Sinners

SINNERS
2025 | Dir. Ryan Coogler | 138 Minutes

"Blues wasn't forced on us like that religion. Nah, son, we brought this with us from home. It's magic, what we do. It's sacred, and big."

Sharecropper and dutiful son of a preacher, young Sammie Moore longs to leave his plantation to be a traveling musician. One fateful night, Sammie discovers the full unexpectedly supernatural extent of his talent.

Ryan Coogler's Sinners is a monumental work of art. Filled with drama, music, romance, action, and buckets of blood, the picture is a superbly entertaining crowd-pleaser. Beyond its value as a widely accessible and all-around excellent genre film, the feature also serves as a sobering examination of the existential fears people of color experience in America that are as relevant in the early 20th century as they are today. Depicting the thinly veiled hatred of bigots who don't even bother to lie convincingly, the insidious threat of cultural appropriation and subsequent absorption, and the importance of finding and holding onto moments of joy especially in the face of adversity, Sinners skillfully weaves a story that encompasses a prevalent aspect of the American experience with poignancy, earnestness, and emotional resonance.

Perhaps more than the immersive production design by Hannah Beachler that transports the audience to rural 1930s  Clarksdale, Mississippi or exceptional visual effects work that convincingly duplicates the picture's lead actor, the genre-traversing musical score courtesy of constant Ryan Coogler collaborator Ludwig Göransson is nothing short of integral to Sinners. The sound of blues accompanies the heroes of the picture, while the vampires introduce elements of Irish folk music, gothic-horror-coded organ, and even heavy metal into the eclectic soundscape. Göransson's audacious soundtrack is always in service the plot, made abundantly apparent in the central set piece of the feature, worth the price of admission alone, in which the impressionable young musical savant performs his signature song and literally summons spirits from the past and future as the blues tune is infused with the sounds of rock, hip hop, West African drum beats, and even Chinese opera.

Michael B. Jordan is simply perfect as both the lethally no-nonsense Smoke and the wild hot-headed Stack, personifying the duality of zero compromise and foolhardy recklessness in the day-to-day struggle to survive. Hailee Steinfeld and Wunmi Mosaku both share electric onscreen chemistry with Jordan, emotionally powerful halves of two vastly different tragic romances. The picture's breakout star Miles Caton is absolutely engaging as Sammie, naturally charismatic in a memorable cinematic debut, and his voice is out of this world. Stealing all of his scenes, Delroy Lindo brings both hilarious comedic timing and pathos as veteran bluesman Delta Slim. Jack O'Connell makes for a compelling villain as the vampire Remmick, giving the fiend outstanding layers of depth. The supporting cast also features superb performances from Li Jun Li, and Jayme Lawson, and Omar Benson Miller.

Sinners is an unequivocal milestone for American cinema. The picture functions beautifully as a breathtaking celebration of the transportational power of music, as a stirring Prohibition-era drama set in the perilous cotton field hellscape of Jim Crow Mississippi, and as a mercilessly gruesome vampire movie authentically rooted in folklore. It vividly illustrates the struggle of American minorities against the myriad forces of oppression, whether it takes the form of overt violent bigotry or the insidious lure of cultural assimilation.


MID-CREDITS STINGER
In 1992, Sammie receives a pair of unexpected visitors.


POST-CREDITS STINGER
Sammie practices playing and singing "This Little Light of Mine" in his father's church.


FRAGMENTS
- This marks actor Michael B. Jordan and composer Ludwig Göransson's fifth consecutive collaboration with director Ryan Coogler

- Ruth E. Carter designed some of the featured period costumes for Marvel Studios' troubled production of Blade

- The "I Lied to You" sequence is instantly one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history, and as a Chinese American, I could not be more surprised and thrilled to see Chinese opera represented among the spirits including a brief but prominent appearance from Monkey King Sun Wukong

- Conversely, Jack O'Connell's Mandarin is disappointingly atrocious

- The manner in which Smoke goes out in a blaze of glory taking out the Klansman reminds me of the finale of Cowboy Bebop

- Seeing Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld in early 90s fashion is incredibly amusing


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Michael B. Jordan (N'Jadaka/Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

- Hailee Steinfeld (Kate Bishop in The Marvels)

- Wunmi Mosaku (B-15 in Deadpool & Wolverine)

Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value)

AFFEKSJONSVERDI (SENTIMENTAL VALUE)
2025 | Dir. Joachim Trier | 133 Minutes

"It's hard to love someone who's so full of rage."

After years of estrangement, Nora and Agnes' accomplished film director father Gustav re-enters their lives in hopes of salvaging his relationship with them. While Agnes is keen on reconnecting Gustav, Nora is decidedly not despite Gustav's plan to cast her in lead part for his latest film.

Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value is an artfully understated drama that presents a grounded perspective on familial trauma and the difficult process of reconciliation. Featuring central characters gifted in artistic expression, how the film depicts the different ways Nora and Gustav seek catharsis through creative endeavors is fascinating, but the central conflict stemming from the tension between daughter and estranged father is portrayed in the form of consistent passive aggressive barbs rather than the melodramatic altercations one might expect. Instead, the feature's most cinematic moments are in its brief interludes exploring the history of the family home and all of the emotions contained within its walls over the years.

Sentimental Value also offers sharp commentary on the state of the film industry. Trier is quite frank about how difficult it is for even a renowned Norwegian movie director to get a passion project off the ground, having to rely on the clout of a major movie star, having to shoot the film in English, and most likely having to forgo theatrical exhibition to secure distribution from a certain streaming juggernaut. The challenges of the production run parallel to Gustav's struggle to connect with Nora and, perhaps more directly, process his conflicted feelings left unspoken about his late mother as the film he is making is about her as much as it about his relationship with Nora.

The greatest strength of Sentimental Value is Renate Reinsve's superb natural performance as the complex Nora. Reinsve is phenomenally nuanced in the role, fully embodying a conflicted woman in such dire need of emotional release that her continued retention of resentment against her father threatens to destroy her through figurative steady corrosion - her crippling stage fright despite her talent as an actress, her self-sabotage in the form of pursuing a relationship with a romantic partner who is clearly unavailable, and her depression almost casually revealed to be potentially suicidal late in the picture though it hardly comes as a shock. Stellan Skarsgård as also excellent as Gustav, an ostensibly charming man harboring a deep well of pain who only seems to know how to bond with his loved ones through his love of film however misguided, whether it's casting his daughters in his movies or gifting his 8-year-old grandson DVDs of erotic dramas. The cast also features an affecting performance from Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as Nora's deeply empathetic sister Agnes and a convincingly earnest Elle Fanning as famous American actress Rachel Kemp who quickly realizes Gustav's plan to have her fill in for Nora is more demanding than she realized.

Sentimental Value is a quiet drama that takes its audience down the long road to understanding and forgiveness without much in the way of artifice. While it isn't the flashiest picture in terms of spectacle or big dramatic swings, it is nonetheless a sobering look at the damage that can be done by festering bitterness. Renate Reinsve is truly stunning in the lead role.


FRAGMENTS
- 2026 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Hamnet also depicts the pursuit of personal catharsis specifically through theatrical artistic expression

- I can't hear that "Dies Irae" section of "Symphonie Fantastique" without immediately associating it with Stanley Kubrick's The Shining

- This film honestly did not resonate with me as much as I think it should -- I wonder if I'll grow to appreciate it more in time

- Seriously, imagine watching The Piano Teacher and Irreversible at 8 years old, hilarious


007 CONNECTIONS
- Jesper Christensen (Mr. White in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Spectre)


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig in Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Thor: Love and Thunder)

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) 

Hamnet

HAMNET
2025 | Dir. Chloé Zhao | 126 Minutes

"I shall be one of father's players."

 

Free-spirited Agnes Hathaway falls in love with aspiring playwright William Shakespeare, and while their union is met with opposition from their respective families, they happily start a family together. However, Shakespeare's frequent travels to London frustrate Agnes as she is left alone to care for their children. When terrible tragedy strikes, Agnes fails to understand how Shakespeare is able to carry on with his work -- until she attends the premiere of his latest play.

Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name by writer/director Chloé Zhao and O'Farrell herself, Hamnet is a beautifully filmed exceptionally moving drama. The narrative takes viewers on a tumultuous soul-stirring journey, chronicling the courtship of William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway, the births of their children, the devastating loss of their boy Hamnet, and the first performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet all from Agnes' point of view. Brilliantly directed by Zhao with a powerful performance from lead Jessie Buckley, the film is a remarkably emotionally accessible exploration of the challenges of being in a relationship with an artist and how grief may be channeled into lasting works of art.

Cinematographer Łukasz Żal skillfully captures lush green landscapes in natural lighting that immerse the audience in Agnes' paganistic world, while he delicately illuminates interior night scenes to emulate period-accurate lamplight, dark shadows particularly accentuating the most fraught and tragic moments of film. Production Designer Fiona Crombie delivers fine work, authentically recreating the look and feel of the setting in addition to creating a believably lived-in replica the Globe Theatre. Composer Max Richter's score is fine, but while the use of his famous work "On The Nature Of Daylight" strikes with surgical precision during the finale, it may jolt those who associate the piece with other cinematic works right out of the picture.

As Agnes delivering her finest work yet, Jessie Buckley gives a natural, bold, and versatile performance, seemingly effortless in the way she draws sympathy from the audience. While slightly leaning into tortured artist cliches, Paul Mescal is appropriately convincing as Shakespeare. Emily Watson makes the most out of what amounts to a stock character role as Shakespeare's initially disapproving eventually empathetic mother Mary. Jacobi Jupe nearly stealing the entire production as little Hamnet, utterly lovable playing the sweet and spirited little boy which proportionately makes the eventual passing of the child all the more tragic.

Conveying love, loss, and catharsis with incredible depth and clarity of emotion, Hamnet is a complete showcase of Chloé Zhao's mastery of cinematic craft. Sections of the feature are so affecting that the experience is akin to a full-on assault on the hearts of the audience. Jessie Buckley is undeniably excellent in the lead role and young Jacobi Jupe's heart-rending breakout performance is magnificent.


FRAGMENTS
- 2026 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Sentimental Value also depicts the pursuit of personal catharsis specifically through theatrical artistic expression

- In a quirky bit of casting, Noah Jupe plays the actor who plays Hamlet, the role that was inspired by Hamnet played by his younger brother Jacobi Jupe

- Paul Mescal's tearful recitation of the beginning the Hamlet soliloquy over the Thames is a bit on-the-nose

- Memorably featured in Denis Villeneuve's Arrival among countless films and television shows, "On The Nature Of Daylight" was originally released on composer Max Richter's second album The Blue Notebooks, a protest album against the 2003 American invasion of Iraq

The Substance

THE SUBSTANCE

2024 | Dir. Coralie Fargeat | 141 Minutes

"Remember you are one."

Unceremoniously let go by the producer of her television show, aging celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle uses a mysterious drug to create a younger version of herself to begin her career anew. However, the youthful copy callously saps away at Elisabeth at an alarming rate.

Writer/director Coralie Fargeat's The Substance is an instant horror classic. The film is a stylish, surreal, provocative, and intensely furious satire unfolding in an aggressively heightened world taking one woman's feelings of inadequacy, in large part imparted upon her by unrealistic societal beauty standards, to birth a superficially enticing self-destructive monster. When one considers the very last instruction card enclosed within the package of the titular substance printed in bold capitalized letters, a reminder to the user that they and their counterpart "are one," the most direct reading of the increasingly antagonistic push-and-pull relationship between Elisabeth and Sue is Elisabeth expressing the hate she has for herself, an internal conflict that's externalized and transmuted into a visceral interpersonal struggle. Sue stealing time away from Elisabeth is in reality Elisabeth refusing to accept the current natural state of her aging body and a life away from the spotlight. It's telling that despite her reactive desperation to put an end to Sue when her body deteriorates to an unrecognizable state, Elisabeth is ultimately unable to let go of the Sue aspect of herself.

The hilariously sharp dialogue and frantically rapid pace of The Substance, along with outlandish creature effects of its final act, take the already excellent dramatic conflict over-the-top. On a technical level, the picture is absolutely phenomenal. The masterful editing by Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet, Valentin Feron combined with the pulsating electronic score by Raffertie create a tense and breathless audio visual experience with propulsive energy. The practical make-up effects by Pop FX are brilliantly inventive, culminating in the bloody finale with one of the most convincingly rendered fascinatingly disgusting movie monsters in cinema history.

Stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are nothing short of perfect, particularly impressive as the narrative spirals into absolute chaotic and revolting weirdness. Alone without a single word of spoken dialogue in some scenes, Moore gives an exceptionally natural performance portraying a fading star refusing to give up her fame at any cost, remaining consistently engaging even as heavier and heavier prosthetics are applied to her as Elisabeth's body rapidly degenerates. Qualley also gives it her all in the physically demanding role of Sue, totally captivating whether she's mugging for the cameras or literally fighting for her borrowed life. Dennis Quaid is horrifyingly convincing as the blustering slimy television producer all-too-aptly named Harvey.

Incredibly daring and delightfully grotesque, The Substance is a cautionary tale body horror film with unforgettable inventively disgusting imagery. The picture stylishly and mercilessly confronts and subverts the absurdly high value society places on youth and surface-level beauty. Most provocatively, the most terrifying aspect of this feature is arguably its depiction of one woman's self-loathing mutating into full-blown self-destruction.

FRAGMENTS

- The brief introductory sequence elegantly showing without verbal explanation how the titular substance works on an egg is pure genius, as are the bookend sequences of Elisabeth's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

- The moment the "Monstro Elisasue" title card appears is one of my favorite cinematic experiences of 2024

Emilia Pérez

EMILIA PÉREZ

2024 | Dir. Jacques Audiard | 132 Minutes

"Changing the soul changes society, changing society changes it all."

A Mexican cartel boss coerces struggling lawyer Rita Mora Castro for assistance to secretly arrange gender-affirming surgery and begin a new life. Years later, the former kingpin Emilia Pérez needs Rita's help again, requesting to reconnect with her family while taking on the false identity of an estranged relative. Returning to Mexico, Emilia uses the her wealth to help families victimized by gang violence, but the sins of her vicious past inevitably collide with her altruistic present.

Adapted from a portion of Boris Razon's 2018 novel Écoute, writer/director Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez is ostensibly a bold and daring musical about how the transformation of one person may change the world, but the evident lack of care the film has for handling its subject matter destroys any sense of emotional earnestness that's essential for this type of story to work. Centered around a transgender protagonist, the narrative leans hard into tired outdated plot tropes for queer people, the worst of which is the character's nonsensical decision to totally abandon her family as a part of her transition only for her to reconnect with them through underhanded deceptive means. The narrative seemingly takes on more poignant aspects in the second act as Emilia establishes a nonprofit organization to help bring closure to families who had fallen victim to cartel violence, but things quickly go off the rails and the film turns into a clumsy pseudo-telenovela pastiche involving romantic affairs and custody battles, offering little in the way of either amusement or catharsis. The feature comes off as cheap and disingenuous, stripping away any meaning from the marginalized peoples it chooses to focus on, rendering them mere aesthetic choices utilized in questionable taste.

Stylistically on an overall level, Emilia Pérez is more visually garish than appealing. The elaborate dance choreography is consistently hamstrung by some truly off-putting lyrics in the featured songs, making many of the musical numbers a real chore to sit through save for a handful of highlights. "La Vaginoplastia" with its lyrics listing away various gender-affirming surgical procedures kicks off amusingly enough but quickly overstays its welcome, and "El Amor" with Emilia contemplating how she is "half him, half her, half kingpin, half queen" before segueing into a poorly-written ballad about "making love with love" is confounding bad. "Para," highlighting the good work of Emilia's nonprofit through the point of view of the families and its ex-criminal volunteers seeking redemption is one of the few songs with genuinely poignant moments, while the rap-rock number "El Mal" with Rita expressing her anger over the misdeeds of the nonprofit's most prominent donors is the only sequence that somewhat convincingly strikes an engaging defiant punk rock tone.

As the titular lead, Karla Sofía Gascón delivers a serviceably compelling performance despite the shortcomings of the screenplay. Zoe Saldaña demonstrates maximum effort as Emilia's put-upon lawyer Rita, showing off impressive skills in the most physically demanding role of the film. The supporting cast includes Selena Gomez looking and sounding out-of-place as Emilia's ex-wife Jessi, Adriana Paz in a mostly thankless part of Emilia's love interest Epifanía, and Édgar Ramírez as Jessi's lover Gustavo who hardly registers as a character until the plot calls for an unimaginative car crash finale.

On paper, Emilia Pérez is a rather simplistic tale of change, love, and redemption. In execution, the film is a bafflingly misguided movie musical that fumbles its depiction of transgender people and the plight of the victims of cartel violence. The picture is a bizarre curiosity at best, a harmfully inauthentic representation of real world struggles at worst. Principal players Gascón and Saldaña show impressive commitment to their respective roles, but the dialogue and the musical numbers, ranging in quality and tone from awkwardly campy to downright awful, all but undermine their work. The topical issues the production utilizes as set dressing deserve much more thoughtful treatment than this.

FRAGMENTS

- Props to the filmmakers for casting a trans woman to play a trans woman, but not like this, not like this

- The comparisons between this and Mrs. Doubtfire are hilarious, but also sadly quite accurate

- I found the way the dialogue casually deadnames and misgenders Emilia particularly jarring

- Much has been said by others more qualified than I am regarding the mish-mash of the cast's non-Mexican accents, with particular criticism directed towards Selena Gomez's Spanish -- as a Cantonese-speaker subjected to all manner of bad Chinese in American and European cinema, I totally empathize

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Zoe Saldaña (Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

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)

The Brutalist

THE BRUTALIST

2025 | Dir. Brady Corbet | 215 Minutes

"No matter what the others try and sell you, it is the destination, not the journey."

In 1947, talented Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor László Tóth arrives in America to begin a new life. Catching the attention of industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren following a contentious chance meeting, the wealthy businessman hires László for an ambitious project and promises his family safe passage to America. However, László's personal demons and Van Buren's fickle and cruel true nature warp the immigrant dream into a nightmare playing out over decades.

The general premise of writer/director Brady Corbet's The Brutalist has all the ingredients of a standard prestige picture centered on the journey of an immigrant struggling to make it in America. However, the film's prologue featuring a striking inverted view of the Statue of Liberty quickly clues the audience into the fact that the narrative will unfold quite differently from the routine inspirational story. The Brutalist spends its first half combining shreds of hope and aspiration with abject desperation and cruel betrayal as László's every achievement is immediately followed by severe setback. The life-changing opportunities Van Buren offers to László before the halfway point seem to suggest the times of hardship will come to an end thanks to the admiration of his rich benefactor, and that the narrative may yet amount to an uplifting triumphant immigrant story. However, the gut-punch of the second half makes it clear that Van Buren and his son only consider László and his family as resources to be abused, his refusal to compromise met with underhanded retaliation, sending the architect reeling into a deeper state of despair that is all too relatable for any immigrant who ahs ever felt exploited. The picture as a whole is a bold criticism of the very notion of the American Dream, suggesting that it is hardly attainable by everyone, least of all by those unwilling to sacrifice their basic dignity.

Filmed in its entirety using the old fashioned VistaVision process, cinematographer Lol Crawley's work for The Brutalist is nothing short of breathtaking. The aesthetic of the picture gives it a nostalgic quality that complements its period setting very well and accentuates the grandeur of the featured architectural work. The film is visually splendid, from the reveal of Van Buren's new library with its massive folding wooden doors, to the on-location photography at the Carrara quarries, to the massive community center - most notably its ethereal chapel. Daniel Blumberg's score is a superb fit for the picture, alternating between moody and foreboding with bursts of orchestral glory at key moments.

In the lead role as the devastatingly vulnerable László, Adrien Brody is the best he's ever been on screen, affecting and nuanced in his approach to playing the rather complex character. Guy Pearce is perfectly convincing as the pompous, duplicitous, and insufferably pretentious Van Buren. Felicity Jones is also exceptional as László's wife Erzsébet, serving empathetically as the voice of reason as well as a grounded representation of post-war trauma. The supporting cast features memorable performances from Joe Alwyn as Van Buren's obnoxiously entitled son, Raffey Cassidy as László's niece Zsófia who is non-verbal for much of the film, and Isaach de Bankolé as László's loyal friend and confidant Gordon.

Beautifully composed on an epic cinematic canvas, The Brutalist is a monumental work of art uncompromisingly conveying the undesirable aspects of the immigrant experience in America. An emotionally raw saga, the film skillfully depicts the ever-present conflict between the impoverished and the wealthy, artistic expression and merciless pragmatism. It is a powerful cinematic production exploring the uncompromising process of channeling trauma into creation, pointedly condemning those who would exploit such creation for its worth.

FRAGMENTS

- Watching this at a sold out screening at a local arthouse theater projected in 70mm is one of my favorite cinematic experiences ever -- the electricity in the air was palpable during the build up to the intermission

- As Hans Zimmer's musical score for Dune: Part Two is questionable ineligible for an Oscar nomination, Daniel Blumberg's score for this film is my pick for 2025 Oscar for Best Original Score competing against the scores for Conclave, Emilia Pérez, Wicked, and The Wild Robot

- Van Buren's literal raping of László during the second half is a bit on-the-nose, but I suppose it drives home the ultimate message of the picture

- The epilogue of the film, opening with a 1980-appropriate synth-driven version of the film's overture, also works overtime to deliver the message of the story as Zsófia explains to attendees of an architectural exhibition in Venice (and by extension the film's audience) how László's expressed his personal trauma hidden within the design of the community center

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Guy Pearce (Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3)

- Isaach de Bankolé (River Tribe Elder in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

The Zone of Interest

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

2023 | Dir. Jonathan Glazer | 105 Minutes

"This is our home. We’re living how we dreamed we would."

Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Höss and his family live happily in a picturesque house next to the concentration camp.

Jonathan Glazer's The Zone of Interest is a sobering examination of infuriating complicity. Adapting Martin Amis's 2014 novel of the same name, Glazer provides the bare minimum in terms of narrative. The most significant drama that unfolds concerning its central characters is a woman's frustration at the suggestion of having to relocate her family due to her husband's promotion, the most unremarkable of conflicts if it were not for the horrific context. What makes the picture overwhelmingly unsettling is what the scenes of seemingly ordinary domesticity illustrate, that it was so easy for Nazis to carry on with their lives unbothered by the genocide they were committing just next door, in this case quite literally. The film is incredibly difficult to watch by design.

A technical masterwork in terms of subtlety and suggestion, The Zone of Interest utilizes the medium of cinema in ways that very few films do. The camera is consistently positioned to imply the horrors of Auschwitz are occurring just out of frame, with the majority of the feature made up of mundane moments at the commandant's house. The most notable shift in style are the night vision scenes featuring a young Polish girl sneaking food into the concentration camp under cover of darkness, the sole presence of resistance represented in the picture. What the audience doesn't see, the audio design forces them to hear. The sound of gunfire, shouting, crying, and screaming, while sometimes only coming through softly, is consistent and incessant. Though the production hired Mica Levi to compose music for the film, Levi's score is seldom used, which only highlights the nightmarish soundscape underscoring the proceedings.

Christian Friedel plays Rudolf Höss as a hardworking family man and loyal servant to his government most convincingly, one would almost forget the detestable nature of his gruesome work if such a thing were impossible. As Höss's wife Hedwig, Sandra Hüller is so believably smug and casually hateful that the woman she portrays somehow becomes even more despicable than Höss himself, a testament to Hüller's immense talent.

With The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer delivers a viewing experience that is most appropriately deeply unpleasant. While it is a film that is totally devoid of escapism and entertainment value, it is a work of tremendous value that must be preserved and studied. Masterfully encapsulating exactly what complicity to the evil of fascism looks like, it makes a powerful statement on the banality of evil. 

FRAGMENTS

- Sandra Hüller also appears in 2024 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Anatomy of a Fall

- While I greatly admire The Zone of Interest and its purpose as the film, I don't think I'll ever want to watch it again

Poor Things

POOR THINGS

2023 | Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos | 141 Minutes

"I have adventured it and found nothing but sugar and violence. It is most charming."

Brought to life by a mad doctor, Bella Baxter is a young woman who perceives the world with the innocent mind of a child. Strongly desiring life experience and knowledge, Bella ventures into the world on a journey of self-discovery while challenging societal norms at every turn, particularly ones pertaining to women.

A wildly entertaining adaptation of Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel, Yorgos Lanthimos's Poor Things is a hilarious, sharp, and engaging fantastical comedy loaded with critical observations on gender-based inequity and double standards. Philosophically perceptive and perfectly-paced, the thought-provoking narrative also features an overabundance of off-color comedy but also a whole lot of heart. Throughout Bella's odyssey, she is never robbed of her agency despite the bizarre circumstances surrounding her existence and the best efforts of some of people in her life, and much of the picture's humor derives from the novel manner in which Bella approaches and resolves the various challenges she encounters.

