15 Best Movies Of 2019 (So Far)

12. Climax

Climax Noe
A24

At this point, if you see a new Gaspar Noe film you should know exactly what you’re getting. Namely, a lot of horrible violence, abhorrent characters, patriotic French messaging, and probably somebody jerking off directly down the lens of the camera (potentially in 3D).

Climax has all the button-pushing hallmarks the director is known for, but after a couple of sprawling, two-and-a-half hour epics, reigns them in with a far tighter focus and a simpler plot. That being, what would happen if a talented but abrasive dance group were locked in a building and someone spiked their punch with loads of LSD?

From the dance sequences to the claustrophobic confrontations between the drugged-up starlets, Gasper Noe’s camera always remains floaty and ethereal, itself threatening to become as unhinged as these characters. It’s unrepentantly nasty, but a great, inspired horror once it gets going.

[JB]

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WhatCulture's former COO, veteran writer and editor.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.