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Review: Bad Press

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The free press, especially at the local level, is under threat in just about every corner of the world. Bad Press , the excellent new documentary from directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, takes a candid and deeply compelling look at the struggle for unimpeded reporting within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. This is an easy must-watch for not only journalists but anyone interested in the value of honesty and transparency within their communities. 

The film briskly sets up a cast of Muscogee journalists, including tenacious reporter Angel Ellis, who you quickly feel invested in. There’s a gut-wrenching sequence early on where a decades-old Muscogee Nation free-press law is overturned unceremoniously. (So many impactful, wide-reaching decisions like this one are made unceremoniously in aging local government buildings under garish eggshell ceiling lights.) You can’t help but root for Ellis and her colleagues as they’re left scrambling in the aftermath of their government’s decision.

Landsberry-Baker and Peeler should be commended for their people-first approach to representing the Muscogee Nation. These are areas with their own histories, constitutions, governments, and stances on the free press, not just “another part of the United States.” The directors will often hold on to natural vistas and slice-of-life community moments that are just as weighty as the consequences the journalists face for simply doing their jobs.  Bad Press is a sublime blend of true crime, historical drama, and legal thriller, and an unflinching reminder that long-held press traditions are threatened by the shortsighted. 98 min.

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The Rings of Power Season 2's Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score is Not All Bad News

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has opened its Season 2 Rotten Tomatoes account on a more positive note than its predecessor. While critics have continued to laud the continuation of Prime Video’s epic journey into Middle Earth with a mighty 92% Tomatometer score, audiences have now added their thoughts. While there is still a void between the two sets of reviews that even the bridge of Khazad-dûm could not connect, Season 2’s first episodes have made a huge improvement on those of Season 1.

The Rings of Power became one of many TV shows and movies to fall victim to review bombing from those unhappy with some of the changes made to Tolkien canon. Alongside these complaints were stacked up 1-star reviews citing bad dialogue, slow plotting, and, more often than not, some mention of race or gender.

The Rings of Power

This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

Now Season 2 has landed on Prime Video, and has managed to secure a relatively strong 56% approval rating from viewers. This is a big improvement from the 38% collected by Season 1. In the main, the big complaints about race and gender seem to have dwindled this time around, and have been replaced by more detailed plot or dialogue related reasons for “rotten” reviews. Whether Season 2 can continue to win over more of the fandom as new episodes arrive is something we will see very soon.

What Are Audiences Saying About The Rings of Power Season 2?

Like any adaptation of a popular novel, The Rings of Power was always going to come up against opposition from those claiming to be true Tolkien fans. Unlike Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy , The Rings of Power is not based on a detailed set of novels, but instead draws on the outline of Middle Earth’s Second Age, which is found in the Appendices Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings . This has allowed Amazon to fill in the gaps as they see fit, and that has not always been popular with some. However, Season 2 has drawn a good share of positive comments for its opening episodes.

Among the first reviews, Wil M commented that “after a slow first season, I believe season 2 improves in all aspects, and while it still doesn’t come anywhere close to the original trilogy it seems to have finally found its footing. This season does not deserve the hate and is a massive step up from the first season.” Joseph S added that “picking up from the somewhat flaccid first series, season two has been pumped with much more. Finally, a story is being told which now feels like we are in Tolkien's world, as Amazon have started connecting the dots.” This is something that is echoed through many of the positive reviews, suggesting that The Rings of Power ’s second season has done exactly what it promised and immediately built on the work done in Season 1 to set up this version of Tolkien’s world.

LOTR: The Rings of Power Season 2 Review | Pretty but Not So Precious

A world-class cast and great production value only go so far in a strenuous season that tests your patience.

However, there are still those who are not on board the multi-million dollar production. Apos D said that “it's a mess. Random names applied to totally irrelevant places and people. Writing is extremely bad. Some people assumed that Tolkien would write the imaginary lines in their heads. Bad. Totally bad” Meanwhile, Santiago N followed this by saying that “there are some small improvements but still dragging the same issues the first season. Very slow, some plots are hard to watch and stay awake. Galadriel one of the worse characters of the show. Good soundtrack.” Well, every cloud and all that.

In the end, these reviews mean nothing when looking at the success of The Rings of Power . A week before the new season hit Prime Video, Season 1 returned to the top of the TV chart with more viewers than many new shows can garner. When the viewership of Season 2 is announced, it is quite easy to assume that the numbers will surpass the original season very quickly.

The first three episodes of The Rings of Power Season 2 are available now, with new episodes releasing each Thursday until October 3.

• Rotten Tomatoes

‘Reagan’ Review: Embarrassing Presidential Biopic Treats Dennis Quaid’s POTUS as the Second Coming

Jon Voight costars in what may be the most tedious presidential biopic in 80 years

Politics are always divisive, but regardless of your party affiliation (or lack thereof) I think we can all agree that “President of the United States” is a pretty tough job. The complexity is unfathomable, the stakes enormous. Every day, the president makes decisions that directly affect the lives of not just Americans, but every human being on the planet. Whether you love a president or hate their guts, or know nothing about them — sorry, Chester A. Arthur — every commander-in-chief has a complicated legacy, full of some (hopefully many) successes and some (hopefully few) missteps.

But you wouldn’t know that from watching “Reagan.”

Sean McNamara’s fawning and superficial biopic about the 40th president of the United States treats the political figure as a godlike messiah who was placed on this Earth to vanquish America’s enemies, foreign and domestic, and fall perfectly in love with the perfect woman while riding horses dramatically across the California hills. Criticisms of Reagan warrant no more than a brief montage about how weird the 1980s were — except for the Iran-Contra scandal, which adds up to a whopping “whoopsie-daisy.”

