Author: hscptcrash

TV REVIEW Star Trek Discovery: Series 2 Ep 6 The Sound of Thunder

Sorry for the delay. I’ve had a difficult week and a bit sleep-wise so it meant I had to watch the episode twice before writing my review. All should be back to running normally next week, but today you get a double dose of reviews.

I actually wasn’t sure about this episode when I first watched it and I can only think it was that I wasn’t in the right mind-set for such an emotional-wrought story line.
Saru’s journey within this episode is quite incredible. We see his relationship with Michael strengthen once more; there’s a heartwarming scene in which he takes Michael to meet his sister. It’s charming and gives us such a depth to Saru’s character.

The plot involving the seemingly superior Ba’ul is incredibly reminiscent of stories you’ll have seen before; Antz, Bug’s Life and many others all cover this idea of a weak group being strong, if only they work together and accept they can be more.
What I did enjoy with this retelling of the underdog is that it wasn’t always that way and the ethical situation Discovery find themselves in when faced with being a bystander to genocide.

The Ba’ul leader! Bloody hell, he was scary. The look is absolutely terrifying on its own, but then you add that voice that will cause nightmares for weeks to come. It’s hard to see that they were once the prey on the planet- gulp!

The episode resolves with a heartfelt goodbye between Saru and his sister. I’m hoping that the journey within this episode will ensure we gain a balance between his mild mannered and volatile self. I guess only time will tell.

My only issue with the episode is in regards to Hugh Culber. The first scene is okay and fits well within Saru’s story. However, this was not an episode that could fit in a secondary storyline, so the second scene which has such a beautiful story that explains how Hugh came to be a doctor feels a little out of place and clunky. What I felt it needed was either a resolution with an additional scene at the end or the second scene removed.
It’s something I probably wouldn’t have noticed had the previous episodes been quite so high quality. It’s not that I don’t want to see Hugh either, its an incredible story and I’m itching to have an episode that focuses on both him and Stamets. However, these out of place scenes don’t do the character’s justice.

Its a well made episode, with only a few missteps. It was quite nice to have a break from the search for Spock and have an almost ‘bottle episode’ on a planet. I’m also strangely loving the clashing of Pike and Ash; long may it continue.

