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⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) I don't re-read books very often (my very long TBR highly disapproves of it), and I read this one only a few years ago. But one day I was looking for a comfort read, so I picked this one up off my shelf to read a few chapters, not intending to read it all the way through. But then I just couldn't stop myself! I don't really know why this book works for me so well, but it does. It's a pretty chunky book, and mostly revolves around court intrigue, something that definitely is not usually my thing. But it's about Maia, a half-goblin who is the fourth son of the elf emperor, pretty much living in exile with his guardian-relative who hates him. Then one day at 18 years old, he wakes up to find out his father and three older brothers have just died in an airship accident, and he is now emperor. Except he knows NOTHING about politics or how to behave, and he has no desire to be emperor. But he just... has to try his best. People ...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) This is the memoir of a woman who is the daughter of a Catholic priest who plays the electric guitar and only wears his underwear when he's at home. She obviously grew up in a very religious household, plus both of her parents are very bizarre. In her early 30s, Patricia and her husband run out of money because of medical bills, so they have to move in with her parents for a while. This memoir is a mix of her experience living with her parents again after ten years, plus stories of her childhood. The author is also a poet, which is very clear in the book, but her style is much more irreverent than poets usually are. She sees the world in very weird and amusing ways, and her metaphors and turns of phrase are very interesting. With all of her stories of growing up and conversations with her parents, this is a very funny book. Her parents definitely have their flaws, but unlike in The Glass Castle and Educated , they are not actively terribl...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) This is a movie that has not left my mind since I watched it a couple of months ago. This movie not only has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard, but also contains some of the most beautiful, melancholy cinematography I have ever seen, not to mention an amazing performance from Oscar Isaac. I am a very big fan of the Coen Brothers works so I was expecting to enjoy this movie going in, but I was not expecting to be moved the way that I was. The plot is simple enough, a week in the life of a struggling folk musician navigating his way through Greenwich Village in the early 60s, but the amount of symbolism and metaphors that are present is insane. The movie is pretty depressing at times, but there is humour scattered throughout to keep it from getting too heavy. The movie may seem unfocused at times, as about halfway through there is a seemingly meaningless detour from the simple plot, but everything works out in the end, and this is...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) What a strange, strange movie. I am no stranger to the quirkiness of most Wes Anderson films (in fact, I am a very big fan of his films), but this might just be the weirdest one. Essentially, the plot is about Steve Zissou (another classic Bill Murray/Wes Anderson collaboration), a famous oceanographer, who sets out on a voyage to get revenge on a shark that killed his partner. On top of that, he meets a man who may or may not be his son (played by Owen Wilson), and decides to bring him along on the voyage too. The cast in this movie is absolutely phenomenal. Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum are just a couple of the big names that star in this film, and each one of them deliver a fantastic performance. The film features a very good song track, mostly comprising of David Bowie songs sung in different languages. The film features the classic Wes Anderson aesthetic that I absolutely adore, and this definit...

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I think the context is pretty important for this one. I was expecting a smart and serious spy movie along the lines of maybe the Bourne movies or even modern Bond entries. So at first I was caught a bit off guard by the slapstick humour, absurd action and tongue in check one-liners. Once you stop taking it seriously I think it's a bit easier to enjoy and you can appreciate this movie and the fact that they just rejected all subtly and instead went ahead and named the romantic interest Pussy Galore (like seriously, I'm not making that up). I would have loved this movie as a kid. Connery is smooth as ever and gets all the girls. How could I not be jealous? This movie also has that incredible Bond music and features some iconic one-liners (martini, shaken not stirred). But seeing it now, he's a pretty underwhelming hero, or not what I expected. He's always a step behind the villain and overall pretty inept. He gets his ass kicked lik...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) If you want to get crazy hungry and be especially bitter that you can't travel right now, this is the series for you! I watched both the Asia and Latin America series' and loved both. Really cool to hear the chefs' stories and how they came to create and sell street food, and you learn a tiny bit about each city they highlight. I'm so ready for a foodcation.

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by KathleenQ) I'm not sure how to feel about this movie. I watched it because I freaking love director Taika Waititi and his absurd genius, and I knew he'd won an award for the screenplay. It is every bit as bizarre as you would expect from Waititi if you know his earlier work, but it deals with the SUPER serious topic of Nazism in WW2. The protagonist is a 10-year-old German boy (Jojo) who's deeply indoctrinated in Nazi propoganda, and Waititi plays his imaginary version of Adolf Hitler, who's a sort of imaginary best friend. Early in the movie, Jojo learns that his mom is hiding a Jewish girl in their home, and has to grapple with all the opposing values that surround him and the very apparent humanity of his enemy. It's mostly fun and nonsense until the movie takes a VERY sudden, jarring turn near the end that had me SOBBING at 3am when I was watching it. There is never any real resolution, and by the end, Jojo has clearly changed his...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by KathleenQ) This show is amazing and perfect in a lot of ways, but was very disappointing in one very specific way that probably only really upset me, but I don't want to go into too much detail and give away any spoilers. (Essentially, I was watching the show WAY TOO OBSESSIVELY for a couple of weeks, and got SUPER invested in one particular relationship, and then it did not pan out the way I was hoping and I was completely crushed. Like, it ruined my WEEK. That's probably mostly on me.) Other than that one unforgivable mistake, the show is fantastic. Very funny, very absorbing, It's not afraid to take a stand on certain issues, like worker's rights and cruel immigration policies. But it's mostly just fun entertainment, which I've really needed lately. The characters are great, the jokes are nonstop... Just, don't expect to see the characters grow or develop all that much, and don't get too caught up in the relationships. ...

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by KathleenQ) (Third and final book in the Legend series) This is the first book I finished in 2021. I started several others but couldn't finish them -- I was just having bad luck finding the right fit. So I finally FORCED myself to push though this one just so I had something to put on my list, even though it was solidly meh. (As were the first two books in the series. They were both so mediocre I waited years in between each one, always hoping the next one would prove better, but always being disappointed.) It's a YA dystopian novel, which is usually my jam, but the characters, plot, and writing are all profoundly unexceptional. (There are MULTIPLE instances of a character gripping something so tightly their knuckles go white, and the narrator even uses the actual words, "The silence was deafening.") The POV switches back and forth between the two main characters, a teen girl and boy who have extraordinary talents for, like, combat and ...

