Retrograde

I hadn’t thought about it before. Then I saw, and knew. Souls can scream.

Retrograde, a documentary about the American retreat from a decades-long war in Afghanistan, is proof. Its moviemakers have snuck us into a theatre of war and exposed all its intimacy and apathy.

First we meet the Green Berets, a selection of exceptional American soldiers. They train Afghans on fighting the common enemy. What we see in these faces and hear in these voices, though, is true care. Family.

Then the bad news arrives. We have been ordered to leave you. Afghans and Americans alike remain seated, hardly moving, but their eyes can’t hide the truth deep down in their souls. You are leaving us to pain, punishment, death. Little yellow birds chirp around the room for some reason as a couple Afghans ceremonially play music—to celebrate the closeness that’ll soon vanish. It’s the human condition in one scene: We came, we tried, we know we’re going to die.

For the rest of the movie we sit, stand, crawl, and stress with General Sami Sadat. The native Afghan tells his story. But mostly, he leads. It is a strange thing to watch with him in realtime the latest news that the enemy is regaining territory that it took allied forces years to capture.

It’s all simple, but scary. The moviemakers squeeze us into the cockpit of that bomb helicopter, push us face-to-face with the innocent translator who is begging to escape the impending nightmare—while the twenty-year-old new American recruit must shout back with the weight of decisions made thousands of miles away.

Retrograde does not opine. It simply and beautifully exists in places and allows us, for a few moments, to exist there too. If documentaries were made for anything, they were made for this.

One of many indescribable moments that Retrograde’s moviemakers somehow managed to capture.

Don't Worry Darling

Don’t Worry Darling is extraordinary. Sumptuous; heart-pounding; layered.

In this one we follow Alice, a (young, vivacious) wife who keeps house for her husband. Each morning, smiles are wide and true. Each night, the dinner table’s perfection is outmatched only by the couple’s sexual chemistry. Indeed the entire community seems similar, with zesty, neat families filling picture-perfect houses in the middle of the desert. What gives?

Gossip holds that the men might be making weapons for their employer—and therefore, big money. One resident whispers of something even more sinister, though. Something about “they”. Alice, for some reason, is the only one who listens.

When strange things now happen to Alice—and to Alice alone—the dreamworld we’ve all been experiencing turns nightmarish. How did nobody else see that? Why aren’t they listening to her? Hmm, maybe she’s losing her mind. Or maybe the nefariousness of this place is just that intoxicating to everyone else.

From its very first moments, the movie’s astonishingly detailed production design and joyous music plug us into the dreamlife. Dang, I wanna live here! As the story continues, eery sound-design and darker metaphoric imagery take over. Hm, maybe there’s a reason why everything seems too good to be true. Powerful portrayals—most fantastically, by the actor who plays Alice—have us salivating for resolution.

Don’t worry if the synopsis lacks detail and sounds like nothing special; the mystery here is. Don’t Worry Darling both illustrates and was written with that most human of traits, imagination. It is entertaining and meaningful at the same time.

Have a great day!

Official Competition

Movie people suck. They’re pretentious and vacuous, unabashed and flighty (kinda like this sentence!).

Well, maybe not all of ‘em, but certainly the ones we see in Official Competition. And that’s why this movie is SO MUCH FUN.

In this one, a rich old man funds the production of an artsy movie. He wants awards guaranteed (LOL), so he engages a decorated and eccentric director to help (further LOL). After a well-paced intro establishes all that, the bulk of what we watch is our director and her two lead actors preparing for their new project.

Lola, the free-spirited, genius director that she is, is overbearing. Repeat-that-word-five-times-in-five-different-ways overbearing. Félix gets paid so much he couldn’t care less. Iván, an actor’s actor who thinks the world of himself, puts up with the both of them for the love of his art. Or maybe for the opportunity to win another award.

Their rehearsals are cringe-worthy; each a crapshoot of who will be the most self-serious and antagonistic this time. Not only are their idiosyncracies somehow both silly and creative, the constant uncertainty of who’ll be normal this time adds to the hilarity (helping us identify with otherwise unsympathetic characters).

Smart story-structuring unveils the climax of our movie and their movie at just the right time. Sincere, subtle, and suspenseful when it needs to be, and observant, charming, and funny as all heck, Official Competition is the work of excellent moviemakers. These people don’t take their job too seriously, but they do seriously appreciate its virtues.

