Impact Reviews 40

GILMORE GIRLS

The fast-paced nature of university life is best escaped by curling up in bed and switching on your favourite comfort show. Nothing fits this bill better than Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Gilmore Girls, which for me, serves as a reminder of what’s most important: from a cup of coffee to the first fall of snow, it’s the little things in life. Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, the show’s seven seasons follow the lives of the much loved mother-daughter duo Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), and their explorations in love, friendship and the eccentricities of small-town life. The plot demands little attention from its viewers, making it the perfect antidote to help you unwind from a hard day of studying. But count yourself warned - its charming, homely feel is quick to become addictive, wrapping you up like a blanket that’s pretty hard to get out of.

Eva Hughes-Sutton

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

The Royal Tenenbaums may only be Wes Anderson’s third film, but by god it is impressive how quickly he found his style. The film follows a dysfunctional family who return home following the news that the family’s patriarch: Royal Tenenbaum, has stomach cancer. A lie from Royal to try and manipulate his family. What follows is an insanely tight comedy drama. While most comedies deliver jokes, Anderson instead has his jokes fall out the back pocket of the script, seemingly accidentally. Anderson’s use of the widescreen anamorphic format helps to capture the fantastic ensemble while simultaneously creating a closed frame to allow everyone to stay together. While the film has broad themes such as love and family, each is kept tightly together and flows easily into the next. Maybe home isn’t where the heart is, maybe it’s just a building we grew up in.

William Stead “Home. Is it just a word, or is it something you can carry within you?” This is the central question posed by Nomadland and it examines this in a truly masterful way. This film is meticulously crafted, believable and genuinely moving. Frances McDormand rightly deserves praise for her wonderfully subtle performance. However, the supporting cast are worthy of equal admiration too. This is a film that explores grief and belonging in a way that few others have. Its superb pacing, sweeping cinematography and sensitive score are just as important to the experience as its excellent performances. The concept of home is not one that is easily definable. Is it a place or people? Is it a feeling of comfort or even the absence of discomfort? The truly immersive journey that Nomadland takes you on poses all these questions and more, while acknowledging that sometimes there simply isn’t an answer.

Daniel Evans

SCHITT’S CREEK

When watching a nine-time Emmys award-winning sitcom, anticipations can easily skyrocket, but thankfully Schitt’s Creek manages to live up to the expectations. After losing all their assets and home, a wealthy family are forcefully relocated to a small town they once bought as a joke due to its ridiculous name. The show’s greatest strength is its characters. Each of them are unique and amusing in a charming way. Introduced as walking stereotypes at the start, their complexity shines through quickly as their journey of self-discovery and search for belonging progresses. With them ultimately developing meaningful friendships and connecting to their new surroundings. This story of a family being brought together and finally connecting, turning two cheap motel rooms into a more loving home than their previous estate, might sound a little cheesy, but watching the story unfold was genuinely heart-warming. Ana Balanici