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☆ Opinion: ‘Civil War’ is more than a reflection on America’s divisions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyAlex Garland’s “Civil War” has mostly been discussed as a reflection of, and a warning about, America’s current partisan divisions. Unlike the actual US Civil War, this one doesn’t seem to have any particular racial or racist connotations. But it’s the same kind of cop out that powers most of Hollywood’s most iconic Vietnam war movies. Hollywood Vietnam war movies generally aren’t about whether America did the right thing, nor are they about how America’s choices affected people in Vietnam. Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), starring Matthew Modine as Joker, is based on the events of the Vietnam war.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN —, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Alex Garland’s “, ”, he’s, Garland, Nick Offerman, Lee, Kirsten Dunst, Joel, Wagner Moura, Jessie, Cailee, Sammy, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Lee Wagner, Trump, Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Jesse Plemons, that’s, Francis Ford Coppola’s, Stanley Kubrick’s, don’t, —, Dawn ”, Stanley Kubrick's, Matthew Modine, It’s, transfixed Organizations: CNN, Union, Hollywood, America, Central, Warner Bros Locations: Chicago, Vietnam, Viet, American, Washington, California, Texas, Hollywood Vietnam, American Vietnam, Hollywood

☆ Opinion: ‘Monkey Man’ knocks James Bond out of the ring
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Monkey Man” is set in a semi-fictionalized Mumbai, replete with homelessness, crime and swooping, askew camera angles. Action movies — even relatively gritty ones without fanciful superhero CGI — require a bigger outlay for location and stunts. “Monkey Man” was plagued by production difficulties and financial struggles. Mindless s**t. I wanted to give it soul.” That’s an admirable sentiment — and one that isn’t just restricted to action movies. “Monkey Man” growls and spits and beats its chest and leaps you’re never quite sure where.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, …, Dev, Jordan Peele’s, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Peele, Patel, Dev Patel, Rana, Sikandar Kher, gyrating, John Wick, Gordon, James Bond, Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler, slogs, Paul Atreides, Jordan Peele, Vianney Le Caer, —, Bruce Lee’s, Carl Franklin’s, Alice Wu’s, Jordan, didn’t, ”, We’re, there’s, “, Peele hadn’t, ” Patel, you’re Organizations: CNN, Universal Pictures, Everett, Marvel Cinematic, Netflix Locations: Chicago, Mumbai, East Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe, London, White, Hollywood

☆ Opinion: Kristen Stewart thriller is also a reminder of what queer kids are up against
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The biggest threat to queer kids is too often their own homophobic parents. Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyRose Glass’ “Love Lies Bleeding” wrestles with issues of queerness and parental cruelty with unusual and admirable directness. The couple at the center of “Love Lies Bleeding” are Lou (Kristen Stewart), a chain smoking, depressive gym manager and Jackie (Katy O’Brian), a would-be bodybuilding champion. Writer-director Rose Glass and actor Kristen Stewart in discussion on the set of "Love Lies Bleeding." Lou Sr.’s abuse is analogous to homophobic abuse and parallel with homophobic abuse, but it isn’t quite actually homophobic abuse.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Rose, doesn’t, Lou, Kristen Stewart, Jackie, Katy O’Brian, Lou Sr, Ed Harris, That’s, Rose Glass, Anna Kooris, It’s, Beth, Jena Malone, JJ, Dave Franco, Jackie’s, David Lynch’s, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert’s, ”, Tofilska Organizations: CNN, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Locations: Chicago, Jena

☆ Opinion: These three Oscar-nominated films couldn’t be more different. Together, they represent the change we need
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

All three films question male conventions and genres in ways that show exactly why we need more films by, and more nominations for, women-directed films. Les Films PelléasTriet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” is about a German novelist, Sandra (Sandra Hüller), accused of murdering her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis). Director Celine Song talks to lead actress Greta Lee on the set of "Past Lives." That doesn’t mean that women directors are less interesting or less original than male directors. Triet, Song and Gerwig have proved that women directors are uniquely positioned to question and rethink old genres, old stories and old ideas.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, — Justine Triet’s “, Celine Song’s “, Greta Gerwig’s “, ” —, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, it’s, Randa Haines, ”, —, Sandra Hüller, Justine Triet's, Pelléas, Sandra, Samuel, Samuel Theis, Billy Wilder’s, David Fincher’s, Triet, Nora Moon, Greta Lee, Hae Sung, Teo Yoo, Nora, Arthur, John Magaro, Celine Song, doesn’t, Gerwig, “ Barbie, “ Barbie ”, Barbie, Ken, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Jaap Buitendijk, Barbie ”, Bradley Cooper’s, Maestro ”, Christopher Nolan’s “ Oppenheimer, clichés, Alexander Payne’s “, Kelly Reichardt’s, Nida Organizations: CNN, USC, Initiative, Academy, New York Times, Everett, Warner Bros ., Warner Bros, Entertainment, ” Locations: Chicago, German, South Korea

