Once Upon A Time 7.14 "The Girl in the Tower" Review

                                           
After writing about some serious stuff, previous post, let's go into some fantasy mode!
It's Alice's (Rose Reynolds) birthday as she's grown up now and she's more Tilly here in appearance than the Alice in last ep.  She makes a wish wanting to get out of the tower and moments later it comes true.  She finds the roof ripped away and a giant peering inside as he takes her into the palm of his hand.  He let's her go and in the woods she falls into the trap set by Robin (Tiera Skovbye) hoisted up into the cage.  Didn't this happen to Snow and Charming too.  After she spies Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) with baby Lucy.  Anyhoo, Robin set the trap for the giant since he's been terrorizing the village.  Alice wants to get out of the cage and Robin finally lowers her down after she tells them she was spying on her papa since he's cursed and she can't be with him.  Alice has been searching for a cure everywhere and in Wonderland and we get a reference to the Mad Hatter as she has one of his hats.  Which got me thinking how did she get the hat in the tower cos if that's the case, surely she could've used it as a portal.  Or did she make it herself.  She does have magic and that she inherited from her mother Gothel.   Maybe I was overdoing it in thinking too much!

As they arrive at the inn, they find villagers taking refuge there and when they learn Alice wants to save the giant they imprison Alice and Robin.  Robin shows her photos of the Bug in Storybrooke and how it belonged to the sheriff and she went for a ride in it.  Alice is impressed by her phone and the photos on it.  They escape and come across the village folk, menfolk, trying to kill the giant.  Robin shoots at him with an arrow and she tells them who she is.  They're not impressed but as they're cornered again, the Yellow Bug comes to their rescue and Robin tells Alice she is magical.  As they come across the giant again (in resemblance or allusion to The BFG - which isn't a Disney creation so no reference could be made to it by name.)  Robin tells her that she wished for the giant and so it saved her so she can wish him away.  As she does so, he turns into stone.  This is the same statue that is in Hyperion Heights and in its hand he holds the Bug.

As we return to Hyperion Heights and Hook or Nook as Zelena (Rebecca Mader) called him, with Alice's joke of calling Robin 'Nobin'; is trying to find an alibi for Tilly for the murder.  However he can't and he brings her to Henry (Andrew J West) as they need somewhere to escape.  She can't recall where she was at the time of the murder.  When they leave she finds a fruit sticker stuck to her shoe and asks all the people there at the market, but no one recalls her.  She's invisible to everyone.  Hey that's what I call myself, Invisible Girl, ha!  As she walks past the dumpster she finds her backpack in there and Hook and Henry have to save her from the police and Hook must take her in.  Tilly turns up at the statue again and here she meets Robin as she returns to Hyperion Heights.  They have a conversation about the book she's reading amongst other things, Alice in Wonderland, Tilly was reading Robin Hood earlier on.  At least she glanced through it when she was at Henry's.  Obviously they had a moment as Robin and Alice in the other realm.  This kinda leads to Tilly noticing the red light in the statue's eye, thus a CCTV camera.  Hook finds the time stamp and clears her name.  He also offers her a spare room at his place as the killer is still on the loose.

Reggie (Lana Parilla) and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) go ahead with their operation and Lucy thinks it's old fashioned to use walkie talkies (well it was good enough for her father!)  Reggie distracts Facilier (Daniel Francis) and Lucy breaks into his place to find evidence or clues.  Reggie convinces him to go on a date with her, a walk and they're interrupted by Zelena who knows Facilier is aware they know who they really are.  He leaves them and get backs to his place and Reggie can't get through to Lucy.  Zelena adding they should've used walkies.  Lucy finds the cards on his table and takes a photo, hiding from him, but he was aware she was there and sees her reflection in the mirror.

He brings back her woolly hat for Reggie and also gives her the Empress card, it's what she wants he tells her.  She admits to Zelena she does have feelings for Facilier also revealing he's after the Dark One and his dagger but doesn't tell her about the card.  Does Reggie still harbour Evil Queen tendencies now?  Robin returns and Zelena is glad to see her.

Another turn of events now and will Robin be helpful in finding the witch killer or is she just a distraction for Tilly and a potential love interest.  Hoping this is resolved quickly.  Henry wasn't much help this episode.

Zak Bagans "Demon House" Review and Commentary

                                                   
A few SPOILERS so don't read if you want to watch it first!  There my Disclaimer!!

Zak Bagan's Demon House Documentary was much anticipated and a long time coming since its announcement.  But after filming this lengthy, arduous and in some ways momentous journey, it was in post production for a while.  A number of years later and after watching it, it was easy to understand why this was the case.  As it was a lesson in filming documentary per excellence, bar none.  Containing the right amount of background especially for those unfamiliar with the house and the possessions/hauntings of the family that resided there.  So that was my little gripe since much was already reported in the media and by Zak.  Although in this doco Zak chose to edit what he deemed necessary to provide the relevant facts without going overboard and keeping it concise, punchy and on point.

I was disappointed however that there wasn't any  opportunity to film the family affected as they refused to appear on camera or off.  Money over "public service" since someone else was making a Hollywood movie about the house also.  Including how the person involved having the audacity to threaten Zak.  Heck whose house was it anyway.  But interesting to hear from the police, the Child Protective Services' personnel involved and others too, for their experiences from just stepping foot inside the house.

