TV Series Review: Julie and the Phantoms: Season 1, Episodes 4-6

Hello, hello!

First, thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. It really lifted my spirits!

Something that is perfect for comforting and something to do while in your house is watch shows. I’m here to continue reviewing my new favorite show, Julie and the Phantoms!

Last month, on February 16th, I reviewed episodes 1, 2, and 3 HERE so check out that review if you missed it. You don’t have to read that one first, though, if you haven’t seen the show because:
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. All three of these reviews don’t have any spoilers for any of these episodes OR any other episodes in the show.

I am so attached to this show that I want all of you to have the same experience and enjoy it as it comes without spoilers. Seriously, it is my new favorite thing. As I explained in my first post, this show specially created for Netflix has only one season but had great potential to be continued! If it gets enough attention and hype then that may happen. As Reggie always says, “Tell your friends.”, so that’s exactly what I’m doing!

I want to thank my friends who got me into it, Lia and Rachel!

Are you guys ready for this? I certainly am!



Julie and the Phantoms: Season 1, Episode 4: “I Got the Music” (2020):

Based on: the Brazilian show, Julie e os Fantasmas (2011-2012).
Julie and the boys get signed up to perform for a school dance and while it’s not an ideal gig it’s better than nothing. After learning what has happened in their friend’s life since they died, the boys get fixated on the past and Julie can’t get them to focus. What lengths will they go to in order to fix what they think is wrong?

“I’ve always been a little anxious, then I died, which did not calm me down.”

Genres: Family, Drama, Musical, and touches of Fantasy.
Length: approx. 32 minutes.
Script: 9. There is one time that a name is used in vain, but it is muttered and I only noticed it because I’ve watched this show three times.
Crew: Directed by: Kenny Ortega. Written by: Dan Cross, David Hoge, & Nora Sullivan based on the series by Paula Knudsen, Tiago Mello, & Fabio Danesi.
Starring (Reminder, with TV shows I only list the top 10 most important characters for each episode):
1. Madison Reyes as Julie.

2. Charlie Gillespie as Luke.
3. Owen Patrick Joyner as Alex.
4. Jeremy Shada as Reggie.
5. Jadah Marie as Flynn.
6. Steve Bacic as Trevor Wilson.
7. Savannah Lee May as Carrie Wilson.
8. Booboo Stewart as Willie.
9. Sonny Bustamante as Carlos Molina.
10. Sacha Carlson as Nick.
Costumes: 8. The costume changing in the first scene was such a good idea to show what was happening! I wouldn’t have thought of it but it worked out so well. There is a point where characters decide to “moon” another person, but no one actually sees anything.
Cinematography: 7. Still super cool with the ghosts. Especially when they are there but we can’t see them! I have this one point lower than the other episodes because in the dance number for “I Got the Music” it gets really close up at one time which is a little weird. My one quibble with this episode!
Cinematography by: Jon Joffin.

Music: 10! We only get one song in here, “I Got the Music”. It is such a throw back to Kenny Ortega’s High School Musical days! Even though I wasn’t into those movies I still get nostalgic. A neat thing about this episode is that it is the only one where we get sneak peaks into songs that are coming in later episodes! Be on the look out to small hints to four other songs that will show up in full later on.
Music by: David Lawrence, Jack Kugell, Matt Wong, and Hanna Jones.
Quotability: 9. The reactions that everyone has to everything are hilarious. Basically everything that Carlos or Reggie say are my favorite.

‘“This place is clean...I’m not getting the ‘ghost tinglies’.”

“Wrong again, little dude.”’

Content: 9. The same characters carry over from last time and it’s just really clean! Instead of a full 10 it gets 9 because of other things that I’ve mentioned throughout.
Originality: 10! They are carrying through and adding more conflict so there is never a dull moment. It is so excellent, you guys!

Good For: Anyone who loves music, anyone who has lost someone, anyone looking for a good show, anyone who feels bitter about what happened in the past.
Age Range: There is such a good mix of fun and quirky things as well as deeper drama that makes it the perfect thing for all ages. You guys need to just trust me on this.
Overall Score: 9!
Worth watching?: You bet! I love in this episode how we’re seeing all of the characters bond and get used to each other. Carlos is especially adorable. I love how Alex is starting to relax and accept what is happening.
Will I watch again?: No doubt! This was my third time through and I still love it, so that shows that the next hundred times will be equally good.

