Sunday, April 2, 2017

The Walking Dead S7X15 Something They Need

Walking Dead review Something They Need
Photo Credit: The Walking Dead / Gene Page
Sasha crossed over to the other side by attacking the Saviors, but encounters an old friend and faces the consequences of her failed raid. Meanwhile, Tara broke her promise to the Oceanside community and leads Rick to a sanctuary loaded with weapons and supplies. But will her betrayal and Rick's approach ruin their chances to gain more allies? This recap includes spoilers for the latest episode - you've been warned! Hope you enjoy!

Monday, March 27, 2017

More Magic, More Problems: How the Enchantress Almost Shatters Love in new Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast Enchantress Analysis
Photo Credit: Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Studios
The original 1991 Beauty and the Beast left Disney fanatics with a lot of questions. Many stem from the Enchantress, her origins, and why she casts a spell on The Prince as a young child and curses him into a beast. With the new live-action movie, Disney had an opportunity with the revived story to close plotholes. However, with more insight into the Enchantress, come a few more problems. Namely, how the Enchantress nearly shatters the epic love story in the new Beauty and the Beast.

If you haven’t seen the new movie starring Emma Watson, here is your warning: There’s nothing but HUGE spoilers below! You’ve been warned!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Walking Dead S7x14 The Other Side

Walking Dead Review The Other Side
Photo Credit: The Walking Dead / Gene Page
Alexandria is inching its way to a war against the Saviors, but it's not moving fast enough for some. Rosita and Sasha are on a mission to take out Negan, secretly departing from their loved ones and onto their enemy's compounds for the perfect shot. But can they take it? This recap includes spoilers for the latest episode - you've been warned! Hope you enjoy!

Monday, March 20, 2017

Wonder Women: Sasha Williams

Guts and blood? Check. Zombies? Check. Andrew Lincoln looking amazing? Check. Oh yeah, what does The Walking Dead also have: kick-ass women. BOOYAH.

For a while now, we've been celebrating women of The Walking Dead like Lori Grimes and Andrea, and then Maggie and Beth. Lucky for us there are plenty of strong and complex survivors who are worthy of being under the spotlight.

For this edition, we're moving onto the calculating straight-shooter, Sasha Williams. From her skills as a warrior to her devastating losses and post-traumatic stress, she's been an invaluable and complex survivor.

We're going to take a look at how awesome this woman is, and how the flaws or achievements of the writing shape her. What do you love about Sasha? Feel free to share in the comments! Hope you enjoy!

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Beauty and the Beast (2017) splendidly reimagines a tale as old as time

Beauty and the Beast live-action review
Photo Credit: Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Studios
A remake rarely fills a gap of something that simply wasn’t there before in the original. As Disney re-imagines a string of their own animated classics into live-action flicks, it’s difficult to imagine why they’d want to toy with perfection. Their transformation of the timeless Beauty and the Beast is truly spellbinding, if a little imperfect.

In a tale as old as time, Emma Watson stars as Belle, an independent bookworm who dreams of a bigger life than the one her small, provincial town expects. As a self-absorbed veteran Gaston (Luke Evans) sets out to own her affection, she is compelled to break a powerful spell held over another self-absorbed beast (Dan Stevens), who is actually a prince in disguise. Only one is truly worthy of her kindness to discover more than what meets the eye.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Enchanting Beauty and the Beast Live-Action Artwork

Disney's new live-action remake Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson is right around the corner. I can't wait to see what Disney has in store re-imagining one of its most popular animated classics (and my favorite princess).

The new take on the heroine's adventure to break a powerful spell promises to be a grand fairytale and is inspiring artists all over the world. Below is a collection of artwork inspired of the re-imagining with credit given to their creators. Be sure to click on the link below the images to see more amazing work. Are you excited for Beauty and the Beast? Feel free to share below. Hope you enjoy!

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Wonder Woman (2017) Trailer Reaction

I’d love to know what galaxy you’ve been living on, if you didn’t know Wonder Woman is getting her own movie. WONDER WOMAN HAS HER OWN MOVIE.

This summer, director Patty Jenkins will bring Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to the big screen. The long-awaited adventure centers on the Amazon princess' origins while growing up and training on the island of Themyscira. When she learns about the events of World War I from an American military pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) who's washed ashore, she leaves home to stop the war.

Previously released trailers over the past year have been nothing short of exciting as they’ve hinted at Wonder Woman flying solo. This latest one finally deserves a proper trailer reaction ‘cause I can’t contain my thoughts. Can you? Let’s check it out! What do you think – feel free to share in the comments!


Friday, March 10, 2017

Fifty Shades Darker (2017) Remains Impotent

Photo Credit: Fifty Shades Darker / Universal Pictures
As the sequel to the controversial erotically-charged series, Fifty Shades Darker was touted to be more suspenseful, sexy, and alluring than its dry prequel Fifty Shades of Grey. With major changes made from the first movie like finding a new director with James Foley, and writer (also the author's husband) Niall Leonard, this installment had expectations to be exponentially thrilling. Though its previous flick created a nice foundation for the rest of the installments to build upon, this sequel struggles even more to find a plot, maybe even a pulse.

