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Reviews
Black Mirror: Demon 79 (2023)
Red Mirror? More like Hammer time!
Okay, people are annoyed that this isn't 'Black Mirror' material. I disagree - it was a pleasant surprise for the end of season six.
In 1979 England looked *exactly* as Brooker portrays it here - impoverished, run down, and decorated with cheap biege fabrics and cigarette ash - and crawling with extremist politicians trying to capitalize on the discontent. Anjana Vasan is terrific as a put-upon but brave soul who knows she might be mad, but tries to do the right thing anyway. 'Demon79' gives off a Hammer Films vibe - horror mixed with gallows humour, and like every bargain in a Hammer Film, there's always a catch.
I thought this was a lovingly crafted piece of storytelling, and even if it doesn't fit the BM mould exactly, it certainly doesn't make the series worse as a whole.
Vier (2022)
Good characters but definitely not a horrorshow
I believe this is part of a series of stand-alone police procedurals about the Austrian national police (Landkrimis). It certainly isn't a horror film, as others here have noted. In fact it is questionable as to whether the tragic incident here would even result in a criminal conviction. However, the characters are interesting people in their own right and they portray life in a small town that seems to value conformity over nearly everything else. I would assess this as having more in common with an episode of the 1980s German television mini-series 'Heimat' ('Homeland') than either the police or horror genre. Like Heimat, it is certainly beautifully filmed as well.
Viral (2016)
Why is a film about parasites called Viral?
Leaving that question aside, Viral isn't such a bad example of the teenage apocalypse genre. It is well acted and the plot runs through the familiar gear-changes economically. I thought the story was refreshing in depicting young people acting more-or-less rationally in the absence of 'adult supervision' (although it would have been good to see more of Michael Kelly, whose mere presence is becoming a portent of impending doom) instead of throwing whiny teenage rebellion into the mix like so many other films of this type. It also scores points for giving clues to the 'science' of the invasion through exposition rather than by hitting the audience over the head with it. Far from the worst film of its kind.
The Remaining (2014)
So you missed the Rapture. Here's Plan B
A couple's wedding is interrupted by the Rapture. Despite being church-goers, they remain on earth with their closest friends to face the end. They are not bad people, mind you, but they haven't fully committed themselves to the Lord. As conditions on Earth go from bad to worse, the characters pose common questions about Christian theology in a generally non-preachy way as they work through their various relationship issues.
And that's where this movie goes a bit wrong for me -- it suggests that our relationship with the Almighty is something we can act on when we get around to it. I'm no theologian, but if you believe in the Rapture in the first place, the safer course of action would be to accept Jesus and go with the Believers, even if it means leaving the reception early. It seems like a risky strategy to wait until after the Rapture to 'find a path to God'.
Although there is a lot of negative comment about the movie's production values, writing, acting and so forth, I thought it was competently made. I was pleased to see its depiction of people mostly helping each other in the wake of a disaster, unlike other films of this genre which posit 'once the good people are gone to heaven, the bad will make life hell' (looking at you 'Left Behind'). If the purpose of the movie (it is a Christian production) is to make you consider what your options actually are post-Rapture, I think it succeeds.