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This show really sputters towards the end here. All the best cast members are gone by now except for Abed, but even Abed's characters tropes are super played out in this season in a very unfunny way, and the Jeff/Abed dynamic is weirdly terrible now at the end? To make up for so many characters being gone they add some new characters who aren't funny, and feature more side characters who were best in bit roles. Initially I felt like saying that again, mercifully this season is short and we don't have to suffer long. But the truth is the end of the season is actually pretty good, and the unfunny characters just start to grow into themselves in the last couple episodes. I think it's really hard to develop a comedic character in only a few episodes (probably why season 1 of most comedies suck), so this season really has no chance of being very good. I'll give some bonus stars for a nice finale. Overall though, I thought watching ...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Continuing my streak of Joseph Gordon-Levitt films for movie night. My friend Marcel described this movie as "a high school alternate universe fanfiction of a different noir crime film" and he was even more correct than I anticipated. It's about a murder and the teenage detective who tries to solve it, but it's all very classy noir style, which is at odds with its high school setting. It's bizarre, but it really worked somehow? (Directorial debut of Rian Johnson of "Knives Out" fame, by the way!) A lot of great, snappy dialogue, a mystery that all comes together in the end, and an amazing performance by my friend JGL, who is just having the roughest day of his life and it shows. I appreciate that he is physically getting worse every time he takes a hit. Like that guy is NOT doing so hot, as he shouldn't be. And every time you remember they're high schoolers it's a fun little laugh, but you know it'...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) The world of pop punk and punk artists features a number of brilliant song writers, but The Wonder Years have quickly risen to the top of my list. Their writing comes right from the soul, it's so real and you can clearly tell it is all base on deep, personal experiences while also utilizing beautiful poetry to bring their concepts to life. The instrumentals are fantastic and accompany the lyrics perfectly imo. This album, their second studio album, details their life and experiences growing up in the suburbs. The false sense of purpose and hardship they were offered living "the good life". It's raw emotion meets carefully structured and album structure. While not their strongest album, it is amazing and just happens to be the one I am listening to right now. This is a band that really has gotten better with age. Each subsequent album they release tackles a new theme. If you enjoy punk music, and are looking for a new band, ...

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) This is a novel written by the author of A Long Way Gone, a memoir about his experience as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. That was a tough but important read, and so I wanted to try his fiction. And guess what? This was just as depressing! It's after the war in Sierra Leone, and people are trickling back to their hometowns, hoping to reunite with lost family members. They try to rebuild their lives, and it goes okay for a while, and the elders are able to give everyone hope. But literally everyone in power is corrupt, and a mining company comes to town and pollutes their water and their air and everyone has to work in very dangerous conditions. All the white men keep killing and raping people and it's terrible. We get to know quite a few villagers, and most of them are so kind and hopeful, but they just can't seem to change their situations. The writing was wonderful and used interesting phrases that come from the author's na...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) I like reading books about the food industry and eating habits, things like that, but this book ended up being more about farming and cows and chickens. And yet I still quite liked it! Granted, the first half started pretty boring, and I may have done some skimming over the facts about growing corn for cows and where all the corn goes during the first few chapters. But once the author started visiting sustainable farms and learning how to hunt and forage, I was more interested and easily read a chapter a day. The author is a journalist, and he follows a few different food chains. From what I could tell, he did a ton of research, and he personally visits several farms and talks to different farmers. The three main sections are when he follows the commercial food chain (corn to huge cow farms), then a sustainable, organic farm, and then he finally learns to hunt, grow, and forage for his own food. His overall point is to explore the omnivore...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Finally got to this show! It's been like 17 years since I've read these books, so I only remembered a few bits and pieces from them. I could still tell they made some changes, but nothing that took away from the heart of the story. The show is visually gorgeous, the actors fit their roles, and I think this TV format really works. I'm excited to watch season 2.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) Justyce is an Ivy League bound Black teen in an almost all-white private school, and he starts writing letters to MLK about his thoughts around racism and police profiling and brutality. He experiences some really heavy stuff and obviously has a lot of big feelings about them. I felt like it was written for a younger crowd than me, but would be an excellent read for a teen.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is a game where you play as a Samurai in feudal Japan during the Mongolian invasion. The most significant flaw is clearly casting the Mongolians as the villains. We all know how I feel about my boy Genghis. This game is GORGEOUS. It's perhaps not the same photorealism as stuff like the Naughty Dog games or even Red Dead, but it makes up for it by being vibrant and brilliant. I took probably 100 screen shots during the time I played. I really can't overstate how beautiful this game is. You can be in a wood surrounded by cherry blossoms one moment, then looking up into a towering shrine the next. I don't ever have to actually go to Japan now because I lived there for 50 hours and saw all the best parts. This game has some pretty good qualifies besides. The combat is fun and satisfying, and there are some terrific cinematic elements. Those qualities together should make this a top tier game. However, it didn't really feel top t...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This album is a masterclass in story telling. I have encountered very few albums that have managed to tell such a compelling and heartbreaking story. For those unfamiliar with the album, the Lumineers craft a narrative that explores the idea of cyclical family sins. How the affects of our matriarchs and patriarch directly influence our lives. The album is told in three parts, from the perspectives of three different generations. Gloria Sparks, her son Jimmy Sparks and his son Junior Sparks. All three characters interact with and understand their issues to stem from Gloria's drug addiction. The album is haunting at times. It is a bleak look at the role addiction plays in developing dysfunction in families. Even tougher, it is inspired by the events of the lead singer's own family experience. I can't recommend an in depth listen of this album enough. It's a work of art that has had a profound impact on my life. Best Track: Imp...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Anita) This sequel to Beartown was surprisingly almost as good and still had me shedding many tears despite not falling as in love with the character to whom the bad thing happens to. This book was a further look into how hate of the other can affect things and it really made me feel a lot of confusion about why the heck is everyone so angry about a hockey team . Do people really feel this competitive about anything?? I truly do not understand. But anyway, he writes beautifully and I was still enraptured the whole time waiting to see what was going to happen.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This is a great companion movie to Breaking Bad. The ending of the show leaves so many questions as to what happens to Jesse, and I am glad that Vance Gilligan revisited his story to give fans this closure. I would not say it is fantastic film making. The story will only make sense if you've seen the whole series and the plot itself is not anything overly special. If it were a standalone plot, I don't think it would warrant much afterthought. But with Jesse being my favourite character (other than Gus Fring of course), this movie is necessary viewing after the series cuz that ending is so sad.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) Y'all, after going through this again I can safely say it is still my favourite show I've ever watched. Going through it a second time, I noticed and saw things differently based on my perspective now. I never believed Walter White to be a hero, but going through this second time it was even clearer what a despicable character he is. He manipulates everyone around him and is a class-A narcissist. I felt no pity for him at the end based on all of the destruction and lives he destroyed on his way. From Jesse, to Skyler and the kids and Hank and Marie, no one was better off for knowing him in the end. All the problems these characters face are a result of Walt's evil (which is annoying cuz he makes everything about him, and it is technically, but it's annoying that he's kind of right in his narcissism). This show does an amazing job of not glorifying Walt or what he does in any way which is great to see. It paints a realist...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) I was super hyped for this movie so I read a ton of reviews about it now I fear this review isn’t my own. This movie feels really artsy. It’s black and white, and only two characters star in the whole movie: Zendaya and John David Washington. Essentially this movie follows the night after Washington’s movie debut, and their relationship spirals. Ive heard this movie described as the black Marriage Story, but I haven’t seen that movie. It’s essentially one big fight, and someone said if you’ve seen the first 20 minutes you’ve seen the whole movie. And while there is some truth to that, I’m glad I watched the whole thing. A lot of this was really hard and uncomfortable to watch because they really dig into each other. They both feel unappreciated by the other and no stone is left unturned. Did like this movie? I think so. It had me captivated the whole time that’s for sure. Zendaya really shone here, I think. It was a bit long and conflated, but I’m...

