CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (2022) HORROR MOVIE REVIEW
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- čas přidán 28. 04. 2024
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"The only thing I liked about this movie was the potential" 🤣🤣 this line got me.. what a burn
Oooooooooh damn.
I hate it when someone who likes a movie says to someone who didn’t like it “You don’t get it.” Not everyone sees the same thing when they see a movie.
You literally see the same thing. It is a movie.
@@Kyleology yes but not everyone has the same opinion of the movie
@@Kyleology i think they mean people have different perspectives on which they view things
Not everyone has the same type of thinking
its also entirely possible to "get a movie" and not like it.
“It was a completely unique experience” is such a good positive spin. I just tried so hard to go with it and just see it through. This movie took the amazing body surgery scene from Prometheus and definitely kicked it up several notches!
Yup. I was squeamish in this and not in Prometheus.
his son's work is absolute genius, possessor is an incredible movie
I absolutely LOVE both of his films as well! I am highly anticipating everything to come from him.
I saw the Uncut version in theatres!
Like you said, the concept was so interesting and could've been amazing, but the approach was extremely boring and anticlimactic. My boyfriend and I wanted to walk out so many times...
same! and I am not the person to walk out, I’ve never done it in my life, if I wasn’t dedicated to reviewing it I probably would have 🤷♀️
A french youtuber made a video about it and it's actually a critism of today society and Hollywood movies
Stopped by to tell you I watched triangle and FUCKING loved it. One of the best movies I've ever seen
Me too. :D
My brother is a die hard Cronenberg fan who has seen and I think owns most of his videography. His latter work is not for me. I saw “Crash” and tapped out. He seems to enjoy making people think/uncomfortable by pairing sexual arousal with things most people would find repugnant. In “Crash” it was car accidents. Specifically car accidents that are bad enough to cause injuries. I saw the “surgery is the new sex” tagline, remembered “Crash” and noped out on my brother’s invite. Def not for me. I believe a wise moviegoer knows their limits. Just like so many horror fans try to tell me I’m not a fan for refusing to watch Salo. I’m a horror fan who knows her limits.
I love this channel, and part of that is because I'm pretty sure I have never agreed with her even once. I love hearing her viewpoints and takes, but generally whenever she puts out a review of a movie I haven't seen yet, I know my take will be the polar opposite. It's honestly kinda incredible.
haha I love that so many of you watch my videos to find what to watched based on what I don’t like. HOWEVER this one has been a miss for most people so please update me if you see it!
@@PossessedbyHorror oh I've already seen it opening night and I loved it lol. The weird confusing shit is my lifeblood, it was such an experience.
@@PantsMasterPlays I often find the same thing - I regularly watch this channel, and find Sarah to be both engaging and reasonable; I like her and her reviews. However, much of the time I don't agree with her, and love the films she dislikes. I can't wait to see this, and Sarah's review makes COTF sound like essential viewing.
I feel so fucking seen hahaha “I’m pretty sure”
Oh? Please elucidate...
In the movie, audiences get off on watching gory surgeries. In reality, audiences are excited to see a new movie by a director known for gory body horror. Recent movies like Dashcam are really about the perspective of the viewer and the detached voyeurism of mass audiences.
Funny Games and Bennys Video
I’m glad you mentioned the Kristen Stewart line about the systems of the body and Saul’s response. It was so stupid. Also, I didn’t really think about the parallels between a child getting a surgery when “surgery is the new sex.” Though perhaps he was trying to spin it as a corruption of innocence. Like the context of the child surgery is that it’s truly painful and deeply tragic, therefore changing the meaning of surgery for so many of the witnesses. Like this corrupt world is faced with something truly shocking. Idk. But I just didn’t really think about that, thanks for pointing it out!
I look at it as in sex involves touch, holding, and affection. The way a mother would love her child includes the same. So I paralleled the survey the same way. It doesn’t mean the same things for different situations.
When you said "I don't know how to review this movie", I totally felt that. People keep asking me whether I liked it or not, and I have no idea how to answer that question. The most I can say is that I found it interesting, but I'm sure not in a hurry to see it again.
I appreciate your honesty, as always, and think that I'd agree with you. I enjoy very select Cronenberg pieces.
I really appreciate you talking about the scene that made you super uncomfortable. That would likely end up being a bit of a trigger for me, so now I know to avoid it, even out of morbid curiosity.
sheeah give the world a break ur use of the new teigger word is trigger t he wjole idea and use of that word "trigger" is a crutch and saftety net and a passifier
@@DjangoPorter english?
I appreciate your point of view! Ill be honest, it took a long time after watching to make up my mind where I stand on it. That said, I think I really really enjoyed it. The film is definitely anchored in its concepts opposed to its characters or drama in particular. This one was definitely for me but it's absolutely an odd film that won't resonate with a lot of people.
