Gus Van Sant's Constant Thematic and Cinematic Elements
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.

An aging and recent widower, not wanting to spend his first Christmas alone, responds to an ad in the newspaper which reads: "You are not alone. We make social arrangements of all kinds." When he visits the Social Arranger, he makes it very clear his only interest is in "social company" and is subsequently introduced to a woman who agrees to spend the holiday with him. The woman bids him to not ask any questions about her personal life, which harbors a secret that threatens their developing friendship, and could ultimately change both their lives.
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.
The Force Awakens is A New Hope 2.0, in essence. The story structure is virtually unchanged, marking a safe opening to the new trilogy.
Netflix takes some liberties in its portrayal of Madame CJ Walker, a trailblazing Black entrepreneur.
'Rag Tag' encompasses the diversity within the African Diaspora by showing London Nigerian men learning to regulate their emotions while navigating love and societal pressures.
'Living' dives into many themes that we can all understand regardless of our cultural backgrounds. We can see this through the shared similarities between 'Ikiru' and 'Living'.
These openly gay Hollywood figures risked so much by being honest about their sexuality: judgment, loss of employment, hate – even violence and death.