Tag: Murder

What To Watch Now

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On Netflix:

Broadchurch – Veteran Brit powerhouse actresses (Charlotte Rampling; Marianne Jean Baptiste) join the strong ensemble cast as dueling barristers (lawyers) in S2 of the crime drama set in the quiet, beautiful, close-knit town. It’s time for the trial, BUT there is still suspense. We learn more re: another crime from the past of DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant). I’ve seen the first 3 eps so far.

Orange is the New Black – This show continues to grow (new guards and inmates come in, incl. a young/hijabi/black/Muslim woman and a celeb akin to Martha Stewart, played by Blair Brown). How will Sophia deal w/ being in isolation?  What will Piper do next now that she has the rep of being a badass?  Will Crazy Eyes ever find real love?  The jail is overcrowded now, w/ a large pop. of  Latinas bused in.  I have only seen 3 eps- need to get back into it soon!  

In Theaters:

Finding Dory – My mom (big fan of Finding Nemo) & I saw this yesterday afternoon (TOO hot to be out)- we LOVED it! The short film (Piper) was SO cute/well-made/touching!  The octopus, Hank (Ed Oneill) was my fave; it was esp. cool how he blended into the environment around him (like a chameleon).  Gorgeous Brits Idris Elba & Dominic West play two seals. Veteran comedy actors (Eugene Levy & Diane Keaton) voice Dory’s kind/encouraging parents.

Free State of Jones – The McConaughssaince  continues w/ this (based on a true story) historical drama set during the Civil War. But I must admit that the first 5 mins are tough to watch (bloody/gory/realistic); the diverse audience I saw it w/ gasped and cringed at some scenes. There is absolutely NOTHING glam re: war, and boy does this film show us that! The pitch-perfect Matthew is joined by luminous Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle) and Mahershala Ali (who MANY will know from House of Cards on Netflix). In his role as Moses, an escaped field slave separated from his wife and young son, Ali gets to show us a LOT more of his talent. Even in the quiet moments, he is a strong screen presence.

No man outta tell another man what he’s gotta live for or what he’s gotta die for!  –Newton Knight declares to his small band of followers- runaway Confederate soldiers, poor white farmers (including widows w/ children), & runaway slaves

I can’t believe that history like this is NOT taught in schools!  I’m SO glad that I got to see it for free at a pre-screening. Unlike what Col. Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick in Glory) said in one his letters to his mother (“I do not know these men, their jokes, their songs”)- Knight can relate to the blacks around him. He lived in the swamps w/ them, foraged for food/fished w/ the men, etc.  Check this film out if you can!

On TV:

The Night Of – This is an HBO limited series starring British-Pakistani actor, Riz Ahmed, and veteran actor, John Turturro (who had to take over after the death of James Gandolfini). The story centers on a Pakistani-American college kid from Queens, Nas Khan, who is questioned, then arrested, for the murder of a young woman he picked up in his father’s cab one night while on the way to a party.  The original story comes from across the pond (England), where the accused suspect was played by boyish/waifish Ben Whishaw; that story was focused on class from what I’ve heard.  This version doesn’t shy away from the fact that the suspect is a Muslim male, or the inherent suspicions that come w/ that in post-9/11 era. 


Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 10 (“The Winds of Winter”) – Best Quotes

Emma2 Comments

SPOILERS: This post contains major spoilers from the season finale of the show.

The South (Kings Landing)

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I killed your High Sparrow and all his little sparrows, all his septons, all his septas, all his filthy soldiers, because it felt good to watch them burn. It felt good to imagine their shock and their pain. No thought has ever given me greater joy.  –Cersei explains to Septa Unella

As some critics/fans commented, Cersei is now “stone-cold”- nothing seems to phase her, NOT even hearing of Tommen’s suicide!  She has taken the Iron Throne after murdering her husband (w/ the aid of her cousin), seeing her son (Joffrey) poisoned, and now Tommen’s sudden demise.  MANY of her enemies are dead, BUT her only allies are The Mountain, Qyburn, and her twin brother (though I wouldn’t be 100% sure about that, seeing Jaime’s expression in the final scene in the throne room).  

