cliftonofun

If this film doesn't make you laugh, cry, and hope, well...bad news: you may be dead. From the moment the curtain rose, Coleman Domingo had me in the absolute palm of his hand, and he held me there for nearly 2 hours. Watching these men find themselves in the stories they were telling and become human again together can only be described as magical. Every scene seemed to overwhelm me with emotions. Sometimes it was beauty. Sometimes it was heartbreak. Sometimes it was joy. Regardless, I never stopped being fully in it with these characters. Even when the credits rolled, I couldn't tear myself away.

This film could have just as easily been injected into my veins, because it was practically engineered in a lab for my interests. An accomplished screenwriter (who just so happened to write the first Mission: Impossible) authored a spycraft/romance/whodunnit story that feels like a stageplay? And somehow the script wound up getting turned into a movie directed by Steven Soderbergh? Starring Fassbender and Blanchett? I can't believe I made it two days before rushing to the theater. It was sleek. It was suspenseful. It was stylish. It was sexy. I would complain that the movie ended too abruptly, except that was mostly just a byproduct of how tight the storytelling was. I could watch this one monthly and never get tired of it. In fact, maybe I will.

Bong Joon Ho loves a good sci fi farce with some social commentary, and this one absolutely fits that description. It would make for a great double header with Okja if you can stomach that without immediately going level 5 vegan. There is nothing subtle about it, of course, but I'm okay with that when the ridiculousness and earnestness are this well executed. Plus, there are simply some points that need to be made these days, and some drama may be required. This story's somewhat high concept but not high brow. Pattinson nails the slapstick, and Bong Joon Ho supplies the heart. I wasn't sure about every choice (especially the voiceover narration), but I was entertained and moved all at once. Not a lot of big budget releases can make that happen lately.