This episode may not be the greatest episode to date, but I would certainly rank it up there. It's chock full of great scenes and there are so many highlights to talk about that I'm not even sure where to start.
I guess we'll start with Hank, who is starting to recover. Alas, the cost of treatment is high. I think the writers wanted to try to bring the show back to its roots by having the money go to medical treatments and used this as a way to do it. There are differences, Hank has a decent health plan, so unlike Walt's HMO, he won't be left in the lurch, but from Marie's perspective, good treatment doesn't cut it. She wants the best treatment. You can't fault her position, but it doesn't quite pack the same punch as Walt's case, where you could argue that he fell through the cracks in the system.
But much like how Walt happened to know a millionaire who was willing to cover the costs, so too does Marie (albeit unknowingly). Luckily for Marie, Skyler is willing to offer Walt's fortune for the cause.
As a way to explain how they can pay for it, Skyler comes up with a story about how Walt has a gambling problem. It fills in the gaps surprisingly well and makes for a "shocking revelation" as far as Marie is concerned without ratting him out completely. While it was a great scene for Skyler, and Anna Gunn delivered it with aplomb, I found myself more captivated by Walt as the scene played out. He hardly says a word, but the look on his face is kind of priceless. It's this odd mix of surprised, confused, and impressed.
Walt gets another highlight when he confronts Gus after learning that Hank was warned about the attack. Oddly enough, he's not mad. Walt admits that the strategy (to cripple the opposing cartel) was brilliant and he would have done the same thing were he in Gus' position.
On the one hand, it's nice to have a concrete statement on where Gus stands, but at the same time, now his conversation from last episode makes no sense. If Gus was competing with them, why was the cartel head confused when Gus executed the stratagem? Wouldn't his reasons for doing it be obvious? Were Gus in league with them, the reasons become more obfuscated and you can see why he'd call Gus to see what was up. More than that, Gus' playing dumb by repeating the question makes more sense were he affiliated with them to an extent.
Speaking of affiliations, Jesse isn't too pleased with the arrangement and feels that they should be paid more money. Walt scoffs this as they are millionaires, but it doesn't quell the frustration. Jesse points out that Gus is set to make $96 million off their product and wants to know why they're only getting three.
Does Jesse not know about overhead? I mean, Gus is running a large operation that covers several states. That costs money. Heck, he needs to only look at the lab to see where all the money goes. More than that, he and Walt kept hitting financial roadblocks when they were operating on their own, so it isn't like he has no idea about it. Now, if he knew how much Gus was keeping (and that number was much bigger) than maybe he might have a better case.
To be fair, though. His point about giving Gus more product than he asked for at no extra charge is perfectly legitimate. At the very least, Gus should take that into account when paying them. It wouldn't be like they're asking for a larger cut, but the dollar figure they get should be adjusted accordingly.
Or, I don't know, take the excess out and put that towards the next batch so that you don't have to make as much for that set? In any event, Jesse comes up with a plan of his own to under report the surplus and skim it off the top so that he, Badger, and Skinny Pete can sell it. Heck, Jesse even has a potential consumer pool in his rehab group.
Said rehab group leads to not one, but two episode highlights (I told you there were a lot) as Jesse gets a well executed monologue about what he could be and we later see the trio not so subtly pitch their product to a group of people who are struggling to avoid the stuff. It was a great bit of dark comedy, but the actors also did a great job to sell the scene.
As always, Saul was a blast to watch in his scene. It seems like the show isn't sure what to do with him. The role he served has more or less been phased out, which is a shame. He does buy Jesse a nail salon to use as a front to explain his income, but Jesse isn't interested.
You could chalk part of this up to being a business that Jesse has no interest in, but he also hates the idea of paying taxes. Even the correct point that doing this will make it a lot harder to put Jesse in jail doesn't do anything to change his mind.
This show has really been in the zone and, as we come ever closer to the end of the season, it makes me more excited to see how things play out.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Galaxy Eye
There was a time that if you went to the TvTropes page for "Eldritch Abominations", you would find that one of the sections was focused on "real life". This fact is awesome in and of itself, but one of the entries used to feature an article that showcased an image of one particular galaxy surrounding a black hole. The resulting image resembles a giant eye. Now, while you could write it off as a trick of the eye (ha!) I still think it's an awesomely creepy image.
You can read more about it here.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 8: I See You
After the powerhouse that was the episode that preceded this one, we get a quieter, more reflective episode. It worked rather well and made sense as everyone gathered at the hospital to hope for Hank's well being after the savage attack.
Despite Hank's crass nature, he really did have a tight knit support system. His family is there, of course, but pretty much everyone in the DEA shows up as well. Even though it hasn't been played up until now, it really did feel like a brotherhood. You see other officers giving blood and they are more than happy to hear that one of the attackers is on his last leg...no pun intended....because he lost his legs.
Actually, since we're on the topic, the surviving cousin does provide one of the episode's major highlights. Oddly enough, this was the most menacing we've ever seen him as he recognizes Walt in the hospital and reacts accordingly. The death glare itself was creepy and intense enough, but then the depth of his vendetta becomes apparent as he pulls himself out of bed and army crawls after Walt.
Some DEA agents stop him, but I'm curious to know what he could have done to Walt in that state. He had no weapons to speak of and had very limited mobility without much in the way of height. It kind of undercuts the tension when your brain conjures up an image of the cousin attempting to gnaw furiously on Walt's ankles. Walt may not be much of a fighter, but I think that he'd have the advantage in that confrontation.
The other highlight comes from Gus. When he pushed Hank as a target, one would have been safe in assuming that he did it to keep Walt alive to keep cooking. More than that, his point about Hank being the one who actually killed Tuco is completely legitimate.
They could have just left it there and I think viewers would have been content. But, his scheming goes so much deeper (and subsequently works so much better) as we see that Gus used it to cripple the cartel. Apparently, he is aligned with the cartel and did this to break out on his own? I'm still a little unclear on the arrangement. It was a great moment for him, though, in any event.
On other fronts, Gale garners sympathy as Walt gives him the boot. I do wonder why it was an either/or situation with him and Jesse. With all the product that needs to get made, couldn't Walt have both on hand? It could make things easier and it certainly would have come in handy when Walt ends up delaying production to spend time at the hospital.
Man, Walt's not good at starting off on schedule. He had a similar hangup with Tuco when they first made their arrangement. Yeah, he made up for it there and makes a similar offer here, but it's a little odd that he keeps getting delayed at the start.
Instead, Jesse just kind of loiters around. While he's not the science nerd that Walt or Gale are, he seems pretty excited about the new lab and amuses himself by playing with the instruments. It added a bit of levity that acted as a nice counter-balance to the matter of Hank's fate.
