Wednesday 2 July 2014

Transformers: Age of Extinction - Review


Age of Extinction looks and sounds great dinobots, Mark Whalberg, a villain that isn't Megatron and Kelsey Grammar as a villain but while that all sounds great its a Michael Bay film so whats great on paper isn't so great on screen. Well thats 90% of the time anyway and while Age of Extinction isn't a perfect film or even a amazing film I can forgive it for trying new ideas and trying to leave behind what they had done previously in the series. Extinction takes place 4 years after the events of Dark of the moon with Chicago still trying to pick up the pieces of the massive robot space battle the human race has come to one conclusion the transformers are dangerous and must go. (By any means necessary) Led by ex- CIA agent Harold Attinger he heads up operations of search and destroy any and every robot in disguise whether their autobot or deceptacon. Extinction does something that I have always felt that the previous instalments have failed upon a good human based story with Extinction giving us are first human villain pulling all the strings. With every member of the autobot's now either dead or in hiding its no surprise to find out that Optimus is now nothing more then a broken down wreck in a busted old theatre found by the films hero Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg). Cade is an inventor and down on his luck with nothing to lose so you know the typical main protagonist for these films now a loser with nothing to lose. 

Again Mark Whalberg sounds exciting on paper to be in a Transfomer's film but he just falls flat with bad writing and he's used to be more comedic effect rather then progressing the storyline in anyway. Along with his daughter (some hot young 17 year old girl its Michael Bay what do you expect ) and her boyfriend they head off with Optimus to find the autobots and get some answers for what the real purpose of killing his kind. Mark is almost brushed off into the background most of the time as much more interesting and plot processing characters fall into frame. The only times Mark really becomes interesting is during one on one dialogue scenes with Optimus who is no longer the "we don't kill humans" type but rather the "I will kill every human that gets in my way of the answers for the truth" The new take on Optimus is a high point for the movie and takes the series in a different direction and makes Optimus a much better character to route for and watch on screen as he finally feels like he has a goal to save his own kind rather then humans. We are also introduced to new autobot's which is a norm for this series now. Hound a grease throwing killing machine voiced by John Goodman who is both funny and brilliant to watch on screen. Drift a ninja yes ninja samurai that is loyal to his brothers and will follow Optimus what ever his choice and Crosshairs a one robot solider that again provides comedic relief. While Age of extinction is less about the Transformers when they do get their screen time the dialogue is both funny and powerful and the action set pieces are some of the best from the series so far. This is the first Transformers sequel that I felt was a return to form trying to go back to what made the original so great, a great human story which is both funny and full of action. 

What was brilliant is that they break the traits that they have become stuck in a rut with by having Cade as a father it means the hot girl everyone takes a gander at is continuously being made to cover up. So we can just focus on the story rathe then any time the story is dragging lets just have a low shot of the girl or girl running slow mo. Don't worry your slow mo running away from explosions is in here which is possibly the biggest explosion in the film and the best sequence in the film as its the first real time danger is felt in the movie. Which is a constant factor in the film danger never goes away the heroes of Extinction spend 90% of the movie on the run from CIA special swat teams rather then deceptacons which I felt was a brilliant change for the film. But its also a problem with the film is that its just to long Age of extinction from start to finish is just over 2hrs 30mins and for a action movie and a kid friendly movie its hard to keep the interest going for that full 2hr 30. Which unfortunately Extinction doesn't manage to do that it falls into the same problems that the previous instalment's have had that they add so much filler that stops the pacing of the movie from going smoothly to a grinding hault. I felt the film could have still worked being a 100min movie, with a lot less characters because to many characters just make it fall apart and become a mess. Be prepared for a brilliant first 40mins and great action heavy last 30 mins and then the rest is just filler and Mark Wahlberg walking about like a lost dog. Most characters in the movie even previous fan faviroute BumbleBee becomes a B sideline character and is just used as filler. The film could have worked without him and I feel he won't have been missed by new people to the series. But a lot of extinction is fan service and fans will appreciate the references and characters that may pop up in the movie some exciting others not so much but they do a great job of remembering the fans that made this series so popular. 

But Extinction is all about the villains its very much a villain movie as Deadlock the transformer assassin who takes what he wants as trophies from planet to planet and Kelsey Grammar take centre stage. Both of them are amazing villains and the back and forth from both of them makes for great scenes and I could have easily just watched a film based around both of them. Mark Ryan voices Lockdown and he is the highlight of the movie with his calm monotone voice he is both exciting and terrifying wanting his prize in the form of Prime and he will do whatever it takes to get it. Deadlock is the first villain of the series that I have ever really felt posed a real threat to Optimus and the Autobots as he's no deceptacon and he just works for the highest bidder and himself. With his massive ship that towers over cities he shows power that even Megatron would have been hard to face him down. Extinction is hard to talk about with out giving away the plot as Deadlock and his motives play such a big role in the plot of the film and he only appears for such little screen time I feel he was a missed opportunity. But he does help pave the way for the dinobots who are short and sweet in that they appear in the last 20- 30 minutes of the film but thats enough because they aren't around long enough to become stale. 

For all of its bad habits the film falls into such as making it feel almost like a remake of the first film I can forgive it for what its trying to do. Its a film for the fans which is helpful to get the fans excited for the series again but also is a great place for new fans to the series as you don't have to have watched the previous trilogy to enjoy the movie for what it is a fun Transformers movie. Its first movie since the first one that I feel that they really have had fun with it and aren't trying to take themselves seriously because their not serious films. While this film will defiantly split fans down the middle as previous instalments in the series have and the Dinobots might not have been in enough of the film for others you have to forgive it for what its trying to do. Its setting up a new trilogy and if the ending to this film is anything to go by its going to be exciting and a new age for the autobots and Optimus as he's not so mister nice guy anymore. Extinction while very much a human story is a redemption story for the autobots and first movie I feel that Optimus really comes into frame and gets the screen time and story he deserves. Don't go into this film expecting it to be amazing or the Transfomers film of your dreams but just know that we are getting back to form and the sequel I feel is just going to blow us all away. 

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Sunday 25 May 2014

Hannibal Season 2 Finale "Mizumono" Review - All roads have led to this


*MASSIVE MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

I will say again that if you haven't watched the finale or if you ever plan on watching Hannibal at some point then really don't read this review. It's a shocker of a episode, one of the best peices of television that I have seen in a long time and Hannibal has proved to be the best thing on the small screen at the moment. This whole season has been about Hannibal (Shock) but finding out the truth about Hannibal and Will has never given up on people finding out the truth. So everything led to this as Jack and Wills plans were all set in motion to finally arrest the Chesterpeak ripper and stop Hannibal once and for all. Or well that's how it was planned anyway but anything sounds good on paper but delivering on it is another thing. Mads Miklesen was the star of this episode and the season and I still believe that he gives a better preformance as Hannibal then Antony Hopkins because no matter how evil he is you still route for him. That final scene was fantastically twisted and evil and the shock moment as you don't know who is going to survive if any of them started to become a reality. 

So for the last few weeks Will has been tossing turning with his feelings while he knows what Hannibal has done is wrong and knows he has to take him down, part of him wants him to just go and save everyone the trouble. Which is what happens this week as he warns him to leave so that he doesn't have to go down for his crimes. While this show has always been about the relationship between Will and Hannibal this second half of the season has taken that to the next level as their friendship became almost a lover relationship. Which was obvious in this finale as they saw that connection between each other and Hannibal finally felt that he had found someone he could relate to and connect with. Which is why it pains him so much to find out that his friend has betrayed him and been lying to him for so long. Will have Hannibal the choice leave and Jack won't get to you and you can live free or go down for your crimes and be seen as the monster that you really are. But Hannibal being the monster that he is chose for the third option are be free and be seen as the monster at the same time because that's the person I am. 

