Once Upon A Time: The Stable Boy

Whoa. WHOA! What an ending!! WHOA!!

And how absolutely perfect was Bailee Madison as young Snow? The similarities between her and Ginny are uncanny! She knocked it out of the park in this episode!
And Barbara Hershey? She's so good at being so evil!

I also have a confession to make. It appears that I'm not as observant as I thought I was! Am I the only person who never noticed that Once Upon A Time has a different opening every week?
I only noticed it because I remember it being the dwarfs during 'Dreamy' and it was a running horse with a female rider for this episode. Looking back, I also remember a wolf, a spinning wheel and a person wearing a cloak.
So, I apologize for that! I promise from now on to pay more attention and mention the opening sequence here every week.

Now, lets begin, shall we?

In Fairytale Land, we meet a young Regina--and HOLY. They did an amazing job, making Lana look 25 years younger! Very impressive! I wonder if I can hire those make-up people to follow me around. Hmm..
Er, anyway!

We meet a young Regina who's NOTHING at all like the Regina we've come to know.
This girl is sweet and carefree and kind and fun. I found myself pretty much in love with THIS Regina.
Of course, we then meet her mother, who appears to be the Regina we DO know in all but physical appearance. Cora is mean and manipulative and conniving and just not at all nice.

After making Regina feel like dirt, Cora uses magic to lift Regina off the ground after Regina tries to walk away from her.
So...Mommy's got power. Interesting.

Regina runs back to the stable where we meet the stable boy in the title, Daniel, and the two share a steamy kiss.
Aww. Young love.

Later, the two lovebirds meet in a field and as they're talking about telling her mother about them, a runaway horse bolts by with a young girl clinging to its back, screaming for help.
Regina rides to the rescue and saves the girl, who's name is Snow White.
So...who else got goosebumps at that? Just me? Oh.

Some time afterwards, Cora helps Regina dress because the King has decided to visit the person who saved his daughter, Snow.
The King has been looking for a wife and, because Regina was so nice to his daughter, he asks Regina to marry him. Cora accepts. Sheesh, controlling much, Cora?!

After she can get away, Regina flees to the stables and tells Daniel what's happened. The two decide to run away and get married, and Daniel gives Regina a simple ring he takes off a saddle.
Snow overhears and spies the two kissing, and she runs off with Regina close behind.
Regina catches up and explains true love to young Snow, who promises to keep the secret from Regina's mother.

Next we see Snow and Cora having a little chit chat. Cora manipulates Snow using the love Snow had for her deceased mother. And Snow, in her innocence, trusts and believes every word Cora says.
Snow tells Regina's mother everything. :(

That night, as Regina and Daniel are about to leave, Cora catches them in the act.
First, she's very angry. Then, being evil and all, she makes the couple think she understands their plight and that she believes that true love should win.
Of course, we all know she's a big fat liar and we yell at the TV for Regina to stop her fast...but it's too late. Cora pulls Daniel's heart right out of his chest and kills him.
What? Oh, none of you were yelling at the TV? Oh. Er, okay. Um, neither was I. Then. Wut?

The next we see Regina, she's standing in a wedding dress during a fitting. (And what a GORGEOUS wedding dress it is! LOVED!)
Snow happily gushes over Regina, telling her how happy she'll be with Daniel. Then Snow gushes over Cora and Regina puts two and two together.
Snow apologizes for telling Cora, but explains that she didn't want Regina to lose her mother.
And in that moment....in that very moment, we actually SEE Regina transform from the sweet, kind, caring girl she was into the mean, hateful, evil person she's become. What a powerful, amazing scene. Lana Parrilla did that wonderfully.

Regina tells Snow she's not mad and then lies to her. She tells the girl that Daniel was only an infatuation, that he ran away, and that the three would be a family now.

Cora overhears the exchange and seems to be proud of her daughters new-found evilness.
Regina confronts Cora about setting up everything...From the horse running away with Snow to the King coming to the castle. Cora denies it and Regina says bitterly, "I should've let her die on that horse."


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Over in Storybrooke, it's one week ago. Regina is in her window, looking at a very plain ring.
From behind her, Mr. Gold asks if it's 'remembrances of things past'. Well now we know that it is, Gold. Thanks for the heads up! ;)

With a few Rumple-like hand gestures (Ha!), Gold makes a deal with Regina. She gets rid of his battery charges and he gets rid of her Mary Margaret problem. 

Flash to present day Storybrooke, Emma brushes off David and heads to her office/the jail, where we see Regina is sitting, watching Mary sleep. Creepy.

Mary wakes and Regina tells her to confess. Mary refuses because she's innocent and asks what she ever did to Regina to make her hate her so much.

