Survival in the face of desperate odds is a theme that Alfonso Cuarón has explored before. His 2006 picture Children of Men is a sumptuous contemplation of the fierce will of humanity to prevail when in a seemingly helpless situation. Whilst Children of Men considered the very existence of mankind, Gravity is a smaller, simpler story on a far grander scale; an examination of the sheer determination to live in an environment where life is inherently impossible. Continue reading
Proponent of the mumblecore movement, Joe Swanberg’s pictures are renowned, revered even for their naturalistic verity. Whilst Drinking Buddies embraces many of the foibles of the genre, chiefly an overtly improvisational tone, it also represents a marked progression in that it features a well-known cast and a more polished veneer than what has come before.
It’s better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.
Adapted from his 2008 short of the same name, Destin Cretton’s Short Term 12 is an impressively realised, heart-rending glimpse into the world of the foster care home, the kids who pass through and the carers who guide them on their way.
crash/burn 