The Bootleg Revue

HBO's new show "The Leftovers" has gotten some pretty heavy press time. I figured I'd check it out to see if the first episode actually lived up to its hype.


Well, to cut a short story shorter, it was AIGHT. Honestly, the first episode didn't give away too much. There's several people around the world who just disappeared one day. POOF! GONE! The pets have gone feral but other than that, day to day events continue. Nobody seems to know or understand why these people were chosen. It's not religious; as one man put it, a woman who abused her children was one of the chosen. It's been about 3 years since it happened and not much has changed it seems in the small town that the first episode focused on. I'm hoping we get to see other cities such as some major cities as the season continues. There's also a cult that has formed where they don't speak to anyone but they protest a lot including during the anniversary gala in town. Not much has been said about this group of people other than the fact that no one in town cares for them or respects them much.

And that's it folks! Like I said, not much information was given during this first episode. It was more of a meet and greet your recurring characters. If the producers and writers wanted to keep audiences coming back for more, they've succeeded. I think this show will play out in the same flow as "Under the Dome". For those of you who don't watch that, be prepared for slow and steady dialogue and action. I think this could be a great show, it'll just take some time to get there. 

 This past weekend, I was finally able to catch up with the previous week's new premieres. One of the shows that I sat down to watch was "Tyrant". I had my own concerns going into this viewing; I'm not big on political dramas no matter how juicy the drama, my attention span is not meant for politics. Also, American views on international issues can sometimes be quite skewed. I was basically ready for anything. 

The premise of the show is an American doctor who has family ties to a dictatorship back in some Middle Eastern country goes home for a visit after 20 years only to be catapulted back in the family business. His wife and children aren't too happy about his family connections- his father is the reigning dictator and has a very bloody past. His wife mentions the stress that his overseas family has caused him throughout the years, his daughter wants no part in this family reunion, and his son is acting like your average Cali-driven teenager.


Now introducing the crazies. Barry (the main character) has an insane older brother. The type of brother who throws a wedding party for his son only to "test" out the new bride by making sure she is still a virgin, although his test sorta defeats that. The type of brother who is also having an affair with a lower class servant and insists on having sex with her while her husband and children wait outside the room where they hear every moan and scream emitting from the room. Yes, that type of insane. His father, the dictator, insists that he has changed his ways and cannot for the life of him understand why his country wants out and demands complete democratic freedom. His mother is a sweet caregiver to a crazy man, knowing her place is outside of the public eye and how to stay politically silent. It's no wonder he escaped when he was 16 and never looked back.

So the episode opens up to a promising wedding and ends with some crazy family events that determine the course of the season ahead. I will say, I'm super excited to see where this goes. "Tyrant" takes you beyond the political realm where the series could have stayed and instead leads you into the private lives of the most chaotic leaders. Watch it every week on FX, Tuesdays at 10pm. 

I hit the media lotto. Well, in the form of pilots I did. Someone leaked the pilot for "The Flash" and wow is it interesting. It was a pretty good first watch. Let's go over the basics:

1. It's on CW. This could be a hit or miss. CW has some corny shows such as "Hart of Dixie". However, they're also really skilled in taking a interesting story line and turning it into liquid young adult gold. Shows like "Supernatural", "The Vampire Diaries", "Arrow" and "Smallville" have thrived on that network. I must admit, they know how to turn a supernatural being into a lovable and complicated character. So don't be surprised to see Flash acting a bit corny at times. Yes, that does include those stupid one liners that CW is famously known for. CW's audience is the younger adult whose needs for fantasy sometimes outweigh the reality of life. 

2. There will be other villains. First episode, we meet another person similar to Flash. Which is a good sign. Remember "Smallville"? It took a while before we got introduced to other like ability characters. Even "Arrow" took the long road towards the introduction of similar characters. Good move here, right out the door we know Flash is not alone.

