A brilliant painter turns to anything she can to complete her masterpiece, spiraling into a hallucinatory hellscape of drugs, sex, and murder.
HORROR
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Bliss (2019)Written and Directed by Joe Begos
Starring Dora Madison, Tru Collins, Rhys Wakefield, Jeremy Gardner, Graham Skipper |
Joe Begos is a fantastic filmmaker who uses ideas/themes from other horror films and filters them through his brain into something new and familiar all at the same time. The first thing of his I saw was Almost Human which is his take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Some would call this cheap and unoriginal and to that I say: Watch it and then get back to me. His films use color and sound design, as well as music, to immerse you into his films. Long time friend and editor Josh Ethier (he has edited all of Joe's films to date) is also an integral part of the construction of Begos' work. Those two have been bringing it in the last few years and I hope it continues.
Bliss is like Near Dark and The Lost Boys had a cinematic baby raised on doom metal. It follows Dezzy (Dora Madison) as she struggles with a creative block and her relentless pursuit to finish her most recent piece. She's got pressure from her landlord, her agent, and the woman paying her for her painting. There are themes about art and the creative process examined amidst the blood, violence, and beautifully chaotic soundtrack. This movie grabs you by the fucking throat and drags you along for a blood soaked ride into hell. Begos is painting with his entire palette from the camera work, sound design, editing, color schemes, and it all blends together for an assault to the senses that will leave you begging for more from this talented filmmaker. Don't fret because he also has another fright flick, VFW, that I'm going to be checking out when it gets released on Blu-ray. Bliss is currently on Shudder so go watch it as well as The Mind's Eye which is on my list to get current on the work of Joe Begos. |