Set in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City, this film centers on Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker who assumes the roles of maid and nanny in a hectic household, much like the one that director Alfonso Cuarón grew up in.

Roma has been described as Cuarón’s love letter to Libo Rodríguez, his childhood nanny. The film is dedicated to Libo.

Cleo’s affection for the four boisterous children is evident throughout the film. She nuzzles them awake, lends an interested and sympathetic ear, and sings them to sleep. And somehow she also finds the time to do laundry, tidy the rooms, help fellow maid Adela (Nancy Garcia Garcia) with the cooking, carry luggage, and clean the alleyway where the family dog (Borras) runs loose and defecates.

The four children adore Cleo; in particular, the youngest child Pepe (Marco Graf), who has an active imagination. Possibly a stand-in for Cuarón?

The adults in the household are more restrained, conscious of the socioeconomic differences that exist. While they are fond of Cleo, they also take her for granted. She is both an insider and an outsider. But when Cleo discovers she is pregnant and alone, her employer Sofia (Marina de Tavira) sympathizes and arranges for health care.

Sofia’s marriage to Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) is also unraveling. Restless and unhappy, Antonio leaves his family, claiming to participate in a research project in Quebec. Later, we learn that he has moved into another woman’s house in Mexico City. In one poignant scene, Sofia asks her children to write letters to their father, asking him to return.

Humor is found in the most unexpected places. Both Sofia and Antonio lack the skills to properly navigate their enormous Ford Galaxy. They manage to scrape the sides of the car in their own alleyway and, in another case, involve two other vehicles on a busy street. In a later scene, a group of exercise fanatics struggle to stand on one leg.

Alfonso Cuarón wrote, produced, directed, and shot this film. His passion and attention to detail are evident in each scene. Everything from the haircuts to the clothes to the furniture to the cars to the Mexico World Cup 1970 poster has been selected with care.

Filming in black-and-white adds to the authenticity. I could easily imagine myself walking down those busy streets in Mexico City. As for the violent scenes…they appear even more real. Cuarón has included a dramatization of an actual historical event, the Corpus Christi Massacre of 1971, in which soldiers gunned down protestors and pursued them into their hiding places.

Having already received Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Motion Picture—Foreign Language, Roma is a major contender this awards season. As for the Oscars…I predict another Best Director award along with Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Film.

Simply riveting.

Writer/director Peter Farrell has succeeded in weaving humor, tenderness, and righteous indignation into this dramatic tale based on the real-life experiences of Tony Vallelonga aka Tony Lip and Dr. Don Shirley.

Tony Lip, a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a Black classical pianist, from Manhattan to the Deep South. Normally, a road trip that could be described as pleasant, this particular journey is fraught with danger.

In the early 1960s, segregation was still very evident, especially in the Southern states. To survive and thrive, Tony and Dr. Shirley must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to “safe” establishments for African-Americans.

At the start of the film, Dr. Shirley struggles to establish boundaries while Tony talks non-stop and displays a ferocious appetite that must be constantly satisfied. When Dr. Shirley asks for quiet time, Tony pauses momentarily and then launches into another monologue. The two men are polar opposites who would never have connected under normal circumstances.

Meal times bring out their differences. One of my favorite scenes involves Tony’s delight at discovering Kentucky Fried Chicken in the state of Kentucky. At first revolted by the food, Dr. Shirley slowly acquires a taste for it and then follows Tony’s example, tossing the bones out the car window.

Over the eight-week trip, a friendship develops between the brash, extroverted bouncer who is well-grounded in his life and the lonely musician who is still searching to find himself. At one point in the film, Dr. Shirley laments: “If I’m not black enough and I’m not white enough; what am I?”

Racist attitudes intensify as the duo travels into hostile territory, where the laws vary from state to state. In one city, Dr. Shirley is not allowed to eat in the hall dining room filled with patrons who had paid to watch his performance later in the evening. A clerk in an upscale establishment would not allow Dr. Shirley to try on a suit he planned to buy.

I was unnerved by one scene where Dr. Shirley ventures out on his own and ends up in a precarious situation, involving another white man and two policemen. Tony intervenes and persuades the officers to release Dr. Shirley. The following day, Tony reassures Dr. Shirley: “I know it’s a complicated world.”

Mahershala Ali delivers a superb performance as Dr. Shirley. Having already won Best Supporting Actor awards at the Golden Globes and SAG ceremonies, he is a shoo-in for the Oscar.

Viggo Mortensen’s portrayal of the tough, uncouth bouncer is spot-on. He has mastered all the nuances of the character and provides much of the comedic relief. He has received three Best Actor nominations: Golden Globes, SAG, and Oscar.

Photos of the actual men in the closing credits add to the authenticity of this larger-than-life film. Their friendship lasted until their deaths in 2013; Dr. Shirley and Tony Vallelonga died within months of each other.

An extraordinary film that will linger in consciousness.

So much to like in this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel: superb performances, hauntingly beautiful music, and extraordinary cinematography.

The young lovers, Tish (KiKi Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James), are filled with hope and optimism as they dream of a future together. The opening scene where they stroll by the river captures the tenderness and authenticity of that love. Unfortunately, their plans are derailed when a racist policemen with a grudge falsely accuses Fonny of raping a woman who has fled the country.

Using a non-linear timeline, writer-director Barry Jenkins succeeds in capturing the emotional intensity of the storyline set in early-1970s Harlem. The well-crafted scenes follow a seamless order, one determined by the thoughts and feelings of naive, nineteen-year-old Tish, the narrator of the film, as she awaits Fonny’s trial and the birth of their child.

One of the most powerful scenes involves a meeting between the two families. After hearing the news of the upcoming pregnancy, Fonny’s Bible-thumping mother and judgmental sister lash out at Tish. Horrified, Tish’s mother (expertly played by Regina King) defends her daughter as she calls out the hypocrisy of the women.

It is not surprising that King has already received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. She dominates all her scenes, displaying the intensity of a mother’s love for her child and grandchild. When she travels to Puerto Rico to confront Fonny’s accuser, she digs deep and uses all the inner resources she possesses.

I particularly enjoyed the extended long takes: Tish and Fonny talking through a thick pane of glass at the prison, cigarette smoke forming a sculpture as Fonny carves his own work, Tisha and Fonny exchanging soulful glances in close-ups.

A timeless romance, but also a family drama and social commentary of the period.

A must-see film!