Written, directed, and co-starring Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain is the story of two mismatched Jewish-American cousins who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother. The film is a buddy-road movie in which two cousins travel to Poland as they both deal with their differences as well as their own issues in a trip to pay tribute to their late grandmother. Also starring Keiran Culkin, Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, Ellora Torchia and Daniel Oreskes. A Real Pain is a heartfelt and witty film by Jesse Eisenberg.
The film follows two Jewish-American cousins who both travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother as they take part in a heritage group tour through the country to connect with their late grandmother and their roots. Along the way, they deal with their growing differences as well as deal with their grandmother’s past and the current state of their lives. Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay is straightforward in its narrative as it is a character study of sorts in the two protagonists, he creates in the strait-laced family man David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) and the free-spirited Benji Kaplan (Keiran Culkin). Using the money they inherited from their grandmother, they travel from New York City to Poland where they part of this group tour that include the retiree couple from Shaker Heights, Ohio in Mark and Diane (Daniel Oreskes and Liza Sadosky, respectively), the recently-divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), a Rwandan genocide survivor in Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan) who converted to Judaism, and their British tour guide in James (Will Sharpe).
Eisenberg’s script brings a lot of depth to the people that David and Benji are with, as Mark and Diane are interested in learning about the former’s family roots while Marcia is also trying to find herself having gone through some recent events in her life. Eloge’s interest in Poland has more to do with his own interest in Judaism as well as wanting to learn the similarities of what he went through and the Jewish community during the Holocaust. During this trip, David and Benji deal with one another as the latter often speaks out over certain things while hiding things about himself that David would later share with the group. The two also leave the group early to see their grandmother’s home in Krasnystaw to honor her with Benji wanting to go there due to the close relationship he had with her.
Eisenberg’s direction is straightforward in terms of its compositions as it is shot on locations in Poland as well as some locations in New York City including JFK International Airport. Notably as he aims for intimate compositions in his presentations for scenes in the airplanes, trains, and buses as well as scenes in hotel rooms and restaurants through close-ups and medium shots. Eisenberg also uses wide shots for some of the locations including shots in various landmarks in cities and towns of Poland include Warsaw, Lublin, and Krasnystaw. Even as Eisenberg would create scenes such as Benji and the tourists reenacting the Warsaw Uprising with its monument behind them as it highlights Benji’s willingness to keep things lively to make the tour a bit more fun for everyone. It is among these lively moments that Eisenberg put into the film though the tour is an exploration of one of the most horrific events of the 20th century. Eisenberg also play into the differences between David and Benji with the former often sending phone messages to his wife back in New York City whenever he is alone while Benji would wander in a hotel where he and David would go on a roof to smoke some marijuana that Benji smuggled.
Eisenberg also plays into the darker elements of the trip as it relates to certain places that James takes the group to including a gravesite where Benji becomes annoyed by James being factual and to be aware that these are real people. It is among some of the somber moments in the film, including a dinner where David reveals to the group about Benji who went to the bathroom. One of the film’s most stark moments involves the group visiting the Mjdanek concentration/extermination camp as Eisenberg keep things simple and at a distance. Even in some of the buildings as it is among the stunning and discomforting moments in the film. Eisenberg still maintains a balance of comedy and tragedy as it plays into David and Benji’s trip to Krasnystaw to find their late grandmother’s home as well as the idea of what is next for them. Overall, Eisenberg crafts a touching and comical film about two mismatched Jewish-American cousins traveling to Poland to honor their late grandmother.
Cinematographer Michal Dymek does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography in capturing the naturalistic look of the locations in Poland in the daytime as well as some of the usage of light for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Robert Nassau does amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts to play into the some of the comical moments as well as giving the film some offbeat moments in the drama. Production designer Mela Melak does excellent work with the look of David’s home in New York City in its interiors as well as the look of some of the hotel rooms that they stay in. Costume designer Malgorzata Fudala does nice work with the costumes as it is casual that all the characters wear including a baseball cap that David wears and the loose clothing that Benji wears.
Visual effects supervisor Yuval Levy does terrific work with the visual effects as it set-dressing in some of the locations including bits in New York City and the videos that David has on his phone. Sound editor Tim Korn does superb work with the sound in the way a location sounds as well as in some of the sparse moments in the film. Music supervisor Erick Eiser does wonderful work in compiling the music as it features piano pieces by Frederic Chopin that is performed by Tzvi Erez as it adds a somber mood to the film.
The casting by Jessica Kelly is marvelous as it feature a couple of small roles from Ellora Torchia as David’s wife Priya and Jakub Pruski as their son Abe. Daniel Oreskes and Liza Sadovy are superb in their respective roles as the retired couple Mark and Diane as they travel to Poland for the former to learn about his ancestor’s homeland as they both make some witty comments about themselves and their trip. Kurt Egyiawan is fantastic as Eloge as a Rwandan genocide survivor who converted to Judaism as he is someone fascinated by the religion which plays into his own conversion as well as wanting to understand the similarities of how he and those from the Holocaust endured. Will Sharpe is brilliant as the British tour guide James who is full of facts and such though, he is taken aback by Benji’s criticism for not being emotionally connected into the landmarks and such.
Jennifer Grey is amazing as Marcia as California divorcee who just moved back to New York as she travels to Poland to find herself as well as her own roots as she is also going through her own emotional issues in relation to her life. Jesse Eisenberg is incredible as David Kaplan as the straitlaced cousin with a wife and child who is anxious and wanting to be things on schedule where he also deals with his cousin’s behavior as well as things that he is upset about towards him. Finally, there’s Kieran Culkin in a phenomenal performance as Benji Kaplan as a free-spirited slacker who has no filter in what he says while is also someone with some issues. Eisenberg and Culkin together are a joy to watch as they bring a lot of chemistry as these two mismatched cousins who deal with each other as well as why they are not as close as they used to be.
