Film Review: Black Mirror Series Seven, Redux (Part 2/3)

The next episode is Eulogy, and it's a bit of a mood whiplash from the preceding episode, but just as good, if not better.

The Premise

Philip receives a call that his old flame Carol has passed away. In order to collect recollections for her memorial, Philip goes through a program by Eulogy designed to read his memories, unearthing some interesting ones...

The Characters

Paul Giamatti absolutely knocks it out of the park in the role of Philip Connarty. Philip is a surly, bitter, cranky old guy. Giamatti carried this episode by serving up an entire buffet of emotional delivery. He also serves as narrator for most of the recollections. He gives us a moving portrayal of a deeply flawed man who loved passionately, experienced guilt, lashed out in anger, and finds closure in forgiveness. Giamatti was immediately recognizable to me as the antagonist in Shoot Em Up. Upon watching this episode, I gained a newfound respect for this man's range.

Patsy Ferran as Kelly Royce, Carol's daughter and the AI that serves Eulogy. She acted as the foil to Philip's general grumpiness, appearing upbeat and chirpy most of the time, occasionally delivering quite the witty barb. The meat of this episode belonged to Giamatti, but without Ferran to play off against, it wouldn't have worked as well.

There were plenty of others in the cast, but they either had no speaking parts, extremely limited screen time or merely appeared as still images... or all at the same time.

The Mood

It begins with a scene of an elderly man trimming rose bushes in some quiet countryside or other. A very placid scene. And the pacing stays slow and steady even as more upsetting memories and twists are revealed. There's a pervading sense of sorrow, old anger and sentimentality, though at no point does the viewer get the sense that anyone is in any particular danger. It's not that kind of Black Mirror episode, and yet it absolutely works.

What I liked

It's a very small cast. Only two actors have any sort of work to do - the rest either appear in non-speaking and/or non-moving roles. Thus, it's up to Paul Giamatti and Patsy Ferran to hold up this episode all by themselves. And these two, quite amazingly, get it done.

Black Mirror is famously full of violence, vulgarity and downer endings. On the rare occasion when things get sentimental and sweet, like now, even admidst the sorrow permeating the episode, it really hits home.

The visuals are amazing. They give us a pretty darn good idea of what it's like to virtually dive into a still photograph, and have AI render everything in 3D. The side effects of Philip using sharpies and knives to erase Carol's face from photographs, are disturbingly rendered as well. It's glorious... with just a hint of spooky.

What I didn't

DHL sending the package by drone was a detail I could have done without. That was so out of left field. I don't actually think drone delivery is too far-fetched, though having it take place in such a casual manner, probably is. There are regulatory issues to think about, especially since the company Eulogy is in the UK and Philip is in the USA or something. And it wasn't even really relevant to the story.

Still, it's a very minor detail in what was otherwise an excellent episode.

Conclusion

This episode was genius. It had the Black Mirror DNA - fantastical tech being used in novel ways, flawed characters acting out and inevitable human tragedy. Though, in this case, the tech brings about a somewhat happy ending. This might actually be my favorite episode in an above-average season of Black Mirror.

My Rating

9.5 / 10

Next

USS Callister: Into Infinity

No Blanket Solutions

There exists in the spoken language, a supreme contradiction. A sentence that manages to be simultaneously profound in its humility and stunning in its arrogance.

"If I can do it, anyone should be able to do it." - every douchebag ever.

Why is this humble? Well, on the surface, it seems like people who say this are modestly describing their achievements as mediocre. They feel that they're not special, so if someone as unexceptional as them can do something, there's no reason why most other people wouldn't be able to do it. For example, I quit smoking almost two years ago. I did it far easier than many people did, with no lingering physical or psychological side-effects despite having been a pack-a-day guy for the better part of twenty years. No discipline was required; the struggle was non-existent for me. However, I'm also reasonably certain that this isn't that uncommon. There are plenty of people, wired the same way as me, who could accomplish that. Acknowledging that you're not special, is humility.

Why is this arrogant? At the same time,  if I were to claim that I quit smoking without much fuss, and there is something wrong with people who can't simply follow my example; that's a problematic stance to take. Assuming that oneself is the standard on which everyone else should be based around, is both immature and pretty egoistical. It lacks self-awareness.

And both positions are wrong.

We're not all the same.

They're wrong for the very uncomplicated reason that we're all built different. We don't all come off some assembly line with the exact same characteristics. There are significant variances across data points like culture, upbringing, physical and environmental.

For example, people who spent their formative years in a Southeast Asian multicultural country like Singapore or Malaysia would have significantly less trouble picking up a third or fourth language as opposed to, say, an Englishman born and bred in the UK. Incidentally, that's why people coo and act impressed when a white guy speaks Mandarin (even if his pronounciation is dogshit). Whereas nobody bats an eyelid when an Asian guy speaks English well. Why? Because a white dude even attempting to speak anything other than dodgy English is impressive, whereas for an Asian guy it's just another Tuesday.

Is it fair? Well, of course not; but if we're going to acknowledge that everyone's built different, then nothing is fair.

The tech space

"There are no blanket solutions" is a favorite refrain of mine, because it's true especially in the tech space. You can have all the best practices in the world, but they have to be evaluated against the exact context in which you're applying them. The concept of best practices is a good thing, don't get me wrong, but only if not applied blindly.

Frameworks aren't always the way to go; I've said this before over and over. They're often the way to go in software development, but not in every situation.

Not every data storage solution has to include a database.

Not every 2FA solution
looks the same.

Not every 2FA solution looks the same - some involve texts to mobile phone and some involve a third-party authenticator app.

You wouldn't use Python to code every damn thing, just the same way you wouldn't use Java to do it. At least, I hope not.

While we're at it, almost every organization's implementation of Agile Methodology looks different from the next.

But while all I've said so far is uncontroversial, that's for the tech space. The software development context.

