olgaanto
Joined Oct 2016
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olgaanto's rating
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is, without question, a well made series. The direction is solid, the acting is strong, and the cinematography nails that very specific, muted, unsettling vibe and aesthetic. From a purely technical standpoint, the show knows exactly what it wants to be - and for the most part, it succeeds.
The creators made a very deliberate decision not to show the murders, the trial, or Gacy's execution. Instead, the focus is on the victims, their families, the grief, the guilt, and the long lasting damage left behind. Conceptually, I respect this a lot. And Michael Chernus deserves real praise here - his portrayal of Gacy's is genuinely excellent. He manages to capture the eerie duality of a man who could present as harmless, even charismatic, while harboring something deeply monstrous underneath.
That said, once I finished the series, I was left with an odd and slightly frustrating feeling: I enjoyed it, but I wasn't fully satisfied.
By stripping away many of the traditional narrative drivers of true crime, the show relies heavily on emotional testimony to maintain engagement. The stories of the victims and their families are undeniably important, but they don't always carry enough narrative weight to sustain the series. There were stretches where I was genuinely bored, zoning out, and realizing that finishing the series felt more like a slow commitment than a gripping experience. And look, I love true crime. I know John Wayne Gacy's story inside and out. Part of me appreciates that the series avoids sensationalizing his crimes. But appreciation doesn't always equal engagement. If a true crime show about John Wayne Gacy can make you check the time, something's missing.
Ultimately, Devil in Disguise works well as a carefully controlled dramatic examination, but is less effective as a true crime narrative. I respect the choices it made, even if they didn't always work for me as a viewer. Still, despite its flaws, it's a series worth watching.
The creators made a very deliberate decision not to show the murders, the trial, or Gacy's execution. Instead, the focus is on the victims, their families, the grief, the guilt, and the long lasting damage left behind. Conceptually, I respect this a lot. And Michael Chernus deserves real praise here - his portrayal of Gacy's is genuinely excellent. He manages to capture the eerie duality of a man who could present as harmless, even charismatic, while harboring something deeply monstrous underneath.
That said, once I finished the series, I was left with an odd and slightly frustrating feeling: I enjoyed it, but I wasn't fully satisfied.
By stripping away many of the traditional narrative drivers of true crime, the show relies heavily on emotional testimony to maintain engagement. The stories of the victims and their families are undeniably important, but they don't always carry enough narrative weight to sustain the series. There were stretches where I was genuinely bored, zoning out, and realizing that finishing the series felt more like a slow commitment than a gripping experience. And look, I love true crime. I know John Wayne Gacy's story inside and out. Part of me appreciates that the series avoids sensationalizing his crimes. But appreciation doesn't always equal engagement. If a true crime show about John Wayne Gacy can make you check the time, something's missing.
Ultimately, Devil in Disguise works well as a carefully controlled dramatic examination, but is less effective as a true crime narrative. I respect the choices it made, even if they didn't always work for me as a viewer. Still, despite its flaws, it's a series worth watching.
Six episodes into "IT: Welcome to Derry", and honestly, I'm wondering how a show tied to one of the most iconic horror universes manages to feel so... harmless. The vibe is weirdly juvenile, too. It feels like it was made as an intro to horror for kids who get scared by foggy streets and their own shadows.
The show tiptoes around the idea of horror without ever committing. The pacing isn't good either: it crawls, stalls, wanders, and somehow finds a way to drag even more. Pennywise's presence (or lack of it) is another issue. Sure, I get that they're trying to build tension slowly, but it ends up feeling like filler instead of suspense. And the plot somehow manages to feel both bloated and empty. I find watching it is exhausting - but not in a thrilling way. Just exhausting.
I came in expecting dark, twisted, psychologically messed-up horror. Instead, I got a soft, PG-13 "My First Horror Series", complete with training wheels and bubble wrap. It's sanitized, predictable, and feels weirdly terrified of its own source material - which, ironically, is supposed to be the thing terrifying us.
