PTA’S Licorice Pizza

★★★★★ Rewatched 23 Dec 2021

A movie quite literally is a projection. A movie void of a clear plot is a canvas upon which one thrusts their unspoken interior truths. Perhaps those who found licorice pizza disturbing have personally disturbing experiences triggered by the imagery and vibe curated in this movie. I found it to be entirely pleasant, nostalgic, and touching. Yes, I found Alana‘s character to be a sad sack: a childish woman who throws temper tantrums and exerts power over children to feel powerful when everywhere else in her life men exert power over her…. But not a predator. Gary was a charming greaseball, not an innocent victim. The Valley was a character onto itself, as it seems to be in a typical PTA creation.