The night stalker was a real serial killer, Richard Ramires. Maxxxine and the girls that died are not his MO. His spree was just a string of what was going on at LA at time.
I loved this, but I am so confused as to why they went the route they did. If they wanted the father to be the killer, alright, but it would have been so much cooler if there was a showdown between Maxine and her father and her way of beating him. Her venting about the anger and grief she has been experiencing long before the massacre in X, a parallel to Pearl. 2 cops with handguns completely destroying an entire compound of cult members with machine guns, but then one dude killed both cops? A helicopter surrounding Maxine telling her not to shoot, she does, then no repercussions of that? All realism of the movie completely went away. In fact, I thought that Maxine was going to get blamed for everything and end up in jail, another parallel to Pearl coming so close to her dream then it failing due to her actions and emotions getting the best of her. So much they missed out on. I loved this movie so much that my love for it overshadows my dislikes. However, the decision making behind the cult drops this at #3 to my ranking of this trilogy. (Wrote this before watching the whole video, I’m so glad yall agree!)
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 At some point I thought maybe she was the killer, even a huge risk twist like that could have been better than the ending we got 😭
Personally, I loved this movie. One big reason why is I loved the theme. I haven't seen anyone succinctly state this, but I think this franchise is completely meta and is about the ruthlessness and borderline sociopathic personality type that is required to be famous. It feels like an indictment of Hollywood, especially in the post me too era. Pearl never made it because while she was ruthless, she was never persistent enough. She crumbled after one bad audition instead of persisting and working harder. Maxine had it all: the x factor, sociopathic behavior, persistence, and hard work ethic. Maxine was undeniable. Pearl was flawed. Maxine is not supposed to be likable. She treats the death of her friends as minor speed bumps on the road to her fame. The one personal connection she had that was holding her back from being a full-blown sociopath was her father. You can see that she drops the gun when she discovers he's the killer. This is her moment of weakness, still clinging to this one genuine connection. The finale sees her ascend as a true sociopath and sever that last connection by literally blowing its brains out. In doing so, she is truly ready to be a star. No connections, only self interest. I felt as though this film was more giallo like than DePalma like. Style over substance (even though this one did have a lot of subtext), black glove killer, obvious murder mystery with an unbelievable amount of convenient circumstances, femme fatale, blood over gore, and the quintessential giallo style kills (video store scene in particular). These are all hallmarks of that genre. They even show a short clip where the video store guy is watching The Great Alligator. One of the only non-giallo films directed by the master of giallo, Sergio Martino. He made it when he was trying to break out of that genre. It didn't work out and was a terrible movie. I found that to be a fun reference. I also liked the theme of porn actresses not being taken seriously for mainstream roles, even though a lot of the actors in those films had legit acting chops, especially in the 80s. The 80s were the golden era of porn. It is when porn became just as much about plot as the dirty acts. This golden era is alluded to when the video store clerk is shown watching Behind The Green Door, which is a landmark film in the golden era and is lauded for its themes more so than its erotic scenes. It's highly likely that if Maxine was a big star during this era of erotic cinema, then she likely would have been qualified for mainstream roles as well. Maxxxine tries to rewrite this history of discriminatory practices by the Hollywood system by having the porn girl get the big role and become a mainstream star. I would say give it a second chance at some point with these things in mind.
I enjoyed the movie but definitely see why you were disappointed and get your points. This movie is definitely not the best in the trilogy. Your ending does sound better Jason!
I didn’t understand the point of the NightStalker being in the movie. Like why bring him into it if he has nothing to do with the story? They could’ve gotten really creative with that. My main draw to the movie was the involvement of the NightStalker
Honestly MaXXXine was everything I expected it to be. For some reason, I wasn't expecting this to be an intense, brutal slasher, and I think that is what elevated this movie for me - my expectations being in line for what this movie turned out to be. Man this was my personal favorite out of the three and my favorite horror movie of the year! Ti West DELIVERED. For most of us at least. It's okay you didn't love it, thank you guys for the in-depth discussion!
