The award-winning documentary “Resisterhood” is about some of the most controversial moments of Donald Trump’s first term as President and the groundswell of protest in response. Since it was released in 2020, as he was defeated by Joe Biden, it is well worth another look in light of increased controversy and division.
Director Cheryl Jacobs Crim begins the film with a collection of clips from the 2016 campaign, like his imitation of a reporter’s disability and his urging of violence against protesters to highlight/remind us of Trump’s thuggishness and cruelty. Those moments are stark and unsettling in showing us how far we have fallen from what six years ago seemed like the floor of politics. And how alert and vibrant Trump was compared to the man who falls asleep during meetings and tries to cover up the bruises on his hand.
After that opening, the focus is on the response of the voters to initiatives like child separation at the border, eliminating the rights of GLBTQIA individuals, the appointment of Justice Kavanaugh despite claims of sexual abuse, rollback of environmental protection. Crim introduces us to five thoughtful “resisters,” and the determination, integrity, and commitment to helping others in each story is warm, engaging, and inspiring.
Steely but radiant and warm-hearted Margaret Johnson Morrison is identified as an historian/educator. She tells us that the first time she participated in a protest it was on the march from Selma to Montgomery led by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. And one way and another, she has been standing up for justice ever since. “That is why I have continued to participate where I could, to change what is wrong to what is right.”
Joanna Lohman was on the Washington Spirits soccer team as this film was being made. She felt that soccer was what she was born to do, but she loved talking to the fans, especially the young girls who wore her jersey to games and admired her “jo-hawk” haircut. She happened to be injured at the beginning of the season, which gave her time to think about using her time and her platform to speak out on the issues she cared most about, respect, equality and inclusion for the GLBTIA community.
Mimi Hassanein (community volunteer) came to the United States from Egypt and has been a US citizen since 1971. Even before she learned to speak English, she reached out to her community by sharing what she could: bringing baklava to her children’s school. She wears a hijab, but take it off when she is in the car. By the time we see that, it is wrenching, because we know how good hearted she is, and she has shown us how she has embraced the American idea of civic involvement. “Learning about my civic duty really empowered me to really learn about the beautiful system we have here.” She explains that she feels she has to do that to be safe, because strangers make comments like accusing her of being in ISIS. As the movie goes on, she decides to run for office.
For Illinois Democratic Congressman Luis Gutierrez and his wife, originally from Puerto Rico, the Trump policies on immigration and his response to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. He describes his journey of questioning the prejudices he was taught as a child. “My heart and my soul is so much cleaner today than it was.” And Dr. Jean Gearon is proud to carry on the tradition of her great-grandmother, a leader of the fight for women to get the vote. She is a psychologist, but she makes it clear at an early meeting that the gathering is not a support group; it is about education, outreach and action.
The film is punctuated with the large demonstrations with people protesting policies on climate, guns, immigration, and the confirmation of Supreme Court justice Kavanaugh. We also get a brief glimpse of the alt-right protest in Charlottesville, shouting “Jews will not replace us!” and another protest of that protest. Crim deftly brings the stories together, giving us time with each of her main characters in the context of the developments of the 2017-2020 era. Some of the film’s most powerful and moving scenes are the family members who are all inspired to continue the tradition of speaking out for others. Morrison’s great-nephew says, “She made it sure that her voice was heard. And if she can do this, I can do this.” Hassanein’s granddaughter knocks on doors to talk to voters and the whole family comes over on election night. And Gearon’s daughter accompanies her to the Belmont–Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, a historic house and museum of the U.S. women’s suffrage and equal rights movements, so see her great-great-grandmother’s pictures. They remind us that it is not about a particular politician or policy, it is about always looking forward. As Morrison says, “That is why I have continued to participate where I could, to change what is wrong to what is right.”
Parents should know that this movie covers many political controversies, some involving violence, bigotry, or reproductive rights. A survivor of the Parkland school shooting speaks at a protest. There are references to sexual assault.
Family discussion: Which of the issues in the movie is the most important to you? What kind of protest is most effective?
If you like this, try: “Ratified,” about Virginia’s becoming the final state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
Rated PG-13 for violence/action, strong language, some drug use and suggestive references
Profanity:
Strong language
Nudity/ Sex:
Some sexual references
Alcohol/ Drugs:
Drinking and drug use (played for comedy)
Violence/ Scariness:
Extended peril and violence, guns, explosions, scary giant snakes
Diversity Issues:
None
Date Released to Theaters:
December 25, 2025
Copyright Columbia 2025
If you are in the mood for a movie that is self-aware but still cheerfully and unapologetically stupid but in a very funny way, I’ve got good news. “Anaconda” is here.
