ZOLA
Starring: Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Colman Domingo and Jason Mitchell
Director: Janicza Bravo
JACOB
As an adaptation, Zola doesn't quite capture its source material wholistically, and, frankly, the story is more entertaining in written form. That said, co-writer/director Janicza Bravo's re-telling of the iconic Twitter saga is engaging enough to keep one's attention thanks to solid performances from Taylour Paige and Riley Keough. Some will inevitably be turned off by the experimental manner in which certain scenes are crafted, but conventionality wouldn't fit the story's essence. I do wish there was more of an ending than what's included, as the film sort of just ends without much in the way of resolution.
QUENTIN
For better or worse, I wasn't familiar with the Twitter thread that inspired this movie. I knew it existed, but had no idea about the ins-and-outs of the supposedly true story. It's a wild one, to be sure. That said, something just didn't click for me despite fantastic acting and direction. Colman Domingo is especially great, stealing every scene he's in, while director Janicza Bravo announces herself with a style that is perfectly suited for a Twitter-based movie in the TikTok era. It's certainly not bad, but the most exciting thing about it is the introduction to Bravo.