Noah Dumez

*"I met the girl I'm gonna marry one day,"* The PTA marathon continues, and this was the film I’d been most nervous to watch. I’d heard it’s a lot of people’s least favorite PTA film, and the concept didn’t really pull me in. With that said, I ended up really enjoying it, as I have with every PTA movie so far. It felt much more loose and playful, with shades of *Magnolia* and *OBAA*, which made it a lot of fun. You never really knew what was going to happen next. Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman were fantastic together; their chemistry really carried every scene they shared together and made me somehow invested in the relationship. The side characters, especially Sean Penn and Benny Safdie, added a lot of personality and kept things interesting. And shoutout to Bradley Cooper, he absolutely stole the show in the short time he was on screen. One thing I’ve noticed is how well PTA uses smaller roles and cameos; he really gets the most out of them, and they add a lot to the overall experience, no matter how brief they are. That said, this will probably end up last in my PTA rankings, but that’s not a knock on the film at all. His filmography is just so strong that something has to come last. I still thought it was a really good movie. Next up are *Inherent Vice* and *Phantom Thread*, and then I’ll be done. I’m really looking forward to these final two; by the end of this marathon, PTA might end up being my favorite director of all time (at least until I finish all of Denis Villeneuve’s films).

*"For never was a story of more woe, Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."* I’ve got a few things to say about this movie, and about the people who’ve reviewed it. I went to see it on impulse tonight, after hearing for years that it didn’t deserve Best Picture and that it only won at the Oscars because of hype. Based on that, I was expecting something close to a joke. A lot of reviews seem to focus more on what didn’t win than on the movie itself (for the record, Saving Private Ryan was my favorite film for most of my life). But I’ll say this: I’m never going to hate on a movie just because it wins awards over one I personally prefer. Every film deserves to be judged on its own merits, and awards don’t change that for me. With that said, this movie was so much fun. I was smiling throughout the entire thing. The quick jokes and subtle character moments created a really nice balance between comedy and sadness. The idea that forbidden love is the truest kind of love came through powerfully. Some of the editing was fantastic, too, when Viola and Will collide at the end, and it transitions into the stage scene, I was grinning ear to ear. Gwyneth Paltrow absolutely carried this movie; she was phenomenal. Honestly, it felt like she and Judi Dench were the only ones who fully leaned into the fact that they were in a film about **William Shakespeare**. Joseph Fiennes was fine, but he didn’t stand out much, especially considering the strength of the dialogue. I’ll just end by saying this: the movie was beautiful, and I’ll definitely be watching it again. It even made me want to read Shakespeare, and that’s saying something, coming from someone who doesn’t really read anymore.

*“shaka-lakka-doo, shaka-lakka-doobey-doobey-doo. Shaka-lakka-doo” * I’m finishing up PTA’s filmography this week, only *Phantom Thread* (saving it for last), *Licorice Pizza*, and *Inherent Vice* left. Jumping around instead of watching in order has really highlighted just how different his films are from one another. Still, there are threads you can trace across all of them. Going back to Hard Eight, his debut, you can already see the potential. Some of the long takes are just a pleasure to watch, and the story feels both tight and intriguing. The hour and a half runtime makes it an easy, enjoyable watch too. PTA’s become one of my favorite directors over the past year, and I’m glad he finally got the recognition he deserves for OBAA, which, as of now, is my favorite of his.   Also… **Philip Seymour Hoffman was a fucking treasure. **Every scene he’s in feels electric. He’s only in Hard Eight for a few minutes, but he had me laughing like crazy. God, I miss him.

*“You are not Alexander the Great! You're just a fat man in a cell, and you knew.“ * Really cool to get some insight into the Nuremberg Trials. As a huge history fan, they’ve always piqued my interest, especially because of the precedent they set. While I knew a bit about the trials themselves, the film really shed light on Kelley and Göring’s relationship and the broader theme of the duality of man. I thought the film was well done overall. Crowe did a solid job (from a non German speaking standpoint), and Michael Shannon was especially fun to watch, particularly in the trial scene where he almost got dusted. That said, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Malek’s performance. It felt a bit empty, especially in scenes where he was trying to convey emotion, it came across as awkward and clunky. I do think Rami Malek is a good actor, but whenever I see him in a leading role like this, something feels off. He really shines in certain parts, but performances like this make me question the casting choice. Still, as a history buff, I really enjoyed the film and would definitely watch it again