The American people don't know what's best for them. I do. I know exactly what they need. They're like little children, Claire...We have to hold their sticky fingers and wipe their filthy mouths. Teach them right from wrong. Tell them what to think and how to feel and what to want. They even need help writing their wildest dreams and crafting their worst fears." Connections to real political events aside, House of Cards Season 5 has started in a surreal place in American history - at the point where the Underwoods are attempting to win the presidency for a four year-term, and doing so through any means necessary. As always in the presence of Frank Underwood, if you defy him, he may not pay much attention to you, but behind the scenes, he's plotting ways to destabilise your career, threaten your family and ruin your life. With a backup team like Doug Stamper and Leann Harvey, you'd be hard-pressed to doubt their success so far.
From the first four episodes, this season promises to concentrate on its political aspects rather than the emotional journeys and developments of its characters. Over the past four seasons, we've grown to understand the personalities and intentions of the many characters, now it's time to concentrate on their actions. This is shown really well in the first episode, as we are thrown straight back into the unconventional government of Frank Underwood, one where he feeds off chaos and fear. The scene of him addressing the congress was a strong way to start the season, acclimatising for the audience and shows off the President's inevitable influence in a flawed system. Even the overseeing committee can't find a way to silence the President. There are a few defining scenes, most especially involving a blood-curdling speech from Frank Underwood as he breaks the fourth wall. The scene in which he describes how to build a tower of logs in the Oval Office fireplace symbolised well the burning embers of democracy as it sits under wood (see what I did there?). I wasn't entire sure what film Frank and Claire were watching on the eve of the election, but seeing a usually separated husband and wife share a close moment together, giving the audience a taste of how the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates know each other so well. Their conflict is often startling, but both harbouring hearts of darkness, when they combine, they are a more than formidable force of evil. To see 'The End' of the film at the beginning of the fourth episode was a clever way to lead us into the all-important election day as the Underwoods attempted to hold up the falling walls, claiming enthusiastically that the White House is "Our House". Amongst the political maelstrom there are elements of confusion. As their are so many characters, it can't be difficult to keep track of all the storylines threading through this series. The committee that was established in the first episode which would investigate the terrorism of ICO has quickly evaporated by the fourth episode, leading me to wonder whether the writers forgot about that development or there's some background knowledge the audience isn't party to yet. Also, each episode seems to have its own isolated story, which can be easily forgotten when considering the overarching story, which to be honest is the only important aspect. I do, however, like the continuous connections to Tom Hammerschmidt and the new edition to the New York Herald, Sean Jeffries, and also the illegal work by Macallan in the NSA. He has clearly been an asset in the Underwood's success. Top of the game in this production, as usual, is the acting. Kevin Spacey is as charismatic as he is intimidating. He dominates every scene, apart from when he's with Robin Wright, who balances his predominant aura with her cold stare and under-her-breath insults. They are one of the greatest partnerships in show business, and House of Cards are lucky to have them. But praise must go to their supporting cast too, especially Michael Kelly, Joel Kinnaman and Boris McGiver, who help to transform this show into the bleak and politically-gruelling battlefield it should be. As I've quoted above the article, my favourite scene is the last one in the fourth episode, the best of the season so far. I hope this standard continues and the tension that filled the fourth episode continues. With two great forces clashing together on the political ground, House of Cards is as exciting as it ever was. Frank hasn't unleashed his full powers yet, but you can expect some genuinely terrifying things from him and his associate pretty soon as he attempts to reassert the political rules of the United States of America permanently so that he may remain in power for a very long time - preferably for him, until he dies. Chapter 53: Waterfalls - 8/10 Chapter 54: House of Wood - 8/10 Chapter 55: Our House - 7.5/10 Chapter 56: Underwood - 8.5/10
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Before we begin, I'd would like to start by saying I'm a big fan of the modern classical style of music - especially the produce that Two Steps From Hell has conceived over the last decade. There's something about the epic scale of the orchestra, the swaying sounds of the vocals and the ambition in the tunes themselves that sets them apart from the rest of the crop. Also, contributions from both Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix allow for a variety of sounds and styles. My general preference is to Bergersen, but I will sometimes find myself listening happily to a Phoenix track.
