High Life by Claire Denis (2018)

High Life by Claire Denis (2018) is a science fiction movie that is really a lot of other things.  This film is a true original.  The flashbacks and flashforwards are able to be gentle and jarring.  You see Robert Pattinson alone on a space station with a baby.  How did this happen? Flashback, the space station is full of others, you learn that they are all convicts, including the ship’s doctor played by Juliette Binoche. Her performance is so open and free.  There are also many chilling reveals about all the cast on board.  It is an international cast including a baby Mia Goth.  It makes you question the idea of prisons and how some people can be changed by people they are confined with and their environment.  There are a finite number of choices you can make as you hurtle through space. Though there is not much dialog and it is sparing, this film has a lot to say.

Chapter & Scene is your daily stop for cozy, intelligent reviews of books, movies, and TV shows. Each weekday we share a short, spoiler-free recommendation designed to help you discover your next great story. Whether you’re looking for a novel to curl up with, a binge-worthy series, or a film worth watching, our reviews combine thoughtful insight with genuine enthusiasm for storytelling. Subscribe to get fresh reviews delivered straight to your inbox, and explore our growing archive of book and screen recommendations.