So there has been a lot of criticism of Natalie's move to vote out Alec over Keith which went against the majority of her alliance's plan. I however believe this move is not a game ender, and it could potentially be what wins her the million. This has a high probability of blowing up in her face, but with great risk comes great reward.
So let's break this down:
Where was Natalie's position to start with?
Natalie is in an alliance of five with two pairs. So potentially when they get down to five she could be the one in control of who goes to the final 3. She could choose John and Jaclyn, or she could choose Missy and Baylor. However she cannot control who wins immunity. So her fear is John winning his way to the final 3 despite her wanting to go with Baylor and Missy. And if he does win his way to the final 3 then it will be hard to deny him the win. Especially since he has been controlling the votes with Jaclyn for such a long time. So if we play out the votes to the end then John wins immunity at final five gives Jaclyn his idol so they are safe to the final four. That leaves Natalie who will have to use her idol to keep herself safe, which then means probably Missy going home. So now we have Baylor/ Natalie vs John/Jaclyn. Let's just say John wins immunity and best case scenario Baylor and Jaclyn go to a tie breaker fire challenge. So if Jaclyn wins then Natalie is the one left on the outside(and in case of final 2 then she is screwed). Also that would make it easy for the jury to award John the win. He won his way to the end, brought his girlfriend with him, and controlled all the votes. He would have the best story to win. And if Baylor wins then Natalie, John and Baylor are the final 3. And John will be taken down a peg because he did not get Jaclyn to the end with him, but he will automatically get her fault. And it won't be his fault she didn't show up because she had her chance. No one will vote for Baylor, except Missy, so she is a non-issue. But Natalie will have made no moves except aligning herself with the alliance of five. John will have controlled every vote except the last, he will have won so many immunity challenges, and despite Natalie's relationships with the jury they will want to vote who played the best game. And since Natalie will have made no moves to get rid of John or to take the game away from his control then how can they vote for her. If the jury votes bitterly against John and decides they just like Natalie better then that could get her the win. But would it be a deserved win?
What does voting out Alec get her?
Voting out Alec will gain her the control of the game she wants. She doesn't want John to have control over who goes home. Especially if he keeps winning immunity all the way to the end. She kept Keith to give her her best chance to beat John at an immunity challenge. But even if John wins they can still flush that idol which gives them an extra chance to get out John before the final 3. However if he does win his way to the end, then he will have to rely on his challenge wins to get him the title of sole survivor. She keeps Keith and now Keith is aligned only with her. Baylor is also aligned with her, and I don't think she's going to be swayed to go back to John and Jaclyn. Furthermore I don't think Missy wants to go to the end with John/Jaclyn so when she has to pick a side she'll side with Natalie. That way now Natalie is in control of four votes instead of John being in control of five. Now if Natalie can fight her way to the end she will have a story she can use to get her to the win. Just like in previous seasons we have learned it's not enough just to make it to the end, you have to win. Natalie has had her path to the end set for several episodes now, but she didn't have a way to win. I think by taking control of the game away from John it gave her the best chance to win. One last thing I would add is that if she kept Alec instead of Keith, he would be Baylor's tool not Natalie's. And if they got rid of Jaclyn instead that would still leave the idol unflushed and it would leave two threats in the game instead of just one (and that one would be her alliance and no one else's).
Will it blow up in her face and get her voted out?
Maybe. This was a very risky move. She could be giving up her almost assured spot in the final 3 to get voted out at 6,5, or 4. And now we see that Missy might be getting pulled from the game which will make it that much trickier especially if Keith ends up in the final 3 with her. But this is a girl that plays to win. She wants revenge, she wants control, and she wants John to taken down a notch. If she's willing to take the risk of getting out sooner so she can have a chance at a win than I am willing to applaud her for it. This almost reminds me of the move Ciera made in the original Blood vs Water when she drew the rocks and gave up her assured 4th place finish. It didn't work out for her but she played to win instead of just playing to finish as high as she could.
