Category: 2020-2021

Two Films of Emma Seligman: “Shiva Baby” (2020) & “Bottoms” (2023)

EmmaLeave a comment

Shiva Baby (2020)

Debbie: I thought you were done experimenting.
Danielle: You think everyone that’s bi is experimenting. You don’t know anything. You have zero gaydar.
Debbie: Excuse me, kid! I lived through New York in the 80s! My gaydar is strong as a bull!

What are the “kids” doing these days, do y’all sometimes wonder? Well, some of them are subverting audience expectations and creating fresh/genre-defying work. This movie (which I saw on Max earlier in the pandemic) was adapted from writer/director Emma Seligman’s short film, Shiva Baby (2018), also starring her former NYU classmate/close friend Rachel Sennott (who was raised Catholic). “Shiva” is Hebrew and means “seven;” the film’s run time is 77 mins. Except for some producers, all essential crew here are women. Unfortunately for Sennott, she had a supporting role in the (hot mess) Max series The Idol. Then she swung back w/ the teen comedy Bottoms (streaming on Amazon Prime).

Danielle (Sennott) is a petite/curly-haired 23 y.o. student who also works as a “sugar baby”; this is unknown to her friends/family. In the 1st scene, she’s getting dressed in the (modern/spacious) NYC apt. of a cute/30-something man. Danielle needs to get her payment from this man (her client), BUT he grabs her for a hug and starts asking about her life. She is in a BIT of a rush, as she has a social obligation in her neighborhood (on Long Island)- a shiva for a deceased/older woman. In a podcast interview, Seligman (a bisexual/Jewish woman) commented that several classmates/friends had worked IRL as sugar babies in college; she tried it briefly herself.

Max: [to Danielle] You’re studying business?
Joel: [laughs] No, not business.
Debbie: No, no, she’s studying gender.
Danielle: The business of gender. It’s like gender business.
Joel: She does this fantastic program where you kind of design your own major. It’s a little complex when it comes to finding employment, but she’s doing terrifically.

Danielle’s mom, Debbie, is played by Polly Draper (who some mature viewers may recognize from thirtysomething); her dad is played by character actor Fred Melamed. Danielle’s ex-gf, Maya (Molly Gordon), soon arrives at this event; Maya is in law school (so held in high regard by their elders). When Max (Danny Defarrari), Kim (Diana Agron from Glee), and their baby arrive, many gather around them to admire the cute baby. Maya comments on Kim’s looks (blonde/conventionally attractive); she is also known as a successful businesswoman. From across the room, Danielle is shocked- Max is her “sugar daddy” (who we saw in the opener)! The tension (and humor) comes from the social situations which Danielle must navigate; ppl are curious re: her education, future career, and love life. The acting in the movie is quite good, incl. from the bit players.

[1] With its claustrophobic atmosphere, creepy soundtrack and uncomfortably relatable cringe, the picture basically feels like a panic attack on screen. In many ways, it actually tells its tales using tropes of the horror genre. 

[2] We need Emma Seligman to direct a thriller/horror movie…like tomorrow.

[3] She faithfully delivers just the sort of fun ethnic romp which, only a few short years ago, would have been the exclusive territory of a “name” writer or director.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Bottoms (2023)

Principal Meyers: [over intercom] Could the ugly, untalented gays please report to the principal’s office?

Two unpopular/queer HS seniors, RJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri: seen in The Bear on Hulu), start a “fight club” to spend time w/ the “hot girls” they have crushes on before graduation. RJ and Josie have been friends for many yrs, though they have different personalities. Their friend Hazel (Ruby Cruz) is the 3rd wheel; she’s actually excited to learn self-defense/have a “safe space.” Some of you will recognize Kaia Gerber (looks V similar to her former supermodel mom- Cindy Crawford); she plays a cheerleader named Brittany (RJ’s crush). Havana Rose Liu plays Isabel (the most popular cheerleader); she’s Josie’s crush/gf to the star quarterback, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine). A real NFL player, Marshawn Lynch, plays Mr. G (a history teacher); he does a good job for a non-actor. Lynch wanted to take on this role; he has a queer sister IRL.