It’s no great sin to have a perspective on the subject of a biographical motion picture, positive or negative, but “Reagan” doesn’t just love Ronald Reagan. It idolizes him so much that it makes you wonder if it defies that commandment about not worshipping false idols. McNamara’s picture, written by Howard Klausner (“The Identical”), gives such a one-sided and celebratory account of Reagan’s life that it doesn’t even serve the function of being informative. Audiences might walk away from this movie knowing a bit more trivia, but they’ll understand less about Reagan’s life and presidency if they take this love letter too seriously.

“Reagan” has a bizarre framing device, in which a young Russian politician visits aging KGB agent Viktor Ivanov, played by Jon Voight, who spends a whole day just telling this guy how great Ronald Reagan was. The Soviets dubbed the American actor and eventual politician “The Crusader,” and according to one anecdote, he was literally prophesied to become president and bring about the fall of the Soviet Union. Ivanov spent decades warning his superiors that Reagan was Communism’s worst nightmare, even when he was starring in “Bedtime for Bonzo,” but they would not believe him. 

Dennis Quaid plays Reagan, who rose from the ranks of Hollywood — the film is, at least, willing to admit his acting career was underwhelming — to become a leader in the Screen Actors Guild. Reagan stands up against communists in the industry, nuance about the Hollywood blacklist be damned. Except when he meets Nancy Davis (Penelope Ann Miller), his future wife, who asks him to remove her name from the blacklist because it’s all a mistake — another “Nancy Davis” attended communist gatherings, not her. And because he finds her attractive, he does so immediately, no questions asked, no confirmation needed, undermining (presumably by accident) the portrayal of Reagan as a hardliner.

Then again, “Reagan” seems weirdly eager to portray Ronald Reagan as easily manipulated. The first half of the movie finds young Reagan changing his whole life on a whim whenever something in the media wanders into his frame of vision. He reads a dime-store novel that makes him want to go into politics. He hears one public speaking engagement about communism and his views are solidified forever. He has one conversation with studio executive Jack L. Warner (Kevin Dillon) and it permanently affects his position on unions. In the film’s zeal to cover all the bases, it doesn’t explain how the game worked, and despite its reverent cinematography and music and speeches, it makes Reagan look like an empty vessel (again, presumably by accident).

Reagan’s film career dwindles on the vine, so he decides to pursue politics. He flashes a charismatic smile that didn’t make him a big star in Hollywood, but stands out against career politicians who weren’t camera-ready. To hear “Reagan” tell it, Americans were gobsmacked that a politician was capable of a witty rejoinder, and frequently stopped whatever they were doing to watch debates unfold with slack-jawed wonder. Did this politician actually make a joke? Can they  do  that?

Of course, it’s fair to say that Reagan took advantage of his experience as a performer to deliver his message to the American public, but “Reagan” suggests he practically invented the idea of confident leadership. Even when the film dramatizes undeniable facts, its worshipful presentation oversells his remarkable qualities and undersells any valid critiques — when it mentions them at all. So little effort goes into actually exploring Reagan’s life that the film plays like a laundry list of accomplishments, not a drama. Wikipedia pages have more oomph.

The cast of “Reagan” flounders, to say the least. Quaid, normally a strong actor, seems to be exerting most of his energy keeping Reagan’s trademarked, cheery rasp in constant play, and comes across as childlike when he doesn’t come across as weirdly hardened. Then again, the movie does suggest (again and again, presumably accidentally) that his convictions may have stemmed from his naiveté. So maybe that’s a more clever acting decision than it appears at a glance.

Jon Voight is in full exposition mode, and rattles off information like a college professor who’s got tenure and just editorializes now. Every scene portraying Ivanov as a younger man suffers from Voight’s deeply unconvincing makeup, which doesn’t so much make him look younger as it does make it look like he, you know, applied bad makeup. Voight does get the film’s one shining moment: a genuinely funny montage of multiple Soviet leaders dying in quick succession. As he hands each one paperwork, they each cough ominously, and then it cuts to their funeral, one after another. History is wild sometimes.

Penelope Ann Miller emerges with her respectability intact, trying to bring some energy and, when possible, a modicum of depth to a role that’s staggeringly underwritten. Nancy Reagan was born to be a supporting player, the way “Reagan” tells it, dutifully falling in line with whatever her husband wants and supporting him in every endeavor, only pushing back when he needs an ego boost.

“You look twenty years younger than you are!” Nancy yells at him, apparently oblivious to Quaid’s also-unconvincing makeup. It’s a thankless role, but Miller should be thanked anyway for trying as hard as she does.

Eventually Reagan becomes president and does  everything right — even the stuff he did wrong. His controversial decision to fire air traffic controllers for going on strike, which had lasting negative consequences, is portrayed as a simple heroic act. A few fleeting shots of queer protesters grossly diminishes his egregious and deadly mishandling of the AIDS epidemic and suggests it wasn’t a big deal at all. His support for South African apartheid is suspiciously unmentioned. The part he played in empowering Osama bin Laden apparently wasn’t historically significant either. Reagan, according to “Reagan,” had no flaws and made no mistakes, no matter what the people who lived through it say.

Director Sean McNamara has had a remarkably eclectic career, directing hit films like “Soul Surfer,” beloved shows like “The Secret World of Alex Mack” and “That’s So Raven,” and oddities like “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain” and “The King’s Daughter.” It’s not easy to navigate an extensive production like “Reagan” and he manages that task, but the footage never coalesces into a meaningful story.

It’s a series of one thing that happens, followed by another, often without real connective tissue. There probably hasn’t been a presidential biopic this tedious in 80 years, not since Henry King’s “Wilson” back in 1944. That once-notorious, now-forgotten box office dud somehow won five Oscars. “Reagan” probably won’t, not unless they introduce five new categories just for hagiographies. Or for unintentional comedies.

