Review: 2023’s ‘Pandemonium’ is Nihilisme Démoniaque et Toast
PANDEMONIUM is a screener from our friends at Arrow Films. A new French slow-burn about the afterlife, Brannyk ventures into the beyond…@arrowvideo
Trigger warning: suicide, hanging and murder
PANDEMONIUM is a screener from our friends at Arrow Films (more info at the end of the review) and brought to us by writer/director (and mixed media artist), Quarxx.
Director Quarxx (All the Gods in the Sky) explores the peculiar, welcoming all those hungry for wonder, in Pandemonium, a unique cinematic blend of fantasy, drama, genre, and humour. The film takes the viewer on a chilling journey as three interconnected stories unravel in this macabre exploration of tales depicting fallen souls. From the intricacies of everyday drama to the realms of supernatural intrigue, each narrative weaves a haunting tapestry that blurs the lines between the mortal and the supernatural. – Arrow Video
PANDEMONIUM stars Arben Bajraktaraj, Hugo Dillon, Ophélia Kolb, Carl Laforêt, and Manon Maindivide, and is rounded out with an impressive cast and crew. You can find it streaming here: https://www.amazon.com/Pandemonium/dp/B0CV7GW1QD and https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/umc.cmc.26kz22j93v0iwvm8uxnrmod6h.
But what is PANDEMONIUM and will it have that certain je ne sais quoi (my limited French, Je m’excuse)? Well, laissez-nous découvrir!
THE PLOT OF PANDEMONIUM:
On a snowy mountainside, Nathan (Dillon) awakes to a horrific crash. His car has been flipped upside-down but miraculously, he has survived. He’s met by Daniel (Bajraktaraj), a stranger who was also part of the crash.
As they begin to slowly piece together what has happened, two doors suddenly appear before them, leading to the ultimate answer to all their questions…
THOUGHTS ON PANDEMONIUM (spoilers):
Let me get this out of the way first – the end is a mess. It feels thrown together and stitched up hastily. It doesn’t match the rest of the tone, nor does it lead to anything satisfying. Maybe that was the point, but with the rest of the pacing of the film, it was too lack-luster and sudden.
With that being said – holy smokes! PANDEMONIUM was right up my alley. As the poster suggests, the film has three parts. The first is on the snowy mountainside with Nathan and Daniel reasoning that they’ve died in the crash and are presented the door to Hell.
The second part is Nathan walking through the wastelands of the “waiting room” of Hell, being able to see people’s sins by touching their lifeless bodies. He sees the sins of a psychopathic little girl (the utterly amazing Maindivide) and a mother and daughter.
The last part is being ushered into the first level of Hell where he’s barely stepped a foot in and is killed by a demon, being reborn, but then eaten by the demon so he doesn’t become an antichrist…Yeah, it kinda lost the momentum and logic in that last part.
It felt like all three segments could have been their own films, to be honest, because they all had enough to them. The first being what is sin, why Nathan and Daniel are there and what it means to be there. The second being an anthology of sinners. And the third being what happens when a sinner is killed in Hell. The first two it manages to pull off well enough in a nihilistic look at the afterlife, humanity, and worldbuilding of Hell. The third part is literally a few minutes that really needed to be cut or expanded on.
Regardless, the writing is spot-on, being able to touch on philosophy, humanity, and humor. It’s hard to toe the line for humor, horror and in-depth discussions of the afterlife and death. Quarxx surprising writes it with ease and skill, being just tongue-in-cheek enough but never veering into something too dismal or edge lord territory. In a way, it’s not his story but the story of everyday people in extraordinary situations that feel close enough to being ordinary. We can see ourselves within these characters or can empathize with them while still being disgusted by their actions. Well done, Quarxx.
The acting is absolutely wonderful, ranging from dramatic to humorous, from deplorable to relatable. Everyone was stellar with their performance and in a very short amount of time given to their characters, each character stands out. Bajraktaraj and Dillon had great chemistry – being bitter, consolatory, and rivalry towards each other. Their relationship was fascinating to watch.
Maindivide is one of the best child actresses I’ve ever seen in horror, being able to be utterly menacing and terrifying. Along with her imaginary friend, Tony the Monster, whom she makes toast for, we get caught into her world of fantasy and destruction. That scene of the foreboding oven had me saying, “No, they’re not going to…” But yeah, yeah, Quarxx went there and with Maindivide’s performance, it was utterly brutal.
The cinematography, the sets, the prosthetics, the lighting, the music – stunning. Full applause. Everything fits so well into each other. Each piece is a work of art woven into a weird and wonderful film about death and what lies beyond it.
BRAINROLL JUICE (spoilers):
What makes one irredeemable? What makes one a sinner to be cast down into an afterlife of pain and agony? A bold act? A mistake? A mental illness? A situation? A technicality?
In PANDEMONIUM, all of the above. Nathan knows too quickly, while pleading his case, that he is not meant for Heaven. He murdered his wife in what he begs was a “mercy killing”. Daniel was almost let into heaven but then forced into Hell on a technicality after accidentally killing a child in the crash. Nina is a killer, sure, but also a psychopath born into her tendencies from a young age. The mother and daughter (sorry, I don’t remember their names and I couldn’t find them on IMdB, but they’re great, too) are there because the teen committed suicide after being bullied at school and the mother had dismissed the bullying as a “buck it up” situation.
