‘Hannibal’ was a TV drama series that aired on NBC. The show was about Hannibal Lecter, a cannibalistic psychiatrist, and the FBI criminal profiler Will Graham. The show explored their relationship, and was highly praised by critics for its visuals and good characters.
Unfortunately, not many people watched the show while it was airing. Despite being loved by critics, the show was cancelled after its third season due to low viewership, and was only on for a little over two years.
The show was well liked by the people that did watch it, and it gained a pretty loyal fanbase (labeled Fannibals). Many fans enjoyed the way the show represented Hannibal and Will’s relationship with each other. Throughout the series, Will becomes more and more involved with Hannibal, which brings out the violent side of him that he tries to push down. The two become co-dependent, and their relationship has romantic undertones.
The season three finale ended with Hannibal and Will Graham defeating the serial killer they had been trying to catch for the past few episodes. They hug and Will throws them off a cliff together. It can be seen as a definitive ending, with them dying together after their fall. However, there is also a possibility they survived, especially since the people working on the show wanted to create more seasons.
‘Hannibal’ appeared on Netflix in the beginning of June, giving hope to the fans that they would pick it up for a fourth season. Netflix has picked up cancelled shows before such as ‘Lucifer’ and ‘Arrested Development’. There’s a good chance it will be picked up, as the entire cast and the creator would be happy with filming a season 4, and given Netflix’s history with cancelled shows.
The cast also had a reunion about two months ago. Nothing is confirmed, but there’s a lot of hope in the air for a fourth season of ‘Hannibal’.
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ was a revolutionary movie for the world of film, as it may have changed the award system forever.
The release of ‘Parasite’ in 2019 was met with immediate fanfare, as many critics claimed it was the best of the year. Once ‘Parasite’ hit Western consumers, the general consensus of the public aligned with that of the critics, for once.
In Korea, prior to ‘Parasite’ being internationally released, the film was a blockbuster which grossed around 70 million dollars, making it one of the most successful films in Korean history. Internationally (including Korea), ‘Parasite’ grossed 211 million dollars, but in America & Canada it grossed only around 50 million.
‘Parasite’ was an instant hit, however many still didn’t see it despite rave reviews. So, for those who didn’t see it, was ‘Parasite’ really the Best Picture?
The likelihood of ‘Parasite’ winning, or even getting nominated, for Best Picture was low from the start. The Oscars’ track record of best picture nominations hasn’t been the best, as ‘Parasite’ was the first foreign language film to ever win Best Picture. So, despite the sheer quality of ‘Parasite’ being so high, the belief in the film getting any recognition was low. Fortunately, for the movie-going audience, the Oscars didn’t mess up for once.
‘Parasite’ was nominated, which was enough for some who had become cynics towards the seemingly inept Oscars Academy. Yet, to many’s surprise, ‘Parasite’ actually won. If ‘Parasite’ seemingly deserved the Best Picture win so much, what was it about?
‘Parasite’ follows the Kim family, who are a lower class family struggling to survive. The son of the family, Ki-woo, manages to get a job as the tutor to the daughter of the Park family, an extremely rich family, and he eventually manages to get all of the other workers fired and replaced by his family. This leads to a meteoric rise in wealth for the Kim family. However, the fired employees are not all out of the Kims’ lives, leading to a karma-filled struggle to keep their lies and their new life from unraveling.
The story on it’s own is compelling enough, but Bong Joon-ho brings out the best of his performers and their acting transforms the film to another level. Not to mention the constant messages layered into the dialog, cinematography, and nearly every detail of the film. Without a doubt, ‘Parasite’ is a once-in-a-lifetime film which undoubtedly deserved the award for Best Picture.
There has been a controversy over Disney’s ‘Mulan’ and now Disney is losing millions.
The controversy started a while back when the actress, Liu Yifei, came out in support for the CCP during the Hong Kong protest. It was also found that she was the daughter of a member of the CCP government.
To know why what I previously said, and what I’m going to say, is offensive to many people, you must know what the CCP really is.
The CCP took control of China in 1949 and installed a brutal authoritarian/communist government. This government killed over 100 million Chinese during its reign. They suppressed religion, destroyed human individuality, free speech, ability to give birth, ability to feed yourself, and many other atrocities. The Communist era of China has been horrible for its people.
Now, the Chinese government is capitalistic, but it’s still just as authoritarian. Many Chinese people don’t starve the way they used to, but they’re still just as oppressed.
During the communist era of the CCP there was a forced cultural revolution. Now, the present day CCP is trying to finish the Cultural Revolution in China. They are going to the edges of China and oppressing/depopulating the minority groups whose cultures survived the original Cultural Revolution.
This is happening with the Chinese Uighur. They are being raped, sterilized, killed, and tortured. Their religion is being stripped from them, and they are forced to do things they consider blasphemy. They are forced into giant camps to “re-educate” them (making them abandon who they are and become the perfect Han Chinese).
