WeView

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Anita) I absolutely loved this book. It's a memoir from an emergency room doctor where she slowly tells her story of healing from childhood trauma through stories of patients she sees. Hearing her mix alternative and traditional medicine to make herself the best she can be was really interesting. I also seriously wished she was my doctor, she is so incredibly compassionate and thorough! Each chapter is a different patient's story and some are so incredibly heartbreaking but she handles everything with such grace and I learned so much. Such a beautiful story of healing!

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) This is one of my favourite sci-fi books I've read in a while (other than MurderBot, of course!) and was lots of fun. It's a murder mystery, except in space! In the future clones are normal and a common way to extend your lifespan, where your mind map gets saved constantly, and as soon as your current self dies, a clone of yourself at 20 years old and with all of your memories wakes up. The book starts with the clones of the six crew members of a space ship all waking up at the same time... with their previous bodies dead and obviously murdered lying around them, and none of them have memories of the past 25 years. Also all of them are past criminals, but they don't know what the others did. It's a locked room mystery because one of them had to be the murderer, but can you really be blamed for murdering people if it was a clone version of yourself who did it? What a cool concept! So everyone is trying to find out how everyone d...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Benjamin) Enjoyed playing this! Great follow up to the first game and loved the changes they made to mods and especially that it seemed like they added more of the port-tube thingy's. I found 90% of the secrets (partly thanks to the perk you can unlock where weaknesses in the walls can be spotted). I'm partially a completionist.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) Ever since this album came out last week I've been running through superlatives in my mind that can do it justice, but I really can't think of anything I could say that would do this album justice. It's just a masterpiece. With this album Tyler continues what has to be one the most dominant runs, not only in hip hop, but of all time. I don't think it's a stretch to say he's released three straight 10/10 albums. I though Flower Boy would be his magnum opus, then I thought it would be Igor and now I think he might just continue to get better. I also love this album because it shows just how much Tyler has grown as a person from when he burst on the scene. If you heard him as a teenager, odds are you were terrified and uncomfortable the whole time. He's grown from a shock rap teenager who'd say anything to get a rise out of people, to a sweet, introspective genius who genuinely exudes joy through all his creativ...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) Man, they really did have bad times at the El Royale

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) I really think this is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. It’s just so well written, and Jeff Bridges and John Goodman are just so so well cast. I always am a little biased towards Coen Brothers movies, but this one is just so so good. I can’t recommend this one enough

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Looooved this movie so much, especially having just seen Raya and the Last Dragon, which was even more disappointing in comparison. I loved the richness of the Italian setting here, and I loved the heart and the humour, which all landed so perfectly. I loved the characters and instantly connected with them. It was so beautifully done, and made me tear up more than once. Such a sweet portrayal of friendship and trust and acceptance and family, both biological and found. Wonderful!

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I just can't get enough of MurderBot! And these books are so short and easy to tackle! Loved this ending to this particular arc, and I'm so emotional about MurderBot's emotional progress. This installment saw MurderBot going to the rescue of the group of humans it met in Book 1 to save them from the evil GrayCris (the profit-hungry corporation that is the bane of its existence) and as usual it was a wild, fast-paced ride with just the right notes of humour and a bit of an emotional punch. I have nothing new to say, I just wanted to log this read and talk about how much I love MurderBot some more. It's a lot.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Anita) Wow, I couldn't put this book down. I just cannot believe the effects of undiagnosed mental health can have on a family. It was heart-breaking. Like all the previous reviews said, this had serious Glass House vibes but the added religious stuff was brutal. Tara's life after leaving the home was somehow even more heartbreaking to read about because it was just so hard for her to make a life for herself and emotionally distance herself. She managed to distance herself but I can't get her brother's wife out of my head. Anyway, It's a good one but absolutely brutal.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Anita) A longgg book on the life of Nelson Mandela that Joe inspired me to read. There were definitely a lot of dry bits as it was incredibly detailed about a lot of legal and political stuff. But I found myself resisting the urge to just google and make sure it all worked out for the poor guy. I learned a lot about his life and life in South Africa and think it was invaluable. One thing that really stood out to me was his internal struggle with deciding when to use force against the government. He really handled it all with a lot of grace and I often wonder what I would do in a similar situation.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) MurderBot Book #3! This one was marginally less amazing than the last two, but maybe just because I was reading it aloud with Maggie and couldn't read it all in one go, so it lost a little of that immersiveness. I'm really enjoying the episodic nature of these stories, with only a pretty vague overarching theme (which I am, admittedly, invested in). It doesn't feel overwhelmingly like one bad thing happening after another, which is what I tend to dislike about series. Really enjoyed the look MurderBot got into the life of a robot cherished and befriended by its owner in this one. And I am constantly impressed by the plot-building the author must do. From a writer's perspective it's just so amazing to me, how they're woven and set up! Anyway, still stoked to read the next one, which is rare for me.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) This was a nice movie, but a little too childish, with not enough of the poignance and heart that make some Disney movies equally enjoyable for adults. Just a little too silly, a little too simple, a little too predictable... And not one single bangin' song. Love that big studios are exploring stories based in other countries and cultures, but I heard a lot of criticisms for this one from SEAsians, so not sure if they're quite on the right track. I thought the tone was consistently kind of strange, but I did think the theme was nice, and that healing broken relationships is important. In the end, no major complaints, but nothing that really spoke to me either.

