unkinected

Finding it hard to review this show. The first season was wonderful. A slow-paced spiritual mystery that poses many deep questions but doesn't answer them for you in any satisfying manner, forcing you to think about the possibilities. Could Prairie really be who she says she is? Or is she just suffering from PTSD? The ending is ambiguous and can be debated wholeheartedly either way. The bond between the main characters is very strong and shines through. I thought the experience was moving and thought provoking. I fell in love with Brit Marling after this.

The second season, on the other hand, completely undoes the first. It answers all the mysteries of the first season immediately in the guise of a detective drama, and then introduces its own set of incomprehensible mysteries, and not the good kind. The second season is a mess, introducing too many plot lines and dropping most of them, changing the tone of the show, changing character motivations, completely changing the concept/promise of The OA, and generally suffering from trying to do too much. The mysteries are random and seemingly have nothing to do with each other or the main plot. It's a jumble of pieces from different puzzles...trying to be profound but ends up amateurish. And the end... the end started full of promise and was ruined by a completely random, cheap deus ex machina.

My advice is to savor the first season, but skip the second. The first season is like a classic intellectual film, and the second is a straight to DVD sequel. American Psycho vs American Psycho 2. I will choose to pretend it doesn't exist, because the first season left me with a sense of acute wonder, while the second made me angry at its handling.

This is a monster movie in the same way that Pan's Labyrinth is a monster movie; there's a horrible beast in it, but it is only secondary to the plot.

The trailer and description of this movie do it no justice. This is a movie about the relationship between an alcoholic abusive mother and her daughter, and it is at times difficult to watch because of the raw intensity in the scenes. I found the emotions and actions to be very realistic, and the love/hate relationship from both sides - but especially the daughter - is written perfectly; fans of child psychology will eat this up.

OK, so the monster is there. It is done very well, and the tension derived from the horror aspects are well handled too. With only a few jump scares, the movie relies more on the darkness and mood to cause you unease. There is some action around the monster that is too light in treatment, but remember, this is not a movie about the monster. And in that sense, the cursory treatment makes more sense.

The symbolism is obvious in retrospect, but it is a bit more literal than fantastical, unlike Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. You can very much take this movie at face value; as if the action is really happening. But there's an entirely other level to it if you want to take the leap. We all have demons, and these two characters have their fair share that manifest themselves in a few ways on screen.

I really enjoyed this movie and was moved to tears. It is bittersweet; at the same time horrifying, raw, and very dark in soul, but yet leaves you with a sense that one can still go on, despite enormous trials and tragedies. For those who've had difficult relationships with a family member, or have faced incredible loss, it is especially touching. It's a rare movie that can stir a full range of emotions. It's not perfect, but the talented cast and crew put together something that will stick with me for a long time. Kudos to them all.

I'm not sure what to make of this movie. The atmosphere is great, haunting and cerebral. The acting is well done. The cinematography is gorgeous. But the story goes no where.

Don't get me wrong, it definitely sets up an interesting world. I was genuinely curious what was going to happen and cared about the characters. But then the movie ended. There was no conclusion to any of the story lines, and nothing to even lead the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions about the strange things that took place. This really was only 3/4 of a movie - I'm not sure the writer/director even knew what they were trying to get across, other than, "let's show some mysterious stuff on a screen."

So I wanted to like this movie, but ultimately it was unsatisfying. Watch it for the mood and the ride, but don't expect a revelation of any sort.