Now, let’s get back to the story.
In the credits of the movie, they thank propaganda departments in Xinjiang and the Public Security Bureau of Turpan, a Uighur-majority city in the region. This is the same department that claims that nothing is happening to the Uighurs, and it was all made up.
Not only that, but Disney filmed the movie literally a couple miles away from these camps. This sparked outrage in the West.
People are getting tired of major corporations doing anything for a spot in China. There are large portions of the country that are starting to believe these American companies are more Chinese than American at this point. Western values and businesses are all under CCP control in the eyes of many.
People are saying how can these companies “support” social justice causes here in America, but then grovel at the feet of one of the most oppressive and cruel governments of our time.
Now, I’ll leave you with this question. Should we sacrifice our Western values and art just to have access to the Chinese market?
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a 2005 animated series that’s made in the style of an anime. It features a kid named Aang, who is the Avatar of his world. The Avatar can bend all four elements (fire, water, earth, and air), and is destined to face the Fire Lord to end the war between nations.
First, let’s get one thing straight: this is not a kid’s show.
The characters in Avatar are probably my favorite part of the show. Each one is unique, and the cast of characters they meet throughout the show is so diverse there is someone you can find yourself in.
The world is also amazing. Everyone is split into four tribes, either: water, fire, earth, or air. Each tribe can bend that particular element, so water tribe people can make water float and splash out in their opponents faces.
Some things I don’t like about the show is its pacing. Season 1 is pretty slow and has a number of filler episodes as they travel north. However, the show is written well enough so that it doesn’t get boring. In fact, many of the characters in these filler episodes come back later in the show, so I wouldn’t recommend skipping any of them on a first viewing. This problem is pretty much just in season 1; once you get into season 2, it starts to get really good.
As Netflix releases new shows and movies to watch regularly, one that has gained lots of attention since its release in April is Outer Banks. If you haven’t already watched it, or don’t really know if you should, this article will go into what it’s about and my personal review of the show along with its possible renewal for season two.
Outer Banks is a ten episode show released to Netflix on April 15, 2020. The show is based around four sixteen-year-olds that live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
John B, who is the protagonist among them, is looking for his father, who went missing nine months ago, and embarks on a whole new challenge of finding $400 million worth of missing gold. In this, he faces challenges with the rules of the island and the major separation between two different types of people, the rich group known as the “kooks” and the working class known as the “pogues.”
It mainly fits under the genres: action, drama, adventure, mystery, and I’d say a little comedy to lighten the mood.
This show has many aspects that contribute to my overall review. Production, storyline, characters, and overall execution are some of the main factors that make this show what it is.
Firstly, the production of the show is probably one of my favorite aspects of the entire series. After looking into the production and how they filmed it, almost all of the scenes that have natural elements were actually filmed outside utilizing the natural beauty of sunsets and the bodies of water in Charleston, South Carolina. This is really a game changer for the show and has been recognized by many people for the summer vibe that it gives off, something that would not have been captured if the scenes were filmed in front of a green screen and reliant on heavily edited clips. Of course, this made it harder for producers to have to consider the weather and conditions, but it paid off in the end.
What the whole show is based around, the storyline, was also very important for the show to be successful and get a bigger audience. As it turned out, the somewhat questionable plot had a lot of good points that may be unrealistic to expect in your own life but seemed to suit the imaginary lifestyle created in the show. It was also a fresh path that lots of shows may be hesitant to cover because it could easily turn out childish when involving a hunt for lost treasure, but this was not the case for this series. Because the plot was rather broad, it left lots of room for creative twists in this season and plenty more for a possible next season.
An aspect probably just as important as the actual storyline itself is the characters and actors that are involved with the show. Personally, I believe that the group of people they choose for all the different roles were pretty much perfect. All the actors seem to have no problem performing their designated role, which comes as a shock to some of the parts that may be harder to sell. The development of the characters is also something to note. Just after a couple of episodes, opinions of certain characters can shift and change very easily which leaves lots of questions at the end of the first season.
Lastly, the overall execution of the show. You can definitely tell that this has been thought out and put together very well by the producers, actors, cameramen, and editors. There are lots of details that make a big difference in the show, but one being all the thought put into it. In addition to that, this show was no do-it-yourself series filmed in someone’s backyard, as it seems they spared no expense to produce it with $50 million dollars invested only in season one.
Another positive thing about the show was some of the work done before it. In an article, it was said that the producers considered filming in Wilmington, North Carolina but chose not to after learning of the anti-LGBTQ bill that required people in the state to only use the public restroom that was consistent with their birth certificate. In disagreement with this bill, they decided to shoot outside of North Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.
A couple of things I would say I disagree with includes its rating and description on the Netflix streaming service.