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The North (Winterfell)

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I’m not a Stark.  -Jon says to Sansa 

You are to me.  -Sansa replies

This was just a quiet, yet wonderful, scene between the two sibs (or cousins, as we learn in the flashback scene). BUT, many of you (incl. those in the Sistah Speak Game of Thrones Facebook group) thought that Sansa MAY be jealous of Jon, so NOT 100% in his corner. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt (for now); I don’t think that she will go along w/ Littlefinger’s plans. 

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If he commands you to burn children, your Lord [the Red God/the Lord of Light] is evil! -Davos shouts at Melisandre 

I LOVE me some Davos, so I was V disappointed that he didn’t get to wring Mel’s neck, or burn her up, or stab her w/ his sword!  (OK, I’ll stop now, b/c don’t want to scare readers away- LOL.)  Mel is exiled from The North by Jon; you can tell that he was a BIT conflicted about that (she having brought him back from the dead and all).  Hmmm… wonder what will happen to Mel next season?

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Every time I’m faced with a decision I close my eyes and see the same picture. Whenever I consider an action I ask myself, will this action help to make this picture a reality, pull it out of my mind and into the world? And I only act if the answer is yes. A picture of me on the Iron Throne and you by my side.  -Littlefinger admits to Sansa 

As Peter Sagal (Nerdette Game of Thrones Recaps) pointed out, this is the FIRST time that we hear (from his own mouth) exactly what Littlefinger wants!  We know that he loved (or was obsessed w/) Sansa’s mother, Catelyn.  That same feeling was transferred to Sansa, much to her surprise/confusion/dismay, BUT this now gives HER some power.  Hmm… what will Sansa do in order to keep Littlefinger on a tight leash?  She does NOT trust him, as she tells Jon, BUT they do need the support of the lords of The Vale. 

The war is not over.  And I promise you, friend, the true enemy won’t wait out the storm. He brings the storm.  -Jon Snow explains to Lord Manderly (and the other Northern lords)

Sure, Jon is a bastard, BUT he has a LOT of courage and fighting experience.  Also, he has the blood of Ned Stark , so seems to have earned the respect of these Northmen.  The BEST part of that storyline was Lady Lyanna Mormont declaring her support for Jon- what guts and screen presence!   

The Riverlands (Castle Frey)

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The last thing you’re ever going to see is a Stark smiling down at you as you die.  –Arya declares to Walder Frey

After the Frey pies scene, Sagal had a valid joke/comment: “When did Arya have time to learn to cook?”  LOL!  This scene brought to mind Julie Taymor’s movie adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Titus Andronicus.  

Island of Essos (Meereen)

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I’ve been a cynic for as long as I can remember. Everyone’s always asking me to believe in things: family, gods, kings, myself.  It was often tempting until I saw where belief got people.  I said no thank you to belief.  Yet here I am.  I believe in you.  -Tyrion reveals to Dany

Were you feeling a BIT emotional when Dany pinned that brooch on Tyrion?  I was, for sure!  Looks like she has the smartest advisor in the Seven Kingdoms, along w/ 3 dragons, over 1,000 ships, the Unsullied, etc.  Maybe it takes a Lannister (Tyrion) to defeat a Lannister (Cersei)?

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And where would we be w/o a BIT of humor?

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But wouldn’t you say life is irregular?  -Sam attempts to banter w/ the clerk at the Citadel

Sam presents the letter from Jon, then has to tell the facts of what happened at Castle Black in recent years (deaths of Lord Cmdr. Mormont and Maester Aemon).  He is amazed by the spectacular library- awww! 

