Anyone watch Series Four of BLACK MIRROR yet?

[Jerky]

Everyone's favorite nihilistic sci-fi anthology is back with six new episodes on Netflix!

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm a huge fan, so I've already binged them all, and reviewed the first three at my Mediavore blog.



The first episode is USS CALLISTER...

With “USS Callister”, the first episode of Black Mirror’s fourth season—if you’re watching the episodes in their semi-official, “suggested” order—Charlie Brooker and Co. have decided to kick things off with a bit of a dud.

Not that it’s bad. If this were an episode of any other anthology series, it would rightly be considered high grade entertainment. The actors all acquit themselves nicely, and the production values are great, with some truly excellent special effects. It’s just that… well, it doesn’t have that Black Mirror feeling.

Which is odd, because at first glance, this episode appears to build directly on concepts introduced in two previous Black Mirror episodes: “San Junipero” and “White Christmas”. And it certainly isn’t lacking in Brooker’s trademark misanthropic cynicism, what with videogame developer Daly, an apparently mild-mannered doormat who secretly harbours a serious sadistic streak, being the most unambiguously nasty lead character in series history.

Maybe therein lies the problem. Because there’s been far more to Black Mirror than just eyeballs hazing over and intermittent stabs of nihilistic ugliness. Perhaps one of the most powerful weapons in Brooker’s arsenal up until now has been precisely the kind of ambiguity that is sorely lacking in “USS Callister”, with its stark, binary set of good guys and bad guys.

The above could probably be forgiven if the speculative, “hard science” elements of the story were exceptional. Unfortunately, this episode more than any other in the series stretches the viewer’s willing suspension of disbelief to the breaking point and beyond...

Review continues at
https://themediavore.blogspot.ca/2017/1 ... ister.html



The second episode is ARKANGEL...

Now we’re getting somewhere.

I suppose it won’t upset too many readers if I confess that I’ve broken my promise by failing to pause and write individual reviews between every episode from this season of Black Mirror. After reviewing “USS Callister”, I watched the remaining five in one long stretch. I blame Netflix’ auto-start, which I have yet to bother figuring out how to prevent.

Regardless, my having seen every episode at least allows me to declare that, in my opinion, “Arkangel” is this season’s best.

Everything in this episode works.

The story, by Brooker, is excellent, a beautifully constructed study of a relationship between a mother and daughter from its beginnings up to those fraught and frantic high school years. Rosemarie DeWitt and Brenna Harding are outstanding as the mother/daughter duo of Marie and Sara Sambrell, as is little Aniya Hodge, who plays Sara at the age of three. All the other actors acquit themselves beautifully, also, which means at least some of the praise must go to the episode’s director, Oscar winning actor Jodie Foster.

Kudos to Foster for taking on the job of directing an episode of a science-fiction anthology series known for bleak, edgy existentialism, and imbuing the proceedings with an unexpectedly warm, human, almost “indie” touch… this, despite the incredibly disturbing and cringe-worthy denouement. But more about that later.

Review continues at
https://themediavore.blogspot.ca/2018/0 ... angel.html



The third episode is CROCODILE...

There is a long, hard fall in quality from the heights of "ArkAngel", to the lows of its follow-up, "Crocodile", an episode that, if it weren't for the glorious Icelandic setting, would have precious little worth commenting on. Unless I’ve missed the point completely, and it’s actually a brilliant, spot-on send-up of all those “Nordic Noir” procedural TV shows that were all the rage a couple years back.

For the second time this season, we have top shelf talent—director John Hillcoat, two excellent leading ladies in Andrea Riseborough and Kiran Sonia Sawar, and an obviously superlative crew behind the cameras—doing their level best to tell a story that, by the time the credits roll, most will doubt was worth telling.

Pared down to its essence, “Crocodile” is the story of Mia, a successful, intelligent, big deal urban planner whose decision-making process displays all the cognitive sophistication and analytical rigor of a first-generation computer chess program. In order to avoid being held accountable for taking part in the cover-up of a 15-year-old road accident, Mia commits murder, a crime that dwarfs her earlier transgression both in severity and in its potential to destroy the life she’s built for herself and her family. And then, to cover up that crime…

Review continues at
https://themediavore.blogspot.ca/2018/0 ... odile.html

[NaturalMystik]

Yup! Nothing like a fresh season of Black mirror to give you a wonderful sense of peace, optimism and hope

Another great season. Really enjoyed the finale and how some of the episodes tied together.

[82_28]

All three here were great. I've only seen these three so far myself as I like to not binge, so I can let meanings and subliminal observations somehow sink in, even while not on my mind. If one is able to tackle the difficult overarching moral, ethical, personal implications in each so-close-it's-already-here techno dystopian playgrounds of new gadgets that do a lot of what we now have do, start-ups, new legal ramifications given the capable technology etc, each shortcoming these reviews have elucidated happen to be their most poignant strengths.

