Roma

        The Cambridge English Dictionary defines the Spanish word "Roma" as "people of a race originally from northern India who typically used to travel from place to place, and now live especially in Europe and North America." The title of this movie bears a deeper significance, but I'm going to leave it at that.
        Roma takes place in the heart of 1971 Mexico, Mexico City, and is about a middle-class family with two maids with the focus being on one of them, Cleo. As far as plot goes, this is about as much detail as you're gonna get. It chronicles a year in this families life, but that doesn't mean nothing happens. No. Many and many things happen before the end credits roll.
        This might be my favorite film of 2018. If you had asked me at the beginning of the year what my favorite film would be, I would not have told you that it was going to be a foreign film. I was expecting it to be some sci-fi or deeply metaphorical drama, but no. Alfonso Cuaron has given us something that I hope will be talked about for a long time because this movie is some of the finest filmmaking I have seen in my short lifespan. I didn't even know Cuaron had made this until I saw it on my social media. His previous film, Gravity, had made it big in 2013 with stellar reviews and numerous awards so it's almost strange to see him do a complete 180-degree turn and make a foreign drama. Out of curiosity, I went into this movie with having only read the online synopsis which gave no more detail than I did. I hadn't watched any trailers and only read a handful of reviews. I was completely unaware of what I was walking into. My experience was ultimately increased because of this
        From a technical side, this movie exceeds in many ways, but it's most admirable technical trait is the camera work. The cinematography is absolutely stunning and the black and white filter adds to the overall beauty of the screen. You can tell that Cuaron really wanted to indulge you in this world and wanted to make sure that you felt like you were a part of it. I felt like a fly on the wall, observing this family go through the trials that the year-long cycle brings. It seemed like the camera work was not just a conduit, but a storyteller as well. From its 360-degree pano shots to its wonderful utilization of sunlight, the cinematography was just as much a narrator as the story was.
        From a story perspective, I fear that some people might be turned away. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles and subtitles are a huge turn off for many movie-goers. The only advice I can give is to just trudge through. You'll find that it becomes easier to read and watch as the movie progresses.
        Another aspect of the story, that might also turn people away, is the fact that there is barely an overarching plot. Movies that utilize film structure outside of the traditional narrative tend to be overlooked on the opinion that they are "boring." Another movie that comes to mind when describing this type of story is The Florida Project. It's about three kids who all live in a ghetto motel that lies just outside of Disneyworld. With no plot, the movie follows the adventures of these three kids as they go about their daily lives almost unaware of the situation they live in. It's a great movie and can be described as a "slice of life" film depicting the poverty-stricken world that lies outside the happiest place on earth. The same description can be used to describe Roma. It's a slice of life movie about a Mexican middle-class family and their maid. They face tribulation from within the family and from the outside world, but there isn't an end goal in mind. The movie is simply showing you a glimpse of downtown Mexico City and it's almost a love letter, in a way, to the city and to its history. So, rather than being driven by plot, the film is moved forward by experience. From experience, Cleo and the family grow over the course of a year and become closer than I imagine most domestic workers would with their employers in Mexico in the 1970s.
        I went and saw this movie in a theater on the suggestion of some friends despite it being a Netflix release. I could've stayed home and watched it (which I'll probably do for the second viewing) but I think it's more important that you just watch the movie, no matter where you're watching it. If there is a movie from this year that you should watch at least once in your life, please let it be Roma. 10/10