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Sirens (2022)
A triumph!
Exceptional filmmaking and wonderfully human stories portrayed in settings so authentic that it feels like a stroke of destiny for cameras to be present in the moment. A heart-wrenching yearning for freedom of love and music, amidst political and social chaos and intolerance.
There are moments where the camera captures silent expressions that say so much and reveal the inner struggles of the real-life characters living in a world that is not made for them. These five women somehow persist and seem impervious to the devastation around them, including the horrific explosion in Beirut in 2020. The director Rita Baghdadi never plays the female power card, their strength is simply present in every shot, regardless of what they are going through. But what stands out the most is the emotional tension between the two band leads, so authentic and palpable, unmatched by the best of fictionalized accounts of conflicted love and friendship.
Easily the best documentary of 2022.
Blade Runner (1982)
THE best sci-fi movie of all time.
After so many years I have lost count of how many times I have watched this movie. I have also seen all the versions (i.e. theatrical, director's cut, final cut) that have come out over the years. I have obviously waited many years, 40+ of my lifetime, before I could make the statement that this is THE best sci-fi movie ever made. Perhaps a better one will be made, but for now this is it.
Ridley Scott and his crew did an outstanding job. Across the three different versions, you can find one where the direction suit you best, each is Scott at the top of his game. Cinematography is absolutely stunning to this day. The script is excellent, which is no surprise as it was inspired by one of the best sci-fi short stories, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by the legendary Philip K. Dick. But the script stands on its own, and the crown achievement is of course the monologue by the late Rutger Hauer who passed away in 2019. Hauer not only delivered this striking monologue but he actually contributed to its brilliance by revising parts of the original script and making it one of the most beautiful script lines in movie history. It was Hauer passing and his powerful moments in this film that made me look back at this one more time and write this review.
Proxima (2019)
Realistic portrayal and true to life emotions.
What an excellent portrayal of what it looks and feels like to prepare for space flight. This is a human, life-affirming drama, not a sci-fi action-adventure. The movie makes you feel like you are there, achieved through scenes that feel real, including the mundane moments. The sets and environments, the languages spoken, the training astronauts go through, everything feels very true to real life. The relationship between the mother and her daughter is the highlight of course and was exceptionally well done. Any parent will resonate with the dialogue with a small child that is written so true to life, not to mention scenes that are all too familiar like the one where the little kid smells mom's shirt and cuddles it like a blankie to go to sleep. And yes, it is about empowerment of women, but done without preaching or berating. The credits scene with photos of all our female astronauts with their children is powerful (with a terrible end-credit song, the only poor choice in the movie). Many movies have been made about astronauts. This one is easily in the top 5-10% for direction, script, editing, acting, and the overall impact. Bravo Alice Winocour!