In other words, you couldn't be more wrong. USS Callister was not a "dud" at all. In fact I found it fascinating, profound, funny, disturbing and heroic. In fact (and I have seen all Black Mirror eps a couple times apiece S.1-3) It is the one episode that I could fully see as a stand alone series of its own. Those motherfuckers now, with their genitals and shit, escaped! Escaped into what (ala Fantastic Voyage)? I want to know more. Fantastic episode and one I would love to see a further story arc. Way too closed minded about that one, amigo.

Arkangel. The strength of this one was the ever so real feeling of teenage angst in a psychotically tech controlled destiny of true love and trust. It seems this review missed the overall point of the story. The overall point being, "would you do it?" I happened to watch it with my dad and I could tell he was taking mom's side, because I damned well know my parents would have taken that bait when I was that age. I took the daughter's side the entire time until the end and found it overall exceptionally existentially sad for everyone. Kudos to the girl's boyfriend for being so goddamned conflicted because he simply did not concretely know what he was up against (not knowing the OS but just that it had more power than him). He was powerless to "rage against the machine" he fully knew had not only his girlfriend who he totally loved unconditionally within its thralls but her overprotective mother as well and by way of which now him. Excellent story and unlike USS Callister, this is a story arc if taken further would either turn into a snuff film or a Hallmark Christmas special. Either one, no one would want to see.

Crocodile. Holy shit. The best one yet of this season (again, I've only seen the three in the OP this week). It made me physically ill. I can see totally what you review of this episode is saying, but then I am left to wonder if you have a modicum of its true strengths. It was a "taut" techno-emotional drama. It took you not where you wanted to go, but where you definitely did not want to go and it kept getting worse. It provoked the antithetical emotions of either identifying with the protagonist or identifying with her predicament. It ended impossibly. Again, that was clearly the point. There was no resolution other than the police state gets her quick, does not know her story which is impossible at that late stage to explain and like the baby, at least you don't have to see it happen. There were no heroes in any of this. It was a bummer, but it was meant to be so. Choice of locale in this one was also top notch as it was as beautiful as it was bleak.

[lucky]

I love CB and all the series so far - but WHY has he sold out to Netflix (actually can'y really blame him probably a lot more than Terrestrial ever paid. But as I don't subscribe it means I'll have to trawl through who knows how many sites before i gettem for free...Gggrrrrrr

[Rory]

Horses for courses and all that. I've only seen the first 3 but they're the weakest 3 Black Mirror episodes I've seen. The first was awful, like I'm wasting my time bad, the second was worse (literally nothing happens, just white middle class anxiety). Vapid as fuck. The third was a visual feast - cinematography was phenomenal, but the story and writing are inane - the characters motivations are inexplicable and the whole things a disjointed mess.

Seriously bad in the context of what's gone on before. I wasn't dying about the last 6 Netflix ones, they were ok taken as a whole, with some interesting enough conciets and some charming nostalgia maybe, but I'm thinking S4 E04-06 are going to be shite too. Very disappointing

[Project Willow]

Has anyone watched Wormwood yet?

[Cordelia]

^^^ 'Wormwood' highly recommended by a good friend. Unfortunately (for me) it's not yet available on dvd from Netflix.

[Col. Quisp]

I liked the first episode a lot! I thought the last one was boring and pedantic, all talk...I fell asleep so I missed a lot of it. Arkangel was pretty good - directed by Jody Foster. The Crocodile episode was not bad, I liked the actress. The episode about killing the DJ was fun. But why no homosexual couples? I don't remember the other episode. USS Callista could be compared to the Twilight Zone episode about Billy Mumy wishing people into the cornfield. I thought the acting was fantastic, really captured Capt. Kirk.

[Col. Quisp]

I saw Wormwood - It was OK - left a lot out, from what I hear from people who have read HP Albarellli's book. i have not read it yet - but he is sending me a copy! He is so nice. The show cops out by saying we'll never know what really happened. I think Mr. Albarelli would disagree on that!

[Jerky]

Well, to each their own I suppose. I certainly wouldn't say the episodes were BAD. Just not up to Black Mirror standards IMO, and I point out as much in my reviews. The only one I think was objectively bad was Crocodile, which, gorgeous cinematography and beautiful setting aside, I found ludicrous.

And I don't think my review missed the point of Arkangel so much as I didn't bother mentioning the basic relationship psychodrama because, quite frankly, I think that stuff is obvious and doesn't need me pointing it out. My reviews for Black Mirror are about teasing out deeper meaning and/or critiquing the level of philosophical inquiry therein (kind of the point of the whole series, as far as I'm concerned).

Other than that, I think you make some excellent points. Glad there's a show that can inspire this level of discourse in its audience!

Currently I'm binge-watching all three seasons of The Last Man on Earth, which is, I think, in its own sneaky way, one of the most sophisticated explorations of late capitalist decline ever to feature in entertainment media!

Jerky

All three here were great. I've only seen these three so far myself as I like to not binge, so I can let meanings and subliminal observations somehow sink in, even while not on my mind. If one is able to tackle the difficult overarching moral, ethical, personal implications in each so-close-it's-already-here techno dystopian playgrounds of new gadgets that do a lot of what we now have do, start-ups, new legal ramifications given the capable technology etc, each shortcoming these reviews have elucidated happen to be their most poignant strengths.

