Anora

The first half: ✨🪩💵🤩🍾🥳🎇🛫🥂🎰👰🏻‍♀️🤵🏻💖💍🛍️🙈 The second half: 🤬🗣️🏃🤔🩸🚙📱😵‍💫🧣😱🤮👨‍⚖️✈️🖕💔 I love unlocking new hyperfixations. This is IT for me. I needed to see it again on the big screen while I had the chance. The energy and plot mirror the euphoric high and abrupt crash of a bender. No movie moment has made me feel more alive and invincible than Ani and Ivan parading down that Vegas street. Sean Baker captured pure magic – pure ecstasy – on film.  On the flip side, no movie moment has so quickly knocked the wind out of me and made me feel as isolated as this film’s final 30 seconds. The whole last hour and 20 minutes are gut-wrenchingly lonely, effectively shrouded in well-timed comedic relief and fabricated chaos (that comes off as genuine disarray).  Mikey Madison's "Ani" left a strong impression on me. Her performance is both subtle and grandiose – understated, yet captivating. She steals every scene – never letting the goons' incessant yapping and howling wash her out. But her portrayal’s nuance truly shines in the film's quainter moments. In the small glances, the shifts in facial expressions – her eyes give the audience a glimpse under the armor she adorns herself in for most of the runtime. The subtleties in Igor and Ivan's performances are also notable. The whole cast gives hilarious performances. One of my favorite line readings this year is easily Diamond saying, "GETTHEFUCKOUTOFMYPRIVATE, BITCHHHHHHH!"  I've seen other reviews complain that the film portrays sex workers as broken people who need saving (RE the last scene); that we're supposed to be "impressed" by Igor simply recognizing Ani's humanity; that the kidnapping scene is trauma porn/makes light of Ani's experience; AND that Ani is a one-dimensional, "written-by-a-man" character whose motivations and emotions aren't explored. (In regard to the last point especially – I'd say rewatch this, pay attention to Ani, and learn how to appreciate a movie that doesn't spell everything out or hold the audience's hand to understanding a character. We see Ani as she allows the world to see her until the end.) While everyone will have their own takeaways and perspectives, I don't get any of that. At all. This an exploration of class conflict. Films aren't obligated to make the audience feel good about what they're watching. Not every film will fit into the chronically-online agenda for what "should" and "shouldn't" be portrayed on screen. Maybe this isn't for everyone. More for me, I guess :) My main issue, honestly, is Ivy Wolk's laugh. No hate, no shade, all love. If she was intentionally trying to sound like the most irritating person alive, she nailed it. I love this movie so much. Anora really is a bright light. Mikey Madison is the new queen of my life.