- Margo's Got Money Troubles • Season 1
Margo's Got Money Troubles has all the hallmarks of being another entry in a string of streamers adapting literary books with star power that often feels more oriented around being a vanity project rather than aiming to be a good show in its own right. Despite these similarities, I do think this show stands out mainly due to how talented its cast actually is and the fact that none of them are phoning it (outside of Nicole Kidman). Specifically, Nick Offerman and Elle Fanning bring a lot of humanity into the story that gives it more emotional heft than a lot of similar shows. Despite its subject matter, I also think the show does a good job of not feeling overly exploitative and sexualized. It's at its best when it focuses on the strange family dynamics. With all of that said, I do think it has some glaring faults. Firstly, it seems the show does not adapt the entire book and wanted to keep certain plot elements for a (now confirmed) season 2. In fairness, I don't think the season feels incomplete without those elements, but I did feel like the show was padding out the pacing in general to try and milk more out of the story than necessary. Second, while I found the trio of Margo and her parents endearing, I never fully understood what the show wanted us to think about Greg Kinnear's Kenny, and it led to some weird character moments. Third, I just found the ending a bit anticlimactic. I think it is somewhat due to the slowed down pacing and the fact that they leave threads hanging for a future season. I also think it just could have had a bit more of an emotional punch. Overall, I do think this show isn't a run of the mill streaming literary adaptation, but I also don't think it stands out as a top tier miniseries, partially because it seems like it wants to milk the story for more than a single season which is a clear mistake in my opinion.Margo's Got Money Troubles • Season 1 - Snack Shack
Snack Shack starts off with a frenetic pace, following two enterprising young teenagers as they jump from crazy scheme to outrageous hijinks, set to a frenetic pace. The cinematography is warm and glowing, like a warm summer day. It's endearing and fun in equal measures, leading to some hilarious moments due to their go-get-them attitude. In my opinion, Gabriel LaBelle is the driving force behind this comedy and pacing, seeming to never really be able to be quiet and constantly talking up a storm. That said, Conor Sherry is clearly the main character of this movie, and as the movie progresses, it turns from a summer teenage comedy into something else. It becomes more dramatic, focusing on romance and friendship and the struggles of a young man. I think that's a fairly ambitious target, and although the movie has its heartwarming moments, I think it never lands the dramatic beats as much as it does the comedic ones. It takes some sudden turns near the end that honestly left me disappointed because they felt out of place in this movie. I think this movie works much better as a throwback to the high school comedies of old, playing off of the excellent chemistry between the two main characters and their harebrained attempts to make money. It's unfortunate that becomes less of its tone in the second half, and it is unfortunate that it somewhat wastes Gabriel LaBelle and doesn't give him equal footing as a proper main character in this movie. Mika Abdalla is good as well, but she honestly feels older than the rest of the characters, leading to an awkward romantic angle in my opinion.Snack Shack - The Boys • Season 5
The Boys should have ended 2 seasons ago, and it is really evident throughout this final season. The show continues to tread water, delaying critical moments until the end by introducing a new Macguffin at the last minute to try and make Homelander more menacing after completely making him pathetic. In the first two seasons, he's genuinely terrifying and unpredictable, but by this point, he has no screen presence. The end result is a show where all the tension is deflated. Characters have also been stuck in arcs that were never meant to be this padded, so they've been just going through the same interior conflicts that any type of resolution has no weight. Finally, the cast is missing some really key characters that would have made the climax was more interesting had the show been willing to start wrapping things up in season 3 itself. One other thing I'll note is that this show relies a lot more on crudity than earlier seasons, probably because there is so little going on in terms of plot and characters. The satire feels phoned in at this point, not because its too on the nose but simply because it feels like it has no teeth behind it. There are a few good moments in the season, but I think you can count them on one hand. The rest feels perfunctory and like filler, a show limping its way to the finish line and going through a checklist of items. I think in terms of quality, it isn't as bad as GoT but it lies somewhere between the OG Dexter finale and this year's disappointing Stranger Things finale.The Boys • Season 5 - Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary is a solid movie, and I love that it is so well received overall. As a reader of the book though, I couldn't help but feeling slightly letdown. First, the positives. I think Ryan Gosling is a fantastic version of Ryland Grace. The cinematography is really fantastic, especially for one visually stunning moment at the climax of the film. It has a strong emotional center that results in strong heartwarming beats. I've seen some criticisms that the movie is a bit too quippy, but that's a general criticism of Andy Weir's writing, and I actually think they did a decent job of differentiating Ryland Grace from Mark Watney, something I don't think the book necessarily accomplishes. My main problem with this movie is that it clearly makes an intentional choice to remove the science from the story. Part of the appeal of the book is how digestible and approachable the science is, how Weir is able to take complex topics and explain them to people. It also does a fantastic job at highlighting the deductive and problem-solving steps needed to manage such a complex survival situation. This movie definitely cuts or ignores this part of the writing completely, and in doing so, it removes my favorite aspect of the book. I get that Miller and Lord might have wanted to differentiate from The Martian, but I also think this movie is overlong and already is covering the first half of the book, so it just felt like a missed opportunity since that first section of the movie is just not nearly as engaging as the second half. The only explanation I have is that they genuinely wanted to dumb down the story for their audience. I think by doing so, the pacing gets altered, and certain character beats change quite a bit. I also just think it makes certain things confusing, but audiences don't necessarily have that criticism. I just found myself filling in the blanks regarding the mechanics from the book. Maybe non-readers won't care about these changes, and it's clear that a lot of people resonate with the more emotional aspects of the story. For me, those moments are good but not enough to make it a great movie compared to the book.Project Hail Mary - Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Ready or Not 2, like its predecessor, is pretty fun. It takes the formula from the first one and basically reruns it, just with a bigger scale. To be honest, I was disappointed that they didn't try to use a different game or a different framework for the setup. I think there is a lot of opportunity to take this concept and go beyond simple Hide and Seek in terms of the underlying death game. It's hard to ignore that nagging feeling that you've seen it all before as the movie starts to kick in. However, once it starts rolling, I ended up enjoying it for what it was. The new characters add plenty of personality. Kathryn Newton is a perfect addition to the franchise, though I wish we got more from her as she is was still very much playing second fiddle to the excellent Samara Weaving. Speaking of Samara, she kicks it up a notch in this movie, with her oscillating between deadpan delivery and that stellar scream. The other characters are where the movie is able to shine, with the Pitt's Shawn Hatosy being the real standout. Despite the familiarity, the movie does shock in its scene-by-scene moments, and there are plenty of extremely fun set pieces. I also appreciate that the movie doesn't spend too much time before kicking things into action or high gear, with the body count starting and piling up relatively quickly. I do think the rules feel fairly arbitrary. Not to say that there should be a lot of systematic rules or anything, but it felt a bit random how characters would do things that were or were not against the rules. Finally, I have to compliment the costume design. The bridal dress in the first movie is iconic, and I think the costume design of the two sisters at the end of this movie rivals it. Overall, if you enjoyed the first movie and don't mind 110 minutes of more of the same but just scaled up, you should watch this movie.Ready or Not 2: Here I Come - The Drama
This was an insane movie to watch two months before I get married. The Drama is one of those rare movies where almost every single detail ends up being in service towards the central themes and message of the movie. I can see how this movie is controversial or off-putting for some people. From the very beginning of this movie, it makes some odd choices that feel off. I understood the purpose of the very first scene only after finishing the movie. This is a movie with a very fascinating and complex moral dilemma at its heart, one that the movie turns on its head and examines from multiple different facets and angles. At its heart, it asks us to examine if we should forgive others, if we can afford grace for those that made mistakes, if we are who we are on our very worst days, and the distinction between intention vs action. It also skewers a certain type of social norm in the US. It's a deep movie that plays in shocking fashion. Even though the entirety of the movie is almost dialogue between characters, my