Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (TV Series) Lot 36 (2022) User Reviews

Thanks a lot, 36.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

The first entry in 'Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities (2022)' is 'Lot 36 (2022)', the story of a curmudgeonly veteran who finds more than he bargained for in a storage unit purchased after its owner's death. The piece starts out strong, crafting a palpable atmosphere filled with believable characters almost right away. Tim Blake Nelson is excellent as the (very) flawed protagonist, bringing a tangible grit and subtle wit to his otherwise unlikable role. With its excellent set design and sound work, the affair draws you into its world with ease. It spends a lot of time on its build-up, which initially feels refreshing and promises a finale worth a slow-burn. However, the climax doesn't deliver on that promise. In fact, it's rather unrewarding. The thing feels as though it's missing a proper third act. It's less successful in retrospect because you know exactly where it's been leading all along (though you may be able to guess how it's going to end as soon as a certain character gives a certain item to a certain someone else). The climax isn't bad, don't get me wrong; there's some gooey, otherworldly design elements that are genuinely disquieting. It's just that it doesn't live up to the hype the first two acts accidentally build for it. It's also a little incongruous, with the piece struggling to tie its realism and fantasy together in a successful way. Still, it's a solid effort overall. Despite its flawed structure, it has a strong atmosphere and looks great from the moment it begins. It also holds your attention right until the very end. With a bit more focus on its finale, it could have been great. As it is, it's good.

Old school horror but should have something more

[ladyliliroche · 6/10 · 25 October 2022]

Has that old school horror vibes. The premise is pretty basic plus you kinda know that the guy has it coming due to him being such a jerk.

I would like more mysteries and occults thing, rather than the abrupt ending. It kinda feel hollow and just not that interesting. Especially since the opener has that interesting snake thing.

The monster design is good but when I thought it would get more interesting, it just ended that easily and nothing else after that.

Pretty good episode but would like a bit more. Everything felt kinda poorly forced towards the end. How could the jerk guy not freak out towards the end and walk carelessly like that.

I feel sorry for the poor occultist though.

Left wanting more.

[W011y4m5 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

Whilst extremely well made from a technical point of view (boasting really impressive production design & cinematography etc.), I can't help but feel as though Guillermo Del Toro's "Cabinet of Curiosities" gets off to a fairly muted start here, beginning with "Lot 36" which - although decent - lacks anything particularly punchy which could leave a lasting impression on audiences.

This is mostly because - in my opinion - the narrative feels frustratingly basic; yes, I'm aware the show is an anthology series (each installment telling a self contained story within the space of 1 hour each) but when you compare it to arguably the most well known alternative that's also on Netflix's streaming service ("Black Mirror"), it does sadly pale in comparison. Of course, they're both telling different genres of tales, but when one manages to imbue so much complexity & subversion in to the same amount of time, I am left wondering why this is so annoyingly simple? There are no clever plot twists or moments which feel especially challenging... We're just provided with a fairly straightforward, forgettable fable - & as the new series' debut launch, playing is so safe - so soon - does admittedly seem rather unwise, creatively.

Lacklustre

[Drank22 · 6/10 · 27 October 2022]

Sorta disappointed by this episode.

The atmosphere and setup was all there, but the ending just felt so rushed and empty that ultimately the whole episode falls flat.

I also didn't find the acting here very convincing, but perhaps it was just the writing/dialogue that made it come off that way. Some actions here don't really make any sense ("oh there's a dead body in a satanic circle in this creepy tunnel behind my storage locker but let me just walk over that right away and grab a book") and the main character is unlikeable to the point that it's hard to believe someone would act that way and feels very forced-but maybe that's part of the lesson this episode is trying to convey.

However, it's all fine as surely we're building to a shocking and satisfying conclusion where the bad guy gets what's coming.... Not really. This episode just ends so abruptly that both the person I was watching it with and myself audibly asked "is that it?". We get like maybe 2 minutes with the creature and then the guy gets eaten and that's it. Pulled the plug way too soon and you're left with the thought of what exactly was the point of this episode.

