San Junipero
I love the way this episode develops. It's a pretty common Black Mirror trope to begin with the known and build to the unknown, to begin with a small change in technology and then see how that develops. Although this episode begins with the known, a club in the 80s, the revelation of the unknown was masterfully done, keeping me on my toes. And then it relates it back to the revelation of the simply human. If there was any "bad" side to SJ, it's the way technology masks who we really are, forcing us to unmask the "lie" we have presented, which is hard on all parties involved. Still, this is a remarkably human episode of the series. 4/5
Men Against Fire
Thematically, this is my favorite of the season. Although it places itself from a soldier's viewpoint, this is the reality we all deal with. We mask our hatred with an overlay of monstrosity, whether we are talking about Muslims, Tsusi, the homeless or whichever group we apply our racism, classism, or whichever other -ism to. We not only have to have the core belief that these people are bad, but we need a story about them to make them truly horrifying, a reason to treat them inhumanely. Soldiers are the most obvious target for this kind of propaganda, and when they discover the truth then they can easily see the government that lied to them as the enemy. But this happens at the most basic level.
Just a few days ago, a park ranger took a police officer to one of the homeless camps I serve. He told the officer to sweep the camp, and the officer refused. "We can't do that this time of year," the officer replied. The park ranger said, "Look how dangerous this camp is!" The officer queried, "Dangerous? How?" "There are needles all over the place!" So the officer and park ranger investigated the whole camp, looking for needles because there was a witness that declared that syringes were all over the ground of the camp. In looking all over the camp, the pair didn't find a single one, either in the camp or in the surrounding area. The park ranger left in a huff, knowing he was right, but unable to prove it. As far as he was concerned, the homeless are monsters. He just couldn't prove it.
I agree with Bondo that the episode wasn't very well done. It was adequate, but had no real excellence. But the idea of the mask we place on others so that they might be punished is a significant idea that deserves to be declared.
4/5
Hated in the Nation
An excellent mystery with a technological twist. Another example of how hacking can make a good story premise.
Now I'm going off track and getting personal. This episode was good, the writing was excellent, but I wouldn't consider this great. Not worthy of a Filmspot. Because although the writing was well done, the visual presentation is simple, even starkly bare. The actors were top notch, especially Kelly MacDonald, who knows perfectly how to play doubtful, fearful, and pretending to be sad (when will she get her own lead for a series? Wouldn't it be great to see this episode become a pilot for it's own series?). But is it really much more than an well-done procedural?
I realize that 1SO's critiques of film, especially our well-loved animated films, is usually in the area of scriptwriting. That the story should have tied this up, this is a inconsistency, this action doesn't make any sense. I'm willing to overlook this if the filmmaking distracts me. A good magic trick distracts away from problems in the film, and the best magic tricks aren't the ones that make sense, but where the text and the visual keeps you focused on the magic. Sure you know it's not real magic, but it is the presentation of the illusion that is important.
1SO and I see different things in the magic trick of film. A well-written script with good actors is enough to distract from a plot that isn't more than a well done Law and Order. But I need more to distract me. For a film to be great, it must have eye-widening visuals, or at least a set that stuns me. 1SO must have a tied script and the greatest of visuals won't distract him from it.
Is this how it seems to you, 1SO?
Anyway, I'll give this episode a 4/5 because it's well done, but I don't really consider going anywhere new or particularly interesting. It's just a pleasure to see these actors be excellent.