Best thing on this episode? The soundtrack, by far.
Nice fan service playing Willie Nelson right in the beginning, as it's "playing" on the very first page of the comic book.
Beyond that, just an unfortunate mixture of storylines... If you've watched this as a fan of the comics and for it you are giving it a try (even after this episode), well, sad news: it doesn't improve, it's all downhill from here (at least until the 3rd episode... let's see if they fix at least a bit of this from the 4th and on).
I don't know if this can get any worse.
The dialogues not even by a longshot get close to Garth Ennis',
Cassidy is totally dumbed down (he is silly, but not like on this) and Tulip is just annoying.
JC himself is quite unintelligent in comparison to the source material.
What a sad thing it is to be liking the soundtrack and nothing else...
Didn't dig as much as usual from the storyline, but am I crazy OR I did catch a Wes Anderson homage here? Loved that!
I feel that I didn't care for the storyline as much as I should have. Still, it's necessary to indicate that it IS getting together, finally. Well, it's a small season...
But my god, Eva Green nails it so damn hard. What an amazing actress!
Rory's one to admire, as well... specially with the difference perceived when he is portraying Dracula. Very nice job!
All in all, what makes me keep coming back for PD is the acting (and, not as much on this episode, but even so) the great photography.
For a documentary 45 minutes long with almost no commentaries, I'd say this one's pretty fair.
I was all the way struggling with myself: the imagery is quite mesmerizing with the accompanying soundscapes, but even though it's hypnotic we know this is real, we know this is happening all over the world.
It's not beautiful.
It's brutal.
Tangible.
And the question goes... what do we do now? How do we slow down? How do we stop?
A mix of insufficient supervision and unstoppable eager for profits culminated in a horrendous environmental disaster here in my country, Brazil, and this doc reminded me a lot of it. A dam which held the tailing ponds broke and that ruined a whole village, in Mariana, Minas Gerais... that could've been avoided but it was poorly overseen and some initial studies point out that only 10 years from now that soil will begin to heal.
Many lives were ruined but the companies (Samarco, a mining company part of Vale and BHP Billiton) go on without being held responsible, without doing no good for the recovery of the area.
The truth is that we are bound to destroy this if we don't get a detour,
Fast.
This film made me feel somehow powerless, for when I see it I remind myself of how dependent on petroleum we still are. The subsalt recently discovered around here makes my country wonder about becoming more developed, but is this what we really want?
Well... it seems that this doc really got me.
Beautifully shot, really engaging short. I'd watch more of Luisa's story, definitely.
I'll keep my eyes open for Celia Rico Clavellino!
I just couldn't watch more than 20 minutes.
A beautiful piece, one that can demonstrate once again why Agnès Varda keeps surprising and involving me. I thought I wouldn't like at all, I thought it'd be tedious... silly me. There's nothing so far that I wouldn't like when it comes to Varda's thoughts, readings. This is a visual poem and it's more dynamic than one can imagine at first glance.
This is beautiful. Agnès Varda has yet to disappoint me! Simple, but nicely conducted. I don't consider myself as much of a romantic nowadays, but a relationship like that one between Aragon and Elsa kind of stirs that fountain. So well done that it even introduces an Ella Fitzgerald tune from Live in Berlin ("The Man I Love") precisely when that city comes up!
20min in and I'm curious about them both.
This is cinema!
As I can acknowledge the beautiful cinematography throughout the film, I still fail relating to it.
Maybe I'm just too far away (both in time and feeling) from what the folks there went through, with the miners 84-85 strike.
Not that I'm unable to empathize, but it'd possibly have been more meaningful if I was more connected to the events - the deal is, the movie failed to connect me.
Jóhann Jóhannsson's soundtrack, though, is a gem.
I can and I will experience that again. I can't say the same for the movie.
1/4 of it and I had enough. Bad acting, poor script, mediocre photography. I tried to push myself for more minutes but there was this voice in my head shouting nonstop "it will be a waste of time" and I've just decided to take the advice.
I believe this to be, sadly, the most lukewarm episode of the series. It's a pity, for we all expected a real grand finale.
I don't withdraw my overall feeling, though: this is some good TV. Susanne Bier did a great job directing this!
The cinematography quality is beyond the vast majority of series, the acting by Hiddleston and Laurie while sometimes nothing spectacular, never disappoints.
The fourth episode was the peak, for me - and it made me hope for the whole show keep it up.
Anyway, it is worthwhile.
A lot of great episodes throughout, but like some have been pointing out, many storylines and not as much development. I mean, we kinda get a lot of knowledge 'bout what's going on, but it didn't have a very smart build up.
The plot became predictable and, as much as some people say it, I don't think Elektra was that great, here.
