Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Angel Has Fallen - So, about an hour into this movie, I suddenly remembered that this is actually the THIRD installment of this series. I forgot all about the London one! Can you believe that THREE of these movies exist? It's wild. Anyway, I still think of the line "why don't you and I play a game of fuck off...you go first", from the first movie, pretty regularly. It's just so ridiculous, and it's crazy to me that someone actually wrote that dialogue, and it's even crazier that it was actually used in a real movie. I like Gerard Butler (let's be real, it's probably just the accent), and I like that he's a little bit worn down in this one (aren't we all?). It's obvious who the "bad guy" is from the beginning, so I appreciate that they didn't keep it as a surprise. It's just a very straight-forward "good guy vs. bad guy" action movie. Jada Pinkett Smith is just a terrible actress (I didn't use to think this, I was a big fan of her in the 90s, but her turn on Gotham really made me sour on her). I did love seeing Piper Perabo! Remember her from Coyote Ugly? She was supposed to be a big star, but it never turned out that way for her, which is a shame (side-note - I dated her brother's roommate way back when. He was an "actor" too. UGH.). Anyway, I feel like if you enjoyed the first two, then you'll enjoy this. I highly doubt I will remember it exists within a few months from now.

2. Birds of Prey (I refuse to write the full title. Who do they think they are...a Fiona Apple album?) - I'm...just not a fan, you guys. I tried. I heard mostly positive things about this movie, so I had hope that I would enjoy it. I went into it with a really positive attitude, but I just don't get how anyone could enjoy this. It's bonkers, and not in a good way. I love Margot Robbie, but just not in this role. The accent hurts my ears. But I think that I just don't like Harley Quinn as a character. She's just so...pathetic. And am I supposed to be inspired by her because she eats? Is that a thing that I'm supposed to be impressed by? And ugh...the dialogue is just so dumb. It's also filled with the most cliched songs ("Barracuda", "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World", etc.). I did find a few positives, though! (1.) Mary Elizabeth Winstead is awesome (always and forever). (2.) Chris Messina as a bad guy is an interesting casting choice. I feel like he always plays "nice guys", but I could just have a terrible memory. (3.) I did appreciate the jail fight scene for a number of reasons - it seemed slightly more realistic than most fight scenes like this, the choreography is insane, and they found a way to include sprinklers - completely soaking Quinn, but still somehow avoided sexualizing her. It's very impressive (but then only mere seconds later, she's completely dry. HOW?).

3. Queen & Slim - I love it so much, I could cry just thinking about it. I didn't love a lot of movies from last year, so it's been a pretty disappointing year of movie-viewing for me. Because of this, I can feel myself adjusting my expectations for every movie, so I didn't really expect to love this movie so much. I was a little cynical in the beginning - these just didn't seem like likable characters to root for. And then "the incident" was (unfortunately) predictable. But shortly along the way, I found myself loving these two people so much, and wanting them to have a happy ending. I read a few things about the movie after I watched it, and I was stunned by the description as a "modern day Bonnie and Clyde". I mean, what an insulting comparison. Bonnie and Clyde were fucking bank robbers! And they murdered people ON PURPOSE. I would say this is more of a "modern day Thelma and Louise" (as a love story, although one could easily argue that Thelma and Louise is a love story). They are on the run because of a failure of law and justice, not because they are criminals. ANYWAY, Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Smith-Turner are spectacular, as singular characters, but also as a couple (their chemistry gives me chills). It's not a perfect movie - and there are even some really dumb moments (like how she goes dancing after getting shot in the leg), but the feeling and mood of the movie is just on-point. It's stylish, sexy and bold. For such a new filmmaker, it also feels surprisingly effortless and confident. I'm in awe of every second of it.

4. Little Women (2019) - I really dreaded watching this movie - it's just not my thing. I never liked the book (to be honest, I probably never even read it in its entirety. Pretty sure I read the Cliff's Notes for it- remember those? Do those exist anymore? I guess it's not really necessary anymore with the internet nowadays). It just seems so boring, and the trailer didn't alter my opinion at all. But, I have to admit, by the end, I was fully immersed, and I actually think that I liked it? I definitely didn't like the beginning because it was exactly like what I was expecting, but the cast really sells it - they all have really great chemistry and an undeniable camaraderie that is really enjoyable to watch. Saoirse Ronan is excellent as expected (although she's supposed to be the "not pretty" one and I'm pretty sure she is the most attractive of the cast? Like what the fuck?). Florence Pugh is a delight (not an Oscar nomination worthy performance, though). But, I still maintain that both Timothee Chalamet and Emma Watson can not act (Ronan and Pugh really carry them throughout). Also, I read some mixed things about the editing, specifically the time-jumping back and forth, but I think it works brilliantly. It's probably the reason the film held my interest. While it's better than I expected, I still wouldn't put it on my Best of 2019 list, nor do I think Gerwig deserved any more praise than she already received.

