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So I just finished watching Being the Ricardo's on Amazon Prime. I've been very impressed with Aaron Sorkin since he started directing. Both Molly's game and The Trial of the Chicago 7 were on my Year's best list. While I certainly enjoyed aspects of Being the Ricardo's it's a relatively lukewarm experience.

The film follows a chaotic week in the life of Lucille Ball as she films I Love Lucy while dealing with marital issues, rumors of being a communist, and dealing with her pregnancy on screen. All the while we are introduced to a combinations of flashbacks and future narrations adding context to the characters and the events. The family also acts as a biography of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's whirlwind romance and the creation of I Love Lucy. Overall not a bad story and anyone familiar with I Love Lucy is sure to enjoy the intricacies introduced in this film.

Now Aaron Sorkin is known for his sharp dialogue and interesting character portrayals. Sorkin's once again writes biting dialogue with quite a number of excellent deliveries from the ensemble cast. The script also does a good job elaborating on the complexities of Lucille Ball's and just how different she was than her screen counterpart.

Aaron Sorkin's chose to have a nonlinear script which bounced around from past, present, and future. While this technique can be useful for adding depth to story in this situation I actually felt it was forced and felt relatively flat. The disjointed narrative really didn't add anything to the film and ultimately just slowed the pace down quite a bit.

I also questioned the overall tone of the film. It seemed like Aaron Sorkin's just didn't know the kind of film he wanted to make. Was this a straight biographical drama? Was this a quick-witted comedy? Was this a stark character study of communist hysteria and gender dynamics in media? Honestly it's all of those things and the tone shift so frequently it never really seems to find its footing. The film would have benefited from picking a story and telling that story instead of trying to be so many different things.

I suppose that's the point however. Lucille Ball wasn't just I Love Lucy. She was a firebrand who helped revolutionize tv as we know it. There's nothing wrong with adding additional layers to the character. Still in this situation I don't think Aaron Sorkin's quite had a grasp on the narrative and the film suffered.

Now onto a strong point the film had an excellent cast. Nicole Kidman did a good job with Lucille Ball. I will say I don't think she completely transformed into that character the way I have seen in other biographical films. Javier Bardem did a solid job and demonstrated a fairly wide range and comedic talent that I didn't know he had. Of course what's not to love about J.k. Simmons. No one can play the grumpy yet lovable curmudgeon the way he can.

Admittedly I'm not a huge I Love Lucy fan. While I certainly appreciate that era for film I never had a love for early sitcoms. Perhaps that has made me a bit biased but this film really didn't do much for me. The acting was good but not exceptional and while I enjoyed the story I found the tone to be inconsistent. I honestly expected a bit more from Aaron Sorkin considering his track record. I wouldn't call this a mess but it's definitely not a homerun. A 6.25 out of 10.

So I watched the movie Lamb last night. I really knew nothing about this film whatsoever going in. That being said this turned out to be an incredibly bizarre and captivating ride from start to finish. You just have to keep a very open mind and not let your expectations about genres influence you too much.

The plot of Lamb starts out with a simple yet strange enough premise. A seemingly disconnected and cold couple live in isolation in the rugged country side of Iceland. They tend to their livestock of lambs yet show no affection or warmth for each other or their animals. As they continue their repetitious and mundane experience they encounter something truly strange. A lamb is born from their heard with a very abnormal physical appearance. From there the couple take ownership of the lamb and treat it as a member of the family. Of course all is not right and the film slowly descends into a nightmarish hellscape as an unknown entity stalks from the shadows.

Lamb is a very very slow burn psychological thriller that will have you wondering what is going on. Those expecting an orthodox horror film will certainly be disappointed. Really the film doesn't so much deal with horror as it does slowly build towards a feeling of dread that something is horribly wrong. There's also an element of absurd humor to the entire film which makes the entire experience stranger.

I will say the film does something truly ingenious by normalizing the lamb character and their interactions with their family. The film takes something truly abnormal and somehow makes it a simple part of the family dynamics. As viewers we're supposed to simply accept this as normal but this also makes us build anticipation just waiting for the film to implode into chaos.

