Roma

First off, believe me, I tried to see it in theaters but it just did not play near me at times that were doable. I will try to see it if there are more screenings during awards season or anything, maybe that could happen.

Now to the good stuff, the film. It is truly incredible and I'm glad I kept my hopes and dreams in check and did, like usually, not even look at a trailer or anything. That was the best thing I could do. This movie for sure works best when you just jump right into it and give yourself to it.

I'm not sure where I should start with this piece of filmmaking but I think I'll just start with the performances which are absolutely brilliant and feel lived in. I truly believed in all of them and they did one hell of a job.

Now to the direction, the pretty much flawless direction. It is insanely intense and you can feel the deep passion of this project and all its meanings. The execution of this whole experience is one that can't be praised enough.

The main reasons why this remarkable movie works, in my opinion, are not its story but its characters that are so wonderfully brought to life by a dedicated cast, alongside the very naturalistic camerawork and of course the direction which is so personal and truthful in a way that is exceptional.

I am sure there is much more to unpack, talk about and praise about it, like for example the remarkable sound of it, but I'll leave it at that for now.

This is almost perfect to me, almost because there were some moments where it did not fully click for me just yet. Maybe it will completely do so after a second viewing.

Roma is obviously a must-see and whether you see it in the comfort of your home, hopefully on a 4K TV at least, or in a cinema, this is going to affect you undoubtedly and that is what huge films can achieve.

No masterpiece needs a campaign that costs 30 million to win best picture....

I feel very similarly to Roma as I did to Dunkirk, though they are extraordinarily different films and subject matters. Both are made by directors I love, and both I appreciate the constant technical brilliance shown in each scene. Ultimately in both cases I was emotionally detached and thought it was a good movie but not at all a memorable one. There is no doubt that Roma leans entirely on Aparicio, and she knocks it out of the park. The subtlety to her acting and her body language and uses of silence are excellent. As is Cuaron's hallmark, the cinematography is excellent, and particularly the 360 pan with Cleo turning off the lights was well shot. The childbirth and ocean scenes were enrapturing and tense. The scene in the furniture store was my favorite of the movie - the intersection of the small private world we've seen with the family and the student protests outside was well shot and executed. I can intellectually appreciate all the things Roma has to offer, and can understand why some think it's a masterpiece and the best of the year. If it emotionally connected with people and had them crying at the end, I just didn't have that experience. It's a very well done slice of life movie that focuses on appreciation for a maid who does everything for a family, and in going through her daily life we see other major events unfold. But despite consistently great acting and cinematography and several really good scenes, the vast majority of the movie varied from smart but detached filmmaking to mundane, every day life. Maybe the black and white and Spanish elements also contributed, but I just didn't particularly enjoy most of the individual scenes. Reflecting on it as a full piece and the motifs that we see throughout allow me to enjoy and appreciate it more, but while watching it I just wasn't invested. I'm glad most love it and think this is just me not connecting with the film, but while Roma is a technical marvel, it was just a fine story.

The title refers to the neighborhood in Mexico City where Director Alfonso Cuaron grew up in the 70s. It could just have easily been entitled 'Libo' for the movie is the filmmaker's reflection on the woman who helped raise him - his family's maid. The fictionalized story renames the woman Cleo (a lovely natural performance by newcomer Yalitza Aparicio).

ROMA takes it's time developing its story-line. It's less a series of events, as much as an observation of a year in the life of Cleo and the family she cares for. It has been described, somewhat incorrectly, as Neo-Realist. Shooting in Black & White and having a story involving the poor does not automatically denote Neo-Realism. The movie is Cuaron's ode to his childhood. It's a memory movie, told from HIS perspective - not of Cleo's and the underclass. What makes the movie work is Cuaron's careful attention to the smallest details - simple eye contact, the food, child's play and washing dog droppings on the driveway. Important events happen to Cleo and the family, but, they are presented in the unhurried manner that feels truer than in most contrived screenplays.

The aforementioned Black & White cinematography is by Cuaron himself (his regular cameraman, Emmanuel Lubezki was unavailable). The camera-work feels very much 'directed'. At times, you can almost feel Cuaron steering the camera to capture exactly what Cuaron, the Director, feels is critical. The effect cuts both ways. On one hand, it becomes a true Auteur project (Cuaron also writes and is the co-editor!). On the other, it further emphasizes that this is CUARON's story, and not that of Cleo and the other characters. In that way, Cuaron comes between the viewer and the action on screen.

Much has been made about Aparicio's performance, and, it is a wonder. Much of the other cast are also non-professionals (in that way, it does have a connection to Neo-Realist cinema) and they perform ably. The other tech credits are solid, but, the main discussion has been on the 65mm Digital photography (a somewhat confusing moniker that has some believing it was shot on actual film). The larger sensor does give it a clearer image than traditional digital camerawork, but, seen in a movie theater on DCP, still lacks the richer black level and silvery white level of actual 65mm Film. For all the acclaim (and awards) Cuaron and ROMA's cinematography has gotten, it still resembled Grey & Greyer more than true celluloid B&W.

ROMA is a lovely memoir. It isn't a movie to be dissected as one would normally do for its plotting. It is best to let it wash over you - just as the movie frequently does with water flowing and jets gliding above.

"Roma" is a movie made for a certain audience. For viewers who love art films, geek out over cinematography, art direction, and minute details, it's a godsend and a masterpiece. For viewers who want action and story that moves, they can give this one a hard pass.

To say certain parts are dull would qualify as a massive understatement. Most scenes are puzzlingly dull. I say puzzling because you might find yourself wondering if you missed something during that 20-minute stretch of nothingness. I can assure you that you did not.

The entire film contains two worth-watching scenes and 100+ minutes of emptiness.

The film constantly lingers on shots for so long you'll begin to wonder if the wonder if the camera operator fell asleep. Then the next shot usually consists of something similar, as the camera holds for an unnecessarily long time once again.

Other choices in the film are flat out bizarre. A naked sword display partway into the story serves no apparent purpose other than to encourage many Netflix viewers to stop watching and start streaming something else.

Other times the camera fixates on closeups of dog poop. For a really long time. And then we see more dog poop. I really tried to understand the purpose of these shots, but I have no answer.

To the film's credit, the two worth-watching scenes I mentioned earlier are both truly remarkable. They give director Alfonso Cuaron a chance to flex his filmmaking muscles. He masterfully makes use of long scenes with no cuts, which gives viewers no chance to breath and really makes it feel like we are there, present in the moment.

But two great scenes don't make a great movie. The boredom overwhelms the snippets of brilliance, yielding a dull final product.

If hardcore art films are your thing, give this one a try. If not, spare yourself from hours of boredom and the horrifying naked sword display scene.