Jaw-droppingly intimate and sensitive. Be prepared to be wrecked - the whole theater was shaking with sobs at points.
Beautifully and specifically queer. I've never on screen seen gay sex that felt this much like gay sex. The texture of it. There's a brief, funny, inter-micro-generation terminology convo that if you are LGBTQ of a certain age, you've had. There are two coming out conversations with lines that I swear are plagiarized from my life. There's a delightful subversion, in an early scene, of cruising, that achieves a cocktail of funny and sweet and sad that returns throughout the film (most notably in a moment where a 48-year-old Adam climbs into bed with his parents wearing a 12-year-old's pajamas). The exploration of how things can be so much better than 1987 but still not fine, and the ways the not-okayness of 1987 is still with us, especially in the psyches of folks that were there… so relatable and such a rare and subtle theme.
There is a final twist that, while devastating, does some real damage to Adam's character and, in my opinion, the emotional impact of the movie. Investing incredibly deeply in a fantasy of a relationship with a neighbor that didn’t happen is creepy where imagining you can talk to your dead parents again is sweet and sad. We know early on that the interactions with Adam’s parents aren’t a part of conventional reality and that doesn’t diminish any of their emotional impact, but the romantic relationship being unreal cheapens it.
This last emotional gutting felt unnecessary and unearned to me: it makes me hesitant to recommend the movie, despite how much it affected me, despite the impeccable execution. A friend who saw the movie with me and didn’t personally relate to as many of the queer culture touchpoints felt emotionally manipulated, and I get that. But aside from the last few minutes, my experience of the movie was near-perfect.
bitch saved everyone with the power of love i'm crying
Well, I think if I was allergic to silver I'd be fully careful of not eating with it xd I found that test pretty silly, and to me that sex scene seemed kind of gratuitous. As for the last test, not that it was that thrilling.
Now, I have the theory that Aline is actually a member of the Cause. It's more a hunch that a serious certainty, but her costume looked very alike on the rear to the Cause symbol. Or maybe it was just a trick. Apparently she's from Mar Alto and just trying to change the Process, which would imply she's not that bad after all, and I find that unlikely in this series
The movie was overall a great experience - the cast was amazing (Ella Anderson has set some standard for her future career!), the narrative style, the aesthetics, everything worked very well, and told a story that kept me interested. But because it is based on a true story, I had many mixed feelings - I am glad Jeannette Walls made peace with her history, and I admire her for it, but I felt very sad while watching the whole thing, specially with the ending, even if it was supposed to be a happy one.
No denying that the acting is good, and the dialogue is also pretty decent - June and Serena had some good conversations in this episode. But none of that changes the fact that the writing in this show has deteriorated to bad fanfiction level. The idea that these two characters are even out here in this situation in the first place is absurd. A lot of the scenes this season could have been really great... had they been earned. But the big problem I have with this season, and also a lot of the last one, is that the writers are essentially forcing characters into interesting situations very quickly, without actually taking the time to make those situations come about in a natural and nuanced manner. It's like when the final two seasons of Game of Thrones suddenly started having characters teleporting all over Westeros every episode, when prior to those seasons, it would take a character multiple episodes of traveling to get to those places in the first place. You can't just throw characters into big moments and expect us to care, or think it's good - these things must be built at a steady pace that makes sense.
Two actresses acting at top level. What a thrill ride.
Damn it, writers! You made me feel sorry for that horrible, horrible woman. This episode was hypnotic, amazing acting.
"This is not Gillead, and I'm not you"
I love that Serena felt immediately worthless when she found herself in a position of a handmaid. Even when it is herself, she is brainwashed AF, she can't stop believing "God's will" lies and treat herself as shit unconsciously. It's sad how a totalitarian patriarchal theocracy traps your mind. It was funny though watching how Serena met medicine and evolution.
It was also nice how June, as a woman, was forgiving and didn't seek revenge from mother at the cost of a baby (possibly thought about it), but Luke went just directly there. I don't say it wasn't justifiable but I feel like writers put a little nuance there about the way men seeking revenge/power, maybe? After all, Gilead is born because of men who wanted a power game for a bunch of men.
The only problem was I couldn't make sense the flashback scenes. As if Serena and June were besties at first and shared a connection? All those feely glances? I'm OK with Serena bouncing between empathetic and heartless, but I don't remember there was such a friendly vibe between them at S01. The Serena that I know of would feel conflicted after the handmaid's death, but also be outraged by June's glance and would never show June her guilt. I don't mind if writers are trying to push us an alliance (it's still a bit rushed), but it is weird when they try to change the past to support it.
Four episodes in, and it's clear that this show has truly gone to shit. The Lydia stuff is the only remotely interesting stuff going on. The stuff with Serena and June is just so dumb and poorly written. I can't help but cringe every time June speaks - insane considering how fantastic she was in the early seasons.
Jack would be well aware that 99% of people who know who he is want to either capture or kill him. So why the fuck would he stop and turn around when someone shouts Bauer? Idiot.
"Your wife slept with other men, but it was necessary, accept it." Nah, still unreasonable, thanks. What the hell is up with the mother watching her daughter have sex on a hidden camera? Jesus. (Not to mention it was perfectly positioned for where they were currently seated.)