You may wonder if this is a remake of a legendarily cheesey 1997 creature film called “Anaconda,” and the answer is, sort of, part reboot, part meta-commentary. If you have no idea that there even was a movie starring Jon Voight, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, Danny Trejo, and Eric Stoltz, consider yourself lucky and don’t worry about it because everything you need to know to appreciate this film will be recapped for you as the four main characters talk about why they want to do a remake/update. And by the way, if you have never seen the 1997 version, this one might just inspire you to give it a try.
The four main characters, friends since childhood, are Doug, a wedding video photographer who would rather be making something more challenging (Jack Black), Griff, a Hollywood actor better described as unsuccessful rather than struggling, though he was in three episodes of “SWAT” (Paul Rudd), Kenny, once fired by Doug as a videographer because he was high (Steve Zahn), and Claire, a recently divorced lawyer looking for something to feel excited about (Thandiwe Newton, sadly underused as essentially the Wendy to the Lost Boys of the group). Griff tells the group he has obtained the rights to the 1997 “Anaconda” and proposes a 3-week shoot in the Amazon rainforest with him as star and Doug as director.
All four are at that mid-life point where they need to feel that they have not given up their dreams and so, with a screenplay by Doug and some modest financing from Claire, they are off to the rainforest. There they meet up with a snake wrangler named Santiago and his beloved anaconda, Heitor, and set off to film, having no idea that Ana, the person driving the boat (Daniela Melchior), is on the run from some scary-looking guys.
That’s the set up for a lot of meta-jokes about filmmaking, the process and the business, as well as various antics as many things go wrong in making their film, Ana’s pursuers keep pursing, and, perhaps needless to say, there are actual anacondas, well, CGI, but in the world of the movie, these are what Jon Voight called in the first film, “perfect killing machines” that “hold you tighter than your true love. And you get the privilege, of hearing your bones break before the power of embrace causes your veins to explode.”
The action and comedy, much of it extremely silly, are well balanced and keep things moving briskly. I might come down on the side of a little less carnage, but perhaps that is taking this more seriously than it is fair to expect of us. And some surprises near the end and during the credits are genuine delights.
Parents should know that this movie includes extended peril and violence including scary giant snakes, guns, and explosions. Characters are injured and killed. It also includes alcohol, drugs (portrayed for humor), and some strong language.
Family discussion: What project would you like to do with your friends? If you made a movie together, what would it be about?
If you like this, try: the original “Anaconda” film and “Tropic Thunder”
Rated PG-13 for Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some strong language, some sexual material and brief drug use
Profanity:
Strong language
Nudity/ Sex:
Non-explicit sexual situations. teen pregnancy
Alcohol/ Drugs:
Pharmaseutical abuse, character is a recovering alcoholic
Violence/ Scariness:
Offscreen serious injury and recovery
Diversity Issues:
None
Date Released to Theaters:
December 24, 2025
Copyright Focus 2025
First there was Neil Diamond, one of the foremost singer-songwriters of the 1970s-90s. And then there was a Milwaukee couple billed as Lightning and Thunder who described their act not as a Neil Diamond tribute act, but a Neil Diamond experience. (“Experience” in this case meaning a fog machine and a leaf blower to blow back their hair.) Then there was a documentary named “Song Sung Blue” about Lightning and Thunder (real names, Mike and Claire Sardina, about the success of their act but also about their setbacks and challenges, about the music and about their love story. And now, like the infinite regression of the girl on the ketchup bottle we have two huge Hollywood stars, very slightly dimming their imperishable glamour to star in a feature film of the same name, and it is one of the most purely enjoyable films of the year, with heartfelt performances and joyous music.
Jackman plays Mike, a divorced Vietnam veteran in recovery from alcoholism who has a teenage daughter. He is passionate about performing (a character astutely observes that a recovering alcoholic will find something else to be addicted to and his is music), and he is very specific about what he wants to do. His stage name is Lightning.
He first sees Claire (Hudson), a divorced mother of a teenage daughter and a younger son, when she is performing in a curly black wig as Patsy Cline. Back at her house, they start singing together and it is instant magic. Their chemistry as performers and as a romantic couple shines from the screen. Soon they get married (at the Wisconsin State Fair) and blend their families. One particularly nice scene is when the two teenage girls get together and form their own instant connection over their family upheavals and some weed.
