TheStorytellingCritic Reviews

Moon Knight: Gods and Monsters (2022) Season 1, Episode 6

A rushed spectacle, ending in typical MCU fashion

[6/10 · 4 May 2022]

This is not entirely a good thing. After last week's great character driven episode, this episode, being the finale, had a lot to unpack and had a standard to fulfil. Imagine the disappointment when I saw this was one of the shorter episodes of the season. This gave me the fear of it being rushed.

We'll start with the good of this episode. The cinematography of this episode was great, the wide shots in particular giving us a sense of scale and colours which made it that much more entertaining to watch, even if it was half CGI in the shots. Even shots of the inevitably predictable CGI battle were great, and I wish we got more of these kinds of shots. In particular, more shots of our main characters battling in the foreground with the Gods in the background.

On top of that, the acting was great and has been throughout the show, I don't think I'll ever get tired of characters switching to and from different personalities. From their accents to their body language. It was great.

I expected this episode to feature a lot more Moon Knight as throughout the show he has been there for less than 10 minutes collectively. This ep did not disappoint on that front, and it was fantastic seeing him go alternate between personalities in battle.

Finally, the questions that this episode brings in the latter half of the episode gives us more of the investment into this world and our urge to discover more. This is said to be a limited series, which I'm glad it is, I look forward to seeing this character in future films with this show being the foundation of the character.

This brings us onto the bad.

The former half of the episode had me asking questions, not in the way of intrigue and mystery but has me questioning the plot and plot decisions. It took me out of what was happening by making me blindly accept what was happening. This was largely due to the fact that this episode felt very rushed. The first half had us already into the CGI battle when the prior two episodes had us in different locations entirely dealing with a whole different narrative. It felt, they needed to get this conclusion out there and get to it as quick as they could by just having the script feel like its jumping from place to place and missing a few beats on how we got there. This led to an anticlimactic resolution to the show, left me feeling underwhelmed. It just felt like it was all too easy.

Overall, the episode had small moments that were great, but felt rushed it kept in line with ending how an MCU film/show would typically end which isn't the greatest thing. That being said, this is the strongest MCU show to date for me, largely because of last episode but this episode, despite its flaws, was entertaining nonetheless with a great ending leaving me anticipating Moon Knight's next appearance.

P. S. There is one mid-credits scene so stay tuned.

P. P. S. Again, I have to praise the showrunners for not relying on the larger MCU films & shows to fuel it. This is it's own standalone show and after this episode, it solidifies a great foundation for this character.

P. P. P. S. I hope the next show introduces a MCU TV intro theme, I say in yet another review.

Moon Knight: Asylum (2022) Season 1, Episode 5

Show, don't tell

[9/10 · 27 April 2022]

This whole episode was a masterclass on show don't tell. Could have done an exposition dump of dialogue or just done infrequent flashbacks but this gives us the background of Marc and consistently puts the audience in the shoes of Steven in all the discoveries he makes about himself. Thats not just for this episode, but for every episode prior its done this, keeping the mystery throughout the whole show. But this ep is a whole character ep.

It's difficult to say what the next ep will bring as this mystery just got more mind bending but does favour to hyping us up for the final ep. However, this ep didn't do much to progress the narrative but did a lot to increase our investment and understanding of the protagonist and kudos to the showrunners, I would have never thought Disney's MCU would tackle the themes this episode did in such a head on way.

On top of that, this is definitely the ep that Oscar Isaac shines the most, and I can't imagine the next episode will top this one for acting only because this was such a character driven episode.

We can now also see why the CGI was a bit pants in earlier eps because this episode was CGI heavy and it looked decent enough to not take away from any of the scenes.

Overall, this ep is a great addition to this show and definitely increases respect for Marvel. Bring on the finale.

P. S. I hope the next ep isn't a CGI heavy battle, hoping this ep was the ep with the most CGI.

Moon Knight: The Tomb (2022) Season 1, Episode 4

It's like watching MCU's Tomb Raider

[9/10 · 20 April 2022]

Well that was mind bending.

This episode delivered on all fronts. It delivered adventure, comedy, character growth and above all else, an eff tonne of mystery. It was like watching an episode of Tomb Buster, I mean Tomb Raider.

With the removal of Khonshu in the last episode, it was obvious that this episode was going to be more of a character driven one and that it was. It follows Layla and Steven searching for the tomb and it gave us great performances from all characters and what the show consistently does well is takes the audience through what the characters are feeling. We are in the dark about things just as much as these characters and we find out things alongside them. It creates for an experience of frustration and intrigue. Especially in this episode. I'm glad there is more Layla in this episode too, it gives for some great chemistry and interactions.

This was by far the best written episode of the show, 95% of the jokes land (which is rare), the pacing is great, and the only downside is the vocabulary of Steven with using phrases and words that just don't fit, but this is very minor and takes little to nothing away from the scene it is being used in. The action is great, and so far, the action hasn't been just included for superheroes' sake and entertainment value; this show knows how to use the action and still leave us wanting more and honestly this episode was a little terrifying seeing how things played out and had an effective jump scare.

The cinematography was great too..the wide shots specifically.

Overall, it was the strongest episode of the show and potentially the strongest episode of all the MCU shows out there. I also want to point out again, no links have been made to the wider MCU which is fantastic and if it would've been done, it would've been in this episode. This show is standing on its own two feet and its all the better for it. I'm now excited to see what's to come because of this episode. Something I never felt watching the other MCU shows Bring on the next 2 eps.

P. S. I know I said it before but I really do think they need to have a MCU Tv logo at the start.

Moon Knight: The Friendly Type (2022) Season 1, Episode 3

Picks up significantly whilst remaining consistent

[8/10 · 13 April 2022]

Now reaching the mid point of the season, this episode takes you straight in, it's more action packed, character packed and it moves everything forward.

TLDR at the bottom.

The pacing ramps up right from the start, and introduces more backstory to characters, and within the first 6 minutes we have our first action moment. The action here is welcome but it seems this show is walking close to the Daredevil/Punisher brutality line in terms of action but has no intention to actually cross it. The choreography is there, the cinematography is there but right when it's about to cross that line, we move on to the next bit. I must say, I do hope future eps bring more brutality to the action.

Speaking on just moving on, whilst the increased pace of the show is welcome I did find myself having to rewind a couple of times just to understand who these new characters are and what they're doing and just understanding why our main characters are doing what they're doing. It kind of just goes beat to beat and it can be difficult to keep up as from an audience perspective there's still a lot of mystery hanging over the narrative. But it is largely enjoyable due to the fact we know what the overarching goal is so far for our characters.

