Harmony Moon

The Sun and The Star

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Having recently finished re-reads and first readings of all the Greek Pantheon side of Rick Riordan’s books I was beyond excited for this new story. Since Nico was introduced in ‘The Titan’s Curse’ I’ve had a soft spot for him. He’s been thrust into so much turmoil from such a young age…not to discredit any other character’s turmoil because let’s be honest, everyone in this series has TRAUMA. Anyways, I really enjoyed getting to see more into Nico’s mind throughout this story. There were so many things that while it hurt to read, were important to finally see written. Especially his insecurities in being in a relationship. We all know Solangelo is the epitome of an opposites attract couple, but I don’t always see these types of couples being fully explored. Rick and Mark did these two justice. Most importantly in the aspect that this relationship is the first gay relationship for Nico and Will, and there’s different experiences for them to learn from. Overall, I thought this book was very good. It allowed the fans to dive deeper into two beloved characters as they traversed the depths of not only Tarturus, but their own fears and insecurities.

Haunted Mansion

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Growing up I always loved the old Haunted Mansion movie with Eddie Murphy. It was always so fun to watch around Halloween with my family. When I got older and learned more about the ride that it was meant to be inspired from, I learned that not everyone had good feelings about the movie. This new movie, I think, would make any fan of the ride and those casual fans happy. Before seeing the movie I heard some people saying that they didn’t think there was any plot to this new adaptation. I’d have to disagree. In my opinion there was a very clear plot with a beginning, middle, and end where the characters grew along the way. While I admit that some scenes didn’t make sense or seem to influence the plot much, overall there was more progress than dead space. The cast were all lovable and did wonderful jobs bringing their character to life. Another thing I really enjoyed was all the effects and costumes used to bring all 999 haunts to life. Overall, I think this movie was very good and was a fun adaptation to the ride so many people around the world love.

Miraculous Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie

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As someone who has watched the show since it started airing, I can say there are things I loved and hated about this movie. The first thing I noticed was the animation and how smooth and aesthetic it looked. The show’s animation is alright for what it is, but has always reminded me of the old Bratz movies. The next thing I noticed was the songs…I did not realize there were going to be songs in this movie at all. While most of them were cheesy and didn’t necessarily add to the plot, in my opinion, I still found them enjoyable. Especially the song between Ladybug and Cat Noir. Now about the plot. Am I happy that the movie achieved what has taken about six seasons of the show to achieve? Yes and no. While seeing things resolved, like defeating Hawkmoth and an Adrien and Marinette reveal, were nice to see… I also think a lot was forgotten. The character development wasn’t fully what it could’ve been and a lot of things were left unanswered. Overall, I think this movie was average and made some Miraculous fans happy…even if not everyone enjoyed it. I liked it enough myself to watch it twice at least, and I’d watch it again for just a fun movie to chill to.

The Barbie Movie

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Since hearing about this movie I have been excited to watch it. Growing up, Barbie was my whole world. I loved making up stories and spending hours living them out with my dolls. I didn’t know what to expect plot wise, only going in with the idea that Barbie would have to enter our world. There was so much more though. Many different topics are discussed in this movie from fear, to life and how one should live it, and the big topic…feminism in a patriarchal world. I think the monologues America Ferrera’s character, Gloria, gave were some of the most insightful pieces of dialogue I have heard in a film in a long time. This movie had you feeling a whole range of emotions the whole time. In the beginning, you want to return to your childhood as we see BarbieLand unfold. In the middle comes a possible sense of discomfort and sadness seeing our society put in the spotlight and called out. In the end, there might still be a sense of sadness…but also some hope. A hope that maybe in life we don’t always have to fear the bad, but over time we can learn to embrace it and grow from it. Overall, I think this movie is a masterpiece. A truly beautiful dedication to Barbie and the women who grew up loving her.

Elemental

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This movie was one I was really looking forward to seeing! I’ve always loved Pixar films and Elemental is not any different. The concept wasn’t entirely new, playing off the ideas of natural elements and their unique characteristics. However, what I wasn’t expecting was the subtext in this film. The director of the film talked about how it was a story pulling from his own roots. He himself is the son of immigrants, and he is also half of an interracial relationship. This movie did a wonderful job of bringing the ideas of immigration, interracial dating and even micro-aggressions to a light that younger audiences could understand. Even with the deeper topics though, the movie still felt over-all lighthearted…excluding that one scene at the end when Wade and Ember are trapped… Ember and Wade were both likable in their own ways and seeing their growth was satisfying both as individuals and as a couple. Overall, I think this movie was a masterpiece with how it handled deep thoughts in an approachable manner.

