I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I tossed this in my queue. I was born in 1970 so maybe I was trying to see what I missed. Answer: not much. As others have mentioned, the 3D thing kind of ticked me off. Perhaps a note or something on the info page for this movie should mention the need for them. Since this is Super Bowl weekend and there are glasses available at the grocery story for the half time show and tomorrow's episode of Chuck, I went and got some. Didn't help. Could not get the 3D effect to work with the glasses upside down, backwards, one eye open, no eyes open, etc... Now that I've read the Wiki article, it states the movie is not shown in the traditional red/cyan filter format so I'm even more confused. When the 3D doesn't work, it makes some of the scenes look all the more ridiculous like the pool cue and the shots at the amusement park. This movie has many of the same elements of a porn movie, except worse. The same repetitive soundtrack, HORRIBLE editing, paper thin story, bad acting. The only 2 people who have a story are the ad exec and his stewardess and their "ending" does not exactly mesh too well within this movie. Don't even get me started on the fetishly freaky lamp sex scene. That's right, 3D sex with a lamp. I wish I could say something positive but I have racked my brain and it's drained. As a side note: This was the most profitable 3D movie of all time. (wiki)
This movie does not try to fool you into thinking it is something it isnt. Around the first 15 minutes of the film are spent at the pool of the private resort giving you the sights like the traditional pool scene in every episode of Love Boat that takes place after you meet that weeks guest start boarding the Pacific Princess. But I digress...Here we meet Jack and Ben, two pretty lucky guys who have their own suite, no worries, and the ability to get drinks on their vacation. The antics that ensue are reminiscent of dozens of other movies(and maybe some Scooby Doo cartoons). It is entertaining enough to hold your interest, barely. People to note here are obviously Johnny Depp in his next role after Nancys boyfriend in Nightmare on Elm Street. He does show a lot of that charisma that has become his trademark. We also have Callahan from the Police Academy series in a great part for her. But the one I liked was Andrew Clay (pre-diceman moniker). I dont think he acts in his movies. He IS the character in the movie. Here is Curt could easily be named Ford Fairlane and you would not know the difference. Enjoy.
I have not been this disappointed in an ensemble cast movie since I watched Dr. T and the Women. In order for this movie to work I really think the director should have made us want to like Meg Ryan's character of Mary a little more. I just couldn't muster up the sympathy for her that was needed to make this boring story matter. I know it's called The Women and there is a female director but the very bold move of having no male characters in the movie did not work for me nor my wife. It felt like they had to work hard to ensure we never saw the unfaithful husband, the jerk of a dad who fires Mary, or the boss who is going to fire Sylvie(Annette Bening), or the father of Edie's(Debra Messing) baby. I get the concept, it just didn't work. I don't know if there was a larger role written for Carrie Fisher but she was reduced to near cameo status here. My wife and I could not make it through the movie in one sitting, we had to watch the last 10 chapters on a second day because we had been put in a catatonic state. The other point I'd like to make is what did Meg Ryan do to her face? Her upper lip no longer moves due to injection. When she talks, it's like Kermit the Frog's mouth, stiff as cardboard. She has been one of my favorites for a long time, but I almost feel let down by this one. To conclude, if you are going to call the movie The Women and have zero male characters(save a newborn baby at the end), why on earth would you have the story leading us to believe that Mary is going to take her husband back? Obviously I'm male and even I don't think he deserved a second chance here after what Eva Mendes' character put Mary through. I know I'll probably get blasted for this review, but I did want to like this movie, I did.
This movie has a lot going for it. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway both are very entertaining as Liv and Emma, best friends for 20 years whose relationship runs into troubles when they are both scheduled to have their dream weddings on the same date at the same place they've been planning since they were 6 years old. The story starts off with us getting to enjoy just how much they care for and support each other as evidenced by Liv's covering for Emma wearing an old gown to their gold digger friend's wedding and then supposedly giving her a "hand me down" that was brand new. That's what best friends do. But then the movie takes a kind of nasty turn to some Home Alone type antics when the girls get nasty with competition after their wedding dates are mistakenly scheduled on the same day. Some of this is funny but a lot of it was just too contrived. I really loved the way Liv's husband knew just how to handle her and what to say at the right time, especially with his beautiful Smurf comment. Watch for Kristen Johnston (who has dropped a lot of weight since her great role in Music and Lyrics). She was great in this. Candice Bergen plays her part as the wedding planner much the same way she played the mother in Sweet Home Alabama -- stiff and prudish. Would have liked to see more from her. There are several laughs and it is definitely worth seeing the meaning of true friendship and how they were lost without each other. Nicely done, especially Anne Hathaway. Who knew she could dance like that?
This movie really reflected an Adam Sandler in transition. Sure he started off as a workaholic family neglecting man. But he still seemed like Billy Madison/Happy Gilmore. Given the power of the remote, he does things like kick people in the nuts and fart in his bosses face. Seemed pretty old school and standard comedy fair. I guess this is what I was expecting from this movie since it was marketed this way. But then the director changes his mind. The theme starts to get more serious and take on life lessons. A stretch from where it started. Don't get me wrong, I think it was a good change but it just doesn't seem to fit. Henry Winkler was great as his dad. The scene where he rewinds to the last time he saw his father was very sad. Then they seal the deal by telling you he wasn't there when his dad died. Also nicely done was the scene at his son's wedding where he is fumbling while try to figure out exactly what he has missed this time. The moral of the story is solid and one worth turning into a film. I'm just not impressed with the path the director took us down to get there.
The movie did not disappoint. On the Marvel scale, I would place it real close to the joy of watching the first Spider Man and as far away from Eric Bana's Hulk as you possibly can. The opening action sequence was a delight. They were able to introduce you to Tony Stark the person with just a few minutes of banter and then wallop you with the action that already makes you really like this guy. I loved the part where he is being interviewed and the woman says that he is compared to Da Vinci and he says, that's crazy because he doesn't paint. Don't know why thought it was funny. I initially thought Academy Award winner Gywneth Paltrow had been miscast as Tony's assistant but as they expaned her role I realized that they had made an excellent choice. She didn't try to steal any scenes and it was clear throughout the movie that Tony/Iron Man was the star. Of course you can dissect the story as much or as little as you want but it does hold together enough to support the fun of watching this movie. With the couple hints at sequels in the movie, I only hope it becomes reality.