The absurd premise of this film would certainly feel almost like a satire if not for the incredibly well acted scenes. Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snaer Gudnason are both incredibly talented. Noomi in particular brought a level of deadpan sincerity to this performance that was required to sell this role. The film did not have a bad performance. Of course the film also only had three actors.

For a first-time director Valdimar Jóhannsson has made something truly unique. The cinematography and integration of sound were exceptionally well done. Like all of my favorite suspense films Lamb slowly builds momentum and incorporates the use of sound as a character to push the narrative forward. The scenery also was used as a deliberate set piece to help push the narrative along. There are definite moments of unease and the entire film is a slow-moving car crash just waiting to explode into flames.

This film will certainly play with your expectations. It incorporated so many elements from multiple genres yet patched them together in a way that creates a strange chimera like creature worth viewing. I can't say everyone will enjoy this experience but it certainly was an experience.

The film had an incredibly slow burn pace to cultivate a rich atmosphere of dread. Still, the film was incredibly slow and will certainly turn off a number of viewers. Some may drop the film simply when they discover the ridiculous premise. Honestly this film is far more a family drama about coping with grief than a straight horror film.

The combination of so many genres will certainly alienate a number of people expecting something else entirely. However, walking into this film with no expectations whatsoever will give you a unique viewing experience that will certainly leave an impact. A 7.25 out of 10.

So I watched Nightmare Alley at the theater last night. I had very high expectations for this movie based upon the phenomenal ensemble cast and the directing talent of Guillermo Del Toro. I have to say this is one of the best made films of the year.

Nightmare Alley is a deeply atmospheric Neo Noir remake of the 1947 film by the same name. Both being based upon the 1946 book. The central plot revolves around an ambitious man with a dark past picking up work at a traveling Carnival. Slowly he acquires skills as a talented Mentalist and con artist. All the while his life spirals out of control as his past and present collide into catastrophe. The film also touches upon themes regarding generational trauma, substance abuse, untreated mental health, and abuses in power.

Nightmare alley has a number of incredibly strong points making this one of my favorite movies of the year. I love film Noir and Nightmare Alley delivers in every regard. A slow burn intricate narrative filled to the brim with murder, mystery, suspense, tragedy, and drama all while creating a dark and brooding atmosphere that is sure to keep you enthralled. Nightmare Alley is the kind of bleak and cynical film that captures the elements that I really appreciate in a well-made film noir. It's certainly not for the faint of heart or those who cant appreciate a methodically paced film grounded in dialogue and not thrills.

Guillermo Del Toro is a master of his craft and you can tell he truly loves this genre. He painstakingly captured all the classical elements of film Noir yet also created an incredibly well made modern masterpiece. The technical aspects of this film absolutely put it in a best of for 2021. The cinematography, design, score, directing, and acting are all top quality. With all of these components I was perfectly immersed into this world. You feel completely transported back to the time and it really makes this an emotionally jarring experience.

Acting-wise this has the best ensemble cast of the year. I can't think of a another film that comes even close. Bradley Cooper has really earned his bones over the years and his range really brought a unique performance to the deeply flawed character. Yet the film didn't have a bad performance. Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Ron Perlman, and Rooney Mara all deliver outstanding performances. Ensemble performances like this really can push a film to the next level and Nighmare Alley certainly did so for me.

I've spoken a great deal about the technical aspects of the film. That being said I enjoyed the story and dialogue just as much. The writing can feel a bit forced at times and the film was probably 20 minutes too long. Yet I enjoyed the ride immensely. The characters definitely adhered to traditional tropes of the genre as well making for a few one note characters.

The pacing was certainly slow but I never felt board. The film kept pushing the narrative forward in a nuanced manner until the proverbial train collides with a brick wall. The ending is sure to leave an impact. Sure at times a bit predictable but Noir have always been about the journey and not the destination.

So Nightmare Alley is one of my favorite films of the year. A mix of one of my favorite genres combined with world class directing and acting. I will say this film will not please everyone. Some may get turned off by The dark and nihilistic themes of the film while others may expect a more action-packed thriller. It's not fair to judge a film for what it's not however.

Nightmare Alley is a success by every metric I personally value a quality film for. It's a shame it's failing in the box office because this is a movie that deserves to be seen. A modern Neo Noir masterpiece despite a few superficial flaws. A 9.25 out of 10.