This is a very weird movie, but not by its content. Hard to tell whether it was worth watching.
Visually it's nice, extremely clean and ordered. But 90% of what happens has absolutely no interest. Family picnic. Wife showing the garden to her mother. Some random conversations. Dictation of work letters. Administrative work. It is very boring, soporific even.
The only interest comes from knowing who those people are and the whole context, and the contrast with the banality of their lives, with the clinical simplicity of administrative decisions.
The whole camp is hidden behind a wall. There is just a background noise, far away, muffled, some cries, some gunshots. And the chimneys smoke.
Among what is banal but extremely shocking by the context:
- The mother complaining she could not get her neighbour's curtains.
- The commander getting a new post, but her wife complaining about losing her garden
- The sales pitch of the new generation crematorium
- Being so happy that the plan is named after him that he calls his wife in the middle of the night
- Ashes used as fertilizer in the garden
The only small moments that acknowledge the violence are:
- the wife, upset, threatening the maid that she could have her incinerated just like that
- the commander having a young girl sent to his office
- in the commanders meeting, the word "extermination" is said once, but all the rest is just logistics and quotas
At the end, a cutscene shows people cleaning the camp, and it takes a while to realize they are cleaning the current day Auschwitz museum, I guess showing the continuity of mundane tasks in all circumstances.
So in the end, this is definitely a work of art that succeeds in what it's trying to achieve. However the boringness is what makes it special, and you can't avoid the fact that it is mostly boring. Not to watch when sleepy or tired.
Honestly the fact that we only have 5 episodes left now makes me wanna stab myself in the foot (but it's fine, I'm fine).
I loved seeing Dichen Lachman again, this time sans scars and homocidal tendencies. I really hope she and Daisy will get to interact when she shows up again. Also, when she called Cora her daughter... I assume she meant that in a spiritual sense rather than biological, but still, Daisy Johnson has left the chat.
YoYo and May are just a delightful duo. I love that they decided to use sparring as a way for Elena to get in touch with her feelings. And I guess she's just a regular speedster now? That's neat, I always thought the bouncing back thing was a tad lame. They could've done that a little earlier on in the show though, just saying.
FitzSimmons never catch a break. They've beaten the odds so many times, from being stuck on the ocean floor and running out of air to Jemma getting transported to an alien planet to Fitz becoming kinda evil and then literally dying... And the writers keep finding new ways to separate them and tug at our heartstrings. I swear, if these two don't end up in some cottage in Scotland with three children and a dog...
Speaking of romantic relationships, they want us to ship Daisy and Sousa, right? Otherwise, why would they make a point of Daisy telling Coulson that she's glad Daniel's with them? What other explanation is there for that scene with Sousa dutifully sitting down by the healing chamber to watch over Daisy while she got her rest? I'm torn because I like that pairing a lot - it totally came out of left field for me, but I'm loving it - but Enver Gjokaj is only listed on IMDb through episode 10, which I realize might not mean anything and he could very well stick around until the finale, but I don't wanna get my hopes up in case he actually does leave at some point. But like I said, why would they give them so many scenes together with so much romantic subtext if they weren't going in that direction?
Can Daisy just kick Nathaniel's ass already? I hate seeing him with her powers. They are a part of her in a way that he could never fully understand or hope to achieve. They're embedded in her DNA while his came from a syringe. I hope we get to see Daisy unleash a completely new level of destruction when she finally confronts him. Tear the bitch apart, babe!
Next week we're going to have a Groundhog Day timeloop situation with Daisy and I am LIVING for it. I loved it when Legends of Tomorrow did it and I can't wait to see the SHIELD version.
