My Reaction to the Newest Shadow and Bone Cast Members-repost

Hey all,

I wanted to share my article for Her Campus that I posted a week ago.

I wrote out my reactions to the new Shadow and Bone cast members.

Click here for the article.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“NIKOLAI LANISTOV:

My biggest fictional crushes cast was perfect. They cast Patrick Gibson from The OA. Nikolai is my blond and beautiful privateer. Patrick is beautiful and he looks exactly like my imagination. I cannot wait to see him in his privateering getup. 

I am a Nikolai fan. I am die-hard and am still holding out hope that he and Alina fall in love on the show.

I was nervous that the cast member was going to be someone I have seen in another show before, like some of the rumors about Brandon Flynn. I have never seen the OA, so I have no prior exposure to Patrick. This means I can see him fully in the role of Nikolai. 

WYLAN VAN ECK:

Holy moly!

The casting for Nikolai was so good; I didn’t know it could get better. Jack Wolfe from The Witcher is AMAZING. Jack literally is Wylan. He looks like the producers pulled him out of Leigh Bardugo’s brain. He fits the little moppy-haired demolitions expert vibe perfectly!

Also, Wylan and Jesper’s storyline was my favorite romance in both these series. I think it was an injustice that he was not in the first season. But, the anticipation was worth it. 

TAMAR KIR-BATAAR:

Anna Leong Brophy from Back is perfect also. I did not have a set vision for Tamar, but Anna fits my loose definition perfectly. Looking at pictures, I can tell Anna is perfect for the role. 

TOLYA YUL-BATAAR:

Now this casting was interesting for me. Lewis Tan from Mortal Kombat is set to be Tolya. I imagined Tolya to be a huge hulk sized Heartrender. Lewis is not hulk sized, but he is still huge. He is also very attractive. I never thought Tolya was attractive while reading, but I can tell watching this series is going to be different.”

As always, thank you for reading,

A Bookie

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: I am so sad it ended…

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

AAHHHHH IT WAS SUCH A GOOD SHOW

Look at this little screen grab I found online!

HOW CUTE ARE THEY

Scene from the last episode

Okay so let me just say how much I loved this show. It was powerful. It dealt heavily on race issues and it had the hottest man on earth, Sebastian Stan, rocking the vibranium arm.

This series really had me going through it. I wish I had not watched it with my roommates because I was unable to cry like I wanted to.

The end was really touching with Sam’s speech to the Senator. I thought it was such an iconic moment and Marvel really did that. I kept thinking wow, this is really in a Marvel movie. How exciting for the new generation of kids who are growing up watching this. I think this is signaling a turn of a new age for Marvel movies.

Bucky Barnes was hot as always in this last episode. He looked amazing. I thought he was going to catch that truck that was falling off the building with his arm. Alas that did not happen, but how epic would that have been?

Bucky Barnes looking drool worthy

Sam was amazing in this movie. Captain America is now Black. This is opening up the door for so many things. Anthony Mackie portrays the character so well. He really fits the part. I will have to say the new suit is a little ridiculous because I do not like the neck thing and I wanted to laugh about how his little ears were poking out the whole time.

Sam looking good as always

I am glad to see Caps legacy live on through Sam. I think this is exactly what Steve Rogers would have wanted.

And we love to see the representation!

John Walker can go die. He is still making weird choices. I am glad he got that little redemption arc, but he is working with that purple haired lady which can mean nothing good.

I wanted Zemo to come back at the end. Technically, he did. But, I wanted him to come and fight.

Zemo looking spicy

This last episode seemed a little rushed. They put a lot of action in this one episode but not a lot of questions were answered. A lot of things just seemed to easily covered over.

I knew who the powerbroker was from the moment Sharon made the phone call in like episode 3 or whatever. I was so hyped to have my suspicions confirmed but I thought that Bucky and Sam would have found out.

Anyways, I love Marvel so much and this show is no different. I think it was great and I cant wait to see where their story progresses.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Chaos Walking: Was it Worth it?

A Chaos Walking Poster

Director: Doug Liman

Release Date: March 5, 2021

“In Prentisstown, Todd has been brought up to believe that the Spackle released a germ that killed all the women and unleashed Noise on the remaining men. After discovering a patch of silence out in the swamp, his surrogate parents immediately tell him that he has to run, leaving him with only a map of New World, a message, and many unanswered questions. He soon discovers the source of the silence: a girl, named Viola.” -Google

Review: Okay so please please please read what the synopsis says of the movie.

