This film was a special presentation as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). In Portuguese with English subtitles, most of the story is set in Recife, Brazil, which was the main reason I wanted to see this movie. I spent a year living in Brazil with very fond memories of Recife.
I took this from the balcony of our hotel room in Recife. The beach was amazing. The carts along the beach were unlike anything I’ve seen before – people selling everything from suntan lotion and seafood to hard liquor.
I loved the locals for their vibrant spirit, warmth, and deep love for life – a cultural energy that pulses through everything from their music and food to their festivals and everyday interactions. It’s infectious. It can be referred to as “alegria”– a kind of joyful resilience that’s woven into the national identity, despite facing economic and political challenges.
However, I have one notvery fond memory of the kind of corruption that I had only heard about. My late husband was waiting for me in the car outside a store in Rio while I quickly went inside to purchase a few postcards. A police officer came by and said he wasn’t allowed to wait there and immediately issued a ticket for $1,000 usd. I called the concierge of the Copacabana Palace Hotel where we were staying, to find out if he could talk to the officer and reduce the ticket. The concierge ended up coming to where we were and after some back & forth with the officer, the ticket was then reduced to about $400 – which I believe the concierge and the cop ended up splitting between them. He said “you realize that we have families right?”
Then there was the time when my young Portuguese instructor was escorted to her bank by an officer and told to withdraw all her money – at gunpoint. This was real life – not a movie.
“The Secret Agent” synopsis from the VIFF guide:
Photo courtesy of VIFF
Having run afoul of an influential bureaucrat working inside of Brazil’s military dictatorship circa 1977, Marcelo (Narcos’ Wagner Moura) decamps to Recife to live under an assumed name and reconnect with his young son. Bedding in with a cadre of political dissidents and refugees while finding work in the state identification archives, the former university researcher comes to understand precisely how insidious and all-encompassing the country’s corruption has become.
GWWBK: The movie overall was interesting, but way too long. “The Secret Agent” clocks in at nearly 3 hours, with a runtime of 2 hours and 52 minutes. That extended length gives director Kleber MendonçaFilho room to explore the film’s layered themes of political paranoia, memory, and identity in meticulous detail.
Too meticulous if you ask me. I made my Secret Exit at around the 2 hr mark.
Note to self: 1) Always check the length of the film. 2) Don’t go see a film based on the fact they you’ve either visited or lived where it was filmed (btw, in this film you won’t see anything like the photo I posted here along the beautiful beach). 3) Do more research.
Best Director, Best Actor, Cannes 2025; Oscar Submission: Brazil
Oh, what to say about this movie which is a musing on fame, regret, and identity.
Image courtesy of VIFF
You know that I tend to see movies that I hope to write a good review about.
This one is marketed as a bittersweet comedy about a good looking world-famous actor, not unlike George Clooney. Oh my, it is George Clooney! Clooney plays a fading movie star in “Jay Kelly”, which is ironic, because by the end I felt like I was fading too.
Not to worry – my little review won’t hurt his career. And I like Clooney in other things, just not this one.
The film tries to be profound by showing a movie star questioning his fame, but ends up feeling like a celebrity’s therapy session we didn’t ask to attend. I don’t always know a lot in advance about the movies I choose to see at festivals. The title might initially intrigue me and I might like the actors and know a bit about the story, but what I’m seeing a lot of is dysfunctional family drama in almost every movie no matter what the storyline is. It gets tiring.
With Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and a European road trip, it had all the ingredients for charm. Instead it lacked spontaneity, realism and failed to captivate. Humour is all about surprise….and this one, at least for me, held no surprises. Imagine “Eat Pray Love” without the eating, praying, or loving. Or “Marriage Story” without the story.
The film is directed by Noah Baumbach – known for introspective dramas such as “Marriage Story” and “White Noise.”
