I think it's possible that you and your father have a very specific dynamic. I don't think it's one that rewards emotion or vulnerability. I think it may punish them. I think it's possible that dynamic eroded your marriage and is infecting your kids with a tendency to misdirect their feelings." This was a twist for the ages. Rick, in attempting to skip therapy, transforms himself into a pickle and devises an elaborate contraption to get himself out of it, once the family has left for the appointment. Unfortunately, this doesn't go as planned as Beth decides to ensure her father's incapacitation by taking the syringe containing the potion required for Rick's reversion. Events spiral out of control as Rick embarks on a journey to the therapy room to regain his Human form. On the way, he fights an underground infestation of rats, infiltrates a European top secret base and saves a prisoner - Jaguar - from incarceration for the sake of seeing his daughter again. Meanwhile, the Sanchez family are enjoying a somewhat less-than-convivial chat with Dr. Wong, their therapist, as they rapidly get to the bottom of their problems.
Bolstered by Roiland's wonderfully wacky voiceovers, and a decidedly star-studded cast of other voices including Susan Sarandon and Peter Serafinowicz, this was quite a funny episode. Rick especially had a few wonderful zingers that rolled off the tongue with nary a second thought - reinforcing his insulting expertise. One of the best moments though, has to be its darkest, as Rick absent-mindedly mentioned how he abandoned his daughter in an alternative Universe, and when Jaguar comes to question whether his own daughter could be infinitely distributed in other dimensions, Rick backtracks. It's incredible how the writers have easily infused another likeable character into the pathos of Rick and Morty that has an emotional back story and an authentic motivation. Hopefully we'll see more of Rick and Jaguar's relationship prosper, especially now that Rick has been saved from Concerto by his newfound friend in the after-credits scene. The journey to friendship, however, is paved with madness. I love Rick's natural compatibility with the science around him and how he can use his environment to his advantage. The fact that he has the capacity to build an entire laboratory underground to build himself a super-suit with weapon attachments may seem a bit far-fetched, but I particularly liked the fact that he used his mouth to control the brain and nervous system of a cockroach - that was genius. Everything following may seem like nonsensical violence, but it's just Rick enjoying his time as a pickle, decapitating, dissecting and disassembling rats to his delight. But even in the short space of twenty minutes, the show managed to introduce another B-plot, which was the old-wives tale about 'Solenya', the Pickle Man who steals the dreams of wasteful children. This concept was the basis for yet more hilarious gags and gave Rick the chance he needed to escape. Honestly, Rick needs to transform into a pickle more often - the possibilities are endless. The most important part of the episode, I suppose, is the actual therapy session. Less active than the other parts of the story, indeed, but just as funny. The return of Mr. Goldenfold offers another joke as we learn that Dr. Wong is also an expert on helping people with coprophagia - making the gag with the picture frame seem even more meaningful. But there's a darker tone to this part of the story as we learn that Beth has an unnatural relationship with her father in that she ignores his complete disregard of family. In truth, Rick does not like to show his loving side, not that there's much of it. But this disregard is indirectly causing her kids to be affected as well. This small, yet significant, detail gives a final note that could be the darkest of the series. Summer and Morty want to go back to therapy again, but Rick has convinced Beth that it is unnecessary. The overall arch is coming together in brutal fashion, as we would expect from this ridiculous show. Darkness comes before light and Rick would rather pain and suffering than boredom as it leads to an exciting adventure. However, there's evidence that his adventures are taking their toll on his grandchildren as they go through a period of sombreness with the absence of their father. Therapy sessions seem to be what's needed, and even Rick was taken aback with Dr. Wong's words of wisdom, but the kids may not get another chance. 9/10
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Chaos is a ladder." Game of Thrones has always been known as the show that can turn an episode from a quiet, banter-filled discussion into an unprecedented sea of blood. This is one of those episodes that you won't want to miss. Not only are there revelations, reunions and the return of a notorious dagger, but a great big dragon causing mayhem to the Lannister army. At first, it seems like one of the happiest episodes in a long time, until the final fifteen minutes as we are plunged into an infernal chaos. Perhaps not as consequential as Hardhome was back in Season 5 or as intricate as Blackwater and The Watchers on the Wall, but it says a lot about Game of Thrones when I consider this to be the fifth best battle sequence in its history. Battle of the Bastards unequivocally is still number one.
