LiamCullen6

House of the Dragon is doing an amazing job of bringing the viewer back into the world of Game of Thrones.

Each episode is gripping, well-written, and laden with drama. The past few episodes have succeeded in bringing the tension in several scenes to an anxiety-inducing boiling point. You can truly feel the characters are ready to explode at several moments - occasionally they do. And these eruptive flickers of emotion are only teasers of what's to come...

The storytelling is reminiscent of the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones. Which is impressive and refreshing given the apparent decline in writing quality (and especially dialogue) of the later seasons. A particular scene in this episode felt just like Season 4 episode 6, Tyrion's trial, in which he explodes in that same hall which we now learn Lord Vaemond Velayron did centuries before.

That being said, I do have some gripes: this episode felt a time-jump too far. There have been a few already, and the audience can only handle so much before the actor-swaps become jarring. I feel it's started to do that.

I'm told that this marks the final time jump. I hope this is the case, as I'd have loved for them to have explored some characters further; tad disappointed we've only got to see some of the cast and characters for only a few minutes of total screen time.

My other gripe, which goes hand-in-hand, is the pacing. We seem to be barrelling forward at breakneck speed with the core storyline, which is a little alarming as in Game of Thrones there were always multiple concurrent storylines at any one time. We'll have to see how things unfold next season, but I do hope they take their time a little more. The last thing we want is for things to be (or even feel) rushed, like the final two seasons of Game of Thrones felt.

Very excited to see the final couple episodes of what has so far been an excellent first season. If the original series is anything to go by, then episode 9 next week should have us in for a treat...

The year is 2020. Coronavirus has taken over. Lockdowns and quarantines have been imposed worldwide. Masks are essential. Cinemas have been closed for months, and - for many - TENET marks the big blockbuster which signals the opening of cinemas again in many countries, and perhaps a return to some sort of (new) normal.

I believe many moviegoers will, like myself, enter the cinema feeling so excited and yearning a new Nolan movie, and will leave feeling rather deflated and disappointed.

I went to the cinema to see this with a friend today (in IMAX), and both he and I (not to toot our own horns) would like to believe we are (at least mildly) intelligent. We are cinephiles and thoroughly enjoy our cinema visits, and are careful in which movies we select to see on the big screen.

Unfortunately, given the utter perplexion this movie bestows upon its audience, this leads to a displeasing dichotomy: either we are not as intelligent as we thought, or this movie isn't as well-written as Nolan's other movies. Both conclusions are equally terrifying to us (nerds).

About just over an hour after the movie begins is when things start to dissolve. At this point, I began thinking: "Gosh, I wish I could start the movie over again, but with subtitles on this time." And I felt that way for the entire rest of the film. There's many moments where I had to turn to my friend and mouth the words: "What did (s)he just say?", only to be met with repeated shrugs. The movie is 2.5 hours long, yet everything is incredibly fast-paced (to the point it has poor pacing); if you blink, you'll likely miss something very important.

Maybe it's my fault - maybe I briefly, for a few critical moments, let my attention slip, and therefore I'm to blame for my own confusion. Maybe this is another Nolan instant-classic, but unfortunately I'm not sure that's the case (for context, many didn't like Dunkirk for a number of reasons - I loved it, for many other reasons). I'd love to get into detail as to some of the specifics which truly baffled me in the second half of the film, but as I want this to remain a spoiler-free review, I won't delve in.

And, for the avoidance of doubt: the action set-pieces, the soundtrack, and the cinematography were all phenomenal. Just not really too sure the plot was quite up to standard, or necessarily well-executed. It was almost like a bad Bond movie, with a sup-par villain and a random Bond girl we're supposed to care about, but don't because... well, we just don't, and I think the script/dialogue is largely to blame for these characters we feel apathy towards.

I do hope if you're reading this and you do decide to go see it, that you understand it better than I did. I will rewatch it at some point, but I certainly won't be paying to see it a second time in the cinema! I'd rather not pay good money to be put in a bad mood. If I wanted that, I'd go do some mathematical equations.

And finally, for those saying this is a movie you have to go see twice - I don't doubt that that's true. But I don't think it's fair to expect an audience to be disappointed in a movie and only appreciate it on second viewing. Inception, Memento and Interstellar were clever films too, but you were able to follow them and didn't need to see them twice to enjoy them.

From the very first episode, this is a show which grabs your attention and rarely ever eases up. This gritty drama has all the features you could hope for to ensure a great experience: a strong cast, an enticing plot, grizzly violence, excellent cinematography and editing, and stunning action sequences and choreography.

My one gripe about this series - and it's moreso an observation - is that the first half feels stronger than the second half. There's something about the final couple of episodes in particular that feels slightly... lacklustre (?) compared to the previous ones. But given how excellent the previous episodes were, this means any difference in quality seems more noticeable, so this really is a minor complaint.

I'm fully satisfied with this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys quality British drama series (rated 18+). Very excited to see where things head in season 2.

The writing in this season has taken a noticeable dip in quality. This episode in particular wasn't poor overall - it had some redeeming qualities, including the Alex's past plotline. However there are certain recurring features which detract from the overall quality.

Squabbling and petty conflicts amongst our favourite characters have been shoehorned in at every opportunity, and this episode demonstrates this repeatedly. The Donna vs Harvey vs Louis scene in particular was ridiculous. They're all made to bicker with one another even though those characters wouldn't normally over something so petty. These unnatural conflicts have been manufactured in an attempt to keep us interested, because the bravado of the storytelling isn't up to par. And we know how pointless this filler-conflict is because by the end of the episode everything's back to normal and the silly disputes are long forgotten about.

Suits didn't used to need to manufacture these pointless conflicts, because it had a solid season-to-season storyline which was always building in the background. This season (and last season, arguably) has been a completely mish-mash so far.

I really hope the rest of the season improves, but I doubt it will. It's a shame that what was once a 10/10 show (seasons 1-4, perhaps beyond) has become one which I roll my eyes at nearly every other scene due to the poor writing.

I love Suits, I love these characters, and I love the cast. It's such a shame to see them having to run with these mediocre scripts.