Director’s Statement: “Jay Kelly: is about a man looking back at his life and reflecting on the choices, the sacrifices, the successes, the mistakes he’s made. When is it too late to change the course of our lives? Jay Kelly is an actor and as such the movie is about identity. How we perform ourselves. Who are we as parents, children, friends, professionals? Are we good? Are we bad? What is the gap between who we’ve decided we are and who we might actually be? What makes a life? Jay Kelly is about what it means to be yourself.
This is the last weekend for VIFF. You can enjoy movies all year long though at the Viff Centre.
This exceptional documentary, with original 1957 restored footage, captures the essence of mid-century exploration in its purest form. Two men, one outfitted range rover and a lust for adventure through untamed landscapes, offers a rare glimpse into a world before greed and chaos upset everything. It’s a film that doesn’t just show you some wild places, it invites you to feel it.
The men in question are renowned Canadian wildlife artist and naturalist, Robert Bateman, and Bristol Foster, a prominent biologist and the first director of BC’s Ecological Reserves Program. What makes it even more special is that these men are lifelong friends.
I think this film will appeal to anyone who loves travel and adventure in general. It will especially appeal to those, who like me, have been to Africa and were lucky enough to see wildlife in their natural habitat and meet local people such as the Maasai with their rich culture, pastoral lifestyle, and deep connection to the land in Kenya and Tanzania.
Taken outside the Vancouver Playhouse.
Although the difference here is that these men traveled to Africa at a time when it was very unusual to see foreign people, especially Caucasians. And they took chances off the beaten path. Young and fearless, but extremely smart and capable. They’re lucky they avoided any harm along the way, sometimes coming close to possible disaster.
The Range Rover (aka “the Grizzly Torque”) ran 30,000 kilometres across Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Foster made sure to acquaint himself beforehand on every aspect of fixing the vehicle. Bateman sketched animals and people along the way and painted a mural of every place they visited along the Grizzly Torque.
With Robert Bateman who is 95 years old now.
Director Alison Reid (the woman who loves giraffes), Robert Bateman and Bristol Foster were there for a Q&A after the showing. I went with a friend who knew the Bateman family from growing up in Ontario. She told me that when Bateman was a teacher, he would take the kids on nature walks and she credits him with having given her a love of nature.
From the VIFF guide:
Through in-depth interviews with friends and family and the original 16mm film footage of their incredible journey, Reid shows how the trip expanded the pair’s knowledge of the physical world while deepening their spiritual and emotional connection to it.
A heartwarming, inspirational love letter to the adventure of life itself.
Photo: d. king – taken in Tanzania
The October 12 screening is a Relaxed Screening. For Tickets:
ALL YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOVIE IS A GIRL AND A GUN – Jean-Luc Godard. Paris, 1959.
Still courtesy of VIFF
There are some things I will never understand. This movie may be one of them. But some things I cannot fully make sense of will still stand stand out as being innovative, artistic and surreal. This movie was the opening film at VIFF…about a film…that’s a bit vague (for lack of a better word). Visually it is stunning, filmed in all black and white. It’s also a true story and the original film Breathlesswent on to win several awards.
Nouvelle Vague stands for French New Wave, which was an influential film movement in France from the late 1950’s to the early 1960’s that rejected traditional filmmaking conventions through experimental techniques like jump cuts, location shooting, and handheld cameras. A direct response against the formulaic and studio-controlled films of the time, which focused on strong, easy-to-follow narratives. This type of filmmaking is a “go with whatever flow” method and has a kind of film noir imaging – creating a more immediate and spontaneous feel.
The low-budget, documentary-style approach of this film speaks to me, because now I don’t feel so bad about my trial and error, guerrilla-style, unprofessional YouTube (not telling you about it right now) channel where I am director, etc.
Directed by Richard Linklater (included in Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world), it is fresh and compelling. It follows the true story of Swiss intellectual Jean-Luc Godard as he makes a movie starring American starlet Jean Seberg (who speaks French with an American accent) and boxer Jean Paul Belmondo.
