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The Most Successful Directors at Cannes June 29, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The Cannes Film Festival is renowned for its exclusivity to only the best filmmakers in the world. Every director’s dream is to climb the signature red carpet stairs and have their film compete for the Palme d’Or. Several have done it over the years, but only so many have been able to stick with it for so long. In this list, I’ll highlight the most successful directors in the festival’s history. In other words, these figures are the best of the best… of the best. Many of the aspects that come to mind when we think of the festival are relatively new, so almost everyone mentioned here is either still making films or recently retired. The criteria for placement on this list are as follows: The prominence of the director and their films. Do they grab headlines, or do they just kind of come and go? The number of films they've screened within the Official Competition. Films in the sidebars will be excluded. The number of awards they’ve won (Palme d’Or, Jury Prize, Best Director…) The consistency of their output. Do they have many duds within their resume, or are they steady as she goes? Honorable Mentions David Cronenberg Hou Hsiao-Hsien Sofia Coppola Paolo Sorrentino Mike Leigh 10. Quentin Tarantino Films in the Official Competition (4): Pulp Fiction (1994, Palme d’Or), Death Proof (2007), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) Cannes is a Mecca for international cinema and the purity of filmmaking, but it’s also a business that needs to grab headlines with glitzy premieres filled with stars. Tarantino is the perfect marriage of art and commerce, supplying the festival with artistically unique movies filled with Hollywood A-listers. Every one of his movies is the talk of the town, even if they haven’t been the most well-received ( Pulp Fiction got a few boos after winning the Palme d’Or, and Inglourious Basterds received decidedly mixed reviews). With his final film soon to enter production, we can already predict what will be the hottest ticket for Cannes 2025. 9. Nanni Moretti Films in the Official Competition (9): Ecce Bombo (1978), Dear Diary (1994, Best Director), Aprile (1998), The Son’s Room (2001, Palme d’Or), The Caiman (2006), We Have a Pope (2011), My Mother (2015), Three Floors (2021), The Sun of the Future (2023) The director is always the star of the show at Cannes (they are awarded the Palme d’Or instead of the producer), and Italian auteur Nanni Moretti is one of the biggest on account of him writing, directing, and starring in nearly all his films. He’s been referred to as the Italian Woody Allen, with his quirky satires taking aim at Italian society and politics. He’s been a mainstay of the competition for almost thirty years, with 2001’s The Son’s Room winning the top prize. 8. Hirokazu Kore-eda Films in the Official Competition (8): Distance (2001), Nobody Knows (2004), Like Father, Like Son (2013, Jury Prize), Our Little Sister (2015), Shoplifters (2018, Palme d’Or), Broker (2022), Monster (2023) Described as a modern-day Yasujirō Ozu by Roger Ebert, Kore-eda has always been adept at delivering social realism with gentle tenderness. But that loving affection doesn’t come across as overly sentimental, with hints of melancholy aiding the authenticity. His films have often focused on the construction of a family, whether by blood or special bonds. All of his films have been warmly received, with 2018’s Palme d’Or winning Shoplifters being considered his magnum opus. 7. Nuri Bilge Ceylan Films in the Official Competition (7): Distant (2003, Grand Prize of the Jury), Climates (2006), Three Monkeys (2008, Best Director), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011, Grand Prize of the Jury), Winter Sleep (2014, Palme d’Or), The Wild Pear Tree (2018), About Dry Grasses (2023) While his long (usually running over three hours), slow, and morally complicated films may not grab the headlines of his contemporaries, Turkish director Ceylan stands above almost all thanks to his impressive trophy case. He finished in the runner-up position twice (2003’s Distant and 2011’s Once Upon a Time in Anatolia ) before claiming his Palme d’Or in 2014 for Winter Sleep . He’ll be competing again this year with the equally long About Dry Grasses . 6. Lars von Trier Films in the Official Competition (9): The Element of Crime (1984), Europa (1991, Jury Prize), Breaking the Waves (1996, Grand Prize of the Jury), The Idiots (1998), Dancer in the Dark (2000, Palme d’Or), Dogville (2003), Manderlay (2005), Antichrist (2009), Melancholia (2011) Every major festival needs a provocateur to grab the headlines. While Michael Haneke and David Cronenberg may push people’s buttons, Danish bad boy Lars von Trier always takes it to another level, which was illustrated by him being excommunicated and labeled “persona non grata” by the festival after his Nazi comments at the press conference for 2011’s Melancholia . That banishment put a strain on the relationship between the festival and one of its star pupils, who had picked up a second-place prize ( Breaking the Waves ) and Palme d’Or ( Dancer in the Dark ) since he was admitted to the competition in the mid-’80s. Von Trier would return years later for The House That Jack Built , which appropriately caused one of the biggest walkouts in festival history 5. Pedro Almodóvar Films in the Official Competition (6): All About My Mother (1999, Best Director), Volver (2006, Best Screenplay), Broken Embraces (2009), The Skin I Live In (2011), Julieta (2016), Pain and Glory (2019) A relatively late bloomer to the festival, Almodóvar didn’t make his way into the competition until 1999’s All About My Mother . But he made his first shot count, winning the Best Director prize. He’s usually brought global stars like Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas along with him for his twisty stories filled with bright colors. Even with all his success on the Croisette, Almodóvar isn’t a hardcore festival loyalist, opting to sometimes debut his films at other festivals, such as Talk to Her at Telluride and Parallel Mothers at Venice. 4. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne Films in the Official Competition (9): Rosetta (1999, Palme d’Or), The Son (2002), The Child (2005, Palme d’Or), Lorna’s Silence (2008, Best Screenplay), The Kid with a Bike (2011, Grand Prize of the Jury), Two Days, One Night (2014), The Unknown Girl (2016), Young Ahmed (2019, Best Director), Tori and Lokita (2022, 75 th Anniversary Prize) You only have to look at the made-up 75th-anniversary prize to know just how much the festival loves the Belgian brothers. Of course, they also have two Palme d’Ors, and awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, sitting on their shelf to back up that claim. Self-described as one person who can do two things at once, their relatively short (running less than 90 minutes) morality tales about everyday people in Belgium have always struck a chord with whatever jury presides over them. 3. Michael Haneke Films in the Official Competition (7): Funny Games (1997), Code Unknown (2000), The Piano Teacher (2001, Grand Prize of the Jury), Caché (2005, Best Director), The White Ribbon (2009, Palme d’Or), Amour (2012, Palme d’Or), Happy End (2017) The angry Austrian has one of the best batting averages of any filmmaker at the festival, winning a substantial prize for four consecutive films, including back-to-back Palme d’Ors. As the yin to Quentin Taranitno’s yang, Haneke is usually the one to deflate the mood at the party with his no-thrills observations about violence and cruelty. But no one does it better than him, with those joyless lessons about the ugliness of humanity sticking with audiences long after the conclusion of the final reel. 2. Joel & Ethan Coen Films in the Official Competition (8): Barton Fink (1991, Best Director, Palme d’Or), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Fargo (1996, Best Director), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001, Best Director), The Ladykillers (2004), No Country for Old Men (2007), Inside Llewyn Davis (2013, Grand Prize of the Jury) The Minnesota-born brothers are the reason Cannes has a rule against a film winning more than two prizes, as their festival debut, Barton Fink , earned the awards for Best Actor, Best Director, and a unanimous Palme d’Or. The festival rules didn’t stop the duo from becoming the record holders for most wins for Best Director, repeating for Fargo and The Man Who Wasn’t There (tied with David Lynch for Mulholland Drive ). Shockingly, No Country for Old Men , the film that won them the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Screenplay (Adapted), and Best Picture, was not awarded any prizes when it premiered on the French Riviera. 