Film: Vox Lox

Celeste is a 13-year-old music prodigy who survives a horrific school shooting in Staten Island, N.Y., in 1999. Her talent shines through during the memorial service when she sings a song that touches the hearts of the mourners. Guided by her sister and a talent manager, the young phenom transforms into a rising pop star with a promising future. Eighteen years later, Celeste now finds herself on the comeback trail when a scandal, personal struggles and the pitfalls of fame threaten her career.

“‘Vox Lux’ gripped me from its first sequence and didn’t let go until the end. I was left drained, but also feeling a little bit empty. This is not a complaint. The hollowed-out sensation ‘Vox Lux’ gave me, especially its final sequence, was far more interesting to me than something clearly laid-out, with a message or a resolution. “I don’t want people to think too much. I just want them to feel good,” says 15-year-old Celeste. It occurs to me that the effect of ‘Vox Lux’ was exactly the opposite.”
-Sheila O’Malley ‘rogerebert.com‘