⭐ 6.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This movie didn't do much for me. I didn't find it very funny and otherwise it was just a predictable action movie. I think I've seen it before as a kid, and I laughed a few times, but overall I was just waiting for it to end so I could give it a 6/10 on Weview. Probably better for kids.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) Another book that I've read for work, this one is focused on how to practice the presence of Christ in your local community. Fitch presents 7 types of disciplines that can be practiced in your community, examples are the "discipline of being with the least of these" and the "discipline of kingdom prayer". They are very tangible disciplines for Christians to practice and the book is very experiential and testimony based which is really cool. I really enjoyed this one!

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) The second MurderBot book, which I listened to on the way HOME from vacation. Equally incredible (and short). MurderBot is a free agent now, and wants to learn more about its past and some events that led it to this point, and also protect some NEW humans that it unfortunately has started to care about AGAIN! Also it meets a sentient transport ship that helps it with its mission, and it's so wonderful to see MurderBot begrudgingly making friends. Loved this one just as much as the first, for all the same reasons.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Maggie's been talking about MurderBot to me for ages, and I've been vaguely wanting to read them the whole time, but I didn't know--I didn't know! This was the most delightful story I've read since House in the Cerulean Sea, my favourite book of 2020. It was just...so good. It's a short story, just 3 hours on audiobook, and I listened to it in one go on one long drive. It follows the adventure of MurderBot, a security android who has hacked its programming to have free will but still just does the bare minimum for its job so that it can watch more TV. But now it actually cares about the humans that have hired it, oh no! And it has to save them from danger! And people are finding out it has feelings and keep trying to talk to it! It's so funny, and also so heartfelt and wonderful. The worldbuilding is so good, and I absolutely loved the discussion of robot ethics and how they should be treated, vs how MurderBot wants ...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Arthur Prescott has always been obsessed with the Holy Grail since his grandfather told him it might be at Barchester Cathedral. He's spent his life trying to find it and doing research in the old cathedral library. Then a young American woman wants to digitize everything and is a fellow Grail-hunter, and she helps him with his hunt even though they have different views on technology. This book is very, very fun, and immediately made me want to visit all the old cathedrals and read manuscripts made of vellum. I don't like reading old books, but this book made me wish I did. It's perfect for book-lovers and history-lovers. It had a great sense of place, and I could see why Arthur loves Barchester so much. I also liked the exploration of the importance of historical documents, the purpose of libraries, and the debate over the digital world versus physical.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Daniel is not very cool, and he really does not like playing football, but he does anyway to please his friend and father. His social life becomes more precarious again when "Psycho Sarah" decides to talk to only him and ask his help in proving her mom's boyfriend killed her dad. In the meantime, what others don't know is that his bedtime routine takes several hours, and random "zaps" come throughout the day when he feels like he's done something wrong, and he has to fix it to prevent something bad from happening. Another great portrayal of someone suffering from OCD (although again, very different from mine), who is at the same time going through very normal middle school stuff. Daniel is really lovable and easy to root for.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) I've just started dipping my toes into the horror genre recently, so I'm pretty new to it, but this was the exact kind of horror novel that works for me. There's a real feeling of tension, not a huge amount of gore, and an acceptable amount of main character death - enough to make the threat feel very real, but not so much I couldn't finish the book. This is a horror story about mermaids! Except definitely not the Little Mermaid kind. A few years ago a ship went out to look for mermaids and make a documentary about it, but mostly for a gimmick. Buuuuut everyone on that boat died, and they only left a bit of creepy footage that many think is fake. Now the entertainment company has set up another boat to go back into the Marianas Trench with a bunch of scientists to see if they can find out what really happened. On the boat is a scientist whose sister died on the first boat, a sirenologist trying to prove her life's work is r...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Real mixed thoughts on this one. This book is BEAUTIFULLY written in my opinion, and had the perfect balance of making you feel smarter just for reading it while still being accessible. But on the other hand, I like plot. This book has little plot, and as a result it took me a while to get through it because there wasn't enough going on to the point of wanting to know what happens next. This book is about a fancy party being overtaken by terrorists who then hold the building under lockdown. Sounds exciting right? But no, the whole uniqueness in this book is that negotiations are slow going, and we get to experience what this unique situation would feel like through the perspective of several characters as this chaotic situation begins to normalize. We spend lots of time with the characters from both sides (terrorists and hostages) as they go about daily life, form relationships, form new identities and even fall in love all the while a tensio...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) An engaging, interesting, concise book about the history of racism. I loved listening to this as an audiobook and he really brought it to life. I felt like I learned a lot.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I'd never seen this before and had no real desire to, but I liked it a lot more than expected! So many classic lines and scenes, some really fun dancing (even if it IS pretty dirty), and a great look into why abortion needs to be legal and accessible haha. A classic look into classism as well, but that part of the story was boring and predictable. I did unexpectedly fall a little bit in love with Patrick Swayze though.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) In this book, Smith holds the tension between the three main Christian traditions as listed in the title. He highlights the core characteristics of each tradition, and is not afraid to call out their shortcomings. Ultimately, he is trying to implore the reader to move from seeing the traditions as adversaries or opposites to one another, and moving into seeing the need and value of all three working together. A very good read with lots to think about in its pages.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This is another stellar book, exploring what it means to pursue all of our God given vocations as Christ followers. Smith does a great job covering the wide scope of vocation, and not imploring everyone to a life as a missionary or church worker (which I have read before). It was a very refreshing book and one that I really would have loved to have read coming out of High School.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This book is quite simple yet so profound. It is excerpts from the journals of two men, Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach, who lived in different countries 200 years apart. The journals pertain to their commitment, Laubach was inspired by BL, to living out the practice of seeking Christ's presence in every minute of every day. The book is chalk full of honest and powerful reflections on our relationships with Christ and what it means to fail and succeed in that walk. It's only 100 pages I can't recommend this book enough.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) This was an enjoyable musical, but 3 days later I couldn't hum you any of the songs. It looks pretty spectacular, and does a good job capturing the magic of watching a musical on stage. I loved the large musical numbers where there are dozens of people on screen all dancing, and the most memorable scenes were all these ensemble numbers. The cast is pretty large, but most characters felt pretty one dimensional, and without a real focus I didn't really relate to anyone or empathize with their stories. The ending was touching, but the rest of the emotional punches along the way just didn't do it for me. Overall I think it is an impressive movie, and I had a lot of fun watching it! If you can get together with a group of people to watch I would highly recommend it. Shoutout to the cringiest moment, when the one girl closes her eyes and says "... let me listen to my block...", a line I am hoping to repeat in real life one day. And ...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) I'm not a huge musical fan, but Lin-Manuel Miranda doesn't miss in my opinion. This was a great movie that showcased the culture he grew up in amazingly with some very fun music to accompany it. It was a great first movie back at the theatres!

