Fridays are supposed to be reviews, so I guess I should try and think of something to review...um...give me a minute to think of something...oh! Oh! Oh! I've got it! Let's talk about zombies.
Zombies have become quite a phenomenon in pop culture. The Walking Dead has become so hugely popular that it's even the theme for Halloween Horror Nights, which is the park wide month long Halloween event at Universal Studios (both Orlando and Hollywood, which is rare). The movies keep coming, zombie walks are spreading from city to city, zombie bar crawls are a college campus staple, and let's not forget the very real situation in Miami. Shows, video games, movies, comics, books, websites, costumes, the list is almost endless.
I'm completely willing to admit I jumped on the zombie bandwagon without a backward glance. I've dressed up as a zombie on more than one occasion. I've read the survival guides, watched the movies, played my fair share of plants vs zombies, and participated in a couple of zombie flash mobs. I think the idea and the science can be almost as fascinating as the fiction. Of course I still prefer the fiction.
That's why I want to talk about this book, Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? by Max Brallier. Meg purchased this book for me at a comic book shop and I LOVE it. It's a choose your own adventure book about the zombie apocalypse in New York City. This combines two of my favorite things, zombies and choose your own adventure, how could I not fall in love.
The book is witty and catchy, with the perfect mix of nerdy jokes and zombie killing action to keep me intrigued. I appreciated the biting commentary that popped in, and felt it added to the story. I also loved that there were almost 100 different endings to choose from (I post-it tabbed all of them so I could make sure I read every single one). Unlike most choose your own adventure books it was beefy, with lots of action and choices that weren't easily anticipated. It was written from the PoV of a man, which bothered me a few times (I would never chase a hot chick bartender), but most of the time I was able to forget that and enjoy the story.
I found that each new ending was better than the one before. I didn't know anything about New York City, and I thought at first that might be a problem, but it ended up working out for the better. I learned a bit about NYC geography and a bit more about surviving the zombie apocalypse. I got to chill in a Barnes and Noble, fight with Hell's Angels, swim to Liberty Island, and fight zombies with the nerds at NY Comicon. Each arch of the story was well developed and there was a great mix of positive and negative endings. The best part was that while most endings read "An End" there was one that read "The End". It wasn't any more final than the others, but it gave background to the story, answers to the zombie mystery, and I liked that added element.
If you like zombies read this book, if you like choose your own adventures read this book, and if you like both, BUY THIS BOOK NOW. I thouroughly enjoyed it and I have faith that you will too.
Until tomorrow.
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Friday, August 3, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
June 1st
It's Friday, which means a review, but first I want to talk a bit about May & June goals.
May Goals
1) Write 750 words a day (check)
2) Make two videos for channel (check)
3) Read a book (I believe a 400 page fanfiction counts)
4) Save $200 (check)
5) Write Wrockbox show (yeah, so maybe this will never happen)
6) Finalize ALL Ascendio scheduling (check)
7) Make shot list for three music videos (nope)
8) Read or cancel all magazines (check)
9) Spend less than $300 on credit card (nope)
10) Clean out my living space (check)
7 out of 10, not bad.
June Goals
1) Write 750 words every day
2) Post one video on each channel
3) Save $200
4) Make shot list for one music video
5) Figure out where I'm living July 7th
6) Read a book (or a novel length fanfiction)
7) Figure out AV for Ascendio
8) Make sure everything is ready for Ascendio
9) Spend less than $400 on credit card
10) Keep up with YouTube/Hulu/Magazines
I've decided to review Snow White and the Huntsman. I got to see a special preview of it last night. The movie is out for everyone now, so I don't feel bad reviewing it here. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the movie is.
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS
For those who don't know Snow White and the Huntsman is a retelling of Snow White starring Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and Charlize Theron as Ravenna (the evil Queen). I would say it's a little closer to the original tale than the Disney version most people are familiar with. Naturally, I was super excited to see the film, as I have an incredible love for fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. I'd already seen Mirror, Mirror (the other Snow White adaptation to grace the silver screen this year) which was a comedy, so I was interested to see a more serious take on the tale.
From the instant the screen lit up to the closing credits, I was impressed with what I saw. The visual effects were fascinating and very well done. Ravenna had an army of soldiers that were made of shards of glass, and when they were attacked they shattered into pieces. Watching swords slice through glass soldiers was fascinating. Then there was the mirror that flowed like a liquid, the giant troll, the forest filled with things with eyes, the fairies that burst from squirrels, the butterflies that formed into beings. I was entranced by everything that passed across the screen.
