“Let The Sunshine In” by Claire Denis (2017)

A post by Mireia Marti from Barcelona

Claire Denis leads you to a place and leaves you wondering how you got there!
A movie about true love, extraordinarily cohesive, that breaks all rules! A masterpiece!
“The self-destructive nature of searching for meaning, for a partner, has long fascinated the filmmaker, and here she strips bare that hopeless pursuit.” by Greg Cwik.
“The film’s confidence comes in part from the acceptance of the things that can’t be known.” by Glenn Kenny.

Cast: Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine, Josiane Balasko, Gérard Depardieu, Alex Descas
Director: Claire Denis
Book: Roland Barthes
Screenplay: Claire Denis, Christine Angot
Director of Photography: Agnès Godard
Editor: Guy Lecorne
Original Music Composer: Stuart Staples

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“Summer Of 84” by Anouk Whissell et al. (2018)

 

Classic thriller intended for the same audience as The Darkest Minds, but with better personages, dialogues, and (hormonal) humor, even if predictable and amateurish at times / Unfortunately, the good dialogues and humor disappear after 60 minutes, leaving us with a weak and boring scenario. So, just make the best out of it and enjoy the first 60 minutes 🙂

Cast: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer, Jason Gray-Stanford, Patrick Lubczyk
Director: Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, François Simard
Writer: Matt Leslie, Stephen J. Smith
Cinematographer: Jean-Philippe Bernier
Editor: Austin Andrews
Composer: Jean-Philippe Bernier, Jean-Nicolas Leupi, Le Matos

“The Darkest Minds” by Jennifer Yuh Nelson (2018)

What a waste!

Cast: Amandla Stenberg, Harris Dickinson, Patrick Gibson, Skylan Brooks, Mandy Moore
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Based on the novel by Alexandra Bracken
Writer: Chad Hodge
Cinematographer: Kramer Morgenthau
Editor: Maryann Brandon, Dean Zimmerman
Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch

“The Rider” by Chloé Zhao (2017)

A fictional drama approached and felt as a documentary: a tour de force!
“The commanding abilities Chloé Zhao shows in “The Rider” easily mark her as one of the world’s most important young directors. Yet what really distinguishes her work here is something beyond great filmmaking chops: a vision that is deeply humanistic, founded on a compassionate realism that honors the heartfelt struggles of all the creatures it encounters.” Godfrey Cheshire

Cast: Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat Clifford, Terri Dawn Pourier, Lane Scott, Tanner Langdeau, James Calhoon, Derrick Janis
Director: Chloé Zhao
Writer: Chloé Zhao
Cinematography: Joshua James Richards
Music: Nathan Halpern

“Nancy” by Christina Choe (2018)

first feature

A 35-year-old woman wants to help people who have lost someone by transforming herself into the one these people want her to be.
Although one personage calls it a sickness, the movie shows us a sensitive and almost beautiful form of altruism. One most interesting aspect: motherhood plays a central role in the three personages that Nancy ‘impersonates’ in the movie.
““Nancy” exhibits a seriousness of purpose that’s rare in American movies today.” Glenn Kenny
Excellent first feature, although the music is at times over the top…

Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Steve Buscemi, Ann Dowd, John Leguizamo
Director: Christina Choe
Writer: Christina Choe
Cinematography: Zoë White
Editor: David Gutnik
Music: Peter Raeburn

“The Land Of Steady Habits” by Nicole Holofcener (2018)

6 Mondays with Nicole Holofcener (6)

A finely-structured movie that shows the difficulties that men as young adults and during their midlife-crisis encounter as they try to find their place in a society that asks them to grow up. Immaturity is so difficult to live, whatever one’s age!
This movie parallels Nicole Holofcener’s preceding one, but instead of being centered on a middle-aged woman who has a daughter and develops a close relationship with the best friend of her daughter, it focuses on a middle-aged man, his son, and the close relationship that this man develops with the best friend of his son.

Cast: Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Thomas Mann, Elizabeth Marvel, Connie Britton, Michael Gaston, Josh Pais, Charlie Tahan
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Writer: Nicole Holofcener
Cinematographer: Alar Kivilo
Editor: Robert Frazen
Composer: Marcelo Zarvos

“Private Life” by Tamara Jenkins (2018)

3 Movies by Tamara Jenkins (3)

A couple tries to have a child (without success), and every minute of their quest reinforces their relationship
Great acting, fantastic direction
Private Life broadens what already was present in The Savages

Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Paul Giamatti, Kayli Carter, Molly Shannon, Emily Robinson
Writer: Tamara Jenkins
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Director of Photography: Christos Voudouris
Editor: Brian A. Kates