Series Review: Arrow Season 2

Rating: 6/10

You might have seen my very snarky review of Season 1 here, and let me tell you, I walked into this with some trepidation. I am deliriously happy (okay, not really so deliriously) to report that most people aren’t stinking liars and that Season 2 is much better than season one. There are notable efforts, both from the cast and the storyline, and it reflects well in the show.

What I liked:

My main man John Diggle is still my main man. He’s awesome. I wish he had his own show. On the one hand I really enjoyed the character development and flashbacks he got but as I mention below, there are way too many arcs at this point.

Felicity Smoak. I still love her, her awkwardness and hilarious commentary. I also noted how short her dresses are becoming, just proving the fact that men can be badass on screen in suits and full outfits whereas women are only allowed tight leather and skimpy dresses.

Slade Wilson. The actor. Goodness. Manu Bennett is massive, impressive and scary as hell. I think he suits Deathstroke quite well. I don’t blame him for wanting to kick Oliver’s ass, I really don’t. He looks impressive in a suit too *super innocent whistling*

Kevin Alejandro as Sebastian Blood. The character had a lot of potential and I wish Alejandro can get some permanent fixture somewhere – I loved him in True Blood and he also did very well in here. Blood is written well enough and I was never really sure if he was truly bad or just really messed up. He walks a very thin line and his connection to Slade Wilson was unexpected from my side and well done. However, I did not like how bluntly the show ended for him.

What I didn’t like:

There are way too many things going on. We are sitting with Slade Wilson arriving at the party to kick some ass, Sebastian Blood being insane AF, the whole Felicity and Oliver thing, Malcolm being alive and a stealthy assassin to boot, John Diggle entering the management of the Suicide Squad, his flashbacks into Afghanistan, all his relationship dramas, Roy and Thea, their dramas and Roy’s mutation, Sarah Lance returning (saw that one coming a mile away), Moira Queen continuing with making us wonder if she’s bad or if she’s not, Thea’s patronage (FFS man) and Laurel Lance becoming the hugest pain in everyone’s butts. And I’m not even mentioning everything here at this point.

Laurel. UGHHHHH. Why did she have to become the long suffering whining alcoholic petty and selfish character? Over that. Really. Your sister and your boyfriend were tortured for five years and you’re upset that everyone doesn’t love you the most? Go away.

The arc of the CEO of Queen Consolidated. Go away. No acting skills, no sassy, nothing. Go away. Her face is really annoying, but I could have lived with it if she was a better actress.

Arrow — “Broken Dolls” — Image AR203b _0467b_BTS — Pictured (L-R): Bex Tayor-Klaus as Sin and Colton Haynes as Roy Harper — Photo: Cate Cameron/The CW — © 2013 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Overall, Arrow Season 2 is a bit better than Season 1 (That was quite atrocious!). Arrow is much more day time drama and much less the excellence we now rightfully expect from superhero-world.  I started season 3 but it was immediately so awful I couldn’t continue. Who knows, maybe a bit later!

June 1, 2016May 29, 2016 by Natasha Categories: Review, Reviews, Series, UncategorizedTags: Arrow, Caity Lotz, Colton Haynes, David Ramsay, Deathstroke, Emily Bett Rickards, Felicity Smoak, Green Arrow, John Diggle, Manu Benett, Manu Bennett, Oliver Queen, Paul Blackthorne, Review, Roy Harper, Seires, Series, Slade Wilson, Stephen Amell, superhero, Thea Queen, Willa Holland 2 Comments

February 2016: Watched, Read, Loved

Welcome to a new little segment I want to start running monthly – just a rundown of whatever entertainment I found the most enjoyable the past month. I hope you enjoy!

In cinema:

The Fifth Wave: 7/10

I certainly enjoyed this more than most other trolls on the internet. While it isn’t a perfect film and feels at places that some ideas where snatched from other dystopian novels, it was entertaining and with a semi-solid cast.

Deadpool: 8/10

i.e. The film everyone had been waiting for for years, etc. It is rowdy, rude, sexual, violent and entertaining as hell. It is great to see a superhero movie that isn’t PG friendly. I’ve never understood why these superheroes could even be depicted as PG – they save the world and they are these happy, behaved and profanity ignorant people?

How To Be Single: 6.5/10

HTBS started off the 2016 romcom year, and it was a suprising movie. I never expected it to be groundbreaking or revolutionary, but the performances from Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson makes the movie enjoyable.

At home:

Wedding Crashers: 8.5/10

This is my favorite movie watched in February. It was hilarious and I had the best time ever.

