Films Directed by Women Challenge (Official, March 2023)

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation

22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)

Directed by Irina Povolotskaya



Scientists discuss what do about the sudden, unexplained appearance of a wall that blocks energy fields and is possibly of alien origin in this Soviet sci-fi drama that has drawn comparisons to Solaris with the diverse way the characters react to 'the unknown', the wall's apparent strange properties, and the difficult of communicating with the aliens behind the wall, if it is indeed of alien origin. The film lacks the solid character drama of Solaris though with fairly interchangeable scientist main characters. Predating Tarkovsky's masterwork, the film is definitely interesting on its own terms though.

[Minkin]

It's Ladeez Night somewhere

01. Slaxx (2020) - Quebec - Rating: 4/10 #NorthAmerica
02. National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) - Rating: 2/10 - #LMAO

03. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Los Angeles County - Rating: 5/10 - #iCMForumFaves
Directed by: Amy Heckerling

The employment, education, and sex lives of a handful of high schoolers, all trying to navigate the ebbs and tides of civil teenage society. They all dwell in this microcosm of school, malls, and swimming pools – as they try to manage their hormones and life requirements, with little success. One of the teens, Mike Damone who scalps tickets and makes sports bets, yet he somehow has no money when he needs it – in order to fill a promise. He has this delusion about his ability to treat women – that he knows exactly what to say to make girls interested in him – giving confidence tips to his friend Mark and going after many different girls, but its all an illusion – that’s built on his delusion of ego and self-assurance – which rarely gets tested, until it eventually does – and it ends up showing his true colors – as a worthless asshole who deserves the scorn that’s then placed upon him. That you can only go so far with a smooth talking persona, that it’s a delicate balance between flattery vs shithead, and Mike isn’t able to embody the lie he believes in. One of the other teens going through a life identity crisis is Brad – who seems to be traveling in a positive direction. He’s wanting to break up with his gf, so to explore his cards before the end of high school, but once he loses his job, and feels like he needs his gf to help him get by in life – she does the identical thing Brad had planned to do to her. For the end of high school is a time of transition, before people move on to other locales, or take on new responsibilities. It’s where we have to handle the trauma and identity as a burgeoning adult – and it’s incredibly difficult to enter into that world – with that title and role. To then carry forth everything you held dear as a child, before that moment of entry into adulthood, is difficult to sustain, as we have to challenge ourselves as to whether we are content with the status quo, or whether we can cut loose the life jacket of family care, and hold ourselves above water. As we can be anyone we choose to be, and it’s at this moment that one has to decide who they’ll then be for the rest of their life – and for many of us, that’s too terrifying a decision to face at all – especially when illness takes away the majority of your opportunities: who you are as a person, your life, you’re career, and your relationships are all up in the air at this moment, and everything you came to rely on, are now open for change. So, as Brad soon witnesses, those near to you aren’t always willing to join you on the downtrodden moments in life, they can only handle so much before deciding to move on and no longer be a support for someone else – that they want someone else to help them get through the difficulties in life. it’s a case where they can no longer handle being a support for you – that they’re doing all the heavy lifting, they have their needs needing to be met as well. Anyway, this is a ho-hum glance at high school life in Southern California: between trips to the beach, showing up to class plastered, and a time where the mall is the height of society. It’s a film where cliques are oddly missing, as people associated more with their co-workers. Though as someone who was associated with the stoners in high school (even with a VW bus – despite none of us imbibing), it’s easy to apply that lens – to a life that never actually existed, except in others’ views of you – and before you know it, it and everyone associated, are gone forever.

[Tngy]

13. Zero Dark Thirty (2012) 5/10
- Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
14. La Novia del Desierto The Desert Bride (2017) 6/10 #<400
- Directed by: Cecilia Atán & Valeria Pivato
15. Saint Omer (2022) 6/10
- Directed by: Alice Diop
16. Run Sweetheart Run (2020) 6/10 #FinalGirl
- Directed by: Shana Feste
17. The Matrix (1999) 4/10 #SciFi
- Directed by: Lana & Lilly Wachowski

Spoiler

1. Nanny (2022) 5/10 #BLM
- Directed by: Nikyatu Jusu
2. Mãe Só Há Uma Don't Call Me Son (2016) 6/10 #SouthAmerica
- Directed by: Anna Muylaert
3. Cocaine Bear (2023) 4/10 #New
- Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
4. Cerdita Piggy (2022) 6/10 #Europe
- Directed by: Carlota Pereda
5. Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) 10/10! #LGBTQ
- Directed by: Céline Sciamma
6. Always Shine (2016) 4/10 #Bechdel
- Directed by: Sophia Takal
7. La Mujer sin Cabeza The Headless Woman (2008) 3/10 #S&S
- Directed by: Lucrecia Martel
8. The Virgin Suicides (1999) 7/10 #iCMForumFaves
- Directed by: Sofia Coppola
9. The Kids Are All Right (2010) 6/10 #AcadamyAward
- Directed by: Lisa Cholodenko
10. Candyman (2021) 6/10 #NorthAmerica
- Directed by: Nia DaCosta
11. To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) 5/10 #ChickLit
- Directed by: Susan Johnson
12. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) 4/10 #LMAO
- Directed by: Nora Ephron

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)

23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION

Directed by Barbara Kopple



This still resonates decades later due to the human factors at play. Kopple and her crew go deep inside houses without plumbing where the miners are forced to reside, bathing their kids in buckets, while intimately interviewing those permanently crippled due to mining incidents. It is a really stark look at what life is like for these folks without the means to change their circumstances. Viewed for a second time, it still feels like the film could have benefited from more exposition and title cards, but the fly-on-the-wall (with occasional interview) approach that Kopple goes for allows us to often just observe.

[Arkantos]

7. Indecent Desires (1968, Doris Wishman)

The List

1. The Headless Woman (2008, Lucrecia Martel) #SouthAmerica
2. Beau travail (1999, Claire Denis) #S&S
3. Deadly Weapons (1974, Doris Wishman) #<400
4. The Matrix (1999, Lana and Lilly Wachowski), #LGBTQ, rewatch
5. The Matrix Reloaded (2003, Lana and Lilly Wachowski) #Sci-Fi, rewatch
6. The Matrix Revolutions (2003, Lana and Lilly Wachowski) #Bechdel, rewatch
7. Indecent Desires (1968, Doris Wishman)

[jdidaco]

(Screenshots from 'La demoiselle sauvage' & '¡Que vivan los crotos!'),



21. La vie commence demain (Life Begins Tomorrow, Nicole Védrès, 1950) 7.5/10
22. Las furias (The Furies, Vlasta Lah, 1960) 8.5/10
23. My Survival as an Aboriginal (Essie Coffey, 1979) 9/10 (#Oceania)
24. Down and Out in America (Lee Grant, 1986) 8.5/10 (#AcademyAward)
25. La demoiselle sauvage (The Savage Woman, Léa Pool, 1991) 8/10 (#NorthAmerica)
26. De eso no se habla (I Don't Want to Talk About It, María Luisa Bemberg, 1993) 8/10
27. Pevnost (The Fortress, Drahomíra Vihanová, 1994) 9/10
28. ¡Que vivan los crotos! (Long Live the Hobos, Ana Poliak, 1995) 8.5/10
29. Moje slunce Mad (My Sunny Maad, Michaela Pavlátová, 2021) 8/10 (#Animation)
30. Please Baby Please (Amanda Kramer, 2022) 7/10

Spoiler

1. Zhivotut si teche tiho... (Life Flows Slowly By..., Binka Zhelyazkova & Hristo Ganev, 1957/88) 9/10 (#Europe)
2. A byahme mladi (We Were Young, Binka Zhelyazkova, 1961) 10/10 (#<400)
3. La donna nella Resistenza (Women of the Resistance, Liliana Cavani, 1965) 9/10 (#Documentary)
4. L'ospite (The Guest, Liliana Cavani, 1971) 8/10
5. Feminino Plural (Vera de Figueiredo, 1976) 7/10
6. Samba da Criação do Mundo (Samba of the Creation of the World, Vera de Figueiredo, 1979) 9/10 (#ChickLit)
7. Le grain de sable (Grain of Sand, Pomme Meffre, 1983) 8/10 (#LMAO)
8. Amelia Lópes O'Neill (Valeria Sarmiento, 1991) 8/10 (#SouthAmerica)
9. Images d'Orient: Tourisme vandale (Images of the Orient: Vandal Tourism, Angela Ricci Lucchi & Yervant Gianikian, 2001) 8.5/10
10. EAMI (Paz Encina, 2022) 8/10 (#New)
11. Segodnya (Today, Esfir Shub, 1929) 8.5/10 (#Silent)
12. La plaie et le couteau, Charles Baudelaire (The Wound and the Blade, Charles Baudelaire, Yannick Bellon, 1967) 10/10
13. Erdbeben in Chili (Earthquake in Chile, Helma Sanders-Brahms, 1975) 8.5/10
14. Die Regentrude (The Rainmaker, Ursula Schmenger, 1976) 7.5/10 (#SciFi)
15. Patsany (Teenagers, Dinara Asanova, 1983) 9/10
16. Miel et cendres (Honey and Ashes, Nadia Fares, 1996) 8/10 (#Africa)
17. El silencio es un cuerpo que cae (Silence Is a Falling Body, Agustina Comedi, 2017) 7.5/10
18. Ilha (Island, Glenda Nicácio & Ary Rosa, 2018) 9/10 (#BLM)
19. Vaga Carne (Dazed Flesh, Grace Passô & Ricardo Alves Jr., 2019) 7.5/10 (#LGBTQ)
20. Mato Seco em Chamas (Dry Ground Burning, Joana Pimenta & Adirley Queirós, 2022) 8/10

