Seeking a fresh start, Charlotte and her husband, Joel, pack up their lives in the big city and head to the suburbs, where they find an incredible deal on a beautiful home. Yet all is not what it seems. Their house is “the murder house”, and Charlotte soon finds clues left by the former resident before her murder, making her question which one of their neighbors knew all along and have been covering it up.
This 2016 winner of an Ophir Award for Best Film focuses on the forbidden romance of a young, Bedouin woman and the ramifications it has for her family, her identity, and her culture.
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 92nd Academy Awards had many strong contenders for best animated short. But which Oscar nominated short wins for diversity and inclusion?
Many call 'Tragedy Girls' a modern-day 'Heathers', and I do see the resemblance. The film asks the same question that all teenagers suffer with: who am I? Well, the movie answers this — you are your online presence.
The three themes of lessons learned from HBO Max's Station Eleven are the same as the pandemic: love, regret, and art.