Which is not to say that the movie was only visually stunning and had no other redeeming qualities. I enjoyed the plot quite a lot. As a fairy tale fan I'm familiar with the original versions of the stories as well and I was excited to see some of those elements involved in this story. I liked that Snow White wasn't the innocent child she's often portrayed as, she had heart and a better view of the world. I also loved that she didn't just fall for the handsome prince who thought she was beautiful, who in this story was a boy she'd known as a child. Instead she lost her heart to the huntsman who first set out to kill her and then eventually taught her to fight and helped her defeat the Queen. I felt a little bad for the poor Prince, but honestly the Huntsman was a better choice.
I also thought that the way they treated Ravenna and the lore surrounding her was unique and interesting. She was the villain, but was not a wholly evil being. She was manipulated by her mother and taught that power was the only way to stay happy. She gained youth and beauty by sucking it out of others, it was the power and curse granted to her by the mirror. By the end of the movie you felt sad for her, although you knew she was too far gone to be saved. Charlize did a fantastic job portraying all sides of that character and made every side completely believable.
I liked that Snow started a war (of sorts) rather than the Queen simply dying. It makes both characters stronger. I also liked the way the dwarves were treated, and that they had their own lore and powers. The addition of a prophecy of sorts, and a fairies was a nice touch. If you like fairy tales, then I'd recommend Snow White and the Huntsman.
Until tomorrow.
May Goals
1) Write 750 words a day (check)
2) Make two videos for channel (check)
3) Read a book (I believe a 400 page fanfiction counts)
4) Save $200 (check)
5) Write Wrockbox show (yeah, so maybe this will never happen)
6) Finalize ALL Ascendio scheduling (check)
7) Make shot list for three music videos (nope)
8) Read or cancel all magazines (check)
9) Spend less than $300 on credit card (nope)
10) Clean out my living space (check)
7 out of 10, not bad.
June Goals
1) Write 750 words every day
2) Post one video on each channel
3) Save $200
4) Make shot list for one music video
5) Figure out where I'm living July 7th
6) Read a book (or a novel length fanfiction)
7) Figure out AV for Ascendio
8) Make sure everything is ready for Ascendio
9) Spend less than $400 on credit card
10) Keep up with YouTube/Hulu/Magazines
I've decided to review Snow White and the Huntsman. I got to see a special preview of it last night. The movie is out for everyone now, so I don't feel bad reviewing it here. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the movie is.
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS
For those who don't know Snow White and the Huntsman is a retelling of Snow White starring Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and Charlize Theron as Ravenna (the evil Queen). I would say it's a little closer to the original tale than the Disney version most people are familiar with. Naturally, I was super excited to see the film, as I have an incredible love for fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. I'd already seen Mirror, Mirror (the other Snow White adaptation to grace the silver screen this year) which was a comedy, so I was interested to see a more serious take on the tale.
From the instant the screen lit up to the closing credits, I was impressed with what I saw. The visual effects were fascinating and very well done. Ravenna had an army of soldiers that were made of shards of glass, and when they were attacked they shattered into pieces. Watching swords slice through glass soldiers was fascinating. Then there was the mirror that flowed like a liquid, the giant troll, the forest filled with things with eyes, the fairies that burst from squirrels, the butterflies that formed into beings. I was entranced by everything that passed across the screen.
Which is not to say that the movie was only visually stunning and had no other redeeming qualities. I enjoyed the plot quite a lot. As a fairy tale fan I'm familiar with the original versions of the stories as well and I was excited to see some of those elements involved in this story. I liked that Snow White wasn't the innocent child she's often portrayed as, she had heart and a better view of the world. I also loved that she didn't just fall for the handsome prince who thought she was beautiful, who in this story was a boy she'd known as a child. Instead she lost her heart to the huntsman who first set out to kill her and then eventually taught her to fight and helped her defeat the Queen. I felt a little bad for the poor Prince, but honestly the Huntsman was a better choice.
