October 19: MaXXXIne (Pt. 1)

[kinetic_elaboration]

Started watching MaXXXine tonight but I’m not going to finish it, not because it isn’t good but because it’s late, and a fatigue wall is hitting me (as it should!) and I still need to shower and get to bed. I am actually enjoying it quite a bit, and my desire to enjoy it properly without feeling like my brain is so heavy is part of what’s leading me to put it down.

I can’t honestly say that it’s going to be a lot more than ‘Mia Goth is hot and it’s the 80s’ but I’m okay with that. I like a strong aesthetic. I won’t lie, I think part of why Pearl doesn’t sit so strongly in my memory is that I wasn’t interested in the 1920s thing, I was worried that would lessen my enjoyment of the film, it didn’t really as I was watching, but it does in retrospect. This over-saturated, over-the-top 80s look is more my interest, so I find the film visually more fun.

And I do like the cryptic lines about fame and secrecy and ruthlessness and whatever else. I’m too tired to decide if I think it’s deep or just clever, but it fits the mood–it’s like the dialogue to me is like the lighting or the costumes or the sets, it just creates a sort of vibe and I’m in the vibe and liking it.

Do I find it scary so far? Mmmm, I think I find it more visually interesting and enjoyable in its stark and stylized mood than frightening. But I thought the 'behind the green door’ scene (the most useful bit of pornography I’ve ever seen, thanks college!) was scary and I definitely thought the skull cast scene was scary. Perhaps because I would find that very scary even without frightening flashbacks? Yes, but still, it was well done too.

I’m enjoying the soundtrack and the way the soundtrack is used, and the pacing of the scenes, and I like to think this is one of those films where the actors are having fun playing things that are actually rather ridiculous but still very self-serious on their face, and very beautiful.

So, tl;dr, it’s a vibe and I’m enjoying the vibe. Looking forward to part two.