As for the characters, we get more on who Layla is, and her past as well as more Marc led scenes and a whole bunch of new characters just come and go throughout but the acting is great from Oscar Isaac. Seeing him transition between personas, from shifting his accent to even his body language to embody Steven Grant was great. That scene in particular was a highlight and I'm glad they're utiizling Steven more and he's not just there as a naive character to add some light heartedness.

It's becoming clear that from this episode that the show is more character focused than superhero focused as the suit has been scarcely used so far in the show and that's a strong point here as it carries on fuelling the mystery of the larger story and adds Moon Knight in only when necessary and not used excessively.

As for the VFX, there was one scene in particular that was great and overall for the episode there was nothing lacklustre about the CGI. Everything looked great and even the details like the textures on Khonshu's outfit.

Overall, this episode proves Moon Knight is becoming one of the best shows part of the MCU by being consistent. Sure it may feel a little quick here and there in this episode but it's definitely enjoyable and leaves you hyped for the final 3 episodes where I'm sure everything else will be ramped up too.

P. S. For the 3rd review in a row, I'm still a fan of the shots with reflections but I hope it doesn't lose its novelty.

Tldr: Minor gripes that doesn't take anything away from a strong episode in this show.

Moon Knight: Summon the Suit (2022) Season 1, Episode 2

Frustrating but in all the right ways

[8/10 · 6 April 2022]

This 2nd ep is giving promise that the show will be consistent in quality. The pilot was strong and ep 2 continues from strength to strength.

We see the majority of the ep from Steven's eyes and because of that we feel the frustration when no one believes him which is great and it really pushes that mystery theme of keeping the character and the audience in the dark.

The cinematography picks up with its lighting and use of long tracking shots and I don't think I'll ever get tired of the shots that involve reflections. They add so much to the show and even seeing them talk via reflections with cracks splitting his face up. This ep gives us more character motivations and a bit more depth and the action may be not as many were hoping but it definitely shows what's in store for future eps as it gives us more of a taste but leaves us itching for more giving more of that frustration in a good way.

I'm glad they're still steering clear of connecting to the wider MCU and so far they haven't ruined any tense moment with a cheap joke - a MCU trademark it seems.

The only gripes is that some of the jokes do fall a little flat but not enough to take away from the moment and that British accent, I can get used to the accent as the episode goes on but it's the actual dialogue that doesn't fit with the accent, you can tell a non British person wrote it. The CGI is soft at times which makes me think they're saving the budget for the bigger fights towards the end of the season.

Overall the episode is consistent but a little flatter but seems to be shaping to be one of the better MCU shows.

P.s. I do think they need to make a MCU TV intro for the TV shows.

P. P. S. The suit is definitely a fantastic outfit, if not one of my favourite superhero outfits in live action.

The Bubble (2022)

Completely subverted my expectations

[4/10 · 1 April 2022]

This film was not what I had hoped for. It had big stars, an acclaimed comedy director and a promising premise but it just fell short on so many levels.

The premise is about a bunch of actors and a film crew trying to make a movie during the pandemic and it starts off quite strong. I chuckled here and there, the writing was tighter and it had relatability when it came to the pandemic stuff. That's where I have to give it points, the satire was decent here but that's the only place I can give it points.

The acting, cinematography, music was all okay, nothing unexpected and everyone does their job well here.

It was the writing and the pacing that really brings this film down. Around 75% into the first act all the way until the credits rolled, I found myself zoning in and out of the film. This film could have been a 90 minute film or even shorter. 2 hours dragged the whole thing out and it felt like a chore to finish the film just to get it done with. There was a tongue in cheek ending which kind of makes up for a little bit of this by being self aware but even still it was very lacklustre. The jokes became very flat and I found myself have 0 reaction to any of it. Even the comic relief character was decent but they were under used and taken out of the film quite early on.

Alongside this, the characters are all uninteresting and with the flat jokes and dragged out narrative, there's nothing really to keep you watching.

Overall the film starts of good then slowly delves into a long drag.

P. S. The choreographed dances were feel good..it was one of the few instances in the film that uplifted it alongside the welcome cameos.

Moon Knight: The Goldfish Problem (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

What a pilot should be

[8/10 · 30 March 2022]

The show kicks off with things that make you question whats going on. It continues to do the same throughout the whole episode and thats what a pilot should be: establish the characters and their personalities and hint at the story to come over the next few episodes without being slow or overly convoluted. Even skipping the action scenes and just showing the results of the action was a smart move to add to the mystery of what Moon Knight is capable off whilst seeing it from Steven's eyes. It adds to that mystery of whats to come.

The acting here is great but at the moment Oscar Isaac's British accent is hit and miss but otherwise its great.

It seems to be a bit more brutal than the other marvel shows but from this pilot it shows to be one of the stronger marvel shows. In MCU shows they tend to reveal any connections early on to establish its place in the timeline but I couldn't find any connections in this pilot bar one obscure one: did they reference Claire Temple? I appreciate establishing the show on its own and not making big connections to the films at the moment. Let's see what the next eps hold.

Overall the pilot shows a promising potential of whats to come.

P. S. Any shot with a reflective surface like a mirror, puddle or just glass were crafted beautifully.

Fresh (2022)

A good one time watch that introduces nothing fresh

[5/10 · 30 March 2022]

Fresh stands at a run time of just under 2 hours and is about a woman who has to survive and endure her new boyfriend's unusual eating habits. I was ready for a fresh take, no pun intended, but was left with a feeling underwhelmed as the credits rolled.

Let's get into what I loved about the film: the acting. Sebastian Stan plays the new boyfriend and has a certain charm to him at the start of the film, but then as the audience, we see him unravel himself as the film progresses with Daisy Edgar-Jones's character of Noa. Edgar-Jones and Stan play so well off each other forming a natural chemistry between them and you can't help root for them in the first act of the film. You'll smile with them, laugh with them and it'll give the rom-com vibes you had hoped to see if you went into this film with no knowledge. Alongside their chemistry, the chemistry between Edgar-Jones and Jojo T. Gibbs is also something noteworthy. They play best friends and even without knowing much about their characters, you get a sense of a solid bond between the two. The acting really did carry the film for me alongside the sense of feeling slightly off throughout the film.

As the film plays out, an increasing sense of tension arises and once the 2nd act hits, you feel a lingering uncomfortableness whenever Sebastian Stan is on screen from the facial expressions to simply him eating dinner. This feeling increased and increased I appreciated it as you could tell this was what the director and writer were going for here. It worked. It puts us in the seat of Edgar-Jones's character Noa and we feel what she feels and then some, as we see things that Noa doesn't.

Technically speaking, there were some cool shots here and there, some canted angles that contribute to the feeling of uneasiness, but nothing really stood out to me.

