"These things happen."
Very much a continuation of a lot of the ideas Wes was rolling with in ASTEROID CITY (and indeed pretty much the entire rest of his career), style as substance and the telling of the story being a vital component of the story itself, personal growth and finding one's center in a world with no clear direction, this time distilled into a breathless straight shot that barrels through its brief runtime with a magnificent sense of purpose.…
"No actually it's fuck you, asshole!"
Another fun sleazy cheapie action epic from Glickenhaus, one that can't quite reconcile the dopey action movie with the bozo courtroom drama element, but really all of that is superseded by the part during the climax where there's an enjoyably shoddy blue screen shot of a jet narrowly missing hitting the World Trade Center. Another one for the Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Beams pile.
"You're an idiot, but you're MY idiot."
Very amusing performances (Leto as the most cartoonish version of Fredo ever is a hoot, Pacino is Pacino, Gaga is basically playing Lady Macbeth crossed with Cruella de Vil but also Italian, Jeremy Irons is somehow only the fourth hammiest actor despite being Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek is a witch?????), but this is unfortunately one of those mid-tier Ridley movies where the script only feels about halfway to where it needs to be…
"What a beautiful sunrise."
Feels like the culmination of everything this series has been about, the mythological trials and tribulations (this time with a deeply literal Sisyphus/Mount Olympus metaphor that must be seen to be believed), the literary existential purgatory, the weariness and sadness of an empty existence juxtaposed against the supreme mastery of one's craft and the contrast of artistic/intellectual pursuits and cultural refinement against the brutal bloodbath that keeps the wheels of said culture going. Only this time,…
