The Favourite (2018)

The Favourite is raucously brilliant. The writing is hilarious and it's even more amazing for being a true story. And I am willing to overlook the abrupt and unsatisfactory ending because I so enjoyed the rest of it. Yorgos Lanthimos really has some original, quirky ideas. I also quite enjoyed the premise of the Lobster, but it's another one where I didn't like the ending. He can't finish. In this case, maybe it's actually that I just didn't want it to end. It's a really good time. The actors are all superb, not just the trio of ladies but Nicholas Hoult too. The way they deliver their lines are almost Shakespearean. The moments pass so quickly and effortlessly that it's easy to miss the punchline if you're not paying attention. It's a masterclass in acting. The cinematography is certainly a choice. For some shots, but not all, they employ a wide angled fish-eye lens. It intentionally distorts the image and makes the subjects appear small in these grand rooms. I personally didn't like the cinematography, but it is certainly notable. The costumes and production design are delightful!

The Lobster (2015)

The Lobster is a super strange and awkward movie. It almost has a bit of a Wes Anderson feel to it. I love the premise. It is fresh and original. Colin Farrell moves into a hotel where singles have 45 days to find a partner lest they get turned into an animal. The first half of the film is highly enjoyable. It is a quiet kind of funny and you have no idea what is coming up next. The premise evolves and unravels and you're never sure what insane new rule the hotel came up with or what quirky guest is staying there. I won't reveal too much cause it's really insane. I do feel like the movie sort of falls apart in the second half. The hotel was so brilliant, that I was unsatisfied with the world created outside it where you have to learn a new set of rules.  I would've been happy if they had just fleshed out the story within the confines of the hotel. It's a shame because I really like Rachel Weisz, but the second half in which she appears was a little difficult for me to follow. 

Youth (2015)

I didn't really get this comedy-drama from director Paolo Sorrentino. Maybe I am not old enough to appreciate youth or Youth. There are lots of metaphors and I just couldn't follow all of them. I'm not sure what to make of the ending when Fred conducts his "Simple Song #3." The music and lyrics are both quite simple, but it is a delightfully beautiful song. Soprano Sumi Jo gives a dazzling performance. All of the main actors give strong performances. They get to speak their minds in monologues that allow them to shine. Jane Fonda gets just one scene towards the end but she plays up her inner diva.

The film has some dazzling images. Filmed on location at Waldhaus Films hotel in Switzerland, the scenery is breathtaking. The garden has a circular turntable that hosts nightly performances. The movie opens with a song (reminiscent of Florence and the Machine) filmed while rotating. One of the more memorable images is of a performer creating a large bubble. And there's a great scene in which Caine imagines conducting a herd of cows as he sits on a rock atop a hill.