film night

Director : Camille Griffin – Cast Includes : Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Sope Dirisu, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch and Rufus Jones

SOMETIMES you have to get into the festive spirit and dip your toes into a movie treat sprinkled with dark humor, christmas decor, children & friends and then slowly watch as it all implodes with impending helplessness and agonising dispair : Camille Griffin’s SILENT NIGHT is a real gem, it’s not your normal Christmas affair more of an examination of us humans and how some would react to the crazy scenario that this group of family and friends finds themselves in… with swirls of Melancholia mixed with The Mist I really found it facinating and rather upsetting in what transpires in the country home of Nell and Simon played delightfully by Knightley and Goode, who both appear to be good parents trying to do what’s right… Silent Night has a magnificent cast all of which turn in good performances, such as Annabelle Wallis who always makes me smile with her boundless energy taking on the role of Sandra, mum to the rather eccentric Kitty, the fastly growing talent of Lily-Rose Depp who’s character Sophie has other things on her mind and the impressive JoJo Rabbit star Roman Griffin Davis who delivers yet another unnerving turn as Art the son of Nell and Simon who keeps questioning as the night goes on… I would certainly class Silent Night as a horror film as it tackles fear brilliantly, especially when you throw into the mix the children and as the film progresses you can’t help but get caught up in it’s nervous & frightening drive : I LOVED the chaotic last 10 minutes of the film, admiring how Simon stays calm as the twins want the same amount of coke and then that final shot was just WOW and how about that scene when Art runs away and comes across an abandoned car and I so enjoyed watching Sandra purr over James throughout… SILENT NIGHT is a movie executed with a passion and thought provoking precision by a director making her feature debut from a story she had written… it’s one that I just connected with right from the off and has now been added it to my rather long list of annual December rewatches ★★★★½

Director : Justin Lin – Cast Includes : Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris

Can you believe there’s been NINE Fast & Furious movies and that Justin Lin has now directed 5 of them with two more in the works… I mean Lin’s the David Yates of this franchise, yeah he’s done other shit that includes the brilliant Better Luck Tomorrow and Star Trek Beyond but it’s working alongside Vin Diesel and his family of insane petrolheads that he’s mainly known for… before F9 I decided to rewatch Fate followed by Hobbs & Shaw, a whole day of crazy entertainment was enjoyed and it was nice refreshing my mind with what had come earlier… F9 pretty much starts where The Fate and the Furious ends with Dom, Letty & Brian now living off the grid, taking some time away from the big city, soaking up the quiet life until Dom’s ugly past returns and forces him to confront the sins of his youth to save those he loves the most… I have to admit the Fast & Furious franchise is one of my guilty pleasures, yeah I know what your thinking (your easily pleased then aren’t you?) well you may be right, I just love the movies and whether that film’s story sucks or it’s acting smells of cheese as long as I’m entertained then I’ll keep on watching… the main focus of Justin Lin’s F9 was the past merging with the present and this was handled superbly with flashbacks of those early days when daddy Torreto raced and had Dom & his kid brother working the pitts, a big tip of the hat goes to New Zealander Vinnie Bennett who’s terrific as a young Dom, I really though he not only looked like Vin Diesel in stature but captured his glare… although the Fast & Furious movies are not comedy centric I found with Fate and that 2019 spin off that characters Hobbs & Shaw played by Dwayne Johnson & Jason Statham sparred with terrific humor, their fabulous chemistry built around their dislike for each other ignited the franchise further so watching Lin’s F9 without the pair did create this graveyard of lack luster humor that felt pushed and awkward at times, that being said the action is utterly banana’s, the infectious adrenaline fuelled chase scenes involving the electromagnet, the truck that goes vertical, the return of Charlize Theron’s Cipher firing missiles from an operated drone and of course that “what the shit… Ludacris space moment” had it’s 2hrs plus runtime zooming by… yeah I know it’s not close to being Lin’s best work in the franchise but nevertheless it’s still a rollicking good time, best seen on the big screen and don’t forget to stay around into those end credits ★★★½