I had heard so many bad things prior to watching this movie that I almost took a pass. I really wanted to see it though because it was a huge deal here in Detroit when they were filming scenes locally. That turned out to be a dud. About the only part I could attribute to Detroit was the car chase that was filmed indoors. That was the old Train Depot here. What I found weird about the movie was it really didn't have an identity. It sets up as a sci-fi thriller with the genetics and GATTACA type themes. I liked the scene where the clones were reading Dick and Jane. After the scene where we see Michael Clarke Duncan getting his liver removed (I think he was great in this small part), the movie decides to change it's mind and become Terminator 4. The special effects just take over and our two naive, 15 year old mentality clones manage to elude a team of special forces hit men who have rocket cycle, choppers and access to the electronic networks that no one can escape. Yet Lincoln and Jordan do. Mind you the special effects are not cheesy it's just that they dominate the second half of the movie making you forget the original story line. The movie is entertaining, I just wish it didn't have that massive chasm that I felt between the two parts
This had to have been the strangest senior trip I have ever seen. No group activities and the kids keep running into each other all across Manhattan, you know because it's such a small place. I don't know how anyone can look at Scott Baio and not immmediately think Chachi or Charles in Charge. In this movie, he does change it up a little bit and play the intelligent focused teen who knows exactly what he wants. The other stories get mixed reviews. The ones who just drank or wanted to get prostitutes were pretty lame. Note a young Jason Alexander (George Costanza from Seinfeld) as the guy who vomits on the bus. The lady who sang for Mickey Rooney really belted it out. The one couple I identified with were the two who wanted to see "everything" in Manhattan. I tried to do it in a day and it is just impossible. During their tours, the scenery shots show the twin towers of the World Trade Center about 5 or 6 times. It just made me think...there used to be no way to take a scenery shot of lower Manhattan without including them then films like Spiderman felt pressured to edit them out and now film makers try to avoid having to deal with it. Sad...
I watched this movie not remembering anything from when it was released, couldn't recall what the trailers contained so I had no idea what it was about. The way the wife was setting it up, I was expecting a kind of Royal Tennenbaums. I was glad she was wrong. While I think there are a lot of elements in this movie that don't work, the majority do. Of course, per the new requirement, you had to have the happy gay person. But they worked and you liked them more than anyone else in this movie. I'm not sure why we are supposed to think that Everett is considered the black sheep of the family. The movie did not set this up very well. Everyone in the family can not stand Meredith when she is with Everett. After the dinner scene where she insults the entire family and the gay community, you would think they were done with her. But by the end of the movie when it's the next years Christmas and she has switched her love to Ben, suddenly she's OK? I just didn't see the transition. Of course Amy has to fall in love with ambulance boy too. I was a little surprised they didn't play up Sybil's illness a little more. Maybe the directior was trying to keep everything a little light and keep this mostly as a comedy but I'm sure they could have elicited a few tears with a well writting scene involving her passing. Not that it needed it but you do get really attached to her during the movie, especially after she stuck up for Patrick and her son during the awkward dinner scene. Overall, I did enjoy it. There is enough here to entertain and Luke Wilson probably steals the show. He's no Baldwin brother ;)
I have been a big Reese fan for years now but had never heard of this movie until I found it while making a Reece list. I was stunned. What a phenomenal acting performance put in by such a young woman on her first movie. She was outstanding. Unfortunately, the story/script is the weak point of the movie. Besides the budding love affair between Dani and Court and the awkward tryst with Maureen joining the action, there is not much going on here. I thoroughly enjoyed the on-screen time the young couple shared. From the first scene at the watering hole where instead of being a shy nude 14 year old, she chews Court out telling him unless his name is Foster, he better be leaving. The usual cheese factor had to enter the movie. It seems to be required. When Dani leaves for her late night rendezvous at the pond to meet Court, the out of nowhere storm brews up and her mother's "spider sense" starts tingling and she has to run outside in the storm to find her overly independent daughter when she takes a bad fall and receives a concussion so we are forced to worry whether she will lose the baby. Somehow, the bump on the head led to instant toxemia. Medical miracle I say. One of the final scenes where Dani goes fishing with her old man and we finally get to see some of that daddy wisdom when he advises her that her sister is for life and probably needs her more than ever was actually done very nicely. Sam Waterston added a nice touch here in his pre-Law & Order days. I have to say this movie comes highly recommended. Try to look past the slightly thin story and just enjoy the rising star that was Reese Witherspoon.
While the story may not be the most elaborate and detailed ever scripted, it is a pleasure to see unfold. It is always a joy to see a film where the couple can and does convince the viewer that they love each other beyond all bounds. I would consider that point to be the main theme of the movie though I think they set out hoping it would be the bridging of the gap between father and daughter. It really feels like Jane Fonda is just a minor sub-plot here. My favorite scene is when Dabney Coleman first meets Norman and asks permission to sleep with Chelsea. I felt genuine anxiety for him. With the main story being the eternal love of Norman and Ethel, I would consider the second focus to be the evolving friendship of Billy and Norman. Of course, one can feel the allegory of how this never happened with Norman and Chelsea, I feel it just pushes her story further down the agenda. All things included, this is a great movie. Beautiful scenery and some fine acting with a good story is very enjoyable. If you want some proof of just how much it was about the acting, look at the cast in the closing credits. There are only 6 or 7 people listed yet you feel like you got to feel so much more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of 4 teenage girls who must survive their first summer apart as they go on their separate adventures. I initially thought the movie was going to be more like Now and Then (Demi Moore, Rosie O'Donnell) with the story being told over 20 years but I was surprised when it didn't. The scenes that were filmed in Greece are breathtaking. The water is so blue and the white-washed buildings as the backdrop make the visuals all the more splendid. I particularly enjoyed Lena's tale the most here. Her transformation was completely believable as the innocent girl back home is "born" on her travels abroad. Very well done. Of the others, I also enjoyed Tibby's. While she set out to make a documentary (boring film ;) of what happens at the local chain market, I think she gained the most during the summer. With Bailey entering her life and teaching her how precious it is, she gained much perspective and used it when Carmen first comes home. When Bailey explains how it's the little things that make our lives special whether it be Dragon's Lair or whatever. What an acting job by this young woman who played Baily. The other 2 stories were also enjoyable, but not at the level of the first 2. As a middle-aged man, most would think I wouldn't have enjoyed it but I did. While I was watching, my son's 13 year old friend walked in and said, "This is an awesome movie, you're going to love it". So to all that think the male genre wouldn't appreciate, there are 2 votes against ;) I'm thinking about reading the book...enjoy.