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Critic’s Pick

‘Bad Press’ Review: Defending Journalism in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation

The battle to claw back press freedoms is the nerve-racking subject of this civic-minded documentary.

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By Nicolas Rapold

In “Bad Press,” you witness the moment when the Muscogee (Creek) Nation loses true freedom of the press. It happens with shocking speed: the Muscogee National Council, in a listless 7-6 vote in 2018, repeals the tribe’s Free Press Act. The battle to claw back this right is the nerve-racking subject of this civic-minded documentary directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, a Muscogee journalist, and Joe Peeler.

The film’s scrappy hero is Angel Ellis, a reporter for Mvskoke Media who has faced intimidation tactics while covering cases of embezzlement and sexual harassment. When the repeal puts her employer under tribal government oversight and its radio show shuts down, she makes the risky decision to speak out and rally for a constitutional amendment to enshrine freedom of the press. Such protections, the film explains, are rare among North American tribes.

Beyond her bravery and sharp analysis, Ellis makes for good copy, refusing to publish “polished turds” instead of bona fide journalism. The filmmakers also sketch in a gallery of genteel Muscogee politicians who telegraph varying support for the press as they jockey for votes in elections for chief. Ellis and others show that internal criticism can be a sensitive subject for tribes after centuries of challenges to sovereignty.

Landsberry-Baker and Peeler could linger more on details about the people involved instead of the horse-race suspense of vote counts. But who can blame them when freedom is in the balance, and as local media outlets dwindle nationally, the Muscogee voters’ defense of press freedoms sets a stirring example.

Bad Press Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes. In theaters.

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‘bad press’ review: an eye-opening exposé on democracy and journalistic freedom.

Directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler chronicle the long fight for a free press on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation in Oklahoma.

By Jordan Mintzer

Jordan Mintzer

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Freedom of the press — what most Americans assume to be an unalienable right guaranteed by the First Amendment ever since it was ratified back in 1791 — does not, in fact, apply to everyone living within the United States. If you did not know that (and this reviewer definitely didn’t), then what happens in the new documentary Bad Press , which premiered in competition at Sundance, will be of vital interest to you.

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What ensues is a long battle that has all the trappings of a small-town political thriller: corrupt officials, refuted elections, reporters fighting for their rights at the risk of their own livelihoods… It’s a story we’ve seen before, but never in this kind of setting. And although the Muscogee live under separate laws, they are clearly not immune from the kind of struggles being waged around the rest of the country, at a time when people are putting themselves on the line so that the truth can prevail.

It all started in 2018 when journalists at Mvskoke Media — “Mvskoke” is the phonetic spelling of the Muscogee tribe in its original language — a local paper and news service based in Okmulgee, Oklahoma that had been reporting on tribal events for decades, learned that the 1979 “Free Press Act” guaranteeing their protection was going to be repealed by the powers-that-be.

Why that happened becomes clear once we dig further into the hard-hitting work that Mvskoke Media reporters such as the outspoken Angel Ellis, who is very much the heroine of Bad Press , had been doing for years: uncovering embezzlement scandals and other cases of fraud among elected officials, including members of the Muscogee (Creek) National Council and the Principal Chief himself, who serves as the tribe’s president.

This happens following the 2018 repeal, at which point the tribal government guts Mvskoke Media of the protections it once had, demanding it focus more on positive stories about the Nation. “We need to call ourselves a public relations department if we’re not doing the news,” Ellis says, while later quipping about how they’ve basically been asked “to put out polished turds every day.” After a dozen employees quit the news service, Ellis decides to take her fight to the National Council, demanding that a free press statute be written into the constitution, which would make it a first for a Native American tribe.

The plot thickens when elections for the next Principal Chief come around, with some candidates in support of the measure and others adamantly against it. The power politics, even in such a close-knit community as the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, become evident, and the fact that there’s no independent newspaper to explain what’s really happening poses a major problem.

It would be unfair to spoil Bad Press by saying how the elections turned out. Suffice it to say that, in what has become the rulebook ever since President Trump’s reign, results are discredited, ballots recounted and the validity of tribal governance thrown into play. That the fate of the reporters at Mvskoke Media will be decided by an election they themselves could not adequately cover as reporters is a troubling irony lost on no one.

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‘Bad Press’ Review: An Engrossing Documentary on a Fight For Tribal Government Transparency

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler's Sundance-premiered doc chronicles a political battle over media freedom that resonates well beyond the Native American communities depicted.

By Dennis Harvey

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A surprising microcosm of larger political currents surfaces in Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler’s documentary “Bad Press.” They observe the chilling effect of institutionalized corruption within the Muscogee Nation, whose tribal government leaders appear inclined not just to cover their own misdeeds, but to actively block any journalists from reporting on them. Following events over the course of several years, this cautionary tale has an impact not unlike watching the rise of similar anti-transparency policies and politicians elsewhere of late: dismaying, yet with all the lurid appeal and colorful personalities of any juicy public scandal. 

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But many in the community, as well as some elected officials, are appalled, particularly since charges of embezzlement, sexual harassment and so forth are hardly unknown amongst this political elite. There are efforts to repeal the repeal, so to speak. When election time approaches, an unprecedented number of angry new voters register — as well as candidates, though some of those turn out to be simply repackaging familiar corrupt self-interest in a fresh guise of alleged reformism. 

