6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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.
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby CannavaleHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Mia Goth is on hand in some supplemental interviews on this disc stating how surprised she was when people actually went to see X and Pearl, stating she had shot the films in Australia, thought of them as "little" movies, and more or less expected their quick expiration at the box office. Well, as anyone who has seen either or both of those preceding sagas can attest, while there is plenty of "expiring" going on in each of those films, audience attendance was evidently not a problem, and so here we are, with the latest (one suspects not last) installment of the twisted story of one Maxine Minx (Mia Goth). I mentioned in our Pearl Blu-ray review how that film's "twofer" performance by Goth hinted at a revelation that was frankly never delivered, but one way or the other, even without alternate characters and loads of makeup, this trilogy has offered a real showcase for the diminutive actress, and she once again commands the screen in a narrative that attempts to weave Minx's supposed foray into "mainstream" film work (after a lot of "adult" roles) within the context of the so-called Night Stalker serial murders that terrorized Los Angeles and environs in the mid eighties.
MaXXXine is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of A24 and Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Captured with both Red and Sony cameras and finished at 4K, this is a stylistic tour de force for West and cinematographer Eliot Rockett, but the intentional decision to recreate an almost 16mm-ish griminess and grain structure may not always redound to the benefit of the actual imagery, though that said, I personally preferred the quasi-"organic" appearance of this 1080 presentation to the simultaneously released 4K UHD version, in terms of the look of the grain. Otherwise, this offers a suitably gritty look virtually the entire way, with surprisingly fulsome detail levels throughout despite a prevalence of intentionally dimly lit or downright nighttime shooting conditions. The palette isn't especially boldly suffused (again by choice I'm assuming), and often has a somewhat yellowish undertone. Certain scenes, including some of those aforementioned spooky nighttime scenes, have some really interesting blue tones, and there are a couple of showdowns bathed in red which pop quite convincingly. Shadow detail is surprisingly strong a lot of the time, but that's one area where the 4K UHD release probably at least marginally improves on things.
MaXXXine features a nicely boisterous Dolby Atmos track that captures the cacophony of mid eighties Los Angeles in several scenes where Maxine is scurrying through nighttime streets. Ambient environmental effects documenting the urban environment can be relatively subtle at times, and much more prevalent in the mix at others, but they help to create a kind of "background whirlwind" that helps to establish the emotionally unkempt world of the characters. Tyler Bates' often ominous sounding score is also well placed in the side and rear channels, and has some especially noticeable low end. A couple of startle effects in some of the violent kill scenes also help to unsettle the listener. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.
X, Pearl and now MaXXXine make for one of the more interesting trilogies in recent film history, but I'm frankly not sure this really is a trilogy in the traditional sense, and for just one example I'll return to that fundamental question: what do Pearl and Maxine have to do with each other, other than providing Goth an admirable opportunity to strut her performance bona fides? This is an interesting, often viscerally entertaining, film, but its "meaning" may be as evanescent as, you know, fame and fortune. Technical merits are first rate and the supplements very enjoyable, though those with 4K UHD setups may want to consider that version. With caveats duly noted, Recommended.
2012
1983
2019
2019
2016
1981
2002
2012
2006
Uncut
2008
2024
Collector's Edition
1982
40th Anniversary Edition
1984
Limited Edition
1980
Collector's Edition
1988
2019
1988
2019
2018
2016