I Saw the TV Glow - Movie Review
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
- Chris Stuckmann reviews I Saw the TV Glow, starring Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan, Danielle Deadwyler, Fred Durst. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun.
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This film is like 15% “yeah I fuck with this aesthetic,” 35% confusion, and 50% violently clawing into the deepest recesses of your soul and forcing you to look at it.
A24 is a studio that encourages new ideas no matter the outcome. Regardless of quality, I am grateful that at least one studio encourages creativity through risk.
Yeah I didn't really get the film personally but I like that A24 seems encourage creative risk-taking.
After the way they used Ai Art instead of artists for Civil War....i have to disagree. A24 is just another greedy corp..or is becoming one
Agreed. I may personally dislike almost every A24 movie I've ever seen, but I can appreciate that some people like them.
I mean, aren't their movies all relatively low budget? They can afford to risk more than bigger studios can
Agree. I love most of A24’s films.
As a trans person, this film spoke to me on such a deep level I was holding back tears almost the entire time. The disassociation felt in childhood (and in adulthood if you never come out) the claustrophobia and suffocation felt being in the wrong body, the feeling that you aren’t actually you, and the real you is somewhere but you don’t know where, these are all deep feelings felt by almost every trans person, if you felt any of this throughout this movie, you now understand the trans experience a little better ❤️ beautiful the way it was portrayed, I’ve never seen anything describe it the way this movie did
As someone who is gender queer but hasn’t come out, this film was like watching my past, present, and future.
As a straight man I have nothing to add
I love this! Such an interesting perspective that I haven’t fully considered, thanks for sharing!
I’m not trans but I was also holding back tears through most of the second half, especially the end.
Oh, big time! I also is trans and it’s great knowing it isn’t just me seeing it! The whole movie my mind just kept going there.
As someone on the spectrum constantly finding ways to behave normal and apologizing constantly for falling short, this movie hit at such a specific personal level for me that I almost broke down crying on the drive home.
I just saw it today and I felt this way too. I've been having some really anxious days, feeling trapped inside my own head just like Owen. I even thought that if i kept thinking too much I might end up having a panic attack. But the ending was a wake up call, i can't let myself rot in the same way, right?
Don't apologize frequently. More of the times you will just lower your self-esteem.
OMG yes. I brought my wife to see it tonight after seeing it by myaelf earlier this week and digesting it for a couple days. Experiencing it again was almost too much at certain points I had to stop myself from shaking and sobbing in the theater. When he says "I don't want to leave my home" and everything that sentence carried in that moment, yeah, it was tough.
@@gabrielborjas7923"there is still time" ✌️
me too
This seems like a twin peaks-esque type of film with how many ways you can view it and the “feels like a memory” comment.
Yes, total Fire Walk With Me vibes
@@AaronClowI got more TP: Return Vibes, but yea totally twin peaks inspired.
Just Lynchian vibes overall. I felt big pinches of “Blue Velvet” within this as well, with the two youths trapped in this colorfully dark and twisted world.
The bar scene especially…
Calling this movie Lynchian is a felony. From the acting, to the plot line, to the fact this director is clearly a David Lynch fan trying to emulate his cinematography and scene selection, there were just minimal highlights in this film. The part when the credits started rolling was by far the best moment. We have truly reached our lowest point in the history of mankind when movies like this actually receive praise.
2/10 maybe 2.5/10 if I was as blasted on substances as this director clearly was while creating this nightmare of a film.
@@Zelovert You can just say this film wasn't for you. Lynch doesn't have the copyright on dream state allegory filmmaking.
It feels like a memory because of the little touches. From the Buffy font for the Pink Opaque’s credits, to the Are You Afraid of the Dark campfire, to the iconic song of Broken Social Scene. But like memories over time, everything here is a little off.
I saw this in theaters today with my friends. The ending CRUSHED me. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine give some incredible performances and the whole thing is shot beautifully. It's a love letter to 90s children TV shows and also a heartbreaking horror with a message. It's instantly at the top of my favorite films to release this year.
