Top 5 Entirely Improvised Films

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September 14, 2015

In the history of film, there are a handful of iconic scenes improvised during filming, or born from unscripted moments on set and kept in the final edit of the movie.

I have come to realize that in the last few years, some of my favorite films happen to be (almost) entirely improvised. It certainly seems to be a more prolific style among independent filmmakers, and I find that it can mean success when they cast the right actors.

Let’s go through some of the best-improvised movies — that is, those who not only have a few improvised/unscripted scenes, but most of the feature has been created from the actors’ own interactions, with a minimal script outline. In no particular order:

DRINKING BUDDIES (2013)

Joe Swanberg has become a reference when it comes to improvised films. He’s had a prolific directing career since 2005, but the first movie I saw of him was Drinking Buddies.

It was fairly evident that it was ad-libbed for the most part, and I don’t mean that as a negative thing. The chemistry between Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson made it so easy to stay engaged. Even supporting actors like Ron Livingston, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Sudeikis were surprisingly good at this, and the story remains fresh and realistic throughout. It will make you crave some beer, for sure.

After Drinking Buddies, Swanberg released Happy Christmas (2014), which honestly didn’t rise up to the expectations. It had the same improvised formula, an interesting plot, but the actors didn’t seem to be at their A-game (especially repeater Kendrick), and they’re the ones the director needs to rely on the most. I will say that Melanie Lynskey stole the scenes she was in, though. There’s a special charm about her that I love.

Despite this, I’m very much looking forward to seeing Swanberg’s latest film Digging for Fire (2015).

LIKE CRAZY (2011)

Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones lead this fantastic movie by Drake Doremus. He admitted to only having an outline for the script, and the dialogue is improvised. The young actors aced it, crafting this story about a long-distance relationship in the most meaningful way. Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Messina also starred in minor roles in the film.

Doremus recently directed Equals (2015), a sci-fi drama which was received at this year’s Venice and Toronto International Film Festival with mixed reviews. It is led by Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, and Guy Pearce.

THE ONE I LOVE (2014)

This is Mark Duplass at his best, and Elisabeth Moss doesn’t stay behind. Essentially, the script for this movie lacked all dialogue except for the few scenes where they required some kind of special effect when they were given a few more guidelines. All in all, it is a solid, intriguing, and at times funny debut feature by Charlie McDowell that will grab your attention from the beginning.

Duplass also starred in Your sister’s sister (2011), a highly improvised film by Lynn Shelton, who has directed several episodes of comedy shows like New Girl, The Mindy Project and Fresh Off the Boat.

BLUE VALENTINE (2010)

This film took several years to be made, and director Derek Cianfrance wrote over sixty drafts for it but decided to scrap them all right before shooting and let the actors improvise their scenes. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling had been attached to the project for 7 and 5 years, respectively, so they had an idea of the story. They filmed the first part of the movie chronologically, when the main characters meet each other, and then Williams and Gosling spent a month living together before the filming resumed. Cianfrance wanted to wait six more years for this, but producers refused. The result is a compelling movie about falling in and out of love.

COHERENCE (2013)

My love story with this incredible micro-budget film can’t be summarized in only a few lines. It’s in my Top 3 favorite movies of all time, and if you haven’t seen it… well, I’m disappointed. If you like sci-fi and subtlety brilliant filmmaking, check it out without knowing anything about it. No trailer, no nothing.

I didn’t know this the first two times I saw it, but the movie was shot in a way in which only one of the actors (because he was the “co-writer”) and the director, James Ward Byrkit, knew where they wanted it to go. They fed the actors some small directions and clues, and the rest was all for them to develop. Mind-blowing.

Ward Byrkit is also credited as one of the creators of the story for the Gore Verbinski’s first animated feature, Rango (2011).

BONUS: AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013)

What I’ve come to learn from my research about improvised films is that the only way they can work is when, apart from the right actors, you have a somewhat solid story you want to tell… with a defined plot.
I thought American Hustle was the most overrated movie in 2013. There, I said it. At some point, David O. Russell had a script and a good idea for this. When he gave the actors some free rein, the project took a turn, but Russell stated that he cared more about the characters than the plot. That’s why his film turned out to be the mess that it was, but it was an improvised movie nonetheless so that it could have made my list.

