Movie Reviews and Other Writings

Luce is a film about a high school student who was adopted from war torn Eritrea at age 10. His parents have raised him to be the best that he can be, but an essay he submits fills one of his teachers with suspicions that he may become violent. The incident sparks arguments and fights, which spiral out of control. The film stars Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, and Tim Roth. It is co-written and directed by Julius Onah. There are deep layers to this film. L

The Farewell is about a Chinese-American woman who travels with her family to see her grandmother in China. They are staging a wedding to get the family together one last time because grandmother is dying of cancer and doesn't know it. The film stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, and Shuzhen Zhao. It is written and directed by Lulu Wang. There's an intriguing notion within The Farewell. The notion that knowing of cancer is what kills a person. The fear and the stress compound