MrsTheFrog Reviews

Livid (2011)

Fascinating, Improvement Possible

[7/10 · 7 November 2023]

The story in Livide is a unique and intriguing twist of horror ingredients. I was decidedly impressed with it, by the end, but there are definitely some things in the presentation that could be tidied up.

The acting is weak, which is unfortunate, as so much of the 3rd act of the story depends on image rather than dialogue. There are a couple of fantasy scenes that cross the line into cheesy from artistic, which takes away from the actual intelligence of the plot.

Still, there are also several scenes that have fantastic imagery that is rarely capitalized on in western horror. Ballerinas are freaky, music dolls are creepy, humans as dolls are creepy - and underused! I also loved the image of Jessel repairing Anna's back with a metal webwork. Very Tim Burton in look and atmosphere.

It's also always fascinating to watch what other cultures produce as horror, bc of the differences from place to place. The directorial style, the atmosphere, the score, even the flow of dialogue is so incredibly different from how we present horror in North America.

A couple of changes in casting, better overall pacing in the first two acts, and some polishing on the fantasy angle, and this would be right up there with The Orphanage in perfection. Worth a watch if you are a horror fan that respects the subtleties of the cultural horror divide.

Clock (2023)

Horror as Hyperbolic Metaphor

[7/10 · 10 May 2023]

I adore horror movies that are still finding ways to be different this day and age. Alexis writes and directs a love poem metaphor to women everywhere who don't want to have children in a society where they are made to feel like outsiders.

The lead actress's performance is absolutely stellar, the writing is great, and the body horror is apt (albeit of a narrow stripe, that will likely go over the head of those who don't enjoy cerebral horrors).

If you like your horror movies to be intellectual, Feminist, well-acted, off the beaten path, and just plain interesting as compared to the usual fare, Clock will work for you. I very much look forward to seeing more of Alexis' work in future.

The Sacrament (2013)

Don't Look Away

[7/10 · 19 April 2023]

I was born in 83, so anything I know of Jonestown has been gleaned from podcasts, documentaries, or anniversary television broadcasts. Even that is much more than some.

And that's how it works, right? As much as we hate to admit it, as time moves on, everything (and I do mean *everything*) fades from memory. Go ahead and ask a 16 yr old nowadays who Jim Jones or David Koresh were - I bet they'll roll their eyes and assume you're talking about an 80s rock band lead. That fading and moving on of time is exactly why the remake/prequel/sequel/reboot industry is a thing of the Millennial age that never was before.

In order for history (good, bad, or indifferent) to continue to be passed along, the stories have to be retold and reincarnated in ways that are more appealing to those who come after. So maybe The Sacrament doesn't come right out and say, "Hey, we remade Guyana," but I sincerely doubt any of the filmmakers involved thought that viewers of the right age were going to mistake the story for anything else. Another movie that tells a variation of Jonestown without acknowledging it is "The Veil" btw.

As far as found footage films go, this one is high quality cinematography-wise. I thought the casting was actually fairly impressive, and despite knowing exactly where the story was headed, I did find the second half hard to watch; it did give me insight into Jonestown in a way that was truly shocking.

Worth a watch. Won't blow your mind, or bring home an Oscar, but Ti West is always hit or miss with me (mostly miss) and this one wasn't too bad. If you would rather see Jonestown through a less modern, less horror-genre lens, then by all means, go watch the stuff made in the 80s.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Return of the Prodigal Son (2021) Season 22, Episode 9

The Haters Make Me LOL

[10/10 · 2 April 2021]

Just a few notes before I start. 1) This episode pulled in the highest ratings for SVU in 4.5 yrs, so saying everyone was relieved when Chris left is patently false. 2) Dick Wolf, Chris, Mariska, and most of the people involved in Wolf Entertainment are anti-Conservative & anti-Trump. Maybe the folx pissed about that should just accept that this is not the franchise for you, and move on? Just a thought. 3) Not one person who spoke about Chris's return hid the fact that the biggest part of it was going to be dealing with what happened with Liv & Elliot's relationship. Don't pretend like it was some big secret that the reunion was going to be about that, when the actors have interviewed about it nonstop. 🙄

The return of Elliot Stabler was basically everything that diehard fans of the original were hoping for. This is a gift that Chris, Mariska and Dick gave to the fans, like a love letter. The two leads are still in perfect lockstep, and their intensity is palpable. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. If you have stuck with SVU for 22 years, you will more than likely love this reunion. Don't listen to the haters.

