WeView

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is another weird short by Tolkien, but man it has me feeling strange. The story is about Niggle, who is a painter, and he begins painting a leaf, that then leads him to painting a tree, and then the forest around it, and then the ravine, and then the mountains beyond, with this picture just growing and growing and getting bigger and bigger, with deadlines looming and distractions coming, etc, etc. Sound familiar? This book is actually about a lot more than that, but I'll focus on that bit for now. I think you have to really understand Tolkien's life to appreciate the story. It was written well before LOTR was ever published, and it is crazy to think about it in that context. Tolkien, like Niggle, was busy trying to write his stories but of course his world just kept getting bigger and more complex and he could never finish. He was as high as one can go in his career at Oxford, yet all he wanted to do was get back to his growing canv...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Saw this one on Weview and just never got around to it. I don't remember any marketing for it at all. And if there was marketing, I'm sure I would have said this movie doesn't look like something I would have liked. I would have been wrong! This movie is incredible! It's frantic and colourful and hilarious and touching. I can't remember the last time I watched a kids movie and laughed so much. So as I watched, I remember thinking this movie was very similar to one of my favs in The Goofie Movie. And then after watching I read some Weviews again and I commented the same thing. A classic story of a father and child reconciling their differences while on the road (the Open Road, even). But the backdrop of a sci-fi apocalypse worked perfectly for the pace of this one. So yeah. Great, hilarious kids movie. Reminded me a bit of a kids version of Everything Everywhere. If you haven't watched it yet, you should. Especially if you ...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Let me tell ya, my in-laws wanting to watch this movie happened for me at the perfect time. Little has been on my mind more than both the theme of creating, and also food. This movie is more than just funny, colourful and cute. It's very thoughtful! I loved the whole idea of "anyone can cook," an idea that can be extended to any concept of making, and I loved the idea of the critic needing to overcome his need to judge everything. I always joke that I am Anton Ego (Weview was in large part my idea because I love to judge things!) but this movie was a good reminder that judgement is so far below creation, and always saying that things are bad in fact makes you the bad guy. Anyways, besides this, the movie is great in essentially every regard. I also thought it was unexpectedly dark and I laughed a lot. The rats gagging the health inspector killed me.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is the weirdest story of the collection so far and while I think it'd be tempting to just forget about this one, it has stuck in my brain the most. It's essentially about the main character, Smith, swallowing a star from the Land of Faery, thus allowing him to travel to and from that realm. But it doesn't really have a plot besides that, and I think it is pretty clear that there is more going on. Someone asked me years ago why I even like Lord of the Rings, and honestly I had a tough time answering. But this book has a passage that has stayed with me and I feel like it's somehow the answer to that question: Some of his briefer visits he spent looking only at one tree or flower; but later in longer journeys he had seen things of both beauty and terror that he could not clearly remember nor report to his friends, though he knew that they dwelt deep in his heart. But some things he did not forget, and they remained in his mind ...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) I’ve seen a bunch of edits on TikTok about how great the villains are in these movies and it’s true! Tai Lung is terrifying and has believable motives. Altogether this is just amazing. Highly underrated in my opinion. The kung fu is awesome and Po is very loveable. Jack Black seems like he genuinely enjoyed himself making this and it’s very evident. MVP goes to Po’s dad, the goose, who just wants to make noodles and build a noodle empire. The realest character in the movie 💯

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) This was a book of short stories written and published in the Antarctic, on the Nimrod Expedition in 1907-1909, as a way to keep the crew occupied during the long polar winter when there wasn't much else to do and it was important to fend off that polar depression. It includes 8 short stories written by different members of the crew, and then 2 poems contributed by Shackleton himself. It was really fascinating to read the stories that everyone came up with during those long winter months! Some were retellings of true events, some serious and some comedies, and a few were fun fictional stories about their time there. I especially enjoyed surgeon Mackay's (fictional) story about meeting a 6-foot Emperor penguin that for some reason speaks Scots. There are also illustrations done for most of the stories by the expedition's artist, Marston, which are a delightful touch. It only took me a day to read all of these, but I had a great time!