Isabel [to Josie]: I really value when people use violence for me, it’s actually one of my love languages.

Do you like (or like making fun of) teen movies? If so, then check out this wacky comedy/satire! You’ll have to keep an open mind here; it’s quite different from Shiva Baby. Edebiri (whose parents are immigrants from Jamaica and Nigeria) is also close friends/former classmates w/ Sennott and Seligman. While attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, they ALL discovered their preference for the comedy genre. They started to create their own work, rather than focusing on “classics” (which was common at Tisch). Edebiri (now 27 y.o.) has gotten many awards these past 2 yrs for The Bear. I’d file this under movies that I can appreciate, though it wasn’t specifically tailored to me. High school is a tough time for most ppl I’ve met; perhaps it’s natural to make fun of it!

[1] Every single person here seems to be having the time of their lives. It reminded me a bit of the energy in Barbie, only this one is — in the best possible sense — a lot more unhinged.

Its influences are many, as I said (one of its more “early 2000s” elements is the Avril Lavigne needle drop, which is up there with the Bonnie Tyler sequence as one of the most glorious and hilarious moments in the movie), but this is a film that does something truly special with its homages and love letters.

[2] It’s over-the-top satire, sure, I get that, and I even get what this movie tries to poke fun at, but I just found myself being unable to enjoy or even connect with this particular style of annoying teenage humour. I don’t know if this is a generational thing or a cultural thing… it could be both. All I know is that it just wasn’t for me.

[3] The film is done in quite a bizarre way. It’s set in the present but everyone dresses like the ’70s and there are no smart phones. Also, there are almost no adults in the film, and the few that there are are absolute monsters. If there’s a school assembly the students are just running it, for example. You get used to it after a while but I can’t remember another film like it in that sense.

The film is at its best when it is just trying to be wacky and funny. There’s a period in the middle where some conflict arises and the film gets bogged down briefly.

[4] This movie is an acquired taste. At first, I thought it was just silly. Then I thought it was extremely silly. Eventually I laughed my butt off. There is no scene that they don’t take over the top. Whether they are mocking teen movies or parodying David Fincher or using Marshawn Lynch to comment on feminism, the entire cast completely goes for it.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“One Royal Holiday” (2020) starring Laura Osnes & Aaron Tveit

EmmaLeave a comment

When Anna offers a stranded mother and son shelter in a blizzard, she learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick. Anna shows the Prince how they do Christmas in her hometown, encouraging him to open his heart and be true to himself. -Synopsis (Hallmark)

[1] ...despite the predictability of the final outcome, the writing is fresh, with plot twists and surprises that add layers of emotional depth.

[2] Finally a prince who acts like a prince! This was a sweet coincidental love story. Thank you Hallmark!

[3] Surprisingly fun and trope-filled royal holiday movie is packed with Broadway greats.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

I came across this Hallmark Xmas movie last month by chance; you can rent it on Amazon Prime. I noticed that it stars (surprise) Broadway/theater actors/singers: Laura Osnes (who plays cheerful cardiac nurse Anna Jordan) and Aaron Tveit (who plays serious/grumpy Prince James Gallant). Some of y’all MAY recognize Tveit from the 2012 adaptation of Les Miserables; he played the friend/fellow rebel to Marius. Here he uses a British accent and has slightly longish hair; the actor has the handsome looks of a prince. This movie as shot in June 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic); it was the 1st movie to go into production in Connecticut (and the East Coast) at that time.

Anna is NOT intimidated/nervous in the presence of the royals; she pokes fun at James (in a sweet/harmless style). James is a BIT arrogant and acts entitled (at first), BUT he has real worries. As they are snowbound, Anna and James (who seem like opposites) get to know each other. There are cute/funny references to Jane Austen novels and The Sound of Music. Osnes and Tveit have good onscreen chemistry; you can see their relationship develop.

Unlike a LOT of other Hallmark movies, the supporting characters get stuff to do. Queen Gabriella (Victoria Clark) is V supportive of her son; she is BOTH down-to-earth and elegant. Anna’s widowed father, Ed (Tom McGowan- a Canadian character actor), is a jolly innkeeper who is close w/ his daughter. Anna’s childhood friend, Sarah (Krystal Joy Brown), is the mayor of the small town; she has a side plot w/ romance. There are 2 scenes where Xmas carols are sung to showcase the actors’ FAB voices.

