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)

Anora

ANORA

2024 | Dir. Sean Baker | 139 Minutes

"You do not love him, and he doesn't love you. You understand? That's in your head."

Anora "Ani" Mikheeva, a stripper from Brooklyn, meets Ivan Zakharov, the son of a Russian oligarch. After taking Ivan on as a regular client, attracted to Ivan's carefree nature and freewheeling lifestyle, Ani spontaneously agrees to marry him. Their nuptials set in motion a series of unpredictable events with emotionally cataclysmic results for Ani.

A pointed subversion of improbable Hollywood love stories, writer/director Sean Baker's Anora is as amusing as it is heartbreaking. The film is a highly entertaining tale of raw passion and devastating loss with an incredibly funny layer of cynicism masking heartfelt sincerity. Consistently hilarious in its frank, almost mechanical depiction of sex work, the outrageous wealth and fickle whims of Russian oligarchs, and the limited competence of three grown men attempting to wrangle one desperately determined young woman, the picture also poignantly explores the hidden overwhelming vulnerability of its protagonist under layer upon layer of antagonistic snark and anger.

Liberal glimpses of nudity, sex, and illicit substances aside, the first act of Anora plays out like a dreamy fantasy as Ani gradually falls for Ivan, an attachment that gives her a taste of decadent luxury and ostensibly allows her to leave behind an unfulfilling job and bothersome roommate. The moment Ivan flees his handlers, all hell breaks loose and the film descends into incessant shouting and random acts of violence Ani inflicts upon those determined to track Ivan down in the employ of his enraged parents. To Baker's credit as writer and director, the narrative remains thoroughly engaging through the pandemonium as he makes it incredibly easy to empathize with Ani while she gradually realizes her relationship with Ivan evidently does not align with her expectations. By the time the audience reaches the final heart-rending scene in a kindly hired goon's grandmother's car, the cathartic release is fully earned.

Mikey Madison is absolutely fantastic in the titular role, naturally exhibiting sly wit, gritty toughness, and deep heartache all through a thick but convincing New York accent. As the privileged and totally irresponsible Ivan, Mark Eydelshteyn is believably charming but also believably spineless and punchable. The embodiment of pure undiluted frustration, Karren Karagulian gives off infectious anxiety as Ivan's put-upon Armenian godfather Toros charged with retrieving the boy. Yura Borisov shines as lovable tough guy Igor, consistently and effortlessly stealing his scenes. 

Anora is a wild, chaotic, and deeply earnest emotional ride driven by a truly exceptional leading performance. Despite the somewhat unconventional and ostensibly salacious aspects of its narrative, at its core the picture is an engaging universally-relatable story of misplaced love and heartbreak. The pacing and incessant shouting can be a tad relentless during the second act, but the film starts and ends masterfully.

FRAGMENTS

- Igor is honestly the best, no notes

- While the rapid decline of his physical well-being due to Ani's relentless attacks and straight-up bad luck is incredibly funny, I really hope Garnik is okay

Oppenheimer

OPPENHEIMER

2023 | Dir. Christopher Nolan | 181 Minutes

"We might start a chain reaction that destroys the world."

In 1954, J. Robert Oppenheimer appeals the United States Atomic Energy Commission's decision to revoke his security clearance. A private hearing is held to review Oppenheimer's leadership on the Manhattan Project while scrutinizing his history with members of the Communist Party. In 1957, a Senate confirmation hearing is held for Lewis Strauss to become Secretary of Commerce. Adversarial to Oppenheimer, Strauss quickly finds that the scientific community and history are not on his side.

Adapted from Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's 2005 J. Robert Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a sweeping epic charting the rise and fall of a deeply flawed genius. Written and directed by the celebrated auteur, he tells his most personal and contemplative story yet, exploring festering guilt and overwhelming anxiety through the eyes of the father of the atomic bomb. A decidedly unconventional biopic that chronicles the man's career rather than his entire life, the film celebrates scientific ingenuity but also condemns the nuclear arms race in no uncertain terms, a resounding protest against political agendas manipulating and exploiting scientific advancement.

The audio-visual components of Oppenheimer are unmistakably Nolan. Consistent with the director's non-linear storytelling tendencies, the feature interweaves two primary storylines occurring years apart with elegant aesthetic coding, structuring the narrative around an emotional through line rather than a strictly chronological one. Oppenheimer's demoralizing 1954 security hearing behind closed doors, depicting key events through flashbacks as he recounts his fraught education at Cambridge through the Trinity test at Los Alamos and the years that followed in which he used his influence to promote nuclear disarmament, are filmed in color. The events surrounding Lewis Strauss's humiliating 1959 Senate confirmation hearing, with flashbacks presenting his seemingly contentious professional relationship with Oppenheimer, are filmed in black and white. It's a fascinating approach to deliver the impression of a man from both internal and external perspectives, poignantly expressing both his confidence and his insecurity with nuance in the color sequences while conveying his supposed arrogance as perceived by Strauss with incomplete context in black and white. Ludwig Göransson's moody score is appropriately atmospheric, but it is incessant and occasionally more distracting than complementary.

Nolan's strength as a filmmaker are on full display showcasing the scale of the Manhattan Project. The gathering of the scientists, and their interpersonal conflicts and their collective accomplishment are the most engaging parts of the film. Conversely, Nolan's greatest weakness remains his inability to write nuanced female roles. While they serve their purpose as key figures in the protagonist's life, the roles of Jean Tatlock and Kitty Oppenheimer can be distilled down to purely temperamental forces that consistently behave like emotional disasters.

Cillian Murphy is excellent in the lead role, equally superb in portraying the confident man of science and the anxiety-stricken wretch overcome with guilt. As the vindictive Lewis Strauss, Robert Downey Jr. gives one of the very best performances of his career, absolutely convincing as a jealous and spiteful man who relishes in utilizing backhanded tactics for political gain. Making the most of her role as Kitty, Emily Blunt's considerable talent shines through despite the character being drunk and upset for the majority of the picture. The massive supporting cast features memorable performances David Krumholtz as Oppenheimer's lifelong friend physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi, Matt Damon as the amusingly straight-forward General Leslie Groves, Florence Pugh as the bewilderingly mercurial Jean Tatlock, Josh Hartnett as Oppenheimer's conflicted colleague Ernest Lawrence, Dane DeHaan as the hateful Major General Kenneth Nichols, and Alden Ehrenreich as Strauss's conscientious Senate Aide.

Oppenheimer is a monumental cinematic achievement. Despite turning up all of his signature proclivities to maximum output, Nolan's unconventional biopic is never over-indulgent. The film presents a sprawling narrative that leans heavily into the nature of regret and the folly of political division in the atomic age.

FRAGMENTS

- Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the July 21, 2023 in the United States, creating the cultural phenomenon dubbed the "Barbenheimer" in which moviegoers opted to watch both pictures as a tonally-contrasting double feature, significantly benefitting both films financially

- The fake post-credits scenes for this film circulating around the internet amuse me to no end

007 CONNECTIONS

- Rami Malek (Lyutsifer Safin in No Time To Die)

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark in Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame)

- David Dastmalchian (Kurt in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and The Wasp, and Veb in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania)

- Matt Damon (Asgardian Actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder)

- James D'Arcy (Edwin Jarvis in Avengers: Endgame)

- Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova in Black Widow, Thunderbolts*, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day)

Everything Everywhere All at Once

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

2022 | Dir. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert | 139 Minutes

"Maybe there is something out there, some new discovery that will make us feel like even smaller pieces of shit. Something that explains why you still went looking for me through all of this noise. And why, no matter what, I still want to be here with you. I will always, always, want to be here with you."

On her way to a stressful meeting with the IRS, Evelyn Quan is recruited by a soldier in a multiversal war believing her to be the key to victory against the chaotic universe destroyer known as Jobu Tupaki. Reluctantly thrown into the conflict, Evelyn soon learns of her unique connection to Jobu, forcing her to come to terms with everything in her life that seemingly went awry.

From eclectic writing/directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a unique sci-fi action comedy with an emotionally powerful story about love and regret centered on an immigrant Chinese family. The narrative is presented in three parts: a crash course on the logic of the story's world leading to an inevitable confrontation, the extended battle between the two opposing forces that quickly shifts from physical to philosophical, and a brief epilogue. Though absurd humor and phenomenal action sequences, The Daniels deliver thought-provoking ideas surrounding boundless human potential, the purpose of existence or lack thereof, and the endurance of family. Shifting genres and filmmaking styles with gradually increasing frequency as the picture plays out, the film is remarkably funny, exciting, moving, and wholly original.

The screenplay by the Daniels is exceptionally clever and, notably, much of the dialogue is spoken in Mandarin and Cantonese; Evelyn almost exclusively speaks to her husband in Mandarin, her father in Cantonese, and her daughter in English, thematically demonstrating a lack of cohesion in her life that informs her poor, emotionally dismissive approach to her most important relationships at the outset of the story. Brothers Andy and Brian Le choreograph mind-blowingly inventive fight scenes that clearly take inspiration from the seminal Jackie Chan films, most notably the fanny pack beat-down administered by Ke Huy Quan's Alpha Waymond that boldly gives the audience a preview of the quality kung fu action to come, the impressive battle in which Evelyn single-handedly defeats a small gang of foes using sign spinner skills with a riot shield, and the picture's most infamous fight scene prominently featuring the Andy and Brian themselves showing off impressive authentic traditional Chinese martial arts in sharp contrast to objects visibly protruding out of their rectums. Shifting radically into a wide variety of other filmmaking styles, the picture is also a vehicle for memorable sequences featuring two inanimate rocks on a cliff side debating the value of human endeavor, a live action Ratatouille parody with an animatronic raccoon voiced by regular Pixar composer Randy Newman, a world where humans evolved from apes with fingers that look like hot dogs with a full origin sequence inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, and most surprisingly a poignant Wong Kar Wai style romantic drama pastiche complete with the Hong Kong auteur's penchant for poignant melodramatic dialogue and signature visual flourishes.

Hilarious, touching, and simply badass, Michelle Yeoh is magnificent as the put upon reluctant protagonist Evelyn, demonstrating virtually all of her versatile talents that have made her a screen legend. Stephanie Hsu is brilliant in a wild emotionally charged performance as Eveyln's cosmically disaffected, ironically named daughter Joy, convincingly depressed to the point of becoming an ender of worlds. Playing a total sweetheart, Ke Huy Quan delivers a magnificently charming and heartbreaking performance as Evelyn's struggling husband Waymond. The film also features reliably funny seasoned character actor James Hong as Evelyn's abrasive father, Jamie Lee Curtis clearly having a lot of fun as a banally antagonistic tax collector, and Tallie Medel as Joy's supportive girlfriend.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a profoundly, wonderfully weird multiversal journey exploring failure, intergenerational trauma, and the very meaning of life through superb kung fu action, psychedelic visuals, hot dog fingers, and googly eyes. It authentically speaks to the specific experience of immigrant Chinese families in America, while also presenting a powerful counterpoint to the downward spiral of nihilism on a universally relatable level. Additionally, the film is a comprehensive showcase of everything that makes Michelle Yeoh a screen legend.

FRAGMENTS

- The Chinese title of the film that appears before the end credits is 天馬行空, loosely translated as "heavenly horse takes to the air," a phrase to describe unconstrained in style or, as I'd like to think of it, a flight of fancy

- Jackie Chan was originally intended to be the lead for this film

- Awkwafina was originally intended for the role of Joy, and while I am an Awkwafina fan I think the specific persona she is known for would have been too distracting for the role

- The pronunciation of the Cantonese is a still bit off, but it is admirable that so much of the script was written in Cantonese

- Ke Huy Quan was assistant director on Wong Kar Wai's 2046, which undoubtedly lent to the perceivable authenticity of the sequences in this film inspired by Wong Kar Wai's style

007 CONNECTIONS

- Michelle Yeoh (Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies)

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Michelle Yeoh (Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Jiang Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

- Andy Le (Death Dealer in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

- Stephanie Hsu (Soo in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

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)

Nomadland

NOMADLAND

2021 | Dir. Chloé Zhao | 108 Minutes

"My dad used to say: 'What's remembered lives.' I maybe spent too much of my life just remembering."

After the passing of her husband and the economic collapse of her town, Fern chooses to live out of a van, perpetually on the move working odd jobs to support herself. She joins an often neglected segment of the American population, left behind by the world but finding contentment in a life of constant wandering.

Inspired by journalist Jessica Bruder's non-fiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, director Chloé Zhao's Nomadland straddles the line between narrative feature and documentary. The film's barebones plot serves as a springboard for episodic slices of life featuring real elderly transient laborers playing fictionalized versions of themselves recalling the often tragic circumstances that brought them to life on the road. The picture passes on these stories in an intimate and frank manner that's often profoundly beautiful, exploring the freedom that's found on the other side of grief.

As Fern moves from one seasonal job to the next working for a wide range of employers such as an Amazon fulfillment center, Badlands National Park, and a beet processing plant, the audience is invited to vicariously live through all of the simple joys and unflattering hardships of the nomadic way of life. Following her travels for one full year, it becomes easy to understand why a woman like Fern would choose this from of existence over one that follows standard societal conventions. There is no way to return to her old life and she wouldn't have the freedom she's grown to cherish living any other way.

Nomadland presents sights that range from absolutely breathtaking to strikingly tragic. Cinematographer Joshua James Richards does a phenomenal job of lovingly capturing the abundant beauty of the wilderness, the mundanity of blue-collar labor, the warmth of a communal campsite, as well as the empty desolation of the abandoned town featured in the final act of the picture. The varying landscapes and locations serve to effectively telegraph Fern's state of mind throughout the picture.

The character of Fern isn't too far removed from the headstrong no-nonsense roles in the Frances McDormand's filmography but the acclaimed actress reliably brings a sympathetic and heartbroken quality to her performance that's deeply moving. Real-life nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells are completely natural in their interactions with McDormand's Fern, exuding genuine human dignity as they relate their respective stories. David Strathairn delivers a delightful supporting performance as a soft-spoken nomad who sheepishly shows his affection for Fern.

Nomadland is a sobering, meditative, candidly unglamorous examination of transient life in the post-recession American West. The film sincerely and artfully conveys the connection between devastating loss and the specific brand of freedom afforded to those unwilling or, more commonly, tragically unable to return to a settled lifestyle.

FRAGMENTS

- Linda May is the protagonist of  the book by Jessica Bruder that inspired this film

- Nomadland was filmed over four months in seven different states, with cast and crew living out of vans during the entire production

- Writer/director Chloé Zhao split time between the set of Nomadland and working pre-production for Eternals

- Blending remarkably well into the nomadic lifestyle, most of Frances McDormand's co-stars in this film did not know she was an actress

Parasite

PARASITE
2019 | Dir. Bong Joon Ho | 132 Minutes

"Hell, if I had all this money, I'd be nice too."

An impoverished family craftily cons their way into a wealthy household. Their scheme irrevocably unravels in the aftermath of one dark and stormy night.

Written and directed by eclectic auteur Bong Joon Ho, Parasite is a tale of desperate have-nots taking the old "fake-it-till-you-make-it" maxim to the extreme. Best described as a black comedy, the film plays with genre conventions and alternates smoothly from amusing unconventional caper to intense thriller. It's a funny, dark, and suspenseful picture with a plot that constantly escalates in thrilling and unpredictable ways, grounded by well-defined characters who behave authentically when facing extraordinary situations.

Bong Joon Ho's witty script and the inspired production design speak volumes on the differences between the destitute and the affluent. The struggling Kim family lives in a dingy basement apartment where even their toilet is situated elevated above their living space, while the Park family resides in a lavish modern hilltop mansion designed by an acclaimed architect. The way the Kims gradually insert themselves into the Parks' lives and their household is extraordinarily amusing during the first half of the film. At the midway point, the already memorable film reaches the level of essential cinema when the Kims discover an even more desperate form of existence hidden within the lavish mansion and come to the poignant realization, at the same time as the audience, that they have not escaped their low station in life and likely never will.

The ensemble cast of Parasite is phenomenal from top to bottom. Playing the Kim family, Choi Woo-shik as the sly son Ki-woo "Kevin" turns in a charismatic and thoughtful performance, the magnetic Park So-dam as the calculating daughter Ki-jeong "Jessica" runs away with all of her scenes, Song Kang-ho embodying slightly aloof father Ki-taek feels genuinely warm and kind with an underlying darkness, and Chang Hyae-jin portraying mean-spirited mother and former Olympic hammer throwing medalist Chung-sook is hysterically matter-of-fact in her demeanor and line delivery. Filling the roles of the Park family, Cho Yeo-jeong as gullible mother Yeon-gyo is terribly convincing, Jeong Ji-so as teenage daughter Da-hye is great at being just slightly insufferable, Lee Sun-kyun as the presumptuous Mr. Park is appropriately detestable, and Jung Hyeon-jun as the bratty son Da-song makes for a great unpredictable obstacle. Additionally, the film features startling performances from Lee Jung-eun as the unfortunate housekeeper Gook Moon-gwang and Park Myung-hoon as her psychologically unhinged husband.

Hilarious and exquisitely suspenseful, Parasite is an exemplary exhibition of filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's signature talent for blending sharp social commentary, quirky characters, grim humor, and nerve-racking tension. The film's amusing take on the symbiotic relationship between the rich and the poor is both clever and topical.

SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF

- Video: Learn the Jessica Jingle with Park So Dam

Roma

ROMA
2018 | Dir. Alfonso Cuarón | 135 Minutes

"We love you so much, Cleo."

The modest life of a live-in housekeeper for a middle-class household in 1970 Colonia Roma is disrupted by an unexpected pregnancy. As her employer's marriage falls apart, political turmoil on the streets boil over, and her own situation worsens, Cleo carries on with genuine love and support from the family she serves.

Roma is a meditative examination of a life that would typically be overlooked or dismissed outright for a narrative feature. Beautifully shot in striking black and white, writer/director Alfonso Cuarón accentuates major events of Cleo's story by setting them against the politically volatile times of early 1970s Mexico. Mounting tensions within Cleo's life and her household symbolically manifest into spontaneous forest fires and violence in the streets. Through all of her highs and lows, the profound affection that Cleo shares with the family that employs her figuratively and literally saves her life as well as theirs.

Dedicated to his childhood nanny and loosely based on her life, Caurón captures the minutiae of Cleo's day-to-day activities in tender loving detail. Through these moments and her interactions with the family, particularly with the children she tends to and cares for, Cleo is authentically presented as a fully defined human being with a dignified inner life, never framed as a doting servant but as a valued member of the household. Visually, the scope of the film gracefully expands in several key sequences featuring Cuarón's signature long extended takes that seamlessly build dramatic tension.

Without any formal acting experience, Yalitza Aparicio is warm, charming, and remarkably natural as Cleo, essentially the polar opposite of a big flashy lead performance in the best way possible. Aparicio is especially heartbreaking during the final stretch of the story that requires her to express great loss and greater bravery. Playing the mother of the family, Marina de Tavira effectively portrays a highly-educated headstrong woman on the cusp of a painful divorce, a person who could not be any more different from Cleo in terms of social status and temperament. Some of the film's best moments are shared between Aparicio and de Tavira, as Cuarón focuses on the struggles that the two women have in common.

Visually breathtaking, crafted with love and precision, Roma is a comprehensive showcase of Alfonso Cuarón's skills as storyteller and filmmaker. The picture takes a deeply personal and compassionate look at the life of a humble servant and presents it on a scale that gracefully shifts between intimate and epic. The deliberate pacing the film may be a detractor for some viewers, but the human story of perseverance and unconditional love at its core is profoundly moving and absolutely worthy of an audience.


FRAGMENTS
- Like the character she portrays, Yalitza Aparicio cannot swim and was terrified about the climatic sequence on the beach

- The family goes to the cinema to see the 1969 space adventure film Marooned starring Gregory Peck, a direct inspiration for Alfonso Cuarón's 2013 film Gravity for which he won an Oscar for Best Director

The Shape of Water

THE SHAPE OF WATER
2017 | Dir. Guillermo del Toro | 123 Minutes

"When he looks at me, the way he looks at me, he does not know what I lack or how I am incomplete. He sees me, for what I am, as I am. He's happy to see me every time, every day."

In Cold War era Baltimore, Maryland, a mute woman named Elisa works as a janitor at a secret government facility. Elisa falls in love with an aquatic humanoid creature held captive in the lab, but as their romance blossoms she catches the attention of the sadistic colonel who captured the creature. With the creature's life on the line, Elisa helps the creature escape with the help of her friends.

The Shape of Water is a creature feature with a romantic heart beating at its core. Writer/Director Guillermo del Toro's fondness for monsters and old Hollywood colors every frame of the film. The audience is quickly introduced to Alisa who lives alone in a creaky apartment above an old movie theater through her day-to-day routine down to the most honest and intimate detail. As Alisa's relationship with the creature develops, rather than shy away from depicting the physical act of love, del Toro fully embraces the moment as one of romantic beauty and triumph. The supporting characters populating the relatively simple narrative are also nuanced and human to a fault, from Alisa's awkward neighbor who has a shy crush on the server at the local cafe to the villainous colonel who suffers from intense feelings of inadequacy.

As the mute heroine Elisa, Sally Hawkins is simply lovely and undeniably magnetic, carrying the film with genuine strength and grace. Doug Jones, the Boris Karloff of our time (and director Guillermo del Toro's regular ace in the hole), delivers yet another brilliant and affecting performance as the meticulously-realized fishman - here's hoping the Academy honors him with a statue some day if they're ever less stuffy about recognizing genre films. Character actor Michael Shannon at his most volatile raises the dramatic stakes considerably as the colonel, and leads a fantastic supporting cast featuring Octavia Spencer as Elisa's unhappily wed friend from work, Richard Jenkins as her kindly gay neighbor, and Michael Stuhlbarg as a conscientious soviet spy.

An artful and truly unique blend of pure romance and monster movie, The Shape of Water is a heartfelt tribute to those who feel unloved, and the fulfillment one may find in unexpected places. The film ranks among Guillermo del Toro's finest works, and it's without a doubt one of the best motion pictures of the year.


FRAGMENTS
- Writer/Director Guillermo del Toro reportedly asked for assistance from female members of his family and female friends to design the shape of the creature's butt to ensure that it was pleasing to the eye

- Doug Jones previously appeared in Writer/Director Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army based on Mike Mignola's comic book series as Abe Sapien, a similar amphibious humanoid creature

- Michael Stuhlbarg appears in three Best Picture Oscar Nominees that were released in 2017: this film, Call Me By Your Name, and The Post


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Michael Stuhlbarg (Nicodemus West in Doctor Strange and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

La La Land

LA LA LAND
2016 | Dir. Damien Chazelle | 128 Minutes

"Here's to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem. Here's to the hearts that ache. Here's to the mess we make."

After several chance encounters, aspiring actress Mia and struggling Jazz pianist Sebastian fall in love.  While Mia and Sebastian mutually encourage each other to pursue their respective dreams, their relationship deteriorates when Sebastian sets aside his plan to open a jazz club after he finds steady lucrative work playing with a popular band, while success continues to elude Mia.

From its ambitious one-take opening number on a stretch of Los Angeles highway to the intimate tribute to dreamers performed by Mia before the film's incredible finale, Damien Chazelle's La La Land is a masterpiece consisting of brilliant choreography, boisterous music by Chazelle’s regular collaborator Justin Hurwitz, and profound emotional depth. Uplifting musical numbers aside, the film's central love story plays out in a believable fashion from start to end, perfectly capturing the excitement, which can feel as surreal as a waltz among the stars, and the quiet tragedy of a fleeting romance. The film's epilogue cleverly offers the audience a glimpse at an alternate, more typically Hollywood ending, before pulling back to reality. The picture suggests that big dreams are unattainable without a reasonable amount of compromise.