5. Pokemon Detective Pikachu - I have no idea what I watched. I've never played Pokemon, or watched any related content. I think I was too old for it once it came out (I think I was a senior in high school when the original game came out). It was super weird when the resurgence happened a few years ago. It was everywhere - and people of ALL ages were super into it (so weird). I thought this movie might be cute because it has cute creatures and possibly some witty dialogue, but overall, I was just super confused by the whole thing. It's definitely not made for an external audience. There is literally nothing else to say about it.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Charlie's Angels (2019) - I can't say I was ever a big fan of the Charlie's Angels franchise. I used to watch reruns of the television show (I LOVED Farrah Fawcett), but not regularly. I watched the movie with Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu, of course, but it wasn't very good (I see a lot of love for it nowadays, but come on guys, it was terrible). I thought an updated reboot could work (I mean, with the amount of times they reboot James Bond and Batman, surely there is room for a third rendition of Charlie's Angels in the span of 30+ years). I was also really excited for Elizabeth Banks to direct, and I thought Kristen Stewart was inspired casting. I've liked her in some quieter roles, but I don't think she's great in bigger films like this. Although, unfortunately, she is probably the only watchable aspect of the movie (even though she's still dead-behind-the-eyes, she's also quite charming). The rest of the film is rooouuugh. The other two girls are really dull (I recognize one from the live action Aladdin, in which she is also really dull, but I don't recognize the other one from anything). What bothered me most, though, is that it's not at all fun, at least the previous version had some fantastically cheesy dialogue to laugh along with. Actually, wait, what truly bothered me the most is the absolutely awful action scenes. There is a car-chase sequence that is really hard to look at - the bright yellow sparks during the gunfire is shockingly bad (although it really makes you appreciate the talent that goes into those scenes when they are done well). Oh, and one actual positive thing - Jonathan Tucker is the bad guy! I literally just mentioned him in my previous post which is weird because I haven't seen him in anything in a while. I don't hate him as a bad guy - it's kind of sexy.

2. Triple Frontier - Man, this movie went right under the radar which is so weird considering the cast - Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund AND Pedro Pascal, plus it's directed by J.C. Chandor. I never heard of it until I was scrolling for movies to watch, and was completely surprised by the caliber of talent for a movie that I've never heard of - I literally read the description and yelled out loud "what the fuck is this movie?!". And, it's not terrible. It's not exactly good, either, but I'm not sure why it was completely ignored. There's a lot of issues with the general plot, and the character motivations are very inconsistent. But first, let's dissect this cast. (1.) Charlie Hunnam and Garrett Hedlund as brothers is perfect casting. Just perfect. However, I don't like Hunnam with an American accent. I know that's how he is known - as Jax from Sons of Anarchy, an unforgettable character that I adored, but his accent was always a problem. (2.) Ben Affleck is getting so old and it makes me so sad. He's only 9 years older than me, but honestly, I think he could pass for my dad nowadays (but good for him in dating Ana De Armas - she is unbelievably gorgeous). (3.) Pedro is under-utilized (as per usual). Next, I always appreciate that J.C. Chandor doesn't dumb down his movies for audiences. You really have to pay attention to details. But this is such a misfire. Instead of dumbing down the plot, he dumbed down the characters - i.e they are supposed to be Special Forces, but they don't realize that a teenage boy is following them? Come on! And the biggest problem with the plot is that they should just bury the money and then come back for it...no? Instead of...you know...BURNING IT. AAAAHHHH. Ok, now that I'm thinking about it, maybe it is terrible and should be buried among the pile of forgotten films.

