sweetcookieface

Rewatching the episode, i need to give props to Indira Varma and the actress who plays Tyene. I really felt their terror and grief in that cell. Honestly, i didn't know they (well, more the actress who plays Tyene) were capable of pulling off such an intense, emotional scene because they've been saddled with such leaden dialogue and poor characterization their entire time on the show. (Cersei was incredible in that scene as well, but I've always regarded Lena as one of the better actors on the show.)

You mean his conversation with Missandei, right? I wasn't sure what to make of that either. I kind of thought the latter? (But in a sweet, endearing way, not a skeevy way.) Maybe making a play isn't the right way to put it - more like an innocent crush. He struck me as a guy who wasn't used to being around young, beautiful, charming women, and was kind of taken with Missandei, but I can't imagine him even considering acting on it. I so agree with this. Theres something that feels slightly off/inorganic about the scenes of Sansa taking charge, and I do think the acting is at least partly to blame. It's interesting because I was rewatching seasons 1 and 2 and was surprised to find Sophie's acting way better than I remembered. I actually feel like she's gotten worse...? Question: Do we know if Dany's comments about being raped/defiled were references to her time with Khal Drogo (e.g., their wedding night) or previous events off screen?

This is probably the loudest I've laughed out loud during any episode of GoT. A lot of it has to do with Liam's delivery, including the long pause, confused looks, and colloquial language spoken in a Fleabottom accent. Here's the full exchange: "You stand in the presence of Danerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, rightful heir of the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains." "This is Jon Snow. (Pause) He's King in the North."

I thought this was creepy as hell - and absolutely mesmerizing. Sheesh, that little boy was a great actor. The feeling of dread never let up. I'm still not sure what to make of the ending, but I guess it's kind of cool that it was left a bit ambiguous? Anyway, I'm in - was wishing I could binge watch the whole thing, which is high praise in this era of peak tv.

It's interesting because I just couldn't buy Michaela Watkins as a 23-year old version of Valerie. The actress looks like she's in her 40s (not a knock - I'm assuming that's her actual age). I could buy Tommy Dewey as a younger Alex because he doesn't read as old as Michaela - and, perhaps more importantly, the adjustments to his look and demeanor (e.g., the shaggy hair, baggy clothes, and sweetness mixed with immaturity and naivete) helped him "pass." No, he didn't look 19, but he came across as a younger version of himself. I guess with Valerie it's a little trickier to convey youth because the character was always a bit of a cynic/old soul. (I need to go back and rewatch the glimpses we got of young actors playing Alex and Valerie - I thought I noticed something, but since it was only for a split second, I assumed I imagined it.) That said, this was probably my favorite episode of the season. It really endeared Alex to me, and provided more insight into the bond he and Valerie share. By the way, fans of the show may be interested in the interview Michaela Watkins did with Todd Van Der Werff on the "I Think You're Interesting Podcast" (today's episode). I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but it was interesting to hear her talk about the challenges of playing someone she finds so unlikable. By the way, is that the consensus? That Valerie is really unlikable? I for one have never warmed to her character, but find her particularly unlikable this season. She's selfish, dour, annoying, not particularly charismatic, etc. But there's also something real about her, so I appreciate the characterization.

Clearly a matter of personal taste. I, like you, have long been befuddled by comments about how gorgeous Cobie Smulders is. I think she's pretty, but I wouldn't say she's obviously more beautiful than the Sam character. More youthful? Sure. (Although I think all the characters look like they could be late-30s to early-40s.) I do think Sam has a somewhat striking look, and gives off a certain sense of confidence and sophistication, whereas Cobie's character seems more down-to-earth, both in terms of appearance and personality (although we've seen that she can be pretty high-strung, so perhaps that's not the best description). I guess I'm in the minority with you. I know it's not a comic masterpiece, but I was entertained enough to watch all eight episodes, and thought there were some genuinely funny lines/moments sprinkled throughout. I suppose it helps that I'm a '98 Harvard grad, although I didn't love (or even like) college and don't have anything resembling their friend group (I've really only kept up with one college friend, who hated Harvard as much as I did). Anyway, some of the highlights for me were the coke-fueled cram session; the IVF misadventures (probably TMI, but as someone who's gone through something similar, I can relate to the stress of perfectly timing the "trigger shot"); Felix's frustrated retort - "you're sleeping on a couch!!!" - when Ethan offers to pay for the glass door he just shattered; the "pit kids" (a very Cambridge-specific reference); and the eleventh hour montage reveal about Wolf Trials that's mentioned above. Honestly, I think the soundtrack alone would have been enough to keep me watching. And perhaps it's my residual Kevin Arnold love speaking, but I really enjoyed Fred Savage in this.