Um . . . let’s take a break?

Finding Sandler

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made? And what if you could make it right?

In the documentary Finding Sandler, David answers these questions. Apparently he once turned down movie star Adam Sandler’s invitation to chat; so years later—while living his thirties in grandma’s basement and working on local TV instead of on pop movie production—David makes another decision: track down Adam and finally have that drink. It’s an outlandish and impractical idea—realized in a believable and heartwarming fashion.

As (budget but effective) computer animation illustrates that past, David narrates. He said “no” to networking because other people were depending on him to do his job. He explains how he never could forget that moment, and that how now, he has formulated an offer that Adam won’t be able to refuse. Friends and loved ones share their thoughts—all on grainy video captured before cell phones had cameras. Grandma is adorable and supportive; the parents have mixed emotions. It’s all so real, and really, uplifting.

David himself adds entertainment to the already curious story. He’s witty and earnest, whatever height he lacks being made up for with personality and verve. Watching him convince himself, then his loved ones, then random strangers—again and again—is just plain fun. The journey of body and mind takes him and others to places nobody would have seen coming.

Finding Sandler’s production value might not be taught in film school, but its oh-so-painfully-modern hero’s journey might be worthy of that honor. In a world that makes it easy to dwell on past decisions, this movie shows us the value of making a new one.

So, what’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made? Ready to make a movie about it?

Adam chasing his dreams! By following his dreams! To Hollywood!

Sweet Adventure

What’s adventure to you?

Maybe it’s something simple you can do on a whim, like saying hi to a stranger. Or maybe it’s a bit more involved, like jumping out of a helicopter into the ocean off the coast of a country you’ve never been to before which houses a language you don’t understand and a nature so unmarred by humans that you can sit and stare at it for hours, to surf. Either way, I think you’ll like Sweet Adventure.

At its most basic it’s a surf movie. Montages with humans doing dope things on planks in the ocean—these magnetize and invigorate us in equal measure. And all that good stuff, that natural beauty, is captured in crisp detail. Awesome.

The moviemakers elevate the experience, though. They personalize it.

We learn about our cast of characters (three surfers) as their adventure unfolds (traveling from Hawaii to El Salvador to ride waves). Taut but familiar narration from Selema reminds us that world class athletes and adventure-seekers are just like you and me. Watching this, then, becomes a bit like listening to an elderly parent explaining what made each of their children special. So Nora might be a decorated pro skateboarder, but did you know what she thinks about sloths? Let’s see. Do you know what her hometown looks like? Here’s a photo. Had you any concept about how drawing an arrow on a compound bow can make Matt feel? Let’s watch him do it. Right now, we have time for it; it’s all part of it.

Relaxed like a Saturday afternoon and sweet as summer watermelon, Sweet Adventure is full of detours and poignant moments. It’ll help you soak in another sunset, for sure. But it’s also a contemplation of those times in our lives that somehow feel different and memorable. Having watched it, I feel the urge to embark on a new adventure myself.

Yep. Sweet Adventure is definitely your typical surf movie.

The Art of Making It

Art, amirite? We all have our opinions. And this is why The Art of Making It is such an ambitious project.

It’s a documentary about the art world, but a story, too. Its underdogs are . . . the vast majority of artists alive today. They create (and sometimes go into massive debt to learn how to create) art because they cannot imagine doing otherwise. Many make no money from their passion, subsisting on unrelated jobs. The only way to better their situation seems to be when a rich, connected hand of a university/museum/gallery decides that this human is now worthy of making it money.

But maybe that’s a cynic’s view. In this one, we hear all sorts of opinions about the state of things. Artists and thinkers; curators, gallerists, and teachers share their thoughts. Sometimes contrasted in back-to-back scenes, any theoretical disagreement becomes for us a fun kind of cringe-worthy.

So do we care about any of this? And is watching this like doing philosophy homework? Well, art, like any other profession or expression, is a funnel for human thought. Without it the soup of our world would be less rich. As an exploration of whether that particular funnel might be clogging right now, this movie does us all a service.

As for watchability, you’ll find everything from light to heavy in this one; personal moments with sympathetic people, but so too ideas about history and the future of us all, often presented in a visually-engaging way. Interesting, patient, and informative, The Art of Making It is a work of art all its own.

shoutout to my main meme jerrygogosian — you da beast!

