NOMADLAND (2008) and WENDY AND LUCY (2020)

NOMADLAND won Best Picture last night. While certainly a worthy winner, especially in this strange and unique year, it is by no means the definitive Recession movie.

For a night of watching strong women in the throes of economic poverty, combine Nomadland with Kelly Reichardt’s breakout film WENDY AND LUCY. Produced slightly before the crash in 2008, this tour de force follows Michelle Williams’ homeless protagonist and her Labrador friend as they navigate a harsh and unforgiving world. While Nomadland depicts Frances McDormand’s nomadic widow as a woman pointedly unable to stand still, Wendy isn’t allowed comfort and has little community to fall back on.

While this pair will not lead to the lightest evening, I suggest taking the three hours to explore not only the circumstances of impoverished women in America, but also the immense talent of two of the most exciting female filmmakers working today: Kelly Reichardt and Chloe Zhao.