Zola

So now we have come to the point were we are making movies based on a Twitter feed?

No shade being thrown here, as this movie proves a good story is a good story and this was a good story so I give props to the original source.

It's got suspense and its got humor and just a bunch of insane characters.

It's like Spring breakers only at 11.

Highly enjoyable.

This movie is fun and the aesthetic choices were bold and always interesting. On top of that, the performances from the two leads were great and altogether believable. But what was the purpose of this film and what did it have to say? It goes at a break neck speed for 80 minutes and then just stops- there really is no pacing or story arc. Like the social media cycle it follows, we wont remember this story after very long.

Zola is one of those movies where you either love it or hate it. I had many struggles with it early on as i couldn't quite grasp what it was going for. There are a lot of uncomfortable moments relating to prostitution which are quite disturbing but on the other hand, some genuine comedic scenes shine through. The part where they do the @Stefani was hilarious and some physical comedy like the boyfriend jumping from the beach house and seeing the aftermath are really well done. A mixed bag with another great characterization from Riley Keough.

A recent release whose backstory is probably more interesting than the film which was made. Published as a Rolling Stone article from a series of tweets a little while back, a professional pole dancer (no stripping, please!) embarked w/a newly minted friend for a wild weekend in Florida to hit some poles, make some money & have a helluva good time to tell about. The mirth turns however when the new bae expects her to participate tricking in hotels along the sandy strip w/a menacing pimp & her doofus of a boyfriend watch on. Starring Taylour Paige (from the also recent Boogie) & Riley Keough (Elvis Presley's granddaughter) as the mismatched ladies of the night, the film gets a lot of mileage from its premise which only flounders when things get a bit too real for the startled Paige who stays out of the action for the most part, only to step up when she feels Keough is selling herself (sorry!) too short. Also starring the mercurial Coleman Domingo as the pimp, Nicholas Braun (currently on HBO's Succession) as the dimwitted beau & Jason Mitchell (Easy E from Straight Outta Compton) as a Florida denizen who tries to make a move on Keough (who is making a solid career playing character roles in indie films, remember her as the pig girl in Magic Mike?).

I really liked this movie. It tells the story which the screenplay was made from the real life tweets from one of the characters.

A chance meeting of two girls in a diner ends up with a trip from Michigan to Florida with one taking her boyfriend and "roommate" and her new friend "Zola" to do some pole dancing for a few days then back. What it turns out is far more dark and somewhat deadly.

Note the tweet sounds in the movie alongside the narrative, quite graphic in parts but for me it was justified as it added to the quick decent both girls found themselves in.

This movie is a good one to watch as a public information ad, some teenagers should definitely watch it to be warned how easy it is to get trapped in a situation with little room for a way out.