The Winterfell storyline has reached an interesting stage in its development as not only Bran has arrived to his home, but Arya now as well. Reunions are left right and centre - there's just one more significant one to look forward to and that's Jon and Arya. Indeed, the Stark children once scattered to all four corners of the world are now trickling back together again, but not everything is entirely content. The writers are continuing to address Bran's emotionless state, giving us a sad departure for Meera as she receives no gratitude for the gruelling period she spent looking after Bran. Whatever and wherever she goes next, let's hope she hasn't been completely disheartened by Bran's uncharacteristic lack of emotion. But, it's clear, as Bran meets Arya and Sansa, that this state is brought on by exposure to the Three-Eyed Raven's powers - a tool that has given him immense foresight. With it, he is able to nicely quote Littlefinger's perception of chaos, mention Arya's list of names and even perhaps see the future of Winterfell as it stands. It's testament to the character development that we now see how Arya has grown. No one or not, her wisdom and training has brought her through thick and thin - a killing machine, yes, but not a heartless one at that. Her meeting with Sansa in the crypt is an emotional one, giving us a chance to see the difference between the sisters and the transformation that has happened since they were separated all those years ago back in King's Landing. When Jon returns to Winterfell, we won't know what's hit us considering the amount of Starks now populating their home. It was also great to see Brienne meet Arya properly, both giving each other a hard time in a duel. Arya certainly seems to equip that Valerian dagger with surprising skill. There's still the old problem of sorting out Littlefinger however, who continues to impose his greedy eyes on Winterfell and its inhabitants. At Dragonstone, political proceedings are ongoing as Jon still refuses to bend the knee for the sake of his people. However, he does get a chance to convince Daenerys of the truth of the White Walkers. Firsthand, as an audience, we get to see the caves in which Dragonglass is mined, and a whole host of carvings made by the Children of the Forest and the First Men. This is a clever way of showing us the origin of the alliance that brought the Children and men together against the White Walkers, but it also gives Jon a chance to make Daenerys see that all he has been saying is true and the greatest danger is to the North. The Mother of Dragons remains stubborn, however, as the news is broken that Casterly Rock was taken, but to the detriment of Lady Olenna Tyrell and the Reach. Naturally, Daenerys feels that her only alternative of finding some foothold in the war, would be to use her dragons. However, most of her advisors seem against this decision, which is interesting considering the fact that she's not endangering any innocent civilians. Jon himself does feel that using dragons at all is bringing the past back into the present and using fire as the Mad King once did to strike fear in the enemy. The singularity of the episode, in superlative quality, is the consequences of the sacking of Highgarden. Now that the Lannisters have acquired the gold to repay all debts to the Iron Bank, Jaime, Bronn and the Tarlys are on the verge of getting around the Blackwater Rush when disaster strikes. In a wide angle shot that could rival the charge made in Battle of the Bastards, a Dothraki horde heads at breakneck speed to slaughter the Lannister forces. Every image counts as we see the foot soldiers organise themselves into rows and Daenerys appears riding on the back of her largest dragon, Drogon. In the following minutes, I don't think we've seen so much fire before. The production does not hold back as countless soldiers are set alight by Drogon's deadly fuel and with the ruthless Dothraki on horseback, the Lannister army is quickly guttered before they have a chance to breathe. The masterstroke of Thrones battles is that it's not all individual soldiers battling it out one by one - we get to see the full picture as the leaders make decisions during the battle that could turn the tides. Jaime makes one of these decisions as he orders Bronn to take control of the sole scorpion the army had brought with them. Bronn is a fascinating character - always known as the joker of the show - a dear friend of Tyrion and a man who has more wits than he lets on. In the amount of sticky situations he's been caught in, this could perhaps be the worst, but it doesn't phase him as he deftly avoids a Dothraki soldier and still manages to catch Drogon in its neck mid-flight. His resilience is unmatched. But it's his relationship with Jaime that is most important in this situation and I think both Bronn and Tyrion had the same idea when they witnessed Jaime stupidly charge Daenerys as she attempted to pull the arrowhead from Drogon's skin. Ever since Bronn started training Jaime's left hand after his misunderstanding with a group of Boltons, they have grown a rapport in which the former sellsword is almost his right-hand man. That's why the final moment of Bronn knocking Jaime from his horse and falling into the lake is such a defining