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You may have noticed lots of wilder-than-usual weather occurring in the past few
months — and it’s not just a coincidence. 

The world’s jet streams — basically, rivers of fast-moving winds that flow
through the upper atmosphere that are responsible for our “normal” weather
patterns — are on the fritz. So much so that Florida-based meteorologist Jeff
Berardelli (@WeatherProf) called their patterns “insane,” while climate
scientist Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) compared radar imagery of jet streams
to a Van Gogh painting.




WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE JET STREAMS?

The main jet stream affecting the U.S. generally acts as a divide between the
cooler, drier air to the north and the warmer, moist air to the south, as the
Washington Post reports.

As this jet stream moves, so do the seasons. It typically moves south as winter
approaches, ushering in colder temperatures. As summer approaches, the jet
stream moves north, allowing warmer temperatures to reach well into Canada.

But this year, something strange happened. While it’s not uncommon for there to
be abnormalities in the jet stream, the jet stream has now split and remained
that way for a while. This odd pattern is disrupting the movement of weather
systems across North America as it displaces air masses from their typical
positions.










The northern branch of the jet stream has caused unusually high temperatures in
Canada, robbing the landscape of moisture, leaving the land “ripe to burn,” as
the Washington Post noted. Much of the northern U.S. has recently been blanketed
with smoke from Canadian wildfires. 

Meanwhile, the southern branch of the jet stream has helped energize severe
storms in areas of the southern U.S. These storms have produced tornadoes that
have devastated towns, along with hail bigger than a softball.




WHY ARE THESE EXTREME JET STREAMS IMPORTANT?

While it’s not uncommon for jet streams to get blocked occasionally, recent
evidence suggests that as the planet warms, more meanderings and blockages could
occur, slowing down jet streams and causing them to weave and break apart. 

As it becomes more common for jet streams to change pattern, chaotic weather on
the ground will also become more common.

Mann recently described the jet streams over North America as “slow and wobbly,”
which may be the result of our planet’s overheating temperatures. Last year, a
study found that warming temperatures in the Arctic were specifically weakening
the jet streams.



Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help
yourself while helping the planet.

Expert issues warning about ‘Van Gogh’–style weather pattern that could cause
severe storms for the rest of the summer first appeared on The Cool Down.




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Fremont is a hard movie to pin down. On the one hand, Babak Jalali's latest
feature is uneventful, demanding audiences be patient if they want to understand
the delicate portrait the filmmaker is painting. At the same time, Fremont
overflows with style, using its small story to focus on the conflicts that
permeate the everyday life of an immigrant in the United States. So, while it's
easy to understand why the story might push away moviegoers, this clever dramedy
will most certainly reward those willing to stick around. Plus, with a
supporting cast that includes names such as Gregg Turkington (Ant-Man) and
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), there's even something for people looking for
some star power in their movies.



In Fremont, we follow Donya (Anaita Wali Zada), an Afghan immigrant who bought
her American dream by serving as a translator for the US Army during their
operations in the Central Asian country. Despite not being on the frontlines,
Donya witnessed the horrors of war firsthand when she was working a job that
also put her family in danger once she began to be seen as a traitor. So, once
the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, long after the US army departed
and left their mess behind, Donya fled her home country and went to the Land of
the Free, where people swear hard work can ensure you have a place in paradise.

Of course, life is not so simple in the US. While Donya was granted passage into
the country, she still struggles to make ends meet, with her scrawny paycheck
barely covering food and a roof in an apartment hotel. Furthermore, even if her
job at a handmade fortune cookie factory allows her to pay her bills, the menial
and repetitive work is not particularly motivating. It's then ironic that Donya
spends her day helping manufacture a product conceived to make people feel
better about their luck when she struggles to navigate her own.

RELATED: 'Fremont' Cast & Director on Forgotten Refugees, Women of Afghanistan,
& Telling Their Story | Sundance 2023




'FREMONT' CAN BE HIT AND MISS



To say Donya is a layered character would be an understatement. Still, while
it's great to see Jalali and co-writer Carolina Cavalli have created a
compelling female protagonist, Zada deserves all the praise for her brilliant
performance. Thanks to her commitment to the role, we understand Donya’s inner
universe even when the actress is silent. A fire burns in Zada's eyes, speaking
volumes of Donya's burning desire to find a more fulfilling life. At the same
time, her guilt as a survivor prevents her from moving forward, often snuffing
out the flames of her ambition. That this is the first acting credit in Zada’s
career only makes the feat that much more impressive. It is clear she has a
bright future ahead of her.



Fremont manages to enthrall its audience with a story about self-forgiveness and
repressed desires, navigating Donya's journey with an optimistic note about how
we should embrace the unpredictability of life and accept that happiness might
be right around the corner. It's a message that resonates even more thanks to
the staleness of Donya's mundane life, imposed on her due to her immigrant
status. While Fremont tells a barebone story that's never particularly
surprising, it is a charming movie with many layers of its own. Unfortunately,
where it falters is in its attempt to make the audience laugh.

While Fremont presents a poignant drama about immigrant identity, the movie's
attempts at humor are not always equally successful. Jalali tries to explore the
hardships of her life through deadpan comedic scenes that highlight how strange
human beings can be. That creative choice can lead to genuine lighthearted
moments, while some other scenes are uncomfortably cringe-worthy.




'FREMONT' FINDS LIFE'S COMPLEXITY IN ITS SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

It’s also important to note that the humor in Fremont is often introduced by its
cast of supporting characters, each representing a different way Donya tries to
reconnect with the world. Among these characters, Turkington plays a
psychiatrist who gets more emotional than his patients during sessions, and
Hilda Schmelling appears as Donya's American coworker, desperate to find love.
White also shows up briefly in Fremont, bringing some welcome hope to Donya's
life in a charming appearance that is short but memorable. While these
characters are used for comedy, they are still complex human beings with their
goals, fears, and quirks. Even though the purpose of Fremont is to tell Donya’s
story, it can’t help but feel like this fabulous supporting cast ends up
underexplored. Moreover, since it does feel a little thin overall, there was
space to explore the constellation of people connected to Donya.



All of that said, Fremont is still a hidden gem that deserves all the love it
has gathered during its festival run. Jalali creates a unique dramedy that will
be remembered for its solid direction, powerful performances, and eye-popping
cinematography.

Rating: B

Fremont had its international premiere at 2023’s Karlovy Vary International Film
Festival.






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