Short Term 12/Violet Crown

Anyone who has worked in a group home or residential treatment center with kids knows how this work changes you forever.  You will never ever assume that the world is a neutral place where kids grow up and can make the best of it.  You will have your eyes opened to the atrocities that occur within families and the evil that comes to fall on innocent kids.  The kids present you with so  much anger, mistrust, and  constant provocation and have such a hard time letting you get close. There are glimpses and moments of true affection.  But watch out.  Right after that moment they might steal money from you and you'll be pissed off again.  Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Short Term 12, spent two years working in a group home and has done a fine job of bringing you into that world.  So often the staff are young and idealistic just like I was in a group home for runaways in the Lower East Side of Manhattan many years ago. I come to films like this with a critical eye and Brie Larson and John Gallagher Jr. offer honest and gripping performances as the workers/lovers in this residence.  Keith Stanfield as an about to be aged out resident offers a wonderful performance as a brooding thoughtful and very hurt young man.  There is an original music score, fine photography and an important story to be told here.  Highly recommend this film to anyone interested in expanding their view of what happens in families.

Cutie and the Boxer/Violet Crown

We both loved this beautiful documentary shot in NYC for many reasons.  It portrays an 80y.o. man and his 59 y.o. wife as energetic, adorable, full of life with passion and strong opinions, and love of their art making careers.  Zachary Heinzerling shows us an imperfect marriage of 40 years whose foundation has persevered because of a wife's endurance.  We see a man whose desire to acclaim fame turns him into a narcissistic alcoholic who remains creatively productive, albeit an inadequate husband and parent.   I found this film exhilarating  because of it's honesty and more selfishly because I love and need to see older people living their lives free of all of the stereotypes we so often associate with older people.  There are no walkers, complaints about pain or non-visiting children. This is a beautiful portrayal of what happens in a marriage when people remain committed. More, more, more films like this say I.  Please?