3. Onward - Such a super cute movie! I feel like it didn't really get much traction in the theater but maybe that's just because it was released at the start of all the world ending events? Tom Holland actually has a super cute voice for animation. I think I really liked it because I really, really appreciated what the message turned into. *spoilers* At first, you think it's about someone coming to terms with their father's death. I can appreciate that - but it always makes me angry when audiences are supposed to pity characters for one thing, even though the rest of their life seems perfect. He didn't even know his father (he died before he was born), so how is he so obsessed with feeling loss of someone he never had? BUT THEN, while on this epic magical quest with his older brother to bring his father back from the dead, he comes to this realization that he, in fact, had a "dad" his whole life - his older brother had done everything he felt he had missed out on with a father/son relationship. It's so emotional when he comes to this realization - and the rest of the story just falls into place so wonderfully. We've all lost people, but sometimes it's necessary to think of the people who are in your life that fill those roles. It's not always easy, trust me, every time I have issues with my car - I have a mental breakdown because it's just a reminder that I don't have a dad - even though I have plenty of people in my life who have, and will, help me. It's just one of those things that I always imagine other women relying on their fathers for, and it hurts to not have that support. Overall, I enjoyed this - it's not amazing, or anything, but it's cute and fun, with a wonderful message.

4. Ford v Ferrari - I wasn't really expecting to like this even though the cast is solid and James Mangold has an excellent track record. Mostly because car racing, to me, is like torture (they just go round and round until they crash - what's the point?). I actually really liked it. Like, a lot. It's a very typical "sports underdog" story, but it's done really well. I really liked how it's not set up as a clear "hero vs villain" story; instead both the Ford and Ferrari corporations are filled with assholes and these two "normal" guys are stuck in the middle (and they are both on Ford's team - so I guess the assumption is that the audience should want Ford to win, because you want these guys to win. I always say that "people work for people; not corporations" and this, in a way, proves that to be true). I also really liked that the driver, Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale), is just an overall decent guy - he's a great father and husband, he's really smart, and followed his passion (yes, he's a bit abrasive, but that doesn't bother me). I wasn't expecting the end (not the outcome of the race - that was pretty obvious, otherwise a movie wouldn't exist) - I know nothing about these people in real life, but I guess I should have paid more attention to the foreshadowing, because when that ending happened...it hurt.

5. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged - I watched the first one a few days prior to this and even though it's pretty bad, it is infinitely better than the sequel. The first one seemed a little realistic. I hear of dumb young women doing all of these unsanctioned tourist trap kind of things, like cage diving, all of the time, and it blows my mind. It made sense that it would all go wrong, and there wouldn't instantly be someone there to help. However, with this one - it's just really stupid. First, why/how is this even a sequel? Not only is the cast different, it has nothing to do with being "47 Meters" underwater. It's just another shark attack movie, so why have it connect to a previous mediocre shark movie? Why not just make it its own thing? Second, all of these girls are terrible actresses (I don't recognize any of them, so I assume they are all newcomers). Third, it's dumb - like if the scuba diving was spontaneous, how did they happen to have scuba gear for 4 people that fit perfectly? And last, and most important, it's really boring. There's just not enough shark attack carnage until the end.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Blinded by the Light - A movie dedicated to The Boss already has my heart. The trailer looked super cute, and overall I think it turned out exactly how I expected. The highlight is obviously the "Born to Run" scene. I smiled for pretty much the whole movie, even though it's a little bit cheesy. It makes it better that it's based on a true story (and the pictures at the end almost made me cry). I think everyone can relate, especially as a teenager, to finding salvation in music. I think the film does a great job at showcasing this, and also the joyous experience of being a "fan" of something. There's a lot of serious stuff going on in the background regarding racial tensions in England in the 80s (that are probably exactly the same now), but I think the point of the film is finding an "escape". I don't think the movie needed to be 2 hours - a solid 90 minutes would have sufficed. I loved the end, though, when they are so excited to go to Bruce's hometown. I've been to Asbury Park once, and it's not my cup of tea (I'm a beach snob having grown up with West Coast beaches. I'm sorry, but the Jersey Shore is fucking disgusting and no-one has been able to convince me otherwise, and believe me they've tried). Sometimes I'm tempted to go, though, just for the off-chance that Bruce will show up as he often does.

2. Toy Story 4 - I've quickly mentioned the Toy Store franchise a handful of times on this blog in the past, but I try not to because, honestly, I just don't understand its popularity, but I also don't enjoy shitting on things that people love. It's not like I hate these movies, but I just don't understand the intense love for them. They are decent - Cute. Funny. Sweet. But also - Repetitive. Simple. Boring. The fourth installment is exactly that - cute, funny, sweet, repetitive, simple and boring. There's really not much else to say, which is always my biggest disappointment when watching a movie. I love trying to figure out who all the voices are though - like Christina Hendricks, Louise from Bob's Burgers, and Murray Goldberg. I can't believe it won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, though. I haven't seen a lot of animated films from last year, but really? This was the best one? The only good thing is that maybe this is the last one? Hopefully? Please, God, let this be the last one.

