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Monday, March 28, 2016

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone


Emilia Clarke Is Sick of 'Game of Thrones' Sexism Complaints

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"Game of Thrones" may be one of the most popular shows on television -- and has the Emmy hardware to prove it -- but it's not immune to backlash. One complaint that's gotten a lot of traction lately is that the show is sexist, something that surfaced most recently after last season's controversial Sansa storyline. Now, star Emilia Clarke -- a.k.a. Daenerys Targaryen -- has struck back, declaring that the sexism criticism couldn't be further from the truth.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Clarke discussed what fans can expect in the upcoming sixth season, and, like she's teased before, the actress promised big things ahead for her character and the rest of Westeros. But when asked to address what critics have been saying about the show's approach to female characters, Clarke dismissed that talk, explaining to EW that the series is actually a great one for women.

Here's what the actress told the magazine:

There's so much controversy. Yet that's what's beautiful about 'Game of Thrones' – its depiction of women in so many different stages of development. There are women depicted as sexual tools, women who have zero rights, women who are queens but only to a man, and then there are women who are literally unstoppable and as powerful as you can possibly imagine. So it pains me to hear people taking 'Thrones' out of context with anti-feminist spin – because you can't do that about this show. It shows the range that happens to women, and ultimately shows women are not only equal, but have a lot of strength.

Sophie Turner said some similar things during a recent interview, and we'd certainly agree with Clarke that the show features a huge spectrum of women. You can choose sides on the issue yourself when "Thrones" returns for season six on April 24.

[via: Entertainment Weekly]

Photo credit: Helen Sloan/HBO

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New 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Season 2 Teaser Is Better Than Better

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unbreakable kimmy schmidt, kimmy schmidt, teaser, season 2, netflixWe're less than a month away from the arrival of season two of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and the show is celebrating with a brand new teaser brimming with the infectious -- and sometimes misguided -- optimism that made our titular heroine so lovable.

The clip features Kimmy returning to New York after her outing to Indiana in the season one finale, declaring, "I'm back, and better than better!" That certainly seems to be true, as she proceeds to approach everyday annoyances -- spilling your coffee, crashing your bike, getting a parking ticket -- with her own unique rose-colored (or in this case, candy-colored) touch, making things a little bit brighter, if not necessarily any better.

Titus also pops up to belt out the "Peeno Noir" refrain (which will never get old, as proven by the "Orange Is the New Black" crew's recent ode to the tune), while Jacqueline dons her sunglasses to block out all the confetti that rains down upon the chaotic street scene. As the tagline says, our girl is making the world a Kimmier place, and we couldn't be happier about it. Based on everything we've seen so far, Kimmy's promise that "It's gonna be the best year ever" certainly seems true.

Season two of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" hits Netflix on April 15.

Photo credit: YouTube

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Watch Awesome Marvel Supercut to Prepare for 'Captain America: Civil War'

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Attention, Marvel Cinematic Universe students, you have a new homework assignment to complete before "Captain America: Civil War" launches Phase 3 on May 6.

Please carve out seven minutes to watch the new supercut, "The Road to Civil War" from Charles Villanueva of MCUExchange. It's a fairly comprehensive visual history, showing us the evolution of the Tony Stark/Iron Man () vs. Steve Rogers/Captain America () conflict.

The video includes footage from the Iron Man and Captain America movies, so far, including "Civil War" clips, plus footage from the two Avengers films to date. As Entertainment Weekly noted, the supercut even put in some footage from the MCU TV shows, "Jessica Jones" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Here it is:

Do you not have chills? Seriously. This is masterful work.

Here's Hydra to tell you what happens if you do not complete this viewing assignment by the May due date:

via GIPHY

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What's New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: March 28-April 3

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At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's new on Netflix, we've got you covered.

New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

"Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens"
Perhaps you've heard of this little indie film? Own it you can this week. Mmm. Yes! Let The Force be with you - always - when "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" makes itself available, first April 1 on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere, and then April 5 on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD. As you might expect, the release comes with a wealth of bonus features, including an in-depth "making-of" documentary, deleted scenes, and several other featurettes.

