Leviathan, by Zviagintsev

A Mexican soap opera with lots of Russian expletives and vodka.

Inherent Vice of Maps to the Stars

Two movies essentially about the same thing: that the rich people are perverted and vapid and their actions wreak havoc with lives of simple people, the "Great Gatsby" for our times. The difference is in perspective--the "Inherent Vice" sees it from the perspective of the ordinary Joe--while the "Maps to the Stars" deals with the trials of the rich people themselves.

Talented P. T. Anderson seems to be physically unable to make a short, i.e. normal-length movie. He even adds a prolonged sex scene between protagonists for no obvious reason. But, helped by T. Pynchon, his dialogue is smart and well organized. PTA's characters are weird but totally believable in their weirdness.

Same thing cannot be said about Cronenberg's "Map to the Stars." Primitive dialogue and stock characters do not support his movie's pretense of sophistication. Even Oscar-bound Julianne Moore and Mia Wasikowska do not save the movie. Furthermore, it is branded as comedy for unspecified reasons. It is as ponderous as a lead block.