Jojo Rabbit (2019) | Directed by Taika Waititi

 5/5

I think all the terrible reviews for Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit helped me go into the film with tempered expectations and come out absolutely loving this tonally challenging exploration of war, indoctrination, and loss – all told from a child’s perspective. Like all of his films, Waititi uses tonal shifts here to disarm us – one moment we’re laughing at the film’s charming absurdity, the next we wince as we realize the deeper implications of a seemingly innocent and offhand remark. Nazi Germany at the end of World War II is a problematic place and time in which to set a comedy, but Waititi gradually breaks out of the child’s perspective and forces his young protagonist (and an audience looking for a good time at the movies) to begin seeing the horrors of war and totalitarianism. From the opening archival footage of Hitler being cheered by the German youth (set to music from The Beatles), we see the ways in which indoctrination and propaganda get internalized by the young. And as heartbreaking and sad as the film ends up being, Waititi manages to end the film on a joyful note that never feels cloying or sentimental.

Where to Watch

Pain and Glory (2019) | Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

 4/5

Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory features a tremendous performance from Antonio Banderas – maybe the performance of his career. Playing a thinly fictionalized version of Almodóvar, Banderas shows a vulnerability and emotional honesty that stars of his stature rarely allow. This leads to some profoundly moving scenes as the character reconnects with his past and comes face-to-face with many of the deep regrets of his life. Some of the expositional voice-overs – while clever and fun – feel out of place and disconnected with the rest of the film, and I’m not sure that the ways Almodóvar structures the flashbacks and time shifts completely work. Still, it’s the performances that really sell the film, and there was enough going on with plot, structure, and imagery to keep me emotionally invested and eager to revisit and potentially reassess my first impression.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019) | Directed by Craig Brewer

 5/5

Starring the inimitable Eddie Murphy, Craig Brewer’s Dolemite Is My Name is an absolutely joyous and celebratory film about an artist coming into their own and discovering their voice. Eddie Murphy is incredible here, effortlessly blending his comedic talents with the more serious and dramatic side that he’s been developing over the last several year. The result is a beautifully nuanced, incredibly rich depiction of a man who continues to persevere – even after countless setbacks and at an age when most people would simply give up. Brewer uses the visual language of ’70s blaxploitation films, without ever descending into camp or goofiness. The film is an absolute delight from beginning to end, a moving film about the power and important of representation and diversity – both behind and in front of the camera.