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Author Topic: Black Mirror  (Read 10295 times)

Alan Smithee

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Black Mirror
« on: December 15, 2014, 08:59:24 PM »
Did anybody check this out on Netflix, there really great.

Bondo

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2015, 02:03:05 PM »

Hated In The Nation
Fifteen Million Merits
San Junipero
White Christmas

Shut Up And Dance
Be Right Back
The Entire History Of You
Playtest

Nosedive
The National Anthem
Men Against Fire

White Bear
The Waldo Moment
« Last Edit: October 28, 2016, 12:39:26 PM by Bondo »

1SO

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2015, 01:05:14 AM »
The National Anthem
I liked the premise, though I correctly predicted this one right down to the post-credits reveal. The part I had the most trouble believing was the reason and intensity of the shift in public opinion. I was expecting a more serious show, and while this is treated seriously, the core idea has a satirical looniness. The recent events around The Interview came to mind while watching.

Fifteen Million Merits
This one started slow and unsure, but I loved the way they realized the world. Right now there are apps that give credits if you watch their ads. How long till it's reversed where you lose credits by skipping them? I initially thought the story peaked at the audition, which repurposes something I've noticed about modern female celebrities into much more blunt language. If you want to be famous, you have to become sexual victims. His being forced to watch her ad I took to be the final twist, but it finds new footing. The score and editing become truly excellent at this point. I'm disappointed in his moment at the end. The writing's not strong enough to make what happens believable. However, this is an hour like no other on television.

The Entire History Of You
I've noticed there are two types of fans, those who prefer the way technology is incorporated into the story and those who prefer watching how that technology impacts people's lives. I am of the first group, but for fans of the second, these next two stories are for you. You can debate if the tech just brings out bad qualities that were already there, but I think it certainly enables people's natural ability to be secretive or paranoid.

Be Right Back
I wish this one were shorter. It's a nice little story, but a bit too on the nose, combining parts of Her and About Time without tapping into the magic of either film. We only get the surface plotting here. All the stuff with Hayley Atwell by herself doing things isn't deepening the emotional content.

White Bear
What a dramatic gear shift. This is like a segment from the VHS series, with overt references to The Signal, The Purge and You're Next. In other words, a white knuckle horror film that's right in my wheelhouse. So I probably will like this more than others. It's messy, but thrilling until... Well, let's just say it's not as messy and not the simple-minded commentary on our need to record everything on our smart phones that I thought it was. The turn raised some new questions, but this is the boldest, brashest story in the pack and the one I'll re-watch first. My favorite post-credits epilogue.

The Waldo Moment
Ugh. I heard this was the bad one and boy is it. The biggest problem is that Waldo isn't a fraction as funny as the laughing audience makes him out to be. This undermines everything else. How much more interesting would it be if Steven Colbert were to actually run for office? That's kind of what this is going for, with a cartoon avatar. It just doesn't work.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2015, 08:25:03 PM by 1SO »

saltine

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2015, 02:57:10 AM »
Ultimately, I was underwhelmed.  I would not wait in eager anticipation for more of these episodes.  Some nice casting and acting but the overall look was television-y and the plots were dull, for the most part.  My favor would be The Entire History of You, but mainly for Toby Kebbell.  Can't get enough of him.
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oneaprilday

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2015, 04:09:41 PM »
My favor would be The Entire History of You, but mainly for Toby Kebbell.  Can't get enough of him.
He was really good in The Escape Artist, streaming on Amazon.

oldkid

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2015, 11:54:42 PM »
Fifteen Million Merits
Be Right Back

The Entire History Of You
The National Anthem
White Bear

The Waldo Moment


Take this list, reverse the colors of all the episodes from Be Right Back to The Waldo Moment, and you've got my ranking.
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1SO

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2016, 11:43:54 PM »
It's back and it's at the top of my Must Watch list. I don't even want to waste time writing about each one because I'm deep into the binge. (Currently between eps.) Why I'm posting is I was looking for a consensus of what were the best and worst of the new season and it seems there isn't one, though everyone I've skimmed is calling the show amazing.

According to USA Today:
6. 'Shut Up and Dance'
5. 'Men Against Fire'
4. 'Playtest'
3. 'Nosedive'
2. 'Hated in the Nation'
1. 'San Junipero'

According to The Independent:
6. 'Men Against Fire'
5. 'San Junipero'
4. 'Playtest'
3. 'Hated in the Nation'
2. 'Nosedive'
1.  'Shut Up and Dance'

According to Variety:
6. Hated in the Nation
5. Shut Up and Dance
4. Nosedive
3. San Junipero
2. Playtest
1. Men Against Fire


Anyway... back into the show!

1SO

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2016, 01:25:19 AM »
I've watched 3 episodes tonight. Will let them stew in my mind before I give opinions.

Shut Up and Dance is directed by James Watkins. Watkins also directed Eden Lake. If you've seen Eden Lake, the tone of the final few minutes will be familiar to you.

Junior

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2016, 01:39:45 AM »
Oh, I'm excited to get there. I watched the first one, directed by Joe Wright. Loved the look of it, didn't love the pacing. Seemed like it could have been given a little more juice somewhere. Really liked the bit in the truck, even if it was exposition: the character. Bryce Dallas Howard does her thing pretty well, especially in that climax. Liked but didn't love this one.
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1SO

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Re: Black Mirror
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2016, 01:45:27 AM »
Well, at least we agree so far. The pacing has been my biggest problem with all three. The first 30 minutes of each of them could've been cut in half to get to where the stories are ultimately headed. The standout aspect of Joe Wright's episode is the pastel art direction.

Episode 2 stars a standout from the cast of Everybody Wants Some!! Didn't realize he's Kurt Russell's son, though it's obvious now.

Wish I didn't have to sleep.

 

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