TPG's Chemistry Class: Season 5, Episode 11 - "Confessions" (Breaking Bad Recap)

Now that we are three episodes into the the final batch of episodes, I have to say that this not how I expected the show to be progressing at this point. Yet balancing expectations and the story that is delivered is what entertainment is all about, so while I am disappointed this episode wasn't as epic as others, I do think it was a great one indeed. But let's save those thoughts for the points below. I'm going to go slap kid on a bicycle so he isn't protected by the Nanny State.

1. Todd and his lovely Nazi family seem wildly unpredictable at this point in the story. The physical look of Todd has grown more intense and he doesn't have the same kind of youthful innocence that he had last season. Yet he still tells train heist story to his uncles and seems very eager for some validation. Ahh kids these days. But speaking of the Todd of it all, how does he fit into the end-game for the show. Smart money would be on Jesse killing him as some kind of psychological vengeance for killing motorcycle boy.

2. EARLY MIND MELT FOR YA - Walt puts on Skyler's make-up to cover his protect himself from inquiry about the wounds on his face. This is a clear metaphor for her increasing role as his partner in his fight against Hank. Notice that Skyler's shirt in the dinner scene above was almost the exact color of the makeup he put on.

3. In case you haven't heard, Anna Gunn wrote a column in the New York Times how people hate her because they have so much beef with Skyler. I find this hate to misplaced because behind almost every strong man is a strong woman and we saw that tonight. The scenes with Marie and Skyler scheming with their respective husbands reminded me of some ancient Greek tragedy. You know, two sisters working with their warrior husbands before they go do battle or some shit like that. I mean everyone knows you need a wife for advice, but advice on things like this, that's next level.

4. The whole Heisenberg confession tape is a little zany for me. It feels like for the first time the show is reaching a little bit to create drama and tension. I'll go with it to see where it ends up. I do love how it is a shout out to Walt's first confession tape he recorded way back in the pilot.

5. Gotta love that lower lip quiver on Dean Norris while he's watching the confession tape. It's either fantastic acting or he was just hungry. Both are great.

6. "Saul knows a man who can give you a new life." He may drive an old van but I wonder if this is the last we see of this character with a particular set of skills - that is, making someone disappear. Considering that Walt's appearance in the flash forward episode openers causes great shock to his neighbor, I wonder if Walt will be put in touch with this man.

7. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, that hug in the dessert was one of the more emotional scenes on the show ever. Just a nice moment for Jesse and Walt, and considering that Jesse is going to burn down their house, I'd say it's most likely one of the last.

8. Last time Huell did a little hot hands swap on Jesse it wasn't nearly as obvious as it was this time. I wonder if this much more direct take was a studio note telling Gilligan and company to be more clear.

9. I love how the structures behind Jesse when he was waiting for his pickup looked like tombstones. It was as if every person he has killed was behind him watching him as he tried to make his escape. Also makes me wonder if he is a dead man himself.

10. These past two episodes have been a little too slow for me. Maybe I'm just conditioned from summer blockbuster season, but I want things to really ramp up. After this weeks ending I know they will.

No recap next week as I'll be out of town, if you want to guest write it, just email me!

TPG's Chemistry Class: Season 5, Episode 10 - "Buried" (Breaking Bad Recap)

Now that Old Man Withers aka the Santa Claus of Albuquerque has found his money, I think it's time for us to talk about the latest episode of "Breaking Bad." Titled "Buried" I found the episode to be one of the weaker episodes of not just the season, but of the entire show, but more on that in a little bit. So let's strip down to our dungaroos and get this thing going.

1. After opening with the ferocity of a meth overdose, the show was bound to come down a little bit on the intensity scale in this episode, but this episode felt slower than usual. I found some of the family scenes to be overtly soapy. In fact, the baby tug-of-war moment felt very out of place on the show. I understand that the relationship between Skyler and Marie is crucial to the show's endgame but that scene just felt forced. So did the slap. Am I alone on this? Sound off in the comments.

2. Dean Norris (Hank) was killing it in this episode acting wise. When people praise the acting on Breaking Bad it's always about Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, or Giancarlo Esposito (when he was around), but I rarely hear Norris get mentioned. Hopefully that will change after this episode because boy was Norris on point. Can't wait to see his interrogation of Jesse next week. Why do I think it may take a very "Dark Knight" like turn?

3. MILD MELT WITH CHEEZE WIZ - How many times have we seen important meetings between important figures at diners on this show? Walt, Jesse, and Gus and others are/were all frequent diner goers for important conversations, so it's refreshing to see Skyler get her on diner showdown. Worth noting that Skyler's food scenes usually take place within the home, but now she's operating beyond her domestic circle. Is this an indication that she is getting deeper into the criminal empire. I think so.

4. This episode more than any previous one was about the role that family plays in our lives. Walter reveals that he just wants his family to have the money. That's all that matters to him. Marie and Hank's  aggression toward Skyler (baby-stealing included) was based in protecting their extended family. Jesse is lost because he doesn't have any family, not enough his surrogate father in Walter. Now who has a family to rely on? That would be Todd his Neo Nazi Uncle. Lydia with her Czech buyers and friends in Todd. Shit, maybe even Hank in the DEA? But can that much family be a weakness? After all it has been used by Heisenberg before to manipulate people to act a certain way.

5. Let's give it up for Kurt Nicholas Forshager. Who? That would be the sound designer for the show (which is consistently amazing). I'm not talking about the score. I'm talking about the way that the car engine lingered in the first scene, just lingering in the background of the scene. There are other examples of brilliant design throughout the show. What's your favorite?

6. MIND MELT WITH CHEDDAR INFUSED BACON - Whenever I see a barrel on the show I think of either meth or dead bodies. Throughout the show that has been the through-line for barrels. But now we see barrels full of money and I'm wondering just how much, in the eyes of a show is a human life worth? The episode already showed the brilliant body-money size comparison with Huell & Kuby so it wants us to think about that. To Jesse the money is worth nothing. To Walt, it's worth everything. But would the value change if the money was stacked up with the worth of a life? Would Walt give up the money if the Neo-Nazi-Czech-Madrigal consortium threatened his family?

7. 34, 59, 20, 106, 36, 52. I guess TV has a new set of numbers now

8. Last week Hank said "screw family" this week he wants to protect Skylar and their family. Which Hank will rise to the occasion when they release that his rehab treatment was paid with drug money?

9. So Todd makes his first appearance and he brought his terrifying neo-nazi uncle Jack with him. This scene out in the desert showed that while Hank and Walt are playing cat and mouse, outside a bigger much more sinister predator is lurking.

10. How many people has Saul sent to Belize?

TPG's Chemistry Class: Season 5, Episode 9 - "Blood Money" - Breaking Bad Recap

If there is one thing that is certain after tonight's season premiere of "Breaking Bad" it's that Walter White is very good at knocking on doors. I mean this both literally (seriously, just firm, powerful knocks) and metaphorically in the sense that he's opening doors which lead to some very dire places. But we're just starting off in this final season, so what do you say we eat some potato salad and get into it?

1. Skateboarding is a great metaphor for criminals. It requires an understanding of the basics, but allows for plenty of improvisation. It can be done almost anywhere but anywhere you do it it's basically the same thing. And finally, much of it, or at least the skateboarding we saw tonight, involves a rise and fall. Rise and fall. Are we seeing the fall of the mighty Walter White or maybe just his further ascent?