A Real Pain is a sensational film by Jesse Eisenberg that features great performances from Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Along with its ensemble cast, usage of Frederic Chopin’s piano pieces, gorgeous imagery, and study of two men going on a journey to honor their grandmother. The film is a funny as well as heartfelt story about two cousins who try to reconnect despite their differences by going to Poland to learn about themselves and their late grandmother. In the end, A Real Pain is a phenomenal film by Jesse Eisenberg.
People getting laid off, people are fearing the loss of all the things that they need for their health, the price of eggs and soft drinks are rising, and people are getting stupider. Yeah, 2025 is off to a fucking great start! Seriously though, this year is going to be shit. The idea of some asshole wanting to know everything about all of us including our medical records, financial records, and all sorts of shit is scary. The idea that people who might seem like a threat to our dictator and his evil puppet master overlord who could then disappear feels real. I feel like the rest of the world is watching this country with laughter about how stupid we have become as well as fear of the chaos that we will bring as we have now become the bad guys.
There is a lot happening with the world as I do keep my eye on what is going on but also not become overwhelmed by it. I distract myself from the news by playing video games or watching silly things on YouTube. Films are also a distraction as I have been fortunate to get access to certain things as well as new means to watch films as I recently has started cultivating a digital collection as a way to watch films in my room. Still, it does not replace the idea of having a physical collection as that is something I still cherish even though I need a new bookshelf because my collection has gotten bigger and richer. Though it has been a welcoming distraction as well as being around my niece and nephew as they are growing though it does worry me about what future holds.
I admit that I do not watch as many films as I used to, nor have I posted more frequently on this blog. Even though I am still working on my Auteurs essay on David Lean that is half-finished, it has taken a lot longer than I realize as plans for other Auteurs profiles will be delayed though I do hope to get to them this year.
In the month of February 2025, I saw a total of 23 films in 12 first-timers and 11 re-watches with 5 of those first-timers being films directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. One of the highlights of the month has been my Blind Spot pick in Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Here are the top 10 first-timers for February 2025:
From Gia Coppola is an 11-minute short made China’s Millennium Advertising Company about a gambler who meets and falls for a young woman who works the roulette table as they trek around Las Vegas while evading a couple of men to whom he owes a debt. It is a fun short that Coppola did as it starred one of her cousins in Robert Schwartzman as the gambler and Zhang Jingchu as the young woman as they both give solid performances in the short. It has style and amazing visuals as it is worth looking out for anyone who is a fan of Gia.
Memory Film
Made in 2012, this short film by David Lynch is a simple short in which he presents the idea of what he would think from time to time. What happens is typical of Lynch not just in its surrealism but also in humor. The things he think about are strange but not surprising as it all relates to his idea of art. Given his passing last month still feels fresh, it is something that fans of need to see as I hope to watch everything he has done in his lifetime.
Touch of Crude
This 28-minute short film from Nicolas Winding Refn that I watch on MUBI is this tremendously intoxicating short that he made for Prada as it follows three different women who are visited by a mysterious floating box with a keyhole as they see what is within. Starring Refn’s wife Liv Corfixen and their daughters Lizzielou and Lola, the short is a strange yet entrancing in its visuals as well as in the usage of music by longtime NWR collaborator Cliff Martinez. It has been a while since Refn made a feature film as it is time that he returned to make a new one.
A Lien
One of the films nominated for the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film is a timely one given what is happening here in America. This short film is about an American woman accompanying her husband for an interview with immigration to get a green card as they are with their daughter. What happens is that ICE appears and takes a bunch of undocumented immigrants including this woman’s husband as it plays into this harsh reality that people go through. Even as the idea of a child would be taken away from this horrific force of authority who really do not care about the well-being of other people. In all honesty, FUCK ICE!
The Only Girl in the Orchestra
One of two documentary short films that is nominated for the Best Documentary Short Oscar that I saw is about Orin O’Brien who was the first woman to join the New York Philharmonic Orchestra back in the 1960s under the supervision of Leonard Bernstein. Directed by her niece Molly, the film profiles O’Brien as she is also retiring and moving out of her old apartment. The film is noted as a woman who was the daughter of two famous film stars in George O’Brien and Margaret Churchill who both enjoyed having attention which is a contrast to O’Brien herself given the attention, she received having joined the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The film also shows O’Brien’s passion for teaching as well as why she loves playing the double bass as she is someone who really loves that instrument and understands every little thing that makes it so special. It is a short documentary that people need to see.
Instruments of a Beating Heart
The second documentary short nominated for Best Documentary Short in the Oscars is similar in the power of music, but it is set in an entirely different in Japan. Notably as it is about a young girl who joins the school band as part of an orchestra to welcome the new first grader with everyone else in the orchestra moving into the second grade. The film highlights Japan’s approach to education and how patient they are. They are strict but at least they care about their students as well as knowing how hard it is for children to get a part right. Practice is a key element, as well as students supporting one another as I got emotional in watching this short. I widely recommend this film as it really highlights the importance of education which is something our dumbass dictator does not share which explains a lot.
The Substance: Inside the Screenplay
One of two films by Coralie Fargeat that appears on YouTube this month is a showcase for a woman who is getting a lot of deserved acclaim as she is a nominee for Best Director at the Oscars for The Substance. This 7-minute documentary short from MUBI’s YouTube channel is about the making of the screenplay including descriptions and notes on what Fargeat wanted in the sound as well as her emphasis on creating storyboards and visual references into what she wanted. Notably as it focuses on a key scene in the film with Demi Moore also making commentary from a Q&A that she, Fargeat, and producer Eric Fellner did for the film.
