TV: New Shows Starting Up!

This will just be a quick one but I've seen some previews of new shows coming and I thought I'd share them with you...

First up is The Flash. We all know who The Flash is right? Well this is a spin-off from Arrow so there will be a few faces we already recognise in there, including the Star Labs team and maybe even an appearance from our favourite masked hero (Stephen Amell). I also recognised Tom Cavanagh from the show Ed. It's still a while away yet, the preview says Fall so I'm guessing another few months. But if I'm still watching Arrow then I guess I'll watch this one too... It's not my favourite of the new announcements but we'll get to that.

The next one is Constantine, which I have just discovered is actually a TV Movie! Damn. The preview looks really good and I would love it as a series rather than a movie... oh well. Check out the awesome preview starring Matt Ryan who has guest featured in quite a few popular shows but I've never actually seen him before... as well as Lucy Griffiths (Winter's Tale, True Blood) and Harold Perrineau (Romeo + Juliet, Sexy Evil Genius). The trailer looks so good, Constantine has that wicked dry humour that I just love. Add in the whole idea of who and what Constantine is and I am excited! If you haven't seen the movie starring Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, 47 Ronin) then you need to check that out first. Again, this premiers in Fall so a few months to wait still...

I read the first book of Guillermo del Toro's The Strain and now it's coming to TV! It's a vampire book/show... yes, I can hear your groans already... but think vampires in the style of Resident Evil. They aren't pretty and sparkly with fangs... they are humans infected with a virus that changes their genetic makeup. They eat through a giant barbarous tongue.. I was told to think of the vampires in Blade II (which was directed by del Toro). So it has potential to be something kinda cool. We shall see though... Starring David Bradley (Filch from Harry Potter), Sean Astin (Samwise from Lord Of The Rings), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Lost) and Mia Maestro (Alias), The Strain premiers next month, July 13.

Crossbones actually just started the other day and from what I can see it is very much like Black Sails which is probably why I haven't watched it yet. I was almost convinced when I realised it stars John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich, Burn After Reading) as Blackbeard and features Richard Coyle who I loved in Coupling! The trailer looks cool too... ok, I've convinced myself to check it out, I'll get back to you on that one...

So yeah... new stuff, coming soon!

Movies: Mass Post... Part III

Huzzah! Uni is finished for the semester! Well, sorta... I do have exams in a couple of weeks... but in the meantime, blog post! Today is about a few films that left me saying "Huh?" or were just a bit strange...

I have to start with Only Lovers Left Alive because I watched this one the most recently and I'm still thinking about it. It's a vampire movie... but it's not like any vampire movie I've seen before. It's very jaded, and yet it's a love story. Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) (and yes, I wondered whether they were the Adam and Eve) have been alive (dead?) for many, many years. They have been married several times and although they sometimes live together they are apart at the beginning of the film. Adam is a popular musician who is toying with the idea of putting an end to his eternity while Eve spends time with other vampire friends in Tangier. Then enters Eve's sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska) who is a total spanner in the works. I loved the conversations between Adam and Eve, their dry, intellectual humour was my favourite bit. The soundtrack was amazing, Hiddleson and Swinton's performances were brilliant. I fell a little bit in love with both of them... Don't expect a conclusion to this story though; it leaves you hanging, wondering what's going to happen next.

If you know someone who has a love affair with their computer then watching Her will make you even more confused. Technology has advanced so far that we are using Artificial Intelligence instead of Operating Systems (like Windows) and the main guy (Joaquin Phoenix) orders a brand new AI (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) who grows and learns as you talk to them and set them tasks. The thing is, this guy falls madly in love with his AI... It's all kinds of weird and sad... until almost suddenly you realise how normal of a relationship it is, which makes it even weirder... I was pretty disturbed by the time the film ended, but I think it was because I'd accepted the relationship between human and AI as normal. The film is long and there is lots of talking. It's pretty mundane really. But the ending still has me thinking about it. Give it a shot. Also featuring Amy Adams (Man of Steel, American Hustle), Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids).

I picked up Sexy Evil Genius because it has some of my favourite cast members ever: Seth Green (Buffy, Entourage) Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy, Gossip Girl), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Gallactica, Riddick) and Harold Perrineau (Romeo + Juliet, Sons of Anarchy), plus William Baldwin (Backdraft, Forgetting Sarah Marshall)... can't go wrong with a Baldwin right? Ha! It's set in a bar where we are all waiting for our crazy ex-girlfriend Nikki (Sackhoff) to show up and tell us why we're here... That's pretty much it. As we wait, we tell stories of all the crazy things that Nikki used to do and speculate as to why she has called us all together like this. I spent the entire movie wondering what the hell and in the last 10 minutes or so when it's all revealed... I was still wondering what the hell was happening. I would watch this movie again. Such a simple concept. Give it a go.

