We Need To Discuss the Series Finale of Breaking Bad

   We really need to talk about this. Last year my boyfriend and I started Breaking Bad and we watched all the way up to the second to last episode of season 5. I had heard some mixed reviews about the series finale so we put it on hold until last Sunday. I still feel very conflicted over it. Warning: If you haven't watched Breaking Bad, a) who are you and b) this post will contain a lot of spoilers.
   The series finale left me feeling very unsatisfied, but also feel like the ending made a lot of sense. However, killing off our beloved Walter White was very unnecessary. Had we just ended on season 4, everything would have been fine and dandy. Then again, I think that was the point of season 5. To me, I felt like seasons 1-4 dealt with Walter's struggles of providing for his family and being able to afford nice things compared to his other friends. During that time Walter was a family man and he was somewhat unsure of his drug business and tried to keep his family out of it. That's what made it so interesting to me. A simple chemistry teacher has this secret life that no one would expect from him. Let's be honest here, Walter White did not appear to be intimidating at all. If you saw him on the streets, you would think he was they typical family man. But as we see him progress, he gets so much cooler. When he shaves his head for the first time, you know things are about to get real.
   Season 5 Walter is a completely different character. This is the corrupt Walter. The family man we loved before is gone. I feel like season 5 was all about Walter's internal struggle between what's right and what he actually wants to do. He says it all in the series finale. Everything he has done was for him. It shows just how much this business has corrupted him. He has lost everything and it is all because he wanted the money and he was really good at cooking meth. It doesn't justify the ending, but how he communicates to Skyler and devises this plan to set things right and put an end to it redeems him. Not to mention how awesome his plan was. Only a truly brilliant man like Walter could come up with that neat little gun contraption. I do understand how the show couldn't have ended happily. With that being said, Vince Gilligan, you should have stopped the show at season 4 so I could feel more at peace. I have several complaints. For starters, I wish Walter and his son would have had some resolution. Walter Jr.'s last words to him were "just die already." Well good news, Walt Jr., he does. At one point Walt Jr. looked up to his father which shows when he discovers the truth about Walter. He's angry and upset and in disbelief. Truly heartbreaking. Also, I would have liked to see Jesse and Walter make amends. I get that the whole "I watched Jane die" thing is a set back on their friendship (if you can call it a friendship), but they have been through so much together and it made me sad to see that all come to an end. Plus, Jesse could have showed a little appreciation seeing as Walter saved his life in the end. Now my third and final complaint: what happened after Walter's death? Walter's death broke my heart, but I really want to know what happened to his family after they find out. Were they sad? Did Walt Jr. regret everything he said? What did Jesse do? Did the Schwartz's actually give Walt Jr. the money Walter gave to them? I need answers.
   All in all though, Breaking Bad was easily one of the best shows I have ever watched. Even the series finale was iconic. You don't come along very many shows like this one, so it was nice getting to enjoy it. If you haven't watched it yet, they have all the episodes on Netflix and I promise it's binge worthy. Just be warned because I definitely wanted to cry after the series finale. It changes you.

Star Wars: Just a Remake?

   Everyone has been talking about the new Star Wars movie. In fact, Star Wars: The Force Awakens surpassed both Titanic and Avatar in box office earnings (my boyfriend told me that, so I am not entirely sure how accurate that fact is). However, despite popular opinion, I was not too crazy about it. 

   The movie begins with Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) helping Finn (John Boyega) escape from the First Order. After a space ship crash, Finn is left to find BB-8, a droid who has come in contact with our heroic lead, Rey (Daisy Ridley). *Spoiler alert* Rey and Finn come across the Millennium Falcon and meet up with Han Solo and Chewbacca. Long story short, Rey learns she is the new master Jedi and must team up with the Resistance to defeat Kylo Ren and the rest of the First Order. This whole plot does sound oddly familiar though right? That's because this movie is none other than a remake of the old ones. Now don't get me wrong, I am happy that we are establishing a new version of Star Wars for the new generation. But I would appreciate a new story with a new plot. The equivalent is making a movie about Harry Potter's son going to Hogwarts only to find that Voldemort's heir is hunting him down. 

    Now this movie did have some pretty amazing aspects to it. The effects were amazing. My boyfriend and I watched the first six together before we saw this one together and the difference from a visual stance is significant. I actually felt like I was in the galaxy fighting the First Order with the Resistance. Plus how can you not love BB-8? He is almost as cute as R2D2. 

   However, I was slightly disappointed by Kylo Ren, or Darth Vader 2.0 I should say. He even has his own helmet and everything. First of all, he is Leia's and Han Solo's son; so naturally, I assumed he would be a very attractive man. When he took off his helmet, I was expecting a darker more mysterious Zac Efron type of guy. But, I was very wrong. All I got was a huge nose staring at me from the screen. Now don't get me wrong, Adam Driver did a very nice job of portraying his character, but he was no Anakin in anyway shape or form. I did not feel the passion of Kylo Ren like I did with Darth Vader. In the older movies, I felt Darth Vader's conflicted feelings. Kylo Ren just made me mad. That is the honest truth. Darth Vader and I had some ups and downs. There were times where I thought I was done with him. We were on and off through the whole series, but in the end I learned to like Darth Vader. I am not so sure about Kylo Ren. There are a lot of things we still do not know about him; but after the stunt he pulled in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I'm not so sure I will ever like him. 

   In conclusion, if you are a Star Wars fan, then I highly do recommend this movie. It was definitely not my favorite and it doesn't even really compare to the originals. However, it is still incredibly entertaining and just an overall fun and flashy movie.