2. At first I thought the "Heisenberg" graffiti was there inside the home as some kind of taunt, but since  Walt is still out there I wonder if "Heisenberg" has become become an even more elevated mythic figure in the drug world than he ever was before. 

3. I honestly don't care that much about what happens with the ricin, seems like a small beans item in the scope of all the other deeper thematic issues at play here.

4. Gotta love those rolling oranges in the street. Vince Gilligan loves his "Godfather" references. Whether they mean that Walt or Carol is on the way out remains to be seen.

5. SNEAK ATTACK MIND MELT WITH EXTRA PIZZA FOR SKINNY PETE - Hank is the new   Heisenberg. What? When I say that I mean that he is consumed by ego and a thirst for glory. Notice how quickly he shuns the other DEA agents? He wants to be the guy who took down Heisenberg, his shot at glory. It doesn't matter if it is former friends at Grey Matter technologies or the DEA, both Walt and Hank are driven by desire to be recognized. Walt got his recognition, savored it, and legitimately seems to want to live a "decent life." Hank...he wants people to remember him.

6. I guess it's cool that Badger is such a Trekkie, but it is still way cooler that Skinny Pete is a fantastic piano player.

7. Skyler standing up to Lydia was a cool "she is the danger now" moment but I think Skyler has no idea who is she is messing with. Lydia may come across as a high strung bitch, but she is an international criminal who has no problem having people killed. I don't think Skyler can handle her, although pointing out she was washing a rental car was a great pick-up.

8. Jesse was really getting his "You Shall Know Our Velocity...." on when he was throwing that money away, but he needs to reign his shit in. Honestly, considering he was a mess at the start of last season as well, his losing his soul shtick is getting slightly old and I hope the writers find something better for him to do than be mopey as hell all the time.

9. With all it's zany camera angles, striking colors, and expert production design, sometimes the show just wins when it goes the simple route, like the bags of money dividing the two former partners on the couch.

10. For almost the entire show Hank and Walter have been playing this game of cat and mouse. It's clear that Hank is a severely unprepared mouse and Walt is the gigantic demonic Lion who will crush him. I found it interesting that Hank disavowed his family when Walter is begging to try to salvage his. Different people with different priorities at this point in time. Hank will be dead by the midpoint of the season.

Shredding The Subtle: The High Impact Power Of Elysium

"Elysium" is the summer movie you've been waiting for. I mean I feel kind of bad putting the "summer" tag in front of it because while it is extremely entertaining and packed with awesome action and cutting edge visual effects, it is the film's political courage that elevates it to the next level. This is a film that speaks to real life issues like immigration, health-care, national security, and corporate power. director Neill Blomkamp's last film "District 9" also touched on politics and social issues and he proves with this one that in addition to being a masterful director with a distinct visual style, he's not afraid to show us how he feels about the present by using the timeless power of science fiction spectacle.

The center of the film is Matt Damon. He plays an ex-convict turned factory worker who lives in the polluted slums of a futuristic (2154 to be exact) Los Angeles. After a factory accident leaves him with radiation sickness, he makes a pact with underworld figure Spider (Wagner Moura) which guarantees him a trip to Elysium. He also picks a metal exo-skeleton to help him with the job. Sharing a name with the Greek Afterlife, Elysium is a futuristic space station where the richest of earth's citizens live a trouble free life complete with perfect weather and medical pods that cure all diseases. Elysium's Secretary of State is Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and she calls the shots behind the scenes in a way that would make Dick Cheney proud. When Max and Spyder somehow get involved in one of her schemes, she sends psychopath special agent Kruger (Sharlto Copley) after them. That's all I want to tell you, but the film does have some great twists to the narrative all the while staying emotionally fixed on Max's struggle.

By far the most magical aspect of the film is the incredible world that Blomkamp and his team have created. Similar to the classic "Minority Report," the world of the film comes across as a futuristic version of our own. Tiny details like how the droids in the film move, the futuristic weapons tech, and the focus on physical augmentation all make the film both extremely realistic and familiar. Because it comes across as familiar, the action scenes, and there are many, are brutal and exciting. It doesn't matter if it's how a futuristic weapon makes bodies explode or how a luxury space shuttle reminds you of a Mercedes couple, the action and world design hits home.

Speaking of hitting home, the film doesn't hold back when it comes to its political beliefs. With only the elite living on Elysium and the poor stuck down on earth, the film shows the extreme end of the belief that 1% of the world has all the wealth. Other ideas like access to health care, corporate greed & corruption, and immigration are all over the film. It's far from subtle, but the way I see it, we don't exactly live in subtle times these days. When it comes to most issues, people are either in one camp or the other, with no love being shown for the middle. Elysium, so firm in it's beliefs, is not in the middle. It's firmly in the left and shoots these ideas at you with the force of the many futuristic flesh exploding guns featured in the film.

I'm a sucker for all things Sci-Fi. I would probably pay pretty good money to just see space-ships fly across a movie screen with great sound. And while the movie does have some cool space-ships it also has a simple but effective story to tell, and it does it very very well. I saw it three days ago and I'm still thinking about both the emotional ending and all the ridiculously badass fight scenes. Any movie that can give you the emotions, the action, and ideas that challenge you is one that works very well in my book. It's a fantastic film and as I was walking out I was thinking how I can't wait to see what Blomkamp does next. The countdown begins now.

Trailer For The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty Will Celebrate Your Soul

Easily one of the best trailers I have ever seen in my entire life. Very excited for this movie

Why The Batman-Superman Team-Up Movie Is A Huge Risk

I was at Comic Con with my fellow movie/comic book nerds when Zack Synder announced that Batman would be joining Superman in the sequel to "Man of Steel." And even though it had been spoiled on twitter hours before, my mind was still blown to pieces when I heard it. It's no secret I'm a big fan of the Batman movies and while there were some good parts in "Man of Steel," I generally thought it was too long, too emotionally cold, and had way too much unnecessary destruction. And I'm not alone in this, critically "Man of Steel" received a mix reaction and the hardcore fans were mainly distraught over the insane amount of violence that Superman dishes out compared to the amount of people he actually saved. Which is why I think Batman is being added to the next Superman movie to save the Superman franchise from itself. This is not a good thing.

You see, for all their flaws, the Batman that we all know and love these days is the Christopher Nolan Batman. This is a Batman that is grounded so firmly in reality, there is never any mention of anyone having super-powers EVER in the movies. And you know what, audiences loved it, ask anyone why the Batman movies are awesome and you'll get a response along the lines of "it's so gritty and real," which is true. And even though "The Dark Knight" trilogy ended with a firm conclusion, we all still identify with this Batman and hope/expect to see him again. And the character appearing on screen again, like it or not, we will be bringing our pre-conceptions of the Nolan Batman with us.

We're doing for a massive moment of reckoning when the Batman that appears in this epic team-up is different than Nolanized version of the character. The reason for this is that if you're playing by the rules established in "Man of Steel," he totally has to be. How the hell is a Nolan era Batman going to compete with a dude who can punch people through buildings? Hell, he barely could handle Bane and he was (super) human! The answer is that the Batman we get in this movie is going to be radically different, he'll probably have to be way more intelligent and have access to serious technology. A great comic book friend pointed out that there is no mention of Kryptonite in "Man of Steel" so maybe Batman creates/discovers it? But keep in mind that the Nolan Batman is very physical, or at least he was in "The Dark Knight Rises," and he's not that smart, he got duped by Miranda Tate and tricked into a weak fight by Bane! Are you ready for this somewhat nerdy version of Batman? I don't think I am. I'm concerned that this new hero will come across as cheesy and bizarre, which is the opposite of what the Nolan films were all about.