There are some setbacks along the way, including a mistake in booking that has them performing their first gig not, as they thought, for a motor home convention but for a motorcycle club gathering. But soon, with the help of friends, their crowd-pleasing appearances lead to an enthusiastic local following. Those friends include characters played by Jim Belushi, as the gentle, very sincere tour bus driver who signs on to book their gigs, Michael Imperioli as a devoted friend and Buddy Holly impersonator who is thirty years older than Holly ever got to be, and Fisher Stevens as a dentist so on board he gets Lightning a replacement tooth with a bolt of lightning on it. All three give endearingly open-hearted performances. Lightning and Thunder sing the Neil Diamond songs like they are brand new, with superb musicality. We can see that they are most alive when they are on stage.
“I just want to sing and be happy and feel loved!” Claire tells her daughter. “I will be Neil Diamond, but I’ll also be me,” Mike promises. “He’s…artistic,” says Mike’s daughter to Claire’s daughter, meaningfully. “Most alcoholics trade one addiction for another. Music is that for Dad.” Those comments, along with impeccable work by production designer Clay A. Griffith and costume designer Ernesto Martinez tell us what we need to know about Mike and Claire. But writer/director Craig Brewer is also telling us a deeper story about the healing power of performing music to lift the spirits, bring people together, create a sense of meaning and purpose, and just make us feel good.
Claire is badly injured in a freak accident. Mike has heart problems. But they love each other and the audiences love them. And then they get a call from Eddie Vedder, who wants them to open for Pearl Jam when they play at a huge music festival in Wisconsin. (A terrific performance by John Beckwith as a slightly laconic but enormously decent Vedder and be sure to check out the footage of that real-life performance.)
Thanks to Brewer, the movie never condescends to Mike, Claire, or their friends. It takes the same joy in their performances that their fans do. Jackson is excellent as Mike and Hudson is a revelation here, never better, with a perfect Wisconsin broad A, exquisite harmonies, and so much joy on stage we cannot help but bask in it. As Claire recovering from her injury, depressed and knocked out on painkillers, she is raw and heartbreakingly vulnerable. We know she cannot give up the music, and seeing her back on stage, reconnecting with the pure joy of the music and the audience, connects us with all of that and with the love story, too.
Parents should know that this film has strong language, a recovering alcoholic, a serious injury and painkillers, and a teen pregnancy.
Family discussion: What’s the best Neil Diamond song? Were you surprised that Eddie Vedder invited Mike and Claire to open for Pearl Jam? If you were in the audience, how would you have responded?
If you like this, try: The documentary of the same name and of course the music of Neil Diamond
Sinners’ Jackpot: 21 Nominations at the 26th Annual Black Reel Awards
Washington, D.C. — The Black Reel Awards proudly announced today the nominees for the 26th Annual Black Reel Awards , honoring outstanding achievements in Black cinema and television. Since its founding, the Black Reel Awards have stood as a beacon for recognizing and amplifying the voices of Black creatives across the entertainment industry.
This year’s nominations showcase a remarkable breadth of talent and storytelling. Leading the field is Sinners, which earned a record-breaking 21 nominations, the most in Black Reel Awards history. The film garnered recognition across major categories including Outstanding Film, Outstanding Director (Ryan Coogler), Outstanding Lead Performance (Michael B. Jordan), and an unprecedented four nominations in the Original Song category.
Copyright Black Reel Awards 2025
Other top contenders include:
Highest 2 Lowest with 11 nominations, featuring standout performances from Denzel Washington, A$AP Rocky, and Jeffrey Wright.
40 Acres and On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, each earning 9 nominations, with both films recognized for their directors (R.T. Thorne and Rungano Nyoni, respectively) and strong ensemble casts.
One of Them Days, with 8 nominations, highlighted by Keke Palmer’s lead performance and SZA’s breakthrough recognition.
Hedda, directed by Nia DaCosta and starring Tessa Thompson, with 6 nominations including Outstanding Film and Outstanding Production Design.
Key Analysis from the 26th Annual Black Reel Awards
Sinners is the most nominated horror and musical film in Black Reel Awards history.
Ryan and Zinzi Coogler become only the second husband-and-wife producing team nominated together for Outstanding Film.
Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is the most nominated international film in Black Reel Awards history (9 nominations).
Tessa Thompson joins Queen Latifah and Viola Davis as one of the few actresses nominated as both producer and actor for the same film (Hedda).
A$AP Rocky makes history as the first male hip-hop artist nominated for both Breakthrough and a main acting award.
Ludwig Göransson ties Beyoncé for the most nominations in Outstanding Song (7), becoming the first person to receive four music nominations in a single year.
Tim Gordon, founder and director of the Black Reel Awards, shared his excitement:
“The Black Reel Awards have always been about celebrating the brilliance and resilience of Black storytellers. This year’s nominees represent the very best of our culture, creativity, and community. We are thrilled to honor their contributions and look forward to sharing their achievements with the world.”
