O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent)

O AGENTE SECRETO (THE SECRET AGENT)
2025 | Dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho | 161 Minutes

"We need to protect what we still have."

In 1977, a former professor travels to Recife during the carnival holiday. He plans to flee Brazil with his young son, but not before making a desperate attempt to retrieve government files on his late mother to preserve his fleeting memory of her. Meanwhile, a powerful enemy from his past is determined to see him dead.

Authentically staged and filmed to visually resemble a 1970s political thriller, the subject of Kleber Mendonça Filho's The Secret Agent is far from a cunning spy but he must conduct himself like one while under constant threat in a world turned upside down. The picture disturbingly depicts the casual tyranny of the Brazilian military dictatorship active during its period setting through the normalized corrupt behavior of local policemen as well as hired assassins carrying about their business openly. Though it often plays like a romp, with a wealth of snappy dialogue and skewering humor, the palpable paranoia that lingers on nearly every frame exudes an inescapable feeling of stifling unease.

The plot of The Secret Agent is relatively clear cut though the unconventional structure of the picture is anything but, presenting events and ideas through a rather tangled design. Mendonça Filho takes the viewer on several intriguing detours that offer exposition and context in ways that are both enlightening and amusing. Notably, the audience surrogate, a history student in the present day researching the protagonist Armando, isn't revealed until the very end of the first act, and the infrequent cuts back to her at moments of rising tension serve as reminders that while the events of the story already transpired decades ago, they are as vivid and relevant as ever, perennially worthy of reexamination. The feature truly comes alive during its more fantastical interludes, with stand-out sequences that include a dramatization of the absurd "hairy leg" news articles reporting brutal attacks on queer people carried out by a severed appendage and Aramndo's surreal nightmare blending striking imagery from throughout the film at the top of the third act. The stylish camerawork and vibrant color palette of the picture are perfectly complemented by excellent setting-appropriate needle-drops.

Wagner Moura is outstanding as Armando, naturally charming and convincingly embodying a principled man on the crossroads of history, attempting to recover his past and secure his future under the most precarious circumstances. In addition to capably carrying the narrative in the lead role, Moura also plays Armando's son Fernando in the picture's epilogue, delivering a performance that is impressively completely different from his Armando in tone and demeanor. Standing out among the supporting cast are Robério Diógenes as the despicable oafish police chief Euclides, Carlos Francisco as Armando's venerable father-in-law Alexandre, and Tânia Maria as the rather badass former anarcho-communist Dona Sebastiana.

Rather than overtly lecturing viewers on the evils of authoritarianism, The Secret Agent accentuates the strangeness of living in deeply troubling times. Through his protagonist, Mendonça Filho demonstrates that it takes bravery to stand up for what's right in order to pave the way to a future with "less mischief." The tragic truth is that not everyone will make it to that future, and it would behoove those that remain to study their history or risk forgetting it entirely.


FRAGMENTS
- My first exposure to Wagner Moura was his engaging portrayal of Pablo Escobar on Narcos, and while I was already impressed with his performance in that series I've grown to really appreciate his range as an actor in films like Alex Garland's Civil War and this film

- Prolific German character actor Udo Kier, who previously starred as a detestable villain in Mendonça Filho's Bacurau, makes his final screen appearance in this film in one memorable scene playing a Jewish Holocaust survivor who the idiotic police chief mistakes for a Nazi fugitive

- The plot appropriately references Jaws and The Omen, both films from the 1970s that reflected the anxieties of the time through a fantastical lens

One Battle After Another

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
2025 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | 162 Minutes

"You know what freedom is? No fear. Just like Tom fucking Cruise."

The former a bomb-maker for the far-left revolutionary group the French 75, Bob Ferguson lives a seemingly over-cautious life with his teenage daughter Willa. When a formidable enemy from the past discovers their current whereabouts, the ex-rebel finds he is woefully unprepared to protect his girl.

Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's 1990 satirical novel Vineland, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another depicts a world in which the influence of organized bigotry reaches alarmingly far and the struggling opposition is undermined by pettiness and division. The film's duo protagonists caught in the conflict consist of former revolutionary Bob who is hilariously too drunk and stoned to keep up with the times and headstrong teenager Willa who is suddenly forced to learn hard truths about her place in the context of history. Both characters serve as fitting analogs respectively representing the previous and current generations of those who oppose fascism in a reasonably grounded way, stripped of any glorification or romanticism. The pacing of the picture is relentless, from its extended prologue detailing the radical actions of the far-left revolutionary group and their eventual dissolution to its prolonged epic car chase finale. While the plot tends to meander, the picture is consistently engaging, and every story thread weaves together impeccably by its highly satisfying conclusion.

Shot on 35mm film using VistaVision cameras, cinematographer Michael Bauman's work on One Battle After Another is absolutely stunning. The oner tracking Bob as he makes his way through Sensei Sergio's refuge for undocumented immigrants as they prepare to evacuate the city is impressively complicated but incredibly inventive and executed concisely. The sequence leads to a visually striking evening rooftop flight backlit by city and police lights as protestors and cops clash on the streets below. The chase sequence in the finale is staged elegantly, as Willa is pursued by a cold-blooded killer and Bob struggles to catch up, each shot of desolate highway keeps the viewer at the edge of their seat in anxious anticipation of what awaits down the road.

Amusingly pitiful and pitifully amusing, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers yet another performance worthy of acclaim as burnt-out retired revolutionary Bob. Chase Infiniti is captivating as young Willa, convincingly clever and tough in her film debut. As the hateful colonel, Sean Penn is at his most believably despicable, face locked in a pained snarl while he trots along with a distinct gait as if he literally has a stick deeply lodged up his rectum. Though she only briefly appears is the picture, Teyana Taylor's presence is strong and unforgettable embodying complex force of nature Perfidia Beverly Hills. As his coolest, Benicio del Toro also turns in memorable performance as the calm and collected wise sensei and family friend who always has a contingency plan in his back pocket.

One Battle After Another is a harrowing journey through a deeply troubling vision of America (that might as well be tomorrow if the country stays its baffling course). While there are plenty of genuinely funny moments throughout, nearly all of the levity comes at the expense of the ex-rebel's failure to keep up with increasingly confusing circumstances due to years of constant self-medication. It's grim, but the picture offers hope by demonstrating how those who keep a level head will stick around long enough to see the next battle.


FRAGMENTS
- The idiotic division amongst the revolutionaries as depicted in the film, best exemplified by the fraught communication between Bob and Comrade Josh as they argue over passwords, reminds me of how Jin Yong depicts the rather ineffectual rebellion against the Qing Dynasty in his satirical wuxia novel The Deer and the Cauldron

- It seems absurd but totally believable for the white supremacist secret society to be Christmas-themed

- Kevin Tighe makes a brief appearance as the leader of the white supremacist secret society, but I'll always remember him as John Locke's asshole father on Lost


007 CONNECTIONS
- Benicio del Toro (Dario in Licence to Kill)


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Wood Harris (Officer Gale in Ant-Man)

- Benicio del Toro (Taneleer Tivan in Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers: Infinity War)

Marty Supreme

MARTY SUPREME
2025 | Dir. Josh Safdie | 150 Minutes

"I have a purpose. You don't. And if you think that's some kind of blessing, it's not. It puts me at a huge life disadvantage. It means I have an obligation to see a very specific thing through, and with that obligation comes sacrifice. Okay?"

Marty Mauser dreams of winning the world table tennis championship, and he will allow nothing to get in the way of his dream.