So let's just get onto what people were waiting to see the confrontation between Hannibal and Jack as he went against his orders and chose to take him out either way. Jack was ordered by his superiors that he mustn't continue with his investigation into Hannibal and that they had taken this to far now. Will has mutilated someone as a trophy to get on Hannibals good side and they had faked the death of Freddie Lownes. All to take out one man and all of this under the orders of Jack putting Jack and the rest of his team in danger. Which then caused her to make Jack hand his badge in because he was now a disgrace to the force and was a danger to his team. Will was also then having a team of police sent to arrest him for murder and there isn't anyway he can get out of this one saying that he's being framed by Hannibal. So Will ran and escaped to confront Hannibal and Jack went to do the same thing two is better then one right. Well that's if they had a plan to go in against him together but that didn't work out like that. 

Hannibal had worked out quite quickly this week what Wills plan really was and where his loyalties really lied and it wasnt with Hannibal like he thought. It was great to watch as Jack went to Hannibal playing the good cop routine and was in invited to help prepare dinner for the both of them. This scene was in my opinion a award winning scene for both actors as they played out this great scene within minimal dialogue in the scene. It was all mostly done through thier eyes Mads Miklesen as an actor is able to play so much of his character through his eyes and they tell a thousand words. Watching as he offered Jack a knife to help prepare the food that was it I was on the edge of my seat just waiting for one of the, to make thier killing blow. As everything slowed down and it felt like hours passed watching them jump into action take thier weapons in arms to take each other out. But Hannibal being Hannibal he came out on top stabbing Jack in the neck and leaving him for dead in the wine closet. It was like something from the shinning those as Hannibal smashed into the door trying to get in and finish him off for good. It was so great it was tense, dark and scary as Jack opened the door and saw Hannibal runni g at the door it gave me chills. I was scared myself but it was brillaint to watch. This epsiode felt like the end of a show sort of finale it was what shows like Dexter and Lost could have taken tips from Hannibal on how to finish a show and do a good finale. I am so so happy that it's coming back for a third season  but if it wasn't I would have been happy with this as the end of the show. I think that the writers of the show had the feeling that there was a chance that tthe show wouldn't come back so they had that plan in place if it didn't. It's a ending that means you are now able to make your own mind up on what you think is going to happen to the characters that are at deaths door because we have been told that not everyone is coming back next season. 

My predictions is that while I love Lawrence Fishburne in this show I think we could see the death of his character and Alanna and Abigail and Will will survive. Abigail and Will have massive grudges and connections to Hannibal so they would make perfect people to come back next season and make it out of this alive. But I do know that who ever survives we won't find out until the second episode of the third season of the show. So we will have to wait even longer just to find out who is going to make it out of this alive. Will I feel will be the obvious one to make it out alive because he's a fan faviorute and he's the other main star of the show alongside Hannibal. But then again you could just do a complete jump and go silence of the lambs with the next season and bring in Clarice to investigate the murders and just kill everyone left in the house. It could be a complete refresh for the show it's a long shot but it's defiantly a possibility because I think it's safe to say that no one is safe in Hannibal everyone is on the chopping block fan faviorute or not. 

But I feel that Will, will make it next season as that touching and horrid end scene between them was something that I think has saved him for another season. As Will made if to the house and found a dying Alana on the floor and walked in to find Abigail standing there. Someone that I thought and I think everyone else had thought was long dead. But until we actually see a body I think it's safe to say that no one is actually dead for sure. Ur where has she been all this time and for what purpose is she still alive. While Hannibal has been acting stupid for a long time and acting like he wasn't aware for what was happening it was quite clear this week that all of that had just been act for a long time. I feel that he had kept Abigail alive for exactly this moment if it ever played out because he was never going to be able to finish Will himself. I think that the hardest part to watch this week was as Abigial had to take out Alana and Will not because she wanted to but because she had to. Then once she did that Hannibal took her out as well just to tie up any loose ends but Hannibal being the coward that he really is didn't have the guts to finish them off. It was horrid to watch as Hannibal touched Wills face and it felt like he was just saying goodbye to a friend as he was no longer going to see him again. It was a brillaint finale and it's going to take a lot for this show to top what they did this season. 

The episode finished brilliantly and it felt like it was something out of a film as we just looked out over blue skies and was almost like it was meant to be a happy ending to the show. And if you had just turned over to the show and had just seen the credits of the episode that you wouldn't have been hard to have mistaken it for a happy ending. But as the credits finished and a plane flew by and we were greeted by Hannibal ona plane to France with who else but Mirium which was a shock and the last person I expected to be there. Seeing as the last time we had seen her she was on Hannibals kill list as he went their to kill her but like I said if we don't see a body then we can safely say that they are most probably still alive. 

But overall we were given an amazing epsiode and an amazing finale and it is going to be missed while we wait for the third season of the show. There is nothing on TV like it and nothing that compares to the brilliance of the show and the writing that is behind the show. While it's going to be hard to beat and top what they did this season I have no doubt that they are going to manage it because they did if this season so just bring on season 3 because it certainly can't come soon enough. 

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Thursday 22 May 2014

X-Men Days Of Future Past - Review


*SPOILER FREE REVIEW*

After years of planning and knowing this story was happening, the many set photos, character photos, posters and trailers Days of Future Past is finally here. There was a lot riding on this film for not only the fans of the films but the fans of the comics who have been craving for this story to be told on the big screen for years. But can I just say that they have heard the hype and they delivered on that hype and more. Giving up not just a superhero movie but a time travel movie hat pushed every character to their breaking point. It was a emotional thrill ride that ended in a climatic action packed sequence that made the previous films in the series look like kiddie films. I will also say stay for the credits for a after credits scene that won't make sense to everyone but its brilliant fan service and exciting and I won't say much more then that.

Right lets get my one and only bad point with the film and its nothing that I feel takes away from the movie I just wasn't feeling it. And that was Peter Dinklage as Trask the creator of the Sentinel's that are the main threat to cast in the present day. Im sorry Peter I love you as an actor and in Game of Thrones think your fantastic but Trask felt very underused in the film I saw his role in the movie as more fan service to fans of the comics. He could have just as easily been mentioned by name or seen in a poster and the film would have still worked he doesn't really get the screen time that he deserved to make me like or hate him. Trask is there to set up Logan's quest in the past but once he goes back in time Trask isn't very much needed anymore he doesn't make much of a difference to the story. I would have liked to have seen him have some dialogue scenes with Logan or the professor but when he is on screen with them he is overshadowed by the characters that we have become attached to and fallen in love with. But thats just how I felt not everyone will feel that way and its less a criticism to the film and its just a personal problem.

But to explain this film its a time travel movie with the x-men imagine back to the future meets Wolverine thats the best way that I could explain it and the cut between Future and past is very good. So the premise for the film is that mutants have more or less been wiped out and the ones that are still alive now live in camps under heavy guard. The only fighting survivors surprise surprise fighting back against this threat are the X-Men who may I just say give one of the best opening scenes to a movie I have seen from a Marvel film. So realising that they are on the edge of extinction professor X has Wolverine set to the past to stop this war from ever beginning saving mutants and humans alike. Thats the best non spoiler plot synopsis I can give because if I say anything more then I will just be giving you spoilers. While the premise for the film might sound confusing and there are points where you will need to concentrate hard on whats happening its been made to be a X-Men film for just about everyone.  But if your not up to scratch with you X-Men movies then watch a marathon of all the previous films before seeing this one because it references back to every movie before it. Some of it being fan service and it is stuff that will make you smile but 90% of it helps move along the plot and just makes the movie even better. If you have ever had doubts on Fox owning the rights to the X-Men movies then you don't have to worry because this is the X-Men movie we have been craving for since X-Men 2. With old cast and new it makes for just a brilliant breath of fresh air for a franchise that looked dead in the water for a while.