I did too. It’s SO NOT for everyone, but if you liked stuff like eXistenz (which I LOVED), you’ll like Crimes.
I think you said a really mature thing when you revealed that you felt the film was not for you. Cronenberg really makes weird films that operate best beneath the mainstream kinda like David Lynch. Thanks for your always honest and interesting perspective.
Even a lot Cronenberg diehards are calling this a misfire. So don't feel like you were missing something. Sexuality is usually a major component of Cronenberg, so his work just may not be for you. Body horror is only half of it, though, for the typical Cronenberg experience. He also likes to create discomfort through deeply personal dialogue exchanges. And weirdness. And moral transgression. I personally haven't seen it, so I can't tell you if it's good by his standards or not. But, the dude has been on a bit of a skid for a while now. Eastern Promises was his last movie that got universal raves and that was 2007.
I actually was surprised by it and rather enjoyed it. I like eXistenz better, but Crimes was a good movie IMO.
Hearing it's "bizarre" and unique makes me want to see it, but anytime I hear a movie is BORING I'm completely turned off. A boring movie is the worst thing a movie can be in my eyes, I feel like I'm wasting my life when I watch a movie that loses my attention... I could totally imagine turning off something like Malignant during the slow parts of the movie, but watching it with someone made it a much better viewing experience and I can say I wasn't bored due to that. Don't know if this is a weird opinion.
same nothin worse than a boring movie like wow just wasted mi time
I honestly did find it pretty boring.
I also love bizarre movies but trust me, this isn't the good kind of bizarre.
Or maybe you can be an adult and an individual watch it and make up your own mind!
i'm still going to watch this bc i watch every film my girl kristen is in, but your video really made me expect absolutely nothing of this lol which i'm thankful for cause that way at least i won't be disappointed! but i'm pretty sure i'm going to come out of this feeling exactly the same way you do. thank you for the review
Like the way that there are no silly or boring intro!❤️
My thoughts on "Crimes" is more of a deep-dive into the metaphorical meanings within Cronenberg's on-the-nose, satirical (albeit horrific) and sometimes humorous view of modern-day technology (ex: eating chair, sleeping bed, autopsy bed), exhibitionism and voyeurism (ex: Saul, Caprice, Timlin, two women with drills), pop culture (ex: Klinik/Ear Man, others), celebrity status (Saul and Caprice), and ultimately the "plastic" society that we have become (ex: plastic eaters, non-plastic eaters, and those "evolving" into eating plastic). There are also the "policing agencies" (Cope, Wippet, Timlin) that try to regulate and/or terminate humanities permanent decline into a meaningless existence of seeking out ever-greater, "shocking" sensualities (ex: government's attempts to regulate social media and the moral decline of society).
The story clearly identifies "plastic" as the synthetic, cheap, easily consumed and digested content in social media (I think of "Barbie Girl" by Aqua, Madonna's "Material Girl"). Each of the main characters is participating in the so-called "art" in some way with a brief glimpse of a "normal person" who dies from eating "plastic".
The boy Brecken, from the outset, has already "evolved" into a full plastic eater. The mother, representing parents of young "social media artists" today, smothers him. This represents the consequences of parents allowing their children to consume and produce cheap, easy to consume exhibitionism eventually leading them to be killed by it (ex: kids being killed by their stalkers, older men being fans of young girls) as if the parent was the actual murderer.
Through the entire story, the main character Saul resists "evolving" into a plastic eater (ex: "tumor-like organs" that grow inside him = the cancers of society) using alien-looking tech just to eat and sleep (Ex: cpap, hospital surgical devices, feeding tubes, mechanised beds etc). Finally, after just giving in to "evolving" into a plastic eater does he find complete contentment and peace. However, never does he realize that his "painless" exhibitionism is the very cause of his morphing into a plastic eater; he's now desensitised to it all.
Along the way, we also meet two woman voyeurists who drill holes into people's heads representing the mindless, intellegence draining people of CZcams Channels and pornography; they create content that displays to everyone their so-called "inner beauty" but is secretely "horrific" for us to watch, and we can't turn our eyes away (ex: Adrienne, Ear Man, zipper device, etc.). In addition, Ear Man (Klinik) demonstrates how even the hippocritical Producer of his "Art" (ex: the music and entertainment industry) can be the very one who exploits the financial successes but joins the "popular" view of hating it (ex: anonymous likes, dislikes, etc.).
