Fashionista (2016)

So much average

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I read another review where the reviewer was telling us how good and strange the movie is ... but only gave it 5 out of 10. Which is kind of strange, because the things he was admiring, are objectively good. So while I am giving this movie the full score for its scope and for the fact it does not take any prisoners and dares to go places others are not going, I do understand that this won't be for everyone - in fact, quite a few will not like this.That doesn't mean that the movie is bad, quite the opposite. It is slow (so keep that in mind) and it does seem to switch gears halfway through. The first half being almost about something else. But not really, because it is a setup. And it is also allowing for repeat viewings. There is so much to discover and there are so many questions left for the viewer to answer for themself. If you like that concept and like being challenged, like a movie that works with images/colors and knows the craft of direction and mystery storytelling, this is the movie to watch for you

This is one of a kind for sure. A concept which is not new, but still feels fresh.Reminds me of a mix of Momento, Black swan and Gone Girl! One of these movies where you would benefit from a second screening, as everything is shut out of sequence. As I have seen this movie on a festival and it was my 7th for the day, you might have an easier time watching it, when your brain is actually still on 100%. The story will soak you in and confuse you at the same time. I actually cant wait to watch it a second time. I've always been a big supporter of Eric Balfour and he is actually pretty perfect for this role. I am not totally satisfied how the story of his character is concluded though, but I'm happy to see him in a good movie again after such a long time.If you are in for a different kind of cinema experience, give this movie a chance, be focused on what is happening and have fun dealing with all those puzzles pieces later.

Sometimes it feels like, if you do not know how to neatly package up a film in a particular genre, you fire it into horror.This is simply the day to day life of a chubby girl with an unhealthy clothes obsession. She's fragile and jealous of her boyfriend speaking to other girls and remedies this by buying more clothes to hoard in her apartment. Her jealousy ultimately effects her relationship resulting in her getting involved with another man (successful, handsome, arguably out of her league) who has unconventional approach to sex which sends her into a further spiral until she addresses her demons regarding her weight.Effectively, the entire story is centered round the idea that inside every fat lass there is a thin girl dying to get out.

A woman (Amanda Fuller) who uses clothes as an emotional crutch discovers her life is not as ideal as she thought...Director Simon Rumley has assembled a small stable of actors well-known for their recent horror contributions. We have both Alex Essoe ("Starry Eyes", "Tales of Halloween") and the perennial favorite Ethan Embry ("Late Phases", "Devil's Candy"). Leading the way is Amanda Fuller (Rumley's "Red, White and Blue", "Starry Eyes", "Cheap Thrills", and more recently "Last Man Standing"). If for no other reason, this cast makes the film worth a watch.The counterbalance is Eric Balfour, a man with very wolflike features, which makes him perfect as the seductive third party to lure in Fuller's character. Balfour was in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", but interestingly enough also appeared in "Can't Hardly Wait" with co-star Embry. Frankly, Balfour's list of horror credits being so short is a surprise, as he has exactly the right look for it.The cinematography has a strange, unnatural color palette, which seems to be Rumley's trademark. He (or cinematographer Milton Kam) used a similar device in "P is for Pressure". Perhaps not coincidentally, "Pressure" also had a certain plot element revolving around fashion / modeling. So is this another trademark of Rumley's: the love of clothes? Like the characters in "Fashionista", does he have a "special connection to clothes"? Well, without the addiction or running naked through stores, of course.The film in general is quite good, though it does take a bit to get going. If you watch only the first half, you get a story about a second-hand store and infidelity. But it shifts gears in the second half to addiction and even darker themes, clearly treading into horror territory. We even get some interesting visual nods – a "Tenebrae" poster, and a "stitch woman" in a dream, which is unlike anything seen in film (the closest that comes to mind is "May")."Fashionista" screened July 29, 2017 at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It is not the most conventional of horror stories, but that may be its strength. Simon Rumley went quickly from being a new face to being on the front lines for the next generation of genre fans. This film clearly adds to his already notable resume.