Don't Look Up

A well-fed DiCaprio strides in for another Oscar. A rather shaky, but occasionally unexpectedly realistic picture with a powerful message which shows where we have got to and how bad things are. We could just laugh, but McKay really wanted to terrify us. A modern horror wrapped in cynical humor and dispassion. Showing us prime examples of bad decisions that are constantly being made today on a regular basis. This is filmed for dumb people too. (25/12/2021)

The worst thing is that in a world where populists rule politically, where even infotainment is no longer enough for the media but pure entertainment, where much of the real power is held by unaccountable tech giants headed by eccentric megalomaniac billionaires, where social media trends set the agenda, where likable bullshit carries more weight than fact-based opinion, a doom-comet could very well end up exactly like this. Scary, true, and funny at the same time. (25/12/2021)

I've been thinking for the past two years that making a satire must be pretty hard when reality keeps overtaking it. But Don't Look Up manages very tastefully to poke fun at our times, no matter what we apply it to on the list of what's happening now. It's probably obvious to anyone who's read the cast that the acting is going to be okay at the very least. I downright needed DiCaprio's "dry" role, and I even liked all the women around him a bit more than usual. For me, it's one of those movies that downright makes you feel better and you're happy to give something five stars after a string of fours because finally there's no BUT. (20/03/2022)

Don’t Look Up is a substantially better Hollywood comedy about the end of the world than This is the End :-). It is not only smartly written, but also cleverly cast. For example, the use of Ariana Grande and her song is outstanding. I found the live broadcast scenes the most satirically on point. Another interesting role for Mark Rylance. Though not revelatory, DiCaprio’s last line is apt and right in line with my beliefs. And this is the Cate Blanchett that I would want for a lover. (06/03/2022)

A bit overdone and insanely talky agitprop for saving the world, which is lifted up by a strong ensemble of actors, a decent turn of phrase and depiction, or at least a hint of a lot of themes that trouble us humanity and sooner or later will have to be solved somehow. It also includes stalwarts in the style of the miserable political establishment, the negatives of social networks, etc. It's clear why DiCaprio is involved, but beyond that, it's nice to see the likes of Ariana Grande, where I want to believe she knew out why she was cast and why she's playing what she's playing. Too bad about the length and some unnecessary "off topic" scenes. (09/01/2022)