Alphabear gives a new twist to puzzle word games. You have to create words with the small number of letters you have available. Each letter you use is one space where bears can grow, giving you points and power ups. Each letter you don't use gets a number from its countdown subtracted. Once a letter reaches zero, it turns to stone and a bear can't grow in its place. You also get cute, squared bears on each level. You can use them later to give you boosts.
It is simple, yet challenging and addicting. Having a small amount of random letters to choose from makes you think hard for clever ways to use most of the letters in one go. The timed version is even harder. So, you are exercising your brain without even realizing it. As an added bonus Alphabear has beautiful graphics and an easy to understand interface.
The only thing I don't enjoy is the currency to play games. You have to use honey to enter a game, but even if you have the full amount of honey you can have at one time, you'll only be able to play two games in one go. Then, you'll have to wait for the honey to fill up again. Which means that when I want to play, I can't, and when I can, I don't remember to. You can always buy more honey with real cash, of course.
Title: Doctor Who Series Number: 5 Broadcasting Station: BBC One Number of Episodes: 13 Original Release: 3 April 2010 – 26 June 2010 Official Site
Official Trailer
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With a new Doctor, a new companion, a new Tardis, a new sonic screwdriver, as well as a new showrunner (Steven Moffat), this season feels like another reboot of the series. And let me tell you, I like Doctor Who a lot more now. Moffat is doing wonders for this show. It is young and fresh, and its fast pace makes you feel like you are living an adventure yourself. As opposed to Davies’ series which were more slow and dramatic.
After watching the first episode of the season, “The Eleventh Hour”, Matt Smith’s Doctor became my favorite Doctor yet. This feeling was only strengthen after each episode. He is energetic, smart, witty and super crazy. I love how Matt Smith has made a more physical Doctor. With his constant hand gestures and his moving about you get a glimpse of the craziness inside his head.
Amy is also a really good character, worthy companion for The Doctor. I don’t like the sense of ownership she has over The Doctor, but I can deal with that. She is strong, decided, and unafraid. She leads The Doctor more than he leads her. Their friendship is a story for the ages.
The other traveler in the Tardis this season, Rory, caught me by surprise. He seemed like an ordinary scrawny doofus in the first episode and I didn’t give him much thought. Until the very end of the series. His love and loyalty towards Amy left me speechless. The sacrifice he made for her brought tears to my eyes. I will not look at him the same way again, no matter how dorky he still looks.
It was also super fun to see River Song again. That one-off Moffat character that knows The Doctor’s name. Her flirtations with this younger, super awkward Doctor are hilariously cheeky but cute. She is a sexier female version of The Doctor and I love it. Still, the mystery continues. We don’t know who she is or how she knows The Doctor. We know that she likes to order him around and that she flies the Tardis like a pro, better than The Doctor himself. But that’s not much.
Moffat has changed Doctor Who for good. This whole season was amazing, full of remarkable character, laughs, and feels. It has many extraordinary episodes like the one where you meet The Doctor: “The Eleventh Hour”; the laugh-out-loud funny: “The Lodger”; and the one that makes me cry every time I watch it: “Vincent and The Doctor”. Not every episode in this series is grandiose, but they are all really good. And even the ones that I consider a bit slow, (like “The Vampires of Venice”) are way better than most of the episodes of previous series. Moffat is definitely off to a great start.
Official Synopsis: After a tragic ending to her short-lived super hero stint, Jessica Jones is rebuilding her personal life and career as a detective who gets pulled into cases involving people with extraordinary abilities in New York City.
STEPH SAID Rating: Review:
Stupid is too little a word to describe Jessica Jones, both the character and the TV series. I’ve used stupid so many times that it has lost all its meaning I changed to rubbish in honor of David Tennant’s British English, but I still feel like a need a stronger word to describe this series.