Yeah, sure, it can be something to pass the time. And if you're a huge fan of the "IT" universe, you might enjoy the lore expansions, but for casual viewers, it's a mixed bag at best.
Unless some miracle happens in the last two episodes (highly unlikely, but I'll humor the possibility), my disappointment stands.
This one barely taps you on the shoulder.
The show tiptoes around the idea of horror without ever committing. The pacing isn't good either: it crawls, stalls, wanders, and somehow finds a way to drag even more. Pennywise's presence (or lack of it) is another issue. Sure, I get that they're trying to build tension slowly, but it ends up feeling like filler instead of suspense. And the plot somehow manages to feel both bloated and empty. I find watching it is exhausting - but not in a thrilling way. Just exhausting.
I came in expecting dark, twisted, psychologically messed-up horror. Instead, I got a soft, PG-13 "My First Horror Series", complete with training wheels and bubble wrap. It's sanitized, predictable, and feels weirdly terrified of its own source material - which, ironically, is supposed to be the thing terrifying us.
Yeah, sure, it can be something to pass the time. And if you're a huge fan of the "IT" universe, you might enjoy the lore expansions, but for casual viewers, it's a mixed bag at best.
Unless some miracle happens in the last two episodes (highly unlikely, but I'll humor the possibility), my disappointment stands.
This one barely taps you on the shoulder.
I'll start by saying I haven't read Stephen King's book, but the concept of a dystopian death march with one winner and no finish line sounded pretty intriguing.
Turns out, it's just... walking. For almost two hours. Straight.
I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I guess I should've known better - watching people walk (and talk, and occasionally fall over) probably can't carry an entire movie. The film kind of flatlines early on and just keeps dragging its feet, literally. Nothing major really happens - it's just endless walking with bits of dialogue sprinkled in, and none of it feels impactful enough to justify the runtime.
It's like watching a horror movie without horror, or a war movie without war - just the awkward middle bits where everyone's sweaty and miserable. The concept had potential, but it feels like it forgot to actually go anywhere (ironically).
Most of the characters are forgettable or painfully stereotypical: the cocky one, the quiet one, the emotional one, the guy who clearly won't make it past the halfway point, and a few randoms who seem to exist just to fill the quota of "people who can die later". Some are purposely annoying, some are just... there. And while I get that the point is supposed to be bleak and psychological, it ends up feeling weirdly hollow.
The film tries to say something deep about humanity, sacrifice, survival, or whatever, but it never quite lands. In the end, it's just a story about a short-lived friendship that won't last, told through the world's longest, most uneventful walk.
I wouldn't say it's bad-bad.. it's just frustratingly dull. It's one of those films where you keep waiting for something to happen... and then the credits roll.
In essence, The Long Walk is a long watch.
Turns out, it's just... walking. For almost two hours. Straight.
I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I guess I should've known better - watching people walk (and talk, and occasionally fall over) probably can't carry an entire movie. The film kind of flatlines early on and just keeps dragging its feet, literally. Nothing major really happens - it's just endless walking with bits of dialogue sprinkled in, and none of it feels impactful enough to justify the runtime.
It's like watching a horror movie without horror, or a war movie without war - just the awkward middle bits where everyone's sweaty and miserable. The concept had potential, but it feels like it forgot to actually go anywhere (ironically).
Most of the characters are forgettable or painfully stereotypical: the cocky one, the quiet one, the emotional one, the guy who clearly won't make it past the halfway point, and a few randoms who seem to exist just to fill the quota of "people who can die later". Some are purposely annoying, some are just... there. And while I get that the point is supposed to be bleak and psychological, it ends up feeling weirdly hollow.
The film tries to say something deep about humanity, sacrifice, survival, or whatever, but it never quite lands. In the end, it's just a story about a short-lived friendship that won't last, told through the world's longest, most uneventful walk.
I wouldn't say it's bad-bad.. it's just frustratingly dull. It's one of those films where you keep waiting for something to happen... and then the credits roll.
In essence, The Long Walk is a long watch.
