Elijah Rivers

By God this shouldn’t have worked; A coming-of-age comedy about the holocaust, probably 2019’s biggest risk of a movie but not only does Taika Waititi (King of insecurity comedy) give us blink and you’ll miss ‘em jokes, but he knows when and how to remind us that this is all taking place during one of the worst moments in human history. And one of my favourite endings of the year that honestly brought a slight tear to my eye.

This really surprised me with not only how much it opened my eyes to the risks and dedication to wrestling but it was one of the most “edge of your seat” movies I saw in 2019. I found myself internally shouting ‘yes, yes, yes’ or ‘no, no, no’. One of the most tense feel-good movies I’ve ever seen in my life. And if anything, just the themes of family togetherness warmed my heart, I don’t want to sound corny but this movie just got me.

The truthful saying (whether some want to acknowledge it or not) “Actors are people too” is pretty much the drive of this film. Showing Leo DiCaprio in his kitchen making a margarita. Brad Pitt driving around town listening to the radio. Margot Robbie buying a book from a small store. There’s a casualness, even slowness to this film that would have been capital B boring if it were any other director but you feel Tarantino’s enthusiasm coming off the screen. And of course, that ending…>whistle<

This was a real game changer, there’s such commitment to taking this genre to new corners. It’s a really uncomfortable movie, it’s definitely not for everyone, you’ll want to just back away from the screen in certain scenes but at the same time, if your movie ends and as I’m leaving the theatre I stop in my tracks, look back at the rolling credits for a minute, then exit, that’s a compliment that your movie has given me a unique, memorable experience. I said it before and I’ll say it again, that man is a BEAST. My vote for Best Actor.

This movie just meant more to me than any other movie I’ve seen this year. Going to see the first Avengers movie, bouncing in my seat thinking ‘wow, all these superheroes, wow!’ and now watching this eight years later with soaked in tears cheeks, feeling a need to just stand up and salute the screen. I and countless other people have made connections with these characters. It’s the cinematic equivalent to a going away party; fun because we’re all together but we’re all together because something’s coming to an end and if you ask me, it was worth it.