The Neon Demon [DVD] [2017]

Splendidly shot, wonderful soundtrack, engrossing story. The characters may come across as a little one dimensional, and the dialogue is quite spare throughout, but this is a movie that demands to be *watched* above everything else. The cinematography is superb and despite a claustrophobic setting for much of the movie, it was as beautiful to watch as 'The Revenant' in terms of pure style. I would even go as far as to say it's one of the most beautiful movies ever made - the cinematographer clearly has an expert grasp of how to manipulate lighting to their desires.If you didn't like Refn's other movies you certainly won't like this one, it is nowhere near as accessible as 'Drive' and the director quite clearly doesn't want the audience to walk away from the movie either satisfied or completely comfortable with what they saw - and this was quite refreshing to be honest. I was however frustrated by the last third of the movie as soon as it had ended, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to appreciate Refn's attempt to unsettle my expectations and again condemn cinematic uniformity in what is an increasingly bland genre. It didn't quite always succeed - Refn's attempt to emphasise the hollowness of some of the subjects did just that and then some - some parts of the movie just came across as empty and pointless - even if they were excellently shot.Despite that, it is without question one of my favourite movies, and I look forward to Refn's next work.

I sat through the first half of this film believing I didn’t like it. Too much style over substance. There’s wasn’t any depth to its apparent exploration into the corrosive nature of beauty. I was thinking I’ve seen before the effects of ambition and jealousy on innocence and know all about the corruptive forces driving the fashion and modelling industries. I had the idea that the director was simply stating the obvious while trying to entertain with the pretentious glamour he was deploring.Just around half way through I started to realise that this ‘Neon Demon’ wasn’t the film I thought I was watching nor the horror film I had expected to watch. Instead, it’s style was clever and subtle rather than inane and empty. The films horror is perceived rather than actual and I suddenly realised it included a lot of stand-out performances. Stars with a big screen presence such as Keanu Reeves and Christine Hendricks shines out of these relatively small cameo roles and the four female leads work with the director to shoe-horn so much hidden (im)moral character into what are essential to be seen as shallow people. This was a film that needed digesting and looked back upon. Hence this is a review I wouldn’t have been able to write while watching.The plot, perhaps, needed a bit more coherence. I wasn’t sure about what was happening in many of the scenes I was watching. But, did I need it all to be explained. Life doesn’t offer explanations to every encounter we form our own. I have my own thoughts about what was happening. Is it better that way rather than to have everything micro-explained at the time or influenced by people who review it later?Then just as I thought I was starting to live with the experience of watching this film it kept pushing at my opinions further, or perhaps pulling them back, I’m not quite sure. Towards the end I thought, I was watching a seedy but smart sex-murder caper with added sparkle and finally I realised that yes, this was a horror film after all but also a whole lot more or should that be a less than a horror film.I’m not sure I enjoyed this film. I’m also not sure if its parts added up to being a good film or bad. However, like many oblique films that stuck with me many years after watching, such as ’Performance’ ‘The Discreet Charm of The Bourgeoisie’, ‘Don’t Look Now’ and ‘Mullholland Drive’, it may be take some time for me to have a fully formed opinion as to whether ‘Neon Demon’ was any good. I do know I'll need, and want, to watch it again sometime in the quite near future.

The horror movie about the modelling industry. I had to read the blurb about it a couple of times. I can imagine how the beauty industry links to horror, but I was thinking this was going to be a Cronenburg like body horror thing. It might be a black joke, but if it is then I really don't get it. Jesse moves to LA to pursue a modelling career. She has a quality that the others she meets want. How they go about getting it is bizarre as we see the neon drenched shoots, and not the flickering lights we usually get in potentially infested house, hospital, wherever. It's truly odd and not necessarily in a good way. Watch it, but don't try to work out what director Nicolas Winding Refn was aiming at because I have no idea. It's a bit Showgirls, without the absurd camp. Perhaps I'm not the target audience? Perhaps I just don't get the dark biting satire they're aiming for (?) If you want to stay for something, stay for the soundtrack.

Beauty isn't everything. It’s the only thing.PLOT...When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means necessary to get what she has!This is another brilliant movie from the director of Drive, this is certainly his best since, a visual treat of a movie from beginning to end that's brought to life by an awesome cast, Elle Fanning absolutely shines and certainly fits the role more perfect than anyone you can imagine, this is certainly a role not to forget, the rest of the entire cast is spot on too, maybe Keanu is slightly out of place though. the story is well paced out with shady characters and a very dark atmosphere throughout, great visual shots and fantastic music, the soundtrack is amazing and is one of the best this year, it really helps carry the movie, the movie has a very horror related theme, its almost more horror than thriller, you could almost call it a fairy-tale with its surreal moments, there's blood necrophilia and a lot of bitchiness from a top mainly female cast, I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants something a little different, It will of course not appeal to everyone but masterpiece none the less it is.Blu-ray looks stunning in HDFeatures include a commentary, interviews, behind the music, trailer, gallery.Region B only, 117-mins, 2016.English language only, Subtitles for HOH.

Just bad