DayeValentijn

Ready or Not is led by Samara Weaving, who plays an unlucky bride trapped in the countryside mansion of her groom's seemingly psychopathic family as she struggles to survive a deadly game of hide-and-seek. Despite certain indications-such as the groom halfheartedly trying to warn her about the tradition and the fact that he sees her in her white dress before the ceremony-Weaving's character remains completely clueless and unable to sense the odd vibes of this strange family.

Needless to say, despite its fun premise and brisk pacing (mainly due to its short runtime), the film suffers from uninspired direction. The use of music is frequent and on-the-nose, the plot is largely predictable, and it manages to drag toward the end. However, the last five minutes deliver a curveball and set up a potential sequel that could work brilliantly as a courtroom drama.

Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is an ambitious disaster. The film's sickly yellow hue is inexplicably consistent, creating a weirdly shot aesthetic that's unpleasant to endure. Shia LaBeouf's performance is a cringe-worthy misstep, and Laurence Fishburne's narration, delivered in a tired, Matrix-like monotone, only adds to the awkwardness. The dialogue, clearly aiming for something theatrical and Shakespearean, falls flat due to stiff writing, bad performances, and a lack of coherent direction. The amateurish title cards resemble lazy PowerPoint slides, and the visual effects-atrocious CGI and laughable green screen work-are an eyesore. The actors lack chemistry, particularly Giancarlo Esposito and Kathryn Hunter, whose pairing is both baffling and unconvincing. What's most shocking, however, is that Coppola seems to have forgotten all basic principles of filmmaking. Pacing, tone, and narrative cohesion are nowhere to be found, leaving the film a disjointed and unbearable slog. A lone saving grace is the intriguing exploration of time, but it's nowhere near enough to salvage this catastrophe.

(This review was written by AI based on notes I took during my viewing.)

I'd seen three of Sean Baker's films before watching Anora. Recently, I watched Tangerine and Take Out, both of which I enjoyed equally but for different reasons. The Florida Project was my first introduction to Baker-a film I deeply love and regard as a masterpiece in both direction and performance. Needless to say, I had high, albeit measured, expectations for Anora.

Based on the premise and snippets I'd seen from promotional material, I thought I had a sense of where the story was headed. However, halfway through, I realized the film was taking a different direction. Initially, I was skeptical, as it felt like the film took too long to "begin." But the second half more than justified the slower opening, leaving me utterly speechless when the credits rolled. Sean Baker took a fun premise and elevated it by telling a meaningful story, culminating in a powerful emotional sucker punch during the final ten minutes.

Mikey Madison delivers a brilliant performance as Anora. Following standout roles in Scream VI and Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, this role feels like it was made for her and by her. She completely owns it.

I also want to highlight how skilled Baker has become at orchestrating chaos in the third acts of his films. The climaxes are always driven by a natural progression of events and supported by well-written, believable characters. The realism stems not just from the writing but also from how authentic the characters feel in their mannerisms and speech-particularly in this film, such as the accurate portrayal of non-native English speakers.

Moreover, the pacing and cinematography reflect the film's events with great purpose. Every shot feels deliberate in depicting a young woman navigating her experiences of love, class, and cultural clashes, all through her own flawed and limited understanding of affection.

If I had to nitpick, there were a few moments where a character wasn't using a gaming controller correctly, but this minor detail doesn't detract from the film's brilliance. Anora is a masterpiece. I was already an admirer of both Madison and Baker from their earlier work, but now I can confidently call myself a fan. I'll eagerly follow their future projects. 10/10.

Also, a shoutout to Yura Borisov and Karren Karagullian, who were fantastic. Having seen Borisov in Compartment No. 6 and Karagullian in Tangerine, their performances here only added to the film's depth.