Introduction:
Welcome back to CineVibez Magazine! I’ve seen enough this year to start working on the Archie’s Awards nominations, but we’re going to stretch the surprises out over a few months. In CineVibez Magazine Issue #4, I’ll announce the categories and nominees for the Second Annual Archie Awards. There may be a few issues covering 2024 movies, recent watches, the Oscars, and other award ceremonies between the nominations and the winner’s issue, but expect the results sometime in February or March, 2024.
I saw a lot of movies between now and last issue, so let’s get started. This issue, we’re going to talk about Haunting Vibes, Hopeful Vibes, and Influential Vibes.
Haunted Vibes:
Personal Shopper (2016 - Mubi):

I watched Personal Shopper on Mubi this week. It’s one of my favorite Kristen Stewart performances. Here’s the basic plot:
Kristen Stewart plays Maureen, a woman who recently lost her twin brother, Lewis, to a congenital heart disease; it is a diagnosis she shares with Lewis. And by the way, the twins dabbled in the dark arts as spiritual mediums. In that regard, they agreed that the first one to die will communicate with the surviving twin about the other side. This leaves Maureen stuck in Paris (where Lewis died) waiting for Lewis’ otherwordly message. While she waits, Maureen makes ends meet as a personal shopper for a rich Parisian socialite.
I liked this movie, but mostly as a showcase for Kristen’s acting chops. The editing was a little sloppy. The script could have been tighter; although it felt too rushed at the same time. I think the source of the problem was a failure to clearly explain the mystery of who’s texting. The ambiguity may be intentional, but remove the CGI ghosts if that’s the goal.
Vibe-wise, this movie is a treat! I know in my heart that Maureen would subscribe to CineVibez HQ. Here’s how she describes her job as a medium:
“Being a medium is a vibe, like an intuition, a feeling … it’s seeing the door ajar.”
Ripped straight from a thesaurus, this line says so little; nor does it make much sense. Anyway, more importantly, Kristen mentioned vibes! I appreciate the endorsement.
Personal Shopper conjures up Haunted Vibes (Letterboxd list coming soon). We learn about Maureen’s side job as a medium early on in the movie. And we see a real ghost! It’s clear Maureen is being haunted in a literal sense and ghosts are probably real in this world, but she’s also haunted by her grief, her own mortality, and an inability to start moving forward. Maureen avoids real-world interactions by focusing on communicating with her dead brother. It’s not like she has nobody, either. Her boyfriend begs her to visit, but Maureen “has to see this through.” And her sister-in-law’s patience with Maureen’s obsession is wearing thin.
I selected Haunted Vibes over Spooky Vibes because I felt more disconnected from reality than scared. I attribute that feeling to Kristen Stewart’s acting. Hey body language screams disgust with everyone around her. I think she says two words in French … in France.
Maureen buries herself in her phone researching the afterlife and texting with her dead brother or a horny pervert - no one really explains. Or did I miss that? Did the movie confirm it was the brother? Automatic Door ghosting is a real thing; there have been lawsuits about it. So that one scene you’re thinking about doesn’t mean anything.
Maureen’s job is perfect because it lets her manage another person’s life while she ignores her own. She even takes it to looney tune levels when she raid’s her boss’s closet to try on luxury clothes and lingerie. In case you didn’t get the analogy, we get hit over the head with a fun masturbation scene.
The Haunted Vibes arise out of the way grief is shown, along with a dark, slow but restless aesthetic that really sets the mood. This is a great movie for a rainy day.
This movie shows texting in the old-school way, which was hit or miss. But, I really liked the tension created by using airplane mode on your cell. I won’t spoil the scene, but it’s effective and a lot of fun. Personally, I prefer showing the actual gadgets over weird, goofy CGI images on screen. Decision to Leave may be the best depiction of how we interact with our gadgets, but Personal Shopper isn’t bad. “Read receipts” broke my suspension of disbelief for a bit because come on, who does that? Every Frame a Painting has an excellent summary of texting on film here.
Hopeful Vibes:
Godzilla Minus One (2023 - Marcus Theaters)
I’m merging Godzilla Minus One and The Boy and the Heron because the core message of both films is that life is worth living. Both films are powerfully moving and inspirational; like a light shining on darkness.