While the basic premise of Marty Supreme fits into the mold of a standard inspirational sports drama, Josh Safdie instead delivers a wild and kinetic character study on an unrelenting narcissist. The film opens by introducing Marty Mouser as a convincingly charming and determined ping-pong savant with a penchant for bending the truth, but the second act of the film is the actual frantic heart of the picture. In a desperate attempt to raise funds for another shot at glory, Marty astoundingly compounds bad decision upon bad decision and brings about a rather shocking amount of indiscriminate mayhem, death, and destruction to everyone in his sphere of influence. That Marty in actuality already ruined his chances of competing again in an official capacity should come as no surprise as it is inevitably revealed in the final third of the picture, his extreme refusal to compromise loops back around as self-sabotage. The narrative reiterates over and over that its protagonist will stop at nothing to pursue his dreams, and ruining the lives of virtually everyone who crosses paths his path is acceptable collateral damage as far as he's concerned, from dangerous criminals to the people who love and support him. Marty Supreme would be a real slog to sit through if its star and the escalation of pure chaos weren't so mesmerizing.

For all of its comical bedlam, Marty Supreme does offer some entertaining table tennis action, particularly in its opening and closing acts. Cinematographer Darius Khondji shoots these sequences with as much dynamic energy as the intense bursts of violence throughout the middle section of the picture. Visually, the entire film looks authentic to its 1950s setting courtesy of excellent work from production designer Jack Fisk, though numerous 1980s pop hit needle-drops gives the general vibe of the feature a fascinating discordant quality, perhaps suggesting Marty's misguided ambition is decades ahead of his time.

As the insanely driven table tennis whiz kid and pathological liar, Timothée Chalamet would be totally insufferable if he weren't so captivatingly committed to the part. Chalamet's charisma is undeniable and he plays the role of Marty to perfection that the viewer may alternately vicariously enjoy his fleeting success or revel in his comeuppance. Playing Marty's hopelessly devoted paramour Rachel, Odessa A'zion is as heartbreaking as she is, perhaps appropriately, aggravating. Tyler Okonma delivers a naturally affable performance as Marty's best friend and fellow table tennis hustler Wally, sharing excellent on-screen chemistry with Chamalet. In the role of washed-up movie star Kay Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow plays a specific aura of graceful jadedness incredibly well. Real-life millionaire blowhard Kevin O'Leary is perfectly cast as Kay's wealthy husband, fitting as Marty's would-be benefactor who doesn't hold back from laying the boy low when presented with the opportunity. The supporting cast also features stand-out work from Luke Manley as Marty's enthusiastic impressionable supporter Dion, Emory Cohen as Rachel's short-tempered husband, Géza Röhrig as Marty's Hungarian table tennis champion colleague Bela, Koto Kawaguchi as deaf Japanese rival Endo, and Abel Ferrara as a lowkey terrifying criminal.

Chaotic, nerve-wracking, and thoroughly engaging, it's an entertaining illustration of the high cost of pursuing dreams for those who refuse to compromise to the ruin of all. The manner in which bad situations exponentially escalate in this narrative is, in a word, bonkers. What represents Marty best is not the gimmicky custom orange ping-pong ball that he so wishes to be his trademark but a relentless destructive wrecking ball. The devastation it leaves behind demands attention.


FRAGMENTS
- Josh Safdie's brother and frequent collaborator Benny Safdie directed The Smashing Machine in 2025, another unconventional sports drama centered on a promising athlete's fall to obscurity, though Marty Supreme is objectively a much, much better picture 

- That poor, poor dog

- I honestly did not recognize Penn Jillette as the antisemitic gun-totaling farmer


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame) 

Conclave

CONCLAVE

2024 | Dir. Edward Berger | 120 Minutes

"No sane man would want the papacy."

When the pope unexpectedly passes away, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence gathers the College of Cardinals to elect a new leader for the Catholic Church. Sequestered in the Vatican to complete the voting process, Lawrence's principles are put to the test as he uncovers secrets surrounding each candidate that gradually shape the outcome election.

A taut drama playing out primarily through interpersonal conflicts with intriguing wider implications about human nature, director Edward Berger's film adaptation of Robert Harris's 2016 novel centered on the election of a new pope is a remarkably suspenseful thriller. Between contentious rounds of voting, Conclave is rich with intense monologues, unpredictable betrayals, and shocking revelations, presenting an ostensibly stuffy premise as a cut-throat competition between papal candidates. While each candidate is given enough characterization to make it easy for audiences to find them analogous to world leaders beyond the walls of the Vatican, at the center of the narrative is a man with no greater ambition than to urge others to make the right decision after considering all the facts laid bare, however difficult it may be.

The production thoroughly portrays the ritual pageantry of Vatican practices, depicting each step of the voting process with meticulous detail. Substituting various locations in Rome and sets at Cinecittà Studios for Vatican City, the filmmakers do a convincing job of depicting the Catholic epicenter. While striking, Volker Bertelmann's aggressive score is occasionally quite distracting. Ultimately, the picture's greatest strength is Peter Straughan's well-paced sharply-written screenplay performed perfectly by a fantastic ensemble cast.

Ralph Fiennes gives a stirring performance as the conflicted Cardinal Lawrence treading the line between loyal friend and impartial official. In the role of the dejected American Cardinal Bellini, Stanley Tucci effortlessly conveys disappointment and seething anger all at once. Captivating and soft-spoken, Carlos Diehz is intriguing in his subtlety as the mysterious Cardinal Benitez. Isabella Rossellini is masterfully understated in a memorable supporting role as Sister Agnes. The cast also features Lucian Msamati as the seemingly influential Nigerian Cardinal Adeyemi with a questionable past, John Lithgow as the deceptively ambitious Canadian Cardinal Tremblay, and Sergio Castellitto as the loathsome vaping far-right Italian Cardinal Tedesco.

Conclave is a gripping procedural on a cinematic scale featuring solid direction, a brilliant script, and a superb cast. Released during political divisive times, despite its isolated Vatican setting the film aptly serves a reflection of the society at large. The picture encourages its audience to make informed carefully-considered decisions, but also to compromise when necessary for the good of the many, just as its protagonist must make challenging and occasionally unorthodox decisions in order to appropriately fulfil his duty.

FRAGMENTS

- The reveal of Cardinal Benitez to be an intersex person is a bit heavy-handed, but I'd argue it works on a thematic level

- On the other hand, the preceding literal explosion is a bit much

007 CONNECTIONS

- Ralph Fiennes (M in Skyall, Spectre, and No Time To Die)

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Stanley Tucci (Abraham Erskine in Captain America: The First Avenger)

A Complete Unknown

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

2024 | Dir. James Mangold | 140 Minutes

"You're kind of an asshole, Bob."

In 1961, a teenager from Minnesota identifying himself as Bobby Dylan travels to New York City to visit his hero, music legend Woody Guthrie. Detecting an innate talent for songwriting in Dylan, Guthrie's friend Pete Seeger introduces him to New York City's folk music scene. As Dylan amasses a growing audience, he disappoints the women closest to him and upsets the folk community with his uncompromising push for artistic innovation.

Adapted from music historian Elijah Wald's 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!, writer/director James Mangold captures Bob Dylan's rise in popularity in a way that makes it easy to understand the singer-songwriter's appeal and influence as an artistic voice but curiously and, perhaps, purposefully sheds little light on his motivations as a human being. A Complete Unknown portrays Dylan as a passionate musician and eloquent lyricists, but also as an emotionally unavailable individual who refuses to compromise for anyone without much in the way of an explanation for his behavior. The creative choice to not over-explain its subject but to let their music and relationships with others tell the story is a bold approach to the rather overdone biopic, but it's one that may leave some audiences in the cold.

