Lizzie

Tags

2010's, Chloë Sevigny, Craig William Macneill, Denis O'Hare, Fiona Shaw, Jamey Sheridan, Kim Dickens, Kristen Stewart, Lizzie, Psychological Drama

Inspired by the real life story of Lizzie Borden, who was accused and then acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother, Lizzie is a tense psychological drama that puts its own spin on what drives someone to commit murder and it’s own turn on whether or not it believes Lizzie was innocent or guilty.

It is 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts and Lizzie Borden( Chloë Sevigny) is a woman living under the tyrannical eye of her penny pinching father Andrew( Jamey Sheridan). She’s an independent woman who is different from the subservient kind of lady that was expected at the time and one who in subdued but defiant fashion, scoffs at the system around her. Lizzie also experiences violent seizures, which her father believes is a form of attention seeking. She’s not helped by her stepmother Abby( Fiona Shaw), and her sister is Emma( Kim Dickens) sweet but unable to stand up to. Lizzie is locked in a constant war with her father, with the threat of being sent away to an institution always hanging over her. Into the gloomy household comes the innocent Irish maid Bridget( Kristen Stewart). She’s a bit naive, illiterate and just trying to get along in life with what she’s got. takes a sickening liking to her and starts to visit her room nightly so he can sexually abuse her. Bridget is too terrified of losing her job that she doesn’t tell anyone, but Lizzie finds out. She also discovers that her father has been scheming with her nasty uncle John(Denis O’Hare) something dishonest and underhand about inheritance. Both things infuriate Lizzie and her independence in life and further cause tension with her horrible father. Growing closer to Bridget, the two women form a romantic relationship. It proves to be a solace from the grimness of their lives, but soon discovers it.Soon things reach a head for everyone which results in gruesome death and a trial that involves all.

Craig William Macneill ably directs this film with a keen sense for atmosphere and content. His concentration is largely on the accused Lizzie Borden and her fiery independence in the face of restrictive times that were governed by the patriarchy. His. keeps events very on edge, making the slightest of changes or events matter in the grand scheme of things. Macneill employs an almost unbearable level of tension within the confines of a household; eliciting a claustrophobic aura that transfers to the viewer. Unlike other movies about murders that are still debated and explored, Lizzie takes the side of the allegedly murderous Borden and unravels what might have drove her to commit the crimes she was charged with and then acquitted of. It sets off the dark family angle; all stifled emotions and the overarching tyrant of a father desperate to exert control over the largely female household. Lighting is a key element of Lizzie; either blindingly bright in a beautiful manner(for when Lizzie and Bridget find passionate escape from life) or for the most part shadowy and within the confines of an austere home where emotions struggle to stay under wraps. An up close camera that often lingers on faces and events, while occasionally becoming unrestrained, is employed to capture the burning desire to break free that Lizzie has and how both she and are hemmed in by a society that believes it’s already chosen their destiny. There’s nary a wasted shot in the film and that’s down to the and the cinematography of Noah Greenberg, who are very in sync with what they want from this project. The music, with its high peaks of near horror influenced strings and pulses, keeps things on a knife edge as the day of blood beckons.

Chloë Sevigny is a force of nature as the eponymous Lizzie. She bristles with stoic anger and has an unblinking quality that sets the screen alight. Sevigny has long been an actress I’ve admired and she once more provides compelling viewing with a forceful portrayal of a woman trapped in a time that doesn’t fit and slowly taking devastating action against it. In short, Sevigny is magnetic as Lizzie; discovering a smart woman whose bullied and abused but not above fighting back against it, ultimately in brutal fashion. The ever watchable Kristen Stewart, who for me has matured a lot as an actress over the last few years, is equally as compelling as her eventual lover. There’s a quietness to Stewart here that’s none the less intense and waiting to be unleashed, as her green outlook is changed and she finds strength within herself thanks to Lizzie. Both ladies have a palpable chemistry that provides the centre of the narrative and truly the main respite for these two women. Kudos to both Sevigny and Stewart for creating such a believable bond. Jamey Sheridan is ideally cast as the powerful, grasping and completely wretched father, who seems to delight in exerting his male dominance over others. It’s a credit to Sheridan that you feel the revulsion shared by Lizzie and Bridget for this man, as he’s just that get at getting under your skin as a completely snake and fraud. And Denis O’Hare, who is one of the most underrated actors out there, sinks his teeth into the part of the poisonous uncle with malice in every fibre of his being. Fiona Shaw manages to be both seemingly vindictive and alternately switched on to events around her; with just a look, we know exactly what she’s thinking.Kim Dickens isn’t really given much to work with but is pleasant enough in her small role.

A chilling yet eye opening drama with an emphasis on the psychological and fine acting, Lizzie is a fresh spin on the infamous murders that finds its fascination with events behind the scenes and their devastating impact.

 

American Horror Story: Hotel

Tags

2010's, American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Hotel, Angela Bassett, Cheyenne Jackson, Chloë Sevigny, Denis O'Hare, Evan Peters, Finn Wittrock, John Carroll Lynch, Kathy Bates, Lady Gaga, Lily Rabe, Mare Winningham, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Wes Bentley

With Freakshow emerging as my least favourite season of American Horror Story, my expectations were high for Season 5. Thankfully, though not without some flaws, Hotel is a resounding success of horror, style and game acting. Be warned, spoilers may follow in this return to form for the show.