However, the set design is there, the cinematography and directing is all good as well. It definitely has that creepy feel and the storage locker setting works well for the scary factor. Even the monster/demon design is very well done and the CGI is very good. Unfortunately it's just not taken advantage of enough in this episode.

I'll try the other episodes as each one is different and the production design is there, so hopefully we can get some better written episodes that don't end just as soon as it starts getting good.

A somewhat disappointing start.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 27 October 2022]

Nick Appleton, a disillusioned ex veteran buys a lot with unexpected contents, and gets a lot more than he bargained for.

I was very excited about this series, Guillermo del Toro is a legend, a true talent, but this first episode, left me a little cold.

It takes a very long time to get going, and after a very slow start, plodding build up, the ending, which is actually pretty good, just isn't enough to save this opening episode.

You cannot fault the production, acting or visuals, Tim Blake Nelson was very, very good, he made Nick entirely loathsome, racist, nasty, maybe most of the viewers cheered at the end.

The conclusion is the highlight, those scenes were bleak, creepy and superbly made, that creature was pretty horrific.

It's no Black Mirror, but if you like shows such as Tales from The Crypt, you may just enjoy this. Hopefully it'll be on an upward trajectory after this one.

6/10.

Ordinary--Zone Like

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 27 October 2022]

Like so many of these horror-anthology series from Twilight Zone to Tales from the Crypt, it takes a lot to bring something new to the table. The principle character is an insensitive racist pig who buys a storage unit which has been defaulted on. When he goes to take some of the stuff out, he finds some very strange things. But the most valuable is a seance table which has drawers containing some books the subject of which is necromancy. He is utterly impatient and this proves his undoing. I do have one question. When they view the videotape, why did the old man start hopping? There's too much here without a good foundation. Still, it's fun to see such a series.

Slow start

[pipsis03 · 27 October 2022]

The classic horror tropes "don't listen to advice" and "I'm so indifferent it drives me to my doom" further the plot in this episode. These tropes can be done well but they made the story unbelievable and too convenient. I agree with the other reviews on the ending coming too soon.

My stars come from the visuals, CGI and atmosphere. Tim Blake Nelson was also convincing as a racist and unlikable army vet. His character is a bit of a caricature though and the script felt rigid at times.

Guillermo Navarro has been a part of the Night at the Museum-saga and I got the same vibe from this episode: narrow storage spaces filled with old stuff.

The Low Rating Confuses Me

[DYouKnowWhatIMean · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

We have a complete narrative, with a good atmosphere. For me, it hits a lot of the horror beats that I want from any story. The character endings are earned. The tale is completed.

Could the villain have been around a bit longer, sure and maybe could we have known something more of the lore, always. But the time is limited. What we do have is a solid story with a good, yet briefly appearing monster. The performances land. The intrigue of what's in the storage area drives the entire episode and leads to a satisfying enough conclusion.

We are left with questions, it's not a perfectly wrapped bow. But I don't see how the rating deserves anything less than a 7/10.

Loved it

[nicci1972 · 8/10 · 25 October 2022]

Perfect amount of gore And suspense. Of course, there is your typical "do something stupid" or "don't listen to the expert" to advance the plot but the day horror movies figure out how to move the story without those crutches is a new day indeed. I also never thought about what happens to these storage spaces when people pass so that was also interesting to me. I also would have bartered for more money because the German gentleman was absolutely thrilled about the purchases. Although, as I always say, I would never find myself in a horror movie situation, so I might have just wanted whatever was offered as well. Enjoyed.

Shaky start

[omarnq · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

The idea and execution of the episode is pretty interesting, but I believe it was a mistake to have the characters speak in political jargon from 2022. If the episode was set in the current year it would have been more effective and poignant. I just don't see people from the 80s or 90s using the term "white rage" That aside I did enjoy the episode, it has very solid acting and the premise is genuinely creepy. But I must admit that my favorite part was the introduction by Guillermo del Toro it just hit all the right notes with me. His look and voice are very iconic and I wish we could see him acting more often.

