#masterlist2024

Films: JUNE

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) I have slightly conflicting feelings about this film. Overall, I did like it, but it also pales in comparison to its predecessor Fury Road. It's good, but in a very different way. It's a vengeance film through and through and has less of the insane madness of war and fighting Fury Road had. However, it is also a much more personal film for the character of Furiosa and the world around her. Anya Taylor-Joy is phenomenal as the character, as was the young actress that played the young version of her. It's rough because it's not the masterpiece Fury Road was, but is a very good film in its own right. I'm almost certain I would've loved this film more if I had seen it before Fury Road. As a complement to Fury Road, it builds the world out farther. Cinematography is beautiful too.

Civil War (2024) So I'm well aware this film is a bit divisive (funnily reflective of its title), but I did like this film quite a bit. I can't say I liked it more than I liked his previous films I've seen, but Garland's films in general evoke more emotion from me than most, even though it doesn't quite hand you the answers. The film follows a group of photojournalists traveling to DC to interview the president during a Civil War. In many ways, I think the film's title hindered it and caused more of an incendiary reaction based on how it seemingly perceived American politics. The film itself is not about civil war of politics in the US, really. The civil war is certainly the backdrop, but it could have been about any civil war. The film is namely about the photojournalists and their experience documenting war and reporting on two sides of a conflict in a nation they know so well. It encapsulates so well the kind of cold detachment journalists have to take in order to be non-opinionated, even in the events of such horrors of war and death--yet also shows how human they can be by the end. Kirsten Dunst is pretty phenomenal in this, in showcasing how even a seasoned photojournalist who has learned to detach herself simply cannot detach by the end and is all the more humane for it. Cinematography is beautifully shot. As someone who likes photography, so many of the photography stills you see in here depict quick shots and photographs of war you might see in the actual news so well.

Fun Home (2017) As someone who is queer and understands how complicated that truth can be for family, this musical hit home for me. There's an added layer to this story in the sense that the main character's father is also gay, but is not open about it and can't quite come to terms with it in the scope of his own life--whereas his daughter is living openly as a gay person. It's not a traditional fun musical, but it's quite charming as a musical in its own way. I don't quite have the words to express that at the moment, so I'll leave it at that.

Aftersun (2022) There are very few films that have made me start fully crying and this is one of them. I wasn't quite sure where the film was going at first because it starts as a mundane trip of a young girl and her father. So the movie feels quite mundane and ordinary in its execution. As the bits of dialogue and its moments start coming together in retrospect by the end though, with a haunting dance scene and a father's farewell to his daughter (and the grown-up version of the daughter looking through old footage that she and her father recorded), the movie comes together in such an emotional way that hit home. It's the fact that such a mundane and fun time on a vacation trip, that's so beautiful in its sunny day, also shows the effects of when the sunny times go away. For all that we hold to the good, sometimes, the exhaustion at the end of that happy day still hits harder. As someone... who has lost someone to that before and has lost herself in it before, the film captured the emotion of all that, on both ends of the camera and memory (of both the emotional perspective of both father and the daughter) so beautifully. I still have half the year left, but Monster and this film have been two of my absolute favorites so far.

Inside Out 2 (2024) Though I will say I do prefer the first film, I think this film did a great job of expanding on what was established in the first and also painting a bigger picture of emotions than basic happiness, sadness, etc. It's also surprisingly an amazing portrayal of panic attacks, which I have had. Loved it in the way I just sometimes love certain animated films.

Metropolis (1927) There are some films, even if you wouldn't personally choose to watch it again, that you find remarkably amazing for its time and themes. Metropolis is one of those films. The fact that this was filmed in the 1920s, in Germany, is something that I can't help but marvel at considering how good the film looks and its themes. Though there is no spoken dialogue, it's a good story, even if a little goofy at times in execution. The sets are incredible and the visuals for the machine person is quite stunning for its time. It's understandably a classic for a reason.

Challengers (2024) So it's hard to describe this film and even to think about recommending it to the average viewer. However, as a film about the tension and communication between three people in the form of tennis? Phenomenal. I wouldn't say the story really did much for me, but as a film and it's cinematography, it was just a cool movie to see, particularly certain framing shots and the moving shots of the tennis games and any of the main three together.

Films: JULY

Nobody Knows (2004) Is it any surprise another Koreeda film makes it to my list of favorites? No. I do feel like this film in particular has the most interesting and perhaps heartbreaking overarching story of his films, both because it is based on a true story and because it's about children who were abandoned and forced to survive on their own in a middle of a sprawling city. That being said, perhaps because I was not quite in the mood for devastation, I found myself having to pause and come back to it at times. It's a great film, but certainly one that I was not in the mood for the day I saw it (yet I still loved it). I admire very much so how Koreeda is able to film young actors in a very natural way and portray a difficult story.

Marianne and Juliane (1981) I'll be honest, I had never heard of director Margarethe von Trotta until I watched this film. Apparently this film is one of Ingmar Bergman's favorite films and I can see why. Seeing a female-directed film that is beautifully shot and framed, while also talking about two feminists and sisters during a difficult era in Germany and the effects of it after, I found myself unable to look away from the film. I'll be the first to admit I am not entirely familiar with New German Cinema, but as someone who noticed the stylings of it in this film, I was rather impressed. The film portrays so well the kinship of two sisters who may disagree in beliefs, but also the generational anger and trauma that carries on and is reexperienced and perhaps shared. The final scene where the main character speaks to her sister's angry son showcases the sort of bitterness that comes with trying to revolutionize and change society is haunting and encapsulates well the sort of trauma you carry with you into the present of the past, even if it is not your past or sin.

National Theatre Live: Prima Facie (2022) Jodie Comer is at her best in this one woman show. Though I've seen her be a wonderful actress in Killing Eve, this play gives her the best stage to showcase her range from being funny and witty to also heartbreakingly portray the struggle a woman has going through the day and courts when they've been raped. The play itself is fascinating, as a portrayal of a female lawyer who has taken on cases of defending men accused of assault and rape and then being put into the situation herself where she is the victim whose testimony is broken down (much as she has done to previous victims). I loved watching this and its moral musings on how the courts revictimize its victims often times. It doesn't present an answer, and perhaps that is a flaw, but it does glaringly push the question of how impractical it is into the spotlight.