Elusive and opaque as several ethically dubious characters here are, “Bad Press” has no lack of drama, much of it arriving late in shameless displays of connivance. One can’t help but draw parallels to events in the U.S. political mainstream and beyond, as losing candidates make “stolen election” claims. Some blame the news-media messenger for their own aired “dirty laundry” (such as felony convictions they’d rather not discuss), while others who’d campaigned on high principles seem to betray them in office. There’s a more-or-less happy ending for Ellis and her colleagues. Yet it’s clear the fight isn’t — and indeed may never again be — fully over. 

This first directorial feature for Landsberry-Baker (a Muscogee Creek tribeswoman and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Assosciation) and veteran editor Peeler has the slightly giddy “are you seeing what I’m seeing?” tenor of a classic muckraking narrative like “All the President’s Men.” That faint retro flavor is nicely amplified by Denisse Ojeda’s vintage-sounding electronic score. There’s an attractively spacious feel to Tyler Graim’s widescreen photography, mirroring local landscapes, while Jean Rheem’s editing balances characterful detail and humor with considerable narrative propulsion. Like the political skullduggery it depicts, “Bad Press” tells a tale we’d love never to see played out again— yet watching it is undeniably entertaining. 

Reviewed online, Jan. 19, 2023. (In Sundance Film Festival.) Running time: 98 MIN.

• Production: (Documentary) An Oklafilm presentation in association with Ford Foundation. (World sales: Submarine, New York City.) Producers: Conrad Beilharz, Garrett F. Baker, Tyler Graim, Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler. Executive producers: Will Potter, Mary Garis, Will Hugon, David Doran, Justin Nearing, Brenda Robinson. 
• Crew: Directors: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler. Camera: Tyler Graim. Editor: Jean Rheem. Music: Denisse Ojeda. 
• With: Angel Ellis, Jerrad Moore, James Floyd, Gary Fife, Jason Salsman, Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Lucian Tiger III, James Jenning, Travis Scott, Mark Randolph, Rita Courtwright, David Hill, Bim Steve Bruner. 

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When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government's corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of ... Read all When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government's corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country. When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government's corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country.

• Rebecca Landsberry-Baker
• 1 User review
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• 80 Metascore
• 12 wins & 6 nominations

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• Jun 26, 2024
• December 1, 2023 (United States)
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Bad Press Reviews

Bad Press takes a candid and deeply compelling look at the struggle for unimpeded reporting within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Full Review | Aug 30, 2024

Reporting on messy events, Bad Press becomes messy itself. But if we end up frustratingly unsure about who we want as the new chief, we never waver in our support for Ellis.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 26, 2024

Landsberry-Baker and Peeler could linger more on details about the people involved instead of the horse-race suspense of vote counts. But who can blame them when freedom is in the balance...

Full Review | Nov 30, 2023

A gripping, eye-opening and vital documentary. A truly great documentary finds just the right balance between entertaining the audience and provoking them emotionally as well as intellectually. Bad Press finds that essential balance with flying colors.

Full Review | Nov 26, 2023

A fascinating exploration of the sort of story that I wasn’t sure was even possible in America

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 17, 2023

Bad Press triumphs in its demonstration of the power of truthful journalism to keep democracy afloat and a community well informed [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Nov 15, 2023

…an intense look at the heartbeat behind democracy… does its job to to enshrine the inspiring work of those who take their jobs as journalists seriously, not just acting as PR people…

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 10, 2023

As it follows everyday Indigenous newspaper reporters fighting to do their jobs, Bad Press demands that you understand the ramifications of citizens and watchdogs being unable to speak truth to power.

Full Review | Nov 2, 2023

It is, perhaps, too easy to take journalistic freedom for granted in the United States, but Bad Press serves as a case study of why we shouldn't.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 27, 2023

"Bad Press" is a perceptive work that shows how quickly bad actors can control the narrative if accountability is suddenly tossed out the window.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 12, 2023

It’s highly entertaining, pleasingly twisty, emotionally charged, and gives the viewer clear cut heroes and villains worth cheering and jeering throughout.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Sep 26, 2023

There is an urgency to the film because, with another election looming, more powerful leaders in the United States may soon try to follow in the Muscogee Nation’s example...

Full Review | Jun 16, 2023

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler’s Bad Press opens with the revealing fact that only five of 574 sovereign Native American nations legally guarantee freedom of the press,

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | May 27, 2023

You don't have to spend your life grinding out blogs about local politics to love this paean to the press, a cry we need to hear from every corner of the country...

Full Review | May 15, 2023

A top-tier portrayal of newsroom life and investigative reporting. It’s also an interesting look into the complex relationship between indigenous journalists and their communities.

Full Review | Mar 11, 2023

If there’s one thing you will get out of this documentary, it’s that freedom of the press is a right that we should never, ever take for granted.

Full Review | Mar 1, 2023

A riveting, thrilling, and sometimes depressing commentary on why the press needs protection across all the nations in America, Tribal and federal.

Full Review | Feb 9, 2023

In an atmosphere of pervasive media bashing, the film reminds us of just how much worse things would be without it.

Full Review | Feb 7, 2023

It’s one of the best American films about journalism to come along in the past decade, a genuinely shocking study on how the First Amendment isn’t a guarantee for all U.S. citizens.

Full Review | Feb 1, 2023

This well-made muckraking documentary on political ruses is informative.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jan 31, 2023

‘Bad Press’ Review: An Essential Look at the Battle for Freedom of Press | Sundance 2023

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As a sucker for underdog stories and stories about the triumph of journalism, Bad Press is right up my alley. Directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler , Bad Press follows the reporters and journalists of the Mvskoke Media in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, who just want to offer the people of the Muscogee/Creek Nation access to the news about their community. This is made nearly impossible when in 2015 the Free Press Act is repealed and the independent editorial board is dissolved giving the council control over the paper.