The Little Mermaid Live Action

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Like most people lately when it comes to Disney’s live action remakes, I felt underwhelmed at first hearing this remake was being made. However, unlike so many trolls, I wasn’t upset about who was cast to play our Ariel. Halle Bailey did an amazing job bringing our favorite mermaid to life. Not only can she sing the classic tunes, but her portrayal brought forth new depth to a classic character that fit with this revival. In this rendition, Ariel is still herself, intrigued by the human world which she’s never seen…but there’s more. She wishes for freedom from the expectations that have been placed upon her. Which leads me to my next point on the added depth to Eric that mingles with Ariel’s. This movie brings us deeper into his mind, seeing the desires of a prince who also feels trapped by others’ expectations of him. Overall, I felt this movie was a great adaptation. The actors were all well chosen. The scenery and effects were gorgeous. All in all, I believe Disney finally did justice on a live action remake.

XO, Kitty

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I didn’t know what to expect going into XO, Kitty. All I knew was that I had enjoyed ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ and was a fan of K-Dramas. After watching it though, I must say it gave me all the ‘classic’ feelings. Giddiness when characters were having sweet and romantic interactions. Anxiety when the drama was growing. Happiness when things worked out how I hoped they would. The main character, Kitty, is someone we’ve already known from her sister’s story…but now it was her turn, and it was nice getting to see more into who Kitty is as an individual. Throughout the season we see her grow more into herself as she takes the leap to live abroad and learns new things about herself. The other characters also all had their own merits too. Dae being the sweetheart you can’t help to love. Gia being the back and forth character who sometimes you like and sometimes you hate..and of course…Minho, the sarcastic hottie who you also can’t help but to love. It’s hard to pick who I hope Kitty ends up with in this seemingly love-square, but however it goes, I think I’ll be satisfied. Overall, I’d rate this show as very good, and I’m excited to see what happens next. I can only hope that we witness more growth from Kitty, and can see more into the lives of the others as well on their journeys. 

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

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I was very excited for this movie! I’ve always loved the high fantasy world of DND and I have always wanted to get more involved with campaigns. Going into this movie I was admittingly, a little nervous that some things would not make sense. I’ve played a few campaigns, but none of them have been deep into the lore or very long. However, I don’t think you need a deep understanding and knowledge of all the games lore to enjoy this film. It does well at establishing the world and the different structures of races and classes. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the characters in this movie, especially Doric and Simon. Doric is what I believe is a tiefling druid, a combo I’ve always been intrigued by! I thought she was so cool being able to transform into all the different kinds of creatures in order to help along the journey. I also adored Simon from the get-go. My sweet little half-elf sorcerer. His growth throughout the movie was fun to see. Going from sorcerer who didn’t believe in himself to fully being able to comprehend and use his powers to their greatest ability. Edgin, Holga, Kira and Yendar also were all awesome in their own ways too! Overall, this movie was very good and I’d happily rewatch it again. I also hope there are more things to come with this series and characters.

Super Mario Bros.

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I didn’t know what to expect from this movie. I didn’t even have a deep desire to see it before going to it for work. However, I did end up enjoying this movie a lot. I’ve always loved the world of Mario, and played different games from when I was little. This movie kind of felt like a letter of gratitude and love to all ages of fans. There were many different easter eggs for die-hard fans, and all the recognizable characters that people love. The story was a bit of a stereotypical hero’s journey, but that’s exactly what Mario is, ‘Nintendo Twists’ and all. I liked how it tried to set-up the origin of the Mario Lore and how two plumbing brothers got to a magical land full of talking mushrooms and turtles. The action was fun, the scenes were full of color and really brought the viewers into the quirky world of Nintendo. I hope there are more movies to come that will grow the lore even more…especially with that Yoshi egg cracking after the credits. Overall, this movie was very good and I truly enjoyed it!

Kuroko’s Basketball

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I had wanted to watch this show for years. When I first started watching sports anime with Haikyuu!, I kept hearing about Kuroko’s Basketball. Finally watching it, I see why people compare the two. Both shows make you truly like all the players, even the ones on the opposing teams. I don’t mean to keep bringing up Haikyuu!, but for me, Haikyuu! Is truly an epitome of sports anime…and Kuroko…while good, also left much to be desired. This is entirely my opinion of course, and it is a good show on its own merit. But having watched Haikyuu! First, I felt less impressed by Kuroko’s Basketball. A lot of this show focused on our main character’s past teammates from the generation of miracles, and not a whole lot on his current teammates. I understand that the generation of miracles are all important characters to the show’s plot, but I’d have liked to learn more about Seirin’s current team. Another thing I wish was a bit different is that I don’t think Seirin had enough downfalls. They were already a good team before Kuroko and Kagami joined. So it doesn’t feel like their talents have as big an impact. Overall, Kuroko’s Basketball is a fine show, but I don’t know if I’d rewatch it again.