The American Dream has been on my mind for a while now.
Whenever I told people I was working on this list, a typical response was, “What even came out this year?”
From the perspective of an Egyptian-American Muslim in New Jersey – Hulu’s “Ramy” is a show that brings to the forefront the often misunderstood and unexplored narratives of Muslims and Arabs at large. After his Golden Globe win for “Best Actor, TV Musical or Comedy” earlier this year – the palpable multi-talented actor Ramy Youssef is one to pay attention to.
Uncut Gems is one of this year’s most exciting and highly anticipated films. The Safdie Brother have proved themselves to be one of the most innovative directors of our time. So one can imagine the buzz, when an interactive pop up in NYC brought some of the film’s most special details to life.
From acclaimed filmmakers, Josh and Benny Safdie comes a whirlwind thriller about Howard Ratner [Adam Sandler], a jeweler always looking for his next big come up.
We were on the red carpet for the 2019 IFP Gotham Awards.
Uncut Gems, the latest venture from the directing duo the Safdie Brothers, has caught the attention of critics and the festival circuit. The lead performance from comedy legend Adam Sandler has especially created buzz, as a noted departure in tone from his other recent projects.
Right on the heels of Sandler’s Best Actor win from the National Board of Review, the film held a special New York screening Tuesday night at the Walter Reade Theater. Sandler was in attendance at the screening, along with with fellow cast members Julia Fox and Kevin Garnett.
Ahead of the screening, Benny and Josh Safdie made it clear that getting Sandler on board was no quick and easy task. They explained how the film’s planning process was almost over 10 years, and how they always knew they wanted to collaborate with Sandler
“It’s been one of the most incredible experiences getting to know and work with him,” said Benny Safdie
Sandler made sure to send a humble salute to the directing duo before the film began.
“I want to thank these guys for letting me be in their movie and for even thinking of me, really we had a great time making it.”
Uncut Gems hits theaters December 13, 2019.
The new family drama “Waves” from director Trey Edward Schultz tackles difficult themes that has left audiences emotionally moved and affected.
At a special tastemakers screening of the film last week in New York, a few central members of the Waves cast sat down with Vulture reporter Hunter Harris to discuss the lessons to be learned from Waves and their hesitations before making the film.
The script for the film was initially written with a white family in mind. For Renee Elise Goldsberry, one of her concerns signing on to play the central mother was that certain subject matters in the film would carry a different meaning with a black family as the focus.
“I have a son thats 10, and I was very concerned with the idea that this would be on screen and that we would perhaps be reinforcing stereotypes. So I also had a conversation with Trey and he is tremendously humble and sweet because he had that conversation again with me and he basically said, ‘I understand all those things and we have a problem on our hands, but should I not cast the best actor?’”
“One of the things I love most about this film is that it’s a film about an African American family, and our issues are our issues. It’s not a story about the world, it’s about the thing that we’re responsible for and the mistakes that we make, and I love this movie for that,” Goldsberry continued.
When Kelvin Harrison Jr. got the script, he felt it was the universal themes that reassured him that the casting would work.
“Seeing the parallels between our two coexisting lives in different parts of the world and in different races. Seeing how, you know, this did get lost in themes of grief and and connection and communication that are similar. And then I could tell the role was for me. So then I got the script and I read it and I was like, yeah, I guess we have a challenge on our hands, but let’s take it off.”
For Sterling K. Brown, who plays an overbearing father in the film, he appreciated how the movie could help parents examine the process of raising their children.
“It’s all about how parents fool themselves into thinking that it’s their job to sort of move their children into their image or why not? And the misnomer is twofold. Number one is that they kind of come into the world who they already are. And your job is to sort of help them become the best version of themselves, not turn them into anything other than who they already are.”
The film examines the approach of treating children like copies rather than individuals, and Brown says great lessons can be learned from doing the opposite.
“The learning ideally should go both ways. When there is not so much ego involved and you’re open to the idea that like you have something to learn, there is something of value coming from this young person, then you don’t feel the need to talk at them all the time. But you’re an authentic conversation with them.”
Waves is in theaters now.
We attended a special New York screening of “Waves.” Check out some highlights from the Q&A session with the cast and director of “Waves”!
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