[flavo5000]

57. Earwig (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, 2021)


58. The Mermaid's Curse (Louisa Warren, 2019)


59. Keyholes Are for Peeping (Doris Wishman, 1972)


60. Love Toy (Doris Wishman, 1971)


61. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Anne Sundberg & dude, 2010)


62-67. Michiko to Hatchin (Sayo Yamamoto, 2008)


68. Dudes (Penelope Spheeris, 1987)


69a. Falling Leaves (Alice Guy, 1912) #Silent
69b. Matrimony's Speed Limit (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69c. Mabel's Blunder (Mabel Normund, 1914) #Silent
69d. A House Divided (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69e. The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West (Marian E. Wong, 1916) #Silent


70. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) #ChickLit

Spoiler

1. Magdalena Viraga (Nina Menkes, 1986)
2. Queen of Diamonds (Nina Menkes, 1991)
3. The Bloody Child (Nina Menkes, 1996)
4. Phantom Love (Nina Menkes, 2007)
5. Hitparkut a.k.a. Dissolution (Nina Menkes, 2010)
6. Tomboy (Céline Sciamma, 2011)
7. Mississippi Masala (Mira Nair, 1991)
8a. The Great Sadness of Zohara (Nina Menkes, 1983)
8b. The Lioness (Nina Menkes, 2022)
8c. Verdict Not Guilty (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1933)
8d. Heaven-Bound Traveler (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1935)
8e. Helicopter (Kit Zauhar, 2016)
8f. The Terrestrials (Kit Zauhar, 2018)
9. Hideout in the Sun (Doris Wishman, 1960) #<400
10. A Taste of Flesh (Doris Wishman, 1967)
11. God Said, 'Ha!' (Julia Sweeney, 1998) #LMAO
12. National Bird (Sonia Kennebeck, 2016) #Documentary
13. The Rider (Chloé Zhao, 2017)
14. The Watermelon Woman (Cheryl Dunye, 1996) #BLM
15. Actual People (Kit Zauhar, 2021) #Bechdel
16. Rambling Rose (Martha Coolidge, 1991) #AcademyAward
17. Örökbefogadás a.k.a. Adoption (Márta Mészáros, 1975) #Europe
18. Le goût des autres a.k.a. The Taste of Others (Agnès Jaoui, 2000)
19. Obsidian (Erica Summers, 2020) #FinalGirl
20. Running from Crazy (Barbara Kopple, 2013)
21. I Am Ali (Clare Lewins, 2014)
22. The Mustang (Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, 2019)
23. La nouba des femmes du mont Chenoua (Assia Djebbar, 1979) #Africa
24. Cut Her Out (Tiffany Heath, 2014)
25. Too Much Too Often! (Doris Wishman, 1968)
26. Building Chernobyl's Mega Tomb (Gwyn Williams, 2017)
27. Nowhere Boy (Sam Taylor-Johnson, 2009)
28. Grindstone Road (Melanie Orr, 2008) #NorthAmerica
29. Don't Worry Darling (Olivia Wilde, 2022) #New
30. Take the Lead (Liz Friedlander, 2006)
31. By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (Amy Rice, Alicia Sams, 2009)
32. The Adderall Diaries (Pamela Romanowsky, 2015)
33. Sucker Money (Dorothy Davenport + a guy, 1933)
34. Chocolat (Claire Denis, 1988) #iCMForumFaves
35. Another Day, Another Man (Doris Wishman, 1966)
36. Passion Fever (Doris Wishman, 1966)
37. Ten Thousand Saints (Shari Springer Berman & dude, 2015)
38. The Invitation (Jessica M. Thompson, 2022)
39. Bande de filles a.k.a. Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014)
40-41. Jackie Robinson (Sarah Burns & guys, 2016)
42. Between Worlds (Maria Pulera, 2018)
43. Katte ni furuetero a.k.a. Tremble All You Want (Akiko Ohku, 2017) #Asia
44. The Godsend (Gabrielle Beaumont, 1980)
45. High Art (Lisa Cholodenko, 1998) #LGBTQ
46. Freak Show (Trudie Styler, 2017)
47-49. Tamako Market (Naoko Yamada, 2013)
50. Tamako rabu sutôrî a.k.a. Tamako Love Story (Naoko Yamada, 2014) #Animation
51. Dalla nube alla resistenza a.k.a. From the Clouds to the Resistance (Danièle Huillet & guy, 1979) #S&S
52. Shut Up & Sing (Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck, 2006)
53. Before I Fall (Ry Russo-Young, 2017)
54. Om Shanti Om (Farah Khan, 2007)
55. Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology (Tiffany Shlain, 2011)
56. The Woman Condemned (Dorothy Davenport, 1934)
57. Earwig (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, 2021)
58. The Mermaid's Curse (Louisa Warren, 2019)
59. Keyholes Are for Peeping (Doris Wishman, 1972)
60. Love Toy (Doris Wishman, 1971)
61. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Anne Sundberg & dude, 2010)
62-67. Michiko to Hatchin (Sayo Yamamoto, 2008)
68. Dudes (Penelope Spheeris, 1987)
69a. Falling Leaves (Alice Guy, 1912) #Silent
69b. Matrimony's Speed Limit (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69c. Mabel's Blunder (Mabel Normund, 1914) #Silent
69d. A House Divided (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69e. The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West (Marian E. Wong, 1916) #Silent
70. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) #ChickLit

Bonus Needed: #Scifi, , , #SouthAmerica, Oceania,

[blocho]

19. Tempestad (2016, Huezo) #NorthAmerica
I had seen director Tatiana Huezo’s two other movies, which are both excellent, so I was excited to see this one. It proved quite a disappointment. This doc is built around women providing narratives of their lives while off screen.

In the first narrative, a woman describes her release from prison while we see images that relate to her monologue (an empty prison, for example). In the second narrative, a woman describes her false arrest and incarceration, in a corrupt prison run by the Gulf Cartel. This time, the images have almost no relation to the words we hear. In the third narrative, a woman who works in a circus speaks about her profession and her family. For the first time, we actually see the woman we are hearing along with images of the circus. In the fourth narrative, a woman is once again describing life in a brutal prison, and once again the accompanying images are completely random (a lot of scenes in a fish processing factory for some reason). And at this point, the movie completely lost me. Is this fourth woman the same as the second woman? What about the first woman? Are the first, second, and fourth women all the same person? There’s no way to tell because we never actually see this person. And what does the circus lady have to do with any of this?

The great pity of all this is that the stories are heartrending. They provide a worthwhile, emotional experience. And they are consistently subverted by the choices made by the filmmakers, especially the separation of narration from visual content. They have done so much to distract me from the story that I don’t even care when some clarity finally emerges during the movie’s second half.

20. Torn Hearts (2022, Grant)
A country music thriller that eventually edges into horror. That’s quite an unusual combination, and the novelty of this grouping of genre elements adds some enjoyment to a movie that begins well before fizzling out. Unfortunately, the characters are underdeveloped and there are some plot holes and the whole thing feels a bit unrefined, like an hourlong movie that’s been stretched out. But it provides some decent fun at times.

