Talkie Tuesday: Pursuit of Jade

 

"Be a good pig in this life; be a good man in the next."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome back.

 

Sorry for a bit of delay on Tuesday's reviews, I took last week off because there were other things happening (as said before, it was a special day!) and now I return with a MAMMOTH of a thing.

 

There's no way it's not going to be.

 

Not with the show being 40 episodes long, and each episode covering so much ground it sometimes feels like they're trying to shove a book into 40 minutes, each.

 

And in all honesty I fell into the hole completely by accident!

 

Netflix kept shoving the promo for it right on the front page. Eventually, I decided you know what? FINE, I'll watch.

 

I've since already breezed through twice. And the rest, as they say, is history.

 

So let's take a look at it together in Pursuit of Jade!

 

Talkie Tuesday: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

 

"The War has started. A Great Stirring is underway."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome to the next installment in our Greek mythology adaptation saga which began a few years back with Disney acquiring rights to adapt these books in the first place.

 

Now, I'm not here to talk about what's good or bad or whatever, although I'll definitely touch on some of those things, but I'm mostly just here to give you a rundown of how the second season unfolded, what you can watch happen during it, and what to expect going forward.

 

But to do that, we actually have to dive INTO the story.

 

You can't really do a review without talking about exactly what you've been alluding to now, can you??

 

So without further ado.

 

Sharpen those weapons, demigods, and wake up, because it's time to pick a side. Will you fight for order or for chaos? And no, this isn't Assassin's Creed.

 

This is the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Black Dagger Brotherhood

 

"Long live the King! Long live the Queen!"

 

Hello everyone!

 

So I know that this show's first season finished airing a little while ago, but I was super busy with work and couldn't get around to actually finishing watching it until ... well, just this past weekend, actually.

 

It's a sad reality we live in at the moment, but work unfortunately must come first.

 

However, having said that, I HAVE now finished, and wanted to share my thoughts about the six pretty much feature length movies that they released!

 

Spearheaded under the Passionflix studio, which I never really knew existed until this show was announced, the project has been crafted rather lovingly, all things considered.

 

I mean, you see people around the world complain about adaptations on the daily.

 

There isn't that much to complain about this one.

 

Because when you draw the line, it's pretty much page-to-screen with The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Wheel of Time

 

"For the land is one with the Dragon Reborn, and He is one with the land." 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome to tonight's hot topic of choice for this blog post.

 

I'm sure, if you've been following along my reviews for a while, you could probably see this coming, not to mention I practically said as much in a few of my earlier ones leading up to today.

 

But how can I NOT review what is quickly becoming one of the greatest fantasy adaptations in this day and age?

 

Sure it had a rocky start.

 

Sure it kind of stood on wobbly legs for the first season and a half.

 

But it's found the footing it was looking for now, and HOT DAMN is it sure footing.

 

Without further ado, let's dust off our Great Serpent rings and brace ourselves, because we're looking at the third season of The Wheel of Time.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Born of Hope

 

"There is our Hope."

 

Hello everyone!

 

I'm finally back, now that the weather's changed a little and the heat has FINALLY dropped some.

 

Man it's like someone had to open a valve somewhere to let the pressure out and have it dissipate into the ether. Not that it's completely changed tunes of course, but it's definitely better than it was before in any event.

 

One can breathe, at least!

 

So I can sit and type on the computer without melting or having some of the components melt, which is basically all that I wanted.

 

Which means that without further ado, we're heading straight back to Middle-Earth with the fans, to another fan-made movie that's definitely made it into the top favourites since its release, because it tells the story right out of the Appendices, and tells it correctly, too, unlike some adaptations nowadays.

 

We head into the tale of Born of Hope.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Murder at the Breakers

 

"It's time for a new generation to step up to the mantle."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome back to the murder mystery train.

 

That's right, the weather outside being what it is - that is, rainy and foggy and all things mysterious - has prompted me to return to my love of mysteries, because there's just something about the kind of atmosphere it produces which always leads me to either read or watch detectives muddle their way through clues.

 

This one's no different.

 

Actually, I think Hallmark's trying it's hand at several different, new projects right now, with rights to different book series, to see what sticks to the wall and what doesn't.

 

Because Gilded Newport Mysteries was a book series FIRST before they translated it onto the screen, and I'm now absolutely curious about the series as a whole, having seen this first installment.

 

I'm a fan of HBO's Gilded Age, after all. Gilded Newport Mysteries: Murder at the Breakers sounded right up my alley.

