I truly liked what was happening with the film until the reenactments. Didn't fit and too crusty for this type of documentary. I think your grandma would have liked it but maybe wouldn't liked it more without the underwear shots. It made me giggle but she was very sensitive and was nervous quickly. I would have loved her too though. Good effort and at least you got it out there!!
18 Reviews
A touching story, but undressing her seemed unnecessary
little-explorers28 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I think so many of us can relate. The history of the life of someone we love so very much. The difficulty in letting go of what is left behind. I was uncomfortable when she was encouraged to undress on camera, I'm certain that the filmmakers doubted themselves on that one. Since I tend to give the benefit of the doubt I hoped that it was a treasured and intimate moment between the three of them. Annette doesn't seem humiliated to me. Some people are more comfortable with that kind of exposure than others. I am hoping that is the case.
Good and not so good!
tysimmons12320 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
First, I love this kind of film. I really liked a lot about the film. It was creative and endearing but I feel like it lacked information. You had asked her 87 questions over 10 years but I feel like we barely heard any of them. I agree with the others and thought the scene of taking her clothes off was completely unnecessary and embarrassing for her and it lasted way too long. I feel like you really skimmed the surface on what was supposed to be a family documentary but turned it into a very stylized student film project. However, you had a lot of great ideas especially the women dancing in front of the house with the dresses and the reenactment of the family audio tape. I'm glad I watched it and I think your grandma was precious but I would have liked to get to know her a little more through your film.
Exceptionally creative and stylistically unique
aelroy14 November 2019
I agree with those critics who disapprove of one of the choices in the film, but I feel the uniqueness and creativity expressed in this film puts it in the must-see list of any Documentary aficionado.
It is thought provoking and raises fundemental questions about our own family's mythology, grappling to understand loss of loved ones, and what is our remaining essence.
In a way it is a sad movie about a perrson who lived what appears to have been a rather unremarkable life, however the magical realism style lightens it up.
Stylistically it is an innovative and important film to pay attention to!
It is thought provoking and raises fundemental questions about our own family's mythology, grappling to understand loss of loved ones, and what is our remaining essence.
In a way it is a sad movie about a perrson who lived what appears to have been a rather unremarkable life, however the magical realism style lightens it up.
Stylistically it is an innovative and important film to pay attention to!
Loved it!!
mygirls-6487521 June 2022
I really enjoyed your documentary. I have to admit that I am more than a little jealous that I never thought to do something like this. At one point in time I had five generations alive on both sides in my family. While I do have pictures I always wish there were something more. We spent most of our time with my grandmother on my fathers side. She was an incredible woman. She passed away just shy of her 100th birthday. Her mother lived to be 103 and my other great grandmother was 101.
I found your tribute to be heartwarming, loving, inspiring and hopeful. I say hopeful because I hope that this truly amazing story will remind others that we don't live forever and to cherish every moment we have with our loved ones. And given the opportunity we should do everything we can to preserve their memories for future generations.
I found your tribute to be heartwarming, loving, inspiring and hopeful. I say hopeful because I hope that this truly amazing story will remind others that we don't live forever and to cherish every moment we have with our loved ones. And given the opportunity we should do everything we can to preserve their memories for future generations.
Remarkable!
janajimerson17 January 2022
This film was so original and lovely and remarkable! I loved the details of the miniature version of the grandmothers house and I am now inspired to do that small part at least for my grandmothers home. This is definitely a film you do not want to miss!
Wonderful idea falls victim to arrogant and disrespectful filmmakers
trspamfile16 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
As a genealogist I loved the premise: an archeological dig in their late grandmother's house: so much to be learned about who someone truly was from their documents and artifacts. But watching the documentary it's almost as if these filmmakers think they have nothing left to learn about their grandmother because they filmed interviews with her. The artifacts they find are just objects to them for some stylized filmmaking. There's no attempt to learn anything new or understand their grandmother on a deeper level. What did she leave out in their interviews? Who was she as a young lady without their grandfather: the part of herself her grandchildren might not see? The parts she didn't think were important or didn't remember?
