Catherine Called Birdy, directed by Lena Dunham, is set in Medieval England, where we get to meet Lord Catherine (aka Birdy). She's remarkably clever and more than ready to go up against her father who wishes to pawn her off to any wealthy suitor that is available. Birdy's a little rambunctious in nature and far more rebellious than probably any parents of a teenager would prefer, but her sharp wit gets her through even the most awkward situations, and Bella Ramsey is really perfect here. She reminded me of a mix of Lady Bird’s Saoirse Ronan and even the sass of Millie Bobbie Brown as Enola Holmes - mainly as strong female leads.
There are plenty of darker moments and themes to take note of and although they weren't explored in great detail, we get a good helping of what a male dominant patriarchy society looked like, sprinkled with archaic laws of marriage that you'd really have to hog-tie me down to ever follow.
The soundtrack is also worth mentioning, as I really enjoyed Misty Miller's groovy take on the song, Alright. It always gives me flashbacks to Supergrass' version from the 90's hit Clueless.
Birdy is proud of her defiance and as an audience, we are too. Her declaration (spoiler alert) pretty much frames the movie and is a strong message to hold onto in 2023 and beyond: “You don’t get to decide who we are, where we go, or how much we cost, like we’re just things. We’re not things, we’re people. And we can think, and we can hear, and we can feel!”
💜Catherine Called Birdy Trailer
With another throwback to the 80’s comes a story about the worldwide hit game Tetris, directed by Jon S. Baird. We meet Henk Rogers (played by Taron Egerton) of Bullet-Proof Software, who is showcasing his newest video game at a convention in Vegas, but then realizes he has stepped on a gold mine when he tries his hand at playing Tetris. Created by Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov (played by Nikita Mikhailovich) who works for ELORG in the Soviet Union, Henk is ready to get on the plane to secure a deal to make sure Tetris will be in the hands of every person worldwide. Of course, everyone wants a piece of Tetris, or rather all of the legal rights to Tetris, so the battle begins.
The movie is really enjoyable and keeps you invested in the story. I really felt the bond between Alexey and Henk as their characters evolved and we could see the mutual respect and sacrifices they made for each other. The villains are pretty obvious and might be crafted a bit overly menacing at times, but it just shows the lengths people will go to get what they want.
I liked the use of some nostalgic 8-bit theming throughout the film and what a great soundtrack, especially with a fitting song by Pet Shop Boys; Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money.)
While rumours circulate of inaccuracies to the real life dealings of the Tetris saga, one can still appreciate the journey of this movie from the filmmaker’s perspective, and how revolutionary the game is still to this day.
A Decent Home is a feature length documentary film by Sara Terry that shows what the "American Dream" has become, rather what I would consider more of an "American Nightmare" for many mobile home park residents at Denver Meadows. It has uncovered some ugly truths, heightened by the pandemic that seems to be a battle that many feel are worth fighting for. It is incredibly disheartening to see a community that is unnecessarily struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Our hearts ache, hearing their stories, but there is hope in many of the voices who are advocating together to take a stand and keep their homes.
Developers, investors and other rich moguls have continued to make overwhelming profits and getting rid of the "trash" (which unfairly further stigmatizes individuals living in a mobile home) is a gold mine for opportunity and passing on the wealth to those that already have overflowing bank accounts.
It's no surprise that caring for the vulnerable is always someone else's problem, and so that IS a problem in itself. Affordable housing shouldn't be a luxury, it should be a basic human right. As shown in the documentary, people make sanctuaries of the spaces they have and create cozy and loving environments for themselves their families. They aren't opposed to helping a neighbour in need, or donating time or what little money they can spare to charitable causes. They appreciate all that they have, yet that is still being taken away from them.
All in all, there is always hope especially when we rally together and not apart. Awareness, action and accountability are just the stepping stones, but it's a good place to start.
💜Check out A Decent Home to learn more.