It's missing something, Hope it get's better

[herminiobraz-10996 · 5/10 · 25 October 2022]

It may be the short runtime or the writers did not know how to finish the story in a satisfying way but it feels like it's missing something.

While there is some story development, it is mostly done through dialogue (exposition) and not by showing the audience, making it hard to relate to any of the characters. This is exacerbated by an unlikable protagonist (though the acting is quite good) and mostly unlikable secondary characters.

I believe the intent was to create a "be careful what you wish for" or a "greed is bad" story but in the end that is not what I was left with, I was left with "it's okay to be an a#-hole as long as you do it to a bad person, even if you cause their death". By the time the credits rolled all i could say was "that's it".

Weak start, hope it get's better!!

Simple but effective

[jpismyname · 8/10 · 30 October 2022]

Lot 36 is about a cynical, disagreeable ex-veteran who buys a storage lot and sells its contents to a vintage collector to pay his debts.

Lots 36 has a simple, old-fashioned story. The climax truly scared me, it was effective. I mean what else can I say in 600 characters? The acting and cinematography are also good. If you're expecting a story full of twists and turns though, then this isn't it. The story ended abruptly, I was like, "Ok. Is that it or is there more?" Well, that was it. But it scared me though.

I still give this an 8 because it is an effective short horror story, at least for me. Reminds me kinda of an old-fashioned Stephen King short story.

Lot 36

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

I absolutely loved The Twilight Zone, Tales From The Crypt, Are You Afraid of The Dark, any of these kinds of shows so I was excited about a new one starting.

This was a lot more raw and gritty than those kinds of shows and yet still had a fun and entertaining story.

It kind of did go a little bit off the rails when we ended up with a demon you might see on Stranger Things or a show like that, but they had me hooked until the end. And I guess if you can laugh at a monster it is not the worst thing in the world, you could have had a situation that bored you in its place, which would've been worse.

What a Disappointment

[frankelee · 3/10 · 30 October 2022]

Ironic that a mini-series attached to a famous director would have such terrible direction in the first episode. Even the basic physicality of what happens is so clueless, it was rather surprising at first until I got used to it. Two quick examples: in the very first scene a man sloppily chopping up a rabbit carcass brusquely pushes over the already hacked up parts from the first half of the rabbit off his chopping board, the clumsy act causing the rabbit's head to fall on the floor.

The man looks down as if surprised that this would happen, which was kind of funny, but then reaching down for the head he has a heart attack and dies. As he falls over he puts his hand on the counter where he was butchering the rabbit, and then as he goes unconscious his hand falls back off it, followed by all the rabbit parts falling onto him too. But there was no physical reason for them too. Now this is the sort of subtle thing I bet a lot of audience members didn't notice, but the director should! (XD)

If his hand had pulled down a cutting board and spilled the rabbit parts, that would have made sense, or if he was collecting them on wax paper, and he pulled the paper down. Or if they had been in a bowl and he upset the bowl, that would have worked. But nope, the rabbit parts just defy physics for a few seconds and jump off the counter themselves. As Ed Wood said, "nobody will ever notice, filmmaking is about the big picture."

Then a few minutes later our main character is walking through a parking lot while approached by a soulful old Mexican lady. And the director wanted him to be surprised maybe as they came together, like he wasn't paying attention and was startled, but it's filmed so she comes within about 10 feet of him, as he's not really distracted at all, and for no reason whatsoever he's like, "WOAH!" and holds his hand up like they're about to collide violently. It's some serious community theater level blocking. Except it's ten times worse because this is being filmed, and it's ten times easier to not fail so horribly because you can cut, change angles with the camera, and all other sorts of things. It was jarringly bad. Amateur level direction.

