Movie Review: Jem and the Holograms [Emz]

So I recently watched this film on Netflix. I was aware of the bad reviews and the Box Office flop, but I thought I would give it a go.

The film was released on 23rd October 2015.

This film is based around the animated TV Series Jem that aired between 1985 and 1988.

The film stars: Aubrey Peeples (Nashville) as Jerrica Benton/ Jem, Stephanie Scott (ANT Farm) as Kimber, Hayley Kiyoko (Lemondae Mouth) as Aja, Aurora Perrineau  as Shana and Juliette Lewis as Erica Raymond.

Here is the Synopsis:

As a small-town girl catapults from underground video sensation to global superstar, she and her three sisters begin a one-in-a-million journey of discovering that some talents are too special to keep hidden. In Universal Pictures’ Jem and the Holograms, four aspiring musicians will take the world by storm when they see that the key to creating your own destiny lies in finding your own voice.

Review:

I surprisingly enjoyed this film. The film is set in present day where Social Media is a big thing. This is different to the TV Series that was set in the 80's.

The songs in this film were very catchy. I liked Hit Me Up and Youngblood. 

The theme of Jem being a mystery in an age where Social Media is huge and there is no place to hide, was a great idea, but could have been worked on a bit more I think.. not quite sure how.

We learn that Jerrica (Jem) and Kmber are sisters who lost their father at a young age. They were raised by their Aunt along with her two foster daughters , Aja and Shana.

Jerrica records herself singing and thinks she has deleted the footage afterwards as she is too shy to even think about uploading it, she even refers to herself as Jem in the Video. 

Her sister Kimber finds that the video had not been deleted and uploads it to YouTube.

The video goes Viral overnight at Jerrica under the name of Jem becomes huge on Social Media.

Jerrica is contacted by Erica Raymond from Starlight Productions and offers Jerrica a record deal. After originally only wanted to sign Jerrica, with alot of pushing from Jerrica she agrees that all the girls can go.

Before Jerrica's debut performance as Jem, the Robot that Jerrica and Kimber's dad supposedly made but didn't finish, activates during their first night in LA since they were children. it leads them around LA finding the missing pieces to put in the Robot known as 51N3RG.Y (Synergy.)

During her time in L.A. Jerrica learns that her aunts house is going to be taken from her and determined to help she asks Erica for her first payment in advance so she can help her Aunt. The only trouble is that Erica persuades her to continue with her Sisters.

This is a scene that has been replicated thousands of times in movies, not exactly the same but a similar idea.

Eventually things do come together and they reunite for their last performance. Jerrica finds that the earrings she was given by her father  were the last piece to getting Syngery to work. inside was a hidden message from her father telling her that she was his best invention and tells her how much he loves her.

 The film ends with Erica being fired and her Son taking control of the company. Followed by their next performance where get named Jem and The Holograms.

The mid credits scene introduces a rival band that Erica dropped years ago called The Misfits. As, she is out to get revenge she teams up with them. The leader of the band is called Pizzazz and is portrayed by Kesha.

There were Cameo scene from a few Orignal Cast members but it would have been nice for that to have been expanded a little more.

I enjoyed the song and parts of the storyline but there was alot I wasn't so keen on. There was alot of 'fans' shown during songs and after songs and some bits made it very corny. I feel that things were solved too quickly and there was much more that could have been shown. That being said I would listen to the songs over and over again.

The 80's theme from the cartoon was very present in the girls choice of wardrobe but only at the beginning, I felt they were modernized when they were styled in LA, It would be been nice to see a little more 80's glam.

At the end of  the day This was teenage film and although fans of the original Jem cartoon were disappointed (from what I read), it still works even if you have never heard of it before.

Thats all for now, till next time

Emz x

Read more...

DVD Review: Disney's Descendants [Emz]

So I first watched this film last year. It originally aired in 2015 on Disney channel, but I don't have that station. 

The story is set 20 years after "Beauty & the Beast." All the villains are transported onto a non-magical island Known as the Isle Of The Lost and all the Kingdoms came together under Belle and The Beast to create the United states of Auradon.

We pick up with the children of both the "heroes" and "villians." 

Here is the Synopsis:

Ben, the teenaged son of King Beast and Queen Belle, invites the exiled children of defeated villains to attend a prep school with the heroes' children.

Review:

So this film keeps the theme of most Disney films.. it's musical!

So the film opens with Narration from one of the Villain kids and then we meet Prince Ben, Son of Belle and The Beast, he is soon to become King and has chosen his first proclamation. For Kids from the Isle of The Lost to be given a chance to live in Auradon. 

The kids he picked are Mal, daughter of Maleficent (Dove Cameron), Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen (Sofia Carson), Carlos, son of Cruella DeVil (Cameron Boyce) and Jay, son of Jafar (Booboo Stewart).