BONUS #2: VERA DRAKE (2006)

I can admit to not having seen this movie, but I remember it being nominated for several Academy Awards. Truth be told, director Mike Leigh is known for utilizing improvisation in his films, drawing dialogue from conversations with the actors during pre-production, for example. He actually won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2005 with Vera Drake, and he admitted to having sent a script for the Academy, but “actually the screenplay that was nominated doesn’t exist. The film is the screenplay.”

BONUS #3: SHADOWS (1959)

This was John Cassavetes’ debut feature film. He’s been named the pioneer of American independent film because he directed and wrote a dozen partially self-financed movies, and he was also the first to use improvisation.
At the end credits of Shadows, you can read: “The film you have just seen was an improvisation.”

What do you think of this style of filmmaking? Have I missed any entirely improvised films?

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Coming This Fall: Komori-san wa Kotowarenai

By

GJ Corban

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September 14, 2015

Today we’re going to talk about Ella Enchanted the Anime– I mean, the shortform comedy Komori-san wa Kotowarenai!. The synopsis is a little odd this time around…

“Fourteen-year-old Komori Shuri is a junior high school girl who is too nice to decline requests. Constantly doing favors for other people has given her incredible strength!? But even so, she is also an adolescent junior high school girl. A manga overflowing with the ups and downs of everyday life!” (Source)

Komori-san wa Kotowarenai!, or Komori can’t Refuse!, will be animated by Studio Artland, known mostly for Mushishi, directed by Kenichi Imaizumi, known for Hitman Reborn, and is an adaptation of a manga by Cool-kyou Shinja, who’s repsonsible for I Can’t Understand what my Husband is Saying.

That’s all we really have on this show. We don’t have a trailer, or promotional images, all we have is some staff, a synopsis, and a release date. So let’s speculate a bit shall we?

Normally, I’d say this show has little to no chance of actually being good. Artland may have worked on Mushishi, but their work lately looks more like weird Magical Detective Girl shows, or terrible ecchi shows. Mr. Imaizumi may have directed Hitman Reborn, but most of his work comprises of terrible ecchi shows, the best recent show of his being Brynhildr in the Darkness. Couple this with the strange synopsis, the fact that it’s a shortform, and the manga covers, and it seems like we aren’t getting anything special.

But then we have I Can’t Understand what my Husband is Saying, which was animated by Seven, a very small company known for works like Recorder and Randsell (and currently airing stuff like My Wife is the Student Council President), and directed by Shinpei Nagai, who could only direct yuri and hentai (which couldn’t even make it through production). Yet the end result was fantastic.

In conclusion, this show might not seem like it’ll be all that great, but considering the track record, and the fact that at the longest it’s only eight minutes I implore you to check the first episode out, I know I will.

Komori-san was Kotowarenai! will begin aring on October 4th, 2015 for the Fall 2015 season.

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Horror Remakes That Stand Up to the Original, Part I

By

Khuwailah Beyah

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September 14, 2015

I’m a bit of a snob about some things. A purist if you will. I like the original versions of songs to the their (usually) less-than-stellar remakes. And when it comes to film classics, WHY would you want to tamper with greatness? ESPECIALLY where horror films are concerned.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

There have been some exceptions to that rule in both music and in film. Let’s take for example The Man in Black, Mr. Johnny Cash. He recorded a heart-wrenching, true-to-life cover of the Nine Inch Nails classic, “Hurt.” In his voice and in his delivery of that tune you not only heard, but felt the weight and the truth behind the lyrics. “You could have it all; My empire of dirt. I will let you down; I will make you hurt.” Garth Brooks (and Adele) put his spin and the Boy Dylan classic, “To Make You Feel My Love,” and it was great, filled with melancholy and a haunting loneliness that tugged at your heartstrings. And let’s not forgot the incomparable Ms. Aretha Franklin’s version of the Otis Redding song, “RESPECT!” What was once a song about a man seeking his woman’s support and respect became a call to arms for women all over the planet when Aretha sang it. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T; Find out what it means to me.”

