Webslinger

I caught Strange World this afternoon with family. Cute movie (character development was a little weak, but the visuals were impressive and it's fairly enjoyable) and the relatively small audience seemed into it. If I had to wager anything about its reception, it seems like a case where the majority of audiences who see it are liking it just fine, but the loudest, most toxic voices are driving the narrative and sinking the various audience reception metrics. Unfortunately, much like the case with Lightyear, it will result in a perception that the film is a huge bomb because "everyone" hates it, which in turn will keep potential viewers in the coming weeks away.

The Fabelmans may appear to be a simple excursion into small, character-based drama for Steven Spielberg, but the final product onscreen is a big, ambitious, and deeply personal project that resonates in virtually every single way. Taking the mythos that has long been associated with his films and chronicled in the 2017 HBO documentary on his life, Spielberg crafts a film that feels intimate in its study of family and coming-of-age, yet also grand in its examination of all the ways in which a budding young artist realizes his passion. The script – co-written by Tony Kushner and Spielberg himself – casts even the most seemingly mundane domestic moments as significant occurrences with cleverly constructed dialogue and laser-focused insights into the family dynamics it is examining. Yet, for how dialogue-driven the script might seem to be, the film also looks gorgeous and feels wholly cinematic – the result of both Spielberg flexing near-perfect directorial instincts and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski delivering some of the most visually striking work of his entire career. There is such sincerity and passion in every frame of the film that it practically feels like it could burst off the screen at any minute, and numerous sequences do an incredible job of showing the power that cinema has always held over Spielberg – and by extension, us as his viewers. That said, as great as the film is throughout its running time, it saves its best for its final half-hour, which has so many dynamic moments and pays off on so many long-gestating themes in Spielberg’s work that it had me leaning forward and hanging on every word and image all the way up to its final shot. Though much of the praise for this film will rightly be heaped upon the elements already discussed, it also serves as even further proof of Spielberg’s skill in working with actors. As Spielberg’s teenage stand-in Sam Fabelman, Gabriel LaBelle does affecting and wholly convincing work. Humanizing a fictional representation of a filmmaker with such a tightly constructed public image is no easy work, but LaBelle’s committed work makes it look effortless. Michelle Williams also adds another terrific performance to her resume as Sam’s free-spirited mother, Mitzi. As Mitzi, Williams crafts a complex character and plays her eccentricities and struggles with equal precision; she takes a character who could come across as too broad in lesser hands and shapes her into a sympathetic, achingly human one here. Paul Dano also has some nice moments as Sam’s loving but more emotionally distant father, and he gets some surprisingly powerful scenes as the run time progresses. There’s also an excellent extended cameo from Judd Hirsch as a great uncle whose lessons about art and pain register powerfully, and a cameo later in the film that will undoubtedly bring big smiles to the faces of any film buffs in the audience. One of the greatest marvels of Steven Spielberg is his ability to keep surprising and finding new ways to demonstrate his mastery over cinematic storytelling; even after half a century in the director’s chair, he still refuses to rest on his laurels. The Fabelmans represents not just the most personal film Spielberg has ever made, but also one of the most impassioned and dynamic across an oeuvre not lacking in either of those qualities. It is his best film since Saving Private Ryan, and one of the very best of his entire career. A

A diabolical satire on elitism and extreme privilege, The Menu sinks its teeth in early and doesn’t relent until its darkly funny finale. Under the stellar direction of Mark Mylod, the filmmakers clearly have a blast skewering the unchecked privilege of their caricatured protagonists and making salient points about the callousness and pettiness of the de facto ruling class and the manner in which it has twisted – and in some cases, even broken – the people they see as mere servants. The humor is pitch-dark, but Mylod and the cast hit it just right and score plenty of well-earned laughs from their perverse subject matter. And though the film is not at all subtle about its themes, it does boast one narrative twist I didn’t see coming – though it makes perfect sense and effectively reframes the film’s already morbid setup in an even more sinister light. With such broad tonal strokes to play with, the cast is in fine form with deliciously exaggerated performances. Anya Taylor-Joy continues her run of varied and impressive genre work as enigmatic last-minute guest Margo, nailing her deer in the headlights moments and her more ferocious actions with equal effectiveness. Ralph Fiennes is also reliable as ever as the twisted Chef Slowik, delivering dark barbs with gusto and leveraging his intimidating presence to make the cult leader-like influence he holds over his cooks feel believable. The standout, though, is Nicholas Hoult in a gleefully over-the-top performance as an overeager, know-it-all foodie. Hoult leans all the way into his character’s most annoying, grating qualities, and he ends up wringing many laughs out of it. The Menu is dark and unconventional enough that it is bound to not play well with viewers expecting something more straightforward, but it’s a deliriously enjoyable slice of dark social satire for viewers who connect with it. B+