There are many more metaphorical references throughout the story and Cronenberg uses the genre as a warning of the future "horrors" of becoming "Plastic Eaters". Cronenberg asks us If we are disgusted by what we are watching and thus why are we not disgusted by what we "consume" in today's media? He suggests that if we are not disgusted by what we're watching, we're already a plastic eater. Indeed, ultimately society will become senseless, meaningless, painless, completely devoid of the characteristics that make us human if we don't stop eating plastic both metaphorically (ex: social media, empty entertainment, exhibitionism, voyeurism, pop culture, celebrity status, etc.) and physically (ex: oceans being full of plastic: fish eat it, we eat the fish). Neither has any nutritional value and can kill us metaphorically, physically, spiritually, and socially.
Cronenberg is my favorite director. Everything he does I didn't expect. I believe there is a Cronenberg movie for everyone. I would suggest watching his non horror movies because they are incredible. A History of Violence and Eastern Promises are two amazing ones, you should try those!
P.S.
He also wrote a novel recently, you might like that!
Oh, i love those ones! I wasn't sure if I liked Cronenberg movies until you listed those 2 movies.
@@carynw2625 He's done a lot more incredible ones! Dead Zone, cosmopolis, A Dangerous Method, Crash! Great ones besides his horror ones!
It could be because he didn't write those two movies, that she might like them more
I want to see this movie and will be interested whether my reaction is different than yours. I respect your opinions, but my tastes lean more toward sci-fi/drama and away from the paranormal. I will comment again after viewing. Thank you for your well thought-out videos!
Would highly recommend Dead Ringers!!
I really loved it, the two friends I was with liked it a lot too. I feel like we are the odd ones out.
In my opinion, the point of the film is about how art/ideas is used as a transfer of ideas from generation to generation, the new organs represented ideas, the tattoos on the organs were looked at as a corruption of an idea, (hence why Saul mentioned he was uncomfortable/disappointed by the tattoos at the beginning of the film) and the tattoos in the child’s organs represented the corruption of our youth passed through corrupted ideas, hence the disgust of the audience when a complete strangers ideas (tattoos) were found to be imbedded in the child. I think Caprice’s speech at the end was really profound, I remember thinking it wrapped the ideas and themes up nicely, but I can’t quote it from memory.
Thank you for this!
I grew up in the 80s with the typical gratuitous situations in horror. Everything always had to play to the horror enjoyment of “males” per se.
I felt like an outcast because nothing ever seemed to make sense as to why certain things were part of the slasher formula.
I loved Scream for doing all the things without senseless topless shenanigans.
Now… I was apprehensive going into X. But omg! It was finally a formula that made sense to me. It wasn’t being exploitative- but more so saying, yes, females can be positively liberated AND make it horror. I loved every character in that movie.
I feel your commentary as being deemed as a “prude”. And I feel very much in a similar mindset as it’s not being prudish to just want a purpose.
I’m always glad to hear your perspective on movies whether we agree-Everything Everywhere All At Once, or disagree -Malignant, you’re a very distinct voice in the horror community for me and I’m always happy to hear from you! Sounds like I’ll be skipping this film for now at least. Cronenberg is hit or Miss for me and while I enjoy The Fly my favorite of his films is The Brood and this sounds like neither of those lol.
Yasss i love the brood! I hardly ever hear that discussed in the horror community.
I think everyone loved everything everywhere all at once
Thanks for the honest review. I get exactly what you're saying
I'm always so curious about your opinion whenever I watch a horror movie - recently saw Creep (2004) and I'd love to hear your opinion on it!
I second this! I loved creep and id love to hear sarahs opinion on it as well. I know shes a big fan of triangle (one of my favorite horror movies of all time) and creep and triangle actually have the same director.
I knew from the previews that this was not going to be for my husband and I. After hearing your review, we 100% made the right decision in passing on this one !
My 2022 Movie Theater Checklist:
Watch the weirdest movie of 2022 ✅
Unlike The Fly (1986) this movie didn't have a strong enough plot for me.
It just felt like more like a series of scenes strung together with common themes.
It didn't really get interesting until the end.
It looked like a D. Cronenberg film but I needed more plot and something driving the main characters.
Maybe I'll learn to appreciate it more after another viewing.
exactly lacking plot and character development!
thanks for the honest review. i was considering watching it but wanted to see what people thought. this seems to be the general consensus lol.
16:30 Ok… here’s my take. In the movie they make a big deal about the machine needing to be recalibrated for autopsies. So it’s a different purpose of an autopsy than sexual. I think that it’s akin to sex involves affection, but so does a hug from a mother to a child. So while both situations involve affection, they are SO NOT the same. Same as the surgery and an autopsy. Both were involving body trauma, but the end result is far from the same.
I saw it and agree with you completely.
