Brotha! It's already 5 PM, I'm getting into PJs. However, after a quick review of various theaters and their show times, I found a showing for Friday in the neighboring city.
I called him back, stating: "Hear me out...."
We came up with a plan to take the light rail and check out a theater in downtown Bellevue, WA. Neither of us have taken the train yet across Lake Washington - the first light rail to travel across a floating bridge!
After oooh-ing and awwww-ing our way across the water, and suddenly seeing a 7 car pile up on the interstate (hence the non moving traffic seen here, thankfully everyone seemed to be fine but that was a long line jump scare of fender benders), we soon pulled into the downtown Bellevue station and it occurred to me....
In my near 30 years of living in Seattle, "....I have no memory of this place...". Just a whole ass city sitting right there that I've been ignoring for decades.
There is a vague memory of visiting Bellevue for a PAX convention in their early years (somewhere around 2005 or 2006? but that's it!
In any case, I can see why, Bellevue is too smooth and shiny for me. Not a visible sign of grit anywhere. It was almost comical. My brother quietly asked me "Do they just ship people out they don't want....?" Alluding to the lack of people living on the streets and the overwhelming cleanliness of it all.
Now, I'm a big fan of grit. I navigate just fine with dark alleys and shady people. It was shocking - maybe even telling - that I was uncomfortable surrounded by expensive shops and orderly pedestrians. I'll be exploring more of that on my own, later.
SO! Back to the movie!
We were pretty excited to check out this new theater and just the overall new surroundings. The woman at the box office was Really excited for us - that it was our first time visiting her theater. Delighted even, to share how the processes worked.
Although she also leaned in over the box office counter and nearly whispered: "But the movie is really scary!'
You see, we were at a Cinemark Reserve! We just pick our seat, push a button at our seat, and they come to serve us! I'm aware other theaters have dine-in options but this felt different. Wildly luxurious.
Leaning back in my lounge chair, ordering a tall glass of IPA, popcorn and a giant (and delicious) plate of cheesy bread, the ditty "Oooooh fancy pants rich McGee over here...." ran through my head.
From the jump, this movie had me totally enthralled.
CHEF'S KISS to everyone involved in the making this film!
Top Tier editing, set design (I'll never get over this production and set), directing, acting, sound, and effects. In all: this is an exceptionally well made film and I'm not even to the story yet!
Here we follow the tale of a small band of 20 somthings who are just out there living their best lives. Well, except one.
One young man is having a hard time telling a woman he loves her.
****And it is his insecure dumb ass that will be the downfall of everyone****
Right away, we are shown a young man wrestling to find the words, fighting the constant stream of "what ifs", and struggling for his life to share his feels for the woman he loves.
My brother leaned over to me and whispered "Every man has done this", and pointing at the screen.
Finally, after given many, many opportunities to share his feelings, he drops the ball and in a state of frustration and impulse, makes a wish that the woman of his dreams loves only him.
QUEUE: The horror begins.
The tale of terror then spirals into Getting Exactly What You Asked for and more. A striking and truly scary element for me is how exceptionally well it shares the horrors of domestic violence and abuse in such a unique way. Particularly a woman's perspective of being trapped and tortured by a "nice guy".
I think some of the most important elements of this film hides in plain sight. A cautionary tale about the dangers men possess (as statistically the cause of most violence) when they don't get their way, struggle with impulse controls, or "didn't mean it".
As with all violence, there is heart break too, which is so visibly seen and felt by the very end. The screams are so palpable and last for so long it's morbidly comedic.
Speaking of screams, I want to stress again how great the acting is - particularly our two main characters. SO GOOD!!! So good it's scary because at some point in our lives, we are everyone in this film. We all have had these experiences in one for or another. Which is another reason why this film is terrifyingly relatable, even with all the supernatural elements.
In short, this is an absolutely wonderful horror show, with a bonus powerful allegory for the dangers of getting what you wished for and a reminder of the dangers that lurk behind the best of selfish intentions.
Looking at you men..... looking. at. you.
Pairs with anything decadent - for the irony. Best watched with a bestie or alone because you're in a time out and need to think about your actions. If you're in the mood for making it a double feature, I highly recommend Life After Beth.
I watched this film at the Bellevue Cinemark Reserve (5 out of 5 stars! Will be back!), or give it a minute and you should find this streaming soon.
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