You certainly can't say anything was left out to preserve her dignity. As nearly every other reviewer has mentioned, a particularly offensive scene shows the filmmakers' mother (a spot-on impression of Suzy from Curb Your Enthusiasm complete with the f-bombs) patronizing her nearly 90-year-old mother into taking off her clothes down to her bra and panties on camera to try on one of her old dresses. Grandma is clearly uncomfortable but no one is interested in what Grandma wants or how Grandma feels. At a certain point I couldn't watch any more and had to fast forward. The inclusion of this footage in the documentary shows no respect for the subject and makes her daughter and grandchildren look manipulative and exploitative.
I can't help but feel this is more about the filmmakers' feelings than their grandmother or any aspect of her as a person, and this is reinforced by their constant need to insert their unrelated personal details into the documentary (nobody cares about you going to school in Rome). I think this was a great premise for a documentary wasted on filmmakers who were too arrogant to think they had anything left to learn about their grandmother, or that they owed her any kind of dignity in death.
You certainly can't say anything was left out to preserve her dignity. As nearly every other reviewer has mentioned, a particularly offensive scene shows the filmmakers' mother (a spot-on impression of Suzy from Curb Your Enthusiasm complete with the f-bombs) patronizing her nearly 90-year-old mother into taking off her clothes down to her bra and panties on camera to try on one of her old dresses. Grandma is clearly uncomfortable but no one is interested in what Grandma wants or how Grandma feels. At a certain point I couldn't watch any more and had to fast forward. The inclusion of this footage in the documentary shows no respect for the subject and makes her daughter and grandchildren look manipulative and exploitative.
I can't help but feel this is more about the filmmakers' feelings than their grandmother or any aspect of her as a person, and this is reinforced by their constant need to insert their unrelated personal details into the documentary (nobody cares about you going to school in Rome). I think this was a great premise for a documentary wasted on filmmakers who were too arrogant to think they had anything left to learn about their grandmother, or that they owed her any kind of dignity in death.
A gorgeous, irreverent tribute
deeannah11 November 2021
The filmmakers clearly love their family. This documentary is lush and stylish, as if Wes Anderson was a brother & sister team of documentarians. I honestly don't understand the negative reviews. See this for yourself and decide.
How is this a tribute to their grandmother?
dbraidman-0634525 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I don't normally take time to write a movie review but I actually got my IMDB account current just to express how bothered I was with this movie and although I hung in there for some of the film I had to turn it off when the granddaughter and daughter pushed their grandmother to take off her clothing to try on a dress she had made many years before. How could they think it was okay to have her take her top off then her pants and leave her standing their in her undergarments on film???? Then have her try and get the dress on which they knew wouldn't be easy. Wouldn't taking her off camera have been more respectful to her? It made me furious and uncomfortable to watch this poor woman try to figure out why they would be having her try this dress on. What a disrespect to a woman who should have been taken care of rather than standing on film in her grandma undergarments. My heart broke for her.
Fabulous!!!
nikki-2790218 October 2021
Just wanted to let you and Jonathon know that the love you have for your family is so beautiful. I felt it throughout the entire movie. Of course it nade me cry, laugh and feel every ounce of love that you felt making it and all that you put into a little masterpiece of family life. Tysm!!
Pretentious
alishacamus30 August 2020
I wanted to like this movie, I like this kind of movie. But it was was pretentious in every way. The siblings that narrate the story think more highly of themselves then their grandmother, it appears. I would liked to have seen more about the grandmother and less about what their idea of a good film is. Long title cards, pointless sweeping camera movements. Watching their poor grandmother undress as she says 'please no'. They show the same undressed grandma three times in the movie. They have 10 years of video tapes and this is what they show. I never leave poor reviews, most movies have redeeming qualities, but these two siblings really pissed me off. The grandma seems wonderful, wish I could have seen more of her.
Grandma Would Be Humiliated
rhapter21 December 2018
The film is meant to be a tribute to their grandmother. However there are some segments in the film that would in my opinion humiliate grandma. Also the producers mother uses language that I believe or perhaps hope is scripted rather than her natural tongue. There are many sentimental scenes in this film but I was left feeling uncomfortable by what I have referenced.