We'll see tonight how it works out for her. If she can get John or Jaclyn out tonight and flush the idol this will be a win for her. However if it does blow up in her face then this will be remembered as a dumb move. But I think Natalie's a very smart player and I think that at least she's playing. At least she's trying to win instead of just hanging on to the hope that somebody's gonna let you in.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014
Walking Dead: Why Everyone Should be Listening to Rick Grimes!
So in this last episode of the Walking Dead, Crossed, I noticed quite a bit of dissension in the Rickocracy. In fact, this entire season there has been a lack of confidence in Rick as their leader and the decisions he has been making. In a way I can understand their hesitancy, due to the fact he gave up the leadership so he could teach his son how to be a farmer. He also is the one who decided to kick Carol out of the group, and he's the one who saw his dead wife. But since the sickness at the prison in season 4 I think Rick has been solid. He's done everything he could to keep those he loves safe. He's tried to do the right thing when possible, and is not afraid or squeamish to kill when he needs to.
The first instance where they question Rick's judgment is at the end of the first episode of season five when Rick wanted to go back and make sure all the Terminians were dead. He told everyone that they don't get to live. They are cannibals, they lured people to their camp, trick them into eating people, then forced them to join or be eaten. And by the looks of that one building, most people they came across they ate. Rick, Glenn, Bob, and Daryl all witnessed the brutality they were capable of when being held over that trough watching those red shirts be bashed in the back of the head and then their throats slit and left to bleed out. But no, Abraham wanted nothing to do with it. You would think Daryl would want to stop them as well. Glenn who nearly got his brain bashed in should have stepped up and said no, Rick's right. But alas, no one wanted to finish what they started. In this world Rick has finally understood that if you don't end that threat it will come back and it will kill you or people you love. That's what happened with the Governor. They let him go, and then he came back and took Hershel. So they let the Terminians go and they came back and took Bob.
The second time where they questioned Rick is the attempt to rescue Beth and Carol from the Grady Memorial. He wanted to make this very particular strike where they would come in and take out guard by guard until they took out the leader and then they'd be able to take out the rest without bloodshed on their side. The element of surprise is very important. And Tyreese and Daryl wanted to avoid anybody dying so their choice was to take hostages to trade for Beth and Carol. I understand the concept. I get them not wanting to risk any lives especially their own in this rescue attempt. However what they know about these people is not good. They abduct people, force them to trade treatment for servitude, which is never ending. They rape women, they beat people, these are not good people. Do they deserve such consideration for their lives when if they were given the choice, Rick and his stronger friends would be killed, while taking their weaker people and forcing them into a life of servitude. And for that matter is it okay for them just to trade for their friends and walk away. Should they leave people like those in the world. Do they need to end the lives of those that would prey on actual good people that would be capable of joining Rick's group? It's a complicated situation but look what happened. Rick did it their way despite what he knew would work. And now Sasha is down and Dawn will be alerted to their presence. They no longer have the element of surprise and the chance of them getting out without anyone getting hurt just dropped significantly. If they had just listened to Rick then maybe they'd have Beth and Carol back by now.
I don't know the answer, but it is beginning to worry me that Daryl is taking the opposite of Rick now. He used to back him up no matter what, and now this could be taking us on a road where Daryl and Rick will be in opposition to each other. And what happens then when two of my favorite people on this show go head to head. Would they part ways? Would they fight for supremacy? Would one back down? I don't know, but it worries me.
The first instance where they question Rick's judgment is at the end of the first episode of season five when Rick wanted to go back and make sure all the Terminians were dead. He told everyone that they don't get to live. They are cannibals, they lured people to their camp, trick them into eating people, then forced them to join or be eaten. And by the looks of that one building, most people they came across they ate. Rick, Glenn, Bob, and Daryl all witnessed the brutality they were capable of when being held over that trough watching those red shirts be bashed in the back of the head and then their throats slit and left to bleed out. But no, Abraham wanted nothing to do with it. You would think Daryl would want to stop them as well. Glenn who nearly got his brain bashed in should have stepped up and said no, Rick's right. But alas, no one wanted to finish what they started. In this world Rick has finally understood that if you don't end that threat it will come back and it will kill you or people you love. That's what happened with the Governor. They let him go, and then he came back and took Hershel. So they let the Terminians go and they came back and took Bob.
