WandaVision Season 1 Episode 9 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Wanda and Vision! It's go-time for Wanda and Vision as they fight for their right to part-tay. Let us dive in! (spoiler alert)

It's witch Wanda versus witch Agatha... who's the better witch? There's only one way to find out... FIIIIIGHT!! It's quite the opener with Agatha stealing some of Wanda's mojo away from her with each spell cast towards her. I mean Wanda really does have her work cut out for her. The Wizard of Oz reference killed me and I was loving it. I love that Wanda sends her children to their room when Agatha has no trouble fetching them. Wanda is quite the quick learner from picking up tricks from Agatha such as teleportation and rune casting. I would have to say Agatha is quite right in the regard that Wanda doesn't know what she's unleashed especially she's kept a town under her spell and manipulated reality. Oh snap, Agatha will be quaking in her boots. 

The Vision and Vision fight were both pretty equal until Vision pulled the philosophy trick out of the hat. It's a very clever moment I found than one that always plays out in Marvel that fisticuffs always seem to solve the issue but the brain play does in this situation. Also, love the small attention to detail in that they took it to the library. The library is open. 

The artistry of the show is amazing with the battle sequences between Vision with white Vision and Wanda and Agatha especially the last battle sequence with the full Scarlet Witch reveal just gave me goosebumps. The moment went Wanda was bringing the wall down was just a beautiful and sad moment when we find out that her family all tied to the hex so she couldn't remove them or her family will pretty much vamoose (got a bit teary too - sob sob). Wanda's Scarlet Witch costume was just breathtaking and really well designed.

Team Monica seems to all have small parts which serve a higher purpose though. I mean I could do with a bit more of them in the episode as they've always been such fun characters. I really do hope that I get to see more of them in the future (of course, Monica will serving some looks in Captain Marvel 2). Don't even get me started on Fietro as the character was a slight let down as the revelation is that he's Ralph umm... Bohner (Agnes's "husband"). 

Gosh, the ending got me. Dang it, it got me so bad. I cried even before I knew it was going to happen... the moment with the children and the final conversation between Wanda and Vision just sent me over the edge. I was such a blubbering mess. 

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Sob, sob sob, sob!

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 8 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Wanda and Vision! Agatha's got her serve on and she's giving Wanda a walk on the runway. Let us dive in! (spoilers ahead)

Agatha gets her origins nicely whipped up in this episode as she is brought in front of her coven for practising magic above her pay grade. This episode does show her manipulative side in high fashion from the beginning where she pleads with mother witch to kiss and make up but then sports a sinister smile as she levels up in power as she steals that mojo from the coven. Talk about a switch-up in character. She does form a sort of mentor to Wanda in this episode by giving her some home truths about spellcasting and to move forward is to look back which is a nice way to reflect and remember. This is sort of reminiscent of the comics where she does teach Wanda how to control her abilities. Her final boss form does seem a bit of place in the final shot with its regal dark colours. I'm gonna see how she dukes it out with Wanda. 

Gosh, I knew about Wanda's past but to see it in high fashion display is quite the tearjerker. They don't let down on the shock value as Wanda and Pietro's parents are blown away by an explosion. Didn't quite get why they were not instantly mourning over the loss of their parents but then again they must have been dealing with a lot of emotion especially with Wanda saying it would be like a "bad dream at the end of the episode". This does strike a chord with me in the way that she loathes the reality she's in so she creates lives in her fantasy reality of the sitcoms of her childhood. Shock, horror! The revelations in this episode cast a different shade on her in that everything I thought I knew about Wanda wasn't exactly the case. Hell of a revelation!

Wanda and Vision's relationship is explored and it does shine another light as I said in a previous re:view that I felt that their relationship didn't feel solid enough for me to invest in them as a power couple as they were in the comics. Here though, it goes back into the past and I see that they have beautiful chemistry in their way their views come together and forms a perfect fit. It's beautiful in the way that Vision describes grief as "love persevering". The moment was so tender and sad. We do see the puzzle pieces come together of how Westview came about and the strong grief that Wanda experiences that pushes herself to the limits. I did cry in those moments and then the meta clap from Agatha happened to bring me back to Earth. Dang, can't let a girl cry, can ya?!