The instances when remakes/reboots of classic movies are just as good as the original is a rare occurrence, but there are few worth watching:

In 2007, musician/artist/screenwriter/director Rob Zombie made one of those remakes worth watching. He put his spin on the 1978 classic Halloween. The story focused on Michael Myers, the disturbed boy who stabbed his older sister to death one Halloween night and was institutionalized until he escapes from custody and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, IL and goes on a murderous rampage. The 1978 version is blood curdling and downright creepy. The silent and stoic Myers shows not emotion and kills with efficiency. We never hear his voice. We never see him run after a victim and this lends to the terror that he strikes in our hearts.

In Zombie’s rendition we hear Michael speak for the first time. We see the adolescent Michael going to school, being bullied, and interacting with his family. We see the once human side of this killer and it adds a depth to the story and character that was not there before. Rob Zombie humanizes the killer. It was an interesting and gutsy move by the director to tackle a part of Myer’s adolescence to illustrate a sliver of how he became such a menacing creature. Was it his early tendency to kill birds and other animals in his youth? Or, was it the death of his mother that finally drove him over the edge? A little Nature vs. Nurture. Brilliant!

While it has plentiful blood and gore, Rob Zombie doesn’t make it into a Halloween/House of 1000 Corpses mash-up. It stands on its own. Malcolm McDowell (he’s no stranger to ultra violence) adds a quirky neurosis and ego to Dr. Loomis that wasn’t there before. Scout Taylor-Compton added an edge to Laurie Strode, but only in the sequel; that edge didn’t exist completely until Jamie Lee Curtis portrayed her in later sequels. Zombie’s vision of “Halloween” is chilling and effective. Perhaps we should call this a rendition instead of a remake.

What do you think?

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‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ – A Strong Sequel that Changes up the Formula

By

Kieran Freemantle

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September 13, 2015

In the battlegrounds of Young Adult novel adaptations, The Maze Runner series is one of the stronger offerings. From a $34 Million Budget it made ten times that at the box office and earned decent reviews. A sequel was inevitable and “The Scorch Trials” expands the universe while the characters having to find people they try to figure out who to trust.

“The Scorch Trials” picks up where the first movie left off: the Gladers are taken by a Special Forces team to a military facility run by Janson (Aidan Gillen). Janson promises the teens that they are safe and they are saved from the subtly named WCKD. But Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), along with another kid, Aris (Jacob Lofland) discover that Janson is actually working for WCKD and all the survivors of the Glade suffer an uncertain fate if they stay. Their only hope is to escape to the mountains and find a fabled rebel army, avoiding WCKD, bandits and zombie like beings called Cranks in a hostile desert environment.

“The Scorch Trials” is much more expansive movie then The Maze Runner, showing the wider world of the franchise. The Maze Runner was basically a sci-fi version of Lord of the Flies about a society of young people coming up with rules to function and having conflicting ideals while also incorporating elements of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave where all the characters only know the world of The Glade and need to find out what the real world is. It was a taut sci-fi mystery as the boys and eventual girl try to figure out who they are, what lies beyond the walls and figure out who put them in The Glade and why. The first act of “The Scorch Trials” keeps this mystery style, the characters not knowing who to trust, who the people who took them really are and what they are doing to people to whom they promise are going to a safe zone. It was like Michael Bay’s The Island where the characters are claimed to be found from an wasteland, kept in a concrete facility and discovery that there are being used for the benefit of others.

When the Gladers break out of the facility is the moment “The Scorch Trials” changes from being a sci-fi mystery to a non-stop post-apocalyptic actioneer. All the zombie action makes “The Scorch Trials” into a PG-13 version of The Walking Dead, Gladers running away from the hordes, going through ruined cities and seeing different group trying to survive in the desert environment. One scene that could have easily have been fitted in The Walking Dead – where a group of bandits have zombies chained up and uses them as guard dogs. Post-apocalyptic movies like the Mad Max series comes to mind when in The Scorch because of the desert environments and the clothing of most of the characters are like the good guys in the “The Road Warrior” and “Beyond Thunderdome”. Even the basic plot is similar to “Fury Road“, that a group of people are on the run from an organization that want to use their body against their will and look for a paradise: but this is more a coincidence due to how soon the two movies having come out very closely to each other.