This is a substantial collection of music, of the likes you will struggle to find again. But I suppose, as an anthology, the music is stuff that has already been produced and rereleased in a different format or different method. For instance, the first three tracks are variations of one song, Aesir. In any form is still sounds brilliant, slow and methodical to being with, but as with many of TSFH's music, finishes at an unprecedented crescendo. I prefer the ethnic version though, mainly due to the strong vocals. The orchestral and instrumental are not to be sniffed at though. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of old songs treated to an instrumental touch, and they all sound as good as new. My recommendations include Archangel, To Glory, United We Stand, Divided We Fall & Strength of a Thousand Men. Despite the lack of choral involvement, the music seems almost purer, allowing the instruments to show their true flavour. I can't tell you how much I enjoy listening to 'To Glory', the effect of the drumming is astounding - the best description is an army of horses galloping across a sprawling landscape of mountains. Closing your eyes and letting your imagination take over is possible the best advice I could give you for feeding off this music. There's a decent amount of new content on here as well. Interesting ones include Area 51, which contains far more heavy metal and progressive rock influences. The strength of the guitar is shocking to say the least, but it's unfortunate for me to say that is sounds very out of place in an album like this. While some songs like Tower of Mischief and Destiny Will Wait fall into a musical stupor, Crack in Time and Exodus keep things fresh. Exodus has an excellent beat that seems to give the choir more power when they kick in. Towards the end of the album, we are introduced to more eclectic musical choices, such as Lotus Mother that is most-definitely progressive in sound. To end with The Devil Plays a Smoking Trumpet was a bad decision, mainly because it isn't final enough for the denouement of an album this wide-ranging. Perhaps to end on an instrumental version of an old favourite would have been a better choice, considering the fact the have a meaningful representation of the amazing work that this artist has created over the years. Perhaps relying too much on the old to usher in the new, but there are some hidden gems in this album. Finding your own preference may be difficult due to the variety of styles and arrangements that are squashed together. Nevertheless, this is a satisfying example of how far Two Steps From Hell have come. They are clearly constantly regenerating their sound and genre, this time attempting to integrate progressive rock into their classical pieces. Being a massive prog rock fan myself, this is not shunted aside, but sometimes to doesn't work as well as they might hope. But as a prolonging celebration of the immense work in music, this is a great gift for any fan. 7.5/10 Pins for the bones. Threads for the muscles. Paint for the skin." This is a nice way to tie up the loose threads that have been hanging for the last three episodes. We take a lingering look at Laura Moon's story starting from her first meeting with Shadow at the casino, all the way up to present time as Shadow finds her waiting for him following her death. Due to the unconventional tone of this story, many may be confused as to the nature of her return (myself included). Her meeting with Anubis was cut short following the car accident as she was sent back to the real world a walking zombie. For what purpose and to what end, we may find out later.
As an introduction to Laura's story, this is great setup as it gradually adds in the background scenes that we've heard about, but never experienced. The relationship between Shadow and Laura, especially, is one of lust and danger. Considering the moment they first meet, Laura quickly learns that Shadow is attempting to rob the casino, something that she quickly leans to after much thought and deliberation. However, when Shadow gets caught and sent to jail, she struggles to find that danger again. The affair with Robbie was the one thing that sated her dangerous personality, and that's what killed her in the end. It's interesting that it was her affair that killed her. One of the important things we learn about the proceeding events is that Laura was the one to cut down Shadow from the tree after an attempted hanging by Technical Boy. If Shadow is about to become aware of this, the question now is whether they'll start falling in love again. I don't exactly see how this could happen, considering the unconscionable betrayal she performed in her past life. But, now that they're both trapped in a supernatural world, whether nothing is as it should be, there's nothing to stop their relationship from flourishing again. Thanks to excellent foreshadowing and a effective performance from Emily Browning, this was a great exposition episode that gave the audience some more information to understand this confusing story. I also continue to enjoy the visual aspect of the direction - that fight scene involving Laura and the faceless assailants is possibly one of the most artistic scenes yet. Despite relying too much on one character and filling in the gaps of a story we're already familiar with, this episode had thematic resonance that will no doubt help define future episodes. As an aside, I'd like to highlight the use of the 'bug' or 'fly' symbolism. Many series have used this representation before - I can name Breaking Bad and One Foot in the Grave - with something that refers to futility of a fly. As the bottle of 'Git Gone' was discovered in heaven with Anubis, Laura was sent back to her old life - symbolising her idea of the fly - something irritating that you can simply spray to kill, but there will always be more to replace the first. 8/10 Fear is temporary. Love is slavery." The title of this episode promises a grand display. Indeed, the end of the world is at hand, but not as we'd expect it. Following last week's mind-bending work from Steven Moffat, this time he joins forces with Peter Harness to write a far more straightforward storyline, but also something intriguing. Here, we have a traditional alien invasion for Doctor Who, but one that is instigated far differently from the usual attack and defend. Here, we have the interesting race, known simply as the Monks, who wish to have consent to take over the planet. It's an original idea, and one that plays out with a nice simplicity.
