November 22, 2016
shazia
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Thursday, June 2, 2016
X-Men: Apocalypse | "Storm" Power Piece [HD] | 20th Century FOX
Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
X-Men: Apocalypse | "Save the World" TV Commercial | 20th Century FOX
Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Madam Secretary S2 Finale Review: Elizabeth almost got fired and Dmitri comes home
The other biggest shock, aside from the jumping to conclusions firing of Elizabeth, is the engagement of Stevie and Jareth. I was a bit surprised that the eldest McCord would accept Jareth’s proposal so quickly, but she was being proposed to in a restaurant with hundreds of eyes watching so she must’ve felt pressured into saying “yes.” Fortunately, Stevie, after some wise words from Henry, was able to come to her senses and convince Jareth to wait a while before they decide to tie the knot.
In light of this, I just want to say, gentlemen, let that be a lesson to you all should you ever plan on proposing marriage to your significant others. Don’t propose in a place where they might feel pressured into accepting; it might be the right decision at the time, but they might have second thoughts afterward.
While we are on the subject of marriage, it was quite nice to hear about how Henry proposed to Elizabeth. One can only hope that no one else saw the misspelled question. Well, aside from Elizabeth of course. At least the proposal worked, and that’s all that matters, yes?
The scene where Matt was delivering the commencement speech that Elizabeth was supposed to give hit a bit close to home. We live in a world where chasing after a chance to be in the limelight is our only goal in life. The question is, what do we do once we are in the limelight? How should we handle ourselves when that attention turns into a permanent spotlight? We all want to be well-known in our own way, but after we get that fame, will we be able to avoid the Downward Spiral?
As I watched the last few minutes of this second season finale, I had a feeling in the back of my mind that the Russians would double cross the United States when the latter traded Peter Buckley for Dmitri Petrov. I was close to being right if it wasn’t for what happened next. Guess the Russian Foreign Minister was telling the truth after all. Though I have to admit, that ending was a bit predictable. Dmitri spat at Henry as if saying, “Thanks for nothing, Professor.” but then turned around and hugged Henry, as if to say “Thank you for coming to get me.” I’m sure that he will hug Henry a little tighter when he finds out that his sister Talia has been released. Onward to season three!
Photo via CBS
The Players of Game of Thrones Challenge Tradition in a Terrific Hour
Naturally, the episode begins where last week’s ended, where Jon Snow has some awful news for the many faithful of Westeros, revealing that after he died, he experienced a whole lot of nothing wherever he went. A quiet, powerful scene reveling in the silence between Davos and Jon, the opening images of “Oathbreaker” establish the core philosophy of the episode: everything is to be questioned in this new world we’re living in. When someone comes back from the dead (and not in the creepy, Iceman of the Dead resurrection sort of way), the natural order of the world falls askewer, and that titled perspective frames a lot of what is to come, in subtle, effective ways. Jon isn’t supposed to be alive: the rules of the world dictate that once a man is dead, he is dead – but at this point, Jon’s not even the only dead man walking around the world of Westeros (hey, Gregor – looking terrifying!), which means everything’s up for debate when it comes to tradition and logic on Game of Thrones.
That includes the history of Westeros: in the biggest tease of the series, Bran and the Man Who Became One With Tree watch Howland Reed, young Ned Stark, and crew take on Arthur Dayne and partner outside the Tower of Joy, where Ned’s sister Lyanne was being held captive – and presumably murdered, if we’re to believe the tales of history. Of course, as Bran learns, the dry ink of time and the fluid penmanship of oral history are quite different: turns out Ned didn’t win that battle, and was only able to make the promise to his dying his sister (whatever that promise was) was because one of his buddies stabbed Arthur in the back, denying Ned and Arthur the supposed “honorable”, natural end to their battle. A small detail, yes, but the ripples of these discrepancies found in supposed truths spread throughout this hour, and make for some intriguing stories for the future to explore.
Thematically, Dany’s conversation with the High Priestess of the Dothraki widow’s home explores this same idea: the elderly woman once dreamed of glorious destiny like Dany, only to find out her own story would turn out to be very different. Like anyone with a dream, reality often turns out different: even on a simpler level, Dany might call herself the Queen of Meereen, but is she really their savior and leader? Dany’s reality check in the widow hut isn’t exactly the most dramatically engaging or satisfying scene: however, it’s importance in continuing this thread of challenging traditions becomes stronger every time the camera cuts back to Dany’s determined face. After all, she is the Unburnt: nothing has stopped her before, so some old woman lighting big ass candles telling her to check herself isn’t exactly the most disheartening image. But as the old woman and Jon both know, sometimes we can experience every step and decision of our path to glory exactly as we dreamed it; even then, however, what we believe to be our destiny may not be what we once thought.
There are moments where these themes seep to the background for plot-related scenes like Varys’s wonderfully slimy discussion with the traitor Valla (and Osha and Rickon ending up in the “care” of Ramsay Bolton – but what can we say about that except “Oh, f***”), but for the most part, “Oathbreaker” is fixated on this exploration of tradition and legacy, and how often reality and humanity break the long-held ideals of the world (even with Gilly and Samwell; don’t you put Gilly in a farmhouse!). Cersei has it in abundance, with her son bucking to the high-minded rhetoric of the High Sparrow – but like her brother, Cersei’s ready for a little revisionist history of her own, ready to make the rules up as she goes along, whether it’s through the powers of the Mother or her own badass stare down face. And as Varys’ birds become the fluttering objects of someone else (there we again, breaking tradition), Game of Thrones feels like its returning to its root, exploring the dynamic relationship between truth, faith, and honor, and whether any of those ideas really exist at all in the mud-and-viscera caked landscapes of Westeros.
