Uncategorized
https://blackgirlnerds.com/bgn-tv-review-sacred-lies/
By Marrista Stubbs
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes has been transformed from a young adult novel into an intriguing horror drama on Facebook Watch. Sacred Lies follows the tale of Minnow Bly, a young woman who has escaped a cult in modern-day Montana. After getting into some trouble with the police, everyone is eager to unravel the mystery surrounding Minnow, the cult, and how they connect to dead bodies found in the woods. This series is not quite what it seems and gives just enough information to keep viewers coming back for more.
Elena Kampouris, who stars as Paris in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, does a stellar job of bringing life to the curious and guarded protagonist. Kampouris is cast as Minnow Bly, the show’s main character. Her talent for balancing childlike inquisitiveness with adult themes, like death and betrayal, helps to make Sacred Lies an addicting series to watch.
Episode 101
Scenes: 21
Some of Sacred Lies’ success also lies with its diverse and seasoned cast and crew. Starring alongside Elena is Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Blindspotting) as Dr. Wilson; a forensic scientist assigned to Minnow’s case. Producer Raelle Tucker (True Blood, Jessica Jones) uses her real-world experiences growing up in a cult to bring believability and a personal touch to this dark world of truth and lies.
A couple of Sacred Lies’ biggest strengths are its character growth and attention to detail. Though this review only covers the first five “chapters” of the Facebook Watch horror drama there is great character development between Minnow and Dr. Wilson. We see the accomplished Kevin Carroll bring complexity and gravitas to the forensic psychologist who must decide how dedicated he is to solving Minnow’s case and how deep down the rabbit hole he will go. Carroll turns what easily could have been a two dimensional “broken doctor” character into one with depth and emotion. It’s exciting to come back to each episode and see what mysteries are uncovered.
While some of the special effects need fine-tuning, the storytelling is meticulous and well thought out. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Boy is based on the Brothers Grimm tale The Handless Maiden and very early on it is revealed that Minnow’s hands have been cut off. There are some scenes where Kampouris interacted with her props and surroundings which briefly compromised her handless illusion.
Just about every detail of the show holds some clue that progresses the story and the use of flashbacks flow well with the pace of the story. Sacred Lies will have viewers go from head-scratching confusion to Aha! moments of clarity. If you love shows like Grimm and Hemlock Grove, Sacred Lies will be right up your alley.
The writers use a unique blend of dark fairytales and equally dark real-world issues to unwind Minnow’s twisted tale. The show teaches the dangers of blind faith and the importance of educating oneself academically and practically. In every chapter, situations arise that cause Minnow to question her deeply held beliefs and prejudices while learning about the world outside of her cult. Sacred Lies is one of the few shows I have watched that openly and actively tries to battle the fear of the unknown.
These fears are directly manifested through Minnow’s experiences and what many of us face in our own lives. Racism, the unfair treatment of people with disabilities, and mental and emotional abuse are the main struggles that viewers will encounter in this series. Angel, played by Kiana Madeira (Giant Little Ones), is Minnow’s cellmate in juvenile detention and the closest thing she has to a friend. Angel becomes something akin to a tough older sister to Minnow. She teaches Minnow the unspoken rules of her new home and helps her overcome her personal struggles. Not every battle is one that Angel can relate to on a personal level, though.
Dr. Wilson approaches the case from the angle of understanding why people join cults. In part, his role in this story dives deep into the history of cult leaders and those who follow them. His search for answers changes from completely analytical to somewhat personal the longer he explores this topic with Minnow. His own life becomes entangled in the mystery of the cult and it becomes clear that there could be a steep cost if he continues the search for truth.
I’ve enjoyed Sacred Lies so far and look forward to solving the rest of the mysteries in this intriguing story. While the lengthy exposition may not be to everyone’s liking, the twists add entertainment and surprises keep the show’s pace up and interesting. If you enjoy a show that challenges traditional beliefs and inspires deeper thought into our motivations as humans, this is it.
Sacred Lies airs on Facebook Watch Fridays at 7pm.
The post BGN TV Review: ‘Sacred Lies’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
By Marrista Stubbs
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes has been transformed from a young adult novel into an intriguing horror drama on Facebook Watch. Sacred Lies follows the tale of Minnow Bly, a young woman who has escaped a cult in modern-day Montana. After getting into some trouble with the police, everyone is eager to unravel the mystery surrounding Minnow, the cult, and how they connect to dead bodies found in the woods. This series is not quite what it seems and gives just enough information to keep viewers coming back for more.
Elena Kampouris, who stars as Paris in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, does a stellar job of bringing life to the curious and guarded protagonist. Kampouris is cast as Minnow Bly, the show’s main character. Her talent for balancing childlike inquisitiveness with adult themes, like death and betrayal, helps to make Sacred Lies an addicting series to watch.
Episode 101
Scenes: 21
Some of Sacred Lies’ success also lies with its diverse and seasoned cast and crew. Starring alongside Elena is Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Blindspotting) as Dr. Wilson; a forensic scientist assigned to Minnow’s case. Producer Raelle Tucker (True Blood, Jessica Jones) uses her real-world experiences growing up in a cult to bring believability and a personal touch to this dark world of truth and lies.
A couple of Sacred Lies’ biggest strengths are its character growth and attention to detail. Though this review only covers the first five “chapters” of the Facebook Watch horror drama there is great character development between Minnow and Dr. Wilson. We see the accomplished Kevin Carroll bring complexity and gravitas to the forensic psychologist who must decide how dedicated he is to solving Minnow’s case and how deep down the rabbit hole he will go. Carroll turns what easily could have been a two dimensional “broken doctor” character into one with depth and emotion. It’s exciting to come back to each episode and see what mysteries are uncovered.
