https://www.thenerdelement.com/2021/10/27/netflix-thriller-hypnotic-may-put-you-to-sleep/
Netflix is releasing Hypnotic today, a new psychological thriller. Check out the trailer and synopsis below:
Feeling stuck both personally and professionally, Jenn (Kate Siegel), a young woman reeling from a series of traumatic events, enlists a renowned hypnotherapist, Dr. Meade (Jason O’Mara), to help on her road to recovery. After a handful of intense sessions, terrifying events, and mysterious blackouts, Jenn soon finds herself caught in a dangerous mind game. With the help of Detective Wade Rollins (Dulé Hill), Jenn looks to put the pieces together before it’s too late and there are deadly consequences.
Directed by relative newcomers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote (The Open House, Sick). Written by Richard D’Ovidio (The Forger, The Blacklist: Redemption).
The idea of a therapist getting in your head and controlling you in some way is hardly a new concept. Hypnotic isn’t reinventing the wheel but some of the stylistic choices are good. The script and many of the performances are a little weak, however.
Kate Siegel (The Haunting of Hill House, Hush) puts in a strong performance as Jenn. Her performance is the only one I really believed, everything else felt a little surface level. Her character makes a lot of bad decisions to keep the story going but credit for Siegel for fully committing to a limited script.
The script really hinders the performances overall. Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Dr. Collin Meade isn’t as suave or intimidating as he should be. Dulé Hill (Psych, The West Wing) is in a smaller role than I anticipated as Detective Wade Rollins. Hill does his best with what he has, he provides quite a lot of the exposition, which isn’t the most exciting role to play.
I’m surprised at the level of actor that signed on for this film. The writer and directors are inexperienced and the end product isn’t great. Maybe the script read better than it shows on film.
The cinematography is really well done by John S. Bartley (The X Files, Bates Motel). Bartley shoots the film using a few tricks, without making it gimmicky. Hypnotic has some nice shots that add to the tension. The use of a wide lens to get distortion at the edges of the frame creates an unsettling feeling. The production design is also strong, with Dr. Meade’s therapist office being a unique space.
Hypnotic strayed into melodrama quite a few times. The performances occasionally were a little wooden and the tension was lacking. The opening scene of the film is strong and raised my hopes for Hypnotic. It’s a nice setup but the subsequent scenes lose the tension and it falls a little flat. The finale of the film is ok, it’s a little predictable.
The film only lasts 90 minutes yet it feels like a lot of the scenes aren’t adding anything. It could have been an hour-long television episode and may have been better for it. I wouldn’t recommend Hypnotic unless you’re a really big fan of the genre, and even then, it might not be worth it. The cast deserved better, especially Kate Siegel who is owning the thriller genre of late.
Hypnotic is released globally on Netflix October 27th 2021
The post Netflix Thriller, Hypnotic, May Put You to Sleep appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Netflix is releasing Hypnotic today, a new psychological thriller. Check out the trailer and synopsis below:
Feeling stuck both personally and professionally, Jenn (Kate Siegel), a young woman reeling from a series of traumatic events, enlists a renowned hypnotherapist, Dr. Meade (Jason O’Mara), to help on her road to recovery. After a handful of intense sessions, terrifying events, and mysterious blackouts, Jenn soon finds herself caught in a dangerous mind game. With the help of Detective Wade Rollins (Dulé Hill), Jenn looks to put the pieces together before it’s too late and there are deadly consequences.
Directed by relative newcomers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote (The Open House, Sick). Written by Richard D’Ovidio (The Forger, The Blacklist: Redemption).
The idea of a therapist getting in your head and controlling you in some way is hardly a new concept. Hypnotic isn’t reinventing the wheel but some of the stylistic choices are good. The script and many of the performances are a little weak, however.
Kate Siegel (The Haunting of Hill House, Hush) puts in a strong performance as Jenn. Her performance is the only one I really believed, everything else felt a little surface level. Her character makes a lot of bad decisions to keep the story going but credit for Siegel for fully committing to a limited script.
The script really hinders the performances overall. Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Dr. Collin Meade isn’t as suave or intimidating as he should be. Dulé Hill (Psych, The West Wing) is in a smaller role than I anticipated as Detective Wade Rollins. Hill does his best with what he has, he provides quite a lot of the exposition, which isn’t the most exciting role to play.
I’m surprised at the level of actor that signed on for this film. The writer and directors are inexperienced and the end product isn’t great. Maybe the script read better than it shows on film.
The cinematography is really well done by John S. Bartley (The X Files, Bates Motel). Bartley shoots the film using a few tricks, without making it gimmicky. Hypnotic has some nice shots that add to the tension. The use of a wide lens to get distortion at the edges of the frame creates an unsettling feeling. The production design is also strong, with Dr. Meade’s therapist office being a unique space.
Hypnotic strayed into melodrama quite a few times. The performances occasionally were a little wooden and the tension was lacking. The opening scene of the film is strong and raised my hopes for Hypnotic. It’s a nice setup but the subsequent scenes lose the tension and it falls a little flat. The finale of the film is ok, it’s a little predictable.
The film only lasts 90 minutes yet it feels like a lot of the scenes aren’t adding anything. It could have been an hour-long television episode and may have been better for it. I wouldn’t recommend Hypnotic unless you’re a really big fan of the genre, and even then, it might not be worth it. The cast deserved better, especially Kate Siegel who is owning the thriller genre of late.
