Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon

In slick, original drama-thriller "Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon" Jeon Jong-seo escapes a mental asylum to New Orleans' seedy, steamy side where she's taken in by the 'colourful' likes of street-punk Ed Skrein, skanky exotic dancer Kate Hudson, & Hudson's kid Evan Whitten... as tired beat cop Craig Robinson hunts her down. Writer / director Ana Lily Amirpour's screenplay is unexpected, fresh & with terrific characters (tho some MAY bemoan the non-traditional plot) and she elicits superb performances (esp the understatedly outstanding Jong-seo) against a richly stylish backdrop (inc pulsating soundtrack). Excellent film-making from an upcoming potential master.

I enjoyed this movie to the point I watched it twice on Amazon Prime. I'd watch it thrice if there was a French dub (I wanted to try it). The highlight of the movie is the soundtrack, in my opinion. The licensed tracks are clearly carefully curated to create a nocturnal, electronic-infused vibe. In fact, most of the movie is filmed at night. It has some beautiful shots of New Orleans at night and the film definitely goes for something more stylized than realistic. It's what I would call a traditional movie. 3 acts, beginning, middle and end. No pretentions, no sequel-bait, just a nice little story that explains enough about its characters and world.

The cast does a good job in my opinion. The movie isn't overly gory or gritty so don't go expecting a slasher. It has a cool concept of a girl who is some kind of ESPer (like the psychic kids in Akira). She can control people with her mind similar to some form of hypnosis and after escaping a mental institution she was held in, she goes out and about finding people along her way and a few hijinks ensue. (Don't worry, there are no spoilers here, this is pretty much the premise and synopsis).

It's a good little movie that doesn't last that long, it's roughly 1h40mins. I found it rather curious, endearing, mysterious and weird enough to warrant a second or even a third watch. I wasn't expecting to like it, but somehow I did. This unasuming movie found its way into my heart, it appears. Give it a try, dear IMDB wanderer. I think you might have a good time if you fancy the weird and mysterious.

Monalisa's day out in New Orleans is a fantasy trip of light sound and music. There is not much story, as the journey is the plot.

The opening scenes in the Mental Hospital set the stage immediately and raised expectations beyond what was delivered, however watch Monalisa for the experience. For the visual show with accompanying beat and the awakening of an unknown force on a Blood Moon in the south.

There was potential for so much more, Bourbon St never looked so clean and the characters so normal. I assume budget and Covid took their toll.

Great supporting roles from Kate Hudson and son and some other quirky characters.

Not a masterpiece but a koool adventure.

The originality of the idea and its execution is what makes this a fun watch. You won't know where the story is going for at least half of the movie.

I personally would have liked a little more background on Mona Lisa, but it doesn't add or subtract from the plot.

I assumed that the moon would have something to do with her powers, but the story does not dwell too much on the whys and whens.

My favorite part though would have to be Mona's expressions on the flight. That there is some real good acting. I wasn't surprised when I looked Jeon Jong-seo up and found out that she was in "Burning" and "The Call." Both are worth checking out.

This movie is about vibes. Wow. An authentic trip, not without flaws, but always with a lot of personality and originality, with no fear of referencing past decades and even using some camp in a ridiculous way.

It's the 3rd movie I've seen with Jeon Jong-seo and there's little doubt to me that she's a star, capable of filling the screen and dominating every scene she is in. In this film, she is once again mesmerizing (ok, ok...) and manages to captivate us with her aura of mystery combined with her innocence.

I have to see The Bad Batch - some reviews have made me postpone this experience - but this is another film that demonstrates how unique Ana Lily Amirpour is, without fear of doing something different and taking risks. The soundtrack of this film is something sensational and all the editing options taken make it seem like we are on an authentic trip. The cinematography is fantastic and is always pleasant to look to the screen full of colours and life.

The script is not as strong as it would be desirable and many questions remain unanswered, but this is a commendable experience, full of style, attitude, and striking scenes that deserve to be much more talked about than it has been.