I'm Still Here

Fernanda Torres was great.

Movie: I'm Still Here

Running Time: 2:15

Nominated for: Best Picture, Actress, International Feature

How I watched: AMC

When it had me: Fleeing a country with a dictator

When it lost me: Act 3

What systems does it challenge: Autocracy

This family does not leave the country with a new autocratic regime when they should and they become trapped. My worst fear! The tension of living in a police state and enduring forced disappearances was vey effective! That kept the movie going for me for a long time. 

As things start to resolve (sort of) the tension falls away and the plot felt very bogged down. There were multiple false endings and it really felt like it was dragging so badly by the end. This family reminded me of the family in Roma, except they have more urgent drama taking place. Even the house was similar. All of the acting was really good, except why was the dad so goofy? Oh, well, I guess that's real too.

This is nominated for Best Picture and I just really can't figure out how movies were picked this year. Sing Sing and The Girl With the Needle felt like better overall movies to me but maybe I'm focusing on the script too much?

Also, people are just so absolutely bonkers! Every screening of this movie was sold out or nearly so. My front row seat was taken when I got to the theatre. A whole family was there. Three generations, including one 10 year old and two toddlers in a double stroller. This was at a 9pm screening of a long historical film! We didn't get out until midnight. There's probably some good explanation but I couldn't figure it out.

Since they were somehow in my seat, I sat on the other side of the front row and I think I might have taken someone else's seat because rando guy walked in looking confused and then sat down next to me. So now I'm sharing the loveseat recliner with rando guy and I can't recline my seat because he has reclined his seat and I just can't be comfortable lying down on a couch next to a stranger. By the end of the movie my legs were cramping because my feet were dangling in the seat and I didn't use the footrest. I just feel like you all should appreciate the unique and petty hardships I undergo for the sake of this mostly ignored blog!

Whew. Almost done. Stay the course.