When Harry met Sally

Short on it the heels of Wedding Crashers, TBH. It is worthy of its iconic romcom status, and I’m glad I saw it for Drew and Kim’s 80’s blogathon – I think that is going down in March, so keep a lookout!

Kill Bill Volume I – 7.5/10

Hmm. THIS BLINDSPOT. It derailed so many plans of being perfect this year. I struggled to get a copy, finally got a DVD, THE DVD then didn’t work, and I was just done with life at that point. However, I’ve seen it now, and it was good, although not my favorite show.

Series:

Arrow Season 1

Hehe. I’m very passionate about this show, but not because it is good. I just like going on and on about how bad it is. Great conversation starter, let me tell you.

Arrow Season 2

Same as above

Books:

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

It was okay, though lacked the sensory pleasure the movie does because I thought Scott Eastwood was mighty fine in the adaption.

Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

Finished this book in the time frame for Feb because of leap year. YAY! Book was good, entertaining, bit too long and very much like its’s first novel.

Hope you have an excellent March my friends! This is wedding month for so many people on my side, and I am pretty amped for them.

March 3, 2016March 1, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 2016, Blindspot, Books, Fun, Movies, UncategorizedTags: Arrow, Arrow Season 1, Arrow Season 2, Deadpool, February, Helen Fielding, How To Be Single, Kill Bill, Mad about the Boy, Reading, The Fifth Wave, The Longest Ride, Watching, Wedding Crashers 5 Comments

Series Review: Arrow Season 2 (2013 – 2014)

Rating: 6/10

You might have seen my very snarky review of Season 1 here, and let me tell you, I walked into this with some trepidation. I am deliriously happy (okay, not really so deliriously) to report that most people aren’t stinking liars and that Season 2 is much better than season one. There are notable efforts, both from the cast and the storyline, and it reflects well in the show.

What I liked:

My main man John Diggle is still my main man. He’s awesome. I wish he had his own show. On the one hand I really enjoyed the character development and flashbacks he got but as I mention below, there are way too many arcs at this point.

Felicity Smoak. I still love her, her awkwardness and hilarious commentary. I also noted how short her dresses are becoming, just proving the fact that men can be badass on screen in suits and full outfits whereas women are only allowed tight leather and skimpy dresses.

Slade Wilson. The actor. Goodness. Manu Bennett is massive, impressive and scary as hell. I think he suits Deathstroke quite well. I don’t blame him for wanting to kick Oliver’s ass, I really don’t. He looks impressive in a suit too *super innocent whistling*

Kevin Alejandro as Sebastian Blood. The character had a lot of potential and I wish Alejandro can get some permanent fixture somewhere – I loved him in True Blood and he also did very well in here. Blood is written well enough and I was never really sure if he was truly bad or just really messed up. He walks a very thin line and his connection to Slade Wilson was unexpected from my side and well done. However, I did not like how bluntly the show ended for him.

ANNOYING AF

All things annoying in one collage

The death of that central character. Someone had to eventually die – you can’t keep a show like this on course if you don’t give the hero something else to feel guilty about!

What I didn’t like:

There are way too many things going on. We are sitting with Slade Wilson arriving at the party to kick some ass, Sebastian Blood being insane AF, the whole Felicity and Oliver thing, Malcolm being alive and a stealthy assassin to boot, John Diggle entering the management of the Suicide Squad, his flashbacks into Afghanistan, all his relationship dramas, Roy and Thea, their dramas and Roy’s mutation, Sarah Lance returning (saw that one coming a mile far), Moira Queen continuing with making us wonder if she’s bad or if she’s not, Thea’s patronage (FFS man) and Laurel Lance becoming the hugest pain in everyone’s butts. And I’m not even mentioning everything here at this point.

Laurel. UGHHHHH. Why did she have to become the long suffering whining alcoholic petty and selfish character? Over that. Really. Your sister and your boyfriend were tortured for five years and you’re upset that everyone doesn’t love you the most? Go away.

The arc of the CEO of Queen Consolidated. Go away. No acting skills, no sassy, nothing. Go away.

There will always be something worth watching.

I’ll watch Season 3 as well – this show can be such excellent background noise when it needs to be. A lot of improvement but still a long way to go.

Have you seen season 2? Thoughts? Opinions?

February 25, 2016February 22, 2016 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, Series, UncategorizedTags: Arrow, Caity Lotz, Colton Haynes, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, John Diggle, Katie Cassidy, Laurel Lance, Manu Benett, Moira Queen, Oliver Queen, Paul Blackthorne, Quentin Lance, Reviews, Sarah Lance, Series, Star City, Stephen Amell, Susanna Thompson, The Undertaking, Willa Holland 2 Comments

#100HappyDays: Days 43 – 48

I can’t believe this challenge is going so quickly! Not going to lie, my penchant for self sabotage sometimes peeks out and … motivates me to only post two posts on one day rather than on separate days. However, this is my challenge, so it makes me quite happy 😀

Day 43:

Spent Valentine’s day with my sisters and my mom, had a fantastic breakfast at Life in Mall of the South and finally found a copy of the long searched for Kill Bill Volume 1.