What definitely stood out, however, was the pacing. This was a slow film. The intro alone had me just wanting to forward it a bit. It doesn't help the opening credits appear 30 minutes into the film. It felt slow, it felt dragged and I feel the film could have succeeded in what it wanted to do and wanted to make us feel in a 90-minute time frame. As well as that, the film didn't present anything new to us, it felt very underwhelming and very much like there was a lack of substance.

Overall, it was a great film for a one time watch although it does leave you feeling underwhelmed and feeling like it just needed something more.

P. S. Just from the chemistry, I hope the actors in this film work together in future films and in different genres.

CODA (2021)

Captivating, Oscar worthy, Delightful and Authentic

[9/10 · 16 March 2022]

I really was expecting a slow haul when I started this film, something I would feel my eyes getting heavy in as I just counted the minutes down to the inevitable faster paced third act. I was seriously wrong. What made me even think about watching it was the premise.

Coda follows Ruby, who is the only hearing person in her family and follows her in her pursuit for her dreams in music but with the fear of abandoning her parents. This is a hugely insightful film.

TLDR at the bottom.

Starting with everything I loved, and there's a lot of it, the writing. By far, the writing stood out the most to me but not that far behind was the performances by all the actors, notably Troy Kotsur as the father, Frank. The writing here is so natural and it flows from scene to scene. The moments will have you feeling a range of emotions from laughter to having you tear up. Each character has their own distinct personality, and you can really empathise and invest yourself in their lives and see their point of view. From the writing, you get a sense of unity between each character, and it has some wonderful moments between each of the family members; and that's just it, there are always moments with the family, whether it be father and daughter, mother and daughter or brother and sister, it was wholesome and really lets each actor shine in their own right.

Speaking of the acting, brilliant stuff here. You can really see their pride and struggles from the acting. Considering that majority of the main cast talk using ASL just emphasises how powerful their body language and facial expressions are. Troy Kotsur brings his all to the table and it was his performance that can really make you shed a tear and also make you laugh out loud. Eugenio Derbez also brings the light-heartedness with his character of being a choir teacher to life. Great acting.

All of this was fit in to a runtime 1 hour 51 minutes and it did feel a bit slower in the beginning and did feel longer than the actual runtime, but the film manages to ensure that every scene shown is relevant.

In terms of the technical aspects, there wasn't anything outstanding, but I wasn't looking for it. There were moments where I thought the cinematography was great: the wide shots of the lake and the framing of said shots, but otherwise I was so invested in the characters and the narrative that all the technical aspects flew past me but I'm sure the cinematography, soundtrack and all other aspects were a contributing factor in the success of this solid film. It is very apparent, that this was a well thought out film with a lot of passion behind it.

It was in the third act; however, I felt the film missed a beat in terms of a little character development, but this was a minor gripe and doesn't take away from the film as a whole, but it did linger with me after the credits rolled.

Overall, the film was beautifully crafted and has fantastic performances and great writing whilst also being very insightful. It may be a little predictable, but it creates for a light-hearted atmosphere in the times of its unexpected comedy and it will definitely fog up your eyes.

P. S. The parallels between Ruby's musical life and her home life were great and the singing was fantastic.

P. P. S. This film definitely deserves the awards and nominations it is getting.

TLDR: A fantastic film. Watch it.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

A majestical film that I can't believe it took me this long to watch

[8/10 · 1 March 2022]

I went into this film upon reading and hearing reviews about it but I read nothing about it so my expectations were based off the reviews and the fact that Taika Waititi was directing, and I must say my expectations were fairly high from the reviews and this is a film that you have to watch to understand. This film exceeded my expectations but at the same time, I expected nothing less of a Taika Waititi film.

The film follows newcomer, at the time, Julian Dennison and his uncle played by Sam Neill as they embark on a journey across the New Zealand bush as they are being chased down by the country's authorities. The acting here is great and this film shines with their dynamic as they bounce of each other flawlessly with the offbeat comedy writing. This is what Waititi does so well and has proven on his films made after this one. He knows how to write a comedy film with a lot of heart and charm. You may not get invested in the characters as it doesn't go that deep into them, but you definitely do root for them and laugh at the wild jokes that they say: some are tame, some are dark and for the most part they do land. You will laugh out loud. When I say for the most part though, I mean there are some jokes that are predictable and some that just don't get any reaction. This was probably due to the characters delivering the jokes weren't characters I was particularly fond of. What's notable about the writing is the fact that the conversations are quite blunt and to the point and more realistic humour, which in itself is a whole subversion of most comedies that have jokes from awkward beat around the bush conversations. No pun intended.

The only other downside is the film does take a moment at the start to get you into the 1 hour 41-minute film. It follows a slow pace but then it picks up significantly as the events of the film unfold. This is a minor thing and worth the sit through at the start.

Overall, the film contains a lot of heart and a huge feel-good factor about it and it was a refreshing film to watch. There was no massive blockbuster pieces or crazy intensity, just an easy watch to smile at. I can't believe I didn't watch this earlier.

P. S. The soundtrack, especially Milestone 2 (Skux life), was so good. Couldn't help but smile and immediately look it up after the credits rolled.

Gehraiyaan (2022)

A film that ironically doesn't find its depth

[5/10 · 21 February 2022]

Leading up to this film's release, there was a lot of social media marketing. It showed a more grounded Bollywood film and even the songs released were very slow and mellow, something which isn't a familiar ground in Bollywood. So this film with Shakun Batra directing with Karan Johar producing was something of an intrigue.

TLDR at the bottom.

When we hear Dharma Productions, we know the film will entail drama and it'll be very well-done drama in making your emotions run high albeit it may be a bit OTT. Gehraiyaan doesn't follow suit, well not to that extent anyways. Gehraiyaan follows Alisha (Deepika Padukone) and her relationships with the people around her. This film is summarised to be 'a journey into the deep-rooted intricacies of modern human relationships' but this is very much a Deepika film whilst everyone else plays supporting characters.

Deepika, Siddhant, Ananya and Dhairya do well here with the writing they are given, I wouldn't say this is Deepika's best performance in a drama, but she does the most she can with the very unnatural writing. The acting really only shines in the latter half of the film with most of the cast channelling their emotions fantastically, but I do have to single out Naseeruddin Shah, though he may have had a minimal role, his dialogue and acting throughout was great. Otherwise, the writing here is just above average, but only in the drama sequences, and only in the second half. Before that, any friendship scenes of just having banter with each other have awkward pauses between lines, with just characters nodding or smiling until the next line is said, and the dialogue that is there is very on the nose. Everything they say is literal and it really takes away most of the potential depth of the film. It's like they felt the need to spell everything out for us in terms of thoughts, emotions, everything. I mean even the transitions of waves between scenes; it's so on the nose and makes everything surface level which is ironic considering the name of the film. That's not to say there isn't depth at all, there is, but that is only realised by the end of the of the 2-hour 28-minute film with a few interactions, meaning everything before that is just watching situations play out but not being invested in it or connecting with any characters. It also doesn't help that this is a slow burner film.