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) First time watching this one! Great stuff. Pretty funny, some iconic lines (I love "guess you guys aren't ready for that yet... but your kids are gonna love it"), and a nice, predictable ending. Great summer movie, and I can imagine the perfect one for watching on a cool evening in a drive-in theatre. Alas, time travel makes zero sense (I think Marty opened an alternate timeline within a multiverse?!) and certainly I think there are plenty of plot holes. But who cares! It was a fun 2 hours and now a movie a can scratch off my list.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I am certainly not worthy to evaluate such a masterpiece. "They seem above my likes and dislikes" as Sam says. But as summer rolls around, and I get that itch to read the series like every summer, I am presented with an opportunity to give more thoughts on the books as I haven't reviewed them here yet! Yay! Something I appreciate about this series is that it has almost grown up with me. When I was young, my favorite book was the second because it has the most fights. A little later on, the third was my favorite because it has the most drama. Nowadays I find myself most drawn to this one, mostly because of the charm I find here. I LOVE everything in the shire. I love the dialogue, the good natured mischief, and their petty, loveable behavior. Each rereading, especially on audio, I most look forward to the meeting with Tom Bombadil ( Now my little fellows, where you be a going-to huffing like the bellows? ) and then of course Sam...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) I rewatched this one the other day and tbh I really like it. I think that while Jake Gyllenhall's Mysterio is not the best Marvel villain, he acts as a really interesting character foil to Spiderman in how they both were so impacted by Tony Stark, especially in a world trying to reconcile with his death. My main complaint is how they handled the blip though, especially in retrospect after watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier. That just makes me mad. I've really enjoyed Tom Holland's Spiderman in the MCU so far and am excited to see him continue to grow

