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Friday, December 13, 2013

(Movie Review) FROZEN (2013)

FROZEN warms the heart as one of the best Disney films ever

Last year I praised BRAVE (2012) for being one of the best Disney related films to grace the screen in a long time. I still stand by that statement. Brave was an awesome movie. But technically it was a “Disney” Pixar film (which means it was Pixar doing all of the heavy lifting) and I really shouldn’t have heaped love for Disney onto a product that they only “presented”. Frozen, however, is ALL Disney. Which means that I will once again claim a movie to be the best thing that Disney has produced in years. I think that this settles into the #2 spot on my favorite all-time Disney movies. Nothing beats The Little Mermaid (1989). Nothing.

Storyline: Princess Elsa (Menzel) is special. She was born with the ability to control ice and snow. As children she and her sister Anna (Bell) would use Elsa’s powers to play and have wintery fun. But an accident causes Anna to get injured and, in retaliation, Elsa’s father makes her promise to never use her powers again. Years later, the relationship between Elsa and Anna becomes strained because Elsa is scared that she will hurt Anna again. Then, at a coronation ceremony, Elsa accidentally exposes her powers to the town’s people and, fearing for her life, retreats into the mountains to live in solitude. This leaves the town in a wintery state that it can’t survive long. Anna decides to strike out on an adventure, with the help of Kristoff (Groff) and Olaf the snowman (Gad), to find Elsa and end this eternal winter.

Worth the admission? This movie is so good. I really hated for it to be over with. The musical numbers were fantastic, the voice acting was great, the animation was top notch, and the story was absolutely wonderful. It was a seriously touching movie about strained relationships, embracing the fact that everyone is different, and a continuing cautionary tale about trusting the wealthy good looking people of the world.
While everything in the movie was really great the one thing that stood out above most others was Olaf the Snowman. Voiced by Josh Gad this character was often the most subtle comedy in the entire movie but the character that I found to be the most fun to watch.  


Also be sure to look for some of the small inclusions of other Disney/Pixar characters in the film. At one point it can be seen that Rapunzel and Rider from Tangled (2010) are attending the coronation of Elsa. It’s little things like that that make these movies so fun to watch.  The interconnectivity of these worlds are always interesting to see and they add another layer to the depth of the world that makes up Disney and Pixar. 

A

Here are a few links that show the ways that these movies are all connected in some way or another. 



(Movie Review) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire manages to burn the competition in its record breaking opening weekend

I’m not a film snob. Some are and enjoy the fact that they look down on certain movies/genres as “lacking”. They consider movies like this to be a waste of time. But I can always find something that I like about every movie. It may be something VERY tiny, but there is always something. Heck, even with the ABISMAL Twilight series I constantly praised them for their scenery (while also mercilessly berating them for the horrible acting and story). It’s no wonder that when I watched The Hunger Games (2012) I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I expected it to be another Twilight-esque movies about a damsel in distress that has to be saved by the heroic male. Little did I know that it would turn out to be more “Buffy” than “Bella”.   Since then, Catching Fire has been one of the few movies that I was actually looking forward to this year. The world needs strong, believable and well developed female characters on the big screen...and Katniss Everdeen fits that need perfectly.

Storyline: It’s been a year since Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Hutcherson) won the 74th Annual Hunger Games. They have returned to their homes and are constantly reminded of their actions taken and losses suffered during the contest. Katniss has become a symbol of hope for the downtrodden. Showing people that they can fight the government and make their own path. This does not sit well with President Snow (Sutherland). He wants her dead. To stomp her, and the hope she gives the people, out. Knowing that killing her will make her a martyr for the cause and galvanize the rebels, President Snow and his cohorts devise a plan that the 75th Hunger Games will be a contest between past winners. In this way, Snow is positive that he can not only take out Katniss and Peeta, but also take out every other past champion that gives their districts hope. He plans to end them all, but Katniss has no intentions of taking this lying down. She is prepared for the fight of her life. If she goes down she plans to take President Snow with her.