I, like most (reasonable) fans, was fairly reserved in my criticisms of this season as it was unfolding. I didn't think it would be fair to judge it before it had ended, given that things could be further developed/explained in later episodes (e.g. everyone complaining that Ghost didn't get petted by Jon in episode 4 - you can all shut up now). However, now that the show has come to a close, the season as a whole can be reviewed.

This season started off strong: episode 1 was more or less well-received, and successfully set the scene for the coming episodes. It ended effectively with a scene of sheer horror, foreshadowing the arrival of the Night King at Winterfell.

Episode 2 - to my, and everyone else's, surprise - seemed to be more of the same as episode 1. There was lots of dialogue and there were some very character-heavy moments. This is not a bad thing. If you rewatch previous Game of Thrones seasons - especially the earlier ones - they were largely dominated by such conversations. That being said, the specifics of episodes 1 and 2 unfold such that we are led to believe that we are seeing many of our beloved characters for the last time; indeed, in the "Inside the Episode", Dan & Dave (the showrunners) even alluded to this. The episode was beautifully done, but in retrospect I feel cheated (that feeling is, in essence, how I feel about the season overall).

This is because in episode 3 (which, to be clear, is a phenomenal episode) all of the characters we believed we were seeing for the final time shrugged off death - literally, death - as if it was nothing. We were fooled several times during the episode and led to believe that our favourites were in real danger, when they were not. I don't think I'll be able to watch this episode again without screaming at the TV: "YOU SHOULD BE DEAD!". Grey Worm, Brienne, Jaime, Sam, Sam, Sam (that's not a typo - multiple by 50 and that's how many times Sam should've died that episode), and others.

I do not take issue with Arya killing the Night King. I do, however, take issue with the uselessness of Bran (more on that later), and how quickly the Night King was defeated. I strongly believe that Jon and the NK should have had a duel, which resulted in Jon being defeated. Then, Arya killing the NK would have felt much more impactful, since we would have felt the true odds of the battle and the danger of him and his army in defeating Jon - given he has had the thickest plot armour for quite some time now.

It also feels slightly underwhelming, in retrospect, that the one we were led to believe was the true threat and villain (the NK and his army) was dealt with so swiftly and easily. I know the purpose behind this was to demonstrate that the true threat to our characters has always been one another, but this makes the NK and his army feel like an empty threat (and not just in this season, but will be the case for all seasons when rewatching).

Episode 4 also put me in the minority: I liked the episode. The only thing I could really criticise - in retrospect - is how effective the Scorpions (the big crossbow weapons) seemed against the dragons, yet how useless they were in the following episode.

Episode 5 is another masterpiece - in isolation (pretty much anything Miguel Sapochnik touches turns to gold). I am still torn on Dany's decision, if you can even call it that. I do not believe Dany has it in her to rationally commit genocide. I do, however, believe that given all the loss which she had suffered in such a short time, and consequently how alone she must have been in that moment following so many betrayals, that she could have snapped. But from her scenes in the finale, it appears we are meant to believe that that indeed IS her rationality. This - to me - is unbelievable, as it is incongruous to her behaviour and personality which we have studied for over 7 seasons. To have this "snap" of Dany's character in so few episodes makes it feel incredibly rushed. I look forward to rewatching all seasons of the show (knowing how Dany ends up) and looking for more subtle clues in her development which point to this being inevitable.

And finally, the finale: I've never felt so indifferent in all my life. George R. R. Martin wanted his story to have a bittersweet ending, yet this is almost entirely bitter. There's too much for me to go over, so I'll be sparing. I find it ridiculous that the Stark children apparently win the Westeros lottery: Bran becomes King of the 6 Kingdoms, Sansa becomes Queen in the North, Arya sails off into the sunset, and Jon's life is spared and he gets to live out the rest of his days in the place where he truly belongs. Sorry - what? This isn't right. Bran becoming King - after doing absolutely nothing ever since he fell out that damn window - feels so undeserved. He was useless for the entire season, and contributed nothing - yet he now rules the 6 Kingdoms? It doesn't sit right with me at all, and I can't accept it. Even though there were several scenes which I really liked in the finale and thought were perfect, the episode itself was far from it. I'm not sure what would have been the "perfect" ending, but this surely can't be it.

I cannot complete this review without doing justice to one of the best characters on the show: Cersei Lannister. This season has been an insult to her: she did nothing but drink wine, look out a window, and cry. She deserves so much better (that being said, I do not take issue with the way she died).

To be clear, above I have highlighted a lot of my complaints with the season; these are more or less my only complaints. I actually liked every episode except for the finale, and enjoy most of them in isolation. At the end of the day, this is still better than pretty much anything else on television (except for the finale).

A final note: nobody seems to be paying attention to the fact that George R. R. Martin has co-produced this entire season. D&D are getting all the hate, despite George telling D&D the way his books will end, and overseeing this finale and them putting it together. He cannot escape criticism. Sorry, George, but you had better find a way to wrap your books up far better than this.

All in all, this season has been an unfortunate way to end the best television series of all time. I wish HBO had pushed D&D harder, and demanded more seasons/episodes, so that this finale wouldn't have felt so rushed and unpolished.

It appears Ramsay was right all along: "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."

RIP Daenerys Targaryen; RIP Game of Thrones

I'm at a loss for words. I feel defeated: utterly devastated and empty. This is not what I was expecting - or hoping - to feel after this episode at all.

George R. R. Martin said he was hoping his series would have a bittersweet ending. If the finale is anything like tonight's episode, he'll have certainly achieved that...

Having just finished watching the episode moments ago, I'm in total shock. Over the past 90 minutes, the writers, Miguel Sapochnik (the immensely talented director), and the cast have bombarded me with every emotion imaginable. I've screamed, clapped, cheered, and begged - all whilst on the edge of my seat - leaving me torn and in tears as the credits rolled.

I don't think there's any description I can give which will do this episode justice. This is masterful television; the pinnacle of excellence. If you haven't seen this yet: prepare yourself - and indulge. You'll come out of it an emotional wreck, but feel so fulfilled and glad that you did.

10/10.

After last week's episode, I was beginning to think things were looking up for TWD (and not just because of the cliffhanger ending - quite the opposite, in fact). Last week's episode was filled with intrigue and suspense, yet this week's episode has been the complete opposite: everything went just as you'd have guessed it would have. It was painfully predictable, and because the writers played it so safe this week - despite there being lots of potential for danger - it was a boring episode overall.

The Kingdom group perform a completely pointless (filler) exercise by going to a cinema to retrieve...a lightbulb? Really? Is this the best you can do? And Carol acted completely out of character at the end of the episode, when she insisted they carry on with the "mission" to retrieve the lightbulb, despite it now being more dangerous than ever to do. Yet another cliché implementation, where two characters swap perspectives from beginning of the episode to the end: Ezekiel says it's too risky and they should leave it, and Carol becomes the reckless one (juxtaposed with their beliefs at the start of the episode). Totally illogical and betrays everything we know of her character and what she's been through (she would never put herself and others in danger for something so useless, after all of the loss she's suffered and the cost which silly mistakes can make).

The young male from Hilltop - his name isn't relevant as if his character keeps going the way he's going he'll be dead by the end of the season - is becoming increasingly frustrating to watch. He's the typical moron character making all the bad choices which makes the viewer roll their eyes - over and over again, episode after episode.

I will admit, I am still hopeful with what can come from the Whisperers. I am certain, however, that this episode was an utter disappointment. That being said, truthfully, I'm more often surprised when TWD is good these days than when it is poor - which is a clear sign of how far the show has fallen from what it once was.

**Side note: I wonder who's paying people to write all these fake-reviews each week giving each episode 10/10 regardless of quality (or lack thereof).**

In the run-up to the 2016 referendum, nobody in the UK - or elsewhere, for that matter - genuinely believed that Vote Leave would win (similarly to the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election result). It seemed more or less incomprehensible that Remain would be defeated. This is arguably evidenced by the fact that there were no rules set out for the referendum and the meaning of its outcome (e.g. that it should require more than a measly 2% majority to invoke such major Constitutional upheaval) and that David Cameron resigned almost immediately thereafter.

This energetic and witty film explores just how the rug was swept out from under us all, and highlights how dangerous social media can be when used as a weapon. Unsurprisingly, Benedict Cumberbatch gives yet another engrossing performance, with an impressive and entertaining ensemble as well.

Whether you were politically-engaged in relation to the referendum or completely overwhelmed by all the jargon (and utter lies), this is an insightful drama well worth a watch. Although, don't expect it to outline what is certain to happen next in the Brexit saga: that'll be down to the fool at the helm of the ship, and her band of dim-witted and utterly divided crew.

"The whole thing ends up being a double-gimmick as well: not only does The Walking Dead pull a fake-out on Rick being dead, but it sidesteps the ramifications of that story decision by jumping into the future." (Bryan, The Verge)

I can't express my sense of disappointment with this episode better than the above quote which manages to perfectly encapsulate it.

To be clear: we do not get to see the immediate aftermath of this episode's action. The time-jump which we see at the end of the episode (to the grown-up Judith) wasn't an isolated future-tease. That is where we take up from next episode. Which is a total cop-out.

Not only did the writers lack the decency to send Rick off in a truly heroic way, they just had to undercut what could have been one of the most emotional and memorable episodes of the series by faking Rick's death. And we don't get to see any more Rick, or what happens to him. AMC Twitter confirmed this.

What AMC have done, though - in their typical greedy behaviour - is to sign on Andrew Lincoln (Rick) for 3 The Walking Dead movies.

I thought after the fan-reactions to the fake-out Glenn deaths, the writers would've learned their lesson. Apparently not. Quite disappointing, given the fact that the show has dipped in quality severely, and ratings are at an all-time-low.

Any hopes that The Walking Dead could redeem itself and be remembered as a bold, powerful TV drama are now gone.

RIP Rick Grimes, and RIP The Walking Dead.

As far as action/monster movies go, this is a pretty decent movie. You can tell that this movie was intended to appeal to a wider audience from the comedic appeal (which was very well done). The humour wasn't cringe-y, it seemed to come naturally for the great cast.

However, if you walked into the cinema - like I did - hoping this would be an excellent addition to the franchise, then you may end up disappointed.

It's not particularly exciting, the characters don't feel as though they're in any danger (and when they finally are we don't really care), and the humour is done in abundance which undercuts any tension or fear of the Predators which would otherwise have arisen.

The Predators (2010) movie - whilst not a very great movie in itself - was a much better Predator movie than this.

Final note to writers: you don't have to add something brand new and evolutionary to make a good Predator sequel. A Predator is - as we have learnt through many movies - a fierce warrior, who is near unstoppable. So why then did there have to be a new Mega-Predator here? This was completely unnecessary and just undermines the power of the (now) "ordinary" Predators. And what was the purpose of the dog-Predators? There's quite a number of other issues I had with this movie, but these were some of the most glaringly obvious ones.

5/10. Wouldn't bother rushing to the cinema to see this if you're a die-hard Predator fan (although if you are then - like myself - you're unlikely to be convinced by this and will have to see for yourself).

I'm sure I am not alone in that I can recall the night of November 13th, 2015.

I, like many others, was first made aware of the happenings in Paris with the report of explosions at the France v Germany game. Initially, there was confusion as to the source of the explosion, with differing news channels making conflicting reports.

From then onward, however, the evening only became darker as the horror grew and the scale of what was really happening became clear. It seemed unimaginable at the time, having gone from the mysterious explosions at the stadium to the sheer devastation at the Bataclan; it seemed like it would never end.

When it inevitably did, the whole world was traumatised. Nobody could have ever expected something so large-scale and harrowing to have occurred in one of the most liberating locations in the world. But in its aftermath, Paris - and the rest of the world - became stronger as a result.

This deeply moving and chilling documentary gives a new perspective to the night of November 13th and the attacks which took place all across Paris. It reminds us how many countless lives these tragedies affected, and encourages us to remain resilient in the face of terrorism.

This is not a documentary to be missed.

Having not seen the original movie and only tidbits of the trailer, I didn't really know what to expect when walking into the cinema this evening. Someone described the movie as 'The Goonies' meets 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' - this turned out to be an extremely accurate description!

The opening scene seems to suggest that the movie will be very dark, yet these expectations are quickly dispersed as the horror is undercut by comedy. This happens repeatedly throughout the film: and it works. My friends and I (as well as the entire packed cinema) found ourselves gasping at scenes of sheer terror, then only moments later laughing hysterically at the banter between the main characters.

I would say that this is not a film for the faint of heart, yet I think even those individuals would find themselves enjoying 'It'. If not for the horror, then certainly for the comedy and camaraderie. It's as if this is a movie within a movie: a mix of a high-school-problems/coming-of-age movie and a horror. A brilliant two-for-one if you ask me!

Great acting from all of the cast as well as excellent writing make this movie a must watch!

Alien: Covenant has a familiar narrative: a crew on a mission in space encounter an alien lifeform, become "infected" and have to fight for their survival. Yet this doesn't feel like a remake of the original Alien movie, or a sub-par spin-off. This feels fresh and exciting; breathing life into the saga once more.

The movie didn't feel slow at any point in time - despite the fact that it does spend a fair amount of time building up - and didn't feel too long. The writing, directing, and pacing are all excellent: Ridley Scott's signature recipe.

Without giving anything away, we see the return of a (very) familiar face, although major developments have been made since our last encounter, which are - thankfully - well explained. We are given answers (although not all) to questions raised previously, and given the information needed to chronologically connect Alien: Covenant to the rest of the saga. This movie goes to great lengths to redeem and justify the preceding Prometheus movie.

All in all, Alien: Covenant is a fantastic addition to the Alien franchise. If you are a fan of the Alien movies and were left feeling at all disheartened after Prometheus, I can recommend this movie to you without reservation. Not only does it make up for Prometheus' shortfalls, it infinitely adds to the saga, before carefully setting up for further instalments. The combination of revelations from and developments since Prometheus, engaging cast members, plot twists, commitment to staying true to its roots and simultaneous innovations, make for a stellar watch.

This episode did not disappoint; all of the action, heartbreak, suspense and horror - typical of a ninth episode of Game of Thrones - were present.

I was surprised to see Daenerys and Tyrion featured at all, never mind Theon and Yara. I expected it to be akin to season four's episode nine battle, which spent the entire duration focusing on the battle. This particular episode did not - like last season's Hardhome - and I believe this diversity of story lines is part of what makes this so spectacular.

Daenerys' storyline was nicely wrapped up, albeit briskly, and has already began setting up for next season as we can clearly see where she's headed: Westeros! The slave masters surely won't be foolish enough to attempt another siege on Meereen once Daenerys and the gang have left - Drogon saw to that.

The main battle was, at first, a total disaster. Jon did exactly what Ramsay wanted him to, which is exactly what Sansa told him not to. His inability to adapt and take on the advice of his sister almost cost him his life, and the lives of all of his soldiers. Luckily, Sansa foresaw this defeat and sent a raven to Littlefinger, changing her mind and requesting the aid of the Knights of the Vale. They arrived just in time - like it or not - and turned the tides in the Starks' favour. Ramsay, as predicted, fled back to Winterfell with his tail between his legs when he saw his men fall. He may be sadistic and he may know how to toy with people, but he's no military expert and he most certainly shouldn't have killed his father, Roose Bolton; he could've used his cunning mind ahead of this battle.

Nevertheless, we finally got what we've all been waiting for. But was it satisfying enough? Jon's pummelling of his wretched face made me cheer in front of the screen, encouraging him to go on. I was frustrated when he paused, but the way he went out was so fitting and felt like justice. The fear that crept into his voice as he realised how he was going to die made it all the more pleasing. Ramsay was, for once, truly afraid, and that may have been most the pleasing thing of all. Sansa's smirk at the end of the episode mirrors how we all felt watching that scene: euphoric. He got what he deserved.

Sadly, being the ninth episode of the season, this now means there's only a single episode left for us to watch this year. Thankfully, it's going to be the longest episode we've ever had, and we've got a lot to look forward to.

Farewell, Bastard.

In the very first scene, with Sansa and Littlefinger, Sansa expresses her distrust towards him and further proves to the audience that she is - finally - learning. She even learnt from him (the very best) and chose not to tell Jon about where she got her information from. Littlefinger is shown to be in great discomfort in this scene, which is a rare sight for one of the most quietly intimidating and powerful people in all of Westeros.

Varys - another man of knowledge and power - was made very uncomfortable in this episode as he was confronted with his greatest fear/enemy: magic. It was so very strange seeing both Littlefinger and Varys in their states, yet it was a gentle reminder that nobody is entirely invulnerable. As a wise man once said: power resides where men believe it resides.

We were also treated to another emotional, albeit short, scene with Daenerys and Jorah, in which we receive a long-awaited pardon. Jorah declares his love for Daenerys, and in return she finally forgives him for his treason. She sends him away with a (final?) mission: find a cure for his greyscale. Unfortunately, I'm not too confident that he'll actually find that cure, or even if they'll meet again, but I can only be optimistic and pray that he does and they do.

Euron Greyjoy has won the King's Moot; alas, he was too late and as a result, Yara and Theon have escaped with (seemingly) all of the ships. Where will they go? Will they head over to Meereen themselves and implement Euron's plan before he can? It seems unlikely, but I'm not sure where else they can go. At least we now know Daenerys will have her ships soon!

Arya's training seems to have been stunted once more. Jaqen seems very skeptical of her and her ability to serve the Many-Faced God. Perhaps, if things don't go according to plan for Arya with her next mission, we'll see her leaving Braavos sooner than expected.

The final scene was completely traumatising. Bran! You mustn't linger too long or you'll drown! Do the Starks ever listen? Had he been more careful this tragedy could have been avoided. I was not expecting to see the White Walkers in this episode, nor was I expecting the death of the Three Eyed Raven, Hodor, and Summer (Bran's direwolf). We learnt how Hodor became Hodor and witnessed the tragedy unfold before us. It was honestly heartbreaking. Hodor died fighting and doing what he always had done so well: protecting Bran.

I do sincerely hope that Bran has learnt enough in his time in training and that he can put to good use what he's been taught. He's one of the final pieces of the puzzle to defeating the White Walkers, so his survival is absolutely paramount.

No King's Landing or Ramsay storyline in this episode, sadly, but we've next week to look forward to, and I imagine it will be quite eventful given all the tricks both Cersei and the High Sparrow have up their sleeves.

This episode's culmination marks the halfway point for season six - can you believe we're here already? With only five episodes to go, I'm already starting to fear for the end of the season.

I could not fault this episode if I tried to.

Dan & Dave clearly aren't waiting around with all of their story lines. They've got a lot to cover and after last season's somewhat underwhelming aftertaste, they're evidently eager to prove they've got what it takes - especially now that we're ahead of the books.

Bran is back (and walking!), and he's much more advanced with his powers than when we last left him. We were treated this episode to seeing a younger Ned, Lyanna, Benjen, and Hodor. As one of the Children said, he won't be there forever, so I'm excited to see where Bran heads off to later this season.

Tommen, Jaime and Cersei are going to be the fiercest family in Westeros this season. Tommen is even asking for his mother's help. Oh, sweet summer child, if only he knew what he was asking for. Did anyone else flinch when the Mountain (Cersei's colossal knight in shining armour) smashed that commoner's skull against the wall? I thought back to Oberyn's unfortunate encounter with him and immediately shuddered. He's going to be problematic for the Faith; it's only a matter of time.

Tyrion and dragons. Holy sh*t. Hilarious and exciting: "I'm friends with your mother..." He probably knows more about them than Daenerys! I was so worried that Tyrion would announce he intends to free the dragons from captivity but then we'd have to wait a few episodes until that actually happened. I was delighted to see him descending those steps in this episode and chatting with Viserion and Rhaegal as if he'd known them for years.

Ramsay isn't waiting around either. As soon as Walda gave birth to a baby boy, Ramsay knew he had to make a move. I just wasn't expecting him to move so quickly! Now that he's Lord Bolton, Warden of the North, I'm so looking forward to him meeting Jon.

The Greyjoys are back, and it's time for a new face. Euron Greyjoy has firmly shoved his older, much more unpleasant brother out of his way, and will likely try to compete with Yara for the throne of the Iron Islands.

Arya also - thank goodness - is learning quickly, and has already made progress. The Faceless Man is escorting her back to the House of Black and White, where she'll continue her training. Arya is yet another character which is going to kick ass this season, and she's still got some more names to cross off of that list of hers.

Something many feared would occur was that Jon wouldn't return until around halfway through the season and we'd be eagerly awaiting that episode with everything preceding it being sub-par. Well, this goes to show that Dan & Dave aren't waiting about: he's back!

I can't wait to see everyone at Castle Black's reactions when they find out he's alive again - especially Ser Alliser and Olly. Melisandre is going to have a field day when she finds out she wasn't wrong after all.

This episode has left me with nothing but confidence for the rest of this season; it will live up to and excel beyond the brilliance of season four.

We're in for the best season of Game of Thrones yet.

Selecting this movie on Netflix this evening the only thing I knew about it was the genre, which wasn't a very promising start. But in the first few moments - as Maddie is cooking herself dinner, overloading our senses with profound audio and visuals - I knew this was going to be something special.

I'd go as far as saying that this is a genre re-defining movie.

You'd think a trait as simple as deafness would have a relatively minor impact on the movie, but you'd be wrong: totally wrong. Maddie's deafness is what makes this movie totally unique in its genre as it adds an element which many of us likely have never considered having to worry about.

The perspective changes throughout the movie to heighten tension and add to the already ominous atmosphere. Just when Maddie turns her back or closes the door, all of a sudden you go deaf too. You're drawn into the house and trapped alongside Maddie in sheer terror as you both struggle to ascertain where the assailant is; it's honestly petrifying.

Of course, there are the regular genre clichés present: an unsuspecting friend shows up, several attempts at escaping are tried and failed, and there are many close-calls where the man almost gets in yet she just manages to close the door/window in time. But those clichés are often turned on their heads, such as when her escape attempt fails and her head is brutally smashed in, and then it's revealed to have only been a premonition.

In the end, Maddie is able to use her weakness to her advantage as she disables the man by using her unbelievably powerful fire alarm to deafen him. I was glad to see her get the better of him, but I can't help but feel as though the ending would've been more fitting if she died on the floor with him then and there. I'm not sure where she found the energy to stand up, walk outside, and sit on the front porch for help to arrive - but that's one of very few gripes in an otherwise excellent movie.

In short, if you enjoy horrors, yet - like me - you're tired of the same old crap: watch Hush. Frankly, it's great, and shows that there is still hope for the horror/thriller genre.

I don't think some people actually understand what can be done during a season premiere.

There are many character arcs and plot lines which must be planted and set up for the rest of the season. Season premieres are not meant to thrust you into the action of Hardhome or the heartbreak of the Red Wedding: they are meant to reintroduce you to the world of Westeros.

And that is exactly what this episode achieved.

Honestly, I was really impressed with this episode. We got to see almost all of the major characters, despite the relatively short run-time in comparison with other episodes.

Sansa and Brienne have finally been brought together. It seems as though Sansa's come to her senses at last and realised that when a killing-machine like Brienne swears her allegiance to you, you don't say no. This is Game of Thrones. You win or you die, and Sansa's come pretty close to dying too many times already.

Is there anything more satisfying than listening in on a conversation between two of the most intellectual and witty characters in Essos? Tyrion and Varys were brilliant together - as you'd imagine - and I can't wait to see how the two of them handle Meereen after the events of last season in the Daznak pit.

I was completely caught off guard by Doran and Trystane being murdered. I don't think anybody quite expected that in the season premiere. This goes to show that Dan and Dave heard our criticisms last year of the Sandsnakes and Dorne, and have immediately gone straight for the jugular. The Sandsnakes are actually proving to be a threat and aren't giving stripteases in jail cells any longer.

Cersei is going to kick ass this season. She's realised that the witch's prophecy is being fulfilled and in order to try to counteract it becoming a total reality she's going to become more protective over Tommen, her last surviving child, than a bear over her cubs.

We got a brief introduction to Arya and witnessed how she's struggling with her latest problem. Last season Arya was in training, but left the training room too soon and was punished by the Many-Faced-God for it. Hopefully she'll be able to quickly learn from her mistakes and pick herself back up again soon.

For a Khal, Khal Moro seems relatively respectful. I was half expecting him to behead Daenerys on the spot as soon as she hissed at him, yet he's clearly not like the other Khals.

As you can see, this episode was quite impressive in the characters that it covered, but we are still yet to see Littlefinger, Bran, Sam, and some other new faces.

I'd really like to see the trials of Margaery and Loras get underway soon, or at least let them be free by the Mother's Mercy as Cersei has been. Hearing that big oaf of a Septa saying "confess" incessantly is becoming rather tiresome.

Also, please don't forget how action-packed the season five finale was. That episode was so dense that this episode was necessary to tie up what happened last season.

Were some people expecting to see Jon jump up from the table or something? If you were paying attention in last season's finale, you'd have noticed how sullen and defeated Melisandre looked. Why? Because everything she thought she saw she didn't. She was so confident in herself - in her visions - and she was wrong. She is in turmoil, and it's going to take some incredible motivation to convince her that Jon is their only hope for survival. Just look at the final scene of the episode: she stripped away all of her clothing and magic and revealed her true self, which is something she's never done before and she'd only do if she felt utterly hopeless. Once she's found herself and she's committed to serving the Lord of Light again, then we can hope to see something happen with Jon.

All in all, I'm thrilled with how this episode turned out. It did exactly what a season premiere aims to achieve, and more.

Absolutely disgraceful.

This is one of the single greatest disappointments in television. They choked. Again.

After such a great season, they threw it all away in this absolute waste of a 90 minute finale. You could skip this episode and not have missed anything at all, since we won't find out what happened until October.

Honestly, how did they think this would go down? Did they think that fans would love this episode after a stupid cliffhanger like that? I'm simply furious. All of that hype, all of that suspense - and for what? A six month wait? Nah, this is how you break a television show.

Screw you, Robert Kirkman/Scott Gimple. You had written the best season yet, and you just went and ruined it with this tragic ending. You've gotten greedy, and you're - thankfully - being called out for it.

On the bright side, at least we're all in agreement that this was the dumbest idea ever. I hope they feel awful for this sh*t.

This is a film which forces you to think differently. Boy A completely shifts its focus from the typical media perspective and instead chooses to concentrate on the one(s) being vilified.

Before watching Boy A, I reminded myself about the facts of the James Bulger case. It's painfully clear that this film was intended to force viewers to have a new perspective on the case and its perpetrators: Venables and Thompson. In both the film and the case, there are: two schoolboys skipping class and getting up to no good, an unspeakable act of sheer horror, and prosecution by both the judiciary and mainstream media. The most heartbreaking allusion that the film makes to the case, though, is in its use of the train tracks. The train tracks are where James Bulger, at only two years old, was sickeningly abused and ultimately killed by the two boys, depicted by the media at the time as Child A and Child B.

Both Eric and Philip have very troubled backgrounds and as a result their morals and values have been entirely skewed. Eric, at least, seemed to lose his sense of knowing right from wrong the longer he was around Philip and subject to his brash, violent nature; the more exposed he was to Philip, the more detached he became from humanity.

Was Eric a bad person? From everything we've seen, no: it seems as though an abusive father, a detached mother, an unsupportive and inadequate school system, and bullying all had a detrimental impact on the growth and development of this young boy. Eric did kill (or at least take part in the killing of) a schoolgirl, and took part in some other very violent acts too; however, this only occurred after he had been exposed to and influenced by Philip for some time. Jack, on the other hand, is one of the most friendly, caring, and vulnerable individuals you'll ever see on-screen - he is totally at odds with Eric. This juxtaposition is excellently handled by the director through the use of flashback to simultaneously introduce us to both Eric and Jack whilst distinguishing the two.

Additionally, it must be noted that the schoolgirl whom Eric and Philip kill is not revealed to be entirely innocent, kind, or vulnerable. Instead, she's portrayed as an arrogant, rude, distasteful little girl. Her attire and well-spoken nature lead the audience to believe she's from a wealthy background, whereas Eric and Philip are the complete opposite. This makes it even more difficult to watch as we know that the schoolgirl is the victim, but ultimately so are Eric and Philip.

A scene which I found especially perplexing was the one in which the pair of them catch a fish and Philip then proceeds to beat the fish within an inch of its life, only to toss it back into the water. He admits that he knows the fish won't survive, yet he's still chosen to release it back into the water rather than show it mercy. This speaks volumes for the way in which young offenders are handled in the justice system. Is rehabilitation truly effective? Can it have a beneficial impact on the offenders? Or by the time they're finally released back into society has the damage already been done too significant?

The drawing we see at the end of the film by the little girl indicates that she sees Jack as a hero. This further reinforces the idea that it's all a matter of perspective. In a past life, Eric used his knife to kill a schoolgirl; but to this little girl, Jack is a hero who used his knife to save her. This stark contrast goes to show how much an individual can change, as Jack's mentor, Terry, identifies when he reflects on how far Jack has come since he met him all those years ago. This notion, then, seems to answer the questions raised earlier in the film as to whether or not rehabilitation is actually effective: we can see from Jack's behaviour and his progress that rehabilitation can and does work. Unfortunately, though, once someone has been broken into so many pieces and they've been put back together, it only takes the most gentle upset for it all to come crashing down again.

In the end, we're led to believe that he jumped. Jack admits that, as Terry often told him, Eric is dead - in his past. But now that his past has been brought up again, it has consequently resulted in the destruction of Jack: his new identity. This leads him to a sense of hopelessness as he realises he's trapped between two worlds and they're collapsing against one another, pinning him in between until he shatters. This leaves us with a bleak message: we, the public, have ultimately caused Jack to take his own life. What makes this far more serious is that public intervention actually has resulted in the deaths of innocent people, such as Scott Bradley, who was wrongly identified as being Venables. As a result of his misidentification, he was harassed, vilified, and took his own life; an innocent man died at the hands of the public's persecution.

If you enjoyed Boy A and the way it encouraged you to see from a different perspective, then I urge you to watch "The Dirties", which deals with bullying in schools and the consequences which can arise from neglecting to address it.

