The Cinema Chronicles, Vol. 33: One Battle After Another and More!

Brandon Vick reviews The Conjuring: Last Rites, Him, and One Battle After Another on this month's episode of The Cinema Chronicles. 

The Conjuring: Last Rites - 6:18
Him - 18:14
One Battle After Another - 28:31

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:20):
It's that time once again, the Cinema chronicles on Nashville
Movie Dispatch. I'm your host, of course, Brandon Vick, member
of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and a board member
of the Music City Film Critics Association, and the resident
film critic of of course, Nashville Movie Dispatch. It is

(00:44):
almost October. We're only like a day or two away,
and if the weather would just catch up, I'd be
living in heaven, y'all, I'd be living in heaven. Honestly,
I don't have much for this intro, and I think
everyone's gonna be super pumped about these movies. I'll be honest,

(01:06):
I kind of just want to get through two of
them so I can basically gush over the last one.
But so be patient. Be patient. But one big thing
that happened is I got a year older this month,
and I actually am one of those that still likes birthdays.
I don't do as much for birthdays, but I still

(01:26):
like to just have family and friends or go somewhere
new to eat, or I don't know, just do something.
I still every now and then I'm like, you know what,
maybe I'll I won't get that now, I'll wait and
put on my birthday list. And I don't know if
any other basically forty year olds do that, but I
love it. I love it, still do it same thing
for Christmas. I have no shame, but I will tell

(01:48):
you I got. And this is what I'm going to
take up everyone's time with. I'm going to tell you
about some of the fun gifts I got. My wife,
who was very thoughtful, got me a new brown jacket
because one that I had got ripped because one day
while we're in the house, we hear something in anyway
our shelf pill and trapped. It was too heavy, I guess,

(02:12):
but anyway, got all my jackets and one h ripped it,
ripped it clean down the arm. So so my wife
got me a new jacket. In she got me a
book that it's called Horror Movie and it's by Paul
Tremblay and he also wrote The Cabinet End of the

(02:32):
World that Knock at the Cabin. M. Knight's movie was
based off of I've read another one of his called
The Paul Bears. I enjoy him. And now she didn't
know that that's who that was. She got it because
she first of all has had the movie in the title.
She read about it and was like, oh, he'll like it.
You know, what's a good choice. And I promised myself
I was gonna read more this year. I have read

(02:55):
I think three books this year, so I haven't done
very good. But I am reading that one starting in
October because it's a spooky book and it's it's less
than three hundred pages, so I know I can do this.
And then I got I got gift cards and stuff
like that, but I did. I was able to add

(03:17):
two movies to my collection and they're actually both a
twenty four films. One of them is one of the
best films of many years, The Brutalist. I finally got
that one, and I also got what I called and

(03:37):
I think I got a few friends that would agree
that it's one of the probably the best comedy of
the past decade. Friendship. And I've been really wanting to
I haven't watched it. I haven't put it in yet,
but I really want to see that extended scene of
Tim Robinson and that guy in the garage when he's
sitting at the drums. I'm really looking forward to that one.

(04:00):
So so yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
And.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
So yeah, I don't I don't even I don't even
know what I did for my birthday. I think I
think we went to eat. My one request and my
wife hates it is I request breakfast for dinner. She's
not a breakfast for dinner kind of person. I don't
even know if she really likes breakfast. But uh, but

(04:25):
so we had French toast and we had eggs and sausage,
and so to be at my age, that was that
was party rocking. So I was pretty pretty happy with it.
Next year I turned the big four. Oh, and I
really would like to go to a theme park. I

(04:46):
haven't done it in years. I may regret it because
sometimes when we a'll take we'll take my son to
a park and I'll start swinging and I feel nauseous.
So I don't know really how it's gonna work out.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
But I don't know.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
If I just want to go. It doesn't have to
be anything big. We've got Kentucky Kingdom that's close to us,
Holiday World, maybe King's Island. I thought about six Flags
over Georgia, but honestly, it probably comes down to the rides,
because I really can't do and I know Stony would agree.
I don't would en roller coasters ain't my thing. I need.

(05:21):
I need some more. I need some metal. Give me
some metal or those rides that let my feet dangle.
So we'll see, we'll see. I want to I've already
tried to put that in my wife's head of like, hey,
you know what may be like towards the end of summer,
or you know, really in September is probably a good
time to go because I think school's in, it's not

(05:41):
as hot. So I'll let you guys know in the
Cinema Chronicles of September twenty twenty six, if I get
to go or not. So without further ado, let's get
let's get to these movies. Let's start with with a
spooky movie. It's final film in the Conjuring series, or

(06:04):
so they say. And don't worry that little bitch Annibill's
in it too. Next, all right, the Conjuring Last Rites.

