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Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
A 10 Year Wait For A 2 Part Film That Will Set Up The Future Of The MCU
What an absolute masterpiece of a film. After ten years of waiting, this delivered exactly what the audience were hoping for.
To start with, I LOVED how Thanos, the villain, is the main part of the film. It is basically a "heist" movie where Thanos is on a mission to get the Infinity Stones and The Avengers are the obstacles that he has to face. I thought that was a fantastic way of handling the movie. Hats off to you, Russo Brothers!
As the film goes on, you begin to understand Thanos' way of thinking when it comes to balancing the universe. His method, as villainous as it sounds, makes perfect sense! However, you know that it needs to be stopped. Yet, once you combine that with the number of years worth of support that you've given to The Avengers, you then begin to side with them more. The film is brilliant for making you know that the villain needs to be stopped but also for making you understand the villain's plan and why he's doing it.
The film is very fast paced so you need to keep up. However, it doesn't leave you hanging. If it leaves a scene open ended then don't worry because that scene will be concluded later on. That said, you begin to have a clear understanding of what each group of Avengers are doing when it comes to their own plans. It's sort of like sending three parties out to handle the situation differently. You have Captain America, Black Widow and Falcon etc defending the stone against Thanos. You then have Thor, Rocket Raccoon and Groot making a weapon to defeat Thanos. Finally, you have Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man etc bringing the fight to Thanos himself. Again, I LOVED how even though they were handling the situation differently, each plan was countered by Thanos and The Black Order. You finally get to see what you as an audience want to see (even though you admit you don't), which is The Avengers being conquered and going up against something way beyond them.
The fight scenes were awesome and the character interactions and development was gripping, comical and interesting. I don't really have much more to say until I see it again as I'm still recovering from it! Marvel has excelled itself with this ballsy, funny, emotional and tense masterpiece. Infinity War will gain new audiences, satisfy big fans of the comic books and entertain every person who chooses to watch it.
Also, I'm so excited for the 4th film and the nod to Captain Marvel was a brilliant post-credit scene. Well done, Marvel! I have NO idea what is going to happen next!
I'm scared and also very excited!
After the Dark (2013)
It's a Marmite film. However, if you don't dissect it then you'll enjoy it!
My housemate recommended this to me and being a student whose sleeping pattern is ruined, I decided to put it on. Safe to say, I really liked it!
Let me state the obvious and say that it's not the best film in the world. However, it's definitely not the worst. I've seen worse apocalypse films, trust me! I feel that people are dissecting it, which therefore makes it not enjoyable. When it comes to philosophy and logic, granted, the film doesn't make sense (the whole idea that there's nothing to fear as at the end of the day, it's all in their heads!)
Yet, that is exactly what makes it good. Your imagination is literally the worst place you can be in when it comes to this scenario. It's designed to make you think of the scenario and apply that same mindset and thought process into a real life scenario. For example, when Petra decides to choose the people that provide fun and entertainment for a year as opposed to people who have skills that can ensure survival, that's basically telling you that there are other ways of figuring things out as well as saying that it isn't just about survival!
I wasn't a fan of the whole "teacher and student affair" part of the narrative at the end. I thought that did ruin it a bit and wasn't a good climax. All that aside and focussing on the point of the movie, it was good! If you want a film that makes you think, then this is definitely one to watch.
Just, when you watch, don't say things like "that's not philosophy" and "this makes no sense as it's in their heads." Just watch it and enjoy it for what it is and you may find you enjoy it more.
Fear the Walking Dead (2015)
Watched the show due to the crossover, then I got really into it!
With all the negative feedback going around at the minute with The Walking Dead and how it is not living up to its hype around All Out War, we have something exciting to look forward to, and that is the Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead crossover which is connected by the character, Morgan.
When I found out about this, I felt like I had to watch Fear in order to understand the crossover as well as being a huge fan of the original show. I had seen the first episode before and decided that it wasn't for me. I said to myself "I'll stick to the original show. That'll do for me!" When I found out that it was Morgan who was crossing over (and considering I love his character) I decided to give this show another go as I wanted to be up to date with both shows in case the two groups collided more.
Second time around was different. To begin with I was watching it with the attitude of "I'm merely watching for the crossover, let's just get through it." However, once you get through the slow build ups, it feels like everything just goes full steam ahead and it jolts you forward right into the action. I then began to get REALLY into it and I beasted out Seasons 1 and 2 in two days! My attitude changed to "ooooo that just got good!" Therefore, I continued watching. I loved the character development and I think that Morgan will fit in well in the upcoming fourth season! Luckily I only have two weeks to wait!
All I'll say is that if you're patient, I believe that you will be rewarded! It is different to The Walking Dead so if you don't compare it to that constantly (like everyone did with Jared Leto to Heath Ledger when it comes to The Joker) then you'll be satisfied with this show!
Daredevil: Cut Man (2015)
Cut Man...