Oh, Dean. I knew he didn’t stand a chance, and I didn’t necessarily think he had the best chemistry with Rachel, but he was far and away my favorite of the remaining guys. That wasn’t always the case – I side-eyed him at the “once you go black…” comment and, while he’s conventionally attractive, he wasn’t necessarily my physical type (a little too chiseled and “bro-y” looking). But he’s been full of surprises. I feel like he’s the only one to have shown genuine emotion (even if he often deflects it with humor). I really, really felt for him today – muttering several variations of “this is going to be awful” on the way up to his father’s house; his nervous laughter alternating with tears alternating with anger throughout the home visit; the blow-out with his dad (which may well have been staged, but felt very real to me), etc. His sister’s comments about him always being “strong” provided further insight into his personality and solidified my love for him. Even his elimination is the only one that got to me – while he maintained his typical cool exterior, he seemed genuinely blindsided/hurt, especially after allowing himself to be emotionally vulnerable in two big ways (first with the home visit, then telling Rachel he was falling in love with her). And, of course now that I love Dean, I’m realizing just how physically beautiful he is! Anyway, good luck Dean. I hope he doesn’t regret the experience – and, in particular, working through some heavy family stuff on tv. Hopefully it allows him to start the process of mending his relationship with his dad.

OK, for a guy who showed up in a penguin suit and one who carries around a creepy dummy, Adam and Matt sure are boring. Those are the only distinguishing features I can think of, and I wouldn't have even remembered them if someone hadn't reminded me in another thread.

I feel icky about coming around to the "once you go black..." guy, but there you have it. Based on the little I've seen, I like Will and Josiah (even if the latter seems a bit cocky), but they don't seem to be real contenders. For some reason I was digging Diggy as well, but he's already gone. Boo. I kind of like Peter, but am not as over the moon about him as a lot of folks (and what was the line about her being "hood" during the rap battle...???). Bryan seems smarmy and disingenuous (although I get that there are some men who think that's how you flirt in real life). And Alex made an impression in the last episode, but he went back to being invisible today.

I don't normally post, but in what world does "stunning" have the same difficulty level as "boutonnière"?!?! I guess it's the nerd in me, but the unfairness of that match-up had me more verklempt than Whaboom and Lee combined. That aside, I was pleasantly surprised by how (some) contestants did at the Spelling Bee. True, it's a low bar - I'm still scarred by a Spelling Bee challenge on the RW/RW Challenge years ago when most contestants couldn't spell second grade level words.

I'm not a super-emotional person, but I had tears streaming down my face during Taystee's speech. This plot/backstory was straight out of an NPR "This American Life" story from a couple of years ago called Three Miles. It was about students from a poor, overwhelmingly black/brown H.S. in the South Bronx visiting Fieldston, a mostly white, 43K a year private school just three miles away (they don't name the school on the show, but they say it's in Riverdale, which is where Fieldston is located). Anyway, I think the idea of the visit was to expose students to another life (and perhaps to give the students from the poor school a sense of what sort of opportunities might be out there), but some of the students had the same reaction to the experience as Janae; it ended up being more demoralizing than motivating. It's a really interesting, heartbreaking story - i highly recommend it.

The biggest laugh for me was this exchange between Titus and Kimmy as they're planning their heist (all in the delivery): Titus: I'll run like the wind. Kimmy: I know you won't. Titus: The wind can be slow, Kimmy!

