Dome Pondering

What is it about?  Two sons of a Caribbean immigrant in Canada face questions and obstacles regarding masculinity, identity, racism, family, community, and personal dreams.  Who is in it? Lamar Johnson - Michael Aaron Pierce - Francis Marsha Stephanie Blake - Ruth Kiana Madeira - Aisha Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert] After a failed audition, and before the police once again, Francis emotionally says to all of his loved ones, "we dreamin, that's all, we're just dreamin" Favorite Quote:   "Our immigrant parents cleaned toilets, took care of other people's f----ing kids, took shit all day, struggled with rent, were chronically tired...all for us." Review:  Brother sat on my trusty "My List" on my NetFlix account for two years. The overall description of the film, of Caribbean immigrants and a family, intrigued me due to my similar background. After finally giving myself the green light to engage in this film, I'm upset it took me this long. B...

3 Up 1. Happy New Year - We made it around the sun one more time! Wishing all of you the very best in 2025.  2. Minimum Wage Hike - 21 States are increasing their minimum wage mandates. That's good! Our wage vs. cost of living issue remains a salient topic, especially with a new Presidency beginning in a few weeks. Here's to hoping this is a step in the right direction.  3. Hilde Dosogne - This is absolutely incredible. It's the first I've learned of this feat - never knew this was a thing in 2024. 366 marathons! Someone get this lady a month of free recovery care! 3 Down 1. New Orleans Terrorist Attack - It absolutely sucks to start the new year with such a tragedy. Just bad vibes overall. So heartbreaking for the victims and the city. There are a lot of weird ideologies happening in the world right now.  2. Puerto Rico Power Outage - PR always seems to suffer from these outages. What made this one so terrible was the timing and the duration of the outage. Here's ...

What is it about? A teenage boy finds love and life experience in a troubled girl who transfers to his high school.  Who is in it? Lili Reinhart - Grace Town Austin Abrams - Henry Page Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert] Austin figures out the first piece in Grace's story with a Google search.  Favorite Quote:  "Adults are just scarred kids who were lucky enough to make it out of limbo alive" Review: Chemical Hearts got me. It really did. Another in my series of random picks and this one slowly went from background happenings to having me deep in thought and some feelings.  Chemical Hearts came out of nowhere on the expectations spectrum (I had no knowledge of it before) and delivered in a big way. The film is highly profound and leaves you - at least it did for me - thinking about the person I used to be during that time, the person I forgot about. The person figuring out how to prepare myself for adulthood and carrying all of the baggage along the way.  My f...

2025.  Discipline.  Consistency. Concerned about  foundation,  not about destination. 

What is it about?  Jack Cunningham, a high school phenomenon, reluctantly accepts a high school coaching job providing a redemption for the school, the students, and most importantly, himself.  Who is in it?  Ben Affleck - Jack Cunningham Al Madrigal - Dan  Janina Gavankar - Angela  Michaela Watkins - Beth Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert] After getting thrown out of a game, Jack explains to Brandon why didn't pursue his full ride to Kansas after being a high school star.  Favorite Quote:   "You're nervous. I get it. The truth is, they're more talented than you. Probably got a better coach. But I promise you, they are not a better team. Because they haven't been through what we've been through. They don't know adversity. They don't know what it's like to get knocked down and have to get back up again. They don't know what it is to fight."A lot of times hurting myself trying to hurt my father." Review:  The Way Back can feel cliche. We...

Well, here we go! It's that time of year again. 2024 brought all sorts of weird. However, the one common thread of this calendar year is that it exposed so much about culture and society - and everything within it. Good and bad. Disgusting and tolerable. The mirror was held up in a lot of places.  Nonetheless, we kick off the "Year-End" season around this slice of the internet called Dome Pondering with the "Most Fascinating Things" post and later, the upcoming, "Year in Review".  Let's do it. The following is my 2024 Most Fascinating Things List:  --- 10. Joey Swoll  The anti-influencer, influencer. Yeah, that's it. Swoll started as a fitness creator and found his calling in calling out fellow "Influencers" who mock others and utilize poor gym etiquette all in the name of social media and gaining clout. Swoll's mission evolved beyond just gym videos as he now takes down (and on) many social influencers who clearly go above by do...

So, have you heard that Juan Soto is now a member of the New York Mets?!  Yes, that was a little tongue-in-cheek comment there, but the conversation and narratives have been exhausting in various ways. Maybe it's because I live in the New York market, so the entire Mets vs. Yankees dynamic is at play and has to be examined from every angle, including whether Soto ever donned a slight sliver of orange giving reason why he made his home for the next fifteen years in Flushing, Queens.  For me, the answer is so straightforward. Money.  That's it.  Soto's free agency reminds me so much of what I experienced when I was a teenager with theAlex Rodriguez free agency. A-Rod made his way to the Texas Rangers in what once felt like earth-shattering money. He didn't go for the future. He didn't go for the school system. He didn't go for the tax breaks. In the moment, and still in hindsight, it felt like he should've stayed with the Mariners, or sign on with these same N...

What is it about?   A man begins to evaluate his friendship and those around him while on probation, bringing the issue of race, social class, gentrification, and authority to an intersection.  Who is in it?  Daveed Diggs - Collin Rafael Casal - Miles Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert]  After an altercation at a holiday party, Collin and Miles get into an argument and many of the surrounding issues regarding their relationship come to a front.  Favorite Quote:  "You monsters got me feeling like a monster in my own town!" Review:  Blindspotting should be used in college courses. It really should. I know there are many go-to faves for dissecting society, specifically "Crash" being one of those selections. However, there is something about Blindspotting that is thought-provoking throughout the entire movie, even in such subtle ways. The dynamics of the film and portrayals of the characters and scenes force you to look beyond your blindspots or your ex...

What is it about?  A somewhat successful author finds herself back at her alma mater and deep amid a group of college students who feel very familiar.  Who is in it? Gillian Jacobs - Kate Jemaine Clement -  David Josh Wiggins - Hugo Favorite Scene:  After a crazy night, Kate and April cross paths on the doorstep.  Favorite Quote:  "Just because a connection with a person doesn't last forever, doesn't mean it's not real." Review:  I Used to Go Here was just another random selection on Amazon Prime for me. What was a random selection for background noise while working out turned into a more formal approach to inviting the move in with thought and inner digestion. The movie isn't deep but does a great job of connecting the line between an individual's college days and potential with the essence of adulthood and the real world.  The film really could have gone super cliche, as most college films can, but it tight-rope walked and offered some nuance a...