Reading Journal 2024: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Author: Kim Michele Richardson
I became aware of this book on a recent trip to the American south. One of the places I spent some time in was Louisville, Kentucky, and while there I visited one of their famed local bookstores named Carmichaels. I asked the shop to pick out some recommended reads of local authors and books set in the area. This was one of them.
Which set me in good company, as apparently this was a popular and beloved read for many. Finally diving in to it, I can see why. Consider it my own due ignorance, but the historical context behind this book is one I had never heard of and didn’t know existed. I had no idea about the phenomenon of blue skinned people or that it had ties with Kentucky, something that paralleled the larger American issues with racism against blacks in the 1930s.
I also had no idea that such a thing as the Kentucky Pack Horse library existed. What an inspiring story, made all the more alive by being a movement led by strong woman battling against the discriminatory policies of their day, shockingly some of which remain today.
At its heart, it is perhaps mostly about the power of books to reshape our understanding of this world, to capture our imagination, and to inspire us to think, grow, challenge and understand. A portrait of those seen as lesser thans delivering books into the Kentucky mountainside to those also seen as lesser thans, fucntioning in the midst of a society which insisted on upholding a society of lesser thans so that the ones with power might be seen as greater.
Into this comes an unassuming but driven and intelligent young woman and her mule, someone who comes face to face with a world telling her that she cannot be any of these things because of her gender and the color of her skin. It’s a reminder that sometimes even one person can take on the world, and where there is a willing one, pull back the curtain you’ll find the many.
Been thinking more about the film, The Book of Clarence, a film that has really been sticking with me this year, and which has a real, thematic interest in the resurrection.
The journey that the film goes on wonders about how it is that a conviction in the truth of the resurrection might reshape the questions Clarence faces in the film regarding the existence of God in the face of so much wrong in the world. If he begins with a very real articulation of the things he rejects- an idea formed from his experiences and observations about the world, in a very real way, this film wants to push further and ask how this fits with the idea of the Gospel that we find in Jesus. It is only in choosing to approach the things that his experiences and doubts have led him to reject, that his struggles are able to be reframed and challenged. It is within this tension that he finds a way forward back into the world with a fresh perspective on his struggles.
More importantly, the film explores how, and where, we might find the necessary hope to motivate us in the midst of our struggles, at least in ways that keep our questions and our problems from spiralling us into apathy. This brings to mind for me another film from 2024, One Life with Anthony Hopkins. In this film his character is forced to confront a powerful and operative tension, one that challenges his ability and even his desire/motivation to attend to the things that he sees as wrong, which for him is the Holocaust. There is a moment in the film where he wonders about whether the differences he is trying to make matter when it is nowhere near enough. It is a tension that comes with an impossible absence of resolve, one that genuinely challenges ones sense of hope.
I have been wondering today if this is not what the resurrection story is acrually interested in. Whatever our questions and struggles might be, they begin with our experiences of the darkness. For those in the Gospels, those struggles and questions ultimately echoe in the reality of an empty tomb. Those who are present do not know how to reconcile this darkness with the hope this proclaims and represents in the face of their quesions and struggles, and it leads to competing emotions. As my pastor noted this morning, in Mark it says they fled this space with a mix of trembling and astonishment. In Matthew it cites fear and great joy. In Luke we find unbelief and marvel.
What’s interesting is how, in all these cases, we as readers are presented with an invitation to simply come and see, an invitation that flows equally out to those who believed and those who didn’t, all sharing the same space together. It’s an invitation to bring our questions forward and to take a step in the direction of the thing that pushes back against, and even fuels the sentiments of our own doubts, struggles and resistance. What the Gospel writers all imagine is that it is only here in this space that our struggles and resistance can truly be challenged and reshaped into better questions.
And here is the kicker. In the Gospels, what they find at the empty tomb is an invitation to go back into the world from which our questions were birthed, not with certainty but with fresh conviction. It is, for the Gospel writers, an uncertain world and an uncertain conviction that comes with mixed and seemingly opposed emotions and sentiments that shapes the nature of their message, and yet the promise of the resurrection is that when we live this uncertainty in the light of Jesus, it gives us a new lens through which to see the world, and that by living and acting in this world we can find the transformation we so desperately seek. A transformation that begins with a transformed hope.
