Anora, 2024

 

Rated R

Oh boy... where do I start with this film? 

When this film was announced as this year's Best Picture winner, it was confirmation that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had finally and officially lost its mind. I dragged my heels for months, not wanting to watch it even for the sake of continuing my blog, just based on what very little I'd read/heard about it. 

I would not recommend this film to anyone. I strongly believe it should've been rated X (especially since "Midnight Cowboy" was rated that originally in 1969 and it didn't have a fraction of this filth.) The opening credits roll over topless women in a strip club's private booths, giving men raunchy lap dances. I fast forwarded as much as I could while still getting the gist that one girl in particular, Anora (Ani), who takes man after man back to these rooms, finally meets a wealthy Russian oligarch's son (Ivan, around her age) and shows him a good time too. He wants to hire her for the week and she accepts. Cue more fast forwarding; it's basically just a porno at this point. Maybe a third of the way into it (?), he proposes and they elope to Vegas. His parents get wind of this news, back in Russia, and send their goons (residing in NY) to get the marriage annulled and bring him back home. This is where I actually resumed watching the film. Ivan takes off (baby coward that he is) and Ani becomes unhinged trying to take on these three dudes. There were a couple times I actually chuckled, either at the comedic dialogue of the goons or the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Then starts the wild goose chase to track Ivan down and get the two to a lawyer for the dissolution of marriage. It got pretty redundant as we're subjected to scene after scene of them all looking for Ivan with no luck. To wrap this up, they catch him, the lawyers do their job, Ani still gets money, and then screws one of the goons who was polite enough to take her home after it all... 🤯 I guess you can't take the girl out of the strip club. 

It's an insult to me that this film was touted as a "Cinderella-" or "fairy tale" story, as twisted though it may be. This story was never about love, but rather control. Ivan's parents want and succeed in controlling him (and the goons), Ivan attempts to control his own happiness, and Ani proves she's in control of her income while also disillusioned to think she controls her body. It's that kind of sneaky advertising that shrouds a sh*t sandwich and says its caviar.

"Anora" was up against "The Brutalist", "The Complete Unknown", "Conclave", "Dune: Part Two", "Emilia Perez", "I'm Still Here", "Nickel Boys", "The Substance", and the only winner in my heart, "Wicked". "Anora" walked away with five awards from its six nominations, including Best Director, Best Actress, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay. It won another 'award' too though; it is the first Best Picture winner with the most explicit language. The f-word was used 479 times. 😲 

The fact that Mikey Madison beat out Best Actress nominees Demi Moore and Cynthia Erivo had me shaking my head in astonishment. Yes, the young woman nailed a Brooklyn accent and was consistent in her delivery of "pissed off newlywed demanding to keep her hubby, or at least 'her' money" but I think we've really lowered our expectations if just constantly simulating sex and screaming wins this coveted award.

I rarely bring up speeches in my posts, but I was surprised, though I probably shouldn't have been, to hear the following from her acceptance speech (after a long list of people thanked), "I just want to recognize and honor the sex worker community (pause for whoops and hollers from the audience). I will continue to support and be an ally for you." As a Christian, it saddens me greatly that someone with this kind of platform uses it to honor and support this community. It is precisely the support it receives already that has contributed to our society's addiction to pornography, high divorce rate, normalization of adultery, and the overall lack of respect for the sanctity of marriage. I couldn't help but think of all the young women and girls hearing this. They don't need our support, they need help.

MEMORABLE SCENE:

Like I mentioned, the only scene I watched completely, was when the goons busted into Ivan's mansion, and Ani does her very best defending herself before getting tied up for everyone's safety. In an attempt to take it easier on her (after she broke one of their noses), one guy says, "She's just a little girl!" to which the hurt one responds, "She's not fighting like one!".

There's no good screenshot of that scene, so I grabbed this one once they finally capture baby Ivan in a drunken stupor from the strip club and bring him to the lawyer. They had ZERO patience left and that's about the one thing I found relatable. 

LESSONS I THOUGHT ABOUT:

True love is not transactional. It is a relational and emotional connection that is built upon trust, respect, commitment, and even sacrifice. Sure, there can be reciprocity, but it is based on a mutual understanding of support. 

Authentic connection also cannot be bought. Whether someone is the payer or the recipient, money cannot buy genuine connection. It's not rooted in honesty or vulnerability.