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) First movie post vaccine! This is a film about a play that launched Lin Manuel Miranda into stardom. It’s kind of biographical, so that was cool, and I also think a lot of Mennonites might relate to it! The songs and the choreography were really great, and it was cool to have a spot light on LatinX culture. The characters were well rounded and funny, and all in all just a feel good film. Like I said, I think some of you as first gen Mennonites might be able to relate to this film. Our parents came here looking for a better life, and they were successful in building that, only to have their children want to leave the community they’ve been a part of all their life. I definitely feel this way and often wonder what home is. Anyway, MVP goes to Rosa obviously. Such a funny character although her role was minor. And actually I found Lin Manuel Miranda’s character very annoying and it felt like he just had to insert himself, guess you can do that as the...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Loved this! I didn't know anything about it going in, except that Lupin III is a super popular Japanese character that has a bunch of manga, video games, anime, etc. This was a newer film in uncharacteristically 3D animation, but I had a blast watching it. A wild ride of a plot (that didn't require any prior knowledge), a fun cast, really cool animation. I had no idea what to expect, so was very pleasantly surprised overall.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Joshua Karat) Wow what a book. This was spectacular, on par with the first book of not better. I found the character development and the plot twists were stellar. overall a blast, loved it.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) It’s been years since I last watched this and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Stitch is such a naughty character but he’s so cute and Lilo just loves him so much. Nani is an awesome older sister just trying her best, and watching this as an adult means siding with her and sympathizing with her being in this tough decision as essentially a teen mom. Also just love all the characters. David, Pleakley, Jumba - I have fond memories of all of these people! This movie is obviously dated and the animation isn’t that good, but some of the scenes were still stunning, especially the surfing parts. This movie was nostalgic and I’m so glad I watched it again.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) Truly a classic. This movie is so funny and endearing. Love the found family trope and the plot is just so good. Fun characters all around and an unforgettable bowler hat super villain. I didn’t even mind the time travel in this one!

