Star Trek Prodigy - Season Two

I am in awe of this show. A rag tag bunch of misfits giving us all the story and power of Star Trek. A show supposedly for kids but it made this adult cry, laugh and feel hopeful for a better future. 

Again the last 2 episodes of the season, just like season 1, are all that Star Trek is about. 

I hope there is a season 3 but if it has to end it certainly went out on top. Although I don't think I am actually ready to say goodbye to my new favorite family: Dal, Gwyn, Rok, Zero, Murf, Maj'El and Jankom.

It was a joy to hear some familiar voices on the show and see them in all their animated glory :) We tried not to look things up on IMDB or read the cast credits so we could be surprised when certain people showed up. It was also the reason for us binging the show as best as we could before SDCC. We didn't want to be spoiled but ... in the end we were spoiled with riches ... due to an amazing show and story ;)

I will most definitely be watching the show again and if you haven't found it yet or started it, I highly recommend you rectify that. I don't believe you will be let down at all. Go along for the ride and enjoy the rag tag family of misfits in all their Star Trek glory.

4 paws and a Murf ;)

Dead Boy Detectives - Netflix

I’m going to start with the paw rating for this one

4 paws and a tail for one cat and

4 paws and a tail for another cat

One for each dead boy detective

This show is spectacular. 

I was sad when we found out that the actors from Doom Patrol were not cast in this Netflix show but, no offense to those actors at all, but … this crew is phenomenal. I am 100% in love with all of them. They are a wonderful family of misfits and I want to be adopted by them so much!

I absolutely adore the relationship between Charles and Edwin and then how Crystal and Niko fit in along with Jenny. Simply superb relationships and the most intense love between people. 

The show is quite violent and even gory at times but it can’t distract me from the incredible personal stories and the incredible relationships between the main group of characters. 

Here’s hoping for a season two. 

Locke and Key - Netflix

 

I have had this on our list probably since the first season (2020). I only know the title and that it was a popular comic book series. We finally started it the other week and we flew threw the 3 seasons as fast as we could. What an incredibly unique story and show.

I adored Jackson Robert Scott as Bode, he was perfection and we already came in to the show with a love for Connor Jessup (Tyler) from seeing him in Falling Skies and even getting to meet him at SDCC during a signing. But the definite showstopper was Emilia Jones as Kinsey. Holy Moly did that girl have a lot to do and she was spectacular. I LOVED how the 3 siblings stuck together and the love between them was easily felt. 

Darby Stanchfield as the mom Nina was incredible. She had quite the roller coaster of story line and she played it beautifully and realistically. 

We were also pleased to see Aaron Ashmore as Duncan. The Ashmore brothers are two of our favorite actors and I would say we have always loved the shows we have seen them in throughout the years. This was no exception and it may even be one of our most favorite roles yet.

Petrice Jones as Scot was a joy. His voice and accent were just wonderful and he was an excellent anchor for many parts of the story. Coby Bird as Rufus was also just a lovely character and portrayed so well by Coby. 

As I scroll through IMDB to get the correct actor names, I realize I could write something great about each actor/character. This was a well rounded show for acting and story telling. I had a friend say they just couldn't get into the 2nd season but I can't see how. We LOVED the second season. We just rolled through it all in one day.

I definitely don't see any loss of interest or story by having not read the source material... and neither has Brainwise (shocking that we have a second show that Brainwise didn't know). Of course that almost makes it more fun to watch because he has to guess too as we go along.

I will state that season 3 is not 100% the same as the first two seasons and now after reading the differences between the show and the comics, we know why. It doesn't mean it is bad by any means, it is just different and there is a reason. I don't like to give anything away if possible, so I will not say any more :)

I just love how unique this show is and how great the actors portray their characters. I would actually watch this whole series again and as you know this is usually my meter on how good something is. 

4 paws

Old Guard - Netflix

 

I had no idea what this movie was about, of course it’s been about 3 years since this was released. I didn’t even remember it was based on a comic book until Brainwise started saying how different scenes looked like the book. 

The number one thing I will say about this movie is that it is ULTRA violent. I mean ULTRA violent. There was quite a lot that I didn’t watch because it was just too much. 

Charlize Theron looked incredible and was superb in this role. The story was very interesting and we found out that a second movie may be coming. I look forward to the story but maybe not the violence. 

Again it was good to see a female main character and a bad a$$ one at that. Kiki Layne was awesome and also very bad a$$ too. I also adored the scene between two of the male characters expressing their love for each other while in quite a bind with the bad guys. 

Such a very different story and incredibly interesting.

3 paws

Arcane - Netflix series

We came to see Toks Olagundoye as Mel and we were treated to one of the most incredible shows all around. Seriously, I have nothing negative to say … except I want more. And luckily, while we watched season one, we found out season two is coming this year. 

I have zero knowledge about the League of Legends game this is based on but I had no issue following along and easily being in the story. In fact, I was so into the story that when we had to stop watching the first night I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened and what was to come. I was impatiently waiting to get back to the series. 

One of the main things I loved about the series was the music. Both the score and the soundtrack were other characters in the episodes and were integral to the storytelling. 

The animation is like nothing I’ve seen before but then I don’t play any video games. But then I also don’t know if the animation in this series is the same as the game either. 

I think the voice actors for the characters were perfectly matched and I adored Toks as Mel. Her character was so layered and grew during the season, it was a joy to watch and listen. 

4 paws and a tail

Christmas Movies 2023 Part 1

Dashing Through The Snow - Disney +

Ludacris in a Christmas movie?? Yes, please. He is a joy in this role. I absolutely loved everything about what he brought to this role. He was a great Dad, wonderful social worker, and hilarious all around.