I love your videos! I agree with a lot of your opinions and disagree on some others, but I love that you say that anybody can be a true horror fan regardless of what kinds of movies they prefer. I haven't seen this movie. I'm only 16, so I haven't seen as many horror movies as others. My first horror movie was Pet Cemetery when I was about 11 (disappointed in the remake though, lol). Keep making videos! Your channel is awesome and always puts a smile on my face or at least gives me something new to watch. 😊
I completely agree with you. I was really hopeful about this one and was thinking it'd be like an extended episode of Black Mirror, but it wasn't at all. Super disappointed because I also love The Fly!
hahahahaha i cant wait for this....definitely check out Existenz, Dead Ringers and Videodrome....I grew up on those so the trailer for this does not shock me in the least....does look really good! I know just from the trailers that this wouldnt have been for u just from past reviews and knowing what u do and dont like...i do however always appreciate and enjoy your reviews!
I really appreciate your take even tho this was definitely my type of film, I actually through some parts were overly explained, it’s okay to not like films, it’s not that deep.
Love ur vids! Will you be doing a review of The Sadness that’s on shudder?!!
no I will not be watching that one!
My boyfriend got me to watch The Sadness, I went in blind thinking it was going to be a zombie movie. Yeah not quite. It was pretty awful lol. Some solid gore, that’s about all it had going for it. And I’ll give it originality too. But it was gross af, too much over the top nasty sexual shit for me. Not really my thing. But if that stuff doesn’t bother you, then go for it.
@@PossessedbyHorror Nor will I, for presumably the same reason.
Cronenberg is my favorite director, and I'm obsessed with is stuff as an artist myself. I felt this movie should've been longer, to flesh out the characters more. The story was a giant build up to the end imo.
Oh, you didn't know that, most of Cronenberg's movies have a long history of sexual themed imagery, mixed with body horror.
You definitely should watch his other movies. Dead Ringers is my favorite, followed by Videodrome. No matter what he does, I'm there, lol. Looking forward to his next movie Consumed,
I just got back from the cinema. I almost fell asleep during the movie. I wanted to go out half way, but I still hoped that it would surprise me with something. The only scenes that evoked any emotions in me was a dancer with ears and naked Lea Seydoux. There were 5 people in the cinema room, including me.
Completely agree!!
Will you be reviewing Dashcam?
yes I will some day this week!
I'm glad I watched your review. We have very similar tastes and tolerances and honestly I don't think I can handle this movie. I was a little curious about it beforehand but I'm going to skip it. Thanks!
I'm with you sister - The Fly is amazing and though I respect Cronenberg, some of his films are hard to tackle - especially the body horror ones.
I thought it was an interesting movie. I don't love or hate it - I recognize the talent behind it for sure, but I'm not even sure it's supposed to be something you "like." I'd say it's classic Cronenberg in the vein of Existenz and Videodrome, which are much more divisive than movies like The Fly. I would recommend watching The Brood if you want another classic Cronenberg movie. It has some bizarre stuff going on but it is still a linear story with an understandable goal.
i haven’t seen this movie yet but around minute 14:00 you say that it seems as if everyone had to be “turned on by surgery” - this made me think of what you said earlier about there being no central plot or protagonist. What if they took the route of the protagonist being someone disgusted /uninterested by the act of surgery in a sexual way - and the other characters around them try and force them to watch/engage/ be operated on. Perhaps as an extended metaphor for the importance consent & make it a social commentary?? just listing off ideas 😭
Hi thanks for your review. I will probably watch it at home eventually. You needed probably to see or know about Crash to know of Cronenburg sexuality in movies. I dont think this movie sounds like more than a one time watch from reviews ive seen. The sound of the surgery gore is what puts me off watching it in cinema.
The premise was so interesting! I just don't get the whole artist's direction it took 🥴 also, we didn't get enough information 😂 and I agree we didn't have anyone to root for!
I haven't seen this film and I have only seen The fly as well. I don't mind weird movies but by the sounds of it I don't think it'll work for me. To be honest my sole reason for wanting to see this film was Kristen Stewart so maybe I might check it out when it comes to digital.
I've been DYING to see this movie but it's not in my area. I think I'm going to make the 2 hour drive to see it tomorrow. I think a lot of the things you cite as negatives about the movie are pretty much trademark Cronenberg. If you want to deepen your understanding of his aesthetic, the movies I'd most strongly recommend are Videodrome, Crash, Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch. He might just not be your cup of tea, but I don't know. It definitely took seeing a few of his movies and seeing them several times for me to get into them. They tend to be slow paced, intentionally uncomfortable and made with a certain clinical distance that is the opposite of what most storytellers try to do. Now I'm obsessed and he's my favorite director.
