Author: Alyxwrites

TV Review: Marvel’s Runaways Season 2 (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment

runaways

Marvel’s Runaways has returned! I thoroughly enjoyed season 1. It did start off a little slow, which is fine, it didn’t bother me, I watched it twice. I think if you haven’t seen the show and are curious about watching it, then I think you should. The good thing, it is on Hulu which allows for a complete watch without having to wait each week for an episode. My friend and I watched it in two days and I really liked this season.
I did a review for season one here. I also did a piece where I talked about Alex Wilder from the show and the comics as he is my favorite character in both mediums. I had a lot to say so please check those two pieces out! As I already did a formal review for the show, I’m not particularly going to do that again so this review will be a little different.
On to the review!
The Runaways
I think once again these characters are interesting. They have the makings to be really good characters and I think for the most part, they manage to remain so throughout the season. Instead of going through each like I would normally do, I will hit on the Runaways, giving more emphasis on those I thought stood out.
  • Alex Wilder (Rhenzy Feliz): I think he is the most layered of the Runaways so far and definitely the stand out this season. I thought he did really well with what he was given in the first season which wasn’t much, but they really dug more into him this season which I appreciated. The season hit the ground running and I think he could tell he wasn’t wanted so he removed himself from the equation (he even says which made me cackle “I’m just the NPC in the MMORG of your lives), and it shows that everyone treats him this way. He even tried to help them have a steady flow of money by working with Darrius. While helping, a romantic relationship started to form between him and Livvie (Ajiona Alexus) who was Darrius’s sister in law type person? They were cute and I liked that he seemed to have moved on from Nico (who doesn’t deserve him anyway!). We got to see him go through a lot this season within himself. He’s been the only Runaway who didn’t give up on the fact that their parents are criminals and have killed teenagers regardless of how much they may love them. It seems to personally affect him the most because he was close with his parents and would never think they would hurt anyone or hurt him. I like that he’s steadfast in that and he’ll do whatever he thinks he can to bring them down. Sure, not all of his plans are fool proof nor is he perfect, which is something he also talked about with Chase. He wants to show the others that his presence is necessary and he wants to do right by them. He may be logical but he’s also emotional in some of his decisions. The fact that he acknowledged that I thought showed tremendous growth. I find it interesting how the others know that he always has a plan but they always talk crap about him. *sighs* I’m trying not to rant but sooo many feelings lol. Rhenzy Feliz continues to do a great job with his character. His emotions play across his face very well and my friend and I always mention his nostril flare lol but I’m glad he had a lot to do and he’s the MVP this season.
  • Nico Minoru (Lyrica Okano): I like Nico for the most part but she can be soooo judgey. When the season started and she was still being mean to Alex and then we saw his name in her cellphone, I was like *hard eye roll* but she did go to him to express some of her feelings towards him. I don’t think things were fully hashed out between them because I feel like Alex doesn’t stand up for himself enough, so I hope they have a full heart to heart later on. In this season, Nico uses the Staff of One in some pretty dope ways to the point where she makes decisions that affect others and she has to deal with it. It’s easy to tell that she’s afraid of it while also wanting to learn more about it. There are a few moments where it seems like instinct just takes over even when she’s exhausted to help out and I want to see more of that and I want to know where it comes from! I think Lyrica Okano has good chemistry with Virginia Gardner, which is necessary for her relationship with Karolina but I don’t know how I completely feel about it. I mean, it’s cute, but I still think it was pretty left field and that Nico may not feel the same way as Karolina which might blow up in their faces later. I know about her whispered confession when Karolina walked away but that doesn’t mean anything to me right now. I liked that she got a little closure about Amy (now we just need to find out why Alex didn’t go to the funeral), and that she’s a bit more confident in herself now. I think Lyrica is a very good actress and I hope to see her do more physical stuff because that scene with her and her parents was DOPE.
  • Karolina Dean (Virginia Gardner): In this season, Karolina is learning who she is, what her powers are and how she can use them without limitations. I mean, she still has limitations as she is still learning but I’m glad we got to see a lot more of her using her powers than in the first season. She is kind of the optimist of the group, and still religious even though her religion is a sham. I don’t think we got a ton of growth from her this season as she is still the same person she was, just a bit freer? I guess I would consider her the voice of reason in the group. Now, she does some stupid stuff and I cannot believe she got away with it for the most part, but ya know, she’s nice and stuff. I think anyone could understand her when it comes to her how she reacts around her parents and Jonah. She’s confused so I’ll give her that. I hope in season three, we really get to see her shake it up with her powers. Virginia Gardner is extremely likable as Karolina, even if she’s annoying sometimes.
  • Gert Yorkes (Ariela Barer): Gert was going through it this season. She has anxiety which was in full force this season, plus she didn’t have her meds to help keep her sane. I felt for her but it also took her out of a lot of action this season. A lot of her storyline was her relationship insecurities with Chase and I was annoyed. I like that Gert is outspoken and will say whatever she wants, but I also don’t want her to just be a typical SJW whose only real conflict is steeped in a boy. There was an interesting storyline where Old Lace got sick which in turn got Gert sick, it was cool to learn just how deep her mental connection to her dinosaur goes. I find Gert likable, I know a lot of people are annoyed with her but she’s okay to me. I just need her to do more things than just sit on the sidelines and talk. Ariela Barer does a very good job with the emotional side of Gert, now I just need to see a bit more layer.
  • Chase Stein (Gregg Sulkin): I like Chase, I think he’s sweet, especially in the way he treats Molly and Gert. It’s clear he likes Gert and is nowhere near as confused about it as she is. I think it’s clear he wants to have a relationship with her, he’s learning her quirks and how to respond to her. He tries hard to really show her that he’s in her corner but as she continues to do or say things that pushes him away, he’s never really sure how to bounce back. It’s also clear that he’s the one who wants to go back home the most. In the first season, he was the one who often wanted to give their parents the benefit of the doubt, and that doesn’t really change in this season. I do think he’s learned a lot about being on his own. However, I’m not sure what to think of him for the next season. Gregg Sulkin is likable, even when he’s all like “You suck Wilder” lol which makes me do a heavy eye roll but he’s cool and I like Chase, I just need him to not be so naive. He’s so aggressive towards Alex about his decisions and so naive about his own that it actually baffles me but I can’t find myself disliking him.
