Assassin's Creed -- Highlights and Review (12.28.16)

Of the movies I’ve watched this season, I wanted to highlight the tastefully done love story in “Assassin’s Creed”. There is little to be said about the story and the internal twists and turns revealed slowly to the audience, and the action was very much done well, according to me, but it’s the subtle and not over-done love story that I truly felt was worth noting.

**SPOILER ALERT!!**

The story follows the bloodline of the Assassin’s Creed member named Aguilar and his bloodline, down to Callum Lynch, played by Michael Fassbender. When left to fend for himself, Cal is imprisoned for murder and sentenced to death. Once he is dead to the world, Cal is taken to the Animus, where Sophie dives into his past to find the location of the Apple.

The love story I’m referring to is between Aguilar and Maria. Though it is ambiguous, the sweetness of their emotions while getting the job done is shown tastefully without long drawn-out scenes of passion and nudity. Fully clothed and running for their lives through an enemy city, they encounter group after group of soldiers continuously, and manage to just barely get away.

Without needing to say it, the action is on par with some of the best I've ever seen. The fast cuts, agility, and precision is commendable. Better than the Bourne series, above and beyond most of The Matrix and the like, this video game's action translated well onto the big screen. The story was a bit diluted, slow at some points, boring at others, but the dispersed action and MUSIC, yes, music did a lot in making the movie exciting.

Review Score:  B+ 

A Queen and A Treat (03.21.16)

Still in Taiwan but now in Taipei, the hub of culture where the traditional meets the modern. Home of the Taipei 101 building and famed foods with flavors that can only be experienced here. Blessed to live close to the Botanical Gardens, my family welcomed me to their home, and here I lay to rest before venturing out for hours at a time, via a super efficient and convenient subway system. Have I complimented this city enough? Well, it's white a whopper of a place, let me tell you!

I saw a temple and then another. So many foreigners in Taipei, not many in PingTung, but I think that's about right, right? Anyways, there was lots of food and my Aunt chose a place off of the ZhongHe-XinLu Line (#4)! The place was called ShiBaFan and it was hidden in a nook. But I'm so thankful I had the chance to experience it!

One must remove their shoes and place it in the cubbies outside first, before entering! The hostess is older but very respectful and nice! The place setting is clean and there is the option of the chair or bench! After ordering, there is a side bar of vegetarian options, which makes it easier for those of a vegetarian diet! The sour radish is okay, the bitter melon was later replaced with broccoli, and the soup was WONDERFUL!! My TonKatsu came and it was like eating lightly battered and fried steak-like pork! It was so juicy and filling, I didn't finish all my rice! The sweetness of the oranges after was a great dessert and the tea really helped make the meal complete! Overall, I rate this a firm 4 of 5 Stars!!

Why "A Queen", you may ask? Well, I was treated to a flower candy that is made with part of actual flowers. It was, apparently, a favorite treat of Sissi, Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Before she was assassinated, she claimed her favorite candies were the sugared flowers. They're very sweet and tasted like flowers! I really liked it! Research her for more information about her tragic life!

Tokiya To Me (03.19.16)

I write to you from the future... No, not really. I'm in PingTung, Taiwan, so I'm 15 hours ahead of those of my friends in my life in Los Angeles. I've adjusted my jetlag over after the 14.5 hr flight from LAX to Taipei! I took two days in Taipei to chill and then took the high speed rail to KaoShiong, a 40 minute train ride later, I arrived in PingTung and made it to the home of my paternal grandparents. They were gracious, kind, and not really home, which made things easier but busied my schedule!

My paternal grandfather recently had surgery on his left knee. As he stays in the hospital, my paternal grandmother, who suffers from dementia, is at home all day long with a live-in caretaker. All morning and afternoon long, between meals, she does the same puzzles over and over again, reads the same newspaper over and over again, but after about 5-10 minutes, she has no recollection of doing it, so when she does it over again, she says, "It'll take me a while because I've never done this before." And even as I type this, all I hear her say is, "Does this fit? It doesn't fit. Does this fit? It doesn't fit? Can this fit? This part fits but not this part. How about this piece? Nope, it doesn't work. Does this fit? No matter how I push, it won't fit. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. Does this fit? It doesn't fit." Over and over again, with each and every puzzle she does, she repeats these lines over and over again. So, I'm taking this time to blog about a GRAND meal I just had!!

In a building close to the mall, on the 4th floor, there is a lovely Taiwanese steak house to be experienced by the meat lovers of this world!! (HERE is a slideshow of the photos I took!) From the floor to the ceiling, there are careful decorations that put into the more modern scope of what we can expect from this location's meal.

First comes the salad, garden or fruit, and then comes the beverages of your choice. No free refills, but that's why they also have barley tea that is quite endless. Then comes the snack, I recommend the mushrooms, then the soups, all of which are delicious, and last the appetizer. I got the chicken skewer, but there are other options that truly whet the appetite for the main course. What would a steakhouse be without steak, right? Cooked to a good medium well done, a gentle blush deep in the center, and crisp garlic chips to go with it. There are sauces you can try, one more with tomato taste, the other a black peppered saltiness Americans like. I also got to see a barbecue chicken option that was quite pleasing to the eye and taste, tender and a sweet saltiness that comes from well cued chicken and veggies.

