The twist is revealed, the house is a tree and this season's crop of houseguests are one week away from walking into the game. A year has gone by and after the debacle that was Big Brother 15, all eyes will be on this year's cast to see what is said when the game starts. The "Powers That Be" have carefully selected which players will be entering the game but even after our all pre-judgements and first impressions, we won't truly know these houseguests until they start playing.
I don't usually do a first impressions post. I constantly change my opinion and thoughts about the moves these players make and I've been disappointed a couple times in the past. Some get nasty, others stand out while the rest either become quiet or float by. Though, I'm open to looking back at our thoughts of these players before they shock us with their actions this summer.
Let's delve right into the first houseguest...
Amber Borzotra (26): Southern girl, seems like a socialite-type that would prefer the aspects of fame and enjoying the summer by the pool. I don't see any fight in her and I wouldn't be surprised if she auditioned to be on the show based on a whim. Does she really know the game? Probably not. I'd guess she'll either float by to jury or get an early boot from the "model eviction" curse that plagues every season.
Brittany Martinez (29): Brittany may have been scouted but I think she's hiding her competitive nature in these interviews. I keep getting a "diamond-in-the-rough" vibe from her and would be pleasantly happy if she turned out to be a real competitor. The only drawback is that I could see her getting too caught up in showmances, the drama or the emotions from being away from her kids. Possibly she'll make it far. Top 4 or finals?
Caleb Reynolds (26): A showmancer...and he's proud of it. People will like him at first based on his looks but he'll definitely have the target on his back as the season progresses. His partner will last longer than he does if doesn't win power - that's what happens when a strong guy and girl team up in an obvious duo. He seems cocky and that could rub people the wrong way; might be a little too arrogant and abrasiveness at first. Big Brother is a long game so it's really early to tell...
Christine Brecht (23): The superfan of the group and one of my favourites. I love houseguests who live, breathe and think about Big Brother because you want to cheer on those fans to win the game they love so much. She definitely stands out with the glasses, tattoos and nerdy nature which could work against her. She might be one of the early evictees if she can't connect with the others, but I'd hope for at least jury.
Cody Calafiore (23): Has he ever watched an episode of Big Brother? Like ANY Big Brother before being scouted for the show? He seems really laid-back, calm and to be a little honest...dull. His looks will help start a showmance if he's interested and he could be targeted for being a threat early on if men are being targeted. I want to be proven wrong with this, but I don't think Cody will do well at first unless he's pulled into a big alliance. For some reason I can't shake, I get the vibe he will float by, join a powerful alliance and get carried to good spot without really knowing how to play the game.
Derrick Levasseur (30): He's the cop who wants to lie about being a cop. Tony did it on Survivor but it didn't really change things. I don't understand why houseguests need to lie about their profession, it doesn't shock people at the beginning and people move on. Keeping things a secret will backfire on him. He seems to be an aggressive and smart player so he could make it far.
Devin Shepherd (26): Really strong guy with a daughter at home. He'll get the sympathy card and could win a few people with his nice attitude. Though, same like Howard last season, Devin looks really strong and tough with his muscles. Even if he's not great at challenges, he might always be perceived as a challenge threat and targeted early. I wouldn't be surprised if he got blindsided early on before jury.
Donny Thompson (42): Is Duck Dynasty doing a cross-over this season? He seems like a floater and wouldn't be open to shaking up the house. His favourite player was Spencer from last season so my expectations are low. Expect Donny to be carried for a few weeks as a pawn or evicted during a throwaway week.
Frankie Grande (31): Frankie may be the most debated houseguest this season based on fairness. He has a large social following and his sister is a famous popstar/actress. Those fan followings alone will impact the voting, similar to what happened last season for Big Brother 15 with the Brenchel army and Elissa. He seems to be here for the fame and the game - he could really pull things off and be a competitor. However, if people find out who his sister is, or if they're tired of his antics, he could get the boot pre-jury.
Hayden Voss (21): Chill surfer and someone who may make a lot of jokes in the house. As compared to David from last season, I think Hayden may be more knowledgeable about Big Brother. I don't foresee him to be the first evictee and I think he'll make it to jury. He's not a threat from a physicality perspective at first glance and could join a powerful alliance for numbers, but I think he might surprise a lot of people.
Jocasta Odom (33): Obvious floater. She doesn't seem like the type to actively play a strategic or physical game. I see her as the person who may stick around the house as the extra vote or could get an early boot. However, she could be the cause of drama when she's tired of playing the nice game. Either way, I don't expect Jocasta to win Big Brother.