[St. Gloede]

Spoiler

1. Women Talking (2022, Sarah Polley)
2. EAMI (2022, Paz Encina)
3. Simshar (2014, Rebecca Cremona)
4. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022, Laura Poitras)
5. Trenque Lauquen Part I (2022, Laura Citarella)
6. Trenque Lauquen parte II (2022, Laura Citarella)
7. Mato seco em chamas / Dry Ground Burning (2022, Joana Pimenta, Adirley Queirós)
8. Leonor Will Never Die (2022, Martika Ramirez Escobar)
9. Riotsville, U.S.A. (2022, Sierra Pettengill)
10. Klondaik / Klondike (2022, Maryna Er Gorbach)

11. Revoir Paris (2022, Alice Winocour)

The concept itself is interesting but it ended up being yet another French infidelity drama. Well made, decently acted, but the core of the film felt underexplored and as a whole it felt slimmer than it should be. 6/10


12. Chantal Akerman par Chantal Akerman (1997, Chantal Akerman)

"I saw JLG/JLG and it scared me" says Akerman as she does the same, but in a very different way - and in a slightly disrupted vision. The first 20 or so minutes is her just reading a prepared statement from a piece of paper, some fun here and the writing itself is intruiging as to her thought process, but as she herself explained it was mandated by the producers (this was ordered as part of a series on big directors). What Akerman herself wanted to do was recut her films in a way that created a new narrative representing her, and once this section of the film finally rolls, it is far more rewarding and intruiging. Still, easily one of the weakest Akerman films (if we count it as a film - she calls it such). 6/10


13. Mai sumoru rando / My Small Land (2022, Emma Kawawada)

A film it is extremely easy to recommend for the novelty factor alone: a refugee and minority drama set in Japan, following a Kurdish teenager and her family. It is charming (until it gets darker), the lead has a lot of charisma and for much of the film it feels very warm and loving. The narrative essentially sets up a slightly known narrative of the good refugee, the "perfect one" certain to gain sympathy and tug at the heartstrings, and while it throws in some narrative touches familiar in the west, it might hit well in Japan. It is also just generally well-made, engaging and memorable. 7/10


14. Stars at Noon (2022, Claire Denis)

I was so excited we would get two Denis films last year, but just like Both Sides of the Blade this is easily one of the weakest. There is potential here, a kind of off-beat anti-thriller with a lot of eroticisms. I can see it hitting a certain cult audience and maybe it will grow on me as well. It is perhaps closest to Trouble Every Day, and fans of that film may still want to jump in here. 6/10


15. Los reyes del mundo / The Kings of thw World (2022, Laura Mora Ortega)

This film about a group of street kids traveling across Colombia in the hopes of a home (one of them has received a letter that his grandmother's land will be returned to him). There was a lot of potential her, but the kids were just not developed enough as characters, and the minimalist touches were a bit too soft. It is a good films, but I could see the contours of something great, which made it more disappointing. 6/10


16. Geographies of Solitude (2022, Jacquelyn Mills)

An experimental documentary following a lone scientist on an island filled with wild horses, as she tracks life and death. The highlights are likely the shots of her samples which create effects similar to early science films, as well as the shots of the island, but as a whole the film gives too little and is too repetetive. Our "protagonist" is even obscured (for no real reason) for much of the early part of the film. A film that could easily have been a lot better. 4.5/10.

[St. Gloede]

New Favourite

17. The Watermelon Woman (1996, Cheryl Dunye) - a film I'm unlikely to have seen if not included on the S&S Critics' Poll top 250



The Watermelon Woman is very much a film that plays to my tastes: Meta fun and cinematic playfulness. It is a bit like a snazzier Clerks/90s indie merged with some Spike Lee/Godard sensibilities and cinephilia/social relevance.

I loved the mix of VHS and HD as our lead, Cheryl Dunye is playing herself, a video clerk and aspiring filmmaker attempting to make a documentary on a (fictional) black actress from classic Hollywood. A part of the magic of the film is that you actually start to believe the actress is real. The recreation of 30s cinema was incredibly impressive.

The acting can be a bit rough at times, but it suits the style and doesn't detract - it really has that low to no budget charm, filled with zingers and back and forths, and with the added plus of Dunye addressing the camera directly and creating a lot of excitement both around cinema itself and black cinema history, not to forget the taboo presence of lesbian love behind the camera in classic Hollywood (I wonder if the fictional director was inspired by Dorothy Arzner).

Anyhow, it is charming, in your face in the right ways and really having fun with the creation of the film, while also touching on a lot of topics for contemplation. Extremely happy the recent S&S poll will bring this film onto the radar of more people.

(Also, THAT lip-synch scene is GOLD!)

[gunnar]

21 - Stories We Tell (2012) - 8/10 - Sarah Polley - #NorthAmerica - Sarah Polley interviews family members and friends while also directing her father as he narrates the film about her late mother and a family secret. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Ten (2002) - 7/10 - Ten vignettes with a female driver and her passengers, including her son several times and her sister a couple of times. A lot of this focuses on the role of women in their society. The driver's kid sure was a brat.

I'm not counting Ten since it is officially credited to Abbas Kiarostami on IMDb, though Letterboxd also credits Mania Akbari with her disputing Kiarostami's role in the project.

Spoiler

1 - The Woman King (2022) - 7.5/10 - Gina Prince-Bythewood - #BLM
2 - Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - 8/10 - Chantal Akerman - #S&S
3 - The Headless Woman (2008) - 6/10 - Lucrecia Martel - #SouthAmerica
4 - Le Bonheur (1965) - 7.5/10 - Agnès Varda - #Europe
5 - Portrait of Jason (1967) - 7.5/10 - Shirley Clarke- #Documentary
6 - Wanda (1970) - 4/10 - Barbara Loden- #iCMForumFaves
7 - Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) - 6.5/10 - Ágnes Hranitzky, Béla Tarr
8 - She Said (2022) - 7/10 - Maria Schrader - #New
9 - Till (2022) - 8/10 - Chinonye Chukwu - #<400
10 - Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) - 7.5/10 - Olivia Newman - #ChickLit
11 - The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968) - 5.5/10 - Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
12 - Leviathan (2012) - 3/10 - Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
13 - XXY (2007) - 6/10 - Lucía Puenzo
14 - Zama (2017) - 7/10 - Lucrecia Martel
15 - Cherry Blossoms (2008) - 7.5/10 - Doris Dörrie - #Bechdel
16 - A Question of Silence (1982) - 6/10 - Marleen Gorris
17 - Las Niñas (2020) - 8/10 - Pilar Palomero
18 - Turn Me On, Dammit! (2011) - 7.5/10 - Jannicke Systad Jacobsen - #LMAO
19 - She Monkeys (2011) - 6/10 - Lisa Aschan
20 - Boat People (1982) - 7.5/10 - Ann Hui - #Asia

[Silga]

13. Mack & Rita (Katie Aselton, 2022) 3/10 #SciFi
14. Sleeping Beauty (Julia Leigh, 2011) 8/10 (rewatch) #Oceania

Directed by Women

1. The Peacemaker (Mimi Leder, 1997) 6/10 (rewatch) #ChickLit
2. Nothing Compares (Kathryn Ferguson, 2022) 8/10 #Documentary
3. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Céline Sciamma, 2019) 8/10 #LGBTQ
4. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) 9/10 #AcademyAward
5. Alone Together (Katie Holmes, 2022) 6/10 #New
6. LolliLove (Jenna Fischer, 2004) 7/10 #LMAO
7. The Human Contract (Jada Pinkett Smith, 2008) 5/10 #BLM
8. Out to Sea (Martha Coolidge, 1997) 5/10 (rewatch) #<400
9. Beautiful (Sally Field, 2000) 6/10 #Bechdel
10. Jennifer's Body (Karyn Kusama, 2009) 6/10 (rewatch) #FinalGirl
11. The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Lotte Reiniger, 1926) 7/10 #Silent
12. Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (Joan Chen, 1998) 9/10 #Asia
13. Mack & Rita (Katie Aselton, 2022) 3/10 #SciFi
14. Sleeping Beauty (Julia Leigh, 2011) 8/10 (rewatch) #Oceania

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION

24. Please Baby Please (2022)

Directed by Amanda Kramer



This begins as a neon-drenched West Side Story variant with clicking gang members prancing the streets, only to quickly evolve into a thoughtful look at a gender roles and sexuality. "I don't feel the need to act male" states a newlywed husband while expressing his fear about a gang knowing where they live; meanwhile, his wife begins to explore her innermost sexual desires, disillusioned by her husband's unmanliness. The film ultimately raises a lot more ideas than it deeply explores, but it is all very interesting. The neon also stays prominent throughout, most notably during a flickering TV proto-orgy (see above).

