Movie Review

Grimy horror film MaXXXine sees a porn star trying to go straight

Mia Goth in MaXXXine

Mia Goth in MaXXXine.

Photo courtesy of A24

The horror movies X and Pearl were surprise indie hits in 2022, with Pearl – a prequel to X – being a literal surprise as its production was conceived of and approved during the waning days of the shooting of the first film. Director Ti West and star/producer Mia Goth have now teamed up for a third film in the series, the suggestively named MaXXXine.

Goth reprises her role as Maxine, an adult film actress who, after surviving the events in X, has made her way to Hollywood circa 1985 in hopes of finding roles in mainstream films. An audition for a horror film directed by Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki) seems to lead to a great opportunity, but a serial killer on the loose named The Night Stalker starts to interfere with her life.

Not only do Maxine and others around her have to fear for their lives, but she also gets hounded by private detective John Labat (Kevin Bacon) and police detectives Williams (Michelle Monaghan) and Torres (Bobby Cannavale). Determined and more than capable of taking care of herself, Maxine tries her best to push forward with her big break while avoiding the distractions and deaths piling up around her.

West had specific goals with the first two films in the series, as X was an homage to classic slasher movies, and Pearl as much a Technicolor melodrama as a horror film. MaXXXine seems to be almost a loving tribute to the seediness of 1980s Los Angeles and the film industry. The way in which West shoots the movie makes it feel like there’s a layer of grime over the camera, with the whole story feeling dirty, and not in the X-rated way.

However, for a film that seems to want to entice with sex and depravity, it actually contains relatively little of either. West does go for shock value in a few scenes, but overall the movie has a curious lack of momentum. When deaths do come, they seem to happen haphazardly, both at the hands of the serial killer and otherwise. West always had a storytelling purpose for the killings in the first two films, but he lost the thread in that respect for this film.

The story of the film entails Maxine going Hollywood, and there’s the feeling that West may have overstepped by including a bunch of well-known actors this time around. Individually, Bacon, Debicki, Monaghan, Cannavale, and Giancarlo Esposito as Maxine’s agent give fun and interesting performances, but the cumulative effect is distracting. It doesn’t help that most of their arcs, save for that of Debicki, are underwhelming.

Goth, though, delivers another compelling performance even when the story seems to meander. Her distinctive look and personality serve the character well, making her a person who’s equal parts appealing, conniving, and scary. She’s the clear star of the show, and everyone and everything revolves around her, although special notice should be made of Moses Sumney as her friend Leon, who gets a few scene-stealing moments.

MaXXXine needed to have a much more consistent story to be considered as good as the first two films in the series. The presence of Goth, who knows exactly how she wants to play her character, automatically elevates the film, which is a necessity since little else keeps it that interesting.

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MaXXXine opens in theaters on July 5.

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 12 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Snowday Dallas

Photo courtesy of Snowday Dallas

Snowday Dallas opens at Galleria Dallas on November 14.

Another weekend in November brings yet more holiday events, with the start of two more long-term celebrations. Other choices in and around Dallas include a comedy festival, a celebration of a renowned musical duo, a symphony concert, a former SNL cast member, a dance production, a local theater production, an opera concert, a rock concert, a Sesame Street show, and a celebration of life for a local theater icon.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. For more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Snowday Dallas

Photo courtesy of Snowday Dallas

Snowday Dallas, along with with Santaland, opens at Galleria Dallas on November 13.

Thursday, November 12

Plano Comedy Festival
The Plano Comedy Festival is the largest comedy festival in North Texas. From rising stars to national touring headliners, this multi-day celebration showcases a diverse range of comedic talent. Headliners will include Eric Eaton, Ainsley Bailey, Jason Salmon, and Dana Gould. The festival takes place through Sunday at Mic Drop Comedy in Plano and Backdoor Comedy Club in Richardson.

The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration
The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration brings the brother-sister duo’s music back to the stage. With a full band and heartfelt storytelling, the concert captures the warmth, emotion, and musical brilliance of The Carpenters. It features all of their favorites, including “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Close to You,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” The concert takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Ravel & Gershwin"
"Ravel & Gershwin," conducted by Stéphane Denève and featuring pianist Cédric Tiberghien, will include Roussel's Suite No. 2 from Bacchus et Ariane, Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, Milhaud's La Création du monde, and Gershwin's An American in Paris. The concert will be performed on Thursday and Friday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Dallas Comedy Club presents Michael Longfellow
Michael Longfellow was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for three seasons from 2022-2025. Prior to SNL, he was one of eight comedians chosen for the inaugural Netflix Introducing… showcase at the Netflix is a Joke Festival in 2022, and made his late-night debut on Conan in 2018. He'll perform five times through Saturday at Dallas Comedy Club.

