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All of Us Strangers (2023)
Hauntingly beautiful and cathartic and sublime
Virginia Film Festival
Movie also handles the heavy themes of sexuality, masculinity, loneliness, and trauma with such delicateness and respect. A dreamlike and wistful state I was in. I felt seen. I died.
The conversations that center around sexuality and upbringing felt so natural to me and at points I related. And at some points, the audience was laughing at this majority melancholy film.
Haigh and Ramsay's cinematography do it right to show the chemistry and tenderness between Scott and Mescal. The music switches between Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch's dreamy, ethereal score and 80's Britpop bangers.
Will watch again when it gets into theaters.
Mass (2021)
A realistic take with equal importance weighed among the characters
A couple grieved with the death of their son arrange a meeting to meet face to face with the parents of the son that killed their son. The film is mainly centered around a conversation between the couples confined in a room. Heavy elements of morality, fault, and human condition are brought to the table in "Mass."
This film's magic comes from its writing and its powerhouse actors. Even though the conversation is confined to a single room in real time, the audience will not drown into boredom. Each shot and cinematography choice is unique, made in careful consideration to the tone and where the conversation goes. The same goes for choice of sound and score, which are sparingly used in the film, only when necessary.
Also, Kanz was able to capture sense and nuance of awkwardness in certain scenes of the film that I felt I have experienced some points my in life. This is especially prevalent in the two church volunteers and the woman from an outside organization that arranged the meeting.
This movie may not be for everyone, while it may cost an effort to really listen in and analyze what each of the characters discuss, but it's rewarding to see where this conversation evolves to at the end. Kudos for Kanz on this fantastic directorial debut and a bravado performance by all of the four centered characters. I've never heard so many people tear up and sniffle in a theater.
Also, Martha Plimpton gave a wonderful, ebullient answers in her post-film question panel after the screening at the Virginia Film Festival. She was such a sweetheart.
Marriage Story (2019)
The best portrayal of a divorce
I was glad to catch this film at the Virginia Film Festival last weekend. Baumbach's semi-autobiographical film offers a realistic glimpse into a divorce. His writing was also phenomenal, as I found every scene vital to the plot. The script was effectively heart-wrenching and was carried by two awesome leads, at their best. Although the movie was heart-wrenching, there were also other moments when Baumbach offers the audience a laugh, while drawing them back to vulnerabilities of the main characters. The cast was magnificent. Apart from the powerful performances by Driver and Johansson, the audience is able to find depth within each of the supporting characters.