French Exit (2021) directed by Azazel Jacobs

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this film, given that I had never even seen a trailer or read a synopsis (only seen the promo image in the poster above), but this was DEFINITELY not it. Azazel Jacobs' French Exit is a wonderfully dry and absurdly screwball comedy that was just weird enough to completely work for me. The great writing and direction from Jacobs paired with the fantastic performances from both of the leads makes for one of the most interesting comedy experiences I have ever had in a theater. Even though I was never entirely keeled over from laughter, the stale sense of humor that radiates from this story was impeccable and the unexpected little touch of the supernatural worked just as well. This movie may require a bit of suspension of disbelief when it comes to narrative sensibility but there is so much to love about this solid, comedic effort.

Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) are wealthy New York socialites who thrive on their own self-importance. When Frances finds out that she is insolvent after a long divorce process, the two of them are forced to relocate to Paris where they must start their lives over again and figure out what their purposes are. Like any normal and sane viewer of modern cinema, I do not like the rich. So many phenomenal films have been made in the past few years that brilliantly criticize and sometimes satirize the nonexistent problems of the 1% but none of them have wholeheartedly focused on just the rich characters. French Exit does a great job of making its audience actually want to watch this story of two wealthy people and I was never turned off by the narrative's character focus. I also do not like when films try and get their viewers to sympathize or care for the rich characters but I am so glad that this film avoided that. Patrick DeWitt's script is excellent and he knows very well that rich people can be intensely exasperating, never trying to get us to sympathize with the plight of Frances and Malcolm. What this film does best, however, is show the audience how empty these people's lives really are when you strip away the gross amounts of money they hoard. The film is fantastic at showing the mundanity and pointlessness of these characters' existences when they are forced to begin anew and the sense of comic ability that comes from that is great as well. This movie is incredibly funny and uses its dry sense of humor to the utmost of its abilities. The cinematography and editing are perfectly fine and tell an interesting enough visual story but it's really the script that carries this absurd and oftentimes laughable film.

In order to get a witty script off the ground, a director needs a cast that is able to execute such dryness and time comedic moments just right. Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges' performances in this film are magnificent and their chemistry as mother and son is just exquisite. Their mastery of combining humor and drama in the moments that need it most is just great to see and I genuinely loved how their performances complemented the development of their characters. I also think they are both so willing to accept the strange turns that the story takes and it honestly works out for the better. Any actor or actress who would have taken the supernatural scenes more seriously or in a straightforward, dramatic fashion would have been completely misunderstanding the scene itself but Pfeiffer and Hedges play these parts with a lightness to them that really turns this story screwball. The rest of the cast are all great and there were even some people that I was not aware were in this film. Imogen Poots is one of those actresses that honestly makes everything better and has already become one of those performers that I don't hear about until I see them in a film and think "oh shit, she's in this. Hell yeah." In fact, the entire supporting cast throughout French Exit are all perfectly weird enough to fit the tone of this story. The way that each new character is introduced to Frances and Malcolm is quite hilarious and the fact that they ended up having a new sort of family by the end of this film gives it a nice, heartwarming touch that I think wraps up a comedy very well. All of the supporting performances were so great and I loved how they interacted with each other to almost make this film seem like delicately crafted improv.

French Exit is a film that has been on my radar for a while now because of the great things I have heard about it and I am beyond glad that this did not disappoint. The story structure and sense of humor are definitely not going to be for everyone, as I can clearly see why it would turn someone off, but this charmingly offputting and dry take on the "fish out of water" story just worked for me. I'm honestly intrigued that Pfeiffer has been left out of the awards conversation over the past few months but given the Academy's track record with comedy, it's not a surprise that they would have overlooked this gem of a film.

My Rating: ★★★★

The Father (2021) directed by Florian Zeller

I was really proud of myself this year because on the morning of the Oscar nominations coming out, I realized that there was only one film nominated for Best Picture that I hadn't seen yet. Florian Zeller's The Father is a film that I have heard about for a while now but based on the trailers, assumed that it was going to be this year's unavoidable, Academy Award bait. The preconceived notions in my head, thankfully, failed to be true and I am genuinely glad that I went out of my way to see this. Zeller's film is a wonderful drama with two incredible lead performances that heighten this story up to the next level. His script and direction might leave a little momentum to be desired but I thoroughly loved all of his creative choices throughout this movie. It is also certainly a play adaptation through and through but thanks to its quick runtime and writing that wastes no time, I was genuinely engaged by this story.

Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is an aging man living in a flat in London where his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) frequently checks up on him. He is struggling with losing his memory and constantly gets confused as to who he is seeing and what he is doing. As his memory starts to get worse and worse, Anne struggles with what to do with her life while knowing she has a father to take care of. The premise of this film, written by Zeller and Christopher Hampton and adapted from Zeller's stage play of the same name, seems on the surface to be a melancholy examination of how we as humans treat the elderly. Zeller's story is so much more than that, however, as he takes this plot and turns it into an almost psychological thriller set from Anthony's perspective. What I loved about his writing was how he was able to take the entire film and place it in Anthony's point of view without making a mockery of the character. Even though it is never directly said what condition Anthony is in (Alzheimer's, dementia, etc.), Zeller makes it clear to the audience that his brain is rapidly deteriorating. Zeller does a fantastic job with utilizing the other actors and actresses to play the "same role" of Anne and her husband in order to really place his audience into the mind of Anthony. A lesser film would have made the "POV of a man with dementia" trope much more humorous and gag-oriented but the consistent decline of Anthony's mental health was portrayed brilliantly. I also adored how Zeller is able to tell the conflicting story of Anne at the same time all while through Anthony's perspective. He is able to play with time, character placement, and motivation very well in order to really put this whole film through the lens of a sick, elderly man. This was honestly the greatest part of The Father and Zeller does a phenomenal job of being able to make his viewers feel the way that I am sure many people suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia feel each and every day.

