Marvel psychic

Trigger Warning: Relapse of an eating disorder, mental health is discussed, little glimpses of bullying, a mention of self-harming, and mentions of transphobia

As much as I didn’t want the Heartstopper series to end, I have to say that the movie was able to not only do the final volume but the entire series as a whole justice. The vibe was lighthearted but not so much that it took away from the story and how life does get in the way. Charlie, Tao, Issac, Nick, Sahar, Imogen, Elle, Darcy, Tori, Michael, Sarah, Tara, Darcy, and even David felt real with their own highlights and struggles, especially in Charlie and Nick.

One of the main highlights in this movie was the acting. Everyone was able to give there characters life, especially Nick. Connor was able to balance the anxiety that Nick goes through, especially when he has to go to university and wonders what will happen to the relationship he has with Charlie. The journey feels relatable but also shows the struggles that men deal with when it comes to mental health. As Charlie says in the beginning, they feel they have to keep it all bottled inside and the movie beautifully conveys that with Charlie and Nick. Nick, as we’ve seen in the graphic novels and show he has consistently been the shoulder for Charlie to lean on and while he isn’t the knight in shining armor, he feels he always has to be there for Charlie. It’s unhealthy but the way it’s conveyed it never comes off as clingy or annoying. I felt his pain, especially when they have there “break”. The color palette and artistry Oseman conveys is beautiful and captures the emotional turmoil that Nick goes through. It’s devastating but gorgeous to see in films that rarely combine hand drawn artwork and live action in a way that doesn’t feel gimmicky or contributes to the story. It’s poignant and shows how much trauma that Nick went through. As much as he tries to be strong, we get to see his struggles come to a boil and its not resolved till he reveals how he feels to his mom, which was comforting to see, but rushed in my opinion. As much as this scene was a great way to have Nick share everything with Sarah, I wish Oseman and the scriptwriters were able to let that scene breathe because its such a critical moment in volume 6 and how everything he felt and the relationship he felt he needed to have with his father comes into play. While the scene was well-acted, I wish the pacing didn’t feel rushed and we could’ve seen that strain and how Nick felt about his father come to light. Granted, everything in season 2, volume 4 kind of gets wrapped up since we don’t see him for the rest of both series, however the relationship had such a traumatic impact on him and how that stuck with him growing up. I wish we saw more of that, similar to what Oseman drew in her latest volume but otherwise, Nick’s journey comes in full circle and has to realize that he can have balance between having his own life and having a relationship with Charlie.

Speaking of Charlie, I love Charlie coming into his own. The growth he has gone through in the novels/show and now the movie shows so much development. While he is soft-spoken at times, we also see him coming into his own and the transformation he has of embracing his role as Head Boy at Truham. He becomes well-rounded and is able to be the one to showcase his strength in helping Nick be open about his struggles. Despite it not happening right away, he never gives up on Nick and supports him unconditionally. There was a delicate balance between having Charlie support Nick and him struggling with his own mental health/relapse of his eating disorder. It could’ve been pulled in one way or the other, however they were able to showcase that balance where it didn’t hurt the pacing of the film. Locke really showcased the versatility in his performance, especially when he is looking at the app where he hasn’t self-harmed, that scene made me tear up. Unlike the novel, the movie has Charlie looking at the app alone with no support. The isolation is horrible to see and Locke captured that beautifully. I also love how Charlie was able to recognize the signs and ask for help. Unlike past novels, we see his growth and receives the help he needs, along with his worries for Nick. It meshes into one that doesn’t feel overbearing or annoying. I love seeing Charlie’s growth, especially in how he uses his role to stop the bullying culture that happens at Truham, specifically helping Alfie and other LGBTQ+ students find a safe space.

Not only were the performances in the film were great, I still think the film missed a few key elements. For instant, the big turning point for the friendship was Darcy and how her mother kicked her out. I understand they can only add so much before the pacing becomes too slow or quick, but this moment in Darcy’s journey would’ve been crucial to the film and how Tara is able to help her. While I can see this maybe confusing viewers since season 2 of Heartstopper we do see Darcy move out of her mom’s house, I wish Oseman would’ve addressed this since all of the titular couples (exception of Michael and Tori) go through there struggles and we could’ve gotten there struggles in a way that tied in to everything changing and having to go on with there own lives, which I won’t lie is hard to see with characters we’ve grown to love, but it happens and having all of the titular characters go through there struggles and rise above those struggles would’ve been a good send off to the characters. ‘

Also, I wish we got more depth in how David opens up about his own relationship with there dad. Even though the audience, who read the novel knows why David moved back home, we did see a layer of David that I never thought would work. There’s a pessimism in the character that doesn’t feel spiteful but rather can build some empathy on. However, while the relationship/trauma of David and there father doesn’t get neglected, it’s not touched on enough. We learn that there father cheated on Sarah (which, I’m sorry, cheating will always be a choice and isn’t a requirement) and how David continued that cycle of cheating on his girlfriend and how he says that Nick will cheat on Charlie at some point. That was a moment where we could’ve seen Nick realizing why David is the way he is and rather than accepting his fate, chooses to break that cycle and for me would’ve been a poignant thing to see in today’s film industry where cheating isn’t glorified but rather deal with realistic consequences. While I appreciate that David gave Nick support during the breakup, I wish we got more out of that and in my opinion a missed opportunity.