1. Ken Loach Films in the Official Competition (17): Looks and Smiles (1981), Hidden Agenda (1990, Jury Prize), Raining Stone (1993, Jury Prize), Land and Freedom (1995), My Name is Joe (1998), Bread and Roses (2000), Sweet Sixteen (2002), The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006, Palme d’Or), Looking for Eric (2009), Route Irish (2010), The Angel’s Share (2012, Jury Prize), Jimmy’s Hall (2014), I, Daniel Blake (2016, Palme d’Or), Sorry We Missed You (2019), The Old Oak (2023) The only certain things in life are death and taxes… and a Ken Loach film will compete for the Palme d’Or. The famed British director has had seventeen of his films in the Official Competition, a record that he continues to expand. He’s also tied for the record of most Jury Prizes (3) and Palme d’Ors (2). His slice-of-life style has made him the director of the people, with him never being attracted by the beckonings of Hollywood. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Wild Robot September 25, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark Rarely does a movie establish itself as an awards season contender with its first trailer. But The Wild Robot did just that by establishing its stunning animation and the fitting cover of Louis Armstrong’s "What a Wonderful World." Through this trailer, viewers got a feeling that DreamWorks would be taking a page from prime Pixar by having The Wild Robot be a risk-taking effort with the animation and mature tone. Better yet, it came across like this could be DreamWorks’ most mature movie in years. To top it off, the titular character Roz says, “Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be,” a line that resonates with the overarching themes on display in the movie. Just as strong as the line is, The Wild Robot uplifts DreamWorks back from the speed bump the studio endured this past spring with Kung Fu Panda 4 . What distinguishes The Wild Robo t from other DreamWorks movies is how serious it’s advertised. This aspect includes the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy and 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish . The animation contributes to it as the island and setting it inhabits are stunning; meanwhile, the film’s climax uses bright colors to ominously represent fire and other harsh elements of the island’s nature. Now, the movie has a comedic element, this is a family movie after all. The humor works just as much as the darker tone, with the jokes consistently landing and lending a stable heart. Furthermore, lush, detailed landscapes, vibrant colors, and carefully crafted wildlife bring the island setting to life. Every leaf, wave, and animal is rendered with realism and beauty, immersing the viewer in the film’s natural environment. A moment where this truly shines is when Roz helps Brightbill take off with the rest of the flock. She helps give him a running start before he gets himself in the air, then runs to the edge of a cliff to see hundreds of geese flying amongst a pink and blue sky. Thanks to the animation and Kris Bowers’ score, it's a gorgeous scene and one of the best of the year. Roz’s character design is also a key highlight worth mentioning. Her robotic stiffness contrasts with the fluid movement of the animals, but over time, as she learns to adapt to the wild, her movements become more organic. This subtle shift in her animation mirrors her emotional and psychological journey, making her transformation from machine to caregiver all the more powerful. The development vastly grows in a montage where she’s teaching Brightbill to fly, accompanied by the soulful original song “Kiss the Sky,” by country singer Maren Morris. Environmental stewardship and the interconnectedness of life are also handled with care as the film encourages viewers, especially younger audiences, to reflect on their relationship with nature and technology. It does so without being overly preachy, blending these ideas into Roz’s story naturally and organically. The film’s voice cast brings a lot of emotional depth to the characters. Roz is voiced with a calm, almost detached tone at the beginning, which slowly softens as she connects with the island’s inhabitants. Lupita Nyong’o’s portrayal of her gradual emotional awakening is subtle yet powerful, making Roz a genuinely empathetic and relatable character. The supporting cast is equally vital. Pedro Pascal and Kit Connor do brilliant work as Roz’s fox friends, Fink, and Brightbill, respectively. Pascal gives a nuanced performance that sees him donning a character unlike anything we’ve seen so far from him. Meanwhile, Connor gives his first film performance since breaking out in 2019’s Rocketman and looks promising. While The Wild Robot is visually stunning and emotionally engaging, its plot is straightforward. The movie closely follows the book's narrative, which is both a strength and a limitation. The story follows a familiar arc of survival, acceptance, and transformation, which sometimes feels a bit formulaic. However, this predictability doesn’t detract from the film’s overall appeal, particularly for younger audiences. The journey of Roz, from an outsider to a valued member of the island’s ecosystem is compelling and filled with enough emotional depth to keep viewers invested in her story. The film could have delved deeper into Roz's origins and the technology that created her. This backstory is touched upon but not fully explored, leaving some interesting questions about the larger world unanswered. The Wild Robot is a visually stunning, emotionally resonant adaptation of Peter Brown’s novel that skillfully blends survival, empathy, and environmental stewardship themes. While its plot may sometimes feel predictable, the film’s strong voice acting, beautiful animation, soaring music, and heartfelt exploration of nature and technology make it a standout family film. Director Chris Sanders has spent decades playing a part in various successful animated movies, and The Wild Robot is looking to be another addition to his already impressive resume. DreamWorks makes another case for itself here in a day and age where animation hierarchy is up for grabs. The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Get Out September 21, 2017 By: Button Hunter Friesen By creating Get Out , director Jordan Peele has created the perfect recipe for a great sleeper hit for moviegoers tired of the usual January to February duds. Start with a great psychological horror thriller, add a little bit of comedy, and a dash of social commentary, and top it off with a healthy amount of gore. Then combine this perfect recipe with a breakout lead performance from Daniel Kaluuya as Chris and a hilarious supporting performance by Lil Rel Howery as Chris’ best friend. Peele gives the world its first glimpse of his immense skill as a director. He guides the audience through a film that keeps you guessing after every twist and turn. The story of Get Out starts out familiar enough for everybody who has been in a serious relationship. Chris and Rose (Allison Williams) have been together for six months and are going away for the weekend to meet Rose’s parents. Chris is cautious about the idea of going since he is black and Rose is white, but she doesn’t see it as a big deal. Eventually, Chris gets the idea that something about the family and house is not right. From here the story starts to speed up, taking twists and turns to keep the audience guessing as to what is really going on. This is the part that Peele, also the writer, handles the best. He makes a new psychological horror film where you don’t know how it will end until it does. There is also the added bonus of raunchy comedy mixed throughout, most of which comes from Howery’s character, who is almost too proud of his job as a TSA agent. Peele’s experience as a comedy writer/actor on his hit partner sketch show Key and Peele allows him to handle the horror comedy element with ease. Every scare is effective and every humorous moment is truly funny, and both make the film even more enjoyable Peele describes this movie as a “social horror” and you can tell why he describes it that way. The whole way through the film, every confrontational or shocking moment is connected to racial differences between Chris and his hosts. When I heard this, I was skeptical of how that element would fit in with horror and comedy. Luckily for me, and the audience, the moments that send a message are like small little jabs to make you think and aren’t ham-fisted at you the entire time. And what is a horror movie without some gore to make the squeamish look away for a couple of seconds? The film holds back with extreme violence until the end and then lets it all loose with a fifteen-minute sequence that delivers on everything and more that the audience was expecting throughout the beginning and middle build-up phases. Driving this movie along just as well as the writing and directing is the terrific lead performance of Kaluuya as Chris. We’ve seen a small dose of his talent in a supporting role in the critically acclaimed 2015 film Sicario . In his first leading role, he is required to play all types of emotions and tackles each one with the skill of a veteran actor who has been working for decades. The camera is pressed up right next to him several times throughout the film, allowing the audience to see every detail and emotion. By doing this flawlessly, we are