While Zeller does a great job of crafting this story in a way to make the audience feel for Anthony, I was not too on board with the overall execution of the style. Like I mentioned before, he never made a mockery out of anything or took advantage of people with dementia but the idea of immediately setting the story from Anthony's perspective was a bit much. The entire film plays out in expected beats, which includes Anthony getting ready to meet someone or to have dinner with Anne, followed by Anthony forgetting where he was or who he was supposed to meet, and finally concluding with a "restart" of his day. This cycle happens throughout the entirety of The Father and while I can recognize that is what people suffering from these illnesses actually experience, it became a bit tired in regards to its cinematic portrayal. I wish that Zeller would have focused a bit more on Anthony's clarity before throwing his audience into the deep end of dementia. That way, we would have been a bit more accustomed to Anthony's prior lifestyle while at the same time seeing his sick, downward spiral. Zeller still does an amazing job handling the story, though, and that is also due to the performances from Hopkins and Colman. The two of them have spectacular chemistry as father and daughter and solely because of their performances, I was able to sympathize with both of their characters equally. On the outside, Anthony may have been a stubborn, obstinate dad who refuses the fact that his mind is going away but on the inside, he is desperately crying out for help. The final scene of this movie actually got to me pretty good because Hopkins' performance is enough to just make anyone break down. Colman is great at this as well and her supporting performance was so nuanced and utterly perfect. I can definitely see her Oscar chances go up after seeing this film and I was just overall genuinely enthralled at how much I ended up liking this film.

The Father is a delicate yet intensely impactful drama led by Hopkins and Colman that never ceases to be anything less than wildly emotional. The two of them absolutely steal this film but along with Zeller's stellar direction, every department seemed to be at the top of their game. This is not normally what I would consider an entertaining film but thanks to Zeller's directorial choices, his debut feature film proves to be a much more creative and unique take on this kind of story than the normal Oscar bait that we usually see each year.

My Rating: ★★★½

Titanic (1997) directed by James Cameron

AFI Top 100: #83

I truly believe that only a handful of films really deserve the title of "blockbuster" and it's a status that must be earned by not just box office gross but also by cultural significance over time. James Cameron's masterpiece Titanic is a blockbuster through and through (one of the best and actually bearable ones!) and even after twenty-four years, this film is still one of the most impactful stories ever told. Combining the real-life tragedy of the sinking of the ship with a love story that will be able to resonate for ages is only one of its greatest strengths and I really can't believe that it took me this long to finally see this film. From the performances from the main cast to the cinematography to the practical and visual effects, everything works in such a distinct harmony to make it a truly remarkable piece of storytelling.

On the day that the RMS Titanic is bound to set sail, the young and scrappy Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) wins a ticket to board it and head to New York. On the ship, he meets and falls in love with the rich but troubled socialite Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), and as the two try and conceal their love affair on the trip, they are confronted with an even bigger problem as the ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink into the Atlantic. Based on the (obviously) true story of the ship that sank in 1912, this film had the potential to be a much more boring biopic of sorts. James Cameron's writing and direction make this film so phenomenal and the contrast between the disaster of the ship with the romance between Rose and Jack is such a simple but wildly effective writing point. Titanic very easily could have been a dull and lifeless retelling of the ship sinking but the fact that Cameron instills this romance into the story and makes it the most prominently emotional aspect is really what makes this movie so damn special. Now, of course, everything that I am saying here is going to bring nothing new to the table as this film has been discussed endlessly for years but these are just things that I noticed on my first watch. Cameron's direction is also very interesting to me throughout the course of this film because of how much I liked and some choices that I really didn't. The pacing of this movie is flawlessly smooth and never once felt like I was watching a movie that was 3+ hours long. Cameron does such a wonderful job of maneuvering through this story and knows perfectly how to place emotional moments within the more explosive action set pieces. The only part of his direction that I didn't really care for was the story's returning to the older Rose (Gloria Stuart). I think that framing this film at the beginning and end with the modern-day story is a solid choice but Cameron dips back into this modern-day only at a few, awkward times and it really took me out of the gaudy, 1920s setting.

The other things about this film that really struck a chord with me are the chemistry between Winslet and DiCaprio, the cinematography from Russell Carpenter, and the beautifully intricate effects used throughout. Winslet and DiCaprio were born to play these roles together and I just adored how they played off each other and how different their characters were. This gives them so much room to grow and develop as characters and their performances just roll with it so well. I also loved a lot of the supporting performances in this film, including Kathy Bates and Billy Zane. Zane plays such a perfectly insufferable millionaire and Bates, while also playing a rich passenger, actually brings some humanity to that group of people. It's near impossible to humanize the rich but when it comes down to Kathy Bates joyfully and motherly helping DiCaprio's character dress right to impress a girl, her human side shines so brightly. The camerawork from Carpenter was just masterful and I loved the way he shoots every scene of this film. He shoots the movie tightly as the characters are falling in love or experiencing new sensations but widely as the catastrophe of the ship begins to unfold. This might seem like a given based on the premise of the story but the way that Carpenter utilizes different styles to suit the blockbuster aspects of Titanic is amazing. The action scenes throughout this film were also so unbelievably exciting and while I agree they might have gone on a bit too long, I never thought they lost any impact. Cameron's focus on the disaster and how long he lets the audience bask in its atrocity is such a wonderful choice and even though I know how the story ends, it was never anything less than enthralling. The inclusion of practical effects for many of the inside ship scenes was fantastic too and it honestly felt more like I was riding a theme park attraction of the ship than I was watching a movie, which is just what Cameron intended. The thrill I got from seeing this story play out was unlike anything I have seen recently and I truly, truly loved it.

