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Reviews
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
A Satisfactory End.
I'm an emotional wreck at the moment. While this isn't the ending GRRM is likely to use for the books. That doesn't mean the show's version was by any means terrible. On the contrary, in the context that was set up from the get go I think it concluded quite nicely.
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD. STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED!!!
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Dany had to die. I loved her since Eps 01 S01. Emilia Clarke won me over with her portrayal of the character. And the books only further deepened that love. But, the more I thought about it. Especially over the course of the seasons. Dany has evolved as a character. We don't see it as clearly because its directed towards the likes of slavers, slave masters and ruthless men who deserved her wrath. We cheered this on happily because these men were monsters. We never took into account of the darkness that was growing in Dany as time progressed. It's a tragic development that displays the sad truth about unquestionable power placed in the hands of a few. After all, when faced with constant evil its so easy to forget that even the road to hell itself was once paved with good intentions. And when a person commits an act of cruelty in the name of the greater good. He/she is empowered by such an act through the justification. Soon one act becomes two, two becomes three and so on. Before you know it, the lines of morality is blurred and everything you do, right or wrong is justified. This is the tragically poetic truth of Daenerys Stormborn, of the House Targaryen. When she began her journey many years ago, she did so with only the best of intentions at heart. But the world is a cruel and cold place. And there is only so much the heart can take before it gives in to the darkness. By the end of her journey she had achieved everything she'd ever dreamed. But at the cost of turning into very thing she swore she would never become. While a part of me holds out for a more hopeful ending for her arch in the books. Here in the show it concluded tragically beautiful. A bittersweet end to a marvelous beginning.
While some might not be happy with Jon going into exile. I'm satisfied with this ending. Jon never wanted to rule. He never wanted a King's title or to claim his birthright as King of the Seven Kingdoms. That was never him. He may have the blood of a Targaryen in him but he was always a northerner at heart. And he was always happiest not just in the north. But the true north beyond the wall. He saved the realm twice. Once from the Night King and the army of the dead. And once more doing the thing that was hardest. Killing that which he loved. Maester Aemon once said that "Love is the death of duty", but so is duty the death of love. Jon had been tested by the fates twice with duty and love. Once with Ygritte, when he had to choose between saving his brothers of the nights watch, or being with his true love. He chose duty over love. And again with Dany. For which, the realm itself will never know the sacrifice he's made for them. He's not the hero the realm deserves. Nor will he be remembered. But its okay because Jon has never wanted songs or stories told about him. The world will eventually forget him, but the free folk will never forget the crow who saved them from the dead.
Tyrion is a brilliant man, but also a heavily flawed man at that too. He's made mistakes and lost in win all or lose all scenarios on more than one occasion. But in the end, his actions have brought on a completely new era for the realm by backing Bran. With an elective monarch chosen every time the king or queen passes. It ensures that no one house rules for an undetermined amount of generations. It also establishes a form of democracy to the realm that keeps the wheel permanently broken and may evolve as time carries on. The real irony of Tyrion is that for years Tywin Lannister has regarded his son as the imp who brought shame to House Lannister. And yet in the end. It is Tyrion of all Lannisters that restored respect and honor to House Lannister serving as Hand. On a slightly humorous note. I find it kind of funny that Tyrion and Tywin both served as Hands to the Targaryen dynasty. And both are responsible for seeing their King/Queen die through their actions after the city was sacked. Tywin had Jaimie. And Tyrion had Jon. The only difference is Tyrion has a heart ad believes in mercy. His father did not.
I'm glad to see Sansa sit the northern throne as queen in the north. Regardless who sat the iron throne I never imagined for one second that she would want to return to King's Landing to stay. Maybe she did at one point when she was a girl dreaming of prince and princesses. But the cruelty and backstabbing she endured there left its mark. The only time I'd imagine she'd ever return there was for something like this. Otherwise her true home is the north among her countrymen and women. And now she'll drive the north into a new golden age sovereignty, free to determine its fate. I'm happy with this conclusion to her story arch.
I'm also happy with the conclusion to Jaimie arch through Brienne. As new captain of the King's Guard. She ensured that history will remember Ser Jaimie for more than his King Slayer days. They will remember his heroic acts as well.
Last but not least. I think Arya's ending felt fitting. She was never going to settle down and become someone's lady. That's never been her. She is an adventurer. Always has been, always will be. The only Stark in living memory to sail across the sea to Essos. The only Stark to see life beyond Westeros. And now she will be the first Stark to see what is truly west of Westeros.
Overall. This isn't the ending I had expected. Nor is it the ending I expect GRRM's books to go. But in the context of the series itself. The show ended in the best possible way. And I enjoyed every minute of it. A solid end to a solid beginning.
Cookies & Cream (2008)
A wonderful breath of fresh air
Cookies & Cream is the first feature film by Writer/Director Princeton Holt and produced by his own production company One Way or Another Productions, and is an Official selection of the Sexy International Film Festival. The film is a character driven piece that is about a young woman who accepts a job in the adult entrainment field doing pornography for money so that she can support her 8 year old daughter, the film takes its viewers deep into the life of Carmen (Jace Nicole) a girl who is driven to work for her money regardless, the film shows that she isn't happy with how her life has turned out at the moment but continues to do it because the most important thing is her child and it doesn't matter how unhappy she is so long as her child is taken care of, but aside from supporting her daughter the film expresses her deep loneliness that comes with the territory of doing adult films, because of what she does and who may have seen it, she keeps a shield of armor up over her emotions and doesn't allow things to progress far enough for it to become something truly and deeply real. At first glance the film may look and feel like an X-rated skin flick to the viewing eye, however after given a few minutes the film opens up as a touching film with a lot of depth and an incredible sense of weight within its story, though some might argue that the lack of the daughter's presence in the film is an incredible gap in the plot, but I disagree, because this is a character piece which focuses on the individual and not everything else. the film had such meaning behind it that I felt as though I was right there alongside the characters, which I really enjoyed the concept and direction that Holt took the story in, which believe me could easily be summed up to a bittersweet ending.