Does the episode live up to the one that came before? No, but that's expected as that was a really high bar to jump. The episode does have heart and there are enough great moments peppered throughout to keep you engaged. All in all, it's a very solid hour of television.
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Despite Hank's crass nature, he really did have a tight knit support system. His family is there, of course, but pretty much everyone in the DEA shows up as well. Even though it hasn't been played up until now, it really did feel like a brotherhood. You see other officers giving blood and they are more than happy to hear that one of the attackers is on his last leg...no pun intended....because he lost his legs.
Actually, since we're on the topic, the surviving cousin does provide one of the episode's major highlights. Oddly enough, this was the most menacing we've ever seen him as he recognizes Walt in the hospital and reacts accordingly. The death glare itself was creepy and intense enough, but then the depth of his vendetta becomes apparent as he pulls himself out of bed and army crawls after Walt.
Some DEA agents stop him, but I'm curious to know what he could have done to Walt in that state. He had no weapons to speak of and had very limited mobility without much in the way of height. It kind of undercuts the tension when your brain conjures up an image of the cousin attempting to gnaw furiously on Walt's ankles. Walt may not be much of a fighter, but I think that he'd have the advantage in that confrontation.
The other highlight comes from Gus. When he pushed Hank as a target, one would have been safe in assuming that he did it to keep Walt alive to keep cooking. More than that, his point about Hank being the one who actually killed Tuco is completely legitimate.
They could have just left it there and I think viewers would have been content. But, his scheming goes so much deeper (and subsequently works so much better) as we see that Gus used it to cripple the cartel. Apparently, he is aligned with the cartel and did this to break out on his own? I'm still a little unclear on the arrangement. It was a great moment for him, though, in any event.
On other fronts, Gale garners sympathy as Walt gives him the boot. I do wonder why it was an either/or situation with him and Jesse. With all the product that needs to get made, couldn't Walt have both on hand? It could make things easier and it certainly would have come in handy when Walt ends up delaying production to spend time at the hospital.
Man, Walt's not good at starting off on schedule. He had a similar hangup with Tuco when they first made their arrangement. Yeah, he made up for it there and makes a similar offer here, but it's a little odd that he keeps getting delayed at the start.
Instead, Jesse just kind of loiters around. While he's not the science nerd that Walt or Gale are, he seems pretty excited about the new lab and amuses himself by playing with the instruments. It added a bit of levity that acted as a nice counter-balance to the matter of Hank's fate.
Does the episode live up to the one that came before? No, but that's expected as that was a really high bar to jump. The episode does have heart and there are enough great moments peppered throughout to keep you engaged. All in all, it's a very solid hour of television.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Why Don't You Do Right?
More specifically, the Jessica Rabbit rendition of the song. I know, the Peggy Lee version is probably the most well known,but if you ask me, this "cover" blows the original out of the water. I guess it's a matter of personal taste, but I find this to be far superior.
Credit goes to Amy Irving, who voiced Rabbit's singing voice for this portion. She did a great job. I'm kind of surprised she didn't pursue a singing career because she's got some talent. I know she did some stuff on Broadway, where her voice was probably put to use, but from what I can gather, she decided to stick to acting.
But, you don't care about my ramblings, I'll stop and just let you enjoy the music.
Credit goes to Amy Irving, who voiced Rabbit's singing voice for this portion. She did a great job. I'm kind of surprised she didn't pursue a singing career because she's got some talent. I know she did some stuff on Broadway, where her voice was probably put to use, but from what I can gather, she decided to stick to acting.
But, you don't care about my ramblings, I'll stop and just let you enjoy the music.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 7: One Minute
We've had good episodes, and we've had some really good episodes. This goes beyond anything we've seen before and delivers a downright fantastic episode. I'd rank this as my all time favorite episode to date.
Oddly enough, it doesn't have the frantic "Walt/Jesse are screwed and have to think on the fly to get out of it" plot hook that I always found so enjoyable. This is just gripping dramatic television and it is fantastic.
Everything about this episode works. More than that, it has just the right amount of everything. There's tension as Jesse swears vengeance after Hank attacks him (for the fake emergency from last episode) and even rips into Walt when he tries to bring Jesse back into the fold. There's introspection as Hank comes to terms with the fact that he's changed and isn't really cut out to be a cop anymore. We even get just the right amount of comic relief courtesy of Saul Goodman who is in rare form here as he tries to see the upside in the fact that Jesse has been beaten senseless.
I've always enjoyed Jesse Pinkman as a character, but he, like Saul, was in rare form here. His fury was palpable and you never really saw that from him before. Not only was it interesting to see in its own right, but Aaron Paul hit it out of the park and it really makes the episode something to behold.
Even the cousins get a bit more material to work with as we get a flashback to their childhood. You can see how Tuco turned out the way he did because Uncle Tio is a freaking psychopath in his own right. It made for a hell of a pre-credits stinger.
The two may have been rather dull villains, but they do contribute to another major sequence as they confront Hank. It was an incredibly tense scene that was pulled off perfectly. Hank got to show his competence and badassery, but he was by no means guaranteed a win. It was a hard fought battle and it made for a great climax to the episode.
I am curious to know who made the call. Was it a legitimate warning or was it more of a psychological move to make him afraid? I also wonder why Hank didn't just turn the ignition and drive off when he got the call. I get that they were going for "paralyzed by panic" but it seems like he had ample time to try to make an escape attempt.
If there is a downside to this episode, I'd probably say it was shipping Gale off so quickly. Yeah, it's good to have Walt and Jesse back, but Gale had his benefits. I do find it a bit odd that Walt cast him off so quickly for one mistake. Jesse made much bigger mistakes and Walt let it slide, so I wonder why he didn't give Gale the same benefit. It's true that Jesse and Walt have history, but there's no reason why he and Gale couldn't form a similar bond over time. Being a fellow scientist, you'd think it would be easier for him to connect to Gale.
To be honest, I wasn't sure if the show was living up to the hype. I've enjoyed the show thus far, to be sure, but it didn't have the oomph that I was expecting. This episode shows you why people mark it as one of the all time greats. This was a hell of an episode. I almost feel bad for the next one as the bar has been raised significantly.
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Oddly enough, it doesn't have the frantic "Walt/Jesse are screwed and have to think on the fly to get out of it" plot hook that I always found so enjoyable. This is just gripping dramatic television and it is fantastic.
