Boardwalk Empire Season 2 Finale "To the Lost" Review

"This is the only way it could've ended, isn't it?"

Is it? It's certainly what producer/writer Terence Winter thought, and perhaps it's true. As the ever-simmering second season of "Boardwalk Empire" comes to a scorching close, predictions are dashed,

alliances rearranged, a thousand questions posed, and a million hearts broken.

I'd might as well begin with the elephant lying dead in the middle of the room: Nucky's shocking murder of former protégé (and beloved second principal character!) Jimmy Darmody. This act was particularly chilling considering Nucky raised Jimmy essentially as a son, but at the same time this may be the most impassioned thing we've

ever seen Nucky do. Even onlooking pro killers Owen Sleater and fucking Manny Horvitz looked freaked out when Nucky fired two startlingly point-blank shots into Jimmy's face, an obvious personal sacrifice for him. This is a major turning point for Nucky's character, who has always kept his cool and his hands clean. But after uncomfortable brushes with death and the debilitating prospect of prison, Nucky clearly holds no intention of relinquishing his power and is "not seeking forgiveness" for it. He is now an irrevocably and unmistakably whole gangster (a throwback to the series premiere when Jimmy told Nucky "you can't be half a gangster anymore").

Shattered by war and a lifetime of mob violence, Jimmy has been a walking corpse since we've known him. Of course last week we got a crash course in the reasons behind his passionless marriage to Angela and the perversely passionate relationship with his mother, which explains his sudden and unpopular decision to drop out of Princeton and enlist in the Army during WWI. We knew from the beginning that Nucky resented Jimmy for this, forsaking his education and any hopes he had of creating something more for himself, but it's hard to say now if Nucky's wish for Jimmy to get out of their violent world was because he truly cared for him or because he saw an ambitious flame in the kid that could one day threaten him. More than ever over the last few episodes we've come face-to-face with Nucky's unflinching self-centeredness.

After an excruciatingly long chain of failed power struggles, we finally see Jimmy pretty well put together throughout this episode. Little do we know he's either consciously or unconsciously putting his affairs in order, collected and self-assured as he moves unarmed toward his own death. Jimmy lays the cards on the table for Nucky when he invites him to talk at his home. I don't think Jimmy is a mess here at all--bleeding from a stab wound inflicted by the father he finally succeeded in killing and pouring a sad toast "to the lost," sure--but he's quite lucid in his utter honesty. This is the prodigal son's unmistakable attempt to return home, and even if he somehow knows his request will ultimately be rejected, it's quite beautiful. After all, he's not fucking with Nucky by telling him it was Eli's idea to kill him, because it was. Eli's fucked anyway--Jimmy did try to stop him from betraying Nucky--so it feels only natural for Jimmy to give him up. Even though the reigns were placed in Jimmy's hands, he never really held them, though he doesn't deny all the mistakes he made. Even if he knows he will have to die for them, it's a testament to Jimmy's character that he's still got to "clear the air" (as Nucky so aptly puts it later on).

When Nucky calls his home that night, Jimmy doesn't even let right-hand man Richard Harrow join him to supposedly get his revenge on Manny Horvitz, asserting that it's something he's got to do alone. In the BFF's last heart-to-heart before Jimmy leaves, he beseeches Richard to "find a way to come home" (from the war). I'm eager to see what will become of Richard's heartbreakingly beautiful character, now that he's lost the only person holding him together, and the closest thing he knew to home. What will keep him from just topping himself like he planned to do earlier this season? Will he step in as father to Tommy? Perhaps steer him away from a tortured life like those that he and Jimmy have lived? Oh God, will he get busy with Gillian? Nooooo, Richard! That clearly doesn't work out for anyone.