Anyway the main actor basically has the affect of Harrison Ford when he did that voice over for Blade Runner. I won't jump to conclusions about his acting though, as the script is comically bad and it's obvious the director may not be a professional level talent. I mean this guy's first scene was listening to a racist rant on talk radio and then being like, "Hell yea brother." Like he's playing a Klansman in a Scary or Die short film or something. And the writing never improves, so I can understand the actor just having no idea how to play it, no idea how to get in this character's head. Because he is a comedy character in a show where you're not supposed to laugh. A great actor like Judy Dench or Charlton Heston could imbue this role with some subtext and deeper character, but that's not many people who have that kind of talent. And this actor is holding onto this role with two fingers and his arm outstretched like it's a smelly piece of dirty laundry. He is imbuing none of himself into it.

There's some cringe stuff trying to be topical about race (a little history lesson, we didn't say "brown people" in the early 90s, white people would have been afraid that was offensive, and it wasn't offensive so racist white people wouldn't have said it either. It was only two decades later we really started using that term.) and it's just your usual Netflix fare. I mean many of us watched Christian programming with heavy handed religious morality and it was terrible too. I think they basically have to throw it in, in order to get by Netflix producers.

Without spoiling anything, the ending has equally atrocious physical direction and the main character remains equally disinterested about life no matter how supernatural things become.

(Oh, okay, one little specific point about the ending, can somebody give that soulful little old Mexican lady a ride home?!? She's been stuck there all day! It's raining!)

Creepy, Grounded, But Not There Yet...

[alexbigaliy · 26 October 2022]

'Lot 36' was a decent start to the 'Cabinet of Curiosities', but did not quite meet my expectations. Contrary to what many reviewers think, I loved the slow, grounded approach to this story, however I agree that the pacing should have been adjusted to avoid cramming that ending into the last few minutes. At its best, 'Lot 36' was tense, suspenseful, and somewhat intriguing. The episode has an interesting yet basic concept, and I found almost all of the performances to be pretty solid. I didn't understand why the protagonist was made to be an absolute jerk... it really made him not relatable and prevented me from rooting for him in the end. 'Lot 36', coming from Guillermo Navarro, a cinematographer, was really nicely shot and overall the soundtrack was unsettling and subtle.

I rate this one a 6.5/10, because it just took too long to get good and just when it did... it ended. I cannot say I did not enjoy this, but there was really no scare factor and this concept could have executed much better. I am sure there are better entries to come but 'Lot 36' was not just there yet.

Off to a great start...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 9 November 2022]

The first episode in the "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities" series, titled "Lot 36", by writers Regina Corrado and Guillermo del Toro, was really a rather interesting way of starting off the series.

I loved the atmosphere in this episode, and the way that director Guillermo del Toro slowly build up the tension. It was a great way of slowly layering up the suspense and the horror.

There was a lot of attention to detail in this episode, and a lot of things to take in visually. And that give this episode that particular worth of being able to be seen over and over.

Leading actor Tim Blake Nelson really carried the episode phenomenally with his performance.

And the visuals in "Lot 36" were really interesting and good.

My rating of the first episode of The first episode in the "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities" series, titled "Lot 36", lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities: Lot 36 (1.1)

[nebohr · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

I think I saw one of those cabinets in an IKEA furniture showroom! I'm so glad that my wife talked me out of buying it for our home. Though she did say that it would be a wonderful piece for my mum's. Hmmm...

The intro does a good job of getting viewers into the mood.

When Nick's pickup truck comes to the first stoplight I am thinking to myself: The writers are getting us to feel a strong dislike for this character. Let's see where this is headed.

Lamest hopscotch game ever.

Cinematography is very good. Good effects. Decent story and acting. TV show weight for what is basically a bottle episode.

