1 of My Stories

WICKER Review: A Whimsical Fantasy Romance Worth Falling For

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Sun, 08 Nov 2026 07:52:14 +0000

Olivia Colman as FISHER WOMAN and Alexander Skarsgård as WICKER HUSBAND in WICKER

WICKER is a timeless and joyful fairy tale romance that includes themes about creation, connection, and finding your own path.

In a village that feels ripped from the pages of a storybook, everyone knows where they fit into the pecking order based on their occupation and marriage status. One of the people at the bottom of the pile must surely be the Fisher Woman (Olivia Colman). She's single and treated with contempt due to her fishy odor, despite the invaluable service she provides her community. After witnessing yet another marriage, she decides to ask the Basket Maker (Peter Dinklage) to craft her a husband from wicker. Her choice upsets the perfectly ordered world of the village, creating shockwaves of longing and desire.

Peter Dinklage as THE BASKET MAKER in WICKER

Even the most cynical curmudgeon won't be able to resist the chemistry between Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, who play the couple of interest. It's hard not to melt as you follow the Fisher Woman's transformation from town clown to a woman to be envied. She struggles to totally own her new identity along the way as the Wicker Husband's object of desire. But that only serves to make her more relatable to all the viewers who have ever felt passed over as worthy of consideration. Through his gentle, constant care, she adapts.

The town and society at large serve as the film's antagonist. Roles are inherited, and each person is expected to serve the function bestowed upon them by name. Personal agency is unheard of, and the marriage bond is best represented by the restrictive metal collars that women are given instead of a band of gold. Even the choice to marry is not theirs to make, since it's all decided by which egg emits purple smoke. We meet the Tailors, the Bottlewashers, the Innkeepers, and the Butchers – all who have less than ideal marriages.

Elizabeth Debicki as THE TAILOR'S WIFE in WICKER

The Fisher Woman's actions disrupt this in every way. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than during the dance sequence that follows the Butcher's wedding. As the band plays a jaunty tune, couples pair up to follow a sequence of synchronized steps that call out the model of marriage expected in town. The actions mimic a couple fighting. As fun as this dance looks, all eyes end up on The Fisher Woman and the Wicker Husband, who defy convention and dance in each other's embrace. Locked in each other's arms, their intimacy and bliss at being together is palpable.

The filmmaking team combine efforts to craft a lovingly realized world. Production designer Renátó Cseh and costume co-designers Tóth András Dániel and Attila Godena-Juhász impress with their offbeat and colorful artistry. Most stunning of all is the work by the makeup team in bringing the Wicker Husband to life completely with practical effects. Who knew a basket could look this good?

Olivia Colman as THE FISHER WOMAN in WICKER

WICKER looks amazing, but it's the heartfelt themes of the film that ring the loudest. The Fisher Woman carves her own path and that acts as a catalyst for everyone else considering their life's choices. Olivia Colman has become the patron saint of middle-aged women for the many characters she has portrayed that aren't afraid to own their sexuality or stake out a piece of territory they can call their own. I still remember her characterization of Leda in THE LOST DAUGHTER, refusing to give up her chair at the beach because a large Italian family thought she shouldn't mind moving just because she was a single woman. How I wanted to cheer. And here she is again daring to find happiness in a world that tells her she isn't worthy.

But there's also a lovely vision of a creator's care for his creation. It's Peter Dinklage's Basket Maker who skillfully brings the Wicker Husband to life with his own two hands. He takes the Fisher Woman's request to heart, but he chooses to give the Wicker Husband free will and doesn't impose any control over the man's life. He allows him to make his own choices and only intervenes when asked. Compare this relationship to the most dominant literary model of creator-created of Victor Frankenstein and his monster, often depicted as abusive, neglectful, or controlling.

Olivia Colman as FISHER WOMAN and Alexander Skarsgård as WICKER HUSBAND in WICKER

WICKER is an empowering and timeless romance that demonstrates a new kind of fairy tale ending – one based not on looks or goodness but on two people choosing each other and building a love worth keeping.

Release info: In theaters October 23, 2026.

Final score: 4 out of 5

I was given the opportunity to attend a virtual press conference before the film opened to ask questions of some of the cast members. Here is an abridged version of that press conference. The two questions I asked were about the dance sequence and Elizabeth Debicki creating the character of the Tailor's Wife.

Transcript of video:

0:00
First of all, congratulations to the three of you on this film. I love how this was just such a unconventional idea of what a husband should be like. And it

0:08
turns into a story about love, acceptance, and belonging. So, what do you think that this story understands

0:16
about human relationships that other love stories don't understand or haven't brought into the picture yet? Olivia, I'll begin with you.

0:24
Well, I suppose it's different in the world that it's set in is different. the fable aspect of it means I think we can

0:31
approach all sorts of things with light with a light touch. Maybe it it maybe it's easier to say some

0:38
things when it's uh it's in a world you don't you don't initially recognize but I think it's saying what many love

0:46
stories say. This is two souls finding each other and learning about love together and um and learn I think doing

0:53
it very very well. She does screw up occasionally more than him. He doesn't ever get it wrong. Actually, it's a lovely world to go into. It's it's

1:01
proper um escapism, which is always welcomed, but particularly now, I think lots of people really really want that.

1:08
And Alexander, you've obviously been in romantic pairings on film before, and you and Olivia are so so great together in this film. What's something about

1:16
playing the amazing Wicker husband that's brought out something in you as an actor that your previous roles haven't before? I found it quite

1:24

intimidating to play such a lovely nice guy. It was a real stretch for me.

1:30
It was a real stretch for me. Uh the character has such a purity to him and that was I wouldn't say that I always

1:37
play a bad guy, but I tend to gravitate towards morally conflicted characters and slightly troubled characters

1:45
sometimes with a a dark past. The wicker husband doesn't have a past and is just

1:52
the epitome of goodness and purity as a justosition to the morass that's the village that was exciting but also quite

2:01
intimidating because I wanted obviously to make sure that the audience would connect with the character and care about him and that it wouldn't feel too flat. It intrigued me for sure.

2:10
Elizabeth, I've loved speaking with you over the years and you truly have never played a woman like this before. This is almost like one of your first like

2:19
villainous type roles and you got to explore a lot of jealousy and desire. So just talk about what it was like stepping into her shoes and exploring

2:28
that side of the human emotions in this character.

2:32
Also a stretch for me because I'm actually very pure [laughter] with and you are uncomplicated. I I it's interesting

2:40
playing a a sort of villain because obviously I don't see her as a villain.

2:46
I mean, it's an actor's job always to sort of empathize with the character, but I to sort of think about the question you asked Olivia and what my

2:55
character does in the story. I think what's so beautiful about this movie is that to me it's about how he is a mirror of her beauty, you know, and her

3:03
goodness and the way they sort of teach each other. And I think the thing about the Taylor's wife that struck me as something very honest is that someone

3:12
else's happiness and an attempt to kind of free themselves from a system is incredibly intimidating to my character

3:20
and she she can't manage that. It's not necessarily villainous. It's just that it holds a mirror up to her circumstances and she feels so trapped

3:27
that she has to fight fight her own little fight against it. So I am on your side. I agree. I didn't I

3:34
didn't find her villainous at all. I really felt her pain and how she was stuck in this patriarchy and this system

3:41
and that like the desire when she's talking about like maybe opening a shop in a in a neighboring village and kind of want to see the world and her husband is like, "Yeah, no, you're so pretty.

3:52
You're too pretty for that." I can understand how someone so liberated who's outside of the system, outside of

3:59
the social hierarchy like the fisherwoman becomes a threat because that's suddenly this could be your way

4:07
out or you see what you could have done but you're then it reminds you that you're stuck in your system. So you're a good girl. She's a good girl.

4:15
She Yeah, it's important. It's important that she is a representation of the [clears throat] system that the fisher woman is freeing herself from. So like

4:24
that system is keeping women so stuck and repressed and within that there's so

4:30
much frustration and anger. I mean it's it's interesting too because sort of watching angry women on screen is not something that you get to often play.

4:40
It's something that people are quite uncomfortable with often writing or directing and so that was a joy for me really.

4:47
Well last question for you Alexander before I open it up to the audience joining in. I want to ask about the makeup. It looked absolutely incredible.

4:56
What was it like when you were seeing yourself in the makeup for the first time, mixing the practical effects with the the effects in post because it was

5:03
just so beautiful. You would see his arm come up and the light shining through.

5:06
But talk about just what it what it added to you and your performance and getting into that incredible makeup.

5:12
Yeah, it was. And I want to emphasize that it was a practical costume. And the only thing that wasn't practical was

5:19
basically I was wearing blue sleeves underneath the wicker arm piece so that you could see light shine through it.

5:27
That was a little tricky. We tried to get that practical, but it was hard. But everything else was was just a the craftsmanship was extraordinary. The way

5:36
the character looks in the movie is what it looked like on the day when when we were shooting. And that's a testament to the workshop in New Zealand who created

5:43
this character. But to to see it and then to step into it was an extraordinary experience and helped me find the physicality of the character.

5:55
And it was also exciting again in this day and age when when there's so much CGI and characters like this would 99

6:02
times out of 100 be made created and posed.

6:05
Well, I do want to open it up to the other critics here. And from Lindsay Dunn for Alexander, she says she loves the dance that wicker man dances with

6:14
the fit fisherwoman. I loved that scene too. What was the process of learning the choreography and trying to move with the prosthetic wicker makeup and doing that scene together?

6:24
So I remember do you remember our first dance rehearsal? Uh cuz we did it on I had a practice skirt but you had no practice wicker. Yeah.

6:33
So we lifted all easy peasy. Yeah.

6:35
And then you put the Oh, it's actually harder to grip. Yeah.

6:38
And so it was I was sliding out of your arms.

6:41
No, but it was great because then I did it and everyone was like, "It looks amazing. You look so stiff and it's so rigid." And I'm like, I'm actually

6:50
trying to be as possible. But but I guess it it served the character. That's how I dance. Well, for Elizabeth Dicki

6:58
in your role of the Taylor's wife, you are someone who is at the top of the social food chain in this village and she acts with resentment and malice with

7:06
someone who is seen, you know, as lowly like the fisherwoman. These kinds of characters are all too real in this world like what we were talking about

7:14
earlier. What inspirations do you draw to make this character? And what do you think is the best way to deal with someone like her in real life?

7:23
Wow. Oh god. I mean, the inspiration I drew on was our script. To be clear, there wasn't some person in my mind that

7:30
I thought you I'm going to make [laughter] you. The script is so beautiful in in the psychology. It's so detailed for me. I think for you guys,

7:39
too. It's like that road map was just of the journey of of why she's doing these things, why she's saying these things.

7:45
And and just I mean, the first time I read it was just like a delight to watch this blueprint of this person pop up for me.

7:52
So that was my inspiration. I I think the thing is about about a Taylor's wifeesque

8:00
response to something in life. I have learned it's interesting because it did make me think a little bit about some of my life experiences. And sometimes I've

8:08
learned that in life when you present something that sort of moves against the grain of what other people are doing and

8:15
that can be like a small thing like I'm Australian. So at a certain point in my life I said I'm moving. I'm moving. I'm doing this thing. I'm leaving this

8:23
behind. Right? And that was a scary thing for me to do in my 20s. And I remember having to broach it to people.

8:29
And people just went, "Why? Wh why do you mean why?" And and and at first I found that really confronting. I remember lots of experiences, different

8:38
things in life where people kind of go, "But why? Why are you doing that?" And and if you take it personally, you you can feel very really vulnerable and you go, "Oh, you're right. Actually, I don't

8:46
know why I'm doing maybe I shouldn't do that." But it's taken me many years to learn that often it's because somebody wants to do it too, but they're not doing it.

8:54
Oh, yeah.

8:55
And so they sort of are confronted by your decision to move. Yeah.

8:59
And so I think that that's maybe maybe having experienced things like that, I probably threaded that into her because

9:07
I feel like she desperately would love to just grasp for some kind of freedom.

9:13
So watching a woman do that is so confronting because it's already inside of her that desire. So so I don't know.

9:20
I don't know how you deal with it. You just have to stay true to your own thing. Just keep moving in your own direction.

9:26
From Justin Clark, given the emphasis on marriage instead of a shortterm romance in the story, what do you think this film brings to your personal

9:35
relationships? And did you take away anything from the film and like learned something about yourself in your own personal relationships? made me feel

9:43
like a terrible partner when I [laughter] look at the wicker husband.

9:46
He's so attentive and sweet and caring and I'm like he's amazing, isn't he? He's a good man.

9:51
Yeah, he's the best man.

9:53
I can't stand it. [laughter] I feel like one of the men in the village now. Like, off. off.

10:00
The load is always lighter when you are by my side. Every time you delivered a line of like that. And it always troubles me that this won't last forever. And without you, I would have

10:08
never seen the sun, the ocean, or the sky.

10:12
beautiful, very romantic line dialogues, did you when you were delivering those lines, Alexander, did you did you kind of like, you know, feel the weight of

10:20

the romance and how much she was just yearning for this woman?

10:23
Yeah, but there was some there was something quite innocent about those lines and I wanted them to I wanted to deliver them in a matterofat way that

10:31
wasn't too charged because again, the words do all the work for you there. They're so beautifully written and it's so

10:39
profound. And I think what makes a lot of those moments really special is the fact that it's like he says something so profound but in quite of a matter of

10:47
fact way. And and and it has this huge impact on the Fisher woman. But I tried not to

10:55
anticipate how they would land if you know what I mean like by saying him in a specific way. Know like oh this is really going to work.

The Communion of Cinema: Faith-Centric Movie Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 03:51:47 +0000

For 12 weeks in the summer 2026, I taught a course called “The Communion of Cinema.” Participants from Blacknall Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC, gathered and considered how movies can deepen our faith, strengthen our love for one another, and shape how we see the world. We considered four levels of meaning and introduced cinematic concepts that filmmakers use to instill a type of theology. It was a rich and rewarding time of learning for all who joined.

But we also understood that meaning isn’t one-directional or the same for every person. Yes, filmmakers can have a certain meaning or viewpoint they want to convey, but as believers in Christ, imbued with the Holy Spirit, we carry Christ with us wherever we go and can see him anywhere. We have that ability, which is incredibly exciting. The Bible tells us in Romans 1:19-20 that God’s invisible qualities are imprinted on the world. So even when filmmakers aren’t intending to convey Christ or his teaching in their work, it happens more than you think.

Through the Communion of Cinema, we can find these things together in fellowship and conversation. Out of this class, members grew and developed in their ability to find spiritual riches across cinematic storytelling. These recommendations are testaments to their understanding and are offered as gifts to those looking for a good meaningful flick.

Please note: the ask of each learner was to recommend a movie that they found spiritually meaningful, regardless of content rating, genre, or year created. These are not "faith-based" films, and readers should make their own decision as to if the film is for you. Recommendation authors were asked to include content warnings or potential trigger warnings they would give a friend if applicable.

2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY (1968), directed by Stanley Kubrick

Recommended for ages 16+

A black monolith of unknown origin appears millions of years ago and then reappears in the future. Throughout history, it heralds evolution and violence in equal measure, sounding a silent warning bell that hints at the cost of progress. 2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY is a rich epic that presents to us how mankind responds to the unknown and conflict, how scientific advances can harm as they attempt to bring us closer to understanding, and how the vastness of our universe is comfortably unexplainable. There are opportunities to meditate on themes during the movie — to seek peace in our eternal God and to discern the limits of our humanness. This leisurely paced film may test the patience of viewers who prefer action-packed plots. The open-ended ending will frustrate viewers who like clear answers about meaning.

— Paul Alberti

ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE OF SALT (2023), directed by Raven Jackson

Recommended for ages 18+ due to its meditative pace

In this nonlinear, leisurely paced film with a strong sense of place, Mack grows up in rural Mississippi and experiences the full range of human experiences. The director takes an intimate approach in filming Mack and her loved ones, lingering on hugs and gentle touches. More of a poem than a narrative arc, this movie is a sensory exploration of Black family and community through one precious life. The attention the director gives Mack may bring to mind the love and care that God feels for each one of His creations.

— Lindsey Dunn

THE APOSTLE (1997), directed by Robert Duvall

Recommended for ages 18+

After Pentecostal preacher Sonny discovers his wife is having an affair, he beats the man into a coma and flees the scene. He then settles in Louisiana and lays down roots, starting a new church and injecting life into the community. Robert Duvall wrote, directed, and starred in this movie about a deeply flawed preacher whose life takes unexpected turns. He prays and relies on the Holy Spirit to guide him, and sometimes he shines as a light to others—so why does he sometimes do unwise, even horrifying, things? The film gives no easy answers, but invites us to ponder: How does God work with and move among human beings, given that we’re all deeply flawed? Can we see God’s love and grace in the midst of our screwed-up lives?

— Liz Shively

BABETTE'S FEAST (1987), directed by Gabriel Axel

Recommended for ages 13+

Two unmarried sisters and their strict father who live on the harsh coast of Denmark grow in their understanding of God’s love and grace when they take in a French refugee. Her lavish cooking enchants them with the reminder that life does not always need to be unrelenting and austere. This visually stunning and meditative movie is a spiritually nourishing treat for the soul. It challenges small views of God (especially the tendency to see him as a killjoy), and addresses the life-giving power of art in both faith and community. Also a great movie for foodies! The film is suitable for all ages but may not hold the attention of young children (who may also object to certain dishes they see cooked!). The film won an Oscar for best international feature that year and is in Danish with English subtitles.

— Maija Samei

THE CROODS (2013), directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco

Recommended for all ages

Despite its prehistoric setting, THE CROODS is a family feature with a surprisingly tender and relatable premise. Tissues are recommended. Teenage girl Eep (Emma Stone) longs for a life outside her small, prehistoric family’s routine. Their home is destroyed, she meets a teenage boy (Ryan Reynolds), and everyone deals with these things differently as they journey to find a new place to live. The animation is saturated and magical, clean and sparkling, sweeping us away to lush and bigger-than-life places. The story has humor and warmth and deals with family dynamics and how families (as an institution and individually) respond to change. But what gets me is the scene-stealing character arc of the dad, voiced by Nicolas Cage. Grug is the protector of the household and takes his role seriously. As his daughter dips a toe outside that circle of safety — taking the family with her — he begins to feel like a failure. Our hearts break and then cheer as his carefully constructed self-image cracks and reforms into a truer shape of what protecting his family looks like. It isn’t a far leap to call him a Jesus figure as he stands at the precipice of a chasm between a falling world and an Eden, with a very tough choice to make.

— Devon Flaherty

A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957), directed by Elia Kazan

Recommended for all ages

Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes (Andy Griffith) is a womanizing drifter discovered by a local radio program host, Marcia Jeffries (Patricia Neal). Lonesome uses his down-home charisma to become an influential national media star, and Marcia Jeffries goes along for the ride. In that ride to the top, he uses others and is used by others. Made almost 70 years ago, this film eerily seems to predict aspects of our world today like influencer culture and the easy way fame can come and go. Lonesome is a tragic and morally complex character that we follow down a doomed path. We witness his manic charisma that masks a deep longing to be seen and accepted. Looking for love and finding only those who want to use him for their own purposes, we can only watch a trail of heartache that Lonesome absorbs and sends right back out to the universe. Watching may help viewers understand the deep longings of a heart and the many damaging ways we look for fulfillment. Tar Heels may be amazed at this nuanced and incredible performance of Andy Griffith, best known for his quaint and cozy depiction of small-town life.