The primary pioneers of the French New Wave were film critics and future directors François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Éric Rohmer, Claude Chabrol, and Jacques Rivette.
He’ll write it as they make it. A bout de souffle… Breathless… will change everything (from the VIFF guide).
Don’t think about getting any clarity in this one and forget about continuity – it is what it is! Love it or hate it – it will leave you feeling a little breathless. See original trailer below:
Right on the heels of the Toronto International Film Festival is The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) which is in full swing right now. What I love about going to these film fests is that you have an opportunity to see movies that you may otherwise never get to see.
My first film was one I missed seeing at TIFF and that won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2025 – the second most prestigious prize. Sentimental Value is cinema (self) – referencing cinema.
Photo Courtesy of VIFF. Nora (Renate Reinsve) + her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas).
Some movies don’t just tell a story; they ask you to feel it from the inside out.
Such as the hauntingly beautiful opening scenes where you hear the voice of one of the main characters as a little girl wondering if the house she grew up in had feelings. It got me in the way she wondered whether the house felt better empty or full, or if it could feel pain. It made the story feel deep, like her house wasn’t just a setting but part of the emotion. I was more moved by the emotional significance the house held for her than the emotional significance the people had for her.
And that’s where the movie lost its charm for me. I think there’s a distinction between movies made primarily for audiences and those crafted with filmmakers or actors in mind. The style and emotional resonance of this one made me think that actors would love it and regular filmgoers would not. I’m neither an actor anymore, or a regular filmgoer – so I left feeling mixed about this movie in general, a movie where the main players are creative emotional wrecks.
Yes, the acting was great. But, the main reason you go to the movies is for the story, right? If you’re okay with the main characters all coming from a dysfunctional place then you’ll probably really like it. If you’re looking for feel-good clarity and entertainment, then this is not the film for you.
A film where parents fight, the father (played by the amazing Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård) packs up and leaves, only to come back years later with a movie script he’s written (oh yeah, he’s a once-revered film director by the name of Gustav who hasn’t made a movie for a number of years) in which he offers his stage actress daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve) who, now has a series of her own, the main part, which she turns down because she’s still hurt over him leaving. He drinks way too much. The part is then offered to a well-known American actress (played by Elle Fanning) who becomes his new muse. She’s adorable and questions his choice of her in the lead and ends up feeling uncomfortable in the part. Did I mention the mother (Gustav’s wife) who worked as a therapist, committed suicide?
Directed by Joachim Trier. The VIFF overview says “Trier mines both humour and heartbreak from these damaged souls’ attempts to mend their frayed family ties.” I didn’t see much humour in it.
Bottom line is this movie is more chaotic than my take on it. But it has a somewhat happier ending, which is nice.
The Festival is on until October 12th. For Tickets:
CANCEL CULTURE was in its early stages when it took down Savannah based celebrity chef, cookbook author and restaurateur Paula Deen. Deen was right up there with Anthony Bourdain; infact, they had a bit of a feud going on which is re-ignited in this doc. Bourdain had famously called Deen the “worst, most dangerous person to America” for promoting unhealthy food, leading Deen to retaliate by criticizing his exotic and sometimes strange culinary choices.
This was one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. Any person with a keen and passionate interest in food, along with watching the Food Network knows, or at least has heard about Paula Deen and her show “Paula’s Home Cooking” which was cancelled in 2013.
I watched this one because on a recommendation from a friend living in Savannah, I had been to the famous “The Lady & Sons;” restaurant that she owned along with her sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen. I remember having a delicious Southern meal there and chatting with Bobby Deen. He told me that his mom had just been on Oprah. Since then, she’s been on almost every talk show. With her funny, gregarious personality, everyone liked her!
Her story is a real rags to riches tale. Deen’s journey from humble beginnings in Savannah, Georgia to Food Network royalty is chronicled in this documentary. That in itself is quite uplifting and fascinating.
