Film Notes: Hana-Bi

Kitano takes a fractured, elliptical approach to depicting violence, like Peckinpah with frames missing. Yet despite its veneer of deadpan nihilism, this is a deeply emotional story, aided by Joe Hisaishi’s perversely sentimental seaside-jazz score.

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Greta Gerwig grapples with filmmaking and womanhood under capitalism in Barbie

A Mattel-funded Barbie was never going to end patriarchy, and it would be unrealistic to think it ever could. However, Gerwig still offers a salient, at times genuine look at modern girlhood devoid of the “girlboss” narrative the film was originally saddled with, and it’s fun. Remember girlish fun? It’s been a while since girl-centric fun was at the forefront of a big studio feature. 

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Film Notes: Orlando

With the current politicization of gender identity, ORLANDO is an essential text of queer theory and an example of how each element of our selfhood is changeable, a demonstration of how a freedom of spirit allows for the indulgence of endless earthly delights.

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