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) What can I say that I haven't already said about books about polar exploration? This one's about the Antarctic expedition Shackleton went on BEFORE Endurance, the Nimrod Expedition in 1907-1909. It wasn't nearly as exciting, but it WAS very cool to get a bunch of backstory. It was like unlocking a bunch of Shackleton lore. On this expedition, they were attempting to reach the South Pole (no one ever had at that point), and they didn't manage it, but they DID get closer than anyone else had before. There was a lot of running out of food and nearly dying in blizzards etc, but I felt a lot less sympathy, considering they were really just doing exactly what they signed up for and it was kinda their own fault. But I did keep having to go update Maggie on their progress and all the terrible things that were happening to them, so that says something. The first 1/4 of this book was a slog, though, mostly covering Shackleton's life up...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) This is the quickest I have read through a book in a long long time. This one was written with Kubrick reading early drafts with the intention of making a movie from it, and somehow it translates perfectly. The movie is a masterpiece, and like the Godfather a large part of that is probably due to the strength of the source. The opening of the movie is genius, and the book is no different. A theme I noticed is that where the movie was artistic in its vagueness the book is a lot more clear about what is happening in different moments, with varying viewpoints and omniscient narration at times. The opening is this incredible depiction of human evolution, but through some alien assistance, yanking a primal species up and forcing them to take that next step. In the movie this ends with a genius transition, a weaponized bone hurtling into the sky and seamlessly becoming a space ship, an incredible depiction of the rapid change that lear...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) This is a cute movie that leaves you feeling good. I respect the creativity and it seems like it was probably a very fun movie to make. Can't say I was bowled over emotionally, but it was nice. I wanted to know more about what happened to the director.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) I liked parts of this one more than the first book, but there were two stories in here I actively disliked, so tough to score. I'll start with the good, and that was the last two short stories. Any story with Ciri is great, because we get great character dynamics devoid of sexual tension. I will talk about that more in what I don't like, but Ciri is cute and the classic protector dynamic works every time. The final story gave us a bit more insight into Geralt's past and relationships with other people which I liked. I think this universe is very cool, so anything that gives me more of the world is great, and that's probably why it makes such a good video game. For the dislikes, I hate Yennifer. There is a story in here about her sleeping with some other mage, Geralt gets so jealous that they are going to duel to the death, but stops when he realizes they are both trying to commit suicide, rather die than see Yen with someone else. Gi...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) Not much to say except man how are kids so talented?! Pretty cool reimagined story of a classic. Great singing and choreo. Call me crazy but I was kind of rooting for Trunchbull! Kids are maggots! The choky is reasonable! Only thing better would be a double choky. They should’ve added a twist and make Miss Honey headmistress but 10 times worse. Now that’d be a movie!

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is not really a story, but a collection of Tolkien poetry and only a few are related to ol' Tom. Most of the poems are related to Middle-earth in some way though, and several also found their way into the books in some form. I'm not big on poetry, and when I was a kid I'd usually just skip over the songs in LOTR. I think I've come to a better appreciation of them now. I also think it's easier to enjoy Tolkien's poetry because it is often less deep and typically tells a tale. A few are just for laughs, and some are written for children. I really liked a good number of these - especially the ones that were in LOTR and I could hear the audiobook reader singing them in my head. One poem that really stuck with me is "The Sea-Bell" which is about a man finding a mystical island, loving it, then being cursed by it, and then being forever scarred. I didn't catch it when I read it, but commentaries have suggested...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Watched this after getting a few recommendations on Weview. It's a show that kinda came out of nowhere that deals with a guy who lost his brother but was left his dysfunctional restaurant in his will. So it's sorta a story about the journey of grief while still trying to manage hectic real-life things. I thought this show was mostly phenomenal. I am a sucker for beautiful shots of cooking and good food. I am also a sucker for touching shows about tough guys having feelings. This show has plenty of both. It all often just felt real and poignant and gritty and natural, finding moments of beauty in a tough environment. I had a couple of small quibbles. The finale definitely felt like it betrayed the tone a bit. Also, for a show that was often wholesome, it took a while to watch (despite being very short!) because some kitchen scenes were crazy stressful and watching this show could feel draining. But that's also what makes it special, so...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I was stoked to see this movie because I really enjoyed Searching, made by the same people a couple years ago. However, I didn't know a single thing about the plot, which honestly I think is the best way to go into a movie. I thought it was fantastic. Similar to Searching, it's a movie about someone going missing and one person's desperate attempts to find them using a wide range of digital resources, told completely via device screens, and it was incredibly well done. In this age of true crime fanaticism, it's so fascinating to see how regular people can solve crimes/mysteries, and how much information we truly have at our fingertips. The twists had me gasping. I was coming up with all KINDS of theories. Shoutout to the lady in the theatre who said "NO WAY" after one twist loud enough for everyone to hear. I really felt that. I had an absolutely incredible time, and I'm eager to see it again.