Worth the admission? Obviously! It’s a Holiday weekend and you should take the extra time off to go check this movie out. It’s getting great reviews, the actors have really gotten a grasp on their characters in this installment, and the message of the film is a pretty powerful one. I have two small critiques for the movie. One, the camera work in the first few minutes of Katniss and Gale (Hemsworth) in the woods is not great. I don’t know what it was about it, but it didn’t look good to me. Second, Josh Hutcherson is not a believable male lead. I’m not sure what it is about him, but I just don’t believe him as a lead. Other than that, I have no problems with the movie and think you should go check it out. 


A-


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

(Rental Review) Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

Do you ever get back together with old friends that you haven't seen in a while? I mean friends that you were once REALLY close with, that you saw every day, and now that you are adults you may see each other once a year (if you are lucky) but as soon as you do you slip back into the friendship like you are in highschool again. You don't skip a beat. There is no rust on it. It's like things never changed? That's what this movie felt like to me. Joss, God bless him, brought together a lot of the actors from his older shows (and some of his newer shows) and graced the world with some of the most fluid character interactions I can remember seeing in a film. It was amazing to watch actors that you have watched on many different shows come together and make a fun movie. 

Storyline: Leonato (Clark Gregg), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese), while Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for a marriage. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, with the help of his allies Conrade (Riki Lindhome) and Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark), plots against the happy couple, using his own form of trickery to try to destroy the marriage before it begins. A series of comic...Written by http://muchadomovie.com

Thoughts? I know that some people will KILL me for saying this, but the dialog is not my favorite this movie. While, of course, the words of Shakespeare are sacred to most and directors wouldn't dare change them. But what drives the dialog in this film is the delivery. Just the way the actors deliver the lines modernize them greatly. Also, actors like Nathan Fillion (playing Dogberry) steal the show by the intense, but brief, comedy that he gets to put on display. It is wonderful to see. 


The actors that deserve the most credit are, obviously, Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker. Their chemistry is undeniable and they truly make this movie what it is. They ooze affection and, in some cases, distain for one another. It is an absolute joy to watch them coupled once again.  Check it out!

(Movie Review) Thor: The Dark World (2013)



Thor: The Dark World hammers the competition in its opening weekend 


I’m a DC comics fan. I have been all my life. So it shames me to admit this but MARVEL really dominates the world of comic based movies. When I say dominates, I liken that comment to Chuck Liddell dominating my grandmother in a fist fight. Sure, DC has had success with Batman and Superman lately, but it has failed to capitalize on the other 99% of its roster. Marvel is so far ahead of the game with their films that it’s not even a fair comparison any longer. Thor: The Dark World was not only an entertaining film, but it set up 2 other future Marvel movies in its end credits alone. I have to give credit where credit is due….even if I don’t like doing it. 


Storyline: A war that raged thousands of years ago pitted the Dark Elves, led by Malekith (Eccleston), against the army of Asgard . The Dark Elves wanted to use and ancient power known as the Aether to send the 9 realms into complete darkness for all of eternity. When Asgard defeated the Dark Elves, with Malekith narrowly escaping, the Asgard king hid the Aether deep underground. In present day, Jane Foster (Portman), after slipping through a “break” between realms, comes into contact with the Aether and in invades her body. Malekith, sensing that this powerful weapon has been unearthed, seeks it out. Thor (Hemsworth) must now protect Jane and Asgard from the onslaught of the Dark Elves. 


Above I gave this movie some much due credit, and I will stand by that, but this movie is not without flaws. First and foremost, they try too hard to load it with “accessible” comedic moments. It strives to be Iron Man without including Tony Stark. I think that considering the dark tone of the film, the comedy was sometimes overused. 


Also, while I love Natalie Portman, the focus of the film should stay with Hemsworth and Hiddleston. They have amazing onscreen chemistry that CRUSHES the forced chemistry between Thor and Jane. I feel like the human side of the story weighed down the Asgard side of the film.


Worth the admission? Of course! Sure, it has some hiccups, but the movie is really entertaining. When you can bring in one of The Avengers (I won’t spoil which one) for a bit part…you know you have a big movie on your hands. Also, in the credits it not only promises Thor 3 but also sets the premise for Guardians of the Galaxy. If anyone watches that scene and doesn’t understand the significance of it, let me know and I will happily give you the rundown of what is going on.  