Overall, I found this movie to be fairly enjoyable. I really enjoyed Julia Stiles performance and how she seemed to transition during the movie into someone taking over her grandmother's place at the head of the family since her father clearly was not the person to do this. The theme of the best friend/secret love was a little tired and transparent here but I did like the part when he professes his love for her and she "doesn't know what to say" and he replies, "you just said it". But of course our man will swallow his pride and overcome this intitial setback. Shirley MacLaine--I swear she has to be typecast more as the crotchety old mother/grandmother figure more than Arnold is an action hero. She plays this EXACT same character in this movie as Bewitched, Rumor Has It, Guarding Tess, Steel Magnolias, and Terms of Endearment. The only movie she has recently done to not follow this is In Her Shoes. All that said, I enjoyed her performance here. She just says what she wants and gets away with it. Randy Quaid seemed like the same character from Vacation series. I would recommend this movie to those who enjoy a family roles coming of age type experience
My major gripe with this movie was how strictly it attempted to adhere to the book, even though that's what I wanted it. Confused? I bet. There were things they included in flashbacks that I thought were just there to throw a bone to those who have read the book. They made absolutey no sense to someone who hadn't. I would bet there was not a single person who hadn't read the book who was able to pick up anything about the monk's and the Bishop's past. The flashback left me kind of confused. I could cite several of these but I think you get my point. I'm not sure why they changed some of the other things also. Like Langdon being at a book signing when the French police grab him. This throws the whole timing of that evening off since he was at his lecture, then says he was supposed to meet Sauniere and waited for an hour...etc. Just didn't flow right. A little more detail on his "escape" from the Louvre would have been nice too. The book did a nice job here. Also omitted the gun standown at the DaVinci painting. Changed the ending....blah blah. Still enjoyed the movie but left feeling they could have done so much better.
"The Exception, not the rule.." refers to a line repeated throughout the movie but I thought it could also refer to the recent trend of these all-star cast movies not being equal to the sum of their parts. There is a long history of let downs like Dr. T and the Women. Though this movie isn't great, it is at least enjoyable and bucks that trend. It is very slow starting with an awkward attempt to introduce you to the interwoven cast of relationship misfits with very few laughs. But it does improve with Scarlett Johansson turning in one of her better performances. You may not like what she stands for in this movie, but she makes you believe it anyway. As you look at the credits you see a list of names that have starred in many movies but you will be surprised at who "stars" in this movie. It is Ginnifer Goodwin playing Gigi, the hopelessly gullible one-date machine. She is the bright spot in this movie and her scenes with Alex (Justin Long) provide enough spark to keep the flame of the rest of the film burning. I'm not sure if the script was written for her to be the focus or it just developed into that but she was excellent. Look for Kumar as a gay friend of Mary(Drew Barrymore in a just above cameo status appearance) and a nice short performance for Kris Kristofferson. The movie ends with the neat wrap-up for all the characters with a kind of Love Actually feel. Some get what they thought they wanted and others get their freedom, but everyone seems happy. Overall I think this movie lacks an identity, not sure whether it is a comedy, drama, or social commentary as evidenced by the scene where the editor has decided to cut from a heart attack at a wedding reception to a party scene with a cold transition. Just strange editing.
Watching through Buffy for the first time recently. I missed it the first go-round as i would've been too hardcore goth for such bubblegummy fare when it was first coming out. It's good timing, actually, i feel like the ensuing 2 decades have put me in a place to appreciate Joss Whedon's campy vision.
I feel like Teacher's Pet is the episode where the series starts to hit its stride. The main characters seem to be establishing their chemistry, which is excellent and worth watching for that alone. Secondarily, it's good, goofy late 90s fun. While this show could easily veer towards the obnoxious, somehow it toes the line and is charming instead. I feel like if this came out even 3 years later, it wouldn't have worked, as i imagine they'd have been tempted to use CGI instead of practical effects and the whole thing would've been rendered dated and cheap. Instead, Buffy has kind of a timeless quality, in lines with weird, goofy teen horror romps, from Eerie, Indiana to The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina.
I also like to imagine a world where teenagers go out and watch live music almost every day. Makes me miss going to shows.
[9.5/10] The most ingenious choice that Greta Gerwig’s Little Women makes is to chop up the story so as to juxtapose present and past. It not only immediately marks this adaptation as distinct from its predecessors, but helps to recontextualize and connect different parts of the story to make it feel new again.
The audience has a chance to meet and appreciate Freidrich before Laurie has burrowed into their hearts. By the same token, the joy and connection between Amy and Laurie can be front and center from the get-go, without springing it on the viewer halfway through the story. And the bookend approach allows Gerwig to put Jo’s drive and travails as a writer into the spotlight early.
But the biggest advantage it confers on the film is how it allows Little Women to constantly contrast the lives that these young girls imagined they would lead one day, with the lives each finds themselves inhabiting in the future. Like the novel it’s based on, Gerwig’s adaptation is anchored squarely around considering the wildest dreams of its titular set of sisters, and measuring them against the paths actually available to women in their time, and the places their choices and passions take them. The jumps back and forth and time allow Gerwig to check expectation with reality, to trace cause and effect, and to resolve the two with poignance and grace.
It also allows Gerwig and company to flesh out each of the young women at the center of the narrative. Jo March still commands the story and the screen. Saoirse Ronan throws herself into the role, conveying all the punch, heedlessness, and subtle vulnerabilities of the character with endearing abandon. It is both a dream role and a hard one, but Ronan makes it look effortless.
And yet, this adaptation makes time for the other March sisters to falter and flourish. Amy is vivid and real from the jump, with her questioning of her own talents, her sense of being second to Jo, and her truth-telling relationship with Laurie put front and center. Meg’s chance at a life of elegance and plenty, the love that pulls her away from it, and the joys and hardships of that choice are given time to breathe. And Beth remains the heart of the film -- still a little too pure for this world, but one who suffers for her own goodness, reminds a kindly neighbor of what’s been lost, and spurs her sister to take up what she’s put down.
All the while, Little Women is utterly gorgeous to look at through the March Sisters’ misadventures. Gerwig and cinematographer Yorick Le Saux capture the bucolic beauty of scene after scene draped in New England splendor. The pair construct tableaus of faraway elegance and local beauty in turn. But these visuals aren’t gratuitous. Beyond making the movie a treat to watch, it helps sell the contrast at the heart of the film. Scenes set in Jo’s youth have a golden hue, an inviting glow that conveys the idyllic, hopeful tone of those early days. And the ones set in her adulthood are darker and starker, visually communicating the various cold realities the March family has had to grapple with in later years.
As necessary as it is to contend with those cold realities, it’s just plain fun to vicariously share in the joy that Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy share with their mother and friends in their family home. Apart from its structural choices, apart from its character focus, the greatest strength of Gerwig’s Little Women is how well it captures this sense of young people at play, of a headstrong young woman in their element, and that unfathomable, spontaneous vigor of youth.