I realize that DC didn't really have much choice and that had to put the two characters together. After all they had to compete with the Marvel cinematic Universe somehow, I just extremely worried that whatever this mash-up looks like will come across and totally strange and foreign. Let's hope that Synder is up for the task, because let's be clear about this, in the eyes of everyone he's not making a sequel to "Man of Steel," he's making a follow up to "The Dark Knight" trilogy, which is a super-heroic undertaking itself.

How I Would Have Ended Pacific Rim...

Pacific Rim was OK. It had too much hokey dialogue, stock characters, too many rain/night battles, and too many missed opportunities, specifically surrounding the finale.  But it also was a really cool world, so rather than a traditional review, I'm going to try something new, here is how I would have ended this ULTIMATE POPCORN MOVIE. Warning here by typos!

Throughout the film I was a little disturbed by how much the daily lives of the people of the world goes on with these monsters destroying everything. Where is the sense of sacrifice? That collective unity? I want that Independence Day feeling of the entire world united vs them. They talk about it in the first 10 minutes, but it's not really felt throughout the movie when people are living in slums and getting on with their life.  Raise the stakes! So here the stakes are raised to insane levels.

The scientists predict that the rift is going to open and whole bunch of monsters are coming and it's going to take more than some Jaegers to save humanity. I'm talking entire cities going onto their roofs with weapons both traditional and improvised. If Ron Perlman can cut through a baby with a knife and the Australians can "piss one off" with some simple flares, some rockets, bullets, ninja stars could some damage. Also, yeah the whole massive final fight for the human race is going down in Tokyo, because it's nice nod to the manga roots of the film and also Tokyo is cool.

And for the most part it works, Kaijus are getting there ass kicked by Jaegers and a united force of human, who have also booby trapped the city.  You see the humans got smart and realized they sustain heavy losses at sea, but on the land, they can play ball. Skyscrapers are booby trapped, fire hoses are filled with gasoline and turned into flamer throwers. Everyone is helping out and kicking ass. They think they won..... until a Stage Five comes through the rift and towers over the city, everyone collectively deuces themselves. Unlike when we saw it underwater, we see how massive this thing really is because it TOWERS over the city.  But then Idris Elbra speaks not to the Jaeger pilots but to everyone in the entire city. He says something like this:

So now we see what the they have sent to destroy us. Good, I like to know my enemy before I kill it. This is our land. This is our home. We may be from different countries and speak different languages but this is our earth. If you can, now is the time to fight. You will either die and wish you did more or fight and die and know that you did everything you could. People will perish fighting this demon, that is certain, but what else is certain is that we will slay this beast, just like we slew it's whole fucking family! So now, grab anything that can help and join with me! This is where we take a stand! Let us show these invaders how we, citizens of earth destroy those who would test us!

People are obviously super fired up after that speech. They're grabbing forks, curtain rods, hair dryers, baseball bats, soccer balls, anything that can puncture Kaiju flesh and they take the buildings, the streets, and everywhere else. Every bomb shelter is vacant, then the epic final fight begins. 

OG samurai dudes are leaping off their roofs with kitanas, entire dojos are emptying out full of ninjas, a multi-international Delta Force parachutes in and plants C4 charges on the Kaiju's back and detonates. The zookeepers let all the animals out of the zoo and jaguars and pandas are fighting side by side. Ron Perlman's henchmen army are using chemical weapons. It's a collective battle with Jaegers both kicking ass and aiding the little people. It's kind of like that ridiculous scene in Pearl Harbor where they shoot down planes with shot guns, but way cooler. People die, heroes are made, it's awesome, it's tragic, and most of all it's EPPPICCC. 

Down goes Idris Elba and Warlow from True Blood.  They're dying inside the Jaeger, they've lost power, citizens are jumping inside the busted Jaeger helping them, trying to get the power back on. It's not looking good though. The Kaiju is too big too strong.  Then a massive roar echoes through the city...

Another giant Stage 5 Kaiju comes out of the ocean.  It's heading for the city, the humans are doubting themselves, which sucks. The Stage 5 leaps out of the ocean and....SMASHES into the other Kaiju, what? We cut to....you probably guessed it, the two nerdy scientists, who have drifted with the Kaiju and are now controlling it.   Yeah I know they say they wanted to save this for the sequel, but c'mon, GO BIG or go extinct, and extinct is called your movie not making enough money for a sequel. 

You see besides the fact that embracing the nerds as heroes is COMPLETE audience wish fulfillment and a great metaphor for geek power, it would be so FUN to see what the nerds can do considering they're not fighters. Oh what you wanted the psycho meathead jocks who are hot-heads to be your heroes? What? Seriously? Let the nerds kick-ass instead of being bumbling idiots who make a small discovery related to the plot. . Anyway where were we? Yes, Charlie Day and the weirdo german nerdo are controlling their Kaiju who they call Betty and kicking ass, it's like in the end of District 9 where Wickus has no idea how to use the Mech but is still just destroying everyone. Gypsy Danger is on the action as well. It's like a WWF Tag Team fight, and the nerds and the Gypsy Danger are The Hardy Boys/Dudley Boys. 

Together they turn the tide on massive Kaiju demon and administer a sick double fatality where they impale it on the Tokyo Sky Tree / Space Needle and then rip it in half together. The movie needed more fatality like kills based around the environment. Also more one liners like the "no pulse" line. Did I say the one liner that they drop, no, good, because it's either a very meta "Stick Around" or something simple more nerdy like "You're extinct!"

But they still need to close the rift/drift/ I can't remember what it's called, so of course, dying Idris Elbra manages to get his old Jaeger working and volunteers to take the bomb a la Mason in 24. Of course with Prometheus, this makes two movies in consecutive summers he goes out on a glorious suicide mission to save the planet, but hey, it's a good way to go. Yeah yeah yeah he gets his tearful goodbye to Mako and tells Jax Teller that he's gotta fight for the future and be excellent to each other, you know the drill. 

The movie ends with Charlie Day and The Nerd having a pet/warrior Kaiju that they joke about domesticating. It's kind of like the Donkey/Dragon romance in Shrek. The rift is closed and life is good. The Aussie rugby player hot head celebrity dude survives and re-connects with his Pops and his bulldog, why was the bulldog in the movie. Actually the dog was in there so he could eat a piece of Kaiju and then burp/fart to close out the film. Fun (the band) starts to play on the soundtrack in a overly produced cover of Monster Mash. 

But wait........

Post Credits Tease: One year later, a distress beacon signal comes through the rift. It's coming from a jaeger? We cut down to the alien world where Idris is still alive and has gone Full Rambo surviving in the alien world. He looks up toward the rift and says I hope that worked.....

TPG's Game Time - Season 3 - Episode 10 - Mysha (Game of Thrones Recap)

And now my watch begins. No, I'm not talking about part of the oath that Samwell uttered tonight, I'm talking about the long wait in front us until the next Thrones season sometime in 2014. Waiting for this show to come back is worse than being roasted by a dragon and I'm not looking forward to it, but in the meantime we have some topics to cover. What do you say we break the wax seal and check out the season finale of the third season of Thrones? And since I don't get to do this again for a long time, I won't just stop at 10 points.