Last came the dessert, four options we all got, check it out in the slideshow above. Mine was the chocolate cake around the mint cream and it was delightful to the max. Nothing beats a heavy meat lunch than the minty goodness of cake and cream. Along with my caramel latte, it was delightful and wonderfully light. I heard the others were sweet as well, but as for me, what caught my attention the most wasn't the food, as delightful as it was, but the service. #OMG

From the moment I entered, with my limited Chinese and troublesome dining party, to the moment we left, we were fully satisfied and cared for the entire time. The server not only waited, but recommended accordingly. Someone brought me a basket to place my belongings in, because I had a bag and a camera. My teacup never ran dry, my empty plates never lingered long, and most of all, because my grandmother couldn't eat and kept spitting things out, they cleaned it away with a smile and quickly. Instead of being disgusted and letting it linger there until the end of the meal, they worked quickly, quietly, and all with a smile. We had four full six-course meals and everyone was kind to us.

It's rare for me to find Chinese people hospitable because of their rough and pressed nature of doing things, but Tokiya is somewhere I would want to take my American friends who don't have much understanding of the Taiwanese culture. From ordering to navigating the restroom, there were more than enough helpful people and clearly marked signs. I liked the cleanliness of the restroom and the squattie and toilet option for the Eastern and Western cultured patrons. They had toilet paper in the stalls (yes, it's noteworthy), and soap at the motion-sensored sinks! The meal is reasonably priced and the menus are easy to understand. The photos of the food in the menu were quite clear and precise, to my great thanks.

If you have a chance to stop by PingTung in Taiwan, I highly recommend stopping by Tokiya!! I don't know if the other restaurants in this chain are as gracious and kind, but I know that if I have a chance to come back and eat at this specific restaurant, I would bring my posse in a heartbeat! Of all the places I've dined, I truly rate this place 5 of 5 Stars!! YES -- IT IS THAT MEMORABLY GOOD!! I would expect to find it in LA... I have to write more reviews of places I eat! Because go place to eat a lot, I do!!

Fuller SPOILER Thoughts From This Review House (02.26.16)

There are SPOILERS in this blog post. So if you don't want anything ruined for you prior to your viewing experience, STOP READING FROM HERE ON OUT!!

To tell you the truth, I've been holding off on blogging until after I've either watched a new movie, started a new series, or fish ed a cat out of a hat. And though I haven't watched a new movie yet, I decided to buckle down and watch the Pilot episode of "Fuller House" (Netflix).

Daniel Tanner ... Who is that woman?! What is she doing here?! Why is she here?! Is she the new step-mom? So many unanswered questions that I don't like asking without getting answers. Introducing a brand new character in the Pilot of a reboot? SO NOT COOL!! But Danny was fun and loving, as usual. Not as funny as the past, but I suppose age does wear one down.

Joey Gladstone ... Silly, big-kid, and as loving as always. Not too sure... is he a clown or a magician or a comedienne now? Nothing is really clearly noted, but he is still lots of fun an that's what's important, right? A definite keeper and ringer for the past. Truly wonderful, and I still want an Uncle like him in my life!!

Uncle Jesse & Aunt Becky .. As ageless as ever!! Love their chemistry and endless love. FOREVER!! Definitely was hoping they would stick around to make like more interesting!! And... did I read right as to why the "ship has sunk"?? Can't help but love their dynamic, regardless of how more gooey they seem. And their TWINS... Alex and Nicky... That was a bit strange. I know what I was expecting and it was NOT that!! Know what I mean? I mean, the twins were nice, family oriented, not dumb kids with helium in their brains. How did they turn into those duds??

DJ Tanner-Fuller ... Not sure if I like her just yet in this new 'Danny Tanner' role. Can she handle it? Will she be entertaining enough to fully uphold the funniness, sweetness, and unconditional love Danny Tanner had led us to expect from the show? Of course, it being a reboot, very much has been left to be desired, but I'm not sure if she is being portrayed true to her character.

Stephanie Tanner ... Wear a BRA! I was NOT comfortable with how much skin she was showing. Show off her wild and edgy life style in another way! Why are you accosting my eyes with view of her side boob and voluptuous figure?! Wow. I was not expecting that! But, at least, my impression of her can only go up from here, right?

Michelle Tanner ... M.I.A. -- The breaking of the 4th dimension wall was pretty cute on the show's behalf!!

Kimmy Gibbler ... WOW. The kama sutra knowledge was a bit too much, the separated from her husband was wildly weird, and somehow, her daughter, Ramona, seems too much not like how most children of strange mothers turn out to be like. If you get what I mean... Still, her humor does help ease the strangeness of the overall reboot, and adds a sense of familiarity to the already wild mix in that house... I just wonder how much of reality will she return to by the end of the series?

Steve Hale ... Why does he own Comet Jr. Jr.?? Why can't we see him want to be friend and then slowly have her turn to more in the relationship? Having him nearly beg for marriage right off the bat is strange. Has he been around during the first year she has been back in the house? Have they kept in contact at all since she got married and etc.? Again, more questions than answers... hate it!!

So, I guess, yes, this is just the Pilot so there won't be so many answers, but there ought not be so many questions as well, right? I mean... SERIOUSLY?!?! I was a bit disappointed, aggravated, annoyed, and over all, I felt my heart strings tug every time I felt an ounce of disappointment. This show is too awkward to carry the same weight of the show I watched when I was a kid. Not to mention, WHY ARE THEY ALL WHITE?!?! OMG... it started waaay back when and it continues!!