Here, the running joke with Bill's girlfriend, Penny, continues thanks to some wonderful comedy involving the abrupt arrival of the UN Secretary General. This is a stunning start to the story as it shows how widespread the threat is, promising to have far-reaching consequences. Returning to Turmezistan is also a great idea, allowing the viewers to revisit this neutral country once again, since the last time when it used during the Zygon Invasion. Thanks to some beautiful visual effects, and great work from director Daniel Nettheim, the aesthetic of the shots are mesmerising to behold, especially that landscape view of the pyramid, standing tall in the centre of the desert. We even have some accompanying music that resembles Bond to settle the right atmosphere. I've criticised Harness' work in the past for being too scientifically-innacurate to be taken seriously, but in this episode he's toned things right down, and even made a slight quip against his previous work thanks to a line by the Doctor - "as dead as the moon". The writers have clearly thought a lot about the origin of this Doomsday Clock and how two separate events, linked to two combined characters causes that clock to move forwards. As Erica accidentally breaks her glasses and Douglas has a heavy night out, both factors are the building blocks for a near-pandemic scenario in which a contagious bacteria is grown inside a research laboratory, and thereby notifying the monks of Earth's impending demise. As for the resolution, the science of sterilisation may be simple, but the idea around it is sound, and it even increases the threat levels to maximum in an episode that goes from being slow and calculating to fast and furious. Jokes aside, the political aspect of the episode is less complex, is unfortunately let down by stereotypical roles for three military leader representing the US, China and Russia. But, despite their naive decision that countermand the Doctor's, the idea of the monks and their power to take over the world and the lives of Humans simply by receiving consent is an intriguing one, and I'm excited to find out exactly what the process is of taking over the world. It's a type of invasion that we haven't really seen before (and for Doctor who that's saying something). This lack of interesting characters also meant that we had to rely on our three heroes, but with the Doctor, Bill and Nardole that's not very difficult. Each shared the spotlight this time around, with Pearl Mackie giving us her best performance yet, as Bill makes a fateful decision to hand over the Earth to the monks to save the Doctor. This is a massive twist that I was not expecting, and it does mean that (looking ahead to next week), that there are severe consequences. Time will tell what these are, but the episode tells an enlightening story that gives us another taste of the Monks and their unrivalled power. Apart from some political missteps, I'd call this a successful Who story that neatly balances the old and new style of the series. That cliffhanger is also a corker, and I'm intrigued to see how Nardole will survive his encounter with the bacteria and how Earth will survive dominion under the Monks. 8/10 You guys aren't even human anymore." An all-round quieter episode this week, that concentrates too much on emotional interactions rather than plot-movement. Indeed, emotions are running high as each individual character has to deal with new revelations, each attempting to understand their own circumstances in this ever-mysterious world. With all eyes on Reiner, Bertholdt, Eren and Ymir, here we have a clash of perspectives, one who is entirely lost, one who is only partially ignorant and two who may appear to be in control, but still feel vulnerable in this Titan-infested land.
