INSIDE OUT 2 Opens Only in Theaters on June 14

His first feature documentary, TICKLED, launched at Sundance 2016 to critical acclaim, where it was picked up by HBO and Magnolia Films. It was followed up with the HBO special “The Tickle King.”

In 2018 David hosted and executive produced “Dark Tourist,” an 8-part Netflix Original documentary that saw him explore the ethically murky world of “dark tourism” around the globe.

David writes popular Substack newsletter Webworm, and co-hosts the monthly podcast “Armchaired and Dangerous” with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, which explores conspiracy theory culture and reaches an estimated 20 million listeners under the Armchair Expert

The film sheds light on a dark moment in South Korean history. In the 1950s and 1960s, the government opened a series of detention centers for street children which were in effect child labor camps. Children of Light tells the haunting tale of a 16-year-old boy incarcerated in such a camp who must befriend his main rival in order to escape.

Kang speaks on what inspired his film, working with child actors, and his plans for the future.

Raiders was an epiphany for me. The closest I’ve gotten to a religious experience. I wasn’t so much watching the movie as inside the movie. I totally escaped into it, I was lost in it. In a good way.

At that age I loved the gory touches, the blood splattering on the plane window, the way Alfred Molina got impaled through the head. And the supernatural touches. I liked the way it was mixed together with a fun adventure story. The desert setting felt very exotic.

And I wasn’t conscious of it then, but now I see how Spielberg moves the camera. He’s got an incredible gift for blocking a scene, especially in those days. The way people’s movements which are seemingly natural and spontaneous choreograph so well with the image. The classic Spielberg shot is when somebody turns and walks into their own close up as the camera pushes in to meet them. And John Williams ratchets the music up to match.

I just knew that movies were magical and I wanted to be a part of it. I started making short films the following year, rough and ready amateur horror movies.

It sure is a beauty, the creation of films! That actually leads me into my next question; the horror genre is one of fascination, learning how to build tension and rattle audiences’ expectations. In your opinion, do you consider it to be the most subversive of the genres? Or is there another word you would prefer to describe the film category?

Definitely the most subversive genre, by a country mile. In horror you can take all the stuff that’s inside people’s heads, and put it on the outside, in plain view. All the weird thoughts and feelings that every one of us has — but we have to keep repressed in polite society. It’s fun to explore things safely in an “anything goes” sort of way. Horror may be a lot of things, and not all of them good — sometimes it can be cringeworthy — but it’s rarely boring.

I recently watched (and adored) Jordan Peele’s Nope, a science-fiction horror involving a UFO. Mr. Peele has been on the record stating comedy and horror are “conjoined twins” and “both are the best ways to deal with fears and tune into emotion.” Unwelcome is considered as a horror folk, but was there are sprinkles of a horror comedy route. Was there ever a consideration to make it a full-fledged horror comedy (similar to your Grabbers work)?

I might go back to horror comedy, who knows? But this wasn’t that film. It’s more of a horror where the characters can be funny if they want to be. I laughed a lot when we were shooting and editing it, particularly around the goblins. But I have a sick sense of humour!

I loved Grabbers overall but I wasn’t totally comfortable with the bits where we explicitly referenced other films — this is a bit from Gremlins, this is a bit from ET. I know audiences love playing that game, but it distracts me from the reality of the story. I want to believe in what’s happening, even if it’s a fantastical Grimm’s fairy tale for adults, like this is. I love Stranger Things but I’m constantly bumped out of the story by their references to other films. It’s probably more fun if you haven’t watched the originals a thousand times like I have…

I see! This film has heavy inspiration from Joe Dante’s Gremlins and Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs; do you mind elaborating on which moments from those hit you the most, and how those inspirations stretched into Unwelcome?

We pitched the movie as “Gremlins meets Straw Dogs”, two films I really like. It’s great to have a short hand, but in the final reckoning I think Unwelcome is its own thing with its own tone. As soon as we started shooting it it had this weird, specific, distinctive atmosphere, I’m never sure where that comes from. It’s got the mischief and malevolence of the Gremlins — our creatures, the Redcaps, have that, too. And there’s the stressful intensity of the home invasion in Straw Dogs, we’ve captured a bit of that. That feeling of being a beta male who doesn’t like rubbing shoulders with the local macho men.

