Movie Review: Writer-director Julio Torres proves a storyteller to cheer with awesome

Here's the original story without notes or explanations. Alejandro, the hero of Problemista, has a unique worldview. This aspiring toy designer believes that contemporary toys are too much fun. Alejandro, created by filmmaker Julio Torres, is the star and director of the offkilter yet captivating film Problemista. The movie reflects Torres's singular, idiosyncratic mind. It bursts with the surreal joy found in "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and even breaks space and time. The movie tells the story of Alejandro, an immigrant from El Salvador struggling to extend his stay in New York while chasing his dream of working for Hasbro. His artistic mother sheltered him from the harsh realities of life, but now he finds himself alone and overwhelmed in New York City. Isabella Rossellini's narration adds a touch of stardom and depth to the film. Torres portrays Alejandro, a delicate soul with a childlike demeanor, terrible bangs, and a tuft of hair that sticks out like an exclamation mark. His tentative steps and backpack make him appear hesitant and uncertain as he navigates the city. Alejandro's life takes a turn when he meets Elizabeth, the widow of a cryogenically frozen artist. Desperate to keep her husband on ice, she enlists Alejandro's help to locate and sell her husband's unloved paintings. Tilda Swinton, a Wes Anderson favorite, brilliantly plays Elizabeth as an unhinged, selfinvolved, and often frightening woman. These two polar opposites form an unlikely bond. Elizabeth needs Alejandro's calmness and vision, while he benefits from her forthrightness. Torres skillfully weaves in a Kafkaesque portrayal of the bureaucratic hurdles faced by immigrants, as well as a satirical look at the banking system. He highlights how both institutions prey on those who are vulnerable. Torres, a comedian and TV writer with credits like "Saturday Night Live" and "Los Espookys", has a knack for the surreal which shines through in this movie. The film is full of bizarre sequences and rich with themes like the desire to be seen, the absurdity of modern systems, our attempts to cheat death, and our reliance on technology. In a cool twist, the movie even leaps 300 years into the future.