ADD SOME COLOR IN THERE, "FULLER HOUSE"!! Your rating will likely go up if you do so!

Final score based off of the Pilot for "Fuller House", I give it a weak but solid B. There's plenty of space for growth... They will either rise to the occasion or sink from the expectations.

Here's hoping for the best!! What did you think??

*A new episode of Umbrella Thoughts soon to come!!  Take a listen to our previous conversations!!

Valentine's Day Weekend + Single's Awareness Day (02.16.16)

I wanted to write sooner about this weekend, but something felt strange about it because Monday was a holiday and so, that technically meant that the weekend wasn’t over, right? Well, I had to work Monday, so, for me, the weekend was over. But for those of you who had it off, good job. I’m happy for you! You lucky duckies!

Friday found me working hard on a manuscript and putting together materials for my voice actor. I’m working hard on ‘Motivational Marley’ because… well, once you see it, you’ll see why. I mean, HE’S ADORABLE!! I’ve never felt so much motivation when it came to editing before I edited his materials together! He’s wonderful, amazing, and very comforting. I can’t wait to share him with the world, with ALL OF YOU!! (^v^)

Anyhoo, a new friend from Japan via Montana arrived Friday night to hang out with her friend of near 15 years… Lots of drama ensued, which made me re-evaluate my friendship with said person because… I’m the type of person who can be mistreated by friends for years and never say anything about it for fear of troubling the friend. Having friends, at all, to me, is a blessing. Partially because most of the friends I grew up with are no longer in contact with me, and also because I’ve NEVER had a boyfriend, so all I’ve ever had were friends. So, in the past years, I’ve worked hard to leave a BIG community of friends for the smaller more intimate group of besties that I always see. The friend who kinda messed up this weekend was on her way to being one for me, but because of her own selfishness, she removed herself from that position, minimizing our relationship to a more professional and distant one. So, all I can do is accept it, you know? … So much drama. Glad it’s over.

I WATCHED “DEADPOOL” SATURDAY MORNING!! I love watching movies in movie theaters!! In those soft chairs filled with body odors and farts, drinking water or a fattening beverage, eating butter-drenched popcorn because I couldn’t tell how much I was squeezing in… NOTHING beats such an intimate act!! And I LOVE watching previews!! They give me something to look forward to. Something to yearn for. Something to pre-laugh at, so that my during-movie sounds are appropriate. The main friends I watch movies with are in my group of besties. To date, I’ve watched the most movies with Moon. She’s the reason I have a Stubs card at all! Second comes Ed, of course! Third is Chris, and Sarah is between first and second. Hehe! If that makes any sense… JJ and I haven’t seem movies together, but we talk about them a lot! We’ve also collaborated on ideas for some… soon to have more info on that!

Personally, it was more blood than I cared for. The character Wade Wilson was funny and some of the shots on him were truly extravagant. Like when they found out he had terminal cancer, the way he watched Vanessa handle as he zoned out was a BEAUTIFUL shot Chris and I loved. The sense of humor wasn’t EXACTLY what I enjoyed most, but I did enjoy it, nonetheless. There was a lot more killing than I expected, a bit more graphic than I thought it would be, but I liked the action, enjoyed the shots, LOVED the opening credits, and found the film quite downright clean for a Rated R feature. I can’t wait to see if the next film stays true to who Vanessa is from the comics! A definite B+ rating from me! Yum! I didn’t need popcorn or a drink during it! And though I watched it in the morning, my friends and I were surprised that the theater was more than half full! The entire upper area was filled. Our group of seven (Moon +2, Ed, Chris +1, and me) sat together in the front section back row. Still quite enjoyable! And I’d see it again. Yes!

After the movie came KBBQ at Moon #3! They actually serve milk teas and boba now, which was strange but yummy! And they have just started serving sushi!! I know!! They’re really branching out. For reals!! After the late lunch, everyone split, and Moon took her two friends away. Ed, Chris, and I also split up and let the evening pass rather uneventfully. Wait, no, that’s not true. Sarah joined us for lunch but she had things to do. Ed also went home and later hung with another friend. Chris and I bought 5 boxes of baking mix and headed over to visit the friend from Montana. We baked 1 batch of large chocolate chip cookies, 1 batch of lemon cookies, 1 loaf of blueberry bread, 1 loaf of mixed confetti bread, and 1 loaf of devil’s sinful chocolate cake. YUMMM!! We chatted, baked, and chatted a LOT. For those of you who don’t know, Chris is featured on Umbrella Thoughts! We always talk about more intellectual topics and can’t really help ranting and raving about our opinions and their relevancy in the society we live in. Close to midnight, we headed out and to bed! Yay!

Valentine’s Day came and I woke up late. In the morning, the friend from Montana was hurt and sad so she came to spend the day with me. Yay! And then she took a nap until close to 3 pm, so I simply contacted my lonely birds and we planned an early dinner at Black Angus! It was Sarah, Ed, Chris, my Montana friend and me. The talked, laughed, and ate together. And at the end of the meal, there were long lines, so we were all thankful we’d gone early! We had dessert at Menchies in Burbank. Moon +2 were busy, but se la vi! We hung at my place after but Sarah had to leave! And then my roommate returned, hailing the end of our hang out. But I had to wait for Marley’s mom to pick up the Montana friend. And when everyone was gone… it got quiet.