In a personal context

Someone once told me he wanted to be like me. I had a place of my own. I was doing well financially with no debt. While I wasn't filthy rich, I spent money without needing to think too hard about it. And above all, I was chill. I didn't let what I didn't have, bother me too much.

And all that was before I got blissfully married and really started stepping up my game at life.

Possibly, to an outsider who was just watching me live my life, it looked like I had everything without needing to turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope. Furthermore, it looked like all that was needed to achieve what I achieved, was to live my life the way I did. Sadly, I had to disabuse this person of that fantasy. He was not going to achieve the same things I did by living like me, simply because he wasn't me.

There's more than
one path to the
rainbow.

My achievements aren't spectacular by any means. An apartment, a job and a spouse. Spare cash in the bank. The means to take care of my immediate family. These things are achievable by the vast majority of people. All I've really done is earn as much money as I can while living a very modest lifestyle. And that's the hard part.

You see, not everyone can, or wants to, live life the way I do, as if I were still drawing an income of just under SGD 3,000 a month. It takes a specific kind of person to happily sacrifice pleasure for stability. Not everyone has the same experience and needs. Not everyone has the same personality. I know plenty of people who would struggle mightily with a simple existence.

Overseas vacations, wine and cheese, cab rides, expensive pets, gym and club memberships - I won't miss any of those things because they're not the kind of things a guy like me cares about. But again, not everyone is like me in this regard. And honestly, for the sake of Singapore's economy, I really hope not. (Part of the reason why I can live the way I do, is because other people have this habit of buying pricey shit they don't need. So keep on doing what you do, guys; you're awesome.)

Therefore, it's not a simple matter of glibly saying "live life this way". Not everyone will take to my chosen lifestyle the way I have, or reap the exact same rewards from doing so. Why should anyone travel the same path and have the same outcomes as me when they're fundamentally different from me? That makes no sense, does it?

In a nutshell...

The mistake most people make is to assume that everyone wants the same things that they do, or at everyone is built the same way. That's why you have well-intentioned but severely misguided people going around advising others to have kids or go to Church or become a vegetarian because those things have benefitted them... and they assume that these things will benefit other people in exactly the same way.

People can certainly achieve the same things I have, or more... but they're going to have to find their own pathway to it.

Stay unique,
T___T

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Six, Redux (Part 2/2)

This next episode, Demon 79, leans into the whole supernatural path that Black Mirror seems to be veering into, and then gleefully goes full speed ahead.

The Premise

Shop assistant Niqa discovers a bone talisman and enters a pact with a demon, Gaap, in which she has to deliver three human sacrifices. Failure to do so will bring about the end of the world. It's pretty simple, and really revolves around her attacks of conscience.

The Characters

Anjana Vasan takes on the role of Niqa Huq, and really makes a meal of it here. Niqa has a dreary soul-wearing job and Vasan really makes you feel it. When she gets driven to murder later on, I could totally believe it.

Paapa Essiedu is Gaap. He's quirky and goofy, and so much fun on screen. Even more fun is his off-handed attitude towards murder, morality and all that jazz. Endearingly awkward demeanor aside, there are moments of vulnerability where Gaap confesses his insecurities to Niqa, and they bond.

Nicholas Burns as Keith Holligan. We first see Holligan as a balding loser who also happens to be a psychopathic murderer, but as the episode goes on, it's apparent that he's a tragically lonely man who also happens to be deeply disturbed. Burns made me feel -sorry- for this guy, dammit. Right up to the point he got his skull smashed in!

Shaun Dooley as Len Fisher, the police detective who investigates the murders. Comes off as jaded, cynical and couldn't be arsed. But when presented with a proper mystery, he's all kinds of shrewd and professional. Dooley let the human side show during that confrontation with Niqa, when Niqa asks him if he's a good man, and he says "I hope so, love".

Nick Shields as politician Michael Smart. He's played as charming and intelligent, and a good orator, with the catchphrase "So don't just pray for a good future, vote for one!" That scene where he just about snake-charms Vicky into voting for him, was fantastic. I could have done with more of him in this episode, he was brilliant as an antagonist. Totally brought that dangerous energy to his game.

Katherine Rose Morley is Vicky the salesgirl. Morley plays her with acid-tongued bitchiness and absolutely no redeeming qualities, so it's easy to root for Niqa to make her the next victim.

Emily Fairn as Suzie, Fisher's assistant. Mostly got distracted by her nose, I'm sorry to say.

Nick Holder as Posset's manager, Mr Duncan. Wow, what an ass. Holder plays him as a doofus who skirts around being overtly racist but ultimately lets his true colors slip through in the presence of Michael Smart. That was great, because it kept me guessing who was going to be the next sacrifice, and hoping it might be him.

Joshua James as Chris Holligan. He probably wasn't meant to be a comedic character, but that awkward fight scene with Niqa was hysterical.

Joe Evans as Tim Simons, a creep who molests his young daughter. There's nothing overtly detestable or likeable about the guy, otherwise. The character doesn't spend much time on screen, so it's up to Gaap to tell us his sins.

Hayley Considine as Jean Simons. She's played as an oblivous wife and mother.

Lillie Mae Law as Laura Simons. She's quiet and sullen, and looks like a seriously disturbed child, possibly from being molested repeatedly by dear old dad.

Steve Garti as Bob the bartender. While the character isn't exactly played like an out-an-out racist, he's more like the dismissive "they all look the same to me" guy. Kind of like me, if I'm being honest.

Vickie Binnis plays Julie the barmaid, but this seems like a thankless role if all she really does is provide some exposition.

The Mood

The atmosphere is dreary, a cacophany of dirty rooms, dusty streets and hazy skies. We're made to sit through the drudgery of Niqa's life, and things don't improve much after meeting Gaap.

