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Reviews
Bird Box (2018)
The hype train led me to extreme disappointment
Let me start with saying that I had not heard of the Bird Box movie or novel prior to a few weeks ago. I kept seeing all of these social media posts about it, so I did a little research without spoilers and decided to check it out.
The acting itself is good and the characters are okay. I would definitely say none of them are memorable though. I honestly can't remember any of their names outside of Gary. There really wasn't a lot of character development outside of the main character, and even that was fairly limited.
The plot is simple enough and easy to follow. The movie was definitely not boring, but it wasn't nearly the thriller that people led me to believe it to be. The ending was not shocking by any means and was very obvious about halfway through the movie. I kind of got the feel of The Walking Dead, but with living people.
If this is your kind of movie, by all means check it out. It isn't terrible by any means. It's just....not nearly what the hype wants you to believe it is. I don't regret watching it, but it was nothing to write home about either. I had to struggle to give it a halfway decent review simply because it wasn't anything really worth writing about.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)
I like it better than the original
I'm probably in the unpopular opinion, but I really love the show. It definitely has dark humor and the show itself is much darker than the original. I do not care for this Aunt Zelda at all, but all of the characters that were in the original show definitely capture the essence of the original cast and add their own spin to them.
Some of the plots and episodes can be a little cheesy, but that's fine. Overall, the dark tone mixed with the humor makes me happy. Some things were definitely ripped off from other shows/movies, but who doesn't do that anymore? I see some people saying Sabrina has Twilight ripoffs. I'd like to point out that those Twilight ripoffs were ripoffs from White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade, who in turn probably ripped their ideas off from someone else, etc. There is one demon who also looks exactly like the hagravens from Skyrim in this show.
One warning I will give to folks because this may bother some people: this show really does revolve heavily around the worship of Satan. While I couldn't care less in the slightest, I know there are people who most likely find stuff like that offensive. They really "praise the Dark Lord" heavily in this show.
My conclusion is if you're looking for a show similar to Charmed or the original Sabrina series, you won't find it here. If you're looking for something with huge dark undertones and dark humor, you will definitely find that with CAOS. If you do decide to watch it, do yourself a favor and watch at least the first three episodes. The show does start out very slowly, especially with episode one. It picks up afterwards.
Fuller House (2016)
Avoid the Pilot Episode! Start With Episode Two!
As a long time fan of Full House, I can honestly say I was excited to see the return of the lovable Tanner family. I wasn't disappointed by the show, but I felt I should give the rating it's worth, and not my personal opinion. I know that's kind of a contradiction since it's supposed to be based on my opinion, but if I did that I'd end up giving it 9 stars due to nostalgia. So, here we go.
As many others have already said, the show picks up almost 20 years where we left off. DJ is raising her own kids now with the help of Stephanie and longtime best friend Kimmy Gibler. The pilot episode reunites the Tanners (and Joey) and you can tell it was forced onto the audience and there are a lot of references to the old show. As cute as it is, it felt very cheesy and out of place for this generation. Michelle is only mentioned and not seen, as the Olsen twins decided not to reprise their role as Michelle (which I'm 100000% happy with as I found Michelle to be the most annoying character on Full House). After the first episode, the show then begins to revolve around DJ and her kids, as it should, with cameo appearances from Stamos, Loughlin, Coulier and Saget. As one other reviewer had stated, the show does have a ton of innuendo and very inappropriate references for children (drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.).
Personally, I think it's a nice touch for us older fans and some of it will probably go over a child's head, but if you're a parent who does not want their kids exposed to any kind of that stuff on television, I'd pass on watching it with them (after the first episode). I did feel the actors fell back into their roles decently, though it is still kind of rough. Honestly, I felt the old Bow Meets World actors did a far better job at reprising their roles in Girl Meets World than the cast of Full House did here.
Overall, it's a fun show to watch if you go into it with the mind set that it is NOT Full House, and it is indeed a spin off show with new plot twists, new characters, and a bit more modernized for the new generation. The references are there, and they're awesome. Just don't expect too much.
Oh, and to the reviewer who mentioned this being inappropriate for children, you are correct. I actually laughed though when I found this show pop up in my son's Netflix account, and he's set to a kids only channel.
Summer School (1987)
It Doesn't Get More 80s Than This!
Summer School was definitely an underrated film. From the very beginning of the movie when "Happy" by Oingo Boingo starts playing, it definitely sets the tone for the entire movie; a summer full of adventure, excitement, homework (blah!), rebellious teens and a teacher who can turn them all around, in a very comedic and entertaining way.
Summer School stars Mark Harmon as Freddie Shoop, an unambitious gym teacher who has plans to go to Hawaii with his girlfriend Kim, until the "bite in the ***" vice principal Gills springs summer school upon him right before he's about to leave. With a cast of misfit teens who refuse to learn, Freddie is forced to bribe them into doing their work and passing, and the hilarity begins.
