Patient Zero Movie Review

Warning this is a SPOILERY REVIEW. I usually don’t write them, but on this I will because I am hoping maybe someone can answer my burning question.

While I was entertained, the movie left me stuck in the fact that I needed one answer given … and that one question stayed with me so much, it was distracting. ‘Was Morgan the only one who could hear them talk?’ It never was answered. If it was. I missed it.

From the get-go it establishes that Morgan can talk to the infected. He had been bit and survived the bite. He’s an arrogant snip who things everyone around him is an A-hole. His words not mine. When in fact, he actually is the A-hole.

The world is besieged by a rage infection and the infected are evolving. Morgan is part of a survivor camp looking for patient zero so they can cure it. Search for Patient Zero. Which leads me to mention that at the 31 second mark of the movie, in the open sequence, a Newscaster states, “Health Authorities have now said they discovered their first case of a new strain of super rabies in a human.” If Health Authorities already discovered the first case, wouldn’t that be Patient Zero? Maybe our underground scientists missed that newscast.

Onward …the underground team uses Morgan to communicate with the captured infected. But they never say if those around him (Uninfected) can understand what the infected are saying. From the camera’s eye, Morgan after irritating them with music (Music drives them nuts) he has a normal conversation with them.

So if Morgan can do it, why can’t the uninfected?  Do the uninfected hear them? Or can only Morgan hear them? Is it telekinetic? Or does Morgan simply speak growlese. I never had that answered.

HUGE EDIT – I went back to the beginning and turned on Closed Captions, apparently Morgan does speak Growlese, because the closed captions explains what you can’t hear. While Morgan is speaking, the closed captions say ‘Morgan speaks low growl’ Hmm. All this time wasted. All those paragraphs I could have deleted.

OK back to the movie.

Enter Stanley Tucci … he kind of saves the film, but I felt a lot of his story was  part of the ‘select delete’ process on the Final Cut timeline.

Don’t get me wrong, it was an hour and a half decent movie that could have been so much better. The end sequence starts out good, nail biting in fact, but then it gets cheesy wraps up in a ‘too convenient’ package which takes us to an end scene that I couldn’t see. It was either shot in a too dark location or someone went a little overboard with the ‘day to night’ filter.

It’s a Friday night, nothing else better to do film. But I’d wait until it was free or cheaper. Just my opinion.

Godzilla 2014 Review - Monster with Testicular Fortitude

If you were that Saturday night ‘B’ movie watcher, or Sunday afternoon waiting on Godzilla to play on television, then you may be a little surprised if you go to see the newest version of the ageless monster, Godzilla.

This review may contain SPOILERS, but really how much of a spoiler can it be. It’s Godzilla.

I wasn’t really a big Godzilla buff, back in the day, I thought the Matthew Broderick one was decent, but the best one I saw was the Japanese Godzilla 2000.  But when I saw the destruction, the look and feel of a dystopian world, all in this new preview, I knew I had to see this one.

I went to the premiere showing with my niece and friend. My friend and for anonymity, we call him Tom. Which is not his name, it sounds like ‘Tom’ but it’s not.

Tom is a consummate movie lover. A good one to have around, although I will wager that he won’t go see another movie with me. Especially my niece, who by genetics, talks as loud as I do.

We sat in the very last row in a pretty empty theater watching the 3D version. I took my Tums for motion sickness and Advil for that 3D headache. I was ready to go.

SPOILER – The story is about a monster, a big monster., But there is a twist about it. Not about the creation of the monster, just the monster storyline.

As far as a story goes, hands down this was the most original of all. Pay attention to the opening credits and the opening scene. Don’t blink, you’ll be asking the person next to you what the time line is. To me, Godzilla doesn’t really look different, just less cheesy.

The acting is good, really good and nothing is overdone. Except the Japanese Doctor, who when asked what it was, turned with drama and seriousness, twitched his upper lip, and while looking at his peers, said in a deep heavily lazed Dialect, “Gah-zheeela”

I laughed. No one else did. Tom nudged me to stop. I’m still not convinced that it wasn’t an inside joke on set.

Visually, the movie is stunning. For those who like destruction … it’s there. For those who want a glimpse into a post apocalypse world, it has it (SPOILER) they show a quarantined city, fifteen years later.