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) It astonishes me that this was made in 1943, because its editing, in all its surrealist absurdity, was phenomenal. The experimental silent short film was directed by Maya Deren and her husband Alexandr Hackenschmied, starring her as its central character. The film evokes great emotion about the role of a woman in its dreamlike state, showcasing vivid imagery of things around the house, like the phone, a knife, and her on the stairs. It plays with perspective as well, as the female looks back at her body and you see the finale where she is dead. You see her see an ocean through a mirror that is her husband's face. It's just... the film stuck with me long after I saw it. I've had several opinions about what the film is about, but I feel like my mind changes a little each time about it.

National Theatre Live: Yerma (2017) So I have to admit, I've loved Billie Piper since her Doctor Who days. I know fans have divisive opinions on their favorite companion and all for the doctor, but Rose was always my favorite because of the way Billie portrayed her and I thought her acting was always underrated compared to her colleagues from the show. Seeing her act in Yerma made me so happy because it is Billie at her absolute best. She acts with all her soul the desperation of a woman who is trying for a child and has been unable to bear one. She acts the lighthearted, wonderful woman just as well in the beginning of the play and also devastatingly portrays the breakdown of this woman. Though I did enjoy the play for its story and themes, I think Billie's portrayal is truly the standout. It is, by far, my favorite performance of the year thus far from a stage play.

Films: AUGUST

Tomboy (2011) Celine Sciamma's first full feature film is one that has her signature touches already from her later films. It's a beautiful film about fluidity in gender as a convention, particular in the portrayal as one of that of a young girl's. As someone who grew up as a tomboy and can relate heavily to how exhausting it is to be expected to just be a "girl," I related quite well to this film. The film was a bit slow for my tastes, but its story and cinematography stayed with me long after.

The Truman Show (1998) There's something so disturbingly dystopian about a reality show where you're the only real person in a cast of people pretending around you, and yet it's portrayed so utterly well with The Truman Show. This is my favorite role I've seen Jim Carrey in, and though he does a phenomenal job of playing an unknowing reality TV star, it's truly the premise and the story of the film that impressed me. There's also a kind of wry wink you get with the moments where his wife tries to do sponsorship reads to the camera and I can see much of how modern reality television echoes that as well.

The Fabelmans (2022) Similar to my affection for Civil War with photography, I loved this film in its love of film. Though it fictionalizes Spielberg and his family, much of it feels truly personal about the dissolution of his parent's marriage and the way they encouraged his love of film. Unironically, I do think this is my favorite of Spielberg's films (though that should be taken with a grain of salt since I have a ton of his classics I have not yet seen). I loved watching how Spielberg filmed a story of how he filmed films as a youth, watching this young boy chase his dreams. How the camera was framed in the final shot and in so many other shots... it's a film that's a love letter to film as much as it is a love letter to Spielberg's early life and family.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) In terms of how the film was written, it's not my favorite Apes film by any means, because it is a bit too long. That being said, I bring it up because it evokes so much visually. I think it's the one that has opened the franchise's world the most and I loved that and feeling it in the wide world they portrayed. I want to leave it on this list because it's by far one of the best films that utilizes CGI I've ever seen.

Paddington (2014) So my friends have told me for years Paddington was a very good movie and I understand why now that I've seen it. It is constructed very much like a children's film, yet there's something universally enjoyable about it regardless of age. And I loved it. There's some goofiness to it in the way children's films can have, but I never thought it was terrible. Best movie to end my "summer" months with.

LITERATURE

"Yellowface," by R.F. Kuang It's been awhile since I've read a book that so wonderfully encapsulates satire of modern social media culture with cancellation of authors and the kind of twisted bold-faced lies a person who does despicable things like stealing from a minority author will tell themselves and others. Obviously it is fiction, but it still wonderfully satirizes all that culture. As someone who begrudgingly scrolls through social media and does read sometimes the online chatter about certain things about one figure or other in pop culture, it's hard not to draw the parallels from the book to that chatter. R.F. Kuang wonderfully encapsulates it while also easily making fun of it AND the white author she is writing as a character who ignores the true and understandable criticisms underneath heavy vitriol. Reading this book felt like seeing political culture as well in the modern day--true criticism is often taken as "woke" culture or as inherently racist when it is much more nuanced than that. And to those who will also ignore all criticism because of such lack of nuance.... this book easily portrays the evils of it as well, even as you are reading the perspective of that person.

"Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yaros I will be honest, and maybe this is as a result as someone who read fantasy heavily as a kid, I cannot say I like how this book was written. I closed the book after the first chapter because of how little I liked the way its prose was written, even though I don't want to criticize anyone's writing as an amateur writer myself. It's not terrible, but it feels like a young teenage girl wrote it at times. That being said, because I do know people rather enjoyed the book, I gave it a chance and found myself enjoying the ride. I did, admittedly, have to somewhat shut off my criticisms of its writing execution. Though predictable and roughshod in its style, with modern language thrown in here and there that's utterly jarring (Yarros describes the male lead as "hot" several paragraphs before she goes over some dragon lore) it was still a fun read and I will give the book that. I kind of assume that this novel is somewhat akin to how Twilight was for my generation, but fantasy-style. Might not be my cup of tea, but still a fun read.

MUSIC

"Birds of a Feather," Billie Eilish I think this perfectly describes how I feel when I'm in love (not that I am with a person at the moment), but somehow it feels like a good song too when I'm in love with life. Love might be a little complicated, but it's that good feeling.

"The Kill," Maggie Rogers I've listened to Maggie Rogers for awhile now and I think this one is one of my favorite new songs of hers. I'm happy it was part of a popular film's soundtrack because she deserves so much love.

"Under Pressure," Queen, David Bowie I heard this song in Aftersun and felt love for it deep in my bones. I will always associate this song now with that film, but it's also just a beautiful song.