So cast lets talk the cast if you were hoping to see quite a bit of the original cast then I'm afraid that your out of luck because they only really make real appearances at the start and near to the end of the film. But each scene is action packed, fast paced, brilliant dialogue and quite emotional at times as you witness each member of the team start to come to their breaking point as they try to win a un winnable  fight. Ian Mckellen and Patrick Stewart make great returns to the series as they now fight along side each other along with Storm, Iceman, Colossus and Kitty Pride who all make a reappearance. Their all great returns to the series and fan favourites it was quite nostalgic watching them all come back on screen and it was great to see them it made me feel like a little kid again watching the original X-men movies. Then along with the new members of the team Blink who makes portals that allows them to jump from place to place (she makes for some crazy scenes) warpath, Sunsspot and Bishop. They all make great additions to the cast however small their role is in the film. Their scenes are great because you never feel like your being suffocated with to many characters their their for a purpose of giving great action sequences which are some of the best from the series to date. If this is the last time that we see the old cast them I'm fine with that because they came back brilliantly in this film and it felt like they never left. But part of me never wants to let the future cast go.

But where this movie really shines and its where we spent 90% of the movie is with the younger cast as James Macavoy and Michael Fassbender make brilliant returns to the series as Charles and Eric. Nicolas Hoult also returns brilliant in this film as Beast and he has some brilliant chemistry on screen and funny scenes with Wolverine which was great to see as they do spend so much of the film together after all. Now I won't say how beast has managed to go back to looking like Hank in the movie as you will have seen in the trailers or why the professor can walk because thats a underline issue in the movie mostly for Charles who is the real star of the movie as its him that has the most to overcome throughout the movie. This film is very much about Charles becoming the hero bladed wonder that he would become but with a little bit of help from a friend. Macavoy shines in this film he's defiantly found his place in the series and he's moulded well into the role and found his feet within the role. Jackman and Macvoy play brilliantly off of each other in the film and they make for some of the best scenes in the film as Logan tries his hardest to teach him what the professor taught him to find himself. To find himself as a hero and the real man that lives inside of him. While the other member of the cast have some brilliant screen time such as Magneto and Mystique but Xavier is the star of the movie past and present as he is the only one that can stop what is going to occur. The professor has a great end scene of the movie that was very sweet and made the whole movie just feel perfect and if you had any doubts of the movie you can put all your worries at ease.

The last point that I have to make is quicksilver who is one of the biggest highlights of the film but I just wish that he was used more then he was in the film. Mostly because he's a breath of fresh air and comedic relief is otherwise what is a very serious movie. I know that this film is very much being used to set up his character for the next film but I just can't wait to see more of him because he was brilliant in this film. The effects used in the film to show off his powers worked great and he's just a young guy having fun with his powers which works amazingly for the film. It shows just why being a superhero and having powers is just meant to be a lot of fun and having fun in these movies is what you really want in a film.

Overall Future Past is absolutely brilliant its one of the best Marvel films for a long time it rivals X-Men 2 as being the best film of the series and I would go as far to say one of the best Marvel films to date. The story is handled brilliantly, well paced and the action sequences in the film are some of the best that I have seen in a film for a long time. While I didn't really feel Trask or like his character it doesn't take away from the film being absolutely brilliant and fantastic. Its a film for any true X-Men fan and a must see and all I can say is come on 2016 because I want Apocalypse now.

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Tuesday 13 May 2014

Game of thrones: The law of gods and men Review - Damn Tyrion you killed it!


*MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

Wow well that was something for anyone like me that hasn't read the books I can imagine you were the same and were just in shock that whole of that second half of the episode. Watching as that trial took place all I kept thinking was Peter Dinkalge you are killing it he owned that episode. My only problem with Tyrions character during the show is that I felt that he reached his peak in the first season as he put all his sneaky little plans in motion. But after that he never felt like his character was going anywhere he always felt like he was always in Kings Landing just going through day to day making more and more people hate him everyday. But this week Tyrion was back the reason I fell in love with his character and why he won golden globes for this character was back. While there was other things happening in this episode were get to them last because this trial was the bulk of the episode and it just continuously hit the mark. 

So since Joffery died we knew that this trial was coming and we have all been waiting for this trial even those I haven't read the books I knew about the trial because of friends. So this wasn't a surprise that this was coming but what happened was crazy. So let's start with Jamie who ever since that rape scene that got everyone talking and hating him I feel like he as a character has started redeeming himself again. As he went to thier father who just happened to be the judge of said trial what a surprise your father hates you and he's the judge. But Jamie gave Tywin a proposition if you spare Tyrions life then Jamie will leave Kings Landing and go to rule over Casterly Rock. Which surprisingly Tywin agreed to Tyrion would go to the wall and become a crow of the Knights Watch where he will love out his days. Which was Tywin all over from the very beginning we have always known that he's 10 steps ahead of everyone else, so he was just biding his time because he knows his children and he knows Jamie's weakness is his love for his brother. So Jamie obviously agreeing to this tells Tyrion and you would think that would be the end of it Tyrion can just bide his time in the box till the trials end and get his sentence knowing his head won't end up on a spike. But of course that would just be way to easy if that's how things really went now wouldn't it. 

Two people stood up in the witness box, two people that I thought were Tyrions allies and that would never have betrayed him the first one being Vayres everyone's faviorute deceiver. So having spoken to people about this that have read the books even they have told me that they don't know what his real motive was by deceiving him. What I love about Vayres is that he's like Little Finger he always have this allterior motive for why he's doing these things but he never let's his guard down so his true motive is never clear. But this week he stepped up into the witness stand and showed that he wasn't really a friend after all as he lied through his teeth about Tyrion. But that was just the start of it for him.

Next was Cersei who come on she was going to stand up there and it wasn't such a surprise to see her say what she said seeing as he did promise to kill Joffery many times. But they were all idle threats it's not like he was ever going to be stupid enough to go through with it right??

But the big part of the episode came in the final 15-20 minutes of the epsiode with the final witness who was Shey someone that loved him and he loved her back. But he broke her heart but he did what he did to save her life and as far as he knew she was far away from Kings Landing living out her life somewhere. So that just begs the question why is she still here and did she even make it onto the ship or was she stopped as part of this plan to kill Joffery. Was it Bron (I apologise if that's not you spell his name you know who I mean) did he have something to do with it because he want at the trial after all. And he never went to see Tyrion when he was locked up in his cell because he said at he wasn't aloud to but how much of that was the truth because anyone will decive and turn on you if payed enough by the right people. I think that would make for some great TV and it would be something that I expect from the show especially seeing as he didn't turn up at the trial at all not even to support him. But Shey went onto say that Sansa wanted to kill Joffery for what he did to her father and that Tyrion promised to help her do it and being her maid or hand maiden it would make sense after all. They also have her necklace which doesn't make sense because she was still wearing it when she escaped so it makes me wonder how far this assissination plan really goes. How many more people were in on it then Little Finger and how long were they planning this for and setting all the plans in motion for. Was Margery's grandmother one of the people that were behind it and made sure the wedding went ahead so that they could do it then at the wedding. It's crazy but I'm sure that it's something that we aren't going to find out the answer to for a long long while if the speed at which this season is going at it's certainly not going to be this season of the show. 

But the trial and the episode ended with that crazy and quite scary side of Tyrion that I love because he's just plain evil and crazy when he really wants to be. So by the end of the episode he had completly lost his mind with everyone and everything had just gotten to him so he told the people of kings landing how he felt. Telling them that he saved them he helped save these people and this is the thanks that he gets for that. Hearing him tell them that he should have just let them all die was amazing because it was Tyrion back at his best and he's not holding any punches anymore. Watching him tell the truth about everything tell them that thier beloved Joffery was just a coward and he wished he had killed him. But he didn't because for one thing he's not stupid enough to do it and get caught if he was going to do it he would have made sure he got away with it. So he calls for a trial by combat so who's going to be fighting for him and who's fighting against him. Could it be Jamie and Bron which would make sense seeing as they both have a connection to Tyrion and if even one of them died it would hurt him. Also they have been training together so maybe this was something that Tyrion had planed for and needed both of them to be ready for. But one thing is for sure we are in for some great epsiodes going into the second half of this season it's just sad to think it's getting closer to end again.