If you hate 3D because it makes you sick and the cinematographer goes overboard, than this is the 3D movie for you. Nothing overdone or bad camera movements that will make you sick. I know, I am sensitive to it. At one point I was tricked. First time sitting in the back row, the heads of the guys in front kept bobbing into the picture and for a split second I thought the 3D was super realistic.

The movie is nonstop action and fun, and it pulls at the heartstrings. And SPOILER, you find yourself cheering for Godzilla. And yes, I'll admit it. I teared up. Then again, I tear up when I watch The Voice.

The thing that I liked best was the trailers didn’t give it away. It didn’t give you the whole movie in 2 minutes. They gave nothing away. In fact they were misleading in a good way.

At one point, SPOILER I was watching them battle on the West Coast and I leaned to Tom and said, “How the heck are they gonna make it all the way to the East then  Paris.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“The trailer showed a destroyed Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower.”

“Uh, Jack, that was the Vegas scene.”

Ahhhhh. The editors were very crafty.

Anyhow, I highly recommend this move, it’s a fun summer one. And just one final note: I won't say where or when, but I will say, let me know if I am the only one that saw a Giant, swinging, Yellow Testicle.

The Death of Daryl Dixon – Why Daryl WILL die this season

***Spoilers***

If you are not all caught up on The Walking Dead, you may want to stop here.

The Walking Dead truly needs to get professional screenwriters. What looks good on paper or sounds good in talks, doesn’t necessarily translate onto screen in an exciting manner. Too many characters, too many stories, divided episodes, with anti climatic endings. They have lost focus. Who drags stories on for six months to barely touch upon them? Not to mention trite dialogue that is also nothing but forced foreshadowing and a way to mention off screen happenings. (IE: Lilly’s death, passing the bus). Daryl Dixon is supposed to be this amazing tracker, right? Yet how does he miss a dirty diaper? Even I could sniff out a fresh shit diaper and I don’t track.

Speaking of cool characters, hate me for saying it, but Daryl Dixon is gonna die. One of the last episodes this season. And I present the eight reasons why I THINK he is going to die.

8.  He was not meant to be in the show. Norman Reedus auditioned for the part of Merle and they created his character. They have shaped him, molded him, gave him his due last season but what now?

7.  What has he done for us lately? Nothing. A few lines, arrow shots. His bestie, Carol was kicked out and we never really got to see him to react. That storyline seems buried. It seems to me that the writers, who look at the comic books and figure a way to change them, keep forgetting about Daryl because he’s not in there. So they are like, “Shit, we forgot Daryl. Oh, yeah, just have him shoot an arrow, fans will like that.”

6.  They have taken him out of character. How much have we seen Daryl this season? His recent 15 minutes with Beth were stupid. Lame tracker missing those rabbits and diaper. Is this the same Daryl that went to look for his brother in Atlanta, for Sophia half of season two? Yet we are to believe Daryl wouldn’t go back to the prison for Judith or Carl and choose to run with an annoying teenage girl. Yeah, right. Again, they don’t know what to do with him. Merle is gone.

5.  He’s getting his own episode. Yeah, an entire episode, like the Governor. Sound familiar. Granted Beth is in the episode and it’s the bait and switch. Make us think they are killing her, but they aren’t. Does anyone really care about Beth? We’re rooting for her to die, and we all know WD never kills the ones we want.

4.  Daryl has already been replaced. In the comics, after Tyrese dies, Ford becomes Rick’s right hand man. Tyrese never became the right hand man on tv, Daryl did. So … out he goes. Plus, we will soon forget about him because Morgan returns (IMDB) episode 15 this season.

3.  They already played their high card this season. Walking Dead can’t survive by simply killing red shirts (A term for characters brought in to die). They survive by shocking us and killing people we love. When killing Hershel, they crushed us. Sorry to say, they now must top that. Who is left? Who will the fans really clamor about? Who is that high ended that people would riot over … Daryl.  He is the only one that can top Hershel’s death.

2.  They won’t kill him. That is almost my top argument as to why they will. People are so convinced the show won’t kill Daryl, that I think they will. The show can and will survive without him. Again, I refer you to Number “What has he done lately?’

