23‑year‑old Machi Watarase, a perpetual part‑timer, works multiple odd jobs. One day, she’s asked by 19‑year‑old painter Okazaki Yoshito to be his model. Captivated by his sketch of her, she begins living with him. Meanwhile, a 27‑year‑old art writer, Itokawa Hiroshi, appears in her life. Although both Yoshito and Hiroshi let her be just as she is, strange feelings grow as her discomfort with her own image in the painting increases.
Overall, Cruella stands above the other Disney retellings. Its dark and bold, and that is exactly what these retellings should be. Emma Stone continues to prove she's one of the finest young actresses working today, and Emma Thompson gives one of the best villain performances in the last decade. The fashion is stunning, the dogs are adorable, and the story is wildly vibrant and original. It's classic movie fun, and it shouldn't be overlooked.
Alongside A Drowning Man, I Signed The Petition, 3 Logical Exits, and A World Not Ours, A Man Returned continues to paint a realistic portrait of the Refugee Crisis that eschews the Western gaze and stereotype. These are real portraits painted by a director with lived experience, cultural connection and an amazing eye for visuals.
A masterful portrayal of a long-forgotten story that needs to be told.
If your upbringing was anything like mine, where the TV acted as an additional parent- there are so many new stories and perspectives to explore.
Disney has a glaring and, up until recently, unaddressed issue that spans nearly its entire lifetime - an absence of diversity.
The sequel to the 2021 remake of the same name continues from where we last left off in this spooky adventure.