And now it's time for what might be my favorite episode of the show:
4x15 "Self Control"
When I said I SCREAMED while watching this... Season 4 is my favorite season and the sheer power of this episode is absolutely unmatched. Fitz and Simmons trying to figure out which one of them was an LMD was easily one of their top 3 tragic scenes and one of the best acted of the entire show. The range of emotions they both went through in a single scene was insane. The general consensus in the fandom seems to be that Iain is the best actor on the show, which I agree with, but Elizabeth is right up there with him. If either one of them were a lesser actor, that scene and FitzSimmons in general would never have worked. The way they bounce off of each other so beautifully is what made the magic happen. And aside from that, we got all that wonderful Daisy and Jemma content (their friendship gets overlooked so often it's not even funny, so the whole Framework arc and "us against the world" gave me life). Also robot May sacrificing herself. This episode >>>>>>> literally all the MCU movies (and I say that as someone who really likes the movies, but Endgame wishes it had half the emotional impact of this masterpiece).
Matt Ryan. Period.
I love him. And by love I mean adore. Matt Ryan is a freaking Legend. Matt Ryan is the embodiment of John Constantine. I want to meet him so badly. I want to check that he is really another person because I swear that he's the real John freaking Constantine.
Treamendous acting. Abso-bloody-lutely. I swear this man really IS Constantine. He nailed the emotions; he nailed the reaction; he bloody nailed it. And that break-up scene. Poor sweet John-O. I felt every emotion. Jesus, this was the best episode this season so far. I'm gonna lose count of how many times I'm gonna rewatch this episode.
So, how should we call this new world that John has whipped up for us? I was thinking....JohnPoint. I think he should meet Barry. Something tells me they'll be good friends.
Everything in this episode was absolutely perfect. Mona is so freaking adorable it hurts. Gary's still Gary, which I'm thankful for. I'm still waiting for his possessed niple to make an appearance, though. I absolutely loved Ray's moustache. So random but so funny, especially at the end. I want a whole episode of half-moustasche Ray running around the Waverider. And Stein's pupper! That one was utter lovely yet terrifying at the same time. Good Lord, do I miss Stein!
And why doesn't the VW explot all os these? They need to bring a colelction of the Legends puppets to the market. I'd buy them, no questions asked.
Jesus Christ that ending. I was wondering what the hell the titles of next episode meant. So, Legends of To-Meow-Meow. Now I get it. It makes purrfect sense. (I'll see myself out).
And why is Zari a cat? WTF? It hit me 'cause it was so unexpected. I want to be in the writers' room just to see what their craetive process is. I swear they have bets and they dare each otehr to see how far they are willing to go.
I hated the fact that Ava took Mick's three boobed girlfriend away. I know she only kicked ass, had sex with Mick and said "beer", but I liked her and more importantly, I liked seeing Mick happy. That's why I loved the "reconciliation" dinner so much. Rory is right, if Sara has a fake girlfriend, he could too.
Wither way, amazing episode with some great acting. I can't wait for next week's. Although Legends is not gonna be on the crossover. I know the episode is gonna be wild. The whole stuff with Marie Laveau was great. I wish she could come back in future episodes.
I liked the Pilot.
Nothing extraordinary happening, but I didn't expect so.
Not sure why Paul (or his actor) would have to take flak from anyone though - When he said he was trans I got a bit confused as my first perception is male not female (I actually had to look him up to find out that he was assigned the female gender at birth.
Not sure how I stand on the whole "Lets make the firehouse completly diverse" topic in general though - I think hiring in order to be diverse is just as unfair as not hiring someone because they are female, muslim, catholic or anything else.
Modern media seems to forget that although they aren't the minority writing or crying about it, according to the Williams Institute (I don't live in the US, but I'll take US numbers, since the show is set in the US) ~94% (actually more like 96% - I took the highest number after DC) are NOT members of the LGBT community (I couldn't find data about inter-/asexuality, so its not an accident not calling it LGBTQIA).
With the exception of Jim there was only one Person (Natacha) interviewed out of a 94% majority (the majority being non-LGBTQ in general...).
Thats not diversity, thats preferential treatment...
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENT IS RATED S FOR "SAPPY AS HELL". PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
We all know a bad series finale can ruin the entire show, which is why I've been feeling on edge all week. I just wanted a satisfying ending for my team. And, for the most part, I got one.