Degrading to their grandmother
lindaproud12 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This entire movie was pretty poorly done. I had to quit watching when they had their grandmother who was in her late 80's strip to her underwear on camera and try on a too small dress she wore as a young woman. How degrading to do that to someone you supposedly love. She kept saying "this is ridiculous" and she was correct.
For family film
yowilwasup8 September 2020
Years ago I read an interview with a studio head who said something like 90% of the scripts they get only the writers mother would enjoy.... today they make a documentary. So many family stories that not even the family would be interested in are turned in to documentaries that no one wants to watch. But Simka went to film school so let her make a film. If your Simka or are sleeping with her you have to watch... the rest of us don't.
Charming but disturbing
dts601034710 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this on PBS and greatly enjoyed it, but I feel morally compelled to criticize the film-makers.
I was sickened and appalled at the scene involving the adult daughter stripping her elderly mother for the camera. The daughter literally pulled the clothes off her mother, in a rather rough way, leaving her elderly mother exposed in panties & bra. The mother looked baffled, bewildered, and a bit frightened. She seemed to barely realize what was happening to her. Did she truly understand she was being filmed? My belief is that she could not understand what was going on.
What a cruel and vicious act.
As I understand this, the film was made by the grandchildren, who should've stopped this behavior on the spot. The scene should be removed from the film. I can only imagine this hideous humiliation was included because they feared their mother.
I was sickened and appalled at the scene involving the adult daughter stripping her elderly mother for the camera. The daughter literally pulled the clothes off her mother, in a rather rough way, leaving her elderly mother exposed in panties & bra. The mother looked baffled, bewildered, and a bit frightened. She seemed to barely realize what was happening to her. Did she truly understand she was being filmed? My belief is that she could not understand what was going on.
What a cruel and vicious act.
As I understand this, the film was made by the grandchildren, who should've stopped this behavior on the spot. The scene should be removed from the film. I can only imagine this hideous humiliation was included because they feared their mother.
Glad I didn't have children
lisamartin-747737 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This could have been a wonderful tribute to grandma. Instead it was let's exploit grandma.It was absolutely painful to watch in some area's and I didn't even finish it.
Lost me for good when they made grandma take off her clothes while they filmed it. How did such a great idea go so wrong?
Well-Intended, but...
Delldee5 December 2022
Although clearly rooted in deep affection and love, I found this to be an unfortunate, self-indulgent, ultimately disrespectful, and at times humiliating film. Like others, I was particularly disturbed by the filmmakers' decision to almost literally lay-bare their diminished, beloved grandmother on camera, despite her seeming discomfort. One hopes that Grandma's "atoms" were not able to tune in for a screening. Using a personal archaeological investigation of a home as a lens for understanding one's life is intriguing, but the approach was not fully realized. The end result is aesthetically slick but feels superficial.
Self Absorbed Garbage
arfdawg-118 April 2024
You have got to wonder why anyone would think their grandmother -- who is NOT notable -- would be worthy of a full length documentary about cleaning out her house in New Jersey after she croaks.
No one except maybe the relatives.
And true to form, this is the most boring movie I have ever seen.
Grandma buys a house.
Grandma walks around.
Grandma has a picture of the virgin Mary even tho she's Jewish.
Grandma is a hoarder.
Who cares? Honestly. Who cares?
There is nothing special about this woman. Nothing. And nothing special about the family. They are just self-absorbed and want a movie about themselves.
Then they title it so you initially think it's about a house in LA! I was bored beyond belief.
What garbage.
No one except maybe the relatives.
And true to form, this is the most boring movie I have ever seen.
Grandma buys a house.
Grandma walks around.
Grandma has a picture of the virgin Mary even tho she's Jewish.
Grandma is a hoarder.
Who cares? Honestly. Who cares?
There is nothing special about this woman. Nothing. And nothing special about the family. They are just self-absorbed and want a movie about themselves.
Then they title it so you initially think it's about a house in LA! I was bored beyond belief.
What garbage.
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