Could have been scarier and more gory, but a solid drama nonetheless. The central conflict was never that foreboding, but again, it was a drama. It was characters talking about other characters in rooms. But great universe and glad to have the big man making horror/sci-fi again. 4/5
yeah I guess if the marketing was a little more accurate it would have made it better overall but yes definitely a drama
OMG, "characters talking about other characters in rooms" is the perfect way to describe a movie I want to avoid!
I just literally watched your review and when you mentioned sexual, it reminded me of The Brood and Dead Ringers. Both his, which I have watched in the last year. VERY weird movies for sure. But liked them both. Not sure if I will like this one, though.
He directed the Christopher Walken movie The Dead Zone too which is a great movie.
I completely understand why you and so many others didn't enjoy and would want to walk out. I'm not really familiar with his filmography either. I always love and appreciate your honesty and how fair you are with your reviews. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about the movie itself. I do know that I loved the experience and how it made me feel. It was incredibly bizarre and uncomfortable, oddly funny or at least it made me laugh at moments probably because I was just so lost and not sure how to feel. It was far more sexual than I expected. I just felt like how I imagine Alice felt in Wonderland. I had so many questions that I feel will never be answered. The ending had me truly surprised like that's not how it's actually ending is it? I just sat there overwhelmed cuz I didn't know how to feel about any of it. I loved that it was such a different experience for me. As for the movie I don't know how to feel other than lost and confused. Sorry if I'm rambling. The movie has makes me feel like I'm just spewing words in hopes of making some sense out of it.
I watched this in the theater the other night and enjoyed it. Definitely strange. The most Cronenberg film of Cronenberg films. Today it occurred to me it's about the state of cinema huge tent pole franchises (plastic) and the audiences who consume it. True art is about growth and frequently growth comes out of pain. Blockbuster movies are disposable whereas a film like this is meant to provoke the audience to think about taboos and be thought provoking in general. Definitely a movie I couldn't appreciate at a younger age because life experience enhances this movie going experience. I appreciate the film's adult centered themes as opposed to too many bland horror films today.
I just finished this film and I'm honestly still processing how I feel about it. However, my initial thoughts after it (and during) are that it felt like a darker toned, bleaker, and somehow even stranger take on Repo: The Genetic Opera. Don't get me wrong, these two films are wildly different from each other, but at the same time they are kinda sister films in that these are the only two movies I can think of that explore this concept of wide spread accepted and even romanticized surgery.
I remember when the release of a Cronenberg film, was a real EVENT. For me, simply hearing the name, David Cronenberg, fills me with a sense of nostalgia as Mr. Cronenberg’s films helped spur my imagination, and helped take horror to a completely new level. Having said that, I completely understand the disconnect that you had with this work, as much of what he does appeals to very specific audiences, and admittedly, he has lost me and “lost his way,” so to speak. Strictly my own opinion, of course. Thank you for a thoughtful, honest review.
I liked it but still completely agree with so many of your points 😭😭😭
I love Naked Lunch and eXistenz so I think I’ll love this. Not a big fan on The Fly.
I suggest watch David Cronenberg's drama thrillers, I think you'll like those more.
I walked away thinking that it’s a social commentary. That the obsession with materialism is getting so deep that the human body starts to depend on synthetic materials for everything, including sustenance. That in our all consuming obsession with material goods, we lose our humanity. The things that make us vulnerable: sex, pain, infection are all disappearing. The world is becoming so empty that we begin to literally cut ourselves open to find meaning. And even if you fight against it (like Saul) you are still swept along.
That was what I got out of it. It was very cerebral. But that’s right up my alley and I loved it.
I love that we can count on you to stick to your guns and tell it how you see it without feeling like you have to pander to pretense. I haven’t seen it yet but I do have to say everything you said about it made me more intrigued to watch it. I’m familiar enough with your channel now that I can usually guess when we’re going to disagree on a film.
It absolutely sounds classic Cronenberg, especially the commingling of sex and gore and surgery. Sounds like Crash, Dead Ringers, and Videodrome as well as a few others. So that’s not too shocking for me but if you’ve only seen The Fly I can see why you wouldn’t expect it.
What’s most interesting to me is that you are not the first person I’ve heard critique the acting performances. One of the other hallmarks of Cronenberg’s films is getting really interesting and nuanced performances out of his actors. It’s still unfathomable to me that Jeremy Irons wasn’t nominated for an academy award for Dead Ringers.
If anything is going to disappoint me about this movie it will be if the performances really are as weak as you and others have said.
Lat Cronenberg I saw was Maps of the Stars, which was okay, but from what you said about this one, I'll pass.
It wasn't all that, sure, but it inspired the hell out of me. I want to make movies myself now. The movie had a charm to it. I liked it. And I love it when people have their own opinions that differ. I was immersed in the movie and its universe.
