PVT Chat is a low-budget, independent drama flick that displays a stressful situation, but lacks in quality. Despite its shortcomings, the film portrays the haunting and introverted life of Jack in New York City as a brutal journey filled with horrid and unexpected turns. Director and writer Ben Hozie is truly adept at showing Jack taking many risks, and it mostly works. However, the film begins to have its boring moments by trying too hard to continue to provide shock value.  A great deal of time is spent building up and putting the pieces together. PVT Chat is a predictable puzzle of deception, addiction, and consistent poor judgment by Jack on his MacBook computer.

Peter Vack plays Jack. Jack makes a living off from internet gambling in New York City. He does not make the right financial decisions and displays terrible habits when it comes to financial responsibilities. He does fine with his online gambling and with a budget he could get by on.  But Jack uses his gambling money on a cam girl he has grown to be obsessed with named Scarlet (played by Julia Fox). Jack is always thinking about Scarlet and feels he is finding a connection, with her.  Things seem too good to be true when he comes across her presence in a grocery store. This leads Jack on a journey of addiction and answers in hopes that Scarlet can be the women of his dreams.  As he continues his life of poor spending and online gambling, things spiral out of control with debts, unexplained financial situations, and not being able to successfully keep his life straight. The film displays many of the same stressors that people felt in the Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems (2019), but this time around the storyline focuses on the addiction to online activities for one young New York stud.

PVT Chat involves a subject matter that is not unheard of in today’s world of technology, and it is brutally honest. The film displays how dangerous the outcomes of online web activities can be, and especially for those who become addicted to people they meet online. Jack’s addiction to Scarlet is one he finds difficult to overcome, and he keeps doing what he can to keep her in his life.  Unfortunately, he does not understand that his decisions have irreparable consequences. Still, he keeps giving her money online to keep her in his life but has no idea that he is going down a rabbit hole of catastrophe. Scarlet may be an attractive and gentle soul in Jack’s head but could turn out to be the complete opposite.

When I watched PVT Chat I could not help but imagine how much stress this situation could add in today’s already difficult times. Especially when the job market is tight, much of the economy is in dire need of restoration, and many are having mixed emotions due to the anxiety of being furloughed or trying to feed their families. People’s minds have been all over the place in these weird pandemic times and for someone like Jack, it is easy to see how addictions can spiral out of control. The film is a representation of the dark web displayed in a realistic and disturbing way, but it is just more graphic than it needs to be during many scenes. Two and a half stars.

This movie is based on actual events and starts with an opening almost like a Martin Scorsese film.  The suspense begins with a victim who is two-faced and trying to survive. The film’s premise is infiltration (which is based on real events), and the storyline displays much believability with the order of events and back story.  It tells the true story of the dangerous journey for Bill O’Neal as he handles his tasks as assigned by FBI Agent Mitchell and J. Edgar Hoover. The authenticity of Judas and the Black Messiah lies within trying to figure out the beliefs of O’Neal, and if he is on one side over the other. The film’s tone is set by frequent protests, court scenarios, and criminal disputes that are a part of the movement of the Black Panther Party. As Fred Hampton announces, “I am a revolution,” the question that many will ponder is if O’Neal deserves to be considered one because of his undercover tasks assigned.

Lakeith Stanfield plays Bill O’Neal and Jesse Plemons plays Roy Mitchell. Mitchell gives O’Neal the task to work his way into infiltrating the Black Panther Party. Due to the importance of the issues of racism and hatred, O’Neal views this opportunity as an honor despite the risks. Truly, he is faced with no real choice given that he faces other criminal charges due to previous incidents. He finds himself in uncharted and dangerous territory as he feels mixed with the Party and is finding love with one of the revolutionaries, Deborah Johnson (played by Domonique Fishback). In a time of change, deceit, betrayal, and conflicting information, O’Neal finds himself struggling to remain neutral and avoid danger. Judas and the Black Messiah turns into a realistic journey of discoveries that are unpleasant, but it is faithful in portraying the true outcomes and the historic story of what happened back in the day these events occurred.

The dark territory where the progression of suspense awaits lies in many of the conversations between O’Neal and Mitchell, and O’Neal with the Party.  Certain patterns emerge that do not seem right with O’Neal. Director Shaka King is talented at directing this film which involves cross cutting the scenes between the events and the conversations.  This technique helps his audience start to understand what O’Neal or Mitchell are interpreting in terms of truths and lies as well as what could go awry if O’Neal’s assignments are not fulfilled. During the film, consistent reminders of danger abound if an assignment is not obeyed. Stanfield and Plemmons both act in ways that define pure and sensational realism which is topped by the Director King’s faded cinematography. Both actors are truly Oscar-worthy in this riveting and emotional true story.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a representation of a dark story on the issues of racism and equality. It is done with grace and brilliance, and accurate in portraying historical moments. The film is daring and mesmerizing, and I found myself hoping O’Neal would make the right decisions.  Because of the era of the film, many of the political tides were rigged, and O’Neal stands a chance of redeeming himself. However, he has two ways to do so; one is to be faithful with his tasks from the FBI or the other is to support the Black Panther Party and fight for what he believes. Four stars for Judas and the Black Messiah.

The trailers for this film make it seem like Promising Young Woman delivers a Harley Quinn vibe from The Suicide Squad. However, it is quite the opposite in a most brilliant way. Promising Young Woman has many moments of darkness in spectacular and intriguing ways. Carey Mulligan is at the top of her game as she portrays a woman that no one should mess with.  Throughout the movie, I found myself mesmerized by the betrayals and the tricks she pulls to seek revenge. 

Carey Mulligan is Cassandra, a medical school dropout who works in a coffee shop and still lives with her parents. In her free time, she plans and executes an array of dangerous schemes. A tragic event in her past has left her with emotional scars that set her on a path of revenge.  She is determined to make those involved with the event pay. Cassandra often acts drunk, goes home with guys, but then blindsides them by revealing she is not drunk once they treat her inappropriately. While she spends a great deal of time on these risky activities, she is also slowly trying to resume a normal life as she begins to date Ryan (played by Bo Burnham). However, her desire to seek revenge is something she simply cannot let go. 

The revenge scenarios in the film are very clever, and Mulligan is perfect for this role. Slowly over the course of the movie, the clues are revealed about what happened and why she is on her current path.  Each time a revenge scene occurred, I found myself wondering who the next victim would be or how they were related to what happened in the past. The screenplay and the pacing of the movie deliver the story in a brutal and honest way. The audience knows that there is always evil around the corner with Cassandra, but then are left to question whether Ryan is on her side or if he may also play a part in her revenge scheme.

Mulligan’s performance is outstanding.  I had the privilege to meet her in person a few years ago at a film festival, and she was quite positive and fun to talk with. She is known to play roles in films that are sad or depressing, and most of the time I am used to seeing her portray someone more mellow. In Promising Young Woman, she still can come off that way, maintaining her quiet demeanor, but then can transition to someone who is haunting and daring. That is what makes her performance so stunning in Promising Young Woman. Her chameleon-like ability to transition from a quiet and gentle soul to a woman with a truly evil side makes her performance Oscar-worthy.

Promising Young Woman has many twists and fun dialogue which had me entertained. I loved this film despite its darkness and absurdity. Those two elements were combined in an unexpected way that made the film unpredictable. That is why I loved this movie.  It creatively depicts a woman with her own issues who is set on revenge and smart about getting her way. Four stars for Promising Young Woman.