The Broken

2008
Sean Ellis

There are some things about most horror dramas that take us in and keep us interested.  It can vary from the pacing and structure to attraction to an actor/a face on the screen that holds mystery, or music.  In this case, it was definitely the music as the story started.  There was NOTHING, and I do mean that, spectacular about any of the shots, or unusual, or otherwise, that would have kept me interested at all if it were not for the excellently timed music, and the great editing that knew when to cut.

To use the word slow, or "evenly paced" would be understatements.  Nothing was given away early here in this thriller, and so therefore, along with the musical buildup, there was an intense and increasing amount of conjecture called for upon the audience.  At first I thought this might be a political thriller, because the Richard Jenkins character was in an official office with a US flag.  I thought maybe they were going to hijack his daughter's personhood, literally, so they could get inside the government.  Then when the Jenkins character seemed to be under attack, because we surreptitiously meet his doppelganger, the plot expanded, and a political plot still seemed right.  It was not until the Michelle Duncan character meets....well, ok so I'm not doing a spoiler, let's just say it's an intense Bates Hotel shower scene (and here I thought I had gotten over that a long time ago).  Well, after that, it was different, I'll put it that way.

All of that to say that this film did not disappoint when it came to the suspense.  It had me in its grip, very intense, wondering, waiting, wondering some more, trying to puzzle it out.  It was indeed intense almost right up to the very end.  Problem with this film is that the story in the end did not deliver.  Not believable.  I didn't buy it, and truly did not piece together what the official plot line says it was supposed to be (which I did not read until after viewing). And I'm smart darn it!  So there's that.

This film was fun to watch if you like suspense and mystery.  Great stuff, especially in the cinematography and editing, and add the great music.  I don't think it paid off in the end, but it was till fun.  And it was not overly fraught with unnecessary gore or violence.  Those moments that had it were appropriately placed, and well done.  There was only one question that stands out: How does someone scream repeatedly for several seconds when they have a hand shoved down their throat?

Alludes to: Eyes of Laura Mars comes to mind, along with Psycho.  Also, when it started, it felt a bit like Manchurian Candidate.

6 stars of 10

Breaking Bad Season 6 (5.5?)

Episode 1

Triumph and Frustration

About the show: Wow.  This is always the word that Breaking Bad leaves us with.  Ok, that is me saying that yes, but I know I'm not alone.  The best TV Drama to ever hit media is continuing its streak of excellence.   The latest episode, the first of the final 8, although low-key in action, has set the stage, and done it quickly by bringing the plot home to roost (I don't do spoilers, sorry).  So "the plot thickens" is always an understatement with this show, and continues to be.

EVERY single shot, and I mean every one, is a study in what you're supposed to do right in cinematography, sound, lighting, acting, scripting, and plot.  For instance, just one spot, and I will not spoil anything by saying this: late at night it's quiet, and Walt steps out of his house under the suspicion that he is being watched, or there is still a "problem" out there that is not taken care of.  He searches his car, and voila! there is a tracking device.  The camera tracks back with Walt in a vulnerable position on the screen, a slight build-up to the music, the crickets chirping, he alone there having made this discovery, standing still as the shot widens ever more.  THIS is classic cinema, vulnerability, discovery, alone, and all around the darkness, holding what he fears.  Great stuff.

About iTunes: I bought the whole final season, iTunes style, and am somewhat disappointed in iTunes' delivery.  Traditionally they send an email, which they did this time, that tells me, "latest episode is ready for download".  Turns out it was "Inside Breaking Bad, Blood Money".  Well, the "inside" edition is the cast, crew, and creators talking all about the episode.  I didn't want to watch that!! Especially 1st!  You watch that AFTER the show is over.  Where's my episode??  So I learn this 5 hours after the TV episode has aired, then it's too late, and the REAL episode never gave me a notice.  So it's Monday then, and all day I'm checking back to see if it's downloaded yet, or using the "store" menu in iTunes to "check for available downloads".  Never showed.  Finally on Monday night I get desperate and go to the actual iTunes store and go to the BB site itself, and there it is, the download button is active, and I still have to put in my password to get it to work.  So then it's another 5 hours, so bottom line....I'm watching the episode on Tuesday.  Wow, what a hassle.

Not only is this wrong, but it's also wrong of iTunes/Sony Pictures/AMC to lead everyone into believing last year that we were buying the whole season, only then to come up with another half a season, called Season 6, and make us pay AGAIN.  This is so wrong.  There is a class-action suit out there for misleading us.  Tempted to join it.

In any case, because of the intensity of the show, its huge following (5 million "likes" on Facebook), the NEED for this drama, they are getting away with it, because us "fans" are truly ravenous, and will not settle for anything less than an ending that beats Cecil B. DeMille parting the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments in 1956.   This story is incredible, and has set a new bar in drama production.  Those of us who actually work in the medium, and strive for excellence are going to have to work harder now to come up to this new standard.  It may be awhile yet before someone can top this series.

Even though we've been shown a small part of the very end in two of BrkngB's famous flash-forwards to start off the last season, we are now salivating at the idea of where the next and last 7 episodes will take us.  I just hope I can figure this download thing out a bit more quickly and stop writing desperate notes to iTunes support ala Jesse Pinkman titled: "Where's my download BITCH!?" :/