Her downfall, triggered by a deposition in which she admitted to using racial slurs was one of the earliest high-profile examples of a celebrity losing endorsements, TV deals, and public favour almost overnight. It happened in the early days of social media’s rise, when public backlash could spread rapidly and brands were just beginning to respond to online outrage.
However, this documentary isn’t just about Paula Deen – it’s a case study in how fame, race, and media intersect in the age of cancellation. It asks tough questions: Can someone truly come back from public disgrace? Who gets to tell the “real” story? And what does accountability look like when reputations are built on charm and nostalgia?
“Within 24 hours, I lost every job,” said Paula Deen while giving an interview ahead of the premiere of the documentary.
Bombshell Revelations highlight shocking details previously unknown to the public.
Deen and her sons speak candidly about the emotional toll and their belief that the full truth was never told. She claims the scandal was fueled by misinformation and media sensationalism. If you watch it (and I highly recommend that you do), you’ll find out the shocking details of what lead up to her fall from grace. Only then, can you decide for yourself if this was the right move. And you’ll also find out how things are twisted to look worse than they are.
Canceled: The Paula Deen Storyis a provocative deep dive into the rise, fall, and attempted redemption of one of America’s most polarizing celebrity chefs. Directed by Billy Corben, it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has stirred up renewed debate about cancel culture, media narratives, and personal accountability.
And it makes you realize that until we all hear the full story, maybe we shouldn’t be so judgmental.
CN tower is behind me and the CBC Broadcast Centre (with red cross windows) – where I once worked. I was able to walk there from where I lived on King St. W.
I give this one *****5/5
ONE MORE documentary that I thoroughly enjoyed watching at TIFF was JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME. NO controversy here-even though Bill Murray tries hard to dig up some dirt. By all accounts, the guy was likeable.
This is a heartfelt documentary directed by Colin Hanks (son of Tom) that explores the life and legacy of beloved Canadian actor and comedian John Candy. Through rare archival footage, personal home videos, and interviews with friends, family, and collaborators; including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Catherine O’Hara. It paints a portrait of Candy as a generous, deeply relatable figure whose warmth and humor touched millions.
It’s not just a celebration of his career in classics like Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (which was probably my favorite of all his films), but also a tender look at the man behind the laughs, shaped by early loss and driven by love for his family and craft. Gone too soon!
Ryan Reynolds (Producer), Eugene Levy (longtime friend & collaborator) and his two kids Jennifer & Chris, were in attendance for this world premiere.
Exclusively on Prime Video – October 10, 2025. *****5/5
EASY’S WALTZ had its world premiere at TIFF: it’s a story steeped in moral ambiguity, and old-school Vegas charm. Las Vegas is the perfect backdrop – glitzy on the surface, but full of desperation and secrets underneath.
Photo courtesy of Toronto International Film Festival.
Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of True Detective, made his directorial debut with this feature film; a character-driven story with a touch of film noir because of its flawed characters and gritty atmosphere where glamour and decay coexist. While not shot in black-and-white, the film uses moody lighting and stylized framing to evoke that noir sensibility.
The Vegas-set drama is wrought with grit, nostalgia, and powerhouse performances. Vaughn actually sings and surprisingly, he’s not bad at all.
The film dives into the life of Easy (played by Vince Vaughn), a struggling Las Vegas crooner whose shot at stardom comes via a mysterious offer from a legendary club owner, Mickey Albano (Al Pacino). The movie blends the glitz of Vegas with a melancholic undercurrent, echoing classics like Leaving Las Vegas and Bugsy. Easy juggles self-sabotage, a chaotic younger brother (Simon Rex), a failing restaurant, and his mother’s care (Mary Steenburgen); making his rise to fame anything but smooth.
Vaughn with his wife, Kyla Weber. Photo: d. king.
Vaughn and Pacino share a compelling dynamic, with Pacino delivering a subdued but menacing performance reminiscent of his iconic mob roles. The Supporting Cast: Includes Kate Mara, Mary Steenburgen, Shania Twain, and Cobie Smulders. While some roles felt underdeveloped, the emotional core between Easy and his brother Sam adds weight.
