9.5/10. There are times when I feel jaded as a viewer. When it seems like despite the breadth of films out there, that I know most of the tricks, to where while I can appreciate a film's achievements in sort of a detached way, when I can even be engaged and invested in something, it doesn't necessarily reach me in the way that movies did when I first started watching them. The scope of appreciation has widened, but the emotional resonance feels muted, because I can't help but see the strings.
And then a film like Room comes along.
And Jack sees the expanse of sky for the first time. And Joy hugs her parents after not seeing them for seven years. And Robert can't even look at his grandson. And Nancy tells her daughter that she's not the only one whose life was destroyed. And Joy tells her mother that if she hadn't been taught to be nice, she might never have gone with Nick. And there's a supreme, heartbreaking look of guilt on her face when a reporter asks if she should have given her son up while in captivity. And Jack walks in on his mother's suicide attempt. And Nancy hears her grandson say "I love you." And Jack sees a real live dog, and makes a real live friend, and cuts his hair to give his mother his strength.
And I wince and I laugh and I cry and I gasp at this beautiful, devastating, intimate, life-affirming film. This is why we make movies. I love popcorn films, with the fights and flashes and epic feel, and I love the big dramas, with their scope and their sense of grandness and the talent on display, and I love those classic film comedies that mix the absurd and the irreverent and the memorable into a single hilarious package. But the films like Room simultaneously so small and so personal, yet so powerful and affecting, have a special place. These are, as Robert Ebert once put it, the empathy machine that is film working at peak efficiency, taking us into the lives of people who have suffered and been unfathomably wronged, and carries us with them as they carve out a way forward.
I didn't know I wanted a film that feels like a cross between Oldboy, Life Is Beautiful, and Boyhood, and yet the elements Room shares with each--the sense of isolation, the loving way in which a parent tries to distract their child from a continuing tragedy, the slice-of-life, impressionistic depiction of a young boy's innocence--come together to form something absolutely tremendous.
That last facet of the film, the fact that it filters the entire experience through young Jack's eyes, is a stroke of brilliance. There's a matter of factness, a certain directness or even blitheness to the way children experience the world. Using Jack as the lens through which Room tells its story renders those events not only realer, but plainer, imbuing them with the unvarnished perception of childhood. The way the film is able to get into Jack's head, to allow the audience to view these horrors and steps to recovery through his eyes, is its greatest strength and most impressive achievement.
By the same token, Brie Larson as Joy deserves all the accolades she's received for her performance here. While still a prisoner, she carries herself with such an air of both utter resignation and quiet resolve, someone who's been beaten into submission but carries on with whatever she has left. And once she returns home, the guilt that consumes her, the anger that she has for the world that kept turning without her, are palpable in every moment without fading into overwroughtness.
The film can essentially be divided into those two halves. The first is the story of Jack and Joy in Room, of the way that Joy makes unbearable circumstances livable for her son, the way that she copes and shields Jack from the horror around him, and how Jack strains and struggles to understand the idea of the world beyond those four walls, to where he can, eventually, help the two of them escape. The second half is far less intense, but still endlessly intriguing and affecting. It's a quiet domestic story about how people recover from that sort of trauma, both Joy who feels the opposite of survivor's guilt and second guesses herself, and Jack who is exposed to a big scary world, the depth and breadth of which is entirely alien to him.
But throughout both halves, there is such a pure emotional truth in each moment, from the simple joys that Jack enjoys within the home he doesn't realize is a prison, to his anger and resistance at having that fantasy shattered, to Joy's dispirited but resolute attempts to keep him happy and healthy, to the realistic, painful difficulties parents and children face when rebuilding a family seven years after a tragedy, to the wonder and fear a small boy has for what lies beyond the garden gate, and the unmitigated joy at every step taken toward some cobbled-together normalcy. Room is a beautiful, heart-wrenching, intensely personal film, that takes an unflinching yet uplifting look at how people cope and come back from the worst that our world has to offer.
Words can't explain how much I was crying... I had tears streaming down my face when Pruitt went on the roof. I had uncontrollable tears. It was like when Prue died on Charmed back when I was young, and I knew Prue for 3 years! (I just started watching Station 19 after last season ended. Had to binge watch to catch up, so I didn't have as much time with Pruitt) I knew he was gonna die, but I wasn't expecting it that episode. I mean...I'm happy he got to do it saving his daughter's life, Saving his team, Saving his Family! He got to go out on his own terms, not weak and withered away by cancer. He didn't wanna go out looking Frail. He wanted to go out doing what he loved best, and that's what he did. It was an epic episode, and I honestly didn't think I'd have such strong feelings.
I'm so happy Andy got married so her dad could see it. I'm happy she found someone who can help her through this, because god, I don't know how she'll get through it! If my mom died, I know it would be devastating, and her dad is like my mom. He was the only parent she had.
Watching order
Because there are some issues with watching this, here is the order.
Copying from the site in case it ever goes down, but this info came from here: http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2010/02/battlestar-galactica-viewing-order.html
It's probably more confusing here on trakt, so go to the above linked site for a better layout.
The Miniseries
Night 1
Night 2
Season 1
1.01 33
1.02 Water
1.03 Bastille Day
1.04 Act of Contrition
1.05 You Can't Go Home Again
1.06 Litmus
1.07 Six Degrees of Separation
1.08 Flesh and Bone
1.09 Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
1.10 The Hand of God
1.11 Colonial Day
1.12 Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I
1.13 Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II
Season 2
2.01 Scattered
2.02 Valley of Darkness
2.03 Fragged
2.04 Resistance
2.05 The Farm
2.06 Home, Part I
2.07 Home, Part II
2.08 Final Cut
2.09 Flight of the Phoenix
2.10 Pegasus (56 minute extended version)
2.11 Resurrection Ship, Part I
2.12 Resurrection Ship, Part II
2.13 Epiphanies
2.14 Black Market
2.15 Scar
2.16 Sacrifice
2.17 The Captain's Hand
Razor (101 minute extended version - not the 81 minute broadcast version)
Important note: This was originally broadcast just before Season 4, but chronologically it fits here, telling more of the Pegasus's story. Some people argue it's better to watch after Season 3, as originally broadcast, but it makes most sense to watch it here.
The reason that the placement of Razor is a hotly contested issue among BSG fans is because of a bit of dialogue at the very end (in the last 10 minutes) which sets the tone for Season 4 (barely even a spoiler). Everything else in this TV movie is not a spoiler.
So why place it here, and not where it was originally broadcast, if there's any sort of issue? Because, chronologically, the story is set here, and by the time you reach the end of Season 3, the story of Pegasus will feel like ancient history. Indeed, that was the complaint echoed around the internet from fans after Razor originally aired -- it had nothing to do with what was going on in the story at that time.