Elvis

Elvis is a jerky, jam-packed marathon of a movie. You just might like it.

If nothing else, you’ll learn a thing or two about the poor white boy from the poor Black neighborhood who grew up to be world-famous. Elvis Presley, singer, actor, and cultural phenomenon, remains to this day the best-selling solo musical artist of all time.

I do not exaggerate, though this movie does. Often. It warps our field of vision, camera zipping around like a mosquito that drank too much soda. The narration (like its narrator) is campy and carnivalesque.

All of that makes the movie feel especially Hollywood. Aside from reintroducing Elvis’s hits with wonderful, booming sound, it remixes songs and adds contemporary ones, seemingly trying to explain to us what the “cool” energy of the past was by melding it with some “cool” energy of today. I think it misses its mark, and got the feeling it was stereotyping the very cultures and communities it was trying to pay homage to.

And yet . . . and yet, this movie is filled with goodness. It shows off the talented titans and everypersons of Black culture who so heavily influenced Elvis’s music. It shows us a man who was both softie and outgoing, devoted to his Momma and to creating happiness in this world. As for the acting, Elvis is portrayed masterfully; the performances of Elvis’s family are good at worst.

We follow Elvis from childhood inspiration through untimely death, one formative moment at a time—of which there were apparently many. Although early scenes can feel both too long and too short, the final 40 or so minutes are simply riveting. These by themselves make the movie worth a watch. Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has re-entered the building.

Something old, something new; something borrowed, something pink.

Top Gun: Maverick

A force ten times that of gravity crushes your every organ, muscle, bone. You begin to lose consciousness, your plane cutting into the heavens at a hellish angle. All the while the enemy chases you. Feelin’ good?

I sure am! Top Gun: Maverick showed me an exhilarating, terror- and pride-inducing time. Twas a display of both human and big-screen excellence. Fun, fun, fun!

In this one, Captain Mitchell (perhaps the best fighter pilot the U.S. Navy has ever seen) is forced into and out of retirement in a flash. Each event is more surprising than the next, so when a new mission is presented that seems impossible even for drones to handle, we become invested.

But be patient sailor, we’ll have to wade through some slow and sappy stuff first. A substantial chunk of the first half of this movie is about the Captain’s past; filled with references and flashbacks. It’s hard to care or connect with what’s going on if you haven’t seen the prequel origin of these moments. All self-referential, no action. Like attending a school reunion for a school you didn’t attend.

This fluff is bookended by more meaningful emotional connection, though—and action. Oh my stars is there action. Impressive practical effects, seeing humans get thrown around by g-forces, having our fields of vision turned upside down . . . Good casting, a great lead; seamless editing, creative direction, and rumbling sound? Folks, prepare for takeoff!

So yeah we’re real close to the ground, going real fast, over.

Windfall

Watching Windfall had me feeling like a kid again . . . sitting in a waiting room, unable to leave, unsure of what would happen next—and pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it.

I know that sounds unpleasant, but the premise of this movie is actually funny, unexpected, and compelling. So please be patient when Nobody enjoys that gorgeous house on that gorgeous property. Reserve your judgment when he starts to steal things. Soon, everything will fall into place. (The owners will unexpectedly return and everyone will freak out. LOL!)

Each character conceives their next move on the fly—and sheesh is Nobody the worst at it. So bad we feel bad for him. When the wealthy owners simply won’t shut up, our sympathies compete. Well structured, moviemakers, well structured.

When for a number of reasons the trio becomes stuck in the house together for longer than they’d like, the waiting-room-feeling grows. Does this really have to take this long? How the heck are we going to resolve this?

We care mostly because of Nobody, and specifically the actor portraying him. Character was clearly doing this with resignation, and the feeling grows the longer he spends with his marks. Discomfort simply oozes from this man’s face, a masterclass in acting subtly but powerfully.

Alas, no amount of good acting can fix the writing here. A waiting room can be fun with the appropriate stimulus (toys, interesting people, new information), but this one had none of that. Windfall gave us little and leaves us with even less.

A gentle calm, for now.

Old

Old does have its surprises, but the title tells you everything you need to know.

Step One: A family goes on vacation. They’re quirky and beautiful like their destination, a tropical, paradisal place. Hiccups pass as each member tries their best to enjoy this special moment. How sweet.

