Lesson 126: Blindspotting – Worth the Re-View

Aug 15, 2018 | Chad Riley, Eddie Villanueva, Movies, Podcasts, Spencer Williams, The Filmlosophers

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, take a fresh tour of Oakland, California, with this week’s review of Blindspotting (2018). Filmed in 2017 in the rapidly-gentrifying neighborhoods of West Oakland, Blindspotting stars Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal as lifelong friends who wrestle with personal challenges and societal ills as they try to come to grips with the changes that are transforming their home turf. Bursting with angst at a variety of levels, the film manages to blend timeless themes and traditional pacing with contemporary spurts of spoken word verse, rap and vivid cinematography.

Directed by Carlos López Estrada, the film delivers a series of emotional moments by synthesizing “ripped from the headlines” elements of racially motivated police brutality with a beautifully balanced, almost Shakespearean plot progression. The film also stars Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Ethan Embry.

Lesson 257: Raya and the Last Dragon (Review)

The Filmlosophers explore the world of Kumandra as they discuss the latest from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Raya and the Last Dragon. The Fantastical Few weigh the film for its ability to show proper Asian representation against the amount it costs to watch it....

Lesson 256: The Vigil – Meshuga Memories (Review)

The Filmlosophers find spookity vibes early in the year as they discuss IFC Film’s latest serving of independent goodness in Keith Thomas’s The Vigil. The Schmoozey Schlemiels discuss the unique perspective Thomas’s directorial debut shares. Does The Vigil give enough...

Lesson 255: Judas and the Black Messiah (Spoilers)

The Filmlosophers revisit our vicious history in the 2021 Warner Bros Pictures and HBO original film, Judas and the Black Messiah. The Vigilant Vigilantes explore the dark corners of our nation to uncover the truth surrounding Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. Do...