167 / 365: Tig (2015)
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| © Netflix |
I remember my friend telling me about Tig Notaro and her stand-up performance in LA a few years back. He'd lamented missing something so incredible, and I sat back without a clue as to what he was talking about. This new documentary is based around these events and the life of comedian Tig Notaro before and after the announcement of her cancer diagnosis live on stage at LA's club Largo in 2012.
We follow Tig after she is hit with a series of trials that, on their own, would have been crippling to even the most resilient among us. Loss and death, and then the kicker, a diagnosis of breast cancer in quick succession, led Tig to spill into one stand-up routine—a performance that will go down in history as maybe one of the best ever—her pain and fear through a veil a humor. Never have I seen a movie more about one's need to laugh in the face of tragic uncertainly. The documentary itself is devastatingly funny, all framed through the pain of Tig's own life and her determination to find happiness through love and family.
The film is patient—no one is in a hurry, especially Tig. That's her comedy style, really. She's a comic's comic, it becomes quite clear, and even her peers describe her this way. She possesses an unwavering confidence that is present not only in her material but within her daily life, which is so rare in most comedians. Following the audio recording of her show's viral spread (you can purchase it here), she and her diagnosis were thrust into the spotlight, and she was offered the rare opportunity to share her story on her own terms.
Finding laughter in the midst of discomfort is Tig's specialty, and she's made me appreciate the importance of that. A beautiful little movie about a delightful person. I knew very little about Notaro before watching this, having heard of her only by name, and I've become an immediate and forever fan.
Rating: ★★★★ / 5 stars
Watched: Netflix
Seen Before: No
168 / 365: MASH (1970)
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| © 20th Century Fox |
This movie was the #54 film on my AFI Top 100 countdown challenge. Read my full review here.
Rating: ★★★ / 5 stars
Watched: Blu Ray
Seen Before: Yes
169 / 365: Trainwreck (2015)
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| © Universal Pictures |
New movie release, reviewed previously on Through the Reels. Read the full review here.
Rating: ★★★★ / 5 stars
Watched: Theater
Seen Before: No
170 / 365: Ant-Man (2015)
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| © Marvel Studios |
New movie release, reviewed previously on Through the Reels. Read the full review here.
Rating: ★★½ / 5 stars
Watched: Theater
Seen Before: No
171 / 365: Tangerine (2015)
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| © Magnolia Pictures |
New movie release, reviewed previously on Through the Reels. Read the full review here.
Rating: ★★★★★ / 5 stars
Watched: Theater
Seen Before: No
172 / 365: The Deer Hunter (1978)
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| © Universal Pictures |
This movie was the #53 film on my AFI Top 100 countdown challenge. Read my full review here.
Rating: ★★★½ / 5 stars
Watched: DVD
Seen Before: Yes
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