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is the latest by my guy Richard Linklater. The premise is that in the 60s, they accidentally made a rocket that can only fit a child in it, so they recruit the main character the fly into space before Appollo 11. But that's not actually what the movie is about at all. That takes up about 15 minutes of the movie. The rest is just random episodes about the young boy growing up in suburban Houston during a significant time in history. It's definitely autobiographical by Linklater, and goes through times playing kickball, watching tv with his family, going to the theatres and theme parks. It's all very nostalgic and cute and has a cool animation style. It didn't quite do it for me though. The whole thing is narrated by Jack Black, and I don't think this was quite the right role for him. Further, this style was very obviously intentional, but it's one of those rare moments where you're just like, I don't want the m...

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is a late 2000s movie with Michael Cera and Kate Dennings that is both a romance and comedy, though I wouldn't call it a rom-com. It's definitely set up like a rom-com, and follows all the formulaic steps like one... You know what? This is just a rom-com. Anyways, not bad. A couple laughs, and the romance is nice but not very convincing. And... That's really all I have to say on this one.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Another short by Tolkien. Really loved this one. Honestly it had more of a "modern" comedic feeling than I expected. I don't want to spoil it, but it felt a lot like those Coen Brothers stories where ordinary people accidentally get wrapped up in things much bigger than themselves. This is a pretty short story so I'll try to keep the review short in turn. It's funny, it's cute, and it retains that medieval-fable style that Tolkien is so great with. There is also a dragon named Chrysophylax Dives and that name goes hard, even for Tolkien. Definitely worth the hour or two it takes to read.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) I would argue that SZA and her debut album CTRL are some of the most influential R&B music of the 2010s. It’s hard not to like her stuff, as it’s relatable and fun and with that she has created a cult following. She is also signed to the record label TDE who has Kendrick so you know the production is top notch. This album is almost perfect in my opinion. Most of the songs are incredible. A few of them are great. And just some are ok. This album is 23 tracks long, including a few singles she had released within the past few years. She raps, sings, and seemingly does it all. She has amazing features, one of which is Phoebe Bridgers and I’d argue it’s one of the most ambitious crossovers in modern music but it works! It’s a standout on the album. I have a lot of favourites on this album but the two I consistently go back to are Nobody Gets Me and Good Days. But don’t let that stop you from listening to the whole album!

