Film #1 in my #52FilmsByWomen experience-- ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW by Miranda July. This is a quirky little film that is both disturbingly depressing and hopeful at the same time. Ebert called it the best film of the 2005 Sundance festival back when he saw it. I'm not sure I'd call it the greatest film, although as a piece of performance art it explores some interesting ideas about love, connection, isolation, art. Sometimes when we get access to a new voice, a unique voice, and see a film that doesn't rehash the same old stuff we've seen before, we can feel as if we are seeing cinema for the very first time. It can seem as if the director/writer is redefining film right before our eyes.
This is why we need a diversity of voices. We don't all speak the same language. We don't all have the same experiences or perspectives. I'm personally drawn to smaller films, with more personal voices (Brooklyn, Room)and don't feel all that compelled to run out and see white-man-against-the-world survival mode films(Revenant, The Martian). I'm not making judgement on those who like those films, but some of us seek a different kind of cinematic experience, and we deserve more variety. To us, many of the films being produced by the studios seem awful stale and way too familiar.
#52FilmsByWomen #MirandaJuly
52FilmsbyWomen - Obvious Child
For week two, #52FilmsbyWomen I checked out OBVIOUS CHILD. This film, dubbed the "abortion rom-com" is truly a film only women could make. And that's a good thing. Because the life of women is complex and messy and it only feels authentic and hits a nerve when women are involved in telling their own stories.
The film is surprisingly sweet and smart, while also being raunchy and funny, and not shying away from dealing with a truly adult topic. Sometimes the most adult thing a young woman can do, is admit she's not mature enough to take the next step in life, and yet still take responsibility for herself. It helps, of course, to have a gaggle of supportive and funny friends and family members along for the ride.
Because of the subject matter, this will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I am looking forward to seeing what else this creative team of women have up their sleeves.
Directed and written by Gillian Robespierre, story by Robespierre, Anna Bean and Karen Maine, produced by Elisabeth Holm, and starring Jenny Slate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2GN3wdfqbA
Posted at 01:52 PM in Commentary, Films | Permalink | Comments (0)
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