Amy Wren Watched What? December 2-8
No trips to the theater this week, but Amy still watched a bunch of films. Check out what she watched in the latest edition of "Amy Wren Watched What?"
Every week I share some quick thoughts on four movies I watched that week. So here it is for the first full week of December:
Happy Christmas (2014) - Directed by Joe Swanberg
This is a fine little mumblecore movie that features Melanie Lynskey giving one of a subtle yet perfect performance. It also has Anna Kendrick being an insufferable mess that I still like a lot. Oh, and one fucking charismatic baby! Seriously, if you've watched this, you get it.
Lena Dunham was also present.
Local Hero (1983) - Directed by Bill Forsyth
Can't say I'd have ever watched this if it wasn't for Cora. I would missed out on a charming movie starring Peter Reigert (you've seen him in something before I'm sure), the guy who was Wedge Antilles in Star Wars, a really young looking Peter Capaldi, and Burt Lancaster. It's about an American oil man falls in love with the little Scottish beachside town he is tasked to buy out, but comes to love it. A pretty common type of story, for sure. However, what makes this one feel different is how honestly written the townsfolk are. They don’t hate their town, but they also know that money they’d get to sell is a big break when they are struggling to make ends meet. The result is that the guy who wanted to buy it comes more reluctant, while the town keeps trying to make sure the deal gets done. And that's before a whole thing with the ownership of the beach, the whole reason why this town was chosen, complicates matters. Oh, and there's also a marine scientist who might be a selkie, on top of everything else?
Two Days, One Night (2014) - Directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
The nature of late stage capitalism creates a situation where we're often forced against our neighbors and co-workers by those with the money and power. It rarely is as literal as this film, however, as Sandra (Marion Cotillard) has the weekend to get a majority of her eighteen co-workers to vote to give up a € 1,000 bonus so she can keep her job.
The film doesn't not overly dramatize this, with eloquent speeches, or dramatic music. Instead, it follows Sandra through her efforts without almost any music at all. Her arguments aren't foolproof, and they don't always work. She often considers giving up, and pushes the situation to an extreme at one point, but is able to step away from that at just the last second.
Cotillard is simply brilliant in this role. She displays a fragility and understanding at how fucked this all is, while also still getting herself to try to do it because of how important it is that she has work. It's a intensely relatable performance of a character that has a very strong "there but for the grace of god" energy. As long as you can follow along with the english subtitles, or can speak French, I highly recommend this one.
Desert Hearts (1985) - Directed by Donna Dietch
Watching this last Friday with Cora and a friend, I was struck by how similar at times this felt to a David Lynch film. No, not the weirdness or the stark violence or any of that. There were no worm babies or horrible dumpster journeys to be had. The other part of Lynch's whole deal, with the apple pie and Americana and understanding of how small town relationships can work, for better or worse. I don't know, maybe it was just because we had wrapped up watching through Lynch's filmography, but the commonalities are there I am pretty sure.
This is all a very long and meandering way to say that this is a very well built lesbian romance. And without spoiling the details, one that has an absolutely perfect ending.
Other Films Watched
Inherent Vice (2014) - Directed by P.T. Anderson
Beneath the Weirdness, the Grief
Pride (2014) - Directed by Matthew Warchus
Miners and Queers, coming together in solidarity for bread and roses, and to tell Margaret Thatcher to fuck off!
The Skeleton Twins (2014) - Directed by Craig Johnson
Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are very believable as depressed siblings and do the heavy lifting for a film that in many other ways is just a stock standard depressed siblings indie film.
Selma (2014) - Directed by Ava Duvernay
This excellent film has kind of disappeared below the surface of things a decade on, and that's a damn shame.
Born In Flames (1983) - Directed by Lizzie Borden
Looks like it was filmed for $5, but feels literally revolutionary (and sadly relevant) four decades later
Amy Wren Watched What? is posted every Tuesday. The full edition of Amy Wren Says What? comes out almost every Thursday.
Do you enjoy reading my newsletter, or watching my videos? Do you want me to do this more often? Good news, there's a way to better guarantee that!
Become a member of the Amy Wren Creative Network on Patreon! Get exclusive content, behind the scenes access, special credits on videos, and access to our very own Discord!
