Babylon

This film won me over from the opening scene until the end credits. It feels like Chazelle’s young filmmaking career has led up to this very grand moment and it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. The first half of this film is so unhinged and exhilarating with the amount of chaos in this early Hollywood setting feeling like it’s going to collapse at times, and made me want to jump out of my seat. The atmosphere built here is simply unimaginable from the extravagant set design to the amazing score from Justin Hurwitz that sets this film’s entire tone. The second half of this film however takes a noticeable tonal shift from the beginning. It focuses more on the arcs of these characters and the harsh realities of the world around them and I still greatly enjoyed that. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie are both phenomenal in their own ways with their characters having their own moments, but it was Diego Calva that really stood out to me, and he took full advantage of this opportunity presented to him. The ending of this film wraps up this story fantastically, and is one I’ll look back on with the same feeling it gave me while experiencing this unforgettable masterpiece.