X (2022)

[Winston T. Boogie]

Title: X (2022)

Tagline: Dying to show you a good time.

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

Director: Ti West

Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, James Gaylyn, Simon Prast, Matthew Saville, Bryony Skillington

Release: 2022-03-17

Runtime: 105

Plot: In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in a secluded farmhouse in rural Texas. Their reclusive, elderly hosts take a special interest in their young guests and, as night falls in, the couple’s leering interest takes a violent turn.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Ti West returns to the horror genre with what looks like shades of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

 

[TravisR]

The way people are looking forward to The Batman and Doctor Strange is how I'm looking forward to X.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

The way people are looking forward to The Batman and Doctor Strange is how I'm looking forward to X.

Yeah, I mean I am looking forward to taking this trip more than those pictures and Ti West doing a horror film should deliver something worth checking out.

 

[JasonRoer]

I hadn't heard of this. I'm quite excited to seeing what Ti West will deliver this time.

 

[Malcolm R]

Big divide between critics (who love it) and audiences (that don't):

In standard fashion, it’s the type of A24 release that divides critics and audiences with a 95% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 68% on Comscore’s Postrack audience exits, along with a low 45% recommend. (Deadline)

For most horror films, this is usually reversed. So if the horror audience doesn't like it, that's a major warning flag IMO.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Big divide between critics (who love it) and audiences (that don't):



For most horror films, this is usually reversed. So if the horror audience doesn't like it, that's a major warning flag IMO.

Maybe, but perhaps he delivers some things people did not expect and it is a picture that will be "better" on additional viewings. It is a sort of different cross between porn film and horror. Oddly, sex in pictures can trigger people more than horror and violence.

 

[TravisR]

Maybe, but perhaps he delivers some things people did not expect and it is a picture that will be "better" on additional viewings. It is a sort of different cross between porn film and horror. Oddly, sex in pictures can trigger people more than horror and violence.

I saw some dope on Twitter complaining about the sex in X and saying that it violates the morals that were presented in the 70's and 80's slasher movies. That idea shows either a staggering misunderstanding of those old movies or, most likely, they are just parroting the "rules" as presented in Scream.

 

[Rob W]

I suspect the age of the audience members is a major factor in appreciating / enjoying this film. It very much looks and feels like a 1970's film, which will work for those old enough to have seen those classics first-run ( and in rep for the decades afterwards ), but will appear cheap and slow for those whose film history goes back maybe 10 or 20 years.

 

[TravisR]

I'm not big on Rotten Tomatoes but a high score there is only a good thing in my mind. There's still a bias against horror movies among some critics so that one is getting a 95% score is amazing. Any horror movie that gets 60% or higher will get me to go to a theater to see it. Now that isn't an infallible rule but it's definitely steered me to some horror movies that I otherwise would have skipped.

 

[SamT]

I actually wanted to ask this. Wasn't there more sex in the 80's? In general, in any kind of movies.

 

[TravisR]

I finally got to see this today and I loved it. It's well-made, smart, occasionally very funny, very violent for its last half, has solid performances, and good music choices. It's not for everyone but I think some people will enjoy it as much as I did.

I actually wanted to ask this. Wasn't there more sex in the 80's? In general, in any kind of movies.

I'm sure there's some exceptions but I think that sex and especially movie stars doing sex scenes are much more prevalent today than they were in the 80's. Certainly the MPAA is waaaaay more lenient on sex (and violence) than they ever used to be.

 

[SamT]

Really? I think the opposite. By that I mean naked people rather than the act. I remember when I was young, there was a lot more sex scenes in movies. Predator 2 if I remember correctly. There is no way you are getting sex scenes today in a movie that mainstream.

 

[Wayne_j]

I saw and enjoyed this today. If you go in expecting a kill scene every 10 minutes and lots of jump scares you will be disappointed. I think that is where the lowish audience scores are coming from.

This is more like Psycho which was referenced in the film where it is a different movie in the 2nd half.

 

[Wayne_j]

Although a 78% audience score isn't terrible. This isn't like Mother that got a 51% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an F Cinemascore.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Maybe more like Hereditary where critics and audiences saw completely different things in the same film?

 

[Wayne_j]

Yup, maybe Hereditary would have been a better comparison.

 

[TravisR]

Really? I think the opposite. By that I mean naked people rather than the act. I remember when I was young, there was a lot more sex scenes in movies. Predator 2 if I remember correctly. There is no way you are getting sex scenes today in a movie that mainstream.

Yeah, I guess there's less casual or gratuitous nudity today but it also seems like when they do have sex or nudity in an R rated movie today, you can see everything except penetration.

 

[Malcolm R]

X and Hereditary are both A24 productions, so it makes sense they're similar as that seems to be their wheelhouse (see also Midsommar, Saint Maud, Lamb, etc.). X is not going to do anywhere near as well at the box office, however (Hereditary is A24's biggest grossing film worldwide).

 

[SamT]

Yeah, I guess there's less casual or gratuitous nudity today but it also seems like when they do have sex or nudity in an R rated movie today, you can see everything except penetration.

Could you please give an example? An A-list movie. I'm not seeing these movies you are seeing! Maybe I have to change my viewing habits!