I talked earlier about the scene where Nick is saying everything to Sarah, while that is a well executed scene, it didn’t resonate as much as the graphic novel. I honestly think Anna Maxwell Martin tried to live up to the role, no one could replace Colman and it showed. I don’t blame Martin as she did her best with the role, showing off her motherly side, I wish Colman did return for this scene as she literally built and molded that character.

Finally, no disrespect to Issac, however when they are in the cafe, he says to Charlie “it’s because he was struggling”, I won’t lie I wish his dad had said that to him, similar to the graphic novel. While the delivery wasn’t the issue for me, in the graphic novel, that moment was between a father and son bonding over a dark time in there life and to have his dad acknowledge the resilience he had over that dark period and how he kept fighting in spite of the challenges, While it works, I wish Charlie’s dad had said it as it would’ve given more emotional depth to that line.

Spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen the trailer!

The trailer fans have been waiting for has finally arrived! For me, while I don’t appreciate the AI content that people made for this movie, the actual trailer was worth the wait.

The highlight for me was Thor, the only active OG Avenger is bringing everyone together. From the New Avengers, Fantastic Four, and even the OG X-Men, everything that Thor has experienced in his journey is coming into full circle, especially with Steve returning. We see how everything is going to come together and see how much of a threat he will actually be. Despite not actually seeing him fight any of the characters in the trailer, his presence alone is menacing and conveys so much power. I was stunned when he was able to hold back Thor’s attack, it shows the command in his character and how haunting his character will be in this film and the destruction he will cause.

Along with Doctor Doom, I am curious to see how all of the timelines of the characters will come together. Up till this point we’ve only seen them in their respective universe (exception of Gambit since he was in the Void, which I hope they explain in how Gambit got out of the Void). Anyway, we have so many characters who are at different stages in there journeys in the MCU and it will be interesting to see how all of the storylines, up till now are going to mesh together.

One character I noticed that was there is AntMan. While he was promoted, I am curious if he will mention Kang. The last movie he was in was Antman and the Wasp: Quantummania and yes, it wasn’t good. The acting was okay, but CGI…eh, another story. However, I do hope that Kang is mentioned since they were going to set up this movie to have Kang be the main villain. I know Antman and The Wask

Still, the fight scenes look polished and the different styles we’re going to see between Mystique/Yelena and Gambit/Shang-Chi is something I am looking forward to.

https://youtu.be/ZAkGmkP9j5c?is=2vfNLvyVgrBRaU2f

This was a very cute short. The way that Moxxie and Stolas were able to have instant chemistry was impressive. I love the integration of storytelling in how Blitzo killed the latest target for the business. It could’ve easily been written off as a raunchy portrayal of the characters with little to no depth, however Medrano found that balance between the raunchy humor and being able to showcase all of the elements that go into developing a well-crafted story.

I won’t lie, my favorite part of this short was when Stolas was describing the intimate scenes between the target and the new character Moxxie and Stolas made up. I was laughing as the timing and animation for this scene was perfectly timed with the pacing of this short. We get to see Stolas’ passion for writing/erotica develop into a hobby the character has and it was nice to see.

The chemistry for the two characters felt real and I always like when other characters interact with each other rather than have the characters talk/be around the same people. (E.g. Blitzo and Stolas and Moxxie and Millie) As much as I love the duos of Blitzo and Stolas, Moxxie and Millie together, I love having the changeup of different characters interacting. I hope we get more different dynamics in season 3, along with Moxxie and Stolas, especially working on Stolas’ erotic writings.

Only note I have is the line Blitzo says as he kills the masked people in the story. I wish this was one of the few times they went a little further on the raunchiness and pushing the envelope. I can understand that this is Moxxie, so he’s not as raunchy compared to the other characters *cough Blitzo cough*, but I feel that Moxxie knows Blitzo enough to know he’d say a lot more devious than that.

Trigger Warning: Narcissistic Behavior and emotional abuse is discussed. Warning: Jumpscares, dismembered body parts, and little blood is shown.

I was not planning on seeing Backrooms, despite some initial curiosity. However, after being recommended by a friend that this was a great film, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and watch this film. After my experience, that while I still am not a fan of horror films, this was a great example of making an original horror film. Little to no blood, jumpscares, and having the thrill of being invited into the world of the characters and the horrors they are about to experience.

Parsons did a fantastic job of letting the score speak for itself. What I see in horror films these days is having a lot of blood or having the value of shock factor. Depending on the film/context, it’s not an attractive look in my opinion. It makes the film almost unmarketable and doesn’t make me want to spend the money on these films. However, Parson didn’t need lights, a lot of gore/shock factor in order to make the film successful. He was able to step back and allow the score to do its job. My goodness did the score do its job. The way it made us slowly keep us on the edge of our seats and make us feel at ease and match the tone of the scene was perfect. My heart was racing in the first 10 minutes of the film and while a lot of the credit has to go to the score, the cinematography really shined in those terror moments

The cinematography for me was clever usage of taking advantage of letting the audience get the character’s perspective. We not only see the shakiness of the camera work, but also the reactions of those around him and the panic that sets in the process. The shakiness could’ve been used as a gimmick and overtake the film’s tone to not only the horror aspect but the layers that the film offers in the character’s journey into there ultimate demise, Parson got the balance between the action transporting us into the world of the film and the stillness of us witnessing the events that happens in the backrooms. I was absorbed in the world and was able to stay glued to the movie from start to finish, not knowing what will happen next.