theater was audibly gasping and screaming at multiple points. I strongly suggest going into it with no prior knowledge because it plays out like a wild ride. I do suspect its very dark comedy will not necessarily play well with everyone, but Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are incredible at selling it, fully blending into their roles. They are going to be in 3 movies together this year, and it's so impressive how I never thought about that because I was completely immersed in their roles and never noticed the stars behind the characters. I think this might be Zendaya's best performance to date. This movie is so confident and cohesive in its messaging, so cleverly written, that it is a must watch even if it might make viewers uncomfortable.The Drama - They Will Kill You
They Will Kill You is criminally underrated. From that tense opening sequence to an incredible setup at the hotel that culminates with the a phenomenal needle drop to a banger of a final fight sequence, the movie oozes style. The camera zips around intentionally, framing with purpose. Splashy interstitial cards introduce backstories and flashbacks. Even the whole production design of the setting is rich with color and depth, feeling like a real hotel instead of just a simplified set. While it certainly has a lot in common with Ready or Not, I also think you could compare it to something like Kill Bill in how much emphasis it puts on its over-the-top action sequences. Take the gore for example. There is such a deliberate choice in how the blood splatters and cuts are made, very much giving a flair to the action scenes. I also think the movie is paced pretty well, although it drags at a few moments. However, there are plenty of surprises that keep you entertained as it gets more and more absurd. At its heart is Zazie Beetz whose physicality gives such frenetic energy to the whole movie. I think the main drawback to this movie is its humor. It definitely is influenced by movies like Ready or Not, and I think it wants to have some comedic relief similar to that movie. In my opinion, it doesn't land always. There is an almost cartoonish element to some of the sequences, and in middle of a dynamic fight, the movie might suddenly try to introduce some of this humor by making the enemies seem dumber or less of a threat. I'm not entirely sure why it fails compared to Ready or Not, but it's definitely the aspect of the movie that took me out of it the most. Maybe it's because it is such a heavily stylized movie that the villains should be more bombastic and not pathetic. However, even though this happens a bunch of times, it was not nearly enough to make me dislike the movie. I honestly can't believe how poorly this movie did with critics, especially compared to Ready or Not 2 and Pretty Lethal, both of which I watched right before this one. Pretty Lethal has the same overall metascore, and Ready or Not 2 has a higher one. In my opinion, They Will Kill You is significantly better than Pretty Lethal and still better than Ready or Not 2. If you just want to have fun with a balls-to-the-walls crazy action flick that is not afraid to go in crazy directions and look good while doing it, watch this movie.They Will Kill You - INVINCIBLE (2021) • Season 4
Season 4 of Invincible might be its strongest season yet. Throughout its back half, every moment is loaded with tension and stakes, both at a global level as well as at the individual character level, leading to moments of incredible emotional depth as well as thematic relevance. Episode 7 in particular is probably the best Invincible has ever been, and the animation often reflects that level of quality. This season pushes multiple characters to the brink, building up to an event that has been brewing for so many seasons now. Honestly, the only flaw for this season is its first half which sometimes feels disjointed and at times even like filler until the main arc of the season kicks in. I think that one of the episodes might actually be one of the weakest in the entire show. It's easy to overlook that since the quality is so backloaded, but I would love to see Invincible cut some of its fat out. The 8-season plan could probably have been done slightly more efficiently in my opinion. This is a minor complaint overall though because I still think the back half redeems this season in spectacular fashion.INVINCIBLE (2021) • Season 4 - 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