The b/w footage of young Maxine saying "I will not accept a life I do not deserve" to start the movie was the biggest tell to who the killer was... I think if that scene was not present in the final movie the reveal would of hit a little better by the end...(SPOILER IMO that I entire setup and plot was made for the people who didn't watch X... Because that's also the twist on X) For me the flash forward dream sequence at the end worked but I have a theory... Without reading the script... Maybe a first version of the film had everything working well for Maxime we see her on the movie set, on the talk show and on the Puritan 2 premiere, then cut back to reality and her blowing her dad's head an credits... But somebody edited it so we get both a fake out and a happy ending (that would also explain why in the Puritan 2 set there's no talk of Maxine legal and criminal status because it was part of the dream sequence) But that's just a theory...
I guessed who the killer was when they announced Maxxxine was a who dunnit slasher. You can watch the video where you can see me realize that is most certainly what it is going to be. It is very obvious this is where it is going at the end of X.
The film is a lot to digest. It’s definitely more of a hard-boiled crime/whodunnit with horror elements; not a straight-up slasher. It feels like Ti West’s love letter to the 80s in terms of the whole aesthetic- the color palate, music choices, filming style, everything. The whole Night Stalker angle was just a distraction to make the ‘big reveal’ more grandiose; I’m still not sure how I feel about that either. I don’t even wanna rate MaXXXine on a scale of 1-10 yet because it’s gonna take a couple more viewings. Like you said, the influence of Pearl on her life could have been explored more. Overall I enjoyed it but it didn’t blow me away like X and Pearl did. That could change the more I watch it 🤷♂️
I already commented on your spoiler free review but I'll support your opinions here as well. I mostly didn't care for this film either. When the director scoffs at Psycho 2, I was thinking "sure Psycho 2 has a few issues but I'd much rather be watching that than this". I was checked out by 25 minutes in.
Great review guys 👌👌. I am really hoping for a trilogy box set myself!. A24 should really take the opportunity to release a box set of the trilogy maybe with an extended cut for Maxxxine IF the kill scenes were watered-down in the editing room but I have never seen a Ti West film that has a extended/directors cut as far as I know so I doubt it . Cant wait for Longlegs!🎉
Dang. Yea after I saw pearl (my favorite) & X, my expectations was through the roof. I was hoping they focused more on the religious angle & the trauma that comes from it
Another masterclass review. I have 2 film for you that are due out shortly Hugh Grants Heretic & The inheritance. I also watched a horror film called new life very good 👍
MaXXXine is fine.. but definitely more of a let down for me. After Pearl I thought Ti West had reached a new level, but maybe that was just a flash in the pan? Pearl was really great.
I tend to agree with a lot of stuff Jason says in this. I just came out of it and the more I think of it the less I enjoy it. I was obsessed with Pearl, and really enjoyed X. I like Maxxxine but feel let down from the film I’ve been most excited about in 2024. I definitely don’t think it’s the congregation though - nor parents of night stalker victims. Rather parents in LA whose kids have turned to drugs/sex etc.. I did like though that Maxxxine got her dreams. More or less was willing to blast her father’s head off to become a star. I ‘get’ that bit. She was willing to do whatever it takes.
But ya youre right. A lot of mis-steps here in this film. A couple of changes of direction and this couldve been a really good film. More kills for instance.
I'm always hate-loving it, when Jason makes a movie better with his ideas, that are not even that far out or a stretch with his mentioning of a stronger connection to PEARL and the don't do the double happy ending. That was really not the big bang (besides the headshot) we hoped for, combined with the mediocre buddy cop shootout before it. I probably need to drop it down a point to a 6,5/10. Damn you Jason. 😜 At least 2/3 was (very) good for me.😢
"Epic fail" went the way of sweater vests and cargo pants. Jason, we're getting old. Why did that have to happen? MaXXXine is the second-best movie in the trilogy for me. X was the best.
TY WEST IS AT HIS BEST WITH A SMALLER BUDGET BECAUSE HE CAN GIVE US WHAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE WITH A BIGGER BUDGET THEIRS MORE INCENTIVE TO MAKE MORE MONEY ON THE STUDIOS RETURN
Tha actual Hillside Stranglers in LA did not kill their victims w/cinema worthy gore, so this killer is more acurate.Richard Ramirez targeted asians, & was more gruesome.
