Figuring Out How to Survive in "Palm Springs"

Hi team!

I am so excited to talk to you about "Palm Springs" (2020)!

I'm not going to tiptoe around my opinion of this movie: Oh God I loved it. 

Here's what I am going to tiptoe around: Basically anything that gives away what the movie is about.

I had the all-too-rare experience of going into "Palm Springs" with literally no information about it.  That is extremely fortuitous, as this is a film that uniquely benefits from that ignorance.  So, if you aren't already aware of this movie and are down to acquire no further knowledge about it before diving in, I strongly encourage you to do exactly that.

While preserving overall ignorance of the story told by "Palm Springs", allow me to assure you that it contains the following things:

• Excellent, nuanced, highly watchable performances by Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons.  Milioti is the standout in this crowd, and she is a damned delight.

• Genuinely funny and creative moments of humor.

• A whip-smart script.

• Moments of wonder and lovely emotional depth.

• A skillful, inventive, and highly entertaining evasion of what could easily have become a stifling Gilligan's Island problem.  And you know I love that!

• Relatedly: a surprisingly prescient, prescriptive, and ultimately empowering narrative for precisely this era.  

I haven't felt so inspired and excited about a movie like this in a while.  It therefore comes as no surprise that I gave "Palm Springs" a 5.

It's streamable now on Hulu.  Go watch it!

{Heart}

The Lovely "Mother of George"

Heyo,

I would like to talk about "Mother of George" (2013).

"Mother of George" stars Danai Gurira as Adenike, a Nigerian newlywed living in New York City hoping to conceive her first child.  It is in many ways a contemplative and ephemeral-feeling movie, moving between vibrant and lush close-ups that most leave the viewer with a vivid sense of the light and rich color of the different spaces the characters inhabit.

This is the direct result of the cinematographical choices made in "Mother of George," which make for some of the most remarkable aspects of this film.  It's almost as if the camera is being held by a child not yet tall enough to reach characters' faces, so they are often not fully shown.  This choice makes "Mother of George" at once deeply physically intimate--we are so close to the characters, it's as if we are sitting next to them at their kitchen table or on their knee--while also making the audience focus intently on what the characters are saying, since we can't see their faces to read their lips or facial expressions.  It's almost as if the child Adenike and her husband Ayodele (played with a wonderful balance of austerity and sincerity by Isaach De Bankolé) so long for is already here in the movie, even though we are unable to see them; instead, we are that child, watching the story of our own creation.

The other remarkable aspect of "Mother of George" is, of course, the peak it provides into the lived experience of Nigerian immigrants in the United States in the midst of a profound turning point in their lives.  American audiences might not otherwise be able to see this story, or may not even think to seek it out.

Honestly, it's maybe because of the seeming rarity of this opportunity that the narrative of "Mother of George" is particularly riveting and heart-rending; we are being invited into some of the most personal moments imaginable in these characters' lives.  Being given this rare invitation, as the cinematography reminds us, it is imperative that we watch and listen closely.  Adenike's loneliness and vulnerability, as well as the pressure exerted on her from all sides, are palpable as she navigates her struggle to conceive.  These forces lead her to make choices that might be difficult to imagine or understand, but here, we have a precious opportunity to try.

I gave "Mother of George" a 4.5.

{Heart}

A "Eurovision" of a Perfectly Fine Diversion

Greetings!

Let's talk about "Eurovision" (2020), which I literally only just learned as I type this is actually titled "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga".

So first things first: no, this movie is not good.  Did you expect it to be good?  If so... how?

I mean of course it's not?

It's formulaic AF, it's cheesy, and it's very likely problematic and/or inaccurate in ways I may not be fully appreciating or catching--not least of which because of its teasing of Icelandic culture with no Icelandic actors in the major roles.  (Although there are several in the supporting cast, and the soundtrack features gorgeous Icelandic music.).  As far as I can tell, this is basically the adult version of "Trolls World Tour" (2020).  It's also two hours long, which is totally unnecessary for a silly and predictable comedy.  But like... this is a mid-late career Will Ferrell movie.  What do you want?

All that said, "Eurovision" (refusing to type out that full title more than once) is, honestly, perfectly fine.  It's got some decently funny moments, including some charmingly good-sport-y cameos from Demi Lovato and some well-deserved hostility for American tourists.  Some of the usual absurdist dialogue that is a staple in Ferrell's movies actually lands well.  Rachel McAdams does a solidly decent job as the counterpoint to Will Ferrell's usual Will Ferrell (but with an accent!).  That guy from "Downton Abbey" is in it!  The footage of Iceland and Scotland is absolutely beautiful, providing a nice visual vacation.  There's even a gesture at criticizing Russia's vicious persecution of gay people.

And while throughout the movie everyone is auto-tuned to death and back to life again, the "song-a-long" medley of Cher, Madonna, and ABBA near the film's midpoint, including a cameo from actual Eurovision contestant Conchita Wurst (and possibly other actual contestants I just didn't recognize?), is so exuberantly fun and over-the-top that it is genuinely, transportingly, entrancingly delightful.

