The Fame Monster: Review of Vox Lux

Vox Lux

Director: Brady Corbet

By Alex Watson

As a director, Brady Corbet is one of the most intriguing talents to hit our screens in recent years. His debut 'Childhood of a Leader' was a gripping yet baffling account of a child finding a terrifying ego. His follow up Vox Lux in some ways is a fine commentary on the birth of celebrity and the corruption that follows. Despite a fine set up and a masterful central turn by Natalie Portman, it just feels like a wasted opportunity. 

In 1999, Celeste Montgomery (Raffey Cassidy) is a 14-year-old girl who is a survivor of a horrific school shooting. At the memorial for the victims, she sings a poignant and almost poetic tribute and instantly becomes a star. Years later, Celeste (now played by Natalie Portman) is now 31 and is preparing for a homecoming gig on Staten Island. However, a mass shooting occurs in a beach resort in Croatia which appears to have been inspired by one of her previous videos. Along with her colorful and constantly scrutinized personal life, how will she juggle another tragedy?

The first half of Vox Lux is where the movie's strength lies. Corbet jolts his audience early during a haunting opening sequence in 1999 where a disturbed boy turns up to a high school music class and immediately starting shooting people. Celeste tries to connect with him and refuses to succumb to fear, but the boy leaves her with a permanent neck scar. During the first act, a constant and personable voiceover by Willem Dafoe lets the audience fill in certain gaps. Celeste's rise to fame is a fascinating commentary on the corruption of fame as she goes from an innocent school girl to singing progressively more provocative lyrics. Recuperating in hospital from her wounds, she composes a song with her sister Eleanor (Stacy Martin). Soon the song strikes a chord with the nation and becomes as the narrator says with amused disgust "a hit!" 

Managed by an ego-centric, foul-mouthed and drug-fueled manager (Jude Law), her early misadventures will be making a lasting impact such as an ill-judged fling with a grungey British guitarist. Celeste goes on to become a household name while Eleanor secretly pens her songs and the pair drift apart after a notable mid-story incident. In the first half, Corbet crafts a story that is striking and free from a cliche, but sadly is unable to maintain this momentum going into the second half. Celeste has become the hot mess that so many young starlets are unable to avoid and after an unfortunate traffic incident- the shooting in Croatia (the killers wear masks similar to one of her prior videos) has given another meal for the media to feast upon.

Part of the problem with the final act of Vox Lux fails to bring the picture full circle and never makes full use of its great potential. Tensions rise during this stretch as Eleanor and Celeste clash over her teenage daughter Albertine (also played by Cassidy)- Celeste had a kid young who was raised by her sister while she ascended to the top. While Corbet throws the logs on the fire, the sparks never rise and things just burn out. Corbet almost seems to want to avoid answering the key questions he has forced his audience to mull over. The abruptness and ambiguity of its ending frustrates more than it fascinates us. Climaxing with an extending concert film (original songs by Sia and choreographed by Portman's husband Benjamin Millepied) is well polished but unnecessary. Corbet's movie has the quality of production and a promising premise to make a great movie, but despite some great camera work and cinematography by Lol Crawley- this fails to hit the high notes.

While she only arrives late in the day, Natalie Portman is excellent as the jaded and grenade gobbed Celeste. While her Staten Island accent is perhaps overly pronounced, Portman is mesmerizing as the immature and insecure star. Showing how the pressures of fame have stripped her innocence away and turned her into a barely coherent soul. However, it's Raffey Cassidy who steals the movie away from her co-star with an assured and confident turn. On double duty, Cassidy gives two separate performances which are both equally brilliant. As the young Celeste she shows the innocence and naivety of the fame that encapsulate her while as Albertine, she shows a young girl whose unable to open up to her self-centered mother. Impressing in movies such as The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Cassidy is one for the future.

Vox Lux is a movie which leaves us wanting more in the worst possible way. Brady Corbet will be an indie king someday, but this picture is a brief misstep what could be a promising career.

A Stranger In My Home: Review of The Killing of a Sacred Deer

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

By Alex Watson

Colin Farrell and Greek helmer Yorgos Lanthimos are becoming the new odd couple. After collaborating on the bafflingly brilliant picture, The Lobster, once again they strike gold. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a bold, brave yet disturbing feature film. Lanthimos may confuse some people with his mixture of sadistic humor with high tension. Those who are familiar with his style will be blown away by one of the best movies of 2017.

Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) is a successful surgeon who is bonding with troubled teen Martin (Barry Keoghan). Happily married to Anna (Nicole Kidman) with two children, everything seems pretty rosy. However, Steven was also the surgeon who operated on Martin`s father when he died. One day, Martin reveals he has placed a curse on the family and now Steven must kill one of his own family to balance the scales.

There is an eerie and distorted feeling from the very first moment of The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Kicking off with a bizarre conversation between Steven and colleague (Bill Camp) about watches- Lanthimos clearly intends to take us in all different directions. Steven`s relationships with others are put under the microscope early. Barry seems to have an almost mentor friendship with him, despite the deliberately strained conversation. There is also a heavily sinister undertone and Martin is always showing up unannounced at the hospital. Anna is a loving and doting wife and willing allows him to explore his fetish of having sex with her while she pretends to be asleep. Although everything is picture perfect on the outside- Martin slowly exposes the flaws the family has and pretty soon things become tense.

Quickly Martin asserts his dominance over Steven's daughter Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and son Bob (Sunny Suljic). One moment sees his daughter get undressed in front of him, only for him to casually reject her. Guilt is another factor that is heavily implied throughout Lanthimos' picture. Steven carries a burden from the night Martin's father passed away. His refusal to acknowledge his potential liability marks him out as prideful and stubborn. During the early stages, we are never sure whether Martin is toying with Steven or is genuinely interested in bonding with him. During a freaky dinner at Martin's, his mother (Alicia Silverstone) makes a bizarre pass at his 'beautiful hands' and the rejection that follows seems to be the catalyst for what follows. In a shocking yet brilliantly underplayed sequence, the young man reveals the terrible truth. In a nervous and overly fast voice, Steven is informed that if he doesn't kill one of his family, they will all become paralyzed and slowly die.

From this point on The Killing of a Sacred Deer transforms into pure psychological horror. Thanks to the terrific camera work of Thimios Bakatakis we are drawn into every father's worst nightmare. Out of nowhere, his children get sick and no solution can be found. Steven transforms from a cool and collected being to becoming a wounded tiger. Soon he resorts to increasingly desperate measures to try and salvage a no-win situation. The moral implications of what he will have to eventually do are almost sickening. Lanthimos drags his audience through the whole spectrum of emotions and we all know that we cannot look away.

Colin Farrell demonstrates that with the right director he can be a revelation. Carrying the movie's emotional and mental core- Farrell shows a side of his acting we have seldom seen. Some may still sneer at his ability (particularly his big-budget failures) but its impossible to deny that he is Oscar-worthy here. Nicole Kidman also gives strong support as the suffering yet committed Anna. Almost the Lady Macbeth figure, later on, she is the one behind the scenes keeping it together. Newcomer Barry Keoghan almost steals the picture from Farrell with a menacing turn as Martin. From the moment he enters his permanently monotone voice is immediately unsettling. Keoghan is a star we need to watch closely.

Some may find The Killing of a Sacred Deer extremely unsettling, but Yorgos Lanthimos is very different kind of director. On tension and style alone, this is brilliant filmmaking.