Tag Archives: Netflix

Film reviews

Leave the World Behind Review

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Netflix is starting to make end-of-the-world films with a clever premise and where the world finds itself in chaos. Leave the World Behind is in that category. With how much I loved Don’t Look Up back in 2021, I thought that Leave the World Behind was going to be my type of film, and it didn’t disappoint. In addition to the clever premise, it also has a stellar cast, including Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha’la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon.

Leave the World Behind is set at a remote rental beach cabin on Long Island in New York. The film first introduces us to Amanda and Clay Sanford (Roberts and Hawke). To escape the stressors of their life they decide to take a family getaway with their kids, Rose (played by Farrah Mackenzie) and Archie (played by Charlie Evans). Amanda works in advertising and Clay is a professor, and they need some time to refresh. But this vacation is far from refreshing. Instead it becomes what Clay called a “vacation from hell!” First a freighter runs aground on the beach in front of their place, the place where they’re staying loses its internet and cable, and then the owner of the cabin, G.H. Scott (Ali), shows up at the door unexpectedly with his daughter Ruth (Herrold), and he gives Amanda and Clay a strange explanation for why they left the city to come there. From that point the film only gets stranger and more inviting.

The central conflict of Leave the World Behind is that a cyberattack is causing total disruption of the world’s operations. There are warning crawlers on television, airplanes are crashing, and many more strange events come at the characters in the film. The only one who seems prepared for the calamity is a stranger named Danny (Bacon) who shows up at the cabin. Although Danny decides to go solo, so he’s not in the film very much.

The political angles and description of the conflict that such a massive technological failure causes sold me on Leave the World Behind. Its characters are placed in a global disaster, totally unprepared, and slowly the disaster hits turmoil. The personalities of the various characters results in some moments of laughter. But the film manages to keep its seriousness while also adding in a humorous side. Hawke’s portrayal of the father heightens the suspense, and Roberts plays a mother who is infuriated by the situation—and her anger only gets worse.

I was totally hooked on Leave the World Behind. There is no hiding from the reality of the uncharted territory the characters find themselves in. The film is presented in stages that develop at just the right pace and point its audience toward excitement with suspense. A family vacation could not get any more treacherous than Leave the World Behind. But will they make it out alive? Catch Leave the World Behind and find out. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Maestro Review

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The musical direction is strong, the artistic direction is unique and relevant, and Maestro is simply one of the most audacious and vigorous experiences from the mind of director, writer, producer, and lead actor Bradley Cooper.

Maestro will take viewers deep into thought as the film captures many captivating moments in the life of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and his relationship with his wife, Felica Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (played by Carrey Mulligan). Bernstein had a lot to live for, but it came with many struggles as well. Maestro is simply majestic in its stellar experience of grandeur and musical galore. It is also a story about emotional distress that eventually finds light.

As Leonard gains success with his music and composing, the stress of fame and his devotion to his craft begins to take a toll on his relationship with Felicia. The film weaves musical moments with many interesting dynamics between Leonard and Felicia. The film finds its sinking points of saturated black and white cinematography in the beginning, and then lights up as it progresses. Cooper’s use of this technological form enhances the richness of the film while emphasizing the darkness and turmoil that was hidden within Leonard.

The authenticity of Maestro shines within the eyes of Leonard and Felicia. Felicia is not fond of Leonard’s behavior or the reputation he is gaining, and she lets it be known. He is a brilliant conductor-composer, but he isn’t always the husband or father that he would like to be. Their children begin to have problems and, ultimately, Leonard must find what is right. In interviews during that time period Leonard talks about not seeing much positivity as a composer, and he makes it clear he is depressed. But can he turn despair into hope? Does he want to build a positive reputation and be an icon who inspires? Time will tell.

The film’s development of the relationship between Leonard and Felicia in Maestro is daring, brutal, and emotional. Cooper and Mulligan are a revelation together, and they both deliver Oscar-worthy performances. My only issues with the film centers around the very dramatic, almost disturbing at times, portrayal of Leonard’s mental struggles. The plus side though, is that the realism is almost poetic. It just felt very eerie at times.

Overall, though, Maestro is an unforgettable and alive experience with great cinematography, great acting, and a strong storyline. The story of Leonard Bernstein lives with purpose and beauty in the film. It reminds us of why life is important and what a person can accomplish when they have talent and passion, and they find their joy in their craft. Leonard certainly had those traits, and Bradley Cooper has them as well in his portrayal of Leonard. Maestro will leave its audience with feelings of glory and sensitivity. Three out of four stars for Maestro.

Film reviews

May December Review

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May December explores important societal boundaries. Those moments when making the right choice affects a life’s trajectory in a big way. Broken rules of conduct have implications that last forever. This is the case in the film May December. Director Todd Haynes is known to take on the challenge of dark subject matters, and this is one of his most daring and question laced experience for moviegoers yet. It is a film where wrong choices are made and the outcome is devastating. There is a pervasive tension among those associated with the story. The deep natureof May December reaches a point of being overwhelming in its subject matter, because it confronts the issue of pedophilia wrapped in the experience of portraying the abuser.

The approach of the film delivers a haunting odyssey of disturbing music in frequent fragments of the film. Haynes’ approach gives his audience the feeling that the scenario is not right and the consequences are irreparable. The film’s cinematography feels ominous with colors that seem overly saturated, which heightens the darkness and the storyline’s dark direction. The tragedy of May December is that it is a true story. It is based on the account of Mary Katherine (also referred to as “Mary Kay”) Schmitz Letorneau Fualauu. In the mid 1990’s, she sexually assaulted a coworker that was age twelve. The most disturbing part of this story is that they stayed together, built a family and have lived with the controversy. It sparked all kinds of negative attention and although names have been changed, the narrative follows true events.

The film begins with an actress named Elizabeth (played by Natalie Portman). She is set to play the role of Gracie (played by Julianne Moore), who assaulted her young coworker. She spends time with Gracie and her husband Joe (played by Charles Melton) who is the young man that Gracie seduced. They are married with kids and have lived with a bizarre and disturbing dynamic for many years. Elizabeth tries to get insight into how the events came about for Gracie and Joe and their relationship. She tries to immerse herself in their current and past lives to help feed into her upcoming role. She learns a lot about Gracie and Joe and the details of their affair. She also learns about who it impacted, and how they are perceived. However, her immersion into the uncharted territory of their relationship (based on sexual assault) is where the waters are tested for Elizabeth.

The film becomes eerie as it continues in the direction of Elizabeth finding the harsh truth. Her exploration of their livesbegins to create tension between Joe and Gracie. Joe starts to realize that he was forced into this relationship he has with Gracie. Gracie starts to realize that her fake happiness only creates more inner turmoil. It is not pleasant to watch. Elizabeth also begins to realize that there is more to the story that can only be damaging for everyone involved. The fact that love and acceptance is forced upon the nature of a negative situation is the crux of May December.

The film becomes eerie as it continues in the direction of Elizabeth finding the harsh truth. Her exploration of their livesbegins to create tension between Joe and Gracie. Joe starts to realize that he was forced into this relationship he has with Gracie. Gracie starts to realize that her fake happiness only creates more inner turmoil. It is not pleasant to watch. Elizabeth also begins to realize that there is more to the story that can only be damaging for everyone involved. The fact that love and acceptance is forced upon the nature of a negative situation is the crux of May December.