The other big reason why it's difficult to get invested is because the film wants to us to root for the characters cheating, when in fact, we end up rooting for the side characters in hopes they find out but as side characters, we don't focus on them much. There are other situations too that you can tell expects to garner some emotion, but it just doesn't strike us because we aren't invested in anything. In fact, there were moments of serious dialogue where I couldn't help but chuckle because the harsh, necessary words said in the scene was a long time coming and a these scenes finally pushed the narrative forward.

When it came to the narrative, it plays out in different parts. It starts as a relationship drama (like a more grounded KANK) but then it loses its way into just a drama about financial troubles and less on the affair and then switches genre into a crime thriller-esque sort of thing. I can't say I didn't enjoy it because the 2nd half, the 3rd act especially, picked up the pace with tighter writing, better acting and just a push in the narrative. However, for what the film was marketed as and for what it tried to achieve, it should have remained consistent the first half and just tightened up the writing with some depth and as for the slow pace, dare I say, I wish it had more of the OTT dialogue and acting of Bollywood films. They are way more immersive. The ending, also, was quite anticlimactic as it really does an injustice to one of the characters, but it is in this portion of the film the layer of depth is added.

The visuals here were okay. They were very crisp, clean images but more on the blue side which fits the theme of the film, but I couldn't help feeling cold myself when they were wearing vests relaxing on a yacht, but the scene was blue when it was a hot summers day. Alongside the visuals was the soundtrack: songs and the score; they played an integral part in the film. The songs were very mellowed down and fit with the setting of the depths they were surrounded by, literally whilst trying to convey the depths of the situation which on paper is definitely there but on screen not so much. The score amplified the scenes where it needed to be, from the long strings to the piano keys creating a melancholic atmosphere.

Overall, the film tries to too hard to convey a more grounded, serious tone but it loses its way around halfway albeit this is when the pace, writing and acting does pick up. Karan Johar still can deliver a drama film, but a lot of things let it down. The way I see it, if you're going to make a slower paced film then you have to take the audience on the journey as opposed to just having us watch it.

P. S. It seems like they've just learnt what the eff word is, and I just want to say that the eff word does not equate rage or enhance the dialogue. I mean using the eff word in a wedding speech in front of family and friends? Come on.

TLDR: An okay film that lacks any real depth until the end but does pick up in the second half albeit a different sort of film than I intended to watch.

Yellowjackets: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

Not the greatest of conclusions.

[6/10 · 12 February 2022]

I have to say, this finale was one of the strongest episodes of this season. It had higher tensions and a quicker pace, something most episodes lacked.

TLDR at the bottom.

It starts with a chillingly casual scene of present day YellowJackets disposing of the body. It was so well done on how casual they are about it- it really plants the seed that a lot of stuff went down in the wilderness that now they're desensitized and not a lot of stuff they saw but a lot of stuff they had to do.

We then follow them as they go to their high school reunion and closing up on Travis' investigation and in the wilderness, we follow the events that followed after the madness of the last episode.

As for the high school reunion, I didn't see a point for it. It didn't progress the story at all, it just made our characters feel that guilt about Jackie. As for Travis' investigation, they have actual drawings mapped out from evidence markers from the murder site, but Natalie accepts that this may have just been a suicide. However, this plays into the strong theme of this show which is denial.

When it comes to the wilderness, we actually side with Jackie. Everyone is acting normal after the drugged-up events much to Jackie's frustration. We understand her motivations and even get a little frustrated for her too... up until she starts going on about how Shauna got with her boyfriend etc. It just invalidated the real concerns of what was happening and then instead of being frustrated for her we become frustrated with her. That being said, this scene did give off some of the most meaningful dialogue of the season. "I don't know who you are anymore" "Maybe, you never did". This exchange shows that Jackie seems to be one of the few still retaining her humanity whilst Shauna gives of a line to her ex best friend that suggests that this crash has showed everyone's true nature so how well does anyone really know anyone.

We then see the snow fall and honestly, I was so excited. In my last review I hoped for snow to give us the truth about the season opener so you can imagine my disappointment when Jackie died because they left her out there in the snow and there was no hint as to who the girl was in the season opener. I went back to see the opening, the focus on the necklace meaning someone takes it off Jackie. Honestly, im not a fan of multi season arcs. I needed closure on that season opener. More so, it showed Msity to be the leader but from this season finale it seems that Lottie is the one behind potentially killing the survivors of the crash and she's the one that has the powers in the wilderness making her the leader.

It's disappointing to see no real closure for anything this season, just cliff-hangers for next season. Going from rewatching the season opener, my prediction is Lottie is the one that died, and Misty took on her name. I mean, this whole season, Misty's just been kind of random. She just does things this season.

Overall, it was a disappointing episode as it didn't provide much in terms of closure for the narrative and doesn't really progress it but in terms of how it stacked up against the rest of the season, it was one of the strongest episodes. There wasn't really a descent into madness lord of the flies style, just a drugged up trip.

P. S. It seems Javi is dead after seeing his picture at the reunion

P. P. S. If you have a secret room, where I don't know, you're going to keep your decapitated dogs head, don't you think locking the door to that room is better as opposed to leaving it open and a gust of wind giving away its position?

TLDR: A disappointing finale but a strong episode for the show.

Love, Rosie (2014)

A 1 hour 42 minute advert for communication

[5/10 · 12 February 2022]

To those who recommend I watch and review this for Valentine's day, This was actually a decent movie, it surprised me on what it managed to do by the end of the film.

TLDR at the bottom.

Love, Rosie follows 2 characters: Rosie and Alex, and lets us know immediately that they have feelings for each other, but both are too awkward to mention it to the other due to having such a strong friendship between them. If they decided to actually have that talk in the first 10 minutes then, well, this would be a 10-minute film. The WHOLE film could have been avoided if they just openly talked from the beginning. This is where the frustration lies.

Due to the lack of communication a whole plethora of events occur; so many events so we're constantly moving, meaning there isn't much depth to any character on screen. We have, they like each other but make each other jealous, Alex moves to the US but Rosie gets pregnant, she decides to give for adoption, Alex gets a girlfriend, Rosie keeps the kid, Rosie goes to the US to profess her love, Alex's gf is pregnant, they argue and she comes home (UK), Alex's girlfriends' kid isn't his so they split, Alex wants to profess his love to Rosie, Rosie's baby daddy arrives and they get married, Rosie finds out he's cheating- they split, Alex marries old flame, they split, then Rosie and Alex get together and live happily ever after. That's summarises it all right?