Meke visiting and bringing her family inside was a moment of contention since the children of the Ammon's family were already affected by the house as well as the adults themselves.  Though Meke was willing to take that chance, having lived there herself.  But her daughter did have a change of character and expression when she returned from the basement and was asking Zak questions about his investigations and how he is affected by them.  There was something happening with her, that much was obvious.  Don't know if anyone else noticed this when filming and whether Zak did too.  Since a few days later (not rightaway) Meke called Zak to inform him of what happened to her daughter.  Which was disturbing to say the least and requiring an exorcism.

The other disturbing aspect of this was how the people who entered the house from Zak's team were affected, especially cameraman, Adam and also Dr Barry Taft.  I recall when he investigated the Oman House in LA, he stated he wouldn't return to it after the negative effect it had on him.  It is thus sad then that this Demon House also took a toll on him healthwise and affected him too.  Hoping his health will improve.

Secondly Zak deciding on being locked into the house by himself especially after many warnings.  How he was affected by feelings of anger and lashing out in the basement and the house in general, when he vented on Jay.  Setting up 'house' in this place with all the doors and windows boarded up for the purposes of the investigation and sufferance for his his life's work.  When I say that I do not mean it lightly or in a nonchalant way.  I genuinely felt for him in this and it was a decision he didn't make off the cuff or faint heartedly.

Sure enough it was an eventful night with those footsteps (sounded like hoofs on the wooden floors to me.)  Then the voice he heard inside.  To me it sounded like a very distinct English accent, it didn't sound like an American accent to me.  Then waiting for events to unfold, it was expecting something bad to happen.  I felt it.  My eyes were focused on that right corner where it appeared there was something there, perhaps it was just how it was filmed by the camera.  But that's the way he saw that dark mass or figure that flashed across the hallway.  Not even flashed it appeared to manifest out of the side of the hallway.  The camera went blurry and moved.  Thought he had moved it himself but on several rewinds, it moved by itself. 
There was a light anomaly that flies on screen when Zak is sitting on the bed and sure saw another one there too in the front room in the next shot..

Then the intense headache he got and the end result of his eyes being affected and having to permanently wear glasses, prism glasses.  That was a heart stopping moment.  Suppose there's something about that story I mentioned on Twitter about the man who put recording devices in a grave to record anything that went on in there and he went deaf.  Suggesting there are many things we are not meant to know yet or perhaps even at all.  Not being cruel here or anything, just making a general comment. 
Zak: "More importantly, in the bigger picture of this [his eyesight affliction] to know that this hit me within a day after I left the Demon House. There's no explanation to that. I'm looking for someone to explain to me how that couldn't be related to what was going on inside of that house."
One interview article stated how he was affected by the house re his eyes as he demolished the house.  However this happened before the house was even demolished.

I was fine watching throughout all of it, except for that part towards the end!  Not only did I have some kind of pain transference, hand on heart, next day I had a pain across the right side of my head, the back of my head and the right eye.  When I closed my eyes all I could see was that moment replayed over and over.  Still happens now three days later.  Plus there was an overwhelming feeling of deja vu on my part; a strong feeling that I have seen that room before and the way the furniture was set up with the pink chair!  Yeah that pink chair dude!!  Pink not being a good colour when it comes to certain Ghost Adventures eps!  Anyway this isn't about me.  SO moving on...

It really brought home the dangers of such investigations and the dangers of how some put off or dismiss such evil as not being real! It was an effective and moving piece of documentary filming and making and no matter how people have dissed it as fake, it was and is far more real than even the most hardened sceptic could even imagine.  It was Zak's cross to bear and it was burdensome and no one would have been equipped and able to handle something this destructive and perilous.

Not to mention too much, think I already have,  it is worth watching for yourselves and I will be watching again.  However, I have to say it left more questions than providing answers, opening up a whole can of worms! Such as the effects on the neighbours etc. Seems after this experience the Ghost Adventures episodes, some of them, became more darker too and also helping people more who have been and are, the victims of possessions, more so than in the past. Did this experience impact on that?

Wonder if Zak is going to put into his own words, in another book or something, all of his experiences there, including the aftermath.  Since there is so much I want to know and am sure others will too.  At least those genuinely interested in such paranormal encounters.  It's something that needs to be addressed in a lot more dialogue and detail.  Perhaps an eventual DVD release with some extra additions on this. 

In my book on Zak and the book review of Zak's second book I Am Haunted I wrote:
"Life's journey takes us on different paths - sometimes for the better - sometimes not.  Zak's life took him onto the one where he's constantly on a quest to find answers, search for them pertaining to the afterlife and much more .  He might not believe in coincidences or destiny, but this was his fate..." 

Paranormal Lockdown 3.4 Jim Beam Distillery

This one was going to be different with getting in as many puns/jokes over the spirits and spirits in a  bottle.  Came up with plenty but too spiritual to include here ha!  The distillery boast many a haunting and well, it's no wonder, who'd want to leave this place.  The Beam family emigrated from Germany and their actual name was Bohm.  "Reginald" Beam began making whiskey, he was a farmer and it became known as bourbon.  Jacob and Mary Meyers Beam settled in Kentucky.  Jim Beam also married a Mary in 1897.

Katrina and Nick being shown how to savour the tasting of bourbon.  Leaving their glasses there for later.  Hey they used some bourbon in the shot glass experiment with the lights inside the glasses and decanter, in the actual Beam house, but other than a thud sound, they didn't get any reactions or activity.  Not until fellow investigator and friend of Nick, Lee Kirkland shows up, being a native Kentuckian.  That's when the decanter and glasses began to light up and Lee's name came though twice on the Echo Box saying his name "Lee" and "hello Lee."  Seems as Nick said they were more at ease with Lee being around.  And guess what during this part of the show my TV switched off by itself!!  Probably got too many bourbon fumes coming through.  But what sort of WTF moment was that anyway??!!  That's never happened.

