JohnLeguizamo – Credits Rolling

After the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) wants nothing more than to travel home to Ithaca and back to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and his son Thelmachus (Tom Holland). Throughout the course of his ten year voyage, Odysseus comes across many creatures that threaten his life. But with perseverance and the help of his men, he vows to never give up.

Coming off the heels of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan shocked fans when he announced that his next feature film would be an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Unlike anything he had done up until that point, it was a risk that audiences all over the world would wait in bated breath for. As the days counted down and the release drew closer and closer, the film grew into being one of, if not the most anticipated of the year. While the acclaimed director is not afraid to take risks, all eyes were still on him and he delivered yet another masterpiece.

I don’t think I have ever seen a film that featured so many major name in cinema. In addition to Damon, Hathaway and Holland, there was also Robert Pattinson, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Himesh Patel, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o and Samantha Morton. Some of these casting choices may have been questionable at first; if a project has so many big names attached to it, the chances of it succeeding is not always a given. Although many of these actors only had limited screen time, every single one of them used what time they did have to their advantage and delivered phenomenal performances. Damon and Hathaway in particular were outstanding and I would be shocked if they didn’t receive Oscar nominations for their roles. I was also very impressed with Patel’s Eurylochus who was a true pillar for Damon’s Odysseus.

Truly a feast for the eyes, the cinematography and landscapes were elevated to a whole other level. Nolan is known for his on location shootings and this just made the story feel more real. Spanning across Morocco, Greece, Iceland and Scotland to name a few, each were expertly chosen and built upon to create some incredible sets. Combined with a masterful score from Ludwig Göransson that matched every scene and gave it a whole new meaning, every single one of my senses were heightened.

I had initially been worried that I wouldn’t understand the story and therefore not enjoy myself. One I realized what it was actually about, I was able to fully immerse myself. That being said, I did feel the run time and felt like it could have been a little bit shorter. I was also thrown off course with the use of modern American English. It was a choice I’m not sure I would have made.

The Odyssey is another Nolan epic. He took a big risk and it completely paid off. With its sprawling locations and brilliant performances, it just worked. I’m sure this will be another awards season darling and I am looking forward to seeing it all unfold.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Welcome to Hawthorne.

The most exclusive restaurant around, only a select few are chosen to come and dine. On this particular occasion are couple Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) as well as food critic Lilian (Janet McTeer) and her editor Ted (Paul Adelstein), wealthy couple Richard (Reed Birney) and Anne (Judith Light), movie star George (John Leguizamo) and his assistant Felicity (Aimee Carrero) and business partners Soren (Arturo Castro), Dave (Mark St. Cyr) and Bryce (Rob Yang). What starts off as an evening of excitement soon takes a dramatic turn. It will be a night none of them will ever forget.

Where do I even begin with The Menu?

My expectations for this were sky high. At this point in time, it’s safe to say that I will gobble up everything and anything that Anya Taylor-Joy touches. She always chooses roles that are not what you’d expect and I love that about her. In such a large ensemble, she held her own and was mesmerizing the whole time. But the real stand out was, unsurprisingly, Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). His performance was unlike anything I had ever seen before. At some moments he was terrifying while others charming and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hate him or love him. All I knew was that I was completely enthralled with everything he said or did. Another stand out was Elsa (Hong Chau). I’d never seen her before, but she was such a great addition.

I liked how the movie started off as one thing and became something else entirely as it went on. The way in which it was broken down into various sections – the amuse bouche, first course, second course etc – was absolutely genius. Neither parts were too short nor too long and each was integral to the progression of the story. Naturally as it continued, it only grew more and more insane.

Although I’d gone into the cinema having just eaten dinner, my stomach grumbled as each meal was presented to the guests. Some items I had never seen or heard of before and they looked amazing. One of my hobbies is to visit new restaurants and try exotic foods, so this was right up my alley. Just don’t be comparing me to Tyler please.

With all this said, The Menu has become one of my favorites of the year. The comedy, insanity and mouth watering dishes was something I never knew I needed in my life. The way in which it perfectly encapsulated our society and the way we obsess over things was spot on. I will be thinking about and singing this movie’s praises for a very long time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