Visually inventive and unconventional, Poor Things is immensely appealing aesthetically. Utilizing stark monochrome and lush color photography, warped fish-eye lenses, and surreal outlandish special effects, the picture is an entertainingly disorienting feast for the eyes. To say that the style of the film's production design is heightened is putting it mildly, as it features fun over-the-top period costuming and a radical variety of beautiful sets.

Poor Things is dependent upon leading lady Emma Stone's performance, her second feature collaboration with Lanthimos, and she does not disappoint. Stone confidently plays the part of Bella to perfection, fully committing to all of the character's bizarre behavior at the start of the picture while quickly and convincingly becoming the outspoken voice of reason in an objectively absurd world. Delivering perhaps the funniest performance of his career to date, Mark Ruffalo is delightfully dastardly and eventually quite pathetic in the role of the lawyer Wedderburn. As something of a scientist, Willem Dafoe shows off his range as the complicated physically and psychologically scarred Dr. Godwin Baxter, believably well-meaning but detestable yet pitiable, all the while amusingly burping up utterly disgusting bubbles. Ramy Youssef makes for an effortlessly relatable McCandles, the audience surrogate who cares deeply for the protagonist but is only able to stand by and observe her journey. Though her screentime is limited, Kathryn Hunter gives a stand-out performance as Madame Swiney, fantastic at portraying the seemingly wise and empathetic woman but still the sleazy manager of a brothel.

An excellent off-beat comedy that examines the mistreatment of women through an absurdist lens, Poor Things is equal parts funny and profound. The film's peculiar premise serves as an unlikely springboard for timeless social commentary. Director Yorgos Lanthimos, specializing in his unique brand of satire mixed with sincerity, and star Emma Stone, reliably hilarious and exceptionally versatile, are the perfect pair to bring this story to the screen.

FRAGMENTS

- Supporting players Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott starred in the psychological thriller Sanctuary which was also released in 2023

- Considering the all-around excellence of Poor Things and 2018's The Favourite, here's hoping there will be more Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone comedies to come

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner in The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

- Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home)

Killers of the Flower Moon

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

2023 | Dir. Martin Scorsese | 206 Minutes

"Evil surrounds my heart. Many times I cry and this evil around my heart comes out of my eyes. I close my heart and keep what is good there, but hate comes and I say I ought to kill these white men who killed my family."

Great War veteran Ernest Burkhart is taken in by his uncle William King Hale, a reserve deputy sheriff who plots to rob the oil-rich Osage Nation completely of their wealth while presenting himself as a friend to the tribe. Per Hale's bidding, Ernest courts and marries an Osage woman Mollie Kyle, and suspicious tragedy after suspicious tragedy befalls Mollie's family shortly thereafter.

Martin Scorsese spends over three hours meticulously chronicling an infuriating criminal conspiracy targeting wealthy Osage Native Americans in the 1920s orchestrated by an insidious villain posing as a friend to the tribe. Plumbing the depths that some men would sink to when they are driven by greed and a false sense of racial superiority, Killers of the Flower Moon is a saga detailing the destruction of a people through murder, financial exploitation, marriage, psychological manipulation, and more murder. Adapted from David Grann's non-fiction book of the same name, Scorsese shifts the focus away from the federal investigation of the crimes, instead placing the nephew of the criminal mastermind front and center. It's a creative decision more in fitting with the auteur's preference for making crime thrillers and gangster movies but the resulting picture, while reasonably engrossing, is somewhat tonally monotonous. 

Killers of the Flower Moon is well-made and appropriately epic given its source material, but it's undeniably too lengthy and marred with pacing issues. The production as a whole is an impressive undertaking to be sure, as Scorsese's production clearly went to great lengths to ensure historical accuracy and cultural authenticity. However, much of the film plays out as a series of gradually escalating atrocities stretching on for far too long before a somewhat disjointed conclusion. The core of the drama is centered on the relationship between Ernest and Mollie, particularly Ernest's internal struggle between doing right by his wife and the Osage or remaining loyal to his uncle, and it's just more frustrating than engaging to witness Ernest inevitably making morally bankrupt decisions at nearly every single turn.

The role of Ernest Burkhart is perfectly suited to Leonardo DiCaprio's strengths as a performer, and he plays the part of a charming but morally-conflicted man nearly buckling under the weight of his conscience so very well. Lily Gladstone gives a heart-rending performance as Mollie, a woman who is both desperate for justice for her family and her people but also staunchly in denial about her husband's loyalty and motivations. Delivering some of his finest work, Robert De Niro is absolutely excellent as William Hale, the self-proclaimed King of the Osage, convincingly putting on a friendly face, even speaking the language of the people, while running a secret campaign to thoroughly pillage the wealth of the Osage Nation with cold menacing precision. The extensive supporting cast features notable performances from Jillian Dion as Mollie's alcoholic third sister Minnie, Jesse Plemons as the soft-spoken lead federal investigator Thomas Bruce White Sr., and Brendan Fraser as Hale's hilariously shouty attorney W. S. Hamilton.

Killers of the Flower Moon is a period epic by way of Martin Scorsese's penchant for focusing on unsavory criminal enterprises. While conceptually enticing, much of the picture comes off as an overindulgent slog, one that is appropriately depressing but perhaps should have spent more time in the cutting room. The whole endeavor would have simply been an immensely appealing but unfortunately flawed picture if it were not for phenomenal nuanced performances from its lead actors.

FRAGMENTS

- Lily Gladstone delivered a brilliant and memorable performance as a guest star on the excellent FX television series Reservation Dogs

- Robert De Niro paddling Leonardo DiCaprio inside a Masonic Temple is sure to be remembered as an indelible fixed point in time in cinema history

- Though it came as a surprise for some that Killers of the Flower Moon didn't receive a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, one could argue that it isn't a very good adaptation of David Grann's book as the narrative is centered primary on Ernest Burkhart's involvement in the conspiracy rather than the federal investigation

Anatomie d'une chute (Anatomy of a Fall)

ANATOMIE D'UNE CHUTE (ANATOMY OF A FALL)

2023 | Dir. Justine Triet | 152 Minutes

"When we've looked everywhere and still don't understand how the thing happened, I think we have to ask why it happened."

A difficult court trial unfolds after a man plummets to his death under questionable circumstances in southeastern France. Suspected of murdering her husband, a German novelist struggles to plead her case to the French court as well as her grieving son.

Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall is an intense courtroom drama that engages its audience by meticulously providing the facts behind the death of an unhappy husband while gradually building an emotionally challenging narrative surrounding the deterioration of a marriage. As the trial continues, it becomes clear that not only is the wife on trial but her relationship with the deceased is subject to judgment as well. The narrative conceit that the key witness for both the trial and the breakdown of a marriage is a visually-impaired child is nothing short of ingenious, as justice in this case is literally blind but with intimate knowledge of the dynamic within the troubled household. By design, Triet offers no definitive answer as to whether the husband died by murder or suicide, but instead appeals to the audience to look past the inconclusive facts and discover their own emotional truth.

Masterfully written, language plays a key part in Anatomy of a Fall, leaning heavily into the film's themes surrounding communication. The narrative draws attention to the German wife and French husband's decision to speak English as a compromise in their relationship, a compromise that has failed spectacularly as illustrated in the sequence playing back a secretly recorded contentious exchange turned violent between husband and wife. This failure to communicate is symbolic of their marriage and presents itself as a major conflict for her in the French-speaking courtroom. By its final act, the picture also heavily implies the husband's failure to communicate his festering depression, as their son is tasked to draw a heartbreaking conclusion based on a cryptic conversation they once shared.

In the complex lead role, Sandra Hüller is spectacular, absolutely sympathetic through and through despite lingering doubts regarding her character's innocence. Young actor Milo Machado Graner gives an emotionally resonant stand-out performance as the legally blind son Daniel, an incredibly tough role to play. Also standing out is the Border Collie Messi who played Daniel's guide dog Snoop, delivering perhaps one of the most affecting film performances ever from a canine actor.

Anatomy of a Fall is as much about the communication breakdown between two spouses as it is about the inherent difficulty in communication between a German murder suspect and the French justice system. Driven by a brilliant screenplay and powerful performances, the picture presents the ending of a relationship put on public display in unsettling invasive detail. It's a feature that demands audience engagement, refusing to provide easy conclusions.

FRAGMENTS

- Sandra Hüller also appears in 2024 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee The Zone of Interest

- Antoine Reinartz who plays the prosecutor bears a striking resemblance to beloved American comedian Paul Scheer

- Anatomy of a Fall won the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, and Snoop actor Messi most deservedly won the Palm Dog Award

- It is patently ridiculous that France submitted La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Taste of Things) instead of this film as their entry for the 2024 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

Triangle of Sadness

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

2022 | Dir. Ruben Östlund | 147 Minutes

"I think it's un-sexy to talk about money."

Fashion models Carl and Yaya take a cruise on a luxury yacht, rubbing shoulders with the rich and powerful. However, things take a severe turn for the worse after the crew fulfills a series of ill-advised demands from their wealthy guests. Shipwrecked on a remote island, the couple soon finds that the things they value can shift radically based on circumstance.

Writer/director Ruben Östlund's Triangle of Sadness is a brusque satirical takedown of wealth and influence, concepts invented by society that give certain privileged groups of people unjustified power over others. The narrative is neatly divided into three sections: the first explores the absurdity of traditional gender roles; the second presents the injustices big and small that the working class is subjected to at the whims of the wealthy; while the third flips these dynamics with humorous results. Though despite delivering some incredibly funny moments, the film is somewhat off-putting in its bleakness and cynicism without making a single illuminating point. Östlund's characters speak in an amusing matter-of-fact tone that sounds true to life, and the situation of various hierarchies ruling the patrons and service staff of a luxury cruise completely inverting after a shipwreck is ingenious, but the feature doesn't say anything about the nature of power structures the audience doesn't already know, nor does it capitalize on the situation's potential for bigger comedy with the exception of one extended sequence featuring an abundance of gross-out humor.

In fitting with Östlund's sensibilities, the visual aesthetic of Triangle of Sadness is pleasing but unassuming, as if purposefully avoiding to call too much attention to itself. The second act on the superyacht is presented flatly, without much discernable style, but the feature truly comes to life when the projectile vomit literally hits the deck in arguably the funniest set piece of the picture. The remainder of the film set on the island is far more visually appealing, capitalizing on the exotic beach and jungle settings gorgeously photographed. The juxtaposition of production design between the two main settings works quite well. 

Harris Dickinson is fine but somewhat unremarkable as the deeply insecure male model Carl. Conversely, Charlbi Dean is captivating and incredibly funny as Carl's far more successful partner Yaya, convincingly exuding indignation once her and Carl's roles are essentially flipped. Giving the very best performance of the film, Dolly de Leon is easy to root for as service worker turned low-key tyrant Abigail. The ensemble cast also features Zlatko Burić as proud "shit-peddling" Russian oligarch Dimitry, Iris Berben as hapless stroke survivor trophy wife Therese, Vicki Berlin as insufferable Type A staff manager Paula, Henrik Dorsin as socially pathetic tech mogul Jarmo, and Jean-Christophe Folly as opportunistic pirate Nelson. Woody Harrelson appears briefly as the depressed socialist captain of the yacht.

With a smart and engaging premise, Triangle of Sadness delivers an entertaining allegory that calls attention to the artificiality of human constructs that create inequity. However, some may find the film's brutal satire more mean-spirited than profound. While the dialogue is sharp, and the comedic situation the picture presents is clever, the social commentary it provides doesn't quite make a unique or particularly insightful point regarding society's problems, it merely preaches to the choir.

FRAGMENTS

- The French title of the film is Sans Filtre, "No Filter" in English

- The film premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival where it received an 8-minute standing ovation

- Tragically, Charlbi Dean suddenly passed away shortly after the film was released

- Zlatko Burić is also excellent in Nicolas Winding Refn's Pusher Trilogy

Tár

TÁR

2022 | Dir. Todd Field | 158 Minutes

"Don't be so eager to be offended. The narcissism of small differences leads to the most boring conformity."

At the height of her career, universally acclaimed composer/conductor Lydia Tár prepares to record the culmination of her life's work. However, past indiscretions begin to catch up with her, exacerbated by her continued thoughtless mistreatment of those within her sphere of influence. Her personal and professional accomplishments swiftly unravel.

