nope (2022)
i went into this movie totally blind, only knowing about the wide praise it got when it was released. after watching, i would ABSOLUTELY have to agree - this was an incredible film. there were some parts of the script i found to be hammy, but the strong thematic elements tied throughout the entire movie more than made up for my nitpicking.
watching nope reminded me of why i've avoided horror movies for this long, even though they fascinate me so much... this movie was much, much scarier than i thought it was going to be! (which is a good thing.) even in the moments so scary that i looked away, i had to keep the corner of my eye glued to the screen, anxiously anticipating how the disaster would unfold next. the scene of jean jacket digesting the jupiter's claim crowd alive is still burnt into my brain, i cringe every time i think about it. the darkest moments of this film served its greater purpose of exploring themes of cruelty and exploitation for profit. they felt more than earned.
i've seen some people online take issue with the fact that OJ, em, and angel all live in the end... but i have to strongly disagree. their survival felt like my reward for the rollercoaster nope had put me through - i had become so attached to all 3 of them by the end. jupe's near brush with death in the gordy's home scene was a delay of the inevitable. the exploitation of this animal haunts him for his entire life, and he exploits himself as a means of escaping it. when he tries to make jean jacket into a show for his profit, the spectacle that's been chewing him up all these years finally, literally, swallows him whole. it's a tragedy our main trio avoids by respecting jean jacket for the wild animal she is. yes i know em kills her in the end but tbf she thought he ate her brother. also how poignant that jean jacket is killed by an inflated mascot caricature of jupe... much to think about.
still thinking about how theme-rich nope was almost a week later. good fucking movie. also angel i want you.
★★★★½
(07/05/2024)
last night in soho (2021)
i remember seeing a trailer for this in the theater before it came out, and it really piqued my interest. while i don't think it was a complete waste of my time, i walked away pretty disappointed. there were a lot of elements that were working for me, but by the end of the film, all of them had fallen apart.
the ending in particular was its biggest blunder. the twist is a really cool idea on paper that made sense, but its execution felt hammy. i'm all for meeting a movie where it is and embracing overt drama in fiction - however, i couldn't help but roll my eyes at everything going on during that final scene in the apartment building. the stakes felt like they came out of left field.
i think some of the story's time would have been better spent on ellie's relationship with her mother, rather than on her tension with the secondary "real world" cast. it really didn't feel like her connection to sandie went deeper than 1. she is also a woman and 2. she likes the 60s. i do appreciate that ellie got her happy ending in spite of it all (even though i was wondering, "how did she NOT get suspended after shoving a KNIFE at jocasta??")
i want to praise this film for it's gorgeous visuals and creative movie magic, by FAR its strongest elements. i've seen scott pilgrim and baby driver - movies that look amazing but have hit-and-miss stories seem to be a theme for edgar wright. regardless of my criticisms, i'd check out another film of his just for the visuals alone.
★★★☆☆
(07/04/2024)
pearl (2022)
i've seen all the memes and stuff, so i was worried i knew too much to enjoy it, but that wasn't the case at all. the film was entertaining all throughout, and had several surprises that the internet hadn't spoiled for me. the spanish flu and covid parallels complimented the themes of isolation and paranoia, making it a pandemic film i think will stand the test of time.
what pearl is experiencing goes beyond generational trauma - she's trapped in a generational prison. that sense of doom she was desperate to claw away from (murderously so) really resonated with me. she was as easy to sympathize with as she was fun to watch unravel at her already weakened seams.
pearl's final monologue was my favorite part, i think. the film lays all its cards out on the table in these final minutes, and i found it extremely effective. mia goth as pearl bears herself to who she thinks is her only friend in the world, in a performance that is hauntingly, miserably vulnerable.