Wedding & Honeymoon Hiatus

A Moving Story Scope is on hiatus for my wedding and honeymoon from October 1-16

Look forward to a few special posts when I return, including My Top 5 Wes Anderson Films and The Thin Man series revisited.

<-- I get to go here!

Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines (Christian Rivers, 2018)

Click here for the basics

Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=1, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Fantasy, Steampunk, Action, Based on Book, Post-apocalypse, Young Adult

What a fun setting and concept! The artists on this film certainly had a good time and their efforts show--a mesmerizing visual feat. Moving cities in a future age of steam? I like this idea and wanted to see the way people live and explore the intricate workings of the machines. But Mortal Engines just doesn't go into it--it barely scratches the surface, in fact. The script is mediocre and focuses almost entirely on the action: chases, battles, war. Also, here's another action flick that has hardly any character development but throws highly emotional moments at you. I found it difficult to empathize. I'm sure the book series spends more time on the characters and their back stories, but adapting/condensing it into one film didn't work. But, wow, the artistry is amazing!

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Handmaid's Tale Seasons 1 & 2

The Handmaid's Tale Seasons 1 & 2 (Bruce Miller, 2017-present)

Click here for the basics

Rating: DSQ=11, SP=4 / Can't Get Enough

Scale A=4, Scale B=4, Scale C=3, Scale D=3, Scale E=1

Future, Post-Apocalyptic, Thriller, Horror, Psychological

This may be the most difficult show I've ever watched, but for all the right reasons. Margaret Atwood wrote a masterful story about what could be the future of this country. And I think that is the most important part: it could be. This is not a fantasy, like most post-apocalyptic and dystopian worlds that writers create. This one feels too close for comfort, too realistic. And, even more disturbing, it already is the reality for some nations. Women are property and people are tortured and killed for not following "rules" in some places in this world. And we are now experiencing sickening hatred in this country that is eerily similar to the world of Gilead.

This show is intense and very brutal. The kind of violence portrayed is more difficult for me to watch than war films, gangster films, gory horror flicks, or shows like Breaking Bad. I think this is because that there is a level of distancing that happens in these genres. But with The Handmaid's Tale, there is no distancing. The violence is constantly there, combined with grotesque manipulation and hypocrisy. And the editing makes the audience feel uneasy and never immune to it. AMAZING performances from Elisabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski.

I can't say that I'll re-watch this show--it's just too hard. But I do recommend it. It's important.

Favorite episode from Season 1 = "A Woman's Place"

Favorite episode from Season 2 = "Holly"

Looking forward to watching Season 3...stay tuned...

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here