Law & Order: Organized Crime: What Happens in Puglia (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

A New Direction

[9/10 · 2 April 2021]

Utterly fantastic kickoff to OC! I see a few reviews have already complained that it doesn't"feel like Law & Order" but I kind of think that was part of the point.

Organized Crime is slick, mysterious, with an entirely different look and feel than usual. Chris Meloni is like a fine wine, and his character has grown up and refined beautifully. I loved that McDermott's character is a complicated Baddie who isn't even 100% sure his heart is in it.

The Ferris Wheel scene had me on the edge of my seat, it was shot like an action film. Fantastic! I am very much looking forward to what they do with the next 7 episodes.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Only Way Out Is Through (2021) Season 22, Episode 8

Very Good Intentions, Over-Crowded Execution

[7/10 · 2 March 2021]

I love that the intention of the writers was to diverge from the usual episode in order to focus on survivors and rehabilitation (or lack thereof). I do think, however, that the episode would have been better served if they had stuck to just one (or even two) rather than 4 storylines in the one show.

The only survivor story I was able to get invested in was the one with the two sisters, and this speaks directly to the power of the two actresses. If the show had been their story, plus the thing with Kat's cousin, or the sisters plus the parolee and victim story, I think the episode would have been paced much better. Too much going on made for lack of character investment.

That having been said, great casting on Kat's cousin. Wonderful work with the new sets for the prison scenes. And Fin's, "Then don't do anything," line - highly enjoyable. I hope they revisit survivor healing in a more hyperfocused way, in future.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Sightless in a Savage Land (2021) Season 22, Episode 4

One Small Disappointment

[8/10 · 20 January 2021]

It was great to have Raul/Barba back for a visit. I found the tension between he and Carisi very well done during the actual trial scenes.

That having been said, the final scene was a letdown for me. I found Liv's insinuating that Barba handled the case the way he did bc it was some sort of penance for his own actions before he left unrealistic.

Barba was always written with "flexible" morals when it came to how he played certain cases. Noone on SVU is as morally black and white as Olivia - in fact, she and Barba butted heads over it more than once. He would have handled this case the same, regardless of how he left SVU.

I don't believe Barba as a character is conflicted about what he did at all. I think maybe Liv just wants him to be, which was no idea for their last scene to be wasted on. They deserved a better second parting.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Selfish (2009) Season 10, Episode 19

For Those Who Missed It:

[8/10 · 20 January 2021]

This episode was based on the Casey/Caylee Anthony case, up until the part where we find out the dead child had measles. Casey Anthony didn't tell her parents where her daughter was for 31 days, before her mother called 911 saying Casey's car smelled like decomp. Casey then lied to the police about her job, told them a nanny had kidnapped her kid, then ultimately said she hadn't seen Caylee in weeks. After the child's remains were found, Casey was charged and put on trial and guess what?

She was acquitted and the death was ruled accidental (the insinuation being the kid fell in a pool and drowned, and the remains were buried by someone/the family). So no - it's not a stretch to imagine someone walking away free from that.

The rest of the episode is actually a very good example of how cultural issues change over time. In this episode, the anti-vaxxer is put on trial and found not guilty. You'll notice that pre-motherhood Olivia sides with the idea of choosing if to vaccinate.

Several seasons down the road, this same topic is revisited with teenagers at a high school. In that episode, Liv has recently adopted Noah and basically threatens to murder the anti-vaxx mom if Noah gets sick. The mom is put on trial in that episode, and found guilty.

I love with SVU is ahead of the curve, and we get to see them revisit issues that have changed as the decades change. They have done similar storylines with male sexual assaults victims as well. This episode is well done, and well-casted.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Turn Me on Take Me Private (2021) Season 22, Episode 5

Effing Fantastic!

[10/10 · 16 January 2021]

This episode was flawless. I was on the edge of my seat, screaming at my tv (which is the height of SVU enjoyment haha). For starters, Alex Brightman's performance as Gabe was so, so impeccable. He perfectly walked the line between creepy sleezeball and nice guy next door. Very impressive.

Second, Law & Order takes current and relevant issues and rips the throat out of them, and I love every effing second of it. Sex work is real work, and they go out of their way to show that sex workers come from all different walks of life, for all different reasons.

