halcyonedit

Andor really showcases the importance of a good screenplay: you can tell a great story about something that might not considered exciting just as you can write a bad story about something that has lightsabers and baby-yodas. The Mandalorian with its focus on excessive fan service doesn't stand a chance against Andor.

While the first season showed the evolution of idealistic rebels into radicals, the second season reverses this trajectory, illustrating how a fragmented and radicalized movement consolidates into a unified Resistance army. The group, forced to adopt the enemy's methods of deception and intrigue, gathers its strength to confront absolute evil.

The second season also explores the narrative of how provocations push peaceful resistance toward aggression, while propaganda exploits the radicals' attempts to take control of their homeland. Individual arcs touch on deeply personal questions within the large scale of geopolitical conflict-like the story of Syril, who becomes the instigator of provocations not out of malice, but out of loyalty to the system and his own ambition.

This is a deep and monumental work, with a budget surpassing that of any new Star Wars episode for good reason. Star Wars has moved a bit further from fairy tale towards cathartic social drama.

I'm still struggling to figure out what message this film is trying to convey to the audience. I began watching Poor Things expecting it to be an unconventional take on the journey of growing up; about someone who grapples with coming to terms with some nonsensical norms of the society. Instead, I got a creepy story about a child who likes to have sex with men who mistreat her. Is this what the message is? That women should be okay with being sexually violated? Or even enjoy it? Either the people who wrote and directed this are out of touch with the real world or the world they live in is a very sick place.

They obviously prioritised style over substance, focusing on a bright picture to compensate for the lack of meaning. How they managed to get these A-list actors to star in this nonsense is a mystery. Unfortunately, only one star.

I left the theatre with a mix of conflicting emotions - a blend of joy and dismay. The latter, as the weight of the events of the film sank in; and the former, knowing that cinema is very much alive.

Despite its 3-hour runtime the film is perfectly balanced, every scene serves a purpose in driving the story forward. There's never an unnecessary moment, and I never felt like anything was excessive or lacking. Oppenheimer's dynamic storytelling and editing choices kept me invested the entire time. It's a complete and masterful work of art, and a testament to the dedication and artistry of everyone involved in its creation. The cast is... what is there even to say? Every actor, no matter how big or small their role was, put in their 200%.

Oppenheimer hits the mark in every way possible. It's an unforgettable experience, and I can't recommend it enough.