immediately connected to Chris as a character because we are going through this experience just as blind as he is. We are just as confused and uneasy about the situation and hope he gets out of this safely. For every horror protagonist in need of help, there is a best friend on the outside that will stop at nothing to see them safe again. Lil Rel Howery as Chris’ best friend Rod will definitely go down as one of the best supporting performances of the year. He is the only character carrying the comedy element of the film, but he doesn’t need any help since he steals practically every scene. At the end of it all, Jordan Peele as the director of his own brainchild is the primary reason this movie works so well. He puts a lot of confidence in his cast, positioning the camera for multiple close-ups during the most important scenes, the biggest example would be the poster shot of Chris with tears down his face. Peele also infuses symbolism into multiple shots through the movement of the camera and the colors being presented, giving slight hints to the audience. Finally, he allows the film to flow together well and not feel disjointed between the multiple boxes this movie tries to check. The comedy and horror remain interluded the entire time, which raises the quality of each by playing off the other. Get Out is one of the best and most important films of the year that is able to both entertain and teach us about present-day issues. It should be on everyone’s radar. By the end of the year, I expect to see it on many critics and fan lists as the most entertaining and liked film of 2017. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Ranking the Planet of the Apes Franchise May 7, 2024 By: Tyler Banark As one of the most unsung yet successful franchises in film, the Planet of the Apes franchise, much like its subject material, has evolved. It all started as a sci-fi adventure film that took the world by storm in 1968, which inevitably led to a hit franchise in the 70s. The sequels weren’t as critically successful as the original (as you’ll see reflected in this ranking), but they still made a big enough splash to warrant four of them. Tim Burton attempted to revitalize the franchise in 2001 but failed in doing so (also reflected in the rankings). However, his flop provided a silver lining in the form of a catalyst for another reboot that changed the franchise forever. Now, the newest series is looking to continue with its fourth entry, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes . Now is the best time to look back and rank all nine films in this primal franchise once and for all. Spoiler Warning: Specific story points will be mentioned when talking about some films 9. Planet of the Apes (2001) I admire Burton for twisting the synopsis of the original to avoid being a scene-for-scene remake, but then he also fails to follow through by making overt callbacks that now feel out of place (what was up with that twist ending!?!). The combination of Wahlberg and Burton is one of the oddest pairings since De Niro and Tarantino. But while the latter worked against expectations, this one unsurprisingly struggled. There’s also Tim Roth doing way too much behind pounds of unconvincing makeup. Thankfully, this single entry can be easily forgotten. 8. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) As the final part in the original series, Battle finds itself recycling several elements from the previous outings, all of which at least tried to further a theme within this universe. The story sees apes and humans living in peace, but when Cornelius learns of his past, he brings light to the mutant humans from Beneath . There’s also corrupt general Aldo leading an uprising against Caesar in hopes of planting Apes at the top of the food chain. What unfolds between these plots makes for numerous continuity errors in the franchise, specifically how this prequel ties into the 1968 original. It’s never a great sign when you’re franchise’s big send-off poses more questions than it answers. 6. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) Taking place years after the deaths of Zira and Cornelius, Conquest sees their son Milo (now named Caesar for some reason) grown up and living in a world where apes have become slaves to humans. Cats and dogs are a thing of the past, and apes have become popular pets, leading Caesar to lead an uprising (take a shot every time that word gets mentioned in this ranking) that starts the downfall of humanity. Roddy McDowall, who played Cornelius in Escape and the first movie, plays Caesar and gives a noteworthy monologue to end the movie. But the run-of-the-mill plot and lazy casting choices make this into a rote entry. At least Rise was able to improve upon the basic premise decades later. 6. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) Sure, the idea of talking apes is inherently weird, but Beneath is just plain absurd. Although it continues to build and expand upon the ape world, there are some serious “jump the shark” moments such as mutant humans worshipping an atomic bomb. On the other hand, the technical aspects were improved by the bigger budget, with the makeup design still being impressive. Charlton Heston’s screentime was drastically reduced, with new addition James Franciscus taking over the main human role. Was it all worth the effort? Perhaps, even if what it's showcasing raises an eyebrow amongst its viewers. 5. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) Without a doubt the best of the original sequels, Escape took the franchise in a vastly different direction. It sees Zira and Cornelius getting out of Ape City and traveling back to 1973 when the humans ran the world. Through seeing the world differently, Zira and Cornelius get a slight taste of their own medicine as the humans look down on them. The only difference is that other humans are more welcoming to them than the Apes treated Taylor, Nova, and the other humans. Escape also takes the approach of being more character-driven, as we see Zira and Cornelius undergo development, as well as their side of the fallout seen in Beneath and navigating an Earth run by humans. The only fluke was the extended runtime and lack of action, although that ended up being the least of the franchises’s problems the longer it went on in this era. 4. Planet of the Apes (1968) The one that started it all, 1968's Planet of the Apes is a feat of grand filmmaking. Giving the tone and stakes of a blockbuster (before the term was ever coined), director Franklin J. Schaffner crafts a sci-fi adventure of epic proportions. The Oscar-winning makeup design is impeccable, even if it later becomes dated as the franchise turned to sleek CGI in the 21st Century. Charlton Heston leads the cast as Taylor, an astronaut who's lightyears from home and gets caught in an alien world where humans are feral to apes. Michael Wilson and Rod Serling's script remains timeless as it discusses themes of social class that can also be interpreted as metaphors for a political conversation. The same goes for the iconic plot twist, which left much to explore in the years to come. 3. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) The conclusion to Caesar’s story, War for the Planet of the Apes is a heartfelt sendoff to one of the most impressive character arcs in recent memory. Andy Serkis gives it his all in his final outing as Caesar who, at this point, is fed up with humans. The war that started at the end of Dawn is now in full swing, which reaches a pivotal moment when Caesar’s wife and eldest son are killed in a raid. Woody Harrelson makes for a great antagonist, and Steve Zahn is a nice addition as the comedic Bad Ape, although a lot of the humor around the character can be repetitive. That feeling of spinning wheels also extends to the plot as much more time was spent at the Colonel’s base than was needed, preventing the fulfillment of the title. Still, it was more than a fitting ending to the reboot trilogy. 2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) The movie that changed it all for the better, Rise of the Planet of the Apes reignited a fire that wasn’t seen in the franchise since the 1968 original. Only this time, Rise provides a much stronger origin to how the apes got their intelligence. Andy Serkis may have been working in this industry for years up until this point, but it was Rise that cemented himself as a movie star. He captures Caesar perfectly and, thanks to his production company The Imaginarium, presents special effects that had never been seen beforehand. Serkis isn’t alone in front of the camera as he’s joined by a great ensemble consisting of John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, and James Franco. Contrary to almost every other entry in the overall franchise, Rise could have benefited from a longer runtime. 