I started crying as soon as they said the team would never be all in the same room again. And then Deke made a sacrifice to stay in the altered timeline! It made me so emotional, but it was also funny (the way Sousa tried to be all heroic only for Deke to just… go full Deke on him). He’s gonna be just fine. I almost dread to think what SHIELD looks like under his leadership, but I'm sure it's equal parts hilarious and insane.
Fitz guiding Jemma to get her to remember was lovely. Iain and Elizabeth brought their A game, as always. I’ve missed that good old Caestridge magic.
The way they brought the whole thing full circle to the season 6 finale… Genius. The logistics of time travel made my head hurt, though. It’s way too complex for me.
”- Nice flying there.
- That used to be all I did.”
Yeah, like a million years ago. That line got a smile out of me. The season 1 nostalgia is real. Everybody gives the pre-Winter Soldier episodes so much flack, but I really enjoyed those early case-of-the-week shenanigans.
Daisy and Bitch Boy’s showdown paired with Cavalry dropping from the ceiling made me SCREAM. When Daisy blew up those Chronicom ships... Avengers? I don't know them. I only know one superhero and her name is Daisy freaking Johnson. The movies wish they had her. For a minute I really thought she was dead and my heart stopped. I wouldn't put it past the writers to kill her off. The Whedons have never met a surprise death scene they didn't like. But she’s okay! And Kora saved her! I’m fine (* narrator voice * she was not fine).
So like I predicted FitzSimmons had a child. A very blonde, very cute child. Her little voice made me tear up even more, if that’s even possible. That adorable accent!
I'm glad we didn't see the actual goodbye because that would've been too much for me. But I also don't fully understand why they decided to break up the band in the end other than because Enoch and Fitz told them they would. Even though they're still in each other's lives at the end, after 7 seasons of watching them become a family it hurts to see that they're all separated. It's just not the same.
During the last 10 minutes of the episode all the remaining self-control I had went out the window. The waterworks were flowing. Especially when Daisy was the last one left in the room, it really felt like we were watching the character as much as we were watching Chloe herself get hit with the realization that it's over. That broke me. Also, I don't buy for a second that they only do the futuristic Zoom thing once a year. Sure, maybe not all together, but Daisy and Jemma definitely talk like three times a week and they all 100% have a group chat going on that consists mostly of cute videos of Alya and Daisy sending memes (May never says anything but she reads every single message and Coulson uses the wrong emojis all the time). This is what I choose to believe. And none of it contradicts what's been said in canon, so I'm sticking by it. But aside from that minor gripe about the frequency of their communication, I really liked the ending. FitzSimmons are happy with their daughter, May is teaching (which oddly suits her) at a new SHIELD academy named after Coulson and Flint is one of her students, Daisy is in space with Sousa and Kora, Mack and YoYo are still in the field, Coulson and Lola are reunited (the real OTP of this show), even Davis is back! All my babies are okay! That’s all I wanted!
Well, not true. All I wanted was for this show to never end. But it did, as all good things must. And it did so on its own terms, despite everything working against it.
Now comes the truly sappy part.
7 seasons. 136 episodes. And it all ends here.
In October 2014, I was a 16-year-old casual Marvel fan who stumbled upon this show by chance one Saturday afternoon and pressed play on the pilot episode without thinking too much of it. It’s been nearly 6 years since that fateful day and out of all my shows I’ve been watching this one the longest and the most consistently by far. It’s been such a steady presence in my life that I still can’t fully comprehend that there’s not going to be any more episodes to look forward to. Agents of SHIELD has taken root in my heart and ingrained itself in me more deeply than any other piece of media has ever done, which makes this goodbye all the more difficult for me.
Now, I am not going to claim that this show was perfect. But at its best, Agents of SHIELD was an absolute non-stop thrill ride filled with awe-inspiring CGI (especially for a network show!) and exciting fight scenes, jaw-dropping plot twists and well-crafted intrigues, laugh-out-loud humor and heart-wrenching angst, brilliant acting and skillful writing. And most importantly, it had a group of amazing characters at its center, characters who got under my skin and never left, whose adventures I followed with bated breath, whose joy and laughter and pain and tears I felt and shared time and time again. For those characters, for everything I got to experience with them and through them, for all the ways they have enriched my life, I am truly, deeply grateful. I can only say, from the bottom of my heart: thank you.