To boil it down the kills and the ending were both very lackluster in my opinion! The mystery killer was shockingly predictable! It’s a good movie but I was expecting much better!
It wasn't bad but couldve and shouldve been much better. Much more of a crime thriller than a horror slasher as it shouldve been. Like u said, much more style than substance, mia goths performance was excellent. X was above and beyond the best of the series. This one to me was on par with Pearl. Just kind of meh. Cheers.
So my take on the ending (and the whole movie overall) is that she is running from her past, she’s trying to ignore it and act like it doesn’t exist, even before the events of X. She runs from her life and is willing to do whatever it takes to be a star, but her past follows her no matter what, and gets in the way. But her inability to actually confront it causes it to ruin her future, over and over, So in the end, she finally is confronting it, head on, and instead of trying to ignore it, kills it, and in doing so is willing to give up the future she wants, But at the same time, in so doing, actually achieves the he future she wouldn’t have had if she kept running.
My question is this: how is Maxine's resolution any different than the daydream she has before blowing her dad's head off? Like, that daydream seems to indicate that she's sacrificing her goals by killing her father... but it all comes true anyway? What the fuck? For all of my problems with MaXXXine, the biggest issue for me is that it's a thematically weaker film than X or Pearl. X and Pearl are clear and concise when it comes to what they're trying to say. MaXXXine isn't. It fels like more of a vibes movie.
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Yeah. I commented when I was like 5 mins into the vid. I'm with you 100 percent on that. No idea what's being communicated.
No stakes, no suspense, so many needless plot tangents and that looney toons cringe af ending…oof. And not to be pervy, but for movie about the p*rn industry, there was zero nudity, wtf. This is the biggest disappointment of the year so far.
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Testicular stomping. Brutal video store kill. Car crusher, dogs lap up raw Bacon (lol). Switchblade up the nose in the pool. Shotgun head explosion. The carnage is used to great effect narratively, bc unfortunately this movie is kind of meandering and unsatisfying, of course there could have been MORE carnage, there were several characters killed by the cult basically offscreen (why Ti?), but this is still a very graphically violent movie by mainstream standards, albeit in bursts and not as much as we might have hoped for. Structurally and in terms of genre conventions, MaXXXine just isn't a slasher movie, even though we may want it to be one, even though it would be a better movie if it tried to be one a lot more. MaXXXine is like a neo-noir exploitation thriller, the only time it really feels like a slasher is the video store killing. The rest of the time there is no stalking element, the violence is not slasher kills (ball crush, car crush, nose switchblade, shotgun to head), the "killer" (it's actually an organization) never "hunts" MaXXXine, they mostly just send Kevin Bacon to harrass her and way too much of the plot revolves around that because Bacon's character is silly not scary. He should have got what he got way quicker in the plot so we could move on to the main villain being the focus, which we barely got. Way too much of this movie's plot is the very dull generic low-tension confilct between Maxxine and Kevin Bacon, which is ultimately EASILY solved because Bacon is just one guy with a revolver who runs like an old man. It's not a slasher plot. There is not a slasher body count. There is one slasher kill sequence, the video store, it doesn't make the movie a slasher, if we saw those other girls get killed and Maxxine get stalked by the "killer" I could call it one, we don't get that. Despite the film not being a slasher, it has plenty of gory graphic violence for a mainstream movie. I would not call the violence tame at all. I would say that the violence is not used effectively because the script just isn't that exciting, but it is still very graphic and realistic when it happens. Where the movie IS surprisingly tame, especially given Maxxine working in the porn industry, is the lack of nudity or sexuality in the movie. Even compared to X there isn't much. Idk, is this movie tame compared to the TNA slasher gorefest it could have been? Sure. Is it tame compared to PG-13 Blumhouse horror movies? Not even close. Meandering and often a bit dull? Not nearly as wild as it should have been? Sure, but not tame, the violence we get is nasty, and there's tons of profanity, drug use, and sexual themes compared to the vast majority of films. Does it lack kills and stalking/suspense by slasher standards? Yes, very yes, to the point that it just isn't a slasher, it's a neo-noir exploitation thriller.