1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) As the top dog (or ape) of the entire franchise, Dawn not only ups the ante from Rise , but also makes for one of the best modern sequels. It tells a compelling story that sheds light on both sides of the apes vs. humans conflict, with director Matt Reeves making quite the statement for himself. Everyone is at the top of their game, including Serkis, Jason Clarke, Toby Kebbell as the villainous Koba, and Michael Giacchino sneakily turning in one of his best scores. Rise may have kicked off the excitement for the new series, but Dawn was the one that made it something truly special. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Cannes 2023 Predictions - Part 1: The Festival Masters April 1, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen As one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, the Cannes Film Festival always attracts the attention of cinephiles and industry professionals alike. Each year, the festival presents a diverse lineup of films that represent the best of international cinema, including both established and emerging filmmakers. With the 76th edition of the festival set to take place in May, film enthusiasts around the world are eagerly anticipating the announcement of the official selection on April 13th. While the festival organizers keep their cards close to their chest, there are already some strong players emerging as likely contenders for the coveted Cannes spotlights. In this four-part series, I’ll take a closer look at some of the films that are generating buzz and predict which ones are likely to make it to the Croisette this year. Each part will represent a category of films, which are: The Festival Masters Hollywood Makes a Splash The Festival Mainstays The Irregulars and Up-and-Comers This first part will cover films from people I like to call “Cannes Masters.” These are filmmakers that have either debuted several high-profile films at the festival and/or won an award such as the Palme d’Or. Cannes is a festival built upon relationships, and these auteurs have been steady as a rock for so many years. Which of these films are you most interested in? I'll be keeping you all posted on my adventures and sharing my thoughts on the films that I see. Stay tuned for more updates! Monster After making his Korean-language debut last year with Broker , Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda returns to his native language with Monster. Plot details are scarce, with only an international teaser giving us glimpses into the story. Kore-eda has been a mainstay at the festival for over twenty years, with Shoplifters winning the Palme d’Or in 2018, so a return to the festival is nearly certain. About Dry Grasses As one of the most lauded filmmakers in modern festival history, Nuri Bilge Ceylan has more than earned himself a lifetime membership to the official competition. The Turkish director has won a Palme d’Or, The Grand Prize of Jury twice, and the Best Director award. His newest film will likely be another philosophical slow-burn, as it tells the story of a teacher who regains his perspective on life after he has been given mandatory duty in a small village. The Captain Matteo Garrone hopped on the Pinocchio trend before it was cool, delivering his own charmingly creepy version of the famed fairy tale in 2019. The film marked a break from Cannes after four consecutive films in competition, with Reality and Gomorra both winning the Grand Prize of the Jury. His new film, The Captain , will follow two men as they immigrate to Europe from Senegal. Kidnapped If Kidnapped is selected for the official competition, it would mark the fifth consecutive decade where Marco Bellocchio has a film competing for the Palme d’Or. He last made an appearance in 2021 with a documentary on his twin brother called Marx Can Wait and in 2019 with the crime biopic The Traitor . Announced to be his final film, Kidnapped is an adaptation of a story Steven Spielberg was set to make years prior, about a Jewish boy who was kidnapped and converted to Catholicism in 1858. The Old Oak The only certain things in life are death and taxes… and a Ken Loach film will compete for the Palme d’Or. The famed British director has had sixteen of his films in the Official Competition, a festival record he certainly expanded with his newest film, which sees him reteam with writer Paul Laverty for the thirteenth time. Together they’ll tell the story of a town in northern England adjusting to a wave of Syrian refugees. A Brighter Tomorrow Not even the career-worst review for Three Floors will be able to keep Nanni Moretti out of the competition. The Italian multi-hyphenate has had an extremely lucrative relationship with the festival, winning the Best Director award for Dear Diary in 1994 and the Palme d’Or for The Son’s Room in 2001. His new film is described to be a “complex and costly costumer” set in Rome between the 1950s and the 1970s amid the city’s circus world, but will also involve the world of cinema. Red Island Robin Campillo will likely return to the festival that awarded 2017’s BPM (Beats Per Minute) with the Grand Prize of the Jury along with the Queer Palm. He also has the Palme d’Or sitting on his trophy shelf for 2008’s The Class . His newest film will also be set in recent history as it follows the upbringing of a young boy during the French colonial rule of Madagascar in the 1960s/1970s. L'Empire Cahiers du Cinéma darling Bruno Dumont has been a staple of Cannes for nearly a decade, premiering his last four films at the festival, with the most recent being 2021’s France with Lea Seydoux. His new film will be a slight departure from his usual work as it takes place within the science fiction genre. Camille Cottin and Lyna Khoudri (one of the many stars within The French Dispatch ) headline as inhabitants of a small town that becomes a battleground for undercover extraterrestrial knights. The Perfumed Hill Hailing from Mauritania, Abderrahmane Sissako has released only three films this century, but they all premiered at Cannes, with 2014’s Timbuktu also being nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar. Production was supposed to begin in late 2019, but was first delayed by financial difficulties, and then by the pandemic. He will tell a globe-trotting story as a girl leaves her fiancé on the altar and suddenly moves from the Ivory Coast to China. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The Zone of Interest June 4, 2023 By: Button Hunter Friesen The Zone of Interest had its World Premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. A24 will release it in theaters on December 15. “The banality of evil” is a term that has been (over)used to describe the lens that Jonathan Glazer uses to dissect the Holocaust in The Zone of Interest . The term was coined nearly fifty years ago by the German-born writer/philosopher Hannah Arendt during the post-war trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the highest-ranking Nazi figures behind the Holocaust. Eichmann showed no remorse for his inhumane actions, nor did he have hatred toward the people that he had been ordered to eradicate. He plead not guilty to his crimes, as he was just doing his job as part of the Nazi machine. Arendt viewed Eichmann as an ordinary cog who refused to think for himself. He was simply motivated by career advancement and didn’t want to disrupt the order of things. That banality would become one of the most dangerous things within the new Nazi regime, as indescribably heinous acts were committed with the same complacency as an everyday person doing their chores. Glazer hones in on that concept with his radically departing adaptation of Martin Amis’ (who tragically died just one day after the Cannes premiere) 2014 novel of the same name. There is no vilification of the main characters within Glazer’s story, which are the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller). They have five young children and are trying to create the perfect home to raise a family. When not working, the family spends their time swimming in the nearby lake, tending to their garden, or playing games in the house. They seem like a perfect unit, with the only reminder of their underlying beliefs being the concrete wall that separates their yard from the inner workings of Auschwitz. There isn’t a single moment that takes place within the infamous camp, but its presence is always felt. The family will be sunbathing in the garden when a faint gunshot goes off on the other side of the wall. Both you and the characters know what that sound means, but only you care about the implications of it. For the family, those gunshots are just as much a part of everyday life as the birds chirping in the trees above. They go about their daily lives without a hitch, leaving you stranded in the fear of your imagination. This provocation through absence is in such stark contrast from other works within the Holocaust subgenre that it sometimes makes you question the approach other filmmakers took. Did Steven Spielberg’s stylizations within Schindler’s List lessen the impact of the horrors, or did it make it palatable enough so that it could be used as a teaching point for a mass audience? A more extreme version of that argument would be Roberto Benigni’s Life is Beautiful and the lesser-known Robin Williams-starring Jakob the Liar . Glazer is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum as Spielberg. His absolute refusal of stylization towards the pivotal acts is based on your preconceived knowledge of Auschwitz. You’ve seen the photos, learned the class lessons, and most likely seen Schindler’s List . Seeing what’s going on lessens its impact, as the horrors you infer in your mind are much scarier than anything within the frame. You want to look away, except there was nothing you were looking at to begin with. Grand stylizations do emerge from time to time, most notably a pitch-black prelude overture of Mica Levi’s incredible score, and black-and-white negative vision that follows a young girl on a secret mission. Paweł Pawlikowski’s regular cinematographer Łukasz Żal captures the action in staged wide shots, with much of it taking place within the house. Glazer and Żal positioned ten fixed cameras within the various nooks and crannies, operating by remote control similar to surveillance cameras within a mall. They give off a feeling of detachment and unimportance, with Glazer refusing to view the characters going about their daily lives in anything but a neutral light. Friedel made a name for himself as a burgeoning Nazi in Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or winner The White Ribbon back in 2009. While his commandant position would infer that he’s a radical supporter of the ideology, he is the film’s Eichmann, devoted to his role as a means to support his family and get ahead in life. The same can be said for Hedwig, with Hüller - having a wonderful Cannes with both this and Anatomy of a Fall - only breaking from her sternness when she finds out the family may need to move away from the camp. Sickening in the most calculated way possible, The Zone of Interest is Jonathan Glazer's ode to Stanley Kubrick. He answers the question of how evil can exist unchecked, holding all of your senses in a sterilized vice. Be sure to soak it all in during your first watch, because I doubt you'll ever want to view the world this way again. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

TIFF23 Recap September 20, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Now that TIFF23 has come to a close, it's time to embark on the challenging task of ranking all the films I had the opportunity to watch. While it's no easy feat to compare such a wide range of genres and styles, my goal is to celebrate the artistry and innovation that permeated throughout the decadent TIFF venues. I also won't lie in saying that there's a small amount of joy I get by bashing in the poor films one more time. From large studio tentpoles to small international projects, I invite you to explore what the festival had to offer in 2023. 27. North Star Maybe not every actor should be allowed to make their directorial debut. Kristen Scott Thomas' first foray behind the camera (while still being in front in a supporting role) is littered with choppy editing, poor pacing, and a scattershot script that has way too much on its plate. Emily Beecham is the only shining star (pun intended) in a cast that includes Scarlett Johansson fumbling a British accent and Sienna Miller being fine, I guess. This is surely bound for VOD/streaming way down the line. 26. Finestkind Writer/director Brian Helgeland told the TIFF audience that he wrote the script for Finestkind thirty years ago, a fact that becomes glaringly obvious the longer the film goes on. The story is stuck in the past in the worst ways possible, soaked with cheesy sentimentality, a laughably underdeveloped female character that Jenna Ortega somehow signed up for (did she owe someone a favor?), and an out-of-nowhere crime plot that undermines all the heart and soul mined in the first half. As per his contract demands these days, Ben Foster goes crazy a few times, and so does Tommy Lee Jones as he realizes he’s appearing in a stinker. It’s a Paramount+ production, meaning it’ll play well to the “guys being dudes” crowd that has been gorging on Taylor Sheridan's diminishing machismo these past few years. 25. Knox Goes Away Between the other hitman-focused movies at the fall festivals and how much it seriously fumbles the great concept of a hitman battling rapidly developing dementia, Michael Keaton’s sophomore directorial outing fails to be anything more than a depressing shrug. Luckily for the actor/director, he’s slightly exonerated from blame as Gregory Poirier’s CSI-level script is what sinks this ship. Al Pacino gives his most comfortable performance sitting in some luxurious recliners, and Marcia Gay Harden does Keaton a favor by showing up for one half-decent scene. 24. His Three Daughters Azazel Jacobs’ follow-up to French Exit (remember that during the pandemic?) starts incredibly rough as our three lead characters act as if they’re aliens who are trying to replicate drought emotions. This bug may be a feature to some, but it ends up feeling like a grating mashup of Yorgos Lanthimos and Wes Anderson. Things do settle down later, allowing the actresses to flourish. Natashya Lyonne stands out as the slacker of the three sisters, and yet she seems to have the firmest grasp on the mysteries of life. 23. Rustin Rustin won’t live on in the public consciousness for its craft, but it most certainly will because of Domingo’s performance. It’s a shame the whole package couldn’t come together, but it’s hard to complain when the headliner is just that good and the objective of the mission is to enlighten just as much as it is to entertain. Full Review 22. Quiz Lady By far the broadest film TIFF programmed this year, Quiz Lady is your typical streamer comedy. Director Jessica Yu has helmed episodes of prestige television as well as both feature and short documentaries (winning an Oscar for Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien ), yet you’d never be able to tell based on what she delivers here. Everything is filmed with basic competence, with the actors filling much of the empty space with hit-or-miss jokes. It’s fun to see Oh cut loose, and Ferrell’s wholesome game show host turns out to be his best role in years. You can have some decent fun with this on a Friday night, forgetting all about it when you wake up the next morning. 21. Nyad Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin are still able to showcase their prowess with editing in their first narrative feature film. The directing duo crafted some fine moments of underdog drama, following Diana Nyad as she tries to overcome the impossible. There are no surprises or standout moments, but Annette Bening's commitment to the role makes for an inoffensive watch. 20. The Royal Hotel It’s adapt or die for Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liz (Jessica Henwick) as they take jobs as bartenders in the only pub in a remote Australian mining town. The temp agency warned the girls that they needed to be “okay with a little male attention,” which turns out to be quite the understatement as their first night is filled with nasty jokes, unruly stares, and just general douchiness. Choosing adaptation is a death sentence, as there’s no reward for allowing this toxic mob to take control of their mind and body. Director Kitty Green announced her talent with the matter-of-fact The Assistant in 2019 (also starring Garner). This sophomore effort is a leveling up of her prowess behind the camera, lining every scene with a grimy sense of dread. It feels like a thrill ride, except none of the thrills are satisfying. Green greatly elevates her script, written by Green and Oscar Redding, which never packs the depth needed and tends to loop around as it tries to sustain the 90-minute runtime. Garner and Henwick are powerful anchors, “supported” by some convincing creeps. I have no doubt Green will be hitting it big within the next few years. 19. Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick dominated the actor-turned-director battle at this year’s TIFF, with her film, Woman of the Hour , being quite an impressive statement of her skills behind the camera. Now all she needs to do is find a good script because the one here doesn’t give her enough to work with. While well staged, much of the “action” of the film by the serial killer feels like filler, and the main ideas are spelled out as if they're competing at a spelling bee. Netflix opened the market with an $11 acquisition, giving this true crime film the perfect home. 18. Reptile Reptile will likely fall into the pantheon of semi-forgettable Netflix originals. I can’t say that’s a shame because the movie doesn’t do a lot to make a case for its existence in my memory outside of a few questionable choices. But when compared to the other forgotten content, it’s a cut above. Full Review 17. Pain Hustlers Pain Hustlers is just an inferior copycat of The Wolf of Wall Street , which is exactly what you get when you have David Yates instead of Martin Scorsese. Emily Blunt and Chris Evans are as charming as ever, but there's nothing special about this run-of-the-mill rise-and-fall story. If you recently watched Dopesick or Painkiller , then you might find a little more here. 16. The Critic While writer Patrick Marber and star Ian McKellen are having a delightfully catty time with The Critic , director Anand Tucker takes the material too seriously, making it uneven, yet still enjoyable. McKellen plays the internet's stereotypical version of a critic: mean, smearing, and always out to make himself the star of the show. Times are changing in London as the newspapers are merging, threatening McKellen’s job, and the fascists are becoming more radicalized. Marber’s script is a little too scattershot, never developing its numerous plotlines and characters outside of the central McKellen story. The glossy production values make this a decent package as a whole. A perfect piece of entertainment to get a spring theatrical release as counterprogramming to a superhero blockbuster. 