I’ve been accruing a Pinterest Board of Favourites Scenes from TV series, TV trailers, and YouTube TV homages, so I thought I’d share some. Almost all of them (not quite all!) are accompanied by a meaningful song, which, I guess, shows the power of music in storytelling.

Years ago, when I was fresh out of high school, I dreamed of directing music videos for a living. At that point in time, it seemed the most creative, wonderful job anyone could have. I’m sure the reality is quite different but to this day, I retain a fascination with music vids; hence some of my sporadic blogging on the topic.

Anyway, as my current storytelling obsession is watching TV series, occasionally I encounter a scene that taps strong emotions in me. Below I share some of them with you. Please let me know your own experiences.

Marianne x

 

Person of Interest S2 Episode 10 Gimmeee Shelter

John is captured and his wooden expression is surprisingly evocative to those who know his character. ‘It’s been fun, Harold.’

The music is a stirring counterpart, and I’m not even a Rolling Stones fan. This scene has given me much greater love for this song.

 

 

The Blacklist

Spine tingling juxtaposition of song and scene: psychopathic Reddington and Gordon Lighfoot’s Sundown. Perfection!

Unfortunately this is only a snip of the whole thing. I’m waiting for someone to put the entire scene up on YT.

Saving Grace

This is not a scene for an episode, but a mix of images that encapsulate a wonderful, ground-breaking series that I found life changing. Grace Hannadarko in all her quixotic moods.

Veronica Mars

Only a Veronica and Logan love scene could play out like this. Dialogue at it’s most realistic. No music for this one.

Orphan Black

The Clone Dance is creepy, sexy, funny, and a testament to Tatiana’s acting ability. I’ve watched this hundreds of times.

The Bridge

The Bridge theme song is haunting, sinister, bleak. I mean seriously BLEAK.

Bleak. Bleak. Bleak. I feel lonely every time I hear it.

 

 

Edge of Dreams is the 2nd book in the Diamond City Magic series.When I read the blurb, it sounded exactly like my kind of book, but I was hesitant to start it as I had not read the first book in the series, and I was concerned that that would be difficult to pick up the story threads. However, Edge of Dreams did stand up pretty well on its own. So while I am eager to go back and read more about Riley and Co, I didn’t feel as if I was at too much of a disadvantage by having not read Trace of Magic.

Edge of Dreams takes place not long after Trace of Magic ends. Riley is a tracer with a unique ability, which is made very public. As a result, she is in demand–not only by those that genuinely are in need of her abilities–but, of course, by those that wish to exploit them. This is where things become complicated, as it is not always clear to Riley (and the readers), which of these camps she is dealing with.

The main antagonist is ruthless and psychotic, and is clearly “The Villian”, but other characters in the story are not as recognisable as being “Good” or “Bad”, and that is one of the elements of this book that I enjoyed the most. This is what gives depth to a character. It is rare in life to find people that are all “good” or all “bad”; and, as a result, the reader will be in for an occasional twist or turn.

Magic, drugs, betrayal, love, family and friendship: this book has it all. The pace of the writing was fast, the setting believable, the characters interesting and flawed, and the magic unusual. I found it hard to put the book down, and at no point throughout the book was I bored.

Almost from the first second, I knew that Riley was going to be so much fun, and a handful, and she was. Talented, tough, independent (too much so at times), full of snark and with many issues, she is a character that I can relate to a lot. Riley tries to protect herself, to the extent that not even those she loves can get close to her; but she is such a loving, giving person that she acts without thought at times (well often), and lands herself into trouble. While she is constantly in hot water, she doesn’t strike me as someone who needs saving by others. There is a lot going on with Riley, and while she is aware of some of the issues that have shaped her, she isn’t aware of the blocks that have been placed inside, and so she tries to work around these internal traps to the best of her ability, and appears to be much more flighty and incapable than she really is. Through the course of the book she does save herself with a little help from others and some luck .

Riley has unwanted bodyguards following her around. Who has hired them is a big mystery. Shey also has a loyal team of friends and family, as well as an “ex” love, Clay, and his brother, a mafia-type. They add colour, contrast, and tension to the book. The system of Magic that Diana Pharaoh Francis has created is very intriguing. Francis takes elements of other systems and works to give them her own unique spin. Tracer, Reader (reading emotions NOT thoughts), Metal Tinker (now that is a cool talent to posses), Healer are just some of the talents that characters possess. Not everybody in Diamond City has magic talent, though, and the very popular drug, Sparkle Dust, enables users to experience magical abilities, or to try out other abilities, but with very little control.

Riley is hired by a member of the Diamond City police force to help trace her nephew and his friends. Very early on into the rescue mission, she finds herself in hot water, and from there on in she is constantly hopping in and out of messy situations and at times fighting for her life. Along the way she uncovers family secrets, learns more about her abilities, tries to overcome her own fears of intimacy and trust, and find love.

I would highly recommend this book to lovers of urban fantasy. It is suitable for older readers and is an easy, fast read, but there are also topics that would make it more suitable for an older reader. I will definitely be tracking down Trace of Magic, and waiting impatiently for the third book in the series.

Edge of Dreams by Diana Pharoah Francis

Bell Bridge Books (April 15, 2015)

ISBN-10: 1611945852

ISBN-13: 978-1611945850

 

CIA analyst, Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), spends her days as the brains behind the missions that her field agent partner, superspy Bradley Fine (Jude Law), embarks on. Initially joining the CIA in the hopes of making a difference for her country and having a more exciting life, she has never-the-less taken her mother’s advice and settled for relative obscurity.

When one of Fine’s missions goes sour and all of the CIA’s active agents are compromised, Susan seizes the chance to finally get into the field. With her loyal friend Nancy as her eyes and ears, an Italian lecher as back-up, and the most embarrassing toiletries bag ever at her disposal, Susan is ready to take on the International arms dealers threatening the world.

Films like this can always go one of two ways. Either they kill it on every level, or fall flat with the jokes never quite hitting the mark. The trailer was entertaining, and Melissa McCarthy almost single-handedly salvaged Bridesmaids for me, so not seeing it was never an option. The fact that I love spy spoofs just added incentive.

With so many movies and shows of a similar genre out there, it’s fantastic that Spy managed to keep the spy spoof fresh and hilarious. It’s as crass as Archer, as over-the-top as Get Smart and as unabashed as Austin Powers – but it has a distinct essence all of its own.

The cast has a superb energy; each of them really bouncing off the others in the comedic scenes. Jason Statham is the biggest – and best – surprise as Agent Rick Ford. Of course he’s not new to comedy with the brilliant Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch under his belt, but the way he fuses the tough guy character with the bumbling side-kick is hilarious. Melissa McCarthy’s Susan Cooper is also amazing. Her flair for improvisation and her comedic timing makes her the glue in Spy, holding all of the other characters and the plot together seemingly with ease.

Aside from how hysterically funny Spy is from start to finish, it also has an astounding amount of amazing female characters. Aside from her friend, Nancy, Susan’s boss is a woman who is acerbic as hell without being vilified for it. The main villain that the CIA is keeping under surveillance is female and rather than being out to destroy her at any cost, Susan is able to identify with her when her drink is tampered with. It’s refreshing to see such strong themes of female friendship in Spy.

Spy looks like the kind of movie that would have been incredibly fun to make, and it was just as fun to watch. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there’s a follow up with all of the original cast members.