Mar 15, 2022“Fish Tank”: A continuous state of poetic immersionFish Tank is a film so focused that, despite its unspoken ambiguity, remains undoubtably clear, concise, and advancing. We deep dive into the mind and mischief of Mia, as the details that surround her life are uncovered — informing who and why she is. 15, fragile, aggressive, and biting, Mia…Film14 min readFilm14 min read
Mar 29, 2021“Red Road”: A Stunning Debut Feature Crafted under Unexpected CircumstancesRed Road is Andrea Arnold’s first feature film and was created under unconventional circumstances. With three regarded, distinctive, and affecting short films under her belt, Andrea Arnold was selected by filmmakers of the Dogma-95 movement to be one of the three directors in the “Advance Party.” This initiative/challenge gave three…Indie Film3 min readIndie Film3 min read
Nov 19, 2020“Wasp”: The Frustrations of Lower Income, Single MotherhoodThe film begins with Zoe, flustered and looking to spite, as she runs down the stairs with her four children in tow — her infant child, whom she cradles on her hip, is without a diaper the moment was so rushed. The clan of ladies storm the streets until they…Film3 min readFilm3 min read
Oct 27, 2020“Dog”: Waking Up to Your Own RealityAndrea Arnold is known for revealing the dark underbelly of society and specific, commonly stigmatized, groups of people in it — “Dog” is no exception. Following an unnamed Girl, the film reveals the overly-stereotyped, under-individualized persona of a young, teenage girl who grows up in an abusive household. We see…Film3 min readFilm3 min read
Oct 22, 2020“Milk”: Setting the Tone for Arnold’s Body of Work to ComeWith gritty, reckless realism, Andrea Arnold’s first short film “Milk” paints a portrait of a woman’s physical and emotional response to having a miscarriage. The resulting aftermath may be uncommon and uncanny, but the emotional backing behind Hetty’s actions are richly supported. Far too many planned pregnancies end in a…Film3 min readFilm3 min read
Oct 15, 2020“Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles”: A Plea for Women Everywhere to Live Their Own Damn LivesThis is perhaps one of the most iconic works in feminist cinema and, therefore, has been a super intimidating subject to write about… what hasn’t already been said? What perspective hasn’t been explored? Should I even attempt a fresh look or should I simply regurgitate what is known, and should…Film6 min readFilm6 min read
Oct 15, 2020“Vivre Sa Vie”: A Film about Loosing yourself in the Gig EconomyThere are fair amount of films about prostitutes, and for a profession kept so quiet in public society, this reality is surprising. Within this canon of thought, we have “Belle de Jour”, “Pretty Woman”, “Taxi Driver”, “American Gigolo”, “Midnight Cowboy”, “Risky Business”, “Moulin Rouge”… the list goes on and on…Film4 min readFilm4 min read
Oct 13, 2020“Le Bonheur”: The Happiest Infidelity Story of All TimeWholesome, idyllic, and sweetly tragic were the first few descriptors that came to mind after watching Agnes Varda’s third feature film “Le Bonheur.” The film centers on a intimate family in a small town — their happiness, love for each other, and contentment. …Film3 min readFilm3 min read
Oct 13, 2020“Le Mepris” and Falling Out of Love“Le Mepris”, otherwise known as “Contempt”, is Godard’s seventh solo feature film, shot in Rome and Capri, Italy in technicolor. Like most films, there are so many ways to approach discussing this work, whether centering in on concept, structuring, overall meaning and morals behind the story, etc. For this description…Film3 min readFilm3 min read