Lots of noises in Warehouse K and Warehouse D and Katrina seeing some mist but wasn't caught on camera at that point during the first day of the investigation.  A shame cos I mean she did have her camera with her.  With me thinking if you're not going to use the camera why carry it around, especially if the order of the day is to document whatever happens or doesn't happen and that's the entire purposes of camera and equipment, so it can be captured and shared with others.  So it was great when Rob on the final day,  actually managed to catch that mist manifesting, almost like a woman in a white dress and then they caught the whiff of flowers, a perfume-y scent.  Funnily enough when I took a photo of the mist, the 'Face mapping' feature on the camera and phone focused exactly where the mist appeared.

This pic shows it a bit better:

Seem to see some faces in this too...
Earlier on they used the Echo Box, which echoed their voices when asking questions and they got some responses on that, even getting someone saying "it was me."  Though they didn't ask who me was.  As well as a woman's voice with "yes."  Katrina also managed to get her name come through, maybe why she felt nauseous there.  As she said it was a bit of an unusual investigation with them having to continue during the day alongside the workers which she believed would give them more results.  They also got the name "Daniel" when Lee was around.  Which of course had nothing to do with Jack Daniel's [whiskey]!!  (Joking!)

There were just voices and more noises coming through, so as said, glad when they got that mist seeing as most of the employees saw that there.  As well as the light sensors lighting up where the spirit of Mary has been seen looking out of the window.  Nothing negative or dark here though and the spirits appear to be still at home with the, er, spirits!

NB noticed that Quest Red is showing eps with different numbers, this one was listed as 3.6 but I've labelled them in chronological order.

Once Upon A Time 7.13 "Knightfall" Review

                                                
This ep of the show is about Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) mostly which was good to see and how he brought up Alice by himself stuck in that tower (what'd they do for food) and then when she's older along comes Gothel (Emma Booth) to mess things up as usual.  Look, for someone who only wanted a baby to escape those towering chains why was she bothered about what Hook does with Alice (Elle McKinnon) and how they spend their lives; with him wanting to get Alice out of there.  Alice dreams about being taken by Gothel and Hook being thrown out of the tower.  Well that was bound to happen.  Yet there's no way he can defeat her without magic, leading him to confront Rumples who seems (Robert Carlyle) to be forever imprisoned in that cage of his own.  He wants a deal and if Hook sets him free, he'll tell him how to defeat her.  Which involves some involvement with Captain Ahab (Chad Rook) of all people!

Ahab's surprised he turned up calling him a washed up pirate but Hook's not in the mood for a fight, he just wants the fish hook.  Which he'll get if he fights him.  But Hook decides on a game of dice instead and wins it from him.  Heading back to Rumples he's confronted by Ahab again who wants a duel cos he won't leave it alone, bloomin' peg leg!!  But he wants it in front of everyone.  Goading him over still being in league with the Crocodile instead of wanting him gone and defeating the Dark One.  Should've just released and let him take care of him like Rumples wanted.  So pistols at dawn leads to Hook getting injured in his shoulder but Ahab facing a much heftier injury.  As Hook returns to the tower Gothel once again appears to put a fishbone in the works and this time he's thrown out for good and can't get back to Alice.

Hyperion Heights: Henry (Andrew J West) sees Reggie (Lana Parilla) return in the early morning, admitting she looked up a boyfriend.  She looked high actually, not just tired.  What were they doing turning tricks all night?!  Sorry I mean that in the context of magic, and planning something together.  He tells her about Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) stopping him from getting to second base with her.  Ivy (Adelaide Kane) calls Henry for help as she's packing up her mother's things but doesn't know what to do with them and what she wants to keep.  She makes a move on him cos they're both in the same boat.  But Henry shuts her down and tells her about losing his family too and she just needs to find an outlet for herself.  Reminding Ivy she has Jacinda and a niece too.  She calls on Jacinda and gives her the box of things Victoria had and Jacinda gives Ivy her doll back.  That was one creepy doll!  Ha.  She decides she knows what she's got to do, as Jacinda tells her about her woes with Lucy.  Ivy adding she's a great mother.  You see earlier Lucy tells Jacinda she doesn't want her seeing "that guy" anymore and she needs her more.  Which upsets Jacinda after she tried to get them together for an eon.  Telling Jacinda she doesn't believe in fairytales anymore after everything bad happened.

Hook and Weaver/Rumples try to figure out the murders and Tilly (Rose Reynolds) comes in wanting a chess game, but Hook doesn't have time.  Gothel/Eloise comes in as they speak of the devil and she only wants to be questioned by Hook.  She appeared to be trying hard for him to remember for some reason or was she just playing him.  Rumples warns him about her and letting her get inside his head, but he still wants to question her.  She sees the ship doodle in his notebook and asks for the painting he did.  Outside he tells Rumples he's one step ahead since he doesn't know how she knows about his painting.  But he goes to get it anyway.

Tilly is still around and sees Gothel there telling him she's bad news and something bad is going to happen.  Hook brings in the painting and she wants answers about him and his emotions.  He just tells her how he loved the ocean when he was little and she asks how he felt when he saw it.  Telling him  that all of the Vic's received a heart shaped box with marzipan.  Now who likes ,marzipan.  Hook and Rumples follow up on the lead and head to a florist who tells him his wife got those chocolates but she died a while back.  They think Eloise led them on a goosechase.  But they still have the baker and get to the hospital to find her dead and Tilly standing with a scalpel in her hand.  They ask what she's doing here and she tells them of the bad thing happening she told them about.  She escapes through the window.  At her storage facility, Hook finds a board with some of the witches crossed out from it.  But they don't believe Alice/Tilly did it.  Hook and that chess piece!!  Also the bottle of sand was there that he gave her in the tower.  Yet more clues and still nothing solved.

