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Reviews
Thirteen (2016)
So bad on so many levels...It could have been all over in 30 minutes.
The final three minutes in every episode are worthy of making the viewer want to watch the next. The previous episodic minutes were slow, boring, devoid of any kind of reasonable or interesting plot, depicted poor characterizations and with a continuous display of terrible acting, direction, poor use of camera and completely devoid of dramatic technique. This is drivel at its finest BUT with a great hook at the end of each episode. The policing is portrayed as inept and borders on pathetic. Just not credible. Soft. Morse would have had this case wrapped up in 90 minutes flat. I also found the incessant whispering and pregnant and extended pauses just served to annoy rather than create a dramatic motif or anything of any real substance or value.
However, do they know how to create a hook. Brilliant stuff. I think if the final three minutes from each of the first four episodes could be edited together along with a 10 minute opening act exposition explaining what happened and a 5 minute piece from the beginning and end of episode five as a finale then this could have been 30 minutes of compelling TV drama.
As it is, this is a mess, with consistently bad acting, writing, direction, production values. I was wanting it to end and preferably with all the actors losing out in some way. I was attached to none of it and the leads were all terrible. The family unit stunk.
But those closing three minutes...that is why it gets a 3 as opposed to a nil.
Black Fly (2014)
Black Fly delivers...
Black Fly is very well photographed and the pacing sustained and fast paced throughout, as is the sound (music) and general escalating mood of tension. I liked the subtle shift at the midpoint and the overall atmospherics. Some excellent 70s style suspense (And Soon the Darkness, Deliverance) and great tracking camera work.
There is also a real Steve Railsback/Charlie Manson/Helter Skelter quality to this and a Polanskiesque motif and feel. They also borrowed some Kubrick techniques and used to great affect.
Black Fly captivates and the scenes fly by seamlessly. Dramatic ending and twist. Even though we knew what was coming
it did not matter.
Some good actors here on their own merit. All three leads. Great editing and direction. I want to see more features from this Director. Well made and delivered from a good story; Contemporary, fast paced 'Thrillers' are clearly his direction for the future.
Bloody Good!