88 posts tagged with dystopia.
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Book: Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
If "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" is your kind of language game, then Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea (2001) might be your kind of book. On the small coastal island of Nollop, named for Nevin Nollop, the supposed creator of the pangram* about the dog and the fox, a cenotaph bearing the famous sentence is falling apart, letter by letter. The town council decides that destroying letters is Nollop's divine will, and bans the use of each letter as it falls to the ground--with increasingly draconian punishments for anyone caught reading, writing, or speaking them. Can a a few desperate townspeople save language--and themselves--from these letter-perfect theocrats?
* Pangram: "A phrase, sentence, or verse composed of all the letters of the alphabet." [more inside]
Movie: Minority Report
John Anderton is a top 'Precrime' cop in the late-21st century, when technology can predict crimes before they're committed. But Anderton becomes the quarry when another investigator targets him for a murder charge. [more inside]
Severance: The You You Are Season 1, Ep 4
Irving finds an intriguing book at work. Helly aggressively pursues a meeting with her Outie. Mark attends a funeral with Ms. Selvig. [more inside]
Mystery Science Theater 3000: PARTS: THE CLONUS HORROR Rewatch Season 8, Ep 11
Re-rewatch! The evil organization of this movie raises dumb clones of important people, like senators, to serve as sources of spare body parts. It was the kind of movie premise that seemed plausible in 1979, I guess. What happens when the senator gets voted out? Costs a lot of money to keep a clone in feed when it might not even be needed. In subplot news, Pearl and minions babysit a trio of god children. Previously, and again.
Severance: In Perpetuity Season 1, Ep 3
Mark takes the team on a field trip, but Helly continues to rebel. A deteriorating Petey struggles to tell Mark about Lumon's misdeeds.
Severance: Half Loop Season 1, Ep 2
The team train new hire Helly on macrodata refinement. Mark takes a day off to meet with a mysterious former colleague
Severance: Good News About Hell Season 1, Ep 1
Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs. [more inside]
The Silent Sea: The Silent Sea (Full Season) Season 1, Ep 0
During a perilous 24-hour mission on the moon, space explorers try to retrieve samples from an abandoned research facility steeped in classified secrets. (Netflix) [more inside]
Intergalactic: Season 1 Season 1, Ep 0
In the outskirts of outer space, a fearless young cop and galactic pilot finds her life changed forever when she is accused of treason.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: ALIEN FROM L.A. Rewatch Season 5, Ep 16
Re-rewatch! At the center of the earth lies, apparently, a lost colony of Australians, living, also apparently, in a half-baked version of the techno-dystopia from the Super Mario Bros movie. Into this falls Wanda Saknussemm, played by supermodel Kathy Ireland, here cast as a high-pitched nerd girl. You know those movies where all a young woman has to do to be popular is lose the spectacles and wear a swimsuit? That's the story here, although it also involves falling down a "bottomless pit," running for her life from an oppressive government and their fiendish "Lotto," and a person with three-inch eyelashes. Also: the movie has a sequel, it turns out! Previously, and again.
Trepalium: Season One Season 1, Ep 0
The economic situation is a nightmare: only 20% of the population is employed. The Actives live inside the city. On the fringes, in the Zone, live the Jobless. Separating them is a wall. [more inside]
Mystery Science Theater 3000: STRANDED IN SPACE Rewatch Season 3, Ep 5
Rewatch! An astronaut survives a crash, but on waking up Earth doesn't seem to be as he remembers it... it turns out he's on "Terra," on the other side of the sun from Earth, which is a lot like Earth in a lot of ways (lots of Chryslers, for example), but is being run by one of those dystopian states that everyone was afraid of before we realized the fall of civilization would take the form of a social media meltdown. Previously
Movie: WALL-E
In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. [more inside]
Book: The Girl at the End of the World
Scarlett's 15th birthday started so normally, a Dodgers game with her dad. 48 hours later she was one of the last people left alive on earth. Reading about a pandemic during a pandemic sure is fun! It's a light, quick read with an ending that I found kind of hopeful and uplifting.