Thank you for Phil Coulson, the dad to outdad all dads, who gave his life to the cause more than once; whose unwavering belief in his team and everything they stood for was a foundation that the entire show rested on; and whose cheesy one-liners never failed to get a smile from me.
Thank you for Melinda May, our Cavalry, whose many demons never managed to consume her heart; who fashioned her jagged edges into a weapon to protect the people she cared about; who went through hell and unspeakable trauma and came out the other side fighting, always fighting the good fight.
Thank you for Leo Fitz, the man who loved a woman so much that he jumped through a hole in the universe to find her; whose brilliant mind saved the day too many times to count; who suffered so much but always stood for what he believed in, no matter the cost.
Thank you for Jemma Simmons, the girl with two PhDs and a million questions who looked to the stars and yearned for an adventure; who survived being stranded on an alien planet and traveled farther than she ever could’ve imagined; who never backed down, never gave up, never surrendered, even in the face of the most insurmountable odds.
Thank you for my darling Daisy Johnson, a lonely girl without a home or a name who dreamt of a family and built herself one; who went from a hacktivist living in a van to an earth-quaking superhero; who carried the weight of the world on her shoulders but refused to let it break her; who had a blazing fire burning within that nothing, no matter how painful or horrible, could ever snuff out.
Thank you for Mack, YoYo and Deke, who joined the team a little further down the line and became invaluable members of SHIELD. Thank you for Bobbi, Hunter and Lincoln, who I was sad to say goodbye to. Thank you for Ward, who all of us loved to hate. Thank you for every single character, whether main, recurring or guest, for every hero and villain, ally and enemy, everyone who contributed to making Agents of SHIELD what it was.
To my favorite cast, especially my OGs Clark, Ming, Chloe, Lil and Iain, who brought these characters to life and blessed us with their talent every week, and to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the best show possible: you guys absolutely rock. I wish all of you the best of luck and many, many more successful projects in the future.
Goodbye, my favorite team. I’ll miss you like hell.
If you’re still reading this, thank you for sticking by me while I went through 5 stages of grief in roughly 1,200 words. I feel like I need to stare at the ceiling for a while until the void that this show left inside of me feels a little less cold and overwhelming.
It isn't an easy task, trying to sum this film up in a couple paragraphs, but I will do what I can. This is one of those films that I walked into with sky-high expectations and it is one of the very few that not only met those expectations, but beat the piss out of them as well. Kingsman: The Secret Service has all the makings of a great thriller/comedy/action/spy/romance film and if you are a fan of movies at all, I highly recommend it. I am not going to go into detail about the movie, you should really just go watch it.
Throughout the film, there were a couple of times that I was reminded of the Men in Black franchise. Though Kingsman has nothing to do with extraterrestrials, the humorous secret service theming is very familiar. But I found Kingsman to be superior in several ways. The story is complete and satisfying with a few decent twists but nothing totally mindfucking. And if you are like me and expect a certain level of character development in order to be happy, you won't be disappointed.
There is a small bit of disbelief that you have to suspend in order to enjoy the movie, but I had no trouble with that. The fight scenes were ridiculously cool, even for someone like me that isn't really an action kind of guy. I am more about finding an emotional connection to the characters in a film and I became fairly attached to several of them in this one. My only real complaint was that a couple instances in the film that utilized a green screen were very noticeable and almost hard to get past. But what it lacks in green screen effects, it more than makes up for in humor and other special effects.
So, in conclusion, this was a movie well worth seeing. So hurry up and catch it while it's still in theaters.
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.