Go on.

Do it.

I wrote it above so you did not have to look it up.

Okay, you read it?

Now forget it.

This movie was nothing like it described. First, the germ was not mentioned in the movie at all. Like, not at all unless I was not paying attention enough. They did not “unleash” the noise on the men. He does not discover a “patch of silence.” He has no map and the girl is not the “source of the silence.”

That being said, I thankfully did not read that before I went into the movie. I just am a huge Tom Holland fan so I went to see it. But, my god, I would have been so confused if I had read the synopsis before I saw the movie. So, I am sorry if you have not seen it yet and had to read that. It just does not accurately portray the movie at all.

I think the synopsis goes along with the book and not the movie. But, that was just something I wanted to pick at before we went into the actual real review of the movie.

Just, if you are expecting what it says on Google, they only got it half-right. Trust me.

Now, dont get me wrong, the movie was good. Just, holy cow, not what I was expecting.

Also, the trailer is misleading too. Not as much, but holy hell there was a lot in the trailer that was not even breached in the movie.

UUUUGGHGHGHHDIHFdklfhsdfjklf clkjnlkvbitenfovtguv (oops sorry I was angry)

And holy cow I am going to have a few spoilers in the next paragraph.

So many questions were left unanswered. Like what are the Spackles? We get one glimpse but nothing else. Why do they not attack women? Why are women not affected by the noise? Why did the Prentisstown colony leave the original civilization? What does the original civilization look like? Like, where are the other civilizations? If Todd had a good or was supposed to have good control over his noise, why did he suck so bad at hiding everything? What was Nick Jonas’s role? Why were there so many supporting characters with no explanation? Who was the preacher? What did the Preacher want?

WHAT THE HELL?

Literally, so many questions. I went into this movie blind, and I came out with even more questions than I did when I knew nothing about the movie.

Photo of Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley in Chaos Walking

The story was exciting. It had a really good motorcycle/horse chase in it that really got my heart rate up. (SPOILER) But, then the horse just died (sorry grandma) out of nowhere. Like, they did not have to end the chase that way. (SPOILER) And do not get me started on the dog.

The story starts off really interesting. It opens with a quote that I did not have time to read because my roommate who I went to see the movie with was giggling the entire previews. (Our local theater played the same 3 ads for twenty minutes. We could not stop laughing at the heroine addiction commercial because it was a guy floating in an elevator. You had to be there.) It goes on to bring in Tom FREAKING Holland and his cute puppy. We kind of begin to understand the noise, but as I said earlier, I still have so many questions.

We get introduced to his town and then to his father and his father’s male partner? Lover? Roommate? Friend he shares a bed with? I am not sure. That was not delved into. I am not even sure it was his real father because the synopsis said surrogate parents. But, he kept calling him Dad. I dont know. It was kind of a confusing movie.

And then comes the spaceship, (not a spoiler it was in the trailer) and Todd finds it and here starts the adventure in the plot. He sees a girl for the first time and comically is trying not to freak out while also thinking she is hot while she is not trying to freak out because she can hear his thoughts.

She gets captured by a man who can do A LOT with his noise. Why can no one else control the noise like he can? UGGGGHHHH. Anyways, Todd tries to help her get out of that town and they go on a crazy adventure, yadayada, normal thriller movies plot line.

But, holy god the plot did not answer a lot of questions. Now, the books the movie was based on is a trilogy. So, it would make sense that they are laying the ground work for a sequel, but that much ground work is intense. I dont even think they will be able to make a sequel because this movie was just such a bummer. Like, the rotten tomatoes score is a 21% as of March 18th at 10:07pm PST.

Death Note (2017) got a better score than this movie. Pitch Perfect 3 got a better score. A movie called Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009) got a better score than this movie. Holy crap.

Daisy Ridley in Chaos Walking

I enjoyed this movie. I dont think this was the worst movie to exist. But, really. The disgusting, live-action Death Note got a higher ranking than this movie. Oh god.

Ugh, this is making my head hurt. Let me talk about something that did make sense; the casting.

Tom Holland in Chaos Walking

Tom Holland was fantastic. He played the dorky teenager seeing a girl for the first time really well. Also, he played the hero role really well, but, he was not as good as Daisy Ridley. He also had quite a few shirtless scenes that I very much appreciated. I, again, only watched this movie because I knew Tom Holland was going to be in it.

