Rian Johnson Recruited A Modern Master Of Horror For Poker Face

Rian Johnson Recruited A Modern Master Of Horror For Poker FaceShow more

This article contains spoilers about "Poker Face" Episode 5. Rian Johnson's Peacock series, "Poker Face," has a lot of fun with original murder mysteries that end before each episode ends. It is similar to "Murder, She Wrote", or "Columbo", but Natasha Lyonne does her own mystery-solving magic. Each episode is different and Johnson only directed a few episodes. He also hired some highly skilled people to take over the helming duties. Episode 5, "Time of the Monkey", finds Charlie Cale (Lyonne), working in a nursing home. She is on the run from sinister criminals as well as the cops. It's...

This article contains spoilers about "Poker Face" Episode 5. Rian Johnson's Peacock series, "Poker Face," has a lot of fun with original murder mysteries that end before each episode ends. It is similar to "Murder, She Wrote", or "Columbo", but Natasha Lyonne does her own mystery-solving magic. Each episode is different and Johnson only directed a few episodes. He also hired some highly skilled people to take over the helming duties. Episode 5, "Time of the Monkey", finds Charlie Cale (Lyonne), working in a nursing home. She is on the run from sinister criminals as well as the cops. It's a dark 1970s-flavored delight courtesy of Lucky McKee, horror director. Johnson's other murder mysteries are quite different in tone from "Poker Face." It's lighter and more funny than "Brick", but not as satirical or as amusing as "Knives Out" and "Glass Onion." There is a little bit of a tightrope between the dark humor, the horror of the murders, and who better than the man who directed and wrote "May," a classic contemporary horror film? If you haven't seen "May" yet and like horror, you should. McKee is a master of horror. He even directed an episode of Mick Garris’ "Masters of Horror" series. His genre-inspired touch made "Time of the Monkey", the best episode of Poker Face yet. King Of Directing Killer Women The series' most sinister villains, "Time of the Monkey", features Joyce Harris (S. Epatha Melkerson) and Irene Smothers(Judith Light). These two hilarious felons grow cannabis in their closets and appear to be the coolest women on the planet. However, when you learn that they attempted to kill prep school students with homemade crockpot bombs, it is a shocking revelation. After a long battle Joyce and Irene almost kill Charlie, but they do manage to kill two more people before being caught. They are both frightening and surprisingly friendly, which McKee is known for. McKee's debut feature, "May", stars Angela Bettis playing May, a socially awkward, outcast woman who struggles to make friends and fetishizes other people's bodies. Bettis's performance was amazing, but McKee's direction and script portray her as a sympathetic character, even though she is horrific. His movies often feature a wicked woman, whether it's Pollyanna McIntosh in "The Woman", or the spellcasting sisters at the heart of "All Cheerleaders Die". McKee is able to transform even the most evil woman into a fully-formed character. This makes McKee a master of the art of making women look real. There are many movies and shows about male antiheroes. It's always exciting to see more women get their chance at being villains. Charlie Challenged by Charismatic Killers "Time of the Monkey," opens with 1970s-style credits. The flower-power sunglasses don't even come off. It's a wonderful throwback that doesn't feel forced. There are timeless songs, cinematography that harkens back at the glory days of "Columbo", and many visual delights that remind the audience that the 1970s were never over. Charlie initially finds himself drawn to their retro rebellion. Joyce and Irene are old ladies goals. Except for the murder/attempted terrorist part. Both Merkerson and Light have been serialized procedural pros for many years. Merkerson starred in "Law Order" over the years while Light was a recurring character on "Law Order: SVU". But this time, they get to be villains and not just law and order. They are clearly having fun being the baddies, and McKee's direction allows them to do so in a safe and secure environment. Nora Zuckerman, co-showrunner of "Poker Face," explained to Variety that Charlie and the audience should like Joyce and Irene first. This makes McKee's cinematic abilities even more important. "You want her friends with these beautiful women, and to ride or die with them. But instead, they break your...