Midnight Mass

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Intrinsic

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I thought this was just great. No complaints about it being over monologue-y, it seemed fine and enough happened that no episode really dragged due to too much exposition and talking. The writing, directing, acting, all felt solid. Not perfect but a very high bar.

Also there was some incredible comedy. Not the haha kind but the show was conscious enough to allow moments of real humor to break through all the seriousness and heavy stuff found on. Not sure how to give examples without spoilers, but like in one of the last episodes where they’re leaving the church and turn the corner and Bev is there as well. The director takes an extra beat to pause and let the moment hang. It was hilarious. And there’s more examples of little things like that.

It isn’t worth dissecting the plot for me and dragging it down trying to figure out if it was pro/anti religion or any specific denomination. There were plot things, especially towards the end, I thought we’re lazy and could have been better. But due to how much I enjoyed the whole package it seems better to walk away satisfied than convince myself it wasn’t as good as I thought.

7.9/10
 
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Pescador

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This was a great show. I wish there was a bit more tension, but I understand that the slow burn was kind of the point and without the slow pacing the townspeople's actions wouldn't have been believable. Definitely captured the cult-y vibe of this isolated church community but somehow it didn't come off too preachy and anti-religion because that would have felt lazy.

Felt like it got a bit sloppy towards the end, almost like they wanted a frantic ending but didn't set things up to naturally get there and as a result the climax seemed forced. The priest really went through all that elaborate planning just to realize that
an army of vampires isn't actually God's plan, and he was somehow surprised that it turned into a chaotic bloodbath. It also was a bit lame that their entire plan was foiled by a few escapees burning the boats, plus their insane idea to burn down all except two buildings predictably backfired. If they were actually motivated it should have been pretty simply to find shelter until the next night... Oh, and the priest was actually just doing it for his love the whole time. A few too many twists and plot conveniences

Despite the complaints about the finale, still 7-8/10.
 
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Animosity

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I really enjoyed this. Almost every episode had a monologue where the acting was top notch. Mike Flanagan is doing a great job with all these horror shows he does for Netflix.
 
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nu_11

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I really enjoyed this. Almost every episode had a monologue where the acting was top notch. Mike Flanagan is doing a great job with all these horror shows he does for Netflix.
It's not really horror. Mike Flanagan takes horror settings and concepts and turns it into family drama. Which is not a bad thing because Flanagan's a decent writer and director.
 

kroenen

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Looking forward to his next Netflix series due for release 2022 called The Midnight Club:

A group of seven close terminally ill young adults resides in the Rotterdam Home hospice run by an enigmatic doctor. They meet at midnight every night to tell each other scary stories. One night they make a pact that the first one to succumb to their disease is responsible for communicating with the others beyond the grave. After one of them dies, bizarre occurrences begin
 
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Vandyn

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I thought the show was pretty good although a little dissatisfied with the ending.

Apparently nobody on the island had ever watched a vampire movie so it never occurred to any of them (including crazy Beth until the very end) that they could dig a grave for shelter from the daylight (they are already dead). Also it never occurred to the survivors to simply wait out the vampires until daylight and then burn the rec center down while they are sleeping (Beth even mentions this). They also leave the fate of the winged vampire up to the viewer to determine if it ever made it to land before daylight (assuming it didn't).

Beyond that though I still give it 7.5/10. It's an interesting take on a vampire story.
 
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Intrinsic

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I thought the show was pretty good although a little dissatisfied with the ending.

Apparently nobody on the island had ever watched a vampire movie so it never occurred to any of them (including crazy Beth until the very end) that they could dig a grave for shelter from the daylight (they are already dead). Also it never occurred to the survivors to simply wait out the vampires until daylight and then burn the rec center down while they are sleeping (Beth even mentions this). They also leave the fate of the winged vampire up to the viewer to determine if it ever made it to land before daylight (assuming it didn't).

Beyond that though I still give it 7.5/10. It's an interesting take on a vampire story.

Maybe it wasn't within the scope of the story or I just blanked out for a second, but was the motivation for the "Angel" ever discussed? Was he just hiding out for years until he found an influential / crazy enough priest to go back to an isolated place and start converting an army? Or was there any real motivation at all and everything was just the design of a human when given this ability and these choices?
 

Aldarion

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I think it was just the usual motivation for a vampire thats been buried for thousands of years, he was hungry.

Finished it, really liked this one.

Only character I dislike, after its all said and done, is the ridiculous "I'm a Good Muslim" sheriff. Literally every scene in the series, any time he opens his mouth, that is his only point. Look at me, I'm a good muslim, but I get persecuted for being a muslim! I tolerated it until he pulled that goddam madeup "Muslims love Jesus too!" shit in the PTA meeting.

Fuck you dude, Muslims don't "love Jesus too". Preaching tolerance for a minority religion shouldnt have to involve blatantly making up fake shit about it. I can respect "We think you're all wrong and going to hell but we can agree to disagree", but don't make up this "we're all the same" shit.