While it’s not a particularly momentous hour full of memorable images and iconic scenes, what “Oathbreaker” is building towards is something exciting for Game of Thrones. Long lost characters are being pulled out of the woodwork, while tired characters are being removed for the picture (adios, Alliser, you cranky motherf**ker), giving Game of Thrones some much-needed breathing room for the episode to explore the various oathbreakers of its world, from the reluctant detractors (Ned and Jon), to the most arrogant, brazenly defiant against history (just about everyone). This consolidation pays off in a number of ways throughout “Oathbreaker” – but perhaps the most promising sign of all is how this hour carefully weaves its themes together through all of its stories, creating one of the most unified, enjoyable journeys around the world of Westeros we’ve had in some time.
Silicon Valley Review: Go Around The CEO?
This week on Silicon Valley: Jack remains hell-bent on the box platform, causing Gilfoyle to begin looking for work elsewhere. As a part of that process, Gilfoyle finds out that EndFrame has their complete formula. He also receives a bunch of courting gifts from companies. Dinesh buys himself some jewelry. Erlich offers to speak to Jack on their behalf. Richard goes over Jack’s head to Laurie, which creates more problems than it solves. The guys to decide to build the platform anyway, which results in a devastating moment.
As complicated and cringe-inducing as the plot points of this show can be, Silicon Valley is still a hilarious show. This episode was evidence, as it had the biggest plot twist of the season so far (and getting there was PAINFUL) but they still induced plenty of laughs along the way. One of the best marks of a good comedy, for me anyway, is how often I laugh out loud during the show. “Meinertzhagen’s Haversack” had plenty of laughs to go around.
Probably the best part of this episode, for me, was having Erlich back in the main story with the other guys. Last week, though his interactions with Jian Yang were hilarious, I was disappointed at his involvement level in the main plot. But this week’s episode nearly went full-Bachman, and for that I’m truly grateful. Though Erlich can be ridiculous, he’s one of the funniest characters on the show. Much more show when his interaction is not limited to Jian Yang (though that little yell he gave when Jian Yang went for a slice of pizza? Gold.). You’ll see in my favorite quotes, but Erlich back in the main action was a huge highlight of this episode for me. T.J. Miller is a riot.
Aside from that, I love when Silicon Valley supplements the plot of each story with a running joke. This week was Dinesh’s gold chain. No matter how anxiety inducing the plot had become (and it really had, by the end there), there was always a crack about Dinesh’s gold chain to bring everyone back down to Earth a little bit. The show handles the running jokes masterfully, and inserts them when you least expect it, which is key to a good recurring bit.
As always, here are some of my favorite quotes/moments from the episode:
“First, I’m changing my LinkedIn status to ‘looking for work’.” – Gilfoyle
“You have seven tubs of it. You could be the mayor of Popcornopolis”- Erlich
“Geez, Monica. He’s not that bad.”- Richard, missing the point
“Sorry Django.” “Django?” “UNCHAINED!”
“When George Washington founded a little startup we’ve come to know as these United States of America, and he was tired of getting s**t from his CEO, King George, what did he do?”- Erlich
“No, Dinesh. That chain is insane. And not in the membrane”- Erlich
This episode had no shortage of laughs. It was also an excellent setup for what comes next. That was the end of my screeners, so I’m as excited as anyone else to find out what happens, now that Jack has discovered the gang’s secret plot to build the platform anyway. “Meinertzhagen’s Haversack” was an exercise (a successful one, at that) of keeping the plot fresh and intriguing, and still bringing the laughs full force.
What did you guys think? What’s going to happen to the guys? Let us know in the comments!
Silicon Valley airs Sundays at 10/9c on HBO
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
The Good Wife Series Finale Review: Did Alicia Live Happily Ever After?
It takes a lot to make me cry. However, when it comes to series finales of my favorite shows I will bawl my eyes out. I did it with Friends, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, and Park and Recreation. Tonight I did it again when I watched the last episode of the stellar CBS series The Good Wife, which stars the stunning Julianna Margulies as top-notch attorney Alicia Florrick. After seven seasons, we finally get to find out if Alicia stays with her cheating husband Peter (the always charming Chris Noth). However, you will have to keep reading to find out!
The verdict is in on whether Peter will be going to prison and it came in quickly. It only took the jury an hour to determine if Governor Florrick will be going to prison. Peter and Alicia decided that he should agree to a two year prison sentence, which is still pretty hefty considering it appeared that Peter was actually innocent this time. In true The Good Wife fashion, there is a twist. The jury did not reach a verdict, they simply have posed a question: They would like to hear a 911 call from the victim. After listening to the call and noticing a clearly audible noise, the jury wants to know what this is before returning to deliberation. Jason (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) quickly figures out the noise is a ringtone. I wonder if Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) would have been able to do that so fast…
And before we enter into the first commercial break Lucca (the talented Cush Jumbo) has an amazing conversation with Alicia. She tells Ms. Florrick that she needs to thank Jason for his help. Lucca also uses this time to tell Alicia that Jason is worried she won’t divorce Peter if he goes to jail and that she usually chooses responsibility over love. It only took 156 episodes for someone to alert Alicia of this very obvious fact about herself! And then while fantasizing what her life would be like with either Jason or her husband, Alicia has a third scenario with none other than Will Gardner (Josh Charles), the man everyone wanted Alicia to end up with until he died and Jason came along and swept her off her feet. In this sequence, Will helps Alicia with Peter’s case and aided her in making a decision about love.
