Favorites today: hush.
Favorite films
Recent activity
AllPinned reviews
More-
Her Story 2024
I feared this would be dreary or sappy. Instead, it turns on a dime from an earned tenderness to bone dry, trenchant humour. The three leads are wonderfully messy and flawed, the three men are taken down with splendid precision, and when the audience laughed, it was in that shock-of-recognition way. I also appreciated that the film took the "beautiful people in aspirational jobs" trope and made the jobs genuinely relevant to the plot -- the ex's and a certain…
Translated from by -
Boong 2024
From the get go, a highly entertaining show of gumption and the spirit of friendship, lovely work by the cast as a whole and the children who carry the story, and a moving introduction to the tensions and sympathies of a border community I had never seen on film before.
Hugely enjoyed at TIFF.
Translated from by
Recent reviews
More-
Suzume 2022
Starts strong, Daijin is a cutie, the heroine is dauntless, the hero's transformation was genius and took my mind off his cradle-snatching propensity, and the whole vibe of a country sitting atop an earthquake zone and dealing with frequent alarms felt real. Halfway through I was ready to give it four stars, like I had Your Name
But, holy cats, between that pointless road trip, the final lava worm act, and the 1000 or so times the two leads say…
Translated from by -
The Expedition to the End of the World 2013
From tremendous landscapes and a new species to fish blood and remarks on the nature of life and the significance of humanity, from Mozart's Requiem to metal to banjo music, this documentary has quite the range. I'd have preferred less of the philosophising, which got incredibly repetitive and--though we were on a ship loaded with experts--was never by anyone whose profession was philosophy. (The timing of the statement about the syringe couldn't have been better.) I'd have liked more from…
Translated from by
Popular reviews
More-
Bonjour Tristesse 2024
Splendidly acted: Chloë Sevigny gives a master class in line readings; Lily McInerny leads with aplomb; Claes Bang finds a heedless charm in a character who could otherwise seem calculating; Nailia Harzoune is drily comic. Beautiful costumes (chef's kiss for the dress that turns into its own cape), lovely music, scenic setting. The writing had several closely-observed comedy of manners moments (e.g., the wet bathing suit moment, remarks on reading aloud).
What held the film back was, (1) I felt…
Translated from by -
Lost Ladies 2023
Comical and suspenseful, with a contrasting pair of heroines and an outstanding ensemble, all of whom, from youngest to oldest, looked as though they enjoyed their roles thoroughly. (I loved Chhaya Kadam as the train station food stallkeeper.) Yes, there are some serious messages, but/and they're wrapped in an uncommonly fun viewing experience. A fabulous tears-of-joy beginning to TIFF 2023!
Watched as part of 52 Films by Women 2023: boxd.it/kwR4g
Translated from by
