Bird
Bird is not your typical coming of age tale. Instead of the typical tale of a teenager discovering themselves while navigating through school, Bird is about a 12-year-old girl discovering herself while struggling with the brutal cycle of poverty. She is discontented with her life and her relationship with her family begins to grow further and further apart. It is bleak and dark, yet it has some magical realism that makes it feel in line with the Brothers Grimm. Great performances across the board in this fascinating, yet poignant exploration of coming of age in a brutal world.
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Anora
Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival, we follow a sex worker who gets a Cinderella story when she marries the son of a Russian Oligarch. However, her fairytale is turned upside down when his family finds out. Sean Baker continues his exploration of the American Dream through class, privilege, and maturity in Anora. This dream, which on the surface appears to be full of glitz and glamor, is actually nothing but heartbreak, misery, and grief. The film is stressful, funny, and sweet, till it punches you in the gut with its ending. Mickey Madison gives a star making performance as Anora. She radiates star power with her fierceness and emotional vulnerability. Easily one of the best films of the year.
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Souleymane’s Story
Winner of Best Actor in the Un Certain Regard category, Abou Sangare will break your heart in Souleymane’s Story. We follow an illegal immigrant, Souleymane, as he is trying to make ends meet in Paris while preparing for his asylum hearing. However, it becomes clear early on that he is not actually claiming asylum, but is planning on abusing that system to get a visa. Yet despite this, you still can’t help but feel for him as we sense the desperation for a better life. All of this is held together by an amazing performance of Abou Sangare that is worthy of his Cannes win.
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Presence
Steven Soderbergh really decided to experiment here with Presence. The film is told entirely from the point of view of an apparition stuck in a new home of a family of four. Using wide shots in a claustrophobic home, Presence is a very unique viewing experience. Even though the story is a standard elevated haunted house movie, its visual language is something really special. The performances across the board are great as they all learn to come to terms with their new roommate. Overall a great experience that is all under 90 minutes.
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All We Imagine as Light
All We Imagine as Light is a meditative view of life following a trio of nurses in Mumbai. Each has their own battles and turmoils as they try to fulfill their desires, but having no autonomy to fulfill them. It is a calming and serene movie that will leave you happy by its end. The performances were all great as each character perfectly exhibits all their emotions and inner turmoil their character faces. However, I found the film to be a little bit too slow and minimalist for my taste. I can see why people will love it, but it is not entirely for me. Well made, but not to my taste.
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