BrennanCarr

A smash hit that left my skin crawling. Director Raven Carter delivers an eye-opening depiction of the horrors of ancestral trauma in America. The film takes place in an old lake house in the Florida backwoods, where protagonist Ember, played by Aleigha Burt, goes on a trip with her friends Tessa, Lexi, and Abigail. After arriving at the house, Ember starts to see visions of the terrible atrocities committed to black land-owning families in the past. As the boundary between these visions and reality blurs, it's up to Ember whether to reclaim what is rightfully owed to **** film presents intolerance as the ultimate evil of the story. Protagonist Ember is constantly ridiculed and mocked, with Abigail taking the lead in this behavior and instigating many microaggressions that underscore the horrors of prejudice itself. The conflict between Ember and Abigail is the highlight of this film, and considering that Abigail’s family owns the lakehouse, it escalates quickly. I was also incredibly impressed with the cinematography in this film, as its small budget doesn’t hold it back from depicting the splendor of Florida’s natural beauty while twisting the setting into an abject horror house when it needs to. The flashback sequences were particularly well done, and the horrors committed left me petrified and on the edge of my seat. If this is Raven Carter’s first work, I’m incredibly excited to see what she will come up with next.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A completely new type of climate documentary. Kiss the Ground pulls you in with stunning visuals, and an optimistic outlook on the future of the Earth. While the film certainly doesn’t shy away from depicting the consequences of climate change through global warming, its specific focus on agriculture exposes an entirely new perspective on the issue. The film does an incredible job of highlighting the environmental destruction caused by industrial agriculture, exploring the shocking effects of pesticides, herbicides, and tilling in such detail. Cinematographer Simon Baldera’s sweeping shots of ravaged landscapes and expert analysis by people like regenerative rancher Gabe Brown highlight just how harmful these practices can be and make it clear why films like this are so important. However, where other films may just stop there, leaving the audience to ponder the morbid reality of environmental destruction, Kiss the Ground chooses a different path. Introducing regenerative agriculture: the key to sustainability through anti-tilling farming practices. The process is simple: plant multi species farmlands to promote healthier soil, which leads to carbon sequestration, thus balancing the climate and creating a better quality of crop. And the most shocking part is that this film refrains from patronizing the audience to prove this point. Instead, the film chooses to take the audience’s side, acknowledging how daunting the problem is while shedding light on an actionable solution that leaves the audience with hope for its outcome. Through seasoned narrative voices like Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson, the film is able to convey its story clearly while staying relatable. The hopeful approach, paired with a masterful depiction of nature’s beauty, are what make this film a must-watch.