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Let the witch battle commence! 

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 7 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Wanda and Wanda! Seems to be Wanda running the show now but is it really her that running it? Let us dive in! (spoilers ahead)

Y'know... it's not entirely the WandaVision show without Vision, hun. It's clear that she misses him as the first thing she does when waking up is to reach for him. It's the kind of love that's the real kind of love. Darcy knows it, I know it and you better know it!

I love how Wanda and the kids are super concerned in the previous episode for Vision and I was expecting them to pick him up. I expect that they know that he's safe when he was absorbed back into the hex. Anyway, this is a lesson on how to be a bad mother 101 when she wakes up late, doesn't tend to her children and tells her kids to just deal with it. I have no idea what I missed... I mean it's just been one night and all hell has broken loose for Wanda. Like girl, get it together!

Gosh, the product placement is out of this world in this episode with the boys scrolling through decades of gaming consoles and inconspicuous opening of the fridge to see the many varied products on display. It's like I stepped out of a Lady Gaga Telephone music video. 

I'm living for Vision and Darcy being the ultimate comedic duo in this episode. It involves Darcy knocking the guy out that didn't offer that cup of joe from an earlier episode which was a nice homage. It's super hilarifying to see them overcome their obstacles in getting to Wanda. Snaps to that for offering that slice of cake as Wanda can be very intense in this episode which offers that balance. OMG, they were made for each other! 

Team Monica have split up and it's so sweet that it gets a mention that they miss Darcy! Monica being the ever so noble self does anything on all accounts to save Wanda and the rest of Westview in risking her life to get through the hex wall. But yas girl, she gonna get that pow-wa kapow. Her origin has finally landed and it's so beautiful in the way that it's done as she can hear voices of her past and images of her breakaway as she passes through the hex wall. Quite the thick wall at that but gonna get that A-class beauty scene. 

The ultimate dessert of the episode is Agnes as she is revealed to be "Agatha All Along". My gosh, she got the Disney villain treatment with an ultimate sing-a-long. It's like one of those evil pantomime villain moments which is so wondrous in all its glory. Moments like this make me live and literally can't get the song out of my head - ugh, I have become deaded!

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Oh no she didn't! She killed Sparky!

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 6 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... Wanda and Vision! It's Halloween and will it be a trick or treat for Pietro's return? Let us dive in! (spoilers ahead)

Love this episode's intro with a throwback to Malcolm in the Middle - it's totally my jam! Love the spin they did with it too with including their powers in it. More to say that both Billy and Tommy had an upgrade in the episodes in terms of major character development - they got powers - kapow! It's interesting that "Pietro" senses can see that Billy break the fourth wall. I just don't believe that Pietro is the same as the one in Fox's X-Men film series as we may have led to believe as he seems really different from the character.

There's a lot of fun in the episode especially with the "me gusto mucho" moment with Wanda and Vision which I had to rewind several times as it was too hilarifying. When they go trick or treating was another hilarifying moment with the added bonus of Wanda's expressions (really sold it for me).

It seems quite tight between Wanda and Vision and Billy seems to senses it by also bringing it to out attention of breaking the fourth wall. A lot of wonderful expressions from Wanda and Vision as they know that the relationship is strained.

Team Monica seems to be gelling together really well as they intuitively work together to overcome their adversaries after being ejected from the operation. I'm just hoping that Monica gets her powers in the series and shows it in full force after it's been hinted at by Darcy showing her medical scans. Then there's Hayward who I always knew was a shady b when it's been uncovered that he had tabs inside the hex all along. 

Vision and Agnes have a wonderful moment and it's so fascinating seeing Agnes's character just come out of character and back in with a flick of a switch. It's one of the main highlights of the episode that proved to become such a memorable moment. 