As a result of this, most fans agree it's better to watch Razor here. In doing so, you'll appreciate the story more and it will have greater emotionally resonance. In short: I highly recommend that you follow my advice and watch it here.
There is one small caveat, however: In order to deal with the above dialogue issue, and so not to unintentionally alter the tone of Season 3, I have two, very specific instructions that I recommend that you follow for your absolute optimum enjoyment.
I will try not to spoil anything with these instructions, so pay attention. You need to press MUTE on your TV (and/or turn off any subtitles) in the following two moments. Both of these moments occur in the last 10 minutes of the story, so you can relax and enjoy the first 90 mins before you need to worry.
Press MUTE when:
and shortly afterwards:
That's it! That's all you have to worry about. Two very small moments, and even if you don't unmute it, it's not a huge spoiler, it just unintentionally alters the tone of Season 3 if you don't, so do try your best to follow my instructions.
2.18 Downloaded
2.19 Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I
2.20 Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
The Resistance
A 10 episode web-based series bridging seasons 2 and 3. (25 mins.)
Season 3
3.01 Occupation
3.02 Precipice
3.03 Exodus, Part I
3.04 Exodus, Part II
3.05 Collaborators
3.06 Torn
3.07 A Measure of Salvation
3.08 Hero
3.09 Unfinished Business (70 minute extended version - Note: Not included on Region 2 DVDs, but is included on ALL Bluray releases.)
3.10 The Passage
3.11 The Eye of Jupiter
3.12 Rapture
3.13 Taking a Break From All Your Worries
3.14 The Woman King
3.15 A Day in the Life
3.16 Dirty Hands
3.17 Maelstrom
3.18 The Son Also Rises
3.19 Crossroads, Part I
3.20 Crossroads, Part II
Razor: Yes, this again. (Well this is where Razor was originally broadcast, after all.) Remember the last 10 minutes where I told you to MUTE two small moments? Well, guess what, now is when you get to go back and hear what was said. Watch the last 10 minutes of Razor here.
Season 4
4.01 He That Believeth In Me
4.02 Six of One
4.03 The Ties That Bind
4.04 Escape Velocity
4.05 The Road Less Traveled
4.06 Faith
4.07 Guess What's Coming to Dinner?
4.08 Sine Qua Non
4.09 The Hub
4.10 Revelations
Season 4 Continued (aka "Season 4.5" or "The Final Season")
4.11 Sometimes a Great Notion
The Face of the Enemy
A 10 episode web-based series (although it plays together like an intense mini-episode). (36 mins.)
4.12 A Disquiet Follows My Soul (53 minute extended version - only on Bluray releases)
4.13 The Oath
4.14 Blood on the Scales
4.15 No Exit
The Plan (DVD/Bluray movie)
A stand-alone movie that shows (approximately) the first two seasons from the Cylons' perspective. (You finally get to see "The Plan", mentioned all those times in the opening sequence!) Although The Plan was originally released after the show had finished, it is generally agreed that it should be watched here, so that everything is all tied up when you do reach the end.
4.16 Deadlock
4.17 Someone to Watch Over Me
4.18 Islanded In a Stream of Stars (62 minute extended version - only on BluRay releases and Region 1 DVDs)
4.19 Daybreak (150 minute extended version - only on BluRay releases and Region 1 DVDs)
The Plan : This is where this DVD/Bluray movie was originally released (after the show had finished). It seems universally agreed that it's preferable to watch this after No Exit, instead of after you've finished the entire series, but there's no harm in waiting until now.
Then Caprica the series: http://trakt.tv/show/caprica
I am incredibly grateful to Game of Thrones for this adventure I have found myself sucked into for some years now. I am grateful for all the emotions it brought me since day one, bitter and sweet alike. I am grateful for all the laughs, all the tears, all the jokes and gags, every single bit of it, I really am grateful and appreciative of it all. It's been just... wonderful.
That said, I am feeling robbed and betrayed right about now. This ending is arguably one of the worst series finales in the history of television and trust me I realize how bold of a statement that is. The terrible violations the characters have suffered this season, the lack of proper resolution to many of the plots and narratives developed over seasons worth of buildup, the seeking of shock value at the expense of quality writing... that and much much more solidified this as an absolute disappointment of a finale, as opposed to the marvel wrap it could've given this cultural phenomenon.
This episode does have its positives, as always the score, acting and cinematography are perfectly performed but I just do not think it's nearly enough to compensate for how lackluster the writing has been, as much as I wish they did. Oh well, sad as it may be, I'll just hold on to the good stuff and hope that GRRM's book, once finished, will tackle the ending in a more coherent, more respectful and more meaningful way. It's been real y'all...
P.S: I'll leave this here lest some people jump me again. This comment is a representation of my own personal opinion, I am entitled to one just as all of you are. If you enjoyed this season and felt this finale delivered what you were looking for then more power to you mate, but that doesn't nullify my opinion nor does it make yours any valid. If you want to discuss or challenge my views, I'd be more than happy to engage you on that basis but if all you have to offer are petty remarks then please keep them to yourself.
Preliminary review, my final review for Season 1 is in another comment (I didn't want to just edit over this, especially with the likes on it). Very light spoilers for the first few episodes ahead.
I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and give a genuine review of the series as far as I've watched so far (I'll review it properly when I'm done with the season).
So, let's start with the Baphomet in the room (haha), and note that there is some very overt feminism in this series. As I hear, it tapers off as the series goes on, and I look forward to that, because while it is absolutely not pervasive to every corner of the series, it's a cringey part of the early episodes. I wholly support progressive movements, I am happy to see a non-binary character on the show, and Sabrina's attempts to defend said character. I wholly support Sabrina being a sassy, empowered female character who 'sticks it to the man'.
That said, constantly pointing to a plot element and going: 'This is women standing up to the patriarchy!' is unnecessary. As I said before, it's cringey. Let the work speak for itself.
That said, the series, while not a masterpiece, is interesting so far. I appreciate its willingness to broach Satanism (with all its LaVeyan trappings) and all the horror, gore, and sexuality that comes with it. When it just moves forward with the plot, and doesn't spend its time pointing out its progressiveness, it's a solid supernatural drama.
I do find Roz to be tedious. I think Harvey and Sabrina's relationship is unearned (they are way too lovey for 16 year olds with so many secrets between them, and Sabrina, so far, has been rather self-centered, while Harvey plays the devoted and doting boyfriend; feels very much like the criticisms feminists often have about the roles women play in their relationships with men in other stories). I hope that this gets approached with some maturity, instead of devolving into a mess of drama, but sadly, I feel it could easily go either way.
Ambrose is a great addition to the cast, fulfilling the morally ambiguous role that Salem played in the original (but also being properly morally ambiguous, in keeping with the dramatic tone, rather than comically so).
