Witcher, Reunion
Episode three of Netflix’s Witcher didn’t exactly exceed expectations. It did however meet expectations. Which isn’t saying much, as my expectations were very, very low.
The story
Let’s start with Yennefer and Ciri. They’ve stopped by a bank so that Yennefer can take out some money. Also, so she can talk with Tissaia about bringing Ciri to Anetuza. This, as it turns out, is going to be more difficult than Yennefer expected.
Honestly, it’s a little surprising that Yennefer is so attached to a woman who bought her like a pig. And it’s a bit concerning that she wants Ciri to be involved in a place that made a slave out of her.
Ciri feels the same, it seems. She points out, rightly, that the school turns novices into eels when they don’t make the cut. And that the women who do make it through are no more than powerful slaves to the Northern kings and the Brotherhood. This seems like a high price to pay for better control over Ciri’s power.
Yennefer doesn’t do a good job selling it, and neither do the other teachers. They’re rude to Yennefer, insult Geralt, and treat Ciri like she’s a servant.
All in all, I can understand why she runs away and calls for Geralt to come help her.
Geralt, though, is a bit busy. He’s brought the girl who thinks she’s Ciri to an old friend of his mother’s named Anika.
The girl turns out to be Teryn, who was kidnapped from Anetuza. She’s possessed by something dark and terrible. And Geralt, trying to get information, doesn’t make anything any easier.
While they’re trying to help Teryn, Jaskier admits to Geralt that he’s been working to get Ciri to King Vizimir. This was a great moment.
The longest and most solid relationship in this show is the one between Geralt and Jaskier. And I was getting nervous that this secret was going to ruin that. Thankfully, it appears their relationship will remain intact. For now.
Sadly, there were other storylines. Because of course, there were. We spend far too much time with King Vizimir as Philippa and Dijkstrad work to control him. Do you know what’s a great way to control someone? A head in a box.
Gallatin is taken to the palace of the Emperor, to speak his case against his queen. This doesn’t of course go the way he wants it to. But honestly, this has been such a distracting and nonessential storyline. I have a hard time caring.
Oh, and as if we didn’t have enough scattered and inconsequential characters, Istredd is back. And he’s looking for a book.
So, he hasn’t changed much.
What worked
I am glad that there was more focus on our main characters. I am more interested in what’s going on with Yennefer, Ciri and Geralt than anything else. Those stories are interesting. They’re about characters we’ve spent two seasons with already.
And they’re interesting! I don’t want to gloss over that too much.
Yennefer and Ciri’s fighting is interesting. It’s relatable to anyone who’s ever been near a parent and child. Ciri wants to live her own life. Yennefer wants her to stop doing stupid things. Ciri resents this and starts pulling typical teenage stunts. This is a relatable storyline.
I’m also, finally, interested in Geralt’s story. I want to know who’s kidnapping girls who look like Ciri and possessing them. This is a story that we could learn a lot more about.
What didn’t work
Sadly, this episode again was full of storylines that I did not care about. I don’t care that Philippa and Dijkstra are having trouble with their pet king. Though I will say, if it was the only subplot, I might have a little more tolerance for it.
But it’s not. We also have the Emperor pulling strings to keep the elves in line. And now there’s Istredd, looking for some book. As though the story wasn’t bloated enough.
It’s too much. There’s too much going on, and not enough of it is interesting.
Hopefully, as the next few episodes come and go, some of these storylines are going to get cut. Because they aren’t adding anything to the story. They’re not interesting, they’re not fun. And what’s the point of a story that isn’t any fun?
(2.5 / 5)
Movies n TV
Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut, or The New Daughter
The New Daughter (2009) is a PG-13 horror film & Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut based on John Connolly’s short story of the same name.
The New Daughter (2009) is a PG-13 horror film and Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut. The film is based on John Connolly’s short story of the same name. The New Daughter stars Kevin Costner, Ivana Baquero, Samantha Mathis, and Gattlin Griffith. As of this review, the film is available on VUDU Free, The CW, Hoopla, Tubi TV, Freevee, and Plex, with additional purchase options.