Titanic is such a household name in romantic filmmaking that I was honestly shocked that I enjoyed it as much as I did. While I have known the story, plot points, and memes for practically my entire life, actually sitting down to experience this timeless film is a whole other story. DiCaprio and Winslet are truly magic together and they not only enhance this film to the nth degree but help to make this story one of the most romantic ones ever told. And what's better than turning on a classic movie you've never seen only to be greeted by a shaggy Bill Paxton? Nothing, that's what.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Jumbo (2021) directed by Zoé Wittock

Objectum sexuality is one of the more unheard-of orientations in our social climate and when I first heard about Zoé Wittock's debut film Jumbo, I was instantly compelled. A romantic drama between the breakout star of (my personal favorite romance film) Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire and a Tilt-a-Whirl is such a unique concept that I knew I had to see for myself. There was so much genuine excitement and intrigue building up in me until I was finally able to view this movie and unfortunately, I left feeling a bit less than satisfied. What could have been a wonderfully eccentric love story on par with Spike Jonze's Her ends up being a tonal mess that never sticks to what it promises while simultaneously distancing me even farther from learning about this particular sexual orientation. While the performances from the cast are excellent and the cinematography sure is pretty, I was never able to get into this as much as I desperately wanted.

Jeanne (Noémie Merlant) is a young, shy woman who just starts working at a theme park when a new ride called the "Move-It" is brought into the collection of attractions. She quickly and furiously develops a strong, romantic connection to the ride and struggles to pursue what she loves while dealing with her hypocritical and discriminatory mother Margarette (Emmanuelle Bercot). This film, written and directed by Zoé Wittock, had the potential to be so many different, great things. It could have been a downright lovely romance story between Jeanne and the ride while slowly but surely developing their relationship. It could have been a learning experience for the audience about objectum sexuality and its educated link to people with autism. And it also could have been a straight-up, sci-fi romp that leaves its viewers in awe at its beauty. What Wittock fails to do with Jumbo, however, is pick any of those paths and stick with it. There are elements of each one included here and there but no route was ever fully explored, leaving me confused as to what Wittock was trying to accomplish. The writing and dialogue make sense for each of the characters included in the story but their motivations and reasons for what they do became blurred right off the bat. There are a lot of scenes included throughout this film that would have been so interesting and visually entertaining if Wittock would have stuck with one idea but instead, her direction leaves the audience confused as to what kind of movie they just watched. The biggest issue with her script is that it never takes itself seriously. On the surface, a woman falling in love with a theme park ride sounds kinda goofy but some of the best romance movies are that way; at least until the director takes their work seriously. If Wittock would have spent more time developing the character of Jeanne and why her assumed autism is linked to her attraction to the "Move-It," I would have been absolutely down. The film would have been a wonderfully idiosyncratic love story that even teaches its audience a thing or two but I just think reducing Jeanne's personality to her mother calling her "special" is a bit lazy and offensive. 

I really, really wanted to love this but with every passing minute, it became clear that Wittock was not sure how to approach her own story. Her direction is all over the place, riddled with bits and pieces of other, more concise romance movies. One of the other big issues was how she never decides on a tone for the film. This has to do with not picking one path for the writing but it also has to do with the kind of aesthetic she was aiming for. As the film began, the coming-of-age vibes were immaculate, complete with a punky rock beginning introducing us to a character that is definitely not the popular one. However, this soon transitions into the love story that takes up most of the film but Wittock dips in and out of the tone she was trying to achieve. I was constantly confused as to the pacing of this story and Wittock's lack of sticking with one tone did not help that at all. I also thought that Jumbo could have been a gorgeous sci-fi romance film and there are scenes that made me think that was the ending it was going for. The Tilt-a-Whirl moves by itself and seems to be sentient and while that was never explained, I wish it would have been. A sci-fi approach to this story would be so interesting and would have definitely better justified the stunning cinematography from Thomas Buelens. The way Buelens shoots this movie is incredible, as he lends a helping hand to the VFX artists in crafting some astounding shots. The way the camera moves and reflects Jeanne's relationship with the attraction almost makes it seem like the ride could have lifted up and taken Jeanne away at any moment. However, just like Wittock's direction, that was never really confirmed, and the ridiculously corny last ten minutes of Jumbo only makes the film that much more confusing overall. Despite all of the glaring problems with the writing and direction, Merlant and Bercot give it all they've got. They are some of the most talented French actresses that we have today and their mother-daughter dynamic was made very believable mostly because of them. I loved seeing them eat up their roles and even though I was not very satisfied with what this film was trying to do, their talent carries this movie.

Jumbo is a bit of a ginormous mess and one that strangely left me even more curious than when I started. Although I still adore Merlant as a performer and see a fantastic future for Wittock as a director, I think this film was more of a strikeout in a creative world where it easily could have been a home run. Not many of its topics were fully fleshed out, it could never decide on a path, and the musically-inspired, coming-of-age scenes just did not work. It's a bummer, too, because I just really wanted to love this amusement park romance.

My Rating: ★★½

Willy's Wonderland (2021) directed by Kevin Lewis

Am I having a fun time right now or is this the dumbest movie I've ever seen? Am I really just watching a half-assed story play out underneath Nic Cage mercilessly mutilating some animatronics? Is there a standard for quality anymore? These are some of the most prominent questions any viewer will be asking themselves when watching Kevin Lewis' long-awaited Willy's Wonderland. This B-film is one of the most entertaining and ridiculous horror movies I have seen recently and one that thankfully knows exactly what it is from the very start. The self-awareness of this story works for the film incredibly well and along with an equally incredible (?) performance from Nicolas Cage, I could not help but have a hell of a fun time with this one.