As for the rest of the music in the film: you know what?  I didn't hate it.  I wouldn't choose it either, but like the rest of the film, it was fine.  It also fit the premise, since as far as I can tell, the actual Eurovision is a sensation of brightly-lit and tackily huge theatrics and epic ballads.  In other words, it's a thoroughly indulgent diversion.  Don't we need a bit of that?

I gave the movie a 2.

{Heart}

Mourning and Celebrating "The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson"

Hey everyone,

At the literal 11th hour as Pride month comes to a close, I want to talk about "The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson" (2017).

The documentary introduces us to Marsha P. Johnson, a major player in the movement for LGBT rights including in the Stonewall uprising, by way of the ongoing investigation into her death.  Officially ruled a suicide, the highly suspicious circumstances of Marsha's death appropriately lead LGBT activist Victoria Cruz to tirelessly investigate her likely murder even on the precipice of her retirement.

At its heart, this film uplifts the anguish and struggle of trans activists for equal respect, rights, and voice within the movement for LGBT rights.  Even as they played a major--at times central--role in securing rights for other sexual minorities, trans people often found themselves overlooked or spurned by the movement whose success they were instrumental in.  The movie also highlights the loving and strong community trans activists like Marsha provided for each other during an extraordinarily treacherous period in LGBT history.  Despite being driven to the margins of society, trans activists like Marsha built celebratory and unapologetic lives for themselves and their compatriots, all in the hopes the future could be better.

The lingering emotional impact of the film are the simultaneous notes of Marsha's huge, bright, gregarious personality and the heartache of her tragic and senseless death.  Through the tragedy and sadness, her broad smile, her bold style, her courageous and ferocious agitation for a better world are nevertheless what shine brightest.

I gave this movie a 4.

{Heart}

Black Films Matter

Hi team,

At this moment, white people have a valuable opportunity to think about the stand they want to take in the urgent need to advocate for Black lives.  A lot of people are wondering how to turn their good-intentioned urge to support the Black Lives Matter movement into action.

There are, of course, ongoing demonstrations, where showing up as a white ally is deeply needed (and needs to be done right).

For those who are not able to attend demonstrations, there are many other ways to support the push for justice, equity, safety, and dignity for Black people in America, like donating to relevant Black-led organizations, contacting elected officials to advocate for anti-racist policies, supporting Black-owned businesses, finding and sharing anti-racist resources online for would-be allies to use, and having anti-racist conversations with other white people (so Black people don't have to do so much of the massive and depleting emotional labor to educate white people on subjects much more painful and high-stakes to Black people than they are to white people).  We can also express our love and support for our Black family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors, knowing that this is yet another ugly, terrifying, and exhausting era for them.

While this public and interpersonal work is a major part of showing up as an ally, ongoing self-education and self-examination are necessary and often overlooked aspects of the anti-racist allyship process.  We must constantly be working on ourselves so we can be better instruments of justice and support.

So often, the self-study required of white allies is described as a difficult, painful, and anxiety-inducing process.  Too little is said about what a joyful and purpose-driven process it actually is.  If our hearts are set firmly in the knowledge that Black lives are precious and that this work is urgently needed of us, that by working on ourselves we are working to build a more just and equitable world for our Black neighbors and for us, then why wouldn't this process bring us joy?  With each incremental discovery and dismantling of our internalized racism, we are working to destroy the structures of oppression in greater society.  With each new thing we learn about lived experiences we have not had, we draw ourselves closer to all humanity.  This is beautiful, exhilarating work!

One of the many manifestations of that joy is in watching films made by and about Black people.

Aspiring white allies, can you name five films you've watched whose casts are majority Black people?  Five movies you've seen created by Black directors?  Perhaps most importantly, what proportion of the films you watch are Black-created and -influenced movies: featuring Black characters and narratives, not centering primarily or only white people?

This is just one tiny way we can invite Black people into our lives and not ask anything of them in return.  We must find ways to do this--and certainly not only request their presence when we're having a Big Serious Conversation about racism.  By actively cultivating loving and respectful curiosity about the lived experience of Black people, we are ever more empowered to fight to engage in anti-racism.  We are more informed, more empathic, and more connected to the lives that we know matter.

With that in mind, I'd love to offer some of my favorite Black-created and -influenced films that I've written about in the last few years:

Fiction/Non-Documentary:
Black Panther (2018)
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Get Out (2017)
Moonlight (2016)
Selma (2014)
For Colored Girls (2010)
Do the Right Thing (1989)

Documentary:
Decade of Fire (2019)
Step (2017)
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
12 O'Clock Boys (2013)

I'm also excited to share some excellent compilations of movies created by Black people, as I'm looking forward to watching a lot of these suggestions:

THE 100 BEST BLACK MOVIES OF THE 21ST CENTURY (Rotten Tomatoes)
The Best Black Movies of the Last 30 Years (Complex)
Great Movies by Black American Directors (New York Times)
48 Black Movies on Netflix That You'll Want to Watch on Repeat (O Magazine)

Solidarity in this joyful, urgent, beautiful struggle!

{Heart}