Marvel also announced a new series with ABC in development as well as 4 Netflix projects that will soon be in development (Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones and Iron Fist). Needless to say, the comic book geeks of the world will be entertained for a long time to come. 


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

(TV REVIEW) ALMOST HUMAN - Pilot (11.17.13)

I have been waiting on this show for months now. While the dystopian future concept is nothing new, in this version technology and crime have risen beyond the control of human cops alone and the requirement of a synthetic partners becomes law, the manner in which this show presents it FEELS like it is a new concept. There series starts off with Detective John Kennex (Urban) under heavy fire and trying to save his partner who has been mortally wounded. After an explosion ends the life of his partner and knocks Kennex into a semi -unconscious state a mysterious figure that Kennex can't seem to remember throws a grenade and causes  the loss of Kennex's leg. We then find that this is just Kennex's attempt to remember the past incident and he is currently undergoing a treatment by a "Recollectionist" (Kanagawa) to help him solve the mystery of who the person was that killed his partner and caused the loss of this leg.

Kennex is forced to use a synthetic leg and is finally going back to work on the force. He is reluctant to do so. But under the direction of his boss, Captain Sandra Maldonado (Taylor), he rejoins. Upon arrival he is partnered with an MX Synthetic. Their is a clear disconnect and Kennex shows his distrust for the synthetic by throwing it from his moving car and destroying it.

He is then partnered up with decommissioned model of synthetic called DRN / Dorian (Ealy). Dorian does not follow the orders that most synthetics would. He emotes. He empathizes. He was created to feel human emotions and was made to have the closest replica to a "soul" that a machine could. He gets offended, mad, happy, and has a full range of human emotions that the soulless MX models do not have. Although their partnership starts out rocky they quickly learn to trust and rely on each other. While I won't give away what happens in the pilot, the two become a great team and the series suggests that they will continue to grow to be friends.

Thoughts? So many shows end up disappointing me. Agents of SHIELD is the biggest offender lately. The previews hype them up so much that they can never deliver. I was never worried about that with this series. Not only are the actors fantastic (Karl Urban, Michael Ealy and Lili Taylor are PERFECTION) but the creators are some of my favorite in TV (J.J. Abrams can do no wrong). I think that the most refreshing thing about this series, other than the actors, is that it make "old ground" feel like a new concept. Not only has the "odd couple" thing been done a million times for cop dramas, but the "android partner" thing has been done a good bit too. But somehow, this show feels new and fresh.

In closing, the last thing I will praise with the pilot is just how well shot the thing was. I mean, really. It was movie quality. Obviously FOX and Bad Robot have a lot of faith in this series and it looks like that faith is rightfully placed. The pilot (and 2nd episode) have been well received and I can't wait for more. Do yourself a big favor and check it out.




Monday, October 14, 2013

(Movie Review) Gravity (2013)

Things are not always as they seem. At least in Hollywood. To prove this, I am about to blow your mind. Do you realize that Sandra Bullock is actually a bigger box office draw than George Clooney? It’s true. I just ran the numbers. Before starring in Gravity, Clooney has a box office record of $1.6 billion, which is an astonishing sum of money. But Sandra blows past him with $1.96 billion. So we know that Bullock is a true box office power house. And it’s not just cheesy movies like Miss Congeniality (2000). She had been in movies like A Time to Kill (1996), 28 Days (2000) The Bling Side (2009) and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) that prove that she is much more than just a comedic actor. So WHY are many people surprised that she was picked to star in this movie? People act as if Clooney (the man who starred in Men Who Stare at Goats) was the “sure thing” and she was a “gamble”. But I assure you, she was absolutely fantastic in this film. I don’t think that I would have enjoyed it nearly as much if anyone else would have starred in it.

Storyline: Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) are on a routine spacewalk when they have an incoming message from NASA regarding shrapnel from numerous destroyed satellites that are headed in their direction. As Matt tries to help Ryan back to the ship, she is knocked off course and begins to float off site. They have approximately 90 minutes to get back on board and safely begin their trip back home before the shrapnel returns. But things are not that simple and their escape plan is riddled with obstacles that will test their resolve and their will to survive.

Worth the admission?  If there has been a single movie that I have seen this year that was worth it, it was this one. First of all, this movie is BEAUTIFUL. There is not a scene that you will not be in awe of. Second, the actors are phenomenal in this. This is basically a two person show with very little assistance from other actors. But they told your attention with almost every line and with every scene. It is the best that I have seen from Bullock and Clooney and the way that they work together is amazing.

I would also like to point out that there is so much symbolism in the film, about life, evolution, afterlife, and everything in between that it really adds some weight to certain scenes and to the movie as a whole. This is a movie that you want to see in the theater. Not only should you see it in a theater, but if you can see it in 3D (or even IMAX 3D) pay the extra money to do it. It’s worth it.


A- 


(TV Review) The Walking Dead - 30 Days Without Accident (10.13.13)

Last night was the season 4 premiere for The Walking Dead, and some people are going to cry and moan about how it was "slow". My answer to those people is that no one starts off at full speed. A season has to grow. Build. Not that this episode was soft in any way. There was a LOT of interesting stuff brought up, we see how the dynamic of the group has changed, meet some new characters (that I assume will be big players in the coming months) , and the most important thing of all....Carl's voice has started to change.

Below are the major developments of this episode and how I think that they will impact the group. *SPOILERS *

- We see that Rick has, somewhat, shunned the "sheriff" role. No more Ricktatorship. Rick is perfectly happy working in the garden and tending to the pigs. In his place, we find that a council has been set up. As we always thought that there should be, the group has now gotten large enough to where one man was never going to be able to be responsible for all of them. So the council is pretty much made up of all of the surviving original members with a few others as well. In theory, it works, but the first time something is in need of a tie breaker, Rick will be the one that makes the call

- Daryl has become a rock-star in the group.It's about damn time.

- We find that animals, one pig in the prison and one boar in the wild, is dying without cause. (more on that in a bit)

- It rained zombies. Literally. While in a convenience store a weak roof gave way and zombies began to fall through. Glenn was almost killed, a new guy named Bob was almost killed, and another new guy named Zach was killed. All in all, it was a pretty rough day for the group. But the scene that showed the zombies falling was pretty awesome. Especially the one that was suspended from the rafters by his guts.

- Rick meets a woman that he warns "if you try anything, you will lose". She then tried something....she lost.

- Carl is still having a hard time fitting in with others. He is a man-child. He has been forced to react to life like a grown man would, but he is still a kid. Adults are always going to look at him like he is a kid, but he doesn't feel like he can do the same things that other kids do. When he finally breaks and goes to "story time" to see what all of the other kids are doing, his world is pretty crushed when he finds out that Carol is actually training all of the children on how to use weapons (something that no one else seems to know about her doing).

- We continue to see a walker at the fence that has bleeding eyes.

- The only friend that Carl has is a kid named Patrick. Patrick hasn't been feeling well and excuses himself from the knife lesson that Carol is teaching. We later see Patrick stumbling through the cell-block, going to the showers, coughing excessively in the water at the shower, and while trying to cool off he passes out. Later we see that his eyes are bleeding and they have turned to look like those of the walkers. Patrick, obviously, has been infected. But no bites. Nothing. So what happened?

This all brings me to Bob. A new guy in the group. Bob was military and has been trying to work his way into the group for the past week. Seems like a nice enough guy, but you can tell that something is very off about him. Then I remembered why. Bob Stookey, in the comics, was a drunk and an Army medic. He showed up in Woodbury and became a confidant to The Governor. He even saved The Gvernor's life when Michonne mutilated his body. Now, in the TV show, he has been with this group for about 1 week. He is a struggling alcoholic (as we see from him almost taking the bottle of liquor). So I think that it is safe to assume that he is the same character. That makes me think that he is working for The Governor as a saboteur and has probably began poisoning the livestock and the areas around the prison (where wild animals would be). I think that is what killed Patrick. Patrick will now go on to, most likely, take out his whole cell block next week.

So, that is my break down and thoughts. Let me know what you think!