Sex workers deserve respect. No matter how well they act or blur the line between reality and fantasy, they deserve privacy, anonymity and to not be assaulted. That is common sense. Period. And this episode makes that point very, very well. The onus is on the client to be able to distinguish between the two - to follow the rules set out, and make sure they understand the consent (or consensual non-consent roleplay) in every situation. Mental illness, obsession, stalking, etc. are not valid excuses to put this blame on the sex worker who is performing.

Nobody who gets arrested for stalking a celebrity argues that "how was I supposed to know they were lying?" because ... duh? Same situation, except sex is involved. There is no loophole for creeps/men.

More like this, please! So incredible!

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Guardians and Gladiators (2020) Season 22, Episode 1

Everything I Wanted

[10/10 · 13 November 2020]

The complete disconnect between the fans of SVU who come here to write reviews and the fans who follow SVU on IG and Twitter baffles me. Most folks here do nothing but b*tch about the show being "too relevant" (?!) while everything directed at the actors and show producers is positive But, I digress.

This is the best season opener since probably the open of S17! The writers put their fingers right on the pulse of 2020 and then ripped the throat right out of it! Peter Scanavino and Demore Barnes' performances were so raw and real. It was great to see such unexpected tension between a unit that normally gets along.

The storyline was real, relevant, and heartbreaking all around. I'm so proud of SVU for being willing to stick their neck out in divided times and engage their characters in hard work and reflection. I was really impressed with them pushing Benson as a character to confront her own bias, and to bring that discussion into her relationship with Noah.

Just wow. Everything about this episode was exactly why this show has been on the air for 22 years. It stays relevant; it stays tough, and it doesn't shy from reflecting the best and the worst of the reality it is meant to reflect.

I really hope they keep the pace like this for the season. Bravo - I couldn't have asked for better!

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Longest Night of Rain (2020) Season 21, Episode 12

A Lot of Rain in One Place

[10/10 · 10 June 2020]

I never liked Tucker. I can't see how anyone who followed the show from the beginning even could, tbh, however- I felt that the way they wrote him out was fitting and respectful. I certainly was never on board with Liv/Tucker as a couple, but even their scenes together in this episode were heartfelt and genuine.

Mariska's acting gets better and better with age, like fine wine. It was a powerful way to punctuate the topic of mental health in police work. Over the last four or five years, the writers put a lot of effort into trying to redeem Tucker as a character, and this episode finally succeeded in getting me on board, at least a little.

Great acting, tasteful handling of a character death. One of my top favorites for this season.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Dare (2018) Season 19, Episode 16

Epic Controversy

[9/10 · 30 May 2020]

Everyone seems to think that Abortion is the big, hot debate when SVU tackles it every now and then, but Dare proves that there are more important greyscales to be discussed.

I have an intense love-hate relationship with this episode. To be honest, the acting from the guest stars is mediocre at best. But the topic is riveting. Once again, I think the drama would have been 10x more compelling if they had just ONCE let Liv go against her conscience in the moment, but that's neither here nor there.

I don't think they could have filmed a more succinct example of why organ donation is so fu**ing important, and so sorely under-discussed. When Stone says it would have been harder to say goodbye to his father if his organs had been harvested, all I could think was, "Why?! Why in the world?! Dead is dead - with or without organs, you don't get any deader." Our strange attachment to the physicality of our body in death is utterly ridiculous. The dead don't need their organs or their bodies.

And I 100% agree with the doctor in this episode. If you don't explicitly deny consent for organ donation before death, your organs should be free for the taking if they're needed. To do otherwise is basically the equivalent of burying someone with a shiny new Cadillac.

It is my hope that, since other (smarter) European countries have already figured this out, that Canada will someday follow suit. This episode is a long story about selfish parents who let a little boy die because they were mad they couldn't bring their daughter back.

And YES, if it was MY kid on the table and they were brain dead, for the love of God, take what is useable. Our bodies are vehicles. People are absolutely, 100% given the choice their entire lives to decide/discuss/consider organ donation. It's not about choice. It's about our laziness and our death-avoidant culture that keeps us from these conversations until it's too late.

