...i am part of a composite

Film the collective most wanted to see together but missed was Queer as Punk, 2025, which I mention because some of you might also be interested in a queer Malaysian punk movie.

Film: All That's Left of You, 2025, is an unexpectedly gentle and also thoughtful film about a Palestinian man and his family, told episodically from 1948 to 2022. I usually resent any film over the 2hr mark but this deserved and filled the 2hrs 25mins it took to tell these stories. The cinematography is decidedly beautiful, with Palestinian lives and homes being lit in warm colours. I hadn't read any spoilers so I'd no idea where these stories were heading beyond forwards in time from the Nakba through the First Intifada, and I was surprised by the later themes which I thought were extremely well handled despite their difficulties. An aspect of the film-making that drew my attention very early on were casting decisions for the two occasions during which we see close-ups of members of the Israeli military being abusive, when the actors chosen looked as much like the Palestinian lead as possible, so the first could have been his brother and the second a close cousin (a more diverse population was shown but the casting in these two incidents was clearly intentional).
Conclusion: I recommend watching All That's Left of You if you enjoy heartfelt family-themed films (also rated 12A - about PG-13 - despite the surrounding violence [/ reminder that European film ratings tend to be higher for violence (and lower for sex) than US ratings ]). 5/5

Film: Colours of Time / La Venue de l'avenir, 2025, is a lightweight middle-of-the-road French film exploring recent history through the lens of one family, and was clearly sponsored by the Normandy tourist authority (and good for them!). The casting suited the plot as well as the characters, the lighting was good, and all the very mainstream music - from acoustic to electronic dance - was spot on. Cliches are racked up constantly, but each is well done and forgivable (except possibly Monmartre as a romantic pre-suburb village, which was wholly unnecessary nostalgia that didn't rly work as commentary on the present and was balanced by the equally saccharine Ooo They've Got Electricity scene). The Obligatory Pride in French Arts Culture is offset by making it mildly amusing. Beekeeping featured as the vaguest form of token environmentalism. There is the most improbably upbeat and escapist take on teaching as a career. Warning for the usual pervasive French misogyny, albeit dialled down as this is intended to be a sweet story. Nonetheless I noticed the Stressed Businesswoman Who Just Needs a "Date" trope, and although the Women's Magazine Culture is Lol Lowbrow trope was offset by humour, there was also Historical Women Were All Sex-Workers. Also warning for glamourised recreational drug-taking. The best laugh line was "I got hit on by Victor Hugo!" and I'm absolutely not going to spoil the context, although for balance there was also a dreadful pun about cat/chat room filters.
Themes: family, love, nostalgic history. 5/5

Film: The Blue Trail / O Último Azul, 2025, is a Brazilian film, that I saw with the original soundtrack and subtitles (there seems to be a terrible dubbed trailer about too?). In a near-future dystopia, 80 year old people are bussed away to a "colony" for old people so they don't impair the economic activity of younger people... according to pervasive government messaging. Unfortunately for the protagonist, Tereza, the age limit is lowered to 77 only a few weeks before her 77th birthday. She is mandatorily retired from her job at an alligator processing factory (warning for animal death and dismemberment) and sent home to her small shack to await the inevitable. However, Tereza has other ideas and decides to flee in pursuit of her desire to fly. Along the way she meets a drug-taking riverboat courier who shows her a wild snail that excretes blue "drool" which induces visions in humans when used as eyedrops. Various snitches try to turn her in to the authorities, and her dream of flying crashes. But Tereza meets another riverboat traveller, on the rainbow-coloured Caridad (Charity - aka loving kindness), who might have an alternative dream for our heroine. But what will the visionary wild snail reveal about this, and how much will Tereza's renewed life cost her and the animals she inevitably continues to exploit (more warnings for animal death)?
Themes: exploitation, of people and animals and the environment; but also love and redemption (which has its price, like all redemption). Possible lesbian and/or female friendship themes but these are choose your own adventure interpretations.
Conclusion: beautiful, disjointed, occasionally upsetting, and partially individually redemptive. 4/5

1. Have you ever watched illusion magic? Close-up, or in a stage show, or on television? Did it work for you?

I've seen illusionists on television and close-up in real life and even when I know how the trick is done I've never spotted the illusionist at work. They're magic to me in at least one sense of the word.

2. Have you ever wished on a star, or a lucky cat, or a coin in a wishing well? Did it work in some way?

Yes, I've wished on objects, but never believing the wishes would come true and none of them ever has. Most of my family aren't superstitious so we mostly did time or place specific traditional customs such as wishing on a poultry wishbone at xmas dinner or when blowing out candles on birthday cakes.

3. Have you ever cast a spell, made a love charm, or tried a curse? Did it work in some way?

I've asked for healing at special springs by leaving a traditional (biodegradeable) offering but, again, without believing any favour could or would be granted. Also, I expect the genii locorum prefer people who clean up their habitats by removing non-biodegradeable litter &c. Despite being a dedicated apatheist I also once asked for healing for a USian Christian friend at the shrine of St David in St Davids Cathedral in the city of St Davids before walking to the nearby holy well dedicated to his mother St Non (and then sent my friend the token I acquired at the cathedral and carried on pilgrimage - she was thrilled but not afaik healed). I was passing the well anyway as it's on a beautiful seaside cliff-top footpath. I was alone when I arrived but soon surrounded by a large group of women pilgrims, who'd walked from another direction, which was interesting because organised pilgrimage groups are an uncommon sight in the UK. I couldn't talk with any of them though because their guide was very LOUD and INSISTENT on having her group's ATTENTION. Fair enough as they'd signed up for it, and I'd already been blessed by a peaceful moment alone at the well (and my friend received the pilgrim token to tell her I cared about her).

4. Are there any other traditional superstitions you pay attention to? Do they work in some way?

My family didn't indoctrinate me with superstitions as I grew up so no to any magical element. But not walking under ladders, and paying attention to the weather and wild animals seems worth it, as does picking up stray pennies and buttons.

5. Would you want major magical powers like in a fantasy story? Which powers, and how would you use them?

Eep, NO! I'd probably end up as a medical experiment in a secret government research bunker. But I would like to have enough manual dexterity to palm things like a stage illusionist. I bet that skill would have all sorts of uses in addition to doing crime or stage magic....

6. And y'all? :-)