Thursday, September 26, 2013

(TV Review) Breaking Bad- Granite State (9.22.13)

It's hard to write these little snippets about a show that you really don't want to think about ending. But ending it is. The series finale is next Sunday and I think that Granite State set the tone perfectly for the series finale. While this episode was slower than some, it spoke volumes about where Walt is (mentally) and how he gets to the place that we see him in the flash forward from the front of the season. All I can say is that it is going to be a hell of a finale. *spoilers and predictions below*

Walt is hiding out with Saul's man waiting to get his new identity and leave Albuquerque. He's joined by none other than Saul himself who is also on the run from the authorities due to his connection with Heisenberg. Walt is angry, particularly at Todd's uncle for taking most of his money. He wants Saul to help him get it back but Saul's advice is to turn himself in before the police turn on his family. When Walt is finally relocated, he finds himself living in a cabin on a snowy piece of land in New Hampshire. Saul's man comes once a month with food and the like but Walt is basically a self-exiled prisoner unable to venture off his property for fear of being recognized. He seems ready to pack it in but comes full circle after seeing his former business partners on TV. - imdb.com


Thoughts? So what have we learned about or good buddy Walt? The same thing that we have always known to be true. The same thing that has been the cause of his greatest accomplishments and his greatest downfall. His pride. Hubris. His inability to let things "slide". His addiction to recognition. Walt is addicted to pride like Jesse was to meth. It's a sickness. It's his real cancer.

Walt, while being left to rot in his "safe house" seemingly broke and was over it all. He tried to reach out to his son to help pass along the money to his family (after learning that they have fallen on hard times since he left) and after he tries to explain the way things happened like they did his son begs him to just die and to never bother them again. Walt was finished. It was over. He called the cops and told them where he was....and then he saw something on TV. His former partners at GrayMatter was doing an interview. Not only were they giving away/donating $28M to combat drug addiction and substance abuse (like $28M was nothing) but they stated that the only thing that Walt contributed to the company was the name. His genius is what started the company...and he was reduced to a foot note. An addendum. And somewhere in the back of his mind, somewhere in the darkest parts of what's left of his soul, he heard the faint whispers of the devil, the soothing tones of Heisenberg....and it felt good. And so he is off. Back to New Mexico. Back to take back what is his. He is going to destroy everything in his path, including himself, and I can't wait to see it.

A-

*Predictions*

- I'm sticking with most of my earlier predictions.
- Walt will kill Lydia with the ricin
- Walt will kill all of Uncle Jack's team
- Walt will free Jesse
- Jesse will kill Todd
- Jesse will kill Walt for what has happened to Jane and Andrea.
- Walt will make Jesse promise to give Skyler and his kids the money that he earned (probably giving half of it to Jesse)
- Jesse, since that FREAK Todd shot Andrea in cold blood, will raise Brock.

Now, there are some out there that think that Todd will finally make a move on Lydia, she will reject him, Todd will kill her, and after it is all over with Walt will use the Ricin on himself...but I don't see it going that way. It might, who knows, but I am sticking with my theory.



Thursday, September 19, 2013

(Movie Review) Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)



Insidious: Chapter 2 scares away the competition in its opening weekend with a $41M haul

That is one of the things that I love about this time of the year. The closer we get to Halloween the closer we get to having a few good scary movies pop up at the local theater. It’s great when someone can put together a movie that relies on a fun premise with actual scary situations instead of only relying on blood and gore to sell a horror fill. The refreshing thing about this movie? It’s a PG-13 film that I think stands toe-to-toe with any R rated horror movies that have been released in the last few years. 

Storyline: The recent events that have plagued the Lambert family has resulted in the death of Elise (Shaye). While the police investigate the death the Lambert family goes to stay with Josh’s (Wilson) mother. The only problem is that Dalton (Simpkins) is not the only person that had a childhood connection to the spirits that reside in the plane known as “The Further”. When the family learns that Josh also had a childhood connection to this plane they begin to question if the person that came back is actually Josh, or if it is the spirit that once haunted him. 