Gun Fu, Gun Porn, Stylized Ultra violence, call it whatever you want, but, one thing is certain, John Wick 3 delivered it all, and then brought you second and third helpings. Tom Cruise gets a lot of cred for doing his own increasingly elaborate stunts for each M.I. installment, but I'll see you EVERY stunt the couch jumping Mr. Cruise has done his ENTIRE career, for the first two action sequences in this movie ALONE! Also, Keanu Reeves isn't just harnessed to a plane or rappelling down the side of a building and leaping across roof tops. Reeves weapons handling and combined intricate fight sequences aren't the result of Steven Seagal style quick cuts, Fast and Furious edits, post SFX, or tricky camera angles to disguise whats actually happening. It's VISCERAL, because the camera lingers on the mayhem so that the viewer can savor each strike, slash, stab, and gunshot, and ALL the accompanying carnage. Not in Sam Peckinpah slo-mo, but in real time, yet, somehow, one is still able to take it all in, and then the sequence would end, just about the same time you remembered to BREATHE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=nrawit53W7s
Yes, it's over the top, but this is the world John Wick inhabits. A culture of hired assassins, an entire society, existing just beneath the surface of the one you and I can see, the one the rest of us inhabit. A society with rank and file members, management, service, and executive classes, and RULES. And it is the rules, which have kept order from devolving into chaos for hundreds of years, that have made them "different from the animals".
For the love of his deceased wife, a car, and a puppy, John Wick reached his proverbial "last straw". (John Wick 1) For his loyalty to a blood oath, which was broken, he violated a cardinal rule, and was marked for death. (John Wick 2) Yet, using those same rules and oaths, (and his particularly unique set of skills) he was able to braid for himself a life-line, tenuous as it was, but a life-line nevertheless. The powers that be cannot allow that to happen, and seek to intimidate, punish, and if necessary eliminate each of those who extended him a thread of that line, even if they technically only "stretched" the rules. What they have failed to realize is that John Wick's reputation as the "Baba Yaga", the proverbial Boogie-man, is not only well earned, but, if anything, it is UNDER stated.
Those who were paying attention saw that we actually DID get quite a bit of origin/back story on the eponymous Mr. Wick, as well as a glimpse into the world of the contract killers, as to how the contracts are put out, and the hierarchy that pulls the strings behind the scenes. I look forward to seeing this expanded upon in future installments
Kudos and Props this installment to Iron Chef Mark Dacascos and a host of other Asian Martial Artists as the closest thing John has to true competition, yet, they are at the same time fanboys who geek out at getting a chance to fight him.
To Halle Berry, for NAILING her fight sequences, then being a trooper and not quitting when her scenes cost her a couple of broken ribs. Her character obviously has some issues with the menfolk, considering how many she shot in the "kibbles and bits. Also props to the trainers of her two pups, and the stunt men for allowing same said puppers to gnaw precariously close to their kibbles and bits until she shot them. OUCH!
In case you doubt me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=66&v=xa2RJPrY2Og
To Laurence Fishburne, for making sure that Neo still has Morpheus as a Mentor, even if you "sometimes have to cut a Mo Fo".. All we need now is Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity to show up in the inevitable Part 4, and all will be right in the Universe. (make it happen writers)
10 out of 10 - Best of the 3 so far IMO
I don't know where all the negative comments are coming from. I loved this sequel.
The Matrix Resurrections keeps to the theme of the original movie, while leveraging plot points from the previous sequels to resurrect the Neo :heart: Trinity love story after 20 years (according to the movie timeline it's 60 years) .
The Matrix movie critics love to over-intellectualize the philosophy of the story arcs and characters. Over the last 20 years, I've heard critics trying to justify religion (ex: Buddhism) using the Matrix movies. Today, reading the comments here, this seems to have evolved into people trying to explain transgenderism using The Matrix (maybe because the creators of Matrix are transgender?).
I always believed that these movies oppose group think and are about breaking free from hive-minds and intellectual-echo-chambers (aka The Matrix). For example, Twitter today, with its Leftist cancel mobs, is a great example of a Matrix. Every time I read about a famous person getting "cancelled" or "de-platformed" by a social media platform, I picture an image of Neo being dragged out of the embryonic sac and getting violently unplugged by machines and thrown away (from the original Matrix movie).
