Captain America – The Winter Soldier ( review )

Directed by :  Anthony Russo , Joe Russo

Produced by : Kevin Feige

Written by  :   Christopher Markus , Stephen McFeely

Starring        :   Chris Evans ,   Scarlett Johansson,   Sebastian Stan , Anthony Mackie , Robert Redford , Samuel L. Jackson

Music by  :       Henry Jackman

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Captain America – The Winter Soldier felt less of a superhero movie compared to Iron Man or Thor, but I found it no less enjoyable. It has the great visuals and cool action scenes you might expect to see, as well as some nice character moments and few twist and turns along the way.

I will point out some of things in particular about the film that I liked .  Some spoilers ahead, beware! I will warn you again when the plot spoilers appear.

- Captain America vs Modern World

I like the take on the character that Marvel has decided to take. Instead of emphasizing on how Cap is adjusting to modern lifestyle in sense of new technologies and gadgets , they emphasize on the far more interesting aspect of how he is to adjust to modern morality and view points . I also like that they kept Cap representing mostly the “old-fashion” code of morality instead of some national pride idea. Because Cap is so “good” and always tries to do the right thing , he sometimes appears to be the most “boring “character among the other Avengers . But his strong moral principals are used to his advantage in this film . It is interesting to have him as a contrast to the more and more shady morals of today’s world.  It is not so much about adjusting to a new lifestyle for Cap as it is finding something to fight for and believe in . I like that concept .

- Characters

I liked the fact that we got to have cool character’s moments here and there. I liked the collaboration between Cap and Black Widow , also because of their different points of view on the job they need to do .

I was pleasantly surprised to see Nick Fury getting more screen time and to see also his dynamic with the others.

It was nice to see Peggy again. The make-up they did for her to make her age was really good !

The Falcon was also very fun character and he instantly kind of fits into the story ( at least for me ). His got back his costume just too easy … but that’s ok : )

I am also glad they added some small flashback in order to enhance the importance of the friendship between Bucky and Steve and to make it matter more when they face each other.

Just giving these characters those small moments makes them more “humane” . More you care for the characters , more you care for the story and more you enjoy the film . At least that’s how I see it – otherwise it’s just cool special effects .

(Well , the kiss was pure fan service , but I don’t mind that . It was cleverly pulled off . )

- Action scenes

Great action scenes! I didn’t space out or got bored during none of them. Everything was well choreographed and performed, enjoying and thrilling. There was good dose of flying and falling through the air as well , which is something that seems to happen in every Marvel movie … and I love it !

- the Winter Soldier 

I have only one complain - I was hoping to see more of the Winter Soldier !!! But I guess Marvel is keeping more for later .

In any case - his costume , his movements , his ice cold look and everything about him was so cool ! Actually , he caught my attention from the first trailer and I went to research him . The fact he is actually Bucky made me three times more interested in him , so he is now one of my new favorite characters. ( and I am set to read more comics about him ) I really want more back story ! but anyway … 

I want to mention the music ! The winter soldier score was great ! It was perfect ! You feel the threat he is in that creepy , deadly music . Love it when he appeared the first time ! I loved all his scenes , actually .  Especially when he was facing Cap. Can’t wait to see what’s gonna happen in Captain America 3 !

- the tone of the movie

I was expecting Thor The Dark World to be “darker” film – instead I had lot of fun watching it . No matter the few moments when things went very bad for Thor or his family , the movie was really … funny and entertaining . I felt Captain America’s second film to be less “funny” that Thor 2 and much more serious . Of course there is humor in it as well , but it’s different . Which is great ! The good thing is that Marvel movies manage to have certain similarities in storytelling , but besides that , each character’s film has also it’s own tone and themes to make it unique in a way  . Thor movies are set in more of a fantasy world where no one cares of the science behind what’s going on , thus a less serious tone suits is quite well; Captain America is more grounded and realistic, so it needs its own approach. I really liked the realism and the more serious tone to it . 