I told my husband the same thing last night. That the ending was soul crushing. I also wished my adult kid was closer so I could hug them. But that's an entirely different conversation 🏳️⚧️
Brigette was great in Bill & Ted III.
It crushed you? You mean after he cut himself open and walked around apologizing like Morty, and then it just ends? How on earth did this poor excuse for a movie make you feel anything?
@@bobbyjohnson8385bro for real - lacking substance so hard - just left feeling like a waste of money
@@bobbyjohnson8385The movie is a tragedy and a cautionary tale. She said don't apologize. She tried to help him be who he was many times over. He ultimately rejects her and apologizes just for who he is. By the end he is so out of touch with who he really was supposed to be - who he really was, that even the things that used to give him the most joy no longer do. He now believes they were silly kids shows and apologizes to those who dont even care about him just for existi g. What is more horrifying than living our short life (19, 20, 21, 22...) unauthentically and conforming to everything society tells us we should be instead of who we are? I felt the film was absolutely brilliant.
Psychological horror for sure. There was a sense of dread, and a claustrophobia that permeated the movie. The temporal structure was interesting as it was linear, but there were scenes missing (as shown by particular flashbacks), and so it was sort of disorienting. Further, towards the end of the movie, Maddy refers to them being at camp, and it sort of anchored the scene when Owen was at a campfire, but I'm not sure if that even happened, or if this was a way to relate them to the TV show.
During the 80s there was a view of TV that argued it was a drug, and that was the vibe you could sense. The depth of their interest in the show wasn't healthy. The show invites the viewer to question: what if the paranormal is real. And then, the notion of reality becomes unstable during the movie. And it seems to hint that maybe there is something occult occurring. There wasn't anything paranormal in the movie per se, but you could sense that "weird stuff" was happening. Or was it? In any case, Maddy's interpretation of the TV show became a bit...literal. And it seems like she goes off the deep end, questioning the what's real, or normal, which can relate to the ideas of gender identity as discussed as gender norms. (As an aside, she sort of takes on the role of Morpheus in the Matrix, asking Owen to believe her view of the world. This isn't a dig at the movie, and I'm not sure if Schoenbrun intended it, but the trans reading of the Matrix connects with this movie. Unlike Neo, Owen doesn't seem to break free)
The one thing that kind sort of bothered me is how coy many of the reviews are about Maddy's disappearance. The sequence of events clearly indicate what led up to it. But we're unsure what happened to her. Put another way, one can surmise why she disappeared, but we don't know what happened to her (until later).
I was in college during the 90s, so I was worried if the movie was even for someone like me. At any rate, visually it was so good, and this is what piqued my interest. Just found out this movie was produced by Emma Stone, which is interesting.
I’m so glad you brought up Alex Mack. Anytime I bring this up with my age group they legit forget that show exists lol.
Go watch the Nick Knacks retrospective. Don't know exactly when that one would be coming up, but it's gotta be close; it just did Clarissa Explains It All, and The Adventures of Pete & Pete is next.
Dude I loved that show.
@@christopherb501 thanks for recommending! I’m gonna check them out!
I feel the same about the movie Meteor Man
I was violently transported to The Adventures of Pete and Pete when the movie started, so much that the theme started playing in my head again after 30 years.
Before seeing Chris’ thoughts i’d just like to say this movie is really special to me. i saw it in April and it blew me away, so visually stunning, haunting, uncomfortable, beautiful, moving, touching. what an incredible masterpiece of a movie. i haven’t stopped thinking about it
Masterpiece is wild lol
@@brandadse.1741my sister in law didn’t like it a lot, and that’s totally okay! we all have different views of a movie. this movie is like a 9.5/10 in my eyes and that makes it a masterpiece to me
Masterpiece with no plot?