Direwolf Badassery - 3 points - Now this may be controversial but if your pet is so badass that people put it on your corpse in celebration, then you have to have some type of pretty badass pet. RIP Grey Wind. But damn, that shot was a real brutal reminder of the damaging events of last week! Also, props to Ghost for getting some quality screen time. Too bad he wasn't protecting Jon Snow from getting pin-cushioned.

Joffrey Swag - 5 points - Seeing him prance into the small chamber room full of glee and bad vibes was the finest Joffrey Swag moment of the season. He is so evil, so stupid, and so good at talking shit that no one hears. Praise Joffrey.

1. Sansa pointed out that Tyrion is a pervert, well I think we all know that whatever Podrick Payne is up to with those wenches is something potentially very perverted.

2. Tywin points out that "A good man does everything to better his family, regardless of his selfish ambitions." This piece of wisdom is interesting when viewing the events of the season. Obviously Robb Stark put love over family when he married Talisa and I'm not going to link to last week but we know how that turned out. Jon Snow on the other hand put his family (in this case The Night's Watch) first over his love, no matter how painful it was. And finally a case could be made that Jaime Lannister chose kindness and compassion over family when he went back to save She-Man.

3. Hodor yelling into into the well was so good that next season I will be counting Hodors.


4. For someone who we haven't seen all season, Yara's big speech about going to save her brother with "the fastest ship & 50 of the best killers," was an episode highlight. I cannot wait to see more of her next season. Future badass alert!

5. My question last week was answered, The Blackfish escaped! I'm looking forward to many things next season but seeing the Blackfish aka the best archer in the game right now wage a war of vengeance will be a highlight.

6. So the great mystery of who was tormenting Theon Greyjoy is answered. It was Roose Bolton's son. Ehhh not as huge as a revelation considering all the brutal torture scenes. The only big revelation out of this is seeing this demented duo get theirs is going to be a future highlight of the show. What an evil, twisted family.

7. So Bran and his posse are going beyond the wall to keep searching for the three eyed raven and other magical creatures that Bran believes in. I do not know what his future holds but based off his mind control and vision quests, I'm sure it will be rooted in the more magical elements of the show.

8. I'd like to point out that of all the different ways you can lose your virginity, doing it with a super hot MILF witch while surrounded by flames and leeches is a real way to start things off. Gendry has either a life of therapy or glory ahead of him. No middle ground.

9. MIND MELT WITH A SIDE OF STALE BREAD - Two episodes ago Stannis dropped three leeches into the flames. They were for the three usurpers: Joffrey, Robb, and Balon Grejoy. Now one of them is dead, Joffrey angering both the Starks and Papa Lannister, and Balon losing control of his children, I wonder if that prophecy will come true.

10. It's no secret that I love Arya Stark and her first "real" kill, a brutal stabbing of some soldiers who were talking smack about her family was epic. But the real question, did she use a dagger because The Hound had her sword Needle or has the Needle gone missing?

11. Sure, Samwell killing a white walker was awesome, but it seemed kind of accidental. However Sam standing up to Maester Aemon felt like his first true act of courage because he was able to believe in himself and the power of his oath. True understanding. Knowledge is power and speaking of that....

12 REAAADDDDDINNNG RAINBOW - If Ser Davos hadn't learned the magic power of reading he never would been able to tell Stannis about the dire situation at the wall. It was through the magic of reading that he could finally defeat the Red Witch, get his friend back, and gain control of an army. Give it up for reading!

13. So the season ended with Khaleesi getting her humanitarian on and crowd surfing a throng of slaves while they called her Mysha (mother). YAAAAAWWWWNNNNNN. We've already seen her liberate a city of impoverished people before and the spear stomps of the Unsullied was much cooler than this medieval world music rave scene. I love Khaleesi but she needs to stop this whole city sacking routine and get her ass to King's Landing and start taking what is hers!

14. Bonus guest thought longtime This LA Life reader Z.Cash Hat

Everybody's got theirtheories on how shit's going to go down past the completed books. Given that it's a Song of Fire and & Ice, many of us have assumed it was gonna be up to Dani with her dragons and Jon Snow to regulate on those White Walkers.  I think tonight's finale made a strong symbolic gesture toward their intertwined fates.  Jon being hoisted up and carried inside by the Night's Watch looked very Christ-like to this Jew, and before they started crowd surfing her around, Dani's initialpose was pretty similar.  Future Fire Queen and Ice King as Jesus-like
saviors?  I'm hoping that's the case.

Holy Cow that's a crazy theory, and what a great one to go out on!

Let us hope that the next season has even more of the "Dragons & Magic" that Stannis spoke of tonight. It's been great writing this recap for you guys. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the return of my Breaking Bad recaps "TPG's Chemistry Class!"

TPG's Game Time - Season 3 - Episode 9 - The Rain Of Castamere (Game of Thrones Recap)

RIP Robb Stark, the King in The North, a loyal son, loving husband, good brother and holy shit I can't believe that just happened. Wow! God dayuuuummmmmmmm. No other show in the history of TV shows that I have seen has ever done a major character and fan favorite in like that. The girls I was watching the episode with had tears in their eyes, so to make it up to you I've included the above gif as an apology, but shit, that was insane. 

Direwolf Baddassery: 6 Points! If a direwolf rips someone's throat out but is being controlled via mind link, does it still count? I'll side with the general school of thought that it certainly does! So yeah, that scene of direwolves just wrecking people with Bran was incredible. Let me also give a big shoutout to Grey Wind---RIP. That shot of his eyes closing was just brutal. Also, lots of epic points to Grey Wind for sensing what was going down before it actually did.

Joffrey Swag: None.

1. I knew it was coming. Earlier this year I typed "Robb Stark" into google so I could find an image for a post and the suggested search term was "Robb Stark Dies." I was pissed when I found out (Damn you Google!!!) but that didn't make tonight any less shocking. The baby stabbing of Talisa was beyond brutal and and the endless crossbow assault was insane. Thrones did mass execution last year with the Warlocks, but this made that look tame in comparison. Serious props to the creators for closing it out with Lady Catelyn slitting the young girl's throat and airing the credits sans-music. Chilling.

2. Now that we've got the shock out of our system let's go over some quick facts and questions. Speed round, let's go:

• The Blackfish went outside to "find a tree." Was he in on it? Did he betray the Starks and his own nephew? Doubtful I think. If he didn't betray them, is he dead?
• Is Edmure Tully, aka the dude who made out well with the bride dead?
• This had to be what Tywin was writing letters about in the earlier episodes this season right?

3. Damn I'm still reeling from the darkness, but how funny was that opening scene. I knew Lord Frey was a dirt bag, but I didn't know he was so funny. Not knowing the names of the girls, commenting on Talisa, saying that he "always sees beneath the dress," and just talking like a 20 year old bro in a repulsive body, what a zany old demonic maniac.

4. While everyone is talking about the events of the reception, this episode was also especially crazy for Jon Snow and Bran Stark. On the Snow front he finally got to fighting again, thank God, and bro, what are you doing riding out on your girl like that? Nice that he diced up that Warg, though. That dude sucked. 

