Vox Lux Review: "Demonstrating that Talent isn't Always Pretty"

For a movie that uses the line "I don't want people to think too hard, I just want them to feel good" when describing pop music, this is a very thought-provoking film. Using a very violent and unfortunate backdrop, Brady Corbet's Vox Lux is entrancing.

The movie teaches that talent doesn't always mean good as Natalie Portman makes an incredible transformation into Celeste. Her performance down to the smallest mannerisms make her unrecognizable. The way she walks, the intonation in her voice and the little ticks that she takes on only raise the question: Why aren't more people talking about her performance? Portman's amazing acting chops get really highlighted here in a similar way that James McAvoy got to shine in Split.

Presently, Hollywood is putting out stellar movies encased in the music business. With Rami Malek's Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and Lady Gaga's break-out role in A Star is Born up for various awards this season, I feel like Natalie Portman should really be a contender; or at least in the conversation.

Corbet's satirical take on a somewhat part-biopic, part-concert film shows the worst in pop stars. Attributed to a broken mind, a tragedy, or an unraveling lack of humility and humanity, this movie really is demonstrating that talent isn't always pretty. I can safely say this is one of my favorite movies of last year as it leaves very little room for accurate assumption.

Without giving too much away, the characters go through traumatic episodes in their lives whether it's caused by internal trauma or from an outside source. Because of this precedent set throughout the film, there's a scene in the latter part of the movie where you expect tragedy to hit. The refreshing part on this particular scene is that when you expect the tragedy it doesn't hit. The movie just continues, and then you realize that all you had to do was to take it in. Enjoy the moment instead of expecting the worst.

Beautifully narrated by Willem Dafoe, and with stellar performances by Jude Law and Raffey Cassidy, this movie is a well-rounded hard film to get-through. If you can stomach the effects of gun-violence and the repercussions of traumatic events, this movie, with the inclusion of Natalie Portman at her best, is a story you're gonna want to feel haunted by.