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...

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...

TV: The Last Ship SE1 EP4

The Last Ship
Action, Drama, Sci Fi

'Murica! This is a Michael Bay (Transformers) show, so we already know that it's America leading the charge to save the world (somehow), complete with awesome explosions and big guns! I've been watching lots of Robot Chicken lately and this skit they did made me laugh so hard!

It's yet another dystopian... This ship has been out in the Arctic for three months with no radio contact with anyone. When they finally try to contact the mainland, there is no response. While they've been away a disease has spread throughout the world killing almost everyone. Lucky for humankind, a scientist was on the ship and she has a way to engineer a cure... eventually.

It's not all that fabulous. Lots of America is the world power and will win the battle kind of stuff. The only couple of actors I recognise are Adam Baldwin (Firefly) and Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy)... although it took me a while to realise that Rhona Mitra was not Kate Beckinsale though she did star in one of the Underworld films.

It's been a month, they've replenished their food and arms but now the ship is falling apart and they're running out of water... Other than that, not a lot seems to happen and I'm not sure where they will go with this show or if I will actually keep watching it. Also, not as many explosions as I would expect of Michael Bay...

2 out of 5 explosions...

TV: The Strain SE1 EP1

The Strain
Drama, Horror, Sci Fi

I spoke a little about this in my mass post of upcoming new shows and it's finally here! A friend recommended me the book by director Guillermo del Toro who's dark, spooky style is well known from Pan's Labyrinth. I'm glad I read it before the show came out...at least I was semi prepared for the creepy factor.

It starts with something we've seen in these kind of shows before: a dead airplane. There is a mixture of traditional vampire mythology: the coffin of dirt, being transported over water, what I think is a Master, etc. But it's just a tad different. I might be giving some of it away here but I'm assuming most of you will figure all this out in the first couple of episodes. There are vampires... but they're not the sexy, fang sporting vampires we are used to. These vampires are infected with a parasite and they feed via these really ugly looking stingers. Very cool, very spooky.

I recognised Corey Stoll right away even though with the hair he looks a little different from his House of Cards role. Mia Maestro (Alias, Twilight: Breaking Dawn) was also hard to miss, she's showing up everywhere lately. They play the two leading CDC investigators who got more than they planned for with the dead airplane. David Bradley (Filch from Harry Potter) plays a kooky old dude who's apparently dealt with these monsters before.

The first episode has not disappointed so far: it's sufficiently spooky and mysterious. Even having read the book I'm still interested in watching the show, which is a good sign. It's set to get even creepier so give it a go and let me know what you think.

4 out of 5 parasites...

Movie: Anna (2013)

Anna
Drama, Thriller

Also known as "Mindscape", this film has such an interesting concept but the preview doesn't show you very much about it. John, played by Mark Strong (Kick Ass, Sherlock Holmes), is a detective of the mind: he takes people back into their memories and goes in himself as a witness. I immediately thought it might be a bit like Inception and began picking up hints from very early on. John said something about being able to see him as a distant figure in memories and just before that he saw a guy in the distance. From the preview I gathered he's being charged with something and that they are using a mindscaper on him to find out what happened.

John stopped mindscaping because he his memories of his wife's murder kept sneaking into other peoples memories while he was working... but of course he runs out of money and needs to go back to it. His friend gives him Anna's - Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) - case. Anna is very smart, very troubled and very complex. I spent most of the movie trying to figure her out and the rest trying to figure out if any of it was real...

Good movie, well shot. I really enjoy the psychological thrillers that keep you guessing. Farmiga's performance is perfect. I'd really like to see her in a different role though, she always plays the freaky girl... The twist at the end was totally predictable but I liked picking out all the bits throughout the film. Not terrible, not fantastic...

3 out of 5 dreidels...

TV: Game of Thrones SE4

Game of Thrones
Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

It's been another big season in the Seven Kingdoms! Lots to talk about...

The Wall is under attack from Wildlings... but they're not attacking because they want The Wall, they're attacking because they want to hide behind The Wall from the coming winter and you know... crazy white walking frozen zombies. Mance (Ciaran Hinds) should have said so to Jon Snow (Kit Harington) from the beginning though... not that Jon would have been able to convince Slynt (Dominic Carter) to let them in. Now that Stannis (Stephen Dillane) is there Jon might actually get heard. So, The Wall is won and everyone is like la-di-da... little do they know what's coming for them.

