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Reviews
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
manchester by the sea's raw portrait of grief
I'll start by stating the obvious: both supporting actors (Williams and Hedges) give stunning performances, but ultimately Affleck's performance and Lonergan's direction is what makes this heart wrenching story feel so painfully real.
The realism of Manchester by the Sea's depiction of loss is driven by subtlety. It's not about the dramatic death bed scene or over the top monologues. Many of the most emotionally raw moments are played in wide shot, our out-of-ear shot, in order to be defamiliarized to the audience and create the sense of alienation that comes with grief. We experience Lee's grief through the veil of fatigue that ultimately controls his life and makes it impossible for him to see the world beyond himself.
The scene in which Randi and Lee come across each other on the street is one of the most beautifully written in film. Two people who have gone through the same tragedy, both desperately want to reconnect because they are the only two people who share the intimacy of fully understanding each other's brokenness. But they can't even make eye contact because they see their pain mirrored in each other. Randi (Williams) tells Lee (Affleck) "you can't just die". And this is where the brilliance of Lonergan's directing truly shines. Instead of the expected cliché over the top dialogue, Lonergan uses Lee's guarded posture and dismissive words, in order to convey the way in which he feels that he owes it to her and to his children to never let himself "live" again. Affleck's character will forever feel like he doesn't deserve that second chance at life no matter how bad she might want that for him.
While most films about grief are driven by melodrama and manipulation, Manchester by the Sea is a perfect portrait of grief. In the sense that grief isn't about the big dramatic scenes, it's about the day to day moments. It's about the waves. It's about your body simply existing in the present but your mind living in the past. And that's why Lonergan's use of flashbacks is so flawless. Lonergan understands we don't need a time stamp or an explanation because these are simply the places Lee's mind travels back to during the empty life he's now burdened to live.
Lost in Translation (2003)
the beauty of lost in translation
Lost in translation - to me is about the fragile connection between two souls. It's about observing the alienation mirrored throughout the mundane events in the lives of these two characters.
This movie isn't a love story and i don't think bob and charlotte were soulmates. I just think they're two lost souls in a foreign city who in a simple moment, forged a real intimate connection with each other. They simply were both in a time of their lives where they needed a friend. And these two strangers were able to find comfort in one another, not because they're in love but because they somehow have a mutual understanding of what it feels like to be in a room full of people and still feel alone. Alone and disconnected.
They could sense each other's vulnerability and were able to open up to each other. They only know the present version of each other and sometimes that connection with a stranger can be just as intimate because a stranger doesn't need the details, they just listen.
In a way, this movie feels so real and familiar. Everyone's had a time in their life when they've felt isolated from everything and everyone around them. A time in your life where you feel stuck and like you're just existing. And sometimes in those vulnerable moments of your life you doubt that there is another soul in the world who understands the way you feel. And that's why bob and charlotte's connection wasn't sappy or romantic, yet still so real.
Flashpoint (2008)
so underrated
I really wish more people knew about this show: it is so incredibly brilliant, even the acting is top of the line, and not just for canadian tv. this show has heart and portrays a much more accurate version of the trauma cops go through rather then just "boom boom bang bang"! each character has a purpose, and their connection built through the moments of vulnerability are evident.
Mean Girls (2004)
overrated
This movie is so painfully overrated... i mean regina george is the only slightly interesting part... the main character is just mind numbingly boring and everything else is just so incredibly shallow and dull. i mean come on why watch this... when you can watch way superior teen films like clueless or the breakfast club?
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
wannabe friends
I'm sorry but let's just face the facts... this show tried to be "friends" sooo hard and could never even kinda succeed.