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Tár (2022): The Structure She Became
Todd Field’s film “Tár” presents Lydia Tár, the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, exploring her complexities and blind spots as an artist. It critiques the structural inequalities faced by women in the arts while detailing Lydia’s downfall, highlighting the artistic privileges men often enjoy without consequence.
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12 Years a Slave Is Not About Survival. It’s About What Was Already There and Got Subtracted.
The Ledger Solomon Northup is not a character who grows. He does not learn. He does not transform. He does not discover inner resources he did not know he had. He arrives in the first scene of 12 Years a Slave as a complete human being. A husband. A father. A violinist. A free man…
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The Wrestler Isn’t About One More Fight. It’s About a Body That Doesn’t Exist Without an Audience.
The Wrestler explores the life of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a washed-up professional wrestler whose existence is deeply intertwined with his performance. The film emphasizes the contrast between the scripted nature of wrestling and the genuine physical toll it takes. As Randy grapples with personal relationships and the fading glory of his past, he reveals…
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Moonlight Isn’t About Growing Up. It’s About What the Body Survives to Finally Be Touched.
“Moonlight” is a fragmented narrative following Chiron, a Black, gay boy growing up in Miami. The film explores the journey of his body through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, revealing the systemic violence he faces. Ultimately, it highlights his struggle to accept tenderness and vulnerability amid societal rejection, culminating in a poignant embrace of himself.
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Scream Is Not a Parody. It’s the Moment the Genre Turned Around and Looked at You.
The phone rings. Casey Becker answers. She is making popcorn. She is alone. The caller is friendly, flirtatious. He wants to talk about movies. “What’s your favorite scary movie?” Casey plays along. She likes horror. She knows horror. She has seen Halloween. She is, in every recognizable way, a horror movie audience member: she has…