October 22nd

The Walking Dead 3.11: "I Ain't a Judas" (2013) directed by Greg Nicotero

A filler episode consisting mostly of people talking.  The people in the prison talk about what to do about Woodbury.  The people in Woodbury talk about the prison.  Andrea talks to them both.  Carol talks to Andrea and tells her to sex up the Gov and then kill him.  We all know this isn't going to happen even before we see the scene were it doesn't happen.  TV Andrea is terrible that way.

Cut and Run (1985) directed by Ruggero Deodato

Supposedly, the last of Deodato's "Cannibal Trilogy," except, you know, there's no cannibals in this one.  Instead, it's a fairly typical '80s action movie (90% of which, including this one, involved the drug war) heightened with Italian-style gore.  Admittedly, the gore -- in the uncensored version on DVD -- is really good.  I've never seen decapitation done quite so well, and the scene in which a man is torn in half crotch-first was massively disturbing.

Outside of the that, the only other thing in the movie I really liked was Michael Berryman.  He plays some nameless henchman of main bad guy (though completely underused in the movie) Richard Lynch.  The cool part is that he appears to have super powers.  Multiple times, he jumps straight out of river 10 feet into the air to grab some poor slob.  Once, he jumped right through the solid wooden floorboards of a cabin to grab somebody.  He's also a master of hiding in trees, and commands an army of naked natives using just a bird call.  He's a shirtless, hairless, speechless ninja and he's easily the best character in the film.

Watched: DVD from Anchor Bay.

American Horror Story 2.06: "Asylum: The Origins of Monstrosity" (2012) directed by David Semel

You know, I can't say I ever expected to see a TV series that featured a slasher killer as a main character.  That's pretty interesting.  Can they sustain Thredson's menace throughout multiple episodes?  Jason is usually dispatched after just 90 minutes of stalking, after all.  I do love the way Quinto is playing Bloody Face.  He's doing a sort of Norman Bates, but a hundred times more awkward.  Thredson's interactions with Lana, now chained to a bed, are very intense and wouldn't be out of place in a real horror film.  I completely love how he noticed her perspiration and heart rate and deduced her escape attempt.  Someone that perceptive keeping you captive is very scary.

American Horror Story 2.07: "Asylum: Dark Cousin" (2012) directed by Michael Rymer

Frances Conroy -- the maid from season one -- returns as the Angel of Death.  She's perfect.  Her gentle voice, pale skin, and jet black garb make for a striking figure.  I could understand Grace and Miles accepting this entity's help in leaving this world.  I hope we see more of her, especially interacting with the possessed Sister Mary Eunice.

I dig also Sister Jude's current arc.  Over the past few episodes, Sister Mary has engineered her complete breakdown.  Now, in this episode exactly midway through the season, Jude re-finds her strength.  I'm expecting her to go into battle against the possessed nun before the year is over.  Hopefully it will come together and we avoid any sappiness as in season one.