Beyond recreating the aesthetic of its period setting with pleasing attention to detail, A Complete Unknown truly shines during its live music sequences. From early performances in the cozy setting of Gerdes Folk City to the crowd-engraging finale at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, the strength of Dylan's songwriting and stylistic choices are enhanced with the context of music history as depicted in the film's narrative. The most engaging dramatic conflict of the picture isn't the struggle between folk music conservation and progress between the folk music community and Dylan, but the romantic tension between Dylan and Joan Baez. The film is at its most captivating in the scenes illustrating Dylan and Baez's tempestuous relationship, particularly through their tense exchanges on stage

Timothée Chalamet is perfectly convincing in the lead role, delivering more than just a solid impression of Bob Dylan, but also replicating the unquantifiable qualities that make the celebrated musician such a uniquely appealing and frustrating character. Monica Barbaro stands out among the supporting cast, absolutely mesmerizing in the role of Joan Baez, perfectly delivering the wit and musical talent of the icon. In a somewhat thankless role, Elle Fanning does her best to give depth to the part of Dylan's neglected girlfriend, though one can only do so much wavering between enthusiastic admiration and tearful disappointed glances. The picture also features Edward Norton going full-folksy as Pete Seeger, Boyd Holbrook as a perpetually-inebriated Johnny Cash, Dan Fogler playing Albert Grossman as a standard run-of-the-mill music executive, and Scoot McNairy making an infirmed non-verbal Woody Guthrie more interesting than one would expect.

Running on Chalamet's charismatic lead performance and an authentically understated narrative, Mangold presents the start of Bob Dylan's career with a degree of nuance and specificity that makes A Complete Unknown more engaging than the average biopic. More of a feature than a bug, while the importance of what Dylan's songwriting and music represents is paid due tribute, the picture sheds very little light on the man himself who comes off as a bit of an unresolved enigma. If anything, the feature is a serviceably entertaining way to enjoy some of Dylan's greatest hits with a side of drama.

FRAGMENTS

- Timothée Chalamet also stars in 2025 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Dune: Part Two

- Though his screen time is limited as a sickly Woody Guthrie unable to speak, it's always a pleasure to watch Scoot McNairy take on a role with full commitment

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Edward Norton (Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk)

Maestro

MAESTRO

2023 | Dir. Bradley Cooper | 129 Minutes

"It's so fucking draining to love and accept someone who doesn't love and accept themselves, and that's the only truth I know about you."

Conductor Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre meet at a party and quickly fall in love. As the years pass following their marriage, Leonard and Felicia's relationship becomes increasingly strained due to Leonard's success constantly placing the family in the public eye and his habitual indulgences in extramarital affairs with men.

Bradley Cooper's second feature in the director's chair, Maestro is more the story of a complicated marriage than a standard biopic. A stylish film, the feature sincerely explores the challenges behind some of the most loving romantic relationships. The narrative is only underscored by the musical achievements and occurring throughout Bernstein's career instead of directly focusing on them, placing much more emphasis on the emotional highs and lows of his private life. Most of the picture is seen through the perspective of Bernstein's loving but frustrated wife Felicia, sidestepping the often artificially aggrandizing nature of movies about real life artists.

Maestro is an aesthetically appealing picture. Shifting from one style of filmmaking to another throughout the course of its runtime, the black and white photography gives way to Technicolor and the boxy Academy ratio eventually changes to widescreen. It is an inspired way to present the passage of decades. The film's musical score is made up of Leonard Bernstein's works, perfectly demonstrating the timeless quality of his acclaimed musical works.

Bradley Cooper is impressive as the celebrated conductor-composer, fully committed to the part, even genuinely learning how to conduct an orchestra to convincingly perform a key scene. Although as good as Cooper is in the lead role, the old age makeup is a bit distracting as the picture covers Bernstein's later years, decidedly more exaggerated than the way he mimics the way Bernstein spoke. Giving a nuanced and heartbreaking performance as Felicia, Carey Mulligan is mesmerizing. Mulligan believably embodies a woman whose patience is regularly put to the test by disagreeable actions taken by the man she loves unconditionally, sometimes communicating all of this with just a subtle look.

Maestro is a sweet film about an imperfect relationship. The picture takes a refreshing approach to telling the story of a public figure on film, providing ample emotional insight into the person behind the public image that goes well beyond the standard biographical narrative. Confident aesthetic flourishes and a pair of memorable performances delivered by its leading stars further enhance the feature.

FRAGMENTS

- Miriam Shor also appears in 2024 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee American Fiction

- Martin Scorsese was initially attached to direct Maestro but left the project to make The Irishman, while Steven Spielberg who was approached to direct the film after Scorsese's exit encouraged Bradley Cooper to helm the picture upon seeing an early screening of Cooper's A Star is Born

- It's rather controversial for Bradley Cooper, a Catholic man, to wear a prosthetic nose and play a Jewish man

- Who abandoned Snoopy in the vestibule?

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Bradley Cooper (Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

- Miriam Shor (Recorder Vim in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

The Holdovers

THE HOLDOVERS

2023 | Dir. Alexander Payne | 133 Minutes

"I find the world a bitter and complicated place, and it seems to feel the same way about me. I think you and I have this in common."

At a boarding school in New England, classics instructor and staunch loner Paul Hunham is charged with supervising the children unable to join their families during the winter holiday break. An unexpected change in plans leaves Mr. Hunham alone with Angus Tully, a clever and defiant teen determined to rebel against the irritable teacher. Through various shared mishaps and experiences, with encouragement from affable cafeteria manager Mary, Mr. Hunham and Angus form an unlikely bond.

Nearly two decades after their lauded collaboration on Sideways, Alexander Payne reteams with Paul Giamatti to deliver The Holdovers, a touching dramatic comedy that perfectly captures the mood and aesthetic of a 1970s coming-of-age picture. Written by David Hemingson, the screenplay is razor-sharp with excellent dialogue, nuanced characters, and themes of social alienation along with a sizable dose of Vietnam War angst, period-appropriate as a throwback to films of the era. At its heart, The Holdovers tells a moving story about a pair of resentful misfits forced to spend the holidays together and they both gradually learn to be more empathetic people. The more viewers learn about Mr. Hunham and Angus, the more invested they become in their respective personal journeys.

Though shot digitally, the post-production work on The Holdovers convincingly makes the picture resemble a film from the 1970s. Perfectly complementing the visual aesthetic are the inspired audio choices. The feature's mono sound mix immediately evokes a feeling of coziness and soundtrack includes memorable needle-drops such as Damien Jurado's "Silver Joy" playing halfway through opening title sequence, and Labi Siffre's "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" prominently featured in a montage of Angus wandering the campus alone in the middle of the night and at the very end of the picture.

Playing mean old Mr. Hunham in a complete showcase of his full range as a seasoned character actor, Giamatti gives one of the best performances of his career - hilarious, tragic, and incredibly moving. Perhaps the cast's most impressive asset is breakout star Dominic Sessa as Angus, a soulful and charismatic young performer who more than matches both Giamatti's frantic energy and his pathos. In the prominent supporting role of Mary, a naturally amiable but amusingly straight-forward woman in the midst of grieving the loss of her son, Da'Vine Joy Randolph is truly excellent, bringing incredible warmth and subtlety to make the character completely her own.

Exploring loneliness, grief, and unlikely human connections, The Holdovers is a heartwarming picture that's authentic in setting, tone, and emotion. Featuring well-rounded, flawed, but immediately lovable characters, a snappy screenplay, and a superb story that promotes empathy but still carrying a humorous bit of an edge, it is a real gem of a film. There is a timeless quality to feature, and it may just become an offbeat holiday classic for many cinephiles.

FRAGMENTS

- Unquestionably my favorite film released in 2023, immediately one of my favorite films of all time

- The vintage Universal Studios logo, and the retro style Focus Features and Miramax logos opening the film are a nice touch

- I've been a big fan of Paul Giamatti's since American Splendor though I fully acknowledge that he sometimes ends up in some pretty bad roles (such as the rather embarrassing take on the Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2) though the triumph of his role in this film more than makes up for those questionable parts

- The illusion of the 1970s setting was nearly perfect for me until the shot of the China Trade Gate at the entrance of Boston's Chinatown showing the Hot Pot Buffet restaurant which opened in 2010

- During the scene in which Angus explains his father's condition, a woman sitting one or two rows behind me at my screening started to weep which immediately made my eyes tear up

American Fiction

AMERICAN FICTION
2023 | Dir. Cord Jefferson | 117 Minutes

"Whole soaring narratives about Black folks in dire circumstances who still manage to maintain their dignity before they die. I mean, I'm not saying these things aren't real, but we're also more than this."