I got you beat; I haven’t seen any of his movies and went into this blind! It was a cool theater experience and I like it the more I think about it; but alas… I was pretty bored during this movie 😅
Of course...
honestly it was the most classic type of cronenberg movie, you'll understand soon enough if you start seeing his other works bc actually the fly is an exception to me (and that's prob why it got so popular) i liked hoy it was going and the message it had but i'm sooooo mad at myeslf for falling asleep during the last 20mins bc i was genuinely tired that day
The Fly is SO MUCH an exception and not a typical Cronenberg movie. Agreed! It had all the body horror and wireless, but it was a horror movie.
You and I have almost the exact same taste in movies. I still want to give this one a chance tho, as I enjoy Cronenberg.
Haven't followed you long enough to know what you think of David Lynch, but, with he and sometimes a lesser extent, Cronenberg, you just have to make peace that you won't know everything and go on the ride. It can be challenging, no doubt.
I haven’t seen it yet, but based on how your description it sounds like more it’s more for Videodrome fans as opposed to fans of The Fly, since that is another really really bizarre movie
I really enjoyed this movie and I found that it tackled many interesting subjects, but I also understand why many people could find it bad. I think the argument is all over the place, it kinda opens up lots of things and doesn't actually make a point about many of them. The script could have been edited a bit more...But I did find it not sexual but erotic, and I loved Kirsten Stewart's character!
I feel like This is kinda like his “Universe” film or his Avengers, ya know? IMO Every concept he’s ever explored is in this film, and without having all those other ideas from previous films running through your brain I could see how this could be overload, it definitely resonated for me but I can see how it can turn many off, but I hope people still give it a chance, maybe it’ll take you down the rabbit hole… Long live the new flesh! 💕🔥
The film kinda remind me of his previous works eXistenz mixed with Dead Ringers. I personally really enjoyed it tbh. If you didn't enjoyed this film you most likely won't enjoyed Crash (1996) lol
I actually really enjoyed Crash but I did not like this one at all :(
Anything Cronenburg puts out is a masterpiece I’m sure for me personally I will love this film.
Hi, thanks for you're review.
As a fan of David Cronenberg for the last 45 years(YIKES!), I guess I'm smack bang in the demographic who would accuse you of not 'getting it', but don't worry, few do the first time around.
My first experience of Crimes of the Future was similar to yours. I needed to travel to catch the last viewing, had a handful of people watching and I make no pretence, they left because they were bored. I ended the evening thinking: Have I just watched a two hour joke? Surely, David wouldn't do this to his adoring fans?
Except of course that he might, for Mr Cronenberg can be as subtle as camouflage and as deadly as the most fearsome ambush predator - and you don't get to negotiate with ambush predators. You either accept Cronenberg on his terms or you don't. When fans complained that he wasn't making horror films like he used to, he told them to fuck off.
Now that I(finally) own the Blu-ray and have had a chance to watch CotF 5 or 6 times, I must say that if it's a joke, it's a very fine one. Really, this is a rosewood box with sapient pearwood inlay and filigreed silver handles. Like the original Blade Runner, if you ignore the story and just watch the pictures, it's beautiful.
Watch for the plot and things are are convoluted, with at least three factions trying to control or expose what is happening.
At the same time CotF can be read as a comedy and commentary on the artists and their admires(sycophants), with Tenser as Cronenberg and Timlin et al as the overawed fans. See how they wheedle and ultimately, try to interfere. And if you didn't crack a smile when Tenser demurs by claiming he's not very good at the old sex, check your pulse. :)
As to your preference for Cronenberg to go the surgery route rather than the sex, it could be argued that he did that with Dead Ringers, starring Jeremy Irons. What I would ask you to imagine is what would happen if pain stopped being interpreted as an alarm signal. It would still be an intense sensation, just not an alarm. Where would it go? What would the brain do with a sensation as intense as an orgasm, but longer lasting?
Accept that premise and Cronenberg's leap is not a big one, except that surgery is usually done on medical grounds by people who have studied anatomy, not be random people on the street. Surgery is the new sex is a slogan, mutilation is the new sex is closer to the truth. Only Léa Seydoux's character is a qualified surgeon and her name is Caprice, as in capricious. Ooooohhh...
One thing I'm going to disagree with strongly is that CotF is poorly acted or written. Whether or not you sympathise with a character has no baring on how well acted or written they are. If it did, you'd have to right off George Orwell and while you might sympathise with Julia from 1984, next in line would be the rats. The characters in CotF are variously: snivelling sycophants, pretentious earholes, bigoted zealots or psychopathic murderers. The fact that you don't like any of them is a good sign acting wise. As well as Viggo, my hat goes off to Léa Seydoux who knows how to press buttons literally and figuratively, and Kristen Stewart, who clearly deserves a successful acting career and I wish her every success in shaking off the ghost of Twilight.