I also thought that the way they treated Ravenna and the lore surrounding her was unique and interesting. She was the villain, but was not a wholly evil being. She was manipulated by her mother and taught that power was the only way to stay happy. She gained youth and beauty by sucking it out of others, it was the power and curse granted to her by the mirror. By the end of the movie you felt sad for her, although you knew she was too far gone to be saved. Charlize did a fantastic job portraying all sides of that character and made every side completely believable.
I liked that Snow started a war (of sorts) rather than the Queen simply dying. It makes both characters stronger. I also liked the way the dwarves were treated, and that they had their own lore and powers. The addition of a prophecy of sorts, and a fairies was a nice touch. If you like fairy tales, then I'd recommend Snow White and the Huntsman.
Until tomorrow.
Friday, May 25, 2012
May 25th
Today finished day three of training, and I still love my new job just as much as I did two days ago. I can't wait to continue training and start my actual job. Of course today isn't supposed to me about my job, Friday is for reviews, so let's talk about something.
WARNING!!! This review might contain spoilers.
On Monday I watched the movie Thor. Obviously this movie has been out for awhile, but I hadn't seen it yet. I decided to watch it because my two weeks are ending on Avengers (meaning I can use my gift certificate to go to the movie for free), and everyone told me I needed to see the other videos first. I saw both Iron Mans and Captain America so the only hole in my repertoire was Thor, and now I've seen it as well.
The movie was actually better than I was expecting, a feeling I've experienced with all of the recent Marvel hero movies. I feel that they've really stepped up their game to show audiences that comics and cartoons are NOT the same thing. The action and scripts are always fantastic and I felt that Thor was the same.
Luckily for Thor, most audiences have at least a vague idea of Norse Mythology, so they weren't in need of a long voice over that explained the back story. They told the history as the told the story and it weaved together quite well. I've never read a single Thor comic, seen any show, and I know nothing about Marvel's version of Thor, and yet I didn't feel lost at all. That is the beauty of these Marvel movies, they explain everything so well that you don't feel like the loser who never read the comics. Of course there are probably plenty of Easter eggs for the avid comic fans, but I don't know what they are.
The movie's basic story line is that Odin (king of the Norse gods, who are actually aliens) is entering Odin sleep and needs one of his sons (Thor or Loki) to take over as king for the time he will be sleeping. Thor is the warrior, the fighter with the short temper. Loki is the magic user, the trickster, the cunning one who gets what he wants sneakily. Odin is best known for defeating the frost giants (another alien race), and they travel between the worlds via a bridge (which can also take them to Earth). At the moment that Thor is meant to be named the next king the frost giants attack! They are stopped, but it also stops the ceremony to name Thor.
Naturally, Thor gets angry and wants to chase down the frost giants and kill them for daring to come his home. Odin tries to convince him that starting a war over the actions of what could be a few rogue agents is not a kingly decision, but Thor refuses to listen and insolently insists that as king he wants to declare war. At that moment Odin reminds him that he's NOT king, and decides that he perhaps shouldn't be king. Thor is upset and childish enough that he takes his friends and Loki and goes to the frost giant planet anyway. They nearly get killed before Odin rescues them, at which point he strips Thor of his powers and sends him and his hammer to exile on Earth.
The rest of the movie is Thor meeting up with humans and learning the value of thinking before acting. He also learns the value of caring for others and realizes the price that a war can have. He also finds love because it wouldn't be a true super hero movie if he didn't find a normal girl to fall for. Meanwhile back on his home planet it's revealed that Loki is the one who let the frost giants in cause he wants to be king (shocker I know), so then there's his battle there and Thor's issues on Earth and then everything comes together and ends with Thor destroying the planet bridge so he can't return to his love on Earth. Of course it wouldn't be a Marvel movie without the end credit clip that hints at Avengers.
The acting in this movie was great, just the right mix of honest and exaggerated so that it seemed genuine. The writing was smart and witty (which is a requirement for me), and the plot, while predictable, didn't seem contrived. I highly enjoyed that the movie held a balance between action and drama, and the ending (before the end credit clip) left just enough questions that they can easily make a sequel. I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you like superheros, rent Thor.
WARNING!!! This review might contain spoilers.
On Monday I watched the movie Thor. Obviously this movie has been out for awhile, but I hadn't seen it yet. I decided to watch it because my two weeks are ending on Avengers (meaning I can use my gift certificate to go to the movie for free), and everyone told me I needed to see the other videos first. I saw both Iron Mans and Captain America so the only hole in my repertoire was Thor, and now I've seen it as well.
