Tell it Like a Woman

Movie: Tell it Like a Woman

Nominated for: Original Song

How I watched: Prime

When I fell asleep: Nope. Morning screening!

When it had me: Italian language

When it lost me: lack of cohesion

What systems does it challenge: Ugh, it's too much for me to break down

Content Warning: Not really

This is a collection of 7 short films about women written and directed by women. It feels like a really loose basis for bundling stories and titling them as one single film. That being said, I was happy to watch women-helmed projects, some by I think first time directors.

A mother in prison, caregivers to the homeless, a woman inheriting a child, a single mom who struggles to have enough time with her kids, a woman coming to terms with her own sterotypes about what a woman is, a woman who helps an abuse victim escape and an animated prisoner are the characters that populate this collection of stories.

I appreciated that the nominated song was actually integrated into one of the short films, rather than just a song over the rolling credits. It always makes more sense to me for the nominated song to actually be a tool in the story telling. 

Overall, this was a fine watch if a little confusing.

The Sea Beast

Movie: The Sea Beast

Nominated for: Best Animated Feature

How I watched: Netflix

When I fell asleep: No

When it had me: Animated water!

When it lost me: Not sure, but I think I was in and out

What systems does it challenge: Status Quo, generational trauma

Content Warning: no

The animation style was gorgeous when it came to the images of the ocean...just really beautiful. Some of the animation of the people looked more basic, but the sea was well represented.

My kids called this a mash up of How to Train Your Dragon and Moana.  

There is a very old monster hunter who is driven by the hard times he has seen and the black and white thinking he has come to embrace. His would be successor is more open to nuance but still feels powerless against the status quo, of which he has been fighting his whole life to become an established member. And lastly, a child of the youngest generation who is willing to completely question all the definitions of those that came before her and see the world in a whole new light. So, classic Boomer, Gen X, Gen Z dynamics.

My family started out ready to roll our eyes at this film and in the end, it won us over.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Movie: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Nominated for: Costume Design

How I watched: Peacock

When I fell asleep: I watched at 8am, so I was good

When it had me: It neither had...

When it lost me: ...nor lost me

What systems does it challenge: Haute Couture, but also it's kind of pro-worker?

Content Warning: not needed

Based on: Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico - This is the third adaptation of this book

Lesley Manville delivers a subtle and grounded character and the costumes are gorgeous in this otherwise very confusing movie. It's a very light and slightly magical rom-com and if only I could just turn my brain off and bask in warm feelings, I think I should have liked this.

They deal with the Invisble Woman a lot in this film, a group to which I now gratefully count myself a member. Invisibility issues are serious for anyone not in the mainstream demographic; you can be invisible for race, class, gender, sexual orientation or age. However most often when I hear about the Invisible Woman it deals with ladies who now have bodies that men no longer wish to objectify or control. I wish the story had focused on the inherent power associated with no longer being a commodity, but instead she was still trying to be seen as a value to men and that kind of bummer me out.

The main character goes around saving people but not with any logic, just with a sort of eccentric charm. She becomes vaguely aware of worker strikes and leveraging power but it never coalesces into a sea change for the simple hard working woman who just wants a pretty dress. If the manic pixie dream matron had ended up slinging Molotovs in the name of revolution, they would have won me over. But they did not.

It's a sweet and simple story. I think it would be a feel good watch for viewers who can check their cynicism at the door.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Movie: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Nominated for: Best Adapted Screenplay

How I watched: Netflix

When I fell asleep: I did not

When it had me: these characters

When it lost me: I don't think so

What systems does it challenge: Billionaires, Patriarchy

Content Warning: not really?

I'm a sucker for whodunnits. I like puzzles and escape rooms and investigations, real or imagined. So this is right up my alley. Rian Johnson pulls such wonderful casts for these movies and they appear to have so much fun committing to these wildly dumb characters.

There's such a fun interplay between what is exactly as it seems and what is a red herring. Our attention is brought to the car early for a reason. The rules of the Mona Lisa picture are explained for a purpose; you know you need to pay attention.