What is the true American Dream now, and is it attainable? Defined previously as "the idea that anyone can achieve success and upward social mobility in the US through hard work and determination, regardless of their background", the American Dream is very individualistic and focuses solely on one's person's personal dream. We shouldn't just be seeking to acquire the Dream for ourselves, but for the betterment of our community. Sadly, I believe it has been stripped of morality in its current attainment.

Most importantly, I was faced with my own extreme disappointment that this film won the year's most prestigious award. Of everything that was originally written or adapted to film, this is what Hollywood chose to showcase to younger generations and to the world... to announce, "This is what we enjoy. This is art and fine storytelling. This is the best." 😞

Oppenheimer, 2023

 

Rated R

This year's Oscar race was known colloquially as "Barbenheimer" because the two most talked about and highest-grossing films up for nomination were released on the same day, July 21, 2023. "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" couldn't be more different, from tone, to color, and to the girl power theme vs. a male-dominated cast, but became its own cultural phenomenon by sparking conversations and debates, with many emphatic about their opinions. This theatrical sensation boosted sales for both box offices, so much so that people called for a double feature. It also brought a resurgence in attendance at movie theaters, which had declined in recent years due to the pandemic. 

Christopher Nolan's 3-hour long biopic of the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer was the ultimate winner that night. Nolan used the 2005 Pulitzer Prize winning biography, American Prometheus, as his primary source. In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a forward thinking Titan who defied Zeus and stole fire from the gods to give to humanity. Like his rebellious namesake, Oppenheimer brought us atomic fire, and then had to deal with the powers-that-be who punished him when he tried to control it. The dramatization of this physicist's life story gives us an insight into his chaotic mind, his complex and tumultuous relationships, the development and release of the atomic bomb which brought an end to World War II, and the political aftermath surrounding his ideological involvement in the communist party.

Oppenheimer, with his unique understanding of particle-atomic physics, was asked to lead a secret government project (The Manhattan Project) to create the first atomic bomb before the Nazis did. He and his team moved out to the middle-of-nowhere desert in Los Alamos, NM, built a town (for their families too), and worked for two years to create and test it. We know what happens after that successful test. Once Oppenheimer wasn't consumed with his excitement and pride over finishing this obsession, he realized the gravitas of the responsibility of his creation, and was haunted by it. He urged the government to regulate its use or refrain from using it ever again. The government basically said, "Thanks for your help. We'll take it from here." 🤫 

I understand that's a very basic summary of the movie, but c'mon... it's three hours long. I'm not saying it needed to be trimmed down (well maybe a few of the screensaver-esque peeks into Oppenheimer's thoughts of atomic activity), but people should be warned that it's not a suspenseful or adventurous nail-biter. It goes back and forth in time, and even back and forth in color and black & white. Get comfy and settle in for the journey. 

One thing that I think helps in watching this epic of length/subject matter is the all-star cast. Cillian Murphy was brilliant as Oppenheimer; I'm always fascinated by actors who can completely hide/transform their natural accent. Others you'll recognize (or not, thanks to the incredible hair and make-up department) are Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman, and Tony Goldwyn, among others. I thought everyone's acting was on point, except for Damon's... idk, he seemed miscast to me... like he was his character Linus from "Ocean's 11" trying to play another character. 🤔

As previously mentioned, "Oppenheimer" was up against "Barbie" as well as "Poor Things", "Past Lives", "The Zone of Interest", "The Holdovers", "Anatomy of a Fall", "American Fiction", "Maestro", and "Killers of the Flower Moon". The only other nominee I saw was "Barbie". "Opp" won seven of its thirteen nominations, which included: Best Director, Best Actor (Murphy's first nom), Best Supporting Actor (RDJ's first win), Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.

MEMORABLE SCENE:

Oppenheimer and his team perform The Trinity Test, the first detonation of a plutonium implosion device, and the excitement/fear/uncertainty is palpable. Everything is riding on this moment. At one point, the team was afraid this would set off a chain reaction of explosions that would basically bring about the end of the world. No matter what, they were making history. The sound editing and and close ups of Oppenheimer's face really made this ten-minute scene intense to watch. 

 

LESSONS LEARNED: 

1. Scientists have ethical responsibilities and these should not go unchecked for the sake of technological advancements. Oppenheimer's struggle after successfully inventing the bomb serves as a cautionary tale for future scientists that there should be more public engagement and discourse surrounding possible dangerous consequences for humanity and the environment.

2. Perseverance is a powerful virtue. Oppenheimer was obsessively devoted to his work, even amid relational and scientific obstacles. When channeled in the right direction, staying committed to one's work/goal is commendable.