I love the movies baby.
Toronto.
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
Although it clearly thinks it’s breaking a lot of rules, the Substance is surprisingly formulaic and has the artistic weight of a two and a half hour black mirror episode. I felt like I was being trolled for the last thirty minutes thinking, “okay maybe she dies now and the movie’s over” but it kept continuing until the homunculus/final form of the protagonist was spewing blood and guts everywhere while negative comments about her appearance were playing in the background…
Wealthy family crashes and burns through anyone-not-like-them. Often visually gorgeous and hilarious. I thought the "honeymoon" part of the first half was a bit dry but I really got sold midway when Vanya's bodyguards show up and its themes come into full scope and it becomes a lot more funny and tragic. Overall think it's well deserving of the hype it's getting.
I'm trying to actually write quick reviews now because I've started to really hate one line letterboxd quips. Anyways thanks for coming to my chat.