Hail, Caesar! (2016 Joel & Ethan Coen & scr)

Perhaps their funniest film, particularly in the terrible acting / dialogue that appears in the 'films'. Clooney only acts like this for the Coen brothers, like he's been allowed to go zany. Scarlett Johansson also is utterly unlike her normal self with great accent.

Josh Brolin hangs it all together. (Eddie Mannix was a real, unscrupulous producer and fixer.) With Aldon Ehrenreich as the cowboy (he was also in Blue Jasmine), Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, Frances McDormand, Jonah Hill, Veronica Osorio, Heather Goldenhersh (secretary), Alison Pill (Josh's wife), Max Baker (head commie), Christopher Lambert (German film director) many other great actors in small parts such as David Krumholtz and Coens regular Fred Melamed. Narrated by Michael Gambon.

Stunts and choreography (sailors, swim team, cowboy stunts) that look real and not CGIed. Hilarious moments such as the interview with the church leaders, Fiennes rehearsing Ehrenreich (quite ad libbed apparently). Absolutely beautiful production design (Jess Gonchot), sets and costumes, featuring several great watches, super attention to detail (e.g. reassembling the stage as the camera tracks back), sensational photography and music (Deakins and Burwell).

A 1925 Waltham

Deakins didn't like the experience of shooting on film because of the poor choice of stock and problems with the lab. He says the submarine scene is deliberately artificial (studio set) and that the house that Clooney's kidnapped to is indeed a reference to North By Northwest.