Babylon

 

Babylon is a comedy-drama that features an all-star cast including Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Diego Calva. It tells the story of Hollywood actors during the transition from silent films to talkies in the late 1920s, showcasing the true nature and debauchery of Hollywood, as opposed to the glamour it was perceived to be.

The plot was engaging and mixed elements of suspense, comedy, and drama. The film tackled themes such as excess, addiction, power dynamics, and the struggles faced by marginalized groups trying to break into a film industry dominated by white men. Director Damien Chazelle aptly described Babylon as "a hate letter to Hollywood and a love letter to movies."

The production design was impressive with hair, costumes, and makeup that felt authentic to the time period. The cinematography was also noteworthy, particularly during the party scenes where it was larger than life.

Despite the great cast, I was disappointed with the lack of deeper character development, particularly for Jovan Adepo's Sidney Palmer. However, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Diego Calva delivered impressive performances. Robbie's portrayal of Nellie LaRoy was a standout, displaying a range of emotions and complexities. Her chemistry with Calva's Manny Torres was also commendable.

In the end, the film's runtime felt too long, and certain plot points could have been wrapped up sooner. While the story was intriguing and the acting was top-notch, I don't think I would watch this film again.

Creed III

Creed III is a sports drama and the highly anticipated sequel to 2018's Creed II. Michael B Jordan returns as Adonis, a former boxer who is now thriving in both his career and family life, until his childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian, unexpectedly resurfaces after serving time in prison. This face-off will be unlike anything Adonis has had in the past. As it will be more just a fight, it is personal.

Michael B Jordan's directorial debut was impressive. The engaging plot had a unique concept, and the cinematography was creative, drawing inspiration from Jordan's love of anime.

The casting was superb, with great chemistry between Tessa Thompson and Michael B Jordan. Jonathan Majors was a standout, stealing the show as a dominating fighter with a complicated past. Jordan and Majors played well off of one another. My only critique would be that I wished they had delved a little deeper into their childhood backstory. It was also nice to see previous fighters return from the first two movies.

Although not as great as the first two Creed films, Creed III was still entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat. Therefore I highly recommend giving this one a watch.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

 

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is an action comedy starring Nicholas Cage, Pedro Pascal, and Tiffany Haddish. Cage plays a fictional version of himself who is discouraged with his acting career and facing financial ruin. When he accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party, things take an unexpected turn when a CIA agent recruits him for an unimagined mission. 

The plot was unique and unpredictable. While I appreciated the self-deprecation of Cage playing a fictional version of himself, his overacting was distracting and painful to watch at times. However, Pedro Pascal brilliantly handled his role as Javi Gutierrez, a superfan billionaire who may or may not have cartel ties. The character development for Cage and Gutierrez was decent, but I would have appreciated a deeper dive on the entire cast. The film was male-dominated with not much care for the female cast, who were given limited development and scriptwriting. The majority were one-dimensional and not memorable.

I went into The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with low expectations, knowing that Nicolas Cage is hit or miss when it comes to good films. Unfortunately, this one was a miss. While there were some references to older Nicolas Cage movies, which I appreciated, most of the jokes didn't hit for me, and there were gaps at the end that left me with a lot of unanswered questions. While this film had its moments, ultimately I would not recommend this movie. The overacting and lack of character development, particularly for the female cast, left me feeling unsatisfied with the overall experience.

Causeway

 

Causeway is a drama film produced and starring Jennifer Lawrence as Lynsey, a soldier struggling to readjust to life in her hometown of New Orleans while recovering from a traumatic brain injury. The film marks Lila Neugebauer’s directorial debut and features a talented ensemble cast including Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Jayne Houdyshell, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Russell Harvard.

The film's pacing is deliberate but thought-provoking, with many silent reflective moments that reveal more through what is left unsaid. The themes of PTSD, trauma, loneliness, friendship, and family dynamics are woven throughout the narrative, and the title "Causeway" serves as a metaphor for the journeys of the film's characters. Like a literal causeway, the road is uncertain and even terrifying until you cross that path.

The casting of Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry is unconventional yet inspired. Lawrence's performance feels like a true return to form, displaying the range that made her famous in films like Silver Linings Playbook. It's disappointing that she wasn't nominated for any major awards, but Henry's nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 95th Academy Awards was well-deserved and opens up exciting possibilities for him as a leading man. As Anna Smith from Time Out put it, "both actors are terrific: Lawrence is understated and compelling while Henry is by turns sympathetic, amusing and heartbreaking". The only criticism I have is that I would have liked a deeper exploration of each character's backstory.

