MERRY CHRISTMAS, YOU SWEET FILTHY ANIMALS AND HAPPY MARTY SUPREME OPENING WEEKEND!!
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Marty Supreme
Watchlist Worthy: Untitled Adam Sandler/Josh Safdie Project
ICYMI:
This week’s movie - Marty Supreme
Letterboxd Description:
Dream big.
In 1950s New York, Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.
Best Watched With
Victoria Ratliff and her Lorazepam prescription
End Credit Thoughts
The Safdie Brothers are known for making anxiety-inducing movies with nonstop scenes and dialogue that have us wanting the characters to stop what they are doing and make a decent decision. This year, the brothers went off on their own to direct their first solo feature film. Marty Supreme is Josh Safdie’s, and we are not sure what kind of impact Benny’s absence had on the finished film, but what we do know—pardon our language—this movie fucking rips.
Set in the 1950s, when entire apartment buildings shared one phone line, and they served soft drinks 30,000 feet in the air in glass, Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) has big dreams for his life. Loosely based on the real-life ping pong athlete Marty Reisman, Mauser wants to be the best in the world and refuses to let anything get between him and his life’s purpose.
A layered adventure that builds and unfolds with each decision, with one goal in mind: to be the best. The music is as absurd, chaotic, and inspiring as each frame. Well shot and scored, but the movie excels in the directing. Every little detail is intentional and well-crafted. Safdie draws out inspired performances from each actor. People who aren’t conventional actors, like musical artist, Tyler the Creator, and Shark Tank’s multimillionaire Kevin O’Leary, can throw off a movie and take the audience out of the scenes. They had the opposite effect here. Tyler and O’Leary pulled us in as they became their roles—the ride or die New Yorker friend and the rich prick millionaire, respectively.
This movie is about Marty, and Timothée Chalamet is extraordinary, living up to the title card. Chalamet delivers his best performance yet. He is unbelievably frustrating as the young, naive son, nephew, best friend, local ping pong player, and international table tennis star; in the multiple relational hats he wears throughout, he succeeds in portraying the self-centered narcissist. And yet, somehow charming and charismatic. His dedication to his craft is evident, and his love for those around him is there, just maybe a few hundred feet deep within him as he seeks stardom.
Chalamet may be the sun the world revolves around, but Gwyneth Paltrow as the shitty millionaire’s wife Kay Stone, and Odessa A'zion as Marty’s childhood best friend are the stars and moon that stay close in orbit to the burning star. We felt for them and the situations they were put in, and they kept the story going, giving live and reason for Marty’s absurd journey.
The humor was offensive and unhinged, perfectly characterizing Marty’s insanity and work ethic. Whether it was contextually funny or an unseen right hook from left field, we laughed more than expected. The movie never dips below a freeway speed limit and continually ramps up as the runtime extends. Outrageous situations considering the context. Josh Safdie made a grand PING PONG movie and extracted every drop of juice; a watch well worth the squeeze. We were anxious and unsettled in our seats the entire time, but the big screen and loud sound made the experience worth the price of admission.
If the ushers had an iPad, turned it around, and said they had a couple of questions for you, you’d be tempted to tip at least 20%.
Watch in the theaters.
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Untitled Adam Sandler/Safdie Brothers Project Directed by Josh Safdie
It’s a little early to know exactly what is going on with this movie. It doesn’t even have a title. But after Uncut Gems and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, I’m investing big dollars into this movie’s stock. Josh Safdie continues to put out bangers. Sandler is one of the best to take the stage, and I’m stoked to see him add more evidence that he isn’t a one trick pony.
I’m expecting this project to be another stress inducing, wild adventure. Directing names like Kevin Garnett, Tyler the Creator, and Kevin O’Leary, Safdie has shown he can draw out incredible cinematic performances from anybody. The known names for this untitled movie is American host and comedian Steve Harvey and American rapper and songwriter Meghan Thee Stallion. Can’t wait for what they will do alongside giants like Sandler and Ben Affleck.
-JP
Letterboxd Description:
Set in the world of high-end sports card collecting in the 1990s, a retired Baseball pitcher attempts a comeback as a sports memorabilia agent attempts to capitalize on his success.
Movies Directed by Josh Safdie:
Marty Supreme (2025)
Uncut Gems (2019)
Good Time (2017)
Train Dreams: Spoilers #66
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
Josh and Eric discuss the critically acclaimed film ‘Train Dreams,’ directed by Clint Bentley and adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella. The conversation delves into the film’s stunning visual storytelling, the compelling performances by Joel Edgerton and William H. Macy, and its impactful narrative about a logger navigating love, loss, and monumental change in early 20th-century America.
12:25 Train Dreams Spoilers
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