Monthly Archives: helmikuu 2015

The Walking Dead is an American horror drama television series set in a post-apocalyptic world where a vicious zombie virus has swept over the planet. The show follows those who have survived the outbreak and are now forced to live in a world ruled by the living dead.

The show premiered on Halloween 2010, after which it has been only growing its popularity. The first episode of the fifth season broke the ratings record as the most watched cable show of all time with 17.3 million viewers. Considering the high ratings and the cable channel AMC’s strong faith in its show it’s no wonder they renewed the show for a sixth season – before even airing the fifth one. The producers of the show have already plans for season 10 and beyond.

The show starts out with the main character sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes (portrayed by Andrew Lincoln) waking up from a coma to find out he’s amidst a zombie apocalypse. He has no idea what’s really going on since in the universe of The Walking Dead concept of Zombies doesn’t exist. That is also to explain why the characters never use the word ‘zombie’ but refer to the living corpses as ‘walkers’. Terms such as ‘roamers’, ‘lurkers’, ‘biters’ or even ‘geeks’ are also heard throughout the show. To me that gives the show a unique feeling and an interesting starting point.

After his awakening Rick is set to a path to find his family, in which he miraculously succeeds after finding them amongst a group of other survivors. Rick gains the status as the group’s leader and from this point on the show follows their group that is to encounter several other comrades in fate.

While The Walking Dead is based on the comic books of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, the show runners have taken their own course with the show adding new characters and changing plot details. The show has also given a second chance to some characters that didn’t make it alive in the comics. Robert Kirkman has stated that it will be impossible for the fans to tell what is going to happen next on TV series just by reading the comics, which in the world of The Walking Dead means you can never know who’s going to get killed off next. The fact that no character is beyond death’s reach makes every episode an intense experience and it’s exactly what keeps you intrigued – but also really scared.

The Walking Dead is not a show about zombies. It’s about the people and what they’re ready to do in order to stay alive in a world, where the choices are either to stay alive together or die alone. The show is also about humanity and how easy it is to forget, which is proven by fact that the real antagonists of the show are humans, not the flesh-eating roamers. Whether you choose to trust or distrust someone can easily become the difference between life and death – all this considering the slim possibility that you somehow haven’t been bitten by a walker yet. Needless to say, death is always present.

In addition to the physical aspect of survival, the show is also about emotional surviving. The Walking Dead can seem really grim show from time to time for it deals with themes such as abuse, mental health and even suicide, self-harm and euthanasia. It underlines the power of desperation, but also shows the importance of hope. For example desperation can compel a character to do something amazing, but just as easily it can cause something terrible to be done. It’s only hope that can really help the characters move forward.

The show can also be viewed from a social perspective: what could happen when the society is completely broken down, with no economic or political structures? How would it affect our lives if things like technology and electronics were taken away? If there was no food left, how far would people be ready to go trying to get some?

The Walking Dead is definitely one of my favorite TV shows. I appreciate the well-written characters and the individual development of each one of them through the show. My personal favorite is Daryl Dixon, the crossbow-wielding, complex and flawed badass with a heart of gold. He never existed in the comic books, but thanks to the actor Norman Reedus’ impressing auditioning for the show, the writers decided to create a whole new character just for him. It was not a mistake since Daryl Dixon became a fan favorite almost instantly.

I like the visual look of the show, too. It is mostly shot in a modest way and a slightly lower image quality than TV shows usually, both of which are methods to achieve the feeling of “the end of the world.” I also love the sceneries because American TV shows are rarely set in a state like Georgia.

But the main reason I love The Walking Dead as much as I do is that the show is ultimately about family, not in the traditional meaning of the word though. It is about trust and friendship between people who in a pre-apocalyptic world – let’s face it – wouldn’t even have gotten a chance to meet each other just because their backgrounds are so different. By focusing on a group instead of just one or two survivors the show teaches us that for people to thrive, they need other people.

Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu is an animated TV show based on a lego line with the same name. It’s a story about five ninjas Kai, Zane, Jay, Cole and Lloyd trying to save their world with elemental powers. It takes place in an large island called Ninjago. Ninjago is a place full of Japanese and Chinese culture and mythology. My story takes place after the shows third season finale when Ninjago was in chaos and the death of Zane made the ninjas go on their seperate ways. This story is centered around the youngest ninja Lloyd and his father Garmadon while they live in Garmadon’s secluded monastery near the ocean and mountains.

It was a beautiful morning, promising a warm and sunny day. Garmadon was on his morning walk. Deep in thought. He was worried about his son Lloyd. Lloyd had been down ever since the death of Zane few months ago. Hadn’t seen him smile. It wasn’t like Lloyd didn’t have a reason to be sad, but you can’t be always sad. Garmadon wanted to cheer him up a little. Then he saw it, a fishing rod laying on the ground. He remembered going fishing with Lloyd when he was just 6 years old, it was before he had… turned dark and left. What kind of father was he? Well things were better nowdays. Lloyd was an adult and sometimes he looked so old, but at the same time just so young. He could try, he knew Lloyd was awake by this time. Hurrying back to the monastery and taking some fishing equipment he made his way to Lloyd’s door and said ”Lloyd? I’m coming in” he opened the door as Lloyd said from his bed ”Hi dad” Garmadon raised the fishing rod and said cheerfully ” Want to go fishing? It’s going to be a beautiful day!” that perked Lloyd’s interest ”That would be cool, but dad aren’t you still busy with all the stuff” Lloyd said with little hope in his voice. It would be nice to spend some time with his father.”I’m sorry that I’ve been quite busy this week. But I’ve cancelled everything for today. You okay to leave in few hours ?” Garmadon asked. ”Sure!” Lloyd answered. Gramadon closed the door with a smile on his face, he had things to do before they left. First he went to inform his brother Wu that they were going to be out for the day. The few hours went in a hurry and soon they were leaving the monastery.

They had  decided to go by foot (Garmadon had insisted) and had already travelled about an hour. And at last a beautiful stone beach came into view, stones with beautiful colors and waves  gently crashing into them. ” Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this!” Lloyd said while admiring the beach. ”Let’s go over there” Garmadon said while pointing to the other end of the beach, there was a stone ledge which was perfect for fishing. They had been sitting and talking on ledge for some time both watching the beautiful ocean. Lloyd still hadn’t gotten any fish so he whined ” Dad, are you sure there’s any fish here… wait! How come you have got so many fish and I’ve got none, are you using magic or something?” Garmadon chuckled at this ”I have no need for magic, I only need to be calm and the fish will come to me. This is no normal beach, the fish can sense your inner turmoil. You need to focus on sound you hear, calm yoour thoughts… even for a moment” He closed his eyes with the air of finality. He felt Lloyd think it trough and calming little by little.

It didn’t take long before Lloyd was already saying ”I got a fish!” Garmadon smiled ”That means you’re starting to get calm… Here, have a cup of camomille tea” Garmadon suddenly had teacups and a pot in his hands.”How did you..? Forget it, what is it with yours and Wu’s fixation on tea. Always pulling cups and pot out of nowhere and drinking tea in the most suprising moments?” Lloyd said confused while taking the cup. They drank the tea peacefully. Lloyd noticed to his suprise that he wasn’t sad, he hadn’t even noticed . He understood what Wu had meant with his words few days ago ”If we prowl too long on what’s missing, we fail to see what can be gained”. He had to get the ninjas back together. ”Thanks dad” Lloyd whispered almost too quiet to hear. Garmadon smiled. This day was a success.

The Carrie Diaries is an American television series, ”Sex and the city” prequel. Also based on Bushnells book. It follows 16-year-old Carrie, in year 1984,  who is in her junior year of high school and gets new internship in New York. As well her developing and experiencing new things before she becomes that popular Carrie from Sex and The City. Carrie lives with her occassionally overprotective and loving dad and her little sister Dorrit with whom she is struggling. They have for real sensitive relationship. Dorrit is pretty much Carrie`s opposite.  Their mom passed away and they have to ”start new life” without mom.

My friend was very exited about this show and recommended it for me. It didn´t run on  TV anymore and I couldn´t find episodes with subtitles so I wasn´t sure whether watch it or not. But then I decided to try and really loved it. I don´t often watch series or TV but this was so good that I had to watch at least one episode every day. There are two seasons of this show and it didn´t take so long to watch them all.

