August 2024 review update.
MaXXXine, 2024 (***)
High hopes after the extremely enjoyable Pearl yet despite a wonderfully stylish opening act, the film begins to lack any narrative focus and finally underwhelms. Also disappointing, despite a fun aesthetic and soundtrack, and speaking as a pedantic fetishy connoisseur of that decade, is a lack of attention to 1980s detail. Kevin Bacon is as ever annoying as Mia Goth is fantastic and compelling.
Longlegs, 2024 (**)
The trailers for this were so amazing thus setting expectations way too high for what turned out to be a pointless exercise in investigative drudgery and exposition dumps mansplained by a charisma-free supernatural FBI detective lady. As usual Nicholas Cage stars as Nicholas Cage, here making only a short appearance despite star billing and some decidedly dubious make-up.
Wonderland, 2024 (**)
Incredibly confusing sci-fi movie involving advanced technology capable of AI reunions with one's departed loved ones - by the time I figured out what was happening all interest in the sub-stories was lost. Despite its intriguing subject matter and setting, the movie lacks soul. I kind of wish it'd gone down a darker more dystopian Black Mirror-type route.
Tarot, 2024 (*****)
Three tales from Korea each tenuously based around a reversed tarot card. The first is certainly creepy and unsettling, the second downright unpleasant yet forgettable, however the third is worth the price of entry alone. An absolutely genius episode of body horror, creative and original, whose final scenes will long linger in the memory.
Toys Are Not For Children, 1972 (****)
This 1970s low-budget psychosexual drama might be low on explicit sleaze but is highly original and believably acted by Marcia Forbes as the strange young woman. The plot tells a delightfully messed-up story of obsession and perversion. Imagine if John Waters had directed The Baby, it might look something like this.
Candy Land, 2022 (****)
In contrast to the above Toys Are Not For Children, Candy Land's sleaze is most definitely explicit and in that respect puts to shame the often incredibly coy horror movie scene. However that's not all: the movie is an extremely enjoyable and satisfying slasher, directed with loads of energy and belying its low budget.
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