Step Two: Something terrible happens, destroying all good vibes and any hope of a return to normalcy. If you’re curious about what that could be, well, I won’t mention the title again.

There is a contrast of wonder and terror here. Smart! As aging may well be the scariest thing out there, the bulk of the movie is for us an uncomfortable, emotional experience. Kudos go to the concept-creator here—and the actors, who portray our fundamental fear at its most horrifyingly condensed.

Whether you’ll enjoy it all, though, will depend on your patience with the characters, and especially with the ending. Would you do what they do? Can you believe this is happening?

For most of the time, I thought yes. Brilliant camerawork—capturing one character frozen while the others are in motion, or, close-framed and obscuring but hinting at the objects of all these horrified gazes—had me begging for some resolution.

And then, alas, it came. And then, I felt a little older.

Another smartly-framed scene in which the camera stays put—increasing our increasingly-desperate curiosity.

The Yellow Wallpaper

Baby crying again? Throw it out the window already!

I joke, folks, though The Yellow Wallpaper does not. This psychological horror reminds us that disturbing comes in different packages.

Take Jane and John. This married couple will spend the summer with their newborn at a lovely estate. Nice, right?

Wrong. Oh so wrong. Jane’s face screams it. Hubby (who is also her doctor) has arranged this trip to fix whatever Jane is living with, and wow does the prescription have side effects.

You’ll stay in this room Jane, I picked it out for you. It gives you a bad feeling? Nonsense. And stop with your writing, you must rest. Enjoy the grounds, now, but don’t stay outside for too long. Oh, and I might be gone a couple days; someone has to pay the bills around here. See ya!

This mix of patriarchal- and medical-malpractice is maddening. And as you’d guess, Jane’s condition worsens in its midst. Whether it’s anxiety or postpartum depression, boredom or schizophrenia, we can’t tell. What we do see—heck, what most of the movie is—is long, quiet scenes of Jane staring at things. Exploring dark parts of the estate, here; staring at that terrible yellow wallpaper, there. Wait—did you hear that?

Brief and few moments of narration do not change the feeling of this movie; it is slow, naturalistic. Kudos go to essentially all of the moviemakers here. You can see where the story is headed and it makes you wanna scream.

Fair warning, though, I was taken out of it more than once. Jane’s descent feels about 20% longer than it needs to be; its different scenes aren’t meaningfully different. And while Jane’s character is a difficult one to portray, filled with inner dialogue and turmoil that can only be hinted at on the surface, I found the portrayal to lack a certain depth. Little things like eyes darting (which can happen when actors try too hard to avoid the camera) and Jane’s accent (markedly different than those of her fellow characters, and curiously modern-sounding at times) are what I’m thinking of here.

With a meaningful, interesting premise and lovely techniques to explore it, The Yellow Wallpaper captured my attention for a while. More often than not, however, I had the feeling that this movie was almost there. That tempered my experience a fair bit.

The Batman

There are two types of long movies: those that feel long, and those that run long. The Batman belongs in the second category, its mystery getting better with each passing minute.

Watching the first few scenes had me thinking other thoughts, though. Cross-cuts of a city living distrustfully; baddies doing bad with tortured smiles on their faces . . . we’ve seen this before, I thought. Even our lead’s entrance was more silly-comical than comic-comical. As the camera finally settled down to focus on something—you guessed it, shadow—only footsteps were discernible. Affecting for sure, but after so many seconds, surely their maker would’ve entered the light by now? By now??

The rest of this movie, however, is a marvel. Its writing respects us, providing a complex story that we must wrestle with alongside our hero. Its characters, motivated by emotions that each one of us has felt. And the dilemma it presents goes to our social core: What should we do with animals who are capable of both greatest evil and greatest good?

Spoiler: Even Batman isn’t sure. Indeed, our pale, eye-make-up’ed hero is more emo than anything else. After working by night to stop crime, he drags himself home to write in his diary. Does a people which chooses to eat itself deserve saving? Rather than filling this movie with fight scenes (though the few are heart-pumping), he prefers to observe. To ask questions. Especially about the fame-killings.

Civic leaders are being murdered, folks! Perhaps even worse, the culprit(s?) are doing this to spotlight terrible hypocrisies committed by those figureheads of justice. And we thought the city was bad before . . .

