Movie Review - Babylon

Director: Damien Chazelle
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 189 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde, Diego Calva, Flea, Tobey Maguire
 
Description: A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

Review: The craziness in “Babylon” begins with bickering over the transport of an elephant. Manuel, jack-of-all-trades behind the scenes of Hollywood anno 1926, has arranged for the animal to be the summit of entertainment of an exorbitant party thrown by a movie studio boss.

Hollywood prodigy Damien Chazelle (of the fantastic personal favorites “La La Land” and “Whiplash”) creates yet another prologue in his bursting at the seams fourth film: a protracted orgy of sex, cocaine, booze, song and dance at the aforementioned party. Here Manuel meets the wildly charming aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy and the equally charming yet smug star actor Jack Conrad. Manuel and Nellie then work their way up at lightning speed, while Jack is overtaken by time.  

“Babylon” is a mesmerizing, merciless and remarkably cynical deconstruction of Hollywood’s golden years: the first great transition phase of the American film industry, spurred by the invention of the talking movie (in 1927, with “The Jazz Singer”). One of my other personal favorites, “Singin’ in the Rain” also did this and this movie eventually turns out to be a very important one in “Babylon” as well. And I really loved this take. The conclusion of “Babylon” was surprising and satisfying.

The scenes where we got to go behind the scenes of the making of movies, where without a doubt the best. Especially one wild scene where Nellie first steps onto a film set. The way this was filmed, cinematographically it looks perfect and all the chaos going on is felt in every bone of your body.

Where, in my eyes, Chazelle’s “Whiplash” and “La La Land” were perfect in every way, “Babylon” is more flawed. Some explicit scenes I could have done without. I don’t shy away from nudity in film, but it sometimes felt unnecessary and felt like it was only there for the purpose of shock. With that, the movie is a bit too long, it could have been at least 30 minutes shorter. And that one scene, with Tobey Maguire, which is the most insane bit of the film, felt ridiculous.

“Babylon”, ode to and reckoning with the film industry all in one, proves that that American dream factory still delivers colorful films. Not a film I would recommend to anyone, because I don’t think most people I know, would appreciate it as much as I did. A wild ride that stimulates all you senses.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Richard Jewell

Director: Clint Eastwood
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde

Description: American security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) saves thousands of lives from an exploding bomb at the 1996 Olympics, but is vilified by journalists and the press who falsely reported that he was a terrorist.

Review: During the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 a bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park. Security guard Richard Jewell was the big hero who prevents a blood bath. At least for the first couple of days. On day four, the Atlanta Journal reports that the discoverer of the bomb is most likely to be the bomber.
Jewell went from hero to culprit in just a few days and whole America condemned him. Richard Jewell is a typical hero for a Clint Eastwood film: American, taunted and forgotten. And on the big screen he is both adjustable and distant.
Richard Jewell is an everyday man, chubby, always wants to do the right thing and living with his mother. He likes to talk and please. But above all Jewell wants to be a part of law enforcement. Preferably as a police officer, but campus officer or security guard will do too. As long as he can use his compulsive sense of justice to protect others. Nobody really takes him seriously though. As seen while working as a security guard during the Olympics at Centennial Park. First when he is trying to talk to some teens that are breaking beer bottles. But when he discovers an unmanned backpack, he alarms the cops at the scene. They think it's nothing, but it eventually turns out there is a bomb inside. Because of Jewell acting so quickly, many lives were saved after the bomb goes off.
Jewell is seen as the hero of the day, people already want to write books about him. But on day four his life completely changes, when he is all of a sudden the main suspect in the case.
When we see Jewell at the start, we can see that he is a good person at heart. Making sure his boss gets his supplies and Snickers. But him being a loner and overly-interested in everything that has to do with law enforcement makes him look suspicious.
The movie makes you believe that Richard Jewell is a hero and not the criminal the press and FBI make him out to be. But there is still this feeling of what if he did do it?
It’s first and foremost the cast that makes this film so good, touching and strong. Paul Walter Hauser, a fairly unknown actor to me, takes on the role of the titular character and makes him layered and human. Kathy Bates plays his mother and is solid and convincing as always. Olivia Wilde is also very good in her role as journalist breaking the story. But it’s Sam Rockwell that leaves the biggest impression. He is a sympathetic character, since he is the only one that has ever really listened to Jewell and took him seriously. And he does everything to help Jewell and proof his innocence. Because he simply believes it.
I think the story has been brushed up a bit, for Hollywood’s sake, but overall “Richard Jewell” is an incredibly gripping story and it has some really good performances.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 11: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Director: Don Scardino
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, Jim Carrey, Olivia Wilde, James Gandolfini, Jay Mohr, Michael Herbig, Brad Garrett

Description: A veteran Vegas magician (Steve Carell) tries to revive his career after his longtime partner quits, he gets fired from his casino act, and an edgy new "street magician" (Jim Carrey) steals his thunder.

Review: The story of “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is almost a standard as the routine that Burt & Anton do in their magic show. But because the reviews that weren’t that great made me think this was an awful movie, I did enjoy it for some reason. It’s the good kind of bad, if you know what I mean.
Burt and Anton have been best friends since childhood. Magic was what brought them together and 30 years later they have a show in Las Vegas. But their show isn’t as successful as it used to be and the friendship is also not as strong. When an unconventional street illusionist steals their thunder, all hell breaks loose.
“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is very over the top. The character of Burt Wonderstone reminded me a bit of Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy. Completely convinced of himself and totally blind for the inevitable. But I loved “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”. I didn’t love this film, but it had its moments. Steve Carell is really funny and Jim Carrey (who isn’t in this movie as much as I thought) is hilarious as always. In fact, Carrey steals the show. You really have to be in the right mood to find this film funny. And if you normally don’t enjoy Carell or Carrey, this movie won’t change your mind.
It’s an okay comedy, but very disposable. I don’t think it will stay with me long. But make sure to stay ‘till after the credits. That’s a really funny addition to the film.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 108: Drinking Buddies

Director: Joe Swanberg

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Runtime: 87 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston, Jason Sudeikis

Description: Luke (Jake Johnson) and Kate (Olivia Wilde) are coworkers at a brewery who spend their nights drinking and flirting heavily. One weekend away together with their significant others proves who really belongs together and who doesn't.