February Wrap Up

Books I Got

  • Extinction Trials: Rebel by S. M. Wilson (Usborne Purchase)
  • Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M McManus (Penguin Purchase)
  • Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman (Black & White Publishing Net Galley)
  • Widows by Lynda La Plante (Bonnier Zaffre Book Post)
  • Widows’ Revenge by Lynda La Plante (Bonnier Zaffre Net Galley)
  • Star World byAudrey Coulthurst & Paula Garner (Candlewick Press Net Galley)
  • Meat Market by Juno Dawson (Quercus Children’s Books Net Galley)
  • Emily Eternal by M G Wheaton (Hodder & Stoughton Net Galley)
  • On the Come Up by Angie (Walker Books Wildest Dreams Book Box)
  • Song of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury (Scholastic Competition Book Post)
  • Cursed by Karol Ruth Silverstein (Charlesbridge Teen Net Galley)
  • Bible Journaling for the Fine Artist by Melissa Fischer, Kate Peiffer (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Little People, Big Dreams. Stephen Hawking by Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Little People, Big Dreams. Muhammad Ali by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Brosmind (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Little People, Big Dreams Rosa Parks by Lisbeth Kaiser (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Little People, Big Dreams Emmeline Pankhurst by Lisbeth Kaiser
    (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Little People, Big Dreams Ella Fitzgerald by Isabel Sanchez Vegara & Bàrbara Alca
    (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer (Bloomsbury Charity Shop buy)
  • The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (Simon & Schuster Charity Shop buy)
  • Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron (Pan Macmillan Net Galley)
  • We Won an Island by Charlotte Lo (Nosy Crow Book Post)
  • Home Girl by Alex Wheatle (Little Brown Group Net Galley)
  • Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder Charity Shop buy)
  • Heartless by Marissa Meyer (Pan Macmillan Charity Shop buy)
  • Black Music Greats by Olivier Cachin (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Your Mind is Like the Sky by Bronwen Ballard (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The Woolly Monkey Mysteries by Sandra Markle (Millbrook Press Net Galley)
  • The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi (St Martins Press Net Galley)
  • The Grace Year by Kim Liggett (St Martins Press Net Galley)
  • The Sages of Chelm and the Moon by Shlomo Abas (Green Bean Books Net Galley)
  • The Bet Between Us by Brandon Moore (B L Moore Net Galley)
  • Wolf Light by Yaba Badoe (Zephyr Net Galley)
  • Little Bear Wants to Grow by Judith Koppens (Clavis Publishing Net Galley)
  • Darksoul Anna Stephens (Harper Collins Net Galley)
  • Bright Start – Feel Better Daddy by Nancy Loewen; Hazel Michelle Quintanilla (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Bright Start – A Thank You Walk by Nancy Loewen (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The Story of People by Catherine Barr, Steve Williams (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The Lost Book of Adventure by Unknown Adventurer (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Wish by Chris Saunders (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The Cave by Rob Hodgson (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The School of Numbers by Emily Hawkins (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Brilliant Ideas From Wonderful Women by Aitziber Lopez (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • What Do Machines Do All Day by Jo Nelson (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Read to Your Baby Every Day by Chloe Giordano (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Maria Montessori by Isabel Sanchez Vegara; Raquel Martín (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Ada Lovelace by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Zafouko Yamamoto (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • The Near Witch by V.E Schwab (Titan Books Book Post)
  • The Toy Makers by Robert Dinsdale (Penguin Purchase)
  • A Girl Called Shameless by Laura Steven (EgmontPurchase)
  • Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson (Egmont Publishing Net Galley)
  • Presley the Pug Relaxation Activity Book by Karen Treisman (Jessica Kingsley Publishers Net Galley)
  • Opposite of Always by justin a. reynolds (Pan Macmillan Net Galley)
  • The Furies by Katie Lowe (Harper Collins Net Galley)
  • Handcrafted Cocktails by Molly Wellmann (F + W Media Net Galley)
  • Crazy Beautiful Letters by Judith Graves (Sassy Lassie Designs Net Galley)
  • 100 Things You Don’t Know About Atlantic Canada (for Kids) by Sarah Sawler (Nimbus Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Steak and Cake by Elizabeth Karmel (Workman Publishing Company Net Galley)
  • The Happiness Diary by Barbara Ann Kipfer (Quarto Publishing Group Net Galley)
  • Darksoul by Anna Stephens (Harper Collins Net Galley)
  • Music and Malice in Hurricane Town by Alex Bell (Stripes Publishing Net Galley)
  • The Crying Machine by Greg Chivers (Harper Collins Net Galley)
  • The War Blog by Glen Sobey (Black Rose Writing Net Galley)

Library Loans

  • The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Pan Macmillan)
  • Wildcard by Marie Lu (Penguin)

Books I Read

  • Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
  • Extinction Trials: Rebel by S. M. Wilson
  • Monsters in the Mirror by A J Hartley
  • Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M McManus
  • Meat Market by Juno Dawson
  • Widows by Lynda La Plante
  • The Lost Book of Adventure by Unknown Adventurer
  • Wish by Chris Saunders
  • The Cave by Rob Hodgson
  • The School of Numbers by Emily Hawkins
  • Brilliant Ideas From Wonderful Women by Aitziber Lopez
  • What Do Machines Do All Day by Jo Nelson
  • Maria Montessori by Isabel Sanchez Vegara; Raquel Martín
  • Ada Lovelace by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Zafouko Yamamoto
  • Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron
  • We Won an Island by Charlotte Lo
  • Little Bear Wants to Grow by Judith Koppens
  • The Magic Misfits: The Second Story by Neil Parick Harris

Books for March

  • Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena
  • Emily Eternal by M G Wheaton

Goodreads total:

Its been an amazing book month and I’m 23 books ahead of schedule, which is beyond amazing. That said, I’ve been finding it really hard to focus and setting myself a massive TBR last month was a big mistake; I think I’ve only read one out of it.
I’m hoping to get my reading speed up this month and be distracted less by my phone. I also need to get the final chapter from my fan fiction written and published.

