Anatomy of Wings - 2021 Slamdance Documentary Review

The Documentary: Anatomy of Wings

The Directors: Kirsten D'Andrea Hollander and Nikiea Redmond

The Story: What is only supposed to last 10-weeks turns into a 10+ year journey for 10 Baltimore City Girls who frame how their cinematic story is shared with the world.

18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story - 2021 Slamdance Documentary Review

The Documentary: 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story

The Director: Stephen DeBro

The Story: Home of 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story, a documentary film telling the story of a city through a historic fight palace. Boxing, wrestling, roller derby, music, L.A. history and culture.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Sujata Day - Director of Definition Please

Director, actor, and 4th grade spelling bee champion Sujata Day joins the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about her new film, Definition Please. Definition Please spells out the ups and downs of a dysfunctional American Indian family in a very lighthearted yet meaningful way.

Bleeding Audio - Slamdance Documentary Review

The Documentary: Bleeding Audio

The Director: Chelsea Christer

The Story: Bleeding Audio is an intimate portrait detailing The Matches' promising career, defeating break up, and inspiring reunion as they reflect on what success truly means for musicians in today's digital industry.

End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock - Slamdance Documentary Review

The Documentary: End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock

The Director: Shannon Kring

The Story: Indigenous women unite to stop the oil pipeline that threatens their land, water, and very existence.

True Mothers / 朝が来る - Reel Love Film Fest Movie Review

The Movie: True Mothers / 朝が来る

The Director: Naomi Kawase

The Cast: Hiromi Nagasaku, Arata Iura, Aju Makita, Miyoko Asada

The Story: A woman with an adopted child is contacted unexpectedly by the child's birth mother.

A Writer's Odyssey / 刺杀小说家 - Movie Review

The Movie: A Writer's Odyssey / 刺杀小说家

The Director: Lu Yang

The Cast: Yang Mi, Tong Liya, Dong Zijian, Jiayin Lei, Hewei Yu

The Story: Six years after the abduction of his daughter, a man is hired to kill the author of a fantasy novel, but the world of the novel seems to intersect with reality.

Lorelei - Reel Love Film Fest Movie Review

The Movie: Lorelei

The Director: Sabrina Doyle

The Cast: Pablo Schreiber, Jena Malone, Gretchen Corbett 

The Story: A working-class fable about a biker, a mermaid and three shades of blue.

Judas and the Black Messiah - Movie Review

The Movie: Judas and the Black Messiah

The Director: Shaka King

The Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Lil Rel Howery, Algee Smith, Martin Sheen

The Story: The story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O'Neal.

Wrong Turn (2021) - Movie Review

The Movie: Wrong Turn

The Director: Mike P. Nelson

The Cast: Matthew Modine, Emma Dumont, Charlotte Vega, Daisy Head, Bill Sage, Valerie Jane Parker, Tim Dezarn, Adain Bradley

The Story: Friends hiking the Appalachian Trail are confronted by 'The Foundation', a community of people who have lived in the mountains for hundreds of years.

Land - Movie Review

The Movie: Land

The Director: Robin Wright

The Cast: Robin Wright, Demián Bichir, Sarah Dawn Pledge

The Story: A bereaved woman seeks out a new life, off the grid in Wyoming.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things - Movie Review

The Movie: The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

The Director: Ian Samuels

The Cast: Kathryn Newton, Kyle Allen, Jermaine Harris, Anna Mikami, Josh Hamilton, Cleo Fraser 

The Story: The film tells the story of quick-witted teen Mark, contentedly living the same day in an endless loop whose world is turned upside-down when he meets mysterious Margaret, also stuck in the time loop.

The Mauritanian - Movie Review

The Movie: The Mauritanian

The Director: Kevin Macdonald

The Cast: Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zachary Levi

The Story: A detainee at the U.S military's Guantanamo Bay detention center is held without charges for over a decade and seeks help from a defense attorney for his release.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2021 Reel Love Film Festival

The 2021 Reel Love Film Festival (Feb 10-14) is a brand new online festival experience featuring feature films, short film programs, and virtual experiences and I'm super happy to be checking it out. As always, I have selected my TwoOhSix Picks for the upcoming festival including four feature films and a virtual event. I have already watched one of the films and it just might end up being one of my favorites of the whole year.

Minari - Movie Review

The Movie: Minari

The Director: Lee Isaac Chung

The Cast: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Scott Haze, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton

The Story: A Korean family moves to Arkansas to start a farm in the 1980s.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2021 Slamdance Film Festival

The Slamdance Film Festival always features a fresh and original slate of programming making it the perfect way to kick off the new year. After digging into the roster of available films, I was very excited to once again see a true independent spirit embedded throughout making it no easy task to compile my list of the six films that stood out from the pack as this year's "TwoOhSix Picks."