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I should preface this by mentioning that it's been a couple of weird days for me. There's been sad things going on at work and at home, and we've also not seen the sun in a few weeks. With that said, this movie made me feel things I swear I have never felt in my entire life. It's hard to put into words. I have been generally weepy since midway through this movie till now, nearly 24 hours later. This combination of melancholy and sadness and hope and longing and joy. This movie somehow tapped into something that has been dormant in me and I feel like I need to rethink everything that's ever happened in my life. So this is a very artsy movie about a young girl who went on a vacation with her dad in the late 90s. That's it. There's really nothing more to it. I'm not a dad and I've never been a daughter, yet I've never felt more spiritually connected to two characters before. I know the Oscars don't work t...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and have been avoiding this review because I have not felt this strongly about a movie in a long time. I did not like the first 45 minutes. It was incredibly indulgent and deranged and depraved, basically a massive party scene. It is staged and filmed in an incredible way, with Chazelle showing off all his tricks, but basically serves to show how disgusting these Hollywood parties were and how everyone is gross. I feel like it is intentionally deplorable, but that didn't make me love watching it. That's the first 45 minutes. This is a 3 hour movie. The next 30 minutes is maybe one of the best things I have ever seen on screen, with the movie making magic on full display in a bonkers set piece that must have been so so hard to make. The co-ordination with the environment, timing, hundreds of people, that's literally what this scene is about and the beauty at the end of it perfectly reflects how the char...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) I really enjoyed this movie, mostly because ever 10 seconds I was wondering how they made it. Stop motion animation is so fascinating, and the level of detail and care makes something like this hard not to enjoy. I can't say I am super familiar with the story, so I liked some of the twists and turns. I found the opening 10 minutes extremely moving, and the level of emotion these literal puppets made me feels was pretty cool. On a meta level, the idea of making Pinocchio a stop motion film is also kind of cool, a story about someone wanting something to be alive so badly. We watched the making of video right after and I just can't get enough of people pouring their hearts and souls into such a grueling art form. Songs were good, and the story went to some places I wasn't expecting, but at the end of the day this rating is all about how impressive a movie like this is. Even the character design of Pinocchio himself is great, not exactly bo...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) A space opera with mind-bonding and a lovely queer romance! Tannel is a reader (can sense thoughts and feelings) and Surit is an architect (can make people do stuff with his mind), and these two opposites are forced to sync, which is a permanent bonding of their minds. But there's something that doesn't make sense about why they were chosen, and they slowly realize there's a lot more going on behind the scenes in the military than they thought. I liked this book almost as much as the author's first one. It was really exciting and I liked the complexities of the plot. Both main characters were very different but full realized, and I loved how they complemented each other. Surit is the epitome of lawful good and I wish I could be more like him. The exploration of what it means to have your mind to yourself and then to know someone fully, including how they think, was really fascinating.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Arlo is a young DeafBlind man who hires a new interpreter when he decides to take a college class. Cyril is nervous about his job, but can't help but get involved in Arlo's life as he learns more about his past. It's a book that's both heartwarming and sad, as Arlo has gone through some difficult things, with a super religious uncle as his guardian and little possibility of making his own decisions. It's a great book for understanding the experiences of DeafBlind people, and I learned a lot about autonomy and advocacy for disabled people. The author isn't Deaf or blind himself, but has been working as an ASL interpreter for a long time, so I'm guessing and hoping the representation was accurate. If anything, this book reminded me once again that it should be normal for all people to learn at least some ASL.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I've been super into short stories, especially fantasy shorts, and so finally it was time to learn from the master. Honestly, I always kinda just forget that he put these out. I have a collection of them, but I want to review them separately because a) it makes my reading list look more impressive and b) because they vary so much in tone and target audience that it really makes little sense to review them together. Also you can get them all separately so there! This one, like many of his writings, was written to his kids. He loved writing childrens' tales, and this one is for an especially young audience. It's about a dog that gets turned into a toy by a mean wizard and has all these adventures in an attempt to get his true form back (written for his son who lost his toy dog - how cute). There is a ton for adults to love here. Tolkien is legitimately so funny, which I think often gets lost when people talk about him. I also adore the ...

⭐ 5.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I watched one of these a while back and loved it, so I wanted to go back and start from the beginning. Not worth it. Those other movies are hard to follow, but it doesn't matter that much because you are just there for a good time. This one is trying much harder to be serious, and also the action kinda sucks. This is late 90s, and I guess they just hadn't figured out these stunts yet. I was bored, and bored is the exact thing you don't want during an action spy-thriller. Sorry Tom.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Rebecca) I was really excited to reread this book because I loved it sooooo much in grade 7 when I first read it, but I don't think I've read it a single time since that year. It wasn't really what I expected! It's a very classic high fantasy story about a young woman and a prophecy and an evil sorcerer, but the style is a lot more sedate and formal, somehow, than I remembered. Not a lot of emotive writing, not much for jokes. I enjoyed it, but I was kind of surprised that I liked it so much as a kid. The main thing is that I was in love with one of the two love interests, and if he hadn't gotten the girl in the end, I think I would have thrown this book in the garbage. And I'm still in love with him now so I can't not love the book! Overall, it's a bit slower than I remembered, but a very enjoyable read. It's hard to separate my opinion on it from sentiment though.

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This was an audiobook from the Great Courses about... exactly what the title says. It's probably the era of history I have the most interest in so it was a good spot to hop back into things. I thought it was really great as far as history goes. However, because it's my favorite era, it's also the one I know most about. I liked the book, but I can't say I learned a ton. The professor was really knowledgeable, but also didn't present the information in a way I thought was super engaging. Again, not bad, and probably a good book for those wanting to learn more about this era.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) I loved the author's last book, and I was pleased that while the subject of this book was very different, it still had that offbeat humour I really enjoyed. The main character in this book is Frankie, a 16-year-old loner who befriends another weird kid, and together during one summer they decide to "make art" and put up posters all over their small town. It soon gets out of hand and turns into a satanic panic. Years later, a journalist has finally tracked Frankie down and wants to hear her story. What a weird book. But I just loved it. It was making me laugh out loud constantly, just from subtle bits of dialogue or phrasing that was so spot on or bizarre. It's just two kids learning to make friends for the first time, and it's weird and awkward, and they do this thing that somehow changes their lives. And it's also about art, and what it's for, and the act of creating.

