Ranking The Harry Potter Movies

     It has been a slow week with television shows since most of them have gone on hiatus for the winter break. The Walking Dead just had its' midseason finale, but I will not review it and instead wait in a couple months to do the second half of season nine predictions. Today I thought I would rank the eight main Harry Potter films. This series has held a very special place in my heart. When I went to Universal Studios Orlando in 2011, I experienced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I was never a fan of the films at the same; I think I just could not get into them, but seeing the land and riding the rides made me a fan on the spot. Since then, I have never missed a chance to see the marathons on ABC Family (not calling it Freeform, sorry) and SyFy. Let us get to the rankings. Spoilers ahead!!!



8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 
     I know that this is an unpopular opinion. I never really connected with this film. I think it has strong aspects about it, but it also has very weak things about it. The whole Triwizard Tournament storyline was just very "what is the point" to me. I mean I love the scene when Harry fights the Hungarian Horntail, but that is all I really enjoyed. The character of Cedric Diggory was just so pointless, and he was annoying as hell. He served no point to the film. This is the first movie where Voldemort is introduced in "human" form which I find very important, but honestly that is the only thing I liked fully about the movie. The trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione were very whiny and childish in this movie, and I just could not stomach it for an almost three hour runtime. Sorry Goblet of Fire, but one of these movies has to be the worst.


7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
     If you were to poll a majority of HP fans on which film is the most forgettable, it is most likely going to be the Half-Blood Prince. This entry of the franchise serves as set-up information for the final two films. I think the film is just plain boring. The only reason I rank it above number eight is because the information provided in this movie is actually important; it is just done in a dull way. I do like the flashbacks of Voldemort interested in Horcruxes, and the death of Dumbledore is very emotional, but that is all the nice things I can say. This movie is not bad at all, but it is definitely on the lower end of the scale.



6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
     This movie used to be my least favorite, but it has moved up a couple of spots because I think it is better than what I gave it credit for. Like the Half-Blood Prince, I find this entry a bit boring. It feels very drawn out at certain points in the film with some scenes just being complete filler. The ending of the film; though, is fantastic. Harry basically confronts Voldemort for the first time, (I don't count the ending of the first film a confrontation between Harry and Voldemort) and it is very intense and a great plot twist to the film. The Forbidden Forest scene is very tense, and it provides an eeriness to the series that never really happened too much in the first scene. Other than those aspects, those are the only things I appreciated about the movie. It felt like a backstory to what was to come in the franchise.


5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
     Before you click off, and I receive death threats, hear me out on my opinion. I do not hate this movie at all; in fact, I think it serves as a solid finale in a phenomenal franchise. I think it is just the fact that I have seen it so many times. It has worn off on me. I love the action scenes the most. I love the scene where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are running around and complete chaos is going on around them. Beautiful cinematography. I did; however, feel that the film lacked character moments. The only one I really cared for was when Neville killed Nagini and Harry's final duel with Voldemort. Other than that, it was a flatline. Also, the 19 years later segment is bar far in my opinion the worst decision of the franchise. I know it was in the books, but come on. It was so pointless and honestly ridiculous. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II is a mostly positive viewing experience, but some things do grate on me.


4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
     I think this is the superior final film out of the two parts. There is plenty of action and great character moments. The sneaking into Gringotts scene is one of my favorite scenes in the entire franchise. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time during the whole segment. Dobby's death remains one of the saddest scenes in movie history, so that scores some points there. People may argue that this film is slow, which I agree it is at some parts, but I will always defend it and say that it is a very solid sequel in the film's franchise.


3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
     The first movie of the franchise remains a masterpiece. It does an amazing job setting the tone of the Wizarding World, when the filmmakers could have easily done a horrendous job with the project. Once the movie starts, you immediately find yourself transported into Harry's world, and it is not an easy thing for a filmmaker to achieve. The Hogwarts setting is astounding, and it makes you want to be a student there. The only downside to this movie would maybe be the tone of it. It feels a bit childlike in comparison to the movies that come after, but that is acceptable considering Harry Potter is only eleven in this entry. The film does a great job of introducing Harry's friends and professors. This movie will always be a staple in the history of filmmaking.