All in all, it has a very low-budget horror movie vibe, along with jarring sound effects, which I totally enjoyed.

What I liked

Vibe between Niqa and Gaap. It's heartwarming, that's what it is. Niqa has multiple breakdowns, and Gaap is supportive in his ham-fisted way.

Reappearance of the symbol from White Bear and Bandersnatch. I just about screamed when Nida found this talisman. This is rapidly turning out to be another Black Mirror staple.

Niqa's flights of fancy where she imagines herself violently killing annoying co-workers and customers, were tremendous fun to watch.

The subplot of National Front and Niqa being a potential target, really added to the narrative tension.

The entire subplot of Keith Hooligan's death, from his ham-fisted attempts to seduce Niqa, to his resigned acceptance of his fate, was just so yikes. Loved it!

We get to see one of those metal dogs again! Though this time it's in the form of a flash-forward and it's so brief, you blink and you miss it.

The car chase which ended in Niqa taking the hammer to Smart and ultimately getting caught by Fisher, was a thrilling plot point for me. This was so well done, on multiple levels. The music, the night lighting, the acting... good shit.

I loved the ending, where Niqa and Gaap actually choose to hang out with each other for eternity. It's so sweet, honestly.

And even that final conflagration. It's a downer ending sure, but done so gracefully.

Generally, the writing, and the dialogue. It feels like a lot of love and care was put into characterization.

What I didn't

This episode was all about the supernatural. If I'm tuning in to Black Mirror, I wanna see a Black Mirror episode, dammit. That means computers, phones and shit.

Are we supposed to believe only a few minutes passed between braining Keith Hollligan and then that entire fight sequence between Niqa and Chris?

Conclusion

Demon 79 had so much going for it - engaging characters, nice story, rich visuals. Unfortunately, it just didn't fit into the Black Mirror universe. Where's the tech angle? Where's the media angle? Nada. Zilch. Not that I didn't enjoy it, mind you. Just based on its own merits, Demon 79 was intensely watchable.

My Rating

8 / 10

Final Thoughts on Black Mirror Series Six

Series Six is a big fat disappointment, and that's me being charitable. Too many episodes don't fit the mold of a Black Mirror offering, and that hurts the entire series as a whole. Which really is a pity considering standouts in this series such as Joan Is Awful and Beyond the Sea. It feels like the showrunners are just going through the motions at this point, and running out of ideas for the Black Mirror concept. Demon 79, for example, seems like a nice piece of work but with very little to mark it as a Black Mirror episode.

Look in the mirror, Series Six!
T___T

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Six (Part 2/3)

Now for the next episode, Loch Henry!

The Premise

This next episode is Loch Henry. It takes place in a quaint English countryside, always a win in my book. A well-publicized series of murders happened here a long time ago, and a young couple starts to make a documentary about it.

The Characters

Samuel Blenkin as Davis McArdle. I last saw him in The Continental. In here, he was thin, awkward, and just kind of meek. The entire performance was so-so, really. Except at the parts where he interacted with Monica Dolan, where the actor teared up a bit. I thought those were great.

Myha'la Herrold as Pia Koreshi. The role seemed a little bland. Not sure if that was the way it was written, or just the way Herrold played it.

Daniel Portman almost steals the show as Stuart King. Loud, brash, goofy, Stuart King is the buddy we all wish we had, the one we get up to crazy shenanigans with and owns a bar so he can get you free drinks. Also, his sarcasm is a delight to watch.

John Hannah plays Start's drunken dad Richard King. As a teenager, I first watched Hannah in Sliding Doors, and then in The Mummy trilogy. Guy's a hoot, and they hit peak perfection with this casting call. As Richard King, Hannah is equal parts cranky and morose, and anguished. He makes an entire meal out of this, but without detracting from the story too much.

Monica Dolan is mother Janet McCardle. This is Dolan's second role in the Black Mirror series, the first being a rather more forgettable outing as a Chief Inspector in the dreadfully tedious episode Smithereens. She does considerably better this time round playing an anxious and awkward mother who's really an enthusiastic accomplice to several murders.

Gregor Firth as Kenneth McCardle. A jovial lawman who turns out to be a perverted serial murderer. It was a somewhat believable turn, given we hadn't seen all that much of Kenneth McArdle so far.

Ellie White makes a couple appearances playing Kate Cezar, who runs Historik Productions and appears to be the boss of Davis and Pia. There's a little bit of an opportunistic vibe about her, which I guess we all associate with publishing houses.

Tom Crowhurst as Iain Adair. The part called for a mad-looking guy and Crowhurst delivered without being too obvious about it.

The Mood

It's a misty countryside and I could just about feel the cold air on my face and the rustic warmth of the bar. The tension goes up a few notches in the final act, but for the most part, it's a slow-burn kind of vibe. When Davis begins the narration of the case of the missing couple Simon and Dawn Challis, that's where a hint of it begins.

Later on, when a horrified Pia is watching a real sex murder on camera while the scene cuts back to Janet preparing food with a very lethal-looking knife, the accompanying music ratches up the tension like you wouldn't believe!

What I liked

The cast is small and tight - no one's wasted in their roles.

As mentioned before, the environment they shot this in was breathtaking in its natural beauty. Huge plus, if you ask me. And there's just something about Stuart's bar that charmed my socks off.

While I'm not a big fan of the twist itself, how it was implemented I have no complaints with. Pia accidentally overwriting a tape with incriminating evidence, and seeing just a hint of it at the end... great stuff! Makes me nostalgic for the days of old.

That last lingering shot of Janet's suicide note and the photos she left behind. So terrible, and so sad!

What I didn't

The premise is hardly original, and neither is the twist. (See 2003's Gothika for something similar) If someone as clueless as myself saw it coming a mile away...

This is supposed to be a Black Mirror episode but I see nothing about tech or media (unless you count VHS tapes).

