light there is
in dark
the weight
the lull, the shush

it winkles, it burrs

the sultry night

there I wait

in the shadowed shine

'Petite Maman' A Review

Petite Maman is fantasy/drama about a girl Nelly(Joséphine Sanz) who, while helping her parents clean out her grandmother's house after her death, travels back in time and befriends her mother when she was a little girl. 

The two leads, twins Joséphine and Gabrielle Sanz are wonderfully understated, emotionally present, and authentic. There is none of the child actor pretention or posturing with either of them and they are both startlingly assured with the interpersonal intricacies within the simple narrative. The few adult actors are equally grounded and real but the focus is, almost exclusively, on the two girls.

Simply shot, basically all on one property, the film has a gentle, soulful momentum and clocks in under 80 minutes. It's impressive and thematically generous(loneliness, grief, motherhood, childhood etc.) but so narratively unembellished further description would lessen the impact. 

Emotionally rich yet tender. Potent but breezy.

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

See It.

'Senior Year' A Review

Senior Year is a comedy, not quite a romcom, about a 90's teen who falls into a coma after a cheerleading injury only to awaken 20 years later and attempt to reinsert herself into high school life and complete her goal of becoming prom queen.

Rebel Wilson plays the lead Stephanie and brings her always reliable magnetism and physical comedy to the role and its nice to see her in the lead, her second after Isn't It Romantic, her characterization allows for a lot of comedy but doesn't belittle the stunted 17 year old she's portraying, similar to Vince Vaughn's recent turn in Freaky, it's a complicated piece of performance and she may not get that much credit for it given the movie is a broad comedy. Unfortunately the younger supporting cast, Stephanie's classmates, aren't given much screentime or development but the older supporting cast- Sam Richardson as Stephanie's friend Seth, Mary Holland as Stephanie's friend Martha, Chris Parnell as Stephanie's dad- all give really nice turns, comedic but with heart.

There's some wonderful late 90's costuming going on but other than that the production design is functional if not particularly inspired. The camera work equally serviceable if not in anyway artful. The idea is a solid one and Wilson holds the story together admirably with her charm and ability. It may tie up too neatly, too quickly, at the end, back loading all the pathos that might have been better served dolled out throughout but still its a fun, breezy, piece of entertainment.

An unabashed comedy with a terrific lead falls a short in its character arcs but delivers on laughs.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Rent It.