Alicia still needs Cary’s (the underused Matt Czuchry) assistance in order to help clear Peter’s name. If she didn’t need his help, Cary may not have even appeared in the final episode. Jason and Alicia question the missing bullets from the evidence locker and ask if he knows who the phone may belong to with the ringtone that went off during the 911 call. The phone belongs to a woman played by Younger‘s Sutton Foster. Fun Facts: Foster worked with Matthew Morrison on an episode of Younger this season and Morrison’s character Connor Fox is present at the trial where Foster’s character appears. Also, Foster and Matt Czuchry will appear on The Gilmore Girls revival out later this year.
Peter talked to one of his donors and finds out that Eli (Alan Cumming) has urged all of Peter’s donors to begin moving funds over to a campaign that would support Alicia. Eli thinks she would be a great candidate for Governor, if Peter is forced to resign when he is sentences to prison. I couldn’t agree more! That would make for an excellent spin-off watching Alicia tackle the duties of running the state of Illinois. Peter is enraged that Eli is doing this, but Eli proves his point.
The twists keep coming with this awesome episode. The missing bullets have been recovered and not a moment too soon. Diane (Christine Baranski) wants the results shown to the jury before a verdict has been made. But then we find out that the bullets came from Locke’s gun, which means Peter has motive to hide them. When it is announced that Diane’s husband Kurt (Gary Cole) will be taking the stand, all heck breaks loose. Diane refuses to question Kurt, and Alicia reminds her that she has a client to represent. When Diane does not cross examine Kurt, Lucca takes over per Alicia’s request. Lucca asks Kurt if he changed his earlier testimony because he had and affair with the woman who bought his business. This is all too much for Dianne and she leaves the courtroom. When I was wondering how I wanted The Good Wife to end, I always pictured something bad happening to Diane. However, this was too much to watch!
The new information regarding the ballistics will not be heard by the jury, so Connor and Alicia try to reach a plea. Connor is offering one year probation as long as Peter ends his reign as Governor of Illinois. Alicia urges Peter to take this offer because she is afraid the jury is too unpredictable. Peter agrees to the deal and asks Alicia to stand by his side one final time. Will comes out of the background and urges Alicia to go to Jason, but not before she tells Will she will always love him. Alicia gives Jason a call and leaves him a voicemail telling him everything is done…
At the press conference for Peter to announce his resignation, Alicia is present but her heart is not in it. She thinks she sees Jason from afar and instead of taking Peter’s hand at the end of the conference, she chases after Jason. Sadly, its not him. Plus, when she turns around she gets slapped in the face by Diane. Alicia did not get the happy ending we all wanted, she is sad and alone. She doesn’t have Peter, Jason, or her job at the new firm she and Diane were going to create. For that reason, I had to shed a tear for Alicia and the series I have loved for the last seven years.
What did you think of the final episode of The Good Wife? Let us know in the comments section below.
Photo by: CBS
Once Upon A Time Review: “Last Rites” Are Read, But For Whom?
Before the two-hour season finale next week, Once Upon A Time delivered some serious blows in this week’s antepenultimate installment (technically, because there are two episodes next week). It seems as though, instead of introducing a new villain or story for next season, our heroes (or what’s left of them) may be facing adversaries that are already quite familiar to them. But I guess we’ll have to wait and find out, huh? What a heart-breaker this episode was, wasn’t it? *insert crying face emoji*. Once Upon A Time will be looking to cap off what has been a stellar season, and the lead in episode was a strong one.
This week on Once Upon A Time: An escaped King Arthur, murdered by Hades, lands in the underworld, and helps Hook find what he needs to help Emma stop Hades. Above ground, Robin and Regina work to convince Zelena that Hades is playing her and needs to be stopped. Emma, Snow, Charming, and Henry all work above ground to stop Hades. Rumplestiltskin tries to make a deal, first with Belle’s father, and then with Hades. Hades deals a devastating blow. Hook receives his reward.
I found this episode to be heart-wrenching, sad, and exciting all at the same time. I wasn’t expecting the Hades conflict to come to a head so soon, but I’m glad it did. I’m certain that the conflict isn’t finished resolving, as there will be unresolved feelings, especially about the upcoming two spoilers I’m about to mention, so if you haven’t watched look away in 3…2…1. Hades murdered Robin Hood, and Hook was rewarded for his role in Hades’ demise by being returned to Earth by Zeus. Now, I was pretty sure the show wasn’t going to kill off two characters, and rumors have been swirling for some time that Sean Maguire was leaving the show. But, the show was able to present all this in a way that was still surprising and believable, and watching all of it go down sure was heart-wrenching.
Robin’s death was in the worst way. He was protecting his child and the woman he loved from Hades’ wrath. I was suspicious that he would be the one to go for some time, but that didn’t make it any less hard to watch. The funeral scene was nothing short of heartbreaking, especially seeing Roland put an arrow on his father’s casket. But, perhaps what really caused my tears to flow was the previously undone naming of Robin and Zelena’s daughter. Who has now been aptly named: Robin. Though a little strange, it was both beautiful and a heartfelt moment from the show. It was a fitting farewell to a character.
I’m glad that Hook has returned, but I’m afraid of the fallout. Of course, Emma got what she wanted and Regina and Zelena are both heartbroken. I love the Killian Jones character, but I wouldn’t have been mad if two characters had departed this season. Mostly, the stakes would’ve been higher for Emma AND Regina going forward, and honestly, this show has too many characters. But, I’m happy with the way it turned out, and there was a nice emotional payoff for Emma and Hook. I don’t think she’ll be taking him for granted again.