Check out this deleted scenes teaser:
"The Path" (Hulu)
Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, Sarah Jones, Hugh Dancy, Minka Kelly, and Kathleen Turner lead the stellar cast of this intriguing new Hulu series debuting March 30. "The Path" follows a family at the center of a controversial cult movement as they struggle with relationships, faith, and power. According to Hulu, "Each episode takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want. The series blends elements of mystery-thriller, romance, and mysticism."

"Norm of the North"
Outcast polar bear Norm heads to the Big Apple on a mission to save his Arctic home in this animated feature, which was -- wait for it -- polarizing with critics and audiences. It's available on Digital HD March 29, and Blu-ray/DVD on April 19. Bonus features include deleted scenes, a "Do the Arctic Shake!" Sing-Along, "That's Funny! The Movie's Best Jokes & One-liners," and an Arctic Challenge Trivia Game.

Check out this exclusive clip, showing how different poor Norm is to everyone around him: Norm of the North (2016) - Deleted Scene

"Justice League Vs Teen Titans"
Because you can never have enough superheroes, here's an animated feature from the DC Universe, coming out on digital March 29, and on disc/demand/home media on April 12. The film follows Robin, who is forced to join the young super team and soon has to help lead them in a fight against the mighty Justice League, after they are possessed by the demon Trigon. There's a great voice cast, including Jon Bernthal, Taissa Farmiga, Jake T. Austin, Brandon Soo Hoo, Kari Wahlgren, Sean Maher, Jerry O'Connell, Jason O'Mara, and Rosario Dawson.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

"The Hateful Eight"
Quentin Tarantino's explosive frontier mystery -- with an Oscar-winning score from Ennio Morricone -- arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on March 29. Special features include two featurettes: "Beyond the Eight: A Behind-the-Scenes Look" and "Sam Jackson's Guide to Glorious 70mm."

"Concussion"
Will Smith's sports bio drama on the dangers of football-related head trauma has its home release on March 29. Blu-ray features include nine deleted scenes, audio commentary with director Peter Landesman, and the featurettes "Crafting Concussion" and "Inside the True Story." The DVD has "Inside the True Story" and the director commentary.

"Humans" Season 1
AMC has renewed the underrated sci-fi series "Humans" for an eight-episode Season 2, but you can catch up on Season 1 when it's released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 29. The story is set in the near future, where technology has advanced enough to create life-like humanoid servants called Synthetics (synths) who help busy families and basically act like slaves. However, there's more to some synths than they seem, and we see that play out through the backdrop of a family drama.


TV Worth Watching

"The Walking Dead" (Sunday on AMC at 9 p.m.)
Steven Yeun - The Walking Dead _ Season 5, Episode 9 _ BTS - Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMCThe April 3 grand finale to Season 6 was bumped up to 90 minutes, so you know it's going to be a dirty, bloody, mess. Negan is coming, like actually showing up in the flesh for once, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan is expected to do very bad things to (at least) one of our own. There's almost no chance fans won't leave this episode upset, it's just a matter of how upset we'll be.

"Empire" (Wednesday on FOX at 9 p.m.)
Season 2 returns March 30, and there's mourning to be done in Episode 11 when "Death Will Have His Day." Here's FOX's synopsis: "Lucious [Terrence Howard] declares he will do anything to regain his power, but Cookie [Taraji P. Henson] has her own ideas; a major tragedy changes the lives of the Lyon family."

"Trainwreck" (Saturday on HBO at 8 p.m.)
HBO and HBO NOW have a list of new titles for April, including the unrated cut of Amy Schumer's comedy, which has its premiere on Saturday, April 2.

"Banshee" (Friday on Cinemax at 10 p.m.)
The fourth and final season of this Cinemax crime drama starts (no joke!) April 1. Antony Starr stars as Lucas Hood, an ex-con and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, PA, where he continues his criminal pursuits while enforcing his own code of justice. There are eight episodes ahead, and in the first one -- called "Something Out of the Bible" -- Lucas becomes immersed in a new Banshee crisis involving a vicious serial murderer.