While a lot of the comedic aspects are somewhat cheesy (the good 80s kind), they still make you laugh and there are some touching (yet comedic) moments throughout the movie. Those of us who grew up in the 80s and/or early 90s were able to enjoy this flick while it was fresh. I think even the newer generation could enjoy this film and see what we found so entertaining about it. It has "passion and a plucky spirit!" If you're looking for something different, look no further! This movie will give you a few good laughs and even keep your attention until the end. Even after all of these years, I still make sure to watch this once or twice a year. It really never gets old, and nostalgia is only about a 10% factor for me.
A great soundtrack, a funny mood, teenage shenanigans, lovable characters, and fun in the sun will definitely keep you entertained!
The Goonies (1985)
Great 80s Flick, Though the New Generation Might Have Trouble Watching
I loved The Goonies growing up. There was something about small town living and that 80s charm that you couldn't get enough of. It was an innocent time, and in this generation, I'm not even sure if kids have any kind of crazy adventures with all of their iPads and everything else.
The 80s were a great time to be a kid, and this movie definitely shows that. It was a time when kids just got together to go have fun, and possibly cause mischief. In this case here, it's to stop evil bad guys from hurting them and saving their homes from foreclosure and having to move away.
Watching this movie now does bring back some serious nostalgia, even if a lot of the dialogue is really cheesy. ;) Perhaps the best aspect of this film is the adventure tied to it. Watching a bunch of kids overcome obstacles that stumped adults and the hilarity that comes with trying to outwit their nitwit enemies, the Fratellis, makes for a silly and entertaining adventure! Kids of today might not be able to get into this, but if you have kids that are still young enough that they just enjoying watching a movie with you, this is still great family fun.
Scream Queens (2015)
A Great Tribute to Slasher Films and Doesn't Take Itself Seriously
I actually love this show. However, I'm a bit biased as I love Jamie Lee Curtis, Keke Palmer and slasher films, so this show is right up my alley.
What I love about this show the most is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It definitely has some great 80s slasher film moments, which gives me that nostalgic feeling growing up back then. When I saw that the show doesn't take itself seriously, I mean that they find very humorous ways to either give their victims the ax, or do something funny to build up to the actual executions. Two prime examples of this are in one episode, the popular frat house (I can't think of what it's called) gets drunk and goes out looking for the killer, who dresses in a Red Devil costume. During their drunken anger, they come across the killer, and during the gory and exciting climax of the scene, you hear Backstreet's Back playing during this scene, and the end result is just so ridiculous it's funny.
One other example is eventually the killer's hideout is located, and during all the tension that's built up and the mood is set, suddenly upon entering the lair you hear Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" playing. Things like that crack me up. Plus, the characters are mostly hard to like, as another reviewer had mentioned, though I love Keke's character Zayday. Jamie Lee Curtis as the dean is a great addition.
Most of the show is very predictable, especially if you're not watching this as a 16 year old. But, it's okay, because the show is so goofy, you don't mind. There is also a certain charm about the characters and the way they're portrayed. Emma Roberts' character Chanelle (Not sure I spelled that right) is such a snob, and also makes a lot of racial stereotypes throughout the series. Normally, some of them would really bother me, but it's so silly that it can't be taken seriously. It really helps us to laugh at things instead of find them offensive.
Overall, the show does have a couple of rough points. But, if you're looking for something silly with a great slasher feel to it, look no further. Scream Queens doesn't do anything original, but it definitely will keep you entertained.
Grandfathered (2015)
Stamos Finally Breaks Free of Uncle Jesse, but Maintains Jesse Elements
Grandfathered is summed up as pretty much this: A confirmed bachelor who owns a restaurant and enjoying his freedom suddenly discovers that he's a father and a grandfather.
The show is a lighthearted comedy and is very fun to watch. Stamos really delivers as a sarcastic, witty, and kind of clueless when dealing with family kind of guy. What I like most is this show is finally breaking him away from his Uncle Jesse persona. You can see some similar elements as the show unfolds, but it's a lot more believable than Full House was.
The entire cast plays their roles well, and there are a few jokes that will make you laugh out loud. My only complaint with this show is Josh Peck. I like Peck, but his character here might as well be the same as Josh Nichols from Drake and Josh. Both of his characters are exactly the same. You can actually consider this one as Josh Nichols all grown up.
Other than that, the show is funny, entertaining, and will keep you coming back for more. Fans of Stamos will really enjoy his performance in Grandfathered. Check it out!
The Grinder (2015)
Not as Good as I had Hoped.
I'll be honest. I'm a fan of both Lowe and Savage, but this show kind of falls short of my expectations. It's definitely worth watching, and Lowe does a great job at his role. Something seems off about Fred Savage though. I feel like I'm watching Ben Savage instead (no offense Ben. Both of you guys are awesome!). It just feels like he's not interacting the way he should.
On the upside, Lowe and Savage do work together, and maybe it's because Savage has an awkward character, that it feels like he doesn't fit. Lowe definitely delivers when it counts, and Savage can make a great supporting cast member for the series if it's played out right.
To be fair though, the series is really just starting out, and it might take awhile to get the characters to fit right. Hopefully the grinder will see more than one season! Check it out if you have time.