Opus (2025)

Alfred Moretti, legendary musician, is dropping his first album in almost 30 years and has invited a handful of people to join him at his ranch for an exclusive first listen over the course of a weekend. Ariel is surprised to receive an invitation as she's an entry-level journalist while the other guests are much more well-known.

As the weekend unfolded, I was put in mind of Midsommar (outsiders welcomed into an established ecosystem with an undercurrent of danger) and as the visitors started to disappear, I thought I'd nailed the reference. Ayo Edebiri as Ariel/our avatar kept it honest, reacting plausibly to each new situation and refusing to just go along to get along. That said, it was the denouement that shocked me in the best way: understanding, finally, exactly what had occurred and why was such a satisfying experience.

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