I really need to update this more often! A The Banshees of Inisherin Everything Everywhere All at Once The Fabelmans Tár A- Armageddon Time Barbarian The Batman Bros Nope The Northman Till Top Gun: Maverick Turning Red The Woman King X B+ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever The Black Phone The Bob's Burgers Movie Bodies Bodies Bodies Cha Cha Real Smooth Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Emily the Criminal Fresh Hustle Marcel the Shell with Shoes On The Menu Pearl Smile Thor: Love and Thunder Vengeance B Ambulance Bullet Train Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Dog Elvis The Good Nurse Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Jackass Forever Lightyear The Lost City Men Not Okay Scream Three Thousand Years of Longing The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent B- The Adam Project Amsterdam Death on the Nile C+ Halloween Ends Uncharted C Don't Worry Darling Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore C- Blonde Jurassic World: Dominion Morbius

Caught it this afternoon and loved it! It's a tough call between this and Everything Everywhere All at Once for my current favorite film of the year. Just as beautifully shot as it is scripted, and those last 20 minutes or so had me leaning forward and hanging off every word and image. It's Spielberg's best film in many years - maybe even since Saving Private Ryan. The best part, though, might have been a couple of old ladies who walked out after about 100 minutes and were very vocal in their disgust, calling it - and I quote - "terribly written." I'd love to see what pointers these two random old ladies have for a guy with a Pulitzer sitting on his mantle.

With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, director and co-writer Ryan Coogler faces a Herculean task: not only is he following up the most critically and financially successful standalone installment of the industry’s biggest current cash cow franchise, but he is also doing it without the presence of the star who made the titular role his own. Rather than pretend as though the massive real world context doesn’t exist, Coogler instead swings for the fences with a film that fully acknowledges the absence of the late Chadwick Boseman and functions ver effectively as a study of grief, vengeance, and healing as filtered through the lens of a superhero film. There’s a whole lot happening at any given moment in the film’s lengthy 161-minute running time, and while some decisions resonate more powerfully than others, it’s mostly a very entertaining affair that takes its characters and setting in genuinely exciting new directions. Particularly, Coogler’s decisions to examine a society trying to preemptively defend itself from colonization and centering the action for the protagonist and her allies almost entirely on female characters make the film feel like it’s taking chances and exploring possibilities that many other blockbusters – including those of its own cinematic universe – would never consider. There is perhaps too much plot even for such a long running time – and it does come at the expense of some of the types of character moments that made the first film so special – but it’s tough to deny the payoff of the film’s big action and emotional beats, which feel more personal than they probably should as a piece of major intellectual property. Though Boseman’s absence is most definitely felt, the cast once again boasts inspired work. Letitia Wright makes the shift from razor-sharp comic relief in the first film to a more serious, affecting performance in this film without missing a beat; she nails many of the film’s biggest emotional moments and makes the most of her expanded screen time. Fellow returners Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira also make the most of their opportunities to flesh their characters out and – like Wright – explore how their grief has transformed them. There’s also some stirring work from Angela Bassett, who commands attention every time she’s on screen. Among the newcomers, Tenoch Huerta follows in the footsteps of Michael B. Jordan by giving the MCU one of its more memorable villains; he’s not at Jordan’s level, mind you, but his portrayal of the villainous Namor is compelling and lends heft to the proceedings. While there’s no denying that it ultimately sits in the long shadow cast by its predecessor and doesn’t quite replicate that film’s exact alchemy, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever succeeds in advancing its franchise’s aims in rousing fashion while somehow also feeling like a personal and poignant effort from its director. B+

