MAPS to the Stars is a stinging satirical rebuke to the excesses of Hollywood, as seen through the eyes of a director who has made a career out of rejecting the mainstream. David Cronenberg is no stranger to controversial subject matter (Naked Lunch, 1991) and even though his more recent movies (A History of Violence, 2005; Eastern Promises, 2007) have a broader appeal, no one will ever accuse him of pandering to the masses.

We always suspected that Hollywood insiders live in a world of their own, but Maps to the Stars takes that concept to depraved new heights (or depths, depending on your point of view). While it recalls a roster of well-known films about tortured souls in an industry that punishes any kind of weakness (Sunset Boulevard, The Player), Maps has a vicious edge and cruel humour that few directors would dare bring to the table.

Cronenberg doesn't always succeed with his new movie, but he sure gets credit for trying. The story, written by Bruce Wagner, starts off in familiar territory before veering off into the unknown. In Cronenberg's book, weird is the new normal and just when you think the film has reached the limits of acceptable behaviour, it crashes through - and more than once.