New on Netflix
This week marks the start of a new month, and that always means a ton of new titles are coming, and others are going. April is no exception. Here are just three great films arriving on April 1:

• "The Princess Bride" (1987)
• "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968)
• "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)


Check out more here.

"The Ranch: Part 1"
Also arriving April 1 is this Netflix Original comedy starring Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Sam Elliott, Debra Winger, Elisha Cuthbert, and Kelli Goss. Kutcher stars as Colt, a failed semi-pro football player who returns home to Colorado to run the family ranching business with his older brother Jameson "Rooster" (Masterson) and father Beau (Elliott), whom he hasn't seen in 15 years.

Check out the official trailer:

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Jon Lovitz Is Apparently Engaged to Jessica Lowndes, and Everyone Is Confused

Posted:

UPDATE: The engagement was all an elaborate prank to promote Jessica Lowndes's new single.

ORIGINAL POST:

As that wise mystic Selena Gomez once said, the heart wants what it wants. Over the weekend, the hearts -- or at least social media profiles -- of comedian and "90210" spinoff alum Jessica Lowndes declared they want each other. Lowndes even flashed what appeared to be an engagement ring, when not flashing some Easter photos and bed shots with her new man.

He's 58. She's 27. So gross? So what? Twitter just got "Jon Lovitz" trending, in its confusion about this random new couple, and suspicion from some parties that it's some kind of PR stunt.

But Lowndes called out "haters" on Instagram, and Lovitz replied to someone he felt was clearly "jealous" that Lowndes is young enough to be his daughter. You can hear Lovitz's voice in the background of the Insta video in bed, and in the other video, Lowndes tells fans she has not been "hacked," she's just excited to finally share this secret with everyone:

And I love me some old cows... �?�?��?

A photo posted by Jessica Lowndes (@jessicalowndes) on




When bae films you waking up in the morning... ð�?�?�?❤️ð�?�? #TooOldToUseHashtags #MrBig

A video posted by Jessica Lowndes (@jessicalowndes) on

Being happy never goes out of style â�?ºï¸ð�?�?�?

A video posted by Jessica Lowndes (@jessicalowndes) on



So that's weird, right? It's their lives, so they can do what they want, but they can't be surprised if fans raise their eyebrows at the news. But congrats.

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Frustrated 'Once Upon a Time' Fans Get 'Emma Deserves Better' Trending

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Usually when "Once Upon a Time" airs on Sunday nights, you just see #OnceUponaTime trending, but last night fans promoted a different cause: "Emma Deserves Better"

The March 27 episode, Season 5, Episode 15, "The Brothers Jones" focused on Killian/Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) and his brother Liam. At one point, Hook told Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) he wasn't sure he deserved her, or saving, and Liam told Emma she was to blame for everything, and wasn't good enough for Hook.



Well, all of that -- and more -- pushed several fans to band together and share their frustrations at Emma's storyline. They miss when her story wasn't all about Hook/any relationship, or they want her to be in a better relationship than Captain Swan. For some fans, that relationship is Swan Queen, with Regina (Lana Parrilla), even though you could certainly argue that Regina has hurt Emma as often as Hook.

"Emma Deserves Better" was already trending before things got meta and Regina told Emma that she's too good for Hook. But some Hook fans also defended him, using the same theme.

Here are just a few of the fan reactions:



At least fans are still passionate about the show, and the characters, five seasons later. Twitter has become a rallying point for frustrated viewers, with #_____DeservesBetter now showing up pretty frequently, especially after Lexa's shocker on "The 100."

Do you agree that Emma deserves "better" on "Once"? If so, what would that look like to you?

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'The Conjuring 2' Trailer: Welcome to England's Amityville!

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"After everything we've seen, there isn't much that rattles either of us anymore," Lorraine Warren () says toward the start of the new "Conjuring 2" trailer. "But this one? This one still haunts me."