— Mark Atkinson

THE HOUSE IS BLACK (1963), directed by Forugh Farrokhzad

Recommended for all ages

Leprosy wreaks havoc on the body but can’t harm a soul with gratitude. This film focuses on people in Iran who live in a leper colony in the 1960s. Images don’t hide the damage that leprosy causes, but the camera refuses to allow viewers to reduce these humans to people we should pity. They run, play, fight, and live. Pity reduces a person to an object we can view from a distance and feel better because we said “poor little thing.” Instead the voice narrates Holy scriptures that name these souls creations that God has lovingly made, ones he pursues and cares for. The juxtaposition of poetry, scripture, and images of people living in the world that God made is a living testament to Imago Dei.

— Lindsey Dunn

ICE AGE (2002), directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge

Recommended for all ages

As the prehistoric ice age advances, countless creatures migrate south. Most travel with their packs, herds, or tribes, but the story focuses on three loners: Sid, the irritating sloth; Manny, the morose mammoth; and Diego, a saber-toothed tiger with a hidden agenda. These three unlikely companions come across a human baby who’s also been separated from his kind. He’s cute, and he’s helpless — but he’s part of a species that has brought death and devastation to many animals. A choice lies before the travelers each day: what to do with this baby? Abandon it, kill it, or try to return it?

As they face challenges together, the travelers come to understand one another better, which begins to change them from the inside out. But will their newfound insights and friendship win out over their self-centered survival instincts? As people whose survival instincts often conflict with Jesus’ call to love others as we love ourselves, we have plenty to ponder in this animated movie. All ages will enjoy the fast-paced adventures, the suspenseful plot, and the comic relief.

— Liz Shively

JOJO RABBIT (2019), directed by Taika Waititi

Recommended for 16+ | Content warnings: war scenes, death

This whimsical and satirical comedy-drama depicts Johannes (Jojo), age 10, who begins the movie as an enthusiastic recruit of the Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) near the end of WWII. His zealous imbibing of Aryan propaganda is interrupted when he discovers that his beautiful, enigmatic mother is harboring a young Jewish teenager in their home. He begins a transforming friendship that exposes Nazi ideology as a false narrative and eradicates his personal prejudice.

Jojo’s coming-of-age journey reveals essential truths. We witness how creative humor can expose powerful evil systems as they descend into absurd and destructive chaos. We observe that resistance to evil and daring to hope can be costly and dangerous. And Jojo’s own prejudice can’t stand up to a real relationship.

— Margaret Frothingham

JUNEBUG (2005), directed by Phil Morrison

Recommended for adults for language and sexual content

Set and filmed around Winston-Salem, JUNEBUG tells the story of George, who brings his glamorous art-dealer girlfriend Madeleine from Chicago to North Carolina to cultivate a relationship with an eccentric folk artist and to visit his parents, his brother Johnny, and his sister-in-law Ashley (Amy Adams). It’s a poignant family story about the challenge of coming home, about middle-class life in North Carolina, and about how shame operates in families. Along the way are some moving scenes that reveal both beautiful and hard things about evangelical Christianity in the South. For anyone who loves North Carolina and who wants to know it better. NC connection: One of the family members works at Replacements, Ltd., a highway marker that almost every Tar Heel has driven by at least once.

— Warren Kinghorn

LA LA LAND (2016), directed by Damien Chazelle

Recommended for 13+

The movie follows the relationship and careers of Sebastian, a jazz pianist, and Mia, an aspiring actress. As their careers take off, they struggle with what they’re willing to sacrifice for love and their ambitions. I love musicals because, for me, music helps explain and give meaning to moments in a film, and I can then take that meaning into my own life. I especially like the opening scene, where drivers who are stuck in traffic suddenly get out of their cars and begin to sing and dance. I spend a lot of time “stuck” in school carline, and this scene helps me, in a small way, “redeem” carline. While I don’t get out of the car and sing and dance, I do sometimes do so in the car.

The film also explores an alternative ending and the idea of wondering how things might have been. I like thinking about the possibilities of what could have happened, while also accepting what actually did happen and finding joy and contentment in reality. LA LA LAND reminds us to appreciate each moment as a gift and opportunity. It also happens to have great music.

— Mary Taylor

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007), directed by Craig Gillespie

Recommended for 16+

Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law’s home. The only problem is that she’s not real — she’s a sex doll
Lars ordered off of the internet. Sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he’s crazy, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet-natured boy that they’ve always loved. A surprising movie at every turn, LARS AND THE REAL GIRL shows a true portrait of community and how support sometimes means not addressing the elephant in the room for a time. There’s a whole lot of truth hidden at the center of this plot for those who seek it. When he doctor says, “Bianca’s here for a reason,” that’s a loaded statement that deserves consideration. I’m especially touched by the church ladies who “just come and sit,” and Lars’ brother who is confronted with his own responsibility for Lars’ emotional state of affairs. Absurd and heartwarming in equal measure, Lars will be a movie you never forget.

— Lindsey Dunn

LEAVE NO TRACE (2018), directed by Debra Granik

Recommended for 16+

Will and his teenage daughter, Tom, have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. The family is tested as both try to adjust to civilian life without losing what makes them feel alive. As Christians, we are taught to love the marginalized, and Will and Tom fall under that category, but what does it look like to love someone who may not want the help you offer? A film with no easy answers, LEAVE NO TRACE has themes of PTSD, trying to survive inside the system, and what happens to a family when you have different paths to forge.

— Lindsey Dunn

MASS (2021), directed by Fran Kranz

Recommended for 16+ | Content warning: school shooting

Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. This minimalist film takes place inside an all-purpose room at a church. This room acts as a character and the main setting for the events that will take place. This is a story that doles out information in pieces, so truth be told, the less you know going in the better. There are themes explored of grief, communal lament, forgiveness, and the unrelenting love parents have for their children, even when they have been the cause of woe. This sometimes stressful and breathtaking film ends with the healing sounds of a choir practice that has the final say. This is an important and well acted film that presents topics like school shootings, school bullying, mental health, and personal responsibility from the perspective of parents.

— Lindsey Dunn

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988), directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Recommended for all ages

After moving to the countryside with their father to be near their ailing mother, two young sisters are befriended by a variety of mysterious woodland creatures. When life hits hard, you need to find something to hope for, something to believe in. Mei finds this in the presence of Totoro. Like “E.T.” and “The NeverEnding Story,” “My Neighbor Totoro” grabs at the elusive nature of childhood like strands that can’t be captured.

Taking delight in childhood play, this film makes you want to go outside, take your shoes off, and indulge in the goodness of nature. There’s also something to be said for the comforting presence of Totoro, who could be seen as a Holy Spirit, bringing comfort and safety, as well as prompting gentle nudges when needed.

— Lindsey Dunn

THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955), directed by Charles Laughton

Recommended for 12+ for images of children being pursued

A serial killer disguised as a preacher marries and murders the widow of an executed convict with whom he once shared a cell. He then terrorizes her two young children to force them to tell him the whereabouts of the $10,000 he knows their father hid before his imprisonment. Never has there been a more iconic villain than Harry Powell, whose tattooed knuckles have inspired filmmakers ever since. Through the children’s journey, they encounter different examples of what it means to honor God and love their fellow man. More often than not, the good sheep are the ones who don’t look as shiny on the outside.

The dark themes of greed and obsession are leavened with notes of magic and God’s provision being on the side of right. There’s also a beauty to the childlike innocence of John and Pearl. John’s promise to his father to hide the money and protect Pearl weighs heavily on his soul and seems a greater burden than a child should have to carry. Equal in measure to Harry Powell’s presence is Rachel Cooper, the shotgun totin’, tough-as-nails protector who knows how to keep the wolves away.

— Lindsey Dunn

NUREMBERG (2025), directed by James Vanderbilt

Recommended for 13+

Have you ever wondered how the Nazi leadership justified what they termed “The Final Solution” — the mass murder of the Jewish people during the Holocaust? Were these men soulless sociopaths or did they also possess some measure of humanity? And could something like the Nazi takeover of Germany ever happen in the United States? The historical drama NUREMBERG tackles these questions.

The film authentically (although not with perfect accuracy) portrays the preparations for the Nuremberg trials of the Nazi leadership and dramatizes scenes from the trials themselves. To be exact, U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Robert Jackson carefully pieces together a legal basis for the first-ever international tribunal to prosecute individuals for war crimes. But the trials are only a subplot. The main plot is the evolving relationship between U.S. Army psychiatrist Dr. Douglas Kelley, entrusted with providing the prosecution with a psychological evaluation of the accused Nazis, and Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the highest-ranking Nazi prosecuted at Nuremberg.

Through numerous interviews, Dr. Kelley moves beyond his original task of psychological evaluation, to develop a bond, possibly even a friendship, with Göring, to the point that Kelley becomes an illicit conduit for correspondence between Göring and his wife and daughter. This film is an intense psychological study of great historical importance. But more significantly, although we know the outcome of the trials from our history classes, the question of Göring’s humanity, and whether the U.S. could ever succumb to a Nazi-like usurpation, are themes worth exploring in this outstanding film.

— Doug Marchuk

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975), directed by Milos Forman

Recommended for adults | Content warnings: suicide and death, electroshock therapy, fights, language, period-accurate ethnic and homophobic slurs

McMurphy ( Jack Nicholson) pretends to be insane so he will go to an asylum instead of prison, thinking it will be less restrictive. Instead he discovers that the caretaker Nurse Ratched rules the ward with an iron and cruel fist. Appalled by her behavior, he encourages the inmates to rebel, starting a battle of wills between him and Nurse Ratched. Although McMurphy is a true trickster, he also demonstrates courage and conviction in standing up for those that have difficulty standing up for themselves. We may not approve of his methods, but his acts of resistance may inspire us to not stay silent when we see others wronged.