Quite the weekend if you ask me. I watched and then re-watched Sophina Dejesus’s floor routine a few times, skimmed through youtube videos, and, aside from the drama, it was fun and not as lonely. I could only imagine what Chris Pine did. I did unfold him a few times this weekend, the human life-sized cardboard cutout of him, that is. LOL. It’s getting closer to MARCH!! I love that month because I will be heading to Taiwan to do all this… blog and record videos… and, hopefully, blog!! So… LOOK FOR ME!

Final Comments… I really hope “Dragon Lady” gets picked up even if the networks end up changing the title. I’m pretty okay with it!! It’s the story I want to tell. When the title comes, it’ll stick! Yay! WE NEED DIVERSITY!!

Hope your weekends were greater than mine!! 

My Trip 2 Unicorn Island And Beyond (02.11.16)

There is nothing worse than turning on the television and listening to people talk about gossip and rumors, and feeling your brain get stupider with each passing minute. Why is conversation so dead on television? Why isn't anyone saying anything or addressing this issue? Where are we going with the future? And HOW are we equipping our next generation for survival? ... More importantly, how do we stop the bullying and depression among the suicidal next generation of history makers?

These are all questions I ask myself EVERYDAY. I actually have more, but these seem the most relevant to our day and age. I mean, trying to figure out the personas and psychology of the next generation is like working yourself through the Triwizard Maze only to be transported into the Wizard's Chess game, jumping from book 5 to book 1! I mean, how is that useful to those who seek to better the lives of the young wizards and witches of our next generation?! Why would we do that to them?!

Fortunately, by the plan of the Master of the grand design of life, my bestie (a.k.a. MoonLiteWolf) told me Tuesday night that she was taking me somewhere on Wednesday, so I said sure. After walking AROUND and THROUGH and UP and DOWN the TCL in Hollywood, I made it in line for the "DeadPool" screening, waited an hour, AND THEN she found me and got me into the right theater! Truly, those who work the exterior of the event are quite incompetent! I was running around, sweating, in a line filled with men, denied access, and then finally allowed in after ignoring the ignorant and confused staff.

Without expectations or what was to come, not being familiar with the reputation and work of IIsuperwomanII, Lilly Singh, when the documentary started, I was hooked upon meeting my fine feathered friend. I found that she was JUST LIKE ME, but willing to be in front of the camera. Her story is inspirational, her team was not film and production savvy, so it seemed, but everything came together and she survived her world tour, and then returned home to continue on with her mission and goal to make others happy. I found her encouraging, a bit daft and gregarious, but also a fun-living kind of crazy.

Afterwards, while eating and talking and walking with Moon, she asked for my honest opinion and, though I had some issues with how this documentary was shot and certain cuts I didn't agree with (cut me some slack! i'm a filmmaker with a different style!), I did admit that she touched on my dream job. Personally, for me, I'm someone who wants to find talent and help them reach that status. I want to find someone to invest my time, efforts, blood-sweat-&tears in so that when they succeed, I can say that they are my success. I don't care about being in front of the camera, but I wanna make original content that stands out and SAYS SOMETHING!!! That ENCOURAGES PEOPLE!!! That gets real stuff out there.

And then... I realized that, well, I already am. I'm just not where she is at because I'm doing everything from behind the camera, from behind the scripts and slates, I'm holding the boom mics and editing. Although I'm not seen, everything that is put out there for RainBridge Studios is me... is something I'm passionate about. And that I just have to keep working at what I'm doing to, hopefully, inspire and change the world. 

And just to share some added excitement, Moon and I saw and met then took a selfie with Lindsey Stirling at the premiere!! And here's our selfie!!

She was very cool and sweet!! Isn't she adorable?!?! I thought so!! So tiny and petite in reality!! 

As usual, comment, suggest, and check in with me for more stuff. I'm excited to announce that Rain Bridge Studios will be coming out with some original content that is SURE to make you love us more! The CoTangent is soon coming up on the 1 year anniversary, so look forward to a little something special for that!! And Umbrella Thoughts will soon tackle the topic of D.A.R.E. and bullying, so lots to prep for and gathering the forces for that! (Hopefully, Superwoman herself can joins us for the conversation...???) I'm prepping for a documentary called "Ironman" and there's another reaction video on the horizon, I believe? So much to do!! So little time to sleep!!

Oh, if you've read this far, great! If not, well... to those of you who did, please advise me on something!! So... I talk to strangers like I talk to friends because I was taught to treat others the way I want to be treated. My buddy, Moon, recently told me how not everyone thinks that way and that it's usually AWKWARD when that happens. I want to know... how many of you can talk to strangers and how many of you think it's weird? You can leave comments here or email me!! I look forward to your answers!!

The Danish Girl and Clip!

"The Danish Girl" was AMAZING!! Eddie Redmayne was stunning and Alicia Vikander was stunning in this film!

What an amazing performance from Eddie Redmayne!! I was in love, enthralled, and invoked the entire time!! Oh, my gosh, he DESERVES that Oscar nomination, for sure!! I've never really watched him but he is positively mesmerizing! I loved it! And Alicia Vikander was stunning in this film! I watched her previous work and wasn't that into it, but she was stunning and amazing in this film! Not only did I sympathize with her, but I also wanted to say that THE GIRL CAN ACT!! I'm impressed!! Look forward to Chris and me gushing about it in our next Umbrella Thoughts segment!!