After a very good premiere for this season, "Daredevil" carries on with its portrayal of a battle against crime for Matt Murdock and his hidden side of being a superhero. The directors didn't mess around as in this episode we were immediately placed into a dangerous situation that stirs worry or uneasiness towards the characters. I loved how "Daredevil" is keeping the same routine with a beginning to trick the audience, making them gain a certain perception just to see it burn to flames later on as the episode progresses. This episode featured a good range of specific camera shots which slotted perfectly for the atmosphere of the scene whether it be calm or lively thus maintaining situations for a stereotypical "father and son" relationship as well as a good against evil aspect which targets different audiences to engage in this show. The narrative keeps us going as well as the story to bring to life an episode with meaning as well as action which was also factorised with intelligence as well as skill. In this episode, a bloodied Matt gets saved from a woman called Claire. However, Matt being mistrustful, his flashbacks of him as a child save him from losing his own life as he begins to feel that he's in more danger than he ever has been.
With this episode being the second to have the scenes ranging from having high levels of depth to further scenes explaining the meaning of those scenes, "Daredevil" has set up its narrative for each episode to separate the two lives that Matt lives. If you notice, the danger and active scenes are when he's daredevil whilst the professional interrogative scenes are when he's himself. Splitting the two lives not only gives the advantage to the directors to alternate between the two clearly, but it also gives audiences a chance to possibly choose which lifestyle they prefer watching as the episode unravels, hence him staying as Daredevil throughout the whole episode. I thoroughly enjoyed Matt showing Claire his abilities that he's attained from his blindness such as being able to smell and sense a vigilante from a long distance or being able to tell if someone is faking being unconscious. This was different to see as we as an audience understand Matt's condition as well as why he's trying to solve this mystery, this adds to our liking of him as a character due to him distinguishing himself from other superheroes we've seen, making our liking of the show develop also.
The cinematography and framework was what made this episode how it is as it featured usage of techniques that show uniqueness and develop an atmospheric purpose. The hostage scene Daredevil dominated when needing to find out information had some moments of being shot in. A Dutch shot which is meant to present psychological uneasiness to the audience. This filmic style fitted the scene and was relevant to the reasoning due to the audience beginning to feel uneasy of the Daredevil's character, "I do this because I enjoy it!" In the final fight scene that signed off the episode was filmed with a tracking camera that captured the fight perfectly in the hallway. It was fixed in a position where the characters went in and out of doors with the only sound being punches and scream to produce a final showdown ending. Aside from all the very cleverly constructed camera-work, it always makes daredevil look outnumbered when he is fighting to develop the audience's uncertainty of what happens next. The cinematography made this episode one that I'll certainly remember.
"Cut Man" is exactly what it says it is as it contradicts the Daredevil we saw in the premiere. He seems more aggressive and has turned into a "no second chances" kind of hero which again, adds to the dark personality that he holds. The narrative was focused on Daredevil and not Matt Murdock to allow the audience to understand the two characters as well as choosing which one they prefer. The audience learn and begin to feel impressed with the skills that Daredevil has from his blindness which suits the scenes perfectly as they play out to his advantage whilst looking strange to other people. The camera-work was the best part of this episode due to all the different techniques that were used such as tracking camera and a Dutch shot to mirror the tension of the situation to the audience, allowing them to feel part of the scene as well as changing their opinions on the show to a darker level as a whole as well as the characters. A great episode.
Daredevil: Into the Ring (2015)
A Different Daredevil...
The highly anticipated premiere of the TV's adaptation of a marvel comic book, Daredevil, had finally hit the screens after its release of the first season. Due to me seeing the film version of the comics, I was intrigued to see how this series would play out as other shows such as "The Flash" I feel have been slow in narrative progression along with confined writing, not allowing it to expand. This defied the odds and impressed me more than I was expecting. It steered away, but not too far from the comics and added more depth into it's narrative allowing it to perhaps facilitate mixed audiences to take a liking to it. The action sequences relating to the comics, bring the action, suspense and climactic conclusions whilst the interrogation and crime investigation scenes give it the meaning. Matt Murdock, a lawyer who suffers from blindness after a car accident when he was a child, portrays a dark version of a child's protagonist. He sets out with his colleague to solve mysteries involving murders and trying to crack them with help of the victim's story when he is himself but sets out to gain justice when he puts on the Daredevil costume, making the two culminate conclusively. With cinematography being designed to bring out the characters and the dark, eerie crime cases, the audience are welcomed into a new filmic style for a modern representation of a superhero.
What was clever and inventive about "Daredevil" was how it didn't immediately show Matt Murdock as a developed superhero, not giving the audience the calm and reassuring feeling that he has been doing it for all his adult life. Instead, it showed the beginner Daredevil and not the experienced one thus representing a more innocent, "I don't know why I'm doing this yet" approach which can cause uneasy responses from the audience as he is constantly juggling with danger. There were many scenes in this episode that appeared as heroic whilst there were other scenes that were considerably dubious, yet somehow, the two cooperatively made the other one look better as the episode went on. The first action sequence at the bay was exciting and skillful as we see Daredevil in action fighting off the villains that are causes of human trafficking. Placing this scene near the beginning of the episode was a great direction to go in as we immediately develop the wrong attitude towards this character, yet, we doubt ourselves after we understand and learn that the character has vast levels of depth, emotional empathy and injustice causing him to lead this other life as a superhero, a great technique from the directors. However, as a lawyer, Matt appears as calm and controlled when interrogating victims of crimes thus increasing his character development that we can match to his heroic lifestyle that he leads but the one similarity he holds whilst being these two characters is the dark persona as if he's constantly hiding something. His colleague, Nelson, remains as the "comedy guy" between the two and has a more relaxed view on things whilst Matt holds crooked smiles and is refrained from saying much dialogue when around crowds, giving the sense that he is distinguished from other lawyers or people, causing the mirroring of two sides of a character to work very well for this adaptation.