Yes, the acting is really good, still Jessica Jones has many problems, and the biggest one is Jessica herself. I can’t believe that the most annoying character in the series was the one to express the simplest yet most powerful truth of the whole series. “Would this Kilgrave cat have hurt any of you if Jessica Jones hadn't pissed him off? […] Each of his atrocities can be traced back to her.”
Every problem in this season could have been prevented if Jessica were smart enough. For example, she knew that Kilgrave’s effect lasted 12 hours, so she should have left Hope in her house for 12 hours until the effects wore off. Just like she did with Luke later on. She was free from Kilgrave’s influence ever since she killed Reva and she hadn’t noticed. She needed a big reveal, ten episodes in, to know it. Jessica had Kilgrave unconscious after he had proven that Hope was to be released. She could’ve killed him, but instead decided to tie him up and make a call. She was also knocked unconscious by the weakest character in the series, which meant that Kilgrave got to Hope first, after her release from prison. Jessica had Kilgrave eating from the palm of her hand and decided to screw that and torture him into confessing, something that was obviously never going to happen. And so on and so on.
Jessica is just so idiotic and ignorant! Kilgrave’s parents said he was going to die so they injected him with an experimental virus that could prologue his life and all she thought to say was “So you infected him?” in an accusatory tone. She’s supposed to be resourceful yet she lets Kilgrave deceive her in every turn. And she is followed everywhere she goes. She’s resourceful but she can’t even get an address right or a doctor to stich her up when her ribs are broken. She’s resourceful but she can’t get herself locked up in maximum security even after delivering a human head to a police officer. She’s resourceful yet Kilgrave escapes due to a cut wire.
Kilgrave and Jessica’s relationship is also questionable. She hates him because he made her kill someone (even though, as he mentioned, all he said was take care of her, not kill her). I believe this made Jessica romanticize their relationship. And she turned all her guilt for Reva into hate for Kilgrave. He gave her the opportunity to escape, the opportunity she had, apparently, been waiting for since the first day. She had it and decided to contemplate the street and do nothing. Thus, I believe Kilgrave is not as evil as Jessica tries to make him. At least at first he isn’t. I’m not saying he’s good. I’m just saying he’s not evil either. He is in the gray area. It was Jessica who turned him into the monster he was at the end.
The “plot” was so thin that the writers had to recur to lots and lots of fillers to make 13 50-minutes episodes. However, they didn’t even create full blown plots. They only managed to introduce characters that talked enough to consume time. Like the drug addict that turned out to be the spy, (I saw that one coming). Like the annoying twins that served no purpose. Ruben’s death could’ve been replace by an unnamed character and the effect would’ve been the same. And Robyn does nothing but complain about her brother through the whole series. Hope did nothing but kill her parents in the first episode. Hope was actually Jessica’s frustrations personified. She was an ideal. Therefore, she was not needed. Luke, was kind of cool, I admit. But again, did nothing for the plot of the series. Hogarth and her story was the only proper subplot, yet it was unrelated and unnecessary to the story. I know Simpsons will turn out to be important, but so far nothing. The only sub-story I enjoyed was Jessica and Trish’ origin story. That was a worthy subplot. That should’ve been the primary story: Jessica as a teenager, living with Trish and being kidnaped by Kilgrave. Yet, they reduced that plot to a couple of scenes.
People probably like Jessica Jones because is different, but different doesn’t mean good. She drinks hard and has powerful sex, but that’s all she really does. Well, that and whine about her crappy life. She’s considered good because she wants to help people but people without superpowers do more every day than she ever did in this TV series. Think of cops, firemen, caregivers. The only persons Jessica helps is Trish, because they are sisters, and Hope, because Jessica sees herself in Hope. And no Daredevil cameo? Come on! This series turn out to be so bad, that not even David Tennant’s performance could save it.
Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Year: 2015 Director: J. J. Abrams Rating by the MPAA: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence Official Page Official Trailer
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Review: *This review contains spoilers.*
I heard this movie was great, and knowing that it was Disney
and directed by J. J. Abrams I didn’t doubt it. I left the theater
disappointed. The first half of the movie is wonderful. The new characters are
brilliant, funny, brave and strong. They defy categorization; they break gender
boundaries. And, I care for them deeply. However, once Leia arrived, the movie
only went downhill.
When I realized that this was another destroy-the-death-star
plot I was furious. This is the same plot of Star Wars 4 and 5. This is the
third time this plot is used! The third time! After this I began drawing parallels
between this story and a new hope. A droid is trusted with critical information
from a rebellion sympathizer. The droid is then acquired by the main character,
who lives in a dessert. The main character, with the help of a friend, sets out
to deliver the droid to its destination.
Also, after Leia’s return I realized the travesty of her
relationship with Han Solo. They lost a kid to the dark side! I understand that
can drive a couple apart. But they weren’t even sad, it was like “We are so
distraught and disappointed that we are living our separate lives. And when we
see each other for the first time in years, let’s pretend nothing has happened.
Let’s talk normal and make jokes, even when talking about our kid who drove us
to be separated.” They were so low-key, all the time. I couldn’t help but think,
“They are so old!” I believe Han Solo and Leia deserve so much more. They don’t
deserve that story line, but if that is what they got, at least make it
powerful, sentimental. Make us ache for their pain. Give us the feels.
Another similitude with previews Star Wars movies was the
death over the great chasm. The minute Solo stepped on the bridge I knew he was
going to die. It was no surprise at all. Every moment after that, until his
death, I was asking “really?” “really?!”
On top of this, the main character’s story doesn’t even gets
peeked at. Just some vague images of her being a little kid and that’s it. Her
ending was just as vague. She was just standing there, literally. That ending
had so much potential. A movement, a word could’ve changed the whole movie, but
instead everyone just stood there. And then roll credits.
All of this without getting technical. For example, why couldn’t
any computer identify the map BB-8 had? How did R2-D2 discover the rest of the
map? Who is Snoke? How is he the Supreme Leader? Who are the knights of Ren? How
exactly does the Death Star work? Does it move next to the stars it will use?
Why would J. J. Abrams make the First Order resemble the Third Reich? Why
wasn’t Leia’s base destroyed along with the resistance planets? How did a
janitor became a stormtrooper? How exactly did Poe survive? How did Leia know
what was happening inside the Death Star? And while we’re at it, how did Finn find
Rey inside the Death Star? He went to where he saw her, but she should’ve been
long gone. Who made the map to Skywalker? He certainly didn’t. And, why was Rey
sent after him? So many things left unexplained!
I think they were trying to pay homage to previews Star Wars
movies, and join the best of the first and second trilogy in one epic movie.
And probably that’s why so many people love it. However, the lack of a
developed and consistent plot, and the fact that they recycled so many things I
have already seen, without making an effort to renovate them, left me feeling
utterly bored and annoyed.
how i met your mother - Second Season Number of Episodes: 22 Broadcasting Station: CBS Original release: September 18, 2006 - May 14, 2007
Official Synopsis: How I Met Your Mother Season 2 depicts the next steps in Ted's hilarious quest to find the perfect romance. His friends Marshall and Lily are getting married, Barney is still happily single and Ted is looking for Ms. Right. (cbsstore.com)
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I can't believe this season is better than the previous one! I thought the first season of how i met your mother was great and flawless, yet, this season is even more hilarious, more dramatic and more story-rich than its predecessor.
The best part of this whole season is, without a doubt, Barney Stinson. He was at the center of some of the season's funniest moments like: the “Slap Bet”, when everybody started calling him Swarley, or the time he had a “relationship” with Lily. At the same time, he was the author of the season's most heartwarming moments like his encounter with his “father”, and when we discover the real reason for Lily's return to New York. I love how he has taken a more central role; his personality has been evolving and every few episodes we see a new layer of him.
