Wow. This was amazing. Ari is 4/4 for me and this might be his best? That final shootout was something. The final scene them three in bed was the most terrifying part.
Rewatching now. Such an engaging hodgepodge of styles and ideas - part satire, part Western, part true modern period piece, almost overstuffed but in a way that feels reflective of the psychic damage we've been taking nonstop for the past decade. It shouldn't work, but Ari pulls it off, and continues to expand his uniquely anxious brand of horror to different genres. I like the Austin Butler character inclusion a lot more on second watch. Also I know he's just a bit character, but the Theo Von lookalike cop is really good lol
Kind of interesting that Emma Stone was also in The. yrss, which heavily featured the Pueblo people in New Mexico and carries a similar anxious, horror -adjacent energy
"I'm just another privileged white kid whose job is to sit down and listen, which I plan on doing right after I make this speech, WHICH, I HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE!" so fucking good lol
Triple-post: The irony of Joe, who starts as someone misguided but with a good heart, unknowingly going to war with (and being disabled by) right-wing terrorists disguised as leftists is so perfect and sad Hard for me to think of a better description for this than "No Country For Old Men except everyone has brain worms and there's a Dr. Strangelove ending"
This was pretty good. Beau is Afraid was trying a few too many things for its own good, but Aster might currently be the best millennial filmmaker.