Ah, Bill Nighy, how I love you. I am so glad you finally got an Oscar nomination, and you justly deserve it. This is no small feat because even attempting a remake of Ikuru (I mean it took 60 years to do so) seems foolhardy, and yet, while no where near the masterpiece of the original, this film has plenty to recommend it.
The first, of course, being Nighy's performance. I greatly enjoyed how carefully crafted the British world of…
I was so struck by Sarah Polley's voice in not just the screenplay but in every single directing decision. I have come to admire her so much. It's not easy to make a woman's version of 12 Angry Men, but she has done just that. I mean this in the way that both are impeccably acted and filmed while leading to a lot of thoughtful discussion on important issues.
Also, I deeply appreciate a film about rape where instead of…
This film is much like seeing an art masterpiece at a museum. I can recognize the amazing craft, the historical references, the surprising break from the known, the elegance and beauty in the work, and yet, if it doesn't engage my heart, leaves me impressed but ultimately cold.
Caveat: My mom was just 21 when she had me and 22 when she had my sister. She was a single parent for us from the time I was 3-14. She was on welfare until I was 7.
I say all this because this film wrecked me. It is so non-judgmental and allows reality to breathe all the while capturing childhood in all its gritty innocence. This is an America that I am acutely aware of and which is too…