By equal turns funny, bleak, and achingly beautiful, The Banshees of Inisherin is another deeply stirring display of Martin McDonagh’s power as a storyteller. Shifting his attention back to Ireland and setting the action amid a period of civil war heard and discussed but not seen, McDonagh crafts a story about loneliness and the senselessness of petty bickering that feels fully human from the first scene to the last. Like the best of McDonagh’s work, it swings from moments of dark comedy to more poignant scenes so fluidly that it practically feels effortless, and there are moments bold and surprising enough to merit genuine gasps. It succeeds both as an intimate study of the psychology of its two leads and as a more allegorical commentary on the ways in which we destroy meaningful relationships – whether it’s a friendship or union as a nation – for petty reasons that blind us from the humanity and dignity of the other. It’s heady stuff, to be sure, but McDonagh and his cast are more than up to the task of making it work. It’s hard to pick an MVP between Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in the lead roles – both give perhaps the best work of their often undervalued careers. Farrell finds the grace and pain in aimless Padraig’s dull life, playing up his befuddlement with Colm’s decision to shun him, his care for the people and animals who are important to him, and his sadness over his increasingly isolated life in a manner that feels true. Gleeson is both acerbically funny and quietly heartbreaking as Colm, succeeding in humanizing Colm’s decision to end his friendship with Padraig by highlighting his growing despair and existential dread over being forgotten after he’s dead. Though they obviously don’t get to play off one another as much as they did in McDonagh’s In Bruges, but their interactions with one another read like those of longtime friends, and little gestures and turns of phrase help to further highlight the sense of verisimilitude. As Siobhan, Padraig’s sister, Kerry Condon does lively and affecting work as someone trying – and mostly failing – to be a voice of reason in the central feud and a supportive presence in Colm’s directionless existence. Barry Keoghan also does a great job of understanding what his role as village idiot Dominic is asking of him, and he turns in a performance that ultimately feels surprisingly moving. With its darkly hilarious humor and its moving dramatic sensibilities, The Banshees of Inisherin earns its place near the top of McDonagh’s work, and also registers as one of the very best films of this year. A

I was definitely thinking of Dusty's ordeal with the Nats during that 9th inning. It's nice to see him prevail after being done dirty over playoff losses several times over.

Well, division rivalry and years-old scandals notwithstanding, I am at least happy to see Dusty Baker finally getting a ring as a manager. After all his successes and heartbreaks at the helm of several franchises, the man deserves it.

As writer-director Todd Field’s first film in a whopping 16 years, Tár proves to be worth the wait for Field’s return. In what feels like the Eyes Wide Shut co-star’s most Kubrickian effort to date, Field delivers a mannered, meticulously constructed character study that finds ways to make even long conversations and static shots feel urgent. The film is demanding in its approach and subject matter, and it will undoubtedly inspire some discourse over its decision to center on an unlikable protagonist whose behavior results in her public downfall. However, for viewers who can immerse themselves in the study of a troubled character, it is a fiercely compelling film that arrests the attention and will leave viewers with plenty to ponder about its themes and implications afterward. Though it may be just a tad hasty to make such a statement about such a renowned actor, I really think that Cate Blanchett’s performance in the title role marks a new career best. Blanchett commands viewers’ attention every second of the way with a performance that masters both her big, showy moments and the more subdued, internalized touches. It’s vivid, masterful, and wholly lived-in work that remains mesmerizing from the first scene to the last. Blanchett is also great at leaning directly into Tár’s less savory qualities, while also providing just enough humanizing touches for viewers to pity her to some extent as her long-overdue public reckoning unfolds. There will be plenty of thinkpieces on what this film is saying about cancel culture, but Blanchett’s performance is so tapped into the nuances of the character and her situation that the film feels like an even-handed examination of power, consequences, and humiliation. Much of the film belongs to Blanchett, but the cast around her is also in fine form, with the supporting highlight coming from Portrait of a Lady on Fire star Noemie Merlant in an internalized but stirring performance as Tár’s faithful but put-upon assistant. Tár will not be everyone’s cup of tea with its deliberate pacing and unflinching look into the life of a troubling character, but for those who can allow themselves to connect with Field’s very finely tuned direction and Blanchett’s magnificent performance, it is a riveting experience that ranks among the best films I have seen this year. A

I also saw Tár today. I adored it (second favorite of the year so far, behind Everything Everywhere…) and absolutely think Blanchett is awards-worthy, but I do agree with the assessment that “difficult character in a difficult film” could make a third Oscar win tricky. The film does not shy away from depicting her character as a terrible person, and Todd Field’s directorial approach will probably turn some viewers off as too cold and detached.

