Summary : Exotic Westeros, welcomed feminism, vivid darkness but editing seams, unbalanced writing, thirsty creativity
Score : 8/10
Spoilers
One week was at least what I needed to recover considering the premiere propelled my spirit beyond the stars. However despite its cosmic qualities I have to admit that it wasn't as jaw dropping as Winter Is Coming. It featured many stellar scenes, like Daenerys taking care of her baby dragon or Jaime's hallucination, but it lacked a knocking out ending. This second episode delivered the cliffhanger we were hoping for but sadly I have to admit that it lacked some of the elements that made The North Remembers so outstanding.
My first complain would be about the editing. I really missed how the parts were linked using the burning comet in the past installment. The mistake had already flawed the epic A Golden Crown in my opinion because it's inappropriate to cut sharp from one point of the kingdom to an other. So let's hope the upcoming episodes will surprise us with their creativity and fantastic metaphoras because a top notch production isn't enough. It leads us to the exotic sets because from Arya's lost woods to Theon's cliffs it felt like flying above Ireland, England and Scotland !
My second major complain would go to the unbalanced development of some arcs. For instance Daenerys' one was way too short. Of course it wouldn't have been entertaining to witness their slow descent toward the river of thirst but her seeing a mirage or having a daynightmare about her precious creature could have been thrilling. In fact it seems this time the dream team behind the show decided to focus more on sexuality. The red-hot Melisandre (Carice van Houten) was back and she actually reminds me of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series. Such a feminist reference is inevitable considering the number of female characters that are now moving across the board. Theon's filthy rides were controversial and The Adventures of Lady Arya were promising. A charismatic sister, not a boy wanted by Cersei… George R. R. Martin knows his classics and Littlefinger's cheering up one of his protégés was well staged.
The fat guy's naive attitude seemed slightly misplaced but when it comes to Snow shivers are sent down my spine everytime ! It feels like Martin was possessed by Stephen King while writing it and that Frank Darabont (The Mist, The Walking Dead) was hired to adapt it. Last but not least Tyrion's candles lighted face off with Cersei was wicked, one second you laugh the next you cry, and of course all the challenging mind games were exciting to follow.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Fringe season 4 episode 17 : Everything In Its Right Place
Summary : When emotional intelligence meets science-fiction… Who you gonna call ?
Score : 9/10
Spoilers
Agent Lee of course ! What would be the writers next step ? I never expected they would develop the little chat Lincoln and Peter had in the car. And to tell truth if I had known this episode would be Lincoln centric I probably would have pouted. But the impossible happened, agent Lee grew on me and Seth Gabel's character has reached a complexity worthy of hardcore sci-fi fans. From the actor's performance to the wowing scenes featuring both Lees it's one of these episodes that deserve to be seen a second time. So far I had really missed the other side, specially Fauxlivia. That's why a shapeshifter driven story felt refreshing even if I could use a faster pace. I mean we have already reached sublevel 17 and it's a bit like the new Lincoln had been introduced three episodes ago.
Still let's focus on what went right because such an overwhelming installment deserves respect. First our favorite writing recipe stroke back as Lincoln's arc was brilliantly enriched by the shapeshifter's creepy, sad and inspiring story. I was specially moved by the homeless entering the gloomy room with his eyes ready to cry. Once transformed into the drug addict his speech about becoming A Better Human Being and finally feeling special was also quite interesting. You could feel, thanks to Gabel's empathic acting, that Lincoln exactly knew what he was talking about. In fact I can't help comparing the shapeshifter to Dexter Morgan. Indeed he chose to sacrifice criminals, contrary to most other freaks. Therefore he was less immoral and proved that a damaged synthetic creature isn't that different than a human with a broken heart. His Dark Passenger was David Jones and Lincoln's ability to comprehend his motivation helped him find the light. Finally his last moment with Fauxlivia seemed like a ghost whispering at a sorrowing soul. Was it real or just a dream ?
Score : 9/10
Spoilers
Agent Lee of course ! What would be the writers next step ? I never expected they would develop the little chat Lincoln and Peter had in the car. And to tell truth if I had known this episode would be Lincoln centric I probably would have pouted. But the impossible happened, agent Lee grew on me and Seth Gabel's character has reached a complexity worthy of hardcore sci-fi fans. From the actor's performance to the wowing scenes featuring both Lees it's one of these episodes that deserve to be seen a second time. So far I had really missed the other side, specially Fauxlivia. That's why a shapeshifter driven story felt refreshing even if I could use a faster pace. I mean we have already reached sublevel 17 and it's a bit like the new Lincoln had been introduced three episodes ago.