John James (Kevin Costner) moves his children to a rural South Carolina town to start anew after his wife leaves him. Louisa James (Ivana Baquero) can’t stand this change, and Sam James (Gattlin Griffith) doesn’t understand why his mother isn’t with them. But after finding a burial mound, their attitudes suddenly switch. As John uncovers more of their new home’s history, he realizes there’s much to fear.
What I Like About Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut
Despite its 2009 release date, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films nominated it for the Saturn Awards’ Best DVD Release in 2011. As Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut, the film manages to hold an audience with a tight script and direction.
The acting sells this ominous mystery, which might otherwise become obscure amongst others in the genre. In particular, Kevin Costner’s John James and Ivana Baquero’s Louisa James center The New Daughter around their characters’ strained father-daughter relationship.
Ultimately, The New Daughter thrives in its atmosphere and execution. If we take the film plot point by plot point, The New Daughter doesn’t break the mold. Between Luiso Berdejo’s direction and the writing of John Travis and John Connolly, however, the film executes this uncomfortable tension that invests viewers.
Last update on 2025-01-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
It’s in The New Daughter‘s execution where it haunts its audience. There’s this uncomfortable powerlessness as John attempts to protect his family against the horrors in the mound and its corrupting influence.
The ending might seem uncommitted, but I would disagree. The film executes a balance between hope and horror that leads to ambiguity but doesn’t leave the audience dissatisfied. A bolder film might conclude with an unhappy ending, but The New Daughter gives a sliver of hope in its dark ending.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
A cat dies in the film. The act isn’t shown, but I understand this can be a dealbreaker. In loose connection, there are also animal carcasses.
There’s a loose and underdeveloped connection to Native American mythology, following along the idea of “Indian (Native Americans) burial grounds.” While this initial thought proves inaccurate, it still holds familiar plot points that might irk some.
There are some strange decisions revolving around Louisa. Needless to say, a part of the plot revolves around her beginning puberty. While nothing is explicit, the creatures require a mate, which suggests sexual assault.
What I Dislike about Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut
The aesthetic of the burial mound doesn’t seem particularly noteworthy. This becomes a problem when it looks like any hill in a forest. I don’t particularly see how the James family recognizes this as something strange and worth fixating on. As the film progresses, there are obvious reasons, but the aesthetic doesn’t execute this strangeness.
As addressed above, the premise remains familiar and safe, perhaps too safe. A family moves into a rural home, escaping a past withheld from the audience. The mother is out of the picture, and the father struggles to connect with his young daughter. I don’t subscribe to the idea that these are lazy points, but it might seem formulaic with how thick it dominates the film’s beginning.
Final Thoughts
The New Daughter is an impressive feature-length debut but one with notable flaws. There’s a familiarity and safety in the plot that hinders what could have been. However, the ominous mystery and acting provide the needed execution to create a haunting experience. If you’re looking for a horror following a terrified family against supernatural creatures, The New Daughter delivers.
(3.5 / 5)
After taking a week off, Dexter Original Sin is back. And while no piece of art can ever be entirely perfect, this was as close to perfect as I think we can expect.
The story
We start this episode right where the last one left off. Dexter, with a body in his trunk, finds his dumping grounds swarming with cops. So, keeping his head as cool as ever, he pulls out his forensic badge and pretends he’s supposed to be there. Then, he feeds the remaining arm from his second kill to the alligators before anyone can print it. But, not before Angel recognizes a distinct ring on the hand’s finger.
Jewelry really will be the death of Dexter.
While he might have gotten himself out of that mess, he still has a body to deal with. He decides to take it to a dump in broad daylight. Sometimes he acts like he wants to get caught. But then, maybe he does.
Meanwhile, the police are still looking for whoever kidnapped Nicky. There’s a horrific scene in this episode in which the poor kid has his finger chopped off. But this finger might well be the evidence that Miami Metro needs to catch the kidnapper because Dexter notices a sense of hesitation before the cut on Nicky that wasn’t present on the first little boy.
He also finds a drop of blood that doesn’t belong to Nicky.
Once again, it all comes back to blood.
What worked
As I’ve watched this series, and after consuming all of the rest of the work this franchise has offered us, one thing has become more and more clear.
Harry Morgan is a terrible human being.