Ivy brings moo shu for Henry to thank him and wants his help.  She needs to look for Anastasia and she knows he can be the hero deep down that he is.  Lucy shows Reggie the page with Henry and she admits she has her memories and Lucy explains that's why she stopped Henry and Jacinda from kissing.  They agree on a plan to move forward and Lucy names it Operation Hyacinth, the flower Henry gave Jacinda.  Only Reggie doesn't want to be called grandmother.  They're Mills and they're going to give her parents the happy ending they deserve.

Still so much more to go yet and sometimes the episodes don't really do much to answer anything.  Even though this was focused on Hook a little, it doesn't get him any closer to finding Alice or realizing who he is.  Not sure what Gothel's up to but she does want the killer of the witches found or is just another ploy on her part.  And what was this nonsense about the chocolate boxes.  Hmm who in Storybrooke and the other realm had a sweet tooth.  So there's the doctor, the baker, the florist, who is already dead but no further to getting answers.

I'm still waiting for the Hook revelation where he realizes Rumples/Weaver no longer speaks with his cockney accent!!  I mean you're a cop but that's eluded you!! Ha. Understandable the poor guy has other things on his mind and with Gothel giving him the once over on making him say he doesn't have anyone special!!  Nah luv you're so not his type!!  That was rich coming from her about giving Hook the curse so he can't be with Alice considering she's not a perfect mother, if at all.

When Ivy left Jacinda and said she's going to finish what her mother started, that look on Jacinda's face thinking she's going to start with the development again or something.  So who exactly is going to run Victoria's empire now.  Surely Ivy could've done something meaningful and constructive with it and not in the building construction sense either!!

The X Files 11.9 "Nothing Lasts Forever" Review

                                           
"I want To Be Beautiful"

X Files back to its gruesomest, well there had to be one of those in a kind of harkback to Eugene Tooms, [Squeeze and Tooms] and who fed on human livers to sustain himself  an then go into hibernation.  Sounds like this is what Barbara needed to do. This one involved an aging star (in the form of much that is topical about celebrity in their quest to remain forever young - hmm thought that sounded a little Mulder (David Duchovny) there! ha) only Barbara (Fiona Vroom) wasn't actually a star in not amounting to much so can't be put up there with the greats, but aged into obscurity and in her fleeting ambition to be beautiful and forever young; she came across a doctor who believed he found the secret to youth.  Having performed the same procedures on himself.  Juliet (Carlena Britch) mentions her sister, Olivia (Micaela Aguilera) joined a cult, well this appeared to be just that, brainwashing people into believing they were much better than they thought of themselves to be and then harvesting their organs so cruelly and crudely for themselves.  A form of vampire cannibalism.  Almost on Mulder territory there with his line of using the materials that would've been used for Christ including wooden stakes, which gets them onto the case and full jurisdiction from the detectives.  As well as Scully's (Gillian Anderson) line of Mulder having to look forward to gout!

As doctors remove organs from a victim, a woman, Juliet, hides and then attacks then with metal bars and a hammer akin to Jesus on the cross.  A profound action in being religious herself and wants to know where 'they' are.  She leaves the organs outside a hospital with the words "I will repay."  Only the organs can't be used.  Scully attends church and communion service again a kind of parallel could be drawn here in that they are served the body and the blood of Christ, a perversion where Barbara Doctor Luvenis (Jere Burns) are given, correction: forcibly take the organs of innocents in the hopes of remaining young.  A blood fountain of youth.  Also there is Olivia, the missing sister and she willingly partakes in this, as her mother looks at her photo with her deformed face.  Barbara telling them they are loved and not ugly.

Mulder and Scully take on the case as Mulder believes there is an X-File here with Scully later deciding that there isn't.  After their visit to church.  Where they speak of Scully's beliefs and she tells him why she started to believe, when her brother Charlie was taken ill and she prayed.  He had rheumatic fever and later she started praying for a dog.  She believed her prayers worked when she got a dog for Christmas.  But her mother's faith made her strong and that's what she also believes in.  Mulder adding he knows why he's not a Christian cos his parents didn't get a puppy.  He also notices Romans 12:19-21 quoting,  “Vengeance is mine, I will repay" which is about vengeance and repaying.  As Juliet comes to the church and talks with Father Hardy (Cameron McDonald) who tells her to have faith and she will find her sister.  Outside Mulder notices the three missing bars from the fence which were used in the crime and are led to Olivia's mother, Josephine (Fabiola Calmenero) by the Father.

Juliet refuses to let them in and says she's protecting her mother shutting he door on them.  They're led to a building where the resident Barbara hasn't been seen in 7 years by the super and they have a dumb waiter which is used by them.  She's 85 and as Olivia is hooked onto the doctor, they are let into the apartment by Barbara.  She isn't 85 at all and they are attacked by the others with Scully being thrown down the dumb waiter.  As Mulder is pinned down, Juliet arrives and takes out Barbara.  Mulder finds the doctor with Olivia in the basement and kills him.  Scully's fall being broken by the years of rubbish collecting there.  Funnily they found the doctor by tracking a heart.

