The Flash (2014) - Season 1

The Flash

Number of episodes: 23

Broadcasting Station: The CW

Official Page











Trailer


STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

I don't know what I expected coming to this series. Everything I thought I knew about The Flash came from Smallville – I found out later that Smallville's Impulse is not Barry Allen, but Bart Allen. However, I was excited due to Barry's appearances in Arrow.

As opposed to Arrow, The Flash is an upbeat, heroic show; it has cheerful characters that only care about saving people. In each episode Team Flash confronts a human with super powers – a  Metahuman – that has gone rogue and is endangering life in Central City. Flash's team give each “Rogue” a funny nickname and do their best to incarcerate them in a special prison. Tension builds up as the season progresses, though. The rogue of the week takes a more secondary place in storytelling, and Barry starts dealing with the man who killed his mother: an enigmatic antagonist, known as Reverse-Flash, who always seems to be one step ahead of Barry. The “rogue of the week” storylines are fun, but they feel like fillers, unimportant. The Reverse-Flash storyline, on the other hand, is more compelling, interesting, and full of unexpected plot twists.

Many other things improve Flash’s, already good, standing. I personally love their ongoing jokes about the Metahumans’ prison. I mean, how do they eat? How do they go to the bathroom? Also, having Wentworth Miller playing Captain Cold is a plus, no matter how you look at it. The introduction of time traveling so early in the series could lead to a catastrophe, but I have decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. Nevertheless, the Arrow/Flash Crossovers are the best part. The Flash vs. The Arrow fight, and Cisco betting on it, was everything I could’ve hoped for.

Barry, Joe, and Harrison Wells are amazing characters. The latter was especially intriguing, mysterious, and alluring. Most of the other characters were difficult to like at first, especially Cisco. When I met Cisco in Arrow, he felt cheesy and purposely nerdy. Like, nerdy viewers will like him just because of his shirts. But, let me tell you, he grows on you. I have come to like him quite a lot. Eddie went through the same trial, and also came out victorious. I didn’t even know how much I had come to like him until I saw the choice he made in the finale. 

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about Caitlin, Ronnie or Iris. Ronnie and Caitlin suffer from the same lack of development. You can expect that lack of depth when it comes to Ronnie because he is only in the series for a couple of episode. But, Caitlin was in the series since the story started in Arrow. Yet, Caitlin doesn’t evolve through the season. She is a blank, I-lost-the-love-of-my-life, genius, pretty scientist; that is all there is to know about her. And, Iris… well, she is an entirely different case. Her constant whining and nagging is just annoying, and it distances her from the audience and from the Flash’s mood. Not one of her actions in this season moved me or compelled me to like her. She was in a completely different universe from every other Flash character. However, that is the only negative thing I can say about the Flash as a series. Is not a small part, but everything else in the series makes up for it.

Doctor Who (2005) Special - The Waters of Mars

Doctor Who (2005)

Episode Title: The Waters of Mars

Broadcasting Station: BBC One

Official Page

Official Synopsis: Mars, 2059. Bowie Base One. Last recorded message: 'Don't drink the water. Not one drop.'.

ELL SAID

Rating:

Review:

This episode is great, in some ways. Oddly sad, in others. And, slightly terrifying in others. Lets just say this episode increased my fears of water to all new heights. Anyway, though it is terrifing, I have some interesting issues with this. For starters, the fact that it's a fixed point in time, it effectively means that, no matter what happens in the episode, these people will die. And the Doctor's actions shouldn't have been able to do anything to change that. 

Furthermore, the deadly virus, or germ, was able to transmit, or implant, itself into the humans on Mars. But, these people got that virus from using the Martian water. Why didn't they bring their own water, if they were becoming a colony? They're the first colony out on Mars, and they know nothing of it. Wouldn't they bring as much as they could from Earth, in order to avoid just this type of catastrophy?

Another point, probably the main reason why I dislike this episode, is the 'villains.' They are, basically, visually, water-possessed humans. The first impression of these baddies is impressive, definitely scary. But, after that first impression passes, they just feel kinda silly. Even though, sure, the power of water is great, these bad guys get really old, really fast. 

