aciessi Reviews

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

[10/10 · 3 January 2024]

Many have stated, correctly, that Licorice Pizza is a return to form for Paul Thomas Anderson to the days of Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. He made his name telling crazy stories in the San Fernando Valley. But all that being said, Licorice Pizza doesn't feel like a retread of the past. Nobody wants to see a paint-by-numbers version of 90s PTA. If anything, this feels more like an epilogue for him in the same way that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was for Quentin Tarantino. It's a more personalized, emotional reflection on his upbringing and his early film career.

What's more is that Licorice Pizza is a film that could have only been made by Paul Thomas Anderson. Nobody else could have told this story and made this film properly, I am sure of it. There isn't a single character in here that is a good person. Gary Valentine is an opportunistic creep and poseur. He's a stupid kid, always trying to get something over on someone, whether it be money or sex. Alana Kane is a spectacularly immature 25 year-old who would rather further her own career than choose what is morally right. She willingly entertains Gary's advances. Gary is underage. This is wrong. She knows it's wrong, and she doesn't care. How in the world are we supposed to sympathize with these two characters? In the hands of any other filmmaker, Licorice Pizza would be a catastrophe. It's a masterpiece instead. I wish I could explain why.

Just as Martin Scorsese understands the underbelly of the Italian-American experience in New York, Paul Thomas Anderson understands the lawless hellscape that is show business in Los Angeles. Everyone is out for themselves. Our rules don't apply. This is a world where people are trying to get famous by any means necessary. The world that surrounds Gary and Alana is just as shameful and ruthless as their toxic relationship. There's slimy politicians, has-been old Hollywood actors, racist restaurateurs and Jon Peters, who needs no explanation. In context, everything about Licorice Pizza makes sense. That is remarkable.

Even more remarkable is how Paul Thomas Anderson brings this film to life. It doesn't take much to recognize his graceful touch. Through every unorthodox camera angle and every line unspoken, to just a simple facial expression that the camera lingers on, Paul Thomas Anderson's mastery of the visual language continues to exist on a spiritual level. Nobody in the modern era of cinema can capture human vulnerability in the ways that he can. Every emotion is properly distilled, from rage, to fear, to sadness and to pure joy. You can relate to his characters, no matter how profoundly different they are to you. Even these characters. In my view, he is our greatest living filmmaker.

Saltburn (2023)

Itchy

[6/10 · 1 January 2024]

The chasm between people who love or hate this film is huge. I find myself in neither camp. I enjoyed the film's excesses. The lengths at which Oliver Quick devours the Catton family were... ahem... creative. Oliver Quick felt like a younger, working-class version of Patrick Bateman, and while we are on the subject, I can easily see Saltburn getting the same cult-classic following as American Psycho. But I was frustrated by how unfocused the film was on its ideas. Is this a critique of the billionaire class or people who idolize billionaires? Are people who want to leach off of their wealthy connections good or bad? A social satire like this can be delicious, but we need to know what exactly is being targeted. Saltburn is a film with so much momentum and potential. Regardless, I think its problems might be completely irrelevant in the end.

Maestro (2023)

A challenging symphony

[6/10 · 31 December 2023]

Clearly, what we have here is a passion project by Bradley Cooper. Maestro reflects on Leonard Bernstein as a complicated man. For sure, Cooper recognizes and celebrates Bernstein's innate virtuoso genius, as well as his stunning ability to work a room without so much as lifting a baton. But the focus is on his flaws. That being, his undying love for his wife, Felicia, which is simultaneously challenged by his lusting unfaithfulness brought about by his repressed and unaddressed homosexuality. Cooper doesn't see Bernstein as a victim or a villain, but simply, a good man who must come to grips with the consequences of his own actions. The famed conductor, adored by millions, is just a human. A human who's flawed like so many. Bernstein's story proves that neither of these truths are mutually exclusive.

