Rise of the Pink Ladies
I am human and a fan of musicals… so of course I grew up with Grease and love it in all its problematic glory. So, when I was on a plane and saw that they had 2 episodes of the Rise of the Pink Ladies available to watch for free, I was hesitant. But also, I figured it was good to start it on an airplane with time to spare.
Of course with a lot of modern adaptions there’s the cheesiness of trying to recreate something that was so timeless, but even though this had a few moments where I was like, “Oh man that’s bad,” it was always with a love and a desire to see the next episode.
Some characters I was initially resistant to, like Cynthia, but as time moved on I enjoyed her more and more. I really hope they make a second season of the show.
The Serpent Queen -
Starz
Catherine De Medici has been a fascinating woman of history for me ever since I saw her played by Megan Follows in Reign (I know, not the best for accurate history but still I loved it).
This story, while not really providing a LOT of new information to me was great in how it showed her cunning. I loved that she knew how to play to both Protestants and Catholics, and how she has always been a fighter and survivor.
I hope it is renewed for a second season because I think they’ve set up a great character that can be explore more.
Shiny Happy People -
Amazon Prime
I remember when the Duggar’s TV first came out, and how fascinated my family was about this large family who always got along. As I grew older, I began reading about the scandals and then eventually found Fundie Friday (featured in this documentary) that opened the whole world of Christian Fundamentalism to me. As a huge fan of learning about religions and cults, this was a wonderfully done documentary that had me gripped from start to finish. I watched it twice the week it came out! I truly hope they make a second season because there is so much more to explore.
Photo from PopverseSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Like everyone, I was anticipating the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and forced my boyfriend to go with me to the opening night screening (Yes, I am very delayed in writing about this) and it was everything I wanted and more. The graphics are amazing. Each character and their world has a style and even the screen is filled with vibrant color and stylization, you are able to keep track of what’s happening.
I love that they took a villain who seemed so inept and through learning and struggling was able to become a powerful nemesis. Miles Morales’s struggle to be a regular teen, with all the struggles that come with that, and the famous web slinger feels true to all Spider Man stories and seeing the other Spider characters facing similar canon struggles while potentially overplayed wasn’t.
Gwen Stacy felt like a lead in her own right, not just a love interest (she has never felt like that to me in this series, even though she was a crush) and you really feel the bond between her and Miles. There were new Spider characters to love and the return of some favorites. The entire time watching the movie I was waiting for the Easter Eggs I could recognize and wanting to see what happened next. At no point did I feel like the pacing was off. In fact, my only complaint was that Miles didn’t feel like a 15 year old (and with that my boyfriend thought he and Gwen were being sexualized at too young an age). I wish they had aged him up a bit more just because there’s so much pressure being forced on him that feels like it would make him more along the age of 17, approaching adulthood but not there yet.
The ending left me more excited to see the next movie in a series than I have been in a long time and I am incredibly excited to see what they do with this story. It feels so fresh even though we have had hoooow many Spider-Man movies? This is one of the movies that I can’t wait to have released to streaming services so I can watch it again and again.
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Guardians of the Galaxy - Vol. 3
As of typing this, the movie has only just been released, and I do not want to give any spoilers if possible. With this in mind, I am going to try to give as spoiler free a review as possible for this movie that I only just watched.
One of the great things about the Guardians of the Galaxy movies is that you see growth for these characters, and that does not change with this one. Throughout the trilogy and extended MCU films, you see Star Lord grow up (rare for Chris Pratt characters) and face some of the hurt he has seen in his life. You see Rocket in the second movie see himself in Yondu and so when you see Infinity War and Endgame, you see what he’s transformed in. Nebula has been dealing with the trauma of her past and is recognizing who is important to her in this new life. Mantis, another victim of abuse, tries to bring happiness to everyone (like in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special) and Groot is literally growing from baby to whatever he is in this movie.
That’s what makes a good trilogy. You feel for the characters, and you see them grow. What makes a great story, are risks… and this movie had them. Throughout the whole film it felt like every single character was at risk and that anything could happen. It had humor and a great soundtrack, all of which you expect from a Guardians movie, but it also had you worried. We went into the theater around 8:00 pm and didn’t leave until after 11:00 pm and when my partner realized what time it was he was like, “We were there that long?!” Because even though it’s long, and has a lot going on, I found it to be engaging. While they used some big characters, who may not have been given all the development they get in comics (Adam Warlock) I think that if the MCU is willing to do the slow but steady growth of the comics/movies we could have a great new player.
Also, this is supposed to be a send off to a lot of characters, as their actors are no longer going to be playing those roles, and while I think they left it open ended enough for future cameos, their endings felt right. Overall, this movie had enough stakes to make everything in the end feel like a satisfying ending, and I think casual viewers of the films and fans will enjoy it.
She-Hulk
Yes, I am extremely late to the party. She-Hulk the TV show was released in August of 2022 and I spent a whole day/night in April 2023 watching it.
I am a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and yes, I tend to have opinions about everything they do. I am also, usually, chomping at the bit to watch their latest release… but I was too overwhelmed to take the time to watch either She-Hulk or Ms. Marvel, so I put these in the, “at a later time” pile and hoped that I wouldn’t be too spoiled or not understand a reference at a later point in time.
Sure I had some spoilers… like the cameo for Megan the Stallion, the terrible CGI at points, and I was told how it was lack luster by some of the twitterverse, but as I watched it, I found it enjoyable. I thought the main actress was talented, and I enjoyed how the show adapted overtime. I generally like when characters break the fourth wall. Fleabag and Deadpool used it to great effect, though I will admit the Netflix’s adaptation of Persuasion use of breaking the fourth wall was misguided for the character.
The show made comments on the sexism of every day life for a woman, and it built the world Jennifer Walters lives in in a believable way. As a woman, Jennifer says she has to regulate her emotions every day, so having to do so as a Hulk isn’t something that would take her years to master, and there’s no “other guy” like with the Hulk for her, there’s no one with another hand on the wheel, giving her a leg up compared to her cousin, Bruce Banner. I would also like to add that their family relationship felt realistic.
There were tons of references to other things that can take place in the MCU; World War Hulk, Wolverine, and Young Avengers, and I’m sure that a lot of the internet Intelligencia, can make comments on how they’d rather see these stories instead of a “woke” agenda about the regular sexism and struggles a normal and/or superhero woman faces daily, but I thought this was a fun story with some great moments.
I loved seeing Daredevil come back to the screen (and do his walk of shame), I loved that at the wedding when the bride asks Jennifer about her life the bride cuts her off to ask if there’s a guy, and then acts all sad as if her other accomplishments are nothing since she’s single. I love that she goes on terrible dates, will make a fool of herself to win a court case, and I love that she has a poster of Legally Blonde on her bedroom door because of course a millennial lawyer would find inspiration in that character. I also love that she has support from not only her paralegal, but from her two coworkers Pug and Amelia, Emil Blonsky (the Abomination), and eventually even one of her nemesis.
Finally. I loved K.E.V.I.N. and his faux baseball cap.
Photo from Variety
Photo from IGN
Photo by Decider