  • Molly Hernandez (Allegra Acosta): I continue to love Molly lol. She’s great and I like how she’ll say the stuff that no one else will say. Now, I know in the comics she was a lot younger, which in ways could excuse her behavior or her reactions to things, but she’s supposed to be 14 in the show and she makes some duuumb decisions. It wouldn’t bother me as much if she was younger. The whole thing with Topher, I get it and I get why she was so intent about it but it was also dumb. She is still vastly underused when it comes to her powers and I think she needs to learn how to fight. We don’t need her to succumb to the Superman syndrome where she’s just a powerhouse without any actual fighting ability. Allegra Acosta is great as Molly, she’s likable, I can’t imagine anyone actually disliking her and she just enjoys what she does. My main gripe with her is that I don’t buy it when she’s emotional, it doesn’t fully connect for me. Her best acting was episode 11 “The Last Waltz”.
Character Relationships
A large part of the show banks on how these characters interact with each other. I have a love/hate relationship with how the show handles these as well. I like overall, how they work as a team whenever they allow themselves to be a team and work together. When Topher showed up, they all had a mutual distrust for him, minus Molly, and I loved how they were all on the same page because it just makes sense. Also, when they stand together against something is some of my favorite moments because all of the drama between them falls away because there is something bigger going on than their teenage drama. There were some nice moments they had as a large group, like Molly’s birthday. The last 20 minutes of that episode was one of my favorites, it was super cute and it solidified that they were a family in the end. Alex and Gert had a nice moment. Alex and Karolina had a few nice moments, I even think she was wearing some of his jackets at some point (I saw someone on Tumblr say they don’t like Alex because he hates Karolina, that’s clearly fake news). Alex and Chase have a ton of good moments but their relationship always seems antagonistic so it’s very whiplashy. I don’t mind that they’re not best friends or anything, but I think they would understand each other a bit more. Something I thought was interesting was the fact that everyone went to Alex whenever they needed a one on one talk. Literally EVERYONE.
Gert and Molly had such a great relationship in the first season and it was a bit of a struggle in this season because of Gert’s issues. However, whenever they managed to have their moments it was sweet. Molly and Chase also had a few nice moments this season. They seemed to have gotten close because of their mutual feelings for Gert.
Now on the other hand, I have a major dislike for how the other Runaways treat Alex. I ranted about this in my season one review, I did an entire post dedicated to his character and I have a major problem. I know his storyline in the comics up to a certain point, I know what happens to him and while I don’t condone his actions, I completely get his reasons. As for the show, there hasn’t been any indication that he would do what he did in the comics, or at least something similar to link his fate in the show. He is the smart one and he really tries to think with everyone’s best interest at heart. It may not always work out the way he wants it too, or it may backfire in his face, but at least he has a plan and at least he tries. Nico continued to be mad at him for something that was out of his control to the point where she treated him like crap, even after he made sure to get money for them and brought tents for them to sleep in. Then Chase just loved to bring up the fact that Alex suggested regrouping and returning for Karolina once they had a plan. Alex even SAYS his intention was not to leave her behind but to make sure they knew what they were getting themselves into first. I don’t see the problem with that. Not to mention, when everyone else makes mistakes or dumb decisions, none of them get nearlyas crucified as Alex does. What about in season one when Chase destroyed the computer with the evidence? Not a big deal. What about the lying and sneaking that Karolina did this season? Oh, we’ll be mad at her for like a few minutes. I know Molly is 14 but even when she made her mistake, it’s ‘oh she’s a kid’ but ya know so was Alex when he kept Amy’s secret. I mean, I could go on about this but I won’t because I think the dislike for him is unfounded and I cannot stand the distrust because so far, he has been the only one actively trying to make sure his parents face justice for their crimes. Since he’s always thinking about the others, I don’t think it’s terrible that he wanted to them pay for what they did.
The Action
This season has a bit more action compared to the first season which hardly had any. This season we get the chance to see everyone use their abilities more in different ways and I think everyone kind of gets their chance to shine. Chasecontinues to work on the Fistigons and uses them when he needs to. Nicoworks with the magic/technology of the Staff of One and continues to learn it’s limitations and it’s secrets. Karolina learns how to access her abilities (I just need her to be a bit more active with her powers and be quicker on the draw when using them), Molly is still vastly underused with her abilities, I need her to learn to fight since she’s so strong but when she does use them it’s still pretty cool. Gerthad a lot going on mentally this season, so unfortunately, we didn’t see Old Lace in action that much so I hope moving forward we do. As for Alex, being that he doesn’t have any powers, he continues to try and make the plans and use his computer and nerd skills to be awesome. In episode 10: Hostile Takeover, Alex makes an enemy with this guy who comes to their hideout and it was great, probably one of the best of the season. Nico really got to shine in that episode and Alex got to take the lead with a plan. I don’t know if this meant anything, but Alex did this thing where he thought of a plan and he the camera zoomed in on his face and he kind of moved like his brain was moving 1000 miles a minute. Similar to a Jimmy Neutron Brain Blast. I thought it was cool, I don’t know if it’s an actual thing or not but they should do more of that lol.
Teenage Melodrama/Romance
They are teenagers so goossssh the drama is so annoying sometimes. They’re all stressed because of what they know of their parents, not to mention the stuff with Jonah. I get it, it’s so stressful. But they really need to get some perspective sometimes. Y’all are sixteen. Y’all acting like y’all been living for so long on your own and pay bills and what not… please. Karolina and Nico’s relationship, while cute sometimes, is very annoying. They have become soooo co-dependent it’s ridiculous. I don’t even believe that Nico truly likes Karolina in the same way she likes her. At least at this point. It feels more like she’s exploring, which is fine. Gert and Chase *sighs* I think they’re cute as well but Gert was so all over the place this season that I don’t even know if want them to even bother right now, that child needs to get her life together first. Alex had this thing with Livvie which was super cute as he got to experience the world his father grew up in while working with Darrius in Compton. I don’t know if we’ll see her in season 3 or not, but I thought she and Alex had great chemistry and I think if things went differently, it would have worked out really well. I just wish we got to see them have a better relationship even while just being friends because it didn’t turn out too well towards the end. I guess he just can’t catch a break.
There was this whole thing with this new guy that showed up Topher and, in the comics, he’s a vampire or whatever, so I was expecting something bad to happen and what we learn is actually kind of tragic. I thought it was a nice little three-episode arc and while it was soooo dramatic, it was handled well.
My hope for season 3 is to focus on them as a family and to really get to the meat of the story instead of focusing so much on the romantic relationships. I know it’s a teen show so that’s going to be a big part, which is fine, but I think the selling point is the characters more than the romance so let’s let these characters really shine in their elements and dial back a little on the melodrama.
