March 2020
M O V I E S
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) French
A painter is tasked with a seemingly impossible job: to paint the wedding portrait of the mistress of the family who refuses to pose for anyone. So she goes in undercover, as a walk companion rather than a painter. Slowly, the two bond over music and helping the maid depregnant herself. When the Mistress finds out her true purpose of being in the house, she agrees to pose. Their relationship deepens further, until the moment the Mistress leaves with her fiancé.
This story set in the 18th century, tells the story of two women passionately in love. I love it so much, from their french to the subtle hints that are exposed to the world but only truly known to them.
Overall:
Rating: R
Length: 2 h 02 min
Genre: Drama, Romance
Directed by: Céline Sciamma
This will not be the last time I mention Orpheus this month.
Doubt (2008)
The principal/head nun of the school tries to keep her school run as traditional as possible. Any modern change seems dangerous to her rigged structure she has tried to keep for so long. The problem: the priest. His long nails, his acceptance to modern Christmas songs, his... is he?
Could he be not as pure as he plays out to be?
Running on questionable clues and a head full of suspicion, she does anything to have the Priest leave the school. But what she's accusing him of, was it true?
This movie will leave you doubting everything.
Overall:
Rating: PG-13
Length: 1 h 44 min
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Directed by: John Patrick Shanley
Please cut your nails.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Mr. Ripley has a very impressive skillset: He is good at stealing people's identities. So when he goes to Italy to meet the son of a couple who desperately want their son back home, he goes, and well, fails. When all seems lost, he turns towards extreme measures to keep his hands clean.
He is a character that runs away from his own identity, because he fears himself. His constant trend of pretending to be others is a way to feel like a part of society that likes him and wants to be with him.
So much happens in this movie, I really don't want to give away too much. So join him on his adventure to pre-corona Italy, listening to jazz, rowing boats and riding mopeds.
Overall:
Rating: R
Length: 2 h 19 min
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Directed by: Anthony Minghella
Tom is...
Dear Ex (2018) Mandarin - Taiwanese
First, she loses her husband after he runs off with his theater lover. Then, she loses again when he dies of cancer, giving all his insurance policy money to his lover. In between all the madness is the son, who desperately wants to learn more about who his father was as a person. He is torn between his stern mother who has one hell of a temper, and the lover, who he was conditioned to hate as taught by said mother. He decided to find out for himself.
Let's open with one thing: Taiwanese speaking Mandarin is so different than Chinese people. (then I realize that China wouldn't allow such movie) RESPECT Y'ALL. This movie is so extremely gay in the most comfortably subtle way. And the characters are so well developed, it's refreshing to see such interesting developments between such different people. AAH.
Overall:
Rating: TV-MA (but why?)
Length: 1 h 40 min
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Directed by: Chih-Yen Hsu, Mag Hsu
I think my opinion might be a little biased... TAIWAN NO.1!!!
The Pianist (2002)
A Polish-Jewish radio pianist finds himself caught in the midst of World War 2. Together, with his family, the struggle to comply wit the new and terrifying changes, fighting to stay alive. He soon finds that it is a solo battle, weaving through the difficult time avoiding the gaze of the Nazis. If only he could sit once again at a piano and just, play.
There's another war movie. Three months in a row! What's different about this one? One person: CHOPIN. You got a character playing Chopin? I am sold y'all. This movie is filled with Chopin I cannot breathe properly. And the climatic moment... no spoilers but it was just so perfect I cannot. Did i mention this is based on a true story? Wild.
Overall:
Rating: R
Length: 2 h 30 min
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Chopin Ballade No.1 is a banger.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Imagine the most homophobic, Texas man you can. Good, well he's got AIDs. At the time, there wasn't much on AIDs, other than the fact that it was deemed the sickness that only gay people had. After being diagnosed, he was shunned from his friends, beaten so low that he hit rock bottom. But it was there where he decided to embrace his sickness, and find a way to help others with AIDs. That's how the Dallas Buyers Club started. Medication for the people because they deserve it.
One of the best hero's journey story I've seen in a while. He willingly changed his view on the LGBT community in order to help said community, and it's just so satisfying to watch.
Overall:
Rating: R
Length: 1 h 57 min
Genre: Biography, Drama
Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée
Sometimes, life isn't about straightening picture frames .
A N I M A T E D M O V I E S
Onward (2020)
Pixar has done it again! This movie was so beautifully crafted, I cried from how well the story structure was. It's got mythology, it's got great animation, it's got comedy, like what more could you be looking for?
A boy, who has never had a memory of his dad, turns 16. He was gifted a magical staff, and with it, a spell to bring his dad back for a whole day. However, when things go wrong, only the dad's legs appear. So him, his brother, and a pair of legs set out to retrieve another phoenix gem, to complete the spell and see their dad one last time. They must hurry, for the spell ends by the next sunset.
This was the last time I went to the movie theater to watch a movie.... Ahh the good old days when massive gathering of people was ok.
Overall:
Rating: PG
Length: 1 h 42 min
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Directed by: Dan Scanlon
I am a mighty warrior
Wolf Children (2012) Japanese
After losing her werewolf lover, she is stuck raising her two werewolf children on her own. The problem is, as a human, she does not know the first thing about raising children who were half wolf. But in honor of her lover, she makes a daring move and dedicate her life to raising their children the best she can.
This movie wants me to renovate a house and live in the middle of the woods. This movie has such an interesting twist to the supernatural, yet it's till so grounded in reality. People who are different who just want to belong. Trying to find your own voice. Learning to cope with changes. Seeing these characters go through such growth makes my toes all warm and tingly.
Overall:
Rating: PG
Length: 1 h 57 min
Genre: Drama, Family
Directed by: Mamoru Hosoda
What's for lunch? Potatoes?
A N I M E
The Case Files of Jeweler Richard (2020)
Anime seems to get me obsessed with things. First Yuri on ice with figure skating, now with gemstones? You betcha.
After our main character saves a handsome foreigner jeweler from a bunch of assholes, he asks about a stone that had belonged to his grandmother. From there, he begins working with the jeweler, meeting all sorts of people learning about gemstones. There's family tension, a bond that cannot be broken and lots and lots of shiny stones.
I really enjoyed this anime. It introduces itself as a lighthearted anime about solving mysteries surrounding gemstones belonging to other people, but it dives deeper as they begin to explore their own personal lives. I loved how many layers this anime has while still keeping to its core.
Overall:
Rating: a solid PG
Length: 12 episodes
Genre: Mystery, Drama
Studio: Shuka (Tarou Iwasaki)
I may not know all the astrological signs, but I now know all the birthstones.
B O O K S
The Gravity of Us (2020)
Here's a book I read this month. Quite weird, reading on a phone, through an E library.
Classic YA romance: boy meets boy, they fall in love. Boy number 1 is a famous reporter, who is popular on a fictional app made for live-streaming. His father is chosen to be on a new NASA mission, where they will be flying to Mars. In Texas, boy 1 meets boy 2, the son of another astronaut. Romance, without consequences, blasted on national television, instantly neutral, ensues.
I felt like it was a little too progressive? For an lgbt book, I wish that there was some sort of conflict with wanting to publicize their relationship for the whole country to see. It definitely will be a question of their safety and how much they can show.
Overall:
Level: Young Adult
Length: 314 pages
Genre: Drama, Romance, Space
Written by: Phil Stamper
Here's my second mention of Orpheus: Clever name for the mission.