This series has something that I had never seen before on TV or movies, and love: the ability to revisit old stories and develop them. On the pilot episode of this series Ted said that he was present during Marshall and Lily's first time. He said that he was on the top bunker, and that was that. More than a season later, we revisit that story and what Ted said is put into context. Many instances of this phenomenon occurred during the season and every time I was left happily impressed.
how i met your mother has given us two unbelievably amazing seasons in a row. Let’s see if it continues to deliver.
Title: Cinderella Year: 2015 Director: Kenneth Branagh Rating by the MPAA: PG for mild thematic elements
Official Synopsis: The story of Cinderella follows young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, she finds herself at the mercy of her jealous and cruel new family. (movies.disney.com)
This movie is a beautiful enhancement of a classical story. I can’t find any fault in it. Both the rather new talent and the veteran actors excelled. Although, Cate Blanchett is my favorite. Her beautiful looks, mixed with her cold and stern attitude make for an intimidating woman.
The movie made some tweaks here and there to help the audiences understand the story better. Yet, the story is exactly as it was before. The small changes explain the reasons’ behind the stepmother’s actions. I love that those reasons don’t justify her or present her as misunderstood. What she’s doing is wrong, but now you know why she’s doing it. Also, the relationship between Cinderella and the prince is seen from a different perspective. Though, most important to me is the explanation of Ella’s decision to stay in her house, enduring the mistreatment. She was keeping some promises she made to her parents years earlier. She could have escape, but decided not to. Marrying the prince was not an escape route either, she didn’t see it as a chance to improve her life or her monetary situation; it was a decision based on mutual attraction.
Disney has taken a lot of heat in recent years for creating unreasonable expectations for little girls, as well as for creating weak, female characters whose sole purpose is to marry a man. Yet, this movie is all about girl power and freedom of choice.
Title: The Nightmare Before Christmas Director: Henry Selick Year: 1993
Official Synopsis: Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere.
This movie is perfect; I find nothing wrong with it. First of all, the world it takes place in is rather original, having every holiday be a land within a world. Halloween Town is everything you'd expect from Halloween. You have werewolves, vampires, witches, ghosts, skelletons, pumpkins etc. It is dark and mysterious and yet so full of life and happiness. Christmas Town is bright and chirpy and can do no wrong. In the end the lands are intertwined for good in beautiful acceptance.
Second, the plot is magnificent. It is complete and consistent and full of surprises.
Also, I am in love with the soundtrack. Since this movie is a musical, the songs constitute a very important part of storytelling. And this musical nailes them. They are catchy, witty, and dramatic, with a nice pace, and most importantly, they literally tell the story.
But, what I love the most are the characters, especially the lead Jack Skellington. He is a perfectly round character and the force that drives the plot forwards. It is his story. He is funny, endearing, relatable, and a dreamer. I pitty his empty existence and understand his desire for something more. It is a very human struggle, the desire to be important, to leave a mark, to do more, to feel alive. The supporting characters, though not as developed as Jack, create a very entertaining compliment for the Jack.
This movie is a joy to watch. I wouldn't change a thing. It is perfect the way it is. There is a reason why it is still famous after all these years.
Title: The Third Wheel Author: Jeff Kinney Year of Publication: 2012
Official Synopsis: A Valentine's Day dance at Greg's middle school has turned his world upside down. As Greg scrambles to find a date, he's worried he'll be left out in the cold on the big night. His best friend, Rowley, doesn't have any prospects either, but that's a small consolation.
An unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves Rowley the odd man out. But a lot can happen in one night, and in the end, you never know who's going to be lucky in love.
