Supernatural 'Safe House' Review

One of the worst things about Supernatural is its tendency to kill off side characters, which is sad as often the inclusion of a lot of these characters not only make episodes better, but build upon the world of Supernatural.  Whenever a character is set to 'return' after being killed off it tends to be done as a ghost, a dream sequence or another half thought out way to get them back with the Winchesters, and often feels weak.

'Safe House' manages to not only bring back two of the best supporting characters the show has had, but uses in such a way that they are massively enjoyable, doesn't take away from their deaths and even gives an incredibly touching moment too.

The episode follows Sam and Dean as they investigate what they believe to be a run of the mill haunting in a house that they discover Bobby and Rufus investigated a few years before.  The time frame as to when Bobby and Rufus were there is left vague, with passing references to 'the apocalypse' which narrows it down to about 9 years of the show, and the mention of Lilith at the end which would place it around season 3 or 4.

The two teams discover that it's not just a regular ghost they're dealing with, but a Soul Eater, who rips people's souls out of their bodies, traps them in it's nest and feeds on them.

The two stories run in tandem, with the flashbacks interwoven into the regular story in such a way that not only allows both stories to reach similar points at the same time, but even adds to some comedic moments, such as Sam and Dean complaining that there has to be an easier way to dig up bodies before jumping to Bobby using excavator to do the very same.

The fact that Bobby and Rufus are back, but don't actually come back and interact with Sam and Dean in any way is probably the best decision of the episode, it gives us a fun and engaging adventure that focuses on Bobby and Rufus on their own merits, it shows the kinds of hunters they were without Sam and Dean around.

The episode didn't add anything to the overall story, it barely mentions Amara and Castiel, what it does manage to do is to give us a monster of the week story that manages to feel part of the bigger world.  It doesn't feel like a throw away episode.  Maybe it's the return of two characters, one of which every Supernatural fan loves, maybe it's the structure of the two narratives intertwining and meeting that makes it stand out, or maybe it's just the great banter and fun moments in the script.   Whatever it it, 'Safe House' is an episode I found myself strangely invested in, despite knowing that Sam and Dean would be fine and how Bobby and Rufus' stories ended I was totally engrossed in it.  

The biggest drawback of the episode is the fact that it reminds you of some of the great characters that the show has had over the years, Bobby, Rufus, Ellen, Jo, Ash, Samuel, Charlie, Meg, Ruby, Kevin, so many characters have come and gone over the years that it's hard to actually name them all, and all of them had something about them that made them a pleasure to watch, whether you loved them or hated them.

Having Bobby and Rufus back reminds you of what's missing from the show, of how big a world Supernatural could have if it just stopped killing people.  It leaves a bittersweet taste in your mouth, which hits home even more in the moment when Dean and Bobby see each other in the Soul Eater's nest.  They don't speak to each other, they just exchange a look that says so much more.

It's a great episode, and one of the best of season 11, one that doesn't add anything to the greater story but reminds us of a time of the show we've lost, where Sam and Dean weren't alone, when Bobby was still there looking out for 'his boys'.  It stands out because of its heart.  

Amy.

xx

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The Flash 'Trajectory' Review

This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the episode to be discussed, if you do not want to have certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.

After a couple of weeks off our screens and the shock reveal that Zoom is Jay Garrick/Zolomon Hunter, The Flash returned by introducing yet another speedster into the mix, Trajectory.

Some might think that it'd be a mistake adding another speedster to the show, especially as there are already two evil speedsters and one of those is still the big bad for the season, but Trajectory not only added a cool new rogue to the ever expanding gallery, but actually went a long way towards moving the Zoom storyline forward in an interesting way.

The episode opens with Barry in training for his upcoming fight to take down Zoom, with him trying and failing to reach enough speed to jump across a river.  Frustrated that he can't seem to reach the speeds that Zoom possesses the team (minus Wells but including Jessie) decide to hit the town to get a little R&R.  It's nice to see Jessie included in these scenes rather than being cooped up in Star labs still, with her not having an 'evil' counterpart on earth-1 like her father her not being allowed out of the labs felt a little strange.

As always the members of team Flash are much more interesting and fun to hang out with than those over on team Arrow, so watching them hang out in a nightclub is just as entertaining as watching them taking down a supervillain.  We also had a fun moment as Barry introduces Wally to Jessie and tries to explain their awkward relationship.  Also, did anyone else think that Jessie's metahuman watch going off around Wally might be hinting at the idea that he may already have powers of some kind?  Maybe something that will allow him to copy Barry's speed for example?

Sadly for team Flash, they never get a night off, and the club is attacked by a red and yellow blur that steals everyone's money, the first introduction of Trajectory.

Despite the show already having two other superspeed villains Trajectory manages to stand out on her own and be different enough to be entertaining, and no, not just because she's a woman.  Trajectory turns out to be a scientist, Eliza Harmon, working at Mercury Labs who had been helping Caitilin to develop the Velocity 9 speed formula.

Despite having only worked on a small part of the Velocity 9 formula Eliza was able to replicate the full thing and tested it out on herself.  Whilst the formula did grant her super speed it also acted like a drug, not only making her crave more, but also damaging her psychologically to the point where she was developing a split personality.

