Love Is Strange

Movie watching is out-stripping movie reviewing, even movie remembering. The only solution is a list, before everything dissolves away.

Ida (2013) is about a Polish novitiate who discovers from her only living relative that she is Jewish. The film is directed by Pawel Pawlikowski and stars Agata Trzebuchowska as Anna/Ida, and Agata Kulesza as Wanda, her free-living, depressed aunt. Beautiful cinematography. Absorbing narrative, except for the rather facile ending.

In Cloudburst (2011), two old lesbians escape to Canada to get married. They pick up a young male drifter and teach him a few valuable life lessons. Written and directed by Thom Fitzgerald, the movie stars Olympia Dukakis as Stella and Brenda Fricker as Dot. Ryan Doucette is the young hitchhiker with the symbolic name of Prentice. Heartwarming and convincing.

Guy and I watched Love Is Strange (2014) at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. After Ben and George got married, George is fired from his teaching job. Both have to fall back on their families, causing tension and unhappiness. Directed by Ira Sachs, the movie stars John Lithgow as Ben and Alfred Molina as George. Great ensemble cast. Marisa Tomei gives a nuanced performance as the wife of Ben's nephew, who has to put her uncle-in-law up.

Monster Pies (2013) is a so-so Australian gay movie. A loner falls in love with the new boy, who turns out to be self-harming. Directed and written by Lee Galea, it has some of the worst dialogue ever heard. Lucas Linehan is the beautiful stranger William. Tristan Barr plays the sensitive Mike.

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