Love Han x

Marvelous Movie Reviews: Iron Man 2 (2010)

“The suit and I are one.”
Tony Stark

Release: 30 April 2010
Rating: 12
Length: 2Hr 4min
About: With the world now aware that he is Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from all sides to share his technology with the military. He is reluctant to divulge the secrets of his armored suit, fearing the information will fall into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) by his side, Tony must forge new alliances and confront a powerful new enemy.

The Good

  • The biggest highlight for me is the casting; both Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell are amazing as this installment’s bag guys. I’ll admit, I still struggled to hear everything Rourke was saying but I didn’t mind once the subtitles were on.
  • Tony is even more Howard Hughes than ever and I love the entrance to the Expo. Its a brilliant way of showing his approach to his superhero life.
  • The humour in the court hearing is rather pitch perfect. It’s on the right side of tongue in cheek; from the comment that nods to the casting change of Rhodey to the responses given to Senator Trump Stern.
  • I don’t think I picked up on this in the first outing, but I love the Red Dwarf-like robots Tony has in his basement.
  • We get more Happy and Black Widow’s introduction is rather subtle for newbies, allowing them to be on side with Stark, while remaining perfect for fans in the know.
  • The CGI of the wrecked car at the Monaco Grand Prix is still as breath taking as it was on the big screen. It’s hard not to wonder what went wrong with the graphics department down the line.
  • As Tony becomes reckless, it allows Rhodey to have more to do. There’s a few scenes between Rob DJ and Don Cheadle that are rather beautiful, sincere and something I feel is missing from some of the later movies.
  • Have to give a shout out to Queen for the vocals to the fight sequence between a drunk Tony and Rhodey. THIS was a better Civil War than, well, Civil War.
  • “I don’t want to join your super secret boy band.” – I love the relationship between Stark and Fury. It’s like an angry uncle and a rebellious nephew. It’s something the film could have done with more of.
  • Okay, I briefly mentioned Sam Rockwell at the beginning but of all the anti-heroes, Justin Hammer is quite possibly my favourite. Perhaps its because his motivation is pure stupidity and a drive for power that he should never have. He’s the guy you meet wherever you work, shop or play. He’s the guy who thinks he means well, has charm but he wouldn’t think twice about throwing his nanna under the bus. He’s a big dick; a brilliant, snivelling, brown nosing dick. And who better to handle this character than Sam Rockwell?!

The Bad

  • What is with Mickey Rourke’s Corey Feldman skunk stripe?! Don’t get me wrong, Rourke has my admiration for The Wrestler and I’m sure it’s more to do with the costume department, but I want to chop it off.
  • The opening exposition wasn’t as clear as with Hulk and, as a result, I missed Ivan’s beef against Stark. It was over an hour in before I made sense of his one-man war path.
  • Paltrow’s Pepper Potts is a little too loud and shouty in this outing. Her freaking out in the car really doesn’t fit with what was otherwise a flawless scene.
  • Coulson was a bit pointless in this. It felt too forced “Hi, I’m coming to tell you I can’t stay.”…. okay. I get the feeling it was to prepare the way for the sting, but he wasn’t required in the film proper for that to happen. That said, I do love Gregg Clark so I shouldn’t really complain.
  • Happy and Black Widow! We so need more of those two together. It was the best part of the god damn movie.