Wes Ball returns to the director’s chair and keeps a very fast pace. When The Gladers start to escape from the facility Ball keeps the action going as they escape from zombies and face off against WCKD’s forces. The best moments are the action sequences when WCKD raid a building run by bandits and a sequence where two characters avoid a group of determined zombies. It was near continuous catch movie. However some of the action is reliant on shaky cam because as The Gladers avoid the zombies and worst still is most of the action takes place in the dark and was very poorly lit.

Ball comes from a Special Effects background and “The Scorch Trials” excels on this front. The ruined cities were fantastic to look at, filled with detail, being areas of sand, rock and rubble. It is scenery that could stand alongside the best post-apocalyptic cityscapes. The money was well spent. A sequence in a tunnel that is cover in blood was influenced by a similar scene in James Cameron’s Aliens, showing an action-horror influence. That sequence does have an obvious CGI rat, but to dwell on it would be splitting hairs.

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-44_igsZtgU[/embedyt]

“The Scorch Trials” is a very dark movie for a YA adaptation. The zombies were very degusting creations, creatures that had ripped out their own eyes which is a truly horrific look and idea to have. When someone is inflected with the Flare Virus it has a truly gruesome look as their body decays before they succumb to it: the transformation could easily fit in an R-rated zombie movie let alone a YA adaptation. A powerful moment comes when the character leave an infected person and stop when they hear a gunshot. The lab within the facility had a very eerie look, using harsh blue lighting while two characters walk in a room with character dangling from the ceiling.
[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDofO3P2HpE[/embedyt]
The surviving members of cast all return and perform and they are strong in their respective roles. They are also joined by some older actors like Gillen, Giancarlo Esposito and Rosa Salazar. Gillen is the face of the villains and he brings his distrustful quality that he brought to Game of Thrones as Lord Baelish, AKA Littlefinger. He was an effective villain, being a sleazeball, but his naive Irish accent did split through occasionally. Alan Tudyk appears briefly as a distrustful man in the desert and is allowed to camp it up; he brings a lightness to a very dower movie.

“The Scorch Trials” is commendable for changing up the formula of the first movie, setting out a bigger world and being a different type of story. It is a darker tale and should easily please fans of YA dystopia movies while also being a strong post- apocalyptic action movie in its own right.

Disclaimer: this review is based on the British version which has been slightly cut to receive a 12A certificate.

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Coming This Fall: Dance with Devils

By

GJ Corban

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September 13, 2015

We’ll be taking a break from Action/Mecha shows to take a look at the Demonic Supernatural Romance, Dance with Devils. Animated by Brains Base, known for Baccano, and directed by Ai Yoshimura, known for Oregairu, this anime has already been dubbed by many, “Diabolik Demons.” That might seem confusing at first, what does this show have to do with Diabolik Lovers? The fact that Dance with Devils is also a reverse harem and is an adaptation of a game from the same company responsible for Diabolik Lovers. Not convinced? Just read the synopsis.

“‘Das ich erkenne, was die Welt im Innersten zusammenhalt, schau’ alle Wirkenskraft und Samen und thu’ nicht mehr in Worten kramen.’ ‘That I realize what keeps the world together at heart, look at all effectualness and seeds and don’t rummage in words anymore.’ At a street that looks nostalgic, in Shikou Village. Ritsuka Tachibana, a second year high schooler who attends Shikou Gakuen. She spends a peaceful school life with her mother Maria, but the balance will collapse one day—. Is that a person or a devil? This is a story of a girl who is being loved and charmed by beautiful devils.” (Source)

Still unconvinced? Check out this trailer, which is one of my favorite anime trailers of all time.

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRHa0PYS2xE[/embedyt]

I honestly love this trailer, I love the abrupt change in tone about a minute in, I love the fact that the dog got his own character intro, I love the horrible CG staircase at the end, I just love this trailer.

That said, this show isn’t terribly exciting. Mostly due to how all over the place the entire show is. We have a director whose done some great shows, but this is a reverse harem, which have never been considered very… good. The show is animated by Brains Base, but it doesn’t actually look very well animated. It has damn cool trailer, but it also has the one featured above. It’s not about vampires, but it’s about demons.

Dance with Devils Best Boy — This guy must be Best Boy, the description even says so! “… is very popular with the ladies.”

