Sporadic Scene: The Vampire Diaries (Season 3×21) – Klaus Tries To Get Into The Gilbert House

This scene is absolutely hilarious. I mean, we all know Klaus is cuckoo and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Still not having gained entry to the Gilbert house was no deterrent for him, and the way he started to wage a siege to get in was classic. The execution of this scene, the music, everything just worked wonders. My favourite piece? The way Klaus walked the gas up the stairs to burn down the house, and Stefan stops him there at the door. Ah, Klaus! ❤

The Originals: Season 1 (2013 – 2014)

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

What I liked:

• So. Much. Klaus. I am a huge Klaus fan, and I was from the moment we met him in The Vampire Diaries. He’s just bad to the bone, really, and so unapologetic about it. He is what he is, and he doesn’t care who you are.
• Elijah. Again, I have always like this Original. He is so honourable, has amazing suits, always looks good, speaks beautifully and has such a dignified air about him that you cannot help but respect him. On the flip side, do not get on his bad side. Like holy wow, the man is brutal as heck.
• Being able to manage the stories of witches, werewolves, and vampires. New Orleans, man, was the best setting for this, because there are a ton of each of the supernatural beings, and it doesn’t seem out of place in New Orleans.
• Glimpses of the Mikaelson past. Seriously, having been around for centuries means that there is history to tell.
• Elijah and Hayley and all their back and forth. Yes. This couple? I think they are great. I just want Elijah to be happy, and he is so into Hayley, and being the man of honour that he is? Man, it’ll just be fantastic.
• The warring between Marcel and Klaus. Really, to see where Marcel came from, the relationship between him and Klaus, and how things have gotten? Oh my.
• Father Kieran. I actually really like this character – I was a bit worried when there was the requisite priestly character for this type of thing, but it worked quite well.
• The story arc of the wolves. I like that they are actually quite important here, not just a side plot to the vampires. The Originals has managed to successfully involve all these factions, and really well, too.
• The relationships between characters is great. Elijah and Klaus, Klaus and Marcel, Marcel and Davina, Davina and Josh, Cami and Klaus… there are just so many and they all work exceptionally well.

What I didn’t like:

• In The Vampire Diaries, in season two, Elijah was against Klaus because he was convinced that Klaus had killed off their whole family, and then Klaus brokered a deal to give the Mikaelson family to Elijah/reunite them, if he helped him. It was then revealed that the family had merely been daggered and lying in coffins. It was big news to Elijah. However, in The Originals, there are daggerings happening left, right, and centre, and it is well known knowledge that Klaus daggers the siblings that peeve him to teach them a lesson. I was not a fan of the inconsistency.
• Davina actually irritates the hell out of me at the moment. She is so… she’s such a bloody child, and whiny. Get your things together sweetie, such is life!
• Rebekah still irritates me. Not as bad as before, what with getting to spend more time with her, but enough to peeve me still. I guess we will have to wait and see how all this goes.
• Francesca. Oh. My. Gosh. You can just tell she is trouble from the off, and what an ugly chick to boot, too. What an ego she has, too! Wow!

Rating:
Okay, so I ended up watching this because I finished all The Vampire Diaries and was all sad cause I was so hooked. Naturally, I turned to The Originals because you all know I love my Klausie. And Eljah. A lot. So I was, of course, willing to watch a show where they were the central leads. Of course I was. I wasn’t going to look down my nose at an opportunity to see as much Klaus as possible, as well as Elijah and his gorgeous suits, phenomenal poise, and stunning vocabulary. Seeking this out was well enough, as The Originals happens to be a really good spin off series, which is rare.

The plots are well developed, the characters have depth (even if it takes time to reveal them), the show ties in nicely to The Vampire Diaries, but only briefly and quickly, so you can easily watch this without the former, and the pacing is cool. The first few episodes fumble a little, as is to be expected, but as soon as the ball is rolling, we are on a fantastic mission here. It was interesting to see how Klaus’s opinion of Hayley and her pregnancy changed as the season continued, and it showed an extremely hidden side of him. Elijah, too, stepped up and showed another side to him, which I love. The man has impeccable taste and is a man of honour, integrity, and his word mean everything. He is super polished. However, under all that, he is a brute of note.

Klaus taking on Marcel for the city was interesting, too, because they both want such different things out of the whole deal. The story arc of the witches, their oppression, and then eventual completing of the Harvest was great, and resurrecting the fallen. I thought it was crushing to see how Rebekah had brought their father, Mikael, to New Orleans all those years ago to run Klaus out of town so she and Marcel could be together, because it is a really sad thing that Klaus is painted terrible and treacherous (he is), but nobody examines what happens before all these things.

