The Fabelmans and TÁR – Movie Reviews

Never doubt the power of Steven Spielberg. I couldn’t wait to check The Fabelmans out, and it met my high expectations. This coming-of-age story is deeply resonant with Spielberg’s childhood and his love for films. I really don’t think any filmmaker could make this type of nostalgic cinema without making it too cheesy. With Gabriel LaBelle in the lead role, the decent ensemble also features Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch.

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One of my favorite performances was honestly from Dano. He brought so much joy to this earnest and honest man. Gabriel LaBelle holds most of the weight of the movie on his shoulders and does so wonderfully. Michelle Williams has a lot to do in the film—probably the most. At first, her performance did not work for me, primarily in the more hyper moments, but once the character was developed, I think it gave her more room to express the nuances. Her motherly traits were the best part of her presence. I also dug into what Seth Rogen was doing in this movie and liked Judd Hirsch for his brief moments.

I think Spielberg looks back on his childhood fondly, despite all of the trouble he went through. People are saying this movie is a love letter to cinema, and while that’s true, it’s also a love letter to his youth and what shaped him into one of the greatest living filmmakers. It is also incredibly well-shot by Janusz Kaminski. And John Williams’ sweet and subtle score accompanies this nostalgic dream well. I think the movie did struggle with some pacing issues. Some storylines could have been trimmed a bit and don’t have to navigate Spielberg’s childhood.

There is so much content in this movie that it can feel overwhelming. But somehow, all of it is still super engaging. I loved seeing Speilberg discover these techniques for making certain films, I loved seeing him interact with his parents, and his high school life was well depicted. Overall, The Fabelmans is such a heart warmer.

‘The Fabelmans’ Rating – 4/5

Todd Field makes some seriously haunting movies. He hasn’t made a film in sixteen years since Little Children in 2006, and it begs the question if TÁR is worth the wait, and I think it is. From a directorial standpoint, Todd Field has elevated his craft. The atmosphere around the character, Lydia Tár. is so clearly conveyed. On top of that, it is a fascinating story narrated about cancel culture and how power and status affect a person through their career. Making Tár successful, an EGOT-winning celebrity makes her downfall more interesting.

Cate Blanchett, to no one’s surprise, is a reckoning force in TÁR. She is in for the entire two and half hours and chews up every scene. There is not a weak moment for her. Nina Hoss and Noémie Merlant were also great and supported Blanchett so well. The music in this is ethereal and used perfectly. The way sound is used to isolate solos and brings out certain pieces in the music, adds to Tár’s obsession with perfection and worked for the story. The framing of how the movie was shot was just beautiful every single scene is a painting; a work of art.

TÁR does start a little slow and takes some time to get into it, but it flows beautifully through Field’s beautiful direction and script. It can feel cold, and it can be hard to root for Tár throughout due to how fierce she is, but that’s very clearly the point. Blanchett deserves all the praise. She gives her 100% and nothing more; she gets it JUST right.

‘TÁR’ Rating – 4/5