Firstly, I don’t think this show should be rated TV-MA because it never gets to be overly inappropriate or graphic. Besides some occasional swearing or kissing scenes, it never really escalates past that. Despite the mature language and actions within the show that are used for effect, this show’s rating should at least be TV-14.
Secondly, I would not recommend deciding to watch the show based on the description Netflix provides. Personally, I don’t believe it does it justice and I think that you should determine if the show is for you based on a review or just watching it.
So, the question is, would I recommend that you watch this show? Although I have lots of positive thoughts about it, I don’t think this is for everyone, as no show really is. If you like the idea of almost hour long episodes involving a good deal of action, mystery, and some romance then this show would be a good option for you. In the end, I would say that if you have any interest in watching it, just go for it and if it is not your cup of tea you don’t have to finish it, even though the ending has some of the best parts.
And for those of you who have already watched it, will there be a season two? As of now, there is no definite answer. Even though Netflix usually lets us know about a show renewing for another season about a month after it’s premiere, they have yet to make the call about Outer Banks. Even though it may be concerning to know there is no for sure answer, there is room to assume this beloved show will be back.
The fact that the show was successful would be one major reason they would renew it. Also, the producers of the show, Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke have said to multiple different sources that they planned for Outer Banks to be a four, or even five season show, which makes lots of sense after the season finale cliffhanger that left lots of questions unanswered. Not only that, but Netflix had told them to work on scripts before season one was even released, giving them a few months now. In addition to that, Chase Stokes, the actor of John B., posted a picture to his Instagram of his character’s signature button-up shirt and bandana around his neck with the caption saying “JB’s back.”
So, as we not-so-patiently wait for some clarification, remember that Netflix also may be holding off to confirm a season two to keep the audience interested. If they release a statement that they will be back for a season two when production is on its way, and they are closer to being able to release it, the second season will likely get more attention when it does release and more of the audience will still be around.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought a lot of changes to daily life and how things are going. Stores started closing early and only letting a certain number of people into the store, some business closed entirely, and many people have started to work from home.
Production on lots of movies and TV shows has been halted due to it including large groups of people and it being hard to adhere to the safety guidelines: like staying six feet apart. Movie theaters have also closed.
Due to the theaters closing, many film studios have opted to release their movies instead on a streaming service to be able to rent. Movies typically cost twenty dollars to watch this way.
This has proved to be beneficial for the movie companies too, as Trolls: World Tour made way more money than its projected profit.
Companies seem to be comfortable offering their movies this way, as at home theater rentals seem to become more and more common.
Not every movie can benefit from the pandemic. Many have had to halt production and change their release date. This can cause a shift in a company’s schedule for years. This can be seen with Marvel. They had every movie planned out for many years, so even having to push back one release date can affect all their movies. This can result in a major profit loss.
Movies like Mulan, Wonder Woman 1984, and Venom 2 have been pushed back months for their release. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is nearing it’s tenth anniversary and was going to be rereleased in theaters, but now it’s going to have wait.
The pandemic has caused many things in our daily life to change. One thing is for sure though, movies will always be around and many studios are willing to adapt to change to put out their movies for viewing. Although production has halted on some projects, they will still be released.
Community is a 2009 sitcom available on Netflix that centers around a group of college students in a study group in community college. It’s quite funny, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to laugh.
Community starts out as cliche as it gets. You have predictable character arcs, like the handsome jerk, the rebel, and the cooky old man, but through time, their character development becomes unique and interesting to watch. The quote on quote “handsome jerk,” a character called Jeff Winger, is a former lawyer who doesn’t care about anyone, but over the course of the show he slowly comes to care for the people around him.
This show was created by Dan Harmon, so naturally it is pretty wacky. Nothing is off the table for the students at Greendale Community College. Weird events happen all the time, and on multiple occasions the main characters play paintball on school grounds. There’s even a side plot about Troy Barnes, one of the main characters, deciding if he should attend the evil air conditioning repair school, which goes on and off for multiple seasons.
I think my favorite character would have to be Abed, whose dream is to make movies, and who spends all of his time making movie references and being weird. One of the running jokes of the series is how Abed pretends his entire life is a movie, so he does all sorts of fourth wall breaking and calls out setups for cliches.
However, this show is not without its flaws. It’s supposed to last four seasons because that’s how many years it takes to complete college, but for some reason it returns for two more simply because the writers thought it should be longer. They do this by making Jeff a law teacher after his lawyer business failed, which makes enough sense, but the last two seasons are a severe drop in quality. Trust me, if you want to watch this series, you are not missing anything if you just don’t watch the final two seasons. They are really not worth it.
Ever since Endgame many Marvel fans have wondered what’s in store for Marvel. Lucky for us, Disney has provided us with a loose timeline for phase four.
In 2019, Disney released Disney+, a streaming service for all things Disney, National Geographic, Star Wars, Pixar, and of course Marvel.
