I have a love for movies and shows. Even if I don't particularly watch them, we can still chat about them. We can talk about our favorite movies, movies we never get tired of watching, anticipated movies, and everything in between. I can get lost and escape the chaos of life while engulfed with the characters, plots, and landscapes. Come and join me, let's discuss the latest and favorite movies, along with the shows we can't live without! Whatever you want to talk about - I'm game!
The fifth installment continues the unraveling of civilization. Cobalt, is code for the military and their "humane" orders. This episode tackles more psychological aspects with the collapse of our society and the different perspectives. Slowly, with this season they have followed the Road to the Apocalypse (story sync), with the eighth step; Military Withdrawl. Which include guardsmen orders to take out hostile civilians, violent coercion of dissenting troops, evacuation of troops ordered, and planned euthanization of the quarantined; otherwise known as code Cobalt.
Travis is unable to pull the trigger
Cobalt starts with Travis attempting to talk to the military about those that were taken to the quarantine zone. I believe it was Lt. Moyers that, once again, pulled his dick-card and pushed Travis to understand the gravity of their situations. However, the Lieutenant seems to have a soft spot for Travis and decides to take him to see his people. They load up into the military vehicle and on their way Moyers spots a walker and orders Travis to take "Kimberly" down. I think Travis' evolution and realization is going much slower than I would think. I feel like he should man-up already. However, during this time they get a distress call and the Lieutenant meets his demise. It would have been nice to see more of his experience. Then again, maybe he's not necessarily dead, or he might have turned and we'll see him again; who knows.
Kimberly didn't know she was on the menu!
Meanwhile, in the Quarantine Zone we meet a new character, Strand. He seems like this arrogant-rich man that can bribe his way, or manipulate any situation to best suite his needs. He's a realist and understand the situation and what he'll have to do to survive. His manipulation is evident when he talks to the husband that left his family in Travis and Madison's neighborhood. The dad's mind is plagued with the results of his decision to leave, and Strand adds salt to his wound, and it festers as we watch the father suffocate with guilt and eventually is taken away. When the guards are checking the quarantined, Nick is running a temperature because of his withdrawal and the guardsmen start to fullfill their orders and are taking him away, when Strand barters his release; he definitely has a plan!
Strand, the Master Puppeteer
Back at the Homestead, Ofelia was able to lure one of the guardsmen back to their home. Once there, Daniel traps him and begins the process of torturing him for information. I really like Daniel's character, not that he tortured the man, but the character development and how the actor portrays him, I think, is amazing. His character is one I look forward to watching and I feel like he's a true Walking Dead character, if you know what I mean. I haven't really liked any of the other characters; I think Nick is annoying with his addiction, Alicia's character is going through her own psychosis along with Chris; Madison, I think, is developing better than I had anticipated. Strand seems like an interesting character and I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings. I'm hoping that next weeks season finale will bring the smolder that we love so much and drives us crazy for more!
Question: Would you follow Daniel's methods of acquiring necessary information?
Recently I had read that there was a dip in ratings for the show, and honestly I can understand why. I think for the show to pick up some momentum, it needs to get a little crazier. This is just showing one neighborhood's experience. It's been a slow process and continues to tease us of what's to come and shows us little glimpses of what we want to see. I think tonight's theme was "living the delusion". The episode opens with Nick relaxing in a swimming pool and Nick taking a nice run around the quarantined neighborhood. It is interesting how everyone views things in their own different perspectives. You have one family in the neighborhood who are full on hospitalization protective gear with masks, gowns, and gloves secured by duct tape. You have the people living the delusion who are still clinging to civilized life, and it goes on and on.
"Day 9, nine days since the light's went out" - Chris Manawa
While Chris is vlogging himself on the roof of the house, he witnesses someone outside of their boarders signaling using a light or mirror and the sun. When he tries to tell his dad, Travis brushes it off. Later, he shows Madison who eventually confronts Travis about the possibility of Chris's story. Then, Travis relays this information to his "buddies" in the Military. The very last scene of the show is the clear indication of the delusion they have all been living, and some are finally coming to terms with. But, what now?
Inside the house, Madison is watching the clock that they have marked when the electric will be on and the duration that it is off. She continues to talk about making repairs to the house, trying to grasp some normality, her daughter isn't having it though. When her mom and Travis start to argue, she interrupts them out of her frustration of the situation. During the episode Alicia keeps going off to Susan's house, where she attempts to give herself a homemade tattoo over what her boyfriend had drawn on her arm. I think it's her down-time, it's popular today to say "Not my circus, not my monkey's", I think this is her way of doing the same. Everyone is trying to cope the best way that they can.