In church again Scully mentions William and also Mulder talks of how she could've left him in his basement at the FBI years ago, before he even got glasses and married a brain surgeon with lots of children.  But they're here and together and that's what he believes in.  Scully asking "are we together?"  He says he will believe through her and makes a wish, but she says it's not a birthdy cake, they're prayer candles.  She whispers what she wants to him, in a moment that felt like they would kiss!!  As Mulder lights a candle. 
Scully: "that's my leap of faith forward and I'd like to do it together."
Mulder: "I always wondered how this was going to end." 

Perhaps a flash forward to the final episode in this season 11 which could turn out to be the final episode of the X-Files.  But it was an enjoyable run with the exception of a few dud eps.  I can say that can't I? 

Ahh yes Mulder and his glasses which Scully tells him eventually everyone will go through and his having to use them now.  Suddenly he gets glasses when the tagline changes to "I Want To be Beautiful" as opposed to "I want to believe" (generally in aliens which eh does among other things) or "I want to believe I am beautiful."  To my recollection and never forgetful memory, Mulder wore glasses in the Pilot ep when they first met!  Maybe he got contacts afterwards!!

Also the funny throwaway line of Mulder peering at Scully closely in the beginning and asking if she got a haircut?  No it was a new wig so desperately needed two eps ago!   But honestly he appeared to be short sighted than long sighted and should have noticed the wig anyone as he wasn't looking at her face so closely and was able to drive without glasses too.  In the title which could also be an allusion to this show.  As well as Sidney Sheldon's book of the same name, about three female doctors trying to compete in a male world.  Well in some ways it was Barbara here who wanted to remain young and using the doctor but it did seem to be a mutual relationship of give and give some more and blatant take on her part.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.3 "Higgensport School" Review

Nick and Katrina came to Higgensport school in Ohio not expecting such heightened activity, but as Alex, the manager, told them it boasted the presence of a dark entity/shadow figure which he's seen and he tells people they should expect to see it.  From the outset there was plenty going on here.  Including Katrina seeing a figure or shadow coming out of a room, like creeping out to check who's there and going back in.  Saying it was more of a leg.  With doors banging especially one in particular, where Katrina spent the night.  But nothing happened after Rob left. Oh I don't mean they only get activity when he's around ha!  But ya never know it has happened a lot in past eps!  Nick preferring the hallway and again nothing happened during the night.  Nick woke up Katrina who was really drained.  There was activity in the basement where a man was burned by the boiler.

When they were setting up their equipment and when Nick heard walking on the first day, sure there was an orb/light anomaly flying nearby.  It comes from the left (bottom pic) and floats to the top right (in the top pic.)

Also again later on when they were by the gym, I managed to see another 3 at least hovering around them.

One where Nick was about to set up his cot, it's almost as if it shoots out from where the bag is: taking the path of the arrow.

I concluded (ha) that it wasn't dust cos they were shooting around in logical fashion, not just floating around like dust would.

But some swearing from Nick and Katrina!!  Nick used the phonetic application and got the voices coming through: ""I feel lost..."
Then a deep male voice, "from you..."  Most probably could have been the shadow figure they see later.

Nick uses a new piece of equipment called the 'Parazologies' at least I was trying to work the name out on there, kind of like a digital recorder, but no voices came through on it.  Will double check the name but it did look cool hoping they use that too later on.

More voices saying: "he dragged him down here..."  Wonder if that was in response to Alex telling them about a drug addict they found in the basement, but they don't know if he died here or was brought here."
Katrina asks: "where are you?"  And the response is:
"we're stuck..."
Nick asks "...down here?"
Reply: "a syringe..."
Katrina asks who passed away?"
Reply: "me....this spot..."
Nick asks who it is?  But doesn't get any response.  As he said they don't know who they were dealing with so they can't say for certain if this was the dead man or something messing with them.

Katrina also does a recording and asks questions and gets something which sounds like a "yes" though to me it sounded more kind a like growling noise.  She caught this when she was alone in the cafeteria and that's when Nick was trying to rest during the day in preparation for more night investigation and activity.  Anyway when she plays it to Nick, or attempts to there's a voice heard, disembodied, which I'm sure says "I'm here..."  or "in here..."  Again a male voice.

Lots of doors closing again and more light anomalies as stated above.  As they used the Geobox and there were voices coming through which shounded like children.
There were plenty of orbs in the gym, about 5 darting around, you need to watch that segment when they use the light sensor in the gym.  It was like the children were still playing in the gym, probably being subjected to PE!! ha.
Here's a few pics, sorry about the clarity/quality:

They also hear a desk or a chair being dragged which is what I said it sounded like and then Katrina said the same.  Rob hears a voice and you can hear it clearly too, when Nick is asking if they want to come out of the class, it answers "no" and is the voice of a boy.  Well he must be enjoying his lessons!  Or maybe being naughty!! Ha.

In the gym with the stage, they use the light sensor and a girl's voice comes through on the Geobox telling them what it is: "light sensor..."  "there..."  which also lights up.
The same girl can later be heard saying: " I don't wanna touch it..." in reference to the light sensor.
Nick asks who they're talking to?
Reply: "gym" and it tells them to go there.
Katrina asks "will we see you in the gym?"
Answer: "yes."   As Katrina said they were getting residual energy and intelligent responses too.

In the gym where they see if they can get any stick figures, they get responses on the light sensor again when Katrina asks 'if it likes it here, how it got here'.  The response is that it doesn't want to be here and it was brought here by someone.  Which they weren't able to determine if it was brought here by another ghost group or not.  As Alex later tells them they used to stay with the groups whilst here but a few months back starting leaving them alone, so they don't know what they get up to.  Katrina adding he needs to be here and to try and push out the entity since it doesn't want to be here.  The school has been haunted since the last century but someone brought int he more darker presence more recently.

