Special Collaborative Issue: Sharing our Recommendations - February

With Jenny and Mari.

Happy March! It’s hard to believe a whole month (and then some) has passed since the last issue, but you know, time! As mentioned in our previous newsletter, our February choices were made to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Before Sunrise and If Beale Street Could Talk both portray a young couple’s budding relationship, and show how they deal with obstacles that get in their way. 

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Jenny (viewer): I wish I’d seen this film blind, knowing absolutely nothing about the plot, writer, original story, etc. Alas, I began my watch aware of James Baldwin’s brilliance, Barry Jenkin’s storytelling prowess, and most crucially, the breathtaking music that is the soundtrack. Not to mention, I’ve had this film on my “to watch” list for over five years now, from several friends independently recommending it to me along with comments that insinuated I’d be into it. The fact that I was never disappointed despite such subconscious AND conscious expectations is a testament to how beautifully made the film is. But on the flipside, this also meant that my breath wasn’t taken away like I KNOW it would have if I’d plopped down in the theater and let the film wash over an unsuspecting me. 

Nonetheless, I did notice myself enjoying so many aspects of the film. The warmth emanating from the screen (both through color grading & lighting and acting & directing choices) to the era-base, colorful outfits. The tender romance between young lovers. The never static, slow moving camera that almost felt like a manifestation of time itself. (The sentence “Barry Jenkins, visionary” crossed my mind several times during my watch) And many soft and tender moments of connection juxtaposed with the anger, frustration, and sadness of the unjust reality. 

I did wonder, how was the film received by the public when it was released? Sometimes I forget how 2018 was (or was not) a different world from the one we live in today, especially considering the insular (collegiate) bubble that I lived in during the time. Were people moved? Shocked? Felt represented? Dismayed? Troubled? Inspired? I know I can look up what critics said, but somehow I feel like I’d rather not with this one.

One of the things I loved the most though, was the central family unit. The support, love, and the lengths they all go to show their care is the best part about this movie. The love between Regina King’s character and Colman Domingo’s character that created the backbone of the family. Their individual ways of support for this unexpected life. Her entire trip to Puerto Rico. His managing the in-laws and role as Tish’s anchor. The badass, protective older sister who has the quickest, best comebacks. On a perhaps lesser and more vacuous) note, this family might be one of the most fashionable, good looking families in film!

I think the problem (if you even count this as one) was, I knew I’d love this film before I even watched it. I was already biased. So in the weird way my brain works, the viewing experience became half absorbing what was being presented and half confirming my established expectation (which, again, is a feat in itself as I am often disappointed). So on a different day, in a different time(line where I know nothing about the film), I am absolutely sure this film would have floored me. But alas.

My final rating is… 4 out of 5 stars.

Chamari (chooser): 

I watched this for the first time in college, either the year it came out or in 2019. So, it has been quite a while since I have seen it. I am a very different person from when I first watched. However, as Jenny said, life got in the way of me rewatching this film, so I lived vicariously through Jenny’s response, but don’t have much else to offer other than that. I too knew of James Baldwin’s brilliance, but this was actually my first brush with Barry Jenkins (except for THAT episode of Dear White People).

I do remember how it made me feel. The general aesthetic just brought so much warmth, which made it easier for me to feel the love that they had for each other, even through the weight of a prison sentence. 

But one thing I will never forget is the scene where Regina King speaks directly with the survivor. It’s such an upsetting but realistic look into trying to prove a man’s innocence while still recognizing the harm that was caused to the woman. The scene was handled with such care and tact, and it is something that has stayed with me several years later. 

It’s a star-studded cast too, so we’ve got ourselves a winner on several fronts! 

My final rating is… 4 out of 5 stars.

BEFORE SUNRISE

Chamari (viewer): 

Back when I used to be a writer, a script like Before Sunrise would be the kind of script I would have loved to write - intimate, cerebral while still maintaining passion, dialogue-driven, and incredibly naturalistic. The concept of two people meeting each other on a train could easily make me throw up, but this was just written so well and felt like something I just happened to drop into. I also loved the role that time played in the film. So giving, yet so cruel. Time is the reason why they were able to be with each other at all, but it is also what forced them apart. Ethan and Julie had insane chemistry on so many levels that I am not sure how they have families on their own separate from each other. Now, THAT is what I call ACTING!

So many movies are made about two people falling in love, but this might be one of the most effective. And this one really emphasizes the “-ing” part in a way that felt really special. The dialogue is sharp, challenging, (in terms of the characters challenging each other) and alluring. These two strangers naturally develop a commitment to each other not seen in most marriages. It is just absolutely magical and the Vienna setting welcomed us all in. I don’t really have much else to say other than Richard Linklater is extremely talented and I cannot believe this is a TRILOGY. Oddly enough, that became a comforting thought and it made me less sad watching them saying their goodbyes! They’re going to see each other again! That’s all that matters.

My final rating is… 4 out of 5 stars.

Jenny (chooser): 

Unfortunately, though I’ve been very much looking forward to it, due to ‘time being a thing’ (as referenced in the beginning of this newsletter), I have not been able to rewatch Before Sunrise. However, I do recall when I watched the film for the very first time, because it was actually right around this time of year, one year ago!

For me, this film is one of those films where the intimacy and internal butterflies suck you in, temporarily transporting you out of your own circumstance. Yes, this film is absolutely fantastic and objectively incredibly written, but there’s just something about the dialogue (like Chamari says) that brings a whole new level of naturalness and genuine chemistry. In my deep dive into the making of this film (which I tend to do after emotionally affecting watches), I learned that a ton of the dialogue was actually “written” by Ethan and Julie (going to take Chamari’s cue of writing about the two leads as if we know them!) through tons of conversation between them and Richard Linklater. The little eye flitters toward each other and the small gestures all make up an incredible beginning of a story, which is why this film is such a classic.

On a personal note, it had only been a couple of months since I had gotten back from my own time in Europe last year, where I had my own little cute romance! Though my own farewell was far from being as dramatic as the couple in the film, we had parted ways on a cordial note which I really think elevated my viewing experience. 

Another thing I want to touch on is just how youth is portrayed in this film. Each ‘Before’ film was created nearly a decade after the last, so as someone who watched all three in a single weekend, the passage of time that the characters go through is incredibly effective! I just really hope Chamari watches the other two as well, because next film, Before Sunset, is probably my favorite out of the three. All in all, an incredible beginning to a beautiful story.

My final rating is… 4 out of 5 stars.

For March, we’re diving into our respective Rodgers and Hammerstein musical childhoods and sharing The Sound of Music and Cinderella (with Brandy), so stick around for our thoughts!