It’s what we all ask ourselves, isn’t it? What lies in the beyond? What are the rules? Which god, if any, is real? Which sin, if any, is too big of a sin?
It hits home. During having this screener, someone who was very close to me passed away. And with her being Catholic, there were many rituals carried out that I had become part of – rosaries spoken, last rites performed, prayers spoken and funeral mass. It’s a part of my background and culture that I haven’t been part of for a long, long time. And throughout the process, it all lead back to afterlife, obviously. Where was she to go when her body ended its functions and purpose? That she of her personality, conscious, memory, life-force – her ‘soul’?
PANDEMONIUM is the worst-case scenario in all its tongue-in-cheek nihilistic glory. But with it also comes a powerful message: humor persists in all times. Even at our darkest moments, in the purest of pain, there can be that small, microscopic atom of humor that lights the darkness with its soft laughter. Not fully, but enough.
And when things are funny, they’re also often less scary and much more manageable.
BOTTOMLINE OF PANDEMONIUM:
If slow-burn artistic and funny French films about Hell are your jam, get some toast for Tony the Monster and enjoy. Even with the ending, it’s worth the watch.
(4 / 5)
AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR DISTRIBUTOR:
Pandemonium, the latest feature from filmmaker Quarxx (All the Gods in the Sky). The film made its world premiere at Neuchâtel and went on to screen at Fantasia, Frightfest, Fantasy FilmFest, Sitges, Grimmfest, Trieste and Screamfest and you can see it at home on ARROW with a host of brand new extras! Pandemonium will also be available on all major VOD platforms, include Apple TV and Prime Video.
From Arrow Films, a recognized world-leader in curation and creation, ARROW is a premium platform giving audiences an unparalleled viewing experience across multiple devices, so fans can explore the films and TV shows that the Arrow brand is famous for.
Specially curated by members of the ARROW team, ARROW is home to premium film and TV entertainment, exclusive new premieres, cutting edge cinema, international classics and cult favorites – such as the works of Lars Von Trier, Brian De Palma, Dario Argento, David Cronenberg and Park Chan-wook, and brand-new short films from both new and established filmmakers.
For more information on Pandemonium, ARROW and its titles, please contact: justin@justincookpr.com or visit https://www.arrow-player.com.
Thank you, Arrow!
House of Dragon S2E2: Coors Lite seems to have sponsored this episode. Remember, this is NOT a spoiler free review. It’s Jim watching the episode and writing random bits down without proof reading. …. much like what the show runners must have done with the season bible.
Without any further ado…our House of Dragon S2E2 Review! (Crap, that rhymes!)
That one prince dude is still dead and like so is the other one. No, not that one!
So apparently, Matt Smith didn’t mean to really have that one baby prince die or something. But you know, it’s easier to kill smaller ones than ones with eye-patches. I guess. I mean, does anyone care who killed a baby prince? It’s not like the rest of Westeros is going to see the dead kid on parade with his grieving…wait…what?
Are you shitting me? I haven’t seen this much of an obvious heart tug attempt since that one time I paid that Russian hooker to give me ‘the full trump’.
So..a populace of people who are very poor and really couldn’t give two shits who is in charge…are going to cry for you if you display a kid’s body? Sure. I guess it worked for (checks notes) Absolutely nobody before.
That other queen and the dude from Doctor Who’s conflict:
With an unforced error that one queen basically puts out the one guy who would literally kill for her. Is this a weird plot point I’m missing? So far the people who didn’t let Matt Smith’s character (man, we need a name for him. I mean one I can spell) do what he needed to do all sorta failed and died. Wonder if that’s foreshadowing or just an extra thing to go through to fill time?
And TWINS!!!:
Remember that one guy who was a twin of the other guy? And like they took opposing sides of the throne struggle? Nope? Well, me neither. Apparently Coors Lite is sponsoring this episode as the ‘you’ll go in and kill someone dressed as your twin’ trope gets used. It almost works. Sorta. Kinda. Okay, it’s not even close.
Not even a beard to tell the evil twin apart, we get rammed right into…a fight that ends in both of their deaths. That’s a missed opportunity, but I think a lot of this show might just be that: A missed opportunity.
New Hand aka OK Boomer
Looks like they tried a Boomer thing with HoD. The other other king kid (does this guy even have a name? Let’s call him Spanky Z). Spanky Z is all like I does what I want so I’ll kill every rat catcher and like hang them up and stuff. You know, things that Joffery would say was ‘a weak show’. Apparently, the populace doesn’t like being gutted and having their sons/fathers hung up dead on public display. Who knew?
The Hand knew, that’s who!!! Oh boy, is he ever going to take it to his grandson/nephew/niece (incest, amirite?)! Orr…..not. What I meant to say is, Oh boy! Won’t he ever just show how apparently weak a Hand he is and just resign after being replaced by some white cloak “definitely a virgin and not fuckin your mom’.
