Leverage: The Last Dam Job

Leverage is one of my most favorite shows. The cast is awesome, the writing is awesome, the show is awesome.

I admit there are times when you have to not think too much (which I REALLY have a problem with. The over thinking things, I mean.) and just let it happen but overall I love it.

The season four finale was last night and, as per usual, it was perfect. I thought I might do a quick (quick? Really?) recap.

Ready? Let's go!

8:00: Timothy Hutton. I have lots I could say about him. Suffice it all to say: He's amazing. I love when they give him these tough, emotional scenes because he Kills them! Great to watch. He needs more awards.

Dubenich is back. I didn't see that coming at all. Saul Rubinek plays this villain very well. I have to admit, I didn't see that coming either. He just doesn't look like a villain. I'm glad they brought back a previous mark as the foe in the finale. It's nice to see someone come back and try to get even with the team.

8:03: Beth in her wig. I love it. :) It's strange to see the team doing their thing and all getting caught. They're usually so good at the sneaking around.

8:05: What did Nate do to his apartment? He tore the place apart. And then, obviously, took time to set up his cot in front of the screens and sleep there. Instead of just walking upstairs to his bed. OK.

8:06: Bring on the guest stars! (Eliot made it to Kiev really fast.)
       ~ Quinn. I guess if Eliot is going to get someone to be a hitter it's going to be the only guy that almost beat him. I'm glad they chose Quinn and not the girl from 'Two Live Crew Job'.
       ~ Archie. I would have picked Apollo but it's cool to see Archie back. (Beth looks beautiful in this scene, by the way. But, she always does.)
       ~ Chaos. Wheeeeeeeaaatttooooonnn!!!! There just really was no other option here. Nice touch with the Counselor Troi joke. (Um, is Chaos psychic? How did he know they were going to ask him for help?)

8:13: I love that they took the time to spit shine Nate's apartment. Really?

8:14 "You got me a Bat Cave?!!?" There are so many great lines in this scene. Too many for me to put here. The scene has great interaction between everyone.

Quinn: Can I hit him?
Eliot: Which one?
Quinn: Either one.
Eliot: See? It's not just me.

8:19: Quinn: "How many fingers do you need to type? Round DOWN." Chaos is really geeky in this episode. I don't remember him always being like this.

Quinn and Chaos in some weird Eliot and Hardison twilight zone.

Quinn, dressed all preppy for his fight scene.

8:25: "You made it impossible for Hardison to hack us with a computer so he hacks us with a clam??" Haha!

Hardison is really trying to impress Archie. "Sir."

Chaos being tased? Nice.

8:29: Nate's MO "Psychological warfare." I love it.

I love how Latimer tells Nate he's the same stock as his Father and Nate's response? "Remember that." Creepy Nate!

8:35: This scene, between Eliot and Nate, is really nice. It's so nice to see the character development between everyone. They really are a family now and they really do care about each other. It's nice to see a softer side of Eliot. I get tired of his scowling and grunting all the time. Christian Kane has more talent than scowling and grunting. This is a good scene for his softer side.

Nate. Nate, Nate, Nate. He looks like he's listening. But, is he? Is he just acting for Eliot's benefit? Because that swing around with the gun? Shooting up the place?  Creepy Nate is back and it's chilling.

8:38: Eliot pointing that gun in Dubenich's face. I almost want to call it sweet. He knows what it'll do to Nate if Nate kills him. And Eliot, he's already killed people. Why not save Nate the trouble and just kill Dubenich right here?

Side note: Remember in the pilot when Nate and Eliot are playing pool and Nate lays it all out. "We are not friends?" I already said it, but I like how it's so different now. Eliot plainly says "I'm thinking about saving my friend some trouble."

MAGGIE! I was so excited when I saw Kari Matchett's name in the opening credits. I love Maggie. Kari is my second favorite guest actor on Leverage. I wish her part would have been bigger but I understand that she has her own show now and it's hard. (P.S. I'm all about Nate/Maggie. I like Sophie but I prefer Tim's chemistry with Kari.)

