Malcolm & Marie is a black and white romantic drama starring John David Washington and Zendaya is directed by Sam Levinson, known for Assassination Nation and Euphoria, the latter of which Zendaya also stars in. Entirely written and produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the single location movie follows the titular couple coming home from the premiere of a film Malcolm directed where he failed to thank Marie for being a key part of the process in the creation of said film. This offscreen inciting incident leads to a series of events that will push the limits of their relationship.
The first thing one notices in Malcolm & Marie is it’s gorgeous black and white cinematography. The shadows and lighting of the film are stunning, and there are a handful of long takes that capture the restlessness of the characters so well as the walk around the beautiful house the entire movie is set in. If the film was judged merely on these merits, there would be little to complain about. Unfortunately, it can’t be. Continue reading Malcolm & Marie: A Tired Product of COVID Era Cinema (Review) →
In our continuous effort to combat social distancing, the FIU Film Studies program has been hosting virtual movie screenings via Netflix’s Teleparty. Make sure to join us this week at 8PM for Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, starring Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. Continue reading Wednesday Night Screenings on Netflix Teleparty →
If you thought the hubbub over Cuties was over, think again. News has just dropped that Netflix now faces a grand jury indictment in Texas for promoting lewd visual material. Is Cuties irredeemably lurid? Does it criticize precisely what its critics find offensive about it?
Cuties (French: Mignonnes) is not an easy movie to talk about. A heated discourse developed around it since Netflix announced the film’s release on its platform with a marketing campaign that sparked outrage due to the sexually suggestive behavior of the pre-adolescent characters in promotional material. The controversy has continued to grow since the movie’s release on September 9th with rumors being spread about grooming and child pornography. What is fascinating about this phenomenon is that the film’s content clearly sides with its detractors. That being said it is not immune to criticism on how it presents its critique of the sexualization of young girls. Continue reading Still Relevant: A “Cuties” Review →
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