The Florida Project's stark contrast between charmed living and survival

When we meet Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), the six-year-old protagonist in Sean Baker's latest film, she's the queen of her little kingdom - a seedy motel on the fringes of Disney World. She's the leader of an elementary age gang of troublemakers who run around a motel during summer break. Baker does an excellent job capturing the spastic and carefree energy of childhood on a bedbug-infested, chipped paint backdrop.

Moonee's a hustler - a trait she's picked up from her mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), who is just a kid herself. The shady guests at the motel are all kept in check by kind-hearted motel manager: Bobby (Willem Defoe). It's a performance unlike I've ever seen from Defoe. Despite his tough exterior, his empty promises to throw out his down-and-out tenants and subtle acts of kindness show he really cares for them. Even the kids who are constantly causing trouble around the already dilapidated motel.

The motel is a community of undesirables: a 60-year-old woman who can't seem to keep her shirt on at the pool, neglectful parents, and an assortment of other guests who's lives are in chaos. Moonee's innocence protects her from this to some degree, but the realities of her situation starts to creep in on her unfettered lifestyle.

Along with most of the guests, Halley and Moonee are semi-permanent residents. They're scraping by by selling perfume at the upscale hotels in the area, and subsisting on delivery pizza, and the food that friends who work at fast food restaurants can provide. Halley is a laid off stripper who spends more time taking bikini pics than paying attention to her daughter's activities during the day. There is a tenderness in their relationship, but it doesn't dull this scathing look at generational poverty and the life of a single parent who is wholly ill-equipped for parenting - a reality that's been normalized for the rambunctious kids in the story.

When the film started, I couldn't stop smiling at the vivid portrayal of childhood and Prince's excellent performance. She's a firecracker from start to finish. Even the pastel motel and Disney-inspired decor made me chuckle, but as the story wore on I found myself crying in the last moments of the film as Halley's irresponsible behavior and Moonee's surroundings start to strip her of her innocence more and more.

It's a beautifully nuanced film. At one point Moonee says "I can always tell when adults are about to cry." It's brief lines of dialogue and actions from Moonee throughout the film that show how her surroundings are seeping in and shaping how she sees the world. The main characters are incredibly complex in ways that both reveal the disparity of their situations, but also the sweetness of life and relationships. If this film isn't on your radar yet, it should be. You can go check it out in theaters and watch the trailer here.

5 reasons to go to a film festival (and my AFF coverage!)

Did you know there are over 9,000 unique film festivals worldwide? I know. I was shocked myself when I found out. 

So why attend a film festival anyway? And what does one do there? These are all things I intend to find out at the Austin Film Festival this week!

After a failed attempt to attend the Sundance Film Festival last year and a disappointing experience at the San Antonio Film Festival a few months back (which is a story for another time), I've been anxious to finally have my official film festival experience.

I put together a list of reasons to attend a film festival. To some, watching movies for days on end and hanging out with other film nerds, sounds like a nightmare, but I couldn't be more excited! I'll be sharing my coverage of my favorite films from AFF along the way.

5 REASONS TO GO TO A FILM FESTIVAL

1. Discover up and coming talent

Just think, there are Spielbergs, Tarentinos, and Nolans out there that haven't even been discovered. One reason to attend a film festival is to see what kind of up and coming talent is out there. So many famous filmmakers got their start at film festivals, so you never know who you might discover!

2. Meet other film nerds!


I'm excited to meet some other people who are as weird about film as I am :)

3. Pre-screenings

Most of the larger festivals will either premier studio films or at least show pre-screenings of studio films before they hit theaters. I'm not feeling too adventurous since this is my first time, so I'll primarily be watching the more well-known films at AFF.

Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour

4. Explore a fun city or neighborhood

Austin is a great city. I already spend quite a bit of time there, but I can't wait to explore the city some more and bounce around from film to film. And the best part is my husband is going to be my film buddy and go to most of the showings with me. 

5. Hear from the creators

Unfortunately I'll only be attending AFF for the films this year, but in the future I hope to spring for the badge and attend the panels. There are all sorts of great panels and interviews with filmmakers where you can hear from industry experts and get behind the scenes info.

In case you're wondering here are the top 10 festivals in the world. And here's an even more extensive list of festivals that are worth the entry fee.

