6u532b

outstanding plot, focus, performances

Watched on Friday May 4, 2018.

gay experience, loneliness etc etc was alright i just wish england wasn’t so ugly and depressing

what the helly

Watched on Sunday May 4, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 20, 2025.

From not wanting blood on your carpet, to owing money to credit sharks, to wanting a threesome with your boyfriend’s multiple, Bong Joon Ho humanises and endears even the most bizarre of settings

Watched on Saturday April 19, 2025.

Ainda Estou Aqui. The film is a powerful reckoning for a nation still grappling with the scars of its „anos de chumbo“ nearly sixty years later, and a necessary reminder, today more than ever, that healing and progress are impossible without confronting the truths a nation may wish to forget.

From the beginning, I was swept into the Paiva family. I think any Brazilian would agree to some extent that their dynamic feels tenderly familiar: From the warmth of each character and the subtle nuances in their interactions, to the almost instinctive offer to let even their oppressors sit down and share a meal. The first third of the film unfolds like the memory of a united Paiva family, something a brazilian doesn’t just watch but also recognizes.

The story along with Torres’ and the casts’ extraordinary performances, the film devastatingly captures the essence and unbreakability of the Brazilian spirit - making the looming tragedy hit even harder. You leave this film not mourning for the Paiva family, you mourn with them.

This is Brazilian cinema at its finest. Bravo!

The cigarette and torturing sylvie budget was 2.5 trillion

I truly enjoyed Babygirl. Beyond the phenomenal casting, the music and overall storyline are thrilling and satisfyingly digestible. The film never overdoes it; it simply commits to what it wants to do and executes it so convincingly.

What made Babygirl so compelling to me is how well it understands the appeal of its perverse power dynamics and adulterous plot. By building tension, the third act allows that intensity to fizzle out in a way that feels as if it may or may not play out in real life.

As always, I have a soft spot for Harris Dickinson, and his performance is a standout for me. The brief but effective glimpses of his character’s wit and vulnerability echo his portrayal in Beach Rats, where I first encountered and fell in love with him. Among the current wave of rising actors, he’s someone who truly deserves his flowers. As for Nicole Kidman, I’m also head over heels with the resurgence of female Hollywood icons - much like Demi Moore in The Substance - taking on roles written specifically for them as mature powerhouses who are not going anywhere anytime soon. Kidman, of course, fully embodies this. Absolutely no notes for this legend.

All in all, Babygirl is a strong film. I can’t deny being drawn to the undeniably provocative fantasy at its core, as so many other reviews have noted. I must say, the most enthralling thing about this film lies in its horny build-up and that post-nut clarity just waiting to explode in your face. Finally, the Harris shouldn’t have been Dickinson. It should have been in me.

This review may contain spoilers.

For me, the film begins with a seductive mix of humour and a desire for wanting more. In the beginning, Sean Baker carefully directs Ani's tender journey while Mikey Madison's performance promises to capture viewers from start to finish (which she ultimately did). As someone who speaks english as a second language I cannot comment on the authenticity of Ani‘s accent except for that I found it highly endearing. The visuals, both gritty and dreamlike, perfectly add to the atmosphere of the film‘s setting. 

However, where the film really missed the mark for me is the LONG and central search for Ivan which overstayed its welcome. It drags on far too long, with little happening to justify its length, only for the film to conclude abruptly. While Ivan’s underdeveloped character is clearly intentional, emphasizing his lack of importance, this choice leaves him an unimportant character, solely defined by his absence and spinelessness. Only after he is found his character fizzles into final irrelevance to the story.

The humor, too, misses the mark at times, leaning on disposable caricatures in its portrayal of the ing cast which kind of undermined the emotional heft of Ani‘s story and takes away from its more ionate moments. Finally, the performance of Ivan’s mother stood out as noticeably weaker and somewhat out of place compared to the rest of a larger than life cast, further diminishing the intensity of the final act for me.

Despite these flaws, Anora offers some moments of brilliance and wit, particularly  pulsating through Mikey's performance. Overall, I found it a visually striking film that flirts with a boiling pot of water that never quite simmers over… <3