Gold arrives later that day and, while Emma is busy taking a pretty vase of flowers from Sidney (who is still playing secret agent for Regina and lying to Emma about it), convinces Mary to speak to the DA.
And who walks in at just that moment? Why, the DA himself, of course! Who is none other than King George's alter-personality! *gasp*

The DA presses Mary Margaret until, in a fit of anger, she blurts out that, yes, she did want Kathryn gone--"Is that what you want to hear?!"
Poor, poor Mary.

Next we see Emma, sitting on a bench in the rain, looking through Henry's story book.
August comes to say hello and assists her in realizing that she needs to think things through differently.
The two decide to go back to the t(r)oll bridge, where the first of a few weird things in this episode happens.
As they're walking down the hill, August seems to tweak his leg somehow. He says it's nothing...but NOTHING is never nothing in Once Upon A Time! Trust me, people! This is a clue! This is either a foreshadow to a future episode--perhaps the one where we finally find out WHO August is--or it's a clue from a previous episode that I'm somehow missing! Or perhaps it's a telltale for which Fairytale character August is!
More on this below, in the questions bit of this post!

Emma digs around a bit where Ruby found the heart, and finds a piece of broken shovel. The two head to Regina's later that night and, with Henry's help, get into Regina's shed. And what's in that shed? Why, a broken shovel, of course! They've got her!

First thing in the morning, Emma shows back up at Regina's with a search warrant...and finds the old, broken shovel has been replaced with a brand spankin' new one.
D'oh! Foiled again!

Emma goes to August's room at Granny's and confronts him, thinking he was the one who told Regina.
And here's the second of the weird things that happens in the episode!
August says to Emma, "I would hope that you would have enough faith to know that I would never betray you.", and then he looks--first, completely stunned and then second--like he's almost let something slip by saying that to Emma. Did you all notice that?! (And that was some GREAT face acting by Eion Bailey, by the way!)
Again, more on this below in the questions bit of this post!

Back at the jail, Mary is in tears when Regina walks in. Again.
Regina is at her bitchy best and Mary finally realizes that the Mayor IS indeed out to get her for reasons unknown.

Back at Regina's house, she's once again standing in her window, clutching her ring. She whispers, "We got her Daniel. We got her."

The police take Mary away in cuffs and Emma and Gold have words.
After Gold leaves, Emma throws the flower vase (remember the flower vase I mentioned above?) in her anger and, lo and behold, among the shattered pieces she finds a bug! Darn that Sidney!

Emma finds August at the diner and apologizes, showing him the bug.
Suddenly the two hear screams. They run around the corner, where Ruby is pointing to someone lying on the ground in the alley.
Emma turns the person over.........and it's KATHRYN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And there was much yelling and cursing in my house at that!
GREAT episode! Loved it! LOVED!

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Highlights: 
-Bailee Madison as young Snow. Did she study Ginny beforehand?! Is that how she got Snow White down so perfectly?! Amazing!
-Barbara Hershey! Evil never looked so good!
-The costumes (again!). The wedding dress! Regina's riding coat! Young Snow's costumes!
-Gold's little Rumple flourish!
-Lana Parrilla's amazing acting as she changes from sweet Regina into the Evil Queen.


Questions:
-WHO IS AUGUST?!
-What was with the scene where he tweaks his leg? Is there a fairytale character I can't remember who had a hurt leg? Or who couldn't use his legs? At first, he was acting a bit wooden after he'd 'hurt' it, so of course I though Pinocchio....but I don't think that's who he is.
What about Baelfire, my theory on who August is. Did Baelfire have a hurt leg? Or will he? Argh!
-Why did August say what he did to Emma? Why would he think she should 'have enough faith to know he would never betray her'? That sounds like she's supposed to KNOW him, doesn't it? If she is, why doesn't she remember him? Double ARGH!
-What is Gold/Rumple doing? He's playing all sides of the coin. What is his end game?
-How did Kathryn get back? (Rumple?)
-How is she alive?! She has no heart!
-Will Mary be released now?
-Will Regina be charged?
-Where WAS Kathryn??
-Cora was a miller's daughter...In the Rumple fairytale, didn't the MILLER'S DAUGHTER have to guess his name? Is she THAT miller's daughter? If so, was Regina the first born she would have had to give up? Or maybe Jefferson?! (Remember how I said it seemed like they were related?!)
-How did Cora get magic? (Rumple?)
-What deals did Cora have to make to get them out of poverty...and with who? (Rumple?)
-What happened to Cora? She went to live with Snow, Regina and the King, I assume...but she was no longer around when the Evil Queen cursed Fairytale Land.
-Is Regina's grudge against something a child did 40 years ago the whole reason she cursed a WHOLE WORLD?!

No new episodes for THREE MORE WEEKS! Blah!
Here's the promo for 'The Return':

Looks AMAZING!! Was I right? IS August, Baelfire?! I can't wait to find out!