2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
     I have seen mixed reviews with people's opinions on this movie. Some people have it ranked high and some have it low. I personally love it. Professor Umbridge is one of  the most love to hate characters in film history. The actress should be proud. The film saw the introduction of Dumbledore's Army is response to Umbridge banning combative magic which featured plenty of kickass scenes. Also, Luna Lovegood was introduced in this movie and who doesn't love Luna? The film also introduced Bellatrix Lestrange as Voldemort's most loyal follower. Helena Bonham Carter did a fantastic job as the character, and I think she should have been nominated for an Academy Award. I will definitely rewatch this movie every time it plays on my TV.


1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 
     Here it is. My favorite HP film. The Prisoner of Azkaban is almost near perfection. This is the point in the franchise where the tone shifts to being more serious. I believe the visuals used are the best in the entire series. For example, the scene where Harry flies on Buckbeak the Hippogriff is simply gorgeous. It is almost if you can feel the air and the cold water. Also, I believe the opening scene of the movie to be the best scene in the whole series. That is how much I love it. The revelation of Sirius Black, the time travel ending, and the Hogsmeade introduction are just a few of the enjoyable scenes this movie has. The character development of the characters, Hermione in particular, is among the best I have ever scene. Many people agree that this is the best HP picture, and I am definitely one of them. It is such a great movie all around, and I think it is Harry Potter at its' finest.   

Thank you for reading my ranking of the Harry Potter movies. This sort of came to my mind unexpectedly, so I thought...why not? What is your ranking of the films? Leave a comment.

Ranking the Seasons of American Horror Story

Spoilers ahead!!

     The 8th season of American Horror Story just ended on Wednesday, so I have decided to rank all the seasons. Where did the most recent season rank and where did I rank the remaining seasons? Let's get to it. Spoilers ahead!!!

8. American Horror Story: Freak Show

     There has to be a worst season for every show and for AHS, it is Freak Show. The season was just an absolute mess. There was not a cohesive storyline to follow. It was just sort of what ever happened in this episode happened in the episode. Neil Patrick Harris' character was absurd. There was no reason for him to be in the season, and I actually like him as an actor. Dandy was a good character; that was honestly the saving grace of the season. His disturbing antics were decent to watch. Twisty was amazing, so I was confused to see him be killed off in episode four. This was also the last season to feature Jessica Lange as a main character. Not such a great season to end on even though she killed her role as Elsa Mars. All in all I was very disappointed with the season. It should have been leaps and bounds better and scarier than how it was presented to us. Sorry Freak Show, but someone has to be at the bottom.

7. American Horror Story: Cult

     I have a mixed reception with Cult. It was not complete garbage, but it was far from great. I really wanted to see an actual cult that was scary. This cult was not so scary. Kai was an amazing character and a very scary cult leader, but the rest of his cult fell flat. I expected so much more sinister acts performed by the cult, but they just never happened. I appreciated what Ryan Murphy tried to do with this season, but it did not work. Sarah Paulson's character, Aly, was actually decent I thought. She bothered me at first with all of the crying, but at the end I really liked how strong she became. Like Freak Show, I feel like the plot got convoluted at a certain point that left me scratching my head at the end of the season. I think Cult deserves to be watched, but it is not anything to die for. 

6. American Horror Story: Apocalypse

     Our most recent season comes in the number six slot. I did not hate this season at all; in fact, I thought this season was shaping up to be in my top three. It did not because of Evan Peters' and Billy Eichner's' ridiculous characters that pulled the story down completely. God, they were awful, ridiculous characters. I loved the crossover between Coven and Murder House. It actually made me gain a greater love for those two seasons. Also, seeing Jessica Lange come back to the show was such a pleasure to watch. I have mixed feelings with Michael Langdon's character. I found him super disturbing when he introduced, but I hated how whiny he became in the flashbacks. "Return to Murder House" is the single best episode in the entire series; it was perfect, no flaws involved. Episodes seven and eight brought this season down to sixth spot; they were absolutely dreadful. Also, the ending where Michael, the Anti-Christ dies from a hit-and-run is so stupid. God, the ending to his story was awful. Apocalypse comes in at number six on my list. I thought it would be higher, but they what can you do? Not a bad season in any way, but not a flawless season by far either. 