Yeah, Straw Dogs stretched a lot into violence and subtle nods toward Vietnam. Speaking of the former, the opening sequence is a rattling sensation, bringing vulnerabilities and social anxiety to the couple. Would you say the feature is thematically inquiring about our fears and masculinities in an unknown environment (or world)?

The film is definitely talking about what it means to be a man. The writer Mark Stay and I both have macho, working class dads, and we wrestled with feelings of inadequacy as teenagers — while I love violence (done in a certain way) on screen, I hate it in real life. We wanted to push our two characters to the edge, really put them through the wringer, put their beliefs to the test. That’s interesting to me, the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk. I really like our two lead characters, but it was important not to be too nice to them. That doesn’t make for an entertaining movie!

Yeah, there has to be some instigating incident that drives the action forward; what is going to be that moment that’ll carry forward.

It appears that the film was originally titled, “The Little People,” a representation of the Redcaps included; what changes materialized to have the title changed to Unwelcome?

The title changed in the end because it didn’t really tell you it was a fun horror movie. If you saw “The Little People” in the TV schedule you might think it was a worthy drama, not an escapist Friday night film. I liked that the original title referred to the pint sized goblins but also the people who get bullied and belittled who feel like “little people”. Kristian Nairn (from Game Of Thrones) plays a giant who feels tiny, like nothing. A worthless nobody.

Yeah, I totally get it. Sometimes the title itself can have certain meanings, and if not marketed correctly, could be perceived as something else.

My last question is how was it working with Hannah John-Kamen, Douglas Booth, and the rest of the cast? Did anyone surprise you the most on-set?

We had an amazing cast on this film, that’s at least one good thing that came out of the pandemic! I knew Hannah was fantastic before I worked with her, but she really blew me away, each and every day. She’s got star quality. I think her performance is really special, she’s digging deep and going for the reality of what, on paper, is a pretty hokey premise! Doug I am forever in debt to, he played the truth of what it is to be a coward which, ironically, takes a lot of courage. You don’t often see it in movies, it’s usually people stepping up to the plate — stepping into their Spielbergian close up, fists raised, with a smart arse one liner. I’m a bit bored of that hero cliche, it was fun to undercut it. We’ve also got a great Irish cast, Colm Meaney who people know from Star Trek, Chris Walley, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, Kristian Nairn. It’s a good film for St Paddy’s day. They had a ball on set, really enjoyed themselves. It was a sad day when the shoot ended, we had to break up the band.

That sounds great Jon, glad people had fun with it. A pleasure speaking with you.

Unwelcome has been released on VOD, and our review is attached here.

Ha, yes, finding that location was essential. We found this very odd house and were lucky to get permission to transform it into a family home. The sense of isolation was vital! The idea of a family being in the countryside but not belonging to that way of life. Robert is stranded there; Sam has more connection to the land through his mother. Then Ruth turns up!

Growing up in the countryside was a huge part of my life. I went to boarding school and snuck out at night. The motorbike is a copy of my grandfather’s farm bike; the party scene is classic kiwi culture. Young adults from far and wide descend upon someone’s house and drink themselves into oblivion. Though this story is fiction, it has glimpses of my friends and family. And yes, my Grandmother came to live with us for the last part of her life and enjoyed a gin.

Very nice. It appears our childhoods bring lots of memories for us to explore, and moments for us to contemplate in retrospect. Do you feel more connected to Ruth, Sam, or both characters in this feature? I was connected more to Sam’s situation and development.

I wish I were more like Ruth but without the alcoholism. She does not suffer fools! Still, she pays the price for her temperament, but what a life she’s lived.

Indeed. So in the midst of the feature, I found the inclusion of the white horse to be a neat bit of symbolism, as these creatures represent innocence and purity. And I vastly enjoyed that one moment when Sam is contemplating a horrific action, and the horse interrupts his intentions like an angel reaches out to prevent him from stepping into the darkness. Do you mind elaborating on this moment further?