Malcolm and Marie - Movie Review

The Movie: Malcolm and Marie

The Director: Sam Levinson

The Cast: Zendaya and John David Washington

The Story: A director and his girlfriend's relationship is tested after they return home from his movie premiere and await critics' responses.

Son of the South - Movie Review

The Movie: Son of the South

The Director: Barry Alexander Brown

The Cast: Lucas Till, Lex Scott Davis, Lucy Hale, Cedric the Entertainer, Julia Ormond, Brian Dennehy

The Story: A grandson of a Klansman comes of age in the deep south and eventually joins the Civil Rights Movement. Based on Bob Zellner's autobiography "The Wrong Side of Murder Creek."

Try Harder! - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Try Harder!

The Director: Debbie Lum

The Story: In a universe where cool kids are nerds, the orchestra is world class and being Asian American is the norm, seniors at Lowell High School compete for the top prize: admission to the college of their dreams.

The Little Things - Movie Review

The Movie: The Little Things

The Director: John Lee Hancock

The Cast: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, 

The Story: Two cops track down a serial killer.

Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA

The Director: Todd Thompson

The Story: Nichelle Nichols' daunting task to launch a national blitz for NASA, recruiting 8,000 of the nation's best and brightest, including the trailblazing astronauts who became the first African American, Asian and Latino men and women to fly in space.

Our Friend - Movie Review

The Movie: Our Friend

The Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

The Cast: Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, Jason Segel, Gwendoline Christie, Cherry Jones, Marielle Scott, Violet McGraw, Ahna O'Reilly, Reed Diamond, Azita Ghanizada

The Story: After receiving life-altering news, a couple finds unexpected support from their best friend, who puts his own life on hold and moves into their family home, bringing an impact much greater and more profound than anyone could have imagined.

No Man's Land - Movie Review

The Movie: No Man's Land

The Director: Conor Allyn

The Cast: Jake Allyn, Frank Grillo, Jorge A. Jimenez, Alex MacNicoll, Andie MacDowell, George Lopez

The Story: A modern Western inspired by the real-life "no man's land" areas along the Texas-Mexico border.

VFW - Movie Review

The Movie: VFW

The Director: Joe Begos

The Cast: Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Martin Kove, David Patrick Kelly, Sierra McCormick, Tom Williamson, Travis Hammer, Dora Madison, George Wendt, Fred Williamson

The Story: A group of old war veterans put their lives on the line to defend a young woman taking shelter in their local VFW post, who's running from a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of drug addled punks.

Leap / 夺冠 - Movie Review

The Movie: Leap / 夺冠

The Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan

The Cast: Gong Li, Huang Bo, Wu Gang, Peng Yuchang, Bai Lang 

The Story: After 12 years, the Chinese women's volleyball team again reached the Olympic final. The ups and downs of the Chinese women's volleyball team for more than three decades have slowly spread away.

Mosul - Movie Review

The Movie: Mosul

The Director: Matthew Michael Carnahan

The Cast: Waleed Elgadi, Hayat Kamille, Thaer Al-Shayei, Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Mohimen Mahbuba, Is'haq Elias

The Story: A police unit from Mosul fight to liberate the Iraqi city from thousands of ISIS militants.

Monster Hunter - Movie Review

The Movie: Monster Hunter

The Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

The Cast: Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, T.I., Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung, Ron Perlman, Jannik Schümann

The Story: When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers.

Definition Please - Movie Review

The Movie: Definition Please

The Director: Sujata Day

The Cast: Sujata Day, Ritesh Rajan, Jake Choi, Lalaine, Parvesh Cheena, Tim Chiou, Katrina Bowden, LeVar Burton

The Story: A former Scribbs Spelling Bee champion must reconcile with her estranged brother when he returns home to help care for their sick mother.

The Midnight Sky - Movie Review

The Movie: The Midnight Sky

The Director: George Clooney

The Cast: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Caoilinn Springall, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, Tiffany Boone, Sophie Rundle, Tim Russ

The Story: This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine, a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.

My Spy - Movie Review

The Movie: My Spy

The Director: Peter Segal

The Cast: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Kristen Schaal, Greg Bryk, Ken Jeong, Nicola Correia-Damude, Devere Rogers, Noah Dalton Danby

The Story: A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.

Pieces of A Woman - Movie Review

The Movie: Pieces of A Woman

The Director: Kornél Mundruczó

The Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn

The Story: A grieving woman embarks on an emotional journey after the loss of her baby.

The Dissident - Documentary Review

The Documentary: The Dissident

The Director: Bryan Fogel

The Story: When Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappears in Istanbul, his fiancée and dissidents around the world piece together the clues to a murder and expose a global cover up.