To highlight these two concepts, Maestro is separated into two parts and contains the most striking and devastating tonal shift of any movie in recent memory. The first 30 minutes of the film, in black-and-white, feel like a shot of adrenaline. You get a little bit of Billy Wilder and a dash of Howard Hawkes as we see Bernstein's rise to glory and his blissful love affair with Felicia. The world seems so optimistic and exciting. This is a man who can hustle and make things happen! Anything is possible. Then, in color, everything stops. All the exuberance and the hope of a bright shining future of a young talent washed away. Bernstein's marriage turns sour. His fame and acclaim begin to isolate him. Bernstein has turned into a bitter, selfish, older man, ungrateful and unsatisfied with the world around him. This was a stunning decision by Cooper. You can feel the weight of the world come crashing down on you as the film continues. Maestro is anything but one note as a biopic, and i can't tell you how unbelievably refreshing that is.

If only Maestro could've found a way to make this transition seem less abrupt. What I mean is that we know by the second half that everything went horribly wrong for the Bernstein family, but we aren't given any of the early warning signs. Perhaps the tragedy wouldn't have hit as hard as it does here if the transition was gradual, but at times, it feels as though this film wanted to have a chance to breathe, but couldn't. From a tainted marriage to a cancer diagnosis, we wonder whatever happened to the Lenny and Felicia of days past. Was it all a dream? Was the first half just the reality of our collective imaginations? Is the real Leonard Bernstein anywhere near his legendary status in music and theatre? Cooper asks these question, but I'm not sure that he fully comes to an answer.

The film's second half left me speechless. Cooper and Mulligan absolutely triumph in their respective roles here. The long takes that focus on the most painful moments of their later years assert a powerful cinematic dialogue we haven't seen from any other director since Paul Thomas Anderson. Cooper, insomuch as he has been a director these past several years, has matured greatly. This is a director who's really making some big moves. This is someone who clearly has a lot to say. But he's still got a lot of work to do.

I was particularly disappointed and almost dismayed by the film's ending. Whatever strides Cooper took before, he took a hundred steps backwards with an ending that felt cold and cynical. Bernstein is just a shell of what he was, with only Felicia's memory left to remind him of what he once had... AND? Is that truly all that's left to say? Is dancing with his new 80s boy-toy all that we're going to reduce this great conductor to? I would hope to see this decision dividing audiences as much as I believe it should. If it does, that could only be good news. Because that would mean that Maestro has got us talking. Any movie worth its salt should do just that.

May December (2023)

Jaw-Dropping

[9/10 · 28 December 2023]

Going into this, you would be right to feel very weary of its subject. The question is whether May December is sober enough to deal with Gracie and Joe's relationship with the seriousness it requires. If it doesn't, does it make the horrific decision of normalizing their story?

As I watched, it became clear that Todd Haynes was telling a stone-cold, tragic story with no ulterior motives. Anytime Gracie and Joe appear onscreen, together or apart, you can feel your skin crawl. That's the point. Nothing about their relationship or their lives is normal or okay. If the film makes any comment at all, it's to mock the nature in which the tabloid media exploits stories like this. Haynes clearly sees the media in the same predatory light as he does with Gracie. Elizabeth, the actor, comes to study them in the shallowest of ways. She has ample time to witness their messed-up lives, but only sees them as a means to land a role she thinks will bring her more acclaim and attention. The film itself is scored with music straight out of a true crime docuseries from the 90s.

May December, challenging as it may be, is one of the best films of 2023. Todd Haynes, ever the master of provocative cinema, has made another stunningly bold film. Portman, Moore and Melton will take your breath away.

Poor Things (2023)

A Bizarre Masterpiece

[9/10 · 24 December 2023]

If you've seen any Yorgos Lathimos film, Poor Things is everything you would have expected and hoped for. If you haven't seen any of his films, buckle up. That's all I'll say.

Poor Things is a thoroughly outrageous romp. It's trippy, disturbing and brutally funny. You could summarize this film as, essentially, a feminist spin on A Clockwork Orange. Both films/novels explore the concept of freewill in an oppressive society. But while Alex struggles with his repugnant urges for ultra-violence, Bella struggles with her normal primal urges of sexual liberation and independence. What women are expected to do in this dystopian universe, Bella does the opposite, and much to the chagrin of her male caretakers. Despite being created in a laboratory by a mad scientist and saddled with the brain of the infant child she was pregnant with, Bella forms an insatiable appetite for exploring and thriving.

