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Backrooms and Obsession Are Glimpses of a Better Hollywood

Eileen Jones Jacobin
Two indie horror movies with YouTube origins, Obsession and Backrooms, crushed big-budget Star Wars and He-Man movies at the box office. But claims that these films represent a revival of cinematic creativity à la the New Hollywood era are overblown.

film

The Unlovable Ping-Pong Wizard of Marty Supreme

Eileen Jones Jacobin
Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme stars Timothée Chalamet as an obnoxious, nerdy young 1950s ping-pong hustler who somehow cons everyone around him. It’s flashy, fast, and made with so much talent it’s a shame they forgot to make much of a case

film

Highest 2 Lowest Is a Cringeworthy Remake of a Classic

Eileen Jones Jacobin
Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest attempts to remake a beloved Akira Kurosawa film about the injustices of a class-stratified society all while sidestepping class. Even Denzel Washington can’t save this misfire.

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Materialists Tries To Update the Rom-Com for the Tinder Generation

Eileen Jones Jacobin
Writer-director Celine Song’s Materialists follows a professional NYC matchmaker split between two charming suitors. It’s yet another attempt to update the Jane Austen formula, but without the poignancy and beauty of Song’s acclaimed Past Lives.
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