Like the chapter before it, Halloween Ends is a film with some interesting ideas, but maddeningly inconsistent execution. David Gordon Green takes some big swings and is not afraid to try to do something different with the Halloween brand, and while these ideas work at some points, they backfire at others. Green’s attempt to explore the transferability of evil and the notion that a seemingly ordinary person could become Michael Myers are interesting ideas on paper, but their presentation here feels like it’s still an early draft in need of further refinement. Sadly, the script also suffers from some baffling character decisions that feel like they are happening simply because the screenwriters need the story to get somewhere, but can’t quite figure out how to do it. As frustrating as the scripting decisions are, though, Green remains skillful in developing an effective sense of atmosphere and staging murderous mayhem, and the film’s final act and conclusion are pretty fun – even if they still clearly feel like they’re written for Green’s original vision of his trilogy taking place on a single night, as opposed to the rest of the script changes brought on by the pandemic shutdown. As in her other takes on her most iconic role, Jamie Lee Curtis succeeds in bringing class and gravitas to her role, and her acting works even when the script around it doesn’t. The rest of the cast is a mixed bag of inconsistent performances, though much of that inconsistency can probably be laid at the hands of a messy script that doesn’t always seem like it knows how to get its characters where it wants. It’s too bad that Ends, like Kills before it, doesn’t capitalize on its ideas. It feels like David Gordon Green and his production team really wanted to do something different with their trilogy and leave a unique mark on a horror icon, but the payoff does not live up to the ambitions. C+

With clever scares and stellar insights, Smile is a diabolically enjoyable horror film that feels like it successfully combines the trappings of schlocky scares with the more allegorical bent of so-called “elevated horror.” The visual and aural styles employed by writer-director Parker Finn make for a tense, atmospheric experience that keeps the proceedings compelling throughout the near-two-hour running time. As others have noted, it often feels like a cross between the atmospheric style and dread of The Ring and It Follows; with how it traces the development of a curse on its unwitting protagonist and the ways in which the curse toys with her, I would also cite Drag Me to Hell as a film it channels. Though the vibes feel familiar, Finn is successful in stringing the audience along with a compelling story and slick gory tricks. Finn also succeeds in using the film’s conceit – of a curse spread through witnessing suicide – to explore the nature of the pain that emerges in the aftermath of suicide and the general public’s inability to understand the depth of horror experienced by people in a state of mental crisis. In front of the camera, Sosie Bacon serves as a highly effective window into the film’s world, portraying her character’s growing dread and struggles to confront her predicament in a manner that makes her easy for viewers to latch onto. There’s also well-played character work across the board from the supporting cast, as just about every actor understands what is needed from them in a given scene and plays it effectively. The premise of Smile walks such a fine line between horror and unintentional comedy that even a few missteps could have resulted in disaster, but the finished product is an entertaining affair that does a solid job of balancing visceral scares with haunting social commentary. B+

A Everything Everywhere All at Once A- Barbarian The Batman Bros Nope The Northman Top Gun: Maverick Turning Red The Woman King X B+ The Black Phone The Bob's Burgers Movie Bodies Bodies Bodies Cha Cha Real Smooth Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Emily the Criminal Fresh Hustle Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Pearl Smile Thor: Love and Thunder Vengeance B Ambulance Bullet Train Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Dog Elvis Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Jackass Forever Lightyear The Lost City Men Not Okay Scream Three Thousand Years of Longing The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent B- The Adam Project Amsterdam Death on the Nile C+ Halloween Ends Uncharted C Don't Worry Darling Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore C- Blonde Jurassic World: Dominion Morbius

Saw this today. Much like Kills before it, it's a case where I'll give Green credit for trying something different, but it has some scripting decisions that are just too baffling to overlook. I feel like Kills and Ends might have found a warmer welcome, say, 10-15 years ago when much of the mainstream horror fare in multiplexes was hot garbage. But in an era where fare like Smile and Barbarian that have legit scares while doing elevated social commentary are playing in the same building? Nah.