Official Page Official Trailer STEPH SAID Rating: Review:
This book was a sweet surprise. I was already getting used to low quality Wimpy Kid stories. And, even though this story is not literary art, it is engaging. The Third Wheel is a relatable story about finding love and dating. Our media is filled with these type of stories, from romantic comedy movies to hilarious memoirs. Listening to such a story from an egocentric 12-years-old boy is a rather funny twist. Of course, Greg was not actually looking for true love, he only wanted a date to a dance. Still, his ideas for finding one are questionable, but unfortunately all too real. He tried to impress girls by dressing better, he surrounded himself by “bad boys”, he got a “man” on the inside (Rowley), he stalked girls, used a wingman (Rowley), and tried to impress a girl with money and/or expensive things, among other things. Greg nailed everything people do to find a significant other. Of course, he always went for the pretty and popular girls, so, even if he did everything “right”, he never would have stand a chance.
What I love the most about this book is how it conveys the reality of kids/teenagers interactions in such a light tone. At one point Greg creates a graph that demonstrate who likes who in school and I was immediately transported to high school. The graph had many lines crossing from one place to another, but hardly any love was requited.
I also loved the ending of the book, which gives us a glimpse of what dating is really all about. Rowley and Greg decide to go to the dance with one girl, Abigail – all three as friends. Greg spent all night trying to impress the girl. However, she leaned towards Rowley’s nice attitude and relatable personality. The cherry on top was when, in the middle of the dance, Abigail’s original date, the one that had “family obligations” and couldn’t go to the dance, enters the dance floor with another girl. In that moment I was blown away by the crudeness of the story. Kinney’s light tone, through Greg’s clueless arrogance, brushed it off as something unimportant that happened. And maybe to the reader and everyone else is unimportant. But, when something like that happened in real life, it’s not a laughing matter.
In the end, The Third Wheel did what it was supposed to, entertain. It wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny but it was still amusing. I was surprised by the underlying drama and reality of it. Now, I am certainly looking forward to the next book.
Official Premise: Slender is a short,
experimental horror game in which you must travel into a dark woods at night
with a simple goal: find 8 pages that are scattered across the woods. But as
you are looking for them, you are being stalked by an entity that grows more
persistent and relentless as each page is collected, an entity that you cannot
even look at for long, let alone fight. Your only hope is to collect all 8
pages before it catches you…
I've known about
Slender: The Eight Pages for a long time now, but it wasn't until I played it
myself that I realized just how much of a masterpiece it really is. The game
itself is incredibly straightforward. You're stuck in a big, dense forest
looking for eight notes, pages written by someone else. The forest is
incredibly dark, though, and with only a flashlight to light your way, it'll
take a steeled heart to achieve that goal. The game itself doesn't actually
have a story, but it doesn't need it. The sounds, the 'stalking' monster, and
the setting are all perfectly balanced, making this more horrifying and scary
than most modern-day horror games. I found no fault with this game and, if you
enjoy games that scare you, this is probably the best one out there. (It is definitely better than FNAF.)
Title: Iron Man 2 (2010) Director: Jon Favreau MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language
Official Synopsis: In Iron Man 2, the world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark is the armored super hero, Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts and James "Rhodey" Rhodes at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces. (Paramount Pictures)
This movie didn't make progress or build on its predecessor. The overarching plot is the same as Iron Man: someone Tony knows takes Tony's ideas and tries to improve them by creating a “better” suit, but ends up getting his butt kicked by Tony. The "development" of Tony and Ms. Potts' romantic relationship leaves them in the exact place they were in the first movie. And, the main villains Hammer and Vanko, felt like one-dimensional evil characters that only exist to make Stark the hero. The few differences this movie has with Iron Man-- like the name of the villains, the presence of SHIELD, or War Machine-- didn't add anything new to the story. (After all, Tony could've found out about his father's plans on his own.)
Yet again, it is Downey Jr.'s performance what carries this movie. This character comes naturally to him. Other 'pros' this movie has are the portable Iron Man suit, which was an unexpected surprise, and Black Widow. She was probably added to increase the number of female characters and she didn't advance the plot as much as you'd like her too, but it was still nice to have her.
All in all is was a good movie. But, as a sequel, it wasted Iron Man's potential.