Pretty much every other character was great. The way the love interest went out was great.
The vampire's feeding on her and she's cutting holes in his wings. When he gets distracted, she pulls his mouth back down to her neck, like "no, keep eating, I'm almost done here". Bad ass

As far as "did the winged vampire die?", I thought that was pretty clear when the black chicks legs went numb again. The head vampire dies, all the effects of his blood go away.
 
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Animosity

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Maybe it wasn't within the scope of the story or I just blanked out for a second, but was the motivation for the "Angel" ever discussed? Was he just hiding out for years until he found an influential / crazy enough priest to go back to an isolated place and start converting an army? Or was there any real motivation at all and everything was just the design of a human when given this ability and these choices?
If Im remembering right he was just in hiding in that cave. And then he used the Priest to find him new villages to feed on and turn people essentially. They didnt seem to go any further than that.
 
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Aldarion

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The vampire's tomb was buried in the sand then a sandstorm revealed it and the priest wandered in.

I don't think they specified a time frame but I interpreted it as a long fucking time, like thousands of years or something.
 
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Intrinsic

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Thanks, that is what I mostly remembered also, was just checking. Which is perfectly fine, don't try and make up some huge bad backstory. Just go forward with the momentum. Don't need everything spelled out.
 
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Vandyn

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I think it was just the usual motivation for a vampire thats been buried for thousands of years, he was hungry.

Finished it, really liked this one.

Only character I dislike, after its all said and done, is the ridiculous "I'm a Good Muslim" sheriff. Literally every scene in the series, any time he opens his mouth, that is his only point. Look at me, I'm a good muslim, but I get persecuted for being a muslim! I tolerated it until he pulled that goddam madeup "Muslims love Jesus too!" shit in the PTA meeting.

Fuck you dude, Muslims don't "love Jesus too". Preaching tolerance for a minority religion shouldnt have to involve blatantly making up fake shit about it. I can respect "We think you're all wrong and going to hell but we can agree to disagree", but don't make up this "we're all the same" shit.

Pretty much every other character was great. The way the love interest went out was great.
The vampire's feeding on her and she's cutting holes in his wings. When he gets distracted, she pulls his mouth back down to her neck, like "no, keep eating, I'm almost done here". Bad ass

As far as "did the winged vampire die?", I thought that was pretty clear when the black chicks legs went numb again. The head vampire dies, all the effects of his blood go away.

Re: the winged vampire...that actually makes more sense. For some weird reason I assumed it was the priest dying that controlled the 'miracles' but it's wasn't his blood, it was the 'angel'.
 

Gutterflesh

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As mentioned this is a slow wordy burn, but it’s been a solid vampire story so far. I like it when flicks write vampirism as something which is grounded in science or the laws of nature and not just explained away as “magic!”

With that said the most implausible and jarring aspect of this show was the moderate Islamist sheriff that decided to move to an island full of white Catholics to escape the racism of Chicago. Fucking really? 🤡🌎

It makes zero fucking sense and is so blatantly forced that it’s hard to look past at times.

Aside from that I’m enjoying this series.
 
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Caliane

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going through this now.

I don't think the "this is not how Christian masses go" is really on target. the basic mass was spot on. Yes, the Sermons were over the top. but.. it makes sense in the context. the guy is not a normal priest. He's a "new" guy talking to a new congregation. He is also specifically charged up for Ash Wednesday. and.. he has ulterior motives.

Bigger issue I have is the island population size. Show of this type ALWAYS have this problem. 2 dedicated ferrys for at least 4 trips a day is stated in the first episode. this island has to have a population of at least 3000. Church at max capacity is like 100 people... School is treated like its 1860, with 2 teachers and 15 kids total..

Another issue is again, something that comes up ALOT in movies like this. The Muslim guy insists the miracles aren't real to his kid, because God can't work that way. specifically, God can't heal some people, while letting others get cancer. No religious person thinks like that. thats bad Atheist logic. Christians specifically have the answer to that in Grace, and Original sin. Life is suffering, and Eternal bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven is core to Christianity. Original sin. AND, Grace is given by God at his whim. you can not EARN your way into Heaven.
God does let bad things happen to good people, because this is just the beginning.
Now, I don't actually know what Muslim justification is, but I'm sure its something similar, and not that bad Atheist logic of if God lets bad things happen in our Mortal lives, then he either doesn't exist or is evil.
its so frustrating when movies/tv shows like this deal with souls, afterlife, and supernatural elements, then focus on mortal death or suffering. Characters who belief in Eternal afterlives, renouncing God due to mortal suffering. Like, if you were bitten by a vampire and turned. and, the cross, etc had a real effect on you, proving that God exists. would you say, "Fuck god, Im going to go eat people", or would that prove to you God exists, and cause you accept God into your heart, and probably commit suicide or something. (granted, not sure how the cardinal sin of suicide works when turned into a vampire..)
still going on this. not sure how the vampire rules of running water, home soil, or crosses work. the church being the epicenter, of course, suggests they don't here.


not a fan of the obnoxiously monstrous church lady. oh, and the old lady makeup/voice is super unconvincing.
 
