Thursday, 9 May 2013

TV Review: Supernatural Season 8 Episode 22-Clip Show

I didn't review the last episode because I couldn't think of much to say... But I have some opinions on this one.

Title: Clip Show





Synopsis:

Digging around in the Men of Letters' files, they discover what could be a key to the third trial. Reunited with Cas, Dean is extremely untrusting. But Metatron has other plans for Castiel. Meanwhile, familiar faces return as Crowley digs into the brothers' past.



Review:

Oh my god. So this episode brought back a ton of familiar faces from the first season. *nostalgia*

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When Dean was young and Sammy healthy
I dreamed that John was still alive
I dreamed that the boys were somewhat happy

Yet the demons come at night
With the gravelly voice of Crowley
As he finds their deepest fears
And he brings them to real life

And still I dream for Sam and Dean
That they will conquer all the trials
Yet there are dreams that cannot be
Their friends are dying, it is hell

I had a dream for San and Dean
So different from this hell they're living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. But the tragedy of this episode especially. 
Anyway. 
Down to business.

This is spoilery. This is pretty much my equivalent of Jenna Marbles' drunk explanations video. 

In this episode we see a lot more development from Metatron (they finally answered the question of why didn't he just tell them what he wrote on the tablets already) and the plans he has for heaven, from an outsider's point of view. I think the perspective from outside heaven is great. 

We also get a great deal of Castiel and Dean. I'm trying to be objective here, so I won't mention Destiel.  We see a scene of Cas going into a store for supplies, and we see him buy everything he's ever seen Dean use--Candy, beer, beef jerky, porn magazines (yes) and he literally yanked the cashier's collar to demand for pie. I teared up a little. Dean was incredibly hard on Cas in this episode, and Sam jumps to Cas's defense. I think that was a great point there, since Sam's the one who seems to understand Cas's position. 

And we get that great nostalgia when Crowley reads the Supernatural books and goes on a killing spree to stop the brothers from closing the gates of hell. He starts all the way from episode 2, the Wendigo, and the episode kicks off by killing Tommy, the guy they saved. There was some character development in his few-minute appearance that I thought was great. Then we see a couple other victims,, finally going to Sarah. And there goes to prove the theory that everyone who was Sam's love interest dies. I mean seriously, wasn't she like one of the only ones who didn't die. And look at her ultimate fate. But I do think Crowley made an important point there about how the brother's keep going is by convincing themselves that they're helped these people. They also brought up the excellent point of why nobody ever reads the Supernatural books to find ut about the Winchester brothers. I mean seriously. 


Okay I'm sounding vaguely drunk now, so I'll just give my rating. 

Grade: A. This is going somewhere big. Nostalgia galore and Destiel (I'm talking as a bromance. I'm being objective)


Monday, 6 May 2013

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Okay, this is the first review I've done that I haven't read the book to the end.

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi



Book Review: Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

Oh Holy Why

Title: Unwholly (Unwind Book #2)
Author: Neal Shusterman



Saturday, 4 May 2013

TV Review: Doctor Who--The Crimson Horror

Oh my GOD.

Title: The Crimson Horror
Writer: Mark Gatiss




Synopsis:

Madam Vastra and Jenny get caught up in a case of people disappearing--and never coming back. The only clue are the dead who come out--and they die with their entire body turned red. They all enter the home of the mysterious Mrs Gillyflower, a leading expert in chemistry. Jenny enters undercover...and discovers the Doctor, with his skin dyed red and unable to move, in a cell. They must save Clara and stop Mrs Gillyflower before it's too late.



Review:

Well, I generally don't like Mark Gatiss' episodes (no offense to him), but this was okay. The idea of centering it around Vastra, Jenny and Strax is hilarious, and the setting and style of this episode is different from the other episodes of the season. And it makes me happy.

The villain, Mrs Gillyflower and her disabled daughter Ada make a fine duo, with the pure evil and the misguided soul making for an interesting conflict at the end. The acting was well done, too. I loved all that. 

I love Vastra Jenny and Strax. The dynamics of that little group bring an interesting and entertaining lightheartedness to this episode and is a nice breath of air after the complete depressing-ness of the last few episodes. And Jenny is a complete badass in that scene where she's beating up all the brainwashed people. 

We finally get to return to the "Who is Clara Oswald?" plotline. *squeeee* Because Jenny, Vastra and Strax were the ones who first met the Victorian Clara that sent Doctor on his hunt. And the end... Not only was it a perfect layout for the next episode, but it was also the thing I've always wanted. *spoiler* I mean, I always thought it was a bit odd that no one ever found pictures of these people from the past and pointed it out and confronted them. Now i just..... *scream* *end spoiler*

Okay the rest of this is spoilers so just skip to the grade at the end if you haven't watched.

What I didn't like about this episode was the motive of Mrs Gillyflower. She seemed to think that the end of the world was coming and that spurred her plans to find all those people and try to kill everyone else, but I don't see what could have pushed her over the edge like that. It was never explained. I just didn't get it. And I also didn't understand her blatant disregard for her daughter's wellbeing. And Mr Sweet. Don't get me started. There was all this buildup to who he was, but it was kind of obvious from the start and got more and more obvious as the plot progressed, and "he" was never really a part of the plot or anything so I though it was redundant.




Grade: A- Perfectly fine episode, Jenny, Vastra and Strax should have their own show, great setup for the next episode. 

Book Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

This book blew me away. And yes, I know my review for the new Supernatural episode is overdue, but all in good time.

Title: Unwind (Unwind trilogy #1)
Author: Neal Shusterman




Thursday, 2 May 2013

Book Review: Fyre by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap #7)

Okay, I've been a fan of this series for ages, so it's a bit hard for me to be objective here...

Title: Fyre (Septimus Heap #7)
Author: Angie Sage



Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Book Review: Pretty Girl Thirteen by Liz Coley

I'm sleep deprived here. Because of this book....

Title: Pretty Girl Thirteen (Also Pretty Girl 13)
Author: Liz Coley