Month: January 2021

There was a time before the #Metoo movement, when victims scrutinized and challenged and assailants were romanticized and excused. There was a time, not too long ago, when boys would be boys and women were expected to be vigilant, wary and aware. Some would argue that we are still in that time. Room 2806: The Accusation is a four-part docuseries that spotlights a time before the #MeToo movement and, finally, gives voice to the victim of the assault that upended the French election in 2011.

In May of 2011, the popular and worldly head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) was on the fast track to become the next president of France. He was charismatic, modern and just a little bit cheeky, all of which endeared him to the people of France. He was also described by friends and colleagues as a “sensual” man. It was this “sensuality” that is being re-examined in this docu-series.

The series recounts the events leading up the the alleged assault in New York City in May of 2011 as well as the investigation and media frenzy that followed. DSK’s history, personal life and professional successes are highlighted in contrast to the NYC assault allegation and other allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that seemed to shadow the enigmatic DSK throughout his adult life.

While the story became an international scandal because of DSK’s persona and position, the deeper revelation of the docu-series is the skewed view society held, and stills holds in many cases, of the motivation for assault and the what constitutes consent. Room 2806: The Accusation breaks down the struggle that many victims face when trying to report assaults, especially against powerful, public figures.

One episode of the series breaks down an earlier allegation of assault against DSK and the reaction the victims received from the media and society at the time. It is a scathing commentary on the pre-MeToo view of assault that still lingers today. But despite this history of sex-scandals and questionable conduct, DSK is never convicted of assault.

The current response to the handling of this decade old assault has been swift and severe. Twitter users have been particularly vocal about the disgusting way Diallo was treated and the flaw in France’s cultural view of sex, passion and consent.

While DSK and his representatives declined participation in Room 2806: The Accusation they did comment that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is working on his own project to tell his story.

When a senator’s daughter is kidnapped for ransom, Samantha O’Hara (Megan Fox) and her team of mercenaries brave the African grasslands, and all of its predators, to find her and bring her home. Rogue is the action/animal-attack thriller that began as a pet project and morphed into a big screen flick.

While Rogue could have been a vehicle to relaunch Megan Fox as a serious action lead, the dialogue and character development falls flat. Right from the start of the rescue the team and the kidnap victim doubt Fox’s ability to run the crew and rather than using that as a set up to display a strong female lead, Fox lives down to their expectations. She does not have the grit or weight of character to carry her own backstory. Though there are some interesting action sequences, it feels as though you are always left waiting for something more to happen.

As Fox’s team enters a wild game farm, the story goes from a military-eques action flick to a animal-attack film of the likes of Predator – but not quite that either. A blood thirsty lioness hunts the team at the same time the kidnappers are searching for their rescued cash-cow. One would expect a tense climax as a three-way show-down ensues but in the end, stuff happens, people die and yet it all feels like a let down.

Written by former wildlife presenter, MJ Basset and her daughter, Isabel, Rogue showcases the terrain, beauty and complexities of Eastern Africa. While the desire to highlight the grandeur of Africa is evident the execution, especially through CGI, is lacking. The fearsome creature that stalks the crew is almost comical and resembles the graphics of a 2010 video game more than something conjured by a big-budget action film.

It’s a decent film with some moments of interest and intrigue but all in, there are stronger female lead action films out there. Rogue is more of a middle of the road action movie than a block buster in the making.

Word on the street was that The Office was leaving Netflix Canada at the same time it was scheduled to depart Netflix US but it appears that the show is getting a reprieve – in Canada at least.

In June 2019, an announcement was made that, due to NBC launching their own streaming service, The Office would no longer be available on Netflix after December 31, 2020. Netflix Canada retweeted the statement, leading fans to believe that the same would be true for Canadian subscribers as well. The news hit Netflix subscribers pretty hard as the award-winning sitcom is one of the most popular binge shows on the service. In a Y2K style move, many subscribers began down-loading seasons of The Office to prolong the inevitable as long as possible.

2020 came to an end but by happy chance, The Office remained available for Canadian subscribers. It turns out that the NBC streaming service will not be available in Canada at this time, therefore Netflix Canada will continue to host the very popular sitcom. Though some fans are frustrated by the misreporting, most are ecstatic that Michael Scott and his quirky band of workmates will continue their antics North of the 49th parallel.

A Netflix Canada representative confirms the show will continue to be available for the foreseeable future and if or when the time comes for The Office to end its time on Netflix Canada an official statement will be made, giving fans months notice.

So, for now, get cozy and settle in for another binge-go-round with the Dunder Mifflin gang.

It is no secret that I am a sucker for sparkly costumes. And teenage love stories. And musical numbers. 

The Prom, a 2020 film based on a Broadway musical of the same name, delivers each of these in spades.

It happens like this:

Four down-on-their-luck Broadway stars decide that what they need is a good publicity campaign. As Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman) is scrolling through Twitter, she happens across a worthy cause. High school student Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman) is gay, and her school is refusing to let her bring her girlfriend to prom. Angie, along with her friends Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), Barry Glickman (James Corden), and Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannels), march off to Indiana to wage war on homophobia with fancy lighting and well-rehearsed dance breaks. Things don’t go as planned, but our heroes do have fun, sing songs, and learn lessons.

For all its glittery glory, I felt like the story was a little bland. Show-stopping dance sequences aside, not much happened. The film took two hours to tell a story that could have wrapped up within ninety minutes. If there was a method to the madness that was the story progression, I think I missed it. 

However, I can easily forgive the jarring nature of the storyline when there are songs and sparkles. 

James Corden’s portrayal of a gay man is less excusable. It’s frustrating that he was cast when there is a wealth of queer actors that would have brought more authenticity (and Americanness) to the role. This exclusion feels off, especially when The Prom’s message is centered on the representation of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Even without taking the debate on straight actors playing queer characters into consideration, Corden’s performance feels forced. He played to stereotypes, made lots of jokes, and the acting felt like acting. I thought all of this to be incredibly tone deaf for a musical whose premise is focused on inclusivity.

I also have a bone to pick with the ending of the film. It’s a happy one, but it is also remarkably unnatural and affected — even for a musical. I love happy characters and reconciliation, but not at the expense of believability. I won’t go into detail, but the redemption arc for the main antagonist happened in under five minutes. It was enough to give me mental (and emotional) whiplash. 

That being said, I still had a good time with The Prom. It addresses the ridiculous fluff-fest that is celebrity culture in a way that is entertaining but poignant. It also tackles discrimination in a way that is sometimes overbearing and misguided but is definitely necessary. The film doesn’t gloss over the difficulties of being an LGBTQ+ youth, but it doesn’t dwell on them either — instead choosing to focus on the beauty that a world without stigma could be. And, of course, the sparkly costumes and extravagant dance numbers cannot be overstated. 

At its heart, The Prom is a deeply flawed but fun piece of cinema, which celebrates relationships of all kinds, people of all shapes and sizes, and the sheer joy that being queer can be.