We might go back to the normal Gee Spot programming from now on cos I just saw the new X-Men and I'm about to watch The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and they both need full posts, right? There might be a Books mass post sometime too... Anyway, all fun! Stay tuned!

Love Gee

xoxo

Movie: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

28 Weeks Later (2007)
Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Sequel to 28 Days Later with the same running, Rage infected zombies that turn in under ten seconds of being bitten. I just spoke about how awesome I think that is, you barely have time to realize they've been bitten and are going to turn before they are one of them. So the story is after 28 Weeks, the infected died from starvation so they cleaned out Britain and started rebuilding and moving people back in... sounds hunky dory right? Wouldn't you want to go there? Worst idea ever...

I only just realized how awesome the cast is! Starring Robert Carlyle (Once Upon A Time, Trainspotting) who I absolutely love! Aussie Rose Byrne co-stars and if you haven't seen her in Two Hands then you need to go watch that movie now, great Aussie crime film she co-starred in with Heath Ledger. Then there's Jeremy Renner...you know, Hawk Eye from The Avengers? He's pretty much Hawk Eye in this too... Finally; Harold Perrineau (Romeo + Juliet) who I've been talking about recently in Sons of Anarchy.

Of course the 'Safe Area' doesn't stay safe for long when a carrier of the virus is found and unintentionally spreads it to the new population. There were a few things like Carlyle being taken out early on and yet we still see him running around as a zombie, which is kind of cool.The kid who also ended up being a carrier being infected, rescued and then unintentionally infecting what looks like the rest of Europe. But you would have thought they could have found a cure from his blood... thought the kids didn't know he and their mother were immune.

I like that this one makes me think a little more and that the people - for once - we nice and tried to help each other instead of kill each other.

3 out of 5 Pegg Plugs...

TV: Sons Of Anarchy SE5 EP6

Sons Of Anarchy
Crime, Drama, Thriller

Ha! I knew it! *fist pumps* If you read last weeks review you will know that I guessed what was revealed at the end of this episode. Clay (Ron Perlman) along with the three new Sam Cro are responsible for the home invasions! I knew Clay was being too quiet and accepting of everything. He's set this up so that it falls back on the club and Jax (Charlie Hunnam) gets the blame for it, the club will vote him down and Clay back up... I think that's his plan. What do you guys think? I think that once Eli (Rockmond Dunbar) finds out, it won't matter that Jax had nothing to do with it, he's going to take down the whole club. Sad that Rita (Merle Dandridge) is gone, she was nice...

If you've been living under a rock, you might not know that the series creator and all round freakin' genius; Kurt Sutter also plays Otto. I didn't actually think we were going to get to see him again after the deal he made with the cops to give up Bobby (Mark Boone Junior), but here he is. Was he asking Tara (Maggie Siff) to suck him off? or beg? I'm pretty sure it was a spiteful fuck-the-pres'-missus'-mouth to get back at the club? Plus, if I read her right, she's gonna go do it! Better not let Jax hear about that Tara! Or Gemma (Katey Sagal), wouldn't put it past her to use it against Tara.

Speaking of Gemma; how's about that crazy bitch Carla, played by Wanda De Jesus who, funnily enough is Jimmy Smits' real life love. Sutter does love to keep it in the family doesn't he? I thought she was going to come back for Gemma, she's like the Latino version of her... But I did not think she would blow her brains out! I did wonder at the connection between her and Nero (Smits), I guess we know now eh? Very weird! Gemma calling Clay in to clean up the mess was probably not the best idea either, he's trying to get Gemma back and he's on the right track to doing it! I really hope that bastard doesn't get everything he wants!

Another guest star I recognise and so will most of you; it's Community and The Soup star Joel McHale! What a first scene as well, fantastic lines, made me laugh. I've only heard a little about his character but from what I have heard, I expect big things. I won't spoil it by telling you though... Except that his name is Warren.

And finally, justice for Opie (Ryan Hurst)! That;s what I thought Tara was going to work in the jail for actually, to get the details of that dodgy guard... but then Pope (Harold Perrineau) came through with the goods and Tara requested to see Otto. Close... RIP Ope.

4 out of 5 snow globes...

[Quote]

Warren: "My therapist warned me about this, my insatiable attraction to older abusive women."

Gemma: "Who's your Mummy?"

Warren: "Exactly. Can I buy you a drink, Mum?

TV: Sons of Anarchy SE5 EP3

Sons of Anarchy
Crime, Drama

I suppose I have to talk about this episode, don't I?

I knew one of the Sons was going to die this week because I follow the brilliant Kurt Sutter on Twitter and he does a weekly (or so...) video blog called WTF Sutter? which talks about his processes and things that are happening with the show, etc. Last week he told us about the death of a major character in yesterday's episode and so I've spent all week trying to think who it could be.

Unfortunately for me, one of my American Tweeps accidentally spoiled it for me and told me who it was.... it made me not want to watch this episode.

So I guess I better warn you that if you haven't seen it yet, you might not want to read this post.