Finally, I find it impossible to believe that the Doctor can barely pilot the Tardis on his own, but could somehow make the 'funny robot' control it perfectly enough for it to matterialize around them. However, even though this episode is not great, it is basically the best of the specials between Series 5 and Series 6, mostly because the ending of the episode is flawless.

Arrow - Season 3

Title: Arrow

Season: 3

Number of Episodes: 23

Broadcasting Station: The CW

Official Page











Official Trailer

Ell Said:

Rating:

Review:

With the excitement of the first season of The Flash, and the epicness of the previous season, our expectations were sky high when this season started. Alas, from the get-go, it was a disappointment. From Sarah's death in the second episode, the series was filled to the brim with terrible writing. First, Malcom's plan in the beginning. From what I can tell, Malcom's plan was to kill Sarah by means of Thea, to draw Nyssa out, which in turn would eventually lead to a confrontation between Rah's and Oliver. So, basically, he brainwashed his daughter, killed a pottential ally, and drew his biggest enemy to Starling City. Thing is, it worked. But, somehow, Thea managed to give Malcom to the League of Assassins in her stead, clearing herself of the 'charges' placed on her head by Sarah's murder. This would have been a great conclusion, but no, this wasn't even the mid-season episode. Because, for some reason, Oliver thought it was a bad idea, and decided to save Malcom from the League, and put himself in the path of it by protecting Malcom. You know, the enemy of a distant, non-enemy league is definitely your ally, or something. This brought about one of the worse group of episodes since Smallville season 10. The episodes after Oliver 'dies' at the hand of Rah's are the most boring episodes I've ever seen, but the worst thing is, it gets worse. Because, when Oliver comes back, Rah's wants to make Oliver the next Rah's Al Ghul, and won't take no for an answer. As the righteous vigilante that he's not supposed to be, Oliver declines, slowly forcing Rah's to use worse and worse tactics to force Oliver to obey. But, here's the thing: If Oliver had just said yes in the beginning, he'd have been able to do everything earlier, and no one, at all, would have had to die. The end itself was, without a doubt, anticlimatic, with it ending on a inconvincing high note of Oliver and Felicity driving into the sunset. Which, you know, would totally bum Ray Parker out. This, with the inclusion of Deathshot's death and the mere existance of Cupid, this season is the worst one of the three we've seen so far. (And don't get me started on the Felicity and Oliver scene in Rah's temple.)

On the other hand, this season also has some of the best moments in the series, and yes, they belong to the one and only Barry Allen. In his first official appearance as the Flash in Arrow, the two duke it out in an amazing fight. The interactions between Oliver and Barry were cool and fresh. Deadshot's few moments were pure gold. And, in all honesty, even Ray seemed more likable to me than other characters, like Felicity or Laurel, that have become something the writers want to ram down your throat. That one episode, were Thea and Oliver go back to the infamous Island to train, during which Deathstroke gets loose, is quite fantastic. But, I wish it would've had a bigger impact on the story and not been a one-time thing. Katana was a happy surprise (no, I didn't know it was her until I saw the ridiculous mask), and that's about it. So, in conclusion, literally everything good about this season comes from somewhere else: The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, or better Arrow seasons.

Iron Man (2008)

Title: Iron Man

Year: 2008

Director: Jon Favreau

Rating by the MPAA: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content

Official Synopsis (from marvel.com): 2008's Iron Man tells the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

Honestly, when I decided to watch Iron Man I didn’t know what to expect. I had never heard of him. I had never watch a story that featured him. And, knowing only that Robert Downey Jr. was to play the lead role of this movie, I decided that I didn’t want to do anything with it. I was pleasantly surprised. Then again, when you don’t expect much, anything will be alright.

I enjoyed Iron Man's origin story: how he was created and what he stands for. The war, terrorism, and violence, and the harsh reality it presented struck a chord in me. It is such a delicate and sensitive subject, that I was impressed it was lightly used in this type of movie.

I don’t like Downey because he seems arrogant, and he lets it show in every movie I have seen him in. They haven’t been many, granted. But, turns out, Tony Stark is arrogant! I couldn’t tell if it was Downey’s arrogance, or his acting skills, shining through. At least, that’s what I thought at first. By the end of the movie, Stark underwent a change of heart. He changed enough for me to like him, and that is saying something. Ironically, Downey’s portrayal of Tony Stark became the part I liked the most about this movie.

