Grief is a funny thing — sometimes literally. Much of the best film and TV on the subject has been told through the lens of comedy; from “It’s a Wonderful Life” to “Fleabag” and everything in between, there is a secret society among the grieving, who know the power of laughing at or through the pain.
In fairness, that’s not the only lens through which debut feature director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes frames “My Dead Friend Zoe,” the story of a shattered veteran (Sonequa Martin-Green) haunted by the ongoing presence of her deceased platoon mate (Natalie Morales). Hausmann-Stokes, who co-wrote the film with Aj Bermudez, has been vocal about the personal nature of this story — including in the film’s post-credits — but even if he hadn’t, “My Dead Friend Zoe” is possessed of a realism that has to come from heartbreaking firsthand experience.
The film opens on Merit (Martin-Green) and Zoe (Morales) during their tour,...
In fairness, that’s not the only lens through which debut feature director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes frames “My Dead Friend Zoe,” the story of a shattered veteran (Sonequa Martin-Green) haunted by the ongoing presence of her deceased platoon mate (Natalie Morales). Hausmann-Stokes, who co-wrote the film with Aj Bermudez, has been vocal about the personal nature of this story — including in the film’s post-credits — but even if he hadn’t, “My Dead Friend Zoe” is possessed of a realism that has to come from heartbreaking firsthand experience.
The film opens on Merit (Martin-Green) and Zoe (Morales) during their tour,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
In the frequently picked-over corpse of author Charles Perrault’s classic story “Cinderella,” centered on a servant girl who rises from obscurity after falling in love with a prince, lie such themes as perseverance, hope and the value of being a dreamer. These are the cornerstone principles of the Disney corporation, founded by a fellow dreamer who, similar to the plucky protagonist in the fairy tale, made a wish and saw it come true. Though the studio has plundered these riches before with the likes of the popular 1997 TV movie musical and 2015’s lavish live-action feature, Disney+ original “Sneakerella” amounts to a modernized, more tween-oriented telling. Director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum’s re-sole of the story, which sees a talented teen fantasizing about designing sneakers for sports royalty, delivers a poignant take on the 1950s animated film it partially cannibalizes.
This fantastical tale, narrated sparingly by fairy godfather Gustavo (Juan Chioran...
This fantastical tale, narrated sparingly by fairy godfather Gustavo (Juan Chioran...
- 5/9/2022
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
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