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Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: School Spirits (2017)

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School Spirits is a kids/young adult movie about ghost hunting. The plot and acting are pretty good for a kids’ movie. This movie is a little slow at points, but I didn’t hate it. There is some cartoonish over-acting, and some awkward line reads, but it is a kids’ movie. There is also a bit of ex machina, but that is expected.

As far as kids’ movies go, this one isn’t annoying. The characters are a bit on the quirky side, but I never felt like they were trying too hard. I was never annoyed, even by the more cartoonish characters. School Spirits is about a group of teen girls who hunt ghosts to help them cross over. You have the tough one, the smart one, and the spiritual one. The movie does a decent job at making the main characters complex enough that they aren’t boring archetypes. Some tropes are still present. The girls work well together and were overall a positive representation. I like that this movie doesn’t fall into the overbearing girl power trap some of these movies tend to do. Every other line isn’t devoted to reminding the audience that these are girls and they are capable. Instead, the movie spends time developing plot points and character arcs well enough. I liked this ghost hunting group, and I was invested in their adventure.

I can’t recommend this movie unless you are a kid or looking for a kids’ movie. As far as kids’ movies go, this one is solid. The plot is simple, the acting is fine, but unless you are the target audience, it isn’t going to make much of an impression. Don’t get me wrong, if you are forced to sit through this, you won’t hate it, but I wouldn’t seek it out. 

You can watch this on Amazon Video if you have a Prime Membership. 

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: Cashback (2006)

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Cashback is an odd artsy movie that is a bit pretentious. The film works as an exploration of loss, specifically the loss of a relationship. Sean has just gotten out of a relationship and is dealing poorly with his heartbreak. He doesn’t sleep; Sean spends the whole movie trying to hide from life and his pain.

The way that Sean deals with his heartache is by freezing time. Freezing time is a metaphor for his escapism. Sean doesn’t want to deal with the pain of his break-up, so he escapes into a world frozen in time. 

A world where he can appreciate its beauty without getting hurt. These moments usually turn into pretentious monologues about seeing the beauty in everything. Sean uses this time to express how this ability is unique to him because he is an artist and only artists can truly appreciate beauty. This message wouldn’t be problematic if it wasn’t constantly being repeated. But this movie does a great job at showing escapism. Sean isn’t the only one who chooses to escape the pain of life. You will be introduced to a collection of broken individuals who themselves need to escape. Each character has their unique method of escape, but you only get to see Sean’s dramatized. It is an interesting narrative that does address a lot of how people cope with the difficulty of life. I just wish it didn’t get so preachy. 

This movie isn’t for everyone. Unless you like artsy and weird movies, you probably won’t like it. A bit of warning, there is a lot of nudity. The movie tries to justify it as artistic expression, but it gets a bit creepy. There are some awkward monologues about the beauty of the woman form that get a bit uncomfortable to sit through. 

That said, I did enjoy this movie. Cashback is a solid movie with good actors, memorable characters, and a decent story. However, it suffers from its presentation. I appreciate its unique narrative style, and it did leave an impression, but it is hard to get past the pretentiousness. I get it, beauty is in every moment, and only an artist can understand this. I guess I am not an artist. You can watch it on Amazon if you have a Prime subscription.

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Upload Season 2

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I need to revisit my initial review of this show because of how disappointing the second season is. The second season of Upload is full of plot holes, filler, and bad acting. There seems to be a trend with shows that go to streaming where they are made too long to be watchable. You see this a lot with those true crime docuseries. Instead of a meaningful story, you get filler. Filler served its purpose when shows were released weekly, but filler has no place in streaming. Filler is the death of good storytelling. The second season of Upload is more filler than story. 