This one is the story of "England's Amityville," following a family in North London dealing with a possessed little girl who apparently goes full Linda Blair in a seriously haunted house. In the trailer, Lorraine tells her husband Ed () that she had a premonition of his death, saying the family is just a pawn and "something inhuman wants to kill you." Thanks for the tip!

This is all happening around Christmas, which is a particularly scary time for crosses to turn themselves upside-down on the wall. While a haunting version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" plays, we see these words on screen: "Discover the truth behind the event that shocked the world."

Here's Warner Bros.'s synopsis for the film, from horror maestro :

"The supernatural thriller brings to the screen another real case from the files of renowned demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. Reprising their roles, Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, who, in one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits."

Check it out:
'The Conjuring 2' (2016) Official Trailer #2

Be afraid. Be very afraid! "The Conjuring 2" in theaters June 10, 2016.

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The 21 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix Right Now

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Stop everything: "Blade Runner" was just added to Netflix. This densely-layered sci-fi classic from Ridley Scott is one we'll happily watch and rewatch in any version.

It's just one of several gems of the genre you can stream right now, including Jodie Foster seeking alien life in "Contact" and the mind-bending indie "Primer." From "Star Trek" to "Galaxy Quest," we got you covered.

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Tyrion Takes Charge in New 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Photos and Footage

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There's been a lot of talk about Jon Snow's fate in "Game of Thrones" Season 6, but what about some of our other favorites, like Tyrion Lannister?

HBO has given us a lot to analyze in the past month, from that first major trailer to this new "March Madness Promo" with fresh footage, and a few new photos from Entertainment Weekly.


The main trailer already gave us the line from Tyrion, "You are in the great game now, and the great game is terrifying." The new promo adds the preceding question, "Are you afraid? You should be." Who is he talking to? Grey Worm, perhaps?

The main trailer also showed Tyrion descending into a dark space, holding a torch, which hints to a visit to Daenerys Targaryen's other two dragons. A key takeaway from the new promo is a shot of Tyrion seeming to take Dany's place as acting leader in Meereen, stepping down from her throne to speak to a group, flanked by Grey Worm and Missandei.
We also see Tyrion in a new photo shared with EW, and it looks like Varys will finally show up to help him. Here's the caption EW shared with the image shown at top:

"Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill) on the streets of Meereen. The duo will strive to manage the city using Westeros-style politics to keep it from once again falling into chaos."

Beyond Tyrion, the new trailer teases the High Sparrow saying (probably to Margaery), "We are sinful creatures. We deserve death. We all do." We also see a shot of Cersei Lannister looking at something with tears in her eyes, then closing them. Is this before or after she tells Lancel, "I choose violence," as she does in the main trailer? In EW, Lena Headey teased that Cersei's walk of shame only "worsened things" and she hasn't found any humility at all. "It's fueled her desire for power and her desperation to prove that she's somebody worth considering."

Here are some other new images from EW:



"Game of Thrones" Season 6 premieres April 24 on HBO. In the meantime, you can watch Peter Dinklage host "Saturday Night Live" this weekend on April 2.

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'Walking Dead' Season 6 Finale Ends on Biggest Cliffhanger, Lauren Cohan Warns

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Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) - The Walking Dead - Season 4 _ Gallery - Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/AMCPrepare yourselves, "The Walking Dead" fans: This time next week, you are going to be very upset.

The Season 6 finale, Episode 16, "Last Day on Earth," airs Sunday, April 3, 2016 on AMC, and even though it'll be supersized from 60 to 90 minutes, it's still going to end on a major cliffhanger. (More major, apparently, than what they just attempted with Daryl in Episode 15.) That's the scoop from Lauren Cohan, whose pregnant character Maggie Greene just got her haircut and, more alarmingly, got some serious stomach pains.

The cast and producers have been talking up the big finale, which is meant to feature the debut of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's much-mentioned mega-villain, Negan.