This wasn’t any typical horror film that didn’t rely on violence, blood, and character deaths for the sake of it, Parsons goes deeper with the character’s lives outside of the horror aspect. Clark, despite him being our protagonist is bitter. In the beginning, we see him take steps to become a better person and we expect him to turn his life around. Unfortunately, as the film progresses, we see his ambition to discover and document the backrooms overtake his humanity as he ignores his employee, Kat’s cries to leave. He pushes them to the limit and ultimately they meet a very horrific ending. It’s hard to watch but it can happen when the failure and bitterness of a person turns into obsession and it puts others at risk in order to prove he’s right. Eijofor did a great job of portraying a character that’s so bitter and narcissistic without making him so unlikeable that we root for his death to come quickly. The expression he makes is indescribable. I got chills when he realizes that no matter how hard he tries, his demons/pride takes over to the point where he doesn’t want to change. His eyes go wide and his body shakes where you can’t help, to some degree feel sympathy for him because there’s a deeper root behind his behavior and while they could’ve made him redeemable, it was a clever idea to not do that. I think the point of Clark is he can be anyone, someone that is bitter and no matter how hard you try to help someone, the bottom line is they need to make an effort to try and change and it all can’t come from you. You can only do so much before they realize they have work to do and unfortunately some people don’t want to change and better themselves.

Mary Kline, Clark’s therapist on the other hand tries everything she can to change and overcome the abuse/trauma that she experienced as a kid. In the beginning, we see her try and help Clark through his issues and behaviors that take time to change with knowing little about the struggles she went through as a kid. However, as the movie progresses, we see the layers of her character begin to unravel and she gets forced into a mindset that she never wanted to come back to. While it could’ve gotten convoluted and I will admit, first glance it does become a little confusing, by the end of the film you do see everything come together and her journey ends with a tragic ending of her becoming permanently trapped in the backrooms, becoming the one thing she feared: being stuck in one place like her mother. It’s unsettling, especially since all of the effort she put into helping Clark and trying to better herself just to have her permanently silenced in that room where she’s trapped by her childhood memories and trauma she experienced. One thing I love is she knew her limits. While she is depicted as a kind person, she realized her worth and was able to call it as she saw it, especially when she saw that Clark couldn’t and wouldn’t change and told him the truth, despite him not wanting to accept it. She was the definition of being the anchor for someone that was toxic and cutting them out before it was too late. Her character shows strength who unfortunately wasn’t able to overcome the trauma they face.

The ending will make you speechless and shook up. I won’t lie, the ending of this film left me shaking and my heart racing. As Mary is trapped there, figuring out the reason behind the researcher’s purpose after one of there own explorers is killed while researching the purpose, the muteness/numbness of Mary come into play and despite wanting to hear what Philly, the scientist of Async is saying, it shows a lot of the trauma that pushes Mary over the edge.

Speaking of Async researchers and scientists, I wish we did get to see more of their purpose in the movie. Yes, we do see them in the opening and some context to their role in the movie, I didn’t feel that they got explored enough. They were in the beginning and then with all of the action and following Clark and Mary, they disregard the scientists of Async until the ending and even then not every viewer will remember. I’ll keep an open mind since this movie is based on Parson’s own web series, so they might play a bigger role in the movie and the bonus footage they’ve released could explain more. However, I think there moments where Parson could’ve shown some balance between the scientists and the main characters. However, I do understand that could’ve been a little overwhelming for non-viewers of the web series/the audience in general.

Trigger Warnings: Human Trafficking, near death of a dog, some scenes of alcoholism, and discussions of death/grief. Not a movie for young fans!

Supergirl is one of the most surprising movies I’ve seen so far this year. I was very excited to see this film, so I was a little down to see the negative reviews on this movie, despite other fans on social media praising the film. After watching the film, I can say with confidence that I agree with the fans as this is a movie worth watching.

Gunn did a great job of highlighting the important of stopping/speaking out against human trafficking, especially in young girls. When we got to those scenes, my stomach dropped. This film could’ve easily written it as a bad action to take with little to no action taken by Supergirl and focus on finding an antidote for Krypto after being shot with a poisonous dart. However, Gunn pushes the boundaries and goes further into seeing the conditions in how far people are willing to go in order to exploit young women/girls. It’s a heartbreaking truth that our world faces today and I’m so glad Gunn brought this up. One aspect that caught me off guard is how a family, who’s daughter has fallen victim to the trafficking were willing to go so far as to trade Kara and Ruthye in order to retrieve there daughter. While I do not condone there actions, we do see the affects it has on parents who struggle with this and how far people go in order to protect there children. It’s tragic to see them have to do this, however the father helps get the poison out of her body, while the mother attempts to stop him. It’s an interesting shift on guilt and love can be a delicate balance and they learn the hard way that dealing/trying to reason with people who do this can have deadly consequences. When the whole family is killed, it broke my heart and while I will never agree with them attempting to traffic Kara and Ruthye, I understand the reasoning and is a cautious take on a parent’s love.

Another aspect of the film Gunn did really well was the worldbuilding. Every scene that takes place in space/the different planets was developed beautifully. From the character’s designs to the setting, I could tell that Gunn and the team who worked on this movie put a lot of effort into this film and was enraging through the whole film. Yes, some elements were tough to look at (e.g. saliva on Kara’s shoulder) however, those gross elements of the film didn’t last long and were able to build on some of the jokes, which was a clever part on the script writers. Every scene was beautiful to see and even in the action scenes, the pacing/setting never felt overwhelming. Gunn was able to pay attention to the comics and elevate the story and scenery into a cohesive story without going overboard on the special effects. Everything in the setting was right where it needed to be.