This may be my favorite episode so far. I was DYING at teenage Titus' look of utter disbelief and inability to restrain himself as that poor choir girl sang - and then the deja vu with the new choir. Sister Clara's imperiousness was pretty great too.

I just finished binge-watching Season 2, so still processing. Overall, I think it was more or less on par with season 2, but some aspects worked better than others. Things I Liked: - My favorite episodes were "Religion" and "Thanksgiving." I don't think it's any surprise that both focused on family relationships (like last season's episode that delved into Dev's and Brian's parents' immigrant history). That seems to be something the show does really well. Both episodes hit that sweet spot for me - the perfect combination of humor and heartfeltness. - I liked the show's attempts to experiment a bit more in season 2 - e.g., the black and white Bicycle Thief-esque opener; episodes fleshing out supporting characters (e.g., Denise); the long continuous shot of Dev in the back of the cab; an episode focused on random New Yorkers (doorman, deaf couple, African immigrants). Not all of it worked for me (e.g., I didn't really like the long shot in the cab or the soundless segment focusing on the deaf couple), but I could appreciate it. - Not necessarily unique to this season, but I love that the show depicts guys picking apart texts and generally stressing/obsessing over dating (e.g., the scene where Dev and Arthur are reacting to the "hug" emoticon). I"m so used to seeing scenes like that for women, but it's rare that you see guys express feelings of loneliness and anxiety the way they do on this show. Things I Didn't Care For - I didn't fully buy the Francesca love and felt it was waaay too drawn out. The character was obviously beautiful and charming enough, but I felt Dev had better chemistry with Sarah (the black Brit he met in the premier) and Priya (well, on the first date). Dev running into Rachel at the end seemed like foreshadowing, so I'm thinking the Francesca relationship will be short-lived. - The other major storyline that I didn't love was the Chef Jeff stuff. Meh. - Dev's parents are horrible actors, although they've grown on me a bit. The difference between them and Brian's dad (who I'm assuming is a professional actor) is jarring. - I would have liked to have had at least a scene or two of Dev's crew (Brian, Arthur, Denise) hanging out together. Brian had less screen time this season less than his dad! All that said, I found this season pretty binge-worthy. I'm probably in for season 3. ETA: Having re-watched a couple of episodes, I'd say my favorite ep was "Thanksgiving" by a fair margin, followed by "First Date" (I found that one pretty clever and hilarious, especially as someone who's been through her fair share of dating apps). I think my love of the premise of "Religion" initially led me to rank it a bit too high (I'm also an agnostic from a Muslim family - although, funnily enough, the one "religious" thing I do is refrain from pork). So, a very enjoyable episode for me, but perhaps not as objectively "great" as the other two. Also, it just occurred to me that one other (arguable) form of experimentation this season is the wide variation in episode length, from 21 minutes ("Religion") to a whopping 57 ("Amarsi Un Po").

For discussion of Season 2 as a whole.

My favorite ep of the season! (Well, maybe a tie between this and "Religion.") I loved seeing the evolution of Denise, as well as her relationship with Dev through the years. It helps that the acting was top-notch as well (Angela Bassett can do no wrong).