☆ Opinion: ‘Dune: Part Two’ falls into a familiar – and telling – trap
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

His hero, Paul Atreides, is filled with doubts about his role as a Messianic leader and director of colonial conquest. (The distributor of “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” shares a parent company, Warner Bros. So in the movie, it’s not just Paul who sees problems with his colonial power. Timothée Chalamet in "Dune: Part Two" Warner Bros. PicturesIn the book, Chani is mostly supportive of Paul, with few reservations. Paul feels bad for being the destined one; Herbert and Villeneuve, to varying degrees, seem to regret making Paul the destined one.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN — Frank Herbert’s, revel, Whitey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, James Fenimore Cooper, Rider Haggard, Herbert, Paul Atreides, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Denis Villeneuve’s, ”, Villeneuve, he’s, Paul, Timothée, Atreides, Paul’s, Leto Atreides, Oscar Isaac, Arrakis, Emperor, Christopher Walken, Baron Harkonnen, Stellan, Leto, Jessica, Rebecca Ferguson, Natty Bumppo, it’s, Chani, Tasha Suri’s “, Ambha, Sriduangkaew’s, Thompson’s, Suri, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Paul doesn’t, “ Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, Pictures Locations: Chicago, swash, Vietnam

☆ Opinion: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ beats Florida’s right-wing politicians at their own game
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But sometimes — as in Ethan Coen’s and Tricia Cooke’s wonderful “Drive-Away Dolls” — they’re more adventurous. Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyCoen, best known for his collaborations with his brother Joel, co-wrote and co-directed “Drive-Away Dolls” with his wife and queer filmmaker, Cooke. Jamie (played by Margaret Qualley) and Marian (played by Geraldine Viswanathan) are pictured in "Drive-Away Dolls." Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan co-star in Ethan Coen's and Tricia Cooke's latest film, "Drive-Away Dolls." “Drive-Away Dolls” tells the audience watching through that fence or otherwise, that queer looking, queer film, queer art and queer people are all a valuable, fun and worthy heist.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, George Clooney, Ethan Coen’s, Tricia Cooke’s, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Coen, Joel, Cooke, Jamie, Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Marian, Geraldine Viswanathan, Marian’s, Gary Channel, Matt Damon, —, Coen, Tricia, Sen, don’t, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, “, they’ve, Ethan Coen's, Tricia Cooke's, buttoned, John McNaughton’s, Norman, ” Organizations: CNN, Texas, Channel, Florida Gov Locations: Chicago, Tallahassee, Florida, American, Florida —, Marion, Hitchcock’s

☆ Opinion: ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ is giving us a new kind of monster
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The new “Lisa Frankenstein,” by Zelda Williams in her directorial debut, hits some of the same notes. Kathryn Newton stars as Lisa Swallows and Cole Sprouse as The Creature in LISA FRANKENSTEIN, a Focus Features release. This is where “Poor Things” and “Lisa Frankenstein” diverge. Bella Baxter in “Poor Things” starts out as a clumsy innocent, but she becomes more knowledgeable and self-confident over time. “Lisa Frankenstein” shows why that’s a loss for all of us — and Lisa is ready to cut up the patriarchy to prove it.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN —, Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, ”, Victor Frankenstein, —, Shelley, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, we’ve, “ Lisa Frankenstein, Yorgos Lanthimos, Lisa Frankenstein, Zelda Williams, Diablo Cody, “, Lisa, Kathryn Newton, She’s, Carla Gugino, Liza Soberano, Cole Sprouse, Lisa Swallows, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, Michele K, “ Lisa Frankenstein ”, Bella Baxter, she’s, Bella, Williams, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, Celine Song’s “, Emma Stone, Atsushi Nishijima, Greta Gerwig’s, Barbie, “ Barbie, It’s, Cody, he’s, wouldn’t, Lisa Frankenstein ”, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Lily, Mary Organizations: CNN, REO, Searchlight Pictures Locations: Chicago, Hollywood, Taffy’s, “, Ireland

☆ Opinion: ‘Self Reliance’ takes on American individualism at its most absurd
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Hollywood films of diverse genres have one point in common — they’re all about the most important person in the universe. That most important person could be an amnesiac assassin fighting a mysterious government conspiracy, or some guy (or girl) seeking true love. They are the main character; everyone else is secondary. The goal of life is success and self-actualization as the main character of your own dream. He’s the most important person in a whole range of familiar narratives, all crammed haphazardly into a 90-minute run time.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Tim Ferriss, Marianne Williamson, Jake Johnson’s, you’d, Tommy Walcott, Johnson, Natalie Morales, Andy Samberg, John Wick, baddies, Tommy, isn’t, Maddy, Anna Kendrick, —, he’s, squinty, “, ”, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Tommy isn’t, what’s, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, we’d, you’ve Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, Truman Locations: Chicago

☆ Opinion: No one needed another Napoleon movie, but this one has something unexpected to say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Napoleon, played by Academy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, is a talented young officer whose military victories quickly vault him into influence and power. The fact that Napoleon can’t live up to his own larger-than-life image is part of what makes Napoleon larger than life. There are obvious differences between Trump and Napoleon — Trump avoided the draft and was not a successful general; Napoleon was never elected and conquered large parts of Europe; Trump’s coup attempt was unsuccessful. “Napoleon” suggests that our fascination with grotesque populist windbags is itself a source of their power. Napoleon might not love this movie, but he’d surely enjoy seeing his face blown up there on the big screen.

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☆ Opinion: This Nicolas Cage movie is a hard lesson in being human
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Across the political spectrum, there’s a consensus that social media is dangerous. Director Kristoffer Borgli’s latest film, “Dream Scenario,” half builds on, half parodies those fears and anxieties for its absurdist plot. It also suggests, though, that the dynamics and dangers of online existence aren’t exactly new and aren’t exactly about social media at all. “Dream Scenario” is about how, even before we could see short hip hop dance videos on loop, we’ve always been in each other’s skulls. As “Dream Scenario” suggests, for better and worse, to be human is to dream together.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, Critics, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Kristoffer Borgli’s, Paul Matthews, Nicolas Cage, Paul, Paul doesn’t, ”, Janet, Julianne Nicholson, It’s, they’re, you’ve, he’s, Carl Jung’s, “ antelligence, stigmatize, isn’t, you’re Organizations: CNN Locations: Chicago, Swiss

☆ Opinion: This generation needs The Talking Heads as much as their parents did
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But A24’s newly restored 40th anniversary print of the band’s legendary concert film “Stop Making Sense” feels like a moment for a reappraisal. Talking Heads’ lyrics are undeniably more elliptical than N.W.A.’s or the Dead Kennedys’. “Stop Making Sense” starts off within the bounds of that New Wave approach. Byrne’s idiosyncratic dancing and physical appearance are central to “Stop Making Sense,” and he never stops being malfunctioning, android or ectomorph. “Stop Making Sense” included singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Hold, legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales and The Brothers Johnson guitarist Alex Weir.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN —, Reagan, “, ” Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Trump, Donald Trump, he’s, Devo, Blondie, Joy, Jonathan Demme, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Alex Weir, Bernie Worrell, David Byrne, Steve Scales, Lynn Mabry, Ednah Holt, Jordan Cronenweth, ” Byrne, Byrne, — George Clinton, James Brown, Fela Kuti —, Johnson, Harrison, Weir, Mabry, they’re, Sly, ”, Cab Calloway, Weir’s, Al, Reagan’s, — Organizations: CNN, Police, ”, tha, Reagan GOP, Reagan Library, Republican, GOP, New, Joy Division, Weymouth Locations: Chicago

☆ Opinion: The Golda Meir movie starring Helen Mirren fails the test of history
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Hilary Krieger | Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —In Guy Nattiv’s new feature film “Golda,” which arrived in theaters Friday, Helen Mirren plays Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir during the crisis of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Accordingly, the movie is inevitably fodder for an ongoing discussion about whether non-Jewish performers should play Jewish roles. They made significant advances, threatening all of Israel, until Israel ultimately turned the tide to retain the land it had acquired in 1967. Join us on Twitter and FacebookInstead, the point is that the Yom Kippur War was a complicated conflict for territory and geopolitical advantage, abetted by prejudice and intransigence on every side. White non-Jewish actors can be cast as White Jewish characters because White Jewish people (like White Irish people or White Italian people) are, at the moment, generally perceived and accepted as White.

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☆ Opinion: ‘No Hard Feelings’ with Jennifer Lawrence is a sex worker romcom that won’t admit it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Friday’s debut of “No Hard Feelings,” a sex work romcom that doesn’t want to admit to its own subgenre, is very much of our era. Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyThe Jennifer Lawrence vehicle from Sony Pictures revolves around a sex worker who, like the film, doesn’t want to admit what she’s doing. In sex worker romcoms, you’re supposed to be scandalized at the sordidness — but in a fun way. Anti-sex and anti-porn advocates have put a lot of effort into (falsely) conflating sex work and sex trafficking. Every film, sex worker romcom or otherwise, doesn’t have to be enthusiastically political, or, for that matter, sexual.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, we’re, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Jennifer Lawrence, Maddie, Lawrence, Uber, Laird, Matthew Broderick, Allison, Laura Benanti, Percy, Andrew Barth Feldman, ” Percy, romcoms, Billy Wilder’s “ Irma La Douce, Ron Howard’s, Vivian Ward, Julia Roberts, Edward Lewis, Richard Gere, Stock, Pixie “, Richard Gere’s Edward isn’t, Rebecca De Mornay’s Lana isn’t, revel, ”, you’re, Rebecca de Mornay, Lana, she’s, Irma La Douce, Barbara Stanwyck, Leo Grande ”, Nancy, Emma Thompson, Leo Grande, Daryl McCormack Organizations: CNN, Sony Pictures, Pictorial Press, Library, Twitter Locations: Chicago, Montauk , New York

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