Posted on June 9, 2019 in Books, TV
Volume 1 and Volume 2
I did not like the first volume. It felt disjointed and chaotic. There did not seem to be a lot of character development. I felt indifferent to most of the characters. This often happens with comics and graphic novels which is why I favour graphic novels with strong character work. As a result, I did not really care if the characters survived and the plot was rather loose too. The first irked me to the point where I almost didn’t read the second one.
I did like the second volume much more as it seemed to work on character backstory more. There definitely more moments of character development and relationships. I looked forward to the third volume and the TV series by the end of it.
Read Volume 1 on May 21, 2019. Read Volume 2 on May 24, 2019 in comic book reader file.
Umbrella Academy Season 1
For the most part, I liked season one. The music was good and the casting worked for the most part, but I found issues with certain characterizations and the length. The series was too long. I actually think this is a common problem with a lot of Netflix shows. The show would have benefitted from cutting some storylines much shorter and making this first season about eight episodes rather than ten.
Having said that, the show really took the characters and gave them some character development. I think casting worked well for the most part. I do think Allison could have received more character focus especially compared to her brothers and even Vanya. I did not like the addition of Leonard/Harold or so much extra stuff with the Cha Cha and Hazel. A little goes a long way with these kind of villains.
I am glad the show is renewed and it was a fun watch.
Watched June 2019.
Posted on June 7, 2019 in Monthly Movies, Movies, TV
Movies
Hail Caesar! (16 04 2019) – I remember seeing the trailer a couple years ago and looking forward to it but the reviews were not great so I put it off. The pacing in this movie is odd. It’s lacklustre and often times feels like a bunch of random scenes rather than a cohesive movie. I didn’t hate the movie but it did drag for the most of it. Good points is that every scene looks great. I love this era in the film and you can tell the Coen’s do too as they put effort in the look and of course the great casting. All in all, I still gave it a thumbs up on Netflix but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Bumblebee (24 04 2019) – Much better than anything Michael Bay could ever do. Sweet and easy popcorn flick. I hope the transformers franchise changes for the better.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (20 05 2019) – I needed to wash my brain after that GoT finale and see Emilia Clarke in a character with nuance. I put off watching this for awhile mostly because I knew it would be a decent popcorn flick. I watched it while doing chores, having lunch, and making Swedish cinnamon rolls. Maybe it’s because I knew going in that the movie had some weak areas, but I liked it. I thought it had a great cast and that everyone got to do something interesting.
The Death of Stalin (21 05 2019) – This is such an odd movie. It somehow manages to balance the inherent anxiety and fear of the time with black comedy. It’s very unique in its very dark themes and plot, but it is done well. Fantastic cast and acting. It is entertaining and thought provoking. While not completely historically accurate, it probably does capture the gist and spirit of history. A good watch.
TV
April:
“The OA” – We started this late March/early April. We watched it slowly for about five episodes but I wanted to move ahead so I binged the rest of Part 1 and all of Part 2 around April 22. I really liked this show. Good acting, very well shot, but it has a very interesting premise and world building. It is very slow so I am wary to recommend it to anyone, but I enjoyed weird shows like this.
“Line of Duty” Series 5 – Have not even seen series 1-4. I liked it and can see why it’s good, but some of these interrogation scenes were very long. End felt a bit dragged out.
May:
“Game of Thrones” Season 8 – I don’t want to talk about it.