Doctor Who (2005) Episode Title: The End of Time Part 1 and Part 2 Broadcasting Station: BBC One
Official Synopsis: It is Christmas Eve, and the Doctor is reunited with Wilf [… He] faces the end of his life, as the Master's victory unleashes the greatest terror of all.
This is a two-part farewell for David Tennant so, as expected, it ended with a bang. Sadly, the journey to that 'bang' isn't what you'd expect. The first part sucked, while the second part was actually pretty epic. There's not much to say, honestly. There's a lot of plot devices, useless moments, as well as far too much taken for granted. The overall plot (humankind being replaced) isn't quite original, since that's the basics of all Cybermen episodes up until now. There was, however, a lot of redeeming points, specially David Tennant's performance of the Doctor. He was, without a doubt, amazing. His ability to transmit the Doctor's emotions is just fantastic, and that's without even saying anything. Wilfred was both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and his love for the Doctor just makes him all the more adorable.
The 100 (2014) Broadcasting Station: The CW Number of Episodes: 13
Official Synopsis: Ninety-seven years after nuclear Armageddon destroyed our planet, humanity’s sole survivors live on the Ark, an aging space station experiencing overpopulation and inadequate resources. When faced with difficult choices, the Ark leaders [...] decide to send 100 juvenile prisoners back to Earth to test its living conditions.
With the survival of all in their inexperienced hands, The 100 young people must learn to rise above their differences and forge a new path on a wild and dangerous landscape that teems with radioactive waste, turbulent weather and unimaginable predators…or face the ultimate extinction of the human race!
I did not expect that! At all. This is a CW series, so I thought this will be a Hunger Games/ Pretty Little Liars mash-up. And while it still has some of the CW's traits like forced love triangles and such, it isn't a soap opera catering to teenagers. This series is actually really dark, gruesome, and gory. In fact, some scenes were so brutally graphic, they made me feel uncomfortable. However, that didn't dampen my enjoyment of the series.
One of the things that I first liked about this series is the raw humanity of it and in it. Even though the story takes place more than a hundred years into our future, and people are living on space, the thematic of this series cannot be further from our reality. Many philosophical and psychological topics were undertaken: questions of right or wrong, life or death, anarchy or order. When The 100 reach the ground, a state of anarchy, where they thought they did “whatever the hell [they] want”, was instated. But, things started to get complicated when they found themselves under attack from a unknown group. A makeshift government was created and decisions about who lives or dies, or whether to torture a prisoner or not emerged. This series presents human with only the most basic instinct in their mind: survival. They'll do whatever it takes. They don't take time to moralize or think about the repercussions; they only wanted to survive. That, I believe, is why this series is so alluring.
Another interesting fact about this series is the lack of a proper, main antagonist. Most characters are a shade of gray. Some are darker, some are lighter. We see “good guys” doing questionable things, and “bad guys” saving people. Most characters are just moving in this pool of gray throughout the series. Some of them even surprise you with their decisions. In the end, you care about the characters you hated in the first episode and vice versa. But, I'd say only one character is completely good, and one completely bad. One sacrifices himself for the greater good, the other stabs everyone on the back. So, the series has a pretty good balance there.
Unfortunately, not every character is good, or interesting, or even likable. The men are really good, and they get better with every episode. The women, on the other hand, leave much to be desired. Not one of them was consistent. Octavia seems like a badass chick. The “I'll do whatever the hell I want” type. Until her big brother tells her to stay put, and she does. Raven, even though a little too egotistic for my taste, could've taken any guy in a fight or in an intelligence match. Yet, she pines for one guy for most of her onscreen time. And, the main character, Clarke, is insufferable. She is way too uptight. She is the type of person who makes decisions against everyone's counsel, and then complains because it went wrong. In all fairness, she started showing signs of improvement near the end of the season.
But, none of this matters, because two-thirds into the story, each remaining episode greatly conveyed the drama and the thrills concerning the impending war. That was all I cared about in the end.