The filmmakers did a great job of playing with the lighting and score of the scenes. Despite the film taking place in different places in galaxy, we’re able to see how the lighting and building on the different contrasting colors affects the scenes. My favorite moment is when Kara, when she finds out about the family’s death and stopping Ruthye from killing Krem, everything built up. From the light that they explored on Krypton to the darkness of the journey she’s been on so far builds up her fears and struggles to find her place with the traveling she does, she screams and cries. The lighting and score for this scene was beautiful and made me tear up, along with her fighting for her life where the green sun is draining all of her power. The helplessness she feels as she may die along with Krypto is heartbreaking. Calling out for him with little to no response. It was tragic to see and as a dog mom made me cry. That attention to Kara’s weakness with the green sun rather is fascinating and the color palette and score for that scene was perfect. They got the scene and how it called for a slow yet dimming of hope score in there without being melodramatic. Every song/score to the movie matched with the scene. Despite some objections about the cover of Jimmy Eat World’s The Middle having a slower rendition, I believe it was to show Ruthye’s POV of the fighting/chaos that she has to endure. Sure, the song works for the song and while it could’ve use the original song, I think slowing it down and having us see the 360 action works for this film. Can I add that Kara is not only able to fight despite the kryptonite in her body, but also able to get it out of her body just by using the yellow sun and not be weakened entirely is a badass element to her character. This was a true testament and love letter to women’s strength in my opinion.

Now, speaking of Ruthye, while her expression didn’t change a lot, grief can make someone emotionless. I like how she is numb/shellshocked when she sees her whole family murdered and her house burned down by Krem. Throughout the movie, her numbness grows and speaks of revenge. Her thoughts are consumed and despite wanting to see more range in the first act of her experiencing the grief and loss she’s obtained in that cycle, the numbness was an interesting direction to go. However, the second act, we see her act on her feelings, but Kara is able to stop her and realize the ongoing consequences of revenge. Something that often gets rarely talked about/fantasized about is the revenge aspect of grief is the stage of revenge and wanting to hurt those who hurt us. While it could’ve been easier for Ruthye to kill Krem, it her pain would never stop. It shows incredible strength in the writing/execution of the film to convey this in a film. Kara is right that just because you kill someone who hurt you, it won’t make your pain go away in the end. The actions will haunt you and that’s something miss in the stages of grief and I’m glad they showcased that side of grief. In the end, while Ruthye doesn’t get her chance to kill Krem, Kara turns the tables on us and kills him for both Krypto and Ruthye’s family. I knew he would’ve met his demise but not the way we expected and I like that element of surprise.

I love the elements of surprises this film shared and Mamoa’s performance of Kobo. When I thought he would be very hardass and he is, we see the comedic side of this character and sharing Ruthye’s vengeful attitude. He was a great addition to the film and the makeup department did a great job with his makeup and hiding his face as to not give his other DC identity (AquaMan).

Warning: Cyberbullying

I won’t lie, I had my doubts about this film. Since Woody left the gang to be with Bo Peep, which I admit somewhat works with his development but also not really. However, Pixar proved me wrong with this film. This time, there is no villain but rather a thought of how technology can be both be good and bad for society, especially for kids.

I love how Pixar was able to present Lilypad as a complex device. Despite the surface she looks like the villain who attempts to get in Jessie, Buzz, Woody, and the gang’s way in an attempt to have Bonnie make friends, Pixar does a great job of presenting layers to this character. It would’ve been easy to make technology the villain since it has been recently at the forefront of all of the tragedies lately, they try to expand the idea of technology and how it can be used as a weapon when it falls into the wrong hands or in this case, Bonnie’s dance classmates. There’s so much pressure for kids to grow up quicker than they need to and the film does a great job of balancing the ideas of technology and how the world evolves while wanting to keep the innocence of kids. Kids need toys in order to build they’re imagination and without them, they are becoming vulnerable to a world that is invested with negativity and cruelty in how we speak to each other. Pixar warns us the dangers of having kids so young online and how there words damage those around them without realizing it.

The characters that stood out in this movie were Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Lilypad, and Bullseye. There dynamic felt connected and we were able to explore more of Jessie’s backstory and get some closure between her and her first owner Emily. As much as Jessie tries to avoid the inevitable and stop Lilypad from interfering in Bonnie’s life, technology, unfortunately is going to be around and childhoods won’t be like she remembered. However, it would’ve been easy to make Jessie cynical and while they did that in terms of her feelings towards technology, they also were able to ground her and have her development to where she could compromise with having technology around while also keeping Bonnie’s childhood alive. I love that she was able to team up with Smarty Pants, Snappy, and Atlas in order to get back to Bonnie. Those tech toys were funny as they’re presence lifted the film from having technology be the villain of the movie. While they could’ve been annoying, since Smarty Pants is a potty training device, they were able to balance out the humor to make it enjoyable for both kids and adults. Also, the bond was so strong that when Jessie has a moment of anger/hurt and lashes out, Smarty Pants never once blames Jessie for that moment. It shows so much growth and development in a character that could’ve been one note and for me it was nice to see.

Joan Cusack is perfect for Jessie as her balance between conveying anger, hurt, and joy for Jessie is perfect. The range she has for the character, I can feel her passion flow through her where it fits nicely. When Jessie gave the speech about how technology is making kids older, I got chills when she said that. There was so much rage in her voice that it was hard to look away and having her worth be challenged to the point she runs away, I teared up. Jessie has always been self-conscious when it comes to being neglected, so to see it happen to her a third time, it would send her over the edge. However, when Emily’s daughter comes into the picture, she realizes her impact has carried over a lifetime was great to see and gave her the strength to try to compromise with Lilypad and get her back to Bonnie.