Writer/director Todd Field's Tár is an engaging and provocative film centered on a deeply flawed protagonist. As if subverting the standard biopic narrative, the picture plays like the typical story of the triumphant rise of a fictional virtuoso, except in reverse. After efficiently introducing the much-lauded musical savant in the form of an interview at the New Yorker Festival, firmly establishing her numerous accomplishments, including EGOT status, the narrative gradually reveals the disturbing history of its subject's impropriety, namely her verbally demeaning teaching style, and her reckless womanizing and emotional manipulation of younger musicians. Though she is not entirely without redeeming qualities, such as her love for her young daughter, and there is evidence of a conscience in the form some truly creepy nightmares, her intrinsic defects as a human being undo the years of work she spent honing her talent and even carefully curating her persona as revealed by the final act of the picture. Addressing topical concerns regarding the often-abused privilege at the disposal of public figures, and the sudden onset of social and professional reckoning, Field and lead performer Cate Blanchett craft a delicate balance that illustrates the admirable tenacity of unrelentingly talented people as well as their potential for deplorable behavior.

Taking on a horror film aesthetic, Tár is at its very best when illustrating the moments of dread experienced by the conductor. Exploring the anxieties haunting the shrewd and seemingly impenetrable woman, the frequent hallucination and nightmare sequences suggest that she ultimately isn't so much a conscience as she chooses to repress it. The distorted faces and auditory anomalies during these moments are genuinely disturbing, complementing the collapse of the musical genius's life of calculated, controlled stability. The intensity of these sequences slowly bleeds into the waking world until it culminates with a truly epic meltdown after Lydia is ousted from her position and she storms the stage in a pathetic attempt to reclaim the podium from her replacement.

Blanchett is phenomenal, giving one of her best performances ever, skillfully presenting the mindset of the central character with a certain delicate balance that elicits empathy but never sympathy. In a stand-out supporting performance as Lydia's suffering assistant Francesca, Noémie Merlant exudes a quiet dignity worthy of admiration. The supporting cast also features Nina Hoss as Lydia's concertmaster wife Sharon, Sophie Kauer as cellist and Lydia's prospective love interest Olga Metkina, Julian Glover as Lydia's mentor Andris Davis, and Mark Strong as the manager of Lydia's fellowship program.

A mesmerizing character study of an unrepentant narcissist, Tár presents a thought-provoking portrait of a problematic artist, depicting the downfall of an exceptional but controversial person with foreboding inevitability, challenging the audience to weigh her selfish and abusive actions against her undeniable talent. Topical though the themes may be, the film impressively avoids heavy-handed preaching. By presenting the entire narrative from the perspective and disturbed psyche of its troubled and troubling subject, the picture leaves judgment solely at the discretion of the viewer.

FRAGMENTS

- Uncommon for modern films, the picture begins with the credits for the technical staff

- The late-film reveal of Lydia's humble Staten Island origins, along with her birth name of Linda Tarr, is amazing, making her poor judgment and downfall all the more unfortunate, if not outright tragic

- The final scene depicting Lydia conducting a Monster Hunter video game concert for cosplaying fans as the absolute career nadir for a working conductor is somewhat amusing

- Hildur Guðnadóttir composed the scores for this film and another 2023 Best Picture Oscar Nominee Women Talking

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Cate Blanchett (Hela in Thor: Ragnarok)

The Fabelmans

THE FABELMANS

2022 | Dir. Steven Spielberg | 151 Minutes

"Family. Art. It'll tear you in two."

After viewing his first film at a young age, Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker. Weathering family strife, gross anti-Semitic discrimination, and other challenges, Sammy's dedication to his chosen medium of artistic expression is continually tested.

Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical picture ruminating on family, the nature of art, and the power of filmmaking is a respectable crowd-pleaser in line with much of the celebrated director's body of work. It is an affecting film that is elevated by the respective performances of its talented cast but suffers a bit from the narrative's lack of subtlety, delivering engaging text without a shred of subtext. The story of Spielberg stand-in Sammy as presented feels oddly by-the-numbers, offering few surprises, tracking his coming-of-age from his first theatrical experience as a child watching Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth with his parents to his burgeoning talent as a filmmaker making movies as a boy scout in Arizona to his disillusionment and eventual rekindling with the craft as a bullied high school student. Through it all is a subplot surrounding the dissolution of Sammy's parents' marriage that informs Sammy's relationship with film on a somewhat simplistic Freudian level.

By far, the weakest aspect of The Fabelmans is the screenplay by Tony Kushner, lacking in subtlety, painting the narrative in broad strokes. This is most noticeable during the second half of the film that features a cartoonishly flighty devout Christian high school girlfriend and over-the-top bullies that behave more like caricatures than believable characters. However, the technical expertise exhibited by Spielberg greatly elevates the material. Showcasing Spielberg's seasoned talent as a filmmaker, the feature is at its best when it demonstrates Sammy's natural talent as a director and editor. Spielberg's expert technique is best exemplified in quiet moments with big emotional payoffs such as Sammy amusingly giving a young boy scout just the right motivation to unintentionally transform him into a full-fledged method actor and the discovery of his mother's affair with his father's best friend while reviewing footage from a family camping trip, though presentation of the high school beach movie that tops off the picture's finale that leads to a confrontation with, and redemption of, one of Sammy's tormentors plays out a bit too neatly.

Gabriel LaBelle makes for an captivating analog for a teenage Spielberg, giving a measured, controlled performance that could have easily gone off the rails considering the big, emotional outbursts required in countless scenes. As Sammy's radiant but troubled mother, Michelle Williams dazzles, delivering her best performance to date that almost makes up for what the role lacks in nuance as it is written. Paul Dano turns in fine work as Sammy's soft-spoken no-nonsense tech whiz father, most convincing in moments of quiet suffering. Knocking out of the park his most understated and, arguably, best dramatic role yet, Seth Rogen is both charismatic and slightly detestable as the jovial family friend revealed to be a crucial factor in the destabilization of Sammy's family. The broadest piece of acting in the film belongs to Judd Hirsch in a brief incredibly though affecting appearance as Sammy's granduncle Boris imparting the gruffest grunkle life advice.

Funny, heartbreaking, and consistently entertaining throughout, The Fabelmans falls just short of excellent due in part to its distractingly broad screenplay. Despite the melodrama of some of its writing, the feature is a competently-made, highly accessible biopic about the power of filmmaking and the sometimes high cost of pursuing one's dreams. While the film is inspired by the childhood of Steven Spielberg, it doesn't offer too much insight into the acclaimed director's life, but its story is definitely made better by moments that are clearly sourced specifically from his upbringing.

FRAGMENTS

- Seeing Paul Dano play a stern dad makes me feel my age

- David Lynch's cameo as legendary director John Ford during the epilogue is one of my favorite movie moments of 2022

- The final shot with the camera correcting its horizon line is the perfect punctuation to the John Ford epilogue

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)

West Side Story

WEST SIDE STORY
2021 | Dir. Steven Spielberg | 156 Minutes

"I saw you and the world went away."

A young Puerto Rican woman and a Polish ex-gangster fall in love in the midst of a tense turf war between gangs led by her brother and his best friend. Inevitably, tragedy stemming from the hatred between their communities tears the couple apart.

While Robert Wise's 1961 West Side Story is rightfully a beloved Oscar-winning all-time classic, Steven Spielberg's 2021 adaptation of the celebrated musical belongs on the extremely short list of cinematic reiterations that improve upon their predecessors on virtually every level. From the quality of the performances to the authenticity of the sets and the social commentary, the picture is an exemplary work of art, featuring more thoughtful and accurate representation in its thematic content and in its cast. This film particularly places heavy emphasis on the fact that all of the lead characters are victims of institutional failure, the Jets products of poverty-stricken broken households without hope for better lives, the Sharks immigrants struggling to make it in an often unduly hostile country.

The extremely impoverished west side of Manhattan as it was in 1957 is realized in gritty, lived-in detail, stripped of any artificial glitz or glamour. The elaborate set pieces feel all the more natural due to the picture's exemplary production design. Choreographed with dazzling precision, the musical numbers are exciting, brimming with infectious energy, delivering arguably definitive versions of time-honored musical theater standards.

In the lead role of Maria, Rachel Zegler is soulful and magnetic, her sensational voice put to excellent use. Ansel Elgort is fine but unexceptional as Tony, capably filling the part of a square-jawed singing and dancing leading man without bringing anything too memorable to the table. Ariana DeBose as Anita is a force to be reckoned with, so naturally playing the part of a woman full of life until she transforms into a grief-stricken casualty of profound misfortune. As Riff, Mike Faist gives a revelatory performance, simultaneously rough-around-the-edges and astonishingly charismatic, pulling off a laid back demeanor that hardly hides the street punk's nothing-to-lose outlook on life. Riff's foil Bernardo is played with amazing physicality by David Alvarez who imbues the character with an authentic air of pride and dignity. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film, brings appropriate gravitas and immediate cinematic respectability to the picture playing Doc's widow Valentina, essentially replacing the classic Doc role, still looking and still sounding fantastic. Josh Andrés Rivera exudes pure sympathy as Chino, a tough role that he plays remarkably well, foil to Tony who never stood a realistic chance as a rival love interest for Maria. Non-binary performer iris menas makes a big impression as the recontextualized Anybodys, giving genuine humanity to the role of a marginalized character who has always been a stand-in for the marginalized people in society. The picture also features Brian d'Arcy James as the hapless Officer Krupke and Corey Stoll as the insufferable Lieutenant Schrank.

Steven Spielberg's take on West Side Story is a rich feast of sight and sound telling a uniquely American tale that grows more relevant every day. The picture is sure to impress those who love the timeless original stage production, challenge devotees of the 1961 film version, as well as delight brand new audiences.

FRAGMENTS
- The film is dedicated to director Steven Spielberg's father Arnold Spielberg

- Impressively, all of the actors in this version did their own singing

- It's difficult not to draw comparisons between this and the 1961 film

- It's also difficult not to tune out the accusations of sexual assault against leading man Ansel Elgort

MCU CONNECTIONS
- Corey Stoll (Darren Cross in Ant-Man and Ant-Man: Quantumania)

Licorice Pizza

LICORICE PIZZA

2021 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | 133 Minutes

"I'm not gonna forget you, just like how you're never gonna forget me."

Precocious teenage actor Gary Valentine falls head over heels for twenty-something Alana Kane, a young woman searching for her calling in life. Gary embarks on one trendy business venture after another while he attempts to woo the woman of his dreams by including her in all of his questionable exploits.

Licorice Pizza is a quirky coming-of-age comedy featuring a cast of entertainingly off-beat characters that are undeniably Paul Thomas Anderson creations. The plot meanders quite a bit as its young protagonist crosses paths and occasionally runs afoul of show business elites, hatching various harebrained business schemes, but the film is consistently captivating thanks in no small part to its two talented lead performers. No matter how outlandish the situations become, Gary and Alana are always authentically presented as genuine, flawed young people that alternately demonstrate warm affection, deep jealousy, and youthful vulnerability throughout the narrative, knowing exactly which buttons to push to elicit a reaction from their suffering love interest.

Through exemplary production design, Anderson recreates the San Fernando Valley of his youth, immersing the audience in the bygone 1970s California setting. Licorice Pizza presents a warm, lived-in, somewhat dingy cinematic world, somehow dreamlike but not quite idealized. The gorgeous, nuanced lighting courtesy of industry veteran and frequent Anderson collaborator Director of Photography Michael Bauman truly gives the film its distinctive look.

As Alana and Gary, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman prove to be engaging stars as they make their screen debuts, each bringing more than enough charisma to carry the film. Haim is a natural performer, exuding frustration and romantic longing with convincing grace and playfulness. The moment Hoffman appears on screen, he immediately carries himself like a veteran screen actor giving an exceptionally measured and nuanced performance. The supporting cast notably features Sean Penn as an arrogant aging film star, Tom Waits as an eccentric director Rex Blau, Benny Safdie as charismatic politician Joel Wachs, and Bradley Cooper in a memorable extended cameo as the wildly unpredictable and threatening Jon Peters.

Licorice Pizza is a technically masterful film that is at its core, like many Paul Thomas Anderson films, an unconventional love story that may seem delightfully quirky to some while uncomfortably off-putting to others. The film is nevertheless a fully-realized reflection of a time when the world wasn't exactly less complex but perhaps just complicated in different ways. How well the audience receives the picture essentially hinges upon its acceptance of Anderson's views on romance.

FRAGMENTS

- To hilarious effect, Alana Haim's bandmate sisters Danielle and Este, and her parents play her character's family

- Cooper Hoffman is so much like his late father, frequent Paul Thomas Anderson collaborator Philip Seymour Hoffman

- It's great to see Mary Elizabeth Ellis, perhaps best known for playing the waitress on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

- Bradley Cooper also delivers a harrowing lead performance in 2022 Best Picture Oscar Nominee Nightmare Alley

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)

- John C. Reilly (Rhomann Dey in Guardians of the Galaxy)