What to Watch This Weekend: Psycho Goreman, You Will Die At Twenty, Synchronic, Alone, Like a Boss, I Used to Go Here, Cut Throat City, How to Train Your Dragon

For A Throwback Bloody Good Time: Psycho Goreman (Digital)
Psycho Goreman is an entertaining throwback to 80s and 90s shows, with an exaggerated style, intentionally noticeable costumes, and fights that definitely earn the "gore" in Goreman!  For more information, check out the review!

For A Powerful Oscar Contender: You Will Die At Twenty (Virtual Cinema)
You Will Die At Twenty is a powerful piece of cinema with some expert cinematography and a story that highlights religion, fate, and life.  For more information, check out the review!

For Genre and Time Bending Sci Fi Film: Synchronic (Digital, Redbox)

Synchronic takes you on a mind-bending time travel trip with a dark, gritty style, fantastic performances by Mackie and Dornan, and a powerful score.  For more information, check out the review!

For The Horror Fans: Alone (Digital)

Alone is a tense survival horror film with great performances by Willcox and Menchaca, a slow burning story, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen next.  For more information, check out the review!

For Those Missing Their Bestie: Like A Boss (Amazon)

Like a Boss has charismatic leading ladies, who form a strong foundation for both the funny and dramatic parts of this friendship comedy.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Blast From The Past Drama: I Used to Go Here (HBO)

I Used To Go Here is a wonderfully personal story, with an emotional performance by Gillian Jacobs, a quirky, funny cast, and a heartfelt message about life and success.  For more information, check out our review!

For the Fan of Thrillers and Tension: Cut Throat City (Netflix)

Cut Throat City has a lot more going on than meets the eye, from its complex characters, to its involved story, and wonderful dialogue, this film steals the spotlight.  For more information, check out our review!

For The Kids: How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (Hulu)

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a beautifully animated movie that continues and concludes the story from the first two films.  It is fun to watch, despite its less than stellar story, and provides a fitting end to this high flying trilogy.  For more information, check out our review!

You Will Die At Twenty Review: A Powerful Film About Fate and Life

Release date: January 22, 2021 (American Streaming Release)
Running time: 101 minutes
Starring: Mustafa Shehata, Moatasem Rashid, Islam Mubarak, Mahmoud Alsarraj, Bonna Khalid, Talal Afifi
Directed by: Amjad Abu Alala
Written by: Amjad Abu Alala, Yousef Ibrahim

You Will Die At Twenty follows a child — portended to die at age 20 — as he and his mother navigate the uncharted space between coming of age and facing the end. An exceptional story and only the eighth narrative feature film to be made in Sudan, You Will Die At Twenty follows Muzamil (played first by Moatasem Rashid then as a teen by Mustafa Shehata), whose death at age 20 is prophesied on the day of his birth by a traveling sheik. Growing up with his mother, Sakina (Islam Mubarak), in a small village under the constant loom of death, the young boy becomes increasingly curious about what it means to live beyond his mother's confines. And, encouraged by local elders, his overprotective mother relents and allows her son to study the Quran with the other children his age.  In this newly found freedom, Muzamil finds friends, enemies, love, and tempters, though what he truly seeks is a sense of the present and a chance at the future.  

You Will Die At Twenty has a somber, more serious tone to fit its subject and main story.  Muzamil must navigate his fate and the decisions that were made for his life right from his birth.  But he balances this with a desire to learn about life and the general unrest of growing up.  The film does a fantastic job of treating Muzamil as an outcast from the start.  Children refuse to play with him or call him names, and his mother dresses all in black, mourning in life the child who she expects to die shortly.  It is an interesting concept, how you treat someone who has a negative association, and one that is fascinating to explore.  

Overall the film does a great job of contrasting fate vs. life and goals.  It also shows the effect of religion in this culture and the small town.  Everyone accepts the prediction as fate and treats Muzamil as someone who is destined to die.  His own goals are basically irrelevant as no one expects him to live past twenty.  Given the subject matter of this movie, the film has some striking cinematography.  And it also has some very powerful visuals to fit the tone of the film.  There are scenes where characters essentially have visions.  The camera work in this is really something to behold, as the characters sometimes appear to be composed in biblical scenes.  They are powerful and raw and really set the tone for the seriousness of the film.  And they are accompanied by some equally powerful music that again, helps to solidify the fate of this young boy.  

However, You Will Die At Twenty is a slow film, that layers on Muzamil's character and experiences, but does so at a labored pace.  Maybe this is the result of trying to draw out his life and let him live as long as he can, but there are long stretches of this film where not a lot happens.  The movie is still an expertly constructed piece of cinema, but it might not hold everyone's interest.  But those that find this type of film interesting will be in for a real treat!

You Will Die At Twenty is a powerful piece of cinema with some expert cinematography and a story that highlights religion, fate, and life. 

Watch it.

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You Will Die At Twenty is playing in virtual cinemas across the country.  For more information and for showtimes click here.