Review: Jackie

It is not often that you get to see a behind-the-scenes look at politic figures, especially that of a presidential family. But one of this year's Oscar nominations allows just that.

The film is director Pablo Larraín's first English-speaking feature, though it is not the first to have a political tinge. With previous films like NO, and the more recent NERUDA, JACKIE nestles nicely into an array of films that take a closer look at the people involved in political affairs. Taking place one week after the assasination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, previous First Lady, the film follows Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) as she gives an interview (conducted by Billy Crudup as the unnamed Journalist) in her home on Cape Cod.

Through flashbacks, we see Jackie's interactions with all of her close acquaintances - her body guard; Nancy Tuckerman, Jackie's personally chosen Social Secretary (Greta Gerwig); her brother-in-law, Bobby Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard); Lyndon B. Johnson (John Carroll Lynch); and her children, Caroline and John, Jr. (Sunnie Pelant, Aiden/Brody Weinburg). Each interaction is full of emotion, and each interaction shows the various shades of Jackie Kennedy and her grief.

There are two threads that run through the film: one is the comparison that Jackie makes at great length of Abraham Lincoln -- of his status and memory, as well as the circumstances of his wife after his assassination -- to her husband and her.

The next thread ties in with the first, and that is the impact that the Kennedys had on the United States. Reflecting on a term cut short, Jackie and Bobby discuss: "What did we accomplish?" Bobby asks, "We're just the beautiful people." This worry of making an impact makes sense when paired with the focus on Lincoln. What Jackie seems to want most in this interview is to preserve her husband's reputation.

Portman's performance is a rich amalgamate of stern adamancy, uncertainty, and the contrast between unfettered and composed grief. JACKIE really allows you to tap into these characters' lives and see behind the curtain of politics. Sarsgaard's speech toward the end of the film fills out the family's ordeal. JACKIE is now playing at Midtown Cinema - don't miss this one!

Review: 20th Century Women

Just in time for the inauguration, Mike Mills' 20TH CENTURY WOMEN hits theaters with a quiet shake of conventions. With its progressive themes and endearing characters, the semi-autobiographical film speaks volumes to this currently churning continent -- though it takes place in the 1970s, it is still thoroughly relatable today.

The story is narrated intermittently by its core characters, though the lead is taken by Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), who describes the women in his life who formed and influenced him. There is Dorothea (Annette Bening), Jamie's free-spirited single mother with an unfinished house and an internal struggle between autonomy and control; and then there is Abbie (Greta Gerwig), the punk-rock, 20-something photographer recovering from cervical cancer who rents a room in the house. And there is Jamie's best friend, Julie (Elle Fanning), who climbs the scaffolding to Jamie's room to sleep in his bed and just talk -- they never have sex, though she is freely exploring that realm with other boys.

In a household where freedom and autonomy is number one, Dorothea begins to worry as Jamie reaches his rebellious stage. She asks Abbie and Julie to help her raise Jamie to become a man -- a job which, she protests, does not need to be done by a man. What follows is a lovely, meandering story about chosen family, and feminism, and growing up.

20TH CENTURY WOMEN is light on the plot and heavy on the characters, making it a breeding ground for talent. Bening is a jewel, as usual, and Fanning and Gerwig give arguably their best performances to date. Zumann's performance is assuring, and hopefully he'll get some more roles thrown his way in the future. And Billy Crudup also gives a great performance as the other boarder in the house, the quiet but straightforward William who is helping Dorothea finish her house. The cast feels like a family, and that is what drives the story so deep into our hearts.

This is a great film, one to catch before other Oscar nominees crowd it out. 20TH CENTURY WOMEN is now playing at Midtown Cinema!