I get the feeling that lovesick Rumple and Regina will be returning to their villainous ways in the near future. What’s great about this show is that no one is truly a villain, and their motivations are not always clearly black or white. Gray areas are some of my favorite things to explore, and I’m excited for the show to move in that direction. Surely, of course, these characters will one day get what’s coming to them, and the optimist in me hopes that those endings will be happy.
What did you guys think? Are you upset about the bait and switch? Are you sad about Robin? Let us know in the comments!
Once Upon A Time’s two-hour season finale airs Sunday, May 15th at 7/6c on ABC
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Banshee’s final season won’t go down without a (dog)fight
Opening with a satanic self-immolation and a rape scene, “Only One Way A Dogfight Ends” certainly doesn’t get off to a promising start, immediately highlighting two of the season’s most problematic characters and stories. There really couldn’t be a more disheartening way for the episode to begin than with ten minutes of female victimization – but as a whole, “Only One Way” is probably the strongest episode of the season since “Job”, the rare example of Banshee being able to elevate itself above the serial killer/angsty Nazi narratives and find some of that ol’ Banshee magic – and as I posited on the Under the Hood podcast a few weeks back, it all begins with the return of Deva.
Though I’ve often lamented Deva’s stories, the importance of her presence on Banshee could never be understated. Her surprising return halfway through this episode immediately accelerates the emotional stakes for Carrie, Job and Hood: Carrie’s war with Proctor is putting innocent lives in danger, with implications so far-reaching, even she can’t comprehend (but gets a taste of, thanks to the Cruz-led assault on her home in this episode). Bringing Deva back into the fold so late in the run might end up leaving the story left a little undercooked, but there’s no denying the power of the moment Carrie and Hood share in the driveway afterwards, once her and Job’s primordial instincts to kick ass have subdued, and the gravity of the situation sets in. Silently, both Hood and Carrie have to recognize their failures in letting Deva’s life turn out the way it did, a vagabond who breaks into the house for food, an endeavor that turns into her indoctrination into the deadly lifestyle of her parents. One of the many things Banshee has done well is demonstrate the domino effect of the decisions we make in every facet of our lives, and “Only One Way a Dogfight Ends” taps back into that for perhaps the first time this season, in a way that feels more meaningful than plot devices or cheap character callbacks.
A lot of the rest of “Only One Way” benefits from this heightened emotional state: Proctor’s attack on Carrie, coming right as the Brotherhood is ripping Proctor’s entire drug business out from under his feet, put a number of Banshee‘s central players in interesting positions for these final two episodes. It appears Banshee is heading towards a finale focused on two stories: Hood’s attempts to rescue Agent Dawson (more on her in a minute), and Proctor’s attempts to save his own empire, which both develop in intriguing ways in this hour. The latter is louder and more obvious, thanks to the classically brutal “sparring” match between Cruz and Carrie (and don’t forget: Deva murdering a dude in self-defense) – but the former stands to have a larger impact in this final season, helping to give some depth to what’s been the show’s worst story line ever.
Yep, it’s time for our weekly look into the Satanic darkness of Declan: which begins with him supposedly convincing a girl to light herself on fire in the bullpen of Banshee’s police department, and ends with his girlfriend (who also had him arrested for statutory rape 15 years ago? Lot of rape going on in this episode) taking Agent Veronica Dawson hostage, set to be Declan’s latest sacrifice to the Devil (a twist that doesn’t necessarily feel all that surprising, given how obvious the parallel between her physical appearance and the description of his victims to this point). The only real reason this works is how Banshee plays her connection to Hood: my fears that Hood would immediately bed Dawson were alleviated when Hood begins having flashes of his passionate nights with Siobahn (in turn redeeming some of the show’s most nakedly horny material, and giving it some real emotional context it didn’t quite have back then), and ends up crying in Dawson’s naked arms until he falls asleep. That is a true Banshee moment, a glimpse at the emotionally raw, sexually charged energy this show delighted in previous seasons, and an examination into the traumatized mind of its central character, a dark, welcome return to the show’s dark, pulpy roots.
Hood’s scene with Dawson might be the most promising scene this show’s offered all season; once it’s paired with Proctor’s mesmerizing showdown with Carrie in the courtroom, “Only One Way” comes alive in a dynamic way, sitting in stark contrast to the meticulously slow-paced letdown much of the previous five episodes (save for most of “Job”) have been. And yet, with only two episodes left, does Banshee have time to see all these threads through? Just when Dawson’s becoming an interesting character, she gets pulled into damsel in distress status, eliminating any chance we have to explore her understanding of Hood any further (she sees through him in a way only Carrie can, after all), given that there’s only two hours left of this show (which has to make any Fanshee sad, even if you’ve been as disappointed with this final season as I). And just as Deva returns, the war with Carrie and Proctor is blowing up, pushing the stories of Carrie’s family and Job’s recovery into the background as the louder, more dramatic moments of the season prepare to take center stage.
If only for an hour, however, Banshee felt like it was returning to its roots, understanding that the mix of pulp, nudity, and emotional scars requires a certain touch to be applied effectively, a careful recipe Banshee‘s thrown into flux this season, with the added ingredients of Declan and Calvin into the mix. And there’s certainly parts of “Only One Way” that still feel off, be it Declan’s weak threats towards Brock or the complete reduction of Rebecca’s importance in this final season – but there’s an undeniable sense of energy and propulsion with “Only One Way”, and one that comes with some touches of character and visual flourish that feel like the Banshee we’ve known and loved for three seasons. Here’s hoping these final two hours send the show off in proper fashion.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 Episode 17 Review: ”The Team”
While I have mixed feelings with the assembling of the Secret Warriors, I will start out by saying that my love for Yo-Yo grew so much in this episode that I hope, no matter what happens towards the end of this season that she comes back in a bigger capacity next season. Before we learned that someone had been swayed by Hive, the presence of the Secret Warriors almost made the show feel like a completely different one. Seeing Mack and Yo-Yo continuing to develop their relationship was also really neat and that is why it was so sad that the episode that brought the warriors together was also the same episode where they fell apart.
