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Oh, the age old tale of studio makes a bunch of money on a movie, studio makes a sequel that no one wants.
So here's 300: Rise of an Empire, the sequel to 2007's 300.  300:RIOE was directed by Noam Murro  and it was, is, might be based off of  Frank Miller's 300 prequel miniseries, Xerxes,  that was supposed to hit shelves in 2010.

Lena Headey returns as Queen Gorgo of Sparta and Rodrigo Santoro as King Xerxes.
Joining the cast is Eva Green as Artemisia and Sullivan Stapleton as Themistocles.

Noam Murro's only other feature is 2008's Smart People. After well received commercials for Halo Reach in 2011, Murro was attached to direct Die Hard 5. Murro also has DGA awards for his Adidas’s “Carry,” Starbucks’s “Glen” and eBay’s “Toy Boat” commercials. 

Are you watching Hannibal?

Do.

(No spoilers.)

Gorgeous promotional photo.

Hannibal hits three major selling points, in my opinion. Firstly, they nailed the casting. The primary stars, Hugh Dancy, Laurence Fishbourne, and Mads Mikkelsen, are all seasoned actors. The main star of the show playing Hannibal Lecter himself, Mads Mikkelsen, is KILLER. I kid you not. His face, his acting, the writing for the role, are all perfection for his character. To add a little more kick to an already stellar cast, Gillian Anderson and Gina Torres also guest star on occasion. 

Beyond great acting, Hannibal serves up a feast for the senses. It's like watching a work of art. So much preparation and thought has gone into every detail in set design, style in clothing, and sound. I thoroughly appreciate the forethought that has clearly gone into every shot; I can see that the color of couches, walls, curtains, and clothing have all been considered and deliberately combined in all the right ways for maximum affect. 

Look at the colors of the wall, the couch, and on the two characters; 

that is what each scene is like. They are just as indulgent as the meals Hannibal himself creates.

This is directly from a scene; it's not a promotional image.

The clothing regularly ties in to the background.

Those light blues in the back of the scene tie in with the pocket kerchief. 

Blues and browns are always a beautiful combination, 

especially when the tones are just right as seen here.

Finally, the story and writing itself make this a winning show in it's uniqueness. At first glance, you might think this was a crime drama. Perhaps it is. I'm not sure. I do know that I would personally label it as more of a psychological drama. All the elements that make up Hannibal create a mood to experience as well as a story to watch. It's highly unpredictable. You never know for sure what each episode will hold or where the story will go. Will it be fearful or pensive or both? The bodies, deaths, and crime scenes are also very distinctly "Hannibal" and avoid being like other crime dramas. 

I honestly still couldn't tell you where this season is going. I just know that I want to watch the next episode and find out more. It's a show that unravels layers from each character and from the storyline through each scene; every thing has a purpose. I love that it isn't about individual episodes each week. I don't even think it's about a story arc for each season. It may be too early to tell that for sure, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that this is all about the characters' stories and how they will ultimately culminate.

Locations always have texture, pattern, and color.

A phrase often repeated is "This is my design." It is used in relation to the purposeful acts of a psychopath. It can be said that every aspect of this show is by design. For that reason, it's definitely worth sampling. You'll find yourself wanting more.

I'm very pleased that Season 2 has been confirmed. Hannibal is here for dinner; get in while it's hot.

Sincerely,

Heather

The beginning of the end is here; there's no denying it now.

With Bated Breath,

Heather