A silent, stubborn drifter (Nicolas Cage) breaks down alongside a road in a small town. In order to pay off the repairs to his car, he is forced to clean up Willy's Wonderland, a funhouse for children's birthday parties. What he doesn't know, however, is that the animatronic characters come to life and the drifter must spend the entire night trying to survive the attacks of the demonic creatures. While obviously inspired by the iconic horror game Five Nights at Freddy's, screenwriter G.O. Parsons knows exactly what kind of movie he is writing: one that will feature fun kills, ridiculous plotlines, and a rightfully over-the-top performance from Cage. What I loved most about this film is how self-aware it is during its entire runtime and how little it seems to care. Just reading the synopsis for this film is enough to make any viewer roll their eyes and scoff but that is precisely the kind of attitude that does not deserve to see a film like this. One has to know what they are going into when visiting Willy's Wonderland and as long as your expectations are not too high, you will have a hell of a time. Parsons is never afraid to let this story rely on Cage and every scene with him is just perfection. His performance is as maniacal as one would hope and the choice to not make his character say a word during the whole film was such an interesting one. It puts such a compelling boundary on his character's motivations and although he can get a bit too goofy at times for his own good, I loved seeing what Parsons and Lewis were able to accomplish by letting Cage's physicality and violence do the talking. And although this movie may not have ever been necessarily scary, the mayhem that ensues from Cage beating the ever-loving shit out of some children's characters is just what you would expect. The outlets for violence may have looked a bit different in this movie but that never stops Cage from taking this story and running with it in the most insane way possible.

While this film may have been a self-aware B-flick that is not afraid to lean into the genre's absurd clichés, it also leans into the ones that make these types of stories so predictable. The subplot of the teenagers with the traumatic backstory at the funhouse coming back to end the cycle of violence was so unnecessary and unsatisfying that I was never really able to buy into it at all. Willy's Wonderland needs that, as Cage can only fight animatronics for so long without the story becoming repetitive but that never changes the fact that I was intensely bored by the teenagers. The writing revolving around them seemed to serve no purpose other than forwarding the plot and I honestly think that a more unique approach to this subplot would have been very beneficial to keep the audience more engaged. I love when films go absolutely bonkers, no holds barred, with the idea they are selling, and while I got bursts of that insanity through Cage's scenes, Lewis' direction definitely did not help this film's momentum. The scenes of Cage ripping through the puppets and taking them down one by one were constantly interrupted by flashbacks and it really hurt the movement of the film. Lewis does not know how to keep up the adrenaline from the ridiculously fun action sequences and inserting these flashbacks and bits of subplot only hurt that. His direction is very hectic and I was never really a fan of the way that he handled this story. If he would have gotten the exposition out of the way in the beginning and then dove headfirst into the bloody (oily?), crunchy, and laughable action, this film would have felt much more natural. The cinematography from David Newbert also makes this movie's small budget very visible, as so many of the lighting choices and angles used made zero sense. Perhaps that was the intent but I could not really get behind the warped choices Newbert made. The best part of this film that the budget clearly went to was the design of the actual animatronic characters. The builds and designs of them all were just glorious and I loved the campy references to so many Chuck E. Cheese-esque characters. The care put into the practical effects of this movie is so evident and I truly believe that the best way for them to get their money's worth was by having Nicolas Cage destroy them all.

Willy's Wonderland is not a film that I see myself revisiting in the future but I am certainly glad to say that Lewis delivers on all of his promises. This goofy take on the "locked-in-one-location" horror movie proves to be a wonderfully fun ride and so many of Lewis' creative choices make this quite an unforgettable film. I may have been able to tell what was going to happen from the start and expected to see Lewis hit on all the tropes of this particular horror subgenre but that never stopped me from having a blast. And a big thanks to Nic Cage for producing this - the world would most certainly be less chaotic without you.

My Rating: ★★★½

Malcolm & Marie (2021) directed by Sam Levinson

These two characters might be some of the most conveniently strong-willed people ever written in film because if anyone I was in a relationship with ever spoke to me like this even once, I would instantly break down and cry. Sam Levinson's Malcolm & Marie has seen quite the online dichotomy of love and hate this past week as viewers have either been adoring its classic cinema/Cassavetes aesthetic or despising its treatment of social politics. I feel like I fall right down the middle of this line, as I can recognize how unbelievably gorgeous this film looks and is acted but I also found so many issues with Levinson's writing and direction that were hard to ignore. While this has been one of my most anticipated movies for the beginning of this year, I'm a bit disappointed that I ended up having so many problems with its overall premise. But what do I know? Because according to Levinson, me and the rest of the film criticism community aren't allowed to have an opinion on his "god-granted" art.

Returning home from the premiere of his debut feature film, movie director Malcolm (John David Washington) and his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya) anxiously await the night's reviews to start coming in. As the tension between the two of them grows and the true nature of their relationship begins to be revealed, the true test of their actual romantic compatibility begins. Written, directed, and shot entirely in lockdown last year, this movie proves to be a test for Levinson to really hone in on his writing skills, as there is not too much else to focus on besides the dialogue and arguments between Malcolm and Marie. Fresh off his creative process for Euphoria (which I actually enjoy for the most part!), Levinson had to channel this energy into a different project and this film showed so much potential to be something extraordinary. What Levinson was able to achieve in the special bottle episode of Euphoria made me excited for what he could accomplish in a full-length feature but instead, he wastes this movie on complaining about the existence of criticism. The character of Malcolm pretty much only exists for Levinson to complain and bitch about the critical reviews he received for his 2018 film Assassination Nation and I really despised Washington's character for that. The incredibly extended monologues and hateful venting that Malcolm does makes it plainly obvious how butthurt Levinson was and it was rough to watch because of how he never really tries to hide his anger. I understand that some film critics can misunderstand the intention of a filmmaker due to skewed perspective and that some directors in themselves can be loud, arrogant, assholes, but this element of his writing just inadvertently makes him appear like a sensitive filmmaker that does not know how to accept either criticism or even compliments the right way. This became increasingly annoying and instead of writing the character of Malcolm to be his own person with his own motivations, Levinson wastes a perfectly good performance on his own grievances. No one is immune to criticism and that's one thing that I guess Levinson has not wrapped his head around.

