Caught the pilot of the new FX series from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. It's amazing how these two are able to switch gears from GLEE and produce this horror series.
Horror doesn't work as well on the small screen however the series does have its moments. Catching a glimpse of Denis O'Hare as the horribly disfigured peeping tom. Seeing snippets of a human predator as the bully is trapped down in the basement. Having Jessica Lange's personality suddenly turn as she turns on Connie Britton, warning her not to touch her daughter again.
The pilot's got enough to make us continue watching. Denis O'Hare and Jessica Lange shine in their scenes. The realization that the maid is already dead is intriguing.
I'm in.
Friday, October 7, 2011
EUROPA
Finished this script by Philip Gelatt.
I wish this "found-footage" genre would die already.
In EUROPA, we get footage of a crew as it travels to a moon in Jupiter's orbit. They have reason to be believe that this moon may hold life.
So the first hour or so, the story crawls along as they rocket along the cosmos. Incredibly boring. One crewmember dies and another starts to go crazy. Standard stuff. They eventually land on Europa and find water. They investigate further and sure enough there's some kind of creature that kills them all...but not before they're able to download all the footage back to earth.
Totally ridiculous. Philip Gelatt can't write character to save his soul. There's nothing about their personalities (other than one going crazy) that makes them stand out or memorable.
Definite pass on the script. Pass on the writer.
I wish this "found-footage" genre would die already.
In EUROPA, we get footage of a crew as it travels to a moon in Jupiter's orbit. They have reason to be believe that this moon may hold life.
So the first hour or so, the story crawls along as they rocket along the cosmos. Incredibly boring. One crewmember dies and another starts to go crazy. Standard stuff. They eventually land on Europa and find water. They investigate further and sure enough there's some kind of creature that kills them all...but not before they're able to download all the footage back to earth.
Totally ridiculous. Philip Gelatt can't write character to save his soul. There's nothing about their personalities (other than one going crazy) that makes them stand out or memorable.
Definite pass on the script. Pass on the writer.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
THE SECRET CIRCLE
New series on the CW. Kevin Williamson's companion piece to THE VAMPIRE DIARIES. The casting could've been better. The girls need to be hotter. I don't see anyone becoming a breakout star from this show.
The writing has to get better. There's not enough teenage angst, not enough teenage problems to sustain interest.
Williamson has tapped that teenage market and is a proven winner. His reputation alone gives this show a chance. The plot needs to thicken in a hurry though.
The writing has to get better. There's not enough teenage angst, not enough teenage problems to sustain interest.
Williamson has tapped that teenage market and is a proven winner. His reputation alone gives this show a chance. The plot needs to thicken in a hurry though.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
HART OF DIXIE
It's kinda hard to buy Rachel Bilson as a doctor in this new CW series. However, Rachel can make it work. She stole her scenes in THE O.C. Let's see how well she does carrying a series.
The writing has to step up a notch though. The drama has to become more dramatic. The situations have to deepen. Right now, they're standard at best. Take the love triangle. It's clear Scott Porter doesn't love his fiancee. This weakens the triangle and thus weakens the plot. The writing has got to become more creative in handling this situation.
The relationship between Nancy Travis and Bilson should have been much more contentious in the beginning. They should have hated each other. Then, when Bilson delivers the baby, we should've seen this change of heart come over Travis. She's misjudged Bilson and is going to make amends. This way, we'd see this bond developing.
They've got to create more tension for the the show to survive.
The writing has to step up a notch though. The drama has to become more dramatic. The situations have to deepen. Right now, they're standard at best. Take the love triangle. It's clear Scott Porter doesn't love his fiancee. This weakens the triangle and thus weakens the plot. The writing has got to become more creative in handling this situation.
The relationship between Nancy Travis and Bilson should have been much more contentious in the beginning. They should have hated each other. Then, when Bilson delivers the baby, we should've seen this change of heart come over Travis. She's misjudged Bilson and is going to make amends. This way, we'd see this bond developing.
They've got to create more tension for the the show to survive.