3. There's some color involved. I hate to bring race into things but it's not very often we see black cast members in the spotlight. However, here we get TWO black cast members. The officer who is like a mentor to Flash (whose name is Barry btw) and his daughter who he's secretly in love with. It's nice to see some color on late night CW shows other than irritating Bonnie on "The Vampire Diaries" 

That wraps up my quick review on the new tv series "The Flash". I don't want to give out too many spoilers but I have a good feeling about this one. The last 30 seconds of the episode left me curious for more and that should always be the aim for pilots, the thirst and hunger for more. For those who aren't part of the illegal underground streaming community, this show should be hitting it live in early October of this year. 

The craziness is back!! Season 3 of Love & Hip/Hop Atlanta premiered last night on VH1 and oooh baby child was it good! Here's a quick recap on err-e-won:


 MiMi- Well, we all know about the sex tape and some of us have been naughty enough to watch all of it. For those who somehow may not know about the sex tape, guess what? THERE'S A SEX TAPE! And it's not of Mimi and Stevie J!! It's actually of Mimi and Nikko, that one dude that nobody liked. So that's out and keeping her current.


 JoSeline- The Bitch is back! She looks great and her attitude is just as hot! She snagged her man, Stevie J, and is supposedly officially married. But don't mistake her ring as a sign of domestication, she's still same ol' Joseline; ready to fight at any given moment for her respect and truth. 


 SteVie J.- Creeper man of the century is still creepy! Still giving those looks of creep and acting dumb as hell. However, he seems to be standing by his boo Joseline 100% which is a nice change of attitude from the man we thought would never settle down. 


 LiL' Scrappy- Your boi still hasn't learned his lesson. He's got himself a new boo named Bambi but is still making the same mistakes. Introducing women to Momma like she's about to play fair, I don't know what he's thinking. Oh that's right, he's not! His mindset this season- I want a relationship but I don't want to be on a ball and chain. Oh Scrappy, when will you learn that relationships don't work that way.


 MoMMa Dee- The Queen has entered the room and you shall bow! Momma Dee is back on fire like the fire was never turned off. First on-screen scene, she calls Bambi a whore. Welp, some things don't change and Momma Dee will always reign Queen of the Kingdom. 


 RaSheeda- A proud new mommy! Baby Carter is a chubby, happy, baby boy and Rasheeda a happy mother. Congrats! And even more congrats for keeping Kirk in a different room on a whole different floor for acting beyond a fool last season. Maybe they'll work things out....or maybe she'll do better :)


 KirK- Speaking of the devil...he's fine. Still acting stupid and demanding a paternity test as if his dick wasn't straying. Don't get me started on that foolishness!


And let's not forget THE NEWBIES! 

 BamBi- Lil' Scrappy's new boo thang. She's got some jumps on her and a pretty face. However, I don't think she's ready for Momma Dee's aggressiveness and her insecurities could lead her out the door.


 WaKa FlocKa- SO MUCH HYPE!! Ha, I'm so excited to see Mr. Turn Down For Nothing on my weekly screen. Let's see how much drama Waka can hype up. 


 TaMMy- Meet Waka Flocka's FIANCE. They've been together for 3 years and she's been through it all with him, meaning the hoe's and extracurricular that come with the rap game. She's pretty, but honestly, she's not anything extraordinary. Like, she looks like this one chick I went to high school with that has like 2 kids....

IM JUST SAYING!

So, yes, the crew is back and living loud and full of drama! What a great way to start each weeks, with the ratchets, whores, pimps and then some. I'll be sure to give a recap of each episode as I'm sure this season will be filled with everything but quietness and respect. I wouldn't have it any other way!

For anyone who knows me, and not many do, I love me some good Grimm's tales. I love how in order to keep children in line, parents would scare the shit out of them. Spinning morality out of terror, fright and just plain simplicity. Some of my favorite stories are Cinderalla (How to Marry for Money), Rumplestiltskin (Why Memory is a Forgotten Virtue) and Little Red Riding Hood (Never Ever Talk to Strangers). Because of my deep love and even deeper respect for these tales, I'm always weary when a big production studio wants to cash in on these traditions. But, I'm a fair person and I give each one a full chance. Which is what I tried to do for Hansel & Gretal. What a sad mistake. So where should I start....