Still let's focus on what went right because such an overwhelming installment deserves respect. First our favorite writing recipe stroke back as Lincoln's arc was brilliantly enriched by the shapeshifter's creepy, sad and inspiring story. I was specially moved by the homeless entering the gloomy room with his eyes ready to cry. Once transformed into the drug addict his speech about becoming A Better Human Being and finally feeling special was also quite interesting. You could feel, thanks to Gabel's empathic acting, that Lincoln exactly knew what he was talking about. In fact I can't help comparing the shapeshifter to Dexter Morgan. Indeed he chose to sacrifice criminals, contrary to most other freaks. Therefore he was less immoral and proved that a damaged synthetic creature isn't that different than a human with a broken heart. His Dark Passenger was David Jones and Lincoln's ability to comprehend his motivation helped him find the light. Finally his last moment with Fauxlivia seemed like a ghost whispering at a sorrowing soul. Was it real or just a dream ?
Monday, April 2, 2012
Game of Thrones season 2 episode 1 : The North Remembers
Summary : Close encounter of the fantasy kind
Score : 9/10
It has traveled billion miles from the deepest corner of the cosmos and we have just experienced its calm impact on our screens. Welcome back GoT, we have missed you ! Who could possibly need a recap for such a show ? It's not like if we hadn't spent the last past months thinking and dreaming about it. Still seeing all the major events in such a short time was exciting and when the title sequence began its stellar dance I had already plunged into the forgotten realms.
I feel calm and around my head gravitates dozens of captivating televisual ideas. I see her angelic figure lost like an oasis in the desert and a fragile dragon as real as it gets. I feel the cold breath of a golden axe and the bitter smell of blood that follows. I hear their atmospheric voices, laugh of his wit jokes and wonder if I'm not hallucinating. A pagan and charming confusion, then a whore above a rocky CG Babylon. Can such an overwhelming production be real or have all my neurons already been scattered by this close encounter ?
A comet. What a majestic refrain to transition between the burning screams of the North and the cold ballads of the South. An irresistible Tyrion, a repelling tyrant. An educative tale. What an entertainment way to be a better leader, a better child, a better human. I have looked into the eye of the beholder. I saw a disgusting pig surrounded by young wives and ready to get slayed by thousands of flying knives. I drank sacred water to stimulate my senses and be as frightening as a dire wolf ready to cut your filthy throat. I have never been so lost in medieval times and still I can feel the ground beneath my feet. I'm at war. We're in love. I'm a dragon ! We're dungeon masters !
Score : 9/10
It has traveled billion miles from the deepest corner of the cosmos and we have just experienced its calm impact on our screens. Welcome back GoT, we have missed you ! Who could possibly need a recap for such a show ? It's not like if we hadn't spent the last past months thinking and dreaming about it. Still seeing all the major events in such a short time was exciting and when the title sequence began its stellar dance I had already plunged into the forgotten realms.
I feel calm and around my head gravitates dozens of captivating televisual ideas. I see her angelic figure lost like an oasis in the desert and a fragile dragon as real as it gets. I feel the cold breath of a golden axe and the bitter smell of blood that follows. I hear their atmospheric voices, laugh of his wit jokes and wonder if I'm not hallucinating. A pagan and charming confusion, then a whore above a rocky CG Babylon. Can such an overwhelming production be real or have all my neurons already been scattered by this close encounter ?
A comet. What a majestic refrain to transition between the burning screams of the North and the cold ballads of the South. An irresistible Tyrion, a repelling tyrant. An educative tale. What an entertainment way to be a better leader, a better child, a better human. I have looked into the eye of the beholder. I saw a disgusting pig surrounded by young wives and ready to get slayed by thousands of flying knives. I drank sacred water to stimulate my senses and be as frightening as a dire wolf ready to cut your filthy throat. I have never been so lost in medieval times and still I can feel the ground beneath my feet. I'm at war. We're in love. I'm a dragon ! We're dungeon masters !
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Fringe season 4 episode 16 : Nothing As It Seems
Summary : Disappointing story, uninspired writing, some thrilling sequences, misplaced humor, underused Olivia, mysterious ending but not intriguing
Score : 4/10
Spoilers
Nothing is as it seems…on The Island of Doctor Moreau ? This is not Fringe anymore, at least the one I like. Season 3 was all about the fascinating amber and delivered some mind blowing stories. However for some episodes now I have been questioning the sources of inspiration used by the writers to develop the arc about David Jones and the shapeshifters. I'm not satisfied at all with this episode probably based upon H. G. Wells' novel. Humans turning themselves into porcupines thinking it's an improvement ? With no doubt the last man we saw, played by the actor who portrayed a doctor in Smallville, did it for love and it's not surprising considering how the woman was pretty but why would she inject herself such an atrocious substance ? And I'm not really interested in answering these questions because I feel like the writers are out of ideas or just slowing things down using fillers to achieve their goal, 22 episodes. So let's hope they will step up their game and go back to the show's roots !
