By Nadia Dalimonte Thomas King in Inconvenient Indian (2020) Most of Indigenous history in North America has been erased. What we’re left with are artifacts. Voiceless objects from the past, as narrated in this documentary. History is not necessarily the past itself, but more specifically the stories we tell about the past. Inconvenient Indian is an insightful, eye opening documentary looking at Indigenous history and North American culture as a powerful tool of misrepresenting Indigenous culture. Director Michelle Latimer’s visual storytelling is incredibly resonating.
The documentary is based on Thomas King’s award winning 2012 book, 'The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America'. King provides his narration and also appears in the documentary. One particular moment shows him sitting in a movie theater, popcorn in hand, as though seeing what the audience of Inconvenient Indian are watching. What is being seen? Latimer balances an extraordinary array of various storytelling techniques. She seamlessly shifts from one medium to another, including archival footage, visual arts, dance, and interviews. Among Latimer’s subjects are community workers, filmmakers, and hunters. Every frame has a cinematic element and a strong representation of the height of inconvenience for colonialism: an Indigenous person living exactly as they have. While there is a strong celebration of cultural memories, which are resonating to watch, one of the most eye opening aspects of the documentary is what it has to say on the power North American culture has of misrepresenting and erasing Indigenous living. As narrated in the doc, there is a severe invisibility that comes with looking and acting like the Indians the media has in mind. Latimer also focuses on Indigenous experiences within multiple industries, such as the art and gaming world. Within the gaming industry in particular, the doc introduces university students who are developing tools to populate spaces with people who look like them. Students are learning how to make their own video games, building technology from the ground up and embedding their values into the technology. This aspect is one of many ways representation shines through in this documentary. Representation not only matters, it is essential. Inconvenient Indian is an essential documentary to watch, in order to take the necessary step to understanding Indigenous stories and being acutely aware of the harmful colonial systems that still exist today.
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By Nadia Dalimonte How enchanting! Wolfwalkers is a magical Irish saga of love, friendship, and female empowerment. Mature and dedicated storytelling bring environmental and philosophical themes to a beautiful fairytale adventure.
The story follows a young apprentice named Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), who lives in Ireland with her loving father Bill (Sean Bean) at a time of superstition, when wolves are seen as evil creatures to be tamed. In a town armed with guards and whispering stories of wolves, the people of Kilkenny never step foot into the forest that sits beyond the gates. Robyn, an adventurer at heart, explores the forbidden forest along with her bird Merlin. Intending to follow her father, who is tasked with hunting and eliminating all wolves, she encounters a wild young girl of mystical powers named Mebh (Eva Whittaker). The two girls form an enchanting friendship that tests her principles and carries them to defend the hunted wolf population of Kilkenny. Wolfwalkers is the latest from director Tomm Moore and studio Cartoon Saloon, the team behind visionary films such as Song of the Sea (2009) and The Secret of Kells (2014). Co-director Ross Stewart also comes aboard this beautiful adventure. The film explores so many themes in such a mature way, some of which include father-daughter bonding and really coming into your own as an individual. The screenplay is dedicated to exploring the fears that come with parenting and wanting to do what is best. Poignant and energetic voice work adds a deeply resonating layer to the story. Visually, the delicate watercolour animation and intricate swirling lines are gorgeous. This style of animation fits the storytelling perfectly, particularly in the forest setting. Characters flow into and out of frames like magic. There’s a beautiful fluidity to movement and a fantastic inclusion of seeing this world from the wolves’ eyes, through scent. With gorgeous animation, heartfelt voice work, and a resonating story, Wolfwalkers makes its case for best animated film of the year so far. By Nadia Dalimonte Aldis Hodge, Eli Goree, and Leslie Odom, Jr. in One Night in Miami... (2020) The love and care that Regina King brings to her feature directorial debut, One Night in Miami..., is riveting to watch. The film is an outstanding stage-to-screen adaptation led by vulnerable, brilliant performances that take a leap of imagination. The story, based on Kemp Powers’ play of the same name, is a fictionalized account of a 1964 meeting between Malcolm X, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Muhammad Ali. Kingsley Ben-Adir (Malcolm X), Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown), Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke) and Eli Goree (Cassius Clay, who’d soon take the name Muhammad Ali) each step into iconic roles of cultural significance with career defining performances.