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Not much to add from the first season. This remains a near-perfect comedy in which I laugh a lot every single episode. The Boyle/Jake dynamic remains amazing, there are great one-off characters like the Pontiac Bandit, and Holt is still the bread and butter of this show. My favorites were The Stakeout and The Pontiac Bandit Returns. My only minor complains would be things like the Rosa romance (lame), and the fact that it feels like the Holt jokes might get a little played out after a bunch of seasons... I know people love the Amy/Jake romance but I don't really buy it right now and it seems a little forced.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I have no thoughts on this that haven't already been expressed by everyone else but I wanted everyone to know I watched it and enjoyed it also. A true pandemic-era masterpiece that I think will highlight everything about these past 15 months in years to come. I haven't watched a lot of Bo Burnham stuff but everything I have seen has always really impressed me.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) The power of WeView convinced me to watch this one, and I was pretty blown away. I have never really seen any of Bo Burnham's other work, but this one man show was quite impressive. His control of the sound, lights and music in and of itself is incredible, but his cutting lyrics and relatable sentiments convinced me that this guy is borderline genius. I am also convinced that no one understands the power of the internet more than him. I am aware that he made his start on youtube, and his initial song about daddy bringing the content felt pretty stark, like the monster that made him has consumed and spat him out. It feels like the endless content cycle has kind of wrecked his psyche, and although it produced this I am worried about the guy. Did he not have anyone in his bubble during quarantine, or some other healthy outlet for his anxiety? Please tell me he's doing okay. The songs are catchy and clever, but at the end I felt pessimistic in r...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) Really loved this second installment in the Six of Crows duology, though not quite as much as the first one. I really enjoyed the development Nina and Matthias both got--in the last book, I always groaned during their chapters, but I actively liked them this time! And I LOVED the addition of Wylan's POV. This book felt more like a series of wacky schemes than one big heist, which I didn't like as much, but I loved the worldbuilding and the way things fell together (and sometimes didn't). And I loved the diversity in the characters, not just racially but also in terms of their backgrounds and their morality. Kaz is such an interesting antihero who you want so badly to root for even though he's a pretty awful person, and this book made me think so much about morality and "bad" people, and how many bad things people are allowed to do when so many bad things have happened to them . And I also really liked this glimpse into ...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) Halfway through this special I realized that this is the same guy that did vine: “Is there anything better than pu**y? Yes a really good book” and it killed me. Anyway, what a freakin show! This was wild. He’s so talented and it was so cool to watch it all unfold. The lights, production, songs, all of it was just top quality and I was so impressed. That scene towards the end where he starts crying did not make me feel good at all, but I think it was important that he included it. Throughout the whole show I had this feeling and I couldn’t put my finger on it, then he started singing “that funny feeling” and I’m like ya that’s how I feel! Dread and hopelessness but also kinda like I wanted to go out and make a difference? My top 5 songs are: all eyes on me, how the world works, FaceTime with my mom, 30, and welcome to the internet. I had so many feelings watching this, it was awesome.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I've heard it argued that the Assassin's Creed franchise is the most influential IP in the modern gaming era, and I certainly felt it's impact while playing this. I've never actually played one before, yet every single element of this game was familiar. Big open world, stealth/ melee combat, story driven with side quests, camps to conquer, points of interest, fast travel unlocks, etc. It truly is the plainest concept at this point, but for me I don't think that's a bad thing. I kinda love having a game that feels familiar where I don't have to try to learn new mechanics or solve any gameplay. You can just pickup and go with this one. It REALLY holds your hand, always telling you exactly what to do, giving you data showing your progress, and giving you rewards for every checkbox you fill in. Again, I think that's a good thing if you are able to embrace that. I like to consider this game genre as location tourism, bu...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) I took a sick day from work today, and decided to crush Of Mice and Men this morning. The book is only 107 pages and took me just over an hour to read. It's quick, but the ending packs an emotional punch that makes it worthy of being a classic. It follows two men, who are stark contrasts to one another, during the Great Depression. George is a small, wiry man who's slick talking seems to be how he gets by in life. Lennie is a large, burly man who has the mental development of a young child. The two rely on one another as they move from farm to farm, with George acting as an authority figure to help protect the innocent Lennie from making life altering mistakes. The story takes place primarily on a vegetable ranch in California. The two men end up there after having to flee their last job, and spend their days working hard, making friends and enemies with the other workers and dreaming of one day owning their own farm one day. It'...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Mathew) This is difficult to watch without the lense of knowing he was about to stop doing live comedy indefinitely because of the anxiety he was experiencing on-stage. You can see the struggle he's experiencing up there, but he still puts on a terrific show. Great social commentary in a hilarious way with some classic tunes I go back to regularly. This is the beginning of Bo's introspective phase that comes to a glorious climax in Inside.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) This is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, except it's a murder mystery! I will read any retelling of P&P, especially the weird ones that bring something special to the table. In this book we have all of the same characters, but Mr. Bennet is a barrister and Lizzie is an aspiring lawyer. But of course she's never given the chance to do the work she wants because she's a girl. When Mr. Bingley gets accused of murdering his brother-in-law, Lizzie sees it as her chance to prove herself, but unfortunately Bingley has already hired a lawyer - Mr. Darcy. This is definitely not a straight retelling, because the main plot is quite different. It's a lot more focused on solving a murder than romance, and a lot of the familiar beats of the original are missing. The characters are recognizable, with some differences because they're in different situations. Lots of nods to the original story, though, and I didn't mind the diffe...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Chief Inspector Gamache gets called to check out the death of an elderly woman in the small town of Three Pines. What first appears to be a hunting accident starts to get more suspicious... I know I'm late to the Louise Penny train, but I can definitely see what the hype is about. It's not exactly a cozy mystery, but it's not violent either. Inspector Gamache himself is so different from the usual hard-boiled detective with a drinking problem - he's thoughtful, generous, and wants to see the best in people. He's great. I also really liked the Quebec setting and insights into Quebecois culture. I thought this book was quite good, but I expect they'll get even better, since I know this was her first. As a standalone I think I would've found it a bit unsatisfying at the end, because a lot of the villagers of Three Pines were set up for bigger character arcs that didn't follow through, but since I know there are mor...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) Engaging story, a bit of mystery, and a focus on how Black men are represented in the media and in the justice system. Felt like the ending was a bit too coincidental.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by The Original Susanne) Overall I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was fun and made me think a lot about our future. I kind of like surprise sequels because I usually end books thinking 'I want to know more about what happens later!' so it was nice to get a follow up! There are a few new additions in this book that weren't in Ready Player One, but it felt kind of repetitive to be honest. And there was just way too much explanation about the different 80's references, I kind of tuned out sometimes and didn't miss anything. Still not a lot of character development, either. The ending was rather unexpected, which I enjoyed.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Will) I'm not done with this, but I am 50+ hours in and currently taking a bit of a break because it's summer, so I figure it's a good time for a review. I don't have anything new to say about this game because I'm 4 years late to it, but there's a reason it's considered an immediate all-time classic. Some of my favorite stuff: Probably the game's biggest strength is how well it balances all the different aspects: story, combat, open-world exploring, foraging, side quests, etc. Exploring for hours is legitimately fun, and keeps you on your toes so you don't accidentally run into a group of baddies without being prepared. That being said, you have so much choice in when and how to engage with enemies. I'm the slow and careful type, so I loved that I was able to think about how I wanted to approach a battle, and how using the surrounding terrain made so much of a difference in how fights went. And the only complaints...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) I really really really enjoyed this movie. I'm a big Scorsese and Deniro fan, so I might be a little biased, but I honestly just absolutely adored this film. It was interesting watching this movie after having seen Joker (as Joker does borrow many plot elements), but it still very much feels like a different film. This is a top tier Scorsese film, and it got me very excited to keep diving into his catalogue.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by kaelwilton) I enjoyed this movie way more than I thought I would! I've learned that I do not love action movies over the last little bit, but this movie is definitely one of the exceptions! I absolutely adored just about every single minute of this movie. The nearly constant action was absolutely phenomenal, the cinematography was sick (it was such a relief seeing actual colours in a post apocalyptic movie), and the story was a heck of a lot stronger than I thought it would be. There were also some great acting performances. I would highly recommend this one.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Mathew) 'Tis the season, I suppose. With Inside being solidly stuck inside my head I thought I'd go back and watch Bo's earliest Netflix special. I'll admit, the first time I watched this I turned it off after a few minutes and felt disappointment. I can't say this special ever spoke to me like Bo's other work but I do appreciate what he accomplishes with it. He looks at comedy in a very different way than any other comedian and it can often be uncomfortable while still being funny. what. feels like a transition period for Bo; His work before and after are this very different from each other and I enjoy them both more than this.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Mathew) We watched this last night and are most of the way through watching it again tonight. I've been following Bo since Bo Fo' Sho', so when he was 17 and I was 14. This special allowed me to share his highs and lows of the last year in such incredibly intimate ways. It was difficult to see someone I relate to and have so much respect for struggle so much, although I wasn't surprised to see how far the depths of his mental health struggle went, considering his past comedy and history. Jill keeps pulling up the special and playing songs from it; they're unbelievably catchy. I think he really captured the feeling that a lot of people felt throughout Covid, especially people that have felt very alone. If you watch it (you should) be prepared for an emotional ride. I've felt like this entire review has been a ramble since I really can't properly put into words how this special made me feel.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Will) This follows the Shelby family who are basically the mafia in England immediately following the first world war. Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby is so, so good. They're a mafia family, and he's clearly a villain, except I couldn't once make myself *feel* like he was the villain - I just felt like I understood him too well, and would likely have made most of the same choices he did. I loved it as a period piece - the setting, costumes, and accents are all great (though I have no way to evaluate accuracy, nor do I care to) Grace was difficult to watch for a while - not quite sure why, though maybe it was just how expressionless she usually was. I could have done without a couple scenes that I felt got needlessly dark/graphic - just the Arthur Shelby scene comes to mind at the moment. I'll be checking out season two!