Pig (2021) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on July 22, 2021

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: adam arkin, alex wolff, film blog, film geek, film night, like, love, movie reviews, movie website, Nicolas Cage, nicolas cage movies, oregon, photography, pig 2021, pig movie, pig review, portland, truffle pig, wilderness. Leave a comment

Director : Michael Sarnoski – Cast Includes : Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin

Along with being a wonderful actor Nicolas Cage brings passion to his craft in each and every film he stars in, whether he’s chasing a wild Jaguar in Nick Powell’s Primal, taking down a hippie cult in the surreal blood filled Mandy or beating the crap out of demonic animatronics in Willy’s Wonderland he’s an actor you can’t help but admire, he’s an Oscar winner that’s not only comfortable in A list blockbusters but will star in pretty much anything that he likes the sound of… PIG is the movie debut of writer Michael Sarnoski and sees Cage once again in terrific form playing Robin Feld a former chef who lives in the remote wilderness of Portand with his truffle foraging pig… I love the start of the film as it shows the bond between the two, his life is a simple one spending his days looking for truffles deep in the wilds of Oregon, he enjoys sharing his breakfast with his companion, his appearance is unkempt and you can see there’s something troubling his character, he has a tape recording he doesn’t want to listen and the pain is noticeable, so when out of the blue he’s attacked and his beloved pig is taken from him Feld must return to his former life, tackle his past and track down the no good sons of bitches that have taken something from him… LIKE all of his previous work that contain that hint of oddity Cage gives a rousing display, and this is why he’s one of my favorite actors, regardless of the role he’s an all in 100% committed actor and in PIG he carries this overwhelming loss on his shoulders, he’s consumed by it and in Cage style he shows us his pain and the kidnap of his friend is the final straw : PIG totally caught me off guard, it’s not your standard thriller with Sarnoski playing the emotional card and Cage delivering a powerful display of sincerity, there’s also a good showing from Alex Wolff who plays Amir who’s gets caught in the middle of the pig’s disappearance and it’s unusual story doesn’t play out the way you think it would : Overall PIG is MUST WATCH thriller that’s tender, melancholic and just BRILLIANT to watch ★★★★

Chaos Walking (2021) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on April 10, 2021

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: ben seresin, chaos walking books, chaos walking movie, cinema, cinephile, cynthia erivo, David Oyelowo, Doug Liman, film night, films, like, love, Mads Mikkelsen, movie night, movies, patrick ness, science fiction, scifi, thriller, todd, Tom Holland, viola. Leave a comment

Todd & Viola find themselves on a perilous journey through the badlands of an unexplored planet as they try to escape a dangerous and disorienting reality : Not read any of the books written by Patrick Ness but as I’m a huge fan of Doug Liman’s visual filmmaking style and love these dystopian type of movies I delved straight in and was immediately blown away by the originality of CHAOS WALKING : once you get over the somewhat confusing “noise” element to the film you presented with a hugely enjoyable, quick paced, emotion led scifi thriller with terrific turns by Tom Holland as Todd, Mads Mikkelsen as the towns Mayor, Daisy Ridely as Viola and a shiver enducing performance by the wonderful David Oyelowo as the town’s preacher : I loved the film’s photography by World War Z’s Ben Seresin, wanted to give Manchee a good cuddle and anything Cynthia Erivo has delivered since her Widows debut in 2018 has been nothing short of incredible, her character Hildy is another eye popping turn : the surreal imagination of Patrick Ness matched with Liman’s science fiction thrill gave me quite a film watching experience, I’m now off to buy the books !! ★★★★½

Scare Me (2021) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on March 6, 2021

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: actor, actress, author, Aya Cash, Aya Cash stormfront, cabin, catskills, cinema, cinephile, digital, film geek, film night, filmmaker, films, ghost stories, horror, horror comedy, horror fan, horror films, horror night, Josh Ruben, love movies, low budget movies, movies, photography, scare me, scare me movie, unique, writer. Leave a comment