moment. This is what we've been waiting for in terms of their mutual agreement. Despite continuously demonstrating a flaw in following Cersei as the new ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, Bronn still has great respect for Jaime no matter what. Those finale fifteen minutes may outshine the rest, but it's testament to the build-up that allows us such an outstanding payoff to the beginning of the war. Cersei seemed pretty much sold as the winner until Daenerys makes this blow that could be the end of the Queen's best Generals, including her brother. Even though Tyrion may be looking on in despair as his brother and great friend could be on the verge of death, he'll be content in knowing that Cersei has received an almighty blow to her rule. We've had so much exchange in the south that I think it's time to look north again. The Wall beckons and I'd like to see how Tormund and Edd are coping with the winds of winter and a potential onslaught of White Walkers and their loyal dead. 9/10 You would risk your entire planet, the entire solar system, for what? For more power?" These final three episodes of season three completely contrast that of the first four, for one particular reason - they concentrate on the bigger picture. We've now established that Voltron has experienced a reshuffle, but Shiro has been found and has returned to the group, meaning there are more Paladins than Lions. This conundrum could be problematic when it comes to making a move against Prince Lotor, especially now that Keith has assumed Shiro's leadership role and despite the Black Lion's continued loyalty to its former master, it has now chosen a different pilot. With these interesting changes, the series starting to get into the gritty detail and giving us all the answers we've been waiting for. Indeed, when the series initially began, I believed it to be quite bare and unpopulated, but now it has grown to become something quite voluminous, with more disparate species than I can count.
Starting with The Journey, here we have a wonderful character piece for Shiro, who has seemingly been a prisoner of the Galra Empire for quite some time, has escaped their ship and found a couple of rebels on a backwater planet. The means of his escape, and especially his success rate, is suspicious (doubly so thanks to a comment made by one of the Galra soldiers as he escaped), but the story gives a lot of breathing space for some lovely character development. Always the leader, and unsung warrior, Shiro is briefly interrogated by the rebels as a Galra spy. The two rebels make wonderful supporting characters and provide some comedic respite in a particularly dreary episode. I particularly liked their realisation, after setting Shiro free with his own ship, that they are now left without a ship for themselves. Finally, after escaping with a Galra ship and following the flight path of Voltron for what seems like aeons, Shiro is reunited with his fellow Paladins. The episode is self-inclusive, balancing between a nice character-building process for the former prisoner and a chance for us to glimpse other rebels in the Universe. Tailing a Comet is a more traditional episode of Voltron, giving us a good old space battle that our heroes somewhat win. It's a difficult decision seeing as Prince Lotor has now acquired a vehicle that is just agile, powerful and durable as Voltron itself. The most interesting part of this episode though is its continuity. I'm all for continuity, mainly because it is a powerful mechanism for tying storylines together and giving the audience a chance to join the dots on a potentially complicated plot collage. In the midst of discovering Lotor is stealing a Teladuv, Princess Allura realises that he means to use Haggar, as we recently discovered in the finale of Season 2 is an Altean - someone who can conveniently control a Teladuv. Equally, one of Lotor's Generals turns out to be the lone Galra who joined Keith inside the belly of a Weblum all that time ago as they attempted to acquire scaultrite. All these details help to create wonderful setup for an upcoming conflict that could be rather catastrophic. Even more interesting is that we are now aware fully that Lotor is not following Zarkon and Haggar's original plan, but is independently plotting his own destiny. Arguably the best episode of Voltron is the season three finale as we get the origin story we all wanted. Initially, it seems reckless to introduce us to entirely different team responsible for Voltron, but the details are few and far between as we catch a glimpse of how Voltron came to pass and Zarkon turned against his friends to seek dominion of the Universe. The animation is particularly revolutionary for this episode and the action sequences remind me of the beautifully drawn Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender. The story is perhaps more simplistic than these two masterworks, but there's enough here to give us a full account of the early decisions that gave the series its consequences. Perhaps a little rushed towards the end, but everything is covered, even the emotional ending for King Alfor as he is struck down by his own friend. The big revelation, however, is the origin of Haggar and her dealings with quintessence which she had