The camera-work for "Daredevil" was shot in a manner that promoted the atmosphere around the characters as being responsive to Matt's increased sharpness of hearing, such as the slow motion of the heartbeat and the chain banging against the metal pipe. Not only does this appear as effective and well structured, but it shows the audience that the surroundings work to a character's advantage. This show being filmed a lot in the dark was very secretive and mysterious, relating to Matt's career as well as him being the Daredevil. Dark being synonymous with evil symptoms welcomes the audience into a new style of representation for superheroes but also something that we're not used to when witnessing these type of TV shows. The show featured a lot of close up shots that showed the facial expressions of the characters, striking them at a personal level and making them feel oppressed with guilt or innocence and sometimes knowledge such as Matt hearing the increased heartbeat of the woman when she told her side of the story.
The premiere of "Daredevil" didn't disappoint as an adaptation of a famous comic book hero. Surprisingly, it added a twist to the show being an original "hero saves the day" type of show and brought in a realistic approach due to it appearing more "human" with a scary approach to Matt's character. Throughout the episode, we believe to have a confirmed understanding of Matt as a character and a superhero but as each scene is shown to us, we restart and feel like we don't know him and blame ourselves for ever thinking what we did the scene before we change our minds. That's what's so genius about this show, it's ability to play with your mind and make you feel on edge but also doubtful of the narrative as it has so many opportunities to bring in another angle or punch to the storyline. The cinematography was unique as the atmosphere is filmed to be in Matt or Daredevil's advantage due to the slow motion, mirroring the sharpness of his hearing, given to him from his blindness. As well as this, the scenes were lit to present an eerie aspect as well as presenting a personality of different characters, adding to the different techniques to gain audience engagement thus making them want to continue watching. A great premiere and I look forward to the rest of the season.
The Walking Dead: Consumed (2014)
Consumed...
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 6 - "Consumed"
Episode: Consumed
We have come across the whereabouts of Daryl and Carol and their pursuit of Beth. As an episode, I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative and structure due to it being city based and less suburb scenery. As well as it being very character central with Daryl and Carol, we expected some insight into their past or purpose in this world and we weren't disappointed when this occurred. The different buildings they were in were attentive to detail as if they were abandoned and knowing they were getting closer to the "girl with blonde hair" according to a character they come across was tense and nervous for the audience to endure. In this episode, Daryl and Carol have followed the car they were chasing to the city Atlanta. But when they realise who they're dealing with, they may have struggles to rescue Beth.
Everything in this episode was nostalgic to the audience as we hadn't seen the city in this episode since Season 1 and in all honesty, it's something that I think this episode needs to feature more as it delivers more of a threat with the mass of people who have turned into walkers. I'm going to make an exception and choose the action scene in this episode where Daryl and Carol fell off the bridge in the van. Not only was this "unrealistic" to me as that drastic fall would have most likely killed them but it had that aspect of being the "last time" style of scene, especially when they both held hands as if they knew it was the end. I liked the introduction of a new way of escaping walkers as this makes the audience unknown to what is going to happen as it hasn't been repeated in other episodes which also kept them going with the episode and its narrative. A very heart pumping scene for these characters.
I was mostly interested in Carol in this episode as it showed the viewers what she did when Rick banished her from the prison. It showed a change in her character development from the beginning of Season 4 as she is sensitive and caring rather than killing people to save the group. Her life story is somewhat domestic as she mentions Ed, her husband, and her family. I personally felt that her character grows on you the more you see it portrayed as I didn't like her when we first saw her but now I love her in depth character personality. She sidetracks the future and tries to forget the past and doesn't want anyone to die. She has developed the "mother" role within the group as all her characteristics point towards her looking after her "babies", metaphorically speaking, being the rest of the group and I love the side punch this gives to the seasons.
A very large amount of credit should be observed to the settings in this episode as it must have taken a lot of preparation. Daryl and Carol find themselves in different buildings which are scrappy and have that "scavenged dry" appearance which is one aspect I love about this show. As well as the different stunts, outdoor detail and detailed locations, the camera shots played a vital part in this episode as it was centric on character development. The wide shots of the city views were a very good use of CGI effects done by the editing team. The props given to the characters are comical such as the pack of cigarettes for Daryl, this being the only thing he takes from a survivor asking for his help. The survival book Carol also had was intuitive and made the apocalyptic world appear as something that has guidelines that must be followed, almost similar to a "fight to survive" video game which relaxes the audience and gets to know the interests of these characters which I liked viewing.
"Consumed" was a variety of different techniques thrown together to deliver a great character centric episode. The audience feel they know Daryl and Carol as a person rather than characters on a screen all thanks to the personal props and insights into their attitudes and past lives. The setting of this episode showed a return of something I had missed which was the big cities location along with the help of cinematography to present these characters in a new light which will hopefully shine through the rest of the season, forgive the pun! A good episode.