⭐ 6.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) I did not love this movie when it came out, but I keep hearing the hot take that this is the second best Star Wars movie (after Empire Strikes Back), so I figured it was worth another watch. I can confirm that everyone who says that is wrong and is just trying to get likes on twitter or something. The story is kind of all over the place to start. We visit like 6 planets in the first 10 minutes to try to introduce us to our team, but all of them are pretty flat and uninteresting. There are some cool elements here, and the explanation of the Death Star's weakness is nice, but the pieces never really connected for me. The Donnie Yen jedi-esque blind guy? Super cool. Riz Ahmed as a turncoat pilot? Yes please. For some reason it felt like they just did not use these characters very well. That being said, this movie does contain a top 3 Star Wars scene for me, one that had me in awe in the theatres and I still pull up on Youtube from time to time. No ...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Jess) A pretty dark and twisted anime but once I started, I couldn't stop thinking about watching it even though I didn't want to watch it after dark. A good, quick watch

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I started reading this book in the fall trying to quickly get through it before the movie was supposed to come out around Christmas. I almost needed the year extension I got from Warner Bros because i just never wanted to read it. I get the importance this book has in history, but as a modern day read I thought it was pretty dry, overly descriptive and featured some pretty weak writing stylistically. I resisted negative thoughts towards this book because I feared I would have felt the same thing if I was reading Tolkien today. Both books feature enormous, developed universes that you can tell the creators put a lot of love into and go to great lengths to give the full context. But I think that's kinda where the comparisons end. I love Tolkien's writing style and I love the characters in the Lord of the Rings. I didn't feel anything for any of the characters here. It was a group of flat and one dimensional characters who have one stilt...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Benjamin) Can I just say that the book itself looks really good? It's black with red on the ends of the pages and it has a nice visual theme throughout, it's beautifully dark. I can relate to what Kathy and Maggie already mentioned, I found it slow to start but it definitely picked up after that. It is ridiculous how young the characters are supposed to be, and it ended up being a fun story (with a bit of a dark feel to it). The setting is dark and grimy and some violent stuff happens, but the character interactions are funny (kind of like Guardians of the Galaxy maybe). Once 'the heist' was on it's way I just wanted to keep reading. I'm already starting on the next book!

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by KathleenQ) (I'm just reposting an old review -- Ben noticed I'd misspelled the author's name in the original review, which disconnects it from other people's reviews, and it can't be edited.) This sequel was exactly what I hoped for. Everything I love about YA fantasy and nothing I hate! High stakes, magic, lots of action, violence without too much gore, a little bit of romance (some of it non-hetero). But none of it felt cliche. The terrific characters all got some great development and we got some valuable backstory from the ones that were still a little mysterious in the last book. If you read/liked the first book, definitely read this one! It's very satisfying.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I vaguely remember watching this as a kid and not thinking much of it. After watching again, I think it's pretty clear it's an animated movie that kids will probably like, but adults will really love. It's a bit slower paced for a kid's movie, but was smart, thoughtful and featured a lot of clever humor that probably got lost on me as a kid. It actually reminded me a lot of Avatar, and that is pretty high praise. I definitely recommend this one, especially to the parents here.