First of all, I loved this movie. I think that it was a fun horror/suspense film that didn’t go for the cheap and gory thrills. They built suspense and paced the movie in a way that resulted in the audience getting so worked up that they (and I watched this happen) inched their way to the edge of the seats in anticipation of what was about to happen next. Another thing that I liked a lot was that there were some really interesting shots used in the movie. James Wan, the director, is no stranger to the genre. Directing Saw (2004), Dead Silence (2007), Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), he has PLENTY of familiarity with how to build suspense. But some of the shots used in the film were the best that I have seen from him. One of which was a really nice “push-in” during an interrogation that I thought was really well done. 

Worth the admission? All day long! This movie feels like it has equal parts Poltergeist and The Shinning mixed in with its story. It feels familiar, but not stale. Patrick Wilson plays his part beautifully and people actually started clapping when Lin Shaye came on screen as Elise. I can’t remember that happening in a movie I have seen in the past. I would assume that the same reaction was given to Zelda Rubinstein in the Poltergeist films, but I was a bit too young to see those in the theater.  Go check it out! 

B-


 


(Rental Review) Cloud Atlas (2012)

This was a movie that I skipped at the theater. Why? Who can really say. Maybe it was because the last few outings from the Wachowski siblings have not been so great. Speed Racer (2008) was bad enough to turn me away from their work forever. Seriously. I hated it that much. But I thought that the commercials looked interesting enough for this and really loved the actors involved. So I gave it a shot.

Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future. Each member of the ensemble appears in multiple roles as the stories move through time. -- (C) Warner Bros.

In my very humble opinion, this was an awesome movie. Seeing the reincarnation of the same actors in various roles and to see how ones soul changes from one incarnation to the next was extremely interesting and the movie delivered a LOT more than I expected. There are layers upon layers of this film that would take me far too long to write about. But the movie is beautifully shot, the acting is phenomenal, the story is a little difficult to wrap your mind around (but once you do, it's great) and this is one of the most underrated movies of 2012. Do yourself a big favor and check it out.

 Note: The way that they speak on the story of The Big Island, 2321 is infectious. Sounding like a mix of tribal speak and creole. I use the term "the true true" all of the time now because of this movie. It was a really cool touch and I thought that it added a lot to this part of the story.

B+


(TV Review) Under the Dome - Curtains (9.16.13)

Below is a "play by play" of the episode. This was taken from IMDB.com and is breaking down the season finale. I have to say that I absolutely HATED this finale. It was SO STUPID and SO POINTLESS!! It solved nothing. It did nothing to move the story forward. It did nothing to resolve anything. It was the worst excuse for a season finale I think I have ever seen.

The problem is that I actually want to know what happens with these people. I want to see the conclusion. And if this would have remained a mini-series instead of becoming a full blown series then we might have ended up with a better final product. But with the change, this thing became so stupid that I have a hard time watching it. The last 2 episodes gave me a little hope that the finale would redeem the season, and then we get nothing.

If you haven't started watching this series, do yourself a favor and skip it.

*Break Down/ Spoilers*

In Ben's room, Linda, Carolyn, Joe and Norrie watch the monarch butterfly hatch inside the mini-dome. The kids try to explain their theory to Linda that it's the power source for the dome.

Back at the station, Jim is angry at Barbie for daring to say in front of everyone that he's not guilty of the murders Jim is trying to pin on him. Junior waits for a sign at the edge of the dome. "Tell me why you want me to kill my father!"
Wounded Julia tries to get up from her hospital bed to try to exonerate Barbie.

Back at Ben's, Linda wants to take possession of the mini-dome, but they've noticed the monarch is bouncing off the dome walls and leaving black splotches. It flutters to the ground. Ben looks out the window and notices the same thing happening to the big dome.

Jim takes a break from threatening Barbie to go look at what's happening outside. The splotches are slowly blacking out the dome, turning it to night inside. The whole dome turns black, blocking out the outside world. It's the middle of the day, but looks like it's midnight.

Linda radios her deputies and tells the kids she's impounding it. The mini-dome starts screeching. Norrie and Joe suggest they touch it and make it stop, but Linda insists she's the only one who can touch it. She does and it zaps her across the room, knocking her out, just like Joe and Norrie expected.