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) It is not possible for me to read and rate this book objectively, because I read this so many times as a preteen and was OBSESSED. I could still picture huge chunks of the book perfectly, and there were only a few surprises about things I hadn't remembered. It's about Aerin, the shunned princess of Damar, who learns to become a dragon killer. I'm not totally sure what it was about this book that had me in its grip, but it was likely Aerin herself being awesome and, admittedly, the epic pining of Tor, the perfect man. The book is weirdly structured, with a full third of it being flashback of how Aerin became the Dragon Killer, and then after that comes her big journey. But I still loved the writing and the characters, and I treasure this book for what it meant to me as a kid.

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I watched this on Beans's recommendation and I totally get it. The main character is actually Beans, and this is a movie about his life. I really liked it also. The lead guy (who is only 25 and directed this movie, hello??) was magnetic and uplifting. I loved his relationship with Lola and the other kids. I really have a soft spot for stories in which one guy is able to transform the energy in a room. Great stuff. I think they tried to portray Dakota Johnson as complicated and messy, and I get that, but mostly I thought she was just a terrible person and I feel terrible for anyone who meets her. It's also hard to buy the romance because of this... And yet? I definitely felt something. Probably just because I would also fall in love with this exploitative, manipulative goddess. Anyways, I liked the movie but not as much as Beans, likely because I don't have the energy to stomach the main character and he was starting to wear me thin by...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I'd been wanting to read a Stephen King book since going through his memoir/ writing guide, and this book was perfect. One of his more popular books, and only 200 pages! It was published in 1980 (holy smokes, he's been doing this a long time) and it shows a bit. Definitely a bit of problematic stuff here, like some macho man glorification, and then making sure to describe most female characters by their appearance. In fairness, this book is written in first person, so I'm not actually sure what is Stephen King and what is David Drayton. Either way, those issues aside, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I can totally see why his books do so well. His writing is mostly very basic and won't win awards, but he does a great job of setting up these spooky atmospheric situations without being campy. There is something to be said about simply telling the reader what the room looks like and what is happening. I read this book in a...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) I watched the first one a week before I watched this, and honestly maybe not a great thing to do because these are the same movie. I actually really appreciated the first on rewatch, and it was hard not to dock points for them making trope for trope the same movie. His kids go through the arc he went through, there is another precious substance to be mined, and they even had the audacity to bring back the same villain, who is apparently indestructable. But you know what? Good for them. I had a great time at the theatre, and had my mind blown by the effects. I found myself wondering how something like this gets made all movie long. The water effects combined with the blue people looks incredible, and they use it to the fullest, with incredible vistas and some exciting action scenes. I typically don't want to turn my brain off during a movie, but 30 minutes in when I realized that I was seeing the same movie I disengaged t...

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Tim) This is a movie Jess' family watches every Christmas Eve, and I hadn't seen it before I spent Christmas with them. I thought it was just a cheesy Christmas classic, that it wouldn't hold up but people still have nostalgia for it. Well, I have seen it more than 5 years in a row now and it is a bonafide classic. The setup is great. We get to see George Bailey's life through the eyes of an angel, all the good things he does and all the ways life continues to beat him down. We then enter his life on the brink of crises, and watch his story unfold as he gives up on the value of his life. Its hard to remember that people back then could tell interesting stories, at least through film, but this plot hooks me every single time. There are so many quotable lines that make me laugh every year. The acting is great, even though 40 year olds are playing high school students. The ending makes me tear up consistently, with a ...