And finally, Number one … the guilt move. I can see it. Ring. Ring.

Norman Reedus: Hello.

Robert Kirkman: Uh, hey, yeah, Norm, I’m like really sorry I killed you off this season.

Norma: Sucks, dude.

Kirkman: Yeah, I know, anyhow … to make it up to you. How about... uh a starring role in my new sci fi dystopia movie? (Winks to Gail Hurd with a look that says, we got him)

The movie is all true. Read Here. Robert Kirkman called Reedus to co produce and star in the new thriller AIR. Production has been kept secret. Probably to hide the fact that production on the movie coincides with production of WD. Confirming that Daryl Dixon won’t be back for season 5.

No High Hopes from me on Walking Dead Season 4.

Today Walking Dead Mid Season premiere will show, and I believe it will probably be the last Walking Dead that I watch.  I expect the back half to suck.  I am prepared for a good opening episode, but I am also preparing to turn it off for good mind you, unless my expectations of the show are proven wrong.

I’m sick of the way they handle it and here’s why.

My first expectation is they divided up the group, I will bet money, the first episode back,  that they don’t show the group. That we don’t see Glen, Maggie, Tyrese or the others. That we only see Rick and Carl and maybe Michonne. They left us in limbo for 8 weeks and sorry, bet we have to wait another week or two to get answers. Typical anymore to get us back.

They don’t know what to do. Start a plague, end a plague, no reason for it. Just to eat up time. Jump to the Gov on a road trip. What the hell? Did they say, “Hmm how do we end this plague, I know, show the Gov for two weeks and people will forget.” I expect more of that on the back half.

While I totally understand the need to vary from the comics, my argument is don’t do it half assed, as the writers and producers have done.

If they are going to vary and stray from the comics so as to give the element of surprise plus new storylines, than damn it. Do it. Stray. There is no element of surprise if a character dies in the novel and still dies on the TV show, Just because the writers change the course of direction and don’t’ change the outcome just irritates us.

Point taken … Judith. In the novel, she died in Lori’s arms. On the show, Lori died, Judith lived … lived the entire season. Through the flu that really didn’t make sense, just a way, I guess to eat up time. And then they kill her, showing nothing more than a bloody car seat.

Who the hell would put their child in a car seat in the apocalypse anyhow. I can guarantee my grandkids wouldn’t be in one, they’d be in my arms, as any baby would. Buckle them in, buckle them out? Too much work should you have to run.

Many are saying she isn’t dead. But unfortunately, according to Gimble, the show’s front runner, they couldn’t show her death on TV. She’s gone.

What the hell? I am so sick of Walking Dead killing people for the shock. Yes, inevitably people have to die,  but, really two years post apocalypse, some sort of survival skill has been acquired enough that one will not die as easily or as stupid. Putting a child in a car seat. Not clinging or assuring your own baby? They led us on with Judith, and to shock us and bring about emotions, they slaughter her.

Wasn’t Hershel enough? Really. Not only was I the viewer distraught but the cast was as well.

What made Walking Dead appealing throughout the novel was its ability to hold true to the center of an apocalypse universe. To have a good solid story, you need strength, weakness, hope and wisdom. So you need a sense that there will be a better tomorrow … children. Along with the weak, and the survivors and you need older characters to deliver the wisdom.

They killed Dale but Hershel was waiting in the wings. They killed Hershel there is no more voice of reason or wisdom. Gone.

The writers have turned to a shock effect instead of a story. Killing Judith is just wrong. A baby in the z-poc is a challenge, I feel the writers wanted to go with it, then chickened out.

And where the hell is Carol? How many weeks do we have to wait for answers? It’s ridiculous.

Actually, that’s a problem this season. Toss out something here (Michonne emotional with Judith) A tease  there, kick Carol out, wait three weeks to show Darryl’s reaction to Carol being gone and it’s what? Ten seconds?

Someone needs to go into that writer room and say, “People focus. Go back to basics and tell a single story.” They are all tossing out so called brilliant ideas on the table, starting them and not knowing how to weave them.

If Judith is really dead, we don’t see anyone but Rick, Carl and Michonne on the premiere, then I’m saying goodbye to the Walking Dead. They are using nothing but bait and switch tactics to reel us in, keep us waiting. I waited eight weeks to find out what happened to everyone, and if I have to wait any longer, I don’t want to know. Hershel’s gone, they need to give me a reason to tune back in for good.