For me, as a career software engineer, The Matrix movies are also about algorithms and logic. The unpredictability of a code base as it gets larger and complex. Eventually, leading to anomalies and vulnerabilities. I loved Neil Patrick Harris' performance as the new Architect of the Matrix. What a legend!
Is the franchise getting stale? Absolutely. It's a formula movie franchise. I watched all Fast and the Furious movies and the spin-offs too. I'm not the one to judge. :rofl:
A whole lot of nothing for about 35 minutes and then it ends. The Book of Boba Fett had a lot to prove and sadly I don't think it really managed to prove all of it here, particularly from a story perspective. There is stuff to like here - Robert Rodriguez's vision, for one, which is clearly noticeable in the very From Dusk till Dawn atmosphere, as well as continued recontextualization of the Tusken Raiders - but overall this is vapid in the ways that The Mandalorian's worst moments tended to be. However, this time it's stretched over the course of an entire episode and lacks the beating heart of Pedro Pascal and Grogu to carry it through.
I'm curious to see where they go from here because frankly I can't see a whole lot of places to go. I have zero idea what Fett's overall goal here is, and while I'm sure it will be revealed in future episodes, I can't help but think that, as a pilot, this does a piss poor job of making me wanna continue watching. I like the aesthetic, and of course Ming-Na Wen is a treasure, but this better pick up and fast.
Some people really couldn't get over Frank's loss, right? This season wasn't the best it could have been, more 5 episodes could have rounded it up a bit better, but circunstances were as they were and the show did its best to handle in 8 episodes a sudden and enormous plot change, create another one and do it with grace - The whole "Saving the legacy from the man" thing was very clear pointed out to Spacey itself and it felt... important and meaningful to the series - the whole season was about everyone plotting against Claire and her ability to be ruthless in order to overcome them and secure her power as commander in chief - be it for good or for bad, she alienated everyone around her to have pure, unrestrained power and didn't care abou any of the consequences - she was stone cold even more than Frank was, a manipulative, calculated sociopath and a great character alltogether. Killing Doug in the Oval Office wasn't the best ending at all, but I felt it was a rather symbolic one, more than logic itself. Good ending to a great show - could have been more, but it was fair enough.
kay 1st things 1st...if you can't handle the word motherfucker you should NOT watch this movie.
This movie is AMAZING!!! It's definitely deserved the blockbuster line. This one has it all! Action, humor, great story line, music!! Yes I even dare to say that this soundtrack is close to the Guardians Vol 2 soundtrack! Baby driver is nothing compared to the music they use in this one!
Swearing A LOT!! When I'm going to watch the movie again I'm going to count the amount of times the word "motherfucker" is used...cause it's quite a lot.
Personally I never get tired of hearing Samuel L. Jackson say that word, but some might think it is a bit over the top. Also Ryan Reynolds looks pretty damn hot in this movie...must be the beard and not the Deadpool look XD.
You know those action movies where they race cars through tiny streets, they prefer to do that in Paris a lot too...well get ready for a new city to blow your mind.. Amsterdam is here baby!!! I do hope no bikes were hurt during this movie cause ouch!! Although some scenes are a little over the top it still makes a great movie overall. Even the bad dutch accent is kinda cute in this movie, you can pick out who is Dutch, French and American..so cute XD.
It's kinda sad that this movie is only 118 minutes, you know a movie is good when you're sad it's over. The only thing I wasn't to fond over was the romantic aspect of the movie, it is needed sometimes but as most of the things they overdid that too, but hey if you're madly in love with someone you might not think it's too much.
This movie is a blockbuster for sure and should've been titled THE MOVIE OF THIS SUMMER!!! While it will probably not get any Oscars (Samuel L Jackson should just get one for using motherfucker! And Ryan Reynolds just for looking this hot!) it is definitely a movie you MUST SEE...unless you really can't handle swearing and a good action movie...please do not watch it then.