For me, Grace is his mother (she saves him), but it also comes from a true story I read about a man on the brink of taking his own life, living alone on a farm and going through a divorce. His horse saved his life. It sensed his pain and nuzzled his chest when he was in his darkest moment. He was comforted and got through it. Growing up on a farm, I had a profound affection for animals. Horses are herd animals, so they are incredibly sensitive to the feeling of their owners.

Horses are quite a beauty; even all animals bring something some pure to us in the darkest of times. Is there an intention for audiences to question not only how to understand life but how to face the aspect of death?

I hope it brings up a personal response to that relationship. We all have to deal with grief. I hope people walk away moved and uplifted, and thoughtful. That they see themselves and their family in the film, and there is a sense of joy and beauty in that.

I liked the idea that from dysfunction can come connection. Ruth is forgiven without changing, but she accepts her mortality. She gets her last passionate love affair. That was important to me.

Have any particular features/filmmakers inspired the layout and makings of this one?

Harold and Maude is a big influence, though they are tonally very different films. I love Hal Ashby. Essentially, I see Juniper as a platonic love story.

Very nice! Lastly, this question is out of sheer curiosity: does the title of the movie have any relevance or resemblance to the Bible or Greek mythology? I was simply inquisitive because researching the word “juniper” has multiple meanings.

The Greeks influence everything! My son’s name is Hector taken from Homer’s Iliad. However, the name is more related to the berries that flavour gin, and Ruth loves gin, but the idea that it resonates on other levels is appealing.

Yeah, that’s a valid point. I’m not one to utilize gin, but I can see that resemblance.

I guess I do have one more thing as a bonus question: what was it like to work with Charlotte Rampling? She’ll be gearing up to return in Dune: Part Two that comes out later this year.

She’s a delight! I was nervous! She is very human; she loves adventure! Yes, some people have joked about Ruth asking Sam to put his hand in the box – in their first meeting! I loved Dune Part I; I loved the books, too; I can’t wait to see the next installment.

I enjoyed Dune Part One much, too, particularly for its visuals! We’ll see her in action later this year. But anyway, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, Mr. Saville. Best of luck with your future projects!

Thanks so much! I am glad you enjoyed the film.

Juniper (2023) releases in limited theaters on February 24th, 2023; review from our site here.

It was 2016 when multiple things coincided all at once; I was looking for a story that I could make my thesis film about, I had recently done an ancestry test in the process of unpacking my Blackness for the first time, and I was glued to my television screen after having just heard of more horrific instances of unarmed Black men being shot and killed by police officers. Bit by bit, the foundation of the film started revealing itself to me and with this framework in place, I started looking for the rest of the story in my own memories and experiences, and that of the people I met along the way. Although it might sound hectic, I actually really enjoy piecing together all these loose ideas and bits of inspiration, until I’ve assembled them into a rich and poetic tapestry of emotions.

The mind is a labyrinth of infinite possibilities, but it does give our sense of individuality with each memory and experience we have. I do understand your perspective about such stark brutalities; it’s a scary world out there yet important to take note of.

I happened to notice from your Instagram that you are a massive fan of animation and bring to light different characters (or people) for each post you’ve made over the years. Do you mind elaborating on this a bit? (My personal favorite is the post titled “Kiana.”)

Back in 2016, when I was in my final year of art school, I was looking at all the work I had been making and at all the characters I had designed, and came to realize that none of them looked like me. I was astonished by how my white environment had come to influence my art without me noticing, so I made it a point to focus on just drawing and designing Black people, and also tell stories with us at the center of it, because for most of my life I hadn’t. So, hopefully my Instagram will one day come to represent the characters I conjured up, the people I met, and my journey of having Blackness be my norm.

Yeah, no that sounds great. Build your journey as wise folks have said. You know, perspective is always an essential to ask in any situation, and I find it substantially moving in this short. The exploration of police brutality, friendship, and intuition are all prevalent between both main characters. Were you attached to Imani, or David, or both of their stances in this scenario? (If I may, I think they both are well-developed, as one carries that innocent nature while the other carries lassitude and confusion.)