So, give it a chance. If you let it, this series will surprise you as well.
Marvel's Daredevil (2015) - Season 1 *This series is rated TV-MA* Broadcasting Station: Netflix Number of Episodes: 13
Official Synopsis: "Marvel's Daredevil" is a live action series that follows the journey of attorney Matt Murdock, who in a tragic accident was blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses. Murdock sets up practice in his old neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, New York where he now fights against injustice as a respected lawyer by day and masked vigilante at night.
For more information you can visit the Official Marvel Page. To watch the whole first Season of Marvel's Daredevil head to Netflix. Official Trailer
STEPH SAID Rating: Review:
Daredevil is definitely good. But, is it the best superhero series out there? Not really.
First of all, the exposition of the first two episodes is terrible. If I hadn't been able to binge watch the series, I woudn't have watch it until the end. The first two episide have Matt and Foggy forcibly talking, and explaining their situation, to many different people in order set the scene. Also, we get to see scenes from Matt's past that help set the scene: his relationship with his father, how was his life without his mother, and how he adjusted to his knew blind life. However, in the first two episodes, and most of the third one, we don't have any clue about how Matt does what he does. If the audience doesn't know anything about Daredevil the character, they can think Matt can actually see and is just deceiving everybody. That makes it a little harder to relate to him as a person. Likewise, we don't know why he decided to become a vigilante, how he learned martial arts (his father is a boxer), what happened to Matt after his father died, or what happened to his mother. We don't even know who the villain is. So, in the beginning it is really hard to follow and enjoy the story due to all the unanswered questions.
On top of that, Karen is unbearable throughout all the series. She has this savior/spy complex. She believes she can take down an ubber rich/drug dealing/ trigger happy/ police controlling unknown mafia overlord all by herself. He controls the media, the police, the justice system, but she still believes she can write a pice of news and his whole kingdom will come crumbling down. In the end, I was even happy when one of the characters died because of her contant pestering. I thought she will finally understand who she is up against.
The series took off after the third episode, and the story began to unravel. We met all the villains, and find out about their collective plan. We, too, learned enough about Matt to relate to him. That's when the series draws the audience in, when it becomes very interesting. I appreciated how the main villain seem to be one step ahead of Matt all the time, yet he is the one damaging himself. He is the one that narrows the circle of villains and the circle of people who trust him. Though, that means that Daredevil didn't do as much to take down Kingpin as Kingpin did to himself. I also enjoyed the character Kingpin, his background story, and how he belives he is doing the right thing. In fact, in the beginning of the series Kingpin and Daredevil both stood on the same ground, for the same goal: to make Hell's Ktchen better. It wasn't until more than halfway through the series that Kingpin actually become the villain. That made it a little harder to see Daredevil as the “hero” and Kingpin as the “villain”.
If that weren't enough, the ending was anticlimatic; I didn't like it at all. It wastes two-thirds of its time in a legal battle, trying to teach the message that in the end legal justice is the best course of action, which contradicts Daredevil's core beliefs. Then, the series does yet another 180 degrees flip when Matt decides that the enforcement of the law is not enough, just as he already believed up to episode nine. On top of that, some personal relationships get a rushed make-up, so we could have a small scene of everyone happily drinking on the same table. And that is not all, because, in addition, the scene is not set for the next season. I don't know what to expect for season two of Daredevil.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the overall story quite a lot, mostly because of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Toby Leonard Moore's Wesley. Both actors carry the weight of the series and move it forward, specially during the first half of the season. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have continued watching the series. Additionally, the fights! We definitelly need more three-minute-one-shot fights! The only thing that dampened my enjoyement of the series as a whole is Karen. Everything else on this review I can overlook. If I were to rationally and mathematically rate this season, the outcome would have been definitelly lower. But, I love Matt Murdock/Daredevil, and this darker take, along with Cox's performance (not the production of the series) makes him justice. Thus, the four stars.
Official Synopsis: Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as "Tomorrowland."