I previously wrote about Godzilla Minus One (2023) in the context of blockbuster films here. But, more importantly, this is a film about hopefulness and choosing life. The movie rewrites the ending to Godzilla (1954) where Serizawa, the inventor of the weapon that takes down Godzilla, unnecessarily sacrifices himself for the greater good. The filmmakers assumed audiences would find his sacrifice admirable, but was it necessary? No - it definitely was not necessary. He totally could’ve survived. I won’t describe how Godzilla Minus One changes the ending, but it chooses life over pride and honor. For that reason alone, it’s soaked in Hopeful Vibes.
The Boy and the Heron (2023 - Alamo Drafthouse, dubs)
Similarly, the highly anticipated The Boy and the Heron (2023) had a hopeful message. This issue’s recurring concepts of grief, loss, and feeling untethered from your life shine brightly The Boy and the Heron, a story about mortality and living life fearlessly and accepting things as they are. More practically speaking, the plot is about a boy struggling to move forward after losing his mother. However, its Hayao Miyazaki - so you’ll also get a taking heron voiced by Rob Pattinson who will guide you on a magical journey inside a tower to see your dead mother.

I selected hopeful vibes for this movie because it gives you hope in having the strength to endure and live the life in front of you. It also warns you not to get trapped by nostalgia and the past. The movie doesn’t represent hope that your dreams will come true, but it does represent a hopefulness that you have what it takes to embrace the life in front of you.
Influential Vibes:
Ferrari (2023 - Alamo Drafthouse)
Ferrari, Maestro, The Iron Claw, and Eileen display Influential Vibes by focusing on the raw, charismatic power of four individuals: Enzo Ferrari, Leonard Bernstein, Fritz Von Erich, and Rebecca Saint John.

Ferrari’s influential vibes come from Adam Driver’s depiction of Enzo Ferrari. He plays Enzo as a somewhat dopey, out-of-touch dad with tunnel vision. Half his dialogue is corny jokes, but that’s part of what pulls others into his orbit. He makes you feel safe and motivated as long as you’re willing to ignore reality. I think that’s partially why Mann showed Enzo’s most vulnerable moments around his kids. They’re the least likely to judge or question him. Those scenes also helped create a light, almost easy-going vibe early in the film - which is a film about race cars by the way. But it really felt like a classic gangster movie where all the wise guys are hanging out on the sidewalk. Only later do you realize everyone is just taking a cue from the all-powerful Enzo.
We see what happens when powerful men remain unchecked by the end of the movie. The Mille Miglia crash is violent and in-your-face - a prominent contrast from the rest of the film. Filmmakers can depict power and influence a lot of different ways, but I really like how Michael Mann shows Enzo Ferrari’s power. He is already established as a man so powerful that he has little to no worries; I suspect this is why Enzo gives his pals noogies and says they smell like skunks (I don’t know if that’s really from the movie). He knows he is invincible, so he exudes this cool, calm confidence. But the dad jokes still work because he’s an out-of-touch rich guy.
Maestro (2023 - Netflix)

Next, Maestro (2023) gives us another out-of-touch rich guy. The film opens with an elderly Leonard Bernstein reflecting on his marriage to his deceased wife, Felicia Montealegre. The camera subsequently cuts to the past - a black-and-white shot of a young “Lenny” in his bed when he receives a call to conduct his first symphony. The very next scene cuts the symphony hall and the pace only picks up from there.
Going forward, the pacing is almost melodic in the black-and-white scenes. I like to think that’s because the sequence represents Lenny’s romanticized memories of his time with Felicia. However, it also aptly represents Lenny’s need to experience everything and everyone. His life goes a mile-a-minute, and like Enzo, anyone caught in his orbit gets sucked in. Where Enzo uses dumb jokes, Lenny uses a shimmering wink, wit, and an ability to suck the life out of everyone in a room but himself. Frequently, the camera focuses on Felicia walking away from Lenny, off to the side of Lenny, or literally in Lenny’s shadow. I think all four Influential Vibes movies share this: orbiting “greatness” is not worth the price.
You’re going to get caught up in Lenny’s influential vibes even as a member of the viewing audience. Cooper’s face-paced, rhythmic shots, coupled with the awe-inspiring Bernstein music catalogue, kept you loving every minute of the movie. I felt pure joy throughout this film … especially during the Elys Cathedral performance. So, yes, this film has strong influential vibes, but it also made me feel inspired, hopeful, and joyful; I was moved to tears more than once.
The Iron Claw (2023 - Alamo Drafthouse)
The Iron Claw (2023) is a hidden gem this award season. I’m shocked that its not getting more attention than it is. This A24 indie melodrama tells the story of the Von Erich Family Curse. The Von Erichs are a multigenerational family of professional wrestlers - many of whom met untimely, unnatural demises. The story focuses on the curse’s impact on Kevin Von Erich, one of the few survivors.

