THE DANMAN CAN

MaXXXine  (2024) is a solid third entry in the  X  series , though it felt little bit too much like a season of American Horror Story  (2011–present) (but I will say this picture felt less nostalgia-gazing than many others that wade in similar waters). Much like  X   (2022) ( review ) with  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) ( review ), the   callouts ( De Palma , gialli, etc.) in  MaXXXine  were a little on the nose—literally in the case of Chinatown (1974)—but they were still enjoyable (and  Kevin Bacon  played another great slimeball).  Mia Goth  was good here but, other than a superb opening scene, lacked the conviction that she had in  Pearl  (2022) ( review ). Giancarlo Esposito steals all his scenes (as you would expect). The ending was pretty messy and felt rushed, as if it needed more refinement in the writing stage (in general, the comments on the Hollywood system and the meta aspects of ...

On a rewatch (my original review here ), just as I felt regarding my  Pearl  (2022) ( review ) rewatch,   X   (2022) (which I like less than Pearl ) lost a bit of steam. I still think it feels like a slow burn version of  Adam Green  and  Eli Roth  with a bit too many homages to  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) ( review ). However, this is still  Ti West 's second best film and I enjoyed my double feature revisit to prep for  MaXXXine  (the 1980s-set next film in the  X  series ) tomorrow night, which I hope doesn't disappoint. Ti West Feature Films Ranked

Pearl   (2022) ,  Ti West ’s prequel to  X   (2022) ( review ) (released only six months prior), doesn’t attempt to hide the influence of the  Golden Age of Hollywood  and  Douglas Sirk . But while  X ’s homages—namely  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) ( review )—felt a tad on the nose,  Pearl  feels authentic enough without overt callbacks to classic films and provides more of a mood, which I tend to prefer over outright replication. Pearl is a really well-made backstory to X that feels natural and never forced. It’s also West’s best filmmaking in every regard—strong production design, costumes, and atmosphere.  Mia Goth  is simply fantastic in this role—dishing up the crazy like her life depended on it but also delivering a superb and impassioned long-take speech that serves as a highlight (plus that end credits sequence). Pearl  is a horror movie too, let’s not forget. It might be less gory than  X...

Just as   X   (2022) ( review ) didn’t attempt to hide its allegiance to  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) ( review ), Pearl , Ti West ’s prequel to X , which was released only six months prior, doesn’t attempt to hide the influence of the Golden Age of Hollywood and Douglas Sirk . But while X ’s homages felt a tad forced, Pearl feels authentic enough that I never drifted out of its world to notice particular callbacks to classic films. It provides more of a mood, which I tend to prefer over outright replication. While I liked X a lot, I loved Pearl —the first Ti West film I can say that about. It’s a really well-made backstory that feels natural and never forced. It’s also West’s best filmmaking in every regard—I was impressed by the production design, costumes, and atmosphere. Mia Goth is simply fantastic in this role—dishing up the crazy like her life depended upon it but also delivering a superb and impassioned long-take speech that serves as a high...

X (2022) doesn't attempt to hide its allegiance to  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) ( review ) and that's probably a good thing, as it would have been compared to it one way or another. It does feel a bit too "homagey"—for lack of a better term—at times though. There's definitely some of 1981's  The Evil Dead   ( review ) in the mix as well. Additionally, in a number of scenes I was reminded of Hatchet (2006), particularly with the humor involved.  On that note,  X  clearly comes from the Adam Green / Eli Roth  school of horror, which isn't necessarily a slight but also not a glowing recommendation from me either. It definitely feels like a  Ti West  film in the sense that it never fully grabbed me (none of his work does) but this is his best work yet by a slight margin. I was actually kind of surprised by how straightforward and tropey X was. This review might seem on the negative side but I had a good time with t...