In other words, you couldn't be more wrong. USS Callister was not a "dud" at all. In fact I found it fascinating, profound, funny, disturbing and heroic. In fact (and I have seen all Black Mirror eps a couple times apiece S.1-3) It is the one episode that I could fully see as a stand alone series of its own. Those motherfuckers now, with their genitals and shit, escaped! Escaped into what (ala Fantastic Voyage)? I want to know more. Fantastic episode and one I would love to see a further story arc. Way too closed minded about that one, amigo.

Arkangel. The strength of this one was the ever so real feeling of teenage angst in a psychotically tech controlled destiny of true love and trust. It seems this review missed the overall point of the story. The overall point being, "would you do it?" I happened to watch it with my dad and I could tell he was taking mom's side, because I damned well know my parents would have taken that bait when I was that age. I took the daughter's side the entire time until the end and found it overall exceptionally existentially sad for everyone. Kudos to the girl's boyfriend for being so goddamned conflicted because he simply did not concretely know what he was up against (not knowing the OS but just that it had more power than him). He was powerless to "rage against the machine" he fully knew had not only his girlfriend who he totally loved unconditionally within its thralls but her overprotective mother as well and by way of which now him. Excellent story and unlike USS Callister, this is a story arc if taken further would either turn into a snuff film or a Hallmark Christmas special. Either one, no one would want to see.

Crocodile. Holy shit. The best one yet of this season (again, I've only seen the three in the OP this week). It made me physically ill. I can see totally what you review of this episode is saying, but then I am left to wonder if you have a modicum of its true strengths. It was a "taut" techno-emotional drama. It took you not where you wanted to go, but where you definitely did not want to go and it kept getting worse. It provoked the antithetical emotions of either identifying with the protagonist or identifying with her predicament. It ended impossibly. Again, that was clearly the point. There was no resolution other than the police state gets her quick, does not know her story which is impossible at that late stage to explain and like the baby, at least you don't have to see it happen. There were no heroes in any of this. It was a bummer, but it was meant to be so. Choice of locale in this one was also top notch as it was as beautiful as it was bleak.

[Jerky]

There actually were a smattering of homosexual couples in Hang the DJ, including one same-sex pairing for the female lead character (we see it during the montage of lovers sequence, just before the climax and subsequent denouement).

I think USS Callister was only okay if you turned off your brain for it. I mean, think about the timing involved in their getaway plan. It's patently absurd. And also, "fixing the engine" on a ship where the controls have been shown to do only that which the game's god wills them to do? Please.

J

I liked the first episode a lot! I thought the last one was boring and pedantic, all talk...I fell asleep so I missed a lot of it. Arkangel was pretty good - directed by Jody Foster. The Crocodile episode was not bad, I liked the actress. The episode about killing the DJ was fun. But why no homosexual couples? I don't remember the other episode. USS Callista could be compared to the Twilight Zone episode about Billy Mumy wishing people into the cornfield. I thought the acting was fantastic, really captured Capt. Kirk.

[Jerky]

I love CB and all the series so far - but WHY has he sold out to Netflix (actually can'y really blame him probably a lot more than Terrestrial ever paid. But as I don't subscribe it means I'll have to trawl through who knows how many sites before i gettem for free...Gggrrrrrr

Download and install Tixati.

Bookmark http://www.thepiratebay.org

Search. Download. Enjoy.

J

[Heaven Swan]

Thanks. I'll have to check the show out. I've gotten some really good recs from this site.

And I'll share my latest fave (Netflix) show in case you want to try something from another culture.

La Nina is the story of "Alias Sara" or Belky Bustamante, who was kidnapped from her parents finca at age 8 by FARC guerillas and forced to fight with them until she was captured and demobilized at age 15. She enters a reintegration program and later decides to go to medical school. It's an engaging and touching story and a window into the country known as Colombia.

[gnosticheresy_2]

Charlie "Not as good as he used to be" Brooker

Funny because this is literally the criticism he gets every time he does something else, starting from when he went from writing TVGoHome to making Nathan Barley

[Jerky]

Gnostic, I'm very conscious of that trend with reviews of Brooker's work, and have tried to be avoid being like that with my reviews. I love Black Mirror and think Season Four is about on par with Season Three.

About his earlier work: I was one of those who witnessed the backlash to Nathan Barley and TOTALLY did not understand what was going on. I LOVED and still love that damn show. Maybe it's because I worked in that milieu at the time, but to me, it seemed like the most cutting, diabolically spot-on satire of a world to which I'd had an insider's view. It was glorious... and gloriously funny. Meanwhile, all the Chris Morris purists at CookdandBombd.co.uk shitting all over it for some reason.

I think they felt targeted.

And yes, I still have my imported TV Go Home book. It has survived multiple moves and media purges, even when I needed rent money (or was desperate for narcotics), it's one of the treasures I refused to part with.

Jerky

Charlie "Not as good as he used to be" Brooker

Funny because this is literally the criticism he gets every time he does something else, starting from when he went from writing TVGoHome to making Nathan Barley