Overall, I was mixed on this one – it was good but didn’t quite hit the high notes I was hoping for.
Vaughn’s performance as lounge singer Lew Easy earns praise for charm and vulnerability. However, the rest of the film didn’t quite match his energy. The supporting characters lacked depth, and the story didn’t give Vaughn enough to work with.
As of now, there’s no official wide theatrical release date announced beyond its TIFF debut.
Here’s another one I watched at TIFF: ELEANOR THE GREAT
Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, ELEANOR THE GREAT, is a heartfelt drama about a 94-year-old woman named Eleanor Morgenstein who’s witty, stubborn, and not ready to fade quietly into old age. After losing her best friend, Eleanor moves from Florida to New York to live with her daughter and grandson – but they’re too busy to give her much attention.
Feeling lonely and out of place, Eleanor stumbles into a group of *Holocaust survivors and, through a mix of grief and mischief, starts telling her late friend’s story as if it were her own. This little lie snowballs, especially when a young journalism student named Nina takes interest and wants to share Eleanor’s “story” with the world. What follows is a mix of emotional bonding, uncomfortable truths, and a deeper look at how we deal with loss, identity, and the need to be seen.
*With the help of the Shoah Foundation and others, Johansson was able to cast Holocaust survivors, all around Eleanor’s age, to portray the support group.
June Squibb plays Eleanor with charm and fire, and the cast includes Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Fun fact: Johansson is the highest-grossing actor ever, after leading Jurassic World: Rebirth.
This is a poignant and character-driven drama worth watching. Expected to be released in theaters on September 26, 2025. Release in Canada by Mongrel Media.
The title intrigued me before I read the word rap in the description, so I gave it a quick pass.
Photo courtesy of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
I love music and rap is not music to me. Well…actually, I don’t mind some rap. I just detest the non-stop swearing and the anger.
I decided to choose another movie starring Saoirse Ronan over this one. But then, the day before the screening, James McAvoy was in the news. He got punched by someone in a bar that I walked by every day while in Toronto on the way to screenings. Had I known he was in there, I might have walked in. He’s okay though. So his movie sparked my intrigue – I looked it up and there it was – the rap movie I declined to see “California Schemin”…so I decided to read up on it some more.
Lesson learned: never judge a movie by one word! This was one of the best films I’ve seen at the fest – based on a true story that has way more to offer than just rap. The film dives into themes of identity, ambition, and the cost of reinvention.
This is McAvoy’s directorial debut. Based on the wild true story of Scottish rap duo Silibil N’ Brains.
Two childhood friends from Dundee – Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, dream of hip-hop stardom but are dismissed by the British music industry for their Scottish accents. So they reinvent themselves as American rappers from Southern California, complete with fake identities and flawless West Coast personas. And silly made up names. What starts as a cheeky hustle spirals into a full-blown con, as they land record deals, appear on MTV, and tour with their heroes.
It stars Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross as the duo, with supporting roles from Lucy Halliday and Rebekah Murrell.
Critics are praising its mix of humor and heart, with Rotten Tomatoes showing a 92% positive rating from early reviews.
McAvoy’s direction balances the absurdity of the con with deeper questions about identity and authenticity. He plays a small role in the film as a record studio executive.
This movie is a feel-good underdog tale that dives into themes of identity, ambition, and the cost of reinvention. And the lengths young artists will go to break through a system that refuses to take them seriously.
Not to be confused with a 2014 thriller called California Scheming, which is unrelated.
California Schemin’ is already on its way to screens, with StudioCanal leading the charge. If you see it , let me know what you think.
THE CHRISTOPHERSis what happens when you lock a dying art legend, a brilliant forger, and two ultra-greedy adult children in a dusty London townhouse and shake vigorously. It’s less a film and more a masterclass in verbal fencing.