Fed up with deeply flawed but profitable portrayals of African Americans and his own lack of recognition, opinionated English professor and struggling novelist Thelonious "Monk" Ellison writes a satirical "Black" novel under a pseudonym to amuse himself. Unexpectedly, Monk's new book is an immediate success despite his best efforts to sabotage its publication. However, as one crisis after another strikes Monk's family, he must choose between his personal sense of integrity and financial stability.

Adapted from Percival Everett's novel Erasure, Cord Jefferson's American Fiction is a razor-sharp comedy that amusingly deconstructs the rather tired and oftentimes ignorant tropes of marketable African American narratives. The picture criticizes representation in media that leans into stereotypes ranging from frustratingly worn-out to outright offensive through the perspective of a talented and outspoken main character. The most intriguing aspect of the story is that the protagonist carries his own unique personal struggles and deep-seated flaws that no broad generalization would be able to capture, and within the specific lies the genuinely relatable qualities of the character.

While American Fiction unfolds from Monk's point of view, the film decidedly does not portray him as an infallible paragon, but instead encourages the audience to question Monk's biases and to think critically for themselves. The writer's pretentiousness and petty judgmental attitude prove to be significant obstacles that he doesn't quite overcome by the time the credits roll. Monk's resentment ultimately costs him his love interest, his inherent bias towards another Black writer is directly challenged by the novelist herself in one excellent scene, he is the last in his family to discover the father he idolized was not a faithful husband, and he ultimately sells out for profit albeit reluctantly out of desperate financial need. While the story's various subplots either lack substantial closure or resolve in ways without completing conventional narrative arcs, the lack of neat and tidy resolution serves to add realism to the picture as a whole as well as reflect ongoing conversations around representation that will never be resolved completely.

In the role of Monk, Jeffrey Wright is brilliant as the frustrated intellectual making bad art on a lark, hilariously balancing charisma and snobbery. John Ortiz makes for an affable pragmatic voice of reason playing Monk's publisher Arthur. As love interest Coraline, Erika Alexander is affable and capably presents a reasonable counterpoint to Monk's resentment for general audiences. Sterling K. Brown delivers an incredibly funny scene-stealing performance as Monk's newly-divorced perpetually drug-addled brother Cliff. The supporting cast also features Tracee Ellis Ross as Monk's humorously sardonic sister Lisa and Issa Rae as the successful novelist Sintara Golden and subject of Monk's ire.

American Fiction dissects the value of flawed representation while cleverly weaving a funny, challenging, and heartbreaking yarn. Rather boldly, the film elects to not offer any measure of resolution. One could argue that its lack of closure imbues the film with invaluable authenticity.

FRAGMENTS
- Issa Rae also appears in 2024 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Barbie

- Miriam Shor also appears in 2024 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Maestro

- Always fun to see Keith David in a film however minor the role


007 CONNECTIONS
Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and No Time To Die)

MCU CONNECTIONS
- Sterling K. Brown (N'Jobu in Black Panther)

- Miriam Shor (Recorder Vim in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

- Leslie Uggams (Blind Al in Deadpool & Wolverine)

- Keith David (Documentary Narrator in Spider-Man: Brand New Day)

Elvis

ELVIS

2022 | Dir. Baz Luhrmann | 159 Minutes

"You know, my boy, the truth about the Rock of Eternity, is that it is forever just beyond our reach."

By chance, shady carnival promoter Colonel Tom Parker encounters young Elvis Presley and immediately sees potential for profit in his unique talent. Seizing the chance to take advantage of Presley as his manager, Parker exploits Presley for decades, struggling to control Presley's indomitable spirit and sex appeal while stifling his creative impulses and desire to reach a wider global audience.

With Elvis, famously flamboyant writer/director Baz Luhrmann tells the life story of one of the biggest pop culture icons of all time. Like most biographical pictures, the feature breezes through the major events of the subject's life, leaning into triumphs, dialing up the drama on tragedies, and selectively glossing over large stretches of time. What sets Elvis apart is that Luhrman's signature over-the-top style is evident in every frame of the picture, making it a thoroughly engaging sensory experience. Unfortunately, the film as a whole is immediately and irreparably derailed by framing Presley's parasitic manager Colonel Parker as central figure of the narrative. It's a bold decision, speaking volumes about how recording artists, even one of the biggest stars ever, can be abused by those closest to them. However, it's a choice that truly undermines the incredible work of lead actor Austin Butler as Presley, while calling attention to an unbelievably awful performance from Tom Hanks as Parker.

Elvis works best when it is focused on Presley and the music he was raised on and promoted all his life. The best moments of the picture explore his inspirations rooted in black music, how he was able to bring that sound to audiences that would otherwise dismiss it, as well as his controversial status as a prominent sex symbol. This is perfectly exemplified in the sequence depicting Presley's first performance in front of a full auditorium, intercutting moments from his childhood enthralled by gospel music at a black church, as the young women in the crowd go wild for the handsome singer's gyrating hips. 

Austin Butler is phenomenal as the King of Rock and Roll, delivering a revelatory performance that believably embodies the larger-than-life legend while movingly conveying what makes the "King" human after all. Conversely, Tom Hanks as Colonel Parker is distractingly terrible, putting on a ridiculous accent and giving such a big, stagey performance that it makes the entire film markedly worse. Olivia DeJonge is impressive as Priscilla Presley though her presence is overshadowed by Butler and Hanks in starkly different ways.

Less a biopic centered on the legendary Elvis Presley and more a bizarre character study of his grossly unethical and opportunistic manager, Baz Luhrmann's Elvis takes one major disappointing creative swing, exacerbated by a questionable performance from Tom Hanks, that significantly makes the film worse. However, the feature is definitely worth seeing for Austin Butler's excellent portrayal of the icon. While it is a deeply flawed picture, it is at least never boring.

FRAGMENTS

- Certain moments of this film might as well have been lifted wholesale from 2007's Walk Hard, anyone making a musical biopic should watch that all-encompassing parody as an example of everything they should avoid doing

- As the film paints a mostly flattering portrait of the King, and also a testament to Austin Butler's performance, the Presley family very publicly endorses this picture

- I seriously love how the film touches upon Elvis's love of Captain Marvel Jr.

- I, for one, am very much looking forward to seeing Austin Butler as the sadistic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two

The Banshees of Inisherin

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

2022 | Dir. Martin McDonagh | 114 Minutes

"I just don't have a place for dullness in me life anymore."

On the island of Inisherin off the coast of Ireland, kindly and simple Pádraic is confused when his best friend Colm decides to permanently severe ties. Despite his sister's sensible advice to accept the end of relationship, Pádraic continually pesters Colm until the schism between the former friends corrodes into an ever-expanding abyss.

The Banshees of Inisherin presents an entertainingly tragic story about a relationship abruptly ending and the gradual escalation of hostility that follows, sadness and frustration that when left to fester reaches irrationally preposterous and destructive proportions. Setting the narrative against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War, writer/director Martin McDonagh aptly weaves an engaging interpersonal tale with wide-reaching implications regarding the fragile nature of fellowship, how ambition and pride can lead individuals to commit increasingly regretful acts of aggression, how petty circumstances can corrode ostensibly good people until they become spiteful monsters. Courtesy of McDonagh's exceptional screenplay, the relatively low-stakes conflict is made up of emotionally complex components with subtly quirky characters, sharp amusing dialogue, and situations that take surprisingly severe turns. The feature is essentially a comedy examining the questionable causes of human conflict, and McDonagh ultimately encourages viewers to question their grudges and other unnecessary burdens and, if possible, leave them behind for good.

