Intercourse with the Vampire (1994)

The three themes of lessons learned from HBO Max's Station Eleven are the same as the pandemic: love, regret, and art.

The Invite is witty, dramatic, funny, and probably the best comedy released this year so far. 

Mala tripped over in a company Diwali party, which led to unexpected visits and realizations.

Telling a story about the French and Indian Wars from the perspective of the British prioritizes the perspective of the colonizers. 

The social issues The Half of it takes on are handled well, between the antagonization brought on to Ellie for her race and the conflict that arises from her being gay. Both aspects of her character are built up over the course of the film and don’t seem abrupt or rushed. The film shows racism towards Ellie and her and father in varying levels, from having her schoolmates specifically address her as "Chinese girl” to the fore mentioned way her Dad is treated due to language barriers. The same can be said about Ellie being a lesbian. While she never truly “comes out” in the narrative, that does not undermine her journey of self-discovery from being meaningful. These ideas aren’t thrust upon the viewer in a preachy manor, the scenarios that occur feel believable given the rural setting. The film presents watchers with problems whom those like Ellie may face, and leaves us to sit with them and reflect.

The most impressive aspect of this film is the honest and natural performances given by the on-screen duo.