John Lowe( Wes Bentley) is a Los Angeles detective on the edge; he’s estranged from his doctor wife Alex(Chloë Sevigny) and on the hunt for a brutal serial killer who murders victims in accordance to The Ten Commandments. Plus he is haunted by the disappearance of his young son Holden years prior. He feels responsible for the disappearance and this is what he has to live with every day. One day he is given a tip off that his answers can be found in the Hotel Cortez. A glamorous yet run down establishment with a history of horror, it soon pulls John into its depravity and history of death. The owner of hotel is the fabulously dressed and very mysterious Countess( Lady Gaga). She is a vampire like creature infected with a virus that leaves the sufferer craving blood. Her companion of late is the handsome Donovan(Matt Bomer), who she goes hunting with. She was the one who took Holden as well as other children who she turns into creatures like her in order to create something of a makeshift family. She is a fearsome creature, but is secretly hiding her true self and tragic past. The Countess finds her head turned by volatile male model Tristan( Finn Wittrock) , which enrages Donovan. Also in her sights are the soon to be owner Will Drake( Cheyenne Jackson), a fashion designer who doesn’t realise he’s part of a scheme to get his money. There’s the ghost of James Patrick March( Evan Peters), the founder of the hotel in the 20’s, who turned the place into a murder palace and was helped by the ever loyal, cleaning fanatic Miss Evers( Mare Winningham) . On front desk there is Donovan’s surly mother Iris(Kathy Bates) who longs for a relationship with her son and Liz Taylor( Denis O’Hare), a transgender bartender who seems to see everything and everyone. Also traipsing about the Hotel is the ghost of one Sally McKenna(Sarah Paulson), a trashy junkie in a constant state of sadness and mania, who was pushed out of a high window by Iris for getting Donovan hooked on drugs in 1994. Arriving later on the scene is Ramona Royale( Angela Bassett) a former lover of The Countess with a big axe to grind. Everything comes to a head once John takes up residence and gets a lot more than he ever bargained for.

I think straight from the opening, Hotel stands higher than its season just passed. For starters, I found the characters had more flavour and personality than in the last season. Plus, you could connect with many of them too, primarily Liz Taylor and Iris who both convince as outsiders wanting something more in life. And though the story had many different angles and sub plots, it largely worked and it was fun seeing how various threads connected. Sure, some parts don’t amount to much, but I found it a lot more compelling than which seemed to run out of steam rather quickly. The themes of loss and rebirth form the main crux of Hotel and it was excellent how we watched the characters change and influence one another. Hotel ranks at least in my book as the bloodiest season thus far. As it has done in the past, the blood is shocking and grisly, but definitely used to fashion a twisted delight that scares and compels at the same time. Scenes that stand out for their brutality are The Countess and Donovan slaughtering a couple during sex, a junkie being mercilessly abused by a faceless demon, a corpse rising from a rotting mattress and most shocking, a band of infected children making a meal out of one of their teachers.American Horror Story references some of the best content in the horror genre with style and panache. The crimes of the killer are a stylish homage to Seven, while the hotel of the title takes its cues from The Shining. And I’m a big fan of the flashbacks to March’s mayhem and murderous ways as the show employs a grainy black and white to emulate the time and bring out events in horrifying detail.

As it has done in the past, American Horror Story always succeeds when taking influence from real life events. Here, the hotel is similar to that of the one the depraved murderer H.H. Holmes and the poor fate of the child of chambermaid Miss Evers blends with that of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. And the best of all the real world allusions is an episode entitled ‘Devil’s Night’. In it, March hosts a feast for the ghosts of dead serial killers, such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, Aileen Wuornos and John Wayne Gacy. An already starting to lose it John finds himself thrown into this horror show and under the influence of absinthe, watches as these killers enjoy their depravity and find merriment in their sickening handiwork. Watch out for memorable work from John Carroll Lynch and Lily Rabe. For some reason, its something that works in the scheme of the show. Visuals are a strong component in the show and Hotel is no exception right from the opening frames. It’s an extravaganza for the eyes and senses that’s for sure and certain. Particularly good is the fish eye lens employed at times that suits the unstable nature of the establishment and turns things into something unusual. I’m not the biggest fan of the overlapping of seasons as American Horror Story was originally billed as an anthology. Though saying that while some of the bringing back of other characters fails, I found the callbacks to Murder House were particularly effective and the return of the medium( also played by Sarah Paulson) in the finale was a very well handled part and one I really liked seeing. And I can’t not praise the production department who pull out all the stops when it comes to design. The Cortez becomes a dark hotbed of violence and style, clashing with each other with reckless abandon. A well chosen soundtrack and electric, humming score add further to the delirious ride through death, horror and story.