As you can imagine, Batman races desperately against time to figure out what’s going on—with these crimes, with their messages, and with his complicated past (all of which could be connected). Together, the crimes and his reactions create a dialogue. And wow is it suspenseful.

Darkness is the word to describe this one. From its lighting to its themes (and really, every technical aspect in between), it is measured, expert. I never once looked away from the screen to check the time.

Passing

Passing is rather like a windless snowfall: soft and gorgeous, gentle and consistent even as it buries you.

It was an experience so deceptively simple, so beautiful and disconcerting, that I am not sure how I feel about it. And though I believe there is no right way to do a movie, I think Passing is a movie done right.

Irene is our North Star here, reliably unchanging as the storm unfolds around her. Her typical day is spent in a state of nervous agitation: prepping for high society events, worrying, or napping. The moviemakers hint at both existential malaise and drugs as the culprits.

One day, she tries something different. And in this extraordinary time for her, she happens upon an old friend, Clare. The meeting changes their lives.

Clare, apparently, is pretending to be white. And the husband has no idea.

The story and its themes unfold as Irene prepares for the latest society event, now with Clare once again in her life. What will happen next? Will Clare be found out? Will she implicate Irene? Above this underlying nervous energy are the many other layers of emotion, including, perhaps, romantic ones.

Simple but gorgeous motifs balance out all these weighty topics just as well as they complement them. Light passes through and bounces and refracts around every inch of the picture. Piano keys flit down our ear canals like cars outside the window, a recurring city refrain reminding us of time and place. Scenes transition just as softly as the movie begins and ends. A dissolution into nothing, or everything.

Sometimes, when a thing is done really well, you don’t notice it. This movie plays with that idea, in a serious way. I will not soon forget it.

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

Louis was an odd cat, and this movie revels in it. What a unique and charming experience!

Our proper Victorian narrator hints at what it’ll be early on. While speaking the hard facts of Louis’s life, she makes sure to pepper in phrases like “positively geriatric” and “vomited immediately”. Think silly sprinkled over serious.

Most every other technical aspect of the movie builds this whimsical vibe, wobbling between the seemingly contradictory. When Louis navigates the world through oddjobs, for example, we are made to feel energy and not just concern. When he stares into the eyes of someone a beat longer than is polite, we sympathize just as much as we are discomfited. Even a detail as small as the flicker of a candle is put to use.

OK, so Louis and this movie are goofy, we get it. What else? Well, his curiosity is insatiable and directionless. And one day it lands on something new: Emily.

As governess to Louis’s many sisters, Emily knows and can teach the basics of human interaction. Even more intriguing is that Emily is more open-minded than others in Louis’s social class. (The first time we meet her she is sitting in a closed closet . . . )

As the two begin to see virtue in each other, Louis’s sketches for the local newspaper reach new levels of beautiful. What’s this feeling? This electricity? It seems to move him and her and so many people out there . . .

Whatever it is, it’s what makes the story so romantic. And heartbreaking.

The more I think about this movie, the more I’m a fan. Its casting and performances are super; its colors, inspired; its music, somehow capturing the simultaneously insane and inviting nature of our existence. Everything about this one is a celebration.

Aftershock

Being Black and pregnant in the United States? Like being a Black man pulled over at a traffic stop. Scary.

An expecting mother tells us so. The story here is many, but at its simplest, Aftershock is about Black American women dying around childbirth; how; why; and what their loved ones and community are doing about it. It is without a doubt a distressing topic.

But just as a good parent does when speaking with their child about the facts of life, this movie delivers its message to us with empathy and stoicism. Its subjects—our stars in a cold, seemingly unforgiving space—shine bright. Their reactions to tumult are creating positive energy; power for the powerless. Stars indeed.

The statistics are appalling and scary: Black American mothers die around childbirth at an alarmingly high rate, at a disproportionately high rate compared to other women in the United States, and in a country which itself already has disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality around childbirth compared to other rich nations.

That’s a lot to take in. First, we spend time with Shamony. With Amber Rose. These two young women were ready to raise the future, and home video captures some intimate moments of their family and promise. What a joy life can be!

And then we lose them.

Why? Experts at medical schools, hospitals, and non-hospital birthing centers weigh in. A bit of old-fashioned interpersonal racism here, a bit of a healthcare complex that incentivizes faulty algorithms, quick turnaround, and drug-induced surgeries there. A big business which (rather like a fast food chain) advertises happiness while providing product that’s cheap, quick, and unhealthy.

