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Reviews
The Snoopy Show (2021)
Does Schulz's Legacy Proud
I grew up watching the old "Peanuts" specials, and they occupy a special place in my heart, so I was honestly a little apprehensive going in that this would be a "modern" reinterpretation. However, I was really happy to see that this series chose to remain true to the spirit of the classic Schulz-era productions-the animation style, the beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds, and a great cast of child actors, just like the Melendez specials had. The score is also PERFECT, it's a dead-ringer for the vintage Vince Guaraldi jazz from the old Peanuts movies.
All in all, it manages to do something a little bit new by focusing on Snoopy as the central character, which provides a lot of laughs, and is really fun for the kids. At the same time, it manages to be warmly familiar for all us original die-hard fans.
Fleabag (2016)
Funny and original with brilliant writing and acting
Absolutely loved this show. Whip-smart writing and acting from Waller-Bridge, plus an excellent supporting cast (standout performances from Olivia Colman and Andrew Scott, who are both absolutely perfect, but everyone is terrific). The show feels fresh and original, and manages to be both laugh-out-loud hilarious and emotionally poignant. Really well-done, wish there were more seasons!
The Blob (1958)
Underwhelming film that never really connects
A little bit goofy without really being campy or fun, the movie felt very tepid, didn't seem to have a whole lot of character to it. Went about its business in rather bland, unentertaining manner, then ended in an abrupt, perfunctory way. Not much there in terms of writing or performance, and definitely not any true horror. Went in with low expectations, expecting it to be more fun, but was disappointed. Instead of finding that so-bad-it's-good sweet spot, or right amount of cheesiness/self-awareness, the movie just feels incredibly wooden and joyless. Interested to see how the 1988 remake compares.
Snoopy in Space (2019)
Funny and adorable show that feels like classic Peanuts
Really enjoyed this series! Manages to recapture the look and feel of the classic Peanuts specials, while also doing something that feels new and different. The show is great for kids-the episodes are a breezy 8 minutes long, and it injects some neat educational material that manages to stay fun and interesting to the little ones. If you're at all a space nerd like me, the archival footage from the Apollo missions, as well as looks into future NASA missions are really cool, and not really something I would have expected to see in a children's show. All-in-all, I feel like it does justice to the original Peanuts, and has a nice balance of humor and cuteness.
Apollo 11 (2019)
Exceptionally-crafted documentary that lets the footage do the talking
Beautiful work. Restoration of old prints was very well done, and gave the film a completely immersive quality. Likewise, the sound design was exceptional, and rendered the archival footage transportative. Great selection of shots, and the editing was superb, creating an excellent sense of pace as well as stakes, and made the whole thing completely engrossing. Only critique would be that the comms audio from the mission is difficult to make out at times, and might have been helped by subtitles, but I also understand why they opted not to do that. Ultimately, a really lovely film that succeeds spectacularly in instilling awe at the immense spectacle it documents-thoroughly enjoyed this.