Sub-Lovecraftian series opener

[RogerRoger77 · 6/10 · 6 November 2022]

It's a bit of a head-scratcher why this was chosen as the first episode of the series, as it simply isn't very strong. On the positive side, there are some ok ideas here - something mysterious in a storage unit, just waiting to be unleashed by an unwary buyer. Some reasonable atmosphere is also built up in the first half. The special effects at the end are also pretty good.

But it's all let down by an undercooked and underdeveloped script. The main character is a racist jerk, but is sketched out in a very one-dimensional way - we first meet him listening to some blowhard racist on the radio, which is the script's very unsubtle way of telling us he is a Bad Man. However, while he is very brusque and rude throughout, he never does anything truly terrible that means he 'deserves' his ultimate fate. His life is on the line because of an unpaid debt to some shady characters, so it's actually understandable that he would be somewhat short and impatient with everyone, as he desperately tries to make enough money to pay it off.

His one truly 'bad' act is not allowing an old Mexican woman access to a storage unit he has bought so that she can find her family possessions. But the reason he was mistakenly sold her storage unit is the fault of the (corrupt) storage place's manager for thinking the woman had abandoned it, not his, so though he may not be very sympathetic, he isn't really the main culprit in her misfortune.

The final act is also very rushed. It degenerates into some nonsense about the search for a missing supernatural book - yet another Necronomicon knock-off - and even more clichéd references to Nazis and the occult. And what on earth was the bizarre hopping ritual of the storage unit's original owner supposed to be about?

The ending was also a bit of a damp squib. As noted, the special effects (of the finale's demon) were actually decent, but it really was nothing more than a brief chase down some dark corridors, culminating in a grisly end for our 'hero'. The Mexican woman makes a final appearance, though why she was still hanging around the storage facility hours later - when we knew she hadn't been allowed to go into the storage unit she wanted to - is anybody's guess.

So, while not terrible, a pretty mediocre episode to launch a new series.

Starte Rough but Ended Great

[DuskShadow · 7/10 · 1 November 2022]

Theres that good ol fashioned wotk Del Toro is so known for. The look of things, the feel. Its like I am rewatching the first Hellboy film with Ron PEarlman all over again in some ways. SLight ways.

But if this episode is any indicator of the kind of entertaining, and immersive stuff that I grew up with, like Tales From the Crypt, then I am all for it.

One thing is that I really wish this had been made into a full movie, or a tv series on its own regarding the subject matter. So many try to make movies about this subject matter, but they get ruined wiht cheap jump scares, tacky "thrills", and not much substance. The latter half of this episode was more enjoyable than most horror movies ever made tbh. At least better than a third or more by far ) ELts be real, theres tons of B grade, C grade, and yes D grade horor films that have been made). Good job DEL TORO!

Amaziing start

[JonyVeana · 10/10 · 18 November 2022]

Everything Del Toro touches is gold, so it's obvious this is a 10/10, people saying otherwise are wrong like always, a lot of people here is always wrong, but you can trust in me the most imparcial men in the internet, Blake Nelson was great as a redneck, he is always a redneck, he is rascist and basically a bad human being, he is going to get in trouble for that. The acting is super b and the 3 minutes effect was amazing, great cgi congratulations to Del Toro and the director that he always work with him, excited for the rest of episode of this 10/10 collection, everyone saying 3/10 1/10 6/10 it's wrong my guys.

Alot 36

[loiktremblay · 7/10 · 2 November 2022]

Anthologies are always a mixed bag, the ratio of good vs bad segment is what determine if it's good or not. With Lot 36,the concept of something hidden in a storage room is great. Occult stuff, Nazi war criminal and hidden rooms ? Count me in. The creature is also amazing, I like that it's more Lovecraftian than your typical demon (it's Guillermo anthology and it shows). The bad mostly come from the characters.

The main character completely ignoring the bound demon on the floor and the big ass circle was just contrived and weird. Did they really need to make him a right wing racist ? It brings nothing to story except a weird gotcha moment at the end. I know that lady was pissed that he wouldn't give her back her things but did he really need to die for it ? If scumbags getting their comeuppance is a theme in the story what didn't the storage lot owner didn't get his too ?