⭐ 6.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) What a ride. The plot for this movie was so uninspired and ridiculous, and I hate to say this but there were JUST too many monsters. It made up for some of those losses with incredible fight scenes that would have been awesome to see on a screen bigger than my laptop, but every time there were no monsters fighting it was boresville. (But seriously. TOO MANY MONSTERS. Save a few for some other movies!) I liked the idea of them dealing with the fallout of the previous monster attacks from the first movie, but they just didn't do it justice. Ken Watanabe said it best with "Sometimes the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them" but then they didn't even do a good job of following through. Honestly they should hire me to write the next Godzilla movie. Also Mothra deserved better.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I don't think I have all that much to say that hasn't been said. Really beautiful, heart-wrenching story about a kid dealing with addiction and a father coping. As much as it pains me to say it, I think this was a pretty good performance by Chalamet as I felt he got a lot of stuff right here, encompassing much of what I've witnessed in terms of people struggling what his character is going through. I really have nothing bad to say, though for whatever reason I just felt this movie was lacking a certain something that left it short of being an incredible emotional experience for me. Perhaps it was that this movie seemed to be going for tears at every turn, and maybe it made me resent it or something. One minor criticism I have is that this movie failed to potray the issues of poverty that typically surround addiction and further complicate things. Chalamet's character was always able to instantly get into top tier rehab centres and...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) This movie was intense. Steve Carrel and Timothee Chalamet play a father son duo, and the movie takes us through a bit of childhood into teenage years where the son becomes addicted to drugs. A lot of really tragic and touching moments in this movie. I thought they did a great job showing a different angle of addiction, because it mostly follows the dad and how he’s struggling to help his son and cope with the fact that he is addicted. I’d say the real climax of the film is towards the end, where all parties are giving up and no one knows what to do. It’s so hard to watch but man I think they did it well. Check this one out for sure, just beware that it’s heavy.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) A rewatch, since seeing it in early 2019. Still the perfect film, about a narcotics team accidentally becoming successful chicken restaurant owners while trying to take down a drug ring. Incredible comedic timing, ridiculous without taking itself seriously at all. I'm so glad I watched this again. Possibly one of my favourite movies of all time.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Watched this for the first time in 15-20 years on call with a group, which was a bad idea because it turns out I forgot everything and could barely follow it. The humour was on point though, and I loved the sheer ridiculousness of it all. What a great pair of main characters. Why is Chel so sexy though??? Who designed this character for a children's movie??

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) I unfortunately never listened to Lorde apart from her singles. That is why I find myself listening to this album now. I think it’s safe to say that this is one of the best pop albums of the 2010s. Literally every song is amazing. She sings with conviction and emotion that is so evident and radiant. She struggles with self love, relationships, feeling like a burden and all the other emotions of a heart break. I think she stands out in the pop genre for both her unique voice and vocabulary. It’s not every day you hear the word melodrama in a song. I’ve been basically listening to this album non stop this whole year. I can’t pick a favourite song; listen to this whole album!

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) As far as the world of "Christian" rappers go, Prop is the best of the best imo. He is a beautiful poet, and creates very organic, earthy beats to accompany his words. I think a common complaint among Christian music, rap or CCM or whatever, is that it can often feel like a lot of fluff. A lot of cliche's that don't give you insight into the artists life. This album is not that. If you want to deeper understand the BLM movement, Christianity from a POC perspective or just in general the black experience in America, Prop is a great place to begin. He is honest, raw, emotional and extremely intelligent. Please listen to this album, it still is so relevant today. Best Track: It's tough, but the opener Crooked Ways is insane

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This book was a fun, but pretty disappointing sequel to Ernest Cline's smash hit, Ready Player One. I feel like this book featured way too much over explanation of everything. Every nerdy reference that it contained felt like it needed two pages of explanation, which didn't feel overly necessary to an audience that probably had a pretty good grasp on the things in this book. The references were not as obscure as the first book, but felt more over-analyzed. My biggest complaint with the book though is that all their quests they went on felt way too easy... With all the insane over-explanations, over half of their quests went off without any hiccups. The secrets of this books quests remained hidden for three years, and then they complete the entire quest within 12 hours. Like there was an urgency to their quest, but I feel like the characters just kind of floated through it. It took away from the weight of the conclusion (the final bat...

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This one wasn't really my thing. It follows the life of an Irish midwife for a few days as she works in the flu maternity ward during a pandemic at the end of WW1, and details (I mean, a LOT of detail) her work with the sick, expectant mothers. Despite having 2 babies of my own, I've never been interested in the details of birth and this was way too graphic for me. There's also so much tragedy and sadness and it's just so...bleak. A tiny bit of hope and meaning at the end, but was not worth the pain for me.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Jess) Hugh Jackman stars in this crime thriller. Not my usual cup of tea but man, SO GOOD. Two kids go missing and a gruff detective tries to find them. It's not that gruesome or violent, just more suspenseful.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Jess) Similar vibes to Glass Castle. I equally love this one. So yes, another problematic set of parents that will make you want to scream and cry. I love her story as she grows and learns about the world, even though it's cringey sometimes.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Jess) There's already a lot of reviews for this one. So I'll be another that gives this one a ten, because it doesn't deserve anything less. The best.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Jess) This show is *chef's kiss* I can't believe how much I love this show. It's hilarious, touches on important topics and every character is uniquely likeable. There honestly wasn't a character I did not like.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) From the moment I saw this trailer I knew I would like this movie, not to mention that it stars Lakeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya and Jesse Plemons. Count me in! This movie has a pretty tried and true strategy. It is basically a biopic, but told from the viewpoint of a mole in the black panther party, so kind of like The Departed. It is intense, suspenseful, and even gives you a bit of a history lesson. I was aware of the black panther party, but I was not aware of everything they did in their communities. I have also had a hard time empathizing with violent resistances, but seeing this story from this angle helped me see a bit outside of my own experiences. Kaluuya is the real star here, and his charisma is magnetic, but I think seeing the story through the eyes of the traitor is what makes this movie special. When all the pieces fall into place it really kicks you in the gut, in the best way possible of course. It's only February, but I...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) If you love beautiful poetry, summery, bouncing beats and stunning guest spots, listen to this album. Noname is one of the most underrated MC's out there today. This album is easy listening, but has a lot of important things to say. Noname's social media and poetry is also worth checking out, she is a vocal activist for the BLM movement.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) As an avid Breaking Bad fan (I will upload a review of BB as well once I complete watching it), for some reason it took me a really long time to watch this show. While it is not as good as it's predecessor, this is still a great watch. I forgot how one dimensional Saul is in BB. BTS does such a great job of exploring his character as Jimmy McGill. He really ends up being such a complex figure after exploring his family, romantic and work relationships. Even more than Jimmy, the exploration of Mike is really what solidified this show for me. Diving even deeper into Mike's family life and reasons that lead to him working for Gus is so so interesting. Mike is my fav. The show does feature quite a bit of fanfare, but none of it feels overly forced. It seems like it is going to flow fairly nicely into BB. Overall, would recommend if you enjoy the exploits of Walter White.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) I did not have super high expectations going into this album, as I had not been the biggest fan of some of slowthai's previous work, but this album surprised me in the best way possible. The album is divided into two seperate halves, the first half focusing more on high energy, angry songs, while the second half being more introspective and even more chill. I will give each side a separate rating Side 1 I did not enjoy this half of the album as much as the second half, I'll tell ya that much. Many of the beats did not do it for me, his lyrics tended to be a bit less thoughtful and well-written, and many of the songs felt repetitive. That being said, there are still a few bangers on this side. "MAZZA" is a great song, featuring a great verse from ASAP Rocky. The beat in this song is so so good, and both artists deliver very good verses. There isn't a song that I dislike on this side, but as a whole I don't enjoy it qu...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) I have very vivid memories of the first time I saw this movie, and I will never forget that night, but I was pleased to see that this movie is still a masterpiece when viewed from home. It follows a native maid who is a housekeeper in Mexico City, and it is really beautiful. There are aspects of it that are super artsy and I will probably never understand, but the black and white, the long takes, even it not being in English all makes it unforgettable. There are a few set pieces that are particularly breathtaking, and by the end of the movie I felt a level of love and connection to someone I have no right to feel a bond to. My own well-being felt connected to hers, and every time she undergoes any amount of pain it feels suffocating. It really is a special film. Not sure what else there is to say, an amazing lead performance from someone that had basically never acted before, and it is written and directed by a guy who won the Oscar for best di...