Book: A Song for a New Day
In this captivating science fiction novel from an award-winning author, public gatherings are illegal making concerts impossible, except for those willing to break the law for the love of music, and for one chance at human connection. In the Before, when the government didn't prohibit large public gatherings, Luce Cannon was on top of the world. One of her songs had just taken off and she was on her way to becoming a star. Now, in the After, terror attacks and deadly viruses have resulted in the government outlawing public gatherings of more than 30 people, and an economy pretty much owned by an online superstore. [more inside]
The Purge: Season Two Season 2, Ep 0
Revolving around a 12-hour period when all crime, including murder, is legal, the spinoff to the film series is set in an altered America ruled by a totalitarian political party. This season once again follows several seemingly unrelated characters living in a small city as The Purge unfolds. Season two also follows the activities of the NFFA, a government surveillance agency that monitors the action on Purge Night.
Book: Shades of Grey
From the author of the Thursday Next series and Early Riser: Welcome to Chromatacia, where the societal hierarchy is strictly regulated by one's limited color perception. And Eddie Russet wants to move up. But his plans to leverage his better-than-average red perception and marry into a powerful family are quickly upended. Juggling inviolable rules, sneaky Yellows, and a risky friendship with an intriguing Grey named Jane who shows Eddie that the apparent peace of his world is as much an illusion as color itself, Eddie finds he must reckon with the cruel regime behind this gaily painted façade.
Movie: High Life
Monte and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system. They must now rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.
Claire Denis's latest. In space. In English. Insane. Monte (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter, last survivors on a spaceship, hurtle to the oblivion of a black hole. Sounds simple, maybe depressing, maybe tense, right? Oh but it's so much more. Or maybe not. Or maybe not happening at all. Or it's the ultimate reduction of humanity's destiny, contained in a box for us to watch. For fans of all-things-Denis, Pattinson, or Binoche. Similar in feel to some 70s slow dystopian space-thingy. Think Tarkovsky, Silent Running, Man Who Fell To Earth crossed with Trouble Every Day, and/or Bastards
The Handmaid's Tale: Useful Season 3, Ep 3
June navigates a meeting where she must face both Commander Waterford and Nick; Serena Joy attempts to recuperate at her mother's home; Lawrence teaches June a hard lesson about the difficult decisions he makes as a Commander. [more inside]
The Handmaid's Tale: Mary and Martha Season 3, Ep 2
June helps the Marthas with a dangerous task while navigating a relationship with her pious new walking partner; Emily and Luke struggle with their altered circumstances. [more inside]
The Society: Season 1 Season 1, Ep 0
A group of teenagers struggles to survive after they're mysteriously transported to a replica of their wealthy town with no trace of their parents.
Book: All Our Wrong Todays
You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we’d have? Tom Barren lives there, in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases. But then, via a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland.
The Handmaid's Tale: "The Word" Season 2, Ep 13
Serena and the other Wives strive to make change; Emily learns more about her new Commander; Offred faces a difficult decision.
The Handmaid's Tale: "Postpartum" Season 2, Ep 12
Offred is sent to a familiar place; Nick is rocked by Gilead's brutal response to a crime; Emily is assigned to a mysterious new house.
The Handmaid's Tale: "Holly" Season 2, Ep 11
Offred faces a grueling challenge alone as she recalls her life as a mother; Serena and the Commander deal with the fallout of their actions towards Offred.
The Handmaid's Tale: The Last Ceremony Season 2, Ep 10
A frustrated Serena becomes desperate; The Commander tries to make amends with Offred; Nick pushes Eden farther away; Offred is faced with an unexpected reunion.
Movie: Fahrenheit 451
In an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task. [more inside]
The Handmaid's Tale: "Smart Power" Season 2, Ep 9
The Waterfords embark on a diplomatic trip abroad; Serena faces the temptation of life outside Gilead; Luke and Moira grapple with survivor's guilt; Offred seeks support from allies.