The cast surrender to the madness and horror with fantastic results.Leading the cast is the new addition of pop superstar Lady Gaga, who shows that acting is yet another skill in her arsenal. She plays the Countess as a seemingly aloof being who dresses and lives to kill, but is looking for something more. Her performance is very multifaceted and extremely impressive at showcasing various sides to the character, in particular deep tragedy coupled with ruthless sex appeal. Then we have Wes Bentley, who is suitably intense as the emotionally scarred detective finding himself falling into madness. He just burns across the screen with a vulnerability, quivering seriousness and frightening devotion. Matt Bomer, with his strong appeal and good looks, is ideal as the latest lover in the life of the Countess. He enjoys the position but it has grown a tad stale for him and his resentment starts to form. Plus, when he’s with Lady Gaga, they make a sizzling duo. As the new paramour of The Countess, Finn Wittrock is all scowls and attitude, with a few other layers underneath. Chloë Sevigny, who I’ve always admired as an actress, turns in emotional weight and desperation as a grieving mother who goes to extremes for her son. I liked her arc in this series as she begins as a broken woman and slowly gets in touch with another unexpected part of herself.

The best performances comes courtesy of Denis O’Hare, Kathy Bates , Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson. It’s good to see a transgender character portrayed on television with respect and honesty and Denis O’Hare acts his socks off. From the great one liners through the backstory of the transformation into the person she is today, it’s all played beautifully and sympathetically by the always watchable Denis O’Hare. Thankfully in recent times, many forms of media have followed suit by showcasing characters that are transgender and actually treating them with understanding and decency. Long may that continue. Ably complimenting him is the excellent Kathy Bates, who puts in another fantastic performance . Going from dark humour to crushing sadness and then a rebirth, Bates captures the attention with her convincing acting and A Game. The always impressive Evan Peters, playing probably his most extreme character thus far, is electrifying. Mixing a Clark Gable accent with a sadistic hunger for murder, he crafts March as a supreme being of evil that is strangely charming. Peters turns in one of his finest performances in the run of the show. Rounding out the standout quartet is the wonderful Sarah Paulson. Always seen here with a mournful look( complete with smudged eye liner and the appearance of never ending tears) that also shares itself with a sly underbelly, her portrayal of the messed up Sally is riveting. You really don’t know what you’re going to get with her character and Paulson rocks it. I adore Angela Bassett and how she embraces the outrageousness of the material. She just embodies the sassy, fierce and out there nature of American Horror Story. And even if her character’s arc doesn’t feel well utilised enough, Bassett makes it sensationally watchable all the same. Providing the unusual but also tragic is Mare Winningham as the chamber maid with a love of cleaning. At first glance she’s strange and you don’t know what to make, but Winningham discovers pathos and depth in this woman who could have just been one dimensional. The main cast member who isn’t really given a chance to make an impression is Cheyenne Jackson. I’ve seen him in other things and think he’s a good actor, but he just doesn’t really get a look in here.

Hotel finds American Horror Story back in fine fettle, owing to well written characters, a theatrical staging and plenty of chills.

American Horror Story: Freak Show

Tags

2010's, American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Freak Show, Angela Bassett, Denis O'Hare, Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, Finn Wittrock, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, John Carroll Lynch, Kathy Bates, Michael Chiklis, Sarah Paulson, Wes Bentley

This fourth season of the hit horror anthology entitled Freak Show boasts even more weird content than before. Even though there were flaws in the previous installment Coven, I think Freak Show emerges as the weakest season so far, putting it well below the supreme greatness of Murder House and Asylum. Though that may be the case, the cast, style and blend of strange and extremely unusual horror makes it at least have some currency and effectiveness, albeit in something of a tired capacity. Be warned, there will be spoilers in my review.

The setting is Jupiter, Florida 1952. Elsa Mars(Jessica Lange) is a glamorous German expat who is running a struggling freak show and has delusional ideas set on stardom. The floundering freak show’s fortunes have dwindled due to the increase in popularity of television and immense stigma aimed towards the performers in the show. She comes across a rare find: conjoined twins named Bette and Dot(Sarah Paulson), who were found looked away in their sheltered house with their mother brutally murdered. Although they share a body, they are two distinct personalities; Bette is dreamy and romantic, whereas Dot is stern and unsmiling. Yet they are very conflicting and occasionally their personalities overlap, clearly shown when it is later revealed that the sweet Bette was the one who murdered their horrible mother for locking them away. Elsa sees the girls as saviors for her show and takes them under her wing and in time they prove a prize-winning draw. But this comes at a price as Elsa grows increasingly jealous of the attention lavished upon them. The other members of the sinking freak show are Jimmy Darling(Evan Peters), who has hands that are webbed giving him the nickname ‘Lobster Boy’, his loyal mother and bearded lady Ethel(Kathy Bates) and later Jimmy’s strongman father Dell(Michael Chiklis) and his hermaphrodite wife with three breasts Desiree(Angela Bassett). Ethel keeps the fact that she is dying and that Dell is Jimmy’s father to herself because of history. Yet as the show begins to take off, horror and deception soon invades in various forms. A menacing clown known as Twisty(John Carroll Lynch) , clad in a horrific mask, begins to terrorise and kill people in the surrounding areas.  He later finds a helper in the form of spoiled man-child Dandy Mott(Finn Wittrock), who is bored with his rich life and obsessed with the freak show, in particular Bette and Dot. But after being turned away by the show and when Twisty is taken away by a Halloween spirit adding to his collection,  Dandy soon evolves into something more sadistic than ever, much to the worry of his subservient mother Gloria(Frances Conroy). After a police officer insults Jimmy and the other members of the troupe, out of anger Jimmy kills him and has to cover up the murder. Two money hungry con artists, Stanley(Denis O’Hare) and fake fortune-teller Maggie Esmeralda(Emma Roberts) infiltrate the camp, but while Stanley is willing to murder one of the freaks to get his dirty hands on a profit, the observant Maggie gets cold feet despite her skewed moral compass as her conscience catches up with her. So who will survive as carnage creeps in and evil rears its head once again, predominately in the form of the psychotic Dandy?