Les guerre des etoiles
The second short by Fargeat that I saw is the first short that she ever did at the age 16/17 as it was presented by Letterboxd on their YouTube channel. Given that this was made by someone in her teens with a love for Star Wars. This is a short film that has a lot of imagination as it is shot on a home video camera with footage from the films along with sound clips from those films including something from the Indiana Jones films. Honestly, this was a joy to watch and if Fargeat is ever going to get the chance to make a Star Wars film. Give her anything she wants including a planet full of blood!
Snodgrass
From a British short film anthology series in Playhouse Presents is a short film by David Blair starring Ian Hart who reprises his role as John Lennon having played him in the 1991 short film The Hours and Times and the 1994 film Backbeat. This short film presents a fascinating scenario on what if The Beatles had recorded the song How Do You Do It? as their first single. The short revealed that Lennon would have quit the band out of protest as it is set entirely in 1991 in which Lennon is unemployed and bitter about his life. He constantly talks to himself and comments on everything while the Beatles are just another band that had success but not as the influential group they would have become. It is an excellent film although I did have a few issues with some of the music that is played considering that if the Beatles were never this influential force. Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit would never exist as a brief snippet of that song is played.
Well, that is all for February. Next month with the Oscars coming. There will be some nominees and winners that I will hopefully watch next month including a couple of films by Sean Baker that I have access to. My next Blind Spot film will be Love Streams by John Cassavetes while the next film I will watch theatrically will be Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17. I am currently unsure if I will have my Auteurs piece on David Lean finished in March as it has become something bigger than even, I had anticipated. I do plan to finish it and then take a bit of a break before I do the new slate of Auteurs profiles that I announced this past December.
Before I bid adieu, this month has been sad with some of the people who had passed on with Gene Hackman being the most recent as he along with his wife Betsy and their dog all died mysteriously at their home in New Mexico. This death is shocking and sad as Hackman is one of these rare actors that can never give a bad performance as he always deliver at the fullest no matter how bad a film could be. Dying at the age of 95 would not have been a surprise but the bizarre circumstances that he, his wife, and their dog is a surprise as I would like to express my condolences to the families and friends of Gene and Betsy Hackman.
I would also like to express my condolences on those who have passed away this month including Michelle Trachtenberg, Boris Spassky, screenwriter Roberto Orci, Rick Buckler of the Jam, Jamie Muir of King Crimson, Roberta Flack, Lynne Marie Stewart, Violetta Wallace, Jerry Butler, filmmaker Souleymane Cisse, Snowy Fleet of the Easybeats, Paquita la del Barrio, Kim Sae-ron, Kevyn Major Howard of Full Metal Jacket, Biff Wiff, Peter “Navy” Tuiasosopo, writer Tom Robbins, Tony Roberts, music producer Dave Jerden, Sal Maida of Sparks & Roxy Music, Omasu Nishimura, and filmmaker George Armitage. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Written, directed, edited, co-scored, and starring Melvin Van Peebles, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is the story of a man saving a Black Panther member from racist white police officers where he goes on the run where he seeks help from all sorts of people in his war with racist white figures. The film is an exploitation film that plays into an African-American man who finds himself in trouble with white authority figures told in a stylistic manner that plays into the tumultuous period of post-Civil Rights America in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Also starring Simon Chuckster, Hubert Scales, John Dullagan, Mario Van Peebles, Rhetta Hughes, Megan Van Peebles, and John Amos. Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is a gripping and exhilarating film by Melvin Van Peebles.
The film follows a man who goes on the run after saving a young Black Panther member as he walks, fights, and fucks throughout the city of Los Angeles as a corrupt and racist police commissioner wants him dead. It is a film with a simple premise though it is presented in an offbeat narrative as Melvin Van Peebles creates a script that plays into the real-life tension between African-Americans and the LAPD in the 1960s and 1970s. Notably as it involves this man known as Sweetback (Melvin Van Peebles) who is a sex performer at a whore house as he is asked by his boss to accompany a couple of LAPD detectives as a prisoner over a murder charge as a favor for the boss. Yet, things go wrong when they arrest a young Black Panther member in Mu-Mu (Hubert Scales) and beat him until Sweetback uses the handcuffs and assault the detectives to a near-unconscious state. It then leads to Sweetback going on the run where he gains some unlikely allies as well as the ire of the LAPD and other evil authorities.
Van Peebles’ direction is stylish as it is shot on location in Los Angeles and areas in the Mojave Desert for the film’s third act. Using different film stocks ranging from 16mm and 35mm, Van Peebles would use wide and medium shots to play into Sweetback’s journey through Los Angeles day and night as he would run to different locations and hide from the police. Van Peebles also maintains some sense of danger in shooting on location as he aims for a guerilla style of filmmaking to shoot as if everything that is happening is real. Notably in some of the film’s sex scenes where a lot of it is unsimulated to maintain that air of realism in the film. Most particularly a scene in the film’s opening where a young Sweetback (Mario Van Peebles) finds himself in a room where he would have sex with a prostitute as it would play into how he got the name. The scene is controversial considering that Mario was only 13 when he filmed that sex scene as Van Peebles’ approach to the sex is not too explicit as that lone scene is the only simulated sex scene, but it is still daring in the raw presentation of it.
Also serving as the film’s editor, Van Peebles infuses a lot of editing styles ranging from jump-cuts, layered dissolves, and montages to play into the action as well as the suspense that looms throughout the film. Even as the violence is restrained to play into the film’s low budget aesthetics with Van Peebles also doing his own stunts in some of the action scenes. Van Peebles’ usage of close-ups add to the sense of struggle and determination that Sweetback endures while it also play into some chilling moments of realism during the road towards the Mexican border in its third act. Even in scenes towards the end where there are some eerie imageries as it plays into Sweetback’s struggles though its ending is a message of empowerment during a tense time in American history. Overall, Van Peebles crafts a riveting and intense film about a man running and defying the law after saving a young Black Panther leader.
