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Year: 2022

‘Don’t Look Up’ skewers willful ignorance, complacency

‘Don’t Look Up’ skewers willful ignorance, complacency

“Don’t Look Up” (2021). Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Michael Chiklis, Paul Guilfoyle, Robert Joy. Director: Adam McKay. Screenplay: Adam McKay. Story: David Sirota. Web site. Trailer. When faced with difficult situations, it may be tempting to turn a blind eye, willingly choosing to remain oblivious and ignorant. By tuning out and wallowing in our own complacency, we have an opportunity to lull ourselves into distraction and denial, hoping that the wishful thinking spawned from such practices will somehow materialize into a bona fide reality. But what do we do when we realize that’s not going to happen, when we understand that we’ve squandered opportunities to solve the issues facing us? Such are the challenges faced in the new darkly satirical comedy, “Don’t Look Up.” Making a grand astronomical discovery should be a distinguished feather in one’s cap. Being the first to spot something previously unknown is quite an accomplishment. Indeed, it truly should be a cause for celebration. Ordinarily, that is. For Ph.D. candidate Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), discovering a previously unknown comet is a ...
‘Swan Song’ spotlights the power of choice

‘Swan Song’ spotlights the power of choice

“Swan Song” (2021). Cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close, Nyasha Hatendi, Adam Beach, Lee Shorten, Dax Rey. Director: Benjamin Cleary. Screenplay: Benjamin Cleary. Web site. Trailer. All too often, we’re faced with difficult situations that pose us with perplexing choices. Evaluating the options can be dizzying, leaving us feeling as though we can’t decide. Because of this, we may often default to what appears to be the most expedient choice, a move that frequently gives us an easy out – “I didn’t have any choice in the matter” – in case things don’t unfold as planned. In the alternative, we may remain indecisive, leaving us with no viable solution to the issue at hand. But those fallbacks are innately insufficient, because we always have the power of choice at our disposal; in fact, it’s incumbent upon us to act on it. All we need do is consider our options, deliberate the matter and proceed with making a decision that appears to be our best choice. Such are the circumstances of a troubled protagonist in the new sci-fi drama, “Swan Song.” Time is running out for Cameron Turner (Mahershala Ali). The young father and husband has been diagnosed with ...
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