I Saw the TV Glow (2024) review

Seventh grade student Owen (Ian Foreman as a kid, then Justice Smith the rest of the way) meets introverted high school freshman Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and the two "bond" over late night TV program "The Pink Opaque" (starring Helena Howard, musician Lindsey Jordan and Emma Portner) but as years pass Maddy becomes determined to leave town (she's emotionally wrecked after a girl she has feelings for dates a boy and bad-mouths her) and once she vanishes, the show (which looks like something you might see on cable access that was shot with camcorders) mysteriously gets cancelled.  The visual design - which uses neon and shadows effectively - is striking and Schoenbrun has a strong appreciation for experimental filmmakers (Lynch, Méliès, the Kuchars, Cronenberg, etc.), but the movie is overwhelmed by its own abstractions: the director believes her moody atmosphere (filled with indie songs) is enough to carry the feature, but working on basic storytelling elements such as adequate character development and meaningful dialogue would have also been quite beneficial.  Some critics (and the filmmaker) have referred to it as a "trans allegory" - apparently referring to Maddy's uncertainty regarding her gender identity - but I don't find that to be remotely clear, and it seems to be more about the anxiety that becomes more intense when facing the prospect of "getting older" ... which is a very common Gen Z concern.  As for the point that becoming an adult "alters" one's view of childhood pleasures: it's called nostalgia, buddy ... that time has passed.