The Parents
I remember when I read the first part of the comics, just how intimidating the parents were. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy them in the show but they’re inconsistent in how they come off to the audience, I think. If I had to pick, the most ruthless of the group is Tina Minoru, Victor Stein and The Wilders. In the first season, I would have counted Leslie Dean in that but she goes through it this season which didn’t alleviate my like of her but it made her less “scary”? Annie Wersching makes some of the best faces though.
In this season, we got to see a truly ruthless side of Catherine Wilder, that I think we all knew was there. Now, I am curious to see what happens with them in the third season since Alex was the only one who managed to do what he set out to do and he was so giddy about it lol. I really like The Wilders because they’re the only ones who don’t really have a reason to be in Pride anymore, but since Alex is a runaway, they worked with the others to bring him but they have no reason and they’re still intimidating.
I think overall though, the parents are still interesting with how it ended, I’m very curious to see how things work out. I want Janet and Robert to have more to do. They both got a bit of an upgrade this season, Robert has an awesome fight scene with Tina and Nico and we need more of that kind of stuff. The Yorkes are still quirky and funny, but I’m over the whole “we’re the nicer ones” in the group thing because they can be pretty intense too. I know they all just want their kids back home and what not but they all operate in gray areas which is interesting but let’s see what they can really do because so far, it’s been a lot of standing in a group and talking. The Minorus and The Wilders were really the only ones we see do anything physical. I know like the Steins and Yorkes are scientists but I feel like we can see more in general.
More Character Growth
I liked in this season we got to see a bit of growth from the characters. Some more than others and I hope the momentum continues. I cannot imagine with all that’s going on, our Runaways won’t continue to learn and grow. I think Chase has grown a lot, he’s become more mature, which is something he does mention in an episode. He does make a choice, while dumb, was mature in his reasons. I think both he and Alex have the most growth but Chase the most, especially since he is learning how to deal with Gert and her issues. I just hope we see more from everyone moving forward.
Villains
Obviously, the parents are the villains with Jonah in there as well. He remained this threat throughout both seasons but we didn’t know what he was really up in the first season. Of course, there were theories. It’s different from the comics but it’s not hard to kind of guess what’s going on. I think it’s pretty cool, it’s not completely original but it’s cool. I’m curious to see how things go in the third season as the ending of season two left sooo many questions.
Overall
I really really like Marvel’s Runaways and I think they are doing really well with having these teenage superhero stories told on the small screen. I would love to see them pop onto the big screen at some point but I’m glad they have their debuts on TV. I like all of the characters for the most part and the story has been interesting. I’m curious to see where it goes in the third season and I hope it gets one because there is so much more to tell.
Spoilers Below This Warning
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My theory
Soooo basically Jonah is from an alien race “Gibborim” and at the bottom of the hole is his family which was stuck in the ship. Now, Xavin was also there, who is a shape-shifting being who is betrothed to Karolina (which I think they are officially a thing in the comics so I’m very interested to see how this plays out in the show) and it seems like they are on the Runaways side, mostly because of Karolina but also, they know what Jonah plans to do in the end. So, the Runaways and the parents work together to destroy Jonah’s ship as it was going to cause a massive earthquake and knock California into the ocean, so they stopped that. However, Mother, Sister and Brother (and Xavin) managed to escape and find hosts.
It turns out that Jonah is just a host body and the Magistrate (the alien) was inhabiting his body. So, when Nico stabbed through the body with the staff, it only killed Jonah not the alien inside which seems to be just a wisp of light energy. We don’t really know what their true form is yet. It seems that Victor is losing certain moments. He was all intimate with Janet and then was a bit confused about it later and I’m like “oh that’s Jonah then” and Stacy Yorkes has this super cutthroat moments where she takes off her glasses and I’m like “that’s another one of them” and Tina has these almost child-like moments. So, we can assume that three of the parents have been inhabited. We know that Karolina has a brother as Jonah told her she did when he showed her the ship. So, the question remains, who did Brother go into since both the Runaways and their parents were at the site when they exploded the ship? It can’t be another parent because no one acted outside of themselves. So as everyone else on the internet has said, Brother is either in Nico or Alex.
I say Nico because she’s passed out twice now from overexerting herself while using the Staff of One. In “Hostile Takeover”, she had to hold two draining spells for a long time and passed out. She lifted up all possessed like and called the Staff to her and then shouted, “GET OUT!” while the skin around her eyes got like this…
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which reminded me of homie from Doctor Strange.
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I don’t know if this means anything, it could since Marvel’s Runaways is part of the MCU. However, who knows. This happens twice. The second time is when she fought her parents in an awesome fight and the picture above is from that fight. Now, Brother could be expelling something in her that makes this happen, or it’s just that since now the Staff completely belongs to her, there’s something that Tina didn’t take into consideration when she created it. I’m thinking more along those lines though.
It could be Alex because one the other aliens jumped into hosts that reflect their own gender and Alex is the only male left in the group since Chase has been taken and put into a suspension pod along with Janet and Karolina. Not to mention, outside of his frustration with his parents and the others, he’s been pretty level headed. He doesn’t seem to be forgetting things, or losing time like shown mostly with Victor, nor has his personality completely changed like Stacy’s and Tina’s. However, there was a scene in Hostile Takeover, when AWOL was in their mansion and he has Chase’s fistigons, he’s frustrated and he takes the fistigons and he kind of starts trying to burn the guy and the others around him were shocked. When he snapped out of it, he looked shocked himself and backed off. That could indicate him being inhabited by Brother… or it could just be the ruthlessness from his parents finally coming out. Listen, if they use this Brother thing to try and make Alex do what he does in the comics, fine, but that should not be the end all be all for him. I’ll be upset if so.
That’s all I got for the spoilers as I just had to share my theories! Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoyed it!
Please comment your thoughts on the show and please be sure to like and follow this blog for more reviews!
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How I Would Fix: The Darkest Minds

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment
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How I would FIX The Darkest Minds.
I had a lot of thoughts over the last few days of how I would fix this movie. I think it’s an unfortunate incident and while I have not read the books, I have a few ideas of how I would fix it to make it better just from a film standpoint. I’m sure once I read the books, I’ll have more insight but I will take what I gleamed from the movie.
First of all, I would make it a television show on Netflix. I weighed my options of other channels and I considered Freeform, since they did so well with Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger and Siren is apparently doing well. I also considered the CW because of The 100 and the other shows that have abilities on them. However, I think Netflix would be the best option as they are doing really well with their movies and their YA adaptations.