5. So Bran is now some kind of super Warg? Jojen pointed out that no one can get inside people's heads like Bran showed he could tonight. With each season more and more magic is seeping into this show. Keep in mind that in the first season there is barely any magic outside of the white walkers. Now we have shadow assassins, shape shifters, dragons, mind controllers, giants, magic healing powers, white walker kryptonite, and who knows what else is coming down the pipe. I'm calling it now. Bran is going to end up being VERY important to the entire story.

6. Shout out to the man, lil Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson), who has never really done anything in the past seasons, but tonight delivers a sneak attack of an emotional scene where he doesn't want to leave his brother. This scene is even more effective when you consider that him and Bran are the only Stark men left! Rickon also scores points for having the dopely named Direwolf - Shaggydog  (does Rickon have a future as a phish head?)

7. That fight scene where Ser Jorah (da legend!), Grey Worm, and Daario (or is it Daria?) were just wrecking dudes was some of the coolest fighting the show has ever done. It even included some type of tag-team Mortal Kombat fatality, which was off the chain. That being said, this Daario dude is cheesy as hell, get a hair cut bro. I have a hunch he's going to be around for a long time cause Khaleesi obviously sees him as Drogo 2.0. And let's  be clear about this, this dude is more like Fabio than Khal flipping Drogo. Khal Drogo ripped dude's tongues through their throats, this guy uses conditioner and fights with a scimitar, big difference . 

8. When all is said and done, Arya Stark is going to be become the most badass character in the history of the show. If you watched "The Wire" she will be the "Omar" of the show. If you watched "Lost" she will be the "Desmond." Her destiny is vengeance and it's a long journey to get there littered with corpses of her enemes. I cannot wait till her first meaningful kill. That being said as my buddy pointed out The Hound really is making a habit out of saving Stark girls.

9. Not a single Lannister on screen tonight, yet their presence was felt. Next week in the finale, I expect we'll get a heavy dosage of Kings Landing plot lines.  I hope that Tyrion will do something heroic beyond just courageously getting drunk and passing out.

10. There is only one episode left this season and the finale's of this show are always exceptional. I wonder if they'll be able to top last seasons epic Valar Morghullis scene (featured below.) Also because I appreciate all my readers I just want you to know, in this very moment, start mentally preparing for the long wait after Sunday. 

5 Actors Who Could Play The Villain in Fast & Furious 8

By now most people know that, at the end of the excellent Fast & Furious 6, Jason Statham is introduced as bad guy for the next film. This is fantastic instant attendance news for fans and I literally am already thinking of all the different ways Vin Diesel will make fun of Statham for being British, not valuing family, and for drinking Newkie Brown instead of Corona. But with The Rock getting introduced in Fast 5, Statham introduced in Fast 6, who will they introduce in Fast 7 to make Fast 8 a must-see film. There is no such thing as too much planning, and you'd be foolish to think The Fast Gods are not cooking this up you read this. And while I know these casting questions keep you up at night, I've chosen to help you our and hit you with a list of actors who I think would fit right into the best franchise on four wheels.

Liam Neeson
Who He Would Play: Uh, this one is a no brain  brainer, he would play the father of Statham and he would be seeking vengeance on the crew that killed his sons. His particular set of skills versus the set of skills of the Fast Gang. Yes please.
Why He Would Do It: Once considered a serious actor, he know almost exclusively appears in mindless action thrillers, where I'm sure he collects a sizable paycheck. And with the Fast & Furious franchise printing money still, there is no monetary reason they wouldn't pay him.

Mark Wahlberg
Who He Would Play - A maniac Boston cop who Paul Walker used to bust bad guys with. No Walker has no choice but to take him down... In recent years Wahlberg has proven himself to be an ass-kicker, but no role has exceeded his Officer Dignam from "The Departed." Picture that character...as a bad guy.
Why He Would Do It - With star turns in "Contraband," "Ted," and the upcoming "2 Guns" Wahlberg has become something of Universal's Go-To tough guy, so it would be easy to slot him to their top of the line action franchise. Besides he took the lead in the new "Transformers" so he clearly has no problem jumping into franchises at any point.

Eva Mendes
Who She'd Play: Even though she appeared in the tail end of "Fast Five" Mendes' cop character Monica Fuentes was nowhere to be seen in "Fast Six." I could see her coming back in some disgraced cop seeking vengeance against Hobbs role. It would tie the story together oh so nicely.
Why She'd Do It: What reason would she have to pass up a chance to be the main villain in this franchise? Seriously?

Halle Berry
Who She'd Play: Some type of international criminal who the gang have to take down. I've always wanted the franchise tackle more exotic locations (Southeast Asia, Africa, The Rings of Saturn) so with her exotic looks, I think she could fit right in.
Why She'd Do It: Berry's name recognition is pretty strong with audiences, yet her choices in movies have been weak at best. A big role in the franchise could revitalize her career and position as kind of the female Liam Neeson -  a slightly older ass kicker.

Martin Lawrence
Who He'd Play: A very dangerous and powerful LA drug kingpin with connections to everyone. Sooner or later the franchise is going to have to return home to the streets of LA and I could see Lawrence ripping it up as hilarious but totally evil bad guy. Besides you know any scenes he had with Tyrese & Ludacris would be hilarious, that duo has been bringing the laughs for the last three films!
Why He'd Do It: I like to think a chance to play a bad guy would interest him.

Honorable Mentions: There are many big time actors just jump into the ultimate summer popcorn franchise, but I doubt they'd do it. This list includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day Lewis (yes seriously, pure intensity), Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman, and Alan Rickman all come to mind.

What About?: Ahh, I knew you'd ask. As much as I love them Arnold, Stallone, Van Damme, and even Willis are just too old/dated to fit into this franchise. Let's keep them locked into the Expendables purgatory.

Fast & Furious 6 Excels With No Super-Powers

In the last couple years, the biggest movies on top of both the box office and the general world of major studio films involve cosmic cubes, super soldiers, robotic armies, British mouth breathers, elves, child warriors, and vampire-werewolf super babies. Yet in this ocean of action and explosions, The Fast & Furious franchise stands alone as the carrier of the torch for good ol' fashioned mortal human action. And while the characters may appear to be super-human (The Rock is gigantic, Paul Walker doesn't age, and Diesel is um, named Vin Diesel) they are actually just many in a long line of tough guys making tough stuff look cool on the movie screen. 

The plot of the newest film involves the crew teaming up with their former nemesis Ellis Hobbs (The Rock) to take down British super-villain Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). Shaw has a crew of his own and they are the opposite of our heroic crew who loves newborn infants, saying grace, and drinking coronas. So naturally the two posses don't get along and because of that they frequently battle each other  with guns, fists, headbutts, spear-guns, body slams, and as one character puts it "vehicular warfare!" One of the most enjoyable things about the new movie is how it returns to the franchise's roots with a huge amount of actual car chases, not just the heists of Fast Five. Director Justin Lin is a master of knowing where to put the camera to make every chase make spacial sense and has evolved into a mastermind of combining practical stunt driving with fist pumping visual effects spectacle. They say that with Superman you'll believe a man can fly...well in Fast & Furious 6 you'll believe a F-1 race car can flip cars like a spatula and make them ross through posh office buildings. 

Yes the action is fantastic, but at that point that is to be expected. What really makes the franchise and this film work so well are the...wait for it...emotions that run through the story. Emotions? TPG you are crazy man, I thought this was about vehicular warfare? It is, it is but hear me out. While other movies layer their emotions like some type of exotic French dessert, the Fast & Furious franchise puts them right out there. I LOVE YOU AND WANT TO SETTLE DOWN WITH YOU! MY FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I AM GOING TO DESTROY YOU! Yes, it's very very easy to digest, but there is something immensely delicious about characters existing in black and whites. Good guys vs Bad Guys. Fast Car vs Not Fast Car. If only life could be that way, right?