I'll make a proper review when I've finished with the season, but I just felt like this comment section could use a genuine review rather than the 'feminism is ruining everything!' reviews that it has mostly seen so far.
Sorry Angelina, you're in the past now.
Alicia Vikander is phenomenal in this movie, and I appreciate the italian version of the movie for not dubbing her "screams" and "moans" because they are fantastic and add to an already adrenaline pumping movie.
The movie is the same as the first reboot game on the "next" gen, personally I did not play it, but I did play the second one and if they are going to make the next movie the same as the game, it's gonna be even greater!
This cinematic reboot is a rollercoaster. Lara's ability to come out of situation is always a bittersweet taste of disbelief that makes you love it even more. But, in this movie they took a nice step back to her and so we get to see a more inexperienced Lara. Because of this, every failed step doesn't look... "fake" as it did (in my opinion) with the original Jolie movies where she was a badass from starters, feared and known by everyone and still went on about and made stupid mistakes which didn't make sense really.
I gotta say that if you let yourself be immersed, the suspense in some of the scenes is thick and palpable. The line between mythos and reality is thin, but it develops perfectly near the end without resulting boring or monotonous.
Regarding every other aspect of cinematography: I have to say, some of the CGI felt a bit cheap, but usually is surmounted by the amount of action the movie delivers, sound editing and engineering was on point, note that there aren't really big, romatic or thought-provoking photografical shots, but it's to be expected in an action movie.
Alicia Vikander is perfect for the role. I absolutely loved her for the entire runtime and she honestly kept my interest up entirely on her own.
I don't know if Square Enix is to be thanked for the level of quality and "textuality" of who Lara Croft is and what Tomb Raider is about, but I think it's a safe bet and I hope it stays this way.
Please if you have the choice, watch the movie in english, it might sound creepy or weird, but Alicia's screams are fuckin fire in this movie, it gives depth and dignity to the struggle of a character that is supposed to be strong.
Wonder Woman is... well... wonderful! This movie is a true representation of the characters I have grown up with and loved from DC comics and the justice league animated series. This movie is about how Diana the princess of Themyscira becomes Wonder Woman, a classic fish out of water tale of innocence and heroism.
The chemistry between the two leads feels so natural and it is because of this chemistry that Steve's sacrifice is so heartbreaking . While the movie may not be as layered or multifaceted as other DCEU offerings such as Man of Steel, making use of a more classic 'by the numbers' superhero formula, it is undoubtedly a more meaningful movie. It shows us the true nature of humanity through the eyes of an Amazon who has no preconceptions or history with our species. It shows us the ugliness of mankind, how cheaply we value human life with the wars we create, and how stereotypical gender roles have been/are to the detriment of women without bashing us over the head with a heavy-handed feminist agenda. On the other hand, through her eyes, we also see the things humanity is capable of through the power of love.
Despite the importance of this movie, Wonder Woman doesn't depress or bog the audience down. It conveys these important messages within the context of an uplifting film filled with fun, action and romance.
Critics have voiced their approval for this movie, but that shouldn't make fans of the DCEU fearful. Wonder Woman seamlessly fits in with the DCEU, making use of similar colour palates, action direction, and story telling. While this is a movie all little girls must watch, it is truly a movie for everyone... it is simply... WONDERFUL!
Kara saying "You have changed" to Mon-El after he did one remotely decent thing was bullshit. You know, my alcoholic stepfather used to make my mom breakfast too. Didn't stop him from getting drunk and beating her up every other weekend. That's just the thing about toxic relationships: it's not all bad. Why do you think people keep coming back to their abusive partners?
We finally got to see the alien President again. Took them long enough. It's hard for me to tell if she's good or bad. She certainly had a sinister vibe at the end of the episode.
Man, Mon-El's mother is a stone cold bitch. I knew immediately that she was going to kill her husband. I'm excited to see her wreak havoc upon the Earth. Just imagine how awesome a team-up between her and Lillian Luthor would be. They both hate Supergirl, so why not?
"I'm not here to judge you for things that happened in the past, I am here to help you heal."
Alex and Maggie's relationship is so good and healthy. I want to cry. Maggie is the softest soft to ever soft, and Alex is wonderfully gentle and supportive. I mean, I'm uncomfortable that they made Maggie a cheater (as if there weren't enough unnecessary hate for her character in the fandom already), but I still love her to the death and I will protect her at all costs. I hope we'll see more of her dealing with the repressed trauma of being rejected by her parents. And I hope Alex will be by her side through all of it.
And we're going on another break. Sigh.
New favorite episode this season. Hands down.
Alex going rogue and just beating the shit out of Cadmus people was so good to watch. I loved every second of it. And don't you dare tell me that she did it for the wrong reasons. Alex Danvers is the biggest Slytherin to ever Slytherin. At the end of the day, family comes first. That's just who she is. And it doesn't make her a bad person or a bad agent.
Maggie was on my screen for more than 20 seconds! Merry fucking Christmas to me! She's apparently gotten much better at pool, too. And she wanted an actual flash grenade for winning? What a dorky badass. I'd die for her.
"- I wish I had what you two have.
- Go away, Brian."
Am I still laughing? Yes. Yes, I am.
Also, Alex is Maggie's "ride or die". They are such a good team, working together seamlessly, kicking ass and supporting each other through everything. My little gay heart can't handle Sanvers. And Alex would definitely make an excellent arm candy.
Look at that, Kara had her own storyline! And a moral dilemma! And it was about journalism! So much yes. I'm super mad about her getting fired, though. Snapper had better hire her back soon. Remember when working at CatCo was an integral part of Kara's storyline and she said she couldn't be Supergirl without her job keeping her grounded? Good times.
Kara biting her lip while talking to Lena? Supergirl saving Lena and carrying her in her arms? I'm not saying it's gay, but it's so gay. And it's also an interesting, healthy, respectful relationship. Do the writers really think we'd rather see Karamel happen than Supercorp?
"Maybe being Supergirl and having you is enough."
Okay, here's the plan: we go home, we vomit. Then we book the next flight to Vancouver, get into the writers' room and ask them what the fuck they're doing. They should ask themselves "What would Cat Grant say about this?". Because she would definitely disapprove.
But yeah, aside from that one garbage moment this episode was awesome. And that scene between Kara and Alex when they were trying to stop the alien ship was raw and epic, and absolutely, utterly spectacular. This is the kind of content that we should get every week.
I'm just going to start off by listing the 3 shittiest things that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named did in this episode, okay? By the way, please enlighten me, how does a dude who does multiple shitty things per episode even stand a chance with Kara, let alone actually get together with her?
Calling Kara helping people as Supergirl "little superhero-ing".
Immediately disregarding Kara's wishes and telling everyone about their relationship.
Ignoring what Kara said (again) and trying to brush it off (again).