This episode makes so many great points. The only shame here is that it could have been less frustrating and more impactful if the parents or Liv had made the right choice and it never ended up in court.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Things We Have to Lose (2020) Season 21, Episode 20

Still Going Strong

[9/10 · 2 May 2020]

The more people who come here to write, "This show is too political!" or "Benson is so old!" reviews, the more I know this show is staying extremely relevant in a society gone to hell in a handbasket.

I'm so glad that they gave Fin/Ice-T an engaging story, as it's been a while. His scenes with the little boy were a great reminder that Fin has this buried tender side. I actually felt really bad for him having to shoot the father.

Kudos to NBC for using trans actors to play trans roles! I'm loving that! Would love to see more of Kat delving into that side of sex crimes; her relationship with that community is so pure and wonderful. Also, am I the only one who noticed they casually outed Kat's character as bi at the top of the episode? Haha Sweet.

Mariska was on fire this episode. For starters, anyone saying she is too old or too tired to still be acting in this role has some internalized misogyny to work out. I think Mariska stays in this role specifically so that strong, aging women are realistically represented. Nobody expects someone to look the same at 30 as they do at 50. Her "What do you need?" speech to the defense attorney gave me shivers. So much acting was done with expressions in this finale, and I was so there for it.

So ... yeah. Whine all you want, but *shrug* the show consistently turns in 7.0 and up episodes every year, even in the last 3-6 yrs while some folks have been coming here to complain about things like politics, Feminists and age. I don't think Dick Wolf is one bit worried. (Who, btw, has said many times that he will basically do the show as long as Mariska is on board.)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Something Happened (2017) Season 19, Episode 7

Incredible Character Study

[10/10 · 7 March 2020]

I'm going to say up front - I love episodes like this. Dialogue driven, bottle episodes where it's just two or three characters in a vacuum for 35 minutes.

The female guest star gave an Emmy award-winning performance. I was literally riveted to my screen as she volleyed back and forth from broken to derisive, from manipulative to isolated. The anger that she brings to her performance is breathtaking, and by the time you realize where the twist of the episode is going, it's like a car going over a cliff that you can't stop.

After this episode aired, a lot of people complained that "nothing new was revealed about Olivia," as had been teased. I still can't understand how those people missed it ... Liv's monologue on the damage that her father did to her, and her *jealousy* of her brother Simon. There is something electric and dark (the thunderstorm outside the window was genius) about the way Liv basically admits that Laurel's interpretation is right. She both loved and hated her "Daddy" for what he was and what he wasn't.

This episode is a gem. I have watched it about a dozen times. More guest performances like this would be fantastic.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Alta Kockers (2018) Season 20, Episode 10

It Doesn't Get Better Than This

[9/10 · 6 March 2020]

This episode brings me to tears with every rewatch. Most SVU episodes are not so dialogue-driven, but this one does it perfectly.

Not only did they manage to loosely base Judd & Wallace's characters on Homer & Langley Collyer, they tell a heart-hitting story between two amazing brothers. This episode is at once funny, devastating, unique, strange and wonderful.

Along with Revenge and Dear Ben, this episode makes up the top three episodes of this entire season. I wish they did more episodes in this style - even the cinematography is grabbing. The only thing that keeps me from giving it 10/10 is the line from the opening where Liv says, "He's not a her ... well, not physically, anyway" because A) Liv knows better B) that is not how trans works at all and C) there were better ways that could have been worded.

Don't miss this one. Bring tissues.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Revenge (2018) Season 20, Episode 4

A++

[10/10 · 5 March 2020]

This episode is INCREDIBLY well done. Not only is their portrayal of the danger of "Incels" realistic and hard-hitting, the performances of Carol and her attacker are stellar.

The writers did such a tidy, informative job of encompassing all the important information about a danger that most probably dismiss as "silly." I mean, let's not forget, an Incel really did drive a truck up onto the sidewalk in Toronto and kill a woman because he was single. As much as some want to dismiss this episode as far-fetched ... it's not.

The twist at the end is so hard-hitting! What a poetic gut-wrench, and a perfect example of how what Incels toxically obsess over can easily be something so tiny that they miss altogether.

One of my top favorite episodes from this season. I'd even like to see them maybe revisit this topic again in future. Kudos to SVU on this one.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Caretaker (2018) Season 20, Episode 7

It Had the Potential

[7/10 · 5 March 2020]

The concept for this episode was really good - and its opening is horrific, very well done. However, the episode begins to fall flat when you realize the defense that the mother is going with.

