Babylon

Continuing this run of films about the "roaring '20s" is Damien Chazelle's Babylon, which released in 2022 and is an epic scale story about Hollywood's move from silent films to 'talkies' and the impact it had while focusing on a number of characters who are based upon real stars from the era. Sometimes Hollywood telling stories about itself can feel self-indulgent but Chazelle clearly worked very hard to ensure this was far from a rose-tinted window to the past. 

The primary story follows Margot Robbie's destructive actress who finds a break in the industry while silent films are still king and her story is interweaved with Diego Calva's studio assistant who dreams of making a meaningful career in the industry, and then there's Brad Pitt's aging star who sees the impending change of sound as a threat to his stardom. 

Babylon is best described as a wild ride told across 189 minutes as we see chaos unfold around the Hollywood hills. When Chazelle finds the right pieces, it is a thrilling experience that spares no expense with the visuals recreating this bygone era and can become an easy film immerse yourself in. Not to get technical but this was also shot on film and it really does look great. However, I found there were more than a few sequences that felt painfully drawn-out and required a tougher editor to prevent the pace of the film from stalling. I did enjoy many parts of this and can see where some of its die-hard fans are coming from with their praise but it sags too much in the middle and some of the cruder moments will cause some viewers to tune out.

Chazelle has made a film as wild and bombastic are the opening party sequence, and the cast are all great at bringing this story to life. I just found the pacing to be its biggest issue and will be its undoing for many. However, if you are interested in this period and the early days of Hollywood then I would recommend Babylon. It is so audaciously big and loud that if it sounds of interest then you should give it a go, just maybe across several sittings.