It's this difference that sets her apart from Zoom and Reverse Flash, that Eliza is more of a victim of Velocity 9 than a bad guy doing evil for her own ends.  She's essentially high when she's got her speed, and she's trying to make sure than she can have more Velocity 9.

Recognising that Eliza isn't a bad person Barry even tries to reach out to her in their final fight, to give her a chance to stop what she's doing.  Sadly Eliza seems to be too far gone into her addiction and takes even more Velocity 9, before running so fast that her lightning turns blue and she appears to evaporate (my money is on her having either gone into the speed force or ran fast enough to travel between dimensions/in time).

During the course of the episode as Barry realises that he can't match Trajectory for speed he begins to question if taking Velocity 9 himself is worth taking the risk, despite knowing how dangerous it is.  It shows Barry struggling between his desire to get faster in order to stop Zoom, but not wanting to break his own morals.

Luckily for him Harrison Wells is on hand to remind him that part of what makes someone a hero is their refusal to compromise and go against their morals in order to make things easier for himself.  It's a powerful moment for Barry, and one that sets him on the right course, as well as reflecting the journey Harry has made since arriving on Earth-1 and the things he has had to do in the quest to try and get his daughter back.

During his final fight with Trajectory, though, Barry sees that Harry is right in his belief of him, as he manages to make an impossible jump that was even bigger than the one he failed to make at the start of the episode.  Barry is learning to believe in himself and his own abilities and not to take the easy way out, even if it's for a good reason.

Trajectory's 'death' proved to be one of the more important parts of the episode, as it gave team Flash an important piece of the puzzle that is Zoom.  Realising that it's Velocity 9 that causes speedsters to reach faster speeds than Barry, and turns their lightning blue Barry suspects a connection between Zoom and Jay.

When Cisco vibes whilst holding Jay's helmet he sees a vision that gives him the key piece of information that we the audience already have, that Jay and Zoom are the same person (or at least look the same).  This revelation is sure to effect the team greatly, and makes the fight against Zoom a lot more personal for them.  

'Trajectory' might be a villain of the week episode, but it gives the show an interesting and even sympathetic new villain (and one who looks great too) and manages to add a lot to the overall season long story with Zoom, with effects that are sure to be felt for the rest of the season.

Amy.

xx

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BBC's Trans Documentary 'Swansea Sparkle - A Transgender Story' Gets Things So Wrong

Before I get into this in depth I want to make a couple of things very clear from the outset, firstly, this is my opinion and only reflects the view I myself had on the programme.  Secondly, any of the issues I have with the documentary are with the people who produced it, not towards the people who took part.

Last night the BBC aired a new documentary focusing on the trans community in Wales, specifically on three individuals in the lead up to a trans event called Swansea Sparkle, from which the show gets it's name.

Now, it should be noted straight away that the show did do one thing that most documentaries on the trans community do not, it included someone who identifies as a transvestite.  It's important to remember that the trans umbrella covers many different types of people, including transgender, gender fluid, transvestite, non-binary and transsexual people to name but a few.  Including people from more than one of these categories is a good thing, however, what 'Swansea Sparkle - A Transgender Story' fails to do is to explain what a transvestite is, and how they differ from someone who is transgender.

For someone who is a part of the transgender community I understand these differences, I know how a transvestite and someone who's transgender differ.  The general public probably don't though.  Without explaining these differences it can become quite muddy to the general population who don't have any experience with the trans community and it could leave them with the wrong ideas.

Paul, who is the founder of a local support group for members of the trans community as well as being the person behind the Swansea Sparkle event, makes it clear during the course of the film that he still considers himself male, but dresses in women's clothing and goes by the name Sadie when cross-dressing.  Without him, or the shows narrator, explaining that a transvestite is someone who wears the clothes of the opposite gender but does not wish to transition it could lead to audiences into believing that all people who are trans are like this.

Some of this confusion will be expanded upon when the documentary introduces us to Rhian.  Rhian is transgender.  The narrator tells us this, Rhian tells us this.  Yet every single time she is spoken about by the filmmakers she is called Robert, and referred to using male pronouns.

Even the BBC's on promo for the show disrespects Rhian's identity.

If someone is transgender, if they are open about the fact that they are transitioning then it's vitally important that they be called by their real name and pronouns, not the ones they were assigned at birth.  The show does not do this though, instead they misgender and dead-name her throughout, even though she, and the people in her life, use the correct name.

It doesn't matter if she's close to the beginning of her transition, it doesn't matter if she's still coming out to people, it doesn't matter if she's still learning how to do makeup, it doesn't matter than her voice is deep or masculine.  She is a woman and she should be given the basic respect of being treated as such.

When the documentary fails to do this, repeatedly, it not only disrespects Rhian, but also reinforces the notion that transgender women are men.  If the show has just introduced us to a transgender woman, but refuses to call her a woman or use her name then why should anyone else who's watching this,

This is further expanded upon when the narrator uses language like 'men who want to transition fully to women', 'him becoming a woman' of 'dressed as a girl' when talking about trans women.  Surely anyone watching this who isn't educated on the subject will be thinking that trans women are 'really men' because that's how they're referred to, and a 'documentary must be right because it's factual'.