Now, speaking of Lilypad, she is an interesting character. On the surface/trailers, they made her out to be the villain. However, despite her actions not being honorable (e.g. putting Bonnie’s toys in the garage), Lilypad attempts to help Bonnie the only way she knows how: algorithm to the perfect friends. She had good intentions and she isn’t the villain in this story if I’m being honest. I mean, sure she’s portrayed as such in the movie, however she does mean well and didn’t know about humans. The naiveness in technology was captured well in this film and despite there intentions, human emotions/motivations are complicated and when Lilypad realized that, it devastated her. She never wanted to hurt Bonnie and I love that the writers were able to give an IPAD layers, which is something I never expected.

Heads up, there is a side plot with the fifty Buzz Lightyears attempting to find “Star Command”. While this could’ve been a gimmick, they were able to balance it with the main plot of the film. Unlike Toy Story, a demo Buzz was able to find solace in being cared for by a kid. The comfort of that kid was beautiful to see as for a moment we were in the scene, the kids were able to switch off the devices and actually play with a toy. It was beautiful to see and the scene could’ve been ruined with that Buzz leaving them, but instead chose to stay and it shows the development/integration of knowing what its like to be loved and have an impact on a kids life.

Finally, the love scenes between Buzz and Jessie were nice, along with the connection that Woody was able to get back when he comes back to the gang. However, I wish Buzz and Woody wouldn’t have fought so much as it kind of ruined the dynamic. Know things would change but I believe there friendship was too advanced for them to be fighting about who will be “in charge”. It didn’t fit the tone/style of the movie and this could’ve been improved.

Side note: I was skeptical about Bullseye getting a voice because I love the quiet loyalty that this horse has for both Woody and now Jessie. However, Pixar proved me wrong as it was only in a play scene and it worked with the dynamic/style of the scene. I was able to feel the over the top villainy that Blaze had for Bullseye and it was awesome!

Overall, this movie is a cautionary tale for any parent if they are thinking about getting their kid a tablet. While it can entertain the kids, there are serious consequences that can come with having those devices (e.g. cyber bullying). It was devastating to see and anyone thinking that Bonnie deserved to get bullied because she neglected Woody is not okay. This is a movie that will take you by surprise and prove that once again, Pixar knows what they are doing in terms of storytelling/animation.

Warning: Suicide is mentioned and drug use. Not a movie for kids or teenagers!

This was a movie I was highly looking forward to. I read Girls Like Girls by Haley Kiyoko and watched the music video. However, while I could see the passion behind the storyline with Kiyoko’s introduction of the film, the film itself was in my opinion highly disappointing.

An element that Kiyoko did really well in her novel and the music video/song is the element of storytelling. We were able to see Coley and Sonya’s POV and how the environment they grow up in comes into play in shaping the characters and why they become who they are in those moments. However, it felt as if Coley had a hero complex to some degree and we weren’t able to see the other characters POV and there reasoning behind it, especially her dad. Coley’s dad is vital in Coley’s growth and while Kiyoko was able to give us both sides of the story, in the film it doesn’t translate well. Despite seeing some moments where her dad wants to build a relationship, the efforts/actions he takes are passive and I wish the movie did a better job of representing that relationship as it is a key role in Coley’s character development.

The movie also skipped over a bunch of critical moments in the book and out of respect for readers of the book or wanting to read, I won’t give those moments away, however the scenes of the poison ivy, Coley giving SJ her shirt when her “fling” abandons her. That was the perfect opportunity to give the audience a scene where Coley knows the friends Sonya hangs out with outside of her and Trenton. There was an exploration to expand the relationships and I felt that the writers played it too safe with the film. I understand there was only so much they could explore without getting an NC-17 rating, but I think the stakes weren’t risen enough.

Sonya was not written as well compared to the book. Now, I am glad they kept that she was a dancer and that her mother is critical. However, we didn’t see enough of her character go through exploration and growth. Kiyoko’s book highlights switching POVS between Coley and Sonya and the actions and lives of both characters without going overboard. I understand they didn’t want to do that without having the plot be too confusing/overwhelming to the audience, however it would’ve benefitted to have a scene to really dive deeper into Sonya’s life and really see how critical her mom is because there was only one scene and while she is reprimanding her for being late, in my opinion its justified and in the book, there’s evidence of how overwhelming it can be. There are moments where she is vulnerable and in the end chooses to break the cycle of self-loathing and I was disappointed we didn’t get that quiet moment. Also, dancing is a big part of her character and not getting that scene of her at dance camp was disappointing as her experience at dance camp is crucial to her development and not to include that was a let down and made the pacing of the film way too rushed as there were elements that would’ve grounded the movie and make it a complex film of young love and letting go of self-doubt/image everyone sees you as.

Despite the film being disappointing in my opinion, it didn’t come without its positives. The cinematography was gorgeous as the colors of the setting came to life. The directors did a great job of capturing the small town without having it be too rustic or too “plastic” looking. I was able to take in the quietness of the setting and the directors did a great job of capturing those moments. Every scene was pleasant to look at and they were able to use the lighting effectively to make sure they had the right tone to the scene. I also love how the quiet moments took there time, specifically when Coley is opening up to Sonya about her mother. The closeup and color palette they used was beautiful and I could feel the actresses pain and Sonya wanting to comfort her. It was a quiet moment that the filmmakers got right and I’m glad they did as it is a vulnerable moment in the book. The only sound we hear is the wind and the soft score. That, in my opinion should be how to capture a vulnerable scene, it was similar to Charlie telling Nick about his self-harm tendencies in the Heartstopper TV series/graphic novels and I wish those moments could’ve been more consistent in the film, specifically the ending.