Whilst I can't criticise Eren too much, as he is completely ignorant in everything concerning the origin of Titans, but he doesn't make his life any easier by shouting. Annoyingly, he spends most of his time in this episode, screaming angrily at Reiner for refusing to explain his plans, but more importantly, for harbouring no remorse for the deaths of so many people. What was interesting was looking thoroughly into the psychological effects of Reiner and Bertholdt's long game as they masqueraded as Scouts, but also sometimes caused chaos in Titan-form. Seeing Reiner struggle to control these two different perspectives gives me hope that he and his friend could be exonerated in the future, but at the moment they are fighting for their lives. Ymir, on the other hand, doesn't seem very perturbed about anything, despite being in a position with only one arm and one leg. However, she does feel motivated to go along with Reiner's intentions when he refers to saving Christa - someone who means a great deal to Ymir following their close relationship during training. But, I see Ymir now as the sane member of this little group. Eren is careless, Reiner's struggling to grasp his identity, Bertholdt doesn't have the capacity to take charge. But Ymir has all the right questions, especially when it comes to that Beast Titan - a Titan that hasn't appeared for a while now, and one that could be vitally connected to the Armoured and Colossal Titan, seeing as its capable of speaking. The big question is, who is it? Elsewhere, the Scouts are making good ground, now that Reiner and Bertholdt are resting (heaven knows why). Erwin has organised the typical formation for the Scouts and it seems a full-scale rescue is at hand. Also, Hange, despite her injuries, has locked onto a new target - a Titan found back at the decimated village, that was unable to walk. Could she be on the verge of finding out more secrets to these elusive Titans? Let down by the fact that there's not many (if any) plot changes, Opening is more a springboard for the final three episodes incoming. If the Scouts manage to get to Eren and Ymir before Reiner and Bertholdt have a chance to escape, it's going to be interesting to see the course of action for their punishment. Clearly, they'll be vital to finding out more information about their world, and this hometown that they keep referring to, but considering the level of treachery, a lot of the Scouts will be reluctant to take them back into their walls for fear of them causing more destruction. 7.5/10 The dead have taken command of the sea. They're searching for a girl, a Pearl, and a Sparrow!" This expensive movie had a lot of great ideas - innovative in fact. But, in writing the script, the film delivered something nostalgic, but distinctly lacking in closure. If this was to be the last story of Captain Jack Sparrow, and all the characters that were involved in his pirate's life, then it's a poor show. Regardless of whether every character who was still alive got a chance to share the limelight, it's pointless when you can't do it meaningfully.
Let's start with the positives. Johnny Depp has been the unbreakable anchor in this franchise and created a household name for his character, with little short of bumbling behaviour and a distinctive accent. He is the true saviour of a messy film, that is lifted out of boredom by means of comical interplay. He steals every scene, even from the highly-esteemed Geoffrey Rush and Javier Bardem. There's no denying that without Depp, this series would be much poorer, and perhaps wouldn't have succeeded from the off-set. The music can also be commended, even if its completely lifted from the first three films and lazily adapted. I also enjoyed the flashbacks, giving us insight (albeit short) into the early life of Jack Sparrow and the origin of his antics and his iconic name. The fact that Salazar has been connected to Jack through the compass for all this time, was a nice twist - but it's also a gaping plot hole, considering Jack has given the compass away in the past. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and it could work wonders for this film, as that final scene between Will and Elizabeth pretty much caps off their entire storyline, meaning that they don't need to be separated any longer. But there are some cons to this final development, that practically undermines previous plots. With the positives out the way, there's a lot left to discuss. First of all, I'm very fond of the original three films - the script, storyline and crazy visions have always been exemplary. The films are also timeless, with so much fun and entertainment that it's hard to stop watching them sometimes. But, Salazar's Revenge (or Dead Men Tell No Tales), lacks the impact of those three films simply because it tries so hard to be original while also relying equally as much on the previous films. Salazar's crew are effectively a mix of Barbossa's crew in the first film and the crew of the Dutchman. The execution scene was a convoluted rehash of the original execution scene in the first film that has ten times more class and style. Not to mention the fact that the growing affection between Henry and Carina is blatantly parallel to Will Turner's and Elizabeth Swan's (hell, Henry is even Will's son). The connections are endless and yet they do the film no justice, because it's all been seen before. Whilst the acting was predominantly top notch, I thought Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario were both severely lacking in talent and charisma. Perhaps relying too much on the preceding love story (Will and Elizabeth) as the basis for this new relationship, the characters just didn't express themselves enough to make me give them any empathy. The script did them no justice either, as I found myself cringing at some of the most outrageous lines I've heard in cinema, such as repetitively pointing and shouting out the name of