Winners will be announced during a virtual presentation on Monday, February 16, 2026, bringing together audiences globally to celebrate Black excellence in entertainment.
Individuals With Multiple Nominations for the 26th Annual Black Reel Awards
6 Nominations
Rungano Nyoni
Outstanding Director (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl); Outstanding Screenplay (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl); Outstanding International Film (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl); Outstanding Independent Film (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl); Outstanding Emerging Director (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl); Outstanding First Screenplay (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl)
5 Nominations
R.T. THORNE
Outstanding Director (40 Acres); Outstanding Independent Film (40 Acres); Outstanding Screenplay (40 Acres); Outstanding Emerging Director (40 Acres); Outstanding First Screenplay (40 Acres)
4 Nominations
MILES Caton
Outstanding Supporting Performance (Sinners); Outstanding Original Song (“I Lied to You” & “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” – Sinners); Outstanding Breakthrough Performance (Sinners)
AKINOLA DAVIES JR.
Outstanding Independent Film (My Father’s Shadow); Outstanding International Film (My Father’s Shadow); Outstanding Emerging Director (My Father’s Shadow); Outstanding First Screenplay (My Father’s Shadow)
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON
Outstanding Score (Sinners) ; Outstanding Original Song (“I Lied to You”, “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” & “Pale, Pale Moon” – Sinners)
3 Nominations
RYAN COOGLER
Outstanding Film (Sinners); Outstanding Director (Sinners); Outstanding Screenplay (Sinners)
Nia DaCosta
Outstanding Film (Hedda); Outstanding Director (Hedda); Outstanding Screenplay (Hedda)
Outstanding Lead Performance (One Battle After Another); Outstanding Breakthrough Performance (One Battle After Another)
FRED KUDJO KUWORNU
Outstanding International Film (We Were Here – The Untold Story of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe); Outstanding Independent Documentary (We Were Here – The Untold Story of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe)
Outstanding Screenplay (One of Them Days); Outstanding First Screenplay (One of Them Days)
TESSA THOMPSON
Outstanding Film (Hedda); Outstanding Lead Performance (Hedda)
Factoids for the 26th Annual Black Reel Awards
Sinners
Holds record for most nominations in Black Reel Awards history (21).
Also the most nominated horror and musical film in Black Reel Awards history.
This marks only the second time in Black Reel Awards history that a husband and wife (Ryan & Zinzi Coogler) are nominated together as producers for Outstanding Film.
Holds the record for the most nominations for a Warner Bros. Pictures film.
First film to earn four nominations in the Original Song category.
Hannah Beachler (Sinners)
Extends her record for the most nominations for Outstanding Production Design (4).
Andre Holland (Love, Brooklyn), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good) & Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
Tied with Colman Domingo for the most nominations for Outstanding Lead Performance (2).
Holland and Erivo also join Domingo as the only actors to earn consecutive nominations in this category.
Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Hold the record with the most films nominated for 10 or more Bolt nominations in a single year (4).
Tessa Thompson (Hedda)
Joins Queen Latifah (Just Wright) and Viola Davis (The Woman King) as the only actresses nominated as both producer and actor for the same film.
Zoe Saldana (Avatar: Fire & Ash)
Joins Michael B. Jordan as the only actors to receive three Bolt acting nominations for the same role.
Nia DaCosta (Hedda)
Joins Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sanaa Hamri, Dee Rees and Ava DuVernay as the only women to be nominated multiple times for Outstanding Director.
A$AP Rocky (Highest 2 Lowest)
First male hip-hop artist to be nominated for Breakthrough and a main acting award (Lead or Supporting).
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Holds the record for the most nominated international film in Black Reel Awards history (9).
First international film nominated for Outstanding Costume Design (Estelle Don Banda).
First film from Ireland nominated for Outstanding International Film.
Ludwig Göransson (Sinners)
First person to receive four nominations in the music field as both songwriter and composer in the same year.
Ties with Beyoncé for the most nominations for Outstanding Song (7).
Geeta Gandbhir (The Perfect Neighbor & The Devil is Busy)
First person to be nominated for Outstanding Documentary and Outstanding Short Film in the same year.
Nominated for Outstanding Documentary (The Perfect Neighbor) and Outstanding Short Film (The Devil is Busy).
We Were Here – The Untold Story of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe
First film from Germany to be nominated for Outstanding International Film
Wicked: For Good
First sequel to be nominated for Outstanding Film without its original film being nominated.
Cynthia Erivo becomes the first actor (man or woman) to earn consecutive acting nominations for the same role.
