TV: Gotham SE1 EP1

Gotham
Crime, Drama, Thriller

I haven't blogged in while I know... but I just had to blog about this one, didn't I? I've been waiting for it for months now and they kept releasing teasers and prequels and finally it's here!

It pretty much jumps straight into the death of the Waynes'....and is it terrible or what?! Poor little Batman (David Mazouz) It's goddamn devastating. I wonder how much we will see him in this considering it's meant to be more an origin story of Commissioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie). Imagine copping the Wayne's as a first case in Gotham? Worst luck ever. Gordon's partnered up with Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) who is this hard-ass gristled old detective who's been jaded by the job... and what a job Gotham looks like!

We see some classic characters like the opening scene with Cat Woman (Camren Bicondova) that we've seen a million times now, and a young Poison Ivy, plus of course, Alfred! I love the choice of actor, Sean Pertwee who you might know as Lestrade from Elementary. Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is not in the comics but I like the character. I'd probably like her better if Oswald (Robin Taylor) wasn't standing next to her when we first saw her. I have a feeling his performance will be very similar to Andrew Scott's (Moriarty) in Sherlock: Amazing.

It'd probably be better if they hadn't tried so hard to get those artsy shots. I mean it looks good but it also looks a little pretentious. I'm also a little annoyed that they showed us most of the first episode with all the little teasers and prequel things. I think the thing I mostly liked about this show is the idea of this being Batman's town but I always give shows a few episodes before I decide whether I enjoy them or not, sooo:

3 out of 5 baby bats...

TV: The Last Ship SE1 (Finale)

The Last Ship
Action, Drama, Sci Fi

I really should be studying but I thought I'd whip out a quick blog post.  *cough* procrastination *cough*

When I first started this, I remember I bagged it out a bit... and I stick by that. Michael Bay (Transformers) is well known for destroying lots of things in big bada booms but maybe he read my blogpost because I think there has only been one explosion since then.

So after I got over the Michael Bay explosions stuff, I was wondering how long they would be able to drag out this story line: there is only so long that an audience will think finding a cure is entertaining. I thought a season, maybe two. Man, was I surprised when they found it so quick! So then I started wondering what would they do next season, especially after they knocked out the Russians... that was the one explosion I was talking about by the way.

I have to say, the last few episodes have had me pleasantly surprised. I quite enjoyed them... nothing too fabulous but entertaining. I am really annoyed at the XO (Adam Baldwin) for giving up the ship so easily... seriously, these guys are trained Navy and they can't disarm one man at close range? They stormed the goddamn Russian vessel to get the Captain (Eric Dane) back and they can't take their own ship back? Come on!

They had the cure and now they've lost Doctor Scott (Rhona Mitra) to the corrupt government who is killing people, and Quincy (Sam Spruell) was shot when the ship was taken, so there goes the cure for now. Tex (John Pyper-Ferguson) has gone walkabout, will he double back to rescue the Doc? I think so. The Captain finally found his family but now he's lost the ship and crew, what will he do by himself? Also, the 'War Lords' led by Titus Welliver (Argo, The Good Wife), good or bad?

Ok, nice set up for the next season.

3 out of 5 quarantine areas...

TV: True Blood (Finale)

True Blood
Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

I've been saying to the little sister since this last season began that everyone would die... well, that didn't happen. As soon as Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) was cured I realised there would be a stereotypical happy ending. I was actually terribly disappointed in the finale: it felt like they had just tacked an ending onto a normal episode, like they had only been given two episodes to wrap it all up instead of an entire season.

Highlights were the Eric and Ginger (Tara Buck) finally getting it on, Bill (Stephen Moyer) splooshing all over Sookie (Anna Paquin), Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) and Eric's infomercial for New Blood and Lafayette (Nelson Ellis) and James (Nathan Parsons). *swoons* Points of annoyance: Alcide (Joe Manganiello) copping it to the head - I know, not this episode but it still stings! - Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt's (Jim Parrack) whirlwind wedding... how did that make any sense? Oh, Hoyt, by the way, we used to date but I screwed your best friend and then made you forget all about it... now let's get married before my maker keels over: true love! And the ending... ugh!

Special mention of the reappearance of show favourites: Nan Stackhouse (Lois Smith) and Steve Newlin (Michael McMillan).

Now that it's all over I have to find a new show to have family date nights with...

2 out of 5 naked Eric's...cos why the hell not?! Umph...