We did also see some other characters this week away from Kings Landing the major one of these being Theon who is basically a broken man now he's no longer the man he was once before. His sister came to get him and brake him out but he didn't want to leave because that guy is no longer inside there. His mind is broken and ripped apart and he's now nothing more then a broken man with a broken mind. Which all works into the bastard child's plan (sorry his name is a blank) where he gives him a task that he will go back to castle black and pretend to be Theon GreyJoy. It was probably the only other real interesting part of the episode because it was leading into something bigger going into future episodes. 

The other two things that happened in the epsiode was Baratheon went to the iron bank to set his plans in motion to put the rightful king back in kings landing rather then a child of incest. It's setting things up for another war and attack on Kings Landing but like I said earlier the pace things are going at this season that won't be for a long time. Then the other thing that happend was are queen of dragons started to realise that being a queen of a city wasn't all it was cracked up to be. As she had just over two hundred people that wanted an audience with her and her dragons have grown quite a bit over the last few weeks. I certainly don't remember them being that huge at the start of the season.

But the trial was what made this episode great and it made up for the bulk of the episode and it was very much Tyrions episode. With a trial by combat to look forward to if all we had from now was kings landing scenes then I would be happy because that's where all the good stuff is happening. It's defiantly the place to be if your a character in Game of Thrones.

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Saturday 10 May 2014

Hannibal: “Ko No Mono” Review - Things start to come full circle















*SPOILERS FOR EPISODE FOLLOW*

 So this week we saw the aftermarth of Freddie Lownes and just as Alanna felt that she was putting all of the pieces together a new twist was about to be uncovered. With Jack becoming very distant from the rest of the cast you couldn't help but wonder what the reason was and why he had started to act this way over the past few weeks. But it all came with the shock reveal as Alanna and us the audience were greeted by the sight that Freddie was still alive as she asked Alanna how her funeral was. Its something that came towards the end of the episode and it makes me wonder just how much Jack has been behind all of this. So Will didn't kill Freddie and its obvious now that Will hasn't been as much of a monster as first thought and all of this is just their plan to get Hannibal someone that has managed to slip from their grasps for to long now.

So this whole season has been very much all about Hannibal and Will as we focus more on their relationship and how manipulating Hannibal is as a character. This week we saw Hannibal let his guard down around Will a bit as he spoke about how he was a father to his sister. Which we later find out that she is no long alive. Which if you have read the hannibal rising novel then you know the circumstances of her death and just how much it shaped him into the man that he became and the reason for why he is the way he is. It was the first time that we saw Hannibal as a real human being and see him and Will become more equals as they looked at each other as those they were speaking to themselves. Which I would guess is all part of Will and Jacks plan to get Hannibal and expose him for the monster that he truly is but who knows they may go in a different direction with it but were see. It was one of the only scenes that we actually saw Will and Hannibal together as this week I felt was very much Alanna's time to shine.

So I have said this previously that I really feel that Alanna has been the weakest member of the cast and that she hasn't been developed in the same way that other members of the cast have. I have also always felt this about the female members of the cast that they have always been the weakest members of the cast. But she finally felt like she had a strong outing this week as her judgements and feelings for Hannibal started to become clear as she started to realise that Will and Hannibal were dangerous, and that maybe it was Hannibal that was fuelling this and she was just to blind to see it before. From the word go this season I have felt like we have meant to feel sorry for Alanna that she is just getting herself mixed up with messed up individuals. But its hard to feel sorry for someone that has been constantly warned that the man she is dating might just be a serial killer so its her own fault for not listening. But this week we saw her mind slowly wander it was subtle but effective as she herself started to put the pieces together on just what was happening here. Which when she finally confronts Jack about all of this and whether he feels that Will killed Freddie he responds with "No I don't" which we quickly find out why. So I wonder if the reason that he hadn't told her sooner for the reason why he was acting the way he was is because he had to find out if he was able to trust her. So once she starts to realise that she doesn't know who she is able to believe thats when Jack realises he can trust her with his master plan. Its great to see them putting these plans into motion this week because it shows that we might see Hannibal being found out by the end of the finale rather then another season with them going oh we got it wrong again. But Alanna may just die in the last episode I don't know why but I feel that now she knows that her hunch is correct she may just be the next person on Hannibal chopping board along with Mason if things go his way.

So Mason played a massive part this week in the episode and it al came to a head when he was dressed in those red medical scrubs which represented blood, death and just plain monstrous acts. Its brilliant to see this week that we have got a brand new villain to hate even those its obvious that he will be fed to the pigs next week its been great while it lasted. We got more of an idea this week just who this man was and just what made him tick and to say that he's fucked up is putting it mildly. He has his own sister mutilated just so that she would have to have a hysterectomy its a very dark and evil step he takes just so that he stays as soul air. He was even prepared to father a child with his sister just so that he would himself have a air to the fortune which was dark twisted and just plain mental. All his scenes this week led to the main conclusion that he was just waiting to be killed by Will and Hannibal the double team. Which I thought was about to happen but it wouldn't have made sense because they we wouldn't have had anything left going into the final episode for this season. But if their was anything that was obvious it was that Will was going to plant the idea into his head that he should take down Hannibal because he has been the one behind all of this. It is almost like Hannibal's children his creations are now revolting against him and turning against him. Which has been a main focus of the season is Hannibal seeing himself as a father to people such as Will as he makes them into his own little creations. Or it could just be that he is protective over them because its the fatherly figure that he has inside him that he is no longer able to portray upon his sister.

All that is obvious is that we are in for a explosive season finale for Hannibal as everything starts to come full circle for the team and everyone else as you can hope that they come to the realisation that Will was right. Its going to be exciting and if the rest of the episode has been anything to go by then we are in for a exciting final episode. Its also exciting to know that we are getting a season 3 of the show so we have more Hannibal action to look forward to next year.

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Saturday 3 May 2014

Hannibal "Naka-Choko" Review - The Student becomes a master


*SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

Well things are getting darker and more twisted every week now and Will has started to become more evil and sinister then Hannibal and Hannibal is the ripper. So after last weeks end scene as Hannibal walked in to find a dead man on his table and Will standing there at the other end you knew things wouldn't be the same again. Hannibal has finally gotten him where he wants him and the student has become a master and their relationship with each other has become almost like their one person now rather then friends or enemies. I think this has been Hannibals master plan all along ever since the first time that he met him and went with Will to confront Jacob Hobbs all that time ago. My thinking is that he saw the potential in Will so he became friends with him to let his guard down and subtly showed him who he was so that Will would slowly come to warm to what he does. So now that they have seen that they are equally matched they have come to that same mindset that they are one, that neither one can live without the other because they understand each other. 

So this week we started where we left off last week with this almost intimate scene between Will and Hannibal as they discuss how Will felt killing him. The scene was beautiful and you see just how well crafted the show is and the amount of care and detail that they go into when making the show. There was great dialogue throughout the entire episode as we had yet another Hannibal and Will centered episode. Which is defiantly not a bad thing as Jack sits on the back burner so that we can stick with the relationship between the two or three people shall we say that's most interesting. 

