Revisiting "Frida"

by Ilich Mejía

Frida came out in my native Honduras towards the end of 2003, nearly a year after it was released in the United States. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for Honduran theaters to get films much later, but it was uncommon for them to show anything that wasn’t a blockbuster—regardless of the amount of Oscars or movie stars under their belt. Despite featuring niche themes like political art and unconventional family dynamics, Frida offered Latin American audiences something else: visibility in an optimistic, familiar context. This was not a film about a Latin American drug lord knowingly putting their family’s life at risk to meet wealth or about an immigrant leaving their roots behind to see if the American dream is a real thing: it was the story of a woman trying to make her native Mexico proud, ironically funded by Hollywood to be seen by more without the condescending, stingy distribution of a foreign film.

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Why didn't Mariah Carey think of this?

Zendaya at the premiere of The Greatest Showman. Kudos.

The 17 Greatest Music Videos of '17

Each day a new 'year in review' countdown. Here's Nathaniel...

Ah the music video. The only reliably viral genre of short film, though they're rarely include in short film collections, festivals, awards, or whatnot. What follows is a semi-random collection of terrific music videos that debuted this year with the caveat that there could only be one per artist. Which means no "Little of Your Love" by HAIM even though it's directed by the great auteur Paul Thomas Anderson in somewhat rare joyful mode. Other music videos worth checking out that we couldn't find room for were the sci-fi pop glam of "Venus Fly" by Grimes feat. Janelle Monae, "Burning Star" by Their Name and its intergalactic fleshy nonsense,  the interactive humor of "Words Hurt" by Naive New Beaters, and finally a video that's prominently featured in a lot of such lists due to its meta resourcefulness -- "Wyclef Jean" by Young Thug for its meta resourcefulness.

They're not as acclaimed but why not also give a shout out to "Beautiful Trauma" by P!nk for its playful pastiche and giving us Channing Tatum in movie musical mode again. And though Lady Gaga's recent music video output isnt as thrilling as it once was there's something about "John Wayne" that almost makes it hyper garish cuisinart cut overkill feel like a parody of music videos that are trying way too hard... though it's doubtful that that's what it was.

Okay enough talking. On to the singing and dancing... 

17 WHAT ABOUT US (P!nk)
I adore P¡nk in Earnest mode and there's something about the helicopters and police lights circling that inchoate desperate "us" dancing on the lonely edge of town that totally works. Anthemic energizing anguish. Directed by Georgia Hudson and choreographed by the Goldenboyz

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We <3 Kelly Marie Tran

Chris here. No matter where you fall in your thoughts about The Last Jedi, you have to admit that Kelly Marie Tran's Rose is the single most joyful addition to the galaxy far, far away. And that's not just because of her touching show of emotion on the Star Wars red carpet or that she also wants some gay action between Finn and Poe. No, it's that she provides the newest saga's emotional epicenter and embodies its timely moral thesis: "That's how we're going to win: not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love."

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Father Figures, the best and worst of 2017

Each day a new "year in review" piece. Here's Ben Miller...

I’ve been a father since 2012.  It’s one of the great joys in my life.  If you classified me as a person, father would be near the top of how I would want to be described.  I want to be a good father and I strive to be. 

But, generally, I don’t look to film for guidance.

Terrible fathers are a touchtone of cinema.  From Jack Torrance to Daniel Plainview, movie dads rarely get the chance to show how great they can be for their children.  2017 surprisingly provided us with a bevy of complex relationships between parents and their progeny, and the dads actually got a chance to shine.  Check out the top ten great dads in 2017 films.  (I also included five terrible fathers, because 2017 gotta 2017.)

TOP TEN GREAT DADS IN 2017 MOVIES
Spoilers for all of these films are included

01 Larry McPherson, Lady Bird (Played by Tracy Letts)
Lady Bird and her mother, the central figures in the film, aren't the only ones to benefit from Larry's warmth (we previously discussed this characterization here). Even when faced with a fruitless job interview, he smiles in the face of adversity, opting for a big bag of Doritos.  When his son comes in for the next interview, there is no animosity.  Larry straightens his tie, pats him on the shoulder and tells him to go get ‘em.  He does this while losing his job, providing for an extra person in his house, losing his daughter to college and suffering from years of depression.  God bless Larry McPherson. 

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