The Shadow Hunter series one episode one the mortal cup. (Netflix)(Zee Tay Review.)

Hello guys this will be first review of a Netflix episode. I will try to write how many I can of these I can. It all depend on time and WiFi.

Anyway I watched the film of the Mortal Instruments a year ago and I really enjoy the film. So I know what happened in the Netflix series. Of course the Netflix series try to keep, as close to the original books as possible, but putting their spin on it.

I truly enjoy it when you get more of the book, as it can be hard to get over 500 pages in a book to a 2 hour 10 minute film but they can for 10+, 45 minute episode.

The mortal cup introduce to the main characters, Clary, Simon, Jace, Valentine, Luke, Magnus and a few other characters. It introduce us and Clary and Simon to the world of the Shadow hunter world. Which was before hidden to the Human eye.

The one thing I don't like is how chilled Clary was the moment Simon arrived to the Church ruin. As five minute before she was asking Jace a bunch of question and scared about what's happening. Next thing she chill with he, like it normal. Like that would totally happen.

The costume was well situated at the time frame, and transition between human and ones of another planet. Shadow hunters/ Demons. As human wear more colourful clothes wear the rest wear black.

Overall I think it open up the story well and well acted overall I give it a four out of five stars.

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Apologies

Hey guys! This is not a review! just a quick update to apologize for my Absence lately. Work and life has been busy and i've had a few days of being ill as well.

All being well i'll be posting again soon! 

Till then

Emz x

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Musical Review: Flashdance The Musical - DeMontfort Hall, Leicester [Emz]

So at the end of March, I went to see this show at DeMontfort Hall in my hometown of Leicester.

The show stars Joanne Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Alex Owens and  Ben Adams (A1, Eugenius! The Musical) as Nick Hurley.

Obviously, I was more familiar with the 2 actors playing the lead roles but I didn't know any of the others.

I believe this version of the show was based more on the book than the 1983 film.

Here is a brief idea of the story from the website:

Dance like you’ve never danced before! FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of 18 year old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night, who dreams of going to the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy and becoming a professional dancer. When a romance complicates her ambitions, she harnesses it to drive her dream.
Based on the Paramount Pictures film (Screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley) Flashdance is an inspiring musical about the power of holding onto your dreams and love against all the odds.
Prepare to be blown away with an astonishing musical spectacle and phenomenal choreography to this iconic score including the smash hit Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria, I Love Rock & Roll and the sensational title track Flashdance - What a Feeling.
Produced by the award winning team at Selladoor Productions - producers of Footloose, Avenue Q and Little Shop of Horrors, FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL is not to be missed!

Review:

I extremely enjoyed this show. At times it did feel like the story was moving a little too quickly but with the time they had for the show, it didn't really cause any problems. 

The singing was excellent and so was the dancing. IT was clear that so much was put into the routines. Along wit Jonanne riding a bike across the stage, I would be terrified I was going to fall off stage (knowing me I would)

Joanne Clifton as Alex Owens was fantastic and her American accent for the Character was really good, I wouldn't have noticed she was English if I didn't know. All the dancing she has to do is really good, it's quite different from what I am used to seeing her do on Strictly as this is a bit more Pop, but it flowed so well,, she is a brilliant singer as well. I look forward to seeing her in more productions in the future (fingers crossed)

Ben Adams was also brilliant as Nick Hurley, I have always been a fan of A1. I found out a lot later after I bought the tickets that he was playing the other lead role of Nick. the last time I saw Ben live was when he opened for Steps at DeMontfort Hall in 1997/8? with A1 (I was about 7 years old! blimey!)

Ben was really good at acting, I knew he could sing but the chemistry with Joanne was very strong. I hope to see his show Eugenius! at the West end eventually.

The rest of the cast were also just as good, the actress playing Hannah, was really good as was kind of a mother figure to Alex's character along with the character Louise who was Hannah's carer.

It was great to hear the familiar songs Maniac and What a Feeling.

If I had the chance I would happily see it again. If it comes to a town near you I would recommend it.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: Black Lightning Season 1 Episode 5 "And Then the Devil Brought the Plague: The Book of Green Light" [Emz]

So I've made it to episode 5. I'm currently multiple episodes ahead, but I will review this series an episode at a time.