- the plot’s “twists” ( here are the BIG SPOILERS ) 

Since the feeling of this film is more like a spy-thriller , some hidden secrets and twists were needed to keep you guessing .  I knew who Bucky is , so no surprise there , but it was still interesting to see how Cap will react to the fact his friend is the Winter Soldier .

As for Nick Fury’s “death” … well , I kept telling myself that they wouldn’t just kill him off and I was happy he showed up again ! 

The title of the film , though , it’s a little misleading . One might think that it’s the Winter Soldier who is the main “bad guy “ but in fact he is just an instrument of the “bad guys” . Even I was suspecting that something is not going well inside of SHIELD , I wasn’t expecting Hydra to show up again ( maybe I need to read more of the Cap. America comics ;) ) so that was interesting enough for me . In any case , this is an action superhero film – one doesn’t expect some super complicated plot but it’s nice when there is actually a plot to keep you guessing .

The best thing about the plot is that it refers to current themes and issues that our society is discussing. Really makes things more reliable .

- backstory and other Marvel film references :

This movie doesn’t refer to the events in the Avengers so much as Iron Man 3 or Thor 2 did .  Instead of keep referring to the attack of New York , the creators of the second Captain America film , tried to remind the audience of the events that happened in the “First Avenger” . So even if you haven’t seen any Marvel movie until now, you are still able to kind of follow the main story . That’s good if you go to the cinema with someone who has no idea of the previous movies .

Besides that , it’s obvious we are closer to Age of Ultron now , since the first post credit scene seems to refer directly to it. So there is this kind of nice transition from the first Avengers film to Avengers: Age of Ultron – in Iron Man 3 we felt the most the “after effect” from the Battle of New York – it’s only logical , since this was the first film from Phase 2 ; and now with Captain America , it seems we have left that behind and a new big threat is coming .

The only thing is that … we didn’t see any other Avenger in some little cameo this time . Ok , we had Black Widow and Cap both in one film … but still . You might think that when they are in danger, they might contact Tony Stark or at least Hawkeye and not the Falcon who Cap met like 2 times before that …. BUT nevermind that . Hawkeys maybe was on the other side of the planet at the time . Who knows ;) .

There is only one film left – Guardians of the Galaxy before the next Avengers film . Can’t wait to see how all will tie up together ! ^^

I suggest you to go see the movie, no matter if you are a Marvel fan or not . It’s good enough for your money ;) .

review by Viki 

photos from marvel.com 

The Fifth Estate ( review )

 

Director Bill Condon
Screenplay  Josh Singer
Based on Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange and the World's Most Dangerous Website by Daniel Domscheit-Berg WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy by David Leigh and Luke Harding
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch , Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie , David Thewlis , Alicia Vikander Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney
Music  Carter Burwell
Cinematography Tobias Schliessler
I was very interested to see this movie but unfortunately I have to somehow agree with the prevailing opinion that while the cast was excellent the story was kind of lacking. The movie has beautiful cinematography, they’ve used cool visual tricks and have an interesting creative ideas of how to represent the virtual world (some less successful than others )… but it seems that even the best actors and pretties visuals doesn’t really mean a good film. I can’t say that the Fifth Estate is a “bad movie” but I can say it’s kind of unsatisfying. I am aware that this is just a movie and not a documentary, but nevertheless , I feel it didn’t add much to the outgoing discussion about WikiLeaks . But lets leave the WikiLeaks issue aside , a movie from this sort should be engaging , provocative and clever, no ? My impression from this films is , however , that in their struggle to make it “entertaining” and to turn it into some kind of political thriller, they missed a great opportunity to create a deeper and more meaningful film. They seem to overlook the essence of the story  in favor of fast cut scenes, cool music and energetic keyboard typing .

