Nomadland: A Study of Grief and Freedom
Nomadland, directed, written, and edited by newcomer Chloé Zhao, is a quiet study of grief, solitude, and the unspoken promises we make to ourselves and others. The film follows Fern (Frances McDormand), a recently unemployed widow, as she embarks on a solo expedition through the American west. She has no set destination, simply wandering from campsite to campsite, job to job, meeting eclectic yet oddly familiar characters; untethered nomads seeking temporary comfort in endless desert expanses, vast seaside cliffs, and each other.
Review: Normal People
2020 made us understand our need for intimacy, contact, and company. Normal People came at the perfect time to fulfill that need. The series elevates an evocative, layered book by Sally Rooney into a visual adaptation of astounding depth and virtuosity.
The show tells the story of the relationship of Connell and Marianne, two ambitious teenagers from the Irish town of County Sligo. It spans their evolution and growth during the span of 5 years, as they leave high school and go to university at Trinity College, Dublin.
Easy A: A Showcase & A Time Capsule
Let me start by acknowledging how unusual the plot is. The movie centers around a lonely teenage girl becoming an outcast after being shamed and bullied about losing her virginity. Not exactly Ferris Bueller's Day Off material. With that said, Emma Stone brings a certain sense of perky wit and sarcasm that makes the journey enjoyable and pleasant.
Retrospective: Cinema Paradiso
Cinema Paradiso is a film engrained with the sweet and sentimental feeling of nostalgia. It is one that evokes memories and moods reminiscent of times when movie theaters and gatherings were places of great joy and shared camaraderie. It is a movie with personality, taking its viewers through the highs and lows of life, within which we see our own experiences and personal connection. What follows is an introspection of the reasons why I believe this film is an Academy Award winner and said to be one of the best foreign-language movies of all time.
I Blame Society: A Q&A with Director/Co-Writer Gillian Horvat
I Blame Society is a terrifyingly brilliant satirical film that touches upon many important issues of our time: sexism, art, crime, and Hollywood disillusion. Directed by Gillian Horvat & co-written by herself and Chase Williamson, the semi-fictional story follows ‘Gillian’ (a semi-fictional character played by Horvat herself), as she works on a film based on a semi-compliment from a few of her friends that she would make a good murderer. Frustrated by the constant rejection and belittling of her talent, Gillian decides to take the film to the finish line completely on her own, exploring how far her character can go in planning murders, while taking a camera with her wherever she goes no matter how her friends or boyfriend feel about it.
Revisiting O Brother, Where Art Thou?
I think we can all agree that there’s something uniquely, well, peculiar about the Coen brothers’ movies. And yet, Joel and Ethan Coen are considered two of the greatest writers and directors of American cinema -- and for good reason. Their films combine quirky and lovable characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and an intriguing aesthetic. O Brother, Where Art Thou? presents all of these and more. Still, our modern understanding of race and representation require us to examine it with a critical lens.