The Ugly

  • I feel as if there’s a bit of a continuity error when it comes to Stark’s involvement in the Avengers Initiative. He was very much involved within the sting of Hulk, but this film seems to ignore that.
  • Its still the same ending; bigger, meaner version of the hero. Only this time they pressed the copy button. It’s already feeling stagnant when it comes to the bad guys.
  • This could be where the problems with Black Widow start. Both Happy and Tony fawn over her; even Potts mentions how it was a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Final Thoughts

My opinion has improved some what since the first, and last, time I watched this. To be fair, I was so bored that I left my boyfriend-at-the-time in the screen and went for a walk. Twice. What I will say though is that I wasn’t the hard core Marvel CINEMATIC Universe fan until Joss Whedon gave me Assemble.
It still has its faults, but I must say I actually enjoyed it much more… even if I did have to watch it in two sections.

Next up, as the sting revealed, is Thor.

Love Han x

Blog Tour Book Review: Monsters in the Mirror


Publisher: UCLan Publishing
Pages: 424
Release Date: 1.3.2019
About: Darwen Arkwright’s world is turned upside down when he is forced to move from a small English town to Atlanta in the United States of America. Feeling out of place and struggling to fit in at school, Darwen seeks solace in a mysterious shop full of mirrors. It’s there that he discovers the ability to step through mirrors in to different worlds – worlds beyond his wildest imagination. Darwen befriends creatures including Moth, a tiny being with mechanical wings, but he soon learns that there is a terrible darkness threatening this new world…and only he can save it.The problem with doors is that they open both ways. There are monsters inside, and some of them are trying to get out…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monsters-Mirror-1-Beyond/dp/099551559X

I fell in love with Dawen, his world and the story almost immediately and I couldn’t put it down. From the first page, you’re thrown into the story and it doesn’t let up until you close the book on the final page.

It holds a nostalgic magic that’s not only reminiscent of Snicket and Potter, but of one of my favourite childhood book series; the Shivers collection. They were an alternative to Point Horror and they were my go to. My favourite of them all was Madness at the Mall and Monsters in the Mirror really gave me such a throwback to it that I’ve been searching my bookshelves ever since.

Monsters in the Mirror would be an upgraded, movie quality version of those delightfully scary books of my childhood. With a chilling reminder of Return to Oz, I was hooked with both worlds presented and I really would love to see this being made into a TV progamme with 90s vibes. The worlds are artfully and passionately built that I dare people not to love them.

It’s a perfectly set out plot, that sees the protagonist develop relationships that have a fulfilling arc over the whole book while also laying a foundation for whatever comes next. Which, believe me, I’ll be here waiting for any news of an upcoming release date.

Its a story for all, but most of all… this could be the book series that gets parents recommending books to their children, digging out their old paperbacks and sharing them with a new generation of readers.

Book Review: Enchantee by Gita Trelease

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Pages: 480
About: Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries—and magicians…
When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail, naive sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic—la magie ordinaire—Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
With dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. There, she gambles at cards, desperate to have enough to keep herself and her sister safe. Yet the longer she stays at court, the more difficult it becomes to reconcile her resentment of the nobles with the enchantments of Versailles. And when she returns to Paris, Camille meets a handsome young balloonist—who dares her to hope that love and liberty may both be possible.
But la magie has its costs. And when Camille loses control of her secrets, the game she’s playing turns deadly. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, freedom or magic—before Paris burns…

