Tommy Sebrets
@TommySebrets
Jonathan Doe leaves his emetophilia fetish films (if you don't know what that is, you're better off) to interview the infamous "Selfie Killer" in this compelling documentary. Amanda was leading a troubled life when she married Rex Taylor. They bonded over grindcore music, "Natural Born Killers," and writing serial killers in prison. Amanda gave birth to two children, one was Rex's, and they tried to create a family as they suffered the throes of addiction. Rex eventually committed suicide, and Amanda tried to grieve without really knowing how. She blamed Rex's father Charles for Rex's death, and stabbed him thirty-one times, taking a selfie with the body and posting it online afterward. She then went on the run with her new boyfriend, shooting him too, before being arrested and thrown in prison for the rest of her life. The entire film is the video call interview between Doe and Taylor, with some footage of the locations that the Taylors would be at, and the outside of the house where the murder took place. Doe is a very calm, complacent, almost monotone interviewer, and he lets Amanda tell her story with few interruptions- and what a story it is. I empathized, but did not sympathize, with Amanda. This is a deeply troubled woman suffering from mental illness. To say that she blames everyone but herself for her crimes and problems would be an understatement. I felt bad for everyone involved in this situation, especially Amanda's two children, as well as the victims of her crimes. This is not a jazzy "Dateline" episode, the production is bare bones to the detriment of the viewer. Doe gives Amanda a platform to speak, and Amanda contradicts herself again and again- not factually, she admits what she did, but about her feelings and thoughts of what she put people through. Amanda is photogenic and it's easy to see why some men would be attracted to her, but it seems she had three strikes against her before she got a chance to start living her life. The film bogs down a bit in the middle, I took three days to complete it since listening to Amanda's twisted outlook on her life would depress anyone. Hoping to see her late husband in hell is not a goal anyone should have. Regretting not shooting up a parade is also a regret no one else should have. I didn't pity or like Amanda, but letting her talk uninterrupted, and wondering how much of what she said was the same manipulation she learned to be an expert at in jail, took up most of my thinking process during the film. I wish Doe had tightened up his film, and given some much needed background. Searching for Amanda Taylor online brings up dozens of videos and stories about what she did, she's almost turned her murder into a cottage industry. Once again, the killer becomes the celebrity and the victims are forgotten. Contains strong violence references, some explicit gore, very strong adult situations, strong drug and alcohol references
