Alex Goldman

Basic instinct. We have to go there. It's sort of the apex of the genre. It was released in 1992. It's directed by Paul Verhoeven, who's really the master at this. And he has Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, so great cast. She plays a novelist whose boyfriend is stabbed to death with an ice pick in circumstances that are very similar to a novel she herself has written.

And he's the detective on the case who wisely decides to fall in love with her.

And he's the detective on the case who wisely decides to fall in love with her.

And he's the detective on the case who wisely decides to fall in love with her.

Indeed, yes. Very polarizing for a reason.

Indeed, yes. Very polarizing for a reason.

Indeed, yes. Very polarizing for a reason.

You think it's a good movie? I think it's a great movie. I think it holds up. It is absurd. It is over the top, but it knows what it's doing. I think it's playing with the tropes in a fun way.

You think it's a good movie? I think it's a great movie. I think it holds up. It is absurd. It is over the top, but it knows what it's doing. I think it's playing with the tropes in a fun way.

You think it's a good movie? I think it's a great movie. I think it holds up. It is absurd. It is over the top, but it knows what it's doing. I think it's playing with the tropes in a fun way.

is one of controversy. What is it? Eyes Wide Shut, the Stanley Kubrick film. Right. Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, once again, back in the erotics-related space.

is one of controversy. What is it? Eyes Wide Shut, the Stanley Kubrick film. Right. Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, once again, back in the erotics-related space.

is one of controversy. What is it? Eyes Wide Shut, the Stanley Kubrick film. Right. Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, once again, back in the erotics-related space.

It is about a lot. And, you know, I think audiences at the time didn't quite know what to do with it because it was marketed as a conventional erotic thriller. And it will not shock you to learn that Stanley Kubrick's take on this genre is a little more esoteric. But Tom Cruise is playing this doctor, Bill Hofford, whose wife, Nicole Kidman, confesses to fantasies about another man.

It is about a lot. And, you know, I think audiences at the time didn't quite know what to do with it because it was marketed as a conventional erotic thriller. And it will not shock you to learn that Stanley Kubrick's take on this genre is a little more esoteric. But Tom Cruise is playing this doctor, Bill Hofford, whose wife, Nicole Kidman, confesses to fantasies about another man.

It is about a lot. And, you know, I think audiences at the time didn't quite know what to do with it because it was marketed as a conventional erotic thriller. And it will not shock you to learn that Stanley Kubrick's take on this genre is a little more esoteric. But Tom Cruise is playing this doctor, Bill Hofford, whose wife, Nicole Kidman, confesses to fantasies about another man.

And he spirals as a result of this information, I think it's fair to say. Yeah. And a friend of his tells him about a secret party. He sneaks in and finds out that it's an orgy with dangerous consequences for those involved.

And he spirals as a result of this information, I think it's fair to say. Yeah. And a friend of his tells him about a secret party. He sneaks in and finds out that it's an orgy with dangerous consequences for those involved.

And he spirals as a result of this information, I think it's fair to say. Yeah. And a friend of his tells him about a secret party. He sneaks in and finds out that it's an orgy with dangerous consequences for those involved.

It's a rare occurrence, and I think it means something. What does it mean, do you suppose? You know, if two divergent critical sensibilities can find something to admire in this film, then maybe it should be vindicated by history.