I recently found out that Black Lightning is getting a second series which is great news.

Here's the synopsis:

An unexpected phone call prompts Jefferson to investigate the murder of his father; Anissa wrestles with the fact that her actions have dire consequences; Jennifer learns the importance of controlling her temper.

Brief Explanation Of The Episode:

In this episode, Jefferson's Black Lightning Suit is altered for flight by Gambi, which starts out well, until he experiences severe headaches. 

Gambi has a visit from Tobias Whale asking if he knows who Black Lightning is, Gambi denies any knowledge of him and asks him to keep away as he is breaking their deal.

Jennifer defends herself from two girls at the skating rink where she breaks one of their wrists. The girls family and not happy and this leads to Jefferson and Lynn taking full responsibility.

Anissa digs into her grandfather research and comes across a storage unit which contains lots of information as well as a safe. Within the safe is a vial.

Black Lightning, finds Joey Toledo after following the trail of Green Light, just as he thinks he has Toledo just where he wants him, Jefferson has a major headache which causes him to collapse

Review:

I really enjoyed this episode, it's really interesting to see Anissa coming into her powers and having a disguise to keep her identity secret.

Of course, it's always refreshing to see not everything going to plan and the modifications to Jeffersons Black Lightning suit causing him issues and of course Jennifer sticking up for herself and everyone waiting on the edge of their seat as to when her powers will kick in.

Then there's Gambi and his secrets... when will we know what he's hiding. 

I look forward to seeing how this story keeps progressing. Roll on episode 6!

Till then 

Emz x

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TV Review: Shadowhunters Season 3 Episode 1 "On Infernal Ground" [Emz]

So,, the latest Season on Shadowhunters has begun on Freeform (America) and Netflix (UK). This series will be based roughly on the 4th book (City Of Fallen Angels) and possibly the 5th book (City Of Lost Souls).

Here is the Synopsis:

Secrets abound as the Shadowhunters and Downworlders attempt to return to normal following Valentine's death; Clary struggles with keeping her secret about Raziel's wish; Lilith sets a plan in motion as Simon spends time in the Seelie Court.

Brief Explanation of The Episode

This episode kicks off a little while after the Death of Valentine and Cary using the Angel Raziel to bring Jace back to life (unbeknownst to everyone else.) We start with Cary officially becoming a Shadowhunter after ridding the world of Valentine.

Alec is, of course, suspicious following the disappearance and reappearance of his Parabatai rune. Clary tells Jace she wants to tell him what is going on, but Jace says they can't

Luke's Police Partner Ollie finds out about the Shadow world after figuring out that he is a Werewolf and pushes Luke until he stops denying and admits it.

Simon is being held in the Seelie Court and is very confused as to why. Eventually after being pushed she lets him go but only after working him... without telling him what it's all about.

Clary finds her signature Weapon, Double blades she later learns from Luke that the Blades belonged to her mother and father.

We meet Lilith (but not yet by name) who through Possession control a man to kill his wife and then whilst, being searched for by the Shadowhunters after Luke noticing that it was no ordinary murder, Ollie (Luke's Police Partner) tries to arrest him and is knocked out Luke tries to attack also but is knocked away also. The demon climbs out of the human and attacks Clary she is eventually able to kill it using her Anglic Rune, of course, Luke chirps up mentioning that perhaps the blades are not her signature weapons.

Alec learns that Magnus is no longer the High Warlock of Brooklyn following his alliance with the Seelies that fell apart.

Jace is having nightmares of Jonathan trying to kill Clary or telling Jace to kill her. 

Review:

This was a brilliant return for this series, I have been so excited everytime that it gets renewed for another series after the failed movie.

I enjoyed seeing Clary being.. I think the right phrase is 'Badass' during her fight with the demon.

I also laughed at Isabelle's frustration with the Vending Machine and the flirting with a Doctor who helped her get the candy out of the Machine.

After knowing what happens in the books with Jace after his resurrection, I am intrigued to see if Jonathan is in his nightmares or if there is more to it.

