Ever so often, we ask our team, "Hey CA!...," a question to catch up with what they're working on or how they're doing. This week, we asked our team... 

Hey CA, What's your Favorite 2021 Release!?

Erica's pick:

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Directed by Michael Rianda

“My favorite genres are animation and documentary, and while this film is definitely not a documentary, at times I definitely felt like it could be non-fiction in the dark sense that machines taking over the world seems to be more and more realistic.

I also love the movie because the main character is a college aged girl who’s a filmmaker, so there were a lot of film techniques like freeze-frames used to call back to her passion. It was so cool since when I was little, I didn’t have any movies about characters that looked like me and were filmmakers, and that shined such a bright light on young women pursuing film.”

Toni's pick:

The French Dispatch

Directed by Wes Anderson

“I thought that this film was really great! The cinematography was *chef’s kiss* and I thought the stories throughout the entire feature were really interesting. The artist in prison narrative was super thought provoking and I also really enjoyed the story about the students in the midst of a protest.”

Tom's pick:

Mare of Easttown

Created by Brad Inglesby

“Kate Winslet’s performance was crazy good and I really enjoyed the soundtrack - some of my favorite artists were featured.

I also wasn’t really expecting anything from just another police procedural, but I ended up really liking the mystery and how it tied into the protagonist’s journey. The story just keeps you guessing and subverting expectations and the way it goes down the line… you just realize that everyone is so sad and kind of messed up on the show.”

Ellen's pick:

See

Created by Steven Knight

“Technically season two released this year, but I still had to pick See for 2021! The premise of this show is amazing and a bit eerie. A virus wiped out most of humanity and the few million survivors have lost their sense of sight. Not giving anything away, the story is suspenseful, clever, and creative. It’s also easy to love and hate many of the characters at the same time, which is hard to do! A large part of the cast is blind, which makes it very unique. It’s clear there was a lot of work and consulting for the main characters to respectfully and authentically act in these roles.

Overall bonus, the lead role is Jason Mamoa, playing the classic lovable tough guy/fearless leader that you don’t want to mess with!”

Eric's pick:

The Great British Baking Show

“It’s not just that I have a love for the The Great British Baking Show, but it’s that it is one of the best shows ever made. It is wholesome, it is sweet, there are judges, there’s baking!??? Amazing. There’s even science in it -- in the current season, two of my favorite contestants are a scientist and an engineer and they’re absolutely killing it. I can’t wait to see how they end up.”

Author’s Note: This is the most passionate I’ve ever seen Eric in any interview (or context) ever. Consider asking him about his baking passion next time you’re in the studio!

Mei Ling's pick:

Pose

Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Steven Canals

“I love the story, the representation, the cinematography, the music… all of it. It’s inspiring how willing the characters express themselves, even during a time when they couldn’t be themselves fully or else they’d be prosecuted. But, the fact that they were still able to find a way to be themselves is amazing.”

Connor's pick:

Memoria

Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul

“I dunno. I know this is kind of a pretentious choice but I honestly have never, in my little life, been so struck by a theatrical experience than when I saw this film at the Siskel. The film demands being seen in a theater with its integral sound design and landscapes. With its recently announced roadshow style distribution, I think it'll be a trendsetter too– in how fine art films can remain relevant in the theater space even as so many shudder.

The film is essentially (read: reductively) Tilda Swinton listening to sounds in Colombia for three hours and yeah, that's it. But, as a sucker for well-crafted transcendental cinema, this is, by definition, my bullshit. I even saw it again at CIFF after they added a "Best of Fest" screening.... I then even drove to St. Louis and back (on the same day) to see it a third time with a loved one. But yeah, I dunno. Six stars (out of five). Make fun of me. Give me a noogie. I also liked the trailers for Clifford I saw on instagram– Kenan is a national treasure.”

Rey's pick:

Gentefied

Created by Linda Yvette Chávez

“Gosh, I love Gentefied so much.

Gentefied follows the Morales, a family who operates a taco shop in the largely Mexican-American community of Boyle Heights, California. The family faces real life struggles such as deportation, immigration, poverty, colorism, racism, and of course, gentrification. Yet, where the dramedy shines is not necessarily in the weighty subjects which the show unflinchingly depicts, but in the heart, humor, and grace that our heroes find within their family and community.

In an entertainment landscape where Latine representation is painfully sparse, Gentefied provides a welcome respite in the Morales family.”