Very convincingly lived-in performances across the board, fascinating interpersonal dynamics within a very non-nuclear family, and some tender, caring character work elevate this from a more run-of-the-mill queer misery piece into an affirmative celebration of the queer art of failure (Halberstam, 2011), which sensitively explores the social intersections it occupies in terms of race, class, gender and sexuality. (“I just like being pretty sometimes” is an all-timer imo, and so beautifully delivered.)

in alexandra burke we trust

Way more tense than I anticipated it would be. I think the fantastic soundtrack was able to stop it from getting too much for me. Just imagining that time, that environment.. disturbs me to think about.

These people aren't gone either.

Aside from it painting a picture of the times, very effectively depicting the issues with it.. It was a beautiful film. Beautiful visually. Colourful. Striking.

The ending was lovely too 🥺

TJ 😭❤️❤️❤️

4

Gorgeous movie. New Zealand always manages to put so much heart and charm into their films, this story of 3 cousins and their strong connection to each other and their land was wonderful. There are multiple timelines and stories going at once but it all feels so seamless and flows so smoothly. Strong performances by all, the child actors were fantastic, a standout is Rachel House, who managed to bring quite a few laughs whenever she was on screen. The scenery was so beautiful too. A great film.

Filled with beautiful sound and movement, Cousins is a small scale film that manages to slowly and quietly devastate with its large scale themes of displacement, identity and belonging. Cousins bubbles over with emotion; an understanding and empathy for three woman built as the film moves between three timelines. Directors Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith (who also stars) do a brilliant job in taking what would be perceived by the outside world as an innocuous story, and making it and its occupants matter.

2021

It’s all in the patterns

Wow. This was absolutely incredible. A fascinating performance of so many different horrible strong things in the world, and Kapadia's choices in regard to focus, close ups, and to the extent that he could control it, narrative, were superb. The perfect film to get me back into ballet as an art form capable of incredible and radical style & narrative