Pick 3: Justin Chang’s Downer Movies for the Holiday Season

Summary

The New Yorker Radio Hour: "Pick 3: Justin Chang’s Downer Movies for the Holiday Season"

Release Date: December 3, 2024

Host: David Remnick
Guest: Justin Chang, Film Critic for The New Yorker

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Introduction

In this holiday episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour, host David Remnick engages in a thoughtful conversation with renowned film critic Justin Chang. While the holiday season typically brings to mind cheerful and heartwarming movies, Chang opts for a different selection—"downer" movies that, despite their somber themes, offer profound cinematic experiences. Chang presents his top three picks for the season, delving deep into their narratives, directorial styles, and performances.

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Justin Chang’s Holiday Movie Picks

1. Nickel Boys

Timestamp: [02:51]

Chang opens the discussion with Nickel Boys, an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film narrates the harrowing story of two young Black men, portrayed by Ethan Horace and Brandon Wilson, who are sent to a brutal reform school in 1960s Florida.

Director & Cinematography:

Directed by Ramel Ross with cinematography by Joe Malfre, Nickel Boys employs a first-person point of view approach. This technique immerses viewers intimately into the protagonists' experiences, amplifying the emotional impact of the story.

Notable Quote:

Colson Whitehead on the real-life inspiration for the film: "Immediately, three years into its being opened, there were kids as young as six being shackled, put in solitary confinement... I felt that if there's one place like this, how many other stories are we not hearing about?"
[03:39]

Performance Highlight:

Chang praises Ellis Taylor for her exceptional portrayal of the grandmother of one of the boys. Taylor's performance adds a layer of emotional depth, offering moments of levity amidst the film's intense and painful narrative.

Chang’s Insight:

"What makes the movie extraordinary is the way the director uses the camera... it touches chords of feeling that I think a more conventional telling wouldn't have achieved."
[04:12]

2. The Brutalist

Timestamp: [05:58]

Next, Chang discusses The Brutalist, the third feature from actor-turned-director Brady Courbet. Starring Adrien Brody, the film marks one of Brody’s finest performances since his Oscar-winning role in The Pianist.

Plot & Themes:

Brody plays a Holocaust survivor and accomplished brutalist architect of Hungarian Jewish descent who emigrates to America. Settling in Pennsylvania, he encounters a wealthy benefactor, portrayed by a "terrific" actor named Pearce. The narrative weaves through themes of capitalism, immigration, Jewish assimilation, and the exploitation of Jewish genius in post-war America.

Duration & Viewing Recommendation:

At three and a half hours (including a 15-minute intermission), The Brutalist is an ambitious cinematic endeavor. Chang encourages audiences to experience the film on the big screen, preferably in 70mm format, to fully appreciate its grandeur and complexity.

Chang’s Commentary:

"It's going to be showing in that format with those lights. I just spent a Saturday watching straight through... And I've got to see it."
[07:29]

3. Hard Truths

Timestamp: [07:47]

The final recommendation is Hard Truths, directed by Mike Lee, known for films like Topsy Turvy and Vera Drake. This English-language film centers on Marianne Jean Baptiste's character, delivering what Chang describes as the "performance of the year."

Character & Performance:

Jean Baptiste portrays a profoundly unhappy individual who channels her dissatisfaction through abrasive interactions with those around her. Her portrayal is both painfully funny and devastating, capturing the essence of Lee's exploration into the uneven distribution of happiness.

Directorial Style:

Mike Lee employs a rigorous and somewhat mysterious workshop process with his actors, resulting in a tightly structured script and some of the best performances in contemporary English cinema. Hard Truths delves into complex emotions and societal observations, making it a compelling, albeit challenging, watch.

Chang’s Reflection:

"It's almost scary to admit that this is actually a very entertaining but also very forceful and devastating and angry movie."
[09:38]

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Concluding Thoughts

Despite the heavy themes of the recommended films, Chang emphasizes their ability to engage and move audiences profoundly. He acknowledges that while these picks may not fit the traditional mold of holiday cheer, they offer valuable and enriching cinematic experiences.

Light-Hearted Interlude:

Remnick and Chang share a brief, humorous exchange about more conventional holiday films like Elf, highlighting the contrast between Chang’s selections and mainstream holiday fare.

