baccaruda1

For this American viewer, an interesting take on Afropop, and all of the wacky, weird, eye-opening, and finally, redeeming ways creative people go about their business, is pretty much the same here in the States. This film is shot very well, and has some compelling actors populating the script, and the further I got into the film the more engaged I became with them. I found the dynamic between queen diva Ello and aspiring producer Winn most interesting. Ello starts off as an impossibly difficult and unlikeable diva, and when she finds herself locked into a music studio with Winn, she is...decidedly NOT even close being tolerable. Winn, being on the low end of the music industry hierarchy does his best to deal with her until he's finally had enough. Coincidentally, both of these characters need to get a quality recording accomplished on a VERY short timeline, and since they ARE stuck together ...OK enough with the spoilers. "The Drop" gets more intriguing and interesting as the film progresses to a satisfying conclusion. Give this one a go, it's a fun watch! 3 1/2 stars.

"Don't Say It" is a sweet-natured romantic dramedy that my wife and I quite enjoyed, and that's saying something! While the story itself treads in familiar romcom territory, its the writing and performances that elevate this film way beyond what we often expect from indie films. Even better, the film takes a look at the difficulty folks have finding connection as they get older, especially after having been burned by relationships in the past. Writer/lead Rich Grosso and his opposite, Victoria Kelleher create nuanced characters that we were rooting for, and each conveyed a world-weary countenance that rang true. And with its well-done production values, strong editing, and compelling subplots, this is a film that's perfect to enjoy with your sweetie, perhaps while sharing a nice plate of chicken piccatta!