Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

The Menu 

This is one of the smartest, compelling  and best films of the year! Now I knew very little about the Menu before going into it and I’m glad I did as going in blind made the experience all the more enjoyable. The twists and turns this film takes is so well done as the writing that this film is truly outstanding it at the surface feels just like another horror film but the way the characters interact are so organic and natural mixed with the well placed social commentary that this film tackles in a very honest way. It is such a cunning film that keeps you constantly guessing what the outcome of these guests are going to be and it’s anchored by such strong performances the standouts being the always great Ralph Fiennes and Anya - Taylor Joy. I was truly amazed by the Menu with its perfect blend of touching on social issues along with its shocking and twisted horror elements that will have you entertained the whole way through. The Menu is a deliciously bloody time that you’ll want to see again and again. 

Firstly, Now I have to give huge credit to the outstanding writing that was done for this film. This film takes aim at upper class and the rich and shows how selfish, shallow and spineless a lot of them can be. Now this film will divide people due to its blunt tone and honestly I respected it for that because it doesn’t sugar coat how ridiculous some people in society have gotten and if you get easily offended by what their trying to tell people then people clearly can’t see how blindly arrogant upper America has become. Because if the characters feel very stereotyped that’s the point and the main character takes various groups of people who feel like there better than everyone and the chef picks them to take them down a peg. And then he exploits their pain and humiliates them in laughable and sometimes violent ways to get his point across. That’s also what the film engaged me the most was it’s ability to have this twisted sense of humour while still delivering on its horror elements without one outweighing the other. It never felt too political as yes it talks about upper class and the arrogance that comes with that but it never feels like it’s preaching to you it’s perfectly woven into the narrative. Then you are kept guessing what is going to happen to these characters because the dishes their served is a representation of their selfish nature and calls them out directly with sometimes very personal secrets they haven’t told anyone which sparks arguments at every table. It’s done in such a way that it keeps you guessing what the outcome will be because it keeps you on edge due to the creative but also sadistic nature this establishment treats their guests. The Menu is razor sharp with its writing and balances a beautiful act of having dark twisted humour with social undertones and fantastic horror that feels genuinely scary and not some cheap scares. The tone and feel of this movie is so engaging you’ll be sucked in the moment it starts if it’s from the delicious story at hand, the solid performances or just the thrills this film is one of  the best written horror films I’ve seen in a while and a truly stylistic film that keeps you on constant edge with such anxiety. 

Secondly, The performances are stellar! Now the film has a stacked cast from the criminally underrated Nicolas Hoult giving a performance of indulgence, toxic fan driven love and ignorance he plays a character that very much we have not seen him explore before. He seems very charming but he is blinded by the love of this acclaimed Chef in front of him and treats his date poorly and ignores all the shady things that go around him that evening because he wants to be accepted by his idol he he holds to such a high standard and will do whatever he has to do to get his approval. It’s a performance that will amaze you by what he’s giving onscreen its Nicolas Hoult giving a truly solid performance in territory we haven’t seen him go before and he excels amazingly at this role with great commitment and dazzles the frame. Then you have Anya Taylor - Joy gives another amazing performance she’s been making quite the name for herself in the horror genre and here she again shows why she’s a force to be reckoned with in a truly gripping performance full of depth and anxiety she’s truly mesmerizing in this film. Then you have Ralph Fiennes who gives a truly outstanding performance as the twisted chef from hell. Now this character is very complex and mysterious and Ralph brings that to such great life in a performance that will give you shivers down your spine and also feel sympathy for it’s a hell of a performance that is honestly one of his best he’s ever given. Everyone in this film is truly amazing but it’s the performances from Anya Taylor - Joy and Ralph Fiennes that steal the show with their truly scene stealing work. 

Lastly, The Menu is one of the smartest and most original compelling films I’ve seen all year. It has social and political themes it explores in such a smart way that goes for the jugular without it seeming preachy though. Then it packs in the scares and thrills in such a creative way that will genuinely scare you. And the comedy in this is great as well as it’s ability to give pitch black dry humour worked so well with its tone. Added to its already amazing story is the performances from the whole cast but the stand outs being Anya Taylor - Joy and Ralph Fiennes giving some of the best work of their careers. The Menu is truly one of the best films of the year and such a entertaining thrill ride with brilliant writing and amazing horror the Menu is a bloody splattered dish that is deliciously entertaining and funny that you’ll want to watch again and again. I recommend everyone go see this film. 

This film centres around a experience at one of the most Well established restraunts with a famous chef who’s known for creating some of the most unique dishes in the world that all tell a story that you can’t get anywhere else but once the guests learn that story is filled with blood and emotional twists and turns they try to find a way out before the meal is over. 