The movie was actually better than I was expecting, a feeling I've experienced with all of the recent Marvel hero movies. I feel that they've really stepped up their game to show audiences that comics and cartoons are NOT the same thing. The action and scripts are always fantastic and I felt that Thor was the same.
Luckily for Thor, most audiences have at least a vague idea of Norse Mythology, so they weren't in need of a long voice over that explained the back story. They told the history as the told the story and it weaved together quite well. I've never read a single Thor comic, seen any show, and I know nothing about Marvel's version of Thor, and yet I didn't feel lost at all. That is the beauty of these Marvel movies, they explain everything so well that you don't feel like the loser who never read the comics. Of course there are probably plenty of Easter eggs for the avid comic fans, but I don't know what they are.
The movie's basic story line is that Odin (king of the Norse gods, who are actually aliens) is entering Odin sleep and needs one of his sons (Thor or Loki) to take over as king for the time he will be sleeping. Thor is the warrior, the fighter with the short temper. Loki is the magic user, the trickster, the cunning one who gets what he wants sneakily. Odin is best known for defeating the frost giants (another alien race), and they travel between the worlds via a bridge (which can also take them to Earth). At the moment that Thor is meant to be named the next king the frost giants attack! They are stopped, but it also stops the ceremony to name Thor.
Naturally, Thor gets angry and wants to chase down the frost giants and kill them for daring to come his home. Odin tries to convince him that starting a war over the actions of what could be a few rogue agents is not a kingly decision, but Thor refuses to listen and insolently insists that as king he wants to declare war. At that moment Odin reminds him that he's NOT king, and decides that he perhaps shouldn't be king. Thor is upset and childish enough that he takes his friends and Loki and goes to the frost giant planet anyway. They nearly get killed before Odin rescues them, at which point he strips Thor of his powers and sends him and his hammer to exile on Earth.
The rest of the movie is Thor meeting up with humans and learning the value of thinking before acting. He also learns the value of caring for others and realizes the price that a war can have. He also finds love because it wouldn't be a true super hero movie if he didn't find a normal girl to fall for. Meanwhile back on his home planet it's revealed that Loki is the one who let the frost giants in cause he wants to be king (shocker I know), so then there's his battle there and Thor's issues on Earth and then everything comes together and ends with Thor destroying the planet bridge so he can't return to his love on Earth. Of course it wouldn't be a Marvel movie without the end credit clip that hints at Avengers.
The acting in this movie was great, just the right mix of honest and exaggerated so that it seemed genuine. The writing was smart and witty (which is a requirement for me), and the plot, while predictable, didn't seem contrived. I highly enjoyed that the movie held a balance between action and drama, and the ending (before the end credit clip) left just enough questions that they can easily make a sequel. I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you like superheros, rent Thor.
Friday, May 18, 2012
May 18th
Today I worked, and I picked up some more shifts at Mummy to supplement the hours of training I have at Guest Services. That means I still have 5 days scheduled at Mummy (including tomorrow). We'll just have to wait and see if that continues. I'm super excited to start my new job, but that's not what today is supposed to be about, today is about reviews.
Today I want to discuss my newest favorite TV show, which just finished it's first season, Once Upon a Time. The show airs on ABC and just got confirmed for a second season, which makes me incredibly excited. When this season started I decided to watch at least one episode of each new show. A lot of them fell on the wayside, but Once Upon A Time continually surprised me and kept me going back every single week.
WARNING!!! There might be spoilers
The show is a bit of a fairy tale retelling, a genre I've always been obsessed with in any form (TV, books, movies, comics). The evil queen from Snow White is the main evil force in the show. In the world of fairy tales she ruled with magic and an iron fist, but she was disliked and fought by Snow White and Prince Charming. Eventually it seems she was defeated and relegated to the underworld. It was there, with the help of Rumpelstiltskin, that she came up with a spell to destroy the people that hurt her. The spell comes to fruition just as Snow is about to give birth, and the daughter she is going to have is the only one who can break the curse. Of course Snow and Charming come up with a way to protect their child so that someday she can break the curse.