— Mary Miller

ONLY YESTERDAY (1991), directed by Isao Takahata

Recommended for 16+

Taeko is a 27-year-old woman working in an office in Tokyo while silently wishing for something more in life. For her holiday vacation, and to fulfill a childhood dream that was never realized, she travels deep into the countryside of Japan to work on a farm that still holds to the traditional, natural farming techniques. While on the overnight train ride into the country, she begins to have flashback memories of seemingly random events from her 10-year-old self. These dreamlike memories from her past continue to visit her while she is working on the farm, and through these flashbacks, cleverly integrated with the scenes from the present, we begin to understand how Taeko has become the kind, sensitive, and yet, unfulfilled person she is today. Delicate and detailed animation adds visual beauty to a nostalgic, wistful, and uplifting narrative. Themes of the fulfillment of life’s dreams and the way our experiences in youth shape our adult way of being make this film most appropriate for older teens and up.

— Doug Marchuk

PADDINGTON 2 (2017), directed by Paul King

Recommended for all ages

When a book Paddington wants to buy is stolen, Paddington is framed for the crime and sent to jail. There he tries to continue believing in the many aphorisms instilled upon him by his beloved Aunt Lucy in spite of grouchy inmates and cruel assumptions. This movie bursts with pure unadulterated joy and laugh-out-loud humor. Paddington believes in simple principles of kindness and curiosity, never letting cynicism or hopelessness have the final say. While his rose-colored glasses may strike some as naive, there’s a beauty in his continuous childlike faith. The story can be appreciated as is or be seen as an immigration story. Paddington moves into the neighborhood and endures bias and assumptions about his behavior. His story reminds us of the loneliness and challenges of what it means to live as a stranger in a strange land.

— Lindsey Dunn

PERFECT SENSE (2011), directed by David Mackenzie

Recommended for 16+ for mild sexual content

The movie is set in Glasgow, Scotland as a mysterious epidemic unfolds. People afflicted with the illness experience powerful, inexplicable emotional episodes — grief, panic, rage, euphoria — and then lose one of their senses. In the middle of this chaos, Susan, an epidemiologist, and Michael, a chef, meet and fall in love as the epidemic becomes more devastating. People don’t just collapse when they lose a sense - they adapt and find new ways to experience pleasure and connection. Instead of closing the restaurant once the senses of smell and taste are lost, after a period of despondency, they innovate and the restaurant is once again full of people enjoying a well-prepared meal and delighting in each other. I am inspired by the resiliency and creativity shown by the characters in the movie and the emphasis on human connection. Even after the ability to experience any sensory pleasure is gone, the characters cling to each other, so what remains is love.

— Helen Atkinson

TRAIN DREAMS (2025), directed by Clint Bentley

Recommended for 16+

TRAIN DREAMS follows Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker during an era of unprecedented change in the early 20th century. We follow his life as he labors, finds love, and considers his place in the world and among strangers and occasional friends. It’s meditative and lush, alive in blues, greens, and grays of the Pacific Northwest wilderness. The film’s pace asks us to reside in a life rather than just follow a plot as one man does the quiet work of being alive in one place for a long time. God has placed Robert in a small Idaho town and given him the chance to harness and shape sprawling, untouched forests by hacking down wood and laying steel without ever fully understanding what he’s building or what it will mean in the future. TRAIN DREAMS asks us to consider how every person matters, why every life is worth living, and the change we all create in the world, even if we don’t get to see it.

— Bryan Roth

WHERE IS THE FRIEND'S HOUSE? (1987), directed by Abbas Kiarostami

Recommended for all ages

Centered on a young boy, Ahmad, the movie traces the lengths that he’ll go through to return a friend’s notebook. It all takes place in less than 24 hours in one small Iranian community. What does it mean to be a friend? Doing the right thing can be hard, complicated, and confusing — but it’s “good work.” You will definitely want to add this film to your “have watched” list of films directed by Iranian directors, along with THE HOUSE IS BLACK, A SEPARATION, and PERSEPOLIS. Jonathan Rosenbaum in 1998 called Kiarostami the greatest living filmmaker and called his films “sustained meditations on singular landscapes and the way ordinary people live in them; obsessional quests that take on the contours of parables; concentrated inquiries that raise more questions than they answer; and comic as well as cosmic poems about dealing with personal and impersonal disaster.”

— Mark Atkinson

Find more information about the Blacknall Film Collective.

5 Movies to Watch After YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:51:14 +0000

A photo still from YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING

Critics are raving, rightly so, about the Nathan Fielder/Lance Oppenheim documentary YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING. While those of us who have been cheering on Nathan Fielder for awhile understand that this is just the next step in his continuum, others are claiming they have never seen anything like it. It's true that the cumulative combination of the project defies comparison, but it's really several stories combined into one – and each thread draws on countless projects made before. Some of these are heralded today, but many have slipped away from the conversation. Here are my picks for films that have something in common with YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING if you want more stories that keep you thinking long after the credits roll.

A photo still from GRIZZLY MAN

GRIZZLY MAN (2005), directed by Warner Herzog

As Nathan Fielder spends time at the home of Elizabeth Holmes and family, you begin to suspect he has grown somewhat obsessed with her. Anyone who knows Fielder knows his ability to obsess over the smallest detail, but it's hard to discern how much of this is in service of chasing the story rather than person feelings. Viewers may find similar threads in GRIZZLY MAN, one of the many documentaries by the great Warner Herzog. Throughout his career, Herzog has shown a hyper interest in obsessive, driven personalities. The subject of GRIZZLY MAN is Timothy Treadwell, who lived in close proximity to bears to study them, eventually being killed by one of the bears he claimed to befriend. Treadwell was convinced that he had a special relationship with the bears that kept him protected, demonstrating a type of egotistical carelessness which leads to trouble. Herzog studies the videotaped journals of Treadwell's studies, trying to get down to the truth of Treadwell's self-proclaimed "friend of bears status." If you enjoy films where a documentarian seems to take more than an objective interest in their subject, this has that same feel.

A photo still from NOT A PRETTY PICTURE

NOT A PRETTY PICTURE (1976), directed by Martha Coolidge

Nathan Fielder has brought the art of reenactment into the pop culture conversation, but he's far from the inventor. Before she became famous for 1980s comedies like VALLEY GIRL or REAL GENIUS, Martha Coolidge released her directorial debut in 1976, NOT A PRETTY PICTURE. When Coolidge was 16 years old, she was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance. In this documentary, she painstakingly recreates events leading up to, during, and after the assault, sometimes stopping to recalibrate the way the scene is playing out or to interrogate the hired actors about their reactions. Coolidge's groundbreaking docudrama allows viewers to see how an assault might actually play out versus the sensationalized version put out by male-made coming of age films. Fielder demonstrates the same care and attention in crafting scenes that accurately portray his memories of conversations and moments in time.

A photo still from THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES

THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES (2012), directed by Lauren Greenfield

The first part of YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING is an intimate portrait of a family at home during a time of crisis. We pick up 34 days before Elizabeth Holmes is due to start a prison sentence at Federal Prison Camp. Fielder lives at home with the family and is given a level of access usually only reserved for close friends. Greenfield released a similar documentary in 2012. She begins filming David and Jackie Siegel, an uberwealthy couple who are building Versailles House, which would be one of the largest single-family houses ever made. The story takes a turn when in 2008, a recession hits and construction halts. Used to a certain standard of living, the family struggles to live on a reduced income. Cracks begin to show in the marriage and the household management. Greenfield shows much more restraint and stays off camera, but she does interview the family and manages to capture footage that speaks far better than any commentary could. And even though we can find plenty to mock, Greenfield manages a professional objectivity that lends the Siegels their humanity. Fielder, likewise, finds the relatable parts of Elizabeth Holmes and her husband, even as he lends them enough rope to craft their own noose.

A photo still from SOUR GRAPES

SOUR GRAPES (2016), directed by Jerry Rothwell

Fielder has stated that YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING is about the pleasure of being deceived, comparing watching Holmes to attending a magic show. While I could easily recommend Christopher Nolan's THE PRESTIGE for its subject matter as well as a structure that echoes the stages of a magic trick, I will instead direct your attention to SOUR GRAPES, a documentary about another great scamster named Rudy Kurniawan. In the early 2000s, Kurniawan shows up on the wine scene out of nowhere and manages to take on a Jay Gatsby personae, eventually influencing wealthy elites into purchasing counterfeit vintage wines at auction. This documentary raises questions of the prices people are willing to pay, the hope they place in elite products to give them status, and the ease with which someone could dupe the wealthiest and most successful people in the world. Similar things could be said of Holmes who managed to talk many investors into parting from their cash for a stake in her "drop of blood" machine. The dopamine rush of feeling you have been shown a deal of a lifetime is scrutinized in both films about the art of the scam.

A photo still from THE STAIRCASE

THE STAIRCASE mini-series (2022), directed by Antonio Campos

Although it's not really the point of the story, YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING forces us to reckon with whether or not we believe Elizabeth Holmes is guilty of fraud. We each come with our own beliefs of how a person acts when they are guilty, and that same questioning of our own perceptions is a huge theme in one of the few limited series I have taken the time to watch multiple times. THE STAIRCASE is essential viewing for any true crime fan, especially those of us from the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Not only is it a haunting crime, but it portrays how obsessed people can become with the details of the case. The question of whether Michael Peterson did or did not push his wife Kathleen down the stairs still haunts the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham. Only Michael himself knows the answer. This HBO mini-series is based on a 13-part documentary that is a masterpiece in its own right, but I prefer the mini-series for its knockout cast (pitch perfect performances by Colin Firth, Toni Colette, Parker Posey, Michael Stuhlbarg plus more) and the way it continually forces viewers to see the story from multiple perspectives.

YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING is like one of those zoom out picture books. Every time you think you have a grip on the movie, it zooms out and reveals another layer, leaving you questioning all you have seen before.

5 Movies to watch is something 1ofmystories loves to do. Find the whole series. Feel free to recommend a new movie to match in the comments.

100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE Episode 2.6 Recap: More Than 3000 of Them

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:49:51 +0000

100 Years of Solitude is back for season 2, which debuted on August 5, 2026. Adapted from the renowned magical realism novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, it covers the seven generations of the Buendia family in the town of Macondo. In episode 6, tragedy befalls almost every speck of Macondo, from separated lovers to persecuted laborers.

