rockman182

Pre-pandemic, I remember seeing trailers for this in the theater and thought it looked intriguing. Couldn't really decipher what the film was going to be about based on it. I'm glad it was released digitally, more studios should just be doing that at this point. Anyways, I had the opportunity to check it out and while I do admire the concept I didn't think the film leaves the impression that it wanted to. However, I will see the lead performance from Janelle Monae is jut great and I'd love to see her more in film.

The film is going to be really hard to describe without giving away key plot points so I'll keep it minimum. Lets just describe it as a young slave who experiences truly horrible atrocities on a plantation and tries to devise ways to escape her situation. Though his character is pretty despicable in this, I'm glad to see Jack Huston get work as he was probably my favorite part of Boardwalk Empire.

As mentioned earlier the film fails to live up to the potential it creates. Midway, through you are truly intrigued with what is going on and even the twist at the end is pretty good. I'm not bothered by shocking twists and reveals if its done well and serves the plot well. I feel like there needed to be more substance in this film to really warrant its existence. It does well to build up its atmosphere and show how brutal Plantation's were and the treatment slaves receive but it doesn't act well on its premise.



The middle section feels out of place and while its supposed to feel that way I suppose, it doesn't really connect the passages and definitely could have been written better. It also drags and all around adds to the unevenness of a film that could have made a real point but doesn't. Still, Janelle Monae is really good in this and really increases how watchable it is. She needs to get more work because she has knocked it out of the park in every role shes done. Overall, this will divide and polarize. There are enjoyable aspects but it feels so flawed because you know how good it could have been.

6/10

Let me tell you, when I heard Charlie Kaufman was directing another film and that it would be hitting Netflix, I was hyped. Kaufman's writing is so top notch. He has a unique mind and I can get engorged in a screenplay by him. I think he's a better screenwriter than when he sits behind the directors chair but I wanted to see what he could bring with this. While the film is quite long, I felt mixed about it at first and then decided that I love it. Regardless of my final thoughts, my eyes were glued to the screen the entire duration.

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The film is a film that blurs reality with memory where the main story follows a relationship between a man and a woman. The woman has an inner monologue and wants to end the relationship with him. We see the couples relationship with the man's parents along with the decline in mental capacity and health of the parents. The issues and dynamics of their relationship are explored throughout a film that is at times fleeting and gives way to its ambiguous interpretation and artistic delivery.

Jessie Buckley is the best thing ever in this film. She's always displayed talent in everything she's been in but with this film she displays talent at the highest order. All the pain and emotion can be seen in her expressive acting. Jesse Plemons is great in it as well, the pairing were a strong selection. Toni Colette in her limited time is great and at times so simply frightening (just like she is in Hereditary). Its hard to define this film and put it in a categorical box because it borrows from different genres. Its dialogue driven at times and you have to be ready for a minimal approach at times.

I haven't read the novel but read the differences between the novel and the film. I feel like Kaufman leaves it up to the viewer's interpretation. I don't want to get into spoilers but I feel like I may have an idea what goes on and the link between the fantastical elements and how it relates to the male lead and his idealistic idea of a life where he is happy and a relationship that occurs on his own (often delusional terms). Of course, I cannot be certain of this interpretation as its very ambiguous and not very linear at all.

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The beauty of the film is that it requires multiple viewings. The lead character's clothing changes in different scenes, i.e the color of her sweater. There is a lot that is happening on screen and I don't mind re-watching this to just dive into it and see if there is anything else my eyes can decipher. I know a lot of people are bored or frustrated with this film. Its a grower that stays in your mind and its something I want to revisit because I liked it a lot.

8/10

I just heard about this film recently but I wanted to check it out because the posters looked cool and the premise sounded interesting. A film with heavy metal groupies mixed with cultish deaths due to satanism? Count me in. This film isn't a great film in terms of quality or unique in the ground that it treads but its entertaining for its hour and a half running time and I liked it. I'll even go as far as to say its a fairly re-watchable film.

The film is about three female groupies driving to a rock concert. They have an incident on the road with three young men and they befriend the group. They rock out and party but there have been recent murders going around with young Satan worshipers being slain. The groups involved in the film become directly involved with these grizzly murders. its hard to describe this without giving away key points so I'll stop there. This film stars Alexandra Daddario, Amy Forsyth, and Austin Swift (Taylor Swift's younger brother which was surprising).

Daddario really got a chance to chew the scenery and put on a hammy performance and I loved it. You know the film has a twist coming and while some may see it coming, it doesn't take away from a fun time. At times, the family is humorous in its dialogue but it mostly plays out as a serviceable thriller with horror elements. Johnny Knoxville is in the film as well but has a very minimal role. Th characters and the costumes and style are also fun to watch, its so over the top at times.

This film offers nothing we haven't seen before and other films have certainly done it better. With that said its a short and simple film that requires very little to no brainwork, which works as a good popcorn film. Sometimes you can keep it really simple and entertain, that's the beauty of cinema. I also like Amy Forsyth after her starring in Hell Fest, she has the tools to be a new class of Scream Queen for sure if she keeps it up.

7/10