CineVibez Fanzine #13
Very Special Episode Vibez
Welcome back to CineVibez Fanzine, where every movie television show has a vibe …
Wait, what?
Today, and today only, the boob tube takes center stage because I finished Adolescence this week and holy cow, what a show. Rarely is TV so authentic, well-made, and relevant. If you haven’t heard, Adolescence is a four-episode miniseries streaming on Netflix. The show opens with the cops issuing a search warrant on a scrawny white 14-year-old boy named Jamie. He’s played by newcomer Owen Cooper - its his first acting credit … you’ll understand why I emphasize that after episode 3.
The police eventually tell Jamie he’s under arrest for murdering a classmate named Katie. From there, the investigation takes multiple twists and turns, each one revealing a new horror kids face in the modern-day classroom. It’s must-see TV.
Each episode is limited to one or two shots, so the camera constantly tracks the characters at eye-level, placing them face-to-face with the audience. That gives it an immersive guerilla-style of handheld filmmaking. It feels like a documentary. Parts reminded me of the Safdie brothers - especially Uncut Gems and Good Time. It’s that same sense of urgency and anxiety the Safdies are so good at creating; its like you don’t know what’s coming next but you know its coming very soon.
The single-shot approach also makes for some cool camerawork. For example, the camera may follow a detective to his squad car, only to shift and pull back and redirect attention on another character as the detective drives away. It will weave between characters on the screen as if you’re caught up in the crowd. The camera seamlessly shifts to an overview shot by drone in the second episode. I didn’t notice a camera change. If you have OCD like me, the transitions in this show will feel unbelievably satisfying.
I don’t watch much TV outside of documentaries and the Today Show, but its been looking tempting lately. The Studio might be the perfect companion piece to Babylon. Although I wished the pilot was … I dunno, something else? Then there’s Happy Face … well Happy Face is a bad show, but Dennis Quaid plays the role of a lifetime as a serial killer who harasses his daughter from prison. His joy reaches out and touches you like Debbie Harry in Videodrome. What else? Hacks is pretty good …
Ugh nevermind, TV still sucks (but watch Adolescence). Back to movies next week.
Happy Watching!
Murray