Nimona (2023)

A knight unjustly accused of a crime, aligns himself with a teenage girl who has many hidden tricks and a strange desire to be a villain.

'Nimona' is a modern animated film, belonging to the fantasy genre. It has interesting elements of futurism mixed with medieval specifics and tries quite effectively to teach lessons about tolerance and the differences between people.

Director:  Nick Bruno, Troy Quane    

With: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy

Rating: 8/10

American Horror Story 10: Double Feature (2021)

A writer and his family move to a town known for its muse effect.

A group of student friends discover they are pregnant after a camping trip.

'Red Tide' is the first story (feature) from season 10, a special season, created as a combination of 2 genres, and has 6 episodes.

It follows a horror trope focused on vampiric presence, but stylized a little differently. Vampirism is presented as an addiction to being known and appreciated, but the "quality" of becoming one is conditioned by the presence of talent. Truly a fully human problem and characteristic, but with very negative effects and consequences that are difficult to repair. The series is efficiently executed, with the well-known visual artistry, and is based on a team of fan favorites, including Evan Peters, Lily Rabe and Frances Conroy. It is also the feature that deserves the most attention.

'Death Valley' is the title of the second story (feature), with only 4 episodes. It is based on conspiracy theories about aliens and uses the idea of ​​'body snatchers' in a story that's very rich in colorful and outlandish events, so much so that the irony is lost somewhere along the way and the series suffers from the "style over substance" syndrome.

Director:  John J. Gray, Loni Peristere   

Production:  FX Network   

Creator: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy   

Duration:  season 10 of 10 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Finn Wittrock, Angelica Ross, Macaulay Culkin, Ryan Kiera Armstrong

Rating: 7/10

American Horror Story 8: Apocalypse (2018)

After a global nuclear attack, a chosen few retreat to underground shelters where the rules are unexpectedly changed.

Season 8 of American Horror Story sees some of the favorites from seasons 1 and 3 reunited in a story that mixes original content (full of apocalyptic elements and an expected Antichrist) with stories from previous seasons (1, 3 and 5). Maybe it's not as strong a season as the ones mentioned, but the continuity and the familiar faces, as well as the gift of a satisfying closure for all create a strong effect that has quite a weight to it.

Director:  Bradley Buecker, jennifer Lynch, Sarah Paulson and others

Production:  FX Network   

Creator: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy   

Duration:  season 8 of 10 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Cheyenne Jackson, Frances Conroy, Leslie Grossman, Emma Roberts, Cody Fern, Kathy Bates, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga

Rating: 8/10

American Horror Story: Cult (2017-2018)

A couple going through turmoil due to anxiety and phobias during an uncertain political climate finds themselves in the middle of events caused by a cult.

'Cult' is the seventh season of American Horror Story. It follows the already well-known recipe in which a single story occupies the entire season, with the chosen theme belonging to a horror subgenre. The present case is a slasher type one with well-established real historical cult influences. As usual, the team is led by the very talented Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, with a story that takes a while to find its voice, but towards the end it captivates enough. The ending is so and so, but liberating.

Director:  Bradley Buecker, Angela Bassett and others

Production:  FX Network   

Creator: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy   

Duration:  season 7 with 11 episoade (1 hour each)   

With: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Cheyenne Jackson, Frances Conroy, Leslie Grossman, Emma Roberts, Mare Winningham, Chaz Bono, Alison Pill

Rating: 7/10

Joker (2019)

Un om cu tulburări mentale, inclusiv râs patologic, primește lovituri după lovituri de la viață/societate, și acest lucru provoacă schimbari ireversibile. Persoana în chestiune e cel pe care il cunoaștem toți ca Arthur Fleck/Joker și vedem ca prim martor cum își transformă încet dar complet sistemul de crezuri.

Filmul este deosebit de bine făcut mai ales pentru gen (bazat pe benzi desenate) și pentru un regizor convertit de la comedii mai mult sau mai puțin reușite (The Hangover, Road Trip și altele). Dacă identitatea personajului nu ar fi în titlu și în mințile tuturor cu mult înainte de a fi lansat, fanii filmului ar fi în majoritate de alt gen. De fapt mi-aș fi dorit ca producătorii să fi făcut asta.

Este un film artistic ca la carte, Mubi ar fi fericiți să îl găzduiască. Prezintă un proces (foarte) încet de descompunere/recompunere a componentei mentale a lui Joker și transpunerea completă a indicatorului său personal pentru ceea ce e bine sau rau și acțiunile potrivite pentru fiecare alegere. Muzica este ca un martor tăcut al transformării, oferind și mai multă expresivitate actorului însoțindu-l neobosit și punctând eficient momentele semnificative.

Joaquin Phoenix este magnific și magnetic în pielea lui Joker, lucru care nu ar trebui să mai surprindă pe nimeni de acum. În final, te vei urî pentru momentele în care deși comite acte repulsive, încă vei fi de partea lui.

Este un anume element al poveștii care nu mi-a plăcut, dar pălește în raport cu efectul total al filmului, și de dragul evitatului spoiler-elor, nu îl voi menționa.

Scenariu: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Regia: Todd Phillips

Cu: Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy, Robert De Niro, Zazie Betz, Shea Whigham

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