Casting
I don’t know what the characters look like in the books, so I don’t know if Ruby is black, I doubt it honestly, but I think it was cool to have a YA sci-fi film where the lead was a person of color, so I think it would be imperative to maintain that in the show. So, I would recast Lidya Jewett as young Ruby and bring in a darker-skinned actress to play teenage Ruby. As for the other characters, they can keep Miya Cech and Skylan Brooks as Zu and Chubs because they were fine and don’t seem to be doing anything at the moment film wise. At least nothing serious. As for Liam, well I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to find a blue eyed, tall and cute guy.
Episode Set Up
So, I think a big mistake in the film was how quickly it had to brush past the whole kids dying thing to get to teenage Ruby. No matter how quick it was in the book, if it was a TV show, we could spend the first episode getting to know Ruby as a kid and her family so later when she finally returns to them, we feel something for her. Anyway, a nice introduction to the Daly family and then at the end of the first episode, show the first outbreak of the disease by showing that Grace kid die. Boom. Interesting set up.
Next episode, we learn (without narration) about this mysterious disease and we physically see kids, Ruby’s classmates and friends, dying. We should be able to see what this is doing to their parents, to the kids who are surviving. Plus, the fear that Ruby’s parents would have about their own child. I’m not sure, but if all the kids get sick but the ones who don’t die gain powers, then perhaps we should see Ruby get sick and her parents worry for her and then at the end, she gets better. Moving forward, I feel like the first three episodes in a 13-22-episode show should focus on young Ruby for us to see her go to the camps, feel bad for her since her parents turned her in (because reasons) and how she made her strategy to survive. If it’s 13 episodes then obviously maybe leave young Ruby to three episodes and in the fourth time jump to teenage Ruby but if it was longer then take a bit more time.
When she meets Liam, Chubs and Zu, we should see them as a unit and how they work well together and allow us to care about them as we continue to see them.
I would keep Lady Jane around for a little while as well.
Romance and Relationships
In the movie they wanted us to care about Ruby and Liam falling for each other and to care later when she uses her ability to erase herself from his mind, but I didn’t care because I didn’t get the chance to care since it’s forced into my face without real reasons other than their teenagers and teenage love, I guess lol.
In the show, when Ruby joins them, there is a mysterious air about her which Liam would be interested in and she would be drawn to his good looks, passion and leadership skills lol but we would see them work together, survive together, get to know each other which would give the audience the chance to root for them and then later feel sad when she makes her decision at the end of the first season. It was also clear that Zu was pretty close to Liam and later they tried to make it like she was close with Ruby, but in the show,  we would see and believe that. She had an older sister which is why she would connect with Ruby, so we’d learn about what she lost and why she gets so attached.
Plus, I would spend an entire episode showcasing Chubs, Liam and Zu’s backgrounds and how they escaped their camp.
Later, when we officially meet Clancy Gray, he’s enigmatic and he’s the only other person who understands Ruby. It happens so fast in the movie that I’m shocked Ruby didn’t pick up on his weirdness quicker. I would have. In the show, we would have time to see this little utopia he made and how quickly the others get ingrained. Liam on the front lines, Zu with the other young kids and Chubs was not into it and I would like to see his distrust grow. As for Ruby, she and Clancy would spend a lot of time together learning her powers where his interest in her makes sense then just his weird looks. He got obsessed and if we got to see them spend a lot of time together, actually, then the audience would be like “Word”.
Action and Climax
The movie was very anticlimactic but the action was handled pretty well. I wish we got to see more of the abilities showcased since it’s such a big part of the story. I would definitely keep their eyes reflecting their abilities, that was cool. The chase scene was pretty dope so definitely have to keep that in the show. The fight at the end between Ruby and Clancy was kind of meh and I think it would have been much more. Not to mention, as I kind of ranted about in my review, Liam’s telekinetic ability should have been showcased way more, with different ways to use it other than to just move things. We saw him destroy a road and bring forth a ton of trees, but we didn’t really see him do anything like that again. He should have been able to create force fields, even if they weren’t large, or move people. We saw that it could happen but Liam never really did it. He should have been able to fly, I mean sheesh lol.
Not to mention, why weren’t any of the other kids fighting? Sure, some of them got under mind control but I would have been fighting if I had the abilities they had. Plus, the Greens with their high intelligence could have been doing more than just… talking lol.
Villains 
In the movie, we have three villains. Lady Jane, a bounty hunter who definitely has it out for Liam it seemed. The government. Clancy Grey. The league which was a little ambiguous. The first season could be heavily focused on the first book, which is cool, but I think it would be okay, to split the first book into a season and a half at least. Sooo, I wouldn’t introduce Clancy as a villain until the second season. His name would be around as it was in the movie since he was “cured” and his father was some big shot but the Slip Kid would be a mysterious figure until we meet him. So, Lady Jane would be the main villain as she was an awesome bounty hunter and I think the movie did nothing with her and she was interesting. She said she caught Liam before and now he had an even bigger price on his head, I would have let her catch them and keep them for at least an episode or two just to make it interesting.
The government has its part in the beginning and would remain a threat throughout since they’re looking for Ruby. Then you have the League, who we don’t know if we can trust as a looming threat with Cate and Rob. I think it would be interesting because you never know who might show up while our Runaways are just trying to make it to the Utopia.
Finale
Ideally the first season could end with the first book so the second book could be the second season. Being that this would be on Netflix there wouldn’t be a midseason finale, so the first season could end with Ruby being with the League and doing the whole hand paint thing or whatever. BUUUT if it’s 13 episodes, I would actually end the first season with the Runaways getting to the Utopia and feeling like they finally made it. So that way, the main villain of Clancy would be revealed in the second season. Perhaps after they escape Lady Jane, maybe the government is closing in and they give them the slip and at the skin of their teeth, they find the entrance to Utopia. They would think they have to fight since the Slip Kid’s sentries are standing watch but then they recognize Liam and they take them into the hideout and see all the kids and end the season with them being all like
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Play triumphant music and everything. It would be a nice ending for a shit show that will start in season two. I think it would be awesome.
In the End
If The Darkest Minds was a television show, I think it would have allowed for the story to be told the way it should be. As I said before, I’ll probably get a bit more insight once I read the trilogy but it’s very rare that I watch a movie based on a trilogy and think of how I would fix it without really knowing the full story. I had so many thoughts after this one that even without that extra knowledge, I believe it could be done.
I think it should have another chance, but as a Netflix Original. 
What do you think of this plan? Let me know your thoughts!
What other YA novels should have a television show? What YA movies should have been television shows?
Thanks for reading and be sure to like and follow this blog for more posts like this!

Movie Review: The Darkest Minds (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ 1 Comment
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Summary: Imprisoned by an adult world that now fears everyone under 18, a group of teens form a resistance group to fight back and reclaim control of their future.