The film is dialogue-driven and shines most when the four of them are brought together for a night in Malcom’s hotel room, where layered conversations of inner conflicts carry the pace. Screenwriter Kemp Powers brings his original stage play to the screen with depth, humour, and urgency. The cast work incredibly well together under King’s seamless direction. One Night in Miami takes a little while at first to gain traction, first establishing where each of the men are in terms of setting and timeline before bringing them together for a night. But once immersed in the simple setting of hotel room walls, with some transitioning into the outside world, the discourse is riveting all the way through. Frances McDormand in Nomadland (2020) Some people have a real sense of belonging on the road, where home is not a structure but a distinct feeling that carries them through the open skies with nothing in front of them. Fern, played by Frances McDormand, is a true nomad deep inside. She belongs on the road. She seems at home there, acting as a voluntary guide for the landscape. She chooses to be here. She takes jobs here and there, always on her own accord. McDormand works her magic in collaboration with the phenomenal Chloé Zhao, who directed, co-wrote, and edited Nomadland.
Nomadland is a beautiful gem that got under my skin within minutes. Chloé Zhao explores a nomad character study and the cycle of human life in a gorgeous, natural landscape that sets the story like poetry. Zhao stirringly captures feelings of rootlessness and togetherness within the margins of society, in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The story is about the power of self-sufficiency, unshared excitement, and lonely aching of someone in a constant state of not knowing what’s around the corner. Frances McDormand is magic. It is a testament to her talent (combined with Zhao’s direction) that after 30+ years in this business, filled with wonderful performances, she delivers the best work of her career as Fern. This character lost the life she knew. She came from a town, in which she and her husband lived for many years, shuttered by the Great Recession. The journey of Nomadland follows Fern as she finds out where she fits in this world. Her self-sufficiency is tested, but there is also an excitement by the possibilities of seeing what’s down the road for her. Zhao was able to build on McDormand’s skills as an actor audiences have come to know and love over the years. McDormand uses the baseline of Fern as a trampoline into every situation she encounters. She delivers an absolutely magnificent performance full of subtle nuances, powerful stoicism, and surprises. Fern shares many encounters with characters she meets on the road. The majority of these characters are real-life nomads - namely Linda May, Bob Wells, and Charlene Swankie - with whom Fern forms close bonds. When each of them share their own stories with her, it is beyond moving to watch. There is something about nature being in its element for a long time, and it still being there when you return to it, that is both haunting and moving. The feeling of being in nature can be humbling and relaxing, followed by a restlessness that rushes in when you leave such a setting. Zhao captures this feeling so brilliantly, like a moving poem. It’s infused in all the characters, brought together through journeying into the open road. By Nadia Dalimonte Marquise Vilsón in No Ordinary Man (2020) No Ordinary Man is a powerful documentary about the story of jazz musician and trans icon Billy Tipton. His legacy is told lovingly through the varying perspectives of artists and activists. With an incredibly thoughtful approach, filmmakers Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt connect Tipton’s story to the people who followed in his footsteps.
The trans masculine perspectives give this documentary so much more weight, as it’s not only about Tipton’s life but also the inspiration he left behind. The filmmakers avoid formulaic biography structure, giving a voice to multiple lenses and narratives that challenge deceptive representations while bringing Tipton to life. The storytelling truthfully explores the ups and downs of trans representation in the media. Sometimes, with increased visibility comes targeting and violence. The inclusion of trans masculine voices gives them that opportunity to be part of the process in shaping a better understanding, and to be part of trans history. Knowing nothing about Billy Tipton prior to this documentary, I was left with such a beautiful and powerful insight into how impactful his legacy was. It was moving to watch, especially considering how severely his life was distorted by a media frenzy. To retell his story, the filmmakers infuse creative narratives including a casting call for Billy. The doc introduces trans masculine actors reading a scripted scene, while also discovering more about themselves and about Billy. It’s a wonderful decision to bring some focus onto these actors, who stress the importance of having role models, seeing their realities represented, and knowing that they exist in a world in which trans people’s histories have been erased. After Billy’s story was released to the media, his family appeared on talk shows and interviews discussing how they felt. One of the most apparent ways the media completely disregarded Billy was their focus on everyone but him. What about his wife? What would it be like to be married to Billy? What about his kids? Part of the documentary includes the perspective of his son Billy Jr., looking at the loneliness that came with carrying his father’s legacy during a media frenzy and now seeing an abundance of people reaching out expressing love and admiration for his father. What makes No Ordinary Man so engaging in its storytelling is the abundance of different perspectives and narratives uniting in a loving way to retell a misrepresented legacy. The power of role models, truthfulness, and understanding shines through from beginning to end. There’s also a beautiful song that plays in the end credits - Man Like You (No Ordinary Man) by Lane Webber and Patrick Watson. This is a beautiful, insightful must-see doc. By Nadia Dalimonte Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby (2020) Emma Seligman’s stunning debut feature Shiva Baby is a funny, invigorating, fully realized pressure cooker. Hot off the heels of its TIFF 2020 premiere and Utopia Media gaining worldwide rights, this film is one to watch. Seligman adapted Shiva Baby from a short film she made as an NYU student. The story follows a young woman named Danielle (Rachel Sennott) who attends a shiva - a mourning tradition in the Jewish community - where she unexpectedly encounters her ex-girlfriend Maya (Molly Gordon), and an older man named Max (Danny Deferrari) who she’s secretly been seeing for money. Danielle’s hovering parents are also present, whisking her to meet so-and-so who can help her with such-and-such.