Bonus thoughts:

‘“...I am the man of the house!”

“I thought dad was the man of the house.”

“There can be two.”

(I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again, Carlos is the cutest little brother!)

I tend to forget about this episode because I remember what happens before and after, but it is important. Flynn is hilarious and awesome!



Julie and the Phantoms: Season 1, Episode 5: “The Other Side of Hollywood” (2020):

Based on: the Brazilian show, Julie e os Fantasmas (2011-2012).
Thanks to Willie, the boys are introduced to a very special ghost: Caleb Covington. He is fascinated by what the boys can do and offers them a bargain. They are equally wowed by what he shows them in his fancy club. As the members at the club sing, “Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do?”

Genres: Family, Drama, Musical, and touches of Fantasy.
Length: approx. 30 minutes.
Script: 10. No bad words!
Crew: Directed by: Kenny Ortega. Written by: Dan Cross, David Hoge, & Nora Sullivan based on the series by Paula Knudsen, Tiago Mello, & Fabio Danesi.
Starring (Reminder, with TV shows I only list the top 10 most important characters for each episode):
1. Madison Reyes as Julie.

2. Charlie Gillespie as Luke.
3. Owen Patrick Joyner as Alex.
4. Jeremy Shada as Reggie.
5. Cheyenne Jackson as Caleb Covington.
6. Booboo Stewart as Willie.
7. Savannah Lee May as Carrie Wilson.

8. Sacha Carlson as Nick.
9. Jadah Marie as Flynn.
10. Guilherme Babilonia as Ghost Maitre’d.
Costumes: 7. The whole 1920s outfits fit the setting of the club so well, but some of them just get a little scanty.
Cinematography: 8. I imagine that big dance numbers are hard to choreography and organize, but they are pulled off perfectly! Fun fact, scenes from here were the first of the series to be filmed.
Cinematography by: Jon Joffin.

Music: 10. The song in here isn’t my favorite, but it sets the stage for a character so well, it couldn’t have been any better. Well done! I’ve been listening to the soundtrack on repeat while writing these reviews and I can’t stop smiling.

Music by: David Lawrence, Doug Rockwell, and Tova Litvin.
Notes: Be warned, there are SPOILERS for Star Wars in this episode! If you haven’t seen Star Wars episode 7, then you’re going to get a rude awakening (I’m hilarious, see, because episode 7 is called The Force Awakens).
Quotability: 7. The guys are like brothers in their relationship and it really reminds me of my sisters. Especially this line:

‘“I don’t know about this.”

“Well, if you get scared then you can hide behind me. I’ll be hiding behind Luke.”’

Content: 9. There are a few suggestive looks and characters are in physical pain for a few seconds. As I said in my review of the episode 2, it is established that Alex is homosexual. I don’t mind it at all because it is all clean! There is one second here in this episode that makes me a little uncomfortable, but in Alex’s defense he feels the same way and is confused. It’s there then gone (and I’m probably the only one who noticed it) so nothing to worry about.
Originality: 10. I didn’t notice it until Rachel pointed it out, but it is so cool that all of the musicians in Caleb’s club are women! I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a full ensemble like that in a film or series, so bonus points for that creativity. Can I get more of that now?

Good For: Anyone who loves music, anyone who has lost someone, anyone looking for a good show, anyone who feels bitter about what happened in the past.

Age Range: It is rated G, perfectly fine for young viewers as well as older! Please don’t think that it’s just a kid’s show, as emotion and feelings are key to everything.
Overall Score: 8.5!
Worth watching?: Yes. This episode has highs and lows and all of them are so well done. From all of my obsessing about the music you might be interested enough to just listen to the soundtrack without seeing the series. Don’t do that! All of the songs are so integral to the story that it gives both so much more meaning. It’s not that long, so just check it out!
Will I watch again?: This episode isn’t my favorite therefore I don’t watch it as often, but it could be said that it is one of the most vital. I will surely watch it again in the future!

Look at their precious faces!

Bonus thoughts:
Half-way through! How is it possible!? I tend to think of the guys the most in this episode, but Julie is very much present! Flynn is the bomb, and Nick is a sweetheart, too.
It is very satisfying to watch this and the next episode back-to-back. Just my pro tip.