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Will) This is only a 7 because it's a great kids movie. Disney and Pixar often manage to make a movie for adults mixed in with the movie for kids, but this one wasn't to that standard. I really didn't like Awkwafina much. Also, for some reason they decided to design the dragons for kids instead of 31 year old men, so I didn't love those either.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) This book honestly was basically a review of the stuff I've covered at bible school over the years, but it's a book I really would've appreciated and valued having as a teenager. Peter really does an amazing job of making the book of genesis accessible, while still not watering it down for the reader. His core theology for reading the book is making sure we approach it with an ancient lens and read it as it would have been intended and approached by the people it was written for. Again, for me now it wasn't necessarily groundbreaking, but would have rocked my world as a teenager and done me a world of good back then.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by hoodie_logi) I really enjoyed this one! While I agree with some reviews on here that the plot wasn't anything super original, I thought the characters were really strong to help carry it along. I though the theme of loss was explored really well through every character's experience in the world. And getting to see the art and stories of another culture through the pixar lens was beautiful, the animation especially was so strong. Just some stunning shots. Plus the baby and the monkeys and Akwafina were just spectacular in this. That baby deserves the world.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) I loved this movie so much and I’m so sad I never watched it until now. My guy WALL-E is so freakin cute I just love him so much. His relationship with the roach is endearing, and when Eva comes it’s just so nice I cried. Great message, really cool animation, and the sounds! All just so good. Literally every 5 minutes I would say “awe he’s so cute!” When Eva sees all that WALL-E did for her while she was dormant was so endearing. Also, the part where they’re flying through space together was just so precious. Guys, I LOVED this movie.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This was another re-watch for me. The first time I watched this I really loved it. The cast is great, it’s funny, the characters are all incredibly attractive, and there’s a really fun twist at the end. Upon re-watch, it was still great, but lost some of its charm as I knew where the climax was headed. Still, I laughed a lot and it was fun to watch with a few friends and cringe at a lot of moments, more than I remembered.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) I’ve been all about the Shorts lately. This won an Oscar this year and it’s clear why. It’s about a black man that is confronted by police brutality, only he is stuck in a loop and doesn’t know how to get home to his dog. This movie is only a half hour long but really feels like it goes on forever. He tries a million ways to get home but is inevitably killed by the same cop time after time (this isn’t a spoiler, it shows this in the trailer). At one point there is incredible dialogue here, where the main character forces conversation and it’s striking. Really made me confront my own privilege and place in the world as a white man. The ending was definitely not what I was expecting but it was still amazing. I highly recommend this one, although it is pretty graphic.

