long live the new flesh

seated for Opus

I don’t really have anything to say about this. it’s not the worst iteration of whatever this sub genre is but it’s not even the best of the mid ones. Build on a foundation of midsummer nachos, it doesn’t build on any of its themes in a way that’s particularly inspired. it just throws tired ideas at you to just nod at. 

None of the performances excited me. Everyone’s just okay. There’s no real depth to anyone. The direction is muddled. some of the choices i thought were great but it isn’t entirely cohesive by the end and the editing was all over the place. 

I did enjoy the costume design. Ayo was dressed and styled beautifully and i think the compound design was solid. Tired, yes but okay nonetheless. There weren’t any sequences that excited me but it wasn’t excruciatingly boring and the climax at least provides for a tiny bit of action. Shout out to Elijah Gomez for lighting this because it looked great. 

Not a terrible debut but definitely the amalgamation of a ton of predecessors and signaled decline in this wave of horror movies.

seated for black bag

It’s a comfort to know that i can always count on Steven Soderbergh to give me a nicely stylized slightly above average film experience. After the disappointment i felt from Presence i was really hoping for a solid watch and that’s what black bag gave me. The trailers made me nervous that it was going to be boring, the lack of anything really happening but walking around put me on edge but for the majority of the film i was enjoying myself.

The story unfolded nicely, a who dunnit that focused primarily on the characters relationships made for a nice little drama filled mystery. i think the length is perfect and doesn’t try and drag out the plot further than it needs to go. The tension is there enough to keep you interested but not necessarily nervous. Despite the situation being harsh the stakes felt incredibly low. 

The performances were quite good too. Cate blanchet was seductively elusive and Marisa Abela was so exciting. I’m not really an industry fan so i hope to see her in more film projects in the future. The supporting cast was great as well, although i can’t say i enjoyed Pierce Bronsan’s strangely tight delivery’s.

The stylization was what really kept me hooked. The editing was jarring at first but ended up being pretty cool. It felt parallel to the score, quick cuts to multiple angles of one scene in line with the sharp divots of the score. The lighting was unique, very moody, lots of small bright lights in the center of the frame. I think it added a good moodiness that complimented the drama. Loved the design of the house as well. 

Overall it’s not something i ever see myself coming back too but it’s a very solid 90 minute thriller and worth checking out.