My heart is aching, this was such a perfect book for me. It is charming, hopeful and gracefully historic. I’ve had an inexplicable and emotional draw to the French Revolution for as long as I can remember. The ancien regime and the civil unrest that led to the end of the French monarchy has always held my attention. I have a theory as to what was the root cause of the breakdown within French society, but I’ve needed to find someone more read in the history than me.
I knew I would enjoy this book going in, perhaps be a little critical if history was not played out quite right but I k. Never, in my wildest dreams did I think I would have my heart stolen and my senses transported to such an authentic (yet utterly magical) world. Move over The Night Circus and make space for your literary equal.
Normally, it is the characters that pull me in first; there’s something about them that makes me root for them. While it’s fair to say this is true of the gorgeous and loyal Camile, it is the author’s use of language that charmed me so utterly that I was torn from the moment the first chapter ended; on one hand, I wanted to devour this story in one sitting but, on the other I wanted to savour it and make the book last forever. The use of French is the key. In other books, it wouldn’t have sat so organically beside the English. There’s a glossary, but the phrases and words are so well integrated into the dialogue that I certainly didn’t feel the need to search their meaning.
There are so many characters that bring life to this entwining plot of magicians, class system and the romance. As a reader, you will be as confused and lost as Camille when it comes to your appraisal of some characters, whereas others will win you over instantly.
I must say, I didn’t see the ending coming; literally and figuratively. I was so enchanted by the storytelling that I am still processing that I’ve read the final page let alone the fact that I missed something that with a lesser writer I would have called much earlier.
I cannot wait to reread this novel once I have the physical book in my hands and I am already looking forward to what Gita Trelease will publish next as I will forever be a devoted fan.

Love Han x

Buffy Rewatch: S1 Ep1 & 2

Titles:
Welcome to the Hellmouth
The Harvest

I started to rewatch Buffy with a group of students in school. I figured the girls needed to see a role model who wasn’t from Love Island or battling against the ‘lets be PC’ method of making TV.
Every week we squeezed into one lunch and after school session. They were amazed that I know some of the lines pitch perfect, they were shocked at what passed for fashion in the 90s, but they love it and were always begging for ‘one more’.

Welcome to the Hellmouth

That opening scene. It will always be like a sucker punch to me. Tropes are so-called for a reason. Even with the current horror resurgence, conventions are set in celluloid. This first vampire attack bends all expectations and even 20 years on, it still feels refreshing.

Buffy is introduced with a parting nightmare directly after the guitar from the credits patters out. With the vibe of a popular kid who wasn’t looking to start again, its easy to see that she’s been through something that’s humbled her. Buffy”s passing initiation with Cordelia ends with her being so uncomfortable at Cordelia’s jibes directed at Willow. It’s a testament to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance. Not many actresses could pull off this conflicted nature with sincerity.
We hit the 25 minute mark and I’m very happy to see that, much like Harry Potter, she’s alright at deciding who her friends are, thank you very much. Of course, while Buffy didn’t want to leave her school life and popularity behind there is that pesky little problem she was hoping to avoid.

Buffy’s reminder of her duties as the slayer comes dressed in tweed. Anthony Stewart Head, the Gold Blend Ad man, was back on my TV. As much as I love Giles, I never quite understand how he got the top Watcher job. From all the contact we see him have with the Watcher’s Council, it’s made clear that they don’t think much of him. So why is he looking after the one and only Slayer and not behind a desk?!

Buffy and Giles’ relationship is one of my favourites on the show; it works well and on so many levels. Although, watching now there are some times when I wonder how this middle-aged man got away with spending so much time with the Scooby Gang.

Welcome to the Hellmouth sees Buffy admit there is no escaping her calling and the episode ends with Willow heading into certain danger after taking advice from Buffy. We’re reintroduced to Darla; the vamp from the opening who takes Jessie down into the sewers, while Willow is saved. It’s a perfect cliffhanger if you watch it as a standalone. However, it did air in the UK as a mini movie which works just as well.

Of course, we can’t talk about this first episode without mentioning the fan-favourite welcoming gift; Angel. Myserious, brooding and apparently the definition of beautiful. I’ve never seen it myself, but seeing my students swoon, I guess I can’t deny that he still has it.

The Harvest

This episode is such a well structured compliment to episode before. It hits the ground running and within the once scenes we get a demonstration of Willow’s technological skill set. It’s these early episodes and setting up strong character traits and relationship foundations that will allow for some epic story telling.

Not only do we see Willow being established, we are already seeing character development. Thanks to Buffy, Willow is already learning to stand up to Cordelia. It’s wonderful and perfectly Willow.

There are two flaws for me in this episode and they both revolve around the death of characters; Jessie and Luke.