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I'm mostly with Tim on this one. It was a really pretty movie, had a nice core message, but it definitely didn't make me feel anything like Disney movies often do. Probably a good one for most kids. I actually thought Awkwafina was pretty funny though.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) If you saw the recent Joker movie, it is just the DC version of this movie. A mentally ill taxi driver slowly spirals into violence and anarchy, having complete distrust and disrespect for society at large. In this case the driver is played by the Robert De Niro, and he is hard to look away from. He starts out kind of quirky, but has a strange level of confidence, then becomes more and more sociopathic until he carries out some vigilante justice that he feels is justified. It's quite the ride, and we meet some great characters along the way, but in general it kind of has the dreadful build of a horror movie. When things finally break it is not in a way I had seen before. We don't get a flashy action scene, but a stark and static view of the violence that makes you feel complicit in the act. I'm always amazing at how lower budget no frills scenes like this stick with you way longer than the frenetic big budget blockbuster action sce...

⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) I had to google the correct title here, and first off, its losing half a star for all the punctuation. What is that. This movie had some hilarious moments, and some pretty memorable scenes, but I have mainly complaints here. First and foremost, the cast is completely stacked, but it feels like the most central character is the terrible son with the bad haircut. We get maybe 5 minutes of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling burning my TV up with their chemistry, but we get countless scenes of this perverted kid delivering terrible lines and being moody. Was honestly shocked by how much screen time they gave this kid. Second, if Steve Carell is dressed nicely, does that make him hot? I understand he is a total silver fox now, but this is The Office era Steve. I can't imagine that after a divorce women flock to him in a bar, even with his Gosling-trained confidence. Finally, there are some plot lines that don't hold up great here. A high school g...

⭐ 6.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) This movie was fine, I am just not really the target audience. I liked the self contained world with the distinct tribes. I also liked the video game structure, going place to place collecting things. But its a kids movie, so it is completely predictable and kind of cheesy. I also thought the dragon was so annoying. Kind of just a not funny Mushu. I did think the animation looked incredible, and I would kind of zone out and watch how the water or hair or fabric moves. Couldn't really keep my attention otherwise.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) The Saturday night double feature is BACK! And this Saturday was two absurdist comedy movies for whatever reason. So for those who haven't heard, Bo Burnham took a year in isolation to produce this comedy special completely by himself in his home. Over the course of the special you see him kinda spiral as his beard grows longer, hair becomes more unkempt and he begins lamenting on this year he "lost." The show is basically a collection of musical sketches, kinda like Rhett and Link of even Weird Al. They are all smart, funny, and also somehow all beautiful? This guy is so talented, and I think the fact that a "lost year" resulted in what most are calling a masterpiece speaks to what this guy has accomplished at his age. Anyways, this whole show is great and you should watch it. It's funny and self-aware, but also gets sorta emotional at times as he kinda speaks on how hard this is on people with preexisting mental heal...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Boy let me tell ya this movie is WEIRD. I've never seen anything by Edgar Wright besides Baby Driver, and that movie is mostly normal. This reminded me a lot of a Wes Anderson movie that is very snappy and almost rhythmic with it's comedy, almost as if the jokes come in time with a drum or something, but also absurdist and strange. At first I felt like it was one of those comedy films where it's clever and cool but you never actually laugh a lot, and that might've still been true by the end, but it still won me over by the time the credits were rolling. The movie is basically about Michael Cera having to defeat seven evil exes to win the girl he likes, which is a pretty hilarious concept. All the exes are so over-the-top, and the anime/ video game sequences it takes to defeat the exes are funny and oddly satisfying every time. I know this movie was a huge flop because of the expenses it took to produce it, but for us today it tot...

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Benjamin) This also includes the second book from the series, 'The Magician King'. So, i didn't like it. If i would of bought this or paid any money at all i wouldn't been upset actually, but thankfully i listened to the audio books through cloud library while i worked and no time was really wasted. This story takes place present day and takes into account previous magic fictions. And i felt it was kind of a blend of previous works and borrowing from Tolkien, Lewis's Narnia series and the Harry Potter world too. The story, for me, just kind of depressed me. If anything, my take away was that the main character couldn't appreciate the journey of his adventure and kept waiting 'to arrive' and i thought that was pretty real. Overall, i think the story was pretty realistic. But it kind of sucked. This could make a great tv series or movie series, because it could improve on its decent foundation.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) Man oh man what a solid movie! This was a re-watch but I think it might be one of my faves of all time. It’s funny, endearing, action packed and emotional. The team up is great and Beymax is a legend. The visuals are super cool and the diversity of the characters was fresh. I just love everything about this movie.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) If you don’t know who Olivia Rodrigo is, you probably live under a rock. Her song Drivers License absolutely destroyed streaming records, and she was only 17 when she released it. This album is pretty good. I’d say there are about 7 songs that are easy 10s, but the rest are skippable unfortunately. Her lead singles were unreal. The album definitely has more of a ballad/piano type sound, but is sprinkled with some pop rock. I think good 4 u, brutal, traitor, and favourite crime are my favourite tracks!

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This is a documentary that follows two different hospitals that treat children in Yemen. The country has been at war for years and are on the brink of extinction - literally. They’re saying it’s the worst humanitarian crises in years and millions of people are on the brink of starvation due to famine, military blockades, and missiles being dropped on civilians. This was one of the hardest things I’ve watched recently, but oh so important to see. I think children hurting and suffering is the biggest heartache in the world. This won a bunch of awards, but be super cautious watching it cause it’s so heavy.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This is a short film about Israel and Palestine, and the occupation of Israeli soldiers in Gaza. It’s around 20 minutes but really good. It follows an Arab dad and his daughter who want to get a present for his wife for their anniversary. However, they have to go through checkpoints and deal with their land being governed. Really good stuff, with an emotional punch in the end. Shows the occupation of Palestine and how Arabs are governed.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) I had high expectations of this book because of all the hype, but I liked this book even more than I expected to. The author is a therapist, but when the man she expected to marry breaks up with her out of the blue, she feels so angry and undone that she decides to see a therapist herself. This book is about her year of therapy, as she describes her therapy sessions with Wendell, plus four of her own patients, using these experiences to explore therapy itself, understand herself better, and discuss humanity overall. I love therapy and going to therapy and also learning about psychology, so it's no surprise I loved this. It has a great balance of telling stories and information about therapy, techniques, and how brains work. It's a fairly long book, but the chapters are all pretty short, which really makes it feel like the book just zooms by. Plus I was quite invested in her and her patients' lives, so I was always eager to read mor...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I asked a friend for some horror recommendations based on some criteria I had, and we ended up watching this one together. It was definitely right on the edge of Too Much for me, but I did really enjoy it. At its core, it's about a group of friends who go hiking in the mountains of Sweden, get lost, and get hunted by some horrifying monster, though it's more psychological than that. But the thing I genuinely like about horror is the way it can explore other themes of fear, guilt, and bravery, and I thought this one did it pretty well. I think the theme could have been stronger (if I wrote it, of course) but I loved the way it combined Past Trauma and Current Traumatizing Events. Unfortunately, most of the characters died so it loses 2 solid stars for that. I genuinely think the story would have been stronger if at LEAST one more person survived. Alas.

⭐ 4.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) In the past year I've read the autobiographies of possibly the three most recognizable civil rights leaders of the last century, and I found them to be a nice balance of views and approaches. I loved and was compelled by everything MLK discussed, and although I wasn't convinced by Mandela's initial approach (violent insurrection), I loved his thoughts, leadership and character. I went into this book trying to keep an open mind knowing that I probably wouldn't agree with a lot of what Malcolm would be saying, but I just can't get on board with him as a thinker or as a person. Towards the end, I actually found myself thinking his ideas in terms of civil rights were pretty interesting - things I hadn't really heard before. But the damage had long already been done by then. Guys, Malcolm is whack. I was super surprised to read the things I read quite frankly. Most of this can be attributed to his involvement in the Nation of I...