It feels like this movie was trying to convey the message of destiny and soul mates as every time they wanted to confess to each other, something got in the way and so on. It loses its charm quite quickly as we groan at each obstacle, but it is the acting and writing that allows us to push through to the predictable end.

Lily Collins gives a great performance alongside Sam Claflin as we, the audience, root for them to get together through every emotion that have to endure and every annoyance that they encounter with some actual comedy moments in the film that I couldn't help but chuckle at. It's due to them and the supporting characters, we get the feel-good factor of the film. I have to say too, when I went into this film, not being the biggest romantic film watcher, I expected a standard quick love story, not this whole barrage of events happening so the film has the unexpected side to it but with the detriment of too many events sacrificing character relatability. I also appreciate the jumping time frames every so often. It gives the impression of cutting out the irrelevant things and just focussing on what's important to the story, something a lot of Romcom's have in it: A lot of filler and fluff that drags the pace down.

The ending of the film, as predictable as it is, allows a warm moment as emotions start running high and you can't help but smile when you see our protagonists finally look at each other with the knowledge that there is nothing more to come between them.

Overall, it is a feel-good film that lacks overall depth and but can cause frustration throughout as all they needed to do was communicate properly.

P. S. Rosie went and dropped Alex to the airport by herself, no parents to be seen as he moves away for years and that wasn't enough to spark a conversation of realisation. Even after their weird make out fake out that they did in that scene.

TLDR: A feel good flick with little depth.

Yellowjackets: Doomcoming (2022) Season 1, Episode 9

What was this episode?!

[5/10 · 11 February 2022]

Okay so it turns out my theory was wrong; Adam isn't Travis' younger brother... Adam's dead. It all just kind of happened and then we get the reveal that it was actually Jeff doing the blackmailing. Whilst it wasn't what I was expecting, it didn't surprise me. This was because the way it was done wasn't of one to be a big reveal, he admitted it and she said some stuff then said she outright murdered someone. Big situations, anticlimactic reactions. The whole season there was a narrative of blackmail, so I wanted more when we found out who was doing it alongside the narrative of the affair. When Jeff finds out, he just kind of gets over it. Very underwhelming.

The other narrative of this episode follows the wilderness where everyone is accidentally drugged. This is where the episode goes a bit nuts. This whole time I've been waiting for hints into their descent into madness and you're telling me they all went on a drug trip which showed their true nature, I guess? It continues to show unnecessary sexual themes in this show via this episode and there are no stakes on chasing around Travis as we know he survives but this was a weird drug trip, chasing him around to eat him up with Lottie at the helm of it with her confusing supernatural abilities.

It felt a bit rushed and after the drugs wear off do they go back to being themselves. This show doesn't seem to want to progress its narrative. Just put situations there to go through and end up at square one.

However, it increased the pace of the show significantly which I've been waiting for so I appreciate that a lot. It felt nice seeing our characters smiling and laughing before the inevitable craziness happens.

Overall, this episode made me cringe more than get shocked by anything but it increased the pace, which the show needed, and had feel good moments at the beginning.

P. S. Jackie still being crazy petty amongst the events of this episode. If I recall, the season opener had the girl (presumably Jackie) die with snow surrounding them. They have one episode left in the season. It better snow.

Yellowjackets: Flight of the Bumblebee (2022) Season 1, Episode 8

Why didn't she jump?!

[6/10 · 11 February 2022]

The opening of this episode was so random, caught me off guard. I liked Laura Lee as a character as she barely spoke and when she did it was something to help someone else and something to aid survival. That being said, her death didn't do much for me. Perhaps it's because of my losing interest in the show and never really connecting with any of these characters but she was flying above water...why didn't she just jump out?

This episode follows Natalie's relapse, and continued investigation of Travis' death. It follows Shauna and her continued affair with someone she realises she knows nothing about and then is implied that he was the blackmailer- so by my theory, is he Travis's younger brother? It then follows Taissa and Shauna's friendship which featured some OTT acting I must say and enlightens us that the bad person Sammy is seeing is in fact Taissa eating dirt. Where has the eyeless dude gone? They introduced him but haven't seen him since. Finally, we follow Misty, still holding the journalist hostage. I still don't understand her or her motivations in this show. Even in the wilderness, she's been sidelined as a character, but we have to remember she ends up being the leader of the group as we see in the season opener. I hope this isn't an arc we uncover over multiple seasons.

Overall, this episode doesn't do much in the way of acting or plot. It doesn't progress anything in the wilderness, they're back to square one and in the present day, we are pursuing a case that I am no longer interested in.

Please can we just get some more progression for characters and the story. I'm glad Van is alive but she can't really speak and she's the only one that commented and vocally believed Lottie's visions but now she's out.

P. S. What's with this show and when something violent happens giving off a massive shriek into the distance.

P. P. S. Confirmed that Coach was indeed lying to Misty just to get her off his back.

Yellowjackets: No Compass (2021) Season 1, Episode 7

I guess we're getting somewhere now

[6/10 · 11 February 2022]

By this point of the show which started with a lot of mystery, my mind has fizzled out of wanting to know what's going to happen next, but ironically, it's this episode that starts picking up.

We have the present-day people going to make the 50k drop after being blackmailed and in the wilderness we have Taissa and Co. Going out to seek help. Whilst both narratives pick up the pace, both narratives are frustrating to watch.

We have Taissa, the one that eats dirt and knows of the eyeless entity completely in denial of Lottie's visions, after having seen her be absolutely taken over only a couple episodes ago. Her character in the wilderness is annoying and her narrative in the present day is boring. But the frustration only grows as we get a side story of Jackie, who still brings nothing useful to the crew, just going on about teenage problems. Sure, everyone else does too, but at least they have the instinct of survival. Jackie who doesn't do anything is only worried about what Shauna's been hiding. It's a narrative that I think is there just to emphasise why she was sacrificed (Presuming it is her in the season opener)

We then see Natalie and Travis trying to progress in their relationship and I still don't see why sex has to be a massive theme of this show, this scene between them was just uncomfy to watch and unnecessary really.

Then the episode brings in its action, we get close to finding out who the blackmailer is, we see Van get bitten by a wolf under Taissa's watch and we see Lottie's visions of pool of blood and red smoke coming true. If none of these things had happened, I would be inclined to stop watching the show here. For me it saved it by picking up the pace.

The one thing that continues to irk me is present day Natalie. I just can't seem to empathise with her at all. Every emotion is just expressionless on her face and in fact the character decisions are just annoying.

Overall, the show finally picks up but if it doesn't continue to do so for the next 3 episodes, count me out of S2.

P. S. There's still no real progression into the lord of the flies deal which is what drew me to this show in the first place.

