csexton-64991

In 1920, the Osage people of Fairfax, Oklahoma were the wealthiest people per capita on the planet. Why? Because the Osage reservation was situated on a massive oil reservoir, the discovery of which led to this native tribe becoming fantastically wealthy in a fantastically short amount of time. Yet as we all know, the joys of wealth and prosperity are soon followed by the inevitable onslaught of those wanting to claim those joys for themselves. When the Osage people begin to be murdered one-by-one, the weight of the situation falls on the shoulders of Mollie Burkhart, played by Lily Gladstone, who needs to figure out who is killing her people.

Martin Scorsese eloquently tells the story of the Flower Moon killers through the viewpoint of an outsider, Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. His performance exemplifies decades of acting experience come to fruition, as DiCaprio flawlessly plays a character that's 20 years younger than himself.

Robert De Niro stars as William Hale, a man of power and influence in Fairfax. His on-screen presence is intense, with a sly, comedic nature to it. Many of his quips resulted in outbursts of laughter from the audience, either from the humorous nature of a line or the absurdity of a social situation.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is a vast and multilayered story to tell. The film clocks in at 206 minutes, making it longer than both "Oppenheimer" and "Avatar: The Way of Water." This dialogue-driven movie is highly engaging, if you have the attention span for it. The girl sitting in front of me in the theater scrolling through Instagram on her phone clearly did not.

Watching such a lengthy film all in one go was a very memorable experience. I never got up from my seat throughout the whole film, much to the chagrin of my bladder. But I am glad I didn't. Scorsese's masterful storytelling bridges the gap between past and present, giving audiences valuable time to spend with the nuanced and complicated people of the past.

The script is clever and intelligent. The cinematography is as adequate as one would expect; the exterior shots of the Oklahoma landscape are often breathtaking on the big screen.

Violence is a signature element present in all of Scorsese's work. "Killers of the Flower Moon" takes the few-but-far-between approach. Don't expect the all-out bloodbath approach as seen in his other films like "Taxi Driver" or "The Departed." Rather, this movie contains more emotionally driven and scattered killing that works to drive story and character, while still retaining the shock value found in some of Scorsese's other films.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" works as a film because it transports audiences to a different time in America's history. If the story of the Flower Moon killings is not compelling enough, merely viewing this film as a snapshot of life a century ago will make it worthwhile. Times, troubles, and technologies may change, but as movies like this one show us, people remain the same.

Brahmastra Part One is my first Bollywood film, so I was not sure what to expect. However, right from the visually pleasing intro scene I was hooked. The concept of the 'astras' is a very interesting one, and it somewhat mirrored the plot of "The Eternals". And I will say, I felt a much stronger connection to these characters than the cardboard-cutouts we got with that disastrous Marvel film. Shiva is a very likeable character who lives by a philosophy of handling the cards you have been dealt with a positive disposition. Very refreshing to see.

Also refreshing to see was how clean this film is. No drugs, no alcohol, no over-the-top lovemaking scenes, and no swearing. I almost forgot that it was possible to make a decent film without all of these things. Another standout for me was how good the VFX were. Particularly when viewed in 3D, the special effects look incredible, with each character having a particular color scheme that just jumps off the screen (literally). The sound design was loud, but I could not help but love it, particularly with the catchy musical numbers (that caught me off guard)!

Overall, despite the negative reviews which do contain some valid points pertaining to the writing, I really enjoyed and was refreshed by Brahmastra Part One. Recommend for a fun movie experience, and I am much looking forward to the sequel!

"Three Thousand Years of Longing" is a culmination of stories leading up to the encounter between Idris Elba's "Djinn" and Tilda Swinton's "Alithea" that will enchant and enthrall those that wish to be enchanted and enthralled. It is certainly not a movie that I would just recommend to anyone. Rather, this film is one for an audience looking to pick out patterns and motifs that make up a three-thousand-year long story.

These musical motifs, visual patterns, color schemes, and recurring events are placed all throughout the film. Many are easy to pick out, many less so. In essence, this film is not unlike Wes Andersen's "The French Dispatch", in which many smaller stories constitute a whole. While there is certainly room to expand, this is an intriguingly crafted film (with an even more intriguing sound mix), that stayed with me long after I left the theater. If you wish to enter a world where history and legend collide, I would highly recommend this film.