And ohhh, Margaret. Silly, stupid Margaret. Otherwise a very smart woman, her spiritual conflict has come to a ridiculous head as she agrees to marry Nucky and then immediately betrays him afterward. Yes, Nucky's marriage proposal was unromantic, but refreshingly honest, and that's something she can be grateful for after allowing herself to be kept in the dark with him all this time. By confiding in her his fears of death and jail (perhaps not in that order), Nucky once again shows her his vulnerabilities, something he doesn't do in the company of anyone else. But while we believe he does love her and their family, he only "needed" to marry her so she wouldn't have to testify against him, and it's clear that saving his own ass is again his first priority. Which worked, by the way.

The morning after he murders Jimmy he makes a very flimsy case for Jimmy's "re-enlistment" to Margaret, which she doesn't believe for a nanosecond. It is curious then that as Nucky goes to celebrate with his associates on the as-yet undeveloped "road to riches," Margaret immediately signs the land deed (placed in her name for legal safekeeping) over to the church, instead of Nucky, as per his request. A woman scorned, I suppose, but does she seriously have a death wish? I was hoping she might get a little more inventive with it though. For a moment I entertained the idea that she would even hand it over to some federal agency, to ensure they had somewhere besides the post office from which to work! That would have been a riot. But the fucking church? Christ, Margaret, you are boring! She had better watch her pretty little pampered ass in season three. Chances are that at worst, she'll end up like Jimmy, and at best, like Lucy.

But of all these betrayals, has Nucky actually betrayed us, the audience, most of all? He's always held that "gangster with a heart of gold" thing quite well, but I'm starting to feel alienated in my sympathy for him. Twice now those nearest and dearest have come to him hat in hand, and he's spit in their face (err, shot it). Perhaps his sudden unpredictability is what makes for a riveting character. I'm just so fucking pissed at Nucky right now, but I suppose, like everyone, our relationship with him is complicated. As the constant sun around which all the tumult has always revolved, we see even an old dog like him can learn new tricks ("just try to make yourself calm...breathe, Nuck"). After a whirlwind season which left an alarming body count, "Boardwalk Empire" writers continue to show us that nothing is for certain, nothing is untouchable, no one is safe. See you in season three!

Questions: What WILL "Boardwalk Empire" be without one of its most beloved characters? What effect will Jimmy's death have on the giant machine that is Atlantic City?

No longer toeing the line between virtue and corruption, what is to become of Van Alden, a murder suspect who is now officially on the lam (with nanny and baby)? Also, are he and Ingrid officially an item? Do you think she still gets paid?

What effect will Arnold Rothstein's new interest in the heroin trade have on all of this bizness?

Don't Hate Me Because They're Beautiful: Breaking Dawn Review

Okay, I get it: "Twilight" fans (Twi-hards) can get a little crazy, and screaming tweens everywhere have largely turned off a more mature crowd from appreciating this internationally-exalted saga, a reality even some of the cast struggled with when embarking on this project. But put all the hysterical girls and Team Edward/Team Jacob bullshoot aside, and you may see it for what it is: a genuinely enthralling and emotionally appealing story. The film adaptations of the beloved Twilight series have done a very good job of translating the fantasy in a mature way. Such is certainly the case with the most recent film, "Breaking Dawn: Part 1," which was beautifully done and I would say is a spectacle bordering on exceptional.

I must begin by addressing the much-anticipated wedding scene. Is there a more profound term for holy freaking gorgeous that I should use here? Magnificent? Exquisite? Splendiferous? Before the ceremony, as Bella prepares and is fussed over in the usual way, she's a nervous wreck. She is relieved that her mom and dad come to see her, especially her dad Charlie, who is having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that his 18-year-old daughter is--instead of going to college and working a summer job at an independent newspaper or environmental non-profit--is getting married to the smolderingly protective and mysteriously wealthy young man she's known for less than two years. Well, it's too late for questions now; Bella takes a deep breath and readies herself to become a wife, something she finds harder to swallow than the metallic sweetness of human blood.