Well, for starters, the premise was enticing. You have two siblings who were basically abandoned at childhood, deserted in the woods, only to meet up with an evil witch disguised in sweets. At least, that's the premise we've grown up to know. The movie takes a step from the norm and turns these two into witch hunters. Going from town to town, killing all witches known and saving little kids from terror, all for a small fee. I will admit, they were definitely bad ass and the fight scenes were up to par on the bad ass scale. Once you find out the story behind their abandonment and the real reason their father left them astray in the woods, you go hmmm...that's different. But different can be good and it was. It was definitely a twist on a well-known story. However, the plot itself could have been much stronger. You have this great background story that unfortunately does just that, stay in the background. What you're left with is a water down tale filled with semi-action scenes and not enough well written script. It was more than just disappointing.



What wasn't initially disappointing were the witches. Different from the ordinary and definitely as ugly as can be. I enjoyed their evil ways and wanted more. So unfortunately, here goes some more disappointment. Not enough witch power. The movie only gives you a glimpse into what witches are able to do. I wanted to see some cool tricks and only got a preview. Again, more than just disappointing.

To tell you the truth, this movie overall was a disappointment. There were times were it captured my attention but then quickly let it go. It was like a movie that could have been so much greater than it allowed itself to be. To prove that it wasn't just me, the guy next to me started to loudly snore halfway through the movie. Yes, even for him I'm sure it was a disappointment. Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait until another Grimm's Fairy Tale is up for butchering and hopefully not as much as this.

Graphics: 4
Cohesiveness: 4
Story Line: 2
ADD Meter: 2
Overall: 3

Ahhh!!! It's been a loooong time since I've posted anything on here. Phew, I think my last post was in 2011 and it's now 2013. That's saying more than a lot. Although for you faithful followers on my personal blog, it's only been a few days. So, instead of focusing on sad reunions, let's dive straight in.

Last week, I gathered up the courage and went to go see Guillermo del Toro's supernatural film, Mama. Now, I understand that this movie is a combined effort of Del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Barbara Muschietti, so no harsh criticism here. I will say this, the teamwork of these three super director/producers created a work of fantastic proportions. I've never been a huge fan of gory horror. I believe that the best scare is a dry scare- a bone chilling ghost story or urban legend spun to its finest quality. The one thing I love about this movie is that it does just that. Minimal gore and blood but enough jumps, screams and suspense to keep you attentive and on the edge of your seat. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the movie's strong point is its plot line. I noticed that several critics called the story line sketchy and jumpy. However, I believe that if you paid attention, which you should be doing anyway, it was easy to keep on track. It was a beautifully sad story behind all the screams and thrills, one that tried to touch you at heart's core. I think it may have missed mine since my heart is a bit off center but nonetheless I got the point.



Another crowning point were the two sisters, played in their older character forms by Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse. Can I just say WOW!! These two knew how to capture an audience's attention and their chemistry played out so well together. I loved how Victoria (played by Charpentier) was more soft around the edges, even as the oldest child. Willing to make changes and allow pure love in her life, she was more open to the thought of rebuilding her life. However, her younger and creepier sister Lily, seemed to glow on the edge of evil. So attached to Mama, she refused to let anything new in and couldn't understand why her sister had turned away from the warming love of this creature known as Mama. What made her character even more enticing were her body movements. Staggered and animalistic, even after being found she held onto the behaviors learned while growing up in isolation. She preferred to crawl instead of walking straight and slept under the protective bed of her sister, refusing to venture off into her own space. It was saddening and fearful  but yet oh so frightening all at once. I LOVED IT! I couldn't take my eyes off her. She played the role so well yet didn't steal the show which I thought was a hard thing not to do.

The ending of Mama was different and not what I expected. Definitely a twist at the end and I won't ruin it for all but whatever you expect to happen won't. Overall, the graphics and cinematography of the film were amazing and kept your visuals in a gaze while the story line kept your ears hounding for more. I will say, Mama is yet another Del Toro accomplishment.

Graphics: 5
Cohesiveness: 4
Story Line: 5
ADD Meter: 4
Overall Epicness: 5