Wake Up Dead Man

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⭐ 9/10

I was a bit more negative on the last one in the series, but my goodness what a delight it is to have another one of these movies. Clever, lots of wit in the writing, thematically relevant, mysteries that keep you completely engaged through the whole runtime. From the opening scene I could feel my mind working in a way I love, not really crafting theories but trying to remember names and details since everything is important and will pay off later. I've realized a lot of the things I watch are kind of punishing, so its such a treat to have something so fun and engaging.

Where the last one was about rich people during Covid, which didn't really interest me, this one is about faith! I was also surprised at how this movie used its big cast of stars. In the past it has felt really balanced, with Benoit Blanc as the main character (at least that's how I remember it). This one is Josh O'Connor's movie, and I love this guy! He's helping investigate, is also a suspect, and isn't fully honest with us the entire time. I love how wide-eyed and sincere he is, but he's also capable and outspoken. I think he is a total star in this, much like in Challengers.

There are twists and turns, and partial reveals that take you to the full reveal at the end. While I don't really theorize during, I did have someone I basically discounted because I thought it would be too obvious if they were the villain, so there was some slight disappointment at the end. But that's how all of these go - the mystery is more exciting than the answer! Same with Lost or Severance, even if the answers are a let down its the ride to get there that makes it so entertaining.

It's worth mentioning that I liked the angle of this Trump-ish pastor and his devoted flock fraying as his lies become more clear. It can be corny to use phrases and ideas that are in the present zeitgeist, but its done with a lot of humour. Seeing the crazy thumbnails and titles of the recorded sermons on youtube is way too close to reality, but that works in a movie where its not trying to virtue signal, its just trying to present observations, much like my other favourite movies from this year. I'll be recommending this to everyone over the holidays - watch it with a group!

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