Suspiria (2018) | Dir. Luca Guadagnino

The PLOT: An American dancer joins a prestigious dance company in Berlin where strange things are afoot.

The CAST: Tilda Swinton, Tilda Swinton, Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson

The GOOD: Tilda Swinton. Let's just get that out of the way.  My wife and I went into this movie blind, and I'd encourage you to do the same if you have little/no familiarity with the original.  Beyond her performance, several elements of this movie contain technically perfect examples of the various facets of film: editing, lighting, acting, writing, dialogue, camera angles, plot, pacing, the actual dancing, the MUSIC (Thom Yorke kills it on this one). If I were a smarter man and capable of teaching, I would use this film as an example of how to take a rather mundane plot and turn it into something spectacular that can only truly be appreciated through a medium like film.


The BAD: While Dakota Johnson definitely shines better than in other films she's been in, there are aspects of her performance that feel phoned in. The CG in certain parts feels a bit jarring/overdone, especially in contrast to the rest of the film.

The UNFORTUNATE:  The only unfortunate thing about this movie is that I can't seem to find any indication that Luca Guadagnino is going to continue to adapt Dario Argento's original trilogy.  While the original film might have held sway for being a masterpiece in its day, it doesn't hold up at all.  This adaptation surely will, and I for one would love to see Inferno and Mother of Tears redone in a similar fashion. 

The GRADE: A-

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