Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Written and directed by Rian Johnson

Stars: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Han, Leslie Odom Jr, Madelyn Cline, Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista

To complete the trilogy of lambasting the affluent people of the world, there is this movie. I enjoyed Knives Out, but I had some problems with the politics discussed in it. I was looking forward to this movie, because I loved a good whodunit.

Benoit Blanc (Craig) is invited to an exclusive weekend in Greece, thrown by the powerful mogul, Miles Brom (Norton). Brom gathered a governor; Claire (Hahn), a Twitch personality; Duke (Bautista), an scientist; Lionel (Odom Jr), fashion desinger; Birdie (Hudson) and an unexpected guest; Andi (Monáe). A murder mystery weekend that turns into an actual murder.

Seeing the previous movie would let you mind go rapid fire with theories. Nothing will be as it seems. Knowing that Blanc is gay is clearly apparent in the movie with neckerchief and choice of swimming attire. Was Phillip (Hugh Grant) his partner? Unclear.

I heard rumblings about Janelle Monáe's performance. Holy shit. She went in. Her facial expressions. The way she carried herself. It was a treat to see.

I want more of these. Give me more. I will gobble them up.

Rating: 10/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Nineteen: Moonlight

Moonlight (2016)

Directed by Barry Jenkins

Screenplay by Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney

Based on the play, "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue" by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Stars: Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex R. Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Jaden Piner, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monáe, and Patrick Decile

There was a time that I tried watching this movie and stopped because I was in one of those moods. Those moods where I knew it the first five minutes that I was not gonna like. I stuck with it and my opinion never changed.

The movie is separated into three moments of Chiron's life. One when he was ten befriending a drug dealer, Juan (Ali) as his mother, Paula (Harris) becomes addicted to crack. Then as a teenager, he is confronted of possibly being gay. Finally, him in his mid 20s trying to come to terms about being gay.

It bugged me that the Chiron had his head down through the whole movie. Say something! It was mopey Chiron throughout the two hours of this movie. It annoyed. Why was the movie getting so much praise and awards? Nothing happens.

Being a queer man of color, I did not relate to much in the movie. I understand that it's not a perfect exact journey to everyone. I did not see themes that were supposed to happen onscreen with blackness or masculinity. 

I see the same stereotypes that make it more palatable for commercial audiences; drug dealers, crack addicts, being "hood." I don't see the hype for it at all.

Rating: 2/10