Carrie is friendly, curly-haired, lovely and she loves fashion. I really liked her personality and how she growed during the show. She had the same problems as the normal teenagers so it was interesting to follow her life and find out how she solves the problems. Carrie did care about the other people too and she was always there for her best friends Maggie, Walt and Mouse.Her sister Dorrit had  become difficult after their mothers death. Carrie had to, alongside with her father, took over the same things as her mom has done, like cooking, organizing… I personally liked the thanks giving episode where Carrie tried to make turkey by following her mothers old recip. Everything went wrong but Carrie tried to stay calm and in a good mood. In my opinnion the show was fun to watch and some scenes were absolutely hilarious.

The show also gets the twentieth century details mostly right. The clothes were colourful and gorgerous (they could also be worn nowadays ), hair was big, the cars and the music. However sometimes I forgot that it was year 1984 and it was a little bit weird and at the same time nice that they didn´t have iPones and all that modern stuff. There were landlines and in my opinnion it is cool to watch how people lived earlier, though it wasn´t so long time ago, but still it is stunning how many things have changed.

At the same time as there are all this issues going on, Carrie is falling hard for Sebastian. The new kid who is new for everyone else but Carrie who knows him from swimming club. Sebastian is handsome, sweet, complaisant and kind. Their relationship is really complicated. When everything starts going perfectly there is something or someone who ruin it. Toward the end in episode two, when they finally move in together they notice that their aims are not so similar as they assumed and Carrie startsto think maybe they are not so perfect couple. I was a little bit dissapointed when they didn´t stay together and their goodbye in last episode was so sad…

All in all I can say that the series were teachful, which could be predictable because it tells about teenagers, realistic and I just liked all the colours, cafes, the actors and ofcouse New York. There were also many good quotes. Here are some examples: ” Who am I supposed to be again? Just be yourself. But who am I?”   ” Sometimes to chase after your future, you have to stop running and plant yourself in one place. Take a stand and fight for what you want. And know that even after the darkest of night, the dawn will come. And you will find a Place where you don´t have to hide. A Place to call home. ”   ” I love you so much my heart hurt. Is that what love is supposed to feel like? Pain?

At the end I would like to say that series were totally worth watching. I really enjoyed every single episode. It taught me how important the friends and family really are. Happiness is something that doesn´t feel the same if you heve nobody to share it with. Parents are always here supporting you but you have to learn to do decisions by yourself. Ofcource they can give good advices but eventually you are the one who are charge with your own life. I would recommend the Carrie diaries for those who like girly and fun series.

This Netflix original serie Orange is the new black is created by Jenji Kohan. It’s an American comedy-drama serie, which first season was published on 11. July 2013 in Netflix. Serie tells the story about the women inmates and what is it to live in a prison. The protagonist Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) has been judged in United states’ women’s prison because of transporting money got from selling drugs for her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). Life in there is dangerous and uncomfortable. There anyone can even get killed.

I chose Orange is the new black, because I’ve seen every period which have been published and I really like it. It’s really addictive serie.  In most of the TV shows and movies are not showing people go to the toilet, they can stay up nights with no sleep. Rarely they eat except getting to know new people. I like it when OITNB (Orange Is The New Black) shows when the prisoners go to toilet, to take a shower, they eat and make up. They sleep and do everything that the civilians do.

The actors are skilled. Many people from this serie have been awarded. Uzo Aduba has got Primetime Emmy award because she was best visitor actress in comedy series in year 2014.  Jennifer Euston got the best casting in comedy series -Primetime Emmy award. William Turro got an award from the best single camera section in comedy series. Actors have their own stories why they fit in the roles e.g. Laverne Cox is really a transgender as her character Sophia. She has a twin who acted Sophia when she was a man. Many of the actors have used drugs like their characters do. It’s outrageous how the prisoners can break the law and don’t follow the rules all the time in the prison. They drive the drugs and goodies in, wear make up and do cigarettes and resells them.

This is the only serie which I have seriously watched a lot because of it’s attractiveness and because it’s so realistic.

http://www.npr.org/2013/08/07/209843353/orange-is-the-new-black-actress-calls-role-complicated

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Is_the_New_Black

Confessions of a Shopaholic was published in 2000 as a book and as a movie in 2008. Confessions of a Shopaholic is created by Sophie Kinsella and the movie is directed by P. J. Hogan.  The movie tells about Rebecca Bloomwood (played by Isla Fisher) who is journalist. Rebecca loves fashion and she is shopaholic with a big credit debt.  Her dream is to be journalist of high fashion magazine but she ends up being journalist in finance magazine, which she didn’t want. Rebecca Bloomwood is kind a silly, spontaneous and she is passionate about shopping clothes. The finance magazine’s name is Successful Saving and it’s run by Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy). Luke seems to be workaholic . Rebecca Bloomwood and Luke Brandon fall in love, which is quite predictable but it brings something romantic to the movie.

Usually Finland isn’t mentioned in movies but in this one it was mentioned many times because Rebecca’s many excuses involves Finland and she said the reason is that no one checks up on Finland, for example she told in her CV that she can speak finnish fluently,but she really can’t. In the movie there is also some finnish blood,  Tuomas Hiltunen who acts as Janne Virtanen from Nokia gets to talk with Rebecca.

I recommend the movie for those who likes girly movies and it is great movie to watch with friends. It’s very funny and there’s a lot of shopping of fancy clothes. I also like the movie because there is nothing too serious or dramatic scene.  So the movie is like ”easy” to watch and plot was pretty simply; there was only few turning points and the turning points were in the end . Confessions of a Shopaholic was great but I think it would have been better if there was some little bit more dramatic scene but it is comedy so it doesn’t need it.

Sources: Wikipedia

Creation is a movie that gives partly biographical and partly fictional description of Charles Darwin and his family during the making of the world famous and (at the time) revolutionary book ”origin of species.” Creation was filmed in 2009 and it was directed by John Amiel and starred by Paul Bettany.

Story basically revolves around the father-daughter relationship of Charles Darwin and his oldest daughter Annie (Martha West) who dies but keeps haunting the mind of Charles who is trying to finish his work with ”origin of species.”

Movie starts when Darwin is still a young father telling stories of his expedition and studies to her beloved daughter Annie. Later it gets clear that Annie is, in fact, dead and she is only to be seen in dreams and hallucinations of her father. Between flashbacks you can see a clearly ill man who is trying to finish his book that, according to his colleague, kills god. Darwins battle with his illness and hallucinations separate him from his religious wife (Jennifer Connelly) and finally, after Darwin has visited her daughters deathbed, drives them to a conflict that at the end helps them to solve their problems.

I found this movie by accident from a normal grocery store when I was doing my daily shopping. It was really cheap, only one euro. I have also always been interested in biology and science so I had to buy it immediately when I saw it. So now I am going to give you a brief insight to what the movie was like and what kind of feelings it evoked.

Movie was interesting because it gave a good impression to the lives of people in the 19th century when religion and church were the most reliable authorities and when there was no science that could have explained a lot of the surrounding world. It even felt a bit surreal to a modern day human how everything worked and how unaware people were at the time.

Since it was a story about Darwin it was easy to identify with him, a man who was determined to work to find the truth but had to go thru a battle between his hunger for achieving his goals and his love for his family. All the other characters were somehow left in the dark altough for example Annie and Emma had a fair share of screentime in the film.

The film was sometimes pretty hard to follow, even when you knew that Annie was dead it sometimes was really hard to see the difference between flashbacks and hallucinations, it also, from time to time, had a really dark atmosphere that got a bit lighter at the end of the movie when Darwin made a truce with his wife.

All in all the film was good, not great, but good. It did what a good movie should: evoked feelings and thoughts and was never boring. It, for example, made you think about how it would feel to lose someone important to you and to get stuck in the past. It also showed how a man can get stuck to some process being unable to enjoy life. So it reminded me to enjoy life and not to stress about the expectations that are layed upon you.  I would recommend this movie for everybody even though science or creationism wouldn’t interest so much because it was also a deep drama and had a lot of lovestory ingredients.