A prime example of some of the sentiment such poor documentaries can help to build.

A lot of people take television at it's word, especially if it's a news or documentary programme, and just like the tweet above people will take what they're being told and repeat that.  And this documentary is telling people that trans women are men in dresses, that they should be called he and him and called by names that are not theirs.

If the BBC are going to produce a documentary on transgender people then they need to take responsibility to make sure that they educate those watching it on the subject.  When they are exploring people from different parts of the trans spectrum they need to make sure that the people watching it understand how a transvestite differs from someone who is transgender.  This show does neither, it doesn't educate at all.

'Swansea Sparkle - A Transgender Story' shows a snapshot in time from the lives of three trans people without giving any background or perspective or explanation.  For someone in the trans community who's watching this isn't an issue, we know about the trans community, we already have a lot of that info.  For someone who isn't a part of the trans community, who's suddenly dropped into the middle of these people's lives it's like expecting someone from the 18th century to understand a documentary on the Internet.  They might understand some notions, but without the education to go alongside it, it'll be alien, and the wrong conclusions may be reached.

Misinformation about the trans community can greatly affect the lives
of people within that community in a negative way.

As well as misgendering those involved in the documentary and seeming unable to even find any basic information about the trans community to share with the audience it would seem like the people who made the show got the 'trans documentary checklist'.

We get treated to so many tropes within just 40 minutes that if you were playing the trans documentary drinking game you'd struggle to make it to the 20 minute part, even hardened drinkers.  We get treated to shots of makeup and nail polish, oh god there are so many shots of makeup in this one piece that they can fill the BBC stock footage archive for years!  We get our participants putting on makeup.  We get them putting on their clothes.  We get shots of wigs and fake breasts.  We get pre-transition photos and discussions about family.  We get sad parents who are upset about having a trans kid (more on that in a bit).  We even have the use of the word tranny.

It's not bothering to try and educate people or give a true and fair representation of the trans community, but instead seems to be trying to produce yet another programme that ticks every trope box, no matter how disgusting or harmful it can be.

One of the ones that I've seen way, way too often that this show uses is the inclusion of the parent of a trans teen who feels like their lives will in some way be made worse because their child is trans.  Yes, Llyr's father seems to be supportive of his daughter, but the fact that he turns around and expresses the fear that he could be mocked or ridiculed because of his daughter is disgusting.

Transgender children are the ones suffering, they're the ones having to struggle through being trans.  Their parents discomfort that some of their friends might look down on them or mock them is literally the last thing that should be a worry when it comes to transgender teens.  But, this show says forget about the bullying, forget about the harassment, forget about the mental anguish they go through, forget about everything but the disappointment and pain the parent go through.

But then the documentary doesn't seem to be concerned with telling stories that help trans people or to treat us with respect, so of course they're going to be more concerned with the way a trans child will hurt the poor cis parents.

Another thing that the show included that really, really angered me was the inclusion of one of Rhian's friends laughing as they played the song 'Dude Looks Like a Lady'.  Now, this is mostly personal for me as I've literally had someone stop their car in the middle of the street, wind down the window and shout that song at me.  However, showing friends of trans people mocking trans people shouldn't be done in a television programme.

Yes, it might happen behind closed doors, and it might be friendly banter that those people don't mind (we've all been in those kind of friendships where friends joke around with each other like that) but including it in a documentary could end up telling the public that it's okay to openly mock trans people because their friends do it.

There is so much wrong with this show for me to be able to go into fully in this article, I spent most of my time watching it shaking my head and groaning in frustration.

There are some real people in this documentary with real stories that are worth telling, but the people who made this awful programme ignored that.  They ignored any information about the trans community.  They ignored their responsibility to educate and inform.  Instead they made yet another documentary that mocks trans people, that perpetuates wrongful stereotypes and puts getting ratings above anything else.

I feel bad for Paul, Rhian, Llyr and the other trans people involved in this show.  They went into this trying to tell a good story, trying to make things better for the trans community and to spread a positive message.  Instead they've been dragged into yet another trans-exploitation piece, one that mocks them, one that could even get them the hate of fellow members of the trans community.

I urge members of the trans community not to blame those who took part in the show for its failings.

I'd like to ask anyone who has watched this show and is left feeling angry and disappointed to remember that it's not the fault of those who took part, but the people who made the film that are to blame.  Complain to the BBC, spread the message that the show was incorrect, but please don't take it out on those brave enough and kind enough to share their stories with the rest of the world.

After the poor Miss Transgender UK documentary and now this, the BBC has proven that it has a long way to go to produce content about the trans community that can actually benefit people, rather than being for sensationalism and ratings.

For those who have not watched the documentary and are morbidly curious you can view it by clicking here.


Amy.

xx

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Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace To Release Memoir

The lead singer and front woman for the punk rock band Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace, has announced that she will be releasing a new book.