I just don't get it. A part of me thinks, or hopes, that the writers are doing this on purpose to show what a toxic relationship looks like and how not to treat your significant other, but let's be real, that's probably not it. They actually seem to think that this shit is cute and romantic. And it makes me sick.
Sure, Man-Hell was right about Jeremiah. But contrary to popular belief, the end doesn't justify the means. He could have proved his point without being an asshole. But I guess that's just how he rolls, right? And we're supposed to let it slide because... he's conventionally attractive?
Honestly, fuck this guy.
Alex's confrontation with Jeremiah was a powerful moment and Chyler Leigh once again brought her A-game.
How long will I have to scream into the void about Maggie's lack of screentime before someone finally hears me? I can't believe the showrunners think I'm more interested in What's-His-Face than in this amazing woman, who:
is simultaneously an absolute badass and the softest human being I have ever seen (those dimples, man, Jesus Christ, what a bae)
was outed to her parents and kicked out of the house at 14
is such a good detective that she figured out Kara's secret by herself
is a good, pure, unproblematic fave who deserves better.
I have no dignity left anymore, I will literally beg if I have to. I'll sell my soul if that's what it takes to get her a proper storyline. Sure, the family dinner thing was cute, and the way she comforted Alex was wonderful. Maggie Sawyer is a kind, supportive girlfriend who listens to Alex and is always there for her, and the way they keep trying to draw parallels between Sanvers and Karamel lowkey makes me want to die. They're not similar! At all! Not in a million years! One is based on mutual love, respect and support, and the other is an abusive garbage fire. I'm starting a campaign. Let Maggie Sawyer deck Fuckboy in the face 2017.
And another thing: I guess Karamel can be all over each other, make out, wake up in bed naked after obviously having sex, but God forbid Maggie and Alex do anything more than kiss for exactly 1.5 seconds. No, I'm not bitter, why do you ask?
Does Cadmus want to send all aliens back into space? Hey, here's a thought: maybe they can use that big-ass ship to launch Mayo-El into the Phantom Zone? Pretty please?
This whole episode was perfection. Except for 2 things:
Kara/White Bread bullshit
Yet another edition of "Where's Maggie, you know, the main character NCPD Detective Maggie Sawyer and why is Man-Hell on my screen instead of her?" Seriously, though. She only had like 5 minutes of screentime in this ep. This is bullshit.
I love Lena Luthor. And goddamn, her relationship with Kara is amazing. That feeling when two female characters basically fulfill every classic romantic trope (obvious Romeo and Juliet vibes because of the Super/Luthor conflict, Kara saving Lena more than once, Lena calling Kara her hero, Lena looking mortified when Supergirl gets hurt in front of her, Kara believing in Lena against all odds, Lena sending a million flowers to Kara's office, the list goes on) and look like they're about 2 seconds away from making out every time they share a scene, but heteronormativity exists and you know they'll forever remain strictly in the realm of subtext and fanfiction. That feeling sucks and I'm bitter.
I don't blame Lena for being kind of torn in this episode. Lillian played the mommy card very well. Katie McGrath and Brenda Strong are both awesome and they created a super interesting dynamic between the two characters.
I firmly believe that Lena is good. I need her to be good, otherwise Kara will be so disappointed. Get away from me with the staring-sinisterly-at-the-chessboard thing, writers. I don't accept it.
Baby Lena was so cute! What a beautiful genius baby. I want to adopt her.
Kara finally has her friends back. This is the kind of content that I watch this show for! It's good and pure, and Kara is a precious cinnamon roll. I just want her to be happy, have a good support system, be surrounded by people who love and care about her, and have a lifetime supply of potstickers. Is that too much to ask?
Also, shoutout to J'onn for being the most wonderful, supportive, telepathic Space Dad in the history of everything.
Thank you, Mr. Next-Episode's-Bad-Guy for saving us, at least temporarily, from the true villain this season: the forced romance between our amazing heroine and the "arrogant dude-bro" (Kara was spot-on, I actually cackled when she said it) who steals all of her screentime. Just burn this shitshow of a ship. Please. I'm so tired of white men being prioritized over everyone else, including the freaking main character. And is it just me, or did Kara seem awfully miserable in that last scene? Compare the way she looks at Mon-Ewww to the way Alex "Heart Eyes, Motherfucker" Danvers looks at Maggie. They couldn't be more different.
And here it is. The epic conclusion.
This was probably my favorite part of the crossover. The Flash part was a bit too rushed for my liking, and the Arrow part focused more on celebrating the 100th episode than the alien invasion. But this one? This one had it all. We got plenty of fight scenes and ass-kicking, but there were also some wonderful emotional moments.
I liked Stein's daughter drama. There was a lot of it in this episode, maybe a little too much, but it's an interesting storyline, even though I saw it coming a mile away as soon as Stein started having those visions of Lily. It's still good, though, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it's going to affect the future episodes of Legends.
Oliver's reasons for benching Kara were dumb as fuck. I firmly believe that that scene exists only because they couldn't include Melissa in most of the episode because of a scheduling conflict or some shit.
The Dominators really didn't put up much of a fight, did they? They just ran right back to their ships as soon as that bomb was destroyed. By the way, I totally forgot that Firestorm could transform things. I'm not entirely sure why they couldn't just have Kara throw the bomb back into space (come on, we all know she could easily have done that), but I guess it's because they wanted every hero to have their moment in the spotlight.
Holy shit, Kara and Felicity are similar. I can't believe I've never thought about it before. And Ray's comment about Kara looking like his cousin was a fun little reference for all the Superman fans out there.
I'm glad that Barry and Cisco are on good terms again. And Cisco and Felicity geeking out aboard the Waverider were adorable.
It's so cool that Kara can travel between dimensions now. It's sure as hell going to come in handy next year when the CW needs another bump in the ratings!
I love group hugs! Especially when it's between grumpy Oliver and two precious rays of sunshine Kara and Barry.
Kara is freaking scary when she wants to be. Damn. Never mess with this alien puppy. She'll drag you so hard you'll never get back up, and she'll do it with a smile on her face.
That little conversation between Sara and Oliver at the end of the episode was such a lovely, underrated moment. It really did start with the two of them. I've never looked at it like that.
Overall, this was an insanely satisfying crossover. I enjoyed it a lot, even though it made me feel dizzy at times, with all these characters running around, forcing me to pause the episode and do a mental count of who's who and which show they're on. I'm still bitter that Kara was the only Supergirl character to appear - Winn would've fit right in with the Geek Squad, and I wanted to see Alex and Sara kick some ass together. Maybe Digg losing his shit over J'onn being a Green Martian. Whatever. This was still fun, and who knows? Maybe next year's crossover will take place on Earth-38?
You know what the sad thing is? I didn't appreciate Laurel enough when she was on the show. This episode only reminded me what a big hole she left when she died. And damn, it made me emotional.