OMG! The ending is sooooo EPIC! Sent chills down my spine with the sense of urgency and dramatic flair as Billy flags down Wanda while Vision is slowly wasting away having gone outside the hex. When Wanda just let go, my wig went into orbit, sucked into a black hole and sent to a parallel universe. The moment was just beautiful. I had to replay that scene several times for its pure epicness.

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*cue titles*

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 5 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... WandaVision (cue the titles)! Kids... you can't control 'em. Let us dive in! (spoilers ahead!)

Here we go! Two major Marvel characters in de facto force, well... kinda. Billy and Tommy are finally here in the MCU and they grow up so fast or in Agnes's words "you can't control 'em". It's nice to see the sitcom elements continuing into the next decade with Agnes bringing in full fun. She comes in yet again... in fact twice in the episode at the most opportune moments. It's very strange though as she becomes self-aware that she's in a sitcom herself and seemingly know about Wanda's abilities but not to the full extent as she is caught unaware when the kids tell her to bring their newly adopted dog back from the dead as they are found dead in the arms of Agnes. Something doesn't add up and it's sort of the same case for Wanda that there are circumstances where she's been caught off-guard. I wonder though how much Agnes knows about Wanda.

With Billy and Tommy, their personalities aren't as blown up yet in this episode as I guess it's still the Wanda and Vision show as Wanda tends to her motherly duties while Vision goes to work. It's interesting that the children can't be persuaded or as Agnes puts it "control" as Wanda can't seem to use her powers of persuasion to influence their answers when asked why their father is working on a Saturday. Kind of how Agnes presents herself in this episode too in that she seems to be living on her own accord. Ralph gets a mention too in that she gets sprayed with lavender as there's no ummm... taming this beast. Hang on, what kind of spray is this? 

Hayward seems to be showing his true colours in this episode it seems a nefarious plan brewing in the mix. Love the touch when Woo says "Hayward's a..." and actually finished by Hayward himself when he was describing something else, which turns out to be "terrorists". This has to be a clear indication of things to come from Hayward, right?

It's great to see Monica come into the mix and this episode really shows many sides to her in being able to adapt quickly into a group with Darcy and Woo, perseverance and empathy. I love that she still believes in the good in Wanda despite everyone else's misgivings, sensing her grief and speaking to Wanda on a level of empathy. For me, she's definitely the one to watch.

It's great to see how Wanda wrestles with motherhood and using her own experiences to pass words of wisdom to the kids and Wanda is self-aware without feeling the need to conceal herself. Something must have flicked her switch or maybe it was Monica who started the process. What's more confusing though is that she must be fully self-aware as she was able to come out of the hex which makes points of previous episodes even more confusing. It's nice to see the puzzle pieces coming together.

Things start to unravel on Vision's side as he learns more and more with us. Both points do come colliding at the end as I've never seen Vision erupt like that. Like hun, he went through the roof and sent my wig with it. It's what I'm loving the series is that it showcases these characters in a new light. 

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Wanda, who is doing this to you?

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 4 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... WandaVision! We're getting a slice of lemon tea as we delve into the world outside. Let us dive in! (warning: spoiler alert!)

Now we get to know the real Monica Rambeau and snaps to that. It's quite the opener as we see the world returning from the blip following Avengers: Endgame and super great seeing her reaction to what's happening around her. In fact, she seems unfazed seeing people return back from dust, but then again I thought it was down to the fact that her mother was missing from her bed in the hospital. Then with further thought, I remembered that she did grow up in the world of Captain Marvel and it's not every day you meet aliens from outer space. Off the bat, it's a zinger with the fact that her mother passed away while she was dusted. It built the character of Monica so beautifully that I immediately empathised with her with also knowing that her mother was not able to see her as she was dying. It's beautifully juxtaposed with the bringing life into the world in having delivered one of Wanda's twins.