Testicular stomping. Video store kill. Car crusher. Switchblade up the nose. Shotgun head explosion. The violence is very graphic and realistic. It's not a total gorefest but tame is not the word. Is there a slasher bodycount? No, not really. Are there slasher-style kills? There is one, the video store kill, I would say overall the movie is not structured like a slasher, it just isn't one. If we saw those other girls get killed, if the killer stalked Maxxine instead of just sending bumbling Kevin Bacon to harrass her, then I could call it a slasher. As it is it's a neo-noir exploitation thriller. The movie IS suprisingly tame in terms of sexuality given the story being partially about the adult film industry, I'll give you that. I think the movie is not very satisfying, kind of meandering and dull, not nearly as wild as it could have been, it's not a slasher film structurally, but I think "tame" undersells it, this movie is very violent and has lots of sexual themes and drug use and profanity compared to most films. I will agree that it was tame compared to the wild movie we hoped for. It's like is this movie amazing? No. Does that make it bad? No. It's somewhere in between. Similarly the movie is not the wild sleazy gorefest it could have been, but that doesn't make it "tame". This film has dogs lapping up raw Bacon, a very graphic nut-stomp, plus that video store kill, that has to be worth something, I just don't think the "tame" label fits.
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 3 genres of film 3 styles of film and 3 decades of horror it's a massive achievement.Sorry you didn't enjoy it but to act like it was supposed to be something because you wanted it to be doesn't mean anything
I've enjoyed many of your reviews but do we need nearly 54 minutes to discuss whether MaXXXine is worth watching? A few minutes is all that's required. There are now so many really lengthy UA-cam reviews online it's killing off people's interest
They are not discussing whether the film is worth watching , it's an in depth discussion on how they felt about the film overall by dissecting the individual parts and elements of the film and how it compares to their expectations as well as the previous 2 films. If you don't like to watch reviews that are not suited to your timeframe as a viewer then don't watch man wtf? They are taking the time to discuss the film for their platform and I enjoyed and always enjoy these discussions as a fellow horror fan , however long they may be
Now I can’t get the idea of Maxxxine being haunted by a stalker dressed up as old Pearl from my mind. I really want to see THAT movie!
😢
Sounds like Curtains (1980)
The night stalker was a real serial killer, Richard Ramires. Maxxxine and the girls that died are not his MO.
His spree was just a string of what was going on at LA at time.
Really love this in-depth discussion. The two of you do great work!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the watch
Just running in at top speed for the algorithm...not stopping....staying spoiler free! Happy 4th July from this Brit xx
Same to you!
Even though i don't like the way it was executed, i do love that the final showdown took place at the Hollywood sign its so fitting.
Definitely
I loved this, but I am so confused as to why they went the route they did. If they wanted the father to be the killer, alright, but it would have been so much cooler if there was a showdown between Maxine and her father and her way of beating him. Her venting about the anger and grief she has been experiencing long before the massacre in X, a parallel to Pearl. 2 cops with handguns completely destroying an entire compound of cult members with machine guns, but then one dude killed both cops? A helicopter surrounding Maxine telling her not to shoot, she does, then no repercussions of that? All realism of the movie completely went away. In fact, I thought that Maxine was going to get blamed for everything and end up in jail, another parallel to Pearl coming so close to her dream then it failing due to her actions and emotions getting the best of her. So much they missed out on. I loved this movie so much that my love for it overshadows my dislikes. However, the decision making behind the cult drops this at #3 to my ranking of this trilogy. (Wrote this before watching the whole video, I’m so glad yall agree!)
I was gonna say, we said almost all of this in the video haha
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 At some point I thought maybe she was the killer, even a huge risk twist like that could have been better than the ending we got 😭
Personally, I loved this movie. One big reason why is I loved the theme. I haven't seen anyone succinctly state this, but I think this franchise is completely meta and is about the ruthlessness and borderline sociopathic personality type that is required to be famous. It feels like an indictment of Hollywood, especially in the post me too era. Pearl never made it because while she was ruthless, she was never persistent enough. She crumbled after one bad audition instead of persisting and working harder. Maxine had it all: the x factor, sociopathic behavior, persistence, and hard work ethic. Maxine was undeniable. Pearl was flawed.
