Paper Moon

Gosh, let me start out by saying I enjoyed this episode so much.

                Supernatural went back to its roots!

                Season nine had a lot of the old “hunting” missing from the show, which was what Supernatural was all about way back in 2005. It used to be just the two boys saving people and hunting things (you know, the family business), and looking for their dad. Then we got some pretty heavy plot twists involved, and along the way that almost detective-like sense to the show went missing.

                But this episode brought it all back.

                I hadn’t realized how much I missed it. The sense of nostalgia was almost overpowering throughout the episode. From sassy comments and jokes to morality issues and brotherly “chick flick” moments, it brought back what the show had originally been about. Of course, there were mentions of Dean’s recent trauma, but it was mainly sidelined while the boys took down some werewolves. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but entertaining all the same.

                It was really enjoyable how the writers brought back a minor character from a previous season: the werewolf Kate, who we saw turned and in turn killed her boyfriend because he went psycho. Anyways, Kate was one of the few empowered females on the show, and while they don’t come around as often as they should, it doesn’t make them any less awesome. Kate is no exception. Despite her curse, she maintains her views of right and wrong, and does what she feels necessary to keep it that way. She goes so far as to kill her own sister, something we’ve seen the Winchesters be unable to do, even in the most hopeless situations. In the end, she managed to stay alive once again, something almost unheard of in the show. Way to go Kate!

                I laughed out loud when Dean told to get on his knees, and he responded with “Well, I’m awfully flattered but--” That’s the Dean we know and love: sexual innuendos and sarcasm. I also giggled a bit when Dean and Sam exchanged “I/You were a demon!” “Oh really I hadn’t noticed” multiple times throughout the episode. Despite the laughs, there were darker elements as well, like Dean discussing his depression or Sam reminding Dean of watching his death. This show plays on so many emotions, its hard NOT to get invested in the characters.

One thing I would’ve liked to see more during the episode was some hand-to-hand combat. I know Jared can’t do anything serious due to his shoulder injury, but Dean kicking some werewolf ass would’ve been awesome.

Missed last night’s episode? No worries! Check it out here.

Age of Ultron

THIS IS NOT A DRILL! AGE OF ULTRON TRAILER RELEASED. I REPEAT: THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

So, I may be a teensy bit excited about that.

But, come on. The movie doesn’t debut until May of 2015, so any little tidbits we may get along the way are precious. After the explosive first Avenger movie, Marvel fans are craving the next installment. IT LOOKS SO PROMISING.

I honestly love the idea of the Avengers just chilling at Stark Tower, getting to know one another and being besties all around. What could be better that Tony sassing Steve while Sam and Rhodey call out their BS, Natasha and Clint taking turns shooting various objects around the tower,  Bruce and Tony getting together and inventing crazy things, and Fury cussing them all out for their childish behavior when petty competitions sometimes cross the line. To be honest, I’d watch a movie solely about the Avengers domestic life…just because I love the characters. But anyway, the sneak peak released at Comicon this year hinted at the Avengers taking turns lifting Thor’s hammer…I’m so excited!

But, Tony’s inventions obviously turn sour. Or, more specifically, one in particular: Ultron. When he stumbled into the living room to the shock off all the Avengers, I literally got goose bumps. He creeps me the hell out; his line “Let me show you something beautiful” honestly made me shiver. The fact that he has “no strings attached” doesn’t help anything. It just makes him all the more deadly, and definitely an interesting adversary for the team.

 The trailer also raised a few (MANY) important questions: Why are the Hulk and Iron Man fighting? Where’s the Winter Soldier? How do the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver fit into the plot? Is there a romantic relationship between the Hulk and Black Widow? Why is Thor shirtless in every movie he’s in? Hopefully the movie answers all of these. The ominous view of the Avengers symbols shattered at the end of the trailer has me wondering what will happen. Hopefully it’s as epic as the trailer promises. Seven months is too long of a wait!

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, watch the awesomeness here!