The Walking Dead: Crossed (2014)
Heading for an All Out War?
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 7 - "Crossed"
Episode: Crossed
The semi-midseason finale has come upon us and I personally thought it brought back the season from its episodic arrangement of each group and their survival. What was strange about this episode was that it was calm and the characters weren't heated as much as the preparation for the Season 4 midseason finale. I loved the development in Rick as he is usually the peacemaker but when he says sentences such as "he slits his throat", it turned his character to something dark and what the audience would like to see more of from him. The cinematography weaved in and out between slow and fast paced with great tracking shots acting as the viewer of certain characters which brought this episode to life. In this episode, Daryl returns to the church and brings the rest of the group to a rescue mission in pursuit of Carol and Beth. However, when they realise the other group have other solutions, they may struggle to negotiate.
There's loads of scenes to talk about in this episode but I especially enjoyed the group taking the other officers as hostages in search for a "there's for our's" strategy. First of all, the detail of the walkers lying on the ground was amazingly realistic. It nailed the decaying of them matching the length of the disease spreading and they partly looked melted, this impressed me a lot even though it wasn't the heart of the scene. However, Rick's eyes in this scene completely scared me as he was pointing the gun at the officer who attacked Daryl, it felt as if I was knowing everything he was thinking, whether to kill him or not kill him? Assisted with a inclusive mid shot, Rick looked bloodthirsty and unforgiving whilst possessing a god like essence. The sudden conversion between calmness and action when the bullets started firing was unexpected from the audience due to the narrative containing a calm approach to this rescue mission. I for one, thoroughly enjoyed this scene and it made me rethink the future of this episode or this season.
Daryl surprised me this episode as his main purpose at this time is to save Beth and Carol whilst leaving the audience indecisive about whether he has feelings for Carol or not. I am a massive fan of his character normally but he played a vital part this episode and became the old Rick or what Rick used to be like, caring and non violent to a certain extent. When the group were planning on how to rescue Beth and Carol, their first idea is to kill everyone they come across and yet I was surprised when Daryl agreed with Tyreese's idea about an even trade as I thought he would want serious revenge. This was the beginning of a new Daryl, explaining to the audience why he's a fan favourite. He knows the idea of reasoning and doesn't want to solve everything with violence, an attribute Rick has developed. This was ongoing throughout the episode and I loved his character progression in this episode as if he has "grown up" in the apocalyptic world. Very great acting and an amazing portrayal.
This episode featured a combination of shots to show fast paced situations and tension building. When the action occurred, I loved the switch to a fast tracking shot alternating between Rick's side of the group and the officer's view of them. It promoted the dangers of people in this world and it was all quick to take in but somehow effective. Once again, the amazing attention to detail with the different buildings and the decrepit style of them really added to the atmosphere as if it was strictly between Rick's group, Dawn's group and the walkers. Finally, the ending shot of Sasha passed out on the floor and the officer sprinting in the distance was an inventive cliffhanger, we as an audience have so many things to worry about with this mid shot, is Sasha alive? What's going to happen to the officer? Most importantly, will Rick's group survive? Thoroughly enjoyable to watch with this sequence.
"Crossed" is a great set up for the midseason finale as the audience's interpretation is that nothing good is going to happen but they're left a week to ponder over their questions. Character development was shown in their approaches to how to handle things with Tyreese and Daryl being the peacemakers and solving things without violence. The cinematography was ongoing as if it was all filmed in one shot in certain scenes and the camera is moving for ages, a technique I love and is very hard to do in modern filmmaking. The buildings were decrepit and it makes the audience really involved in the world they live in and doesn't leave it for them to imagine what it would look like. You can see that the directors really put in the effort to set up the scene, especially with a city location. We're approaching the midseason finale and it has really left the audience puzzled to what is going to happen between the two groups. Along with this, I love the representation of different dangers as if walkers aren't the only threat in this world and "people are worse" as Daryl said in the season premiere. A good episode to view and I am excited for the midseason finale.
...."I'm Rick Grimes, you have two of my people..."
The Walking Dead: Coda (2014)
Everything has come to a close......So far!
We've reached the conclusion of the different story lines that have definitely shocked, surprised and saddened the audience, it's the mid season finale. I can definitely say it wasn't as good as "Too Far Gone", the season four mid season finale but it was worth watching just to find the last piece of the puzzle to this half of the season. A very sad episode indeed with the different scenes that occur but watching the group come all this way for this to happen was painful for the audience to witness. The cinematography was clever and unique as a certain technique was used to portray the atmosphere in a certain scene which I will elaborate later in this review. Characters released secrets and the episode went in depth to their journey to Terminus and what happened after the prison which was a great use of past events still effecting them to this day. In this episode, Rick and the rest of the group are heading to Atlanta to save Beth and Carol, but when the other group want to handle things in a more violent manner, it could go from a calm trade to a battle of survivors.