Maxine is not supposed to be likable. She treats the death of her friends as minor speed bumps on the road to her fame. The one personal connection she had that was holding her back from being a full-blown sociopath was her father. You can see that she drops the gun when she discovers he's the killer. This is her moment of weakness, still clinging to this one genuine connection. The finale sees her ascend as a true sociopath and sever that last connection by literally blowing its brains out. In doing so, she is truly ready to be a star. No connections, only self interest.
I felt as though this film was more giallo like than DePalma like. Style over substance (even though this one did have a lot of subtext), black glove killer, obvious murder mystery with an unbelievable amount of convenient circumstances, femme fatale, blood over gore, and the quintessential giallo style kills (video store scene in particular). These are all hallmarks of that genre. They even show a short clip where the video store guy is watching The Great Alligator. One of the only non-giallo films directed by the master of giallo, Sergio Martino. He made it when he was trying to break out of that genre. It didn't work out and was a terrible movie. I found that to be a fun reference.
I also liked the theme of porn actresses not being taken seriously for mainstream roles, even though a lot of the actors in those films had legit acting chops, especially in the 80s. The 80s were the golden era of porn. It is when porn became just as much about plot as the dirty acts. This golden era is alluded to when the video store clerk is shown watching Behind The Green Door, which is a landmark film in the golden era and is lauded for its themes more so than its erotic scenes. It's highly likely that if Maxine was a big star during this era of erotic cinema, then she likely would have been qualified for mainstream roles as well. Maxxxine tries to rewrite this history of discriminatory practices by the Hollywood system by having the porn girl get the big role and become a mainstream star.
I would say give it a second chance at some point with these things in mind.
I will watch it more than twice
And all the other holes and things that didnt pan out in the spine of this movie? lol this thesis doesnt change that at all.. lol
@@lalareal180 like what?
I enjoyed the movie but definitely see why you were disappointed and get your points. This movie is definitely not the best in the trilogy. Your ending does sound better Jason!
Happy 4th of July! It’s time to bask in this discussion.
💥
The shootout at the end reminded me of Beverly Hills Cop
Haha. Yeah. Just as silly
I didn’t understand the point of the NightStalker being in the movie. Like why bring him into it if he has nothing to do with the story? They could’ve gotten really creative with that. My main draw to the movie was the involvement of the NightStalker
It’s supposed to add the hysteria of the time and place
Yeah, I didn't know her being famous was dream sequence when it kept flashing back and forth.
I mean, it basically isn’t, since it all just comes true anyway
Same here
@ 41:26, Sasha Gray's transition into Hollywood was Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience.
Haha
Honestly MaXXXine was everything I expected it to be. For some reason, I wasn't expecting this to be an intense, brutal slasher, and I think that is what elevated this movie for me - my expectations being in line for what this movie turned out to be.
Man this was my personal favorite out of the three and my favorite horror movie of the year! Ti West DELIVERED. For most of us at least. It's okay you didn't love it, thank you guys for the in-depth discussion!
That’s wonderful
The b/w footage of young Maxine saying "I will not accept a life I do not deserve" to start the movie was the biggest tell to who the killer was... I think if that scene was not present in the final movie the reveal would of hit a little better by the end...(SPOILER IMO that I entire setup and plot was made for the people who didn't watch X... Because that's also the twist on X)
For me the flash forward dream sequence at the end worked but I have a theory... Without reading the script... Maybe a first version of the film had everything working well for Maxime we see her on the movie set, on the talk show and on the Puritan 2 premiere, then cut back to reality and her blowing her dad's head an credits... But somebody edited it so we get both a fake out and a happy ending (that would also explain why in the Puritan 2 set there's no talk of Maxine legal and criminal status because it was part of the dream sequence)
But that's just a theory...
I guessed who the killer was when they announced Maxxxine was a who dunnit slasher. You can watch the video where you can see me realize that is most certainly what it is going to be. It is very obvious this is where it is going at the end of X.
