šļø
Formally accomplished, dreamlike
Follows the format of a nightmare
Induction > i Am Something/Somewhere Else > uncanny vision > threat > I Want Out > exit refused
From the power of movies by paul mcginn:
āMovies delve into our dreaming selfā¦ they improve upon our dream lifeā¦ give us the dreams we yearn forā¦ [most are fascinated by their own dreams], with their raw ability to reveal, their magical expressiveness, [and] movies partake in this fascination.. the impact of movies stems, then, at least in part, from the primal power of the dreamā¦ the best directorsā¦ recognize the essentially dreamlike character of the movie world, andā¦ trade upon it in their filmsā
I love this quote. It hit me hard. Feels true. But it was hard to reconcile the ādreams we yearn forā part with the horrific stories i love to be told. I certainly donāt yearn for nightmares. But, almost every single night that i dreamā i have nightmares.
Maybe thereās some Jung Shadow Self Subconscious Shadowwork Tiktok Tarot Card Reader work that i need to do. But it is true. I frequently have nightmares.
I am fascinated by them. And i am fascinated by all of the dark, perverted, violent thoughts that i have. I want to apprehend these things, and by apprehending spin them around like a fushigi ball. And crystal-ball them.
But you may not crystal-ball anything. You are not allowed to look into the future.
The most profound change that i have experienced in my life has come from facing, accepting, and openly exploring the things that scare me. I have ocd, which is a disorder characterized by a failure to effectively deal with uncertainty. The coping mechanisms that OCD leave you with only enrage your amygdala, and train your brain, at the first sight of uncertainty, to flap in the wind atop your head like a roosterās red meatcrown.Ā
The way out is to sit with the uncertainty. And to sit with the pain. And to sit with the potential pain. And to sit with the possibility of not being able to sit with the uncertainty, the pain, and the potential pain.
When i am effectively doing this, i learn to seek out discomfort. I become eager to feel unsure. And scared. I become eager to do things that open me to the possibility of being caught off-guard.
When asked by my therapist why i think that i seek out transgressive fiction, i told her: it is a safe way to face the worst parts of everything and everyone.Ā
Iāve learned to love discomfort because of itās healing power. i yearn for waking nightmares. And invite them. In order to dispell them. I am improving my dream-life. But not through choosing better dreams: through facing the bad ones. No wonder i love nightmare-ish movies.Ā
This movie is asking you to do the same. Movies, because they are made in a moment, can only predict what you will be like. Under The Skin thinks that you need to face the way that sex seduces you. Not real, loving sex. But gooner shit. Libidinal impulse. The kind of sex that is selfish, and anti-reality.Ā
The movie is inviting redditors that jerk off over scarlet johansson to think about this clouding impulse.Ā
The movie is constantly pulling you where it wants you to go, and then leaving slack. Your momentum carries you and then your direction is confused, on purpose. ScarJo alien is soul-less predatory sex. She is pure seduction. Then she is real. And she invites you to realize that she is real. Then her humanity is ripped open. And you fail to realize that she is real. And you are disgusted that she dares to be real. And you burn her to death. Because she made you face your ability to be seduced. And your ability to be clouded. And your failure to see her humanity. And because you see a human being in her, you see yourself. And you are not happy with yourself. So you must die. Or someone must die for you. You can pretend that she is not really a human. But you just made her die for her humanity.
But movies can only guess. They donāt know for sure what they can do with you. Because they donāt know who you are. They can only try. And this was an awesome try
Gorgeous. Way well shot. Unreal and beautiful. Super duper style. A treat for the eyes. And the ears.
A great nightmare to look in the face.
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Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? š§ŖāØ
Coralie Fargeatās āThe Substanceā was my most anticipated movie of the year. Itās neon, horror, cerebral, has 80ās vibes, and a synth driven soundtrack. Everything I could want in a movie. This movie eviscerated my brain in the best way possible. I left the theater wondering what in the world did I just experience, but knew I wanted more.Ā
The themes of this movie hit home for me as someone who deals with the pressure of unrealistic beauty standards.
Demi Moore gave her all to this movie and her performance blew me away. Margaret Qualley stole the scene every time she was on screen. Dennis Quaid plays a great sleaze ball. The actors understood the assignment.
That being said, if youāre not a body horror fan, this will be a tough watch. I was definitely squirming in my seat š
It also ran a wee bit long for me but do I want to see this again in a packed theatre? Yes.
The last movie that made me feel like this was Gaspar NoĆ©ās Climax, and it does have a similar energy to it.
Overall, this movie was pure madness but utter genius and I highly recommend you go into this movie with as little knowledge as possible.
Sep 30, 2024
(No spoilers)
I feel like I need to say that I was not prepared for this film. I saw the trailer and thought āhell yeah, looks coolā - but I did not know the extents to where it would go. Deeply terrifying, had to watch fun little youtube videos so I could fall asleep.
Having slept off the sheer fear though, I havenāt been able to stop thinking about this movie. Potentially changed the relationship I have with myself.
See it in the cinema if you think you can hack it. However, I have realised that body horror is maybe not my thing lol
Sep 14, 2024
š
The 2021 Joachim Trier movie where this girl is running and where she didnāt say the line about the things one fears the most, no, that was actually her dying of cancer ex.
So my best friend and his new partner (my friend-in-law) are harsh on the main character for her allegedly unmoral doings (cheating, being a pain in the ass, never settling for whatās good for her), but I like the little norwegian sinner. The way she already cheated in her mind and heart, but will state otherwise out loud to jam her thoughts.
Im not going for the disturbing the comfortable quote, no, thatās a low hanging fruit. But why consume works of fiction to judge the sinful, and not find our own worst fears and weaknesses in them? As if the title didnāt have it coming.
By the way, the ending sucks ass
5/5 in first rewatch
Jan 24, 2024
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