It's obvious which scene concluded the episode and that was the face off between both groups in the hospital. The setting was a perfect place to do the trade due to the echoing of every movement the groups did. Not only did this build up the tension for the climax but it was enclosed, leaving no escape for anyone if things suddenly turned dangerous. The dialogue between Rick and Dawn was fantastic due to them both being involved in the police and using their language, forceful and attentive, to try and set a sense of status in the scene. There were emotional aspects to this scene such as Beth's death which was the explosion of the bomb in this scene, triggering the change of attitude. All of a sudden, two people died at once from a calm scenario. As Beth finally got her freedom and saw everyone again, she got taken away from them. Norman Reedus, the actor who plays Daryl, said "it's as if someone is dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit and just as he grabs it, it slips out of his hands into the mud..." Daryl's calmness and sensitive side to approaching this trade completely disappeared for a split second as he killed Dawn, showing that if anyone hurts the group, these are the consequences. However, his tear filled eyes as he was pointing the gun made me melancholy and emotional as you can see the struggle in the group's eyes to get here, just to find that they've lost someone. A very emotional and surprising scene to sit through.
Paying a tribute to the loss of Beth, she suddenly realised and learnt more about the hospital in this episode and the attitude they have to survival, "this is who you are until the end..." It appeared to me that the hospital was a way of giving something back for all the bad things people have done, but when Beth denies it, she claims that its just a change of situation and nothing to do with personality which is why she stood out to me. She became a sensible adult and a realist in this scene from the teenager she is and felt like she understood everything that is occurring, especially with Dawn, which was proved with her confession to the other policeman. It's almost as if Beth changed her character which the audience tries to fit in with the rest of the season and how she will become, just to see her burned down and killed. I wouldn't have minded seeing some more progression of Beth but her death was very emotional to witness, especially as she is welcomed to supposed adulthood.
The cinematography was the best thing about this episode for me, especially in the trade off scene between the two groups. A clever and common technique was used to portray the scene to the audience. This was a "Dutch shot" which is used to portray tension or psychological uneasiness, and it couldn't have gone any better with the situation that the characters were in. Using different sorts of cinematography shows this episode to be inventive which is the reason I'm so interested in it, due to the attempt of finding new ways of expression. Showing Rick and Dawn's faces with close up shots were very important, acting as the mutual feeling between them both and the seriousness of protection when it comes to their groups. The camera being filmed at an angle with the faces showed them both to have one thought; to get the rest of their group back safe and to get what they want. I loved the use of different cinematography techniques.
The narrative of this mid season has come to and end and has concluded all the different plot lines, especially as everyone came together at the end with Abraham's group returning. It was emotional to witness with Beth and Bob's death and seeing the group handling it is reckoning to the audience's affection of their favourite characters, leaving them keen to see the next half of the season. A beautifully shot and constructed episode, assisted with a "Dutch shot" to show the feeling in the atmosphere in the hallway worked to meet their intentions and the audience's satisfaction along with a "kick in the head" which is the death of Beth. I've loved this season so far, the character progression has evolved gradually but in memorable instalments and the story lines didn't disappoint the audience; the threat of The Hunters, the escape from Terminus and the danger of the big city Atlanta was very attentive the comics in some story lines whilst maintaining the quality in some improvised story lines. I look forward to reviewing the next eight episodes. Brilliantly presented.
The Walking Dead: No Sanctuary (2014)
No Sanctuary...
WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 1 - "No Sanctuary"
Episode 1: No Sanctuary
After season four came to a close in March 2014, season 5 had its debut with a phenomenal premiere which had me speechless by the end of it. It became one of my favourite episodes after I had seen it. Not only was it violent and aggressive but it was deep as the narrative had a connection with what happens in each individual scene. The episode was worth the wait as we were left on a nail biting cliffhanger with the group trapped at Terminus with no means of escape. It was full of action, risky situations that I was sure weren't allowed to be seen on television but it delivered powerfully, 45 minutes of non stop liveliness. In this episode, Rick and the group are still trapped at Terminus after finding out that it's a trap and are desperately trying to escape after they learn the story behind the people at Terminus.
The scene that had me gripped the moment it appeared was when they lined up the different survivors from the train cars and leant them over a basin where their blood was about to be shed. The reason for this is because I had never seen this done on a television show before mainly because I didn't think they would be allowed to do so due to different audiences and controversy. However, a reappearance of a character, Sam, who we saw back in Season 4 was at the end of the line and when they slit his throat, my jaw dropped as it pushed a new boundary for this show, going more gruesome and bloodthirsty. This scene had great dialogue in it such as Rick describing the bag in the woods and the guns that were in it. When he severely said "that's what I'm going to use to kill you..." My blood ran cold as Rick had changed indefinitely and would silence anyone who tried to hurt him or his family. This scene made the episode, giving us some backdoor knowledge of Terminus and seeing a different side of Rick whilst the others looked terrified.
Although Rick showed us the evil side within him and the possibility of him turning into a villain such as The Governor, the character I was interested in was Gareth. Gareth is incredibly calm for a villain which made his persona look deadly and effective to Rick's group. His voice has the "joker" aspect to it which makes him show status, power and dominance over the group. Gareth's back story was intriguing to hear as he used to be as cowardly and scared as Rick's group but he found out that if you turned bad, you would survive, similar to The Governor's attitude, "you're either the butcher or the cattle..." This opened up the audience's perception of the Terminus group and that there's more than it seems when it comes to their own way of survival. However, I couldn't wait to see Gareth's character fully developed as he could be equivalent to another villain in the comic books, Negan, which I hope we'll see soon in the television show.