The show is a huge mixed bag, it has promising staff, but a lackluster trailer.

Dance with Devils will start airing October 7th, 2015 for the 2015 Fall season.

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[Review] Wasted Emotion – Charlotte ep. 11

By

Logan Peterson

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September 13, 2015

Yep, hated this week’s episode. And I know I’m probably alone here. Everyone else seemed to have loved last weeks episode, so I’m sure that they will love this weeks as well. But I just can’t force myself to feel anything for these new characters they’re focusing on. And I don’t know if it’s just something I’m missing here, or if the show really expects me to care about these people who I know nothing about.

Episode Summary

Yu and Ayumi reunite with their brother and find out the origin of special abilities. Yu is under base rest so other people can’t get to him. But there was a mole in the organization and everything goes to shit. Yu has to go alone to try to resolve it, but is forced to use collapse to save his own life. Meanwhile, Kumagami and Nao, who were captured, are underground while Yu collapses. Kumagami protects Nao by shielding her from falling debris, but gets impaled to the point of near death.

Episode thoughts

I really don’t want to write another article about why I hated another episode of Charlotte, especially since it seems like I’m in the minority on the matter. But believe me when I say I really like this show and hold it in rather high regards. So if it seems like I’m being harsh, its only because I have come to expect a certain quality from this show. And while these last two episodes weren’t bad, they haven’t been in the same quality as everything that’s come before it. Go look at my episode ten review here and see what I mean. There’s just something with these episodes that is ruining this show for me. But it’s not like I don’t know why. So hear me out, because I am going somewhere with this.

But before I get to things I have problems with, there are still things I like about this show. And if anything this episode still has some of the essence that made Charlotte a good show. For one the animation and framing are still top-notch. And that combined with the pacing of drama, almost made me feel something when Kumagami died. But that probably had to do more with Shunusuke’s reaction to his friend dying and the way it was shot. Another thing that this episode is doing is giving us somewhat of an end game with the whole super power plot. And that, well that’s a good thing and a bad thing.

So those are the things I liked about this episode. And since I feel like I can’t have enough of a buffer I’ll say it again. This wasn’t a bad episode. But the thematic elements that I’ve learned to love from watching Charlotte are being wasted, and for me thats unforgivable. If i’m not harsh than I’m not being true to my feelings for the show. And the last thing I would want to do is do a write up that isn’t how I feel.

One of the main reasons I talked about the last episode not working for me is the new characters they introduced. And this episode, again, feels like a bunch of wasted emotion. The show is shifting its drama to characters that have been either insignificant or non-existent until an episode or two ago. And the tone of the show is making it seem like I should be emotionally touched when these tragic or touching scenes happen involving these characters. But I’m just not. And I don’t think I missed any special development for these characters that would make me care,

During the whole torture scene with Kumagami I was watching it with a blank stare, while only wincing at the attempted edge factor the show was trying to incorporate. But again it didn’t work because I wasn’t emotionally connected to the person getting tortured or the person torturing. A good example of torture would be when Yu went on his rampage after Ayumi died. Sure you don’t care for anyone who was being tortured but you cared about Yu and the effects his torturing was having on his mental state. The only time I cared here were the brief moments with Nao in peril. That is, until her scene in her underwear took me out of it and made me question, why?

You know, that’s the word that crossed my mind the most during this episode, why? I feel the show is losing it’s direction and loosely trying to find some conclusion. All of the events that cause conflict seem really ass-pully, as to force a conclusion that could’ve been written better. And it’s felt this way ever since Yu got his memory back. But that’s not to say the sequence of events don’t make sense. It’s the thematic direction of the show and the fluid ways things tie together that has been compromised.

All the progress with Nao and her brother have been lost, and it seems like we’re heading towards a doomsday ending. And yes, the events may seem intense from a shallow glance. But the thing that hooked me on Charlotte was the well-developed characters and how they dealt with the situations that would follow. It’s been three episodes now and Jojiro and Yusa haven’t shown up at all. And Nao has only shown up to be someone who gets amazed by info or motivation for Yu. It feels like she’s slowly devolving from a character, but to be fair everyone is doing that a little. Nao just a little more than I thought she would.