Find all of our recaps on the landing page.

Following the physical attack of the workers in town, they convene in a secret location. The physical attack has only aroused their determination to take a stand, and now, their numbers have grown. The men don't propose violent action. Instead, they decide to pursue a legal route and approach Mr. Brown and the company with a list of demands. The demands must be met for them to return to work. Jose Arcadio Segundo plays the role of scribe, taking notes. The men shout out what they want, and they settle on a list of eight.

Back at the Buendia house, Meme is in lockdown. Fernanda is determined to keep her and Mauricio Babilonia apart, but they find sneaky ways to be together. Aureliano Segundo tries to talk to Meme and get her to confide in him, but she won't even tell him about her newfound passion for Mauricio Babilonia.

The workers, lead by Jose Arcadio Segundo march into the United Fruit Company Office to present their list of demands. Mr. Brown has gone MIA, and some bureaucrats in suits won't accept the list of demands without his signature. The stonewalling has begun. They then walk as a unit to his residence. The group is met by soldiers, who inform him that Mr. Brown is not at home and is traveling.

As the soldiers begin pushing the group away from the house, Jose Arcadio Segundo sneaks in the back to talk to Mr, Brown's housemaid, Cesa. Reluctantly, she tells him that Mr. Brown is with the French women. Cesa may prefer to keep her nose down, but she works for Mr. Brown and has probably seen some things. She knows Jose Arcadio Segundo is a good man who treats her with respect. She may not see the same thing from Mr. Brown.

After some finagling, Jose Arcadio and Lorenzo Gavilan talk Françoise into helping them perpetrate a scam. As Mr. Brown spends time with the French sex workers, they trick him into signing the list of demands the workers have compiled. Vive la France!

Thinking this will satisfy the bureaucrats, the men present the signed statement and are told their signatures don't count since they are not truly employed with the United Fruit Company. Essentially, these men have no interest in reading the list of demands. They have already decided that their thoughts and opinions are irrelevant.

Mr. Brown and his UFC posse may be under the impression that the workers will give up. But their dismissal only triggers more feelings of rage and determination to hold fast to the course. They break into the commissary and steal hams and other products. Jose Arcadio resigns as foreman and goes all in. He gives a rousing speech, and soldier come to drag him away to prison.

At the Buendia house, Francesca enjoys some sacred music as she writes letters to Jose Arcadio II. She spins her usual lies about how wonderful life is and paints a rosy picture of life as a wife and mother. Meanwhile Meme has her own version of a rave and tears up her textbooks, dancing in her underwear. The sound of glass breaking interrupts Francesca. When Frances goes to investigate, she finds a broken vase near a broken window, along with all the paper bits. After Fernanda exist, it's revealed that Meme has confiscated the rock thrown through the window, holding a love note. Love has found a way once again.

Back at the prison, Jose Arcadio and his fellow workers are joined by other workers. They begin to purposefully get arrested in solidarity. Soon, the prisons are full of the undocumented workers of UFC. They sing songs and encourage each other to stay firm.

Meme decides to take a mid-day bath. Mysteriously, the boards begin to move above her head. This is an odd repeat of storyline, as Remedio the Beauty once had a suitor come through the roof. In that case, she was not a willing recipient of the attention she was being given. We don't see who is there, but by Meme's face, we can only guess at who is coming through the roof in a fit of passion.

Amaranta embroiders her funeral shroud

Fernanda interrupts her bath to see what's up and finds many irritating butterflies that she tries to shoo away. She uses the toxic spray to try and get them. She also finds piles of red dust on the bathtub and goes outside to stare at the roof. The brain gears inside her seem to be clicking in place.

The prison warden decides that they cannot hold all of the workers any longer. The UFC bureaucrats report that Mr. Brown will not be happy. The workers lay down their bananas and won't work until the demands are met. Those that join the protest sign and report on their family members, maybe to make sure they get fed?

Mr. Brown appears in a car one afternoon and signals for Jose Arcadio Segundo to get in. If I was Jose Arcadio, I don't know that I would be comfortable going off like this. Now he is isolated and without support.

Mr. Brown drives out to the middle of the banana fields. He asks the drivers to get out so it's just the two of them. He tells Jose Arcadio that if he will get the union to stop, he will make a few concessions. He concedes to pay increases, rest days, putting workers under contract . . . but only for Jose Arcadio and the "most rebellious." So, he is trying to manipulate the leaders of the movement into stepping back, thinking if he appeases those few, the other weaker people will follow. Jose Arcadio refuses to be bought off with meager compensations. He wants full compliance.

Mr. Brown then decides to insult Colonel Aureliano. He calls the Colonel naive and pathetic, showing his full disregard for the man. Jose Arcadio pauses a few seconds and then gets Mr. Brown in a chokehold, saying, "You won't buy us off with crumbs. We will kneel before no one. You got that? Just like my Uncle Colonel Aureliano Buendia." His reaction is savage and channels his connection to Aureliano like never before. This is a full circle moment as it reveals that the spirit of Colonel Aureliano is still alive in his bloodline. Jose Arcadio has always been hard working but gentle. Not someone who raises his voice or gets involved with conflicts. So seeing him turn is shocking, but cool. Mr. Brown is shook.

Back at the house, Mauricio visits for bathtime again. This time we see it's him for sure. We might wonder why the show is spending so much time seeing these two and their sexual interaction. I'm going to repeat something I wrote from episode 5. We have seen many couples sleep together in this show. Up until now, most of them have come across comedic, animalistic, or purely physical. The first couple to sleep together was Ursula and Jose Arcadio, but their sex life was tainted by the fear that their union would create a child with a pig's tail. Every sexual relationship in this family has been intertwined with some vice: age-gap relationships, hedonism, infidelity, incest. This is maybe the first couple have seen come together that seems pure. They are fearless, young, attractive, in love, and unafraid to experience pleasure. Their sex is in sharp contrast to any other we have seen on this show. Meme is someone that has potential for breaking the Buendia curse.

On the way home, Jose Arcadio is shot at. One bullet finds its target, but he makes it back to the Buendia house. There is a sign on his door: Death to Anarchists. He is given TLC by Santa Sofia. Fernanda wants none of this trouble at her house, so she orders Aureliano to make him leave. The two almost come to blows, but Jose Arcadio Segundo announces he was thinking about leaving anyway for a bit. And he does just that.

Fast forward and it's now time for Fernanda to give birth to her new baby. Aureliano isn't helping much, so they ask him to get water to get him out of the room. Amaranta is working on some embroidery in her room. She keeps company with death, dressed as an old woman, who compliments her on her needlework. She has been told that the day she finishes this embroidery work, she will die without pain. As she walks toward the house to share this news with the family, she sees a vision of Jose Arcadio Buendia (the first) in the courtyard.

The family gathers around the baby, who they have decided to name Amaranta Ursula. Even Remedios comes out of her room to join the family. Amaranta tells the family that she will die tomorrow. And that she can deliver any letters that anyone wants to send to the dead.

People come to the house with letters. And among them is Mauricio Babilonia. Meme looks surprised to see him, but he just laughs and says that it's the only way he can come through the front door. Fernanda notices their smiles and looks like she could kill him with the daggers in her eyes.

The crowd at the train station

Amaranta open her pocketwatch, which has a picture of a young boy. I'm guessing it's Aureliano Jose. Gerineldo passes her a letter for the Colonel. She is sewn into her embroidered shroud. Fernanda makes a remark that her shame must be so great since she wants to avoid a confession. Amaranta smugly reports that she has nothing to confess. Ursula agrees and announces that her daughter is a virgin. Aside: being a virgin does not make you sinless. I can think of quite a few sins that Amaranta has committed.

Still it's a pretty operatic death. As she passes into the next life, she has thoughts of Rebeca and wanting to ease her loneliness. As we see Rebeca eating dirt, a shovelful hits Amaranta in the face. A very cinematic complement of events.

Meme walks to the bathhouse to take yet another bath. She enters to find Fernanda inside the room. Fernanda quickly exits, looking satisfied. The boards are removed, and Meme eagerly waits. Suddenly gunshots ring out and a body falls – an eerie callback to the man who stalked Remedios.

Meme walks outside, shaking and wet in her flimsy rob. She walks through the crowds that have gathered to find the shattered, bloody body of Mauricio Bailonia. He has fallen and is badly injured. The crowds whisper that he was trying to steal some chickens. Fernanda stands close by, looking unbothered. Meme tries to scream but she doesn't have enough oxygen to do so, and makes noise that don't seem human.

We find out that Mauricio survives this fall, but that he is paralyzed for the rest of his life. He lives to be an old man who dies in solitude. The butterflies around him are still active until his death. I suppose he never sees Meme again. I think it's the saddest event in the whole show. Meme was a girl full of life who was the only spark of hope left. Her spark has been extinguished. She is escorted tenderly into the house by Ursula and Santa Sofia, with Fernanda closing the door behind all of them primly.

Across town, Aureliano Segundo plays sad sack dad music at Petra Cotes'. He's using that accordion. He is oblivious to what has happened to his daughter and her love. There are balloons and streamers. Is this a party for the baby?

Across town, the workers have returned form their short-lived exile. They enter the town with signs, chanting protests. We discover that Mauricio Babilonia has been exiled and that Fernanda del Carpio has devised a plan to hide any disgraceful rumors that will start about her or her daughter. Meme is no longer speaking and looks lifeless. Ursula tells her that she can always come back. We learn that Meme will never speak again. Fernanda marches her to the train station. As the train runs through the town, Meme doesn't notice any of the things that used to bring her joy.

Jose Arcadio is playing pool when he hears an announcement that a civil and military commander has been appointed named General Cortes Vargas. Martial law has been declared, which is crazy since no one has done anything violent yet except people hired by Mr. Brown. Jose Arcadio is struck by the fear he felt when he watched a man get executed as a boy.

