Reviews

I love this episode. It's everything you could want from a season finale. Thrilling action, gorgeous and dynamic environments, stunning music, and a constant sense of peril. As I have said in my reviews of other episodes, I love what the show has done to make Slarb a bigger and more consequential antagonist. His presence during the climax provides an excellent thru-line for the rest of the season. Nia's song during the battle was particularly moving. It stirred within me a desire to be courageous and to protect the people I care about. I only wish we could have heard the whole song, as it's one of my all-time favorites. I am so glad this show has turned out as well as it has. I am definitely looking forward to seeing Season 2.

This episode does a good job of increasing the drama, though there are several nitpicks I have with the execution of the first 15 minutes. There are some creative decisions that differ from the book that I think detracted slightly from the execution in the first half of the episode. Those minor gripes aside, the action continues to ramp up in the second half and the consequences of fighting back against the Fangs start to manifest themselves. This episode increasingly marks a point of no return for the Igibys and the final moments of the episode really serve to highlight that point. Their old lives are over and danger lies ahead.

I will preface this by saying that I hold a special place in my heart for Peet, so it brings a sort of tragic gladness to my soul to see how the animators and Ian's voice acting have brought the Sockman to life. His strangeness makes for many moments of levity even as his sadness hints at the reasons for his madness. Knowing the journey that lies ahead of him, I can only hope that future seasons will come quickly.

This episode really ramps up the action and there's a real sense that a crack in the dam is giving way to allow the rest of the adventure come flooding in. Moreover, the harsh, dissonant guitar music whenever danger presents itself is one of my favorite motifs in the score. I can't help but want the Igiby's to face peril more often so I can hear that excellent music some more.

Slarb is genuinelyy favorite character in this entire episode. Not because he's likeable or anything like that. Quite the contrary. This is actually his most despicable episode. But he provides such a truthful depiction of the sheer vindictive pettiness of evil that I can't help but appreciate this addition to his character. That sense of personal, down-to-earth evil that takes pleasure in doing a deeply wicked thing just because it will hurt someone else wasn't really present in his character in the book and the fact that they've fleshed him out so well for the series has made him one of my favorite minor villains in all of children's fiction.

I'd like to say that I enjoy this episode. The montage of the children entertaining themselves at the Igiby cottage are some of my favorite additions to the original source material.

Having said that, this episode has the most noticeable graphical glitches in the show. There are moments (particularly with Commander Gnorm) where the frame rate drops well below what my eye can comfortably bridge and the motion looks way too choppy. There are also a few instances of characters' clipping through either their own clothing or hair (most notably during the Zibzy game).

I appreciate that Peet the Sock Man gets more screen time in this epsiode but I am very much biased in favor of his character so don't be too surprised if Peet-heavy episodes get better scores from me.

The first episode does a great job of introducing viewers to the different personalities present in the Igiby family. The family dynamics are immediately apparent. There is an excellent mix of whimsy, danger, and mystery present in this epsiode to give viewers a good sense of what the rest of the season will be like.

The art style is beautiful and the animators have clearly worked hard to ensure that Slarb is as creepy as possible. The framerate takes a bit of getting used to but once you adjust, you rarely notice it.

One of the things that really stands out in this first episode is the music. Both Armulyn's song and Yurgen's Tune are powerful in the context of the show, but they're even better on the soundtrack where you can hear them without interruptions.

Tension is a very fine art, difficult to master and easy to get wrong. Too little and the audience is left unengaged. Too much and they burn out halfway through the story. This film achieves that rare balance necessary to keep the audience comfortably squirming.

The premise is masterfully established in the first few minutes of the film and not a moment of it is wasted. The undertones of faith and redemption play well with the sense that no detail is accidental.

I have never considered myself a fan of tense movies, but this one forced me out of my usual cinematic tastes and delivered an exceptional experience.

It's become more and more apparent over the recent years that Egyptology is relying on outdated assumptions. Does that automatically make Rohl's or Mahoney's paradigm correct? Perhaps not. But I find the case to be intriguing at worst and compelling at best. And can you really ask for anything more in a documentary? Whatever your takeaway here, I think it's worth a watch and a ponder.

To call The Princess Bride a classic is to understate it's significance. The Princess Bride is not only a great movie, it is above all else, a GOOD movie. It unites us as a culture and reveals within our collective nature a longing for the simple times when heroes were righteous and pure, villains were dastardly and vile, redemption was always possible for the wayward soul, and true love could overcome any obstacle. I pray we can find those days again.

An extremely powerful movie about duty and faith in the face of overwhelming pressure. Life is messy and we often find ourselves having live in the awkward space created by seemingly conflicting moral priorities. This becomes all the more complicated when those priorities are tested in the context of the battlefield. Andrew Garfield shines in this film as he portrays a man clinging to two such seemingly irreconcilable convictions. How does a man who won't even carry a gun serve his country's military? It's complex and it's difficult and it's beautiful. Well-worth the watch.

I admit, this movie caught me off guard. An original concept with a cast full of talented actors (all of whom were previously unknown to me), phenomenal music and camera work, and a wide range of emotion. I have never seen such intense and convincing physical acting from a lead actor in my life. I had never teared up before the 30 minute mark of an action film before seeing this film. I have seen very few movies that I would recommend as highly as this one, and that's even taking into consideration the few brief moments of INTENSE gore (which were gratuitous and unnecessary) sprinkled here and there throughout the film. Ultimately, this is one of the most weighty and impactful movies I've ever had the surprise of seeing.

Other reviews will talk about the stellar talent of the actors or countless genuine human moments woven into the fabric of the show. Other reviews will speak of the high production value found in everything from the set and costume design to music and visual effects. Other reviews are bound to mention the high attention to detail and the numerous delightful gems hidden throughout each episode. Other reviews will no doubt point out how it stands apart from other Biblical film projects. Other reviews will surely highlight the genuine passion they sense from every member of the cast and crew for this project or the culture that has been fostered by investors and fans of The Chosen.

But not so with this review! Here we tackle the important issues about which you want to be informed! And we can say this is, without a doubt, the first Bible film project to crack a sly butt joke. . . and it's spectacular! Even if you fail to notice the clever nods and references to the larger Biblical storyline, even if you miss the subtle Christian in-jokes, even if you are comedically blind, deaf, dumb and numb, the quick-witted, blink-and-you'll-miss-it hilarity of this one joke is worth the price of the whole show! So keep an eye out or it'll go right over your head.

And if you happen watch to a masterwork of televised storytelling in the process, so be it.