The memoir, 'Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout' is set for release on November 15th this year, and has been written with the help of  Dan Ozzi.  The book is reported to include 'never before published journal entries, which reach back to childhood'.

Dan Ozzi told Entertainment Weekly 'The book mixes narrative about Laura's life - growing up with dysphoria and playing our generation's most influential punk band - with amazing journal entries she's been keeping since she was a kid.'

Laura took to Instagram and Twitter to talk about the upcoming book.  'Big announcement!!!!  On November 15th, 2016 Hachette Books will release a memoir titled Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout.

'Written with much help from music writer Dan Ozzi (thank you Dan!), cover art by artist Chris Norris (thank you Chris!).'

Laura tweeted about the book, stating that it is in 'no way what-so-ever about self glorification or hero worship', she went on to tweet that 'Any trans person who has written a book in effort to elevate themselves onto a pedestal, well I want my book to be anti-that'.

She also spoke about the title, explaining why she chose a potentially charged term that many in the trans community see as a slur.

Laura has also been using Twitter to respond to users who have taken an issue with the book's title.

So far reactions to the announcement have been largely positive, with many fans of Laura's work taking to social media to express their excitement at the project, and their support of Laura.

Amy.

xx

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The Walking Dead 'Twice As Far' Review

This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the episode to be discussed, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.

The Walking Dead has been building up momentum the last few weeks, with the group meeting the survivors at Hilltop, the attack on the Saviours and the kidnap of Carol and Maggie.  So when 'Twice As Far' began with a sequence that showed the routine that had set in around Alexandria, of people going about their day to day business again and again, it felt like the episode might have been a downshift.  For the most part it was, with much of the episode taking the time to explore two of the smaller, often overlooked characters, but events in the last ten minutes proved to both the characters and the audience that you should never lower your guard.

The main bulk of the episode followed two groups of survivors outside the safety of Alexandria, Eugene and Abraham, who were searching for a workshop where Eugene believes that he can produce bullets, and Denise, Rosita and Daryl, who were searching for a stash of medication.

Whilst both of these groups had some of the resident bad arses of the group present, they also had two of what could be considered the cowardly characters in the shape of Eugene and Denise.  Whilst some would argue that Denise has been growing as a character over the course of this season Eugene is definitely a man who has relied on others to protect him in the past, even overtly manipulating people to ensure his own survival.

Giving both of these characters the time to shine and prove that they are capable outside of the walls of Alexandria might have been a slight failure for them, Eugene was unable to kill the metal headed walker and Denise almost got herself killed over a can of soda, the facility where they can make bullets and the extra medical supplies were all earned by them using their brains to find a solution other members of the group wouldn't have.

Both characters are given a lot of room for growth in this episode.  Eugene believes that he's adapted and is in 'stage two' of being a survivor, that he's not just using his brain to survive anymore, but is just as capable as physical action to save himself just as much as any of the other members of the group.  At first he's proven wrong when he attempts to kill a walker that's had molten metal poured over it's head in the past and now essentially has a big metal skull.

Abraham is forced to jump in and save Eugene when he's unable to dispatch the walker (but to be fair, he would have done it quite easily if not for the metal skull), which leads to a division between the two men.  Their relationship has been quite strained since Abraham found out Eugene lied to him when they first met, and Abraham's recent changes have left his a little more 'delicate', so when Eugene tells him his protection is no longer needed Abraham takes it incredibly personally, leaving Eugene to find his own way home.

Denise, and her journey in this episode, is a very different animal to Eugene.  Where Eugene has hidden away from danger and relied on others by choice Denise seems to be the character who has had others protecting her whether she wanted them to or not.  She was sheltered in Alexandria, Carol saved her from the wolf, and as the town's only medic they've kept her clear of the front lines to keep her alive.  

In this week's episode we get a sense that Denise wants to be in more dangerous situations, that she wants to prove that she isn't someone who needs the protection of others, more for herself than anyone else.  I got the sense that she had grown sick of being sheltered from what was beyond the walls of Alexandria, and that the trip for medical supplies was her way of proving to herself that she had more to offer than just being a doctor, and that she was stronger.

Sadly this is The Walking Dead, and people are often robbed of their chance to grow or find any kind of happiness, so when Denise finally proves to herself that she can protect herself (and also finds the can of soda she's been trying to get for Tara for weeks) she's killed in the middle of a passionate speech.

The moment comes out of nowhere, and (for me at least) scares the shit out of the audience.  One minute she's talking, the next there's an arrow sticking out of her face.  It's also a sad moment, because Denise was one of those smaller characters that had just started coming into the foreground, and was very likable.  Her relationship with Tara was genuine and sweet, and it makes her death even more devastating knowing that Tara left on her supply mission unsure about telling Denise if she loved her or not.

The death was also a surprise for fans of the comic, as in the book this scene took place with another member of the group taking the shot to the head, Abraham.  In the books Abraham is killed by Dwight with a crossbow after he breaks up with Rosita.  What with Abraham getting a lot of focus lately, with his mental stability being a little 'shaken' all season, and him having finally ended his relationship with Rosita I believed that he would be the next member of the group.  Instead the show writers chose to dispatch Denise in order to shock those fans with a knowledge of the source material.  

