Joshua Alston: Celebs Rumors

+2

Hulu Drama ‘Saint X’ Is a Psychological Thriller on Island Time: TV Review

Joshua Alston “Saint X,” Alexis Schaitkin’s acclaimed 2020 novel, has roiling depth beneath its placid surface, much like the pristine waters of the Caribbean island where it takes place. The body of a young American girl washes ashore in those tropical tides, and because her death incites the story, “Saint X” initially cuts the figure of a thriller. Yes, the book slowly unfurls the details behind her untimely demise. But the story isn’t really about what happened, it’s about the grief, recrimination and obsession that consumes the survivors over time. It’s a meditation on trauma, shot through with social commentary and disguised as a nondescript “imperiled woman” beach read. Hulu’s series adaptation of “Saint X” hews closely to its source material, which winds up being as much a curse as a gift. The show also feints at a proper whodunnit, then builds to a nuanced, if anticlimactic conclusion, and all at a lazy river’s pace. That’s all the more disappointing because of how effective it is as a psychological thriller and a character study. Those who prepared for the bait-and-switch by reading the novel will take to the series just fine, as will anyone weary enough of mysteries that they’ve given up attachment to the final reveal. But those who visit “Saint X” expecting a more straightforward narrative might lose interest before it reveals its charms.
variety.com

All news where Joshua Alston is mentioned

variety.com
Hulu Drama ‘Saint X’ Is a Psychological Thriller on Island Time: TV Review
Joshua Alston “Saint X,” Alexis Schaitkin’s acclaimed 2020 novel, has roiling depth beneath its placid surface, much like the pristine waters of the Caribbean island where it takes place. The body of a young American girl washes ashore in those tropical tides, and because her death incites the story, “Saint X” initially cuts the figure of a thriller. Yes, the book slowly unfurls the details behind her untimely demise. But the story isn’t really about what happened, it’s about the grief, recrimination and obsession that consumes the survivors over time. It’s a meditation on trauma, shot through with social commentary and disguised as a nondescript “imperiled woman” beach read. Hulu’s series adaptation of “Saint X” hews closely to its source material, which winds up being as much a curse as a gift. The show also feints at a proper whodunnit, then builds to a nuanced, if anticlimactic conclusion, and all at a lazy river’s pace. That’s all the more disappointing because of how effective it is as a psychological thriller and a character study. Those who prepared for the bait-and-switch by reading the novel will take to the series just fine, as will anyone weary enough of mysteries that they’ve given up attachment to the final reveal. But those who visit “Saint X” expecting a more straightforward narrative might lose interest before it reveals its charms.
variety.com
FX’s ‘Dear Mama’ Is a Poignant, Passionate Portrait of Tupac and Afeni Shakur From Director Allen Hughes: TV Review
Joshua Alston Director Allen Hughes has evolved into a deft and imaginative documentarian, just the latest pleasant surprise in a long, eclectic career. His best-known films are the scripted fare he co-directed with his twin brother Albert, including “Menace II Society” and “Dead Presidents,” which dove deep into the lives of young, disaffected Black men. The brothers dabbled in documentary with 1999’s “American Pimp,” another film about Black men thriving (and suffering, and causing suffering) in a brutal subculture, but the film’s insights were mostly washed out by its prurience. Since then, the Hugheses have pursued solo projects, but Allen found new traction with “The Defiant Ones,” the HBO docuseries chronicling the durable and fruitful partnership between Dr. Dre and Interscope Records founder Jimmy Iovine. The brilliance of that show, which earned a Grammy and five Emmy nods, was in its format and structure. Hughes plots the key points of their professional and personal journeys, from their initial meeting to their eventual $3 billion sale of Beats Audio. Because the hip hop producer and music executive affected so many aspects of their industry at the time, an exploration of their friendship became a microcosmic portrait of a seminal period for American music. 
DMCA