Throughout every part of the process, we always started off with Imani first; from writing the script, to designing the characters, to scoring the film. In a way, she served as our baseline, through whom we wanted to explore the world, the story, and Crimson. We could approach every narrative decision and design choice with great care and familiarity, whereas David’s perspective felt a lot more foreign and difficult to get right. How would he see the world? What does it look like when you’re trying to justify your actions? How do you live with yourself?
We knew that we weren’t interested in a reductive rendition of him; a donut-eating police officer who hates Black people to his very core, because it’s so easy for people to not see him as human and therefore distance themselves from his actions. But by portraying him as a family man, we are also showing that it’s not necessarily a deep-rooted individual type of racism that makes him do something so abhorrent, but that it’s his implicit biases, the lack of training, and other systemic problems within the police force that are also at play.

Yeah, I believe we have this poor habit of judging others because there is such hatred/injustice integrated into our society in that we fail to recognize police officers’ duties. They are human like us, they breathe like us, and they live like us. And David is dealing with his struggles too; not everything is a golden beam of light for him. And after anyone partakes in such a disaster, the question is, as you mentioned, how do you properly move on? Great points, Mr. Koeyers.

So, it says online that you reside in Rotterdam, along with having studied animation from the Willem de Kooning Academy. Does the city’s history or architecture have any bearings on your work or imagination?

Rotterdam has come to mean a lot to me in recent years, especially coming from a small residential town in the north of the Netherlands. Perhaps it’s not so much the history or architecture of Rotterdam that draws me in, but definitely the people that make the city what it is. Rotterdam allowed me to see myself in other people and hear my native language being spoken every day I walk out the door. It felt like the city gave me the courage and, in a strange way, also the permission to center my stories around people that look like me. So, I’m a part of Rotterdam as much as it is a part of me.

That’s awesome, really cool. I hope to travel the world more in the future. Speaking of the world, the #BLM movement created such a significant change in the attitude around the world when it initiated during the height of the pandemic. How would you say it impacted this film and the characters?

As we were in the process of making this film, we heard of so many more Black people losing their lives in fatal police shootings. We were animating a scene in which a conservative political commentator speculates about the facts and creates his own narrative, or a scene in which only a small snippet of CCTV footage gets released, while watching these very things unfold in real life. That made it all the more painful in a way. The fact that we had based a large part of the story on people that came before George Floyd, Elijah McClain, and Ahmaud Arbery, showed us how never-ending and cyclical these shootings are.

Yeah, superb points. I had an interview with another film director last year (Mr. A’ndre Davis and his drama work, Attacked from All Angles), and one of the things that I had asked if there was a specific topic ranging from gun violence to systematic barriers that he wanted audiences to understand. Per Mr. Davis’s words, he wanted to address the aspect of accountability. Thus, is David’s position revolving around that, as he’s now riding a guilt-driven consciousness in the wake of his actions? Should we implore more to do so as well?

Sometimes it feels like our film calls for poetic justice, and we have toyed with the idea of showing David locked up behind bars at the end of the film, forced to live with the fact that he shot and killed a young Black boy. But in a every version of our film, that ending never felt honest. Unfortunately, we often don’t see police officers being held accountable for their actions.
So, we opted for an open ending which creates a space for the viewer to piece together their own narrative from all the little fragments and bits of possible leads that are sprinkled through the film. What do they mean and what do they all amount to? Whenever we look through David’s eyes, we see a world in which he has not yet been able to take accountability, but in that space that we open up at the end of the film, I hope the viewer can imagine an ending in which he might.

Your mentioning of the “poetic justice” almost made me feel vibes of Jordan Peele’s original idea for his brilliant Get Out work (the original ending was for the black protagonist to be locked up in jail after getting out of the main setting after killing off its dastardly white folks). But, indeed, the ending does leave that air open for analysis and for us to sympathize more with David’s position.

Are there any particular films/directors that have inspired your journey into dissecting the human condition?

