Friday Flicks: Velvet Buzzsaw

 One of Netflix's latest original films, Velvet Buzzsaw, was released at the end of January and has received mixed reviews. A horror film, an art film, and a satire rolled into one, I feel that Velvet Buzzsaw is an updated and extended version of a great Twilight Zone episode.

Acting: 10/10

This film has an insane cast. From screen veterans John Malkovich, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rene Russo as well as newcomers like Zawe Ashton and Natalia Dyer, this movie is stuffed to the gills with talent. Each character is portrayed with so much depth and detail, they leap out of the screen at you, just like Dease's paintings. From the way they walk to their glossy superficial conversations, the characters are completely real. Zawe Ashton, who actually considered giving up acting before being casted, delivers a particularly senstational performance. In her first scenes she seems to be simply a love interest for Gyllenhaal's Morf, but by the end of the film, she shines alone as a fallen antihero.

Costuming: 10/10

SO. MANY. LOOKS. The costumes are amazing and perfectly capture the LA art scene. In a place where everyone is trying to stand out, personal style is how the characters define themselves and each wardrobe says something about the characters. Not to mention the up to the minute trendiness of all of the clothing. From Rene Russo's white power suit to Zawe Ashton's sleek yellow pajamas, to Jake Gyllenhaal's subtle bowl cut.

+2 points for Natalia Dyer's nerdy chic looks. I'm totally going to steal those.

Set Design: 10/10

There's nothing like watching a movie and realizing you've actually been there. Taking place mainly in downtown LA, Bakersfield resident's will have many of those moments. The bright street art and bustling streets of Los Angeles are in direct contrast with the sterile looking gallery's where most of the story takes place. Overall, the story shows the supposed "dark" underbelly of those mysterious galleries you pass whenever you're in the arts district.

Final Score 10/10

I didn't include the soundtrack section as usual because this movie didn't really have a soundtrack, but that was irrelevant since the movie takes place mainly in empty storage facility and quiet galleries. Velvet Buzzsaw tells an old story of greed and corruption, but the scariest part is the way it holds a mirror up to the very people who created it. Artists and others in the LA art scene are made uncomfortable not by the way Toni Colette's arm is ripped off, but by the way that Morf slowly descends into madness as his followers start to disagree with his reviews and his fake friends betray his trust. I personally believe that Velvet Buzzsaw is an instant classic.