P. P. S. I predict it's Travis's younger brother that's doing the blackmailing

P. P. P. S. I haven't been hearing that soundtrack much in the last couple eps. Hope they utilize it more.

Yellowjackets: Saints (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Come on, lets pick It up

[5/10 · 11 February 2022]

Last episode Shauna, Taissa and Natalie get together and seemed to be a turning point for the show, telling us the pace would then pick up. Not really.

This episode follows Shauna and Jeff attending Jackie's house and having dinner with her parents as well as following relationships made in this wilderness such as Van and Taissa and Natalie and Travis. It also focuses a little on Lottie and how she has had this sixth sense since young. Does this mean this is a separate thing to what Taissa's going through or is it linked? We now have two supernatural entities to worry about.

As for Shauna and Jeff, we see Jeff being quite loving towards Shauna and even defending her which gives into the is Jeff actually cheating or is it something else. This continues on with the Shauna arc of her having an affair and not really knowing what she is doing. In the wilderness, we see Shauna considering getting rid of her baby and then proceeding to actually do it; I must say, this scene was heart-breaking as Taissa and Shauna flooded their faces with tears as they were doing what they were doing.

Whilst this is happening Lottie is getting baptised to help rid of her of these wild visions, she's getting but ultimately doesn't seem to work and well we see Taissa eating dirt in past and present which is wild.

Then ultimately Misty does Misty things and holds the journalist hostage in present day.

Whilst all of this is happening, the episode fails to pick up the pace even though we are now more than halfway in. Where is the bigger hints into the descent of madness?!

Overall, the show seems to be moving slowly and I hope the next episodes aren't rushed now as a result.

P. S. Jackie continues to be useless yet getting mad that no food was brought before her. Will she pick up her slack?

P. P. S. Seeing Natalie and Travis doing their thing only meters away from where people died don't sit right.

Yellowjackets: Blood Hive (2021) Season 1, Episode 5

They know how to horror!

[6/10 · 11 February 2022]

So a bit of time has passed as they survive in the wilderness, they've got a clothes washing system, people to gather food, a nutter who shows feelings by poisoning others.. as it goes.

This episode is more focussed on bringing more awareness to that supernatural element they've been trying to put in here. At some parts it's the same as other episodes: groan worthy. In other parts, I really did get creeped out. The writers have clearly shown they know how to write for a horror genre so why does that not translate to the present-day horror bits? IT's frustrating.

In present day we get red writing written on a door by Sammy Sammy Sammy possessed by the eyeless person and we get wolves in the middle of the street, all of which was cringe. Again. But in the wilderness, we get the bravest girls a show has ever seen. A house where they discovered a dead body, they decide to do a séance...for fun?! Further on that, they decide to put the candles for said séance on the markings already carved into the floorboard presumably by aforementioned dead guy. Honestly, these girls are bravely stupid, but it led to probably the best scene of the show since the opening of ep 1. Acting all around was great as Lottie, the most fear induced gets taken over and starts making comments of wanting pregnant Shauna's kid. Chilling stuff. This ep also gives a very likely nod to the girl in the opening sequence that dies is in fact Jackie as Shauna gives the same necklace we see on dead girl to Jackie in this ep.

This is then followed by the wild exchange between Misty and Coach. He confesses feelings for her?! Seems staged and he just wants her off his back but if it turns out to be true, wild.

Aside from all of this we follow present day's uninteresting Taissa political campaign, Shauna's kid realises Shauna is having an affair and we follow detectives Misty and Natalie. The Shauna storyline is by far the most grounded at the moment making it more relatable to the characters but it's the Misty and Natalie narrative that ties up all of our characters together but in such a sigh inducing fashion as it is revealed that Misty, with all her quirks, is the Sherlock Holmes of this world. They look at police photographs of Travis' murder site and Misty notices candle wax on the ground across all the pictures and immediately figures out that if you join all the pictures together it forms the image that they found carved in the wilderness. Just need to suspend your disbelief for a moment and appreciate that now 5 episodes in our 4 characters in present day are now physically together in this investigation so lets see how the next few eps ramp up.

P. S. We are now starting to get hints into their descent into madness in the wilderness, perhaps with the entity as a catalyst for it, or more likely, the reason for it.

P. P. S. Jackie was being seen as the most useless person in the wilderness but she did bring everyone together when stresses were heightened so now seeing that it may be her in the season opener is a little sad.

Yellowjackets: Bear Down (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Let's get a move on

[5/10 · 11 February 2022]

It's weird, last ep the only thing I could write about Shauna is that her narrative involved tailing her potentially cheating husband and then cheating herself, but it was in this episode that she may actually have the most interesting arc in the show so far. As a kid, always putting others before her, trying to please but as an adult killing rabbits mercilessly and playing golf to a point where there's potentially harming citizens of the public. This gap between her teen years and adult years is explicitly shown in this ep as she takes on bleeding out the deer - eerily slowly I might add; makes me think is she capable of doing so to a human?

That all being said, this episode is more focused on Natalie and her upbringing, having an abusive father and having witnessed a violent death before the crash. The narrative of teen Natalie was intriguing but leaves questions to be asked on how does she know how to use a gun, does she use it after the fathers death and before the crash? IT also focusses on her dynamic with Travis as this story runs parallel to present day Natalie investigating Travis's death. This was okay. Again, present day Natalie's performance was lacklustre whilst teenage Travis was in your face annoying.

It's Misty that's the tough one to decipher, she clearly loves being the nurse, (she does end up being a nurse in present day), but she seems to create situations for her to be the nurse in, or just to be involved in generally: tripping up the coach, pulling out wires from Natalie's car. She wants, and seems, to need the praise and attention so she can show her usefulness.

Talking about present day, it was nice saying Jackie, even though she was a teenager, it shows that no matter what happened to Jackie after the crash, (Presume she's gone as she hasn't been seen in present day) she still lives in our character's minds making them feel guilty I presume.

Overall, this episode was decent, everyone's arc was average, nothing crazy happens and Taissa's present-day arc bores me.

P. S. "Sammy Sammy Sammy" laying in the cupboard wasn't creepy as much as it was hilarious. I physically chuckled. I just don't think they're handling the horror aspect of this in a horror way.

Reacher (2022– )

A little predictable but a lot of fun

[8/10 · 9 February 2022]

To preface, this show is my introduction to Jack Reacher as a character, so I'm watching this with 0 knowledge on the character and I'm glad because this show made one hell of a first impression of who Reacher is.

TLDR at the bottom

Reacher takes us through 8 episodes of pure entertainment. It follows our protagonist being arrested for a murder he didn't commit and then getting himself tangled up in a whole mystery of what's happening in Margrave, and through the 8 eps, not once did I think the show was dragging. That's saying a lot considering the action scenes weren't as much as I expected and nowhere near long enough to what I had wanted.

