4/14/21 - The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020) - 6+/7-/10

Exquisitely and artfully filmed, making for a continually sumptuous experience. The social implicating principle to the pivot of the film is biting one, and takes time to flesh out, for on its surface the depth isn’t quite felt. It could border on satire, if it wasn’t so pointed, depressing, and relevantly fastidious. 

The Romeo and Juliet love story wrapped in and around the metaphorical molten “artistic vs. political” poker engages, on a base and actor level, but almost careens off the edge. The whole film honestly almost abates as it sometimes struggles with its rhetorical weight, sometimes letting it wear thin instead of burden its viewer, while also catching itself and its audience off guard with some nigh-tasteless slants.

It has more depth than it initially reveals but it is also very on the nose, with subtext and subtlety abandoned. But the experience as a whole is an enjoyable one and despite not being perfect, would definitely come with a recommend.

3/29/21 - Quo vadis, Aida? (2020) - 6-/10

Tense and harrowing reality but I struggled to stay engaged. It was a strong film in the spurts that drove the drama, but it felt a little disjointed and I didn’t really feel the build that I would have wanted. Good and important, but I wanted more.