It became obvious very early on that Daisy was the one that got under Hive’s control for many reasons, including how odd Daisy kept talking throughout the episode. In addition, it was always inevitable that something was going to happen with Daisy through Hive, although I never imagined it would have been like this. I also couldn’t imagine that Lincoln would actually had been put in that position after how much he has had to prove to Coulson lately. Besides, what would Hive have needed with Lincoln, who never really had many interactions with Ward, as opposed to Daisy? The scene where Lincoln figures out that Daisy was the one that Hive got, was one of the more heartbreaking moments of the episode.
It also gives Chloe Bennet something new to do on the show with this character which will be fun to see over the next few weeks. Even though it’s not cool that she got swayed by Hive, at least she did me a huge favor which was taking care of Malick once and for all. As I have mentioned in previous reviews; while I don’t have any issues with the actor, the writing for this character just made Malick a boring and unnecessary antagonist. Especially as we now have Hive and to be honest, Malick always just felt a forced character to bring in, just because he had been part of the original S.H.I.E.L.D. world council in The Avengers. So while he died at the hand of one of our heroes under someone’s mind-control, I’m just glad Malick is done.
Then there is the final moment, the big “Holy Marvel” event where the show was able to take it to the next level compared to what “Turn, Turn, Turn” did. The biggest difference between this episode and that major game-changer from Season 1 was that this time, the show didn’t need a movie to affect the series in a big way. It was able to do something on its own which is a huge accomplishment in my book. I pretty much got the chills from seeing Daisy using her powers to destroy the base, while also stealing a bunch of Terrigen Crystals, as well as getting her theme song in that “corrupted way”. “The Team” had been teased as being a game-changer and it didn’t disappoint at all, other than the quick fall of the Secret Warriors that I had been so stoked to see come together. However, this could be a great opportunity to give Lincoln the chance to lead the group as they try to save Daisy. Overall, this was a really well done episode for not just this season, but the series as a whole as we are now in for an intense ride in the next four weeks.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs on Tuesday nights, 9/8c on ABC.
[Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless]
The Flash Season 2 Episode 18 Review: ”Versus Zoom”
As someone who has dived into the Flash mythology since the show started, I wasn’t sure what we were getting in terms of Hunter’s origin story as it was very clear that this would be a new take on that particular character. The idea we get is that, essentially, he had a dark version of Barry’s childhood where the father actually did kill the mother which got Hunter put at an orphanage as he didn’t have a Joe West that could take him in. While it is still so weird to see Teddy Sears having gone from good to bad, he is deliciously evil to watch as he is also breaking hearts everywhere. I’m still having problems understanding completely how this whole time remnant concept works and how Hunter was able to do what he did, but I’m sure by the end of the season, all will be clear.
While this episode was heavy on Hunter/Zoom, we saw the progression of a lot of other storylines for almost all the characters, which doesn’t always happen in the same episode. We finally get that tie-in explanation to when Barry went to Supergirl’s Earth in the crossover a few weeks ago, even though it was strange that he didn’t even tell the team where he had gone. However, we do get to see the continuation of Barry’s training from that trip as he gets back to our Earth. Speaking of people with powers; Cisco took a huge step in his arc this episode as he began to learn how to create breaches and travel between dimensions. I really dig how they have handled the Vibe aspect of Cisco’s character this whole season and what makes it even more special is how he has Barry to guide him through this phase. It’s like how Cisco served that role for Barry when he was just starting out.
That was just one of many great dynamics and interactions that we got to see in this episode because even though it is called “Versus Zoom”, this episode was also a really good one for the many relationships that this show has. One that I really enjoyed seeing were Iris and Caitlin getting to have a scene together where Iris starts to explore what she is feeling for Barry. It also made me sad to be reminded the tragedies that both of these women have gone through. We also see how Joe and Wally come closer to each other as father and son, who got me teary eyed many times. Again, despite that this was heavy on Zoom; I appreciate getting to spend some emotional time with these relationships. The race between Zoom and Flash was just a blast to watch, especially Barry’s determination, even though he does the slip-up of conversing with the villain for too long. I wish that the photos with Zoom taking Wally hadn’t been released in advanced because it did ruin that shocking moment. The only thing that I’m scratching my head for is that Barry just gave up his speed to Hunter once Wally was released. I get that he was scared of perhaps risking everyone’s lives by trying to trick Zoom, but at the same time, we had seen in this episode that he could outrun him and therefore maybe stand a chance.
Those final moments when we see our hero fall again and Hunter committing one more evil act, which was kidnapping Caitlin, you could really feel that we are in that period of the season where things are coming to a close and that the war is going to the next level, episode by episode. I was just left speechless because I didn’t any of this that happened in those five last minutes coming. I was almost sure that this episode would have concluded with Barry finding out about the fall hero on Arrow and hence why he would be late to the funeral because of Zoom, which the Arrow Season 4 premiere established. Overall, “Versus Zoom” packed in a lot of things for the audience to chew on and while I still have questions about Hunter’s history, this was a strong return as we now head into the last few episodes of the season.
