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aprilegunn
Reviews
Our Flag Means Death (2022)
Hilarious feel-good fun
It's rare for me to sit down and watch a comedy these days. So much of modern comedy seems to rest on either secondhand embarrassment or just plain meanness. But this is one comedy I rewatch again and again and never grow tired of. The humor is physical without being gross, slapstick without being hamfisted, observational without being juvenile or cruel. It's genuinely funny, it's sweet at times, and the characters are delightful.
Watching their journeys from being strangers to being a loving but slightly dysfunctional found family has been a joyful experience. Every character has grown and changed so much since the beginning. The writing is some of the tightest I've ever seen and yet they somehow managed to balance plot, character, and relationship development beautifully, building in essential character beats and room to breathe without ever letting the story lose momentum.
I was sorely disappointed to learn how Max cut their budget and episodes for season 2, though knowing they had to fit 10 episodes' worth of story into only 8 episodes makes what these brilliant, creative people accomplished even more impressive. I really hope to see Max correct their mistake by renewing season 3 and giving this show, one of the platform's best, the budget and runtime it needs to come to a satisfying conclusion.
Gotham Knights: Pilot (2023)
A great start!
I went in with middling expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised! This pilot had a lot to introduce, but it managed to do so without making me feel like I was just being hit in the face with paragraphs of exposition. This version of Gotham strikes the perfect balance between noir and camp. The characters are well-done, distinct and interesting. The dialogue snaps without feeling overly quippy. The central mystery grabbed me immediately. And the cast really dug into their parts! They're so good and the on-screen chemistry is fantastic. I'm in for the rest of the season, and I cannot wait to see how the mystery unfolds!
Happily Ever After (1989)
Weird but so good
This movie has no right to be as good or as bad as it is. That cast? Wild! I remember I rented this movie ALL THE TIME from the Video Warehouse when I was a kid. I loved it. Wish I could find it on DVD now. Its storytelling is all over the place and its pacing is weird. Whoever wrote and placed the songs had no idea how to make a narrative work or how to use songs to enhance one.
Yet in spite of all that, it's still so much fun. The animation and character designs are great, and having a Snow White with agency who was surrounded by women was truly formative for me. Mother Nature...Sunbeam...Muddy. The best! And the humor still lands for me as an adult. Sometimes better than it did as a kid! And Lord Malice is still intimidating and truly scary, unlike many villains who just become ridiculous with time.
So against all odds, I love this movie. I need to find a good quality copy so I can show it to my nieces.
Wendell & Wild (2022)
Nostalgic & New At Once
A beautifully designed and executed film that recalls similar Sellick films while being wholly original. The plot is interesting and timely, and the art and music combine to create such a unique world.
This film took me back to that dark corner of childhood where the real world is so much scarier than any monster the movies can dream up that you long to just live in the dark with the creepy crawlies. Kat is a heroine worth rooting for, and Raul is the friend we all wish we had growing up. Wendell and Wild are funny and oddly lovable, and every other character stands out in their own way as well.
Not only that, but the stop motion is so smooth that you forget it's stop motion after a while. I haven't seen stop motion work this seamless since The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it may even surpass that in just how organic and natural the movement feels.
When I think of movies that I would have wanted to watch over and over as a kid, I just know this would have made top of the list. Definitely a new Halloween favorite, sure to be a classic in years to come.
The Winchesters: Teach Your Children Well (2022)
A fun romp with deep roots
I've rarely seen a show hit its stride and find its voice as quickly as The Winchesters, but I guess that's what happens when the people behind the cameras already have years of experience working within their universe.
This episode was a fun time as the Scooby Gang infiltrated a hippie commune (complete with excellent outfits) in search of a creature making people disappear. But underneath the flower crowns and fringe is a deep root of generational trauma that will feel all too familiar to longtime fans of SPN. Mary and John are both struggling with the self doubt and other baggage their fathers left them with, and Mary in particular is struggling with being a team player. The echoes of Sam and Dean's struggles with their family ties and their own absent father are strongly felt throughout the episode. Knowing that John will one day leave his children with very similar doubts and fears is heartbreaking, all the more because this John is largely still an innocent who just wants to help people.
Meanwhile Carlos, Lata, and Ada all get a chance to shine this episode as they each lend something invaluable to the team in different ways. Lata's inquisitive mind and research skills save the day, Carlos provides a much-needed foil and check on Mary, and Ada unlocks more secrets of the MoL bunker back in Lawrence.