Here's my line up of films I'm planning on seeing at the festival so far. Stay tuned for updates!

MY AFF SCHEDULE

10/26 - Lady Bird

10/27 - Permanent

10/28 - Shorts Program 15: Animated Shorts

10/29 - The Current War

11/1 - Darkest Hour

Food and Film: Aliens and Green Cocktails

In my continued quest to watch 16 classic films over 6 months, I have to say that the Alien trilogy has been the most fun. Maybe it's because I watched them with my husband and he loves them, or it's because Ripley is one of the most badass female protagonist's I've ever seen on screen, or because I was drinking while watching them, but no matter the reason I can see how these films set a precedent for what was to come in the world of Sci-fi cinema.

Aliens is without question the best of the three, which seems to be the consensus across the board. I did grit my teeth through most of the third movie and probably won't give two precious hours of my life to Alien Resurrection (the fourth installment), but hey, you have to give it to Ridley Scott and especially James Cameron for kicking off such a legendary franchise.

To help me get through the painful dialogue and nearly absent story of the third Alien movie, I mixed up a little cocktail inspired by the green(ish) antagonists throughout the films. It turned out to be pretty tasty, so I'm sharing it here. Enjoy this Matcha Lemon Drop cocktail, and if you have to chose one of the Alien movies to watch while your sipping away at this delicious drink, go for the second one!

*Makes one cocktail

INGREDIENTS

Matcha-Sugar Rim
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon matcha powder

Honey Simple Syrup
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Honey

Matcha Honey Lemon Drop
3/4 Ounces Honey Simple Syrup
3/4 Ounces Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Matcha Powder
2 Ounces Vodka
Ice
Lemon Slice for Garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the sugar and matcha on a small plate. Rim the edge of the glass with a lemon wedge and dip into the sugar/matcha mixture. Set aside.

2. Combine the honey and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir until combined. Take off heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a cocktail shaker, combine 3/4 oz. simple syrup, lemon juice, matcha powder, and vodka. Fill the shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Avoid any clumps in the matcha powder.

To be honest, I really just wrote this post to show off my new copper cocktail set :)

3. Pour into the prepared glass, straining out the ice. Serve with a lemon slice and enjoy! 

Surprises and disappointments from 2017 films (so far)

When I wrote out my list of films I was most excited to see in 2017, I didn't think there would be so many pleasant surprises and disappointments in the mix. I've seen most of the films on my original list and it keeps growing as things shake out with distributors and release dates. 

To help you get ready for awards season, I've put together an updated list of my favorites, and which films you might want to pass on. I'm also sharing the films I'm really looking forward to seeing as we close out the year.

FAVORITE SURPRISES (SO FAR)

Get Out 

I am not a big fan of horror, so when Get Out was released it really didn't catch my attention at all. It didn't help that it was unabashedly marketed as a horror film. Once the buzz started, though I couldn't help but find out what all the hype was about, and it's landed in my top 5 films this year! It's subversive while also being incredibly timely and even comedic. You just have to see it to know what I mean. Don't worry, it's not as scary as you might think! See the trailer here, but don't let it scare you away from watching it! It's currently at Redbox and VOD.

Dunkirk 

Christopher Nolan's war epic was probably the most moving experience I've had at the theater this year. As expected Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, and Mark Rylance all gave world-class performances and I dragged multiple friends and my husband for repeat watches because I loved it so much. The film will be available to rent or buy in November.

Wonder Woman

Let's just be real, DC has not been putting out great films for the last few years. Superman was uninspiring, Suicide Squad was a total flop, and Batman VS. Superman has become somewhat of a laughing stock. When the Wonder Woman trailer came out I kind of rolled my eyes, expecting another bomb, but it ended up completely exceeding my expectations. Patty Jenkin's representation of the character was incredibly empowering for me as a woman, and while I don't think everything was executed with finesse, it was fun! Wonder Woman was just released at Redbox and VOD.

Logan

Similar to Wonder Woman, I expected Logan to be just another predictable super hero movie, but something entirely new and fresh was delivered instead. You can read my review here, see the trailer here, and check it out on VOD or Redbox.

