Pig

A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.

I wasn't expecting much from this movie, besides another incredible performance from Nicolas Cage. However, Pig flirts with becoming a critique/satire of the pretensions driving modern restaurant culture. Cage plays Rob, a man with lethargic walking, graying hair, and beard, and styled homeless clothes that suggest he has entirely surrendered to hopelessness and melancholy. But when Rob speaks, he does so with a delicacy that contrasts sharply with his rough persona. And then it is revealed that he was once a very well-known chef.

Pig seems to be a revenge film about the futility of vengeance. But it is more about healing the burdens of the soul. It is intense, and Nic Cage delivers - he absolutely carries this film. He hasn't played a character like this in a long time.

Is the film’s premise slightly ridiculous? Certainly, and possibly no one could bring such a bizarre idea to life like Nicolas Cage.

Zola

Zola is based on a viral Twitter thread, posted by the real “Zola” (a.k.a. Aziah Wells) back in 2015. The epic 148 tweetstorm caught the attention of many people and now it was turned into a film.

Directed with wicked humor and incisive precision by Janicza Bravo (who also wrote the script) Zola mostly follows the narrative of its source material. But, it also has some additional investigation of darker themes in the film adaptation. Bravo Created an experience that is genuine to the era of social media in every way; I mean, nothing defines Twitter as much as immediate friendship laced with mistrust.

The movie depicts the tumultuous story of two exotic dancers, Zola and Stefani, who embark on a club tour to Florida to make some extra cash. But they wind up getting caught up and wrangled into prostitution and unpleasant shenanigans involving dangerous thugs, an insane boyfriend, and ruthless pimps.

Overall, Zola is a chaotic flick with quirky, and interesting characters. A weird film that will make you feel intentionally uncomfortable. Fans of the Twitter thread may be stunned by this interpretation of Zola's narrative, but they will most likely find something fresh to like in the movie. I can say that I found myself really hooked on the hectic journey and totally enjoyed it.

All the streets are silent: the convergence of hip hop and skateboarding (1987-1997)

All the streets are silent, a documentary by Jeremy Elkin, is a depiction of a time, showcasing the pivotal moment when hip-hop and skateboarding culture collided in New York City in the late 1980s and early ’90s. It features new interviews with significant players such as Fab 5 Freddy and pulls on archival footage of influential personalities such as Justin Pierce and Harold Hunter, among many others.

There was so much packed into this. The early performance clips from Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z alone would be enough to like the film. But an endless amount of fascinating old footage paired with an amazing soundtrack makes this documentary a must-see for fans of hip hop and skateboarding. Others may feel differently, however, the filmmakers have created a film that is also fun to watch for those unfamiliar with these worlds.

I really like how All the streets are silent sustain an infectious feeling of passion and excitement for the subject matter. Even with some heartbreaking details in the final seconds, there's a decent degree of specificity here that gives a compelling dive into the culture. Hip hop and skateboarding fans will find much to like. And the film is definitely worth seeing.

Roadrunner: a film about Anthony Bourdain

Roadrunner: a film about Anthony Bourdain, directed by Morgan Neville, digs and nudges through hours of archival video and new interviews with the late chef's friends and family. And it tries to piece together some type of reason for his subject's demise, which stunned the world in June of 2018.

Anthony Bourdain began his climb to fame in 1999, after securing a deal to publish a book, Kitchen Confidential, about his experiences in the restaurant industry which became a New York Times bestseller and catapulted him into show business. Honestly, I was not a huge fan of his shows. Bourdain seemed like a genuinely great guy and I have watched some episodes of No reservations and Parts unknown, but I never got into them. However, I really enjoyed this film. Well, at least The first two acts of it. That is when Roadrunner captures the essence and style of Bourdain's character as shown on his many television series perfectly.

In the last half-hour though, the film takes a dark turn and is filled with sensationalism, nonsense, and blame game. And in my opinion, it focused too much on the tumultuous and widely documented romance with actress/filmmaker Asia Argento. I understand that is difficult to accept the suicide of a well-known figure. Especially when it happens at the peak of his celebrity and public presence. But Neville could have ended this film in a better way.

Overall, Roadrunner gives an extremely honest image of a bright, charismatic man who traveled the world but never quite figured out where he belonged.

No sudden move

A group of criminals is brought together under mysterious circumstances and have to work together to uncover what’s really going on when their simple job goes completely sideways seven Soderbergh’s suspenseful and twisty new thriller is a bit over-complicated but a good time regardless. The ensemble cast, with Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Ray Liotta, Amy Seimetz, Julia Fox, Jon Hamm, Brendan Fraser, David Harbour, and a cameo from Matt Damon is not only impressive but it is amazing like everyone is used perfectly.

No sudden move is set in Detroit, in 1954, and it follows Don Cheadle & Benicio Del Toro who are hired for a small-scale crime with much more consequences. The movie presents the city's ambient racism and racial tensions, as well as the motor industry's arrogant indifference to its impact on the environment. The storyline is a tangle of narratives and personalities, schemes and deceptions, and backstories that are all overlapping and intertwined.

No sudden move is a thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller and Soderbergh fans will like it.