The fact that a death happened the same way, but the person killed changed is sure to add to fan speculation that Negan might not be making the exact same entrance that he does in the books, and that any one of the cast might be lost in the season finale.

The audience and the characters are given little time to mourn Denise though, as Daryl and Rosita are ambushed by a dozen members of the Saviours, who have a captured Eugene in tow.  The saviours admit that they know where Alexandria is, and try to get their prisoners to take them there and let them inside the walls.  Thankfully Abraham is close at hand to turn the tables though.

In a moment where we're led to believe that Eugene is trying to save his own skin yet again, he tells the Saviours that Abraham is hiding behind a pile of old barrels, giving Abraham the chance to attack them from a different direction.  In the ensuing fight Eugene proves that he has indeed stepped up to stage two, as while tied up and on his knees he bites Dwight in the crotch and seriously wounds him.

It's a little surprising that three members of our group, and a tied up Eugene with a mouth full of dick (not being crass, he really does have a mouth full of dick) actually manage to turn the tables on the Saviours and either kill them or drive them off.  If it wasn't for the death of Denise the threat of the group would be seriously questionable.  Unfortunately we lost one of the most likable characters on the show to prove that they can be a danger to our heroes.

The episode ends with Daryl doubting and blaming himself for what happened, believing even more that he should have killed Dwight in the burnt woods when he had the chance (way back in the first half of the season for those struggling to remember).  It's possible that in the next episode we might see both Eugene and Abraham blaming themselves too, as both of them are in a way responsible for Eugene's capture by the Saviours, but I think the show will move on from Denise until Tara returns to the community.

The episode ends with Carol leaving a note for Tobin telling him that she's had enough of the killing, that she doesn't want to be the person that kills people anymore.  Unfortunately she knows that she will kill to protect the people she loves (the whole of Alexandria) and feels the only way to save herself from being a killer is to not love anyone, and as such leaves.

I really, really hope that this isn't going to be the last we see of Carol, and I hope that she doesn't end up in the hands of the Saviours to be killed.  We'll have to wait until next week to find out what happens next, though I can't see Daryl letting her go without a good try at bringing her home.

Amy.

xx

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'Boy Meets Girl' Review

'Boy Meets Girl' follows Ricki, a young woman living in rural Kentucky, working in a coffee shop whilst she waits on hearing back from a fashion school in New York, where she wants to go to follow her dream of being a fashion designer.  What sets this film apart from a lot of others is that Ricki, and Michelle Hendley who plays her, is transgender.

Ricki's life is thrown out of it's routine when she meets Francesca, a local girl whom she becomes good friends with, but starts to develop romantic feelings for.  Francesca's marine fiance is dead against her friendship with Ricki, for reasons that goes beyond standard transphobia.

Whilst 'Boy Meets Girl' takes a lot of story beats and character moments from a lot of other films in the romance genre, the fact that the central protagonist is transgender adds a dimension that is not normal seen in other films.

There is a lot of discussion between the characters about sex and sexuality, whether it's characters trying to figure out if they're straight, gay or bisexual when they find themselves attracted to someone that they'd not thought they would be, to Ricki asking her best friend Robby how to go about having sex with someone who has a vagina.

The scenes where Ricki and Robby talk about sex and sexuality are some of the highlights of the film, with the interaction between the two of them filled with touching moments and laugh out loud banter that not only sell the fact that they are childhood friends, but hints at a closer intimacy between the two of them that will be important later on in the film.

The casting of Michael Welch is a great choice, with his delivery of lines, comedic timing and physicality in these scenes feeling brilliantly naturalistic.  More than once when watching him during the course of the film I found myself seeing him in an almost young Nathan Fillion light.

Despite having a lot of comedy and with relationships being the key focus it's hard to just see the film as a romantic comedy, as there are some genuinely upsetting and dark moments within the narrative.  The venomous transphobia that Francesca's fiance Michael uses are horrible to watch, with his character using some of the worst language possible to describe trans people.  The sentiments Michael makes about Ricki, calling her a tranny, a freak, refusing to acknowledge her identity, are all things that trans people have to face in their lives, and the film doesn't shy away from showing this reality.

Dotted throughout the film are also flashes to an old video that Ricki made during her teenage years, where she talks about being trans, how she feels that her mother left because she was ashamed of her, how she's been close to suicide.  Perhaps it's because I've seen these kinds of videos for real, or perhaps it's because I've felt very similar myself at times, but these scenes were more than just hard to watch, they were heartbreaking.

Despite some darker and painful moments there are moments of happiness and levity to make the journey feel worth it, with an ending that actually leaves you feeling uplifted.  The cast all play their parts well, with Michael Welch stealing the show with his charm and comedic timing.

Praise has to be given over to the writer/director Eric Schaeffer for not only writing a piece that manages to capture some of the least looked at aspects of being transgender and some of the hate that members of the community face, though some of the confusion around what constitutes as gender and what constitutes as sexuality can be frustrating.

The casting of Hendley is also something that cannot be overlooked.  With so many cis actors being cast in trans roles it's pleasing to see a filmmaker make the point of casting someone with actual lived trans experience in the role.  It's massively important for trans representation to give trans people the chance to tell their own stories.