The second time where they questioned Rick is the attempt to rescue Beth and Carol from the Grady Memorial. He wanted to make this very particular strike where they would come in and take out guard by guard until they took out the leader and then they'd be able to take out the rest without bloodshed on their side. The element of surprise is very important. And Tyreese and Daryl wanted to avoid anybody dying so their choice was to take hostages to trade for Beth and Carol. I understand the concept. I get them not wanting to risk any lives especially their own in this rescue attempt. However what they know about these people is not good. They abduct people, force them to trade treatment for servitude, which is never ending. They rape women, they beat people, these are not good people. Do they deserve such consideration for their lives when if they were given the choice, Rick and his stronger friends would be killed, while taking their weaker people and forcing them into a life of servitude. And for that matter is it okay for them just to trade for their friends and walk away. Should they leave people like those in the world. Do they need to end the lives of those that would prey on actual good people that would be capable of joining Rick's group? It's a complicated situation but look what happened. Rick did it their way despite what he knew would work. And now Sasha is down and Dawn will be alerted to their presence. They no longer have the element of surprise and the chance of them getting out without anyone getting hurt just dropped significantly. If they had just listened to Rick then maybe they'd have Beth and Carol back by now.
I don't know the answer, but it is beginning to worry me that Daryl is taking the opposite of Rick now. He used to back him up no matter what, and now this could be taking us on a road where Daryl and Rick will be in opposition to each other. And what happens then when two of my favorite people on this show go head to head. Would they part ways? Would they fight for supremacy? Would one back down? I don't know, but it worries me.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Walking Dead: Why Carol killed Karen and David....
So after this last episode I think I finally understand Carol's flawed thinking on why she killed Karen and David after they contracted the flu. It never made sense to me before how she could justify it and not understand that what she did was not only premature, it wasn't her decision to make. She said to Daryl in the last episode on Sunday (Consumed) that you don't get to save anyone anymore. I think she felt that after they contracted this flu that they were already dead. And she killed them because it's like after you get bit by a walker, you kill to stop them from turning into walkers. She saw Karen and David as dead, because you can't save anyone anymore. And since they were dead already it only made sense in her mind to put a dagger through their brain so they don't turn. And in this last episode it seems like she was realizing that it's not so black and white. You can save people, and at the very least you should try.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Big Hero Six: Recap/Review
Recap:
Our hero, Hiro, loses his brother in an accidental fire at his nerdy robotic school. His brother Tadashi, had created a medical robot called Baymax who befriended Hiro after Tadashi's death. Hiro created a micro-bot that could telepathically be controlled and manipulated into creating anything as fast as you could think it. After showing off his microbot at an expo show to try to gain entry into the robotic college, a fire breaks out, destroying the microbots and Hiro's brother as well as Professor Callaghan, the leader of the school.
As Hiro grieves for his brother he damages his arm and Baymax activates to try to heal Hiro. Hiro finds in his hoodie one last microbot which has been activated somehow. Baymax, trying to heal Hiro's emotional state, takes the microbot and tries to find where the microbot is trying to go to. He ends up at a warehouse where they find all the microbots that Hiro had thought destroyed. They are being mass produced by a man in a kabuki mask. When they're discovered the masked man tries to capture them but they escape. Hiro quickly puts together that the fire that had killed his brother was staged so his microbots could be stolen. He vows to find the man who killed his brother and stop him.
Hiro programs Baymax with karate moves and gives him special armor. They track the micro bots to a dock where they are being hidden under the water. His friends from the school, GoGo, Wasabi, Honey, and Fred arrive and accidentally alert the kabuki man to their presence. They are chased through town until they escape by crashing into the water. Baymax takes them to safety. Hiro decides to defeat the Kabuki man they must not only upgrade Baymax, but he must upgrade everyone with superhero armor and technology.
