Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

X 

This film is one of the most inventive and thought provoking horror films I’ve seen all year! Now This film isn’t your typical slasher film it’s psychological horror at its finest as it seeps under your skin and eats at your brain long after your done the film. Provided by a truly mesmerizing breakout performance by Mia Goth who delivers  a complex and emotionally subtle performance that will blow you away. TI West has this film multi layered with deep rooted themes that you can pick apart in so many different ways. Is it scary? Hell yes does it deliver on the performances? Oh very much so X is truly a unsettling film with one of the best written screenplays I’ve seen All year. 

Firstly, Let’s discuss the style of this film as it’s not just your run of the mill horror. As I mentioned it’s psychologically scary yes but the scares come quietly and echo in the background in such a smart way where you don’t expect it. As theirs themes of sexuality, expressing on self through art, the loss of innocence and sinners. Theirs actually a lot of religious undertones in this film. As it’s about a group of people who go to shoot an adult film on some persons property and once they start going about it things go south real fast. The way it’s tackled is so interesting as it melds into the horror so organically and naturally. The main character Maxine is this aspiring actress with big dreams but never has got a chance to prove her talents and she feels this film will really be her breakthrough role and takes it very seriously. She’s the centre of the film and has such complexity to her and an emotionally subtlety that is truly captivating Ti West captures these characters in such well fleshed out ways that your hooked onto every person onscreen from the start to finish. The film is definitely a slow burn in its build up to the scary elements of the story it Dosent have flashy big set pieces it’s very quiet and personally I found that more affective for this type of film as you don’t know when the scares will come and it’s unpredictable. As most horror films swell the music and then cut it so you can expect when the scare Will happen but here he creates this tense atmosphere where anything can happen at any time and you don’t know what can come at the screen which made for a more psychologically intense experience which was amazingly structured. The film is brilliantly done with its tone and the writing is truly outstanding and Ti West created such a unique horror film that is one of the best of the year due to this very unsettling story but yet you can’t look away. 

Secondly, the performances in this film are incredible! Everyone brought their A game to the screen. Their are two standouts tho that really captured the screen in such a truly spectacular way. Firstly you have Jenny Ortega who is a rising star that people should keep on their radar who gives this incredible supporting turn as the quiet but emotionally vocal personality. She doesn’t say much dialogue wise but she delivers a lot of her performance from emotion that is conveyed through her expressions and it’s very well done she had a bigger role then I thought. Now everyone is going to be taking about Mia Goth’s performance and I get it but I hope Jenny Ortega’s performance isn’t overlooked as it is a solid turn from her playing the them of loss of innocence in a way and it’s shown so greatly through her supporting turn in the film. And theirs the star of the film Mia Goth who gives one of the most fantastic breakout performances all year she very much like Jenny plays this emotionally reserved person and though is quiet in her way with speaking with others she does vocalize her raw emotions in such a honest way through her expressions and body language. It’s a very on the surface quiet performance but is a hurricane of emotions going through her heart. It’s a truly spectacular performance and is a name for people to keep their eyes on because she’s going to make a big splash I feel in the future of films to come. Everyone else gave a great performance but it’s Jenny Ortega and Mia Goth who stole the show in terms of performance that will have you in total awe. 

Lastly. X is a film that creeps up on you with its scares in such an effective and unsettling way it gets under your skin and eats at your Brain. As Ti West writes and directs this incredible psychological horror that is terrifying, captivating and one of the most fresh horror films I’ve seen this year anchored by a truly incredible performance by Mia Goth. X is a film i recommend everyone check out. 

This film centres  around a group of people in 1979 who go out to film an adult movie on someone’s property but once they start rolling on the picture dark and unsettling things start occurring 

Rated R : Gore|Drug Use|Strong Sexual Content|Graphic Nudity|Language|Strong Bloody Violence

Mia Goth : Mia Goth delivers a knockout breakout performance in X! She gives one of the best performances of the year as she provides a performance that is subtle and also so emotionally impactful. She plays this person who wants to be a star and really come into her own in terms of a career within film. She doesn’t have a lot of verbal dialogue early on in the film she Holds that emotional weight on her shoulders and little by little shows bits and pieces of herself truly in her most raw form. As she walks alone and goes for a swim and very basic things but it’s the way she observes everything with her eyes and pure instincts about things such as sex, fame and even survival she knows exactly when to look out for herself and that image Mia Goth paints of this character is beautifully done. As towards the last act of the film she kicks the film into high gear and dose not let up. Now she also plays another role in this film which I can’t speak of without giving spoilers away but all I’ll say is wow she transforms into that character in such a way I didn’t even know it was her she disappeared into that role and when you see it you’ll understand exactly what I mean. She has moments of explosive rage in the film that you feel into your soul and you can see it coming from such a raw and honest place in her heart. Mia Goth sparks up the screen with her explosive performance in X that will definitely have people keeping close attention to what she does next as the work she did in this film is truly outstanding. 

Ti West : This man knows how to do a damn good horror film! Now I’ve never seen any of his work prior to X but after seeing what he did holy hell is he amazing. Not only does he know how to write a damn good story but the sheer direction on this film is incredible. He was able to craft a film around sexuality without making it overly sexual all the while expressing deep rooted points within just that little narrative of the film. As he presents the loss of innocence and youth and then what people will do to get famous by any cost and then what happens when you start disrespecting other peoples property. Theirs so much more to unpack from the film but that’s just the tip of the iceberg and his ability to craft the scares was so effective. He Does not rely on jump scares to pack the punches but he gets under your skin and in your brain by how he truly terrifies you and it’s so smartly executed. It’s centred around truly great performances and a star making performances by Mia Goth giving a truly remarkable performance and then giving the audience a fun time to be had while giving a original and truly disturbing horror film filled with fantastic scares and thrills it’s a truly greatly directed and written film and the sheer vision this man has is amazing overall incredible direction by Ti West.