people and vessels as they approach, even if the audience is fully aware of what's coming. Unfortunately, they both came across as dim-witted and emotionless. I also thought David Wenham was terribly wasted in his role - script-wise he was portrayed as the stereotypical military officer, who holds more grudges than brain cells. For the script itself, I have no love. It was amateurish, cringeworthy and uninventive. How Pirates of the Caribbean has gone from some of the savy-est sweet-talk in all cinema to this ridiculous nonsense is beyond me, but it becomes quickly apparent that the screenplay is more of a guide than a subsidiary of storytelling, and everyone sounds like they're reading instructions rather than actually living and breathing their characters. I hate to say it, but the directing didn't exactly help this situation. Where this franchise was once renowned for its mesmerising action sequences (I refer you to Calypso's whirlpool in At World's End), as a potential closing chapter, Salazar's Revenge was sloppy and uncreative. Most of the action could be over in a minute, and there'd be barely any blood spilt. As is evident, especially in the final sequence involving the Trident of Poseidon, there's an extreme lack of thought gone into how the action could portrayed believably. The main factor for this film's downfall, for me, was the lack of grit. As I keep mentioning, the first three films had a certain tone that showed a different angle to Disney. Whereas they were pandering for the benefit of kids, here were movies that enjoyed being scary, and had some truly threatening villains to support that terror. Seeing as Barbossa turned good and Davy Jones and Beckett were both killed by the third film, the franchise lost too much substance to be able to continue. Without it, even the sharks, that would normally be blood-curdling, there's no real demand to cover your eyes. I definitely thought On Stranger Tides was a let-down, but this was arguably worse. It's not a complete failure, because there are some genuinely great ideas (if you can find them amongst the nonsensical jargon, mind you), but without Gore Verbrinski, and Elliot & Rossio, it lacks the extra flare that a film this grand needs. For the better of the franchise and its future reputation, I think Disney should leave it there and be content with the fact that they've told three amazing stories, and two half-decent ones to quench everyone's thirst. There's no need for any more. 5.5/10 A shark in a suit is still a shark." Things are speeding up in an episode that has more threat and tension that all the previous six episode combined. Varga is displaying a consistently sinister role in proceedings as he deftly attempts to control the environment around him. Unfortunately for him, most of his co-workers are incompetent in the art of concealment, and its seems his job is getting more and more difficult. As he is though, Varga doesn't seem to be perturbed by anything - he's a character so wrapped in malice and self-confidence that there's barely an emotion in him apart from perpetual calm. His scene with Gloria and Winnie was particularly crafty, but one wonders whether he's showing too much of his disinterested self - so much so that now the police chief is even more suspicious of Stussy's organisation.
One of my favourite scenes has to be when one of Varga's henchmen sees the IRS representative by not only mimicking his over-obsessed, perfectionist nature (which reminded me of a scene from PIXAR's the Incredibles), but also threatening him with a protestation. Whether this has permanently silenced the IRS is one question, but considering the persuasiveness of Varga's employees, I don't see much of a problem on that front. Following her brutal attack last week, Nikki continues to suffer her wounds, but is still forced to relocate as the suspicions of the police continue to increase. The fact that she and Ray settle up in a motel is akin to season two's horrific shootout. Thankfully, this is less messy, but with Nikki left alone, her paranoia may be getting the better of her. Nevertheless, I have a sneaky suspicion that despite the capabilities of the two henchmen, she can look after herself just fine, even in her ailing condition. But, with the tragic events of the episode that unfolded towards the end, will her mind to impulsive manoeuvres from now on, or will she continue to keep a straight head. The Study brothers meanwhile, concerning their relationship, has reached breaking point, quite literally. Despite Emmit trying to patch things up with his brother meaningfully, Ray is far more stubborn about the nature of his gesture of giving him the stamp, despite their longtime feud. Emmit may have been attempting to cover the trail following his lies to the police, but it definitely does not go as planned. The symbolism of this scene is that the stamp killed Ray in the end. His obsession with it, or the idea of it being in his brother's possession has been his driving force in this storyline - but here he is, struck down by his own determination. And, Emmit, who has been teetering on the edge of madness ever since Varga made a house call, is now so deep in the events that he may never be able to live the ordeal down. A whole host of emotions sets the bar high with this episode. Ray's death has a mixed appeal in that Emmit has done something that Varga wanted dispatched anyway, but this will inevitably transform Nikki's course of action completely. As we head straight in to the final four episode of this season, with the stakes this high, we can expect some great developments. I would like to mention how much I appreciated the use of music in this episode too - it allowed for a great mix of tempo, and created a good basis for Varga's fascinating monologues. 9/10 Erasure have had some cracking singles in the past, but does this new album have anything remotely comparable its past successes. Let's find out...