Quick Reviews: Recent Documentaries of Actors

EmmaLeave a comment

Jane Fonda in Five Acts (2018)

A look at the life, work, activism and controversies of actress and fitness tycoon, Jane Fonda.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Does a woman have to be single to be her authentic self?
Jane Fonda [at age 85]: Well, it depends on how you’re brought up. I grew up thinking it was my job to make men love me.

-From the podcast Wiser than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (April 11, 2023)

Director Susan Lacy captures Jane Fonda’s complex life in this V informative, entertaining, and emotional doc (available on Max). The film is divided into 5 stages of the iconic actress’ life: Henry (her childhood/early yrs. w/ her father/family); Vadim (her older/French director hubby); Tom (her activist/lefty hubby); Ted (another American icon/”Alpha man” who became her hubby in middle age); and the last chapter- Jane (her important “3rd act”). The actress is open and honest w/ facts and freely gives her opinions (and we wouldn’t expect less). It was a BIT tough for her to get the confidence to pursue acting, which she began studying at 21: “I grew up in the shadows of a national monument- my dad!” Fonda is also known for her activism (which went way beyond the social media engagement of the young celebs of today), V popular fitness videos (in the ’80s), and entrepreneurship. We hear from her exes, family (incl. son Troy Garity), friends, and collaborators (incl. Alan J. Pakula, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford, and Lily Tomlin). I will have to check out more of her work.

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021)

A look at the life and work of Rita Moreno from her humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to her success on Broadway and in Hollywood.

She is an original, and she can’t help but be that every minute of her life. So one gets lost in her personality, happily and feels better for being with her. -Norman Lear

There was nobody that I could look up and say “That’s somebody like me”. Which is probably why I’m now known in my community as ‘La Pionera’, or the Pioneer. I really don’t think of myself as a role model. But it turns out that I am to a lot of the Hispanic community. Not just in show business, but in life. But that’s what happens when you’re first, right? –Rita Moreno

This doc (which I saw on PBS) is shown in interviews w/ the iconic actress at age 87. Rita Moreno (who I 1st saw on The King and I as a kid) is one of the few artists who is an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner. She became successful as a petite/minority/woman in entertainment; she hails from Puerto Rico w/ humble roots. Like many young women of her day, she started out as a dancer; in an early role, she danced w/ Ricardo Montalban! Moreno (healthy, energetic, and blunt-talking) expands re: many difficulties she faced as young woman: the “casting couch;” being typecast in “exotic” roles which only required her to look beautiful/speak in accents (even after the Best Supporting Actress Oscar win for West Side Story); and broadening her career to do work which interests her (even if NOT high-profile). She discusses how her low self-worth affected her romantic relationships; she was involved w/ Marlon Brando, then married to Leonard Gordon for 45 yrs. Moreno (who recently appeared on the family comedy One Day at a Time) is also an activist focused on women and minority rights. We hear from her friends, collaborators, and others she inspired, incl: George Chakiris (co-star on West Side Story), Hector Elizondo, American Ferrera, Norman Lear (iconic TV writer/producer), and Lin Manuel-Miranda.

The Last Movie Stars (2022)

In this intimate six-part docuseries, actor/director Ethan Hawke explores the love story and enduring legacy of Hollywood legends Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman.

I think of Newman and Woodward as one of the (few) marrieds who made domestic life look fun! Ethan Hawke may win an Emmy for his (must-see for classic film fans) doc on Max. It features the voice talents of of many fine actors, incl. George Clooney (Newman), Laura Linney (Woodward), Zoe Kazan, Alessandro Nivola, and Billy Crudup. There are interviews w/ the iconic actors’/philanthropists’ daughters and excerpts from a many interviews (transcribed from tapes which Newman recorded in the early ’80s). We hear re: the actors’ (difficult) childhoods, their exciting days studying/working in NYC theaters, their (sometimes complicated) courtship/marriage, and much more. Did you know that Newman was Jewish!? Though I was familiar w/ several of Newman’s films discussed (From the Terrace, The Long Hot Summer, Sweet Bird of Youth, Hud, and The Sting), there are MANY that I’ve never seen (esp. from later in his career). I learned that Woodward made her mark (in middle-age) w/ TV movies (acting and directing); she won several Emmy awards. I will have to check out her work in the future; the couple also worked together on some projects. Though some critics felt that Hawke was “too present” in this, I didn’t mind this (unique) take on the doc. When he was V young, Woodward donated $10,000, so that Hawke could start a small theater company- wow! Woodward was a teacher/mentor/friend to Linney.

Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023)

Mary’s vanguard career, who, as an actor, performer, and advocate, revolutionized the portrayal of women in media, redefined their roles in show business, and inspired generations to dream big and make it on their own.

This doc (which came out this month on Max) was produced by Moore’s surviving husband Dr. Robert Levine; the director (James Adolphus) had access to home movies, personal memorabilia, family and friends. I read that Adolphus (who worked 20 yrs, as a cinematographer and producer) wasn’t familiar w/ the iconic actress’ work prior to making this movie; producers saw this as a positive. Moore started out w/ modeling, then got into radio progs and TV commercials. She was TV’s funny/pretty/housewife/mom (The Dick Van Dyke Show) before she transitioned to happily single/career gal (The Mary Tyler Moore Show). While Moore was in front of the camera, her (then hubby) Grant Tinker worked on the business side of the (iconic) comedy focused on TV news reporters in Minneapolis. We hear from those who knew her well and others inspired by her example (from several gens): James L. Brooks, Rob Reiner, James Burrows, Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Oprah, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lena Waithe, Reese Witherspoon, etc.

Spoiler-Free Review: “Normal People” (2020) starring Daisy Edgar-Jones & Paul Mescal

Emma2 Comments

The series follows Marianne and Connell, from different backgrounds, but the same small town in Ireland, as they weave in and out of each other’s romantic lives. -Synopsis

Marianne (British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Irish actor Paul Mescal) are classmates at a secondary school (high school) in County Sligo on Ireland’s Southern coast. Among her peers at HS, Marianne is regarded as an oddball/loner; she has an abrasive personality and says she cares nothing for social standing. Despite her academic achievements, her family life is unhappy b/c of her dismissive/solicitor (lawyer) mother, Denise, and resentful/older bro, Alan. Marianne’s father is deceased. Connell is a high-achiever also, but popular w/ athletic skills/laid-back attitude. (FYI: The sport they play at school is Gaelic football, a combo of rugby and soccer.) He lives in a humble (yet happy) home w/ his single mother, Lorraine, who works for Denise as a cleaner of their (fancy/spacious) house. There is no father in the picture; it’s obvious that Lorraine had Connell when she was a teen. The focus is Marianne and Connell’s romantic relationship over their last year of HS through college (undergraduate) years.

Normal People is based on the bestselling book by a millennial/Irish author, Sally Rooney, who co-wrote the first 6 eps (out of 12 total eps at less than 30 mins each). The show became hugely popular worldwide (esp. w/ young adults) when it was released in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can watch it now on Hulu. I saw it a few weeks ago, after some of my Twitter gal pals praised it; I’ve been skeptical of shows re: teens/college kids in the past. Wow, was I (pleasantly) surprised; the writing and acting are terrific! Silence is also used effectively at key moments. As I’ve written before, there is nothing like a love story, BUT only when it is done well (NOT cliched or simplistic). I kept thinking- why can’t we (Americans) have smart/sensitive entertainment like this w/ teens/young ppl!?

I hadn’t seen the lead actors before; they had great chemistry together. Mescal (now garnering acclaim for the indie movie Aftersun) will play the lead in the sequel to Gladiator; director Ridley Scott will be filming it after he wraps up Napolean. Connell is (traditionally) masculine, yet also has a sensitive/vulnerable side. Edgar-Jones was the lead in Where the Crawdads Sing (2022), based on a bestselling novel by Delia Owens. Marianne can be tough, mysterious (as in hard to know), yet also quite vulnerable. Check this show out ASAP- you won’t regret it!