So yeah...incredible super-hero free action, heavy handed emotions, expert direction, what else is there to say? Oh, one last thing, the movie gives you EXACTLY what you want. Not many times in movies/life do you get exactly what you want, but in this movie it's all there. Oh I hope that that huge german dude ends up fighting the Rock, happens. Oh I hope that Tank our boys are fighting goes out spectacularly ..yupp (still thinking about it actually).  Oh I hope that that grappling hook gun is put to good use, happens in every way you can imagine. Oh Ludacris & Tyrese are funny, they get the best zingers. Fast & Furious 6 knows what you want and gives it to you which is extremely commendable. And just when the movie is over it leaves you with a massive cliffhanger that instantly clicks in your cinematic soul and feels you with a sense of..."Oh...I didn't know that I needed THAT in this franchise...but know that you have given me what I actually wanted....I'll have an another order please*. 

*Fast 7 comes out July 11th 2014

TPG's Game Time - Season 3 - Episode 8 - Second Sons (Game of Thrones Recap)

Of all the episodes this season this one felt the most like a set-up episode. I mean at this time last year we were heading into the battle of Blackwater bay, and here...well I'm not sure where we are heading. But I feel like it can't be any place good because all of the characters seem to be in bad situations, except Khaleesi, but more on her later.

Direwolf Badassery - One day the Direwolves will return to Thrones, until then I'm stuck with nice ocean vistas

Joffrey Swag - Swag on Westeros Swag. Swag for days. Where to begin? Every line he had tonight (outside of that creepy line having his guard hold Sansa down) was so hilarious. Dude is just so massively evil. He's like the spoiled rich kid crossed with the smart aleck nerd crossed with the high school bully.

1. I hope The Hound doesn't die a terrible death. He really hasn't ever done anything wrong and seems to be a relatively good guy. I mean he's cruising around with his kid sidekick offering her bread, I thought I was watching A Perfect World, medieval edition.That being said if we don't get to see him battle his brother, I will be disappointed. Horse-Head cutters must answer for their crimes.

2. Interesting that Stannis said he believes that people don't choose their own destiny. This is a different point of view that other characters. Consider Khaleesi who very much is forging her own path or Robb Stark who believes his destiny is just to kick it in Winterfell.

3. Stannis says "What's one bastard boy against a Kingdom?" If that bastard happens to be Jon Snow then we're talking about a major player and I got some serious gold weight that Jon has a big part to play in the Kingdom.

4. When thinking about the Margaery-Cersei interaction, I see it two ways. The first is that Margaery is in way over her head and Cersei is a world classing scheming woman who'll destroy the young girl. And the second is that Cersei is a dated stupid hag who's messing around with the young gun and is gonna get burned. My prediction is on the second.

5. In some ways Tryion's actions tonight were some of the most selfless character actions we've ever seen on Game of Thrones. Sure he was drunk for the bulk of it, but it's clear that he probably more than any other character is GOOD guy.

6. Damn it's nice to go an episode without having to see some terrible Theon Grejoy torture scene.

7. Mind Bone With A Side of Leeches - So now we know what Stannis saw in the flames at the end of last season. A battle in the snow. Got Dayuuum, I almost fainted. Now it's time to figure out who'll he'll be fighting with. Only fire can beat Snow...get your dragon game up.

8. So Khaleesi has a new squeeze with this Dario character. With his "I do want I want" attitude he is about as emo as they come, but chopping off his pal's domes was a pretty nice move. Also dude barely flinched when the world class babe and mother of dragons just walked up to him naked. Still need to see him fight to know if he's a total badass.

9. Ahhh, so Sam got his big moment. With all those ravens by the Godswood I thought that Benjen Stark was going to show up, but then I saw that Blue Eyed Demon flowing hair and I knew Sam was going to bite it or Ghost was going to save him. But how awesomely surprising was it that he was the first one to shatter a White Walker. Looks like that blade he found while making a snow fort is mighty powerful, now please, give it Jon Snow so he can really put it to work.

10. Tyrion has all the best lines - "I am the god of Tits & Wine"

No Thrones next week. We got a Sunday off for Memorial Day. See you in two weeks.

24 Points About 24 Coming Back

I am a 24 fan, worshipper, devotee, fanatic, critic, archivist, connoisseur, and whatever other noun you can dream up. I have seen every episode of the show live except one in season three (VCR malfunction!) 24 was the first TV show I ever watched with my family and was my favorite show to watch with friends. I have written extensively on how it relates to "Homeland" (24 is superior). And finally I shared recaps in the form of 24 points for the last 3 seasons here on thislalife.

Now that it has been announced that the show (the new season titled 24:Live Another Day) will be returning for a more condensed 12 episode run next summer, I thought I would return to the 24 Points to let you know all morsels that are brewing in my head with the almighty return of Jack Bauer.

1. How will the 12 episode format work for a show that is so dependent on having 24 episodes? The producers have said they will skip some hours and condense some events to fit the timeline. This sounds like we'll still be looking at a full day in the life of the greatest terrorist hunter that has ever lived. 

2. Will we finally get the epic motorcyle that Jack has in him. Motorcycles, TPG what you talking about? You see, revealed somewhere in the bonus features of the DVDS and mentioned here in the 24 wikia, it is stated that Jack is an expert motorcyclist. Also says he's a surfer, I'd rather have him dispatch foes by bike than by bodacious waves.

3. Will Tony Almeida return?

4. While we are at it...will the vampire bite return? That's what really counts (sorry Tony).

5. The show always succeeds because the way that it mirrors and inflates real life events. It's well known that the show premiered months after 9/11 and rode the war on terror to massive critical, popular, and political success. I wonder how it will adapt to the current drone based war on terrorism and also how the events of the Boston Marathon bombings will influence it?

6. My dream is that even though the episode count is shorter the budget will be the same which will mean bigger and better action.

7. The whole "skip" and "condense" some hours thing means that perhaps we will see multiple far off locations for the show, which has always been rooted in either LA, D.C. or New York and the surrounding area. Will we see Jack get on the plane to some far off exotic place and then jump to him landing...I think so.

8. Ron Swanson survived season 2, will he make a guest appearance?

9. The Bad Guys in the new season will be some mix of the following: private contractors, "Russians," Islamic extremists, red-neck terrorists. In fact Bauer has never really taken on the red-neck variety, actually....Kim has she took down Johnny Drama in season 2.

10. Will anything in this season come close to the majestic brutal power of the Fayed death from season six?

11. Jack has had some "bad luck" with the ladies in his life? Will he have a new flame this season? Does that even make sense or is the ticking clock just not gonna allow it?

12. How many Christmas Trees will Bauer destroy?

13. Kiefer is 46 years old now, which is not exactly young on the special agent scale, I wonder if we'll see him either shrug off his age or acknowledge it a la Brian Mills in "Taken."

14. Speaking of that whole time speeding up, is the reason for the shorter season because we as human beings can't handle 24 episodes of anything anymore. Is 24 episodes too long for our twitter/facebook/24-7 news cycle brains to handle? 

