Challengers
While yes, I did have to watch the last 30 minutes another time which felt like a sin, and yes, it took me 6 days to log this . Despite not being familiar with much of Luca Guadagninos' work, Challengers is an amazing first impression. My friend recommended me this awhile ago, and at first I was initially hesitant whether I'd enjoy a film about tennis—I'm not a sports person AT ALL. However, holy moly guacamole I don't think I've ever felt so reassured when watching a movie.
Now don't even get me started on the phenomenal camera work in this. Challengers has got to have some of the most kinetic camerawork I've seen in awhile whether it be the fast paced POV shots of the tennis ball or even the overhead shots—it's bonkers. The stylistic choices here are honestly done so well without feeling too over the top, which yes, does include the slow-mo shots. It's all so intimate, yet so perfect. That also applies to the movie itself, I don't think I've ever been so riled up about two sweaty dudes playing tennis but here I am. Zendaya is absolutely fantastic and eats her role up as a manipulative figure who will do anything for not Art or Patrick, but for tennis. Art and Patrick are nothing to her, yet throughout the film they are blinded by love, so blind it turns into obsession. "Obsession" is written all over this film, whether it be Obsession that's disguised as love or obsession that twists into betrayal throughout. You just can't help but keep watching as two best friends who turn on one another for a woman who just sees them as expendables for some good fucking tennis.