I would love to be a fly on the wall in MLB's offices, re: discussions and reflections on the new playoff format. Both of the 100+ win teams with first-round byes in the NL lost, and one of the bye recipients in the AL is on the brink of elimination. If the Yankees join the Dodgers and Braves in getting toppled in the division series, I'd be willing to bet that we see serious overhauling to the new playoff system (or, at the very least, its scheduling). I'm rooting for a Guardians/Phillies World Series, just for the absolute chaos of it all.

Getting swept is a bummer, but the Mariners lost all of those games by one or two runs. For a young team up against the league's most consistent powerhouse across the last decade, that actually has me feeling optimistic about the team's near future.

Yikes, it's been so long since my last update that I'm not going to even attempt to bold all the new ones. A Everything Everywhere All at Once A- Barbarian The Batman Bros Nope The Northman Top Gun: Maverick Turning Red The Woman King X B+ The Black Phone The Bob's Burgers Movie Bodies Bodies Bodies Cha Cha Real Smooth Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Emily the Criminal Fresh Hustle Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Pearl Thor: Love and Thunder Vengeance B Ambulance Bullet Train Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Dog Elvis Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Jackass Forever Lightyear The Lost City Men Not Okay Scream Three Thousand Years of Longing The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent B- The Adam Project Amsterdam Death on the Nile C+ Uncharted C Don't Worry Darling Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore C- Blonde Jurassic World: Dominion Morbius

After two-plus decades of impactful but under-the-radar work, director Gina Prince-Bythewood capitalizes on the success of The Old Guard with The Woman King, her best and most ambitious work to date. In what feels like a unique take on the style and sensibilities of the big historical epics that were popular in past decades, Prince-Bythewood delivers a richly entertaining action epic that succeeds just as much in reaching viewers on an emotional level as it does in elevating the pulse. Prince-Bythewood clearly values the relationships her characters share with one another, and she succeeds in situating these relationships amid the backdrop of numerous badass action sequences with eye-popping choreography and stunt work. The narrative is consistently entertaining, all the while never losing sight of the bonds between its characters nor the emotional stakes. In the titular role, Viola Davis once again proves her expertise as a genuine movie star. Much like her turn in the criminally underrated Widows, Davis imbues her portrayal of army general Nanisca with steely confidence and moments of disarming vulnerability, giving viewers a tough but emotionally resonant protagonist to connect with as the proceedings unfold. Her bona fides as a dramatic actress have been solidified for some time, but hopefully her commanding work here solidifies her standing as a popular star as well. There is also some terrific work from Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, the young trainee who acts as the audience’s point-of-view character; Mbedu has the pluck and grace to win viewers over, and she holds her own in her scenes with Davis. The supporting cast also boasts stellar work from top to bottom, with an appealing standout performance from Lashana Lynch leading the way. As big screen entertainment goes, The Woman King is an immensely satisfying film that just about always makes the right decisions and will surely leave invested viewers on quite a high from its expert handle over its action sequences and smaller character moments alike. A-

