“Yasuke” barrels past loads of interesting ideas

lakeith stanfield Archives - The Spool

LeSean Thomas' historical fantasy anime is aurally and visually beautiful and possesses a boatload of cool fights, but its macro-scale story is vexingly overstuffed.

Interviews

Shaka King breaks down “Judas and the Black Messiah”

The Judas and the Black Messiah director talks about balancing revolutionary energy with his own personal need to grow as a filmmaker.

Festivals

“Judas and the Black Messiah” explores two men and a movement

By: Shane Slater

Daniel Kaluuya is sensational as freedom fighter Fred Hampton in Shaka King’s insightful sophomore feature.

Unraveling pop-culture one thread at a time

The Spool is an irreverent, informative source for film and television coverage, focused on diverse, thoughtful opinions that seek out a greater understanding of the media we love.

Review: “The Photograph” Is Well-Developed Romance

Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield look at their romance through the lens of the past in Stella Meghie's sumptuous drama.

The Chickens Come Home to Roost in the End of “BoJack Horseman”

BoJack finally stops running from his demons in an uneven but mostly satisfying conclusion to TV’s best show about depression & addiction.

CIFF 2019

CIFF 10/23: “Wild Sparrow”, “And Then We Danced”, “Knives Out” & More

Our penultimate CIFF dispatch breaks down Rian Johnson's star-studded caper Knives Out, the Georgian queer drama And Then We Danced..., and more.

BoJack Horseman Season 6 Review: Once More With Feelings

The first half of the final season takes the viewer on a quietly optimistic path, before punching them in the gut in the last episode.

Someone Great Review: Netflix’s Latest is Quite Good, In Fact

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's unconventional combo of rom-com, BFF dramedy and a million other genres charms thanks to Gina Rodriguez and Lakeith Stanfield.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web Review: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover

Lisbeth Salander returns, this time played by Claire Foy, in a slick but shallow sequel that trades in the series’ nuance for Bond-ian action. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Pre-screening chatter before The Girl in the Spider’s Web all seemed to center on the same questions: “What happened in the last movie?” “Is ... The Girl in the Spider’s Web Review: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover

Sorry to Bother You Review: Boots Riley Takes On Consumerism, Race in Scorchingly Funny Debut

Boots Riley’s wild feature film debut throws racial politics, consumerism, and magical realism in a blender, making for a comedy that’s as unpredictable as it is hilarious. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Capitalism is a hell of a drug – it lulls you in with the promise of wealth and success, and all ... Sorry to Bother You Review: Boots Riley Takes On Consumerism, Race in Scorchingly Funny Debut

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