5. American Horror Story: Murder House

     The first season of the show is number fifth on our list. At first, I found the season a bit flat. I know that is an unpopular opinion, but it is the truth. Looking back, the season was very solid and consisted of many memorable scenes. Constance's introduction scene, Tate and Violet's "you're all I want" scene, Constance and Moira's feud, Violet's reaction to finding out she did not survive her suicide attempt. The list goes on. My flaw with the season is that it felt repetitive at times, and I felt it went on longer than it needed to. Maybe that is why I got bored at certain places. I did love; though, the concept of the ghosts murdered in the house being trapped there for eternity. It was a great narrative for the season as a whole, and I loved seeing the various stories of how the residents of the house met their demises in the past. I found the ending to be a bit lackluster, but that is explained in Apocalypse, so that explains a lot. The season was a decent introduction to the show. 

4. American Horror Story: Hotel

     This is another controversial opinion of mine. Many people I know absolutely despise this season, but I did not. It was the first season to not feature Jessica Lange and instead Lady Gaga "replaced" her. I thought Lady Gaga did a great job as "The Countess", the vampire who runs the hotel. Many people hated her acting, but I think that was how the character was supposed to be portrayed. Also, Denis O'Hare's portrayal as Liz Taylor was truly magnificent. Liz Taylor might be one of my favorite characters in the entire series. Iris was another character I loved, as well. I think the characters carried the story and well for that matter. The main plot was very boring with John trying to find the Ten Commandments killer in which the reveal was just flat out bad. I did really enjoy this season, maybe because it was my first season watching live, but it will always leave a special place in my heart.

3. American Horror Story: Coven

     Like Murder House, I was not too keen when I first saw the season because I did not like the campiness of it, but as time went on, I finally concluded that this season is iconic. The coven of witches all played their part well. Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode gives me goosebumps with how despicable of a human and witch she is. Frances Conroy does an impeccable job as Myrtle Snow. I loved the battle for the next supreme including the Seven Wonders test. This was also the first season to include Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett, and they were great additions to add to the show. My only problems with the season were Evan Peter's character Kyle. Why was he on the show? He added absolutely nothing. Also, like Murder House, I found there to be a pacing problem, but I did not find it to be that bad. 

2. American Horror Story: Roanoke

     Coming in as the runner-up of my list is Roanoke. I absolutely loved this season because it felt like a return to the form to the series. It felt scary and disturbing again, which is one of the reasons I watch the show. I enjoyed the twist the show gave to us, which sort of felt like a “true crime” feel. The Butcher was a great villain. I loved the throwback to her reign as the colony’s leader where she poisoned them all and made them haunt the grounds forever. The backstory of the farmhouse was great. It was similar to the residents of the Murder House, but I found a few of the murders to be more gruesome. The cast of characters were a bit forgettable, but I would rather have a better story than memorable characters. The ending was also very boring, but the previous episodes balanced the season out as a spectacular one. The season felt almost near perfect, so I really enjoyed it a lot.

1. American Horror Story: Asylum

     We are finally at our number one spot. Asylum. This season is American Horror Story at its best. The season is almost near flawless, and I usually rank it one of the best seasons of any T.V. show. Evil nuns. Possessions. Crazy inmates. The “Bloody Face Killer”. The Name Game dance musical number. It is scary, witty, and disturbing shit. Jessica Lange provides in what I think is her best role as Sister Jude, the nun in charge of the asylum. I loved the 1960’s settings; it provides an eerie tone to the series considering Murder House took place in the present. This is Sarah Paulson’s first season as a regular where she portrays Lana Winters, and like Sister Jude, I think this is far and away Sarah Paulson’s best character in the series. Her acting is simply amazing especially when she finds out her doctor is the psychopathic “Bloody Face”. The ending to the season made me so emotional, and it made me question everything about my life. No joke. Jessica Lange’s portrayal of her respective role brought a tear to my eye. It takes true talent to make someone feel this way. The only issue of the season is Kit’s subplot. Evan Peters was exceptional in his role, but the alien storyline was just…no, but I pretend that never happened. I honestly do not ever see any other AHS season beating this season as the best. That is how exceptional it is!

Thank you for reading my ranking of American Horror Story seasons. What is your favorite season of the show? What is your least favorite? Leave a comment.

American Horror Story: Apocalypse Finale Review

Spoilers ahead!!!!

     So, I just finished the season finale of AHS: Apocalypse, and honestly, I had mixed feelings about it. There were things that I really liked and things that I disliked strongly. The review is not going to be a frame by frame opinion on every detail on the episode, but instead I will touch on the aspects that I had a strong feeling about.


     I really enjoyed the whole confrontation between Michael and the coven. The scene was very intense, and it provided so much heart from the witches that showed their true love for each other. I loved the return of Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau. It was a treat to see her and also a treat to see her kill Dinah, who was so irrelevant for most of the season, but I will get to her later. Cordelia sacrificing herself to save the world and her surviving witches was so powerful to see. I firmly believe that Sarah Paulson cemented Cordelia's legacy as one of the best American Horror Story characters.


     I was ecstatic to see Jessica Lange come back into the fold once again as the iconic Constance Langdon. Lange kills it in every scene, so I was not surprised to see her absolutely demolish her part when she tells Michael off and kicks him out of her home. I am going to fast forward to the end of the ending since I cannot say many positive things after Lange's appearance. I really liked the twist involving the two teenage kids...you know the teenagers that we have not seen since episode three... I respected Ryan Murphy for not forgetting about them since he seems to do that a lot. Them giving birth to the new Anti-Christ was cool I guess. I mean if you are going to import them back into the story, then it was a good twist, so I will give the ending a positive even though it is kind of just like a mehh...I mean I guess you can go there.



     Now onto the things I did not like. I knew I was not going to enjoy some aspects of the finale since an American Horror Story finale has never blown me away except for Asylum's. I hated seeing Evan Peters and Billy Eichner's characters again. I know it was not for a long time, but goodness those characters absolutely sucked. Ryan Murphy please stop trying to make Billy Eichner a thing of the show. He does not fit the genre of horror. Thank God Myrtle shut them the hell up, though. I hated the character of Dinah Stevens in this episode and basically the whole season. She was absolutely horrendous. Why Adina Porter's name was in the opening credits and not Frances Conroy's will always baffle me.

     Like I mentioned previously, I loved the whole battle scene between Michael and the witches, and even though I had issues with the time travel plot last episode, I was willing to make an exception this episode since it was incorporated into the plot. The whole episode seemed to be wrapping up quite nicely. Then, it happens. After Constance kicks Michael out of her house, the all-powerful Anti-Christ, Michael, is killed by Mallory, but not by a kickass spell, but by getting hit with a Subaru. What. The. Hell? That is how the Anti-Christ dies. I was half expecting him to get up and start laughing at the viewing audience, but no, that is really how Michael dies. A hit-and-run. At least Constance told him to go to hell after that. I really wish we could of at least seen Michael in hell since he took Marie Laveau's spot, but whatever. Side note: We also had Nan return only for her to want to return to hell, again? I don't know because this finale was messy as hell.


     So, in conclusion the finale of American Horror Story: Apocalypse was just ok. It was not complete garbage, but it was far from great. After an abysmal previous two episodes, I was not expecting much from the finale, and I was basically correct. In typical Ryan Murphy fashion, a lot of the audience was probably left scratching their heads, and I do not blame them. I am going to give the finale a 6.5/10. Later this week, I will post my American Horror Story season rankings. Where will Apocalypse rank? I don't know; I have not made up my mind yet.

     Thank you for reading my thoughts and feelings towards the finale of American Horror Story: Apocalypse. Despite the amount of shit I give this show, I will always have a soft spot for it. Also, this season did have the best episode of the entire series, in my opinion, which was "Return to Murder House". Leave your thoughts in the comments. See you next time!

   

Thoughts on the Haunting of Hill House

Spoilers ahead!!! If you have not seen The Haunting of Hill House go watch it!

     Last night I finished binge-watching The Haunting of Hill House and wow, it was simply amazing to say the least. The series could go down as one of my top five favorite tv shows of all time, that is how incredible the show was. The series had a purpose and it fulfilled it. It had no fluff or filler; it had a beginning and an end. I am going to share to you my thoughts and feelings about what I loved about the show.

     First off the characters showed me raw emotion I have not seen in a television program for a long time. The acting was over the top astounding. When a character laughed, I laughed. When a character got emotional, I got emotional. And when a character got scared, I got scared. It takes true talent to get people to feel a certain way when they watch. I felt a connection to each character at some point during my viewing, even the characters I did not like for the majority of the show (Steve/Shirley).

     I will give my thoughts on each of the family members. Steve was sort of bland for the most part of the series, but I really understood where he was coming from at the end of the series. Shirley, for me, was the same as Luke. I liked her as a child, but found her grating at certain points in the play. Theo was a badass bitch. She was probably my favorite sibling at least as an adult. I loved her "sensitive" power. I thought it was a fun, little twist to the show. Luke was a great character, and probably my favorite sibling as a child. I also enjoyed him as an adult and really respected him when he resisted getting back into substance abuse. Nell's storyline was definitely the best storyline out of all the siblings. Her death episode is one of the best tv show episodes to have ever graced the small screen. Hugh, the father, played by Elliot from E.T. was a great character as well. It must have really screwed with him all those years to keep the secret of what really happened at the final night at Hill House from his children all of those years. Finally, we come to Carla Gugino's character of Olivia, the mother. Olivia was by far my favorite character by far in the series. Every scene she was in, she owned it. She was definitely the heart of the series, and she really drove the story forward.

     The show also had one of the best episodes of any series I have watched as I mentioned earlier in my thoughts, and that episode was "The Bent-Neck Lady". The episode could have been it's own stand-alone story, and it still would have impacted me the way it did. When Nell's husband collapsed from an aneurysm while at the same time she was suffering from sleep paralysis,  I got very upset. I could not imagine that happening to someone. Also, Nell's reaction to seeing her ghostly mother after years of not seeing her was so painful to watch. It hit me very hard. Again, raw emotion was prominent within' the actors of the show. Now, let us talk about the ending to the episode. Wow...what an ending. When the show revealed to us that Nell was the "bent-neck lady" she was imagining all of those years, my jaw hit the floor, and I gave a slow clap. It was such a genius idea by the writers. That episode alone had me convinced of how iconic the show was.

     I would also like to give a shoutout to the "Two Storms" episode. The fact that there were I believe three one-shot scenes in the episode completely baffles me. It takes dedication and once again true talent for actors to do that especially young children. Congrats to the actors and staff for pulling out those long scenes; I am sure it was grueling to rehearse, though.


     Finally, I would like to give my review on the ending, which honestly I consider the last two episodes to be the ending. I loved the explanation of Olivia's death in that a former ghost, who was insane, planted the seed to get Olivia to try to kill her children, so they would be safe from there older selves. It was difficult to watch Olivia be manipulated by the ghost, but I thought it really explained the setting of the house more and how actually messed up the house was. When Hugh sacrificed himself so his children could live, I really admired him for that and it really made up for the time that he had lost with his children as they grew up. Also, the twist about the room with the red door was very clever. The room was a safe haven for whenever a child needed it to escape to the hauntings of the house, and it made sense to me especially when Hugh told Steve that he never built a treehouse for Luke.

     I loved this show so much. It is by far the best show of 2018, which is saying a lot since we have seen many great shows come out this year. I am glad that creator Mike Flanagan said that the story of the Crain family is complete. I would hate to see Netflix ruin the story completely with a second season after having an immaculate first season. I am gonna give the series a 9.5/10, with the .5 being taken off only because I felt there was just of a couple pacing issues at some parts, but it happens to every show, so it should not be ashamed for that.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on The Haunting of Hill House. Let me know your thoughts and opinions on the series. Did you like it as much as I did? Did you not like it? Why or why not?

The Walking Dead: Rick's Last Episode Review

Spoilers ahead!!!

     I just finished watching Rick Grimes' last episode of The Walking Dead, and it was...interesting to say the least. I have been a fan of the show since the very first episode, Halloween night in 2010. Rick Grimes is one of the most iconic television characters of all time. For nine seasons, many of us have watched Rick's character development even at its' worst (Seasons 7 and 8), but we cannot deny what a pleasure it was to watch him. I thought this episode would be a great conclusion to the story of Rick Grimes and in a way it was. I am going my thoughts on the episode. This review might be kind of messy, but I'm not a professional so...

     I did not like that the entire episode did not revolve around Rick. Yes, I would say that 90% of the episode revolved around him, but it should have been that whole 100%. The Maggie/Negan feud should have been resolved last episode or even a few episodes before that. I could have done without that part. I was disappointed with that aspect of the episode. 

     I liked the reappearance of deceased characters from seasons' past such as Shane, Sasha (kind of a strange character to bring back, but alright), and Hershel. Hershel was especially touching to see back considering this was actor Scott Wilson's final television role as he passed away a little over a month ago. I like how each character gave their insight on their relationship with Rick, and them basically saying that your mission is complete and that you have fulfilled your role as leader. Also, I liked when Rick was saved in his dream by his friends to which it made Rick realize that he did not need to find his family for they were with him the whole time. That scene was very touching.

   I loved the ending. I actually really did. The twist of Rick actually surviving the explosion was actually a neat twist. His story came full circle when Jadis helped him get saved by the helicopter, something he chased in the pilot episode before the infamous herd distracted him. I was fully expecting Rick to die this episode, but was kind of glad that it was left open for him to return...on this show, but we'll get to that later.

     My favorite part of the episode though, was the time jump. I loved seeing the grass turning overgrown and that barn in the background turning more decrepit. Seeing an older Judith save that group of survivors at the end of the episode was so cool to watch. It makes me very excited for the rest of the season since I am curious to see what is in store for the group.

     Now we get to that moment...yes that moment. No, this did not occur on the episode, but on The Talking Dead. Executive producer, Scott Gimple, the man who was responsible for the recent seasons being absolute garbage, drops the bombshell that Rick's story is not over. I was actually excited when I heard him say this, but then he goes on to explain that Rick's story is over on The Walking Dead, but his story will continue on original movies. Are. You. Kidding. Me?! I lost it when I heard that. Sorry, but I don't want to see Rick on his own movies without his group. I just want to see him on this show. I would have much preferred to have never seen him again, and let the audience's imagination take over, but no. If Andrew Lincoln wanted to leave the show, then that's fine. Kill him off. Let him live. Who cares! But don't move him to his own show or movie to continue his story. I really couldn't care what happens to him now. He has a daughter and girlfriend/wife that think he's dead. Don't you think he's going to want to see them again? Ugh. Once again Scott Gimple ruins what could have been a great ending to Rick's story.

     Honestly, the bombshell that was dropped on The Talking Dead really soured my taste on this episode of The Walking Dead. I was excited to see Rick live, but not under these circumstances. This episode had the potential to be at least an 8/10, but after the bogus that was just revealed by Scott Gimple, I'm going to give this episode a 6/10. I still think that this is the best season in years, and I am actually looking forward to the time jump next week. Also, next week is Lauren Cohan's last episode who had portrayed Maggie Greene since Season 2. I fully believe that she will be killed off after Rick not being killed off this episode. Comment your thoughts and opinions on this episode. I am interested to know what your thought of this episode and this season as a whole.