In the end, Causeway is a sympathetic drama that does a great job showing the humanity and kindness in others through shared trauma and connection. While the slow pacing and lack of deeper character development may not be for everyone, the strong performances from Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry make it worth watching. As a movie-goer, I would definitely recommend giving Causeway a chance.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a dark fantasy, stop-motion, animated musical that won both the Golden Globe and Academy Awards. The film was adapted from Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, and inspired by Gris Grimly's 2002 version of the same novel. Starring Gregory Mann and David Bradley as Pinocchio and Geppetto, respectively, the movie follows the journey of the two characters. In a moment of grief, Geppetto carves a wooden puppet that magically comes to life, and he names him Pinocchio.

The storyline was engaging and easy to follow, but unlike the Disney version of Pinocchio, del Toro's adaptation was not made specifically for children. As the director himself stated, “Kids can watch it, but it's not made for kids. It's made for us.” The movie is set in fascist Italy, covering the events spanning World War 1 and the beginning of World War 2. It touches on heavy topics such as war, death, and depression while consistently exploring the themes of love and the meaning of life.

Pinocchio's character development was well-done, with the puppet starting off as an inexperienced, disobedient character, and later transforming into a more mature and loving friend. The cinematography was on-brand with del Toro's signature style, featuring dark lighting and a variety of hues of blue, similar to his other film, The Shape of Water.

While the movie was well-made, one of my critiques was the lack of diversity in the casting. None of the lead voice actors were women or people of color, and the only female voice actor with a prominent role was Cate Blanchett, who played Spazzatura, a monkey character with no lines. Unfortunately, due to this and other personal preferences, I would not want to watch this movie again. 

Women Talking

 

Women Talking is am Oscar nominee for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, directed by Sarah Polley. It is a drama that takes a deep dive into the lives of women who are struggling to find their voice in an abusive, religious, isolated, patriarchal society. The film is based on Miriam Toews’ 2018 novel of the same name and was inspired by real-life events that occurred at a Mennonite community in Bolivia called the Manitoba Colony.

Polley’s direction, for the most part, felt true to the book and she helped to tastefully bring out themes around the struggle for women's rights in a society where they are often oppressed and silenced. The film was visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography and a haunting score that perfectly captured the story's disposition.

The performances by Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand were impressive. They all played well off of one another with the dialogue being both powerful and poignant. For me the two who really stood out where by Rooney Mara as Ona and Claire Foy as Salome. Two very different women, Ona more curious, loving and forgiving whereas Salome was a more exacting, protective, and outspoken in her advocacy. Although there could have been more work in the character development, the majority of the group was presented as fully realized and it was easy to connect to their emotions and experiences. My only issue with the casting is that there was is very little diversity. The inspiration for the book and film were taken from a real-life event that happened in Bolivia. This community of Mennonite immigrants were of Mexican and Canadian descent. So, I would have liked to have seen that representation on screen.

Women Talking was so timely in its release. The subject matter brought to light an ongoing issue in our society that is regularly ignored. It was thought-provoking and emotionally gripping; a must-see for anyone who cares about women's rights and the fight for equality.

Magic Mike’s Last Dance

 

Magic Mike’s Last Dance is a comedy-drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh starring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault. It is the third installment in the Magic Mike franchise, following Magic Mike (2012), also directed by Soderbergh, and Magic Mike XXL (2015). The film follows Mike Lane, reprised by Tatum, a now 40 year old, retired male stripper, who is hired to produce a stage play run by a socialite, played by Hayek Pinault, looking to shake things up.

The screenwriting and plots are never particularly good in Magic Mike moves. The plot itself didn’t really make sense and the love story was lifeless with very little development to make it believable. I know what I am getting into when I watch these movies. It is mostly for the attractive people and the dance choreography. In that sense, this movie didn’t disappoint. They had a nice diverse cast of beautiful people and superb dance sequences. Channing, at 42, is still as impressive as he was 10 years ago. He brings the same amount of athleticism and also tapped into his 2006 film Step Up for some of that dance inspiration.

These films have never been known for quality acting. The lack of character development was also an issue for the majority of the cast. With that being said, I did still enjoyed the interactions that Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault had. They had descent chemistry and did what they could with the limited depth in their story.

In the end Magic Mike’s Last Dance really should be the final film. The fresh ideas of the original have worn off. When the dance sequences are the best part of your movie, it's time to wrap it up. It is no longer enough to keep me invested or engaged.