Nightcrawler - 4/5

This movie is a tense, slow burn thriller about a sort of decent into madness, though not nearly as precipitously as many of its peers. Its drama is nuanced and visceral, as is its social commentary which avoids sweeping clichés in favor of astute observations about the human condition. But because the story surrounds such an extreme personality the film avoids being preachy or overbearing in its messaging, settling into a niche that’s simultaneously ‘fascination of other’ and ‘familiar relatability’.

Closest comparison: It’s like Network by way of Joker (2019).

Setting: Corporate Drama
Plot: Descent into Madness
Tone: Suspense Thriller

Velvet Buzzsaw (Netflix) - 3/5

This movie’s production values are very high, so if you like the subject matter more than I did you’ll probably love the film. It has great acting all around, with a funny script that delivers biting satire of the art industry. That coupled with the supernatural horror elements makes this an absolutely unique experience. Lots of weirdness coupled with intermittent gore and some sex will keep this from rising above cult classic status, like much of the John Carpenter backlog. Still, it’s much better than the majority of its peers and avoids the slowness that plagues many Netflix endeavors.

Closest Comparison: It’s as if David Lynch directed a John Carpenter movie.

Setting: Drama
Plot: Horror
Tone: Drama, then Horror