The March Sisters, and their friends and close confidants, fight and babble and hug and exalt together. There’s a move toward Gilmore-esque speed and overlap in conversation after conversation, expressing the happy chaos that envelops these lives. This story is founded on the breadth of possibility forged in such a simple, familiar environment, on the pleasures and satisfactions found despite absences and meager means, on blessings shared and passed around. The warmth of the March household would not work if those who orbit and inhabit it, did not seem so real in their rough-and-tumble interactions and simple joys.
Those joys, however, are meant to run up against the expectations of adulthood that clash with allowances of youth. That’s the role Aunt March plays -- the naysayer to the slack existence her brother and his wife and children have made for each other. But Gerwig does not make her a villain. Instead, she is merely practical, a woman who knows from her own experiences which choices are permitted and which invite difficulties, delivered with an amusing wryness that makes her endearing even as she aims to stifle her nieces’ dreams.
That’s the crux of Gerwig’s adaptation. The March sisters imagine wondrous lives for one another, borne on the backs of each’s great talent. Jo pictures herself as a bold writer in the big city who never marries anything but her art. Meg sees glimpses of a life where she’ll never have to work, where there’s time for things like acting and society and beautiful dresses. Amy envisions the life of the genius painter overseas who stands with giants. And each finds those dreams running aground on the many limitations of the real world, with tethers made extra taut for the declaratively fairer sex.
All except for Beth, whose dreams lie in the simple doing of good, the making of music for those around to hear it rather than for the masses, despite her prodigious abilities. She is the cinch of Little Women, not merely in her death which brings the March sister home. But in her life of quiet kindness at home, in her peace with what must come and the joy to be found despite it, a joy they found together in the attic and can still share and revive no matter how big or little they are now.
Jo, Amy, and Meg each regains a measure of that golden glow in the shadow of the house they grew up in. Amy loses the artists life in Paris she imagines, but finds happiness in a partner who vindicates her talents and for whom love triumphs over station. Meg is denied by circumstance of the beautiful things and easy life she once pictured, but is buoyed by the care and satisfaction of family and a life built with the man she loves. Even Jo turns away from the “spicy” stories that sell to stuffy cigar-smoking New York publishers and finds her truth, finds her greatness, in the bonds fraught and familiar at home, with a winking-but-joyous connection to a beau of her own. And each is seen sharing the fruits of their talents, passing them on to a new generation of young men and women.
There’s a degree of wish-fulfillment to the close of the film, a heartstring-tugging image of familial warmth in a bucolic setting. But Gerwig earns that warmth. The happiness crafted in a humble home is measured against the metes and bounds of the wider world, and found no less worthy. The choices afforded to women of any station at the time are reckoned with and suffered in, with the ensuing joys and small, self-possessed rebellions made more potent in that unfair crucible. The losses each suffers, the distance between the lives they dreamed and the lives they live, is laid bare in the cuts between past and present.
But in the end, Gerwig does as Alcott did, and makes the fulfillment each chooses meaningful by those terms. The hardships great and small each endures, make it more than a publisher-mandated happy ending when, despite that difference between past imagination and present truth, each of these little women realizes they’re living the lives they truly want.
The beginning of the episode left me wishing we could've seen more of this side of Star Wars: regular stormtroopers doing their job, getting into action, and all the unseen dynamics rarely mentioned in the mainstream film trilogies. We did have something in that vein: Republic Commando explored the lives of elite Republic clone troopers; Jedi Academy had us follow the lives of youngling under tutelage of Luke's academy; the original Battlefront showed us the transitioning of a republic to an empire through the eyes of the soldiers.
It's the lives of the mundane, the less than extraordinary, yet still gripping and intriguing. They let us dive deeper to the world of Star Wars beyond the flashy buzzing of lightsabers and spectacles of the magical force.
The Mandalorian wished it could be one of those. Unfortunately, it failed terribly.
In episode 5, @ShrimpBoatSteve has said that the series has became too predictable, and I agree - the finale shows how predictable the whole season is. https://trakt.tv/comments/264475
After the long flashback which most parts we've already seen in previous episodes - seemingly making the scenes feels almost like a filler - The Mandalorian episode 8 seems reluctant to set their foot to the ground with its notable world-building as previously seen in Eps 7 and Eps 1 to 3. As I have previously said, after everyone gangs on The Mando (Eps 7), Baby Yoda/Little One's background (who Baby Yoda is, why is he wanted, what the Imperial remnants wanted to do with him, etc) remains unresolved. As the episode shows us Moff Gideon rising with a darksaber in hand, yet another reference moment: every substance the show can possibly offer will be dealt only in Season 2 (or, worse, more).
Stormtroopers in Star Wars have been infamous for their terribly inaccurate shots, but in this episode it feels like their incompetency is amplified to the point of parody and, of course, plot armors. Scout troopers - which is supposed to be snipers - can't shoot droid right in front of their eyes. Instead of coming in squads, troopers only come individually (incinerators burning the building, a few troopers slaughtered by the blacksmith, a few others guarding the tunnel, and the most stupid of all, Moff Gideon waiting for nightfall just for no reason) which makes for a convenient plot armors for our heroes to trek on their way.
Of course, there are casualties - what is a story without something seemingly at a stake? - but it is nothing more than devices to delay the heroes from their trek. Taking cues from Eowyn's "I am no man" of Lord of the Rings fame, in less than moment-defining fashion IG-11, which himself came as a sort of droid ex machina, said that it is no "living being" while resurrecting The Mando from fatal injuries, remedied every possible threat with its healing devices.
Antagonists can be dumb, but there is a limit to dumbness that can suspend audience's disbelief. This episode has antagonist almost feels like they are intentionally dumb and there is nothing really at a stake when everything can be easily remedied.
This episode is not the worst, certainly, as the action sequence is flashy and satisfying. The one near ending where The Mando utilizes a neat jet jump is clever and actually can show the extent Star Wars can be when the director wanted to think creatively beyond the force. Knights of the Old Republic and the aptly named Star Wars Bounty Hunter played with clever tricks similar to this once a while, and the trick doesn't feel cheap as they stand on a very good storytelling.
The Mandalorian's flashy action, regardless, seems to serve only as explicit fanservice - a style over substance.
There are plenty of action, which, by itself, is quite well-done. The consistently hardly imposing threats, unfortunately, dull down the possible thrill those scenes can offer - in a typical corny action heroes such as Gerard Butler's character in Has Fallen trilogy. The scene, for example, with The Blacksmith let us peek into the martial arts capability a Mandalorian can exhibit. But the rather plot armor of incompetent stormtroopers leave no stake at hand; the martial arts dexterity looks more like a cheap imitation of main trilogies of Jedi's acrobatic feats.