The soldiers from the three regiments take up the work of cutting and shipping the bananas. The workers' demands are ignored. The workers have been patient, but with this new turn of events, they are ready to take action. They cut the electricity and begin to sabotage the UFC offices and operation. The old schoolhouse and barracks once again being a center of conflict. They start fires and interrupt the train lines.

Now it's violent. Jose Arcadio stop a violent riot from keeping Mr. Brown's car from being overturned when he notices Patricia in the back. Corporate lackeys suggest that the stakes need to be raised and warships dispatched. The men light the banana fields on fire.

A photo with different generations of the Buendia family

At the Buendia house, Aureliano Buendia finally shows up, bringing "news" of the strike. He asks about the girls and is told that the baby is asleep and that Renata is no longer in Macondo. Fernanda coldly reports that Meme has decided to be a cloistered nun and that it's not her fault that he's been out of the loop. We see a turn now from Aureliano. Just like his brother, Aureliano has had enough with Fernanda's empire. When he hears that Mauricio has been shot, he understands what she has done. Even if his daughter denied it, he understands somewhere that his daughter's light has been extinguished. He screams in her face with all the frustration he has pent up. It's not much. He is a man defeated. Aureliano returns to Petra Cotes.

The workers stand outside Mr. Brown's office, which has now been turned into General Vargas' office. Mr. Brown has left town. He is meeting with Jose Arcadio Buendia, Lorenzo Gavilan, and a third gent. The General says he will bring the government representatives to negotiate if the workers stop the vandalization. Jose Arcadio agrees, stipulating that something needs to actually change. He doesn't want anymore vain promises. The representatives will arrive on Friday. The crowds celebrate their supposed victory.

The day comes, and the crowds gather to greet the train that holds the government representatives. More than 3,000 people are there to greet this train. It's workers, wives, and children. It's quite a sight. Jose Arcadio shows a young boy how to make a top spin. The train seems to be late, but Jose Arcadio encourages the group to stay put until the train arrives. He then begins to notice soldiers outside the holding pens with weapons. These are large firearms.

A large man with a bullhorn begins to read a proclamation. Those who have incited the strike have been declared a gang of criminals. The strike is declared illegal. Public demonstrations are forbidden, and the men are authorized to fire on anyone who doesn't leave the demonstration. They are given 5 minutes to disperse. The workers stop chanting, but they don't move.

Into the silence, Jose Arcadio raises his voice that they won't move. The men begin firing but the crowds stay still. For a minute, it looks like the crowd is bulletproof. Then they begin dropping one by one. The crowds try to leave, but it's too late. Panicked, they run into each other and can't find an exit. We cut to black.

Time passes, and Jose Arcadio wakes up on a moving train, surrounded by dead bodies. They have all been stacked like Lincoln logs. He is the only survivor on board. Somehow he survived. He screams in horror and jumps off a moving train. Waking up on a death train like this would surely be terrifying. In Jose Arcadio's case, he survives, although will anyone believe him when and if he can find his way home again? The narrator references when his great grandfather finally found the ocean and that it was to his ruin. So do you read this moment as hopeful or devastating?

The episode ends with fake found footage of people that were part of the strike, paying homage to the real victims of the Banana Massacre. We hear the sounds of the ocean breaking on the waves.

This was a very heavy and sad episode. The parallel stories of Meme and Mauricio vs. Fernanda and the workers vs. United Fruit Company follow a similar trajectory. Each attempt to thwart something good ends in more rebellion. Fernanda and the UFC don't see that the requests of these oppressed people are quite reasonable. But the person with control has no interest in the other's opinion, eventually needing to do something violent and irreversible to keep the position of power. The writing on this is incredible, even though it's very sad. Where can this story go now?

A Deeper Testimony into the Durham to Alabama Pilgrimage

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 03:38:16 +0000

Pre-crossing over the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma

--The following was written for inclusion in a yet-to-be-published book. Once the book is published, I will update with the title, author's name, and how to purchase the book.

Long before I stepped onto the bus for the Alabama Pilgrimage, the table was being set and the path was being paved for my arrival. For every step I may have foolishly believed I took of my own volition, God laid the seeds long ago in others' hearts. People of two organizations – DurhamCares and the Mt. Level Community Partnership for Racial Justice, prayed, planned, and laid the groundwork for its coming to pass.

Both are Christ-centered organizations dedicated to bringing the people of Durham, NC together as a beloved community. To explain what each one does could fill pages, but in short, Durham has good people working tirelessly to plan events like the pilgrimage that unite people of all colors, ages, and churches, and promote truth telling and self-interrogation. As a community, we enter uncomfortable places for the sake of healing and a more just society. To get onto that bus is to commit to a path that has the potential to alter the way you see the world permanently.

As a pilgrim you begin to see that each step in your journey is the result of a confluence of decisions made through the years. I’ll come back to that idea later.

These holographic images at Legacy Museum represent enslaved people in holding pens

The idea of pilgrimage is nothing new. Faithful people travel long distances to stand in a place they believe to be holy ground. As your feet touch precious dirt, stories are shared of what happened on that ground and pilgrims must reckon with the full truth. It’s an enlightening, challenging, and sometimes painful experience. When you hear the whole truth, it changes how you see the place and what you believe it to be. It’s a moment of cognitive dissonance. Illusions are broken, and like Saul in Acts 9, the scales fall from your eyes. It’s a healing, but, of course, healing comes after a wound. The wound is in you, and you must ignore the new truth or adapt.

The Alabama Pilgrimage immerses you in the truth about our country’s history with racism. It takes the abstract rhetoric of racism and converts it into something concrete and undeniable. The Pilgrimage helps you to process these things in an embodied way. It becomes a felt experience rather than just a thought experiment. And oh, is it painful. The pain is eased by the presence of the community you travel with. Make no mistake, you can travel to these places alone or with a friend or two, but there is no value you can assign to having a busload of fellow pilgrims to process with: Black, white, young, old; they come with their own baggage and origin stories. And for the faithful, the Holy Spirit is there to help you process it and draw your attention to things you need to see.

This cluster of statues guards the entrance to the Memorial for Peace and Justice

The pinnacle of the week is the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. It’s a masterfully put together space that makes an argument: that enslavement, lynching, segregation, and mass incarceration are all the same thing in different wrapping paper. It’s an illusion to believe that our country has evolved because legalized slavery came to an end.

The problem never went away. But humans are just creative and find new ways to inflict wrong upon those they deem inferior. And this museum drives this point home again and again in that embodied way. You are confronted with mile markers that manifest as memories that will stay ingrained in your soul forever. You know you have found one when you linger and almost feel like you cannot move from that spot.

One such moment for me was walking through the holographic images of people in holding pens. This represents that after enslaved people endured a grueling trip by sea in unfathomable conditions, they were then held in jail cells before being auctioned of like cattle. As you walk by the cells, they talk to you, asking where their children are. One woman sings a spiritual called “Lord How Come Me Here.” – one of the saddest things you will ever hear. Music is my heart language. I chose to sit down and immerse myself in this woman’s cry of desperation. A fellow pilgrim entered the room and shared the space with me. Just listening to this song as one. Not speaking. Just witnessing this woman’s pain.

Lord, how come me here? I wish I never was born.

There ain’t no freedom here. I wish I never was born.

They treat me so mean here Lord. I wish I never was born.

They sold my children away Lord. I wish I never was born.

Lord How come me here? I wish I never was born.

Artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo's "Nkyinkyim" series at the Legacy Museum

One of the first places you encounter in the museum is an immersive large blue room, representing the Transatlantic voyage enslaved people were forced to take. On both sides, you see life-like expertly crafted sculptures of heads that look as if they are sticking out of the sand. Each one is unique and expressive, telling a story of their emotional state. Each head is attached to bars and chains that keep them shackled together in rows. This represents that during the ocean crossings, many chose to drown at the bottom of the sea, rather than endure the agony of leaving their people and identify behind. As I took in the scene, my eyes were drawn to one face in particular – a child of about 4-5 years old. At that time, my nephew was about the same age. I looked into the face of this sculpture and all I could see was my nephew’s face, terrified by the ocean waves and the brutality done to his family. My heart pounded and a sinking feeling gripped my chest. I felt a combination of grief, anger, and hopelessness.

As you walk through, hearing about the horrors of enslavement, the terrors of lynching in the Jim Crow South, the degradation of segregation laws, and the injustice of mass incarceration, there are records of specific men, women, and children. There are excerpts from their journals and private letters. And after 2-3 hours of this, it becomes too great to bear. For me in that moment, I had a cyclical thought, “Who can understand it? Who can understand it?” This came to my mind and became a mantra and the cry of my heart.

Who can understand how this was allowed to happen? How did my white ancestors fathom in their hearts that this was okay? How did they sleep at night and teach their children in the daytime that this was right behavior? Our group was scattered throughout the exhibits and not sticking together, so I sat in this moment alone and finished up the museum before heading back to the hotel.

As I rested my bones from the day, I hoped and felt confident that my thought was pointing me to scripture. Indeed, I found two verses. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says,” "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" I felt a peace from seeing these words in scripture, validating my experience. God sees, and he knows. Indeed, the heart is sick. What happened is evil and not okay. I then found hope in the second verse: “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely,” Proverbs 28:5. When our minds are renewed we see justice through His eyes.

Places like the museum are holy, necessary spaces for those with eyes to see. Only God can lead a heart to want to hear about injustice. Until you get that bug, external pleas may fall on silent ears. Still, that’s not an excuse to say nothing. I must recognize that I’m a product of someone else’s brave decision to speak up. Earlier I spoke about the confluence of events that led me to the pilgrimage. God recently reminded me of my growth and progress with a full circle moment.

We all put our hands on the altar used by Dr. King in the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church

In December of 2025, I attended one of the Mt. Level book studies. This book was The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone. At that event I saw an old friend, who I will call Penny for her privacy. This temporarily stunned me. Why? Well, Penny is a pivotal person in my personal journey of learning about the reality of racism. It was Penny who had the courage to speak up and shine a light in my eyes. Penny and I used to attend the same church, and she was one of the few Black members at that time.

