In March of 2022 we were given a movie call ‘X’. I don’t remember much promotion surrounding it, but it had enough to get my attention. Starring Mia Goth and Scott Mescudi, how could I say no? To my surprise, I thought it was a one and done slasher. Instead, we were introduced to a world of connected characters. This spanned 80 years.

Mia Goth has always been a sleeper actress to me. Shes weird and raw and unapologetically herself. She sneaks into movies where you completely miss that shes there. Once you go back and realize it, you say, damn she played that role. After starring in the movies Nymphomaniac, A Cure for Wellness and Infinity Pool, she finally said “I NEED ME!” Lol and deservingly.

X introduces us to Maxine Minx. She is an aspiring actress looking to make it big time in Hollywood by starting in porn. The movie is set in rural Texas,1979, where they find a little cabin on a farm and show up to shoot the new film. Maxine and her crew don’t wast any time getting their shots in different parts of the property. The old couple, Pearl and Howard, who own the property, are indifferent about them being there. The husband is mean and keeps away from them. The wife is curious and jealous once she knows why the crew came for a stay. She is particularly fond of Maxine Minx. One by one the old couple kills off the crew in gruesome bloody ways, leaving Maxine to fend for herself. Maxine will not let anyone or anything get in her way of stardom so she kills them both and gets the hell out of dodge. This stamps the first movie of the trilogy.

September of 2022 we get a surprise release from Ti West and Mia Goth again. A movie called Pearl. This movie takes place in 1918 in rural Texas. Pearl is a young girl with aspirations to be something bigger than just a farm girl. Her husband, Howard, is off fighting the war and she is waiting for him to get back. During this time in her life, Pearl is trying everything she can to ‘make it’ and get out of Texas. In her heart she believes she is a star! She meets a man in town and starts a small relationship. Even though she is hopeful for Howard’s return, deep down she knows he’s not coming back. Her identity is at a fragile state and once she gets the slightest push back from her new friend, she begins to turn. She doesn’t get the validation she so longs for and snaps. With an pitch fork in hand she stabs him over and over in rage.

We know by now that this is the same house from “X” and these to movies are tied together. Pearl is a prequel to X and now we have the universe building.

1985 Hollywood, CA. Maxine has finally made it to LA LA Land. She is still doing adult films and side work but is striving to get on the big screen. She nails an audition in a horror movie and everything is looking up for her. Soon her past catches up with her. A man in law enforcement tells her there is a client looking for her. He shows her an old article from the murders in Texas. Lets her know someone knows and it would be wise to meet with him. All the while this mysterious guy is killing off her friends one by one. She is trying to balance her past and her new opportunity but its getting in the way. It will cost her everything she has worked for if she doesn’t do something about it. She finally goes to the address given and is confronted by her father. A faith wielding pastor who’s hell bend on cleansing her and put her in his own movie, as a sacrifice. He almost demise and the success of her horror film, she is elevated into stardom she could never imagine.

I love this for Mia Goth. Ti West directed all three films and allowed her to build her characters on her own. Maxine Minx and Peal, young and old. I love the different styles each movie had. Pearl was something like and old show or cartoon. Exaggerated colors, obvious dialogue and add Mia with the crazy. X was subtle to begin with, a typical sex slasher flick but with old Pearl and Maxine on screen, opened them movie up. The dynamic between her self (Mia) brought together the past and present well. Literally showing old Pearl how she use to be but could never get the attention Maxine is getting. Driven by her craziness, it was a good aspect to the plot of her killing off everyone. Pearl continued what she started all those years ago. Maxxxine was produced so good in my eyes with it being a period piece. Sometimes it doesn’t look authentic but I felt it did for the 1980s Hollywood. I don’t think the ending was all that. Could have been better but for what Peal wanted and what Maxine sat out to accomplish, I guess it hit the mark.

The trilogy is original and have already gotten multiple watches out of me. Watch them in order to appreciate the growth of screenplay and characters.