As I have already mentioned, Freak Show is for my money the weakest season so far. So I think it’s best to get my thoughts on the stuff that didn’t work out the way first because there is still some good parts to it and it isn’t a complete failure. I sometimes found some of the characters this time where not written with the usual verve that the show is known. And the fact that important characters seem to appear and then disappear, either by being killed off or god knows what else is a bit jarring. I just felt that Freak Show didn’t have the grip that past entries have so successfully evoked. The pacing could have been kicked up a notch or two, as certain episodes did drag before finding a bit of a groove. Then again, I know every season of a show can’t be amazing, but I expected a bit more from American Horror Story.

Moving on to the positives of this season, of which there are a number of. The visual palette popped with bright colours of the carnival, that acted as irony to the disturbing events brewing beneath the surface.  The addressing of themes of prejudice provides a modern resonance, because while steps have been taken in the world to eradicate discrimination, it is still there. Freak Show portrays the circus troupe as human beings who have done nothing wrong but look different to others. Through this, we feel a sense of kinship towards them in their struggle for acceptance in a cruel world. I loved the two-part episode set on Halloween that features Edward Mordrake(played splendidly by Wes Bentley), a man with another head that speaks to him who collects a freak every Halloween. There is such an eerie feeling when he’s on screen and though his brief appearance we get glimpses into both Elsa’s and Twisty’s past and unearth tragedy in both. Freak Show also ups the ante on bloodshed this time, with many scenes of murder emerging as extremely disquieting and very disturbing to watch. And not forgetting an excellent score that combines with the unusual nature of the show and sends a doom-laden pulse through each frame. While I’m discussing music, I have to speak of the musical numbers that are sprinkled throughout. Modern songs placed in an older setting can often be jarring, but here it is quite enjoyable. The title sequence follows with a stop motion evocation of the carnival, complete with nightmarish clowns, carousels and strange figures. Once more, the title sequence is a tone setter with the customary unusual tics that have become the show’s trademark.

And despite the negatives that somewhat spoil the potential that this season had, the talented cast makes up for some of these errors with good work, often rising above the limited material they’re given to work with. The amazing Jessica Lange signs off from the show in style portraying the manipulative Elsa, who’ll do just about anything to keep her star in the ascendance. Lange just brings a whole wealth of emotions and drama to the character that I think her presence will be missed in future seasons of American Horror Story. Sarah Paulson turns in captivating work as the Siamese twins Bette and Dot. The way she displays the opposite personalities of both and then sometimes wraps them together is quite marvellous to view. Evan Peters exudes a sense of pathos and dignity as Jimmy, whose beliefs that the troupe should be treated equally is to be admired but whose actions regarding this sometimes end badly as he challenges the norm. Kathy Bates exhibits her usual high calibre mark to the role as the strangely accented Ethel, dealing with the fact she is dying and staying loyal to those around her. Angela Bassett has a sassy ability that she incorporates into Desiree, while Michael Chiklis as strongman Dell, who is fearing that a secret will get out, imbued the part with strength and emotion. Both of the roles played by Bassett and Chiklis I felt were underwritten, but they both sidestepped this flaw and made the parts better.

Joining the cast and making a huge impact is Finn Wittrock in the evil role of Dandy. Essaying the part with bratty antics, a stunted, petulant manner, sinister smiles and arrogance, Wittrock makes Dandy a really frightening monster as his boredom with his rich life begins to manifest itself as murderous and heinous crimes. This season may be weaker, but one can’t fault the work of Wittrock here. John Carroll Lynch makes a mark despite his brief appearance as Twisty the clown. By turns immensely creepy and then when his back story is revealed quite sad, his presence can’t be forgotten. Frances Conroy has all the right nervous ticks and worry as Dandy’s mother Gloria. A delightfully slimy performance from Denis O’Hare as a remorseless con man is a highlight of the weirdness this show can conjure up, and Emma Roberts is convincing as his accomplice who has a change of heart after getting to know the troupe and feeling sympathy for them.

So while pushing the envelope once more with disturbing content and featuring a great cast once more, Freak Show lacks the killer punch of past seasons. Hopefully the next season can bring back some magic.