'Boy Meets Girl' might not be to everyone tastes, but for something that's a little different from your standard romantic comedy and something that shows a small fraction of the struggles faced by the transgender community this film is definitely worth the watch.

Amy.

xx

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'Crimson Peak' Review

For the most part I'd consider myself a fan of Guillermo del Toro, I think that he's made some films that tell brilliant stories (Pan's Labyrinth), some great entertaining pieces (Pacific Rim) and some truly stunning visual masterpieces (Hellboy 2).  Sadly, I felt that Crimson Peak didn't work in any of these ways.

I've seen so many reviews praising the film's visual style, some even calling it a masterpiece in gothic horror, but I'm finding myself having to disagree with that.  The almost over the top gothic style tended to distract me from my immersion more than anything else, where I would often find myself looking at a particular set or a costume and thinking that it was too over the top.  Whenever Edith was on screen in her nightgown all I could look at were the ridiculous puffy shoulders.

Del Toro seemed to fill the screen with over saturated and almost animated colours that seem so out of place and over the top that I found myself unable to take things seriously.  The deep red of the ghosts at Crimson Peak itself were just too red and plastic looking that they had no scare factor of threat to them.  They looked like they were made out of wax and that a good hit would make them snap.

The ghosts in the film were without a doubt some of the worst I can remember seeing, with no consistent style.  Some were see through and dark, looking like they were made out of smoke, whilst others were solid and bright red.  Is there a reason for this difference in the types of ghosts?  If there is del Toro doesn't feel the need to explain any of it.

Once you strip away the visuals there's not really much the film has going for itself that actually separates it from any other film.  The script is very bland, with many of the plot points being so obvious and cliched that they can be seen coming at least half an hour earlier.

I'm finding it harder and harder to find this 'great' film that people were saying 'Crimson Peak' was.  The visuals are bold but over the top and feels wrong for a film that is supposed to be a gothic horror.  The characters are flat and unimaginative, with little to no characterisation or development.  The story is a by the numbers fair that doesn't try to break any new ground but plods along from from cliche to the next.

The only thing I can think of that made anyone pay any real attention to it is the inclusion of Tom Hiddleston, which was guaranteed to make the Hiddlestoners come flocking and heap praise on the film just because it has him as a part of it.

I might get some hate for saying this, but I think that 'Crimson Peak' has been coasting on the fact that it has Tom Hiddleston in it and doesn't actually offer up anything of any real substance or content itself.


Amy.

xx

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'The Forest' Review

This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the film to be discussed, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.

The Aokigahara Forest in Japan is a real place, the story of the forest is deeply disturbing and unsettling, with many believing it to be one of the most haunted places on earth.  Even those who do not believe in the supernatural and ghosts find the forest to be an unsettling place to go.  

Aokigahara is known as the suicide forest, as each year dozens of people travel to the location to take their own lives.  The suicide rates in Aokigahara are so high that the beginning of the forest trail has a sign urging people visiting the forest to think of their families, and to reach out to a suicide prevention helpline.  Each year authorities perform annual body searches to retrieve the bodies of those who have taken their lives in the forest.  Despite not publishing the figures any more to downplay the forest's association with suicide, based on previous numbers it is believed that between 50 to 100 people take their lives their each year.

It's hard to hear about the nature of Aokigahara without feeling a disturbed, and on paper it makes a perfect location for a horror story.  Especially when you factor in the density of the forest, that cuts out almost all outside noise and daylight, and the area's large iron deposits that makes compass navigation impossible.  The forest becomes a dark and spooky maze that even seasoned hikers can get lost in.

With so much real world fear, and the troubling nature of Aokigahara it's amazing that none of this atmosphere has managed to translate across onto film for 'The Forest'.

In the film 'The Forest' the filmmakers use Aokigahara's association with suicide to drive forward their narrative.  When Sarah, played by Natalie Dormer, has been told that her sister Jess, also played by Dormer, has gone missing in Aokigahara she is determined to find her before she takes her own life and travels to Japan to try and find her.

Once in Japan Sarah searches through Aokigahara with the help of Aiden, a travel writer and journalist who thinks the search for Jess will give him an interesting article, and a local tour guide.  The guide warns them that Aokigahara is home to many spirits of those who have taken their lives there in the past, and tells them not to trust everything that they see.

From here the trip into the forest becomes a descent into madness for Sarah as she tries desperately to find her missing sister, whilst being haunted by the spirits trapped in the forest.

There are some big problems with 'The Forest', its story and pacing are all over the place, and the characterisation shifts dramatically for no apparent reason, but the biggest flaw is that the film just isn't scary.  For a film set in this location it should be easy to generate enough tension and fear to keep a 90 minute film going.

Instead, 'The Forest' relies on jump scares and things running at the camera screaming to create what should be scary moments, but just come across as overly loud extra's making arses of themselves.  Jump scares can be good, but only if the film builds up the tension first, yet 'The Forest' fails at doing so.

