Excalibur (1981): All That Glitters IS Gold... Kinda?

Okay, so I finally watched Excalibur (1981). I've been putting it off forever 'cause, like, medieval fantasy isn't usually my thing, but figured I should branch out. And wow, it's... something. Definitely not your typical horror/thriller, but the vibes, man. The whole movie feels drenched in some kind of weird, beautiful nightmare logic. Visually, it's stunning. Seriously, that shot of Excalibur rising from the lake? Iconic. And the armor, the landscapes... just pure eye candy. But what REALLY got me was the whole Merlin/Morgana dynamic. Nicol Williamson just chews scenery as Merlin, and Helen Mirren? Forget about it. She's terrifyingly sexy as Morgana, especially when she's plotting to corrupt Arthur's kingdom. I think she might be my favorite villain, ever! The whole incest storyline was... uh... a LOT, even for me. Like, I actually had to cover my eyes at that part, lol. My biggest complaint is that the pacing is super weird. It kinda jumps around a lot, and I wasn't always sure what was going on politically between the different factions. Plus, some of the acting is pretty hammy. Like, really hammy. But honestly, that just adds to the movie's charm in a strange way? It's so over-the-top that it becomes almost comical. Overall, I'd say check it out if you're in the mood for something visually gorgeous and batshit crazy. Not a straight-up horror, but definitely has some seriously dark and disturbing themes running through it. Prepare to be confused, maybe a little bit disturbed, but also totally mesmerized. 4/5 stars from this movie nerd!