Photo courtesy of The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
This was the World Premiere of another brilliant Steven Soderbergh film. Soderbergh is best known for films like Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Ocean’s Eleven and Twelve, Erin Brockovich, and the drug thriller Traffic – for which he won an Academy Award.
His latest film is about the art world and unfinished business…namely; unfinished masterpieces. I loved this film. Especially the performances. The fabulous Ian McKellen (he should win an Oscar for this role – truly!) plays Julian Sklar, a famous, gloriously decrepit art world relic who is equal parts genius and monster. He’s absolutely brilliant!
He’s the kind of character who’d sell his soul for a good review, then demand royalties. Not having painted for years, the once-revered British painter’s reputation took a nosedive after a scandal involving a reality TV program he was involved with. Now he’s a bit of a recluse.
One of the most intriguing characters in THE CHRISTOPHERSis played by Michaela Coel, who brings a layered complexity to the character of Lori Butler, an ex art-student who is hired by the artists’ materialistic kids to secretly forge their father’s unfinished paintings. But Lori’s motivations go beyond money. Coel is captivating in both looks and demeanour as the forger with a vendetta.
Their scenes crackle with tension, wit, and a kind of layered resentment.
The two estranged kids; Barnaby Sklar (flamboyantly played by James Corden) and Sallie Sklar (played by sharp-tongued Jessica Gunning who was last seen in Baby Reindeer – interestingcasting), form a hilariously dysfunctional duo whose greed fuels the film’s central plot.
It will be interesting to see how this film fares when it’s released to theatres. No matter what anyone has to say about this film, the acting is superb on all levels.
Tiff 50 (TIFFTY) has now come to a close. It was a stimulating and entertaining mix of movie watching and get-togethers. I’ll leave you with a few pictures while I sort out my next reviews for you.
On the TIFF Lightbox Rooftop after the People’s Choice Awards. Cheers to another 50!The lovely and talented Sarah MacLaghlan at the Premiere of “Lilith Fair – Building a Mystery – the untold story.” Photo: d. kingProducer of “Lilith Fair” – Dan Levy. I love this guy. Photo: d. kingExecutive Producer – Boss Lady Diane Sawyer (ABC News – btw, how amazing does she look?) with Mike Kelley, head of ABC News Studios. Photo: d. kingA little behind the scenes.Who is this man? I know I’ve seen him before. Photo: d. king
The TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is in full swing and celebrating 50 years. Happy Anniversary TIFF! This is my second time at this amazing Festival of Festivals (it used to be called that) and it truly is a feast for any film lover with so much to choose from.
“All that matters has already been written” – George Orwell’s last words, at the age of 46, nearing death from tuberculosis.
My first film before spending 4 nights in Montreal to visit family, was the North American Premiere of 2+2=5. It was approved for a documentary by the Orwell family. I was hesitant at first because I knew it would be heavy and somewhat depressing – just like some of the books I read in high school that Orwell wrote – specifically “1984” and “ANIMALFARM.” Although totally unrelatable at the time, I was truly fascinated by those books. But now, sadly; they’re relatable!
“2 + 2 = 5” is a metaphor for forced belief in falsehoods. It shows how a totalitarian regime can manipulate reality and demand obedience; not just in actions, but in thoughts. If the Party says 2 + 2 = 5, then you must not only say it, but believe it. It’s about breaking down your ability to trust your own logic and senses. It comes down to crazy making psychological control.
If all that matters has already been written, then why bother writing at all?
Maybe because the writer’s task is to say it better, clearer, or more urgently. Don’t count on me for that. Orwell certainly did that, as his work still punches through decades later – his books are a nod to the idea that the past holds the keys to understanding the present – and that ignoring it is dangerous.
Was Orwell an unfortunate teller? Or maybe from another planet, sent to give us mere earthlings warnings of what may come if we allow it? You’ve gotta wonder.