The film is a lot to digest. It’s definitely more of a hard-boiled crime/whodunnit with horror elements; not a straight-up slasher. It feels like Ti West’s love letter to the 80s in terms of the whole aesthetic- the color palate, music choices, filming style, everything. The whole Night Stalker angle was just a distraction to make the ‘big reveal’ more grandiose; I’m still not sure how I feel about that either. I don’t even wanna rate MaXXXine on a scale of 1-10 yet because it’s gonna take a couple more viewings. Like you said, the influence of Pearl on her life could have been explored more. Overall I enjoyed it but it didn’t blow me away like X and Pearl did. That could change the more I watch it 🤷♂️
Agreed
I already commented on your spoiler free review but I'll support your opinions here as well. I mostly didn't care for this film either. When the director scoffs at Psycho 2, I was thinking "sure Psycho 2 has a few issues but I'd much rather be watching that than this". I was checked out by 25 minutes in.
I adore Psycho 2
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Hell yeah, same here.
Are you guys catching Long Legs? Got my tickets for Thursday night’s show! Stoked!
Of course. My most anticipated film of the year
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 SAME! Looking forward to your review!
Great review guys 👌👌.
I am really hoping for a trilogy box set myself!. A24 should really take the opportunity to release a box set of the trilogy maybe with an extended cut for Maxxxine IF the kill scenes were watered-down in the editing room but I have never seen a Ti West film that has a extended/directors cut as far as I know so I doubt it . Cant wait for Longlegs!🎉
One can only hope
Dang. Yea after I saw pearl (my favorite) & X, my expectations was through the roof. I was hoping they focused more on the religious angle & the trauma that comes from it
What’d you think?
West unfortunately confirmed in his Reddit AMA that he is happy where he left it and that Maxxxine is the last film .
Another masterclass review. I have 2 film for you that are due out shortly Hugh Grants Heretic & The inheritance. I also watched a horror film called new life very good 👍
We reviewed new life and I’m really looking forward to heretic
MaXXXine is fine.. but definitely more of a let down for me. After Pearl I thought Ti West had reached a new level, but maybe that was just a flash in the pan? Pearl was really great.
I tend to agree with a lot of stuff Jason says in this. I just came out of it and the more I think of it the less I enjoy it. I was obsessed with Pearl, and really enjoyed X. I like Maxxxine but feel let down from the film I’ve been most excited about in 2024. I definitely don’t think it’s the congregation though - nor parents of night stalker victims. Rather parents in LA whose kids have turned to drugs/sex etc.. I did like though that Maxxxine got her dreams. More or less was willing to blast her father’s head off to become a star. I ‘get’ that bit. She was willing to do whatever it takes.
But ya youre right. A lot of mis-steps here in this film. A couple of changes of direction and this couldve been a really good film. More kills for instance.
😥
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Ya this is the disappointment of the year for me.
I'm always hate-loving it, when Jason makes a movie better with his ideas, that are not even that far out or a stretch with his mentioning of a stronger connection to PEARL and the don't do the double happy ending. That was really not the big bang (besides the headshot) we hoped for, combined with the mediocre buddy cop shootout before it. I probably need to drop it down a point to a 6,5/10. Damn you Jason. 😜
At least 2/3 was (very) good for me.😢
Sorry 😢
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 I'll let it slide this time. But next time keep your opinion and ideas to yourself. 😁😜😉
Just realized that the ending reminded me of JaY and silent Bob strike back. You know? When they had the whole shootout at the end
Yeah haha
I’m conflicted on it I liked it, but didn’t love it like I wanted to. I guess I’ll have to rewatch it
😥
Also epic fail is hilarious 😂
The father filmed everything he did for his movie that was all the proof the cops needed for max to get away with it.
Sibel Kekilli also made the transition from P××× to a serious actress. You might know her as "Shae" in Game of Thrones
Nitpick hot take: Mia running might be the 2020s answer to Shelly from Friday 3.
Ha
I liked how Los Angeles this movie feels, though it was the weakest of the three however good cast. Thought Kevin Bacon was good.