The first time since watching fellow NC-17 flick Showgirls a few years back where I felt like I needed to take a shower afterward to rinse off all the stink and sleaze. Writing the letterboxd review below last weekend was a cathartic experience. Outside of sumptuous production values and a committed performance from Ana de Armas, Blonde is a reprehensible film. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with making a film about the dark side of celebrity, writer-director Andrew Dominik approaches the many harrowing misfortunes of Marilyn Monroe’s life with such perverse fascination in her suffering that the film feels like it is reveling in its subject’s misery rather than critiquing it. The film has precious little to say about Monroe outside of her status as a victim who lurches defenselessly from one destructive episode to the next, all the while implementing bizarre artistic choices I’m sure Dominik envisioned as “daring” but instead come across as pretentious, unintentionally snicker-inducing, or repugnant (or all three at once, in the case of the much-maligned CGI fetus that temporarily makes the film feel like an avant-garde Pure Flix piece). Not once does the film ever seem interested in Monroe’s psychology or exploring what made her such a beloved public figure in the first place, which ironically makes it feel like yet another thing designed to deprive her of her agency and individuality and reduce her to something a man wants her to be. (Can’t wait to read the retroactive defense that all of this was intended satire all along.) If there’s anything that redeems Blonde, it’s de Armas carrying the film with a performance far, far better than this wretched material deserves. Though the script never seems interested in imbuing Marilyn or Norma Jean with any semblance of humanity, de Armas succeeds in bringing vulnerability and just enough flashes of hope to show us why this character would continue to seek fulfillment in her profession despite the never-ending line of abuse and trauma she faces. To the film’s credit, it does also have some striking recreations of Monroe’s most famous images, and the folks in charge of the film’s various visual and aural craft departments bring their A-game. Unfortunately, it’s all in service of a film that takes such pleasure in inflicting misery on its protagonist and such little interest in commenting on any of it that it just feels like a slimy, poorly considered piece of misery porn. C-

I feel like the best barometer to determining whether this film is for you is whether you get the Zellweger app joke, and how hard you laugh at it. I laughed very, very hard. Anyway, on with the full review... Bros is the kind of film I have been craving for a long, long time: a mainstream comedy that celebrates queer culture and is damned funny in doing so. Much has been made of the film’s lack of appeal to audiences outside of the LGBTQ+ umbrella and enthusiastic allies, and… well… duh; at least being an accepting ally is practically a prerequisite to enjoying a film that centers on a gay romance. However, while there are certainly jokes and references that will play strongest with viewers in the know on their significance, it is such a fresh, funny, and ultimately sweet take on romcom tropes that it will prove hard to resist for viewers on its wavelength. As in the other highlights of his career, director and co-writer Nicholas Stoller successfully channels Judd Apatow’s sensibilities and does a great job of delivering cleverly pitched comedic sequences and capturing the voice and style of the actor at the center of the film. In this case, said actor (and co-writer) is Billy Eichner, who – in much the same fashion as Amy Schumer in Apatow’s Trainwreck – finds a way to balance his edginess and abrasiveness with introspection and genuinely sympathetic moments. Eichner’s line delivery is frequently hilarious, and he brings a real sense of pathos to his role in the ways in which he depicts the joys and difficulties of existing as a gay man in a world that – for all its supposed cultural advances – still presents plenty of obstacles for queer folks of all shades. As Eichner’s love interest, Luke Macfarlane is a funny and winning presence, and he shares believably adorable chemistry with Eichner. The supporting cast is also littered with stellar comedic talents who each make the most of their limited screen time. As funny as much of the film is, it also gets some extra oomph from its examination of queer identity as something more varied and complex than the stereotypes it is often reduced to being (even within the community itself) and its starry-eyed admiration of the value of remembering and telling the stories that a bigoted culture seeks to diminish or erase entirely. It’s a real shame that much of the public perception on Bros has concentrated either on its box office failure or backlash against Eichner’s comments about it, for the film itself is one of the funniest comedies in recent memory, and its wholehearted admiration of the vibrancy of the LGBTQ+ community makes it feel like an especially unique and meaningful viewing experience as big studio films go. A-

Yikes at that Don't Worry Darling multiplier. I know it's undoubtedly the result of so much of the audience being there for Harry Styles (and the behind the scenes drama and poor reviews dampening some potential viewers' interest), but it's still weird to see an ostensible fall drama crumble so rapidly over its opening weekend. The drop next weekend will be brutal. I'd call the Avatar number a win. It's a long movie that hasn't exactly suffered from a lack of availability in the last 13 years, and Disney was clearly pushing a format that hasn't been en vogue with audiences since the mid-'10s at the latest, so a double-digit re-release doesn't feel like anything to sneeze at.

