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CINEMA

 WRITTEN BY

MAXXXINE (2024)

MPAA: R.
Release Date: 07/05/24 [Cinemas]
Genre: Crime. Horror.

Studio: A24. 

"In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

MaXXXine, is Ti West’s third film in the X series which not only rounds out a trilogy, but happily fills a void in this lackluster summer. While we wait for the next blockbuster smash hit in the making: *checks notes* uhhh, TwistersMaXXXine is the darling we need right now, and it is simply that bitch. 

 

After surviving the harrowing events of X (2022), actress Maxine Minx is a famous adult film star in Hollywood who wants to break out into real cinematic acting. She nails an audition for the sequel to a popular horror film The Puritan. The director expects her to be great if she just stays focused. The only catch is that there’s a night stalker murdering women around town, and he starts targeting Maxine and mocking her with knowledge of her former life. Maxine does whatever it takes to protect her past in order to secure her imminent future. 

 

Mia Goth is an absolute powerhouse. Following her enchanting performances in both X and Pearl, she truly owns this role. Mimicking Maxine’s arc as an actress, I really believe this trilogy is the outlet Mia Goth was destined for and I can’t wait to see what she does next. The attitude she brings to the role in MaXXXine is so engaging and frankly just badass. MaXXXine takes the final girl trope to the X Games.

 

The supporting cast? Unmatched. Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Moses Sumney, Giancarlo Espositio, just to name a few. I’m still swooning over Kevin Bacon’s sauntering, yet unrecognizable presence as the private detective. Even Lily Collins’ minimal screen time left a distinct impression on the overall presentation.

 

Initially I viewed X as just a plain ole nod to 70s horror, which it very much is. Then Pearl proves just how much they nailed that aesthetic by contrasting the same location in a technicolor dream world. Now with MaXXXine in the fold, it’s a nod to 80s slashers, but it also brings a new analysis to the trilogy as a whole. To me, X is representative of independent cinema, Pearl represents old Hollywood, and MaXXXine represents new Hollywood, for a complete look at the art of filmmaking and Ti West’s love of the art form. Even if I hadn't liked it as much as I did, it cannot be denied the balls that it took to let this series marinate enough to work. 


MaXXXine’s authenticity is in how it understands and trusts its main character. The audience is allowed to take a backseat and enjoy the ride. While not everyone might agree with me, I think MaXXXine is incredibly consistent with its predecessors X and Pearl. Each film makes the previous one stronger, and that’s a remarkable thing for a trilogy to accomplish.

OUR VERDICT:

WHERE TO WATCH...

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