1/10/2016 - Carol (2015) - 8-/10

Quiet and slow, but thoughtful in every frame. A period piece of forbidden love, wonderfully acted and crafted. Subtle but absorbing.

Both Mara and Blanchett are so good. Oozing connection through their shared gazes. Rooney was so naturalistic in her docility. While Cate was so mannered and expressive in her nuances.

Score was tremendous. The direction and shoot were fairly frillless, letting the tone and bubbling emotional undercurrent carve the cinematic path.

Not as heartbreaking as I expected, viewing this plodding portrayal of a dalliance blossoming into romance while the outside world tries to tear our protagonists apart continually left a smile on my cynical face.

Perhaps not the divinely decedent morsel I had hoped for, this was a cultured and balanced dish, meant to satisfy a refined palate. Simple in ingredients but satisfying in all aspects of a cinematic supper.