Duplicity

Tags

2000's, Caper, Clive Owen, Denis O'Hare, Duplicity, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, Romance, Spy, Tom Wilkinson, Tony Gilroy

Film Title

Duplicity

Director

Tony Gilroy

Starring

• Clive Owen as Ray Koval
• Julia Roberts as Claire Stenwick
• Tom Wilkinson as Howard Tully
• Paul Giamatti as Dick Garsik
• Denis O’Hare as Duke Monahan

A devilish romantic spy caper, Duplicity is bolstered by the star appeal of Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. And while enjoyable and witty, it become too convoluted and complex for its own good, that seriously leaved you feeling a bit duped by the end. Still it does have a lot to be enjoyed, it just thinks it’s cleverer than it is.

Ray Koval and Claire Stenwick are both former agents; him for MI6 and her for the CIA. They now work as corporate spies for two rival companies, headed by the smart Howard Tully and the over exaggerated Dick Garsik who are constantly in competition and trying to get one up on the other. The thing is that Ray and Claire both have a past together romantically, as we see in flashback when their cases have crossed over the years. Yet both of them have a mutual distrust for one another because of the spy business and the playing of each other during these various encounters around the globe. Now, they both have a plan to con their respective companies for some major new product that could be super lucrative for each of them. This con that they plan to pull is extremely complex and tense as it could go very wrong if someone is caught. But with unease over trust and double crosses along the way in this dangerous game, who is playing who and will Ray and Claire’s personal feelings of sparky romance get in the way of the job in hand?

Now it must be said that Tony Gilroy contributes stylish direction Duplicity. Through split screens and visuals, he crafts an atmosphere laced with deception and humour. There is a lightness to his direction that ties in with the caper aspects of the tale. His script is slickly written and contains many a great scene of romantic banter and innuendo along the way. The wit is a clear highlight of the movie as it crackles between Ray and Claire whose relationship is mutually distrustful and doubting. Though I’m a big fan of twists, Duplicity ultimately goes overboard with them. Yes some of them come off as effective, but there really wasn’t any need for so many as it causes the film to feel cluttered. What should have really been a breezy film with a couple of double crosses becomes something of a muddled mess that could have been trimmed down. On a technical side, Duplicity at least looks great and has that old-fashioned feel of a caper from the 50’s or 60’s. A jazzy score, punctuated by exotic waves romance and cool suspense, manages to keep interest even when the story gets out of hand.

Despite the complicated nature of Duplicity, the cast assembled shines and brings a sense of credibility to it. Clive Owen does the smooth-talking, handsome guy shtick very well while bringing dashes of dry humour to the character of Ray. The chemistry he shares with Julia Roberts is electric and filled with sexual tension as the two dance a tango of uncertainty and passion. Julia Roberts also walks away with a great performance as Claire, who is smart, efficient and can be very calculating when it comes to the business.Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti as feuding business heads have a clear hoot here and their distinguished presence is felt in the scenes in which they are present. The two guys are real gems of the supporting cast and their slow motion fight that covers the opening frames is comedic fare to say the very least. Denis O’Hare is on great form as another corporate spy involved with the dangerous game of cat and mouse at stake.

So it may be a slickly done spy film and boast some very engaging performances, I just wish that Duplicity hadn’t tried to be so overly clever because it really detracts from the good parts of the movie.

American Horror Story: Coven

Tags

2010's, American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Coven, Angela Bassett, Denis O'Hare, Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Gabourey Sidibe, Jamie Brewer, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Taissa Farmiga

I decided to go back to American Horror Story again to catch up as I felt I’d fallen behind. This will be my review of Season 3, subtitled Coven. While still as chilling and weirdly perverse as Murder House and Asylum, I just feel like there’s something missing from it to make it a better entry. Not that the season is bad, in fact its far from it with excellent acting, chills and atmosphere, it just slightly pales in comparison with its predecessors. Be warned, spoilers will follow in this review.

Coven is set in modern-day New Orleans. Zoe Benson( Taissa Farmiga) is a young girl whose life appears pretty normal, until a strange and tragic incident reveals that she is in fact a witch. Her power is that when anyone comes into sexually contact with anyone they will die horribly. Feeling alone and afraid, she is bundled off to Miss Robichaux’s Academy that doubles as a haven for witches to harness their powers and survive intolerance thrown at them. The school is watched over by the demure Cordelia Foxx( Sarah Paulson), whose mother Fiona Goode( Jessica Lange) is the reigning Supreme ( in other words the most powerful witch). Fiona has been out-of-town on a personal vanity trip to find a way to restore her waning youth. She returns and takes charge of the school, much to the chagrin of her estranged daughter. Fiona is still obsessed with retaining youth and her position as Supreme and no one is going to stand in her way, even if it includes murdering the next in line. Fiona’s integrity and less than perfect rise to being the Supreme is constantly questioned by the council, specifically Myrtle Snow( Frances Conroy), her most sworn enemy. Little by little, we see how devious she can be and how only Spalding( Denis O’Hare), the mute butler of the Academy knows of her past misdeeds. Meanwhile Zoe befriends fellow witches Madison Montgomery( Emma Roberts), the catty movie star who is telekinetic, Queenie( Gabourey Sidibe), an African-American girl who can inflict pain on other much like a voodoo doll and the wise clairvoyant and telepathic Nan( Jamie Brewer). As the series progresses the witches come under attack from outside forces. A long truce between witches and voodoo practitioners comes to a bitter end when Fiona over steps the mark when searching for eternal beauty and angers priestess Marie Laveau( Angela Bassett) with harrowing results. We also have Delphine LaLaurie( Kathy Bates), a wealthy women who murdered slaves in the 19th Century and was cursed with immortal life by Laveau resurfacing again after Fiona finds her unmarked grave. She’s not the only person returning as we have Misty Day( Lily Rabe) a nature loving witch with the power of resurrection who dwells in the swamps after being burned at the stake for her gift by the zealously religious community . Zoe meets nice guy Kyle Spencer( Evan Peters) at a party and takes a liking to him. But when his frat brothers rape Madison, the movie star gains revenge by flipping over their bus and killing them. Zoe is devastated that Kyle is dead because he was innocent and Madison, who is clearly more confident with magic makes a bargain with her. Through dark powers and an assembling of assorted body parts in the morgue, they resurrect Kyle again but their experiment turns him into a Frankenstein like being of immensely violent and unpredictable rage. Intolerance from the outside world and unrest among the girls also threatens to sneak in as they must not only band together, but ultimately eliminate the others to rise to being the new Supreme.