And what did you think of The Stable Boy? What are your thoughts on the many questions we have after this episode?

Comment are VERY welcome! I must debate this show! ;)

See you back here April 22, Oncers!

Supernatural: Party On, Garth

Tonight we welcomed back D.J. Qualls as the hunter, Garth! I loved him in his first Supernatural episode, and I'm glad to see him return!

Party On, Garth begins at a campsite. Some teens are telling ghost stories around a campfire when another teen shows up drunk.
He's apparently the brother of one of the guys already there, and the drunken boy suddenly seems to see something terrifying.
He runs off and we hear a scream. His brother comes across his mangled corpse lying on a path in the woods.
Interesting open!

Next we see Garth, who rides into town in his El Camino, blaring Bel Biv Devoe. Who didn't laugh at that?!
Garth, masquerading as a cop, speaks to two of the girls who were at the campsite. They tell him it was a local ghost who killed the boy, and Garth goes to the cemetery and burns the bones.

We then flash to the boy who found his brother dead in the woods. We see him drinking in his car, then walking through the forest with a shotgun.
Sadly, the gun doesn't help him as he's killed and hung in a tree by something unseen.

Garth is speaking on his phone as he hears that another person has been killed, even though he'd burned the bones of the local ghost.
He decides to call in the boys for help.

The Winchesters meet with 'Corporal James Brown' (LOL) at the morgue. They realize the dead boys are brothers.
Garth brings them up to speed while Sam figures out that the boys father owns the local brewery.

They head to the brewery where they talk to Randy Baxter, one of the co-owners. Randy is played by Canadian icon, Terry David Mulligan, which was such a great surprise!
My generation of Canadians will remember him from Much Music. He looks great, doesn't he?

Back at the home of the family in mourning, the youngest sister accidentally takes a drink of mommy's vodka and OJ. Whoops!
She spies a crazy-looking The Grudge reject...who promptly kills her mother. The problem? Daddy doesn't see the ghost at all.

Back at the motel, Garth Vader (how's that for a nod, DJ? ;) ) is fixing his broken EMF detector as they all have a beer. Garth downs his and gets a wee bit tipsy.
They hear on the scanner about the death of the mother and Dean and Garth head there.
With Mr. Fizzles' help, they speak to the youngest daughter who tells Mr. Fizzles that a monster killed her mommy, and she could see it because she'd accidentally had a drink of her mommy's grown-up drink.

Sam goes to speak with the widow of the third partner of the brewery, Dale, who'd recently committed suicide.
She explains why she's suing the company and tells Sam about the bottle of Saki he'd given his two former partners as a gift.

Back in the car, Dean and Garth figure out that the ghost is a spirit you can only see while you're drunk.
Dean takes a drink from his flask and Garth asks him about it. Dean explains that it was Bobby's flask and we see a quick flashback. Garth is remembering his fixed EMF detector going off while it's near the flask.
Aaaaand, I got teary. Of course. :P
Garth asks if Dean thinks Bobby might still be hanging around them and Dean refuses to talk about it.

The Winchesters meet at the brewery where they find that the Saki has been opened. They spy a security camera in the office. They get drunk and then watch the tape. They easily see the creepy Grudge ghost escaping the Saki bottle after one of the dead boys opens it.
Randy catches them while they're drinking in the office and Garth quickly tasers him.

The boys discover that the words on the Saki box speak of an alcohol spirit. And now they know what they're dealing with!
As Randy sleeps off his tasered-ness in the hot tub, the guys and Garth google alcohol spirits and find out that Dale probably sent the spirit after his two former partners.
They also learn that to kill it, they need to find a blessed samurai sword.

Garth again brings up Bobby when his EMF detector goes off, and Sam confesses that he's already tried to speak to Bobby...but got no reply.

After Randy wakes up, Garth figures out that he does indeed have a kid. He gathers up the mini-bar's mini-bottles and heads to the brewery to find Randy's illegitimate son.

Dean gets the Japanese chef to bless the sword he found at a pawn shop, and then, after a call from Garth, also heads to the brewery.
Dean then calls Sam, who's also drunk because he was at a bar keeping an eye on the McGann's oldest daughter, and Sam also heads to the brewery.
Now we have complete hilarity in the making!

Garth tries to protect the janitor/son-of-Randy, but the ghost easily tosses him through a window and knocks him out cold.
Luckily Sam comes in for the rescue...but is also easily thrown into a wall and knocked out.
It's now all up to Dean...who can't even SEE the ghost because, for once, he HASN'T been drinking! Oh, the irony!

The ghost knocks the sword out of Dean's hand and, in a wonderful scene that made me squeal so loudly that I had to rewind my PVR so I could go back and see what I missed, the sword mysteriously slide across the floor and back into Dean's waiting hand.
Oh. Em. GEE!!!!!!!!