I have to give a large amount of credit to the cinematography in this episode as it had a lot of effort put into it to make it as dramatic and explosive as the audience hoped it would be. The setting of Terminus is created so realistically as if it actually exists in the real world and the attention to detail is very inspiring for me when I attempt to make practical films. However, the different shots used were brilliantly positioned such as the camera in the basin looking up at the throat being slit and the blood drops on the screen of the camera. This made it scary but realistic and it placed fear into the audience as they didn't know what camera shot would occur next and whether it would be as graphic as the last one. The explosion caused by Carol was done well with walkers flying everywhere and attacking Terminus which produced a quality action packed sequence.
Overall, I thought that this premiere was exactly what most audiences expected, hence the 9.7 rating on IMDb from the public. The narrative was twisting and crooked with the outcome of the Terminus group being how they are, stated by Gareth, "can't go back, Bob..." The character development was progressive along with a different Rick which I hope will echo throughout the Season along with precise cinematography piecing together to bring an episode full of dramatic situations, graphic content and vengeful attitudes to the audience. I'm going to give this episode a 9.5 out of 10 due to all these different aspects, a very good episode and I'm excited for the rest of the season.
The Walking Dead: Strangers (2014)
Strangers...
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 2 - "Strangers"
Episode 2: Strangers
After the spectacular season premiere for this season, I was excited to see what the rest of the season had in store for the audience and it didn't disappoint. After Terminus, the group are reunited and are as one but which location were they headed to next? This episode was very dark yet creative due to the different situations that occurred for the characters. We are welcomed into a new narrative, along with new characters and new dangers for Rick and the group. In this episode, the group meet Father Gabriel, a sinner, and they find refuge in his church but as they find a comfortable fortification, people go missing and new enemies start to emerge.
The key scene for me was the ending of this episode as it stuck very close and precise to the comic books. We find out, as Bob goes missing that he's been bitten when they went on a supply run. However, this being bad news for Bob, we find out that Gareth from Terminus and some other stray people had survived the fall of their camp and had "evolved into Hunters." I became very excited when I heard these words spoken by Gareth as the introduction of villains from the comics appeared with a new twist. This show took a different turn again as it became dark with the aspect of cannibals being placed into the narrative. I did start to feel nervous for Bob when I found out that his leg had been cut off and was being eaten in front of him as it showed the sinister part of Gareth's group and that the audience didn't know what was in store for the rest of Rick's group. All in all, this scene was fantastically acted and written which made me feel somewhat scared of this show.
Even though so many characters had spotlight moments in this episode, I was mostly interested in Father Gabriel as he was introduced in this episode. When we first meet him, he was being attacked by walkers and was saved by the group. However, what was interesting is how he had survived this long if he can't kill walkers due to his cowardliness and beliefs. Something was being hidden by this character as he was shy, scared but somewhat full of regret from his body language. Also, Gabriel being a character in the comic books, I was excited about the show's adaptation of him as well as the actor playing him who did it very well in my opinion. I look forward to seeing more depth from this character as the series goes on.
The cinematography was very flowing throughout the episode as it constantly followed the group's movements as well as a certain shot placed to capture the scene. I loved the tracking shot used to follow them through the wooded area as it showed them open to different dangers such as walkers or even people. The use of close up shots used were very well done to represent facial expressions of certain characters, it showed individuals talking to one another as the group was moving with their own little section such as Abraham and Rick along with Sasha and Bob and it stuck out to me as clever cinematography, made it more enjoyable to watch as an episode.
Overall, this episode was a good one to follow the premiere that the audience are still recovering from. The characters that were introduced to us in this episode were secretive, vengeful and dark in terms of personalities which is associated with Gareth's group. The different camera shots used to construct the episode were great to watch as they looked professional and inventive with aspects of uniqueness, an each to their own feature for each episode which is what I like as it's always showing something new. I look forward to how this situation is going to be handled with, will Rick's group battle Gareth's group? If so, who will come out on top? I look forward to finding out. The one criticism I have is that I think they should have captured a different person for the ending scene but apart from that, a great episode.
The Walking Dead: Self Help (2014)
What happens now?
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 5 - "Self Help"
Episode: Self Help
When I found out from the promo after the previous episode that this was going to be about Abraham's group and there whereabouts, I did start to feel a little nervous that they were following the same structure as the second half of Season 4 after the prison battle. However, this episode was acting as if it was "taking a break" from all the action and happenings going on with the other groups. This episode was the introduction and conclusion of this group's travels due to what happened with Eugene. I did enjoy this episode as a whole but I thought that it was all going a bit too fast considering I'm a reader of the comics. It was filmed very well with the different stunts they had to construct and the narrative was different than the usual "fight to survive" aspect which consistently runs through the episodes, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing. In this episode, Abraham's group are continuing their travels to Washington D.C, but when their vehicle breaks down and the truth spills, they find that their journey might not be worth persevering.