I actually love the "characters are in a simulation and start to realize that something's not right" storyline. This was really well-done.
I wondered where the newbies were during last night's episode. I'm not that fond of them, but I'm glad they included them here, if only for the sake of continuity.
Kara and Barry's high five in the middle of a fight was just the cutest thing ever. This is one of my favorite relationships in the Arrowverse. They are absolutely adorable together.
Holy cow, that spaceship looked freaking amazing. And I'm happy that the Waverider and Nate made an appearance. I guess we'll see everyone in the Legends part of the crossover. Maybe we'll finally get some actual alien ass-kicking.
Oh, and how could I forget? This is the 100th episode of Arrow! Congrats! It hasn't always been smooth sailing, but I'm still happy for the show. It was great to see all the characters we've lost along the way and remember how much Arrow has changed since the pilot. Some of the changes have been for the better. Some for the worse. But all in all, I still enjoy the show and episodes like this remind me why I fell in love with it in the first place.
THE CROSSOVER IS HERE!
This was amazing. Oh my God. So many great things happened in this episode. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all. Maybe it's because it's 5 AM here right now and I'm severely sleep deprived, but let's face it, I couldn't possibly go to school without watching Supergirl first.
And it was so, so worth it this week!
Medusa was not only a serious threat, but it also gave the writers a chance to get almost everyone involved in it, which resulted in a very focused episode. You could really feel that there was a lot at stake there. The scene where the missile exploded and J'onn prepared to be reunited with his wife was fantastic. I think I held my breath for like a minute because it was so intense.
I'm so glad that Lena is not evil. I'll be honest, she actually scared me for a minute there. I loved the way she outsmarted her mother. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Lillian Luthor, but hey, maybe they can have some peace before her next anti-alien scheme.
Kara facing disappointment regarding her parents was a good storyline too. My beautiful alien puppy. She continues to amaze me. She's the hero we all deserve.
Mon-El kisses Kara
"Fuck this shit I'm out" plays in the background as I jump out of my chair and through the window
Yeah, I'm not even going to talk about this.
J'onn is green again! Woohoo!
It's always nice to see Eliza. And the way she said "My beautiful Alexandra" made my heart melt.
Can Alex get drunk every Thanksgiving? I find it hilarious.
Alex and Maggie are in lesbians with each other! There are legit tears of happiness in my eyes. Maggie getting injured and realizing her feelings for Alex is such a classic fanfiction trope. I absolutely love it. You can bet that I'm going to watch that scene at Alex's apartment at least 50 times, until I've memorized every breath, every word and every facial expression.
Barry and Cisco in the house! I've been waiting for this! The next 3 days are going to be epic!
I go on, the sixth episode of this show has to be the most predictable writing scheme ever: 1x06 Enter Reverse Flash, 2x06 Enter Zoom, 3x06 Enter Savitar.
Another thing that is too obvious to be true is the fact that Julian was missing, not answering his phone, not going to work and with his mysterious girlfriend. Maybe he's Alchemy? One of his henchmen? Too obvious. Although last season it was the same, a new guy appears and immediately he's the bad guy
And what happened to Wally at the end? Unclear. He asking Barry why didn't he tell him he was a speedster in Flashpoint was absolutely ridiculous. Wally, you idiot, you all agreed that you didn't want to know about your previous life, you dumbass. However, I have to agree with Wally in one thing. Someone tells me now that I can have powers and become more than just a simple human and I'll take my chance. No doubt. Wally's little meltdown time was funny though: "Oh come on dad, Barry can screw up the timeline and I can't? Why dad? I want to screw things up too".
Can't wait to see what happens after that cliffhanger and Killer Frost. And we're just getting started!
This was a rollercoaster. Wow. It's hard to believe that they managed to squeeze so many plot twists and reveals into one episode.
I loved Caitlin's storyline. The one we got two weeks ago with her mom was so badly written it was laughable, but her interactions with Cisco and the rest of the team in this episode were pretty good. Cisco and Caitlin are my beautiful nerd babies and I will protect them at all costs.
I fully understand where Wally is coming from and you can hardly blame him for wanting to have powers. We'll see what will happen to him when he emerges from this weird cocoon thing.
Why do I have a feeling that Cecile's daughter will turn out to be important?
Shade was cool. It's kind of a pity that they wasted him as a decoy.
Julian is shady as fuck. There's definitely something going on with him, but I'm not sure what yet. I don't think he's Alchemy, that would be too obvious. Then again, Flash isn't exactly the most subtle show in the world, so it's possible.
Savitar looks absolutely sick, but I have no clue who he is or where he came from. Yes, I could look it up, but for me discovering what's going on along with the characters is part of the fun, so I'll just wait until they explain it on the show.
throws an Emmy at Chyler Leigh's head because somehow she manages to outdo herself every week and it's ridiculous
I didn't expect Supergirl to do a horror episode, but they actually kinda pulled it off. The scenes at the research station were sufficiently creepy. And the parasite looked really good.
Drunk Kara was absolutely adorable and hilarious.
The Guardian is fine. I liked James and Winn's interactions in this episode. Kudos to Jeremy Jordan for his angry speech at the DEO. It was amazing. And the idea to lace the suit with lead so Kara can't see inside it was pretty brilliant.
Is something going to happen to J'onn because of White Martian blood?
Well, Mon-El is dead. I mean, not really, but I can't say I'd miss his pasty annoying ass.
Now, let's get to the more emotional and less comprehensible part of this review:
Alex came out to Kara, and of course there had to be a misunderstanding, but that scene at Kara's apartment was beautiful. Everything about it was perfect, from the soft music and the warm lighting to all the acting choices. Alex talking about Maggie and calling her beautiful was just so pure and cute and it made me want to bite my hand off. You know the feeling. Don't lie to me.
AND THEN ALEX KISSED MAGGIE! I had to pause the episode and calm my racing heart. I was so excited and happy that I felt like I was about to explode. But underneath all that there was a nasty little gremlin sitting in my stomach, whispering "Maggie's gonna reject her", so I hesitated for a good minute before hitting play.
And guess what?
The gremlin was fucking right and I hate life.
Don't get me wrong. I want Alex and Maggie's relationship to develop slowly. And Maggie had a good reason for not wanting to get involved with a baby gay who's just starting to figure herself out. The calm, reasonable part of me knows that. But the far more vocal, far less logical part wants them to get together immediately.
Alex's heartbreak destroyed me. Holy shit. My poor baby. I'm sobbing because of her. The way she choked and stuttered and could barely talk... so real and completely devastating.
This might actually be my favorite episode of the season so far. I loved everything about it.
Mon-El's storyline provided some pretty hilarious moments, but there was also an important lesson for Kara in there. Just please, don't let anything romantic happen between these two. I'm starting to like their weird brother/sister dynamic.
