Have you ever wondered what it would be like if the writers of a show gave their fans exactly what they wished for – and then broke their hearts?
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m completely amazed by season 2 of the comedy series, Good Omens. Ever since season 4 of BBC’s Sherlock, I lost my faith in showrunners who allowed queerbaiting and gaslighting. That is, until season 2 of Good Omens came along. If you haven’t watched it yet, beware of spoilers!
Pow! Smash! Punch! Those are expressions that easily come to mind when thinking of a superhero. This is because heroes like Superman or Batman traditionally solve their problems with lots of action, sometimes even with violence. In the CW show The Flash, Barry Allen aka The Flash takes a different approach – he tries to understand the villains’ backstories, and if there’s a possibility for redemption, he takes it. But this series doesn’t stop there – many of its characters display healthy masculinity. So maybe there’s another way to save the day.
Remember “The Truman Show,” the iconic 90s movie starring Jim Carrey who slowly realizes that his entire life is being filmed against his will and broadcast to a mass audience? Well, imagine that, but make it true this time.
The setting:
Los Angeles. Fourteen people are called in for jury duty. Jury duty is part of America’s judicial system where randomly selected U.S. citizens are required – unless excused – to appear in court and take part in a case’s verdict.
What would Germany be without the Oktoberfest? Definitely not worse off, I’d say. Under most circumstances, I couldn’t be tempted to watch a historical drama series with the Oktoberfest as a backdrop, but the Munich Wiesn innkeepers’ irate responses to the series have piqued my interest. Apparently, they feel that the Wiesn is hallowed ground and that its past and present virtue must not be disgraced. So lo and behold and without further ado, I present Oktoberfest Beer and Blood.
“The lynching of my son has shown me that what happens to any of us
anywhere in the world had better be the business of us all.”
Mamie Till-Bradley in Till
The name Till is one that most Americans and many people around the world will recognize from their civil rights history lessons. In 1955, while visiting family, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago, was brutally beaten and murdered for allegedly flirting with and whistling at a married white woman near Money, Mississippi. His bloated body was later found in the Tallahatchie River.
I must admit that when I first heard about the film Till, it immediately sparked my curiosity. Yes, I thought. The heinous crime that caused a media frenzy and galvanized the civil rights movement needs to be brought to new generations. But wait. We live in an age of trigger warnings (statements that alert readers or viewers to potentially disturbing content) and audiences with a heightened sensitivity to violence. So how can film director Chinonye Chukwu draw viewers to movie theaters and simultaneously do justice to the brutality of that crime?
It also intrigued me that Chukwu placed Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Bradley, in the film’s center. If she’s mentioned at all in American history textbooks, it’s mainly to recognize the role she played in the decision to show the world what Southern hatred looked like. She was the driving force to ensure an open casket at Emmett Till’s funeral. So what does the film reveal that most history books do not?
Two things you should know about me that at first glance might have nothing in common: First, I love to watch movies and series – to dive into other worlds, to escape from reality, and just to have a good time. For me, there’s nothing better than going to the movies or lying on the couch on a rainy Sunday, watching a good movie, or binging a series. I even play a pivotal role in their creation as I work as an actor myself. Second, I consciously try to live sustainably because what we consume or do has a direct impact on the world’s ecosystems. I don’t eat meat, I don’t drive a car; instead, I use my bike or public transport. And I pay attention to labels to support companies dedicated to sustainable production and fair wages for laborers.
Two years ago, when I first read about the environmental impact of filmmaking in The Guardian, I was shocked. I hadn’t realized that my love for movies and for my job could seriously conflict with my dedication to the environment. Because the truth is: Blockbuster films with budgets of over $70 million produce an average of 2,840 tons of CO2 per production. That is equivalent to 11 one-way trips from the earth to the moon!
