Chris Butler's MISSING LINK (2019)

I do not love the character design, 

Especially the faces; they all look

Like they're in need of Kleenex, or less wine. 

At least the animators sort of took

Their physics lessons, and the backgrounds are

Magnificent and detailed. So why make 

The figures so damned ugly? It's bizarre. 

Then there's the shrewish lady lead. I'd stake

A modest sum the writing staff were male,

But really don't care near enough to check. 

Some neat ideas, though, like a haughty, pale

And racist vale of cryptids, and, on deck

A cryptic hunting Saqsquatch. Really, I

Just wished they'd made more effort on this try. 

Matt Sears' THE SKY (2020)

I love my lo-fi sci-fi, and it seems
The genre has a future, if the Earth
Continues turning, if small, nimble teams
Of young filmmakers keep at it. At first
This seems the most lo-fi, two women sit
In folding chairs out in the wilderness
And talk, and then decide to have a bit
Of magic mushroom as the End will bless
Or curse the whole world soon. Good cam'ra tricks
And psychedelic FX sure would be
Enough, but here the actresses, script, mix
Well with the other efforts. I will see
As much of Matt Sears work as e'er I may,
And hope we've years yet 'til the here-shown day.

Morgan Neville's 20 FEET FROM STARDOM (2013)

The giants on whose shoulders long have stood

The giants whom we hail as household names

Still walk among us, small, less known, and good?

Don't damn them with faint praise. A little fame 

Is overdue these ladies, and right here, 

Right from the ope'ning credits we receive

That message. All the art direction near

Distracts from these great ladies, but, believe:

They still stand out. A fine, harmonic whole, 

This film -- and even when it cuts to stars 

The spotlight stays on Lisa, Darlene. Know

I'll soon hunt down their vinyl from afar!

We're at our best when we are not alone. 

Now someone make this film but for trombone!

Jeff Dolan's PHASE 6 (2019)

With just twelve minutes for to tell a tale,
Each aspect must be tight, all without waste.
Scripts must be tight, and dialogue can't fail
To be efficient, curt but still with taste.
And both of these prevail here, as do all
The SFX and art direction, though
The actors, as if Lucas made the call
To treat them like set-pieces, make this show
A bit uneven. Still, this harrowing
Account of med-tech turned to nasty ends
Is tense and good, is creepy, narrowing
The battle for the world to two young friends'
Own bodies. I do fear that wing-nuts
Will treat this as non-fiction, in my guts...

Maren Ade's THE FOREST FOR THE TREES (2003)

Some trigger warnings might be needed here,
For social awkwardness at its worst height
Of tension is this film's point. I don't fear
Encounters with new people, but new fright
Might well be triggered by the agony
We share with Melanie (especially since
The smart and lucky ones still aren't quite free
Of lockdown in this COVID year). You'll wince
Each this young, new teacher meets someone,
And nod as her collection of house plants
Increases as her life moves from not fun
To desolate. If Eva Lobau's glance,
All neediness and optimism, breaks
Your heart, well, you were warned, and no mistake.

Celine Sciamma's PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019)

Much could be made of what just isn't here --

No music and no men, and yes, no pow'r

Imbalances, except, eschewing fear,

Officially. 'Tis right that we did show'r

This wonder with awards, effusive praise, 

Superlatives. Within this ladies' world

It's all about the loving female gaze

Bestowed and, too, received in trust, unfurled

Among a set of equals. This is so 

Refreshing I near failed to notice that

They play Egyptian Ratscrew by the glow 

Of candles. And of course it's lovely; at

The very least it will pull at your heart.

It's also simply stunning vis'ual art!

Lindsay Anderson's O LUCKY MAN! (1973)

 I'm now become an Alan Price fan girl,
Graham Crowden steals his brief scenes yet again
As our Mick Travers blunders through a world
Still made for white boys. We last saw him when
He made a right mess of his schoolboy days
But seems to not have suffered consequence.
He sees some this time 'round, but somehow stays
A poster boy for priv'lege. Some expense
Was spared in casting, though it's all top notch --
They all get many roles, which adds a bit
To surreality, and does a lot
To make this funnier. The perfect fit,
Though is how Price's band serves in the tale,
And how the ending dance party just wails!