CoTangent has a new episode up!! A video is coming, soon!!!



Here's a recenter video of My peeps and I reacting!! Hope you enjoy!!

TV and Dating and Love and Advice and... Reactions!

Sorry for not pressing "Publish" on this last post until today! What's wrong with me?! Haha, well, please enjoy!! 

“Quantico” was painful this week. Have they hit their peak already and are declining in story, power, and drama? I wanted to think of something better to write about but, alas, I am at a loss for words. Alex is… getting predictable, Booth and Natalie in a relationship?! Asher and Booth’s loyalties are questionable, and are we going to slowly figure out who before seeing how they were eliminated? If so, this is a TERRIBLE way to go about it!! I thought it was just a coincidence, and maybe they would change it up and keep us on our toes… and yet… I’m getting bored and I don’t want to get bored!!

S01 E03 scored a low (3 of 10 Stars) with me. Come on… bring it back up!!

“Once Upon A Time” was also somewhat of a drag. Sure, Snow and David are at it again, putting Emma first, while Henry has a date?! Whaaat?! Regina and Robin hang for most of the episode and while Hook and Emma are supposed to be all romantic, there were so many holes in the usual nice way life is wrapped up for everyone!! I feel like the answer is SO OBVIOUS and yet, life is made difficult by oblivious people. Where are the clever twists and turns that UOAT was known for?! Mr. Gold alive and awake, woohoo, but his conversations with Emma are just so awkward! I wondered how he would be and, this weird version of him is a bit unsettling. Also… boring.

S05 E04 scored just (5 of 10 Stars) with me. So sad… but still quite addicting…

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was AWESOME!! Peralta brings back Holt, Amy and Diaz are an awesome team. The Vulture is OUT!! And Boyle is adorable, as usual. Gina is funny... Terry is hilarious, and the other two are... somewhere there. OMG! After a boring week of TV, I LOVED this episode quite a lot! I just wish there was more story with Amy and Jake!

S03 E04 scored a whomping (8 of 10 Stars) with me! Keep going!!

***

Well, with all the deals and fun times of the Summer leaving us, the holidays and American activities are coming up. October rings in Comikaze at the Staple Center in LA. November hollers a Design event in Pasadena, not to mention the grandest slaughter of Turkeys! A time of thanks, indeed. And December hails the most traveling, where many cities in SoCal are emptied out as people travel home or to meet with other loved ones. Truly, a time to love and gather. January seeds the New Year events, along with the Lunar New Year! Lots to eat and many old faces will, surely grace your lives… Good luck with that!

I’ve always encountered a question as to whether or not one should move on with a new love or return to an old love that… wasn’t so good to them. This video says it all for me, I think.

Personally, I believe moving on helps you move on with life, grows your experience, and matures your perspectives as a person. But so many of my female friends return to their ex-boyfriends, swearing things will be different this time around. Somehow, that their ex changed so it’s fine, now. And I just wonder if these women realize that they are being manipulated? Can I say something about it or just stay silent? What is  the “good friend” thing to do?

Oh... and I'm trying this whole online dating thing and it's POOPING frustrating!! I'm currently on eHarmony, Match.com, OkCupid, and Christian Mingle. I got rid of Coffee Meets Bagel, How About We, and Chemistry.com because they were... not getting me anywhere. However, these sites are also not getting me anywhere. I wonder if I'm destined to being a spinster? ... Chris Pine!! Come save me!! (~.O)

And as a reward, Ed, Me, and Moon did another reaction video for fun... Comment please!! Thank you and much love!! Until next time!!

Once Upon A Time... Quantico met Brooklyn... Not Really!

I think I shouldn't try to figure out any clever titles anymore... It's not like anyone appreciates them... and I can't really think of much. LOL. -- As promised!! Here are my TV reviews for the most recent episodes! Enjoy the read and leave me a comment!!

"Once Upon A Time" Season 05 :: Episode 02

I’m relieved to see Hook very set on saving Emma and continuing his love for her. In the past and in the present, the two’s love story will torment viewers this season because of the inner darkness that threatens their lives in different ways. Somehow, though he was always the one to save her and help her, I feel this season’s turn of events will really test their relationship, and either make or break them. Oh, the great twists and turns of the Storybrook heroes!!

Getting on with it, I liked how Regina was knocked off her high horse when she realized she was a long way from redemption, even having claimed herself as the Savior. Snow and Charming’s protectiveness over Emma is sweet and, somehow, their parenting of Regina is also very well thought out of the creators. Henry is growing up, which makes me happy, and the dwarves and their usefulness returns in these episodes, I believe it!

This season opened with the signature memory wipe and as bits and pieces return to us, I want things to move faster, but the carefully wrought details in each and every scene of the show is captivating and very inspiring. From the form of the tree that Merlin is stuck in all the way to the rock and sword that Excalibur is stuck in, in the basement of Emma’s Storybrook house. I’m glad Hook noticed the door and lock, I wished he could have stayed with her a while longer so that I could decipher what their relationship was, but the creators have kept the mystery alive for so long and I do appreciate it.

I look forward to seeing how Rumplestiltskin or Mr. Gold will react when he wakes and meets Emma as the Dark One. Will he have any powers? How will the story progress? What an interesting thing to ponder on until he wakes, right?