This segment should've been about greed and nothing else.

I really wanted to like this

[petewood-59951 · 1/10 · 7 November 2022]

A great premise that could have been told in a little over twenty minutes like most episodes of Alfred Hitchcock and the Twilight Zone. Instead it drags and drags and drags thanks to padding, illogical moves by the characters, and scenes that just aren't needed.

Where to be begin?

1. Suppose you are a loan shark and somebody owes you money and you promise him one more day? Do you give him time to get the money? No, you have a thug beat the crap out of him and vandalize his truck, his only possesion with any real value.

2. Suppose you are the schmuck who owes the money and you potentially have a piece of propety worth three hundred thousand dollars and you encounter somebody willint to pay. Do you follow the very specific instructions of that person to get your money which you need that night? Nope. You continually antagonize the guy and disobey him even when you encounter a trapped demon even if you don't beleive in demons.

3. Suppose you are a collector and you encounter somebody who has a very dangerous demon summoning book in a storage locker. What do you do? Do you take charge of exploring the locker, pay the guy a little extra cash, maybe a few thousand to stay out of the way? He can watch, but he can't interfere? Nope, even though it is a very dangerous locker, you let the moron run the show.

The demon when it finally appears is just a writhing monster. It kills and then bam the episode ends. Two people die pointlessly.

So many scenes they could have cut. The opening death scene. The episode doesn't really take off until the demon expert shows up.

Very disappointing.

Greed & Discrimination

[moviefest-90757 · 8/10 · 27 October 2022]

Discrimination and greed are the beating heart to the horrors birthed in "Lot 36," the first installment of Guillermo Del Toro's New horror anthology series.

The eerie episode is imbued with relevant present day social themes that serve as the core to the horrors that gradually unfold, courtesy of Del Toro's incredibly well written short story. Director Guillermo Navarro builds on the sturdy backbone of Del Toro's structured story with eerie music and an unsettling vibe used to highten the tense atmosphere of the location.

Tim Blake Nelson is an under-appreciated gem of an actor, and he's quite spectacular at playing unlikeable characters you just love to hate. Every word muttered from his putrid mouth drives viewers to hate him with a passion, which makes the gnarly climax all the more satisfying.

Oh what a treat we are in for!

MovieFestUK - IG.

good start, but go nonsense

[andras-ocskay · 6/10 · 16 February 2023]

Good start and interesting beginning.

But as the story develops, more errors and holes in the story.

Fatal character errors what makes no sense at all.

Costume and set errors also.

Acting is good front he main guy mostly in the entire part, but I can not see change when he should express different things.

Mask and make up. Terrible.

I would hit the make up artist in the head with a hammer to experience how does it look when somebody got hit by a hammer!

Also I would hit the director and the writer as well as they never seen how does it really look, or feel.

The set is a huge mistake. Too huge, too big.

The Spanish lady character is a complete error. I have no idea what they meant by that woman. Is she live in the parking lot, or what?

She work every day, why is she there? Make no sense.

Some scenes are too theatrical, but others are not. They should stick with one or the other.

When sometimes realistic, and sometimes not it make no sense.

I would watch the other episodes as well, I hope it will get better and not worse.

Not really scary

[ancelgerla · 4/10 · 25 October 2022]

My high expectations were not met completely. And that's mainly because I'm really missing the famous Guillermo del Torro vibe. It had more of a Roald Dahl Tales of the Unexpected vibe, which is lovely but not what I expected. I think it's the lack of the constant scare feeling a real climax that made me review this as I did. The story was a bit simple and I have no clue why they gave Amalia such a big role in this since she added nothing to the story itself. I hope the next episodes are better than the first one. And if not, also fine. I will still enjoy it. It's easy watching, also right before bedtime.