[flavo5000]

71. The Butterfly Tree (Priscilla Cameron, 2017)


72. Camila (María Luisa Bemberg, 1984) #SouthAmerica


73. Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny (Karen Bernstein + guy, 2016)


74. Around the Block (Sarah Spillane, 2013) #Oceania


75. Dark Tales from Channel X (Lindsay Serrano + dude, 2021)


76. The Other Lamb (Malgorzata Szumowska, 2019)


77a. After School Knife Fight (Caroline Poggi & etc, 2017)
77b. Jakt a.k.a. Hunt (Gjertrud Bergaust, 2018)
77c. After Before (Athina Rachel Tsangari, 2016)

Spoiler

1. Magdalena Viraga (Nina Menkes, 1986)
2. Queen of Diamonds (Nina Menkes, 1991)
3. The Bloody Child (Nina Menkes, 1996)
4. Phantom Love (Nina Menkes, 2007)
5. Hitparkut a.k.a. Dissolution (Nina Menkes, 2010)
6. Tomboy (Céline Sciamma, 2011)
7. Mississippi Masala (Mira Nair, 1991)
8a. The Great Sadness of Zohara (Nina Menkes, 1983)
8b. The Lioness (Nina Menkes, 2022)
8c. Verdict Not Guilty (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1933)
8d. Heaven-Bound Traveler (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1935)
8e. Helicopter (Kit Zauhar, 2016)
8f. The Terrestrials (Kit Zauhar, 2018)
9. Hideout in the Sun (Doris Wishman, 1960) #<400
10. A Taste of Flesh (Doris Wishman, 1967)
11. God Said, 'Ha!' (Julia Sweeney, 1998) #LMAO
12. National Bird (Sonia Kennebeck, 2016) #Documentary
13. The Rider (Chloé Zhao, 2017)
14. The Watermelon Woman (Cheryl Dunye, 1996) #BLM
15. Actual People (Kit Zauhar, 2021) #Bechdel
16. Rambling Rose (Martha Coolidge, 1991) #AcademyAward
17. Örökbefogadás a.k.a. Adoption (Márta Mészáros, 1975) #Europe
18. Le goût des autres a.k.a. The Taste of Others (Agnès Jaoui, 2000)
19. Obsidian (Erica Summers, 2020) #FinalGirl
20. Running from Crazy (Barbara Kopple, 2013)
21. I Am Ali (Clare Lewins, 2014)
22. The Mustang (Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, 2019)
23. La nouba des femmes du mont Chenoua (Assia Djebbar, 1979) #Africa
24. Cut Her Out (Tiffany Heath, 2014)
25. Too Much Too Often! (Doris Wishman, 1968)
26. Building Chernobyl's Mega Tomb (Gwyn Williams, 2017)
27. Nowhere Boy (Sam Taylor-Johnson, 2009)
28. Grindstone Road (Melanie Orr, 2008) #NorthAmerica
29. Don't Worry Darling (Olivia Wilde, 2022) #New
30. Take the Lead (Liz Friedlander, 2006)
31. By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (Amy Rice, Alicia Sams, 2009)
32. The Adderall Diaries (Pamela Romanowsky, 2015)
33. Sucker Money (Dorothy Davenport + a guy, 1933)
34. Chocolat (Claire Denis, 1988) #iCMForumFaves
35. Another Day, Another Man (Doris Wishman, 1966)
36. Passion Fever (Doris Wishman, 1966)
37. Ten Thousand Saints (Shari Springer Berman & dude, 2015)
38. The Invitation (Jessica M. Thompson, 2022)
39. Bande de filles a.k.a. Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014)
40-41. Jackie Robinson (Sarah Burns & guys, 2016)
42. Between Worlds (Maria Pulera, 2018)
43. Katte ni furuetero a.k.a. Tremble All You Want (Akiko Ohku, 2017) #Asia
44. The Godsend (Gabrielle Beaumont, 1980)
45. High Art (Lisa Cholodenko, 1998) #LGBTQ
46. Freak Show (Trudie Styler, 2017)
47-49. Tamako Market (Naoko Yamada, 2013)
50. Tamako rabu sutôrî a.k.a. Tamako Love Story (Naoko Yamada, 2014) #Animation
51. Dalla nube alla resistenza a.k.a. From the Clouds to the Resistance (Danièle Huillet & guy, 1979) #S&S
52. Shut Up & Sing (Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck, 2006)
53. Before I Fall (Ry Russo-Young, 2017)
54. Om Shanti Om (Farah Khan, 2007)
55. Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology (Tiffany Shlain, 2011)
56. The Woman Condemned (Dorothy Davenport, 1934)
57. Earwig (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, 2021)
58. The Mermaid's Curse (Louisa Warren, 2019)
59. Keyholes Are for Peeping (Doris Wishman, 1972)
60. Love Toy (Doris Wishman, 1971)
61. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Anne Sundberg & dude, 2010)
62-67. Michiko to Hatchin (Sayo Yamamoto, 2008)
68. Dudes (Penelope Spheeris, 1987)
69a. Falling Leaves (Alice Guy, 1912) #Silent
69b. Matrimony's Speed Limit (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69c. Mabel's Blunder (Mabel Normund, 1914) #Silent
69d. A House Divided (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69e. The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West (Marian E. Wong, 1916) #Silent
70. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) #ChickLit
71. The Butterfly Tree (Priscilla Cameron, 2017)
72. Camila (María Luisa Bemberg, 1984) #SouthAmerica
73. Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny (Karen Bernstein + guy, 2016)
74. Around the Block (Sarah Spillane, 2013) #Oceania
75. Dark Tales from Channel X (Lindsay Serrano + her brother?, 2021)
76. The Other Lamb (Malgorzata Szumowska, 2019)
77a. After School Knife Fight (Caroline Poggi & etc, 2017)
77b. Jakt a.k.a. Hunt (Gjertrud Bergaust, 2018)
77c. After Before (Athina Rachel Tsangari, 2016)

Bonus Needed: #Scifi

[blocho]

21. Wanda (1970, Loden)
Pointless and boring.

22. Nanny (2022, Jusu)
Kind of like Sembene's Black Girl, only with elements of psychological horror. It didn't quite work. Nanny mixes horror with themes of immigration and social class, but in the end none of these areas have enough quality or depth to succeed.

[St. Gloede]

Another new favourite also from the S&S top 250 (only Twin Peaks S3 missing now):

18. Born in Flames (1983, Lizzie Borden)



Born in Flames is one of the smartest sci-fi I've seen. Set in the near future, 10 years after a peaceful Social Democratic revolution in the US, women are still facing violence and discrimination. It is the only "dystopian" film I've seen where the dystopian future is better than the present (especially the then present). The narrative is eerily believable and brings to mind the old brush off feminism got within the left with "first our revolution, then yours" as well as the idea that things can magically be fixed. A large portion of the film is spent examining debates, different groups of feminists, including the women's liberation army, which many find too passive, showing a splintered world and how the aurhority responds to and discusses discontent.

It reminded me of Watkins without the faux doc style, especially in how it used TV footage and other media to make it's world feel real and lived in, from casual sexism of commentators, to dismissals of those with grievances of being spoiled/not understanding how much better things are, and more nuanced and very believable elements, such as a massive discontent amongst, in one instance, white men, feeling women and minorities get preferential treatment in the job market. It asks questions about the status quo, the dangers of sliding back and reminds us that progress must always be fought for. Meanwhile, the film is nuanced enough to have an examination of tactics, different views and never taking a strict stance, leaving much to our immagination as to how we feel about the events and the factions.

Sidenote, and not relevant for this challenge, the film also made me think of Robert Kramer's Ice from 1970, which is set in a near future where a revolution may be feasible in the US. Different politics, and more violent than Born in Flames (and not quite as good) but as there are so few of this kind of film it is worth shouting it out.

[gunnar]

22 - Hypocrites (1915) - 6/10 - Lois Weber - #Silent - A morality film with a preacher giving a sermon about hypocrisy that his congregation doesn't appreciate. The film is kind of boring, but noteworthy for the full frontal nudity of a young woman (as Naked Truth) which was shot using double exposure.

23 - The Reunion (2013) - 7/10 - Anna Odell - A woman makes a short film showing what might have happened had she been invited to her 20 year high school reunion and had a chance to tell her fellow classmates how she felt about being bullied for many years. Then she contacts members of her class and invites them to meet with her to watch the film and discuss their view of the time they shared in school. It was interesting.