While some of the special effects need fine-tuning, the storytelling is meticulous and well thought out. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Boy is based on the Brothers Grimm tale The Handless Maiden and very early on it is revealed that Minnow’s hands have been cut off. There are some scenes where Kampouris interacted with her props and surroundings which briefly compromised her handless illusion.
Just about every detail of the show holds some clue that progresses the story and the use of flashbacks flow well with the pace of the story. Sacred Lies will have viewers go from head-scratching confusion to Aha! moments of clarity. If you love shows like Grimm and Hemlock Grove, Sacred Lies will be right up your alley.
The writers use a unique blend of dark fairytales and equally dark real-world issues to unwind Minnow’s twisted tale. The show teaches the dangers of blind faith and the importance of educating oneself academically and practically. In every chapter, situations arise that cause Minnow to question her deeply held beliefs and prejudices while learning about the world outside of her cult. Sacred Lies is one of the few shows I have watched that openly and actively tries to battle the fear of the unknown.
These fears are directly manifested through Minnow’s experiences and what many of us face in our own lives. Racism, the unfair treatment of people with disabilities, and mental and emotional abuse are the main struggles that viewers will encounter in this series. Angel, played by Kiana Madeira (Giant Little Ones), is Minnow’s cellmate in juvenile detention and the closest thing she has to a friend. Angel becomes something akin to a tough older sister to Minnow. She teaches Minnow the unspoken rules of her new home and helps her overcome her personal struggles. Not every battle is one that Angel can relate to on a personal level, though.
Dr. Wilson approaches the case from the angle of understanding why people join cults. In part, his role in this story dives deep into the history of cult leaders and those who follow them. His search for answers changes from completely analytical to somewhat personal the longer he explores this topic with Minnow. His own life becomes entangled in the mystery of the cult and it becomes clear that there could be a steep cost if he continues the search for truth.
I’ve enjoyed Sacred Lies so far and look forward to solving the rest of the mysteries in this intriguing story. While the lengthy exposition may not be to everyone’s liking, the twists add entertainment and surprises keep the show’s pace up and interesting. If you enjoy a show that challenges traditional beliefs and inspires deeper thought into our motivations as humans, this is it.
Sacred Lies airs on Facebook Watch Fridays at 7pm.
The post BGN TV Review: ‘Sacred Lies’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Jeff Goldblum is the gift that keeps on giving—especially so after he revealed his delighted interest in the Grandmaster’s fan-generated romantic adventures.
In Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, Goldblum plays the powerful Grandmaster with a pitch-perfect mix of camp and unhinged menace. When Thor arrives on the Grandmaster’s candy-colored world of Sakaar, he’s surprised to find that his brother Loki has already been there for several weeks. Unlike Thor, who is made to wear an obedience disc and forced into gladiatorial matches, Loki has gained the Grandmaster’s favor and is left to his own devices. Loki swans into VIP suites around Sakaar like nobody’s business.
There’s a pivotal blink-and-you-miss-it scene where it can be read that Loki and the Grandmaster know each other rather well, that has been forever immortalized in GIF form. From the movie’s subtext sprang the fan pairing of Loki/Grandmaster, or “Frostmaster,” as it is often called, with a nod to Loki’s Frost Giant origins.
At the recent GQ Awards, Jeff Goldblum—wearing the snazziest of gold suits—gave the ship one hell of a boost. While some actors and creatives avoid talking about fandom or revealing whether they’ve explored it, Jeff Goldblum dove right in. After receiving the Haig Club Icon Award from none other than Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, Goldblum told the crowd:
Thank you so much, Tom Hiddleston, the great Tom Hiddleston. You know we were in that movie Thor: Ragnarok and we played Loki and Grandmaster respectively. And now when I go on too pathetically and obsessively my “hashtag jeff goldblum” tag on Instagram account, I see many, many—I don’t know if you’ve seen these, Tom—many sketches and renderings and cartoons of our characters involved in what seems to be a deeply romantic and wildly sexual relationship.
I tell you this, I cherish every single one of those, and I will for the rest of my life. Tom Hiddleston, ladies and gentlemen … a very, very tender lover. I’m sure. I’m positive.
Goldblum delivers this information with obvious joy and relish, and it’s the kind of attention and approval from an actor that most fandoms could only dream about. So there you have it, kids: Jeff Goldblum cherishes Frostmaster, and Tom Hiddleston is likely a very, very tender lover. I think I need to go lie down.
The rest of Goldblum’s speech makes for great watching, too. We are truly blessed to have him.
(via YouTube, image: Marvel Studios)
- The more I see from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the more I am psyched for its October 26th debut:
Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina is coming — KEY ART: pic.twitter.com/LzGFKRdsvM
— See What’s Next (@seewhatsnext) September 12, 2018
- In other TV witch news, the Charmed reboot is set to explore Latinx witchcraft. (via Comicbook.com)
- Should we feel guilty or not if we enjoyed Buffy season six? (via Syfy)
- Reddit has finally banned the QAnon subreddit. Unfortunately, there’s still no way to ban idiocy. (via The Verge)
- As the Carolinas brace for Hurricane Florence, word comes that the Trump Administration transferred $9.8 million from FEMA, the agency that responds to emergencies and disasters, in order to fund ICE deportations. Because absolutely every single thing that they do is terrible. (via NPR)
So what did you see today, darling Mary Suevians?
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—