joshhornbeck.bsky.social
Writer and director. Critic and podcaster. Communications professional. Host of the Criterion Channel Surfing podcast. Engaging with the art of cinema at www.cinemacocktail.com.
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The performers are all wonderful and there are hilarious moments, but it never comes together to be the biting satire that you can see under the surface. (Watched on the Sundance Festival Portal) 7/7
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But all of these more intriguing elements take a background to the romance at the film's center and the story suffers for it. 6/
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...and the moral and ethical issues that arise for any of the Arab American performers who are colluding with the military so they can help the armed forces "invade their homeland more humanely." 5/
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...the absurdity inherent in the military's casting choices (any person of color could be cast as an Iraquis, any person who lost a limb could play a victim of a bombing - as long as they didn't lose their limb in combat)... 4/
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The premise is rife with satiric possibilities. And the film leads us down several tantalizing trails - the actor so committed to her craft that she takes her role in the city too seriously and is constantly looking for ways to leverage it into future work opportunities... 3/
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I love the concept and the intention behind it - exploring cities built by the US military to simulate actual overseas environments that troops may encounter, employing civilians to roleplay as the residents of these cities who live onsite 24/7. 2/
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I really appreciate the ways that Kramer is wrestling with so many nuanced facets of what it means to be a woman today - including the challenges in female friendships. I enjoyed the last film from Kramer quite a bit, but this is a remarkable work. (Watched on the Sundance Festival Portal) 5/5
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And there's something profoundly truthful about the way that the people in Camille's life treat her silent, inert body as she is propped up and talked at - her mother even remarks, "You've become such a good listener." 4/
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On the other hand, it's a film that literalizes the objectification of women as Camille's soul is transferred to the chair, and Kramer's camera films the chair the same way so many male filmmakers film their women subjects. 3/
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I absolutely loved this film - everything from the heightened theatrical performances to the droll narration and the dance and movement sequences built into its narrative and structure. On the one hand, it's a film about loneliness and the unfathomable nature of desire. 2/
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I might wish this was a little more focused at times, but I think that would also rob the film of its transient beauty and power. It's a really lovely film. (Viewed on the Film Independent Screening Portal) 5/5
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The film is infused with their music, their poetry, their drawings, and their playful sense of humor, as well as the heartbreaking realities that they face each and every day. 4/
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It's a film that shows the realities of their day-to-day lives, the challenges of living undocumented and yet having spent most of their lives in the United States, and their refusal to allow their immigration status to prevent them from pursuing their artistic ambitions and activism. 3/
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I found this to be such a charming, effervescent, and moving documentary about two young women (both undocumented) living on the border of the United States and Mexico. 2/
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While the film has some exciting moments, it's a shallow film that never truly engages with any of the provocative questions that it raises. (Watched on the Film Independent Screening Portal) 6/6
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When the decision is made to air inaccurate information to avoid being scooped, the film doesn't seem to have a point of view about whether it was ethically wrong to share the false information - we just move past it along with the characters. 5/
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When the question is raised as to what to call the group that has taken Israeli athletes hostage, someone suggests the word terrorist, and after getting slight pushback, the matter is dropped. 4/
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The performances are all sturdy, mostly from reliable character actors who consistently turn in solid performances in everything they do. But the film dodges every opportunity it has at introspection or more than surface-level ethics. 3/
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For the most part, this is a closed-door, one-set film that manages to focus the tension squarely on whether or not the sports reporting team will be able to pull off a live news broadcast of international scope and importance. 2/
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I do believe that, at times, the film was hampered by its voice-over which slows down the narrative and hits us over the head with the theme. Still, it's a thoroughly enjoyable film. (Watched on Hulu) 6/6
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I like the magic realist elements of the film and the way they're depicted, and some of the stylistic flourishes (direct addresses to the camera, fantasy sequences) are especially effective. 5/
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...it paints a comic portrait of one life frozen by gendered and societal expectations, and her primal urge to break free of those expectations. 4/
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From the inattentive spouse who expects that the mother will be available to help with everything from fixing coffee to supporting him when he takes on any small measure of child-rearing duties, to the former friends whose lives have moved on... 3/
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It taps into the frustration, anger, sadness, and joy that come with motherhood and giving up your career to raise your child. 2/
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For the first time in the film, they are connecting with something deeper than school or social media, connecting with a culture they've only known in fragments. This is an extraordinary film. (Watched on the Film Independent Screening Portal) 6/6
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Toward the end of the film, when the two girls attend a relative's funeral, and the camera comes into focus on a ceremony from their community, the effect is emotionally overwhelming. 5/
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The film is so centered on the experiences of these two girls and their friendship that the adults in their lives exist out of focus on the periphery. 4/
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It's a film that is so deeply empathetic to the experiences of young girls growing up generally, and specifically young Native girls growing up away from their families and traditions. 3/
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I love the way that Maltz works with folks from the community she's filming in to develop the story and create the narrative. Through the film's exquisite editing, you can see the years of footage captured as the two young leads - Jazzy and Syriah - grow up before our eyes. 2/
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The series expertly balances the ever-escalating tension between the two time periods and leads us to a final revelation that is surprising but also so honest and believable if you understand abusers and abuse. This is wonderful and satisfying storytelling. (Watched on Apple TV+) 5/5
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It's a series that fundamentally understands abuse, the ways abusers operate, and the effects they have on the targets of their abuse. While the series has humor throughout, it treats the abuse seriously, and it treats the consequences of the repeated attempts on JP's life with honesty. 4/
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Each episode covers another escalation from JP and another darkly comic, yet failed attempt from the sisters to kill him, all while life insurance investigators are looking into the death to see if foul play was involved. 3/
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Structured as a mystery told in two parallel time frames, this first season opens with the funeral and wake of John Paul (JP) Williams and proceeds to show the ways he abused his wife and harassed her sisters, leading the sisters to plot his murder. 2/
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There's enough here that I want to revisit the film and see if it grows on me, but on a first watch, there's a lot of technical prowess, but I wanted to see more. (Watched on the Film Independent Screening Portal) 6/6
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And centering the film on a selfish, abusive man who we're asked to feel sorry for because his girlfriend had an abortion feels as though the film is centering the wrong experience. 5/
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All of those elements are interesting and compelling on their own, but they never fully cohere - the splashes of color within the black-and-white and the long sequence shots feel more like expressions of style rather than arising out of the narrative. 4/
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And I can appreciate the exploration of the death of the American Dream for immigrants, especially the way that America pits immigrants against one another. 3/
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But those elements never quite came together for me. I appreciate the absolutely gorgeous black-and-white cinematography, and I admire the long takes that move throughout the kitchen and restaurant effortlessly in the midst of all of the organized chaos. 2/
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This season has the added benefit of the many Italian cinematic references which enhance the viewing, but certainly aren’t necessary to enjoy the show. And as always, it’s a joy to see which characters get their happy endings as the season comes to a close. (Watched on Max) 5/5