MOVIE REVIEW: TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA

 

A queer director making a slasher franchise sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's "final girl," leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Director: Jane Schoenbrun

Cast: Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Jack Haven, Patrick Fischler, Zach Cherry, Dylan Baker

Release Date: August 7, 2026

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and some language.

Runtime: 1h 52m

Review:

Jane Schoenbrun’s third feature film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, explores how formative genre film, slashers in particular, shape people’s journey to self-discovery in a loving, occasionally hilarious tribute/dissection.  Those expecting a straightforward slasher from Schoenbrun will be disappointed here with her focus centered on the effect of the classic slasher genre, warts and all, on a generation that grew up watching them.  The story feels incredibly personal and semi-autobiographic with Hannah Einbinder’s indie director tasked with rebooting the long dead Miasma franchise.  She offers plenty to unpack thematically which be dissected in a variety of ways but if there’s something that shines through is the genuine love of the genre even with some of its more problematic elements.  It’s clearly something that was foundational to her development and while this story feels very personal to her but it’s easy to see parallels to anyone who grew up with these violent films that had more than a healthy amount of sex in them.  Her use of a film within a film device is a clever approach to flip the perspective back and forth with the in-film sections carried by a striking Amanda Fix who naturally exudes youthful sadness and confusion paired with some of more over the top first person kills around.  The dreamlike atmosphere that’s pervaded Schoenbrun’s previous films are ever present but this film is far more playful which allows for some truly funny sequences such as a zoom pitch meeting that goes off the rails in an uber meta way or the final bloodbath that’s more slapstick than horrific.  Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson carry the film with their chemistry together serving as the beating heart of the film with both delivering eclectic but endearing turns.  Einbinder, fresh off of a different kind of May/December relationship in HBO’s Hacks, is appropriately awkward and unsure of herself as this meeting with Anderson’s reclusive star takes an unexpected course.  Anderson, sporting a Dolly Parton accent, is strangely soulful even as she serves up KFC like meal from a Michelin star restaurant, dressed like some long-forgotten heiress in a cabin.  They make for an oddly matched pair but can tell both actresses are fully committed to the roles and what Schoenbrun is trying to accomplish.  She aims to bring together so many concepts and themes it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are some choppy moments especially as shift into more meta commentary heavy in the final act.  Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma isn’t going to be for everyone, almost by design, but that doesn’t keep it from being a fascinating multifaceted film that’s got plenty to offer for those will to go on the journey.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: I SAW THE TV GLOW

 

A classmate introduces teenage Owen to a mysterious late-night TV show -- a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.

Director: Jane Schoenbrun

Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler

Release Date: May 24, 2024

Genre: Drama, Horror

Rated PG-13 for violent content, some sexual material, thematic elements and teen smoking.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Jane Schoenbrun's latest feature, I Saw the TV Glow, is another challenging arthouse piece that’s sure to earn as many fans as it frustrates with its methodical approach.  Those familiar with Schoenbrun’s style will find this film slightly more accessible than their previous films, especially with its recreation of 90s young adult TV shows.  This story within the story is one of the more intriguing approaches Schoenbrun uses in service of the larger story at play which doesn’t come into full focus until the final act.  There are plenty of allusions and clues that Schoenbrun drops along the way about the message of the film, but it works on a more universal level as well.  It’s a challenging film that will test the patience of more than a few people who will disengage from the film well before the finale.   The visuals, fourth wall breaking and multi layered, time jump approach won’t be for everyone especially as it meanders in the third act making the whole thing far longer than its run time.  Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine serve as the center of the story with each working well off each other even with the hushed, monotone exchanges employed for most of the film.  Smith’s understated, almost anesthetized delivery fits perfectly for the character while Lundy-Paine is given more range to play with as a counterpoint.  They are fascinating performances in film that’s almost overly constructed to the point of exhaustion but I Saw the TV Glow is sure to leave a wide variety of impressions from confusion, annoyance or self-reflection.  

B-