For Clarence, it just might be the willingness to go to that empty tomb, to look and see and confront it, that offers him a way forward. This is the same invitation given to the disciples. It is the same invitation given to us today.
Coming into 2024, I wondered about three things- how an over abundance of sequels would be recieved, how we would navigate a reigning culture of cynicism, and the impact of balancing a still uncertain release schedule due to the strike,
The first quarter would suggest that sequels have fared well, originals have succumbed to the reigning cynicism, and the schedule has begun to steady with the present agreement found between the parties involved in the strike. If bigger profile original films like The Beekeeper, Argyle, Imaginary, Night Swim, and Madame Web, have all been met with an unusual and largely illogical level of ire, which has saturated the media with never ending headlines of box office woes, smaller indies like Lisa Frankenstien, Drive Away Dolls, Suze, Problemista, The Book of Clarence, Extraordinary Angels, Love Lies Bleeding, King Arthur, One Life and The American Society of Magical Negroes have also labored under the residual apathy of the persistent attacks on the higher profile players, Proving that the old adage “if the movie is good, people will come” doesn’t hold a lot of weight these days.
It would be equally true to say that streaming hasn’t been faring much better. Along with a notable drop in output across the streamers, a handful of the most prominent titles, like Sandler’s Spaceman, Ricky Stanicky, and the rom-com Upgraded, have faded from the cultural conversation and memory long before they ever took hold.
In what was perhaps predictably prophetic, many pundits expected a film year relatively absent of big ticket event films to get its first real boost with Dune 2, which proved to be correct. The numbers for the delayed but still highly anticipated sequel to the extremely successful part 1 has set records and surpassed expectations, even doing the seemingly impossible and getting the younger demographic back to the theater. Following on its heels is another sequel, the 4th installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, which is also setting arecordof its own as the highest grossing entry on rotten tomatoes and nearing records with its box office tally. As the first quarter comes to a close, it is yet another two sequels leading the way, the sequel to Ghostbusters Afterlife, which opened to better than expected numbers, albeit with a much higher price tag to recoup, and a week later, the latest American made addition to the Kong/Godzilla monsteverse. One could argue this is the opposite of counter programming. In comes the expanded release of Late Night With the Devil to try and save the day.
There are a handful of outliers here- the musical biopic One Love, which represents the only modest hit out of the first quarters slate of originals, and the horror flick from neon, Immaculate, which, although it barely made money, still managed to stand out for being Neons highest grossing opening of all time.
So where does this all leave me with the year thus far? Somewhat validated, a bit puzzled, and a little bit surprised, I have no problem with films like Dune 2 carrying the box office (it is in my current top 12), but I do get worried about a theatrical landscape that is dependent on it. It works if and when smaller original projects can share space and find modest success as well. It is these films, good films as well, that continue to struggle. If there is a silver lining, and this will depend on how you view this, the general support for sequels thus far does bode well for the remainder of a year that is saturated with them. Even if you loathe this fact as being representative of the dire state of things, spreading the wealth means more freedom for theaters to invest in those smaller and mid budget projects and originals. However, the prevailing cynicism needs to recognize that, even if an original isn’t your favorite film, their success is vital to the bigger picture. The level of negativity that I’ve seen being lobbied at the recent slate of originals, in my opinion, far surpasses any possible legitimate criticism of the films. Films that could have found an audience if more people had simply seen them. It seems to indicate what I had been sensing from the galleys coming into this year, something that appears to be taking on a life all its own.
If this all sounds like a dire state of affairs, it’s worth pointing out that box office isn’t the measure of a films worth, it’s just a measure of an industries state. An industry that desperately needs to reframe and reconsider its measures and expectations. Looking back at the first quarter certainly reflects some extremely strong entries, with a handful of the films on my list standing a good chance of sticking around to the end of the year. But they aren’t being seen. And that remains a significant issue, especially as release patterns remain erratic and largely undefinable.
As an aside, I typically spend my end of the year focusing on shared thematic threads that are sticking out for me and defining my own personal journey with these films. A thread I noticed emerging from the first quarter is a shared interest in exploring those long, complicated and often difficult spaces we occupy between hope and despair, or longing and defeat. Especially as it pertains to seasons or phases of life, including reoccurring themes of immigration and an exploration of how it is that we get to truly know a person.
