MARTY SUPREME (2025)

December 22, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. We give thanks to the movie Gods for filmmakers like Josh Safdie, as there is zero chance that he will ever make a movie that bores us. This is his first solo movie in many years after frequent collaborations with his brother, Benny (UNCUT GEMS, 2019; GOOD TIME, 2017). But fear not, because working alongside the writer-director are other frequent collaborators: screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, cinematographer Darius Khondji, composer Daniel Lopatin, and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi.

The film opens in 1952 New York City where Marty Mauser (two-time Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet) is working as a shoe salesman, barely managing to stay a half-step ahead of bill collectors. Marty uses the shoe storage room for quickies with childhood friend Rachel (Odessa A’zion, SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE, 2023), who is married to a stereotypical inner-city brute named Ira (Emory Cohen). Rachel much prefers Marty, while also realizing his big dreams of greatness and grandeur prevent him from ever settling down for family life. It’s startling how quickly we come to understand the personalities here.

Marty manages to get himself to the table tennis championship tournament where his skill in the game is almost as obvious as his too-big-for-his-britches persona. He’s all American in that his arrogance shines through his fast-talking entitlement … diametrically opposite to his Japanese opponent in the finals. Marty’s hustler instincts score him a luxury hotel upgrade as well as an introduction to once-popular movie star Kay Stone (Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow) and her husband (played by “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary). Marty smooth-talks one of them into bed, while attempting to fast-talk the other into a business deal.

If you’ve seen previous Safdie films, you know he thrives on a frenetic pace and characters who create chaos. As an example, we are subjected to a cringe-inducing honey-licking visual, as well as a bathtub accident and related dog incident, both succeeding in generating shock value. This is a hectic story about a chaotic guy (supposedly loosely based on real life ping pong player/entertainer Marty Reisman). After losing in the tournament finals, our Marty endures a crazy year that includes ping pong against a seal and performing halftime showboating at Globetrotters games – his work properly described as a vaudeville act.

Safdie sprinkles in some familiar faces throughout, including NBA legend Geroge Gervin, Fran Drescher (as Marty’s mom), Larry Sloman, Sandra Bernhard, and film director Abel Ferrera (in a key role as a dog owner). We even get (musician) Tyler the Creator as Marty’s hustling cohort. Sharp-eyed basketball fans might spot Kemba Walker and Tracy McGrady as Globetrotters. Marty’s crazy year does culminate with him finding a way to Japan for the next world championship tournament, where kissing a pig becomes the big risk. Some of Marty’s antics may sometimes be in the mold of the Three Stooges, but he’s clearly very talented at table tennis … it’s just the ‘life with integrity’ thing that he finds difficult – even drawing in Rachel and Kay. The ending is not unlike many sports movies, but the path Marty and Safdie lead us down is absolutely unique and entertaining.

Opens in theaters on Christmas Day 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

EDDINGTON (2025)

July 17, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s frightening to see how societal norms and individual behavior have shifted over the past five years. It seems clear that the COVID Pandemic was a turning point … or at a minimum, an accelerant. Writer-director Ari Aster (MIDSOMMER, 2019; HEREDITARY, 2018) uses this as a theme in this Neo-noir Western that takes place in a small fictional town in 2020 New Mexico as the pandemic was kicking into gear.

You should know upfront that Aster serves up a giant pot of cinematic vegetable soup. Topics touched on include: politics, racism, pedophilia, Antifa, gun rights, Black Lives Matter, White guilt, envy, divisiveness, murder, conspiracy theories, George Floyd, David Hogg, face masks, social distancing mandates, cults, ambition, abortion, and Native American land rights. If that’s not enough for you, the film also includes an abundance of dark comedy and the final act features a barrage of violence. Just writing that is exhausting, yet nowhere near as exhausting as watching this film.

Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix (JOKER, 2019) stars as Sheriff Joe Cross, an odd man in a white hat who dares challenge his rival, the sitting town Mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) for the office in the upcoming election. Cross is the one who eschews wearing a mask, while Garcia is the smooth-talking type who encourages commitment to the mandates. The differences between the men are obvious when we see Garcia’s heart-warming (pandering) TV ad as contrasted to Cross’ campaign car sign with “You’re” spelled “Your”. The two men don’t like each other, a situation exacerbated by rumors of a long-ago incident between Garcia and Cross’ wife, Louise (two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone).