I think we’d care more if…we remembered anything from Season 1 about anyone here except this:
- 1. White Cloak dude fucked his mom
- 2. King dude is like not really the king but a pretender
- 3. Hand dude sold his 7 year old daughter to fuck the old king so she would be queen.
This episode was stronger than the last. I think they can still turn the ship around. I’d give this one a 4/5
I think that sums it up for our House of Dragon S2E2 Review. Now, back to that Coors Lite…
(4 / 5)
Season four of Amazon Prime’s The Boys launched on June 13th of this year. Having now watched the first episode, I believe I can safely say that this season is going to be bonkers.
Let’s discuss.
The story
When this episode begins, things aren’t going great for Homelander. He’s irritated at everyone around him for constantly agreeing with everything he says. He found a gray hair and is finally facing his own mortality. Oh, and he’s on trial for murdering a man last season.
Homelander decides he needs someone around him who will tell him the truth. Someone who can help him build a legacy. So he seeks out a sup named Sage, whose superpower is being the smartest person in the world. And what does he want with Sage? He wants her to help him destroy America.
Meanwhile, The Boys aren’t doing so well. They’ve been tasked with assassinating Neuman because she is the presumptive VP. But Neuman manages to avoid their assassination attempt by being literally bulletproof.
Unfortunately, The Boys aren’t bulletproof. And as we find out in this episode, one might not last much longer.
What worked
In fiction as in life, it is the little things that matter. It’s the small details that make the difference between a fine show and an exceptional one. This episode was full of such little details. One such detail was Homelander finding gray pubic hairs.
The reason why this distinction is important is because later in the episode we find out that his stylist has been dying his hair. She’s been intentionally hiding the fact that he’s going gray. This is important because it’s just one more person in Homelander’s life who is being dishonest with him. And I think that is what’s going to finally crack him.
The timing of this season is something I’d like to shed some light on. It is so fitting that this came out during an election year. Because of course, The Boys is mimicking the very real infighting we’re experiencing in America. We’ve all seen protests break out into violence. We’ve all seen important trials spark controversy. This is just so much like our real experience, except that in The Boys, the megalomaniac blond man baby is competent and good at things.
Finally, I was amused and impressed with the evolution of Neuman’s character. She is a politician, through and through. The way she can smile at someone while threatening them, and then make a pithy quip at their expense is fantastic. She made me laugh almost every time she was on screen.
What didn’t work
If I have one complaint about this episode, it’s that a lot happened in this episode. We have a whole bunch of plotlines going on here. Like, so many things. Butcher’s health, Homelander’s aging, Ryan’s future, Frenchie’s new boyfriend, Annie’s charity, Sage’s plotting, Butcher’s old friend, A-Train and The Deep growing discontent. And I’m sure I’m forgetting a few. This is just a lot to keep track of. And I just hope they have enough time and space to do them all justice.
Overall, I have high hopes for this season. And Amazon must too, because it appears that season five is already in the works. But for now, we’ll be back very soon to discuss episode two of The Boys.
(4 / 5)
By the way, if you like my writing you can get my short story, Man In The Woods, on Smashwords and Amazon.
Computers are all the rage. Of course, you already knew that. But did you know that scientists, those denizens of deep throaty maniacal laughter and storms brewing over dark brooding castles, are building tiny brain computers now? So apparently this is what all the zombies are being used for… They’re the lackeys getting the goods. No surprise there, though, zombies do make good lackeys.
16 Mini Brains
It’s catchy. Like a jingle. And those sixteen mini brains are getting all sorts of attention nowadays. Apparently they’re all over social media. We don’t know what truths they think they’ll find there, but it has been said they do like to play Pong, so maybe some of those other kind of mindless clicker games will have similar appeal. Anyway, we’ve caught a rare glimpse of these little items of incidental intellect, through our prompting of the NightCafe AI art generator. And they’re kinda cute. See these renditions of the tiny brain computers for yourself.
Mushrooming Mayhem
It’s not just tiny brain computers though. Those sneaky scientists have also been experimenting with mycelium, harnessing the fungal power of mushrooms to make mental machine magic. Or create computer craft as it were. So what happens when the tiny brain computers and the mushroom computers start talking? Well, we aren’t sure, but we suspect the manifesting motherboard mushroom man would know. You’ll have to ask him. We hear he’s a fun guy.
So What Do the Ethicists Think About All This?
I have to admit, I don’t know any ethicists to ask about the topic, but that career path sure beats archaeology. All we know is that the scientists are at it again, and they haven’t had the best track record for working with ethicists, though morality has been a kind of touch and go subject through the course of human history anyway.
And the whole idea has been a big influence on AI generated art, with all sorts of people prompting all kinds of crazy combinations of computer creatures crawling with creepiness into the realms of dystopian nightmare. In fact, more of these stories seem to be illustrated using AI art generation than including actual images of the real life results, perhaps because the reality is that petri dishes of cells and fungal fragments really aren’t that interesting visually, just kind of snotty looking kin to the Blob…