I have little to say about the lyrics for the first song, Love You to the Sky (just as much as Andy Bell has to say), but it has a decent beat and there are some generally unobtrusive synths that take part in the tune. It's just a shame that it is so formulaic. It's more annoying than listenable, and that's the best I can say about it. The second track takes it a bit slower with a more anthem-like tempo. The singing is much better, and the lyrics have more serious meaning. As I listen, in fact it's quite an amiable track that could grow on me, mixing some ambient pop and psychedelic vocals - it's almost dreamy. The title track definitely has more substance, giving me hope for the rest of the album. Unfortunately, it's let down by an unchanging rhythm - even though Bell tries his best to hold everything together with his sobering voice. It can't quite escape its circular beat, and never tries to shake up the format. A Bitter Parting delves into something a little different, relying more on a heavy drum beat to carry the song and a more African-style tempo. It has great potential, but once more it can't quite regenerate its sound to give the listener more variety. After a mixture of quality in the first four tracks, Still It's No Over promises something original. It builds well to a heart-warming crescendo and is complimented by some interesting electronic sounds - the lyrics are also commendable. Andy Bell doesn't let down the vocals either - it's the best song so far on the album. Track number six returns to a slow beat, but it fails to start the second half of the album well - more confused and over-complex. Sweet Summer Loving has all the hallmarks of a catchy dance pop track, controlled by some strong, high-pitched synths. Far more innovative than the rest of the album, but the lyrics disappoint again - too cheesy and obvious. Towards the end of the album, Oh What A World gathers a darker feeling, propelled by some hard chanting and a choral background. Inventive, yes, but perhaps the most appealing track in Erasure's bank - may be held back by being too robotic and unexciting. Lousy Sum of Nothing has a more uplifting message, but as the penultimate track, it doesn't have the impact or power to attract more listeners. I won't criticise the great synths that come and go in the background. Finally, Just a Little Love has a far more nostalgic element, even from reading the title. It's just a shame that it sounds too much like something from the 80s - it's not new and revolutionary enough. A disappointing ending to a relatively sub-par album from Erasure. 4.5/10 We remember what's important to us." I don't think I've watched anything as weird or as indulgent as American Gods. As I've said before, I'm not well acquainted with the novel, but from past experience with Neil Gaiman, he does have the ability to conjure up some far-out concepts. Head Full of Snow demonstrates that boundless imagination quite easily in a story that tells of the god, Anubis, taking a victim to their heaven, a man meeting a Jinn who doesn't grant wishes, and the most unlikely duet robbing a bank. You couldn't make this stuff up - and yet Neil Gaiman has. It's like science-fiction, fantasy and reality all rolled-up together.