Also still in the gym Rob notices a shadow behind the camera and Nick and Katrina see it too, though why didn't Nick take his camera with him.  It's shown at the side of the curtain picked up by Rob who spotted it first.

This pic looks like there's a face on the left, it's the shadow behind the curtain that peeks out.

Katrina also gets a feeling of being touched which she says was more akin to being connected with rather than being targeted.  Maybe some child was playing with her.

All in all it was a very active investigation but I have to say it wasn't one that I particularly liked.  It was very routine almost, but there you go. That's just me.  Also Nick said he hasn't investigated a school before and this was the first time he's gotten so much activity.  But Preston Castle was a school, albeit a reform school although he hasn't investigated a school in Paranormal Lockdown before, which is probably what he meant.  So it was good that he got to do that with Katrina.

Supernatural 13.15 "A Most Holy Man" Commentary

                                            
Supernatural had a few twists in this ep and altogether was enjoyable.  Making a change from the normal chasing demons/monsters.  This one involved chasing a skull and finding the blood of a most holy man, which was right under their noses and I managed to figure that out.  As the priest, Lucca Camilleri (Massi Furlan) was shot, this confirmed my thoughts of how they could take his blood.  After all being a saint doesn't mean that's the only 'person' who would have holy blood.  But I enjoyed this ep it was film noir all the way with added elements of  Supernatural to it.  Some classic references to detective films which was obvious.  As I kept calling it The Maltese Skull after The Maltese Falcon (1941) of course which in many ways could be said this episode was based on.  At least an allusion to it with the characters.

As Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean's (Jensen Ackles) quest leads them to a woman who's selling the blood and other artefacts online.  Sending them to San Francisco and of course she, Margaret Astor (Leanne Lapp) would immediately catch Dean's eye as she's young and not old at al.  The femme fatal in noir terms but obviously that doesn't mean this broad was clean cut.  However she only has eyes for Sam and his puppy dog eyes.  She tells him where he can get it from, Richard Greenstreet (Dominic Burgess).  A direct reference to actor Sydney Greenstreet who was Kaspar Gutman aka 'The Fat Man' in The Maltese Falcon and also Richard could be an allusion to Richard/Rick Blaine from Casablanca played by Humphrey Bogart, who was also in The Maltese Falcon.  But in name only not in appearance.  The plot of this movie was Sam Spade being hired to search for a missing statuette, the Maltese Falcon with several other players getting in on the act too, particularly three other criminals.

Greenstreet tells them he will sell them the blood in exchange for the skull which leads them to Seattle.  Whereupon my mind jumped to Dark Angel and Jensen playing Alec in this in season 2 and they showed the Space Needle too.  Well I wasn't far off the mark as Fulvio Cecere was in this too and he was in the show as well as Sandoval.  Also they must've had an on-set reunion here.

But I have to say this actor had nothing on Sydney Greenstreet, no one could match his abilities at portraying the consummate bad men but in lovable roguish way!  By the way Mark Greenstreet who is a British actor, and played in Bratt Farrar, as well as other roles and was also considered for the role of James Bond in The Living Daylights before Timothy Dalton, is the great nephew of Sydney.  Obvious he was related with the name.  Mark would have made a great Bond, much more so than the current Bond!

Anyway in a roundabout way they meet up with Lucca who happens to be a father sent by the nuns from Malta to retrieve the skull of St Peter and Sam finally says they should help him and double cross the other mobster, Santino Scarpatti (Al Sapienza) since it's time for the good guys to win.  With Dean and his not a perfect world speech and how he's not perfect either, but they save the world and it doesn't mean they have to be perfect too.  Which is echoed by Lucca when he says they also live in an imperfect world.  But funny how Dean told him about how God wasn't going to help.  Cos yeah been there, met him!!  Ironically or not.

As the double crosses take place and Dean's mention of "whacked" being repeated by Scarpatti cos it's their speak.  Let's not forget Dean has also journeyed back to the 1950's so would be familiar with it anyway.  They finally get their hands on the skull and return it.  Had to ask how Lucca got that money into the country though.  Also they find out that he was blessed by the Pope thus he has the blood of a holy man in him.

Margaret Astor alludes to Mary Astor, actress, who was in The Maltese Falcon as Brigid O'Shaughnessy.  Funny scene where Sam asks what Dean would do if someone took Baby and he said he'd murder them, slow torture first and them murder, yes Dean that torturous trait inherited from purgatory.  But still this is Baby!  And nobody drives Baby!  Except that mob man just did.  Sam waving his hand in front of Dean's face and he doesn't bat an eye, nah still thinking of his beloved Impala! Dean saying he has faith they will get Mom back and that's all he needs.  Seeing as he also got Cas back reaffirming his faith in what they do.   He doesn't need to answer Sam's question of whether they have to keep killing monsters even if it leads them from one apocalypse to another over and over.

The Maltese Falcon based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett.  Humphrey Bogart playing Sam Spade with Scarpatti also referring to Richard as "the Fat Man" as he was in the film itself.  Ask me anything on film noir and classic actors love 'em!!  Have to add that scene with Dean in the cafe with the girl reading the book on demons and Dean wanting to flirt some more, took me back to The Big Sleep (1946) again with Humphrey Bogart, as he flirts with the woman in the bookshop, surrounded by books and she wears glasses!

BFI The City and The City Preview Q&A

The City and The City Preview 12 March 2018

A new drama to air on BBC TWO.  TV preview and Q&A attended by actors David Morrissey, Mandeep Dhillon and writer Tony Grisoni.  With Preethi Mavahalli from Mammoth Screens. Adapted from the book by China Mieville.