James is finally getting his own storyline! It's about damn time. I'm glad that he has Winn helping him.
The villains were fine. Whatever. It's not like we're ever going to see them again.
Lena Luthor had some good scenes in this episode. She was totally flirting with Kara. Fight me on this. Showing up at CatCo? Biting her lip while talking to Kara? Coming to Kara's apartment? (How did she even get her address?) It was amazing. I also liked Lena and Winn working together to stop the bad guys. Lena being a casual badass is what I'm here for.
Of course Project Cadmus lady is Lena's mom. Because if someone out there hates aliens, it just has to be a Luthor. I know I said I'd be fine with Lena turning out to be evil, but now I really want her to be better than her shitty family and choose a different path.
We got some nice bonding between Kara and Alex! I adore these two. They're so wonderful together. And Alex had a punk rock phase! It's canon!
So Alex didn't realize she was gay. Huh. I thought she knew and she simply decided not to tell anyone, but the way the writers chose to deal with it on the show is actually a lot better. I feel like they handled her coming out storyline exceptionally well. That scene at the end was freaking spectacular: so real, raw and powerful. I'm losing my mind over it. I can't believe it's real. I would like to thank not only God but also Jesus for blessing me with this beautiful character arc. Chyler Leigh is a goddamn revelation. Her acting is so nuanced. And I'm obsessed with "Way down we go" by Kaleo. Any scene is better with this song in the background. That's just science. I don't make the rules.
Oh, and I knew Maggie's girlfriend wouldn't stick around for long, but I didn't expect them to get rid of her this fast. It has to be some kind of a record.
Geez, this episode was a rollercoaster. I have so many thoughts and I’m not sure if I can express all of them properly, but I’ll try.
First of all, Mon-El is not bad, but he’s not particularly interesting either. I really hope he and Kara will stay friends and nothing more. His scenes with Winn were pretty great, though. And hungover Winn is absolutely hilarious.
Something about Lena Luthor’s accent has been bothering me since the season premiere, and I finally got around to looking up Katie McGrath. She’s Irish, as it turns out. My ears weren’t deceiving me. By the way, is Lena evil? Does she know Kara is Supergirl? Something about their conversation and the way she stared after Kara seemed shady. Frankly, I don’t care if she’s one of the good guys or a villain. I’m fine with either.
Miss Martian is a White Martian! I’m having an aneurysm! I didn’t see that one coming at all. What an awesome plot twist. I really enjoyed the relationship between her and J’onn in this episode and I can’t wait to see what will happen when J’onn finds out who she really is.
"- I offered to merge with her in the Martian way.
- But you guys just met."
I literally had to pause the episode because I was laughing too hard. Oh, Kara.
Dichen Lachman is always a win. Dichen Lachman playing a villain in a red dress with sick tattoos? Double win. I hope we’ll see Roulette again at some point.
Alex „Fight Me” Danvers, the same Alex Danvers who throws herself at aliens twice her size without hesitation, stutters and gets flustered when a pretty girl compliments her. What an awkward baby gay. I love her so much.
Why did Maggie take Alex’s hand? Don’t tell me it was for the mission because there was no need for them to hold hands. I’m pretty sure the writers only threw that in to give me (and Alex) a heart attack.
Of course Maggie has a girlfriend who conveniently showed up when Alex was trying to ask Maggie out. I hate it when they do that. We all know that the girlfriend is just a plot device created for the sole purpose of keeping Alex pining for Maggie for a little longer. They did basically the same thing with Kara, James and Lucy last season, except Lucy ended up actually getting some character development and being relevant to the plot. I’m willing to bet it won’t be the case here.
Shoutout to Chyler Leigh for her phenomenal work. She did an amazing job of showing Alex’s inner turmoil, sadness and disappointment with just her facial expressions as she watched Maggie leave. It was stunning to watch.
It's Supergirl day, so you know what that means: it's time for yet another mess of a review!
I didn't understand why everyone was so excited about Lynda Carter playing the President, but hey, Google's your friend. I'm not American, so a lot of references - like the fact that she played Wonder Woman on a TV show in the 70's - go over my head. I love learning things like that. It shows how much effort and thought goes into creating the series.
Kara's excitement over meeting the President was adorable. What a precious ray of sunshine.
Mon-El will be Kara's new love interest, won't he? God damn it.
Lena Luthor is freaking beautiful. Just... Jesus Christ. But that device she invented? Yup, I'm with Kara on that one. Burn it.
The President is an alien! The bartender is a Martian! My head is spinning! So many plot twists and they're all sick!
And now, let's talk about Maggie Sawyer for a second, shall we? Do you hear that sound? It's me. Yelling excitedly because I've been waiting for this since Floriana Lima's casting was announced like 4 months ago.
Maggie Sawyer is everything I wanted her to be: badass, smart, witty, funny and all-around amazing. Hell yes. I already love her.
Last summer, one of the people in charge of the CW/DC universe said that one of the main characters on one of the four shows would be coming out this season. And in this episode we got Alex Danvers looking at Maggie with what can only be described as Heart Eyes. Alex Danvers, the only main character on Supergirl who's never been shown to have a love interest of the opposite gender (although some people shipped her with the human equivalent of toxic radioactive waste Trashwell Lord, but come on).
"- What, you got a hot date?
- Actually, I do."
Cut to Alex staring after Maggie with a little smile on her face, letting out a thoughtful "hmmm".
I rest my case.
tl;dr: this show is awesome, Maggie and Alex are probably going to make out at some point and I feel so alive.
You know who I love? Alex Danvers. Any episode where she gets her own scenes is a good episode in my book. Which is kind of sad, actually - she's a main character after all, arguably the most important one after Kara, and yet practically all of her storylines revolve around her sister. The showrunners promised that we would get to know Alex more this season and see more of her personal life, so I'm waiting for that. And I'm really happy that they acknowledged Alex's problems with Clark because she's right. 12-year-old Kara was willing to take care of baby Kal, but Clark, who was a grown-ass man when her pod landed, immediately dropped his cousin off at the Danvers family's doorstep like a stray puppy. Alex has dedicated her whole life to Kara while Clark has been flying around, showing up once in a blue moon. What's up with that, by the way? It took him like 5 seconds to get from National City to Metropolis. Can't they hang out for dinner every Saturday or something? Why do they see each other so rarely?
It was fun to have Superman on the show. I really liked the way Tyler Hoechlin portrayed him.
Clark and Kara are adorable dorky dorks and I love them.
My favorite scene in this episode was the one where Cat told Kara she was leaving. I genuinely cried. I love Cat Grant and the show won't be the same without her. She'll return at some point, of course, but she'll probably never be a main character again, which sucks. Just like Kara, I don't like change, and I will miss Queen of All Media deeply.
