20s Movie Review - The Substance

Director: Coralie Fargeat
Genre: Horror/ Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Demi Moore, Margaret Qually, Dennis Quaid

Description: A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qually).

Review: Elizabeth Sparkle has spent years making viewers at home happy with her sexy looks on her fitness television show. She is living the life she has always wanted, full of fame, money, a stunner penthouse and her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But the studios decide it’s time for a new star. A breath of fresh air. However, Elizabeth knows it’s because of her age.

When Elizabeth receives a mysterious note, she learns about “The Substance”: a procedure, which you can do from home, that promises to transform you into a younger, more beautiful and perfect version of yourself. Elizabeth decides to take a chance. And a better version of Elizabeth is born, in the form of Sue. I’m not going further into the plot, because it’s best to just experience it.

The perfect world that is portrayed is reminiscent of Barbie. But the underlying theme is quickly apparent: society forces women to adapt unrealistic standards of femininity and appearance.

Virtually all scenes with Sue are overly sexual in depiction. Of course this is intentional. Especially to eventually show the contrast between Sue and Elisabeth. And in contrast with the body horror scenes. Because, be aware, this movie is not for the faint of heart.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qually portray the mounting tension between the two women phenomenally (please give Moore the Academy Award). Together, they paint a compelling picture of the internal struggle an aging woman can have with herself.

Director Coralie Fargeat does not shy away from the gore. Some scenes reminded me of David Cronenberg films. The practical effects and body horror are perfectly executed and not for tender souls. But the ending took it a bit too far for my liking.

This film is a bizarre ride, the chilling world of show business is painfully exposed and it shows how quickly you can become irrelevant in this world. The film is very strange, but utterly fascinating with a mix of dark humor and horror. Be warned, this is not for everyone.

Rating: 4/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Drama
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Jason Alexander, Jim Cummings, Tony Jay

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 47: A MUSICAL
 
Description: A deformed bell-ringer (Tom Hulce) must assert his independence from a vicious government minister (Tony Jay) in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer (Demi Moore).

Review: Victor Hugo’s classic story begins in the film with the festival of fools. Quasimo lives in the bell tower of Notre Dame and dreams of being among people for once. Judge Frollo, who raised him, made Quasimodo believe that no one would accept a ‘monster’. But at the urging of his three friends, Gargoyles Victor, Hugo and Laverne, he descends to the revelry anyway.

At first, people believe he is in disguide, but the crowd discovers that Quasimodo is not wearing a mask. In front of Frollo, he is tied up and pelted with rotten tomates. The judge forbids his new captain Phoebus to intervene. But gypsy woman Esmeralda cannot stand this mistreatment and finally cuts Quasimodo loose. Frollo declares her an outlaw and sets about hunting her down. The only safe haven for Esmeralda is the Notre Dame, with Quasimodo as her only friend.

Like Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” lends itself fairly well as a musical in which Gregorian singing, quiet songs and rousing melodies alternate. The film starts off very sad. Within the first 30 minutes, Quasimodo is almost tossed in a well as a baby, Frollo makes him sing he is deformed and a monster and he is tied up and humiliated in front of an entire crowd. It does become much happier and unlike the novel, the film has a happy ending. It’s still Disney.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

90s Movie Review - Ghost

Director: Jerry Zucker
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 1990
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Godlberg, Tony Goldwyn

Description: After Sam (Patrick Swayze) is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his girlfriend Molly (Demi Moore) of impending danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic (Whoopi Goldberg).

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 47: A MOVIE WITH A ONE WORD TITLE

Review: Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen are moving in together. Their friend Carl helps them with the renovation. Carl and Sam also work together. When Sam and Molly come back from a nice evening out, they are robbed. After a struggle, a shot is fired and Sam runs after the robber. When he returns, he sees himself bleeding on the ground, with Molly holding him. Sam realizes he’s dead, but ignores the heavenly light. He can’t say goodbye to Molly yet and there is a reason he is still there. Sam discovers why he was shot and he has to find a way to tell Molly she is in danger. With the help of Oda Mae Brown, a psychic, Sam tries to warn Molly.
The movie is a nice mix of romance and drama, with a little bit of humor. The last mostly comes from Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Oda Mae. She even got an Academy Award for her role.
The story is quite original and the way it’s executed is also done well. It doesn’t stand the test of time though, it’s pretty outdated in some areas. But overall, “Ghost” is a really good romance that will get a lot of eighties and nineties babies swooning.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Rough Night

Director: Lucia Aniello
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Zoë Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Ilana Glazer, Ty Burrell, Demi Moore

Description: Things go terribly wrong for a group of girlfriends who hire a male stripper for a bachelorette party in Miami.

Review: The comedy stars on of the funniest women of today: Kate McKinnon. Then how is it possible this film is genuinely unfunny? The screenplay is the problem and shows u lack of intelligence.
A group of friends get together in Miami for a bacholerette party, to celebrate their friend’s Jess upcoming wedding. Jess is running for senator, very ambitious and she left her party days behind her. Her best friend Alice on the other hand, has other plans and wants to give Jess the best night of her life. Then there is Blair, who is in the middle of a custody battle. And Frankie, who is living on the streets nowadays. The four are accompanied by an Australian friend of Jess, Pippa, who Alice sees as a threat.
After a fun night out partying, the friends decide to hire a stripper for Jess. And that’s when it goes wrong, when they accidentally kill him. Next is endless panic about what to do with the body, cleaning up the blood, bickering. Nothing new. And it’s a chain of illogical and impulsive decisions, followed by cliché moments and unimportant supporting characters.
Like Jess’ husband to be, who is having a pretty dull wine tasting party with his friends. Or the girl’s next door neighbors, hoping for a threesome with one of the girls.
It’s only McKinnon that makes this film a little funny, even with that debatable Australian accent. Scarlett Johansson, who is supposed to be the star of the film, comes off as a little dull and uninspired. She is on auto pilot.
“Rough Night” is a pretty lame comedy, which shouldn’t even get the title comedy. Because it’s hardly ever funny.

Rating: 2/ 5