At the ceremony site, white flowers hang from the trees like a ceiling of live icicles, which most likely serve as creative shading--assurance that none of the wedding party will start lighting up like Cinderella's dress--who, by the way, has nothin' on Bella Swan. The bride is a sight of sheer perfection, her dress an exquisite modern take on the traditional Victorian style, no doubt an homage to Edward's roots and the reason for all of this: his attachment to tradition and the "right way of doing things." I mean, yeah, if he's eventually going to turn his blushing bride into a bloodthirsty vampire so they can truly live together for eternity, I don't blame him for wanting to keep some things customary. A beautiful blue-diamond heirloom hair pin given to her by her mother has been fastened into Bella's impeccable hair and holds her long, simple veil. Propped up by her father, Bella approaches the aisle, and we get a gander at the stunning back of her dress: the delicate lace cut-out--ohmygodhowdeliciousisthis--is segmented by a line of pearl buttons, which runs down the center from the neck to the tasty train. The front appears to be satin, in a feminine, form-fitting cut. Designed by the legendary Carolina Herrera, if you're near an Alfred Angelo boutique, you can try Bella's dress on. Don't be obnoxious about it, though. They're getting pretty sick of that.

Bella is still all nerves as she starts down the aisle, but through the anxiety her eyes land upon the one person that makes even the high heels worthwhile: her groom, Edward. He looks happier than Rosalie in a vat of blood and babies. Secure in knowing exactly where she's meant to be, Bella proceeds soundly toward her destiny as a vampire princess and meets Edward at the altar. They waste no time in exchanging the simple, traditional vows, played over with a moving montage of their (short but ample) history together. As they lean in to kiss, Iron & Wine's "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" plays, a throwback to their first dance at junior prom.

The reception is a gay affair indeed, complete with drinking, dancing, and snarky comments from Bella's coulda-been-best friend, Jessica (some funny, some awkward). Anyone of any great importance gives a toast to the sickeningly happy couple, last of all Edward. To paraphrase what I remember of his heartfelt speech: "I've been waiting for what seems like a very long time to get beyond what I am, and with Bella, I feel like I can finally begin. No measure of time with you will be enough, but we'll start with forever." Kay Jeweler's ain't got shit! As though this elaborate, teenage fairy tale wedding weren't strange enough, it sounds even stranger to hear this (allegedly) 18-year-old kid speak in such eloquently romantic terms about how long he's been waiting for the love of his life. If I were in attendance I would probably think he was the kind of kid who picked out his future bride's wedding dress when he was, like, five.

After a visit from Jacob, who ruins the mood by getting pissed about her plan to have dangerous sex with her vampire husband, it's time for the couple to depart. Leaving behind their cheering family, friends, and life as Bella knows it, they drive away into the moonlight, alone together at last. Somewhere in the woods, Bella hears the despairing howl of a wolf.

Edward leads her to Rio de Janeiro, where they spend a couple hours smooching in the vibrant streets before pulling her on the last leg of their journey, to Carlisle's private island off the coast: Isle Esme. We know Bella is a simple girl, but even she has to admit that shit is riDICulous. Bella is more psyched about the fact that, after holding up her end of the deal (a wedding), Edward must now hold up his (some sex). It's on!

I must say I was slightly disappointed in the PG-13ness of the "big sex scene" that was so hyped up, considering there wasn't much of one to speak of. We see them getting hot and heavy, which drives Edward to break the headboard with one hand (hot), but then it cuts right to the next morning with Bella waking up in a ravaged bed, down feathers flying. Shwing! I know we're supposed to get the idea, but with so much build-up to the culmination of their act of love, we're dying to experience more of that epic passion (that's not just me, is it?). Of course it does closely echo the book in that way, and Stephenie Meyer, good Mormon that she is, probably doesn't want to spill all of Edward and Bella's secrets.

Ironically challenging though it may be for Bella to get her new husband to touch her again (after seeing the bruises he left on her from their first lustful night), this is the best honeymoon ever. She gets to spend the next two weeks (or however long she would have wanted) on their private beach, hiking and playing chess with her sparkly lover, transforming herself each night to seduce him with a different piece of lingerie. Dream come true much?