While Nick is lounging in the pool, Madison brings him his pill, but he refuses. He's making it seem like he's kicked his addiction; I don't think she believes him either. Later, we see his true colors as he cases a neighbor who's very sick and has medicine he wants. However, when a doctor comes to town and starts taking patient's away, his means of his fix is also taken away. Because Liza, Travis' ex-wife, has been taking care of the people needed medical attention, she escorts the doctor around the neighborhood and they assess the patients. We soon learn that they are being taken to a "facility", a military facility. When Mrs. Salazar is also scheduled to go, some tension fills the air.
"Be nice, so I don't have to shoot you." Lieutenant Moyers
Earlier, a military personnel, Lieutenant Moyers, was making a neighborhood announcement and we were introduced the classic power-trip jerk. His new buddy is Travis, who seems to be the new Mayor and his go-to guy. Little by little things start to show how the military aren't their friends. Just as Chris shows Madison his recording of the person outside of the neighborhood, she decides to investigate. When she goes beyond the wall she sees the bodies and has to hide when a military scouting crew comes rolling through where she is; if she's caught, she would be shot for sure. After she gets back she catches Nick routing around the house for his fix as she finally delivers the whoop-ass beat-down that he deserves!
Overall, it's not a horrible episode, I could just use a little more action. There were a few scenes that I truly enjoyed. My favorite scenes were when Madison and Daniel were talking, once she got back from scouting outside of the barricade. He asks her what she saw and she tells him. Daniel is full of intelligent insight, I'd definitely want him to stay around. He tells this incredible story from his childhood of similar circumstances, when military men in his village came and took some people. They too promised the people they were taking would return home, unfortunately they returned home dead. He explains how people act out of fear; great, incredible scene, loved it! The other scene I loved was toward the end when the military arrive at the house to take Mrs. Salazar, because of her badly broken ankle. She requires surgery and everyone has been reassured that there are surgeons and everything needed at the "facility". When Daniel tries to leave with his wife, the military personnel that were there taking her away stop him and tell him that he would have to stay, the only other person that they had on the list to go with them was Nick! Alicia tells Nick to run, Madison is fighting off the military, Daniel is trying to get to his wife. Travis steps in front of the guns explaining how things were getting out of hand... while they're taking Nick against their wills. The doctor is talking Liza into going with her, telling her that they could use her at the facility. She's torn because of her son Chris, but I think she felt more guilty because they took Nick; did she really want to face Madison after that? So she hoped into the truck and went with her patients. When Madison came in, after just seeing them take her son away, she tells Travis "Liza, she did this." The next scene that is probably the most profound for Travis, he's up on the roof getting some air after the chaos, he sees the light that Chris and Madison were telling him about, followed by the person's execution by rapid gun fire... after he had asked the military to investigate what his son had seen. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in his mind and hopefully now, he'll understand that Lt. Moyer's is not his friend.
The third installment of the first season starts with Chris looking out the barbershop window at the rioting, when an infected looks into the shop and gives him a scare. His dad quickly tells him to get away from the window, as Chris isn't too sure what he's seen. When we rejoin the family back at the homestead, Madison the mom is handing over a glass of water for her son to take his "pills", but he starts to crush them, she protests but her attempts of reasoning with an addict are useless. I'm tired of Nick and his addiction already, how ridiculous that he had the nerve to tell his mom he's more experienced and knows what he's doing... obviously not, or else he wouldn't be an addict. If I were his mother I would tell him that there wasn't anymore. I hope she wises up and tells him there isn't anymore so he can go ahead and "howl at the moon". Back at the barbershop, they notice the walls are getting too hot from the fire next door, so they decide to abandon their position and make a run for it.
While the group is trying to flee the barbershop, the rioting continues as the infected are seizing their opportunity and feasting. Meanwhile, back at the homestead, Madison, Alicia, and Nick start to play a family game of Monopoly while they are waiting for Travis to arrive home so that they can leave (I hope they're packed and ready to go). Traveling might not be as easy as they thought it was going to be, especially with an elderly lady so hurt. While Travis and his group were trying to escape, the elderly lady was blocked by some scaffolding, the police were using water canon's against the rioters, and made the scaffolding come down on her. Travis scoops her up in his arms and they keep moving toward his truck. The ex-wife looks at the damage to the elderly lady and it looks like she's broken her ankle. The ex-wife, Liza, informs Travis that they'll need a doctor. Back at the homestead, they are happily playing their family game of Monopoly until they hear a gunshot and then their tones change.
