AnonymousFilmLover26

Say what you will about Dakota Johnson, but for me, 2024 so far has been reminding me not to judge art (movies, in this case) by their covers/title cards. There's often more to something than meets the eye. I never paid much attention to Ms. Dakota Johnson as an actress - she got her big mainstream break in the Fifty Shades franchise, not known for being groundbreaking art - and yet, here she is surprising me this year, at every turn! She certainly has a unique charm to her, and I was drawn to this movie because I appreciate her deadpan sense of humor.

I wasn't expecting this one to be as awkward and funny as it was, but I really think it's a solid movie. Of course it suffers from typical Hollywood tropes...my favorite being that although Lucy (Johnson) works as a receptionist in a spa, we never see her checking in any clients. (Not even one!) Her best friend's job is equally unclear, but hey, she has a neat office at least.

Anyway, as a late-joining member of the 'Alphabet' community myself, I appreciated the representation of letter Q subgroup: Questioning/Queer.

Keep on keeping on, Dakota Johnson!

This one kind of stumped me. I'm a fan of Emilia Clarke, I'm always down to watch any new projects of hers...and yet, something about "The Pod Generation" just seemed a little off to me. It was good enough overall, I didn't hate it. But the execution was so-so. Dialogue seemed clunkily-written and the overall pacing was too slow to fit under the traditional sci-fi genre. In fact, I'd classify this as a 'futuristic drama', more than anything. It has its quirks, but I didn't find it a romantic comedy, either. The repetitive dream sequences were thought-provoking but really went nowhere.

Emilia Clarke gives a solid performance despite her character's lack of backstory and depth. I think maybe that's what it's missing...the plot itself has potential but it never quite lives up to it. Mr. Chiwetel also gives a good performance, but there's no soul to this movie...aside from Emilia Clarke's truly radiant smile.

Just a set of confused parents-to-be, trying to sort out the rules and regulations around an AI-assisted "pregnancy" (via a Pod, hence the title). Alas, it was a great premise. As others had said, it would've made a stellar story for the TV show Black Mirror. (I would award automatic bonus points if Emilia and Chiwetel had still appeared!)

I for one loved this movie. It's outrageous, and crass, and a bit indulgent by the end...but I still really, really liked "Babylon" and it kept my attention. (OK, it also helps that I'm a big Margot Robbie fan!)

Did it need the full 3 hour and 9 minute runtime? Not strictly. "Babylon" tackles a lot at once, but it's mostly coherent. It does go off the rails a bit after Tobey Maguire's drug lord character shows up (no further spoilers), and some intense stuff occurs in "the underground" of Los Angeles...that whole sequence/tangent was off-putting for me, to say the least. But in terms of the film overall, I loved everything from the characters to the plot lines. Margot Robbie shines, and Diego Calva, a relative newcomer, is just as mesmerizing playing opposite her. His character Manny is a film PA who dreams of making it big one day, and more.

The music is a standout as well - and though they weren't favored, Babylon actually did win during awards season for their soundtrack and costuming.

This one isn't for everyone. It's nowhere near as friendly as "Singin' in the Rain" set in the same time period (though it does nod to it), but for those like me who are true movie fans...and also appreciate movies about movie-making, I recommend giving it a try.