Cinematographer Ben Davis captures the alternately beautiful and severe landscape of the island with a deft hand. Deeply dreary but captivating, the visual aesthetic of the film perfectly complements the feelings of excruciating loneliness and refusal to compromise that run through the narrative. The picture leaves an indelible impression that its island setting may be a nice place to visit but most definitely not a good place to settle.

Colin Farrell is captivating as dull but well-meaning Pádraic, slowly transformed by loneliness into an increasingly petty and pitiful fool. Brendan Gleeson is thoroughly convincing as prideful aspiring composer Colm, fixated on his mortality to the point of mild insanity. The picture also features Kerry Condon hilariously distraught as Pádraic's sister Siobhán, perhaps the only reasonable person in town; and Barry Keoghan stealing his scenes as the local idiot Dominic.

The Banshees of Inisherin is an exceptionally well-written, delightfully dark comedy. Observing an abandoned friendship that gradually declines into an increasingly bitter grudge, the picture's seemingly simple plot escalates in shocking and unpredictable ways. Elevated by brilliant performances from its immensely talented cast, the picture tactfully articulates specific darker aspects of the human experience that are typically difficult to convey.

FRAGMENTS

- The film premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival where it received a 15-minute standing ovation

- Brendan Gleeson is in actuality a skilled fiddle player and he does his own fiddle playing for this film

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Kerry Condon (FRIDAY in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame)

- Barry Keoghan (Druig in Eternals)

The Power of the Dog

THE POWER OF THE DOG

2021 | Dir. Jane Campion | 126 Minutes

"For what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother? If I did not save her?"

Abrasive rancher Phil Burbank subjects his brother and business partner George's new bride Rose and adopted effeminate teenage son Peter to a constant barrage of verbal and psychological abuse. To his suffering mother's dismay, Phil seems to suddenly take an interest in Peter after the boy discovers Phil's most guarded secret. However, the true nature of their new bond is not as it seems.

Adapting of Western novelist Thomas Savage's 1967 book of the same name, Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog is an engaging drama that is gradually revealed to be a clever, darkly satisfying tale of vengeance. Diving deep into the twisted psychology of a bully who belligerently projects his insecurities onto others, the picture is a comprehensive character study on the frailty of the male ego and toxic masculinity stemming from sexual repression, envy, and self-denial. Its central character's arrogance and antagonism are so complete and overwhelming, so beyond redemption, that they inevitably lead to his total destruction at the very moment he allows himself to be vulnerable. When the tables turn, when Peter finds a way to put an end to Phil on behalf of his mother before the audience even realizes what has transpired, the film earns a twist that is simply sublime. It's a compelling story that Campion tells through technical excellence and powerful performances.

The cinematography featured in The Power of the Dog is absolutely stunning. Ari Wegner shoots New Zealand for Montana with great success, capturing the dusty desolate majesty of vast empty plains, perfectly complementing Phil Burbank's unbearable corrosive loneliness. The only moment in which he can be his true self is when he bathes nude in a lush forest pond, the only sequence in the picture featuring a landscape that feels alive. Jonny Greenwood's haunting atonal musical score is only too appropriate accompaniment to this film.

Benedict Cumberbatch gives his best performance to date as the mean-spirited fundamentally broken Phil Burbank, convincingly brutal and relentless. Perhaps superficially, but nonetheless notable, Cumberbatch's American accent has never been better. Keeping up with Cumberbatch's masterful performance, Kodi Smit-McPhee is excellent as sensitive boy Peter, subtle but truly amazing work particularly during the picture's final act. As Rose, Kirsten Dunst is in turns lovely and heartbreaking, deftly portraying with care and compassion a victim of abuse that turns to the bottle to self-medicate. Jesse Plemons is also low-key brilliant as Phil's pushover of a brother George, fitting very well into the role of a put upon man with barely any agency of his own. The supporting cast also features Keith Carradine, Frances Conroy, and Thomasin McKenzie in brief but notable roles.

The Power of the Dog chronicles from beginning to end the story of a despicable man, a film that unravels the origins of an exceptionally human villain and traces the misanthrope's path to its inevitable conclusion. Discomforting, tragic, and even triumphant, Jane Campion constructs a visually appealing, complex, and compelling vision that is elevated further by the picture's spectacular cast.

FRAGMENTS

- Though Jesse Plemons was approached for the role first and initially turned it down, Paul Dano was at one point cast in the role of George but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts

- Elisabeth Moss was originally cast in the role of Rose but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Benedict Cumberbatch (Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

Sound of Metal

SOUND OF METAL

2020 | Dir. Darius Marder | 120 Minutes

"You don't need to fix anything here."

Heavy metal drummer Ruben suddenly experiences severe hearing loss. A former drug addict, Ruben reluctantly moves in with a support group of other deaf recovering addicts at the recommendation of his sponsor. Though he gradually finds his place within the community, Ruben must choose between making peace with his condition or attempting to correct it at great cost.

Directed and co-written by Darius Marder, Sound of Metal is an extraordinarily well-constructed character study on one man's struggle to rebuild his life following unexpected misfortune. The film essentially presents Ruben with two choices: salvage what remains of his old life or embark on a new path. While the picture skillfully presents the daily challenges of deaf people with incredible technique and care, Ruben's troubles extend beyond the sudden onset of his disability.

The sound design and overall presentation of the film are exceptionally inventive and serve a vital functional purpose. On a thematically resonant level, Ruben's talent for thunderous percussion as depicted in the first act of the picture is an outlet for his deep well of internal pain, and his romance with bandmate Lou is heavily implied to be linked to his sobriety. As Ruben loses his hearing, the sound mix from his point of view is distorted until it eventually becomes a dull silence, fully immersing the audience in his frustration. Subtitles translating American Sign Language are unavailable until Ruben learns to communicate with his hands. As Ruben adapts to living with his disability, even finding joy in interacting with members of his new community, the audio is filled with the ambient sounds of nature. Both Ruben and the viewer are urged to find serenity in stillness and quiet rather than striving for unnecessary correction, an idea that is strongly reinforced in the picture's final act when a successful medical procedure is decidedly proven not to be the solution to Ruben's problems after all.

With the film heavily relying on his facial expressions and overall physicality, Riz Ahmed is phenomenal in the role of Ruben, effortless conveying the drummer's rage and restlessness as well as his eventual serene enlightenment without ever devolving into caricature. As the support group founder Joe, Paul Raci radiates with genuine warmth through a stern exterior, making the character's eventual disappointment with Ruben all the more heartbreaking. Olivia Cooke supplies Lou with a great deal of nuance and not often found in love interest roles that are typically thankless. The cast also features in minor but notable roles Lauren Ridloff as a teacher at a school for the deaf and Mathieu Amalric as Lou's wealthy father.

Technically impressive and profoundly affecting, Sound of Metal is a story of acceptance, of letting go, and of life carrying on. The picture is carried by both its lead actor's exceptional performance and its uniquely immersive audio presentation, compellingly projecting its central message that disability is not synonymous with deficiency.

FRAGMENTS

- The idea for the film originates from a stalled Derek Cianfrance project entitled Metalhead

- To play Ruben, Riz Ahmed spent eight months learning the to play the drums and learning ASL

007 CONNECTIONS

- Mathieu Amalric (Dominic Greene in Quantum of Solace)

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Lauren Ridloff (Makkari in Eternals)

Minari

MINARI

2021 | Dir. Lee Isaac Chung | 115 Minutes

"Minari is truly the best. It grows anywhere, like weeds. So anyone can pick and eat it. Rich or poor, anyone can enjoy it and be healthy."

