Portlandia (2011-8)

This highly quotable, quirky (just listen to the sound effects) sketch comedy show is admittedly not everyone's cup of tea. But I think it perfectly captures the spirit of a city I've never been to. Everything I know about Portland comes from Portlandia, and I'd like to think it's really like that. Like many offshoots of SNL starring SNL alumni, it is very characteristic of the cast member. This is very Fred Armisen, luckily I love him. He can do no wrong. His characters are all hilarious, especially the ones in drag. And Carrie Brownstein plays along. The last few seasons were particularly good. The stories started to tie into one another, not just a few disconnected sketches. So long to a truly funny comedy. A-O River!

Carol (2015)

Carol is a gorgeous love story by Todd Haynes,  a pure romantic drama at its core. Haynes is a master of his craft, creating a beautiful depiction of 1950s New York (the costumes!). Haynes loves the time jump and there is one major time jump in the beginning that is not immediately obvious but very important and well executed. We start in the future and witness the dynamic between Carol and Therese from a third party perspective. Then we go back to see how their relationship evolved interestingly alternating perspectives between Carol and Therese.

The screenplay is very well written. The story moves along very slowly, but that is all the better to bask in its beauty. What moves the film forward is the music. I love the score. The piano plays heavy chords in the recurring theme that are mostly steady save for a single measure that is played in double time. It is subtle, but it builds anticipation just enough. The music adds to the mysterious atmosphere, along with the clever cinematography. Many of the images are indirect, like how Therese sees the world through her camera and how we watch reflections in murky windows. It adds to the aura, as does the divine (yet undoubtedly mysterious) Cate Blanchett.

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are both brilliant. They both show extraordinary vulnerability and immense passion for each other. Their love is forbidden in their time and it tortures them so. They show restraint. They are simply a joy to watch.