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) Cool movie about a bunch of snobs that go to a small island for an ultimate dining experience but chew off more than they can swallow and it ends up being a killer night! I was hoping this movie would be more thriller and scary but the scariest part were the finance bros. I really like Anya Taylor Joy and think she’s pretty good in this as the person who isn’t supposed to be there (very small spoiler) and kind of figures a few things out. Love the commentary on how terrible rich people are and how you’re either on the side with them or the working class! Yes! Class consciousness is my number one goal this year. This movie brings a cool perspective to eat the rich.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I, like others, were totally drawn in by the Rotten Tomatoes score. We wanted something light for a Sunday, and this was the shortest movie on my list, so here we are. It's easy enough to see why this got such a great score. It's almost impossible to dislike. It's funny, wholesome, zany, charming. It's definitely for kids, but has plenty of adult-only humor. Very good all around. I love that England has 25 actors, and all of them are either in Doctor Who, Downton Abbey or Harry Potter (with plenty of overlap). Most of them appear here. A real classic British movie. So yeah, pretty good, and I suppose I'll now be watching 2, considered by all to be the greatest film ever made.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) Obligatory viewing of a queer romcom/drama. This could be considered a christmas movie but not exclusively. Did I like this movie? It’s hard to say. When I wasn’t crying - nay, WEEPING - I think I did like it! It’s called spoiler alert because you know from the beginning that someone dies from cancer. There are a few too many beats that are too close to home here but unfortunately I am very self destructive. I don’t like Jim Parsons that much, mostly cause I just think of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but he was good in this! Awkward but in an endearing way. I do love Ben Aldridge and think he’s so handsome and charming. The chemistry was actually pretty good. They had some great relationship tropes here that felt realistic and good. Towards the end during a very emotional scene they abruptly skip a beat in a way that was so incredibly off putting and I hated it a lot. They were able to kind of redeem it but I think they should have cut that part....

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I adore these. Montgomery dedicates these to "all the girls all over the world who have wanted more about Anne." These books really do bring out my inner 1910s little girl. I do want more about Anne. Again, I think Montgomery is one of the most talented writers to live and it's a joy to read her writing. It is beautiful, poetic, but also just super funny. She clearly knows people and knows what kind of quarrels small town folk get up to. I really can't get enough. One minor complaint would be that this book features a lot of kids, and they are the only ones who don't seem to talk like they should. Everyone in this book is funny, and kids aren't funny, so she puts a couple years on them. Davy is 7 but far too clever when it comes to turn of phrase. Still, the end result is a positive, because Davy too is a joy to read. I wouldn't rank this one quite as high as Green Gables, but it is definitely enough to make me want...

⭐ 7.5/10 (Originally written by Joseph) Loved a lot in this one. I think it's hard to watch this and not think about all the videos and articles saying how painstaking this movie was, taking years to do all the stop-motion and everything, but I'm really glad they made it. This movie has a really cool and unique aesthetic and it makes me happy that there are still people doing things like this. The old school style seemed to also match the WW2 era perfectly and it felt somehow immersive and I think as a kid would have made a major impression. I thought the cast was awesome with one notable exception. David Bradley is awesome and I'm happy that he's getting all these fun roles these days. The Podesta was a great character. Hearing Ewan McGregor is always a treat. However, the single most disgusting thing on earth is hearing a British child say the word "chocolates" and unfortunately it happened several times here. Pinocchio is just straight up annoying for most ...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Beans) This was seriously awesome. The story was great, a lot of friendship and team work themes. The animation was top notch, kind reminded me of Into The Spider-verse a little bit. The villain was more terrifying than anything Marvel has ever come up with. And it had a star studded cast. Even got a little teary a few times! Highly recommend.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) I loved Knives Out, and I loved this. I'm glad it got it's moment on the internet, and glad Blanc is becoming a more recognizable character, and I'm glad that we'll probably get more of these. I think they are expertly done and the perfect mystery/ comedy formula. But is it even a formula?? I think what this movie did, as well as Knives Out, was shift your expectations so rapidly with unique twists that you're often wondering what you're even trying to solve. This one has a unique storytelling method and I totally dug it. They know the audience is trying to guess who did it, so keeping us on our toes is always a lot of fun. My brain was working overtime trying to keep up, trying to question what was a key detail vs a throwaway line, etc. And that leads me to my next point. There are no throwaway lines! I think they do an awesome job incorporating a million little details into the final solve, bringing you back to things yo...

⭐ 8.5/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) A Swedish show about the Crown Prince at boarding school who falls in love with a male classmate. I watched it because of comparisons to Heartstopper, but this was way more dramatic. I don't generally like shows about teens being terrible to each other, but I can't deny that this was extremely compelling and addicting. Also, very refreshing to see a show about teens featuring people who look like actual teens, bad skin and hair and all.