Finally, I believe that we haven't seen the last of Lilith, what happened in this episode was just the tip of the iceberg.

I can't wait for the next episode.

Till next time

Emz x

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TV Review: The Sarah-Jane Adventures Pilot Episode "Invasion Of The Bane" [Emz]

So as it was announced that all episodes on The Sarah-Jane Adventures are now on BBC iPlayer, I decided to start watching it.

I decided to start right at the beginning with the Pilot episode, Invasion Of The Bane.

This episode starred Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah-Jane Smith, Yasmin Paige as Maria Jackson and Tommy Knight as Luke.

This Pilot and the series that followed were produced off the back of Elisabeth Sladen portraying Sarah-Jane Smith in Doctor Who, School Reunion (series 2, episode 3) 

This first aired on BBC One on the 1st January 2007.

Here is the Synopsis:

Investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith teams up with her new, thirteen-year-old neighbour, Maria Jackson, to face the scheming Mrs Wormwood, the head of a company producing a popular and addictive soft drink called "Bubble Shock!"

Review:

I remember watching this episode when it was first aired on BBC One, New Years Day 2007.

If you weren't already aware this was the second spin-off from Doctor Who, after Torchwood.

So we begin with a new family moving to Bannerman Road, The Jackson Family. The family consists of Alan Jackson and his Daughter Maria.

Maria attempts to introduce herself to Sarah-Jane who lives across the road but with no success.

Her first night in her new home, she is woken by a bright light, she heads over and finds Sarah-Jane communicating with an alien. Maria is quite shocked but at the same time fascinated.

The next day she meet Kelsey Hooper who randomly shows up on her doorstep and they use the Bubbleshock bus to go to the factory. Sarah-Jane follows them in her car after hearing of the plans they made.

Whilst on a tour of the factory Maria refuses to drink Bubble Shock and then Kelsey tries to use her phone to call a friend, this effects the Bane Mother and scares Kelsey.

Sarah-Jane gets caught investigating the factory and meets with Mrs Wormwood, who is very vague with Srash-Janes questions, she tries to force her to drink Bubble Shock and Sarah-Jane keeps saying Mrs Wormwood is from another Planet. After her exit the assisstant is ordered to kill her.

Also in this episode we meet the character that we come to know as Luke. When a power surge from the mobile phones wake up the Archetype who resembles a human boy. Maria befriends him after he escapes and they along with Sarah-Jane and Kelsey leave the building and go back to Sarah-Jane's house. they were followed by another member of staff who happens to be a Bane in disguise.

He chases the kids and Sarah-Jane though the house untill Sarah finds something in her attic to freeze him.

The eventually discover all the artifacts in her attic that are alien in origin and she tells them about her travels with The Doctor.

We meet Mr. Smith who is her supercomputer built into the wall of her Attic and we are greeted to a brief appearence of K-9.

The Archetype (Luke) notices that Sarah-Janes watch that deetects Alien life forms has been beeping and she didn't notice. It is eventually noted that the "organic-ness" of Bubble Shock is actually pieces of Bane, a live Alien. Sarah-Jane uses Mr Smith to hack into Mrs Wormwoods computer to chat with her, she tries to get her to leave or she will stop her. Mrs wordwood just says "Bring it on."

The Bane in the Bubbleshock drinks in then activated and all humans who have drank it are but under some sort of hypnotic spell to try and get other to drink it. This includes Maria's dad and Kelsey

Sarah-Jane, The Arcitype and Maria they go back to the factory and break through the wall using the Bubble Shock Bus after the gates are deadlock sealed. Revealing that the Archetype was created to deal with the "2%", Wormwood declares he is no longer needed as plans have been sped up and disables the Archetype by manipulating her ring. Follwoing Maria temporarily affecting Bane mother with her mobile phone,The Archetype uses the communiations device given to Sarah-Jane by the visiting Alien earlier in the episode, uses the number he memorised from Mr Smith, he calls the universe. This affects all of The Bane and it kills the Bane Mother. Mrs Wormwood escapes vowing revenge.