Review: Ever heard of the term ‘mumblecore’? No? It’s a movie with a low budget, cheap montage, improvisation by the actors and focus on the dialogue. “Drinking Buddies” is a movie that falls in the subgenre of the Indie flick.

Director Joe Swanberg is one of the founders of mumblecore. His movies are about the reflection of life. No special effects, because life itself is spectacular enough. “Drinking Buddies” is a bit different, because he had more budget. So he could have actors like Olivia Wilde and Anna Kendrick star in it.

“Drinking Buddies” follows Kate and Luke. They are co-workers at a beer brewery and are perfect for each other. One problem: they are both in a relationship. Luke is about to marry his girlfriend Jill, with whom he has been with for six years, and Kate is dating music producer Chris.

Wilde shines in this film and shows us she is a very good actress. She is charming, witty and sharp. Kendrick doesn’t show that though, the way she did in movies like “Pitch Perfect” and “50/ 50”. In those movies she really showed what she was made of. Ron Livingston and Jake Johnson are both very solid and likeable. All the characters are realistic, sympathetic and there is always one you can identify with.

The movie is sometimes a bit slow, just like in real life. I think if the pace was higher, more people would have loved this movie. I didn’t mind that by the way, this is my sort of movie. I like this mumblecore genre.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 157: Her

Director: Spike Jonze

Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Chris Pratt, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde

Description: Lonely writer Theordore (Joaquin Phoenix) develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system (Scarlett Johansson) that's designed to meet his every need.

Review: Digital love, it seems like something impossible even in the far away future. Especially because it seems impossible for a computer to develop real feelings and thoughts. Director Spike Jonze manages to make it believable and realistic in the fantastic movie “Her”. In the futuristic Los Angeles, an endearing Joaquin Phoenix and the sexy voice of Scarlet Johansson tell a confronting and distressing love story.

Theodore is a writer of love letters, that are send by him in someone else’s name. His life is structured by an operating system, that he places in his ear, that he’s only disconnected from when he’s asleep. Theodore buys a new intelligent operating system. Her name is Samantha, but she doesn’t just feel like an operating system.

Because Scarlett Johansson lend her voice to Samantha, it feels familiar. You believe the connection between her and Theodore, even though it sounds so strange and disturbing. There is not a moment you think of Samantha as just an operating system.

The complete atmosphere in “Her” feels so real. The décor, costumes and everything around them looks perfect. This in combination with the great acting performance by Joaquin Phoenix make “Her” an absolute joy to watch.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 31: Rush

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Action/ Drama
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara

Description: Based on the true story of a great sporting rivalry between handsome English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Austrian driver Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). The story follows their distinctly different personal styles on and off the track, their loves and the astonishing 1976 season in which both drivers were willing to risk everything to become world champion in a sport with no margin for error: if you make a mistake, you die.

Review: In the 70’s two talented Formula 1 drivers go head to head: the flamboyant James Hunt and the pragmatic Niki Lauda. They both come from wealthy families, but that’s the only resemblance they have. Hunt trusts his gut and intuition, where Lauda leaves nothing to chance.
Ron Howard is at his best when he tells someone’s true story, look at “Apollo 13” and “A Beautiful Mind”. “Rush” belongs in that row, because this movie is anything but forgettable. Even if you’re not into Formula 1 racing, you get dragged into this fascinating world. The cinematography is fantastic and also a big plus for the well written script.
The ones who steal the show are the leading actors Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, who easily could have gotten an Academy Award nomination. The dynamic between the two is clearly present. The two characters they play have an ongoing rivalry, but because of their sublime performances it’s easy to find sympathy for both drivers. The best thing is that even though they are rivals, they want to get better, they motivate each other and also have a mutual respect.
“Rush” is an engrossing film, with strong acting and a vibrant story. It’s more than your standard film about racing. “Rush” is a winner.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 10: People Like Us

Director: Alex Kurtzman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeifer, Olivia Wild, Philip Baker Hall, Jon Favreau

Description: While settling his recently deceased father's estate, Sam (Chris Pine) discovers he has a sister (Elizabeth Banks) whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re-examine their perceptions about family and life choices.

Review: Director Alex Kurtzman is known for his production work, this is the first movie he directed. And it’s one to be proud of.
We meet Sam, a salesman with talented and he lives a happy life with his girlfriend. When his father dies, whom he never really connected with, he has to face his mom again. While settling his father’s estate Sam finds out that he has a sister, Frankie, and he wants to get to know her. Sam’s view on life changes and he soon realizes what the important things in life are.
Chris Pine always was an actor who was just nice to look at. This movie changed that for me, because his performance is strong, convincing and heartfelt. Same goes for Elizabeth Banks, who has a fantastic connection with Pine. Michelle Pfeifer, one of my favorites, is very solid and proofs that she still belongs with the best.
The story sounds a bit mundane, but it’s very well executed. Because of the interesting characters, you can relate to them and you are with them every step of the way. The ending scene gave me goose bumps, in a good way.
“People Like Us” is an overlooked movie, I don’t think many people have seen it. It’s definitely worth watching.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Pic Spam: Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde always stands out in the movies she's in, because of her beauty. Here are her best pictures.