Cinematographers Bob Maxwell and Jose Garcia do brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of grainy 16mm film stock for some scenes to maintain the film’s gritty look as well as the usage of available and stylish lighting for some scenes set at night. Makeup artist Nora Maxwell does wonderful work with the makeup in the look of some of the characters including those who get assaulted during the film. The special effects of Cliff Wenger is terrific for some of the color schemes and decayed footage used in some of the surrealistic montages in the film. Sound editors John Newman and Luke Wolfram do superb work with the sound in capturing everything recorded on location as well as some sound collages to play into the action. The film’s music by Melvin Van Peebles and Earth, Wind, & Fire is incredible for its usage of soul and funk to play into the action and energy of the film as it also feature some gospel-inspired songs that are played every now and then as it is a highlight of the film.
The film’s amazing ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Max Van Peebles as a young Sweetback in the film’s first scene, Mario Van Peebles as the teenage Sweetback who would lose his virginity to a prostitute, Megan Van Peebles as a kid who would try to get a cop for money to clean the windshield, John Amos as a biker who would help Sweetback and Mu-Mu in the middle of the film, Rhetta Hughes as a former girlfriend of Sweetback as she is a singer questioned by the police, and Lavelle Roby as Sweetback’s mother who is asked by the police where she reveals his real name. Hubert Scales is terrific as a young Black Panther leader in Mu-Mu who gets arrested and assaulted by a couple of police detectives early in the film as he would later join Sweetback on the run for a time. Simon Chuckster is excellent as Sweetback’s boss Beetle who would put Sweetback into a bad situation to appease the police officers only to do what he can to help Sweetback evade the police officers.
John Dullagan is superb as the racist police commissioner who is trying to defuse the situation even though he says some racist shit in front of his staff that included a couple of African American officials. Finally, there’s Melvin Van Peebles in a phenomenal performance as Sweetback as a sex performer who finds himself on the run after saving a young Black Panther leader from the police. Van Peebles says little in the film in terms of dialogue, but he does maintain this strong physicality as a man that refuses to take shit from anyone. Even as he deals with all sorts of situations and the environment he would encounter as it is an iconic performance from Van Peebles.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is a tremendous film by Melvin Van Peebles. Along with its gritty visuals, engaging music soundtrack, low-budget aesthetics, and its story of defiance during a tumultuous era of racism in Los Angeles. It is a film that plays into the idea of African-American pride during the post-Civil Rights period where a man does what he can to save another man from death. In the end, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is a spectacular film by Melvin Van Peebles.
Related: (BAADASSSSS!)
Melvin Van Peebles Films: (The Story of a Three-Day Pass) – (Watermelon Man) – (Don’t Play Us Cheap) – (Identity Crisis) – (Tales of Erotica-Vroom Vroom Vroooom) – (Gang in Blue) – (Bellyful) – (Confessionsofa Ex-Dufus-ItchyFooted Mutha)
Written, edited, casted, and directed by Sean Baker, Anora is the story of a young sex worker who meets a young Russian as they fall in love and get married much to the dismay of the man’s father who is an oligarch. The film is an exploration of a young woman who is given the chance to live a posh and carefree life only for her new husband’s family wanting to annul the marriage due to who she is and where she comes from. Starring Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, and Aleksei Serebryakov. Anora is a riveting and rapturous film by Sean Baker.
The film is the simple story of a young stripper/escort from the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn as she meets a young Russian who would pay her for her work only to fall in love and get married in Las Vegas much to the dismay of his family including his father who is powerful oligarch as his handler and a couple of bodyguards try to deal with the situation. It is a film that sort of plays into the idea of a real-life fairytale for this 23-year-old woman who gets the chance to make not just some good money but also live the life that many would want that involves lots of money and free time. Sean Baker’s script is straightforward in its narrative, yet it is a coming-of-age film for its titular character in Anora “Ani” Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) who works at a strip club as a stripper while occasionally would be an escort for money as she lives in Brighton Beach. When her boss (Vincent Radwinsky) asks her to entertain a young and rich client in Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn) who speaks Russian and Ani knows some Russian. The two meet as she gets frequent contact with him to attend his parties and such while getting paid large sums where they go to Las Vegas with friends, and they get married and that is all in the film’s first act.
Since Vanya is the son of a rich oligarch as he is sent to the U.S. to study, Vanya is someone that clearly does not want to grow up as he uses his family’s money to get high, throw lavish parties, play video games, and have sex with Ani. For Ani, getting some expensive things and living a carefree life allows her to have a break from responsibilities as she lives in a house with her sister while hoping to be accepted by his family. Unfortunately, the news about Vanya’s marriage reaches his family as his godfather/handler Toros (Karren Karagulian) sends a couple of men in Garnik (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov) to get the two so that their marriage could be annulled. However, things do not go well as Ani proves to be too much for everyone with Vanya running away leading a second act where Ani reluctantly joins Toros, Garnik, and Igor to find him through the city. It all plays into the impulsiveness of youth with Ani wondering what she gotten herself into as trouble begins to escalate through some comical moments but also some intense moments as it relates to reality.
Baker’s direction is stylish in its overall presentation as it is shot on location in New York City including Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, Coney Island, and Sheepshead Bay as well as locations in Las Vegas. Baker’s usage of wide and medium shots does not just play into the vast locations the characters go to but also in the home that Vanya lives in that is owned by an actual Russian oligarch. Baker’s usage of space is key to the film in a scene where Toros converses with Ani with Garnik and Igor watching where his framing in which he has Toros and Ani in the middle of the frame with Toros face in the camera. The sense of intimacy in the medium shots and close-ups are also key in the private rooms at the strip club that play into a world where Ani knows what she can do to make men feel good as it is what attracted Vanya to her. Baker maintains this energy into the way Vanya spends his money such as getting a hotel suite in Las Vegas and access to drugs while also acts on impulse to escape from responsibility. Also serving as the editor, Baker utilizes some montages and jump-cuts to play into the energy including the scene where Garnik and Igor try to deal with an angry Ani who proves to be a young woman that does not take shit from anyone.