Julie and the Phantoms: Season 1, Episode 6: “Finally Free” (2020):

Based on: the Brazilian show, Julie e os Fantasmas (2011-2012).
Julie is faced with new choices. She is angry and hurt, but can she look from a different perspective? Are people not as bad as they seem?

Genres: Family, Drama, Musical, and touches of Fantasy.
Length: approx. 29 minutes.
Script: 10. No bad words! They brought in some word play which is clever and hilarious at the same time. Granted, I’m sure that my handwriting is as bad as Luke’s.
Crew: Directed by: Kristin Hanggi. Written by: Sean W. Cunningham, Marc Dworkin, Dan Cross, David Hoge, & Nora Sullivan based on the series by Paula Knudsen, Tiago Mello, & Fabio Danesi.
Starring (Reminder, with TV shows I only list the top 10 most important characters for each episode):
1. Madison Reyes as Julie.

“Wait, who should do the talking? Right, right, Julie.”

2. Charlie Gillespie as Luke.
3. Owen Patrick Joyner as Alex.
4. Jeremy Shada as Reggie.
5. Sacha Carlson as Nick.
6. Savannah Lee May as Carrie Wilson.
7. Jadah Marie as Flynn.
8. Carlos Ponce as Ray Molina.
9. Sonny Bustamante as Carlos Molina.
10. Alison Araya as Aunt Victoria.
Costumes: 10. Julie has some of my favorite outfits in the whole series here! Great introduction to her connection with the flower dahlia.

Cinematography: 8. I can’t get over how cool the effects for the ghosts are. Just really fantastic.
Cinematography by: Jon Joffin.
Music: 10! The songs we get in here are awesome! “All Eyes on Me” is low-key one of my favorites because of everything that goes on during it. It will never fail to bring me joy because of how funny it is! “Finally Free” is amazing and is probably the one that gets stuck in my head the most often from the whole series.
Music by: David Lawrence, Jack Kugell, Matt Wong, Hanna Jones, Ali Dee, Doug Davis, Anthony Mirabella, Susan Paroff, Nikki Sorrentino, James K. Petrie, and Jodie Shihadeh.

Quotability: 9. My sister’s and my favorite part of this episode is about three seconds of singing lines! It is the cutest and sweetest thing ever! It involves being “ super duper crazy stupid”. That sounds so weird without context, but if you know, you know.
Content: 10! All clean! Someone gets in trouble with a parent, but it is fully developed and there are no worries. Can you tell that I’ve spent a lot of time writing reviews today? I’m starting to not make any sense at all.

‘“It feels like that time I was fixing my amp in the rain.”

“You shouldn’t...okay...”’

Originality: 10! What’s not to love about the creativity in this episode? I might be a little biased in this category because of how much I love the show, but I can’t think of anything else like it.

Good For: Anyone who loves music, anyone who has lost someone, anyone looking for a good show.
Age Range: Do I need to repeat myself? If you are of any age just watch this as soon as you can! It is perfect for everyone!
Overall Score: 9.5!
Worth watching?: For sure! As some of you may know, I have a hard time with subtleties. I need things to be obvious or they will completely escapes my notice. In this episode I was happily watching along for the first time when I noticed something in one of the songs. I was surprised but immediately loved it and wondered where it would go. The surprise was worth everything and for once I’m glad that I didn’t pick up on it sooner. (Unlike my older sister who told me that she had seen it right away.)
Will I watch again?: You can depend on it! So many elements are brought together perfectly and I won’t grow tired of it.

Bonus thoughts:
I admit that my description for this one is pretty weak. Sorry about that! I’m sure that it’s only going to get harder, but this episode was the most difficult so far to not say any spoilers for any other episodes! It goes to show you how well they are tied in to each other. You can’t separate them and only watch one!



My sister Fiona and I are absolutely enthralled by this show. It is without a doubt our favorite fictional story that we have found in a long, long, time! We can get over the top so we don’t expect you to love it like we do. That would be rare. But, we just want you to be able to enjoy the brilliance of it!


That’s all from me today. Are any of you interested in watching it now? I hope so! Have any of you tried it since my first reviews? If not, don’t worry, I have plenty of time to convince you yet. Stay tuned for my review of the final episodes in April! Who has seen it and wants to talk about it? What is something that has made a big impact on you because there was music involved? Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

March 2021 Book Reviews: Featuring a Governess, a Flowery Horse, and a Raccoon who is a Boy’s Best Friend

Hello, everyone!