Spoiler

1 - The Woman King (2022) - 7.5/10 - Gina Prince-Bythewood - #BLM
2 - Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - 8/10 - Chantal Akerman - #S&S
3 - The Headless Woman (2008) - 6/10 - Lucrecia Martel - #SouthAmerica
4 - Le Bonheur (1965) - 7.5/10 - Agnès Varda - #Europe
5 - Portrait of Jason (1967) - 7.5/10 - Shirley Clarke- #Documentary
6 - Wanda (1970) - 4/10 - Barbara Loden- #iCMForumFaves
7 - Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) - 6.5/10 - Ágnes Hranitzky, Béla Tarr
8 - She Said (2022) - 7/10 - Maria Schrader - #New
9 - Till (2022) - 8/10 - Chinonye Chukwu - #<400
10 - Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) - 7.5/10 - Olivia Newman - #ChickLit
11 - The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968) - 5.5/10 - Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
12 - Leviathan (2012) - 3/10 - Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
13 - XXY (2007) - 6/10 - Lucía Puenzo
14 - Zama (2017) - 7/10 - Lucrecia Martel
15 - Cherry Blossoms (2008) - 7.5/10 - Doris Dörrie - #Bechdel
16 - A Question of Silence (1982) - 6/10 - Marleen Gorris
17 - Las Niñas (2020) - 8/10 - Pilar Palomero
18 - Turn Me On, Dammit! (2011) - 7.5/10 - Jannicke Systad Jacobsen - #LMAO
19 - She Monkeys (2011) - 6/10 - Lisa Aschan
20 - Boat People (1982) - 7.5/10 - Ann Hui - #Asia
21 - Stories We Tell (2012) - 8/10 - Sarah Polley - #NorthAmerica
Ten (2002) - 7/10

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION
24. Please Baby Please (2022)

25. Spoonful of Sugar (2022)

Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan



Abused by various foster fathers and wanting to be a better parent, a young woman cons her way into a nanny position in this indie drama with horror elements. Released as a Shudder Original, the film has copped some flak from genre fans, but the dramatic core here is strong and Morgan Saylor is excellent. While she does some very questionable and even deplorable things as she tries to get closer to the child in her care, Saylor is sympathetic every step of the way given her abusive upbringing and with her nervous glances and stares. The bond she forges with the nonverbal autistic child is touching too.

[shugs]

1. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman, 2020, ) - 7/10
2. The Elephant Whisperers (Kartiki Gonsalves, 2022, ) - 7/10
3. Cocaine Bear (Elizabeth Banks, 2023, ) - 6/10
4. Silent House (Chris Kentis, Laura Lau, 2011, ) - 5/10

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION
24. Please Baby Please (2022)
25. Spoonful of Sugar (2022)

26. The Peacemaker (1997)

Directed by Mimi Leder



When overseas nuclear warheads are stolen, a female nuclear weapons must work alongside a headstrong colonel in this thriller. While the international politics are murky and very much secondary to the action, the film begins decently with Kidman talking about how Clooney will have to accept working under her while Clooney has his own ideas of course. With this in mind, the biggest disappointment here is how passive a role Kidman ultimately has until the final ten minutes. There are some great action scenes (tricking an oncoming car to crash into a cafe) but they come from Clooney's brawn and muscle.

[pitchorneirda]

Spoiler

1. Felkészülés meghatározatlan ideig tartó együttlétre (2020, Lili Horvát) - 7.5/10
2. Été (1991, Martine Rousset) - 5/10
3. Mossane (1996, Safi Faye) - 6.5/10
4. Autoportretul unei fete cuminti (2015, Ana Lungu) - 6.5/10
5. Évolution (2015, Lucile Hadzihalilovic) - 6.5/10

6. De cierta manera (1977, Sara Gómez) - 7/10

[beavis]

Spoiler

1. Losing Ground (Kathleen Collins, 1982) - 7.5
2. The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy (Kathleen Collins, 1980) - 7.0
3. Registe (Diana Dell’Erba, 2014) - 5.0
4. Aprimi il cuore (Giada Colagrande, 2002) - 7.0
5. Committed (Sheila McLaughlin, Lynne Tillman, 1984) - 7.0
6. Coup de foudre (Diane Kurys, 1983) - 7.5
7. She Must Be Seeing Things (Sheila McLaughlin, 1987) - 7.0
8. Empty Suitcases (Bette Gordon, 1980) - 6.0
9. Alma’s Rainbow (Ayoka Chenzira, 1994) - 7.0
10. Three Lives (Kate Millett, Louva Irvine, Susan Kleckner, 1971) - 7.0
11. SHORTS
12. Strange Weather (Peggy Ahwesh, Margie Strosser, 1993) - 7.0
13. Strange Culture (Lynn Hershman-Leeson, 2007) - 7.0
14. Erotique (Clara Law, Lizzie Borden, Monika Treut, Ana Maria Magalhães, 1994) - 7.0
15. Strop (Věra Chytilová, 1962) - 7.5
16. Signé Charlotte (Caroline Huppert, 1985) - 7.5
17. The Passionate Stranger (Muriel Box, 1957) - 7.0
18. Usuzumi no sakura (Sumiko Haneda, 1977) - 7.0
19. The Female Closet (Barbara Hammer, 1998) - 7.5
20. Fresh Kill (Shu Lea Cheang, 1994) - 7.5
21. Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography (Bonnie Sherr Klein, 1981) - 8.0
22. Kamikaze Hearts (Juliet Bashore, 1986) - 8.0
23. Female Misbehavior (or four shorts at exactly 80', Monika Treut)
24. Didn't Do It for Love (Monika Treut, 1997) - 7.5
25. Ginger & Honey Milk (Mika Imai, 2021) - 7.5
26. Leonor Will Never Die (Martika Ramirez Escobar, 2022) - 7.0
27. Saint Omer (Alice Diop, 2022) - 7.5
28. Alma Viva (Cristèle Alves Meira, 2022) - 7.5
29. Veden vartija (Saara Saarela, 2022) - 5.0
31. Tender Fictions (Barbara Hammer, 1996) - 7.0
32. Women of Vision: 18 Histories in Feminist Film & Video (Alexandra Juhasz, 1998) - 6.0

33. Growing Up Female (Jim Klein, Julia Reichert, 1971) - 7.5
34. Shiza (Gulshat Omarova, 2004) - 8.0
35. Cat Effekt (Melissa Dullius, Gustavo Jahn, 2011) - 8.0
36. Fernsehturm (Tacita Dean, 2001) - 7.0
37. SHORTS
Kiss Napoleon Goodbye (Babeth Mondini, 1990) - 36'
18.000 worlds (Saodat Ismailova, 2023) 26'
Réponse de femmes: Notre corps, notre sexe (Agnès Varda, 1975) - 8'
the Hole (Han Ok-hee, 1973) - 10'
38. SHORTS
Untitled 77-A (Han Ok-hee, 1977) - 7'
An Untitled Portrait (Cheryl Dunye, 1993) - 3'
Greetings from Africa (Cheryl Dunye, 1996) - 8'
Janine (Cheryl Dunye, 1990) - 9'
Vanilla Sex (Cheryl Dunye, 1992) - 3'
Sex Fish (Shu Lea Cheang, 1993) - 6'
Inside Out (Sheila McLaughlin, 1978) - 25'
Dinner Party (Lisa Cholodenko, 1997) - 9'
Still Life with Woman and Four Objects (Lynne Sachs, 1986) - 4'
Carolee, Barbara & Gunvor (Lynne Sachs, 2017) - 8'

Two more sets of shorts! I think I might have another one in me, but of course I want to focus on the (shorter) features. Both Fernsehturm and Cat Effect are experimental mini features of barely over 40 minutes that I might have never watched if not for this challenge (because my personal treshhold for feature length is at 45 minutes), and they are great discoveries! this is what makes the challenges so much fun and worthwhile. Also finally watched Kiss Napoleon Goodbye which is in a way a New York punk/no wave short featuring Lydia Lunch, but it also is made by a Dutch director and filmed in the Netherlands, so a great little cult item in my local history. Imdb and Letterboxd list a feature runtime for it that can't be right.

In the special film program around the Saodat Ismailova exhibition at EYE I watched Shiza today, on 35mm (also watched Beshkempir yesterday on 35mm, both unique chances to see these beautiful movies on vintage, slightly battered, prints, warming my cinephile heart). A coming of age crime movie in the 'outback' of Kazachstan is incredibly cinematic... (some shots referencing early Tarkovsky, but mainly through the impressive landscape and the authentic acting). I had low expectations with the presmisse, but absolutely loved it!!