Another thing I love? The chaste relationship between Elijah and Hayley. I am quite taken with it, and the tension between them is driving me wild. Let’s not forget the Camille side of things – I actually don’t particularly enjoy her character, I find her flat and needy. Also, the jumping between Marcel and Klaus is silly, and I don’t feel that her and Klaus click at all. I just wish it would work out. I particularly enjoy all the politics going on here, and the history of the Mikaelson family is compelling. New Orleans is the perfect setting for all the power plays and all the magical factions coming together. It is really good.

And that final episode? The dramatics! The intensity! The blood, rage, and anger? Eeeeeeep! As if I didn’t dislike papa Mikael enough, seeing more of his history, what he did to his kids, and especially Klaus? Never, ever going to like him now. UGH. I am a really big fan of seeing the Mikaelson history, as well as delving into their exceptionally messy family ties. For reals. Also, Mikael returning in the end? This could get absolutely fascinating.

The Originals is a really solid series with great characters and interesting stories. It is quite well written and really well acted. No time is wasted getting into the story, and I like that. The Mikaelson family is fascinating, and watching the broken dynamics of it is engrossing, and to see how all the relationships between characters tie in together is great. Truly well worth the watch!

The Vampire Diaries: Season 4 (2012 – 2013)

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

What I liked:

• Klaus being alive and well and with us. Seriously, we are attached to this guy.
• It is amazing when Klaus and Damon “work” together.
• Damon Salvatore. Yes, I am going to say it again. And again. And again. He always knows how to just make everything hilarious (refusing to take things seriously is totally healthy).

• It breaks my heart, but how Damon still considers Alaric his best friend, even though he is gone, and won’t let anyone sit on Alaric’s spot in the bar, and drinks at Alaric’s grave with him. So many feels!
• Klaus and Caroline’s date at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant – I swear, he was like a child. She unleashes a totally different side of him and I love it to bits!

• Damon and Elena finally kicking it together. We have been waiting for this for like… forever!
• Klaus returning for Caroline’s graduation, and his adamant attitude that Caroline might love Tyler now, he intends to be her last love. I want to see this happen. These two drive me freaking wild! Their chemistry is insane!

• The Originals pilot that was inserted in here – it was quite interesting all round.
• Getting to see some more Elijah this season. It has been a while.

What I didn’t like:

• How absolutely freaking annoying Elena became. I mean, I know I complained last season about jerking the guys around, but this incessant whining is super frustrating.
• All the characters are actually whining and bitching this season – Bonnie especially.
• How much more Elena can you squeeze into one show?
• Everyone is screwing each other over, but let bygones be bygones the moment it happens, right? Who needs drama?
• Damon finally getting a chance with Elena, and yet it is so cold, I haven’t seen the absolute passion she had with Stefan yet, and that crushes me.
• Stefan is so self-righteous in this season! I get it must seriously suck when your brother gets your girl, but do you have to be so nasty about how it is only because of the sire bond?
• Speaking of – Elena being sired to Damon was just so freaking uncalled for. It’s like nothing can happen for Damon without some hidden reason, without some other cause, it could never just be because he and Elena are clicking. It also totally undermined their relationship.
• The whole hunter story line had way more potential than was ultimately realised, which was disappointing.
• The cure story line also annoyed me. Endlessly.
• Elena turning off her humanity just got beyond annoying.

Rating:
This season lost a bit of the traction that the last few had built on, and that was pretty sad. Not that it was bad, it was just not as good as the last two. When it started with Elena being turned, I just knew that there were going to be dramatics I had no time for, and I sure as hell wasn’t wrong there. I was a big fan of seeing Alaric come back from time to time, I sure as hell miss the guy. Rebekah was also in full evil swing here, showing you that the whole Mikaelson family is not too healthy upstairs. Kol annoyed me, too (and there is actually potential here for other things), and the inclusion of Professor Creepy (Shane) also didn’t help – I was irritated whenever we had to deal with his character, even when it was to help Bonnie. A regular, functioning Stefan returning was really great though, and I thought that the show handled the tension between the brothers due to Elena really well. I was not impressed with the way that Elena is finally with Damon, and the show manages to make it all wrong, like he is forcing her, or she was compelled to because of a sire bond. Come on, man, is Damon not allowed anything? On the Damon from, of course, I just wanted to have his hair cut, and it was crushing to watch him drinking alone, missing Alaric, and being really lonely after his death, but it was also nice to see him with Elena, even though that came with a ton of guilt. Speaking of feeling bad, there is the Caroline/Klaus/Tyler thing to consider. I mean, I do like Caroline and Tyler together, I always thought it was as real sweet thing, but goodness, when Caroline and Klaus are together, it’s like the universe is in sync. Forever. She is a challenge for him, he finds a good place inside himself, and they just click like few others. I want to see more, even though I know it will crush Tyler, I just don’t care. I am so cold like that. I know Klaus is bad, but we all love him. Come on, we do. The hunter story arc was something that had so much more potential than was used, and that was a real pity. Instead, it was really just meh at the best of times. So flat. Jeremy and Bonnie dying (at different places, of course) was not cool, and the consequences because of both deaths was something else. I was not a fan of Elena becoming even more whiny than ever before when she turned off her humanity, and it was cool to see Damon track after her all the way to try and bring her back. He loves her, man, really. Bonnie dying means Silas got out, which leads to some horrible consequences for Stefan, whom I really just feel sorry for. He cannot seem to catch a break at all. Oh gosh, then, the pinnacle of this whole goddamn season? The fucking cure. Yes. That is how much is pissed me off. What a convoluted and annoying plot. I don’t even really want to get into it, but goodness, could we waste our time any more than we did?! WHY?! Anyway, a decent watch, but not as solid as the last two seasons, too many histrionics all round.

