The Last Earth Girl (2019)

The Last Earth Girl: Directed by Jim Weter. With Kari Fleskes, Mark Pergolizzi, Duane P. Craig, Greg Earnest. After the announcement that the world will end in seven years, a young woman must decide what is truly important to her in life and what she is willing to sacrifice to reach her goals.

“Thatu0026#39;s some terrifying stuff right there! Fashion designer Tom Ford has written and directed his second movie, a multifaceted revenge thriller which is even better than his first, 2009u0026#39;s u0026quot;A Single Manu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBoth are visually stylish, of course, which is expected from fashion guru, both have interesting premise and good actors, and both have this cold, unsettling atmosphere which tries to keep the viewer at some distance.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn short, Ford has managed to take everything good from his solid debut project and bring it to the next level with u0026quot;Nocturnal Animalsu0026quot;. Itu0026#39;s more lively, gripping, effortlessly cool and deeper. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are two stories, interwined in a way which may make viewers wonder whether itu0026#39;s real or imagined by the character. But it is ambiguous in a best possible way, not trying to f–k with our minds and then leave us hanging.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAn unhappily married woman (Amy Adams) thinks she wants his first husband (Jake Gyllenhaal) back. And she reads his novel, a violent thriller, which seems like a revenge tale. And then things get more, er, complex.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn-screen events are exciting already but Ford the writer turns out surprisingly skillful at making it even varied, without getting stuck or losing steam, or letting us think that we know where all this ends up. He even playfully takes jabs at his main fashion job and the lifestyle and personal sacrifices that come with it. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd the whole result really makes you feel something for the characters, unlike many of the thrillers that only manage to arouse the viewer during their best bits.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s not mostly about Adams and Gyllenhaal. There is a number of smaller but important characters and cool performances. We have Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Michael Sheen, Laura Linney.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe cast is good enough reason to watch it. Everybody adds something worthwhile to the experience, even Sheen and Fisher and especially Linney who all have rather small roles used to move the story along. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eShannon brings his usual magnetic mix of cool and creepy. Gyllenhaal manages to move between having balls and ball-less state without turning unbelievable or too heroic. Taylor-Johnson as the bad guy even got a Golden Globe for his work (the only one for the movie although Tom Ford got nominated for both best movie / drama and adapted screenplay). He really deserves it, he is evil at its most subtle and delicious. Delicious to watch, I mean.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut I am especially happy about Amy Adams who is often used in the movies as just a pretty face or supporting woman. In 2016, she has had two strong roles, in a thinking manu0026#39;s sci-fi u0026quot;Arrivalu0026quot;, and now this. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHer screen time may be limited but she surely makes the most of it, captivatingly playing out both worlds that the character has hiding inside her. I believed her both as a lively young woman and the jaded older one thatu0026#39;s missing all the ideals that she had decided to throw away long time ago.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBased on a novel by Austin Wright which Ford wanted to adapt into two movies initially, one true to original, the other not so much. I am not sure which way he chose ultimately but what a ride, eh?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePS No, I am not giving 9 out of 10 to every movie I watch from now on. The last three have been just some of 2016u0026#39;s best of the best.”