Being ill-equipped to run an election, even with the assistance of his two deputies, Michael (Michael Ward, EMPIRE OF LIGHT, 2022) and Guy (Luke Grimes, “Yellowstone”), isn’t the extent of Cross’ problems. His marriage to Louise is rocky at best, and having her mother, Dawn (Deidre O’Connell, a talented actor in TV and movies since the 1980’s) live with them and spew her conspiracy theories only adds to the bumpy ride. Things get worse for Joe when Louise grows close to charismatic but vacuous cult leader Vernon (Austin Butler) … a guru who manages to calmly say things that rile folks up in a hollow-cause kind of way.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji works his magic with a film that bounces all over the place thematically. In traditional Westerns, it was always good versus evil; however, this contemporary version is more political and seems to lack any people who are actually good. Joaquin Phoenix goes all in for his role, and Pedro Pascal continues to prove he can play just about any character. Emma Stone and Austin Butler take on minor roles, while Deidre O’Connell gets to shine in a couple of scenes. Don’t believe for a second that filmmaker Aster is attempting to explain how we’ve reached this moment. It’s more a snapshot in time of how people react under extreme pressure and how everyone has a snapping point. Is the film provocative or is Aster just having fun stirring the pot? Talk amongst yourselves (after watching).

Opens in theaters on July 18, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

BARDO: FALSE CHRONICLES OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS (2022)

November 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Many filmmakers mine their own lives for projects, making their work personal, revealing, and sometimes invasive. It’s easy to label these works as narcissistic, and by definition, that would be accurate. However, some of the finest films from our most interesting writer-directors fall into the autobiographical (or semi-autobiographical) category. Examples include Fellini’s 8 ½ (1963), Cameron Crowe’s ALMOST FAMOUS, and Woody Allen’s STARDUST MEMORIES. This time it’s Oscar winner Alejandro Inarritu looking inward. Inarritu won his Oscars for THE REVENANT (2015), and his previous nominations include BIRDMAN (2014) and BABEL (2006), and those are in addition to his other standouts: BIUTIFUL (2010), 21 GRAMS (2003), and AMORES PERROS (2000). He’s joined on this project by his BIUTIFUL and BIRDMAN co-writer, Nicolas Giacobone.

The film begins with a Terrence Malick-like dream sequence of a man leaping and flying through the desert as his shadow follows below. Next, we see a woman giving birth in a hospital as her husband lends support. Only this time, the mother and doctor agree that the baby didn’t want to come out, so they put him “back in.” The father is Silverio (Daniel Gimenez Cacho, (BAD EDUCATION 2004, CRONOS 1993), and it’s quite obvious he is representing our real-life director, Mr. Inarritu. A few years later we are informed that Silverio, a respected journalist and documentarian, has become the first Mexican selected for a prestigious award in the United States.

Griselda Siciliani plays Lucia, Silverio’s wife, and she is integral to his life, yet we witness much of his life outside of their relationship. The film struck me as a metaphysical exercise as an artist turns his lens into selfie mode. It seems as though Inarritu is coming to grips … and sharing his philosophy with us … that emotions drive the reality of our truth. Stated another way, truth is an illusion of emotion. Our emotion skews how we view everything. Additionally, he examines (his own) midlife crisis, and the corresponding insecurities, dreams, fantasies, and doubts. And since much of this occurs in his native Mexico, spiritual and cultural aspects enter into what we see, as does the uncertainty of time as an element.

Inarritu and cinematographer Darius Khondji capture some startling imagery, including a sequence on the dance floor, a segment where bodies drop in the street, and a bag of Axolotls being held on the train. Much of the film has a surreal look and feel, but then there are moments that are more emotionally grounded – like the terrific rooftop exchange between Silverio and his friend Luis (Francisco Rubio). In contrast to that heartfelt conversation, there are the moments when Silverio seems to be heard by others without his speaking. “Move your mouth when you speak”, he is told … yet, his thoughts are conveyed.

The use of sound is masterful, and is crucial to numerous scenes. A second watch will allow me to more fully appreciate this aspect. However, at two hours and thirty-nine minutes, Inarritu likely had many thoughts and ideas, and we find ourselves wishing things were a bit tighter on the editing side. Still, while the film may be self-indulgent and ego-driven, it’s also spectacular and stunning filmmaking. There are some slyly comedic touches, and the best may when this Netflix production doesn’t shy away from taking a jab at its competitor, Amazon.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

UNCUT GEMS (2019)

December 23, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s debatable whether this movie should be labeled an indie crime thriller or a ‘Scared Straight’ session for gambling addicts. Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie are filmmaking brothers who seem to specialize in adding a frenetic pace to the lives of characters who consistently make bad decisions. Their excellent 2017 film GOOD TIME (starring Robert Pattinson) set the tone for their latest, featuring an Adam Sandler performance unlike anything we’ve previously seen from him.

After a brief prologue at an Ethiopian mine, we are dropped right into Howard’s world. Well, more specifically, we find ourselves on the camera end of Howard Ratner’s colonoscopy, while also seeing the vibrant glow of the rare opal extracted from that opening mine. Remarkably, the colonoscopy may be Howard’s (and our) most relaxing moment of the movie. The character of Howard is based on a guy the Safdie brothers’ dad worked for in the Diamond District when they were growing up. He’s played here by Mr. Sandler, who delivers a performance so memorable that we now can’t imagine anyone else in the role.

Here is what we learn about Howard: he’s arrogant and foolish and energetic and hopeful. He lives life on the edge … or perhaps he’s already tipped. He’s a Jewish jeweler based in inner-city Manhattan, and as the film begins, he owes a lot of money to someone who has hired goons to collect. Howard has an irascible wife Dinah (Idina Menzel, Elsa’s voice in FROZEN) who is fed up with his antics … one of which is his employee/mistress Julia (newcomer Julia Fox). Howard has an insatiable gambling addiction and he’s always on the brink of a life-changing big score or a colossal failure that could cost him everything. He’s a hustler who has to move faster each day to prevent the collapse of his house of cards: sports bets, pawns, loans, lies, and empty promises.

So if you think you now have a feel for this, I can assure you that you are mistaken. The frenetic pace is relentless to watch. We kind of like Howard, but yet, we want nothing to do with him. His latest scheme involves the expectation that the rare opal will solve his many financial woes. In the meantime, his business associate Demany (LaKeith Stanfield) brings him a high profile client … NBA player Kevin Garnett. The film looks and feels like a gritty 1970’s flick, but it’s based during the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, and Garnett plays himself (and quite well). Garnett borrows the opal for good luck and that’s when all ‘heck’ breaks loose. Also in play here is Howard’s rotten brother-in-law (Eric Begosian), to whom he also owes money. Adding even more NYC flavor are Judd Hirsch, John Amos, and sports radio host Mike Francesca, as Howard’s bookie.

Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) provides an electronic score that helps ensure we are never comfortable watching what is unfolding, and cinematographer Darius Khondji (EVITA) keeps his camera in constant motion – just like the characters. Production Designer Sam Lisenco creates Howard’s world through the jewelry shop, the house, the apartment, and especially that back office. Set Decorator Kendall Anderson wins a place in my heart for the Pete Maravich poster.

The Safdie brothers co-wrote the script with their editor Ronald Bronstein (who also worked on GOOD TIME), and afterwards you’ll find yourself going back through all the poor choices made by most every character. The brilliantly sustained level of uneasiness includes a segment featuring The Weeknd, and one revolving around a school play for Howard’s daughter. The Safdie style is present throughout, and most conversations are loud and heated and threatening. If you are the type that needs at least one likable character, or a serene environment, or respectful adult conversation, you are out of luck here. Howard is an exhausting character in an exhausting story within an exhausting movie … just as it was intended.

watch the RED BAND trailer (PROFANITY WARNING):

 

 

1 Comment | Comedy, Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson