Almost Human "The Bends" Review

I look at the underwhelming episode of Almost Human.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Title: Catching Fire

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on the Book Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2013

Personal Rating: 5/6

Oscars: N/A

Plot: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.
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Katniss and Love
Katniss is very goal oriented and has the ability to push her feelings aside if the situation calls for it. That is such strength that I don't usually see in a woman character. She does love Gale but tells him that she can't think like that until her current situation is resolved. Her feelings for Peeta are mixed since she has feelings for Gale, but Peeta shares an experience with Katniss that Gale can never share. I know some people don't like the character growth that Gale goes through in the final book and might find it a cheap way to resolve the love triangle but: everyone in the series goes through a change and evolves. Katniss never goes away from her 'i can live without a man' attitude, but how she views others does change.

Very Moving
I was very moved by this movie. I didn't break down crying but a tear or two went down my cheeks during the movie. The jabberjay scene was one of the hardest things to watch (and I don't truly believe when Johanna tells Katniss that they didn't torture Prim as she said the Capital wouldn't fare well with the publicity IF THE CITIZENS FOUND OUT) and it nearly broke me. Again I went to a theater that sold beer and I ran out of my drink by the time the scene was shown. Other moving scenes involved the sub-plot of Katniss trying to get Haymitch to protect Peeta over her.

The Lack of District 13
I should be happy that there were a few lines dedicated to District 13 that gave the basic info of it being destroyed and now it's used as a way to keep people from rebelling. But those lines should've been in the first film and more developed lines should've been in this one. The whole sub-plot of Katniss figuring out that the footage of District 13 never changes and so the whole truth of its current state is being kept secret plus people going to the might actual exist/might not actually exist District are both fully cut out. I don't get why the filmmakers take this erasure of District 13 as it plays a major MAJOR role in the final book (and, therefore, final two movies of the series). But, hey, at least those lines are in there so those who haven't read the book won't be totally surprised by the final two films.

Final Thoughts
I have heard a lot of people say that this movie is better than the first one and I do agree that a lot of emotions are much harsher in this film. However, that couldn't have been done without the first one. I do like how Snow is the villain of this film and how each victor reacts differently to being called on to compete in yet another Hunger Games. I especially loved Johanna as she was plain vicious, on the side of good, and protected herself by not forming attachments. The only actor that caused me some confusion was Jeffrey Wright as Beetee as I recognized him from Boardwalk Empire (I don't watch it regularly, though it is a good show). In it he plays a villain and he doesn't seem to totally drop that persona in this film.

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Title: The Dark World

Series: Thor

Directors: Alan Taylor and James Gunn

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tom Hiddleston

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2013

Personal Rating: 5/6

Oscars: N/A

Plot: Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
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Jane Foster
Jane is a very strong willed woman. While she doesn't posses the ability to fight (not to the degree of other characters in the movie), she is very smart and willing to risk her life for those she loves. During the end battle scene she tries to block Thor from an attack even though if she doesn't succeed she will die. And it is very likely that she will fail. I like Jane being in this movie since she helps to diversify the women cast (aka having them not all be fighters).

Jane, Sif, and Thor
There was a sort of love triangle in the movie. I say sort of because it wasn't pushed heavily as Jane doesn't seem to hate Sif and Thor getting with Sif is shown more as what is best for a future king of Asgard (even though Sif seems to have feelings for Thor). That being said, I can still take a look at who I prefer Thor with. While I like Jane, Sif seems to be a better fit for Thor. In Sif and Thor's brief moments on screen I felt more chemistry between those two than with Thor and Jane.

Erik Selvig
During The Avengers Erik was mind controlled by Loki. In this movie we get to find out what the long term effects of that form of mind control are, at least to one person. Erik's evolution reminds me of Walter Bishop from the show Fringe. Like Walter, Erik is extremely brilliant and sometimes doesn't wear enough clothing in front of people. I can see that Erik's mind getting invaded could cause this reaction and don't mind how it was shown that much. Though the film didn't delve too much into the darker aspects of Erik's current condition.

Final Thoughts
This was a fun ride of a movie. I went to a theater that actually serves beer and when I finished I wanted to shout out, "ANOTHER!" while throwing my plastic cup down. As I don't give major spoilers in my written reviews (not so in my vlogs), I can't say what happens at the end. Just let it be known I wanted to see Thor 3 right then and there. I liked the connection shown between Loki and Frigga (his mother) as it helped humanize him. It showed that whatever else he may feel and will do, that he has some humanity in him. That doesn't stop him, of course, from being his evil self. But it does add another layer to him. I am a Doctor Who fan so seeing 9 as the villain made me feel very happy.

Doctor Who "The Day of the Doctor" Review (Parts 1 & 2)

I talk about the Anniversary episode of Doctor Who. Here's to another 50 years!

Animorphs Re-Read: #3 The Encounter (Chapters 21-24)

Chapter 21

Cassie wonders why Visser Three is there and Marco points out that the Visser is there to kick sense into his men. Tobias points out it doesn't matter why the Visser is there, only that he is there. Bird-boy says that one of the Hork-Bajir killed a deer for no reason.

Cassie calls the Yeerks jerks for doing that. I adore Cassie and don't think she deserves as much hate as she gets, but she should realize why the Controllers have been instructed to do so. The Yeerks have the right idea that the Animorphs can turn into any animal, though the Yeerks think them Andalite bandits, and so killing any animal makes sense. Though killing every animal in sight is extreme.

Tobias points out that the plan is impossible now. Marco agrees. Rachel, showing her daring side, says that they should continue the mission because it is worth it. If the mission succeeds they won't be fighting alone anymore. Jake agrees with his cousin.

Tobias thinks Jake is being stupid as the fearless leader doesn't seem to be comprehending what bird-boy is telling them. Cassie suggests a way to modify the plan so that it can be successful. She suggests they morph into trouts in the cave and then Tobias will drop them off in the lake.

I think if Tobias could take a shot of alcohol he would be taking a couple right now.

Marco is sane and repeats Cassie's idea out loud to show how insane it sounds. Cassie seems to be ashamed and just says that it could work. Jake agrees to Cassie's plan. Tobias points out he thinks Jake, Cassie, and Rachel are crazy for thinking of following this idea. Jake replies that this might be the best chance they'll get.

Tobias and Marco try to argue against the revised plan. In the end, Cassie's plan is a go. It's sort of funny that Tobias finds it a little odd that they're morphing something that lives underwater. Later in the series Tobias remarks that he can deal with being high up in the sky but finds being underwater disturbing.

Cassie says that she'll go first since it was her idea, Tobias thinks it's because she's the best morpher of the group. Jake tells her that if she starts encountering problems to demorph. I think this little moment is sweet as Jake takes her hand and Cassie knows he loves her.

Cassie tells him not to worry. Aw!

Cassie starts to morph into the trout and Tobias remarks that this is an odd morph for her as she can't make it look good.

Cassie reassures the others that she's fine and still breathing with lungs. It's at that moment the fish gills choose to appear. She starts to gasp for air and Jake tells her to pull out of it. Cassie, who is brave, says that she's nearly completed the morph. When Cassie is finished, Jake tells Tobias to take her to the lake. Tobias does so quickly.

As Tobias flies her to the lake he tries to check up on her. She is all panicked because she is suffocating. Tobias notices a Hork-Bajir and hopes the Controller won't notice that red-tails don't hunt fish. He then drops her into the lake and then asks how she is.

Cassie takes a little bit to reply which worries Tobias. When she replies she seems to be overtaken by the fact that she's now underwater. Tobias seems to be highly amused by this. Cassie then admits she's imagining being served as dinner. I like how that even though Cassie was the one with the idea and appeared brave, she's still fearful.


Chapter 22

Tobias gets Jake and Marco out of the cave in trout morph with no problems. Except that Tobias nearly runs into a Hork-Bajir while carrying Marco.

When Tobias goes into the cave for Rachel he mutters the infamous 'so far, so good' which always means bad stuff is about to happen. It's like the line in a movie where a character says that it can't get any worse and then it does. This is a line I'm still afraid of to this day.

Tobias asks Rachel if she's nervous and she says yes. She then starts to morph trout. Tobias has to look away because, even though he's seen three of his friends morph trout already, it's still creepy. He muses on whether Andalites find the morphing technology creepy.

When Rachel has nearly completed her morph something happens. You shouldn't have said 'so far, so good'!

