X (R)
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This came out in 2022, but I didn't see it until 2025, by which time there was already a prequel and a sequel. They certainly didn't waste any time. Anyway, I thought it was a decent movie, as slasher films go. I'm not a huge fan of that genre, nor am I a big fan of porn, so this movie never had much chance of being one I'd love. But I can understand how some people would like it more than I did. It's got some interesting stuff going on, even if it was like an hour into the movie before the killing started.

So, it's set in 1979, in Texas. A group of aspiring filmmakers rent a guest house on a farm owned by an old couple, who have no idea they plan on making a porn film there. The group includes the producer, Wayne; the director/cameraman, RJ; actors Maxine (Mia Goth), Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow), and Jackson (Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi); and RJ's girlfriend, Lorraine (Jenna Ortega), who is also like the boom operator, or whatever. I don't recall ever hearing the elderly couple's names, but apparently they were Howard and Pearl (the latter of whom was also played by Goth, though I couldn't tell by looking at her). We see parts of the porn film being made, so there is some nudity. And eventually, Lorraine decides she wants to be in the film, which upsets RJ terribly. (He seemed pretty hypocritical, since he had earlier chided her for being a prude, saying "it's just a movie". So he was okay with the other actors having sex, but not his girlfriend.) In the middle of the night, he decides to drive away in their van, leaving the others stranded on the farm. But he stops when he sees Pearl standing outside looking confused, and asks if she needs help. And that's when the killing starts.

Well, I said there was some interesting stuff going on, and by that I mainly refer to Pearl and Howard, the killers. I couldn't completely understand their motivation, though Howard mainly seemed to me to just be supportive of his wife, and angry at the outsiders for the effect they had on her. Pearl was more complicated, having old feelings stirred by seeing young people, which I guess made her miss her own youth. This was exacerbated by the fact that Howard didn't want to have sex with her anymore, because of his heart condition. So... maybe I do understand what their motivations are, just not why those things motivate them to murder. Anyway, aside from their being homicidal maniacs, I'd say they had a sort of sweet relationship. And I guess I don't know what else to say. The movie wasn't quite my cup of tea, but I liked it well enough that I look forward to watching the other movies in the series.

Followed by the prequel, "Pearl", and the sequel, "MaXXXine"