Films

Dance of the Vampires: The Musical (2005) I will admit I was pleasantly surprised to see this and liked it more than I thought I would. It's my first non-English musical I've seen and I'm glad I saw the original German version before I ever saw the Broadway adaptation (which apparently alters much of it). It's pretty fun and good. Is it a little over-the-top and sort of goofy and horny at times? Yes, but that's kind of it's charm. The music is fantastic. As someone who loves orchestral overtures and rock, the musical has a fantastic blend of both and notably incorporates "Total Eclipse of the Heart" into its music as well (apparently the musical and the song are both by the same composer). It's a musical that embraces its goofiness while still being dramatic and serious at key moments. This is the only musical I know that has a whole song about how much they love garlic! It's a fun watch about vampires.

Perfect Days (2023) Perfect Days is a film that somehow beautifully captures Japan and a man's simple life as a toilet-cleaner through a minimalist lens. There's structure to the film, in the way the main character Hirayama wakes every day to follow his routine schedule and works to the fullest -- and somehow that routine in all the little moments informs us much about his life and how he sees the world, especially when there are little alterations to it with situations that occur. There are some of the most beautiful shots and frames in cinematography I've seen of quite mundane scenes that I loved, and it's perhaps one of the best things about this film. His day-to-day is broken up at times by haunting, hazy dreams he has each night and interspersed with a collection of fantastic songs from his cassette tapes. You can look at the film in two ways, where it's kind of sad because this man has isolated himself as an introvert--or you can find the beauty in the small things and how he lives. And in my opinion, it's both. Life comes that way, and he's experiencing the happiness as it comes (the shots of him looking up into the sky and sun), but also will feel the intense sadness as it does as well, as noted by the ending where he's driving and crying. His life will stay routine, but that's life--it has both the good and the bad that make you feel emotions. "Komorebi" defines sunlight filtering through trees and I think that word perfectly captures this film. There's beauty in his mundane life that brings happiness and those fleeting connections with people. For a film where not much progress in a plot happens (in the traditional sense) for the first half of it, I somehow loved it. There's a sort of zen, relaxing feeling to the film that also deals with a man's complicated feelings towards his family and connections to people. I related wholeheartedly to this film in a strange way.

Persepolis (2007) I've heard about this film before in a good light, but as I didn't know the source material, I was very much surprised (in a good way) about its focus and manner of execution. The film balances humor and serious matters in such a fantastic way through its black-and-white comic-book style. It's about a time of upheaval and conflict in Iran, which obviously is a distressing situation for those living there, but it's also about a child growing up and looking at the world with great curiosity and that punk-rock attitude of youth. There was a review I read briefly after I watched the film that captured it quite succinctly for me--it's somehow both the funniest and most depressing story. It's a rough time in Iran with the main character growing up, but the small hilarious moments interspersed between scenes of conflict somehow don't contrast the rough situation the character is subject to--only enhances and humanizes the character more. I love it. As someone who is American and is often witness to the way Western media portrays those from Iran and reduces them often to the stories of conflicts and terrorism, this story--this movie--does a beautiful job of portraying the wonderful culture and life of a girl who grew up in Iran, even in the midst of conflict and her life as a foreigner abroad. Of course, it's not a portrait of every Iranian's experience in similar circumstances, but it's a telling biographical picture of the author's experience in animation, which is pretty fascinating in itself to me. It's also rather informative of life in Iran and its culture from someone who disagreed with some of the more restrictive natures of its culture while also simultaneously taking pride in being Iranian.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) Umbrellas is often listed on top hundred film lists I sometimes look over to keep in mind films I might want to watch in the future, and after having seen it, it is definitely one of the most quintessential films for good reason. It's the first film, I think, that is entirely musical and it's charmingly done with how the dialogue is portrayed in all sing-song language. I used to think that kind of film was cheesy, but Umbrellas of Cherbourg executes it in the best way that matches film by doing dubbing and allowing the actors to act without having to worry too much about how they sound. All the music is composed in such a compelling and charming manner that I can't help but enjoy it. The color palette of the film as well as how it's filmed is beautiful, saturated with vivid colors that is quite unique. I can see how this film has influenced in terms of aesthetic so many modern films I've seen and inspired modern musical films as well. This is a film that feels like the natural predecessor to La La Land, not only for its music and sets, but also its ending. Though La La Land is more hopeful in framing its tragic ending for the pair we followed, this film allows you to grieve it in all the sweeping music. It's perhaps the most iconic of the foreign I've seen this month in its framing.

Chungking Express (1994) Could I ever really be a true Asian cinephile if I have never seen a Wong Kar Wai film? Probably not. He won't be for everyone, and there are aspects of this film if taken literally are problematic, but if I interpret it in a metaphoric way (as I did) and let myself stew in the sort of dreamlike state the movie evokes, it's rather charming. I liked this film more than I thought I would. I understand now why people like his films because I was enraptured with this one. The shots he has through glass are some of my favorites, but in general, all of the way the film is framed and filmed is beautiful and unique. It also evokes that memory of love and loneliness everyone has had. Sometimes you meet people at the right time--sometimes you don't. Love is transient because it also changes for everyone. One day you might like pineapples, one day you might not. Never quite seen a film that depicts the transient relationships you have in life as charmingly as this one.

After Life (1998) I don't think this is anywhere near my top-favorite film of the month and it is for certain my least favorite of the Koreeda films I've seen, but somehow it is the film I thought about the most after I watched it this month. For that, I do think it deserves to be part of this list. This is one of Hirokazu Koreeda's first films, and I believe the first film he directed that he personally wrote as well. A thing I learned about watching this and some interviews from his cinematographer was that Koreeda's roots were from documentaries, and it shows in this film. The film focuses on people who've passed away and the limbo they go into before they pass on, which consists of a social building where they are to select one memory that they carry with them into eternity. The memory they select is recreated by the team of counselors in the state of limbo (creating a film is like recreating a memory in some ways, after all), individuals themselves who were unable to select one memory to pass on with or are individuals who decided to stay and help others pass on. It's strange to think about what singular memory you would choose, your happiest memory, to carry on with you--and the movie poses that question to people from all walks of life. The film presents itself in a documentary way when it interviews the people who has passed on--and also beautifully demonstrates the power of how memory and knowing the way a memory has changed someone is utterly powerful. There was something so poignant about how happiness and memory is addressed, particularly with the way the two main leads deal with it as one of them meets the husband of the woman he never got to marry. There is something so quietly beautiful about the pair of leads staring up at the moon, contrived or not, in that old building they live in. There is something so utterly beautiful about realizing how you played a role in someone else's happiness and choosing that to be the memory you carry with you.