[mightysparks]

7. Sissy (Hannah Barlow + some guy, 2022) 6/10 #Oceania
8. Born in Flames (Lizzie Borden, 1983) 4/10 #SciFi
9. Fear Street: 1666 (Leigh Janiak, 2021) 5/10 #FinalGirl

Spoiler

1. Go-yang-i-leul boo-tak-hae (Jae-eun Jeong, 2001) 6/10 #<400
2. Los rubios (Albertina Carri, 2003) 4/10 #SouthAmerica
3. The Prince of Tides (Barbra Streisand, 1991) 6/10 #AcademyAward
4. Hva vil folk si (Iram Haq, 2017) 5/10 #Europe
5. Watcher (Chloe Okuno, 2022) 6/10 #New
6. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) 4/10 #ChickLit
7. Sissy (Hannah Barlow + some guy, 2022) 6/10 #Oceania
8. Born in Flames (Lizzie Borden, 1983) 4/10 #SciFi
9. Fear Street: 1666 (Leigh Janiak, 2021) 5/10 #FinalGirl

[flavo5000]

78. Inbetween Girl (Mei Makino, 2021)


79. 3 Lives (Juliane Block, 2019)


80. It Came from Kuchar (Jennifer M. Kroot, 2009)


81. I Think We're Alone Now (Reed Morano, 2018) #Scifi


82. Jil-too-neun na-euh heem a.k.a. Jealousy is my Middle Name (Chan-ok Park, 2002)


83. Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015)


84-85. The White Princess E4-6 (Alex Kalymnios, 2017)


86. Coven (Margaret Malandruccolo, 2020)


87. Sex Doll (Sylvie Verheyde, 2016)


88. Comment ça va? (Anne-Marie Miéville + pretentious goober, 1976)


89. Reel Injun (Catherine Bainbridge + others, 2009)

Spoiler

1. Magdalena Viraga (Nina Menkes, 1986)
2. Queen of Diamonds (Nina Menkes, 1991)
3. The Bloody Child (Nina Menkes, 1996)
4. Phantom Love (Nina Menkes, 2007)
5. Hitparkut a.k.a. Dissolution (Nina Menkes, 2010)
6. Tomboy (Céline Sciamma, 2011)
7. Mississippi Masala (Mira Nair, 1991)
8a. The Great Sadness of Zohara (Nina Menkes, 1983)
8b. The Lioness (Nina Menkes, 2022)
8c. Verdict Not Guilty (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1933)
8d. Heaven-Bound Traveler (Eloyce Gist + guy, 1935)
8e. Helicopter (Kit Zauhar, 2016)
8f. The Terrestrials (Kit Zauhar, 2018)
9. Hideout in the Sun (Doris Wishman, 1960) #<400
10. A Taste of Flesh (Doris Wishman, 1967)
11. God Said, 'Ha!' (Julia Sweeney, 1998) #LMAO
12. National Bird (Sonia Kennebeck, 2016) #Documentary
13. The Rider (Chloé Zhao, 2017)
14. The Watermelon Woman (Cheryl Dunye, 1996) #BLM
15. Actual People (Kit Zauhar, 2021) #Bechdel
16. Rambling Rose (Martha Coolidge, 1991) #AcademyAward
17. Örökbefogadás a.k.a. Adoption (Márta Mészáros, 1975) #Europe
18. Le goût des autres a.k.a. The Taste of Others (Agnès Jaoui, 2000)
19. Obsidian (Erica Summers, 2020) #FinalGirl
20. Running from Crazy (Barbara Kopple, 2013)
21. I Am Ali (Clare Lewins, 2014)
22. The Mustang (Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, 2019)
23. La nouba des femmes du mont Chenoua (Assia Djebbar, 1979) #Africa
24. Cut Her Out (Tiffany Heath, 2014)
25. Too Much Too Often! (Doris Wishman, 1968)
26. Building Chernobyl's Mega Tomb (Gwyn Williams, 2017)
27. Nowhere Boy (Sam Taylor-Johnson, 2009)
28. Grindstone Road (Melanie Orr, 2008) #NorthAmerica
29. Don't Worry Darling (Olivia Wilde, 2022) #New
30. Take the Lead (Liz Friedlander, 2006)
31. By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (Amy Rice, Alicia Sams, 2009)
32. The Adderall Diaries (Pamela Romanowsky, 2015)
33. Sucker Money (Dorothy Davenport + a guy, 1933)
34. Chocolat (Claire Denis, 1988) #iCMForumFaves
35. Another Day, Another Man (Doris Wishman, 1966)
36. Passion Fever (Doris Wishman, 1966)
37. Ten Thousand Saints (Shari Springer Berman & dude, 2015)
38. The Invitation (Jessica M. Thompson, 2022)
39. Bande de filles a.k.a. Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014)
40-41. Jackie Robinson (Sarah Burns & guys, 2016)
42. Between Worlds (Maria Pulera, 2018)
43. Katte ni furuetero a.k.a. Tremble All You Want (Akiko Ohku, 2017) #Asia
44. The Godsend (Gabrielle Beaumont, 1980)
45. High Art (Lisa Cholodenko, 1998) #LGBTQ
46. Freak Show (Trudie Styler, 2017)
47-49. Tamako Market (Naoko Yamada, 2013)
50. Tamako rabu sutôrî a.k.a. Tamako Love Story (Naoko Yamada, 2014) #Animation
51. Dalla nube alla resistenza a.k.a. From the Clouds to the Resistance (Danièle Huillet & guy, 1979) #S&S
52. Shut Up & Sing (Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck, 2006)
53. Before I Fall (Ry Russo-Young, 2017)
54. Om Shanti Om (Farah Khan, 2007)
55. Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology (Tiffany Shlain, 2011)
56. The Woman Condemned (Dorothy Davenport, 1934)
57. Earwig (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, 2021)
58. The Mermaid's Curse (Louisa Warren, 2019)
59. Keyholes Are for Peeping (Doris Wishman, 1972)
60. Love Toy (Doris Wishman, 1971)
61. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Anne Sundberg & dude, 2010)
62-67. Michiko to Hatchin (Sayo Yamamoto, 2008)
68. Dudes (Penelope Spheeris, 1987)
69a. Falling Leaves (Alice Guy, 1912) #Silent
69b. Matrimony's Speed Limit (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69c. Mabel's Blunder (Mabel Normund, 1914) #Silent
69d. A House Divided (Alice Guy, 1913) #Silent
69e. The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West (Marian E. Wong, 1916) #Silent
70. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) #ChickLit
71. The Butterfly Tree (Priscilla Cameron, 2017)
72. Camila (María Luisa Bemberg, 1984) #SouthAmerica
73. Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny (Karen Bernstein + guy, 2016)
74. Around the Block (Sarah Spillane, 2013) #Oceania
75. Dark Tales from Channel X (Lindsay Serrano + her brother?, 2021)
76. The Other Lamb (Malgorzata Szumowska, 2019)
77a. After School Knife Fight (Caroline Poggi & etc, 2017)
77b. Jakt a.k.a. Hunt (Gjertrud Bergaust, 2018)
77c. After Before (Athina Rachel Tsangari, 2016)
78. Inbetween Girl (Mei Makino, 2021)
79. 3 Lives (Juliane Block, 2019)
80. It Came from Kuchar (Jennifer M. Kroot, 2009)
81. I Think We're Alone Now (Reed Morano, 2018) #Scifi
82. Jil-too-neun na-euh heem a.k.a. Jealousy is my Middle Name (Chan-ok Park, 2002)
83. Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015)
84-85. The White Princess E4-6 (Alex Kalymnios, 2017)
86. Coven (Margaret Malandruccolo, 2020)
87. Sex Doll (Sylvie Verheyde, 2016)
88. Comment ça va? (Anne-Marie Miéville + pretentious goober, 1976)
89. Reel Injun (Catherine Bainbridge + others, 2009)

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION
24. Please Baby Please (2022)
25. Spoonful of Sugar (2022)
26. The Peacemaker (1997)

27. The Producers (2005) REVISION

Directed by Susan Stroman



Blown out to over two hours long, this takes the Mel Brooks one-joke premise of two producers intentionally creating a Broadway flop and stretches it to its limits. Rewatched with lowered expectations though, this stands up better to revision. It is certainly never short on energy with all concerned really getting into character, while some of the plot changes (the accountant's boss rather than Max convincing him to quit his day job) actually work better. The film is simply an exhausting ride with too many musical numbers and a weird, underdeveloped romance between the accountant and the ditzy secretary.

[gunnar]

24-26 - Paper Girls Season 1 (2022) Episodes 3-8 (272 minutes) - Destiny Ekaragha, Karen Gaviola, Mairzee Almas - #SciFi - Four paper girls from a small town in 1988 end up involved in a time war and travel to other time periods and have to try and find a way home. I loved the comic and this is a pretty nice adaptation. It's a lot of fun and I wish that it had been renewed for a second season.