A Korean-American family relocates from California to Arkansas to start a new life. Jacob dreams of cultivating their plot of land to make a living farming and selling Korean produce as his wife Monica grows increasingly weary his plans. Meanwhile, their young American-born son David rejects his doting grandmother's culture and affection.

A semi-autobiographical work, writer/director Lee Isaac Chung's Minari offers an authentic perspective that is resoundingly true-to-life without sliding into melodrama. The film is refreshingly frank in its portrayal of first generation American immigrants complete with the financial hardships and conflicts of cultural identity both large and small that fray at the bonds of family. Emotionally resonant, the narrative depicts love and aspirations being put to the test by various practical circumstances. 

While grandmother Soon-ja's description of the versatile and prolific qualities of the titular herb in one scene may be a bit on-the-nose, the minari plant is a perfect metaphor for immigrant families like the one featured in the film. Jacob makes the conscious decision to grow Korean vegetables in America, doing his part to carry on the culture of his people instead of shedding it to better fit in, willing to stake his livelihood on the expectation that other Korean-American immigrants, his potential customers, also intend to retain their roots. The dreamlike musical score swells during every shot of the majestically photographed farmland that Jacob toils to transform into his ideal "Garden of Eden." Monica serves as an honest reality check for Jacob, resigned to an unfulfilling job but reasonably skeptical of her husband's dream to live off the land, a dream that greatly strains their marriage particularly when he often chooses to pursue it over maintaining the immediate well-being of his family. Their conflict creates compelling true-to-life tension throughout the picture. Running parallel to Jacob and Monica's narrative, the story of David and grandmother Soon-ja's relationship is thoroughly satisfying both thematically and emotionally. Unlike his father, David is initially unable to find value in his roots, despising his grandmother as she fully embodies the concept of Korea to him, particularly dislikes her expensive imported herbal medicine meant to remedy his heart condition which hilariously juxtaposes against his favorite soft drink Mountain Dew - an endearingly specific detail. David eventually grows to love his grandmother when he discovers that her love, and possibly her medicine, strengthen his body and his heart. Particularly endearing are the scenes that take place in the creek that David and Soon-ja discover together where they grow a minari patch.

Steven Yeun and Yeri Han deliver earnest, heartfelt performances as Jacob and Monica though Alan Kim and veteran Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung truly stand out as the headstrong David and the spirited and hilariously crass grandmother. Will Patton convincingly plays the well-meaning local eccentric Paul. Drawing the short straw as Anne, Jacob and Monica's daughter, and David's older sister, Noel Kate Cho is fine in the role but unfortunately the character doesn't have much of a storyline in the picture.

Minari is a tender picture about a family persevering through uniquely American hardships. It is a highly authentic depiction of immigrants aspiring to seize the new opportunities available to them, working tirelessly to be the masters of their own destinies, struggling to make their own way by the strength of their heritage instead of abandoning it. While the story is relatively simple, it is universal in its relatability.

FRAGMENTS

- Lee Isaac Chung initially intended to adapt the novel My Antonia by Willa Cather about pioneers in late 19th century Nebraska but found out discovered that Cather objected film adaptations of her works

- The red cap Jacob wears throughout the film was a present Steven Yeun received from his mother when we was 17

- While the film won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2021, controversially, it was ineligible to be nominated for the Best Drama Golden Globe due to the asinine rule established by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that at least half of a film's dialogue must to be spoken in English in order for it to be considered for the award

Mank

MANK

2020 | Dir. David Fincher | 131 Minutes

"Are you familiar with the parable of the organ grinder's monkey?"

Bedridden from an auto wreck, washed-up outspoken perpetually-drunk screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz is approached by wunderkind Orson Welles to write his first feature film. Channeling all of his disdain for his erstwhile social acquaintance William Randolph Hearst into the screenplay, Mankiewicz composes a sprawling thinly veiled indictment against the powerful newspaper baron: Citizen Kane.

David Fincher's Mank not only serves as an origin story for Citizen Kane but also a loving tribute to the canonized picture. Written by the director's late father Jack Fincher, slug lines displaying on screen for key scene transitions to accentuate the perspective of the story's screenwriter hero, the picture honors its protagonist as well as its writer. While dictating his screenplay to his amusingly prim assistant, and receiving varying degrees of admiration mixed prudent discouragement from assorted colleagues providing feedback upon completion, Mankiewicz recalls the circumstances that lead him to his association and subsequent falling out with Hearst, the real life basis for Charles Foster Kane, presented as a vain and spiteful man with enough wealth and influence to manipulate a gubernatorial election over a personal vendetta utilizing propaganda produced by a major film studio while idealistic artists are discarded for not toeing the company line. The script's non-linear story structure, heavily told through flashback, mirrors that of the celebrated Orson Welles classic. The pacing of the feature is somewhat plodding but its mesmerizing throwback aesthetic, snappy dialogue, and fantastic cast keep things consistently engaging, particularly for fans of Hollywood's golden age.

Fincher meticulously replicates the look and feel of Old Hollywood to create a fully immersive experience. Visually, the film is a monochrome recreation of motion pictures from a bygone era, from how the actors are lit to the way shots are framed to the method in which the film is edited down to the cigarette burns to signal film reel changes. Even the pseudo-mono audio mix emulates the sound of motion pictures from the 1940s with remarkable precision, surround sound utilized to replicate the distinct echo of a movie theater auditorium. Deserving the utmost praise, the moody jazzy period-appropriate score by frequent Fincher collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is simply astonishing, particularly considering what a sonic departure it is from their repertoire.

Hands down, Gary Oldman delivers his best performance to date as Mankiewicz. Oldman effortlessly carries the film, absolutely convincing in his delivery of flustered drunken monologues, in brooding contemplative moments, and above all in selling the charm of an overconfident romantic. The only fault in Oldman's casting is the 20-year discrepancy between the actor's age and the age Mankiewicz would have been at the time. As beloved movie star Marion Davies, Hearst's lover and Mankiewicz's unlikely friend, Amanda Seyfried absolutely shines by subverting expectations through the natural grace and unassuming sharp intelligence she exudes. Charles Dance also stands out as Hearst, imposing as ever, a perfect fit for the role. The impressive cast also features Lily Collins as Mankiewicz's headstrong secretary Rita Alexander, Arliss Howard as heartless MGM head Louis B. Mayer, Tom Pelphrey as Mankiewicz's more level-headed brother Joseph, Tuppence Middleton as Mankiewicz's supportive wife Sara, Jamie McShane as tragic journeyman director Shelly Metcalf, Tom Burke as ethereal presence Orson Welles, and a surprising appearance by Bill Nye as failed California gubernatorial candidate Upton Sinclair.

Mank is a captivating though somewhat deliberately paced journey that's equal parts entertaining and timely, an amusing and utterly immersive companion piece to Citizen Kane. Through the voice of a troubled but brilliant artist, the picture explores how film studios coldly take advantage of their talent and how vindictive media moguls always have and always will use whatever means necessary to advance their often petty self-serving political agendas.

FRAGMENTS

- David Fincher intended to make Mank in the late 1990s starring Kevin Spacey and Jodie Foster but the project was stalled for years due to film studios objecting to Fincher's insistence on shooting the picture in black-and-white

- While the film posits that Mankiewicz is solely responsible for writing Citizen Kane without meaningful contribution from Orson Welles, this claim remains highly contested

Marriage Story

MARRIAGE STORY
2019 | Dir. Noah Baumbach | 136 Minutes

"Criminal lawyers see bad people at their best, divorce lawyers see good people at their worst."

As the marriage between an actress and a director ends, they struggle to remain civil while clashing over legal custody of their son.