On the downside, I didn't enjoy the overall ending. First of all, Ms. Peppers comes out of Stark Industries and takes as much time to call Stark as it takes Stane get to Stark's home. If Pepper had called Tony and tell him about what she find out, maybe the ending of the movie would have been different. Also, Obadiah creating another suit was too much, too fast. It took the genius Tony weeks to create the fully functioning Iron Man suit. The geniuses at Stark couldn’t crack the arc reactor. Yet, Obadiah created bigger suits in days. To make everything seem even more unrealistic, Iron Man seemed to beat Stane too easily, even though he was using the old arc reactor, and he didn't have any power left.

Irrelevant to the bad ending, I am, most of all, grateful for this movie’s success. It is the beginning of something huge. If this movie had not been a success, maybe we wouldn’t have The Avengers, let alone Guardians of the Galaxy, right now. 

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015)

Title: The Divergent Series: Insurgent

Year: 2015

Director: Robert Schwentke

Rating: PG-13 for intense violence and action throughout, some sensuality, thematic elements and brief language

Synopsis: The Divergent Series: Insurgent raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite. Racing against time, they must find out what Tris’s family sacrificed their lives to protect, and why the Erudite leaders will do anything to stop them. Haunted by her past choices but desperate to protect the ones she loves, Tris, with Four at her side, faces one impossible challenge after another as they unlock the truth about the past and ultimately the future of their world.

Official Page

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

This movie was way better than I expected. Having read, beforehand, the terrible book this movie is based on, I was expecting to snooze off five minutes into the movie. Yet, the plot was changed, and I was kept wide awake and interested for most of it.

Unlike in the book, the movie's story has a purpose. Jeanine needs a special Divergent – one that has aptitude for all five factions– to open a mysterious box. Unknown by everyone, even Jeanine, is that this box contains the ultimate truth, the answers to all the questions raised by the type of society they live in. Also, information about what is going on outside the fence. And, so begins the hunt for that one Divergent. Following the unspoken rule of YA stories, the protagonist, Tris, is the only person special enough for that task. Even though we know she only has aptitude for three factions. 

Jeanine's divergence continues to shine as she deceives the general public and does everything in her power to turn people against Divergents. During that time, Tris hides. She hides in Amity, Candor, and Dauntless. She even meets the Factionless, who are so in sync, they work as any other faction.

After many people die, Tris turned herlself in, because she had to, obviously. Once Tris gets to Erudite, we get to see the eye-popping simulations the box had to offer. They had too much dubsptep and Inception's-building-destruction for my taste, but the thought behind them, their ultimate goal, casts a fresh view of factions and human values.

I find it hard to belive, in a good way, that I was able to see and understand Tris' inner struggle better by watching an actress, than by reading Tris' thoughts in the book. Kudos to Shailene Woodley for her enactment.  Her performance during the truth serum scene, while she was in Candor, was so good it was difficult to watch. 

There are many things I didn't like about the movie. First, there is a sex scene that is completely out of place. Second, there is no explanation as to why half of Dauntless would betray their faction and follow Jeanine. Third, Tris and Four were conviently saved from tight spots. Thirty trained Dauntless soldiers are firing at Tris, Four, and Caleb but they all miss. Still, Four gets to knock down many Dauntless traitors. Then, Tris, Four, and even Caleb jump on a train, but the Dauntless trained don't even try it. This “luck” continues throughout the movie. It is all too convenient.

Last, but definitely not least, the message inside the box –the one that is supposed to explain everything, to give us the ultimate truth, the message that is supposed to convey meanning and purpose – makes no sense. It is a contradiction in itself. However, people didn't analized it too much because there were only five minutes left to present some visuals of the world and of people rejoicing in this newfound knowledge. The movie then ends on a high note, with every problem “resolved”. It gives a hopeful open ending to the series. Unfortunately, there is another book. I don't know what new problems the author created to extend the story for yet another book.