I think I’ll start by talking about the main things that didn’t work for me first. While I know that subtlety is not what American Horror Story is all about, I just felt that Coven overdid it with the sheer outrageousness this time around. And while the campy humour and crackling dialogue is often a Godsend on this show, it really went overboard. Hopefully when I get to the next season, this can be a bit more controlled and not as disjointed as it is here in Coven. Also, I felt certain plot elements( such as almost a million resurrections) were used repetitively and thus became a little stale. I mean in the beginning the resurrection thing is interesting for certain characters like Misty and Myrtle, but then when it shifts to other it becomes a little dull. Many of the episodes feel disjointed and this does have a negative impact on this season.

And now onto the good stuff of this flawed but still watchable season, of which there is a lot. I really liked the whole arc of witchcraft and voodoo clashing and the history of it. It also introduces in various ways the subject of prejudice and intolerance. It can be seen with the young girls of the academy as they are shielded away to avoid abuse and the racism of the past that still lingers on. Coven delivers the horror in spades, with little nods here and there to films that populate the genre and a few new spins. Like most of the seasons, I don’t think anyone will find it easy to sleep after watching the horrifying and brutal episodes that abound. I mean just listing some of the things that happen doesn’t do it justice: we’ve got killer zombies, rituals, cascades of dripping blood, necromancy, beheading. You named it, Coven’s got it. And I can’t do a review without mentioning yet another sinister title sequence. This time we have stark black and white images of fire, tarot cards, witchcraft rituals, a Minotaur and plenty more disturbing imagery that is designed to disturb.

The music throughout is spine-chilling with an intense electronic pulse that seems to predict the gloom that will inevitably come once the war breaks out. Unusual camera angles and strange jump cuts only add to the effect of the season and capture the alienation that is felt primarily by Zoe because of her gift. The location of New Orleans offers a Southern Gothic atmosphere that is palpable and memorable. From the swamps to the cemeteries, it has such a mystical and mysterious aura surrounding it.

Once again, we have many amazingly written and played female roles on display here, which is one of the show’s biggest strengths. Jessica Lange is at her glorious best in the role of Fiona, a powerful witch and a ruthless bitch. Lange successfully embodies the fabulous personality of her, while showing us that as despicable as Fiona is, there is a heart in there somewhere beneath the hard exterior. The talented Lange is at her best when delivering catty lines, going to extreme methods to stop her from being usurped and exuding menace as the vanity obsessed Fiona, which gives the show that something else. Kathy Bates is an excellent addition to the show, bringing her always high calibre skills to the role. She portrays Delphine as initially remorseless for her cruel and twisted actions in the past. Yet Bates goes beneath this and shows that is remorse in there and injects the character with eccentricity and mordant humour as she has the tables turned on her by having immortality and struggling to accept the modern world. The fact that she strikes up an unusual friendship with Queenie( an excellent Gabourey Sidibe) shows a different side to Delphine. Angela Bassett rounds out this trio of excellent women with her fierce performance of the voodoo queen Marie Laveau. Bassett exudes rage, a sense of mystery and unquestionable power as she declares war on the coven. It’s safe to say that the combined talents of these three amazing actresses, armed with one-liners and put downs, ensures that Coven is watchable, despite a few flaws.

The rest of the cast is none too shabby either. Taissa Farmiga is superb at getting under the skin of isolated Zoe who discovers the extent of witchcraft along the way. Sarah Paulson ably charts the emergence of Cordelia from her insular and demure facade to powerful witch who is not to be trifled with. A lot of this change comes when she is blinded by acid, by this she gains the power to see the true nature of people and sends her on the way to battle. Emma Roberts obviously is relishing the role of Madison, who is trashy, flashy and bitchy. Roberts brings this seemingly stock character who is criminally underwritten to life with verve and tongue in cheek delivery. Jamie Brewer and Gabourey Sidibe both turn in great work as two of the witches of the coven that befriend Zoe, while the always reliable Denis O’Hare gives the role of the silent butler Spalding menace and intrigue. Lily Rabe is ethereal and dreamlike as the nature-loving, Stevie Nicks fangirl and very strong Misty. Rabe just radiates this glow that is hard to describe but you just can’t take your eyes off when she appears on screen. Frances Conroy stole whatever scenes she was in as the determined, wildly dressed and ostentatious Myrtle Snow. While Evan Peters did a credible job as the resurrected Kyle, I personally felt he wasn’t given enough to do in comparison with the characters he has played in the past.