In 2016, Philando Castile was murdered through an act of police violence. She felt alone in that moment and hoped to hear our church or at least some of the members speak out about what happened. Finding nothing but silence, Penny made a decision. She held a women’s event during which she shared about the reality of the church’s complicity with racism, sharing passages from the book Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson. In her eyes, what happened was murder, but no one seemed to be talking about it. She shared her thoughts and gave us a chance to ask any questions without fear of offending. It was completely gracious and selfless and not something she had to do. She could have just left or complained about her ignorant white friends and given up on us. But she shared her story. And it was in hearing that story that moment that gave me a jolt out of my stupor. Because here was my friend, someone I cared about, telling me that this isn’t right. I had to pay attention. It was a moment of cognitive dissonance that required action.

I no longer go to church with Penny, but here she was at The Cross and the Lynching Tree book study -- 10 years later. And it all flashed before my eyes. Her sharing, my decision to start learning, start reading, start listening, stop denying. I then joined Blacknall Presbyterian Church, learned about the Durham Pilgrimage, then the Alabama one. And here I was at this book club invited by some of the friends I met from Mt. Level, still learning, and I see Penny again. What a gift.

Like my encounters with Penny, the museum is an epicenter of cognitive dissonance. It’s a place you cannot hide. And that dissonance demands a response. For me, I choose to speak out and share what I witnessed at the museum through my blog and podcast, knowing that another pilgrim may start their own journey because of the message I and my fellow pilgrims have to share.

To listen to all the episodes of the Durham to Alabama podcast series, visit this page.

--Lindsey Dunn is a librarian, film critic, and storyteller who goes by the name 1 of my Stories who believes in the power of stories to transform lives better than any argument. She has been writing about film, books, and spirituality for almost two decades. Her pilgrimage to Alabama is just one of her stops on a journey to unlearn wrong and damaging rhetoric that she absorbed from childhood. You can find her writing and thoughts on her website 1ofmystories.com.

100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE Episode 2.5 Recap: It Was October 11

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 06:20:35 +0000

100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE is back for season 2, which debuted on August 5, 2026. Adapted from the renowned magical realism novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, it covers the seven generations of the Buendia family in the town of Macondo. In episode 5, Meme returns home a young woman and discovers a possibility of love outside of her family. Fernanda does her best to intervene. Meanwhile, the employees at the United Fruit Company find their working conditions to be intolerable.

Find all of our recaps on the landing page.

Jose Arcadio Segundo and Aureliano Triste step outside after a night out. They part ways fondly. Aureliano Triste walks home alone in the dark. As he reaches to unlock his front door, a voice halts him from the shadows: "Aureliano." As Aureliano turns to respond to his name, he's shot, the permanent cross still visible between his eyebrows. We see a hand cross out his image from the group photo.

One by one, the rest of Colonel Aureliano's sons are murdered likewise, unceremoniously, anonymously, all in the course of one week. It's an elimination of all traces of Aureliano's genetic line, and therefore, an elimination of the army he hinted at that would be there to rise with him if he called for them.

These 17 Aurelianos never asked for anything except their father's attention one time. They were targeted as soon as they came along to see him. Amaranta crosses off their names in her book, too. Ursula muses on who could have done this. Jose Arcadio Segundo reports that there are no witnesses.

The colonel can't believe this nonsense. He knows it was the fruit company. Yet he somehow conflates the fruit company with the government who branded their foreheads. We know these likely don't have any connection. But for Aureliano, it's all the same. Some power hungry outsiders have come in and want to decide who gets to live and die. He is ready to match swords with his old buddy Gerineldo and show them who is boss. Gerineldo, not unkindly, tells he is off his rocker if he thinks the two of them can even stand up, much less go exacting revenge like the good old days.

Jose Arcadio Segundo comes to Aureliano and tells him he is going to find out who did this. You can tell that he's pretty upset about losing his cousin Triste. Aureliano knows that he is the one being punished and muses that maybe he deserved it. The narrator reports that Aureliano feels no sorrow – just rage and hopelessness.

He feels lost and no affection towards anyone in the house. He sees a vision of Remedios twirling around and laughing. He then sees a vision of Aureliano Jose, the only son he had a relationship with, meager as it was. It was October 11, and Aureliano knowingly steps into a trap of nostalgia. This feels a lot like the scene we witnessed when the OG Jose Arcadio walked into his mind palace of memories at the brink of his death.

We see a vision of OG Jose Arcadio tied to the tree, or at least sitting by it, while Aureliano remembers what it was like the day he went to see ice with his father and brother. A spotlight comes on, and there are elephants, jugglers, acrobats, and dancing bears. But they are all manufactured as part of the spectacle. There is a strange camel skeleton being operated as a puppet. They bow to Aureliano as they pass.

After the memory passes, he pees under a tree and realizes he's just as miserable as before. So as his heart break and bursts within his chest, he crumples onto the ground dead on top of a place shaped like a cross. His body is laid onto a bed, and Ursula, Amaranta, and Gerineldo all sadly gather around. Ursula has outlasted almost all of her children now, and Aureliano was maybe her favorite.

This is a sad state of affairs now. Here in the house, we have a very old Ursula, our old maid Amaranta, and the unhappy couple of Aureliano Segundo and Fernanda del Carpio. Time passes, and we see the grave of Colonel Aureliano still in the courtyard, beginning to get weathered and worn. No one remembers who he is anymore.

We cut abruptly to a party scene, with bodies crammed around a dining room table like sardines. The table is covered with a feast and candles. At the head of the table is very gordo Aureliano Segundo. He is being fed by Petra Cotes. She doesn't seem to mind this extra weight at all. But we find out he's having an eating competition, so there's money involved.

He was doing well until Camila Sagastume showed up. While Aureliano struggles to keep up with Camila, she seems calm, relaxed, and patient with her eating. How different his life is with Fernanda vs. Petra. With Petra, he can fully live out his hedonistic lifestyle. And she puts no restrictions on him.

Meanwhile, we can see that Fernanda has received letters from Meme. We gather that Fernanda has continued her tradition of lying about how great life is in her letters, because Meme seems to think that the marriage is going great. She seems to be doing well at the convent and has mastered the art of the clavichord. She reports that she will be coming home to visit. Fernanda is somber as she realizes that something must be done to get Aureliano Segundo home and looking more like his old self.

Luckily, fortune intervenes. Aureliano Segundo passes out in his mashed potatoes. He whispers "Fernanda." Is this his unconscious declaration of love for his legal wife, or is he more remembering his promise that he will die at home?

A group of men deliver him to the Buendia house. Aureliano Segundo is wheezing and delirious. Fernanda stays by his side. She also doesn't shy away from his unseemly appearance, which surprises me. Fernanda says it's a miracle and a chance to be an honorable man again. She also reports that Renata/Meme is coming home. Aureliano Segundo lights up with a smile.

At the banana fields, Jose Arcadio Segundo delivers a cart of brown-capped barrels to the worksite. He begins to hand out metallic contraptions they can strap to their back to spray the bananas. Just as predicted, they are using some kind of chemical to kill the bugs that are ruining the remaining crops.

We meet a new character named Lorenzo Gavilan. He is a worker who seems to have earned a leadership role. Or at least, he speaks up where others remain silent and compliant. He was a colonel of the Mexican Revolution, who has been exiled in Macondo. He reports that a toilet that has been delivered is falling apart. He is not very specific what that means, but mentions efficient and dignified latrines. Don't they deserve that? Jose Arcadio promises to talk to Mr. Brown.

Fernando and Aureliano Segundo arrive at the train station to pick up Meme. Aureliano has lost some weight but isn't fully back to normal just yet. He looks like he is having trouble keeping up with Fernanda. Meme steps off the Innocent Train. She's now a young lady, wearing a sailor dress very similar to what her mom used to wear.

Her father greets her warmly, and Meme is less comfortable hugging her mother at first. When it happens, Fernanda seems to tolerate it more than enjoy it. This girl is a Buendia through and through. She jokes and laughs loudly, and she isn't above calling out to people, which makes her mother cringe. Fernanda looks embarrassed and reminds her to mind her manners with a gentle reprimand.

As they leave the station, they run into Mr. Brown, who introduces them to his daughter Patricia. Mr. Brown remarks that he did not see them in first class. Meme reaches out a hand to greet Patricia, but she's standoffish. They mention that Renata is an accomplished clavichordist. Patricia laughs, but Mr. Brown suggests she come play at the club sometime.

With Meme home, Fernanda has someone to help her recite the many prayers. The rest of the family prove to be unwilling participants to all of enforced prayer time. And they snooze off as soon as the clavichord recitals begin. The narrator tells us that Fernanda does all this because it pleases her mother and makes it easier to earn some freedom.

Meanwhile Fernanda is throwing up, which means she's pregnant – a logic defying plot point since it seems very doubtful that any sex would still be occurring in this marriage. But, it's true. She tells Aureliano Segundo, and he's as thrilled as ever. He is ready to be a papa again.

Even though initially Fernanda planned to cancel Renata's recital. The next thing, we see Meme being taken to the plantation by Jose Arcadio Segundo. Her mother makes her swear that she will be decent and modest while she's there.

She is driven by her uncle to the plantation club. There is a wall surrounding the plantation where all of the rich landowners now live. The lawns are green and lush. There are cars, sidewalks, and paved roads. All of the best resources have been curtailed to this area.

She arrives at the club and meets Patricia and her friends. They all look dubious. Patricia wants her to change into a bathing suit, and she volunteers her friend to let Renata borrow one. The girls go swimming, and there are palm trees, fruity drinks, and songs on the radio. It's an exorbitant luxury to have this clear blue swimming pool, when the workers are sharing a dysfunctional toilet. Still, for a moment, we feel happy for Meme who gets a rare day away. Although why did Patricia just set her towel upon wet cement in front of the pool?

