“you’re not anybody in america unless you’re on TV. on TV is where we learn about who we really are. because what’s the point of doing anything worthwhile if no one’s watching? and if people are watching, it makes you a better person.”
‘to die for’ is a film i’ve been meaning to see for a while - and it’s honestly completely the opposite of what i was initially expecting. my first viewing of this i only made it to like the 30 minute mark, i really don’t know why but maybe it’s because i knew that i wasn’t really in the mood for it all that much. after giving it a second shot and watching the film in its entirety, i now know it’s a cinematic masterpiece. watched this during my nicole kidman: and i rated them all above 4 stars lmao. maybe i’m bias, or maybe it’s just that every film she gets cast in is just extraordinary. ‘to die for’ is a dark comedy satirising fame and american media and people’s obsession with court cases and true crime, plus romanticising the perpetrators. suzanne stone, played by nicole kidman, is a highly ambitious woman who hides a secret disdain for her husband, and she sees him as an obstacle for her goals as a tv presenter, so she plots to murder him so that her dreams can come true, without being tied back with marriage. this movie critiques fame, and the effect of fame, as it often results to a narrow, even narcissistic mindset. through suzanne’s iconic line of the idea of people who aren’t famous are meaningless, shows the mind frame of something that believes life is almost useless without a screen in your face constantly. with the idea of fame, it also portrays the toxicity of tabloid culture - true crime is often desensitised and murderers often have thousands of love letters and followers, and broadcasted courts don’t bring real justice, rather give more attention or ‘screen time’ to those convicted of a crime. this follows a mockumentary style, and blurs the thin line between entertainment and true crime, and everything is often performed to a camera, and nothing is truly real. like i mentioned before, nicole kidman is just incredible, and to me this is easily one of her best performances ever. the way she portrays suzanne stone is just so magnetic, she’s so charismatic, so seemingly pleasant, until she isn’t - as she switches to a more manipulative side to her character. it’s a social satire that’s fine more relevant today with social media and more emphasis on toxic influencer culture. like i said before, this innovative mockumentary style was awesome - with characters talking directly to a camera, to news segments - makes you feel like you’re actually watching a crime documentary. the plot twist was unpredictable and exciting, and the dialogue is super sharp and just completely genius at points. ‘to die for’ sums up everything i love about film in the 90s, and is way better than what i would’ve imagined.
“you’re not anybody in america unless you’re on TV. on TV is where we learn about who we really are. because what’s the point of doing anything worthwhile if no one’s watching? and if people are watching, it makes you a better person.”
‘to die for’ is a film i’ve been meaning to see for a while - and it’s honestly completely the opposite of what i was initially expecting. my first viewing of this i only made it to like the 30 minute mark, i really don’t know why but maybe it’s because i knew that i wasn’t really in the mood for it all that much. after giving it a second shot and watching the film in its entirety, i now know it’s a cinematic masterpiece. watched this during my nicole kidman: and i rated them all above 4 stars lmao. maybe i’m bias, or maybe it’s just that every film she gets cast in is just extraordinary. ‘to die for’ is a dark comedy satirising fame and american media and people’s obsession with court cases and true crime, plus romanticising the perpetrators. suzanne stone, played by nicole kidman, is a highly ambitious woman who hides a secret disdain for her husband, and she sees him as an obstacle for her goals as a tv presenter, so she plots to murder him so that her dreams can come true, without being tied back with marriage. this movie critiques fame, and the effect of fame, as it often results to a narrow, even narcissistic mindset. through suzanne’s iconic line of the idea of people who aren’t famous are meaningless, shows the mind frame of something that believes life is almost useless without a screen in your face constantly. with the idea of fame, it also portrays the toxicity of tabloid culture - true crime is often desensitised and murderers often have thousands of love letters and followers, and broadcasted courts don’t bring real justice, rather give more attention or ‘screen time’ to those convicted of a crime. this follows a mockumentary style, and blurs the thin line between entertainment and true crime, and everything is often performed to a camera, and nothing is truly real. like i mentioned before, nicole kidman is just incredible, and to me this is easily one of her best performances ever. the way she portrays suzanne stone is just so magnetic, she’s so charismatic, so seemingly pleasant, until she isn’t - as she switches to a more manipulative side to her character. it’s a social satire that’s fine more relevant today with social media and more emphasis on toxic influencer culture. like i said before, this innovative mockumentary style was awesome - with characters talking directly to a camera, to news segments - makes you feel like you’re actually watching a crime documentary. the plot twist was unpredictable and exciting, and the dialogue is super sharp and just completely genius at points. ‘to die for’ sums up everything i love about film in the 90s, and is way better than what i would’ve imagined.