At the end of the episode, Kelsey is denyinng any knowledge of Aliens and everyone is back to normal. Srah-Jane Offically adopts the Archetype and names him Luke.

I enjoyed this episode, even though this is aimed even more at kids than Doctor Who is, It was great to see what happened to Sarah-Jane after School Reunion. We meet brand new characters and aliens/ monsters.It was interesting to see what The Doctor left Sarah-Jane with after he left, K-9, Sonic Lipstock and tracker for Alien life forms. She also seems to have changed cars since we met her last. She tries to go it alone and make sure that Maria forgets about her, but that doesn't work so she accepts her help.

It is also discovered by the time the first episode of Series 1 airs that we never see or hear from Kelsey again.

Thats all for now.

Till next time.

Emz x

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Miss Potter (Zee Tay Film review)

Title:Miss Potter
Classification: PG
Year: 2006
Directed by: Chris Noonan
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson and Bill Peterson.
Running time:88

Miss Potter is a enchanting love story which follows the story of the Author of them world famous Peter Rabbit Miss Beatrix Potter and her publisher Norman Warns and the love affair that happened between them.

Review:

Even though well I was growing up, and even to this day never read Peter Rabbit. Despite this it was the one story that I always wanted, and always had a special place in my heart.

I always admire authors and how they work, so seeing a film based on one of the world famous children author is very inspiration, and Renée plays Beatrix Potter wonderful she brings such confidence to the character, and that despite most people disapproval she kept on trying because she loved the world in which she creates. In a sense we just needs that one person approval to push her.

The costume was spot on something it fitted in with each character and their personality. For example Beatrix mother thought out the film she wore nothing but black, which show how she doesn't have much soul, and that she doesn't really care for her daughter only that she finds a men of high society and merry.

The story has a nice steady flow, even when there was a few flash back to when Beatrix was a child, it made sense. They placed it where needed.

Overall I give this film 4.5 stars out of 5

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TV Review: Doctor Who Series 2 Episode 4 "The Girl In The Fireplace" [Emz]

So the next episode is The Girl in The Fireplace.

This episode originally aired on BBC One on the 6th May 2006.

This episode also starred Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith and Guest starred Sophia Myles as Reinette/ Madame de Pompadour.

This was the first appearence of the Clockwork Droids. They next appear in Deep Breath (Series 8, Episode 1)

Here is the Synopsis:

Madame de Pompadour finds the court at Versailles under attack by sinister clockwork killers and her only hope of salvation lies with the Doctor.

Review:

I enjoyed this episode. It was written by Steven Moffat who as we know later took over from Russel T Davies as the 'Showrunner.'

So the TARDIS lands on a Space Ship that seems to be empty. After exploring the ship they find a fireplace from the 18th Century. The doctor finds a young girl on the other side called Reinette who lives in Paris in 1727.

The Doctor works out that the Fireplace is a time window.

As the story progresses, it is worked out that the Clockwork droids that are discovered in the Spaceship are after Madame Du Pompadour. They want to use her to fix the ship, but they have to find her at the right age.

The doctor has to trap himself in 18th Century France to stop the droids from killing her. As he breaks the time windows the droids give up and shut down. 

The doctor invites Reinette to travel with him in the TARDIS after he finds the time window in the Fireplace still works. When he goes back to collect her however, he discovers 7 years have passed and she has died. She left him a letter as a final goodbye.

The last part of the story was quite sad, but it was enjoyable not many young people would know who Madame Dy Pompadour is so it was an interesting link to history... with some obvious changes.

I have a few favorite quotes from this episode.

Rose: Oh, here’s trouble. What you been up to?

The Doctor: Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat, picked a fight with a clockwork man… [A horse whinnies off screen] Oh, and I met a horse.

Mickey: What’s a horse doing on a spaceship?

The Doctor: Mickey, what’s pre-revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective!

Rose: Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm.

The Doctor: Mm. You sound just like your mother.

Rose: What have you been doing? Where have you been?

The Doctor: Well… among other things I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a couple of centuries early. Do you know they’d never even seen a banana before. Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good.

Rose: You’re NOT keeping the horse!

The Doctor: I let you keep Mickey, now lets go!

Till next time

Emz x

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