agreenfox

Janet Planet encourages the viewer to bask in the hazy summer afternoon feel of lounging and allowing observation to be a better tool than explanation. The writing is conversational and also sparse in terms of plotting, where you watch the characters lives unfold like a poem. There are few twists and turns but more contemplation and quiet celebration of independence, motherhood, and adolescence. There was a lot of wisdom in the casual observations, something that added to the realism of dialogue. Conversations you could have with a mother or a friend. Janet Planet has no big climactic moment, in fact I would call the ending it's climax and leaves you pretty clear on what the message was. It is a satisfying film if you are patient with it.

This is a character driven story surrounding a maid from Columbia who intersects with a wealthy family from Barcelona. Visually it is stunning, and entertaining with set-pieces and character motivations. I do believe the script could have used work, but for a first feature it is a solid effort. I really could see the transformation of Ana over the course of the film, but would have appreciated more complex characters. The crypto subplot was a nice touch, and interesting as well that the film was funded by NFTs. Some of the story beats were predictable, and I would have enjoyed a bit more surprises in terms of conflict. But overall, I am eager to see more from this director and these actors which handled the material with great skill.

Challengers feels like an extremely modern film. It's very playful, and dare I say, sporty in the execution of humor. Everything feels like a little game in this movie. We're not supposed to think the fact that these guys are competing for the same girl is scandalous or the actual conflict of the movie. The conflict of the movie is very much centered on the way they both approach the game of tennis and how Zendaya's character is pretty much the one in control. The boys let her do her thing as she uses intelligence and sexuality to motivate them both. The soundtrack adds to the lightheartedness of the film, and there's no actual big traumatizing moment. It's nice to have such a light, breezy film about tennis that has a great sense of humor and also a ton of depth when it comes to themes like financial security, what happens inside country clubs, and where to go when your uber driver abandons you lmao.