Talkie Tuesday: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

 

"Earthshaker. Stormbringer. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

 

Hello everyone!

Something a little different tonight after the movie madness I've fallen into - but we definitely aren't straying far from the Mouse in any event.

What can I say, I'm a Disney kid, alright?

 

Growing up on these movies, you're hard-pressed to just NOT watch something once they release it, you know. I mean, you obviously CAN choose not to but, why if it's entertainment in some way, shape or form, right?

 

Right!

 

So on with the show. Or in this case, the show that's a second attempt at an adaptation after some arguably bad movies years ago.

 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians swing in like the hammer of the gods but, do they succeed? Read on and find out!

 

Talkie Tuesday: Persuasion (1995)

 

"I have loved none but you."

 

Hello everyone!

 

And welcome again to yet another rendition of a favourite of mine.

 

Listen, okay, I can't help it.

 

But I'm now wondering if, after TWO successful iterations, I should risk it with the Netflix one.

 

Oh I'm sure it's fine and all but, remembering the trailer, I can honestly say it comes across as quite comedic, which this story is not and never was.

 

So I'm nervous. Can you blame me?

 

I might skip that one, because man oh man, if this isn't my favourite Jane Austen story then I don't know what to tell you. And the 1995 one doesn't disappoint, just like the 2007 one doesn't!

 

So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, for the second time: Persuasion.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Persuasion (2007)

 

"I have loved none but you."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Terribly sorry about last week, but life just got in the way of practically EVERYTHING else, and I couldn't find either the time or the energy to write up any blog posts.

 

BUT.

 

I'm making up for that this week with a rather lovely choice, if I do say so myself, because I'm starting to realize I have different preferences regarding Jane Austen than I did while still in the throes of growing up, so to speak.

 

Don't get me wrong, Pride and Prejudice will ALWAYS be her best work, but her other novels deserve the same sort of respect, too.

 

Especially and most particularly the one I chose for tonight's blog, or its adaptation at least.

 

Bonnets out, everyone. Enter Persuasion, the 2007 version, stage right.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Wheel of Time

 

"The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills."

 

Hello everyone!

And welcome, once again, to the many multiple turnings of this thing we like to call ... but wait, let's rewind slightly.

I'm a little late this year with my review of the second season to this show, partly because there's just been SO MUCH to catch up on, and partly because my job keeps me from keeping up as well as I used to while jobless.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm thankful to HAVE a job in the current climate, but it's true that you're severely hampered by this stuff LOL.

So anyway, I finally literally blew through the eight episodes of the second season, and MAN is the show getting better and better with each installment. It's like someone's been reborn on the turning of the Wheel or something.

Yep, I know you know what tonight's all about: the second season of Amazon's Wheel of Time adaptation!

Talkie Tuesday: Red, White & Royal Blue

 

"It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do." 

Hello everyone!

 

This week, I'm back with what's probably the most beloved or at the very least the most anticipated (at the time) movie of summer 2023.

 

Just like the book which it adapted, this movie covers the perfect story, in my personal opinion.

Why?

Well, because the world has seen a thousand iterations of ‘princess meets first son’ or ‘first daughter meets prince’, and we usually love them because we care about the stories BEHIND the amalgamation of whoever it is that’s falling in love.

Here, however, we get the prince meets the first son, and for some reason, because it’s a gay romance, it becomes even better.

In my opinion, at least.

Red, White & Royal Blue, everyone.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Witcher

 

"Never lost, always found."

 

Hello everyone!

 

And welcome back!

 

I know, I know, I literally fell off the face of the planet.

 

Here's the thing: my keyboard died. Yep, I killed it, and then once I took the laptop in for fixing, Slovenia experienced some truly horrible flooding (think New York current levels) which delayed the repair as the spare parts got lost somewhere in the waters or something.

 

Then, to top it all off, I started a new job, which took some getting used to (since, while I usually got up at 4.30, I now have to rise at 3.30 if I want to be there when we open at 5!).

 

BUT suffice to say that we have now persevered, and the trials are over.

 

Which means we can sit back and have a look at something that's been finished for a while but, I am DETERMINED to have the entire thing which I've covered so far on here, as I won't be continuing with season 4.

 

Henry Cavill was my Geralt, so one last time: The Witcher.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Witcher

 

"Changing destiny is a weighty business."

 

Hello everyone!

 

You knew this was coming.