Levinson also writes Zendaya's character in such a strange way that I was never fully on board with. Sure, she embodies the role as fantastically as she can but it almost seems as if Levinson is vastly overcompensating for the fact that he's a white man by writing Marie's dialogue with as much agency as possible. This is certainly a creative choice for a character that I could get behind in most situations but for a film that takes place solely between two characters in one location, it seemed very over-the-top. This also goes into how much this film reminded me of Mike Nichols' classic Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, except for the fact that Malcolm & Marie could never come close to touching that iconic piece of cinema. The way that Levinson writes his film makes it seem like it was adapted from a play, like Nichols' 1966 film actually was, but I don't think that really worked for this modern story. The dialogue and clashing personalities of the two leads make this film seem very exaggerated for no apparent reason and I honestly believe that the writing would have strongly benefitted from actually being written like a screenplay. Frankly, no one talks like the way Malcolm and Marie do, and this over-exaggeration of their conversations never sat well with me. If you are secluded in a house with someone and this abusive level of insults just keeps getting thrown around, at some point you're just gonna have to leave, right? I could never see the justification for the characters that Levinson was trying to get his audience to believe and while I know they are ramped up for dramatic effect, it just did not work for me at all. His direction is also a bit confusing because of the logistics behind the characters' arguments. In Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the couple experiences one argument that gets progressively worse throughout the course of the film but in Malcolm & Marie, their fights are interspersed with little bouts of humor or sensuality. I really could not buy into the idea of them quickly getting over the toxic insults slung at each other so soon and Levinson's inclusion of these kinds of lighthearted scenes was just a bit too goofy for my own taste.

If there is one good thing I can say about Sam Levinson and his handling of this story, it's that he knows how to keep me interested. The projects he pursues and the aesthetics he utilizes are all just spectacular and like the fool inside of me, I cannot help but get excited when I hear of whatever he is making next. However, the true standout elements of Malcolm & Marie are the performances from the two leads and the masterclass of cinematography from Marcell Rév. Zendaya and John David Washington are absolute masters of acting at this point and this film is really just a showcase for them to show off their talents. Thank god these two were cast because their chemistry together and their individual acting abilities were more than enough to bolster this movie into solid territory. Zendaya is as remarkable as always and steals the show with ease while Washington perfectly takes on his role of a terribly ignorant film director. I honestly could not say which performance I preferred but they both turned in work so good with the script that they were given. The cinematography from Marcell Rév is also astounding and not only because it's in black and white! The color really did not have much to do with the fact that his use of dolly shots and framing was pitch-perfect and really used the composition of the house so well. The crisp and fluid capturing that Rév was able to accomplish was gorgeous and it really breathed a whole new life of visual style into this film that was desperately needed to keep it from turning into a mess of angry dialogue and pathetic complaining.

I'm trying my hardest to figure out what all of this young talent sees in Sam Levinson that makes them want to work with him but it's becoming more and more difficult to imagine. Malcolm & Marie is a solid entry into his filmography that only makes his visual style more concrete but I really could not see past his puzzling treatment of women or his whiny writing. This film could have been miles more satisfying if Levinson had not inserted so much of himself into the story but all I have to say is thank goodness for the camera, Zendaya, and Washington for being able to sustain my interest throughout this otherwise social pretension of a movie.

My Rating: ★★★

Nomadland (2020) directed by Chloé Zhao

Humanity in its simplest form is doing what it takes to survive while knowing that there will always be people in your life to back you up and support you. Sometimes that takes the form of a person raising a family in a suburban home and other times, it takes the form of a widowed woman living in a van as a modern-day nomad. Chloé Zhao's Nomadland is a wonderful exploration of the latter and one that exceeds in every aspect of humanistic filmmaking possible. From the performance from Frances McDormand to the stellar direction from Zhao to the inclusion of real-life people in the cast, every element of this movie works together in such a melancholic yet cathartic harmony that will certainly resonate with me for years to come. While this might not be the most consistently exciting or plot-driven story, the cinéma vérité of the film works in astounding ways to really show its audience the core of Americans' humanity.

Upon losing her job at a drywall plant and having her city's zip code discontinued in the area previously known as Empire, Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) decides to sell all of her belongings to buy a van and live in it full-time. Traveling across the southwest, she decides to join a group of other van-dwellers inspired by a man named Bob (Bob Wells) that live as nomads as she tries to get back on her feet and live her newfound life to the fullest. The writing and direction from Zhao are unbelievably amazing and throughout this film's entire runtime, constantly kept me engaged despite the lack of seat-clinging plot. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jessica Bruder, this real-life story of a woman learning to live a new way throughout a recession is so captivating and Zhao does the most excellent job of showing every side of Fern's humanity. With every new person that Fern meets, she learns a little more about herself and the land that she is occupying, and more than anything, Nomadland paints this portrait of rural America better than most filmmakers have ever done before. As Fern learns more and more about these people and becomes connected to them through her travels, the audience falls more and more in love with them as well, to the point that I felt like I knew them myself. It also helps that all of the characters, except for Fern and Dave (David Strathairn), were played by non-actors and that added such a great touch of realism to the story. Every single one of the non-actors played their parts with such poise and authenticity that it is difficult to believe they were not trained actors. Zhao knows this as well and her direction plays on that all too well. She handles this story with a grace that only a woman knows and the way that she bounces throughout Fern's travels is masterful. The audience never had to know exactly what Fern was up to or her motivations; all they had to know was that she was trying to thrive. Zhao paces this story with ease and also knows exactly when to place her scenes for maximum emotional effect. Every choice made by her throughout this film was just perfect and I adored every ounce of heart that was poured into this production.

