By David Baldwin
Mark Scout (Adam Scott) works for Lumon Industries. He says he works in an archiving department, but he cannot be certain as he has undergone the “severance” procedure – a controversial surgery that involves a chip being implanted in the brain and separating any knowledge about work and personal lives in half. As he begins to train new employee Helly (Britt Lower), Mark begins to question what is really going on within Lumon Industries at the same time as he starts uncovering a much bigger conspiracy on the outside.
That may sound like a lot to digest, but after two episodes, it gets much easier to wrap your head around the intricacies of SEVERANCE. Both episodes are directed by Series Producer Ben Stiller (yes, I am just as shocked as you are) and boldly blends elements of Horror, Science Fiction, Dark Comedy and Conspiracy Thrillers into one mysterious nightmare that you will not be easily able to shake afterwards. Stiller frames the Series as clinically precise and sterile as he can, echoing the monotonous grind of the 9-to-5 office worker on a much larger scale. There are few brushes of colour, preferring to stay monochromatic in its costuming, lighting and production design. And having the sets be so expansive and high-ceilinged (likely due to Covid restrictions) make the few amount of on-screen characters feel genuinely small and isolated. The dystopic and sinister undertones flow through very well, giving just enough hints at the overarching mystery to keep viewers invested. I doubt the series would feel anywhere near as palpable and tangible had it been filmed prior to our new normal; everything here feels like you are looking into a mirror and the hellscape of our modern lives is looking right back at you.
I would not suggest it captures the Zeitgeist or has its finger on the beating pulse of modern office work, but I was having some serious déjà vu watching many of these scenes and scenarios play out.
The Cast is terrific and genuinely gifted, despite only getting to see fleeting glimpses of their histories and motivations so far. Scott is excellent as Mark, imbuing the greater themes of loneliness and despair quite wonderfully. Lower, who I loved on the short-lived series Man Seeking Woman, is a firecracker just waiting to explode, while character actor Zach Cherry has a lot of fun playing their no-nonsense, straight-and-narrow co-worker Dylan. And though their roles are small so far, I cannot wait to see John Turturro, Patricia Arquette and the legendary Christopher Walken dive into their roles.
I have not quite settled in on any theories about what is happening just yet, and am fearful for how the Series plans on balancing all of its competing tones and genre mashups. For now though, I am optimistic and excited to see just how SEVERANCE plays out over the next few weeks.
The first two episodes of SEVERANCE are available to stream now on Apple TV+, with new episodes arriving every Friday.
You definitely recognize her from beloved sitcom ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, but Funnywoman Cheryl Hines is ready again for her close-up again soon! Promising Comedy NINE LIVES is about to hit theatres and the Actress is in town to tell us about it!
In the event you weren’t aware, six of the top Films of 2016 thus far centered around animals. No different. NINE LIVES centers on a stuffy businessman (Kevin Spacey) who finds himself trapped inside the body of his family’s cat. Toronto’s Robbie Amell, Jennifer Garner and Christopher Walken also star!
We caught-up with the “arresting” Hines on her Press rounds earlier in the day and she was amazing to stop for a quick minute to say “hi” to Billy and I. She loved Billy who immediately took a liking to her, snuggling-up to her! Among her stops today were The Morning Show, eTalk, The Social and Entertainment Tonight Canada. If you look closely, you’ll see that Billy actually is sporting an official pet tie from the Film! Dapper, dapper!
See the Trailer:
See our Snap!
VVS Films release NINE LIVES Friday, August 5, 2016.
CITY also airs hilarious SON OF ZORN featuring the voice of Will Forte and starring Hines this Fall!
(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)
Right in time for the Super Bowl comes this gorgeous looking new Trailer for THE JUNGLE BOOK!
Synopsis:
“The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub raised in the jungle by a family of wolves, who embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery when he’s forced to abandon the only home he’s ever known.
THE JUNGLE BOOK also stars Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong’o, Christopher Walken, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson and Giancarlo Esposito.
See the Trailer:
See the Poster:
Those who Re-Tweet the Trailer from the official Trailer from the @TheJungleBook Twitter account will get a special message from Director Jon Favreau!
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release THE JUNGLE BOOK on Friday, April 15, 2016.
(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)
SUPER BOWL 50 is set to take the world stage Sunday night and here to get us all excited for the Big Day are these brand new Commercials to get us into the spirit! Packed with celebrity, corporations went all-out securing that starpower as they should for the biggest day in Sports… err to Football fans!
As you know, I know and continue to know v. little about Football. Let me make my annual prediction, which usually is right! I always judge victory based on the players’ outfits… and this year I love the Carolina Panthers!! Sorry, Denver Broncos! You can never go wrong with Turquoise. BYE!
(Photo/video credit: Budweiser/T-Mobile/NFL/Kia/Skittles/Doritos)
Is she this year’s Uggie? Bonny the Shih Tzu has only been acting since she was 10 months old (equivalent to 13 human years), but this little Lady is already stamping herself as a Star on the rise. Bonny stars in TIFF 2012 Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award Winner Seven Psychopaths, stealing the show from her famous Co-Stars Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Gabourey Sidibe and Olga Kurylenko. The Dark Comedy has her starring as the Canine Companion to a dangerous Criminal (Harrelson), getting kidnapped by troubled Actor and Dog Thief, Rockwell. Before we know it, the stakes are raised and no lives are spared to get Bonny back.
Was fame written in the stars for Bonny? The adorable tri-coloured Shih Tzu actually is a Rescue Dog, now owned by the Performing Animal Troupe, a Movie Animal Company. She is trained currently by Claire Dore who praises her incredible focus and ability to tune things out around her.
Okay Miss Bonny, we’d like to see you tune this out! My little Boy Billy is just smitten with you and had one question to ask:
Alliance Films releases Seven Psychopaths on October 12, 2012.
“Like” Bonny the Shih Tzu on Facebook!
UPDATE: It appears there is a romance looming! Billy received this reply from Bonny on Facebook:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Kevin Winters – Getty Images)
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