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[Fantastic Fest Review] ‘The Perfection’ Delivers Twisted, Shocking and Hilarious Perfection

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The Perfection

Every year at Fantastic Fest, there is one film that flies under the radar and completely takes you by surprise. Richard Shepard‘s (The Matador, Dom Hemingway) The Perfectionis that film this year. Added to the roster just days before the festival began, the film is a demented and uncomfortable tale of obsession and revenge that pulls the rug out from under you at least three times over the course of its 90 minutes before settling on a final image that is as disturbing as it is hilarious. The Perfection is as close to perfect as a film can get and shouldn’t be missed once it secures a distributor (though it is doubtful it will get a wide release, at it is a truly fucked up little film). I wanted to wait a few days to write this review so I could be sure I wasn’t being hyperbolic in my praise for it. Well, it’s been two days and I’m still in love with it, so make of that what you will.

10 years after abandoning her life as a cello prodigy to care for her ailing mother, Charlotte (Allison Williams, Girls, Get Out) seeks out her mentor Anton (Steven Weber) and his new star pupil Lizzie (Logan BrowningDear White People) in order to witness the life she gave up. Once there, a twisted (and I mean twisted) plan is set in motion that will push all parties involved to their absolute limits.

That is really all you need to know about ThePerfection, which is being billed as “Black Swan with a cello player,” but that is a simplified version of this complex film. Similar to other twisty horror films like Martyrs, The Perfection features a plot that changes direction multiple times throughout its runtime. The marketing team is going to have a helluva time promoting it without giving away major plot points. I’m loathed to even write a lengthy review about it for fear of giving too much away, but I’ll do my best. Word to the wise? Go into The Perfection blind. Don’t watch any trailers and don’t read any reviews (feel free to bookmark this one and come back later, though). Just know I’m giving it a 5/5 and it’s my favorite film I’ve seen at the festival (so far).

Both Williams and Browning are stupendous here. Browning, so talented in Netflix’s Dear White People, imbues Lizzie with a magnetic combination of innocence and rebelliousness before her life gets turned upside down. She makes the perfect foil for Williams, who is the MVP here. Her Charlotte is such a complex character that simply labeling her the villain of the film would be a disservice. Williams is making use of her association with the privileged rich girl persona she channeled in girls by choosing very layered and devious characters. If her goal is to not be typecast as a “Marnie,” then roles like Get Out‘s Rose and The Perfection‘s Charlotte will most definitely aid her in doing so. Though Rose was still a privileged rich girl, she was able to convey a sense of menace, but it was only really touched upon in a few scenes of that film. The Perfection really allows her to go off the rails. It’s a fascinating performance and incredibly compelling. Weber is equally strong in his role as the girls’ mentor, but to say much more about his performance would go into spoiler territory.

Shepard has had some experience dealing with dark comedies, but nothing quite as insane as this. Working with a script that he co-wrote with Eric C. Charmelo and Nicole Snyder (both of whom created the vastly underrated Sarah Michelle Gellar series Ringer), Shepard casually borrows visual elements from a multitude of other film classics. He has a lot of fun with the visuals as well (sans for one scene of shoddy CGI bugs). The film is divided into four chapters, and it would be easy to assume that you were watching an anthology film if they didn’t all share the same characters and narrative. Each chapter has its own distinct tone and feel, making for a somewhat jarring (in a good way) viewing experience. If there was ever a film to keep you on your toes, The Perfection is it.

The Perfection consistently shocks and surprises and takes so many twists and turns you don’t expect that you’re bound to get whiplash. It is a fabulously twisted film that can’t easily fit into one genre. It’s all at once a horror film, a comedy, a revenge thriller, a character study, a trashy grindhouse flick and so much more. It calls to mind films like Heathers, Martyrs, Audition and Oldboy, but still manages to maintain its own identity. The demented subject matter will likely turn off some viewers, but if you can stomach it, don’t miss The Perfection. It is the embodiment of its namesake.

The Perfection had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest.

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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