Redemption ultimately ends with nothing to be redeemed about, as the people in this show seems to be forever clumsy. From start to finish, everyone made questionable decisions. Nobody blasted the Mando's group with that large amount of stormtroopers. Nobody checked whether Moff Gideon is dead when the fighter was down (Gideon also miraculously survive the crash), with Carga, a supposedly veteran bounty hunter, lightheartedly saying they are already free of the Empire's grasp.
Everything people said in this episode, just like many episodes prior, are not crafted as if the actors were having human conversation. They were rushed by time - they seemingly appear to be set in motion by the plot's demands, to say X so Y happens; to say A when B moment happened.
This episode almost feels like a filler to conclude the dragging episodes this season has been. Screenwriting-wise, this whole season is nothing but bait-and-switch to justify next season(s).
There is much to be said about this kind of terrible business model, where series is written with nothing exactly in mind but to find reasons to continue producing the franchise - the same business model Disney has been using on their MCU franchise and Star Wars films/spinoffs - but the crowds of gladly willing moms awing for Baby Yoda and nerd dads geeking over Star Wars reference doesn't leave enough rooms for those commentaries.
Things fall apart in the very next episode - which didn't take long at all - finding the treasure was always going to be the easy part if this show wanted to have any sense of a longer lifespan about it - there's a lot of scenes between John B. and Sarah's father Ward here that really work - of course Sarah's dad was always going to know more about the treasure than he was letting on, and that final shot of him climbing up the boat to - do something bad - to John B opens up a whole can of questions for the next episode. He has a dark past - that's clear - a past that he's willing to take drastic actions to stop his newly adopted son from talking.
JJ fell down pretty hard this episode and his stuff was pretty emotional and effective. I really like that the show doesn't use this as an excuse to force him apart from the rest of his friends, and that Kiara and Pope sympathise with him for his actions rather than cast him off - which would have been a bad move. It's the highlight of the episode for me, even considering the ending. Rudy Pankow was the MVP of this episode.
Maybe it's not the best idea to question a man who may have had something to do with your father's disappearance on a boat in the middle of nowhere, John B? Maybe wait until you're back on dry land? Either way - whatever happens next - most likely leaning in the direction that John B's going to either kill or heavily injure Ward out of self-defence - we've just found our hook for the rest of the episodes.
Okay, so the Sarah/Kiara split was finally resolved this episode. We learnt more about why Kiara and Sarah don't get along at all - and the two resolving their differences was cliche as hell but fun, and Kiara admitting that she called the cops on Sarah's party was a fun moment. This was very much an episode of two halves that almost felt like two different shows, the first half felt very standard teen drama-y and then the thing quickly turns into a remake of Don't Breathe in the second act as things veered quickly into horror territory that the show was hinting at beforehand.
The scenes where the group were avoiding the blind woman were as tense as hell, and Outer Banks did a good job with changing the atmosphere completely; when it wants to go tense - it can really go tense - I wasn't expecting it to turn into a Don't Breathe remake as quickly as it did, and I felt the group's jubilation and sense of victory about getting the gold and escaping from the house. I wasn't expecting them to find gold so early on in the series - which begs the question - what's going to happen in the next four episodes? How is this not a mini-series? How are we supposed to get a second season out of this?
I'm not really satisfied by that make-up between Sarah and Kiara. Or the way they worked up to it and then had a pretty weak resolve. Kie was so adamant about Sarah "ditching everyone" and "taking everything for herself". We got the resolve for her "ditching", which she explained herself she does with everyone who gets too close, but for Kie to be so specific about having everything taken, or Sarah taking what is yours for herself just because she can, that wasn't touched upon at all. If there really had been something between them in the past, it would have to be resolved in this episode, instead they just dropped it like that was never a thing, or Kie just over-dramatising things.
These kids are also pretty cough dumb with their flashlights in this show, like way back when they were running from attackers with their lights on, like, come on. But I forgive that, cause I like the show in itself.
Just like I forgive the terrible rope-game. Do you not know how to let someone safely down a cliff/other surface?
I'm wondering about Sarah's dad. Other the fact how they alluded to that he might be the mysterious killer? And him "knowing more than he lets on", I'm just talking about his personality here. So the kids both know he has a tendency to explode, while otherwise seeming like a rather benign and gentle father (especially to Sarah). But after the whole scene with Rafe and Billy, somehow I don't really trust him anymore with being so cool about Sarah and her "mystery boys", where all he said was basically "choose well", like he trusts her and her decisions entirely. Maybe he does, but... I'm just not sure he'd be so chill if he found out Sarah were slipping up.
Other than that, I feel little pity when it's about Rafe. Although his father has definite anger-management issues (although him not really noticably getting angry, just suddenly jumping at your throat or starting to kick the life out of you rings more socio/psychopath bells than "anger issues" lmao), I find his words/"actions" justified – not when it comes to Billy, but the whole "You're a thief and a liar, don't come back home", I get that, somehow. Rafe is a spoiled brat and needs to learn that life is a bit different when you don't get dollar bills stuffed up your ass by daddy, or when you can't steal his cash.
As for character creation, I'm just not entirely sure whether you can justify a) dad's borderline-split personality in general b) for it to only affect one kid c) how Sarah seems so balanced apart from the issues with closeness and her brother being a thief/liar/violent person/drug addict hmmmmmmm.
Also, how is a bunch of kids realistically going to turn marked gold into actual money? So many people are looking for it. A lot will know what the markings mean. It's unlikely the kids can go heist the entirety of it by themselves without anyone noticing. And then what, do they know people on the black market? :upside_down:
A classic tale retold in modern times. A shtick we've all seen before in many movies. Though, not a lot can say that they are up to the standards of The Kid Who Would Be King. This film takes the story of King Arthur and flips it. Using the basis narrative to be the forefront of a very meaningful parable.
Yes, this is a good King Arthur movie. It sells itself to be an action movie for kids, but it isn't. It's better than that. It's a family drama with a mystical element thrown in. With commentary that holds true to the characters and even audience watching. Forming to be a journey of lessons that relate directly to family struggles and world views. It was powerful with the aid of visual effects that gracefully captured action and stylised story-telling.
Alex, our main protagonist was acted wonderfully by Andy Serkis' kid, Luis. Showing off lovely emotion when needed and giving a realistic sense of childlike wonder and confusion in sensible ways. All the other cast did have issues though. Not really caring for Tom Taylor's character and neither for Rhianna Dorris'. Feeling too rushed into the story was also a let down with these two. But Angus Imrie did a wonderful job at his portrayal of Merlin. I actually liked him so much that when Patrick Stuart came in, I didn't even give it a second thought as to who I want back more. They both stuck the landing in likeability. But that magic hand movement was maybe a bit too wacky? I don't know how I feel about it, to be honest.