15. Lee Lee has a lot of famous actors, but only Kate Winslet is playing a character. The rest of the cast, along with almost every other aspect of the movie, feels like they're playing dress-up. It's neither good nor bad, just forgettable. 14. Les Indésirables Ladj Ly's sophomore effort is not an answer to a question, but a further examination of it. There's dissatisfaction at the end of the road, both intentionally through Ly's honest depiction of political warfare and unintentionally through the overloaded script that tries to combine too much. Even with this slight slump, Ly's voice continues to grow, and I can't wait for it to click sometime in the future. 13. Dumb Money Just like the memes that inspired the movement, Dumb Money is fun in the moment, but has little to no substance underneath the surface. If you’re looking for entertainment, you get just enough of it to make this worthwhile. If you’re looking to be educated on this event, I’d recommend literally anything else. Full Review 12. Seven Veils It wouldn’t be a normal TIFF if it didn’t feature the newest film by hometown hero Atom Egoyan. Amanda Seyfried plunges headfirst into her role as the new director of a revival of Salome at the Canadian Opera Company, a production Egoyan himself helmed while making this film. There are a lot of big swings, with more than half of them not connecting. But the ones that do connect are really special, such as the audacious staging of the material. The bar may be low, but this is Egoyan's best work in decades. 11. Fingernails Christos Nikou’s sophomore feature is a leveling up of his production values, but never quite reaches the thematic heights it aims for. There’s a nice love story in here, it’s just buried under too much mundane material. 10. Dream Scenario Nicolas Cage has never been funnier (at least in an unironic way) than he is in Kristoffer Borgli’s English-language debut. The famed madman actor plays a dorky professor who inexplicably appears in everyone’s dreams, making him the most famous person on the planet. The fame quickly gets to his head, but it also brings unintended consequences once the dreams start taking darker turns. Borgli's examination of cancel culture isn’t all that skillful, with most of the insights being surface-level. Cage is what sells this whole premise and covers any of the minor problems. While he’s still appearing in VOD garbage more often than he should, there have been just enough auteur-driven projects to keep him an icon to the Letterboxd generation. Being that this specific film is an A24 production, be prepared for the ensuing meme frenzy come November. 9. One Life No modern movie has had a more significant fourth-quarter comeback than One Life . The first 90 minutes of James Hawes’ feature directorial debut has the same dry cracker texture as many other British WWII period pieces you’ve seen over the years. An immediate 180° is made in the climactic scene (you'll know it when you see it), leaving me and the rest of the audience in tears. Anthony Hopkins stars as the older Nicholas Winton, with Johnny Flynn playing the younger version that made it his mission to rescue children out of the Holocaust ghettos of Eastern Europe. It’s Hopkins’ segments in the 1980s that give the film the spurts of life it needs. Recently minted Oscar-winner Volker Bertelmann provides a sweeping score, accenting the epic work done by this humble humanitarian. 8. Memory Two people with memory issues come together in writer/director Michel Franco’s newest film, which doesn’t wallow in mystery as his past filmography would suggest. Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) is a mother who can’t seem to forget her past drug and alcohol struggles, while Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) has dementia and can’t seem to remember much of his past life. These two troubled souls are attracted to each other, even if the forces of the world, notably their families, would like them to stay apart. The script places all its priorities on these two performances, both of which reach near perfection. There’s sadness and pain in their stories, but they unlock small linings of hope when they appear in each other’s lives. Franco doesn’t offer much in terms of answers, not that anyone should expect struggles of this magnitude to be so easily solved. 7. Next Goal Wins Next Goal Wins makes fans out of all of us, both thanks to Waititi’s skill and the simple goal it strives for. It’s effortlessly watchable, uncontroversial, and full of good vibes, making it one of the best options for the family this year. Full Review 6. Hit Man If Top Gun: Maverick wasn't enough to convince you of Glen Powell's movie star charisma, then Hit Man will certainly be the successful pitch. Richard Linklater's film is a sexy romantic comedy pairing Powell with Adria Arjona to electric results. While the Netflix acquisition means fewer people will get to see this crowdpleaser in theaters, it'll surely have a long and successful life on the streaming platform. 5. The Boy and the Heron There are animated films for children, and there are animated films for adults. This is an animated film for everyone, and the world is a much better place because of it. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, figures in animation history has provided us with his swan song, and now it’s time for us to continue his legacy with the pieces left behind. Full Review 4. Origin Ava DuVernay blends academia and entertainment to sprawlingly epic results in her adaptation of the Isabel Wilkerson novel. I'm still not sure if DuVernay succeeds in making all her connections, but she always makes them compelling through her direction. Aunjanue Ellis capitalizes on her first lead performance, anchoring the emotion within this sweeping story. 3. Evil Does Not Exist Drive My Car writer/director and all-around arthouse superstar Ryûsuke Hamaguchi makes his most outspoken work with Evil Does Not Exist . The tranquility of a Japanese village is being threatened by the introduction of a “glamping” (glamorous + camping) site proposed by a talent agency. The site would negatively impact much of the environment around it, with many of the village resident’s livelihoods being forever altered. Despite being clear in his message, Hamaguchi never eviscerates the villains of this story. The extreme slow cinema approach will test the patience of many expecting a return to the leanness of Drive My Car . Those who embrace the molasses will find themselves powerfully transported to one of the few places left that hasn’t been bulldozed by capitalism. Eiko Ishibashi delivers a magnificent score. It angers me that I’ll have to wait several months until it’s available to stream on Spotify. 2. The Beast Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast is the pretentious European version of Cloud Atlas , which is a statement that tells you everything you need to know about whether you’ll like it or not. I was all in on this movie, even if its ultimate message and specific story beats are hard to follow. Bonello jumps between 1904, 2014, and 2044, intersplicing the three time periods to tell a story about love conquering time. Léa Seydoux and George MacKay play characters in each period, navigating the unknowable connection they feel for each other. It’s overindulgent and excessive, but Bonello displays a mastery of tone and vision across the 146 minutes. There’s passion, fear, humor, drama, and everything in between. I’d love to see it again sometime down the line. 1. The Holdovers Through his directorial choices, Alexander Payne makes The Holdovers into a Christmas classic for adults. The cinematography glows like a warm fire and the relaxed pacing allows these characters to breathe. This is a melancholic film, with Payne knowing that the holidays are not full of yuletide cheer for everyone. But there are still seasons greetings to be had, just enough to make you want to be a better person and stay close to those that matter most. What more could you ask for in times like these? Full Review More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

