MaXXXine

I just got back from an early screening and wanted to share a few thoughts. Overall, it was a good time. Some of the tone felt more like a drama than horror as there are no real tense or scary moments, but I understand that horror isn't always interpreted that way.

If you haven't seen Pearl, you'll be fine. I do feel that you would need to at least watch X beforehand to understand some of the backstory and references.

I was very into the style of the movie, that 80s glam/sleaze look and feel was nailed perfectly. Ti West is good for that as seen in his earlier work, especially The House of the Devil. X remains my favorite of the trilogy but if you're a fan of the other two movies, you'll enjoy this. Mia Goth is always worth a watch.

The soundtrack, costumes, and performances were all done very well.

Ti West's wrap up to the Maxine/Pearl trilogy is an eminently watchable, if disappointing thriller, set in the mid-80s. Mia Goth again plays the main character, now a Porn Star who wants to go 'legit' by doing a horror film with the hopes that it will make her a real star.

West (who also wrote) does a decent job evoking the era. He ups the stakes by setting it against the back drop of the Night Stalker case and the decade's Satanic Panic. The Los Angeles locations are authentic including scenes at Universal and Warner Brothers studios. The supporting cast includes Kevin Bacon as a sort of Southern fried Jake Gittes, Elizabeth Debicki as an up and coming film director who aspires to being an artist with a capital "A", Giancarlo Esposito as a very hands on Agent, and Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale as detectives. They all are good, with Bacon and Cannavale having the juiciest roles. A couple of the lines about Hollywood are amusing throwaways. Still, without Goth, none of it works. She's clearly channeled this character, and you sense it on screen.

On the downside, West insists on including incredibly graphic violence in close-up that once would have earned it an NC-17 (or, at least a trip back to the MPAA). Sure, it's a "horror film", but it feels over the top even in that context. West's experiments in this trilogy over three distinct time periods is more interesting in concept and design than results. MAXXXINE intentionally looks like some modern update on 80s revenge pictures from the likes of Cannon and New World. West seems to think that aping those films but with a "smart" 21st century perspective is enough; But, for all of Goth's fine work (and, to be fair, West's technical skill) it can't help but feel like an empty exercise. For all its attitude it still ends up being just a grindhouse exploitation movie itself. There aren't any true insights nor commentary, just a juiced up modern version of the same old. West has talent (and, for now, Goth), but, his retro obsession is becoming a dead end.

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Maxxine is a film that really emphasizes style but falls short in the substance department. While I appreciated the throwbacks to slasher and horror films of the 80s, the plot and execution felt a bit disjointed and lacked coherence. Despite this, the film's unique style ultimately triumphs over its shortcomings. Mia Goth once again delivers an enigmatic performance, though her character felt less compelling compared to the previous instalments in the trilogy.

The third act was somewhat disappointing as it didn't live up to the intense buildup. As a fan of the genre, I found elements to enjoy, but I couldn't help feeling let down by the less-than-epic finale, especially after the thrilling conclusions of the previous two films.

This is the movie I was the most excited about out of three. I am a bit sad it was a bit underwhelming.

It is certainly the weakest of the 3. I watched it with my family and we all agreed.

It's just not a compelling story, what exactly is the point? The character development is also extremely shallow, I wasn't really rooting for anyone.

Now, I do love the horror film homages, I loved the chase in the movie set, it reminded me of Scream 3.

I also loved seeing the Bates Motel and the House from Psycho.

Visually it's also beautiful. This looks like it was shot on actual film. It is grainy, vibrant, colorful, lots of contrast, the camera work was great. I just love when a film looks like a film and not an amazon ad. The tone was also a mess, it's a bit of a thriller, a bit of a drama, and just a tiny bit of a horror.

Sadly, the story just falls short, it just wasn't the grand epic finale I was expecting.

I might've been a little too hyped to see this third installment of the X trilogy because I left the theater somewhat disappointed.

Mia Goth rocks the role of Maxine. But the character deserved a better finale. The stakes didn't feel high enough. I'm a fan of Kevin Bacon, but his character wasn't threatening at all. He was more comical (in an annoying way) and given way too much screen time.

The kills were ok. The detectives were one dimensional characters... and the finale was anti-climactic. I would've liked to have seen something more with a Tarantino vibe.

The best part of the movie (aside from Mia) was the use of 80s music and nostalgia. But I can't really attribute that to the filmmakers.

Not a bad movie by any means. All of the elements were there. But the final product just wasn't as dynamic as it could've been.