The Fall Of The House Of Usher (2023)

Roderick Usher talks to Auggie Dupin in his mother's house, telling him how he is guilty of the death of each of his children.

'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is Mike Flanagan's latest (and last) miniseries adaptation in collaboration with Netflix. Based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, the series majestically combines several of his stories into a modern homage to the original Gothic style. Reimagined in a very original way, TFOTHOU will easily satisfy the need for the gothic in the life of the viewer and will turn the direction of their thoughts towards analysis and search for real "wealth". Visually it is grandiose, the deaths and their associated parallel stories are never rushed or treated superficially, and without ever forgetting the main narrative thread, the audience is treated satisfactorily with parallel development and an appropriate ending even when it is expected.

Director:  Michael Fimognari, Mike Flanagan   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan     

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (~1 hour each)   

With: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, T'Nia Miller, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Michael Trucco, Katie Parker, Ruth Codd, Mark Hamill, Kate Siegel, Carl Lumbly

Rating: 8.6/10

Wayward Pines (2015) - season 1

Un agent secret isi cauta colegii disparuti in zona Wayward Pines, dar ramane blocat in oraselul secretos.

Un serial ce promitea multe dupa alaturarea unui nume ca M Night Shyamalan si cu o echipa de actori de prima mana. Prima jumatate a serialului este excelenta, cu un suspans bine masurat si o intriga demna de Hitchcock. Pe la jumatate, cam aflam care e radacina misterului, si cumva cumva, atractia inca exista si misterul inca functioneaza, dar undeva spre final, totul este dat peste cap si povestea da intr-un The Purge cu adolescenti prost scris si prost executat, ce anuleaza usor orice interes pentru potentialul unui sezon secundar ce poate nu ar face aceleasi alegeri. Si totusi, se pare ca este o parere populara, deoarece ratingul scazut al celui de-al doilea sezon a culminat cu anularea lui Wayward Pines.

Regia:  M. Night Shyamalan, Vincenzo Natali (doar cate 1 episod) si multi altii   

Productie:  FOX   

Creator:  Chad Hodge   

Durata:  Sezonul 1 din 2 sezoane a cate 10 episoade (44 de minute fiecare)   

Cu: Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Charlie Tahan, Juliette Lewis, Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard, Siobhan Fallon Hogan

Rating: 7/10

Also read in English

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

Dani este o guvernanta americana ce are in grija doi orfani in Anglia, si locuiesc cu totii in conacul familiei la Bly Manor, ce include o echipa de ajutoare.

Al doilea sezon dupa The Haunting Of Hill House, complet independent si de sine statator, fara nici o legatura cu primul decat prin fetele familiare ale actorilor. Bazat in mare pe nuvela The Turn Of The Screw a lui Henry James, The Haunting Of Bly Manor este modernizat, adaptat la era anilor '80, si imbogatit cu multe personaje complexe si interactiunile acestora ce urmeaza fire narative secundare de mare interes si complet originale. Dialogul este adesea foarte subtil si plin de subinteles, contribuind imens la constructia personajelor si a impresiei generale asupra privitorului. In mare, acest sezon este mai putin concentrat pe elementele de groaza, accentele fiind indreptate catre mister, dezvoltarea unor personaje complexe si usor de simpatizat de public si in cele din urma povestea de dragoste ce umple finalul sezonului.

Regia:  Mike Flanagan   

Productie:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan   

Durata:  sezonul 2 a cate 9 episoade (45-60 minute fiecare)   

Cu: Victoria Pedretti, Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Henry Thomas, Carla Gugino, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Amelia Eve, T'Nia Miller, Rahul Kohli, Tahirah Sharif

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

Gerald's Game (2017)

Un cuplu petrece un weekend la casa de vacanta, unde un joc intim ia o intorsatura neasteptata cand sotul are un atac de cord in timp ce sotia este legata de pat.

Un film oarecum horror, dar mai mult analiza psihologica, bazat pe un roman de Stephen King. Posibil mai eficient decat un film de groaza obisnuit datorita freneziei paranoice atat de palpabila, cauzate de sentimente umane atat de naturale intr-un context neobisnuit dar posibil ce forteaza personajul principal sa initieze o serie de etape introspective. Acestea au loc fie ca reactii naturale a statului in loc, fie sunt consecinte ale activitatii subconstientului animat de instinctul de supravietuire. Carla Gugino este minunata in rol.

Regia:  Mike Flanagan   

Cu: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

Elizabeth Harvest (2018)

O proaspata sotie face turul casei sotului unde ii este interzis accesul intr-o singura camera.

Un thriller/horror foarte atmosferic, in ton cu personalitatea foarte curioasa si senzuala si copilaroasa a personajului principal. Incepe ca o poveste de basm cu tonuri arhaice dar continua ca.. altceva. Are o intriga interesanta, explicata spre final ca un fel de Pygmalion cu intorsaturi complet neasteptate, dar data fiind natura umana, probabil justificabile. Misterul este pastrat constant, socurile vin tiptil, iar cinematografia este foarte frumoasa.

Regie/scenariu: Sebastian Gutierrez

Cu: Abbey Lee, Ciarán Hinds, Carla Gugino, Matthew Beard, Dylan Baker

Rating: 7/10

Also read in English

Watchmen (2009)

An unofficial murder investigation and its follow up after the death of a well known superhero in the year of 1985.

No idea why I've been hearing dissatisfied  rumours about this because the movie is simply brilliant. After the first 5 minutes I found myself praying that it would continue in the same note, line, rhythm and subtlety (yes ... you read that right :P) and that's because the first most important scene is mindblowing, with a genius's touch. A lot of action, mechanical fights, zoom ins, slow motion, tough attitudes, and all with an adorable and ironic musical background of Nat King Cole's "unforgettable" Unforgettable. So my expectations were again exceeded. Even the moments that should by definition be ridiculous somehow end up being meaningful and important and everything comes together beautifully, coordinated, without any boring moment. Nothing you'd expect from a superhero movie can be found here except the costumes. The music is great and it contains surprising 70s oldies titles (Jimmy Hendrix, Leonard Cohen and then some ...), almost every time chosen in a tone that's opposite to the scene in progress. Blunt lines, sometimes funny, sometimes only ironic. Imperfect people, with human lives, insecurities, mixed feelings, who become invincible when they hide behind their everyday masks (only one exception - of course - but we'll allow it) and a perfect villain - cold and calculated and difficult to spot - built on the premise that the line between good and evil is very thin, which is quite rare in this genre of films when everything is usually either black or white ... And the director does not try to hide the more ugly and difficult to digest realities for the sake of the more sensitive and easily offended public which seems so common/normal these days. Ah and I loved the line "Hitler was a vegetarian too". I didn't know that : P.

Directed by: Zack Snyder
With: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

This is a translation of an old post, see it here