La Haine (1995) Considering the modern-day relevance we've witnessed as a society with police brutality and marginalization of some identities and the violence surrounding them, La Haine feels utterly devastating in the way it portrays the life of three young men in the Parisian outskirts. The creeping (and explosive) anger from someone in the Parisian suburbs that is not unlike those of individuals from the projects or the worst city suburbs of the U.S. in a system that constantly disrespects them can be felt throughout the film. Visually, the film displays in such a gritty manner the volatile nature of these neighborhoods and its multicultural people in the face of marginalization and how their lives circle around violence. The film is also simply a film about three young friends out on a typical night together, and that makes the tragedy of its ending all the worst, because you know it's not how you fall that matters, it's how you land. The film starts with those words and ends on those words in such a haunting way that reframes it by the very end and you can't help but be haunted by the whole film. Society is in a free fall, but how is it landing? The film leaves you with that question. The film has some of the best cinematography and blocking I've seen in an urban setting, with some shots I will remember for years to come. Its three leads share a remarkable chemistry that depicts very well friends similar to ones I've grown up with and I admired how genuine the film felt for it. Thematically still a rather relevant film today.

The Battle of Algiers (1966) I want to be clear that this wasn't a film I enjoyed watching, as most of my favorite films tend to be. It is a film that I find haunting for how relevant it is even today. Though it is about the French-Algerian conflict and revolution which I personally know very little about, it still portrays its conflict in a way that I can recognize today, much like what I see going on with the Palestine-Israel conflict and other more recent conflicts (even those less overt than a revolution). It's a film that controversially was filmed only several years after the actual conflict it is about, but made all the more special for it. Realistically captures in a documentary-like, neorealism style the conflict and the people of both the Algerian and French sides. Its use of sounds is great at establishing the tensions of the individuals involved, and the scenes with crowds look phenomenally similar to how I see crowds and revolutions in the news. Though I can't say I would watch this again because of how heavy I sort of feel watching it, I do think it's a film everyone should see at least once in their life (thus why it's on my list this month). On a technical level, it's top-notch too for its time.

Swing Kids (2018) This Korean musical film is fun in a way musical films usually are, but it is also heartbreaking and tragic in a way that belies its initial demeanor. Though it takes place in a prisoner of war camp, it starts in a way in which you might hope for a happy ending with different individuals overcoming their differences. About halfway through the film though, the film reminds you viscerally of the fact that this is a war and they are prisoners of that war, all of them. The characters we follow certainly overcome their differences by dancing, but it doesn't stop the rhythm of ideological differences and how those in power will commit horrific war crimes to smother such differences, regardless of how the dancers might want to say "fuck ideology." The ending is tragic, but somehow hauntingly realistic. I liked this film way more than I expected I would have. The film is somewhat messy in its construction and some of its writing is ham-fisted, but it also balances out by having nuanced perspectives on people of different backgrounds. There's also one long scene of the male lead and the female lead dancing the same dance in different places and it's one of my favorite edited long takes of a dance scene in film. Metaphorically, it also shows them breaking down all the barriers and bounding across different places of the camp in such a wild and free manner, breaking past gates and protestors. This parallel to a scene at the end where the male lead tries to visually break out past the stage to stop his brother from killing everyone showcases how even his dance fails to sort of "break" past that and is stopped in place by his brother and the onslaught of conflict in a war. I thought that was such a nice (and tragic) touch there, whether it was intentional or not. For all its messes and difficulty balancing what is a fun dance film with what is a war film, the film tugged emotionally at my heartstrings.

Literature

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami I can't say I've been subjected to the level of bullying in this book, but I can relate to the kind of isolating human experience of it. The book is somewhat rather bleak in its depiction of bullying, but it's also a sort of testament to endurance and how people think, whether they are the individual being bullied or are the bully themselves. I can't say it's really among my favorite books, but I did feel for it... and there's something so poignant about two bullied kids just writing to each other that got me in the beginning.

Music

I find that my music favorites of the month have started reflecting or relating to the movies I watch each month, and this month really showcases that! Most of my favorites this month were non-English songs.

"Good Night," Utada Hikaru An animated film that I watched at the beginning of this month called "Penguin Highway" had this as its ending song. I liked the movie quite a bit, but it was a little too convoluted to make my favorites list of the month. However, as a film about meeting someone and losing them for incomprehensible reasons--and the beauty of the world you had with them, no matter how strange, the song hit such a strong chord with me as the credits rolled.

"Feeling Good," by Nina Simone I've always liked this song every time I've heard it over the years, but I never quite looked it up until I heard it in the last scene of Perfect Days. It's honestly one of the best songs of all time for me, a timeless classic.

"Dreams," by Faye Wong I love this song. As a cover of The Cranberries' song of the same name, it's a great mix of that classic rock I like and a wonderful voice from Faye Wong. This played in Chungking Express and made me fall in love with it instantly.

"Simple and Clean (Re-recording)," Utada Hikaru I have the distinct memory of hearing Simple and Clean for the first time on an English commercial between some cartoon shows as a kid, in an advertisement for Kingdom Hearts. It started a lifelong love for Utada Hikaru's music. The re-recording is beautiful and nostalgic all at once. Kind of funny I have two favorites this month from Utada.

Films

Singin' in the Rain (1952) I'm still trying to debate whether or not I've actually seen this movie before, but considering how little I actually recognized of it outside of the "Good Morning" and "Singin' in the Rain" numbers, it's more likely I had watched those particular videos several times when I was younger, but never the actual whole movie. This is truly the quintessential Hollywood musical film, and perhaps remains the best of all time in that particular genre of film. It's what you expect from a musical with huge dance numbers, and it holds the vivaciousness and acting of classic Hollywood you can't help but admire from all its leads. Gene Kelly is a marvel in this, as is Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor. I don't think there will ever be quite a musical film as fantastic as this ever again, though I can only hope. It's a timeless classic in terms of a musical film and a wonderfully funny film as well about old Hollywood on the cusp of transitioning from silent film to films with sound. It's amazing how much influence you can see modern musical/Hollywood films draw from this one in various scenes (like Barbie for example!).