The show felt fast paced and heavily bingeable for 2 reasons, the writing and the beast of a man that is Alan Ritchson. Ritchson bodies this role as the quick witted, blunt ex-soldier, think BBC's Sherlock meets Thad Castle, and his dynamic with Malcolm Goodwin's Finlay is gold. Whilst you may be forgiven in thinking you'd get annoyed at Finlay for always being against Reacher, it was their chemistry that shines as they bounce off each other. The same is to be said when you put Willa Fitzgerald's badass Roscoe in the frame. The three of them together sparks some of the best dialogue in the show. We have to appreciate the humour in this show; it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Like I said, the action sequences were great but so short, most less than a minute, but the writing that takes us through each scene that leads up and trails away from the action is to the point, succinct and keeps the narrative moving. It does have some emotional beats now and then which is okay and definitely gets better as the season goes on, but these moments don't really linger, and it kept the pace high.

However, the fast pace is also to its detriment - literally. Sometimes the dialogue is said so quickly you miss what they say, and it comes across convoluted and confusing, I found myself having to rewind it a couple times to catch the info they're putting out. It was so quick even the subtitles were overlapping each other sentence to sentence (could just be a subtitle error). We have to also remember quicker doesn't equal smarter.

There is some sort of predictability in the show but it's nothing to take you out of it at all, it's a show that doesn't focus too much on the suspense and mystery element but more on the moving to the next moment as soon as. And that's what this show was, a moment-to-moment play, there was no big epic moments, bar one perhaps, where the score gradually increases as the fight reaches the climax to increase tension, this included the fights with named characters, and to me this was a breath of fresh air. We just move on and get to solving what's going on.

P. S. I'm glad the flashbacks were kept to the minimum; they told the story they had to tell without bloating the main narrative

P. P. S. I appreciate any show with a hitman style sequence, especially when it isn't so slick and in character.

TLDR: Great show, great intro to the character but has with minor gripes.

Yellowjackets: The Dollhouse (2021) Season 1, Episode 3

The more I see the less I care (in certain parts)

[5/10 · 8 February 2022]

Okay so the openings are a good part of this show. We open with the funeral of those deceased by the crash and then we follow the timelines of post-crash and present day. Post-crash, 3 days after the event, the group find a lake which in their excitement, without caution, they jump around in, swim and have fun. This brings discomfort to our leader Jackie as she is opposed to leaving the crash site in case of rescuers incoming. It seems here that she's more irked by not being the one to call the shots. They then find a small, abandoned house where they spend the night with the knowledge there are potentially wolves prowling around after seeing a bear with its' guts out.

Now this is narrative is more focussed on Taissa and her past, present and future to do with supernatural beings. I'm not too sure how I feel about them introducing a supernatural element to the show - I came into the show expecting a Lord of the Flies sort of deterioration, but this is the direction and for the most part it just isn't done well. Tailing off the cringy "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy" from ep 2, we see Sammy back again with the stone-faced dialogue and creepiness. It just gives off more of a cringy vibe than creepy. I do hope if they continue with this, they add some more emotion to it because it just isn't working. However, the horror element in the house post crash definitely amplified a sense of tension and creep so they know how to do it but just not properly. The acting post-crash is great by all. You feel a sense of inner conflict between each character.

In present day we follow Shauna tailing her husband with the suspicion of an affair taking place which leads to her getting on more with the mechanic Adam and Natalie and Misty follow their leads in trying to find Travis. The acting with the latter characters was okay, present day Natalie just walks around expressionless and from this and the lack of investment I have in her character, I felt nothing for her emotions with the death of Travis.

This episode still maintains the mystery angle in all ways: Who is this being that's haunting Taissa? How did Travis actually die? I couldn't care less for Shauna's narrative, although it did provide the lighter hearted moments of the ep. The biggest question I have is: When will we start seeing them delve into insanity on what to do next? Get to the points we saw in ep 1. I know we are only 3 eps in but I'm trying to find the hints now.

Overall, the episode brings more questions we want answered which is great but as we see more and get to know these characters, the more immersion is breaking for me due to the acting.

P. S. Seems Misty just enjoys pulling wires out.

P. P. S. Third review in a row but it deserves it, I'm really digging the soundtrack.

Yellowjackets: F Sharp (2021) Season 1, Episode 2

2 for 2 on the openers, then that's it

[6/10 · 8 February 2022]

In ep 1 we open with the mystery surrounding the murder of a girl we know nothing about. The entirety of the episode played upon that mystery and left us with the ending of the plane crashing. Episode 2 picks up right where ep 1 leaves off. Its fast, exhilarating and it set the tone that this episode would be more focussed on their time after the crash. It was looking to be a good ep.

I thought there'd be 3 narratives going on, before, after and after the rescue: I was wrong. The before from ep 1 was just a sort of get to know the characters and now we follow two narratives: the teenagers after the crash and the adult versions after the rescue and well this brings gripes. The teenage vibe carries over after the crash, a huge crash has happened, they're surrounded by death, some of which may be their first time seeing death. The girls somehow come out of it with minor cuts and that first night they seem to be over it already. There was more drama involving side comments on why this one didn't save that one's life. There was no sense of urgency.

Past that, in present day, the adult counterparts are trying to investigate these mysterious postcards that have been sent to them. The show tries to maintain a mystery and they do a good enough job for a 2nd episode but it's run parallel by the narrative of a struggling marriage between one of our protagonists and it was just cringey. I am sure there are other ways to the deterioration or progression of a relationship other than sex but as feared from ep 1. Ep 2 firmly establishes that sex is a theme of the show unnecessarily.

The issue of running 2 narratives with the same characters shows that there aren't real stakes as you know who will survive for the most part but then that may just be a way of the writers telling us that this isn't about life and death, and the end result. It's about the journey of what they had to go through - which I can't get on board with at the moment as Misty intentionally damages the planes' black box because she likes the praise she is getting.

One thing I do have to mention is the haunting soundtrack makes its return and I'm glad they aren't over using it. It really does enhance the atmosphere.

Overall, the teenagey vibe is taking over it seems and I'm not here for it but the mystery angle is thickening and that is what is keeping me here enduring the moments of cringe themes and writing.

P. S. Where's leader Jackie, in the present day?

P. P. S. I'm not too sure if they were going for a horror vibe with the kid doing the drawings but it was more cringe inducing than disturbing.

Yellowjackets: Pilot (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

The tones been set but hopefully it changes

[7/10 · 8 February 2022]

Yellowjackets, the pilot, is an episode of intrigue and introduction and well it does what a pilot is supposed to do, so for that I praise it but there is one major thing that may put me off depending on the coming episodes.