"Epic fail" went the way of sweater vests and cargo pants. Jason, we're getting old. Why did that have to happen? MaXXXine is the second-best movie in the trilogy for me. X was the best.
Haha. We’re just seasoned veterans
I guess I'm "way"old then bc I say "epic fail" lol
So be it
Agreed, X is the best of the three
@@ElisaCarnahan I still say it too.
TY WEST IS AT HIS BEST WITH A SMALLER BUDGET
BECAUSE HE CAN GIVE US WHAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE
WITH A BIGGER BUDGET THEIRS MORE INCENTIVE TO MAKE MORE MONEY ON THE STUDIOS RETURN
CALM DOWN 😉
Tha actual Hillside Stranglers in LA did not kill their victims w/cinema worthy gore, so this killer is more acurate.Richard Ramirez targeted asians, & was more gruesome.
Great discussion
Just got out of Maxxxine and I found it messy. I didnt hate it...just a let down. But id watch it again....eventually. i l love Mia Goth
😥
To boil it down the kills and the ending were both very lackluster in my opinion! The mystery killer was shockingly predictable! It’s a good movie but I was expecting much better!
Agreed
It wasn't bad but couldve and shouldve been much better. Much more of a crime thriller than a horror slasher as it shouldve been. Like u said, much more style than substance, mia goths performance was excellent. X was above and beyond the best of the series. This one to me was on par with Pearl. Just kind of meh. Cheers.
😥
Barbi Benton did x ray slasher movie but i dont know iff she did more after that
Yeah
Plot armor gone wild
So my take on the ending (and the whole movie overall) is that she is running from her past, she’s trying to ignore it and act like it doesn’t exist, even before the events of X. She runs from her life and is willing to do whatever it takes to be a star, but her past follows her no matter what, and gets in the way.
But her inability to actually confront it causes it to ruin her future, over and over,
So in the end, she finally is confronting it, head on, and instead of trying to ignore it, kills it, and in doing so is willing to give up the future she wants,
But at the same time, in so doing, actually achieves the he future she wouldn’t have had if she kept running.
That works well enough
I still say epic fail!! Lol
Maybe it's a phrase only certain ages/generations appreciate
Haha
My question is this: how is Maxine's resolution any different than the daydream she has before blowing her dad's head off? Like, that daydream seems to indicate that she's sacrificing her goals by killing her father... but it all comes true anyway? What the fuck?
For all of my problems with MaXXXine, the biggest issue for me is that it's a thematically weaker film than X or Pearl. X and Pearl are clear and concise when it comes to what they're trying to say. MaXXXine isn't. It fels like more of a vibes movie.
Yup. I talked about this a lot in this video
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Yeah. I commented when I was like 5 mins into the vid.
I'm with you 100 percent on that. No idea what's being communicated.
🖤
Hard agree on the 3rd act
😥
Man alive.. saw it last night. It was so bad 😢😢😢 so disappointing. The writing and plot were not great.
😥
No stakes, no suspense, so many needless plot tangents and that looney toons cringe af ending…oof. And not to be pervy, but for movie about the p*rn industry, there was zero nudity, wtf.
This is the biggest disappointment of the year so far.
😥
This movie was neither tame nor a slasher
Can you point me towards all the carnage?
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 Testicular stomping. Brutal video store kill. Car crusher, dogs lap up raw Bacon (lol). Switchblade up the nose in the pool. Shotgun head explosion. The carnage is used to great effect narratively, bc unfortunately this movie is kind of meandering and unsatisfying, of course there could have been MORE carnage, there were several characters killed by the cult basically offscreen (why Ti?), but this is still a very graphically violent movie by mainstream standards, albeit in bursts and not as much as we might have hoped for.
