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brundlefly wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2025 5:01 pm Drew Hancock's Companion, which looks it might be a mash-up of Made for Love, Westworld (TV), and Brendan Steere's Animosity?

Companion (Drew Hancock). A smart and funny horror film. Avoid trailer(s) if possible although there are a number of clues as to what might be going on before the proper reveal and I'm usually rubbish at guessing what's going on in a film. Also, stick around for part of the final credits.

alacal2 wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:34 pm Companion (Drew Hancock). A smart and funny horror film. Avoid trailer(s) if possible although there are a number of clues as to what might be going on before the proper reveal and I'm usually rubbish at guessing what's going on in a film. Also, stick around for part of the final credits.

This was fine, but would've been a lot better if it condensed its ideas down into the economic parameters of a Black Mirror ep's runtime, since that's essentially what this is - a long episode that decides to just keep going. Cut out a couple characters and tighten the focus on the high concept and you've got a much better film somewhere in there. Jack Quaid may be the most annoying person on the planet, which services the character, but still - he gets way too much screen time and that dampens the hits

I like Jack Quaid and I'm glad you weren't the editor of Companion.

therewillbeblus wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 6:23 pm

alacal2 wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:34 pm Companion (Drew Hancock). A smart and funny horror film. Avoid trailer(s) if possible although there are a number of clues as to what might be going on before the proper reveal and I'm usually rubbish at guessing what's going on in a film. Also, stick around for part of the final credits.

This was fine, but would've been a lot better if it condensed its ideas down into the economic parameters of a Black Mirror ep's runtime, since that's essentially what this is - a long episode that decides to just keep going. Cut out a couple characters and tighten the focus on the high concept and you've got a much better film somewhere in there. Jack Quaid may be the most annoying person on the planet, which services the character, but still - he gets way too much screen time and that dampens the hits

I had a meh reaction as well, but it's not the length that bothered me, it's that the high concept reduced down to the same second-wave feminist tropes that've been driving a lot of movies recently, and not worked through in any depth to justify using them once again. That the movie is just borrowing all its concepts, feminist ones included, from Ex Machina, doesn't help. A derivative, hectoring movie.

I thought Jack Quaid was very good in the recent Neighbourhood Watch playing a character having to navigate a world either indifferent or unsympathetic to his mental health struggles. He did a lot to make you care for his character.

I actually don't think the length actively bothered me while watching - the movie was short - but I was just wondering if it would've been able to avoid some of the trite aspects had it been more consolidated. You're probably right that it wouldn't

therewillbeblus wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 10:20 pmI actually don't think the length actively bothered me while watching - the movie was short - but I was just wondering if it would've been able to avoid some of the trite aspects had it been more consolidated. You're probably right that it wouldn't

More than a Black Mirror episode, it probably should've to aimed be a slightly sci-fi Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, with the characters' attempt...

Spoiler

...to engineer the perfect murder foiled by their naivety about the tech they're using, rather than that aspect being a subplot to another lesson in misogyny. You could even have the Ex Machina 'is she sentient?' stuff used to hide successive levels of manipulation as the various characters are revealed to be using the same tool to trick each other (and ultimately the viewer) in a Russian doll of manipulation. Sounds more fun anyway than 'cartoonish misogynist hunts his sex robot 'cause he's scared of looking weak.'