TLDR at the bottom

Yellowjackets follows a girl's football team that crash landed and has been resuced after 25 years of being stranded and the tone they're going for is set right at the start. Yellowjackets opens with the introduction of a snowy landscape and a panicked girl running to her brutal demise. It gave me Game of Thrones opening vibes and it really reeled me in for what the tone of this show was. We then are introduced to our characters, and it seems the narrative of the show will be split into 3 parts: Before the accident, being stranded, after the rescue. It's here where the show seems like it would shine as it shows the contrast between our newly introduced characters, between their younger parts and their current state after being rescued. It's development in the first episode which lures you more into the question "What happened as they survived?" The pilot doesn't really spend much time on what happened after the plane crash but when it does, it lends itself enormously to the mystery. It's something that works for a starting episode, and it does excite me to see what's coming next and seeing their journey's; in particular, Misty's as she goes from being on the side-line of the football team to the leader of what they had become. Due to little time being spent after the crash, the majority of the episode spends its time in 1996 and 2021 taking us through the characters before and after but it seems there was a greater screen time for the 1996 scenes. I really hope they don't continue pushing more of them as teenagers as it really did give a teenage vibe to the whole show. I'm more interested in their 2021 selves and what they do to cover up what they've done and more interested in what happened once they crashed.

The soundtrack in certain scenes was crisp and hauntingly beautiful. As we cut to the first shot of the girls playing a football match with a choral soundtrack in the back gave a sense of uneasiness. We, as the audience, know what will happen to them before the characters know. Contrast seems to be the theme here.

Overall, the episode was great, introduced the characters, created mystery but I fear it will fall into the teenage show vibe in coming episodes. Let's find out.

P. S. It's nice to see a contrast between certain characters, older and younger but we also get to see how the younger parts are still embedded into their older selves regardless to credit to the writers on bridging the gap and making links in the first episode.

TLDR: A good opening but hopefully the tone pushes itself into less teenage vibe.

Encanto (2021)

A charm of beats and visuals

[6/10 · 5 February 2022]

There's not a lot of films out there that feel far quicker than their actual run time but this 1 hour 42 minute film sure did feel more like a 60 minutes. This shows the pacing was good but the filmed lacked substance leaving me underwhelmed when the credits rolled having me say "Is that it?!"

TLDR at the bottom.

Encanto follows Mirabel in a world where her family all have their own powers but she, for some reason, didn't get any powers and it's this narrative of she is being the one to be responsible of keeping the magic alive within the world. It's here where the substance lacks: there is no satisfying or significant character journeys throughout the film but the beats in the narrative did give goosebumps at times. The cast give an excellent voice acting performance for the beautiful animation, but we don't really spend enough time with any of the characters to get to know them really.

Encanto is propelled more by it's striking, vibrant, vivid visual colour palette and the songs by none other than lyrical genius Lin-Manuel Miranda. When he's involved you know to expect more upbeat, feel-good beats with lyrics that directly push the narrative forward as opposed to just being alongside it. Moana had catchy, great songs that would be stuck in your head and unfortunately, I cant say the same about the songs in Encanto. They are fantastic songs and during the film, I'd even argue better than the tracks in Moana, but it's after I walked away from the film that I had forgotten about the songs, the beats, the lyrics. It just didn't stay with me, but it elevated the film in places it needed to be.

However, the visuals when watching the songs playout on screen were b-e-a-utiful. Some scenes placed our characters in front of black backgrounds which allowed all the colours popping in the foreground to be more in your face, whilst other scenes had the whole frame plastered with flowers, or buildings, or just a warm energy throughout. The vibrancy of the colours that we are showered with throughout the film gives the film that feel-good factor.

Overall, I did enjoy the film, but I walked away knowing the songs were great, even though I couldn't remember the tunes of any, the performances and visuals were fantastic, and I walked away unfortunately feeling underwhelmed.

P. S. The message conveyed in this film was subtle but a nice one at that.

TLDR: Visually spectacular film with great songs but little substance.

The Woman in the House (2022)

If you're frustrated at the bad writing, rewatch it knowing it's a satire!

[6/10 · 5 February 2022]

I really didn't know what to make of this show. I read the title, took a breath mid-way and finished the title. But this show caught me way off guard. It's something I was reluctatnt to start but am glad I did.

TLDR at the bottom.

We have to acknowledge that this show is definitely satire, if that wasnt already known from the title. It takes what we are accustomed to in horrors and thrillers and exaggerates it but at the start it's very subtle. I have to admit, at the start I struggled to realise that this was a parody, it was just a cliché thriller show that I don't know why I started but then: "it was take your daughter to work day, so she went to work with her dad, an FBI forensic pathologist who specializes in serial killers. My mind was baffled, and I couldn't help but laugh. And this is just the beginning.

The first episode holds so much weight in satire that I couldn't believe I didn't realise it was satire from the get-go- I genuinely thought "why is this written like this, a bit out there, a bit of bad writing." I mean 3 casserole dishes smashed, they opened a scene with forced exaggerated laughter, the forced awkward touching hands in the casserole dish and the long sentences where you would literally zone out listening to it. Again, this is the first episode. The thinking out loud made me really think I was watching a live action David Cage game.

Then there's the running gags of the constant wine opening and overflowing corks, the in-your-face red herring of a mailman, the mailbox never being fixed and finally the changing writing on the gravestone. I questioned if the writing had changed and realised, I was being gaslit by a TV show. I'm sure there are other running gags I have overlooked but this is to name a few.

It was only until the final 2 episodes of the 8 that it was cemented that this was a parody for me. I never thought going into it, I'd see a child being spinebustered against a wall. But I have to admit I didn't see the kid being the killer coming so I guess the subversions of a mystery thriller were still there.

However, the show did miss some steps with the uninteresting characters, it was a show to watch and laugh at, but it wasn't a show to get any connections with anyone causing the story and characters to not be memorable - but as a concept, I'm sure will be memorable. Further, some jokes do leave you sighing as opposed to laughing at how stupid it can get but that plays into what the concept of this show is I guess.

There are also some golden dialogue exchanges here that made me laugh out loud. This show filled the stupid comedy void I had more than IASIP S15 did - a review for another day. Just can't believe it wasn't cemented as a parody for me earlier in the show.

Overall, the show has replayability as you can go back and pick up any subtle or in your face details you may have missed the first time round and arguably enjoy it more the second time - especially if, like me, didn't realise it was a parody at first.

P. S. I just want to point out the best dialogue was between Anna and Douglas: "He killed his entire family with a claw hammer" "Why didn't you tell me about this before?!" "I didn't think youd want him to work for us" "I wouldn't have!" "But we needed to fix the mailbox" "It's still not fixed!" "What?!" Golden.

TLDR: Overall, it's a surprisingly a funny, easy watch (Once you realise the concept of it)