postnothing

I'm honestly baffled that this film hasn't been plastered all over "Best of 2024" lists. While it might flirt with folk horror with its atmospheric setting and period piece feel, the lack of overt paranormal activity sets it apart.

This film's tone strongly echoes The Wicker Man, with that unsettling atmosphere and gradual descent into unease.

The movie also has a European rural vibe, reminiscent of the contemporary You Will Not Be Alone, creating a sense of isolation and dread.

The film is devastatingly effective in portraying depression, and the photography is simply stunning. The pastoral aesthetic immediately brought to mind some of Tarkovsky's work. The performances are all excellent, with the lead actress delivering a truly standout performance.

I sincerely hope this film gains the recognition it deserves. It's a hidden gem that deserves to be seen.

It's common for modern documentary series to feel padded out, with content stretched to fill at least three episodes, leading to a sense of repetition. Curiously, the two-part documentary on Jerry Springer's talk show suffers from the opposite problem: it feels too short.

This is most evident when the executive producer, the puppet master behind all the controversy, is interviewed. Given the opportunity to delve deeper into the mind of this key figure in the show's drama, and considering his apparent lack of remorse for the practices he promoted, the filmmakers miss a significant opportunity. Why didn't they explore the broader implications of exploiting people for entertainment in today's media landscape?

The documentary starts promisingly, addressing a relevant contemporary topic, but ultimately fails to provide a meaningful conclusion. It perpetuates the very superficiality it seeks to expose. The overall impression is that, like the show itself, the documentary prioritizes entertainment over substance, leaving viewers wanting a deeper exploration of the issues at hand.

This series made me trust again in the television format as the ideal platform to adapt a fiction book. Like "The Underground Railroad ", perhaps "Station eleven" should not be considered an episodic program because its narrative, slow-cooked and complex in its temporal interweaving, feels closer to a TV movie. More than episodes, we see chapters.

In that sense, the time jumps in the first two episodes/chapters can be disorienting and even seem a bit whimsical. But, as the story progresses, these devices become a truly powerful vehicle for expressing emotion without words. If you are a sensitive and warm-hearted person, expect some tears to fall.

Kudos in particular to the production design team - there's a whole narrative going on there.