Structurally and in terms of genre conventions, MaXXXine just isn't a slasher movie, even though we may want it to be one, even though it would be a better movie if it tried to be one a lot more. MaXXXine is like a neo-noir exploitation thriller, the only time it really feels like a slasher is the video store killing. The rest of the time there is no stalking element, the violence is not slasher kills (ball crush, car crush, nose switchblade, shotgun to head), the "killer" (it's actually an organization) never "hunts" MaXXXine, they mostly just send Kevin Bacon to harrass her and way too much of the plot revolves around that because Bacon's character is silly not scary. He should have got what he got way quicker in the plot so we could move on to the main villain being the focus, which we barely got. Way too much of this movie's plot is the very dull generic low-tension confilct between Maxxine and Kevin Bacon, which is ultimately EASILY solved because Bacon is just one guy with a revolver who runs like an old man. It's not a slasher plot. There is not a slasher body count. There is one slasher kill sequence, the video store, it doesn't make the movie a slasher, if we saw those other girls get killed and Maxxine get stalked by the "killer" I could call it one, we don't get that.
Despite the film not being a slasher, it has plenty of gory graphic violence for a mainstream movie. I would not call the violence tame at all. I would say that the violence is not used effectively because the script just isn't that exciting, but it is still very graphic and realistic when it happens. Where the movie IS surprisingly tame, especially given Maxxine working in the porn industry, is the lack of nudity or sexuality in the movie. Even compared to X there isn't much.
Idk, is this movie tame compared to the TNA slasher gorefest it could have been? Sure. Is it tame compared to PG-13 Blumhouse horror movies? Not even close. Meandering and often a bit dull? Not nearly as wild as it should have been? Sure, but not tame, the violence we get is nasty, and there's tons of profanity, drug use, and sexual themes compared to the vast majority of films. Does it lack kills and stalking/suspense by slasher standards? Yes, very yes, to the point that it just isn't a slasher, it's a neo-noir exploitation thriller.
Testicular stomping. Video store kill. Car crusher. Switchblade up the nose. Shotgun head explosion. The violence is very graphic and realistic. It's not a total gorefest but tame is not the word.
Is there a slasher bodycount? No, not really. Are there slasher-style kills? There is one, the video store kill, I would say overall the movie is not structured like a slasher, it just isn't one. If we saw those other girls get killed, if the killer stalked Maxxine instead of just sending bumbling Kevin Bacon to harrass her, then I could call it a slasher. As it is it's a neo-noir exploitation thriller.
The movie IS suprisingly tame in terms of sexuality given the story being partially about the adult film industry, I'll give you that.
I think the movie is not very satisfying, kind of meandering and dull, not nearly as wild as it could have been, it's not a slasher film structurally, but I think "tame" undersells it, this movie is very violent and has lots of sexual themes and drug use and profanity compared to most films. I will agree that it was tame compared to the wild movie we hoped for.
It's like is this movie amazing? No. Does that make it bad? No. It's somewhere in between. Similarly the movie is not the wild sleazy gorefest it could have been, but that doesn't make it "tame". This film has dogs lapping up raw Bacon, a very graphic nut-stomp, plus that video store kill, that has to be worth something, I just don't think the "tame" label fits.
Seems like it’s Angel besides being an actress.
Like angel from 1983 that got three sequels?
pearl had the same thing
Pearl was an excellent character study and got deep into the psyche of Pearl
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 And this was a crime , new slasher french style horror what's your point
@@sinistercinemareviews5420 3 genres of film 3 styles of film and 3 decades of horror it's a massive achievement.Sorry you didn't enjoy it but to act like it was supposed to be something because you wanted it to be doesn't mean anything
I've enjoyed many of your reviews but do we need nearly 54 minutes to discuss whether MaXXXine is worth watching? A few minutes is all that's required. There are now so many really lengthy UA-cam reviews online it's killing off people's interest
I seek out stuff like this that dives deep into a film I’m interested in.
They are not discussing whether the film is worth watching , it's an in depth discussion on how they felt about the film overall by dissecting the individual parts and elements of the film and how it compares to their expectations as well as the previous 2 films. If you don't like to watch reviews that are not suited to your timeframe as a viewer then don't watch man wtf? They are taking the time to discuss the film for their platform and I enjoyed and always enjoy these discussions as a fellow horror fan , however long they may be
man, just read letterboxd if you are that time cautious
I love when Jason and Kali do deep dives like this.
Some of us prefer it longer (chuckles) xx
can you guys review Bones and All please ? 🥹
Bones And All (2022) Review
ua-cam.com/video/fZI_dArCW5g/v-deo.html