A veritable apocalyptic or thereabouts setting for this new drama by Mammoth Screen productions to be aired on BBC TWO.  The first impression was very 1984 meets Blade Runner.  It really had an impact on the senses, especially visually: the squalor, suspicion and solitude of living in such a world.  East and West Germany, almost; two cities divided by nothing but a street, a piece of concrete, metal, stairs, as shown by the two lovers who could almost be Romeo and Juliet, not being able to talk, barely being able to hold hands.  Only stealing silent touches in the hopes they are not too conspicuous.

Tough scenes, plenty of swearing, used to comical effect, especially in the opening scenes as the lead character, Inspector Tyador Borlu (David Morrissey) of the Extreme Crime Force meets the policewoman, Constable Corwi of the Beszel Policzai, assigned to the case.  One of murder and even this develops further to provide much intrigue.  As it opens up old wounds for Borlu.

To anyone who hasn't read the book, it was stunning to see adapted, easy to follow and to get into.  Interspersed with narration/commentary from Borlu to explain the setting, life in these two cities.  The other city being Ul Qoma, as the murdered woman came from here.

Trust Beszel and how it identify Breach, they look just like you and me,Breach coming across as a military Big Brother type organization.  Also how there's tourist training for anyone coming into the cities.  Though why anyone would want to is beyond me.  As the murdered girl's mother says, it's a horrible place.

The cast really propels the drama forward and Borlu in his determination not to give up this case but also how it relates to the murder case of his wife, Katrynia (Lara Pulver) and how it remains unsolved.  Of course it will all connect and make sense as the eps air and the stories unfold, but it did seem haunting to watch.  A dystopian future that awaits, bleak.  The contrast between the two cities will be revealed later when the series gets underway.  Also similar to Dark Angel, I felt in that, it had different sectors and sector passes needed to travel.  This has travel documents which are needed to pass between cities.  The interesting aspect how a child's toy falls by Borlu's feet but he doesn't pick it up or throw it over, he just stands there and comments.  She waits til nightfall and then retrieves it herself as they wave to each other.  Adeptly described by David in the Q&A where he says how it's akin to living in the street but not knowing everyone on that same street.

A must see drama as far as the first episode went.  Lots of secrets to be revealed...

Q&A

This is the first time China's works have been adapted for the small screen and he attended the event.  Many came here cos they knew the work as did David.  Tony and David knew each other and was a fan of his work.  When David reads books etc; he thinks if they'll make good adaptations for the TV etc; and with this he just read the book which he stated was "wonderful and complex."

Tony didn't know this book but did know the other work and was sent the book and asked if he wanted to read it.  There's talk of the other city and there's much exposition.  The whole book is about what you choose to share and choose to tell.  He showed that in the script, only hear about it, discuss it and then start to tweak how you want it done.  The director was also the designer of the set, Tom Shankland, visually there's a crumbling city, multi-cultural. Ul Qomo is glass and steel, Beszel is crumbling.
Tom commented how he writes longer notes than the other Tom.

Had a huge respect for the actors and the sets and was incredible watching people get into the piece and how to interpret it, to get back into it.  There were pronunciation differences about the languages, which were adapted for this production.  Made up and resembled a little Polish and German thrown in.
Mandeep: didn't want to think about it, the story and just did the piece in terms of the production.

Audience Q: How did writer try to bring in the exposition and what would work and wouldn't.  Answer Tom: By asking about it and thinking to yourself if you want to do it, or include it.  Were many versions of the script and was very amazing and important everyone asking and helping.  He had read the book towards the end of 2013 and just finished writing the script now.

Q differentiate between the two cities and how the blurred look of the film was achieved?
David: special filter on the lens and were varied techniques.  Filmed with a filter but it was Manchester and Liverpool, because of the architecture, the modern city and also some Victorian structures.  Glass, metal.  He spoke of how we live in our houses and it's not such a big leap of faith to see people we know and those that live at the end of the street and we don't know.  The drama used the idea of not being allowed to interact with some certain people living right here and now and it's just accentuating that in this drama.
Ul Qomo is more militarized, more fine lines and cleaner city than Beszel: more industrialized.

Preethi said the language was developed for the production.  One asked how would you say "hello!"  David: "Hello."  David's character can't speak it but the actors were fantastic and they just came on and spoke it on set.
David respond to people emotionally inside the story and the restrictions they encounter emotionally.

Should air in April, although Preethi was keeping mum about it.
David: "I'm free from April that's all I'm saying."

David: golden TV drama is like the golden team of football, it's always been around.  TV become the place where writers express themselves and not seen as a poor relation of film. This show he gets a lot of scripts, this is addictive, raw not spooky but it's engaging.

David: A really different world see here is torment quickly and is reflected in the world around Borlu and he likes that.  Great to do this and for every department, asking questions always and was challenging in every aspect to do and he's very proud of it.

David: Loved book, knew it and loved Tom and the script and he loved Tom Shankland's work.  Fun challenging and worked to create that role.

Once Upon A Time 7.12 "A Taste of the Heights" Review

                                          
It's Princess Tiana's (Mekia Cox) coronation and she has to help her people as  Dr Facilier (Daniel Francis) shows her some tarot cards spelling trouble for her kingdom.  She enlists Hook's (Colin O'Donoghue) help along with Ella (Dania Ramirez) and along the way they encounter a stranger with a magic spear, who just happens to be a prince, Naveen (Jeff Pierre).  Hook doesn't like him of course and they split up when one of her subjects was attacked by a gator, leaving Tiana alone with Naveen.

