Title: Sleeping Beauty
Year: 2017
Genre: Drama
Rating: 5.4
Cast: Yuki Sakurai, Nino Furuhata, Ippei Sasaki, Masato Shinkawa, Junko Abe
Description: A hypnotic haze of beauty and dread, that's the essence of Julia Leigh's 2017 "Sleeping Beauty." This isn't your childhood fairytale; it's a descent into a world of controlled desire and unsettling power dynamics. The film masterfully uses its languid pacing to build a palpable sense of unease, drawing the viewer into the protagonist's increasingly precarious situation. While the visuals are stunning, the true power lies in the ambiguity. Leigh expertly avoids easy answers, leaving the audience to grapple with complex themes of exploitation, consent, and the seductive nature of forbidden fruit. The film's exploration of female agency within a male-dominated environment is both disturbing and thought-provoking, lingering long after the credits roll. "Sleeping Beauty" isn't for the faint of heart, but for those seeking a challenging and intellectually stimulating cinematic experience, it's a must-see.