love

Author Topic: The OA on Netflix: Spoiler thread  (Read 1712 times)

StudentOFilm

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3778
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 04:02:38 PM by saltine »
"Be yourself, unless you suck."- Joss Whedon

My Switchboard

saltine

  • Administrator
  • Godfather
  • ******
  • Posts: 9800
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2016, 03:29:27 PM »
I'm intrigued!  All chapters dropping together too?  I'll watch for sure.  Happy Holidays!
Texan Down Under

saltine

  • Administrator
  • Godfather
  • ******
  • Posts: 9800
Texan Down Under

goodguy

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2099
  • Colleen West was here.
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2016, 01:55:40 PM »
Early reviews (I've only read the headlines) indicate that this series is excellent, must-see TV.
Alan Sepinwall (Hitfix) was nonplussed, but based on the first episode, I'm really digging it.

Junior

  • Bert Macklin, FBI
  • Global Moderator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28709
  • What's the rumpus?
    • Benefits of a Classical Education
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2016, 02:44:58 PM »
My mom recently got a 4K tv, so I'm saving it for when I go home early this week, but I'm super pumped given Marling's previous efforts.
Check out my blog of many topics

“I’m not a quitter, Kimmy! I watched Interstellar all the way to the end!”

StarCarly

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4193
  • Something about a pillow.
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2016, 04:02:12 PM »
I've loved Brit Marling since I saw her in Another Earth, so I'm hoping this is her breakthrough.

(But I have almost not interest in watching it.)
"I've been very lonely in my isolated tower of indecipherable speech."

Films Watched in 2017

Letterboxd

StudentOFilm

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3778
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2016, 06:35:30 PM »
Early reviews (I've only read the headlines) indicate that this series is excellent, must-see TV.
Alan Sepinwall (Hitfix) was nonplussed, but based on the first episode, I'm really digging it.

I watched it all as I've been in bed with a cold and I really, really liked it. A very soulful and spiritual show while still towing the line of being in the sci-fi genre.

Although I felt the ending could've been better and I'm not quite sure how to put this into words...  Maybe it's watching an act of violence happen at a school against children that made it feel both so random and unwarranted, but I feel for this show to continue Prairie has to be telling the truth (Marling and Batmanglij both said they'd want a second season), or if she isn't then it was all some cosmic coincidence that her teaching the other five those moves that would distract the shooter... buuuuuuuuut didn't they just realize the day before that Prairie was (possibly) lying. The end felt so sudden and rushed and unfulfilling and not in a "oh there's a cliffhanger" kind of way. It also doesn't help that the movements look so corny. I couldn't help but chuckle at times even when Homer and Prairie first do it in unison. The beauty of that moment is almost ruined.

Still that's really my one and only big complaint. The directing, writing, acting, editing and cinematography is all top notch and anyone who wants to write up a "best of" list for this year without catching this might want to hold up. The casting is especially excellent and I'd encourage people to not look up who is in it. Lot of familiar faces. Very, very, very moving. I haven't had this strong of an emotional reaction to a show in a while.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 04:01:20 PM by saltine »
"Be yourself, unless you suck."- Joss Whedon

My Switchboard

goodguy

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2099
  • Colleen West was here.
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2016, 08:51:25 PM »
So Netflix finally managed to produce a show I really, really liked. Didn't think that would ever happen. Agree with all of your non-spoilery comments, StudentOFilm.
I didn't find the movements corny, but then I'm kinda used to interpretative dance. The school shooting came a bit out of left field, and I suppose it's always tricky to put something like that into your story. Personally, I found the ending satisfying, as it keeps the (un)reliability of the narrator an open question. I usually hate both pat conclusions and unashamed cliffhangers, so that level of ambiguity works for me, regardless whether there will be a 2nd season or not.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 04:01:40 PM by saltine »

StudentOFilm

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3778
Re: Re: TV Buzz
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2016, 01:54:58 PM »
The OA- Now that a few days have passed since I've seen it, I'm reminded of the movie Life of Pi (I didn't want to name the movie outside of the spoiler tag as to not ruin the show, but I apologize if I've ruined the film) where it's not the details of the story that matter as much as the spirit or message of the story. I suppose seeing it play out through a school shooting and interpretive dance... I just had a hard time making that leap based more on the idea of it and less on how it fits with the story as a whole. It's fair to say the connective tissue is all there to lead up to that moment, but when I think of the scene in the sense of "this is where the story was building to...", it doesn't sit well with me. I don't mean that in an unethical way (as you point out, goodguy, it's not the easiest of things to include and I can't imagine the filmmakers treated it lightly), just that there seems to be leap in characterization considering the teacher and the four boys realized that Prairie was (possibly) lying. She was orating to the group, but only we saw what was happening and the others could only imagine it, so when Alfonso finds the box in her house (and what was the therapist doing there anyway?) I feel the belief in her is all but decided. For them to change their mind with knowing glances during a remarkably intense moment... Then again I find myself going "well it's a sci-fi show so where do I draw the line?"

t's also interesting that many comments I've read call the movements "dance". That's not wrong, it's just not the first thing that came to my mind. I just kept thinking of it as like a wizard having to wave a wand in a calculated way to have something magical happen. I figured the characters could just do the motion but not as exaggerated or contorted since it seems pretty clear that part of what makes the movements work is mental.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 04:02:10 PM by saltine »
"Be yourself, unless you suck."- Joss Whedon

My Switchboard