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readymade1
Reviews
The Killing (2011)
Excellent beginning, one gripe.
Impressed with the start. Feels very BBC-ish and is invested in creating memorable characters who say and do things that give the narrative its power. Atmospheric and moody without relying too much on visual cliché. My one complaint: melodramatic morgue scene junked up with slo-mo and bad music. Its a rather jarring departure from the otherwise coolness of the beginning, thus it feels imposed. I have not seen the original, but I can't help but wonder if American TV execs felt it necessary to "humanize" the murder by hammering the audience with a club.
I'm not so much sensing the supposed Twin Peaks vibe. I can't see any of these ordinary events taking place in David Lynch's world without throwing us down the rabbit hole first. The Killing feels too realistic for long detours into radiators.
Rubicon (2010)
Trying (and wanting) to love it.
Often a great show begins unevenly and gets itself together. Rubicon, for all of its chilly allure, seems to be walking down a long, long stair case into a gloomy, nebulous room that offers no relief. I am tired--sometimes literally--of watching characters stare into space, stare out the window, stare at each other.
The show has given us not a single reason to feel passionately for its characters. No-one to love, no-one to hate. Nor do we care if any mysteries are solved. What is most mysterious about this mystery is the lack of actual mystery. Other unique shows have been at odds with themselves (Deadwood, for example) and never recovered. I see all the potential for a Rubicon to be a stellar show while simultaneously watching it creators turn a blind eye to its many flaws. It utterly perplexes me that this far into the season Rubicon has not caught fire like it should. Instead it seems as if the creators have confused drawn-out tedium with genuine intrigue.
Korgoth of Barbaria (2006)
Me love Korgoth
Korgoth of Barbaria is some crazy genius cartoon-imation. Body fluids galore! Wowee I totally dig this creation. When can we get more?! This show contains screaming filth, FCC approved porn, rivers of blood, farting, multi-teated monsters conjured from chewing gum and giant flying pigeons. There's also plenty of clever word-play for the intellectual who may think cartoons are beneath him. Or her. I recommend Korgoth to any devotee of post-modern comics, especially if you find parasites funny. Parents may find Korgoth too vile for children but I assure you there's scarcely anything here that kiddies haven't seen in other cartoons and I know plenty of well-rounded children who would find Korgoth hilarious on a visceral level. It's quite clear that the creators of Korgoth were fed a steady diet of cartoons when they were tots, because they know how to deliver a satisfying piece of well-written, well-drawn animation.