All these characters are trying to carry on their parents legacy. Where Maleficent (Kristen Chenoweth) is the leader on the Isle, Mal is the leader of the Villain kids (VK's)

So once in Auradon, the kids try to steal Fairy godmothers magic wand, as per Maleficent request. This doesn't go to plan and the kids escape luckily before being caught.

I liked the way the kids tried to fit in even though they were having to do Maleficent bidding. 

Mal puts a love spell on Ben and he falls for her immediately, he invites her on a date and goes swimming in the Enchanted lake. Mal is torn between trying to have a normal life in Auradon or going back to the Isle after stealing the wand.

After parents day goes horribly wrong for Mal after being introduced to Aurora's mother by her granddaughter (she didn't know who she was originally) a majority of the kids of Auradon gang up on Mal and the other VK's and make them unwelcome.

On the way to Ben's coronation Mal give Ben a chocolate which contains the anti love spell. Ben eats it but admits to Mal that her spell washed off in the Enchanted Lake.

At Ben's Coronation, Fairy Godmother's daughter Jane, feeling insecure and out of place (also after being manipulated by Mal) grabs her mothers wand and unknowingly makes a hole in the barrier around the Isle. Maleficent escapes the Isle, and before she arrives in Auradon the VK's have decided that they do not want to be evil and choose good. 

Maleficent arrives and the VK's (mainly Mal) fight against her and she ends up turning into a tiny Lizard according to Fairy godmother the size of the love in her heart.

The films ends with the party after the coronation.

I enjoyed this film alot. I had wondered for a long time what would the kids of the Disney Prices and Princess be like and also what would the kids of the Villains be like. This fulfilled my imagination. I may be alot older than the fan base for this film but I enjoyed it all the same. It wasn't too cheesy and was very enjoyable.

Til next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: Stitchers Season 1 Episode 3 "Connections" [Emz]

Now episode 3 was interesting, it required Kirsten stitching into the mind of a newlywed t prove who killed her.

This episode guest starred Michael Grant Terry who I remember from Bones.

Here is the synopsis:

When a murky stitch doesn't give enough evidence against a newlywed husband accused of killing his wife, Kirsten attempts to prove her strong feelings about his innocence. This effect on Kirsten, brought about by residual emotion from the stitch, makes Cameron worry that she will end up like Marta. Meanwhile, Linus and Camille get to know each other better. 

Review:

So this was interesting as Kirsten retrieves all of Ed ( the "father" that looked after her) belongings. So Kirsten and Camille spend time going through photographs and other items.

During this episode Kirsten has to stitch into the mind of a Newlywed who was killed. Most people think that the husband is the person who killed her or set up the murder, but Kirsten doesn't believe it.

After multiple awkward conversations with the husband as she had picked up habits and mannerisms of his dead wife.

In the end the team solve the murder despite almost getting killed in the process.

I really enjoyed the episodes. I look forward to watching the next episode.

Till next time.

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: The Magicians Season 1 Episode 1 "Unauthorized Magic" [Emz]

So I first attempted to watch this series a little while ago but never finished the first episode.

So this series is based around the books of the same name by Lev Grossman.

I have seen at least one familiar face in this episode and she is playing a main character. Her name is Stella Maeve and she used to star in Chicago P.D.as Nadia.

Here is the synopsis:

Best friends Quentin and Julia are recruited for an entrance exam to Brakebills University, a secret institution for magical pedagogy.

Review:

I quite liked this episode.. I'm not one for believing in magic or anything like that but the storyline interests me.

So we have two best friends Quentin and Julia. He never feels like he belongs and she seems to be good at everything. Quentin goes for what he thinks is an interview for Yale, which goes horribly wrong when the person they think is the interviewer is dead. 

Their trips home get suspended when they end up at Brakebills University and sit an exam. This exam they both later learn is a test to see if the have any magic ability. Quentin goes sailing through after being shocked into performng magic he didn't know he possessed. Julia on the other hand is sent home and has her memory wiped.. or so we think.

Things dont appear to be as they seam at the University as Quentin thinks he s dreaming a character for a kids book about magic he kept reading. This leads to him and some other students attempting to reach the other side and releasing The Beast.

Julia on the other hand remembers all about Brakebills University and end up joining a magic underworld, who will help her to learn how to use the magic he harnesses.

It was definitely an interesting first episode. Bring on the next one.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: Stitchers Season 1 Episode 2 "Friends In Low Places" [Emz]

I quite enjoyed episode 1 and this episode was rather good.

Here is the Synopsis:

Kirsten and the team cross paths with Detective Fisher while probing the case of a young woman who died from an overdose of a dangerous new drug.

Review:

So, this episode was a little different, Stitch wise to the last one. Kristen has to battle the effects of of a dangerous new drug whilst is a victims memories and to figure out what happened to her and how she died.

