I must say, not too many movies that can leave an impression on a 37 year old so much that he could cry and fatherly hug a sex worker like Wesley Snipes at the end of Jungle Fever. The Florida Project, in my opinion; will forever stand the test of time in cinema

Sean Baker captures the frantic, yet childlike nature of both mother and daughter, as well as Willem Defoe’s hotel manager father figure archetype. I love that the characters are grounded with real world stakes that could happen to literally anyone. To paint a vivid picture of desolation and destitute against a Disney World backdrop.

Throughout the film, as the viewer, you kinda want to hope the protagonist (both mother and daughter) finds some success to where they don’t have to live in the hotel anymore or that Moonee and her rag tag team of misfits get put in school where their energy could be managed, and some form of peace in a not so peaceful climate. you feel for Mr. Hicks because he has a ethnic duty to at least keep the kids safe. My only downside is that he could’ve tried hard to maybe keep Moonee himself until her mom got her proverbial shit together, and not let her go into the system.

low-key I did wish that Halley would’ve at least found a whale of a John or Johns so that they could host the transactional intercourse, and not live baby girl in the bathtub.

let’s face it, the adoption system, as a whole is a scam on a massive scale. People tend to be real selective when they go through the adoption process, as if a kid is 10 or 11, then that kid is tainted to be adopted 😒🥺

annnywhoooo, I jumped on the Sean Baker wave late but reading countless of films articles and critics top films of that year, I figured I might as well watch and form my own opinion on the movie. Extra fuego take? I was not a fan of Red Rocket. something about a pushing 40 suitcase pimp preying on a 17 year old successfully just wasn’t working for me. It was definitely giving Telly from KIDS.

overall it was a very raw but excellent movie. I would’ve second that both Brooklyn Prince and Willem should’ve won supporting actress and actor awards that year

but the academy awards rarely gets it right (i.e., Ryan Coogler’s Sinners lack of critics’ overall enthusiasm for the movie…but that’s another story for another time)

9.2/10