Fifty Shades of Grey concluded with the literal door closing in Christian's (Jamie Dornan) face along with his aspirations of making Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) his full-time submissive. She leaves of her own free will (yay!!) to bigger and better things ahead until Darker brings them back together after the tiniest of separations. But a dosage of obstacles start challenging their relationship as Ana tries to establish new demands from 'the boyfriend' and her boss Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) becomes creepy and possessive over her as his assistant. Meanwhile ghosts from Christian's past like an ex-sub Leila (Bella Heathcote) and ex-dominant (Kim Basinger) simply can't let him go.

Author E.L. James and passionate readers would say the star-crossed lovers are focused on building a future together so nothing deters their love. Others will recognize that every conflict threatening to drive them apart are solved through limitless wealth and sterile sex. If a young woman establishing her wants both in and out of the bedroom could be argued as the overall arc, it increasingly exists out of mere convenience. Every time Ana doesn't want to be bought, Christian counters with sex, money, a charity ball, moving in, marriage, to steal her attention away. Even if Mr. Red Flags changes his nature over time, i.e. the dominant becomes the submissive, Ana's non-sexual wants (a job, independence, transparency) are often muted by Christian's privilege. What may be a tantalizing fantasy for readers on the page becomes an absolute hindrance on-screen as any issue the lovebirds encounter are frustratingly handled off-screen via Grey's limitless power.

So the sequel ends up relying on what it's most known for (sex) to make up for a dubious romance.

However, it merely follows in the same footsteps of the first movie of inserting sex to divert interesting conflicts between the leads and becomes even more sterile in its intimacy. Especially since Johnson still displays more than she should in an even stronger male-gaze aesthetic. Where the first movie could make the hook-ups at least tolerable, Foley lacks the judgment to properly set any tangible mood for the sex scenes, even the most vanilla kind.

If there is something to be had for Darker, it's all the best elements of the first movie - the cast and high expectations of production design, costume, and soundtrack, carry over well. As far as performances go, Johnson carries the film by still making us believe that Ana is genuinely invested in giving Christian more chances to change and open up to her. Her maturity on the type of woman she wants to be evolves, even if the script holds her hostage to Christian's whims. And because of that, unfortunately, the alluring nature of her co-star wears a crucial element of her story thin. Though Dornan is quite personable and charming when he doesn't have to deal with Grey's dark, twisted history, any commanding presence the character could have falls flat when Dornan's afforded scenes to dig deeper. As much as the story could intend exploring Ana's wants and needs in life, Christian the dominant becoming the submissive to her must be thoroughly read between the lines.

Established from the get-go by director Sam-Taylor Johnson, Fifty Shades's world remains visually elegant and sleek. Even with writing, production, and costume team alterations, her influence continues with the sequel's opulent, minimalist sets and luxurious wardrobes. Even the soundtrack, which initially kicked off with Beyonce, The Weekend and Ellie Goulding, is matched this time around with 'not being in love equates dying a thousand deaths' ballads by Sia, Taylor Swift with Zayn Malik, John Legend and Halsey. With the exception of a new avenue for the story to wander, Foley serving as the new director imprint is nearly impotent.

Unlike most adaptations where the book rarely lives up to the movie or transforms non-readers into fans, Fifty Shades Darker falls right in line for whom the film is made: E.L. James, her devoted readers, and perhaps curious hound-dogs. For all intents purposes, the sequel is posh enough to gawk at. But if you're looking for anything more than sex, which critics clamoured for and still didn't get, the story leaves everyone and everything pretty much impotent.

for readers: ★★★
for me:★☆☆
for everyone else:☆☆☆

I liked this though.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

The Walking Dead S7x12 Say Yes

The Walking Dead Say Yes review
Photo Credit: The Walking Dead / Gene Page
Rick’s crew is on a deadline to gather supplies and secure their weapons deal with the Scavengers. With Michonne by his side on a solo run, the couple encounters exactly what they need, but is it all just a sign of something worse to come down the road? This recap includes spoilers for the latest episode - you've been warned! Hope you enjoy!

Who knew scavenging for supplies and weapons could turn into a fans' dream date night in the apocalypse? Well, AMC delivered with Say Yes. They were truly doing the Lord's work if you believe in that sort of thing. The episode was slow and filled with character development, typical filler during this time of year, but it was packed with plenty of walker killers, a death scare, and let's just say, Richonne hotness.

Monday, March 6, 2017

6 Feels You Get After Seeing A Good Movie

6 Feels You Get After Seeing A Good Movie
There's nothing quite like seeing a really good movie. An okay movie can make me feel life is okey-dokey, a little bit better than average, maybe brought out some laughs or cries and then it's over. BUT an awesome, really good, fantastic, wonderful movie can change our whole life. Ever walk out of the theater and feel excited to the point of invincible? transformed? happy? stunned? YEP. A stupendous, amazing movie gives us something new to fall in love with, brings comfort on the worst days, and a reason to forever geek out.

These are six feels you might get after seeing a really good movie. Am I missing a feeling you feel? I'd love to know! Feel free to share in the comments!