A Ghost Story

When I wrote about a Ghost Story a few months ago I sat in front of my computer screen for quite a while before I could formulate any thoughts that made sense. This Indie film's beauty is in it's uniqueness, it's stillness. I didn't know what to expect going in, and I'm glad. You might want to see the film on Redbox or VOD before reading my review. The mystery is part of the experience.

Colossal

Colossal is full of heart and giant monsters. It's not something you would expect to be a recipe for a good film, but I loved it and I think you will too. Check out my review and pick up the movie at Redbox or VOD.

Ingrid Goes West

This film will likely make you uncomfortable, but in this case that's a good thing. And you won't walk away without having chuckled a few times. I wrote about the film here. You can rent it in November, so you'll have time to mentally prepare.

EXPECTED FAVORITES 

Wind River 

I figured I would enjoy this film, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did! It gives Dunkirk a run for it's money in terms of pulling on those heart strings. Taylor Sheridan's transition to directing was a smooth one with this debut. I loved all of the performances, especially Jeremy Renner. I'm vying for him to win an Oscar for his role. It's just that good. Wind River is still playing in theaters. Don't miss it!

The Big Sick 

This film was indeed real and raw and charming as I expected. It was a refreshing Rom-Com to jump start the summer and Holly Hunter and Ray Romano's performances are some of my favorite this year so far. You can read my review here. The Big Sick is now available at Red Box or VOD.

Baby Driver 

Baby Driver was an explosion of sound and action sequences. Even though I wasn't as wowed by the cast as I had hoped I would be, the movie was a fun watch. I wrote about it here and you can get it at Redbox or VOD. 

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Beatriz at Dinner

I was excited to see a Latina was going to be in a starring role when I found out about this film, but the story just fell flat for me. I really thought John Lithgow playing opposite Hayek would be a great dynamic, but I just couldn't connect with Beatriz or quite figure out her character's motivation. I don't want to discourage anyone from watching it because I would still love to see people support movies like this that they can continue to be made, I just wasn't too impressed.

Okja

There was a lot of hype from critics for this film following its Sundance premier, so I watched it right away when it debuted on Netflix in May. While there were some endearing elements, a few of the characters were just annoying without any payoff, and I didn't feel it met it's potential.

Guardians of the Galaxy II

The first movie was a fun character-driven superhero blockbuster that was out of the box, but this follow up was hard to be excited about. It was trying so hard to be funny, but it was really hit or miss and the story was all over the place. It's not the worst watch, but not as good as the first one.

The Hero

The Hero tries really hard to pack that emotional punch, but it just falls flat. Being a bad dad who sleeps around with younger women is just a downer when the character doesn't seem to learn anything, even if it is Sam Elliot. I really wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't get there. Despite being well-received at Sundance this year, I can't say much for it.

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE!

Molly's Game 

Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut is still topping my list of top movies to see. I recently watched Miss Sloan for the first time and fell more in love with Jessica Chastain than I already was. I can't wait to see what kind of performance she'll give in this intriguing drama. Molly's Game will hit theaters in November.

  

The Shape of Water 

Critics and fans are LOVING this film. After winning the Golden Lion award at Cannes this year, people can hardly wait until it hits theaters in December, including me! One of my favorite actors, Michael Shannon, is sure to deliver a career best along with Sally Hawkins as the woman who falls in love with a mysterious sea creature. You can watch the trailer here and see it in theaters on December

Murder on the Orient Express 

When the first trailer came out for this film I could barely contain my excitement. Kenneth Branagh sporting a giant moustache and french accent, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Josh Gad, and the list goes on! It hits theaters on November.

The Florida Project

The Florida project follows a six-year-old girl trying to cope her relationship with her dysfunctional mother and bond with her friends while making an unlikely friendship with the landlord at the building they are staying in. In a role that seems completely uncharacteristic for Willem Defoe, the film has gotten rave reviews and seems incredibly sweet. It is currently open in select theaters and will roll out in more theaters in the coming weeks. Check out the trailer here.

Coco

After releasing two films back to back that I was fairly underwhelmed by (The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory) I'm really hopeful Pixar's new film about Dia De Los Muertos is going to shoot to the top of my list of animated favorites. The subject matter hits close to home for me, and the teaser trailer had me feeling all the feels, so I will definitely be first in line for the November opening.