the new USA show MR. ROBOT: the rise of Rami Malek and the inexplicable solidness of Christian Slater

still need to watch the 2-part finale lol

Just watched s1.

The Swedish guy rmeinded me of Jeremy / Sebastian from Naked which made it amusing, until it was less amusing. Kept thinking of Aranovksy's PI as well, both in tone and also specifics like the paranoid voiceover, the neighbour girl, electronica soundtrack etc.

Not read this thread past that point so nae spoilers if possible.

An unreasonable ask, I realise.

This, like Legion, was a show I was obsessively into and then just suddenly stopped watching in S2. I might pick it back up some time.

I do that with quite a few shows cos I generally pick up DVD sets here and there and have to be invested or intrigued enough to continue. I guess I was partly fishing for opinions on whether it's worth going all in to the end (end?).

Yeah, I would guess that it's a show that works better as a binge than as something with extended gaps between episodes. There are certain conceits that felt very grueling when dragged out over the course of weeks that I can imagine being much cooler if viewed over the course of hours. And since you are apparently avoiding spoilers upthread, I will tell you that the general consensus of those who stuck it out is that the show did a kind of remarkable job of landing on its feet in the end. Given how completely insane it gets at times, I'm still a little surprised.

S2 can be a struggle but after that the show finds a groove that's consistently watchable and sometimes great

This, like Legion, was a show I was obsessively into and then just suddenly stopped watching in S2. I might pick it back up some time.

― Stoop Crone (Trayce), Monday, September 13, 2021 12:00 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I was exactly the same with both of these shows. Loved S1, bailed like 2 episodes into S2.

Legion was great but also kind of emotionally exhausting too

i keep forgetting that i have two episodes left in this show

i posted almost the exact same thing five months ago, go figure

I kinda mentioned above but S3 and S4 are excellent. I enjoyed S2 but it was the weakest of the seasons

I really enjoyed the first season and bailed on the stodgy 2nd, went back a few yes later and watched it to finish, great show, Rami's casting was perfect as his performance is astonishing, at times, completely sold the nerdy ego vrs the complex vulnerability of his character

I want to watch Comet again but I don’t know if I’ll be able to replicate the exact way the edible hit me 30 minutes into my first viewing.

seeing ramy on james bond posters now is kinda weird

Was thinking of starting Esmail's Leave the World Behind this weekend--anyone seen it?

Watched it last night. Mostly pretty decent but it falls apart in the last 15 minutes by over-explaining and being so on the nose. Hitchcock didn’t tell us why the birds were rebelling against Man…

I'm halfway through and it's really starting to feel like M. Night Shyamalan.

that was definitely a movie by Sam Esmail

I liked the book, will watch the movie eventually.

By the end, I liked about half of it: the sinister massed deer, the Tesla pile-up, clunky dancing to "Too Close." In terms of sounding an alarm, I didn't think it was all that convincing.

imo the entire apocalyptic background and happenings were window dressing for the actual plot mechanic: the lack of trust and basic human connection necessary for survival when every person has their own preconceived notions and agendas that are ultimately irrelevant

having the one seemingly paranoid character be not that much into conspiracy theories (he was just reacting to the factual information he had) was a choice

i still enjoy esmail's visual style but this was all a bit of silliness. good performances, but didn't really have anything to say.

This was a really good movie, sort of frustrated by the massive online chorus of "Why did it not end with rescue and hugzzzzz"

it falls apart in the last 15 minutes by over-explaining and being so on the nose.

only if you think of the "explanation" presented by the character as having anything to do with what's actually happening

i will concede that the Julia Roberts / Ruth dialogue in the shed near the end is too on the nose

The very ending--what the strange daughter did--was one of my favourite parts. Kind of obvious, I know, but in a good way: felt like it had to end that way.

ps the involvement of Barack and Michelle in this movie has created an entire online ecosystem of people who think it's a leak of plans for the impending satanic NWO takeover

it’s funny that a bunch of people online think the 13 year old was weird when she just wants to finish the one thing that was interrupted. maybe the wide-eyed stare at all the weird shit was part of it?

i’m sure each character maps on to some psychological archetype in some way

xp I can see where the Obamas as producers (they just have a Netflix production deal, who cares) is hatching some conspiracy theories but I doubt they’re that hands-on

conversely, I was aware of the production credit and when Ali and Hawke’s characters are negotiating with Bacon’s, I thought “both of these guys are different parts of Obama’s internal dialogue”

I actually love that there's just that one shot kind of hauntingly establishing there's a woman inside Danny's house, wife, daughter, doesn't matter

only if you think of the "explanation" presented by the character as having anything to do with what's actually happening

I don't think his speech has to be the 'real story' - it was an retelling of things we'd already seen (cars going haywire, transport isolating everyone, communication down, etc.) turned into a narrative. The viewers all got to make that narrative up as we watched, having the prepper lay it out at the very end was unnecessary. (If that conversation came halfway or two thirds in, maybe, but it acted as a summation.)

it was F Society, obviously

anyone else spot the E Corp logo on the meal kit buckets in the back of the pickup at the beginning?

this was super entertaining. great cinema? probably not but a thoroughly enjoyable 2+ hours. I loved the ending. Also it's an interesting choice to put Hawke and Bacon in the same movie as they are morphing into the same guy as they age.