• It’s the strongest of Cuaron’s three 1990’s films—sort of the “green trilogy” before exceling with Y Tu Mama Tambien in 2001—they’re all worthy- visually sumptuous and ambitious along with heavily being influenced by Antonioni (particularly Red Desert)
  • Beautiful yellow over green backdrop in credit titles opening
  • Location shooting- partially in India
  • Nom for production design (worthy for sure) and Emmanuel Lubezki- his first- of course worthy
  • The narrative Frances Hodgson Burnett (novel) is very Dickensian with the orphans
  • There’s an entirely green seminary, carriage tracking shot as it moves
  • It’s magical realism—escapism—expressionism
  • Cuaron has these gorgeous dissolves during the touching goodbye between father and daughter—perfect marriage of film style and content
  • A glorious tracking shot from a far fireplace down the end of a long elegant dining table
  • Escapism as part of the narrative- even the villain here looks like the Wicked witch of the west
  • Green balloons
  • It’s stunning to look at—sort of baffling that Disney let Cuaron get away with this much avant-garde artistry
  • Green apples, cucumbers and peppers
  • Dazzling long takes
  • Green eyes of the protagonist
  • The fantasy/animation sequences make it clear Cuaron would be in an animation role
  • Iris-in open, iris-out close
  • HR- leaning towards MS