Best superhero TV show ever. Hands down. Bravo to Cox and D'Onofrio! To say I'm excited for season two is an understatement.
Herr Starr pretending to be on the phone was everything.
Finally some REAL whitewalker action! And Daenerys and Tyrion!! Perfection.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Baby Reindeer’:
Please give Richard Gadd ALL the awards. From storytelling to performance, he was incredibly compelling. And incredibly brave.
What sets this show apart is the fact that we’re watching a very heavy, difficult-to-watch story unfold… portrayed by the very person who endured it all. It most definitely affects the experience as a viewer. Your emotions are heightened and you’re more invested than watching something that’s solely acting.
I’m not familiar with Jessica Gunning, who plays our lead’s relentless stalker. I can’t imagine it was very easy to take on this role, and yet she did it so masterfully. She made us despise Martha, while also giving her some semblance of a soul, where we in turn discover a bit of sympathy for the character. Again, not easy.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Moon Knight’:
Moon Knight needed a helluva lot more Moon Knight.
I was surprised to find how difficult this series was to get through. With only six episodes, I thought I’d fly through it — but that wasn’t the case. I was never truly captivated and drawn in by the story, which I found to be somewhat scattered and fairly uneven.
The show’s greatest strengths were the Egypt setting (it felt very fresh for the MCU) and Oscar Isaac, who is absolutely phenomenal. There were some strong and unique moments here and there.
3 Thoughts After Giving Up on ‘Sherlock’:
I made it through two seasons before I had to give up on this show. I can honestly say there wasn’t a single episode I enjoyed, and I am perplexed as to why people praise it so much. The stories/cases are insanely convoluted and overly complicated. The pacing is set to warp speed with zero time to absorb what’s happening. Things would occur for no particular reason. I found myself blaming my brain for not doing its job sufficiently when, in fact, it was this show attempting to come off as genius, when it was simply and plainly not being clear or making much sense. I know I’m in the minority, but this was not very entertaining.
The talent is here. There’s no questioning Cumberbatch and Freeman. However, the same can’t be said for their characters. I’m sorry, but Sherlock was just NOT likable. It’s cool to be cocky and cranky, with moments of humanity shining through, but we didn’t get enough of those endearing moments for him. And Watson was completely pointless and underused as a doctor. Again, why do people love this show?
Moriarty, the infamous arch-nemesis, was set up SO poorly. His intentions were never truly clear. His relationship with Sherlock had no foundation, no buildup, no depth, no substantial meaning. He would pop up in random intervals for random reasons. Yet he was presented to the audience as if all these things were untrue, as if we were supposed to care so damn much. It just wasn’t well done.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’:
These thoughts come after discovering the show isn’t returning and — sadly — there isn’t much I remember from when I finished the first season. :pound_symbol:forgettable
This series failed to accomplish what WandaVision pulled off so remarkably: making us care substantially more about less popular Marvel characters.
I did enjoy Wyatt Russell and Emily VanCamp.
Five stars, without a doubt. The most amazing episode thus far. Such an incredible show led by two phenomenal actors.
Keep 'em comin', ya ken! =)
I frickin' love this show!! And the Duke was hysterical!
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Hawkeye’:
Not as great as WandaVision. Not as terrible as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The show was fairly one-note up until the finale. Very little buildup throughout most of its duration. And some connections didn’t really click. (I found it odd that Hawkeye so casually knew about Kingpin.)
Fortunately, we were treated to some fantastic characters. It was nice getting to know Renner’s Hawkeye a bit more. Steinfeld is so frickin’ likable. Kingpin was a pleasure to watch, as always. And Pugh was FANTASTIC.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Scream’:
The word “shook” was created solely to describe the way I felt when Billy Loomis showed up.
In this moment, I have zero desire to watch another trailer again. It definitely didn’t ruin the movie, but it absolutely annihilated some stellar reaction potential — especially with character deaths and the incredible reveal of which house they were actually partying in.
All-in-all, I loved it! It’s a Scream movie through and through. Fan candy galore. But when I first walked out, I was wading in waters of disappointment. Because I wanted more Sidney. More Gale. I didn’t want a new lead character being the badass with attempts at iconic one-liners. BUT… then appreciation sunk in. The appreciation that the spotlight needs to shift. That franchises are destroyed by milking characters for whatever they’re worth. And, the truth is, this has probably been the best supporting cast since the original. Seeing our surviving legacy cast finally move on is the best way to honor them.
Bonus Thought: There’s one word in this film that I absolutely LIVED for… “Trap.”
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Little Mermaid’:
Halle Bailey IS Ariel. She was absolute perfection. From voice to vibe, she captured her essence impeccably. I believe a star has officially been born.
Melissa McCarthy had veryyy gargantuan tentacles to fill. And I think Pat Carroll would’ve been incredibly pleased with what she did with her sea witch.
