A Twisted, Surreal Film For Dark Comedy Lovers (On Prime Video)
By Ted Pillow
David Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars is an unflinching, surreal look at celebrity culture.
Choosing a film from the uncompromising and unpredictable David Cronenberg always feels like a calculated risk. Although not all of his movies work, even the ones that fail are usually spectacular failures. For example, I’m still not sure what I think of Cosmopolis, but if it’s a bad movie, it’s certainly an interesting one. Conversely, Cronenberg’s successes are visually striking mind-benders that combine the sci-fi brilliance of Philip K. Dick and the twisted absurdity of David Lynch.
Maps to the Stars focuses on a dysfunctional Hollywood family in a satirical and decidedly uncommercial take on celebrity culture… with exploding heads! Just kidding, but I wouldn’t rule it out either—Cronenberg himself has described the project as “very extreme.”
With a cast that includes Julianne Moore, John Cusack, Cronenberg regular Robert Pattinson, and Mia Wasikowska, Maps to the Stars is an unflinching exploration of fame, power, and the chaos they leave in their wake.
