L-FILMS, TV-SERIES reviews
Ammonite, Happiest Season and Prom12/15/2020 Ammonite, Happiest Season and Prom Film Ammonite (Lee, UK, 2020) is about Mary Anning (Kate Winslet), a self-taught paleontologist who was known for her groundbreaking fossil discoveries. Anning is gruff and solitary, a kind of human hermit crab, who lives with her ailing mother, Molly Anning (Gemma Jones). One day, an aspiring geologist named Roderick Murchison (James McArdle) turns up, offering to pay Mary if she'll let him accompany her on one of her fossil search. She reluctantly agrees, as she and her mother could use the money. But Mary gets more than she bargained for. Roderick abruptly takes off and pays Mary to look after his young wife, Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan), for several weeks. And while Mary finds her burdensome at first the two women quickly bond. A spark soon ignites, and the two begin to enjoy each other's company. Mary helps Charlotte to heal after miscarriage and Charlotte helps Mary with her work, which both fascinates and energizes her and that is how the two embark on a forbiden love affair. Charlotte returns to her husband and arranges a special room next to her where Mary could stay. However what Mary didn't know is that Charlotte planned for Mary to move in with her and her husband for good. Mary replies to Charlotte that she doesn't know who she is and what her field work means to her and that she should consult her first about her moving plans and then abruptly leaves thus indicating that their love affair may be over. I my opinion Ammonite is better then Portrait of A Lady on Fire (Sciamma, FRA, 2019) because it gives its main protagonists, Mary and Charlotte, freedom to explore and decide about their relationship. Both women decided for themselves whether they wish to be with each other or not whereas Portrait of A Lady on Fire was in its essence a forbidden love which could never be realized. Both Winslet and Ronan share undeniable chemistry, story unfolds believably and their sex scene is fine. I don't mind even if Winslet smiles only three times in the whole film and that the whole film is a bit grim. The only similarity with Portrait of A Lady on Fire is that it takes place on the windy shores and cliffs of Lyme Regis. My only objection is that this is a film about an actual people, Miss. Anning and Mrs. Murchison while there is not a single (direct or indirect) evidence of an actual passionate affair between the two of them. It is true that many women in 19th century shared a passionate friendship which could develop into erotic relationship but that was not the case with Anning and Murchison despite being an actual friends during their lives. Therefore I agree with Barbara Anning, Mary's descendent who objected to Lee's depiction of Anning as lesbian despite being a fine arty film. I give credit to Winslet and Ronan for an excellent acting that presented a very believable fictitious love story although it falls short at times. From drama we go to musical. Musical as a film genre is not my cup of tea but I was pleasantly surprised by Prom (Murphy, USA, 2020). Story is simple. Broadway stars Dee Dee Allen (Maryl Streep), a diva belter with two Tony awards, Barry Glickman (James Corden), a comedy and all kind of helper type; and Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman), who continues playing doll-adorable lead parts even though she should've theoretically aged out of them. Dee Dee and Barry just appeared in a new musical about the Roosevelts that closed after opening night, following weak advance sales and harsh reviews saying the play was more about their narcissism and ego then bringing a great performance and believable story to the audience. Alen and Glickman hurt by critics they decide on a new strategy that would show them not only as great actors but also as good human beings. They decide to help Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman), a lesbian teen from a small, conservative Indiana town to take her high school sweetheart Alyssa Greene (Ariana DeBose) to the prom. Namely, Emma has been denied the right to take Alysssa to the prom. A Sardi's bartender and recent Juilliard graduate named Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells) also joins the Broadway trio to the way to the Indiana town which they try dusting it with their liberal magic. The four of them soon arrive in Indiana and hop in the middle of the school debate between school principle Hawkins (Keegan-Michael Key) backing Emma's decision to bring her girlfriend to the prom against homophobic PTA president (Kerry Washington) to cancel the event entirely with the support of conservative parents. And that is what is this about, learning about Emma being left by their parents due to her sexual orientation and thus living with her grandmother, having no friends with only the principle being on her side and 'chicken' girlfriend who keeps promising her she would came out when going to the prom with Emma and the Broadway 'quartet' helping her in any way they can with their liberal progressive mind-set and actions. In this sense they educate pupils about what Christian values are really about – about love, acceptance, inclusivity, empathy not prejudices, bigotry, hate, encourage Emma to go to the national television and let people know about her situation to organize an additional prom party where she finally gets to dance with her sweetheart Alyssa while Alyssa finally comes out to her conservative mother who accepts her no matter what. In addition to this we get a romantic spark between Dee Dee and principal Hawkins who gets disillusioned about her the same way as critics saying she