Pros:
Pretty Good Acting. I like Amandla Stenberg. I don’t think there has ever been a movie that I didn’t like her in. The movie might not have been great, but I usually always enjoy her. I think she had an interesting character in this movie in that Ruby has some baggage and trauma that she deals with, not to mention being afraid of her abilities. It’s something we’ve seen before but it’s still interesting because we don’t know the extent her powers and nor does she. Amandla manages to show all of that. I do acknowledge that she makes some funny faces but that’s just her face lol and it doesn’t bother me, nor do I count it against her. Harris Dickinson as Liam was also pretty good, he’s a leader in their runaway group and it’s clear he really cares about those in his group. He’s very passionate and it shows. I also enjoyed Skylan Brooks as Chubs, and while she didn’t have any dialogue Miya Cech as Zu was also cute.
Character Skeletons. I didn’t want to go through each character and actor like I normally do because I don’t think the characters are that interesting overall, but we got some interesting character skeletons. Even with Ruby being the main character, she wasn’t fleshed out enough for me to care about her, BUT I thought there was enough setup for interesting characters. I liked that each one of our runaways had a different ability and that they viewed themselves like a family. The villain was also interesting, but he was so random that it didn’t work overall.
The Story. I haven’t read the book, so I am not going to be comparing this at all. I did read the first two or three chapters and it was interesting. The idea is that 98% of the children die in the US leaving the survivors with abilities. The government wants to cure them, so they put them into these camps. Their abilities are rated on a color scale from harmless to lethal.
Green- High Intelligence
Blue- Telekinesis
Yellow- Electrokinesis
Red- Unknown (I mean I know but it’s kind of cool to find out)
Orange- Mind Control etc.
That’s all cool and stuff and I would like to know just how they planned on curing these kids or if they would rather use them as weapons. Plus, there are three books so I’m sure they planned on making two more movies, which I would have been interested in watching but ya know it did terribly, so I doubt it. Anyways, the fact that Ruby managed to survive in the camps pretending to be a green was interesting and I would have liked to know just how she managed to survive for so long. Not to mention, when she met up with Liam, Chubs and Zu, they escaped from the camp they were in and were on the run, but what next at the end ya know? I thought there was the makings of a cool and immersive story.
Cons:
Dull and Boring. Ya’ll this movie is so dull. Nothing happens. I mean, stuff happens but nothing happens, and it was very anticlimactic. I really wanted the end to be more interesting than it was because you have all these kids with powers in one place and none of them thought to use their powers to help?? I mean, listen, if I had telekinesis (which is the power I always choose) then I would be fighting. Besides, I can’t imagine anyone not catching on to that “twist” at the end. Also the little dust thing where Ruby is like disappearing or whatever you always see… so disappointed in that lol. I get it but BOO. Disappointed.
Use of Abilities. A big missed opportunity was how the powers were used. I think it makes sense that Ruby’s powers were a bit of mystery because she didn’t really know how to use them herself so that’s fine. However, the others should have had some better use of their powers. For one, I feel like the Greens having high intelligence is just so passive in the world where the others aren’t. I felt like they should be able to control or connect with technology, be technopaths or something like that. We see Zu use her powers maybe three times and each time she had to touch wires or something, which is cool to give it limitations but is that it? Is that why she always had to wear the rubber gloves? As for the telekinesis which can also be called “Psychokinesis” is a powerful power which is why I was so shocked it was considered “less dangerous” considering how they can not only move things with their mind, they can move people, create force fields, I guess depending on the limitations of that power. Missed opportunity because Liam was already considered a powerful “blue”, but that power is powerful in general. I just wish we got to see more of the powers used overall in more than just the usual ways.
Unfocused. It was allllll over the place. Sure, it had a through line, the kids had somewhere they wanted to go and Ruby ultimately wanted to go home but being that it’s a dystopian ya film, it kind of has the same tropes that all the others have (The Hunger Games, Divergent, The 5th Wave), and they wanted us to be interested in so much that they didn’t flesh out the stuff that really mattered. Why didn’t we get the chance to really know just how close Liam, Chubs and Zu were? They told us they were, they said it, but other than the fact that they seemed stuck with each other, we didn’t really get to know them as a unit. Then there’s the stuff with Mandy Moore’s character and that was just here and there. THEN the stuff with Gwendolyn Christie who seemed like an interesting character but that was just brushed aside. It was all over the place ya’ll.
Romance Aspect. Listen, I don’t have a problem with romance in movies, but sometimes it’s hard to accept that people are falling in love while the world is ending, or their lives are in danger. I can’t say it’s unrealistic because ya know teenagers, but it’s so ridiculous sometimes. There’s a part where Zu insists Ruby put on this red dress, and she does, and she walks around in this fancy red dress… why? So random. She and Liam also clearly are going to be interested in each other, sure, but how long were they together? They don’t really know each other and they’re just like making decisions about each other and I’m like ‘but Ya’ll don’t know each other’ not to mention, something happens with another person at the end, and while I get it to an extent, YOU ALSO DON’T KNOW THIS GIRL!
So Many Questions. I was interested, and I think I’ll read the books now because I feel like the movie didn’t do the justice it probably deserved. We’ll see. But I had a lot of questions. For example, where did the disease come from? Why is it only kids that are affected? What happens to the survivors with the abilities once they are no longer kids? Will they maintain these powers or lose them? If that’s the case, why not allow them to live their lives (maybe keep a close eye on those Reds and Oranges) until they’re 18 or whatever? How did Ruby managed to stay hidden for so long? Did she just mind control people who got suspicious of her? Why didn’t the government conduct the “white noise” procedure often? They seemed to only do it a few times but if it was me, I would do it at the end of the year or every six months or so just in case someone slipped through defenses. Is the eletrokinesis only if they touched things that held a current, or could it be from the body directly? What about the telekinesis… since that’s kinetic energy, they should be able to do a lot more than what was continuously showcased. What about the Greens? They only have high intelligence? Why not use them instead of making them do stupid grunt work? ALSO, what happened to Lady Jane??? lol so many questions and the movie wasn’t doing a good job at answering any of them.
Overall, The Darkest Minds was a mess and I feel bad for it to be honest. I feel like there was some good stuff there but being in a movie format didn’t help the movie at all. Adding this one to the YA books that should have been a TV show. The acting overall is good, I don’t think anyone was bad and Amandla I think is always likable no matter what she does. The characters had an interesting base and I think the story is good but needed some flesh and extra life but unfortunately it was dull and boring. It was unfocused, focused way too much on the romance aspect when it should have focused more on the Runaways family aspect, their powers and Ruby’s internal struggles. There was also a ton of missed opportunities with their powers. Lastly, so many questions that weren’t the good kind. Listen, if it comes on TV check it out, but otherwise, I wouldn’t worry about it.
