  "I met the girl I'm going to marry one day."
Licorice Pizza is simply about two young people growing up and falling in love in the Valley. Perhaps more importantly though, it's a love letter from director Paul Thomas Anderson to his hometown. As someone who has never been to South California, I felt invited into a living, warm, and bright town that is bursting with opportunity. Gary Valentine (Hoffman) is a fifteen year old entrepreneur and takes advantage of this opportunity as an actor and a owner of business. We don't know his motives or aspirations previous to meeting Alana (Haim), but we understand that after his aim is 100% on her. The above quote is one of the first lines in the film. He wants to make her happy. If selling water beds in the summer will help get him closer to her than damn it, he's going to do it. Alana continuously falls for his fun traps and eventually for him. That's not a spoiler its just the synopsis. The joy of experiencing this film comes from the scene by scene adventure. We never know where these kids are going next as they swirl around the Valley. Paul Thomas Anderson has never made a film so light hearted and whimsical and damnit, it's such a fun experience. It will have you laughing out loud and when the film is over you won't want to leave. The two main actors, Haim and Hoffman, are making their debut with this film. Picking Cooper, the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, was an excellent choice that must have been emotional for Anderson as a life long collaborator with his Philip. It's clear these two have just been launched into stardom. They were excellent.
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  When everything great about this film combines; breathtaking visuals, the thunderous score, it's timeless source material. It creates moments of such overwhelming energy and emotion that I found myself with tears and goosebumps. It isn't often that recent films have that effect on me. Now I've already seen this film twice and it was by far better the second time. Without having to catch every sentence, in fear of missing vital lore crammed into a runtime (even 3 hours wouldn't have been enough), I was able to lay back and enjoy this visceral sound and visual experience. Such magnificent quality and showmanship from Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer. There wasn't a bad actor in the bunch either. Chalamet found levity within a character tossed and turned by his situation. Rebecca Ferguson, a veteran when in the same room as Timothy, was able to deliver the weight of Lady Jessica's powerful part in this story. A surprise highlight for me was Jason Mamou's Duncan Idaho. Part One was light on action, but the few moments of intense hand-to-hand combat were featuring my new favorite character, Duncan. It will be a long wait until Part Two and I'll be spending that time reading the source material, which is long over due for me.
  Shaka King's Judas and the Black Messiah tells the tragic true life story of the FBI's attempt to assassinate human rights activist Fred Hampton. Featuring an incredibly moving performance from Daniel Kaluuya as well as performances from Lakeith Stanfield and Dominique Fishback. I was very impressed with the level of craftmanship here; cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, composers Mark Isham and Craig Harris, writer and director King. All of it incredible work. I was truthfully moved by this film's perspective and each aspect of it's filmmaking unites to create a gripping tale that never lets go it's audience. Fred Hampton's story is a tragic one. Amdist the wave of historical drama's Judas and the Black Messiah manages to stand tall and proud thanks to Kaluuya's groundbreaking performance. He steals every scene he's in. You must watch this movie. |
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