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Reviews
Black Mirror: Loch Henry (2023)
Think You've Missed the Point
Honestly this was a really welcome episode. I'm glad to see that Brooker has not turned his back on writing dark tales that don't need to rely on future technology or dystopian sci-fi to feel relevant. There is more than enough "commentary" in here the ethics of true crime content and money hungry streaming services just to name a few. No complaints with any of the actors or performances in this episode and it was great to see BM returning to a UK based epsiode, made me nostalgic for the Channel 4 years.
I think a lot of reviewers on here have missed some crucial points in this episode. Many are complaining that there was no technology based element to this episode which I find ridiculous. The technology was there and it was key to the plot, it was simply analogue technology rather than futuristic technology. It was the characters discovering tapes and digitising them (making use of once futuristic technology and bringing it in to the contemporary) that led to the whole secret being uncovered.
Honestly I find it confusing that people clearly missed the point with this one.
And there's even reviewers on here complaining that the ending was confusing? If you found this episode confusing I don't think Black Mirror is the show for you. Clearly.
Swarm (2023)
Beware Twitter Trolls
Swarm was an interesting watch, not always in a good way.
I won't spend time explaining the plot of the series as I feel it would be best experienced knowing as little as possible.
The series starts off on a good foot, establishing characters with just enough detail to keep you interested. The first of Dre's kills comes as quite a shock and does a good job at establishing the tone and ups the ante on the horror / thriller aspects of the rest of the series. Unfortunately I feel the remaining episodes begin to get quite tired, the storylines are too repetitive with not enough explaination or context as to why Dre is doing what she's doing. We don't get any context to Dre's character until episode six, a complete change of style filmed as a mock-umentary that provides some much needed background on the central characters of the show.
My main problem with the series is a lack of relatable characters. Dre is such a complex and troubled character that it is hard to relate to her for the general viewer. It's also a little worrying if anyone finds her actions relatable as she's a brutal and obsessive serial killer. I understand that the purpose here is to show how a young black woman with complex neuro divergent needs can slip through the cracks and remain uncared for in American society. The series definitely gets points for dealing with such a complex and hard to swallow issue.
Unfortunately most of the supporting cast aren't in the picture long enough to portray any interesting ideas. The only likeable characters that talk any sense appear in the final two episodes, these being Dre's ex-case worker, who has some of the most hard hitting dialogue throughout the whole series, and Rashida and her family who represent the healthy and happy upbringing that Dre was denied.
Besides from the convoluted and at times frustrating plot the series is very well made with a highly cinematic style. Really great cinematography, editing and sound design throughout the whole series.
Despite the difficult characters and somewhat annoying lack of progression throughout the series it is still an engaging watch. Definitely bingeable over a few days with the episodes clocking in at a swift 30 minutes each.
TL;DR: An, at times, engaging series that shows great filmmaking qualities and a highly cinematic style. Unfortunately fails on the side of convoluted writing and unrelatable plotlines.
The King (2019)
Impressive performances and script but lacking soul
'The King' was definitely a step above most recent Netflix releases. It's films like this and 'The Power of The Dog' that give me hope that the platform is not actually in a sharp decline of quality.
Netflix bashing aside, there was much to like about this film and a few areas that were lacking. I found the performances in 'The King' to be pretty impressive across the board. The standout's being T. C. And Joel Edgerton. Robert Pattinson, although not a lead role in the film, gave a unique take on the character. His accent work unfortunately took me out of the film as it was far too much of a charachiture and I struggled to believe the character was French.
The script was also impressive, well written and able to carry the film in a very dialogue heavy feature. Much has already been said in reviews about the battle scenes and fight scenes so in brief they are well choreographed and get points for being realistic as opposed to flashy and stylised.
My main issue with the film was that I felt it lacked soul and heart. Despite the film being technically impressive I struggled to find a sense of care in regards to the story and characters. There were very few moments of mirth to break up the often heavy and sometimes teadious scenes. If you are not a fan of slow stories or films that take their time getting to the meat of the story this is not for you.
Ultimately I found the film to be worth the watch and a well developed, well written, acted and directed new interpretation of Shakespeares play, however lacking soul and at times quite a slog to get through.
Saint Maud (2019)
Losing My Religion
Rose Glass shows a heap of talent with her brilliantly crafted feature film debut 'Saint Maud'. The story deals with themes of religion and faith, paranoia, judgement, yearning and opposing beliefs. Centred on a young nurse with a pious saviour complex who is experiencing a test of her devotion, the film gives you just enough to know that something is drastically wrong. Maud is set up perfectly as an unreliable narrator who's story we are invested in but deeply do not trust.
Glass shows her strength in building atmosphere right from the cold open and the film stays at an uncomfortable level of tension throughout thanks to the visual style, cinematography and brilliantly composed score. Truly one of the most unnerving films I've seen in a while. The films script is very tight and overall very well paced, I never felt bored or uninvested in the story. A few technical elements weren't to my liking, some visual effects looked quite cheap however the film is relatively low budget so it is to be expected. The sometimes lacking effects overall don't take anything away from the film.
Morfydd Clark's performance is fantastic, she fully committed to this role which is very complex and required a very unique level of understanding for the character. She conveys a crisis of religion perfectly and is usual parts compassionate and terrifying.
In summary this is a brilliant thriller / horror that shows tremendous talent from Rose Glass.
For fans of: Repulsion (1965), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Carrie (1976), The VVitch (2015), Raw (2016).
Mood (2022)
Good enough message, poorly executed
Struggled to get through this show. The script is terrible, completely unrealistic and out of touch, I don't think any real 25 year olds actually talk and act like this. It honestly plays like a made for teens educational film about the dangers of being a 'bad girl'. Performances are terrible across the board, every character feels like an exaggerated caricature. The portrayal of sex work is confused, inaccurate and somewhat degrading.
Don't understand the need for musical performances when the music is this terrible. Just like the writing for the script the songs are horribly written and badly performed.
While I think some of the messages of the show are important and will connect with a younger audience in the same way as something like 'Skins' or 'Euphoria', two much better shows from which 'Mood' borrows heavily, the messaging feels much more hollow and vacuous.
Just a tip, you have to make your audience care about your characters, this fails completely and left me not caring at all about what happens to any of the characters.
Avoid avoid avoid.
The Endless (2017)
Interesting concept, good filmmaking, but leaves a lot to be desired.
I found this film to be impressive on a filmmaking level. The low budget of the film isn't often noticeable so props to the filmmakers. Good performances from most of the actors too which helps the film greatly.
The film unfortunately suffers from some pacing issues. We dive in to the main action of the film pretty quickly however once the plot is set in to action it almost feels as if it doesn't know where to go. I can appreciate slow cinema however this film felt more like directionless cinema. Some interesting concepts at play throughout the film but sadly not executed in the best way.
Would recommend to fans of sci-if thrillers.
For fans of: Coherence (2013), Sound of My Voice (2011), Primer (2004).