Film Review | Pearl

 (Image credit: Pearl, A24) 

Director Ti West and creative partner Mia Goth return with this thrilling prequel to seventies set slasher X. Set in rural Texas during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, Pearl (Mia Goth) is a young woman longing to escape her joyless life on the family farm. Her German mother (Tandi Wright) is emotionally cruel, constantly berating Pearl for having her head in the clouds. Pearl's father (Matthew Sutherland) has been left paralysed after suffering a stroke, powerless to prevent the madness and bloodshed that later ensues. 

With her husband Howard away at war, Pearl dreams of a different and more glamorous life. Secret trips to the local cinema ignite her dreams of stardom and becoming a dancer in the movies, all Pearl wants is to be loved and adored. She soon embarks on a fling with the handsome projectionist who encourages her to follow her dreams and attend the dance audition at the local church. Little does he know of the murderous lengths she will go to in order to make her dreams a reality. 

While X was a gruesome homage to the sleazy exploitation horror movies of the 70s, Pearl is a wonderful blend of old-fashioned melodrama and psychological horror. West has built a rich and colourful world, one that's a clear nod to the golden age of cinema. But despite the technicolour visuals, there's darkness and depravity lurking underneath with Pearl's behaviour becoming increasingly deranged and disturbing. 

Goth's performance as Pearl is extraordinary as she unleashes a monster that is both vulnerable and full of rage. Goth peals back the layers of Pearl's childlike innocence and naivety, delving into themes of isolation, loneliness, repressed sexual desire and an obsession with fame and stardom. It's a testament to Goth's talent that we feel empathy for Pearl despite the awful things that she has done, more so in the final scene, where she confesses all of her murderous misdeeds to her horrified sister-in-law. Shot in one take, it's a confession that's full of horror, sorrow and self-acceptance, cementing the film as a brilliant character study of a truly terrifying villain. 

Film Review | Air

Image Credit:Warner Bros 

"A shoe is just a shoe, until my son steps into it" says Deloris Jordan, she already knows her son is destined for greatness. It's the mid 1980s and Nike are floundering in the sneaker industry, as they face fierce competition with more popular shoe brands Adidas and Converse. Nike Executive/basketball expert Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) thinks he has the answer to their problems - spend all of their limited budget on up and coming basketball player Michael Jordan and create a revolutionary 'Air' sneaker designed entirely around the player. With Michael leaning towards a deal with Adidas or Converse, Vaccaro reaches out to the Jordan family at their home in North Carolina, with the intention of befriending Deloris (Viola Davis) and James R. Jordan Sr. (Julius Tennon) to help convince Michael to join Nike and help them to create the greatest athletic sneaker of all time. 

As a director, Ben Affleck has always been consistent in his commitment to telling interesting, compelling stories (Argo, The Town, Gone Baby Gone) and Air is no exception. The film has all the elements of a classic underdog story, with a witty script and an engaging, solid narrative. Alongside Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, there's a terrific ensemble cast - Ben Affleck as eccentric CEO Phil Knight, Chris Tucker as NBA liaison Howard White, Jason Bateman as Marketing Director Rob Strasser and Chris Messina as foul mouthed sports agent David Falk. 

But it's Viola Davis who steals the show as Jordan's mother Deloris, playing her with incredible charisma and show stopping force. She refuses to see her son be exploited by suits in a boardroom and makes it clear that for any deal to go ahead, her son must earn a percentage of every Air Jordan sold. It was a record breaking contract, one that has made a lot of money for both Nike and Jordan, while also having a huge impact on the future of sports marketing. Jordan himself isn't in the movie, a creative decision made by Affleck to avoid making things look too gimmicky. Instead, we see a montage of clips showcasing his stardom and legacy, a legacy that has had an incredible impact on contemporary culture and has revolutionised the world of competitive sport forever.