Trailer: The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies (2014)

Holy crapballs! It's almost here! The final installment of The Hobbit, titled The Battle of the Five Armies! I am beyond excited about this. When we were travelling a couple of years ago, I read The Hobbit aloud to my husband, who had never read it, on the millions of hours of flights we had. We finished it a few days before the first film was released and of course we went and saw it right away. The hubs is the most annoying person when it comes to book to movie adaptations. He spent most of the film whispering to me, "That's not how it happened in the book!" Now you know how I feel with every adaptation ever, my love. 

Anyway, no matter the discrepancies, you cannot discount the amazement that is the battle scenes in these films and my goodness are we going to get it with this one! I've been looking forward to it since The Hobbit was announced! You think TLOR was epic with its battles? Wait until you see this one! Not only is there Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) to deal with, but there's Azog (Manu Bennett) and his orc armies (which were not in the book), the men of Dale's claim on the legendary treasure and Thorin Oakenshield's (Richard Armitage) greed and pride, and finally the Elves... so much stuff! 

Nice to see the heavy presence of Bard of Dale played by Luke Evans who I've just noticed has been cast for a remake of one of my favorite films, The Crow. Will there be more necromancer story line and will they use that to explain how Sauron (Sala Baker) managed to come back? I think so! What do I most want to see? More of my favorite character, Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt)! More Gandalf (Ian McKellen) saving some hobbit ass and my second favorite wizard, the quirky Radagast (Sylvester McCoy). Legolas (Orlando Bloom) looking pretty as pie and beating the crapola out of Bieber... I mean, orcs... yeah, orcs. And the Eagles! 

So much excitement! What are you waiting to see?

Love Gee 

xoxo

TV: Hemlock Grove SE1

Hemlock Grove
Horror, Mystery, Thriller

I started watching this show because I heard that season 2 was coming, it's a Netflix so seasons come out all in one go (love that!) and because I'd run out of decent shows to watch... if you have any suggestions, let me know! I'll be reviewing anime soon... ha!

Anyway, this show confused the hell out of me at first. I kept thinking I was missing things but I'm pretty sure that's just the way the show is. I'd heard a few whispers about werewolves and vampires but I didn't see any for the first few episodes and thought I must have heard wrong... then I saw the above clip... WOW! I literally stood up and cheered. I am so glad they did the werewolf thing right. No cheese, all gross: fantastic! I spent the rest of the season waiting to see the change again.

I love that they've used Gypsies instead of witches, witches are so overdone. In fact, the way this is written, scripted and filmed is done so well that none of the supernatural elements are lame, as we see in most shows of the same genre. Add in Famke Janssen (Jean Grey from X-Men), Bill Skarsgard (Alexander Skarsgard's little brother), Landon Liboiron (Terra Nova, Degrassi) and Lili Taylor (Almost Human, High Fidelity), a mostly unknown yet surprisingly fantastic cast, and we have a pretty darn awesome show!

I especially love the tense bromance between Peter (Liboiron) and Roman (Skarsgard). I wasn't sure whether they were going to rip each other apart or tear each others' clothes off... please go with second one! I'm also enjoying the Gypsy lore featuring Peter's cousin Destiny (Kaniehtiio Horn), the whole mystery of who/what/where Roman's sister Shelley (Nicole Boivin) came from, and what exactly is Roman supposed to be!?

I figured out who the killer was in the first few episodes but that main plotline wasn't what kept me watching... and I kept changing my mind back and forth. This show is full of mysteries! Stay tuned for season 2 review...

4 out of 5 werewolves...

Movie: Oldboy (2013)

Oldboy 
Action, Drama, Mystery

I've had this movie sitting around for a while now, something about the preview made me not too keen to watch it right away. Wow it was amazing, I can't stop thinking about it!

This Spike Lee (Malcolm X) remake from the hugely popular 2003 Korean movie of the same name starts off pretty average. Joe (Josh Brolin) is an ignorant drunk until one morning he wakes up from a bender to find he's been kidnapped and held prisoner with no explanation. His only company is a small television set from which he discovers that he's been framed for the murder of his ex-wife. After being held captive for 20 years with no visitors, he is suddenly and mysteriously let go. He has only a few days to figure out who captured him and held him for 20 years and why, or they will kill his daughter.

I really, really want to give away the twist that made this movie so awesome...but that would spoil it. Go and watch it, it's totally worth it. One of the most underrated films I've watched lately. Also, Elizabeth Olsen's (younger sister to the Olsen twins) boobs and Samuel L. Jackson as a bad guy! Special mentions to Lance Reddick (Fringe, Lost) and Michael Imperioli (Sopranos, Californication).

4 out of 5 twists...

Bonus Post: 12 Monkeys (TV) - Trailer!

Nikita alumni!