@@nomames7123 why did you think it didn’t have a plot? it definitely had one to me
I love that Fred Durst is in this movie
He's the main characters step dad right? I laughed when I saw his name at the end and can only figure it was the dad
@HanmaHeiro He was his bio Dad. At least they never mentioned him as a stepdad. Maddy, however, did mention having a stepdad
@@AyveXa oh, thanks. I musta confused the two. Thanks
@@HanmaHeiro the character has serious stepdad energy, so it makes sense
@AyveXa
He screamed, “You’re not my father!” when he was drowning the tv sparks outta him. lol
This is one of the most original and unique films I’ve seen in a LONG time. I’d say it’s between this and Hundreds of Beavers for the best film I’ve seen this year (Challengers, Love Lies Bleeding, and THELMA are right behind it). I’m excited to see it again at some point!
hundreds of beavers is amazing
I highly recommend Femme if you liked this and haven't seen it.
I'm glad Justice Smith has been able to prove himself as a good actor after how annoying I found him in Fallen Kingdom. Bad circumstances will do things to someone.
He's trash, who are you trying to fool?
He was pretty good in that Dungeons and Dragons movie, though the only other movie I’ve seen him in was Detective Pikachu, where he was just okay.
Yea I really didn't like him in all those franchise movies but after seeing the trailer of this movie I was rooting for him to put on a good performance.
Don't forget he was also in Society of Magical Negroes :)
For me it may be his best
I love that they actually took the time to film scenes for the In Universe TV show alongside the actual movie. It looked like it was straight out of the 90's, and Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy Paine gave spectacular performances.
Would be kind of lazy if they didn't considering that's the premise.
I would literally watch a full episode of Pink Opaque as a Blu Ray special feature
Ultimately I LOVE the soundtrack. It’s been on repeat before and after I saw it. I loved the vibes and cinematography. It’s good to note how Owen kept apologizing at the end when in the beginning Mandy told him to not apologize.
I think the memory comment is spot on, the Fruitopia vending machine took me back to a feeling I haven't had since middle school
The pink opaque? The Cocteau Twins album.. that probably informs a lot
My introduction to CT in the 80’s. Love that album. Lifelong fan.
Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me
Gay
So@@jonn8911
@@jonn8911 Not a Broken Social Scene fan I see.....
Hard to believe that 1996 was 28 years ago. That period of the 90s was special.
I watched Monster (the movie, not the anime though that's great too) and had to calibrate that 2004 was 20 years ago (it was also funny how much effort they had to go through just to make charlize theron look like mia goth on any given day lol)
@scottieeray
The 90’s will always be my favorite decade, for so many reasons. More 90’s movies Hollywood!
We got old. That’s what happens. Lol.
Love that Chris understood and connected with it! Absolutely adored this film. Very disturbing, and very raw. Jane Schoenbrun is on one.
I didn't grow up in the '90s (I'm a '70s kid), wasn't exposed to Buffy or "Are You Afraid," and yet I had the same experience of nostalgia and identification with the film as you did. I couldn't stop thinking about it and went to see it again - something I have only done for one other film (Annihilation). I was mesmerized. Your description of a crowd looking at a work of art is spot on and also because this wasn't just a "horror" film, it was an expression that was intended and delivered - true art. I was so impressed with this little film and I hope A24 offers an awesome 4k collector package with it like they have done for some of their other films. This was special.
The Pink Opaque is the name of the 1986 Cocteau Twins album. *I still have this cd. Is that a reference or easter egg to the show within the movie?
I understood this movie very much LOUD & CLEAR in my own way.
Hey Chris! Been subscribed for a very long time and can always count on you to have such an open mind and great breakdown on every film! Thanks!
When leaving the theater I heard someone talking about how they admired the use of the live wire in the one scene which was interesting.
Sending you a virtual hug for just mentioning "Eerie, Indiana". One of the smartest shows for kids out there and such a lovingly crafted homage to weird genre fiction.
I would love if you got Jane Schoenbrun on your podcast.
This movie peaked my interest because it reminded me of a popular creepypasta called Candle Cove so I was curious how this movie would pull off this similar concept about a supernatural show
*piqued
I’m not sure if the show in the movie was supernatural but the effect it had on the viewer was hints the rewatching scene at the end
Candle Cove….they did a show based off that. Channel Zero I think it was called. Check it out. It was pretty good from what I remember.