Fast forward about 30 years. Emma, a woman in the real world, answers the door to her apartment to find a young boy named Henry standing there. He informs her that he's the son she gave up for adoption ten years ago and now he needs her help. He lives in a town called Storybrooke in Maine, with his adoptive mother, Regina. Henry informs Emma that the town is populated by fairy tale characters under a curse. He says that Regina is the evil queen and Emma is the daughter of Snow White. He begs her to come to Storybrooke because she is the only one who can defeat Regina, break the curse, and let everyone return to their true home in the fairy tale land.
As you can imagine Emma doesn't really believe Henry, but she does decide that she wants to know him. She goes to Storybrooke first to give Henry back to Regina, but after arriving she begins to feel an attachment to the people in the town, and decides to stay. It turns out that none of the people in the town remember who they actually are, except the evil queen Regina and Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin). Henry has a story book that tells him the true story of their lives, and he uses it to try and convince Emma that she needs to break the curse.
Every episode of the show combines a story happening to Emma in the real world with the back story of one of the fairy tale characters back in the fairy tale world. Mostly everyone's story relates to Regina, Snow, Charming or Rumpelstiltskin. And each glance back into the fairy tale world reveals more of what makes the characters who they are and how they reached the point where Regina decided to exile them all to our world.
What intrigues me about this show is how they've woven all of these fairy tale characters together. From Snow to Midas to Belle to The Mad Hatter to Pinocchio to Red Riding Hood, everyone exists together and they interact with each other. Of course they've added a lot of other characters (mostly kings) to round out the story, but largely every character is recognizable. What makes the interactions awesome is the brilliant crossovers that are created. Rumpelstiltskin is Belle's beast, Red Riding Hood is the wolf, Grumpy is in love with a fairy, and Charming was supposed to marry Midas's daughter. The story is complex and discovering each new twist and turn always excites me.
If you are a lover of fairy tales now is a good time for you to turn on the TV or go to the movies or pick up a boos, because they're making a comeback everywhere. Once Upon A Time is one of those comebacks, and it's absolutely one that is completely worth checking out.
Today I want to discuss my newest favorite TV show, which just finished it's first season, Once Upon a Time. The show airs on ABC and just got confirmed for a second season, which makes me incredibly excited. When this season started I decided to watch at least one episode of each new show. A lot of them fell on the wayside, but Once Upon A Time continually surprised me and kept me going back every single week.
WARNING!!! There might be spoilers
The show is a bit of a fairy tale retelling, a genre I've always been obsessed with in any form (TV, books, movies, comics). The evil queen from Snow White is the main evil force in the show. In the world of fairy tales she ruled with magic and an iron fist, but she was disliked and fought by Snow White and Prince Charming. Eventually it seems she was defeated and relegated to the underworld. It was there, with the help of Rumpelstiltskin, that she came up with a spell to destroy the people that hurt her. The spell comes to fruition just as Snow is about to give birth, and the daughter she is going to have is the only one who can break the curse. Of course Snow and Charming come up with a way to protect their child so that someday she can break the curse.
Fast forward about 30 years. Emma, a woman in the real world, answers the door to her apartment to find a young boy named Henry standing there. He informs her that he's the son she gave up for adoption ten years ago and now he needs her help. He lives in a town called Storybrooke in Maine, with his adoptive mother, Regina. Henry informs Emma that the town is populated by fairy tale characters under a curse. He says that Regina is the evil queen and Emma is the daughter of Snow White. He begs her to come to Storybrooke because she is the only one who can defeat Regina, break the curse, and let everyone return to their true home in the fairy tale land.
As you can imagine Emma doesn't really believe Henry, but she does decide that she wants to know him. She goes to Storybrooke first to give Henry back to Regina, but after arriving she begins to feel an attachment to the people in the town, and decides to stay. It turns out that none of the people in the town remember who they actually are, except the evil queen Regina and Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin). Henry has a story book that tells him the true story of their lives, and he uses it to try and convince Emma that she needs to break the curse.
Every episode of the show combines a story happening to Emma in the real world with the back story of one of the fairy tale characters back in the fairy tale world. Mostly everyone's story relates to Regina, Snow, Charming or Rumpelstiltskin. And each glance back into the fairy tale world reveals more of what makes the characters who they are and how they reached the point where Regina decided to exile them all to our world.