Notably in the film’s second act where Ani, Toros, Garnik, and Igor drive around the city to find Vanya in certain places he goes to including areas where the communities of Russian and Armenian descent go to. During the search for Vanya, the character of Igor who does not say much is this fascinating observer who does what he can to show kindness towards Ani despite her refusal. Even in the film’s third act where the chaos of Ani and Vanya’s actions become more complicated for Toros who is trying to manage everything as he also must deal with Vanya’s parents (Aleksei Serebryakov and Darya Ekamasova) who does not just disapprove of the marriage but also who Ani is. It would all play into a tumultuous world that Ani has put herself in as well as the realization of Vanya. Baker’s usage of long shots help play into the drama, including the film’s ending as it is all about everything Ani has experienced and her own realization in being a young adult. Overall, Baker crafts an enthralling and exhilarating film about a young sex worker who meets and falls in love with a Russian oligarch’s son where they get married and cause trouble for that young man’s family.
Cinematographer Drew Daniels does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography in the usage of stylish low-key lights for scenes at night including some of the interior scenes at the nightclub, hotel suites, and at Vanya’s home along with some natural lighting for some exterior scenes including the scene at Coney Island. Production designer Stephen Phelps, along with set decorator Christopher Phelps and art director Ryan Scott Fitzgerald, does amazing work with the look of the private rooms in the strip club as well as some of the rooms in Vanya’s house and a few places in Las Vegas. Costume designer Jocelyn Pierce does excellent work with the costumes in some of the stylish clothing that Ani would wear that plays into her personality as well as the coat that Toros wears and the highly-expensive clothing that Vanya’s mother wears.
The visual effects of Kyle Zemborain is terrific in a few scenes set in Vegas as it is mainly bits of set dressing in some of the exteriors in the city. Sound editors Andy Hay and John Warrin do superb work with the sound in the way music sounds on location as well as small sounds bits that help play into the atmosphere of a location and in the city. Music supervisor Matthew Heron-Smith does wonderful in assembling the film’s music soundtrack that ranges from pop, hip-hop, and electronic music that includes contributions from Take That with Robin Schulz and Calum Scott, Dunni, Mz Burns, 7resh, Aicha Fall, Danny G, Tyler Royale, Mpax, Butcher & the Florist featuring Glitter Moneyyy, Brit Fox, 144troy, Brett Bull, Kalaino, Michele Wylen featuring BushRainier & TKAP, Electropoint, Crokeyon 10, Mnogoznaal featuring Fortnoxpockets & Bryte, Sounds of Red Bull, JDvisionquest 3000 featuring L-1, Brooke Candy featuring Erika Jayne, SuperPitch, AnDy Darling, Hits Over Time, Mattie B, Red Hammer, Joseph Capalbo featuring Lyusi Simon, Terrell Burt, PsYcHoNaUt XIII, the Doug Martin Quartet, That Chicc, David Keen, Winter Garden Canada, and Karen Leslie Damelian.
The film’s ensemble cast that is assembled by Sean Baker feature some notable small roles and cameo appearances from Charles Jang as the Las Vegas hotel manager, Michael Sergio as a judge, Artyom Trubnikov as the Zakharov family lawyer, Ella Rubin as Ani’s sister, Alena Gurevich as a maid in Vanya’s house, Brittney Rodriguez as a security guard at the strip club, Vincent Radwinsky as the strip club owner, Ivy Wolk and Anton Bitter as a couple of Vanya’s friends who work at candy shop in Coney Island, Luna Sofia Miranda as Ani’s fellow stripper friend Lulu, and Lindsey Normington as another stripper in Diamond whom Ani does not like at all. Aleksei Serebryakov and Darya Ekamasova are fantastic in their respective roles as Vanya’s parents in Nikolai and Galinka Zakharov with the former being an oligarch weary of all the chaos while the latter is a fucking entitled bitch as she disapproves of Ani as she sees Ani as absolutely beneath her and the family. Vache Tovmasyan is excellent as the Armenian henchman Garnik as a big man that got a lot more than he bargained for in Ani where he deals with his injuries to the point that he relapses into alcoholism where he becomes unreliable to Toros.
Karren Karagulian is brilliant as Toros as an Armenian handler who works at a local church and for the Zakharov family where he tries to defuse the situation involving Ani and Vanya while also offering the former money for her troubles despite all the shit, he would endure in trying to find Vanya. Yura Borisov is incredible as Igor as a Russian henchman working for Toros as he is a quiet observer that is making sense of the situation while being sympathetic for Ani as he tries to show gestures of kindness towards her despite her refusal. Mark Eydelshteyn is amazing as Vanya as the son of a Russian oligarch who likes to party, get high, play video games, and have sex where he falls for Ani and wants to marry her so he can stay in America as a way to avoid responsibility as well as working for his family where he displays the many elements of a young man still unwilling to grow up.
Finally, there’s Mikey Madison in a tremendous performance as the titular role as this stripper/escort who meets a young Russian student as she spends time with him while being paid as she would become his wife only to get herself in trouble with people involved with his family. Madison’s performance has this element of energy and street smart but also someone who does not take shit from anyone in the way she deals with Toros and his men. There is also a quiet vulnerability in Madison’s performance as a woman that is a troubling situation where she is forced to deal with reality while is also reluctant to make a true emotional connection with someone as this is a breakout performance for Madison.
Anora is an outstanding film by Sean Baker that features a phenomenal leading performance from Mikey Madison. Along with its supporting cast, dazzling visuals, an exhilarating music soundtrack, and its story of escapism and responsibility. It is a film that explores a fairy tale coming true for this young woman only to deal with reality as well as the idea of adulthood for two young people in which a woman takes a big step towards it. In the end, Anora is a magnificent film by Sean Baker.