Official Trailer
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When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it'd be riding the whole touch-the-pin gimmick into the ground. In fact, when I walked into the theater, I wasn't even excited for it. I was skeptical, even though it's a Disney movie, and believe me when I tell you that, without a doubt, this movie raised the bar to never-before-seen heights.
Each actor played their role impecably. Each scene and moment was impactful in it's own way, from the very funny ones to the shocking plot twists halfway through. I found myself laughing, which isn't that hard to believe. But I also found myself amazed, awestruck, even shocked, as if I were part of the movie, not just watching. I felt what Casey, the main character, was feeling. I understood Frank's negativity. I loved Athena. No movie made me link with the characters as much as this one did, and that's saying something.
Beyond that, and without going into spoilers, the actual message is something that is meaningful to this day and age. It inspired me to never give up, which, in and of itself, is my favorite part of the movie. In the past several years, I've seen hundreds of movies, but none of them has inspired me, or made me feel like this message was meant for me. Specially because, in this movie's case, the message applies to every single one of us, from adults to little children.
In the end, Disney has done it again, breaking the limits and creating another masterpiece to add to their, already incredible, galery. This movie is definitely worth watching with the family, as every member of it will find something great in this movie. It has become my all-time favorite movie, so go watch it. You definitely will not regret it.
how i met your mother Number of Episodes: 22 Broadcasting Station: CBS Original release: September 19, 2005 – May 15, 2006
Official Synopsis: How I Met Your Mother Season 1 tells a love story in reverse. Egged on by his best friend's upcoming nuptials, Ted believes he finds the woman of his dreams in Robin - though destiny might have something different in mind.
STEPH SAID
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I'm not a sit-com savvy, but the first season of how i met your mother has some of the best comedy I've seen. It had me laughing out loud from beginning to end. What I loved most about it, and what I think is the reason for its success, is its unconventional characters. The characters of himym are practically the opposite of the usual, stereotypical characters found in comedy. We have Ted, a guy who is in search of his true love; Robin, a woman who doesn't want to get married or have kids; and Marshall and Lily, a couple that has been together for nine years.
However, what takes this series from really good to wonderful is, most definitely, Barney Stinson. Neil Patrick Harris' portrayal of the suit-loving gigolo was hysterical and somehow touching. When I saw the reason he was a suit, I was moved. At the same time, I could almost hear him sing “Evil inside of me, is on the riiise”.
Something else that make this series quite different from others is its seamless weaving of good drama with comedy. There were scenes in this series that literally brought tears to my eyes. The final scene was particularly sad. During those moments I would make a double take, and suddenly realize I was watching a comedy. And then, loved the series even more.
The only thing that worries me is the fact that from the beginning of the series we already know the ending: Ted founds the woman of his dreams and has two kids with her. Robin ends up as the kids' aunt. Knowing that the series is nine seasons long, I fear that the writers are just going to beat around the bush for most of the series.
Official Synopsis: In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Living in the shadows--cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler)--Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.
Official Trailer
STEPH SAID Rating: Review:
I don't know why people complain about this movie. To me it was quite enjoyable. Granted, I don't know anything about comic books, or about the Hulk. So maybe that is why I enjoyed it.
I had always seen Hulk (and I mean Hulk because I didn't even know the man's name) as a man that grew big and green whenever he became angry. But, I enjoyed that this movie presents the human side and the internal struggle of both Bruce Banner and The Hulk.
The downside of this movie is the lack of future it has. Once you see this movie, there is nothing else to see about The Hulk. More movies could be made, but they would probably turn out as The Incredible Hulk: a bad guy becomes a gigantic monster that wants to destroy earth and Bruce Banner needs to turn into the Hulk to stop it. Also, I keep thinking that, if the army would have done their job correctly, we could have taken about 20 minutes from the length of the movie. On the plus side, the ending, including Tony Stark’s cameo, was unexpected and very convenient for what lies ahead.
