Tag: Lulu Wang

Film Industry, Personal Essays, Women in Film

Editorial: It Is Exhausting Trying to Find Myself in Cinema, And That’s a Problem

Do you remember the first time you saw yourself in a movie or television show?  Do you remember the feelings that go with it?  The shock of seeing your reflection.  The little guilt that comes with your weaknesses or faults.  The elation you feel seeing yourself.  And also the relief that there is at least one person in the world who sees you, authentically and unabashedly.

I find it difficult to have those moments.  The first film that ever struck me that way was 2010’s “Easy A.”  Emma Stone stars as precocious, intelligent, ego-centric teenager Olive, who thinks she can outsmart life and feelings.  I loved that film so much.  I still feel a bit of a high every time I see it.   Continue reading Editorial: It Is Exhausting Trying to Find Myself in Cinema, And That’s a Problem

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Female Filmmakers, Film Reviews, Reviews, Women in Film

ITOL 2019 Round-up: The Farewell

How do you say good-bye to a beloved member of the family? Worse yet, what if they don’t know that their time is short? “The Farewell” (2019) addresses this situation with humor and gentle ruefulness that is never maudlin. Young Billi (Awkwafina) resides in America but stays in close touch with her Chinese grandmother, or Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao). Continue reading ITOL 2019 Round-up: The Farewell

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Film Reviews, Reviews, Top 50 of the Decade, Women in Film

ITOL Top 50 Films of the Decade, Entry No. 14: The Farewell

In 2000, we learned that my grandfather had cancer. He went through chemotherapy, and my mother and I went up to help him and get him to doctor’s appointments as he ended up in assisted living. I was there the day he received his terminal diagnosis, and 7 of the next 10 weeks were spent trying to comfort him, and get things prepared for after the inevitable happened. It finally did in late July. I was very close to him- he was like another parent to me. It was devastating.

Those months come to the forefront of my mind in contemplating Lulu Wang’s beautiful dramatic comedy, “The Farewell.” Inspired by her own life, Wang tells the story of her family whom, when they find out the worst about their beloved Nai Nai, they do what is unthinkable to most of us- they don’t tell her. Continue reading ITOL Top 50 Films of the Decade, Entry No. 14: The Farewell

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Awards, Film Industry, Women in Film

Gems, Hustlers and Keepers: 2020 Independent Spirit Awards nominations

The 2020 Independent Spirit Awards nominations have recently been announced with Roger Eggers “The Lighthouse” and Benny Safdie and  Josh Safdie‘s “Uncut Gems” being nominated for five awards including Best Director. The other big films to receive multiple nominations also include Alma Har’el‘s “Honey Boy” and Music Box’s comedy “Give Me Liberty”. Out of the six directors nominated for best director, two of the nominees … Continue reading Gems, Hustlers and Keepers: 2020 Independent Spirit Awards nominations

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Female Filmmakers, Film Reviews, Reviews, Women in Film

Review: The Farewell

It takes true talent to create a film that is both incredibly specific to one culture and somehow universal to all audiences. Luckily, Lulu Wang has this talent as she amply proves in “The Farewell” (2019). Wang wrote and directed this endearing film based partially on her own life and family. It originated as a radio story, “What You Don’t Know,” that was part of an episode of “This American Life.” This year, it came to the big screen and is sure to remain one of the most important films to come out of 2019. Continue reading Review: The Farewell

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