This film captures how I remember my childhood tv shows better than any other piece of media I’ve seen. That alone made the movie enjoyable, but the atmosphere of the entire film was great even when it wasn’t focusing on the nostalgia
I saw myself get Stuckmannized
I absolutely love your review, I just seen it yesterday in theaters on my own. When you said this movie “felt like a memory”. Couldn’t have explained it better. This movie also made me feel something that others havent. It was captivating.
You saying that the movie felt like a memory to you made the entire movie click for me. I couldn’t explain how I felt about it until I viewed the nostalgic elements as a very specific feeling I had growing up. Such an interesting film. Happy it exists
I’m so happy you mention So Weird. I absolutely loved that show as a kid.
So Weird, at least the first two seasons, are just fantastic. Criminally underrated.
your reviews are so personal and its very beautiful
AMAZING review. You put the message and themes of the movie into words so well. Can't wait for Shelby Oaks
I agree with your review and the idea that this movie feels like a memory. I saw it with my daughters and we were discussing it on the way home. I mentioned that the feeling it gave me was similar to Im Thinking of Ending Things.
YES! same!
Praying they release this in 4K Blu-ray 🤞🏽
i think people are so desperate for basic entertainment that they're unable to enjoy this movie. this isn't just some marvel movie with a linear plot and brain numbing action scenes. every scene has a reason and even the twist is more of a slow burn rather than a jaw dropping discovery. we're supposed to feel like owen. we're supposed to feel like we're stuck in a stale world that doesn't make much sense. the movie is supposed to be uncomfortable, yet familiar. i was highly anticipating this film only because alex g scored it and it had a theme of nostalgia and emptiness. despite not guessing the twist, the movie was exactly what i expected. this movie felt so personal to me and i absolutely adore it. i can't even put the feeling it portrayed into words, much less direct an entire movie that captures it perfectly
Been watchin for a few years, cant wait for your movie to come out!!! Your commentary on movies is top notch! Your opinions on Cloud Atlas?
So happy to see a shout out to So Weird. I miss the old Disney live action shows that were actually interesting and not just a Formulaic copy of each other.
This currently has no release date or distributor in the U.K. and I’m mad - I’ve been itching to see this ever since the Sundance buzz.
I was happy to see Danny Tamberelli listed in the cast list. He had a short cameo, but the entire movie reminded me of The Adventures of Pete and Pete, so it was fitting that the actor that played Little Pete was in this movie.
The Pink Opaque really has a Pete and Pete feel, both in the high-concept surreal images and the stuff at the end when he’s revisiting as an adult
This movie, was, incredible. I understand if a lot of people don’t get it, but it’s very much open and appeals to a lot of specific experiences. Escapism, nostalgia, neurodivergence. It was, absolutely about the trans experience. There is no way around that. Atleast from my experience there was not a single second where it didn’t feel tied to horror of being trans. I loved it. But that’s also just one perspective, and there are tons of different things people have taken from this movie. Phenomenal.
Hey,
I was in college in the 90s when you were home watching Nick (weird side note, I took a job at Universal in Orlando when Nick was shooting there and often found myself on a SS floor occupied with one of their shows), and I have a very similar experience with this film, that I connect with it personally, like 'it feels like a memory'. Excellent choice of words, I believe I know what you mean. So, no, I don't think one has to be of your generation to experience the film in this way. Yes, I was around in the 90s, but too old for Goosebumps and too busy for Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Nostalgia is still a big part of my connection to this film, which I have to think is in large part due to the way it is crafted. Nostalgia for something I never experienced. By the way, I did get around to Buffy way after the fact and, unless I'm mistaken, The Pink Opaque uses the same opening/closing titles font that Buffy did.
I couldn't sleep after watching it because I couldn't stop thinking about it and why it affected me so much. Definitely the first horror movie that made me feel existential dread.