There is one genuinely tense and creepy moment as Sarah is walking through the forest as a voice whispers to her to turn around again and again, with ghostly figures watching Sarah from the trees as she passes, getting gradually closer to her like grotesque, decomposing Weeping Angels.  Despite the good build up, even this scene ends poorly by resorting to loud screams instead of the tension it had already built up as it's fairly poor conclusion.

'The Forest' tries to sell us on the idea that Sarah is descending into madness brought on by the spirits of the forest, and this could have worked if it was done over a longer time, but in the timeline of the film she's in the forest for a single night before the spirits drive her to breaking point, a single night where nothing much actually happened.  Once again it feels like a misstep, as this idea would have worked if used over a longer period of time.  As it is her sudden turn to madness feels very forced and unexpected, and makes her character a lot weaker for it.

The film tries to use a twist ending to surprise the audience, as we discover that Jess is alive and well and manages to make it out of the forest at the same time that the spirits have tricked Sarah into suicide, making her another of the ghosts that haunt Aokigahara.  By the time this 'surprise' ending came about I had become so bored by the sudden shifts in character, the poor narrative and the terrible jump scares that I genuinely didn't care about the characters or story anymore.

'The Forest' is only 90 minutes long, but feels like a much longer film when actually watching it.  It has bland and boring characters, whose actors aren't given the time or opportunity to do anything interesting with.  The scares are few, far between and so dull that it hardly feels like a horror film at all.  Unless you are an avid horror fan who feels like they need to see every horror film that comes out this one might be worth avoiding.

Amy.

xx

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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 'Inside Man' Review

This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the episode to be discussed, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.

'Inside Man' feels a bit like a filler episode, not much actually happens to move the plot forward (bar an end credits scene that actually does do something) but that doesn't mean that it isn't an entertaining filler episode.

Adrian Pasdar returns as General Talbot, this time assigned to be head of the ATCU by the President, and will be working for/with Coulson, depending on which of the two men you ask.  The episode sees Coulson and Talbot teaming up to attend an international conference discussing Inhumans, and attempting to discover the inside man planted by Hydra.

The two of them work brilliantly together, with their brief but confrontational past playing out like a classic buddy comedy as Talbot steamrolls his way round the conference, being loud and slightly rude, highlighting everyone as a potential Hydra agent as Coulson tries to spy his way through the mission.

The back and forth between the two of them is great, with some subtle comedy moments that actually helps to flesh out the two characters and their relationship together, especially with Talbot refusing to describe their working relationship as Coulson being his boss, despite that being how the President described it to Coulson the week before.

The revelation that Talbot is the Hydra informant is definitely a surprising turn, as it feels completely against everything we'd seen and learnt about the character over the last two seasons.  It's only at the revelation that Malick had kidnapped his son in order to get him to cooperate that it begins to make a little sense.

Sadly the whole situation is introduced and resolved in the very same episode.  Where this could have been a story line to play out over a number of episodes, and could have been a great way of putting Talbot in an interesting situation it's all resolved within 45 minutes.  We could have had multiple episodes of watching Talbot having to work for the enemy organisation he hates in order to keep his son alive, of watching him fighting with his ethics and morals and getting to explore his character, but now he's back to being the grumpy general who sometimes teams up with Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D..  It feels like a misuse of a potentially interesting story.

Some of the best stuff in the episode is the reintroduction of Carl 'The Crusher Creel, AKA The Absorbing Man.  A one off villain from the start of season two, it was great to see him back, this time working with Talbot as his personal bodyguard.  His power set is a great one, and gives the writers and effects team a lot of creativity to produce some awesome looking versions of the character.  One of my favourite ones is still the rocky concrete version in season two.

Having another super powered being that S.H.I.E.L.D. can potentially call on is good, especially as he's not just an Inhuman.  It's unknown how much more we'll see of the character over the rest of the season, but as Talbot says he doesn't go anywhere without him, hopefully he'll appear a few more times and won't just be sidelined like Deathlok.  (Seriously, the team should have Deathlok helping them out way more than he does.)

The best use of Creel in this episode wasn't in his powers though, but the effect that his reappearance had on the team, especially on Hunter, whose friends were killed by him in season two.  Hunter not trusting Creel and wanting to kill him at points felt perfectly in character for him, and was the perfect response for him to have, and the resulting barbed dialogue between him and May because of this was a high point.  It helped to point out that despite being a main part of the team now Hunter still has incredibly selfish motivations for staying around, and isn't always fighting for the same ends.  It's an aspect of the character that the show doesn't always have time to explore as much as they could, so it's inclusion here is good, and fits well.

The reintroduction of Creel also brought in a potentially very interesting storyline as the team discover that his blood might hold a vaccine to Terrigenesis.  Whilst his blood can't cure anyone who has been through the process and unlocked their Inhuman powers it will stop potential Inhumans from going through the process.  Very obviously taken from the mutant cure plots used in most of the X-Men media, it's more than likely going to come into play at some point again in the future, and could even act as a division amongst the team.  Hopefully it will be done a lot better than the plot for X-Men: Last Stand.