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) A movie about monsters fighting certainly doesn't have to be smart or well written, but this movie is just SO dumb. I also don't think movies with a ridiculous premise have to make everything a joke like Marvel movies, but this movie is way too serious. All the monster stuff in this is awesome and looks amazing and will melt your face. But all the human stuff in this movie is so, so terrible. I get that it's probably not that easy to make a good, 2 hour movie about a main character that can't talk, but man this movie wasn't even trying. Anyways, great movie, can't wait for Kong vs Godzilla. But also, can someone tell me why Crave is so terrible? It's the only service that streams this movie, has all the best content, yet I have to watch Godzilla in like 480p? Get outta here.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Jess Dyck) This movie is a masterpiece. I don’t have much to say, because I know tim will fill in the blanks with his review! But, I can say I found this to be incredibly real and moving. Something about the really long single-shot scenes really make it feel like you’re just peering into a life. Not to mention the black and white wide shots are STUNNING. SO much to look at, and the scenes look so good I often say wondering how the heck they made this movie! The story is moving and paints a really disconcerting (while still occasionally heartwarming) picture of the relationship between someone who is staff but also basically family. I LOVED the feeling of watching such a long movie and feeling completely drawn in from the opening credits to the final credits. I’m so glad I finally made the time to watch this. One of those movies I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This was a sweet movie about a group of fishermen in Cornwall who end up getting signed for a record deal as a result of a joke but then rise to fame. Some great sea shanties, a little bit of romance, stunning views, and just a delightful watch.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) I honestly don't know if I've ever been so emotional watching something in my life. I've been trying to be intentional about watching and reading things that highlight the lives of Black folks lately and chose this miniseries because it seemed important. It follows the true events of 5 young boys of colour being arrested and coerced into confessing to a rape. I was filled with so much rage towards the police, lawyers, prison guards, and criminal justice system as a whole. It was so heartbreaking and I cried a lot during the third and fourth episodes. It really made me reflect on the brokeness of the criminal justice system. Such a valuable watch.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I had to follow up the autobiography with HBOs recent documentary that followed Ali's death. I'm glad this was made so that I could put images to everything I just read about. Man, this guy is so magnetic! The cadence with which he speaks, the grace with which he floats around the ring. I know I go overboard with my personal idols, but I just can't get enough of him right now. I really wish I would have been around when he was fighting, though again I'll admit there is probably a large possibility I would have been cheering against him, especially early in his career when he was such a shit talker. This documentary was great with filling in the blanks left from the book. The book was published in 1977, essentially at the height of Ali's career, so this goes beyond that and tells of his late and post career. It really is tough to watch as you see his pride contribute to his downfall as this movie essentially plays out like a tr...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This movie is set after both the murders of MLK and Malcolm X - high tensions in the civil rights movement. Chairman Fred Hampton is moving up in the ranks as leader of the Black Panthers in Chicago, and William O’Neal infiltrates the party for the FBI. This movie is haunting. As you can imagine it’s not a feel good story with a happy ending. Portrays the struggle of the black man and the many different facets of the revolution. Daniel Kaluuya who plays Fred is captivating. He was merely 21 when he rose to this prominent position but the way he gathered and rallied people was incredible. He was able to join forces with another gang, and the redneck, lower class white man - they called it the rainbow coalition and they all had a common enemy: the white man and his oppressive system. A very important watch that portrays perhaps a lesser known story and segment of the civil rights movement. In my opinion, shows very clearly the appeal of the Black Pa...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) The prequel to THUG, this is the story of Maverick when he was 17 years old. He's part of a gang because that's what he needs to do in order to survive on the streets and live up to his father's legacy. He's selling drugs on the sly because that's the only way he can make enough money to support his mom and the son he just found out he has. This is a story of Black boyhood/manhood, and things are not easy for Maverick, but he also makes some very bad, very frustrating choices. At the same time, the book helps you understand what life is like for him, as a dumb 17-year-old under so much pressure. It's told in the first person, so even the narration is full of slang, which makes it a really immersive read, and I felt like the author did a great job giving him a strong voice (although it did mean it took longer to read, since I tripped up over the grammar and vocab a lot). It's not all tragedy, as there are a lot of li...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Anita) Well, Sarah did it again. I'm not sure what it is about her that just ministers to my soul like no other. The tagline is "making peace with an evolving faith" which is where I'm at and what I need. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter "Evangelical Hero Complex" which talked me through so much guilt I didn't know I was carrying along and how broken our system is. It's just all beautiful and such a comfort for this time in my life.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This was our Valentine romantic movie of choice this year. It's about love between old people which is definitely very sweet. This movie is very sappy, and almost starts to fall into Hallmark or even *shudder* Christian movie territory, but it's sweet enough to be able to overlook it. Altogether a pretty safe bet for a romantic movie night.

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This show still does some things great, but it's losing a bit of steam for me. The settings and costume are all top notch, and there is some fine acting. It's exciting and intense at times, but a lot of the conflict feels a bit contrived and already a bit repetitive. I'm not big on TV in the first place, so maybe don't trust my opinion, but like, why does everyone have to do everything the hardest way possible?! Everything feels like it's going for maximum impact at the expense of, you know, making sense. And I get that Thomas is sexy, but my goodness why do women in this show all fall in love with him? He's terrible to them and a terrible person in general. Get outta here.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is one of those rare cases of a biography (autobiography in this case) where I'm not certain I like the main character but still love the book. Ali is, in many respects, very unlikeable. He is incredibly prideful and arrogant and easy to cheer against. Yet he also did things that were incredibly admirable that aged very well, such as being a civil rights advocate, and most of all refusing to participate in the Vietnam war at massive expense to himself. It's tragic that perhaps the greatest boxer ever lost a huge part of his prime for something so stupid. Yet the best part of this book is it's authenticity. As arrogant as he is, he admits it all in his book, and goes very deep into all of it, never brushing any of it away. He was borderline abusive to his first wife, and he gives a detailed play by play of everything he did to her. You don't really see that in an autobiography. Additionally, he never really dwells on the good...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) This is an album by a queer, Christian woman about her faith and journey through church. This album feels prophetic. It’s hard to describe but she’s calling out to Christ and at the same time calling out the church for its hypocrisy. She was number one on the Christian charts and is on track to chart on Billboard! Obviously this is monumental considering she’s queer, but also because of the fact that it’s an explicit album and she’s not signed to any record label! Her music definitely doesn’t sound professional but it adds to the charm I think. Its a short 8 track EP, but the song Bethlehem really shines here. Jesus from Texas and Youth Group are also phenomenal.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) I knew very little about the epic of Achilles before I read this book, but my life feels richer having read this. This was an incredible re-telling of the myth. Achilles and Patroclus truly were phenomenal characters. We see them grow up together and their boyhood is endearing and touching. As we see them grow we also see they relationship blossom and it is heartwarming - truly. Unfortunately, this story is a tragedy (does it count as a spoiler if the story is 2,000 years old?). I was incredibly sad with how it ended and yet it was beautiful in its own way. Highly recommend this one to all. It was fast paced, very well written and hard to put down. I will be remembering these two Greek lovers for a long time.

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This was not nearly as funny as I thought it would be. The cast looked good and I thought the premise had potential, but it was kind of painfully unfunny. I actually didn't find any of the characters funny or even interesting. I'd skip this one.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I played this on the switch which is totally the way to play it. It offers unlimited, instant save states so you can retry every challenge in a split second and there are no game overs, almost like Celeste. This definitely takes away from the sense of relief and accomplishment, but if I played it the true way this score would have been much lower. This game is so incredibly hard and so punishing. I can't imagine how kids ever beat it without losing their minds. I played this in part as a nostalgia trip because it's one of the few old games I played as a kid, and I enjoyed reliving that. There is certainly something timeless about this game between the music, the decently tight platforming, and the impressive graphics for a game that is... *checks notes* Twenty six years old?! With that said, this game is also janky as hell, with enemies respawning in mid air as you jump, being forced to jump into traps you can't see off screen, the ra...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) It took me a while to get to this one, but I'm glad I did. A Black cop in the 70s goes undercover both with the civil rights movement and the KKK with the help of a white colleague. It was a powerful movie about racism and white supremacy, but it was also quite funny and light in tone, which is rare to see in a movie about such a serious subject. So for me it hit that sweet spot of being both powerful and enjoyable to watch.

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Chinese crime drama following a mole for the police in a gang trafficking drugs, and a mole for the GANG in the POLICE, and the two of them trying to get one up on the other. It was very early 2000s with a terrible soundtrack and bad effects, and I think some things were lost in translation because I found it very hard to follow at times. The ending also felt quite abrupt and it was hard to understand motives all around. But I had a good time watching it with my friend for movie night so it's fine.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This was surprisingly funny. Also a little bizarre and dumb, but I really enjoyed it. I recommend it!