Just as a last little note on the subject, I will forever be bitter that Spider-man is not a part of the Avengers movies. In the comics, Peter views Captain America as an idol, and I’d love to see that dynamic played out in the movies. Not to mention Tony and Peter creating scientific things and trading snarky comments in the process. Yeah…Marvel missed a big opportunity there. It’d be the best thing ever. I just really enjoy Spider-man, is all. 

Soul Survivor

Supernatural

This week’s episode…whew!

I was quite excited for this episode to come about, if I’m honest. The two before didn’t really have much Sam-Dean interaction due to them being separated at the time. I missed that brotherly dynamic between them, since that’s basically what the show’s all about. When you take that away, it’s like a crucial point in the story is missing. They bring out the best and worst in each other, and that’s what I like to see: them being emotionally compromised by each other, because they’re all they have left. It’s always been Sam-and-Dean, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.

But with Dean being a demon, that all changes; I missed the snarky comments, the fights, the bro-hugs. So when Sam captured Dean and took him back to the bunker in the last episode, well, I was looking forward to their interactions. I wasn’t disappointed. Jared Padalecki portrayed Sam’s weariness and soul-aching sadness perfectly. His entire body sags with the weight of the last few weeks he’s endured. His determination and raw hope are almost heartbreaking to see when they peek through. Dean, on the other hand, is angry and malicious. The malicious growls he lets out throughout the whole ordeal were kind of disturbing, because they are so unlike the Dean we’re used to; he was throwing insults and comments deliberately to throw Sam off his game, to crush the little hope he has left. It’s horrible to watch, because you can tell how badly his words eat at Sam, and you know he’ll regret saying them when he’s regained his humanity.

The scene where Cas restrains Dean from killing Sam gave me chills, not only because of Dean’s brutality but because of the comparison between Dean and Cas; Cas’ eyes light up with heavenly grace while Dean’s blacken with the depths of Hell. It was great visual effects that added the right tone to the moment, made all the better because it was Jensen Ackles directing the whole episode! He's so talented on so many levels.

And later, when the real Dean finally returns, and you can see his remorse plain as day on his face when he realizes all he’s done and it physically hurt my chest. The revelation, so clear in his expression, was perfectly played by Ackles. You knew exactly what Dean was thinking, despite his joking “Fellas, you look worried” comment. My only regret in this episode was that while there was a one-on-one moment between Dean and Cas after Dean’s return, we didn’t see one between the brothers. Did they fight? Did they hug it out? Hopefully we’ll get to see more of that in the next episode, tomorrow night. But now there’s no “Deanmon”, so what’s the plot for the rest of the season. I suppose, with Cas’ stolen grace…and there’s still the Mark of Cain to deal with…hmm…

Gone Girl

For weeks, my mom had been gushing to me about the latest book she’s been reading, one among many on her never-ending booklist. “Gone Girl” was a phrase I became accustomed to. Of course, I’d heard of the book, and not just from her. There were movie trailers on TV, the novel on the best seller list, reviews on the internet, choose your pick. However, no matter how many times the name came about in my daily life, I still didn’t know what exactly the book—or movie—was about. Therefore, I wasn’t really interested, and brushed off the information as not important.

Then, at work, my best friend’s mother mentioned that she wanted to see it as well. My mother, as you can imagine, was ecstatic, but we couldn’t find a time that all of us could go together. That is, until this last Friday night when we rushed to the theater last minute, at 10:20 at night, to catch the last showing of the day. I went into the movie pretty skeptical—Ben Affleck was recently cast as the next Batman, which I do not agree with—and I left thoroughly impressed.

Not only was there little exposition, but the story jumped straight into the plot. There were no boring parts, at least, not in my opinion, because it was a murder mystery. And boy was there mystery. You had no idea what had happened, where this “Gone Girl” was, until near the middle of the movie. When it was revealed, I gasped and exclaimed, “What?! How!?” It just got more messed up from that point. There were many plot twists that left me gaping, and the psychological aspect of the characters was intriguing. I can’t say too much about it due spoilers, and I recommend everyone go watch it straight away. It is rated “R” for sexual content, violence, and language, but it is well worth it if you are mature enough to handle it.