The story takes place in one day, in real time, as Danielle swerves from one interrogative family encounter to another while trying to keep her feelings in check. She’s anxious about her future. She’s without a solid career path, job, or boyfriend…at a family gathering, where an endless line of questioning follows her nonstop. With no immediate escape, emotions build and Danielle’s feverish anxiety rises… This film has a fantastic balance of tone. Seligman blends comedy with drama and hints of horror, while exploring a woman coming-of-age, self-worth, anxiety, interfering family dynamics, conflicting pressures, power shifts in relationships, and traditions. Seligman depicts so many themes funneled into a day in the life. Everything feels so grounded and realistic. The actors are extraordinary. Rachel Sennott is so completely in tune with the tone and her character; her performance is magnificent. The camerawork compliments her strongly as well, zooming in closer and closer the more anxiety-inducing the story becomes. Sennott is also surrounded by a pitch perfect ensemble cast, and everyone plays off one another so well. Polly Draper and Fred Melamed (who play Danielle’s parents) shine bright, as do Molly Gordon (Maya) and Dianna Agron (who plays Max’s wife). The characterization is outstanding. The screenplay is quick witted. The sense of humour is a delight, providing constant laughs and lines so great you must keep up because you won’t want to miss them. There is an instantly relatable aspect in watching the ways in which the family members sink their teeth into a young woman’s future prospects and who she should become in their world. Seligman infuses cool inspiration from the horror genre, with the use of jump scares and a horror score that is used throughout. The horror elements emphasize the panic swirling in Danielle’s mind as pressures from her family close in on her in a very frenetic way. There are some brilliant pressure cooker moments, with one particularly feverish scene in the final act that feels like being inside Danielle’s racing heartbeat. Even the camerawork turns red. Emma Seligman has a brilliant and deeply resonating debut feature under her belt. Shiva Baby fires on all cylinders and leaves a lot of anticipation for what Seligman does next. By Nadia Dalimonte From left to right: Sullivan Jones, Jasmine Batchelor, and Chris Perfetti in The Surrogate (2020) Jasmine Batchelor delivers an absolute tour de force in The Surrogate. This film is heartfelt, complex, funny, deeply honest, and opens the door to many conversations. The story centers on Jess (Batchelor), who is incredibly excited and optimistic about being the surrogate for her two best friends, Josh and Aaron. But when the three receive news about a prenatal test, Josh and Aaron have second thoughts, threatening their friendship and raising moral concerns.