Poor Things celebrates hedonism, but in a way that's both honest and humorous. Lathimos finds freewill to be as necessary as the air we breathe, and at times, that challenges so-called "polite society". Consider Bella an avatar for the id. Or, perhaps consider her a pioneer and a rebel. Whatever impression you make out of this, you will be blown away by Bella, who is truly the heart and soul of this entire movie. This is the defining role of Emma Stone's career. She captures a level of vulnerability and aching desire that we haven't seen from any actor in a long time.

Poor Things holds nothing back. There's a lot of sex. A lot of awkward, unsexy, sex. Perhaps it's the most realistic sex we've ever seen in a film! The special effects here are some of the strangest and most inspired of Lathimos's entire career. Mark Ruffalo's performance as Duncan is by far the year's best comedic performance.

If you're looking for a cinematic spectacle this holiday season, you've found it right here.

Leo (I) (2023)

Being green has never been so easy!

[6/10 · 6 December 2023]

Adam Sandler has, in particular, made two very smart decisions in his career. One was starring in Punch-Drunk Love and proving that he is secretly one of the finest actors of our time. The other was starring in Hotel Transylvania. By branching out into animation geared towards families, Sandler found a proper vehicle for his silliest abilities and doing so without alienating people with the kind of overly juvenile humor that plagued his comedy movies in the 2000's. He's back voicing an elderly and wise lizard in Leo. Folks, I mean this without a hint of irony when I say that Leo is very nearly the funniest movie of the year. I expected to like this movie, but I didn't expect to laugh as much as I did. Credit belongs to veteran SNL writer, Robert Smigel. Leo is filled to the brim with a Shrek 2-caliber of amazing sight gags. Plus, it has the funniest interpretation of kindergarteners that I've ever seen. As for Adam Sandler, he brings a level of warmth and goofiness to his character that felt like a loving tribute, both in style and tone, to the late, great, Gilbert Gottfried. No, this isn't a lame showcase of a new Sandler voice that will drive you mental by the 10-minute mark. Leo is a lovable protagonist. The cringey and forced musical numbers hold this thing back from being a pretty solid animated movie all around.

Dream Scenario (2023)

Dream a little dream of me.

[7/10 · 3 December 2023]

Nicholas Cage is everything, everywhere, all at once. Well, at least in your dreams, he is. Dream Scenario is such a delightful film. It's so good that it's frustrating that it's not even better.

What I mean is that Dream Scenario has a concept so inspired and subversive, and a lead in Nicholas Cage that has all the markings of a cinematic icon. The sequences, especially in the dream realm, are as magical as they are frightening. This is filmmaking come completely alive. I couldn't tell what was coming next from scene to scene and I loved that.

But with all that said, I think the story closes out in a way that doesn't properly bring things all together. Unlike films like Groundhog Day or Being John Malkovich, it feels as though Dream Scenario struggles to come to a satisfying conclusion of Paul Matthew's bizarre predicament.

Paul Matthews never realizes that he has dominion over everyone else's dreams. He doesn't master his otherworldly craft. Instead, his newly found fame consumes him and destroys everything in his life. Meanwhile, The dreams that everyone has of him start as curious, then terrifying, and then they just stop happening all together. We are never given the reason why. Only at the behest of technological software given to him does he go back and tries to fix the life that his dreams ruined, but even then, it's too late. In the end, Paul Matthews is just a hapless victim of a phenomenon that comes and goes. Perhaps that's just how this kind of thing would go in real life. Maybe it would be just as tragic as this film makes it appear.

Flaws aside, this is the exact kind of movie that A24 does best. This is a freewheeling ride that doesn't stop being a good time. Kristoffer Borgli is a name I'll be keeping an eye on and you should be too. This is his first big feature in the USA, and it showcases just how fresh and talented of a storyteller he is.

The Holdovers (2023)

Holiday cheer!

