thoughts at the intersection of movies, TV, and pop culture
Who is Mordrake going to kill? He mentions that his vile visage is looking for, “A pure freak, corrupted of flesh, befouled of soul.” The most interesting development would be if it were one of our leading freaks, but it would also derail the season pretty early on if it were someone we know well.
So, of course, someone named “Strong Man” is going to be met with a lot of estrogen-fueled flack. Here he comes, taking control, telling everyone what to do, punching people, introducing MATINEES! How dare he.
We got off to an alright start with this premiere. It lacked the excitement of premieres past, but I’m thinking that this season may crescendo rather than fizzle out.
If Mad Men is the filet mignon of television, American Horror Story is a big, juicy double bacon cheese burger.
Boyhood will make you nostalgic, but I don’t think that is its intention. While watching Mason’s journey (though he would roll his eyes at you for calling it that) you’ll think of your formative years and how they framed who you are now. You’ll remember those seemingly insignificant times that are really never celebrated.
The filmmakers here tell us that it works, but that concept is the same as when your parents told you the iron was hot. You didn’t believe them until you burned your finger on it. The world-building of this movie is so lazy that anything built upon it cannot be of any substance, because the foundation is too weak.
The textbook term for this type is “jukebox musical,” I know it as Let’s Take Existing Popular Songs and Wrench a Musical Out of Them. Whatever you call it, it operates under the same purpose as trying to fit a donut through a keyhole.
If life is made up of small moments, Ida is a full-length mirror.
