MargaretQualley – Credits Rolling

In Kinds of Kindness, three different stories are played out on screen. The first features a man who tries to make his own choices after having his whole life mapped out for him, the second follows a cop who can’t help but wonder if that is really his wife who has returned after being lost at sea and the third is about a woman who is in search of someone with a special ability.

Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his strange and unusual movies. After watching and loving Poor Things earlier this year, I was looking forward to seeing what he was going to do next. Unfortunately his newest venture didn’t quite hit the same marks that his predecessor did. One day later I’m still scratching my head over what it was that I watched.

What I did like was seeing some familiar faces in the film. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemmons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Hunter Schafer, Mamoudou Athie and Joe Alwyn are the key players here. They each take on a different character throughout the three stories. I thought the performances were well done which is unsurprising with a cast of this calibre. That didn’t mean that any of them were particularly likeable, nor did I want to see any of them succeed.

That’s about where the enjoyment ended for me. As time ticked by (and it did so slowly), I became more confused. There was no correlation between the fables that I could detect and I couldn’t help but wonder what the point was. I think I would have appreciated it more otherwise. Also, it was as if each story just got more strange and convoluted. I like to think I’m open minded, but some of the scenes that unfolded before me have been etched into my mind and not in a good way! It’s like Lanthimos just did it for shock value and not because it added anything to the plot.

Overall, Kinds of Kindness is one of those films that will certainly divide audiences. I wanted to like it so much, but I think it just went way over my head. At least the cast were great and the cinematography worked so there were some silver linings.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

I’m actually not sure how well known My Salinger Year is. I hadn’t even heard of it until very recently and that was only because the movie was featured on an entertainment TV talk show. It certainly seemed interesting and I loved the fact that it was about an aspiring author and the famous J.D. Salinger. I knew I had to add it to my list and I have to say that I am really glad I decided to check it out.

The year is 1995 and aspiring writer and poet Joanna (Margaret Qualley) has left her comfortable life in Berkeley, California for the exciting New York City. Sure that she will be more successful in her dreams there, she finds herself a job at one of the city’s oldest literary agencies. What she doesn’t realize straight away is that the company takes care of J.D. Salinger, as well as other well known authors. Though Joanna has not read any of his books, she is appointed the task of replying to the endless amount of fan mail the author receives. Though she is told precisely how to answer each and every one, Joanna believes there are some fans who deserve more than an automated response. And as Joanna settles further into her role, all while becoming more acquainted with Salinger himself, she becomes so wrapped up in his legacy that she begins to forget her own dreams in the process.

Aside from the story which held my interest throughout, I have to say that I was also attracted to the film because of Margaret Qualley. When I first saw her in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, I knew that her talent would take her places in the years to come. Her portrayal of Joanna was relatable, realistic and I felt she really carried the movie well. This only made me more excited to see her in many more projects in the future. Sigourney Weaver, who has a role as Joanna’s boss Margaret is a household name. She is amazing in everything she does and the two had great on screen chemistry. I liked how their relationship grew into a mutual respect as time went on.

I’ll admit that like Joanna, I also have not read any of Salinger’s novels. So I saw myself in this character, though not only for this reason, but for the fact that I am an aspiring writer too. It also reminded me that it’s important to stay true to yourself and to always follow your dreams. The rest will follow after.

My Salinger Year is the perfect film for fans of the author, writing or anything in between. I hope it is released in many other places because it deserves more love and appreciation.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5