Actually, it was a real nuisance for me the "I'm totally in/I'm hella out" behaviour by Matt with Elektra.
Best thing: Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle/Punisher. He is perfect for the job.
The best episodes, in my opinion, are the first ones, before Castle goes to prison... the show kinda lost its way beginning there.
I'm excited for the next season or Defenders, anyway. It seems that, just like Jessica Jones did, Luke Cage is going to be a refreshment for the formulae.
One thing I enjoy, though, is to see the small crossovers between this and Jessica Jones. Really small thing, I know, but it makes everything so much more real. A name drop there, a character that appeared there being really used here and vice-versa.
I still like it. It just didn't pack the same punch as before.
I don't know... 8 episodes in and all I can say is that I expected more (so much more) than what this show got me.
It is too regular a show to bear that brand, I'd say. How many others case-a-week do we have floating around, right?
If you dare, beware: this is a weird piece from head to toe, but one packed with an amazing cinematography, really inventive, delivered with a great soundtrack. It really made me wish for the next move by David Russo.
I think this one deserves some praise for the beautiful cinematography. The colors, the use of light, the angles... they're all a beautiful sight. As for the storyline, it isn't amazing, but together with the visual it makes you follow through the whole movie.
I've seen some critics on the idea that the aliyah is something very much real in France and that the movie doesn't addresses it decently. But I find that this just wasn't the point. The focus lies on Alex's redemption, if I can put it that way. But does he achieve it in the end?
I would recommend the movie, anyhow, for the great photography, even though I recognize that the ending can be disappointing for a lotta people.
A collection of snapshots in motion so sensible and beautiful, so fluid that makes you think the goddess is in the detail. Amazing. I'll definitely watch again.
It's just an OK documentary. I'd say very much like some random episode you get your eyes on after some zapping and then you end up watching out of curiosity.
The first installment is by far the least enjoyable. I hated the the tone used on it, an impression rarely lowered throughout. Right afterwards, we get in my opinion the best of this whole doc: the direction and writing for "Pure Corruption" is really good; nice imagery and text. "Purity is a good mask for corruption, [...] it discourages inquiry". Also, the cinematography is great. The final two aren't very good, which makes this doc quite forgettable.
The only thing I hated to like is that's pretty clear some kiddo is going to screw things up next episode...
The rest of it, I'd say: painfully obvious. Just the good ol' cliff-hanger without many surprises.
Well, maybe it's just me, kicking the hornet's nest and all, but it doesn't appeal that much for me. I do understand the cult status it got, though. I myself have seen it as a child and a lot of images got stuck on my head and that's my main point for checking it out again. The final 20 min or so concentrates a lot of decent camerawork, before the last moments they're more scattered through the scenes.
Being a low-budget flick and having in mind the gore it intended, I get its flare.
After this rewatching thing, gonna do it right and head to the latter movies, for everything I remember more vividly about Evil Dead, from my childhood, came from the other two.
Oh, boy! This one is a gem!
I've started watching it lying down and by the final moments, I was sitting up straight, my eyes fixed on the screen, already aware of what was about to happen, but totally interested on how it would be presented.
It's not totally original, but its delivery makes it worthwhile.
For what matters, both the acting and the cinematography are nicely done.
But here, above all, lies is a great script!
What a man of science oughta do when it's someone else's dark moves that can save his own life?
Believe, surrendering to the possibilities of the unknown?
Simply one of the best psychological thrillers, tempered with the supernatural - just for good measure -, that I've seen in my whole life.
Not as good as the former episode, but still leading us to the point where can't help it but to think: this is what horror should always be like. Since the second episode, specially, you really don't mind for the shooting quality, as everything else that really matters stands upfront.
Vampire themed soft porn with some BDSM additions. Nothing much more than that.
Almost insufferable, specially for the acting, I'm surprised I could watch the whole thing.
Sometimes I did appreciate the soundtrack - nothing exceptional and many times not sitting well with the scenes, but fairly enjoyable.
The locations are nice, as well. A few good shots, but so few that they almost go unnoticed.
Unfortunately, those three aspects aren't enough to upgrade the movie... Maybe some imagery will stick around, but I feel that this one is bound to be forgotten.
From the costume design to the color palette, the soundtrack to the architecture, weird choices to camera angles and at times the symmetry, the intelligent use of shadow, the persistent sense of dread following every step of the journey, this flick has so many rights that you might as well leave the wrongs in its background - and willfully forget about them.
I wouldn't think of some scenes having what we could call ludicrous acting or even some of the shots presenting odd camera movements - everything's just part of the spectacle.
