This prequel to X stars Mia Goth as a young woman stuck on the farmstead of her parents while her husband is off fighting in WWI, Pearl yearns to break free and starts an affair with the projectionist at the local movie theater… while also experiencing her own dark desires. X is an impressive genre exercise but PEARL is something else altogether—a slasher origin story told with the color palate of a Douglas Sirk melodrama.

Double Feature with X

“With Pearl, writer-director Ti West both embraces and elevates what horror movies can do, in a way that further solidifies his standing as one of the best things to ever happen to the genre.” – Phil Pirrello, AV Club