Bad Press reveals the essential nature of the free press and what happens when it is stifled by politicians and officials who would rather control the narrative than let the truth see the light of day. At the core of Bad Press is the simple desire to show the truth to the people of the Muscogee Nation. To not only celebrate the community as the council wants, but also to reveal its problematic underbelly to keep people informed about their nation. Landsberry-Baker and Peeler dive deep into the group of reporters who are adamant about getting their freedom of press back, among them is Angel Ellis, a reporter who is determined to see the wrong righted.

While there are several documentaries at Sundance that feel larger than life, focusing on celebrities or global issues, Bad Press feels intentionally intimate and yet covers a topic that is vital to our society. It's not just a story about the free press but also about corruption and the intrinsic necessity and value of grassroots journalism. In a time when critics of news and journalism like to view journalism under the blanket of the oh-so-hated "media," Bad Press illustrates where a community would be without freedom of press. The only defense against corruption and abuse of power is the voice of the people.

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The documentary follows the arduous journey that the reporters face, spanning years, while getting threats launched against them by council people who are threatened by the return of the free press. We witness the community take two steps forward and one step back, fighting tooth and nail for a right that many of us take for granted. Officials who support them get elected only to do very little in order to help the journalists get their power back. Tribal newspapers face censorship from tribal officials, an issue that impacts not only the Muscogee Nation but Indigenous journalists all across the country.

We follow the intrepid reporters and journalists as they face personal threats to their safety and their professional careers as they fight for one of the most essential rights. This isn't just an issue that affects Muscogee Nation, it's a microcosm of what can happen without freedom of the press. It reminds us how valuable the news can be and what the landscape of truth can look like when it is gone. We follow Angel and her fellow journalists as they must struggle through year after year, celebrating their wins and mourning their losses. There's no glossy sheen, no dramatic score. Bad Press brings us into the trenches of their push and pull with local politics, and it is made all the better for it.

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Directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker , Joe Peeler

When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government's corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country.

Directors Directors

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker Joe Peeler

Producers Producers

Conrad Beilharz Garrett F. Baker Tyler Graim Rebecca Landsberry-Baker Joe Peeler

Editors Editors

Jean Rheem Joe Peeler

Cinematography Cinematography

Tyler Graim

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

William Potter Mary Garis Will Hugon David Doran Justin Nearing Brenda J. Robinson

Composer Composer

Denisse Ojeda

Documentary

Releases by Date

22 jan 2023, releases by country.

98 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by gabriellemcosta

the people deserve a free press and Angel deserves as many cubano sandwiches as she wants!!!!

Review by Sabrina ★★★★

Lucian Tiger is a weirdo and freak

Review by Sergio Muñoz Esquer ★★★½

SUNDANCE 2023 Bad Press  sigue a aquellos que luchan por reformas que garanticen la libertad de prensa en naciones nativas donde no la hay. Aunque el documental a veces batalla en contarse, es bastante interesante ver la problemática en estas comunidades.

Review by Jimbo without the Jet-Set ★★★★ 2

Captivating documentary following a group of Mvskoke Media journalists in their fight to reverse the censorship of free press in Muscogee Creek Nation. Sounds too niche. But what they’re fighting for is universal. Whether it’s a small Indian nation in Oklahoma or an entire country, all politicians are absolute bellends and need to be constantly kept in check and be told to “ stop doing fucking bad things ”, like the nice lady said in the film!!

Review by Ryan ★★★★★ 5

Garrett and Becca are the homies, but this ruled on the big screen. During the Q&A, Becca mentioned the importance of indigenous people telling these stories. Scorsese stand down!

Review by Marya E. Gates ★★★★

Although the documentary's focus is solely on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, its themes echo the various battles fought between the press and governments throughout time. The Mvskoke Media story is a living embodiment of “The press was to serve the governed, not the governors," Justice Hugo Black's opinion on the 1971 Supreme Court decision in New York Times Co. v. United States. That a Freedom of the Press codification for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation could be as big of a landmark decision that would affect other Native American tribes is a driving force for Angel, who just wants journalists to be able to do their job reporting the news, good or bad.

[Read my full capsule review at RogerEbert.com ]

Review by GB9K ★★★★★ 1

I wasn’t gonna watch this for the second day in a row but then I saw our new widescreen DCP and it looked and sounded so good I had to just sit there and watch it again. Thank you Bricktown Harkins Cinema you are better than every AMC. Also we won best doc feature at deadCenter which was tight.

Review by Ryan ★★★★★

I’m biased because I know a couple of the filmmakers, Becca and Garrett, but this is a thrilling, searing (and often funny!) doc about the fight for a free press in the Muscogee Creek Nation in Oklahoma

Review by TerryVanish ★★★½

Jarrad is so cool. In the face of a possible miscarriage of democracy and freedom he’s cookin up sick beats in the lab. Nothin but respect.

Review by alastair ★★★★½

They said there’s a 3 hour cut and I want to see it. I would like to see more about the politics of the tribe too beyond free press but also that wasn’t the point of the movie

Review by Jacob Oller ★★★★

Is there anyone in this country looked down upon and misunderstood more than Indigenous people and journalists? It’s not a hypothetical—the answer is yes: Indigenous journalists. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler’s engrossing documentary Bad Press clearly lays out the plights faced by an Indigenous news team and, in its hyperfocus on Mvskoke Media and the Muscogee Nation, finds hard, broad truths about both the relationship between the people and the reporters that serve them and the ease with which those being reported upon manipulate that relationship.

Of the 574 self-governing tribes operating alongside (or, more often, in conflict with) the U.S., none of their constitutions ensured a free press. So if there’s someone reporting on, say, an embezzling chief, there’s…

Review by Rori ★★★★

GOOD JOB! Got to talk to the cinematographer one on one for a bit after a screening and he sure was Cool. Good Job.