The Handmaid's Tale: "Women's Work" Season 2, Ep 8
A sick baby tests Offred and Serena; Janine finally faces Naomi.
The Handmaid's Tale: "After" Season 2, Ep 7
An attack sends shockwaves through both Gilead and Little America; Serena makes a dangerous choice; Moira searches for someone from her past.
The Handmaid's Tale: "First Blood" Season 2, Ep 6
Offred finds unexpected allies and obstacles in her search for a way to protect Hannah; The Commander prepares for the dedication of a new Red Center; Nick struggles with his new assignment.
Movie: A Clockwork Orange
In the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned. [more inside]
The Handmaid's Tale: "Seeds" Season 2, Ep 5
Offred spirals as a Gilead ceremony disrupts her relationship with Nick; Janine tries to adjust to life in the Colonies, jeopardizing her friendship with Emily.
The Handmaid's Tale: "Other Women" Season 2, Ep 4
A baby shower provokes a troubling shift in June's relationship with Serena Joy, as she reckons with the choice she made to become a Handmaid.
The Handmaid's Tale: Baggage Season 2, Ep 3
Offred reflects on her relationship with her mother as she navigates her way through Gilead. In Little America, Moira tries to cope with the trauma she endured. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 10: Blood (Sangue) Season 2, Ep 10
Last-minute setbacks force Fernando and Joana to improvise. As chaos erupts on the day of the Process, Michele concocts a plan of her own. (Season finale) [more inside]
3%: Chapter 09: Necklace (Colar) Season 2, Ep 9
While Rafael, Fernando, and Joana forge ahead with their plan, Michele discovers a shocking secret about the Offshore's past. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 08: Frogs (Sapos) Season 2, Ep 8
Joana finds herself at the mercy of a figure from her past, Michele is led to a remote hiding place, and Marcela receives an unexpected invitation. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 07: Fog (Névoa) Season 2, Ep 7
Fernando finds an unlikely new ally. Michele undergoes a mysterious procedure. A crisis leaves Rafael torn between Elisa and his mission. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 06: Bottles (Garrafas) Season 2, Ep 6
As the hunt for Cause members heats up, Gloria wrestles with raging doubts, Michele and Joana search for the bomb, and Fernando makes a defiant move. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 05: Lamp (Lampião) Season 2, Ep 5
Michele and the others discover another side to Ezequiel as he retakes his turbulent journey from Process No. 80 to the present. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 04: Napkin (Guardanapo) Season 2, Ep 4
Ivana and Joana subject their captives to grueling interrogations to find out who's telling the truth. Marcela reaches out to an Inlander for help. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 03: Static (Ecstática) Season 2, Ep 3
Desperate to protect Gloria, Fernando realizes there's another way to stop the Process. Michele and Rafael separately try to contact the Cause. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 02: Toaster (Torradeira) Season 2, Ep 2
As Rafael races to score a spot on the Inland squad, flashbacks recap his first year in the Offshore. Fernando reluctantly coaches Process hopefuls. [more inside]
3%: Chapter 01: Mirror (Espelho) Season 2, Ep 1
With days to go before the next Process, Joana tries to prove herself to the leader of the Cause, and Michele faces an ultimatum from Ezequiel. [more inside]
The Handmaid's Tale: "Unwomen" Season 2, Ep 2
Offred adjusts to a new way of life; the arrival of an unexpected person disrupts the colonies; a family is torn apart by the rise of Gilead.
The Handmaid's Tale: "June" Season 2, Ep 1
Offred reckons with the consequences of a dangerous decision while haunted by memories from her past and the violent beginnings of Gilead.
Movie: Ready Player One
When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.
Movie: Gattaca
A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel. [more inside]
Altered Carbon: Season 1 Complete, Books Included. Books Included Season 1, Ep 0
It's probably much too late, but it's clear we need a space for book readers and binge-watchers to spoil heavily about Netflix's Altered Carbon adaptation. [more inside]
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