During a vacation in the Catskills, an author and a stranger from a neighbouring cabin are thrown together after a power outage strikes the area : Both decide to pass the time by telling ghost stories which leads to chaos and their ultimate fears slowly starting to become reality : Josh Ruben’s Cabin in the Catskills horror movie SCARE ME is certainly my kind of movie jam, a slice of original horror that showcases the ability to scare whilst acting almost theatre like with it’s sharp and smart dialogue that’s executed in a fresh and creative style : Ruben and his co-star Aya Cash who’s energy matches the display she gives as Stormfront in the television show The Boys are outrageous, both feeding off each other like piranah’s with the movies ultimate payoff being delivered with satisfying style : I really dug how Ruben utilises the sound effects in the movie to enhance the visuals creating this scary vibe that’s deliciously atmospheric and adds so much to it’s horror telling, you just know something’s going to happen and it’s fun finding out when….. a low budget gem and one I feel would benefit from multiple viewings ★★★★

Reel Badass : Movie Highlights

Posted by absolutebadasses on February 27, 2021

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: army of one movie, blithe spirit, cinephile, comedy, Dan Stevens, drama, ellen hollman, film geek, film night, film reviews, films, horror, i care a lot, isla fisher, leslie mann, movie highlights, movies, news of the world, reel badass, rosamund pike, thriller, Tom Hanks, wrong turn movie. Leave a comment

Director : Edward Hall : Stars : Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann : Blithe Spirit is lighthearted, afternoon movie watching fun with Stevens & Fisher fitting straight into Noël Coward’s majestic narrative : it may not be as good as David Lean’s 1945 classic but I still giggled & then swooned over Leslie Mann’s Elvira & adored those beautiful sets !! ★★★½

Director : Paul Greengrass : Stars : Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel : If not a little restraint Greengrass injects energy, character building, an intriguing story and a heartwarming finale into his latest picture News of the World : I must admit a longer runtime would have been nice but what an exceptional slice of filmmaking that I enjoyed immensely ★★★★

Director : J Blakeson : Stars : Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Dianne Wiest, Eiza González, Chris Messina, Macon Blair : I Care a Lot is a deliciously EVIL yet fabulously FUN ride with an ice cold performance by Rosamund, a mesmerizing display by Dianne, a wickedly dark & mysterious turn by Peter and thank goodness for Macon Blair and a little thing called Karma : Enjoyed !! ★★★½

Director : Mike P. Nelson : Stars : Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Emma Dumont, Dylan McTee : Really impressed with this new take on the Wrong Turn franchise : this is not just your backward town folk canabilistic slasher movie, this one has so much more going on with filmmaker Mike Nelson and his fresh young cast taking you there : also that wet your pants finale brough a big smile to my face ★★★½

Director : Stephen Durham : Stars : Ellen Hollman, Matt Passmore : it’s not the story, the location, it’s cheesy at times dialogue or indeed Matt Passmore that gives Army of One it’s undoubted B-Movie appeal, it’s Spartacus star Ellen Hollman that drives this action movie all the way to movie fundom, she’s dynamite and for 90mins you enjoy watching her character kicking ass and administering her own brand of justice ★★★½

In 1943 during World War II, a mysterious lady Maude Garrett climbs aboard a B-17 Bomber called The Fool’s Errand, during the flight the Errand is attacked by a Japanese War Plane and then suddenly Maude spots something lurking in the clouds…. as she’s travelling with with top-secret documents and a mostly male chauvinistic crew, Maude finds herself alone and it’s upto her to save the day : SHADOW IN THE CLOUD has a familiar tone reminding me a little of that episode of the Twilight Zone titled “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and “The Mission” episode in Amazing Stories, I never give too much away with my reviews but there’s no doubt that these episodes were an inspiration to Liang’s strangely bizzare, spooky and tension ridden picture : I loved it’s animated private snafu intro, it’s atmospheric synth score, the snappy runtime and even it’s bizzare plot that’s fractured, ridiculous and a tad crazy in a decent sort of way : maybe Roseanne Liang’s re-writes of Max Landis original script had a lot to do with the way the movie feels slightly disjointed, as the film ends up becoming this insanely cross-genre of World War II mystery and scifi creature flick that works on some level but also feels rather confusing if not wildly entertaining : is the movie worth watching? the answer is most certainly yes !! the early parts are gripping as we follow Maude and that mysterious box she carries onto the bomber (what’s in the box?), I love the locker posters at the beginning (keep your eyes peeled) and when the film switches tact and it’s direction goes one way and another it’s action is sublime and effects tremendous with Chloë Grace Moretz and a rather wildly out of place yet scintillating score giving Shadow in the Cloud this watchable vibe and allowing us to see the promise in Roseanne Liang as an action helmer for bigger and better things to come ★★★½