The return of Darcy! Say what you may about Thor and Thor: The Dark World I actually really enjoy them and I'd say the quirky humour that Darcy made me live for those films a bit more. I was curious how they were going to tie her into WandaVision, but I love her even more. She's not the intern anymore as the show wonderfully fleshes out her character with high intelligence, while even more so retaining her quirky character, which I even live for even more. I found that Darcy and Agent Woo make a good pairing too, with their personalities bouncing off each other. 

Let's get to the main staple of the show, Wanda and Vision! It's a killer of a twist as we see dead Vision and oh my, what a vision it is! It's really shocking and it's very disturbing to think if Wanda is really animating a dead body so she can play happy family. It's really confusing how the personality is nailed down albeit that it does seem like a different vision to the one we see in the films in that he doesn't have full self-awareness but here he does. Love that she ends it by saying, "I have everything under control" which is slightly not true as she is caught off-guard by several things like not being able to control the bird in the third episode or hearing as we find in this episode Woo's voice over the radio.

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I have everything under control.

WandaVision Season 1 Episode 3 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... WandaVision! Wanda is preggers and it's gonna be a gas. Let us dive in! (spoiler alert ahead!)

Much as I love the back and white episodes, do love a colour back in their lives again. I really do hope it gets explored as to why we saw colour in the black and white world but it does throw her off when she saw the toy helicopter and the red blood on Lottie's hand. Anyway, the set design is gorgeous and we get to see the babies' crib (yo!) and the outdoors are done in the style of I'm guessing a more modern sitcom (70's I'm guessing as it seems to be going up by a decade each ep) but it resembles more of a modernist painting. This does seem to limit the outgoings but it is very fitting since Wanda is staying more indoors as her pregnancy is a secret (hardly). 

There's been a switcheroo to the characters with Geraldine upgrading to supporting character while Agnes takes more of a minor role but an important one I would say (sadly no running Ralph jokes this episode). I have no idea if Geraldine is playing up to her character but she does it so well in the episode and she brings a life of air to the scene. I love that she was the one that brought one of the twins into the world juxtaposed with the death of her mother

It's pretty interesting to see Agnes seems to have an awareness of the world she's in as if staying quiet about it will allow her to remember more details. Not sure if it's fear or just nosiness about the situation of Geraldine being the outsider. Nonetheless, it seems to play off either way especially she makes a dash for it when Vision presses her.

The main course was the playoff between Wanda and Vision as her imminent birth leads to a tumultuous of events that are super fun to see and brings a different flavour to the episode full of joy and fun. The facade seems to break down more for Vision though as he starts to notice some things are not right from the hints he gets from Agnes, Herb and the doctor. This is super apparent when nice Wanda becomes scary Wanda at the end of the episode when Geraldine asks about Ultron and her brother which hit more than a nerve with Wanda. There's an eeriness when Geraldine vanishes and has a very deadpan expression.

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The twist at the end has me gagged

WandaVision Season 1 - Episodes 1 & 2 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... WandaVision (it's in the name)! Wanda and Vision star in their very own sitcom and this is gonna be a gas. Let's dive in (spoiler alert)!

The styling is of 50's and 60's sitcom, not that I have much-experienced dating that far but I did grow up watching Bewitched and Ed instantly recognised the styling of the second episode. Who would have funked it those modern-day heroes living in a black and white world? It's probably because I'm so accustomed to the world of the MCU. It's a very welcome change and very refreshing to straight into headfirst. 

There's not much of a story going on but we see newlywed Wanda and Vision live their lives as much as possible and it's so much fun and very easy to get into like moments when the crowd clap it was very easy to anticipate and clap along with them with a sense of involvement. The title sequences are so much fun too and set up both episodes perfectly which are cleverly done in the retrospect of their era. There are genuine LOL moments like the cooking scene in the first episode and the talent show in the second episode but these moments.