"It's the biggest finale I've ever seen in television," Lauren Cohan told Entertainment Tonight. "In any episode of TV, maybe barring the last episode of 'The Sopranos,' but that's a different kind of fish." Interesting. She also said, ET reported, that all bets are off in the last few minutes.

"It's the cliff-hangerist episode," she said.

Will the episode end with Negan breaking out Lucille, his best girl/weapon of choice, a barbed-wire-covered baseball bat?


SPOILER ALERT!

STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ POTENTIAL FINALE SPOILERS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE!


It seems like no matter how they end things it'll be a cliffhanger that upsets fans, but maybe not in the way we've been expecting this whole time. Fans have been busy debating who Negan will kill -- with Glenn (Negan's target in the comic book) and Daryl appearing to be the top suspects, but Carol and Michonne also jumping onto the list. Plus, there's always the idea that TV Negan won't stop at just one kill.

However, there have been unconfirmed rumors on The Spoiling Dead Fans that the cliffhanger isn't AFTER we see who Negan kills, but before -- showing the kill from the first-person point of view of the victim, so we don't see who is killed, we hear the screams but the who is the big cliffhanger held over until Season 7. However, that may just be a rumor. Fans will be LIVID if they have to keep asking "Who did Negan kill?" until October.

END OF SPOILER ALERT


Check out these previews of the Season 6 finale, and make your guesses on how this chapter of Alexandria vs. Negan will end.


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'The Walking Dead' Season 6, Episode 15 Recap: It's All Over

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the walking dead, season 6, daryl, norman reedus, east, TWD, 615, recapI must have rewound the ending of tonight's episode of "The Walking Dead" at least five times, but I'm still no closer to figuring out exactly what happened, something I'm sure was intentional. This series loves itself some confusing cliffhangers, and after the debacle that was the Glenn death fakeout, the showrunners are probably relishing the fact that viewers can't ever really trust what they see (or in this case, barely see) onscreen until it's spelled out later in suspension of disbelief-challenging detail.

Here's what appeared to happen: Dwight shot Daryl at point blank range, and most likely killed him, with that blood spatter on the camera lens serving as a gory exclamation point to the shocking scene. Of course, said spatter – and the wonky camera angle – also concealed exactly where on his body Daryl was shot, suggesting that perhaps he was merely wounded (say, shot in the shoulder, like he was back in episode six). Dwight's looming voice assured Daryl (and viewers), "Don't worry, you'll be alright," as the frame faded to black, though I'm not sure he's correct.

That's what's become of "The Walking Dead": The show is now simply a series of scenes that can be interpreted in a million different ways, intentionally ambiguous to the point of being ridiculous. Did Daryl die? Did Daryl live? Who knows? We're not likely to get any real answer to that question in next week's season finale; if we do, it can't possibly be a satisfying one. Clearly, I still have some residual anger leftover from the whole Glenn situation, but that brings up another point: If everyone is expendable, and yet everything we see is up for interpretation, how can a shocking development ever truly be shocking? The next time Glenn faces a life or death scenario, conventional wisdom says he'll live, since he's improbably done so before. The same goes for Daryl, who's escaped more close scrapes than should be humanly possible (the aforementioned gunshot – from which he miraculously immediately recovered – and the stab wound he suffered in the midseason premiere come to mind). Who's to say he didn't dodge Dwight's barrel at the last second, sending someone else's blood flying? I can't, and while some may argue that keeping fans guessing – and interested – is a sign of a quality program, my interest – and patience – is rapidly waning as I'm put through the emotional wringer yet again for seemingly no reason.

I have the same issue with Carol's storyline, which continues to confound me. This week's episode depicts her preparing to leave Alexandria, packing up survival supplies and patching up her jacket. But it turns out that she's actually sewing a secret compartment into the sleeve, concealing a gun, which she later uses to mow down a group of Saviors that attacks her on the road. So, she does exactly what she pledged not to do (kill), and furthermore, she knew she'd have to do it, preparing the gun just in case. So, again, why did she need to leave Alexandria? If she believes that killing is necessary, doesn't want to do it for her friends' sake, and yet turns around and immediately does it anyway, then doesn't that completely negate her reasoning for going solo in the first place? She did seem conflicted about it, pulling the same hyperventilating routine that she used on Paula's crew, and weeping as the Saviors' bodies fall and the smoke clears. But if she was truly committed to this revised worldview, maybe she just should have let them kill her instead.

