14, 15, 16 & 17

i honestly bawled my way through most of bully, a doco by lee hirsch. okay, maybe not bawled but silently wept. it was so hard to watch the specific stories of these children and teenagers and knowing that there are so many out there in similar positions. those a little different in the way they dress, or look, or behave. it was hard to hear the parents of those kids, not knowing what to do to help their child, and many not finding answers or assistance from the schools or legal system. is this getting worse or has it always been there? everyone should see this. i know it's a hard sell on the subject matter and the fact i cried so much my sleeves were damp when i walked out (didn't have tissues), but you should see bully.

chicken with plums is a film about memories, tying those memories to objects and what happens to your heart when you lose those objects. i loved the imagery of this film, directed by marjane satrapi and vincent paronnaud. set in the 1950s, tehran was depicted in a magical, dream-like manner with a parisian elegance and old-worldliness. a sweet story.

golden slumbers was a doco focussed on the cambodian film industry of the 60s and 70s, up until the khmer rouge took over the country and destroyed most of the country's history and art. only a small number of actors and filmmakers survived this period, no full length film did. liked the subject matter but the doco was not strong enough to support it. difficult to do when there is no visuals remaining from the golden era of cambodian film making, a few posters and leaflets. the bones were there but not enough substance for me.

seeking a friend at the end of the world was entertaining but nothing extraordinary. sometimes that's what you need so i didn't expect much from it, and received exactly that.