62nd Chicago International Film Festival, Film reviews

Wild Horse Nine Review-62nd Chicago International Film Festival

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The last film I saw by Martin McDonagh was The Banshees of Inisherin at the Chicago International Film Festival in October of 2022. Wild Horse Nine has gained much attention at a variety of film festivals this year. The film was screened at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the 53rd Telluride Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the 49th Mill Valley Film Festival, and the 15th Montclair Film Festival. It is also slated to premiere at the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival, the 17th Twin Cities Film Festival, the 29th SCAD Savannah Film Festival, and the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival. McDonagh’s writing makes for excellent festival material and creates plenty of awards’ buzz. McDonagh knows how to grease the wheel with tensions and unnerving conflicts that result in surreal entertainment that is twisted and vibrant. His fans saw a friendship falling apart with a dark comedic tone in The Banshees of Inisherin. Now they get a look at his approach with CIA colleagues in Chile.

John Malkovich plays Chris and Sam Rockwell plays Lee, two men working together as CIA agents. Their boss is MJ, played by Steve Buscemi. There is a bond of a friendship yet trust is on the fritz in Wild Horse Nine. The love versus hate vibe is written with much wit along the way, especially in the performance of Malkovich. His stereotypical character unleashes classy innuendos and pontificates like a master of success in Wild Horse Nine.

While Chris and Lee continuously work together, they both have their struggles. Chris has drug addictions and always itches for conflicts. Lee is also confrontational but tries to fly below the radar. The boundaries arising when the partners test each other are a revelation. When they get into conversation mode, they talk a lot about democracy, and the connections between countries and their cheeses. The conspiracies linger to full effect in Wild Horse Nine. McDonagh is skilled at combining layers that are laughable and at the same time maintaining a tone of darkness.

Chris and Lee encounter two students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailin Salas) who fascinate them. They feel they are the only humans worthy of proper interactions on their CIA journey in Chile. However, the level of trust is not high, because Lee runs his mouth excessively, always relating subjects to himself and acting like he knows it all. Self-centeredness feels real in Wild Horse Nine. 

The film begins to take a proper shift around the issues surrounding Lee. Back home, Lee’s wife, Marge (Parker Posey), is a nervous wreck. She is always under the impression that they may be in danger. The chances are high that she’s right, but at the same time the enemies are quirky  and some possess a two-sided nature. Malkovich’s character is someone quite rebellious with an attitude. Given the combination of characters, drugs, and bad choices, the hatred is written in stone and leads to a bigger revelation. McDonagh has delivered another masterpiece filled with mind-boggling twists and turns. Four out of four stars for Wild Horse Nine.

Film reviews

The Social Reckoning Review

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Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, I went into this movie with high expectations. I am an avid user of  social media, posting regulalry on platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin. The Social Network sold me on the fascinating origin story of Facebook which also showcased the complex personal dynamics and egos behind the scenes. Even though The Social Reckoning is not directed by David Fincher, the compelling theme of legality is still mind-boggling. Jeremy Strong plays the role of Mark Zuckerberg and his performance reminded me of  Kendall Roy, his character from Succession transitioned. Except, this time around he is playing the king of Facebook. 

This film is based on real events which took place from 2019 to 2022. The timing coincides with the period in which Facebook’s leadership took over Instagram and other social media platforms. It is also set in the era when the COVID pandemic and the Insurrection of the Capital sparked lots of activity on social media. There is focus on current trends and real-world events during that time period in The Social Reckoning. 

Mikey Madison plays Frances Haugen. She works for Facebook and tries to get the word out that the organization has abusive tactics. Jeremy Allen-White plays Jeff Horowitz, an investigative reporter digging for a story on the subject of social media. The film has lots of scenes which jump back-and-forth featuring actual events in different years. Sorkin’s direction is one-of-a-kind because of the way he connects the elements that matter the most and that correlate with each other. Whether it is a story related to Frances, Jeff, or Mark—everything important comes together in a meaningful way in The Social Reckoning.

