Review: ‘The Souvenir, Part II’ explores loss through art

The Souvenir Part 2

Grief is a complex emotion and one that requires time and energy to process properly. Yet, for many, there needs to be an outlet, some creative space or activity that allows one to examine their feelings in a removed but still direct manner. This is the premise of The Souvenir Part II. In a landscape of blockbuster franchises and a dwindling market for low and mid-budget dramas, this film already feels like a minor miracle: the sequel to a 2019 semi-autobiographical character study of a young woman in love with a toxic partner, Part II picks up immediately where The Souvenir left off and takes a deeper and more thoughtful dive into writer-director Joanna Hogg’s past.

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Review: ‘The Last Letter from Your Lover’ is a lovely, if predictable, romance story

Last Letter From Your Lover.

Picture this: in the present, a young journalist discovers a series of love letters. They were written between a married woman and her paramour in the 1960s, and they tell of a passionate but star crossed affair. Naturally, the journalist searches for more of the letters and, eventually, finds love of her own.

This is the plot of The Last Letter From Your Lover. It isn’t entirely original, but it is a pretty good version of this kind of story.

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