Spike Lee has always been a provocateur, has always understood the historically proven power of art to shape and change minds. Here, with the film Bamboozled, his first in the 21st century, he formulates what ends up being a question concerned with what power rebellious culture has in the confines of an oppressive system that always wears the mask of its victims’ salvation.
The very foundation of black culture is rebellion. As most were cut off from their roots, the…
Tenet is the current pinnacle of Christopher Nolan’s career-long interest in manipulating the form of filmmaking to tell a story. Since the days of Following and Memento, he has always used his tools outside the narrative to reform what is happening inside. It could be argued that Dunkirk saw him kick into a new gear of experimental storytelling, with its notably minimal dialogue and personalization of its characters. This drew criticism from some for its perceived lack of emotional weight,…
Real Life is an under-recognized film in popular conversations regarding those that accurately predicted the coming hold that media culture would have over our lives. Typically, films like The Truman Show are brought up for its notable depictions of, for example, the commercialization of mundane life, the willing offering of oneself to a false reality, and the removal of privacy. However, Real Life takes a step further in its denial of an identifiable border between reality and artificiality and, thus,…
“We hold these truths to be self evident that black history is gonna be erased.” - Denise Oliver-Velez
In the mundane hour of a wholly plotted sea of history, you discover a tale disturbing familiar waters you never dreamed would bear the name “uncharted.” This new tide the tale has set could thrash enlightening waves on every shore in sight, but only if you take on the responsibility and direct the current. This is what happened to Questlove not five…