Final Picks Recap:

1. Nickel Boys
2. The Brutalist
3. Hard Truths

Closing Quote:

"It's always Elf."
[09:43]

Remnick thanks Chang for his insightful recommendations, reminding listeners that they can read more of Chang's reviews in The New Yorker. The episode wraps up with well-wishes for the holiday season, encouraging listeners to explore these profound cinematic works.

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Additional Information

For more in-depth reviews and film critiques, listeners are encouraged to visit [e-mail].

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Produced by: Max Bolton, Adam Howard, David Krasnow, Jeffrey Masters, Louis Mitchell, Jared Paul, and Ursula Sommer.

Theme Music: Meryl Garbus of Tune Yards, with additional music by Louis Mitchell and Jared Paul.

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting Justin Chang’s unique holiday movie selections and the thoughtful analysis provided by both Chang and Remnick. For those seeking depth and emotional resonance in their holiday viewing, these recommendations offer a departure from the typical fare, promising memorable cinematic experiences.

Transcript

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[Justin Chang]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[David Remnick]

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour, a co production of WNYC Studios and the New Yorker.

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. The two movies facing off for the big holiday weekend at the box office are Wicked Part 1 and Gladiator 2. The New Yorkers critic Justin Chang reviewed both of them the other day and his review is a terrific read. But I wanted to hear from Justin what else I should be excited about in the crop of movies that comes out toward the end of the year.

[Justin Chang]

During this time of year people want a kind of prototypical holiday movie, something that will make them feel good. And I'm always sorry to disappoint people every year, but my favorites are probably best described as downers. These are not upbeat movies. No Elf the one, Santa.

[David Remnick]

Oh my God, Santa here.

[Justin Chang]

I know him. Oh I love Elf. It's a staple. I am taking my 8 year old to Moana too, so I am hopeful about that one.

[David Remnick]

Well, since my kids are now too old for that and I'm waiting impatiently, impatiently for grandchildren, I'm going to sit that one out. But meanwhile, you've got three picks for us this season that you think will in some way or another make us happy.

[Justin Chang]

Yeah, it's funny. I return to the words of Roger Eber, who once said, no good movie is depressing. All bad movies are depressing. And so these are not happy movies, but they are among the most thrilling that I've seen this year, and I recommend them in a theater wholeheartedly. The first movie is Nickel Boys, which is an adaptation of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Colson Whitehead. This is the story of two young black men played by Ethan Horace and Brandon Wilson In 1960s Florida, who are sent to a reform school, which is putting it very charitably, and I can't say this better, of course, than Colson Whitehead himself, who has this to say about the place and its real life inspiration.

[Colson Whitehead]

Immediately, three years into its being opened, there were kids as young as six being shackled, put in solitary confinement. Every 15 years there'd be an expose and talk of reform. And nothing happened until it finally closed in 2011. And I was shocked when it hit the national media. They found unmarked graves, they dug up the bodies and found kids with shotgun pellets in their skeletons, blunt force trauma to their skulls. I felt that if there's one place like this, how many other stories are we not hearing about?

[Justin Chang]

So this is obviously incredibly fraught, painfully difficult material that was inspired by a real place and by real stories. I want to say too, that what makes the movie extraordinary is the way that the director, Ramel Ross, uses the camera, and he and his cinematographer, Joe Malfre, they basically adopt a first person point of view approach, meaning that at any given point in the story, you're seeing this story through the eyes of one of the two lead characters. And it's a risky choice. And there is a reason why most narrative films are not shot this way. And it comes off, although it's not unprecedented. Yeah, but it comes off. It touches chords of feeling that I think a more conventional telling wouldn't have achieved. And I should also mention that this movie features a really, really great performance from ingenue Ellis Taylor, who has, I think, been doing really terrific work all her career, but especially recently and especially in film like she was in Origin. Last year she has another movie in which she's very strong in this season called Exhibiting Forgiveness. And in Nickel Boys, she plays the grandmother of one of the boys who is sent to this reform school. And it's a beautiful performance and it lifts you even as you are watching this extremely, extremely painful story.

[David Remnick]

Oh, I'm glad to hear. I'm really glad to hear that. I'm on Team Colson Whitehead. You know, as much as I admired Underground Railroad as a novel, I wasn't completely sold on the film version. And to hear that Nickelboy's works and more, that's really, that's really uplifting. What's your second choice?