SIDE NOTE: That little girl they chose to play a young Ruby, not only looked NOTHING like Amandla, she was a completely different complexion. Sure, kids grow up and get a little darker or a little lighter, but I think that was a missed opportunity to cast a dark-skinned actress as Ruby. That was annoying.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen The Darkest Minds? If so, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear from those who have seen the movie and perhaps also read the book! No spoilers though!
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Movie Review: Samson (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ 1 Comment

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This will be a short review.
Summary: After losing the love of his life to a cruel Philistine prince, a young Hebrew with Supernatural strength defends his people, sacrificing everything to avenge his love, his people, and his God.
Pros:
The Story. This is based on the Bible story of Samson, the man with all the strength. You have this man who is destined for greatness but he’s not very good at destiny nor does he want to do what is expected of him. That’s interesting and regardless of if you believe the story is true or not, it’s still interesting. Plus, everyone comes for the Delilah part and that was interesting but I think they could have done more with that.
Gaining Strength. I liked that any time Samson had to use his strength, he would kneel and touch the ground and the ground would shake and you could see the rocks move. I thought that was really cool.
Cons:
Samson and Delilah. The biggest thing people come for is the relationship between these two. I always think of the old version with Hedy Lamarr and how they really played up the relationship but, in this film, they tried but it wasn’t interesting and I don’t believe that she cared for him at all. I didn’t think it was any kind of confusion for her like they tried to make it seem.
Annoying Characters. They’re all annoying and stupid. Samson has a brother who is super annoying, I get him and his reasons but he’s annoying. Samson is annoying, his people are annoying. The king and the prince are both annoying. The only person who isn’t really annoying was Delilah but she wasn’t in it enough for me to care about her. Also, Billy Zane and Jackson Rathbone were just hamming it up and seemed to have such fun but wow, so bad. lol
The Costumes. Listen, I try not to compare adaptations because they’re adaptations but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the version with Hedy Lamarr had such GREAT COSTUMES. I mean look at her peacock outfit! All of the clothes in this movie were bland and not to mention, the wigs were horrible and the beards they added to Samson and his brother were even worse in the end.
Overall, listen lol, this movie isn’t good. There were parts of it I enjoyed because it’s a story I enjoy but the movie isn’t good. The story is interesting and I liked the indication of how Samson’s strength would come about but that’s about it. I don’t think the film looked that great, it was very stylized when it should have looked authentic or at least provide an ambiance that would make me believe I am actually watching a movie from the Bible. Ya know? All of the characters are annoying, they have stupid arguments, and stupid reasonings and it was just stupid. I also don’t think the whole Samson and Delilah part was handled well because I did not believe they cared about each other, nor did I believe she felt any kind of remorse even though they tried to make it seem like she did. I laughed a few times through the movie because it was ridiculous.
Rating: 1.9 out of 5 stars.
Did you see this movie? Did you even know it existed? No? Lol don’t feel bad. I mean, if you see let me know your thoughts. I would be very interested to hear them.
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Movie Review: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ 1 Comment

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Summary: When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.
Pros:
The Acting. I don’t particularly care about these characters, at least not in the way I cared about Dr. Grant, Ian Malcolm, Ellie and the kids but I think the acting in the movie is good. Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt (who I think is just okay mostly) work just fine in the film and as they are the only characters who were in the first movie, it’s easy to try and latch on to them for the sake of the movie. Isabella Sermon was also pretty good.
Dinosaur CGI. From what I know the dinosaurs are a combination of animatronics and CGI and that’s cool. I thought they looked really cool and anytime they were moving, it was quite the sight. I don’t think it holds the same weight as it did with the original movie, but I think it looks good.
The Idea. Listen, I think the idea of “should we let the dinosaurs we created die by this natural cause or should we save them?” is pretty interesting and I can imagine a moral dilemma. But let’s be honest, most of them are murderous and if allowed anywhere near people would kill them all and ruin the economy. Okay, so while I am an animal lover, I want to save the Long Necks because ya know, Little Foot’s mom but the rest of them can go. I think that was an interesting premise which the movie touches on in the beginning and then a bit towards the end. The middle is something completely different which was annoying. I wish the movie just focused on that but whatever.
Cons:
Characters are DUMB. Sorry not sorry, but all of these characters are dumb. First of all, why did Franklin (Justice Smith) go with them if he’s terrified of dinosaurs? Why couldn’t they just find someone who wouldn’t be afraid who could also do his job? When the volcano erupts, I find it hilarious that Owen and Claire thought hiding behind that little glass hamster ball would keep them safe… it shouldn’t have. I mean… so dinosaurs have a sense that there are people hiding behind it so they avoid it while they are running for their lives? Yeah okay lol. Also, Maisie hiding in her bed while there is a GIANT MURDERING ANIMAL trying to eat your flesh… yeah hide in the bed under the magical Vibranium covers. She also climbed out of the window later, why didn’t she just do that instead of trying to pick her bedroom lock??? I mean… plus! The decision she makes later on, I mean… no matter what you feel, what YOU DID WAS DUMB! I cannot believe that Claire and Owen just turned their back which allowed her to think she could make a decision like that. NOPE. They’re all dumb. Don’t even get me started on Benjamin Lockwood.
No Danger.So, when I was a kid I was terrified of Jurassic Park and I didn’t really see it all the way through until I was an adult. When I did, I realized just how great it was but also how tension filled it is. This movie tries to have those moments, in fact, all of the Jurassic movies try to have a moment that is filled with tension. This one kind of have two that stand out in particular but they’re both dumb and cringey so I didn’t feel any of the tension they tried to put into those scenes.
The Middle. I guess more importantly the “second act” of the film with what happens back with the humans. I won’t get into it but it’s all stupid and completely unnecessary and I wish writers would come up with something different than “oh, these animals are going extinct and now we’re going to sell them to the highest bidders”, I mean do y’all really think y’all can handle these creatures? I mean for real? It may be interesting in other storylines but in this movie, it doesn’t work. I think it should have remained with the emotional and moral dilemma.
