Kajillionaire: The Latest from Miranda July

By Abe Friedtanzer

I still remember when I convinced a few high school friends that the next movie for us to watch together should be Me and You and Everyone We Know. I was fully enthralled by the feature directorial debut of writer-director Miranda July, which explored unconventional romances and perspectives, and, to me, was the definition of experimental and arthouse filmmaking at the time. My friends were not quite as amused, and are still probably angry at me for making them watch it if they haven’t fully blocked it from their memories fifteen years later. 

July’s follow-up, The Future, was intriguing but ultimately disappointing. I was nonetheless very much on board to see July’s latest, released a full nine years after her second, when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this past January. For the first time, July doesn’t appear in her film, and it builds on the transition she made between her first two films to feature a more typical narrative. The concepts continue to be totally peculiar, but the way in which the story is presented is actually quite normal...

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Five Sundance Films to Get Excited About

by Murtada Elfadl

Sundance announced its 2020 slew of films for the festival that kicks off in Park City on January 23rd. This writer is excited to start caring about a whole slew of new movies as the festival comes in at the thick of awards season when there’s almost nothing left to say about 2019 movies.

Julianne Moore as Gloria Steinem in The Glorias

Sundance provided some statistics on their selection this year...

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Answer me these questions three

Yours truly is sick-sick-sick today so please inspire me right out of this cold by answering questions. First Which movie cures illness? What makes you feel so good that you leap right out of the metaphoric bed with the ability to run a maraton. This is the time when we really wish A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood had already arrived in screener form. 

Been thinking about the greatness of Debra Winger in Terms of Endearment. In all the the years since, I have never heard an audience sobbing its heart out like they did over her last scene with her boys. pic.twitter.com/CoMLUa7wxZ

— Farran Nehme (@selfstyledsiren) November 14, 2019

On Twitter today there was a brief shout-out to Debra Winger's Terms of Endearment performance... and it reminded that one of the very first time I heard someone discuss the art of acting in passionate detail was a Siskel & Ebert special 'if we picked the Oscars' or some such. They were split on Shirley or Debra in Terms. What's the first time you were ever enthralled listening to people talk about acting? 

Finally I promise to write about this year's Oscar race in the morning. Which category do you most want to discuss?

New Mantra: "Miranda July Heist Movie"

Chris here. If that headline didn't already give you a moment of chrystalline mental clarity, perhaps the fact that it's not just fantasy will. That's right, the multi-hyphenate artist Miranda July will be returning to cinemas for her yet untitled third feature, this time with a genre bent. Those unfamiliar with the indie darling would do well to research her performance art and writing, but her filmography is as good a start as any of her other works. Her first two idiosyncratic films were 2005's whimsically sad Me and You and Everyone We Know ("... forever.") and 2011's The Future, which was narrated by a stray cat. Both films are touching and deeply original, so don't expect standard heist fare.

But maybe this could be her most mainstream film yet given the enticing cast she's already assembled: Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Gina Rodriguez, and Richard Jenkins. Wood will play Old Dolio (!), whose scheming parents (Winger and Jenkins) bring an outsider into their major heist plans, with big ramifications for Old Dolio. Expect something oddly moving and unlike anything else released that year.

A League of Their Own, Pt. 2: Mae Swings, Evelyn Cries, Jimmy Rants

25th Anniversary Four-Part Mini Series Event

Previously in Part 1: "Dollies" who could also play ball were recruited to save America's Favorite Pastime while the men were at war. But these athletic women didn't realize that they'd still be met with such sexism despite the chance to show their gifts. The final piece of this movie's puzzle was the manager and the job was offered to Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) and that's where we pick back up. How will the Rockford Peaches handle their new arrogant alcoholic boss? 

Batter up...

Part 2 by Nathaniel R

33:40 "Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the first game of the All American Girls Baseball League"... In this case via the establishing shot (Penny Marshall makes good use of those throughout) 'ladies & gentlemen' is a small plural; the stands are mostly empty. 

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