I love how Nate looks so cornered here. I guess I also like that they don't make Maggie a jealous wife ("Ex. He never says 'ex wife'."), she's perfectly fine with Nate and Sophie being together. It's OK, Maggie. I'm jealous for you.

"If temptation counted as cheating, no marriage would make it past the first year." And coming up is one of my favorite moments of the episode.

Maggie: Imagine what it was like for me? You bringing James around all those years?
Nate: James? Sterling??
Maggie: We better hurry. Latimer will be waking soon. It's your master plan. Pity if we miss it.
Nate: Seriously, Sterling?
Maggie: Seriously.

For the record . . . Yes. James Sterling. Seriously. Maggie has exceptional taste in men. How did she even function in a room with both Nate and Sterling?

8:46: Archie: "I approve of your young man, very much." Awwww. Me too. Parker is getting used to caring. That's really sweet.



8:49: Nate Ford - Bullet magnet. Wow. He's been shot so many times it doesn't seem to bother him so much anymore. (I guess it Could be the adrenaline rush though.)

8:54: Creepy Nate is back. "My son would be ashamed of me if I was a murderer. My Father, on the other hand, he'd buy me an ice cream."

Nate Ford is a smart man. Creepy or not.

(Tim Hutton - More awards, please. I mean it! Someone work on this!)

I have to wonder how close Nate is to really killing these guys. I mean, he is a smart man. I want to think that he's too smart to murder two men. But, he is human, they did kill his Father.

No, Nate Ford is a very smart man.

He's creepy too. He let those guys go right over the side and Didn't Even Flinch. Creepy Nate!


8:58: "I gotta make some changes. I got plans." I'm SO curious!

Nate/Sophie kiss! Like I said, I prefer Maggie but I'm not complaining.

I love this shot. Nate and Sophie are in their own little world and Eliot, Hardison and Parker are fighting like children.

Family.


I really loved this episode. My only complaint is the lack of a certain Interpol agent. Sterling would have fit in here so well. Especially with all the other awesome guests. I would have really loved to see a scene with Nate, Maggie and Sterling after that little exchange between Maggie and Nate.

Overall: Awesome.

Looking forward to season five!

Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows

I have feelings!

My emotions ran the gambit as I watched this movie.

Spoilers ahead. You've been warned. 

Among my first thoughts were "This stuff is so silly and over the top. I hope the whole movie isn't like this." I was seriously sitting there worried that I wasn't going to enjoy the movie because they were being so silly.

Of course, this was after they killed off Irene Adler and I sat there with that "Oh NO they DID NOT!" look on my face.

So, early on, it wasn't looking so good. But, I hung in there. And am I ever glad I did!

Beyond the over the top moments that occured here and there I really enjoyed this movie.

I could go on and on and on about the performances. Especially Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law and Jared Harris.

Moriarty showed up on screen and I thought. "Who is this guy?" referring to the actor. I didn't recognize him and I have to say I was a bit skeptical.

Was I ever wrong!

Moriarty was terrifying. Seriously, this was the creepiest, scariest villian I've seen in a while. I really love when the villain is just that calm and collected.

I remember when the first Sherlock Holmes movie came out and there was this rumor floating around that Brad Pitt would be Moriarty in the sequal. I'm SO glad he wasn't. I doubt very much he could have done with this part what Jared Harris did. Acting is obviously in the blood of that family. AMAZING.

As for Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I have one word - CHEMISTRY.

OK, I have more words. I want four more Sherlock movies just so I have the chance to see Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law share the screen again and again and again. They're great on their own but they make an excellent on screen pair.

I was distracted often by the depth of emotion in Robert Downey Jr.'s eyes. There were times when I just felt so sad while watching this movie and now that I think about it those were almost all, if not all, times with no dialog at all. Simply the look in his eyes.

As far as "eye acting" goes, I'm a big fan of Nathan Fillion. But, after tonight, Robert Downey Jr. is definitely right near the top of the list. And not only Robert Downey Jr. Jude Law also showed impressive emotion without saying anything. Wonderful.

If you weren't a fan of these actors before this movie I can almost guarantee that will change after you see this movie.

Overall, I loved it. I want to see it again.