Dune Part Two (2024) As someone who read the novel and loved it, I would be the first to say the novel is a particularly difficult epic novel to adapt as a film. And yet Denis has done a phenomenal job of doing this. As a standalone film, this one suffers a little from the sheer bulk of what it has to cover in the second half of the novel. The film still does a great job in covering what is particularly a hard story without convoluting its story too much. What I'm particularly happy about is how they conveyed the sheer immensity (and sort of quiet horror) of what Paul does at the end in starting a holy war, which is so easy to gloss over if you haven't read the book. It's so easy to make Paul the hero at the end, and the movie does not, because it recognizes he is a messiah in only the sense that he is contrived to be by all the behind-the-scenes things. I liked that it ends on Chani and the landscape of Dune as she is left behind for a war of worlds. Other notable scenes include the immense and fantastic scenes of the Fremen and Paul riding the sand worms. It's one of the best moments in sci-fi film ever and I'm so happy I got to see that in theater.

The Taste of Things (2023) The film is a quiet and understated one, but it is perhaps the most beautiful film I've seen about a quiet love like the ones the two main characters share (interestingly enough, played by two actors who are divorced and share a daughter). The film also showcases the best cinematography I've ever seen for food in a film. It's easy to label the food as mere eye-candy, but it also serves a beautiful parallel to affection in the story. Long after I had seen the film, it made me think about how well food in film can be used as a metaphor and narrative parallel (in less subtle ways than a film like The Menu, which I also liked). The film in itself is a love-letter to cooking, meals, and the way it bonds people. Though this is just slightly less in esteem than the other films in my favorites this month for how it paces its story, its sheer beauty still makes me think about it quite a bit and makes it a film that I believe is worth watching.

Tár (2022) As a film about hubris, Tár is a compelling portrait of a conductor who is facing the (dissonant) symphony of her own actions. Cate Blanchett plays the role of Lydia Tár beautifully, in what I might consider her best role that I've personally seen. Lydia seems to revel in the elitism and power she has as the conductor of a renowned symphony in the classical world. The film subtly paints the ghosts in Tár's history, glimpses and whispers and screams of all the people she has stepped on to where she is. It’s a devolvement of Lydia we witness in bits and pieces from the beginning, from something as small as her hearing something that isn’t quite probably on the radio and to a continued surrealism throughout the film with strange patterns and glimpses of a what seems to be the ghost of the woman who killed herself. By the end of it, Tár has fallen so far from her elite position, and it's left to your interpretation what you see of Lydia's fate. I wrote a longer post about this here because I had so many thoughts on it. It's a film I will probably love to analyze for years to come.

Charade (1963) I've been on a bit of a classic Hollywood consumption run, and this was my second Audrey Hepburn film for the month. It was, also apparently my second Stanley Donen film this month! (He also directed Singin' in the Rain, which I mentioned above) Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn have such magnetism on-screen that you understand quite well why they were highly sought after and considered iconic for their time. If I thought Audrey Hepburn was a cultural icon from Roman Holiday (my film earlier in the month from her) or Breakfast at Tiffany's (my first film of hers ever), it pales by far in comparison to her role in this film. Charade is so utterly charming in its comedy and dialogue (both of which Hepburn and Grant execute so well) while also simultaneously being a fine thriller for its time. I still have more of her films to see admittedly, but I do believe this is Audrey Hepburn's best film. The film also has the moniker of being "the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made," and I sort of understand why. It's definitely more comedic than anything I associate with Hitchcock, but it does build up good suspense in such a Hitchcock way in terms of the plot with the missing money of her dead husband's. It's rare that a suspense thriller pairs so well with being a romantic comedy and this might be my favorite of such films that span both genres.

Our Little Sister (2015) I've loved every Hirokazu Koreeda work I've seen, so I wasn't surprised I loved this one too. That being said, in all honesty, it is my least favorite of the three feature films I've seen of his, although I still like it more than the television series of his I saw (Makanai). Like Makanai and his other works, it's a masterclass on naturalism and the humane in film. Our Little Sister is significantly more lighthearted than his other films I've seen, and it put a smile on my face for how well it portrayed four sisters in various situations. I loved how it portrayed the relationship, both the tense moments and the heartwarming ones, between all four sisters. There are some extremely funny subtle moments that are characteristic of true siblings I couldn't help but laugh at. The film does feel most like a slice-of-life of his films, probably by nature of it being based off an old slice-of-life manga series, but it does it so well. Considering how heavy his other two films I've seen are and the way he tackles it so well (Shoplifters, Monsters), to see how well he can turn around and do a lifting film like Our Little Sister and the Makanai series makes me respect him all the more as a filmmaker. He has the range to cover a variety of topics while keeping all the characters so grounded and humane. The cinematography and direction of the film makes the surroundings and the characters feel so real--and it's probably what I like about Kore-eda the most. What a heartwarming film. Also! The soundtrack to this film is phenomenal and I discovered after viewing the film that it's composed by one of my favorite composers from childhood (Yoko Kanno) in a style that's so different from what I'm used to from her. Wild.

Literature

"A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen I read and watched the play this month. Though I admittedly read less this month than previous months, I found this play interesting framed in the context of its time and how it still feels oddly relevant in modern day. I think it speaks to me a lot about how the husband is so willing to cast stones at his wife as soon as she's not the perfect little creature for him, and willing to throw her away as long as she might besmirch him. And then he reneges on that as soon as they find a way to solve that issue--and it's so haunting how the wife realizes he only loves the idea of her. The wife's lines about how thousands of women have thrown away their pride for love for their husbands after her husband says he cannot do that even though he loves her is such a great scene.

Songs

"Singin' in the Rain," by Gene Kelly What a timeless classic. One of my favorite songs of all time.

"Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan I'm sure everyone who liked her set was listening to this after Coachella. New release hype! I've been loving her music.

"Illusion," by Dua Lipa I don't think it's her best song, but I do think it's catchy. I like her first verse lyrically as well. Been there, done that.

"Gunjo" (群青) by Yoasobi I listen to Japanese music, but I tend to listen more to bands than I do the charting songs, so I had never heard of this duo before. While I was streaming Coachella, I saw them on the setlist and decided to check it out after telling my friend who frequently listens to Japanese music about it and he told me they're rather good. Immediately loved them. The artists I really love in the long run are the ones that sound even better live than they do in the studio. Yoasobi's vocalist is extremely good live, I was impressed. Great, great duo and this song was one of my favorites of theirs.

Films

Society of the Snow (2023) I've been a quiet fan of J.A. Bayona's work since I first saw his film "A Monster Calls." Though the aforementioned film isn't like a grandiose, amazing film, there was something about how it came together and the director's vision of the story I loved, so I kept an eye on Bayona's work since. I would say Society of the Snow, or La sociedad de la nieve, is the best of his films I've seen. Bayona's stylistic tendences came to the forefront in this film. It's so well-directed and framed in the context of these survivors in the Andes. It also makes a choice that I loved it more for--it gave the central focus of the film to the people who did not survive ultimately. Often times in such films, it's the survival and the survivors who are sensationalized, but this film is so visceral in its portrayal. Even so, there is hope in how these survivors come together, and Bayona does a fantastic job of balancing that, with themes of faith and how a society comes together at its worst. I think it's sort of a shame that Zone of Interest has also been nominated this year, because if it were not for that film, I would say this film had a very fair chance of winning best International Film this year at the Oscars. I will also add that it's not an easy watch because of its subject matter.

Shirkers (2018) What a little gem of a film. It's a haunting look at the director's history of her first film, one lost in its entirety due to the incompetence and psychological cruelty of a man who very much took advantage of his younger female filmmakers. She finally retrieves that footage thanks to the man's ex-wife, and she crafts the documentary of its making and her past in such a wonderful weave. As someone who writes and have spent so much of my mind in those creative moments, I can't imagine losing so much of your heart, even in those amateur times, to the abyss--not being able to see it or not being able to show it to the world after spending so much time on it. There's an interesting contrast between her youthfulness when she was excited about making her first film to the kind of anger and resigned nature she had to come to terms with as she grew older. It's a fantastic documentary that you can tell was made by someone with a very creative mind. You get to witness her sort of rediscovering that old part of her and also uncovering the history of this man who had mentored her and taken advantage of her. The documentary captures a time period of Singapore that was both real and only hers--and contrasts greatly with their modern counterparts. The film may not be for everyone, but something about it continually captured my interest.

The Holdovers (2023) The movie struck a chord with me about the connections we have with people even when we sometimes hate people, if that makes sense. I don't necessarily hate people, but I've been through moments where I'm as bitter as Paul or Angus. It's sometimes in those moments that we recognize how people can be worth it all when you're finding those fellow Holdovers, those people lost in limbo like you in life. Overall, it's a very touching story between a curmudgeon of a teacher, a grieving mother, and a young student who's been left behind by his parents and the way it changes all of them in a little way even though they all go on their own ways after.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) I think this is one of those animated films everyone should watch at least once--but it's also a film I wouldn't watch again, at least for awhile. It's a look at young kids amidst war and quite devastating in its portrayal. As far as I know, the film is based off of a short story, written by an author who wrote it based off of his experience as a child in WWII. The film is honest from its opening the brutal ending these kids will have, but the journey still paints a haunting picture to get there. There are some truly heartwarming between the siblings, but you experience living through a war and it's so incredibly sad. The title is apt as well, how some lives are so beautiful and short-lived.

National Live Theatre: Julius Caesar (2018) I've read the play extensively in my studies, but never quite seen a proper adaptation, much less one that feels so relevant to our time. It should be noted this play was performed during Trump's presidency, and it's hard not to draw parallels to Trump from Caesar in this adaptation. Both are figures that popular to a mob, after all. Though this is a modern take on the play, I rather liked it and particularly its portrayals of Brutus and Cassius. Cassius has generally been seen as less unsympathetic in my readings, perhaps of my own interpretation, but this adaptation wholly made him--or her, in this case--a very interesting character and one I felt sympathetic to by the end. Cassius remains a flawed and perhaps scheming character in her attempt to overthrow Caesar, but also one that you find rather interesting to analyze and so entirely human. There's an extra layer to it having Cassius be a woman in this adaptation. I think credit to this lies with Michelle Fairley's portrayal and being able to bounce off Ben Whishaw's acting so well. The senators exchange knives for guns in this modern adaptation, which did make for a slightly amusing visual in my opinion, but it is a modern take and was a very well choreographed scene.

The Quiet Girl (2022) This film probably won't be for everyone, but it's a kind of film I love in the same quiet way I might like to lay outside in the grass with an old book. It's a quiet film that's subtle in the way it portrays a young girl's perspective as a child in a large family, shy and soft-spoken, until she starts to open up in the care of a loving family. The cinematography in this film is so well-done. It's one of those films I admire how it uses both foreground and background in perspective, as well as shots through open doors of a house. I think the film's cinematography perfectly encapsulates the shyness and the sort of pain--as well as the wonder and love she comes to experience--the child has in growing up as she has. It's not a big-budget film, but it uses its surroundings and nature so beautifully. It's a film that wonderfully illustrates the beauty of tiny little gestures in love and how love is about all those little things. I'm kind of happy I chose this film in particular on a random whim from a list of recommended Irish films, all because I wanted to watch an Irish film on St. Patrick's Day.

