"MASTER" // SXSW 2022

BY MATEO MORENO

Institutionalized racism is the subject on hand here, as MASTER presents itself as a different kind of horror film. Not only does it feature the bumps in the night, but it tells of the terror in the dark, especially as a Black student in a predominantly white school. The film focuses on several black students and faculty members. Regina Hall is Gail Bishop, the first African-American Master at New England University Ancaster. This isn't lost on anyone, especially the staff who seem to continue to pat itself on the back for being so "diverse" to choose a black woman as the university's master. There's also the Freshman named Jasmine (Zoe Renee), a hardworking and doesn't understand why her papers in Professor Liv Beckman's class (played by Amber Gray). She's also told about the curse of her room, room 302. Supposedly, the campus was built on the grounds of a witch burning in the 17th century and anyone who is unlucky enough to live in room 302 will be haunted by her curse. Why room 302 in particular? Seems that there's another dark secret that happened within that room involving a young black woman.

Gail herself starts to witness strange things in the shadows and slowly starts to see through the fake progressiveness of the institution that she works for. Her friend Liv is called out by Jasmine to the University, as Jasmine believes that she is being treated unjustly by the Professor. Secrets begin to unravel and the horror stories that seems to be sneaking around in the darkness begin to clash with the horrors of modern day racism and white privilege.

Is MASTER a horror film? A cautionary tale of institutionalized racism? It's both and much more. Writer/director Mariama Diallo has crafted a powerful film here, with a stunning performance by Regina Hall anchoring the entire film. But it should also be noted how good Zoe Renee and Amber Gray are as well. With brutal honestness and a no holds bar approach, this is a film that tears the genre apart and doesn't want to even put it back together. It leaves the scars of what we just witness lying on the ground, still broken, still shattered with a profound story left in our memories.

GRADE: A

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Mariama Diallo STARRING Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Talia Ryder, Talia Balsam, Amber Gray. SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2022 SXSW FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: MASTER

DRAWN TOGETHER // A FILM REVIEW OF "PEOPLE PLACES THINGS"

BY MATEO MORENO

At the beginning moments of the new romantic dramedy PEOPLE PLACES THINGS, Flight of the Conchords Jermaine Clement takes center stage as Will, a Graphic Novelist and a doting father who's setting up his twin daughter’s birthday party. He's searching for Charlie (Stephanie Allynne), his girlfriend and the twin’s mother when he walks in on her with another man (Michael Chernus). She wants out of their relationship and so, a year later, we see them separated. His ex is happy with her new fiancée (Chernus) and Will is depressed. He teaches during the day, where he's witty and quite a good teacher. When he goes home, he draws sad pictures reflecting his state of being and how he's unable to move past the relationship he left behind. The one thing that makes him happy is spending time with his adorable kids (Aundrea and Gia Gadsby). One of his students (The Daily Show's Jessica Williams), who quite looks up to him, sees him as a possible match for her own lonely sweet mother (Regina Hall). So she sets out to set them up and thus begins Will's slow journey to moving on.

The set up isn't new; we've seen it several times before, in various ways. But the way Strouse tells the story makes it feel fresh. The film is funny and sweet, but the characters are real and no one is making judgments on their actions. When Charlie cheats on Will, it's not setting her up to be the villain of the film. It's simply a moment in their lives that will lead to the next moment, and so on. In other words, the characters feel real, never so much as when Clement and Hall spend time together. Their relationship starts slowly, naturally sweet and his relationship with her daughter is also equally affecting. Much of this has to do with the charming, naturalistic performances by Clement, Hall, and Williams. All three have great chemistry and each shine together and individually. Playing Clement's two twin daughters, Aundrea and Gia Gadsby are cute as can be, and the scenes between them and their father Clement are also among the best. Stephanie Allynne also turns in a strong performance, showcasing a very confused young woman who, in less capable hands, would come off as shrewd or possibly nasty. Here she's a woman trying her best, often making mistakes but trying to make the best of them.

A deliberate slow pacing from writer/director Jim Strouse, easy flowing dialogue, and strong performances make PEOPLE PLACES THINGS a quiet charmer. The scenes may feel familiar, but it'll still warm your heart.

MATEO'S GRADE: B

 Written and Directed by Jim Strouse  Starring: Jermaine Clement, Regina Hall, Jessica Williams, Stephanie Allynne, Michael Chernus, Aundrea Gadsby, Gia Gadsby. Now playing in limited theatrical release and on VOD

PEOPLE PLACES THINGS OFFICIAL TRAILER

MATEO MORENO  recently won a bet on who could hold their breath the longest underwater. He won the bet, having beat local loudmouth Jimmy "Thunderbird" Thomas with a record breaking "fourteen minutes." True, part of that time was him unconscious and the other part was him being revived, but he still counts it, and is now $20 richer. Take THAT Thunderbird! He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.