Based on the novel Ecoute by Boris Razon, Emilia Perez is the story of a lawyer who is asked by a drug cartel leader to make him disappear so he can become a woman as she later copes with her new identity and her past. Written for the screen and directed by Jacques Audiard that is also based on his own opera libretto, the film is a genre-bending film that mixes the crime drama, comedy, and the musical as it plays into the lives of three women who are affected by the past as well as the outcome of a man’s decision to become a woman. Starring Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Karla Sofia Gascon, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Edgar Ramirez. Emilia Perez is an exhilarating and evocative film by Jacques Audiard.
The film revolves around a drug cartel leader who seeks the help of a low-level lawyer in Mexico to hide his identity and life so that he can become a woman and start a new life as well as hide his wife and children from old enemies. It is a film that explores the lives of three women who are impacted by their own situations in the world as well as the past, present, and future all driven by one person who is willing to make a change for herself to become her true self. Jacques Audiard’s screenplay, with additional contributions from Thomas Bidegain, Lea Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi, is straightforward in its narrative as it follows a low-level lawyer in Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldana) who just won a case despite going against her own conscience where she receives a mysterious phone call as she is taken to a mysterious location while being masked where she finds herself meeting the drug lord Juan “Manitas” Del Monte (Karla Sofia Gascon) who reveals to Rita that she wants to use her money to become a woman as she has already gone through two years of treatment. Rita would travel to Bangkok and Tel Aviv to see what place would be best for Manitas as she chose the latter in Dr. Wasserman (Mark Ivanir) who agrees to do the surgery.
The script would have dialogue that would be sung at times as they are written by Camille Dalmais that plays into the plight of the characters with the first act as it relates to Rita and Manitas with the latter going through his own change into the titular character as they would meet again four years later in the film’s second act. Rita would oversee a lot of things for Manitas before his final transition as it relates to his family that includes his wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) where she would stay in Switzerland for four years and then return to Mexico to live with this woman she does not know. Rita and Emilia’s return to Mexico would force the latter to think about her past life as a drug lord and the disappearances that she had caused of those where she would organize a non-profit company to help the family find those who have disappeared. The script also play into the politics and corruption within Mexico in the hand of drug cartels that Emilia was once a part of where she and Rita would gain some fulfillment. For Jessi, she feels alienated prompting her to contact a former lover.
Audiard’s direction is stylish as it is shot on location in France to play into the many different locations the characters go to. Notably as some of the scenes set in Mexico were shot in soundstages to recreate some of the places in the country including Mexico City. Audiard’s direction does use a lot of medium and wide shots to play into the chaos in Mexico with close-ups as it plays into Rita’s own plight as a Black lawyer born in the Dominican Republic who is overworked and underpaid as there is an element of racism in the way she is treated. Audiard also creates some unique camera movements for scenes involving some of the musical numbers with the aid of choreographer Damien Jalet. Particularly in scenes that has a sense of improvisation and a lot of physicality in the movement as it play into the plight of both Rita and Jessi with the latter feeling frustrated and unhappy over the loss of Manitas and her own desires as a woman.
The bending of genres do get messy as Audiard’s overall presentation is all over the place. Even in scenes that are serious yet there is some singing, but it is not presented as camp nor overly-serious where Audiard knows how to keep things simple. The film’s third act is intense as it relates to a new thing for Emilia in meeting a woman in Epifania Flores (Adriana Paz) but also in Jessi whose relationship with her lover Gustavo Brun (Edgar Ramirez) would threaten the life that Emilia has created. Especially with Rita finding herself in the middle as she realizes the severity of Jessi’s actions but also the faults in Emilia’s own planning in keeping everything secretive. Notably in not revealing her identity to Jessi who feels slight and becomes neglectful towards their children for a time where a lot becomes unveiled. Overall, Audiard crafts a riveting and wild film about a drug lord’s desire to become a woman with the help of a low-level lawyer.
Cinematographer Paul Guilhaume does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of stylish lighting for a club scene involving Jessi as well as other low-key lighting for some interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Juliette Welfling does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, rhythmic cuts, and dissolves to play into the sense of style and manic energy in some of the dancing. Production designer/set decorator Emmanuelle Duplay, along with art director/costume designer Virginie Montel plus set decorators Sandra Castello, Cecile Deleu, and Sandrine Jarron, does amazing work with the look of the exterior streets in Mexico as well as the home that Emilia has created for herself and her family with Montel providing fantastic costumes that includes the stylish dresses and clothes that Emilia, Rita, and Jessi wear.
Visual effects supervisor Cedric Fayolle does terrific work with the visual effects for a few scenes that involve set dressing in a few travel montages as well as in some of the dance numbers in the film. Sound editor Aymeric Devoldere does superb work with the sound in the way a location sounds as well as how music sounds in a car stereo and other sound effects used in the film. The film’s music by Clement Ducol is incredible for its mixture of styles ranging from Mexican folk, pop, electronic, and orchestral to play into the drama with songs by Camille Dalmais that help drive the story while music supervisors Raphaelle Dannus and Pierre Marie-Dru create a soundtrack that play into those different environments.
The casting by Christel Baras and Carla Hool is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Eduardo Alardo as Rita’s boss early in the film, Emiliano Hasan as a guilty client Rita defends early in the film, James Gerard as a British acquaintance of both Emilia and Rita, and the duo of Theo Guarin and Lucas Varoclier as Manitas and Jessi’s kids who become fond of Emilia. Edgar Ramirez is superb as a former lover of Jessi in Gustavo as a man that is fond of her despite having a past that Emilia does not approve once she learns about Jessi’s plans with him with the children. Mark Ivanir is fantastic as Dr. Wasserman as a surgeon who learns about Manitas’ transition as he agrees to help him become a woman while helping him remain anonymous. Adriana Paz is excellent as Epifania Flores as a woman that Emilia meets as she falls for her where she not only brings joy to Emilia but also a broader view of the world that only pushes her to do better for her organization.