 I consider myself quite the wrong person to write reviews sometimes( but I do write them nevertheless )  because I don’t like to say negative things about people ... and yet I need to say that Bill Condon’s last few movies ( I mean the last two Twilight films and the Fifth Estate ) are kind of … lazy (story-wise) . Condon has done some highly acclaimed movies in the past , but the Fifth Estate , as well as the Breaking Dawn  films are movies who lack soul . I'm not going to discuss the Twilight story's virtues or lack of such , but as a random viewer of it , I got this impression that the movie is made in a "boring" , predictable way– beautiful visually , with scenes that are put in order to make us like the characters but are so “static “ and “soulless’ that alienates us instead . Moreover , the Breaking Dawn films have some forced “action” and "excitement " into them while the story is about something completely different. This is the exact same feeling coming from the Fifth Estate ( with the great difference that the cast of the Fifth Estate has done their job amazingly while some of the Twiligh cast members seemed bored with the story themselves . also the subject in the TFE is much much more interesting ) – of a movie that tries to look “cool” but turns out to be too “cold” for my taste .

I have a particular problem with this film - there are a lot of clichés in there . Especially in the way the two main characters are presented– we have Daniel who is the “normal” , “nice” guy and there is Julian who is the weird , anti-social type .  ( and not to mention all the scenes with the US government's people  that looked as if they are based on every other Hollywood movie and not on real events ... )

The creators of the Fifth Estate claimed that the movie doesn’t take sides and that they try to show many points of view but … they often fail to balance those points of you .

 The character of Julian Assange always remains  distant and I think he was not given enough screen time or good scenes to actually … how to say it  – to have a chance to "speak for himself". Then suddenly at the end they add this interview with him as to save the movie from being too biased.
The story never lets him “shine” enough - his speeches are short or cut in the middle and there is not enough time for him to really grow on you. As far as I know Assange from interviews , he might be a little strange but he is really well-spoken and has a special charm . Cumberbatch portrays him quite accurate but just the film doesn’t allow him to really have his moment. Maybe here is the point to mention that Benedict Cumberbatch is really good in this role and is trying to make the character as engaging as he can.

As for Daniel Bruhl , I really like him and I was especially impressed by his performance in RUSH this year . He delivers a very good performance here as well , but in comparison to Niki Lauda , I find Daniel Domscheit-Berg a little bit boring as a character and I blame the script for it again . ( I feel so bad to write negative  things …) In any case , all actors did a very good job – the cast was one of the most positive aspects  of the film . ( I liked also the visual style of the film and the music score ) .

 I was very into the characters , taking them seriously and all … until the dance scene with Benedict and Daniel when I tried so hard not to laugh! ( All their fans should watch the movie for this scene at least! )
 My biggest regret is that I had to I watch this movie dubbed ( ☹ ) and every time I do that I feel I have missed out so I will definitely see it again .

In conclusion I might say that the Fifth Estate has an excellent cast and beautiful visuals and while it manages to create a specific and interesting atmosphere , it fails to deliver a satisfying take on one of the most discussed issues of today.
In any case , I think it’s good they made this film because it might make more people interested in the discussions surrounding WikiLeaks . Above all I hope that most of the people who saw this movie would actually take the advice of making their own research about the newly born “fifth estate” .

review by Viki 

Gravity ( movie review )

Year :  2013

Genre : sci-fi , drama , triller 

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

 Main Cast : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney,

 Ed Harris

Gravity is for sure one of the most visually astonishing and trilling movies of the year . That’s all I can say without revealing any spoilers. The story is quite straightforward – it’s about surviving in conditions where no life could exist. More than that is about finding one’s personal will to live and one’s courage to keep fighting for one’s life no matter what .

Now from here on they might be some spoilers! Don’t say I didn’t warn you .

I didn’t find the story very “surprising” but nevertheless the movie was pretty intense. The most interesting aspect is the fact that Gravity is made in a way that makes the viewer feel really involved – as if it’s all happening to him / her.  