The idea that she had to be "perfect" or else her family had to die is so laughable that the actors even struggle to get through the trial part of this episode. Liv and Rollins' emotional portrayals try hard to make up for what's lacking here, but it doesn't quite get the story over the hump.

I would have loved to see the idea of a female family annihilator done well, here, but the reasoning behind it really needed to be more compelling. The Season 8 episode, "Annihilated" is a much better written, intense portrayal of this particular type of killing.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Undiscovered Country (2018) Season 19, Episode 13

Amazing All Around

[10/10 · 23 February 2020]

The Undiscovered Country is quite possibly the best episode of SVU that has been made, and is without a doubt the best exit written for a character.

Raul Esparsza's performance, which is always stellar, is literally breathtaking. Viewers have watched his character grow and change over 6 seasons - what a perfect test of the vagaries of morality to show how much he has changed.

I felt that the guest stars' performances were also stellar. Everyone really brought their A-game to this one. The story is incredibly moving, and Barba's exit is so elegant, so human. What a gem, and a blessing Raul was to SVU. He will be sorely missed.

If you only ever watch one episode of this series, let it be this one. It will showcase every great thing that made SVU as famous and long-running as it has become.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Burden of Our Choices (2019) Season 21, Episode 4

Good to See Them Taking a Solid Side

[9/10 · 31 October 2019]

Last season, Benson was written as having a couple of very disgusting anti-choice moments (most notable in the episode "Dearly Beloved"), that nearly put me off of SVU altogether (after being a fan for pretty much the entire 20 years).

This season, I have been eagerly anticipating a chance for them to redeem themselves on this topic, so this episode was a breath of fresh air. A show like SVU (regardless of age) can't keep its head above water if it refuses to reflect the reality it lives in. And the reality right now is, North America is overwhelmingly Pro-Choice, for many different reasons.

Unlike most people who seem to be leaving reviews for SVU, I actually love and *prefer* when the show deals with political and difficult topics. Mariska, as an activist, and a woman who is openly Pro-Choice herself - not to mention Dick Wolf himself, push the show to be in the Now as much as possible.

This episode was very good, especially the acting from Kelli and Peter. I was somewhat disappointed that they chose stories where an abortion seemed more 'palatable', but it was still good to see all the characters taking the same side. The slight variations in their reasoning (age gap, faith, etc.) was also a realistic take.

Don't listen to the conservative, anti-choice haters. This episode was great - I've seen more than enough to know.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Part 33 (2019) Season 20, Episode 14

Watching since 1999 and ...

[6/10 · 11 February 2019]

I understand why many of you are disappointed in this episode (myself included). I wouldn't throw it away on a 1 star review, but it definitely falls short in several ways.

I love a good bottle show, but for starters, the case in this episode is a terrible choice for an argument about moral grey-area. Is emotional abuse as bad as physical abuse? Yes. Anyone who thinks otherwise has apparently not been paying attention since about 1985. Was it justifiable homicide? Yes. Not only that, we have seen more than a handful of other episodes with the same basic premise go down on SVU and it was hardly even a question (Persona, for example). It's not even the first time we have seen Liv struggle with the idea of perjuring herself (anyone remember American Dream/Sanctuary?).

What trips this episode up, right from the get-go, is the leap the audience is expected to take in regards to the characters' attitudes. Finn's blasé act is a lie right out of the gate, as fans are aware of him admitting his feelings on abusers in the past. Rollins was six degrees colder than usual, as well, even though we all know she can show sympathy for victims despite her family issues. And Stone? Are we really supposed to believe him calling Liv a bleeding heart, after he's spent the last 3 shows following her around like a puppy? Not only that, but him going off on the defendant on the stand? The eff is he even doing near SVU, with what he said? Gross.

I would have given this episode 8 stars, if only Liv had lied at the end. I would have loved to see her character grow more diverse that way, after 20 years in the unit. Instead, the first 40 minutes of this episode are wasted, as we watch the same old ending. Such a shame. I think a much better bottle show would have been that one where the kid ejaculates on the girl's leg, and is still taken to court for penetrative rape, if we want to watch 4 seasoned detectives (in the most sensitive unit of the entire NYPD) argue about whether victims are human or not.

Great acting, and not much else, unfortunately.