[8/10 · 19 November 2023]

The Holdovers is a Christmas classic in the making. Or, that's just way Alexander Payne wanted us to feel while watching it. Either way, this is the bittersweet comedy of the season and an absolute must see. The laughs really sting. Payne is at his very best with this material. You'll notice right away the 1970s pastiche, complete with a crackly, poppy celluloid sheen (even though this film was shot digitally), but that is not even close to what makes The Holdovers so special. It has, arguably, the richest screenplay written this year. The characters are developed beautifully, akin to a novel. Payne understands that when the story and characters shine the most brightly in a film, everything else is Thanksgiving gravy. Paul Giamatti is, once again, a treasure as Paul Hunham. Even in a film as good as this, Giamatti is the heart and soul.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Bad Moon Rising

[9/10 · 23 October 2023]

Killers of the Flower Moon has put me in one of the most delightful quandaries of my cinematic life. Let me be perfectly clear, Killers of the Flower Moon absolutely towers over thousands of movies you've seen this year. This is a thrilling, exhilarating, gorgeous and horrifying work of art from the master of cinema himself, Martin Scorsese. For 3 and 1/2 hours, you are glued to screen and completely untethered from reality. It tells both a grisly true crime story, more terrifying to witness than it is to read about and a heartbreaking tragedy of injustice and greed at its most grotesque. Both stories are absolutely worth your time in experiencing and I'd recommend seeing this film, in its behemoth-sized entirety, in a theater. But do both stories work as a complete, singular film? Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Or are the parts so good, they'd work better on their own? That is the question of the day.

The Osage Nation, in northern Oklahoma, are a tribe blessed by an unspeakable bounty of oil underneath their feet. The twenties come roaring in for them, as the Osage becomes the wealthiest tribe in all of North America. But white would-be robber barons come gushing by the trainloads, and they want in on all of that oil money. Enter, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a down-on-his-luck, simple-minded WWI vet and the nephew of influential cattle rancher William "King" Hale (Robert DeNiro). Hale takes his nephew under his wing and influences him to marry a Osage woman in order to take control of the family head-rights. Ernest finds that woman in Mollie (Lily Gladstone). Mollie falls for him, despite being seemingly aware of his intentions of which she clearly resents. All is hunky dory until, out of nowhere, a mysterious rash of brutal killings take hold of the Osage nation. Bodies start piling up, one by one. Incidentally, Mollie's immediate family is directly impacted by the murders. She loses her sister Anna, and then her sister Rita. Mollie knows that someone close to her is wiping out her family for the head-rights. What she doesn't realize is that William Hale is running a diabolical criminal enterprise in killing Osage men and women. Furthermore, Ernest is directly involved in the planning of these murders and is plotting to take out his own wife by lacing her insulin with alcohol. Does Ernest care? Not really. "I love money more than my own wife!" he exclaims to his crony friends. Mollie solicits the help of the federal government and soon enough, a budding, early stage FBI comes knocking on Ernest's door.

Ernest, Mollie and William are as richly developed and fascinating as any character we've seen in any Martin Scorsese picture. Ernest is guided merely by his primal desires for sex and greed. He has no depth, integrity or any self-respect. Like most of Scorsese's male protagonists, Ernest's lack of morals motivate every bad decision he makes and we the viewer watch in awe at how badly he debases himself in pursuits of his goals. William Hale, portrayed by Robert DeNiro, is one of the most evil screen villains I've seen in recent memory and easily the worst person DeNiro has ever played on screen. He's a master manipulator and a methodical psychopath, who befriends the Osage nation as a loyal benefactor and an ally, with every intention of wiping out their wealth, their land and their lives. This is a level of evil that most films never touch upon. The wolf in sheep's clothing. Lily Gladstone is absolutely mesmerizing as Mollie. She gives a profoundly beautiful performance as a woman utterly exhausted from the constant outrage and tragedy in her life. Her performance is a Best Actress Oscar contender for sure.

So what is the thing that's confusing me so much? Honestly, it's the constant tonal shifts. Its stark to say the very least. It's an amazing gangster movie and it's an amazing tragedy. Marty goes back and forth between the two. That didn't completely sit well with me. Scorsese admitted weeks ago that he originally wrote the film through the perspective of the FBI agents and nearly forgot about the perspectives of the Osage nation. He did a substantial rewrite. Watching the film, you can really see it. It explains the bloated run-time. Some have suggested that the film could've been near perfect with a proper edit. The problem is, functionally, you'd lose so much if you did. Could Killers have benefited from being separated into two parts (Ala the Godfather)? Or sliced up into 30 minute episodes for a miniseries? It's an interesting thought. We'll never know for sure.