The ending, while we do get that moment of them being together, there was no closure. It could’ve been a nice quiet moment, however the context of the film was lost and didn’t get the satisfying moment of Trenton getting his karma. Read the book to know what I mean.

https://youtu.be/f7mFVeWnVLw?is=2ZMDAhLcBGs93J5l

This is the quality that I come to expect from Dreamworks. In my opinion, this is a major upgrade from the Shrek 5 trailer that was released last week. The story and visuals feel engaging and is something I can definitely see both kids and adults can relate to.

Never thought I would see Saweetie’s Best Friend and Don’t Your Forget About Me be mashed together and in any other trailer or music stance, it wouldn’t work. However, it worked since the two themes of friendship and memories are at the core of this movie. I personally love the animation style as the colors vibrate across the screen and this is the type of animation that we need to see more on the big screen. It’s innovative and would love to see more of these bright colors/contrast between light and dark can be in the setting of the forgotten island.

Something the trailer does is it grounds us into the story and stakes without giving too much away. I am able to wonder what will happen next, which is something a trailer hasn’t made me do recently since trailers nowadays gives away a lot of the plot and sometimes its not even worth it to watch the film, though sometimes I still do.

Trigger Warnings: Eating Disorders, Sexual assault, body shaming, and racism are discussed. Please be advised

The documentary is eye opening for any fans of the show. While we see Tyra attempt to get her say in how the show changed and pivoted her career, we also see the lasting damage it has had on multiple contestants, both the winners and eliminated, It’s heartbreaking but unfortunately not uncommon in the fashion industry.

Despite never watching the show myself, I have seen clips and trust me, it is a product of the times back in the early 2000s and how women were basically doing everything they could to make themselves “attractive” even if it was degrading or life threatening. (E.g. the bikini wax scene and the race swap challenge). I mean, seriously what was Tyra, Ken, and the team thinking when they were making models switch races. Not only is it offensive but unsettling to see how people with different races would be portrayed as. It didn’t work then and it sure wouldn’t work today. Just…no. Anyway, the bikini wax, as the models in season one were being waxed down there, it was unsettling to see and the models (e.g. Shannon, Ebony, and Giselle) mentioned it was uncomfortable and hard to watch when it was aired. I couldn’t imagine ever having that aired or going through that in order win, it just doesn’t feel worth it and an invasion of privacy.

Speaking of privacy, my heart broke for Shandi when she opened up about her trip to Italy and was basically assaulted. Seeing those clips, no one in the production ever stopped it, despite having cameras around and production being on the clock. It never made sense and I wish someone would’ve stopped it and saved her from one of the most devastating moments in her life. What makes her story worst is instead of the camera crew giving her the privacy and respect that she needed, they edited it as a cheating story and filmed her making the call to her boyfriend. It’s both unsettling and tragic to watch as this all could’ve been prevented and even the camera crew apologized for filming the call as Shandi recalls to the interviewers. It’s such a devastating and heartbreaking section in the documentary and highly recommend watching episode 2 with someone you trust.

While I’m glad the interviewers gave the models the care and respect they deserved, unlike America’s Next Top Model, I do wish that Tyra had taken more responsibility in the role she and her team had. I mean, you had the choice to make these girls shine and instead of having them shine, she made them either villains/heroes when at the end of the day, these were impressionable young women wanting to change there life. Making them close a gap in they’re teeth without permission or criticizing them for they’re weight, when they were healthy is absurd and I wish Ken and Tyra took responsibility for that.

I would never watch America’s Next Top Model as it’s damaging and even Nigel, Nole, and J. Alexander had a part to play in the damage. However, I will say the fact that they were fired and were basically backstabbed by Tyra was low and I do hope they learn from this and grow in not only there careers but in future friendship/professional relationships as well.

Warning: Mild gore, flashing lights, and spoilers ahead

I wish I had gotten into this show sooner because it is an intense yet beautiful show to watch. They were able to incorporate the intense, action packed scenes with quieter moments in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming or rushed to the point where it’s confusing or frustrating to watch.

Something I love about the X-Men is you can understand everyone’s motivations. From Cyclops and not wanting to witness leaving his son since his own father left him, Storm’s identity crisis when she loses her powers, and Rogue’s grief and how the grief clouds her judgement. We are able to understand why they make the decisions they do and while we don’t always agree with there choices, there journeys are able to make us sympathize with them, specifically Roberto. While I hate that he goes with Magneto in order to have mutants be respected and make a brand new Genosha. I don’t agree with it, but seeing his journey and how is own mother deserted him after discovering he was a mutant, along with Jubilee is understandable. I could feel his pain, along with Rogue in how her own grief is slowly consuming her with Gambit. It’s authentic and raw.

I appreciate that we were able to see the quiet moments after a major attack happens, from Storm losing her abilities after shielding Magneto to Gambit’s sacrifice, there’s a humility in how the writers/animators were able to showcase these moments. They wanted the viewers to have these moments sink in the viewers mind in how much destruction is there and the aftermath of it all. It’s devastating, especially Genosha. However, the aftermath in how Beast is able to quote Dr. King and Mr. Rogers, it made me shed a tear. While there is chaos and destruction in the world, we often forget about the people that help in the aftermath and those are the things we should be focusing on instead of the harm one or a group of people cause.

