AngieBee1

The fantastical biopic about British former boybander, turned successful solo artist Robbie Williams, masterfully directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman). Opting to depict the subject as an ape (because Williams has referred to himself as a performing monkey and, also, because Gracey feels humans have more sympathy for animals than their fellow humans and didn't want the fact that Williams was a celebrity to make people feel they can't connect to his story), "Better Man", on its face, is a film many don't want to take a chance on watching, but I think just writing it off because our protagonist is a CGI ape or because one is not familiar with Williams is a lost opportunity to see a spectacular film. Not only are the musical set pieces stunning, but the general story is achingly raw and beautiful. I would have never expected anything about Robbie Williams to be so amazing.

I thought the feel of it would be akin to "Dunkirk" or "1917", but it's a more rousing film. It's a salute to the enduring spirit of those who weren't on the front lines, those left behinds having to make do in the chaos of the blitz. The cinematography and scope is great; definitely should be seen in the theater if one's area has it before going to Apple+.

Could be nothing, but to me the lyrics "Another taste, another year, another place, another tear /Another chase, another sneer, without a trace, you disappear /Pick up the pace, pack up the gear /Give me some face / a souvenir" may be what Louis and Lestat's relationship looks like post finale. Louis swans in after lengthy absences, they have sex, and Louis leaves again, still never giving himself to Lestat the way Lestat has always wanted.

That's exactly what the coughing fit was. Lestat showed him how he felt about the book by choking him. As it's Daniel's documentary he likely padded his team with sycophants. Armand is his maker (and I'm not convinced Daniel was turned out of spite/anger) and I think he and people he associate with have an allegiance to Armand.

Bloopers.

I thought that woman was the one who fell for one of the brothers and Aura was with someone we had never seen prior.

I love unexpected pairings. I'm all aboard the Tenax and Cala attraction.

Autumn Brown has posted her final S2 video with an interview with Jacob Anderson. She has other videos with Sam, Assad, Delainey, Roxanne Duran (Madeleine), Eric and Luke Brandon Field (Young Daniel). I preferred the official S1 podcast over these Autumn Brown interviews. I wonder who she sold her soul to for AMC to give her the interviewing duties.

I think Lestat didn't save Claudia because he didn't want to save her. Never intended to (though Jacob Anderson feverently believes Lestat would have saved her if he had to strength to do so). He was there to get his justice for her orchestrating his "murder" and ensure Louis doesn't die. For a great number of years in their relationship, Lestat has resented Claudia and they grew to hate each other. When he defended her strength to the coven I think the weight of what was going to happen was settling on him, but he still was fine with letting it happen. I don't think things changed for him until she looked at him as she was burning that he realized that there was still that earlier love there and she was reaching out to him in her moment of pain. I think that's when he realized he did care about her. Lestat was gutted watching her die.

This is the first time we've seen Lestat. Sam Reid has said repeatedly in interviews that the show has never shown the real Lestat because we've only been getting depictions of him through other people's narrative. He said the closest to the real Lestat was probably when Armand "called" Lestat to tell him about Louis hurting himself.

I'm so glad the series was renewed, but if S2 had been the end, it would have been a beautiful and fitting end for the show. It's been an excellent season.

The fact that Louis was with Armand when Armand said one word and all the vampires went silent/collapsed in their seats as Louis and Santiago fought, but he bought that Sam with a scythe was a great threat is crazy. But then again Louis has reconfigured his memories into ones that are more palatable for him. I could see him really holding on to the notion that Armand was incapable of helping him because to deal with the reality that Armand let this happen would mean that Louis would have to leave him, but he had just lost Claudia, lost Lestat for the third time - he would rather hold on to this falsehood as rationale to remain with Armand. If he lost Armand after Claudia's death then he would truly be left with nothing. And the fact that when Daniel meets Louis he was (in Jacob Anderson or Assad Zaman's words a drug addict who got his fix by feeding on druggies) in a rough place the ensuing years after Claudia's death. Louis stayed because he had no path and Armand was there. Sam Reid has given an interview about the episode and he says the show trial was planned by Lestat, Armand, Santiago and the rest of the coven. And while Reid says Armand and Santiago were unaware that Lestat changes his mind, I would also say that Armand changed his mind, and that's why he spared Louis. I think he knew he had to sacrifice someone and Armand felt that Clauda's madness and eventual suicide would be fait accompli, so he allowed her to get killed. It makes me laugh to think that Lestat gave them all the information about his life with Claudia and Louis down to the detail of a raccoon living in their home and they thought so much about that detail that the vamps added it to their projection.

They did it to torture her while they prep for the trial. In episode 4 Gustave does a whole wall of exposition / Chekhov's gun moment about the rat contraption and knowing when they reach the body's heart. They have been feeding on people and vicious. She would not have been able to fight them off to feed on them. She was being eaten alive. I knew the story about the rat contraption would have to pay off, but I was hoping Claudia would use it on one of the vamps. Now for Louis' fire gift to pay off.

While I don't put it past Armand to have tweaked some areas of Louis' memories, Louis has rejiggered his memories on his own in order to bring himself peace of mind. S1 he told Daniel Claudia couldn't burn Lestat, when after some prodding he faces up to that it was him who wouldn't allow Claudia to burn him. That he was more broken by killing Lestat than he let on. I can see why he would downplay how adamant he was for Lestat to turn Claudia because it would be facing the reality that he condemned her to a life he didn't even enjoy. He was warned, but he needed salvation for himself and Claudia so he pushed for her to be turned. Then as time went on and he was faced with her reality of being in a body that never matured, seeing people live lives she couldn't have like have children - he had to bury his participation. In episode 5 when Louis and Armand argue and Armand - mimicking Louis - says, 'Everyone wronged me." That's how Louis operates. It's easier for him to not own his participation in his pain.

What a showcase for Sam Reid. Sublime. I am sure there will be people who will use the events outlined in this episode to feel vindicated that Lestat wasn't as bad as Louis put forth in S1, but for me the tenor and tone hasn't changed especially in regards to the fight in S1E05.