Sundance: In ‘Opus,’ John Malkovich plays a pop star in a sloppy slasher that spills blood and ink

The story unfolds around a secluded rural estate in the ’90s, where the elusive pop sensation Moretti (John Malkovich) has extended an exclusive and ultimately violent invitation to six journalists for a listening party of his long-awaited first album in 27 years. Among the invited guests is budding writer Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), who shares similar aspirations as the ambitious young chef from “The Bear”. Despite her lowly position on the entertainment magazine’s staff, Ariel dreams that reporting about notable figures will reflect some of their fame onto her own career. Even her semi-boyfriend (Young Mazino) finds her uninteresting.