Now, they really are setting up their movie for failure in two ways. One, they got the movie buffs who read the premise or saw the trailer and thought it would be good, who are now all leaving the theaters confused and disappointed. Two, the hoards of teenage girls who came to see this movie because pretty Tom Holland was in it are going to be PISSED. you wanna know why? Because that the ass shot that we got WAS BLURRED. Like seriously. I mean he was great being the dorky kid who has never seen a girl before. But, you have got to be kidding me. The fact that I was teased with an ass shot and then not given it made me want to scream. Those two groups were probably a majority of the people going to see this movie and they are all not going to be giving good reviews of the movie.

Daisy Ridley in Chaos Walking

Now, Daisy Ridley was AMAZING. I have only seen her in the newer Star Wars movies so I was excited to see her play this role. And she did it REALLY well. I think she outplayed everyone in the movie. She was probably the biggest role. She passed the Bechdel test. She had an amazing performance. I think that if the movie wasn’t so confusing her role would have been even better. Like, her character was great, but she was only allowed to be awesome for a little bit. Like, just so much was going on it was hard to focus on her I feel like. I think that she somehow had a smaller role even though SHE WAS THE MAIN CHARACTER (you cannot tell me Todd Hewitt is the main character) because she was a woman. Women in film are not represented well. But, maybe that will be another post.

The other actors were great. But, those two got the most screen time. Shoutout to Cynthia Erivo, playing Hildy, who was the only other living female in the movie who got a speaking part. She was a badass town leader and mayor of the town.

So, now that I am unpacking everything, I get more and more frustrated. One, the movie was confusing. Two, the ass shot. Three, there will most likely be no sequel, I am calling it. Four, the female representation SUCKED, but what can you expect from a movie where they literally have no women in one town. Five, the animals.

When I was in the theaters watching the movie, I had a great time. When we left, I had exclaimed how I was a little confused, but I thought it was pretty good. My roommate chalked it up to the sequel needing to come out. But, now that I am here and did research and am reflecting on the events in the movie, I am unsure about my resolve that this was a good movie.

And, I try not to outright say I do not like things.

But, this movie, kind of sucked.

It is a great movie to watch once. I think it was cool. But, by god there was so much missing. I dont know. I dont want to deter anyone away from the movie. I actually want a bunch of people to watch it so that we can get a sequel. But, yikes.

Anyways, I hope you guys had a good week. I have been a little MIA and just putting out random stuff because the last two weeks I have been so stressed about finals so I have not read that much. But, today before the movie I did a lot of reading, and hopefully next week there will be a decent amount of posts.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Star Rating: 2.5

Raya and The Last Dragon: Review

AHHHH

The movie theater in my college town has opened up again!

(If I am being honest, I dont think it ever closed.) But, that is alright because it opened up and I went to see Raya and the Last Dragon with a few friends from my club.

One, I met this girls the night before so I was super nervous because I did not want to embarrass myself by crying at a Disney movie. But, it was all good. I cried but so did they.

Two, I was a little freaked out because I knew I was going to review it but I dont want anyone getting mad I went to the movies in a pandemic. I wore my mask the entire time (even though I didnt have to) and we brought our own candy and did not shared a popcorn with our hands. We used cups and split the popcorn up.

Image from Raya and the Last Dragon

Anyways,

OH MY GOD THAT MOVIE WAS GOOD

I was crying my heart out at the end. Disney is great at making tearjerkers with fantastic messages. I mean the message of this story was beautiful. It was like trust the people around you. Trust thy neighbor.

I dont know.

It was so good.

AND…

It passed the Bechdel test. In fact, the heroine, Raya, did not have a love interest at all (except I am very sure their was tension between her and Naamari). That is huge in my book. And Raya, a girl, saved the world. I just hope that this shows little girls around the world that they do not need a man to save the world.

So, the plot was fantastic. I do not know if there is a Southeast Asian folklore (is it called folklore or what would it be called?) about this story or if they just made this up but it was phenomenal. It had me on the edge of my seat most of the movie. Clearly, it is a Disney movie so it will be all happy go lucky at the end. But, it did so good at keeping it suspenseful!

AND THE CAST WAS AMAZING

First off, this was a movie with ties to a Southeast Asian culture actually had a cast with an almost full Southeast Asian respectively cast. It was so great to see that representation. I thought they casted this so well. Secondly, the actors were so good. Everyone’s voice fit their role (obviously) and they just were so good. Awkwafina is one of my favorite actor because she is so funny. I think that she played Sisu so well! She was still showing off her funny side while taking on a serious role in the story. Everyone else was really good especially Kelly Marie Tran (Raya) and Gemma Chan (Naamari).