PAN AM
When I first heard about this show I thought, what are they going to do, stick us in an airplane for an hour every week? That would become so visually boring in a hurry.
However, the creators of PAN AM have deftly solved this problem by opening the show up with flashbacks that deepen the characters and make us like them right off the bat.
Unlike THE PLAYBOY CLUB, PAN AM has hired a stunning cast. Everyone is easy on the eyes. They've also given us mystery, romance, comedy and drama. We've got a spy, a purser that has disappeared, a girl running away from a wedding, and a french stewardess who's ways are much different than her American counterparts.
The show has a big feel to it. Let's hope it can deliver.
However, the creators of PAN AM have deftly solved this problem by opening the show up with flashbacks that deepen the characters and make us like them right off the bat.
Unlike THE PLAYBOY CLUB, PAN AM has hired a stunning cast. Everyone is easy on the eyes. They've also given us mystery, romance, comedy and drama. We've got a spy, a purser that has disappeared, a girl running away from a wedding, and a french stewardess who's ways are much different than her American counterparts.
The show has a big feel to it. Let's hope it can deliver.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
CASSANDRA'S DREAM
This is the most un-Woody Allen-like film there is. Much more so than MATCH POINT. There isn't a single Allen fingerprint in the movie.
The film isn't entertaining because the story is so mundane. Maybe the film would've worked in the 1940's but today, you need a plot that's going to twist and keep you off-balance. Did Woody really think that having Ewan McGregor getting killed in the end besides Colin Farrell would blow us away?
The script is too simplistic. It doesn't have any weight to it. So Colin Farrell's guilt eats away at him. So what? That's not enough for a film.
The whole subplot with Hayley Atwell's character goes nowhere. I kept waiting for her to have an affair with another guy or at least steal McGregor's money. Woody hints at her being a bit devious but nothing comes of it.
I also thought there was going to be more to Uncle Howard. I was sure he was going to turn out to be flat broke and unable to help the lads once they commit the murder. Again, another character wasted. Someone that doesn't add to the major conflict.
Woody's time has passed him by.
The film isn't entertaining because the story is so mundane. Maybe the film would've worked in the 1940's but today, you need a plot that's going to twist and keep you off-balance. Did Woody really think that having Ewan McGregor getting killed in the end besides Colin Farrell would blow us away?
The script is too simplistic. It doesn't have any weight to it. So Colin Farrell's guilt eats away at him. So what? That's not enough for a film.
The whole subplot with Hayley Atwell's character goes nowhere. I kept waiting for her to have an affair with another guy or at least steal McGregor's money. Woody hints at her being a bit devious but nothing comes of it.
I also thought there was going to be more to Uncle Howard. I was sure he was going to turn out to be flat broke and unable to help the lads once they commit the murder. Again, another character wasted. Someone that doesn't add to the major conflict.
Woody's time has passed him by.
Monday, October 3, 2011
TERRA NOVA
Caught the pilot. Dismayed at how unspectacular it was. The series is going to bomb if this is the quality of computer-generated dinosaurs we can expect. Cheesy at best.
Two interested plot points came up that stops the episode from being labelled a complete waste of time. One, how Commander Taylor's son draws the maps and calculations upon the rocks. And two, how the sixers are trying to disrupt Terra Nova. Is Commander Taylor evil? What's the real reason for Terra Nova's existence?
It does just enough to make me continue watching. However, I expected to be blown away by the pilot. The whole family trying to reconnect is embarrassingly bad.
Still not quite sure how going back 85 million years into the past will help them save the Eath.
Two interested plot points came up that stops the episode from being labelled a complete waste of time. One, how Commander Taylor's son draws the maps and calculations upon the rocks. And two, how the sixers are trying to disrupt Terra Nova. Is Commander Taylor evil? What's the real reason for Terra Nova's existence?
It does just enough to make me continue watching. However, I expected to be blown away by the pilot. The whole family trying to reconnect is embarrassingly bad.
Still not quite sure how going back 85 million years into the past will help them save the Eath.
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