SUNDANCE #1
there might not be a more authentically magnetic young screen presence working right now than rj cyler. every single time he's on screen, he steals the show. he ~never~ stops having fun and he commits to literally every beat and every bit. he was dynamite in THE HARDER THEY FALL, and he's even more realized here. i'm SUCH a fan. i want to keep seeing him do even more. a bright career is ahead.
as for the film:…
i think i'm good on the la llorona front moving forward. good for danny trejo, though.
ari aster knows how to mindfuck without baffling you, and i think there's enough genius in that to confidently assure that he is the atop the list of current horror auteurs. this film is so unbelievably unique and standalone, i cant even begin to describe my experience watching it. i laughed, i didn't cry, although florence pugh's (OSCAR PLEASE) dani did enough of that for me. more broadly, i just enjoyed the hell out of my time in the theater. MIDSOMMAR is so idyllic with its mise en scène and so ruthless with its story; this is the most unique horror film i have ever seen.
