I was reminded of many other films while watching Amsterdam, Inglorious Basterds, the films of Wes Anderson, Vengeance (perhaps because I watched it the night before), and the spy movies of Hitchcock. I think Amsterdam has an edge on all of those. It is smart and funny throughout, the cast has great chemistry together, and the message is always kept in focus.

The title is a bit odd, it's a bit like the title of the film Brazil, in that the movie doesn't (or barely in this case) take place in the location of the title and it just represents something the heroes are striving for. But I think it would be better for a movie's title to suggest to the audience what they will be seeing than what the movie's character would like to see. That's the strongest criticism I have over the whole affair. I suppose also the music, while very nice repeats a bit much and that makes it feel a bit manipulative in later scenes.

But everything else is just wonderful, the cinematography, the editing, the humor, the makeup, and the art--by which I mean the art within the movie. One of the main characters is a surrealist photographer here, and they show a lot of her work. Too often in films when they have to show a painting or a photographer, you have to employ your suspension of disbelief when the camera finally put it on screen. In this movie, the character's art is immediately engaging and you want to see more of it and understand it. Not just the photographs but also the sculptural works is of a very high quality, and I'm so glad that you get to see a bit more of it blown up during the credits.

Loved this film, best movie I've seen since Kajillionaire.