Of course, we have to rate and review this movie for what it is: a YA story. We can't expect from it what it will never give. Many people have rate this movie poorly because it doesn't have an intricate plot or layers upon layers of character development. This is not a drama, is a YA story. That is like expecting sex on a children's movie or a psycho killer in a romantic comedy. It could happen, but it probably won't.

Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Title: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth

Year of Publication: 2012

Official Synopsis: As the sequel to the 2011 bestseller Divergent, it continues the story of Tris Prior and the dystopian post-apocalyptic version of Chicago. Following the events of the previous novel, a war now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. While trying to save the people that she loves, Tris faces questions of grief, forgiveness, identity, loyalty, politics, and love.

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

I cannot believe this book has been published. It means the writer wrote it, the editor must have edited it, and the proofreader must have proofread it. And still, with more than 500 pages, this mess of a book has nothing to say. There is no reason for this book to exist; no story within it. Instead of Insurgent, it should have been called Superfluous.

This book is only a combinations of plot devices to move Tris from one place to another in an attempt to waste pages and the reader's time. During the aftermath of Divergent's events, Tris goes to Amity to hide. After an attack, she goes to Candor to hide. After another attack, she goes to Dauntless to hide. After yet another attack, she decides to surrender to Erudite because that will mean "no one else is going to die". Right... like Jeanine will stop hunting and killing Divergents just because Tris surrenders.

That brings me to the next gigantic problem this novel has: the characters. One of the things I liked and praised the most about Divergent was its round main characters. Insurgent is the total opposite, especially when it comes to Tris. She went from a smart, layered woman, to a whiney, nonsensical girl. She argues with Four over stupid things, lies to everyone, tortures herself over something easily resolved, complains about almost everything, and stalks people, quite a lot. She does nothing to save her life, yet goes out of her way to save Peter's. On top of all that, she physically hurts herself and disregards her own life.

But, if that wasn't enough, the book is so poorly written, that you get lost every few pages. Commas are not where they should be, words are missing, and most of all, sentences are incomplete. Again, this is a book that went through the whole writing process, via a very big publishing house. It it unacceptable.

All that is wrong with this book – the painfully flat characters, the no-plot, the terrible writing – can be found on the book's most maddening scene: when Tris decides to trust Marcus over Tobias. Tris' logic and thought process become highly impaired as she decides to trust the man who used to abuse her boyfriend and mistreats her. According to the entirely reliable and believable Marcus, a file exists that, when made public, will change everything. Tris knows nothing about this file. But Marcus told her it is important, so, Tris decides to risk everything – her life, her relationship with Tobias, and her place in Dauntless – to find this file. What made it even worse is her rationalization and justification of her decision. Looking at it from a reader's perspective I knew Marcus was right. However, from Tris' vantage point the story was completely different, especially since Marcus doesn't give her enough reasons to trust him. She wasn't even sure about what to do, she just took a gamble. That made it all feel like another plot device.

It is such a pity, really, that this series has sinked so low. Divergent was a really good book. Insurgent is the total opposite. I am, definitely, not looking forward to Allegiant.

The Walking Dead - Season 4

Title: The Walking Dead

Year: 2010

Broadcasting Station: AMC

Official Page

Official Synopsis: Rick and the survivors foster a thriving community in the safe haven of the prison. In this brutal world, however, walkers and outside threats are no match for danger brewing inside the fences. The group's home and new way of life is thoroughly tested, and their struggle to survive becomes more perilous than ever.

ELL SAID

Rating: 

Reviews:

The Walking Dead season four was flawless. It starts off a little slow, but it doesn't take from the story. Instead, it actually helps make the middle and finale be a thousand times better. I found myself constantly having to pause for a rest, because the emotions of the episodes I was watching were enormous, to say the least.

Rick, Daryl, Carol, and the rest of the characters just keep getting better and better, and the tragedy of their lives becomes the centerpiece of the season, showcasing the struggles these characters go through on a level far beyond that of other zombie-related stories. Furthermore, even on the less exciting  episodes, one has the constant desire to learn about what happens next, and keeps you constantly worrying about what happened to the characters.

The last couple of episodes were, in my opinion, among the best episodes of the series. The branching stories, the constant threat to the character's lives, and the final episode are the complete opposites of the beginning, toping the season with the proof that The Walking Dead deserves plenty of seasons more.