I've heard an interesting theory that this entire crisis of faith thing is nothing more than an elaborate act on Carol's part, and that she actually left Alexandria to hunt down the rest of the Saviors herself. (Is that what Nancy from Montclair would do?) Considering she used the same move on yet another group of Saviors, and then tricked/killed them, too (and all while clutching that rosary), it's certainly not outside the realm of possibility. I'm not sure what's real and what's an act with her anymore, but I don't find that ambiguity intriguing; I just find it annoying.

In an argument with Rick about people's potential to change, Morgan brings up the moment in season four when Rick discovers that Carol is the one who killed the disease-ridden Karen and David, in an effort to curb the sickness from spreading throughout the prison. Rather than sentence Carol to death, Rick sent her to live in exile; later, she was able to return and save Rick's crew from the cannibals at Terminus, proving that "people can come back" if you give them the opportunity to change. Unfortunately, Morgan seems to have forgotten that Carol saving our core survivors at Terminus meant killing a bunch of other people, a big flaw in his logic that Rick either doesn't realize, or simply doesn't point out because he'd stopped listening after Morgan said "all life is precious" for the umpteenth time. That Rick later seems swayed by Morgan's argument, after Morgan reveals the chain of events surrounding his captured Wolf's change of heart (with the Wolf saving Denise, so she could save Carl), is ridiculous, but no more so than hearing "Everything gets a return" again. (Stop trying to make that phrase happen, Morgan. It's not going to happen.)

All this circularity (Morgan's favorite topic) seems to be pointing toward Morgan himself eventually having to kill someone, most likely a Savior, in an effort to save Carol. He hesitates and initially declines when Rick offers him the handgun, but he does take it. Earlier, he wonders aloud why Carol said she couldn't kill, and yet still laid waste to four Saviors (you and me both, dude). "She could, because she had to," Rick retorts. "Sometimes, you have to." I'd imagine that all this is leading up to a Big Moment for Morgan, in which he either takes a life or loses his own. (Not that I would really miss him, honestly. The series has obviously run out of story for him, and Lennie James probably has better things to do with his talents than wave around a stick and talk about circles.)

Setting aside what may or may not have happened to Daryl (and seriously, it would be a real shame if that's the way showrunners decided to kill him off after all this time, which is why I suspect it's another ruse), there are quite a few other people who could potentially be on the chopping block, too, including Glenn and Michonne, who have been captured by the Saviors. This, after both of them are allowed some intimate, blissful screentime with their respective significant others, a sure sign that everything is about to go terribly wrong. Maggie and Glenn's sexy shower scene felt especially earned, since they haven't had many moments together this season, let alone happy ones. Of course, the bubble bursts when Glenn notices significant bruises covering Maggie's torso, the result of her rough run-in with Paula's crew (and perhaps a sign that she sustained a more significant injury than initially indicated after she took a knife to the gut). Toward the end of the hour, after Maggie asks Enid to give her a haircut (her cryptic reasoning for the change: "I have to keep going. And I don't want anything getting in my way"), she experiences excruciating pain, clutching her stomach, screaming, and doubling over. It appears she may be having a miscarriage, or perhaps suffering from some internal bleeding; whatever's happening, it's not good, and will no doubt lead to even more sorrow down the road.