The End of Evangelion (1997) It's hard to say this is one of my favorite films this month, because it's definitely a dark one and it's extremely convoluted and confusing. Part of me doesn't like it enough to say it's a favorite, and part of me loves it anyways. Strip away thinking about the plot too much and have a basis in the original TV series to just think about the emotions and the visuals--this film speaks deeply to me and others. It's definitely a film I'm still thinking about just from all it shows, with some of the most visceral animations I've ever seen. As someone who has been at her wit's end with depression before, I understood rather well what the film was portraying. It's a magnified version of someone with so much self-loathing and the kind of visual extremes the film paints about how that person is dealing with it. It's about understanding that even though we can be horrible as humans, and that we'll often question whether people love us or hate us, it's still worth it. It's about the "I love yous" that you hear. My friend and I talked about the ending, and though it's a bit grim, it's also realistic and hopeful. There are people who want to live. Sometimes life, even with all it's ugliness, is also just that--and that's beautiful in it's own disgusting way.

Memories of Murder (2003) As a person who has a morbid kind of love for noir-style films and Bong Joon Ho's work, it isn't entirely surprising I liked this film. There are things I'm not a fan of, such as the sheer way its characters and police department are not equipped to handle the case the serial murders are about... and yet, I know this is quite purposeful and is the reason why the movie is particularly haunting. The movie itself is based on a series of murders that were only solved in 2019 (more than a decade after the movie came out). A series of murders, in fact, that might be South Korea's first recognized serial murders--one that they were not ready to solve when it happened. There's a certain amount of way the police are allowed to act that says a lot about their incompetency (assaulting suspects, pointing the finger at the wrong people) and yet it also portrays how extremely human they are when they are in entirely over their heads. This one has more dramatic tendencies than Ho's other films, but understandably so considering its extremely tragic circumstances rooted in reality. I'm not entirely a fan of how dramatic some moments were, but I still understood it. Unlike Fincher's Zodiac, for example, which is colder or more honed in on the murder case details itself--this film is much more focused on the human parts that are weaving along a thread of tragedies and murders. Its ending scene with the main character looking into the camera after a little girl answers his question about presumably the killer being a very ordinary-looking man is one of the most chilling endings I've seen in a film.

Literature

"Yumi and the Nightmare Painter" by Brandon Sanderson Somehow, this novel feels like the written form of a manga and I mean that in a good way. Sanderson often has humor in his novels that you don't find as often in his fellow contemporary fantasy/sci-fi novels (at least that I'm aware of), but this novel in particular allows itself so much levity in a sort of premise you would potentially find as the start of an isekai manga. Nonetheless, because it is in novel form and written the way I like to read my fantasy novels, it's much more in-depth than that. I always admire Sanderson's dialogue between his characters, and this is no exception between Yumi and Painter (Nikaro). That this novel is part of the Cosmere too adds a layer of enjoyment for me with all the references to Roshar.

Music

“Red Wine Supernova,” by Chappell Roan The way I relate to and love this song so wholeheartedly as a queer woman makes me smile. It’s a song of longing, but open and happy in its approach about it. And so damn catchy. Come on over, red wine supernova.

“Touching Yourself,” by The Japanese House Longtime fan and I think it’s one of her catchiest songs. It’s happier than her previous songs, which I don’t mind.

“we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande I love this song. It’s a sad song tinged with the hope of wishing the best for someone you couldn’t make it work with and I wholeheartedly relate to that. Her whole album has been on repeat for me, but this song in particular is my favorite.

Films:

Anatomy of a Fall (2023) I can see why this film was nominated for Best Picture (notably it also won the Palme D'Or at Cannes, which is quite prestigious when you consider previous winners like Parasite). It's perhaps one of the best-written films and directed films I've had the chance to see this year, and provokes quite a bit of thinking into the human condition and how we perceive an individual in the microcosm of something like a death and suspected murder. The movie itself centers on whether a woman had involvement in her husband's death from a fall or not, but the film notably is more concerned with how it affects the various people about, like her son and her life in the center of the trial as well as the scrutiny everyone else has on them. I think this is one of the few movies that my words kind of inadequately fail to address how smart and good this film is. Sandra Huller is a tour de force in this film. That being said--I will say the way the court system is portrayed in this film is a little comical. I'm sure I don't know a thing about the French justice system--but in what world are people constantly allowed to interject during a cross-examination?

American Fiction (2023) I don't know if it will win, but I truly hope American Fiction wins for best Adapted Screenplay this year. I have one more film I need to see in the adapted screenplay category of those nominated for the Oscars, but I would say this one in particular was my favorite screenplay so far. Granted, I have not read the source material so I can't attest to how faithfully it adapts the novel Erasure, but as a film, I thought it was quite well-written. It's a film that focuses on how writing presents itself and the concept of embracing stereotypes in order to sell a book. I think it was particularly witty in its approach. Jeffrey Wright does a great job in his role. I kind of loved this movie in particular because it's about how language is used and depicted to sell--and the irony of having to sell out who you are in order to be something others think you are for.

Spirited Away: Live on Stage (2022) It's strange how this stage play feels more true to its source material, the wonderful Spirited Away film from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, than all live film adaptations I can recall at the moment that I've seen of other animated films. The stage play embraces the strange spirits you see in the colorful world of Spirited Away and wholeheartedly delves into how stagecraft works. In contrast to how films embrace some visual effects, the stage play embraces wholeheartedly the audience's capability to experience a live stage play constructed of so many people working to perform. You kind of marvel at Kaonashi being made of several dancers shrouded in black. You giggle and watch in awe the various puppeteers who act the roles of the spirt creatures. You feel everything in the way Chihiro acts and the moving music from Joe Hisaishi. It's one of the best plays I've seen.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) I wanted to see this film when it came out a few years back, but for one reason or another, didn't have a chance to. I am honestly so happy I got to see it this month. It's a strange little film, a hybrid live / stop-motion animated film about a shell named Marcel and a man named Dean who films a mockumentary about Marcel's life. It's in some ways a slice of life film, though there is the through arc of Marcel's search for his family. The film is one of the most charming films I've ever seen and I couldn't help smiling when I was watching it. It's a film that illustrates community and connection in such a charmingly absurd way. It's a film that probably will be one of my feel-good films for years to come.

