"Spotlight" Review

With this, I have seen 6 out of the 8 films nominated for picture of the year. This will probably be the last movie I get to watch before the big night on Sunday. Prior to this viewing, I had The Martian and Room tied, and I tipped towards Room because Room had a budget of 6 million dollars whereas The Martian had 108 million dollars to spend. Spotlight has now bumped The Martian out of the picture, and I am having trouble choosing between Room and Spotlight. If I were to remain consistent and give the tie to the movie with the smaller budget, then Room still wins (Spotlight had a budget of 20 million dollars). However, it is not that easy in this case. Room is the more emotionally charged movie, but Spotlight is the more important one. My biggest critique of "popular art" (Better worded as "popular entertainment") these days is that it's void of "substance". I use "substance" to bundle elements such as emotion, artistic integrity, and social contribution into a simple and convenient package. Scan the bland summer blockbuster movies or listen to any mainstream song, and I think you'll see what I mean. And because I score art by measuring how much emotion and social importance is packed into a piece, the decision between Room and Spotlight is not easy to me.
I have a group of friends that I discuss politics, religion, and social issues with. We've been discussing morality a lot lately, and the more I try to define that word, the more I realize the world lacks morality. Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, but I can tell you this movie didn't help. Yes, the protagonists navigate through an arena of darkness and bring light into the picture, but I see how outnumbered they are and that's what breaks my heart. Wide spread and prevalent negligence and malevolence on an institutional, societal, and personal level with no one willing to step up except the team at The Boston Globe and Spotlight. I've had stronger chills run through my body due to a movie, but I don't remember the last movie to send this many chills through my body.
From a production standpoint, this movie receives many high marks. The writing, the acting, the use of sound, and photography. The film like look pulls you back into the years these events actually occurred, the lighting looked more natural making the movie feel less produced, and the use of long lenses forces a feeling of caution. Spotlight has a lot of tough competition, but I'll be disappointed if the movie doesn't go home with at least one award.

Eating Insects With Rustle Up Sum Grub

I read an article at the beginning of 2016 that stated that crickets might be a food item to catch on this year. I expressed my interest about looking into foods created with crickets a bit more, and Kiah Brasch of RUSTLE UP SUM GRUB reached out to me. I visited her and recorded my experience trying foods made with insects.



A huge thanks to Kiah for teaching us about new food items and feeding us.
Thank you to Brad Olson for also helping me film this project. Brad runs a film company in Minneapolis. CLICK HERE to check out his website. You can watch one of his short films below.

Article XVII from Braddon Alexander on Vimeo.

"Room" Film Review

Thank you to the team that made Room. We are in your debt. What a layered, deep, and fantastic movie. I am now up to 5 out of the 8 films nominated for best picture this year at the Oscars. Room is currently tied with The Martian for this year's award, but like I did when it came down the The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club, I gave the edge to the film with a smaller budget.
Brie Larson is quickly becoming my favorite actress. If you haven't seen Short Term 12, it may be on Netflix still so get on that. Larson and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are my favorites because they are intelligent and they seem more selective about their roles. I will be cheering for Larson for best actress. I only wish Jacob Tremblay was also nominated for something because he was great.

(Insight on how Larson picks her roles)


Room is a film that no review can encapsulate, and that's what makes it so amazing. I think each individual will get something unique from the film. Mothers will be drawn to the mother-child relationship in the movie. You will see that guidance, inspiration, and love can and should flow from mother to child, but that the stream can be reversed. A great reminder to listen to your children, because you never know what they might teach you. Many people will find the concepts of innocence and youth appealing. There are many powerful forces in this world, but the innocence of youth has to be included in the top tier. Despite dire circumstances, Jack Newsome found joy in simplicity reminding us that perception plays a large role in everything we do. Jack's youthfulness and innate curiosity also allows him to recover from traumatizing events and assimilate into a foreign world much quicker, whereas Joy Newsome has difficulty sliding back into her old life.
Watch the movie as soon as possible, but also be ready to cry and to juggle a lot of thoughts. You'll think about your family, bravery, exploration, kindness, the corporate media, the fragility and toughness of the human psyche, and so many other elements. This is cinema.

"The Martian" Review

Now that I have seen The Martian, I have seen 4 out of 8 movies up for best picture at the Oscars. I will be watching "Room" soon, but as it stands, I have The Martian winning with The Big Short following (Sorry Mad Max & The Revenant).
The Martin is one of those movies you wish never ended. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes, but the story flies by at warp speed. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be drawn in, and you'll be on the edge of your seat. Director Ridley Scott was confused at the Golden Globes when the movie won for best comedy, and after watching the film, I am too. I read articles and had people try to justify why the movie could be considered a comedy, but sorry, you're just wrong. There are good dramatic movies, good horror movies, documentaries that you are meant to laugh during. That, however, does not make it a comedic movie.
Good luck to Matt Damon who is up for best actor. The large cast full of talent made it sort of an ensemble cast, but without a doubt Damon put on a great performance. He handled the complexities of his character, Mark Watney, the way a Hollywood vet should handle it. He made you believe Watney was in pain, frustrated, determined, joyful, and anxious on command. We all want to see Leonardo DiCaprio win an Oscar, but he might just have to wait again.
I am disappointed in myself that it took me this long to watch this film. How did I think that a Ridley Scott directed movie set in space was not going to be good? I believe with the help of charismatic scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye, and with Hollywood's increased interest in space exploration (Star Wars, Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, Gravity), we have re-stimulated the country's interest in the cosmos and S.T.E.M. Hopefully with the help of this momentum, we can re-prioritize education in our country.
If you're looking for a movie that revolves around the concepts of "determination" and "home", this is your film. "Home" is not four walls and a shelter. Home is where you find comfort, happiness, and a place where you feel safe. Watney tried to make a home on Mars, and despite his most valiant efforts, he found out there is no faking what home really is. Do yourself a favor, and watch this movie now.