It’s Chicago in 1927 and tension’s are rising as Ma Rainey and her band are about to record a song at a a recording session : Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a sublime character study that delves deep into our history and follows a group of black recording artists and their struggles with religion, race and exploitation : Viola Davis once again shows us why she’s regarded as one of the modern greats, and although the wonderful Maxayn Lewis lends her moaning vocals for Ma Rainey it’s Viola’s appearance and mannerisms that gives life to the Mother of Blues, she truly steals the show with her swagger and those big eye’s staring at those around her, she’s a strong woman and those scenes that involve an altercation with a police officer outside the recording studio, Ma demanding that Sylvester gets paid on his own and that Coca-Cola moment before continuing with her set is testiment to her character and belief : the picture is also a poignant reminder of the immense talent of Chadwick Boseman, his turn as troubled trumpet player Levee Green leaves you cold, a chilling virtuoso that has you pondering what could have been, it’s not really a surprise to anybody that knew Chadwick that he actually mastered the trumpet for his part and what a superb performance he turns in, that moment he tells the rest of the band what happened to his mother is so fierce you could hear a pin drop : the rest of Ma Rainey’s band are not too shabby either, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo and Michael Potts who’s roles as Toledo, Cutler and Slow Drag respectively add so much depth and balance to the film’s storytelling and along with it’s fine tuned script written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, costume & set design that adds authenticity and it’s searing renditions of Ma’s songs will make your toes tap & heart sing : overall George C. Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a wonderful picture that doesn’t drag it’s heels with unnecessary narrative yet delivers it’s message and gives us the gift of two incredible performances and a small sample of Ma Rainey’s wonderful tunes ★★★★½

After losing his wife in a car accident, a father relocates to a new home with his daughter, but things go horribly wrong when strange things start to happen and his daughter vanishes after being cared for by a local nanny : with shades of the Ring and James Wan’s Insideous Kim Kwang-bin’s THE CLOSET is a chilling ghost story that tells of personal grief and trauma of others : apart from a short back in 2011 this is Kim Kwang-bin’s directorial debut that he also wrote, and what a spooky way to start your career behind the camera, the film is dark, it deals with disturbing images and has a haunting message that you’ll discover deep inside the belly of Kwang-bin’s storytelling : there’s moments during every good horror movie when the penny drops and during The Closet the real pay off comes with a small flashback scene involving Myung-jin and what happened to her, it’s disturbing and is certainly a choke you up moment that I didn’t see coming, the combination of supernatural elements, creepy characters and eye peeling effects mixed with a bunch of relatable characters creates the perfect balance in the movie and one I found extremely fun to watch : I loved the father and daughter played by Ha Jung-woo and Heo Yool both are excellent in their respective roles, Heo Yool’s Yi-na especially is quite innocent to begin with and then changes when the evil gets hold, super scary and those rolling eyes GULP, I also found the local exorcist played by the superb Kim Nam-gil who involves himself with the father in helping him find his daughter was a brilliant touch adding that bit of Poltergeist/Insideous element to proceedings : overall The Closet is worth every minute of your time, it’s a thought provoking, gut twisting ghost tale that packs a punch ★★★★

Woody Allen : Our Top Four

Posted by absolutebadasses on December 1, 2020

Posted in: Views. Tagged: academy awards, annie hall, bananas, blog, cinephile, film, film geek, film night, film website, films, geek, hannah and her sisters, like, love, love movies, movie, movie blog, oscars, photography, the purple rose of cairo, woody allen, woody allen movies. Leave a comment

Born on the 1st December 1935 in Brooklyn New York, Woody Allen is one of the most prolific American Filmmakers, his work has spanned decades, won numerous awards and been the topic of conversation since What’s Up, Tiger Lily back in 1966 : for me what makes a Woody Allen picture so special is his ability to direct a film from his own written material, he has more Oscar Nominations (16) for writing than anyone else and has also starred in most of them too : I’ve seen each of his movies multiple times and could write a different Top Four for each day of the week : his career has been an absolute joy to watch over the years and I’m so thankful that I’ve been here to enjoy the ride…..

