Pin Cushion (2017) | Directed by Deborah Haywood

 3/5

There’s a lot to like in Deborah Haywood’s Pin Cushion – the moments of fantasy throughout are particularly striking and I especially like the ways in which the film explores the slow escalation of feminine teenage cruelty. I also like that, even with the fairy tale quality to everything, there are no simple solutions to the persistent bullying that we see directed to both mother and daughter. But even with strong performances across the board, the film’s narrative transitions are too abrupt, making several essential character beats feel less organic and natural, more forced and predetermined. Add in a final twist with conclusions that feel naïvely dangerous at best, and you end up with a film that had so much potential but comes up short.

In This Corner of the World (2016) | Directed by Sunao Katabuchi

 4/5

Sunao Katabuchi’s In This Corner of the World is a lovely, heartfelt family drama set against the backdrop of World War II in a naval community near Hiroshima. Tracing the life of a young woman as she is married off and sent to live with her new in-laws – strangers in a strange new village – the film manages to eschew most of the typical beats you’d get in a family drama of this variety. There are no overly melodramatic elements, no abusive husband, no domineering in-laws – just a tender story of a young woman coming into her own during difficult times, learning resilience and the powerful bonds of this new family she’s married into. There are lovely flourishes to the animation that serve as a nice counterpoint to the brutal reminders of the grim realities of war, and the final coda is a lovely note of hope, a reminder that acts of humanity and compassion are what get us through these truly horrific moments in history.

Where to Watch

Tito and the Birds (2018) | Directed by Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto, and Gustavo Steinberg

 4/5

Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto, and Gustavo Steinberg’s Tito and the Birds is a breathtakingly gorgeous work of Brazilian animation about the ways fear is used by those in power to exploit and divide us. Using the outbreak of a disease across the globe as its central metaphor for ways fear, hatred, and division spread from person to person, the film’s young hero and his friends must find a way to communicate with the birds to find a cure for this fear before it’s too late. Watching this in the midst of an actual pandemic requires a certain amount of distancing, reminding yourself that the outbreak is a metaphor for other concerns. And even though the final act relies a little to heavily on the children’s action movie formula, it’s still such a beautiful and emotionally moving film with absolutely dazzling animation.

Emma. (2020) | Directed by Autumn de Wilde

 4.5/5

In spite of the film’s candy-colored sets and delicate finery, Autumn de Wilde’s adaptation of Emma. is as biting and acerbic a satire on class and privilege as you could want. Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance as the titular character is fantastic, and Emma is allowed to be an unlikeable protagonist whose journey of growth and self-discovery is believable, honest, and ultimately moving. Even the most ridiculous characters are revealed to have hidden depths and reservoirs of pain or heartbreak guiding their actions and behaviors. And de Wilde’s direction is stunning, with each frame richly composed – especially the head-on close-ups of characters which allow us to chart their every fleeting emotional change as it dances across their face. It’s an adaptation that proves Austen’s work is just as timely and relevant now as ever.