Pia's death seemed kind of overkill, narrative-wise. I don't see what it adds to the story.

It occurs to me that Davis and Pia are the sixth (or more?) example of an interracial couple I've seen so far in Black Mirror. When it first appeared in Fifteen Million Merits and White Bear, I was all for it. Several episodes over multiple seasons later, it's gotten a bit gratuitous. Hang The DJ, San Junipero, White Christmas, Black Museum... the list goes on. Even the preceding Joan Is Awful! (Both Joan's relationship with Krish and the random couple whose wedding she interrupts) Normally, I'm pretty oblivious to this, so if even I noticed it... seriously, it feels like somebody is trying just a bit too hard.

I don't think Stuart would have called Davis to crow about the booming business in the bar. I mean, FFS, Davis lost both his girl and his mother in one go, and it turns out his parents were murderous psychopaths. I feel like Stuart can be insensitive, but surely he's not such a dick?

Conclusion

It's not that I didn't like this episode. I just didn't think it belongs in Black Mirror. There are episodes that don't have a tech angle such as Hated In the Nation or Smithereens, but still have a Media angle. This has neither. Running out of ideas?!

My Rating

7.5

Next

Beyond The Sea

The Curious Case of the Oddly Fragile Software Engineer

Earlier in the week, I happened to come across this article on Substack. It was titled The Manager I hated and the lesson he taught me by one Stephane Moreau. I was immediately intrigued because I am a software developer and I've worked for people I hate.

Well, actually, hate is a strong word. It's hyperbolic. Do I like them as people? Not at all. Do I wish physical harm or financial ruin on them? Not really either, no. In all fairness, if they were on fire, I might hesitate only a full five seconds before rushing over to help them like a decent human being by stamping on them as hard as humanly possible - to put the fire out, you understand.

When someone's on
fire, stamp on them.

Most of all, I'm a proponent of the idea that you can learn things even from people you don't like. Sometimes especially from people you don't like. Like, how many of such people have I learned from, how not to be a jackass? Countless!

But I digress...

The intention today was to discuss Stephane Moreau's thoughts on the manager he hated. His larger point I have no issue with - what I found really interesting was his description of what caused him to hate that Manager.

From what I saw, it started with a code review in which the Manager had this to say.

Over-engineered. Too many moving parts. Refactor.

This seemed pretty straightforward to me. A statement, an explanation, and an instruction, all in three short sentences. Moreau, however, didn't think so. This is what he had to say...

That was it. No "nice work". No "good attempt". Just a hard stop.

I sat there, fuming. I thought, "Does this guy enjoy tearing people down?"

Getting shot down.

Gee, I dunno. This seemed a bit much. I thought the Manager's comments were clear enough. What had Moreau been expecting, an essay? I didn't understand the part about "tearing people down" either. In fact, I feel like if the Manager had prefaced it with "nice work" or "good attempt", it would have felt patronizing. Which is perhaps worse than being curt. I don't need to be treated like I'm special. I do need to be treated like a professional, and that cannot happen if the Manager is feeling the need to (metaphorically) pat me on the head and throw me a bone.

This is why I can't relate

There was another line which Moreau took exception to, and at times described as "brutal".

This is fragile. What happens under load? What's the rollback plan?

And this.

You're thinking like a coder, not an engineer. Build things that survive failure.

I have received feedback like this before from my then-CTO. I was told that I approached things like a coder, and he expected more. I had no problem with this feedback, and would not have described it as "brutal". 

What baffles me is that the only way the Manager could be seen as "tearing people down" was if Moreau had seen himself as being above that kind of criticism. And in contrast, I've never seen myself as anything but mediocre. Frankly, from reading Moreau's stuff, my perception of him is that he's a humble and chill kind of guy, so perhaps he was merely relating a story from when he was young and dumb.

Like a kid with crayons.

Know what's brutal? Having your work torn to shreds and being told you write code like a toddler who just got crayons. Outright questioning what you contribute to the company. That's what I got from the above-mentioned CTO. Honestly, if Moreau had received that kind of feedback, I wonder how he would have wilted. The entire article just made Moreau look fragile, like some kind of snowflake.

Perhaps the culture in the Southeast Asia is just a lot different from the UK. Perhaps the general problem is that we're just not such a warm, nurturing environment. Here in sunny Singapore, I have the memory of being conscripted into the Singapore Armed Forces at the tender age of 19, and being yelled at by platoon sergeants on my first day... and my first thought was: Bitch please. You're think you're scary? I have a Cantonese mom.

In summary

Moreau made a whole slew of valid points in his article. I don't actually disagree with any of it. What I do take issue with, is the examples he used. As far as I'm concerned, those weren't put-downs from his then-Manager. If he wants put-downs, I've got some really savage ones.

Nice work, TeochewThunder. Good attempt!
T___T

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Five (Part 2/3)

This next story, Smithereens, is set in the UK - London, to be exact. Smithereen is the name of a Social Media company owned by Billy Bauer.

As the exclamation mark icon would suggest, Smithereen produces some kind of Twitter-like Social Media product.

The Premise

Rideshare driver Chris Gilhaney takes a man hostage in an effort to speak with the founder of Smithereen, Billy Bauer. That's pretty much it; this is, in broad strokes, what takes place. The rest of it is in-character drama and backstory.

The tragedy itself is a commentary on the addictve nature of Social Media.

The Characters

Andrew Scott as Christopher Gilhaney. At first we think he's an unkempt cab driver with an unusually intense stare. We later find out that he's extremely stressed and has a hair-trigger temper, but ultimately a decent chap at heart. He's also got a fair amount of tragedy in his life which leads him to do this.

Damson Idris plays Smithereen intern Jaden Tommins as a scared kid taken hostage. He does this wonderfully too, and really elicits sympathy here. At the end, the character exhibits loads of empathy with his kidnapper Chris and even tries to stop him from killing himself.