The Riverlands (Castle Frey)

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You don’t even have to do anything, do you?   You just sit there, a rich slab of beef, and all the birds come pecking.  -Bronn comments to Jaime re: his power over women

Jaime is in a bad mood, BUT Bronn always has something funny (yet apropos) to say.  What will Bronn’s role be in the next season?  I hope that he gets to see some action/prove himself in a fight (NOT just be there for comic relief). 

Dorne

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Let the grown women talk.  -Lady Olenna says to the Sand Snakes before her talk w/ Ellaria

Oooh, watch out Cersei, Lady Olenna (all in black) is out for revenge!  House Tyrell is dead, as are her son and grandkids, Margaery and Loras. She has the Martells as allies, along w/ Varys (who is one of her kindred spirits).  What a (pleasant) surprise to see Lord Varys after a LONG time!

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 10 (“The Winds of Winter”) – Top 10 Moments

Emma2 Comments

SPOILERS: This post contains major spoilers from the season finale of the show.

10) The large bell is flung across the road by the force of the explosion, crushing several men.

9) The suspenseful lingering on Tommen’s window before he throws himself out of it (even before the dust can settle).

8) Sansa moving out of the way when Littlefinger tries to kiss her in the godswood.  Of his vision of the future, she says: “It’s a nice dream” (which is NOT a rejection or acceptance).

7) Cersei’s stone-cold confession speech to the shackled Septa Unella (after pouring wine over her face.) 

6) Davos confronting Melisandre (w/ Jon Snow as witness), revealing that she had Shireen (“I loved her like she were my own!”) burned alive.   

5) Lady Lyanna Mormont’s speech chastising some of the other Northern lords for NOT fighting against Ramsay’s armies (“…you refused the call”) before she declaring that Jon Snow is the “King in the North.”   

4) Arya killing Walder Frey (in exactly the same way that her mother, Catelyn, had been killed) after baking his two eldest sons into pies. 

3) Dany pins the small silver brooch on Tyrion and names him Hand of the Queen.  Their conversation brought out the emotional side of the Lannister outcast- he was close to tears.

2) Sansa and Jon’s conversation atop the Winterfell battlements, esp. the part where she states that he is IS a real Stark in her opinion.

1) Cersei is crowned queen (by Qyburn, now her Hand of the Queen).  The look on Jaime’s face is unlike anything we’ve seen before!  Is he doubting her finally?

    

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 9 (“Battle of the Bastards”)

Emma2 Comments

SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you haven’t seen or don’t want to know details from this episode of Game of Thrones.

Meereen

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We’re here to discuss the terms of YOUR surrender.  -Dany declares to the slave masters

Dany’s dragons are ALL out (YAY)!  They burn up several sailors on one of the ships in the slavers’ armada, then totally destroy that ship.  (She’ll need the rest of those ships to sail to Westeros w/ her army of Unsullied and Dothraki.)  As some viewers noted, the CGI fires were NOT as strong as they’d expected. 

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Tyrion seems to be (unofficially) the Hand of the Queen now.  Also, wasn’t it cool when gracefully/quickly Grey Worm sliced the necks of the two slavers!

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Yara and Theon get an audience w/ Dany; Tyrion is also there to advise.  Tyrion cuts down Theon, who had made fun of him WAY back in S1.  The Greyjoys let Dany know of their uncle’s (Euron’s) plans to give her 1,000 ships in exchange for marrying him.  I LOVED the chemistry between Dany and Yara (as did MANY viewers)!  The two strong women leaders form an alliance (w/ a handshake). 

Winterfell

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The day before the big battle, Jon, Sansa, Davos, and even young Lyanna Mormont (LOVED her little mean face) ride out to get the measure of Ramsay and his bannermen.  Did you count how MANY times Ramsay (who is himself a bastard) called Jon “bastard?”  It was almost in every sentence!

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Just don’t do what he wants you to do!  -Sansa warns Jon re: Ramsay’s (game-playing) mindset

Davos and Tormund have a brief talk the night before the battle.  Then Davos goes for a walk and finds the little deer that he’d carved for Shireen last season.  Uh oh, Melisandre better watch out!