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Civil War April 10, 2024 By: Button Hunter Friesen Alex Garland’s Civil War is the cinematic equivalent of clickbait. A generic montage of violence is interspersed within an equally generic speech by the president (Nick Offerman) about how the Western Forces of California and Texas have suffered great defeats at the hands of the United States Armed Forces, and that the Florida Alliance is on its last legs. America is now in the final stages of democracy, where the people have risen and the Second Amendment is the ultimate law of the land. From that very opening moment, Civil War begs you to ask questions that it not only can’t - but refuses - to answer. Why have California and Texas seceded from the union and joined forces to overthrow the government? What are they fighting for? And why is Florida on its own side? I suppose Garland’s vagueness about the whole thing is meant to allow you to apply your doom-scrolling mentality to the situation. He’s banking on our collective post-2016 consciousness’ to fill in the details, almost as if each person gets their own individual puzzle. It’s cowardly and lazy, becoming one of the great modern magic tricks as this “intellectual blockbuster” carries less of a brain than the giant ape vs. giant lizard showcase we just got in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . I could put my tinfoil hat on and theorize that Garland and A24 sanded down the rough edges of the story to make it appeal to a broader audience. After all, this is A24's biggest production by a large margin, with its reported $50 million budget more than doubling the previous record holder of Everything Everywhere All at Once . The cost of working on a bigger scale is more than just literal dollars, it also requires a willingness to circumvent controversy. Of course, there’s the glass-half-full approach that none of the other large studios and streamers (Warner Bros., Paramount, Netflix, etc.) wanted to touch this property with a ten-foot pole, so I should be thankful that there’s still someone like A24 that’s willing to pony up the cash to make something that’s not been market tested to the nth degree. But even though that’s all good and true, should I blindly bow down to something just because it’s not like everybody else? Am I asking for Garland to blatantly come out and say that this civil war is about Republicans vs. Democrats, or incorporate some sort of attack on the far-right or far-left? I wouldn’t have minded what Garland had said, just as long as he said something. ANYTHING! It all holds the same weight as your coworker telling you that “our country is really divided right now” and then never elaborating on that opinion. That rotten meat makes it hard to appreciate all the other fine ingredients in this all-American hamburger. In her first role post-Oscar nomination from The Power of the Dog , Kirsten Dunst gives a towering performance as a jaded war photographer named Lee. A not-so-subtle comparison is made between her and a famous real-life photojournalist Lee Miller (recently played by Kate Winslet in the ho-hum biopic Lee ) by Jessie (Cailee Spaeny, continuing to rise up the ranks of the best younger performers working today), a up-and-coming journalist who’s desperate to be on the frontlines. Sensing that the end is near, Lee and Joel (Wagner Moura) are on their way to the White House to try and get an interview with the president, now serving an unelected third term in office. Their journey takes them down a road from hell, littered with the sight of dead bodies and the sound of bullets and bombs. Garland and his production crew permeate this route with as much tension as possible, with gunfire becoming bone-rattling and trigger-happy soldiers positioned at every corner. IMAX is not the format normally associated with A24 films, and Garland takes full advantage of what he’s been given. It’s a great shame that almost all of these incredibly nerve-wracking action set pieces are undercut by groan-worthy offbeat needle drops. While he doesn’t have ideas about the macroeconomics of this war, Garland does deliver themes on those that document it. Even in a digital world with everything available everywhere, a simple image still contains more power than a thousand words. Garland cuts the action to the photographs being taken by our central characters, giving a glimpse into how chaos can be processed for history. “We record so other people can ask the questions” is the mantra that Lee takes. That’s been enough of a mental excuse for her in foreign lands, but how can you block out something happening in your own backyard? It’s the same question Garland poses to his audience when the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are being destroyed. We’ve become numb to seeing nondescript Middle Eastern cities being leveled, and now the weapons are pointed back at us. But even though that imagery is admittedly startling and something we haven’t seen before with this intention, it all comes back to the emptiness of the message. It’s all sound and fury, signifying nothing. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Babylon December 16, 2022 By: Button Hunter Friesen With dashes of Singin’ in the Rain, Boogie Nights, The Wolf of Wall Street, Uncut Gems , and Mulholland Drive , Damien Chazelle’s Babylon is a true auteurist epic in every sense of the word. It’s a 188-minute deconstruction of Old Hollywood mythology, complete with cocaine, fast cars, projectile vomit, glitzy actors, underground sex dungeons, and buckets of style. There isn’t anything like it this year, or any year for that matter. Things kick off with a bang in 1926 at a house party in Bel-Air. Inside is a who’s who of Hollywood royalty and up-and-comers. Busting down the door and attracting all the eyes is Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), a Jack Nicholson-esque star who only seems to exude charm. Literally crashing through the gate is Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), barely clothed and ready to get people’s attention. “You don’t become a star, you either are one or you aren’t, and I am,” she says as she struts to the dance floor where dozens of naked men and women perform acts of debauchery on par with Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom . Returning from his elephant (yes, the one you would find in the jungle or the zoo) delivery is Manny Torres (Diego Calva), a dreamer wanting to be part of something bigger, something that lasts. Providing the musical entertainment for the evening is Sidney Palmer (Jovan Adepo) on the trumpet and Lady Fay Zhu (Li Jun Li) with her sexually charged ballads. From this night on, these five characters will have their stories cross paths on several occasions. They’ll star be featured in some of the biggest moments of the Silent Era, and also find themselves hurtling during its downfall. The rise of talkies will bring about a new style of filmmaking, one that’ll benefit some, and destroy others. But through it all, they’ll find a way to create a legacy that lives beyond their mortal lives. This house party, with all its moral depravity and excessiveness, is only the tip of the iceberg of the messed up stuff Chazelle has jam-packed within his rapid-fire screenplay. After the goodness of La La Land and the conventionalism of First Man (and I mean both of those in the best way possible), this film feels as if Chazelle has reached the teenage portion of his career, where curse words and sexual promiscuity flow as if he’s just discovered fire. Thankfully, Chazelle shows no signs of immaturity as a director. As a way to remind all of us why he became the youngest person to be awarded the Best Director Oscar, he adopts a wildly infectious form of controlled chaos, with simultaneous scenes crashing into each other to the beat of Justin Hurwitz’s blaring jazz score. It’s incredibly showy work, but something that perfectly fits within the unhinged glory often found in this period. The train does come off the rails from time to time, particularly in the closing five minutes where Chazelle’s thesis statement becomes a bit too heavy-handed. And some characters get lost in the shuffle for extended periods, begging the question of if some material was left on the cutting room floor. But I love messy films that aren’t afraid to swing for grand slams when there’s only one out, rather than go for the practical approach of a sacrifice fly ball. Chazelle has more than earned himself this exercise in self-indulgence and outrageousness, and we’re all better for witnessing it. And it also doesn’t hurt to have career-best performances from Pitt and Robbie, starring in their third movie together and finally being allowed to share scenes. Calva doesn’t get blinded by the star power around him as he acts as our guide through this deranged world. He eventually carves a spot for himself, influencing film history on a more profound level than he could ever imagine. Also along for the ride are supporting/cameo performances by Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde, Katherine Waterston, Max Minghella, Spike Jonze, and Tobey Maguire as a weasel-like sociopath. My biggest fear is that Chazelle may have inadvertently made his generation’s Heaven’s Gate : An overly ambitious auteur epic that proves to be too much for audiences and critics, leading to a decline in filmmaker power within the Hollywood studio system. Of course, I don’t believe this film will lead to something that dramatic, but I also can’t imagine casual moviegoers John and Jane Doe coming out of this film with their heads still on straight, nor Paramount recouping the $100+ million they've spent. So, if my worst fears become a reality, I only have one thing to say. To paraphrase Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs : If Babylon causes the downfall of auteurs in Hollywood, it will have been well worth it for those that watched the movie (and survived). More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