Rated R : Strong Violent Content|Some Sexual References|Language Throughout

Ralph Fiennes : Ralph delivers one of his strongest performances in years with his take on the twisted chef from hell. Now this is an actor who I feel dose not get nearly enough attention he wowed audiences with his work in Schindler’s List and went on to do the  English Patient and even was part of one of the most popular franchises with Harry Potter and then moved onto being part of the James Bond world. But I feel he constantly is giving amazing work and never gets the credit he deserves and here he once again delivers another astonishing leading performance that will disturb you to the core. As he plays this very established chef who on the surface is very well composed and seems mentally ok. Now as we learn he is a very unstable individual who’s soul purpose is to serve people with his food but here’s the catch though he is very cutthroat with every one of the guests but it’s not until Margo challenges him he really starts feeling the pressure to make his meals extra special. This character is very layered in mystery and darkness and throughout the film he uses a lot of his psychical manners to intimidate his guests but he also can play emotional warfare with them by getting into their heads by using the dishes he preps to send messages to get to their heart. Their is a blackness to his eyes and a true terror to his soul when he sees one of the guests disobeying the rules such as stealing food, Eating and not savouring it or simply taking photos of the meal he will take that very seriously and he makes them suffer serious repercussions. He stays in the kitchen helping get the meals out faster but he also plays the host of the night constantly evolving more and more twisted surprises but as the dishes keep coming their way they become more and more horrific but you keep guessing what the big finish will be. Ralph Fiennes gives one of his most emotionally captivating and truly memorable performances in years with this well written character that has so much depth to him and Ralph commits fully to what this character is trying to say through emotional intimidation and a dark heart and it’s one of his best performances I’ve ever seen because what’s so amazing about his work in the film is the character really relishes in humiliating and to an extent making them feel pain and it’s only when the tables flip on him in the final act do we see the vulnerable side to him that he has hidden away and Margo exposes it in such a honest light. When she request he makes him prepare a hamburger which is what he got his start in making and he knows that she wasn’t amazed with his cooking all night which he took to heart he puts his soul and tears into that sandwich he preps her and so when she takes a bite of it and calls it just ok it’s like a blow to his heart. And you can see him crumble in front of her with this look of wanting approval and when he fails to get it you see his tender wicked heart in pieces and to an extent you feel for him and all of this emotion Fiennes explores within this character is truly amazing work as this character is a psychopath clearly but he sheds who he is as a human by the last act in such a gut wrenching way but until then you can see him relish in delivering sharp dialogue and making these people miserable but constantly having the one up on them. It’s a delicious performance by Ralph Fiennes that showcases both the wickedness of who this human being is but just how fast he can crumble over the slightest dig at his work it’s a truly amazing performance by him that will keep you captivated the entire time one of his best of his career. 

Ana Taylor - Joy : Ana Taylor gives one of her strongest performances to date! Now she’s been popping up in a lot of projects lately. She emerged on the scene with the Witch and Split and really made a name for herself with the hit show the Queens Gambit. She in quite some ways has become a horror screen icon as she dominates the genre with such fun and commitment. As she plays the audience in a way with her character Margo as she’s the only character who thinks what’s happening around her is screwed up. Now she plays the character in a way of keeping her guard up and doesn’t let people in now this isn’t a performance where she’s very emotional and has what they call the Oscar moment in the film but she still packs the film full of amazing emotion regardless if her scenes are loud or not. She definitely is more emotionally pulled back here but regardless she’s entertaining and brings such a charismatic energy to the screen where you can feel her anxiety and the sheer emotional stress in her Brain. As she is trying to figure out why she’s their to begin with and then becomes more curious about the host aka the Chef and who he is and she finds out a great deal about him and uses his personal accomplishments to make him feel small and useless. The sheer raw emotional energy she injects into the character is truly so well done as she never half asses a performance she always delivers and here it’s no different she slips into the skin of this character so effortlessly and brings the dialogue to great life by making every word feel genuine and truly meaningful. It’s to me unlike anything I’ve seen her in in quite some time as I loved her in another film she did this year the Northman which I think is one of the years most underrated films but she brings this intense vulnerability to the character that is both courageous us in its execution but also can tell you how scared she is under the surface to get out of this place. It’s a great balancing act she does incredibly well and she honestly gives one of her strongest performances that will have you drawn in the moment she comes onscreen she’s absolutely electric. She constantly is thinking five steps ahead of the chef and engages with him in this mental head game with and the way she showcases this character is so fantastic another truly amazing performance from Ana Taylor - Joy. 

Mark Mylod : Mylod gives a genuinely genius directed film with the menu. Now this director’s work I am not familiar with but after seeing what he brought to this film I for sure will be keeping an eye out for him Because he directed the hell out  of this film. He makes the Menu full of great genuine horror that scares feel psychologically creepy and will get under your skin. The film draws you in with its great dead on look at how snobbish the upper over privileged people are and how socially deaf they can be. It will definitely divide people with how brutal it is with its execution of its themes such as yes social class, obsession over fame and feeling like your better then everyone because something is artistic so you feel like you are smarter and better then everyone those beats are woven into this horror kitchen nightmare brilliantly. As he created an atmosphere where you’re constantly on edge not knowing what the next course the chef will serve will be and then how will it mentally mess them up with the next dish. It is very anxiety inducing in its fantastic direction and storytelling. He has this pitch black comedy that melds with the horror as it’s not like in your face comedy but laughs that result out of the tense situation their in and it’s explosively funny and cheeky at times. He also gets great performances from his cast and delivers a truly engaging film with some of the most thought provoking horror films that I’ve seen all year with it’s great bland of social commentary, horror and comedy after seeing the Menu I’m definitely keeping a eye out for this director Because his work on this film is truly solid.