3. Portrait of a Lady on Fire - I didn't love it, but there is still a lot of good stuff to talk about. It's beautiful, the acting is wonderful, but my favorite aspect is that is openly discusses or depicts "taboo" women's topics that are not usually shown onscreen - especially in a story about women in the 18th century. First, and most obvious, is that it's a love story between two women. Second, there are a few scenes depicting at-home abortion attempts. Third, the one that stood out to me most, was the open discussion of menstruation. Maybe it's because just the day before I watched this movie, while at work one of my managers walked over to the CVS next door and was pressured into buying a bag from the store clerk because she was buying sanitary napkins (in the town I work in plastic bags are banned - so if you want a bag you have to purchase it, and yes we are still working a few days a week to fulfill online orders because over-priced yoga pants are a must during a global pandemic). He was like "don't you need a bag?" and she said "no, I'm just going next door" and he looked at her with disgust, so she purchased a bag. This woman is 40 years old and still embarrassed by her period. It's just absolutely ridiculous. I'm not blaming her, I'm blaming society (but honestly, if that happened to me I would have told him to fuck off). Wow - epic sidetrack! Anyway, the rest of the movie is pretty dull. Nothing happens for the first hour. The final painting is shown in the beginning (and it's even the poster), so it's very anti-climactic. I also didn't think it was very erotic either.

4. Jumanji: The Next Level - I unexpectedly enjoyed the first one (wait, not the "first" one, but the "first" of the reboot). It was super fun and unpredictable. Sadly, the sequel is a little disappointing. I'm not sure if it's because I went in with different (higher) expectations than with the first, or if it's just not as good. The biggest misfire is the switching of the characters - it was a highlight in the first one, but in this one it went so wrong. As soon as they switched into their original characters, it was like a weight was lifted from the film and it suddenly became fun again. I mean, just picture The Rock trying to do an impression of Danny DeVito. It's beyond awful. It doesn't get much better to have Awkwafina doing a Danny DeVito impression, but it's not as painful. Karen Gillan remains the highlight. Even though I was disappointed, I still had fun watching it. It has some really funny moments, is cute, moves pretty quickly, and overall just a great family movie.

5. The Kitchen - I didn't really know much about this movie going in, which is always nice. I was really happy that "The Kitchen" referred to the infamous "Hell's Kitchen". I will never not think of Sleepers when someone refers to "Hell's Kitchen" (one of my favorite movies of all time - and what a fucking cast). Also, there was a really great short-lived television drama called The Black Donnellys that was set in "Hell's Kitchen" (fun fact both Sleepers and The Black Donnellys featured one of my favorite actors growing up, Jonathan Tucker). As you can see, I'm avoiding talking about this movie because it fucking sucks. I don't like Melissa McCarthy in serious roles (actually I think she did a good job in that one movie with Bill Murray and I haven't seen Can you ever Forgive Me yet). I don't like Elisabeth Moss at all. I'm going to decide now, that Tiffany Hadish is just not my cup of tea (I haven't seen her in much, but her line delivery is so cringe-worthy). The only highlight is Margot Martindale (obvi), but she's not in the movie very much. I think it's supposed to be seen as empowering for women (or as they call it "all Gloria Steinem and shit" - you know, because Steinem fought for women's rights to lead organized crime and murder people just like men do! What a fucking joke.). I honestly stopped paying attention for a full half-hour and I don't feel like I missed anything. I did enjoy all of the fantastic sunglasses. I have a bit of an obsession with over-sized sunglasses, and have an embarrassing amount of them. And yet, I need every single one that is featured in this movie.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - While I enjoy all of the Fast & Furious movies, I fully admit that they are all starting to blend together. I could never even do a ranking of them because I have no idea which one is which. However, I would surely rank this one towards the top. Mostly because I just love Jason Statham, but also because of Vanessa Kirby. I love that she went from being in The Crown to big action franchise movies (this and Mission Impossible). She's so hot and her hair looks fucking fabulous through the entire movie - even during the most intense action sequences, she's just flawless. The same can be said for Eiza Gonzalez (just watch the From Dusk Till Dawn tv series and try not to drool). This is the type of movie that I will always have fun watching, but obviously I can see the flaws. First, I love the banter between Statham and The Rock, but some of it felt a little bit forced. Second, I know these films aren't obviously supposed to be realistic in any way, but there is no way Vanessa Kirby would ever have a shot in a fight with The Rock. I don't care how skilled she is, he could break her with his pinky. And third, I'm also a little desensitized by the action scenes - after, what, seven or eight films (I've lost count), what else can they do that they haven't done? It all gets a little repetitive, and by the time they get to Hawaii, I was over it. It's unnecessarily long and there's way too much filler.