My overall score for the show, given I felt it a bit slow, is 7 of 10 Stars. Slow and steady may win the race, but some races are won with speed without regard to beauty. So… here’s hoping… 

"Quantico" Season 01 :: Episode 02

I… expected more. There is a sappiness to the story that came out in this past episode and… I’m not liking it. Miranda’s revelation of Liam’s feelings towards Alex was a bit too much too soon. I did NOT appreciate it, especially since I’ve not seen anything at that point to corroborate that story. I’m enjoying the Natalie and Alex rivalry, also Ryan Booth’s struggle as to which one to focus on. Simon’s friendliness with Nimah is interesting, especially when he is being hit on by a cutie. Something about Shelby and Caleb really offset me and annoyed me. THEIR relationship is SUPER “high school” to me.

The editing style is a bit jarring. I understand the fast pace being important, but there needs to be more of a focus on what Alex sees and how it’s relevant for me to follow. Past shows like “Burn Notice” and “Leverage” did things very well, despite being in a cornier way, and the one that takes the cake on diligence to the art of film would be “Sherlock Homes” Guy Ritchie can do no wrong by me. SIGH! But if this show manages to harness this artful way of editing and super-stylized method of storytelling, then “Quantico” should be able to last at least a few more seasons.

My most favorite part of the entire episode is the ending, when Booth wakes and takes a call from Alex. There seems to be something still between them, perhaps cohorts, or did he already jump over to her side and Liam was the one who shot Booth? Who knows, but I want to see the next episode so I can figure out just WHO is pulling the strings and WHO is being puppeteered in the strings… and WHO is trapped in the strings. As of now, the show has it set up that Liam is the one pulling the strings, Booth is the puppet, and Alex is caught in the strings. For all intents and purposes, I believe that Alex will end up as the string puller, Booth remains in the middle, and Liam will fall into the entrapment of the strings.

I rate Season 01 Episode 02: 7 of 10 Stars. Here’s hoping the show gets better and not worse from this point on!

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Season 3 :: Episode 02

I LOVE the whole Jake and Amy relationship. Super down-played felt weird but now seems perfect for the type of show it is. There is such a sweetness between Terry and Captain Ray Holt, both of whom are wonderfully written characters. The Linetti-Diaz-Boyle triangle continues to make the episodes funnier and funnier, along with Hitchcock and Scully who are rather absent in this last episode. And, golly, I don’t like the Vulture! OMG! But I do hope Captain Holt will return to the Nine-Nine, Jake and Amy will keep on going strong, and someone for Boyle to love. It would also be nice for Terry’s issues to pan out and his mango yogurt be restored to the shelves, Linetti needs a steady lover as weird as she is, and progress between Diaz and Holt’s nephew would be a good touch of well-rounded family-feeling fun! As always, it’s nice to see everyone doing quite well, despite being at a funeral.

So, because this show is much lighter than the other two, I gladly rate this episode 8 of 10 Stars!

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Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments below!! I love a good discussion!! Otherwise, look forward to more and enjoy this episode of CoTangent podcast!!

BigBang: Made World Tour (2015) LA & Anaheim (FAN) Review

*Disclaimer:  I AM A FAN OF BIG BANG!! I’ve been following the success that is Big Bang and all of their members since their debut in 2005, when news of K-Pop groups were even HARDER to find in America. But, having been into H.O.T. waaaaay back in the day, the moment I heard Big Bang’s sound, I knew I’d love their stuff, and I have, for the past decade! So, seeing them in concert for the first time EVER was simply amazing!! And then, seeing them BOTH NIGHTS, in LA (10.03.15 -- Staples Center: #BigBangMadeInLA) and Anaheim (10.04.15 -- Honda Center: #BigBangMadeInAnaheim), was even MORESO MINDBLOWING!!! But, as most older fans are, I was turned off by their exteme style after their ‘Alive’ album. ‘Made’ was just strange.

My Seat @ Staples Center

My Seat @ Honda Center

Although the Anaheim concert started later due to ‘traffic’ and had more encores, the boys of Big Bang had more energy for the larger audience at the LA concert. It’s tough to judge on which concert was better, but if I had to really pull in all the factors, I’d say that the Anaheim concert was just a bit better because they performed “Lies” as an encore song, which brought me back to my collegiate days… which also brought tears to my eyes. Proving once again, the power of music.

To make this as painless as possible, I wanted to do reviews on each member instead of on a song-to-song basis. Mainly because their music set for each night was different. So bear with me and I’ll do my best to bare my thoughts about them in an equally unbiased tone… if possible.

The leader of the pack, G-Dragon looked tired. From the beginning of the LA concert, he seemed quieter than the rest and that was a bit disappointing. But understandable because he did his best not to out-shine the other members of the band. And it did help give DaeSung and SeungRi more of a voice, but I’ll get to them later. And, unfortunately, the superstar looked even more under the weather during the Anaheim concert. And though the others seemed to try to pick up the slack, I guess it takes one to know one… Howeover, rumor has it, his father was in the audience? Not the only parent to be there, might I add. Still, a great performance, as usual, from G-Dragon; the ultimate love-sick boybander ever.

The 2^nd most screamed for of the night, T.O.P. set a different precident for me. Having always viewed him as the cold, quiet, and mysterious character of the bunch, he was open, visibly happy, and quite enjoyable to watch. Although it was obvious he was uncomfortable dancing with the other guys, being so much stiffer and still, his solo performance with his singing and rapping blew me away. The man doesn’t need to dance. His rap-ability is that which is coveted by most of the new boybanders today. The king of Rap and bad-buttedness, for shizzle.

The English connoisseur of them all, TaeYang was brilliant with his fluid dance moves and English speak-ability. I didn’t agree with his choice of solo performance song, having so many great hits in his pocket, he chose the one that has been overplayed on countless occasions. I guess it’s easier for them to perform their biggest hits, but… that’s not always the one the audience wants to hear. I feel he could have performed something more ‘Usher’-like and the response could have been phenomenal, as opposed to the “WOW” it was. Still, that’s his decision and I guess, that’s just his love song to the fans who love him! He’s, for rillz, the smoothest of them all… and the sweatiest I think…

NOTHING beats the cuteness and fun-lovingness of DaeSung bringing and pointing out his mother at the Anaheim concert! NOT ONLY THAT!! While I stood in with with some others, someone who looked a lot like DaeSung ran from the Honda Center and hurried into the parking lot. The kids behind me screamed after he passed and it wasn’t until later that I realized that the familiar face beloned to DaeSung!! How wonderful it was to see him in person and not recognize him until hours later!! I wish I did notice the moment he appeared, but he was in such a rush, he was gone in seconds! But his performance was sweetened all the more knowing that his Mom was there in the crowds, cheering him on. He’s, defintely, the most loveable of all the members!!

And then, there’s SeungRi, the youngest and the one with the WEIRDEST English of them all. I tried to be supportive and tolerant but when someone works so hard to butcher your mother language, you can only take so much before you stop thinking it’s by accident. And what made me hack him in last in my review was the fact that at the LA show, either his mic went out or he didn’t sing mostof his ‘Storng Baby’ song, which I found to be just poor performance ettiquette. I’m sorry if it’s his mic that went out, but it was fine during the parts when he actually did sing. But since he, also, looked tired, I guess I shouldn’t blame him for their tour not scheduling in time to help them handle the time difference. (mild sarcasm) Just gotta take it as it comes, eh? But, here’s hoping he improves his English so he doesn’t sound like he’s mocking the lingo. He’s, in my opinion, the most awkward of the guys. Haha!

It's their Official Sign!!

Overall, the most emotional song I heard on the night of the LA concert for the first time was “If You”. It brought tears to my eyes, and not because of the lighting, but the raw emotion on the stage moved me without understanding the words. The feelings and connection that suddenly hit me was enough to render me speechless. The most touching moment came from

The MVP of the night, hands down, based on how out-shined he is in music videos, variety shows, and etc., is T.O.P. He came out of his shell the most, showed his showmanship and impressed the poop out of me. I’ve seen several performers, concerts, bands, groups, and so on… but believe me when I say it… T.O.P. really stole the show.

Personally, I didn’t enjoy the videos shown, meant as ‘creative’ storytelling and buffering for the next acts. But, if it’s for the purpose of ‘humanizing’ the members of the boyband, then they went off the mark by quite a bit. I wondered why they couldn’t go with something a bit more normal instead of everything leading to some way/shape/form or suicide. There’s nothing more disturbing than having a group of handsome and talented, well-liked and well-rounded young men share their darkest parts of themsleves with an audience that comes hoping to see them in hopes of brightening their own lives. But I get where they’re coming from, which made me also look within myself because of such videos.

Also, unfortunately, I like reading subtexts and taking a deeper look into things, overthinking is the term most often used, and the way I see it, I don’t think Big Bang really put in much thought about the overseas fans. Let me explain. Anyone can go on Youtube and search for their performances in the Asian countries like South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan, and immediately, these boys are infinitely more spirited. And then you can search for videos in the states and they look tired, sad, and pooped out. They fly over and perform right away, disregarding the jetlag and forget that they are also hacking away at the quality of their performance. But maybe it’ll get better in three years, when they have another concert here? After some of the guys have gone to the army and come back with a new sense of reality and humanity.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to what they’re doing today. Whether it be Disneyland or Universal Studios, Six Flags or Knott’s… I hope they have fun with their dancers and band! OMG!! It’s not my first time seeing their band, but seeing their band live was truly amazing. Every great artist can only go as far as their band can take them and, it’s NO WONDER Big Bang has made it so far!! Madd PROPS to their band, for REALZ.

The price for attending 2 concerts consecutively is that, your ears will be ringing a bit more than usual… You lose a lot of sleep and the hours spent getting to the event and returning home add up to stolen time you’ll never get back for other things in your life, so be prepared to sacrifice! Oh, and if you’re older than 25, you will FEEL your age by the end of the night because you won’t be screaming your head off, dancing like a weirdo, and won’t be so star stuck, you can barely walk straight without dissolving into a gigling mass. I did enjoy the parking, though. For sure, because their fans are quite young, many can’t drive and are dropped off by their parents. Score one for the oldies!

Anyhoo, OVERALL, combining the score of their concerts [LA= 8 :: Ana=8.5] divided by 2 and you get my total score of 8.25 out of a total possible 10. So generous… [I’ve never rated so generously to a group I didn’t completely enjoy before. Haha. And, for those of you who need refereneces, I’ve scored a 10 for Deliriou5, and a 9 for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Alicia Keys. That’s my scale. So… my score is darn GENEROUS!!]

Mooooooving on… Check back with me for my response to Season 5 Episode 2 of Once Upon A Time and Season 1 Episode 2 of Quantico! And I’ll post our next podcast for CoTangent by Thursday, I think?

