Babylon (2022) | REVIEW

Margot Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy in Damien Chazelle’s ‘Babylon’ from Paramount Pictures.

Directed by Damien Chazelle — Screenplay by Damien Chazelle.

Damien Chazelle has fast become one of my favorite filmmakers of his generation. His Whiplash is one of the most exciting, propulsive dramas of its decade. La La Land is a beautiful modern Hollywood musical that is now unfairly remembered for an Oscars gaffe. His First Man is a quietly moving and technically impressive character study. To make three films that are that sublime in a row is no easy feat. Last year, for his follow-up to that incredible run, Chazelle had reteamed with extraordinarily talented frequent collaborators of his like cinematographer Linus Sandgren, editor Tom Cross, and composer Justin Hurwitz to once again, like with La La Land, tell a story about the entertainment industry. Only this time it would be with a star-studded and expensive three-hour period piece epic. Did Chazelle recapture lightning in a bottle for the fourth time in a row? Well, let’s have a look.

Continue reading “Babylon (2022) | REVIEW”

REVIEW: First Man (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster – Universal Pictures

The following is a review of First Man — Directed by Damien Chazelle.

Do kids still dream of becoming astronauts? — That is one of the many things I thought of after I saw First Man — the latest film from Damien Chazelle (Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench; Whiplash; La La Land). When I was a kid I remember I sometimes would play and try to jump in slow motion, because I imagined that would be what it would be like to jump on the moon. Continue reading “REVIEW: First Man (2018)”

89th Academy Awards – Predictions

predictions oscars
‘La La Land,’ Summit Entertainment

Well, it’s that time again. Time for my favorite awards show. I’ve previously talked about the Academy Awards like it was the Super Bowl, and, really, that’s still how I feel about it. In fact, since my team is almost never in the Super Bowl, I tend to obsess over the Academy Awards more than the Super Bowl. Today – just like every year – I want to reveal my predictions for the big event. Continue reading “89th Academy Awards – Predictions”

REVIEW: Whiplash (2014)

UK Release Poster - Sony Pictures Classics
UK Release Poster – Sony Pictures Classics

The following is a review of Whiplash – Directed by Damien Chazelle

Whiplash was one of my favorite films of 2014, and it is also one of the two 2014 films I rewatch the most (the other film being Guardians of the Galaxy). But I realized – when I rewatched it the other night – that I had actually never officially reviewed it. This may, in fact, be as good a time as any to review the film. Tomorrow, I’ll be seeing Damien Chazelle’s next film La La Land for the first time. So, as a bit of a warm-up to that forthcoming review, I thought I’d finally review one of the true masterpieces of the 2010s – Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash – one of my favorite films.
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