With that said, here is where I am at the end of the first quarter, including my top 12 films, followed by honorable mentions and a list of films I am looking forward to from the next quarter:
My Top 12 films of 2024 after the first quarter
12. PROBLEMISTA
Impressive for the ways it celebrates the simple virtues of authenticity and creativity. It defies categories, telling its story in a way only it can. It challenges specific social realities, but even more it desires to explore what it means to exist in a world of expectations. To exist is to be known, and to be known is intimately tied to our acts of knowing another. This forms the unexpected emotional current running underneath the the films creative voice. A strong indie and a memorable debut.
11, THE BOOK OF CLARENCE
What I thought would be a raunchy comedy and religious satire turned out to be a meaningful and reverent exploration of the Gospel story. It’s unconventional, and bound to isolate viewers, but behind that is a beautiful message about the Christian vocation and a powerful portrait of the resurrection hope that frames this.
10. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING
The films visuals and its aesthetic are captivating and mesmerizing, and the vision is clear, carried by an interesting and engrossing lead performance at its center. It validates experiences with anxiety and depression as real, making it an astute and important film for anyone wrestling with these things and anyone who may know someone who is. If the film brings us anywhere in this journey, it is simply to the potential power of being seen and heard, even when believing we are feels impossible.
9, ONE LIFE
Faces one of life’s biggest questions head on- how is it that we find the motivation to do good in this world when doing good doesn’t seem to bring about the change we so desperately need and desire. The thoughts of a man facing the darkness, desperate to be a light, but doing so in the face of a reality that continues to threaten his ability to imagine that light as poignant and real. And if there is one place this tension pushes him, and us as viewers, it is towards the notion of community as the truest expression of that which feels to exist outside of our view. I found this an interesting film to consider alongside The Book of Clarence, as both films wonder in their own way about the narratives we cling to in the face of potential despair. How we lay claim to promise, and where we find that promise, is an important part of the conversation,
8. DUNE 2
I’m not as emotionally tied to the story as I am with LOTR, even though the two films can share a similar ethos as far as epic storytelling with a grand scale goes. But the filmmaker behind this largely visual and technical achievement is one of the best working today, and there is little doubt that he managed to pull off the seemingly impossible, which is bringing this story to life on the big screen. That it lands with what feels to be a timely socio-political message elevates this from respect to relevance.
7. THE TASTE OF THINGS
The beauty of the way the filmmakers shoot this film is that that the the shared focus on the intimacy and the nuances of cooking food, and the equally stated intimacy of its complex human journey are paralleled in such a way that they tell the same story. The richness it finds in the art of creating a meal becomes a window into the richness of creating human relationship. Both ways in which we experience the world, and likewise each other. More so, both ways in which we experience the transcendent.
6. FREMONT
Endearing is the word that stuck with me after my viewing. And perhaps an endearing subtlety to its approach would be even more specific. It’s a character study on one hand, fronted by some natural and accessible performances.
It is also an examination of the challenges of immigration, following, as it does, an Afghan woman finding her way in America. She becomes a window into the larger realities that surround her, something the film accentuates with the use of a romantic black and white aesthetic, and the sights and sounds and music, providing a nice contrast to the weightier stuff of its story. wrapping its sense of urgency around the every day nature of the story’s unfolding. This is a portrait of life, and the urgency exists, for example, in one womans desperate need to obtain a prescription for sleeping pills, not necessarily for grand resolutions to a larger crisis.
5. SUNCOAST
Totally my descriptive, not the films, but dang it if this thing didn’t quietly stake its claim as one of the best “faith” based films I’ve seen in a long while. Raw, vulnerable, uncensored, and real.
A tender hearted coming of age drama that becomes a studied examination of grief and family. Boasts a quiet but confident lead performance that we should still be talking about at the end of the year.
Bring the tissues, cause it will break you.