TwoOhSix Podcast - Interview with Alice Gu Director of The Donut King

Director Alice Gu talks about her new documentary The Donut King, an inspiring story of prosperity and ingenuity that also digs into the heart of immigration and racism in 1970's America, the perils of fleeing a country under siege, and the pitfalls of living the so called "American dream."

TwoOhSix.com Presents - Favorite Films of 2020

Hello friends and welcome to my 2020 recap post where I break down all my favorite films in various categories and now I also get to add in a selection from my podcast as well which debuted in May. 2020 has been quite the decade and it's interesting to look back and see how it all unfolded in the context of movies, being able to watch movies, studios being able to release movies, fighting through injustice, and managing a global pandemic. No big deal right? Okay, let's get to it.

Shadow in the Cloud - Movie Review

The Movie: Shadow in the Cloud

The Director: Roseanne Liang

The Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale, Taylor John Smith, Callan Mulvey, Benedict Wall, Joe Witkowski, Byron Coll 

The Story: A female WWII pilot traveling with top secret documents on a B-17 Flying Fortress encounters an evil presence on board the flight.

TwoOhSix Podcast - Interview with Shaz Bennett for Alaska is a Drag

Alaska is a Drag is now available on Netflix and Shaz Bennett's feature film debut puts her on the map as a director to keep an eye on. I was thankful to have an opportunity to speak with Shaz about the movie and about working with Ava DuVernay and Array Releasing.

Alaska is a Drag - Movie Review

The Movie: Alaska is a Drag

The Director: Shaz Bennett

The Cast: Martin L. Washington Jr., Maya Washington, Matt Dallas, Margaret Cho, Jason Scott Lee, Chris O'Shea, Kevin Daniels, Nia Peeples, Adam Tomei

The Story: Aspiring drag queen working at a fish cannery in Alaska struggles with bullying while caring for a twin sister who has cancer.

The Interview:

Another Round / Druk - Movie Review

The Movie: Another Round / Druk

The Director: Thomas Vinterberg

The Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, Lars Ranthe

The Story: Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will improve their lives by maintaining a constant level of alcohol in their blood.

The Donut King - Documentary Review

The Documentary: The Donut King

The Director: Alice Gu

The Story: This documentary tells Ted Ngoy's story that is one of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption.

The Interview:

The Dark and the Wicked - Movie Review

The Movie: The Dark and the Wicked

The Director: Bryan Bertino

The Cast: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Lynn Andrews, Tom Nowicki, Michael Zagst, Xander Berkeley

The Story: On a secluded farm in a nondescript rural town, a man is slowly dying. His family gathers to mourn, and soon a darkness grows, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that something evil is taking over the family.

Over the Moon - Movie Review

The Movie: Over the Moon

The Director: Glen Keane and John Kahrs

The Cast: Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, Sandra Oh

The Story: In this animated musical, a girl builds a rocket ship and blasts off, hoping to meet a mythical moon goddess.

One Night in Miami - Movie Review

The Movie: One Night in Miami

The Director: Regina King

The Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson, Beau Bridges, Lance Reddick

The Story: One Night in Miami is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

News of the World - Movie Review

The Movie: News of the World

The Director: Paul Greengrass

The Cast: Tom Hanks, Steve Boyles, Helena Zengel

The Story: A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.

The Croods: A New Age - Movie Review

The Movie: The Croods: A New Age

The Director: Joel Crawford

The Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke, Leslie Mann, Peter Dinklage, Kelly Marie Tran

The Story: The prehistoric family the Croods are challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved.

Promising Young Woman - Movie Review

The Movie: Promising Young Woman

The Director: Emerald Fennell

The Cast: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Laverne Cox

The Story: A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who cross her path.

Wonder Woman 1984 - Movie Review

The Movie: Wonder Woman 1984

The Director: Patty Jenkins

The Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen

The Story: Rewind to the 1980s as Wonder Woman's next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.

Soul - Movie Review

The Movie: Soul

The Director: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers

The Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, Wes Studi

The Story: A musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself.

Sylvie's Love - Movie Review

The Movie: Sylvie's Love

The Director: Eugene Ashe

The Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Aja Naomi King, Jemima Kirke, Tone Bell, Alano Miller, Erica Gimpel, Lance Reddick, Wendi McLendon Covey, Eva Longoria

The Story: A woman working at her father's record store in Harlem in the late 1950s meets an aspiring saxophone player.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - Movie Review

The Movie: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

The Director: George C. Wolfe

The Cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts

The Story: Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues".

Tenet - Movie Review

The Movie: Tenet

The Director: Christopher Nolan

The Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh

The Story: I have no idea.