My favorite character without a doubt was Storm. Her journey from losing her powers and having her doubts/fears consume her if she will ever be the same again is relatable until she meet Forge, another mutant. Despite having the abilities that she has, there is a loyalty they have towards one another that is beautiful to see and I hope we get to see that in season 2. Even with the anger Storm has for Forge, she refuses to let him die and fights her demons in order to restore her powers and she comes out stronger than ever. I personally love her journey as it was realistic and didn’t need a bunch of action in order to tell this story (minus the Adversary, which was an owl containing her own fears. That was necessary.). It was a nice change of pace that the show was going for and hope we get more of those moments in season 2.

https://youtu.be/ObRck-pQW8w?is=NZwciCYwxSeTo8B0

This trailer is gorgeous! From the art style of claymation, Laika studios has knocked it out of the park. I appreciate the detail we have between the “world” the characters face everyday and the magical world. The colors don’t feel too muted or bright to the point where it’s nauseating to look at.

The characters, from the trailer don’t feel to obnoxious and just want to explore the world. While that can seem cliched, the trailer makes the adventure come to life as we see the life and death situation that the characters face.

https://youtu.be/4kJXWQWW-og?is=orLpXbAWQzU263Tc

This was such a step up from the Chaz music video. From the slick humor, to the fourth wall break from Loona, I was laughing a lot in this short. Despite it being a job training video on upcoming IMPs, they don’t take it too seriously, which I loved. I didn’t think this concept would work because while the IMP stands for Immediate Murder Professionals and the whole concept of this business that Blitzo has is to kill souls that are requested from souls of hell. However, I was proved wrong as the humor was slick and quick where it didn’t drag on.

Also, a highlight, Moxxie is my favorite character as he is just a pure soul in the chaos of hell and really deserves better than the treatment he gets from Blitzo sometimes. However, he is able to get some revenge as they get to the physical training and is able to unleash is inner demon was satisfying to some degree on Blitzo. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blitzo but I hate how he treats Moxxie sometimes as he is been loyal from the start and how Blitzo treats him and its not right. Anyway, the physical training section of the short was my favorite in my opinion.

I love how everyone got to play a part in this short, even Stolas as he is now a member of the team after his exile. It felt right and can’t wait to see the shift in dynamics in season 3.

Overall, a great take on the average job training video and the promotion for the short was cool. To have fans fill out applications was pretty cool. The end credits made fun of the no animals were harmed and were honest about the 8 animals harmed was kind of funny.

At first viewing of Power Ballad, I didn’t think it was as good as everyone was making it out to be. However upon rewatching it, I was able to catch some details in the film that I didn’t see before and my opinion changed. It’s not the best film, but it is one that should be seen with an audience rather than by yourself.

The music is really the star in this film. Everyone song flowed with the film, especially How to Write a Song without you. The score and performances were able to take the covers/original songs and transform them into something that younger and older generations can relate to. While the cover songs (e.g. Celebration, I Wish, and Summer of 69’) are songs that parents/grandparents can jam out to, the original songs (e.g. How to Write a Song without you, Class of 1984, and Satellite) can connect with the younger generation. My favorite song, while the main song is a great song to listen to, Class of 1984, however is a song that really connected the most to me. I wish this song had more spotlight because it tackles the themes of enjoying life and living outside of technology and isolation. In today’s world, this song is relevant to how people connect with others, which unfortunately is through screens instead of going out and actually meeting people face to face. Nick Jonas is able to use these themes and have the song be catchy enough to enjoy while also adding a layer of truth to how our world works today.

While the movie shines through the music, I personally love the lighting in how they viewed the two separate worlds of the main characters. The colors in Ireland are muted but are natural to show the reality of what Rick goes through everyday. In Danny’s world, while L.A. has the brighter light, there’s something plastic looking about the city. It was an interesting take on Hollywood and I respect Carney if that was what he was going for. Rick summed up Hollywood perfectly by saying “I’ve always wondered what these lights looked like and the more I look at them, the more fake they really are.” (Rudd, 2026). Hollywood, on the outside can be a wonderful place to live, but then as you get closer, there’s only plastic living styles and unrealistic expectations. I love this detail Carney had in this line and was able to see from both perspectives of both men’s lives and the pressure Danny was under in order to keep up the act of being back on top. In the climax of the fight, Danny, for the first time is able to come to realization that he’s not the artist that he’s been telling everyone he is. For a brief moment, he is able to be vulnerable with Rick and Rick, despite his anger he had, doesn’t fight him and allows him to continue. It show compassion, even in the heat of the moment is beautiful to see. Not often do we see a lot of compassion when two sides are against one another (minus Marvel and Pixar/Disney) and have them try to understand each other and I personally loved that brief moment until Mac came along with security and took away from a character developing moment.