While Zhao's direction and adaptation of this story were just impeccable, the performance from McDormand and the technical aspects of the film were just as impressive. McDormand has had one of the most interesting careers in recent films that I can think of and I really admire her for the level of artistry she puts into the roles that she chooses. The role of Fern genuinely seems like it was written for her and McDormand is truly able to embody the simultaneous sadness and aspiration that Fern is feeling. I could really sense Fern's struggles and little joys through every minute facial expression from McDormand and the humanistic ways that she portrays this character is just phenomenal. She almost acts as a sponge throughout all of Nomadland: soaking up the emotions and stories of every stranger that she meets while maintaining her composure and just trying to make it through. Of course, this gorgeous level of storytelling would not be possible without the visual elements of the film and the cinematography from Joshua James Richards and editing from Zhao herself work together beautifully. Richards shoots this movie in such a glorious fashion that I could never take my eyes off the screen. The way that he captures every piece of scenery is astounding and the world-building that he does with just the nature of the land Fern travels to is so magnificent. The perfect blend of handheld and still camerawork is used to really draw in the audience to the southwestern landscapes and being from Arizona myself, I was amazed at how accurately this area was presented. It also helps that I saw Nomadland in IMAX as it was shot on that specific camera because I could not get enough of the wide shots and immaculately stunning compositions. Zhao's editing also helps to hone in on this story and while Fern's story felt so close to home, Zhao also knows when to let the story breathe and just bask in the beautiful wildlife of this world.

Chloé Zhao's Nomadland is one of the greatest American films about humanity ever made and one that I am so genuinely upset that I did not get a chance to see before now. This film would have absolutely been on my Top 20 of last year and even though I didn't get a chance to really experience it until now, it will stay with me for quite some time. This is one of the most American movies I have ever seen, for better and for worse, and I cannot wait to show people this work of art until they are undoubtedly moved to tears. God knows I was.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Our Friend (2021) directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Sad news to report that my first trip back to the theaters in the year 2021 was more underwhelming than I had hoped. Gabriela Cowperthwaite's Our Friend is a passable but recycled story about caring for someone with cancer. This type of story is one that will never fail to make me emotional, mainly because of personal experience with cancer in my family, but it's one that I just could never fully latch on to. Its characters are mildly interesting, its direction is solid, and the fact that it is based on a true story from an article is enough to draw me in, but I could never shake the feeling that I had seen this kind of film before. This isn't to say that this heartwrenching story shouldn't have been told, but rather that it is a difficult one to approach in the first place. The performances from the whole cast were phenomenal and there is so much heart put into the adaptation of this story but I just think that heart was a bit used up already.

When Matt (Casey Affleck) finds out that his wife Nicole (Dakota Johnson) has terminal cancer, he is at odds with how to manage his personal life consisting of his journalism career and two daughters. Family friend Dean (Jason Segel) steps up to the plate and moves in with them for a few weeks to help get Matt settled back in the routine of his life but ends up staying for much longer than anticipated when Dean becomes a greater friend than they could have ever asked for. Any film that is about cancer in any capacity always has the potential to be a tearjerker regardless of genre. It's a terrifying thing to think about and one that I feel any right-minded person could feel for; which is why focusing this film on the relationship between the couple and their incoming friend is a bit strange. I went into Our Friend expecting most of the movie to be about Nicole's struggle with cancer or how much Dean's help meant to the two but what I got was an examination into the psyche of her husband Matt instead. Not only was I vastly uninterested in the character of Matt right off the bat but I was a bit frustrated with how much Cowperthwaite focused on him. If this film would have been entirely about Nicole and how her fight with cancer affected the people around her or even about Dean coming in to help the family and how it took a toll on him emotionally, that would have been fantastic. While the film with its already too long of a runtime does indeed touch on those things, I was just a bit disappointed when Casey Affleck was given the spotlight. The script by Brad Ingelsby does its best to keep the audience invested in the stakes of this family's story but I have really seen this story before. Nothing about the characters' lives or interests or careers were original enough to make me wholeheartedly engaged but Ingelsby does just enough to make me want to see what happens next.

Cowperthwaite's direction is pretty strange throughout the entirety of Our Friend because while she demonstrates a very strong ability to carry a story, I just don't think she handled it in the best way possible. I never had problems with following along with the story or anything but the nonlinear approach to the film never seemed to serve any purpose. No events were really connected and no purpose to the chronological scattershot of the plot (scatterplot?) was ever shown and after a while, I just began to think that it was a choice made due to the dull nature of the story in the first place. I honestly began to wonder when Nicole would ever die just so I could move on past that part that I knew was coming. Cowperthwaite is a great director, but I just think she needs better or more original material to work with. Thankfully, even though I have seen this kind of story before and the way that it brings out emotions from its audience is nothing new, Dakota Johnson and Jason Segel's performances are just aces. Johnson has been getting some fantastic roles in the past few years and I am so happy to see her career skyrocket past the "one girl from Fifty Shades of Grey" stance. She is able to really nail the complex range of emotions seen from someone with cancer as well as the loving side of her motherhood seen in the flashbacks. Segel is really the standout of this movie, however, as his caring side is put on full display in his character. He is really just a giant, lovable, teddy bear that makes every film he is in miles better, and to see him placed in a suiting role like this just makes sense. Like I said, I wish his story would have been given more focus (enough to justify the film being titled about him) but the scenes he was in were just great to watch. This entire cast works well together and their chemistry is really what saves this movie from being an even more forgettable cancer story.

It's a good thing that I was not expecting to be blown away by this film because sometimes, all one needs is an emotional trip to make sure that they still feel things. Our Friend is great at doing just that and while I was never really astounded by any of the storytelling choices that were made, it is just effective enough to warrant a watch. Segel and Johnson absolutely steal this film more than anything and if more focus had been placed on their subplots, I would have been much more interested. But alas, we got what we got and I am satisfied enough to be able to say that I enjoyed it.

My Rating: ★★★

One Night in Miami... (2021) directed by Regina King

It's hard to believe that this story is based on an actual true occurrence because from hearing the premise, one might think bringing these four legends together for one night might seem forced. However, this is really one of the best ideas for a stage production turned film, and I was genuinely curious as to what this would be throughout its entire runtime. Regina King's directorial debut One Night in Miami... is one of 2021's best movies so far and makes for a fantastic exploration into much-discussed themes like race, class, and white privilege. King is able to bring out some absolutely stellar performances from her cast along with adapting the script into a decently creative cinematic vision. I did have some issues with the direction and the actors' reliance on carrying the energy of the story but regardless of some underwhelming decisions, I can easily see this film entering the Oscars conversation without hesitation.