Friday, November 13

Gaylord Texan presents Ice! featuring Harry Potter
Ice! featuring Harry Potter will greet visitors with a towering ice sculpture of Hedwig, Harry’s beloved owl, before sending them through 10 rooms filled with photo-worthy moments and iconic scenes inspired by the films. Themed rooms will include Hogsmeade Station, the Forbidden Forest, The Three Broomsticks, The Great Hall, and Hogwarts Castle. In the castle room, visitors can race down six two-story ice slides that lead toward the Quidditch Pitch, where the room will burst into light and color in celebration of each Hogwarts house. The holiday event takes place through January 3 at Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine.

Galleria Dallas presents Snowday and Santaland
Snowday takes guests on an explorable adventure through imaginative rooms and hundreds of surprises. Created to be a fully immersive journey, it features unique photo opportunities, including six extra-special photo moments with integrated cameras and lighting. Next to Snowday is Santaland, where visitors can sit back, relax, and enjoy a simulated train ride to the North Pole. They then take an enchanted path through a magical moonlit forest filled with starry lights, polar bears, and photo ops leading to Santa's majestic chalet, where Santa Claus is waiting. Santaland will be open through December 24, while Snowday will be open through January 3 at Galleria Dallas.

Bruce Wood Dance presents Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Bruce Wood Dance will open their 17th season with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a whimsical, heartwarming, visually captivating triple-bill. It features the Dallas premiere of Joy Bollinger’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the celebrated Schmetterling from founder Bruce Wood, and a world premiere from the award-winning Chicago innovator, Noelle Kayser. There will be three performances through Sunday at Moody Performance Hall.

Art Centre Theatre presents Right Before I Go
Stan Zimmerman’s suicide awareness play, Right Before I Go., highlights the raw struggles of people in all walks of life that have died by suicide. The play uses real suicide notes of celebrities, veterans, bullied teens, those identifying as LGBTQ+, and people who have experienced a range of mental health calamities, as well as those who have survived attempts. The one-hour show is followed by a talkback with a local mental health professional. The production runs through November 22 at Art Centre Theatre in Plano.

Saturday, November 14

Opera Arlington presents Recuerdos
Opera Arlington will present Recuerdos (Remembrances). Featuring an ensemble of emerging artists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Recuerdos will take audiences on a musical journey through the traditions of Mexico, Spain, and beyond. The program will feature art songs, opera arias, selections from zarzuela, and traditional music celebrating the richness of Hispanic song and heritage while bringing generations together through the shared experience of live performance. The event takes place at Farr Best Theater in Mansfield.

Daughtry in concert
Twenty years ago, Chris Daughtry became a well-known singer after placing fourth on the fifth season of American Idol. Later that year, he released his debut album with the band Daughtry, a self-titled release that will be celebrated as part of their 20 Years Unplugged Tour. The band went on to release six albums in their career, most recently Dearly Beloved in 2021. They recently released a greatest hits album, There and Back Again. They'll play at Majestic Theatre.

Sunday, November 15

Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Got the Moves
Elmo’s Got the Moves invites children and their families to sing, dance, and move along with their favorite friends from Sesame Street in a heartwarming, interactive celebration. The production features Elmo and his Sesame Street friends as they move and groove to fan-favorite songs, including "Sunny Days," "Elmo’s Got the Moves," and "Letter of the Day." Families will discover fun and playful ways to move, from yoga and jumping rope to cartwheeling and silly dance moves. The event takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Matthew Posey Celebration of Life
The local theater community lost an important member when Ochre House Theatre founder Matthew Posey died in early October. The actor/writer, who had small parts in films including No Country for Old Men and The Magnificent Seven, among others, will be celebrated at Gilley's Dallas. On Monday, Texas Theatre will host a screening of Posey’s last film, El Tonto por Cristo, with proceeds going to Ochre House Theater.

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