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.
7.3
A mouthful of air, a heart full of sadness, and eyes full of tears.
Holy crap, this movie is sad. But, it does a phenomenal job of shaping a narrative and framing things so that, as a viewer, you feel deeply connected to the actors’ emotions on the screen. You can feel the tension of some scenes in your soul.
Some of the dialogue was a bit shallow for such a deep, rich story, but it didn’t distract too much from the incredible impact of the overall picture.
Content Warning: If you are sensitive to the subject of suicide, beware.
If you are reading this and could use a listening ear and assistance, https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ is a phenomenal resource.
8.7
Beauty fades, but terror lasts forever.
This is the film Edgar Wright was born to make. The soundtrack was pure ear candy, the setpieces breathtaking steps into an idyllic past long ago stained by the sins of those who survived it. The choreography of the action on the screen and the story’s pace combine in perfect concert with each other as this terrifying tale of the gore behind the glamour comes to fruition. Ana Taylor-Joy and Thomasin Mackenzie steal the spotlight and hold it for nearly every frame of this masterpiece.
This film is the antidote to the current Hollywood wave of nostalgia. As we clamor for a taste of “what it was like” to live in a bygone era or location whose darkness has been painted over in gold by each passing generation, this film reminds us that the shine often hides the sinister. The human cost is front and center in this story, as our protagonists wrestle with how much of their soul their willing to exchange for fame and success and how they choose to find redemption once they’ve gone past the point of no return.
There is a lot to unpack after leaving the theater for this one and a lot to ponder and rearrange on the floor of one’s mind. Luckily, the soundtrack is enough of an exquisitely curated collection of audio experience that you can lose yourself in that as you search your psyche for the ultimate meaning.
If you can’t tell, I loved this one. I may be a tad biased in my excitement that this lived up to and exceeded the hype.
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!
7.9
Strong “Words on Bathroom Walls” vibes, in the best possible way.
The art of cinema can be a compelling force. Helping us, as a society, to look in the mirror and reflect on our treatment of those with mental health issues can be a great force for good. This film struck a delicate balance between ensuring the extremes were felt and not getting too silly and over the top. They paid homage to the original Wes Craven trick of “is this the real world or is this a dream?” highlighting the unease and tension that fills the world of someone stricken with one of these terrible ailments. Not in such a way that it causes one to recoil and wish upon them a lifetime of confinement, but important steps to opening our hearts and minds to making a good faith effort to better understand and empathize with each other and the unique struggles we each may have.
Technically speaking, I felt like everything was exceptionally well balanced and that the twists that filled the third act were well earned and impactful. A term I’ve used with other films, this one keeps you in a state of productive discomfort. The edge of your seat feeling leads to the points of the story being that much more impactful by the time the credits roll. A very emotional tale and definitely a thinker of a movie. A great deal of nuance and interwoven clues that collectively form a beautifully complex piece of cinema. Extremely well done.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 