The Vampire Diaries: Season 3 (2011 – 2012)

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* 

What I liked: 

• How close Damon and Elena have gotten, though it is just unfair on everyone. I mean really. All this means is someone gets hurt.
• Stefan going off the deep end and being all cuckoo crazy. Love. Really, so entertaining, considering how uptight he always is.
• The amount of Klaus in this season. The man is amazing. I mean, crazy and all hell, but gorgeous and solid in his convictions and always goes beyond what is required about everything. He is so unpredictable! Yes, that entertains the hell out of me. And Elijah, if only he got more screen time.
• Some Mikaelson history in this season, and that is always appreciated.
• Damon Salvatore. Oh. My. Gosh. That guy gets more and more amazing every time I see him, and his character development is insanely interesting, too.
• Klaus and Caroline. Oh. My. Gosh. He seems genuinely taken with her, and she is sassy enough to deal with his crap, which is fascinating to watch. And I just want to see this work hahahaha.
• The plotting, the scheming, all things fantastic!
• Damon and Alaric – that bromance is just so much fun!

• How tight the Salvatore brothers are – again, they might love/hate each other, but they are the only ones to have that right.
• Klaus’s hybrid army obsession, and then, of course, the meeting with Papa Mikaelson. Like whoa!

What I didn’t like:

• The sheer amount of insane plots that were squeezed into one season. It was heavy.
• Alaric going all cuckoo and being written off. Really, who do these people think they are? NOT ON.
• How convoluted some of the Originals plotlines are. I mean really, I was waiting on so much more potential here. I know I praised it above – it was a bit of a mixed bag. Also, I want so much more Elijah man.
• The love triangle. I knew that this was coming, but freaking hell, I hate these things. I think they are the ugliest and most unfair things in the world.
• Bonnie and Jeremy drifting apart – I know they didn’t really get a crap load of screen time, but they work absolute wonders together. Ugh. They just had to bring Anna back to throw a pin in that one.
• Rebekah was quite the annoyance, I have to admit. Okay, a really big annoyance.
• Caroline’s dad. Sure, steadfast in his beliefs and all, but come on dude!

Rating:
Back to another super busy season, that, while good, was not as good as the last season. I found it interesting to watch the lengths that Stefan would go to to protect his brother, and his unfeeling, nasty side was such a different, crazy character. This season spent a lot of time trying to get things cozier with Damon and Elena, and I don’t always think that worked too well, but the point was made – she was falling just a bit for him, but like I said, it didn’t always feel real. Elena was clinging to the old Stefan, which was actually painful to watch at times because it got really grating.

Then there was the whole Klaus thing. I like Klaus. He is crazy and insane, but he is incredibly entertaining to watch, and I think he is very interesting. I love the dynamics between him and Elijah, another thing that is great. I also truly did enjoy the concept of Klaus having a soft spot for Caroline – it is a creepily satisfying option I would like to see explored. It was with Caroline that we got the first real chink in Klaus’s whole facade, when he went to save her from Tyler’s bite, and had a real romantic outlook on the rest of her life. It was so beautiful it stunned me and I just didn’t trust it, but the more I watched, the more it seemed evident that it was a genuine thing for him, so wow. Just… Klaus and Caroline together is one of the things that makes me beyond happy. She is snippy and snappy with him, but he is endlessly fascinated by her, and that comes through in every scene. Let’s not even forget to mention the chemistry those two share – wow!

Now, the whole love triangle (Damon/Elena/Stefan) thing got annoying. We all knew it was coming, but I found it so unfair that when she was free to be with Damon, she didn’t do it, and when Stefan came back, she was all uhm and ah about them, even though Stefan didn’t want her. I think her and Damon could be great together. Stefan is the safer option, sure, but Damon is the one where you see passion igniting, and some danger, which was cool.