15. James Badge Dale was not really a known actor when he appeared in the highly underrated season 3 as Jack's partner Chase Edmunds. Now he is everywhere (Iron Man 3, Flight, The Pacific etc.) I have no doubt that Jack will get a new partner (besides Chloe of course, more on her later) but who could play that part? Don't be surprised if they switch it up and give him another female partner. This way the bad guys can say things like "you can't protect ya women Jackkkk!"

16. Chances that the season will actually just be a prequel and it will feature the abandoned "Samuel" plotline featuring legendary anti-hero Dubaku. Hopefully 10000%, long live Dubaku.

17. Calling it now we're looking at 37 confirmed Bauer kills this season and I'm not talking about random explosion related deaths. I'll be more specific and say we'll get at least 3 spectacular kills or "Mortal Kombat" deaths.

18. Earlier I asked if Tony will return. I'd say the only guaranteed cast member to return besides Jack would be Chloe as she is like part of Jack's existence now. In fact Chloe never really changes season to season...she's just always there and as neurotic as ever. That is except for the time she blasted those dudes with the machine gun!

19. Anil Kapoor - the star of the Indian version 24 has already starred in a season of 24 as a different character, but what are the chances he pops up again this time as the Indian Jack Bauer...that would be crazy.

20. Speaking of crazy, I would love to see the show get slightly meta and have Jack take down some Hollywood types. You could tie it all together with the shady world of global corporations media investments.

21. Jack Bauer is also a straight up Grandpa - how zany would it be if the whole season was actually a comedy where Jack has to supervise a kid. Kind of like Baby's Day Out but with more awesome violence.

22. I'm calling it now...Kim Bauer is coming back fo sho.

23. Feels great to be writing these again, so stoked the show is coming back, did I say that?

24. As a show 24 was a classic water cooler topic. If you hadn't seen last night's episode then don't waste my time talking to me chief. But things are different now, people binge on shows on Netflix and the water cooler isn't what is once was. Will the show's return to the airwaves signal a return to must see live drama programming? We'll have to wait and see...beee bowp bee bowp beee bowpp.

TPG's Game Time - Season 3 - Episode 7 - The Bear & The Maiden Fair (Game of Thrones Recap)

When did Thrones get so romantic? Dayuum, I thought I was watching some medieval version of "The Notebook," I mean did anybody get diced up in that episode or was it all talk of romance. Alright, my heart isn't that cold, so let's leap into the bear pit and get into this episode.

Direwolf Badassery - It's been a long time since we saw a direwolf, let alone saw a direwolf hurt somebody. One can dream.

Joffrey Swag - He got one good line about having to walk his lazy ass up those tower stairs, but as much as I love everyone's favorite demented boy King, I might have to rename this Tywin Swag cause that dude makes going up four steps look badass!

1. If you didn't catch it, tonight's episode was written by George R. Martin himself which is cool because he's adapting the screenplay from the books he wrote. Since he knows what's coming in the books and the show, we have to read deeply into everything that was said.  That means lots of mind-melts, hope you like em with a side of garlic seasoned sweet potato fries.

Bonus Update Post - It was also directed by Michelle MacLaren who's directed many of episodes of that other show....Breaking Bad. Big thanks to Sir Megamix of House Tiesto for the observation

2. The "when it suits them" speech that Warg drops on Jon Snow was incredible for two reasons. The first is just that he's is rapidly becoming a very interesting character. The second is that with his badass swordsmen skills, romantic tendencies, and general good spirit, Jon Snow is a very traditional hero so whether it's intended, I think many people view him as the one of the central protagonists of the show. So the Warg gives him that speech, he is really describing not just the Wildlings but EVERYONE on the entire world of Thrones. Great writing.

3. I do not want to offend any of my female readers, but I was VERY distracted by Oona Chaplin's ass.

4. This was a very romance heavy episode of Thrones and we got to see all different kinds of love. The Ygritte-Jon Snow is kind of the super intense I'll follow you to the end of the earth love. The love that Warg has for Ygrite is more of  a "I can provide for you love." The love that Margaery tells Sansa about is more of that "it's not that bad, just deal it and you'll be rich/powerful love." The love that Jaime has for She Man is more of the "true love can take the blackest of hearts and make it right again." What do you prefer?


5. Margaery reminds me of a certain type of sorority girl that roams college campuses. Very pretty, great lineage, immensely smart, and wildly wildly cunning. I don't know what she is scheming on with Sansa but I don't think it's all rose garden friendships and girl talk.

Joke Time: Is there a McDonalds at King's Landing because every single room seems to have perfectly golden light arches. Get it GOLDEN ARCHES. Zing!!!

6. MIND MELT COMING AT YAA -  The Wargs says that soon we'll see what "Jon Snow Really Is," which on the surface means he's a Crow, but as I said in point #1 you gotta look deeper here. I think Jon Snow is wayyy more important that he appears. Kind of like he is The Game of Thrones Luke Skywalker. His part to play in this story is much bigger than what's happening at the wall. I can feel it.

7. I dig that Khaleesi is like this marauding civil right's activist, and sheeeiiiit, those dragons are incredibly awesome, but to me her plot is all glitz and glam and no substance. Like I'm tired of seeing her marching around. Another city, cool, great, I'm sure you'll destroy this place. Show me the sacking of King's Landing and you taking the Throne, not some random city I don't care about.

8. Loved that shots of the ships in Blackwater Bay, but I really flipped that scene where Melisandre tells Gendry that's basically the true heir to the Kingdom. However, I again wonder if Gendry is doomed to be sacrificed to the Red God or potentially be given some type of Red God upgrade to become a super warrior for Stannis. I'd prefer the second.

9. Just when you think Thrones is past it's ridiculousness sex scenes of seasons past, we get a good ol' fashioned Theon Greyjoy romp...of course this is season 3 so the sex comes torture as soon as the mystery man appears and torments him again. After last season I never thought I could feel bad for Theon but he's had it bad this time around. Who are these people? My new theory is there some how connected to his spiny first mate from last season, you remember him (featured on the left), he knocked Theon out at Winterfell. Was always a shifty character.

10. Ahh Jaime Lannister saves She Man in act of selfless courage, I get it, it's super romantic but HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DEPRIVE US OF A BADASS FIGHT WITH KINGSLAYER AND A BEAR. Really would have loved to see that. Of course the question is if She Man and are Jaime are going to stick together, sadly I think not, once Jaime is back with his family, he'll probably be on his way. That's just his style, of course he'll still have the memories, so hopefully he'll whip Cersei into shape.

That's all until next week....Hodor.

Gatsby As Gatekeeper - How One Book Introduced Us To Thinking Deep

"Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away..." - F. Scott Fitzergald, The Great Gatsby

Somewhere on the list of things to teach in High school, right in between "Hamlet" and "Physics" is F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." In the great literacy leg race of most read books in American High Schools I would say that "Gatsby" is constantly neck and neck with "To Kill A Mockingbird" as top dog. Sure there are other contenders like "The Scarlet Letter," "Of Mice & Men," and "Huckleberry Finn," but Gatsby is always the big cheese and the reason for that is because of that legendary Green Light. Ah yes, the green light. Many a High School mind has either exploded in understanding or wallowed in confusion when their teacher asked them "What do you think the green
light means."