In my opinion the first disappointing element was the creature of the week. The second it rushed out of the bathroom and attacked the customs officers I knew it should have been kept in the dark. Isn't the unknown stimulating for the imagination after all ? The part on the plane was thrilling, from the nosebleed to the panic attack in the toilet, but afterward they landed in B movie land. Still its sudden appearance in the house both scared my popcorn and myself. An entertaining explosion and it took me a while to recover ! It leads us to Lincoln because his infection was dead boring and for once even Walter's jokes didn't make me laugh. This time one of them was even misplaced, the late birthday presents, as it interrupted Olivia and Peter's discussion about the case. Moreover it seemed even Joshua Jackson was annoyed by his role, forced to jump from seriousness to a kid at some party. Even his chat with Lincoln in the car, finally, didn't meet my expectations because he played it way too nicely. How would you react if some other guy stole your girlfriend right under your nose ? So let's just hope he's a shapeshifter or will turn his back on them somehow !
As for the episode concept I have to admit that it was well thought out. Peter and Olivia used their alt-knowledge to investigate but I think the last could have been better used. What about using her as a bait to trap the porcupine ? He was apparently seeking for a mate. Moreover when it comes to such monsters I can't help thinking about the 15th episode of Primeval 3rd series. In it Abby, the cute blonde, has to deal with a half Gollum and half Gremlins creature. I compared her to Buffy and mentioned the Little Red Riding Hood as a reference because she just made the story more frightening. That's why I strongly believe that an Olivia versus Porcupine sequence could have been jaw dropping ! After all what's more exciting than a damsel in distress ? Instead they decided to develop some predictable arc about her career when I never considered for a second that she was in trouble. Last but not least I can see how the ship transporting the creatures is a Noah's Ark but sadly, beside spotting the leg of a giant spider, I'm not really intrigued by it. In fact I worry that we will never know what it was even if David Jones should be behind it.
Score : 4/10
Spoilers
Nothing is as it seems…on The Island of Doctor Moreau ? This is not Fringe anymore, at least the one I like. Season 3 was all about the fascinating amber and delivered some mind blowing stories. However for some episodes now I have been questioning the sources of inspiration used by the writers to develop the arc about David Jones and the shapeshifters. I'm not satisfied at all with this episode probably based upon H. G. Wells' novel. Humans turning themselves into porcupines thinking it's an improvement ? With no doubt the last man we saw, played by the actor who portrayed a doctor in Smallville, did it for love and it's not surprising considering how the woman was pretty but why would she inject herself such an atrocious substance ? And I'm not really interested in answering these questions because I feel like the writers are out of ideas or just slowing things down using fillers to achieve their goal, 22 episodes. So let's hope they will step up their game and go back to the show's roots !
In my opinion the first disappointing element was the creature of the week. The second it rushed out of the bathroom and attacked the customs officers I knew it should have been kept in the dark. Isn't the unknown stimulating for the imagination after all ? The part on the plane was thrilling, from the nosebleed to the panic attack in the toilet, but afterward they landed in B movie land. Still its sudden appearance in the house both scared my popcorn and myself. An entertaining explosion and it took me a while to recover ! It leads us to Lincoln because his infection was dead boring and for once even Walter's jokes didn't make me laugh. This time one of them was even misplaced, the late birthday presents, as it interrupted Olivia and Peter's discussion about the case. Moreover it seemed even Joshua Jackson was annoyed by his role, forced to jump from seriousness to a kid at some party. Even his chat with Lincoln in the car, finally, didn't meet my expectations because he played it way too nicely. How would you react if some other guy stole your girlfriend right under your nose ? So let's just hope he's a shapeshifter or will turn his back on them somehow !
As for the episode concept I have to admit that it was well thought out. Peter and Olivia used their alt-knowledge to investigate but I think the last could have been better used. What about using her as a bait to trap the porcupine ? He was apparently seeking for a mate. Moreover when it comes to such monsters I can't help thinking about the 15th episode of Primeval 3rd series. In it Abby, the cute blonde, has to deal with a half Gollum and half Gremlins creature. I compared her to Buffy and mentioned the Little Red Riding Hood as a reference because she just made the story more frightening. That's why I strongly believe that an Olivia versus Porcupine sequence could have been jaw dropping ! After all what's more exciting than a damsel in distress ? Instead they decided to develop some predictable arc about her career when I never considered for a second that she was in trouble. Last but not least I can see how the ship transporting the creatures is a Noah's Ark but sadly, beside spotting the leg of a giant spider, I'm not really intrigued by it. In fact I worry that we will never know what it was even if David Jones should be behind it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)