I give this movie 10 out 10!!!!
[9.0/10] What a fun time this was. I just died laughing at all the clever Eighties references and homages. After some of the dramatics we’ve gotten as of late, it’s nice to see the show doing something a little more tongue and cheek to liven things up at the midpoint of the season.
I just loved Deke pulling a Dr. Evil and palming off his stolen material from the future as original songs. His preening, over-the-top performance of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” nicely walked the line between spoof and genuine showmanship! At the same time, everything from the wheelie robots to Coulson a la Max Headroom to homages to The Karate Kid and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Dr. Who showed how much love and care went into this one.
And that’s just the direct references! Weird Al Yankovic does what fans have termed genre parodies, which aren’t spoofs of specific songs, but rather of an entire band or genre’s style. This felt like that for eighties movies, from cheesy action flicks to horror/slasher films. The little touches, from cinematography to tone, kept this one light and enjoyable.
Despite being suffused with such enjoyable humor, what’s so impressive here is that the episode also manages to be a really emotional Mack story. He is, understandably, traumatized by the realization that both of his parents are dead and his past self is having to grow up as an orphan. He naturally blames himself (and to a lesser extent, Deke) for mucking around in the timestream. He just wants to be alone and brood and mourn, which is, again, understandable.
But that’s where Deke comes in. Much of the two of them together is played for laughs, with the extraverted Deke trying to get the broody Mack to come out of his shell. At the same time, though, there’s some true pathos and anger. Mack accuses Deke of again stealing from the future to feather his own nest and surround himself with sycophants. Deke, for his part, tries to remind Mack that he has a friend and needs a team, and that they need him. Amid all the colorful shtick, there’s a touching and real moment of recovering from loss and having friendly support.
The cinch there is that Deke has secretly been looking after Mack’s younger self, ensuring that he has the resources he and his brother need and being as much a friend to Mack in the past as in the present. It’s a devotion that stirs something in the Director, prompting him to wake from his grief and become a part of Deke’s ragtag Shield team.
The ensuing battle against the robots is silly, but in a great way. The show revels in its goofy action sequences and bloodbaths, with Deke’s new crew having a fun dynamic all their own. The rescue from Yo-Yo and May twenty months later makes for an emotional reunion, but one bolstered by the changes Mack has made as a leader, and the healing he’s done as a person.
Plot-wise, I don’t know that I care all that much about Sybil surviving as a hard drive or Nathaniel Malick still kicking around and threatening via the time-stream device. But hey, with an episode this simultaneously funny and touching, I’ll take it.
Heads up: I know that there are a lot of folks going into this expecting it to scratch the same itch as Game of Thrones or Vikings.
You’re going to come out extremely disappointed if you expect that.
This is way slower and artsier than your average 'manly' action movie, the tone and feel are more akin to something like The Revenant
Alright, so I did not give this its due the first time around, here are my updated thoughts.
The first thing that stood out to me during the rewatch is how much of the imagery had already burned itself into my brain, there are so many fantastic long takes that I still easily remembered months after seeing it the first time.
I love the brutal and raw feel, which combined with the score creates a very good sense of atmosphere.
The characters clicked for me this time around, a lot of their development is done in subtle and visual ways (pay attention to how cold Skardsgard’s character claims he is versus how he acts). As a result, I wasn’t bored and the pacing fell into place for me.
While the story is still a little by the numbers and predictable, I picked up on this theme of the toxicity and pointlessness of revenge, which sets it apart from similar stories like The Lion King or Hamlet.
The action slaps, but I’m still not a fan of some of the arthouse touches. For example I don’t get what that hallucination fight during the sword retrieval scene wants to convey.
But yeah, it’s much better than I initially gave it credit for, even if it’s nowhere near peak Eggers.
7.5/10
This is me bordering into "unpopular opinion" territory again.