Since you like horror, I suggest joining the Cronenberg train at the same station I did, with The Brood and Scanners. These deal with surprisingly adult themes, which my 15 year old self was ill-equipped to deal with when I snuck into the cinema to watch them and so they have aged well as I have. Try to go in cold like I did and I'm sure you will find Cronenberg a rich source of material for your channel.
But all this comes with a warning: Cronenberg is a controversial because he is an uncompromising artist, who believes that the first(most immediate) fact of existence is the human body with all it's frailties. Consequently, you will see depictions of violence, explicit sexual content and depravity, not because he is advocating for them, but because you can't deal with what you refuse to see. But neither do these depictions revel in controversy, for instance, when you see a car crash in Crash, you see the accident and the aftermath and are left as if you were in the accident, wondering what happened. You do not see the crash from three different angles with a nice explosion, you feel the disorientation of a real accident and that's not what we're used to. Similarly, people in fights get hurt and people who engage in sex have to deal with anxiety, as you saw in The Fly.
If this sauce proves too rich for you, then you are free to walk away at any time and as long as you keep your reviews honest, I won't quibble. Where we will fall into conflict though is - as happened with Crash - you start arguing for a film(or book) to be banned. Like or dislike what you will, but leave me to do the same.
I enjoyed this movie a lot actually. It did take a bit to get going but I think the artistry concept was amazing. The plastic intake and human evolution concept was also amazing but for some of the those ideas I had to look up explanations for as well for the machine company pieces (the two girls killing people). I think it's great that I have to watch it twice and from the beginning I think they did a great job of planting us into the dystopia without holding our hands. I also love that like every form of art there are different forms here and different types of artists. I also think you mistook the meaning behind the child's autopsy because it might have started as that "new sex" idea but the dad and Viggos character and Lea's character know that this isn't that type of experience and I think just like how some people watch art that's how they watched this and then there are people who take it in a sexual way. Plus the harsh reality that his death and autopsy meant nothing means more than any "art" they could've formed from the autopsy. I just enjoyed it for the high concepts and the lack of hand holding like in Men and the way its all constructed to get different reactions and interpretations like our forms of art.
oh man, i was starting to get kind of freaked out by the child + theme of surgery as sex, but you’re so right. the character who says “surgery is the new sex” plays a role in the story as a very horny person & also makes choices that even in the world of the movie are controversial. so in that sense, *is* surgery even the new sex? but also, like, in the world of the story surgery is also sometimes still surgery. saul & caprice do procedures both in private (more sensual) & public (more artistic/scientific). it’s not only the one thing. plus i at least interpreted that line as meaning the characters have to find creative ways of experiencing physical sensation->surgery has become the physical experience that sex once was
anyway tldr thank u for this comment, im having fun overthinking the movie
@@ericaschoenberg7782 me too! There are just so many layers to the decisions and directions this movie took I'm definitely looking forward to watching it again with all that I already know.
🤣 everytime Sarah says she dislikes a movie I feel like I need to watch it, why?? Haha
It’s weird that non of my theaters have this movie
Thank you for mentioning that bit about the nude child being weird in the context of surgery is the new sex. I also felt it was weird and giving confusing messages.
I think a key element that you neglected to mention was the topic of evolution. There was a few points that you forgot to include about this world that sheds a light on a few of the more nuanced scenes and suggestions. For instance, they no longer feel pain and nobody gets disease. “Surgery is the new sex” is a result of that “evolution”
In the end it became a philosophical question on what it means to be human and FEEL an authentic human experience. It takes a step away from the “ surgery is the new sex” angle and instead uses it as contrast to give the ending more significance. In the end, his acceptance of his evolutionary needs gives him relief and he has a genuine feeling.
The whole point of the kid was meant to show the potential of humanity if we treated evolution as a tool rather than demonizing it or creating a sort of fetish from it.
eXistenz is a phenomenal movie that is very similar to Crimes of the Future in style and feel. I feel like eXistenz is almost a little better too.
Cronenberg is a genre all it’s own. You either like it or you don’t. I love him. His surreal quality is just something I enjoy. It’s ok if you don’t. Stuff like this is very polarizing.
Honestly, The Fly is not a typical Cronenberg movie. It’s more horror and not off the wall. His usual stuff is just more surreal and you have to really put yourself in that world for them to make sense. But when you do, you really get into the oddness of it.
As someone who reviews horror , even though you've only seen "The Fly" I surprised you haven't heard more about Cronenberg films. He has a few normal ones but most are weird sci-fi. Nothing wrong g with disliking a movie. It's marketed to a general audience so all opinions are valid.
