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Wayne1921
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Westworld (2016)
Westworld Season Three Is Superb
Re-watching Westworld, (I'm just now finishing up Season Three--wonderful!), I'm reminded of what a masterwork this series is!
Dark, portentous, beautiful shot with its city-scapes-- and prophetical, Season Three represents the maturation of Westworld into a cinematic work of art to be appreciated more and more as time passes--(most especially in light of Hollywood's tiresome thematic fixation in current sci-fi and fantasy films on comic book themes and related shopworn, predictable formulae).
For me, Season Three of Westworld (and hopefully Season Four continues on this course!) represents film-making in a class that occupies a place in a class with the two Bladerunner films, Arrival and Solaris.
The actors, directors, producers, and cinemaphotographers, of Westworld have MUCH to be proud of. 10/10.
Goliath (2016)
Superb Second Season!
Season Two has one of the strongest casts since Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. So well done that I'm watching the series again!
Evidently, some squeamish reviewers had difficulty handling a theme that introduced a very creative way to bring home the nature of one of the character's gruesome and pathetic sexual predilection. Maybe it was this portrayal of aberrant behavior that explains the unreasonable one and two star reviews left by a portion of the reviewers. Were it not for that the weight of the second season of Goliath's reviews would easily eclipse the first season's ratings--bringing in 9's and 10's exclusively. (Not an unreasonable assumption, IMHO)
Script, acting, settings, cinematography and score are superb! (Thank you for running the full list of credits at the ends of each episode)
Season Three can't come soon enough!!
Terminus (2015)
Well Performed and Directed
Frankly, Terminus is smarter than those leaving the exaggerated negative reviews here. That might explain the "booooring" reactions to this very nicely turned, intelligent plot line that places character development at the center of an interesting take on how an alien intelligence is responsible for a hinted at 21st century version of Adam and Eve.
Jai Koutrae, Kendra Appleton, and Todd Lasance turn out terrific, understated performances; the script is compelling and held my interest from the opening moments. The Brian Cachia score is first rate and sustained the almost nourish mood throughout. (It's sometimes forgotten how important the music is to driving the plot line). To echo another reviewer's comment, Mark Furmie's direction is indeed, "motivated and inspired."
If you're expecting the typical dumbed-down, mind-numbing tripe that passes for sci-fi née fantasy these days (think auto-bots and Marvel comics), you'll be disappointed. But if, for example, Ex Machina and Under the Skin appealed to you, and you're looking for low-key, intelligent, well performed and directed story-telling, you'll enjoy Terminus.
The Counselor (2013)
Perfection!
One reviewer quipped that The Counselor is "not for the average movie-goer". The "average movie-goer" probably enjoys toilet humor, sophomoric dialog, and endless, often pointless action scenes piled one on top of the next, ad nauseam. So, I agree, if you fit that category, this film is not for you. On the other hand, if you are among the diminishing number of movie-goers who actually enjoys deeply portentous dialog (this is a GOOD thing), first-rate acting, and a story line leading to a denouement that that will leave you wanting to see this film again and again, then this is a film for you. It contains (but not by design) probably one of the most effective "anti-drug" messages since "Traffic"; but more interestingly, it is so well told that I sincerely hope you ignore reviewers here who don't agree with me that it is a Ridley Scott masterpiece. 10/10.