Oh, absolutely! I’ve been inspired by so many different filmmakers for so many different reasons. Obviously, Kurosawa’s Rashomon has served as a great source of inspiration when it comes to structuring a story. More contemporary references include George Washington for its excellent narration and tone of voice, Moonlight for its intimacy and gorgeous photography, and The Tree of Life for its stellar structure and intuitive way of editing. Each of these films feel so small, yet colossal at the same time. To me, that feels like something that is so undeniably human.

All excellent works; I’m a huge fan of Kurosawa’s legacy. Is there anything else you’d like to express to the viewer regarding It’s Nice in Here?

We didn’t make a film that set out to give any answers, but were more interested in raising questions and exploring the after effects of police shootings; not only how they affect the people that were present during the incident, but also how these stories travel and take on a life of their own. By having the viewer take part and actively piece together the fragments of the story, we hope to create a sense of contemplation and introspection in an increasingly polarizing world. We show our characters being soft and sensitive, while simultaneously being perceived as threats. That duality is something I am all too familiar with, but ultimately by working on this film and by learning to love the skin in which I live, I’ve come to realize that, despite what I’ve grown up believing about myself, it’s nice in here.

Well put sir. Thank you so much for your time Mr. Koeyers, and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Thank you so much, Shaan! That really means a lot to me. And thanks for the lovely and beautifully-worded review on your site.

No problem, take care!

It’s Nice in Here, an animated short, was directed and written by Robert-Jonathan Koeyers.

Technology is really exciting right now and the possibilities of virtual gaming especially expanding into web3 are endless. We were attracted to this for a number of reasons, but we ourselves are not gamers. We really wanted to use gaming to expose the inner turmoil of gambling, as well as engage viewers by developing empathy towards Trilby and Reggie.

Yeah, they have quite the friendship. Did the actors/actresses have fun on set getting in that gaming atmosphere?

We consciously decided not to show the games played in this show. We wanted the audience to pay attention to the characters and their emotions instead of the game itself. Haleigh Hekking (Reggie) is a really amazing gamer in real life so this helped her in developing the character. She was also our tech advisor for anything game related.

Interesting! I see this series was deployed on Snapchat, but was there ever consideration to extend the episodes beyond the six-minute mark?

We would love to if the opportunity arises, but the show was written [by Jacob Motz] specifically to fit into the mobile experience on Snapchat. Our challenge was to create narrative content on the app whose audience is known to have a low attention span; to capture their attention in the first few seconds and maintain their interest on the app and on the phone. In addition, there were no successful precedents that we could look up to for a guideline.

Right, right. I personally enjoyed all the hurdles that Nicholas Hamilton Trilby’s character experienced (from the crumbling father figure to the friendship issues to the cold-hearted presence of Jeno wanting his money on time). Did any part of his arc relate to you when filming?

We were attracted to Trilby’s character because of the complexity of his situation. His struggles to patch the single family together and provide the support to his young brother, while exacerbated by financial pressures. It is a giant responsibility for a teenager who is becoming an adult way too fast.

Yeah it’s a heavy burden to put on his shoulders, considering he’s battling the money and time aspects while trying to maintain his friend close. Speaking of her, Haleigh Hekking’s Reggie has this intense confidence when it comes to gaming, but she does indeed care about Trilby despite his continued pursuance of getting the money necessary through unorthodox measures. Would you say she offers that neutral ground/stability to his ambitions while dealing with her impending college pursuits?

In contrast to Trilby, Reggie’s character is really strong and grounded. She knows what she wants and what she is good at. Her family loves and supports her as much as they can. At a young age she decided to be the first one in her family to go to college and set an example for her younger brother, and she never wavered from this plan. Her main reason for gaming and getting involved with gambling was to help Trilby because she has deep feelings for him.

Yeah, and that relationship progresses on at a solid pace throughout the season. Were there any particular filmmakers that inspired the creation/development of this series? Throughout my first viewing, I kept thinking of an Edgar Wright/Guy Ritchie-ish stylistic (considering the quick cuts, action fast paced action montages and creative transitions).

High impact pacing was the heartbeat of the story. At crucial story moments we wanted to contrast high tempo and with slow motion and stillness.

Visual approach was multilayered. Graphics had to be bold, camera was in constant movement, frames were filled with visual flare with a goal to keep the audience excited and engaged.

“Just don’t let the money go to your head.” What a great line to include to cover the story, arcs, and even the subtlety of how the protagonist goes that route to almost resemble his father’s stance.

Exactly – the script was really well written. As the story develops the father figure role in Trilbys life starts to blur, both his real father and Jeno are major influences on him. Among many things, this story explores fatherhood and the roles fathers play in our lives.

The ending leaves the door open for a Season 2. Is that on the horizon?

We’d be all for it. We encourage everyone to watch Season 1 as it’s something we’re proud of!

I’d like to witness it [Season 1] again and will be waiting for the announcement of Season 2! Thank you, Maria and Igor, for your time.

Action Royale, Season 1, is available to view and download on Snapchat. “A teenager starts an underground esports gambling ring to pay off his father’s debts, but he and his best friend soon find themselves in over their heads in a dangerous high-stakes world.”

Official Link:

The topic is something I’ve discussed with family and friends over the years and have always been pretty passionate about. The killing of George Floyd was also very instrumental. I can remember looking at my social media time line and every other post was about Mr. Floyd, and deservingly so. I then started scrolling the news sites to see an article about the shootings that took place in Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend where 49 people were shot and 10 died. The sad part was I didn’t see any outrage, any social media posts. This really pushed me to finish the film I had already started. A month or so after I can remember a Mom losing her child in NYC and at the press conference she was yelling into the camera “Where are the protests about this” “I want to see some protests about this” which further let me know I was going in the right direction. Because this was my first short film, I wanted to direct it to get some experience behind the camera and make sure the story was portrayed in the way I intended. 

I noticed from your biography on your website (which radiates with some great music and photos of yours) that you were signed to EZ Deuce Records. Do you mind elaborating on your experience there?

Absolutely. EZ Deuce was a great moment in my career. This was my first time recording professionally and I was able to open up for a who’s who in R&B music. Greats such as Patti Labelle, Frankie Beverly & Maize, The Temptations, and some of today’s R&B artists including Tank, Joe, Tamia, and Anthony Hamilton. My single “What I Gotta Do” made it all the way up to WBLS in NYC and stayed in rotation the entire summer. One of the best things about the experience was the CEO allowed me to handle some of the business. This was a great opportunity for my growth as an artist and businessman. I am truly grateful for that time which has prepared me to run my own company, A-Diamond Entertainment. I have a new EP on the way, and my single “One 4 Me” which is out now, hits radio in January.  

That’s terrific. Wow. It’s mentioned that you are inspired greatly by music legends, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Are there any songs that contributed to the score utilized in your latest film? 

Yes, Donny is my all-time favorite and Stevie is right up there with him. I did not use any of their material in the film but they are forever my inspiration. 

Nice! So, the table scene is a potent example of each perspective coming to light about how black folks are viewed not only in the community, but around the world. Gun violence, gang warfare, systematic barriers, money problems, racial issues, and all are incredibly significant. Is there one specific topic that came up that you wished for the audience to resonate with the most? 

Yes, the table scene was extremely intense when we shot it. As a writer, I wanted to make sure I gave weight to both sides of these arguments because there is validity on both. It would be hard to narrow it down to one but if I had to, it would revolve around accountability. Holding ourselves accountable for our actions and our finances. Holding our family accountable and checking them when we see one might be going down the wrong path, and holding our government accountable to protect, serve, and truly provide opportunities and a level playing field where we all can succeed. 

Excellent point. It was mentioned a few times in the film, but did the Black Lives Matter movement happen to influence this story? Or any other terrible events that happened in our country’s history? 

Absolutely, from what I’ve seen, the Black Lives Matter movement is really doing a great job with getting the stories of police brutality and injustice out to the masses. One of the “angles” of the film was to highlight the fact that All Black Lives Matter, not just ones that are taken by the police.  There are various events that helped to shape this story. Violence against blacks, gang warfare, financial instability, is something that I am familiar with from my upbringing in Newark, NJ. Life and being observant to my surroundings helped me write this script. 

