robin avalyn

Nice idea. Shame about the execution of it. Feel generous giving it a 3/5. A badly thought out mismash of tropes & been there-done that plot arcs. Acting was occasionally fine, but far too melodramatic without cause.

Can not believe I only just found & watched this 2014 “vampire” flick. It’s genius level brilliant ... I don’t even know how I could possibly choose a descriptor. Part mocumentry, part parody, part satire, part SCTV, part astute social commentary, part reality TV ..., & part every vampire book, movie, TV show, myth & legend us bloodbags have ever come up with, including the recent “Only Lovers Left Alive,” the first vampire flik in YEARS actually made for adults (also brilliant). Now we have another one! I see “What We Do in the Shadows’” musical allusions to OLLA & hear the architectural ones from beginning to end, but WWDS is a unique candystore for the eyes, ears, & brain. It’s so d**n funny I was busting out with very loud & unladylike guffaws in the first 5 minutes, a problem that deliciously continued throughout. You see, the thing is ... there’s nothing (not a thing) in the movie, not set nor costume, not character nor plot, not vampire special powers nor dialogue & speech patterns ... that is “original!” Everything, & I truly mean EVERY aspect of this film, comes from somewhere else, indeed a long line of somewheres else. And this paradoxically creates a movie of gigantic uniqueness. Special kudos to the four main actors, their performances are beyond pitch perfect, & big kudos for the technical crews: editing, music, continuity, costuming & FX, etc, directing & photograhy: superbly executed throughout. This film does not slide into mediocrity; seriously, I didn’t see a single thing out of place, physically or metaphorically. I love this movie. I will hunt down a DVD copy, sucking its blood again & again & again. It will share pride of place with 3 others I consider “perfect” parodies of their respective genres: “Fido,” “Galaxy Quest,” & “Mystery Men.” Anyone got a blame thrower handy? A beryllium sphere, perhaps? It will take much viewing to absorb everything this film stakes you with, but “What We Do in the Shadows” is guaranteed to reward any level of viewing, & transmogrify those in the know. I’m apprehensive over the TV show that’s reportedly coming soon: will be difficult to do its maker justice, I’ll be compelled to watch & see. Enjoy this flik, & make sure you do it when nobody’s trying to sleep!

I absolutely luv this show, but probably not for the reasons most people have. Sure, this is an exceptional ensemble cast who play very well off each other, the boys are beautiful & so are the girls. Settings are great, music is fab, & Tom Ellis plays the devil to perfection: exquisite writing, too. But why Ive just gone thru all 3 seasons for the 2nd time is the very character of this devil (thanx to Neil Gaimon who is never simplistic, I think). I have degrees in literature & have studied the Bible as literary text. I have also studied John Milton, & surprise! Guess where most Christian beliefs about the devil come from: Milton’s Paradise Lost & to a lesser degree, Paradise Regained: NOT from the Bible. Christian teachings like the devil as “Prince of lies,” or the epitome of “evil,” come from Milton, & I truly love the way this plays out in the show. The devil doesnt “lie,” is honest about who he is all the time (well...he does omit things), & is definitely not evil! Its just no one will believe that through their cultural conditioning. He was cast out for rebelling against his father (anyone else see a long standing patriarchal trope here?), & condemned to punishing humans who have done wrong; he does not create that “wrong,” but he is rarely believed. The other brilliant maneuver is the portrayal of Hell, that the tortures of hell consist of a very personal loop derrived from a person’s own guilt & insecurities. & that’s not to mention some of the Easter Eggs, like “have you tried Nickleback?” Maze: I tried that first,” or “Isn’t there music in Hell?” Lucifer: “Well yes, but it’s always out of tune. We found a new one in Beiber. You should hear the screams!” I almost fell off my chair I was laughing so hard. To conclude.... Milton gave his character a certain phrase & I quote: “I, myself, am Hell.” I have never forgotten that line. It’s one of the truest statements of reality I’ve ever known, & this show works it to the max. Watch, enjoy, & possibly, get thinking.

Although I came to this show through looking into the actor, Timothy Omundson, who plays “God Johnson” in season 3 of “Lucifer,” I stayed to watch. Couldn’t help myself! Raised on movies, musicals & historical fiction, I’m constantly bursting into unladylike guffaws while I watch. Satirical & parodic lyrics are a favorite thing of mine, & this show never fails to provide a multitude. The costumes & settings are fun, tho not accurate, & it doesn’t matter. The silly songs stick in my head, often becoming earworms; the individual writing the lyrics is a gem. He lampoons everything & in rhyme. The acting is often pitch perfect, too. I highly recommend this little gem when you feel like laughing. It certainly repays the attention.