Parents' Guide to Opus

This satirical horror thriller about the cult of celebrity doesn't quite come together in a cohesive way—it lacks focus—but there are enough good moments to make it worth a look. The feature writing and directing debut of Mark Anthony Green (a former editor at GQ Magazine), Opus points its fangs at entertainment journalists, who are given lots of perks and enviable access; at rock stars, who get incalculable rewards for making popular music; and at cult mentality itself. But it fails to make much of a point. (There's an ironic ending that is meant to make our heads explode, but instead it seems to drift away into the void.)

Midsommar did the cult thing far better, while Heretic did the megalomaniac-toying-with-his-hostages thing far better. But Opus still has the wonderful Edebiri, who brings a welcome touch of her "Sydney" character from The Bear to this role. Ariel can be shy and insecure, but she's also brave and strong enough to stand up when it's important. And Opus also has Malkovich, a rather unlikely casting choice to play a Michael Jackson/David Bowie/Prince/Jay-Z-type who still manages to exude a kind of intimidating star quality. The two stars' scenes together can be funny and electric, especially when Ariel manages to ask Moretti genuine questions, rather than just "interview" questions. And there's a sense of adventure as this trip into the unknown regions of superstardom offers a bit of a tickle. Opus may not be a masterpiece like Moretti promises, but it's a mostly catchy little tune, and you can dance to it.