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Was there ANY hope for poor Rickon!?  Hmmm… maybe for a second I thought he could make it across the field.  But we know (from previous seasons) that Ramsay is VERY accurate w/ his bow and arrows. 

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On the second watch, I realized that he was missing on purpose until the last one (which struck Rickon in the chest).  Jon rode out to try and rescue Rickon, which was exactly what Ramsay wanted! 

The battle was one of the best Medieval battles I’d ever seen… and battles in general.  –Itamar Harel (GoT Academy)

The director definitely took inspiration from Braveheart (EX: Lord Umber’s battle cry) and Saving Private Ryan; several critics and viewers pointed this out.  The dead bodies of the Northmen and Wildlings getting piled up one on top of another brought to mind the crowded graves of the Civil War (as seen in Glory). 

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Wasn’t this shot (from high above the battle) just AWESOME!?  The lords of The Vale (under orders from Littlefinger) ride in and knock the Bolton soldiers (w/ the tall shields) over like dominos.  Then, they enter the center of the fight and have at it w/ ALL the soldiers.

Your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear. -Sansa declares to Ramsay before his own hounds (unfed for seven days) attack him

What did you think of the (VERY satisfying) demise of Ramsay?  I thought that Jon would just punch him to death, BUT it was Sansa who FINALLY got her revenge- YAY!!! 

 

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 7 (“The Broken Man”)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the latest episode of Game of Thrones. 

Cold Open

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A bunch of smallfolk (peasant) men are building a sept in a beautiful green valley, watched over by a new character (played by the FAB Brit veteran actor, Ian McShane).  The women are prepping veggies for cooking while children run about.  Three men are carrying a tree.  The biggest/tallest man is carrying a tree by himself; it’s Sandor Clegane (The Hound)!  As some viewers guessed, he was NOT dead after his tough battle w/ Brienne and abandonment by Arya.

Then the credits play.

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What I believe is that there’s something greater than us! -Brother Ray concludes re: his view of religion

We learn how Brother Ray found The Hound (when he was close to death) and helped him get better, then on this (more peaceful) path.  Though The Hound is skeptical re: the gods/religion, Brother Ray is NOT bothered at all (being a chill spiritual type, NOT someone w/ all the answers).

Kings Landing

Congress does not require desire on a woman’s part, only patience. -The High Sparrow gives his view of marital relations

The High Sparrow and Margaery talk re: the poor, before he gives her some (creepy) advice.  Looks like he and Tommen have been talking about some VERY personal matters!  He also gives a NOT quite veiled threat to life of Lady Olenna.

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Lady Olenna is pissed off- she insults/threatens Septa Unella w/ a few sharp words before Margaery calms her down a bit.  Though her grandma fears for Loras (“the future of House Tyrell”) and wants her to leave, Margaery insists that SHE is the one who should leave ASAP!  The crumpled up pic of the rose tells the older woman that Margaery is NOT a fanatic (merely playing a role).

The North

Jon gets the support of the Wildling leaders after winning over the giant (Wun Wun).

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I wonder if you’re the worst person I’ve ever met…

Lady Olenna gets some nice cuts into Cersei w/ her sharp tongue (LOVED it)!  And Cersei WAS “stupid” to put The High Sparrow in such a position of power in the first place.  The Faith Militant are beyond anyone’s control, since now King Tommen has swallowed the hogwash fed him by the High Sparrow 

Riverrun 

Bronn is back… FINALLY!  Twitter was abuzz w/ love for the profanely funny sellsword turned reluctant knight. 

Two of Walder Frey’s sons argue w/ Jaime for a bit, BUT he slaps one down (w/ his golden hand- OUCH).  The siege is now under Lannister command, with Bronn organizing the set-up. But why does House Frey have such terrible-looking clothing!?  And they ALL dress and look alike, too, which is NOT helpful to viewers. 