Now the villain is more a metaphor here that didn't need to be shown off a lot. But alas, we got to see them and what a bad casting choice it was for Rebecca Ferguson. She wasn't menacing enough and didn't pose a big enough threat. She would have been better being shielded within shadows for the whole movie. Because what she represents was much better than her reveal. Though, we did get some nice looking action scenes from it. But more questions as well, involving the safety of some people in the last act.
The Kid Who Would Be King is a fantastic family movie. Having a tremendous moral lining that kids should take with them. A bit forceful at times when it came to the delivery. It still gripped me with its visuals. The fight scenes at night were gorgeous and satisfied me for action. I am impressed with how much love and effort was put into this instead of leaving it to be another generic classic retelling of a story for kids. There was care here, and it shows greatly. A true and welcoming surprise.
8.2/10
This season of Arrow was pretty fucking awesome overall. I enjoyed it more than Season 5, almost reaching Season 2 levels of excitement. I loved it!
I only had ONE problem with it, and that is the way the separation of the group was handled. I liked the separation itself, I think it shakes things up and changes the relationship dynamic, which makes it interesting... but I don't like the reasons they came up with to justify such changes. It's ridiculous that Oliver is made out to be this terrible leader and the whole argument with Diggle was terrible, even him doesn't seem to know why he is upset.
Honestly though, that doesn't really affect the season in my mind, especially seeing the payoff on these last episodes, with everybody worried about Oliver getting caught. Oliver's "farewell tour" made it pretty clear that he turned himself in to clear the others - and the public reveal finally came (but unlike Iron Man, Oliver was taken straight to jail). Really curious about how they will deal with this next season, especially seeing as every time a season starts with Oliver not being an active vigilante, it doesn't take long until he suits up again. Going to be trickier this time.
I enjoyed watching the relationship of Earth-2 Laurel and Quentin all season. These actors work so well together, and Katie Cassidy is extremely good in the doppleganger business. Quentin's death sucks, but it didn't really hit me that hard, I guess because I half expected it due to the spoilery news that came up some time ago about Paul Blackthorne leaving the show. Plus, let's face it, things happen in that hospital - I think Sara has grounds to sue.
Last but not least, while Laurel screaming at Diaz and essentially "saving him" sucks... it creates a situation where even though this guy lost his empire and the heroes basically "won", he is not dead or incarcerated and very likely will return with a vengeance. I like this and would love it if he was the big bad again next season, making his arc huge. Diaz was a very cool, intimidating villain despite only being a crime boss - I find this fits Arrow quite well. It does seem weird that he can hold his own against Oliver - I was thinking that maybe there's more to him we don't know (like those mythical assassins he mentioned?) but they made a deal of showing that his thing is boxing. There's certainly more to expand on that character with the writers leaving that door open.
A lot of focus on Alma and Bullock here, neither of whom are my favorite characters on the show. This one also had some of the corniest lines, like the whole "you've changed" exchange between the two of them. I could do without their romance, just because they're two of the more stilted characters on the show, so I don't get a lot of sparks from them when they're together. (Sol and Trixie, on the other hand, are pretty adorable, and them I'm rooting for!)
But then again it also has Charlie being circumspect but still clearly shaken about why Bill let himself get killed like that. And to boot, it has the tremendous scene with him and Calamity Jane standing in front of Bill's grave, both uniting in their grief and finding a way to get their moorings without their friend and leader there to give them guidance.
And we're also introduce to a brother and sister (Kristen Bell!) who initially look like they're being primed and manipulated by the folks in charge of both saloons, but it turns out that they're running their own con and are not quite the babes in the woods they present themselves as. I'm sure there's something thematic there, but I can't quite figure it out. There's something very creepy about how Dan starts to fixate on Flora, and something just as creepy about Cy trying to turn her out. But the reveal that the whole thing is an act suggests something about city fathers who try to take advantage of the innocent, not prepared for the innocent being ready to bite back.
There's a decent amount to that as a larger theme. Al seems to underestimate or at least resent Bullock and considers him naive, but Bullock's also smart enough to see through the con. Alma talks down to Trixie a bit, and Trixie pushes back at her for it. There's a sense that the disregarded or underestimated in Deadwood have more force than those in power or social status might realize.
That extends to Andy, who Cy underestimated through the simple act of survival. His resentment for Cy when he comes to collect his things is palpable and understandable. But the fact that he's there to rub Cy's nose his living breathing status at all is a tribute to how the folks in charge didn't quite see all the angles, and didn't predict how the folks weaker than them might stick around to be a thorn in their sides.
Another look at a divide within the soul of this community -- specifically in how it treats the sick. On the one hand you have guys like Al and Cy and the other businessmen of the town, who are mostly concerned with quelling any panic so as not to hurt any business. There's no really empathy or sympathy from them, or if there is, it's buried down deep. They have interests, and those interests would be hurt by a smallpox outbreak running through Deadwood. So they pool their money, send folks out to get a vaccine, and work with the local media to downplay the severity of the threat.
And on the other hand you have the Doctor Cochran, Calamity Jane, and the reverend who actually want to see these people treated. The doctor is content to play the game as much as he needs to in order to keep himself solvent and allowed to do his job in the midst of all this muck, but at the end of the day, he's committed to treating the sick, and all his dealings with Al, Cy, and other, are a means to that end. Jane is in mourning, back on the bottle, and yet you see in the way she looks at that little girl, and in the way she dives on board to helping in the pest tent, that she too cares about these people, and isn't going to let her grief rob her of her spirit. And the reverend, odd duck though he may seem, is equally committed to caring for the sick, regardless of the risks or even of his own afflictions, which may have been spurred by spending time in the graveyard with coughing newspapermen and god knows what else. These folks get little or nothing out of treating the ill--their interests aren't aligned toward it the way the businessmen of the town are--but they're still there to take care of it.
The episode trots out a few more of this little dichotomies. Al and E.B. want to incapacitate Alma so that they can pursue their business interest, namely getting her to sell her gold claim back to them. They don't care what subtrefuge they have to use to do it; it's all in the game. But Trixie has been where Alma is, clouded by a laudanum stupor and (presumably) having some major lapse that made her want to climb out of it, and even though it goes directly against her interest, particularly with the cruel hand of Swearingen waiting for, she wants to help this ill woman get better, nursing her through the withdrawal and coaching her through Al's deceptions.
And last but not least, we have Bullock wanting to give his native american attacker a proper burial, whereas Charlie scoffs at it as more kindness than the fallen warrior would have shown them, but eventually cooperates and helps Seth to send him out the way he'd want to go. "Plague" draws a sharp line between what people are inclined or required to do and what they choose to do even when they don't have to. The smallpox outbreak itself is the biggest example, and the one that reaches the furthest through the community, but in actions big and small, the episode teases out how different people in this town have moral compasses and principles that may lead them to similar places, but for very different reasons.
(Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that this was the funniest episode of Deadwood so far. There were so many great one-liners, from Jane especially.)
What in the actual f*ck.
I'm a reasonable man, I realize I've been crapping on D&D even more than usual this season but I really do have to give them props for doing exactly what they set out to do. They hoped to subvert our expectations and they did just wonderfully in that regards.
We expected all of that buildup over the years to actually amount to something that at the very least passes for a presentable series finale but instead, we got an incoherent, steaming pile of shit. Expectations subverted!
We expected all of that character development to actually result in a beautiful pay-off that respects the journey of self-discovery each and every one of our beloved characters went through to get to where they are now but instead, we got a painful, disrespectful cycle of character regression. Expectations subverted!
We expected the final season of this show to keep us at the edge of our seats with thrilling writing that didn't subvert our expectations for the sake of subverting our expectations via low-quality shock value-seeking writing, but to introduce plot twists that make sense within the overall narrative of the story but instead, we got CW-level predictable, cringe material. Expectations subverted!
I get it. I really do. GRRM let them down by not getting the books ready in time and so they had to improvise away from his influence, but this? This? For a long while, Game of Thrones lived up to the slogan of its parent network, it wasn't just TV, it was something different, something unique and now to have to see it come to this... it's nothing short of disappointing.
On the bright side though, at least this episode didn't suck completely. The acting, score and cinematography were all on point, so I guess it's nice that I didn't walk out of it having appreciated absolutely nothing about it.
So why do I even bother anymore? I honestly could not tell you, though it's probably a mixture of masochism and a faint sliver of hope that they won't flush our collective investment into this series down the drain by the end of it, just one more episode dammit.
Pros
+Fight scenes were pretty intense and not as hammy as they have been in other episodes with The Others and Wights
+Melisandre returning was good
+Dragon fighting was great and properly brutal
+The Night's King's assassination was pretty great, I liked how they led us on twice with Dany trying to kill him with dragonfire and Jon trying to duel him fairly and both failing before Arya got him
+Theon's redemption was godly and I can already tell people are going to be overlooking it in favor of other scenes unfortunately
+Beric Dondarrion getting brutally stabbed in the hallway was pure cinema, great cinematography
+Brienne and Jaime's unbeatable tag team fighting was great
+Acting was noticeably solid this episode, even actors I don't exactly like did well here, the writing being more competent than most episodes definitely helped
Neutral
* the Dothraki getting all hyped only to do literally fucking nothing was actually hilarious
*Lyanna Mormont bit was the only really cheesy part but it was kind of fun
*Arya chase bit was a lot longer than it needed to be
*Sam just lying down on a pile of bodies doing nothing for the last half of the battle was kind of hilarious too
*Crypt parts broke up the action a bit and served their purpose but also didn't bring that much to the table
Cons
-There were a number of scenes that tried to create tension by prolonging whatever action was happening (like the absurdly long wait at the start, or when Melisandre set the fire to the moat, etc.) and I don't feel like most of it was necessary or added anything but time to the scene
-Not enough important people died for a show that made it's name for not giving plot armor to main characters, there were a few too many scenes where one should've died and was saved at the last second by another character that had no business being at that part of the battlefield (I'm looking at you Jorah! fucking teleporting outside of the castle to save Dany. I'm onto your sorcery)
-Too Dark, hahaha I know dumb complaint but it was noticeably annoying at points
-Didn't really explain why Bran just decided to control the ravens for a bit (I'm also secretly disappointed he didn't steal the Night's King's dragon)
-No giant ice spiders
-Tactics made no sense as usual but magic zombie fighting wouldn't anyway so that's not completely unforgivable.
yeah I know I put a lot of critical points here but the critical parts were all minor to me and the good parts wayyyyy outweigh them. It was a great episode, it sets up an interesting ending to the series. Never thought Cersei would actually be the big baddie at the very end when they could have the Night's King but I'm not against it either. Can't wait to see Jaime stab her and pull out a flaming sword :smirk:. also the Cleganebowl/Trial of the Seven/whatever shit they set up for the final encounter will be wonderful
Thanks to Melisandre we could actually see what the fuck was going on!
This episode was so dark, even the Night king's guard didn't see Arya coming...
My therapist will hear about this episode.
They didn't even need the Dothraki. Greyworm, Gendry, Tormund, Brienne, and Jaime killed like 2,000 wights each
The Night King was reduced to Tyrion level of Stupidity.
Confirmed death count: R.I.P
Edd
Beric Dondarrion (aka. Barricade Dondarrion)
Lyanna Mormont (Lyanna 'Giantsbane' Mormont. Killed a giant at the age of thirteen in the Battle of Winterfell. Her greatest and final act. And now her watch has ended.)
Theon Greyjoy
Jorah Mormont
Night King
Melisandre (Melisandre: "I will be dead before the dawn.")
99.8% of the Unsullied
99.9% of the Dothraki (Dothraki's flaming weapons slowly disappearing in the dark was the most terrifying scene EVER)
Confirmed living:
Ghost
Drogon
Rhaegal
Jon yelling at a fucking Dead Dragon!
Jon: We did it. We defeated the dead.
Bran: We don’t have time for any of this. Cersei has 4 elephants.
One of the Best part was the slow piano montage of everyone dramatically fighting to the last breath with a shot in the middle of Sam lying on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
RIP Azor Ahai Theories
RIP Night King
RIP Logic
RIP Lighting in the Episode
RIP Lyanna Mormont True King in the North
RIP Arya as a good character
RIP Melisandre the confused woman
RIP Theon protecting Useless Boy
RIP Jorah and Beric Defending Strong woman
RIP Good storytelling and 9 years of Hype
RIP Winter and the Long Night
RIP Me
None of the prophecies mattered, nothing was resolved between Bran and Night King, all eight seasons of build up and the NK dies from one quick stab. No surprising twists, no intelligent storytelling, the storyline ends like this. The whole long night ends in one battle.
The war council preparing for a siege, they send out their cavalry to die in the first 10 seconds, 20 or more wights surrounded every character, and yet every main character manages to retreat. Theon with around 20 archers managed to defend against a horde of wrights. We see Jon surrounded by a crowd of wights, and next scene there's no more wights left.