Ygritte (Rose Leslie)... "You know nothin' Jon Snow". *sobs*

Arya (Maisie Williams) is finally leaving the Seven Kingdoms! She just spent the entire season walking across the country with The Hound (Rory McCann)... literally. Remember the Red Wedding season three finale (duh)? Well she was there remember? Just outside when it happened... and so The Hound took her to the Eyrie instead but they were three days too late for Aunt Lysa (Kate Dickie) and no one actually knew that Sansa (Sophie Turner) was there. So they left there too... Then Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) comes along but by that time Arya was like 'screw that' and went her own way, leaving The Hound to die miserably. Now she's off to Bravos finally! Her plot line next season will make up for this one...

Also, we've been having Skinfam Game Of Thrones nights (fun for the whole family!) and we've been arguing all season because none of us can remember what happened to Sandor Clegane in the books... does anyone know? Does he actually die? Comments!

Poor terrorized Sansa Stark finally escaped the Red Keep with the help of the slimy Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) but was it him who killed Joffrey (Jack Gleeson - who will never work again!) or was it the Lady of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg)? It was very vague in the books too but I always thought it was Olenna, who is one of my favourite characters. She hints at it in the show too when she talks to Margaery (Natalie Dormer), telling her that she would never have let her wed the little shit that was Joffrey. I think Littlefinger may have helped but only to get what it is he wants... Sansa. In the meantime, crazy Lysa sees Littlefinger kiss Sansa and gets batshit crazy jealous, Littlefinger tries to sooth her then promptly pushes her out the moondoor. Then the two of them, in an amazing performance, manage to convince the Eyrie council that she jumped. Freaking fantastic!

And the final Stark, Brandon (Isaac Hempstead Wright). I've read all the books so everything that has happened is not too surprising to me... this was. I did not think that they would have reached the Weirwood already. You know how long Arya has been wondering around? Well Brandon got carried around by Hodor (Kristian Nairn) a billion times further and they still made it to the tree before she even gets to Bravos... This has put a spanner in the workings of my mental timelines... How cool was the Heart Tree guy though? Almost how I pictured him. Keep an eye on Brandon now, I do believe he is the main character of the entire thing!

I don't want to talk too much about the Lannister's except for the final scene of course. Nothing much happened with them... Joffrey finally died to the joy of absolutely everyone except Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) was as awesome as ever despite spending most of the season locked in a dungeon... and that final scene with Tywin (Charles Dance) and Shae (Sibel Kekilli): perfect! Just how I pictured it!

Not much happened with Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) either. She liberated a few more cities and then spent the rest of her time in hearings for the people. Exciting right? No... There was that moment with Daario (Michiel Huisman - not nearly as pretty as last seasons Daario: Ed Skrein) and the eventual discovery of Jorah's (Iain Glen) betrayal that happened seasons ago. Be prepared for Dany to sit around moping about her dragons and the ongoing liberated slave problems for another season or two...

I have to mention one of my favourite characters, Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal). I loved this character in the books and I love the way he was portrayed in the show as well. It's a shame he doesn't get to hang around for longer but what a scene to go out on! So, so, so good! If someone made a top ten death scenes from GoT, this would be the top one. But do not despair, we shall hear from the Martell's next season, I do believe. That is where Marcella is too, if you missed that part.

So, predictions for next season. Lots of Bran hiding in a hole under a tree listening to the old man lecture. Lots of Tyrian and sailing and shenanigans. Lots of Arya! Her story is one of the most exciting from now on I think, she has some adventures let me tell you! More battles at The Wall and a little bit of intrigue as well. Stannis will hang around there for a while too I think. There will be a surprise appearance by an old friend and quite a few new characters will be introduced from Dorne.

That's enough Game of Thrones for this season. It was renewed for season five and six right at the beginning of this season. They are catching up and in some places overtaking the books! Speaking of which... what was with Craster's babies? That wasn't in the books!

'Til next season!

5 out of 5 splattered heads...