Like I said I think the show is suffering from wasted emotion. It’s trying to piece together its complicated plot that it took too long to reveal. While at the same time caring less about the characters and just using them as vehicles for the plot. And I just can’t find it in myself to care for vehicles, I really can’t.

During the whole scene with the chauffeur and his hostage family, it didn’t feel like it had any emotion behind it. I’m sure emotion was intended. But it just felt like I was watching a script play out. It felt like just another stepping stone to get to the conclusion they wanted and nothing more. Also the explanation and reasoning behind his hostage family is the insulting in how dumb it is. And the reason that Yu can’t just go back in time or the hostages will know is also stupid. Its like the writers realized that time travel could solve everything too late, so they needed to put this in or else the rest of the shows conflict would be too easy. Again another example of letting the importance of the plot ruin the tone of the show. And as far as I’m concerned Charlotte has been ruined. But there’s nothing I’d like more than for it to prove me wrong. So go ahead Charlotte, you got two more episodes. Prove me wrong!

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“Psylocke” skills on display

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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September 13, 2015

Proving that she is committed to the role of Betsy”Psylocke”Braddock, Olivia Munn posted one last training video on her Instagram account.It seems as if Olivia has thrown herself into this role and really has transformed herself into quite a bad ass. Check it out !

One last freestyle session for the road… #DaxGymMontreal @teambillieve @karine_lmx

A post shared by Olivia Munn (@oliviamunn) on Sep 12, 2015 at 8:43am PDT

X-Men: Apocalypse is due to come out in May of 2016.

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Disney’s ‘The Jungle Book’ Teaser!

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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September 12, 2015

You’ve noticed recently that Disney seems to be quite obsessed with turning animated classics into live-action movies. In recent months, we’ve received word that Tim Burton is directing Dumbo and Reese Witherspoon is starring in a Tinkerbell movie. All of this seems to be a direct result of the amazing success of Disney’s live-action Cinderella, which far exceeded the expectations of the studio.

The next one hitting the theaters is Disney’s Jungle Book directed by Jon Favreau. If you follow Disney Studio’s Instagram account, you can get a sneak peak of the trailer that’s due to be released on Monday. Remember, that it was widely reported that the trailer stole the show at the D23 fan expo a month ago. As you will see, the images are simply breathtaking but we don’t see any of the animal characters. I guess we will have to wait for Monday. Jungle Book is scheduled to hit theaters in April of 2016.

https://instagram.com/p/7iXRFLDnJP/?taken-by=disneystudios

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New ‘Deadpool’ Image

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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September 12, 2015

The new image features Deadpool chilling with Negasonic Teenage Warhead, it seems he is trying to connect with the young teen by reading a Judy Blume book to her.

As you can see, Deadpool has a way with children.

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Steven Universe – “Nightmare Hospital” Review

By

Anthony Wendel

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September 12, 2015

SPOILERS for the episode in question follow.

Episode Description: “Steven and Connie go on an adventure to rescue one of Pearl’s swords from Connie’s mom.”

The burning question after watching this episode: How good of a doctor can Connie’s mom be when she actually thought Gem mutations were humans who had been in accidents? One of them didn’t have a head and the other had three arms and a gem stone for a face. Those are some pretty clear indications that something is wrong. Moving on.

Connie’s growth this season has been a joy to watch. She continues to be Steven’s support, she took up sword training, and now she has come clean with her mom about all the crazy stuff that’s been going down while she is with Steven. She really is a joy as a character, and watching her fight side by side with Steven is precisely what the fans have been waiting for. Seeing them beat the gem mutations with ease probably had many fans cheering.

Lion keeps being equal parts helpful and frustrating. He is coming and going with too much plot convenience. He wasn’t there moments earlier when they needed to hide the sword, but when he can no longer help in that situation he returns to help Steven and Connie get to the hospital. How long can they really keep the mystery of what he is going?

There is a moment of heartache in the last few second where Steven looks from Connie sharing a hug with her mother and back down to his mom’s sword. It’s little heart clenching moments like this that make the show so enjoyable. Poor kid.

From this episode on, Connie will probably not wear her frames anymore as she doesn’t have to hide her eyes, which were healed by magic. Growth is always good, and more episodes like this will keep fans coming back to cheer on one of their favorite supporting cast members.

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