Travis finds the infected neighbor in the house feeding on the dog as the power comes back on, the walker gets up and starts toward Travis. Madison and the kids are making their way back, when Nick asks his sister about the shells. She decides to go back for the shells, she finds them and quickly begins to gather them as she looks up and notices a cup of tea and pills. Her neighbor had killed herself, Alicia notices and takes off for home. Meanwhile, Travis is wrestling with an infected as Daniel takes the gun from Nick and shoots the walker in the face (must not have reached his brain) and has to shoot him again, taking off half of his head with the shot. Alicia's racing back toward her house when she's grabbed by the infected neighbor that she saw, Chris (Travis's son) tries to help her, but she elbows him in the face. After she's okay, the family combined now, tries to come to terms with the dead and what's happening. Travis checks on his son's injured nose, there's a nice father-son moment. Once everyone is back together, arguments start back up between staying and going. Madison tells Travis to take care of the dead body in their house, so he's taking it out as Daniel tells him he should burn the body, but Travis is against it.
The Barber, Daniel, talks to his family about how this is the wrong time to be in the debt to somebody. His daughter isn't happy about his choice to stay; she wants Travis and Madison's help. The ex-wife, Liza, and Madison talk, Liza explains how as mother's they need each other, and Madison asks something of Liza. When the time comes and Madison is a walker, for her to kill her, because she thinks it would break Travis. Meanwhile, while Madison is talking to Liza, she doesn't take her eyes off her neighbor Susan, the walker is at the back fence but can't get through. She explains to Liza how Susan took care of her kids and she took care of her too after her husband died. Which makes me wonder how her husband died. The kids had brought up during the families Monopoly game how their dad came home late and maybe even not at all sometimes. This makes me think that maybe their dad was an addict too, and maybe he died because of his addiction.
As a new day dawns, Travis is burying the walker neighbor and says good morning to his other neighbor "Susan" who's still trying to get through the fence. When Travis comes back into the home, Daniel is teaching Chris about the shotgun, which he doesn't like and tells his son to go finish packing. Travis asks Madison if she's ready and she states that she has one more thing to do, which I knew was to deal with Susan. When they're both there, Travis persuades her not to go through with it, while Daniel is watching from afar and thinks them weak for not ending the walker's life. As they are preparing to leave, Nick tells his mom he needs more pills. At this point she's enabling him! It's ridiculous. He continues to manipulate her and is very upset to learn she gave some of the pills to the elderly woman who has a broken ankle and foot. He makes a comment about how he thought family should come first. Sorry asshole, injury trumps addiction. As they are leaving they notice military helicopters flying overhead.
"Good people are the first one's to die" Daniel Salazar
Travis, his ex-wife Liza, and son Chris are riding in his truck, while Madison, Alicia, and Nick are in her car; they're leaving as she notices Susan's husband arrive home. She takes off back to her neighbor's house to try to stop Susan's husband "Patrick" from finding Susan. Patrick finds Susan outback where she has been trying to get to the others, he asks her what's wrong as she makes her way toward her husband who is anticipating her with open arms. Madison arrives and yells for him to stop -- just as Susan goes into her husband's arms and with an open mouth, going for his shoulder, the military arrive and takes a shot to her head. Patrick is hunched over her sobbing as Madison is taken away by the military. I'm not so sure this is a good thing - that the military has arrived. But, they take over the neighborhood. Madison talks to two military personnel and asks if it's contagious, to which they don't really answer her. They ask her if she's been exposed, she quickly replies that they hadn't been, but when they ask about the fresh grave -- again, she's quick to reply that they had to bury their dog. As Madison and Travis watch what's happening he comments "The calvary's arrived", he thinks it'll get better now, as they watch the military take away black packaged corpses. Daniel's watching too from the upstairs bedroom window, as they're marking homes. He comments how it's already too late.
With buzz recently that Rebecca Ferguson is reportedly at the top of Marvel's list for Captain Marvel, I thought I would post about who I see as the only choice. With a slotted release date in November of 2018, they have some time still to make the right decision, and hopefully they do make the right one. I think the only way to bring the first full-feature Marvel movie about a female lead onto the big screen would have to be someone that brings their own fan base as well. And I'm not sure Rebecca Ferguson will bring that star power, nothing against the actress, I'm sure she's great. But, it has to be someone who can kick a little ass. All we really know about the plot of the movie is "A human woman receives powers from an encounter with the alien Kree Empire" (IMDb.com). So, what else do we know about Captain Marvel? Her real name is Major Carol Danvers, of the USAF (United States Air Force) so we know it will have to be someone who can uphold the prestige of the title of Major. She's a skilled pilot and hand to hand combatant. Her current power-set include enhanced strength, durability, flight (naturally), and she produces energy from her hands. Sounds rad, right!? I'm so excited for this movie and I just can't wait to see it on the big screen.