The good part is that there's some great character work and the visual aids are so well done that it's hard not to be immersed in the spectacle. The bad part is that three episodes in, I'm still wondering what the hell is going on. Clearly, there's a whole host of god-like beings scattered across the United States, as is self-explanatory in the title. But their respective roles in the wider picture are still unexplained. How do all the Gods that we've been introduced to so far play into the story of Mr Wednesday and Shadow Moon. What overall influence do they have on the story, if any at all? Hopefully these are questions that will be answered soon, but I desperately worry that I'm going to lose the thread along the way before it's given. From what I can gather, Mr. Wednesday, or Odin, is gathering a group of other powerful allies to face up against this modern god, Technical Boy. If it's that simple, why does this feel so complicated. In truth, there's significant lack of coherence to the story. Shadow's journey is a fascinating one - his connection with Zolya, the girl who was supposedly locked in her room in the last episode, was a great way to allows Shadow to change his mind and fight for his life. But, without any clear explanation as to the Wednesday's intentions, there's no meaning to anything that happens. Granted, the scenes outside the bank were cleverly done, and with the snow coming down too - it was all beautifully shot. However, what is this leading to? With Shadow's wife now back from the grave, things appear to be looking even more mad. Once again, I enjoyed the opening sequence. It was played sarcastically and with a bit of comedy involving Mrs. Fadil's cooking. Those landscape shots in the desert after they'd climbed the seemingly endless steps into the clouds - it was a mesmerising use of visual effects. I would also like to heavily praise the acting. Everyone involved are catching the mood perfectly. McShane is just the right amount of humour and candidness, while Shadow is just the right amount of stubborn and grumpiness. Everyone allows their characters to shine individually - each with their own defining traits. I'm still intrigued as to how this show continues and when exactly, within its self-deprecating madness, will it start to form exposition. The characters and beautiful direction may be enough for now, but soon I'm going to need something logical to tide me over. The symbolism regarding snow and the representations of gods are all there, it's just lost in a sea of disconnected plots. 7.5/10 As far as I'm concerned, all we did was tear down a sick man." We're starting to see the breaking point in Jimmy. Nothing seems to be working anymore, not even his usual charm, and his life seems to be spiralling into misery. The question still remains how he gets the situation he's at in Breaking Bad, but we're starting to see the unfolding pathway. As is evident in that final scene at the malpractice insurance, his animosity towards his brother is a mainstay, and even though for many other characters, what happened at the trial is an unsavoury experience, for Jimmy it was a hit back against his self-superior brother. Bob Odenkirk continues to demonstrate his acting ability, especially in that last scene as Jimmy takes another stab at destabilising his brother's credibility. It's a well-written plot point that will undoubtedly cause have numerous implications in the near future.
I'm worried for Kim, however. Here's someone who really likes Jimmy and has done countless acts of kindness, just because she's fond of him. That scene in the bar is an example of their friendship bond, something that they used to do all the time - make up stories to con rich people out of their money. But, in the wake of the trial, Kim is having second thoughts. Caring and diligent as ever, Kim feels as though she's done wrong by Chuck, her former employer. She's come to realise that whilst he may have a reproachful demeanour, his entire life has revolved around a mental illness that she and Jimmy have now blatantly shown the world. That guilt will soon define whether she's stands by her friend, or turns away to seek recompense for something she believes is wrong. Mike had a nice spotlight this week. After agreeing to help out at the school, he soon makes friends with Anita, someone who, like him, has lost a loved one and is continually reminded of that loss. Whether it has some connection to his own loss and the life lessons he's learned since that terrible day, or the fact that he doesn't want people making stupid mistakes, but Mike's decision to meet Nacho and warn him of conducting this swapping of pills to stop Hector from corralling his father into the business has vast sentiments. Nacho was originally a character who was styled as the antagonist, but he's really a hard-working man who has great love for his father, and Mike sees that very clearly. It's great to see that he still has that sharp, detective mind and works out Nacho's plan without even asking him about it. It's tremendously difficult seeing Jimmy in the dumps, almost literally, but there's always a chance he will bounce back. Financially, however, as the title of this episode refers, he's in a predicament. If he doesn't find his big break soon, it could get messy. Nonetheless, it's nice to see his film crew take pity on him. Seeing 'Make-Up Girl' (as she's known in the credits) attempt to offer her wages back was a lovely gesture. But, as well all know, Jimmy's stubborn and he won't go down easily. Considering the titles of the last three episodes (Slip, Fall & Lantern), I'm anticipating some big changes and shake-ups in the show. As this week's episode suggests, there's a lot of building up to something grander. From what front of characters it might come, we don't know yet, but be assured that it'll be tense and packed with wonderful drama. 8/10 |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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