For the show, it was a stroke of genius, but for me I really hate that we lose Jessie so early. It’s a massive blow to lose someone you think is going to be a main player. It’s actually a shame they didn’t have the forethought to have his name in the opening credits to reinforce this. It does demonstrate that no one is safe from death and sets a tone for the series.

Luke, on the other hand was perhaps a mistake along with how the whole of series one pans out. More on this when I get to the end of the series. Luke should have stuck around for the remaining 10 episodes thought; he was a good little bad, if not a little dumb when it came to sunrise. Although it must be said that he does give Buffy a well choreographed fight scene and some excellent quips that will become synonymous with the Vampire Slayer.

It ends with the status quo back in play; even those who were at the Bronze act as if nothing has happened. Something that will crop up time after time, along with the quad walk and talk.

And just like that, we’re all doomed…

Love Han x

Film Review: When We First Met (2018)


Length: 1Hr 37
Rating: 12
About: After spending a night with the girl of his dreams only to become just friends, a man gets the opportunity to travel through time and alter that night over and over again until he gets everything perfect.

The Good

  • It’s an amazing cast, fronted by Jack Blabk-lite Adam DeVine giving us his best leading man smize. He’s charming, funny and not beyond playing the goof.
  • This is the sort of film that cinemas are missing on their schedules; a good, nostalgic and gimmicky rom-com that wreaks of Big, About Time and Groundhog Day. It’s sweet and inoffensive.

The Bad

  • There’s some scenes that are a little too cringe to be entertaining; from taking advice from his wing man, to consequential frosted tips.

The Ugly

  • I couldn’t see quite how they were going to get DeVine’s Noah and Alexandra Daddario’s Avery together; Robbie Amell was never going to be the bad guy. So it was too much of a surprise that his true love interest was in almost all the scenes too. It felt as if it was tacked on the end. It felt fake ad didn’t give me that heartwarming feeling I normally get with a romance.

Final Thoughts

Great potential, sound premise but such poor execution.

Love Han x

Book Review: Slayer by Kiersten White

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK Children’s
Pages: 416
Release date: 21st February 2019
About: Into every generation a Slayer is born…
Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.
Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.
Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.
As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…
But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.
One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slayer-Kiersten-White/dp/1471178994/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548875768&sr=8-1&keywords=slayer

What a wonderful addition to the Buffy franchise.

It remained true to canon and everything a reader would know of Slayers, Watchers and everything that goes bump in the night. The plot is delightfully unique while adding in familiar names without making it feel forced. There’s nods to so many family’s within the show and we get an insight to where some fan favourites are. While I haven’t caught up with Whedon’s comic continuation, I’m well read enough to sense that this story is faithful to the Dark Horse comic seasons 8 onwards.
As a reader I was hooked from the first chapter and really warmed to all the characters from the outset. The mystery element was what made me frantic to get to the end; my heart in my mouth and constantly trying to predict the outcome.
I could see this as a TV series and Kiersten White made that very easy; the action was well written and incorporated into an expertly-told story. It’s a well rounded stand alone, with enough intrigue, mystery and plot left unexplored to want more.
I felt like I was living the best parts of my teen years while reading this book; it gave me a sense nostalgia that has me regretting gifting my Buffy book collection to family members. I just can’t wait for what happens next and rereading those who have softened the wait.

Love Han x

TV REVIEW Star Trek Discovery: Series 2 Episode 5 Saints of Imperfection

The episode opens up on Michael’s face and wow, this is the first of many examples within the episode that demonstrates that all the actors can convey so much without uttering a word. Both Michael and Stamets break my heart in that opening scene. I do find it interesting that over the next 20 minutes or so the crew are attempting to establish that Tilly is still alive. It was something I never questioned.

The episode really brings the dialogue to the forefront; most of my notes are simply quotes; from Michael’s log insisting ‘I want to have faith. In it’s absence, only duty remains.’ and Section 31 opperative downgrading of Pike’s concerns ‘there are always lives at stake, that’s what keeps us employed.’
Of course, the most important part of dialogue comes from Pike when he informs the crew of Stamets’ plan to rescue Tilly from the mycelial network. Pike’s speech about Starfleet being a promise is a recurring theme that spans the rest of the episode and ensures the two halves join together effortlessly.