It's not always so rosy as there is the punctuation of eeriness such as when Vis's boss choking causing Wanda to break character which begs the question of how fully self-aware she is of their situation (which Vis also questions when we first see him at work). But then by the end of the second episode, a beekeeper comes out of the sewers and she seems to know them and manipulates the reality around her... You know, tryna piece together the puzzle to solve the mystery!

I was never really invested in the relationship of Wanda and Vision much in the films as I felt that not much set up was done to cement in place but I felt the reckoning did happen from the end of Infinity War when I really shipped them. The episodes do really shine a different light on them bringing a warm, sweet and endearing awwww moments throughout which makes the moments of when the real world break.

There's also Agnes who helps out Wanda at the most opportune moments and brings the comedy in bucketloads. The running joke is the joke she makes about her husband Ralph which are hilarious but there must be more to it. There's Geraldine too who is such a sweetheart and very likeable and I know that she's Monica Rambeau but it'll be interesting to see who she really is outside of this world.

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This is gonna be a gas!

Chinese New Year Celebrations 2015

Kung Hei Fat Choi! It’s Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year was on 12 February 2015 celebrating Year of the Sheep which happens to be my zodiac. Celebrations for the London event took place on Sunday 22 February 2015.

The event started with a parade down Shaftesbury Avenue showcasing different styles of Chinese culture. Taking centre stage at the Shaftesbury Avenue Stage were performances of dramatization, martial arts and dance with music which included strangely K-Pop.

With events taking full swing, Trafalgar Square Stage opened up with fireworks and speeches of different representatives of the events and the Chinese community. In the surrounding areas, there were stalls with freebies galore, Chinese food and drinks. Met Police were there at hand to offer advice on staying safe at the event near their double decker bus. Next door to them were the Royal Air Force giving experiences of taking flight into the air. The design on it is reminiscent of the Chinese flag of the 5 stars in the corner.

On Charing Cross road, you’ll be able to find the Leicester Square and Charing Cross Performance Hub with performances of different kinds which includes martial arts. Just nearby, there were small rides adorned with Chinese decorations and lanterns.

In Chinatown, there were many things to do such as enjoying the views of the Chinese lanterns of all different colours on display, watching and following the lions as they dance their way around Chinatown. There were many food stalls placed outside their respective restaurants. There was also a pop up exhibition in the Q Car Park.

#CNY2015LDN

MCM London Comic Con Winter 2014

MCM London Comic Con is an event happens two times a year on the last weekend of May and October. The event is held in the Excel Centre in east London. The winter con this year on Friday 24^th to Sunday 26^th October.

I would say that MCM in many ways is like the London Film and Comic Con but incorporates more of the Japanese culture into their events. You will find manga and anime here which you would scarcely see in LFCC. Like LFCC, MCM has cosplay, video games, television, film, signing and photoshoots and gaming (board and trading card games). The size of this event is on a grand scale with almost no space to manoeuvre once you put a foot through the door. Even with pre-booked tickets it took me just over 45 minutes to get in and I also noticed that the general entry ticket line seems to be non-existent though compared to the pre-booked queue.

I’m no stranger to MCM and started attending two years ago but there have been people there that have been attending years and years. I think I must attended the last year when it was known as MCM London Expo. It just grew massively between the years and the growth does not seem in any way to slow down. When I first attended, they had one hall for queuing and one hall for the whole convention. Now the event is spread out in a double sized hall with a additional hall this time for a Yu-Gi-Oh card tournament and the queuing system is still finding its way in facilitating the increasing amount of attendees that are crossing through the doors.

Here are some of the things that happened in October this year:

• EuroCosplay – This year marks the 5^th anniversary of the EuroCosplay Championships which sees competitors across Europe compete to gain the elusive title and join the ranks of European Cosplay Champions.
• MCM Theatres – Panels with television and film guests as well as scheduled showing of film trailers.
• Vidfest – Social media peeps with scheduled panel discussions and Q&A.
• Pop Asia – An area that dedicates to Asian culture, food, music and fashion.
• MCM eSports – video gaming tournament with a winning of a cash prize pool and exhibition area of related stalls and shops.
• MCM Comic Village – comic book artists ranging from indie to mainstream are here for signings, drawings and discussions.

