Greetings again from the darkness. There will likely be a very distinct line of demarcation between those who ‘dig’ DIGGER and those who don’t. Director Alejandro Inarritu, who won Oscars for THE REVENANT (2015) and BIRDMAN (THE UNEXPTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE, 2014) and a list of five esteemed writers (Sabina Berman, Jez Butterworth, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolas Giacobone, Inarritu) seemingly crafted a film that looks amazing, while intentionally angering or annoying or confusing a big chunk of movie goers. Not only will those who prefer traditional storytelling be frustrated, the politics involved will surely irritate many (and drive some nasty comments).
The studio has requested that no spoilers or hints be included in reviews, so I will tread extremely lightly here. An added reason is that the film is certainly best viewed ‘cold’ or with no preconceptions. If you’ve seen the video, you know immediately that this is a much different Tom Cruise character than the strutting, cocky, too-cool-for-school Ethan Hunt that he’s portrayed in numerous “Mission: Impossible” films. It’s his best non-action role since MAGNOLIA (1999), and also his most exuberant (some will say over-the-top). Under prosthetics that transform him into a man that looks his actual age, Cruise becomes Digger Rockwell, a man of enormous wealth, influence, and ego. Cruise has a couple of extended single takes, one of which is mesmerizing in the sheer amount of dialogue he recites and the physicality he displays.
As you would expect, many actors jump at the chance to work on an Inarritu film, and here the cast includes Oscar winner Riz Ahmed as Dr. Ganesh, John Goodman as President Compson, Michael Stuhlbarg as the Vice President, Sandra Huller (one of my 3 favorite actresses since TONI ERDMAN, 2016), Robert John Burke as Fitzgerald, and Jesse Plemons as Kenny. Ahmed is excellent in his role, while Goodman makes his mark with world class bellowing. Huller’s smaller role is a bit disappointing, but fortunately she has a starring role in Pawel Pawlikowski’s new film, FATHERLAND.
Even beyond the studio restrictions, I’m at a bit of a loss as how best to review this film. It’s likely meant to be satire as it takes on big issues like contemporary politics, global issues, ecological concerns, and socio-economic fallout. My view is that it’s a blend of Kubrick’s classic DOCTOR STRANGELOVE and some Coen Brothers films (minus the hilarity), topped off with editorial commentary on backroom politics and corporate greed. Controlling the narrative is a clear objective of these characters. The film takes one huge change of direction early on, and then another much later … the second being easier to foresee. These shifts will definitely challenge viewers, while also leaning into the creativity noted by those of us who find things to admire about the film.
Inarritu’s team is as superb as expected. Three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki expertly handles the VistaVision cinematography, while Oscar winner Dennis Gassner awes us with Production Design. As an added bonus, the song playing over the closing credits is the excellent (and quite fitting) “Look What They’ve Done to My Song, Ma” by Melanie. But then, not everyone will stick around that long.
Opens in theaters on October 2, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve always had an issue with movies that portray the human or “normal” side of Nazis. Of course, we understand these were human beings – many caught in a no-win situation of self-preservation; however, we just find it so difficult to accept that decent people could carry out these orders of atrocities. Writer-director Jonathan Glazer (UNDER THE SKIN, 2013, SEXY BEAST, 2000, and numerous music videos) has loosely adapted the screenplay from the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, who passed away the same day the movie premiered at Cannes.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s not really possible to combine a murder trial with divorce proceedings, but this year’s Palme d’Or winner at Cannes comes about as close as we can imagine. Writer-director Justine Triet and co-writer (and husband) Arthur Harari wrap a ‘did she or didn’t she’ murder mystery in a relationship drama that plays out in a gripping courtroom drama. As for the title, there is an actual fall which leads to the dissecting of the slow fall of the marriage, as well as the emotional fall of having one’s entire life laid bare in a public setting.
Greetings again from the darkness. The thing about humans is that we are always looking towards the future to see how we can make things easier, better, or more exciting. This is often with an eye towards more fuel-efficient cars, smaller and more powerful computers, and more effective medical treatments. Writer-director Maria Schrader and co-writer Jan Schomburg have adapted the short story from Emma Braslavsky and turn the lens to relationships and love. Is it possible to advance inter-personal relations to the point of perfection? Would that even be desirable or preferable to the messiness that’s gone on since the beginning of time?
Greetings again from the darkness. It seems reasonable to ask why someone didn’t take it upon themselves to stop Hitler before things went so far. Of course we now have 80 years of hindsight to benefit our thoughts, but surely there were those who recognized the reign of terror brewing. The 2017 international best-selling novel, “Munich”, by Robert Harris, has been adapted for the screen by writer Ben Powers, and is directed by Christian Schwochow. It has the look and feel of a political spy thriller, right down to the clandestine meetings, smoking jackets, and heavy mahogany furniture in the conference rooms.