Several of my favorites have already been mentioned: A Separation, Like Water for Chocolate, City of God, Girlhood... I find Asghar Farhadi's movies so distinctive. My favorite remains A Separation, but About Elly and The Past had a similar naturalistic style of story-telling, with constantly shifting sympathies as pieces of information are gradually revealed. I'm still kicking myself for not getting to the theater in time to see The Salesman. Funny... I recently had a similar experience with this director. A friend of recommended After the Storm (referenced above), and when I looked it up I saw that it was the same director as Our Little Sister (which I had recently started watching) and After Life, a movie that I saw nearly 20 years ago and absolutely LOVED. It's a really affecting film with a unique premise - a bunch of people are caught in a sort of purgatory/way-station where they have one week to pick a memory to enjoy for eternity. As for other foreign films that I really like... The Hunt, starring Mads Mikkelsen. It had been sitting in my Netflix queue for a couple of years, but I recently became a Mads stan after binge-watching Hannibal so it shot to the top of my list. :) It's a quiet, devastating film about a teacher accused of sexually abusing a young girl, and the extreme shunning he experiences as a result. The main character's travails, and his relationships with his son, the alleged victim, and her father (the protagonist's best friend), are all heartbreaking in different ways. Mads' acting is impeccable - especially one (largely wordless) scene that takes place in a church on Christmas eve. The Handmaiden, the most recent film from Chan-wook Park (same director as Oldboy, which I happened to enjoy). Beautifully directed with lots of twists and turns. (VERY explicit though, so don't watch with mom/dad or the kids!) A Hijacking, a very gripping film about a ship hijacked by Somali pirates - similar to Captain Phillips, but less melodrama. Amores Perros, or the film that introduced me to the lovely Gael Garcia Bernal. Brutal triptych with three inter-connecting stories and an amazing soundtrack. Let the Right One In. Beautiful, affecting vampire story; there's one revelation towards the end that really packed an emotional wallop for me. I actually love the Swedish version and American remake equally.

I'm curious how people are feeling about Season 2 overall. I can't help but feel underwhelmed. After getting off to a somewhat slow start, Season 1 completely hooked me - I thought the whole stretch from Episode 4 to Episode 8 or 9 was beautiful, shocking, and heart-breaking. There were so many memorable moments, from Ernestine poisoning Pearly Mae, to James being sent to the fields (that whole episode - especially James' segment - killed me), to Rosalee and Cato passing as a free couple, to Sam hanging. I think there have been occasional moments of brilliance in Season 2 - "Ache" and "Minty" were the high points (I especially love that whole segment set to "Oya" in "Ache"). But the rest of it has been a bit of a slog for me. Rosalee and Noah in particular have become pretty boring (and I feel like Jurnee's acting is glaringly bad at times - something I didn't really notice last season). Ernestine has been the MVP of the season for me. I didn't think last night's episode approached the brilliance of the other episodes I mentioned, but at least it seems to be setting various plots in motion, and I found the Clara plot compelling (if a bit over the top). I'm still waiting for Bokeem Woodbine's character to link to the others in some way. Anyway, I really hope the last three episodes leave me with a more positive take on the season!

I just saw La La Land, which brings the total number of Oscar Best Picture nominees I've seen to 8 (still haven't seen Lion). For what it's worth, here's how I'd rank the ones I've seen: Faves 1. Moonlight: Just a beautiful, heartbreaking film - and the one that's stayed with me the longest (saw it a few months ago). Both the story and the directing choices felt very fresh - it's incredible how much was conveyed with so few words. I was on the edge of my seat during the diner reunion in Act 3. 2. La La Land: I just saw this, so I was prepared to be a little underwhelmed (both because it's received so much hype and I've heard some people say it was just so-so). But... I loved it. It's not just a pastel-colored frothy film; I thought it was visually stunning and surprisingly poignant/emotionally resonant (that last scene in particular got to me - I'm now totally on board with Emma Stone getting an Oscar). I'd rank La La Land a little below Moonlight, but those two movies are, for me, far and away the best things I've seen this year. Second Tier: 3. Manchester by the Sea: Great, naturalistic writing and acting, and packed an emotional wallop. 4. Fences: I haven't heard much Oscar buzz about Fences, except for the very well deserved buzz for Viola, but I thought this was really well done. I guess you could quibble about the directing in that the movie never quite transcended the original source material (i.e., it felt very much like a play on screen) , but I enjoyed the more intimate, character-driven feel. Denzel and (especially) Viola were both fantastic. 5. Arrival: Great twist on what I thought it would be your standard alien movie. I love how the aliens were depicted and the direction more generally. Third Tier 6. Hidden Figures: Really enjoyable feel-good movie with a great story (I want to read the book now). That said, it was a pretty conventional, old-fashioned type of movie. 7. Hacksaw Ridge: First half was cheesy as hell. Second half (once they go to battle) is pretty exhilarating. But again, it didn't feel especially fresh or modern. Just good classic Hollywood fare. 8. Hell or High Water: This may be an unfair comparison because I watched this on TV and was multi-tasking quite a bit, but I just thought it was underwhelming.