Overall, this movie is fine, I guess. The CGI is good on the dinosaurs and the acting is good for the most part, I think all of the main actors do their jobs and the idea behind the movie is fine. I don’t think it’s a very cohesive movie. It doesn’t have any charm that it tries to have, it doesn’t convey any tension nor do I feel like anyone is in any actual danger. The moments where it tries to be funny is not funny, like the part where Pratt is trying to will his body to move away from the lava… I mean, bruh you just got hit with a tranq that took down a velociraptor, there is no way you’re able to move. I just… no. The entire second half of the film was unnecessary; ALL of the characters are dumb and I think it’s unfortunate that a movie about dinosaurs is not interesting.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom? What are your thoughts on it? Do you think it’s better than the first one? Let me know your thoughts!
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Movie Review: Spider-Man: Into the Universe (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ 1 Comment

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Summary: Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his reality and crosses paths with his counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat to all reality.
Pros:
Cast and Characters. 
  • Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man. Miles is a regular teenager, he has artistic abilities, has an interesting relationship with his dad and goes to a school for really smart kids. He seems to be very popular in his neighborhood. He is half Puerto Rican and half African-American, lives with both of his parents in Brooklyn. We don’t really know how old he is, I would assume 14-16 and he acts like a teenager which I appreciate. Another Spider-Man who is the right age! He’s trying to figure out who he is and once he gets his powers, he feels this need to live up to Peter Parker who he got to meet before his death. He’s determined to do this throughout the movie, but he struggles with the fact that he doesn’t know how to become Spider-Man. We see a lot of growth from Miles throughout the film and I think Shameik Moore’s voice was a great blend of youthful innocence and a kid who is trying to figure out who he is. He was great! He’s funny and endearing and whenever he was being emotional, I was on his side!
  • Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man. At first, I was very much against this casting because I could not stand his voice. He sounded too much like a bum and I also did not like how he looked like a bum because Peter Parker IS NO BUM! But it turns out, not only is he from a different dimension but he has gone through a lot to where he is basically a bum lol. A disheveled version of Spider-Man. He becomes a mentor for Miles but not willingly. He doesn’t really want to teach him or really deal with him since he doesn’t really care for kids lol. He goes through a nice arc throughout the film as well. We’ve never seen this version of Peter before and while I was against it at first, it works for the movie.
  • Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman. She is spunky and “free-spirited” and pretty much super cool! We meet her a little early on but I’m sure most probably won’t know who she is until later but she’s dope! When she first shows up in her white outfit, first of all, she lands on her toes! Like pointe! I think it’s so cool! We learn about her background in ways and it’s clear she cares about Miles in that she’s also young and wants to help him, but she doesn’t think he’s ready. I think she believes in him but doesn’t think he’s ready to do what they need to do to win. She’s sassy and Hailee Steinfeld’s voice works well for the character. I would be interested in seeing her again.
  • Mahershala Ali as Aaron Davis. We see him for a little bit and he and Miles have a special relationship. One that Miles doesn’t really have with his dad and it’s nice. Miles feels like he can be himself with Aaron and Aaron tries to be someone that Miles can look up to. He even takes him somewhere where he can use some of his artistic abilities. Mahershala Ali’s voice is amazing, and I could listen to it all day, but he gives a lot of nuance to the character.
  • Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis-Morales. He is Miles’ father and a police officer. In the comics he is not a cop but it’s cool and it works for the movie. He’s funny and has great chemistry with his son (which is funny since it’s animated lol) and you understand him because he is a father and he just wants to protect his son. Do right by him and what not. There are also some great emotional moments as well. I don’t think I’ve seen Brian Tyree Henry in anything, but I thought he did well.
Supporting Characters. There are a lot of these but they all help propel the film forward and I’ll just give a little sentence or something.
  • Lily Tomlin as May Parker. In Miles’ universe she has a bit more of an active role in what’s going on. She helps when she can and is also sassy.
  • Luna Lauren Velez as Rio Morales. I wish we saw more of her but perhaps if they do a sequel we will. She loves her family and is bit more lenient with Miles as she thinks her husband can be a little too hard. I also love the fact that she often speaks Spanish which allows the viewers to see that Miles is biracial and that his mom’s side is important.
  • John Mulaney as Peter Porker / Spider-Ham. I thought it was Nathan Lane at first lol, but he is an animal version of Spider-Man from a cartoonish universe. He’s like a looney toon. He’s funny lol.
  • Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker. A young Japanese girl from an anime-like universe who co-pilots the biomechanical suit SP//dr with a radioactive spider. She’s super cute and has some laughs as well. There is also an emotional moment at the end and it was handled well.
  • Nicolas Cage as Spider-Noir. A dark and monochromatic version of Spider-Man from a 1930s universe. He was the one outside of the other Peter and Gwen I wanted to see the most because I find the idea of that kind of Spider-man so interesting. He was lol. Nic Cage’s voice fit with the character as he was clearly inspired by actors in classic film with the way he spoke. I actually would be interested in seeing a film about Spider-Noir.
  • The Villain. I don’t want to give up who he is, you see a quick glimpse of him in the trailer, but they kept it under wraps. We don’t see him a ton but when we do, he makes a lasting impression. I think they handle him well by keeping him scary but you also kind of understand his motivations.
Beautiful Animation. Ya’ll the animation in this movie is absolutely beautiful. The picture I chose at the top was one of my favorite screen grabs from the trailer so seeing it in the movie was even cooler. It was so dope. I wonder how the movie lends itself to 3D because it does seem like it would work well in 3D. The environment is well realized and while it’s animated, New York feels like a real city. We don’t see a ton of it, mostly Brooklyn and it’s very contained but you feel like you’re really in this world. The animation really brings you into the story. All the characters have their own look, even the two Peter Parkers we see without their masks look like different people. I thought that was important. I also love how we get a quick introduction for each of the Spider-people and we get to see them in their universe and the animation is different for each person as their universes aren’t the same as Miles’ or even Peter B.’s so it’s really cool. Such a beautiful movie.
Amazing Soundtrack. The soundtrack is also great. I think it fits what teens like Miles would listen to especially since our introduction to Miles is him singing a song. We also get introduced to that song again later and it was a great and humorous moment. When Miles goes to his Peter’s grave, the music playing over that scene was lovely. I would listen to this soundtrack with a nice mixture of the hip-hop, pop and the composed instrumentals.
Intriguing Storyline. So, I had an idea of what the movie would be about in terms of the other Spider-people because of the comics. In the comics, there are different worlds where different versions of the same people exist. There is a Peter Parker in Miles’ world but after a mission gone wrong, Miles decides he wants to help by using the powers he was given after being bit by a spider. He has most of the same abilities, so we get to see him try to learn how to master them and that’s a journey, which is fun and humorous. You also get to know the villain and why they’re doing what they’re trying to do and while you get it, you also dislike him. Miles is such a compelling main character that you care what happens to him, you want to see him succeed and you want him to reach the end of his journey in this movie victorious because it’s WHAT HE DESERVES!