Emma Stone is sweet, fun, and heartbreaking as Mia, perfect for the part in both the physically demanding song and dance numbers, and the quieter somber moments of the narrative. Building upon his cool guy persona, Ryan Gosling is extraordinarily charming as Sebastian, convincingly passionate whenever Sebastian speaks about jazz and its importance. Together, Stone and Gosling are absolutely magnetic, equal parts adorable, hilarious, and tragically sweet. The film also features acclaimed recording artist John Legend as Sebastian's friend Keith, Rosemarie DeWitt as Sebastian's concerned sister, and character actor J.K. Simmons in a small but amusing turn as a disgruntled restaurant owner.

Technically impressive and an absolute delight, La La Land is a classic-style Hollywood musical behind a starkly modern lens. The film has some poignant things to say about the value of holding onto one's dreams and the reality of accepting compromise. It's one of the rare films that should be a surefire crowd-pleaser for dreamers and cynics alike.


FRAGMENTS
- Written by director Damien Chazelle 2010, film studios were not interested producing La La Land until Chazelle's Whiplash proved to be a success

- Emma Watson and Miles Teller were originally set to play the Mia and Sebastian but scheduling conflicts (Watson) and unsuccessful contract negotiations (Teller) lead Chazelle to recast the roles

MCU CONNECTIONS

- J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home)

The Revenant

THE REVENANT
2015 | Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu | 156 Minutes

"I ain't afraid to die anymore. I'd done it already."

In 1823, while on the run from hostile natives, fur trapping expedition navigator Hugh Glass is mauled by a grizzly bear. Believing Glass to be on the brink of death, Glass' half-native son Hawk, and trappers John Fitzgerald and Jim Bridger volunteer to stay behind to tend to Glass. Harboring a grudge against Hawk and Glass, Fitzgerald murders Hawk and tricks Bridger into leaving Glass for dead. Miraculously, Glass survives and crawls across the wilderness to seek vengeance. Meanwhile, the native tribe search for their chief’s missing daughter, believed to be captured by white men.

The Revenant is visually stunning and unflinchingly treacherous. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's deliberate exclusive use of natural light accentuates the beauty and the brutality of the wilderness. The film features breathtaking action sequences shot in extended takes, most notably in the film's opening moments, the grizzly bear attack, a chase sequence before the final act, and the climatic confrontation between Glass and Fitzgerald. Iñárritu also brings an ethereal quality to Glass' dream sequences and flashbacks.

Even discounting the physical challenge required of the role, Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as Glass is nuanced and absolutely captivating, fully immersed in the loss and desperation suffered by the character. Tom Hardy also does some of his best work in this film as Glass' pragmatic foil and adversary Fitzgerald, particularly imposing in scenes shared with Will Poulter's Bridger. Domhnall Gleeson appears in a supporting role as Andrew Henry and Forrest Goodluck matches DiCaprio's intensity as Glass' son Hawk.

Although its narrative is rudimentary and thematically ordinary, The Revenant is an undeniable cinematic achievement, presenting the American frontier with impeccable visual fidelity.


FRAGMENTS
- Tom Hardy appears in two nominees for Best Picture in 2015, this film and Mad Max: Fury Road

- In 2015, Domhnall Gleeson appeared in numerous critically-acclaimed and financially successful films including this film, Ex Machina, Brooklyn, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock and Venom in Spider-Man: No Way Home)

- Will Poulter (Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

Rocky

ROCKY
1976 | Dir. John G. Avildsen | 119 Minutes

"Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."

Washed-up Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa is chosen by world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed to be his next opponent. With support from cranky boxing coach Mickey and his mousy girlfriend Adrian, Rocky overcomes all odds, including his personal demons, and enters the ring, taking the chance of a lifetime, and doing the impossible by going the distance against the champ.

Written by and starring then-unknown Sylvester Stallone, Rocky may be the ultimate inspirational underdog fairy tale. First and foremost a character piece, the role of Rocky was written to be a reflection of Stallone's real life struggles at the time. Seen by most as nothing more than an uneducated bruiser, Rocky's brutish exterior hides a big heart and a fierce determination to succeed waiting to be awakened. The picture features one of the most famous training montages ever filmed, the first movie sequence ever to utilize the Steadicam, with Rocky jogging through the streets of Philadelphia set to Bill Conti's iconic rousing musical score.