Batchelor carries the film on her shoulders with a show stopping performance. She’s in every scene, and the natural charisma she carries in this character is always compelling to watch. Not one moment is wasted. She does a fantastic job portraying the headspace of someone who’s really at a crossroads, not only in terms of the surrogacy but also with her career and personal relationships. What the film does exceptionally well is portray the complexities of how we try to navigate through life when problems come up, how we deal individually and in response to others. There are so many little moments when characters are portrayed in different lights and reveal more about themselves than they intend to, simply as a reaction to when things don’t go their way or aren’t ideal. The film is refreshingly truthful and challenging. Writer and director Jeremy Hersh has a committed, thoughtful, and confident voice in his storytelling. The shining star of The Surrogate is certainly Batchelor, who deserves a lot more praise and a bigger audience for a wonderful film debut. By Nadia Dalimonte Women in Film: 2015
Written on February 18, 2016 2015 has seen interesting, strong, well written female characters in film. Strong characters are those not just of physical strength, but also of vulnerability and weakness. Women can be everything at once. Messy. Human. Heroic. Unlikeable. The film industry still has a long way to go in totally embracing women and in providing roles of high calibers to all women. Let’s take a look at the kind of caliber that everyone should have access to… Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) in Mad Max: Fury Road Need I say more? Rey (Daisy Ridley) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens IN LOVE. Rey doesn’t need to be saved. She doesn’t need a man to hold her hand. She doesn’t get a forced romantic subplot. She’s a fighter. She has strong character development. She’s a heroine that young girls AND boys can look up to. Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) in Brooklyn A stunning depiction of character development. We’re introduced to her when she’s inexperienced, homesick, out of her comfort zone. By the end of the movie, she’s a woman defined by her experiences. She has the inner strength to make a decision based on herself, not just on a man. She thinks for herself, she contemplates the kind of life that she wants to have. Therese (Rooney Mara) and Carol (Cate Blanchett) in Carol Two of the most complex characters on screen this year. Rooney’s character brings up interesting points about struggling to be your own person and to stand up for yourself rather than say yes to everything. Ma (Brie Larson) in Room A good example when discussing what makes a female character strong. It’s not just about physical strength. Brie’s character is both extremely fragile and determined. Tilly Dunnage (Kate Winslet) in The Dressmaker Kate’s character is a sexy, funny, fragile femme fatale. Now, we’ve seen the older man coupled with the very young woman countless times in movies. The Dressmaker changes that formula. Not only does Kate’s character have a younger male love interest (Liam Hemsworth), but the movie doesn’t turn it into a “thing” that people feel compelled to comment on. It’s simply depicted as it is. Their age gap never becomes a talking point in the movie. Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet) in A Little Chaos Kate plays a female landscape gardner in 17th century France. That position for a woman during that time period was unheard of. Screenwriter Alison Deegan wrote her into what was striclty a male-dominated world. Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet) in Steve Jobs A rich supporting role that isn’t “the wife” or “the girlfriend”. Joanna is strong willed and not afraid to speak her mind. Kate’s filmography is a beautiful source of ballsy, interesting female roles. Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks) in Love & Mercy Much like Kate’s character in Steve Jobs, Elizabeth’s character in Love & Mercy displays the rarely seen dynamic on film of a man who needs a woman more than a woman needs a man. Melinda is a woman who stands her ground. We also get to see her true story come to life on screen. Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) in Joy An inventor. An entrepreneur. A businesswoman. A mother. Joy has big dreams and doesn’t let anyone tell her she can’t fulfill them. Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) in Far From the Madding Crowd From the start of the story, she makes it clear that she’s not looking for a husband and that she’s capable of being on her own. Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) in Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation I loved seeing this character hold her own alongside Tom Cruise. She’s so unpredictable and complex, rustled by a tension to get through a tricky situation. She operates in a grey area. She wasn’t just arm/eye candy. Ricki (Meryl Streep) in Ricki and the Flash This is one of many female perspectives we don’t often see in movies. A mother chooses to leave her children and husband behind to pursue her rock’n’roll dream. She’s not painted as strictly a saint, but she’s not painted as strictly a villain either. Amy (Amy Schumer) in Trainwreck The movie is refreshingly told from an unapologetic female perspective. She’s not made out to to be some “perfect” specimen who wakes up in the morning with a face full of “perfect” makeup. She’s an interesting character with room to grow. This is Amy’s star-making role. She’s awesome. Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander) in Testament of Youth We get to see a reimagined history behind a woman’s extraordinary true story. Ava (Alicia Vikander) in Ex-Machina Interesting take on the character of a robot. She makes you question whether her emotions are real or stimulated. Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) in Woman in Gold A fascinating story about a woman holding onto her past and ensuring that her family’s legacy is not left in the wrong hands. Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) in Spy Who doesn’t want to see Melissa carry a movie? She’s super talented. The whole movie pulsates with girl power. We have a female agent, a female villain (Rose Byrne), a female running the CIA (Allison Janney), and a female friend (Miranda Hart) who doesn’t just offer advice from the sidelines but also gets in on the action. Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) in Spotlight A supporting role that isn’t “the girlfriend” or “the wife” or the person whose only purpose is to serve a plot point. Sacha is a woman of journalistic integrity who goes after what she wants to tell a story. She’s truly part of the Spotlight team. Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) and Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) in Crimson Peak They took on gothic romance. I loved that their characters were like classic throwbacks to movies of the 40s and 50s that featured mysterious, intriguing female characters. These are not one-note villains and one-note romantic leads. Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) and Valentine (Kristen Stewart) in Clouds of Sils Maria A dynamic between two women that doesn’t revolve around catty behaviour or discussing men. Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) in Dope Her character wasn’t given enough to do in the movie. It was nice to see her brief depiction of individuality and friendship. Kate (Emily Blunt) in Sicario An intelligent example of a character whose gun is not what makes her “badass”. It’s her willingness to uncover truth that showcases her strength. Jules (Anne Hathaway) in The Intern A working mother who is actually allowed to have a job, to thrive in doing what she loves, and also be a mother. Her husband is a stay-at-home dad. The movie expertly provides no lead-up to the moment when her daughter and husband do appear. We’re meant to accept their lifestyle as it is. Brooke (Greta Gerwig) and Tracy (Lola Kirke) in Mistress America From strangers to sisters. The generational gap between the characters makes for a fascinating and relatable dynamic. This is a story about people trying to achieve something, trying to make sense of what they’re aiming for. Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad) in Creed Again, both characters weren’t given enough to do. Thompson has the “love interest” role, which is more developed here than it usually is in movies, but she mostly disappears by the second half of the movie. Rashad has the more interesting role of the two, Mary Anne Creed. Mary found Adonins, took him in and raised him, even though he was the son of the woman her late husband had an affair with. But before she has time to make a bigger impact, Adonis is on his way to Philly. She also mostly disappears in the second half of the movie. I wish the movie were longer so that these two talented actresses had more time to relish in more character development. Kate (Charlotte Rampling) in 45 Years We’ve seen a stock version of this character countless times in the background of movies. The long suffering wife with a burden to carry. Refreshingly, the entire movie focuses on Kate coming to terms with her husband holding onto his love for another woman. Elle (Lily Tomlin) in Grandma Hysterical and heartfelt. Let this be a note to Hollywood. Older women are STILL INTERESTING. Everyone has a story. The bevy of talent both in Pitch Perfect 2 and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel The fact that both movies are sequels speaks volumes. People want to see women’s stories on screen. I also love that both movies show opposed sides of the age spectrum. Aging does not make you less interesting. Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore) in Miss You Already Both portray two life-long friends who are dealt with a major life change. It’s great to see a movie focused on a healthy female friendship. The women in Youth Lena (Rachel Weisz) and Brenda Morel (Jane Fonda) in particular have the showiest roles. Lena is coming to terms with a breakup, but that’s not all she focuses on. That doesn’t become her life. She carries on, being there for her father (Michael Caine) and finding new love. Brenda is a veteran actress brought in for a possible movie directed by Mick Boyle (Harvey Keitel). She has one scene in the movie, but it provides glimpses of a point of view we don’t hear from enough: that of the older actress. The unfortunate aspect about the aforementioned list is that it does not reflect progress for women across the board. The list is based on movies I’ve seen, and what I’ve seen is severely lacking in female roles for women of colour, for women of different minorities, and not just any roles. Roles that match the caliber of the ones I mentioned above. The Hollywood Reporter’s recently released cover story on this year’s female Oscar contenders just goes to show that there aren’t enough opportunities being given across the board. The problem is not just that there were no contenders to choose from this year. The problem is that not enough opportunities for women of colour were given for them to even become contenders in the first place. They need opportunities. Tangerine, Macbeth, Truth, and Freeheld are on my to-see list; all include what look to be interesting female characters. I also must mention Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but Katniss has been a game changer since the first Hunger Games, taking part in paving the way for a rise of successful female-led blockbusters such as Divergent and Insurgent. Also, while Kenneth Branagh’s version of Cinderella doesn’t offer much of a refreshing take on a tale that’s been told many times before, another female-led blockbuster success story is certainly welcome in the industry. Be on the lookout for more female roles. In addition to there being movies I still want to see, there are probably a lot more I’m not even aware of. When you see that a female-led movie is out, even if you’re not interested in the movie, please support it. The movie business speaks with money. Unfortunately, if people aren’t paying to see these movies, fewer of them will get made. |
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