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"To thine own self be true" is more than just an oft-used platitude. It's also good advice, given that concocting and pulling off a scheme rooted in artifice is virtually assured to fail. Such is the case when a long-term gay male couple, Chris and Min (Bowen Yang, Han Gi-Chan, respectively), hatches what they believe to be an ingenious plan for carrying out a marriage of convenience involving their lesbian friends, Lee and Angela (Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, respectively). In essence, Min, a South Korean national from a moneyed background whose US visa is about to expire, agrees to marry Angela so that he can qualify for a green card to stay stateside with Chris. In exchange, Min agrees to pay for the in vitro fertilization treatments that Lee is undergoing to enable her and Angela to have a child. It all sounds reasonable enough until Min's stern grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung), the no-nonsense controller of the family purse strings, who's thought to be unaware of her grandson's sexual orientation, decides to visit Seattle to meet Min's bride-to-be. But can the "couple" convince the aging matriarch that their upcoming betrothal is legitimate? Add to that additional complications involving Chris's reluctance to commit to Min for the long term, Angela's issues with her supportive but overbearing mother (Joan Chen) and questions about Lee's ability to successfully become pregnant, and the situation becomes a hot mess, one that threatens the security of two couples and their collective and individual plans for the future (hence the wisdom behind being truthful to oneself). Writer-director Andrew Ahn's latest feature, loosely based on filmmaker Ang Lee's 1993 release of the same name, is a touching, heartfelt romantic comedy-drama examining the kinds of challenges that same-sex couples often face in their relationships. In light of that, I must admit I was quite surprised by what turned up in the finished product, for several reasons. To begin with, the trailer for this film is very misleading, making the picture look like a campy, screwball LGBTQ+ comedy. Far from it; to be sure, the picture is far more serious and substantive than the preview lets on. But that ultimately works to the film's advantage, giving it an unexpected sense of depth that I definitely was not expecting. And that, in turn, helped to dispel the hesitation I had about wanting to screen this offering in the first place: To be honest, I was expecting to see a predictable, cliché-ridden story in the same vein as Ahn's previous feature, "Fire Island" (2022), which I despised because of all of its trite gay stereotypes, something I was not looking forward to seeing again. I'll freely admit that I was in error about that; thankfully, this film more closely resembles the artistic quality found in another of the director's previous works, "Driveways" (2020). What helps this release succeed so well are the fine performances of its excellent ensemble cast, including a break-out portrayal for Yang, who exhibits a greater range here than he's demonstrated in his previous roles, as well as the consistently solid turns by Chen, Yuh-jung and Gladstone. The film also employs humor in just the right amount, never becoming excessive nor falling prey to shopworn comedic devices, thanks to a capably penned script. "The Wedding Banquet" is truly a refreshingly unexpected treat, one of the better releases in the LGBTQ+ genre to have come out in some time. Indeed, this is one cinematic feast that's well worth your time.

It's always gratifying to see a filmmaker take a big step up in his or her career, and that's precisely what writer-director Ryan Coogler has done in his latest offering, a project that reflects a significant jump in the depth, artistry and sophistication of his creative output. Coming on the heels of his successes in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022), "Creed" (2015) and "Fruitvale Station" (2013), Coogler has hit a home run with this period piece smart horror story about identical twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their Mississippi home in 1932 after years of working for Al Capone in Chicago, where they made huge money that they now plan to use to open their own juke joint in a converted sawmill. It's an opportunity where they hope to make even bigger bucks while helping to promote their talented cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton), a blues musician who's a killer guitarist and vocalist. But, as this ambitious trio launches this effort, they're confronted with a variety of challenges, including ghosts from their past, the perils of deeply ingrained social prejudice, the dual-edged sword posed by creative and financial success, and, most menacingly, mystical forces that may be more than they're capable of handling. These narrative components combine to tell a captivating tale about a troubled time in the country's history, one made all the more ominous with the appearance of supernatural powers that simultaneously offer both potential promise and the prospects of tremendous evil taking root. In bringing this picture to life, the filmmaker has served up an entertaining and engaging offering, one replete with fine performances, superb production values, sharp-edged, perfectly timed comic relief, truly inventive, deftly orchestrated cinematography, and suitably restrained (graphic though not gratuitous) imagery. Admittedly, the screenplay could use some work in a few spots (most notably with tighter writing and clearer plot elaboration), but it also manages to successfully fuse the inherent nature of several genres, including drama, dark humor and smart horror, while also presenting a wealth of insights in an array of areas. Through this picture, it's easy to see how Coogler has appreciably upped his game as a filmmaker, one that bodes well for his future in the field. It indeed represents the revelation of a talent more profound than anyone has previously recognized or properly acknowledged. "Sinners" is a work that deserves to be remembered come awards season later this year. Let's hope that it is.

A pertinent fact about the little-known African bird known as the guinea fowl is that they have a unique, loud call that can be heard at quite a range, not only amongst their own kind, but also among all of the other animals within earshot. That can prove quite valuable both for the members of their own flock and for all other nearby vulnerable creatures when predators approach. While that may sound like useless trivia to some, it's a highly relevant metaphorical observation about the underlying narrative in this third feature effort from Zambian writer-director Rungano Nyoni. While driving home from a dinner party late at night on a remote rural highway, Shula (Susan Chardy) comes upon the dead body of her Uncle Fred (Roy Chisha) splayed out on the road. Somewhat surprisingly, she seems largely unaffected by what most would see as a shocking discovery. She calmly reports the incident to authorities and returns home, where she finds her relatives have begun preparing the residence for a traditional funeral gathering. Shula remains remarkably composed through all this, too, despite the many disruptions going on around her, especially incessant overblown outpourings of grief. Her relatives are somewhat offended by Shula's nonchalant behavior, upset that she doesn't show more remorse about her uncle's demise and isn't particularly respectful of their arguably overwrought mourning rituals. But, as a modern professional woman, Shula is not one to readily give in to these outdated conventions and exaggerated displays of hysteria, regardless of how time-honored and widely accepted they might be. What's more, as the story plays out, the reasoning behind Shula's cool demeanor becomes even more apparent: She hadn't spoken to Fred in years and wasn't on good terms with him - and for good reason. And, as she soon comes to discover through revealing conversations with relatives like her cousins Nsansa (Elizabeth Chisela) and Bupe (Esther Singini), those reasons become even clearer, making it apparent that Fred was arguably someone unworthy of the outpouring of angst directed his way. To make matters worse, Shula also sees that her family is just as culpable for the shamefulness behind the concealment of the many dirty little (and not so little) secrets that surface, terrible truths that have been long buried under successive layers of denial and shifted blame. Indeed, if family is supposedly everything, these are relatives with whom I'd rather have no contact. As a consequence, this is the kind of film that could easily prompt viewers to become justifiably outraged while watching it, both for the damning revelations that emerge, as well as its disturbingly frank portrayal of the deplorable treatment women are sadly accorded in this culture. Interestingly enough, however, the film manages to present this unsettling story with a deft fusion of drama and dark comedy (which may not seem quite so funny when all is said and done), coupled with tinges of surrealism (some of which work, some of which don't). Its greatest strength, though, lies in its message about the need for more of us to behave like the guinea fowl when circumstances warrant. To be sure, predators come in all forms, some of whom walk on four legs and others of whom only need two.