Elsewhere we also get to see more of Hive, the Inhuman entity possessing Ward's body.  Lucio, the Inhuman with the power to paralyse people that was introduced last week, is brought before Hive, where we discover that his powers don't affect him at all.  Hive performs the same strange smokey thing he did to Giyera in the previous episode.  It's still not clear what it's doing to the Inhumans, it's definitely getting them to follow Hive's orders, though it doesn't appear to be mind control.  My money's on that he's beefing up their powers in some way, but we'll have to wait to see.

Hive gets Giyera and Lucio to gather him a group of humans, he then uses them to rejuvenate his decaying body.  The Marvel Cinematic Universe tends to stay away from the openly gory or bloody parts of their universe, so the bloody skeletal remains of Hive's rejuvenation process is a moment that packs some serious shock value, especially when we realise that Hive is back in peak physical fitness.

'Inside Man' might not be the best episode of the show, and it doesn't move the plot forward greatly, but it packs enough fun character moments (especially between Coulson and Talbot) and interesting plot ideas to stay relatively entertaining throughout.


Amy.

xx

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Star Wars Rebels 'The Forgotten Droid' Review

This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the episode to be discussed, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt, please do not read further.

After the Jedi fuelled events of the previous episode it feels a little strange that Star Wars Rebels would go from such faced paced and dramatic storytelling to another character of the week episode.  'The Forgotten Droid' is definitely a slowdown from the episode before, and feels like it was shown out of the correct order.  That being said, the first Chopper centric episode of the series is definitely an enjoyable caper.

With the Rebel fleets carrier ship low on fuel the crew of the Ghost go on a mission to steal a shipment of fuel from the Empire.  When they arrive at their destination Chopper spots a local merchant selling a droid leg that matches one of his, and wants to get it to swap out for his replacement leg.  

Hera tells Chopper that he has to stay with the ship whilst they steal the fuel, but Chopper disobeys orders, steals the leg from the merchant and ends up stranded when the rest of the crew return to the Ghost and leave without him.

From here Chopper stows away aboard an Imperial freighter, where he befriends a downtrodden and badly treated droid, AP-5, who he manages to convince to join up with the Rebellion.

Managing to capture the vessel Chopper and AP-5 find the fleet moments before they jump to a new system where they are hoping to find a safe planet to set up their base.  Using the information from AP-5 they find out that this planet is a trap set by the Empire and find another base instead.

This won't be an episode to everyone's liking.  It's not as bad as the droid centric episodes of Clone Wars, where things were so childish and cutesy and annoying that it made you pray for the end credits,  No, some people will dislike this one because Chopper is the most unlikable member of the Ghost's crew.

Now, I'm not saying that you can't enjoy Chopper or this episode, but as Hera points out, Chopper is self centred and selfish.  Everything that happens to him this week stems from the fact that his desire to have matching legs trumps his desire to keep his friends safe,  

The mission that the rest of the crew go on goes without a hitch, but he was their backup in case it didn't, and that's an incredibly important role that he ignores just to get what he wants.  I'm sure we can all think of at least one time Chopper has flown the Ghost or the Phantom in to save someone at the last minute, now imagine if instead of doing that he was off shopping.  Yeah, that's the level of selfishness we're dealing with here.

Whilst things work out well in the end, the Rebellion gets another ship, they avoid a trap and they have AP-5 join them, that can't really take away from what Chopper did.  If I were a member of the Ghost's crew I'd be finding it hard to trust him going forward.

Despite highlighting just how much of a jerk Chopper can be, the episode does have some great moments.  When the Ugnaught looks over to find the droid leg missing we expect Chopper to be long gone, instead he's standing a few meters away holding the leg staring out into space it's a genuinely funny moment.

AP-5 is also a great addition to the Rebellion.  Through him we find out a little more about Choppers past, that when Hera found him during the Clone Wars and repaired him he was a military droid, and was shot down in a Y-Wing.  

It's nice to find out a little more about Chopper and why he was on Ryloth during the war, and it helps to flesh out his character a little beyond just being a broken droid Hera rebuilt as a child.  It's also very touching when he describes Hera as his friend, and then later extends that friendship to AP-5, especially when Hera says that Chopper doesn't have friends, before being corrected by AP-5.

Whilst having AP-5 around in the future looks like it could lead to a lot of fun, especially with his relationship with Chopper looking to be the angrier and grumpier version of R2 and 3PO, it did take away from the emotion of the moment when AP-5 'died'.  Sabine repairing him in the very next scene meant that the character can stick around, but it took away from the emotion of his sacrifice.

One other great thing about the episode is the return of Ketsu, Sabine's bounty hunter friend from earlier in the season, who has joined the Rebellion fully now.  Her role in this episode may be little more than a cameo, but it helps to build up the Rebellion as something bigger than just the crew of the Ghost and adds more characters for the viewer to care about.  With her, Captain Rex and Ahsoka playing roles in the Rebellion it might not be long before we see more familiar faces from Rebels and Clone Wars have recurring roles.

'The Forgotten Droid' slows the pace of the season after the previous episode and doesn't add much to the overall narrative, but it gives us a better insight into one of the least developed characters on the show.

Amy.

xx

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