One of my favorite Woody Allen quotes : My sets are boring. Nothing exciting ever happens, and I barely talk to the actors

A teenager’s life takes an unexpected twist after his path crosses with a notorious bank robber : Depression era bank robbers, crop farmers, small town day dreamers, love and adventure fills the pages of Nicolaas Zwart’s story which in turn is brought to the screen by Miles Joris-Peyraffitte : DREAMLAND is a fine movie that’s beautifully filmed in New Mexico with a bunch of strong performances by Peaky Blinder’s Finn Cole who plays Eugene a teenager who dreams of leaving his futureless life in the rear view mirror, Darby Camp is magnificent as Phoebe Eugene’s step sister and Margot Robbie’s fugitive on the run who finds refuge hiding out in the Evans family barn : I liked that scene when George played by Travis Fimmel tries to reach the barn in the dust storm, Phoebe trying to persuade Eugene not to leave or take her with him is stacked with emotion and the robbery at Citizen’s Pride Bank and it’s aftermath addressing the make-believe found in Eugene’s detective magazines versus the harsh reality that he has now found himself in gives the movie it’s fitting and thrilling finale : I do think that fleshing out it’s characters and adding some extra depth to it’s story even if this meant developing some of those flashback scenes and giving us a tad more insight into Eugene’s life before he met Allison would have really benefited the movie further that being said Miles Joris-Peyraffitte‘s Dreamland is thoroughly enjoyable with it’s flashes of Bonnie & Clyde, it’s beautiful desolate scenery, haunting score and Lola Kirke’s voice over narrative, it’s certainly a movie I would revisit and highly recommend ★★★½

Run (2020) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on November 23, 2020

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: Aneesh Chaganty, cinema, cinephile, film blog, film direction, film night, film score, film stills, homeschooled, hulu, Kiera Allen, like, love, movie pictures, movie reviews, movie website, photos, pills, run, run hulu, run movie, run movie 2020, run review, Sarah Paulson, wheelchair. Leave a comment

A homeschooled teenager who is confined to a wheelchair begins to suspect her mother is keeping a dark secret from her : After enjoying 2018’s Searching I’ve been waiting for Aneesh Chaganty’s latest movie and let me say the wait was worth while : RUN is a messed up psychological thriller with two fabulous performances in Kiera Allen & Sarah Paulson, a terrific pace that quickens to white knuckle time early on and a premise in many ways that’s similar to Reiner’s epic horror Misery : Kiera Allen is remarkable in her film debut, she captures the torture her character Chloe endures throughout the movie and that scene when she attempts to escape through the window to reach another part of the house is anxiety racing, jaw dropping brilliance : and what can I say about the AMAZING Sarah Paulson, a wonderful character actress who’s roles in American Horror Story and Ratched have shown her depth as a top class performer, in RUN her psychotic side comes out to play, cruelty spilling from every pore and those moments in the pharmacist and nearing it’s finale in the hospital will have you on the edge of your seat : needless to say I highly recommend RUN and can’t wait to see what it’s filmmaker Aneesh Chaganty delivers next ★★★★

