Stanislaus

When I learned that the 4th season of American Horror Story would be titled Freak Show, I immediately thought of the iconic horror film Freaks from the 1930s, which the entire series actually references a lot, whether it be in plot, characters, or overall atmosphere. This is for me the best season of AHS so far, after the second, and for many reasons. First of all, I liked the setting of the story in a freak show circus, and there was a lot to be made of that. Second, the series is full of memorable characters that have become deeply etched in my memory: the ambivalent Elsa Mars, the superbly technical and character-driven Siamese twins Bette and Dot, and the sleazy and disgustingly convincing psychopathic sociopath Dandy. Alongside them, it's worth mentioning the return of Pepper, whose line was drawn and tightened to the max, or the cutest character played by Ma Petite. The fourth season also features wonderful covers of well-known songs, especially my favourite “Gods and Monsters” by Lana Del Rey, which introduces another interesting character, Edward Mordrake. Thirdly, I'd like to address the opinions of many by saying that I certainly didn't find the series to be inconsistent, and that the characters were threadbare, as I found their stories from the past, present and future to be sufficient. Perhaps the only thing that surprised me at the end was the strangely brief appearance of Neil Patrick Harris, who was there perhaps just to clear the air. All in all, I can say for myself that I thoroughly enjoyed season 4, both thematically and script-wise, it's full of wonderful characters, sudden twists and turns and memorable scenes.

I've seen quite a lot of of the work of Alejandro González Iñárritu, so I was expecting another dense psychological piece from Birdman, this time also with a humorous tone, since the film is categorized as a black comedy. I have to admit that Birdman is in some ways very different from Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel. A big part of that is the aforementioned comic level and the fantasy elements that corresponded with the life of a (former) action hero. Michael Keaton excels in his role, in fact one could say that it was tailor-made for him, considering his famous role as Batman. Also worth mentioning is the performance of Edward Norton, who was seriously annoying with his egocentric behaviour, which was of course the point. The ending offers more than one interpretation of how things endd and how it actually was throughout the film. In short, an unusual film that made do almost entirely with the shrill sounds of the drums in terms of music, and whose success lies mainly in its stellar cast and a script that is both peppy and very well written.

I'll admit that I wanted to see Always primarily because it stars Audrey Hepburn, but she didn't really warm film. Too bad! Story-wise, it's nothing new, I found the main characters quite annoying, but the actors in supporting roles made up for these shortcomings – John Goodman and Audrey. I was quite puzzled by the fact that the director is Steven Spielberg, from whom I would have expected something better. All in all, an average film that could have been made better – there are a few emotionally powerful scenes and some nice ideas, but much of it is shrouded in the grey of mediocrity.

Love Recipe is particularly interesting because of the intertwining scenes, which always have some connection, but it is a below-average piece in terms of story and animation.

While the latest film adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel offers a new perspective on one of horror's most famous monsters, the result is another mediocre American-made audio-visual spectacle that benefits from the casting of Luke Evans in the lead role, but loses on the story level. In short, a one-off that neither impresses nor offends, yet neither scares, which was perhaps a bit of a shame.

Pride is a very powerful film whose immediate strength lies in its story based on true events, and in the convincing performances. The film is not lacking in strong moments as well as downright light-hearted and funny scenes, all of which are used with purpose. Of the cast, I would particularly single out the absolutely wonderful Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy, who impressed me the most, but the other members of the ensemble also performed convincingly. In short, a very well made film with a terrific cast that is a great mix of comedy and drama.

Brief, minimalistic, yet so intense. A constant repetition of similar phrases with variations and a surprising ending. A very evocative short film.

The third season is in many ways similar to the previous ones and yet different. I was attracted by the world of witches, its hierarchy, laws, traditions and everything that is even marginally related to it. I very much welcomed the casting of Kathy Bates, who relished her role as the cold-blooded mass murderess of yesteryear with grace (I immediately thought of Misery). She was faithfully seconded by her main antagonist, played by Angela Bassett. The main star, however, was as always Jessica Lange as the Supreme – a designation that suited her like a glove. Thanks to the series, I was introduced to Stevie Nicks, whose “Seven Wonders” I like to play in my ears from time to time. In short, for the third time, I was nicely carried along on the wave of American Horror Story, which this time was full of magic, intrigue, murder, reanimation, morbidity and much more.

In my subjective opinion, Asylum is the best series yet made. Moving everything from a haunted house to an insane asylum was a smart move. The intermingling of the past and present feels strange at first, but by the finale we know why the different timelines were intermingled. Lana "Born to Suffer" Banana, Sister Jude, Sister Mary Eunice, the Angel of Death and the serial killer are all very well portrayed characters having their own story. The opening does a great job of evoking what the series will be about. The oppressive atmosphere of the asylum, the machinations of the patients, the mystery. I was also impressed by the remake of the old song “Name Game” – perfect. In short, it's a notch better than the previous season, one which I'll gladly return to again.

The fourth live-action adventure of the most famous Gallic duo was a real bummer. The cast is kept afloat by Gérard Depardieu, the only surviving member of the ensemble, but otherwise it was mostly sad (an uncharismatic Caesar, Asterix looking like an alike, a wtf-group of Normans, etc.). The story is so overwrought, with so many different time periods and nonsense being smashed together that it hurts your eyes. This has really hit rock bottom and they should let these Gauls rest in peace (at least for a while).