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‘Bad Press’ Review

2023 santa fe international film festival: let the sunshine in.

Bad Press , the new documentary from directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Muscogee-Creek) and Joe Peeler, isn’t yet 10 minutes along when a grim statistic flashes up on the screen: Just five of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the US have laws protecting freedom of the press.

The Muscogee-Creek tribe is among them, but that designation came at a chilling, bitter price whose high-stakes bargain is the province of Press . Viewers learn the tribe passed a free press law in 2015, then murdered it three years later amid sexual harassment, graft and other allegations against the very politicians who decided tribal -citizens shouldn’t know what they were up to.

Let’s brawl, then, came the decision from the handful of journalists who remained at Mvskoke Media, the company comprising the independent newspaper, television/digital and radio stations serving the tribe. Viewers watch much of the skirmish through the eyes of mother, cigarette aficionado and f-bomb hurling reporter Angel Ellis (Muscogee-Creek), who describes the conflict in her job thusly: “I’m reporting on stories that maybe don’t show my tribe in the best light. But do you want a friend who will lie to you and leave you walking out the door with a booger hangin’ out your nose...Or do you want a friend that will stop you and say, ‘Hey, check your face?’”

Narratively, this film is more Citizenfour than Page One: Inside the New York Times in the way it follows a chronological, stasis-tension-release arc. Denisse Ojeda’s off-center electronic score accentuates the story’s peril; interviews with tribal citizens remind us for whom the journalists work. And the parallels to larger political riptides dragging America out to sea these days are many: On losing a primary election race for Principal Chief, one of the transparency-phobic political bosses files fraud allegations and demands a recount.

The film closes on Election Night—as voters decide whether to enshrine press freedoms into the tribal constitution—with familiar scenes: pizza boxes, Mountain Dew cans and a managing editor lying on the newsroom floor, head in hands. But we can’t imagine covering an election in which our jobs are on the ballot. In the end, the Muscogee-Creek people stood up for journalism and democracy. We’re left, though, with a disquieting question: Would American voters do the same?

+Spotlights an under-covered story; rock-solid direction

-Works too hard to connect the story to U.S. events

Directed by Landsberry-Baker and Peeler

Santa Fe International Film Festival, NR, 98 min.

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‘Bad Press’ Movie Review

Bad Press is totally up my alley since I have a soft spot for tales about the triumph of the underdog and tales about the triumph of journalism. The documentary Bad Press was directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler and took place at the Mvskoke Media in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

The film follows the reporters and journalists at the Mvskoke Media, who want to provide the people of the Muscogee/Creek Nation with access to the news about their community. Unfortunately, this was rendered practically impossible when in 2015 the Free Press Act was repealed, and the independent editorial board was dissolved giving the council power over the paper.

The documentary Bad Press sheds light on the fundamental aspects of a free press as well as what transpires when that Press is blocked by politicians and authorities who would rather control the narrative than allow the truth to be exposed to the public. The intention of Bad Press is straightforward: to inform the people of the Muscogee Nation about the reality of the situation. To not just celebrate the community as the council desires, but also to show its troubled underbelly to keep people aware of their nation, the purpose of this project is to not only celebrate the community.

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In their investigation, Landsberry-Baker and Peeler go deeply into the group of reporters who are adamant about regaining their freedom of the Press. Among this group of reporters is Angel Ellis, a reporter who is determined to see that the injustice is rectified.

Although some documentaries at Sundance have a larger-than-life feel due to their focus on celebrities or international issues, Bad Press has a purposefully intimate feel while still covering a topic that is extremely important to our society. It is not only a narrative about freedom of the press but also about corruption and the inherent worth and necessity of grassroots journalism.

Bad Press was written when critics of news and journalism preferred to view journalism beneath the cloak of the oh-so-hated “media.” It shows where a community would be without the freedom of the Press. The voice of the people is the only defence that can be taken against abuses of power and unscrupulous officials.

The difficult trip that the reporters go through is chronicled in the film, which spans several years and takes place. At the same time, they are being harassed and intimidated by members of the council who are concerned about re-establishing a free press. So we watch as the community struggles tooth and claw for a right that many of us tend to take for granted, and we see it take two strides forward and then one step back.

Those officials who campaign on their behalf win elections, but once in office, they do very little to assist journalists in regaining their influence. Tribal publications endure censorship from tribal officials, a problem that concerns the Muscogee Nation and Indigenous journalists throughout the country.

As they struggle for one of the most fundamental rights, we follow some of the most courageous reporters and journalists as they confront personal dangers to themselves and risks to their professional careers. This is not just a problem that affects the Muscogee Nation; rather, it is a miniature version of the problems that might arise when there is no freedom of the Press.

It serves as a reminder of how important the news can be and how the reality landscape may change when it is unavailable. We follow Angel and the other journalists she works with as they face each new year’s challenges, celebrating their victories and lamenting their defeats. There is no shiny finish, and there is no dramatic score. Instead, we are thrust into the muck and mire of their tug-of-war with the local political establishment, and the show is all the better for our participation.

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By Calan Panchoo | January 25, 2023

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! “Do you want a friend who will lie to you?” This ordinary question, posed as a statement, underlines the extraordinary war at the heart of  Bad Press , written and directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler. And like so many modern wars, cold as they are, this one focuses on society’s ramifications of transparency of information, or the lack thereof. It is an unassuming documentary that makes excellent use of editing to deliver a compelling narrative experience.

The film revolves around Angel Ellis, a reporter living in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, a town about as small as one can imagine. For years she has worked for Mvskoke Media, the voice of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. But when the town’s Free Press Act is dissolved, the necessary transparency for functioning journalism is all but destroyed. We then follow the ensuing fallout throughout the community, particularly the subject’s fight to redeem journalistic integrity, as well as those in power using the lack of it to their advantage.

Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler take great care in dissecting the matter at hand. They elevate the movie beyond the small-town trappings of its story. A lesser documentary would jump at easy talking points, such as racism, but the strength of  Bad Press  is how little interest it has in connecting trite dots. Of course, the notions of race are considered, but only just, and these threads are held up against the greater tapestry of deception by the Muskogee elders themselves. The film draws important distinctions, not about the color of the people’s skin, but about the honesty of their character.

Angel in Archives appears in Bad Press by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Tyler Graim

“… when the town’s Free Press Act is dissolved, the necessary transparency for functioning journalism is all but destroyed .”

As a film, all these ideas are raised with a skillful eye. When the Freedom of Press Act is revoked, rather than indulging in a cascade of shots of heartbroken people, the viewer is shown a verdant field filled with cows. In the foreground are three rusted and broken-down cars. They’re talismans of the erosion of moral obligation amidst the tribe, but also a visual indicator that the issue of corruption is commonplace and has been for generations. There is a flow to the documentary that gives the viewer an informed perspective without sacrificing emotional truth.

The only issue not considered, and one that is necessary for any documentary of this type, is the question of how these situations are allowed to repeat themselves. For example, at one point in  Bad Press , a lady in her mid-forties says that she has registered to vote for the very first time. Against the backdrop of corrupt elected officials, ideas like these are critical, but the film leaves something unsaid. This is especially egregious when the filmmakers are trying to elucidate on how easily people can be deceived into everyday action that encourages political breakdown.

Still,  Bad Press  is a resounding documentary because of its quietness. It considers all the topics of the day — misinformation, government overreach, election scandals, and the list goes on. The filmmakers do so by showing that even the smallest, quietest town matters and that moral decay is always allowed to fester in the little places first.

Bad Press  screened at the 2023  Sundance Film Festival .

Bad Press (2023)

Directed and Written: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler

Starring: Angel Ellis, etc.

Movie score: 8/10

"…gives the viewer an informed perspective without sacrificing emotional truth."

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The synopsis continues, “One defiant journalist refuses to accept this flagrant act of oppression. As brave as she is blunt, veracious muckraker Angel Ellis charges headfirst into battle against the corrupt faction of the Muscogee National Council. Angel and her allies rally for press freedoms by inciting a voter-supported constitutional amendment, just in time for the start of a new election cycle.”

In its review, Collider wrote, “ Bad Press  reveals the essential nature of the free press and what happens when it is stifled by politicians and officials who would rather control the narrative than let the truth see the light of day… It reminds us how valuable the news can be and what the landscape of truth can look like when it is gone.”

Bad Press won a Special Jury Prize for Freedom of Expression at the Sundance Film Festival, where the documentary premiered. It earned best documentary awards at the Dallas International Film Festival, RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., and deadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City, Okla. Landsberry-Baker and Peeler were named best directors at the Nevada City Film Festival and their film also won the One in a Million Award at the Sun Valley Film Festival in Idaho.

Watch the trailer for Bad Press above.

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Bad Press Review: The Distinctly Native American Documentary Delivers On All Fronts [Sundance]

"Bad Press" is, on the surface, a documentary about a community of 89,000 First Nation people, an independent media company that covers the local news, and a whole lot of small-town politics.  

Five minutes it, I was already hooked — because this film is actually about so much more.

The politics and corruption exposed in "Bad Press" are very much a microcosm of the state of journalism in a post-Trump America. This is not obvious at first; the documentary begins with a discussion about Indian country, and how Free Press is not a protected right according to the self-governing laws of most Native American communities (obviously, it is a protected right in the U.S. — for now). According to the documentary, of the 574 federally recognized tribes, only 5 have laws protecting free press — and these laws are legislative, not constitutional, meaning they can be repealed by a council at any time via a vote. This is essentially what happened to Mvskoke Media: after the paper exposed scandals that reflected poorly on some council members, the National Council repealed their Free Press Act, and the once-independent newspaper was placed under the direction of the Secretary of the Nation and Commerce, who dictated what the journalists were allowed to print. Mvskoke Media risks becoming a propaganda machine. 

What follows is a fascinating fight between the journalists wanting to do their jobs, the council members who very much don't want that to happen, the members of the community invested in having political transparency, and third-party dissenters who are critical of Mvskoke Media for largely unrelated reasons. As an election approaches threatening the status quo, the Muscogee Nation morphs into a vignette of the political culture wars that have raged across America over the last few years — complete with protests, claims of election fraud, and demands of a recount, all while wanna-journalist "bloggers" release conspiratorial think pieces about how the "real" issue is Mvskoke Media paying unreasonably high salaries. It's a complex web of distrust and disinformation and it very much feels like a warning bell for the country at large. 

An contemporary American Indian story we can all relate to

I was on the edge of my seat watching "Bad Press." And it's not because I'm just that invested in Mvskoke Media (although the documentary does an excellent job of making you care about the journalists' plights) — it's because this is a human interest story, and you can't help but care about what happens to this community. Admittedly, I'm a small-town gal at heart, and I've been in involved in similar local media institutions. Perhaps that's why in the end, I  wept . 

The documentary is directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association, and Joe Peeler, an established documentary filmmaker (according to Sundance ). The collaboration presents the best of both worlds: we get a perspective on the Indigenous community that's honest, empowering, and relatable, but the documentary itself has the style and energy you'd expect from Netflix or even HBO. I try to go into festival documentaries with pretty low expectations for production value, but I was pleasantly surprised by how polished and tight "Bad Press" is. Not only is the actual cinematography and direction strong, but the pacing is exciting, and there are tons of little tricks and artistic flourishes that really elevate the documentary — like a shot of an open pizza box to frame the passage of time (because more slices are gone! It's subtle and cute). There aren't splashy animations or expensive pop songs, but the film doesn't really need that; everything is very down to Earth, which feels so appropriate for the subject matter. 