A pair of Controllers (one human and the other a Hork-Bajir) start to go into the cave. Rachel asks what's going on and Tobias informs her. Tobias then informs her that they're going to have to make a break for it now.

I'll take this moment to talk about something in this chapter: there is shown to be preferences for certain host bodies among the Yeerks. The ones in Hork-Bajir hosts, if we are to assume from the actions of this Hork-Bajir Controller, are shown to have a sort of attitude that those hosts are in greater demand. In fact you could take the conversation between the two Controllers and make your own opinions about the value of human and Hork-Bajir hosts.

Tobias decides to repeat his move with the helicopter, but this time uses it on the human controller.It works and he drops Rachel into the lake. While he dropped Rachel into the lake the Controllers attempted to shoot him and hit the ship instead.

Tobias wishes the others good luck and flies away as it'd look suspicious if he stayed where he was.

Tobias mentions the limits of thought-speak and decides to go into a risky position so he'll be able to keep in contact with the rest of the Animorphs. Tobias then thought-speaks to the group and Rachel remarks that it's amazing he can thought-speak to them with an entire ship between bird-boy and the rest.

It seems like Tobias would be shuffling his feet right now if he could. He decides not to tell the rest the truth since he knows Jake would not approve. Then again, Jake is now a trout and can't do much about it.

Jake goes up the tube first and remarks how there should be a water slide like it at The Gardens. I like how, in this scene, the Animorphs act like real kids. Yes, they're on a dangerous mission, but they're having fun. Once Jake goes up Rachel wants to go.

Jake tells her to stay while he looks around. He reports that there seems to be an opening at the top but he can't really tell with the fish eyes. Marco asks how they're going to get up there and Jake replies that they'll wait for the ship to fill up.

Marco, the voice of reason now, says how insane the mission is. Rachel repeats the mission and asks if that's what he means. She then agrees with him. Marco then replies that as long as everyone know what they're doing he'll go ahead.

Marco and Rachel do seem to have a little thing. Not romantic, but a friendly rivalry nonetheless.


Chapter 23

Tobias remains in his position as long as he can. When he can't anymore, he says good-bye to the other Animorphs and flies above the ship. And, yes, the word 'thermal' is used again!

The Hork-Bajir that had fired carelessly earlier is about to be punished. Tobias says that they've always thought of that species as invincible. And the Hork-Bajir do look fearsome as though nothing can take them down.

Tobias then goes on to say that one of the horrible things about fighting the Yeerks was that they had to take out innocents too. Not every host is a voluntary one and some hosts don't want Yeerks in their heads. But the Animorphs can't tell the difference and it wouldn't make a difference anyways. Once someone attacks you, you fight back.

This situation reminds me of the demons on the show Supernatural. In order to kill a demon you have to kill its 'meat suit'. It's the same kind of morality fighting demons on that show and fighting the Yeerks.

Tobias doesn't describe what's happening to the Hork-Bajir as it's too horrific and he'll have it be his own nightmare to remember. I like this as it leaves it to your imagination to what happened and that can provide a much better image. And by better I mean horrifying.

When Tobias looks at where the Hork-Bajir he sees the Visser pointing at the sky. Then there is motion as some of the vehicles start to move. Tobias figures out that between some Controllers and the Visser, the truth about Tobias had been figured out. Not that he was human, but that he wasn't really a hawk.

Tobias thinks he should be flattered that the Visser thought he was a real Andalite warrior, but it didn't make any difference at the end of the day. Tobias was no more likely to live of the Visser thought he was an Andalite.

The Yeerks start to search the sky for the 'Andalite bandit'.

The Yeerks start shooting at every bird and Tobias grows concerned for the female hawk. Remember in the beginning of the book that Tobias rescued her. I think it's partially responsibility and partially attraction to her that is making him worried.

Tobias decides that the safest place for him to be at the moment was on top of the Yeerk supply ship. He lands on there and he's safe from anyone firing at him. He thinks of how the Controllers are looking at him like prey.

Chapter 24

Tobias remarks on how eerie his current situation is. Then things got worse when the Blade ship starts coming towards him. Of all the Animorphs ships, the Blade ship is one of my favorites. It has a beauty to it, but it's not one I'd want after me.

Bird-boy prepares himself for death. This is in contrast to how he was attempting suicide earlier in the book. Showing that he has truly found a reason to fight and, therefore live, so he can fear death now.

