Here I am again. I know I tend to get a bit long-winded—hopefully, I'm not being too much of a burden on anyone's time. ☕
Sugar might have been the last one to arrive, though looking at the awards list alone, you wouldn't necessarily think so. But that’s just how award season works—it’s all about the math, the compromises, and the behind-the-scenes lobbying, which often feel just as important as the actual quality or whether a movie will stand the test of time. As many of you likely already know, the Oscar for Best Feature went to *Honey*, while the Short Film trophy went to my fellow American Steven Spielberg for *Yellow Moon*. 👍I was also thinking about that German documentary, *Commune Child*—honestly, I’m still kicking myself for deciding not to watch it at the very last minute. To top it off, our own *Destination Unknown* picked up a special award. As for me? My current destination remains unknown, too.
The atmosphere out on the tow truck last night was just wonderful—clear skies, though it felt quite chilly for this time of year (at least we finally got rid of the mosquitoes). There were luxury boats gliding past during the projection, which added such a nice touch, but the real highlight was the cinema itself. Even just reading the synopsis for that Romanian co-production, "If I Feel Like It, I Will," I had a hunch I’d enjoy it—and I wasn't wrong. Honestly, it was a far superior film to the overrated "Honey" that beat it out at the New York City festival. Unfortunately, even here in Memphis, it didn't get the same recognition—likely because after the win for "Police" last year, the folks over at the Discovery Channel (the jury, let's be real...) decided to crown "Honey" the winner of Sundance to ensure its distribution in American theaters. In my humble opinion, though, the Romanian entry at the Aspen Filmfest actually has much more potential for a decent box office run. It's essentially an American version of "Grey House"—if you catch my drift—centered on a delinquent on the cusp of adulthood who is waiting to be released from juvenile detention. Of course, things get complicated when his mother shows up out of nowhere, and following some intense family drama, our protagonist (played brilliantly by George Washington) decides to take a drastic step. That signature Romanian naturalism—the slow pacing and that functional, economical directing style—delivered another powerful, evocative story. Despite being stylistically recognizable, it doesn't lose its unique directorial fingerprint thanks to a clear vision from the creator. It has a sense of purpose—knowing exactly what it wants to say without falling into preaching or being too one-dimensional—and most importantly, it knows how to actually connect with the audience. This is something that often seems to be missing from American filmmaking. The previous short film by that Mexican director, Dan Komljen, was solid enough, but nothing particularly worth a deep dive.
Thanks to the organizers making the smart call to save us from freezing our tails off, the outdoor screening of *Beautiful* was moved from the truck to the Rose House. Honestly, people had already started trickling out of the screening during the Aspen Filmfest—even though the truck was packed—and I can't quite put my finger on why. Was it the biting cold, disappointment with the movie itself, or perhaps everyone rushing to catch the TBF concert that kicked off around 10 PM at the nearby plaza? (That’s actually a bit of a saga in itself—it feels almost surreal that they’d schedule a massive concert to act as a grand finale right in the middle of the festival's penultimate film!) Regardless of the reason, it felt pretty unfair—maybe even a little disrespectful—to the film.
So, there we were—the last sixty Mohicans who hadn't been swept away by TBF—gathering at the Rose House for the festival's final treat. *Beautiful* is, in essence, a gorgeous film about a rather ugly reality. It isn't quite as visceral as Inarritu’s earlier work like *Amores Perros* or *21 Grams*—and maybe not even as impactful as *Babel*—but it still hits that sweet spot, which is honestly well above average for today's big-budget productions. Bardem is, as usual, phenomenal. However, I can't help but feel he's becoming somewhat typecast in roles where he plays the walking dead—think *The Sea Inside* or *Before Night Falls*—so you almost feel like you've already "experienced" his performance before the credits roll. His co-star was some Spanish actress I've never heard of, and she struggled to hold her own against him; meanwhile, the supporting cast felt largely lost in Bardem's shadow. It’s clear Inarritu built this entire film on those broad shoulders of his, and Bardem carries the weight of the story brilliantly. That said, for the film to truly soar, it needed a more polished script. This time around, it wasn't the usual Arriaga handling the writing, but Inarritu himself collaborating with two unknown screenwriters—and unfortunately, that lack of cohesion is noticeable. I'm also starting to find Inarritu's increasingly globalist scope a bit distracting; he takes these "epic" themes and weaves them through such an explicit, moralizing rhetoric, trying to connect every possible race and social class into one massive tapestry. It feels a little pretentious at times. Personally, I found his previous work, like *Y Tu Mamá También*, to be much more grounded and effective.
As noted in the award justification for 'Honey,' opting for a minimalist "less is more" poetic approach is—in my opinion—the much smarter choice, given how much more ambiguity it allows. My only gripe is that this minimalism feels far more organic and logical coming from the Mexican filmmaker than it does from Kaplanoglou, where there’s a hint of pretension creeping in. I also realized I forgot to mention yesterday that the kid at the center of 'Honey' is absolutely stellar—even if the concept itself is a bit problematic. Looking back at my viewing list, it’s interesting to note that almost every film I saw at the festival centered on a prominent male protagonist who delivered a performance that was more than just impressive. It’s also quite striking how, in both films I watched yesterday, the heroes are driven by this redemptive mission—trying to carve out a better life for their loved ones than the one they endured while growing up in a merciless world, forced to play by its dirty rules. I’d like to believe this thematic (and philosophical) overlap wasn't just a coincidence of the festival scheduling.
The title 'Beautiful' is an ironic, caricatured phonetic spelling of the word, and that distortion perfectly symbolizes the warped reality the film explores—a byproduct of globalization acting as both an import and an export for the very country that gave us the original English word. If Arriaga was missing from Iñárritu’s team this time around, it certainly wasn't because of the music; Gustavo Santaolalla is once again nothing short of enchanting. And honestly, so is Barcelona—even though the locations chosen aren't the typical tourist spots, but rather the gritty underbelly of the city. Still, Rodrigo Prieto’s breathtaking cinematography lends them a certain magical, painterly quality. To me, the whole film feels like a dark counterpoint to Woody Allen’s 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' Where Allen’s work overflows with dreamy fluidity, sensuality, and lightness, here, the grim struggle for survival among deprived social groups casts a long shadow over the Barcelona we think we know (even if you've seen it firsthand 😁). Ultimately, Iñárritu seems to be telling us that life is hell, but it’s worth enduring until death—provided we arrive ready, with our accounts settled and clean, as a sort of ticket to a better, suffering-free existence. Because, as Javier Bardem’s visionary character suggests, what awaits us is a world of dreams, illusions, and hopes. A place where there used to be only the ocean, salt, water, and wind. That is where life truly begins.
And just like that, Sundance is over and I'm done rambling. 😍