Flawed it may be and probably the series of the show that so far I didn’t fully enjoy, Coven is far from unwatchable thanks to a game cast and overall craziness.

American Horror Story: Murder House

Tags

2010's, Alexandra Breckenridge, American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Murder House, Connie Britton, Denis O'Hare, Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Taissa Farmiga

I thought it was about time I got back to reviewing some television, after the success of my posts on that topic. This time I will be reviewing the creepy American Horror Story, which has become one of my favourite TV shows as of late. From the first time I watched it I was gripped by the nature of it and how each season changes characters and settings in line with an anthology. Horror is easily one of my favourite genres and American Horror Story delivers it in spades and then some. So without further ado, here is my review of the first season, subtitled Murder House. Please be aware that spoilers will follow in this review.

Psychiatrist Ben Harmon(Dylan McDermott), his wife Vivien(Connie Britton) and their unhappy teenage daughter Violet(Taissa Farmiga) move into an old mansion in Los Angeles. The move has come about after Vivien caught Ben cheating with one of his students and her painful miscarriage. Ben hopes the move can repair the deep void left in their marriage. The mansion itself has quite an alarming history of murder and scandal since its opening in the 1920’s, with the last owners allegedly being killed in a murder/suicide. As the Harmon family settles in, strange and mysterious events soon take hold as the house is a haunted plane for the deceased who can’t let go of the house, although the family are initially unaware of this fact until later on. A housekeeper by the name of Moira O’Hara(Frances Conroy/Alexandra Breckenridge) appears and in a strange turn of events appears old and peculiar to women, but seductive and nubile to men. A horribly scarred man named Larry Harvey(Denis O’Hare) warns Ben of the house and that it drove him to kill his family by torching the place. A strange creature lives in the basement and on more than one occasion unleashes fury on the unfortunate. Matters aren’t helped by the intrusion of Constance(Jessica Lange), a bitchy but intelligent neighbour who knows a lot about the house but only drops hints on the sinister nature of it and her daughter Addie, who has some sort of personal link to the creepy house. Vivien becomes pregnant after sleeping with a figure in a gimp suit who she believes is Ben( in actual fact, Ben was downstairs sleep walking when this act happened) and begins to believe there is something unholy about the baby she is carrying inside of her. Ben’s former flame Hayden shows up with unexpected news that leads to tragic consequences.Add to this, the increasingly troubled Tate(Evan Peters), one of Ben’s patients who takes an interest in troubled  Violet and horror begins to engulf all who step foot in the house and refuses to let go. Twists and turns a plenty unravel in this disturbing yet gripping series of television that will make you shiver with fear and plague your dreams with its mixture of sex, death and all things horrific.

Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have created a series that takes old clichés and breathes new life into them. Everyone has seen the haunted house formula been done in movies, but having it on TV adds another dimension as tragedy and horror unfold. American Horror Story is not afraid to push the envelope either, with copious amounts of sex, twisted crimes such as copycat murders and psychiatry all coming under the spotlight. The intense visual style contributes to the feeling of uneasiness as the house reveals its sinister nature, the jittery cuts back and forth give the show a creepy edge. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the title sequence, which in itself acts as a mini mystery as it travels through the basement of the house and reveals the mutilated body parts from botched experiments and melancholy old-fashioned photographs to the sound of distorted instruments.

The structure of the episodes deserves praise as it features flashbacks to the past traumas of the house, then in the present shows the repercussions of them in terrifying fashion. The most frightening of these traumas and travesties is that of an ether addicted doctor, Charles Montgomery and his nervy socialite wife Nora, who performed backstreet abortions in the 20’s. After a girl secretly had one of the procedures, her boyfriend found out about it and took revenge by snatching the couple’s beloved baby son. The boy was later found horribly mutilated. The crazed doctor began to fashion body parts from various creatures in order to bring his son back, but instead created a Frankenstein like beast that now resides in the basement.  The ghosts of the couple still haunt the house, with Nora still searching for her baby. The music of the series is an eerie mix of old-fashioned strings and ominous percussion, perfectly  capturing the clash between the old ghosts who populate the house and the new residents.