Civil rights leader Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), soul singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), NFL football star Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and renowned fighter Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) all meet up in a hotel room after Clay's success in a fight that night in Miami. As the four of them begin to unravel their reasons for being there, they take a turn into discussing some of the most pressing matters regarding the treatment of black people in America at the time. The script, written by Kemp Powers and adapted from his stage production of the same name, is one of the best parts of this entire film. Powers is able to tackle this story with a concise nature and tie together all of the themes that these icons discuss with grace and without making it seem strange. The fact that at one point in history, these four people actually were together in a room to this degree is captivating to me and I think Powers does a fantastic job of intertwining their morals and backgrounds to make for an interesting story. Seeing Malcolm X, Cooke, Brown, and Clay all agree with many things but also nearly get into physical altercations about other things is so compelling and the different degrees to which they are presented in this film makes for such a solid, bottle-episode premise. Powers is also able to tackle so many different ideas that these men bring up in argument and conversation, including race, position amongst white people, and religion, without ever making one seem less important than the other. Some of the causes that these men fought and stood for may seem more radical than others but Powers' script brings them all together to really give each of them a rich history lesson. My only issue with this story was King's direction in certain spots. This is a fantastic film for her to make her debut on and she proves to be more than capable of handling a story but I never once got a sense of what her individual style could be. Since One Night in Miami... is primarily set in the one location of the hotel room, it never gave King enough opportunity to test out her creative limits and I was just a bit disappointed that King was never quite able to show what I can only assume are her true talents as a director.

Regardless of how few locations and environments she was given to work with, King still succeeds in making the best out of the script and keeping this film as engaging as possible. One of the best parts about her direction, though, is how she is able to squeeze out good performances from every single member of this cast. From the main four men to the supporting cast such as Lance Reddick and Joaquina Kalukango, every cast member gave their all and it was so obvious how dedicated they all were to telling this important and contemporarily relevant story. Ben-Adir, Hodge, and Goree all brought just the perfect amount of charisma, confidence, and charm that their respective characters' personalities demanded but Odom Jr. is who actually stood out the most to me. I can easily see him snatching up a Best Supporting Actor award for this film because he was truly one of the best standouts. I don't know much of his acting work as much as I do his musical career but if there is one thing King is good at, it's blending her cast's talents together in the most effective ways. Not only was Odom Jr. the perfect pick for Cooke because of his actual musical abilities but the emotional range he brings to the role was sublime. I never knew of all the connections these men had to each other before watching this movie but Odom Jr. brings them all together with his character in such a grand way that I could not help but feel impressed by. The cinematography and editing throughout One Night in Miami... were fairly decent and helped to move along the story but more than anything, this movie is built to be a showcase for its actors. This is why it makes sense that it was previously a stage play and I am certain that the black actors involved in the stage production of this were just as committed to the roles. I really loved this film the more it went on and although it lacked a certain kind of luster to make it stand out more creatively, King crafts a movie worth watching by one and all.

One can only imagine what it would be like to be a fly on the wall for the conversations between these four icons on that one particular night and although Regina King's take might be a bit heightened for cinematic purposes, One Night in Miami... is a spectacular vision of that. This film is consistently engaging and really kept me in the minds and lives of these four men - enough so that I actually have been learning more about black icons and historical culture from movies than I ever did in school. I can definitely see a bright awards future for this film coming up soon and one that will hopefully begin to put King's name more on the map.

My Rating: ★★★½

Pieces of a Woman (2021) directed by Kornél Mundruczó

Oddly enough, one of my resolutions for 2021 is to not write as much film criticism. The past three years of running my blog have been fantastic and have led me to so many wonderful sites and opportunities but lately, I have been seriously feeling burnout from the sheer stress of putting out quantities of pieces. I decided that I only want to write about films I see that really stick out and luckily, this year started off right with Kornél Mundruczó's Pieces of a Woman. This film is an absolutely emotional exploration into one woman's psyche and one that features some of the best performances from its leads that I had only been hearing good things about. From the direction to the cinematography to the clever, near lack of editing, this movie might not be the most joyous or celebratory film to start off the New Year with but it is one that really solidifies my feelings of cinema being the highest form of storytelling in our modern world.

Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) are a couple living in Boston who are expecting a child together. When Martha starts to go into labor, a midwife that they are not used to comes to help them out but an almost unspeakable tragedy occurs when the baby is born. Months after the untimely death, Martha struggles to live alongside her loss while the drama of her family life continues. This script, written by Kata Wéber, is definitely the highlight of this entire film, as it provides one of the most honest and emotionally powerful depictions of learning to live with loss that I have ever seen. The way that Wéber navigates the emotions and reactions of all of the different characters close to Martha was phenomenal and I was so consistently engaged with the dynamics between them all. What Pieces of a Woman does best, however, is showing how differently people handle grief at this level. Countless movies have done this before, of course, but when it comes to something as personal and heartwrenching as the loss of a newborn child, this film absolutely succeeds. Martha may have been distant and quieter while Sean may have been outraged that actions were not being taken but Wéber's story shows that both of these people are completely justified in their emotional states. People need different timelines for grief and they do so in various ways and this film is just brilliant at showing the contrast between its characters and how they learn to move on. The only issue I had with this film was the direction and pacing from Mundruczó. His direction is entirely solid as he handles the story in such a grounded way but I could not help but feel how badly this movie dragged on. It really did not need to be as long as it was and while there were plenty of interesting subplots and ideas that were explored, so many stretches of this film dragged hard. Just another case of a film that could definitely benefit from tighter editing.