I thought they built upon the original film’s story in all the right ways. Fleshing it out to make a little more sense. Providing more substance. While not everything was picture perfect, it worked and gave fresh magic to a beloved story.
Bonus Thought: I thought it was a fantastic movie to look at, especially under the sea. Gorgeous colors and visuals. Eye candy all around. And that includes Jonah Hauer-King. :pound_symbol:snack
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar’:
I didn’t want it to end.
Part Austin Powers. Part Romy and Michele. Pure sunshine.
It was ABSOLUTELY ridiculous — but somehow, some way, it worked so well. Loads of humor and heart. The perfect tonic after the past year. It makes me miss going to the movies even more.
Bonus Thought: I cannot WAIT to go on vacation again.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Scream VI’:
I’m not thrilled with what they did to Gale. You remove a franchise-worth of character growth by having her write that book. Gale was the opportunistic b:asterisk_symbol:tch who grew a soul, and you back-peddle this right after Dewey’s death? Bad timing. And now, every time I watch Scream 6, that poignant ending where Gale promises to let the killers die in anonymity, and to write a book about Dewey instead, that ending will now lose its luster. This didn’t necessarily ruin the new film for me, because you can just say that “some people never change,” but it doesn’t feel right after ALL this time. Rant over.
What did I love? That opening scene showing us the burgeoning killer’s POV for the first time. Gale vs. Ghostface. That Kirby wasn’t the killer (I was very prepared to be very annoyed). And Melissa Barrera’s vastly-improved performance. Homegirl gave us PRESENCE here finally. Was very refreshing to see.
I’ll never forget watching Scream 2 and feeling that absolute shock and heartbreak when Randy was pulled into that van. Drew Barrymore’s immediate kill in the original was iconically shocking. Tatum’s death was a jaw-dropper. Dewey’s death would’ve been shocking if it weren’t so predictable. My point, especially with this installment, is that Scream is getting a little too safe. If I’m counting correctly, not counting the killers, only one person in the main cast died. One. I’m happy we get to see more of these characters, but it’s at the detriment of one of this series’ greatest strengths: shock.
Bonus Thought: I still adore this franchise. And Neve was truly missed.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Host’:
Bravo, Shudder. You got me. I was rightfully on edge for most of the film’s runtime. Supremely spooked… and that doesn’t happen often. A lot of it may be due to watching it alone in my apartment in the middle of the night. Still, solid flick.
It’s hard to believe this was just under an hour. They really made such great use of the time. It felt like a full-length feature film.
We only got a glimpse of that demon thingy a couple times… and that was enough. I didn’t wanna see it again. Total nightmare fuel.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Saltburn’:
Wow, that was a journey. I wish I went in a little more blind. I definitely knew too much, but I was still very captivated by this story. It’s the kind that definitely lingers with you for a bit.
These two male leads. My goodness. First, Barry Keoghan is one helluva talent. That final scene is iconic. If it didn’t involve nudity, we’d be seeing it in future award show montages. He seemed fearless and absolutely nailed it. And to make me pity and cringe for Oliver one moment, and then rethink everything in a flash… masterful. Second… Jacob Elordi… lawd help me. That man overflows with such charisma and charm. And that voice. I fell in love with Felix too.
I have so many questions: Was everything part of the plan? Or was Oliver making decisions on-the-fly? Was he motivated by money and privilege? Or did he really desire companionship? Did he truly love Felix? I’d like to believe so. Because, before Felix discovered the truth, I believe he truly loved Oliver. Having a multitude of questions usually takes away from my experience, but I’m actually okay with these.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Nope’:
I kept waiting, and waiting, for this film to get good. For the moment when things kick into high gear and it earns that price of admission. For me, it never got there. It always teetered on the edge of something fun and edge-of-your-seat… but it remained uneventful despite its seemingly-momentous scenes.
The pacing was all sorts of wonky. It felt like there were a lot of disconnects here, a lot of questions. Scenes that went on too long. Unrealistic character reactions and decisions. My scalp is sore from all the head scratching. I just wish this were a more structured story with all the ideas it contained.
Great cast, but the character of OJ was incredibly bland and emotionally flat. A more compelling lead character may have risen this film above all its flaws.
Bonus Thought: What was the significance of the mysterious balancing shoe?
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Oppenheimer’:
Much of the film, particularly in the beginning, felt more like a montage than a movie. The scattered-ness of the scenes created a disconnect that made it difficult to absorb what exactly was going on.
Why the black and white? What purpose did that serve? I’ll probably find out at some point, but it’d be nice to know in real time.
I certainly didn’t expect Nolan to give us Oppenheimer for Dummies, but I really wish he would have. Performances were clearly impressive (I’m looking at you, Cillian), but they’re hard to fully appreciate when everyone is having rapid-fire conversations about fairly complex situations — and you’re too busy trying to keep up. This being my biggest qualm.
