Cinema
The Blackening
Directed by Tim Story, the creative force behind popular comedies Barber Shop and Ride Along, The Blackening is an uber-silly satire that takes a playful swipe at every single horror movie cliché you can think of, while offering a self-referential roast of Hollywood’s stereotypical representation of African American culture on screen.
Don’t worry, it’s not as heavy as it sounds. The Blackening is a comedy-slash-horror flick that’s actually more attuned to the Scary Movie franchise, but not nearly as cartoonish or goofball. Displaying the kind of gore you’d usually find in an Edgar Wright movie, and a hugely witty script that has an enormous amount of fun lampooning well-established stereotypes, The Blackening offers a more playfully provocative comedy that, although daft in its own way, has put a little more thought into its punchy delivery.
The well-used premise here sees seven old college friends reunite to celebrate the Juneteenth holidays but, instead of spending time with one another in the comfort of their own home, they decide to rent out an isolated cabin in the woods with the idea of having a few drinks, playing a few party games and getting away from the normality of their day-to-day lives.
But things take a sinister turn when the friends stumble upon a dusty, disused games room in the creaky cabin, and soon find they are at the mercy of a masked stranger who wants to play a literal game of life and death with them.
It’s all a bit barmy to be honest, but there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing this host of likeable characters with OTT personalities thrust head-first into holiday hell.
The Blackening is one horror-comedy that will deliver genuine laughs and a dollop of gore in one nifty sitting. Give this a go if you fancy playful violence and close-to-the-bone humour.
Disney+
Star Wars: Ahsoka
It’s a big week for Star Wars fans as the long awaited Ahsoka is finally released on Disney+ and, if you enjoyed recent spin-off series like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor, then Ahsoka is likely to be your next big obsession.
Set directly after the defeat the Empire, Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano sets forth into a brave new world as the Galaxy tries to get back on its feet after decades of war. But, just because the Empire is gone, doesn’t mean that evil has been completely eradicated from the universe.
If you’re a fan of Disney’s somewhat radical reshape of the Star Wars universe, then you’ll probably be well into this one.
If you’re a bit more old-school, like me, you’ll be a bit more critical of the direction this franchise is taking.