Let's get this out of the way then so I can talk about other things. RIP Opie (Ryan Hurst)! One of my favourite characters from the very beginning. I was one of the billion or so people who shed a tear for Opie last night... and for Jax (Charlie Hunnam) too, having to watch his best friend being beaten to death. Damn, that destroyed me. Why'd it have to be Opie? is the question on everyone's lips at the moment. I didn't even consider that it would be him and I'm pretty sure I wasn't alone in thinking it would be Tig (Kim Coates) to go, after the whole killing Pope's (Harold Perrineau) daughter thing... But Sutter would never do something that obvious, would he?

Jax is going to get scary now! His threat to the guard; I have no doubt he will do it and I can't freakin' wait to see it! I was right there with him, teeth gritted and fuming! I thought he was being a bit of a soft cock when Pope was rattling off his demands but the second meeting... yep, shit is gonna hit the fan real soon!

Clay (Ron Perlman) is such a smart ass! What a prick! Did you see that big grin on his face when Gemma (Katey Sagal) started beating the crap out of Emma Jean? Oh, by the way, a big welcome to Ashley Tisdale! As a bonus, on your first day you will get your ass handed to you by Gemma! Haha! I was wondering how the Disney queen was going to fit in with the bad ass bikies and I did have a bit of a laugh that when I realized she's an escort.... Classic Sutter!

Last thing I wanted to discuss is Tara (Maggie Siff). She is turning into Gemma isn't she? But I love how much of a hard ass she is now. That one look she gave Gemma; phwor. *backs away slowly* She's definitely taken over the role of Old Lady to the club and Gemma is right, she's smart. She also knows everything that's going on with Romeo (Danny Trejo) and the CIA. I think she will surprise us yet this season and I'm really looking forward to it!

4 out of 5 Mickey Mouse Club badges...

TV: Sons Of Anarchy SE5 EP1

Sons Of Anarchy
Crime, Drama

I cannot stop thinking about this episode! Wow! What an introduction to the season! Kurt Sutter, you continue to blow my mind! I think I actually screamed aloud at one point...

Recap; last season we left off with Opie (Ryan Hurst) shooting Clay (Ron Perlman) twice in the chest after he found out that Clay killed his dad Piney (William Lucking), Jax (Charlie Hunnam) almost killing Clay in hospital with a syringe full of air after Gemma (Katey Sagal) told him that Clay killed his dad, JT. Clay is a big fat daddy killer and everyone wants to take him out now but he told the club that the Niners tried to kill him, so then Tig (Kim Coates) tried to run them down in a rampage and ended up killing the boss' daughter. Big mistake!

Clay bashed Gemma to a pulp so now Gemma has kicked him out and is spiralling into some kind of breakdown. Tara (Maggie Siff) smashed her hand in the door of a van when someone who Clay paid tried to kidnap her. Jax took the gavel with Tara standing behind him, what a scene to leave that season on! Is that it? Probably not, what a season and what an episode to start a new one!

Onto this ep; Clay is out of the hospital but still sitting at the table. Opie has stepped away so Clay tells the crew that Opie was the one who shot him, trying to make himself look better and stop the reprisals to the Niners. Tig realises that he killed an innocent girl and that her daddy is not going to be pleased.

And how about Jimmy Smits (Dexter) joining the cast as Gemma's new squeeze Nero? I forgot he wasn't a part of the original cast for some reason, like he should have been there the whole time, he just fits so well! What do we think Nero is up to? He obviously has some kind of connection to some club or another, what with all those tatts... Think he picked Gemma up at random? Hmm, I'm a bit sceptical, he's a bit too nice if ya know what I mean. Good to see him here though!

Is this the first time we've met Pope (Harold Perrineau - It took me a while to figure out where I rem3ebered this guy from but when I checked his IMDB I realized he was Mercutio in Romeo + Juliet!), leader of the Niners? He's a bit of an imposing crazy guy isn't he? I did not see that scene with Tig coming! I thought for sure he was going to kill Tig... What a horrific scene! and brilliantly portrayed by Kim Coates. I have to admit, it brought tears to my eyes, poor Tig. I wonder if he will tell the club anyway. If there's one thing I know about Motorcycle Clubs, it's that they do not stand for any harm coming to kids, theirs or not. (See BACA - Aust / US) They would back him up and rain hell down on those Niners.

Bringing Bobby (Mark Boone Junior) into the fold with the FBI and making him the VP was the right move to make, but the FBI are only in it for themselves. Still, Danny Trejo (Machete - One of my favourite films!) is one of my favourite actors.

A HUGE review for a HUGE first episode.

5 out of 5 explosions!

[Quote]

Jax: You ready?

Tig: Nah Happy's still getting his dick sucked.

Jax: In this skank-hole?

Tig: Oh, come on, there's nothing wrong with the occasional skank.

Jax: Time to pull out...