Page 2 October 14, 2021
Entertainment
Film Review Check It Out
El Planeta Review: A Mumblecore
Gem From a New Cinematic Voice
Crying in H Mart
by Michelle Zuaner
By Kristen Morell, Librarian
Crying in H Mart is the debut work of
Michelle Zauner, of the band Japanese
Breakfast. This New York Times Bestselling
book has been on my to read list for
months, and it was worth the wait. A story
about many things including, family, food
and most notably grief, Zauner’s writing will
draw you in at the start. She writes about
her upbringing and how difficult it was to
live up to her mother’s high expectations of
her, especially being an only child. She also
tells about the difficulties she faced growing
up one of the only Asian American kids at
her school in Eugene, Oregon. She moves
to the other side of the country to go to college
and discovers herself to be an aspiring
musician. However, with this new distance
from her mother, she feels her connection
to her Korean culture fading away as well.
She receives a dreadful call, her mother’s
diagnosis of terminal cancer, and makes the
decision to come home to care for her. As
Michelle is home with her mother, her desire
to reconnect to her Korean culture grows.
She begins her journey of relearning and
embracing her Korean culture and feels most
at home in H Mart, a Korean grocery store
she frequented with her mother to purchase
all the ingredients needed to cook her favorite
comfort foods. It is in her cooking adventures
that Michelle also realizes that her fiercely
independent mother’s way of showing love
was through the meals she cooked for her.
To me, I find this a touching story of grief,
love, and acceptance and highly recommend
it. To place a hold on Crying in H Mart, visit
www.elsegundolibrary.org or call the Reference
Desk at 310-524-2728. This title is also
available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.
To request, visit https://scdl.overdrive.com or
download the Overdrive or Libby Apps on
your mobile device. •
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zuaner.
Kristen Morell
Morgan Rojas
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
It’s worth paying attention when director
Miranda July gives her stamp of approval to
an up-and-coming filmmaker. “From the very
first scene my heart started to pound with that
feeling of discovery,” says July. “A brand new,
totally modern, cinematic voice!” And who is
the recipient of such praise? Argentinian artist
Amalia Ulman and her new film, El Planeta.
Coincidentally, El Planeta is a dark comedy
that feels like a step-sister to July’s
own Kajillionaire. Similarly, it explores the
mother-daughter dynamic set against awkward
hijinks and expectation hangovers.
El Planeta takes place amidst the devastation
of Spain’s economic crisis. After the passing
of her father, amateur fashion stylist Leonor
(Ulman) reunites with her eccentric and unemployed
mother María (played by Amalia’s
real-life mom, Ale Ulman). Together, the duo
work through life’s mundane ups and downs.
They bluff and grift their way to fund their
superficially extravagant lifestyle, debt and
inevitable eviction always looming.
El Planeta is Amalia’s debut feature film.
Its premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival
put Amalia and her feature on track for
success, albeit, predominately in the arthouse
world. Static shots and long one takes make
this mumblecore darling feel like a filmed
staged play, however, it never feels slighted
by its simplicity. The characters make every
scene come alive, which can be attributed
to the film’s dry comedic center. Lines like,
“If I keep eating carbs I’m going to have a
poor person’s body” are delivered in a perfect
deadpan tone.
There isn’t much of a plot to talk about,
though. In fact, one could argue that there is
really no “point” to the film. El Planeta feels
very much like a cathartic personal expression
for Amalia as many of the saddening events
that occur in the film are based on her own
life with her mother, which includes suffering
homelessness and hunger.
However, El Planeta is not an autobiography.
The genuineness and authenticity of Amalia’s
script and vision give the film its depth and
purpose. Ultimately, I’m with Miranda July
on this one. El Planeta and Amalia Ulman
are indie gems just waiting to be discovered.
Distributed by Utopia, currently playing at
Landmark Westwood and available on VOD.
El Planeta, courtesy Utopia.
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