Evil Dead II (1987)

Dead and Loving It!

[8/10 · 23 October 2023]

Evil Dead 2 is, in so many ways, better than the first Evil Dead. First of all, the decision to turn the franchise into an all-out horror comedy, thank you a million times over. It's insane sense of humor makes this one of the funnest movies you will ever watch. The ridiculousness never relents. The demonic creatures get crazier and crazier with every new one that appears. The blood and guts fly, with every color of the rainbow. The camera zooms at hyper-speed in ways I'll never wrap my mind around. If all of that isn't enough, we are formally introduced to batshit crazy Bruce Campbell. A horror legend... scratch that.. a comedy legend is born. Ash is the coolest horror protagonist ever created. A macho cartoon character with a chainsaw for a hand. What else can I say but, groovy!

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Fantastic

[9/10 · 29 September 2023]

Wes Anderson returns this weekend with another Roald Dahl book, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. My timing on seeing Fantastic Mr. Fox for the first time is believe it-or-not, purely coincidental. Talk about clairvoyant! This is Wes Anderson's first attempt at animation, and like Isle of Dogs, this is the medium in which his quirky, kaleidoscopic view of the world really comes alive. This is a gorgeously created animated movie, and it's painfully hilarious. You will laugh more times than you'd might expect, especially as an adult. I'm not convinced that this was made for families at all, but it's a beloved children's novel and though Wes Anderson typically caters to a mature audience, he honors the gentle roots of the story. What's better is that Fantastic Mr. Fox seems entirely self-aware that it's a Wes Anderson movie and knows how odd it's supposed to look and feel. In that sense, it goes for broke in absurdist humor and keeps upping ante from scene to scene. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Wes doesn't do enough of these!

Elemental (2023)

Doesn't Mix

[4/10 · 29 September 2023]

Impressive animation and a creative world is the only thing that makes Elemental a watchable experience. Otherwise, this is an inconsistent and lazy effort from Pixar in what is, without a doubt, their worst film to date. It's borderline unacceptable how little emotional depth there is here. The characters are cute, but entirely uninteresting. Nothing about Ember and Wade's relationship seems organic and genuine. The racial allegory is so incredibly sloppy that comes across as glib more than anything else. It's a story searching for meaning that comes up so empty. I forgot about it the minute that it ended. What a shame.

Scarface (1983)

Iconic

[6/10 · 16 September 2023]

In all my 28 years, I haven't fully seen Scarface. Maybe that sounds weirder to me, I don't know. But I must ask, were we all gaslit into thinking that this was a classic American movie? It really isn't. It's quite bad actually. It's hilarious from start to finish, and I know that wasn't the intention. Alright, I know I'm not breaking any new ground here. Ultimately, who cares if it's good or bad? I don't. Scarface is so much wild fun. It's so iconic in how over the top it is. It's quotable from scene to scene. There isn't a boring second of it. It's a garish time capsule of the coked-up 80s. There's no wonder why this movie is as legendary as is it and why it's a cultural phenomenon to this very day. I think it just might be everyone's guilty pleasure.

Prisoners (2013)

A Great Thriller

[8/10 · 16 September 2023]

Prisoners is a great American thriller, in the great tradition of The Silence of the Lambs and Zodiac. For 2 and 1/2 hours, it is absolutely heart pounding, without ever letting up. Poignantly of all, it taps into the absolute worst fears of any parent. The subject matter of this film is as dark as it gets. As you keep watching, it gets even worse. The criminal conspiracy in this film easily ranks as some of the most disturbing and realistic portrayals of serial killers I've seen. Even the shocking twists in the case are bizarre enough to sound real.

Prisoners also has arguably Hugh Jackman's best performance. A father, in pursuit of his missing daughter, with an primal rage you could only expect from a grieving parent. Keller Dover isn't pushed to the brink of insanity, he's there. The interrogation/torture scene comes to mind as a moment that is unforgettable. The sight of him breaking a porcelain bathroom sink with the ease that a blistering, violent rage could provide, is chilling to the bone.

Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022)

The Tree of Life

[6/10 · 13 September 2023]

Bardo is probably the most misunderstood film of 2022, and the most divisive. What surprises me, though, is how much critics dismissed it last year. This is Alejandro Innaritu's first film in 7 years, and he returns by reminding us just how much of a visual magician he is. This is, in my mind, the most gorgeous looking film of 2022. From the first minute, Bardo puts you in a trance. I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. Darius Khondji's work should have earned him an Oscar. Conceptually, Bardo is 8 1/2 by way of Terrence Malik, but all the same, it's Innaritu's stream of consciousness and it feels so devastatingly alive. If there is one criticism to be had, is that maybe this film shouldn't have relied on so much self-flagellation. Silverio seems to be ridiculed by everyone around him, and by the film itself. Was this a way to justify the film's existence? Did Bardo have to criticize itself so that it could be as freewheeling and experimental as it wanted to be? Because honestly, it doesn't have to. Or maybe AGI's just laid all of his thoughts, negative and positive, stark naked here, regardless of whether or not we'd understand it. You could analyze the film to kingdom come, or you could just let it wash over you. I'd rather just do the latter.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

War and Raw

[8/10 · 13 September 2023]

All Quiet on the Western Front lives up to the hallowed status of the classic novel it was based on, and unflinchingly shows and condemns the absolute brutality of war that couldn't have come at a better time. There are sequences here that will blow you away, and I'm not talking about any of the battle sequences. On an emotional level, this is a stomach churning watch. You understand the terror and tragedy seeing these men kill for the first time and how unwilling they are to do so. The more the war goes on, the more pointless it becomes. If the main takeaway is that war destroys the human sprit, All Quiet accomplishes everything it was supposed to do, and then some. As a companion piece, I think Full Metal Jacket works well alongside this.

Blonde (2022)

Some Like It Not

[4/10 · 10 September 2023]

It is gorgeously shot and impeccably acted, and yet, Blonde is one the most frustrating movies you will ever watch. Actually, frustrating is putting it mildly. This truly is exploitative garbage masquerading as an epic character study. Without question, Ana De Armas becomes Marilyn Monroe in a career-best performance. Also, without question, her performance deserved infinitely better than to be wasted on this mess. There are tremendous sequences of visual wonder, but they are few and far between a lot of pretentious hogwash. There may be a point to expose the myth of the glamour surrounding Monroe, but this film's head is so far up its own ass, it makes that mission seem pointless. Monroe is portrayed here as a helpless victim. A woman of no agency, completely dependent on a wide-variety of abusive boyfriends and husbands who poorly fill the void of the absentee father she never met. It's scene after scene of this, and it gets old real quickly. Plus, she is haunted by the fetuses of her unborn children.. yeah, there's that too.

American Graffiti (1973)

Radio Days

[9/10 · 20 August 2023]

A time in history, encapsulated in one wild night. American Graffiti is the most nostalgic film ever made. It pines for the past so romantically, and for baby boomers living in the early 70s, that was the only world worth living in. As for me, and people like me, I have no earthly idea what it was like living in the early 60s. I can't say that I could relate to this movie, but for damn sure, I sat back and let it wash over me. Experiencing this film is practically dreamlike. You totally forget where you are. You're just with all of the characters. You're riding the cars, walking the streets and listening to the music. That sweet, fantastic music. You don't watch American Graffiti, you live it.

The Northman (2022)

For Valhalla!

[7/10 · 6 August 2023]

A Scandinavian warrior who inspired William Shakespeare to pen Hamlet is the basis of this film by Robert Eggers. By far and away, this is his most accessible work. By that, I mean that it's a crowd pleasing movie for virtually any audience. Eggers left A24 and with him, the nightmarish abstract visions that dominated The Witch and The Lighthouse. The Northman is a classic historical epic that really brought me back to watching The Revenant for the first time. It's a world bathed in blood and guts, as kingdoms rise and fall in the age of the Vikings. Prince Amleth must avenge his father and save his mother from his evil uncle who's captured the kingdom. This feels like the film that Eggers has always wanted to make and he brings an enormous amount of passion to it. It's nasty, loud and brutal, and that's exactly what it needed to be. Great performances from the entire cast, but especially from Nicole Kidman and Anya Taylor-Joy. Also, any Nordic film that's self-aware enough to utilize Bjork is absolutely doing something right. Robert, you're a clever boy.

