The Menu: 3/5

A pretty straightforward metaphor for how art and entertainment is consumed by different archetypes existing amongst its audience. Once you catch on to the message, none of the minor plot developments really come as a surprise. I found myself constantly questioning the plausibility of the situation.

Tar: 3.5/5

Based on the trailers, I was expecting something more in line with Bergman’s “Persona.” It’s definitely not avant-garde, nor is it perverse (though I’ve seen it referred to as such). “Tar” is a tragic drama, and while it has moments of brilliance, it is mostly plain and straightforward. The film opens with credits – what? I thought I had walked into the wrong theatre when they started playing. The film is very naturalistic, and I praise it for that, but the naturalism can also blend into schematic.

Tar (the character) does quite well for herself – perhaps better than I would expect for a conductor of classical music. She is hyper-successful and has a commanding presence. The power dynamics of her position occupy the crux of the story. To what extent can she take advantage of her status? Is her artistic integrity lost in the politics and competition that she has to navigate?

The film proceeds through a collection of NYT interviews, NPR meetings, expensive lunches, and rehearsals in expensive concert halls. As we continue to explore the character of Tar, the environment becomes more claustrophobic. Most of the spaces the characters occupy are modern, sterile, and perfectly organized. The film is about calculated appearances, social media generation vs old-school elite, and balancing the responsibility of success with individual ego. The last 30 minutes are bizarre and the metaphors felt heavy-handed. The ending wasn’t convincing as part of Tar’s character arc.

Cate Blanchett is a tour de force and will win the Oscar.

Between this and “Decision to Leave,” Mahler had a good year in cinema.

Glass Onion: 3.5/5

Daniel Craig said it: it’s just dumb. This sequel relies too heavily on happen-stance and contrivance, and thus was impossible to buy into. I had already figured out the antagonist within the first 20 minutes. The politics are somehow more irritating than they were in the first installment, and the whole thing ends in a degenerative blaze of glory a la property destruction. As shallow entertainment, it’s enjoyable. I think Rian Johnson was just so impressed with his own structural flourishes that he forgot to include some narrative depth.

Don’t Worry Darling: 2/5

It has an interesting concept, but it’s totally wasted by an ideologically-possessed filmmaker that lacks the nuance necessary to properly explore this topic. The film and its director are stuck in the same self-absorbed delusional bubble that the characters are stuck in. On the surface, “Don’t Worry Darling” is about smashing the patriarchy in a merciless way (sarcastic fist pump), but at the heart of it, the story never moves beyond a resentful breakup movie. It is full of cliches and tired cinematic devices, and the music is frustratingly on-the-nose. This is basically just discount Jordan Peele meets the first draft of “The Matrix.”