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story is a sobering film about the difficult work that goes into processing a broken relationship. Both of its lead characters are presented as likable, relatable, flawed individuals and the narrative is masterfully written to avoid demonizing either one of them. The film methodically demonstrates how both are making their way through varying stages of grief, both are better off separated from each other, and both are at fault for their failed marriage. The picture also does a fair job of presenting the differing legal challenges men and women face during a divorce, providing adequate screen time to both leads to better shed light on financial and social gender-based disparities. Things swiftly become downright brutal and even alarming as soon as lawyers enter the picture, giving voice to grievances that perhaps should never be said out loud between two people who still care about each other despite their irreconcilable differences.

Scarlett Johansson plays Nicole with a striking blend of vulnerability and incredible strength, best demonstrated in Nicole's deeply moving monologue when she first meets her lawyer. As Charlie, Adam Driver perfectly personifies all of the pain and frustration a man goes through during a catastrophic breakup, keeping his sorrow and anger under wraps as his composure steadily erodes, most amusing during the sequence in which Charlie hosts a humorless evaluator tasked to monitor his home life with his son. Both of their performances culminate in an explosive verbal confrontation in Charlie's apartment, an intense, agonizing, and harrowing scene that is sure to leave an indelible mark on the audience.

Azhy Robertson delivers a natural performance as Nicole and Charlie's son Henry, who realistically is allowed to be a bit of an asshole, both a major motivation for the two leads and an antagonist of sorts. Laura Dern is flashy and fun as Nicole's lawyer Nora, so good playing sweet and caring as well as unpredictably cunning and vicious. Ray Liotta and Alan Alda respectively play Charlie's over-aggressive first lawyer Jay and his mild-mannered and understanding second lawyer Bert, both excellent representing two vastly different approaches to resolving an ostensibly unwinnable conflict. Julie Hagerty is pretty great in the role of Nicole's naive and overbearing mother Sandra, as is Merritt Wever playing Nicole's jittery sister Cassie. Wallace Shawn makes a brief but fun appearance as one of the actors in Charlie's theater group.

Driven by truly excellent performances from its two leads and a sharp and painfully honest script, Marriage Story is an emotionally challenging film that takes a hard look at the soul-crushing ordeals and institutionalized double standards of divorce. It's a rough, heartbreaking, and profoundly cathartic experience.


FRAGMENTS
- The narrative is loosely based on Noah Baumbach's personal experience of divorcing Jennifer Jason Leigh

- This film is Adam Driver's fourth collaboration with Noah Baumbach following Frances Ha, While We're Young, and The Meyerowitz Stories

- Scarlett Johansson and Laura Dern appeared in The Horse Whisperer

- Adam Driver and Laura Dern appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

- Scarlett Johansson also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Jojo Rabbit, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in that film

- Laura Dern also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Little Women

- Noah Baumbach and Adam Driver are fans of Stephen Sondheim's 1970 Broadway musical Company; the film features Nicole singing "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" and Charlie singing "Being Alive" which Adam Driver performed in one uninterrupted take

- Mark O'Brien who appears briefly as Nicole's boyfriend in the epilogue has an extensive history of playing troubled men most notably in Arrival, Ready or Not, and on the acclaimed television series Halt and Catch Fire


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
2019 | Dir. Quentin Tarantino | 161 Minutes

"Hey, you're Rick fucking Dalton. Don’t you forget it."

A fading star and his unemployable stunt double struggle to find their place in Hollywood as palatable opportunities run out. Meanwhile, misfortune creeps toward the doorstep of an enthusiastic up-and-coming talent.

Deeply immersive, if slightly meandering, Quentin Tarantino's Tinseltown fairy tale transports its viewers back an idealized time and place, and basks in nostalgia for a bygone era, recreating the look and feel of Hollywood in 1969 with painstaking attention to detail. Tarantino's trademark style is more focused and refined than ever as he deliberately holds back on his penchant for graphic violence until the last possible moment in favor of his love for spending time with his idiosyncratic characters. Though the leisurely-paced picture gradually establishes a tangible threat that fully emerges in an inevitable climatic confrontation, most of film is primarily centered on the mundane moments and personal day-to-day struggles that make up the lives of its protagonists.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood specifically explores three fateful days in the lives of its captivating lead characters as they reflect on the state of their respective careers, potentially facing the end of their livelihood whether they know it or not. Hungry for a break that would lift him out of his rut, Rick is an insecure mess, flubbing his lines and breaking down in tears at the thought of giving up his career as he knows it. An offer to make cheap movies in Rome is the last thing he wants, perceiving the option to be an admission of defeat, but he reluctantly takes the trip after staging one, potentially final, genuinely uplifting comeback on the set of a television pilot, turning a nightmare shooting day into a great one. Out-of-work stunt performer Cliff Booth is generally carefree but clearly lacks a proper outlet for his thrill-seeking tendencies, speeding down the streets of Hollywood and welcoming physical altercation with reckless abandon. A discouraging visit to a decrepit movie ranch, now overrun by shifty hippies, to see an old friend offers Cliff and the audience no hope for the future whatsoever. Emerging movie star Sharon Tate takes every opportunity to bask in her nascent stardom. Sitting in a general screening of The Wrecking Crew, she takes in the audience's gratifying favorable reaction to her breakout performance with such joy that it's easy to relish the feeling vicariously through her. All three are unaware of the true danger that lurks just around the corner, but on one fateful summer evening, their narratives reach a conclusion that plays against expectations, and real world history, in the most wonderful way imaginable. Exhilaratingly, the picture finally offers Cliff an appropriate release for his violent tendencies, and grants Rick an unlikely opportunity to make a potentially career-saving connection.

Leonardo DiCaprio is hilarious but also extremely affecting as the vulnerable Rick. His sadness and his triumphs become engaging visceral experiences due to DiCaprio's admirable commitment to the role. Brad Pitt exudes a calm affably self-assured quality that presents Cliff as a heroic figure despite the character's violent character flaws and probable criminal history. The camaraderie between DiCaprio and Pitt feels absolutely genuine and provides some of the film's most touching moments as Pitt is convincingly sweet when Cliff consistently offers Rick unconditional emotional support. Margot Robbie's role as Sharon Tate is disappointingly underwritten, as Tate serves mostly as an ethereal presence to be observed and appreciated from a distance, but Robbie makes the very most of it, affectingly emanating the unadulterated joy Tate feels as a freshly-minted movie star. The magnificent ensemble cast also features screen legend Al Pacino as an enthusiastic movie producer, Emile Hirsch as celebrity hairdresser and kung fu enthusiast Jay Sebring, Kurt Russell as a veteran stunt coordinator and narrator of a few key scenes, Margaret Qualley as enticing Manson acolyte Pussycat, Mike Moh pulling off an uncanny impression of Bruce Lee in both voice and physical prowess, Timothy Olyphant as TV western star James Stacy, Dakota Fanning as the formidable Squeaky Fromme, Austin Butler as homicidal fuck-up Tex Watson, Bruce Dern as the hapless George Spahn, Damon Herriman briefly appearing Charles Manson, and many others.

Funny, reflective, and remarkably personal, Quentin Tarantino's ninth film is a lavish love letter to the auteur's favorite era in the history of his favorite town. The sentimentality on display in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is lulling and infectious, juxtaposing against the growing sense of trepidation that builds through the course of the story. Luckily for its lead characters, and its audience, the world of this fable in one in which everyone who deserves a second chance receives one, and dreams never have to end.

MID-CREDITS STINGER
An advertisement for a particular cigarette brand featuring Rick Dalton.