How are you all doing? Everything is feeling a bit surreal to me as yesterday marked one year since I’ve been anywhere in society. It was my last “normal” day before all of this. I know that other people have been out and about a bit, but things have been different for my family based on all of the risks associated. I can’t believe it and just want to check in on all of you.

Don’t feel bad for me, I’m very satisfied with all of the choices my family has made in the last year! Now with family members already getting first shots we’re getting closer. That isn’t what I’m here to talk about, but I thought I’d commemorate it in someway.

No, I’m here to talk about books! One of my goals this year is to review at least one book a month because even though my little corner of the web is called Movies Meet Their Match, I’m an avid reader! I don’t celebrate that enough and this is to change that. I’ll be giving you reviews of some books that I’ve wanted to talk about for awhile. When I say awhile, I’m not kidding. None of these have anything to do with March, that was just my way of organizing. Of all of these books the most recent one that I read was back in December of 2019....What can I say, I’m slow? Fear not, I remember them (and have copious notes) to provide you with ample information.

As a side note, what do all of you think of the title for this post? My brain tends to work only in strictly organized (aka boring) ways making my titles very official but not engaging. Inspired by Sarah Seele’s awesome blog post titles I decided to go informal and change it up! If you like my usual structure then don’t worry, this is a rare occurrence and you can find all of my reviews listed HERE like always.

Enough talk, let’s do this!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. All three of these book reviews are spoiler free!


Review #1:

Agnes Grey - by Anne Brontë:

‘...and indeed I was so fearful of being charged with childish frivolity, or stupid insensibility, that I carefully kept most of my bright ideas, and cheering notions to myself, well knowing they could not be appreciated.’

Agnes Grey is trying to make a living for herself by the only means that she knows how: being a governess. Used to being treated like family at home, she is unprepared for the separation she feels having to teach children who are horribly spoiled and don’t listen to her. She hopes for a better life ahead where she is understood and appreciated. What will she learn on her road in life and will it take her to better places?
Genres: Drama, Period Drama.
Characters: 7. There aren’t many to speak for, but most of them are shown to be rude! Or unmemorable, but that could just be based on how long ago I read this. There are exceptions, who are my favorites, of course.
My favorites:
Agnes Grey: I was texting my sister today and we were making connections of how much we are both like Agnes in different ways. She is a very emotional heroine, but I love her kindness that is such a contrast to the way she is treated.

“The best way to enjoy yourself is to do what is right, and hate nobody.”

Nancy Brown: Such a wonderful lady! I want to sit and soak up everything she says. She has had her share of troubles in life, but her faith is glorious.

“An’ so it is, Miss Grey, ‘a soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievious words stir up anger.’ It isn’t only in thence you speak to, but in yourself.”

Words/Writing style: 10. While I thought that this book was really dull, the writing was lovely! It is told in first person, which is so rare for the time frame when this was written! I mean, she wasn’t the first Brontë sister to use it. This book has so much wisdom just in Agnes’s thoughts and conversations. That was such a redeeming factor for me. Just a note, that in all of the quotes that I use, I’m copying out of my edition of the book so it might look wrong, but it is British spelling.
Quotability: 8. This opening line is my favorite and I think of it often!:

‘All true histories contain instruction; though, in some the treasure may be hard to find, and when found so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of racking he nut.’

Content: 10. People are unpleasant, mean, and rude to each other, but I wouldn’t call them cruel. Well, unless it is the one little boy when it comes to animals. They are shown to not be desirable friends, though, so it isn’t encouraged to emulate them (Sorry, I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but I’m killing it on these word choices today! Usually my vocabulary is so small!).
Originality: 5. This may seem harsh, but “governess meets mean employers” isn’t new to me in anyway. It also involves a trope that isn’t my favorite. There’s nothing wrong with it, and in real life it’s perfectly fine, but it always seems weird to me, personally.

“...but I cannot pretend to judge of a man’s character by a single, cursory glance at his face.”

(I did like this line a lot.)

Notes: There is a reference to Dogberry from Much Ado About Nothing!
Good For: Classics lovers, teachers.
Age Range: It would be fine for any age. It is not the most interesting book in the world and kids might get bored easily (am I admitting that I’m a kid at heart? Maybe...), but it might teach them lessons like, don’t pull pranks on your teachers because it upsets them a lot.

