So infatuated with aping Almodóvar’s Tie Me Up! in style (see the repeated presence of red as an explicit example), tone and dynamics but devoid of any of Almodóvar’s eye for staging or actual character exploration to effectively translate Baker’s inspiration for a modern audience. Intentions for screwball comedy frequently fall flat: sterile blocking in the initial invasion sequence turns what should be a propulsive sequence in introducing Anora into the authoritarian dynamics of the Zakharov’s into a cold slog. Madison…

Not devoid of emotional resonance, but ultimately feels disappointing given the amount of narrative paths hinted at in the beginning, particularly in regard to sexuality. As especially seen in a play-fight during the intro, Petzold hints towards an arc of a character's (Leon) absorption into his creative work as a kind of obligation in the attempts of avoiding acknowledging not only his lack of purpose as a being but also queer desire. However, this remains a hint by its ending…

A cold, cynical contrast to the Star Wars series never before seen, even to a film depicting the rise of fascism and the demise of hopes to balance the Force. Abrams hits the emergency brake on any potential of seeing characters find their worth outside of legendary ancestors and instead has them beg on their knees to these ancestors, even extending to older friends like Lando. Developments and new ideas hinted in the Last Jedi become matched to the puppet…

Fine in its core techniques, but somewhat akin to Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) in coming off as a forced acknowledgement of traditional animation's influence rather than a fully realized homage to it. Creates some dissonance in considering Disney's imposed limitations on a piece focusing on the technical roots that imprinted Disney's animations into culture versus a forthcoming multi-million dollar film (Wish, 2023) that will likely capitalize on homogenizing such animations into a singular corporate ideal of Disney escapsism,…