Rosemary

No spoilers here... I'm not familiar with Ari Aster's work, and I think that's why I didn't get this movie. It was a little too out there for me. In a word, it's Kafkaesque. I walked into the theater thinking it was about a man working through his anxiety, and I left thinking what the heck did I just watch. I mean for 3 hours, I didn't know what I was watching. Actually, I walked out of the theater upset and disappointed. I wanted to give this movie 1 star. With that being said, the acting was superb. Phoenix again knocked it out of the park, which must have been an extremely emotionally draining feat. There was one particular mini-plot that moved me. The scenery, the music, everything was top-notch. I don't think it is a movie for the average moviegoer looking for something fun and light to watch; it's a movie that sits with you long after as you try and digest and analyze what just happened. It is also a very long movie (3 hours) and I felt that as I was thinking about where the movie was going. I think I will enjoy it more if I watched it again knowing what to expect. Reading online explanations cleared the movie up, and now I have a greater appreciation for this movie. However, I'm not a fan of really dark humor, so I doubt I'll watch it again. I'm giving this movie 3 stars because it is very thought-provoking, artistic, and has amazing acting, but had a plot/universe that was too dark and bizarre for my tastes, but I think that's the point. This movie leaves an off-balanced feeling in your gut when you walk out. In other words, this is NOT a feel-good movie. Watch this movie for deep dinner conversations or for critical essay assignments. There's a lot going on.