July 10 - July 16
Z, Still Alice, Superhost, Spencer
- Z [2019] - 69
Z is the perfect middle-ground for what I’d call the “Malignant Spectrum”. On the far left of this graph is 2022’s Smile with 2021’s Malignant being on the far right. Z is a fairly obvious “bad seed” type horror, but takes a vaguely interesting twist, even if the conclusion doesn’t really do much with it. It’s not as entirely bad/ funny as Smile but it’s also not as intentionally camp as Malignant, though it does have moments of both things. What it does have over both of those films is a few truly strong moments of visual and abstract horror. Brandon Christensen directed another film on this week’s list, and I think he’s an interesting talent to follow. While some creators that make middling work are sort of boring or trite, I think that Christensen just hasn’t quite found his voice yet.
- Still Alice [2014] - 79
A common musing in these diary entries, I wish I saw Still Alice when it was new. While 2014 isn’t that removed from the collection consciousness of film, it does mean that I watched this after the tremendously heavy 2020 stage adaption of The Father which deals with similar themes, albeit in a different context. Alice is a film that that suffers from it’s insistence on telling a tight and ordered story instead of leaning into the confusion and obfuscation of the lead’s world. Not many movies benefit from being told in the completely “wrong” order, but Still Alice would have been a monumental piece with some slightly more clever editing and creative vision behind the script itself. Based on a book, I’m sure there were reservations there, but I’m also sure that in the context of literature the story works in a different way.
- Superhost [2021] - 63
The second Brandon Christensen film this week, Superhost, again, mostly stutters when I compare it against things it’s trying to compete with. Though it released a year later, 2022’s Deadstream handles the “streamer aesthetic” satire more adeptly, and 2020’s The Rental is a better horror revolving around a house that you don’t actually live in. Those things said, if you want a silly popcorn flick that you don’t have to put any thought power into, there’s really nothing wrong with Superhost. It’s kind of funny, it’s kind of cringe, it’s super obvious… but it’s also mostly fun.
- Spencer [2021] - 93
Spencer is a tragedy through and through. While I still haven’t done research about the real Princess Diana, I hope that the way she is portrayed in this film is accurate because, the woman that Kristen Stewart showcases is vibrant and wonderful while being trapped in a world that couldn’t care any less. It’s a harrowing place to be and one that the brilliant score, cinematography, and directing truly bring to life. This is certainly a production team that I’ll be keeping an eye on and has shot the director’s other major film, Jackie, straight to the top of my watch list.