(06:25):
And I'm gonna share a synopsis. I don't even know
if you need one, but it's per IMDb. Paranormal investigators
Ed and Lorraine Warren take one last terrifying case involving
mysterious entities they must confront. Now that's just abroad obviously.
Description in there. But I also saw a tweet that

(06:50):
I totally related to after seeing this last one. It's
Nate Adams. He's at the only critic. He says twenty
thirteen's The Conjuring was at the time the anti thesis
to the cliche riddled possession and exorcism movies from the
decade prior. Now, with the last rites, the franchise has

(07:13):
come full circle and become the thing it once set
out to combat. So that kind of sets it up
to how this one ends up concluding. But I the
first two Conjuring films I think are pretty great. I
like the first one the most, but I thought the
second one was was pretty damn good. I still remember

(07:39):
the trailer for The Conjuring and.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
The whole.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
The clapping and those hands come out from the dresser,
and it scared the shit out of me. And then
Michael Chavis he stepped in. Now, remember it was Justin
Lee who directed. That doesn't sound right to me. But

(08:07):
who am I? Who am I I'm just a I'm
just a critic. Now, now I've got myself thinking, all right,
oh close, James one. And what is making me really

(08:29):
laugh is I think I got that Justin Lee name
because it's a guy that works at my day shop.
Uh So, James one, he directed, He directed the first
one and he also I think he directed the second
one too. I know he was a producer on Uh.

(08:53):
I mean, hell, he's been a producer on all of them.
But James Wand kind of brought back the kind of
horror that I mean you see his name on it now.
Granted he also did Aquaman, but but I mean he's done.
He did the he did the Conjuring too. He's done
some insidious Uh. He did a couple of those movies

(09:15):
Dead Silence with and then with Saul, So he's a
big deal in horror. I think I'm not telling you
anything you don't already know, except that maybe his name
is Justin Lee as well. But when Michael Chavis stepped
in as the new director for the third Conjuring called

(09:35):
The Devil Made Me Do It, the bar got noticeably lowered. Uh.
I feel like this series kind of went from great
to generic. And Chavis has returned. He has behind the
camera again for the final Warren Investigation, and unfortunately he
continues to bring nothing fresh or new to the series.

(10:01):
This was this is per Toronto Star review of the film.
It has genuinely freaky with expertly staged set pieces. That's
courtesy of they called them the genre specialist. James Wand
talking about the way that the Conjuring film started. Who
has a real gift for rhythm and tone? Last Rights, who,

(10:25):
says directed by Chavez who this is Burne, who doesn't
have much of a visual style and no sense of humor.
Is a problem when you're working almost exclusively with cliches. So,
first of all, the Last Rights has no Last Rights
has no right being the longest Conjuring movie. It's over

(10:46):
two hours. It's like two hours and fifteen minutes. I
have no idea why it's that long. It's a bloated
family drama with too many predictable and cheap jump scares.
Any sense of tension is thrown right out the window.
I will say the focus on the Warren family, which
each film has always within these possessions and demons, it's

(11:11):
always kind of come back to family. So the focus
on the Warren family does work better than anything else,
and that's undoubtedly due to Patrick Wilson and Vera Formiga.
They've always been the heart and soul of this franchise.
They I think their performances have they've they've always been committed,
they've been engaging. Squeezing the motion out of another still

(11:34):
sweet sequel is a tall order, and they had to
do it in the third one too, but they do
their best. I feel like, excuse me, they can't. They're
doing all they can. I think as the Warrens, they
they really do show this kind of honesty and this

(11:54):
like they believe when no one else would would believe
any of these families that they have encountered. And again
focusing on that, that's where last rites at least tries
to have a nice kind of farewell. And since this

(12:14):
is the last one, supposedly it's made a lot of money,
so we'll see. But I must say, let's not forget
that the Warrens, even though Wilson and Formiga have made
these two people very warm, welcoming, thoughtful, that they weren't

(12:37):
actually the best of folks. Like I said, Wilson Fermega
kind of make them seem like they are, but you know,
I think that's what people call acting. Also, just just
side note, they don't look if you've looked at them.
End of the films, they don't look anything like that

(13:00):
real couple. So I guess what I'm saying is that
these movies may not be totally accurate, but I mean, really,
no movie is, except for that one documentary for His
Gump that's real. And actually there is an episode of

(13:21):
with Stony and Rooster about the Warrens that is on
Phone it In, so you can check that on Nashville
Movie Dispatch. Continuing from that Toronto Star review that quoted
just a bit ago. In real life, though the Warrens,
devout Catholics given to spreading the good word about the Church,
were reviled by skeptics as scale artists, definitely pedling pseudo

(13:45):
science and parlaying their client superstition and their own gift
for parlor tricks into a lucrative and headline grabbing hustle.
It says the Peace Day Resistance and a cult museum
containing all of the evil and quotation trinkets confiscated during
the adventures. The rationale was that it was better to

(14:05):
keep all these dangerous items in one place, under lock
and key for a price. Of course, visitors could come
by to look but not touch. So I'm just throwing
it out there that Patrick and Vera are very good
at what they do, even when it comes to portraying

(14:25):
people that I don't know if in real life people
had a lot of faith in. But anyways, back to
last Rites, I do think diehard fans will find something
to cherish in this. There's always something when it's you know,
a series it's ending. But the perseverance and strength and

(14:47):
love of the Warren family just doesn't go as far
as I think Chavez is hoping. And while a few
scares may get you to jump a few, so much
is derivat to and in deficient.

Speaker 2 (15:02):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (15:03):
Every almost everything involving the smirl family, which is who's
being possessed this time around, Uh, everything involving their family
haunting is is practically disregarded. And what we get is
just it's the routine stuff. We don't we don't really
get to know the family at all. And the story
of the demons or whatever they are is just spewed

(15:26):
out and done with like it's it's almost an afterthought,
and it kind of involves just you know, these main
three uh spirits that are in there, and and it's
just it's, I don't know, there's there's really just there's
nothing effective about it, and especially I guess as it's
the fourth one. I mean, I'm not even counting the
Annabelle sequels and the the Nun sequels and all that stuff.

