MY OLD ASS: A Fear of Goodbyes

My Old Ass: Fear of Goodbyes

18-year-old Elliott’s worst fear was goodbye. This fear persisted into her almost-40s, as we see when she encounters My Old Ass on a Shrooms trip in Megan Park’s film. You wouldn’t know Elliott was afraid to say goodbye with her repeated mantra that she can’t wait to get away. She’s even convinced her family. That…

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WICKED: Rage at Abuse Isn’t Wicked

WICKED: Rage At Abuse Isn't Wicked

John M. Chu‘s 2024 film, Wicked, shows us in spades what happens to an abused child. That’s Elphaba. Abandoned. Shamed. Blamed. Rejected. Bullied. Shunned. Of course, rage fills Elphaba. It’s a terrible injustice to label her Wicked. Elphaba’s no different than many abused children. Hungry for love, she keeps her hurt bottled up. Caters to…

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ANORA: Running From Pain

Anora: Running from Pain

Pain. We see that in Anora, Sean Baker’s raw and brutally poignant new film. Pain. Although Ani, the film’s main character does her best to hide her feelings, mostly from herself, no one becomes addicted to sex (or drugs or alcohol) if they aren’t trying to escape unbearable pain. Ani and Vanya don’t want to…

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WOMAN OF THE HOUR: Seeing (Or Not Seeing) Red Flags

Woman of the Hour: Seeing (or not Seeing) Red Flags

Who will hurt you the most? That’s the hidden question in Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour.  And, as a woman, how do you tell? It’s by seeing (or not seeing) red flags. Sometimes, you can’t see them when you’re lonely or hungry for attention and love. Other times, when you have reasons not to…

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