Okay, okay, are you wondering who is the perfect casting, and in my opinion the only choice for this character - Charlize Theron! And maybe if Marvel could lock her down for this role, we don't have to worry about those rumors of a solo Furiosa movie, which I wouldn't be totally opposed to, I loved that character. But in my head, she's the only one I see as Captain Marvel, hands down. However, I think recently there has been an announcement of Mad Max: Wasteland, which I'm sure she'll reprise her role as the iconic Furiosa. But, I know I'm not the only one that thinks she's perfect for the role. Whomever Marvel Studios picks, I just hope that they make the right choice.
If you are looking for a great horror game that will feed your insomnia; look no further. Until Dawn was developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the PS4. It's a single-player game, originally released in August 2015, Gamespot gave it an 8 out of 10 rating, and Metacritic gave it 4 out of 5. Not only are the graphics phenomenal, the acting talent you'll recognize: Hayden Panettiere plays "Sam"; Peter Stormare immortalizes Dr. Hill; Brett Dalton brings "Mike" to life; and Rami Malek brilliantly portrays "Josh". But, all this information you can find on-line.
**SPOILERS**
If you don't want spoilers and continue to read and bitch about it you'll be left for the Wendigos!
The game opens with a group of young adults enjoying their friend's lavish ski lodge that they have converted to their own private luxury home. The Washington's, who own the home, include three siblings, Josh (the brother), and then Hanna and Beth (twin sisters). Their friends set-up Hanna, who has a major crush on another friend, Mike. After the prank goes terribly wrong; which, really - that was a horrible "prank", I would classify it more under the lines of bitchy-bullying. So, in her embarrassment, Hannah runs away... while there is a horrible snow storm (blizzard categorized), and of course her sister goes after her (their brother is passed out in the kitchen). When Beth finally reaches Hannah, something very threatening seems to be following them and they run to a nearby cliff where they inevitably (and there is nothing you can do --as far as we know-- to save them) fall to their demise. Why she runs out into a blizzard is beyond me! There are only one or two of the "friends" that I would categorized as "young adult", the rest are ridiculously immature and just plain annoying. I was further pissed that the one person I wanted to see die, and die miserably, lived at the end! But, we can always hope that the next installment, we could finally be satisfied. Although, I have watched game-play on YouTube where "Em" does finally get her due. Okay, enough ranting...
From Left to Right: Em, Mike, Matt, Sam (has to be Jess behind her), Beth, and Ashley. Not Pictured: Chris, Josh, and Hannah.
Jump to a year later as Sam is on a train with her ear buds in and we're informed that the group is returning, under Josh's wishes, on the year anniversary of his sister's death. Immediately, I had thoughts that he wanted to seek revenge. I know for some people, it took them a while to get there, but they did eventually. Why Sam has to hike so far alone is another thing that irritated me and I kept wondering why more of them didn't travel together, just seemed wonky to me. But, it's the classic horror genre and it doesn't have to make sense, right? The game is basically quick-time events and searching the different locations for totems (which will let you have a glimpse into the future), and you get to learn what all the different "butterflies" mean. The games design involves the Butterfly Effect, where one event can ripple out and change the future etc. I did love the intro where it explained this. The game is also full of psychological analyzing, which are down-right creepy. Dr. Hill definitely gave me the creeps and I loved how those sessions evolved. Depending on what you choose during those sessions the game will mimic what you chose. There is one choice in particular that asks you if you are more afraid of clowns or zombies, of course I chose clowns, and during those sessions a clown mask is utilized... while I watched another game-play where the player chose zombie, and a creepy zombie mask is used instead. I loved this part of the game, as a Psych major, it was right up my alley!