The next ones in May 2015 so I’m waiting in anticipation on how the queuing system will turn out this time round. My geek hat will come on when it comes down to getting that geek loot of comics and merchandise. You can check out MCM’s website to find out of any upcoming news and announcements.
 #mcmLDN2014

London Film and Comic Con Winter 2014

The London Film and Comic Con Winter was held in Earls Court on Saturday 18^th and Sunday 19^th October 2014.

The winter con is much smaller than it is with the summer one in comparison to the scale and amount of people attending which provides a more up and personal experience. It is still not quite marginally near to the fun-filled joyride it was during the summer but give you a chance to explore everything there is to offer compared to the summer event where you can only move an inch of a space every few minutes or so. I noticed a lot of comic book artists and writers decided to give it a miss this time around and even the comic book artists and writers looked quite desolate.

There were not many film and TV stars that I wanted an autograph from but some notable people to mention are Ralph Macchio from The Karate Kid, Carrie Fisher from Star Wars and Ariana Richards from the first Jurassic Park film. Something else worth saying is that not only can you get an autograph from not just one… not just two… but three actors who played Storm Troopers from the Star Wars franchise.

All in all, it was a great event with its toned-down approach giving more of a close and intimate events allowing time to look around and browse without the stress of people looking over your shoulder. I did buy more comic books as a result of this which I found was really difficult in doing at the summer event. I’m looking forwards to the next event in summer 2015.

#LFCC

London Comic Mart July 2014

The London Comic Mart is an event held at Royal National Hotel in Russell Square which usually occurs on the first Sunday most months of the year. They have stalls of people selling comics old and new occasionally with a guest star comic book writer or artist doing signings.

My first Comic Mart was all the way back in ___ 2011 when I began my conquest of collecting She-Hulk and Doctor Strange comics. Because of the intimate setting, it’s a great way of connecting with people and it’s where I’ve also made great friends. It’s one of the best places to find a bargain on comic books and merchandise.

This time round I got a few comic books as well as finding two other gems that I would usually not get at Comic Mart: two Taschens Tom of Finland artbooks! Both slightly lower than the retail price which were great finds.

#LondonComicMart

London Film and Comic Con Summer 2014

The London Film and Comic Con is an event that occur two times a year in West London, which features signings, talks, selling and showings centring around film, television and comics. The summer con was held on 11th – 13^th July 2014.

The hotly anticipated appearance of Stan Lee at the event was most certainly going to create a major craze and send the place into complete lockdown. Stan Lee photo tickets were instantly leaving all latecomers (including me) with no chance to get that photograph with the legend himself.

Earls Court 2

Earls Court 2 hall had television and film star signings and photoshoots, panels, stalls selling memorabilia, Anime Zone, Cosplay Zone and Comic Zone with various foodies lined up on the side of the hall.

Brompton Hall

Elevator leading on to the first floor and a lift down, the Brompton Hall holds the Artists Valley, Video Game Zone and a line for Stan Lee that snakes the whole room.

I came across The Pride published by Queer Comix with the premise being Fab Man who finds no LGTBQ representations, forms the group “The Pride” which combats against supervillains that reflect real life issues that LGTBQ face in society. Issue 1 was sold out so opted to get the bundle deal of issue 2 and 3 plus Pride Adventures. You can find it on Comixology and can also be purchased in physical and digital depending on availability at this link. The day ended with a photoshoot with Milo Ventimiglia which was a dream come true as I’m a HUGE fan of Heroes.

Next summer, the tickets are all pre-booked to anticipate the high volumes of attendees. Further details can be found on their website. Tickets for winter on Saturday 18^th and Sunday 19^th September 2014, can be bought on the day and on the website.

#LFCC2014