Winn is absolutely hilarious. His reaction to Clark and J'onn arguing was the same as mine. And Star Wars references are always great.
Project Cadmus is super shady. I mean, I already knew that, but damn. They're much better villains than Non.
James is the boss, which is... actually good in my opinion? And it makes sense? Give him his own storylines outside of being Kara's (former) love interest. It'll be good for both of them.
The whole theatre burst into spontaneous cheers several times, and the whole theatre completely went silent - people literally stopped chewing their popcorn - on numerous occasions.
Like you've probably already heard, the movie REALLY is a phenomenal throwback to the original trilogy, with an extra oomph and insane amounts of creativity and new found inspiration that will take the franchise to a whole new level.
The characters are three-dimensional, it's nowhere near as strictly black and white, good vs. evil like in most of the previous movies, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren is the best example of that. Hands down, the best villian to appear in the Star Wars franchise other than Darth Vader.
Daisy Ridley & John Boyega are thrilling to watch, the old cast members, popping in during the movie were just as fun to watch.
J.J. Abrams and the writers somehow managed to create a plot that was very confined in space and time, yet they effortlessly captured the grand universe that is Star Wars with some pretty great throwbacks to the old trilogy plot-wise. Some might argue that it's lack of creativity and unnecessary repetition, but I thought it was a wonderful homage. It flowed naturally and there really was no dull moment.
Absolutely phenomenal. :)
If you ever needed a lesson in not listening to reviewers and making your own mind up about a movie, this is it. The Suicide Squad is brought to life by David Ayer in this summer blockbuster. It is 2+ hours of hard hitting FUN, with incredible portrayals of comic book favourites. Will Smith IS Deadshot, Margot Robbie IS Harley Quinn, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje IS Killer Croc, Jai Courtney IS Captain Boomerang... and The Joker??? I WANTED MORE!!! Well the biggest compliment I can pay to Jared Leto is that I didn't think about Heath Ledger once, it was a completely different yet interesting portrayal.
In this fun action flick, the bad guys are sent to take down a greater evil. Critics of the big bad in this movie seem to have completely missed the point. The big bad in this movie is merely a plot device, to help us get to see our protagonists form as a team. If anything the real villain of the piece is the one who forms this team of misfits. Amanda Waller is portrayed DIABOLICALLY by the incredible Viola Davis and the part where she turns on and guns down her own employees is SHOCKING . Complaining about the villain in a movie where the protagonists are bad guys is akin to complaining about the villain in Deadpool... THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF THE MOVIE!
This movie leaves you with a thirst for more of these characters, and some shots such as when Will Smith is stood on top of a car and gunning down henchman after henchman after henchman look like they have just been ripped out of a comic book and put on screen by the wonderfully talented David Ayer.
If you are a comic book fan, or a DC movies fan, heck even if you are just an average movie watcher... watch this movie! It is SO MUCH FUN!!!
UPDATE: Just seen the Extended Edition and I really enjoyed the new scenes. This extended version doesn't change the nature of the movie in the way the Ultimate Cut did for BvS but I found it let's the movie breathe a little and solves some of the editing problems people complained about. I still love the theatrical release but my recommendation is to watch the extended version of this movie!
No. No. I refuse to believe this.
I'm not crying, not yet. But I have this horrible, cold, twisting sensation in my stomach that usually means I'm nervous. Right now it means that my worst nightmares have come true.
I can't say that I didn't expect Root to die, but I didn't expect it to happen before the series finale, and even then, my silly, naive heart still hoped against all hope that she'd miraculously survive.
Root died protecting Harold, fighting for a cause she believed in. She transcended death and became The Machine's voice. They couldn't have possibly come up with a more fitting end for her character, but that doesn't mean I'm the tiniest bit okay with her dying. I feel sick, to be honest. I can't breathe. I don't know how to process this. Is this what heartbreak feels like? It sucks. It sucks so badly.
It's no secret that I loved Root. I absolutely adored her. She was one of my favorite characters of all time, and her journey from an antagonist to a hero was nothing short of extraordinary. I feel like a part of me died with her, and I don't think I'll ever get it back.
I can't focus because my feelings are overwhelming me. It was a brilliant episode. Great action, great Harold speech in that interrogation room, great Root/Shaw scenes... I need to scream into my pillow. Root just got Shaw back! It's not fair!
How am I supposed to live after this?
Everything hurts, and nothing matters anymore.
I think I need a hug.
This is perhaps the best DC series I've seen, animated OR live action. Going in, I'd assumed that I would be getting a "decent" or "good" show at best, but I'd assumed wrong and was pleasantly surprised to find that, despite being a project intended for younger audiences, the darker and more "mature" themes make it an enjoyable show for just about everyone. In just a few (three, to be exact) days' time, I've breezed through the entire first season. Yes, it's that good.
Young Justice is an adaptation with twists and changes and combinations—and that many ingredients usually calls for a mess, but it was carefully and beautifully crafted, turning a could-be mess into a brilliant work of art. Truthfully, it has better continuity and more complexity than most other shows I watch. The characters are fascinating, dimensional, flawed in the best and most relatable ways. The storylines are intriguing, all giving leeway to equally intriguing backstory and/or character development. And, though I could have done without the writers trying to pair off every male and every female right and left since I've personally never been a big fan of forced, in-your-face romances (with the exception of one), there are so many dynamics to enjoy: friendships, families, rivalries alike.
Overall, it's terrific. I could be real nitpicky and choose small, maybe meaningless things to critique, but I'd rather not, seeing as the creators of this series really do deserve a round of applause for a job well done.
ETA: Now finished with season two, I am able to say with even more confidence that I am wholeheartedly in love with this show and its characters. I'm even more angered by its cancellation now, for more reasons than one: because the network didn't give the writers and producers a chance to close such an open ending and in turn left fans hanging, because their reasons for not renewing the show were outlandishly stupid, because a series with such promise was cut short. Even though it's been two years since the last episode aired, I am hoping and praying fiercely for someone, anyone, to pick this show back up.
This amazing, wonderful show deserves a third season and more.
ETA: THIS AMAZING, WONDERFUL SHOW IS GETTING THE THIRD SEASON IT DESERVES.
Update 9/22/16: This was the episode Tatiana used as her Emmy submission and won with.
So my fave ship from Season 1 is finally reunited. Propane (Rachel x Windows), how I've missed thee. Never part again.
And, of course, if something is given, something has to be taken away, so apparently this is goodbye to my dear Beth. I have to say that this season's Beth arc was easily one of my favorite things that has happened on this show. It gave this show the much needed boost it needed after last season's Castor debacle. Sarah seeing Beth again while on the bridge near the train station broke me. When Beth said "We need you." I almost lost it.