The different sections jump between the different characters and you explore some relationship drama between Mike and Em, who had been dating a year ago when the accident happened, have since broken up, and now dating Em's good friend "Jess" back in the day; now, not so much. They actually get quite catty, which is just another irritant and accomplishes the task of breaking the group up. So, Mike and Jess go off to "bang" in a cabin that's out in, yet another snow storm taking place. Not as severe as the year before, but still enough that makes you wonder sometimes how they're not getting hypothermia and frostbite --then again, it is fiction. While they're off exploring the woods, you get some creeps and a scare or two. Meanwhile, back at the lodge, Sam and Josh explore the basement so that she can get her hot water for her damn bath. No one can turn on any lights, or worry about heat, but hey --she wants to take a bath. The other couples in the group include Em (the annoying high-maintenance bitch) and her jock boyfriend Matt; and then there is the hopeless couple Chris and Ashley, who like each other but can't seem to move forward. The one thing this game shattered was the horror cliche of the virginal deaths, sex innuendos where everywhere. It was annoyingly evident with Jess and Mike, who just reaffirmed for me that women like her (vainly beautiful) men will bend over backwards for --Jesus Mike, grow a fucking pair! It was also shown, yet another high maintenance vain "woman" in Em, treated Chris like shit too --but, hey; they're beautiful, so they should get what they want --right? BLEH!
Things really pick up when Jess is taken and Mike takes off after her through the snowy wilderness. They come to the old Asylum (conveniently located in this remote snowy hilltop, right?), where (in my game-play) we befriended a wolf (which was one of my favorite treats). He tracks the man he thinks is responsible for Jess's death (yes, she died in my game play). The game cuts back and forth between chapters and the nice meetings with Dr. Hill where it is revealed that we are the killer... meanwhile Sam has some spooks of her own where the big twist is revealed that Josh is the mastermind behind his huge prank, what he thought was just Chris, Ashley, and Sam. He didn't know people were actually dying because of something else on the mountain. Then again, Josh is certifiable cray-cray! Mike found his way back to the lodge, while Chris and Ashley have experienced their own levels of hell (thanks to Josh) in true Saw fashion. Mike and Chris tie Josh up out in the shed, and once shit starts going down, they mindlessly left him there for the "creatures" to take. Meanwhile, the "Flamethrower Guy" who the games makes you think is the "bad guy", is actually trying to help these kids. He knows the creatures stalking the mountain and he uses his flamethrower to chase the beasts away.
The different scenes are vast and amazingly imagined, from the lodge, to the wilderness, to the mines, the cabin, the shed, and even the asylum, the animation never disappoints. However, at times you don't know what you're suppose to do and can get turned around easily; but then again, I guess that adds the the genuine feel to it. The creatures themselves are terrifying; Wendigos. As I am part Native American, this folklore creeped me out within my blood! Through the game it is gut wrenching when you find the clues that the sisters didn't die right away. They found their way to the mines where there was a grave marker for Beth, and even a skull was found. However, another great aspect of the game was that Hannah had actually become one of the beasts. Further more, was I the only one through the game play that realized she was still protective of Mike, and even Sam. I feel like no one is drawing attention to the fact that she was fighting off the other Wendigos when they were in the lodge at the end, and when Sam ran for it, Hannah as the beast was the one to take-down the beast that was chasing Sam, and probably would have reached her if it wasn't for Hannah. Then, in true horror-style, once the house is blown to smithereens, Hannah or one of the Wendigos spirits screams out and flows through Mike and Sam... PLUS, Em was bitten so we don't know the extent of her transformation or not. Guess we'll have to wait for Until Dawn 2.
I definitely enjoyed this game and didn't want to stop playing. The studio did a marvelous job of raising your heartbeat and drawing you in. I've watched different game-plays and there are various endings. There is also a "secret" ending where during the gangs interviews at the end, they challenge the authorities to go into the minds and see for themselves. When they get there, Josh is munching on a head, what happens next we don't know because in true thematic styling, the screen goes black. I'd love to see an Until Dawn 2 and hope that they further explore what scares us most and customize our game-play, I think that's amazing! I would like to see, if they do make sequel, for them to add more realization. I mean, it was terrifying in a real way when Mike had to wack-off his own fingers... so, when they're tracking through the snow, it would be a real thing to freeze to death, hypothermia, or frostbite. I mean, come one... Jess fell into the stream, she wouldn't have lasted as long as she did, especially as bitchy as she was. Supermassive - make us truly terrified! I don't regret paying the money for the game, I would usually wait until it was reduced, drastically. But, the stars aligned and I was able to get it and play it (especially because I don't have a PS4 either). Now, I want to replay the game and make different choices to see how the game differs. Of course I didn't add everything here, you'll just have to play it for yourself! *wink*
Have you played Until Dawn, or have you watched any of the game-play?
