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Film reviews

Marty Supreme Review

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One-of-a-kind and authentic. Marty Supreme is one of Timothee Chalamet’s most mesmerizing performances. The film is like a ping pong match that you can’t take your eyes off. Writer and director Josh Safdie creates a film that is a few notches down from the stress of Uncut Gems and not aimed as much at gambling. This time the story is focused on earning money through competition and building a reputation.

The film gears on Marty Mauser (Chalamet), a young New Yorker taking on all kinds of jobs and doing what he can to make his way to high-end tournaments and ping-pong championships. He works at a shoe store, but also continuously hustles at various jobs to make money. However, his ego is what is always in front of him. He has the mindset that he can never lose which leads to turmoil for him that builds as many other problems crop up. He gets a girl named Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion) pregnant and falls in love with a stage actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow). The problems continue to accumulate. For Marty, playing ping-pong is all that matters to him, so his hustling leads to consequences. Marty Supreme makes the audience feel that ping-pong balls are flying in their direction. Sometimes they fall like rain and at other times they dazzle.

There is an aspect of Marty that is successful, but once he achieves fame his entire focus is on himself. Once he has a failed tournament, he goes on a journey hustling to make ends meet to compete in the next tournament. The movie is like Uncut Gems meets the world of ping-pong. The writing about sportsmanship is top-notch. My mind became blurred as Chalamet burned up the screen with stress as he continues to put all things on the line in his role as Marty. There is no stopping the film’s beat which leaves audiences breathless, Marty Supreme is full of ping-pong tournaments which feel like wars for fame that Marty created for himself.

The dynamics between Chalamet and Paltrow are unique. In addition to their age difference, one is working his way to fame, and the other already has experienced it. Their twisted sense of love is written in a mode of desperation. Safdie has a way of creating stressful scenarios with his characters. This happens frequently in Marty Supreme and adds a form of humanistic value. The main character is putting everything on the line and so many things go wrong along the way. Trust, family and friends are lost, but ultimately the one he connects with has his heart. That is the strange but the surreal dynamic plays out in the performances of Chalamet and Paltrow in Marty Supreme.

Chalamet’s performance is ferocious. Even when he is told not to do something, he persists. He is a machine of an unstoppable force. No matter the debts, the trouble, the ping-pong championship is all that matters to him. The amount of sacrifice put forth makes this movie a winning cinematic portrait of non-stop efforts. Four out of four stars.

Film reviews

Hamnet Review

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This is a powerful, transformative movie about the world of Shakespeare. Political themes play out in a medieval era filled with dynamics of power, love, and loss all performed on a stage. This is Hamnet, a thought-provoking portrait of challenges and turmoil in situations that should be black and white. The conflict between good and evil leads to connections and brilliance on a stage. As one who loves theatricals, my mind was blown away by two things during this film. First, the chemistry between the main characters. Second, the effective portrayal of powerful emotions. Hamnet is well-written and demonstrates the humanistic value of sadness and grief.

The film’s love story takes place in the 16th century. The lovers names are Agnes and Will who are played by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. In a time in which villages have restrictions, love is what matters in the eyes of the main characters. This film is a tale about the journey they are on as parents. It explores the moments they have with their living children as well as the ones they have lost. This portion of the film involves an emotional narrative and is spot-on with the way it utilizes the Shakespearean context to effectively fan the fire. My heart was pounding intensely as the various conflicts played themselves out. 

Agnes is the character telling the story so much of the focus tends to be on her. However, Will has many significant points as well during an era in which he is trying to create a play based on his life and what he has loved and lost. At the same time, he wants to bring his creation to fruition for audiences. The world is hoping for magic to happen on the stage in Hamnet. Many of the disagreements in the film end up being rewarding scenes. Will has been raised in a household where he is frowned upon, and Agnes has been raised without a mother. The hardship in Hamnet is shown through the power of love and sacrifice. Writer and director Chloe Zhao paints this picture quite thoroughly and extremely well.

As the persistence of family and love contain diverse challenges for Agnes and Will, the times they’re living in also present several additional issues. Will’s dynamics continue to impact him, and all he knows how to do is utilize his hardship in his craft as a playwright. The difficult losses Agnes and Will face add meaning to their story. In their life, they are meant to experience happy moments even when things go awry. At the same time, they can pick each other up. Their persistence dazzles in a mesmerizing pattern. Buckley and Mescal burn up the screen. Their performances tell a story that unfolds with many revelations. The film is like a play that has transitions that allow audiences to take a moment and step back. When those moments occur, the deep feelings of acceptance and love shine through. Four out of four stars for Hamnet.

 

Film reviews

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

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Writer and director Rian Johnson is back with another Knives Out and this one may be the best of them all. The clues, the people, the egos, and the matters all make these mystery thrillers so fanciful and wonderful. Especially with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc bringing out the laid-back detective mannerisms. At the same time, he also projects the personality focused on solving the case and putting the pieces together one-by-one. The whole film is an exciting ride of questions filled with humor and fun set in a church this time around. The wrongdoings have a lot to do with faith and fate—but also involvement of the community comes into the question as well. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery involves a pattern of realizations created to blindside audiences with clever writing. Johnson is a genius.

Benoit Blanc meets Rev. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), a promising young priest. There is also Martha Dealcroix (Glenn Close), a lady employed by the church. The main head of the church is Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), who is at the top of the congregation. The film highlights a church family seen from various strange angles. Then a murder occurs and Blanc steps in. The others involved are Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), Vera Draven (a lawyer played by Kerry Washington), Lee Ross (a book author played by Andrew Scott), as well as Simone Vivane (a disabled former client played by Cailee Spaeny). Jud is trying to keep the peace while getting the case solved but not point fingers. At the same time, his words of wisdom are at stake.

The curious moving parts explore faith and other theories in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The puzzling concept is that it all comes down to who has the most loyalty or jealousy. At the same time hierarchy plays a role and Jud wants to maintain his place in the hierarchy. Benoit must help him find the missing pieces to determine who, why, where, and what has caused a death involving the church. There are loads of curiosities and crazy dynamics. The puzzling factors in this popular franchise make audiences spin with joy while also being surprised by the many unexpected treasures in the stories. Johnson knows how to fill his mysteries with syrupy entertainment while also ensuring time passes quickly while audiences enjoy them. 

Since this film takes place in a religious setting, it opens many theories which have to do with commitment to a church. These theories give the roles of Brolin and Close purpose as they hold seniority in the church but also have fishy elements in their characterizations. Johnson keeps audiences wondering who is responsible for the harsh crime in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

The levels of ego exhibited by those characters who feel entitled grabbed my attention during this film. In addition to the pastor who is trying to remain truthful to his faith, there is the detective trying to solve the crime. It takes two to tango while dealing with the ugly elements of surprise in this story. This movie is amasterpiece in which the game keeps spinning as the characterskeep playing the blame game. Be prepared for heads to roll. Four out of four stars for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.