Lux Aeterna, 2019 

Directed by Gaspar Noé

51 min runtime

CAUTION:
NO BUENO FOR SENSORY ISSUES/EPILEPTICS

Please note, we have intentionally left the trailer off this post as even the trailer itself carries a warning for strobing and sensory issues to photosensitivity and epileptics!

With a title seemingly devised by the likes of Grimez and Elon Musk, Lux Aeterna already portends to be a unique cinematic experience. The first 35-40 minutes are intriguing meta material, albeit rather run of the mill on visuals, but by the time the last 10-15 roll out, most viewers are going to reach for the remote to exit, or slam down the lid of their laptop. If you make it through to the ends unscathed, I will be impressed, because I sure didn’t. No, no, it’s not what you’d expect given Noé’s history for dark content; you’ll find no gratuitous blood or gore, drug use, or sexual assault here, but you’ll receive an entirely new kind of assault on the senses of violent proportions. Allow me to elaborate (if I can gather my thoughts enough after my brain has been put through a visual and auditory VitaMix on warp speed hahaha!). 

I do very much love a good meta movie experience, though, and especially one that has a wit and intelligence about it in addition to the goofiness of it. This meta-film is a brilliant commentary on the chaos of filmmaking, the industry’s disrespect and mistreatment of women, the ego and predatory attitude of filmmakers, the politics of Hollywood/Film, etc. It’s clever, thoughtful, and engrossing, and it’s got a great sense of humor. The cast are all brilliant no matter if they’re given seconds or minutes of screen time, each of them deftly fulfilling their assigned caricature of an industry persona. And as to be expected, it’s of course creatively shot and edited. (I’d expect nothin’ less from Noé!) It’s a movie about making movies for people who love to make and/or watch movies. It’s genuinely funny and utterly engrossing…until the last 10-15min of its (thank heavens) very short runtime. 

 As for those last 10-15, my word, I’m speechless. I mean truly dear lord in heaven, those last 10-15min would have been utterly unwatchable if I wasn’t at home on a small screen. I have no doubt I would’ve puked and got a migraine. As it is, even with watching it on a laptop, with the brightness lowered and a window shade partially open to mitigate, my right eyeball is trying to evacuate my skull and my ears are still ringing from the hellish high pitch frequency hahaha!

I’m truly beginning to believe that Gaspar Noé really hates his audience, but loves, nay, is obsessively infatuated with the art of filmmaking as a process and he largely cares not if anyone else enjoys the final product. (It’s a quality I simultaneously respect and loathe about him!) His movies are incredibly hard to watch on multiple levels, and are some of the most brutal visuals I’ve ever laid eyes on. Everything about them from content to color to cut to lighting, is always hellish yet absolutely breathtaking. And this one is no exception to the rule. Much like his other works, Lux Aeterna is almost unquantifiable; I’ve never seen anything like it and I don’t think I ever want to again, HA!

Yet, in a way, I’m glad for the experience, because it certainly is a game changer in filmmaking. Cinephiles (who have a lifetime supply of migraine medication) will likely enjoy it.

As for everyone else with reasonably sound mind and judgment, y’all can have just as much fun (if not more!) by reading the Letterboxd reviews and living safely and vicariously through the misery of the rest of us who subjected ourselves to this madness, hahaha! (Other reviews on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/m6b8)

TW: slight nudity, misogyny, brief mentions of bullying/abuse of children during a phone call, EXTREME VISUAL STROBING AND IMAGERY, very high-pitched sounds, pounding LOUD music ️

!!! This is sheer hell for anyone with a sensory processing disorder, epilepsy, photosensitivity, or hearing aids. I cannot stress this enough for you all to avoid this if you cannot handle extreme strobing and flashing colors and high-pitched frequencies for 15min straight including the credits (and quite frankly id just avoid a huge chunk of his catalogue lmaoooo) It is genuinely visually dangerous, and it’s potentially seizure inducing even if you don’t have photosensitivity and hearing issues. I’ve seen people with nonissue have a singular seizure due to excessive strobing so please be careful!!! It is so dangerous I’m posting dual warnings, because it’s that necessary. The RGB Strobing with the chirping alarm noise is excruciating. !!!

I received a screener for review consideration.

Review by Ellen Avigliano
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