I can't say enough how much the love and fun just shines out of this show. The actors are having a great time bringing this world and these characters to life, and it shows. The chemistry between Lata, Carlos, and Mary really makes them feel like longtime friends, and the growing bond and sparks between John and Mary are palpable. The SFX crew is doing the most with their creature designs, too, taking risks that pay off in a final product that is at times a little bit of a throwback, but ultimately charming.
Overall, this episode was another pleasant surprise, in that the pilot was clearly not a fluke. The SPNWin crew know what they're doing, and I think from here on out I'm just going to expect good things and hope the Chaos Machine keeps delivering.
The Winchesters (2022)
Unexpectedly delightful
I'll be honest: I went into this series with extremely low expectations. I wasn't at all interested in a story about John and Mary's early years together, and I couldn't imagine how they could have chosen THIS out of all possible stories to tell for a spin-off.
But now? After just one episode I am all in. The writing, directing, acting, lighting, music, everything. It was so clear in every single scene that this was made by a lot of people who LOVE Supernatural and love the SPN fandom, and want to give us more of the world we loved for 15 years. I even dare say they made some immediate improvements on the original to address issues the fandom has talked about for years. Mary, John, Carlos, and Latika have immediate onscreen chemistry that is undeniable. John and Mary feel true to the characters we know, but new at the same time. And tying it all together is Dean, taking us a road trip and telling us a story HE wants to tell.
Is it a little cheesy at times? Sure. But so was Supernatural, and anyone who says it wasn't clearly missed something (like...a third or more of the show). So if you're not sure, give it a shot! It might surprise you.
The Midnight Club (2022)
Flanagan never misses!
Once again, Mike Flanagan delivers a horror entry that's anything but typical. His ability to mix genres into something seamless and wholly new continues to delight and emotionally devastate me. And his knack for getting at the heart of the most painful and beautiful human truths without ever dipping over into corny sentimentality is something I truly envy as a writer. The Midnight Club delivers solid scares, a compelling mystery, and real emotion with a cast of characters that you will fall in love with. His approach to horror is so intricately tied to our most primal human fears. I never walk away from his work feeling like I've sat in front of the television. I always feel like I've been somewhere, lived through something, made new friends. The Midnight Club is no exception. And with an ending that feels satisfying while also making me hungry for more, I can only hope this is his first Netflix project to be more than one season!
The Sandman (2022)
Beautiful Adaptation
I have to admit, I was extremely skeptical about whether this would live up to the hype. I was especially worried about whether Jenna Coleman could pull off anything remotely close to John Constantine, a character I adore and am weirdly protective over.
But it turns out I had nothing to fear! This adaptation is beautiful, and the changes are either inconsequential or understandably needed to fit a different medium. The world grabs you from the first few minutes, and every character introduced feels like an old friend (or an old enemy) almost immediately. The cast does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life--yes, including Coleman, who surprised me with her ability to effortlessly embody such a messed up character--and the set, costume, and sound design all work together seamlessly to create a rich fantasy world you just want to get lost in.
Roadfood (2021)
Food is just love you can serve in a bowl
Others have said it but it bears repeating: this show is about so much more than food. It's about communities, and how people both care for their own and welcome strangers. In every episode I am reminded that the vast majority of people want to be kind, and for these business owners the way they do that is feeding people. I love the emphasis on little-known food cultures within areas where people assume they already know the dominant foods. I also love the emphasis on connections, conversations, learning from people and empathizing with people you might not otherwise think you have much in common with. This show is a much-needed reminder that we are all human, and that our differences are beautiful and should be celebrated and shared not feared. I would put it on par with something like Queer Eye: More Than A Makeover without hesitation. My only word of warning: do not watch on an empty stomach! The food all looks delicious and you WILL be hungry afterward!
Roadfood: Little Dominican Republic, NY (2021)
Not just another local food show!
I love how instead of going straight to whatever the most obvious go-to food is for an area, these episodes focus more on communities and foods that may not be as well known outside of the area as an important part of that area's food culture. I learn something new every episode.
Roadfood: Houston, TX (2021)
Heartwarming
This show is so heartwarming! It's not just another food show, but a show about food as a universal human experience and point of connection that can teach us how we're all more alike than different. This first episode hooked me and had me crying happy tears by the end!