Topher Grace as Smithereen CEO Billy Bauer. Grace appears like I've never seen him before - as a new-agey man-bunned hipster out on a "silent retreat". Pretensions aside, he's entirely sympathetic as a tech geek who begins building his product with benign intentions but ends up creating a monster.

Calum Callaghan as male cop, Damien Cullen. Slightly goofy, but the portrayal of a stodgy cop seemed entirely authentic.

Ambreen Razia as female cop, Najma Haque. Portrayed as the more on-the-ball and alert partner.

Amanda Drew is Hayley Blackwood. She is a grieving mother whose daughter took her own life, and has a one-night stand with Chris. I liked her in this role, but I'm not sure if her inclusion was necessary at all.

Caitlin Innes Edwards as Hannah Kent from Smithereen HR. Nothing much to see here, really. Honestly didn't do much. I get that the plot warranted her inclusion; she just wasn't that interesting to watch.

Maggie Bain as Maryam, who appears to be in charge of Smithereen in London. Another superfluous role.

Ruibo Qian as Penelope Wu, COO. She acts as the counterfoil to Billy Bauer's empathetic nature, mostly cold and calculating and concerned with the less human side of things.

Monica Dolan as Chief Superintendent Linda Grace, who tries to take charge but does a really bad job of it.

Daniel Ings as David Gilkes, negotiator. Another role that felt superfluous.

Quincy Dunn-Baker as Don from legal and Mirirai Sithole as Shonelle from Analytics. Fucking superfluous. FFS, they should have just combined the two roles with no loss to the story. Were they trying to set some kind of record here?

Jorge Cordova as Ernesto Cruz from FBI. Wow, this is Superfluous with a capital S. What did the character contribute here, really? Neat pornstache, though.

Adam McNamara as Harris the sniper. Alice Bailey-Johnson as the other sniper. Supremely incompetent at their jobs, considering how much they missed and how little distance it was.

Crystal Clarke does a decent job playing Tipi. Upbeat and earnest. Clarke made the most out of the limited scope of the role as the staff member sent to alert Billy Bauer.

The Mood

It looks like a typical dreary day in London but soon (after an unneccessary sex scene) the action picks up and becomes some kind of hostage thriller. Doubles as tragedy when one realizes what led Chris to take such extreme measures.

What I liked

I really enjoyed the fact that this episode was all about existing tech. Smithereen was like a real-world Twitter (now X), Persona the equivalent of Facebook or Instagram, and Hitcher like Uber. It made it all the more relatable, especially since the bleakness was a dark (or black, hur hur) mirror to the all-too-real ills of Social Media today.

The transcriber being a prude as it recorded Chris delivering a cluster F-bomb, substituting all instances of "fuck" with "duck". I probably shouldn't find it that amusing, but I did.

What I didn't

The cast just felt unnecessarily huge. There was a number of speaking roles in the episode that felt like they were there just to make up the numbers. The characterization for these roles were just flat.

The plot was bloated beyond belief. A lot of it felt like meaningless waiting. Did it ratchet up the tension? Maybe a little. But not enough to warrant sitting through a whole lot of stuff that could have been cut out.

For example, Hayley's subplot. Near the end, we see that Billy Bauer has called in to Persona to request that they give Hayley her daughter's password. But anyone who works in tech (or even has the faintest idea how this shit works) knows that passwords have not been stored in cleartext since the last decade. Basic web security. There is no way for anyone to go into the database and search for a user and simply retrieve a non-hashed password. The best they could have done was reset the password or send Hayley a link to do so.

Now, normally I could have overlooked this... if it weren't for the fact that this password was a plot point (the password apparently matched the number of the boat in a photo that Hayley and her daughter took together), which resulted in the password thing being a gigantic fucking plot hole.

Cut out this entirely, and we would have eliminated Hayley and her one night stand with Chris -and- the plot hole. Though it would have been a pity because I actually liked Amanda Drew as Hayley.

All in all, this amateurish error ruined the episode for me. You want to make a show about tech, get a writer who actually understands tech. Jesus!

Conclusion

A poor, poor episode, especially since it could have been halfway decent once a lot of fat was trimmed. I liked the premise and the Aesop of the episode, but the huge plot hole and execution flaws made this one just about unsalvageable.

My Rating

4.5 / 10

Next

Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too

Film Review: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

It's Black Mirror movie time!

Today, I'm reviewing Bandersnatch, which came out in 2018. The format of the film is interesting, to say the least.

Not all of the content is linear, which may be confusing if you're going to watch it, as-is, from beginning to end. From time to time, the show will rewind and the user will be presented with a choice.

Warning

Spoilers! There's a lot of surprises in store within Bandersnatch and they're going to be exposed here as I review this. Some of them may even be upsetting due to sensitive subjects such as suicide and mental health.

The Premise

It's 1984. Stefan is an aspiring game designer that gets to work with the game company Tuckersoft. However, as he progresses though his project, a game based on the novel Bandersnatch by Jerome F Davies, strange things begin to happen.

The Mood

It starts out light-hearted, with the imagery of the 80s everywhere. Until strange things begin to happen the further we go down the rabbit hole of Stefan's obsession.

As it goes on, even innocuous things like Stefan's programming notes leads to reveals of what looks like a paper infestation. It's both ridiculous and creepy at the same time.

The Characters

Fionn Whitehead is the protagonist Stefan Butler. Awkward, neurotic, anxiety. Tense relationship with his father due to unresolved childhood trauma.

Craig Parkinson takes on the role of Stefan's dad, Peter Butler, a caring but stressed out father. In some branches of the story, he has to play the role of sinister agent, but it seems to fall a little flat.

Will Poulter fills the screen with his portrayal of games programmer superstar Colin Ritman. Poulter is a personal favorite of mine - I've enjoyed him in Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Maze Runner and Guardians of the Galaxy. That eyebrow game is strong, and that cool older brother vibe he brings to the role is very much on point.

Asim Chaudhry as Mohan Thakur, the jolly but excitable company boss. Just did enough to not be over-the-top, and I genuinely felt bad when the character died in one of the story branches.

Alice Lowe as Stefan's therapist, Dr R Haynes. Don't think we ever find out what the R stands for, but perhaps that's not terribly important. She's there for some exposition as to what's going on with Stefan, and ham it up in one story branch.

Fleur Keith as Stefan's mother. Doesn't get a lot of lines, but she looks exotic, like a gypsy. I'm not sure if that was a deliberate design decision to show how she looks as part of Stefan's memory.

Tallulah Haddon as Kitty, Colin's partner. Colin casually speaks with her about being "in the hole", and I got the distinct impression that she knows stuff. Before that, the impression was all in her makeup and that shocking orange hair.

Suzanne Burden and Paul M Bradley as game reviewers. The look seems reminiscent of the 60s, which is weird because this is supposed to be the 80s.

Alan Asaad as Satpal. He's ostensibly a programmer, but seems to get treated like some kind of gofer in the opffice. The role looked superfluous to me.

Jeff Minter has a cameo as as the author of Bandersnatch, Jerome F. Davies. Only really makes one live action appearance in a jump scare, but it's so good. And, get this, this guy's not an actor, he's an actual games programmer!

Laura Evelyn makes an appearance as Pearl Ritman, Colin's daughter years later.

What I liked

There's a sequence of banter between Colin, Thakur and Stefan in Stefan's first "try", and in the second "try" it goes almost the same, with the same words being said but by different participants in the conversation. It's pretty cool!

The idea of being able to select how the story goes, is quite novel. Can't see it catching on, though.

This symbol made a comeback! I first saw it in White Bear. Too bad there doesn't appear to be a very direct connection.

I just about choked with laughter at this story branch. So cheeky.

Just the whole aesthetic of the 80s, where everyone was smoking everywhere. The clunky computer game graphics of that era. So much charm.

And of course, the numerous references to earlier episodes in Black Mirror. This one in particular to Metalhead.

What I didn't

There's one story branch where it's revealed that Stefan is actually an actor named Mike. That's pretty meta. Know what would have made it even more meta? If the actor's name had been Fionn.

Some of the story branches are gratuitous and a bit superfluous. I mean, do we really need a branch where Stefan chops up the body of his dead dad?

Conclusion

It's decent, not great. But it can only be a one-off thing, because I can see this concept getting tiresome if repeated.

My Rating

6.5 / 10

Reread this review
Pour coffee on your keyboard
Jump out the window
T___T

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Three, Redux (Part 3/3)

The last episode, Hated by the Nation, is styled like a police procedural and reminds me strongly of movies like Se7en, with a tech bent. It also boasts a really large cast.

This is the quintessential Black Mirror in the sense that the evils of Social Media and cyberbullying is central to the plot. In fact, it's like a violent and explosive version of The National Anthem.

The Premise

It's a few years into the future, and the extinction of bees has given rise to a tech creation known as Autonomous Drone Insects (ADIs). These tiny robots are used as an instrument for murder, with Social Media as a trigger. A nasty twist at the end ensures that few remain unscathed, either physically or psychologically.

The Characters

Kelly McDonald as Karin Parke. She's a jaded and cynical veteran of the force, and a divorcee. Every sarcastic quip and world-weary expression McDonald throws out is gold. For real, the dialogue is excellent. And McDonald delivers like a pro.

Liza: What about the others who chipped in? Are you going to tell them off too? I didn't do anything!

Karin: Start a thread about it.

Now that was a performance I truly enjoyed. She puts a lot of people in their place just with a look or a carefully-placed stinging remark. Which makes it all the more poignant when it's quite obvious that the events have somewhat broken her.

Faye Marsay as Blue Coulson. A former idealist who wants some field experience. Coulson is tech-savvy and does a lot of the investigation regarding how the "Game of Consequences" works. She's a great foil to the bitter jadedness of Karin Parke.

Benedict Wong as Shaun Li from the National Crime Agency. I just about fanboyed out loud when the Sorceror Supreme appeared on screen! In here, he's a straight-laced, growly-voiced semi-antagonist, serious as a heart attack.

Jonas Karlsson plays the ADI engineer Rasmus Sjoberg. He provides, with earnestness, most of the exposition around the ecology of ADIs and the tech behind it.

Joe Armstrong as Nick Shelton. Other than being a victim, I'm not sure what use he was to the plot.

Elizabeth Berrington as Jo Powers. She's a provocative journalist who writes vicious articles that punch down, and punch down hard. This makes her a publicly hated figure, and she's the first victim of the hashtag. Berrington plays her as a woman with an extremely thick skin who weathers the constant vitriol hurled her way, letting everything roll off her.

Charles Babaloa as Tusk. An obnoxious black rapper who becomes the next target of public hate and thus dies a grisly death.

Ben Miles makes a delightfully foul-mouthed appearance as Tom Pickering, the slimy and heartless politician. We see him burst into expletives under pressure, and it is so fun to watch.

Holli Dempsey as Clara Meades. She's presented as a feckless young woman who earns public hate due to a silly and disrespectful prank.

James Larkin as Simon Powers, Jo's husband. Now, this role is tragic. Larkin plays him as a traumatized husband who had to watch his wife kill herself in violently crazed fashion.

Georgina Rich as Tess Wallander. She's a soft-spoken individual who was a victim of cyber-bullying, and the original inspiration for the deadly hashtag.

Duncan Pow as Garett Scholes. Some psycho who dispenses what he calls justice... but with the tech skills to actually make it happen. We don't see much of him except toward the end, and even then there's not all that much of him to form a strong opinion.