Hypnotic is released globally on Netflix October 27th 2021
The post Netflix Thriller, Hypnotic, May Put You to Sleep appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
Greeting, loyal AFROnerdists! Check out the latest installment of Afronerd Radio's Mid Week in Review broadcast airing this Wednesday at 8 p.m. eastern on the BTalk 100 internet radio platform. Listen to the meanderings of your friendly neighborhood AFROnerdist hosts as they wax about the following subjects: much like clockwork, another one of our Black icons has left the mortal plane, 4-star general and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell passes from COVID-19 at the age of 84; picking up where we left off from our Sunday Grindhouse show including revelations from this past weekend's DC FanDome Warner Media pop culture event; the long-awaited DC animated VG translation movie, Injustice, hit the cyberwebs yesterday and we have our impressions:
Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman's Black sister, Nubia finally gets her closeup in a new comic entitled, Nubia and the Amazons:
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify and, IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!
Frank Herbert’s Dune presents a dense world full of political plotting and backstabbing. The Bene Gesserit puppeteer much of that from the shadows, laying out plans that stretch across centuries. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One brought that to the screen by showing the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam discussing it in plain text with Lady Jessica. The Reverend Mother scolded Jessica for straying from the Bene Gesserit’s plan to bear Duke Leto Atreides a daughter. Jessica chose to have a son, prompting the Reverend Mother to say, “You were told to bear only daughters, but you and your pride thought you could produce the Kwisatz Haderach.”
The term “Kwisatz Haderach” comes up throughout the film in regards to Paul Atreides. Here’s everything you need to know about the Kwisatz Haderach. And yes, it’s spoiler-free.
Warner Bros./Legendary
Essentially, the Kwisatz Haderach is a messiah and superbeing. In the Dune universe, Kwisatz Haderach is an old Chakobsa term that translates to “shortening of the way.” The Kwisatz Haderach must be male. The Bene Gesserit have been carving the way for the mythical figure for centuries through selective breeding—10,000 years of breeding to be precise. Their plan was to breed the daughter of Duke Leto Atreides to a Harkonnen male (specifically Feyd-Rautha, Baron Harkonnen’s nephew) to create the Kwisatz Haderach and unite the houses. Hence why the Reverend Mother didn’t seem thrilled about Lady Jessica birthing a son instead and potentially bringing the messiah to the universe a generation too early.
Warner Bros./Legendary
The Kwisatz Haderach will help the Bene Gesserit access more knowledge and power. That’s it in a sentence anyway. The Bene Gesserit can use spice melange to access genetic memory—but only maternally. Since Bene Gesserit, who are always female, only have X chromosomes, they can access strictly X chromosome memories. These memories of their ancestors help guide their machinations across the Dune universe.
But a male Kwisatz Haderach could tap into maternal and paternal genetic memories. He could access unprecedented amounts of information and possess wildly powerful mental powers. And then the Bene Gesserit would, of course, have control over this male and could use him to look into the future, among other things. Given that they spent so many thousands of years seeking to create the Kwisatz Haderach, the figure clearly has a lot of importance.
Warner Bros./Legendary
Paul Atreides sure seems to be the Kwisatz Haderach. He shows enough promise that the Reverend Mother visits Caladan to administer the test of the gom jabbar. In the books, that happens when Paul is 15. Dune: Part One doesn’t call out Paul’s age, but he appears a bit older. The point is: Paul showed signs of being the Bene Gesserit’s messiah at a young age. He’s having visions, though some of the visions only show possible futures rather than what will absolutely come to pass. Paul certainly seems to know things he shouldn’t know, too—like how to perfectly put on a Fremen stillsuit.
However, the Reverend Mother tells Jessica they have “other prospects” besides Paul. Whether this is true or is further Bene Gesserit manipulation remains to be seen.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
The post What Is DUNE’s Kwisatz Haderach? appeared first on Nerdist.
Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
Salutations, cornbread, and crumpets, to our longtime Afronerd Radio supporters! It's that time AGAIN! Check out the latest waxings from a new installment of Afronerd Radio's Grindhouse broadcast-airing every Sunday at 6 p.m. eastern, courtesy of the BTalk 100 cyber-radio platform. Join your AFROnerdist hosts as they traverse this week's issue laden terrain with the following topics: unbeknownst to many readers of DC's premiere issue of the Nubia and The Amazons comic, there's a new Amazon on the block and she is being touted as the first "Trans-Amazon" being introduced into Wonder Woman canon. We have our thoughts; it appears every one to two decades there is a fatal and oftentimes, accidental shooting on a movie set. This time such a tragedy occurred during the filming of actor, Alec Baldwin's latest Netflix film, Rust, resulting in the death of budding filmmaker, Halyna Hutchins; hat tip to frequent guest and Afronerd Radio supporter, Sergio Mims for hipping us to a racially groundbreaking one season TV Western called The Outcasts. Dburt checked out two episodes and he gives his impressions:
We must get to a story that we have kept on the back burner for a few shows. The crew delves into a fascinating story concerning a Yale University portrait that may seem innocuous but it clearly is not. Researchers are trying to determine the identity of an enslaved African child depicted in the aforementioned picture that also contains many of Yale's founders.
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify and, IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!