I enjoyed the first season of Upload. It is a cheesy love story that explores philosophies about life, death, and personality. It isn’t revolutionary, but it has its charm. All of this charm is gone. The second season turns into a generic and boring spy thriller with a plot riddled with plot holes and obvious twists. There is maybe an hour of meaningful content within the second season; the rest is boring filler. Any growth or interesting plot points made in the first season are forgotten and replaced with a story that isn’t worth your time. The characters are unlikable, the holes are too many to ignore, and there isn’t anything to care about. I don’t care about Nathan and Nora’s relationship. I don’t care about this weird rebellion that is brewing. I don’t care about who killed Nathan, and that is a huge plot point in the first season. I don’t care because everything takes so long to happen that I lost interest. The only reason I stuck with this show was that I loved Ingrid’s character arc.

Ingrid had the best character development until it is ruined by mediocrity. In the first season, Ingrid is presented as this shallow, entitled, and vain character, but there are meaningful moments where she allows herself to be vulnerable and be compassionate. You learn that her attitude results from her complicated relationship with her family. In the second season, Ingrid begins to do a lot of self-reflection. She begins to work through the guilt she has about Nathan’s death. Ingrid realizes that she is alone, and her personality is to blame. There are powerful moments in this season where she begins to grow as a character as she learns from her experience. She even expresses a desire to become more compassionate, loving, and motherly. The tragedy of Ingrid is that she wants someone to love her as much as she loves Nathan. 

I really thought this show would have her become a more complex character as she works through her flaws. I wanted her to realize that she doesn’t need the approval of her family or Nathan to be happy. She could have had interesting character growth, but she doesn’t. Instead, they make her the crazy obsessive ex-girlfriend. There is also a clone of Nathan now because the writers want to lazily set up an ending where everyone ends up with their true love. Gag. There is no risk, no tension, so why does it matter?

Don’t waste your time on this show. It isn’t worth your time or your data.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: The VelociPastor (2019)

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I loved this movie, but I can’t recommend it. It’s not good. The VelociPastor was made for a certain type of audience, but it wasn’t a mainstream audience. Unless you love watching bad cheesy movies for fun, you are going to have a bad time.

The VelociPastor is about a Catholic priest who has lost his faith. He goes on a pilgrimage to find his faith, but he finds the power to turn into a raptor instead. With the help of a prostitute, he uses his powers to fight an origination of evil ninja. It is insane and I loved almost every minute of it.

Again, this movie isn’t for everyone. The writing is bad, the fight scenes are cheesy, and the costumes and special effects are terrible. This movie looks like it was shot at someone’s house. That said, the acting was surprisingly good, the soundtrack was great, and the sound was amazing. It is often the case with low-budget movies like this for the sound to be awful. I’ve seen movies where dialogue is barely audible or full of reverb. The VelociPastor has its sound on point and I appreciate the filmmakers for it. I can forgive bad acting and terrible special effects, but the sound is hard to overlook. That said, a normal audience will not enjoy this movie.

I am not normal, and I enjoy watching bad movies. I loved this movie for what it is, a goofy attempt at a polymorphing action movie. The one-liners, the costumes, the action scenes, and the big twist at the end were all very much appreciated. It does slow down towards the middle, I think they were running out of ideas, but they were able to bring me back in with a grand finale. This is easily my favorite bad movie. 

If you like making fun of bad movies, check this out. For the rest of you, it’s hard to recommend. The lack of structure and overall goofiness isn’t for everyone. If you are interested in watching The VelociPastor, do not take it seriously. Have fun with it. You can watch it if you have an Amazon Prime membership.  

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Utopia (2020)

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Utopia is an appropriate pandemic thriller that I believe everyone should be watching. It has tension, suspense, action, John Cusack; what more can you ask for? I have not seen the original British version, so I don’t know how this compares. Instead, I will be basing this review only on the American version, streaming now on Amazon Prime.

Utopia is about a group of nerdy, regular people who stumble upon a huge conspiracy. Someone has weaponized diseases and is using them against people. Through a series of comics, this group of average Joe’s pieces together clues that will hopefully save humanity. I love that this show isn’t about extraordinary people destined to save the world. These protagonists are flawed. Although they are smart, they are not highly trained and, for the most part, are frightened about the whole situation. I am excited to see how this group grows as they continue to deal with adversity.

