martinyjonsson

I just rewatched this movie in the year 2025, making it just about 25 years after it's release.

It was satire back then and through a very surprising twist of fate it's still satire in the current (for me) year of 2025.

It's a very funny, albeit dark, satire of everyday life in a rural town. Remove the part about the pageants and replace it with something with an equal "weight" you come close to life in a rural town basically anywhere.

It's witty, funny and slightly awkward in a great way that holds up 25 years later and I'm happy I rewatched it. And the actors really honed in on the small town awkardness that people has sometimes when thrust into interviews, as an example.

Stålenhag's artstyle is unique, interesting and captivating. Mostly because it depicts idyllic landscapes combined with a mysterious kind of sci-fi. It's evocative. Unique.

The Electric State does not capture that at all, it takes all of the beauty of Stålenhags art and makes it so, so, bland. There's none of the mystery, nothing feels really special and I feel that the world lacks the environmental storytelling that makes Stålenhags artwork amazing.

The story itself was amazingly bland and boring. As well as predictable.

If you want something great in Simon's world, watch Tales from the Loop.