Vinette Robinson as Liza Bahar. She's a pre-school teacher who is found to be using the hashtag without really understanding the consequences but otherwise does not seem to be a horrible person. Later on, Scholes delivers her comeuppance and I can't help but feel that perhaps it was a bit much. It was probably deliberate, to show us just how disproportionate extremism can be.

Esther Hall as Vanessa Dahl. What was she even doing taking up space on-screen? What a waste. She existed for no other reason than to be the verbal punching bag for other characters, mostly Karin.

The Mood

It's a big city vibe, but with grim undertones to it. Karin and Blue pretty much nail it with their conversations while driving. The surroundings are bustling and lively and the investigative feel of the entire episode is pretty pervasive.

What I liked

The red herring in the form of Jo's cake was clever. And yes, like her husband said, "very creative".

The scene where Karin and Blue initially have a conversation in the former's car, contains a reference to the Series Two episode, White Bear. And it carries the same vibe that Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman had in Se7en, with Kelly McDonald playing the part of the jaded veteran, and Faye Marsay being the earnest newbie who just wants to make the world a safer place.

I thought Tusk's death was particularly creative. Gotta see it to appreciate it.

I like the display where several ADIs fly in formation to form Granular's logo. It even rotates!

The screenshot doesn't do it justice, but the interior of Shaun's NCA-issued car is really impressive!

That sequence of the ADIs leaving their hive to wreak bloody murder, is both poetic and terrifying.

That entire episode, along with the final twist, is very characteristic of Black Mirror. The horrors of Social Media, and how people are utter dicks to each other. In particular, how people don't stop using the hashtag even after finding out what it does, and actually pile it on. This makes it really hard to sympathize with them later on.

And later on, when Karin and Blue wander through that hall filled with bodybags of victims, the sheer bleakness of the shot is iconic.

What I didn't

The format of having the episode framed by Karin as a narrator, felt unnecessary. The ending was also pretty ambiguous. This episode could have worked better as a full-length movie, with perhaps a proper resolution. As it was, it was already about 90 minutes in length.

Wait, if the ADIs attack based on facial recognition, couldn't potential victims just mask their faces for protection? Isn't that exactly what Scholes does at the end? Why the need for that sequence regarding the bunker to protect Pickering? This seems like quite the plot hole.

Conclusion

This final episode really rounded up Black Mirror Series Three really well. While the cast just seemed a little larger than it really needed to be, the snappy dialogue and tension-laced action absolutely did it for me. This is a great addition into the franchise despite some totally superfluous bits.

My Rating

9 / 10

Final Thoughts on Black Mirror Series Three

I liked Series Three as a whole. After the slight disappointment that was Series Two, Black Mirror came back strong with plenty of content, all the while staying somewhat true to what came before.

San Junipero was the standout, though in terms of storyline and vibe, it was very different from the entire Black Mirror universe. Still, it was a sweet love story that strongly resonated.

A close second was Nosedive and Shut Up and Dance. These were episodes that were very typical of Black Mirror, showcasing the ugliness of humanity, amplified by advanced (or in the case of Shut Up and Dance, not all that advanced) technology. Men Against Fire and Hated in the Nation were both strong action-packed offerings and gave me a satisfying conclusion to Series Three. And while Playtest wasn't (in my opinion) as good as the others, it was by no means a weak episode.

All in all, this was very, very satisfying.

#DeathToBlackMirror (heh heh)
T___T

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Three, Redux (Part 2/3)

This next episode is Men Against Fire, and deals with what looks like a post-apocalyptic world where the same Zed-eyes technology is deployed. This time, it's known as the MASS system and controls what soldiers see, hear and smell. This episode is actually very heavy on the action, though dread also plays a big part. The creep factor comes in midway through this episode.

The Premise

This episode centers around a soldier, named Stripe, who is initially tasked as part of a team effort, to eliminate a race of diseased humans named "Roaches". Things take a sinister turn when he discovers the truth behind the Roaches and has to live with his conscience.

The Characters

A very buff and good-looking Malachi Kirby plays Stripe, real name Koinage. He does OK as a soldier starting off enthusiastic and compassionate, and later on transitioning to a human being wracked by guilt. I didn't feel all that strongly about his performance because he kind of gets outacted by almost everyone he has a scene with.

Madeline Brewer knocks it out of the park in the role of Raiman. She's a soldier like Stripe, all tomboy bloodthirsty action-girl and cute as a button. The boisterous performance she puts up here, along with lewd commentary and good-natured roasting, it's really easy to see her as one of the guys despite her pint-sized figure. This is pretty much a supporting role, but it's done so well.

Michael Kelly as Arquette. If there's any way to instantly point to a character as the real bad guy, it's to cast the man who played Douglas in House of Cards, in this role. Kelly's dead-eyed gaze and soft-spoken affability make him a terrifying bad guy and utterly believable sociopath.

Sarah Snook as Medina, Stripe and Raiman's commanding officer. The script requires her to be matter-of-fact, dignified and steely, which she does really well. Up until her sudden death.

Ariane Labed cuts a tragic figure as Catarina. She delivers the much-needed exposition before her death at Raiman's hands.

Loreece Harrison as Stripe's fantasy girl. That was the source of the sex and nudity in this episode, but she's not just a pretty face. The smile on that face is sometimes subtly unsettling, and I'm not sure if that is deliberate. Kudos if so!

Kola Bokinni as Lennard. This guy is surly and mean. And that's all we actually see of him, which is a pity because so much more could've been done.

Francis Magee as Parn Heidekker. Magee plays him with solemn gravitas.

Simon Connolly as doctor. Just a bit part which felt totally unnecessary.

The Mood

In contrast with the previous episode, this episode is almost colorless. It's very drab, with everything viewed in very bleak hues. It paints the picture of a world with no life in it.