RED APPLE CIGARETTES
- Cliff Booth's brand of choice

- Decidedly not Rick Dalton's brand of choice despite his professional endorsement


FOOT STUFF
- Multiple lingering shots of Sharon Tate's bare feet as she lies in bed, and as she puts them up in a movie theater

- Prominent shots of Pussycat's bare feet on Cliff's dashboard


NOTABLE NEEDLE-DROPS
- Sharon Tate's exuberance can be felt through the Paul Revere and the Raiders records that regularly play in her home

- José Feliciano's mournful take on "California Dreamin'" is a beautiful fit to mark an ending of sorts, capping off the second act of the film

- Vanilla Fudge's groovy psychedelic cover of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" perfectly complements the events that unfold during the pivotal home invasion climax


FRAGMENTS
- The Columbia Pictures studio logo that opens the film is a take on the design that was used from 1968 to 1976

- Aspects of Rick Dalton's career are based in part on Burt Reynolds' trajectory; Nebraska Jim is a tongue-in-check reference to the 1966 Spaghetti Western Navajo Joe starring, and famously derided by, Burt Reynolds

- Burt Reynolds was set to play George Spahn but passed away before he was scheduled to shoot his scenes

- Pussycat is loosely based on Manson Family member Kathryn Lutesinger who was nicknamed "Kitty"

- Damon Herriman also plays Charles Manson on the Netfilx series Mindhunter

- Madisen Beaty who appears as Patricia "Katie" Krenwinkel previously played Krenwinkel on the NBC television series Aquarius

- As television star Wayne Maunder, the film features Luke Perry in his final performance before he passed away in February 2019


007 CONNECTIONS
- Michael Madsen (Damian Falco in Die Another Day)


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Kurt Russell (Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

Vice

VICE
2018 | Dir. Adam McKay | 132 Minutes

"When a monotone bureaucratic Vice President came to power, we hardly noticed."

An alcoholic college dropout makes a promise to his ambitious girlfriend to turn his life around. He lands an internship at White House and eventually maneuvers his way to become the Secretary of Defense, his sights set on the Oval Office, eager to utilize an obscure political theory to attain an unprecedented amount of power. As his dream of becoming president slips away, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself when he is offered the job of Vice President.

Writer/Director Adam McKay's follow up to 2015's The Big Short is an entertaining but wildly meandering evisceration of George W. Bush's enigmatic and ruthless Vice President. While the film's mysterious narrator eloquently states the picture's mission to examine exactly where a man like Dick Cheney originates, the movie never quite delivers on that promise. During its first half, the audience is presented with an unassuming dirt bag who becomes more callous as he successfully makes his way up the political ladder, but his motivations as dramatized by McKay's narrative never seem to go beyond an unquenchable thirst for power with occasional asides suggesting that he is also driven by the whims and ambitions of his wife Lynne. Perhaps by design, the second half is woefully unfocused, sorely lacking anything resembling a coherent emotional throughline.

It's an understatement to say that the overarching story is less than cinematic, but thankfully McKay's comedic sensibilities and the surreal storytelling structure of the picture serve to really liven things up. Stylistically similar to The Big Short, complex concepts (this time, political concepts), and sometimes the Cheney's character traits and backhanded strategies, are explained in humorous asides that are as funny as they are grim. However, the concluding punchlines doubling as major dark revelations surrounding the Bush Administration may seem underwhelming to anyone who paid close attention to news headlines at the time.

Christian Bale's Dick Cheney impression is uncanny and appropriately subdued. In that sense, it should be noted that the role does not require Bale to emote in the slightest as it is very much a purely physical transformation. Ever the force to be reckoned with, Amy Adams turns in another praiseworthy performance as Cheney's headstrong wife and prime motivator Lynne. Steve Carell is captivatingly despicable as the morally bankrupt Donald Rumsfeld. Sam Rockwell's screen time is limited but he is eerily believable as George W. Bush. The film also features Alison Pill and Lily Rabe as Cheney's daughters Mary and Liz, Tyler Perry as Colin Powell, and Alfred Molina, Naomi Watts, and Jesse Plemmons in minor but memorable roles.

Creative narrative structure, clever asides, and key bits of exposition delivered through fun featured cameos only carry Vice so far as it loses a considerable amount of steam during its back half. While it is an amusing and pointed indictment of the fundamental flaws within the American political system, the film's most glaring fault is that it doesn't have anything new or revelatory to say about Dick Cheney and the presidential administration he absolutely controlled.


FRAGMENTS
- Christian Bale gained 45 pounds to play Dick Cheney, reportedly eating lots of pies

- In one memorable sequence, Adam McKay compares the powers obtained through the Unitary Executive Theory to those of Galactus from Marvel Comics; McKay contributed to the script for Ant-Man and is rumored to be developing a film centered on Silver Surfer, Herald of Galactus


MCU CONNECTIONS

- Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2)

- Alfred Molina (Otto Octavius in Spider-Man: No Way Home)

- Christian Bale (Gorr in Thor: Love and Thunder)

- Naomi Watts (EV in Spider-Man: Brand New Day)

A Star is Born

A STAR IS BORN
2018 | Dir. Bradley Cooper | 135 Minutes

"Music is essentially twelve notes between any octave. Twelve notes and the octave repeats. It's the same story told over and over. All the artist can offer the world is how they see those twelve notes."

By chance, talented amateur singer Ally leaves a lasting impression on country music superstar Jackson Maine when he sees Ally perform a drag bar. After convincing Ally to join him on stage to perform an original song that she had written, Ally becomes an overnight success. The pair fall deeply in love but their relationship is under constant pressure from Jack's objection to Ally's career choices and his personal struggles with depression and addiction.

Marking Hollywood's fourth take on A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper's directorial debut is clearly Cooper's passion project considering the amount of heart evident on screen in every frame. The love story that drives the picture is genuinely moving as is the inevitable tragedy inherent in every version of the story. Musical sequences are executed with impressive technical mastery, ranging in scale from small and intimate to massive and exhilarating. The songs, many of which were written by Lady Gaga and Cooper, are bona fide earworms. The moment Ally joins Jack on stage to perform her star-making song is pure cinematic magic, an instantly iconic sequence for the ages.

Unfortunately, the rest of the picture following that moment is spent coming down from that high, never to reach it again. Though surely by design, what remains is a fairly standard critique of stardom and celebrity ego, with Ally following the path of a generic albeit wildly successful pop singer and Jack overtaken by his deep-seated trauma and alcoholism. The wisdom Jack ultimately imparts on Ally is to use her voice to say something meaningful while she has the attention of the world, but his message never cuts any deeper than that.

The fantastic chemistry the two leads share is nothing short of remarkable. Lady Gaga is extraordinary as Ally, perfectly showcasing her authenticity, her vulnerability, and her raw musical talent. Gaga's innate charisma makes it remarkably easy to fall in love with Ally, providing a unique natural energy to her performance. Taking on the role of a self-destructive FM-country star on his way out, Cooper turns in a reliable but relatively standard performance with just enough quietly tormented inner life to stay engaging. The most impressive aspect of Cooper's performance is his commitment to look and sound the part of a country rock artist, without a doubt the product of dedicated research and training. The supporting cast features Andrew Dice Clay as Ally's lovable working class father, Sam Elliott as Jack's long suffering brother and manager, and Dave Chappelle in what amounts to an extended cameo appearance as Jack's supportive best friend.

Though not an entirely fresh retelling of a familiar story, A Star is Born is a well-crafted and emotionally resonant picture with an exceptional soundtrack. Its simple but moving love story is the feature's greatest strength. The film's biggest flaw is that it does not fully illustrate its most interesting idea: the responsibility of pop artists to deliver meaningful art considering the powerful but fleeting nature of their influence on the world.


FRAGMENTS
- The amusing dialogue in the drag bar scenes were mostly improvised

- Some of the musical performances were filmed at the 2017 Coachella Festival

- Jack and Ally's dog in the film is played by Bradley Cooper's dog Charlie


SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Video: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper "Shallow"

- Video: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper "Shallow" (Live in Las Vegas on January 26, 2019)

- Video: Lady Gaga "Always Remember Us This Way"

- Video: Lady Gaga "Look What I Found"

- Video: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper "I'll Never Love Again"


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Bradley Cooper (Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)