sodhym Reviews

Once Upon a Time (2011–2018)

Promising

[10/10 · 30 October 2011]

Great cast and a very promising pilot. It captures the essence of a classic fairy tale and incorporates it with a modern setting where the real and the imaginary merges.

To be sure, it does not have a dark atmosphere and if you're looking for one, this is not the show. But I think there are a lot of dark and gory shows out there, so this one looks fresh and deserves a try by anyone who likes fairy tales and fantasy.

The cast is great. It is clear that there is much effort in that section. I believe I watched Ginnifer Goodwin for the first time and I knew that Jennifer Morrison was in the show, so when I see Goodwin I though she was Morrison. This might be due to my ignorance about the actress, but given the story, the resemblance makes some sense. I don't know whether this is intentional though.

Overall, pilot is a 10, and I hope it will continue this way.

Black Christmas (1974)

Disturbing and suspenseful

[8/10 · 19 February 2011]

It is one of the most disturbing movies I have ever seen in a while and it had this effect on me even though I watched it for the first time in 2011, after watching all kinds of horror movies throughout my life.

First in a long time, I have cared for a leading character in a horror movie which, in turn, kept the tension up for me till the end. What I find most disturbing is the voice or the voices of Billy and his confused which seems to be repeating a pattern of behavior which began with a past event and seeking help at the same time (while he does not do anything about it).

One point which worths discussing is the point on misogyny in Black Christmas. The movie has enough points which justifies the idea that slasher, as a genre, tends to be misogynistic at least in its tone.

It is clear that the movie points out the increasing independence of women. Women in Black Christmas, including the housemother, are portrayed as decadent in some way. Even the housemother who is supposed to take care of the girls in the sorority house has an alcohol problem and does not care about the concerns of the parents.

Especially the character of Barb and her murder is a classic case of punishment of a decadent woman with a phallic object - as some critiques would put it.

However, leading character, Jess, is also different from the standard virgin heroine of slashers. She has a baby from a premarital sexual relationship and moreover she wants an abortion because she chooses her career over building a family. While this is true, she is also the girl seemingly most rational and reasonable.

Jess is not killed at the end of the movie; however, since Billy is still in the house, it might be assumed that she will not survive the night, then we may stick to the classical interpretation of misogyny. But I think that by choosing such an independent and rational woman as its lead, movie opens the way for various interpretations.

Ada: Zombilerin Dügünü (2010)

Maybe not a bad start, but not a good movie either

[3/10 · 16 May 2010]

I love comedy/horror movies. I love "Shaun of the Dead", I think it is one of the best in this genre. I also liked "Zombieland". I believe this is a distinct genre, which is neither horror nor comedy. So I do not think criticisms which do not understand the promise of comedy/horror genre are appropriate.

Having said that, I should say this movie is disappointing. The story does not offer much to make one wonder. Some lines are funny, but that's it. It is hard to identify with the characters as opposed to successful examples of comedy/horror such as "Shaun of the Dead" or "Zombieland", and I believe without such identification, it is hard to follow this type of movies since the stories have to be very simple.

I guess it is not a high budget movie. There are two or three known Turkish actors, but other than that I have not seen the actors and actresses before. So, average acting can be acceptable, and the make up of the zombies, especially some of the zombies, was good for a movie which seems to be done with an amateur style.

It might be a good start for Turkish zombie movies, but it could have a more intense storyline and characters which can be identified with.

Chloe (2009)

Predictable and does not deliver its promise

[3/10 · 16 May 2010]

Maybe it is because there are really good actors (one actually) and actresses in the cast, I had high expectations for this movie. I liked the trailer and I love thrillers with a little dose of eroticism.

However, I think that the direction of the movie is very predictable. Moreover, I don't think 'Chloe' deserves to be called a thriller since whenever the tempo of the movie seems to be increasing, it suddenly drops down. I believe there are certain opportunities in the story to raise the adrenaline, but since they are not original options, I guess the director chose not to thrill the audience.

Unfortunately, not only there is nothing new, but also it is boring and predictable.