Day 44:

The caption on my Instagram post says it all: These books attacked me and forced me to buy them. I had no say whatsoever.

Day 45:

Winning the war on sugar is not easy, but the days where I evict the victor is truly marvelous and very frequent lately.

DAy 46:

Had a GALentines day and went to watch How To Be Single. So much fun!

Day 47:

Woohoo! Finished Season 2. It is better than Season 1 at least.

Day 48:

I was so impressed with Takealot. I firstly got my Unisa textbook on a 50% sale, and chose two cheesy Afrikaans DVDs to be delivered with it. Much to my surprise it was delivered the following afternoon.

What is making you happy as of late?

February 22, 2016February 19, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 100 Happy Days, UncategorizedTags: #100HappyDays: Days 43 - 48, 100 Happy Days, Arrow, As Jy Sing, Books, healthy lifestyle, How To Be Single, Liefling, Marian Keyes, Running, Series, Unisa 6 Comments

Series Review: Arrow Season 1 (2012)

Rating: 5.5/10

What I liked

• I’m going to start with the final episode. It was good and arguably the best of the season. It started out so vague that I went back to check if I had missed an episode. I didn’t, it was following the standard format of the show. It managed to develop into an emotional episode that was jam packed with drama. That episode alone convinced me to give the second season a try. So, well done guys on getting one episode right out of 23. Great job.
• David Ramsey as John Diggle. Wow. Can’t he be the main superhero? Please. ONE person in this show that has acting skills! He is a saving grace and I enjoy the scenes that he’s in. He is also subjected to terrible lines, but at least he knows something about acting.

• Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak. The IT genius tech is given a proper spot on the show to provide comedic relief, and she does it well. I enjoyed the awkwardness of her character and the fact that she is a complete nerd – a very beautiful one sure, but at least they tried. Rickards should try to improve the timing of her punch lines and refrain from doing things that a scientist should do – she’s IT, but I did enjoy her.
• Willa Holland as Thea Queen. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the character, but she is one of the better parts of the series. I am interested to see where the show takes her. She starts out as the spoiled rich kid but quickly develops into a better person.
• The scenes on the island. That is marginally interesting and I would love to know more about stealthy Chinese man at this point. Also, really appreciative of everything Slade Wilson brings to the table.
• Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance. In Supernatural she was Ruby version 2.0, and a much more enjoyable one. She is way more tolerable as a character in Arrow. I do like her character, just the acting that still needs to evolve a bit.
• Colin Donnel as Tommy Merlin. The initial party boy sneaks into your heart, and is also part of the tiny circle of people that doesn’t speak in stage whispers or employ eye wriggles to get their point across.

 

What I didn’t like

• Arrow is more Days of our Lives than Superhero. Seriously, this feels like a soapie. The acting certainly furthers that idea.
• The dialogue. Cringe. Cringe. Cringe.
• The main villain. John Barrowman. Just, what? I was so irritated by him. He mostly just looked very dirty, but I could ignore that if he wasn’t the epitome of the rich and successful of this show. His copycat hood looked amazing but was rarely used. Why is his true character introduced so late into the show? He is a bad father, sure, but initially he just looks like the run of the mill rich parent that couldn’t care less about their children except that they be heir someday.
• OLIVER QUEEN HAS LESS STEALTH THAN JACOB ZUMA’S POLITICAL AGENDA RIGHT NOW.
  • He’s SO chill when someone finds out who he is. It’s like: “Yeah, you know I’m murdering people but I am sure I can trust you completely, person I’ve just met”
  • Stephen Amell’s acting. Let’s not even go into this. Does he think he’s a voice over actor? Because he has a I’M BATMAN voice and this seriously low pitched serial killer voice when he tries to show his feelings. Also, why does he talk so slow? I’m sure the average comprehension speed of the watchers isn’t THAT slow.
  • HE HAS NO STEALTH: Asking your IT guy at work to hack documents for you that ARE CLEARLY SECRET, not even caring that she might find it interesting to mention it to other people.
  • THE STAGE WHISPERING. OMFG. I’m dead about this.
  • The hood – you can still see his face dammit.
• The pacing. These actors have NO pacing. They just mumble out the words and DONE.
• Voice overs. Dead.
• Paul Blackthorne as Detective Lance. EYE WRIGGLING, BODY SHAKING, I’M SUCH A GOOD ACTOR.
• The cut and dried method of each episode. Zoom in on baddie, take him down, go smile beautifully at something.

 

Slade’s guns are definite pros!

Seriously, the show’s main redeeming qualities are Steven Amell’s chest and those dreamy eyes. He needs to learn to act though, he needs to connect to his character. It isn’t all bad, it’s just not written in a superhero format, and itis reminiscent of Days of Our Lives. The dialogue makes me ashamed and they are ruining a truly excellent storyline. I’m not saying it needs to be super dark – goodness knows there are enough dark shows to go around. They should just learn to connect the characters emotionally to the material and not be so damn cheesy all the time. I’ve heard a few times that the series improves in time. This proved to be true at the end of season two, so I will give season two a chance. This show is mindless enough to enjoy without thinking about it and since you form no attachments it is not a train smash when a character dies, I guess it can be considered light watching.

PS: JUST DON’T THINK TOO HARD. THE QUESTIONS WILL BE ENDLESS THEN.

PS: Let’s not forget:

February 18, 2016February 14, 2016 by Natasha Categories: Review, Series, UncategorizedTags: Arrow, Colin Donell, Colin Salmon, David Ramsey, John Barrowman, Katie Cassidy, Laurel Lance, Malcolm Merlin, Moira Queen, Paul Blackthorne, Quentin Lance, Review, Series, Stephen Amell, superheroes, Thea Queen, Walter Steele, Willa Holland 11 Comments

Life Lately: February 2016

So, February. I am totally okay that you are here. January wasn’t even bad, but it was the trial month for the year and I am happy to get things in full speed right now.

 

#100HappyDays: This project is still ongoing, and I am still enjoying it. There are days where I struggle to find things to post about, so the challenge proves its’ point: you need to be able to find something happy daily regardless of how small it might seem to you.

Blog: I am actively considering renaming my blog. I’m not going to say what the title is going to be right now, because someone might nab it before I have it set up, and then I will be mightily upset with whoever it is. (#paranoid). I DO like the sound of it and have run it by my confidantes, who agree. I just want to work out the logistics of things before I go full speed into it.

 

Reading: I somehow misplaced my darling Big Magic book. I am so peeved. I need to finish reading it and then I need to gush on here about it. Like, WHY universe? I will find you book! I also started with The Longest Ride. It is written by Mr. Soppy himself, Nicholas Sparks. It’s part of my book reading list for this year and I just want to get cracking on it.

Blindspot: This is officially in disaster mode. I swear I have such affinity for ignoring the fuck out of deadlines. Each. And. Every. Time. I looked around a bit for copies of what I need to watch, gave up pretty quickly, and am now stuck. ANYWAY, I’ll get watching soon and be posting ALL THE REVIEWS.

 

Series: Goodness. Finally got around to Arrow. The acting. Erm. It is… SPECTACULAR? The plot is good enough, the acting and the effects are just a bit hilarious tbh.

Tinder: I should seriously get up a few posts on my experience over there. Let’s just say restraining orders and a dictionary are things I want to get for some of the guys I’ve spoken to.

Unisa: Studies and assignments, here I come. Now that I know what to expect for the practicals, I am really excited for that too. Just still so disgusted with Unisa that they mess around with their students so badly.

Being healthy: I’m really excited about this. I’ve said from the start I am not going to starve or deprave myself, and I certainly won’t be following any Fad diets. I just want to find a way of lifestyle that is maintainable as well as healthy. I’m getting there. The hardest right now is the sugar. I’ve cut it out that I’m about 98% sugar free in whatever I consume. I’m still growling at hidden sugars. They are the reason I have trust issues. Moving on. I plan to write about my revelations about changing your eating habits, and what myths I’ve come to believe and not believe about losing weight. I can tell you if you use the word “diet”, I don’t like it. It contains about as much positive reinforcement as the phrase “New year’s resolutions”. Sure, lifestyle change sounds way pompous, but if it isn’t a lifestyle change, it’s not going to work. BOOM.

Tinder. I hope to get up some posts about his experience in the next two weeks. It is just the right time of year for all the romantic fools out there.

Excited for:

Literally ALL THE WEDDINGS. I have two weddings and an engagement party in March and another wedding, bachelorette and kitchen tea in April.

How to be single – this looks so great

DEADPOOL!

 

 

 

 

February 10, 2016February 6, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 2016, Life, Life Lately, UncategorizedTags: Arrow, Big Magic, Books, Deadpool, Elizabeth Gilbert, healthy lifestyle, Life Lately, Nicholas Sparks, Reading, The Longest Ride, Unisa 10 Comments