de Black Sheep

On a random Sunday in Berlin, Contact Hours entered our lives. Full of potential and with a strong message to send to the public, this BIFA-qualified short film deals with the topic of student suicide, touching on the issues of loneliness, depression, and academic pressure. Despite the short time frame in which it is developed, this story stands out for its layered complexity, shedding light on a narrative too often overlooked. 

Remember to check in on your loved ones.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are worried about someone, or you have been affected by suicide loss, please head to the link below for advice and support. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/information-and-support-suicide-feelings-of-despair 

Short Film: Contact Hours 

Director: Harry Richards

Writer: Rufus Love 

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

Rising above after a tough start of the month, we open April with a slightly chaotic overview of what's in store for the next episodes. 

Starting strong with "Contact Hours", a BIFA-qualified short film that came into our lives on a random Sunday lunch-break, and brought to our eyes a harsh but very needed reality check. Following with "Snow White", for which we have the lowest expectations ever, but we're always happy to be wronged. No we're not. We truly hope this film will represent the very needed scapegoat of all of the issues and traumas we've collected so far. Then concluding with "Mickey 17", to which we were sold as soon as Bong Joon-ho's name popped in the credits. 

WE. ARE. SAT. Are you? 

p.s. No, there's not a typo in the title. We're honouring our Grandma Sexy with this one. We love you forever, wherever you are. "Va' fori". 

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

Wrapping up March, a month dedicated to women, with a cult classic of female rage: Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988).

Arguably Pedro Almodóvar’s most iconic film, it unravels the chaos, heartbreak, and absurdity that women face when it comes to men who treat love like a revolving door. Leaving women in their wake to pick up the pieces, while they move on to the next love story.

There’s little solidarity among women, and as we learn, solitude is the nurse of madness. 

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

In this episode, we dive into Paolo Sorrentino's Parthenope. For once, there’s no middle ground—just two completely different takes clashing in real time. There was no pre-discussion, no alignment, just raw reactions as we unpacked what this film is (or isn’t). 

A part of Aflojack sees it as an ambitious attempt at a grand, meaningful project that somehow ends up delivering… nothing. Meanwhile, the other side argues that form over substance is the entire point, and maybe that’s where its brilliance lies.

Our biggest clash remains whether this movie is a black sheep, an underdog in some ways, or just an overhyped misstep. Tune in and judge for yourself.

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

Oh to be a young adult stuck in a room full of imposed expectations! Isn't that the dream? Maybe it is, unless you're a sheep with no direction in life. 

But don't worry - if you feel out of place and delusional, you're just being relatable. And Shiva Baby (2020) is the proof. Triggering, sympathetic, and incredibly funny, Shiva Baby makes its way to the podium of black sheep movies. 

Portraying a situation in which we all found ourselves at least once, this indie masterpiece puts together the worst that could happen and makes it happen. 

The best bit? This film is women-coded. 

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

For Women's Month, we're celebrating stories about women with our top picks: Shiva Baby, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and Parthenope.

Each of these films explores different facets of womanhood—messy, chaotic, and deeply human. If you want to understand more about what it means to be a woman, you could start by asking the women in your life… or you could just let Aflojack give you a watchlist.

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

The Oscars. 

From a host that had us side-eyeing since the beginning, to the movies that actually mattered, we break it all down. 

We’re talking Conclave, Anora, The Substance—what worked, flopped, or  was mere Oscars bait. 

Most importantly, which film from this year will stick around, and which will disappear into the void of forgettable Best Picture nominees?

Consider this your extra dose of film talk—let’s get into it.

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

10 Academy Awards nominations made The Brutalist impossible for Aflojack to ignore. Moreover, architecture, period drama, and Adrian Brody are ingredients that tend to meet our tastes. And so it did, yet this film didn't quite live up to its premise. Great performances, visuals and score where not enough to satisfy us. Nevertheless, The Brutalist will certainly go down in the history of film awards. And it remains a recommendation we'll always be happy to give. 

Film: The Brutalist (2024)

Director: Brady Corbet

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

In this episode, we take a wild ride through the Madame Web disaster. From baffling dialogue to plot twists that make no sense, we break down every questionable decision that turned this movie into an unintentional comedy. It’s really bad, but somehow, we cannot look away.

Join us as we dissect the chaos, the missed opportunities, and the sheer absurdity that made Madame Web one of the most entertaining trainwrecks we’ve seen in a while.

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1

"Emilia Pérez," the most talked-about and divisive film of the year, found an unexpected fan in the Black Sheep. Maybe our expectations were so low that it caught us off guard, or maybe we're just looking for something different in a movie than the rest of the public. From our favorite moments to the biggest controversies, we’re breaking it all down in this episode.

lbx: @AFLOJACK - https://letterboxd.com/DeBlekSheep/
ig: @deblacksheepodcast - https://www.instagram.com/deblacksheepodcast/profilecard/?igsh=MTB6YzQ2cGluY2FocA==
tt: @aflojack - https://www.tiktok.com/@aflojack?_t=8rMV1S6JQVk&_r=1