Spoiler

1 - The Woman King (2022) - 7.5/10 - Gina Prince-Bythewood - #BLM
2 - Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - 8/10 - Chantal Akerman - #S&S
3 - The Headless Woman (2008) - 6/10 - Lucrecia Martel - #SouthAmerica
4 - Le Bonheur (1965) - 7.5/10 - Agnès Varda - #Europe
5 - Portrait of Jason (1967) - 7.5/10 - Shirley Clarke- #Documentary
6 - Wanda (1970) - 4/10 - Barbara Loden- #iCMForumFaves
7 - Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) - 6.5/10 - Ágnes Hranitzky, Béla Tarr
8 - She Said (2022) - 7/10 - Maria Schrader - #New
9 - Till (2022) - 8/10 - Chinonye Chukwu - #<400
10 - Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) - 7.5/10 - Olivia Newman - #ChickLit
11 - The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968) - 5.5/10 - Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
12 - Leviathan (2012) - 3/10 - Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
13 - XXY (2007) - 6/10 - Lucía Puenzo
14 - Zama (2017) - 7/10 - Lucrecia Martel
15 - Cherry Blossoms (2008) - 7.5/10 - Doris Dörrie - #Bechdel
16 - A Question of Silence (1982) - 6/10 - Marleen Gorris
17 - Las Niñas (2020) - 8/10 - Pilar Palomero
18 - Turn Me On, Dammit! (2011) - 7.5/10 - Jannicke Systad Jacobsen - #LMAO
19 - She Monkeys (2011) - 6/10 - Lisa Aschan
20 - Boat People (1982) - 7.5/10 - Ann Hui - #Asia
21 - Stories We Tell (2012) - 8/10 - Sarah Polley - #NorthAmerica
Ten (2002) - 7/10
22 - Hypocrites (1915) - 6/10 - Lois Weber - #Silent
23 - The Reunion (2013) - 7/10 - Anna Odell

[RogerTheMovieManiac88]

Hi there mighty; cheers for hosting!

1. Meek's Cutoff (2010, Kelly Reichardt) - 7/10
2. Le sorelle Macaluso / The Macaluso Sisters (2020, Emma Dante) - 7/10
3. Here Before (2021, Stacey Gregg) - 6/10
4. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022, Halina Reijn) - 7/10

[pitchorneirda]

Spoiler

1. Felkészülés meghatározatlan ideig tartó együttlétre (2020, Lili Horvát) - 7.5/10
2. Été (1991, Martine Rousset) - 5/10
3. Mossane (1996, Safi Faye) - 6.5/10
4. Autoportretul unei fete cuminti (2015, Ana Lungu) - 6.5/10
5. Évolution (2015, Lucile Hadzihalilovic) - 6.5/10
6. De cierta manera (1977, Sara Gómez) - 7/10

7. Wolfsbergen (2007, Nanouk Leopold) - 6.5/10

[Minkin]

It's Ladeez Night somewhere

01. Slaxx (2020) - Quebec - Rating: 4/10 #NorthAmerica
02. National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) - Rating: 2/10 - #LMAO
03. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Rating: 5/10 - #iCMForumFaves

04. Cocaine Bear (2023) - Georgia + Ireland - Rating: 6/10 - #Bechdel
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks

Before their plane crashes, a drug smuggler dumps an enormous amount of cocaine bricks out of the plane and into a Georgia National Forest, where it’s discovered by a bear. This is of course an excuse to have a “coked out,” unstoppable bear eat cocaine and maul everyone in sight – to which the audience naturally cheers along (as you do) that the bear do all sorts of viciously gory dissection of a bunch of throwaway / dislikable characters. This latter element is oddly just thrown in – as the film manages to keep finding random baddies who offer nothing but bear bait -as even their villainy is just sort of pasted in (see: the teen gang). The film perhaps focuses too heavily on these side characters, as it just decides to take a break from the suspense or urgency of the bear. This is perhaps best demonstrated when two of the baddies, coming from two different baddie groups, bond and share affection for one another for their traumatic experiences they’ve gone through. This is rather out of expectations, that two dudes, who are typical bear fodder, end up sympathizing with each other and becoming friends – all of this despite their tenuous situation (with a 3rd baddie attempting to kill one of them). It’s just lovely to see what would otherwise be bear chow end up building a meet-cute friendship, which humanizes them better than most everyone else in the film, as they both seem out of place from the rest of the villains. All said, the bear has ingested like 10,000x a normal dose of cocaine, so one would naturally expect it to have some serious repercussions – I’m surprised the bear wasn’t even more out of control than it is here. I am disappointed by two things though: 1) the damn nummy-muffin-cocoa-butter dog doesn’t get bear’ed – it’s such an obvious target, and it adds nothing to the film. 2) the CGI of the bear is very disappointingly apparent and takes you out of it every time you see it – which is a let down, especially when a majority of the production budget was spent on the bear’s creation. Of course a real bear should never be used, but an 80s style animatronic puppet would’ve made for a better experience than what we got here. I’d also like to know if making the killer, that you cheer along for, as violent, gory, and substantial as a any slasher film gets a pass from censors – because its an animal doing the kills instead of a person, and animals can get away with being “too horrific for any audience.” Anyway, this was a mildly entertaining film with a decent amount of gore, and a lot of cheering on the bear. Watched this with all of our bear friends, and they thoroughly enjoyed all of the bear’s appearances, despite how phoned in that appearance was + bonus for baby coke bears. Oh and the Bechdel Test site gives this film points for the cocaine bear being female, glad to know, represent.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION
24. Please Baby Please (2022)
25. Spoonful of Sugar (2022)
26. The Peacemaker (1997)
27. The Producers (2005) REVISION

28. Bitch (2017)

Directed by Marianna Palka



Mistreated by her philandering workaholic husband, an overworked housewife has a nervous breakdown and starts behaving like a feral dog in this thought-provoking dark comedy. The jokes are never at the expense at the wife but rather her husband who has no idea how to parent his kids, not even how to dress his own daughter. And Jason Ritter is so slimy that there is a fair bit of fun to be had in his world crashing down, suddenly getting into trouble at work etc., but the mild disappointment of the film is how it eventually becomes about him learning to be a better man (this should have been the wife's tale).

[Arkantos]

8. Daisies (1966, Vera Chytilova), #Europe

The List

1. The Headless Woman (2008, Lucrecia Martel) #SouthAmerica
2. Beau travail (1999, Claire Denis) #S&S
3. Deadly Weapons (1974, Doris Wishman) #<400
4. The Matrix (1999, Lana and Lilly Wachowski), #LGBTQ, rewatch
5. The Matrix Reloaded (2003, Lana and Lilly Wachowski) #Sci-Fi, rewatch
6. The Matrix Revolutions (2003, Lana and Lilly Wachowski) #Bechdel, rewatch
7. Indecent Desires (1968, Doris Wishman)
8. Daisies (1966, Vera Chytilova), [color=#08000]#Europe[/color]

[pitchorneirda]

Spoiler

1. Felkészülés meghatározatlan ideig tartó együttlétre (2020, Lili Horvát) - 7.5/10
2. Été (1991, Martine Rousset) - 5/10
3. Mossane (1996, Safi Faye) - 6.5/10
4. Autoportretul unei fete cuminti (2015, Ana Lungu) - 6.5/10
5. Évolution (2015, Lucile Hadzihalilovic) - 6.5/10
6. De cierta manera (1977, Sara Gómez) - 7/10
7. Wolfsbergen (2007, Nanouk Leopold) - 6.5/10

8. Women Talking (2022, Sarah Polley) - 3/10

You already said it all: the script was particularly awful. And I didn't find the performances that redeemable.

[St. Gloede]

19. Working Girls (1986, Lizzie Borden)



I'm stunned that this film has not been established as a key indie classic. It strikes me as an important and daring film, decades ahead of its time.

Working Girls is the only film I can think of that shows sex work, as well ... work - a bit of a dead-end job with a fake nice manager, boredom, chit-chat, and the particular uneasiness and issues that come with the profession. I'm also not sure we have had films where the sex workers are so well-defined and explored as people. An unfair comparison that grew in my mind was to the completely different Vecchiali film Rosa la rose, fille publique, from the same year, which goes into, essentially, iconography/fantasy/idolism/fetishism - but then that's Vecchiali. I must be missing some films that should be at the top of my head - but regardless: it is impressive, daring, witty and cutting - and all with the largely limited location.

Just as in Born in Flames, Borden did so much with the low budget and made it work to it's advantage. Here, it feels like you are trapped on the shift with these women, and she makes the space feel lived-in (a phrase I used when describing Born in Flames as well).

I will definitely be looking into Borden's other work as well - though nothing else seems to have gotten similar reception (with these two being available through Criterion). If anyone has additional Borden recommendations or films like this, just shoot.

I also have to say that the scene where:

Spoiler

Our protagonist is pretending not to be queer and even saying "do I look like a dyke" to soothe the fears of a young new girl working there was particularly cutting and sad. There were many eerie and creepy scene, but that one stood out to me.

