Written by Grady Fiorio
Original Publishing Date: June 15th, 2022
Rating: Vortex 4/5 Lux Æterna 4/5 La Ricotta 3.5/5
This is getting out of hand! Now there are three of them.
If my previous Pasolini double feature didn't traumatize you enough, here's a Gaspar Noe triple threat with a film that might literally kill you. I'm not even joking. However, we can't completely do away with our old friend Pasolini, as today's triple feature opens up with his short film La Ricotta, or Cheese Curd for all you Non-Spaghetti-Americans out there. This delightful comedy short is then followed up with two films by the king of despair, Gaspar Noe. Currently, one of my favorite filmmakers working today, Noe is one of the very few directors willing to make truly bold swings. Ever since seeing his depraved masterpiece Irreversible I've become obsessed with his style and sensibility. For quite some time I've been waiting to see two of his newest films, Lux Æterna and Vortex. Lux Æterna premiered at Cannes in 2019 but hasn't received a wide release outside of Europe until May of 2022, which just so happens to coincide with the release of his latest film Vortex. So after poorly photoshopping a very thematically appropriate banner for this review, I'm here to answer the burning question all two of you are asking "How does Noe's newest work stack up?"
I was lucky enough to catch the perfect storm as another favorite local arthouse cinema of mine was showing not only Lux Æterna but following it up with Vortex. The screening of Lux Æterna was also paired with La Ricotta, a Pasolini short film hand-picked by Noe to play before the film. A short film that was a very unique but fitting choice. La Ricotta follows the misadventures of a very prestigious director (played by an obviously dubbed Orson Welles) as he tries to wrangle in his misfit cast and crew while recreating the death of Jesus for his newest film. It's a surprisingly funny and pretty over-the-top film, which is a nice change of pace from Pasolini after just recently watching Salo. Pasolini clearly had a lot of fun making this one. So many gags caught me off guard. Without spoiling too much, there is a reoccurring bit about a hungry extra stealing food from the set. It all culminates in a sequence that feels like something from modern meme humor, and not an Italian arthouse short. The whole time both the audience and I were crackling with laughter. The brisk pace, mile-a-minute jokes, and comical nature of the short really keep this film moving. Although it does end on a bit of an odd note. I don't know if it was supposed to be a joke, taken seriously, or be a larger metaphor, but it did leave me wanting a bit more explanation on those last five minutes. Similar to Salo, the translation does leave a bit to be desired. However because most of the comedy is physical and slapstick, it's not a big issue but a few jokes left me a bit confused. With such a comical film, it may seem like an odd pairing for Noe's newest nightmare, Lux Æterna, but soon enough all will become clear.
If La Ricotta is a light-hearted comedy about what happens when a set goes sideways, then Lux Æterna is the nightmare on set when all hell breaks loose. Essential serving as a remake of La Ricotta, Lux Æterna follows many of the same broad points of Pasolini's short. A pretentious director tries to round up a misbehaving cast and crew while recreating a violent historical execution. In the case of Lux Æterna, this is a witch-burning instead of crucifixion. However much of the imagery mirrors that of the crucifixion of Christ. Charlotte Gainsbourg stars as the main actress playing a soon-to-be-burned-witch on set. At her sides are two other witches tied to posts. Clearly matching that of the two thieves next to Christ. An angry mob below shouts at the witches as they burn, and even one of the posters for Lux Æterna adds extra sides to the burning post to make it even look more like a cross. Noe certainly isn't hiding his inspirations, but I don't think he's trying to either. As previously mentioned the film stars Charlotte Gainsburg alongside Beatrice Dalle, playing fictional versions of themselves on a set gone to hell. The film is simply stunning and a visual marvel, which is no surprise coming from Noe. Shortly after the film begins Noe brings forth one of his most interesting visual tricks to date, split-screen. Now, this may seem fairly vanilla. It's been done by more mainstream filmmakers such as Tarantino and De Palma many times. What hasn't been done is to have almost the entirety of the film shot in split-screen. I'd say only about a quarter of Lux Æterna is focused on one singular point of view, while the rest is fractured across two or more screens. It really helps to enhance the chaos, as multiple plot lines come crashing down at the same time. It continues to flood your mind with more and more stimuli, which ultimately leads to the film's absolutely stunning conclusion.
Now Noe has always made films for a specific audience, but with Lux Æterna he fully commits. As previously mentioned this film could literally kill you if you aren’t within that specific audience. If you are even mildly prone to seizures or photosensitive epilepsy, this ain’t the film for you. I'll give a *Mild Spoiler Warning* now as I'm going to talk about the film's ending, without going into major detail. By the end, this film set has divulged into almost absolute hell. People are leaving the set, getting fired, and personal lives are colliding with business. It's a mess. When it seems like it can't get worse, it does. The set of the fictional movie uses a large LED wall, similar to Disney's "Volume" that they've been using on their new Star Wars projects. It allows for real-time CGI backdrops to be used as a replacement for green screen. During Lux Æterna, the LED wall goes haywire, and all on-set lights get fried except for the wall. If before we were almost in absolute hell, now we're drowning in the lake of fire. The wall then begins to flash strobing colors for the last 15 minutes of the film. The lights continue to flash faster and faster until they hit lightning speeds during the credits, where the words are barely legible because your eyes are consumed in tidal waves of blinding flashes. This scene will probably make or break the film for most, as it's long and never lets up. It is literally blinding and will have you watching the last bits of the film squinting your eyes and barely making out what's on screen. I loved it. Now before you call me crazy, which is probably a fair statement, let me explain. It truly encapsulated the feeling of being caught in the middle of a waking nightmare. So completely overwhelmed that you give in to the madness and let the lights flash until they cannot flash anymore. I found it to be another visually transcendent sequence from Noe. I'm a bit of a sucker for films that overstimulate the viewer. However, I do understand why most audiences won't enjoy this chaos as much as I did. But let's also be real here, if you're watching this, then you're not most audiences.