I don’t want to get into too many specifics because the mystery that shrouds this show is what makes it fun. Utopia does a great job of keeping the audience guessing. Every new clue or new bit of information adds to this fun and exciting experience. I can’t wait for season 2.

If you love tense and exciting mysteries full of action and conspiracy, check out Utopia! I am confident it has a little something for everyone. Watch it on Amazon Prime!

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Patriot (2015)

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Patriot is the most depressing and anxiety-inducing spy thriller you will ever see. Word of caution, I deal with anxiety and depression and this show triggered a lot of that for me. I had to take multiple breaks when watching this show, but the anxiety is well worth it. Patriot does a fantastic job at showing the reality of dealing with anxiety and depression while telling a tightly knit story.

Patriot is about a spy who doesn’t want to be a spy. You follow John as he tries to complete a mission where everything keeps going wrong. The whole series is about John reacting to each and every setback while dealing with his fleeting mental health. John constantly struggles with the morality of his actions. There is a lot of pressure placed on John, and it slowly takes its toll.

Patriot isn’t your typical spy thriller. It isn’t chock full of sex, cool calculated action, or world-ending drama. John is cool and calculated when necessary, but the main focus of this narrative is on John’s struggle with his mental health. This show has a great cast with amazing supporting characters, a fantastic soundtrack, and a well-crafted narrative. This sow does really a lot on fate. Everyone in this show seems to be destined to meet John. I can excuse this because it is a comedy, just be forewarned that there is a lot of silliness in this plot.

If you are interested in this show, be warned, it gets depressing. That said, it is worth the time and the few moments of sadness because it tells a great story. You can watch this show on Amazon Prime if you have a membership.

Series Reviews

TV Shows Review: Upload

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It is hard to recommend Upload because it isn’t for everyone. I would describe this show as a cheesy, sci-fi romance novel about death. It does a good job of going over different philosophies about death. I really like the concept of saving a person’s consciousness so that it lives forever. What I don’t like is that it can be preachy at times. We get it, capitalism is bad, and true love is awesome. That aside, it’s a pretty cool show. The acting is decent, although some actors are better than others. The plot is fun, some of the technology is inconsistent but I think that is the point. The characters are all unique and for the most part, interesting.

This show is about a future where they have the technology to save a person’s consciousness in a simulated world. The “Uploads” live their lives in words run by big corporations. The show focuses on the blossoming romantic relationship of Nathan, an upload, and Andy, Nathan’s customer service representative. She is alive, he isn’t, and the whole series is a will they, won’t they, should they ordeal. There is murder, mystery, suspense, death, and of course, a lot of romance.

For those of you who do not like cheesy romantic movies, this is not for you. Although it isn’t over the top, you get to sit through some rough monologues. But, the pacing is good and the show makes a lot of interesting arguments about death, reality, technology, and economic disparity. If you find yourself looking for something to watch, this isn’t a bad way to spend a couple of hours. You can watch it if you have an Amazon Prime Membership.

Series Reviews

The Legend of Vox Machina – Final Thoughts

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I have reviewed this show with my initial reaction, but I would like to leave you with my final thoughts. I have watched this series multiple times at this point, and while some of my initial thoughts prove to be accurate, there are some revisions I need to make. If you are on the fence about this show, you shouldn’t be. Watch this show. Even if you aren’t a fan of fantasy or Dungeons and Dragons, the amazing storytelling, unique characters, and terrific voice acting will leave you wanting more. There is not a doubt in my mind that this is a step in the right direction for both the fantasy genre and the health of Dungeons and Dragons.