The 3D helps enhance the feeling of zero gravity and it’s a nice addition to the beautiful visuals of the film. Sandra Bullock’s character was too busy to fight for her life in order to just sit there and admire the view and we can’t really blame her for that – because Space is scary. Beautiful and terrifying ! ( that’s why I love it ) 

It was an interesting touch to make Sandra’s character to be someone who has “ no life” , who has lost the most precious thing a person can lose – her own daughter and still she finds in herself the will to fight for her live and to not give up .  I expected to see more of George Clooney but in any case he was in the movie just enough.

Probably it was only a matter of time now , with all these new technology , for someone to decide to bring us  “back to space” in a more frightening and realistic way.  It seems that this was the main idea of the creators of the film and I think they did a very good job .

I’ve always loved space and mainly went to see the movie for it’s visuals . I got want I went for and I am pretty happy with the movie. 

I suggest you to go see it on a big screen if you haven’t seen it yet – trust me , it just won’t be the same seeing it on your home TV , no matter how HD it is . 

review by Viki 

photos from http://gravitymovie.warnerbros.com/

RUSH ( movie review )

     First time I heard about Rush, I though it is going to be some sort of Formula 1 version of the Fast and The Furious. Later I got to know more about the subject of the movie so I got more and more interested in it. Therefore I went to see it the first day it arrived at the theatres in here.
Now don’t get me wrong – I do enjoy watching Fast & the Furious type of movies from time to time, but I didn’t go to see Rush because I wanted to see fast cars – I went to see it because I became interested in the characters it portraits. 

I must say that I had only seen the first trailer and I had avoided watching any more clips from it and I also did not go to read about what really happened to James Hunt and Niki Lauda , because I didn’t want to know too much about the plot . And I am so glad that I did that . The story was more powerful for me that way.



So here is the actual review that I am writing to you mostly because I want to recommend you to watch Rush .  Please go see it on the big screen – the experience is so much better!
I like the movie because of few things , that I will list you in random order :

1.     The cast

I must confess that I like a lot both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl , so  I might be kind of biased in my opinions . In any case I think they both did a very good job .  After all I like them because they are very talented actors and they proved it that once more .
Chris seems to always be very natural in his roles and the image of James Hunt suits him pretty well.  He is absolutely believable as the charming, reckless playboy and I can’t blame the ladies for falling in his arms just so easy. Still, there are moments when you can see that James has his fears and his "troubled emotions".
As for Daniel , he is just great in this role. He steels the show a couple of times. His character is a pretty interesting and so very different from James Hunt. He might seems less likeable but I was kind of impressed by Lauda more that once in this film .

Unfortunately the movie here is dubbed in Italian so I couldn’t appreciate well enough the accents that both main leads had to master in order to sound like their characters but I will make sure to watch the movie again in original language when is released on DVD or on digital format .  

The supporting cast is also pretty good.  I need to mention  that there are some very beautiful and talented actresses there.  It’s was a pleasure to watch them.

2.     Visuals, sound and music

The combination between all those components is very well done. There are some really great shots and lets not forget some very beautiful locations. The music and sound is also just so right . Works great on building up the tension . Especially during a race all blends together very well ( I really loved to hear the roar of the engines on high volume in the cinema.)
 Ron Howard really choose the right people to work with.

3.     The Story -  it’s balanced enough between the entertaining fun bits ,  those with more serious note  and the really trilling moments when you just can't get your eyes of the screen . You get to see a little bit of the life of both characters – their ups and downs . You won’t be drugged around their whole carrier – all is concentrated basically on a particular time period . It all builts up pretty well to the "grand finale " .  I wasn’t bored  and I enjoyed it all . 
 I just wanted there to be more interaction between Lauda and Hunt but I guess this is because I enjoyed watching them so much. But I can’t speak more without revealing too much so here is a warning : 

Whatever follows contains  spoilers!  Please do not read further if you haven’t seen the movie yet . Just come back to read and comment afterwards ;) 

There are many interesting aspects in this film – the lifestyle of those people who risk their lives for a living, the time period , this crazy but fascination sport ,  the rivalry between the characters and the ways it  defines them both  and influences their actions. Their different points of view and approach towards not only racing but towards life in general.
Also there is something in particular that I was impressed with and that I want to mention . I was impressed with Lauda’s actions . He almost burned to death but he came back to race just few weeks after the accident! And the best part is that later he managed to withdraw when he saw it was too risky. These are some difficult decisions and I admire him for both. 