[1] Brilliant, heartbreaking viewing experience. Give yourself over to this wonderful story and be ready for a genuine rollercoaster. 

[2] What I liked is that I felt both Marianne and Connell were well-rounded characters that didn’t fall into stereotypes. […]
That it pierced the heart of this wretched old soul speaks volumes to the quality of the series.

[3] These young new faces are truly engaging and they are beautiful to boot. As characters, there are emotions beneath that are really worthwhile to explore. They become more and more fully formed people and that’s the brilliance of this limited series. These are great characters performed by compelling new faces.

[4] It felt almost like reading a book where you envision the characters so vividly, you can almost touch them. The chemistry the two leads have, their acting, the cinematography, are all so well blended together, so seamless, it’s palpable. A melancholy trip worth taking, if only to remind the ones past teenage years how vulnerable and all-engulfing a young love is.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Power of the Dog” (2021) starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, & Kodi Smit-McPhee

Emma1 Comment

SPOILERS: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the movie (now streaming on Netflix).

Peter: When my father passed, I wanted nothing more than my mother’s happiness. For what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother? If I did not save her?

In 1925 in Montana, wealthy rancher, Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), inspires fear and awe in those around him. His younger brother, George (Jesse Plemons), marries a hard-working widow- Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst)- who has a sensitive young adult son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Resenting the changes in his home, Phil acts cruel to both Rose and Peter (when he comes home from college in the Summer). Phil tells Rose he thinks she’s a gold-digger. He bullies Peter (effeminate and introverted), and the cowhands follow his lead. After some time, Phil takes Peter under his wing, showing him the ways of the ranch.

George (to Rose): I just want to say… how nice it is not to be alone.

Jane Campion won an original screenplay Oscar for The Piano (1993); she was only the second woman to receive a nomination as Best Director. I haven’t seen that film in many years, but I did like it. I had also previously watched In the Cut (2003) and blogged re: S1 of Campion’s TV show (Top of the Lake). The ranch house and cattle barn (aged to reflect the 1920s) were constructed on location. Filming began in January 2020; due to the COVID pandemic, it was halted until late June. Many critics have pointed out that this film is Campion’s 1st w/ a lead male character. The original book was written in 1967 by an American author (Thomas Savage) who was known for Westerns; he was a closeted gay man who married and had children.

Phil Burbank: Bronco Henry told me that a man was made by patience in the odds against him.

This is a departure for Cumberbatch; I thought he did quite well portraying a macho cowboy (who is hiding his true self). Though Plemons and Dunst are engaged and have two young sons, they have a awkward (yet promising) chemistry in their early scenes. George and Rose are two lonely people who just decided NOT to be alone anymore; I wanted to see more of them (esp. Rose after she becomes alcoholic). Smit-McPhee (an Aussie actor, 25 y.o.) is getting a LOT of notice; he could be nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He has an other-worldly look and creates an unique character; he and Cumberbatch share a few tense scenes. I thought much more would happen between them (such as violence), BUT this film subverts expectations. What exactly happened btwn the younger Phil and his older/beloved mentor Bronco Henry? Phil idolizes Bronco Henry (20 yrs. after his death); he’s held up as the ideal cowboy/man.

As one critic said, the tone of this movie is like than in The Beguiled. The pacing is V slow, which many viewers (esp. on Twitter) joked about. The score for this film is rather unnerving; I thought it was overmuch in some scenes. Phil whistles a song which Rose can’t play well; she’d gotten a grand piano from George (who wants them to mix more w/ society). Phil then plays the same song on his banjo, taunting Rose further. Though some have called the ending “ambiguous,” I knew Peter weaponized the anthrax (which had infected the dead cow he found on the road), then planned the death of Phil. If you have some time and a LOT of patience, then check this film out.

[1] It’s a slow burn especially in the first half. While I find these characters compelling, I do wish to have more reasons for these characters. I need their history.

[2] Campion lets her camera linger on the outward expressions of inner struggle and the vast landscape, which promises to bury one’s secrets, but doesn’t.

[3] “The Power of the Dog” reinforces what I already knew – male macho posturing and bullying is usually a desperate attempt to disguise feelings of inadequacy and self doubt. Though set in 1923, the film is so clearly about now…

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews