Month: September 2021

Twenty years after the terror attack on September 11 that shook, not only the United States, but the world a new documentary has been released. Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror does not rehash the same familiar footage to illicit emotion. This new series ties together all of the contributing factors that led up to that attack and the fallout that has lasted two decades after the dust settled.

From director Brian Knappenberger, Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror takes a comprehensive look at all aspects of the terror attacks and the force behind the the war in Afghanistan that became the longest war in U.S. history. Over five episodes, with the help of news footage, interviews from experts and witnesses and the benefit of hindsight, the series builds an impressive timeline of events and decisions that have propelled the ongoing fallout.

The first episode recounts the chaos of the early days of the attacks and weaves the story backwards to lay out how the seeds of this act of terror were sown decades earlier. The following episodes outline the decisions that brought the U.S. to declare war on Afghanistan and Iraq and how the focus of the war shifted quickly early on. The series wraps by highlighting the constant chaos that a war without purposeful strategy introduces to a region that has a legacy of instability.

Two decades later, the series does an excellent job of outlining the ongoing problems the War on Terror has introduced to the region. It brilliantly connects the dots between a halfcocked approach to a hand-me-down military engagement and the current rise in dedication to the Taliban and extremist beliefs in the area.

Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror pulls no punches no matter what topic is being broached. Experts across party lines speak from years of career experience and first-hand knowledge of events and decisions that have been made over the past twenty years. Together they piece together a chilling story of questionable motives and irresponsible actions that have led to a more precarious situation in the Middle East than we have seen in half a century.

The narrative is tight and compelling and the research conducted for this series is impeccable. It is jam packed with information while still being deeply interesting and captivating. Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror is more than a binge-worthy watch, it is a story that needs to be heard and a warning that needs to be heeded.

Five children go on an adventure in the woods but only four return. Twenty years later the mystery of missing Jesse Wells resurfaces in the strangest place. The surviving now-adults are caught in a web of half-truths and guarded memories that launch them into the middle of a police investigation that threatens the tentative peace that they’ve clung to over the years.

From the mind of mystery/thriller writer, Harlan Coben comes this edge-of-your-seat series, The Five, that has more plot twists and hidden secrets than you can keep track of. Coben spins a delicious tale that keeps you guessing right til the last. And all of your guesses will be wrong!

The tale begins when the DNA of a boy who had been missing for twenty years shows up at a crime scene. His family is contacted by the lead detective who, as a young teen, was one of the last people to see young Jesse Wells before he disappeared.

Detective Danny Kenwood (O.T. Fagbenle) was friends with Jesse’s brother, Mark (Tom Cullen) and together with their two friends Pru (Sarah Solemani) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) they went out for an afternoon in the woods. Mark’s little brother followed them for a while but was eventually sent home by the group. He turned back but never made it home.

Twenty years later, with a convicted child-killer copping to Jesse’s disappearance, the group of friends are rocked at the idea that Jesse may be out there somewhere all these years. Each one struggles with their role and responsibility in the loss of Jesse and a distrust of one another creeps into the group as the web of lies and secrets becomes unraveled.

The cast does a brilliant job bringing their characters to life and Coben’s tale gives them a lot of great material to work with. The Five is a truly exceptional mystery series and the only downside is that it is only available on Netflix Canada until September 14, 2021. After this date you may be able to catch it on the UK version of Netflix by unlocking the promo below. Be sure to catch this series, one way or another, on Netflix now.

Imagine being convicted of a crime you didn’t commit and spending years in prison without a voice or an advocate to pursue justice for yourself. What would you do? Isaac Wright Jr was in that position and he decided to use his time to pursue a legal degree to become his own qualified advocate. His story has inspired a television series that captures the intelligence and resiliency of Wright’s spirit. This is For Life.

Created, written and produced by Hank Steinberg, For Life, explores not only main character Aaron Wallace’s (Nicholas Pinnock) struggle to piece together the truth of his own case but it also features the cases of his fellow prisoners as he tries to advocate for others. His relationship with the progressive warden, played by Indira Varma, also sheds light on the injustices within the justice system itself.

The story follows Wallace after his conviction as a drug kingpin. Prior to his arrest he was a partner in a successful night club. From behind bars, Wallace struggles to piece together the happenings that led to his arrest and conviction in hopes of one day attaining his freedom. His ex-wife, Marie (Joy Bryant) becomes his partner on the outside as she uncovers evidence and breaks more than a few rules to help the father of her daughter in his pursuit of justice.

For Life has a lot of twists and turns and unexpected wrenches tossed in the wheels of justice. At times, things get a little convoluted, but if anything, all of these twists add to the realism of navigating the justice system. Each new case Wallace takes on is interesting, well written and, in the end, somehow feeds into his own path for truth.

The subplot of the warden and her wife is interesting and adds to the layered stakes within the justice system. It’s not always, or ever, black and white. The pursuit of truth and justice is nuanced and deeply affected by politics, public opinion and personal interpretation of the law. For Life does an exceptional job of exploring all of these complexities.

Nicholas Pinnock and Joy Bryant are fantastic in their roles. They bring depth and interest to their well written characters. They also share a healthy dose of chemistry that has the viewers rooting for them inside the courtroom and out. Pinnock also shares create tension and chemistry with Indira Varma, who can more than hold her own in any scene. She is simply brilliant no matter what script she decides to take on.

For Life is an excellent choice for a binge-fest. Its smart, interesting and engaging. Check it out now on netflix.

There is little that is as insidious as weaponizing one’s own faith against them and yet this manipulation of spirituality and belief happens all too often. One of the most prevalent examples of this practice is conversion therapy, a common path that many Christian families with gay children embarked on throughout the 1980s and 1990s. A common practice that left hundreds and thousands of people psychologically wounded.

A standard belief of traditional Christianity is that homosexuality is a sin against nature and against God. This belief creates a domino effect of guilt, shame, discord and angst within individuals and families. This disconnect between the message from the pulpit and the reality of ones sexual orientation also exposes a power imbalance that leaves the vulnerable open to spiritual manipulation and mental abuse. This is where conversion therapy finds its sweet spot.

Filmmaker, Kristine Stolakis, exposes this abusive practice and its long history of damage in Pray Away. This documentary takes a broad look at the inception of conversion therapy and the journey many of the founders and ‘success stories’ have been on over the decades. Stolakis focuses largely on the popular ministry, Exodus, and it’s founders and followers.

Throughout the film survivors and former employees of conversion therapy organizations testify to the duality they lived with and the long lasting damage that experienced psychologically and in their personal faith journeys. They speak openly about the lengths they went to to fit in and live a reflection of the brand of Christianity they were fed. They also discuss the process of coming to terms with the harm they caused others over the years.

Pray Away is incredibly insightful and opens the door to further conversations about spiritual manipulation and the harm of toxic faith teachings. Unfortunately, the film itself does not dive much deeper than a recounting of the history of this anti-gay movement within the traditional Christian faith. It doesn’t provide points of action or a direction to explore in order to stop this cycle of abuse.

This documentary is definitely worth the watch but be aware that it contains information that may cause distress to viewers. It dives into one aspect of purity culture that continues to cause harm and isolation for many. It exposes toxic doctrine that contradicts many tenants of this faith and it challenges people of all faith to take a critical look at teachings and practices that perpetuate harm against others.

Pray Away provides a crack in a door that has remained closed for decades. Hopefully this glimmer of light will bring freedom and safety to those who have been held in the darkness of religious trauma for too long. Hopefully.