I think this time it's a bit of a stretch to say DB Weiss and David Benioff planned this well. By their own admission they've only known Arya was going to land the finishing blow for 3 years and when you account for the 2 year hiatus, that's just season 7. Even then, Arya got the job because she's a fan favorite, not because this is what she's been building up to. Her story never even had a hint of "White Walker" plot. I think Mel talking about shutting eyes forever back in season 3 was purely about her faceless man training. Mel said the "Blue Eyes" comment second in season 3 but they retro actively made it the last color while reiterating it this episode to force prophetic weight onto it.
From a story writing perspective this was not Arya's fight to win anymore than it would've been Oberyn Martell's. Her experiences made her a highly skilled fighter but her plot didn't set her up to be the savior of the realms of the living.
[8.4/10] I feel like this episode isn't going to please most people. The critical crowd is going to be annoyed at it for indulging in fan service at times and wrapping a lot of character relationships too quickly. The more casual fan crowd is going to be upset that this episode was full of yakking and sparse on action or narrative momentum. But honestly, I really liked this one. I have to imagine that the next four super-sized episodes are going to be filled to the gils with action and high drama and excitement. In the prelude to that, it's really nice to get a series of quiet moments to reflect on where everyone has been to get to this point, and the uncertainty of the future, amid the other grace notes that "The Rightful Queen" provides.
Those are the two big ideas at the center of the episode. On the one hand, you have this sense of everyone both assuming that they're doomed but worrying about what the future holds. More than one character declares that they're all dead. And yet at the same time, you have Dany and others worrying about who might have a claim to the Iron Throne or some slice of the Seven Kingdoms. You have Tyrion and others worrying about who might become (or remain) Hand to the Queen. And you have everyone from Misandei to Sansa thinking about what the world looks like when this battle is over. There's the sense of an inevitable, mortal threat, but also of concern for where things stand after they've picked up the pieces.
But there's also a sense of marking how long the journey has been to reach this point and how much everyone has changed along it. Arya is grown, with her own skills, directness, and desires that mark a sharp contrast from the aspirational little girl who went with her father to King's Landing. Jaime and Tyrion are both much different men since they were "The Golden Lion" and "The Imp" who previously set foot in Winterfell ("the perils of self-betterment"). Hell, even the likes of Podrick has become a capable warrior (and classy singer to boot.) There's a boatload of taking stock in this episode, of remembering where everyone's been and the distance between here and there.
What's more, there's tons of nice little moments. Lyanna Mormont gets a nice scene with Jorah, Gilly gets a little time to shine, and Edd gets a chance to reunite with his Night's Watch brethren. That's all on top of Tyrion's little gathering by the fire, which makes the most of the hang out vibe this episode summons when the time is right.
All-in-all, this feels like one of those Game of Thrones episodes we'll remember beyond the bigger clashes and contretemps the series usually has in store. It's a slower episode, but one that deepens our understanding of where these characters at psychologically and developmentally after nearly eight seasons, and lets us wonder about what the future holds right alongside them.
Just wow! What an amazing episode! Unleash the Dragon!
Since it's mid-season finale, this show has greatly improved. A lot of stuff going on: the Dragon reveal, the Arclight namedrop, Dinah going all ruthless on Black Siren, the bomb plot finally ending (thank God), heartbreaking Cayden James backstory and Quentin full on Black Siren redemption.
But first things first. I'm seriously in love with that final scene. It was just brilliant. The acting, the cinematography, that low-angle shot, the final execution, everything was just perfect. Richard Dragon's final line was the cherry on the top.
"Well, you were always talking about how much you miss your son. In case you didn't know, I'm the one who had him killed. Tell your boy I said hello". That was not only savage but also ruthless as hell. I just love him. That right there is the darkness this show needs. That Richard Dragon reveal was just fantastic. That final scene Gabe me the goosebumps. The freaking chills. That last shot, that's how you reveal a villain.
However, one of my favourite lined was "And this city.. oh, this city... it's primed for a takeover. You see, guys like you never understand these things. Why destroy a city when you could take it over?" that was so well-acted and executed. I loved how Kirk played it.
I'm at the verge of seeing a flashback and automatically knowing it means death's ahead. However, this might be the only time I genuinely cared about Cayden James. Michael Emerson really boosted the character with his acting in this episode. He was beyond amazing. The scene where the ARGUS's minions took Cayden and he couldn't watch his son playing was heartbreaking. I felt sorry for him. Not to mention when they told him he died. I loved the change in his attitude towards his family. He really wanted to make things right with his son and when he was about to do it, his son died. Man, that's just sad.
I'm so happy with the bomb plotline finally coming to an end. It was really tiresome for that storyline to come back and forth during the last couple of episodes.
The whole Dinah stuff was great. She was totally ruthless and vengeance-driven. I liked that she didn't even hesitate and if someone gets in her way that's just collateral damage. I loved seeing her going the dark road. She's kinda be owing everything she hated out of anger and pain. Love that. At first I loved team Newbies but now I'm sort of hating it. I love Rene but the past few episodes his character has lost that spark that I loved so much. And if I hear him saying "This doesn't change anything, hoss", I swear I'm gonna explode.
There was just something that I didn't particularly enjoy, and that was the whole "let's force William into the storyline". I know that this season is all about family, bla, bla, bla, but I hate this kid drama and I thought we left it behind when William accepted that Oliver needs to be the Green Arrow. Apparently not! I have no freaking idea how a kid would think that going directly to where the guy who wants to blow up the city was a good idea. I get that he'd be with his dad and all, but you're kinda just getting on his way.
I'm on board on the Black Siren's redemption train. I just hope that when it happens she doesn't lose the snark that characterizes her. Her snark just gives me life so I just hope they don't get rid of her and bring just Laurel back, but a mixture of them. She was amazing in this episode, really showing that she's fed up with everything and doesn't give a fuck. I loved that scene when she "confessed" because she was just tired. Katie Cassidy played it so well. I just love her sarcastic attitude and I really think she hates herself little bit and she doesn't want to show mercy because she knows she's weak inside and if she shows how afraid she really is, she wont be able to face life itself. I loved how calm she was when she blew everyone and then walked off like nothing happened.
I get that Quentin is kinds traumatized after watching her two daughters die (more than once), and I wouldn't blame him. After all he's gone through quite a lot, so I get his attitude. But he really weirded me out in that scene when he cuffed Black Siren to his car and just drove away. He went full on Misery. He's like, "you're gonna be like my Laurel whether you want it or not, so you'd better want because if you don't, I'll make you".
There was another thing that felt weird. Alena's presence ft weird somehow. At first I thought she was in the episodes an excuse because of the flashbacks, but it seems like she's staying. I watched the episode when it first aired and I might not be recalling it perfectly, but to me, she was just wandering around doing just nothing. She didn't quite help advancing the plot. It might be that the writers are just bringing her slowly into the story but I just don't like her, at least not yet. Let's see how it all evolves.