Of course their dream honeymoon is interrupted with the sudden realization that Bella is--gasp--pregnant. What? How? Possible? Despite Edward's deadness, he's clearly got some live ones down there. There is a great shot where, after Edward declares they are leaving to "get that thing out," Bella observes herself in the bathroom mirror. She caresses herself--her belly, her face, her hair--as if seeing herself for the first time. She is suddenly a whole new person, with a destiny which has just veered sharply in a new direction. "Thing?" she says to herself in response.

They rush home, of course, where Bella spends the next few weeks growing more pregnant and sickly by the day. Totally unwilling to take the advice of everyone (except Rosalie) and somehow terminate the pregnancy, Bella suffers horribly for this mysterious new life. Jacob stops by shortly thereafter, at which point she is pretty damn pregnant and at the same time little more than skin and bones. I must give credit to the makeup and special effects department here--she looks awful! The movie does a good job of showing how twisted and disgusting Jacob finds this development, but the book goes into so much detail (as the chapters switch up the narrating points of view) of his complex turmoil--his shattered fantasies of her one day carrying his child, naturally round and healthy, and the ceaseless agony of knowing that he could never fulfill his primal desire to destroy Edward without destroying her too. Whew. Gosh. Intense.

Of course now that Jacob knows what's up with Bella, the rest of the wolf pack has to know. Drama ensues, loyalties waver, yadda yadda yadda.

Finally (after what, a month? Maybe two?), Bella goes into labor just after announcing to the family, including Jacob, her baby name selections: for a boy, Edward Jacob (EJ--gross), and for a girl, Renesmee (Renee + Esme). (Man, Edward seriously has no say in any of this, does he?!) The birth of a vampire hybrid baby is uniquely gruesome, of course, which means they must act fast. Edward cuts their baby out of Bella, who lays eyes on her once before she goes still. When Edward tries to hand the baby girl to Jacob so he can give his attention to his dying wife, Jacob refuses to acknowledge the monster responsible for Bella's death. Good thing, because if he had looked into Renesmee's eyes and imprinted just then as he would hours later (when in doubt, show a montage--it works!), they would've been all wwhhaaa??!! as if they didn't have enough to deal with at the moment. Edward hands the baby to Rosalie, who is more baby-crazy than bloodthirsty at the moment, and joins Jacob in the attempted resuscitation of Bella, who is so disgustingly dead. Amazing makeup and digital effects here, again. She surely looks like a corpse.

Nobody could predict what the actual delivery of the baby would be like, but they did anticipate having to "change" her at the last minute, to ensure her survival. Jacob, thinking she's gone, storms outside in outrage and grief, while Edward delivers a straight shot of his venom into Bella's lifeless heart, "Pulp Fiction" style. Maddened and desperate, he then bites her entire body, ensuring the venom will catch, and she will return to him. Though she still lies cold, Carlisle assures him the vampire venom is working; he can feel her pulse. Little do they know she will burn soundlessly in excruciating pain for three days before she opens her eyes again, reborn in red. Vampire Bella is going to be so badass.

This all sounds so fantastical, because it is. Even the most ardent Twi-hards are aware of the fantasy factor here, yet they suspend it for a couple hours every time they watch one of the movies or read one of the books. Is this not the nature of romantic fantasy, to ensnare us so fully that we are left breathless? If the story of Twilight achieved anything less than that, it would not have become at all what it is today. Truthfully, what girl wouldn't want this cosmic love affair with a deathless hottie who never farts, gets fat, or bitches about who's going to take out the garbage? Better yet, whose love is whole and unwavering?

If anything makes it difficult to distinguish fantasy from reality, it's that Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella) are a real-life couple. Young, beautiful, talented and famous, these two are a teen girl's wet dream (sorry, Justin Bieber). Though while "Robsten" undoubtedly have their faults and struggles, Edward and Bella are perfect, and it is the filmmakers' job for us to become as enamored with them as they are with each other. Well, we are. Mission accomplished, Hollywood. So suck it, haters. Seriously.