‘A carriage and a lady’s-maid were great conveniences; but, thank Heaven, she had feet to carry her and hands to minister to her own necessities.’

Overall Score: 7.5.
Worth reading?: Yes, for the enchanting writing alone!
Will I read again?: Nope. With so many books in the world I don’t see myself revisiting this. It was fairly short, which was nice! Based on the writing I now want to read more books by Anne Brontë, though!
Bonus thoughts:
I personally thought that this rather dull and tedious (if anyone gets why that is so funny based on what I’ve said in this review then you get an award) but it wasn’t bad. The story wasn’t flashy, and it was just someone speaking from experience of the injustice shown to governesses in a household as they were between family and servants. It leans into the unfairness of treating servants to roughly in the first place! We are all human beings who deserve respect.



Review #2:

Dandelion: The Extraordinary Life of a Misfit - by Sheelagh Mawe:

Dandelion doesn’t know it, but though she lives in Ireland, she comes from Arabian ancestry. She reflects that with her fiery spirit. All she knows is that she doesn’t want to be like other horses, but run free. If she were to escape her confines, where would she go? Loneliness is out in the world, so will she just be better to allow the humans to ride her?

“Life is always just, don’t you see? It gives precisely what you expect. No more and no less.”

Genres: I would call this Fiction, but the labels I can find for it are Nonfiction and Spirituality. I understand the second one, but the first isn’t fitting.
Characters: 7. There are so few, and they all have pretty typical roles. The rebel, the mentor, etc.
My favorites:
Timothy: After what I just said about the characters being typical, is my favorite one of the biggest stereotypes? Well, yeah. He was great, okay?

‘“Life is simple, me darling,” Timothy said firmly. “It only becomes difficult when you fail to understand that whatever you think about you become.”’

The human whose name I can’t remember: I am chagrined that I can’t remember his name because he was the best in the whole thing. He was the most original because he had so many struggles yet was very thoughtful and gentle.
Dandelion: Her growth was impressive. I like the element that this takes place in the real world so horses can talk to each other but they can’t talk to humans.
Words/Writing style: 7. The really weird thing about this book is that in every chapter it told you what was going to happen in the next chapter, therefore there wasn’t a lot of suspense. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, I just haven’t seen it before and was a little confused by it. I don’t believe that there were any bad words.

‘Enchanted Dandelion was at the way her world changed when she saw it at speed. All the things she had known as whole, defined and stationary, could be changed to a blur of unfamiliar blues and greens and browns--the earth merging with the sky and the other way around--by the simple fact of her own amazing speed.’

(This is a lovely description besides how it starts out talking like Yoda would...)

Quotability: N/A. I’m coming to find that this category is a hard one. I haven’t had anyone to say the lines to, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t good ones. I didn’t believe a word of the blarney, haha!
Content: 9. There is death and some pain, but that’s it.
Originality: 8. With all of the characters being so easy to read I thought that I knew where this was going. Turns out that I didn’t. The ending surprised me a lot!
Good For: Horse lovers. This book does tackle storytelling through a more spiritual perspective. It’s not tied to any religion, but really focuses on inner power and decisions. As the description on Goodreads says: “An uplifting story about finding your purpose and harnessing life's magic.”
Age Range: I think younger readers would appreciate the story while older readers would look for the lesson. As rare as this happens as it is usually the other way around, it might be not as interesting on older readers because of that. It really depends on the person and what they are looking to get from it!
Overall Score: 8.
Worth reading?: Sure! It was very cute. The ending was particularly worthwhile.
Will I read again?: You know what, I think I might. One day if I just need a little motivation then I might sit down to read this again. It’s very short so it wouldn’t be a lot of trouble!
Bonus thoughts:
This wasn’t anything exceptional, but I liked it! It was sweet and made me consider a new perspective.