Kirby's performance as Martha is one of the best I have seen in a while and while I mostly know her from the Mission: Impossible and Fast and Furious franchises, she excels in this role much more than I could have ever. She takes this film and really makes it her own as she is able to traverse through the life of Martha with an impactful level of emotion that is rare to see in a performer. She is certain to be a favorite come Oscar season and she really deserves it - the dedication and nuance that Kirby puts into her character are honestly beyond belief. While the controversy and abuse from LaBeouf that has surfaced in the last few weeks is another story, his performance is also fantastic. LaBeouf really shines when he is put in these heavy-handed, supporting roles and he does such a wonderful job of embodying the character of Sean just as well. Watching Pieces of a Woman, I honestly never would have expected the visual storytelling to be nearly as compelling as the script. A film like this almost entirely relies on good screenwriting to engage its audience and while it did a great job of that, I was surprised with how beautiful this movie looked and felt as well. The cinematography from Benjamin Loeb is stunning and draws you into this story more than anything else in the film. The entrancing long takes and wide shots leave so much room for the story to breathe when the audience needs it and I just fell in love with the way Loeb shoots this movie; especially in the first half an hour or so when Martha is preparing to give birth. The nearly 20-minute take of just Martha and Sean in and around their apartment as the baby is getting ready to come was riveting and draws in its audience and never lets them go. Once I was finally able to breathe from that incredibly tense sequence was when I realized how well the cinematography worked for this story. Many could understandably find the camera choices to be corny but I genuinely loved the choices made through Loeb's lens.

Pieces of a Woman is sure to be a smash amongst Academy voters and it rightfully deserves that - a film about a sensitive subject such as this done with such grace and well-intentioned meaning is always a surefire winner. While I might not have been so on board with some of the creative choices made along the way, Mundruczó crafts a beautiful portrait of grief and acceptance that is difficult not to be moved by and one bolstered by the excellent performances from its cast. And what could be better than Benny Safdie hitting a vape for no apparent reason?

My Rating: ★★★½

Gone with the Wind (1939) directed by Victor Fleming

AFI Top 100: #6

I really didn't know how metal this movie was going to be until the main character literally shoots a man point-blank in the face (all I needed was her then promptly saying "and now you are the one who is gone... with the wind"). Victor Fleming's timeless film Gone with the Wind makes it obvious within minutes of its opening why it has become such an incredible classic. From the sweepingly grand production design to the unforgettable performances from the leads, this film is such an expansive epic that it is hard not to find something to love within its nearly four-hour timeframe. Although it is clearly dated due to the side of history that these main characters are on and the way a lot of people of color are treated and sidelined, this film contains one of the most memorable tales of lost romance ever put to screen and one that will open any viewer's eyes as to why it is so important to film history.

During the American Civil War, Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) must learn how to rebuild her home life after losing much of it due to the North. When she meets the brash and handsome Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), she must struggle between the newfound romance with him and her desire to build a better life for herself and her relationships. The writing in this film from Sidney Howard and adapted from the original story by Margaret Mitchell is just fantastic and provides a very detailed and expansive look at these characters and their lives during the Civil War. Every character that was introduced throughout Gone with the Wind was written so individualistically that it never proved to be a hard time following their stories. I often have a hard time figuring out who is who and who wants what in long epics like this but Howard does an amazing job of keeping their stories contained and consistently entertaining throughout the entire runtime. The direction from Fleming was incredible as well and it never really felt like a four-hour film because of how great he is at moving this story along at such a manageable pace. Along with this and The Wizard of Oz in the same year, Fleming was really not afraid to show how reliable he was as a director at the time. This writing, however beautiful and relatable it may be, is still obviously a bit problematic for many reasons, and even for Hollywood writers and directors at the time, I feel like this was a bit too much. The main characters in this film are on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War, which leads way for them to treat people of color throughout this movie as not so human, unfortunately. The fact that Scarlett and Rhett were on the side of the South could have very easily been an interesting subplot to explore with them realizing how badly their side of the war was treating the slaves but I was a bit upset with how the writing fails to utilize that, which did nothing for the story. This is still a beautiful tale of love and loss with deeply rich characters but I also find it important to recognize the potential this film had to be a much timelier and not as offensive look at the characters' morals.

The performances from the entire cast were absolutely wonderful, including Leigh, Gable, and Hattie McDaniel as the supporting role of Scarlett's maid Mammy. McDaniel was actually the first black person in history to ever win an Oscar and her supporting role proves throughout the movie that it was so wildly deserved. She really carries the stress of the whole story on her character's back and shows it in her performance, which was just astounding. The chemistry between Leigh and Gable was also a strong point of the film, as they are able to get along and simultaneously bicker with ease and their relationship felt so natural. Every up and down that Scarlett and Rhett went through was able to be felt and their performances bring along just that right amount of energy towards each other to make their characters believable. The music and editing in Gone with the Wind were also great and really help to tell the visual story of this romantic tale. However, what stood out to me the most was the cinematography from Ernest Haller. His camerawork was just stunning and constantly made this film better with every shot that he composed. Every shot was just a pure painting and his use of shadows and lighting throughout the film is downright gorgeous. Although his use of backgrounds and sets to set up some of the most stunning sequences were a bit obvious, he uses them in some of the movie's widest and most emotional shots and I adored his variance in camera movements to tell the story. Haller's cinematography truly remains iconic and there were a lot of moments in this film that I recognized from so many other forms of media. All of these visual pieces come together to create one of the most recognizable and important films in cinematic history and the true mark of cultural importance is parody. I have seen so many parodies and references and countless nods to Gone with the Wind that it has really proven itself to be a landmark in epic filmmaking.

Gone with the Wind rocks for a lot of reasons and while I know a much more certified and reliable cinephile could list off those reasons in a more elegant way than me, just know that this movie is definitely worth at least a watch. Leigh and Gable have some of the most exciting chemistry I have ever seen from a classic film couple of this era and their ups and downs throughout this film constantly surprised me. I will always love a movie that can take its war-set premise and actually make it interesting for once and just like Scarlett says: "War, war, war! This war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream!" Me too, Scarlett. Me too.

My Rating: ★★★★½