postofficecb

A secret cabal has a way of reincarnating its members.

A great premise is dragged down by poor execution and an excellent cast dragged down by poor writing.

The story moves forward on the actions of Jack, an ex-cop whose wife is not herself. At the same time, a child who is not herself embarks on a journey, and an enforcer from the cabal seeks to fix things. All great elements, but no likeable characters.

Nothing is ever really explained. Sure, the show was cancelled, so more reveal might have been planned, but questions abound.

-Who are the 9? We don't really see them (Rose is not a member but acts like it).

-Acoustics play a role, but we're never told how -Who can do it? Anyone with a trigger? We never witness the process fully.

-What are the shells?

-What's with the 2 souls thing? Never explained.

-What is Mrs. Ng's role?

-How did the latinx gangster randomly reincarnate? An error in writing perhaps.

-On that note, what were the circumstances of Jack's terrible past? Never told, ever.

The most interesting characters are the cabal enforcer and little girl, both most dangerous. And maybe the conspiracist, well-acted and under-utilized. Jack spends all his free time drinking while his wife gets increasingly wooden (where's the Russian in her???).

It should have been better. If you want a great sci-fi show that deserved to have a season 2, watch Flashforward which will keep you on the edge of your seat. Or Invasion, which while slower, has more depth and character.

A vampire seeks a bride.

Some people ask, does a classic need to be remade? Generally no, because they screw it up. But the temptation to remake a silent film using sound to great effect is tempting, and it is put to good use here. Unfortunately, it also allows the viewer to be confused about accents, which seem to vary from British to American, in a movie set in Germany, while in other places Romanian is spoken. One has to strain understand Nosferatu, reducing his effect. And the dialogue, while well-written, can sound like you're watching an 18th century play. There's an attempt at authenticity that gets lost.

And that's really the issue. The director seems to focus on the details so much that he loses sight of key factors: characterization, in two ways. One, the characters are remarkably thin, with little backstory and not particularly likeable (except perhaps Dafoe, who often stands out in character roles). Two, the main character is Nosferatu, but he is upstaged by Ellen. For the first half of the film he is chilling, but then the tenor shifts and he comes across as angry and vindictive, not evil incarnate. Visually a wounded soldier, instead of the presence in the castle so haunting you dare not raise your eyes upon it.

But, again, the details are there. The Romanian inn lit in a haze tallow candles and long-stemmed smoking pipes. The claw-like shadows tracing the walls as Nosferatu comes for Ellen, a clear homage to the original. It is incredibly, lushly, atmospheric, making it beautiful to watch, but it never quite reaches the level of horror needed to make this a film with fangs.

A super mom investigates the disappearance of her glamorous friend.

Mom Anna Kendrick is quite funny and the dichotomy between her and Blake Lively gives Anna the space to be her wonderfully awkward, goofy self.

The mystery behind the disappearance is revealed about half way through, so it's not much of a mystery. Later, the movie takes a turn where the supermom's adoration suddenly shifts to revenge, without explanation. In fact, the motivation behind both women's serious actions - and what the husband knew - is poorly justified, creating confusion and difficulty in cheering for the hero.

The premise of a vlogging super mom is ripe for humour, and the opportunity for taking it further by having vlog followers actively engage is missed. 6/10 for Anna Kendrick.