There were similar sinister undertones during Rick and Michonne's bedroom scene, with the co-constable's cocky declaration that everything would be fine should they encounter the Saviors again. "When they come for us, we'll end it," he promises. "The world's ours. And we know how to take it." I get the sinking feeling that that prediction will prove patently false. As Glenn points out later in the hour, the world is much bigger than they initially thought, as the discovery of the Hilltoppers and the Saviors has proven. And the Saviors already know a lot more about the Alexandrians than the Alexandrians know about them, immediately guessing that Carol came from their ranks because they recognized the spiked car from outside the settlement's gates. However many of them there are, their membership is sprawling enough to surround Alexandria in every direction, and just wait for one of Rick's people to walk into a trap. That that happened to so many of our survivors tonight only reinforces how stupid it is to send multiple people out on search and rescue missions that only require one or two bodies at most. And it certainly suggests that the Saviors are going to win this particular battle in what promises to be a brutal war.

Other thoughts:

- I was disappointed that the show didn't go for the obvious religious reference on this Easter Sunday and center a storyline around Jesus, though Michonne did make a throwaway reference to Jesus really coming through for them. I think many Catholics would agree.

- That Rick and Michonne scene really played up the characters' chemistry, and I loved how comfortable and natural they looked together. I found the whole apple thing pretty odd (who eats fresh fruit first thing in the morning, while still lying down in bed?), but I did enjoy that Rick's declaration, "This is good," could apply to both the snack and their relationship. Of course, now that I'm completely invested in their coupling, one of them is totally going to die, aren't they?

- Speaking of all the hooking up happening in Alexandria, Rick and Abe share a moment near episode's end where they both admit they're afraid of opening themselves up to a new relationship, and the vulnerability that that requires. "But now, I think I'm that much more ready to tear the world a brand new a—hole," Abe says. I repeat: Someone is totally going to die.

- This week in excellent music cues: Johnny Cash tune "It's All Over" soundtracks Carol's exit from Alexandria, as well as a montage of the rest of the settlement going about their daily business. During that scene, we see Carl examine a curious carving on the butt of a handgun stolen from the Saviors, a nod to things to come next week.

- My question from last week about the weapons being wheeled out to the front gate has been answered: Maggie is stockpiling barrels full of guns and ammo so that they'll be at the ready at the guard posts, should the Saviors come calling.

- Daryl leaves the compound because he wants to track down Dwight, in an effort to absolve himself of his role in Denise's death. Daryl insists that he should have killed Dwight back in the burned-out forest, and because he didn't, Dwight was still alive to kill the doctor. I appreciated that this served as a direct argument against Morgan's belief that saving a life is always the preferred choice.

- I really enjoyed Rick's obvious awe over Carol's ass-kicking abilities. "That woman, she's a force of nature," he marvels. Agreed. Now if only she'd remember that about herself.

- One of the Saviors that Carol shot (but did not kill) is wearing some sleek black boots, which we've seen before: on the man searching the forest for Dwight and Honey back in episode six. Black Boot Guy follows Rick and Morgan into the field, clutching Carol's rosary, and he looks pissed. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him.

- That field – complete with its rustic barn and bucolic surroundings – is just screaming to be the setting for a shabby-chic hipster wedding, right?

- Near the barn, Rick and Morgan see a man – clad in what appears to be body armor – fighting with some walkers. They're wary of each other, and as Rick demands to know who he is, the man flees. Rick aims to shoot him, but Morgan knocks Rick's arm, causing the constable to miss. Dude, you may not want to kill anyone, but Rick has no problem doing so – and the next time you touch him while he's firing his weapon, you might wind up as his next target.

- I enjoyed the odd encounter with the aforementioned mystery man, who explains himself thusly: "I'm just looking for my horse. Have you seen him?" (That phrasing reminded me of a verse from a certain Kanye West classic.)

- Glenn and Michonne, on their way back to Alexandria, are suddenly surrounded by Saviors, tipped off by some coordinated whistling echoing through the trees. Sadly, it's not Katniss Everdeen, but Dwight and co. God, can you imagine how much better this show would be if Jennifer Lawrence was on it?

- Next week is the season finale, and honestly, I'm relieved; I could use a break from all this misery. AMC isn't providing screeners, so my recap probably won't be up until the wee hours of the following morning. This bleary-eyed writer will see you then.

Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC

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