Can You Ever Forgive Me

Some movies speak closer to our hearts than others, and sometimes we can't even explain why. Can You Ever Forgive Me tells the true story of Lee Israel, a broke writer, who cames up with a recipe to make some money. Back in the 90's, she ghost-writes and sells about 400 letters from famous people as authentic. Using her writing skills and professional knowledge as a biographer, she manages to create unprecedent and juicy collector material. Problem is, not only this is a crime - and eventually she and her flamboyant friend Jack, will get caught - but she can't open up and write about herself as she does about others, what turns to make her a very lonely, depressive and bitter character. Even so, she is someone we can feel deep sympathy for and vibrate during the entire movie.

Mellisa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant are both fabulous, as this uncanny gay couple, who drinks together, eats together, laughs (maybe one more than the other) together, schemes together, and even live together, but are unable, to fix their romantic life, or even just life per se.

Not only the movie was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, as received Oscars nominations for the performances of McCarthy and Grant. Now, after watching it, I can understand why it was expected also, to be the 9th or the 10th contender for the Best Movie nomination. It didn't make it there, but it made it right through my heart, making me whimp, sigh, smile and even cry, with this rich story and rich human beings. Right and wrong are sometimes conflictive forces in our minds, but more important than figuring that out, is to seek the joy of being alive.

This is one of the best movies made in 2018. 

Boy Erased

"Fake it until you make it" is one of  the main quotes of this movie. The other is "but we are a normal family" said by the incredible (sometimes I forget myself how talented) Nicole Kidman. This was supposed to be a "normal" family until the only son of a baptist preacher opens up to his parents, revealing he is not as "normal" as they wished for. Just like The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Boy Erased is a movie about a gay teenager sent to a religious conversion centre, as part of a solution to achieve averegeness. It is also a movie about family ties, about growing up and discovering who you are or who do you want to be. More than anything it is a movie about love above guilt, and forgiveness over fear. It is intimidating, heart-breaking, but very much necessary. 

The movie is based on the memoirs written by Garrard Conley, a lawyer and activist, who fights for LGBT righs, specially for those who are living the same he did some years ago. Even though the action was 20 years ago, the most shocking about this movie, is learning that nowadays, conversion centers are still legal and still "a thing" for minors in 37 states of the US, and many countries all over the world. And it is why this movie and The Miseducation of Cameron Post are so important. 

Last but not least this is another one remembering us that "normal" doesn't exist, mainly when you'd rather be extraordinay. 

Mnbiki Kazoku (Shoplifters)

It's been a while since I last saw a Japanese movie... While studying I fell in love with Japanese cinema and after seeing Shoplifters yesterday, I could remember myself why. The movie is so rich in life lessons and subtile but dense emotions that we take home, that I needed a day to let it grow inside me, and understand a little bit better all the important messages that I got. Still, I feel like I could watch it a hundred times, and always learn something new. 

This movie, that won the Palme d'Or in Cannes, the supreme award, tells the story of an uncommon family, from the perspective of each one of the six members, from an ancient and wise grandmother to an innocent and hurt small child. But most important of all, Shoplifters show us that love doesn't come by blood, love comes from our choices in life, whether they are society pleasers or not, and from the people we choose to grow, live and die with. 

Shoplifters is nominated for an Oscar for best foreign movie, and I have no doubts it is one of the best movies of the year, if not one of the most beautiful I have seen lately. 

Oscars 2019: expectations and surprises!

What I missed the most in these noms is Timothée Chamalet for best supporting actor and If Beale Street Could Talk for best movie. But Timothee was like: What?!? I even believed he could win the Oscar. When I saw the movie, people were crying, some had to leave the theatre, and that was because of Timothees performance, it is so strong, made my stomach hurt. I even expected a best adapted screenplay nod for Beautiful Boy.

I was happy though that The Ballad of Buster Sruggs did it. I think it’s a really underrated movie (Netflix effect) because it’s so daring of Coen Bros to do a movie like this, they deserve. And I bet for the music too, glad it make it!

Not enjoying ASIB and thinking that Bradley Cooper had the oscars in mind the whole time (and maybe that’s why the plot could be so much deeper and better), I believe the director members were really snob, because I think he deserved a nomination for the effort, and what an effort. On the other hand, I’m glad that Cold War that was in the shadow of Roma this year, gets someting big like a best director nod.

Finally I am very happy for all the Roma noms, including acting because they do deserve, but I don’t understand not being nominated in editing. It’s a huge contradiction. A huge part of the Roma charm is the way it’s edited, I think this can be a an effect of the preferencial voting, don’t know.

I think Roma can be the first foreign of 11 movies nominated for both best movie categories to win best feature. Now, I am more sure of that. And If I saw Green Book as the opponent, now I see The Favourite, that it is not all a favourite of mine.

The game is ON!

BlackKklansman

Green Book

Lizzie

A Quiet Place

#BestActor

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Wildlife

Wildlife is the first feature by the actor Paul Dano, written also by him and his parter, the actress Zoe Kazan. The movie portrays a family falling apart in the 50's, seen mostly by the eyes of the teenage boy and only son, Ed Oxenbould. When the father, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, decides to take a job away fighting the wildfires, the mother, played by Carey Mulligan starts having an erratic and awkward behaviour, confusing the boy that is the main whiteness of this family feud. 

Most of time, the movie is uncomfortable and intimidating to the viewer, who feels trapped in the odd intimacy of whats happening in the screen. Carey Mulligan is for sure the one to blame, once she has one spetacular performance, in my opinion the best yet of her career, what makes me think she can be nominated for an Oscar for the second time. Despite this movie being underrated, (it premiered more than one year ago, which doesn't help), I think it is one to not be forgotten, as a really good first work from Dano, and great performances from the entire cast. Last but not least, it has a beautiful and touching cinematography and sound score, that takes us directly to the 50's and to the wildlife of this small but powerful family. 

The Favourite

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Whitney

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Hereditary

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First Reformed

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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

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Colette

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Roma

Let me first tell you something about Roma. Alfonso Cúaron wrote, produced, directed, edited and photographed the movie. One man show! Inspired in his childhood, this is the best movie I saw this year and most likely, the one that is going for the first time, to win an Oscar for best movie feature having a foreign language. 10 movies with foreign languages were nominated to best feature in the history of Oscars, I am pretty sure Roma will be the 11st.

I don't want to say much about Roma because I feel like I'm going to spoil it for you. I didn't know a thing about the storyline when I started watching it. But I can and must say this movie is a piece of art, with perfect plans, B&W touching cinematography, great acting, incredible sound editing and original screenplay. The realism and the long takes reminded me of Fellini and Antonioni, and after 10 minutes of screening I thought to myself: ok we have something special here! It feels like entering in a dream state, and the entire time I wished I had a notebook with me to take notes. This is a film that made me feel like studying it, dive depeer, understand each symbol (and there are so many), write an essay about it... And this happens very little times to me nowadays.

It is a movie many people won't like for having a slow pace and being artsy, but damn... What a cinematic experience. It is for movies like this that I love cinema so much. Movies that make you feel emotions you didn't even knew you had. Visual poetry in each take. Dream state from a screen. Well done Cuarón. You touched the stars with this one. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Flower

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Crazy Rich Asians

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The Miseducation of Cameron Post

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Beautiful Boy

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Bohemian Rapsody

*Freddie not Freddy, I was still on my feeling when I wrote it!