The Flash airs on Tuesday nights at 8/7c on The CW.
[Photo: Cate Cameron/The CW]
New Girl Season 5 Episodes 15 & 16 Review: “Jeff Day”/”Helmet”
However, after Jess and Nick’s break-up in Season 3, New Girl has also relied on some of its other pairings to be the heart and soul of the series, from Nick and Schmidt to Cece and Schmidt to even Winston and Ferguson (but more on them later). In fact, if there was one thing missing from this fifth season, which has been consistently entertaining, it’s the fact that we haven’t gotten many great Jess/Nick moments, partly due to the fact that Zooey Deschanel was absent from the show during the first half of Season 5 and also because, since Jess has been back, many of her storylines have focused on her own romantic life or her friendship with Cece.
Tonight’s back-to-back episodes of New Girl fixed that problem, though, as we were given a double dose of Jess and Nick stories in “Jeff Day” and “Helmet.” Even though the second of the two episodes provided us with a more emotional and entertaining story, both installments served as a reminder that, no matter the status of their relationship, Jess and Nick will always be the foundation of New Girl.
As I hinted at above, “Helmet” is clearly the better of this week’s episode; in fact, I’d even argue that it’s one of the best episodes of Season 5. But “Jeff Day” is still a fun half hour filled with some hilarious bickering between not only Jess and Nick but also Nick and Sam. Although the Sam storyline still feels under-cooked (I just don’t buy his and Jess’s relationship), “Jeff Day” is able to bypass the negatives of his romance with Jess and become a fun caper-like story, similar to Season 2’s “Pepperwood” (Nick even mentions his Julius Pepperwood persona in the episode), gliding past any speed bumps thanks to the hilarious back-and-forth banter delivered perfectly by Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson. Plus, it also helps that “Jeff Day” is ultimately an empowering episode for Jess; she realizes that she doesn’t need any man, whether it be Nick, Sam, or Billy the car salesman, and is able to get what she wants on her own.
“Helmet” also feels like a Season 2 episode of New Girl, a mix between “Chicago” and “Table 34.” Not only do you have Nick struggling to deal with the memory of his dad, but you also have Jess fighting off any attraction she feels to Nick as she tries to keep things serious with Sam. Jess’s conversation with Cece about her sex dream about Nick plays very much like the talk they had after Nick kissed Jess back in Season 2, and again, we have Sam becoming doubtful about Jess’s feelings for him because of Nick’s presence in her life.
However, where “Helmet” pivots from a New Girl Season 2 episode is when Nick decides to help Jess break free of his Chicago Bears helmet so that she can go have dinner with Sam and his parents. After “Cooler,” Nick wouldn’t apologize to Jess for kissing her because he wanted to do it, and he knew she wanted to as well. Now, three years later, he recognizes that things have changed, and he doesn’t need to be the “alpha male” anymore when it comes to Jess. If she cares about Sam as much as she says she does, then that’s all that matters to him; Jess’s happiness mean more to Nick Miller than the memory of his father, and while I don’t think many New Girl fans would have doubted that, it’s nice that the writers remind us of just how much Nick cares for Jess in “Helmet.”
And also about how much Jess cares about Nick, which is made clear when she frames a broken piece of the Bears helmet so that Nick can hang it at the bar, a little piece of his dad that’s always watching over him. It’s moments like these between Jess and Nick that transcend any type of stereotypical sitcom romance. Whether they’re friends, lovers, or somewhere in between, Jess Day and Nick Miller are always going to love each other, no matter what, and that’s why they’re still the heart and soul of New Girl five seasons in.
What did everyone else think about tonight’s back-to-back episodes of New Girl? Comment below and let me know.
[Photo credit: Patrick McElhenney/FOX]
General Hospital Spoilers: Will Sam’s Nightmare Come True?
Additionally, we are going to see that Laura finally puts the pieces of Helena’s will inheritance together. She’s been searching for answers to what it is she inherited since the reading of the will Helena left behind weeks ago. Helena is a master manipulator, and she left behind something she knew would upset Laura and she worked very hard to ensure that Laura will not be able to find the answers she is looking for as quickly as she needs to. However, it does seem that Laura has been able to find some answers of her own now and she’s looking to face them straight on today. What is it that she will find? Will her questions go unanswered or will she find precisely what it is she wants to find?
We know that Sonny is having some issues with some of the people in his life, and we know that this will not change in the near future. However, it does appear that things are back in his court after they looked like they might be getting a bit more out of control that he might like for a while. It’s time for him to learn some lessons, but he won’t. We will also see that Sabrina is on the forefront of Michael and Felix’s minds when they team up to look for her, worried about what might have happened to her since the last time they saw her.
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Hope’s Troubles Are Mounting
It seems as if she believes Deimos is the one responsible for Bo’s kidnapping, and it seems that she is willing to kill him to get revenge. We believe that it might be Wednesday when she shows up and holds Deimos at gunpoint, following his offer for Kate; the one he is certain she cannot refuse if he is able to convince her to listen to him. We know that Deimos was working with John and that it’s John who had Bo kidnapped, but we aren’t sure Hope knows what’s happening in this respect.
We also see that Summer is going to have some issues with Brady on Wednesday. She’s not happy with something, and it seems that it has to do with Maggie. She’s conflicted and unsure what to do, and it appears that Brady is going to be the person she turns to in an effort to see if she can get some answers and find a way to get what she wants. Things are not going her way, and we suspect she might be losing it a bit. She’s already shown herself to be a bit unstable, and we simply are not sure she isn’t going to completely lose it as the time goes on. What do you think? Do you think Summer is all right or is there something else going on with her?