Part of this confusion is because you already know what a green light means: it means go. Yet just with the tiniest prodding from a teacher, the whole concept of a "metaphor" is introduced to your brain. Whooahhh, it means a lot more than just being a freakin green light? Green means money, which is power. Green represents Daisy. Green means relentless ambition. Green means Gatsby is secretly a stoner (what? really? c'mon!) Green means Gatsby is a Celtics fan. The Green light is the hope for a future just as American settlers view America (got that from Sparknotes.) Welcome to the land of metaphors. Your brain will never be the same. You now can re-experience all your favorite media as metaphors for something else. I wonder what "The Lord of The Rings" is really about?*

Once you understand the concept that things have double meanings, then the world is a much different place. The cafeteria is a metaphor for the future class structures of your adult life. The worms your science teacher keeps in a box for his compost are a metaphor for the relentless grind of student testings. Drug Wars on your TI-83 calculator is a metaphor for drug wars, wait that one was obvious, but you know what I mean. Thanks to Gatsby, you start seeing metaphors in places you never imagined. Prom is just a metaphor for....

So when I roll into the brand new version of Gatsby tonight, you bet I'm going to be looking out for that Green Light. It better shine into my soul and let loose a host of new thoughts about what movies really mean and if the American Dream is straight C.R.E.A.M. or something deeper and more sincere. Because however it appears, there are lots of High School English teachers out there hoping that it lives up to mind blowing metaphoric power.

*If you know what it's really about...please leave a comment.

First Gravity Trailer Is Out Of This World

I've been covering this flick since 2010 and I'm still impressed by this! Dayuuuummmm

Re-Making The Myth: Appreciating The Big Budget Super-Hero Film

Hero - A person who is admired for their noble and courageous qualities, usually at the benefit of others.

Every time a super-hero film comes out, there are always detractors who say "it's just a super-hero film." Sure you may not see these statements as much in the reviews (which have been positively kind to super-hero films as of late), but if the barometer of critical praise and "seriousness" is Academy Awards than it's clear that our heroes are not taken seriously. This is a real shame, because the best super-hero films in addition to being massively entertaining and well crafted, are carrying the flame of the role that the hero places in society, a moral example for people to strive for.

Before you get going on on how people should look up to real heroes, you need to chill out. Right now anyone who is labeled a hero is quickly praised, processed, and/or penalized. In our 24/7 world, the person we praise today, is often forgotten or scorned tomorrow. We rarely have figures in our culture who endure a time-tested examples of being true heroes. Politicians are out because they are prone to the brutally cynic nature of politics these days. Any athlete that is well known enough to a massive hero, probably got there because his corporate sponsorship team put him there. Technology figures like Steve Jobs, who are praised for their innovation are quickly lambasted for their relentless drive. I think everyone can agree that we love to look for chinks in the armor, hell it's almost a national pastime. If only we could have heroes that can't be corrupted (or be free from skeletons in the closet).

That's where the superheroes come in. Long before big movie budgets made comic books come to life, I mean, technically way before comics, we had myths about great heroes who we could look to as ideals to strive for. Our current crop of modern heroes is no different. In his spectacular third outing

Iron Man excels not because of his money, but because of his creativity and determination ideals that we can truly work towards. And let's not forget Batman a hero who's entire recent trilogy was focused on Batman's true "super" power of - being completely selfless. After all he pays the cost dearly (dead parents, dead girlfriend, public thinks he's a killer, broken back, no love life, etc) so we can live free and be happy (reminds me of someone else, but we don't need to get into that!)

Ultimately these super-hero films are resonating with a natural longing for the spectacular hero. More than any other factor (actors, directors, budgets, continuity between films) Marvel excels because they recognize that longing for traditional heroes and stories and they provide that. The upcoming Superman film "Man of Steel" looks like it's on the same wavelength as well. So while people may scoff at super-hero films and say they're just to sell toys, they need to realize that they're scoffing not just a history, but at their own longing for something better.

TPG's Game Time - Season 3 - Episode 6 - The Climb - (Game of Thrones Recap)

For the first time all season I missed the Sunday broadcast of Thrones, so today I'm coming at you with a late edition of TPG's Game Time. Fear not, just because I slip up, doesn't mean I'm going to let some warg cut my rope and leave me to die, hell no! So it's going to be quick and abbreviated, but fear not, like Daenerys, I'll be back in force next week.

Direwolf Badassery - None, soon the Direwolves will rise.

Joffrey Swag - It's all fun and game laughing at Joffrey until he actually uses his bow to kill a seemingly innocent woman. Man, hating on Joffrey is fun, but there's a reason for it, this kid is a monster.

1. Fat Sam is either going to die a terrible death or come out of this saga as either A) A King B)Just a jolly old fat dude with a huge family that he sings to. Still waiting for his courageous first kill though, it's coming....I can feel it!

2. Trajectory of Jon Snow. Season 1 he's the ultimate badass, just beating the shit out of everyone and killing blue eyed demons on the reg. Season 2 he's...ehhh....kind of a wuss. Now Season 3 he's a sexual mastermind and epic hero pulling off Cliffhanger stunts, befriending the BG, and rocking out epic sunrise makeout sessions. Welcome back to being my favorite character, Jon Snow, actually you never stopped.

3. The magic of Game of Thrones is when characters from different story-lines meet and the entire "game" gets re-arranged. Never for the life of me did I think Melisandre would meet Arya and Gendry, but now that they did, my head is spinning. Why does she need Gendry, I know it's some Baratheon blood magic, but what is she really up to. Breeding more shadow assassins. And what does it mean when she says she'll see Arya again? What's that...I smell a mind-melt on the grill.....

4. MIND MELT with Multiple Eyes - I mentioned last week how clear it is Arya wants vengeance on those that wronged her family. I think those different eyes that Melisandre refers to are different stages that Arya has to go through before she becomes a master swordsman and catches up with Sir Jaqen to become a Faceless Woman aka a badass destroyer.

5. Somewhere in this episode I realized we haven't seen the BG (that's the Badass Ginger if you haven't been paying attention) wreck somebody yet. His first kill is coming and it's going to be epic.

6. The Theon plotline this season is like "Game of Thrones" does "Saw." I have no idea where it's going. For a moment I thought maybe the torturer was working for the Lannisters, but who knows? My prediction...he's working for the Greyjoys.

7. Olenna Tyrell's shtick of putting everyone down yet also keeping them up by pulling their strings was getting old and I'm glad that someone finally got her in line. Not surprised it was Tywin that dude is so cold I could have sworn he was a White Walker. Speaking of Tywin, something for all the 50 Shades readers out there.

8. That scene where Sir Loras was bullshitting about the weddings was hilarious.

9. While it's tough that Tyrion has to wed Sansa, I feel that he may be playing his family a little bit. He knows the value of Sansa to the Starks, and while he may gripe about it, I wonder if he's keenly aware of how his bride to be is actually a key puzzle piece on the ladder to power.

10. Speaking of a ladder, how about that final monologue about the climb out of the pit of chaos. Classic Littlefinger but I want to point out a couple of things here. The first is that Varys didn't seem that phased by the death of Ros. The second, if Ros is dead I wonder if Shae can't be to far behind, I say this because of their opening scene together where they revealed they're both hiding secrets. The third, is a more deep thing, but if Littlefinger says the climb to power is all brutal and rough but then at the top we get some deeeeeppppp romance with Jon Snow and Ygritte, are the creators trying to tell us that the true glory of the climb is love. They wouldn't have included an epic kiss between two lovers from different worlds, a gorgeous vista, and some serious heavenly sunlight if they didn't.

See you next week.