Let’s just take this episode as an example. We see him strongarming a CI that he had an affair with, threatening to stick her in jail and drop her kids into foster care if she doesn’t keep risking her life for him. We then see him go home and lecture his wife, who he cheated on, for not forgiving him fast enough. And we know how this all ends for the Mosers. We know that Laura ends up dead and Harry takes the baby he liked, leaving Brian to the horrors of the foster care system.
- Michael C. Hall (Actor)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Last update on 2025-01-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The thing is, we were never supposed to like Harry. More and more I realize that Harry is the bad guy. He’s the antagonist of Dexter. And as I’m rewatching the original series, I see clearly that he’s been the bad guy from the start. And I think that’s such a brilliant idea.
Not quite as cool, but still impressive was the serial killer advice scene in this episode. Dexter, struggling with where to hide his dead bodies, researches how other serial killers have done so. We see him talk to Ed Gein, David Berkowitz and John Wayne Gacy. This scene brought the absurdity of the series to the forefront. Our main character admires these men. These monsters did horrific things. And we still, somehow, against all decency, like him.
Let me also just say that Scott Reynolds who played Gacy did a fantastic job. The body language and line delivery were just so creepy. For someone who wasn’t on screen for more than a few minutes, he knew how to make a killer impression.
Finally, I want to applaud the twist in this episode. But, as always, I want to do so without giving it away! I will only say that there is a large reveal regarding the person who killed the judge’s son and abducted Nicky. And, I have to say, I didn’t see it coming. It was amazing and raised so many questions. Questions I cannot wait to have answers for.
Honestly, everything in this episode worked. It was well-written, well-acted, and well worth my time. My only complaint right now is that there are only three episodes left.
Of course, it’s usually the last episode of a Dexter show that ruins the whole thing. Let’s see if they can avoid that this time.
(4 / 5)
After the last episode of Goosebumps, I was concerned. I wasn’t sure where the season was going, and I worried I wouldn’t like it.
Thankfully, this episode got the story and my interest back on track.
For the most part.
The story
We begin our story with a flashback from Alex, finally finding out why she was sent to Juvie. She was at a party that resulted in a house fire, through no fault of her own. Rather than helping her, Alex’s mom Jen simply assumes she set the fire and refuses to help her. So, you know, ACAB.
When Alex gets back, she wants to clear her name. So she decides to find Murph, the person who actually set the fire. To do this, she needs a car. So she decides to borrow Trey’s car.
You know, the car that is currently infected by the homicidal sewer spores.
What worked
One thing I’ve enjoyed about this season so far is that no one’s really at fault here. Yes, some of them are doing dumb things. I wouldn’t consider Trey breaking into Anthony’s basement and wrecking stuff to be a great decision. But I can also see how he got there, and why he was pushed to that. I love how we have the opportunity to see the motivations of almost every character.
I also enjoyed how Alex’s character is being filled out. She is compassionate, funny and brave. I think she’s going to end up being my favorite character this season.
On that note, a lot of this episode revolved around Alex and her mother. This was important, as we needed to round out the cast. However, I appreciated that we got that focus while still moving the storyline along for the characters we already have established. It’s sometimes hard to strike that balance when we’re not telling a story in a linear fashion. But I think they pulled it off.
What didn’t work
As much as I love the Alex/Cece relationship, I don’t love how Cece is being portrayed.
Maybe I just don’t like Cece.
She is too perfect. She is too charming. Everyone likes her. And several times in this episode she batted her pretty eyes, tossed her blond hair, and got people to do things for her. While I am amused that Alex weaponized this, it’s also irritating. I’d like to see less pretty privilege.
Finally, in this episode, we saw this demonic or haunted spore (or whatever it is) transition from a car to, of all things, a cup of coffee.
What even is this thing? What are the dimensions? What are the rules? What the hell is it doing?
Suspension of disbelief can only take us so far. We have to have a set of rules for the world for us to buy into it. I can buy a sentient spore. I cannot buy it jumping from living creature to car to coffee cup.
Do better.
Even so, this was a really fun episode. I’m enjoying the story so far, and I’m interested to see how long it takes everyone to get the parts of their story together so they can see the whole picture.
(3.5 / 5)
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