What intrigues me about this show is how they've woven all of these fairy tale characters together. From Snow to Midas to Belle to The Mad Hatter to Pinocchio to Red Riding Hood, everyone exists together and they interact with each other. Of course they've added a lot of other characters (mostly kings) to round out the story, but largely every character is recognizable. What makes the interactions awesome is the brilliant crossovers that are created. Rumpelstiltskin is Belle's beast, Red Riding Hood is the wolf, Grumpy is in love with a fairy, and Charming was supposed to marry Midas's daughter. The story is complex and discovering each new twist and turn always excites me.
If you are a lover of fairy tales now is a good time for you to turn on the TV or go to the movies or pick up a boos, because they're making a comeback everywhere. Once Upon A Time is one of those comebacks, and it's absolutely one that is completely worth checking out.
Friday, May 11, 2012
May 11th
Today I got up super early to get to work only to discover that I actually wasn't scheduled till an hour later, bummer. On the plus side they were short people and asked me to clock in early, so more money for me. I also got my new schedule and I'll start in Guest Services on May 22, which isn't too far away!
Today is review day so I suppose I should decide on something to review. The hot new show that has my attention right now is Scandal. This show airs Thursdays at 10/9 central on ABC. It follows Olivia Pope, a former media relations consultant to the President, who now runs her own firm. She "wears the white hat" as the firm's members are fond of saying, which means she's a good person. She takes on clients only when she believes they are honest and generally good. Each episode of the show focuses on a case that the group is working as well as another piece of the current long term mystery.
SPOILERS ARE COMING
The show has now aired 6 episodes, 5 of which I've watched. Through them we've learned that Olivia and the President had an affair when she was working for his campaign. It comes forward that he perhaps had another affair with a young intern named Amanda. Of course by episode 5 Amanda has been killed by a black ops (or ex black ops) agent and it seems like perhaps her claims weren't what they first seemed. Olivia goes from trusting the President to declaring war on him, while his right hand Cyrus Beene, seems to know a lot more than he lets on. The President's wife also seems to know more than anyone believes, and I personally am suspicious that she is behind Amanda's death. Of course that's just speculation on my part.
Yet, far more than the intriguing plot line, it's the stories of the characters that I'm fascinated by. We know Olivia used to work for the President, and that she quit shortly after their affair ended. We know that Olivia saved one of her firm members Abby, from an abusive spouse, and we have a brief glimpse at the lives of her other firm members Stephen and Harrison. I'm excited to see what will happen when it's finally time for their stories to come to light.
The most intriguing characters by far though are Huck and Quinn. Quinn is the new girl, she entered the firm we when entered the series, and thus the audience has an intimate bond with her. She is a bit awkward, talks too much when she's nervous, and cries an awful lot. She seems genuine and endearing, but then in a recent episode revealed that Quinn didn't exist just a few short years ago. That's makes her infinitely interesting to me. Someone who didn't exist a few years ago usually lead a hard life, or witnessed a crime, or is a criminal escaping from something. None of those things add up to a woman who babbles and cries. That makes me wonder if perhaps she isn't at all what she seems. I can't wait to find out.
Huck is equally fascinating, even if we know more about him, starting with his name not being Huck (obviously). We discovered that he is actually ex black ops, he's the one who found the guy and tortured the information about Amanda's death out of him. We also learn that he hates the torture, but the government forced him to do it until "something fell away" and he found that he was good at what he did, and enjoyed it. He was in a dark dark place and it was Olivia that pulled him back. That is a story I'm really excited to hear eventually. What makes Huck my favorite isn't his past though, it's his personality. He's incredibly empathetic, almost to the point of a super power, and always knows exactly what everyone needs. He's always there with a shoulder to lean on, a kind word, or good advice. I love him because he's so kind and yet so hard, and I find that dichotomy intriguing.
Overall Scandal is a show I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys complex characters and a show that both provides an overarching story and single episode stories that wrap up nicely. Now all that's left for me to do is hope that ABC sees the value in this show and doesn't cancel just when it's getting good.
Today is review day so I suppose I should decide on something to review. The hot new show that has my attention right now is Scandal. This show airs Thursdays at 10/9 central on ABC. It follows Olivia Pope, a former media relations consultant to the President, who now runs her own firm. She "wears the white hat" as the firm's members are fond of saying, which means she's a good person. She takes on clients only when she believes they are honest and generally good. Each episode of the show focuses on a case that the group is working as well as another piece of the current long term mystery.
