Jacobs Ladder (1990) is my new favorite movie!!

Just like the title says, I cant believe I slept on this movie for so long!! I've heard about it forever but sort of skipped it, or saved it, for whatever reason.

I wasn't expecting the weird surreal nightmare quality of the film to be the ENTIRE film. Aside from that it also struck me as almost an "every frame a painting" type film with a beautiful vibrant look and tone that felt super atmospheric and unnerving where I wasn't sure what horror to expect next, but also couldn't look away.

I can also recall several scenes/set pieces VERY strongly, the opening subway scenes, the scene with the guy in the bar, the scenes with the car trying to chase him, his creepy girlfriend fucking the literal devil then becoming possessed, the hospital sequence...

Lots to enjoy in performances too from the amazing leads even to seeing Macaulay Culkin and the guy from Sienfeld pop up briefly!

All of the in camera effects were really incredible too especially the use of lighting and smoke effects and the way they'd frame characters in silhouette or through cracked mirrors. It was just very thoughtful and clever.

The vibe of the movie was amazing too I was sort of confused why it looked and felt like Taxi Driver when it was a 90s movie then realized it's "technically" a period piece of his MEMORIES of 190s New York which makes perfect sense. I also love when more modern stuff FEELS like a period piece so convincingly, like Come and See or GOODFELLAS feeling like they actually were filmed decades ago and you almost don't question it.

I loved the more metaphysical elements and the heartbreaking "Owl Creek" style ending left me feeling really depressed but it was also beautiful and made me think about life in a profound way I wasn't expecting.

It definitely transcended being just another horror movie and it's up there for now with my other favorites THE WAILING, and HEREDITARY!!!

Submitted May 30, 2023 at 12:44AM by ExoticPumpkin237 https://ift.tt/bdcA3Vf