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Return to Seoul, Rye Lane, and the trial of Gwyneth Paltrow

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Return to Seoul, Rye Lane, and the trial of Gwyneth Paltrow

From Seoul to London, plus the ski slopes of Park City, Utah

Jenny G. Zhang
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Criticism Is Dead
Apr 4, 2023
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Hello!

On this week’s episode of Criticism Is Dead, we discuss Return to Seoul and Rye Lane, two films with a strong sense of place.

Click here to listen to the full episode on the web

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts, or other podcast apps.

02:22 At times discomfiting, at times revelatory, the film Return to Seoul — playing in select theaters — is a distinctive spin on the journey of an adoptee.

Return to Seoul takes a somewhat familiar idea — an adoptee returning to her country of origin to find her birth parents — and fleshes it out in a way that probably hews closer to the truth of what this experience is really like: often uncomfortable, tense, with jagged edges. Here, the main vehicle for such a complex portrayal is the protagonist Freddie, a character whose frustrations and flaws make her feel fully realized. There’s no unnecessary exposition or dialogue here; the film trusts its viewers to read between each thing left unsaid, to nice effect.

26:19 The pleasant rom-com Rye Lane, streaming on Hulu, does a better job highlighting the charm of a city than any chemistry between its leads.

Rom-coms tend to live and die by the sparks that fly between their two stars, and in Rye Lane, the sparks are a little more akin to the fizzes of a great friendship. Nonetheless, it’s a cute movie, with some nice humor, a straightforward — maybe even a little formulaic — story, and a sense of ease that keeps the whole thing moving along. But be forewarned: The way that this film is shot may or may not be a turn-off for you (for me, it was fine; for Pelin, it rang too commercial-like).

39:29 Plus, culture notes about how Gwyneth Paltrow litigated her way into stans’ hearts.

Twitter avatar for @PopBase
Pop Base @PopBase
Gwyneth Paltrow whispered “I wish you well” to Dr. Sanderson, the man who sued her over ski crash, as she left the courtroom with her $1 victory.
Image
Image
11:14 PM ∙ Mar 30, 2023
198,797Likes12,263Retweets

SUCCESSION SENDOFF

In this week’s SUCCESSION SENDOFF — our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season — we get into money moves, cold feet, and family bonding. Plus, our recurring segments: Daddy’s Best Boy, The Disgusting Boy, and Death Watch.

EPISODE 2 LET'S GOOOO

Bonus etc.

RIP king:

Twitter avatar for @ryuichisakamoto
ryuichi sakamoto @ryuichisakamoto
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12:40 PM ∙ Apr 2, 2023
480,889Likes155,173Retweets

TBT this Sakamoto interview in the Creative Independent.

Kelly Reichardt interview:

Twitter avatar for @intothecrevasse
Charles Bramesco @intothecrevasse
"Hanging out is essential to making art." I talked with Kelly Reichardt about her superb new film SHOWING UP, the dream of the '90s, college towns, flautist André "3000" Benjamin, the scene in Portland, and the death of the "scene" as a concept:
theguardian.comDirector Kelly Reichardt: ‘Keep in mind, I don’t have my finger on any pulse’The film-maker behind First Cow discusses her new Michelle Williams-starring drama Showing Up and the difficulties of making art in this climate
2:31 PM ∙ Apr 3, 2023
207Likes28Retweets

That’s it for now. Thank you and see you next week!

— Jenny

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Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Some credits:

  • Music: REEKAH

  • Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

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