(15:51):
It's just all been done before, and it's been done better.
So the movie, I mean, honestly, Last Rights really just
boils down to the Warren's daughter's She's the main focus
in this film, being like her mom and an antique

(16:11):
mirror that wants revenge. And wait till you see that
Warren family battle that mirror. It's just it's not quite
the way I imagine the Conjuring going out. The tagline
and all the previews is was like the case that
ended it all, as if like this was even too

(16:32):
much for the Warrens to handle. Well, I will tell
you maybe in real life, but the movie certainly doesn't
deliver on that. But Yours truly did do a little
bit of digging into the real case. Now, I've never
done this for the other Conjuring movies because obviously everything
is dramatized, dramatized, and it is Hollywood, and you know,

(16:53):
we get it. But the real case, which has been
considered by many to be a hoax. There were reports
that the husband and wife the Smirl family claim that
they were sexually assaulted by the demon. Now that of
course is not in the movie, in case you're wondering

(17:15):
in that long two hours and fifteen minutes, that's never shown.
But I will say personally, that's something that would probably
make me call it quits too. So the conjuring last
rites overall is getting a two and a half out
of five. That might be a little generous, but I

(17:36):
still think there's a lot within that Warren family dynamic
that still delivers, and I think there is something about
it being its swan song and kind of trying to
incorporate the other conjuring films and families. So two and
a half out of five coming up.

Speaker 2 (17:55):
Next.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
Marlon Wayans is back and he's like, hey, football, Whys I.

Speaker 2 (18:05):
Next him?

Speaker 1 (18:18):
This sports psychological horror that was produced by Jordan Peel.
I think a lot of people thought he directed this.
He did not Monkey Paul Productions. Jordan Peil produced it.
How can I put this for sports fans? Ends up
settling for a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown
Per Rotten Tomatoes. Hilm centers on a promising young football

(18:39):
player Tyreek Withers invited to train at the isolated compound
of a dynasty team's aging QB one UH Legend, the
legendary quarterback played by Marlon Walls takes his protegee on
a blood shilling journey into the inner synctum of feign
power in pursuit of excellence at any cost.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
UH.

Speaker 1 (18:59):
The PA and the devotion that fans feel for their
sports team, I think everyone can agree is unlike anything else.
Specifically football fans win or lose. If you ever hear
they always say, you know, we won or we lost.
It's never they won or they lost, where it's like
we're all in it together, as if we're all on

(19:20):
the field. But the passionate devotion, combined with that perseverance
and sacrifice is what the Athlete is built on. As
one of the movie's themes for the players, it's all
kind of no guts, no glory, and director co writer
Justin Tipping really tries to capture a lot as far

(19:40):
as like regarding the man the athlete, their pain, their sacrifice,
that feeling of invincibility, and at times, I will admit
his style and story works quite effectively, but other times
it fumbles and becomes sterile and predictable. This is via

(20:01):
indie wire piece called Finding the Horror in Sports. Just
in Tipping on him, He says Tipping had two sets
of visual references for the film. I ended up looking
for movies by directors of The Holy Mountain, Cooprick in
The Shining Adrian Leonard Jacob's Ladder for inspiration, while also
riffing on Nike ads and televised sporting events, and Tipping

(20:24):
is quote as sane and just anything Lynching with David
Lynch because of that uncanny valley of behavior that's neither
here nor there, but it's close enough to reality that
you buy it. So that makes sense. And I think
with that inspiration, his approach does benefit him in some aspects,
resulting in some interesting ideas at play. Visually, I think

(20:48):
there's a lot of interesting things going on, just in
the way that using the colors, and there's some lighting
choices that I think set certain mood, They set a
certain tone the compound where a lot of this, a
lot of the movie takes place it it can feel

(21:10):
safe and then turn around and feel sinister. There are
some and I think they're even in the trailers, but
I think I thought this was a nice choice. There's
a lot of X ray shots when someone hits someone else,
they kind of go in and you and you kind
of see something getting pounded, something getting shifted, something getting broken.

(21:32):
I thought, I thought it was a nice touch to
show the brutality that football can be of these of
these big hosses hitting each other. Performance Wise, Marlon Wayans,
I mean, I think it's the best of his career
for sure. I think he's only done scary movies and
white Chicks, so I don't know what you want to

(21:53):
compare it to, but he really is he He is
his character Isaiah White, his base, that Tom Brady of
this football world. And there's this intensity that I didn't
even know if Marlon Wayans could because obviously he's such
a popular figure in comedy. But he brings the intensity

(22:16):
and then some insanity. He is his character is, and
he says it more than once is in order of football,
family and God. It's in that order. But he he's
quite commanding here and for what does work it you

(22:37):
tipping had to have that, and I think Marlon Wayans
understood the assignment. It was a nice and welcoming surprise,
just with with what he was able to bring to
it and the force that he is on as is
Isaiah White. Tyreek Withers, he was in He's been in

(22:59):
some stuff, but he is in that I know what
you did last Summer Legacy sequel, which also I didn't
really like, but but he was in that earlier this year.
I think I think he delivers a strong performance here.
I mean again, try to go toe to toe, helmet
to helmet, face to face with Marlon Wayans. I mean,