George Orwell wrote 1984 in 1949 as a warning, not a blueprint. He had witnessed the rise of totalitarian regimes such as Stalin’s USSR, Hitler’s Germany, and the manipulative propaganda of wartime Britain. His goal was to expose how language, surveillance, and psychological control could be weaponized to crush dissent and rewrite reality.
Orwell warned of a world where truth is manipulated (think how the media is operating) and how fear keeps people in line. In the book 1984, the protagonist, Winston, works at the Ministry of Truth. His job is to alter historical records, erasing inconvenient truths and replacing them with Party-approved versions. Quite chilling.
The iconic line spoken by Jack Nicholson as Colonel Nathan R. Jessep in the 1992 film A Few Good Men. The line was an improvisation by Nicholson; the original screenplay for the scene included the line, “You already have the truth!”.
Makes you wonder what the actual truth is sometimes.
Even though this documentary was about Orwell, there were other authors who also wrote dystopia fiction and philosophical resistance to authoritarianism and such:
Aldous Huxley (BRAVE NEW WORLD) imagined a society where people are pacified by pleasure and distraction. Pleasure as control, consumerism, loss of identity.
Ray Bradbury(FAHRENHEIT 451) about censorship and intellectual freedom.
H.G. Wells (THE WAR OF THE WORLDS) is a classic example of dystopian fiction, and one of its simplest and most chilling illustrations of dystopia is this:
One day, without warning, giant alien machines descend from the sky. They’re far more advanced than anything humans have ever built. They don’t communicate. They don’t negotiate. They just start obliterating cities, vaporizing people, and harvesting humans like cattle. Society collapses almost instantly. Governments fail. Technology is useless. People flee in terror, and survival becomes the only goal. Talk about chilling! And more recenty…
Margaret Atwood (THE HANDMAID’S TALE) about gender, power, and resistance.
These authors didn’t just write fiction—they wrote philosophical warnings. Each one tackled the question of how societies can be shaped, controlled, and ultimately dehumanized.
How does this resonate with today? These versions aren’t just relics of the past – they feel like blueprints for dissecting today’s world, by recognizing the tension between individuality and conformity.
They’re like flashlights in a foggy digital age. They tackle:
Mass surveillance: Governments and corporations track digital footprints – think facial recognition, data mining, and predictive algorithms.
Disinformation: “Fake news,” deepfakes, and algorithmic echo chambers mirror Orwell’s “doublethink” and “newspeak.”
Censorship & control: In some regimes, dissent is criminalized, and history is rewritten – Ministry of Truth lives on.
So was 1984 a warning or a manual? It was unquestionably a warning, but one so precise and psychologically astute, that it inadvertently became a toolkit for control.
About the film:
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) takes a deep dive into the writing of George Orwell (1984) to explore its potent relevancy to our current times.
George Orwell titled his dystopian 1949 novel 1984, but it feels utterly current in 2025 when phrases like “Big Brother is watching you” might refer to Big Government, Big Business, or Big Technology. Orwell is overdue for a fresh look and filmmaker Raoul Peck makes for an incisive and stirring guide. Peck has long put great writers at the centre of his work, most notably in his Oscar-nominated documentary I Am Not Your Negro about James Baldwin.
“I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts,” Orwell wrote. Those simple assets carried him far. While he’s best known as the author of Animal Farm and 1984, this film opens us to a wider range of his writing that drew from his personal experience of poverty in Down and Out in Paris and London, of colonialism in Burmese Days, and of revolutionary uprising in Homage to Catalonia.
Peck pulls lines and impressions from these works and others, enlisting British actor Damian Lewis to embody the voice of the author. Visually, Peck uses film footage from multiple adaptations of 1984 and Animal Farm. He layers in contemporary news and documentary footage to evoke the alarming rise of totalitarianism, surveillance, and government violence in our present day.
It’s both conversely reassuring and frightening to see how much analysis Orwell brought to what we’re experiencing today. –THOM POWERS
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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