Babylon 2022

Nellie (Margot Robbie) and Manny’s (Diego Calva) conversation early on is immediately relatable. All I want is to go to a movie theater. That simple desire, loving movies as an escape, sets the emotional core of the film. It captures why people are drawn to cinema in the first place, not just for fame or money, but for belonging inside something bigger than themselves. Right away, the film explodes with energy. The party jazz music is infectious, chaotic, and intoxicating. The long uninterrupted takes amid absolute madness feel very PTA-inspired, letting the camera swim through bodies, and noise instead of cutting away from it. Technically, the film is stunning from the start. The lighting is immediately gorgeous, with masterful use of color that recalls Whiplash and even made me want to rewatch La La Land. Everything feels alive, sweaty, and electric. The scale of Babylon is insane. The musical score is epic and grand, constantly pushing the film forward with momentum. It’s funny as hell too, leaning into absurdity without shame. This movie is pure visual popcorn and eargasmic overload. The sunset over the hill scene is an outright cinematic masterpiece! One of the funniest and smartest sequences is the first trial on the soundstage. The transition from silent film freedom to sound era rigidity is portrayed through pure frustration. The audio man losing his mind over noise is hilarious but also telling. You feel how technology reshapes art overnight, turning creativity into stress, rules, and technical limitations. As the film progresses, the tone shifts dramatically. What starts as bright, wild, and euphoric slowly becomes darker and more reflective. The drama intensifies, tension rises, and the color palette becomes more muted. It feels like a transition from Paul Thomas Anderson style chaos to Quentin Tarantino style brutality. The party ends, and consequences start piling up. At its core, Babylon is about how money and fame don’t change who you are, they only magnify you. The film industry can make you or break you. By the end, Manny realizes that every beautiful and ugly thing he experienced was part of something larger (which he wished to be part of). Babylon is loud, sensory overload, indulgent, and unapologetic. It’s a love letter and a warning, a celebration and a breakdown, all rolled into one overwhelming, unforgettable experience.