Halfway Mark 1: Fav Films & Miscellaneous Achievements of 2022 (thus far)

by Nathaniel R

The following list honors films released between January 1st, 2022 and June 30th, 2022. Obviously studios save the bulk of their perceived "prestige" pictures until the back half of the year but we always hope that lists like this will remind them they don't need to and to remind audiences that there's good stuff all year round. These are not official nominees for our own film bitch awards but they do function as reminder lists as we compile year-end stuff later on. If every Academy member and critic did this, awards season would be far more varied and film culture would be more robust because people would be seeing movies all year round and not cramming in only a small heap of them at year's end. 

Okay off of the soapbox and on to the favourites of 2022 (thus far) in alpha order by category. The pictures do not indicate winners as they're all winners. This is just an appreciation for these artists and movies...  

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Klute, pt 2: Sleazy Pimps, Dead Ends, and Surprising Intimacy

by Ben Miller

In Part 1 of this Klute retrospective (and best shot appreciation) Nathaniel guided us through the introduction of a vague central mystery and soon to be classic film characters in sex worker Bree Daniels and the titular character, John Klute, who is investigating the disapperance of his best friend, who the police believe to be a former client of Bree's. In part two, I'll be guiding you through the middle act.

We pick back up as Bree keeps switching tactics, alternately trying to seduce Klute, turn the tables on him, or rage at him, rather than play dutifully along with his questioning. 

Obviously these retrospectives contain SPOILERS so if you've never seen this classic, head to HBOMax first before continuing...

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Tribeca 2022: Considering Missed Opportunities in 'Karaoke'

By Abe Friedtanzer

 

We've all had an acquaintance whose influence wasn't necessarily welcome but may have ultimately been for the best. Karaoke follows an older couple whose newfound friendship with an eccentric man living nearby causes them to rethink their situation. Have they accompished what they wanted to over the course of their lives? Though Meir (Sasson Gabay) and Tova (Rita Shukrun) are a theoretically happy couple who have had a healthy marriage for years, they've reached a point of complacency and boredom, with neither of them giving the other what they need. Enter Itzik (Lior Ashkenazi)...

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Tribeca 2022: Dreaming of Mars in 'Space Oddity'

By Abe Friedtanzer

Raise your hand if you'd like to go live on Mars. Surely some hands went up, enjoying the fantasy. Now, planning for it as if was actually going to happen is something else entirely. Space Oddity tells the deeply entertaining story of one man who is certain that it's going to happen, that he'll soon be living on another planet...

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Dorian Awards TV Nods: Lots of love for "Hacks", "Heartstopper", and "Somebody Somewhere"

by Nathaniel R

How fab was that lesbian cruise episode of "Hacks"?

Shortly on the heels of the annual TCA nominations as Emmy voters are a-voting, come the 14th annual Dorian Awards TV honors. These nominations come from the The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, also referred to as GALECA which was the acronym for an earlier name (the name changes are very confusing especially since the signature prize, "The Dorian Awards" doesn't match either of them!). The organization is made up of 385 queer professional critics and journalists covering film and television. A few of those 385 write stuff right here at The Film Experience.

HBO led the nominations with three shows, two comedies (Somebody Somewhere and Hacks) and one drama (Euphoria)...

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