The thrill of justified nostalgia from seeing Jurassic Park in the cinema again drove me to hunt down the sequel, half-remembered as an enjoyable romp that didn’t live up to its predecessor. The Lost World has its merits – it’s a silly action film that’s genuinely fun for much of its running time – but,…
When I started ccpopculture roughly six months ago, I set myself the goal of ensuring every post was exactly 200 words. This was for a few reasons: It would hopefully avoid my tendency to be overly verbose; too often I’ve had a good idea for an article and abandoned many thousand words in, it would…
The third episode of Hannibal conjures a dreamy, indistinct mood. The soundtrack is almost oppressively melodramatic, shifting from quiet tension to a soaring orchestra of screeching violins – it’s over the top, but suits the show’s expressionist tone. “Potage’s” meticulously constructed atmosphere came at the expense of narrative clarity; some omissions are to be expected,…
James Blake’s first full length was demonstrative of an artist capable of constructing beautiful, delicate melodies; complex, crystalline songs that evoked a general feeling of malaise and melancholy without getting bogged down in specifics. That complexity went hand-in-hand with a tendency for simple – often, overly simple – songwriting: it’s no coincidence that the strongest…
Most psychological thrillers take great pleasure in pulling the rug from under the audience’s feet in the last act, toying with expectations. The it’s-all-a-dream, no-wait-it-isn’t “twists” that conclude both Audition and Trance are testament to a genre that’s all about the mindfuck. Jacob’s Ladder never pretends there’s a rug in the first place. Early scenes…
I’m quickly realising that Game of Thrones needs more than two hundred words to discuss – it’s not even enough to summarise the episode! And even in a strong episode like “Walk of Punishment,” not every sliver of plot is going to succeed. The difference between a plotline flourishing or floundering seems to have direct…
Scanners is the first film I’ve seen from David Cronenberg’s impressive filmography that I’d describe as disappointing. It has a promising introduction; an atmosphere of cold disquiet pervading claustrophobic sets suffused with violent crimson. Early scenes are enigmatic and fascinating: a homeless man, strapped to a bed, writhes helplessly as silent spectators slowly march into…
When Spartacus and Crassus finally face off on a sandy summit above a swirling, immense battle, “Victory,” the finale of Spartacus, isn’t afraid to be emotionally manipulative. It’s hard not to be overcome with dismay as Crassus grasps Spartacus’s sword and swings it towards him (from “Enemies of Rome”), or stunned delight as Spartacus blocks…
“Does anybody see the clue?” “There isn’t one.” The above quote tells you a lot about the kind of show Hannibal is trying to be, and the kind of show it isn’t. The show could’ve easily been a serial killer procedural; instead it has no interest in solving mysteries. A murderer’s grotesque garden is found,…
Is Funny Games a good film? I’m not sure. It is, undeniably, interesting, and that’s almost as important as “good.” Director Michael Haneke set out to challenge audience reactions to stylised violence and suggest the viewer’s complicity. The film is a provocation, an unsubtle attack on its own audience. I don’t know that Haneke is…
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