We left the theater bewildered and a little bit in shock due to the events of the film. Some of the stuff that happened was crazy! And I mean literally crazy. It was almost scary, at parts, because it shows that you can never really know someone as well as you think you do. There’s always something they could be hiding, and that’s frightening to think about. Who do you choose to trust? How do you deal with the consequences when you’re wrong? What if one mistake completely changes your life forever? Would you be ready to deal with the disastrous consequences? Gone Girl addresses all of those questions in a unique and suspenseful way. The movie dealt with real life stuff, although perhaps in a more fantastical way than most are used to. It was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.

Fury

For some reason, I’m drawn to movies that tug on my heartstrings.

And Fury was definitely one of them.

If I’m being honest, the main reason I was drawn to the movie was because it features the talented Logan Lerman, who is without a doubt my favorite actor. Therefore, I see every movie that he’s in (and I do mean EVERY movie).

                But I was surprised to say that the movie was not just another cliché war movie.

                It was brutal, as in so brutal that some scenes I physically could not watch. There was more than one instance that I turned my face away from the violence. While I do admit to being extremely emotionally invested in the movies that I watch, I take pride in the fact that gore and war do not usually bother me. But this movie approaches the front lines of WW2 so bluntly that I was gaping at the scene many times, as well as flinching and cringing in my seat from the sudden shots that were constantly being fired.

                It definitely earns its “R” rating.

                I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lerman played the main character alongside Brad Pitt throughout the film, giving him the opportunity to display his talents as an actor, which he provided. He showed the innocence and harsh conditions that drafted men had to go through, and how his view and opinion of the war changed the longer he fought in it. There was no censoring throughout the movie, because no doubt that was actually how it was on the battlefields.

                I felt like it truly depicted the setting of war at that time period. I would even go so far as to say that it earns its place next to Schindler’s list for portrayals of Hitler’s rein. I highly recommend to everyone that they see this movie, although keep in mind it is graphic and violent, and depressing. It’s also an enlightening experience, however, and can change your perceptions on the world of war.

Dean Winchester as "The Deanmon"

Unlike last week’s, this week’s episode of Supernatural, titled Reichenbach was action-packed, engaging, and completely did not disappoint! You can’t know how relieved I am that this season seems to have a nice plot as well as a great character arc for Dean. I felt like season nine was all over the place in terms of characterizations, as well as staying consistently with one plot. Luckily, the writers seem to have remedied this in season ten. Then again, it’s only the second season, so while I have high hopes, they could be crushed later on. We’ll just have to see.

                My favorite part of the latest installment was Dean! Finally, we get to see the true effects of what the Mark of Cain has inflicted on Dean. He’s completely changed, and not for the better, although I do enjoy this darker, more ruthless side of him because it’s interesting. Throughout all of the seasons that we’ve followed the Winchester’s story, Dean’s always took all of the responsibility, blame, and guilt upon himself for the job that they do. But now, he doesn’t have a care in the world, and it gives off this sense of wrong throughout the episode because it’s different than what we’re used to seeing from him. He’s no longer the bleeding heart; he’s dangerously out of touch with his humanity.

                When he grins, it’s honestly chilling. There’s a sort of mirth in his eyes as he looks at his next victim, smiling cruelly and genuinely enjoying the feel of death beneath his fingertips. Granted, this has been seen before, as he takes out a particularly troublesome monster or supernatural being, but these are regular human beings that Dean’s tormenting, and he likes it. It’s disturbing and wrong, and exactly what I had been hoping for this season. There’s more depth to the character when he has a personal hell to crawl out of. The backlash of Dean’s transformation will certainly be heartbreaking and hard to watch, as his conscious and his morality come trickling back in and he realizes all of the horrible things he’s done.

                The best scene of the whole episode is the fight between Dean and Cole. Cole, who is avenging his father’s death, believes himself ready to kill his father’s murderer. He finds out just how wrong he is, and you can see Dean’s happiness when he deliberately embarrasses and taunts Cole about his skills. The sassy, snarky, sarcastic comments are scathingly funny, and I smirked despite knowing how cruel they were meant to be.

                Next episode hints of a vicious brotherly faceoff, as well as the cure to Dean’s disease. Hopefully, it won’t disappoint, and to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a little more of the “Deanmon” throughout the rest of the season. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Not going to lie, I saw this movie four times in the movie theaters. Yep, I loved it that much, and I rushed to the store on Tuesday to buy the DVD, as well as watched it as soon as I got home. Superhero movies are a favorite of mine, and although the X-Men movies aren’t connected with The Avengers, I’ve always enjoyed the characters in the original movies. The origin movie, First Class, is still one of my favorite movies, and I was anxious for the sequel. To say the least, I was impressed with the result.

                The plot was thrilling. There was an appropriate balance of action, dialogue, and politics to keep the movie from seeming overbearingly action-based, or boring. The timeline is easy to follow, which doesn’t always happen in movies that deal with the space-time continuum. The mix between the original X-Men characters and the new ones flowed nicely, and the actors all had great chemistry throughout the film.

                Speaking of the actors, the reappearance of Hugh Jackman was an absolute delight. I adore his portrayal of Wolverine, and he never fails to make me laugh with his wry tone or his adorable facial expressions. (And his naked scene; am I right?) Anyways, his role in this movie kept the tone familiar, but added a little change due to the change in actors around him. I’ve forever been a fan of James McAvoy ever since his role as the satyr in Narnia, and I really appreciated his performance in First Class; I felt like he did the younger-version of Charles Xavier justice. But he totally blew me away in Days of Future Past. He brought such a range of emotions to the screen, and makes the viewer feel them as well. McAvoy threw himself wholly into the character, and it’s amazing. He’s so in tune with the tone of the scenes that he’s acting in, and he’s intense in every action he performs. McAvoy captivated me with his transformation of Charles. It was unquestionably brilliant.

                There were a few things throughout the film that I was a bit skeptical on. For one, how was Charles Xavier resurrected in the future timeline? We see his death/partial reemergence in The Last Stand, but his reappearance is never really explained. Secondly, why does Kitty Pride suddenly have the power to send people back in time? How does Magneto still have his powers in the future timeline? How does Wolverine attain his adamantium claws after the events of The Wolverine? All unanswered questions that the movie raised. Also: Quicksilver; Peter was one of the highlights of the movie (kudos to Evan Peters), it irks me that he will not be similarly cast in the Avengers 2.

                Other than those few flaws, the movie was epic. I will be re-watching it over and over and over again in the future. 

Percy Jackson

It’s always melancholy when a brilliant book series comes to an end. It was no different with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and it was the same with the follow up series, The Heroes of Olympus. The final book of The Heroes of Olympus was released on Tuesday, and I was so excited, yet dreaded, the end to a series I had followed for years.

                Percy Jackson and the Olympians was one of my favorite book series, and still is. The language Riordan uses throughout the book is targeted towards younger kids, but the mythology and the plot are meant for all ages. The books are entertaining, and the characters are endearing, and I fell in love as soon as I started The Lightning Thief. And as I grew up, so did Percy, and I read each book within a few hours because I simply could not put it down. I had always been interested in the Greek gods, and Riordan made the series more modern and interesting to my sixth grade mind. And when The Last Olympian was published, I was devastated despite it being the best book out of the series. I simply didn’t want it to end.

                Then I discovered that another series was in the works, about the same gods and goddesses I had learned and read about. And Percy would be a main character in them! I was ecstatic. I read all four books as soon as they came out, and I rushed to Barnes and Noble on Tuesday to get the final installment.

                To say the least, I was a bit disappointed. The whole series had led to the awakening of Gaea, but then her rising was downplayed a lot. They defeated her quickly and fairly easily, which left me wondering, really? That’s it?! I suppose I wasn’t as attached to The Heroes of Olympus series as I was Percy Jackson, mainly because Percy was in his series more, but there were a few characters in HOH that I really enjoyed, but there wasn’t any real closure to their stories. Nico, for one, had a hinted at future, but nothing set in stone. Reyna left for the Roman camp alone, after everything that she went through. I mean, I was hoping for more of a BANG! THAT’S THE ENDING, and instead I got Eh. It’s over. There were too many “secret backstory” subplots that bounced back and forth between the characters, and there was too much of a buildup to the end, in my opinion. Three hundred pages in, and I was like, alright, get to the end already, stop fighting random monsters. I do recommend the series to anyone interested, however, just know that the ending is a bit of a buzzkill.

Supernatural Season 10 Premiere

As I mentioned in a previous post, season ten of Supernatural premiered Tuesday night on the CW. Like all of the other fans anxiously awaiting the first glimpses that this episode would reveal, I was huddled up on my bed, eyes fixed on the screen in a near obsession not to miss a moment. As the scene opened to a tortured demon, and a wild-eyed Sammy, I was not disappointed.

The only thing that was a bit of a letdown was the fact that nothing of importance really happened in the episode other than Sam discovering his brother’s transformation, and an introduction to a new character that we still know nothing about. The episode held potential for the rest of the season, however, so I have hope that in future weeks the episodes will hold more suspense and a darker theme than the first.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Tuesday’s premiere was Dean. Granted, the known arc of the season is focused on Dean’s loss of humanity, as well as how he will manage to recover it. But I immediately wanted to know more about his new characterization; the drunken bar fights as well as the terrible karaoke were good teases, but I had been looking forward to more of a focus on his dark side because I thought it would add a new depth that the show had been missing for a few seasons now. After season five, the show lost a lot of its deeper meaning, as well as some of its more disturbing subplots. That’s what made the show scary! Without it, the show is focused on the story aspect; Dean’s inner demons (ha, get it?) and him being overprotective of Sam. I was hoping that season ten would bring back more of the action, the suspense, the foreboding undertones that I have so missed.

Instead, the episode was more Sam central, and normally I’d be all for that. But what I’ve been waiting months of hiatus to see was Dean; I wanted to be horrified and sad by all of the evil things he would be doing. Instead, he’s hole up in a small town bar, non-stop drinking and taking women back to his hotel room.

The last few minutes were the episode’s redemption. The teaser that Dean still cares about Sam in a way, as well as hinting that he couldn’t care less, left me wondering. Will Sam be able to save Dean’s soul? Or is he so irreparably damaged that he’ll have to be put down? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out!

The Fault in Our Stars

                The Fault in Our Stars is a popular young adult novel, and for good reason. It’s the most recent of John Green’s brilliant books to hit the shelves, and even more recently to be made into a movie adaption. The plot is touching and heartfelt, and mixes in humor with the seriousness that cancer brings to a victim’s life. But it’s how the cancer patient handles the impact of illness that really matters, and John Green captures that perfectly.

                Throughout the novel, the big problem (other than cancer) that Hazel faces is trying to change the way Gus thinks about life, and what it means to be remembered. Gus believes that in order to matter you have to be a legend; Hazel reiterates that it’s the people who love you and will remember you that should matter the most. There’s this beautiful quote in the book (I actually have it painted on my bedroom wall) that says, “My thoughts are stars that I cannot fathom into constellations.” That’s where the title comes from: Hazel points out the faults that Gus percieves about dying. It’s the big lesson that the book teaches, and that’s that being loved is enough for a lifetime, and after.

                Now, a close friend of mine recently expressed that the book “isn’t original” and “isn’t as sad because the concept has been done before”. Yes, there are many books that follow a plot that includes a character dying from cancer, but that doesn’t make it any less sad, in my opinion. As for being unoriginal, the book may be fictional but it’s main purpose is to display the horrors of the disease and that love is what gets you through it. There’s not anything “original” about that because it happens everyday in some people’s lives. Cancer is a real struggle.

                I also feel like this book is different from others similar to it because it involves two cancer patients at a young age. A lot of the books I’ve read that deal with cancer (like A Walk to Remember, for example), its usually only one person in the relationship that is infected. But TFIOS follows the struggle of both people, and how it changes the dynamics of the relationship. They both know what they have to lose, and find it difficult to handle the other one dying even though it’s a very real possibility. It’s also set in a younger mind frame, one where the main characters have barely lived long enough to experience life truly, but they find their way along together in the small time that they have left. There’s this part where Hazel talks about how she saved her ten on the pain scale for when something really terrible happens that she can barely live with, and that her ten is when Gus dies. This speaks to me on a deep level because it shows that even though you’re expecting something to happen, it doesn’t make the pain any easier to deal with. I personal find the story beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspiring, and I’m not afraid to admit that I cry every time I read the book or watch the movie, because just imagining going through something like that is horrible. I admire the pain that cancer patients and survivors suffer on a daily basis. It’s incredible, and I find that the book portrays that.

The Truth Behind Star Trek

Just a warning, this post is going to be a bit of a rant.

                I’m not going to lie; I am a huge fangirl when it comes to the shows and movies and books that I enjoy. So sue me, I like to talk about the things that I see or read about that influence my life. And yes, I get a teensy bit (okay, A LOT) obsessed with them because they are so addictive to me, like my own personal, harmless drug. Maybe that’s not necessarily normal, but do I care? Nope. So what irritates me the most is when I mention I like something, like Star Trek, and people make that face at me (you know the one, the slightly narrowed eyes, the crinkled nose, and you can practically feel them judging you because they think they know about the thing that you like, even though they don’t have a clue).

                I’ve gotten that look every single time I bring up the fact that I like nerdy stuff. And yeah, I’ll admit, it’s pretty nerdy. But who cares, honestly? How does me liking a certain thing influence your life at all?

                Got a little bit off topic up there, but I felt like it had to be said. Now, this post is actually about the misconceptions of Star Trek. Yep, you read that correctly, and if you’re one of those people who turn your nose up at that kind of thing, I highly suggest you KEEP READING, because it’s not just about aliens or space.

                It’s about exploring the unknown. It’s about discovering amazing things that people can only dream of nowadays. It’s about humanity's faults, and how we can overcome the bad instincts and primal urges inside of us and become a better race together.

                Granted, the show was made in the sixties, and it had silly special effects and dumb costumes and aliens that are almost always humanoid but that’s just because of the era and budgeting factors. And it’s not important.

                What is important, however, is the underlying issues that Star Trek addresses, and people don’t even realize it because their stuck on the aliens aspect. Come on people, look a little deeper. A lot of times, Gene Roddenberry (the creator) focused the episodes to be analogies of problems that were actually happening in the world at the time.

                The episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield is about two races of aliens that are almost identical, but discriminate because of the coloring on their faces. Sound familiar? It should, because it was relaying the importance of equality for African American people in the sixties. Kirk gives an inspiring speech about the ridiculousness of prejudice, and settles the conflict between the races, symbolizing the hope that America could overcome the unfairness of the time period. There was an episode that simulated the effects of Hitler’s rein, and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. It made references to the ongoing war in Vietnam. Star Trek featured an important and intelligent African American woman as a crucial role on the ship, for the first time, as well as the first interracial kiss on television. ST featured Chekov, a Russian navigator who worked alongside Americans, even though this aired during the Cold War. Women had equal roles aboard the Enterprise, and they played an important part as part of the crew (even if their outfits were revealing). It also implied sexual relations between unmarried people—which happened often but was frowned upon in society—as something that wasn’t a big deal and should be accepted. In the episode Plato’s Stepchildren, Kirk emphasizes the importance of equality, stating, “Where I come from, size, shape or color makes no difference.” It deals with Mr. Spock, who is a child of two worlds and doesn’t belong anywhere, constantly facing bigotry towards his heritage. 

               The show’s not just about the sci-fi element. Star Trek deals with friendship, love, loyalty, responsibility, courage, overcoming obstacles, the thirst for knowledge, advancing to be better than who you are, and not believing in no-win scenarios. Its about exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new civilizations, boldy going where no one has gone before. And if that isn’t considered a great show for this era, then I don’t know what would be.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a touching story about the pressure and troubles associated with high school and growing up. While the story can be a little far-fetched at times, the heart of the movie is on point: getting older is hard. Some people handle it differently than others, especially those who tend to stick out or don’t have many friends. Sometimes trauma can influence how your life turns out and how you let it affect you. The book and later movie adaption explains this perfectly through Charlie’s life.