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) A movie about a poor Indian man working as a servant/driver for a rich Indian family, and how he eventually manages to rise out of poverty through crime and clever business decisions. Very interesting and highlights the disparity between rich and poor, and helps you to really understand the hopelessness of the poor and bitterness they develop towards rich people. It was hard to watch. Did I enjoy it? Not really. Was it well done and a valuable watch? Yes.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I was instantly interested in this flashy Korean sci-fi Netflix movie, mostly because I love space adventure movies and also the main actor, Song Joong-ki. Although the plot was nothing revolutionary and a little on the cheesy side (Earth is uninhabitable due to human greed, but maybe it can be saved???), I really enjoyed the world-building in this, and the effects were really impressive. Plus, I'm always delighted to see sci-fi films that aren't white and Hollywood. The fact that Richard Armitage was in this film was baffling, especially because I didn't even RECOGNIZE HIM for the first half, but I loved the wide variety of races and languages included, it felt very realistic. As mentioned, the whole plot is a little contrived and cheesy, but it's sweet and heartwarming, and being real I go nuts for a cool spaceship. Also, shoutout to that trans robot experiencing gender euphoria. Loved that.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This is a real life documentary about triplets separated at birth! At 19 they all meet by chance and fate and it all feels crazy and magical and whimsical. The boys are so loveable and so similar! They walk the same, talk the same, smoke the same cigarettes; it’s eerie but so interesting. About halfway through this doc takes an unexpected and somewhat dark turn, but essentially the doc looks into nature vs. nurture and the environments the boys grew up in. One of them grew up in an affluent family, the next in a middle class family, and the next in a blue collar family. This was truly incredible. I would highly recommend this to all of you! It’s incredibly fascinating and made me think a lot about how I grew up.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This was an interesting mini-series based on the life of Madam CJ Walker, the first known self-made female millionaire. Overall I found it very interesting and enjoy mini-series', and I like how they showed some of her difficulties and didn't make her seem perfect. I had a hard time getting passionate about hair care products myself, but she was clearly a very wise businesswoman. This woman is particularly remarkable for achieving what she did despite the outright sexism and racism of the time. I didn't really love the scenes where they tried to be more creative (like comparing her rivalry to Addie Monroe to a boxing match) but I'm more of a documentary kind of girl.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) The best video game of all time?? Many polls would suggest that. The thing that makes this game so great is the phenomenal soundtrack. Featuring bangers from Weezer, Metallica, The Strokes and more, this game provides banger after banger. This game can be very difficult, especially if you are playing on expert, but that provides even more fun! I have so much love for this game, it's crazy.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) Honestly one of the funniest animated movies I have seen. Constant physical gags and witty dialogue. Relies a bit too heavily on gross out humour, but that's okay. The cast is phenomenal (shoutout Jean Reno). Must watch for all fans of cinema

⭐ 6.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) We took a long break in the middle of the season, but now that it is on Netflix again we tried to get back into it. I really really want to like this show, but this season was just not great. The April and Andy stuff is charming, and Andy is always the source of the most laughs, but Tom and Leslie are just so annoying and not funny. I know it will get there because I have seen funny episodes in the past, and the end of this season introduced 2 characters that I know take on more central roles, so my hopes are high. But this quickly became a background show for us.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) David is a super scrawny Mexican-American in high school, and on the last day of school someone takes a video of him getting bitch-slapped, and it goes viral. So David decides that to prevent from being known as Bitch Slap David for the rest of his life, he needs to devote his summer to getting super ripped. So he joins a gym full of body-builders, and he gets sucked into the world of weight-lifting and steroids. I think this is the first book I've read that focuses on men's body image issues and muscle dysmorphia. It was really interesting how different it is from women's and my own issues, but also how similar. Suddenly all David can see and think about is his body and how it compares to others. Once he starts steroids and is in that toxic environment, it also changes his personality and he becomes a very different person. It's often hard to like David, and all the gym talk about "gains" was so annoying and obnoxiou...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) This wasn't an easy read, but it's one of the cases where I think it was worth it. It takes place in 1960s Kuala Lumpur, right after an election leads to a riot in the streets, with the Chinese and Malay attacking and killing each other. Melati, a teenager, finds herself surrounded by violence, and all she wants is to find her mother. But Melati has another challenge, which is that ever since her father died, she's been consumed by the need to count and tap things in the correct order in order to keep her mother safe, or else her mind is filled with images of her mother and other loved ones dying gory deaths. It's obvious to the reader that Melati has OCD, but of course it's the 60s and mental illnesses aren't understood well. And so Melati is convinced that a Djinn lives in her head and is telling her that everything is her fault, and there are all these things she needs to do to prevent them from happening. It's h...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is a classic 90s western that I didn't know existed, and was kinda upset that this critically acclaimed, genre defining film took me so long to discover. It features the king of westerns in Clint Eastwood, as well as Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman. It's a bit of an anti-western in a lot of ways where there are no heros, and rather than guys dropping like flies, this one hones in on the repercussions of violence, the glorification of outlaws, and the nature of healing. This is a truly excellent movie. I thought the performances of the 3 main actors were all among their best, especially Gene Hackman, and there was also an incredible performance by a more unknown actor who plays a young, wannabe outlaw. I don't often point out acting because I don't really know anything about it, but in a movie focused on characters rather than events, these performances were crucial and I felt it was clear I was seeing something special. There...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Will) A sci-fi that won the Hugo in 2020. New Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the captial of the Teixcalaanli Empire to find that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small nation, has died under mysterious circumstances. She's shown up in the middle of some serious political instability in an unfamiliar culture, with no real knowledge of what happened to her predecessor or why, and somehow needs to find a way to prevent the empire from annexing her small independent nation. This is kind of a political drama, intertwined with a little mystery, all set in the sci-fi universe of an empire that's spread across galaxies. I believe it's intended to be a trilogy, with the second book being released this coming March.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) This was such an interesting book. I had vaguely heard of HeLa cells in some class but knew nothing about them. Look it up, it's super interesting. This book talks a lot about cells and cell research, which was really informative, but really focusses on the life of the cell 'donor' (did not actually knowingly donate) Henrietta Lacks and her family. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read about her family's life and the horrors they experienced after she died, and I was really moved by her daughter Debra's experience. The book also discusses the ethics around cell and tissue collection and donation, consent, monetary compensation for biological materials, and race issues. I felt like I learned a lot all around.

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Jess told me LeBron was in this and so what kind of fan would I be if I didn't support his performing arts? Anyways, this movie is not good. It's incredibly raunchy and sexually explicit. Amy Schumer and Bill Hader are super unfunny here, and that's a problem because they are in like, every scene. HOWEVER somehow every single other character is amazing and genuinely funny. I know Amy Schumer wrote a good portion of this movie, so I really don't get how she is the least funny character. LeBron is hilarious and it makes me excited for Space Jam. John Cena, a professional wrestler, is also somehow way funnier than Bill Hader, a professional comedian? So yeah don't watch this movie. Just YouTube Lebron's clips.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) Now I have been a Foo Fighters fan for my entire life. The first song my dad ever played me was probably Everlong, so I was pumped when I heard this album was coming out. The first two singles were awesome so my expectations were high. After their last album, Concrete and Gold , which in my opinion was among their weakest, I was curious where they would go next. And let me tell ya, I love where they went with this album. It's fun, imaginative and still rocks out hard. They've incorporated elements of disc and funk into this album, which is a completely new influence for the band. And as the Foo always do, this album just str8 rocks. Dave Grohl is THE Rockstar, and this album will probably end up as one of my favs by the Foo. Best Track: No Son of Mine Ps. if you have apple music, the album art is actually a wild gif set. Thought that was super cool.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) I love the movie, and this book might as well be the screenplay, so I loved the book as well. The feel and the tone are exactly like the movie, and I think having the scenes in my head really enhanced the reading experience. It is basically about 3 men chasing after each other. A fugitive is on the run from a sociopathic killer, whose being tailed by an old cop who feels like the world has gone to hell. You hear a lot from the sheriff's point of view, as he feels out of touch and hopeless, the old man this country isn't for I guess. I'm no book critic, and I am sure there are some really smart things to say about this one, but I don't really know why I like it. McCarthy's writing style is pretty difficult, although I got used to it way quicker in this one than in Blood Meridian, probably because there is more dialog. I just think he paints a really vivid picture, giving the movie and your imagination exact references for every...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) The most recent episode of WandaVision made me want to watch the first scene of this movie, which I think is the best scene in the MCU, and whoops I watched the whole movie. I really did not enjoy Infinity War, but this one is really great. The stakes feel way higher than any other MCU movie, and despite being three hours long I was in to it the whole time. I love time jumps, I love time travel (even if this movie's version doesn't make a ton of sense), and I love an emotional core in the middle, and this movie has it all. I still remember seeing this one in theatres and being shocked 15 minutes in and not knowing where it was going to go. If recent TV has taught us anything, endings are hard, and they basically nail it. My only qualm is that they don't need the final shot at all. Steve just said he wasn't going to tell us about it, and then they literally show i to you. Leave something to the imagination! It's cute how part of t...

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I bet this is a good movie if you are a big nerd and are into this stuff. But I, a really cool person, did not understand what was going on. I wanted to watch this because of the cultural stuff around stocks going on, but even still this movie was in another language. Seriously, this movie tries it's best to go out of its way to explain the plot with literal cuts away from the action for pure explanatory exposition, yet I was still clueless. I thought these days we hated the short sellers? Why am I cheering for them again? Anyways, despite all that, I could tell the characters all really cared about stocks and hedges and swaps and premiums, so that tension was pretty real. Ryan Gosling was also hilarious here, despite this being a pretty bleak movie? I guess I just wish I was a big fricken nerd/loser so I could have appreciated what I'm sure was a great movie.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Watched this for movie night because every other week I just choose a new Joseph Gordon-Levitt film. I love that guy and this was a fun movie about bike messengers in New York, and specifically about delivering something that a Bad Guy is after. It was just very obvious that the writer was really passionate about New York bike messenger culture and I LOVE that. The romantic subplot was boring and I was very stressed about reckless driving but I had a good time. 8 stars for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, minus .5 stars for making me worry that he was going to get in a car accident for an hour and a half. I have enough car-related anxiety as it is.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Mathew) The 90s had a lot of weird sitcoms, but none more weird than 3rd Rock. A bunch of aliens sent on a mission to earth and have to live as a regular family? Yes please. The premise alone really turns the whole sitcom genre on its head because they can play with the tropes in a unique way. John Lithgow and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are the obvious great cast draws, but French Stewart, Kristen Johnson, and Jane Curtain round out the cast in their own hilarious ways. This is the perfect show to have on if you need something light and easy to watch. From the creators and writers of That 70s Show as well. Give it a try!

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Really loved this easy-going, compelling indie adventure game. It was nominated for several awards recently (though it didn't win) and I can see why. You play as Tove, whose little brother has been kidnapped by a mysterious monster and taken to another dimension, and you have to complete a series of quests and crack puzzles in order to convince the jötnar (gods??) to help you get him back and save the forest from a mysterious sickness. It's story-rich without being more cinema than gameplay, it genuinely made me cry, and I found the Scandinavian mythology so captivating. The puzzles were never extremely hard, but I did need hints once or twice 😬 And I enjoyed all the little fetch quests. It's very low stakes, as there's zero combat or ways to die or do things wrong or too slow, but I really liked that. It was relaxing but still engaging, and I really loved the story. Plus the wintry atmosphere felt very fitting. The only things ...

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) For a film with such an amazing cast (Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Jesse Eisenberg, my friend Daniel Radcliffe, Taiwanese singer-songwriter-apparent-magician Jay Chou, and that's just to start) this was such a not-amazing film. The first one, which I watched several years ago, was already off-the-walls bonkers and contrived, and this one was even more so, only you were already expecting it so it was just kind of lame. However, it was fun, so I'll give it points for that.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I love St Francis and in fact I've even put him on my Christian Mt Rushmore. I think his influence is so incredibly positive especially when one considers the context of his ministry. Yet despite my love for him, I have never done all that much reading on his life and work. Unfortunately I'm not sure I learned all that much in this book. This book is kinda small, and only about half of it deals with St Francis's life with the remaining half more focused on the Franciscan order following his death. Maybe it's just that Francis is so old that there isn't much surviving, reliable records of him, but the author references a lot of various writings that he then never really gets into. Make no mistake; this book is still really great. The author, though Franciscan, does an admirable job of being objective and impartial, and also does a great job setting up the context with in-depth historical analysis. I just wished he got a little ...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I've been on this Japanese kick recently (I'm almost fluent now I think) that really started with Seven Samurai, so I wanted to continue on with what many consider Kurosawa's masterpiece. This was his final film, and one of his few that are in color, and I must agree that I feel this movie feels like one where Kurosawa took everything he learned over his career and put it on full display in one spot. This movie is a retelling of King Lear in which an aging king divides his kingdom between his three sons, only to see them quarrel for power. Naturally, being Shakespearean, this movie is incredibly poetic and has a lot to say about power, violence, and pride. The characters were all thoroughly fleshed out and complex, and when I say all, I mean that in a 2.5 hour movie, there were a solid 6-7 characters where you understand their motivation on a personal level and still aren't sure if you want to cheer for them. I thought the writing...