Walking Dead: Eight Reasons They May Be Missing the Mark

The Walking Dead is back and, like church, it will become a ritual for people on Sundays. That is if it can sustain the audience for one more season. The season premiere was a let down to a lot of people and the critics aren’t being kind either. I enjoyed it, but I also saw it as the proverbial rock and a hard spot for the show’s creators. They want to take it one place, but feel forced to stick to the roots that bound them.

So, I compiled a list of Mark Misses or Potential Jump the Sharks.

***WARNING SPOILERS***

If it Ain’t Broke:  Understandable some things from the comics had to be changed, but they started to stray off course. They had solid foundation in which to follow. They weren’t going to lose the diehard graphic novels fans if they stayed true to the books. But they stand a chance of losing those who haven’t read, because they miss storyline marks.

Show me, Don’t Tell me: I can only hope the dialogue gets better. They want to establish what all has been going on, that’s great. But forced dialogue is the worst. Daryl and Carol, for example and Carol explaining how the walkers have been gathering. We see that, why we were subject to forced dialogue. The gathering of Walkers could have been explained when Karen was clearing the fence, in frustration, she simply could have said, “What the hell. It wasn’t like this last week.”. Instead we had to hear, “Daryl, It’s been good for a while, but they’ve been gathering blah blah blah.” Uh, duh, I’m sure Daryl knows this. It was like that through the whole show. No to mention, Beth’s boyfriend, reiterating Daryl’s traits. Forced to remind us how cool he is? Please, we know.

Great Characters so Use Them:  They live in an apocalypse, there is so much potential for character driven storylines. Take advantage of what the PA world has to offer or lacks in offering.

Scenes That Have No Bearing:  Yes, we get it, there are zombies. For some reason the writers believe if we aren’t subject to tons of Walkers we’ll stop watching. The Big Spots scene. Really? Nearly two years walkers are on the roof and it took that exact moment to collapse. Not to mention, nearly a year they’ve been in the area and Daryl, the tracker just found the huge Big Spots. And …. What was the point of that scene, they left with nothing. Just to have a cool Walker scene. Hmm.

Suspension of Disbelief: In order to enjoy any fiction, especially horror, the viewer has to suspend their disbelief. I feel that the writers are relying more on cognitive estrangement, which is relying on viewers’ lack of knowledge to suspend disbelief. The very first Walker that Rick sees in the series is decomposed. If the walkers have taken over and survivors are nil, why are there still so many Walkers? We are organic and will break down.  A Walker baking on a hot Georgia roof for two years, if … if still standing, will not burst like a red water balloon of blood. It will break, yeah, but no blood.

They Need A Science Teacher to Advice:  Yes, the special effects are really cool. But let’s force the suspension of disbelief again. I research, every writer I know researches, so why can’t the FX team.  Every time I see a horribly decomposed Walker get killed and see blood splash out, I get irritated. If a person dies if a bite, the body will empty of blood. If not, the blood will pool because of gravity. To the feet. There will be no blood in the upper torso. If there is, it won’t be red. Dead means no heart, no pumping, no breathing. The blood thing just gets to me. Make it thick like tar or gooey all the time.

Predictability: Ever notice that Walking Dead focuses on a character early in the show if they are going to die. This season’s predictably will be killing off all the new characters. Show them so you know them and kill them. IE: Beth’s Boyfriend and Phineas. “hi here we are”. Whoops we’re walker bait.

Long Walks in the Park: Walking Dead has this habit of taking an entire episode to walk across the street. Rick took this really boring walk with this woman and I barely paid attention to her because I was trying to determine if she is a Talking Walking Dead. A new type of Zombie. She looked it and didn’t eat the sandwich. She said she was starving and hadn’t eaten in two days, so why didn’t she eat the sandwich. Surely she would have chowed into it.  And while we’re on it, why did Rick pack a lunch?

But on a Positive …

Phineas and Ferb: Poor Phineas (the guy who does the voice) bit the dust without warning, just after Violet the pig bit it. After long drawn out looks at the water, combined with the pig. Are they trying to steer us to Swine Flu? The bleeding eyes isn’t symptomatic of H1N1. So don’t be fooled. Bleeding eyes are consistent with Hemorrhagic Fever.  I’m thinking they are going in a new, virus makes a smarter zombie, storyline. Hence the crazy woman.

But if by some chance the new virus is caused by a leak in a Bio Lab, Flu 2 covered that.

Okay, so I griped, I’ll still watch.  Even if only for it to be my favorite show to complain about. However, if American Horror Story is anything like its Premiere, that may be next. 

Walking Dead Returns .. so do my gripes

Fair warning, there are Spoilers!

It’s pretty much been two months and the wait is over for the return of Walking Dead, Season 3, the second half. During its hiatus I enjoyed Guy versus Rachel Celebrity cook off and I have to say, I have shouted, screamed and cringed a lot more during that show than most of this season’s Walking Dead.

            No, Johnny, no, it’s a hot dog competition. Where’s the hot dog?

            That being said, it’s back, tonight and I’m not wrought with excitement. I’m happy, yeah, but not counting down the hours.

            I think American Horror Story spoiled me. Thirteen weeks spanned decades of time, a tight story, wrapped up and left me on the edge of my seat every Wednesday. It takes three episodes for the cast to cross the street in Walking Dead.

            I blame it on poor writing.

            Blast me if you want, but that’s my thoughts.

            I understand they can’t follow the graphic novel, where’s the surprise. Forgot a lot of people haven’t read them, but in their attempt to stray and stay, they managed to make a lot of us go, ‘hmm, oh my’.

            It drags on. It really does. I care only about two characters. Daryl and Hershel. That’s it. The rest can bite it. No pun intended to our zombies.

            The writers really are scratching.

            To me it’s an attempt to drag out a money maker.

            I see it, onset of the season, a group of writers sitting around. “Okay guys, here’s our story line. Rick finds a prison. Woodbury is established, they fight to the death.”

            Let’s make that last 16 weeks.

            Really? That’s like 3 chapters in a book. That’s at tops, 3 episodes.

            If I were writing it, this season would end with Herschel running Woodbury, Rick losing his mind and thinking he’s Shane, that Mexican family from season one returning and experiments on the Walking Dead.

            Somehow, someway, a helicopter from France would land. After all, according to Jenner, they were the last foot hold in the world. Hell, I would have never killed Shane or TDog. They would have left together and returned in Season 4.

            Anyone notice in the preview how big Baby Judith is. She is hands down bigger than my eight month old granddaughter. And Judith is one week old.

            They’re gonna kill her you know. Not because she dies in the graphic novel, but mainly because the writers have done such a piss poor job of making us care about characters, there’s no one to cry for. Kill the baby for the shock effect. My opinion.

            Ok, so here is my speculation for the second half season opener.

            That little fight scene between Merle and Daryl? Where he kicks his brother and start beating the crap out of him. Fake. Brothers are brothers. They know how to fake fiht, sell it and make it look good. Especially if they are wrestling fans. Which I bet Merle and Daryl were.

            Of course our hero, half baked, Rick, will save the day. Toss some tear gas, get them out.

            Glen will whine about Merle returning to the prison. But I do predict Daryl and Merle will take off.  Leave and be on their own for some fun stuff.

            Andrea will not side with our prison. No way, no how. I think she should take hold of Woodbury and lead them to crush rick. After all, they left her for dead and forgot about her.

            Oh, yeah, Michonne. The character with the most promise and the biggest let down. I think she’ll soften up. Why? Because the writers don’t believe in strong women.  The women, if they aren’t cooking or sewing, or crying. They are being beaten or using sex as a tool.

            That constipation look of Michonne’s, that is written into the script because the writers didn’t have a clue what to do with her. They introduced strength and greatness, realized they did so in a woman and dropped the ball.

            The episode won’t progress much, God, I hope I’m wrong. It’ll end with a face to face with Rick and the Governor.

            I gripe and complain about the Walking Dead, I know. But I’ll watch it and hope that it will eventually be as spectacular as it started out. One can only hope. After all, they have a great outline to follow … the graphic novels. Follow them damn it. I don’t mind seeing something on the screet that I read, they do it all the time with movies.