[Justin Chang]

My second choice is the Brutalist and this is the third feature directed by the actor turned filmmaker Brady Courbet. It stars Adrien Brody in probably the greatest role and performance he's had since he won an Oscar for the Pianist and years ago. And in this film he is again playing a Holocaust survivor, this time a man of Hungarian Jewish descent who before the war was a very accomplished brutalist architect. And the movie is all about how he comes to America and encounters in Pennsylvania a wealthy benefactor played by an absolutely terrific guy Pearce. It's this hugely ambitious big swing of a movie from a 36 year old director who is like aiming for the rafters like a young Orson Welles or Paul Thomas Anderson making this really big movie about capitalism, about immigration, about Jewish assimilation and eventually the exploitation of Jewish genius and labor in post war America. And so there are a lot of really big themes swirling around this movie. It handles them very assuredly. I should also note, David, for everyone, this movie is three and a half hours long, including a 15 minute intermission. But I hasten to add, it flies by. It's incredibly absorbing. Don't be put off by the running time. Go and see it on the big screen in 70 millimeter if you can, because it's going to be showing in.

[David Remnick]

That format with those lights. I really don't when they're good. I just spent a Saturday watching straight through Patrick Rad and Keefe say Nothing. I think it was nine episodes, so there must have been seven hours of film. And I was one happy boy. And what's your third and final choice? Because you've got me twice into the theaters already.

[Justin Chang]

My third movie is called Hard Truths and this is the latest picture from the English filmmaker Mike Lee of movies like Topsy Turvy and Vera Drake. And Mike Lee, it's worth noting he has a very particular style. He works very closely with his actors in a very rigorous and somewhat mysterious workshop process. And from this process emerges a very tightly structured script and some of the best performances you'll ever see in the English language, frankly. And Hard Truths features, I think the performance of the year from Marianne. Jean Baptiste, who worked with Lee before in Secrets and Lies, received an Oscar nomination for that movie. And here, almost 30 years later, she's back and Playing a completely different character, a profoundly, profoundly unhappy person who is just spends the movie sort of lashing out at everyone's sight, which doesn't sound like a fun way to spend your movie.

[David Remnick]

That's Mike Lee's wheelhouse.

[Justin Chang]

It is Mike Lee's wheelhouse. I mean, this is his great subject. He really taps into anger. And I think his. His great theme, or one of them is the uneven distribution of happiness. And why are some people. And why are some people just not. And it sounds like a very simple thing. And from this, though, he gets so much complexity. And this is a character played by Marin Jean Baptiste, who you would not want to be in the same room with her, but you absolutely want to see her on the big screen and.

[Unknown Speaker]

Her over there with that fat baby, parading it around in the little outfit. Not dressed for the weather. Nah. With pockets. What's the baby got pockets for? What's it gonna keep in its pocket?

[Justin Chang]

I was riveted. And it's a very funny, a painfully funny performance at times. And I think people are almost scared to admit that this is actually a very entertaining but also very forceful and devastating and angry movie. And I know, not an orthodox recommendation.

[David Remnick]

Not at all. But if you want to break in between some of these tougher movies, there's always Elf.

[Justin Chang]

It's always Elf.

[David Remnick]

So your three picks. Nickel Boys, Hard Truths, the Brutalist.

[Justin Chang]

Yes.

[David Remnick]

Justin, thanks so much.

[Justin Chang]

Thank you so much, David.

[David Remnick]

You can read Justin Chang on the [e-mail] I'm David Remnick and that's our program for today. Hope you had a great holiday. See you next time.

The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co production of WNYC Studios and the New Yorker. Our theme music was composed and performed by Meryl Garbus of Tune Yards, with additional music by Louis Mitchell and Jared Paul. This episode was produced by Max Bolton, Adam Howard, David Krasnow, Jeffrey Masters, Louis Mitchell, Jared Paul and Ursula Sommer.

[Justin Chang]

And we had additional help this week.

[David Remnick]

From Mike Kutchman with guidance from Emily Bottin and assistance from Michael May, David Gable, Alex Barish, Victor Guan and Alejandra Deckett. The New Yorker Radio Hour is supported in part by the Cherina Endowment Fund.

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