4. MONSTER
Part of the experience is being drawn into the unknowns and the mysteries of its story as we move past the initial premise of mother and son dealing with problems at school involving a teacher. It is a journey, and part of a process. It’s brilliance is in its story structure, capturing moments that establish patterns. This helps us to understand the importance of gaining different perspectives, by offering us that necessary window into certain elements and ideas as we go along, but then using the notion that other elements remain blurred and out of view to push us towards wanting and needing to know something that we are unable to see ourselves. We need communion and community to interpret life and the people within it, and that’s never easy. Because life and people, indeed ourselves, can be extremely difficult, which is why simple labels and judgments are so enticing. And yet easy answers don’t get us closer to knowing the truth about life and people, or ourselves.
3. THE PROMISED LAND
If nothing else, I would hope this period western helps bolster a case for The Datk Tower adaptation being desperately underrated. As it’s own accomplishment however, The Promised Land is an exceptional film, operating on a whole other level. If it is possible for Mad Mikkelsen to still surprise and catch me off guard, he certainly does that here, delivering an embodied and commanding performance befitting a revenge drama. It also boasts a memorable villain, elevating the drama to a studied and tension filled exploration of its themes. A film rife with real emotional presence befitting the genre.
Essential viewing and exceptional filmmaking.
2. INSIDE THE YELLOW COCOON SHELL
This debut (and yes the fact that this is a debut is astonishing) will challenge even the most patient of viewers- this is slow cinema with a richly drawn contemplative edge- but for those willing to invest it offers a transformative experience that explores the edges of some of life’s biggest questions. The film reaches to uncover an inner longing, that desire to believe, suggesting that such a truth is compelling in it’s own right, even if we aren’t able to fully grasp the thing we long for. It is, nevertheless, the thing that keeps us seeking, the thing that continues to push and pull us forward amidst the ambiguities, or perhaps into the ambiguities.
And if the films title has power, it is precisely because these are the spaces where we are able to be formed and transformed by the unseen realities that run underneath. The spaces where the hidden begins to become visible, where once our eyes glanced over the spaces and details around us, fresh details and awareness begin to emerge. The essence of a spiritual awakening, one not built on certainty but on a willingness to seek that which was always there.
1. PERFECT DAYS
A film that teaches us how to know a person not through the use of speech, but through observation of things like facial expressions, eye movement, physical gestures and tendencies. The more these subtleties cause us to pause and ask why, the more we get to know who the person really is behind the words (or their absence). If you really want to know who the main character is, you need to dig deeper, learn to see the particular things that make his story his and not ours. That’s the essential process the film wants to engage and awaken for us as viewers.
Honorable Mentions:
ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE LIKE SALT
Captures a gentle mix of beauty and horror, life and death. Things that coexist not in balance, but in tension. Anytime we confront moments of tragedy or sorrow in the experiences of our main protagonist, we are called to seek and to hold the quiet moments of contrast. Two kinds of soil, one promising hope, the other seeded with the stuff of sorrow and struggle. “You gotta find the right bank and dig for it. It’s not just any dirt.” A truth that finds its meaning in the water that frames the films reigning imagery of life’s ebb and flow… “it doesn’t end or begin, it just changes form.”
SUZE
This charming, good humored, big hearted drama is definitely worth checking out. It features an unlikely friendship between a middle aged single mother with early menopause and her daughters ex-boyfriend, explored through two likeable performances and a good dose of chemistry.
MARMALADE
It’s a bit uncertain in the early going, but once it gets going it turns into an unexpectedly entertaining film. A hidden gem.
FIRST TIME CALLER
A solid, single location indie that makes the most out of its premise. It’s far fetched, but if you give yourself to it there is a good chance it will manage to suck you in to its tension filled hour and a bit run time. A shock radio internet sensation gets more than he bargains for when he tackles a first time caller, taking him to places he didnt want to go. One might not think one man talking to an unseen caller could make for riveting drama, but there is little question thats exactly what this is.
FILMS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2024
IF: IMAGINARY FRIENDS
Not to be confused with Imaginary, the horror film that released earlier this year, the drawing card for IF is the pairing of Krasinski and Reynolds.
THE BIKERIDERS
This new film by Jeff Nichols has been on many most anticipated lists ever since if debuted on the festival circuit last year. I’m here for it.
GREEN BORDER
I am a big fan of the Directors previous film, Mr. Jones, so another historical drama with a geo-political backdrop has me excited
KINDS OF KINDNESS
Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe. The famed director is typically middling fare for me, but it is never something I don’t at the very least admire and respect.