Number 15 of My Top 31 Horror Movies : A group of camp counselors are stalked by an unknown killer while trying to reopen a summer camp which was the site of a child’s drowning and a grisly double murder years before : Originally titled A Long Night at Camp Blood Sean S. Cunningham’s FRIDAY THE 13TH was shot for a measly $500,000 and was released in 1980, becoming a box office success and spawning numerous sequels : from Harry Manfredini scary Hitchcockian score that screams Psycho, the film’s inventive and cruel kills created by the special effect guru Tom Savini, especially Marcie’s axe to the head and Jack’s arrow through the neck are grizzly & quite realistic, the beautiful cast including Jeannine Taylor, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram & Kevin Bacon and their colorful raincoats to the late Barry Abrams atmospheric, close up camera work that creeps around the lake & captures each scream, each kill with chilling gratification : I know the movie inside out & love everything about it, from the iconic Camp Crystal Lake sign to the wonderful yet brief role of Annie Phillips, the cute & bubbly councelor who hitchhikes to the camp at the start of the movie but there’s no doubt my favorite moment in Friday the 13th comes in the last 20mins where Alice played by Adrienne King uncovers the killers identity and then a showdown takes place as she battles to stay alive : being a huge fan of the slasher genre and especially the “golden age” from around the mid-70s onwards Friday the 13th is one of the most iconic horror movies of the last 50 years, we not only get to witness the origin story of one of the most terrifying villains of all time but also get to meet his creator : two words HORROR CLASSIC ★★★★★

Antebellum (2020) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on September 22, 2020

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: ANTEBELLUM, ANTEBELLUM movie, antebellum review, Christopher Renz, film, film geek, film night, Gerard Bush, horror film, Janelle Monae, Jena Malone, Kiersey Clemons, movie blog, movie website, pedro luque, plantation, slaves, slice of horror, vod. Leave a comment

Film trailers have a way of misleading the viewer and I for one think on occassion that’s a good thing, it’s quite refreshing to be surprised whether that be in a good or bad way and Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz directorial debut was certainly a surprise and not what I expected at all : ANTEBELLUM is set in Louisiana during the American Civil War, the base for the story is set around a plantation (that looks like the one used in Tarantino’s Django) which is run by the Confederate Army and the land around it is worked by Slaves including Janelle Monáe’s character Eden, the slaves are treated in barbaric fashion and as the film progresses Eden slowly discovers all is not what it seems : if this makes any sense at all Antebellum is one of those movies that I enjoyed but I also felt a little empty at it’s end : the film is thought provoking, it’s relevant, has some fabulous photography by the Uruguayan Pedro Luque & is well acted by the likes of Janelle Monáe & Kiersey Clemons yet it’s story should have offered more, maybe focussing on other members of the group being held, how they got to the plantation and not just focussing on Monae’s character and her attempt at freedom? everybody loves a good villain and I felt Jena Malone was wasted, such a talent at your disposal (use it) : overall Antebellum is not a bad movie, i’ve seen far worse and the duo of Bush & Renz have cleverly used their original story telling to not only entertain but also more importantly to continue the message that hatred still exists in society and it must be stamped out, yes the film or it’s deliverance may not work to everybody’s satisfaction but that’s life, movies are all about opinions and I have to say I enjoyed this provocative slice of horror ★★★½

Full of doubt and a whole bunch of misgivings, a young woman travels with her new boyfriend to his parents’ secluded farmhouse – I’ve not read Iain Reid’s novel of the same name but will but will certainly check it out : I don’t think it’s possible to spoil anything about this movie so here’s my thoughts : (I think) the film follows an ageing Janitor who reflects about his long life and what could have been in the most Charlie Kaufman way possible : I’m Thinking of Ending Things contains the most awkward car ride in movie history where you find yourself not only disliking Jesse Plemons character Jake but also starting to question why this girl in the passenger seat played by Jessie Buckley is really with him, as it becomes obvious that she’d rather be elsewhere, the moment the girl recites a poem to Jake made me cringe, the girl’s reaction to the spittle on the corner of Jake’s mouth is uncomfortable and the flashbacks with the Janitor going about his daily chores were filled with a sadness & foreboding : When they finally arrive at Jake’s parents farmhouse I found the tour of the barn scene to be quite creepy and at times unsettling (those poor pigs) : But on a slightly lighter note Jake’s parents are played brilliantly by Toni Collette and David Thewlis who steal each & every scene with their eccentric & often humorous delivery and I love the little musical interludes, the dog named Jimmy and the Dairy Queen scene in particular : Overall I’m Thinking of Ending Things is brilliantly weird, mentally exhausting, strangely sad yet utterly consuming ★★★★½