LOL, this was probably my favorite part as well. Especially since, I'm not proud to say, I'm also an Ivy League educated, successful attorney who's embarrassingly clueless and irresponsible when it comes to practical financial issues. (To my credit, I know how a lease works.) My other favorite part was Rebecca's agonizing over the red panda: "Maybe I'll just print it out and send it anonymously...???"

I really enjoyed this - one of the best movies I've seen this past year along with The Revenant and Sicario. I read some intriguing theories on IMDB afterwards that gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the film and made me want to see it again. One thing that's interesting given that it's stop motion animation is how intimate it was. There's the infamous sex scene, which was notable for me not just because of how graphic it was, but also how real it felt. Part of what made it uncomfortable was that it wasn't just sex; it started with flirting, then slowly built to kissing, whispering, moaning, foreplay, sex, climax, etc., all in real time - you even had mundane details like the characters adjusting their positions on the bed. It's something you rarely see in film. Not only was JJL's voicework incredible, it was so against type! I never would have guessed that was JJL based on the voice, nor would I have thought of her as a good candidate to voice this particular character. JJL's known for darker roles, and her character in this movie was so sweet, awkward and bubbly. Go figure!

I want to join in on the fun! My season rankings would go something like this: 3, 4, 2, 5, 6, 1 (HUGE GAP), 7. (If I were to group them in tiers, it would be something like 3/4, 2/5/6, 1, 7.) Seasons 2 and 3 have the best overall arcs and Big Bads. The only reason I don't rank Season 2 higher is because I don't love the episodes as much as I do some of the later ones. Season 3 is just consistently strong (the only episode I dislike is Beauty and the Beasts). Season 4 and 5 are more inconsistent, but the episodes I love, I really love. Actually, I could probably say the same for Season 6. I think the first half ranks up there with the best seasons (OMWF is my favorite Buffy episode and Tabula Rasa might make my Top 5), and the second half isn't all bad (Normal Again, Dead Things, Older & Far Away, Entropy). Unlike a lot of people, though, I detest the finale and the whole Dark Willow arc (not conceptually, but the execution - I feel like it just got way too over-the-top). Season 1 is meh; some of the episodes are decent (The Pack, Puppet Show), but I hardly ever have the urge to rewatch. Season 7 is the only season I actively dislike. It wasn't just the preposterous plot - I feel like the whole tone of the show shifted to the point where it wasn't even recognizable as the poignant, witty show I had grown so attached to. It was just... generic. All the episodes blur into each other for me. I've seen most Buffy episodes (or parts of them) more times than I can count, but I haven't rewatched Season 7 since the original airing, apart from 2 or 3 episodes (Conversations with Dead People, Selfless, Him). Maybe I wouldn't hate it as much now that I have more distance? Re: top episodes, I feel like different episodes fulfill different needs for me. I can appreciate the artistry and emotional resonance of an episode like The Body or Passion, but the episodes I find myself rewatching the most tend to be the lighter, funnier ones. Anyway, I don't know if I can come up with a definitive favorites list, but here are some episodes that come to mind: Becoming I/II (S2) The Zeppo (S3) The Prom (S3) Doppelgangland (S3) Earshot (S3) Graduation Day I/II (S3) Pangs (S4) Something Blue (S4) Hush (S4) This Year’s Girl/Who Are You (S4) Restless (S4) Fool for Love (S5) The Gift (S5) OMWF (S6) Tabula Rasa (S6) Honorable Mentions: Passion (S2), Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered (S2), Homecoming (S3), Living conditions (S4), A New Man (S4), Crush (S5), The Body (S5), Triangle (S5), Intervention (S5), Bargaining I/II (S6), Conversations with Dead People (S7) In general, I appreciate the goofy misfires (e.g., Bad Eggs, Inca Mummy Girl, Beer Bad) more than the blandness of Season 7. I remember reading a Buffy episode ranking on Buzzfeed a while back and was shocked that the bottom slots weren't just filled with Season 7 (apart from 3-4 episodes).