BACK TO BLACK
I’m not as excited about the Director as I am about the musical biopic. Jury is out on this one, but l am optimistic
KIDNAPPED
A lower profile affair, but I thought The Traitor was an engrossing film, and I think some of the sensibilities in that film lend themselves to a rich examination of the religious backdrop infoming Kidnapped’s story.
THE FALL GUY
The advertising campaign for this blockbuster has been strong, and it being a love letter to an often neglected and ignored aspect of filmmaking (stunt work) makes this a must see.
MONKEY MAN
A few months ago no one knew this film existed. Its sudden emergence has managed to set in play a fever pitch of excitement. Not only was it unknown, but premiers have been winning over audiences left and right. I have no problem letting that guide my anticipation.
CIVIL WAR
If expectations could speak, they would tell the story of Civil War. A film critics had written off and largely mocked based on assumptions and perceptions, now having to be taken seriously after said critics found out that hey, it’s actually pretty dang good. For me, it’s a new film from Garland, so I was here for it from the start.
THE IDEA OF YOU
I’d trust a romantic comedy in the hands of the Director of The Big Sick. As long as I can ignore The Lovebirds,
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
From the Director of Drive My Car comes a new promising drama that feels immersed in its focus on its human subjects and asking big, existential questions. That’s all I need to have this near the top of my to see list
PARACHUTE
I know so little about this, but from the bits and pieces that I do know, this seems like an intriguing project. I’m perhaps mostly intrigued to see the next step in Bautista’s foray into serious drama
A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE
I’m mixed on this one. We are a long ways from the original’s once upon a time promise as a stand alone film. I granted that the sequel came into existence because it felt like a necessary follow up. Here the premise feels like it could be pushing a line into irrelevance. At the same time though, I’m invested, and a part of me is actually curious to get some answers to how this whole thing started.
INSIDE OUT 2
In Pixar I trust. We’re in a day and age though where some of that trust is beginning to wane. If ever there was a reason to be skeptical, it would be the simple existence of a sequel. It’s still a sequel to one of their best films, and it worked for Toy Story. Puberty also seems like the story’s natural progression, and it comes ripe with fresh emotions to draw from, so optimism can reign here,
Film Journal 2024: Perfect Days Directed by Wim Wenders
A film that teaches us how to know a person not through the use of speech, but through observation of things like facial expressions, eye movement, physical gestures and tendencies. The more these subtleties cause us to pause and ask why questions, the more we get to know who the person really is behind the words (or their absence).
The main character is a middle aged man who, by all appearances, enjoys the routine of his life, washing public toilets and engaging the quiet passions that bring him joy, including photographing trees, reading, and listening to music.
We know very little about this man at the start, but as the film progresses we are offered glimpses into the larger picture of his life, allowing us to see that not all is as it seems. Which is why the art of perception, of learning how to observe those subtleties, is so important.
As the pieces come together, we begin to see an individual at peace with his silence and isolation, but who also struggles with a sense of loneliness. There are random objects that come into play over the course of the film as well that seem to tie us in one way or another to his past. Another reason to stay attentive, lest we miss the cues that can help us get to know this person more fully and completely. Something the filmmaker takes very seriously in terms of the craft as well.
One of the reasons this film works ss well as it does is, I think it is easy to connect with the stuff that defines his life. Things like routine and hobbies are common to us all. He has his favorite spots to hang out, his favorite spots to go and eat. He has work relationships, relationships outside of work, all of which fulfill a role and frame a specific space for him in their own way. And yet, for as familiar and “regular” as he is, a big part of what this film wants to say is, if you really want to know who he is, you need to dig deeper, learn to see the particular things that make his story his and not ours. And part of that seems to be an expressed longing, if we are paying attention, for connection. Once we see that, then we it becomes easy to ask why and how his past fits into this. Which is the true beauty of this film as a story.
Reading Journal 2024: Where Butterflies Wander Author: Suzanne Redfearn
The book does stumble a bit in the middle, especially where the back and forth nature of the drama starts to get drawn out and repetitive. But it is also bolstered by a strong premise and a really riveting first quarter. Even where it stumbles, there are more than enough stellar moments and sequences to keep the plot invested and interesting and me, as a reader, immersed.
The film is ultimately about money. Or the question, can money buy happiness. Which sounds cliche of course, but the question emerges from a tangible and practical scenario, giving it some real world substance. Pressing in on this question is a subsequent theme of grief, established in the opening chapter of the book. Thus, a big portion of this money question gets reframed around the question of, can we still be happy when the muck of life presses in on our well-made and tightly controlled plans and accomplishments? What happens when the muck gets tied to difficult, life defining things like failure, responsibility, forgivness, regret. Perhaps it is in the muck of life that the greatest lessons about happiness emerge. Perhaps our conceptions of, or pursuit of, happiness need to be dismantled first before the true desires of our hearts can be made known..
The book is structured around a handful of characters, each chapter speaking from an individual perspective. Most of these characters are of one family, with a few external voices speaking into the mix. Often the chapters will replay a scene from a different vantage point, filling in the gaps and progressing the story. Its an effective device here, and it fits well with the books breezy approach- short chapters, easy prose, and a consistant pace.
I did ultimately file this under the good not great category, but that doesn’t, or shouldn’t, steal anything from my enjoyment of the story. I was hooked by the first quarter, enough to be committed to the rest no matter what. But ts a story that I found myself easily returning to and wanting to finish in the end. Even offering some memorable moments to reflect on along the way.
The very definitiion of a literary blockbuster. An understatement to say it was impossible to put down. The way the chapteres kept adding to the tension and ending with a cliff-hanger. There were a few times when I asked if it could give me even just a short breather. A chance to say, for a moment, this is a good and safe place to set this down.
Of course, blockbusters aren’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, so just know what you’re getting into. It has substance, enough to even bolster genuine discussion questions for reading groups at the end, but it is designed to entertain.
I purchased his newest one (Drowning), a follow up book that is also set on a plane. So the good news is, there is more entertainment to come. That’s good, because I’m still feeling the rush of this last one
Reading Journal 2024: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store Author: James McBride
There is some payoff in the end, to be sure, but I’m still mulling over whether this is actually able to overcome what were some very real obstacles for me. The writing itself is strong of course, and the book’s premise is alluring. I found the opening chapters to actually encroach on degress of brilliance.
My issues essentially revolve around the sprawling nature of the story. It devotes a lot of time to building out this world, and it takes a while for any notable trajectory to become clear. On top of this there are so many characters it is often difficult to keep track of, even spiralling into places of genuine confusion. The simple construct of the book’s opening chapters, nestling us into the basic mystery concerning the discovery of skeleton bones before rewinding us to the beginning (1920’s America) where we are introduced to two main characters (a Jewish husband and wife), the birth of a town, the Heaven and Earth grocery store that sits at the center of our couple’s story, and the main tension that pulls them forward (the Jewish couple’s interest in a young, disabled black boy being targeted by the law).
Where the payoff comes is in the larger thematic interests of the book. We could say love is its primary interest, or the power of love within community. So much of this book is built on fleshing out that community and exploring the different relationships that hold it together in the midst of larger systemic and oppressive realities. The notion of the Heaven and the Earth grocery store is meant to evoke this space where two competing ideas collide We get the horrific and the sacred, the good and the bad, the tragic and the beauty. One aspect that the author really nails is finding in that an opportunity to infuse the horrific with a sense of humor, giving us as readers permission to laugh in the midst of otherwise deeply uncomfortable realities. The laughter comes as the book prods us towards a greater awarness of the tragedy, opening the door for the journey to also enlighten us about the presence of beauty and joy that runs underneath.
This is the stuff that feels and seems clear. I am just not convinced the story itself is coherent and disciplined enough to support it. They felt a bit disconnected, like the ideas themselves exist apart from the world the author is fleshing out. It is possible that this is a very particular kind of read that needs the right time, space and place to fully immerse ones self in it. I had this tiny feeling early on that I dove into this one at the wrong time, which, for a book like this could easily derail the experience. As it stands though, I remained underwhelmed by this one given what it at least appears to promise in the early going.
Film Journal 2024: Cabrini Directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde
The film dedintiely has its issues- it’s far too long given the material it is working with, and this is made more aware by some poor editing choices, both of which challenge the story structure and prolonge the conflict past its effectiveness on a narrative level.
