The Menu (2022) KILL COUNT

Fun fact - in the script, Margot was supposed to just sit there in stunned silence when it’s revealed Tyler knew everyone would die. But Anya Taylor Joy argued that she should be angry and lash out instead

"These are tortillas" continues to be one of my favorite line deliveries. It makes me laugh every time.

The Menu: Surprisingly No Cannibalism

Honestly, one of the things that stuck out to me the most about this film is that there's no cannibalism. It seems like the "easy" way a horror movie would imply that the chef is insane, but they did something far more interesting.

13:00 The lamb should've got into the kill count, dying in vain to be Tyler's Bullshit.

The smores monologue at the end I think is the ultimate encapsulation of the Chefs character. Like, he's so far gone from the simple pleasures of this craft he mastered he can't see the joy people have for something as simple as smores. Like, yeah smores are a messy food made from cheap ingredients, buts its the situations you cook them in, the people you cook them with that make a smore a special food. You don't just make a smore on a weekday night, its always at a fire, surrounded by friends or family. They're not made to be mass produced or mindlessly consumed like the food in a store or a restaurant. They're a simple thing anyone can make but its the context in which they're made that gives them value beyond just taste.

Fun fact: Even the name Julian Slowick is not random. Slowick (pronounced same as Slavik or - Slavík in Czech - Slávik in Slovak) means nightingale. It is a hint of a story of captured nightingale where a nightingale is captured by humans and forced to sing for their amusement. The constant demands from humans makes the nightingale hate the singing he always did with passion eventually. Same like Slovik losing all passion for cooking and hating it to do it just for amusement.

I love that when Margo leaves, you can see how the different characters all give her a glare, except for the wife. Probably because she both looks like her daughter but also accepts that she of all of them SHOULD get to leave.

My favourite things about this movie is how Margot isn't a character who outsmarts or simply kills the killer, instead she figures out what the Chef really wants, to enjoy what he does, in this case, it's cooking a simple meal for a customer who will enjoy his food. Edit: I wouldn't say she outsmarts him as he knows what she's doing, and willing goes along with her plan.

I think what I really appreciate about this movie is that it doesn't involve cannibalism. I feel like for most dark or horror movies that had to do with food, the default idea is to do cannibalism, which isn't bad. But when they are able to do something different is when they can truly elevate it.

Okay, I guess it's because I'm mexican, but the lines "What the hell are these?" "These are tortillas. Tortillas deliciosas." amused me far more than I expected.

“The Queens gambit worked!” Absolutely took me out

The "Sorry, You're dying" after the student loans had me crying laughing lol

I've always assumed what Chef whispers into Tyler's ear was "you're the kind of customer/guest/diner i hate the most." And he loses it because he's been so desperate for Chefs approval throughout the film.

“Student loans?” You’re dying kills me everytime 😭😭😭😭

There's a tiny, important detail to Elsa's death that you missed, but is only really recognized if you've worked in food service. ....actually there are a million details like that it's why I adore this movie, but the one about Elsa is what must be shared. Her final words about not forgetting the barrel aren't about jealousy or obedience, but quite the opposite. When she hears chef blame her for the 'error,' it ignites defiance in her, because fuck him, it wasn't her fault! Age old back of house and front of house infighting on full display, Elsa decided in that moment that she would literally die on that hill, because chef tried to blame her for one thing too many.

"Tyler's Bullshit" was one of the funniest moments in 2022 cinema. Also, Ralph Fiennes is scary good in this film. I actually felt uncomfortable MANY times during this film just looking at that pouty, on-the-verge-of-tears look he has the whole movie like he’s just about to do something terrible. So chilling. And Hong Chau did an incredible job too.

Most seam to miss one big hint. In the beginning, Tyler tells Margot to stop smiing, cause it kills your pallet. Lillian bloom is seen smoking in the dining room, and it's silently implied that she unintentionally caused those restaurants to close.

This is one of those Kill Counts where James finished introducing the concept of the movie and I immediately paused the Kill Count to go watch it. Margot is a genuinely awesome final girl; I was grinning and cheering for her when she pulled the "Bet you can't cook a good cheeseburger" play.

Honestly Margot is one of my favorite horror characters. It's easy to root for her knowing Tyler got her into this mess.The cheeseburger scene is my favorite in the movie because it's her breakdown Julian's core problem and giving him one last sense of happiness. Also I would eat that cheeseburger and chicken tortillas