We're brought to a place where we transit between lust and naïvety, science confronted by the unknown, the supernatural longing through eternity for something so mundane and ever so frail: eternal love.
This movie, along with "Interview with the Vampire" and "Let the Right One In" (curiously those two also being based on books), albeit not up to par with the same flamboyant execution/borderlining pure amazingness, are to me some of the best cinematic renditions on the theme, specially considering contemporary ones.
If you're afraid you won't like it, give it a try for at least the first 10 minutes or so. The outta nowhere (well... they WERE at a graveyard) zombie appearance is great, I like the soundtrack most of the times and the escape sequence was pretty legit for me... Nothing like "oh! I happen to know how to hot-wire a car" etc.
Barbra's meltdown, while totally comprehensible, doesn't look convincing (from an acting point of view)... And, OK, storyboard-wise, I believe the previous rush of adrenaline settled down too quickly: she goes from "running for my life", even finding shelter and tools for this purpose, to "cuckoo semi-catatonic" behavior... I don't know, it just doesn't sell.
A lot of differences from what we have today, but many aspects of the zombie portrayals should make the whole fandom pay respects to this piece. Technically, it's well shot, considering the low-budget and the sense of immediacy that fits the idea.
I became fond of some shadow/light usage in many parts of the movie... Of course, being a black and white flick, that's nothing else than necessary to make it a good cinematography.
Barbra and Harry really stressed me most of the time, though. I think they were poor additions to the cast and that sure helped me downgrade the film. Probably, I'm being too harsh here, since Harry was made to be a prick.
Nonetheless, I am part of the zombie fandom, and there are scenes here that make it worth. From the start and throughout the movie, there are shots that while stills, would definitely make great photographs, but not only in that way: the truck scene is amazing, for the same reason as the first 10 minutes. It seems downright real. There's no sheriff here, no criminal part-time hunter, there are just people trying to get out of this nightmare. Romero's intension wasn't solely based on gut-wrenching horror, though, and we get also a depiction of some aspects on society back then (and why not, still today). The final scene, back then, was a damn shock... today, we kind of knew what was about to happen and that's a sad reality to describe, for I've come to that conclusion based on prejudices that we get on our own time.
For all of that, I'd say "Night of the Living Dead" still deserves all the praise it got. It plays with the horror genre and does it in a way that achieves enough to have our forgivennes by its mistakes.
Some very quick thoughts:
All in all, it's Melissa Benoist who keeps getting this show together.
Anxious to understand more about Henshaw, though... I believe we've just seen a Super Cyborg skill on that episode.
When I first watched Supergirl, back when the Pilot leaked, I was happy with the whole idea and getting my hopes up for it to not become so heavy on the relationship thing... I've praised the episode back then on that aspect, for it ditched Winn really fast (and instead of becoming a pain, he just settled down and helped) and James became somehow a big brother/counselor, although with some superficial sparks between them. But it wasn't the focus and I was happy to perceive this new series as something other than "romantic comedy + superpowers".
The 3rd episode kinda of made me fear that this might happen.
The dynamics around that matter, specially the tension and the cliché competition between James and Winn, are really dispensable and doesn't get Supergirl any further on the project of being something different than tween friendly superhero television.
I really wish I'm wrong, though.
And, still important to point out, how the hell Winn got hold of such "state of the art" tech?
And how did he manage to "rent" that space? I mean: I know that it's a spot no one wants to be in, as he told, but that's it? You just go there, set a whole Arrow-like base and no one will ask you why? And it's OK for the building security that a lot of people enter such a place, some that aren't even workers on there? I know a lot of journalists and man, they'd be so glad to have as much money as this guy appears to have.
Aside those 2 main bummers, the episode was a bit fun. I'm still hopeful.
Even with the bad sync when you pay attention to the music playing on Cat's party vs. the way those people are dancing. Waltz together with a synthpop-ish Avicii is what, a new trend?
I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood for this movie, but even sympathizing with Martine for a while, the movie became a real drag for me. Couldn't go further than 60 minutes on it.
Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi has some spark on her, and possibly nothing else but that made me give it a try for more than half a movie. But this film has really nothing exceptional.
Sparked my curiosity for other works by Bálint Kenyeres. Nicely done, anyhow.
Make no mistake!
This was, as far as I can remember, what episodes before a season finale are supposed to be: a build-up.
I wouldn't say it excels on that task, though, for I've been hoping to see more of the Alfred's "pagan affair" results on his mind (but, not as much on his faith, Alfred's changed and that can be seen on next and final episode's teaser)... but it's fair to say it achieves the minimum requirements.
Curious to see how it's going to work Alfred & Aelswith's relationship with Uhtred & Iseult from now on...