The most impressive thing about this movie , however , for me is that this story is actually  real . James Hunt really won by just one point showing extreme determination at the end . Lauda really almost died and come back to race immediately after that.

I am often more impressed by people’s actions rather than by people’s words – in that sense , I think Rush “tell us “ more things that it might appear at first . 

I like movies who can entertain me but also tell me stories that I keep thinking about days afterwards . These movies are not only the once you enjoy but also the ones you remember.

Review by Viki

images from http://www.rushmovie.com/

THE WALKING DEAD ( review )

Name : The Walking Dead
Status : currently airing Season 3
Number of seasons/episodes : three (so far)
Year : 2010 - present
Genre : horror, drama, action
Director: Frank Darabont
Main Cast : Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus
Based on : comic book
Warnings : flesh-chewing zombies, blood and guts, might give you nightmares!!!

Review :  WARNING! MIGHT CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS! What would you do if a deadly virus turned everyone around you into flesh-eating zombies: your family, your friends, your whole nation and even the residents of the other continents on Earth? Where would you go when only death and devastation await you everywhere you run? How would you defend yourself when the dead want to eat you the moment they lay their unseeing eyes on you? Who would you trust if someone out there turns out to be alive and scared just like you? And, finally, what kind of person would you be ready to become in order to survive? These are the questions that the TV series The Walking Dead tries to place before each viewer! And, in my opinion, it does not fail to deliver!


The series follows the fight for survival of police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and little son Carl (Chandlerr Riggs), along with a group of people with various backgrounds, each with his or her personal drama and own believes. Chased by zombies on every turn, the group headed by Rick tries to find a safe place where to start a new life after the apocalypse, hoping that the human society will somehow recover from the virus and restore things back to normal. Little by little, however, their hope dies as they face the horrible death of their loved onces and friends and as they realize that zombies are not the only danger in a world without laws and control....

What do I like about this series? Most of all, I like the character development! For the first time we have a zombie TV series, not a two-hour zombie movie, which gives the director the possibility to develop the main characters, to show how each of them deals with the crazy apocalyptic situation and how the latter changes them to the better or the worse. We see how Rick, as the leader of a small group of survivors, has to change his believes in order to keep these people alive: at the start of the series we see him struggle even when it comes to killing a zombie, by the third season we see him pointing a gun at his best friend, whose behaviour threatens the group's safety. Each character changes into a different person as the story progresses and we get to see how that happens and what the consequences of it are. That is, if the character does not get eaten by a zombie in the process ;)

I also fell in love with the atmosphere in the series: although the production got a significant budget cut after the first season, it still manages to transport its viewers into a devastated land, where all hope for a normal life is gone and it all comes down to finding food and not becoming food yourself! It's creepy, it's scary and it's very realistic! When those half-rotten zombies head your way, you can only pray they won't catch you in your sofa with just a cushion as a weapon!

Add good acting, unexpected twists of the plot and cool camera work to the mixture and you get a great TV series that will not disappoint the fans of zombie movies and people who appreciate a smart, scary drama!


I recommend it to : zombie lovers, horror fans, those who like an apocalypse-type drama
I do NOT recommend it to : faint-hearted people, people who like watching TV series while eating ;)

Favorite Scenes : the opening of Season 2's last episode, where we see hundreds of zombies gathering in a mass group and moving together in their zombie manner towards the countryside in search of a fresh dinner. The way they move and the camera shots are just cool!
Favorite Characters : Rick, Glenn, Daryl
Favorite Quote : "Fight the dead. Fear the living."
What I liked the most : The character development and the very realistic apocalyptic atmosphere
What I liked the least : Some scenes with zombies tearing up living people's flesh or with people chopping zombies into bits :)

photos from adweek.com  , walkingdeadlocations.com , eventingnation.com

review by DeeDee

Oz , the Great and Powerful ( review )

Name : Oz ,  the Great and Powerful

Year : 2013
Genre : Fantasy , Adventure
Director: Sam Raimi
Main Cast :  James Franco, Michelle Williams,
Rachel Weisz , Mila Kunis






(I am going to write a very quick review because I have no time ! )

Review :

I saw Oz , the Great and Powerful  in 3D on its opening day and I can say that I liked it in general! It has some flaws bit still it was fun, colorful movie with nice visuals and if you are looking for something to watch in order to be entertained that might be the film for you. The story was not a big deal, but that wasn’t a problem for me. 

I think James Franco suited well the character – more a trickster rather than “magician”. He is not the typical good guy and he is not even trying to be. With his slimy smile and music box , he made a lot of the people around me ( and me ) to laugh a lot .

The three witches were cool . Well ,  I wanted more Rachel Weisz because I love this actress very much !
This is the first time I actually watch Mila Kunis is a movie but I am not very impressed . Yes , she is beautiful but besides that her witch character was kind of weak ( in sense that she had a weak presence ) . I have the feeling she was there just for eye candy and nothing more . When she became “bad” she was so … fake. Screaming around how bad she is doesn’t really make her believable. Anyway …
I liked Michelle Williams even if her character was a little … how can I say it – too white. She was much better at looking unnaturally nice than Mila at the beginning of the movie.
Anyway – just don’t take this movie too seriously , because the movie is not made for that . True – it has a message and some subthemes but it is mainly for fun! ( I see it that way at least ) .

I really liked that ( spoiler follows !!! ) at the end Franco’s Oz did not become some knight in shining armor but used his real abilities to beat the witches. I am so tired of those “heroes” who in just a day time turn from some sort of I-have-never-touched-a-weapon type to mass murders.

I also liked the other characters , such as the doll ( China town was so cool ! ) and the Flying monkey and also the references between the “real “ life of Oz and what happen to him in the land of Oz.

I also should mention the happy citizens of Oz . Yes , the common villagers ,  who are always smiling -  I wonder what kind of mushroom they eat … To smile that much all the time seems exhausting ! Grumpy Cat would get a heart attack if he ever visits Oz !

In conclusion let’s say one more thing :  if  you are going to see this movie – go see it in 3D ! Because the beginning is really cool to be seen in 3D !!! ( i think it was my favorite part of the whole thing ! )

Let me know your opinion in the comments as well ! :)

photo from .filmofilia.com/

http://en.wikinoticia.com

http://collider.com

review by  Viki

Once Upon a Time ( TV Series ) Review

Name : Once Upon a Time
Status : Currently Airing Season 2
Number of seasons/episodes : Two seasons (for now)
Year : 2011-2013
Genre : Adventure, Romance, Fantasy
Director: Adam Horowitz, Edward Kirtis
Main Cast : Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla
Based on : fairytales and children's books

Warnings : things tend to get quite cheesy from time to time; too many beautiful princes to choose from :P

Review : 
( it might contain a few small spoilers for those who haven't seen season one yet ) 

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there was a girl with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as the night. Her name was Snow White. She was forced to run away from her home because her stepmother, the Evil Queen, wanted her dead. In the forest where she had to live, she made many friends, including seven dwarfs working in the mines for magical fairy dust. One day Swon White crossed paths with Prince Charming and the two fell in love against all odds. They had to overcome many obstacles to be together, but in the end they succeeded - the Evil Queen was banished, her reign of terror was put to an end, and Snow White and Prince Charming got married, became parents of a beautiful baby girl, and lived happily ever after....Or maybe not! Because this is where the fairytale ends and real life begins, kids!

Or, better said, this is where the TV series Once Upon a Time puts an end to fairytale cliches and starts afresh with a mixture of real-life drama, some pinches of  magic and, of course, loads of adventure!

The series follows the story of Emma Swam (Jennifer Morrison), an independent woman living an ordinary life in the big city until Henry, her 10-year-old son she has abandoned as a baby and never seen since then, appears on her doorstep and forces her to go with him to his hometown, Storybrooke. Emma plans to just take him back to his stepmother, Regina (Lana Parrilla), and leave the small, strange town as soon as possible, but ends up staying and even becomes the new sheriff who has to deal with a lot of strange events taking place in Storybrooke. And little by little Emma starts to realize that the crazy stories Henry keeps telling her just might happen to be true: the people of Storybrooke are actually fairytale characters, snatched from their fairytale land and trown into this real world without any memories of their past life by a powerful spell cast by the Evil Queen. And Emma just happens to be the only person who can brake the spell and thus give back Storybrooke's people their memories and loved onces. All she has to do first is believe that her son's stepmom Regina is the Evil Queen, the only person in town who remembers the past before the spell, that her new best friend Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) is actually Snow White, that the John Doe lying in a coma in the hospital is Prince Charming (John Dallas), that the local antique shop owner Mr. Gold is the famous magical creature Rumpelstilskin.....and that Emma herself is the daugther of Snow White and Prince Charming, and the only person saved from the effect of the evil spell as a baby with the help of a magical wardrope! Piece of cake, right?

Both seasons of Once Upon a Time follow a very successful formula: each episode introduces new characters (or further develops old ones) and the viewer gets a glimse of their past life in the fairytale land and of their present life in Storybrooke (which noone can leave because if they try, "bad things will happen"!). We are introduced to the personal stories of well-known fictional characters such as the Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Mulan, Captain Hook and even Dr Frankenstein, but fear not - nothing is like we know it: the Little Red Riding Hood turns into a huge wolf on every full moon, the Beauty is in love not with an actual beast but with the evil Rumpelstilskin who might not be that evil after all, and so on and so on. Surprises lurk behind every corner both in the fairytale land that was and in the real world of Storybrooke, which always keeps viewers on the edge of their sofas and makes the waiting for the next episode sooo much harder!

Ok, since this is supposed to be a review, let me finally say why I think this series is good: the story is very entertaining and engaging, the plot is full of twists and always leaves some questions unanswered until the right moment comes, the characters have depth in them and the actors chosen to play them are relatively well selected. Also, Once Upon a Time has a little bit of everything in it: there is love, friendship, heroism, sacrifice, mother issues, true evil, not-so-true evil....As long as you have an open mind and are willing to escape for 40 minutes once a week into a fairytale world, where things tend to get cheesy for realists' taste, I dare say you will love this series!

I recommend it to : families with little children, grown-ups who don't have children but feel like children themselves, romantic souls like myself  ( blushing )
I do NOT recommend it to : fans of serious drama and action series, non-believers in true love at first sight that lasts forever and beyond


Favorite Scenes : all scenes with the Evil Queen in the past
Favorite Characters : the Evil Queen, Rumpel, Captain Hook
Favorite Quote : "Magic Always Comes at a Price!"
What I liked the most : the combination between scenes in the real world in the present and scenes in the fairytale land in the past. I thing that it is this combination that made the series so successful in the first place!
What I liked the least : There are definitely some episodes that are just fillers, i.e. they're aim is only to prolong the season until viewers' impatience to see the grand finale reaches a boiling point! At least this kind of episodes are not too many, especially in Season 2, and they are still interesting to watch, so they're not a significant drawback of the series.

from DiDi

photos taken from : fanpop.com  ; bittersweetromantic.xanga.com