Joey Van Pelt (27): Fun, loud and up for anything. Joey is a character and will offer some great TV moments. She wants an all-girl alliance and I would love to see that happen. Season 6 somewhat had that partway through the season - it worked but didn't work well. The problem Joey might have is that the houseguests who are different or who have strong personalities tend to get evicted early. She needs to develop those friendships very quickly!
Nicole Franzel (21): Very sweet girl and could slide right through to jury. She could surprise a lot of people and make a big move that shocks everyone. I like Nicole! She's the bright-eyed fan that is genuinely excited to be in the house and to play the game. I hope to see great things from her.
Paola Shea (27): Oh Paola...I really don't know what to say. She's definitely a character, but I sense she's a fame-seeker and here to build her DJ reputation. She could float by at first, trying to slide through. However, she will definitely cause a lot of drama and could be a pre-jury boot. I'm not expecting her to change the game - I suspect she'll try and fail.
Victoria Rafaeli (22): Another person who doesn't really know much about the game. She's familiar with Big Brother in another country, but that's a different type of Big Brother which focuses on public opinion. I think Victoria will assume the role of floater and try to slide by the early weeks. I would love if she attempted to play the game but my hopes are low right now.
Zach Rance (23): I can't even with Zach right now. I've watched a few videos of Zach and he will definitely get the title of "too-hard-too-fast" this season. Relationships are important in Big Brother and you can't win the game without making genuine alliances. His strategy will absolutely change once he's in the house and I will be curious to see how he actually plays the game. Zach will be an interesting person to watch early on - his game depends on it.
Agree or disagree with my early impression? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Superhero movies can be a hit or miss. While they strike big at the box office (in most occasions) and generate tons of buzz, they can deviate away from the source material, enraging fans in the process. The X-Men films are a perfect example as the series is a great success but fans are diehard about staying close to the original series - and we really don't need to see another X-Men: The Last Stand or Wolverine: Origins again. The movie I will be reviewing today is the latest superhero flick from the blockbuster X-Men franchise: X-Men: Days of Future Past.
[Note: This will be a spoiler-free review. I will try to keep all details of the plot to a bare minimum for those who have yet to watch the film.]
The Premise: Set between two different time periods, X-Men: Days of Future Past follows the story of the X-Men and their struggle against the Sentinel war. In the future, mankind and mutantkind are on the brink of extinction as the robotic machines known as the Sentinels are mercilessly hunting down mutants and capturing (or in most cases, killing) anyone with any trace of the Mutant gene. Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) is sent back in time to the 1970s to prevent Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from assassinating a well-regarded scientist, Boliver Trask (Peter Dinklage), and causing the spark that develops into the Sentinel war.
X-Men: Days of Future Past features an ensemble cast in the 1970s and the future. Notable mutants featured in the movie include Professor Xavier, Magneto, Wolverine, Mystique, Beast, Iceman, Shadowcat, Blink, Storm, Quicksilver and much more.
The Good: X-Men boasts one of the biggest casts of characters. Each are unique, holds their own individual power and a backstory that defines who they are. X-Men: Days of Future Past thrives with its cast, as it features the return of several favourites from the original trilogy while introducing new ones as well. It was great seeing my favourites return (i.e. Shadowcat, Professor X, Magneto, etc) while getting to meet new mutants in the film series like Quicksilver - Evan Peters did a great job and brought a lot of humour to the role. Plus, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence and Michael Fassbender have great chemistry together - as well as in their own scenes - that each were the best parts of the past.
CGI and special effects can sometimes be heavily relied upon in superhero movies - it takes away from the experience. There was a nice mix of action and effects in the movie that I quite enjoyed the experience. Unlike some past TV shows and movies, the flick didn't seem to be filmed entirely on a green screen, which is an absolute pleasure.
The Bad: X-Men: Days of Future Past is over two hours long and while I don't have many negatives of the film, the choices that were made at certain points could have been fixed. Continuity seems to plague this movie series as small decisions added (or in some cases, taken out) can drastically affect certain characters in the future. I will admit that I never read the comics as a kid - I was more a video game, film and cartoon fan. However, I still know bits and pieces about the comic book history that made me wonder why certain choices were made. The film series - similar to how Resident Evil was done - is its own story so I'll wait to see the next sequel to see if they try to tackle those history points in the future. Sorry for the vague assessment; remember, no spoilers!
The Results: 4.5/5!
X-Men: Days of Future Past tackled two storylines and tried to connect each film in the series together - and it made sense, except for some obvious points. The cast did a great job, the action scenes weren't cheesy and the plot didn't tarnish the series as a whole for the next sequels in the franchise. Do I wish certain choices hadn't been made? Yes, but on the opposite side of the argument, I loved what the filmmakers did for the ending and the final half of the movie. As someone who grew up with the original trilogy and knows the storylines, it was great to see that things weren't completely abandoned but instead touched upon. Any diehard X-Men fan will enjoy the movie but it's also a great summer blockbuster and a good popcorn flick so check it out.
Agree or disagree with the review? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The game is over and a new winner has been crowned. It's been a roller coaster of a season with betrayals, twists and the biggest shift of power from a twist I've ever seen. Big Brother Canada 2 will go down as an incredible season to study when learning about Big Brother. In a polarizing final two compared to last year's vote, 23 year old student Jon Pardy won the game in a 6-1 vote against 25 year old hair dresser Sabrina Abbate. The winner and final results were unsurprising after Neda Kalantar, the 22 year old fashion stylist, was evicted by her ally Jon at Final Three.
I haven't posted about the recent evictions in a while so similar to last year's post, I will combine the last five evictions together in one post. I will cover my thoughts from Adel's blunder to Heather's surprising season turnaround. Let's start with the last evictee...
Adel (Fifth Place)
Adel (Fifth Place)
Wake up, Canada! Actually...Adel needed to wake up. He had the personality to win people over and the luck to survive after losing all his alliance members, but he didn't have the foresight to play the game. He wasted his Head of Household (HOH) to take out a Gremlin instead of focusing his efforts on the real threats: Jon & Neda. Adel was ready to jump in and play the game with Jon but Jon couldn't do anything as the girls were running the house that week. Everyone was after the power couple and yet he wasn't ready to strike against the pair. There were six players left - time was running out and he wasted his opportunity. I wouldn't be surprised to see Adel return for another season. He won over the audience but he couldn't win the game.
Heather (Fourth Place)
I expected Heather to be one of the first evictees. Her opening introduction made me cringe and she seemed like a fame-seeking recruit - someone brought in who didn't want to compete nor knew how to play the game. Over the course of the season, I ended up really liking Heather and she was turning her game around. I thought she had a chance to win it all! Unfortunately for her, it didn't work out but I'm proud of her. My opinions can change and she shocked me the most. Heather (Fourth Place)
Neda (Third Place)
Neda! I wanted Neda to win so bad. She was controlling the house, manipulating the houseguests and made the big game moves that altered the season. If she hadn't lost the final HOH competition, she would have been in the finals and would have won. Her game was incredible as no one suspected her and yet she took control of the power from the First Five halfway through the season. Neda will absolutely be back from another season and I can't wait to see how she changes her tactics.
Sabrina (Second Place)
Sabrina (Second Place)
Sabrina had no chance to win Big Brother. Her emotional tirades and explosive comments destroyed any social game she had. The jury, with the exception of Rachelle, would never vote for her win - she burned all bridges long before the evicted players left the house. Congratulations on securing second place! No one expected her to make it that far and many viewers wanted her gone (including myself), but she proved people wrong and accomplished the impossible.
Jon (First Place)
Jon (First Place)
Jon is a rarity in the Big Brother game. He's a physical threat, has a great social game, and is absolutely loved by fans...yet he made it to the finals never facing an eviction vote. He was only nominated once but won the Power of Veto (POV) to take himself off the nomination block; he's never received an eviction vote against him. I'm shocked that no one thought to target Jon - he's a perfect target. Though, he was great television and a deserving winner as he and Neda dominated the latter half of the game. I was unsure if he would make the tough decision but he proved me wrong. His best move was evicting Neda and it was a winning decision that scored him the season.
May is finally here and that only means one thing: pilot season is almost coming to an end. The network upfronts are set for next week and the networks will be unveiling their new line-ups and series orders. Unfortunately, many shows will be getting the axe this week to make room - similar to the recent announcement that Almost Human was cancelled by Fox after one season. Before the bad news starts coming in, let's enjoy the good news of renewals and series pick-ups.
While many naturally assumed this pilot as a lock for the 2014-2015 season, Fox has announced on May 5th that the pilot will become a series. Gotham, the comic book origin story of Commissioner Gordon (played by Benjamin McKenzie) and DC's super-villains, has been ordered to series to join previously picked pilots such as Heiroglyph and Backstrom.
In other renewal news, WGN America has renewed Salem for a second season. The supernatural period-piece accumulated great numbers for the network, scoring the honour of being the network's most-watched show in years. Salem is slated to hopefully return in 2015 for a 13-episode second season.
Check out the extended trailer below to get a closer look at the new series.
In other renewal news, WGN America has renewed Salem for a second season. The supernatural period-piece accumulated great numbers for the network, scoring the honour of being the network's most-watched show in years. Salem is slated to hopefully return in 2015 for a 13-episode second season.
Check out the extended trailer below to get a closer look at the new series.
Are you excited for Gotham? Was Salem on your renewal list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.