The ships don't attack and, instead, just hover. Visser Three then talks to Tobias directly which scares the carp out of him. Tobias repeats how scary it is when the Visser speaks directly to you. How there is something evil in his 'voice'.

As Visser Three continues to speak to Tobias, he keeps reminding himself to stay silent. He is afraid that if he speaks the Visser will realize that he isn't an Andalite.

The Visser promises to give Tobias a painless death and what happened to the Hork-Bajir is still fresh in Tobias' mind. I like that we get to imagine what happened to the poor creature, but that makes the death so much worse at the same time. And now Tobias is imagining dying that way.

After the Visser continues to taunt Bird-boy, Rachel asks if he can hear her. Tobias replies that he can. I can imagine that he finds hope in hearing her as he imagines that the others will make it out alive.

And then Rachel basically tells him to find a way to destroy the ship so that the others won't be captured. Rachel talks about all of them not wanting to be taken alive. And...and...Rachel is the one giving Tobias this. Rachel is basically Tobias' closet link to humanity and she's telling him to kill her and the others.

THOSE AREN'T TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY EYES! THERE'S JUST A WHOLE LOT OF DUST IN THEM!

Rachel then says that she's about to demorph and then Tobias is about to say he loves her and then Rachel says that she already knows. Then she says good-bye and I'm going to need a couple pounds of chocolate now!

Tobias imagines Rachel demorphing and hoping that he is able to make their ends swift. Tobias then thinks that the Yeerks had won and that the rest of the human race would shortly fall.

Tobias then looked at the Blade ship and knew Visser Three was a predator and Bird-boy had nothing left to lose. If the others died then Tobias would be left in a world he didn't belong in.

Tobias then sees Taxxons crawling across the ship to get at him. Visser Three jests that Tobias has run out of time. Tobias respects the Visser's move but knows he still has a chance at enacting whatever plan he is intending to enact.

A Taxxon aims a Dracon beam at him and he ends up with the Taxxon's Dracon beam. The Visser yells at the Controllers to get him and Tobias goes on with his plan.

His plan includes killing his friends so he can honor Rachel's last wish.

So many tears in this chapter!

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 Animorphs Re-Read Table of Contents

Elementary "On the Line" Review

I look over the episode where Holmes tries to bring a serial killer to justice.

Carrie (Stephen King)

Title: Carrie

Author: Stephen King

Released: 1974

Rating: 5/5

Basic Plot: Carrie White may have been unfashionable and unpopular, but she had a gift. Carrie could make things move by concentrating on them. A candle would fall. A door would lock. This was her power and her sin. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offered Carrie a chance to be normal and go to her senior prom. But another act--of ferocious cruelty--turned her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that her classmates would never forget.
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Destruction of an Entire Town
I would like to say that the recent remake did the Prom Night Sequence justice but...the book was at a different level entirely. Book Carrie destroys an entire town. She shows no mercy for the most part and when she spares Sue, Carrie wonders why they all bullied her. It would be great to see a big movie version that showed just how destructive Carrie was. Because Book Carrie wasn't just getting back at bullies, she was trying to be a sword for God.

The Layout
I like the style of writing where you're made to think the events of the book are real. Throughout the book are various clips from books and newspaper articles that are supposed to show that the events in Carrie are real. There are a few points where transcriptions are shown. These are used to show that people still don't want to believe that a person like Carrie can exist. That the White Committee is all about covering up and not actually finding out the facts.

Behind the Words
Stephen King originally meant to have Carrie be a short story and then threw the story away. So we would have never been graced with this story if it hadn't been for King's wife Tabitha (who is also a writer) fishing the manuscript out of the trash and convincing him to complete it. This story was originally told to me by a long-time friend and I've told it myself numerous times. It's just amazing what a little push can do for someone's career.

Final Thoughts
This story is a classic for a reason. The anti-bullying message is needed today just as it was when it was first published. In this novel you are taken into Carrie's mind to see how she tries to fit in but never does. And when she realizes she can never fit in she snaps. She dies not having found a place in the world and that is heart breaking beyond words. I would recommend it for those looking for a good tragedy. How did I feel when Carrie got back at the bullies? Relief for her but the book was better at making me feel horror at her actions.