Selena Gomez is incredible as Jessi Del Monte as Manitas’ wife who is kept in the dark about what is happening to her life where she deals with living in Switzerland and then returning to Mexico. Gomez’s performance has this air of physicality in her dancing and singing while also displaying this sense of loss of a woman that is trying to find her own fulfillment as well as answers about what her husband did. Zoe Saldana is tremendous as Rita Mora Castro as a low-level lawyer who is given the opportunity of a lifetime where she becomes rich in hiding Manitas’ identity during her transition and later becoming her partner in creating a nonprofit organization as she deals with some of the chaos and her own frustrations in life while also wanting to protect Emilia and her past identity. Finally, there’s Karla Sofia Gascon in a spectacular performance as the titular character/Juan “Manitas” Del Monte as a drug lord who wants to become a woman as he becomes uncomfortable with who he is as he used his money and power to become his true self. Once he becomes Emilia, he starts to find some joy and fulfillment in her life while also confronting the past in the hope of creating a better future for those she cares about unaware of the neglect she displays towards Jessi.
Emilia Perez is a phenomenal film by Jacques Audiard that features a trio of great performances from Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, and Selena Gomez. Along with its supporting cast, offbeat presentation, study of identity and redemption, and whimsical music soundtrack. It is a film that is not afraid to be messy as well as explore some themes of reinvention including what it means to be their true self. In the end, Emilia Perez is a sensational film by Jacques Audiard.
Jacques Audiard Films: (See How They Fall) – (A Self-Made Hero) – (Read My Lips) – (The Beat That Skipped My Heart) – A Prophet - Rust and Bone - (Dheepan) – (The Sisters Brothers) – (Paris, 13th District)
Wildfires are raging in California. Eggs are becoming scarce due to chickens getting bird flu with the price of eggs rising. A plane crashed into a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington D.C. Another school shooting here in America. Winter came here in the South and our shit-infested, tiny-dick, Oompa-Loompa-looking motherfucker is back in the White House. January is almost finished with who fucking knows how long this will last. Yes, we are off to a great start to 2025, and it is starting to get really depressing. The fact that people who are Hispanic are getting raided, taken to vans, and be deported in less than a week after Dookie Tank came back is not much of a surprise but the severity of it is. My mother is freaking out, even though she is a resident that had applied for citizenship months ago, over the news as I just read whatever is credible and just try to move on with what I need to do day by day.
I have become burned out by all this political news and everything that happened last year as I chose to stop. I only read what I feel is important and anything else that interests me. Given that I am Hispanic and hearing the news about what has happened, yet I must remember that a majority of Hispanic/Latino voters voted for Dookie Tank to win last year’s election. Now that people like them are being questioned, deported, and exploited by Dr. Phil by all people. All I can say is that they deserve this. They were stupid enough to buy into Dookie Tank’s bullshit and be manipulated by him and Univision. They have no one to blame but themselves and it is not just them. It is everyone who bought into his bullshit as Americans are fickle. They do not want to remember what happened the first time he was our dictator and how bad things are as everyone who voted for him or has supported him or has even celebrated at his stupid inauguration events deserve to get fucked.
I am not surprised that he pardoned those at the January 6th insurrection back in 2021 as it means anyone who is willing to disrupt anything in his favor and threaten those trying to uphold the law can do anything. Those in the government and in the justice department that was trying to hold him accountable for all his criminal actions got fired. Then there is something Joe Biden said in his final speech that has stuck with me despite my own disdain for him as it relates to oligarchy. The fact that Dookie Tank has surrounded himself with three ultra-rich tech figures in Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg who all have considerable influences is scary. They can do what they want, and the scary part is that it has already happened, and we just did not see it. They are coming in and taking over for their own bullshit. This is no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave. Lee Greenwood can sing his stupid song all he wants but he is part of the problem because he is a fucking imbecile. Now we are the land of the dumb fucks, and we deserve it.
In the month of January 2025, I saw a total of 23 films in 12 first-timers and 11 re-watches with 4 first-timers being films directed/co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. A good start to the new year as the biggest highlight of the month for me is my Blind Spot pick in Princess Mononoke. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for January 2025:
Having purchased the Disney+/Hulu/MAX bundle before last year ended because of circumstances that prevented my niece and nephew from watching Disney+ because of password sharing from my sister’s account. One of the first things I saw in this new bundle is this great documentary on yacht rock. A film that explores the music of Southern California that mixed in elements of soul, folk, rock, pop, and mellow it out as acts such as Steely Dan, Toto, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and the Doobie Brothers would create this kind of music that is just cool. The film also explores the cult that would give the genre its name thanks in part to an old web series based on fiction. Even as the genre would also provide a foundation for hip-hop in the late 80s and early 1990s, that helped give these acts some newfound longevity and street credibility. Still, the documentary does baffle me as it relates to Toto guitarist Steve Lukather who asked why he does not have a yacht? My question is this… WHY THE FUCK DOES HE NOT HAVE A FUCKING YACHT! HE PLAYED ON FUCKING THRILLER OF ALL FUCKING ALBUMS! MOTHERFUCKER SHOULD HAVE A FUCKING ARMADA OF YACHTS! ALL THESE YACHT ROCK ARTISTS SHOULD HAVE FUCKING ARMADAS OF YACHTS!
The Substance: Behind the Scenes
Having achieved five Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay to Coralie Fargeat, Best Actress to Demi Moore, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. It is good that The Substance is getting some love in the awards season as it is the film for which I am rooting. From MUBI that they posted on their YouTube channel is this making-of documentary by Fargeat that explores the making of the film. It is an incredible short documentary that highlights the work that Fargeat and her crew did as well as the amount of work that Moore and Margaret Qualley do. It is a truly must-watch film that fans of The Substance need to watch and more reasons why it should win all the Oscars.