In Hyperion Heights, Henry (Andrew J West) narrates about old stories and having endings and new stories too, as he's set up a podcast called "H Town" all coming on the heels of Victoria's demise.  As Lucy (Alison Fernandez) lays flowers at her grave.  Facilier visits Henry on the guise of being a developer by the name of Samdi and wants to see Reggie (Lana Parilla) to help out with her bar.  All this as the lights flicker, of course that suggests an evil presence.  Henry also finds that Jacinda made a mix tape for him.  He tells Reggie about the visitor and she wonders what he's doing here.  Great a new bad to take over.  Maybe he's aligned with Eloise/Gothel and maybe he's not and is the one killing the witches.  Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and Reggie try to fool Samdi into revealing whether he recalls everything or is affected by the curse, by Zelena pretending to be Ronnie and Reggie pretending to be Kelly.  Of course that wouldn't help much.  It wasn't even an elaborate plan.

Lucy tells Henry that she knows there's another book and that Victoria showed it to her, but she doesn't know where it is.  That true love's kiss is waiting for him and Jacinda and she tries to speed this up to break the curse, as she invites him over and he comes over with the intention of playing games.  Lucy has other thoughts on her mind of matchmaking.  This however turns out to be a goer as Henry tells Jacinda he heard she left him a mix tape, which she has to show him.

Tiana opens up her food truck business but she's hindered by being reported for not having a food licence.  That could only he Samdi and she meets Drew, who happens to be Naveen.  He's got a rival food truck a called 'Flaming Cajun' which happens to be financed by Samedi.  He was given money, had hand outs whilst she had to work and she's angry about that.  They both went to cooking school but she was the better cook and her Beignets show this.

Hook and Rumples (Robert Carlyle)are on the trail of whoever killed the doctor last ep and visit one of her patients, Hilda (Chilton Crane) who happens to be blind and makes gingerbread houses.  Thus being the witch from Hansel and Gretel.  Obviously Rumples would've known that seeing as he's got his memories intact, but no mention was made of this or even an implication of it.  Oh and he's lost his cockney accent all of a sudden.  Infact ever since Victoria was killed.  Also he's still leading Hook down the fanciful road of there being a cult, I mean it's not as if Hook would have anyone to share the truth with if Rumples told him and anyway who'd believe him.  I mean look at Henry and how many times he's been told by Lucy.  Hilda doesn't tell them much but offers them a cookie, hey that was one cookie between them which they refuse but they notice the tattoo on her wrist.  Thus she's a witch as said.  Later they return and find her by the oven (no coincidence) passed out as someone tried to gas her.

As Rumples pays a visit to Reggie with the news, and a picture of a scar that reveals a tattoo was removed from the doctor's wrist.  Thus she was also a part of the coven with Reggie stating that someone is killing witches.  Drew gives Sabine/Tiana her licence since she's a better cook and this wasn't his fault.  Admitting that he flunked cooking school and didn't leave.  Samedi has words with him about it later.

Tiana and Naveen talk as he tells her the gator killed his brother and as he struggles with the gator he is attacked by it and she manages to kill it with the spear.  Facilier turns up and she wants him to save him, but he says it comes at a price.  She replies she got him back his bauble so that's her price.  As he saves Naveen, he spirits him away, that should be smokes him away to another place and he says that wasn't his price so he's got to pay his own.  As she's crowned she wants all her friends to appear on the balcony with her since she will need their help when ruling.  Reggie tells Facilier to come out cos she knows he's there and they kiss as he brings the necklace to her as it was hers to begin with.  She's not the same Evil Queen anymore but she still can't resist him.  Everytime the mentioned the gator I couldn't help but think of Hook and his battles with the Crocodile aka Rumples.
Hook: "alligator, crocodile, they both kill people."

In Hyperion Heights, Lucy finds her closet opened and as she gets up to look inside, there's nothing there.  Yeah beware strangely opening closest.  As she gets back into bed she drops a page from her book and finds a picture with Henry and Ella, he's going to die from true love's kiss and she stops them kissing in the nick!  Wanting to play the game now after having a nightmare.  Reggie knows Samdi was pretending about not remembering and she goes to see him.  She won't come in but then he says she always did what she wanted and she enters.

All we get is more mystery about how Reggie and Facilier know each other, and why he's on the scene now.  Especially as Victoria is no more and why he claims to be a developer too.  Obviously his hold on Drew is his payback for saving him.  As Rumples mentions first a doctor and now a baker.  Who's next, a candlestick maker, the butcher?  Well I had to say it.  Also let's not forget how Rumples  suddenly recalls everything as Reggie said to him how he didn't help her when she asked and how he's coming round here with news.
Rumple says he was having to work with Victoria and so couldn't help.  A lock of their hair is missing too.

This episode just seemed like a filler and one where Lucy realizes her mother and father can't be together after she was the one pushing for it the most.  Now that Henry finally succumbs he can't be with Jacinda.  Also what happened to Drilzilla/Ivy, her mother is barely buried and they choose not to show her.  Will she become an ally or will she go off the deep end.  Though she should be good now knowing that Victoria wanted to reunite the family.
This entire Facilier/Reggie love bit seems to be tacked on just for the sake of it.  Very boring, Zelena was just there as a filler too.  Seems Facilier is now wearing black gloves as Samedi but he was wearing white as Facilier.  And those white trainers seemed so out of place!!  No sense of fashion at all!  Ha.  Samedi hails from Baron Samedi associated with voodoo.  So do the black gloves mean he's the killer or is it just a red herring.