The Legend of Vox Machina does a great job at being beginner-friendly. I’ve said this before, this is casual fantasy at its best. You don’t need to learn new languages or keep track of multiple houses, but that does not mean the story isn’t complex. There are multiple narratives nicely woven into in the form of important backstories and impactful lore. You do not need to have seen Critical Role, although there are enough Easter eggs to keep the fans happy. The only problem I see people having with this show is with the magic and the skill checks. They don’t name their attacks like in anime, and skill checks happen, but they don’t matter unless you’ve played the game. Knowing dungeons and dragon rules only really adds flavor because some of the rules have been adjusted for narrative reasons.

I was skeptical at first because I didn’t know how they would adapt a tabletop role-playing game into a story, but they do. The story is amazing, and the fights are done beautifully. I will give a bit of warning; this show is heavy on the gore. I don’t mind it, but it might be a shock for those of you who aren’t used to it. This is an adult cartoon with adult themes, so viewer discretion and all that. I am excited for season two and the future of fantasy as a genre.

If you are on the fence about this show, don’t be. You can watch the entire first season over on Amazon.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: I Want You Back (2022)

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Despite what you may think about romantic comedies, “I Want You Back” is one that you should at least consider. Jenny Slate and Charlie Day work spectacularly together! This movie is well-written, well-acted, and delightful at its worst. If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you need to see this now.

Something to think about before going into this movie is that the characters’ morals are a bit hazy. This movie features two heartbroken characters who find comfort in each other’s company. They have recently gone through a hard breakup and are learning to cope with being alone. This movie does a great job of showing how difficult heartbreak is to overcome. The two plot to help each other break up their ex-partners. This plot is problematic because the main characters are set to ruin relationships and lives for selfish motives. This genre tends to have these problematic immoralities because love makes people do crazy things. In this case, I can excuse it because the journey is well worth the immorality.

The best part about this movie is watching the relationship between the two leads blossom. The chemistry they share is the reason you should watch this movie. The supporting cast is nothing to scoff at. Together they tell a very entertaining story that I must recommend to everyone. As a bonus, this movie has a great musical number. It is beautifully performed and perfectly woven into the plot. I enjoyed it thoroughly. If you have little interest in this movie, that moment is very much worth your time, but it makes more sense in context.

Watch this even if you don’t like the genre. This brings new life to a genre that has been a bit stagnant as of late. It is a nice date night movie, but I would argue that it is a fun anytime movie.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Chick Fight (2020)

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Every once in a while, I stumble across a bad movie that leaves me feeling angry about the time I’ve just wasted. Chick Fight is one of those movies. There is so much I want to say, but here is the short version: This movie is terrible, do not watch it. The plot is lazy and predictable, the acting is mediocre at best, and the characters are unimagined.

I knew this movie bad. I felt it in my soul, but I wasn’t ready for how bad. The title alone should have been a red flag, but unfortunately, I watch anything once.

Chick fight is as generic as they come. The main character trains for a high-stakes big fight at the end while facing impossible odds. Somehow, through mostly confidence, she overcomes these odds and wins at everything. Think Karate Kid, but never as good.

My main issue is with Anna, the main character. She is as boring. She has nothing to lose, that is her motivation, but the plot gives her things. She gets the fight club, she gets to win at the end, she gets the successful coffee shop, and she gets the guy at the end without ever struggling. She gets all this because she believes in herself now? Fighting real people gives her the strength to fight life. That is the moral of the story, and I hate it. This movie takes every chance it gets to include a line of dialogue to slap you with its cheesy moral.

The cheesy message of empowerment aside, there is no way she wins her final fight. Anna joins the fight club, not knowing how to fight. Everyone in this fight club demonstrates some real skill, and then you have Anna, who has never even thrown a punch. Anna has two months to get good enough to fight the best fighter in the club. The rival, Olivia, has never been defeated. Olivia is shown beating three fighters at once. There is no way she wins the fight at the end. But through the power of character and shitty foreshadowing, Anna wins. Just watch Karate Kid.

There is so much I want to say about this movie. I have pages and pages of angry notes, but I will end it here: This movie isn’t worth your time.