BABYLON (Film of the Month spot)
Credit: Paramount
After delivering box-office magic with the likes of La La Land, Whiplash and First Man, writer/director Damien Chazelle upscales his big screen vision once again with Babylon, a gloriously excessive ode to classic Hollywood.
Think of an 18-rated The Artist, with a dash of Mulholland Drive thrown in, and you have an idea of what to expect here. Depicting all the glitz, glamour, debauchery and decadence of the era, the story follows various characters as they carve their own paths to stardom. The sensational Margot Robbie shines as Nellie LaRoy, a wild-child actress looking to make it big in Tinseltown. Brad Pitt is on the other side of the coin as Jack Conrad, an established box-office superstar who must adjust with ever changing times. When he hires Manny Torres (Diego Calva) to be his assistant, the three navigate the magical and dangerous world of Los Angeles – a vibrant and sometimes nefarious beast that will swallow up anyone indiscriminately. An amazing ensemble including Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde and Jovan Adepo help propel this into must-see territory.