The film is also marred, in my opinion, by the studios decision to submit it to its now notorious pay it forward ticket campaign, popularized by the studio’s release of the controversial Sound of Freedom. If it felt misplaced and agendified with Sound of Freedom, here it just feels entirely out of sync with the subject matter (a story about a genuine Saint who made a real difference in social and political matters in a hands on way). Even if it isn’t true, the whole pay it forward campaign creates the perception that the good is in buying a ticket and watching a movie made by this studio and by this Director. Which of course diminishes the role of art and the Christian vocation.
The story itself though is compelling, even if it ultimately becomes a means of doubling down on the American context of its venerable Saint (her work was global, and her work was technically as an Italian). And that real life story feels authentic in its telling, aided at least in part by a figure who lacked controversy. There are some inspired moments, especially when it came to her visionary approach to turning buildings and spaces into opportunities, and I thought the performances were all decent to good, even if the script keeps some of the depth buried beneath the surface. I definitely didn’t hate or begrudge it, and I even found myself inspired by portions of it.
What remains strange to me, just to add this in, is that given the clear marketing campaign that attaches this film to Sound of Freedom, the nature of this film, thematically speaking and as a message, seems to me to be one that the target audience of Sound of Freedom would actively resist and attach to the “liberal Hollywood” they are trying to counter. A film that celebrates immigration and immigrants along with shedding light on the problem of gender inequality is typically on the list of things that the target audience believes liberal hollywood is corrupting us with. I have no idea if this will prove true, but something in me says that the whole pay it forward thing will backfire in this case, as I just can’t see it being embraced in the same way.
I myself would recommend the film though. Its not great, but I think it has enough there to make it worth checking out.
Film Journal 2024: Imaginary Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Imaginary offers some nice surprises in what is ultimately an uneven effort. Top of the list being just how straight up horror this thing was. And I was here for it, including a handful of legitimate jump scares.
The potential was there to hit a home run in terms of the active metaphor, and I do wish it had been slightly stronger on a thematic front. The film does tend to digress into exposition in the latter half, feeling the need to rush to catch up its story, which contrasts with the slower build of the first. There was probably room to simplify things, but then again, the craziness of the plot is part of the fun.
A couple of the characters are little more than archetypal fillers (the father and the older sister), remaining mostly one note and forgettable, but I thought the step-mother and younger sister did a decent enough job of carrying the weight of the story despite a lack of strong dialogue to work with.
There is some nice set design too, especially due to the world building, and some camera tricks that make this worth a rewatch given where the story goes. There’s nothing too revolutionary or crazy here, but it has the flavor of a film that is free to be a but unhinged and do it’s own thing. Which makes it an intriguing, if imperfect, effort at the very least.
Film Journal 2024: The American Society of Magical Negroes Directed by Kobi Libii
A complicated film to consider and analyze for sure. Not because the material is overly complicated,.but because of how it approaches the satire that informs its working premise (A society where the magical part of the equation is literalized and imagined as a working part of society at large, wherein members of this society function as a magical negroe tasked with ensuring white people are happy. As the mantra goes, happy white people means a safer world for persons of color).
The film functions as an academic treatise on one hand, exploring larger social and systemic realities relating to racial issues. At the same time it wants to be a straight forward rom-com. These two elements end up competing with one another, leaving both somewhat underdeveloped and lacking that needed extra punch that could have take the film to another level.
This only becomes more aware in the films final 30 minutes as things start to come together and reach its climatic moment. There are aspects of the ending that get applied retroactively, which is intended to give the film a more cohesive feel than I think it ultimately earns.
On a lesser level though, there are elements and portions of the film that are intriguing, engaging, fun, dynamic, and inventive. The blend of the fantastical with reality works on a visual level, and the chemistry between the different performances are decent to good. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this film go up a grade when I get a chance to revisit it, and it left me wanting to do precisely that. I think it leaves plenty of space to consider its apparent weaknesses more as intentional choices, which to me means there is opportunity to meet this film again on its terms, now that I know the bigger picture.
A solid, if imperfect debut overall that had the potential to be more.
The Stories of my Life 