All in all, Boy A is a highly thought-provoking and devastating film, which ask us to pause and reflect on our treatment of young offenders and consider that there may - and indeed likely is - more going on than that which is portrayed by the media. Only once we take a step back and contemplate our crucification of these children can we effectively pinpoint what causes such tragedies to occur and prevent them from happening ever again.

RIP Jamie Bulger.

With only one episode left to go in season six, things are coming down to the wire: Carol is wounded and still missing; Maggie is having pregnancy-related issues; Glenn, Michonne, and Rosita have been captured; and Daryl has been shot. Evidently, this episode was filled with cliffhangers and plot-building for the season finale, which will certainly be an episode to remember.

In one of the first scenes after the opening credits, a Johnny Cash song could be heard: "It's all over, it's all over, my heart echoed it's all over...I was broken in a million little pieces..." These lyrics perfectly describe both Alexandria and our characters in this episode, and they most certainly will apply in next week's finale as well.

Juxtaposed with the music are the scenes unfolding before our eyes. We see nothing but peace and happiness amongst our survivors; they've almost forgotten it's the end of the world. Rick is actually deluded enough to think they're untouchable and impenetrable. The events which will soon take place will prove just how foolish this assumption was.

Carol is the first of our survivors broken in a million little pieces. Her hyperventilating returned, she had her rosary in one hand, and she began crying and pleaded with the Saviours to not force her to kill them - just like how she was two episodes ago when she had to kill Paula. Once again, she seemed so weak and frightened (like a nervous little bird) but, for the second time, she was able to ignore her moral compass and kill in order to survive. She had a trick up her sleeve and was able to kill almost all of them in one swift action. This demonstrates that Carol is a killer right to her core: even when her heart is telling her to stop, her mind is forcing her to act to save herself.

If I'm honest, this surprised me. In last week's episode, Carol admitted she could no longer kill for anyone, so I figured that she certainly wouldn't kill for herself if she wasn't prepared to kill for those she loves. Either that, or she was incorrect and she would be able to kill again. Plainly, the latter ended up being the case, further underlining that Carol's survival instincts supersede her own desires.

Something to bear in mind, though, is that Carol left her rosary behind. TWD writers love symbolism, thus, this could mean that Carol now truly has reached the point of no return and will no longer be able to kill. Additionally, the fact that one of the Saviours picks it up marks a change in power and foreshadows the impending doom that is Negan.

Morgan and Rick have been battling it out for the entire season. Both have been keen to preach their philosophies to the Alexandrians, and each are eager to see their own philosophy embedded in the constitution of Alexandria; however, up until now, both have been totally at odds with one another and in utter disagreement over which is more effective and better for survival. But in this episode, Rick seemed to change his mind. He chose to put his faith in Morgan and his philosophy that 'all life is precious' by returning home and allowing Morgan to go after Carol on his own. This is a big deal for Rick, as he points out: "You don't even know Carol," whereas Rick and Carol are family. I fear that this is the worst possible time for Rick to trust Morgan, though, as with Negan coming in next week's episode, we'll all soon learn that there can be no room for doubt.

What surprised me the most was that Daryl went after Dwight and not Carol. This is very telling for his character as it indicates to us that his mind isn't where it should be, and that he - like Carol - is in a million little pieces. He's letting regret get the better of him and now his feeling of regret will be even worse as his refusal to return to Alexandria has put the lives of even more of our survivors in jeopardy.

And what was with that final cliffhanger? I mean obviously he's not dead as it's too ambiguous, but he's certainly severely wounded. This marks the lowest point for Daryl in the show so far, as he was foolish in the first place to believe Morgan's philosophy and allow Dwight to get the better of him (when Daryl first met Dwight and he was robbed and left for dead by him), then in last week's episode he failed to kill Dwight (by the train tracks), and in this episode he was too stubborn to see that he wasn't thinking rationally and was putting everyone in danger. When Glenn urged him to turn around, he simply said:"I can't." Never have we known Daryl to be a slave to anything, but right now he's a slave to his regret and emotions, which has just put them all in grave danger.

Symbolically, Daryl's actions make it impossible to identify which philosophy works. He exercised Morgan's initially, but when that failed he implemented Rick's, but that failed too. As a result, now they're all screwed. This seems to suggest neither philosophy is entirely flawless, but that survival perhaps lies somewhere between Morgan and Rick's competing ideologies - or somewhere else altogether.

Finally, for anyone that watched the preview for next week's episode: holy sh*t. That's Lucille.

Be afraid; be very afraid...

This was another slow episode, but its staggered pacing didn't detract from the quality too much.

From the beginning, we immediately get the impression that the episode will be mundane, as we're shown seemingly identical clips of the same scenes three times. This is done primarily to emphasise the habits and routines which have arisen in Alexandria; more subtly, though, I think this sequence of repetitive scenes is there to act as a foreboding prelude to the impending chaos: the calm before the storm.

Admittedly, I get rather bored with secondary characters trying to overcompensate for their mediocrity by puffing their chests and asserting themselves to our favourites - yes, I'm talking about Eugene and Denise. That being said, both have powerful roles in this episode, demonstrating that their characters have grown and they have overcome their initial weaknesses. They have both adapted to the post-apocalyptic world, and are able to not only excel in their main areas of skill (medicine for Denise and engineering - I suppose? - for Eugene), but are also able to kill where they have to in order to survive. Interestingly, one of our veteran walker slaughterers seems to no longer be able to kill in order to survive, although her (Carol's) predicament is slightly different in that she is now refusing to kill people in order to survive, not walkers - more on that later.

Daryl is filled with regret in this episode, naturally. When he's rummaging through the motorcycle early on, he tells Carol that he should have killed Dwight. Carol gets up and leaves at this point, because she knows he's right - as she later reveals when they're burying Denise - but that alone isn't enough to convince her to stay. Then when they go out on the supply run, Daryl chooses to not take the tracks, and instead goes the long way around as the last time they followed the train tracks it led them to the 'Sanctuary' which turned out to be quite the opposite and almost got them all killed. But on their way back, Daryl - regrettably - ignores his gut instinct and decides to take the tracks, and is punished once more for his decisions by having Dwight kill Denise with his own crossbow. This makes me wonder if Daryl's third (and final?) mistake will be going after Carol in next week's episode...