 

If you've been paying attention to my blog, you'll know that, apart from the books - and I swear, at some point I'll either continue and/or finish the series or give up on it completely so it isn't in limbo anymore - I've reviewed everything that Netflix has thrown at us so far.

 

Which of course meant that the third season would ALSO be making its way on here.

 

And as I have no particular desire nor plan to watch from the ending of that onward (despite the fact the political stuff is turning fascinating enough), I suppose we're nearing the beginning of the end with this swan song.

 

So let's buckle up then.

 

The first volume dropped last week, and we have a month before we see the aftermath of all the scheming and manipulations.

 

The Witcher is back in business, baby.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Wheel of Time Origins

 

"The Wheel of Time continues to turn." 

Hello everyone!

Honestly, I can't believe I didn't review these sooner.

Like, I know I'm usually behind stuff and all that jazz, but, come on now!

I suppose I re-discovered them after digging around the internet a bit about whether or not we might see the second season of Wheel of Time at any point soon, considering.

Then I read that another batch of these webisodes was supposed to start dropping back in August 2022 - and nothing happened!

I swear, at this point I have no idea what Amazon's doing.

Their marketing strategy seems to be all over the place, and incredibly bad about some stuff. Have they never looked at other giant corporations and how they do it? Disney? The works??

Apparently not, because let's face it, announcing a season three before season two airs, dropping a teaser trailer, and then going radiosilent is NOT it, chief.

So let's drum up some hype on our own, looking back at The Wheel of Time: Origins instead!

Rings of Power: The Eye

 

"Every war is fought both without and within." 

Hello everyone!

Well, only one more episode to go, and, dare we say a lot of us are feeling relieved?

Yes, yes, I'm sure you're wondering, but why are you still reviewing this if it's obviously a bit of a slog?

I'm a perfectionist and dislike not finishing what I start. So there.

I'll be seeing this through right to the end, though you will definitely also be getting some House of the Dragon thoughts from me when the time comes and THAT series comes to a close.

Not to mention possibly a few others.

But I'm certainly getting ahead of myself, as I first need to finish this one.

If you're wondering what you need to survive a volcanic explosion, I have to disappoint you by saying: you probably won't.

A lot of characters in Rings of Power did, though, as The Eye shows us.

Rings of Power: Udûn

 

"New life, in defiance of death."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Two more episodes to go in this show and we are done with the first season.

Will we return for a second? Remains to be seen.

Obviously we already know Amazon is committed to this project with five whole seasons, though granted I'm not entirely sure how they'll continue to excuse it if it performs poorly.

Or, maybe it won't perform poorly, not that I'm convinced it's doing well either.

It feels more like, the amount of views it's getting is that macabre sort of showing that people are only watching because they want to see the next version of a train wreck!

But maybe I'm being too harsh. However, I will say that after six episodes of barely anything happening, it's difficult to really argue against the fact that the season has just not been as gripping thus far as it could have been, and arguments of 'it'll be spread out over 5 seasons you have to be patient' are moot point as we have to wait for a long time between seasons. That doesn't translate well into the waiting period, trust me.

However, we still do have a review to get through, so here it is. The Rings of Power: Udûn.

Saturday Snippet: Vampire Academy OFFICIAL TRAILER

 

The first four episodes just dropped this Thursday!

 

xx

*video not mine

Rings of Power: Introduction

 

"Without a sword, what am I to be?"

 

Hello everyone!

 

So I would have done something else entirely for Tuesday's review if not for the fact that last Friday dawned bright and clear ... and brought us the premiere of what people have been both anticipating and dreading at the same time.

 

I don't plan on going into too much detail, as I might just wait for the season to conclude before I do so, but I couldn't say nothing. It's not an actual review of the two episodes, and I'll do a breakdown of the season as a whole after we wrap up.

 

However, I did want to share some of my initial thoughts because ... well, I have thoughts.

 

Who doesn't?

 

Considering the fact Amazon has literally turned off the reviewing option because of the reactions, and you have to ask yourself: is it because they just can't stand so many positives? Or are they afraid the house of cards will come tumbling down with all the negatives?

 

Your call.

 

But Rings of Power is here, whether we like it or not.

 

Saturday Snippet: House of the Dragon OFFICIAL TEASER

 

xx

*video not mine

Saturday Snippet: The Lord of the Rings POSTERS!

 

I can't wait for September!

(Pssst ... click on the image to be taken to the hi-res versions.)

 

xx

*image not mine