Pearl II: Double Feature To Death

Pearl II (subtitled Double Feature To Death and also known as Pearl: An X-traordinary Sequel) is a 2024 American musical psychological thriller film directed by Ti West, co-written by West and Mia Goth, who reprises her role as the title character, and featuring Evan Peters, Lily Sullivan, Jake Picking, Tandi Wright and Sophie Lowe in supporting roles. A sequel to Pearl (2022) and the fourth and last installment in the X film series, it serves as a conclusion of the origin story for the title villain, whose aspiration to become a movie star led her to committing violent acts on her family's Texas homestead in 1918.

Plot
After the horrifying incidents of the last chapter, Pearl (Mia Goth) reveals her violent and disturbing nature to Howard (Evan Peters), who soon shows that he feels the same. The couple live their demanted but passionate love until Howard get tired of that life and suddenly when he knows that a new war is coming, he'll leave the farm again, for Pearl's discontent, letting her with his cousin, Nellie (Lily Sullivan), as company. Pearl soon gets more haunted by her mother's ghost, as well as all the crimes she commited, but is unable to tell anyone, what makes Nellie confused. Pearl so adopts a pig and gives her a name: Ruth, likes her mother (Tendi Wright). She decide to enroll the animal in a agricultural contest in a state fair and, after Ruth gain recognition, Pearl gets jealous. Pearl tries to get some renown, but fails brutally and crashes. Beyond that, a investigator (Jake Picking) tries to find some informations from that place. The movie ends with Pearl hugging Nellie, but as the camera left, is implied that she kills her relative.

Theme
The movie deals with Pearl's paranoia of loneliness, envy, regret, sexual repression, brutality and fears about the future and her own persona in society. She compares herself a lot with Nellie, Howard's cousin, and wonder why she can't be like her, showing her insecurities about social performances and moral decisions. The movie is more naturalist in theme, approaching the characters from animals.

Cast

 * Mia Goth as Pearl Perkins, an obsessive woman with violent tendencies and ilegal behaviour.
 * Evan Peters as Howard Perkins, a patriotic man who decides to go to the new war to defend his country.
 * Lily Sullivan as Nellie Perkins, the sweet Howard's cousin who stays with Pearl to give her a company.
 * Jake Picking as The Investigator, a man that find suspicious the farm's aura.
 * Tandi Wright as Ruth, the daunting Pearl's mom who always come in paranoia form.
 * Sophie Lowe as Dorothy Collins, an emotional nurse who face the malicious side of Pearl.

Singing Songs
For this movie, three songs were written to resemble the final dance act of the previous chapter. Benj Pasek e Justin Paul were hired to create songs. The duo is famous to make songs to theatrical musicals like "La La Land" and "The Greatest Showman".

The first song is sung by Pearl in the start of the film. Titled "Dreams Came True", the song is a satire about the previous chapter ending, whose Pearl accepts the ominous fate that was comming to her.

The second song is titled "Happy Melody" and is sung by Pearl in the fair presentation. It's a upbeat melody that faces Pearl's delusional and childlike personality.

The final song starts in the movie ending and it's credits. Titled "Rainbows & Castles", the song is the only one to not be interpreted by Pearl, being sung by Sophie Lowe. It's a melancholic melody that use references to "Wizard of Oz" to describe the end of a dreaming person.

Soundtrack
By Tyler Bates and Tim Williams, the first who create the wonderful soundtrack for all the X franchise films, the new installment follows new tracks by the duo.

Pearl - OST Album
The official album for the film soundtrack was released at October 23th, 2024, to promote the movie release.

Trivia

 * This movie finally confirm Pearl's surname: Perkins. Although is her married surname.
 * It is probably a reference to Anthony Perkins, the actor who starred in "Psycho", a movie that inspired the sequel and also follows the story of a paranoic and pyscho character who has mommy issues.
 * The movies that inspired the concepts of this sequel are: "Pyscho", "Wizard of Oz", "Mary Poppins", "Charlotte's Web" and "Pyscho II".
 * Howard is the only character to not be played by the same actor in all installments that he is in.
 * He's played by Stephen Ure in 'X', Alistair Sewell in 'Pearl' and Evan Peters in 'Pearl II'.