Review #3:

Rascal - by Sterling North:

A boy raises a pet raccoon and they go on little adventures while the seasons change. Will they stay safe and out of trouble in their changing lives?
Genre: Memoir.
Characters: 8. There aren’t many to speak for, but they are cute!
My favorites:
Sterling: I love how much he loves his raccoon! It’s so sweet.
Sterling’s dad: He seemed very dependable.
Rascal: This fuzzy little creature has such a mischievous personality!
Words/Writing style: 9. No bad words to mention! I really loved how there is no denying it being a memoir and Sterling North tells us that these are stories from his childhood and not something that happened to someone else. As I wrote down, the wording is beautiful! Check out this:

‘I was still in that uncritical stage that allows for the enjoyment of poetry.

We came upon Lake Superior with similar astonishment and wild surmise---an entire ocean stretching far beyond the horizon, as though a sapphire half as big as the visible sky had been set among granite cliffs and northern pines.’

Quotability: N/A in this case.
Awards: 8: Newbery Medal Nominee (1964), Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, Dutton Animal Book Award (1963), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1965), Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (1966), William Allen White Children's Book Award (1966), Aurianne Award (1965), Oklahoma Sequoyah Award (1966). (Source)
Content: 8. There is talk about war, but it’s not too gory. There are animals who fight and get hurt.
Originality: 8. My description of this book sounds simple and that’s because it is. That is where the charm lies! There are bittersweet parts wrapped around happy golden summer days and it overall is darling.

‘Then all three of us went running out to the very tip of the point as though we were a little mad with happiness---as indeed we were.’

Good For: People who like animal stories or have pets.
Age Range: I would say that this is great for younger kids. Parts might get a little intense emotionally (or maybe that’s just me...) but I would say those 10 and up would be good.

‘August is an intemperate month in any case when emotions go up with the thermometer.’

Overall Score: 8. 
Worth reading?: Yeah! I’d seen it on the self of my library for a long time and I was happy to finally check it off as read.
Will I read again?: Yes, I think I will! I want to read it out loud to someone now. Maybe if I ever get back into babysitting?
Bonus thoughts:
There’s not much to add. It’s clearly what it is and doesn’t try to hide. It was short and easy to read while not lacking in emotions.




And I’m done for the day! Thank you so much for reading! Please tell me how you are all doing. Have you read any of these? What are you favorite animal books that aren’t the usual about dogs? Have you ever read a book that you should like based on multiple factors, but you just found it boring?

Wishing you all the best of health and happiness,

MovieCritic

Movie Review: The Avengers (2012)

Hello and happy March!

I’m back with my goal of reviewing as many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies that I can in 2021! This particular film is one of the biggest and most famous. 

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. Because of this I will be vague in a few places to not give away things from earlier movies. This is absolutely spoiler-free! You will still get all of the surprises from watching the movie even after you’ve read this review.

If you've read my other Marvel reviews then you know the drill: you have to watch them in a certain way. This is one of those “do what I say, donʼt do what I do” because I watched them in the most random order, but I want you to get a good experience out of it.

There are two recommended ways for watching Marvel movies. They are:

In the order which they were made:

Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Dr. Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

Or chronological order:

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain Marvel (2019), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Dr. Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnorok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

If you've never seen a Marvel movie before but want to try it, then this is a great film for that! In fact, I'd say that most fans started with this one (not me, I do everything backwards). If you haven't seen Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) or Thor (2011) then you might be confused in a few spots, but it will be cleared up pretty soon.

The Avengers (2012):

Based on: The Avengers comics - by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
The Tesseract, a powerful tool that no one knows how to control, has been taken by force from S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters. Nick Fury goes into action along with Agent Coulson who start to assemble a team to fight off these otherworldly threats. Good people are working against them, though, under the power of mind control. The chosen group has many skills and weapons to bring to the table, but disagree on many things and are just as likely to turn against each other. They each have a past that haunts them, so will they be able to forget that and focus on the future? Will this team break apart before they are fully formed? How can so few hope to beat one with mischief in his veins and in control of an army?

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Genres: Superhero, Action, Science-Fiction.
Length: approx. 143 minutes.
Script: 7. The script itself is genius (I’ll talk about that more in a minute) but there is a smattering of bad words. Not the worst that I’ve heard, I’m just a little annoyed with it because it is unnecessary.

‘“Is everything a joke to you?”

“Funny things are.”’

(aka, my reaction to everything)

Crew: Directed by: Joss Whedon. Written by: Joss Whedon & Zak Penn.
Starring: (I have been thinking lately about changing up my system for saying who is in a movie. Sometimes, especially with the Marvel movies, knowing the characters in each film are major spoilers! For right now I’m only going to list the ten most important characters, like I do for TV shows. What do you think of this? Any suggestions?)
1. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.

