Collin H

Just another addition to Netflix’s overt anti-Christian campaign. It’s a shame too, as there was potential here in exploration of interesting philosophical points. But, ultimately this is a story that makes a mockery of Christianity and the Catholic Church. A small island fishing village, which has seen better days due to an oil spill, is rocked by the arrival of a charismatic young parish priest who brings real miracles and the hint of the life everlasting in his wake. The village, not surprisingly, goes through a religious revival in response to these miraculous events. But, SURPRISE, these miracles, etc are not what they seem, but instead are the work of an ambitiously scary vampire/angel...I kid you not. So, the life everlasting and the blood of Christ, etc...are all actually just trappings of a big, bad vampire folklore for you silly and gullible Christians...is basically the premise here. It’s as completely ridiculous as it is insulting. Oh, and if the vampire angle of the story story doesn’t beat the anti-Christian message home...let’s bring in an implausible, token Muslim character to the remote island village mix, who has suffered because of anti-Muslim suspicion due to the 9/11 terrorists attacks...but still manages somehow to be SHERIFF of the village. Naturally, he is one of the heroes of the story. I could go on and on with the ridiculously overt woke agenda of this series, but you’re probably getting the picture...

Quirky, poignant “dark comedy”...for lack of a better categorization. Bateman had a deft touch in directing and he and Kidman have great chemistry on screen. Strong acting all around...and despite the story’s bizarre premise, it’s ultimately relatable.

A classic saga. Epic Civil War journey home meets yearning, improbable romance meets binding friendships meets transformational hard times meets earthy humor interludes...meets excellent music. Sad, funny, beautiful, and gritty...there’s something for everyone in this well-told, well-acted, sink-your-teeth-in satisfying tale.

Four episodes in & so far so good. This is equal turns comedy/drama/mystery that tackles the cliches and navel gazing excesses of the luxury self-help retreats...while also poignantly touching upon the angst and despair that drives people to seek these retreats out to begin with. There are some solid performances here, McCarthy and Cannavale in particular entertain with their acerbic chemistry. But it's ultimately Kidman that steals the show...she's mesmerizing, outlandish, and somewhat sinister as the retreat guru/mastermind who is the catalyst and center of gravity for this story's unfolding...and it's pretty near impossible to take your eyes off her.

I actually found this entertaining until the Christianity-bashing episode. So, yet another Jewish creator & director has resorted to ruthless mockery of Christianity...now becoming a regular pattern in a long list of projects on the screen. Take notice Amazon, take notice Hollywood...the gig is up. Your viewers are not stupid and, quite frankly, are fed up. We know without a doubt that most of Hollywood now has overt contempt for the majority of us & our religious beliefs and heritage. Keep it up and we will revolt...and take away the only thing you care about...money.