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) It's rare to find a book that feels utterly unique, but Gideon is cuckoo bananas in a way that some people will love and some will hate. I read this a couple years ago when it first came out and was blown away by how completely bonkers it was, but for a few reasons had had a hard time really grasping what really went down. Now that the next two books are out, I decided to revisit it in audio this time and see if I'd want to continue with the series. And I think I do! This book is really hard to describe, but essentially the main character Gideon is a swordfighter living on a planet of necromancers and half-dead nuns and skeletons, and she agrees to be her enemy Harrow's cavalier on a visit to the First House, along with the necromancers and cavaliers of all the other Houses. They're all trying to become lyctors, and there are challenges and murders and so many bones and people breaking out in blood-sweat. At least half of the b...

⭐ 7.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) I think this album is fine. Tate has an incredible voice, beautiful looks, good social media presence, and catchy songs. I just don’t think she has star power. She’s no Billie or Olivia. I don’t know how else to describe except she just doesn’t have IT. This album was also made for teenage girls going through relationships so not intended audience but it wasn’t bad! Fave tracks are Chaotic, Don’t Come Back and She’s All I Wanna Be

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) This movie came out in 2022 but I dare say it might be my favourite movie of 2023. It’s an incredible up and coming story about young adulthood. The lead Andrew is so captivating and lovable and I want to be like him. He’s cute and honest and fun and makes me want to be a better person. I don’t know a ton of Dakota Johnson’s work but I really loved her in this. I think they really capture that time frame in one’s life so well. Andrew just graduated college and moves back home and has to contend with what his life looks like now. There’s so much pressure to have things figured out and make these big decisions that will shape our whole life. There’s love and work and family and it all is so serious. These movie takes those things in incredible stride and shows a truly phenomenal story. I think what really makes this movie is the different relationships Andrew has with people and how he makes each one of them feel special. I always tell people, not ...

⭐ 9.0/10 (Originally written by Beans) I watched this last year but I’m logging it for this year cause I didn’t get a lot of time to reflect on the movie. Not that it generates a lot of reflection, I’m still counting it for 2023. Im conflicted. Because ya, this isn’t a very good movie. Especially considering it took so long to make. The story is mid, the dialogue is kind of terrible. And holy shit the bad guy is so OP. However, I was absolutely mesmerized the whole 3:20. It was amazing to see and I wish Pandora was real instead of shitty earth. But ya, kinda loved it.

⭐ 8.0/10 (Originally written by Joseph) This is that animated Netflix show based on League of Legends, and although I consider myself a gamer, this is one game I have zero interest in and a universe I don't know anything about. But could I, in good conscience, call myself a gamer if I didn't at least try it? Plus it got really great reviews (including best video game adaptation - low bar), and lots of people were talking about it. It's really good! We follow characters both from the beautiful steam-punk city as well as the dark and gritty underground as their worlds clash. The animation has a unique style that I thought was incredible. The action sequences pack a lot of punch. The characters are often complex and have complicated relationships. There are a few interesting moral dilemmas. This show really has it all. One thing I appreciated is that this show really goes in unexpected directions. It often feels like it's going to be a mailed-in plot of the good guys preve...

⭐ 9.5/10 (Originally written by Katrina) Really loved this movie even though it was hard to understand why anyone would choose to live life like that. Really kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and really took some turns. Even though the film was long it felt fast-paced. The acting performances were incredible. I’m just not sure if I felt satisfied enough by the ending.

⭐ 10.0/10 (Originally written by Magdalene) Turns out you can get a lot more out of a classic at 31 than you can at like 15, when I understood very little and just wanted to say I'd read it. It's been 16 years since I last read a Jane Austen, and I either forgot or didn't realize how funny and clever her books are. I was worried I'd get bored, but I actually didn't! And this book is only 200 pages, so it even felt like a pretty short read. Anyway, I found it all delightful. I could relate to so much in Anne's life, even if I've never broken up with my one true love because of pressure from my family. I loved reading about Anne's struggles dealing with regret and her annoying family, just wanting to be noticed and useful because that's all she thinks she can be. Seeing her find happiness in the end was so satisfying, and Wentworth's letter is *chef's kiss pure romance. A perfect final read of 2022.