The acting performances of Nick and Paul really shone through this movie. I was more invested in Rick’s journey in being hidden with his song and how overtime not getting the credit he deserved burnt him from doing something he loves the most: making music. It’s common for someone who gets overlooked can be burnt out over the course, however it was sad to see his love die and eventually spiral out to the point where it affects his work and family. While I hated how he didn’t come prepared with proof at first, we do see the people he loves the most have faith in him even if they don’t condone how he goes about it. The desperation he has and the lost of faith we see is horrible but in the end, when he gets some resolution in Danny being honest with him, it shows growth and how he knows the reason he wrote the song can never be taken away is nice to see. Carney and Rudd were able to convey that we won’t always get the answers we’re looking for and that songs don’t need to have one meaning, that music can mean a lot of significant moments in people’s lives. While Rick doesn’t understand that at first, he no longer needs a crowd to feel fulfilled, the music is what matters and I love that message and Rudd did a great job of letting Rick’s journey be realistic. And having the inspiration of Rick’s song, Aja find evidence was definitely a full circle moment and I gasped in that moment.

One aspect of the film I didn’t like was the relationship of Marcia and Danny. While first glance, it looks like Marcia is going to be the rock that steadies Danny, even encouraging him to release How to Write a Song without you (not knowing the context of the song). In the second act of the movie, they break up. The relationship seemed authentic and Danny even mentions to Rick of how much he loves her, so for them to break up, it didn’t felt right. I get the “career” angle, but at the end of the day I wish we got more closure in how there relationship turned over the course of the six months since the song was released. There could’ve been a moment where Danny talks about her but they left it for a few brief shots of how the relationship went awry and that didn’t sit right with me.

Finally, I love Sandy as he is a ride or die. Yes, he made mistakes but was loyal to Rick since the beginning and I personally love the friendship they had. While he was loyal, he did have limits and didn’t forgive Rick for snapping at him right away. Instead, he waited for him to apologize and actually thought about whether or not he wanted to continue the friendship. You don’t see friends in movies actually think about whether they want to continue friendship where it might lead them wrong down the road and for that moment it was nice to see the side characters have some boundaries guarded for them and while, Rick was a good guy, Sandy needed that confirmation to make sure he was worth it.

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Spider Noir is such an interesting show. While we see the iconic Spider Noir fight in action with the Silvermane’s henchmen (e.g. Sandman, Tombstoone, and later on Megawatt). Unlike previous Spider-Man adaptations, Ben Reilly presents a cynical/bitter take on the iconic web slinging hero. Unlike Peter Parker, who despite his tribulations rises to the occasion and fights despite what he’s lost. Ben, on the other hand gives up being the Spider-Noir after a fatal accident with his fiancée who ends up dying. There’s something about this side that intrigues me as he slowly comes back into the role of hero, but in this case antihero due to his cynical outlook on life and how if he feels there’s no power, the responsibility won’t fall on him.

A standout is the cynicism of Ben and while the showrunners/writers could’ve played this into him having a bitter ending where he ends up dying or is unlikeable to the point where we root for his death, it was balanced with the slick 1930s New York style that was charming and didn’t feel out of place once in the show. The way Cage was able to use his eyes and play to the scene and elevate the stakes was something I loved watching and had me invested from the start to the end.

The performances of Cage, Li, Morris, Popoola, Gleeson, Ruiz, and Caldwell honestly were authentic and stripped while also balancing the intensity and the world the show was going for. The finale was really when the stakes of every character went up and I felt the pain and could understand the reasons why they did what they did. Despite feeling betrayed that Cat betrayed Ben’s secret identity, I also understand her love for Flint never wavered and all she wanted was the love of her life back. It was terrible when I first saw it and gasped. Up till Spider-Man: Far From Home and No Way Home, Marvel has stayed away from exposing Spider-Man’s true identity, so it have them up the stakes just shows how far Cat was willing to go to save Flint. I admire her for her intentions, but also felt ecstatic that Janet slapped her for her betrayal as Ben was vulnerable with her and she took that and made him an experiment in order to save the failed mutations of the WWI soldiers who were POW (Prisoners of War).

Speaking of the soldiers (Lonnie, Flint, and Dirk). I wanted to hate them, but I couldn’t. They were men that were not only fighting for there country and prisoners of war, they also had the trauma of being experimented on and had abilities that were slowly killing them. I couldn’t entirely blame them for wanting some justice, especially after the glass cages the doctor kept of the dead soldier mutations. Seeing that, I felt there anger and that moment, in spite of Dirk being the main villain, I sympathized with him for that one moment because in his eyes he was seeing the soldiers/friends that he saw fall in battle and thought were dead. It was a devastating scene to watch but also shows how deadly science can be if it’s in the wrong hands and how not all advancements need to be made. The scene was chilling and could see the layers in these characters that we’re supposed to hate but couldn’t help but feel bad for. However, Lonnie did want out sooner but Flint convinced him to stay, which he did until he was cured and I was glad for that.

Another aspect this Marvel Sony project did well was the score. Whenever the scene was ramping up to when there would be a battle/killing of a character, the score was able to not only match the mood of the scene, but also elevate it to where they played with our anticipation and I respect that. The finale is where the score shines, along with the episode 6, having a mix of The Twilight Zone and Frankenstein inspired feel to that episode, the episode benefits from the score and how they brought that eerie feeling to life. Episode 8, the climax is climbing slowly and the score is able to play into the actor’s emotions and I loved that one little detail of how the score is able to uplight a tense scene and bring it to life.

A shoutout to Dirk (Andrew Lewis Caldwell). He was perfect for Dirk/Megawatt. Often, I see him in TV shows/movies where his characters aren’t as layered (e.g. Henry Danger as Biff). This, however he was able to show the audience what he was made of and I loved it. From the creepy vibe of his accent to the dark rhymes, every layer of villainy the character had was perfect! In my opinion, his performance stood out along with Nicholas Cage as Ben Reilly.