Some of the Film in Revolt team watched Jesse Eisenberg’s latest film Vivarium staying at home last week.
‘Vivarium is a fever dream of a movie, trapping viewers into an absurd and claustrophobic limbo that is both mundane and horrifying, thus becoming a chilling reflection of our own self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic’.
‘Finnegan revamps suburbia, where it becomes an effective conduit for a dense examination of the contemporary world.’ read more from Bonnie.
‘Surreal and haunting, the winding roads and carbon-copy green houses are a fantastic set. Its neatness turns the commercial edge of the suburbs into a barren dystopia.’
‘The dystopia is grounded in musings of the way contemporary society values home ownership; a fairy tale laced with financial debt and loss. The director states “the social contract is a strange and invisible agreement that we flutter towards like moths to a flame”, and as he enters this discussion of how commercial and personal worlds might collide, the sci-fi genre offers a fitting lens for comparing these ideas of perfection and imperfection. It’s definitely worth a watch.’ read more from Madison.
‘The film is undeniably a creepy take on “ideal living”, reaching Twilight Zone heights of eeriness throughout.’
‘Finnegan was able to convey his vision perfectly to his crew as the production design, cinematography and editing all complemented each other in a surreal and creepy blend. I am excited to see what he creates next.’ read more from Michael.
Vivarium launched 16 April on Google Play, iTunes, Fetch and Umbrella Entertainment and will be available via Foxtel’s On Demand service from May 6.