Good films, good life

20th Century Women (2016) In Santa Barbara in 1979, Dorothea Fields, a resolute single mother in her mid-50s, finds herself raising her adolescent son, Jamie, during a time marked by profound cultural shifts and rebellion. To assist in Jamie's upbringing, Dorothea seeks the support of two younger women: Abbie, a spirited punk artist who resides as a boarder in the Fields' residence, and Julie, a sharp-witted and provocative teenage neighbor.

Moonlight (2016) Adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished play "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue," this is a poignant and heart-wrenching tale of a young man's journey to self-discovery, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love while grappling with his own sexuality.

Frances Ha (2012) For the longest time I continued to believe this film was directed by Greta and not her partner, Noah Baumbach. Frances Ha is an aspiring dancer who moves to New York City and becomes entangled in a posse of unreliable, fickle friends, financial struggles and career setbacks.

Her (2013) Theodore, a lonesome writer, acquires an innovative operating system created to fulfill every user's desires. Much to Theodore's astonishment, a romantic connection blossoms between him and his operating system. You don’t need me to remind you how this film has often been touted as Spike Jonze’s personal introspection on his relationship with Sofia Coppola, who, as recently revealed, hasn’t yet seen the movie.