The visuals in this episode are incredible; the drop of the apple seems strangely important but regardless it was a beautiful cut. Then there was the visuals when Discovery is acting as a doorstop to the network. I want that image on my wall. It’s these clean and effective visuals that make this stand out from the rest of the franchise.

Of course, it’s the actors that make this show the addictive watch that its become. This episode had a lot of people to play with and they all bring their A game. Not only that, but the episode doesn’t feel bloated or strained. There are very few shows who could manage such a big cast in one episode without loosing some of the quality. Obviously, there are some standout performances and amazing returns, but no one flounders. The one shame of the episode is that Reno disappears from last week’s episode and I really would have liked to see her help Stamets as it feels odd.

Then, just when I can’t think the episode can get any better I start to get a sneaky feeling the monster Tilly has been brought into the Network to kill is Hugh! Amazing Hugh, who was taken from the crew mid series last year in a shocking reveal and cover up. The added blow of Wilson Cruz bowing out was that Rapp lost the person he had the best chemistry with. Yes, it gave Rapp a wonderful gift of character development but I wasn’t ready to lose Hugh.
I can’t quite work out if Hugh’s return was planned or fan wish fulfillment and that is exactly how it should be. Most importantly, I don’t care either way because it’s been so well written that I believe it. It also has me thinking; is it the real Hugh or is it a clone? Most importantly, will that have consequences? I can’t wait to find out. I can’t wait to see Rapp and Cruz working together and I’m very curious as to the backlash of Ash being back on board.

Final Thoughts

This episode felt very much like a game of chess; players are being moved and ready for what I suspect is going to be an action-fueled climax. We even got an appearance of Admiral Cornwell who orders Captain Pike and Section 31 leader Leland to play nice and work together to find Spock.

Love Han x

MCU Retrospective: Incredible Hulk (2008)


Length: 2Hr 15
Rating: 12
About: Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately seeks a cure for the gamma radiation that contaminated his cells and turned him into The Hulk. Cut off from his true love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and forced to hide from his nemesis, Gen. Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), Banner soon comes face-to-face with a new threat: a supremely powerful enemy known as The Abomination (Tim Roth).

The Good

  • Ed Norton, upon reflection, was quite a good Bruce Banner. He brings the angst and turns it into a fine art; guilt, longing and regret are high and it gives you all the feels. While he’s not as good as Mark Ruffalo’s Assemble/Ulton Banner, he’s much better than the clusterfuck that is Infinity War. Norton’s strength comes from him being able to show how much of a toll the change takes on his physical self; something I feel has been shelved in Phases 2 and 3.
  • I love how the film ends; yes it feels like he hasn’t made any progress by being back on the run, but I love that he seems much more at peace with himself; that smile and green tinged eyes say it all.
  • We get that Tony Stark sting. It doesn’t fit for me with what I know of SHIELD and what’s to come. That said, its Rob D J! I’m not going to sniff at that.
  • EASTER EGG!!! We get Stan Lee (Obviously), but the geek touch that adds to this is having Lou Ferrigno in a small cameo.
  • Liv Tyler is a brilliant addition to the film as Betty Ross which makes me feel like a traitor as I loved Jennifer Connolly in the original. Tyler makes the character her own, brings an element of ‘bad ass’ Connolly’s version lacked and I had a chuckle at her freak out that is reminiscent of the melt down she has in Empire Records .

