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getmoneyswagger
Reviews
American Horror Story: Chapter 6 (2016)
Smart. Funny. Scary.
The beginning of the second half of season 6 has won back my love for American Horror Story. As promised, this episode has changed the dynamic for the entire season, and I'm totally on board with it.
One of my biggest gripes with the first 5 episodes was the fact that we knew Matt, Shelby and Lee would survive because they were telling the story. I felt this really removed a lot of the tension and honestly it made me care less about the characters. Now all the real life characters and re-enactment characters have been placed in the Roanoke house together, and it has been revealed that by the end of the three days, ALL of the characters will dead.....except one. Brilliant! It feels like the beginning of a Quentin Tarantino film, knowing how it will end but not knowing the story leading up to the ending.
All of the actors seem to be having much more fun in their roles now. I especially love Evan Peter's wacky red headed Rory (It's a shame he was the first to die though), and i'm excited to see how Cheyenne Jackson's character fits into this new story. But let's talk about the most shocking part of "Chapter 6" - Sarah Paulson's British accent. She nails it. At first I thought it was going to distract me but I got used to it very quickly! Gosh there's really nothing I didn't like about this episode, except maybe the lack of an opening title sequence (I guess we're not getting one for Roanoke?).
I loved this episode and I am incredibly excited for the remaining 4 chapters. We're Still waiting on Taissa Farmiga and Finn Wittrock to make their appearances - I'm calling it now, Taissa Farmiga is gonna be playing the real life version of Scáthach, the original supreme (that would fit nicely as she could be an ancestor of Zoe from coven).
American Horror Story: Chapter 1 (2016)
Different does not mean better....
For a season premiere that was kept so tightly under wraps, I think us die-hard AHS fans can all agree this is somewhat disappointing.
First I must give credit to Murphy and the producers for experimenting with this paradigm shift. The interview / reenactment style intrigued me at first, but ultimately I felt completely detached the drama. I don't care about any of these characters, because I haven't really got to know them. Each character describes themselves through boring exposition and cheesy backstories told directly to the camera, rather than meaningful dialogue exchanges that we can relate to. Additionally, performances from both new and returning cast members feel unnatural and comparably sub-par to the previous seasons.
On the other hand, "Chapter 1" is marvel in cinematography and sound, with some of the best shots/editing and music the series has ever seen. The isolated manor house in the forest is undoubtedly creepy, and seems to be a callback to the series' strong first season - "Muder House". With that said, I fear the show runners will continue the "Style over substance" mentality that made season 5 feel so empty.
Honestly I am baffled by the decision to make this season a mockumentary rather than using the traditional AHS format, and I really don't think it will grow on me. It is an awkward start to the most anticipated season of this show, but there was enough intrigue for me to want more.
Glitch (2015)
A very fun show
Everything about this show screams potential. The premise itself may not be highly original, but I've never seen any film or television program execute these ideas in this way.
Patrick Brammall and Emma Booth deliver very believable performances as a couple who has been reunited after 2 years. While their storyline is the main focus, the show adopts a "freak of the week" structure where the rest of the gang get their own subplots that explain their death and flesh out their character even more. Most of the characters are very likable, and their dialogue reflects the time period in which they lived. I love this little detail, as it makes every character feel unique and I often found myself wanting to know more about them.
One thing Glitch gets right more than anything is the suspense. The writers give you just enough clues to keep you interested while never fully explaining the situation. While this sounds like it would be frustrating, it is probably the most enjoyable thing about the show. My friends and I were always debating after each episode, and it was interesting to see how our theories changed as the series went on.
Another thing I loved was the score. Composer Cornel Wilczek delivers a unique and emotional series of songs that always capture the tone of the scene perfectly. The opening title song is particularly captivating.
Glitch is a very entertaining show, and there really isn't much I don't like. I'm looking forward to season 2.