found in Emma only a new energy source to boast her narcissism. Dee Dee gets to use all her charms and persuasive abilities in order to change Hawkins's mind to get another chance. And last but not least, Barry gets to meet and reunites with his mother after twenty years. Namely, Barry left his conservative parents after he came out as 16 years old knowing they would never accept him as gay. He also never got a chance to dance with his high school sweetheart on his prom. This is what fuels his motivation to help Emma in every way he can. This is a promising setup, and you can see how audiences might've adored the stage incarnations. The movie hits pleasure spots for devoted theatergoers, mixing self-deprecating observations about how fatuous and self-serving performers can get when they dabble in politics. The songs are mostly serviceable, but there are enough home runs (including Emma's soul-centering, meditative song "Just Breathe") to carry viewers over the rough spots. Corden succeeds mainly by holding his own in the same frame as powerhouse performers like Streep and Rannells. Streep has played this sort of part before so many times (with and without songs) that she could do it in her sleep, and there are moments where she's seems so tuned into her autopilot tendencies that you wouldn't be surprised if she nodded off. She really only comes to life and shows us new shadings when she's flirting with the school principal. Despite her occasional forays into singing roles, Kidman also falls into the just-OK category, and is much better during non-singing scenes where she's vamping and being minx-like. The Prom is mostly about these three celebrity actors although Pellman's onscreen debut is fine and DeBose is fine as well despite a bit of lack of chemistry between the two. Last but not least, Happiest Season (DuVall, USA, 2020) is the first lesbian Christmas romantic comedy about Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), a lesbian couple from Pittsburgh. Harper spontaneously invites Abby home to spend the holidays with her family. Abby, who’s yet to meet her girlfriend’s parents, decides that she’s not just going to propose, she’s going to go full-on archaic, as she tells her skeptical gay friend John (Dan Levy), in asking Harper’s father for permission to marry Harper and prove her seriousness. So it’s to more than Abby’s dismay that she learns, just before they’re due to arrive on the doorstep of the Caldwell household, that Harper’s family does not actually know about her existence. In fact, they don’t even know that Harper’s a lesbian, and have been told that Abby’s an orphaned friend. And that is how story starts unfolding in all different awkward ways for five days about Abby fields prying questions, public ex-boyfriend and secret ex-girlfriend — all for the sake of her woefully abashed sweetheart. It is completely understandable why Kirsten Stewart said that only McKenzie Davis could play the part of her onscreen partner. Who wouldn't remember terrific Yorkie (McKenzie) in San Junipero's episode (of Black Mirror series) with her naivety and eagerness to experience her first love(r)! However, despite of that there is no proper chemistry between Stewart and McKenzie and neither of them truly shine alone or/and as couple. At times you would also expect that Abby would rather go with Harper's first high school girlfriend Riley (Aubrey Plaza) whom she dumped when they were discovered. then forgive Harper's numerous straight pretense to please her WASP parents. And even after a series of comic events and sisterhood competition truth comes out and Harper reveals she is a lesbian we can't really fully accept her misbehavior towards Abby. I mean, it seems Harper never had any intention to come out to her parents and she even pushed Abby back in the closet when she told Harper's parents that her friend Johan is her ex-boyfriend. I ask whether such behaviour can sustain a relationship? I guess so, since Abby accepts Harper's apology for the hurt she caused and takes her back. Despite everything said it is a fine film if you wish to have some cozy time. After all, it is the first lesbian Christmas film done by an out lesbian director and an out actress although it could be done better. Namely, who likes to watch and re-experience their painful memories of hiding their sexuality and/or her partner. In this sense Prom is a better film. The main character is courages, optimistic and lets the whole world knows about who she is and what she fights for and even if her girlfriend is not as couragious as she is she does what is right in the end. If there is one thing I noticed in the last few years in LGBT films is that more and more A-listed actresses are willing to play in films with lesbian leading roles. From Kate Blanchet and Rooney Mara in Carol to Kate Winslet and Sairose Ronan in Ammonite, however it seems that only younger generation of actresses who play lesbians identify themselves as lesbians and/or queer as well, like Jo Ellen Pellman and Ariana DeBose, both leading actresses in Prom. In regard to this I truly hope that soon a great film director is going to give an excellent script to A-list actresses, such as Taylor Schilling and Jodie Foster who both identify as lesbians to play in a brilliant happy lesbian love story. Therfore let me conclude. Whether you wish to watch a serious lesbian drama on the windy English shores, musical about an average high school girl who just want to attend prom with her girlfriend or a lesbian comedy taking place in the Caldwell household it is worth spending an hour or two of your time despite neither of them is excellent.
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