(23:19):
is appears to be a tough task just because of,
like I said, the intensity that that Wayans is bringing,
and there's a lot of that kind of physical physicality
to it. But but Tarik Withers is his character. He's
he's kind of being handed the reins here, portraying the

(23:40):
kind of the next goat. But he worships Isaiah uh
and since a kid because you know it came from
his father. And he ends up suffering to some random
attack that kind of puts his career in jeopardy and
so he ends up skipping the combine, which then ends
up he gets the chance because White offers basically a
deal he can't refuse. Which is to go and train

(24:01):
for a week with him, let him see how it's going,
because basically he's seen as White's replacement. And I mean,
why it would Withers be Why wouldn't he want to
go train with his idol physically? Withers is also a
perfect fit for this role. And now I know why

(24:23):
and you will too, because there's a Rolling Stone article
saying how Tyrek Withers went from the gridiron to the
big screen in Him and Withers was actually a former
Division one athlete who played wide receiver for the Florida
State Seminoles in twenty seventeen. They say, so he's the
perfect choice to portray Cam, and he says as a
formal football player, Withers says he was able to channel

(24:46):
Cam's athletic mindset, but he also realized the similarities between
him and the character went beyond the grid iron. He's
quoted saying, I think we all can attest and wanting
to be great at something. Following Cameron's journey, he rooted
improving himself to not only his parents, but the exterior
factors of coaches. It's a constant battle with what he
can and can't do and He's willing to commit his mind, soul,

(25:07):
and body to get to the other side of success.
The Jacksonville, Florida native underwent physical great physical condition for
the role, including a six day a week workout and
a three day week quarterback seminar with former NFL er
Jordan Palmer. Alongside with players vying to actually make it

(25:28):
into the NFL. Withers had never played quarterback at any
level and had to learn the signs of footwork, moving
in open space, importance of hip rotation, and the throwing motion.
Ends by saying to Withers, him transcends the game, serving
instead as a universal story of what we're willing to
sacrifice for our desires. He also appreciates the opportunity to
present a more realistic portrayal of football players, who are

(25:51):
often seen as the petitom of impassive masculinity. Did I
say that right, epitome? I need to learn how to read.
I think it's a peditome cam who grieves his father throughout.
The film allowed with us to show that even the
toughest men in the world have their contemplative moments on

(26:12):
the On the exterior, there's this I know what I'm doing.
But in the end, Tier it's like I'm this little
boy who just turned eighteen trying to figure it out.
Peditome nice, but for everything that, for everything him has
going for it, the movie cannot overcome its shortcomings. It's

(26:34):
feeling feudile and its overall examination of football and the physicality,
physicality obsession, and the toxic masculinity of it.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
All.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
The ending I felt like as a cop out in
a lot of ways, rather than kind of stating something
worthwhile about the mental and physical damage athletes suffer for
and why, as well as just the commitment to be
greater than great no matter the consequences. Tipping just goes
for blood and gore, and to me, that's boring. So

(27:06):
this is via our buddy Sean at six one five film.
This was his review, so some may consider this offering
him better than others will. But it's difficult not to
be a bit frustrated by a film with Pill's name
attached to it. Yes, he didn't write it or direct it,
but but if what he and his production company Monkey

(27:27):
Paul saw in acquiring this project had been more fleshed out,
it could have realized its potential, which is what we
hope for any which is what we hope for any
prospect to aspires to greatness and whatever sport they play.
I thought that was well said and basically sums up
what him is and what him could could have been.
And I leave you with tighten up. My Fixfix rating

(27:52):
for him is two and a half out of five.
A lot of that comes from again, visually, there are
some interesting eyes ideas. Withers and Whigans are are solid,
but there's so much that there's so much more that
they could have dove into, and it's just unfortunate. So

(28:13):
coming up next the one we've all been waiting for,
and I'm here to confirm Pta is a BMF and
I'll tell you why next. One battle after another. This

(28:36):
is Paul Thomas Anderson's latest. It's also his tenth film,
and you know, I didn't realize, but this one kind
of represents a lot of first for him.

Speaker 2 (28:47):
It's a.

Speaker 1 (28:49):
First of all, it's his first film to be in
or most of it be a modern day. I didn't
really think about that, but.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
It is.

Speaker 1 (29:01):
It's his biggest budget he's ever had, I think as
well over one hundred million, and the widest release any
of his films have ever gotten for one battle after another.
Pta there's I mean, he's talked about it. I've heard
DiCaprio say, but he's been working on this for like
twenty years, and I dare say it is his most bold,

(29:26):
audacious and visceral, visceral film to date. It's unlike anything
he's done before. I mean, this is like a screwball
action comedy thriller. There's also family drama. I mean, it's
so many, so many genres, but they blend in so

(29:50):
flawlessly and it's it's phenomenal. Before I go into the
Rotten Tomatoes synopsis, just a reminder that we he just
did a me Brettonstone. He just did a Paul Thomas
Anderson podcast that where we went over and discussed and
raked his other nine films. So give that a listen

(30:11):
to while you're at it. This is per Rotten Tomatoes.
Bob played by DiCaprio, is a washed up revolutionary who
lives in a state of stone paranoia, surviving off grid
with his spirited and self reliant daughter Willa played by
Chase Infinity. When his evil nemesis, that's Colonel Lockjaw played

(30:32):
by Sean Penn resurfaces and Willa goes missing. The former
radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter
battle the consequences of their past. So this is actually
loosely based on a book by Thomas Pension called Vineland

(30:52):
If you Don't If you Don't remember, Paul Thomas Anderson
adapted Inherent Vice from Thomas Pension, and uh, I mean,
that's my least favorite PTA film. But but this Vinelin,
and again it's very loose loosely based on PTA has

(31:13):
been working on this for quite a while, but it's
a nineteen ninety novel that basically follows his teenage daughter
of a former hippie as they search for her as
the search for her mother who was like this radical
from the sixties. The book is the book is in
like mid eighties, and it's sort of explores the collapse

(31:33):
of counter culture, the war on drugs, a lot of
Reagan era politics as well, but the the whole thing.
Like again, I would say that one chapter another is
Paul Thomas Anderson's most accessible movie. I'd say the first

(31:59):
probably I don't know, forty five minutes, maybe there is.
And I want to make sure, uh that we get
this right, but there is a uh. Teana Taylor plays

(32:22):
uh Perfidia and uh, I think Perfidia Beverly Hills, and
a lot of that is really about her and kind
of their the resistance that she's a part of. That
has Bob, who I mean went by Rocketman, goes by

(32:43):
a lot of names, but Bob ends up becoming his
uh when he becomes in like witness protection, has to
get out of town. Uh. I shouldn't say witness protection
because he's certainly not with the government, but he goes
into hiding. They got to change his name. But uh,
but it's really all about kind of her and kind
of what they're doing, and it's very grounded, it's very

(33:05):
it's very familiar to a lot of what is in
the headlines and what is in the news today. And
there's a lot of imagery that I think where we
have been witnessing for quite a while. So it definitely
it's definitely relevant, definitely resonates, but a lot of that
is kind of that. And then the relationship between Bob

(33:28):
and Beverly Hills, and then obviously they have the daughter Willa,
and the movie really takes a turn once their mother
is caught and Bob and Willa have to become Bob
and Willa and have to go into hiding. And that's

(33:49):
when everything comes because Captain Stephen Colonel Captain Colonel Stephen
Lockjaw played by Sean Penn, and he we get introduced
to him early on in the opening sequence of of

(34:10):
the French seventy five, which is part part of the
revolutionary group that Beverly Hills and Bob are part of.
They go into this detention camp center and and that's
when they first meet Lockjaw, and that ends up in
a domino effect of setting off this hunt that Lockjaw

(34:36):
pursues and is relentless in his pursuit. But also there
is this, without giving too much away, he Beverly Hills
in him, there's some there's an attraction there as well,
especially I think within this kind of power dynamic. And
I'll leave it at that, but that will not be

(34:56):
the last That won't be the last time that they
see mister lockjawl We're talking about the whole thing, like
the the whole film is. I mean, listen, it's two
hours and forty minutes, but I promise you it's the
quickest two hours and forty minutes that you may ever

(35:19):
be a part of it is it's relentless, it's propulsive,
the way that the shots are, this way the shots are,
the way the camera works, the editing, it's it's almost
in a once once uh, Willa kind of goes to

(35:39):
her school dance, it's sort of kind of pedal to
the uh, pedal to the metal on the on the
way that the story goes and the way things unfold,
and it's, like I said, it's a it's that's when
it really sort of gets to this kind of thrilling element.

(36:01):
And that's when kind of DiCaprio kind of kicks into
gear two and and and we'll get we'll get to
the performance here in a minute. But it's so I
think what's great, and especially especially in the first forty
five minutes, it's very much politically charged, uh but and

(36:22):
it's action fueled throughout. So you've got both of these
elements along with being tactile and playful. It kind of
gets more playful again once we kind of get past
their mother being caught and we go sixteen years later
and Bob and Willa, So there is there's that, and

(36:44):
of course I mean we already talked about with uh
the paranoia that's that's that's going on, But it is,
I mean, it's hilarious. I don't think for something the
way that especially the film begins and sort of the
things are happening, especially with Lockjaw's care where it is,
it can be quite disturbing, it's actually quite funny, and

(37:06):
Benicio del Toro's sense a character adds a lot to that,
but also so does DiCaprio, and again we'll get to
those in a minute. It's really I'm I'm almost amazed
of and I shouldn't be, just considering who Pta is.
I think he's more than proven himself. But it's the

(37:29):
whole film, from beginning to end is it's exciting and
it's exhilarating and but and it's also just like it's
pure entertaining and that that means a lot just as
a just as a common moviegoer. There is a lot

(37:53):
that deals with uh generational ideology. Uh that's a big
propon it here and sort of how what Willa's parents
were fighting for and I think in in most ways
had failed at is different than Willa and kind of
what what's what is their fight and sort of what

(38:17):
what does she believe and what they what her parents
used to believe, and do they still believe and and
this kind of takes different forms, uh, throughout one's life.
When when you're young and then you know, now Bob
is just basically a pothead, and you know he's he's

(38:38):
he's not really putting up that good fight that they
once did. But then it also feels like is it
getting passed down in a way, because I'm sure Bob
and Will have had discussions on kind of what he believes,
what what her mom believed, and but you know, the
the thing is is that no matter what, and again
it's you know, the the politics of it and the

(39:02):
just the full on kind of like pursuit the chase
that Lockjaw is doing with this kind of French seventy
five and getting all of its rounding up all of
its members and the car chases, which I'll get into
that there's an awesome one at the end, but there's
a lot of action throughout, but there's but there always

(39:23):
comes back to I felt like it always kind of
comes back to the many layers of what freedom is.
There's the freedom I think in the most purest form.
And then there's kind of freedom of freedom from your parents,
freedom from spouse, freedom is being a parent, and then
that freedom of wanting to be on your own, wanting

(39:46):
to have your own set of rules, your own beliefs.
And then and I think this is a common theme
and I think we touched on it in our PTA podcast,
but that at the end of the day, this really
is a father daughter movie, which I mean, again, I
think most of his films have always been about family,

(40:10):
and this one is is is no exception if I've
been talking about let's get into the let's get into
the performances here. Sorry, let me donlink this. Oh the

(40:30):
uh so, let's start with DiCaprio.

Speaker 2 (40:32):
This is a.

Speaker 1 (40:36):
He's funny in it. He's charming, of course, but he's
kind of I mean, he is a pretty big goofball,
which which makes sense. I don't know if anybody who's
seen the previews. Most of the movie he's in a bathrobe,
running around getting into some shit with his bathrobe. And

(40:57):
then I read that, I know, I think he also
DiCaprio gave reference to a pacino in Dog Day Afternoon,
but that he also and I mean, this makes total
sense because, Uh, when we catch up with Bob sixteen
years later and Willa is a teenager, uh, clearly he
is not the guy he once was. Uh, and he's

(41:20):
and he makes comment about how pretty much his brain
has been fried. But he's a big stoner. So of
course he took some inspiration from the dude in The
Big Lebowski. And that really shows, you know, when when
we when like I said, when DiCaprio, when once we
kind of get to where it's just him and Willa
and and he has this funny exchange with one of

(41:43):
her friends who's picking her up for the dance, and
I mean again, it really DiCaprio starts to do what
he does best when we get to this portion, but
he's just he You can see that he's really not
only really disconnected from the world, but but specifically disconnected
from his daughter. And but once she is taken, he

(42:07):
is desperate to get her back. And even though he's
kind of thrown into this, into this kind of plan
of action and that he certainly cannot handle and he's
not really capable of doing, but it's his daughter and
he has no he has no choice. And it's funny

(42:27):
because there's times where like, because he used to be
a part of this revolutionary group, they have these codes
and he can't remember them, and he's he's needing their
help and times of ticking and so, and that ends
up kind of bringing him to Benisio del Toro's sense.
But it's funny because he can't remember. He can't remember stuff,
and he has these like outbursts, which is, you know,

(42:50):
it's kind of like a as he was and once
upon a time in Hollywood where he can't he forgets
his lines. He's in the trailer, he has a few
of those outbursts which are hilarious. But I feel like
DiCaprio has kind of hit this and I think he's
phenomenal at it. I think this is one of his
best performances ever. But I feel like since really the

(43:11):
kind of like Wolf of wall Street, he's kind of
really leaned into where he's not afraid to kind of
mix it up with drama and comedy, and Wolf of
wall Street kind of felt like the first time I'd
really kind of seen that side where he's going to
be silly.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
You know.

Speaker 1 (43:28):
A lot of it was like the physical comedy that
he had in there. I just rewatched where he was
on those pills and he's trying to get to the
car and he opens the door of his foot and
stuff like that, and so he's great. I hope he
gets all the award recognition. I think Sean Penn is

(43:48):
gonna be the one that ends up kind of stealing
the spotlight. But the whole cast is great. But what
DiCaprio does in here and that fine balance as also
just and being basically the dude in an action movie
where he has no right even doing some of the
stuff he's doing. And uh, DiCaprio in some interviews i'd

(44:09):
seen where him in Pta, he wanted to make sure
that even when he's even when his character Bob seems
to sort of kind of be putting together and getting
getting where he needs to go, he does. He keeps failing,
he keeps falling. But and while funny, it also there

(44:30):
is this sense of like, yeah, you know what, he
he's not the same, he's not Rocketman from sixteen years ago.
And it's I don't know it, it really is. It
works out great for for who this for who this
guy is. And anyway DiCaprio meanlessen, He's he's he's one

(44:50):
of the greats. So uh and this is just another
sensational performance that that he delivers. Sean Penn as lockjaw Ah.
He's very unsettling, he's menacing, he's vile. But there is
a piece of this character that is and I would

(45:13):
say probably a huge piece of it actually, even though
I don't think everyone sees it, but the scenes where
he wants to join this group is that he's really
seeking acceptance. There's just this venomous masculinity that kind of

(45:33):
boils underneath this guy's like deep insecurities and he I
really didn't know what to expect. I'd heard that, you know,
this could be Sean Pinn's like next like big role.
He could you know, could get nominated, he could win,
He's a front runner for Sporting Actor all this stuff.
But I get it. I totally get it now because

(45:54):
he there is this and uh, Brett's what's he's was
texting me telling about. Just the sheer physicality of what
Penn brings is astounding. He there's this way that he

(46:14):
that he kind of carries himself. There's this posture, he
does these things with his face. He has this very
sort of in a hurry kind of rushing, sort of
robotic walk that he does. I mean, he just embodies
this character so well, and it seems not a likable

(46:35):
character at all. And I mean his introduction at the
beginning of the movie, I mean already tells you there's
there's something up with this guy. But but but Pitt,
I mean, this is one of his best performances ever,
and I think probably the best in I don't know
how many years. I mean, I do think as far

(46:58):
as this film, you can not he's probably one of
the first things his Colonel lockjaw is one of the
first things you'll you'll think about for for most things
that were heinous and awful, that this character what he
represents as far as this narcissism and this racism. But
but I also feel like there is more, there's more

(47:21):
things involved, that the character is just not pure evil,
even though he certainly can come off like that.

Speaker 2 (47:30):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (47:30):
There's uh Tiana Taylor, who I was talking about as
as Beverly Hills. H she is a fiery character.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (47:43):
That first kind of forty five minutes where we're kind
of establishing the French seventy five and everything that's gonna
it's gonna go on with Bob and the relationship that
would result in in her getting caught. She's in charge,
like she is dominance, that's what she repped sense. She's
used to being in charge. You can kind of tell

(48:04):
that right from the get go when she talks to DiCaprio,
when she talks to to Sean Penn, and even when
she's even when she's pregnant, she's she's not the let's
just say, she's not the motherly type. And so but
I I do think her character feels like to me

(48:30):
to be one of the most, if not the most
complicated character because of what kind of the personality that
she has, the fight that she wants to bring, but
also being a mother and being in control, and there's
just a lot at play there with with her character.

(48:52):
I will say that she's not in it as much
as maybe the trailer or the or anything may perceive.
But it's but obviously she's she's it's a very crucial role.
But I think there's a lot that's underneath that character.
Especially all of them have layers to them. I mean,
Paul Thomas Anderson can write the hell out of some characters.

(49:13):
But but there's just something about her that I just
found where I even would say there I would be
interested in even kind of seeing more of of of her.
But I do like where they kind of separate and
then start telling the story of just getting the daughter back.
But but yeah, I feel like there's there's some more,

(49:37):
some more layers to be peeled on on for her.
But she's great. She's great in it, Uh, Chase Infinity,
she was in she was in some show. I think
she was one of the kids and presumed innocent, the
Jake Gyllenhaal Apple series, which was phenomenal if you haven't
seen that. But this is her first film, and she's

(50:00):
she is tremendous. The the confidence that she has as
an actor, the courage that her character portrays. She is
the she's the emotion, She's the heart of the of
the film. There has been I've read and interviews where

(50:24):
they finally kind of like that a lot of people
auditioning and and Chase came in and kind of blew
them away, and kind of the chemistry with her and
DiCaprio was obviously very important because this father daughter relationship
is vital to everything else going on. I think there
was one where DiCaprio is like, if if we can't

(50:44):
get behind her and we're not believing in her and
in what she's doing and the relationship that she has
with her father, the rest of it will fall apart.
And seeing it totally makes sense. But there is absolutely
no sign of anything falling apart, and and that she
is I if this is like to me, this feels

(51:08):
like a star is born type of situation for for
Chase Infinity. And then we get to Benicio del Toro.

Speaker 2 (51:15):
I love him.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
I loved him in the Phoenician Scheme earlier this year.

Speaker 2 (51:19):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (51:19):
He plays a a since who actually teaches Willa uh karate,
but Bob ends upcoming to him for help. I think
we've you know, I think we've seen that kind of
play out in the trailers that they've shown. But there's
a thing that comes from Nina Simon that basically says,

(51:41):
I'll tell you you know what is freedom and he
says no fear and uh, and del Toro's character lives it.
He is the scenes he ends. First of all, there's
there's there's great scene partners between del Toro and DiCaprio. Uh,
but there's this coolness and this calmness about this character

(52:04):
when things are not going great and Bob is paranoid
and panicking and trying to figure everything out and running
all around, he just he he the way that he
moves and the way and I love the scene where
he kind of goes back into the apartment and he's
kind of doing his own revolutionary acts and of harboring

(52:28):
people for safety. And but the way that he comes
in and the way it moves, and the way that
like you can see how much of everything is so
planned out while there's so much chaos happening. And but
in del Toro's since a character just keeps it together,

(52:48):
like never even even has time to give DiCaprio a
beer while he also has a beer. It's he's fabulous
in it. I really like him. He's one stellars the
and say, moving on, I wanted to focus. So there's
a Forbes piece called twenty Years in the making. One

(53:08):
battle after another was like putting a lego together, and
it says while the human drama and family are central
themes in one battle after another, the thriller isn't light
on action. What did Anderson learn from these scenes? And
I loved it. I learned that it's a lot more
boring than it looks when you see it in a film.

Speaker 2 (53:28):
He laughs.

Speaker 1 (53:29):
It certainly doesn't give you the intense satisfaction that it does.
Working hand in hand in the scene with the actors,
that's the most fun that you can have, in the
most satisfying. Sometimes doing that kind of stuff is like
putting a lego together. You have pieces, you know you
need to get them, and sometimes you really have to
hand over the set to stunt coordinators. He mentions Adam Somner,
who is assistant director and producer. He's like, you have

(53:51):
to trust them to do the work, keep everybody safe,
to do it well, and you actually have to take
a backseat. You have to sit on your hands and
let them get about the work of doing it. And
I and one and one of the to the build
up of the release, I know that uh Spielberg has
said something about basically how the first hour of one
battle after another has more action than all of PTA's

(54:14):
other films combine. And I mean he's right, because I
mean again, this this truly is unlike anything that he's
done before. But it should also be no surprise that this,
I mean it's enthralling from beginning to end. There is
a there's there's action at the beginning. There is some shootouts,
some robberies. I mean, this is I mean for them,

(54:37):
this revolutionary. It's it's all kind of just consumed by
the by the revolution and the chaos that just totally
envelops it. But uh, and a lot of it is
the political violence of it and thinking that that's how

(54:57):
the message should be sent. So it's a lot of
action shootouts, but there is a car chase that is
towards the end, and it's extraordinary. The shots that are
used to create it is thrilling as can be. It
literally feels like you're on a wild roller coaster in

(55:22):
the middle of nowhere in the desert, up and down
the hills. And I'm not gonna spoil anything. It's basically
comes down to three cars and three people and I
was smiling the whole time. A part of that same
Forbes piece, they ask how that they said, here's how

(55:45):
Johnny Greenwood's score was key to PTA achieving his own
one battle after another vision. Johnny Greenwood has worked with
PTA before. Johnny Greenwood's part Radiohead. It says a trademark
of Anderson's film is a killer soundtrack, and one battle
after another is no different. Once again, the film sees
there's anette reuniting of the long term collaborator PTA. Johnny

(56:09):
Greenwood said, he's involved from the very beginning and has
had this script for a long time. He's been writing music,
but the important part is then hearing it. PTA continues, said,
we would watch dailies, we would be able to play
the music that he was writing along with it, so
everybody starts to really get a sense and understanding of
the tone. Everybody gets that same music in their bodies

(56:31):
and it helps push us all along on a similar journey.
It makes it exciting. Watching an hour of dailies of
cars driving on hills can be really boring unless there's
something compulsive behind it. So they had a sneak preview
of that talking to something very specific, very elon hearing
Steely Dan's dirty Work on the way to work one morning,
coming in to play it for Leo, and I said,
I think at the last minute, here I found your

(56:53):
theme song. And yet and by the end that car
chase that that I was talking about that's mentioned there,
that score totally amplifies everything, and it's it's magnificent. Uh
continue on piece says, it's another little piece of art
that you really hold in your pockets as you're trying
to build something in pieces. It's always helpful to have

(57:16):
something like music to grasp onto. We can all understand
and feel what the rhythm is and the melody lines.
It's an integral part of any film, but particularly acute
here the one battle after another. Director concludes, Johnny's music
is always unique and special. We got a sneak preview
of where this was going, what the tension was going
to be, and what we needed to sustain. So it's

(57:37):
a tremendous luxury to work like that, and it's because
Johnny steps ahead of us. The score again incredible, it's
it's really it's even though you can't see it, the
score here, really it's an incredibly it's an incredible character

(58:00):
that is heard and felt immensely, and it's one of
the best I have heard. And the way that it
the way that it plays, and sometimes it's it's sometimes
it's kind of like a little bit of of just
a like a you kind of hear one certain key
or note and then there's times where I mean, it's

(58:22):
in full force and it's awesome.

Speaker 2 (58:26):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (58:27):
One about aft another I could honestly, I I just
recently saw this and I'm sort of putting my thoughts
together even as I'm speaking to you. But I could
go on for another day or two. Uh, and not
not all of this is even the whole the film
itself hasn't even fully processed, I think for me. But

(58:47):
I think in the big scheme of things, with everything said,
I think it's an absolute triumph of what PTA has done.
I think it it's it also so serves as much
as it is about family, and that again that is
the heart of it, the father daughter relationship. It's also

(59:09):
it's a rally cry for to like to inspire change,
not in the violent way that is depicted early on,
because obviously it didn't work and it ended up ended
up being very costly, where you know, Willa and her
father are both paying for for she's paying for her

(59:32):
parents' past. But it's also it's I can't think of
another film, especially within this time, that is not as
urgent or as timely as this one. And the fact
that PTA has been working on this for almost twenty
years and even being loosely based off of.

Speaker 2 (59:53):
A book.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
It's amazing of just how relevant it is, like right now,
how how much of a how much of a reality
this film is and it the only thing I can
compare it to is sort of what Eddington did earlier

(01:00:17):
this year. That was done by Ari Astor as far
as dealing with the COVID and the pandemic. But even
this is on a is on a different level. It's
on a it's it's it's it's really something to see
in theaters. I've seen where people Sean from six one

(01:00:39):
five film he texted me, uh the other day and said,
maybe the film of the decade so far, I've seen
where it's been. You know, one bell aft another has
been called the film of our times and it's a
modern American masterpiece. And you know what, I think all
of that could be true. I know, I definitely know

(01:01:04):
this it. The film gets more consequential and powerful as
each day passes for me, So I'll be talking about
this one for a long time, but I am going
to wrap it up on this one. One battle after another,
in case you can't tell, is my first five out

(01:01:27):
of five of twenty twenty five, right it's so well
deserving of everything that has been said about that. I've
seen where people are like, oh my gosh, it's getting
this is way too much hype. It delivers on the hype.
I haven't nearly done it as much justice as you

(01:01:48):
going to see it for yourself. So that does it
for another volume of these cinema chronicles again, I'm your host,
Brandon Vick.

Speaker 2 (01:01:57):
Make sure to.

Speaker 1 (01:02:00):
Subscribe, come out, listen, watch, read, whatever you want to
do on Nashville Movie Dispatch dot substack dot com. We
got stuff for the Nashville Film Festival. We've got a
PTA podcast that would would would be it goes greatly
with what I've just done. So so yeah, until next time,

(01:02:22):
until next month, just go see a damn movie. Go