A game cast of talented actors give life to these characters, even if a lot of them are unlikable people. Dylan McDermott embodies the selfish ways of Ben who has cheated on his wife and wants to rebuild their relationship, but whose demons and the ominous house stop him from doing so. Connie Britton is sympathetic and quietly strong as Vivien, the wife terrified of not just the house but the baby growing inside of her. Out of the characters in this series, Vivien is the one who you root for the most. Taissa Farmiga is suitably gloomy and filled with angst as Violet who falls into a strange relationship with the disturbed Tate. The two have a creepy and morose chemistry with one another which highlights how dangerous Tate can be. He is played with sly menace by Evan Peters, who also manages to delve into the vulnerable side of this disturbed soul as his past is eerily revealed to us. The almost perverse relationship forms a creepy story arc that slowly descends into unspeakable terror. Stealing the show has to be Jessica Lange as the intrusive Constance. With her Southern accent, penchant for stealing and subtle hints about the past of the mansion, she is riveting to watch. She delivers some great one liners with a diva like authority and also gets to show the hidden depths of this intelligent woman who isn’t to be trifled with. Frances Conroy is caring and insightful as the benevolent spirit Moira, who has a history with Constance. While she is kind and knowing, her other face is the opposite. Played by the gorgeous Alexandra Breckenridge, the young Moira is a seductive tease who tempts Ben with her innuendo filled lines and skimpy French maid outfit. Her presence adds to the sexual side to the series as well as the creepy atmosphere of horror. Rounding out the cast is Denis O’Hare as the scarred Larry, who is menacing and mysterious in equal measure, whilst providing some dark humour to the disturbing proceedings. And let’s not forget the excellent Sarah Paulson as a knowledgable and serene medium who is contacted for her abilities.

Not for the faint of heart, but twisted and disturbingly enthralling throughout, the first season of American Horror Story really has me excited for the next season and what it has to offer.

A Mighty Heart

Tags

2000's, A Mighty Heart, Angelina Jolie, Archie Panjabi, Based on a true story, Dan Futterman, Daniel Pearl, Denis O'Hare, Drama, Irrfan Khan, Mariane Pearl, Michael Winterbottom, Will Patton

Film Title

A Mighty Heart

Director

Michael Winterbottom

Starring

• Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl
• Dan Futterman as Daniel Pearl
• Archie Panjabi as Asra Nomani
• Irrfan Khan as Captain Zubair Mahmood
• Will Patton as Randall Bennett
• Denis O’Hare as John Bussey

Based on the true story of Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and eventually killed by terrorists in Karachi in 2002, A Mighty Heart focuses on the attempts of his pregnant wife Mariane to secure his release. Directed with a documentary feel by Michael Winterbottom and boasting a powerful performance by Angelina Jolie, A Mighty  Heart is a gripping, tense and poignant account of a woman trying to remain strong in the face of unimaginable shock. 

The year is 2002, Daniel Pearl and his wife Mariane, who is also a journalist arrive in Karachi, Pakistan. Daniel is investigating a link to Al-Qaeda and is to meet a powerful sheikh for an interview. It is on the way to this interview that he is kidnapped. When Daniel doesn’t return home, Mariane begins an investigation to find him. Helping her in this tense and desperate investigation are Asra, a co-worker of Daniel’s, a Pakistani security Captain Zubair Mahmood, American agent Randall Bennett and John Bussey, a writer at the Wall Street Journal. Throughout the subsequent investigation, we see how Mariane held on to hope that Daniel would be found and focuses on the inner strength of this woman facing unbearable circumstances. Well-performed and evocatively scored, A Mighty Heart emerges as a searing drama that never sugar-coats or exploits  the true story, but instead lets us see the efforts that went into trying to secure Daniel’s release and the unwavering courage of Mariane.

Visually, A Mighty Heart drives to the hard of its subject matter by use of hand-held camerawork and rapid editing. Through this, we as an audience, are thrust into the whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty that engulfs the case and witness as Daniel’s release is attempted by various parties. Although we know the outcome of the story, the film is still unbearably tense as we see the various parts of the against the clock investigation.  The overall documentary style of filmmaking adds to the intimacy of the story of Mariane’s courage and shows us the many grim realities of Daniel’s kidnapping.The bustling and winding streets of Karachi become a metaphor for the twisting case and the hardship faced by Mariane as she attempts to remain strong in the face of adversity. Sonically, the movie features an evocative score of Middle Eastern percussion and voices to highlight the setting.

In terms of acting in the picture, everyone delivers. Out of the supporting cast Archie Panjabi and Irrfan Khan are solid as a journalist friend and the security chief attempting to obtain Daniel’s rescue. Will Patton and Denis O’Hare also perform admirably as two other members of this tense investigation. Dan Futterman in the pivotal role of Daniel Pearl is exceptionally cast and credible. But the acting honors in A Mighty Heart have to go to Angelina Jolie. She inhabits the character of Mariane with a subtle intelligence, passion and quiet power. For those who only think of Jolie as a kick-ass babe, watch this movie and witness her moving delivery of a strong woman in a time of unimaginable pain. Even when Jolie isn’t saying anything, she radiates emotion as her hope never dies and her spirit remains strong. For my money, this is one of Angelina Jolie’s best performances in her career. Michael Winterbottom with a documentary style immediacy that shows us the amount of work that went into the case and how it impacted on those closest to Daniel Pearl.

Evocative, tense and searing, A Mighty Heart is an excellent film. Whether seen as a thriller or a drama/biopic, it works either way. Boasting an all round great cast, headed by the powerfully moving performance of Angelina Jolie, it is a true testament to one woman’s strength in the face of the horror around her.