I was really surprised by the first 28 Years Later movie which had some incredible cinematography paired with some surprisingly emotional character moments that felt thoughtful. This follow-up movie feels almost like an entirely different movie. The zombies take a backseat, often not appearing for large swaths of the movie. There are still some poetic moments, but a lot of this movie revolves around Jack O'Connell's Jimmy. Now, Jack O'Connell can play a mean villain as evidenced by his role in Sinners. He's no different here, putting together a strong performance. However, I often found myself asking "so what". His motivations often feel opaque, and while he was engaging to watch, he was never truly menacing in my opinion. At the end of the movie, I ended up feeling very unsure of what the movie was trying to say. Which is not to say that the movie needed to have a meaning, but considering the first one did, it seemed strange to have a second movie that wanted to be more popcorn entertainment. I also missed the striking imagery from the first movie. There are some really cool moments in the climax of the movie, but most of it feels fairly vanilla in comparison. Overall, it was an okay movie, fitting as a plane watch, but not really meeting the quality of the first movie nor really tying into it in any meaningful way outside of some shared characters.28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender
It's really unfortunate that this movie was leaked, but it is even more unfortunate that it had its theatrical release removed. The animation quality is a staggering improvement over the two shows. It is one of the most visually stunning western 2D animated movies I have seen. Not only is the imagery striking, but it actually feels like there is thought put into the cinematography and stylization of each scene. That's why the lack of a theatrical release hurts so much because a large format would have done so much more justice to this level of work than streaming did. It is worth watching for the animation alone. The story is a bit less impressive. I don't think it is necessarily a standard legacy sequel, but it does feel a bit by the numbers, with a very predictable plot in which I called almost every single plot beat. That said, I appreciate that they did try to tie the story into Aang's central character arc which gave it more poignancy. Even if the plot is a bit lackluster, it's great to be back with this cast of characters, all of whom feel true to their original versions. It may not be a hard-hitting or surprising story, but the strong animation and familiar cast more than make up for it.The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender - Journal with Witch • Season 1
On its face, Journal with Witch seems like a story that has been done before, trying to capture grief and trauma and the unexpected bond between a guardian thrust into the role of caring for a younger child. However, I also think that Journal with Witch feels noticeably different. It is messy. There are no easy answers, and the moments of catharsis often feel unsatisfying. This isn't a flaw, it is by the very design of the show. Makio is a character whose introvertedness directly clashes with Asa's struggles with loneliness, and seeing the two try to navigate their relationship is frustrating in a way that other shows would often smoothen over too neatly. I like the fact that this show was willing to treat these issues as harder to solve because it gives it a degree of authenticity that makes it stand out. Another notable difference is how Makio hated her sister, and how that dynamic adds constant tension throughout, but in a way that runs counter to typical tropes. All of that said, I do think the show peaks in its first half. There is this very strong moment somewhere in the middle, and after that, it sort of just meanders on for a bit. I think it goes more into the side characters who never truly felt fleshed out (one of them, a baseball player, barely speaks). I get what the show was trying to do, but beyond not really landing as emotionally as the central relationship between Makio and Ana, I also just found parts of the second half boring. While I binged the initial episodes, I found myself putting off the last few and not really feeling a strong need to continue. Again, I think this is due to the shift in focus from the central conflicts to more ancillary high school drama that is just simply not as interesting. It's particularly unfortunate that it frontloads the best moments because the lasting impression I have is from the less impressive second half. The show has a very high rating, and I do get why due to how it portrays the messiness of human life, but for me personally, that second half was rough.Journal with Witch • Season 1 - Journal with Witch
On its face, Journal with Witch seems like a story that has been done before, trying to capture grief and trauma and the unexpected bond between a guardian thrust into the role of caring for a younger child. However, I also think that Journal with Witch feels noticeably different. It is messy. There are no easy answers, and the moments of catharsis often feel unsatisfying. This isn't a flaw, it is by the very design of the show. Makio is a character whose introvertedness directly clashes with Asa's struggles with loneliness, and seeing the two try to navigate their relationship is frustrating in a way that other shows would often smoothen over too neatly. I like the fact that this show was willing to treat these issues as harder to solve because it gives it a degree of authenticity that makes it stand out. Another notable difference is how Makio hated her sister, and how that dynamic adds constant tension throughout, but in a way that runs counter to typical tropes. All of that said, I do think the show peaks in its first half. There is this very strong moment somewhere in the middle, and after that, it sort of just meanders on for a bit. I think it goes more into the side characters who never truly felt fleshed out (one of them, a baseball player, barely speaks). I get what the show was trying to do, but beyond not really landing as emotionally as the central relationship between Makio and Ana, I also just found parts of the second half boring. While I binged the initial episodes, I found myself putting off the last few and not really feeling a strong need to continue. Again, I think this is due to the shift in focus from the central conflicts to more ancillary high school drama that is just simply not as interesting. It's particularly unfortunate that it frontloads the best moments because the lasting impression I have is from the less impressive second half. The show has a very high rating, and I do get why due to how it portrays the messiness of human life, but for me personally, that second half was rough.Journal with Witch - Beef • Season 2
Beef season 2 feels radically different than the first season, and I'm not fully sure if that's a good or bad thing. Whereas the first season was intensely focused on the spiraling dynamic between two characters, this season feels like a complex tapestry of multiple characters whose inter-relationships keep moving back and forth, sometimes tackling larger societal issues. For example, a large focus of this season is on the healthcare system, both how it impacts those who are poor as well as those that are privileged. I actually think it's really clever how it weaves these themes in throughout the season, with plenty of dry satirical comedy related to the absurdity of the situation. However, in my opinion, Beef is all about the characters, and that's where I was left unsure about what this season was trying to say. The characters shift so much throughout the season, and I think a central focus throughout is this concept of love and what it truly means to love someone. I found it a fascinating analysis, but just a frustratingly opaque one at times. One thing to note is that while I found Cailee Spaeny's Ashley and Charles Melton's Austin to be funny and engaging, I found Oscar Isaac's and Carey Mulligan's characters to simply not be that interesting. I think the themes about their relationship are interesting, but their characters themselves were kind of bland. Everyone is doing a great job though, and I am always fascinated how Cailee Spaeny's entire look morphs based on her role. I did also find the role of Youn Yuh-jung slightly baffling and felt it added unnecessary complexity that would have been better served by keeping the show focused on the dynamics between the two couples only. Part of the appeal of season 1 was how it went off the rails, and while I think there are some crazy moments in this season, I also think it feels more restrained. That mix of increased cast and complexity, messier but more nuanced themes, and that restrained absurdity make it a very hard season to review. I think the last point hurts it though because the comedy is simply not as sharp as season 1. I also think season 1 has some surprisingly great cinematography, and outside of the final episode of season 2, it is largely unimpressive. Given that, I think I prefer season 1, but I also think season 2 has some merit. I also think all of the things I mentioned, but specifically the fact that it doesn't hone in on just the relationship between the two couples, will make it a more frustrating watch for most people.Beef • Season 2 - The Pitt • Season 2
Season 2 of The Pitt has some incredibly strong moments throughout each of its episodes, with some episodes really packing an emotional punch. This season focuses on trying to break its characters, with each one undergoing a different set of trials and tribulations throughout their shift. This is especially true of Robby whose character arc throughout the season is deeply poignant. The Pitt continues to amaze me in how it is able to touch so many human and societal themes through singular medical cases that come and go throughout the day. The acting also builds from the prior season, with Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa being standouts. However, I do think there are some cracks that appear in this season. The first season managed to do a lot of these things but also built up this aspect of a larger overarching plot that tied various things together, building up to a climactic event and ending. Although this season feels a bit more character focused, I do think the various threads do not come together in the same cohesive way. The big event that heightens the tension, while realistic, also isn't necessarily as engaging. A few of the characters feel like they were left hanging, and I don't know if everything really came together. The ending itself feels anticlimactic. I get that is what the show is going for, creating this feeling of exhaustion instead of a more adrenaline-packed ending. Still, it does make this season feel less satisfying compared to the prior one.The Pitt • Season 2