Naturally there are all the crazy plotsies around the Originals – fascinating at times, frustrating at others. I think this is because there is just so much more to their family dynamic than can be squeezed into one show where they are not the leads (lucky for us, there is a spin-off, and it’s great). I totally could have done with  more Elijah Mikaelson, the man is fascinating, but I was super stoked to have so much more Klaus in this season. The man is bona fide crazy, but so ridiculously compelling.

Anyway, the season finale really was depressingly sad. Damon had his heart wrenched out and stomped on, which was bad enough. But then he was was fighting the super creepy, dark, scary vampire hunter Dark Side Alaric, and when Dark Alaric was dying, there was a moment when Damon realised Alaric was really dying, and that meant that Elena was dying, too, and it just got so much worse. Like really. His face, his panic, his heartbreak? It was horrible. Like, I wasn’t even concerned about Stefan at that point. Overall, another really good, solid season, and worth a watch!

Review: Open Grave (2013)

“I feel like I’ve done some things that I wasn’t proud of.”
– John

A man (Sharlto Copley) wakes in a pit filled with bodies with his keys but no identifying documents on him or anything. Struggling to make sense of what is happening and panicking, he is saved when a mute woman (Josie Ho) drops a rope down to pull him out. Taking a gun with him from the pit, he ascends and soon loses her. All alone, he eventually ventures along and comes across a house. Entering, he finds more people in there, one armed. Nobody seems to have a memory, though the strangers all have identifying documents aside from the mute woman, whom they call Brown Eyes. The mute woman is there as well as a German man and some Americans. The man to wander in without a name is christened John and the remainders are Lukas (Thomas Kretschmann), Sharon (Erin Richards), Nathan (Joseph Morgan), and Michael (Max Wrottesley). After a heated discussion, grudgingly the weapons are lowered and the group starts to ask their questions.

“I have the strongest feeling I know you.” – Nathan

The house that they are staying in is fully stocked with the things that they need to survive as well as an extremely well stocked gun cabinet. Everyone has the sense that they somehow know each other, but are not quite sure how. Attempting to piece together what happened, the group waits for first light to start looking around, and everyone is treating John with hostility. Matters are not helped when a cabin type shelter is found with a woman being fed by Brown Eyes. The occupant seems to be like the living dead. Moreover, their are corpses strung up all over the show around the property, though it is not known why it would be that way. Lukas is very mistrustful of John, and unhappy when it seems that John is taking control of the group to get things running. His sentiments seem to be shared by Michael. Some of the group eventually finds stranded and hidden vehicles on the road, and a picture showing the entire group together with the exception of John. John is afraid that the group will get rid of him. He goes with Sharon in one of the vehicles and comes across an abandoned building. There is a child there whose animosity towards John is palpable, and who calls him Jonah. So now he, too, has a name, and a kid refusing to come near him and screaming about the eighteenth.

“We were here to help.” – John

Michael has been attacked by one of the zombie creatures at the fence, and Jonah kills the creature. Jonah is having violent flashbacks of many things, sure that he is somehow involved with what is going on or that he used to be a very bad man. Lukas, on the other hand, is getting very ill. He finds a basement type area at the house, and is angered when he gets his hand on a video recorder that clearly depicts Jonah administering brutal tests to Lukas. Lukas attacks Jonah when he returns with Sharon, and will not listen to reason. Sharon is now afraid of Jonah, too, and he is banished from what remains of the group. He leaves, and finds the child from earlier fleeing by swapping cars in the forest, and a few people claiming that he really is a terrible man and that his name really is Jonah. He feels awful, and desperately wishes to make sense of who and what he was before his memory disappeared. Exploring the nearby car moves him with more flashback, and provides some of the much desired evidence he is looking for.

“You were supposed to rescue us!” – Nathan

What happened to the group of people to have wiped their memories? Who were they before they woke up in the house? Who is Jonah, really? What did he do before his memory was wiped that has branded him such an evil monster? Why are their so many corpses surrounding the property? Why are the few survivors they come across violent, deadly and zombie-like?

A 6/10 for Open Grave. While certainly not the freshest to the genre or anything particularly new, predictable in plenty of places and just a little dull in others, Open Grave was not a bad watch. I was glad to see Copley doing something more than a terribly embarrassing Agent Kruger, and must admit that he does not completely desecrate any and all accents that he comes into contact with. I enjoyed him in this movie, and it showcases a little bit more of what he does. He definitely was the best member of the cast and the most worth looking into seeing as he was the only one that had a growth arc. The concept of the film is a little broken at times, but it was alright at the end of it all, definitely not worth the tirade that so many people have directed against it. The acting was questionable at times, but not bad enough for me to turn it off. It kept me entertained, though not necessarily guessing all the way. Everyone was just a little bit too calm in my opinion for the amount of bodies they were coming across, and not too interested in why there were these massive dumping pits. I liked the way the film was shot, it helped set the mood overall. This is a decent film to pop in when you aren’t looking for anything that takes itself too seriously or demands too much of your time.