I say this because we saw the return of my faviroute character Alana Bloom I lie because if you have read any of my other reviews I feel she brings nothing to the show and has never been fully developed. In the same way as say Freddie has who was great to see return his week but were get to her later. So Alana felt like she had a purpose this week as she sat and ate dinner with Will and Alana and she discussed how their relationship is ever changing and strange almost. How to people can go from being enemies to friends they are connected maybe more the Hannibal and Alana are which I felt she could tell herself. So this leads me to the Hannibal and Alana in bed while Will was in bed with one of the twins. It was strange and weird but it worked as you watch Will fantasise about being with Alana almost as if he was Hannibal and the scene ended with her laying between Hannibal and Will. It was weird but it worked because it symbolised the relationship between the doctor and his patient. That they are now one and the same so Will has started to see himself as Hannibal in a lot of ways. I have found this ever since he was released from prison as his mannerisms have changed and his clothing and hair have changed. If you haven't noticed by now which I would be surprised but just look at them both standing next to each other it's like looking at two brothers or a mentor and his apprentice. I said this in a previous review but I see him looking at Will as almost like his child someone that he is able to mould into the person he wants him to be. Could be like a really evil double act both of them wearing those clear suits as they take down who ever takes their fancy and place them on the frying pan. 

So we finally got to meet this famous brother that Hannibals new patient has been mentioning for a couple of episode now as she spoke about how she had a chance to kill him but couldn't do it. Hannibal suggests that maybe she can't do it so maybe someone else could do it for her which he advised her in a previous episode. So Hannibal had a meeting with him this week Ipright I'm not going to name him I'm just going to call him the pig man, because people can correct me if I'm wrong but isn't he the man that Hannibal eventually feeds to the pigs. So he showed Hannibal is prized possessions pigs that he is training to kill a live man that is slowly lowered down to them. So we watched as he demonstrated with a dummie covered in blood and screamed every now and again. This scene was brillaint as it was utterly terrifying and I quickly realised just why she wanted to kill her brother because he's just pure evil. Which you could say about Hannibal but at least he's a gentleman killer. I'm definantly never going to be able to look at a pig the same way again those as you heared the squeals as they ripped this dummy off of the rope and ripped it apart. I think were in for a shocker when we finally reach this mans death because if we know this show then it's going to be stylistic and just plain gruesome. 

So there was only one other main member of the cast that really played a big part in the epsiode this week and that was Freddie Lownes who is writing her story on Will and his relationship with Hannibal. I think it was obvious this week that she was going to meet her end and I was just waiting for it. So Freddie being the reporter that she is she sneaked onto Wills farm to they and find out some more answers on his relationship with Hannibal. Especially after he has suddenly changed his feelings on Hanniabl in just a few weeks from when he was classing him as a killer and now he's classing him as a friend. Poor old Freddie we lost another big cast memeber this week were losing cast members quicker then were adding to it we won't be left with anyone at the rate their going. She sneaked into his Farmhouse and found the bear suit hanging up in thier used by are killer last week. That was something that we didn't see this week was a new killer as are killer was Will. Must have been great for Jack and the rest of the team getting a week off from weird killings. But the point that things hit a head was when Freddie turned around to find Will standing there and that was it I was terrified of him. He's less he hero of the show now and more a villain as he told her to give her what she has and before he can stop her she escapes and runs for her car. Where she phones Jack and leave the phone on so that Jack can hear her screams as Will dragged her away and goodbye Freddie the last we will be seeing of you again. While Hannibal is scary in that clear suit, Will takes it to another level with those eyes and those gloves he was wearing never trust anyone wearing leather driving gloves. 

We ended this week with Will bring Hannibal the meat for a meal for dinner and as Hannibal questioned what type of meat his eyes lit up to the possibilities. The chemistry between Mads and Hugh is clear in this scene as they give brillaint preformances and work so well bouncing off each other. It was great to see Hannibal giving that sinister smile as he realised that his student was now learning and he was about to pass his final test. Which is what I feel it was now that he has taken his kill and statisfied with the kill he wants to savour it by eating them. Well Will certainly ain't going to be the same again now that he's savouring human meat and enjoying it. 

This was a strong epsiode this week and what amazes be about this show and this season of the show is that want episode has just topped itself. It just shows that care and dedication that they put into the show and how much talent their is with the writers of the show. The script was brilliant this week as Hannibal and Will stayed front and center of the episode once again and to be honest if it stayed like that for the rest of the season that would be fine with me. 

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Arrow "City of Blood" Review - Slade ain't playing


*SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE*

So it was a sad week for Arrow and was one of the strongest outings for the show for a while I felt. With the grieving cast coming to terms with the death of a mother we saw Slade's plans finally be put into action. 

So we have to start with the funeral the saddest and strongest part of the episode it was a fitting send off for a much loved character in my opinion. It was also the welcome return of Walter to the show who came back out of the respect of his wife. (They were still married at this point weren't they??) But he came back this week and acted as a rock and support for Phia who I felt was dealing with this the worst. Feeling that her mother had died thinking that she hated her and the obvious absence of her brother it was a tough week for her. I felt this weeks episode worked at its strongest because real emotion sadness, anger and hate could be seen on these actors faces. Which I feel comes with working on a show such as this you become a family so losing someone is sad. The show also does brilliantly at making us feel upset for the death of a character. But the two people that really stood out to me were Diggle and Felicity who continues to be that comedic value and breath of fresh air for the show. Felicity was her normal socially awkward self as she talks about how she hated Moira but still felt sadness for her. Which is how I feel everyone was with her character if you liked her or hated her you still felt upset about her death. But the obvious person missing from all of this was Oliver which was represented beautifully in the funeral scene. With the pink rose on the empty chair it was beautiful and represented that person that was missing or hole that couldn't be filled. 

Oliver missing and the search for him was a key plot line this week as the team, Walter and Phia wanted to know where he is. As he wasn't at the home, the base or with Sarah who left last week to go back to the league or that's what I think anyway. What scared me at first is that I thought we were in for the same situation as last week. That they go on this search for Oliver and he then just comes back at the end of the episode with no real feeling like any of it meant anything. But thankfully that wasn't the case this week as Felicity and Diggle went to drastic measures to find their friend. So Amanda Waller returned briefly this week as even she couldn't deny helping them to find him. I think it just shows how scared everyone is of what's around the corner that even the suicide squad leader is prepared to help. (Or she just wants to add him to the team that makes sense as well)  What was great as well was watching Felicty nerd out about the equipment that they have there. She defiantly helped a otherwise serious episode run smoothly. So with all their equipment they find him in next to no time which kept the episode running at a smooth steady pace I felt. 

But before we get to that let's talk about the island we saw a return to the island this week. So if you were missing Sarah from the show you still get your fix of her this week with the submarine scene. They kept it simple this week with the island as the season soon comes to an end so does this seasons island flashbacks. So keeping it simple and to the bare minimum is a must right now and let's just get to when Slade lost his eye already. It's what were all waiting for at this point after all right? 

But they kept it to the minimum with death being the key plot point to the whole scene. It's a horrible dark point but it signifies where they are in the show now at this point. The whole scene was set on the submarine the Japanese one if you remember that Slade almost bled out on. Also what started this whole mess in the present day as well. But using their friendly neighbourhood Russian man they hoped to pilot the sub towards the ship and blow it out of the water. Well that's the plan anyway but you know the score with the island nothing ever goes to plan. My problem with the island is that I see it like Lost it was a good idea at first and started out strong but then the writers lost their way and even they don't know what's going on anymore. So to put it in short terms they planed on using a maned missile to blow up the ship. But that obviously didn't work as it ends with Oliver on the radio to Sarah. Which I wonder is a reference to something to come in the show. Slade did say that there was one more that had to die and he spared Phia's life. So maybe it's Sarah i certainly wouldn't put it past him at this point. They kept the island short and to the point and as a reference to things to come as we maybe see the death of another member of the cast. Sarah, Diggle, Roy or heaven forbid Felicity.

Talking of Roy he was still out of it this week but for how long as they are slowly running out of venom. Not much more really you can say about him this week they kept him out of it which was great. It was more just used as a way to reference Barry again who is still in a coma as far as we know. I think the creators are just going to keep teasing us with this to keep the Flash pilot fresh in are minds. Which you didn't know about yet search it and see the pictures looks promising. 