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Caliane

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haha. this cop stopping the show dead and going on about his tragic backstory for like 10 minutes. Bro. focus. "and you want me to investigate st. patricks?" well, I mean you do have like 3 missings persons cases going on.. two of which have direct contact with the pastor via AA meetings... and this doctor comes to you with a potential conspiracy involving them..

"30 miles of water in every direction". that stopped me for a second too. thats really far. theres very few islands that far out. Nantucket is about the only one that far out. then Bermuda.

went looking and did find this island.. actually fits the previous criteria.. Ferry with 3+ stops daily, only 69 population. a single schoolhouse with 1 teacher.. highschool is on the mainland though.
 
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Caliane

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I actually viewed it as very pro-Christian inasmuch as it's a love-letter to Flanagan's memories of growing up as an altar boy as well as holding a mirror up to faith. The only character that's anti-Christian is, ironically enough, the character that likes to think of herself as a Jesus Warrior. Even the devout atheist, Riley, is sympathetic to Erin's notion of God and death.

Every episode was aligned with a biblical chapter and in each there were literal and allegorical references to the core material.
I'm not sure how you came to that, when the Christians are all wrong. Christian iconography has no effect on the vampire. Erins first notion of death is countered later by her final one, which is "we are all seemless energy, and God doesn't exist, there is just us a single energy being, and there is no self." is not a Christian notion of God or Humanity at all. thats someone watched Neon Genesis Evangelion. There is a Jewish Kabbalah for single being.
If WE are God, and not Gods Children, then, why would we need Jesus's sacrifice to enter the kingdom of Heaven? we are God. None of God's will or decrees make much sense if we are God and we return to being a single being after death either. Also NGE is an overrated piece of crap.

The themes then with the vampire.. are muddled. The Vampire wants commune on Earth. they expressly say everyone is linked through him. So... is space hivemind communism good or bad? the town itself is remote and isolated. like a persons self. is that good or bad?

Anyway, on to Chapelwaite now.
 

Hateyou

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Haven’t read anything in this thread to avoid spoilers. Have watched two episodes and a couple things were so Netflix. The mosque comments, ok I could believe that on an isolated super catholic community like that. They’d probably be even shittier than the show. The mixed race lesbian scene at the pot luck though, I was like “oh yeah fuckin right”. Even my wife who usually chides me for rolling my eyes at Netflix hyper gayness was like “uh no that community would shame the fuck out of her.”
 
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Arbitrary

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Long, slow, odd, lots of talking, couple (tiny) stumbles but very happy with this.

It a roundabout way it reminds of me Late Phases.

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Late Phases stars the guy who played Mister in Stake Land (very good vampire flick) and it has that kind of slow, dialogue driven story with supernatural elements (werewolves).
 
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Campbell1oo4

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Just binged the whole thing and for the most part I liked it. I thought it was a great example of Good Religion and Bad Religion.

It goes without saying, with the hindsight of the 21st century and all the historical information available to us, is that religion can be corrupted for earthly purposes. There are Christians in this show that clearly do that; Bev and her fanatics. But there are also good Christians in this show, namely the mother and father of the main character. They even say, after they are converted to the undead, that they never drank anyone's blood, and they die in the face of the sun in the middle of the town.

But the show definitely had some weak points in its theology, most of which have already been written about here. I'll write it out because I just finished the show and I was annoyed by it.

"How could a loving God allow such horrible things to happen!" Because life is pain. This is all preparatory and you were always going to die anyway, it doesn't matter how it happens because living a full and happy life is not the point. IDK just basic Atheist 101 stuff that 14 year olds on Reddit espouse because they think they have all the answers when they cannot even keep their bedroom clean.

Yeah, the show had a lot of strengths, but the usual SJW crap snuk in and brought it down a few notches.

the death of the main character was stupid. here watch me comit suicide in a moronic attempt to convince you to run. oh, I guess you're just going back to the island anyway.

In my opinion his sacrifice blatantly points to Christ. He gives this information to the Heroine and then dies and because he gave this information to her she is able to make the choices that help save the children and the entire world.

I thought the show was pretty good although a little dissatisfied with the ending.

Apparently nobody on the island had ever watched a vampire movie so it never occurred to any of them (including crazy Beth until the very end) that they could dig a grave for shelter from the daylight (they are already dead). Also it never occurred to the survivors to simply wait out the vampires until daylight and then burn the rec center down while they are sleeping (Beth even mentions this). They also leave the fate of the winged vampire up to the viewer to determine if it ever made it to land before daylight (assuming it didn't).

Beyond that though I still give it 7.5/10. It's an interesting take on a vampire story.

I think they didn't show the humans killing the vampire because the vampire represents Evil and human beings cannot ever destroy evil. It is an everlasting presence that must always be resisted.
 
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