robedogg

Fritz Lang understood mob mentality better than anyone in cinematic history. I watched this movie in January 2021 for the first time, and the parallels between the characters in this movie and the mob that stormed the capital on January 6th are shockingly identical. This movie is timeless in the sense that the sociological mindset is so spot-on that this movie should be studied not just in cinemas classes but psychology classes as well. "Fury" is disturbing in it's accuracy and revered in its classic cinema mise en scene.

Ryan Murphy is a stylistic director, there's no denying that. Unfortunately, I've gotten to the point where I see one thing from him, I've seen it all. While he's pulled a couple good seasons of American Horror Story out on us, I was extremely disappointed with Ratched. Taking one of cinema's all-time greatest villains and drowning her in overly-saturated style and other assaults on the senses completely distracts from what has already been established as a slow-burn, methodical villain from one of the greatest stories of all time. There are so many other classic villains in cinematic history that could easily fit into the Ryan Murphy universe, but Ratched was not even close to it. Very disappointing for those who hold the character in such high regards from the annals of movie history.

I was fortunate enough to see a sneak peak of Saria, and I must say it is haunting and highly engaging. I saw Buckley's previous short ("Asad") years ago and loved how he managed to find the humanity in less-than-desirable conditions, and with "Saria" he goes way deeper. "Asad" had moments of light-heartedness and comedy, but "Saria" is far more dramatic, yet still showcases how in the worst of conditions the human spirit thrives to be free. I don't want to spoil anything, so I would encourage people not to read too much into the history of this true story, and instead just watch this emotionally disturbing story and soak in the realism. This is the kind of story that will stay with you WAY beyond its viewing.