The Bad

  • Tim Roth makes for an excellent anti-hero, and I welcome his presence for *most* of the movie. Unfortunately, he makes for a piss poor villain. More on this later.
  • Well, General Ross is beyond a dick and I really hate that there’s no resolution of the character. He isn’t redeemed, he isn’t completely vilified. By the end of the movie he’s asked to join Stark on a SHIELD project. This would all be fine if there was a payoff in a later movie, but there’s not. I’m just so frustrated.
  • The story is decent enough; there’s the McGuffin of Mr Blue and Banner’s desire for a cure. However, the execution feels a little too “been there, done that” when it comes to the villain, especially after watching Iron Man directly before it. Again, I’ll come back to this in a moment.

The Ugly

  • I really didn’t like Bruce Banner testing the size of a pair of pants on the backside of a larger lady. Not cool, Banner, not cool!
  • Abomination! Its an ironically apt name. As I said before, Tim Roth is a good choice and a brilliant anti-hero, but Abomination is a CGI nightmare. Riffing Iron Man’s final act; it’s the ‘bigger, scarier, more teeth’ version of the Hulk.
  • Emil Blonsky is set up as loyal military man so I just don’t understand why he goes against General Ross so quickly. When he becomes Abomination, he retains his thoughts and understanding (or at least that’s what is implied) so he is exactly what Ross wanted. So why on earth does he go on a rampage. Hulk has more motive to attack General Ross. I also don’t understand his motivation for attacking Hulk. Yes, before he doesn’t like what Hulk represents, but as Abomination they’re fucking brothers.
  • There’s no explanation of what modifications have taken place for Abomination to be so different. Why is he talking and why is the voice so shit?! And why, oh why, is it only Banner who takes responsibility for the actions that led to the existence of Abomination?!

Final Thoughts

Ed Norton isn’t too shabby as Bruce Banner, but on the whole it really isn’t the best installment in the MC universe.

Love Han x

Movie Review: Little Shop of Horrors Director’s Cut (1986)

I find a little giggle-gas before I begin increases my pleasure enormously.

Orin

Length: 1Hr 42
Rating: PG
About: Meek flower shop assistant Seymour (Rick Moranis) pines for co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, which feeds only on human flesh and blood. The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the previously struggling store. After Seymour feeds Audrey’s boyfriend, Orin (Steve Martin), to the plant after Orin’s accidental death, he must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.

First Thoughts

I’ve probably seen the first 45 minutes of this more than the whole thing. I think this was one of my Thursday night films along with Jurassic Park and Beauty and the Beast. My dad wanted to watch it as it’s not been on TV for a long time. I accidentally put on the Director’s Cut without realising.

The Good

  • Rick Moranis is the perfect casting as Seymour. In fact, watching this made me a little sad that he’s no longer making movies after being in so many of my favourites from my childhood.
  • There’s some amazing cameos. From Christopher Guest and Bill Murray who have larger speaking roles to Danny John-Jules and Miriam Margoyles who are so blink-and-you’ll-miss-it that an internet search was needed to confirm suspicions (Read: win an arguement with my father who claimed it was in no way possible Danny John-Jules was in it).
  • The effects and puppetry regarding Audrey II all still hold up today. I’m not certain a GCI rendering would have the same impact, showing that things may have progressed but physical props can’t always be beaten.
  • There are some brilliant songs that you will want to dance along with. It’s up beat music, complete with a Chorus is a little infectious to say the least.

The Bad

  • Yes, there are some amazing songs, but the mid section of this Broadway adaptation feel a little flat and more like time fillers. It’s a shame as it pulls you out of the story a little.
  • Ellen Greene’s voice is like water torture. It doesn’t help me feel sympathy like I did as a kid. I’m not certain if it’s a natural voice or something that’s put on. Either way, I could do without it.

The Ugly

  • Well, the ending. Gone is the the green lawn and the perfect house. Both Audrey and Seymour are eaten by the monster hell-bent on world domination. We then see Audrey II and her offspring montage the Attack of the 50 Ft Woman. It’s horrific, sad and so not the ending we deserve.

Final Thoughts

It mostly stands up to viewing 33 years after being made. Just make sure you click ‘Theatrical cut’ if you’re given the option so that Seymour and Audrey get to live long and happy lives, somewhere that’s green.

Love Han x