acquired from an alternate reality. Succinctly, this was a fantastic way to end the series, giving us a great kick-starter for the much-anticipated fourth season as we see the action truly come into its own. All these details will be vital in moving forward as Voltron finally faces Prince Lotor with more experience regarding his plan and execution. For the record, I'm hoping the threat levels will increase - whilst the Prince is a brilliant villain, there's not enough threat to surmount to any consequences. However, we've still got all the members of Voltron to think about. Each has their own ambition and incentive - Princes Allura more than most as she attempts to avenge her father. Generally, things are looking exciting as we head towards a tumultuous chapter in this well-made series. The Journey - 8/10 Tailing a Comet - 8/10 The Legend Begins - 9/10 Overall - 8/10 Keith, these are my people, and they could be our best hope of winning this war." The family-friendly science-fiction animation is back with a shorter third season. Never fear, however, as the fourth season is only two months away. Fans will be anticipating the answer to the second season cliffhanger, but it's clear early on that the answer to that question could be far from being revealed. Instead, Voltron decides to take a different route and shake-up the respective roles of the paladins. Indeed, there's a new perspective to get used to, but there's also the same old loveable characters, excellent battle sequences and a new evil in the Universe.
The premiere is a great start to the new season, instantly dropping us amidst the chaos of ongoing warfare, while simultaneously introducing us to the new big bad - Prince Lotor, the son of Zarkon. Not to mention the fact that the writers address the absence of Shiro, the Black Paladin, who has mysteriously disappeared following the skirmish with Zarkon previously. This discrepancy causes conflict between the Paladins as they attempt to reorganise Voltron and secure a strong leadership. Meanwhile, we have a very cool first glimpse of Lotor as he shows himself to be unconventional villain - one that has an immense arsenal of skill at his back, but with a merciful streak that contrasts with his father's ruthlessness. The three following episodes don't maintain the standard of the premiere, but they do give us the chance to adapt to the new order as Keith is given leadership of Voltron. Interestingly, this also leaves a space for Princess Allura to join in the fray as the new Blue Paladin, much to Coran's reluctance. The second and third episode deal with Lotor's cunning schemes to bring out the Paladin's of Voltron and overlook their strategies. The resulting chases and confusion may be a bit silly and unprofessional on the part of the Paladins, but there's great character development for Keith as he learns to keep a calm head and detract from making impulsive decisions as he is known to. Lotor continues to show a fresh side to the opposing menace as he and his group of mercenaries regularly cause Voltron mayhem and strife in their attempts to find comfort in the new order of command. Hole in the Sky, the fourth episode, is an interesting instalment in the series and is a chance for some fun science-fiction and alternate reality storylines. Initially, we're excited to perhaps get the chance to see more of Allura's people, as the Alteans are known for their power and wisdom, but it is quickly turned on its head as a reality where the Alteans have essentially enslaved other races in order to keep them in line and ensure peace in the Universe. I would've liked to have seen more coverage of the alternate Altean-people and perhaps a bit more of the culture, as the general portrayal seemed a bit bare, but with Slav and Sven (Shiro's alter ego) involved, it was a great laugh. So far, this is the same old childish show, with some exquisite animation, but there's a hint of a darker and more dangerous storyline ahead. Shiro still hasn't been discovered yet and neither has Pidge's brother, but with the addition of Prince Lotor - an enemy who seems to have the upper hand this time - things could get a bit more interesting. I'd like to see Hunk utilised in better fashion, however, as he seems to still be present for comic relief rather than as an important member of Voltron. Changing of the Guard - 8/10 Red Paladin - 7.5/10 The Hunted - 7/10 Hole in the Sky - 8/10 Rules are rules and this is a place where we make love, not war." Seeing as the Fifth Element is an old favourite science-fiction of mine with its obscure storyline and wacky pace. From the trailers, Valerian seemed to be in the same vain, but with an extra quality - the visuals looked breathtaking. And that's what they are - breathtaking. From early on you start to explore the Universe that Luc Besson has lifted from the comic books. Every detail is colourful, beautiful and awesome. Action sequences are especially mesmerising in this film as the landscapes, environments and spaceships coalesce elegantly for every frame. It's not too detailed that it causes a brain seizure, but it's just enough to make you see the scale. Each environment has it's own style, so to speak, and that style is instantly recognisable as unique. City of a Thousand Planets indeed.