I've had the same reaction. I believe, at least for me, it's because at the core it's a bad ending for the character, and it's a bad ending anyone can have. To feel stuck at 40 feeling like your life has passed you by. Justifying to no one why you're staying. It's sad, but we do have the message left before that it's never too late.
I mean your review makes it sound very Donnie Darko-esque. Didn't get all those 90s shows here in Australia but we did get Alex Mack.
Ooo I got that Sailor Moon shirt as well! Actually quite a few tees we both have.
Is this in theaters right now? I’m in Florida and can’t find it anywhere.
I'm so glad to hear this film is getting good reviews!! My friend loves Schoenbrun's first feature, We're All Going to the World's Fair, and I've been meaning to see that for a while (since it's streaming on Max), but I think I may need to see this one first while it's still in theaters. I'm sure going in "order" doesn't matter here lol
Thanks for covering this!
Chris, I love your shirt! where did you get it?
omg thank you for mentioning so weird! that was one of my favs!!
i also got david lynch, but way less creepy or weird, vibes from this movie. which i feel really falls in line with its ability to be interpreted in many different ways ways, depending on on the viewer
I’m seeing this later today and am certainly looking forward to it, since it seems like the kind of weird yet intriguing movie I’d love.👌🏽
Man The Secret World Of Alex Mack really takes me back! Great show, and the actress was one of my first boyhood crushes on TV lol
Jessica Alba?
Same
Chris, have you ever dove into the works of David Lynch? I feel like your fixations dance around his 90s renaissance. It seems like so many things that have inspired you are a direct influence of him, particularly spinning out of the success of Twin Peaks
I love how you address this topic with such honesty.
Bot
one of my favorite movies of the year, and I watch a lot of movies lol
Wow! Haven't heard any mention of So Weird since I was a kid!
Love your unique style, never change!
He changed big time. He used to make fun of bad movies in a fun way. Now he boring and dull AF
@@goodburger1114 idk why people decided to dogpile on Chris. He loves movies and he shares that love with all of us idk why people like you think it’s ok to demand a certain type of content from someone you don’t even know
@@perry6762 Bro replied to a pornbot just to say nothing unique. It's pretty obvious he has nothing else to do today.
@@goodburger1114And now this is his new style.
My question is if you find it boring and dull then why do you watch it?
Oh no…. We’re replying to bots now? And furthermore, we’re letting bots dictate what we talk about? That can’t be good humanity, right?
Hey Chris, i read an article that the director is a big fan of Twin Peaks. Have u ever seen it or is there a chance for a David Lynch movie review perhaps?
eerie indiana was one of those hidden gem i think. along with sliders
A show within a show or movie always gets me
Thank you for putting into words what I could not after watching this movie.
I Saw The TV Glow and Late Night With The Devil are my favorite movies this year thus far. 😊
“I think you could view it in so many ways”
True, but its weird that there’s one specific way the filmmaker intended that you didn’t bring up…
This is off topic but could you do a review of 80's. Cloak n Dagger since Dabney recently died. Thank you.
That movie was a childhood favorite! Definitely would’nt have been made today with a PG rating
Oh boy. This looks like something that would hit me hard. "The Pink Opaque" is an album by The Cocteau Twins from 1985, which makes me curious as to the implications for we 80s teens and our perception of the story. I'm intrigued, and a little afraid. Thanks for the suggestion.
#1 of the year for me (so far)
I can confirm that this movie really hits even if you didn't grow up in the 90s. I've been growing up in the internet age but it was so easy for me to relate my own experiences to Owen's which is so impressive
I would love to go support it, but apparently no theaters are showing it around me. What a bummer.
Love seeing Justice Smith in more stuff lately. Fantastic actor
the callout to Alex Mack brought back so many fond memories; it also reminded me of the zach files - so good
I've gotta cover this too at some point
Are you going to review X-Men 97?
I'm going to see this later today. I didn't expect a review, but now I'm really looking forward to it! Thanks!
ERMAHGERD!!!! LOVE YOUR SHIRT!!!! 💖💝💖💝 This film reminds me of the 1997 film Nowhere by Gregg Araki.