To a certain extent, a documentary is only as good as the story it wants to tell. This can be a blessing as well as a curse. Sometimes, there can be unexpected twists and turns that make for a really compelling story, like the filmmakers finding Sixto Rodriguez in "Searching for Sugar Man." Other times, there is no compelling or satisfying conclusion — this is real life, after all. The mark of a really great documentary, to me, is one that can make a general audiences feel invested in a niche subject that they otherwise probably wouldn't care about. If in the process of doing that, the documentary also benefits from a satisfying arc — that's when the magic happens. This is how I'd characterize "Bad Press"; it may be a local story, but it does benefit from some genuinely exciting twists and turns, which elevates an already dynamite documentary. It educates. It entertains. It empowers. What more could you want?

/film Rating: 9 out of 10

Bad Press (2023): ‘Sundance’ Review – A truly heroic tale of common people fighting against an oppressive regime

The Sundance-bound documentary, directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, chronicles the journey of Oklahoma-based media company Mvskoke Media, from being repealed from free journalism by an oppressive government to emerging as a constitutionally protected organization by the citizens, with the fundamental right of being free press. Angel Ellis, a Mvskoke Media journalist (and current director), leads the fight.

The documentary’s best aspect is that the director duo presents it in a very cinematic style, which makes the proceedings very engaging. This was especially difficult because every scene we see is real footage, most of which was shot when Mvskoke Media was banned and under the leadership of the same government they were fighting against.

The narrative focuses on the good people to highlight the wrongdoings of people like Tiger III and James Floyd. Another councilman, Mark Randolph, becomes the driving force behind the “free press” bill and does everything he can to support Ellis. David Hill, the current Muscogee Creek chief, is a working-class man who supports press freedom.

While the documentary’s main focus is the “free press,” the all-important election to crown a new chief becomes an interconnected supporting arc. As the fate of Mvskoke Media depends on the election to a huge extent, given the election potentially becomes a three-way race between Tiger III, Hill, and Steve Bruner, the third horse with corruption allegations but also a free press supporter.

It all comes down to the moment where the people, as they should, make the decisions, and that’s when we start to see how personally important this is to Ellis. Ellis was sacked from Mvskoke Media in 2011 after writing an article about the company’s then-chief, George Tiger, who interestingly spent 2020 in prison on a bribery charge. This information had already been made public.

The world right now is filled with fascism, corruption, and so many evil people on top of regimes who shamelessly endorse all the wrongs and takes pleasure in exploiting “the people.” That is why people like Angel Ellis are true Superheroes, which we both need and deserve. I’m not sure if I should mention it here, but when I was writing this, I went to the Mvskoke Media website to express my gratitude for learning about what occurred and the inspiration I had from seeing it play out. I hope “Bad Press” accomplishes the same thing and reaches more people worldwide.

Bad Press was screened at the Sundance Film Festival 2023

Bad press links: imdb, trending right now.

Rohitavra is an aspiring writer, who currently works as a Government employee, to get by. He hopes that one day he'll make the big leap. But for now, movies, music, and books are what keep him alive.

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'Bad Press' follows one tribal news outlet's fight to survive and inform its people

Ayesha Rascoe

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler about their new documentary "Bad Press," which follows one tribal news outlet's fight to remain independent.

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When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government's corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country.

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January 22, 2023,

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker

Documentary

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DC/DOX Film Festival 2023

• United States |
• DC Premiere

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker , Joe Peeler

Conrad Beilharz, Garrett Baker, Tyler Graim

Cinematographer

Tyler Graim

Imagine you lived in a world where your only reliable news source became government propaganda overnight. That’s exactly what happened to the citizens of the Muscogee Nation in 2018. Out of almost six hundred federally-recognized Native American tribes, the Muscogee Nation was one of only five to establish a free and independent press – until the tribe’s legislative branch abruptly repealed the landmark Free Press Act in advance of an election. The tribe’s hard-hitting news outlet, Mvskoke Media, would now be subject to direct editorial oversight by the tribal government.

One defiant journalist refuses to accept this flagrant act of oppression. As brave as she is blunt, veracious muckraker Angel Ellis charges headfirst into battle against the corrupt faction of the Muscogee National Council. Angel and her allies rally for press freedoms by inciting a voter-supported constitutional amendment, just in time for the start of a new election cycle. An enthralling, edge-of-your-seat nail-biter that unfurls with the energy and suspense of a political thriller, Bad Press is a timely and unprecedented story about the battle for freedom of the press and against state-censored media.

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker

Co-director, bad press.

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association. She is a recipient of the 2018 NCAIED “Native American 40 Under 40” award and was selected to the Harvard Shorenstein News Leaders Fall 2022 cohort. Landsberry-Baker made her directorial debut with the documentary feature film, Bad Press , which was supported by the Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation JustFilms, NBC, and the Gotham. Bad Press premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.

Joe Peeler is a Sundance award-winning director and editor whose work has appeared on NETFLIX, HBO, FX, ESPN, Hulu, and CBS. Joe began his career apprenticing under legendary director Peter Bogdanovich, and from there edited Lucy Walker’s Academy Awards Shortlist documentary short The Lion’s Mouth Opens ; multiple episodes of the Netflix original series Flint Town ; and Margaret Brown’s SXSW premiere documentary short The Black Belt . Most recently, Joe co-directed Bad Press , which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.