Bear Island (The North)

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My mother wasn’t a great beauty, or any kind of a beauty! She was a great warrior though.  She died fighting for your brother, Robb. -Lady Lyanna Mormont retorts when complimented by Sansa

This child actor is just FAB- sassy, decisive, & only 12 y.o. in reality (though playing a 10 y.o.)  She has NO patience for flattery, history, or small talk.  Lady Lyanna (who was named after Lyanna Stark) even rides into battle on the back of a bear (in the books)- WOW!   

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Ser Davos (who had such a way w/ Shireen Baratheon) is able to get the little ruler to listen. 

…make no mistake- the dead are coming. -Ser Davos predicts

Then we learn that ONLY 62 men are available to fight from House Mormont!  LOL…

Back to Riverrun

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As long as I’m standing, the war is NOT over. -Brynden (Blackfish) Tully explains to Jaime at their parlay

Blackfish is NOT impressed w/ Jaime; they met for the first time here.  Jaime’s armor (could be Tywin’s) doesn’t fit quite right on him, as Joanna Robinson noted (A Cast of Kings podcast).

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House Glover

They don’t want to fight; after all, the Boltons helped them get their castle back.  The new lord (younger brother of the one who died fighting for Robb) is disgusted that the bulk of the Northern army is made up of Wildlings. 

A portside brothel (Volantis)

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We quickly learn that Yara likes the ladies (NOT a big shocker there).  Then she urges Theon to drink.

“Why couldn’t they have done that… w/ a guy?  You can say, oh, she’s dominant, but she also takes a woman’s role,”  Peter Segal (Nerdette) wondered the SAME thing as me on my first watch of this ep.  

If you’re so broken that there’s no coming back, then end it.  Take this knife…  -Yara begins, but then gives him a pep talk (tough love- she’s Ironborn after all)

Back to The North

Sansa wonders if Davos is the best man to be Jon’s right hand man.  Then she sees the men arguing and shoving each other; this army is NOT looking cohesive.

Sansa writes a secret letter to someone (Littlefinger, no doubt). Follow this link to learn more about her letter!

http://winteriscoming.net/2016/06/07/see-most-of-what-sansa-wrote-in-that-mysterious-letter/

The Riverlands

Brother Ray talks about his past life (as a soldier), the violence he participated in, and his view that a person can change their life.  Then three men (maybe from The Brotherhood w/o Banners?) ride up, asking him about horses, weapons, and food.  He is calm and pleasant, but these strangers don’t seem too happy.

Braavos (Island of Essos)

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Arya survives being stabbed multiple times by The Waif (who was disguised as a VERY old woman)- yikes!  She stumbles through the streets, clutching her stomach that’s bleeding.  No one helps her!  Or is this even the real Arya? 

We are led to believe Arya got stabbed, however there are some problems with what happened this episode. First off, Arya seemed different from the start. Her scene with the merchant, her walk all seemed very confident, which is unusual after the events this season. … Also, where did she get the money from? Why was she not carrying Needle [her sword] with her? How come after all she knew about the faceless man she just stood there on a bridge not paying any attention?  –Reddit user iPlayNL wrote.

That wasn’t [A]rya. She would have been carrying Needle. She wasn’t aware that [Jaqen] said not to make her suffer, so making a big show of her suffering doesn’t make sense. It was [Jaqen] testing the waif, and by stabbing her in the stomach and not just slashing the throat, she disobeyed orders just like Arya did. [Jaqen] is gonna lay some faceless justice down. -Reddit user froschkonig expanding on the above theory

Back to The Riverlands

While The Hound was off chopping wood, some men (who could be followers of the Lord of Light) came along and killed ALL the Smallfolk.  And they hanged Brother Ray from logs of the unfinished sept- what a shock!  But, let’s face it, Brother Ray and his followers were just TOO good for this world (of GoT).  The Hound gets the big axe- ready to fight!