Sam wakes just in time to tell Dean where the ghost is, and after a bit of slashing, Dean finally plants the sword into the ghosts gut. The ghost poofs into oblivion.

Sam and the janitor get Garth and Dean turns to look behind him, at the spot where the sword lay on the floor. Dean speaks to the room, asking Bobby if he's there. He pleads with Bobby to 'do something'.
He gets no reply, and we see Sam watching from around the corner.

The next morning, the boys say goodbye to Garth with hugs and he drives off, still blaring Bel Biv Devoe.

Sam tries to talk to Dean about what he overheard at the brewery. Dean explains about the empty beer, the book falling to the floor and the card popping out (all things I mentioned here when they happened, by the way!).
Sam brushes everything off as coincidence. Friggin' Sam!
Dean starts to believe that, saying that if anyone would be able to contact them as a ghost, it would be Bobby.

As the boys leave the hotel room....tears roll down my face.
Bobby is standing there, in the room.

Dean returns to the room because he's forgotten something, and Bobby smiles wide when Dean moves toward him.
Dean grabs the flask that's on the table next to Bobby, and Bobby's face drops as he realizes Dean still can't see him. In pure Bobby fashion, he exclaims, "I'm right here, ya idjit!"
Dean leaves the room and a pissed off Bobby says, "Balls!" as he poof out of sight.

So, wow. WOW. LOVED, LOVED this episode!

First, D.J. Qualls is amazing and I wish Garth would become a semi-regular on the show. He's a great comic relief and he brings out the best on the boys when they need it the most.

Second, BOBBY!!!! I KNEW IT! I KNEW HE WAS STILL THERE!!!
....ahem....Sorry about that. ;)

But seriously, how sad was that? Gah, he's trying so hard to be seen and the boys have just been looking right through him. :(


Highlights:
-D. J. Qualls performance. Love that guy!
-Bel Biv Devoe. Ha!
-Garth drunk!
-Sam trying to assist Dean fight the ghost he can't see.
-The sword sliding across the floor.
-BOBBY!!!

Best Lines:
-"You've been Garthed"-Garth, after burning the bones.
-"I Garthed her!"-Garth, after hearing another body was found.
-"Coffee for you, Tara Reid."-Dean to drunken Garth.
-"Garth, why don't we put the sock away."-Dean to Garth.
-"Mr. Fizzles' gonna go where the sun don't shine."-Dean to Garth's sock puppet.
-"Monster you gotta be drunk to see. Cool. Also, hard to fight."-Garth to Dean
-'Come with me if you want to live."-Garth to the janitor. AWESOME Terminator nod! Ha!

Questions we have now:
-Why can't anyone see Bobby??
-How will he make them realize he's still here?
-Will they get Death to bring him back?
-Will they get ANYONE to bring him back (Crowley??)?
-Will they make him cross over?
-Where are the Leviathans now?


And now we get ANOTHER hiatus for some reason. No new episodes for THREE weeks.

But the next one looks like a doozy! Here's the official promo for Of Grave Importance:

See you back here on April 20, Supernatural fans!

YA Book Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

ebook
Release date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Source: Net Galley Advance Copy

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Sometimes, when you're least expecting it, a book comes along that's so brilliant...so breathtaking...that it reminds you that YA books don't always have to be written as YA books.

Most teens are more than capable of reading at the same level (or higher!) as the older (I prefer the term 'mature')  generation YA book lovers.

Grave Mercy is such a book.

Set in the late-15th century in English-speaking Brittany--which was in North-West France-- Ismae (LOVE her name, by the way!) is born bearing the mark of Mortain--the God of Death--after her mother's attempt to terminate her pregnancy with poison fails.

Because she bears the mark, her childhood is...difficult, until the night she's spirited away to the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns to serve Death himself...by becoming Death's handmaiden. An assassin.

Ismae is a phenomenal character. I connected with her immediately. Although set in a time where women were seen as weak and compliant, Ismae is strong and intelligent and intimidating, when she needs to be.

The setting and background of the era almost become characters themselves, they're written and described so wonderfully. Ms. LaFevers brings them to life so vividly that I almost felt like I was living inside the book. I could see the cities and towns, the castles and gardens and roads and forests.

And the costumes? Absolutely beautiful. I can still close my eyes and see Ismae's simple habit. Anne's glorious dresses. Duval's dark attire. 

And speaking of Anne...Loved her.  And it doesn't hurt that she was a REAL person, Anne, Duchess of Brittney! The history surrounding Anne in the book is based on what's written in OUR history books, which I found VERY cool!

Of course, I can't forget Duval. Ah, Duval. I'm not ashamed to admit I fell completely head over heels for him. Mysterious, yet kind and sweet and gentle. Le sigh.