Eden September 10, 2024 By: Button Tyler Banark Eden had its World Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Vertical Entertainment will release it in theaters on August 22, 2025. Ron Howard’s recent track record has been met with absolute inconsistency. It seems as though since his Best Picture-winning film A Beautiful Mind , he hasn’t hit a home run or at least gotten more than a double. He’s known to be a “safe” director, which is the case as many of his movies, especially recent ones, don’t shoot for the moon or offer any new substance. The worriers should be pleased that Eden looks to end this streak, as it’s Howard’s best movie in years, as well as his darkest one ever. It is a gritty thriller that sees a stacked cast consisting of Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Daniel Brühl, and Ana de Armas play a game of survival of the fittest that is sure to be jaw-dropping for all viewers. Set in the late 1920s, Eden follows three groups of Germans who fled their country to the island of Floreana in the Galápagos Islands. Law and Kirby play a doctor and his handicapped wife, looking to find solace on the island as the first to do so in an attempt to escape from society. Sweeney and Brühl are a couple with a young son looking for a new start, while de Armas is an enigmatic socialite looking to build the nicest hotel in the southern hemisphere. The three groups find themselves at odds when looking to establish dominance and power amongst each other. Everything that happens from there is sheer bedlam as each group plays mind games to try and turn certain characters against each other. To say things get dark for a Howard movie would be a gross understatement, but it’s best to leave audiences knowing as little about it as possible beforehand. Right out of the gate, the cast delivers strong performances, from the subtle Kirby and Law to the loud and expressive Brühl and Sweeney. However, de Armas is the MVP of it all, taking on a character far from what we’ve previously seen from her. The Baroness is an evil, manipulative woman whose welcoming demeanor comes off as fittingly reckless and untrustworthy. When we first meet her, she’s being carried off the boat by two servants who are to help her build the hotel. The way de Armas toys with the other island residents and her helpers is devious, and she executes the character’s intentions phenomenally. She’s always been able to adapt to different accents, as she dons an unmistakable German one mixed with other parts of Europe. Sweeney is another contending standout as she gives another fierce performance (similar to her recent horror flick Immaculate ). Howard’s direction and translation of his and Noah Pink’s script are impeccable. Throughout the plot, audiences can never tell whether the characters are playing chess or checkers, with motivations constantly fluctuating. The plot is well-planned and thought out, and the production value fits tremendously. There are some speed bumps in its cinematography and score. DP Mathias Herndl has difficulties shooting this movie, with the coloring giving a grainy color scheme, and the camerawork takes time to find its footing. Hans Zimmer’s score is routine, which unfortunately falls in line with the majority of his work as of late (the Dune films serving as the exception) Of everything Howard has made thus far, Eden is one of his boldest films, not simply because of its haunted qualities. It speaks volumes and provides a resonant tale, as his best works do. Eden is no different by showcasing how ugly humanity can be in the face of fight-or-die situations. The cast he assembled is one of the year’s best, and it will surely be a conversation topic once it’s picked up for distribution and seen by audiences everywhere. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen

The United States vs. Billie Holiday March 4, 2021 By: Button Hunter Friesen Another awards season, another tortured celebrity biopic. Last year was Judy and the year before that was Bohemian Rhapsody . A few years earlier was La Vie En Rose . Before that was Walk the Line , and before that was Ray , and so on and so on until the beginning of time. Why do these movies keep being made if they all use the same recycled formula? The answer is the Oscars. All of those movies I just listed won an Oscar for a leading performance by an actor portraying a real-life celebrity. Biopics are the baitiest of genres when it comes to the Oscars. There’s no purely objective way to critique a performance, but it sure is a lot easier to judge a performance by comparing it to a real person than it is to judge a fictional character. Is that lazy and unoriginal? Of course! But it works so well and requires a lot less effort than the alternatives. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Speaking of lazy and unoriginal, The United States vs. Billie Holiday is the newest entry into this tirelessly imitated genre. Lee Daniels of Precious and The Butler fame directs this true story of the persecution singer Billie Holiday faced from the federal government because of her anti-lynching song “Strange Fruit”. Holiday also struggled with a heroin and alcohol addiction, something that the government constantly used as blackmail against her. The framing of this grand story surrounds an interview Holiday takes just before she dies. She’s questioned about many things, most notably why “Strange Fruit” was a song she was willing to kill her career, and eventually herself, for. It’s a question Holiday has no peace of mind to answer, as she’s already given her answer by living a life filled with hate and bigotry. Daniels treats Holiday as a martyr; someone who died because of the wickedness of others. While that approach has worked in several biopics before, the barrier that Daniels refuses to even attempt to overcome is to give his martyr some humanity. Unlike every other musician's drug addiction film, Daniels doesn’t seem all that interested in learning about the character of Holiday. He’s simply a con artist taking someone’s true pain for his personal gain. He offers little sympathy for Holiday’s condition, which can be seen by the endless barrage of close-ups of needles being stuck in arms. It becomes pure misery porn that doesn’t contextualize Holiday’s present with her past. Brief flashbacks here and there give glimpses into her childhood, one filled with whorehouses and abuse, that only aim to shock and traumatize the viewer. Similar to Daniels’ exploitative directing is the screenplay by Suzan-Lori Parks, which has the same quality as a high school play. There is nothing in this script to deviate from other biopics about black singers such as Ray and Get On Up . It’s the same old story of success, tragedy, and redemption that you and I have seen a thousand times before and will see another thousand times again. Only this time, it’s just plain boring to watch as the two-hour runtime feels like three, and the message about racism and drug addiction boils down to “it’s bad, don't do it”. Sure, the cinematography and production design is top-notch. There’s one brief sequence seemingly done in one take that blew me away with its inventiveness and tonal ignorance. But all those window dressings mean nothing when the core is empty. So, who’s the person looking to win an Oscar for their titular portrayal? That would be Andra Day, already a Grammy nominee. Ms. Day has recently won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and is looking to claim her spot in the Oscar race. Her performance is about the only thing that is worth praise as she both acts and sings circles around her contemporaries. It’s absolutely stunning that this is her first lead role in a film. The rest of the supporting cast pale in comparison as Trevontae Rhodes is disappointing as conflicted federal agent Jimmy Fletcher and Garret Hedlund is downright embarrassing as bureau head Harry J. Anslinger, who acts like the identical twin of Dick Dastardly. The United States vs. Billie Holiday is a tiring and soapy entry into the neverending genre of musician biopics. Except for a great Andra Day lead performance, this is an entirely forgettable and shameful attempt to cover such an iconic time and figure in American history. More Reviews One Battle After Another September 24, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen A Christmas Party September 23, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Him September 18, 2025 By: Hunter Friesen Swiped September 19, 2025 By: Tyler Banark Hunter Friesen