SPOILERS ARE COMING
The show has now aired 6 episodes, 5 of which I've watched. Through them we've learned that Olivia and the President had an affair when she was working for his campaign. It comes forward that he perhaps had another affair with a young intern named Amanda. Of course by episode 5 Amanda has been killed by a black ops (or ex black ops) agent and it seems like perhaps her claims weren't what they first seemed. Olivia goes from trusting the President to declaring war on him, while his right hand Cyrus Beene, seems to know a lot more than he lets on. The President's wife also seems to know more than anyone believes, and I personally am suspicious that she is behind Amanda's death. Of course that's just speculation on my part.
Yet, far more than the intriguing plot line, it's the stories of the characters that I'm fascinated by. We know Olivia used to work for the President, and that she quit shortly after their affair ended. We know that Olivia saved one of her firm members Abby, from an abusive spouse, and we have a brief glimpse at the lives of her other firm members Stephen and Harrison. I'm excited to see what will happen when it's finally time for their stories to come to light.
The most intriguing characters by far though are Huck and Quinn. Quinn is the new girl, she entered the firm we when entered the series, and thus the audience has an intimate bond with her. She is a bit awkward, talks too much when she's nervous, and cries an awful lot. She seems genuine and endearing, but then in a recent episode revealed that Quinn didn't exist just a few short years ago. That's makes her infinitely interesting to me. Someone who didn't exist a few years ago usually lead a hard life, or witnessed a crime, or is a criminal escaping from something. None of those things add up to a woman who babbles and cries. That makes me wonder if perhaps she isn't at all what she seems. I can't wait to find out.
Huck is equally fascinating, even if we know more about him, starting with his name not being Huck (obviously). We discovered that he is actually ex black ops, he's the one who found the guy and tortured the information about Amanda's death out of him. We also learn that he hates the torture, but the government forced him to do it until "something fell away" and he found that he was good at what he did, and enjoyed it. He was in a dark dark place and it was Olivia that pulled him back. That is a story I'm really excited to hear eventually. What makes Huck my favorite isn't his past though, it's his personality. He's incredibly empathetic, almost to the point of a super power, and always knows exactly what everyone needs. He's always there with a shoulder to lean on, a kind word, or good advice. I love him because he's so kind and yet so hard, and I find that dichotomy intriguing.
Overall Scandal is a show I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys complex characters and a show that both provides an overarching story and single episode stories that wrap up nicely. Now all that's left for me to do is hope that ABC sees the value in this show and doesn't cancel just when it's getting good.
Friday, May 4, 2012
May 4th
The most important thing to mention is that today is Star Wars Day! Naturally this means that I made a video, which you can check out here. Of course Friday's are all about reviews, so I suppose I should move on to that.
SPOILER WARNING
On Wednesday night I saw the movie Safe. This movie starred Jason Statham as Luke Wright, an ex cop whose life is in shambles until he risks everything to save a young girl named Mei, played by Catherine Chan. The first thing I want to note, because I found it interesting, was the choice to name the character Luke Wright, as if to point out to the audience that he is the good guy, the right guy. Just an interesting tidbit.
Luke is a trained killer but he has a conscience. When his cop buddies went dirty he told on them, and faced off with the Russian mob. The Russian mob killed his pregnant wife and then told him they'd kill anyone he tried to be nice to or make friends with, and they did. He becomes a bum, doesn't talk to anyone, until one day he sees Mei on the subway running from the same mob guys.
Mei is a young Chinese girl with a photographic memory and an incredible knack for math. She's picked up by the Chinese mob (the Triads) and brought to New York to be a sort of lock box for important information and to run facts and figures. Their boss is too suspicious to use a computer because it leaves a trail. Life is tough but manageable, for Mei, until they have her memorize this long list of numbers. As her handler is driving her to the location of the next set of numbers the Russian mob attacks the car and Mei goes on the run.
Even though Luke has spent years ignoring people, seeing the Russians chasing Mei stirs something in him and he fights for her. He decimates the Russians that were following her and then the corrupt cops who also try to pick her up. It becomes obvious that Luke is more than just a cage fighter or a cop, he's a trained killer. He and Mei become fast friends and figure out that the long list of numbers is the combination to a Triad safe full of money they were going to give to the cops in return for a disk with the information of all the cops and politicians who were on the take from the Russian mob and the Triads. The Russians want the money as well, and so do the cops, so everyone is after Mei.