Chris, please review riddle of fire! It’s some of the best I’ve seen maybe ever and filled with nostalgia that hits just right ❤
Shows made me think of Adventures of Pete and Pete too. Love that vibe. Formative for real
Ya know the 2 actors who played Pete And Pete have cameos in this?
@@colleen4ever really?? I did not know that! Thats so rad!
Hey Chris, Re: 90's YA sci fi fantasy shows, you ever heard of a Canadian produced TV series from 92 called The Odyssey. About a kid in a coma looking for his father in a fantasy dream world?
Didn’t end up working for me but I appreciated the effort and expect it will land heavy with certain people.
We're all going to the world's fair was a movie I liked but was underwhelmed by, but from the trailer I had high expectations for this movie, and I was not disappointed. The themes, messages, and tone this movie portrayed really hit something core to who I am. I teared up and cried a couple different times in this movie and the soundtrack was great. Definitely not a film for everyone but a great film none the less. I loved it.
This movie matched a delusion I had about 12 years ago before I was on meds and it's really messing with me.
I loved the Twin Peaks inspired moment in the bar
I felt the way you did about the movie when I first saw it, but as I read more and saw it from a different perspective, I just want to say this movie is very clearly about transgenderism. It was tough for me to perceive because that’s distant from who I am personally, but it’s not really an allegory… it’s pretty direct when you go back and look for it with another set of eyes. You can still view other aspects of it in many different ways open to interpretation, and I certainly don’t want to tell anyone their interpretation is wrong, but I think that is a directly communicated aspect of this film. I wish I would have figured that out myself more easily on my first watch but I was daft haha. Great movie!
Chris are you going to review X-men 97 👀
I gotta be honest and say this one really just missed the mark for me. A lot of the symbolism seemed to go over my head on the first watch. Still glad I went to see it, the music and cinematography are great and I’ll support just about any A24 film at this point.
I just got back from watching this. It was a beautiful ethereal story. I personally am on "Maddie's" side of how the truth of things with this because it's what I resonated with.
This hands down has the best accurate recreation of that 90s vibe that is so hard to find nowadays
Omg, I love your shirt!!,!
This is why A24 is so far my best Movie Studio because it doesn't sacrifice creativity for cash. Kudos for them.
I really enjoyed this movie. Initially from a stron nostalgia angle and later, after reading online, I came to appreciate the trans allegory even though that is not something I’ve historically been familiar with or cared about at all. A powerful movie that made me feel and think - the main reason I watch A24 movies.
For the first half, I felt like I was getting a hug of nostalgia and for the second half, I felt like a kid watching a scary fever dream. This movie really impressed me.
havent seen it yet, but your description reminds me of aftersun, one of my favourites
I very much doubt this piece of trash is anything like the magnificent Aftersun
@@WhirlingMusic ? Whats got you so worked up? I hope its not the director because that would be pretty cringe 😬
@@JNN625 me calling a movie a piece of trash is hardly considered "worked up"
@@WhirlingMusic ok, so why do you think it is trash?
@@JNN625 it is a trans narrative movie.
This has been confirmed by a good amount of commenters with liked comments who have seen the movie.
Next you're gonna ask "how does that make it a trash movie?"
I don't have to explain to you how water helps grass grow just like I don't have to explain how this movies narrative makes the movie garbage.
"It feels like a memory..." WOW!!
cool t-shirt!
Sounds like this draws heavily from Kelly Link's short story "Magic for Beginners" which I would love to see adapted.
DEEEEPLY considering watching this a 3rd time. I saw it at SXSW, then in it's theatrical release date. And I wanna see it again with one of my partners
So Weird! Glad to see that get a shout-out. The season one episode when her brother gets possessed was stained in my childhood mind
I have the attention span of a gnat lately and can only consume popcorn movies these days, so I'll have to put seeing this on hold until i can really digest it.
gotta log out sometimes
Eerie, Indiana was so good. Does anybody else remember Ghostwriter? That was another one of my favs.