Like the diry movie RJ wanted to make, X transcends the genre.

I saw this originally on SVOD but when it (*finally*) came to Paris -- one day *after* Halloween and on only one theater!? (why does France hate Ti West / A24?) -- I leaped at the chance to see it on the big screen and holy fuck am I glad I did.

West's directing here is flawless. I was already a fan of his work after his 2013 found footage flick The Sacrement, but X is next level.

The are edits like the lemonade scene, juxtaposing sex and death. There's the Chekhov's alligator, the amazing angles, the mini-flash forwards, the (sometimes subtle, sometimes overt) references to classic horror like Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre... A true delight for the eyes and mind from beginning to end.

What I appreciated as well was how West held off on the gore until the third act, which adds a sense of drama to the film and makes it more than just another slasher flick. Still, when he goes there -- and he goes there hard -- the gore is gasp-out-loud good.

X is not only the best horror film I've seen this year, it's the best horror I've seen in years.