The Piano (1993) This is perhaps one of the best shot period films I've ever seen. There are beautiful shots in its cinematography, both in a wide landscape context and framed shots of mundane things like her portrait or a cup of tea. Its premise is strong too, with a mute female lead named Ada and a precocious young daughter moving to an island with her new husband and some local natives and a local farmer. There are some questionable choices in narrative: woman falls in love with man who tries to bargain with her into sleeping with him by holding her piano hostage. However, in this story, it's also one of the few choices Ada has made for herself and you can slightly forgive this plot choice in the face of the lack of agency she has in the overall context of story. Ada being mute adds a layer of complexity to this, but in many ways, Ada's story is also the story of any woman during this time subject to male's whims. It's quite telling her only sense of joy and independence is her love for her piano--and the film shows tragically quite how much her surroundings can take that away from her. Even the only love she has for a man is in relation to her piano. The piano is truly the vessel of her agency and the film beautifully illustrates all this. Sometimes even when agency has been taken from us though, we find it again in other kinds of places (and pianos) and try to live. I'm not sure I liked the ending, but I do like that it didn't have to end in her death, I think. So many times we've had that tragic Anna Karenina death that I don't necessarily want it every time a woman is forced to lose her agency and her love.

Song of the Sea (2014) As someone who has personally been into Irish/Celtic folklore and seen the artwork for Song of the Sea for years, I've always wanted to see this film. Having now seen it, it's perhaps one of my favorite animated films ever. It sort of brings the same kind of joy and wonder to my heart that Spirited Away did the first time I saw it. I'm certain the animation, music, and the story being steeped in that folklore puts it on a higher notch for me than it should, so I will admit I'm biased, but even so, I just sort of loved this film in the way I loved certain older fantasy novels as a child. It's like knowing that it's not going to be the best book for everyone else and it's not even technically the best animation out there for its time, but somehow it's just the book I want to read. So I loved it. Lisa Hannigan has also been a voice I've been listening to for years and I was pleasantly surprised to hear her in the film's soundtrack. The film also sort of had a personal connection for me, as a younger sister to one older brother. We don't always get along, but there's that kind of sibling affection that perseveres regardless-- as it does in this film.

Twelfth Night, performed at the Globe (2012) Twelfth Night holds a special place in my heart for being my first Shakespeare play and how it handles fluidity in gender roles and the romances depicted. This in particular was a fantastic performance that kept most true the comedic timing and staging I imagined Shakespeare envisioned during his time. TN being performed in the historic Globe theatre and having an all-male cast adds a layer of callback to the past where Shakespeare plays were staged with all men. Mark Rylance as Olivia is perhaps one of the funniest actors I've seen in a more traditionally-styled play--and yet it's also something I wasn't sure exactly if I liked. In my reading of the play, I always envisioned Olivia as a more reserved woman (with intelligence level to Viola's), even if there is comedy in her accidentally being besotted with Viola. Rylance's depiction brings Olivia to a whole new level of laughter (with impeccable comedic timing), but his performance also in some ways shifts Olivia to a shrill and impetuous woman in love. However, that's drama--there are only so much words on a page will do in acting. In the end, an actor brings the character to life--and I both liked and disliked how Olivia was brought to life. Nonetheless, this was a fantastic live performance that had me laughing the way I imagined a crowd of Shakespearean times had.

Literature

"An Oresteia: Agamemnon by Aiskhylos, Elektra by Sophokles, Orestes by Euripides", translated by Anne Carson I think tumblr users will know this translation in particular because it's the infamous lines Orestes and Pylades share with one another in the form of "I'll take care of you / It's rotten work / Not to me. Not if it's you." That line is still fantastic in the context of the play. That being said, I did think Elektra was the most interesting to me of the three plays. Elektra's words could be haunting and beautiful in some scenes. Anne's translation of the plays does a great job of making these Greek tragedies much more accessible to a contemporary audience, and she makes it more poetic. I read Orestes in a seemingly more literal translation prior to reading her translation, and she does a good job of making the words breathe and fun to read by comparison. I'm not an Ancient Greek scholar, however, so I cannot attest to how accurate her translations are. Fun aside to this is that I am watching a very intriguing performance, done with masks and drums, of all the plays of the Oresteia which I hope to finish sometime this year. There are three plays in the Oresteia traditionally, and in total, the trilogy of plays is five hours long. It should be noted the stage play's Oresteia notably differs from Carson's selection for Oresteia, since I believe it's all from Euripides whereas Carson selects from different playwrights for her collection.

"Circe" by Madeleine Miller So this month was clearly my Greek tragedy/mythology month. I finally took the time to read and finish this! I loved her other novel "The Song of Achilles" and knew I wanted to read this too. It's easy to compare the two since they're written by the same author, but they are also very different in themes and execution. If TSOA is about profound love for one person and the focus on a hero from one beside him, then Circe focuses more on loving your mortality and the experiences that come with it as the person experiencing it directly. It's a story that namely brings voice to a character in a margin of the Odyssey and other Greek tales. Miller continues to enamor me with how she writes. I shifted between reading it directly from a copy of the novel my friend gifted to me and listening to the audiobook of it, which gave me both experiences of the prose--and they were both good, in my opinion. It is a tad long-winded at times, but I still enjoyed it.

Music

"Give Me Love," Jessie Reid Her voice and the instrumentals in this track are beautiful and haunting at the same time. It's a song I find myself listening to on cold mornings and walks.

"Bottle Rocket," Jimi Somewhere I first heard this in Anyone But You and though the film was an alright film (enjoyable, but not the best rom-com out there), this song in particular sold the dramatic climax of the film. Its piano riff is one of the most memorable I've heard in a song in awhile.

"Too Much," girl in red So... as a pansexual/bi woman, I have heard of girl in red, but have not quite listened to her songs. I heard this new track while looking for new songs though and it kind of made me fall in love with her? It's a song right up my alley and perfectly encapsulates in lyrics the way someone you love can make you feel so small.

"lavender," JVKE (feat. Pink Sweat$) Happened to hear this song on a new release playlist and I rather like the music. Lyrically it's not quite that strong, but somehow the music and the layering of his voice in the track's production makes me keep listening to this song. I'm interested in hearing more of his songs in the future. He has some pretty good songs. Special shoutout as well to JVKE's Golden Hour, which I first listened to this month and should be on this list as well--but I didn't want to drag my list out.