‘“Stark, we need a plan of attack!”

“I have a plan: attack!”’

2. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers.

3. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner.

4. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff.

5. Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton.

6. Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

7. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
8. Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson.
9. Tom Hiddleston as Loki.
10. Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill.
Costumes: 7. There’s a scene where someone isn’t wearing anything, but the audience doesn’t see any of that. Each character's suits are fitting to their abilities!
Cinematography: 9. I didn’t notice it until it was pointed out to me, but there is one scene that is truly a masterpiece with constantly changing angles to reflect how everyone is feeling. It’s an action movie so there are a lot of fight scenes which are well choreographed. I absolutely love all of what is done with Hawkeye’s weapon, a bow and arrows!

Cinematography by: Seamus McGarvey.
Music: 10. I’ve been listening to the score while I write this and it is just epic all around!
Music by: Alan Silvestri.
Notes: Be on the look out for a cameo from Stan Lee, and don’t forget about the post credits scenes! There are also a lot of references to other things, to which we all do this:

Quotability: 10. Everything that comes out of these characters’ mouths are iconic! Tony Stark’s nicknames for everyone are hilarious. The context behind this had a great build-up!:

‘“I thought we were having a moment.”

“I was having 12% of a moment.”’

Content: 6. This has a lot of fighting which includes physical violence, explosions, and killing. Briefly, there are a few suggestive lines and a mention of attempted suicide. There is also the fact that there are “gods” in here. I don’t believe in those myths at all, but I accept it here as fantasy. Plus, as Captain America says:

“There's only one God, ma'am, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that.”

Originality: 9. Movies where a team has to come together are really awesome, and this is one of the best! All of the dynamics and problems are extremely original and creative. All of the elements and powers merge together so well!

Good For: My first response to this category is usually to say fans of the genre, but as a really insightful post of Sam’s (read it HERE, but be warned that there are spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)) pointed out, you don’t have to be a fan of action to love this! It has a compelling story about bravery, sacrifice, and friendship. The characters are amazing and unique! Tony Stark can be hard to like for some, but that is who he is. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good story filled with depth!
Age Range: This is PG-13 for all of the violence and scary things, and I would agree with that. BUT, it all depends on each individual’s tolerance level! I know I would’ve been fine with seeing this when I was 10, but others might be more comfortable around it at 15. Don’t let that worry you too much, and focus on the core of the story and not what is happening on the surface.
Overall Score: 8.5!

Worth watching?: Sure thing! The amount of detail and subtlety in here went past me the first time I watched it. I can’t believe that I thought, “That was cool.” and just moved on! It is so much more than “cool”!
Will I watch again?: Is this even a question? Yes! The last time I watched it I did an exercise routine, so anytime certain characters say particular phrases then I had to do an assigned exercise. It was fun, but exhausting and I’m looking forward to being able to watch it without all of that.
Bonus thoughts:
I feel like I’ve been so ecstatic in this whole review, so there’s not much to add! This movie broke records and changed the way that we saw superhero films. It is a valuable part of the MCU!



Thank you for reading! Let’s chat and you can tell me what you love about this movie if you’ve seen it before. If you haven’t, then tell me if you would now be interested in doing so! Who else loves Hawkeye in this because he is the best ever? Who gets annoyed with Tony here and who (aka me) really thinks that he is awesome? Have a good day!

MovieCritic

Book Review: One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny

 Howdy, “pardners”!

February is sometimes agreed to be the gloomiest month of the year, but it is almost behind us. I didn’t think it was that boring (I mean, there’s snow, so that’s good in all ways!) but these early months are good for reading and I did a lot of that. Technically, I read the book that I’m reviewing now in October, but all the same I think it could be ideal for all of you in this kind of weather to brighten your mood.