Junior arrives and they have just a few seconds to convince him to help before his father gets there. Julia and Angie head to the police station to get Barbie.Jim arrives at Ben's and finds Linda knocked out. She wants to find the mini-dome as a way to get free of the dome, exactly what he doesn't want.

Joe and Norrie worry how to find Angie, the fourth person they need for the mini-dome. Junior knows she has a police radio.At the station, Barbie is stopped by Phil and a deputy, he fights them off, but Angie has to knock one out with a fire extinguisher.

Joe broadcasts a message that only his sister will understand, telling her to go where they went to hide when they broke their mom's old mirror.She finds them at the cement factory. Junior draws on Barbie when he sees them, but Julia explains Maxine shot her, not Barbie.Phil radios Linda about Barbie's escape.

The four kids put their hands on the mini-dome. It glows pink then emits a blinding white light. Then it totally disintegrates, leaving just the egg. But the monarch is dead.Or at least it appears that way until Norrie touches it. It flutters back to life and flirts around, circling Barbie. "I knew it, you're the monarch," Joe says.

Jim drives through town and sees freaked out people pouring into the church. They think it's the end times.Jim goes in and finds the pews packed with scared, praying people. He strolls up to the front of the church and fields questions from people worried about running out of food or freezing with no sunlight. He preaches faith.

Back in the cement factory, the egg glows hot white and starts quaking. Around them, the walls start shaking. Everyone starts to run, but Julia reaches for it.The shaking stops and the butterfly lands on the egg in Julia's hands. "She's your monarch," Barbie says.At the station, Jim asks Phil to put together a work detail of carpenters. He wants to build a gallows.

Linda checks out the McAlister's barn and sees the phrase "The pink stars are falling in lines." She reads it to Jim over the walkie. He's stunned. He hasn't heard it in a long time.Back in the cement factory, they look to Julia for answers. When she doesn't have any, Junior gets angry. He wants to take the egg to his dad, even after Barbie tells him Jim executed Maxine. Junior doesn't believe her and pulls his gun on Julia, demanding the egg. She tosses it to Angie and tells her to run.

Barbie, who is still handcuffed, tries to tackle Junior so Julia can get away.Jim takes Linda to his wife's studio, explaining that towards the end, she kept saying "the pink stars are falling in lines" over and over again. He shows her a painting of the egg surrounded by pink stars.

Angie, Norrie, Joe and Julia meet up in the dark forest. Norrie asks the egg what they should do. She sees an image of her dead mother, Alice."Sweetheart, I don't think that's your mother," Julia says."Forgive us, we're still learning how to speak with you. We've taken on a familiar appearance to help bridge the divide," not-Alice says. She says the dome was sent to protect them, and they'll see from what in time."If you want to darkness to abate, you must earn the light by protecting the egg," Alice says."And if we fail, it's the end, isn't it? For all of us," Julia realizes.When Julia asks who they're protecting it from, not-Alice disappears.

Junior brings Barbie back to the station. Jim questions him about the egg.Jim radios a broadcast for Julia's ears, telling her to bring the egg or Barbie will pay the ultimate price.Junior goes to his dad, wanting to believe he's not a murderer. They talk about Pauline's connection to the dome. Jim admits he's killed people, but only people who needed to be killed for the good of the town. Jim now thinks the Rennies are important to the town and the dome and his late wife's paintings were a message. He promises no more secrets between them and hugs his son.

Meanwhile, Julia and the kids worry about how to protect Chester's Mill and save Barbie. Julia says they shouldn't do anything. She tells Angie and Joe to get somewhere safe.The town gathers at the gallows. Jim announces that Barbie is sentenced to death. Junior puts the noose around his neck as, out on a boat on the lake, Julia takes the egg and, holding Barbie's dog tags in her other hand, drops the egg over the side into the dark water.

It glows a bright purple from the bottom of the lake and suddenly pink stars start rising from the lake, in lines. From around the gallows, the town sees the stars shoot up into the sky. Jim announces it as a sign from god that they're doing the right thing and prepares to carry on with his execution.The stars coalesce at the top of the dome and shine brightly, the black falls away from the dome. Jim shouts at Junior to pull the lever.

Rated: F