Even in the end sequence where we see Stripe's actual home against what he is seeing, in the "idealized" version, the most we get is pastel-white.

Definitely there's a whole lot of blood and violence in here and it feels like an action flick.

What I liked

The translator gadget is a nice touch.

The MASS technology allows images to be transmitted to the brains of the soldiers. This is a very cool, and important plot point. 3D-imaging too! Great for tactical decisions.

That scene where Stripe's dream sequence with his dream woman turns into a full-on orgy with several identical girls is both erotic and extremely creepy.

Medina's sudden death was a shock to me. Well played!

I like how Stripe's senses come back once his MASS implant is damaged, being able to smell grass and all. It's good foreshadowing on how the MASS system was obscuring the truth.

Arquette's entire conversation with Stripe at the end. Michael Kelly is in his element here. All that exposition and histrical background, leading up to the sadistic choice he gives Stripe. This was both a spine-chilling and awesome sequence.

What I didn't

The title of this episode doesn't seem to make any sense. What does "Men Against Fire" mean, exactly?

The faces of the Roaches just look like cheap plastic masks. Granted, this is probably budget constraints, but still.

Raiman sings that song How do I know what love is to annoy Parn Heidekker and ends up annoying me as well. Like, do we always have to hear this song? This is the third time it's appeared in a Black Mirror episode. The first time was nice, the second was amusing, but enough is enough.

The entire thing just felt a bit light in the story department. It was more of a creepy action movie than an actual Black Mirror episode.

Conclusion

Phew! This was one brutal episode. It's unflinching in its depiction of violence, showing us that women and children get gunned down, with the accompanying blood and guts. There's racial purity fanaticism at the core of this, and an examination of how augmented reality and propaganda can further some truly horrific causes. Remember, the villagers in the story don't have the excuse that they literally see Roaches as monsters.

Special shout-out to Michael Kelly. He really made this episode for me. What an actor. He just played a heinous psycho so well.

My Rating

8.5 / 10

Next

Hated by the Nation

Film Review: Black Mirror Series Three, Redux (Part 1/3)

We're back with the next three episodes of Black Mirror Series Three! Took me a few weeks (or several), but here it is. We will be going through San Junipero, Men Against Fire and Hated in the Nation. There are a few surprises in store.

Warning

There will be spoilers ahead. And plenty of profanity. And stories of tech fouling up our lives. Basically, whatever you've come to expect of Black Mirror, is gonna be in there, and more!

The Premise

This next story, San Junipero, takes place largely in a virtual reality world, where the time periods vary. It's also pretty much a love story and there's even a happy ending. But it wouldn't be Black Mirror if there wasn't a little something at the end...

The Characters

Mackenzie Davis is the lanky and timid Yorkie, who learns to live even as she dies. I last saw Davis in Terminator: Dark Fate. I didn't love the movie, but this woman's one hell of an actress! These two characters couldn't be more different.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is Kelly. Vivacious, bodacious. And those bedroom eyes! And that temper when its let out. This lady delivered.

Gavin Stenhouse as Wes, whom Kelly describes as "not a bad guy" despite being all obsessed after their one-night stand. Stenhouse plays him as a somewhat decent guy who has his own issues to work through.

Denise Burse as actual Kelly. She looks like she could actually be an aged Kelly. Burse plays her with grace and just the right amount of cheekiness.

Annabel Davis as actual Yorkie. There doesn't seem to be much to the role; they could have just used a mannequin.

Raymond McAnally as Greg, Kelly's nurse. He's played as this jovial nice guy with an "aw shucks" demeanor. Not gonna lie, I snickered a little at the actor's name.

Billy Griffin Jr puts in a couple appearances as video game nerd and romantic hopeful Davis. There's something very endearing about his puppy-dog enthusiasm.

The Mood

It begins in colorful fashion as the episode tells us that this is the 80s with references to Max Headroom, The Lost Boys and Belinda Carlisle. It's a very party vibe complete with big 80s hair, disco and even arcade games. Later time periods are less flashy, showcasing movies like Scream, The Bourne Identity and even what looks like a Pink music video.

Soon, we're taken on a tour of the seaside town that is San Junipero and things get rather strange from there. And all around, there's always a hint of something else going on beneath the surface, like nothing is what it seems.

This also seems to be the first episode in Black Mirror that's set in the USA, rather than in the UK.

What I liked

The little subtle nods to what was really going on. Yorkie turns down a chance to play Top Speed when she sees the animated car crash because it reminds her of her own accident. The club is named Tucker's, and the company that actually sets up the simulation, is TCKR. Even the name "San Junipero" is a Spanish version of the hospital's name, "St Juniper's".

The music! The 80s fashion! The 90s visuals! So good. Even the arcade games change with the time priod. Love it!

The Quagmire is awesome in its depravity and I'm really hoping it gets more airtime in future episodes.

The lesbian sex between Kelly and Yorkie is kept brief and just long enough to be obvious as to what's going on. It's not played for titillation, and the pillow talk is both tasteful and contains clues as to what San Junipero really is.

That scene where Kelly breaks the mirror and it magically repairs itself, is such a sly nod to the series.

That futuristic vehicle that Kelly rides in... that design. It speaks to me.

Yorkie's vanity plate is cute.

That slightly creepy vibe in the mid-credits. This is Black Mirror, remember?

What I didn't

I was slightly disappointed to find that there's no nasty ending to this episode. Yes, Black Mirror has conditioned me to expect certain things.

That close-up of Kelly's gravestone was nowhere clear enough for me to see the name. Minor quibble, I know.

Conclusion

This was the only Black Mirror episode so far that wasn't depressing as fuck. Normally, I'm not a fan of love stories, but this one was surprisingly poignant. It dealt with existential issues without going in way too deep, and touched me on a very emotional level.

My Rating

9.5 / 10

Next

Men Against Fire