2. Jojo Rabbit - I liked this movie a lot. For some reason, I wasn't really expecting to. The plot is obviously a bit off-putting. And I've seen a few articles here and there that describe the film as "problematic", which usually makes me laugh, but seeing as it's a satire about Nazis, I can definitely see the extremely thin line that may have been crossed. However, for me, it works. I can completely see how it might not work for others. Humanizing Nazis is never going to sit well with most people, but sometimes stories like this need to be told so we, as a society, can understand how this type of evil starts and spreads (and hopefully can be stopped...). I do wish it wasn't pushed as a "comedy" because it's definitely not - it's clearly a drama with comedic moments, but I think because it's "satire" it, for some reason, has to be also labeled as a comedy. There is no way that any movie with a scene like *that* should ever be labeled as a comedy. It's soul-crushing. And definitely problematic. Anyway, there is wonderful commentary and dialogue about the cycle of violence, which I think can be related to many scenarios, not just Nazis. I also think it displays an amazing mother/son relationship about a mother who has not only lost her son to pure evil in which she has no control over, but also she still sees the best in him, and has hope in saving him. We often place blame on the parents when someone grows up to be evil - and I know first-hand that it's not always their fault. Roman Griffin Davis is adorable and is absolutely wonderful in this role. On a side-note, I am completely expecting this kid to show up in the next Kingsman movie (not the prequel one that's coming out, but possibly the one after that). He made many references to it during awards season - wearing the orange suit, and Kingsman cufflinks. I thought it was so weird, so I looked into it and it turns out that his dad is a DP on many of Matthew Vaughn movies (and also one of my favorite movies - Seven Psychopaths). So, yeah, I would say that's a lock to happen in the near future. Scar-jo deserved the Oscar nomination (not for Marriage Story though - although she was better than the actual winner). And I'm really surprised that Taika didn't get more credit for his acting role in this - definitely brilliant. And of course, Sam Rockwell is perfect as always.

3. Anna - This seemed like my kind of movie - very Alias-like. Plus it's Luc Besson, and I will always be a fan, even though he's done some terrible movies. Overall, I was entertained. It's a little bit like recent films Red Sparrow and Atomic Blonde, and it doesn't add anything else to what's already been done. The twists are pretty good, though. It was obvious that something was going down, but I wasn't expecting what happened, so that's always a good sign. The cast is strong - I'm not sure I've ever seen the main girl in anything before, but she does a really good job of being a believable model/spy. Helen Mirren is unrecognizable (and also, a little bit cliched now for the role. We get it Helen, you're a bad-ass). Luke Evans does a surprisingly great Russian accent (I'm not sure what his original accent is - I think British or Welsh maybe, definitely not Russian, though). I love Cillian Murphy. I feel like he's not in as much stuff as he should be, or even when he is in stuff, he's not really rated as highly as he should be. He's always a solid actor - and he tends to pick interesting projects.

4. Lost Girls - Amy Ryan is definitely a great under-rated actress. I started watching this without realizing that it was based on a true story, but then I stopped it about 30 minutes in to look up the real story. It's weird that it happened in Long Island in 2010 and there was a whole serial killer situation, and yet, I heard nothing about it? Which is kind of the point - since the women were all assumed to be sex-workers, so it wasn't made a big deal (although the movie does show it getting press). This movie isn't that great - it's well acted, but overall it has no impact. Also, the girl from Jojo Rabbit is in it. It's weird when that happens - randomly watching 2 movies in a row that star the same actor/actress. I didn't mention her in my Jojo Rabbit thoughts because I didn't really like her performance, but decided to focus on the great performances instead. Unfortunately, I didn't like her in this either. There is something weird about the way she speaks. I think it might be because she is trying to hide her real accent, in which she is successful because I had to look up where she is from. There's just something off, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Anyway, the real question is why they put the fact that Mari (the main character in the movie - the mother of one of the missing girls) was murdered by her other daughter, in the footnotes at the end of the movie. That's an incredibly interesting part of this woman's story that maybe should have been focused on a bit more.