Looks like i"m in the minority here, but my personal favorite (at least at the moment) is probably "I Have Friends." Short and sweet, but the sheer dorkiness never fails to crack me up.

I've seen all the Best Picture nominations save two - the Revenant (which I'm dying to see) and Bridge of Spies (which I have zero interest in seeing) - and I feel really underwhelmed by the nominations. Of the movies I've seen, here are my impressions: The Big Short: Entertaining enough, but didn't find it to be a particularly standout film; acting was a bit hammy and it's hard to get excited about a movie where the heroes are a bunch of guys who basically profited off the financial crisis. Brooklyn: Sweet movie with a great performance by Saoirse. It felt very old-fashioned/throwbacky to me. Mad Max: Fury Road: I'm one of those who doesn't get why people are so over the moon with this. The plot and acting were meh (and I'll admit I was kind of grossed out by some of the characters), but I do think the action sequences and cinematography were incredible. The Martian: Another solid, but not excellent film. That said, it felt very much like the sort of movie the Academy likes to honor - nice visuals, feel-good story, and star-studded cast. I found the dialogue and "comedy" (like the ABBA obsession) really cheesy, and thought Matt Damon was good, but nothing special. Room: Really devastating, without being over-the-top or sentimental. The two lead performances are incredible. This might be my favorite of the Oscar-nominated movies I've seen so far, but it has the disadvantage of feeling like a "small" film. Spotlight: I liked this a lot more than I expected - I'm not usually into films with a more procedural feel, but I found the story gripping. Not a flashy film (like Brooklyn, it has a more throwback feel), but it was buoyed by great plotting and a strong performance. I have to say, though, I'm mystified by Rachel McAdams' nomination - I thought she was serviceable at best (even borderline bad); my personal favorite performances were Michael Keaton and Liev Schrieber (both very understated), followed by Stanley Tucci. I'm trying to think of other movies that I thought were better than some of the Oscar-nominated ones. The main one that comes to mind is Sicario, which I thought was a really tense, beautifully shot and complex thriller. Other possible contenders for me are Ex Machina, Beasts of No Nation and Star Wars (and this is from someone who's not a big SW fan).

I've been marathoning In Treatment (the HBO psychotherapy show from a few years ago) and thought of this thread. There are three young actors who I thought were brilliant in their roles -- Mia Wasikowska, Allison Pill and Dane DeHaan. I can see all of them having long, successful careers. Given that In Treatment was one of the first major actor jobs for all three actors, I'm especially amazed by their performances. They just have "it." I find Mia Wasikowska really interesting. Despite being quite beautiful, she's never been relegated to eye candy / girlfriend roles - pretty much every role she's had has had some depth. I think she has such a unique screen presence, and is one of the best at conveying a rich interior life. I guess that's why a lot of her characters have been more introverted (e.g., Tracks, Stoker, Kids Are Alright). As I was watching In Treatment, the word that kept coming to mind was "prodigy." I think she's going to be around for a long time - I can see her having a Cate Blanchett or Nicole Kidman type career. Dane De Haan is really talented as well - his character in In Treatment was super-annoying/unlikeable, but perfectly captured a certain type of teenage bravado/self-involvement. I've heard him compared to DiCaprio (looks wise), which I can totally see, but there's something a little off kilter about his looks that reads more character actor, especially when combined with his voice. I've only seen him in Chronicle and In Treatment (still want to see Kill the Darlings), but am really excited to see how his career progresses. Finally, Allison Pill was phenomenal in In Treatment - very natural and inviting. Aside from In Treatment, I've only seen her in small parts (Milk and Midnight in Paris), but I can also see her landing lots of interesting/quirky supporting roles. (I haven't seen Newsroom - hopefully it's a juicy role.)