So is it all sadness? No. We follow Omari and Kevin, who Shamony and Amber Rose left behind. They create art and spread the word, respectively. They help other people process and grieve and learn and be held accountable. Shamony’s mother, Shawnee—herself a healthcare professional—speaks in a manner so composed and powerful and insightful. Helena Grant, CNM and Dr. Neel Shah teach us about empathy and history and paths forward. Seeing these people is inspiring and makes me proud.

How lovely, to see people create power out of pain. And yet, the better thing would’ve been that this pain never happened. Death is natural, but negligence is preventable. To make sure none of this happens again, then, we need to first listen. And so Aftershock is for us a gift.

Sirens

We’re all slaves to something; running from something, says Lilas.

That’s why the music of her thrash/death-metal band, impressive and melodic as it can be, does not exist to lure people in. Rather, Lilas and her bandmates use song because it’s the only form of expression they still have in their country. These women are not sirens: They are Slave to Sirens.

Their home, Beirut, is in turmoil. Their style of music, one whose whose heyday has passed. It doesn’t help that their lyrics and general essence rubs many fellow citizens the wrong way. Disappointing facts all, and the movie does not hide them. But it’s important to say here that Sirens is no downer. In fact, when I think of it, I smile.

Part of why is Shery. If Lilas is the soul of this band, Shery is the heart. The band formed around this pair, and hearing the details of their story makes watching them create all the more poignant. The bassist (Alma), drummer (Tatyana), and lead singer (Maya) fill out the stage. Even if you don’t like metal, it is reassuring to see people find a glimmer of happiness and follow their dreams.

There is no storyline here per se—although an economic crisis, cultural revolution, worldwide pandemic, and terrible explosion all did unfold during the filming of this one! Rather, the story is that these humans exist; that these people try. That they do not fit the stereotype of Middle Eastern women currently soaked into the brains of so many.

Because this is the case, the movie flits between interviews, voiceovers, and simple moments of observation. And so we see them shooting their own music video, sun itself shooting gold through the Beiruti haze. And so we watch them crack open another beer. And fight.

Blending personal and cultural intrigue, Sirens delivers a lot. I say, rock on, ladies! Moviemakers included.

The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love

The title says it all. The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love is an amusing, light-hearted, and romantic affair.

It begins with Randy, the punk. The one who daydreams about her yet-to-be-formed rock band instead of doing homework. The one unashamedly out—and ostracized for it.

Now Evie, she’s oblivious to all that. Popular, scholarly, and conventionally pretty, sure. But naive. So when there’s something wrong with her car, it’s a nerve-wracking experience. Can someone, anyone help? Randy steps in with a smile. In more ways than one, she’s thinking, as she pretends to inflate Evie’s tires. Our characters are revealed.

A first move is made; a friendship blossoms. Scenes where the two interact (think a glance in the hallway while changing classes, or a smile over the table at the diner) capture well the nervous energy of young love. The acting in these moments is pitch-perfect (and redeems the very few moments of over-the-top anger which are clearly manufactured—and uncomfortable to witness). The writing is similarly heavy-handed a very few times, our characters throwing out platitudes that just don’t fit the scene; but again, these moments drown in the sea of good ones.

The story moves at a clip, and is full of humor. Even the dinners leave a mark. Evie’s: refined French inspirations with matter-of-fact conversation. Randy’s: a cacophonous, vegan, lesbian controlled chaos. Each endearing and silly in its own way.

The picture quality lends a certain nostalgic, romantic fuzz to it all. Smart close-ups retain focus on the girls even as they interact with others: We care about what they’re experiencing, after all.

Oh, young love! I hope it lasts. But if it doesn’t, hey, we’ll always have this movie!

Hustlers

Hustlers is about strippers, but not stripping. About beautiful women: beautiful because of their human trials, not their genes. It is funny, serious, and tender all at once.

And it begins with energy. In the first, unbroken scene, Destiny walks out onto the floor of the strip club. With every step the anticipation builds. Music pulses; bodies twist; glitter shimmers. Could this be the way to support grandma?! Then quick edits show us what a shift truly looks like. Glamorous maybe, but work, definitely. And Destiny is not as popular as the other girls.

Then the answer walks into our lives. Gorgeous and experienced, intelligent and independent, she is what Destiny wants to be. So Destiny reaches out for tips (so to speak). 

