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Film reviews

Skincare Review

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Elizabeth Banks in Skincare

There is a beauty line that is in strange territory. It is reputation-wrecking. Skincare has the audacity of a threatening situation. Written and directed by Austin Peters, it is a thriller of uniqueness. It brings in the place where connections are bound to happen. Its location is California, and the opening brings in an array of gems and success. Style and make-up are the high tier. When the chance of competition arises, there is also the startling momentum of one’s career to face sabotaging elements.

The big star is Hope (played by Elizabeth Banks). Hope is a famous aesthetician with her studio. Her assistant is Marine (played by Michael Jae Rodriguez). Hope has the looks and the personality to sell in her world of success. Changes occur when an owner named Angel opens his boutique across from her studio. Hope receives notifications that her email account has sent many lewd messages. Hope also finds ads for being an escort. The deficits continue to climb. Hope’s life falls into a downward spiral on the brink of losing her studio. Her manic mode goes bonkers. She has the help of a friend named Jordan (played by Lewis Pullman), and she is willing to do whatever it takes to Stop Angel from wrecking her business or find out who is framing her.

It is a silly premise. Skincare does know how to make the detrimental situation clever and enticing. It is a thriller that throws many obstacles into the mixture of the conflict. It is a competition of ego and personality. Where does the line get drawn? The product line is Hope’s weakness because it is not her strong suit. Hope is cute and attractive. She can use that to her advantage. Unfortunately, it leads her to an awkward quid pro quo scenario. Hope has options to save her career, but the conflict is coming to the right decision. The more time passes (with lewd messages and hacked accounts), the continuance of reputation and fame burst into flames.

The stressfulness of the quirky setup is the scandal going to the extreme. The writing is straightforward. It has layers of graphic consequences. The focus of an aesthetician, the film is a murky satire with crinkles of make-up waiting to be purified. Publicity hits all kinds of angles and stresses. Hopes’ rent falls behind. Angel continues to make profits. While Angel is bringing in the revenue, Hope continues in her downfall.

The characterization of Banks is one of many manic and bipolar episodes. It does give its audience the chance to think about personality and professionalism. Is Angel truly her enemy? Does her level of fame mean she already has enemies? Are there people who have tried to take advantage of her before? The background of success is authentic. Skincare creates a reminder for its audience that a following has potential risks. Hope is bound to have her life threatened forever. Can she handle the moving parts properly?

It is wacky, present, and realistic. Skincare gets serious in moderation. It begins with joyfulness, and the hammer comes down in increments. The slapstick aspects are giddy sporadically. Regardless, it knows how to be a thriller, and it knows how to be amusing (while its audience is on the edge of their seats). Three out of four stars for Skincare.

Film reviews

Strange Darling Review

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The film was shot in 35 MM projection. It follows a trail of terror based on moving parts of questioning. It has that subtle approach that makes its audience feel eerie. To the levels of creepy that like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Strange Darling is a dynamic of creepy that even left me in chills. Strange Darling is written and directed by JT Mollner. Mollner has an experimental approach with his dynamics of character in Strange Darling. That is probably why it is unsettling…on the levels of genius.

The film begins with chapters (they are in odd numbers). It creates a perspective of how conflicts began and what may have led up too many of the circumstances surrounding how the terror in the film has worsened. The level of perplexity in Strange Darling carries a vivid aspect of characterizations. The main characters are The Lady (played by Willa Fitzgerald) and The Demon (played by Kyle Gallner). A one-night stand of weird moving parts quickly goes awry. There is a trail of questions. Why does it get so out of hand? Who is more dangerous? Why are the films chapters jumping ahead and then reversing? The dynamics of characterizations and events flow the aspirational moments to keep its audience thinking.

It begins with a one-night stand scenario between The Lady and The Demon. There are already boiling factors of weird characterizations—both characters possess a form of disturbance in their dialogue. Their encounter is one that steadily grows to have questioning moments. This is by the usage of agreeing and then disagreeing, arguing, and then getting more aggressive and violent. Suddenly, it is a landscape of a horrifying ride. The Lady is on the run from The Demon.

My thoughts on the film began to linger with curiosity. Most of the film is a cat-and-mouse game. A scenario of good terms finding its red flags and then leading to a bigger and life-threatening mess to be cleaned up. Who will survive the outcome of this horrific event? They are both clearly bad people. Strange Darling is inevitable along the lines of keeping its audience intact with thinking back to the reasoning of the meet-up.

