Claudia's Blockbuster

I'm very conflicted. There are parts of this film that I think are really good and then there are parts that I think are underbaked. Like the build up with Clark and his characterization really settled me into the narrative. But then they just cut a large chunk of his story to focus on the other protagonist, and when we see Clark again it's like a totally missed jump. I think if there was more balance between the two leads then I'd be a very good movie. It seemed like the writing and the narrative didn't know how to handle the two of them together, or rather, how to shift between the two. One thing for sure that I liked about the film was the visual direction. Kane Parsons definetly has an eye for composition and aesthetic. I'm actually looking forward to his future projects. I will say, my enjoyment of the film was a but soured as I was apart of the theatre curse for this movie, too. My audience was terrible, laughed at the wrong times, laughed obnoxiously, talked through most of the film. Maybe a rewatch in a better space would clear my thoughts.

Omg it's so hard to like fully write out my thoughts about this film because my GOD. The aire of suffocation; the unbearable, cutting tension that doesn't attempt to dull its blade in the face of the uncomfortable and disturbing; the facing of the metaphorical mirror to ourselves, our personas, our world, and our society. I think that's one of the film's strengths. The ability to reflect on the worst parts of ourselves, the most terrible of it and yet refuse to shove it in a box or dismiss it in any form whether that'd be outrage, nonchalance, judgement, etc. I'm not going to lie there is stuff in here that is or can be triggering. There's stuff in here that will make you question yourself and whether or not the worse thing you've ever done will define you forever. Whether or not your actions, the ways in which you truly transform and change, outweighs the bad. Zendaya as Emma carries this theme within her layers so much so that I just wanted to keep peeling and peeling until I could see what I'd find. While Charlie can be seen as the main focus of the film, I'd argue that Emma is what allows it to breathe. Make no mistake, in no way do I condone or alleviate Emma's actions in the past. In fact, it's a very serious thing. And maybe if the idea of speaking about the uncomfortable and difficult perhaps her actions wouldn't have come about. (I feel as though parts of her backstory implies this and even some present scenes acknowledge this). However, how do we engage with Emma's past and present self. Both exist and have existed. They are both her, so what are we to engage? Do we condemn her? Do we give her empathy? Do we forget it happened? Or constantly reprimand with judgement? Truly one of Zendaya's best performances at least to me. There's just something that she brings to Emma that I can't picture anyone else doing or being able to.

Where do I start? I really liked this film much more than what I thought I would. I had always been aware of it in passing but never really had the drive to actually turn it on. Honestly, I'm glad I did that because I feel like I could really appreciate the story at heart and not the expectations that surrounded its release back then. Getting right into it, I loveddddd the set design, atmosphere, and stylistic choices presented in the film. On my first watch, I immediately took notice of the costuming. Oh my god it's so beautiful and detailed. It echoes the likes of Emma and Nosferatu with its detail, particularly the former. The subversion of period accurate aesthetics and tailoring is one that can only be done if the costume department truly respects the source and utilizes the basic elements to create such an over-exaggerated silouette that grunds the story but also elevates the fantasy aspects.

On to the actual story. While it is a basic gothic tale, I think the film engages with that cliche narrative in an interestign way. Edith's adventure while staying at Adderdale Hall, aka Crimson Peak, is a reflection of her dilemma at the beginning of the narrative, which creates an peculiar elevation of the events that take place. Once things start to come together, you wonder if these things truly occurred or were, as they as Edith stresses at the beginning, a metaphor for the blurring lines between the living and the dead---What it means to be dead and what it means to be alive.

I think this thought is only explored through the incestuous and toxic relationship between the Sharpe siblings in addition to its juxtaposition to Edith and Thomas' relationship. Before the actual story even starts, they are dead, though we are not aware of it until we circle back to the beginning towards the end of the film's runtime. There are points in the story where this fate could change only if they choose to forsake their bloody past, their rotting histories, and codependency on each other that wreaks of the unfathomable and wretchedness. I like how the film echoes this through Edith's dialogue. For instance, "[Thomas], you're always looking towards the past. You won't find me there," and "characters have the power to change their story." Yet, by the time Thomas decides to take that step it is too late, he succumbs to his fate. However, his end leaves him to find peace in death, away from his manor of tragedy. Meanwhile, his sister Lucille remains stricken to her personal hell, Adderdale Hall, as a ghost too stuck in the past.

Another thing I loved was the gothic romance aspect. Listen, if you told me I would be so intrigued by Tom Hiddleston's Thomas Sharpe and his curiousity of his eelings of love towards Edith while trying to kill her and rob her of her wealth, I would've said that you're crazy. But man! The chemistry between Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska is so palpable. It's like a burning candle---never too harsh but still ablaze. In retrospect, knowing about his incestous relationship with Lucille and the abuse his father inflicted upon their mother, their relationship becomes tender in a way, though you know it cannot end well given Thomas' crimes. However though, the line, "You lied to me." "Yes." "You poisoned me." "Yes." "You said you loved me!" "I do." Chef's kiss. You have bewtiched me Edith Cushing and Thomas Sharpe.

One of my only positive thoughts about this film is Christina Ricci's Layla, and how I wish so badly that she was in a different film. Perhaps a horror? or even another surrealist film. Now, I want to begin by saying that I understand what this film was going for. I understand what Vincent Gallo intended for this film to be and I completely see where there are parts of this film that has an engaging subtext that can be richly discussed and I can atest that most of the visuals and camera work are beautiful. I can admit these things. However, these few things, TO ME, don't make this film anymore enriching or riveting as it should be. There are hints of narrative tension scattered throughout the story but never is positioned to be something. There is no second act of the film. There's a beginning and end, but there isn't a structured middle. Whatever happens between these two parts of the narrative immensely staggers the film even though it's where we get most of our understanding of the main character Billy Brown. I think this also becomes jarring when all of a sudden Christina Ricci's Layla suddenly falls for him and odes to how "nice and handsome he is."

The misogyny--oh, boy. It shows so much in the writing and chemistry between the characters. Layla---she was such wasted potential. There was so much bubbling under the surface with her character but then Billy would overtake her voice. In most of their scenes he treats her as petulent child who doesn't know a gun from a toy, and it doesn't help that she is literally a tag-a-long. It's also actually fucking insane that she justifies Billy's stalking of his middle school crush.

Also, perfect segway into Billy. He is just straight up annoying terrible and an asshole. I'm used to terrible characters and I can appreciate a terrible one as long as the narrative in some ways acknowledges it. His shitty behavior, stalking, homophobia, and misogyny are swept away under the rug of poor sad white guy with a sad backstory. If there were more parts like the emotional scenes with Billy and his friend towards the end of the film or Layla then perhaps I could care about his sadness and internalization of his trauma. But it's a nothing-burger and goes nowhere. It's made to seem aware but its really a woe is me story. Also I could've bought the Layla and Billy thing if it came out of literally no where. I see so many people say it's a good film because of sting performances, visuals, surrealist etc. But none of that means anything if there's no contention with the story. All that can effectively and objectify create a decent film but it doesn't create a film that grapples me makes me question anything or a scenario makes me care for any character or situation. The dialogue was annoying and boring.