5. Dolemite is My Name - Another casualty of this year's disastrous Oscar nominations for both Lead Actor and Costume Design. Eddie Murphy is phenomenal, and that 'Eddie Murphy smile' was definitely missed. I've never seen a Dolemite movie - and honestly, I probably never will, it's just definitely not my type of humor. However, this movie was very entertaining and had some really memorable scenes. Like the scene where they all go to the movies to see the "comedy" - man, the look on all of their faces is perfection. The story is a really interesting look at what makes something a "cult classic". Sometimes the public couldn't give a shit about what critics think or if something is technically "well-made", instead they just want to watch something that they can connect to, or laugh with, or laugh at, or sometimes all three. The biggest revelation, though, is that holy fuck that's Kodi Smit-McPhee all grown up?!? I didn't even recognize him, which is weird because he's in the X-Men movies, but I guess he doesn't make a big impression in those movies. 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. Watchmen - The hype was real for this, and for the most part, I think it lives up to it. The cast is incredible. I've been a Regina King fan for years, but she really thrived in this. The standout performance, for me though, is Jean Smart. I used to watch Designing Women when I was a kid - and I used to think she was so funny, but it was a different kind of funny than what most women on television were at that time - she was smart funny and dry funny. She's been around for years on various tv shows (24, Samantha Who?), but it really wasn't until Fargo that I remembered how much I love her. The third episode of Watchmen, Jean gives an unforgettable performance - it's just sublime. The story is ambitious (maybe a little too ambitious?), but ultimately really strong. It's based around a dark day in American history - the Tulsa massacre, and how the events of something so traumatic can have decades-long consequences. I'm glad that this is just a one season show - not everything needs to be dragged out for forever.

2. The Outsider - I was nervous about this because I thought it was going to be similar to the other current Stephen King television show, Castle Rock. While the cast on Castle Rock is outstanding, the rest of the show is hot garbage. Luckily, The Outsider is far more cohesive and interesting. The mystery is really creepy and the suspense builds nicely with each episode. Ben Mendelsohn really carries the series, but I have to say, Cynthia Erivo is mesmerizing as Holly Gibney - probably one of my favorite characters on current television (no-one comes close to Villanelle, though). I was really rooting for Cynthia at the Oscars this year (obviously she wasn't going to win the Actress award because everyone had their mind set on Zellweger for some baffling reason, but she could have taken home the Song award), which would have made her an EGOT winner at the young age of 33 (if you count Daytime Emmys - which I personally think should count). Also, Julianne Nicholson is such an underrated actress. She will probably be overlooked for this performance, but she does such a great job of portraying grief and anger in a really vulnerable way. Overall, I would definitely recommend this if you are into horror/sci-fi shows - it comes to a satisfying conclusion, so I'm interested to see how they continue the story for another season.

3. The Mandalorian - I have to admit that by the time I got around to watching this I wanted to punch every single person who posted a Baby Yoda meme. And then I started watching the show, and came to the realization that I WOULD DIE FOR BABY YODA. Literally. He's just about the most adorable creature ever put on screen. Every time he appears, my heart just burst with joy. Anyway, I'm a little disappointed that Pedro Pascal keeps that helmet on for the entire season because I love him, and I kept forgetting that it was him under there. Plus, I'm not sure he's the best actor to use purely based on voice? I'm not really familiar with the extended Star Wars universe, so some of the plot went over my head, but overall I enjoyed this.

4. Devs - I'm not fully invested in this show. It keeps bouncing back and forth between being extremely predictable to what the fuck is happening/this doesn't make any sense. And I'm not sure it's going to be worth it. Also, the cast is weird - like nobody matches their role. I'm only on episode 4 so I assume (hopefully) that it will all come together cohesively, and that maybe the weird acting is done on purpose. I think I just had higher hopes for it because Alex Garland has some pretty neat sci-fi ideas. But so far, it just feels like a chore to watch.

5. Avenue 5 - This is an entertaining little comedy/sci-fi. I enjoyed it, and laughed out loud quite a few times. It's a little bit of mindless entertainment, but sometimes that's necessary - just to watch something that doesn't take too much mental energy is sometimes a blessing, especially during recent events. The cast work really well together - and even though I really don't like Josh Gad, he has some really funny dialogue to work with. I'm excited for season two - and I can see this show working for multiple seasons and growing into something great. The basics for a great show are all there.