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MaXXXine is the third movie from Ti West and Mia Goth, X and Pearl being the first two. So far, the first two have been interesting. West’s style, in both movies, is very reminiscent of the days of VHS videos. The ones you had to get your mate’s older brother to rent for you from the video rental place.
Mia Goth is joined by Elizabeth Debicki, Chloe Farnworth, Moses Sumney, Halsey, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Kevin Bacon, Lily Cole and Giancarlo Esposito. Is it just me or is Esposito in everything at the moment? Ti West is writer and director.
This time, Goth is playing Maxine Minx, the title star of MaXXXine. The story is:
In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
The Story
It’s 1985 and in LA, sex sells. It seems everyone is making, or into, porn. Live nude shows are all aplenty and it was a great time to be alive. There is mention of the Night Stalker, a serial killer with a thing for sexual assault and murder. Being British, I had no idea this was a real event. Now that I think about it, I realize that it was a good backdrop for MaXXXine.
Maxine is trying to make it big in Hollywood, she works as a striper and porn star. She, like most other actresses in Hollywood, dreams of becoming a star. We meet her at an audition and does well. On the way out, she shouts at the rest of the queuing hopefuls:
“Y’all might as well go home, ‘cuz I just fuckin’ nailed that!”
Nobody likes a potty mouth. As the story unfolds, Maxine has flashbacks to Pearl. This was interesting, as it is a sequel to Pearl. Maxine has a past, that seems to be catching up with her. This is being done by John Labat (Bacon), a private eye that’s been hired to track her down.
In the meantime, girls are dying at the hands of the Night Stalker, including Maxine’s friends. On the plus side, she’s got a role in an actual movie, which could mean her ticket to stardom. That’s all I’m going to say about the plot, but overall, MaXXXine had me hooked and it has a satisfying ending.
The Cast
Goth is an odd one. She’s kinda funny lookin’, but at the same time, you would imagine she’s into some freaky stuff in the sack. Don’t sit there and deny it, you would if you had the chance. I’d certainly like to hold her hand under the table.
I think she’s an amazing actress. OK, she’s playing a psycho-hose beast, but she does it really well. In the opening audition in the movie, she really nails it. I still loved the end of Pearl with that big smile. That big scary smile.
The rest of the cast is great. The standout for me was Bacon, who’s chewing the scenery and having fun doing it. I know the guy had money problems and then started doing adverts for a phone company in the UK. When he’s let off a leash and has fun, he’s great fun.
Compared to the others?
As I said, this is the third movie from West and Goth, so how does it compare? I didn’t rate X all that much, as I found the main antagonists just weren’t very scary. Two horny 80-year-olds just aren’t that scary, unless one of them is holding a condom and giving me the eye.
Pearl I thought was a much better movie. It played out well and, as I said, Goth was excellent in it. She looked so sweet and innocent, but man alive she had more nuts than a squirrel on speed.
I’m going to edge it and say that MaXXXine is the best of the trilogy. However, it’s close between Pearl and this one. I found this one a bit more gripping, the Night Stalker element added a lot.
What really stood out to me in MaXXXine was West’s direction and editing. He nails that 80’s look, much like in movies like Midnight Cowboy, Mean Streets, Taxi Driver. This could have come out at the same time and fitted in with them perfectly. The soundtrack is feckin’ awesome if you are of a certain age.
It could have had more boobs in this though. Oh, and there is one scene that will make every man wince, you have been warned.
MaXXXine is now streaming on your favourite ships on the high se, I mean your favourite streaming services.
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