However, Derol is introduced as "just a guy staying here" and brushed over so quickly that you imagine it will become significant. The beauty is that it doesn't. He's really just a dude who doesn't know what's going on.

The twist in the film feels just a tiny bit clunky but all is forgiven for the fun ride that the rest of the movie gives you. And if you'd like a 2 hour 19 minute fantasy about not-Elon Musk being humiliated, this movie is your jam.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Movie: The Banshees of Inisherin

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (twice), Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing

How I watched: Netflix

When I fell asleep: nope

When it had me: Colin Farrell's performance got me right away

When it lost me: The end

What systems does it challenge: War, Pride (is that a thing?)

Content Warning: Animal Harm, Self Harm, Sexual Abuse

This review is more a story about my own hang ups than it is about the movie. Here's what happened:

When I have all of these movies to watch this time of year, one of my favorite things is not knowing anything about them. I love going in blind with no expectations and just seeing where the film takes me, so I typically do not read up on the movies at all.

For this movie I had seen it listed as a comedy and saw that some of the performances were delightful, so I had very little info and I made assumptions about how funny it was going to be. So over the holiday I sat my whole family down to watch a delightful comedy about a couple of cranky old Irishmen. Three generations of family all gathered around on my recommendation so that we could laugh it out together.

I had missed the part about "dark comedy" and the room soon became filled with a lot of WTF energy. One family member tapped out immediately. About 40 minutes in my dad sighed audibly and announced that he was going to bed. So I sat there stewing in the juices of "oh no, oh no, I picked the movie and everyone is hating it and now I will live with the shame of this for a hundred years". Some of you know the feeling.

Anyway, it made it very hard for me to enjoy the film the way I would have if I had sat down to it by myself. I did find bits of it very funny, and other bits very moving and other bits, completely confusing. Colin Farrell really carried the whole thing for me with his simple (but burdensome) love for his friend.

The ending left me with that sort of "Huh. So that happened," feel, which is not my favorite way to leave a film but it was enjoyable and interesting the whole way through. I get what they were trying to say with the film but it also didn't land in the last scene in that satisfactory way...it morphed into being at some point in the next couple of days. I do wish I could have a do over and see it for the first time again.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Movie: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Nominated for: Best Documentary Feature

How I watched: Laemmle

When I fell asleep: I didn't

When it had me: Protesting!

When it lost me: It came close, but didn't

What systems does it challenge: Big Pharma, Generational Trauma

Content Warning: Self Harm, Drug Addiction/use, Domestic Violence

After two grueling days of jury duty and escaping the trial, I had to bravely go out in a break in the big winter Blizzard Blast of 2023 to make it to the very last showing of this film before it left theatres! Whew!

I'm glad I did! This was a very engaging film that deftly handled a number of topics. The first bit I really connected to was artists staging protests against the Sackler family, who are uniquely responsible for the opioid crisis. I love when creative people stage protests! They have drama and props and a talent for getting eyes on them without violence. Artists should run all of the protests.

It was also about the artist, Nan Goldin and her life. There were moments when I feared the film would veer off too much into a kind of restless remembrance of her life, but it always knew when to bring it back and how to connect it to the through line of the movie. It really was very well guided by an expert editor.

Mental illness was a huge component right alongside learning about opioid addiction. There was a lot to juggle and it was all approached with artistic expression in mind. It was lyrical, impactful, poetic and poignant. It somehow managed to make you feel both helpless and hopeful.

The documentary category is incredibly strong this year! Perhaps our real lives have become more dramatic than the writers can keep up with!

Turning Red

Movie: Turning Red

Nominated for: Best Animated Film

How I watched: Disney+

When I fell asleep: No!

When it had me: Talking about menstruation

When it lost me: don't remember

What systems does it challenge: Patriarchy

Content Warning: nah

Ok, this was a long time ago. I know I was so pleased to see puberty and periods actually talked about and acknowledged. I know they did a nice job of talking about generational trauma and the process of healing each new generation as we move forward. I remember being sad that the healing for the younger generation did not seem to equal healing for the older relatives in the film. I feel that healing works backward in time as well as forward, but that's just me. 

It was funny and original and a good watch!