Ugh, I cant get over how good this movie was. I am so glad that the movie theater was open. I did not want to pay $30 on Disney+ to watch it.

I was so happy to see this movie and I think that everyone should go see this movie. I of course am writing this two weeks after seeing this so I am forgetting things. But, I liked it and it made me literally cry.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Star rating: 4.5

Enola Holmes Review

Okay, this movie was epic.

(Also, I realize that this is short and most of my movie reviews are short. I just dont review movies often. I just need fillers for the week)

I loved it a lot. It has definetly inspired me to watch the Sherlock Holmes films now.

I loved the story in this movie. It was so adventurous. I was sitting on the edge of my seat for a lot of the movie. It was really interesting to be apart of the midn process that Enola was going on. I really like mystery adventure movies like this. I do not watch a lot of them though because I am mainly a book/tv show type of gal. I dont watch a lot of movies but that is what this year is about, expanding my horizons.

I loved the casting. Helena Bonham Carter is one of my most favorite actresses in the world. I thought she did amazing. I also think Millie Bobby Brown did a fantastic job. I loved her in Stranger Things but she doesnt talk much in Stranger Things but it was fun seeing her play this role. I thought she palys the part really well. She looks similar to Sherlock and Mycroft (Henry Cavill and Sam Clafin) that it made it so belivable that she was their sister. Louis Partridge did amazing too.

I really liked the ending. I think I could guess who it was after we met that certain character but it was still a good surprise in the end. I like when I cant guess the endings so this was nice. I wasn’t too shocked but I still was out of my chair when the certain person began walking down the hallway.

I think this movie is really great. If you havent watched it yet go watch it. I love it a lot. Tell me what you think below.

As always, thank you for reading,

A Bookie

Star Rating: 4.5

Fate: The Winx Saga Review

If you were a child duirng the 2000s-2010s you most likely watched Winx as a kid. It was a show about fairies at school. It was a dumb little kid show and it was great.

Well, incase you live under a rock and didn’t know, they made a live action remake of it. Now, I was a kid when I saw the Winx cartoon so I have no remembrance if it was similar to this or not.

But, I loved it.

I know a lot of critics about the show were that they over exagerrated being a teenager. Like there was one line about Sorting Hat quizzses that people hated. I dont see why anyone hated that. Like, do you not take sorting hat quizzzes?

It is exactly how 16-year-olds talk. I dont know what to tell you.

I loved it. All the characters were great. Bloom was well-casted and she did terrific. I really like the actor. I think the other girls were great too. If I am being honest I only remember one of there names and that was Terra. I loved Terra. She was so kind and had plants all over her room. Because of her, I went out today and bought two more plants for my room. Also, the male actors they had were very very attractive. Props to the casting director for their choices.

The plot was good. I wish that we had more episodes. I think the ending was great. Like not great, it was a bad thing that happened, but great because SEASON TWO BABY!!! I hate that Netflix only does like 6-10 episodes for each show they produce. Does anyone know why that is?

Anyways, the storyline was great. I think that it could have been better with more episodes because it would not have been so rushed but other than that it was fantastic. I cannot wait to see where they go with this next season.

I cannot really talk about what I want to talk about and keep it spoiler free so I am going to end it here. I hope that everyone goes out to watch it. If you have seen it let me know what you thought in the comments.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Star Rating: 4

Show Review: Bridgerton

A mix between Gossip Girl and Pride and Prejudice?

Who knew that would be the one thing this world needed in this crazy time.

Bridgerton is a show about high class society in 1800 England. It focuses on the Bridgerton family, a mother and 8 children, making their way in high class society. The eldest daughter is entering society and trying to secure a husband. The entire town is under scrutiny by the Queen and a new faceless writer by the name of Lady Whistledown. Whistledown’s pamphlets begin circulating around the town, describing the gossip of the well to do families.

I loved this show so much. It has amazing depictions of the period. It includes scandal. It has scheming and love. It is everything someone like me could have ever wanted. I think that if you like Gossip Girl and you like Pride and Prejudice that you would love to watch this show. The main romance is a bit like PaP.

Shonda Rhimes is one of the producers on the show so you know it has to be good. I mean Rhimes knows how to put on a drama. From secrets and lies, this woman is brilliant. From darker shows like Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, I would not expect her to produce such a beautifully bright show like Bridgerton. I love her.

The actors were also splendidly cast. Having Julie Andrews voice Whistledown, OMG AMAZING!!! Phoebe Dynevor, playing Daphne Bridgerton, does exceedingly well. I think she serves great looks throughout the whole series.