I found the way the subject of algorithms was featured in this film extremely interesting. This intriguing subject plays a major role in The Social Reckoning and audiences learn how events spark likes and/or comments which influence the algorithms.  Frances, Jeff, and Mark all experiment with algorithms. Mark also finds himself on a global broadcast dealing with Facebook’s safety policies. Strong’s performance is bold and impressive. He delivers a more intense version of Mark Zuckerberg than Jesse Eisenberg did in The Social Network based on his unique method of acting. 

There are repeated conflicts and the dynamics are potent.. Frances and Jeff want to keep flying below the radar, yet Mark wants his decisions to be final and never questioned. Much of the negativity is fueled by Charlie,  played by Bill Burr. He plays one of the legal counsels for Zuckerberg. They push each other to the brink. Bill Burr delivers some of his classic comedy punchlines in real-life situations in this film.  I have always loved Bill Burr’s live shows, so it’s great to see him in this film. Jeremy Strong and Bill Burr play men who subscribe to the hierarchy and are determined to never let their guards down. The fate of Facebook is the tipping point which leads to the cinematic climax in this movie. 

This is by far one of the best films of 2026. Taking audiences back to this era is a reminder of the challenges we have faced and the resilience we needed to survive. Although some moments in the film are less than perfect, the realistic storyline, believable performances, and well-planned pacing are inspiring. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for The Social Reckoning.

Film reviews

Fjord Review

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Legalities are spotlighted in Fjord. Written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, the film has received tons of positive press at many festivals. It won the Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, It screened in competition at the Sydney Film Festival, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Hurtigruten Nordic Film Festival, the Sarajevo Film Festival, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, and the Atlantic International Film Festival. The film also had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was selected for the Spotlight Gala section of the New York Film Festival. The film is set to screen at the Morelia International Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival as well. All of this exposure at international film festivals will cause Fjord to be remembered for ages.The serious subject matter and realistic writing will matter to cinema-goers around the world.

The film focuses on a child abuse scenario. There is an investigation, and multiple moving parts involving a religious family. The father is Mihai Gheorghiu, played by Sebastian Stan. He is a Romanian father laying out the code of conduct with religious practices. His wife is Lisbet Gheorghiu, played by Renate Reinsve. Lisbet is Norwegian. Their daughter is Elia Gheorghiu, played by Vanessa Ceban. Their son is Emmaneul, played by Jonathan Ciprian Breazu. It is a big family that moves to a progressive yet remote Norwegian village. The strict rules and punishments impact the family when Elia shows up to school with bruises. From that point on there is a child custody battle. The story is a vivid ride that is emotional, breathtaking, and causes viewers to think. The religious practices and family-related activities are  part of a  pattern of devotion but also controversial. The audience realizes that not everyone can handle the strictness of the Gheorghiu family.

Clashes regarding norms of behavior are pushed to the limit in Fjord as religious practices take a turn for the worse. Breathtaking undertones are played out as the path to finding what is right for Elia is pursued. The writing and characterizations boil with family emotions particularly when it comes to traditional rituals and what is considered abusive. The complex parts of the legal system are polarizing and then things really go awry when the children are taken away by child protective services. They hired their friend, Mia, to be their attorney. She is played by Lisa Carlehed.  Mihai and Lisbet must deal with the consequences. Their religious norms may not be tolerated by the country they now are living in. 

What I found spellbinding was how family values get handled in this story. Mihai upholds time for prayers and limits technology usage. He is also physically violent, but not to the extreme. The children tell their story to the authorities through their own eyes,  and they believe they’ve been badly harmed. This is where reality clashes as their parents must now think about how their behaviors impacted them. They also must think about how the situation impacts their own lives. It is not a simple situation or an easy trial, but faith and resilience shine in sensitive and exhilarating ways.

There is a moment when Mihai says, “Beating is coming from heaven!” He says this to demonstrate his disciplinary beliefs to the authorities. He later says, “It’s a cultural thing!” His words may be controversial, but deep down he means them. The family dynamic is strong, yet issues are blown out of proportion. The reality of dealing with the case in Fjord causes sadness to linger due to the unsettling situation. I found the film breathtaking. Legal issues, emotional challenges, and the will to never give up by a family working together as a team creates cinematic power in Fjord. Four out of four stars.

 

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