8.5/10


Anyways, from the great to the less great, Flavo has been dropping Doris Wishman's name on repeat on Discord, and I'm happy(?) to say I have given her another shot, hating this one far less:

20. Indecent Desires (1968, Doris Wishman)

This is a low-budget erotic fantasy drama, where a stalker drives a woman insane by the use of a voodoo doll, of course with the woman barely dressed - and usually in high heels. What I will say about it is that it is quite well-shot, especially for its budget. Thoroughly stupid and inane, but better than I feared. 3.5/10



And for something completely different, here's a quick dive into a director I had previously seen nothing from:

Dinara Asanova



21. Ne bolit golova u dyatla / Woodpeckers Don't Get Headaches (1975) 6/10
22. Klyuch bez prava peredachi / The Key That Should Not Be Handed On (1977) 5/10
23. Patsany / Teenagers (1984) 6/10

Dinara Asanova was a kyrgyzstani director working with Lenfilm. From what I have read about her she was quite popular in the USSR, and from the 3 films I have seen (the only films currently available in English), she had a particular interest in youths. She died at the young age of 42 in 1985 (heart ailments listed as the cause of death).

Woodpeckers Don't Get Headaches was her feature debut and it is a cute and charming tale of a young buy dreaming of being a drummer and experiencing summer love. Innocuous, well-made, charming, quirky but also nothing too special. While her first film starts as school ends, her next The Key That Should Not Be Handed On, takes place entirely in school and moves the focus onto the staff around the children as a new principal arrives, directly from the army. It is also a comedy, but less so, and a bit drier in its soft critique of authoritarianism, granted, brave in it's context. Teenagers is her most blunt, concerning a camp for troubling boys. Here she is unafraid of prodding into their unstable psyche - though with its large character gallery and moments of humour it is a little sprawling. The opening is great however and there are many memorable scenes throughout.

[pitchorneirda]

Spoiler

1. Felkészülés meghatározatlan ideig tartó együttlétre (2020, Lili Horvát) - 7.5/10
2. Été (1991, Martine Rousset) - 5/10
3. Mossane (1996, Safi Faye) - 6.5/10
4. Autoportretul unei fete cuminti (2015, Ana Lungu) - 6.5/10
5. Évolution (2015, Lucile Hadzihalilovic) - 6.5/10
6. De cierta manera (1977, Sara Gómez) - 7/10
7. Wolfsbergen (2007, Nanouk Leopold) - 6.5/10
8. Women Talking (2022, Sarah Polley) - 3/10

9. Dronningen (2019, May el-Toukhy) - 5/10

[gunnar]

27 - The Elephant Whisperers (2022) - 8/10 - Kartiki Gonsalves - #AcademyAward - Raghu is an orphaned elephant in bad shape. He is taken to a refuge in southern India where he is nursed back to health and spends time with other elephants and animals. Another elephant calf soon joins them. It's a nice short documentary.

I rewatched the above since I've seen every Academy Award nominated film directed by a woman, except for three shorts (Artists and Orphans, Goodnight Miss Ann, and Mural on Our Street) which aren't generally available. It was just as good the second time around.

28 - Tamako Market (2013) Episodes 1-4 (95 minutes) - Naoko Yamada - #Animation - A high school girl finds a talking bird and takes it home to her family's mochi shop. The series centers around the girl, her family and friends, and the bird. I enjoyed the first four episodes so I'll likely watch the rest of the series and the movie sequel soon.

Spoiler

1 - The Woman King (2022) - 7.5/10 - Gina Prince-Bythewood - #BLM
2 - Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - 8/10 - Chantal Akerman - #S&S
3 - The Headless Woman (2008) - 6/10 - Lucrecia Martel - #SouthAmerica
4 - Le Bonheur (1965) - 7.5/10 - Agnès Varda - #Europe
5 - Portrait of Jason (1967) - 7.5/10 - Shirley Clarke- #Documentary
6 - Wanda (1970) - 4/10 - Barbara Loden- #iCMForumFaves
7 - Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) - 6.5/10 - Ágnes Hranitzky, Béla Tarr
8 - She Said (2022) - 7/10 - Maria Schrader - #New
9 - Till (2022) - 8/10 - Chinonye Chukwu - #<400
10 - Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) - 7.5/10 - Olivia Newman - #ChickLit
11 - The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968) - 5.5/10 - Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
12 - Leviathan (2012) - 3/10 - Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
13 - XXY (2007) - 6/10 - Lucía Puenzo
14 - Zama (2017) - 7/10 - Lucrecia Martel
15 - Cherry Blossoms (2008) - 7.5/10 - Doris Dörrie - #Bechdel
16 - A Question of Silence (1982) - 6/10 - Marleen Gorris
17 - Las Niñas (2020) - 8/10 - Pilar Palomero
18 - Turn Me On, Dammit! (2011) - 7.5/10 - Jannicke Systad Jacobsen - #LMAO
19 - She Monkeys (2011) - 6/10 - Lisa Aschan
20 - Boat People (1982) - 7.5/10 - Ann Hui - #Asia
21 - Stories We Tell (2012) - 8/10 - Sarah Polley - #NorthAmerica
Ten (2002) - 7/10
22 - Hypocrites (1915) - 6/10 - Lois Weber - #Silent
23 - The Reunion (2013) - 7/10 - Anna Odell
24-26 - Paper Girls Season 1 (2022) Episodes 3-8 (272 minutes) - Destiny Ekaragha, Karen Gaviola, Mairzee Almas - #SciFi

[blocho]

23. Money Monster (2016, Foster) #LGBTQ
I watched this movie on March 18, and the very first line of dialogue mentions the date is March 18. That was a weird coincidence. Anyway, this is a hostage thriller based around a finance television show. The inspiration is clearly CNBC’s Mad Money, with Jim Cramer providing the basis for George Clooney’s lead character. The movie has its tense moments, but the story is ultimately kind of simple, kind of predictable, and stretched too thinly.

24. Home for the Holidays (1995, Foster) #LMAO
A family Thanksgiving dramedy that is very heartfelt but also cliched and unfunny. There’s nothing interesting or amusing about the trope of families squabbling during the holidays that hasn’t already been fully mined by popular culture. For a better movie in this vein, see Cold Turkey.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Pariah (2011) #LGBTQ
2. 7 Boxes (2012) REVISION #SouthAmerica
3. Grace of My Heart (1996) #S&S
4. Portrait of Animal Behavior (2015) #<400
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) REVISION #Bechdel
6. Lady Bird (2017) REVISION #AcademyAward
7. Women Talking (2022) #ChickLit
8. Time of Moulting (2020) #Europe
9. Alma's Rainbow (1994) #BLM
10. Alice, Darling (2022) #NorthAmerica
11. Cocaine Bear (2023) #New
12. King Car (2021) #SciFi
13. Chained (2012) #FinalGirl
14. Liyana (2017) #Africa
15. Monster (2003) REVISION #ICMForumFaves
16. Malcolm (1986) REVISION #Oceania
17. Jesus Camp (2006) REVISION #Documentary
18. Peach Skin (1929) #Silent
19. The Voices (2015) REVISION #LMAO
20. Goldbuster (2017) #Asia
21. The House (2022) #Animation
22. The Mysterious Wall (1967)
23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) REVISION
24. Please Baby Please (2022)
25. Spoonful of Sugar (2022)
26. The Peacemaker (1997)
27. The Producers (2005) REVISION
28. Bitch (2017)

29. Celia (1989) REVISION

Directed by Ann Turner



When I sat down to rewatch this acclaimed Australian classic, I was sort of expecting to climb in my esteem. I wasn't expecting it though to catapult itself into the top 10 of my 500<400 list - but yes, it is that good. I think when I first saw it in 2008, I simply wasn't ready for a deliberately paced psychological drama giving the "Child of Terror" tagline and horror-looking VHS cover. Upon revisit though, the film hit really hard. Rebecca Smart is phenomenal in the lead role as all this crap starts mounting up in her life to the point where the late-in-the-piece horror turns feel eerily logical when they finally occur.

[beavis]

I will definitely be looking into Borden's other work as well - though nothing else seems to have gotten similar reception (with these two being available through Criterion). If anyone has additional Borden recommendations or films like this, just shoot.

with the same topic from the same age, though not USA or female directed: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/prostitute/
and from what i watched earlier in this challenge definately watch: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/kamikaze+hearts/

[St. Gloede]

Excellent, cheers Beavis, will watchlist Prostitute and try to get to Kamikaze Hearts this month.

[sol]

My watch-list is already jam-packed for the month, but Kamikaze Hearts is curiously currently streaming on a local service here; maybe I'll get to it too this month...