Every frame, a painting. Alfonso Cuarón is a master of cinematography. The framing of each shot, the angles, the panning, the reflections! I can pause the screen and just appreciate each and every frame. This film is a testament to seeing visual beauty through the mundanity of everyday life. The strong balance of tones and shadows in this black and white film is BEAUTIFUL. I couldn’t get enough. It inspires me to go out and shoot photos! But enough of that.

ROMA’s strength is in its simplicity. Paying attention to the nuances of each scene, you will know where, when, and what is going on without a need for a narrator providing a backstory. The plot is a shitstorm, in a good way - it is life in its fullest – untampered and unrelenting. From the innocence of youth and its preservation; the hard learned lessons growing up; and the consequences of social taboos. We have all been there and that is what I truly find the most appealing about this movie, its relatability. My mind was inundated with childhood memories long since forgotten. The similarities in my own culture (Filipino) and my own personal stories. I couldn’t believe it. I was both heavily invested in Cleo’s story as I was with my own thoughts racing through memories of strong likeness.

It is with that likeness, that I found myself truly rooting for Cleo as I helplessly offer my emotional support that, knowingly, will go unnoticed. This is cinema at its finest and an experience that, to me, was nothing but transformative.