I don't know what it is with movies this year. Most of those I really looked forward to ended up being a disappointed. I enjoyed the book and I grew up loving the 90's adaptation and I really wanted to love this one, the trailer looked great and I generally love musicals, so I don't know exactly what it is here, that did not sit well with me. Maybe it was the bizarre singing babies opening scene already (creepy af).
I never really got around to listen to the musical soundtrack or even watch it, so I went into this adaptation without much knowledge (only song I knew beforehand was 'Revolting Children') and while the music was mostly fine, I found the songs painfully forgettable.
The actors were okay, I guess. Matilda's parents were funny, but didn't get enough screentime. Lashana Lynch was lovely as Miss Honey (what a voice!) though I found her a bit too meek for most of the film's run. I usually love Emma Thompson, but she didn't really do it for me as the Trunchbull. Pam Farris was fierce and scary, yet oddly funny and entertaining while Thompson nailed the mean-spirited nature, but failed to evolve above that. Her portrayal felt oddly safe. Young Alisha Weir certainly has screen presence and will go her way (and I don't want to be too critical of child actors, it's more the direction and writing I'm blaming here) but Matilda often felt too serious or even too bratty compared to her book counterpart or the relatable portrayal by Mara Wilson, who made her extraordinarily endearing.
I know I shouldn't compare adaptations too much, but I just can't help it. This one was clearly a high value production spectacle but it lacked the heart and soul of the 90s film. The tone was all over the place, it was too long and oddly boring at times.
It had it's moments but overall it lacked the certain something.
And really, wtf was that added subplot about Matilda's story that turned out to be about Miss Honey's parents? That was just bizarre and unnecessary.
WHAT A FINALE. THAT'S WHAT GOOD STORY TELLING DOES TO YOU. HOLY SHIT
I'm so glad they ended the King's Landing plot instead of dragging it out next season. I really hate Cercei. That grin made me want to crush her head. Keep grinning while you still can Cercei, the Targareyan army and the dragons are coming.
Was sad to Margery die although I can understand why she had to. She really didn't have a particular purpose.
Finally it's confirmed R+L=J That scene with Ned and Lyanna was great. "Promise me Ned. Promise me" That was done beautifully.
The stuff at Winterfell was great. Shoutout to Lady Mourmont. What an amazing character. That scene where all the lords where shouting "The King in the North" Holy shit, that was beautiful. I legit teared up. Heck, I was even chanting along xD Jon Stargareyan= The True King in the North and beyond.
THE KING IN THE NORTH. THE KING IN THE NORTH. THE KING IN THE NORTH
Arya, my favorite character getting her revenge. A dish served cold indeed. If any of you knew that was Arya you are straight up lying. Didn't expect that at all :P Psychopath Arya is the best xD
And if that didn't make that episode awesome the last sequence will surely do. Danny and her forces invading Westeros. Oh how I've waited for this moment.
Loved this episode. A perfect 10/10
Sad to see the season finish. Excited for next season but disappointed it's gonna be only 7 episodes. Until next season folks :D
A secret room in the house where everything you wish for just appears. While the pitch is interesting, the scenario is not really exploiting it.
Yeah they get crazy, money (that they don't even try to use), great clothes, great food, famous art, etc. But they go over that in just a few days. While never even once taking something outside, really ? I mean it's not like the process takes a while, it disappears in a few seconds so that means they never did it even once! So what was the point of all this money ?
Then comes the main and only story, Kate wishes for a kid. And well, that's not very interesting. The final part, though totally expected, brings a little action and tension, but not enough to make it a good movie.
There could have been some research on how it works or where it comes from, but we're just being told that Matt is doing that, is obsessed by that even, that's it. No real insight on what he's doing or how or if he gets a lead or something, no history, no metaphysics stuff, nothing.
There could have been some exploration of what the room can do, ho far can it go, you can see the possibilities when Shane creates a whole outside, but not exploited either. Can it create things that do not exist ?
There could have been a price to pay that comes later. Nope.
There's a storyline with the previous owners of the house that could have led to interesting things just to find out that they did exactly the same thing, so not much interest here either.
So a great concept, but turns out the movie is barely using it, such a waste.