Every time I pick a scene out of an episode, I always try and pick the scenes that benefit the audience or play a vital part to the narrative of the episode or maybe the season rather than the scene that contains the most action or commendation to the directors. However, the scene that I chose was Eugene's confession that he wasn't a scientist and didn't know how to cure the disease. It was great to finally see Eugene, a weakling that can't protect himself, rise up and be the dominant person in this scene. Seeing him restraint by the truth was all thanks to some superb acting by Eugene and I loved watching it. Not only did this surprise the audience and the group for that matter, but it completely changed the atmosphere within the group and I was nervous about what would happen to Eugene, whether they would abandon him or maybe kill him. This scene affects everyone in this show as they were all counting on him to make Washington the end but it made the audience eager to see what the group would do next, especially me.
Eugene impressed me this episode in terms of characters. His development in not even half a season has grown on a large scale. I enjoyed his shyness and liability act from when he was first introduced to now as it made the audience wonder how he had survived this long without having the attributes that can kill walkers. The exposure of his secret, the only thing keeping him alive, suddenly made his character unknown and have no purpose which was a sudden conversion for him. The most important thing about Eugene was what would happen next for him as that kept on running through my mind as the narrative continued. Would Abraham abandon him? Or would they keep to the "code" of surviving together and forgive him? All these questions were left open for an answer as they weren't answered in this episode. The brainy scientist who had the world at his feet due to his intelligence of the disease suddenly became a worthless and unforgiving character which the audience had to handle and the portrayal of this conversion was done very well. I'm very excited yet nervous to find out what the rest of the group make of this character's confession.
"Self Help" was filmed more outdoors than indoors which was a change of scenery for the audience as the only main location they had seen so far was Father Gabriel's church. I enjoy episodes that are filmed outdoors as they are oppose more of a threat from the walkers due to no walls being hid behind. The stunt that was constructed with the bus breaking down and crashing was precise and realistic and developed the audience's fear of them not making it. During Eugene's confession, the group was rarely filmed as a whole but rather individual mid shots of characters expressions and reactions. Not only did this create a similar feeling between the group but it produced more sinister angst in the atmosphere and this is the sort of atmosphere this show is renowned for when it comes to cinematography, very enjoyable to watch as a viewer.
This episode was a good hiatus from the rest of the season as well as seeing the future of Abraham's group. It was comical, such as the sex scene with Abraham and Rosita which relaxed the audience from the high tension. It released a lot of answers with Eugene and the cure which were certainly needed to be answered and this was presented in cooperation with the cinematography that produced an atmosphere that the audience get nervous about as its unexpected and doesn't give anything away to what might happen next, a feature I certainly enjoy watching with The Walking Dead. A good episode to watch and I'm looking forward to the repercussions this will have on the rest of the season as we're nearing the midseason finale.
The Walking Dead: Slabtown (2014)
Not the best but exciting add to the series narrative.
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 4 - "Slabtown"
Episode: Slabtown
We've approached the halfway line between the beginning of this season and the midseason finale and in this episode the audience are finally shown the whereabouts of Beth, who got kidnapped in episode 13 of Season 4. However, I thought this episode lacked a lot of what I hoped it would be as I thought it wasn't eventful for something we had been hyped up to see for so many episodes. It was good to find out where Beth finally was and who captured her and the introduction of new potential villains was very exciting but I felt that this episode had much more to deliver to its audience. In this episode, Beth awakens in a new place which appears to be a hospital. However, when Dawn, the police woman in charge explains to Beth where she is, Beth begins to think her new so called sanctuary is a dangerous place to stay.
Even though the episode wasn't that exciting for me, it made it difficult to choose a scene in this episode that stood out to me. However, I did enjoy the dialogue between the Doctor and Beth. It got personal between both characters which is what I enjoy watching. I like how they both are attempting to realise their purpose in this new world that they live in, especially with Beth as her attitude is very "not bothered" when it comes to what happens next, an aspect not considered in Dawn's new safe haven. The Doctor, a cowardly yet intelligent man, seems frightened of this new world that they live in and I thought him talking about what he does was inventive as it was different from the typical Doctor's occupation, it seemed to me that he is trying to keep his mind off what is happening in the hospital as he is very secretive about it when mentioned. This did keep the episode alive with an unknown narrative.
Beth had to be the character that interested me in this episode above all the others. I was also disappointed with the representation of the people that kidnapped her, they didn't give any presence and didn't possess any threat to the series from what I could gather in this episode, however, it is an early introduction for them so things could change. Beth, the struggling to survive teen who lived day after day sleeping in broken down cars after the fall of the prison, awakes to find herself attached to a drip in a hospital bed, clean and undisturbed. Her suddenly being like this makes her question that something isn't right which is interesting as this is what she was looking for since the apocalypse occurred. It seems that her character represents the fall of old fashioned society and that things will never be what they used to be but you can still survive, a very interesting aspect that can be taken from this episode.
In terms of camera-work and direction for this episode, I thought that the setting was brilliantly constructed. In my view, there was nothing better than a hospital to entrap Beth from the rest of the group as it developed an eerie factor about it. Also, hospitals are stereotypically scary when the public are asked about them so I thought it was great to bring it into this show, it shows the directors really understand what discomforts the audience. The camera shots kept everyone involved in the episode as well as featuring off screen activity when Dawn is whispering to her other colleagues which added mystery to the narrative. All in all, the construction was of the hospital was very good whilst the camera-work was just above average but yet still inventive in some parts, especially at the end when Carol came in on the hospital bed and the musical slow motion.