Everything about this episode works. More than that, it has just the right amount of everything. There's tension as Jesse swears vengeance after Hank attacks him (for the fake emergency from last episode) and even rips into Walt when he tries to bring Jesse back into the fold. There's introspection as Hank comes to terms with the fact that he's changed and isn't really cut out to be a cop anymore. We even get just the right amount of comic relief courtesy of Saul Goodman who is in rare form here as he tries to see the upside in the fact that Jesse has been beaten senseless.
I've always enjoyed Jesse Pinkman as a character, but he, like Saul, was in rare form here. His fury was palpable and you never really saw that from him before. Not only was it interesting to see in its own right, but Aaron Paul hit it out of the park and it really makes the episode something to behold.
Even the cousins get a bit more material to work with as we get a flashback to their childhood. You can see how Tuco turned out the way he did because Uncle Tio is a freaking psychopath in his own right. It made for a hell of a pre-credits stinger.
The two may have been rather dull villains, but they do contribute to another major sequence as they confront Hank. It was an incredibly tense scene that was pulled off perfectly. Hank got to show his competence and badassery, but he was by no means guaranteed a win. It was a hard fought battle and it made for a great climax to the episode.
I am curious to know who made the call. Was it a legitimate warning or was it more of a psychological move to make him afraid? I also wonder why Hank didn't just turn the ignition and drive off when he got the call. I get that they were going for "paralyzed by panic" but it seems like he had ample time to try to make an escape attempt.
If there is a downside to this episode, I'd probably say it was shipping Gale off so quickly. Yeah, it's good to have Walt and Jesse back, but Gale had his benefits. I do find it a bit odd that Walt cast him off so quickly for one mistake. Jesse made much bigger mistakes and Walt let it slide, so I wonder why he didn't give Gale the same benefit. It's true that Jesse and Walt have history, but there's no reason why he and Gale couldn't form a similar bond over time. Being a fellow scientist, you'd think it would be easier for him to connect to Gale.
To be honest, I wasn't sure if the show was living up to the hype. I've enjoyed the show thus far, to be sure, but it didn't have the oomph that I was expecting. This episode shows you why people mark it as one of the all time greats. This was a hell of an episode. I almost feel bad for the next one as the bar has been raised significantly.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Ghost Hunting Equipment
While I will grant you that this pales in comparison to ecto-goggles, a PKE meter, and proton pack, I love that ghost hunting equipment is readily available and can be bought online.
These kits come with all sorts of gadgets such as an EMF meter, a motion sensor, and various kinds of thermometers that (theoretically) allow you to track spiritual activity. Now, if you don't believe in ghosts, then obviously, this will be a waste of money. If, however, you do think it's possible, then this kit will come in handy. Then again, I suppose skeptics might dig this stuff just for the sheer fun of the gadgets themselves; I don't know, maybe.
In any case, I always wondered how those professional ghost hunters got their job (because quite frankly, it looks like an awesome gig that I wouldn't mind getting involved in). This obviously, isn't a guarantee, but I have to figure that it will help you get pointed in the right direction, literally and figuratively.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Legend of Zelda theme
I freaking love the theme song to Legend of Zelda. Now, one might assume that I've been playing the games since childhood and that hearing the theme brings back some sense of nostalgia. One would be incorrect. Honestly, I've never played any of the games. I've considered giving them a shot (especially since we have a bunch of them on our Wii) but I'm not that much of a gamer and never got around to it. Never the less, this song just hits all the right buttons for me. It's upbeat and has a palpable sense of adventure. If you don't believe, me, you can check it out for yourself.
I also found this version during my searches through the YouTubez. It is a bit more orchestral than the first, but I still rather like it. I'm curious, does anyone else hear bits of the Superman theme peppered in? Honestly, that's what it sounds like. It works, but it is a bit odd. Oh well, enjoy it anyway.
I also found this version during my searches through the YouTubez. It is a bit more orchestral than the first, but I still rather like it. I'm curious, does anyone else hear bits of the Superman theme peppered in? Honestly, that's what it sounds like. It works, but it is a bit odd. Oh well, enjoy it anyway.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 6: Sunset
I'd rank this as my favorite episode of the season. It seems like it's been a while since I felt myself being pulled in and this show did that. It was very eventful and it's good to see plot wheels in motion.
Oddly enough, the episode centers on the RV. Jesse reveals that he plans to get it fixed up so that he, Badger, and Skinny Pete can get back into business. I did like seeing him learn from his mistakes. He notes that they aren't going to move into any enemy's territory and even notes that there needs to be a buzzer to let you know when the key is still in the ignition. It was a subtle continuity nod, but an appreciated one.
As it happens, the RV is also the cornerstone of Hank's lead. He stakes out Jesse's house, waiting for a break and the fate of the RV gives it to him.
Upon hearing about Hank's endeavors (which come courtesy of Hank himself interestingly enough), Walt decides to have the RV destroyed. Naturally, Jesse isn't too pleased with this and storms off. This unintentionally leads the DEA right to him and traps both he and Walt in the RV as Hank is outside waiting.
I've often said that the show is at its best when Walt and Jesse are backed into a corner and this episode keeps that pattern going. It really does seem like the pair are screwed, but Walt is able to come up with a solution. It was clever and it worked, but it is pretty messed up and kind of mean. Of course, this is the same guy who let Jane choke on her own vomit, so letting Hank think his wife was in danger could be seen as pretty light all things considered.
There is also some plot progression with the cousins, who continue to do little but look menacing. These guys are pretty dull villains, I have to say. They've racked up a body count sure, but there's so little else there. I found Tuco to be far more frightening and a lot of that came from his manic demeanor. He'd go from cheerful to psychotically enraged to the point of violence and back again on a dime. It worked wonderfully. I can understand why customers or employees at Gus' restaurant would be put off by the pair, but they're rather eh.
I said before that the RV was the cornerstone of the episode and that comes to the forefront with the episode's end, which involves the RV being destroyed. It was actually kind of sad to see. It wasn't a character, per se, but it was there since the beginning. I guess you could see it as the beginning of a new chapter as Walt is now working in different conditions. What this means for Jesse remains to be seen.
I did like Gale, Walt's new lab partner. While Walt and Jesse work as a team due to their differing personalities, Walt and Gale are a bit more simpatico. The two come off more as kindred spirits as they are both a bit on the nerdy side and succeed in their jobs due to their love of science. It's surprising how affable some of these drug runners are. Seeing how Gale presents himself, you wouldn't peg him as a criminal.
Even Gus is still pretty reasonable, even when dealing with the cousins. It makes sense that he would deflect them to Hank, especially because (as Gus points out) Hank is the one who actually killed Tuco. They say that the DEA is off limits, but he shrugs it off and tells them to go for it. It made for a great wham ending.
This was a very strong episode. It was well paced and was one of the more gripping entries in the series as a whole. If the season can use this momentum, we should be in for some great episodes as we get closer to the end of the third season.
