We're All Going to the World's Fair (Jane Schoenbrun, 2021)

[Red Screamer]

We're All Going to the World's Fair (Utopia)

Maybe my favorite film of the year so far, slowburn ambient horror with an evolving, semi-narrative structure. Schoenbrun has an elegant, minimalist style that's hard to pull off. I'm glad it's getting a proper release and Chloé Galibert-Laîné, video essayist and maker of desktop films, is the perfect critic for this material too.

[swo17]

We're All Going to the World's Fair (Utopia)

Maybe my favorite film of the year so far, slowburn ambient horror with an evolving, semi-narrative structure. Schoenbrun has an elegant, minimalist style that's hard to pull off. I'm glad it's getting a proper release and Chloé Galibert-Laîné, video essayist and maker of desktop films, is the perfect critic for this material too.

I have a pretty strong stomach for horror films, but I found this deeply unsettling and don't ever want to watch it again. I suppose that's a recommendation? It's not even graphic or anything, just a too-real vision of the hell of the internet. I liked Alex G's soundtrack though!

[therewillbeblus]

We're All Going to the World's Fair (Utopia)

Maybe my favorite film of the year so far, slowburn ambient horror with an evolving, semi-narrative structure. Schoenbrun has an elegant, minimalist style that's hard to pull off. I'm glad it's getting a proper release and Chloé Galibert-Laîné, video essayist and maker of desktop films, is the perfect critic for this material too.

I have a pretty strong stomach for horror films, but I found this deeply unsettling and don't ever want to watch it again. I suppose that's a recommendation? It's not even graphic or anything, just a too-real vision of the hell of the internet. I liked Alex G's soundtrack though!

Ha, I watched this last night as well, and didn't like it at all but agree with your impressions. My biggest takeaway was the terrific Alex G OST

[therewillbeblus]

We're All Going to the World's Fair has been actively populating my conscious thoughts for a while - probably in part because I play Alex G's score frequently while driving, and I was much more impressed with it on a revisit. A lot's been said about its horror-commentary on internet culture and Gen Z and all that, but I came away much less disturbed and much more empathetic (and significantly, connected) to the sense of alienation and the tools used to engage with isolated feelings. Anna Cobb's behavioral choices and self-analyses all point towards a lonely person grasping for a sense of control, and her commentary on deciding to take the challenge to begin with, despite lived experience relaying objective reservations, specifically hits on how some people feel more comfortable choosing to be uncomfortable; more 'in control' choosing to be out of control. She talks about how anxiety-provoking it is to go back to a hypervigilant state of not knowing what's going to happen when she goes to sleep, but at least that acuity disrupts her banal existence of sitting with emotions without a channel to resolve them. There's something oddly comforting to a part of us about choosing our own path of self-destruction if we're already feeling lost and eaten up, since at least we have a tangible practice or idea of what's causing that feeling, and we can tell ourselves a story that we're in control of submitting to it, as opposed to being constantly coerced into submitting to life on life's terms. We can see her become relieved and liberated when she loses control at times, or when she's talking about feeling out of control - which is the reason she's touching the stone and goes hand in hand with the fear. It's such a wonderful performance by Cobb, and as talented as Schoenbrun is behind the camera, a film like this hinges on its lead's performance to sell its alienating formal approach. This film doesn't seem to be sparking that kind of intimacy with most viewers who love it, but I felt a greater warmth with Cobb -and her resilience in creatively wielding her agency- than I have with a character in a film in a long time

[mfunk9786]

Has there been any official word about the Utopia/VS Blu-ray of We're All Going to the World's Fair finding another home? It appears to have vanished from the face of the earth, which is understandable considering the new film being in theaters, but is unfortunately inconvenient for me, the guy posting this.

[therewillbeblus]

I can't imagine Jane Schoenbrun releasing a new film people are connecting with, who are then seeking out her previous film, only to have that not available. If it is OOP, somebody will put it out again

[mfunk9786]

Hope so. The US disc seems to have much more bonus content (Q&As, etc) than the UK one, so I'll continue to hold out. The film itself: chef's kiss. Really great. Goes for both of them, frankly.

[therewillbeblus]

I wouldn't be surprised if A24 scooped it for a more lavish release

[mfunk9786]

So what you're saying is that I'll be spending $70 either way? Cool, cool.

[PfR73]

Check the VS website when it comes back up tomorrow at noon for Partners Month. I know the slipcover version is gone, but I don't recall seeing the standard version on the OOP list.

[mfunk9786]

Check the VS website when it comes back up tomorrow at noon for Partners Month. I know the slipcover version is gone, but I don't recall seeing the standard version on the OOP list.

Definitely going to - but they were both gone throughout the halfway to BF sale (and sold out everywhere else on the internet, did some UPC-crawling), so I'm going to keep my expectations low.

[swo17]

It's available to order from Amazon for just under $25 (temporarily out of stock though)

[PfR73]

Has there been any official word about the Utopia/VS Blu-ray of We're All Going to the World's Fair finding another home? It appears to have vanished from the face of the earth, which is understandable considering the new film being in theaters, but is unfortunately inconvenient for me, the guy posting this.

The Standard Edition is back in stock.