AKA Jessica Jones

Marvel's Jessica Jones is the second MCU property to be brought to Netflix, after Daredevil, which was released earlier this year. Jessica Jones is also noteworthy as it is the first MCU property released to have a female title character.

Krysten Ritter stars as Jessica Jones, a former superhero turned private investigator suffering from PTSD, still reeling from the aftermath of a breakup. Mike Coulter stars as Luke Cage, who will be featured in his own Netflix series early next year. Finally David Tennant stars as Redgrave, a villain with the power of mind control.

The series begins very strongly, and it gained so much momentum within the first few episodes that I wondered if it would be able to maintain this energy throughout, and I wasn't disappointed. The show is genuinely gripping from start to finish, and I watched the show at breakneck speed, to the detriment of exam revision.

The show is so much darker than previous Marvel properties, and much more violence, whereas most mainstream MCU film are targeted at a young adult or teen audience, Jessica Jones is aimed at an adult audience, and thematically it explores themes of rape, free will and sexuality.

I must admit there is something undeniably erotic about seeing two gifted humans with super strength going at it, it's something that's intrigued me for quite a while, and we finally get to see it on screen.

It seems impossible to believe that this was written by Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote all of the Twilight films, in all of their reductive post-feminist glory. More action is crammed into the first episode of Jessica Jones than into all five excruciating Twilight films.

Part of what makes this series so great is just how visceral all the action is, I've never before flinched during an MCU title, watching Iron Man attack the Hulk during Age of Ultron did nothing for me, because I knew it wasn't real. The action in Jessica Jones is scarier, because I feel every punch, every hit, because it all seems so much realer than watching computer generated characters punch each other with no gravity or weight to them.

I'm praying that we'll see a second series of Jessica Jones before The Defenders miniseries comes to Netflix, and given the buzz surrounding this series, I'm confident that we will, for me this remains one of my favorite MCU titles to date. Jessica Jones is dark, thrilling and gripping entertainment.

Mockingjay - The Final Flight

Mockingjay - Part 2 is the final installment in the Hunger Games Saga, starring all of the same cast as previous installments, this film is the final chapter of Katniss' story, and shows her final defeat of the Capitol.

Politically the themes of this film show much more depth than previous installments, rather than the film being simply about revolution, and rebellion, this film is about the nature of good, and evil, crossing the line where the oppressed become the oppressors. Where the dictated who have risen up and overthrown their dictators become the dictators themselves.

During this film Katniss realizes that the battle between good and evil is often an internal one, she sees the rebellion growing in power and influence, and she begins to question their purpose and morals. She starts to distrust the leader of the rebellion, Alma Coin and she gradually comes to doubt the sacrifices she has made.

The film also discusses the nature of victory, the fact that nobody really 'wins' a war, all victors experience loss and pain. This is discussed throughout the series as a whole, and this theme is first explored during the first film, in which Katniss and Peeta lose so much, although they are considered 'victors'. At the end of Mockingjay, Effie Trinket encourages Katniss to 'find the life of a victor'. To finally find peace.

Unfortunately Mockingjay, which could have been a glorious finale to the Hunger Games Trilogy has been split into two films, as is often the case with these films, this has left part 1 slow and quiet and lacking any real climax, however it has made part 2 even better, the final film is now chock full of action, and the vast majority of the film shows the rebellions battle in the Capitol.

I was however impressed with Mockingjay - Part 2, the film seems well thought out and well acted, and it doesn't rob us of the opportunity to say a final farewell to the characters we've grown to love over the years, even if those goodbyes are brief. Mockingjay - Part 2 is a satisfying conclusion to what has undoubtedly been one of the greatest young adult sagas since Harry Potter.

AHS: Hotel

It isn't exactly a surprise to my readers that I am a huge fan of American Horror Story, combine this with the appearance of one of my favorite songwriters now turned actress, and you have a pretty good recipe.

The cast of this years season, titled Hotel, is filled out by new and returning actors, man-god Matt Bomer makes a reappearance, as do his perfectly chiselled cheekbones, as does Kathy Bates, playing his mother. AHS regulars Sarah Paulson and Angela Bassett are back and Finn Wittrock returns after his triumphant debut in Freak Show.

New to the cast is Max Greenfield, known mostly to viewers through his work on Fox sitcom New Girl, and Naomi Campbell appearing as part of her much touted return to acting, which started with appearances in Empire.

This season is much darker than previous seasons, and in some ways the show combines the campy visuals of seasons like Freak Show, and the cold metallic drama of seasons such as Coven or Asylum. 

Visually the show is a treat, the vast majority of the drama takes place in the Hotel Cortez, a hotel owned by the mysterious and deadly yet beautiful Countess. The hotel is a beautiful art deco masterpiece featuring a magnificent three storey lobby.

This season has gotten notably more mixed reviews than previous seasons, though the ratings have been better than ever. And in some ways I agree with the reviews, whereas with other seasons, I loved them at first, and my interest slowly trailed away, this being notably true of Freak Show. The first episode of Hotel successfully piqued my interest, whilst not really giving me any idea of what the show was about.

And if the first episodes seemed slapdash, its because they were, and deliberately so, this episode has unfurled like a jigsaw, throwing the pieces out onto the floor, and then slowly putting them together, and unfurling the story that way.

This is ultimately a very good strategy, because it forces the viewer to continue watching, it provides just enough information to grab us.

Finally the most important question, can Lady Gaga actually act, it was tough for most reviewers to comment on this given that she only had two lines in the first episode, but surprisingly the answer is yes, she really can, and what could possibly make this season better, is a lot more Gaga.

Hotel is definitely one of the better seasons of AHS, and it even rivals AHS's debut, Murder House, which is no mean feat.