As Ramona teaches the newbie about how to carry oneself—and gauge the clientele—the two become fast friends. They see themselves in each other, each wanting to be a provider. Destiny especially finds in Ramona the mother she has always wanted. Friendship and commerce? Talk about beauty! 

Then the money dries up. It is 2008, and Wall Street’s excesses have destroyed these Main Street jobs. The movie was delightfully engaging until this point, but now is when the show really gets good. 

When the only way our leads are able to make money is taken away from them, they brainstorm a bailout of their own: Hustle the grand hustlers. The plan is bold and intriguing; creative and creepy. But is it tenable?

Destiny’s part is performed with both range and depth. Big time acting. Her growing closeness with Ramona and their co-workers is touching, even as their plan spirals out of control. Subtle social commentary adds oomph to the show, as do other fantastic moviemaking decisions (like precise use of music and sound effects to emphasize a feeling).

Not only is Hustlers surprising, it is surprisingly good.

Don't Look Up

A comet is heading directly for Earth. Now what?

I’m not quite sure how to answer that question, but Don’t Look Up has me thinking. Although this witty satire is no horror movie, it is recognizable enough to be alarming.

It spotlights ridiculous, frustrating human behavior—yet remains silly and funny and entertaining. Somehow light; somehow tender.

The story begins with Kate, a PhD student. Her anti-establishment haircut is almost as loud as the rap escaping her headphones. She (like her generation?) is smart, capable, and a bit disillusioned with how disgusting and hypocritical people in power seem to be.

Then she discovers a comet. She does the math with her professor, Randall, and the answer is ice cold: The Earth doesn’t stand a chance.

At its simplest, Don’t Look Up is the story of these two (very different) people trying to warn others about impending danger. Though they’re imperfect—she a bit too cynical, he a bit too science-focused—they’re rational and well-meaning overall. And this is where the satire comes in.

Hardly anyone listens. From the classroom to the newsroom to the White House, the people who learn about the comet either shrug it off or look to exploit it for their own gain. We, like our heroes, begin to wonder how the people of the United States have devolved so. Will rationality not be enough to save the day? Will short-sighted self-interest really propel us into the future? Has it always?

One scene sums it all up. When Kate and Randall are waiting to deliver the news to the President, a military man charges them for snacks. We later learn that these snacks were free. Why did he do that? It’s kind of hilarious, kind of enraging. Kate cannot shake this meaningless greed out of her head, even though all of existence will be over soon.

This movie will undoubtedly polarize its viewers, each of whom might have a different perspective on interactions like that one. It lambasts the ethos of many Americans who believe, for example, that scare-tactics are purely power tools, or that profit is the next step in human evolution. But because Don’t Look Up raises important questions about self-education and the role of the individual in a complicated and dangerous world, and because it does so with humor, I can’t help but like it.

The Matrix Resurrections

Resurrections? I’m not sure anything died.

Something sure does stink, though.

You see, three Matrix movies preceded this one, and that trilogy stands as a monument in movie history. Its blend of ground-breaking visual effects, wild choreography, and intricate storytelling blasted philosophy off a dusty page and onto on our modern screens. It made questioning reality fun.

The Matrix Resurrections tries to do the same. Unfortunately, it relies too much on what’s been done before without adding anything meaningful.

This one starts with our saviors, Neo and Trinity, living obliviously amongst their sheep. Just a mom at work and a video game coder going through the motions. How did this happen?

Neo’s therapy sessions and psychotic visions enlighten us. He has put so much of his hopes and fears into his popular video game (called The Matrix) that he now can’t distinguish his memories from game sequences.

Much of the movie passes by before we learn why. And much of that is filled with clips and characters from the original trilogy. Not only are these callbacks overkill for those who don’t know the backstory, they are jarring for anyone who does. They’re reminders that what we’re witnessing pales in comparison to the original stuff.

So Neo is unsure about his reality; Neo is awakened; Neo must fight machines; the odds seem awful. We’ve seen this all before, folks. Having watched The Matrix Resurrections, I now feel like I’ve met the lazy, insecure child of one of my heroes. There is something recognizable in it, but nothing that grips me.

All that said, kudos must go to many of the moviemakers on this one; the production and set design, the special effects, and the camerawork especially drew us in even as the writing worked so hard to take us out.