One of the protest posters looked like it said "Kiiier Drones." Don't use lower case Ls with capital letters.
I just want to know where can you buy that vacuum cleaner
Watching this season feels like work.
"Commander Waterford, you've crossed into Canada. We're arresting you(...)" This is the most beautiful thing I heard someone saying, after the sound of June stabbing the shit out of that MF commander
JUST BEAUTIFUL
Finally! Some of the vile people are getting some sort of retribution and it feels good!
This is one of the hardest shows to watch - my heart races the whole time. But damnit, I almost thought she'd make it...yikes.
June: Under his eye.
Driver: After a while, crocodile.
That episode made me a crying mess with Emily leaving her family at the airport and the bulletholes and everything on the wall it was the saddest thing. I feel like I should be mourning those people even though they’re fictional and we never even saw them it was so powerful.
The opening scene at the stadium was one of the best things I have ever watched in my entire life. Everything was so well done. I am very impressed with the whole episode, but that scene was quite special.
Kelsey: Maddie.
Maddie: Kelsey.
Harvey: Louis.
Louis: Harvey.
Mike: Doctor, doctor.
Harvey: Chevy.
Mike: Nice.
Glorious banter and writing in this show, made me laugh. :-)
Lying to your girlfriend ain't cool, Mike.
At first this felt like a bit of filler to flesh out the backstory and the "Before" part of the events, but it was so much more. It shifted gears a little bit from the rest of the main plot, but in a way that helped contextualize the rest of what's happening. And broadened the scope of the story outside of just what June/Offred has been experiencing. I am so impressed with O.T. Fagbenle in this episode, his performance was quite exceptional and it really allowed me to understand Luke so much more, especially his relationship with June.
I'm surprised I liked this episode so much, but it really stood out and made the reveal at the end so worth it.
I really enjoyed how this deviated from the main story and gave Luke's character more time. I was getting tired of wondering what happened to him.
I wonder how many Americans made it to Canada? It seems like enough to function, yet the Mexican official knew Luke's name, so not too many.
That scene with all the Commanders' wives in a circle around the one "giving birth", chanting "breathe breathe breathe" with escalating fervor was so disturbing. I mean, it's all disturbing, but that was just..... yeeeeeesh.
This pilot has one of the saddest, shocking and bizarre scenes I've ever seen and a tv show that causes this kind of reaction truly deserves respect
A really strong beginning. I think I'm going to love this show even though is pretty scary at the same time.
This was beautiful. It's just about these two people, complete strangers, who randomly meet on a train and decide to explore a city and end up exploring themselves, all in one night. Nothing more, nothing less, and that's the beauty of this story.
This movie was ... special, I wouldn't call it a masterpiece or a perfect film but this movie is like no other romance movie. Instead of only showing the best parts to make you feel warm feelings, it shows you everything and all in one night. And what is truly special about this movie is that it is realistic, I mean you can imagine that a story like this could indeed be possible, it's about seizing the opportunities as they come instead of just watching life happen and not doing anything. I, myself, feel that there are many moments within my life's history, that if I had acted differently, my life would not be the same, I have so many "What if" moments. And, I watch these kinds of movies, not only to feel good or sad for a short amount of time but also to show me examples of situations where there actually is an opportunity to seize. Not many guys watch as much romance movies as I watch. I do it because it guides me in life. This movie was also special because of the different ideas that the two main characters share, instead of introducing some crazy story to the plot, all they did was, make the characters talk and talk and share ideas about love, about relationships, about death, about everything. If I could write decimals in my ratings, I would give this movie a 7.5/10. Not a 10 because of how little it made me feel but I still liked it nonetheless and it was indeed special in itself.
Loved, loved the whole season - but it's bra-cho-lay, not bra-jaool or brajão or however they're trying to pronounce it. It was painful to hear it lol
Anyway, about the episode. So many little but meaningful moments.
This series grasps that feeling of lacking air that anxiety gives you in a way I've rarely seen: that sitcom beginning was tough.
Also, Carmy's speech at AA, how he briefly looks rightly at you into the camera who slowly gets closer (checking back, probably it's an impression but you get the feeling of being sucked in and in by the story he's telling).
When he says he wanted to hear "good job" from his brother: lately I've been starting to think that lack of validation and approval are some of the biggest sources of many of people's cascade problem, that many come from that in several forms and displays.
Very insightful, very sharing and bonding episode - love it.
I also love that there was no cheap romance involved in the series. You know, it's part of life but it doesn't mean you have to put every part of life in every series. Sometimes there's death, sometimes love, sometimes happiness, sometimes they take different forms and are not all coexisting at the same time.
There's a lot of throat clearing.
The cleaning of The Beef is one of the first quiet moments kitchen side, when the rhythm slows.
Talking to the videogame and getting comfort was actually lovely. Makes you think that there are so many places people seeks peace to. Loved finally seeing Carmy smile and the exchange with his brother
Great series
This was the most stupid episode of this series.
All one shot. Very well done. Dynamic, stressful and brilliant. The planning and rehearsing had to have been off the charts stellar.