Besides its visual merits, Lux Æterna also remedies one of the flaws that I think hinders Noe's films the most. Pace. I think Noe has always struggled to keep a consistent pace with his films. As much as I do love them, they are almost always too long. Part of that is by design, but I can't help but feel like that bogs down some of his work, even when it is stunning. Lux Æterna is able to avoid this issue by only clocking in at 52 minutes. It constantly keeps moving and pulling you into its world. When the film finally reaches its highest point, it cuts off. It doesn't keep dragging for another 20 minutes. Honestly, it's something I wish more filmmakers did. Bring me to the mountain top and then push me off. No need to slowly bring me back down. Let's go out with a bang! And Lux Æterna does exactly that. Another nice surprise that comes with Lux Æterna is the tone of the film. It is chaotic, but also like La Ricotta, it's surprisingly funny. As a filmmaker, I found it funny seeing Noe parody on set tropes such as the random guy on set trying to whoo the lead actress for his "passion project", or a pretentious director giving ridiculous demands to their crew. It almost feels a little bit like Veep but for filmmaking, playing up the most ludicrous aspects of the production process.
As a filmmaker, I also found the chaos cathartic. Truth be told I've had some set experiences that were very negative. Things that have weighed on me for a long time and even made me question whether I wanted to continue making films. While I haven't been on sets nearly as bad as this, it was satisfying to see my own troublesome experiences reflected on screen. Most people probably wouldn't want to relive those stressful work moments when trying to just enjoy a movie, but for me, it kind of felt like a way to let go, look back, and laugh at some of my less-than-positive experiences. This film really is accurate in its depiction of a poorly managed set, and I think Noe really understands this aspect of being a filmmaker.
Besides unending chaos, depression and despair are two motifs that Noe is no stranger to. He proves that once again with Vortex. Vortex follows an aging couple in their final days as one of them succumbs to dementia. Even though this is probably Noe's most restrained film, it doesn't hold back on the intense emotion triggered by his more gratuitous films either. But do not mistake his restraint for lack of vision. Noe has always encouraged improv and a less structured approach to his filmmaking, but Vortex takes a much more narrow and focused approach. Noe has always struggled with storytelling, opting for more emotional experience-based filmmaking. Vortex aims to change that with a more direct and crafted narrative. It's a heartbreaking tale that seems to be ever more prevalent in our world.
While the old adage "Time heals all wounds" may be truthful in the short term, Noe has stated through his filmography again and again that eventually, time destroys all things. A theme he thoroughly explored in his breakout film Irreversible, the story of a violent rape told in reverse chronological order. Time is a circle, not a line. As the world's life expectancy increases, our bodies, and more importantly our minds, cannot keep up. Many will be doomed to a fate of returning to a child-like state, and eventually complete vegetation. From dust, we came, and to dust, we shall return. It's the stuff of nightmares. One of my own greatest fear is that I lose my mind before I lose my body. Noe puts it perfectly, as the film opens with the quote "Dedicated to all those whose brains will decompose before their hearts.” Despite the overwhelming sadness that comes with such territory, Vortex is actually surprisingly filled with a lot of heart, and love. It's a clear labor of love and a very personal film to Noe, as the film is loosely based on his own parents. Noe also faced his own brush with death after suffering a brain hemorrhage that nearly killed him at the age of 57. Playing chess with death will really make you rethink your life. Clearly, Noe saw this and after his recovery, he made the effort to get sober and start work on Vortex. Throughout the film, you can feel Noe putting his heart on his sleeve in a way that he hasn't done before. It's hard to imagine Noe making himself even more vulnerable than he has before, but somehow he does it again.
While Lux Æterna made for an interesting double feature, I actually think Enter the Void would probably be a better fit with Vortex. If Enter the Void is about the tragedy of death, then Vortex is about the tragedy of life. After watching Vortex, Noe's perspective on death has definitely matured and changed since his psychedelic epic, but the continuing and contrasting themes would definitely complement each other. Similar to Lux Æterna, Noe brings back the use of split-screen. This time opting to use it for the entirety of the film. It's a bold decision for a nearly two and a half hour film, but ultimately it serves the storytelling greatly, and would not be the same film without it. Portraying perspective in a way that I've never seen done before. Where Lux Æterna uses split-screen to intensify the chaos of an already hectic scene, Vortex uses it as a new perspective on a fractured mind that is starting to deteriorate. While they both use the same stylistic choice, they serve two completely different purposes. Each executed brilliantly in their own unique ways.
Coming into the theater that day I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. I love Noe's work but was intimidated by watching two of his films back to back. Luckily, what I found was a movie marathon that was a visual feast of mind-melting European cinema, that was able to come back around and touch my heart. So in other words, a perfect Friday afternoon. While Lux Æterna is a nightmare ride to the bizarre side, Vortex is Noe at his most accessible and maybe also at his most powerful, ultimately leaving us with one question "The heart is stronger than the mind, but at what cost?"
Vortex
Director Gaspar Noe
Runtime 2 Hr 20 Min
Format Digital (DCP)
Release Date 2022 (Wide)
Lux Æterna
Director Gaspar Noe
Runtime 52 Min
Format Digital (DCP)
Release Date 2019
La Ricotta
Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
Runtime 35 Min
Format Digital (DCP)
Release Date 1963