During that time, Disney has released their plans for multiple Marvel TV series that will come out in the next three years. This will include:
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, a mini-series bringing back Captain America: Civil War villain, Helmut Zemo. This will be released in fall 2020.
A Loki mini-series, which will pick up after the events of Endgame, coming out in 2021.
Scarlet Witch will also be getting a show called WandaVision where Wanda and Vision live in a typical classic sitcom where everything is not what it seems. This will be released sometime in 2020.
Next title is, Marvels What If… a show about the alternate universe of the MCU; coming in summer 2021.
Other titles with dates not conferenced are Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight.
On the movie side of Marvel, they have released many tiles of movies coming out in Phase Four.
To start is, Black Widow, a movie about Natasha Romanoff confronting her history of being a spy and working to fix broken relationships she left in the past. This will be released November 6, 2020, or a different date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Next year we will be seeing Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, our first leading Asian superhero in the MCU. This will be released May 7, 2021.
We will also see The Eternals, a new group of Marvel superheroes following the events of Avengers Endgame. It follows a secret race of aliens that have to step out of the shadows and defeat their enemies “The Deviants.” This will be released February 12, 2020.
In 2022, Thor Love and Thunder is scheduled. Few details have been released, but we know it will come out February 12th of that year. The second movie coming out in 2022 will be Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. Again not many details about the movie itself, but it will be coming out on March 25.
In 2019, the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile came out about the famous serial killer from the 1970s, Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy was famous for killing young women he either seduced or lured in by playing inured. He was later convicted for several things which led to the death penalty.
The film uses real life quotes and basically re-enacts Bundy’s whole life starting from when he gets caught the very first time for running a stop sign, twice. Obviously, there are details that can’t be thrown into the film, but it holds a lot of facts that were caught on camera.
Things like Bundy’s personal thoughts, his plans, and even his feelings were all put into the film. After my own personal research, I found that Bundy’s friends, attorneys, and prosecutors released recordings of Bundy explaining how and why he did things. They also released information about personal meetings they had with him that unfortunately couldn’t be recorded. The film captures these emotions well and it sometimes even feels like it’s truly Ted Bundy himself.
Something that interested me was during Bundy’s trials, women were stacked in the audience watching. They were scared, yet found an attraction to him. Every one of them watched his trials knowing he attacked only women, especially young women, yet they still went hoping to catch his attention.
Bundy’s attorney even noted that some women would even sneak her some notes and ask her to give them to Bundy. Bundy’s attorney wasn’t in the film but they put in the interviews of women that explained how they felt about Bundy.
I personally enjoyed this movie even though there were some unsightly images, but it added to the realism of the film. I recommend this film to people who like thriller and mystery films. It was accurate and interesting, and really showcased Ted Bundy’s trials.
There is no question that we are in unprecedented times. With the coronavirus taking the world by storm, who would have thought that reunions of our favorite TV shows and movies would be keeping us busy.
There is no question that the majority of the population has been spending a lot of time at home. Luckly, for most, streaming our favorite shows and movies has been keeping us relatively busy.
Not only do we get to spend our days binge-watching all sorts of entertainment, but we also get to watch reunions of our favorite shows. Virtual reunions have brought together our favorite casts. All the way from Scandal, to The Office, to Austin & Ally, a variety of shows have reunited during these difficult times. Disney channel favorites, 90s dramas, classic comedies, and even recent shows (like Tiger King and Too Hot To Handle) all are reuniting virtually for fans.
As of April 30, TV Line reported that there have been more than 20 virtual cast reunions.
Here are just a few of the reunions so far…
Chuck, 90210, Desperate Housewives, Difficult People, Entourage, Frasier, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Friday Night Lights, Glee, Grimm, Hannah Montana, Jessie, The Last Man on Earth, Melrose Place, The Nanny, The Office, Outsourced, Parks and Recreation, Scandal, SCTV, Sonny with a Chance/So Random, Taxi, Twin Peaks, and Victorious.
So, why reunite now? And what are they doing to help?
Many shows are reuniting now because they have the time on their hands. Sometimes with a popular show, it is hard to get the whole cast together due to busy schedules. Now, people have the free time to connect again.
Another reason shows are reuniting is because of a rise in popularity. With more free time, old shows are gaining a newfound popularity. This encourages a cast reunion that maybe wouldn’t have been wanted before.
As for what the reunions are doing to help people, the Parks and Recreation reunion is a great example of what reunions should be doing. During the Parks and Recreation reunion on April 30, they encouraged viewers to donate money to Feeding America. They dedicated the entire reunion to Feeding America as well.
Although not every reunion is dedicated to charity, all of them have been spreading well needed positivity. Reunions are also putting smiles on people’s faces and encouraging them to stay positive.
These reunions are a great reminder that one day, our world will be back to normal.
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