From there on out the plot is pretty basic. The cops try to work with and cheat both the Russians and the Triads. Luke plays them all against each other quite effectively. He uses the Russians to figure out what the code is for, he uses the cops to get the money from the safe, and then he uses the corrupt politicians to kill the Triads once he's taken the money from the cops. There are a few car chases, a handful of shootouts, and a few fist fights here and there. In the end Mei saves his life by killing the other trained killer that was a part of this whole mess. They return the money to the Triads but keep the disk to keep everyone from hunting them down. Then Luke and Mei drive off into the sunset, safe for now.
Honestly, it wasn't exactly a very interesting plot, and I was able to predict where the movie was going most of the time. The writing wasn't brilliant either, it didn't have the witty dialogue that will cause me to adore a movie with a really weak plot. That said, it did have some redeeming qualities. The way it began with the moment Luke saw Mei and then jumped back in time and worked up to that point again was interesting. It was also nice how it built Luke's story as you went along, until you'd figured out that he was an ex-cop not just a cage fighter, and then not just an ex-cop but a trained killer. Then there were the action scenes, which were very well done. Of course you'd expect nothing less from Jason Statham. If you're looking for a movie with a feel good story and an awful lot of shooting and fighting, then Safe is absolutely for you.
May the 4th be with you.
SPOILER WARNING
On Wednesday night I saw the movie Safe. This movie starred Jason Statham as Luke Wright, an ex cop whose life is in shambles until he risks everything to save a young girl named Mei, played by Catherine Chan. The first thing I want to note, because I found it interesting, was the choice to name the character Luke Wright, as if to point out to the audience that he is the good guy, the right guy. Just an interesting tidbit.
Luke is a trained killer but he has a conscience. When his cop buddies went dirty he told on them, and faced off with the Russian mob. The Russian mob killed his pregnant wife and then told him they'd kill anyone he tried to be nice to or make friends with, and they did. He becomes a bum, doesn't talk to anyone, until one day he sees Mei on the subway running from the same mob guys.
Mei is a young Chinese girl with a photographic memory and an incredible knack for math. She's picked up by the Chinese mob (the Triads) and brought to New York to be a sort of lock box for important information and to run facts and figures. Their boss is too suspicious to use a computer because it leaves a trail. Life is tough but manageable, for Mei, until they have her memorize this long list of numbers. As her handler is driving her to the location of the next set of numbers the Russian mob attacks the car and Mei goes on the run.
Even though Luke has spent years ignoring people, seeing the Russians chasing Mei stirs something in him and he fights for her. He decimates the Russians that were following her and then the corrupt cops who also try to pick her up. It becomes obvious that Luke is more than just a cage fighter or a cop, he's a trained killer. He and Mei become fast friends and figure out that the long list of numbers is the combination to a Triad safe full of money they were going to give to the cops in return for a disk with the information of all the cops and politicians who were on the take from the Russian mob and the Triads. The Russians want the money as well, and so do the cops, so everyone is after Mei.
From there on out the plot is pretty basic. The cops try to work with and cheat both the Russians and the Triads. Luke plays them all against each other quite effectively. He uses the Russians to figure out what the code is for, he uses the cops to get the money from the safe, and then he uses the corrupt politicians to kill the Triads once he's taken the money from the cops. There are a few car chases, a handful of shootouts, and a few fist fights here and there. In the end Mei saves his life by killing the other trained killer that was a part of this whole mess. They return the money to the Triads but keep the disk to keep everyone from hunting them down. Then Luke and Mei drive off into the sunset, safe for now.
Honestly, it wasn't exactly a very interesting plot, and I was able to predict where the movie was going most of the time. The writing wasn't brilliant either, it didn't have the witty dialogue that will cause me to adore a movie with a really weak plot. That said, it did have some redeeming qualities. The way it began with the moment Luke saw Mei and then jumped back in time and worked up to that point again was interesting. It was also nice how it built Luke's story as you went along, until you'd figured out that he was an ex-cop not just a cage fighter, and then not just an ex-cop but a trained killer. Then there were the action scenes, which were very well done. Of course you'd expect nothing less from Jason Statham. If you're looking for a movie with a feel good story and an awful lot of shooting and fighting, then Safe is absolutely for you.
May the 4th be with you.
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