Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
What if your favourite movie is one you think isn't even for you?
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Hello Reader, Have you ever seen a movie that hit you so hard, so personally, that you felt like, "Someone reached into my brain and made a movie about my life"? That's how I feel about the film Oslo, August 31st, the film Seventh Row named the best film of the 2010s. It wasn't just a movie I loved, but one that would have substantial ripple effects on my life as a cinephile and critic. But I almost didn't see it. In fact, it sounded exactly like the kind of movie I was trying to avoid! Yet, I took a risk and saw it. And reaped the rewards for years to come. Since then, I've wondered: What allowed me to take a risk and see this movie? What can you do to make sure you don't miss your version of Oslo, August 31st? In the episode, I talk about how I came close to never seeing Oslo, August 31st and what it taught me about what you can do so that you don't miss your version of Oslo, August 31st. Happy watching/listening! Alex P.S. If you want to discover 12 great films per year that you might have otherwise missed in cinemas, the brand new Reel Ruminators: Explorer is for you! Doors are now open until Tuesday.
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Seventh Row
Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
“I love you just the way you are.” It’s what Mark Darcy (almost) famously says to Bridget Jones, his paramour, near the end of Bridget Jones’s Diary — a film I love to absolute bits despite its (many) flaws. But while I’ve spent more than one Christmas watching and rewatching Bridget — and even talking over it to complain... I’ve noticed that, lately, I’ve been trading in this straight romantic fantasy for its queer version. Because the fantasy in queer films is a parent (or parental figure)...
Chloé Zhao's Hamnet is a top contender for the Oscars. But while many found themselves weeping for large chunks of the film, I left dry-eyed. So did my guest on today’s podcast, Angelo Muredda. (And we’re easy criers. So we tried to figure out why this film didn’t work for us.) Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel — which imagines a part of Shakespeare’s life we know little about, including the courtship with his wife, the death of their son Hamnet, and the possible autobiographical links to...
I recently learned about the term “Second Screen.” It describes a kind of TV made to be watched while you’re also on your phone.(Think: easy-to-follow dialogue, minimal visual complexity, no real consequences for tuning out.) And I’ve noticed I’m getting trained by it. I’ll start a show like Matlock or Industry with the intention of paying attention. By the final episodes, I’m just listening to it on my phone while I make dinner. My phone is in my pocket. And honestly, it seems like nobody...