There's a vast mix of previous films and influences in this, however it's difficult discern whether one is original or inspired by another science-fiction world without knowing what was in the comic book. Suffice to say, the plot and storyline is quite similar to Star Wars, but when it comes to the fine details, the two converge quite significantly. Valerian concentrates a lot on the philosophical themes, with love standing as the primary motivation for the plot. Certain decisions made by characters either follow a code or procedure that has negative impacts on their feelings - this is the concise overall story. What transpires, however, is far more detailed and rich potential. The story itself is the driving force of the entire film and gives the writers ample opportunity to hit a lot of notes along the way. The opening sequences introducing Humanity's evolution in space travel alongside David Bowie's Space Oddity, on the planet Mül and the mission to retrieve a 'converter' are the best parts of the movie, giving us an exciting, relentless, fascinating series of action and exposition scenes. Cinematography should be commended for its skill at showing the small and the large with equal detail. Kudos to Luc Besson as well for the use of dimension-changing, by having the agents surf between the two. Science-fiction success is always based on the inventive use of cool ideas - there's nothing cooler than having a character be two places at once. The latter half of the film, in which we return to Alpha and discover a possible threat at the heart of the city, is perhaps lessened by the fact that it is returning to more familiar science-fiction tropes, but the visual and audio aid does not cease. The military aspect is perhaps something that should have been reconsidered or further developed, but we do get to meet some other interesting characters, including the Doghan-Dagui trio who have great knowledge and Bubble, a shape-shifter. The conclusion does seem relatively simple, but everything leading up to the payoff is so good that it is almost negligible in the long term. The villain is captured and the heroes get married seems like a typical cliche, which is a shame considering the astonishing originality of this film. Apart from Valerian and Laureline, the characters are generally fascinating and help to depict a more vibrant Universe. Clive Owen plays a surprisingly villainous evil in Commander Arun Filitt, which is hard to find in most good vs evil films these days. Rihanna's tenure as Bubble may have been short-lived, but her brief appearance was surprisingly enigmatic and gave the writers a chance to point out the darkness of slavery. Also, the Pearl race are depicted as a pacifistic, humble race, which makes their history even more tragic in retrospect. Laureline is a character played brilliantly by Cara Delevingne, with a decidedly stubborn overview on life. Unfortunately, it's the other main character, Valerian that falters. As he's written as a major, Dane DeHaan seems too young for the role, and the actor's portrayal doesn't seem fierce or strong enough to be authoritative. This was my only gripe towards the acting, but it is perhaps more of a blame towards the casting. Luckily it doesn't ruin the flow of the film. My main negative is the script. Despite a multitude of talent and extravaganza behind the making of this film, the endearing quality of the directing and visual richness is let down by a contrastingly lacklustre script. It suffers the old fantasy cliches and relies too much on the characters' actions rather than the intelligence of their decisions. Especially when it comes the military side, the script can become a bit comedic. Whilst romance isn't a common recurrence in the film, when it does crop up, it can be a bit jarring amid a mountain of action and excitement. It forces the movie to stall for a moment to explain the relationship between Valerian and Laureline before moving on again to the next plot development. All in all, this is far from a bad film - the visual aspects alone are almost enough to put into icon territory as a symbol of quality filmmaking. However, a bad casting choice and an unconvincing script leave me to believe that it won't remain a cult classic like The Fifth Element. However, there's enough excitement here for an enjoyable night at the cinema, and the imagination that has been injected into the visual aspects are enough to call it a film of high potential. Unfortunately, the director and producers may not get the chance to improve with a sequel, but this is a strong adaption, nonetheless. 7.5/10 |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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