Lucifer S1 Finale Sneak Peek: Trxie’s been kidnapped and Lucifer’s being framed #Lucifer
I’m all for the Devil trying to be his own man and whatnot, but to see him give up that freedom to go back to his days of punishing tortured souls for all eternity is shocking to say the least. Lucifer has been fighting on day one that he doesn’t want to go back to Hell and now suddenly he has a change of heart? Wonder what brought this on? Does Detective Decker have a hand in this decision?
It’s also nice to see Lucifer team up with Amenadiel again to wreak vengeance on Malcolm for the setup in an attempt to clear his name. I look forward to watching the epic fight scene that will take place. Not that I condone violence in any shape or form, it’s just that I want those who have done wrong to be punished for what they have done. Perhaps the Devil has begun to rub off on me. Then again, I’ve always believed that violence is never the answer unless it’s absolutely necessary to enforce it.
The whole Trixie being kidnapped thing doesn’t sit too well with me. How did Malcolm get to her and why is he using her as leverage against Detective Decker? That woman seriously needs to get a top-notch security system for her house and fast! Maybe the detective wants to use the little girl against her mother so that Lucifer can be taken down. Hope Detective Decker can figure out how to save her little girl before it’s too late.
In the promo clip below, it was revealed by Lucifer toward the end that someone has escaped from Hell. The question is, who is it and why did he or she manage to escape from the Gates of Hell? Is it a demon or is it a tortured soul looking for revenge? Let the theorizing begin!
Lucifer Review: The Devil avoids Detective Decker, rants about Satanists and goats #Lucifer
I completely understood Lucifer’s annoyance that people, including the Satanists, tend to blame their violent, murderous acts on him because of who he is. My heart went out to him towards the end of the episode where Lucifer opened up to Detective Decker, how he wanted to be his own man and to be judged for his own doings. As much as I want Lucifer to be free from all the blaming and torturing of souls, it’s not going to be easy considering it was his Father who put him there in the first place. I do hope that Lucifer can one day have the freedom that he so desires and maybe Detective Decker will be by his side when that happens.
The scene where the fake goat-headed Lucifer came in was hilarious. It should be a clip on America’s Funniest Home Videos or something. I don’t understand why a goat would be associated with the Devil. The guy doesn’t even like the cheese much less the animal. I also had to resist facepalming when Lucifer thought that Detective Decker is an angel sent to destroy him. That and the part where Lucifer woke Trixie up and interrogated her about her mother. Least the little girl got something for her troubles as Detective Decker appeared and told her daughter to go back to bed (no, it’s not chocolate cake).
When Malcolm (or Detective Stache, as Lucifer so aptly phrased) confessed to Lucifer that he was the one who committed the murders, I half-wanted Lucifer to punish Malcolm for pinning the murders on him. Guess it’s not going to happen anytime soon as Amenadiel showed up and the two brothers started fighting. It seems that the archangel has developed feelings for a certain demoness and is angry at Lucifer for using her to get to him so that he can be killed. Yet during that scene with Maze and Amenadiel in bed and the former raising the curved dagger to kill the archangel, I can see that Maze didn’t want to go through with it. Could it be that the demoness has feelings for Amenadiel?
Speaking of Malcolm, I’d have to commend the guy for being so calm when faced with an angry Amenadiel. Never thought I’d see the day where I would hear the words “#TeamLucifer” come out of the detective’s mouth. Welcome to the club, Malcolm. Shame you can’t stay long because Lucifer is coming after you with vengeance on his mind. Can’t say I feel sorry for you, cause I don’t. I can’t wait until the season finale to see just who is desperate enough to frame Lucifer for murder. I have a feeling that it’s Malcolm, but it could very well be Amenadiel again.
Photo via FOX
The Mindy Project Review: Mindy Dates A Dud
The warning signs of her new relationship didn’t start flashing in Mindy’s and her coworker’s eyes until the third date. Inviting someone so new in your life to be your wedding date is one thing, but if that wedding is your brother’s and you’re introducing your significant other to your entire family, well that’s even worse. Bryant seemed like a nice enough guy to Mindy when he let her eat all the chicken wings at a sports bar on their first date but making sure a photo of them from the cocktail hour was included in his brother’s wedding slideshow was too much.
Mindy relays all this and more to her coworkers and there’s a few notable reactions. Tamra could not care less what was going on with Mindy and Bryant until the wedding date happened. Then she immediately got to work with googling the guy and found out his dirty little secret: he was engaged only 2 months ago. Now everything he’s done with Mindy makes sense. She can’t help that he’s still so helplessly in love with his ex, and honestly she has enough on her plate it’s not worth waiting for him to possibly never change his mind. There wasn’t much of a spark between the two of them anyway.
Now we must discuss Jody. He’s grown close enough to Mindy over the last few months working together that I’d consider them friends. With her Bryant problems, he was especially vocal to offer advice in the unofficial office meetings in the break room. It wasn’t until she ended things with Bryant and innocently walked Jody home to his five-star apartment building (of which he owns an entire floor!) that Mindy started getting a weird vibe from him. She was simply marveling at his building when he joked she should stay the night in one of the guest rooms, of course. Only thing is, he got a little too nervous after that. She turned to walk away with the most confused face as she no doubt starts to wonder what this could possibly mean.
The pros and cons of Mindy and Jody potentially becoming a couple are long and complicated. Pros: they’re already friends, they know each other’s worst habits and traits and still like each other despite them. Cons: she’s probably not over Danny forever and knows this would be a bad idea in the long run. I’m so interested to see how Mindy deals with Jody’s apparent interest in her. It’s not like she can talk to him and the rest of the office like she’s so comfortable doing with any other problem, romantic or otherwise.
