bowerjulie Reviews

Avatar (2009)

All-Time Favorite Movie

[10/10 · 3 November 2022]

I absolutely LOVE this movie! What speaks most to me about this movie are the underlying messages between humanity's ability for greed & destruction coupled with humanity's ability for compassion & care.

The uncanny parallels between our world & the world of Pandora -from pillaging Earth/Pandora's resources to destroying natural habitats of countess creatures in the name of profit/destroying TreeHome in the name of profit is disheartening & infuriating...but there's also another side to humanity. The side that fights the injustice & stands up for what is right, even when mistakes were made in the process (Jake's intentions, in the beginning, was to get close to the Na'vi to "learn their ways", so he could convince them to move, but it was through this process of learning, he discovered what he was truly capable of).

I cannot say enough great things about this movie -from the storyline, to the development of the characters, all the way down to the breathtaking cinematography.

To say the least, I'm pretty excited for the release of the next Avatar!

The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2025)

Life imitating Art

[9/10 · 19 August 2022]

I jumped onto The Handmaids bandwagon pretty late; I started the series a couple of weeks ago & just finished with seasin 4. I chose to disregard the plethora of negative reviews about the last 2 seasons because I wanted to make my own conclusions about the show, as a whole. While many of the negative reviews do make valid points, such as some of the scenes being too slow & the (way) too many unnecessary close-ups of June, I thought the overall show was excellent!!

As an individual who: 1- raised in an extremely strict, religious setting 2- a victim of sexual abuse for many years 3- trapped in very tightly controlled & highly abusive relationships & 4-had a child ripped from my arm because I was deemed "unworthy" of being a mother simply because the grandparents were more financially stable at the time, this show truly resonated with SO MUCH of what I've gone & been through & what I've overcome & recovered from...hence the title of my review.

I understand that my review doesn't give much in reference to the show, itself, but it is a testament not only to those of us who've endured similar circumstances, but a testament to what strongly held beliefs, such as religion can do & the impact it can have on those who do not have those same beliefs.

It is OKAY to have differences of opinions. It is OKAY to have different beliefs. It is OKAY to be who we are, as individuals, but it is NOT okay to be persecuted for those differences. We do not all have to or need to agree with one another, but we all MUST learn to respect one another & accept people for who they are.

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Unpopular opinion

[10/10 · 10 July 2022]

I just finished season 4 & after reading a few of the top comments, Im truly surprised at the negativity.

I thought it was a great season -although I did hate the fact that Eddy was killed! He was such a misunderstood character & those are the ones I love best! Now, if you wanna start comparing seasons & what "coulda/shoulda/woulda been better, if only"... you will most assuredly find disappointment. You simply cannot please everyone & that's okay. I very much enjoyed season 4!

The Professor and the Madman (2019)

A lover of literature & an advocate for mental health

[9/10 · 8 May 2022]

As a person who absolutely loves literature (the extreme beauty & absolute power of words) & an advocate for mental health, this was such a GREAT movie...based on the true story of Professor James Murray & Dr. W. C. Minor

IMO: It just goes to show that even though a person is struggling with a mental illness, they CAN & DO contribute to the good of society! Now, of course, not all mental health patients have the mind of a surgeon, but society, as a whole, tend to be dismissive of those who are seen as "not normal" & quick to label them as "broken" or "damaged" goods without the remotest sign of compassion or care for these individuals.

I love this movie because it shows how the beauty of words & the power of kindness can be used to change the world (even if the world is just one person)

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

Bittersweet memories

[9/10 · 11 January 2022]

I absolutely loved the original Dexter series!! I've watched it several times through & through!

Now, as for the mini series, as much as I really (really) disliked the ghost of Deb berating Dexter throughout the show, I can't say she wasn't wrong. Dex wasn't really ready to be the father that Harrison needed. He (Dex, now Jim) was doing well enough with simply keeping his "dark passenger" out of the driver seat, but you add in just the normal stresses & pressures of raising a teenager (especially one who had experienced great loss, was traumatized & angry), truly lead to a recipe for disaster. And, as much as I (truly) hated the ending, it did a wonderful job showing that, in spite of the background of both father & son, one CAN overcome the trials & tribulations of their past...one CAN (& should) do what they feel is right despite whatever the consequences might be. I hated that Harrison had to put down his father, but what saddened me most was that it left him all alone again. That broke my heart. All said & done, though...I'm truly glad to see it was him who ended the cycle (which gave Dexter fans a sort of closure) & I hope Harrison goes on to live the life his father tried so desperately to find. They both deserve to have that peace.

The Expanse (2015–2022)

Worth Watching

[10/10 · 16 December 2020]

If you can get past the first couple of episodes of Season 1, it WILL get better. Like most shows, the first season is used to build the storyline, introduce characters & so forth. It is definitely worth giving it a shot!! I am a little disappointed that Season 5 is being released an episode a week (after the first 3 episodes), but it gives you something to look forward to each week. Now, I'm highly disappointed that after Amazon picked it up, once SyFy canceled, that Season 6 will be the last season, but nevertheless...a fantastic show to get into!!