SOOOOOOOOO THE DRAMAS!! (SPOILERS!!!)

*Out of respect for audiences of all ages and professions, I must warn you that there are SPOILERS in this post!!!*

I don’t watch TV.

Let me rephrase that. 

I don’t own a television, nor have I cable and such. So, I don’t watch TV. Any show I watch, I watch through online streaming sites. I’m not proud of this, but the fact that most shows can be found online, I really don’t NEED a television, know what I mean? By the way... For television standard purposes, I rate on a 1-10 star scale. So… here we go!

'THE BIG BANG THEORY' Season 09 Episode 01-02 Review (8 of 10 Stars)

I love this show. I’ve watched the first until the last episode recently aired and I still love this show. It’s not an on-and-off again thing for me, but a watch over-and-over again show. Whenever a new episode is up, I hunt for it online and watch it. Otherwise, I cycle through the entire series until I need something else to drone in my ears as I type and write and work on other projects.

First of all, Amy Farrah Fowler is awesome for breaking up with Sheldon Cooper! OMG! I want him to feel the need and realize the love he has for her and a break up might just do the trick! I do wonder how their relationship will change when they get back together but I guess we'll have to wait and see about that, eh?

Secondly, I wanted Leonard Hofstadter and Penny to be married in a chapel of sorts... I wanted their family to be there and hoped to see the rest of his amazing siblings and who they would cast for them!! Also, maybe bring their group of friends to Nebraska for the wedding!! That sounds like fun and I think Sheldon could just about piss EVERYONE off, or be quite at home seeing the parallel it is with East Texas... LOL!! We all know how caffeine and alcohol affects him... that could be quite fun!

Third, I wonder when Emily Sweeney and Rajesh Koothrappali will jump onto the more officially together band wagon or will Raj drift away because Emily and Penny don't like each other? Maybe instead of this, the writers will make Bernadette pregnant?! Holy COW, that would be something, eh??

Lastly, I wonder what will happen to Stuart Bloom?? Will he finally find someone to connect with? Will he marry and open a cafe in his comic book store? Maybe have an open mic area for interviews with Will Wheaton and, maybe even, Stan Lee?? I think that would be a cool idea, and I think Stuart deserves love. HAHAHAH!! I once wrote a spec script with such a storyline, I guess it never reached them. LOL. It's okay, if they accept me, they'll have to start accepting other Asians into the mix and... we all know TV doesn't feel like changing all that much.

I'm a bit annoyed because the Asian population keeps growing and yet... no worthwhile representation on television. All we have are random techie and nerdie roles on sci-fi shows, or "Fresh Off the Boat", which is neither complimenting nor encouragement. *sigh* Wish I could break that glass ceiling... I wish... wish... 

'QUANTICO' Season 01 Episode 01 Review (7 of 10 Stars)

It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Very much with the feel of “Burn Notice” mixed with “How to Get Away With Murder”, this show is quite heavily influenced by “Alias” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” without the supernatural element. I was interested because of the trailer and because I was such an on-and-off again fan of “Alias”, but I found Alex Parrish so much more likeable and real than most of the doe-eyed strong young women in the shows up until now. Piyanka Chopra is strong, independent, honest, and quite a model citizen, just like Jennifer Garner in “Alias”. These two shows are quite similar, but the non-verbal “burn Notice” feel is also present.

Because this is a review, there will be SPOILERS!!! So, stop reading if you don’t want to hear about the spoilers.

The moment we “met” Alex, I liked her. She seemed so much a bad-butted female who took what she wanted and did as she pleased, all the while trying to do and say the right things. From lying to her mother about where she was going to the sexy encounter in the car with undercover Agent Ryan Booth,  to befriending Shelby Wyatt and comforting Eric Packer, the kid who shoots himself due to the instability of his own mind. (I TOLD YOU THERE WERE SPOILERS!!)

The scene I liked best was the interrogation/interview scene, when Nimah/Raina Amin questioned Simon Asher. The way she delivered it was so wonderful, the acting and blocking of the scenes was quite intense altogether. I enjoyed it and was pulled into the world much faster than I had thought I would be. The cutting, lighting, and overall tone of the episode was so attractive and well done from where I sat staring at the screen.

What I hated most from this first episode was when it was revealed that Agent Booth is on the other side that is framing Alex!! OMG!! NOO!!! I wish they held that information back a bit so that I would keep guessing about him. Somehow, from the trailer, I predicted that he would start on the odd end of things and then be turned onto her side. But to have it seem to be most likely to happen, I hated that it was revealed so soon. Why can’t they keep us guessing more? Oh, the sadness. And, thought I appreciate the jumping around of the editing because it keeps me on my toes, I DIDN’T like it too much because it made me dizzy to some degree.

Overall, I look forward to finding out about the nine months before the major explosion and about those who were involved in it. I have a sneaking suspicion that it might by Wyatt or the Amin sisters being blackmailed into such an act, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see about how Joshua Safran writes and Marc Munden directs it.

It can only go up from here!!

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Jumping back to my “The Intern” love, I actually really connected with Becky (Christina Scherer) because I’ve been there and done that. So, I tweeted her a question and she actually answered it! I was floored and so, I wanted to share it with all of you!!

I can't wait to see what movie she's in next!! She's so cute of an actor!!

HERE IS COTANGENT EPISODE 31