Nomad land (2020)

 

 Nomad land is a beautiful film. It’s simple, but admittedly the book hit me more with the realities and difficulties many faced after the recession of 2008.

The film chooses to focus on loss and the bereavement that comes with it. Some losses are greater than others, but the smaller losses don’t hurt any less. 

Frances McDormand stars as Fern. Fern was a resident of Empire, Nevada until the entire city shut down. Her husband passed away before it shut down, so with seemingly no other option, she converts a van into her new living space. In it she travels all over the country, he temporary living situations determined by the seasonal jobs available.

A staple of Chloe Zhao is hiring people not trained as actors and with the exception of Frances McDormand and a few others, she does the same here. We meet some of the same nomads introduced in the book written by Jessica Bruder. These nomads give us a peek into the life of a nomad. These people have a tight knit community with each other, but they say goodbye to each other often depending on the jobs they take. 

Zhao takes her time with each frame in the film. Each moment is savored and nothing is rushed. We are able to take in everything from the emotions being portrayed to the landscapes in the background.

Frances McDormand is fantastic as usual. She’s vulnerable, but able to put up her shield at a moment’s notice. 

This film isn’t for everyone. There’s no action. There’s nothing exciting happening in the frame. It’s life. From the mundane to the simple pleasures that bring us joy, it’s meant to reflect real people. We’re meant to see ourselves even if we can’t directly relate to the characters’ experience. 

The Good Lie (2014)

 

“The Good Lie” is inspired by the true story of the Lost Boys of South Sudan. When a civil war breaks out in Sudan, a group of refugee children start their difficult journey to Kenya as they seek refuge at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. It is an engaging and harrowing journey as we see these children face loss and many trials before reaching their destination.

After they reach the camp, the film fast forwards thirteen years when this now grown group of refugees are accepted as asylum seekers in the United States. This is when the story starts to get stereotypical as they navigate all the modern wonders the United States has to offer. The first half is definitely stronger than the last half, but all the actors provide wonderful performances.

Pass Over at the August Wilson Theatre

 On Saturday, I had the honor of watching Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s play “Pass Over” currently playing on Broadway at the August Wilson theatre. The play has clear influences of theater of the absurd and I found it an effective way to send a message.

The set is quite sparse. It involves a street lamp, a trash can and other various items, but a surprise is revealed at the end making it a stunning finish.

The play consists of three characters. Our protagonists Moses (Jon Michael Hill) and Kitch (Namir Smallwood) live on this street corner and they find ways to pass the time. Their lives are unexpectedly thrown for a loop when a stranger (Gabriel Ebert) stumbles into the street corner. At first it seems that everything will be okay, but happy moods turn sour quickly.

All three actors are outstanding. They all handle the absurdity with ease making it look natural. 

The play is directed by Danya Taymor. She finds a way to heighten each of the moods to the extreme so that a clear shift is apparent any time it changes. 

The lighting is subtle. You really have to look in order to notice that the street light has changed color. Lighting and sound come together most effectively to create a tense mood whenever Moses and Kitch sense danger.

If you have a chance to see this production, I say take it! It was a wonderful show to mark my personal return to Broadway in more than a year. The show is timely, but filled with fun, quirky moments.

The show is currently in previews and will only run until October 10. 

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

 

This was actually a disappointing sequel. Gal Gadot reprises her role as the titular character. She continues to do a good job with it, but the film itself was a let down. Kristen Wiig plays one of the villains Cheetah, and her motivation to turn evil seemed to come out of nowhere especially since the “loss of her humanity” compared to some of the other things doesn’t seem as high stakes. Pedro Pascal plays our other villain Maxwell Lord and while he’s fun to watch, the character itself is someone motivated by power and greed which Is not unique in any way. Chris Pine reprises his role as Steve Trevor and the plot line involving him is awkward at best. The movie passed the time, but overall was okay. The main message it was trying to send out could have been executed better.