But the big thing this week was keeping up with just how many people know that Oliver is the Arrow.  Oliver didn't appear until about half way through the episode this week which is never a bad thing. Gives the rest of the cast the limelight for a short time and they all gave amazing performances. But Felicity and Diggle found Oliver in his secondary base slumped against a pillar and certainly not up and jumping happy and smiling. It was here that we were dropped with the bombshell that Oliver was going to give himself up to Slade so that no one else died. So Oliver went to meet his end or so he thought and I think a lot of other people thought as well. But thankfully no Diggle shot him with a tranquilliser dart and brought him back to base. 

This is where he's greeted by Laurel who I had forgotten even knew about him being the Arrow at this point. It's not the greatest secret identity Oliver. But if anyone was going to convince him that Starling City needed him now more then ever it was her as they dropped the bombshell to him that Sebastian Blood knew about his mothers Murder. Which now that he has fitted all the pieces together he's now in a better position with not only Slade on his list now but Blood also. Who someone will have to correct me on this if I'm wrong but is he meant to be a version of the Scarecrow. I only say that because the mask and the voice kinda suggest that's who he's meant to be. 

While Blood is obviously going to meet his demise in these final few episode it's going be a shame to lose him. Kevin Alejandro has given brilliant performances throughout this season of the show. He was like John Barrowmen in the first season to me that actor I wasn't sure would fit in the show and turned out to be brilliant. Blood is that perfect mix of evil and charismatic he comes across as a pure gentleman but underneath is a twisted evil man. But he had a great scene this week with Oliver as he confronted him about the truth. Trying to get him to see sense and see Slade as the twisted mindless killer that he is. But Sebastian gave the point of he wanted to be mayor and Slade gave that to him. So maybe his hidden agenda is only to kill Oliver and Blood was just a pawn used to get him what he needs, control of the city. Blood and Oliver's scene was brilliant it was tense and it was like all the pieces coming together. After so many lies, deaths and deception all the pieces were falling into place and death was upon them.

While Slade was absent physically from the episode he still played a prominent role in the episode. Manu Bennett has given us some brilliant performances this season and just hearing that intimidating voice on the phone it even scared me. He shows why he's to be feared and that is a lot to the praise of Manu who is fantastic and has been since he first appeared in the show. The final scene of the episode really set everything up for me those as Deathstroke's army walked into Starling city. I have a feeling that it's more then the destruction of the glades we could be looking at this season. 

But it was a stronger episode this week from them after the shambles that was last weeks episode. It was a emotional week and we got to see some brilliant character based scenes as they all dealt with her death in their own way. With Deathstroke's army making thier way into the city at the end of the episode I'm excited for the last couple of episodes we have to come. 

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Wednesday 30 April 2014

Agents Of Shield "Nothing Personal" Review - Miss Hill what a nice surprise


*SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

So after last weeks weaker episode we were straight back into the action this week as Coulson and the team came to the realisation that everyone's faviroute moody agent was Hydra. (And no I'm not talking about Mai) But we picked up straight where we left off last week with Coulson and the team co I back to find a empty base with the place deserted and one dead agent with a subtle message. We also saw Maria Hill star in the show this week and oh how I wish she was full time cast member because she was brillaint. It tied nicely in with the end of Cap 2 which if you haven't seen yet then why the hell are you still watching Sheild because that film is spoiled for you now. It was also a great chance to see her and Coulson on screen together who we haven't seen this pair up since Avengers when Coulson met his death. 

So Maria Hill came back this week as she left just one of many meetings and interviews about Sheilf and how she had to try and explain how this top goverment agency had been compromised. It was also great to see her just look around and pick out all the people following her from the woman not really reading her texts to the fake tramp with a trolley. That was until they all mysteriously ended up knocked out on the ground when we find out ninja Mai got rid of them so that her and Maria could chat privately. Mai played a small role in this weeks episode as she tried to find out the secrets of the Tahiti project and uncover the secrets that even she didn't know about the cover up. But we're get to that secret later because it was a shocker to put it bluntly. But Maria and General Talbot who if I am getting it correct is the general that chases down Bruce Banner in the comics someone can let me know if that's right or wrong. But they turned up at the base this week where Maria put it out straight for Coulson that there was no more sheild and that their team should just go their separate ways now. That agent fury wasn't coming back and that the task he was taking on to take down Garret wasn't a mission anymore but a personal vendetta. It was just the words that Coulson had to hear seeing as he has still been going under the assumption that there was a organisation to fight for. It was good to see the first real cameo from one of the cinematic universe characters seeing as thier previous attempts such as the woman from Thor and Nick Fury cameo haven't exactly been amaizng. It was a much better episode for the show this week and a lot of they I feel comes from Maria Hills inclusion in the episode. 

So Mai had a small part to play this week as she left the team last week and was picked up in a car by her mother where we quickly learnt that it's very much mother like daughter. So after findingg Maria and explaining to her the situation she goes in search for answers by digging up Coulsons grave. (Remember as far as the rest of the world is concerned Coulson is dead) She digs up his grave to get the one remaining peice of evidence that they buried in his empty coffin a tape on project Tahiti. It's a level 10 tape that can should only have been watched by Director Fury but those times are over. So this was the biggest shock of the episode and it really changed things up because I feel the Reveal at the end of the episode really answered more questions about the project. So we eventually find out at the end of the episode that it was a video from Coulson to Fury I know shock moment that was. It was great because I don't know if anyone else was the same but I just wasn't expecting it at all. So in the tape he is handing in his resignation as he can't bring himself to be part of the Tahiti project any longer. He also advices that they cancel it and destroy any evidence of it that this avenger revival programme was a death sentence and the subjects that they used on it didn't survive for long after. That the only way they managed to combat the effects (this is where I feel he should have kept his mouth shut) is by wiping thier memory's so that they have no memory of it ever happening. It was a shock for Coulson and it makes me wonder what will happen to Coulson and Sky now because they both have the serum inside of them. It also brings the situation into question of that where does that leave Coulson now because now he knows the truth will his mind slowly start deteriorating until he loses it compelty. With only two episodes left I'm sure that we will see this situation worsen as he's now lost everything that ever mattered to him. Well I'm sure that we are in for an exciting two last epsiodes especially as Ward becomes more and more loyal to Hydra and thier cause. 

So talking of Ward how he just annoys me he's the male version of Mai isn't he he has no expression on his face whether he's happy sad or angry it's all the same face. So him and Sky made thier way to LA as Sky started to decrypt the file for Ward or well that's what he thought anyway. She was actually just biding her time till the team could get her location and get her back safely. I inj the stand out point of Ward and Sky scenes this week was when she punched him in the face it was just so satisfying to watch because I never liked his character anyway and I like him even less now. So along with Ward sky had to deal with Deathlock who Garrett sent I would guess to make sure that Ward stayed on task and didn't let his feelings get in the way. Also he knew that Sky wouldn't let him die so they used him almost dying to get the file back. Their scenes were where the episode felt weak for me as Ward has always felt like the weakest character of the show as they have never developed him in anyway. But next week that is certain to change as we find out just how this young man became a ruthless killer for sheild. Sky also has a bad poker face as she tried to stall long enough for the team to find the plane which they eventually did and Coulson being her knight in shinning armour saved her. As they escaped in his red flying car that we haven't seen since the premiere episode I think. It was great little scene and it reminded me of a low budget winter Soilder scene instead of a helicarrier falling out of the sky it was a car. 

I think the person that I really felt for this week is Fitz most because he's my faviroute character is the show and the relationship between him and Simmons has been great how it's developed over the last few weeks. Seeing Fitz finally lose it this week with everything has his friend turned out to be Hydra you felt for him because it looked like his whole world had just come crashing down. The whole episode I felt centered around how the team dealt with the shock of Ward being Hydra. Seeing everyone take it in a diffrent way was great and I just would love to see Mai or Coulson fight it out with him because he certainly needs a good kicking for what he's done. While the episode wasn't perfect I think the last few episodes has left things in a good position heading into the finale and who knows maybe were see Coulson make an appearance in Avengers 2??

