My home city has, yet again, been surprised-attacked with another lockdown. Besides from it being our sixth time the government has sent us away to our homes with only few reasons to leave them, I haven’t quite yet exhausted every movie necessary to get me through quarantine. But while the world outside is still adamant on reminding us just how dark it can get, I’ve been craving some more wholesome content for nights spent in front of the TV. Here are three wholesome films that you can (try to) forget about the pandemic to.
Brigsby Bear (2017) by Dave McCary
A bizarre story about a man in his twenties that had been abducted as a baby and raised secretly by two professors. James’ favourite TV show, Brigsby Bear, accompanied his every moment of every day, and so when he’s finally rescued and brought to the real world, he’s devastated to find out that his beloved Brigsby Bear was a show invented for him and only him, and doesn’t actually exist. On a journey of finding friends and being welcomed back into his new, original, family, James embarks on a mission to finish Brigsby Bear once and for all, making the ultimate movie to end the Brigsby saga. Made by the guys from The Lonely Island, Brigsby Bear is a surprisingly delightful and funny wholesome little story, one that doesn’t take itself too seriously, nor behaves silly beyond plausibility.
The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019) by Armando Iannucci
An adaption of Charles Dickens’ semi-autobiographical novel, The Personal History of David Copperfield follows the titular character, played in a stunning performance by Dev Patel, as he goes from rags to riches, and back again. Set in 1840s England and chronicling the coming of age of David Copperfield, this film breaks new ground in its colour-blind casting of the famous novel’s literary characters. Being the first time an actor of colour has been cast in this traditionally white role, Dev Patel speaks to this fresh take on the iconic story, saying “Dickens is a truly universal story.” Although colour-blind casting may seem like an unusual route to choose for a story so renowned, the abundance of familiar faces, and the new ones too, that represent a much wider range of the film’s audience adds a much-needed breath of fresh air to a literary genre that seemed on the verge of becoming stale. Not only does colour-blind casting open up the possibilities of unique actors to cast, but it allows us to witness actors take on roles that are normally reserved for white people in Hollywood. Above all, David Copperfield, with its mystical storytelling and imaginative adventures, is just wholesome as fuck.
Uncle Frank (2020) by Alan Ball
An Amazon Prime original, Uncle Frank is a film that follows two coming of ages, one of 18-year-old Beth as she finds herself in a new city, and the other of her Uncle Frank, as he grapples with his sexuality. Set between rural South Carolina and progressive New York of 1973, Beth’s pursuit of education and a life beyond her small southern town is taken for a whirlwind ride when she discovers her cool, mysterious, city-living uncle is gay.Uncle Frank includes gorgeous 1970s aesthetics, a hectic road trip with Beth, Frank and Frank’s partner, Walid, and the line “in what way is a blow job like poetry.” Ultimately, Uncle Frank is about finding where you belong amongst the family you choose and the family you don’t. Films like this work well in exploring issues and themes that should feel dated, like homophobia, but the lens of an earlier era allows us to confront contemporary problems in society with the guise of a different time. Uncle Frank is about acceptance and the journey in which Beth and Frank take in finding it.
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