I just caught up with "The Neon Demon" again. Is there a better movie to watch on Christmas than this one? Required viewing for all you nihilists out there. Nicolas Winding Refn's film felt immensely abrasive when I first caught it at Cannes earlier this year. Refn keeps upping the ante with every scene in such carefully crafted and precise ways. The attention to detail is so obsessive and meticulous, he's like a sick, twisted version of Wes Anderson.
You could put your TV on mute and still get caught up in its sumptuous visual imagery. Refn should have shot it as a silent film. His images feel so controlled and calculated. I know many at Cannes were headed towards the exit as the film rolled along, up until its climax, which is so jaw-dropping and in your face that I couldn't help, but be delighted by its in-your-face, middle finger wagging gesture at the audience member.
One of those surreal moments happens when the end credits occur, they totally catch you off guard. I loved it though, and watched them all the way through whereas I'm normally one of those people who leaves when the credits start rolling.