Strong Message. One of the main messages in the film is “no matter who are you, anyone can be a hero (Spider-man)” or “what makes you different makes you a hero”. There is also family, friendship, understanding who you are… there are a few different nuggets in the film and Mary Jane says it best at Peter’s memorial. I think there is something for everyone in this movie.
Tense Moments. Ya’ll there are some moments when I was on the edge of my seat. Not literally since I was in a recliner and very comfortable, but I would have been otherwise. When Miles witnesses Peter’s death, he makes a noise and Kingpin sends The Prowler after him and that entire chase scene was so tense that I think I held my breath. Not to mention, the music for The Prowler was so scary! There’s another scene in an apartment with Miles and the Prowler. Then the main boss fight at the end, I was ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT!
Emotional. There are a few moments where I legit teared up. There is a great scene with Miles and his dad while Miles is in his room at the school, that was probably one of my favorite scenes. A scene with Miles and his uncle in an alleyway was also great, not to mention the scene on top of a house. There are just so many good things in this movie that it makes for a very solid movie going experience. I would not be surprised if you cried while watching this movie. They are earned moments as well.
It’s a COMIC BOOK. Listen, when I first saw the trailer, I was like wow, it looks like a comic book and it really does. The animation is beautiful and whenever they zoom in close on the characters, you can see the little dots like it’s straight from a comic book. Also, whenever Miles is thinking, they show thought bubbles! Also, when they would do certain action moments, like when Miles or any of the other spider people would jump off cars, they would do like a comic book like “wham” background thingy. You’ll know what I mean when you see it lol.
Great Action Scenes. Listen, the animation for the fights scenes were handled well. Whenever they were swinging through the air, it was like you were there. One of the first major fight scenes with Miles is in the woods and you can just feel the fear and determination from both sides.
Cons:
Ummm, I don’t have any lol.
Overall, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE THEN WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU? If you are a Spider-Man fan, then take yourself to see one of the best superhero movies I have ever seen. Obviously, people will think differently but this is such a great Spider-Man movie, a great superhero movie, that I am into them making more. Just when you think Sony isn’t doing their job with Spider-man, they but this one out. Perhaps they should only do animated versions because the people who worked on this film put their heart and soul into it and it shows. All the characters, all of them, are interesting and awesome to watch. The voice acting is done very well, Shameik Moore was a standout as Miles. He really manages to capture the essence of this teenage boy who is trying to find out his footing and he’s compelling. I want more movies just, so we can see them in their universes. The animation is beautiful and the little quirks they had for the characters, like how they looked different due to being from a different universe worked. The music is engaging and doesn’t feel out of place. It has so many great and tense moments, I jumped once or twice lol, and the emotional moments hit you hard. I think there are about 5 or 6 that I can remember distinctly being affected by. Just GAH this movie was so good. GO SEE IT.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse? No? What’s wrong with you? lol, no I’m kidding, not really, it’s a great movie lol. Let me know your thoughts down below!
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Movie Review: Adrift (2018)

~ Alyxwrites ~ Leave a comment
adrift
Summary: A true story of survival, as a young couple’s chance encounter leads them first to love, and then on the adventure of a lifetime as they face one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.
This is going to be a short review.
Pros:
Cast and Characters. There aren’t many characters in this film. We meet a few people, but we spend most of the movie with Tami and Richard so I’m only going to touch on them.
  • Shailene Woodley as Tami Oldham. Tami is a young woman who has traveled for a long time as she does not want to go back home. She arrives in Tahiti in 1983 and meets Richard and they hit it off quickly. The film goes back and forth between the present and the past, so in the present, Tami is on the boat after what a giant hurricane hit them. She is trying to save herself, while at the same time looking out for Richard as he was not on the boat. She finds him, and the present is basically her trying to live and keep Richard alive as well. In the past, we see their relationship blossom. I think Shailene Woodley is a great actress. Everything she does I think she does with passion (even when the writing for the characters become terrible *looking at you Allegiant*). I thought she did a really good job here because you like her, and you want her to survive. She manages to do a lot on her own and you really get to see her desperation but also the struggle when it comes to certain decisions. She is the highlight of the film.
  • Sam Claflin as Richard Sharp. He is a British sailor, he is taken with Tami and he invites her to dinner on his boat. Richard is a likable guy. He courts Tami and then he wants to take her sailing with him. It’s clear he loves her and even while he’s hurt after the hurricane, he supports her and tries to help her in any way he can even though he’s physically hurt. I like Sam Claflin and I think he does a good job in his role. It’s a bit smaller than Tami’s and we get to know her more than him but he does his job.
Location as a character. I think it’s cool when the character must brave the elements and survive against a character that’s so unpredictable as nature. As the ocean is one of the most powerful forces, it was cool to see how they used it as something for Tami to overcome but it was also used as a driving force for a lot of her desires, her fears. I think the ocean was a character that I think most people wouldn’t expect to be one.
Storytelling Element. I don’t particularly always care for the jump back and forth thing, not all movies do that well (*looking at you The 15:17 to Paris*) but I think this movie handles it well because we get to see the relationship between Richard and Tami form in the past so that we can root for them in the future. Their survival becomes important to you because of how it’s handled. I don’t think we see this epic romance or anything but their believable and seem like real people. There is an age gap, but I don’t think that’s a big deal because they don’t make it a big deal. When we’re in the future, you get a sense of the danger and desperation, but they have good moments as well. It works.
Good Twist. There is a twist that I saw coming and I think most people will see coming but it’s done well so it won’t be upsetting when you learn it. I mean, you’ll be upset because it’s a storytelling twist but I like what it does for the characters and the story.
Cons:
Gets Really Slow. I didn’t want to say “boring” or “too long” because I don’t really think that. I just think there are times where the movie slows down, and nothing is really happening. When those moments happen Shailene Woodley keeps you into it, at least she did for me, but the movie itself at those times got a little dull.
Overall, I think Adrift is a fine movie. I don’t think it’s anything special or the like as this is a story we’ve seen before. I saw an article that said it gave off this “YA-esque” feel and I can see that. But I don’t think it’s a negative as some might see it. I think the characters are good and the acting is well done. I like the storytelling element and I think the movie will keep you interesting but not engrossed, if you know what I mean. It gets a little slow in some areas, but the acting is good, and the characters are interesting enough you keep watching. If you like survival movies, or if you want to see something based on a true story with an interesting twist at the end, check this one out.
Rating: 3 out 5 stars.
Have you seen Adrift? What are your thoughts about it? Let me know in the comments below!
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