They track the bio signature of the kabuki man that had been taken by Baymax at the encounter at the docks and are led to a remote island. They search the facility on the island and find a destroyed secret lab. They discover a video of Alistair Krei, the man who had tried to buy Hiro's microbots, testing an experimental teleportation program. But there was an accident which resulted in the death of their test pilot, Cass. Then the kabuki man shows up. The heroes test out their newly made supersuits and fight the kabuki man. With teamwork they are able to knock off the kabuki mask and revealed Callaghan as the masked man. Enraged, Hiro orders Baymax to destroy Callaghan. But when he won't comply because of his program, Hiro removes his medical disk turning Baymax into a murder machine. The heros stop Baymax before he kills Callaghan but Callaghan gets away with the mask.
Hiro storms off to his house with Baymax where he tries to remove his medical disk. But now that Baymax knows what Hiro wants he won't let Hiro have access to it anymore. Instead he shows Hiro videos of Tadahashi testing Baymax. After watching all the videos of his brother trying to create this healing robot, Hiro realizes he can't use his brothers creation for revenge. Tadahashi created him to save people, not hurt them. The other heroes show up with another video they had found at the secret laboratory. It's the continued video of the teleportation test revealing that the father of the test pilot was Callaghan. Thus revealing his plan of revenge again Krei.
So our heroes head to Krei's facility where they find that Callaghan had taken the broken transportation device. Callaghan planned to activate the device which would suck everything around it inside, like a black hole. And then he planned to throw Krei in as well. They realize that the key to stopping Callaghan is to destroy the microbots, and the only way to do so is to get them sucked into the device. They distract Callaghan, forcing him to send his microbots closer to the event horizon and then they crashed through the bots sending them flying causing them to get sucked up. They succeed and capture Callaghan.
But then Baymax senses a lifeform inside the device. So Hiro and Baymax fly inside to save Callaghan's daughter. They fly through the debris inside, avoiding collision until they find her. They fly her ship back to the entrance, but then a large piece of debris flies by and Baymax pushes Hiro out of the way saving his life, but destroying his suit in the process. The only way Baymax can save Hiro is to use his rocket glove to propel them through the entrance. But Hiro doesn't want to leave Baymax behind. After a few tearful moments Hiro realizes he has no other choice. He says goodbye and Baymax shuts down his program and the glove propels Hiro and Cass to safety. Cass is taken to a hospital to recover and Callaghan is arrested.
We fast forward in time slightly as Hiro is looking at Baymax's rocket glove he finds his brother's program for Baymax. Hiro rebuilds Baymax so that he can fulfill his brother's dream. We end on the understanding that this team of heroes will go on fighting injustice as the Big Hero 6.
Our hero, Hiro, loses his brother in an accidental fire at his nerdy robotic school. His brother Tadashi, had created a medical robot called Baymax who befriended Hiro after Tadashi's death. Hiro created a micro-bot that could telepathically be controlled and manipulated into creating anything as fast as you could think it. After showing off his microbot at an expo show to try to gain entry into the robotic college, a fire breaks out, destroying the microbots and Hiro's brother as well as Professor Callaghan, the leader of the school.
As Hiro grieves for his brother he damages his arm and Baymax activates to try to heal Hiro. Hiro finds in his hoodie one last microbot which has been activated somehow. Baymax, trying to heal Hiro's emotional state, takes the microbot and tries to find where the microbot is trying to go to. He ends up at a warehouse where they find all the microbots that Hiro had thought destroyed. They are being mass produced by a man in a kabuki mask. When they're discovered the masked man tries to capture them but they escape. Hiro quickly puts together that the fire that had killed his brother was staged so his microbots could be stolen. He vows to find the man who killed his brother and stop him.
Hiro programs Baymax with karate moves and gives him special armor. They track the micro bots to a dock where they are being hidden under the water. His friends from the school, GoGo, Wasabi, Honey, and Fred arrive and accidentally alert the kabuki man to their presence. They are chased through town until they escape by crashing into the water. Baymax takes them to safety. Hiro decides to defeat the Kabuki man they must not only upgrade Baymax, but he must upgrade everyone with superhero armor and technology.
They track the bio signature of the kabuki man that had been taken by Baymax at the encounter at the docks and are led to a remote island. They search the facility on the island and find a destroyed secret lab. They discover a video of Alistair Krei, the man who had tried to buy Hiro's microbots, testing an experimental teleportation program. But there was an accident which resulted in the death of their test pilot, Cass. Then the kabuki man shows up. The heroes test out their newly made supersuits and fight the kabuki man. With teamwork they are able to knock off the kabuki mask and revealed Callaghan as the masked man. Enraged, Hiro orders Baymax to destroy Callaghan. But when he won't comply because of his program, Hiro removes his medical disk turning Baymax into a murder machine. The heros stop Baymax before he kills Callaghan but Callaghan gets away with the mask.
Hiro storms off to his house with Baymax where he tries to remove his medical disk. But now that Baymax knows what Hiro wants he won't let Hiro have access to it anymore. Instead he shows Hiro videos of Tadahashi testing Baymax. After watching all the videos of his brother trying to create this healing robot, Hiro realizes he can't use his brothers creation for revenge. Tadahashi created him to save people, not hurt them. The other heroes show up with another video they had found at the secret laboratory. It's the continued video of the teleportation test revealing that the father of the test pilot was Callaghan. Thus revealing his plan of revenge again Krei.
So our heroes head to Krei's facility where they find that Callaghan had taken the broken transportation device. Callaghan planned to activate the device which would suck everything around it inside, like a black hole. And then he planned to throw Krei in as well. They realize that the key to stopping Callaghan is to destroy the microbots, and the only way to do so is to get them sucked into the device. They distract Callaghan, forcing him to send his microbots closer to the event horizon and then they crashed through the bots sending them flying causing them to get sucked up. They succeed and capture Callaghan.
But then Baymax senses a lifeform inside the device. So Hiro and Baymax fly inside to save Callaghan's daughter. They fly through the debris inside, avoiding collision until they find her. They fly her ship back to the entrance, but then a large piece of debris flies by and Baymax pushes Hiro out of the way saving his life, but destroying his suit in the process. The only way Baymax can save Hiro is to use his rocket glove to propel them through the entrance. But Hiro doesn't want to leave Baymax behind. After a few tearful moments Hiro realizes he has no other choice. He says goodbye and Baymax shuts down his program and the glove propels Hiro and Cass to safety. Cass is taken to a hospital to recover and Callaghan is arrested.
We fast forward in time slightly as Hiro is looking at Baymax's rocket glove he finds his brother's program for Baymax. Hiro rebuilds Baymax so that he can fulfill his brother's dream. We end on the understanding that this team of heroes will go on fighting injustice as the Big Hero 6.
Notables Things I loved:
- The fist bump between Hiro and Baymax
- Baymax's catchphrase "Oh No"
- Hiro's robot battle in the beginning
- San Fransokyo
- I love a drunken robot
- The cameo of Stan lee
- The relationship between Baymax and Hiro
- The sacrifice Baymax made to save his friend
- How everything for Baymax had to be related to his programming to help people.
- The team of superheroes and their supersuits
- This really was an origin story
Was this movie fun for all ages?
The answer is yes. My three, almost four, year old was glued to the screen nearly the whole time. She found the beginning a little slow, until Baymax showed up on the screen. She loved that robot and so did I. This movie had an epic quality to it. It had everything a child would love, but because of the story it was engaging to adults. It got a little heavy in the beginning because of the death of Hiro's brother. They took the time to show their relationship in the beginning because you needed to be affected by Tadahashi's death. If you weren't then the rest of the movie wouldn't hold the weight that it did. I loved Baymax, I can't remember the time that there has been a character that was more loveable. There's just a sense of warmth when you watch him on screen. You can't help but smile at this big loveable huggable marshmallow. This movie had superheroes, high stakes, loveable characters, heartbreak, pain, adventure, mystery, revenge, heroism, robots, advanced technology, and a wonderful message of not becoming the monster that you're chasing. It had everything a kid would love and everything an adult would love. I would definitely recommend seeing this movie and I think it's worth the cost of seeing it in a theater. I did not see it in 3D but I do think there were some scenes that could benefit from 3D.
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