How’d you feel taking on the role of the pastor? 

My Dad is actually a Pastor and this isn’t the first or last time you’ll see me play that role. It comes naturally, but not natural to the point where you will see me in anyone’s pulpit every Sunday lol. 

Interesting! Is there anything else you’d like to say regarding Attacked from All Angles for the viewer? 

Absolutely, in telling this story, my goal was to initiate a conversation and thought on how we can tackle some of the issues plaguing the black community. However, it is extremely important to note that this is not every or the majority of black families. This is especially important for people of different races, not familiar with the inner-city, to understand. Watching the news, you might think that most blacks are poverty stricken, lazy, etc and that is the furthest thing from the truth. So while there is work to do, please understand that this is not the sum total of our race. And to my brothers and sisters, just know that no one fights this hard against anyone/anything that is not a threat. On one accord, unstoppable would be an understatement for us.

Attacked From All Angles is a drama short film, available for viewing on YouTube. A congregation is divided as gun violence at the hands of the police and local gangs affect their community. Presented by A-Diamond Entertainment, written and directed by A’ndre Davis.

In today’s time, directors must challenge themselves to do the same. Several stand out noticeably, such as Edgar Wright, Alfonso Cuaron, Taika Waititi, Denis Villeneuve, Chloe Zhao, and Ryan Coogler. Their flavors muster unconventional storytelling and innovation. One name that has stamped itself on some fantastic works as of late and continues to distribute stellar material is Jordan Peele.

Peele has etched his name in some recent horror and comedy works, most notably his comedy series Key & Peele, Mad TV, and his onscreen (and behind-the-camera) roles in Keanu, BlacKkKlansman, Toy Story 4, and the new Candyman film releasing this month.

But, when looking at the two films he wrote and directed, he instantly moves from an independent filmmaker to one of the most influential in today’s era. Get Out, and Us are masterpieces that spew shocking social critiques on America’s history and how those elements are still carried forward in today’s time. And it is not necessarily about comparing him to Spielberg or Hitchcock, but how Peele has mastered the film craft with his mise-en-scene. He avoided the “sophomore slump” that has disrupted many aspiring filmmakers and encompasses a sense of versatility in the ever-expanding horror genre.

Get Out explores Afrofuturism, the aesthetic and philosophy of the developing intersection of the African race as a technology. The protagonist Chris, played by the brilliant Daniel Kaluuya, stumbles upon his girlfriend’s mother’s hypnosis, leading him to the “Sunken Place.” A void of space, where he cannot control his actions but rather act as a “passenger.” And when examining Chris’s floating body, it immediately ushers in a recurring theme that America is a gravesite for black culture. Emmett Till became lynched, the Omaha race riot of 1919 occurred, young black folks disappeared for profit, and the government refusing to dismantle the Plessy v. Ferguson case that endorsed white supremacy for decades.

Peele cleverly explores a paradox concerning slavery because slavery in its first days never had anything to do with race. Race became a concept because of the theft of black bodies, which further progressed as white folk dismantled Natives, colonized Mexicans, and destroyed the lives of Chinese and Japanese. Thus, Get Out is a metaphor for the vanishing Black American culture. How exactly can black folk “freely” continue to coexist on a colonists’ land where their brothers and sisters bled gruesomely on the same soil? The work alone solidified Peele as a genius, and it would bolster his confidence when distributing his daring second masterpiece, Us.

Peele’s second inventive work explores the themes of classism and marginalization exceptionally. The “tethered” folk become a metaphor for the social inequality America has dealt with for generations. The wealthy live freely and preside over others, while those residing at the bottom are eating scraps and subjected to the treacherous rulings of the rich and powerful. As Peele sees it, the exploration of privilege explains how entitlement and ignorance continue to blind our preaching of exceptionalism, leaving many others in despair and constant misery.

And as explained last year, the duality theme in the film implores many to question whether there is an evil side in them ready to lash out. Like the scissors and doppelgangers’ presence, there are two sides of a coin to every human being. The feature is momentous; having shown Peele’s Get Out was no fluke. Us is the epitome of America’s situational classism, where the lower classes are trapped mentally and physically and persistently shunned.

