Laura

I told myself I would never watch this movie again, but it truly is a masterpiece. ​On a technical level, this film is incredibly shot. It is genuinely beautiful to look at, carrying a lot of meaningful thematic depth and real emotional weight to back up its great concept. But despite how gorgeous it is, I have never watched a movie that made me cringe quite like this. Many of the scenes felt like a visceral intrusive thought, which is exactly what makes it so brilliant. It is the kind of haunting imagery that repeats and replays in your head on a loop, regardless of whether your eyes are opened or closed. The movie forces you into that discomfort, and it is incredibly effective. ​The sound design alone, especially during that kitchen scene while Oli was chomping down on that knife. Man, it didn't matter if you looked away or closed your eyes in that moment. The audio did absolutely all the work for me, proving that you don't even need to see the screen to feel the intensity. The first time I watched this movie I felt shaken for days, I genuinely told myself I would never watch it again. ​I absolutely loved Laura's character. She is such a tragic, deeply fractured woman and a profound professional manipulator. The film does an incredible job mixing those complex traits with such a gross, weird distortion of maternal love. It makes for an unforgettable character in a movie that completely masters the art of psychological discomfort, even if I am still never putting myself through a third viewing. (For now.)

Don't make me drink alone!!!!