The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo

So one of my favourite films this year is Weapons. If you have seen it or even seen the poster for it, you will see children running with their arms out, like the napalm girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam war photograph credited to photojournalist, Nick Út. Weapons writer/director, Zach Cregger based his children's unique running style on that famous photograph. That photo won Nick Út the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography and the World Press Photo of the Year in 1973. The photo made Nick Út an international star. This photo has been attributed, partially, with ending the war in Vietnam. So for 52 years, this was the story. Then Carl Robinson showed up. His story changes everything. Not the power of the image - that remains intact. It's who took the picture. Robinson, who was working with the Associated Press (AP) at the time in 1972, was told by his boss, to change the name on the napalm girl photo from the stringer (a low level paid Vietnamese contract photojournalist) Nguyễn Thành Nghệ to Nick Út. Robinson did what he was told but it haunted him, especially since Nick Út received and took all the credit for the photo. This documentary reminded me of  Batman & Bill, which is about Bill Finger, the co-creator of Batman, and one might argue, the main creator of Batman. Bob Kane took all the credit and Bill Finger died alone and penniless. Bill Finger is now listed in the credits of all DC Batman related movies and comics. I hope that Nguyễn Thành Nghệ, because of this documentary, The Stringer, will be given his proper acknowledgement. Catch this fascinating documentary streaming now on Netflix. 

The Beast in Me

I haven't blogged about a series in a good long while, mostly because I tend to focus my attention on films but partially because most of the series I have watched recently aren't worth your time. Welcome to The Beast in Me - a high paced thriller starring Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs, a grieving, recently divorced, Pulitzer prize-winning writer who is living in a wealthy neighbourhood somewhere in New Jersey. Her house is in decline as is her attempt to write a follow-up work to her wildly successful first book. Wiggs is a mess. Along comes a brash, new neighbour who has just moved into the giant house next door - a famous real-estate developer, Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) who is rumoured to have killed his former wife - disappeared without a trace. Aggie and Nile clash, at first but then. . . could Nile be the inspiration Aggie needs for her new book? This is a wild ride of FBI agents, city developers, and artist exhibitions. Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys are fabulous in this. It's so well done and so fast-paced and it sticks the landing. It's not Pulitzer Prize winning stuff, it's bestseller trash, and I loved it all. Catch the page-turner now streaming on Netflix or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa when available.  

Stolen: Heist of the Century

2025 feels like the year of the documentary. Here is another Netflix true-crime doc gracing my blog as one of the year's best films. This is the true story of one of the largest diamond heists in history which took place in 2003 in Antwerp Belgium. A group of thieves broke into an almost impenetrable vault (obviously not that impenetrable if they got in, right?) and grabbed millions upon millions of diamonds and then simply disappeared. I love heist movies. This documentary plays like any great one. The fact it's a true story made me love it even more. Leonardo Notarbartolo was the mastermind behind it. He really is a remarkable character. Forget Mission: Impossible, this is the real deal. Or sort of. Can Notarbartolo be trusted in his recounting? Sometimes it felt like it was a Kaiser Soze tale being spun, which made the whole thing even more entertaining. I won't say anything more, because I don't want to spoil the magic of this incredible heist. Catch this while you can, if you can (see what I did there). Streaming on Netflix.   

The Perfect Neighbor

I watched a Canadian film, Rituals, starring Hal Holbrook, at Ottawa's Mayfair Theatre many, many years ago. The film at times was so grainy, it was almost unwatchable - the equivalent of black and white TV snow. Despite this, I loved the film. It's Canada's Deliverance. Cinephile's often get into the weeds about 35 mm prints and what kind of camera or lens David Fincher use when he shot. . . whatever. Frank Capra's Lost Horizon has footage missing and it's still a great film. What does this all have to do with The Perfect Neighbor, Netflix's latest crime documentary? Well most of it police body-cam footage. It doesn't look great and it doesn't matter, because it's riveting. My wife and I have been watching true crime documentaries for 25 years and when I tell you this is a good one, please pay attention. This is the true story of a "Karen," a grumpy white woman who didn't like kids playing in the yard beside her house. She would call the cops. A lot. For me, this film is a grisly portrait of America. In a year of scathing portraits of America, (Eddington, On Battle After Another) you can add this one to the examination of the dumpster fire south of our border. I won't spoil it for you, but The Perfect Neighbor is a kettle on the stove. Slowly it begins to boil. It's tragic. There have been a lot of good documentaries this year. Don't scream at this one to get off your lawn - invite it in. Streaming on Netflix. 

Adolescence

Way back in December of 2021 I posted a review of "Boiling Point" starring Stephen Graham. If you haven't seen that film, you can go rent it from Movie 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. Stephen Graham and director Philip Barantini are back with a four-part series currently streaming on Netflix. Once again, like "Boiling Point," each episode is one-shot, one-take, with no edits or cuts. It's become a thing, this one-shot style. I'm not sure it always works or is necessary in general, but here, it works oh-so-very well. With this technique, there is no time to look away. It creates an incredible intimacy between you, the viewer, and the characters. You are there with them as it's happening in real time, you get to experience it as they are experiencing it. In this case, the arresting of Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) for a crime and the fallout for his family - dad (played by Stephen Graham), mom (Christine Tremarco), and sister (Amelie Pease). These actors are all wonderful, but Owen Cooper - my god, this kid was outstanding. Hats off Mr. Cooper, you are a star. And Stephen Graham, he brought me to tears with his performance - pass the tissues. Graham knocked it out of the park. There is an episode where Jamie speaks to a psychologist who is played by Erin Doherty - she also gives a tremendous performance. This series is riveting, heartbreaking, and extremely heavy. It's also one of the best series I've seen in a long time. Catch it streaming on Netflix. 

Baby Reindeer

This series streaming on Netflix, based on the experiences of Richard Gadd, is a warts-and-all, can't-look-away-car-crash of epic proportions. Richard Gadd stars as Donny Dunn, a man living in London, who is working at a pub while he tries to get his comedy career off the ground. A woman walks into a pub - sounds like the beginning of joke. It's no joke. Her name is Martha. If you recall Kathy Bates in "Misery" then you are pretty close to Martha. Donny becomes her obsession. Just when you think this show is all about stalking, it takes an even darker turn. This is traumatizing stuff. It's also darkly funny and extremely honest, intelligent, and well made. Richard Gadd is exceptional in this. His performance is worthy of all the awards, whatever they may be. The human condition is laid out here, exposed, and it's a raw messy thing, not logical or rational most of the time. We do things, fucked up things, and we don't understand why; this is the great honesty on display here; it's what makes the show great and compelling. Catch one of the year's best shows now streaming on Netflix.