And there are all manner of minor characters that you'll also come to love, and to hate...and some will even make you cry.

Yes, yes...I sobbed like a baby during one specific, heartbreaking scene--A scene that I didn't expect would be as emotional as it was, which is yet another testament to Ms. LaFevers' wonderful writing.

Have I gushed enough, yet? ;)

Grave Mercy IS book 1 in the series, but it's also a stand-alone novel with a satisfying conclusion. Book 1 follows Ismae...but she's is only ONE of the handmaidens training at the convent. Book 2 follows another assassin, Sybella, who we do meet in this first book....but that's not to say their stories don't intertwine a wee bit. ;)

I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to teens 15 and up, and to adults. If you like historical fiction, supernatural fiction and assassin nuns, you'll adore Grave Mercy.

It was a true pleasure to read such a brilliantly written YA novel.

I'm DEFINITELY looking forward to book 2, Dark Triumph!

YA Book Review-- The Invitation

eBook
Source: Net Galley
Release date: March 27, 2012 (Originally released Aug. 1993)
Publisher:  Scholastic Children's
ISBN 0590550608 (ISBN13: 9780590550604)
series: Point Horror
Author: Diane Hoh


Five not-so-popular teens are invited to an annual party given by snooty Cass. Ushered into the mansion, they are soon part of a human scavenger hunt in which they are tied, bound, and hidden. Further victimization includes being heated in a sauna, cooled in a freezer, and nearly asphyxiated by a car's running motor.

I should start by telling you that this book wasn't my cup of tea. I love me a good horror...but this wasn't horror. This is more of a mystery.
That being said, this is a fun little book. It's very short, so it's perfect for younger or preteens, ages 12 and up.

It wasn't particularly scary and there's very little blood and gore...although if you're particularily sensitive to these types of things, or would rather keep your teen away from that stuff, this definitely isn't the book for you.

The characters are shallow, with almost zero depth to them at all, and the plot is shakey at best, but it will keep you turning the pages, just to see what will happen next.

You don't need to read the other books in the Point Horror series to understand this book. In that way it's kind of like the Goosebumps series.

If you have a teen who's not much of a reader, this would be a great starter book for him/her.

Once Upon A Time: Hat Trick

I feel like a broken record, but once again ANOTHER brilliant episode!
Sebastian Stan was the perfect Mad Hatter, wasn't he? LOVED!

So we begin where we left off last week, with Mary on the lam after escaping her cell.

Henry is at the jail, waiting for Emma, who walks in with Gold. They discover Mary gone and Emma takes off in her bug to find her.

While driving on the foggy road, Emma almost hits a fellow citizen of Storybrooke, who goes by the name Jefferson (and wasn't that a wicked-awesome nod to Jefferson Airplane, who's most famous song is 'White Rabbit'!). It seems he's twisted his ankle after diving into the ditch, and Emma offers him a ride home.
He invites her in for a nice cuppa...and then promptly drugs her and ties her up while she's unconscious.

Emma, always the thinker, easily escapes her bonds and discovers Mary Margaret tied and gagged in another room. Apparently Jefferson has kidnapped her, too!
Of course, they're discovered as they're trying to escape and Mary is once again tied to the chair.

Jefferson explains to Emma that he knows she's magic and that he also remembers being someone else, somewhere else.
In a nutshell, he KNOWS Henry's book is real and he wants to go back to Fairytale Land. He thinks she can make a magic hat that will send him home.

Emma realizes, after seeing the hats and the tea, that Jefferson thinks he is the Mad Hatter. They bicker about worlds--what's real and what's not. Emma gives up and makes the hat.

She fails at her first attempt and Jefferson explains to her that he needs to get home because his daughter, Grace, is now named Paige and lives with another family. She has no idea who he is or who she was.
Jefferson's curse is remembering everything he had in Fairytale Land.

Emma tricks him into thinking she's starting to believe...and then bashes him with his telescope, knocking him out.
She once again goes to free Mary, but Jefferson jumps her. Emma and Jefferson wrestle while Mary frees herself, and in the fight Emma spies a huge scar on his neck.

Mary bashes him with a croquet mallet (Ha! Again, a wonderful nod to the Disney movie!) and, in a VERY Snow White-like move, kicks him out the window!
But Jefferson is nowhere to be found when they look. Only his hat remains.

Emma gives Mary a chance to run. Mary refuses after Emma tells her how important she's become to her. (*sniffle*)

Regina walks into the Sheriff's office, and THAT'S when you realize it was HER who hid the key in Mary's cell!
Gold is there and sees Regina out, and THAT'S when you realize it was HIM who hid the key in Mary's cell and that Gold and Regina were working together!

Emma finds Henry and, after seeing 'Paige' in the schoolyard, asks to borrow his book. She flips through and sees a picture of the Mad Hatter...who has a nasty-looking scar on his neck. And then she asks to keep Henry's book for awhile.

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In Fairytale Land, a man and his daughter are playing hide and seek in the woods.The man, who is the alter-ego of Storybrooke's Jefferson, apparently has the same name in both worlds.
When they get to their cottage, they discover the Evil Queen inside. The Queen tells Jefferson she needs his help. She needs his 'special skills' to get her somewhere he's been before, because someone's taken something from her and she wants it back.
He refuses, worried that his daughter will be left alone if he's lost like her mother was.

Some time later, Jefferson and his daughter, Grace, are at the market. Grace has her eye on a plush white rabbit (ha!), but her father can't afford to purchase it.
We soon learn that the old hag who refused to lower the price on the rabbit is none other than the Evil Queen. ...but I have NO idea what the point of that was, exactly.
Why did the Queen have to be the hag? Why couldn't it have been just any old hag? Was it just to prove how evil she is? I'm pretty sure we know that already! ;)

Back at their cottage, Jefferson tells his daughter that he has work to do and she'll have to stay with the neighbours.
Because he couldn't afford to buy his daughter what she wanted, he's changed his mind and has decided he'll help the Queen after all.

He brings his magic hat to the castle, and after some funky CGI effects, the Queen and Jefferson jump into the vortex the whirling hat creates.

It sends them to a circular room with many doors. Jefferson directs the Queen to a large mirror, they walk through, and now we have a THIRD world in our series--Wonderland.

And what a Wonderland it is! The CGI in these scenes is AMAZING. Beautiful and vivid and bright!
In a WONDERFUL touch, the first being we see is a very familiar hooka-smoking caterpillar (voiced by The Who's Roger Daltry, no less!), who speaks a very familiar phrase, "Whooooooo arrrrrrrrre yooooooooou?" I got goosebumps!

Jefferson and the Queen reach a maze, which belongs to the Queen of Hearts. More cool CGI shows us that it's not just any ordinary maze. The hedges in THIS maze will actually grab you if you get too close!
The Evil Queen being, well, evil, decides to just blast her way to the middle of the maze.

The Queen quickly finds what she came to get and the two retreat back to the looking glass after a fun little battle with the Queen of Hearts' guards.
There, the Evil Queen takes a piece of mushroom from the rather large plants that are nearby and places it into the box she took from the middle of the maze.
In a haze of purple smoke, out pops her father, Henry, and now we know what it was that the Queen of Hearts took from her.

Of course, because two arrived in the hat, only two can leave through it, which means that now, Jefferson will be left behind. Oddly, the Queen seems rather emotional when Jefferson brings up his daughter being left alone, doesn't she? Foretelling what she goes through in the next episode, perhaps? Hmmmm!

The Queen of Hearts' men find Jefferson at the Looking Glass and take him to her. The Queen of Hearts, who wears a thick veil so her face is never seen, also speaks through a tube to her knave who speaks for her...although we can clearly hear when she says, 'Off with his head."
Poor Jefferson! Er, but he's still alive and he tells her how he came to Wonderland--through his magic hat.

And so poor Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in Wonderland making hat after hat after hat, because he's not magic and none made by his hand will ever get him home.

And so, what at first glance appeared to be a fun, light episode is, in fact, sad and heart-wrenching.
Oh, you fooled us good, OUAT writers!

Highlights:
-The CGI in Wonderland. AMAZING!
-Sebastian Stan's performance.
-Seeing the Evil Queen use magic.
-The nod to Jefferson Airplane.
-Mary's 'Snow' kick!
-The costumes--Jefferson's coat in Fairytale Land, the Evil Queen's dress.


Things we know after this episode:
-We now know that they've been trapped in Storybrooke for 28 years.
-Those who remember Fairytale Land use their real names (Regina, Jefferson), with the exception of Gold. Probably because Rumpelstiltskin is too obvious. :P


What questions do we have after this episode?
-Are Jefferson and Regina somehow related? There was much talk of 'not abandoning family' in a way the seemed a little too obvious, and Regina had also been to the door-room in the hat before. Half-siblings? Cousins?
-Why did the Queen of Hearts take Regina's father?
-Where did Jefferson get the magic hat?
-Who is Grace's mother?
-How did they 'lose' her?
-Does Regina know Jefferson remembers Fairytale Land?
-Why didn't Regina's father seem to care they were leaving Jefferson behind, stuck in Wonderland?
-Why does Regina seem so upset when Jefferson mentions Grace being alone if Regina leaves him in Wonderland?
-Where do all the other doors go in the hat?!
-Where did Jefferson go after being kicked out the window?
-Is Emma actually starting to believe Henry's book??
-What will happen to Mary Margaret now?


Next week we finally, FINALLY find out WHY Regina hates Snow White so much, and we get to see what made the Evil Queen so damn evil!
Here's the trailer for episode 18, The Stable Boy:

What did you think of Hat Trick? Comments are always welcome!

See you back here next week, Oncers!

Supernatural: The Born Again Identity

This week we finally, FINALLY welcome back Castiel. I missed him so!

Sam's gone completely bonkers because he hasn't slept in five days. He ends up in the psyche ward after being hit by a car.
Dean goes through his book and calls every hunter he comes across for help with Sam. None seem willing or able.

Suddenly, in a very odd coincidence (Hi, Bobby! I miss you!!!), an odd breeze knocks Dean's book to the floor and out pops the card of a hunter who knows just who might be able to help Sam.
A healer named, Emmanuel. (*wink wink*)

Meanwhile, Sam is making friends with another patient. Apparently Merrin also hears a voice. The voice of her brother who tells her he's lonely and tries to persuade her to kill herself.
Sam being Sam, he easily rids Merrin of the ghost of her brother.
So, er...what was the point of that side-plot, exactly? Made NO sense to me at all.

Anyway!
Dean finds Emmanuel's house, kills the demon he stumbles across there and saves Emmanuel's wife.
Then he discoveres that Emmanuel has no memory of who or what he was before.
Weren't those scenes in the car great? It was just like the sweet, naive, unintentionally funny Cas of old. I'd forgotten how much I adored that Cas.

Dean stops at a store and he's accosted by demons when, suddenly, Meg pops up.
Er, what? WHY is Meg there, exactly? How is she important to the plot? Argh, Sera Gamble (the writer of this episode), you're KILLIN' me here!

Okay, whatever...Meg goes with Dean and Emmanuel to find Sam. Emmanuel is hesitant but he agrees to try to get rid of the demons that are hanging out outside the hospital.
And FINALLY we get a GREAT scene. The score that plays, the flashbacks, the look on Cas's face...LOVED.
And now our beloved Cas is back, Dean gives him his trenchcoat, I cry, and after a bit of drama, Cas goes to save Sam from the horrible demon who's now giving him electric shock treatment.

Sadly, Cas discovers that Sam's wall has been ground to dust. There's nothing left to build with. And, in an act of complete love, complete selflessness and one that completely redeems him in the eyes of the brothers AND the viewers, Cas takes the broken piece of Sam's soul--and the visions of Lucifer with it-- into himself.
And I cried. Again.

And though it pains them to do so, the boys leave the now-catatonic Cas behind in the asylum...with Meg to watch over him, playing the part of a nurse.
I supposed she's better than nothing, right? Maybe?

So! A bit of a mixed episode for me!
Didn't like the Merrin plot or Meg's return at all. Neither made much sense to me. The rest? Two big thumbs up!

Highlights:
-Our first glimpse of Cas.
-Cas and Dean in the car, alone.
-The whole Cas remembering scene.
-Ghost Bobby helping Dean.

Best Lines:
"Quit being Dali-freakin'-Yoda about this."

"Narcissistic personality disorder. K, now this one I could have."

"So who named you Emmanual?"
"BouncingBabyNames.com."

What questions do we have after this episode?

-What's going to happen to Cas?

-When will we see Crowley?

-Where are the Leviathans?

-IS it Bobby that's been helping the boys?

-Why is Meg now working with the boys?

Next week DJ Qualls returns as Garth in the episode called, "Party On, Garth", and it sounds like it's going to be hilariously amazing!

What did YOU think of The Born Again Identity? I'd love to hear your comments!

See you back here next week, Supernatural fans!

Movie Review-- The Hunger Games

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

WARNING--IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO READ THIS REVIEW!

I first read The Hunger Games in early 2009. Remember whipping through it and loving it.
Then it became THE book. Popular and loved and recommended. 
Often when I read a book, I get through it so fast that, months later, I barely remember what it was about. This was the case with The Hunger Games, and so I read it again. And then I went out and bought the series.
I never forgot the plot again. ;)

The Hunger Games is easily one of my top ten favourite books, so I had high expectations for this movie.
I'm so unbelievably happy to say that I wasn't disappointed.

Jennifer Lawrence is the perfect Katniss. Lay any doubts you had aside right now (trust me, I had them, too!). She becomes the Katniss that's been living in my head for years. She's strong and smart and uncertain and withdrawn, just like 'our' Katniss. 
She's wonderful in the part.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta also grew on me quickly. I was worried because the actor himself appears smaller than the Peeta in my head is, but he pulls off Peeta's strength well. By the time they reached the Capitol, he WAS Peeta to me.

I wish I could say more about the rest of the characters, but sadly, I can't. I understand that the movie can only delve into so much background, but, sadly, Gale, Effie, Haymitch, Prim, Cinna and pretty much everyone else mostly get pushed to the side.
I CAN say that every actor played their roles wonderfully.

Gale is barely seen, which may make things confusing for folks that haven't read the book. The whole history between Gale and Katniss isn't shown, so the love-triangle the movie tries to portray falls a bit flat.

Woody Harrelson is a great Haymitch, but again, because we don't go into who he is, viewers don't get the depth of what Haymitch does for his tributes. They show that he's an alcoholic, then they show him mentoring the kids and refusing a drink.
They don't go into what the kids mean to him, why he suddenly gets so invested in them, his love for them, etc. 
That was a bit frustrating.

And ditto with Cinna (played amazingly by Lenny Kravtiz). Cinna's introduction to Katniss is perfect, but they just can't get into how deep their relationship really becomes.

Amandla Stenberg is great as Rue. Again, we just don't get to see how deep the relationship between Katniss and Ruereally becomes, but that didn't make the death scene any less painful. Literally the WHOLE theater was sobbing right along with me, it was that well done.
But the scene in the book where District 11 sends Katniss the bread as a thank you for what she does for Rue?
NOT IN THE MOVIE AT ALL! That ticked me off.

The rest of the tributes? Well, we barely learn anything about them. 
Foxface runs in and out of scenes (much like she does in the book), but we know nothing about her.
Glimmer is barely there at all until the Tracker Jacker scene. 
Thresh from District 11 gets his one big scene and that's pretty much it.
Clove has a minor scene or two, and Cato gets his big moment at the Cornucopia, of course.

It's often a bit frustrating when watching movies made from books because, while YOU know what's going on in the characters head because you've read the book, it's not actually mentioned on the screen.
Like Peeta allying with the District 1 and 2 tributes. The movie makes it appear that he's actually on their side when those of us who've read the books clearly know he's not.

Speaking of Peeta, again, the book just does a much better job at describing his actual intelligence, strategies and cunning. Yes, they show that he's artsy--they do have the camouflage scene where he explains about the cake decorating--and they show he has a soft side, but they don't get into how hard he actually plays the game to survive. 
And they pretty much leave out completely the time he and Katniss spent together while Peeta was close to death. 

Katniss's scenes in the arena are also shortened, or missing completely. I suppose that makes sense, considering the games don't actually start until halfway through the movie. 
She is never near death like she is in the book. There's no dehydration, there's no battling the elements. She just seems to breeze through the games with almost no problems (well, except for the fire, of course).
And by the end, she still seems pretty non-committal toward Peeta...Like it was all an act for the cameras. But I suppose that's so they can get more into the love triangle in the second movie.

As for the non-character bits, the scenery is gorgeous. The forests of the games is amazing. The Capitol is just as I imagined it, and District 12 definitely has the right look.
However, we don't get to see much of it. The Hob is barely shown. We don't meet Peeta's father or Gale's family at all, and there's no Madge.

Katniss actually gets her pin from a shop woman and then tries to give it to Prim, who gives it back after Katniss volunteers in her place.

The costumes are incredible. The colours of the Capitol are vibrant and vivid and all kinds of weird. Exactly as described in the book.
The red 'Girl on Fire' dress is brilliant, and the entrance scene flaming clothes are really great.
There are a few added scene that aren't in the book between Seneca and President Snow, and Seneca's death is completely different in the movie, which I actually liked.

And now that I've made it sound like the most horrible movie ever (it's not! I promise!), lets get to the good stuff!

The games ARE amazing. I held my breath through almost every battle scene (even though I knew Katniss came through alive).

The shakiness of the hand-held camera--which seems to be the current filming trend--was distracting and a bit nauseating at first, but I can understand why Gary Ross decided to film the more gory and hardcore scenes that way. You can't see any actual killing when the camera is shaking all over the place which means the rating stays low and teens can see the film.

I loved the use of flashbacks to tell the story of Peeta giving Katniss the bread and to explain what happened to Katniss's father and the stupor her mother went into afterwards.

The use of Claudius and Caesar to explain things (like the tracker jackers) was definitely handy, and the two of them are amusing, if rarely seen.

A horrible-quality photo of my brother
and I just before the movie started.
Yes, he's forever the joker. ;)

I was lucky enough to see the film with my brother, who hasn't read the books yet.
When I asked him afterwards, he said he'd enjoyed it, but it was long. For someone going into it new, it would drag in the middle, definitely.
He DID understand everything and wasn't left with any questions, which leads me to believe that Ross succeeded in making this a movie both book-lovers and newbies will enjoy.

I'm not going to lie, here--The book is better. MUCH better. But they always are, aren't they?

Aside from the minor things I mentioned above, I did REALLY love this movie. It was very much like watching the scenes in my head come to life, which is what everyone is hoping for when seeing a movie made from a book they loved, right?
Definitely go see The Hunger Games...and then come back here immediately after and tell me what you thought!

Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!