His upcoming third feature, Nope, is guaranteed to draw eyes because Jordan Peele has proven himself even in the day and age of rampaging, loud Hollywood blockbusters. He stands as a true auteur, something that rarely stays seen in the modern age of cinema. Coupled with the return of Oscar-winning performer Daniel Kaluuya and his third attempt in the horror genre ensures the public will place trust in him to deliver.

Assuming Peele has another masterpiece on his hands with Nope, he will cement his legacy and could even one day join the ranks with some of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Now audiences can see more of Miranda’s work on-screen with the release of the movie “In the Heights.” In the Heights began as a Broadway musical created by Miranda and debuted in 2008. After the success of Hamilton, Miranda’s second musical, the possibility of an In the Heights movie was born.

Unlike the Hamilton release on Disney Plus, the In the Heights movie will not be a direct release of a recorded stage performance and will instead be a musical drama film that follows the same plot of the Broadway show.

With musical stage-to-musical film depictions feeling more infrequent in today’s theaters, compared to decades that have passed, it is easy to wonder how these films are made while keeping the integrity of the live shows. Is this something that directors in Hollywood are still capable of doing? Jon M. Chu may end up being the director to answer that question as we will finally get to see how he handled Miranda’s beloved In the Heights.

Chu is likely most recognized for his directorial work in “Crazy Rich Asians,” which was released in 2018. However, his first major movie was originally supposed to be a film depiction of the musical “Bye Bye Birdie” with Sony Pictures. This project never took off due to budget concerns. Chu is also directing Universal Studios’ “Wicked” movie, which has seen a large number of delays. While we are yet to see any success come from either of these movies, one thing is clear: Hollywood seems to trust Chu to turn these wildly popular musicals into movies.

Part of the reason this may be is because Chu has proven that he is quite familiar with two especially important aspects of musicals: music and dancing. Chu is no stranger to including the art of dance in his films, being a member of a dance crew himself. He was also the director of two movies that featured Justin Beiber in the early 2010s. The first of these two films, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” made around $99 million at the box office on just a $13 million budget, proving Chu could bring in money when it came to movies focused on music.

While Chu seems to have everything that a studio would want in a director for a popular musical-to-film adaptation, he is still yet to prove that claim. With the delays of Wicked and the cancellation of the Bye Bye Birdie project, In the Heights will be Chu’s first Broadway musical-to-film adaptation to hit theaters.

The two Justin Bieber movies that Chu directed may have seen a lot of success in the box office, but they certainly did not do well with critics. Both films sit under a 2/10 in their overall IMDb ratings.

Chu also saw average ratings in two other movies that he directed: “Step Up 2: The Streets” and “Step Up 3D.” Both movies focused on dance and music, again adding to the resume that landed Chu as the director of In the Heights.

Step Up 2: The Streets saw a 6.2/10 rating on IMDb and 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. Step Up 3D did slightly better on Rotten Tomatoes, reaching a 47% score. It matched the same score as its predecessor on IMDb. While these scores are not inherently terrible, the question remains: would die hard musical fans be okay with this quality of a film which represents their favorite show? 

These scores do not mark Chu as a critical failure though. His most recent movie, Crazy Rich Asians, won four awards including a Critics Choice Movie Award for Best Comedy. The movie also sits at a high 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. On top of this, it brought in $238.5 million with a $30 million budget. The only problem is that Crazy Rich Asians was a romantic comedy, not a pre- established beloved Broadway hit.

What does all of this prove? Chu can clearly bring in the money, he proved that with his Justin Bieber documentaries that came out while the popstar was on the rise. The only stain on that financial success is that those movies scored very poorly critically. Chu rose above those rough ratings when he directed Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 and brought home four different awards. He has yet to prove this success with a musical, but studios are already putting him at the helm of film adaptations of some of the most successful and modern Broadway shows. In the Heights will be the first Broadway-to-big-screen transition that we see from Chu. This weekend, as the movie is released, we will learn if he could continue bringing the stage to our sofas or if he is a director caught up in the struggle of transitioning musicals to movies.