Because I' m gonna watch Nickel Boys this week and this popped up in Criterion Channel, I wanted to discover what RaMell Ross did before he directed his feature. And wow was I surprised.

It's a type of documentary that you shouldn't think too much when watching. The film doesn't tell you how you should feel. Ross allows the subjects, the location, and the events to tell the story in an unbiased perspective.

Time plays an important role in this film. There are scenes that last that for so long, helping the viewer to understand the significances and showing how important these are to the two main characters, whether it's a father watching his hyperactive baby running around the house or a basketball player in a locker room with his friends.

However, some of the unfortune events captured were heartbreaking. The unexpectedness of these situations brings the viewers back to reality. We, as humans, no matter what good comes to our lives, whether trying to start a family, or pursue our careers, their will be setbacks that are too hard to ignore and have become a part of our existence from there on.

You feel this lingering sense of sadness because of the county's long and brutal history with racism and oppression. Yet this community, and the two main characters, continues to thrive and live beyond the scope that it once was seen as. There are moments in live where we want to cry out, be around friends, take your wife out to pick up fast food, visit family, and follow what you want to do.

This is a beautiful documentary that had me so choked up by the end. Highly recommend this film and I'm excited to see Nickel Boys!