I have not read the series it is based on but it will be a purchase I am looking forward to acquiring. I put this in here so if you want to read it before you see it. Also, this show is NSFW half way through. Do not watch it with you children.

With that, I will leave you to the rest of you internet surfing. I hope you guess check this show out.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Star Rating: 5

Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

“At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.” -Rotten Tomatoes

Two weeks ago I went to see The Crimes of Grindlewald.

And OH MY GOODNESS

IT

WAS

AMAZING!!!

It was all boom boom BAM!

I loved it. This movie was absolutely amazing. I loved it so much and I thought it was one of the best movies.

The scenery, the cast, the action, the magic…

It was all just so spectacular. Starting with Newt (Eddie Redmayne), he was so beautiful. Scamander is a “magizoologist” is you haven’t heard and the animals he takes care of are extremely cute creatures, obviously fake, but I wish they were real. The beginning of the movie Newt is unable to leave the country because of the events in the last movie. In true Newt fashion he breaks that rule due to orders from Dumbledore, an unrecognizable Dumbledore because he was very young. I love Newt so much.

I mean look at this cast…WOW

I really suck at doing movie reviews. But I believe I must review this movie because I reviewed the last one and this is a part of the franchise that I cherish deeply in my soul.

Now, looking at other reviews like Rotten Tomatoes I understand that not everyone likes it. But, I think that they are going into it as lobby old people with out the joy and wonder that they had when they watched the Harry Potter movies as young adults or even children. Expecting the same childhood joy and thrill to come from these movies are unreasonable for two reasons. First, we are all older than we were when the Potter movies came out and feelings change. The older the are the more you become like Umbridge and less like Harry. Secondly, IT IS NOT THE SAME FRANCHISE. It is not the same people, same setting, or same plot. Voldemort does not even exist in these movies. Nothing is the same. This is a pre-Harry world. Going into the theater and expecting to see Hogwarts and the magic of the school (although does make an appearance) is completely absurd. The stories obviously follows around adults so already the story is in a completely different mind set than the books/movies of Harry Potter.

To enjoy the movie you cannot go into it hoping for the same feeling and that same interaction you got from Harry Potter.

While yes, a little disappointing, you cannot expect Rowling and Yates to stay in that world forever. They need to move on some day. You cannot just trash their masterpiece because it is not like the other masterpiece they created and you are not ready to accept it.

I thought the movie was very well done. I love who they casted for every part. Everyone is exceptional in their job. I am amazed at how each and every character fits with he actors that plays them. I thought everyone conveyed their role well.

The one disappointing thing for me was the lack of beasts. For a Fantastic Beasts movie, there were only a couple. I loved the first movie because it showed you many new creatures almost throughout the whole film. This one just seemed a little too focused on the people and their love lives then the focus on the animals which the series is named after.

But other than that it was a fantastic movie. I loved it. I cannot wait for it to be out on DVD so I can add it to my Harry Potter marathons.

I hope everyone gets to see it. As I am posting this it is almost out of theaters so I hope everyone sees it soon or if you missed your chance and don’t want to commit to it just yet, go get a Redbox. I seriously HIGHLY recommend.

Thanks for reading!

-Kat

Star Rating: 4.5

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

Today I went to see the newest addition to the magical world of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beats and Where To Find Them.

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I was severely impressed by this movie. Usually after waiting so long for a movie I usually get to hyped about the movie or book and then it’s just a basic movie but not this movie. I have been waiting to see this movie since my grandmother told me about it. I had my doubts but this movie really was amazing.

The plot was fantastic. I don’t think they incorporated the whole beasts things like I thought they would. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good movie it was a terrific movie but I don’t think it had exactly what I had been expecting. I still think everyone should see it.

The information in the movie was different than I had ever heard of the Harry Potter books. I didn’t know there were different types of Wizards but I guess Nymphadora was a metamorphmagus the books just didn’t focus on the different types.
I loved Newt Scamander. Eddie Redmayne did a fantastic job playing him. I thought Eddie was very good looking for a 34-year-old. Newt was everything I hoped he would be and more. He was just this kind hearted gentle person but at the same time a total boss. I cannot say anymore without revealing anything. He was a fantastic character.

I loved the world they brought us too. It was terrific. I think it is so cool to have something happen in America. This brought so much joy to me. I was so glad to have another installment of the world I love so much. Thank you for reading.

Star Rating: 5

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