For a movie about grief, I didn’t connect with the person who died nor the protagonist. They show so little of Bill Murray and don’t give us much of a reason to care about him, and then we only really see any signs that we’re supposed to be following someone’s grief like an hour or more into things. At that point, I was mostly just confused and the climax/payoff/solution to the main conflict just resolves with 3 phone calls.
But dog, so… at least I didn’t find myself actively bored.

First off, every frame of this truly is a painting. Gorgeous cinematography that I could truly breathe in between scenes. I thought all the acting was superb, and I can’t remember the last time a film got me to hate the narrator so much. My only quibble is that the rewind/look back where we get to understand why the girls had disappeared could’ve been integrated better and much shorter. The pacing toward the end kind of took us out of the climax fire. Overall, I still had a great time with this and really felt like I was along for the ride and really immersed in the story.
Oh, and fuck colonialism.

A darkly hilarious exploration of our current on-demand, disconnected culture. I loved some of the breathing room we got to really feel the depth of her decision and only wish we’d gotten a bit more of it when she found that human connection right at the end.
I was lucky enough to see this at the Boulder International Film Festival and get a short Q&A with the filmmaker. It was refreshing to know that the themes and feelings I discovered in the film were exactly what she was going for.

Tender and fun, this was a beautiful and funny take on grief.

A girl ain’t comin’ back for a Hamilton rap. 

I was lucky enough to see this at the Boulder International Film Festival and get a short Q&A with the filmmaker.

This was an in-your-face, shining example of old school cinema. It was meant to be over the top and tell a story, not to be hyper realistic like most of today’s movies are. I think it told that story well, albeit with some questionable accents.

A nice telling of a hard time that brings about a strange decision. Awkwardly and confusingly heartwarming(?)

A beautiful and rough look at an unimaginably oppressive time through the eyes of a child. A lot of that feeling can be attributed to the “arts and crafts” style of animation.

There’s a lot of potential here. The acting is splendid. The dialogue is poignant and really makes you understand how they are grappling with grief. And yet, I think the problem is that I kept thinking about what was being shown to me and couldn’t really feel… much at all. I was acutely aware of how much it felt like a play, which wasn’t exactly a bad thing and I’d love to see more like it, but I don’t think it translated into a coherent experience that I can see myself in.

I felt a lot of reverence; for the past, for family, for learning, for children. For hope.

An Ode to Abolishing Cash Bail
My jaw was thoroughly on the floor for most of the photography, especially for the lighting. I also really enjoyed the push and pull of perspectives - how we’re brought straight into the movie in extreme closeups and then forced away, to view things like an episode of Cops (I don’t think it was a coincidence that’s what they’re watching on the couch). I think the themes really shine through in how much we’re meant to sympathize with and simultaneously revile Connie.