Hand her the Oscar: Olivia Coleman in Empire of Lights

I’ve spoken out loud to a movie screen twice this year which is the signature of a great film. First it was Bones and All and Mark Rylance’s unbelievable performance and sympathetic cannibal (yes you read that right and THAT’S what makes this incredible acting). The second movie screen exclamation was last night in total… Continue reading Hand her the Oscar: Olivia Coleman in Empire of Lights

Mothering Sunday: Stop the Presses

Preface: A quote from Sheila Heti’s book Pure Colour which sums up the special quality of relationships falling on the cusp, fitting my experience with the movie Mothering Sunday: “Sometimes a person is meant to move forward in the world with the one they love at a distance, and that the distance is there to… Continue reading Mothering Sunday: Stop the Presses

The Lost Daughter, A Slippery Slope

I loved the book The Lost Daughter, as Elena Ferrante’s character wrestled with her wanderlust, her desire to excel professionally and experience midlife hedonism. But the movie? Not so much. The harsh visual reality of exasperated mothers who simply induce more needy children was deeply affecting, but in a depressing way. Adapted to screenplay and… Continue reading The Lost Daughter, A Slippery Slope