Oh, at least a solid third of my Don't Worry Darling audience last night looked like they were under 17. There were a few teenagers who looked middle school age hanging out by the box office who were unsuccessful in buying tickets for Don't Worry Darling when I got there, but I'm guessing that with how little business the theater was getting, they simply did not care if the rest of the kiddos at least had the good sense to buy tickets to PG-13 movies and then sneak in.

Before my actual Letterboxd review - where I did not address spoilers - let me just say this: Why, oh, why did anyone involved with this project ever believe that viewers wouldn't see the "shocking" twist coming from miles away? I swear, it's like watching a really stupid version of The Truman Show that twists itself into knots trying (and failing) to convince you that Truman is most definitely not in a TV show and then expecting you to be just as shocked as him when he realizes it. I think I only made it, like, 30 seconds into the trailer before piecing together that everything was pointing toward it being set in the present day, and I remember thinking that it seemed so glaringly obvious that it had to be a misdirect. But nope, that's really it. Really, the biggest missed opportunity here is that Wilde doesn't at least try to direct it like a period piece. Why not have some fun by filming all the Victory material in the style of a '50s drama (or hell, even Mad Men)? It wouldn't fix the problems with the script, but at least it would be fun, potentially distract the audience at least a little bit (it's kinda hard not to see the twist coming when it very much feels like contemporary people cosplaying in period garb), and highlight the extreme difference in style when the film finally does reveal its hand. Anyway, on with the actual review: Whether viewers are coming out of genuine interest in the story and filmmakers or out of morbid curiosity surrounding the film’s juicy behind the scenes drama, Don’t Worry Darling registers as a letdown. Its script is too sloppy to present its themes in a sufficiently compelling manner, but the film as a whole is also too competently made to work as an unintentionally entertaining trainwreck. The biggest problem, hands down, is that both the script and director Olivia Wilde seem to labor under the belief that they are stringing the audience along in suspense and anticipation of a shocking twist, but it’s done with such a heavy, obvious hand that many viewers will be at least a step ahead throughout most – if not all – of the running time. In fact, the “twist” is so obvious that one wonders why the filmmakers even bother with trying to keep it a secret for so long. Unfortunately, the film also fails to capitalize on many opportunities for social commentary, instead opting for style over substance with numerous sequences that are well-crafted on a visual and auditory level but feel like they have precious little to say on an intellectual one. There’s a good version of this movie that a script doctor could finesse, but what’s on the screen feels like a student handing in an undercooked first draft of a project with a sense of deeply misplaced confidence in its quality. If there’s a clear saving grace, it’s Florence Pugh in a far more invested performance than this script deserves. Pugh brings a sense of believability and vulnerability that feels like it was probably absent on the page, and she adds enough interesting touches to her character to paper over the fact that the script does not bother to give her much of a personality. Good as Pugh is, though, she shares little to no chemistry with Harry Styles at any point in the narrative, and Styles is serviceable at best and straining at worst in a glaringly obvious attempt to channel the style of Jude Law circa the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. Chris Pine has a few scenes as the charismatic community leader that feel somewhat compelling, but he’s ultimately underused. The most glaring bit of the alleged behind the scenes drama bleeding into the narrative is the presence of director Wilde in front of the camera in a supporting role, where she is supposed to be playing Pugh’s best friend, yet she does relatively little, disappears for long stretches of time, and is never once believable as Pugh’s friend. Admittedly, the drama surrounding the film and the poor reception out of its ill-advised festival run tempered my expectations heading in, but it’s still a real bummer to see that after making a film as fresh, dynamic, and memorable as Booksmart, Olivia Wilde’s directorial follow-up is such a messy misfire salvaged by some stylish decisions and Florence Pugh’s performance. C

I went and saw Emily the Criminal (which I was going to do this weekend anyway), and the theater was moderately busy. That said, the way the local theaters split up the movies is by putting most of the big blockbusters and kid-friendly films at one theater, then the less appealing fare and "B" screens of the bigger movies at the other, so the only movies they had that were pulling in sellout crowds were afternoon shows of Minions and Super-Pets assigned to smaller auditoriums. My screening had about 20 people in it, which is still definitely more than it would have gotten without the promotion. But the pub cinema in town? Already sold out for the entire night.