Francesco Paccosi

It might go without saying, but this is probably the **best movie about the Holocaust I’ve ever seen**. This is not only because of its ability to pull you into the atmosphere it recreates, but also because it explores aspects of this atrocity that other movies rarely touch upon. The **slow descent from a stoic reaction to the initial laws to the total desperation of hunger and sorrow is the film's greatest strength**, it represents the phases of war so powerfully that at a certain point, even the audience (which isn't experiencing any of what happens on screen) is totally consumed by it. The cinematography feels unsettling but effective, while the special effects (especially the fire) haven't held up perfectly 24 years after its release, but everything is easily forgiven once Polanski’s breathtaking wide shots take over.

I was very intrigued by the opening sequence, but the **excitement** the setup builds slowly **fades away** as the movie takes a long time to develop dynamics that don't really need it. It isn’t even a matter of boredom, the runtime doesn't make the movie feel endless, if anything, the film deserves credit for making three and a half hours not feel as long as they actually are. That said, I still think the story would’ve benefited from being shorter. The **acting wasn’t as good as I expected**, I didn't like either De Niro or DiCaprio here especially because he former doesn't project the charisma his character needs, and the latter looks like he’s sulking the whole time. This basically confirmed that I’m not a big Scorsese fan.

An average divisive and confusing Wes watch. This one, more than others, **left me with the bittersweet taste of having watched something flash before my eyes without leaving a proper mark**, probably the biggest issue people have with the director's recent work. When it comes to Wes approaching short storytelling with an increasingly theatrical style, I liked his work with Netflix a lot more than this and probably The French Dispatch served as his first experiment with this narrative type. That said, this isn't what I loved about his early films or even his latest ones (The Phoenician Scheme is a big 'yes' for me). Between that and the fact that no character, outside of Del Toro’s, really comes to life, this is probably **my least favorite film by the director**, despite some sparks of interesting thematics in it.

While this is objectively one of the best films to hit theaters this year, a **comparison with Parasite** was **inevitable**. I can't help but feel that everything No Other Choice does well, Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece does better. That said, this film is **incredible**. It perfectly combines its comedic side with its deeper connection to society's mechanisms, the **symbolism** throughout the story provides a great mental exercise once the movie is over, and the performances are very solid. What bothered me slightly were certain directing choices that felt a bit Netflix-ish, specifically some of the transitions and cuts, but that’s a minor gripe compared to the greatness of the rest.