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barryclifton
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Tales from the Loop (2020)
Beautiful Storytelling
Each episode was like a mind expanding deep meditation session. Relaxing and spellbinding at the same time. Nathaniel Halpern and the entire team achieved this throughout season one, and episode eight was like the closing stanza to a splendid lamentation.
Promising Young Woman (2020)
Laughter through Fury
If laughter through tears is an emotion you enjoy feeling while watching a film, wait till you experience laughter through fury. Not shying away from the infuriating injustice and horrific encounters described in great detail, the film was able to portray a dark humor throughout. Their use of comedy, rather than lessening the heinous subject matter, actually serves to emphasis it. It was an unpredictable, eye-opening, disturbing, and hilarious film. A train wreck in slow motion that I'll think back on for a long time.
Saint Frances (2019)
A wonderfully told story
This film was masterfully written, performed, directed, and filmed. The varied subjects are complex, genuine, joyful, painful, and often ignored in cinema. While, as a man, I can never have the empathy that comes with experience, the glimpse this movie gives into so many areas has deepened my understanding,
To make a joyful film while tackling such tough subjects as postpartum depression, misogynism, same sex marriage, abortion, and the oft repeated myth that a women over 30 with no husband or child is a failure, is truly a remarkable achievement. My favorite line; "I don't even know why I'm crying. I'm an agnostic feminist."
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)
Best movie I never heard of
Perhaps I am a throw-back to an earlier era, but this film is in my top 5 favorites of all time. The romance & glamour provided by the beautiful but ditsy Delysia, contrasted against the frumpy and hitherto straight-laced Miss Pettigrew is flawless. This well matched pair of remarkable characters, played by even more remarkable actors, had me from the opening scene. Their coupling rivals any traditionally male buddy film I can think of. While her beauty and grace are magnificent to behold, Amy Adams portrayal of the "dumb blonde" character rivals that of the original, Gracie Allen. Frances McDormand's English "ladies maid down on her luck" brings to mind the legendary tramp, Charlie Chaplin. The magnitude of emotion she conveys with a single glance is magical. And that's just the female leads! The supporting characters have full, rich lives that, especially considering the absurdly deep pool of talent portraying them, could support a full length feature of their own.