Sweetie (1989)

Tonight I watched Sweetie, Jane Campion's first feature. It's a Criterion so some early short films by the director are included. I watched those yesterday. They were funny, odd and sad, which I guess is a popular combination. I think I liked them better than Sweetie. She did a movie recently with Meg Ryan, maybe. I feel like my paragraphs are full of uncertainty. Oh well. So, anyway, this movie is about a woman living with her boyfriend and her very literally crazy sister and her parents and how they all deal with each other and the crazy sister. It's funny, sad and odd, too, like the shorts. The characters are all pretty unlikable-- a plus in my book. I was distracted by finishing up my mix for the trade. It must be no surprise that I'm a little late with it too. But okay, Sweetie is short but feels long. The colors are great and it's Australia (or New Zealand?), so what people are wearing and what their houses look like score high with me. There's some tree fear and some tea leaf readings, so you've got your metaphors and whatnot. Even though I didn't love it, I still think you should watch it if you're ever in the mood for one of those sad crazy family dramas that looks really great. I'm hoping this will lead to a female directors kick.