But overall the episode was much stronger this week with the shock ending it just put the icing on the cake to a brillaint thrilling episode of the show. We had a flying car crashing out of the sky, Deathlock action, ward getting a smack in the mouth how could it get any better really. Just bring on the final two epsiodes as this show is going from strength to strength. 

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Tuesday 29 April 2014

TURN Of Cabbage and Kings Review - Abe's seeing Blue


*SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

This show just doesn't dissapointment does it I find myself liking this show more every week and having missed it and then trying to catch up with it again it makes me wish we had a recap at the start. But it didn't take long for me to start remembering just where things are as they stand and how Abe was close to boiling point this week as far as his loyalty to his father and the British. What's awful because I'm Britsh myself I find myself just hating the Redcoats in this programme and I think it is just a praise to the writers for getting that feeling from everyone. 

So last epsiode we saw Simcoe in the hands of Ben Tallmade and the men of Washington as they planned to move onto one of the forts occupied by their fellow soilders. But that didn't go exactly to plan as they made thier way through the mist and fog they were greeted by wounded soilders retreating from the fort. Who told them the fort had been overrun and they had taken Washington hostage and he was most likely already dead. Now what I like is that Washington feels almost more like a story that thier is this general out thier fighting the redcoats to take back thier homes for his people. It feels more like a rumour or a story that they tell young kids to send them off to sleep with hope in their minds. Which I can imagine that they most probably did. Now we all know how this story will turn out and where it will eventually lead to but part of me did think that oh god are they really on the verge of losing. I mean they don't have to go compelty factual with the show as long as they end it the way it ended in history that's fine but you can go off the books with it. But back to those soilders coming out of the fog I thought that was brillaint the way these figures slowly just emerged through the fog was like the living dead men that have already given up. But what was great about that scene and I feel he was the stand out part of the episode was Simcoe. All of the little snarky comments that he have through out the episode were funny and he's become that character you love to hate. The way that he piped up and say yeah well let's just continue on then was great and it shows the difference between the red coats and the blue. But he played a prominent role through out the episode as he patronised every memeber of the squad because he knows he can't be killed well not for now anyway. I think where this became most prominent was when they were sitting round at table for dinner before some of thier fellow soilders tried to cause a mutiny against thier captain. The way he say thier and praised them for thier food and wine but at the same time patronised them for it was great and he have that persona of that he's above them all. While I don't particularly like his character I think he's like the Joffery to Gamw of Thrones you love to hate him but if he wasn't there for those paticular scenes they would be boring and a hole would be there hard to fill without them. 

But let's talk about those mutiny boys quickly because I felt sorry for younger one that was shot because he was part of it even when Ben begged for him to be spared. It just shows what sort of world that they lived in and if you went against the cause that you fought for then you were already dead. I can also guess that this isn't the last that we are going to see of these sort of mutinys happening as men begin to question their loyalty to the cause that they fight for. They were also men that Caleb fought along side as well and I would have guessed called brothers at one point or another but not anymore. As Caleb went to find Abe and try and get him to become loyal to thier cause and get more information for them he found no one but Mary. Caleb is a character that I neither like nor hate mostly because I feel that he is neither loyal to the blues or the reds. I mean his brothers in arms tried to cause a mutiny so why wouldn't he do the same if he felt that things weren't going according to plan. But I did like the Caleb, Mary and Abe team up when he made it back from New York that was great to see I just wish that we could have seen more of that. But I did like the relationship between Mary and Caleb as I sensed some sort of tension between the both of them like theirs more to thier relationship then they are letting on. But seeing Abe become that spy that we all knew he would become was great as he helped Caleb escape and have him information about a German retaliation in the coming weeks in New York. The ending with Caleb was brillaint as well as he sung his way out in style making his escape from the enemy. I didn't find that this episode really continued the story much as far as plot it was more of a continuation of the previous weeks episode by giving Abe the motive to become a spy. 

So Abe and his father left to go to New York which worked in Calebs favour which was a nice and lucky coincidence for both of them. As they made thier way into New York which I thought was beautiful by the way they didn't scrap corners on anything in the show. It was fantastic to watch as his father said well to the island of New York and as the boats pass they reveal something that looks like it's come straight out of the books. Even if you don't like the show which I could understand its a hard show to get into and I certainly didn't feel it myself when it first started. But while it does take a little while to get into if you stick with it I see this show having a great future. Well especially seeing as Abe is a fully fledged spy now thanks to his father keeping secrets from him. Which came out over dinner when he was made aware that his father was selling veg to the British under everyone's nose and at the expense of others all to help the cause if you were. It was great to watch as Abe slowly started to boil until he bubbled over through anger at his father for lying to him all this time. The high point of Abes part in the epsiode was when he through the poppy into the water as he watched the red coats praised by the crowed as they marched. It was brilliant to watch and finally see that we are going to see Abe finally start to do some spying after all that is what we are all watching the show for. 

But to be honest that's about it for the episode I didn't really feel that it continued the plot on in anyway it was used more as a way to give Abe a motive for leaving his father and going back and becoming a agent for Caleb. I still like that we haven't seem Washington in the show yet and I wouldn't mind if they kept it that way because it then makes him seem like a fable a hero in stories. I just hope that the plot starts of move a bit faster now that he's a spy as I feel it's been quite slow at the moment.

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Monday 28 April 2014

Arrow Seeing Red Review - Well even the weak episodes can be brilliant


*MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW

So this weeks episode was probably the weakest and hardest hitting episode this weak and it just proves that even the weaker issues of the show can be just plain amazing. So this week was all about Roy being as he's gone a bit mental after them finding him last week strapped to that contraption making a dozen super soilders. Also Roy hasn't been the same since he was injected with the miracurue so having more of it injected in him and making him a human blood doner van is certainly enough to mess anyone up. But on the plus side this week there wasn't any island flashbacks instead we had some brillaint Moira scenes from 7 years previous.

So let's start with those flashback scenes as I feel that they were some of the better parts of the episode but they only really become clear and feel like they have a point to them after the episode has finished. So the flash back involved Oliver admitting to him mum that he cheated on Laruel with a young girl and now she's pregnant with his child. (Naughty boy Oliver how many women did you cheat on her with) But like I said it was hard at first to understand the significance of these scenes other them a caring mother that is just trying to right by her son. But as the episode gets into the last 10 minutes those scenes become clear that she will do anything for her son and daughter if it means thier safety and is what's best for them. So can we just say it now R.I.P Moira well that was a shock twist this week I wasn't expecting that I thought that this was just going to be one of those weak episodes as they set things up for the bigger picture. But boy was I wrong as that speeding car slammed into thier limo I quickly realised that I had got excited about Slade not being in the episode to quickly. Those last 10 minutes are what saved the episode for me because if it wasn't for that last scene I would have easily called this episode a write off as nothing else really happened in the epsiode. But back to Slade he decided that Oliver must pay for what he did to shadow all those years ago by order of ghost shadow of course. It makes me wonder if that's why they are all a bit crazy because thier like the kid from the Six Sense they see dead people. So he gave Oliver the same choice he was given before but this time choose which one lives your sister or your mother. Which was sick, twisted but damn did it make for some great watching. It was also the point that his mother realised that Slade was on the island with Oliver and that's where the grudge and the hate comes from. Was a busy week for his mother she deliberated whether or not to bow out of the mayoral debate, admitted to her son that she knew he was the arrow and tried to patch things up with her daughter. But unfortunately all of this never came to pass as she did the only thing that she could do sacralise herself for the safety of her children. It was a real shock for me it wasn't something i suspected in the slightest and I was surprised at how upset I got about her death. But that's something great about the show they can just throw out these shock moments that you won't expect coming in the slightest. (Just keep them coming) But like I said its after her death that the flashback scenes really become clear and show themselves to have a real purpose. That no matter what she would do what's best for her son to give him a better life and keep him safe even if that means giving up her own life. Great flashback, had a point and keep the island stuck out worked so much better. 

