"The Neon Demon" (Nicolas Winding Refn's latest film)

[DouglasReese 500]

I highly recommend this to all my fellow popheads. The film is TANKING at the box office, so it probably won't even be in wide release by the time this weekends rolls around - but this film is batshit bonkers, over-the-top, and feels like a catty, campy, feature-length pop video. It's absolutely sublime, and Cliff Martinez's score pulsates over every frame, and the film's end credits is pretty much a Sia music video with her track "Waving Goodbye".

 

 

Check out a bit of the score from the opening credits here:

 

[KillForLove 13,362]

Saw this last night. The plot line itself is sort of cliche and predictable and the dialogue is somewhat cringeworthy but the visuals are really great. The Black Swan comparisons make sense however, Black Swan had a much better plot line/script, where as this blew Black Swan away in the visuals department.

 

The soundtrack also sounded a lot better when I was in the movie. After going back to give it a listen, I was very underwhelmed.

[NEAL 742]

Anyone can hook me up to a good link? ;p

The plot line itself is sort of cliche and predictable

As I do with every movie, I wiki-spoilered myself and yes that plot (I read at wiki) seems to be rather impotent? Rather weak if from a symbolic point of view, even. Of course I have to watch this first to really get my own opinion on the visual vs plot discussion. For me, from what I see so far in trailers, it doesn't really came across as one that has an uber-stunning visuals, but I might edit my opinion once I see it. Again about the plot, it does seems like taking Bad Romance lyrics as a plot could prob be more exciting. Like prob having Jesse turned out to be a calculated, sadistic, vengeful, sabotaging, psychopath kid would be more fun--an overused plot device yes, but could possibly be more entertaining otherwise.

 

where as this blew Black Swan away in the visuals department.

Personally, I like Black Swan's dark, muted color tone, whereas this, as @@DouglasReese said, looks/feels like an ott, feature-length pop video--but again, have to watch it myself.

 

The soundtrack also sounded a lot better when I was in the movie. After going back to give it a listen, I was very underwhelmed.

Were you referring to the one posted above?
*press play and listen* Oh, it reminds me of Bejeweled music, anyone remember that game?


But, I mute-play this and play Gods and Monsters in the background, weirdly enjoyed it

Guess the epileptic flashes collide well with the drums, and synthpad with the slo-mos
Also another possible plot device, the lyrics.

 

ETA: An ontd comment, 'A cannibal cross between Zoolander and Suspiria'. Ha! That what came to mind when I first saw the trailer.

[NEAL 742]

Back, and I tend to go with the feature-length pop video comment, aye.. I guess I even think Tropico > ND.

 

I give credit on the line "Sweet, plastic is just good grooming." idk why I just like it.

And maybe it was intentional, or not, idk.. but there was a moment where it felt like I was eternally waiting for the next line after "I don't wanna be them..", and all the while I was screaming and cringing inside, "No, no. Please not that line. Don't let it be that line. No, no~~~~!"

 

and.it.was.that.line

 

I haven't guffawed that loud for quite a while.

 

VISUAL : 2/5 (I think it's okay, if being put in a group of other noir-ish films--competing for neo-noir award, I'll give it a 2.5 perhaps)

ACTING : 2.5/5 (They are decent actors, if not good methinks--was it the lack of dialogue? Perhaps. Who wrote the screenplay?)

SCORE : 3/5 (also okay, there's one that I quite like, towards the end)

 

 

That said, I'm astounded at how prophetic this gif was

 

 

[Coney Island King 26,295]

^Visuals 2/5?????....girl, bye x

 

 

 

 

Its like an arthouse horror version of Showgirls!!!!

 

I loved it, hypnotic, beatiful, sexy, weird, the soundtrack is amazing and Windings films all look beautiful. Exactly what i wanted from it.

 

I've pre-ordered the blu-ray/dvd/soundtrack media book of the film from German Amazon. My fav film of the year.

[Quicksilver 182]

saw it back in may when it was in theaters where i live, i didn't like it at first but now it's one of my favorite movies of the year 

[NEAL 742]

Finding myself liking Elle's other movie a bit better #kanyeshrug

 

[TheBoss 13,542]

Loved this one, saw it last week and I'm still thinking about it, the soundtrack and the visuals I thought that some of the dialogue is pretensious but not bad at all, plus the characters actions I found them quite interesting, the 4 girls into the model industry were great, the only character that I feltit was a little off was Kenau Reeves one.

 

Idk if I would recommend it tho, it's definitely a hate it or love it type of film.