Also, Kristen is trying to solve the case as soon as she can so she can "stitch" into her dead "father's" memories to see why he committed suicide of was murdered.

With a little help from Camille and a lot of hindrance from Detective Fisher they solver the case, learning in the process that Camille was hired by the Stitchers program to keep an eye on Kristen. Also Detective Fisher is introduced to the Stitchers program.

The only problem is that they solve the case a little to late and Kristen is no longer able to Stitch into her dead "fathers memories, as he is past the stage where his memories are still able to be seen.

That's all for this review.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: Stitchers Season 1 Episode 1 "A Stitch In Time" [Emz]

Now I have never seen this show before but I had been interested in it for a while.

The only ast member I had heard of was Alison Scagliotti as she used to star in Warehouse 13.

The first episode is called "A Stitch In Time." 

Here is the Synopsis:

ABC Family's first procedural drama, "Stitchers," follows Kirsten, a young woman recruited into a covert government agency to be 'stitched' into the minds of the recently deceased, using their memories to investigate murders and decipher mysteries that otherwise would have gone to the grave. Working alongside Kirsten is Cameron, a brilliant neuroscientist whose passion for the program is evident in his work. The secret program is headed by Maggie, a skilled veteran of covert operations, and includes Linus, a socially immature bio-electrical engineer and communications technician. Kirsten's roommate, Camille, a gifted computer science grad student, is also recruited to use her skills to assist Kirsten in her new role as a 'stitcher'.

Review:

I quite enjoyed this episode. It is a little different from what i'm used to watching. So Kirsten is stitched into the minds of a eseaced person and has to work out what the memories mean. Usually the search is for something npartcular.

In this case a man blew himself up but has left 2 other bombs it different places and they have to try to decipher them to work out where the other bombs are.

Kirsten is thrown in at the deep end with this one but manages to gather Intel from the memories. She goes rogue though to try and work out where these places are and where the bombs are.

I like the tone of the show it was quite good. I look forward to watching more.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: 12 Monkeys Season 1 Episode 4 "Atari" [Emz]

So it's episode 4"Atari" and it seems in this episode Cole's past is catching up with him. Yes, we learn more about Cole's life before time travel.

Here is the synopsis:

A fight for the future ensues when a dangerous band of marauders hunting for Cole and Ramse threatens the mission to save the past.

Review:

So in this episode, we learn more about Cole and his life before time travel. At the end of the last episode we meet Max, who seems to have big ties to his past.

Max is a part of the group, West VIII. We learn that whilst trying to survive, Coel and Ramse join West VIII, they were quite a brutal group. Obviously we know they escaped at some point, but in the present for Cole, they try to hold them off getting into the building, with not much success. 

Cole is transported back a few days instead of 2015 which is the attempt. but ends up being the reason behind the invasion to begin with.

He get kidnapped by West VIII, but freed by Max, who joins the cause and they stop the takeover but the leader of West VIII sees the Machine and now has some knowledge of what is going on there.

I enjoy seeing all the twists this story is producing and the way the story flicks between 2015 and 2043 (also the occasional time travel back to other years.)

I am looking forward to seeing what is to come.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: 12 Monkeys Season 1 Episode 3 "Cassandra Complex" [Emz]

So here we are with episode 3, The Cassandra Complex. This episode takes Cole to Haiti in the search for the night room.

Here is the plot:

Cole is led to Haiti in 2014, where a dangerous outbreak proved to be a devastating moment in Dr. Railly's life.

Review:

It's interesting to see how this story is developing. Cole is travelling into the past and is changing the way things are happening in the future. He's also meeting people when he knows who the are but they don't know who he is. 

In this episode he has to go one year into the past before he re-meets Cassandra. He is there to see someone else and he has to avoid Cassandra. When he shows up again in 2015 he has more secrets than when he went into 2014.

We also get a little insight into Cole's past in the future and t's quite clear it's not exactly a good one.

I am intrigued with the pace of the story and am looking forward to watching more.

Next up is Episode 4 "Atari."

Till then

Emz x

Read more...

Movie Review: Tomorrowland [Emz]

I really like this film. But it took me a while to see the very end, I had to leave the cinema before the end as I had made other plans and they overlapped each other.

This has that Disney vibe to it (which is just as well as its made by Disney) 

The film stars George Clooney, Britt Robertson and Hugh Laurie.

Here is the Premise:

A former boy genius (George Clooney) and gifted teenager (Britt Robertson) set out on a dangerous mission to unearth the secrets of "Tomorrowland", an enigmatic location caught between time and space.

Review

I loved this film. Once i got to see the film to the very end it all tied together. The way they created another world and we get a glimpse of what it looks like before things get a lot worse.

It was strange seeing George Clooney in this film but I liked the character and the way we first meet him when he was younger. Also the way we meet Britt's character. Both characters are very creative and inventive.