One of my biggest television pet peeves is when a character can explain a situation a trillion times better than they actually do - and they don’t. When they can very easily defend their actions, successfully and succinctly - and they don’t.
That was Hughie here. Frustrating to no end. Starlight doesn’t deserve you.
Rant over.
At first, thinking of how this show once consisted of (and was catapulted by) fairly unknown actors, I was a little perturbed by the abundance of celebrity appearances. Then the twist happened… and that was actually all really clever.
I did NOT expect to get emotional watching this show. But here we are lol. It was all actually really sweet.
Also, kudos to James Marsden for signing up for something like this. If I wasn’t already a fan…
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Fear Street Part One: 1994’:
Lemme tell you… I loved it! It was nostalgic. It was an homage to so much that has come before (that intro had ‘Scream’ written all over it). But it also had a hefty dose of originality. Great characters you cared about. It took risks. It surprised you. And it was a LOT more mature than I expected it to be. I loved the books way back when, and this made me wanna read them again. Bravo.
I LOVED the LGBT twist in the beginning! Did NOT expect that person to be Sam. Solid execution.
It had a bit of a Hocus Pocus vibe to me, which made the character deaths and the paths into “Rated R” territory that much more effective. It was a weird and welcomed mix.
Bonus Thought: I legit can’t wait for the next one. Super invested.
Not sure I’m a big fan of the alternate universe thing. This show was already complicated enough. And just when you’re getting a proper grasp on the story/characters — right before the final season, no less — they add parallel worlds to the mix.
I still love this show, but the complexities are beginning to get exhausting. I’m tired of trying to figure things out, and make sense of it all, during a season that should be tying everything together.
I’m hoping my opinion changes. :fingers_crossed_tone1:
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Talk to Me’:
It peaked with that brutal scene, when the game took a violent turn (I straight-up gasped), which was fairly early on, and the rest of the film never really reached that level of shock again.
Was it just me, or was the audio pretty awful? So many conversations were unclear. I couldn’t understand how the mom died. She took too many pills, on accident, and then clawed at the door? How does that work?
I really liked the concept of the hand (albeit somewhat confusing). And I think it’s interesting to see it used as some sort of party game. But when characters are dumb enough to revel in something so awful, it’s difficult to care about their fate. I wasn’t fully invested in them.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Barbie’:
It started off strong and wonderfully ridiculous. It should have stayed ridiculous. Instead, they tried wayyy too hard to convey some deep message that got lost in the shuffle. There was a missed opportunity to be incredibly poignant but, once it became Kens vs. Barbies, it became rather cheesy.
As impeccable and otherworldly-endearing as Robbie is, I feel like Gosling was the one who really shined here. He delivered the best laughs, solidly, and he’s generally SUCH a terrific performer. I loved his little ditty and almost forgot about his La La Land skills.
I really liked the music! Lizzo’s intro was hysterical, the dance scenes were super fun, and I can’t get Billie Eilish’s closing ballad out of my head.
Bonus Thought: I see you, Allan.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Halloween Ends’:
You’re tasked with creating a franchise-ending chapter of a legendary horror series with the iconic star/character that started it all, and this is what you put together? A “final” Halloween film that’s barely about Michael Myers. GTFO. Missed opportunities GALORE.
The relationship with Laurie and her granddaughter starts out healthy and promising. A nice setup for chaos to ensue. Two seconds later, Allyson is ready to ditch her family for a random dude. So many out-of-character moments that made zero sense.
This wasn’t the film to introduce (and focus on!) a character like Corey. Maybe mid-franchise this could have been done to mix things up a bit. Friday the 13th kinda sorta did that, where the killer wasn’t always Jason. But NOT this time, not when you’re touting a final face-off between Michael and his Final Girl. You’re setting your fans up for disappointment.
Bonus Thought: I’m officially pretending that this new trilogy never existed, back to when Laurie Strode was Michael’s sister and everything made sense.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Hellraiser’:
After all these years, it’s nice to understand more, certainly not completely, what the heck that damn box is all about. I very much appreciated a more linear, fleshed-out story with this incredible mythology.
While this new film got creative with the gore, there’s something about the practical effects from the original that unsettled me a bit more.
I missed Bradley’s iconic Pinhead vocals, but I’m very pleased with Clayton’s take here. Her presence was different, yet strong and formidable. I’d definitely like to see her return to the role.
Bonus Thought: I loved the way the doors to the other realm opened up in various scenes, especially in the back of the truck.
I’m not ready. Not even a little.
Eleanor and Chidi STILL have ZERO chemistry — and I honestly think their relationship has been detrimental to the show.
I was hoping for a season where Clay isn’t a moody baby the entire time. Not sure I’m getting one.
