November Movie Pick: 'Love Lies Bleeding' – A24

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A24 is really pushing hard to become my favorite studio. For sure, their talent for picking projects is once again on display here because Love Lies Bleeding is a very impressive take on Thelma & Louise and Monster. Remember Monster with the most famous female serial killer that brought Charlize Theron the very well-deserved Oscar? We should be talking more about Aileen Wuornos after the Menendez show and the outrage for their freedom. If you are able to be convinced that those two hunks are innocent, why are we not going through her files once more?

Going back, thinking about Monster, I always had a feeling that Aileen, portrayed by Theron, had a lot of nuances and was rather a victim of the circumstances. Eventually, she evolved from her own savior to her own inevitable doom. The real Aileen seemed to be a bit more intense to unlock that hardcore empathy in us, huh?

Both of those movies, Monster and Thelma & Louise, are very powerfully injected into this new incarnation of the famous love duo, but here the movie is on steroids— nudge nudge, get it? A24’s horror touch sneaks into the storytelling, creating something deserving its own lane while still organically evolving the stories I mentioned. The twists and turns were interesting, and the visuals of the movie were ultimately memorable.

The movie needed a little time to start, and the cinematography seemed to be the only thing interesting for a while—which can be said for many movies that never find their footing. But this one did. I am impressed by the lesbian story and the connection between Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian, which I saw yesterday. I’m still thinking about it. I’m not sure if Ed Harris needed to eat a bug to prove how disgusting he is. Sometimes it felt like the movie used shock just to shock you without any substance. But in order to portray the gruesome murders and the horrific feel around them, the shock was needed.

The one thing that freaked me out and, I think, gave the story that needed push was the hallucinations and the feel of the supernatural elements that we all love. Seeing both of them running could very much be a screensaver on my desktop. I loved it. Harsh commentary on gender and power, not looking away from the reality, the stupidity, and the addiction around them. The movie gives us a lot to think about, especially with the decisions and reactions of Beth (Jena Malone), which, for me, were fascinating. I rarely see such a portrayal of this level of toxicity.

This movie somehow got buried beneath all the content, but if it is from A24, I will dig it up and check it out. I love the studio. A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges. Since then, the studio has brought us various movies that are considered outside the box. That move is often seen as innovative and bold, just like this one here.

When it comes to moviemaking, A24 is a groundbreaking studio, quickly breaking the Hollywood norm, not scared to juggle more weird and original ideas as an innovative newborn brand. Some ideas fail at the box office, some are hits, but one thing is sure: A24 delivers incredible original content that is like a breath of fresh air in this polluted-with-mediocrity region that is Hollywood.

I am committed to following the destiny of the brand, and I will explore what the studio has to offer in 2025. There are some pretty exciting movies that I cannot wait to see. I will make sure I see and review most of their upcoming movies, as well as revisiting some of their older projects like Hereditary, Midsommar, Men, Lamb, Ex Machina, and much more. You can already find reviews of Talk to Me, The Whale, Past Lives, X, Pearl, The Zone of Interest, Lady Bird and Beau is Afraid and more on my blog.

Iliya Badev

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