                Logan Lerman plays Charlie, the outcast boy with a troubled past, who just wants to make it through high school in one piece. Lerman, I feel, really captures the essence of the character and brings him to life on the screen. What I love most about Lerman’s characterization of Charlie is his fidgeting; it’s not something you necessarily get wind of within the actual book because of the letter-style format the book is written in. But in the movie Charlie is constantly fidgeting: while he’s standing, when he’s sitting, and especially when his friends make him the center of attention. There’s a nervous quality to him that hints to the problems he’s had in the past, and that really shines through Logan’s acting skills. It’s interesting to watch how he takes Charlie’s personality into consideration past the script. It doesn’t specifically state that he should talk faster because he’s scared no one will listen to him if he doesn’t spit the words out, but Lerman plays Charlie that way because it fits the plot of the story, and does the character justice, which I really enjoy.

                The entire story has a sense of truth to it that teenagers can’t ignore.  The plot deals with depression, social anxiety, stress, peer pressure, sexual orientation, and abuse, which a lot of young people deal with, even if in a small way. There is at least one scene in that movie that speaks to everyone, whether it be the happiness Charlie experiences with his friends or the sense of depression and low self-worth that Sam deals with throughout the film. Whatever you connect with in the story, it’s a must read-and-see for everybody out there. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Supernatural

               In a sort of celebration for the tenth season of Supernatural coming out tomorrow (I CAN’T WAIT), I figured why not write about the episode that started it all: the pilot. Now, the pilot of any show has its faults since it’s the show’s “testing the waters” stage, but the beginning of Supernatural hooked me from the get-go. Granted, the acting in the first five minutes is a little sketchy, but as the episode progresses, you can see the acting chemistry between Jensen Ackles—who plays the older brother Dean Winchester—and Jared Padalecki—Dean’s younger brother Sam. As soon as Dean first walks back into Sam’s life, through a window in the middle of the night of course, the plot unravels.

                There’s Dean, the snarky, deliberately overconfident guy with a five o’clock shadow and that carefree look in his eyes; you immediately know he’s that kind of troublemaker that you’re going to love. And then there’s Sam, the accomplished one who just wants to have a normal life. The dynamic between the two brothers at first is tense and almost uncertain, like neither one of them knows where the other one stands. You can tell, however, that as the story progresses they fall back into familiar patterns. Beneath all the sarcastic jibes, there’s an underlying current of protectiveness flowing between them both. Its apparent Dean is always looking out for Sam, almost like he’s his responsibility. Sam, likewise, can’t really let Dean go into danger alone. They make the perfect team; Sam’s analytical skills to go with Dean’s razor sharp instincts.  And the way they're drawn to their lifestyle of hunting monsters makes them the perfect men for the job.

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                Not only does the show have great main characters, but the actual fright factor that the show carries does a pretty good job at frying your nerves. Especially if you started the show like I did, in a deadly silent room late at night with all the lights turned off.  Considering the show’s airing date, in 2005, and the likely low budget for the first season, the special effects are relatively good. The beginning and end scenes are a little cheesy, with the fire that engulfs the scene looking more than a little artificial, but hey, it’s only the first episode. I promise personally that it does get better. Eventually.

                The show itself has a refreshing humor element to it that contrasts the dark undertones. For someone like me who despised anything that would make me jump, this was the key to keeping me interested. The great one-liners kept me laughing. For example, Dean has a run in with the county sheriff because he impersonates a marshal in order to get information on the case.

                Sheriff: Do you have anything that’s real?

                Dean: My boobs.

                (View the scene here!)

                Things like this diffuse the tension but keep the episode interesting to watch. As the seasons go on, sometimes the plot becomes a little flinty, but the connection that you form with the characters makes it nearly impossible to stop watching in spite of this. Not to mention it helps that the main guys are pretty attractive and kicking ass at the same time. It’s no wonder the show has accumulated such a wide fan base over the years, and the addition of the show to Netflix has widened it even further. Which leads to tomorrow being another season premiere, and hopefully there will be many more to come.