Hidden Netflix Gem of the Week: Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station (2013)
Genre: Drama/Biopic
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz

When I first saw Fruitvale Station in August 2013, I was blown away by how relevant its poignant commentary on modern-day racism and how flawed the American justice system was in wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting. Two years later with events such as the unjust murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Freddie Gray dominating the social landscape in the United States, the impact of the film is even greater . Fruitvale Station tells the true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year old African-American man who was murdered by a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) cop in the early hours of January 1, 2009 in Oakland, California after being falsely accused of starting a brawl on a train and resisting arrest. Even though the murder was captured on cell phone video by numerous onlookers at the scene, the cop who killed was never convicted. The film examines the last 24 hours of his life and how Grant is trying to get his life back on track after serving two years in prison for selling marijuana. What makes Fruitvale Station so special is the remarkably human portrayal of Grant. Coogler delves headfirst into Grant's shortcomings as a person while still making him out to be a good, empathetic man who is trying to get his life on track and support his young daughter. The film's portrayal of Grant as a flawed-but-worthy man is ultimately sold by Jordan's phenomenal performance. Jordan does such an effortless job embodying Grant and authentically selling the internal conflicts he faced on the last day of his life that you sometimes feel you're like watching a documentary instead of a scripted film. Fruitvale Station is an utterly brilliant, powerful, unsettling and incredibly timely film that paints a disturbingly accurate picture of where race relations in America are today. 

Hidden Netflix Gem of the Week: The Wood

Netflix streaming has changed the way people around the world consume entertainment. The streaming service has given people access to a deep library of films and television of releases that spans from the early 1900's to the present day. While Netflix is an undeniable phenomenon, there are hundreds of great movies and shows available in Netflix's catalog that slip through the cracks and don't get the attention they deserve. That's why starting today, I'm going to launch a weekly column highlighting an under-the radar film or TV series that's currently available for streaming on Netflix. If even one person finds a piece of art they love from this series, I've done my job. Thank you for reading and I hope you check back every Friday for another recommendation!  

The Wood (1999):
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Director: Rick Famuyima
Starring: Omar Epps, Taye Diggs, Richard T. Jones
Buddy comedies are one of Hollywood's most beloved and frequently-used staples, but few have as big of a heart or as much thoughtful insight on the importance of friendship as The Wood. The Wood weaves the tale of a lifelong friends Roland (Diggs), Mike (Epps), and Slim (Jones, who grew up and still reside in Inglewood, California. Roland is about to get married, but on the morning of the wedding he disappears, sending his friends and his bride (LisaRaye McCoy) into a panic. Mike and Slim proceed to go on a frenzied search for Roland and eventually receive a call from his ex-girlfriend (Tamara Jones) informing them that's he at her house and he's drunk out of his mind. After retrieving Roland, Mike and Slim have two hours to talk him out of his cold feet, sober him up and prepare him for the next chapter of his life with the woman he loves. The Wood is largely driven by its excellent script and the dynamic between the three lead actors. The script from Famuyima and Todd Boyd deeply develops these characters with excellent use of flashbacks to detail how they became friends and morphed into the men they are in the present tense of the story while Epps, Jones and Diggs effortlessly make the brotherly bond between the trio believable and genuine. The Wood is a funny, touching and authentic film about the value of friendship and how having compassionate, loyal can help you get of the darkest situations life throws at you.