Sylvester Stallone drives the film with a genuinely heroic performance, playing the title role with humor, grit, vulnerability, and heart. As the shy introvert Adrian, Talia Shire conveys a quiet hidden strength, perfectly complementing Stallone's Rocky. Character actor Burgess Meredith plays Mickey with explosive energy, delivering many of the film's best lines. Brimming with style and charisma, Former pro football player Carl Weathers is expertly cast as the bombastic Apollo Creed. Rounding out the supporting cast is Burt Young as Rocky's unpleasant rough-around-the-edges best friend Paulie.

Rocky is a crowd-pleaser that tells a universally appealing story. Sylvester Stallone's star-making all-or-nothing dream project is a Hollywood classic for the ages.


FRAGMENTS
- Frank Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's brother, makes a cameo appearance as a singer on a street corner

- Boxer Joe Frazier, who famously boxed three times against Muhammad Ali (a partial inspiration for the character of Apollo Creed), makes a cameo appearance in the film

- Troma Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Kaufman, who assisted in the production of Rocky, has a cameo appearance as drunk


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Lloyd Kaufman (Gridlemop in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

- Sylvester Stallone (Stakar in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
2014 | Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu | 119 Minutes

"Shave off that pathetic goatee. Get some surgery. Sixty's the new thirty, motherfucker."

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) stars Michael Keaton as Riggan Thomson, an aging washed-up Hollywood actor, best known for portraying the titular comic book hero "Birdman." Riggan struggles to make a comeback as a "serious" actor on Broadway but as his stage adaptation of Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" buckles under the strain of his troubled personal life, difficult co-stars, and critical scrutiny with opening night fast approaching, Riggan’s Birdman alter-ego, an ever-present embodiment of his mid-life crisis, strengthens its grip on his already-fragile psyche.

Possibly Keaton's best performance to date, he's brilliant as Riggan, a man who represents a heightened approximation of Keaton's career, both an egotistical cad and a sympathetic (mostly pathetic) loser at the end of his wits. All this can be said before applying the other half of the equation: Keaton completely letting loose as the volatile, foul-mouthed, psychotic Birdman, who begins the film as a raspy voice imbuing Thomson with (hallucinations of?) telekinesis and eventually evolves into a full lycra-superhero-suit-wearing manifestation complete with CGI-infused superpowers. Keaton is an absolute pleasure to watch in this film.

Edward Norton nearly steals the show as Mike Shiner, a talented stage actor who is notorious for being a nightmare for directors. Shiner is to Norton as Thomson is to Keaton, an entertaining exaggeration of Norton's reputation as a difficult actor, quick to serve up awful behavior to everyone in his wake. Shiner’s emotionally fragile girlfriend Lesley is played by Naomi Watts, delivering a performance to relish - an actress who is manic, unstable, and on the cusp of madness herself. Another stand-out performance in Birdman belongs to Zach Galifianakis, playing against as Thomson's level-headed yet relentlessly opportunistic lawyer. Rounding out the impressive supporting cast are Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, and Lindsay Duncan.

Though Birdman is set mostly in the theater and on the city blocks within its vicinity, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu brings a kinetic energy to the narrative by presenting the film as if it were shot in one take. Save for a recurring scene that bookends the film, through clever editing and special effects the picture seamlessly transitions from one scene to the next.

Birdman is an incredibly well-crafted, hilarious dark comedy sporting an amazing cast and more than a few twisty metatextual turns. Iñárritu guides Keaton and the audience through a bumpy ride from frustration to despair to psychosis and, ultimately, to triumph.


FRAGMENTS
- Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone all have superhero movie cred

- Up until this film, I'd only ever seen Lindsay Duncan in minor parts on Doctor Who and Sherlock but she plays a great antagonist in this film, a merciless theatre critic who is all too ready to write-off Riggan sight unseen


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Edward Norton (Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk)

- Michael Keaton (Adrian Toomes in Spider-Man: Homecoming)

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