I like his weird stuff so I'll check this out!
Actually his first feature film was "Stereo."
Getting CRASH vibes from this and how 'unusual' and ''out there' that movie was back in the late 90's
Maybe I’m just messed up in the head but I wanted MORE body horror. I liked the weird ear man I wanted to see more stuff like that. This movie felt very “tell don’t show” to me. We were constantly being told about the future rather than seeing it
Videodrome is a good one too
This is one of those movies that I should have just looked more into beforehand, but since the first and only thing I heard about it described it as "disturbing" I decided to go into it as blind as possible. I basically only knew what the title told me going in. A mistake since my expectations were way too high. It wasn't boring, but by the end credits I can still only classify it as a bore fest, I can see it being up a certain person's alley, but it definitely wasn't mine. I even thought to myself while watching it "I never thought I'd ever wanna watch Martyrs again, but this is making me wanna experience what good artistic disturbance really is again".
I highly recommend Video Drome.
I loved it, it made me laugh that six out of the ten people in the theater got up and left
Lately, I’ve been getting annoyed by overly fast and glib dialogue both in comedies and dramas. So I thought this film would be a breath of fresh air. It wasn’t. There’s flashes of a brilliant arthouse film (I actually liked that ending) but I felt the film was so underdeveloped and really needed to convey exposition in more creative ways. Instead I got whispery dialogue in one dingy room after another. I was expecting something flashy like Titane and more crazy sequences. I have so many questions still. Btw, I really loved Malignant! I cried at the end because my sister was pregnant at the time and almost lost her baby so I sympathized with the main lady (I was also drinking in the theater lol)
Commenting again after I put more thought into my opinion lol. I feel so much more at ease knowing at least I have Sarah to agree with me on this film. I've watched a couple of Cronenberg movies way back, The Fly being one of my favorites, needless to say, I personally am not easy to be disturbed by graphic/grotesque effects or imagery.
What I do dislike is how snobbish I felt this last film. It caused nothing in me, only confusion and similar feelings like Sarah described, but not even the combination of his classic elements with s3xual nature, didn't bother me that much.
It's just the overall feeling of confusion and void I felt throughout the film. I found it to be very snobbish and a special ode to his cater group who constantly claim "you wouldn't get it" to others. Also incredibly self-boasting, egocentric undertones like a **wink wink** here's Cronenberg's signature in some characters that I did not find myself impressed by at all.
If this will have a sequel or a prequel I am so down for it, because this one was just a 🤨😶😐🙄 fest for me.
And the excuse of "its a critique to society" doesn't quite match the holes the story had here and there, the weird uncanny nods to perversion and the absolutely unnecessary use of the kid's figure to perform. That's what disturbed me the most.
But of course to his followers this movie is a comedy and an art form and post-conceptual rebelion or something lol. If it's critiquing something it's definitely critiquing THEM too. wink wink.
Loved the video review Sarah ♡
visually, and artistically it was worth the watch for me, but the plot line (or lack thereof?) and pacing was excruciating.
It's interesting that this gal and spooky astronauts or scary astronauts or whatever doesn't like it either I absolutely love everything that I've seen by this guy I haven't seen this movie yet but I even like Metropolis or whatever it was
i always value your opinion on movies, and as someone who has the same 'ick' factor (for lack of a better term) in regards to like certain sexual aspects used in horror etc i know that this movie will be a pass for me! no thanks ahah
Have you watched "Repo! The Genetic Opera"? It is a horror movie and has a couple similar story beats with surgery and human evolution. It's on the campier side, but overall a really fun watch. If you're willing to give those subjects another chance, I'd recommend checking it out. There are sexual undertones in certain places, but nothing involving small children, like with the movie you discussed. Paris Hilton and Alexa Vega are in it if that adds any interest 😂
I’m so glad someone else mentioned Repo in a discussion about Crimes. They light up the same part of my brain and I’m glad someone else made the connection!
100% agree!! You pretty much listed all the reasons that made me dislike the movie. Also, I have a feeling that if you don't like this movie you're not gonna like a lot of Cronenberg's other movies. I've seen quite a lot of his films and The Fly is the only one I like...
At times the movie seems to drag and it's very much a slow burn. With that said, I know film festivals will schedule movies in a way where you have to pick over another. My theory is that people were bored by the slow burn and at times confusing plot and went to catch a showing of another movie
I really enjoyed some stuff from Cronenberg (particularly Crash, which is pretty similar to this, and Dead Ringers) but this... nah. It could've been much better.
HighLy recommend watching Antiviral by Brandon Cronenberg - rly interesting concept and twists