Hello, Pickford friends!

The new year is almost upon us, so this week, instead of my usual newsletter, I have the distinct pleasure and privilege of sharing with you the Pickford Picks of 2022. 

Part of the joy of this job is working with wonderful people who love movies as much as I do and who, as Pickford staff members, have, in a very real sense, devoted their lives to them, too. 

And so without further ado, here are our Pickford staff members’ favorite movies of this past year (movies in alphabetical order):

Skyler Hunt, Projectionist

Aftersun

“I will be replaying the ocean scene in my head frame by frame for the next year.”

(Honorable Mentions: Decision to Leave, Petite Maman, Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Melissa Tamminga, Program Director

Benediction

“Equally stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking; mesmerizing performances; a perfect marriage of image and poetry.”

(Honorable Mentions: The Eternal Daughter, Crimes of the Future, No Bears)

Abby Caram, Box Office & Membership and Development Manager

Everything Everywhere All at Once

“Being one of the most original and entertaining films I've ever seen, I couldn't stop talking about it and recommending it to anyone who would listen.”

Sarah Kate Kunkel, Janitorial Staff

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Susie Purves, Executive Director

Everything Everywhere All at Once

(Honorable Mentions: Tar, Young Plato, Petite Maman)

Cassie Revell, Projectionist

Everything Everywhere All at Once

“Beautiful story, incredible editing, equal parts funny and moving. Always a big fan of anything Michelle Yeoh is involved in.”

(Honorable Mention: Marcel the Shell)

Ryan Ulhorn, Tech and Facilities Manager (2008-2022)

Everything Everywhere All at Once

“Wonderful cast, energy, deep gags throughout, great storytelling with heartfelt performances.”

(Honorable Mentions: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Where the Crawdads Sing, Cyrano)

Judith Page, Accounting

Marcel the Shell

“I loved the depiction of what I observe to be a great truth - that simplicity creates the space for love.”

(Honorable Mentions: River, Memoria, Last Flight Home)

Mario Bonilla, Tech and Facilities Manager

Memoria

"Full of mystery and beauty, Memoria has several of the greatest sequences I have ever seen."

(Honorable Mentions: Neptune Frost, RRR, Decision to Leave)

Ashland Cross, Projectionist

Memoria

"Never seen another movie that uses sound design in such an innovative way and challenges the idea of movies as a mainly visual medium. A tranquil exploration of sound and memories; Memoria is a meditative quandary that can only be satiated by being immersed in its movie theater experience."

(Honorable Mentions: Elvis, Mad God, Fire of Love)

Mchyla Evans, Janitorial Staff

Nope

"So many stellar sequences that have haunted me since watching it."

(Honorable Mentions: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Barbarian, Turning Red)

Lia Farrell, Projectionist

Nope

"Jordan Peele is a genius and an absolute madman for coming up with an amazingly haunting design for the antagonist in this film."

(Honorable Mentions: Don’t Worry Darling, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Banshees of Inisherin)

Andi Wells, Database Assistant

Nope

Steve Meyers, Projectionist

Official Competition

Meghan Schilling, House Manager

Potato Dreams of America 

“So much charm, awesome stylization, funny & heartfelt - an instant classic for me!”

Lesley Schroeder, Doc-Ed and Volunteer Coordinator: 

Tar

“A master class in acting, a ten-minute one shot, and a meticulously layered character study of a woman's demise. I intend to watch it 20 more times.”

(Honorable Mentions: Aftersun, Everything Everywhere All at Once, You Won’t Be Alone)

So many fabulous films! What a wonderful year it’s been.

Happy New Year, everyone, and we’ll see you at the movies! 

Melissa