This book is the third in the Once Upon a Western series. All of these books are fairy tales retold in a western setting without any magic! Well, that last part isn’t true as Ms. Kovaciny must use magic while writing to make these books so delightful. None of the books contain the same characters (expect for small cameos that please me tremendously) so you can read them in any order. All the same, if you want to read the books in the order that she wrote them, but want to know more, then here are my reviews for the other books in the series:
Book 1: Cloaked
Book 2: Dancing and Doughnuts

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny:

Levi Dalton and his six siblings and cousins have been left all alone by their covered wagon train. They have all lost their parents and their only remaining guardian is an uncle they have never met but they have to get to him in Junction City. Soon they are found by a wagon train consisting of all Black pioneers. They let the children join their group, but only a few, like Hopeful Mallone and her father, trust them. Levi is soon fascinated by Hopeful’s stepmother who helps heal people and he wants to learn her ways. All seems to be going well, but is something sinister brewing on the horizon?
Genres: Western, Fairytale retelling, Young Adult.
Characters: 9, the characters were great! Ms. Kovaciny deals well with working with big casts of characters and making them unique. It could be quite hard to wrangle all of Levi’s relatives, but she does it with easy as well as have prominent members of the wagon train.
My favorites:
Levi: He is my precious child. This fourteen year old boy is so realistic! He is so sweet with just wanting to help people so there aren’t more deaths as he’s lost too many people already. He wants to be seen by his family but he hates too much attention.
Hopeful: Her name suits her 100%. She sees the good in people, but she isn’t naive and recognizes danger. Too few people listen to her, but she is still strong. Her love of God makes all others hopeful, too!
Jacob: He gets the role of being the oldest and trying to watch out for all the other kids. He is very distant, but not in a lazy way, very understandably. This sentence describes him perfectly: ‘The surest way of making him refuses to do something was by urging him to do it.’
Ness: Poor Ness goes through a lot, but I love him. He is patient and kind, which are the best things.
Words/Writing style: 9. No bad words at all. It is told in first person, past tense. The reason that I enjoy it so much is because it is told through Levi’s perspective! It is the perfect basis for the story. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but nothing could’ve fit it better. Grief has made him grow up quickly, but he is still very much a child.

‘The ache of missing them had become a tender throb and not the first sharp pain I’d thought would split me like kindling.’

World building/Setting: 8. This is a new category for me! It is set on a wagon train heading west which fits the story like a glove. I have done a lot of research about the Oregon Trail, but I still learned loads.
Quotability: N/A. As my reviews mature (at least, I think they’re maturing and getting better...) I’ve found that this doesn’t apply much to books. Mostly because I have no one to quote them too unless my sisters are familiar with them. Don’t doubt that this had good lines, though!
Content: 9. There is death and how to deal with grief which is very poignant. Other death is there with killing and plotting, but it is shown to be wrong. It also addresses racism and shows how judgement is a terrible thing, which I loved!
Originality: 10. I love the fairy tale of Snow White and therefore have read many versions. This was new in all ways! Ms. Kovaciny is not lacking creativity in any ways. There are tie-ins to a certain Shakespeare play which are well done. I’m only mildly acquainted with that play, but I’m sure others who know it more will notice things I didn’t catch.
Good For: Fairy tale lovers, western fans, families.
Age Range: Though this is Young Adult, it is perfectly fine for any age. In fact, I think it could be beneficial for younger readers especially, but older people will enjoy this, too.
Overall Score: 9!
Worth reading?: Indeed, as the day is long! Sorry, that might not make any sense but I’m trying to sound like I’m from the west. The Snow White factor brought me in, but Levi ensured that I stayed! It is a Christian book as Hopeful’s father is a Reverend and has messages of faith. If I had been in a different mood I might’ve found it “preachy” in one or two places, but it was just what I needed at the time.
Will I read again?: I went through all the trouble of getting a copy, so yes I will! I want my sisters to enjoy it, too, though they aren’t as into Snow White as I am.
Bonus thoughts:

“Don’t matter what you look like so much as what you do!”

There is a character I can’t forget to mention, Mrs. Mallone! She is a very complicated character, and while her relationship with one character felt rushed, I know that this is a short book so there isn’t a lot of time to delve into things.
American History month, and this book is rich in just that! This book is inspiring for what people went through way back when, but African Americans had even bigger troubles. This book takes a look at that and is eye-opening. Let’s not make that same mistake as history did.


By the way, after, and only after, you’ve read this then you should read Rachel’s short story, Run, Run! It takes another fairy tale and uses these characters to take a peek into their lives after the book has ended.



There you have it! Have any of you read this? What are your favorite Snow White retellings? Tell me some other African American books (or movies!) that I should try. Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic