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Favorite Books of 2023, #’s 13 & 12

We started with two rock ‘n roll memoirs, and we move to two novels. Two novels that are very different from each other, actually. One by an author whose complete works have been read by me; the other, someone I read for the very first time. Let’s take a look…

#13 – You Only Call When You’re in Trouble, by Stephen McCauley (2024)

You Only Call When You're in TroubleStephen McCauley writes engaging novels revolving around quirky, but all-too human characters, often in unconventional families. While his latest and eighth novel, You Only Call When You’re in Trouble, and his first since 2018 is well-written and entertaining, it does feel a bit like well-trodden ground. There’s something very familiar about the structure, and the dilemmas facing the characters. For some readers, this may feel comforting, like a favorite, well-worn bathrobe on a chilly winter night, and while there was some element of that for me, I also was looking for something a little more fresh, and reading this felt a little fomulaic. Still, I did tear up a bit in places, and chuckled while reading, so definitely a worthy addition to his bibliography.

The Memory of Animals, by Claire Fuller (2023)

The Memory of AnimalsAn engrossing read that packs three distinct storylines into one novel fairly successfully. Fuller starts with virulent pandemic sweeping the world, that is a bit more apocalyptic than what we all recently endured, but is similar enough to bring back some pretty tense memories. Neffy is a marine biologist who volunteers for a dangerous study where she will be injected with the virus and a possible vaccine along with a handful of other test subjects. Just as she undergoes the first phase of the trial, the world goes to hell and when she recovers she finds herself trapped in the hospital with four other subjects.

As they try to adapt to their new lives, Neffy discovers that Leon has an experimental device that allows her to relive her memories, an experience that can be dangerously addictive, but through these experiences we learn about Neffy’s life, and what led her to Fuller’s third storyline, about Neffy’s relationship with the mysterious H, to whom she is writing letters to in her journal. It doesn’t really add up into a coherent whole, but all the stories are compelling, and Fuller’s exploration of memory (the pandemic attacks memories, while Leon’s device allows you to relive them) is interesting.

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Favorite Books of 2023

Well, it’s been a while. In fact, I haven’t posted here since I did my round up of favorite movie of 2022! I guess it has been a busy year. That is evidenced by the fact that I only read 24 new books last year. However I did get stuck on a new genre. I have become temporarily addicted to the rock ‘n roll memoir of female artists. Last year I read eight books in this genre (and one more by a male artist), covering such artists as Carly Simon, Tracey Thorn, Holly Knight, and Liz Phair. You will see many of these books included in my lists of favorites of the year (I mean, with this genre making up 33% or my reading last year, they’re going to have to show up, right?)

I’m not going to try to do better this year, as it’s February already and I’m only halfway through my second title (both of which have been in that afore-mentioned genre) but I’ll do my best. In the mean time, here are my numbers 15 and 14 favorite books I read in 2023.

Boys in the Trees#15 – Boys in the Trees: a Memoir, by Carly Simon (2015)

Carly Simon’s life is certainly one filled with fodder for a good memoir. And those familiar with the lyrics to her huge song catalog can probably read between the lines to understand the full, emotional life she has led. From her uniquely interesting childhood, through her difficult coming-of-age and emergence into a incredibly popular performing artist and a celebrity marriage, there’s a lot to focus on. The book is largely divided into two sections, her childhood and coming-of-age, which was focused on family and her emerging sexuality, and her marriage to James Taylor. Family and relationships are certainly the focus of Simon’s writing, with her career as a singer/songwriter an important backdrop.

Simon is a good writer, capturing moments to devastating or glorious effect. She focuses in on small examples of a larger life and peels back layers to expose the flawed humans beneath. Personally I am somewhat perplexed in many of these memoirs I have recently read how major the theme of being with a man was so important to build a fulfilling life. While her fascinating career is ever-present, it seems to be almost a background element to the story she wanted to tell. I would have liked a bit more of that career.

Chapter and Verse#14 – Chapter and Verse: New Order, Joy Division and Me, by Bernard Sumner (2015)

Here’s my one rock ‘n roll memoir by a male artist. Bernard Sumner tells the story of his life from his childhood in the town of Salford, near Manchester England, through his time with Joy Division and then New Order. I particularly enjoyed the passages about his love of music and creating the sound for New Order… less so the extensive chronicling of their hedonistic lifestyle. He does respond to the horrible things said about him by former bandmate Peter Hook, but more in a reporting way, rather than an attack back.

Sumner has a conversational writing style that makes for easy reading, but he tends to repeat himself, which can get a little tiresome now and then. Overall, a fun read, and illuminating for a casual fan of the music who didn’t know much about his life.

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My Top 20 of 2022, #’s 1 & 2

And here we are at the top of my list of favorite films of 2022. What ties these films together are the broad themes of love and family… themes that go against my often-cited love of bleak films. These two films moved me, but also thrilled me with the acting, the scripts, the directions, the production design, the use of music, the cinematography and more. These were films that stuck with me long after I saw them. I first saw my #1 film of the year way back in January, and it never got knocked off the top spot. I do hope you will give these films a try!

After Yang

#2) Ali & Ava, directed by Clio Barnard – Clio Barnard, innovative director of the Buried Treasure nominated pseudo-doc THE ARBOR, has created a nearly perfect adult romance with ALI & AVA. the third of her four films to be shot in the city of Bradford in England. Led by a pair of terrific acting performances from Adeel Akhtar (THE BIG SICK, FOUR LIONS) and Claire Rushbrook (SECRETS & LIES; AMMONITE) the film charts the tentative love story of two Bradford natives in their forties both emerging from challenging relationships. Ali is a landlord who lives with his Pakistani family and is a bit of an anomaly, as he is beloved by his tenants. He and his younger wife are recently estranged, but still live in the same flat with the rest of the family, whom they have not told about their separation. Ava works as a teaching assistant, comes from an Irish-Catholic background, has a complicated relationship with her adult children, and an even more complicated relationship with her deceased husband. Once the two meet their slow, quiet attraction develops into something more, all while Barnard subtly weaves in issues around race, religion, abuse, and other grown-up issues in ways that are natural and powerful. 

One of the things that makes ALI & AVA so unique is how the story is told so strongly through music. Ali is a fan of techno and hip hop, while Ava adores country and folk. They fall in love and get to know each other through small acts of generosity and kindness, but also through their mutual love of music and the curiosity for each to learn more about the other. The film is hopeful, although not predictable or formulaic in any way. The cinematography by Ole Bratt Birkeland is stunning, both in the way it captures surprising beauty in some of the neighborhoods that exhibit the worst levels of social deprivation, and the extraordinary ways it captures the love story being told with powerful close-ups of the two leads. This one’s a real winner in so many categories, and Clio Barnard is a director to keep an eye on.

After Yang

#1) – After Yang, directed by Kogonada – After the gorgeous simplicity of Kogonada’s Chlotrudis Awards-nominated previous film, COLUMBUS, I’m not sure what I was expecting with this follow-up, starring a big name star like Colin Farrell. Of course, Farrell was so powerful in THE LOBSTER, so I know he’s capable of being a great actor as well, which he shows again, in this haunting adaptation of a short story that explore what it means to be alive and sentient. It’s a story we’ve seen explored before; several times in the last couple of years. Yang is an artificial person — an older brother for Jake and Kyra’s adopted Japanese daughter Mika. Someone marketed to give Mika cultural reference given her parents are white and African respectively. When Yang malfunctions, possibly permanently, Jake begins an exploration that will reveal parts of Yang’s life that illuminate heretofore unknown depths.

The futuristic world Kogonada creates is uniquely serene and beautiful. The lovely production design that suggests a future society, yet is familiar and comfortable, with its sleek and graceful beauty augments the immersive experience of the film. As mentioned above, Farrell, who broke on the scene as a brash, bad-boy once again shows how skilled he is at nuanced, mature roles. Kogonada’s direction, so minimalist in COLUMBUS, is more expansive here, but just as simple and effective. Finally, AFTER YANG features one of the best ever opening scenes of any film that touches on one of my favorite film tropes: unexpected dancing. A true triumph.

And here’s the complete list for my Top 30 films of 2022:

  1. After Yang
  2. Ali & Ava
  3. Broker
  4. Utama
  5. Memoria
  6. The Falls
  7. Aftersun
  8. Anne at 13,000 Ft.
  9. A Love Song
  10. Women Talking
  11. Playground
  12. Petite Maman
  13. Neptune Frost
  14. Decision to Leave
  15. The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet
  16. You Won’t Be Alone
  17. The Man in the Woods
  18. Nitram
  19. The Justice of Bunny King
  20. The Eternal Daughter
  21. The Cathedral
  22. The Wheel
  23. Great Freedom
  24. Zero Fucks Given
  25. Intregalde
  26. Cici
  27. God’s Creatures
  28. Hit the Road
  29. Ahed’s Knee
  30. The Worst Person In the World
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My Top 20 of 2022, #’s 3 & 4

Other than the exceptional filmmaking, these two films near the top of my 2022 favorites have little in common. One is from a seasons filmmaker whose films have topped by year-end lists in the past, the other is a director with his first-time narrative feature, One features a large cast of inter-connected characters in a cosmopolitan environment, while the other focuses mainly on three characters in a remote wilderness. Yet both exemplify what makes a film great for me: strong relationships, and unexpected deep emotion told through beautiful writing.

Utama

#4) Utama, directed by Alejandro Loayza Grisi – When I learned that Utama is translated in English to Our Home, it resonated so much more with me. This is a powerful, effective film that, while fairly straightforward, successfully blended several themes, most notably climate change, aging, generational dynamics, and the modernization of indigenous culture, quite well into moving portrait of love and loss. Set in Bolivia, Virginio and Sisi are an aging indigenous Quechua couple who live alone, a long walk from the nearest village, and a much farther distance from the nearest city. They have been without rain for nearly a year, which makes tending their herd of llama, and their sad garden increasingly difficult. When the water Sisi retrieves from the village pump dries up, and Virginio’s health begins to become an issue, they are faced with some difficult choices. A visit from their grandson, Clever, complicates matters as his grandfather thinks he’s a bit of a brat and visiting to do the bidding of his father (Virginio’s son). 

The gentle story does it’s work, but it’s the directorial skill, coupled with some remarkable cinematography by Barbara Alvarez, and Art Direction by Valeria Wilde that really elevate this film. The stark landscape marries stunning beauty with desolation. Powerful moments are conveyed with a look, or a gesture that moved me to tears. Every time the absurdly whimsical, hassled herd of llama entered the screen I had to smile. The low-key, but beautiful way that José Calcina and especially, Luisa Quespe portray the two leads, is worthy of consideration for nomination (and reminiscent of another South American favorite of mine, the Uruguayan Buried Treasure nominee, WHISKY) — although as none of the characters are portrayed by professional actors, I feel the director deserves a lot of credit there.

Broker

#3) Broker, directed by Hirokazu Koreeda – Sure, he’s one of my favorite directors, but perhaps because of the good but not great reviews I had seen for BROKER, I was taken by surprise at how much I enjoyed this one! It’s a bit of a flip side of his last Japanese-set feature, the award-winning SHOPLIFTERS, as both combine crime and created families, but both come at those themes from very different directions. BROKER is shot in South Korea, and boosts a couple of actors more well-known to the U.S. audiences: Song Kang-ho, from PARASITE, and Doona Bae, a Koreeda and Bong Hoon-ho alum (she co-starred with Song in THE HOST, and the TV series, “Sense8”. The complex story involves an infant being abandoned by his mother, the illegal selling of children, prostitution, murder, and found-families. It also features some of the most overt humor in a Kore-era film, with lots of laughs throughout. It also got me strongly with a few emotional scenes where I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing while I held back some sobs (that ferris wheel scene). It’s not a very subtle film, but the story unfolds beautifully, taking it’s time (hence the longer running time) so nothing really feels forced. Another scene featuring Doona Bae talking on the phone while Aimee Mann’s Wise Up plays in the background even references MAGNOLIA in a way that really took me by surprise.

Koreeda never disappoints, and BROKER, with its light-hearted caper feel, talented ensemble, and deep emotion has a lot of appeal for a wide audience. His exploration of the concept of family, both natural and found is always well-handled, from his earliest films such as AFTERLIFE, and throughout his career with such work as NOBODY KNOWS; STILL WALKING; LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON; OUR LITTLE SISTER; AFTER THE STORM; and SHOPLITERS. BROKER is a beautiful addition to that list.

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My Top 20 of 2022, #’s 5 & 6

Midway through my Top 10 films of 202 we have a couple of stand-out films from Asian filmmakers, one familiar, one new to me. Both explore the mental state of the protagonist in ways that are surprising and thoughtful. It’s also great to see films with strong female leads still taking such prominent spots in my favorite films.

The Falls

#6) The Falls, directed by Mong-Hong Chung – The Taiwanese film, THE FALLS came to may attention very early in the year with some strong reviews after being released in January. The descriptions were vague, something about a mother and daughter dealing with some difficulty while quarantined during the pandemic. That description is not only misleading, it completely misses the power and drama of this film. For brief moments during the first half hour or so, i wondered if I was watching a science fiction film… then a horror film… then the real story began to emerge. I will do you the same courtesy that was given by not revealing any more, other than to say that director Mong-Hong Chung directs a tough film with amazing skill and more importantly, compassion. In addition to the skillful directorial hand, Chung’s screenplay, which he co-wrote with Yoa-sheng Chang is strong as well, telling a story not often seen on screen with tenderness, yet without pulling the punches that may be painful for some to sit through.

The film takes it’s time too, with a two hour-plus running time, that at least one reviewer complained about. I didn’t find it too long at all, despite it’s somewhat leisurely pace. I like how things unfolded slowly… more like life than a film trying to meet a 90-minute running time. The film is really served best by the amazing performance of its two leads, especially Alysssa Chia, a film and TV star in Taiwan. Chia captures the nuance and tragedy of Lo-pin Wen subtly yet with grace and power. Gingle Wang as Lo-pin’s daughter brings it home as well. Two really strong lead actresses. This film might not resonate with everyone, but it’s just the kind of film I love.

Memoria

#5) Memoria, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul – A new film by Apichatpong (or “Joe,” as he is colloquially called) is always call for notice, but this, the Thai director’s first multi-national film, set in Colombia, in English and Spanish and with a big international star, was something to really take note of. It helped in a really big way that the international star is Tilda Swinton who manages to bring us along this bizarre and fascinating journey with thoughtfulness and curiosity.

A woman seeks the cause of a strange recurring phenomenon that causes her to hear a loud, specific sound at random times that no one else seems to hear. Her search for a cause leads in many directions, but not, where anyone could possibly expect. The film is filled with shots of great beauty, and moments of sublime drama. Not so surprisingly, there are also moments of sudden, absurd humor that take you by surprise. It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Tilda Swinton in this role (except perhaps Cate Blanchett – the two becoming more and more internchangeable with the roles they’ve been taking). Don’t let the expected leisurely pace and lengthy running time put you off. The journey is exquisite, and the payoff, mind-blowing.