A movie that just misses the mark, failing to shed new light on a well-known story or point to contemporary issues.
Movie Review
Letters to the editor, April 2023
Readers’ feedback on Ukraine, The Woman King and other topics.
The Woman King — worthy of a watch and an Oscar
A gloriously textured portrait of the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the early 1820s, scandalously shut out by the Academy.
Aftershock: the repercussions of Black maternal mortality
A film following two mourning fathers on their journey to raise their children as single parents while working to build a movement.
Rare footage spotlights 1969 Harlem music festival
“Summer of Soul” captures the Black music and political spirit of concert-goers in an era of protest against racism and the Vietnam war.
Respect: The Aretha Franklin story
As a Black woman who faced trauma from childhood on, Franklin fought back through her activism and her music.
Chinese Exclusion Act
This PBS documentary highlights the racism and the resistance.
Stirring Judas and the Black Messiah leaves more to tell
A vital film that leaves the viewer wanting to know more about the extraordinary life of revolutionary Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party.
Optimistic film proposes solutions to climate change
The Netflix movie Kiss the Ground reveals a soil-based strategy to help with global regeneration. Worth seeing!
Planet of the Humans takes on green capitalism
“Planet” boldly exposes that corporations profit from green campaigns and discusses real problems. But eco-socialist ideas are missing.