Jan 31, 2009

My Favorite Movie of 2008: Repo! The Genetic Opera

Last night Jeremy and I returned some videos to Rocket Video where Darren Lynn Bousman and Bill Moseley were appearing for a DVD signing of Repo! The Genetic Opera, my favorite film of 2008.

Repo! The Genetic Opera signing

Jeremy, a fan of Bill's, took me to see it at Laemmle's a few months back. I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't heard a single thing about it! However, I immediately fell in love as soon as it started. The visual effects, costumes, sets, and songs were all stunning. Its originality in style and delivery absolutely blew my mind.

Repo! The Genetic Opera is a musical about a futuristic city where patients can get organ transplants on a payment plan. However, if the patient fails to pay of his or her debt, the repoman shows up to collect the organ. Sounds kind of gruesome, I know, but it says a lot about capitalism and the tremendous badness that can arise from privatized healthcare.

Albeit dark, the film is also fun. The whole mise en scen is wild, it's the most unique film I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot of films!).

I don't want to give too much away in case you see it (which I hope you do), but I will say this: It has been compared to Rocky Horror. It is no Rocky Horror. Rocky Horror is a campy film about sex. The only similarities are it's darkness, stylized look, and musical nature. The film has also been panned, namely, it seems, for not really being like any other film ever made. I don't know why Hollywood has to put a stamp on every film. I don't know why new films have to remind you of such and such meets so and so. It seems that studio folk fear the truly unique vision of such a film, but I applaud it! How many remakes and sequels can one really watch? How many times have you sat through a supposedly new movie only to realize that it echoes so many before it?

So go check out Repo! The Genetic Opera. I command you!

Btw, if you're curious about my least favorite film of 2008: Rachel Getting Married wins hands down. Did that movie even have a plot? And what was the deal with all the Indian themes? It tied to nothing in the story!