Before Denise died, she had a very motivational and insightful speech. She wasn't just talking nonsense trying to rationalise her behaviour, she was able to liken her actions to Daryl's and Rosita's, and even make both of them feel vulnerable in that she understood them so well. And then, mid-speech, she's shot through the face with an arrow. So, now Alexandria has no doctor and no surgeon, and they're sure to need both in the events to come.

Abraham had an amazing one-liner yet again: "You'd have better luck picking up a turd from its clean-end." He and Eugene have an amusing relationship, as they've been through thick and thin together and are diametrically opposed characters, so their dialogue is always quite entertaining.

Looking ahead to the final two episodes of this season, this week's episode makes it so much more difficult to predict how the season will end. For the previous two episodes, which focused heavily on Carol, it seemed to surely be leading her down the path of no return; however, in the preview for next week's episode, it seemed to reveal that Daryl goes after Carol, which means Daryl is putting himself in harm's way for Carol's sake. And what was it that Carol's letter said at the end of this episode? "I can't kill for anyone." This leads me to believe that we'll likely see Carol put in a position where she has to kill again in order to save someone she cares about (Daryl), and she won't be able to do it.

On the other hand, it could be that Carol simply thinks she can't kill for anyone again, but when actually put in the position to do so, she will as it's now in her nature to protect those she cares about. Thinking back to last week's episode, she was able to easily kill for Maggie when she thought her baby was threatened, thus hopefully the same will apply in future.

In the final scene of the episode, in which we hear the chair rocking and the camera zooms in on Morgan, I was expecting the camera to turn towards the porch and reveal the Wolf that Morgan couldn't kill sitting on the chair, smiling at him hauntingly. A hallucination, of course, but that's what I expected to see.

With only two episodes remaining, I expect to see the body count continue to rise. This has probably been the bloodiest season yet, and with Negan still to be fully introduced, that's certain to continue.

These past two episodes have focused heavily on Carol, and for good reason: Carol has reached her breaking point.

In last week's episode, we saw her tallying up the people she'd killed - people, not walkers. She clearly felt remorseful, and began reflecting on all that she's done.

In this week's episode, we saw Carol at her weakest point in a long time. At first I thought (as many others did) that Carol was faking the hyperventilation, but it became clear with Maggie's shock and Carol's actions later in the episode that she genuinely was having an anxiety attack. But what for? What can she possibly be scared of now, when she's made it this far? Quite clearly, as she says at the end of the episode, what she's feared all along is having to kill again.

Indeed, that's why Carol gives the ominous warning to Paula that she should take Rick's deal - or else. Carol didn't want to be the one to have to kill her. She even admitted it herself when Paula asked if she'd kill her: "I hope not." Carol couldn't bear the thought of having to kill another person, hence why it seemed as though Maggie did all of the heavy lifting in this episode.

When she finally did kill Paula, you could see the utter dread and defeat in her eyes. She'd begged her to leave - begged her to run away so that Carol wouldn't have to do what she's done too many times. She even shot her in the arm to avoid finishing her off, as she has already done in this episode to one of Paula's accomplices. But she had to do it. Carol was forced to face the fact that she has to kill if she wants to survive and protect the ones she loves.

In fact, the only time in this episode that Carol mindlessly killed someone was when she saw the woman swing at Maggie's stomach. She didn't hesitate to put a bullet in her brain then. This goes to show that the badass Carol we all know and love is still in there, but she's only prepared to surface when she has to protect others - not herself. She said early on in the episode: "It doesn't matter what happens to me, just don't hurt Maggie; don't hurt the baby."

So, what does this all mean in the context of Carol's character arc? Honestly, it makes me fear for the future of Carol. The ending of the episode makes it difficult to tell where things will go next week, but these past couple of episodes certainly cast some doubts on Carol's future. Essentially, this mark's a turning point for Carol: she can either choose to ignore her feelings of remorse and come to terms with the fact that if she wants the ones she cares about to survive then she has to kill, or she can choose to shut down completely into a state of indifference and fail to do any more killing. Hopefully the latter of those two options won't materialise, but when Carol threw the match into the room of the Saviours and heard them burning alive, you could see just how broken she was. It's taking a massive toll on her, and we will likely see the effects of this in the coming episodes.

What's interesting, though, is that Paula was right and Carol was wrong. Carol said that Rick was a man of his word and that he wouldn't jeopardise their safety - and I think she honestly believed what she was saying - but it ended up being Paula who was correct when she said that they must have been far closer than Rick had said over the radio, as there was no static. Meaning, Rick likely lied to her and was going to attack the place anyways and take them by surprise. Once again, the writers effectively likened our survivors to Negan's Saviours, making it even more difficult for us to tell the difference. Either that, or Rick and the rest of our survivors just heard the screaming and gunshots or saw the smoke from the flames and came over then.

I have said it before and I'm about to say it again: season six has been fantastic so far. We've finally been given some truly excellent plot lines, and I'm now confident that this can and will continue. I'm very eager to see how they wrap this season up, but also fearful for the fate of our survivors...

Oh, and by the way, for those of you wondering: Negan's not dead.

Amazing.

Simply amazing.

The Walking Dead really has picked up its game this season. I am so impressed with their work that if this momentum continues until the end of the season, then I'd argue this could be the best season yet.

The tension was running so high in this episode that it honestly felt like such a relief when one of the Saviours finally pulled the alarm and we were no longer on edge and worrying about waking them all up. Of course, that's when the action truly began though. And my oh my was it incredible.

Seeing everyone work together so coherently as a team and kicking so much ass was like seeing a baby walk for the first time. It shows just how far they've come, and hopefully how much further they can go.

Plus, you know sh*t's getting serious when Father Gabriel kills someone. Amen.

I also loved the focus on Carol throughout the episode. Her presence and performance in this episode makes up for her lack thereof in the two preceding episodes. Although, I'm now fearful for her future as it seems as though she's now in the hands of Negan, and the way this episode was structured made it feel as though it was a character-exit episode; I hope I'm wrong and we don't see a repeat of what happened to Hershel...

The fact that we have to wait seven days before seeing what happens next is going to drive me insane, but this just goes to show what a remarkable job the writers are doing.

Excellent episode; keep 'em coming.

"This is how we eat."