Sean Baker has been making movies for nearly twenty years, but only recently has been given the kind of buzz that moves out of the festival circuit and to places like Oklahoma (where I live). In 2015. he made Tangerine, a movie about a couple of transgendered sex workers that was shot on iPhones and garnered a lot of critical attention. Last year. he made The Florida Project which has garnered some significant Oscar buzz.
It’s about life in and around a run-down motel somewhere near the vicinity of Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It shows the kids running around, laughing, playing, being kids while their parents struggle just to survive. Reviews have been very positive and it sounds as if it shows both the real-life hardships of poverty and the true joy of life. Or something. I’ve mostly stayed away from talk of the film because it seems like the kind of movie you want to watch knowing as little about it as possible. Finally, this will give me the chance to do just that.
Also out this week that looks interesting:
The Girl Without Hands: French animated film takes a little known Grimm Fairy Tale and makes it shine with really unique animation. You can read my full review.
The Hero (Criterion Collection): Satyajit Ray’s tale of a movie star looking back on his life while taking a night train. It’s much better than I just made that sound. You can read my full review.
Scapel (Arrow Video): A psychopathic plastic surgeon transforms a young accident victim into the spitting image of his missing daughter.
The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970: One of the last live performances of the band is captured in this new Blu-ray.
An Actor’s Revenge (Criterion Collection): A female impersonator in a kabuki troupe comes across three men who drove his parents to suicide twenty years earlier. He plots his revenge.
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time: Last year’s Christmas Special brought back David Bradley to play William Hartnell’s 1st Doctor and said goodbye to Peter Capaldi’s 12th. You can read my full review.
Mom and Dad: Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair star in this horror/comedy about a strange disorder that turns parents into violent psychopaths against their own children.