As an episode, I wouldn't have considered this one to be an "outstanding" episode which was a shame for the audience when they were so keen to find out who took Beth. It was enlarged for something that was quite small when it came to the conclusion of the kidnapping. However, I am still intrigued to see what these new villains are capable of as I expect Rick's group will attempt to rescue her and Carol. The setting was the best part of this episode as it was very attentive to detail and created a mysterious safe haven for these survivors but letting the audience detect something isn't quite "safe" about it, keeping them in the loop, wanting to carry on watching despite the downhill in the series from this episode. Not the best, but still opens up chances for different things to happen which I'm excited to see.
The Walking Dead: Four Walls and a Roof (2014)
Great episode! Emotional and conclusive.
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 3 - "Four Walls And A Roof"
At last the fans and the mass audience get to find out what happens after episode two of this season and the show delivered another great episode to add to its high quality tally. This episode answered all the questions that I had waiting to ask after the end of the last episode. It was emotional, very emotional due to a loss of a character that we had just got accustomed too. I also loved what the show did with the lighting, making it produce a dark contrast compared to the other episodes being very high in saturation with the lighting. I couldn't wait to do a review on the different developments of characters and the different situations the characters find themselves in with this episode. In this episode, The Hunters are seeking out to capture Rick and the group to seek revenge for destroying Terminus whilst Rick has a decision to make about Washington with members of his group missing.
The best scene in this episode for me was the attack on the church by The Hunters. The reason for this is because it was different and distinguished itself to other attack scenes. It was sly, sneaky yet effective whilst maintaining the scare factor with it being shot in the dark. Not only did this add to the personality of The Hunters, but it made the atmosphere unexpected when action occurred. I loved how Rick trapped them by pretending to go out of the Church and then coming back and taking them hostage. This makes the audience feel in a way, triumphant, especially for Rick as he always comes out on top when it comes to people harming his group or family. Rick's line "I already made you a promise" linking back to him saying he would kill Gareth with the machete back in Terminus was very well constructed and written as it presented a bloodthirsty Rick whose new ambition is to kill all that harm and not leave any reasoning. A great scene to watch and it set up the whole episode's narrative and linked back to previous episodes. As well as this scene, Bob's death was very emotional to watch and it shows the effect it has on Rick's group as its shown in their actions, carrying on as if a piece of them is missing which makes the audience worry some characters will not be able to cope with it, especially Sasha. A very sad scene and a massive farewell to Bob.
The character that stood out to me in this episode was Gareth. I felt that he really came out of his shell in this episode and revealed his true self to the audience, especially when he entered the church. Doing this, Gareth possessed a god-like feature as if he knew that there was no way out for the group and they must obey him. The contrast between his different personalities is intriguing as he develops a childlike characteristic when Rick and the rest of the group trick them and come back to the church. The ability to switch between these two characteristics is what makes his character so great to watch, it reminded me of the villain Negan in the comic books which I'm sure we will see eventually. In this episode, Gareth evolved from a Hunter and thought he was king of the zombie apocalypse as he acted as if everything should match to his expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.
This episode kept the same structure in terms of cinematography with the previous episode, maintaining the dark and scary aspect which made the Hunters appear sinister. An interesting idea I've picked up, when we saw the group in Terminus, the audience weren't that affected but in this episode they are shocked due to the lighting changing their personalities along with how situations have placed them in this position. The different shots used were also spot on as they captured the scene very well when it came to the attack from The Hunters. The camera shot looking up at Rick, acting as Gareth's point of view when kneeling down made Rick appear the God-like character and it surprised the audience with a quick alternation of characters being dominant in the scene. Very enjoyable to watch.
Overall, this episode acted well as a conclusion to The Hunters storyline. We paid a goodbye to Bob which was a very emotional scene due to him wanting the world to change even if he couldn't make it himself and it was powerfully portrayed. The different scenes, all being mixed with emotional and action sequences, made the episode exciting yet scary to the audience as I personally had no idea what was going to occur in the next scenes. The cinematography continued the same atmosphere as the previous episode, keeping the fear factor which I personally enjoyed watching. The different camera shots used, tracking shots, long shots, mid shots, close up shots made characters seem dominant and fearful at the same time which is a very hard technique to do in filming but this show pulled it off brilliantly. A sad yet exciting episode and I'm excited for the next storyline which I hope will bring the return of Beth into the mix.
Forrest Gump (1994)
A masterpiece!
I never give films a 10 as no film is a 10 in my eyes. However, this film is just a masterpiece. I think it's got that typical boy chasing girl routine which is expressed so emotionally and sensitively. I like the realism of this film, how it focuses on real life issues and how they're incorporated into Forrest's life. I think this film is brilliantly written, shot and presented so that the audience feels the true depth. I especially love how everything Forrest gets into is the simple "in the moment" attitude which says a lot about society which I especially enjoyed the most. A fantastic film, recommend to all. It can open your eyes to how you see your life as well as what is around you. :)