The main two questions I need answered now are: Where the hell is Helena? I can understand why she left, but that doesn't explain why we haven't seen her. The woman is pregnant with twins and I need to know she's okay. And of course, is Delphine alive or not? It's been 7 episodes since she was shot and all we know is that Krystal saw someone pick her up and she was still alive at that time. If she is alive, I bet she shows up in the last seconds of the season finale or Cosima gets some phone call from her at the end of the episode.
This season is jockeying back and forth with Season 1 in the favorite season department. Actually, I think when the season is over, I'm going to watch Season 1 and Season 4 back to back.
Evil Katie Cassidy with black lipstick, dressed in leather? Sign me the hell up! I loved her!
My poor baby Caitlin. I'm glad she's back with the team. She, Barry and Cisco had a really nice moment with the group hug. The original trio of nerds back together, as it should be.
"This is the part where I play stupid and you explain the science."
That's it. That's the show in a nutshell.
A lot of good lines in this episode. Very quotable.
"- I didn't know you cared, Detective.
- Yes, you did."
That was a nice spin on the clichéd "I don't" response. Joe is a gift to this world.
I love how Cisco and Harry are BFFs now. Their relationship is super fun to watch.
Barry and Iris are adorable. I didn't really like the idea of those two together in season 1. I thought that their childhood-friends dynamic with the boy inevitably falling in love with the girl was kind of unoriginal and boring. Now I'm starting to like them. I still wouldn't mind Barry and Caitlin together, though. Grant Gustin is a magical actor who has chemistry with everyone.
I wish I could get my hands on Zoom right now. Damn, leave Barry alone! That puppy of a person has been through enough. He deserves some happiness for once.
If all doppelgangers are mirror reflections of each other, does this mean that 90% of the population on Earth 2 are left-handed?
Okay, I really wanted to like this episode, mainly because Jacqueline's character development is such a feminist statement. Unfortunately, the entire subplot with Titus as a Geisha is......argh. The way they dealt with this subplot is very one-sided and unfair. This episode comes off as pandering to the anti-SJW/anti-PC crowd. They could have at least give the PC crowd a much fairer portrayal. Like pointing out more realistic reasons why they're offended by Titus' portrayal of a Geisha in the first place like how doing a yellowface can actually be harmful to the way how people perceive Asians. Not because they're offended cause they're offended, like how they were portrayed in the show. With this, it gives a much fairer discussion on the still talked about political correctness vs. comedy debate. But nope, it's very clear what kind of bias Tina Fey has in regards to this topic.
In regards to this debate. Full-on political correctness is bad. I believe jokes on very taboo subjects has to at least be clever and does not come off as making fun of the oppressed. Like in regards to making a rape joke that makes a rapist the butt of the joke rather than the rape victims. Of course, that subplot is in response to the whitewashing of Jacqueline since the actress who is playing her is white. Honestly, I am okay with Jacqueline's character being an Native American despite being played by an actress who is white because it's ironic, gives a plot twist that Jacqueline is not actually white and also delivers a sad massage about how many PoC had to make themselves white to be feel worthy. Honestly, with this kind of story, I wouldn't buy an accurate Native American actor playing Jacqueline. Let me be clear that whitewashing in general is awful. This is just an exemption because this particular part is executed well in my opinion.
Okay, those worm implant things are gross as hell. My whole face is itching right now. But how come Sarah didn't feel it earlier? In the previous episode the guy could feel it moving in his cheek and the one in Sarah's jaw looks pretty big.
My poor baby Cosima missing Delphine. I'm so sad for her, she's such a sweet ray of sunshine but she's been through so much. I just want her to be happy...
Helena's having twins! Finally we're getting something nice and positive instead of constant suffering! She was so excited when she found out. And Donny's a real treasure. So kind and supportive and genuinely happy for Helena. I feel a little sorry for Alison, though. This whole situation must be difficult for her, especially since she's the one who wanted to have a family and struggled with her inability to get pregnant.
Felix looking for his biological parents will be an interesting storyline. It's nice that they adressed the fact that S and Sarah are basically related and that Felix might feel left out because of that.
The scenes where the story switched between Sarah and Beth were the highlight of the episode for me. They were very cool visually and I like that we finally got to learn more about Beth, since Sarah witnessing her suicide was what set the events in motion in the first place.
Ok, let's begin from the easy part: Alicia Vikander as Gerda is the real main character in this movie, she's an amazing actress and her performance is really really good. And even though I really appreciate her performance, I think that point of view contributed to cheapen the movie's message.
Eddie Redmayme, well, I'm quite puzzled, because I loved him on "The Theory of Everything" and on "The Pillars of Earth" but here.. I was positive he would perform this character without falling into an offensive representation of transgender woman, I really hoped it, but at the end overcome clichés, stereotypes on "transvestites of 30s", on femininity, and women. I found it offensive because it's like the representation of a representation of what a man sees about women's way of move, act and think.
I really am disappointed by this movie because I find it dangerous: it does can be misunderstood and manipulated. I would have liked a better representation of context, because that would explain much: to society on 30s women's role was to procreate, to love a man and get married, to be quite shallow; this woman stuck inside a man's body tries to get accepted as woman, adapting to the common vision of that role, but eventually stops being herself, changes her way to move (copying other women), doing what she loves, and loving her wife instead of "bring outside" her true self.
On this movie gender identity and sexuality are mixed up and messed up...! No words! Shame! Shame! Shame!
Contextualization helps understanding and empathizing how confusing should have been being a transgender person those years, with no information, or scientific studies, and no psychological support on that path. The true feelings, and the story, are displayed by little and minimal clues and lines (and unaware people can miss them). Many elements and inattentions switched a prospective good movie to a dangerous message, which can be used by anti-LGBTQ+, transophobes, and populists, because the message passed can be that Einar was a man with some psicological issues and dissociative disorder (because starting a new life of course is talking on 3° person, getting rid of every passion, act litterally different, and switch your sexual orientation, is it?) who had this whim to fight for change his genitalia and died.
A woman is not a vagina, and a woman is not "less woman" if she is bisexual or lesbian, and being a transgender person doesn't mean that every problem is solved with an operation, there is an important and huge path made of self-acceptance, analysis, support, and operations (for those who decide to get it) is just the last step (and actually not really the last). Simplicism isn't always good, sensitive issues can't being tackled like this, expecially during periods in which it is still necessary educating people to awareness and respect. Making a movie in a superficial and approximate way "because this is the right time, it's the fashion" it's dangerous.
Really, the only reason for watching this movie is having the complete portrait of it, understanding critics and create a debate. And Alicia Vikander, I really love her acting, and she is beautiful; Gerda is a strong, independent woman, who loved her husband for who he really was and not for his body, and still continues - despite the difficulties to accept it - when he comes out as a transgender woman.
You love someone for who she is, not for her gender.
