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Reviews
Sex Education (2019)
Seasons 1-3 great; Season 4 okay
I started watching for Gillian Anderson and ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would. Not usually the type of show I go for.
As my post title states, the first three seasons were wonderful; however, the last season was lacking.
I didn't like that they dropped some characters from the first three seasons just to add new characters. And with it being the last season, I didn't really care about the storylines of the new characters and would have rather had more focus on the OG characters.
But again, the series was very nicely done. There were a lot of amazing character developments that happened throughout the seasons.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Best Performances of 2018!
"The Haunting of Hill House" is one of the best - if not the best - tv show that I have ever seen. Everything about it is beautifully done. The acting is superb - every single actor in the show gives the best performances of the year. They all give their heart and soul to the story and because of that, you end up feeling for every single one of the characters by the end. However, the standout would have to be Carla Gugino who gives a beautifully heartbreaking performance that radiates through the screen and into your heart. She is no longer just the mom from "Spy Kids". She is a hugely underrated actress with great talent that needs to be recognized.
The story is equal parts scary and heartbreaking. I was bawling by the end of each episode. I would highly recommend this show to anyone and everyone that wants to be moved by a beautiful piece of art.
Justice League (2017)
Surprise Star Among Many Stars
First of all, it is important to note that it is helpful (although not necessary) to see 'Batman vs. Superman' prior to seeing this film. This is because 'Justice League' follows that movie chronologically, so therefore the first few minutes of the movie will make more sense. The events from 'Batman vs. Superman' are an underlying story line of 'Justice League', but you will be able to catch on quickly without having seen 'Batman vs. Superman'.
With that said, overall, the film is surprisingly good. To be honest, I am more of a Marvels fan but after seeing 'Wonder Woman' and enjoying that film; I wanted to see this film. Therefore, my deciding factor behind seeing this film was my enjoyment of 'Wonder Woman' and once again, Gal Gadot shines as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. However, the surprise standout of the film Ezra Miller as The Flash/Barry Allen. Miller and his character were used as the comedic relief of the movie, and it definitely worked. His comedic timing and witty lines were the highlights of the movie. Besides Miller's standout performance, the rest of the cast all seemed to gel together well making it believable that the Justice League will come together to save the world.
The last thing worth mentioning is the main theme of the movie - to never give up hope, even in the darkest of times. This theme not only came across in the dialogue of the film, but in the entire cast's portrayal of their characters. They made it believable that if we have hope, everything will be okay in the end.
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Charming Film Set at Christmastime
James Stewart is well known for his Christmas film, 'It's A Wonderful Life'; however, he has another lesser known Christmas film that is equally delightful and heartwarming that has a message to be known.
'The Shop Around the Corner' is a wonderfully made film about two co-workers that don't get along and unbeknownst to them, they are actually pen pals. They are both lonely and desperate - looking for someone to love. Stewart and Sullavan are the pen pals - the main characters, but around them, the other characters are dealing with loneliness and affairs as well.
Through the wonderful acting of everyone in the cast and the witty dialogue, the themes (loneliness, love, secrecy, and affairs) come to be known. No one wants to be alone, and no one should be. That is what this film is all about. There is a lot of heart and sentiment in this film - definitely a heartwarming film with a Hollywood ending.
Life, Animated (2016)
The Magic of Cinema in connection to Autism.
Documentaries are not typically my first choice when choosing what to watch. However, this documentary peaked my interest because of what it is about - an Autistic boy who uses Disney movies to help him face the 'real world'.
This documentary gives you an up close and personal look at Autism; a disorder that is often hard to understand. Owen, the main protagonist, was diagnosed with Autism at three years old when he suddenly shut down and stopped talking to those around him. He didn't start communicating with those around him again until his family discovered his love of Disney animated movies. It was through these movies that Owen was able to face the 'real world' and connect with those around him (even meeting two of the actors from Aladdin). This is because these animated films are things they remain constant and never changing in his life; when everything else was changing. Throughout the documentary, we get to watch him experience things that everyone experiences - graduating from school, moving into his first apartment, and dealing with his first heartbreak.
Autism is usually associated with the obsession of something they find interesting. Some people see this as a negative thing - that they'll never be able to talk or learn about anything else. However, 'Life, Animated', makes people see that this behavior can be positive. Owen's love for Disney helps him cope with the real world and all the changes that the world brings. You really see this in the film with the use of the Disney clips that they show and how they match to what Owen is going through and feeling.
Overall, I think that this documentary was beautifully made. The use of Disney clips mixed with home videos help to show Owen's improvement throughout his life. When you see where he was and where he is now, you almost feel like you've been there beside him this whole time. This documentary shows just how powerful the magic of cinema can truly be.