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Oddly enough, the episode centers on the RV. Jesse reveals that he plans to get it fixed up so that he, Badger, and Skinny Pete can get back into business. I did like seeing him learn from his mistakes. He notes that they aren't going to move into any enemy's territory and even notes that there needs to be a buzzer to let you know when the key is still in the ignition. It was a subtle continuity nod, but an appreciated one.
As it happens, the RV is also the cornerstone of Hank's lead. He stakes out Jesse's house, waiting for a break and the fate of the RV gives it to him.
Upon hearing about Hank's endeavors (which come courtesy of Hank himself interestingly enough), Walt decides to have the RV destroyed. Naturally, Jesse isn't too pleased with this and storms off. This unintentionally leads the DEA right to him and traps both he and Walt in the RV as Hank is outside waiting.
I've often said that the show is at its best when Walt and Jesse are backed into a corner and this episode keeps that pattern going. It really does seem like the pair are screwed, but Walt is able to come up with a solution. It was clever and it worked, but it is pretty messed up and kind of mean. Of course, this is the same guy who let Jane choke on her own vomit, so letting Hank think his wife was in danger could be seen as pretty light all things considered.
There is also some plot progression with the cousins, who continue to do little but look menacing. These guys are pretty dull villains, I have to say. They've racked up a body count sure, but there's so little else there. I found Tuco to be far more frightening and a lot of that came from his manic demeanor. He'd go from cheerful to psychotically enraged to the point of violence and back again on a dime. It worked wonderfully. I can understand why customers or employees at Gus' restaurant would be put off by the pair, but they're rather eh.
I said before that the RV was the cornerstone of the episode and that comes to the forefront with the episode's end, which involves the RV being destroyed. It was actually kind of sad to see. It wasn't a character, per se, but it was there since the beginning. I guess you could see it as the beginning of a new chapter as Walt is now working in different conditions. What this means for Jesse remains to be seen.
I did like Gale, Walt's new lab partner. While Walt and Jesse work as a team due to their differing personalities, Walt and Gale are a bit more simpatico. The two come off more as kindred spirits as they are both a bit on the nerdy side and succeed in their jobs due to their love of science. It's surprising how affable some of these drug runners are. Seeing how Gale presents himself, you wouldn't peg him as a criminal.
Even Gus is still pretty reasonable, even when dealing with the cousins. It makes sense that he would deflect them to Hank, especially because (as Gus points out) Hank is the one who actually killed Tuco. They say that the DEA is off limits, but he shrugs it off and tells them to go for it. It made for a great wham ending.
This was a very strong episode. It was well paced and was one of the more gripping entries in the series as a whole. If the season can use this momentum, we should be in for some great episodes as we get closer to the end of the third season.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: The Avengers
With all of the hype (that had been building since 2008's Iron Man) and rave reviews that came with this movie, you would almost expect to come out disappointed, but somehow, this movie managed to surpass it.
When people say that it's the greatest superhero movie of all time, I believe it. Dark Knight schmark knight, this movie was just downright fantastic. It's the embodiment of everything that's great about superheroes and comics in general. If you're a fan of superheroes, this will just reaffirm that love. If you're not a fan, this could very well convert you as it brings everything that's awesome and inspiring to the table.
Whedon manages to give all of the characters a chance to shine. In some cases, they shine more than they did in their solo movies. While I enjoyed both "Thor" and "Captain America", I feel like this movie captured their essence much better. Chris Evans did fine in "First Avenger", but it was here where he really sold me and I believed that he was Captain Freakin' America.
The movie has a 2 1/2 hour run time, but honestly, you barely notice it. There's enough meat to the story that you never feel any sort of drag, which most movies that hit this length tend to do at some point.
I'm happy that this movie did as well as it did. After the success of Nolan's Batman films, Hollywood became convinced that the only way to make a superhero blockbuster was to make it dark and brooding. This movie is the opposite. It's bright, it's fun, and it manages to be just as effective and successful. Hopefully, this will show the executives that everything doesn't have to be a Nolan knockoff.
If you're a fan of superheroes, or just action movies in general, you owe it to yourself to check out this flick. I loved it and can't wait to see what comes in the future.
When people say that it's the greatest superhero movie of all time, I believe it. Dark Knight schmark knight, this movie was just downright fantastic. It's the embodiment of everything that's great about superheroes and comics in general. If you're a fan of superheroes, this will just reaffirm that love. If you're not a fan, this could very well convert you as it brings everything that's awesome and inspiring to the table.
Whedon manages to give all of the characters a chance to shine. In some cases, they shine more than they did in their solo movies. While I enjoyed both "Thor" and "Captain America", I feel like this movie captured their essence much better. Chris Evans did fine in "First Avenger", but it was here where he really sold me and I believed that he was Captain Freakin' America.
The movie has a 2 1/2 hour run time, but honestly, you barely notice it. There's enough meat to the story that you never feel any sort of drag, which most movies that hit this length tend to do at some point.
I'm happy that this movie did as well as it did. After the success of Nolan's Batman films, Hollywood became convinced that the only way to make a superhero blockbuster was to make it dark and brooding. This movie is the opposite. It's bright, it's fun, and it manages to be just as effective and successful. Hopefully, this will show the executives that everything doesn't have to be a Nolan knockoff.
If you're a fan of superheroes, or just action movies in general, you owe it to yourself to check out this flick. I loved it and can't wait to see what comes in the future.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Funk Fujiyama by Kome Kome Club
Some of you may recognize this as the theme of Jew Wario's show, "You Can Play This". Alas, he is no longer with us, but it is still a catchy tune.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 5: Mas
Just as Walt thinks he's out, fate pulls him back in. To his credit, Walt doesn't go back easy. He sees through Gus' machination to use his attachment to the formula against him. While Walt says it isn't the case and that he only cares about the chemistry, given his reaction to finding out that Jesse is cooking, I'd argue that Gus' assumption was right to a certain extent.
It takes more than that, though, so Gus appeals to the scientist by showcasing a high end lab. It comes complete with bigger tanks and a perfect cover. As it operates under a laundromat, chemicals are able to be delivered without raising suspicion. More than that, they have a high end filter that leaves only steam to be pumped out along with the laundromat's normal ventilation.
Ultimately, Gus brings him back into the fold by appealing to what brought him to cooking in the first place: a desire to provide for his family. While treatment costs may not be the problem that they were before, he still wants to make sure they're taken care of.
You'd think that Walt getting back into the game would lead to he and Jesse mending fences, but no dice. If anything, things only get more tense between the two. It worked well and made for one of the episode's more gripping scenes, but as someone who rather enjoyed their partnership, it was sad to see.
On other fronts, we see how Jesse acquired the RV. I initially found it odd that we were seeing this now. It was amusing, sure, but it seemed like something better shown back when they first bought it. The flashback does turn out to be plot relevant as the RV's original owner (who turns out to be Combo's mother) manages to provide a new lead for Hank, who is still determined to find Heisenburg.
I still think that people are making a mountain out of a mole hill regarding Hank's turning the job down. They should be concerned about some of his other behavior patterns, but passing on the El Paso job isn't the end of the world. It ends up working in Gomez's favor as he takes it. The two do share a respectful goodbye. It's going to be a shame that he isn't around anymore, he and Hank had a good dynamic.
It seems like Skyler is coming around. She lets Walt hold the baby, is still convinced that keeping the secret is for the best, and even finds Walt's stash of cash. Her lawyer isn't too pleased about the latest development, especially when Skyler hints that she wants to put the money to use, but what's done is done. She even becomes rather shocked when she finds that Walt signed the divorce papers despite earlier claims that he wasn't going anywhere.
This was actually a pretty eventful episode. It brought back Heisenburg, advanced Hank's investigation, and even moved Skyler's arc forward. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here.
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It takes more than that, though, so Gus appeals to the scientist by showcasing a high end lab. It comes complete with bigger tanks and a perfect cover. As it operates under a laundromat, chemicals are able to be delivered without raising suspicion. More than that, they have a high end filter that leaves only steam to be pumped out along with the laundromat's normal ventilation.
Ultimately, Gus brings him back into the fold by appealing to what brought him to cooking in the first place: a desire to provide for his family. While treatment costs may not be the problem that they were before, he still wants to make sure they're taken care of.
You'd think that Walt getting back into the game would lead to he and Jesse mending fences, but no dice. If anything, things only get more tense between the two. It worked well and made for one of the episode's more gripping scenes, but as someone who rather enjoyed their partnership, it was sad to see.
On other fronts, we see how Jesse acquired the RV. I initially found it odd that we were seeing this now. It was amusing, sure, but it seemed like something better shown back when they first bought it. The flashback does turn out to be plot relevant as the RV's original owner (who turns out to be Combo's mother) manages to provide a new lead for Hank, who is still determined to find Heisenburg.
I still think that people are making a mountain out of a mole hill regarding Hank's turning the job down. They should be concerned about some of his other behavior patterns, but passing on the El Paso job isn't the end of the world. It ends up working in Gomez's favor as he takes it. The two do share a respectful goodbye. It's going to be a shame that he isn't around anymore, he and Hank had a good dynamic.
It seems like Skyler is coming around. She lets Walt hold the baby, is still convinced that keeping the secret is for the best, and even finds Walt's stash of cash. Her lawyer isn't too pleased about the latest development, especially when Skyler hints that she wants to put the money to use, but what's done is done. She even becomes rather shocked when she finds that Walt signed the divorce papers despite earlier claims that he wasn't going anywhere.
This was actually a pretty eventful episode. It brought back Heisenburg, advanced Hank's investigation, and even moved Skyler's arc forward. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here.
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Monday, June 15, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Charity Miles
I'm always looking for new ways to philanthropy. I especially like things that raise money for causes that don't cost any money out of pocket. I already talked about GreaterGood, I started putting epoll points towards the charities, and I recently learned of an app called Charity Miles that raises money for charities based on how far you walk.
Owning a dog, it seemed like a natural fit for me. I was never really big on apps, but this one piqued my interest. Sadly, it doesn't work with Windows phones, but I was able to borrow an iphone for the purpose of supporting the various charities. A quarter for a mile may not seem like much, but it does add up and it was more than the respective organizations had before.
A lot of the big name charities are on there. You have St. Jude's hospital, the SPCA, Wounded Warrior's, the Michael J Fox foundation as well as a slew of others.
Better yet, the app itself is free and incredibly easy to use. If you have a compatible device, I would highly recommend getting the app, especially if you go for regular walks or runs.
For those with Windows phones, there is an app called Phiruntrophy. It operates on a similar principle (raising money based on how far you run/walk), but the charities aren't as good. There are only a handful, most based in Indonesia. Because the charity descriptions aren't in English, I don't really know what the causes are. I do use the app, however, as I have been able to raise money for something called the "Run for the Light" event that helps pay for cataract surgery (again, in Indonesia).
You can also support Earth Hour, but I'm perplexed by that one as it is more of an idea (turn appliances off for an hour a day to save energy and resources) than an organization that needs funding. Still, it's better than nothing.
These apps are great. Not only can you support causes with no cost out of pocket (great for people on a tight budget), but it acts as incentive to go out and get some exercise. If you already do the latter, than you can add another layer of satisfaction by helping people at the same time.
Owning a dog, it seemed like a natural fit for me. I was never really big on apps, but this one piqued my interest. Sadly, it doesn't work with Windows phones, but I was able to borrow an iphone for the purpose of supporting the various charities. A quarter for a mile may not seem like much, but it does add up and it was more than the respective organizations had before.
A lot of the big name charities are on there. You have St. Jude's hospital, the SPCA, Wounded Warrior's, the Michael J Fox foundation as well as a slew of others.
Better yet, the app itself is free and incredibly easy to use. If you have a compatible device, I would highly recommend getting the app, especially if you go for regular walks or runs.
For those with Windows phones, there is an app called Phiruntrophy. It operates on a similar principle (raising money based on how far you run/walk), but the charities aren't as good. There are only a handful, most based in Indonesia. Because the charity descriptions aren't in English, I don't really know what the causes are. I do use the app, however, as I have been able to raise money for something called the "Run for the Light" event that helps pay for cataract surgery (again, in Indonesia).
You can also support Earth Hour, but I'm perplexed by that one as it is more of an idea (turn appliances off for an hour a day to save energy and resources) than an organization that needs funding. Still, it's better than nothing.
These apps are great. Not only can you support causes with no cost out of pocket (great for people on a tight budget), but it acts as incentive to go out and get some exercise. If you already do the latter, than you can add another layer of satisfaction by helping people at the same time.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' movie review
You can read my review of the film here.
- The human characters are downright despicable this time around. Furthermore, they eat up a lot of the movie's screen time.
- The autobots themselves are practically reduced to making cameo appearances. Optimus Prime only has about a half hour of screen time, if that. The other autobots don't fare much better.
- The movie is over 2 1/2 hours long and it does not have enough meat to justify that run time.
Overall
This franchise really had nowhere to go but up. This is better than 'Revenge of the Fallen' in many respects, but it still makes a lot of the same mistakes. It doesn't suck as much as the second movie, but it still sucks and isn't worth your time.
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Pros
- It doesn't suck as much as the movie that came before it did.
- Interesting ideas are brought up, but aren't fleshed out enough.
- The autobots shown feature much brighter colors. Even if you don't know who they are specifically, it does help you at least distinguish which ones were the good guys and which ones were the bad guys when the big fights broke out.
Cons
- The human characters are downright despicable this time around. Furthermore, they eat up a lot of the movie's screen time.
- The autobots themselves are practically reduced to making cameo appearances. Optimus Prime only has about a half hour of screen time, if that. The other autobots don't fare much better.
- The movie is over 2 1/2 hours long and it does not have enough meat to justify that run time.
Overall
This franchise really had nowhere to go but up. This is better than 'Revenge of the Fallen' in many respects, but it still makes a lot of the same mistakes. It doesn't suck as much as the second movie, but it still sucks and isn't worth your time.
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Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 4: Green Light
It turns out that Jesse is broke as he can't afford gas. Granted, 80 bucks is a pretty high bill for that, but it doesn't bode well for him. The good news is that he has some product and is able to make a trade. If he has product on hand, why doesn't he just sell that? The deal also ends up biting him as it gives Hank something of a lead on the Heisenburg case.
While we're on the topic of Hank, he ends up turning down the promotion to El Paso. The implication is that he's afraid due to what happened before. Still, he has legitimate reasons not to go even if psychological trauma wasn't a factor. Moving is a pain in the ass in and of itself and he didn't really mesh well with that crew anyway. More than that, his family is here. When you really think about it, there really wasn't that much incentive for him to take the other job. If anything, people should have been second guessing him if he did take it.
On the plus side, this episode does give Dean Norris a chance to be more snarly as he chastises Gomez and questions the gas station employee that Jesse interacted with. That was always one of the better parts of "Under the Dome" so it was nice to see it come in to play here as well.
As one would expect, Walt doesn't take the news of Skyler's infidelity very well. It leads to a big fight between the two. On the plus side, Walt finally lets it be known that he's not cooking anymore. Skyler doesn't care, but at least I can't say that he never brought it up. Oddly enough, the way he says it, he makes it sound like he's brought it up before. Was that off screen? We never heard him tell her that until now.
He does storm over to the office to confront Ted. You'd expect Heisenburg to get a chance to shine, but nope. Ted does hide, so that's something? At least it was funny seeing Walt try to break the window, only for it to fail miserably.
Even his attempt at a payback affair doesn't seem to go over well. You'd think that Gretchen would have been a better pick for this endeavor (although their last get together didn't exactly go well), but he tries to seduce a woman he works with and ends up getting put on indefinite hiatus.
With no job and an infuriated wife, you'd think that Walt would jump at the chance to get back in the game, especially when Jesse makes that very offer. Oddly enough, he turns it down. Unlike Jesse, money isn't so much a problem, though he could end up burning through it the same way Jesse did.
Despite having no interest in the business, Walt takes offense when Jesse says that he started cooking on his own. It isn't as good as Walt's, but Walt still takes umbrage. He's concerned about his name, but A: he was using a fake name and B: Jesse is pretty upfront with Saul and Gus that he cooked this himself. It may not be the pure stuff, but again, that seems like something that could be solved with a reduction in price.
This seems to work in Walt's favor as they still cut him in for half of what Jesse was planning on earning. Sure, it's pulling him back in, but considering he has a pair of psychopaths gunning for him, that encounter at the stop light could have gone a whole lot worse.
Walt may have thought he was out, but it clearly isn't the case. Even Gus is convinced that Walt will get back into the business. It'll be good, as the show works better when it is the case.
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While we're on the topic of Hank, he ends up turning down the promotion to El Paso. The implication is that he's afraid due to what happened before. Still, he has legitimate reasons not to go even if psychological trauma wasn't a factor. Moving is a pain in the ass in and of itself and he didn't really mesh well with that crew anyway. More than that, his family is here. When you really think about it, there really wasn't that much incentive for him to take the other job. If anything, people should have been second guessing him if he did take it.
On the plus side, this episode does give Dean Norris a chance to be more snarly as he chastises Gomez and questions the gas station employee that Jesse interacted with. That was always one of the better parts of "Under the Dome" so it was nice to see it come in to play here as well.
As one would expect, Walt doesn't take the news of Skyler's infidelity very well. It leads to a big fight between the two. On the plus side, Walt finally lets it be known that he's not cooking anymore. Skyler doesn't care, but at least I can't say that he never brought it up. Oddly enough, the way he says it, he makes it sound like he's brought it up before. Was that off screen? We never heard him tell her that until now.
He does storm over to the office to confront Ted. You'd expect Heisenburg to get a chance to shine, but nope. Ted does hide, so that's something? At least it was funny seeing Walt try to break the window, only for it to fail miserably.
Even his attempt at a payback affair doesn't seem to go over well. You'd think that Gretchen would have been a better pick for this endeavor (although their last get together didn't exactly go well), but he tries to seduce a woman he works with and ends up getting put on indefinite hiatus.
With no job and an infuriated wife, you'd think that Walt would jump at the chance to get back in the game, especially when Jesse makes that very offer. Oddly enough, he turns it down. Unlike Jesse, money isn't so much a problem, though he could end up burning through it the same way Jesse did.
Despite having no interest in the business, Walt takes offense when Jesse says that he started cooking on his own. It isn't as good as Walt's, but Walt still takes umbrage. He's concerned about his name, but A: he was using a fake name and B: Jesse is pretty upfront with Saul and Gus that he cooked this himself. It may not be the pure stuff, but again, that seems like something that could be solved with a reduction in price.
This seems to work in Walt's favor as they still cut him in for half of what Jesse was planning on earning. Sure, it's pulling him back in, but considering he has a pair of psychopaths gunning for him, that encounter at the stop light could have gone a whole lot worse.
Walt may have thought he was out, but it clearly isn't the case. Even Gus is convinced that Walt will get back into the business. It'll be good, as the show works better when it is the case.
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Monday, June 8, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: 'Evil' deleted scene from Kevin Smith's 'Dogma'
Kevin Smith fans might recognize this as one of the deleted scenes found on the 2 disc edition of "Dogma". I loved this scene and thought that Lee delivered a great speech, even Smith himself gave props. Sadly, it was cut for time. It's a shame too because watching the movie now, I can't help but feel like the scene feels glossed over without this there to add some weight.
Unlike the DVD, this video has production audio, sound effects and what not that make it all the creepier. Definitely give it a watch; it's some chilling stuff.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 3: I.F.T
Opening the episode with Tortuga's final moments was an unusual choice. It made for a great prologue, but at the same time, one wonders why we're seeing it now. We do see that Tuco's cousins were the ones responsible. The bigger thing, I think, is that Danny Trejo got to have more screen time. Truth be told, if that were the main reason to include the scene, I couldn't argue the logic. It was good to see him again, albeit briefly.
While we're on the subject of the cousins, we do see why they listened to Gus. I was correct in assuming that Gus and the cartel were not officially tied, but it is still his turf and, as Gus still sees Walt as a business partner, he makes it clear that he is still under Gus' protection. He does offer an olive branch and say that as soon as the business is concluded, they can kill him, but that doesn't sit well with the vengeful pair. More than that, Gus knows that Walt is dying anyway and probably assumes that the problem will solve itself in time.
Actually, Skyler herself voices this sentiment when she opens up to her divorce lawyer about what's happening after Walt moves back in. The lawyer is emphatic about turning him in, but Skyler chooses this approach as she doesn't want the kids to know.
One can't fault Skyler for not wanting Walt back, but I think that she could have at least thanked him for cleaning the pizza off the roof (for that matter, when Skyler first comes home and sees Walt, he could have used that as his pretense for being there.) Honestly, I didn't expect that pizza to go anywhere. I figured it was going to stay up there for the remainder of the series and just rot, making for a nice visual call back every time we saw an exterior shot of the house.
Again, though, Walt neglects to inform Skyler that he's out of the drug trade. He shows her the money and says that he did it to make sure they were taken care of, but that's about it. He doesn't even bring up the cost of his treatment. Skyler probably wouldn't be any more accepting either way, but it seems like Walt could still be doing a better job of making his case.
Rather than consider his argument, Skyler goes and has an affair with her boss. From what I've read on the internet, her statement seems on the up and up, but based on what we see here, you could easily make the case that she made it up. The viewer doesn't see it, rather we only see that they share an awkward kiss at the office. Considering Ted was happily married, I'm perplexed as to why he'd lean in as opposed to stopping her, but that's his problem. I could see Skyler lying and saying she did something she didn't just to get under Walt's skin or piss him off. If the look on Walt's face is any indication, it would have worked if that were her angle.
On other fronts, Jesse isn't faring too well. He spends most of the episode listening to Jane's voicemail so that he can hear her voice again. Because, you know, the show didn't make him enough of a woobie. Saul tries to get him to talk to Walt again, but he only gets the brush off. Even the money doesn't seem to hold the same lure. Saul says that Jesse is "house poor", but doesn't he still have $200,000 left? He had $600,000 and spent $400,000 on the house. Yeah there are taxes and fees, but he couldn't have burned through it all that quickly, could he?
It was good to see Hank's psychological issues come back. It seems like it's been a while since it was brought up, so I'm glad that it wasn't forgotten. Traumatized or not, Hank can still hold his own in a fight. Seeing him take down two thugs in a bar brawl and walk away with only minor bruises was one of the highlights of the episode.
This was a solid episode. I'd probably mark it as my favorite of the season so far. The characters continue to shine, but this episode felt more active and was more engaging as a result.
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While we're on the subject of the cousins, we do see why they listened to Gus. I was correct in assuming that Gus and the cartel were not officially tied, but it is still his turf and, as Gus still sees Walt as a business partner, he makes it clear that he is still under Gus' protection. He does offer an olive branch and say that as soon as the business is concluded, they can kill him, but that doesn't sit well with the vengeful pair. More than that, Gus knows that Walt is dying anyway and probably assumes that the problem will solve itself in time.
Actually, Skyler herself voices this sentiment when she opens up to her divorce lawyer about what's happening after Walt moves back in. The lawyer is emphatic about turning him in, but Skyler chooses this approach as she doesn't want the kids to know.
One can't fault Skyler for not wanting Walt back, but I think that she could have at least thanked him for cleaning the pizza off the roof (for that matter, when Skyler first comes home and sees Walt, he could have used that as his pretense for being there.) Honestly, I didn't expect that pizza to go anywhere. I figured it was going to stay up there for the remainder of the series and just rot, making for a nice visual call back every time we saw an exterior shot of the house.
Again, though, Walt neglects to inform Skyler that he's out of the drug trade. He shows her the money and says that he did it to make sure they were taken care of, but that's about it. He doesn't even bring up the cost of his treatment. Skyler probably wouldn't be any more accepting either way, but it seems like Walt could still be doing a better job of making his case.
Rather than consider his argument, Skyler goes and has an affair with her boss. From what I've read on the internet, her statement seems on the up and up, but based on what we see here, you could easily make the case that she made it up. The viewer doesn't see it, rather we only see that they share an awkward kiss at the office. Considering Ted was happily married, I'm perplexed as to why he'd lean in as opposed to stopping her, but that's his problem. I could see Skyler lying and saying she did something she didn't just to get under Walt's skin or piss him off. If the look on Walt's face is any indication, it would have worked if that were her angle.
On other fronts, Jesse isn't faring too well. He spends most of the episode listening to Jane's voicemail so that he can hear her voice again. Because, you know, the show didn't make him enough of a woobie. Saul tries to get him to talk to Walt again, but he only gets the brush off. Even the money doesn't seem to hold the same lure. Saul says that Jesse is "house poor", but doesn't he still have $200,000 left? He had $600,000 and spent $400,000 on the house. Yeah there are taxes and fees, but he couldn't have burned through it all that quickly, could he?
It was good to see Hank's psychological issues come back. It seems like it's been a while since it was brought up, so I'm glad that it wasn't forgotten. Traumatized or not, Hank can still hold his own in a fight. Seeing him take down two thugs in a bar brawl and walk away with only minor bruises was one of the highlights of the episode.
This was a solid episode. I'd probably mark it as my favorite of the season so far. The characters continue to shine, but this episode felt more active and was more engaging as a result.
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Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Tales from the Bully Pulpit
I only found out about this comic moments ago. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the internet for not making it known that this was a thing until now. I mean, it's already available in trade.
Anyway, here's the hook: Teddy Roosevelt steals H.G. Wells' time machine, joins forces with the ghost of Thomas Edison, and travels through time to battle the descendant of Hitler. Said descendant has a nefarious scheme to conquer Mars.
Right?
I don't need to say anything else, really. The plot hook sells itself. Stuff like this is what makes comics such a fun hobby.
Anyway, here's the hook: Teddy Roosevelt steals H.G. Wells' time machine, joins forces with the ghost of Thomas Edison, and travels through time to battle the descendant of Hitler. Said descendant has a nefarious scheme to conquer Mars.
Right?
I don't need to say anything else, really. The plot hook sells itself. Stuff like this is what makes comics such a fun hobby.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3 Episode 2: Caballo Sin Nombre
As if things in Walt's life weren't bad enough, he gets pulled over by a cop while driving. It's a little weird that Walt tried to play dumb considering the state of his windshield. We, the audience, don't see it until the cop points it out, but from his perspective, it was an odd tactic. Even explaining what happened doesn't seem to do much to help his case.
I can't exactly fault the cop for it. Driving with a windshield that damaged isn't safe and Walt's invoking of the plane crash comes off more as blatant emotional manipulation than it was a genuine plea for empathy. He might have had better luck had he cited his career and noted that repairs like this aren't friendly on the budget. It might not have worked, but it is a stronger argument.
Instead, he disobeys the cop's request to stay in the car and tries to put his relatively new found assertiveness to the test. Heisenburg loses this bout and ends up in jail. Also, glasses apparently offer no protection against pepper spray. At least he didn't get tasered?
A lot of the episode's focus is on Walt's attempts to patch things up with his family. He brings a pizza (and even dipping sticks) but Skyler won't have it. I'm not sure whether Walt should have tried to explain that he's out of the drug trade. On the one hand, he doesn't even try to bring up this fact, but at the same time, Skyler probably wouldn't have listened anyway.
You do feel bad for Skyler here. Her reaction is quite reasonable, but she can't explain her case and, as such, comes off as being really unreasonable to those around her. She did, after all, turn down the dipping sticks. She does seem to take it in stride, though. She even lets it slide when her own son (who has suddenly adapted his real name again) calls her a bitch.
While I understand Walt's frustration, throwing the pizza seemed out of line. Skyler chides him for throwing a temper tantrum, but it's just wasteful. It's also a fact that pizza makes great comfort food. It does lead to a bizarre moment where the pizza lands on the roof perfectly flat. One would expect the pieces to scatter, but it was more or less intact. Even the callous cleaner guy tilts his head in confusion after seeing that.
While Jesse plays a small part in this episode, he does steal the show to some extent as he recruits Saul to help him buy his old house from his parents. Not only does he buy it, but he uses his own activities to get the price dropped down to half of what it was worth. Granted, Saul gets the moment in the sun, but it was Jesse's plan and he does get a nice moment when he casually walks up to the house before informing them that he is the new owner. Anyone else probably would have added a bit of a taunt or snide resentment to the statement, but he's pretty nonchalant and casual about it. Props for that, I guess.
The episode's pretty quiet, but we do get some edge of your seat tension as the two scary men from last episode break into Walt's house after getting his real name from Tuco's Uncle. Walt remains oblivious as he is in the shower, not knowing that two men aim to kill him.
It's a great scene, though it does end in a bit of anticlimax. I do wonder why Gus still cares about Walt's fate. It is nice in its own way, but I assume he plans on roping Walt back into cooking for him. It also lets us know how much power he wields as the two seem to comply with his order despite the fact that I don't think that they work for him. Maybe Gus is a high ranking member of the cartel, but I was under the impression that he was his own operation.
Will Walt stay on the straight and narrow, or will he be pulled back in drug manufacturing? We'll have to wait and find out...but the answer is yes, he's going to be pulled back in.
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I can't exactly fault the cop for it. Driving with a windshield that damaged isn't safe and Walt's invoking of the plane crash comes off more as blatant emotional manipulation than it was a genuine plea for empathy. He might have had better luck had he cited his career and noted that repairs like this aren't friendly on the budget. It might not have worked, but it is a stronger argument.
Instead, he disobeys the cop's request to stay in the car and tries to put his relatively new found assertiveness to the test. Heisenburg loses this bout and ends up in jail. Also, glasses apparently offer no protection against pepper spray. At least he didn't get tasered?
A lot of the episode's focus is on Walt's attempts to patch things up with his family. He brings a pizza (and even dipping sticks) but Skyler won't have it. I'm not sure whether Walt should have tried to explain that he's out of the drug trade. On the one hand, he doesn't even try to bring up this fact, but at the same time, Skyler probably wouldn't have listened anyway.
You do feel bad for Skyler here. Her reaction is quite reasonable, but she can't explain her case and, as such, comes off as being really unreasonable to those around her. She did, after all, turn down the dipping sticks. She does seem to take it in stride, though. She even lets it slide when her own son (who has suddenly adapted his real name again) calls her a bitch.
While I understand Walt's frustration, throwing the pizza seemed out of line. Skyler chides him for throwing a temper tantrum, but it's just wasteful. It's also a fact that pizza makes great comfort food. It does lead to a bizarre moment where the pizza lands on the roof perfectly flat. One would expect the pieces to scatter, but it was more or less intact. Even the callous cleaner guy tilts his head in confusion after seeing that.
While Jesse plays a small part in this episode, he does steal the show to some extent as he recruits Saul to help him buy his old house from his parents. Not only does he buy it, but he uses his own activities to get the price dropped down to half of what it was worth. Granted, Saul gets the moment in the sun, but it was Jesse's plan and he does get a nice moment when he casually walks up to the house before informing them that he is the new owner. Anyone else probably would have added a bit of a taunt or snide resentment to the statement, but he's pretty nonchalant and casual about it. Props for that, I guess.
The episode's pretty quiet, but we do get some edge of your seat tension as the two scary men from last episode break into Walt's house after getting his real name from Tuco's Uncle. Walt remains oblivious as he is in the shower, not knowing that two men aim to kill him.
It's a great scene, though it does end in a bit of anticlimax. I do wonder why Gus still cares about Walt's fate. It is nice in its own way, but I assume he plans on roping Walt back into cooking for him. It also lets us know how much power he wields as the two seem to comply with his order despite the fact that I don't think that they work for him. Maybe Gus is a high ranking member of the cartel, but I was under the impression that he was his own operation.
Will Walt stay on the straight and narrow, or will he be pulled back in drug manufacturing? We'll have to wait and find out...but the answer is yes, he's going to be pulled back in.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Pumpkinhead Dance
This is the video that was shown at the end of the Pumpkinhead: Bloodwings Revenge video game, an awful, logicless, abomination that infuriates all who play it. The game became more well known after The Spoony One did his video review of the game. When discussing this clip, he said it was basically a giant middle finger to anyone who played it.
It's true, seeing Pumpkinhead wearing sneakers doing a whimsical dance is a pretty lazy way of ending your game. Every time I see the video, I do the same confused head tilt that Spoony did when he first saw it. Still, you've gotta admit that it's pretty funny.
The only downsides are that I don't know the name of the song and that this wasn't fully made to cover the whole song. It would be awful, but I have a feeling I would still enjoy watching it.
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