Later, we witness the recital, and everyone is impressed as Meme plays wonderfully. Her hair is wet and drips all over the floor, perhaps representing her unrefined nature that has been allowed to enter this pristine facility. Patricia isn't laughing anymore.

The girls break into the bar area and grab a bottle of hooch. Patricia grabs her hand and takes her to go look at all of the beautiful cars in the garage. She asks about a particular driver named Nestor, but that driver is gone. One of the mechanics offers to drive them around -- a man with dark chocolate-colored skin. His name is Mauricio Babilonia, and butterflies follow him wherever he goes. We find out he was born in Macondo. Meme looks starstruck.

He takes Patricia and Meme driving around the plantation in a flourescent orange car. The two girls are acting like crazy teenagers, and Mauricio is amused by their antics. Then and there, he offers to teach Meme to drive a stick shift.

Back at the worksite, Jose Arcadio Segundo goes to check on the crew. He notices one of the workers itching up a storm. The worker also has a bright red rash on his back. It's being caused by splashback from the insect spray. It turns out that many of the men have rashes. Lorenzo reports that the women and children are also getting sick. Jose Arcadio is concerned. This doesn't look good, and it turns out the health center isn't doing it's job.

Instead of being treated for their illnesses at the health center, they are simply given a turquoise-colored pill and sent back to work, regardless of their symptoms. It has become so predictable that the kids wait in line to collect extra so they can play games, using the pills as markers. Indeed, we see a long line of workers and their families being shuffled in and out of the health center with all the care of an assembly line.

Lorenzo next shows him a hospital room where the severely sick are resting on cots. The doctors say the chemicals are not the cause. He is next shown the aforementioned toilet that was "falling apart." Flies buzz around it like it's the horrible outhouse from SLEEPAWAY CAMP II. That's enough to make anyone sick.

Jose Arcadio Segundo goes to pay Mr. Brown a little visit, since he was going to pick up Meme anyway. The Browns are throwing a party in their huge house. Jose Arcadio greets the Browns' housekeeper, Cesa. Mr. Brown isn't thrilled to see him and tries to wave him off until tomorrow, but this time, Jose Arcadio Segundo says no. He tries to explain about the wellness issues at the camp and the toilets. Mr. Brown says they can go to another doctor out of town if needed, which sounds reasonable enough.

Meme is driven home by Mauricio and Patricia. They had a wonderful day, but now she must face the return home. Fernanda is waiting and immediately slap her on the face. She is forbidden from ever going back because she arrived home after dark. Aureliano comes to her door and tries to sympathize, telling her he will take her to the movies, even though she was forbidden from leaving the house altogether.

The next later, Aureliano Segundo goes to visit Petra Cotes. She's singing happily in the yard, cuddling a chicken. Aureliano expects to find her angry. Instead she seems happy to see him. She recognizes he has a glow since his daughter returned. He tells her about the pregnancy and that he needs to be home more for the family. She understands and doesn't hold a grudge.

Meanwhile, Jose Arcadio Segundo arrives to work and finds a bunch of workers outside the administrative building. They took Mr. Brown up on his offer to go see another doctor, only to be told they would not be paid. Mr. Brown thinks it's very clear. If you don't work, you don't get paid. Jose Arcadio still thinks it was wrong to kick them out of the building. Mr. Brown finally loses his temper, and it's clear the conversation is over. He encourages Buendia not to keep up these arguments.

Back at the camp, Jose Aracadio talks to the workers. He is going to double their vouchers as compensation. No one wants to take the offering, but they do because ham is ham. Jose Arcadio is in a rough place. He wants to keep his job and the position he has, but he recognizes he's losing the respect of his kinfolk and workers. He also realizes they have a right to be upset. But he isn't ready to stand up to Mr. Brown yet.

As he walks down the street, he is stopped short by the monument to his great uncle. He seems to be deep in thought. Is he remembering his uncle's words? We get the feeling that he's beginning to understand why Aureliano acted as he did so long ago. His mind may not have been sharp, but he understood oppression when he saw it.

As promised, Aureliano Segundo takes Meme to the movies. A few rows ahead, she spots Mauricio Babilonia, butterflies everywhere. As they leave the movies, he greets her father and acts like he doesn't know her. They shake hands. Meme realizes that Mauricio's hands are icy just like hers. He is nervous, too.

The next day, she sneaks out of the house to go to a party at the plantation club. Patricia brings her a dress to wear. There is a band and dancing. Meme dances the night away, but she can't stop thinking about Mauricio.

She runs to the garage, both terrified and elated. She tries to be casual and act like she wanted to see the cars, putting on airs. He does a real caveman acts and grabs her up, kissing her roughly. Meme is surprised, but she's definitely feeling the burn. Yet, she still tells him to stop from doing anything other than kissing. The butterflies are all about, of course. If I didn't know better, I would think it was flies. Mauricio stop as requested.

Meme wanders off and gets drawn into the sounds of music and dancing. And she runs into the one person a Buendia needs at a time like this, Pilar. She tells her to come see her when she's ready to admit her feelings.

Walking through the crowd, she sees her father dancing with Petra Cotes. She is shocked and perhaps worried she will get in trouble. She tries to slip past him. They both say "let me explain" at the same time. Because of course, he has some explaining to do, too. He introduces her to Petra, and the two women size each other up. Despite the circumstances, the women seem to enjoy meeting one another. There's no awkwardness. He helps her sneak back into the house, but ask her to tell him if she's ever in love. They pinkie swear it.

The next day, Meme is in the garden with Ursula. There's a knock at the door, and Meme doesn't think anything of it until she sees a yellow butterfly perched on a flower nearby. The knock was Mauricio leaving her a gift. It's a small box with a note inside. We never see what it says. But later we realize it's an invite to the movies.

Meanwhile, the workers pass their own notes. One is passed to Jose Arcadio Buendia. He has been invited to a meeting at the Matron's Place at 7 pm. History repeats itself as the scent of discontent begins to permeate the air and talk of rebellion begins.

Meme and Ursula share a tender moment in the kitchen, and Fernanda enters wanting an apology for "the other night." I suppose she means the first night she came home late. Ursula tries to talk to her, warning her to stop trying to control Meme. The more you try to change her, the more she will drift away.

Meme goes to find Pilar. They sit at the same table where Pilar always reads tarot cards. This time, Pilar puts that aside. She doesn't need cards to tell what's on this girl's mind. Meme asks if love is worth the risk, and Pilar tells her that it's always worth the risk. But first, she needs to learn if the love is true. She offers her use of the same bedroom she conceived of both Arcadio and Aureliano Jose.

Later that evening, Mauricio Babilonia goes to the cinema to meet Meme. Instead, he is surprised to be greeted by Pilar. She takes him to her house, where Meme is waiting. The picture playing is Buster Keaton's THE NAVIGATOR. Admission is only 35 centavos.

Mauricio enters the bedroom to find Meme. They make love wordlessly. We have seen many couples sleep together in this show. Up until now, most of them have come across comedic, animalistic, or purely physical. The first couple to sleep together was Ursula and Jose Arcadio, but their sex life was tainted by the fear that their union would create a child with a pig's tail. This is maybe the first couple have seen come together that seems pure. They are fearless, young, attractive, in love, and unafraid to experience pleasure. Their sex is in sharp contrast to any other we have seen on this show.

Jose Arcadio shows up at the Matron's Place. In a backroom, the workers gather. They speak of how their complaints have results in stricter restrictions than ever. Now they are being watched. This reminds me of the meeting with the colonel when the boys at the school tried to force him to choose between liberal and conservative. The workers want to know if he's with them or not. They want to demand change. It's fitting that Jose Arcadio is taking Aureliano's place. He is now able to see from his great-uncle's eyes how it feels to see something so wrong that you want to take action.

Some mother's instinct tells Fernanda to check on Meme, and she discovers the pillows stuffed into the bed to mimic a body. Meme's deception is discovered, and Fernanda goes out at night to find her daughter. Fernanda's reaction shows how off balance she is. She clutches her hands to her chest as if she can't breathe. She isn't really showing anger or any kind of amusement. She's freaking out, and it's hard to understand why she is so fearful for her daughter to find any joy outside the home.

Babilonia and Meme run to the cinema, happy to be together. Meanwhile, the workers leave their union meeting and ask Jose Arcadio Segundo to think about it. They don't threaten him, but they do expect him to stay quiet to their intentions. As they leave the madame's club, we can see some men watching from the shadows. Jose Arcadio Segundo returns home as Fernanda leaves the house.

Fernanda walks into town, not sure where she's going. She manages to dodge some surly musicians and sees the cinema. She enters the theater and spots her daughter. She cannot see who Renata is with. She calls to her and escorts her outside, roughly pushing her down the stairs.

The workers muse what they predict Jose Arcadio Segundo will do. Some men stop their progress and beat up the workers badly. The episode ends with the sound of a train rushing by.

This episode was enjoyable because we have a character like Meme who is full of hope and dreams. But her every move is watched and halted just like the workers are watched and halted from being able to thrive.

Warning: OASIS DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER documentary may be harmful to your resentment levels

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:33:52 +0000

Liam and Noel Gallagher embrace during a performance

I review the 2026 documentary OASIS: DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER, made by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. This is an excellent example of a music documentary because it's not just a rehash of a concert. It tells a story about the musicians and the tour's impact on the fans.

Oasis came together in 2025 to tour after a hiatus of 16 years. In 2009, the Brothers Gallagher argued and vowed to never speak again. They broke that vow to put on an unforgettable tour. Without a big intervention or tearful apologies, the reconciliation happened on stage through the music. Here is the review, both on video and podcast, plus a transcript.

If you like what I do at 1 of my Stories, please consider subscribing by email on the front page of this website. Your click rates and subscribers are the data use to decide if you will gain access to their film festival or screener.

Release information: Coming to Disney Plus and Hulu on October 9, 2026.

Liam Gallagher makes putting a tambourine on your head look cool

Transcript of video: