The Menu
Watching elites get humiliated is always a win and The Menu does not disappoint. This movie demands your full attention as it unfolds into a psychological horror meets dark comedy with satisfying jabs at pretentious foodie and entertainment culture. Despite bone-chilling themes, it never takes itself too seriously, which is a good thing — it’s what makes this film so enjoyable.
The diners consist of celebrity food critics, finance dudebros, a movie star and his assistant, other random rich people, and a bright-eyed foodie named Tyler with his date, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy). She doesn’t share Tyler’s passion for food and is only subbing for his previous date who had broken up with him. Her unprecedented attendance seems to rattle the chef, Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes aka Voldemort).
Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy serve us razor-sharp dialogue rife with social commentary and twisted humor. The constant — and I mean constant — strained and harrowing atmosphere cracks only when Anya Taylor-Joy stands up and confronts him.
“And the worst part? I’m still fucking hungry.”
This film falls into the good-for-her cinematic universe, hand in hand with Ready or Not and Midsommar. The depiction of female rage is glorious and cathartic, thanks in part to Anya Taylor-Joy herself. In one particularly intense scene, she was supposed to silently cry, but convinced the director it would be more appropriate and realistic to slap Tyler across the face. In an interview, she explains, “I get a lot of, like, 'men doing really terrible things' and women sitting silently while one tear slowly falls. I'm like, 'Oh no, no, no, no, no. We get mad and angry.” And I love her for that.
I haven’t stopped thinking about this unhinged movie and will gladly devour it a second time. As one review succinctly puts it, “you know it's aboutta be fire when anya taylor-joy plays a ginger.”
Babylon
Babylon is the obscene and drug-fueled adventure of Hollywood stars in the 1920’s and 30’s whose saccharine pipe dreams of fame ultimately become their ruin. The opening scenes are inundated with stomach-churning acts (shout out to the couple who left the theater within the first five minutes). The all-out shock value was maybe a little too successful. In terms of our stars, we have a self-made icon Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), a struggling assistant turned director Manny Torres (Diego Calva), and a powerful actor Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt). Many reviews describe this movie as a mess, but the three hours of constant chaos and unpredictability somehow seem very fluid.
I can understand why people dislike it, but personally I love movies that lack a cohesive seven-point plot and instead are just People Doing Things. I’ll forever choose a slice of life movie over a hero saves the day movie (action movies are literally a chore to sit through). I will admit it was extremely long — I left the theater feeling like I had watched 4 different films sewn together.
In addition to cocaine addictions and snake fights and projectile vomiting, we’re given a nuanced painting of greed with a hint of nostalgia. The ending is both bitter and optimistic, leaving us to wonder if this was an ode to Hollywood or a slap in the face.
Both The Menu and Babylon, despite being genres apart, raise the same questions: at what point does art turn into obsession? Is it possible to engage with fame in a sustainable way? Or are all successful dreamers doomed to an Icarus-like fate?
I'd heard of "Babylon" but not of "The Menu," but you've made me want to watch both ;) Thanks.