Barbie (I) (2023)

Welcome to the Dollhouse

[8/10 · 25 July 2023]

Barbie: the symbol of pink, pastel perfection. An iconic piece of American pop culture for more than 50 years. But nothing can prepare you for her big screen debut.

Barbie is a risky and courageous new movie. This is a film that will be discussed and talked about for years to come. Greta Gerwig takes Matel's historic creation, every triumph and failure in its catalogue, and places it all within a complicated and challenging critique of what it means to be a woman. If I could compare it to another movie, I would say it's very reminiscent of Robert Townsend's Hollywood Shuffle. It leaves you wondering what kind of insane negotiations went between the film's creative team and Matel, who is also one the targets of the film's purposeful ire. It is one thing to have completed this film, and absolutely another for it to have also gotten the overwhelming promotional campaign in the months leading up to its release. Gerwig's bet is paying off big time, and you have to admit, that takes a lot of guts.

Concept alone certainly isn't the film's only strength. The film is beautiful to look at. The production design is second to none in its meticulous construction of a real-life Barbie paradise. Respectively, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling give fantastic performances with plenty of complexity and dimension. I was the most touched by Rhea Perlman who gives a heartwarming portrayal of the founding mother of Barbieland, Ruth Handler. Gerwig and Baumbauch's screenplay is biting and irreverent, and by the end, nobody is left unscathed. But equally so, I belly laughed quite often and marveled at how well so many of the jokes land. The emotional depth of the film also struck a very powerful cord, complete with an ending montage that can practically leave anyone misty-eyed.

Having been released on the same day as Oppenheimer, it's safe to say that the event movie is back and better than ever. After three years of streaming, it can't be overstated how wonderful that is.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Destroyer of Worlds

[9/10 · 23 July 2023]

Here is what you need to know. Oppenheimer is one of the best films of the decade. This is a film you must see, regardless of whether or not you watch a lot of movies. See it on the biggest IMAX screen you can. It is as much an engrossing document of vital history as it is an unparalleled sensory experience. This film is of course about the invention of nuclear weaponry, and of course, you'll get up close and personal to a real detonation. But that's nowhere near the thrill behind Oppenheimer. In fact, there isn't supposed to be one. Oppenheimer is a blistering indictment of the bomb's creation and a passionate anti-war plea. What's more, is that this is a masterful character study about the man behind the bomb, and the agonizing regret he felt about creating it in the first place.

J. Robert Oppenheimer was a curious physicist who in one lifetime received the ultimate praise and the ultimate ire from the nation he belonged to. Summoned by the U. S. military, he served as the brains behind the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first, second and only atomic bombs ever used in battle. For that moment, Oppenheimer brought about the brutal end of a world war, but that was exactly the problem. A brutal end to a brutal war, and forever, the world had changed. Oppenheimer gave birth to the first weapon of mass destruction, and every nation on earth wanted one of their own. The arms race was on. The end of the world, suddenly, a possibility. If that weren't enough already, his greatest scientific ally betrays him in a stunning act of jealousy and personal enrichment, leading to a demoralizing persecution at the hands of the U. S. Government at the height of the red scare.

Oppenheimer becomes the physical manifestation of guilt and yes, death. Wracked with unending pain, we see his body begin to consume itself. His eyes stare straight into the abyss. His frame, gaunt and emaciated. Always seemingly on the verge of tears. Cillian Murphy delivers an unforgettable performance that I struggle to think won't land him an Oscar next year. For three hours, Murphy is spellbinding, and that is incredible given the fact that for the most part, he is simply talking with other people. Oppenheimer, by that affect, is not a laborious chore to sit through, but instead, a living and breathing historical account. Robert Downey Jr., as the backstabbing Lewis Strauss is instantly the clear front runner for Best Supporting Actor in a performance that mirrors F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus.

Oppenheimer is many great movies in one, and for Christopher Nolan, that comes with so much ease. In every aspect, he approaches the material with the gravity it deserves and not once does it meander and and lose focus of the core information behind the story. That unto itself is a tremendous undertaking, and without a doubt, Nolan passes that test.

Asteroid City (2023)

Shoot for the Stars

[6/10 · 25 June 2023]

This is Wes Anderson's Mars Attacks!

That's the short review, now here's the long one. Asteroid City feels like Wes Anderson's loving tribute to filmmaker Ed Wood. Or am I reading too much into this? After all, we never truly know what's going on in his head, even when we think we do. Asteroid City is ever the obscure, deadpan, verbose, too-intellectual-for-its-own-good, and perfectly symmetrical outing we've come to expect and love from Wes Anderson. No matter how many times he makes this movie, I'll still go to the theater and see it. Why? Because there is a subtle beauty to it all. There's a liberating feeling in seeing a filmmaker doing whatever the hell he wants, to the very best of his ability. That of course comes with risks. This, unfortunately makes Asteroid City completely uneven. Sometimes you'll be laughing out loud and other times you'll want to tear your hair out. It's been a while since Wes Anderson found that proper balance and he certainly doesn't find it here.

Thats not to say that you shouldn't see Asteroid City. You absolutely should. Anderson, among all else, is a man of unparalleled talent. At times, his films venture into the realm of the spectacle. Asteroid City is no exception, in fact, it's an all-out spectacle. The ensemble cast includes true stand-out performances from Edward Norton, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke, Margot Robbie, Jeffery Wright and Bryan Cranston that will fill you with wonder and joy. The production design is breathtaking and complete with a scene that blends stop-motion and live-action so fantastically, it gives you a wonderful sense of what Mars Attacks! Really could have been if the studio didn't get in the way of Burton's original vision.

There's a lot to love here, regardless of what doesn't work. You still have a hold on me, Wes. I'll be there next time, guaranteed!

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Yippee Ki-Yay!

[7/10 · 23 May 2023]

Die Hard with a Vengeance, as we know it, came to be because of Pulp Fiction. Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis proved to make such a magical screen team that Fox just couldn't pass up the opportunity.

This is the best written and best produced Die Hard movie of the entire series. It's grittier, it's funnier and it's a movie all of its own. Die Hard and Die Hard 2 are fine for what they are, but don't consider them anything else than your quintessential 80's action flicks. They are such products of their time, they should come with Rubix cubes and a Reagan 84' campaign button. Vengeance is far more timeless. Action movies were in need of a change, and this film met the moment when it needed to. Also, unlike it's predecessors, this Die Hard feels more comfortable touching on edgier material. You have to give it to Pulp Fiction again for that. Studio films, especially action thrillers, felt more comfortable being themselves when they found out, as Tarantino did, that you could go far as putting adrenaline needles, gimps and ball-gags in your movie and not lose a single dollar doing so.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Rocket Power

[8/10 · 23 May 2023]

They teased a finale and boy, is it ever. Guardians 3 is action-packed and filled with laughs, but it wears it's broken heart on its sleeve for the majority of its runtime. In particular, your soul will be crushed with Rocket Racoon's origin story. If you have a really soft spot for fluffy animals, be warned and maybe even steer clear. A decent 30-minute chunk of the film is the Rocket story, and as something standalone, it might be one of the best things Marvel has ever made. Ultimately, it brings a new dimension to a fan-favorite character whose novelty may have already been wearing thin. The rest of the film is just the kind of dynamite entertainment only James Gunn can provide. There's nothing like seeing the guardians travel and explore in the many bizarre realms of the galaxy. Even folks with Marvel fatigue won't be able to resist this.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Hot Take!

[6/10 · 23 May 2023]

The hate around this movie is really unnecessary. Sure, it's nothing like the first two, but that makes it a fascinating watch! The Quantum Realm is full of inspiration and wild looking creatures. This movie has a ton of fun with its surroundings and just seems far more free than the constraints of most superhero movies. The cast looks like they are having just as much fun with it as well. The hardest laughs belong to MODOK, who is deliberately designed to look ridiculous. It wasn't a mistake, it's the whole point. MODOK is one of the best things about this movie, especially because you can't take him seriously. Perhaps the tonal shifts were too stark and that's what isn't sitting well with Marvel fans. I would agree and additionally, I think that is a reoccurring problem in Marvel movies. But still, I thought it was a silly, fun time.