Morgan and Collette’s housewarming party was the perfect way to tie all the storylines together. It was incredibly creepy how Bryant showed up at the apartment hours before Mindy, when she didn’t even expect him to be there at all. No way, dude. Any excuse to bring Morgan’s 30+ dogs back works for me though. I love how they have their own room in the apartment!
Another Danny-less episode, yes, but his presence lately has been more aggravating than anything. Unless and until Danny’s ready to make some attitude adjustments and fix his relationship with Mindy, I actually don’t miss him. Mindy has her support system of friends and Morgan brings the laughs as usual. All in all, I’d say it was a great episode.
What do you think about the possibility of a Mindy/Jody relationship?
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Record-breaking! 'Udta Punjab' music rights sold for staggering Rs 18 crore
"This makes it the biggest music deal in the history of Bollywood," claims a source close to the project which stars Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. The music has been scored by Amit Trivedi.
"The last time we heard of a record-setting contract was for 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo', which is a crore less than this one. The 'Udta Punjab' album has a new age Punjabi vibe to it and the makers hope to strike a chord with music lovers," adds the source. The first song of 'Udta Punjab' was released yesterday; it is picturised on Shahid, who looks every bit of a whacky, drug-addict. The film's spokesperson confirms about the multi-crore deal being cracked.
Source:mid-day
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Rajshri Rani Pandey takes inspiration from Kareena Kapoor Khan for TV show
The show has introduced a six-year leap and many changes can be seen in the actor’s appearance.
“Yes, I would be seen wearing an outfit similar to Kareena’s, but it is a mere coincidence. When I wore the dress, people on the set appreciated me. Ever since the leap has happened, my look is very different and I’m sure the audience are liking it,” Rajshri said in a statement.
The show is aired on Star Plus.
Via IndianExpress
In Bollywood, you’re only paid more than a man if you’re Priyanka Chopra: Kalki Koechlin
Talking about gender disparity in the film industry, Kalki said, "Bollywood is as patriarchal as our society. I once met a producer who asked me about my age and I said, 30. To this, he replied, 'Don't worry, you still have five years left.' Another producer showed me the exact spot on my face where I needed to get a botox." She added, "There's a lot of pressure on women in Bollywood. Objectification of women is very predominant, but I am happy that gradually things are changing. 'Piku' and 'Queen', both women-oriented films, brought a fresh change in Bollywood." On pay disparity in Bollywood, Kalki's response was, "You only get paid more than a man if you are Priyanka Chopra."
Theatre, Kalki feels, is a great place for an actor to get terrified because you don't know how the audience will react. "Theatre is like an actor's gym. You hit the gym to build your muscles, and similarly, I go to the theatre to build my acting muscles." When someone from the audience asked why she hated men so much, Kalki replied, "I don't hate men. Ours is a patriarchal society. Had it been a matriarchal society, I would have supported men. I would have been a 'meninist'. For me, it's all about equality." When someone asked her why she had started talking about women empowerment only after her divorce, Kalki answered, "If you do some research on my work, you'll know that I have always supported women, and not only after my divorce."
Kalki moved out of her house for studies when she was 18. "I knew I wanted to act, but I viewed success in a different way. Success for me is being the best version of myself. Staying away from home helped me discover myself, which helped me a lot in my career. Leaving home teaches you a lot. You become independent," she said, adding, "I have faced a huge identity crisis and still face it. I was born in Puducherry to French parents, who came to India from Angers, France. I then settled in Tamil Nadu, went abroad, came to Bengaluru and then shifted to Mumbai. But I always say, my skin is white but my heart is brown."
Having performed in Jaipur earlier, Kalki said, "I enjoy coming to Jaipur. I have performed here twice at a theatre festival. I have childhood memories of this city. I remember I was 7 or 8 years old when I had come here with my parents. I also love the Rajasthani food and make sure that I try it whenever I am here. I am one of those irritating people who eats a lot and doesn't put on
Via indiatimes
NASA Welcomes New Director for its Jet Propulsion Laboratory
“President Thomas Rosenbaum and his leadership team at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have made an outstanding choice in naming Dr. Michael M. Watkins as the new director of JPL. I, for one, cannot wait to work with him to advance our Journey to Mars, along with our understanding of our own planet, our universe, and humanity’s place in it.
“Dr. Watkins is no stranger to the NASA family. In more than two decades at JPL, Dr. Watkins played a major role in the Mars Curiosity Rover, Cassini, Mars Odyssey, GRACE, GRAIL, and the GRACE Follow-on missions -- to name just a few. I am confident that he will do an excellent job as he begins a new chapter in the incredible legacy that Caltech and NASA have written together through JPL for generations.
“Dr. Watkins will have some very big shoes to fill in succeeding retiring JPL Director Charles Elachi. When American astronauts reach Mars in the 2030s it will be in large part because of the work that Dr. Elachi and his JPL team have done in tandem with NASA colleagues, collaborators and contractors throughout the nation, and indeed our world.”
via:Nasa
Photo: Sunny Leone, Tanuj Virwani at K-lounge store launch in Delhi zx15
Sexy Bollywood actress Sunny Leone along with husband Daniel Weber and actor Tanuj Virwani were snapped at the launch of K-Lounge store in Delhi. They also promoted their upcoming film ONE NIGHT STAND which is set to release on May 6, 2016.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Photo: Mallika Sherawat Starting the day with Uttanasana zx13