Hey Sweet Pea
A short I saw on MUBI as part of their short films section is this avant-garde short by Alee Peoples as it involves a bunch of things such as a man-in-black lip-syncing to phone messages while a couple of women recite lines from The Neverending Story. It has some fascinating visuals but a lot of it is just very pretentious as it never really does anything.
Michelangelo Eye to Eye
Well, it took more than 20 years for me to find and watch this short and it was worth it. I hate the idea that certain artists who would end their career on a down note like Michelangelo Antonioni’s contribution to the 2004 anthology film Eros in The Dangerous Thread of Things was the last thing many saw, and it was terrible. Fortunately for those who bought the film on DVD was able to see another short he did that ended up being the last thing he did as it is finally available on YouTube. It is Antonioni at a church looking at the sculptures created by Michelangelo as it has these unique close-ups of Antonioni getting a close look at these sculptures. It is silent short since Antonioni could barely speak because of the stroke he had in 1985. The film feels like a true finale to one of the cinema’s great artists.
Coffee with Barbie
One of two short films by David Lynch that I saw on YouTube is this weird but fun 4-minute short in which an offscreen Lynch talks to a Barbie doll about his new coffee brand. It is just a funny short Lynch made in his website back in the early to mid-2000s as it is not trying to be anything profound. It is just a fun coffee ad with Lynch wanting us to drink his new coffee even though I do not drink coffee.
Pam & Tommy
Having full access to Hulu as I can watch some things on my laptop in my room, I decided to watch this given the buzz that Pamela Anderson had been receiving for The Last Showgirl even though she didn’t get an Oscar nomination, but she did get a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild which is a validation of who she is as an actress. This limited series that is about Anderson’s marriage to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and their infamous sex tape that got stolen does give some valid reasons into why Anderson refused to watch the series, but the show does showcase Anderson in a sympathetic light thanks in part to Lily James’ performance as Anderson. It is a show that is really about misogyny and the male gaze where Sebastian Stan is great as Lee with Seth Rogen in an incredible performance as the man who stole the tape all because he got stiffed of money that Lee owed him. With episodes directed by Craig Gillespie, Lake Bell, Hannah Fidell, and Gwyneth Horder-Payton, the show is a look into a moment in time when the Internet was still new and what they can get away with at that time. It is a show worth watching while it gives people more reason to root for Anderson in her comeback while Lee has become a joke.
Laura Palmer
The second short film by Lynch that I saw on YouTube is another 4-minute short that was from Lynch’s website back in 2002 as it a shot of Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks as she is sitting as the image gets closer as it goes on. With the music of Angelo Badalamenti in the background, the short is a reflection on the loss of that character who would drive the series, yet it is a short that would unknowingly create a bridge for the show’s return in 2018. A show that I need to re-watch and finish as I started it a decade ago as it is now time to return to it and finish it.
The Myth of Orpheus & Eurydice
From Gia Coppola is a short she made for Gucci as it is a take on the legend set in a modern world as it was originally broken into 4 parts with actors and models wearing Gucci clothing. It is a faithful take on the myth with a soundtrack by Devonte Hynes that adds a lot of style to the short. It is worth seeking out anyone that enjoy Coppola’s work.
Beauty is Not a Sin
From Nicolas Winding Refn as it is one of two shorts from him that is shown on MUBI is an 8-minute advertisement for the Italian motorcycle company MV Agusta. It revolves around a woman who walks into a church where she confesses her sins to a priest as there is no dialogue present with only music and the sound of the motorcycle present. With the priest listening, she talks about her fascination for this motorcycle as the ending is the real shocker but for all the right reasons. With Refn planning to return to feature films soon, this is a suitable stopgap release from him.
Skeleton Crew (season 1, episodes 6-8)
The last 3 episodes of the first season are among the best in terms of not just the writing but also in what is at stake and the development of our main characters. Notably the sixth episode that was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard that I think is the episode of the series as well as bearing all the elements into why Star Wars is so awesome. There is a lot of drama but also this sense of adventure with a great climax as the performances of Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Keira Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, and Robert Timothy Smith are tremendous. Even as they overcome the reality of what they were dealing with upon their return home while also dealing with Jude Law’s Jod character who is truly a complex individual that is an antagonist, but he is also not a traditional one. The mysterious supervisor at At Attin was not much of a surprise given all the disappointing reveals and twists as this was the franchise playing with all these high expectations but knowing when to play with its audience. The series overall is incredible and bring on the second season!
Well, that is all for January. Next month I will focus on films that are nominated for the Oscars including Emilia Perez, Anora, and whatever films I can have access to as I hope The Brutalist returns to my multiplex. Aside from films nominated for the Oscars and other 2024 releases to catch up on. I will post my Auteurs piece on David Lean which is more than half-finished as there is only a short film from the late 70s that he did that I need to watch. My next Blind Spot film will be Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song to celebrate Black History Month.
Before I bid adieu, this month has been sad considering those who died in both the wildfires in California and the plane crash in Washington D.C. Yet, it is particularly sad for anyone that loves film as the passing of David Lynch has been heavy since he is an immense figure we will miss. Still, there has been many others who passed away this month including some phenomenal figures such as Marianne Faithfull, Garth Hudson of the Band, Joan Plowright, Mr. Baseball Bob Uecker, musician Susan Alcorn, Bruce Howe of the Australian band Fraternity, German actor Horst Janson, Filipina actress Gloria Romero, film producer Jim Tauber, songwriter Buddy Brock, author Joseph A. Amato, DJ Unk, screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper, Malicorne vocalist Gabriel Yacoub, voice actor John Erwin, Jules Feiffer, actress Jan Shepard, Tony Slattery, Leslie Charleson, costume designer Phyllis Dalton, Peter Yarrow, Dale Wilson, Emilio Echevarria, Jeff Baena, Wayne Osmond, and the great John Sykes of Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