I liked the concept of giving the kids a taster of Tomorrowland before they go. We see this with Casey (Britt Robertson) it's very  funny to watch though as she ends up in a huge lake.

This a film for many ages groups and is definitely one to watch.

That's all for now.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: 12 Monkeys Season 1 Episode 2: "Mentally Divergent" [Emz]

So this is the second episode of the first season of 12 Monkeys. I may only be 2 episodes in but i'm enjoying taking my time with this show. 

Here is the Premise:

A patient in a mental institution may hold the key to the plague that destroys the world; Dr. Railly risks her life to help Cole, despite the risk to history.

Review:

This episode introduces more characters and how they play a part in the Virus being released/ being created. I liked the way that Cole is meant to be transported back to 2015 again but they get the coordinates wrong and he ends up in North Korea in 2006 (reminds me a little of Doctor Who.) Also the way all the new characters are introduced is brilliant as some of them pop up with no name or background story and yoou are left wondering who the person is.

I really look forward to continuing with this show.

I will review Episode 3 "Cassandra Complex" soon.

Till next time 

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: Timeless Season 1 Episode 3 "Atomic City" [Emz]

So I have finally seen episode 3! This episode is called Atomic City and is based a year before JFK's assassination, 1962.

Here is the Premise for this episode:

Flynn and the team are on the run with the era's most infamous mistress in 1962 Las Vegas; Rufus meets an old mentor who may have dark motives; Lucy's personal life starts to crumble; Wyatt tries to change history.

Review:

I enjoyed the twists in this episode. They travel back in time after Flynn expecting to be trying to stop JFK's assassination a year early. But the story of course takes a twist. I really enjoy the way the story keeps going through different years in the past and each time at least keep coming up against different issues or perhaps its a good thing. With Lucy wearing a very skimpy waitress outfit and getting leered at by other men and Rufus being invisible due to the colour of his skin.

I will hopefully review episode 4 "Party at Castle Varlar" soon.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...

TV Review: 12 Monkeys Series Premiere: "Splinter" [Emz]

So I just watched the very first episode on Netflix. I'm not sure what I expected but it was certainly different to what I had in mind.

For those of you who haven't seen is here is the series premise:

 A man from the post-apocalyptic future, Cole uses a dangerous, untested method of time travel to get from 2043 to the present day. He is on a mission to locate and rid the world of the source of the plague that will eventually annihilate the human race. Assisting him is Dr. Cassandra Railly, a virologist who must decide whether to do harm in order to save the world -- regardless of the fact that she has taken the Hippocratic oath. The sci-fi series is based on Terry Gilliam's 1995 film, which starred Bruce Willis as Cole.

Review:

So, I haven't seen the original movie that this series is based on, but this episode was completely Sci-fi all the way through. I loved the way the characters connected with past, present and future, from comments thrown out there to thing we and the characters are yet to explore to the way time travel affects them.

The title of the episode refers to the type of time travel depicted in this series.

Amanda Schull who plays Dr. Cassandra Railly, is not stranger to playing complicated characters as she played Sara Evans / Katie Ryan in One Tree Hill and for those of you who have watched the series well she is definitely not a wallflower of a character.

There are currently 2 seasons on Netflix, with the third season hopefully coming soon after ending in the US in May.

I will review episode 2 soon.

Till Then

Emz x

Read more...

DVD Reviews - Supergirl Season 1 [Emz]

So I have had this series for a little while now and I really enjoyed the first season. I have recently bought and started watching Season 2.

So if anyone has seen Smallville then this is a different Supergirl to that show.

Here is the Introduction to each episode of the first season:

"When I was a child, my planet Krypton was dying. I was sent to Earth to protect my cousin. But my pod got knocked off course and by the time I got here, my cousin had already grown up and become... Superman. And so I hid my powers until recently when an accident forced me to reveal myself to the world. To most people, I'm an assistant at CatCo Worldwide Media. But in secret, I work with my adoptive sister for the D.E.O. to protect my city from alien life and anyone else that means to cause it harm. I am Supergirl."

Review:

So for this first season the show aired on CBS in America so it wasn't originally part of the Arrowverse, so it is set in other universe... kind of.... anyway.

I like the speed that season one runs at. the first episode slowly introduces her at Supergirl but we grow to know her as Kara also. I like that we also learn as she learns, the path she is going down isn't an easy one and she ends up finding new challenges along the way.

We also meet other members of her Krypton family and learn why they are so different from each other.

I loved this series. I enjoyed seeing Melissa Beniost in something else following Glee and it was an interesting crossover when Grant Gustin (also previously from Glee) pooped up in an episode as The Flash.

Thats it for now. I will review season 2 once I have finished the DVD.

Till next time

Emz x

Read more...