Month: August 2023

REVIEW: DREAMING WHILST BLACK

Posted on by P Rose in review

Which was once a web series now reinvented on BBC, Dreaming whilst Black resurfaces for the mases. Dreaming whilst Black creator and star, Adjani Salmon, doesn’t hold back bringing his infamous web series to BBC. You’d think he would have to strip some features, messages and themes for BBC however the new series tackles the hardships and humor of dreaming as a black person in England.

I was lucky enough to watch the first three episodes at one of the premieres at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton. The audience including myself could not stop laughing and keep our eyes off the screen. The way the performances and direction commands your attention is like no other.

This six part series follows Jamaican filmmaker, Kwabena, as he tries to pursue his filmmaker passion whilst working a regular 9 to 5 job. He struggles to juggle both lifestyles and realises he has to compromise in one area to elevate in the other. Adjani does a great job conveying this as a fellow filmmaker I could relate to a lot of his struggles that many independent creatives and entrepreneurs how to experience. Sometimes Adjani would take a serious situation and make light of it. For example, there’s one scene towards the end of episode 3 where Kwabena script is plagiarized by a top director in the industry. Kwabena and his friends come together one night to orchestrate an email criticizing the fraudulent director that stole his script. Adjani tells us Kwabena makes light of bad situations to stay motivated and not let the negativity get to him. Something that many creatives experience especially being black.

Dreaming whilst Black walks the line of dreaming and living as a black dream chaser in London. It expresses the life adversities and the dream chasing struggles Kwabena has to juggle which creates memorable moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. It is often hilarious as it contains relatable scenes people experience such as deciding whether to pay for dinner or working in a majority white industry as a black woman. Despite what we go through as creative minorities, we still have to remain positive on our journey and hustle to the top. Our personality, good electric energy and vibes is unmatched and will take us to the end. In an industry built to make you fail, utilize that superpower because it’s one thing they can’t take away from you.

Dream whilst Black is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Written by P Rose

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S BEST FILM? OPPENHEIMER REVIEW

Posted on by P Rose in review

Christopher Nolan has done it again adding another spectacle to his catalogue. Oppenheimer is masterfully crafted from beginning to end. You can tell it was put together with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

The film follows Oppenheimer’s life and his journey to invented the Atomic bomb which was used in Japan which resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Japan are still suffering with the effects of it today. The film questions the morality of the bomb, the arms race, war, Oppenheimer’s choices and more.

The most impressive feature in the whole film is the editing and sound design which complements the well told story of the father of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer is edited like a 3 hour trailer containing various sound effects, cutaways with visual effect imagery of a bomb exploding and black and white scenes. Due to the engaging and fast paced editing, the 3 hours seemingly flies by. It creates more drama and tension. One scene in particular which stood out to me was Oppenheimer’s speech in the gymnasium after the atomic bomb was dropped in Japan. The attendees would applaud and stamp their feet on Oppenheimer’s arrival. Those same sounds were used throughout the film before that scene to build dramatic tension; even a close up of the audience stamping their feet was used during one scene.

As the film was shot using IMAX camera, to say the film looks stunning is an understatement. The beautiful visuals captures the vast landscapes of New Mexico and more, the fantastic performances of the cast especially of Cillian Murphy who portrays Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr. who plays Lewis Strauss. But the biggest achievement was capturing the atomic bomb explosive which was recreated with practical effects rather than visual effects.

OPPENHEIMER, written and directed by Christopher Nolan

I really appreciate the final hour of the film as it digs into the aftermath of the atomic bomb being dropped and how Oppenheimer life changed after that.

I do believe this is one of Nolan’s finest in storytelling and direction. It makes us question the morality of Oppenheimer’s decision to invent a creation that changed the world forever inviting severe consequences in life and death that generations after us will suffer from.

10/10

Written by P Rose