Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
6.8
As with most Wes Anderson films, I was fascinated by what I saw but cannot explain what it was that I saw.
There was love, there was war, there was nudity. Young love. Old love. A guy with an incredible memory. A “revolution.” And the death of a legend in journalism.
Don’t cry in the theater.
I tried to make this sound like I wrote it this way.
8.9
How was this so good?!?!
Nothing about this should have felt as fresh and exciting as it did… but here we are.
The cast has terrific chemistry. The ridiculousness factor is at an 11, but I still binged the entire thing in one day and can’t wait for season 2! A classic whodunit, set in the quirkiest apartment building in New York City, with three of the most unlikely friends on the face of the earth and more dead bodies than a season of “Game of Thrones.” It was like Wes Anderson meets Quentin Tarantino, and it was a thing of beauty to behold. The three main characters rounded each other out as an ensemble much better than expected. I have been known to have a soft spot for Selena Gomez and watch pretty much anything she’s in (including the fantastic HBO Max cooking show). Still, she rises to the occasion and brings a sense of dry humor to the group that ever so naturally balances the goofier 2 of the tripod and makes it all work like a well-oiled machine. I was taken aback by how much I loved this one, as I haven’t laughed this hard since I stumbled upon “Letterkenny.” Hulu truly outdid themselves!
7.2
I’m still a bigger “Selena + Chef” fan, but this was a close second. All the typical Paris shenanigans, with a carousel of celebrity friends learning to cook. It’s gaudy to the max. If you’re not concerned with actually learning any culinary expertise, this is your show. If you want actual recipes and depth, head over to HBO Max for Selena’s rendition.
9.2
This is the movie of the year, as far as I’m concerned.
You think I’ve lost my mind, I know… Well, I’m completely lucid and in love with this movie. I expected a fun hour and a half of laughing along with unmasked Deadpool. You know what? I got a profound story about purpose in life, adventure, artificial intelligence, ethics, and a fantastic action film. All with just the right amount of ridiculousness, cameos, and appearances by Disney intellectual property. It adds to the story with finesse, instead of beating you over the head with sensory overload like “Ready Player One.”
Perfect cast, all in the ideal roles, with an excellent story. Told through rich cinematography that feels much more lifelike than the videogame most of the story takes place in. The grounding of the story is a love story, and it being the last one you expect left me blown away and singing the praises of this film I had to wait over a year for. Much more worth the wait than “New Mutants.”
Honestly, this thing fires on all cylinders and will leave you moved and inspired. Bravo!
7.6
A really solid sequel!
Salma Hayek serves as a strong addition to the now trio main cast here. Also of note, on par with Samuel L. Jackson in saying “motherfucker.” Made me laugh/cheer every time it happened. The villain was meh, but that’s not really the main reason you’re coming to the theater to watch this. Turn your brain off, watch the explosions, and enjoy the laughs along the way. An excellently executed, tight hour and a half action comedy.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 