The interactive momentum of elements of surprise is the depths of surrealness. Strange Darling makes its landscape vast of deeper elements—the moving parts to what leads to treachery. Its pacing also goes smoothly. The vividness of Strange Darling comes across as blindsiding. Its “blindsiding” is done properly. The Lady has a creepy personality, The Demon has traits of confusion and bizarre expectations, both take the situation for granted—that is the realms of a vast array of suspense in Strange Darling.

It feels like a David Lynch world. With Lynch being one who is all about lighting to bring in elements of terror for effect, Mollner does this in his approach with Strange Darling. He brings in fades, frequent rotation of chapters, scenes, and transitions infrequently. Regardless of the technological aspects, his mix of patterns keeps its audience feeling a stunning world of unnoticed evidence. There is a secret to disturbing factors that continues to boil the thought-process for the film’s audience.

The brilliance of this one-of-a-kind adventure is that it keeps painting the picture of moving parts—it gives its audience perspective on what went wrong. With evidence ranging from cocaine, ketamine, knives, guns, and tasers—it is clear there is no happy ending, but there is going to be a luring effect. It is all about putting the pieces together.

With the background of both characters having weird vibes, Strange Darling is one that feels experimental. “Experimental” along the lines of how the characters truly are as humans. How insane are they? Who is more to be concerned about? The Lady is running for her life, and The Demon is going through all tides to try and end her (after the one-night stand). The chance of survival hits a minimum level in Strange Darling.

It is gorgeous, exhilarating, and dominating. Strange Darling is terror combined with psychological and slasher, with a lighting track of realism of an old school feeling. The cinematography feels like a new age of horror. That is because of how the heightening level is in its tone of direction. “Tone of direction” which matches the level of darkness that thrives Strange Darling. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Sebastian Review

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This film involves a thorough examination of feelings. It is very psychological and there are moments that are hard to handle. Sebastian is an odyssey of a young writer who is trying to go deeper with his creativity. As he is trying to navigate his journey, there are dark secrets in his personal life. Written and directed by Mikko Makela, Sebastian is deep and realistic when it comes to mental consequences. From the performance of Ruaridh Mollica (as the main character Max), Sebastian portrays how sensitive humans can be based on judgment, choices, and morals. Sebastian leaves its audience asking, why take all the risks to lead a more authentic life?

Sebastian focuses on a young writer named Max who is in histwenties and lives in London. He is an aspiring writer with a gift for words as well as examining human thoughts in everyday society. He gets lots of recognition, and even a book contract due to his talent and connection. How does Max find the words to create such real moments in his stories?

After hours, Max finds himself working as a gay escort. His exploration of dangerous voyeurism helps him detail his characters’ stories. Sebastian is the name of Max’s character in his story. Max is this individual in the real-world, and Sebastian is his fictionalized character.

Max’s life finds him repeatedly in detrimental situations. The writing of the film gets more questionable as Max keeps having sexual encounters with other guys. He does this so he can keep growing and detailing his story. On the other hand, these activities are messing with his thought process. It’s a powerhouse of struggles where sexuality keeps leading to more obsessive and disconnect. Max’s colleague Amna (played by Hiftu Quasem) senses Max is not in a good mental head space because his performance and aptitude with his writing schedule gradually deteriorate. Are frequent sexual encounters becoming a higher priority than Max’s day job?

There is a point where Max feels a sense of warmth from one of his encounters. This involves an individual named Nicholas (played by Jonathan Hyde). He begins to realize that Max is much better on the inside than what he is doing to dig deeper into his research. Because Nicholas shares the same interests and aspirations as Max, he sees a better way for Max. The roller coaster ride of behaviors creates a life where fulfillment comes with many risks—the more risqué the choices, the deeper the story. Max’s emotions are inevitable—his sadness, anger, rage, confusion, and eagerness all lead to turmoil and have an impact. Sebastian sends a heavy reminder that life’s challenges require tolerance and reflection.

Max’s does not consider the irreparable consequences. While creating a reputation for himself, his sexuality and research tactics may be beneficial. However, his encounters are messing with his head and get to the point where he finds himself losing valuables. For those who work in jobs that require research and persistence, the direction of Sebastian reminds us how to think more realistically about the lengths we should go to create a story. Sebastian leaves painful feelings that are engrossing. The slippery slope only gets steeper as Max’s writing assignments keep falling short which leads to more disconnect and additional shady behaviors to detail in his novel. Can Max find a new approach?

Sebastian is daring and will haunt audiences. Artistry and truth meld and boggle in this film. The story results in a boiling pot of destruction that makes us ask why we are human. There is a narrative path that evokes real empathy yet requires mental tolerance. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.