So let's go on to the weaker part of the episode this weak involving the wild goose chase that was looking for Roy who escaped from them after waking up from his sedation. Now I don't know whether I was he only one that felt this but I didn't get it or what the point was of him waking up and running amuck. I mean those two poor police officers and Seth who got a slap in the face for the trouble of trying to be a good friend. For about half the epsiode I was really behind the whole looking for Roy thing because I thought we would find out what's making him do this. That's until I quickly realised that there was no reason for why he was doing this and other then that he was just completly mental now. I think this whole Roy chase was less about finding them and more about splitting Oliver and Sarah apart. Which works for me really as I feel that's she's really run her course in the show and as she left she said she's going to see an old friend. So I'm guessing she's going back to the league of assassins well that's the only explanation that I have for it anyway. 

But like I said I think this whole Roy chase was defiantly less about finding Roy and more about Oliver and Sarah and showed them just how diffrent they are. That they have very diffrent opinions on how things should be handeld as she prepares or end Roy's life once and for all. Which I wouldn't have been crying if he died he's another character that I feel has very much run his course. He's like the annoying kid in the back of the car constantly questioning everything so to say I was begging Sarah to get rid of him was an understatement. It would have also made for a much stronger epsidoe if they had killed him off also this week it would have given Sarah much more of a motive to leave. It them would have also meant that the whole episodes chase for Roy wouldn't have felt like it was for nothing as they spent all that time looking for him just to put him back where we started at the start of the episode. It felt like de ja vu or groundhog day that we were just watching the same thing happen again but with things going wrong in which Sarah left. It was a slow epsidoe really this week and it didn't really move the plot along in anyway it slowed it down more then anything. But like i said all that saved it was those last 10 minutes and the death of Oliver and Phias mother it was a shock and something that's actually made the epsiode feel it had a purpose. 

This must be the shortest review for a show I've done lately but with so little happening in the episode and nothing really happening in the plot to move it along. So there's not really much to talk about his week other then that I feel that if there wasnt that death at the end of the episode then I would have classed this epsiode as a write off. Roy chase was pointless and ending with them in the same situation as they started in with them only then deciding to use a powerful sedative to keep him under. I would have used that on him straight away even if it was only to keep him quiet for a bit but like I said missed opportunity there not killing him off whould have made sense for him to die then. But RIP Moira it was a fitting send off for a brilliant character that i will miss in the show and her flash back scene were the best part of the episode. 

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Hannibal Shiizakana Review - All men can become beasts


*SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE FOLLOW*

So can we just start by talking about just how great this show is and how they have managed to start topping themselves each week making it better and better. Ever since they killed off Chilton the show has started to feel like it's had a fresh new start like a brand new season of the show. This week we saw Will and Hannibals twisted rollar coaster of a relationship take another drastic turn this week as they discussed what it meant to kill another human being. Would it be as satisfying to kill a man with a bullet in the barrel of a gun as it would be to kill him with your bare hands?? 

This weeks show was very much Will and Hannibal centred which I feel that we had lost with the first half of the season as Will coped with being placed in a unit for the criminally insane. But to get back to what make the show so great has been brillaint these past couple of weeks since Will became Hannibals patient again. What was clear from the outset of this weeks episode is that Hannibal was planting that seed in Wills head again to warp his mind in the way that he wanted to. The first season was to frame him for being a killer that he wasn't name Hannibal Lecter and now he's transforming him into the perfect killer that he knows he can be. Almost like its one of his children he's molding him in his own image which is why I chose the picture above because they look like twins. Will has even started to dress like Hannibal in a lot of ways and his mannerisms have started to change as he becomes more of a killer. So this week started off with a dream sequence of Hannibal tied to a tree slowly being tightened around his neck as Will had the stag pulling the rope to pull it tighter in around his throat. It was a chance to just see the seed becoming deeper in planted in his mind as killing and the thought of killing was becoming more and more important for him. We also had a darker cooking scene for the show as Hannibal cooked a liver for him and Jack. It was a tense moment for Hannibal as he passed Jack the plate and mentioned the words liver to him Jacks eyes twitched if you noticed. You can still see that in the back of his mind he thinks about what Will told him but knows in his heart that he has nothing to go on and all the evidence shows Will to be wrong. It was less air time for the rest of the cast this week as Jack was pushed back to smaller scenes with either Hannibal or Will this week. Hannibal used his charm to keep Jack on his side while Will worked professionally as usual as they came across a less then normal murder case. 

So it was less a murder case and more an animal attack well that was how it was made out to be anyway maybe a bear or a wolf. But then why would you call the FBI for a simple animal attack case not the normal sort of thing that they would be called out for. Now something that you can't fault the writers for and the creators of the show is the diffrent types of killers that they have in the show and they always feel fresh and new. Whether it's last weeks one with a man that burst out of a horse or this week with a man that thought of himself as an animal or to put it blunty a bear. The coincidence that came with this mysterious killer was that he fit the description for one of his former patients that he used to treat. So Hannibal being the sneaky man that he was he headed over to see him before they made it to him to warn him because he had bigger plans for him. What I love about this show is that they don't try and keep the killer a secreat each week we always get some sort of idea of who they are or we will see them killing a man or woman or 3 in the case of this man this week. But like I said Hannibal had a bigger motive for him this week in the form of using him to kill Will. Pay back I guess for Will trying to kill him makes sense really was only a matter of time before he tried to get rid of him or pay him back for the favour. But what was great about this killer this week and I think it just shows the sort of influence that he has on his patients is that he is able to create them into cold blooded killers. Or plant a seed there where it wasn't before in the case of Will Graham. Which I think was the big deception this week and planning as he planted those feelings deep in Wills brain until it all came to a head with Will killing the bear man shall we call him. 

But what was the stand out part of the episode was the ending as Hannibal opened the sliding doors expecting to see Wills dead body laying on that table just for it to be the man that he sent to kill him. What was great was the way that they had what was almost a Mexican stand off as they stared each other out and Will forgave him for sending the man to kill him. The feud I feel is now over and thier friendship is now beginning again as Hannibal started to plant his mind games in Wills mind again and mold him in his own image. I think that this weeks episode was less about the killer and more about Hannibal while it centred on Will and Hannibal it was very Hannibal centred episode. It was all about him getting even with Will for what he did to him and it was great to finally see him get his bitter sweet revenge on him. 

The only other real focus this week on the episode was Hannibals other patient that becomes more and more interesting as the episodes carry on and Hannibal plants the seed in her mind also. What was great was her scene with Will as they compared notes on Hannibal and his methods of therapy with his patients. This is where she told Will about how he said she could have someone else kill her bother for her which just gave Will even more ammo to use against him. But it was also a chance for Will to speak to him killer to killer as they realise that they are no diffrent to each other. I just hope that we see more of thesen Hannibal and Will centred episodes as the final few episodes are show. I think we could see the start of a killing double act for the both of them over the next few episodes. My faviroute part of the episode and it's something they kept coming back to during the episode and for the teaser for next week. That killing with your hands is more satisfying then killing with a loaded gun and that the thought of killing with your hands is a much better thought and much more intiment. It was great to see them get closer over a common likeness even if it was the thought of murderign another human being. 

Overall I felt this was probably the strongest epsiode since the Chilton death episode and it was great to firmly have a Will and Hannibal centered episode. Seeing them bond over a common likeness was brilliant as well and that they are no long rivals or hateful for each other but more friends and that they have become closer few sorting their differences. While Will can tell that Hannibal is a monster I think that it's become less important for him to prove him being guilty and that he respects him more as friend and ally and that thier in different from each other. I just hope that they keep with this storyline and Hannibal and Will centered episode because it's brilliant and great to watch unfold. I just can't help but praise this show and say this every week but just more people need to watch it and give it a chance because it's just utterly fantastic. 

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