Two movies, The Menu and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, with similar structure. In both bunch of people get together in a remote place by special invitation. Chosen bunch. For a weekend retreat in a rich person’s island in Glass Onion. In The Menu to have a specially designed meal by a world-famous Chef ($1250 per person) in an island. Commonality doesn’t end there. rich people get roasted in both, literally in The Menu. It is so much fun, a kind of sadistic pleasure, to see the ultra, filthy rich getting roasted in the movies. I know it is wrong to feel that way, but the characters in the movie do deserve it 😀 The writing brings out the shallowness, their detachment from the reality and rest of the world, insensitivity and the exploitation of the artisans and the workers by the rich. It isn’t only the rich, rest of the society is criticized too…all of us looking for experience, how superficial nothings are pushed down on us and touted as exotic experience by stitching together words that sound profound, reflective, colorful, and deep.
The Menu:
The Menu keeps throwing shocks and surprises at us. By each course the monologues delivered by the Chef keeps gets more unsettling. One by one customer’s misdeeds and faults get exposed as the course progresses. Their true faces emerge. Fourth course not only shocks the customers, us too. After that it is a non-stop horrific ride till the end. The Menu holds a mirror to us, makes us question our behavior, how we view and consume art – could be food, fashion, music, and movie. Why we fall for the hype? A class act by Ralph Fiennes (as Chef Slowik) and Anya Taylor-Joy (as Margot). An engaging, thought-provoking watch. Survival tip: Go for Cheeseburger 😀
The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery:
The genre is similar to the first one, The Knives Out, Agatha Christie style murder investigative plot. It is understandable to compare this to the first one. First one is better than this but on its own Glass Onion has its aha moments, interesting twists, keeps you hooked, and overall, a fun watch. Glass Onion starts slow, but the middle portion hits the stride with key ingredients of a whodunit movie. The end gives a mixed feeling, I felt it swings between over-the-top spectacle and silly humor – not bad but could have been better kind of feel. All the actors have done justice to their roles. A special call out to Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, and Janelle Monae’s performances. Personally, how can I not like a movie which has dialogues like this one – Birdie: “I say it like I see it, no filter. If people can‘t handle it, that’s their problem. Benoit: It’s a dangerous thing to mistake speaking without thought for speaking the truth. Don’t you think? Or this one – Benoit: Any feelings of reverence or respect that you had for me when you crossed my threshold, buttress those feelings now. Buttress them.” 😀