The film does an excellent job of showing us the story instead of telling us the story. There is rarely any exposition, but you know exactly what Kevin is dealing with. You also know what - or who - is the true cause of the “family curse.” Fritz Von Erich captures people in his orbit with charisma and charm, obviously. He’s a pro wrestler who excited crowds regularly. But he also used fear, violence, and neglect to keep control over his sons. He also relied on a twisted concept of familial pride to ensure his sons did what he never could - become a world champion.
The Iron Claw is a very emotional film. It has sad, melancholy vibes and may even go well with Past Lives and Passages. But there’s also this beautiful sense of hopefulness and genuine pride - not the b.s. pride Fritz peddled - you feel for Kevin by the end of the movie. That doesn’t happen without Zac Efron. I am so glad he is playing Kevin - there’s something so sad about Zac Efron that really works. Maybe its his eyes - he’s got those Brendan Fraser eyes. But, there’s also a weird, almost pathetic form of sincerity in his face. You want to root for the guy so badly.
I’m labeling The Iron Claw under Influential Vibes because of the father’s influence and control over his family. That’s what drove the plot. Kevin’s story wrestles with our relationship and response to that kind of power. The Iron Claw is one of the best movies of the year.
Eileen (2023 - Alamo Drafthouse)

Finally, I’m including Eileen in the Influential Vibes list. The film shows us what can happen to the people who get caught in a powerful person’s orbit. Thomasin McKenzie plays the titular Eileen, a secretary at the local prison. She spends most her days masturbating in holding cells and waiting rooms until the new prison psychiatrist - Rebecca Saint John played by Anne Hathaway - enters her life. Saint John has a fast-paced, over-the-top lifestyle just like the three powerful men discussed above. She quickly drags Eileen into her life with seduction and attention. And, also like the three men above, Saint John wields her charm over Eileen as long as its advancing her interests.
Here, the vibes are a bit more fun and seductive than the other three movies. I think the best way to describe the movie is as a neo-noir dark comedy psychological thriller. It’s set in the 1960s around a small Massachusetts town where Hathaway’s Saint John sticks out like a sore thumb. Eileen is probably the weakest of the four Influential Vibe movies, but it’s good for the end of a rough day.
Cult Recommendation:
I Drink Your Blood (1970 - Arrow)




I recently watched I Drink Your Blood on Arrow’s streaming service. I think it may have been Christmas morning, which is a little odd. This is a fun, crazy movie. Basically, these poser Satanists get stuck in a small town and cause mischief. A little kid takes revenge by giving the Satanists meat pies laced with rabies. It turns into your standard zombie infection movie, but it’s thick with sleaze and camp. You could even argue that the pandemic elevates this movie a little. It certainly captures our collective fears in April of 2020. Watch it if you’re looking for sleazy, campy vibes.
Conclusion:
I’ll start Letterboxd Lists for Haunted, Hopeful, and Powerful Vibes this weekend. I need to get better with that. And before wrapping a bow on 2023, I need to see American Fiction and The Zone of Interest. American Fiction is showing nearby next week, so I should see it soon. I still don’t know when I’ll be able to see The Zone of Interest. Lips sealed if you send me a screener.
Expect the return of my annual Sundance Film Festival issue sometime in late January or early February. Our Sundance issues were well-received last year, so I’m very excited to bring it back. I got the 10 film online package, so let me know you have any recommendations for the movies showing online.
CineVibez HQ is growing rapidly, so expect lots of fun and exciting surprising in 2024!
See you next year,
Murray