Madison Skye Validum, as the daughter Charlotte, was splendid and radiant. She just oozed happy and I would love to spend a day with her just to feel her joyous personality. She is an excellent actress too and brought everything needed to make her role believable and enjoyable.

Lil Red Howery was the incredible Nick, whose wardrobe was incredible. He was perfection in this role and think he got completely lost in the role as I had a hard time deciphering/rectifying who he was under the gorgeous robe.

I highly recommend this joyful movie that helps us all believe just little more in the goodness of this world and the magic we can find if we just look.

3 paws

Family Switch - Netflix

Jennifer Gardner and Ed Helms were hilarious and perfect in this movie. Emma Myers and Brady Noon were wonderful as their children in this movie. Except for one too over the top scene (and many might say there is more than just one), I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

Light and heavy all at once. A clever switcheroo that seriously looked so much fun to film. I can't imagine how much laughing there must have been on the set.

And even though you can figure the story out, it doesn't detract from the fun and the laughter that will be found during the movie. There is also an excellent rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Town!!

3 paws

Merry Little Batman - Amazon Prime

Cute, funny, clever, fun and perfect for any DC or Batman fan.

I especially loved the change in animation for part of the story. It was perfect for conveying what was happening and definitely made me watch even more intently. 

There are a few scenes that could have been shorter but overall it was a fun and very different Christmas show. 

2 paws

Lost in Space - Netflix Series

 

Brainwise remembered way more of the original than I did for this series. Who is surprised? 

So he caught some inside things but it didn't really seem to matter if you knew the original or not. I thought it was pretty good. I liked the actors and the characters they portrayed. But my favorite character might have been the non-human... and no I don't mean the Robot :) I loved Debbie. To find out who that character is, you will just have to watch ;)

I liked the way they created the family and all the twists that happened to bring things together. You do have suspend belief quite a few times but really when don't you have to when dealing with outer space stories. I only got really annoyed once with the jump in the story or how quickly things worked out but I just read where the story runner passed away recently, so I wonder if they were trying to make sure he saw the story thru to the end and if that is the case, I am good with it all.

I liked that the outcome of the saga was simple and actually easy. Sometimes life does work out in the simplest manners but we choose to not see it. I appreciate that the children were all brilliant in their own ways. I also loved that everyone had a chance to be the person in shining armor, even the Robot (although he was literally I guess, lol).

I was probably pretty skeptical at the start of our binge watching but I ended up asking when we were going to watch the episodes in the 3rd season. I really wanted to see what was going to happen next and how it would all conclude. If you enjoyed the original or the movie that was made, I would guess you would like this iteration also. 

3 paws

Fubar

 

Arnold ... is perfection in this role. But then he should be. It is pretty much all his past characters in one. This show is so clever in so many ways. I loved how they utilized all his previous movies and characters but made it feel like it was all new for this show. If you never saw a previous Arnold movie, you would still like this but it is waaaaay more fun when you have a history with him :)

Each character was perfectly cast and I loved how each character "related". There will be a second season and I am curious to see if some of the things I thought were going to play out in the first season will come to pass. 

I did originally think this was a movie so imagine my surprise when I found it was a series. I am very happy it was a series as they got to build on so much and make the story so much more intense and interesting. 

I think the best part was trying to not figure out what was going on and I just let each episode take me on a ride. A wonderfully crazy and fun ride.

4 paws

The Umbrella Academy- Seasons 1, 2 and 3

Another series that I absolutely LOVE!! 

And again a comic book series I know nothing about at all and it didn't hinder me from loving this 1000%!

I adored the cast, the story, the MUSIC, the special effects, the everything!  

Brainwise filled me with the limited information he had but many times if we had just waited a little longer, the story told me what I was wondering about. 

I am in awe of Aidan Gallagher who plays Five. His range was incredible. He had to do so much and it seemed to come so easily to him. I am very curious what he did to learn how to play old so well. Completely in awe of him.

Elliot Page as Vanya/Viktor was incredible. I love that his real life story was told through this series. So moving and an integral part of the story. The violin music used during the first season was so touching and moving. I saw that the episode titled The White Violin was up for quite a few awards and I can see (and hear) why.

Pogo! Oh my goodness Pogo. Whoever was responsible for his creation for the TV screen, they deserve all the awards and all the money. I wanted to hug Pogo so much. He was just incredible and at no time could I tell that he wasn't real. Simply incredible.

Justin H. Min as Ben broke my heart and Robert Sheehan as Klaus was perfection. Klaus was outrageous and I love him. David Castaneda as Diego and Ritu Arya as Lila were a lesson in love and conquering all things. Jordan Claire Robbins as Grace had an incredible arc and was integral to so many parts of the story. 

Tom Hopper as Luther and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison were the most "normal" of all the cast and I would love to be their friends. Lastly, Colm Feore as Reginald Hargreeves was certainly the man you loved to hate and hated to love. Colm portrayed Reginald to perfection and everytime I see Colm's real life photo I can not believe he was Reginald - incredible acting, makeup and getting lost in a role.

I could go on and on about all the characters and actors who portrayed them from the three season, so let's just say there were no weak links and I think everyone was perfectly cast and brought their A games to their characters and the story.

I loved how all the episodes weaved in and out of each other, with everything having meaning and purpose. The music was perfection! Even the choice of covers over originals at times made all the difference in how the song hit and/or fit in a scene. Brainwise already said he wants to create a CD of all the music in order from the three seasons.

I am happy there is a 4th season coming because I am not ready to say goodbye to my new friends but I am also extremely satisfied with how the story went, was told and "ended"(?).

4 paws and a tail of 7 cats ;)

Wednesday on Netflix

 Dangrdafne review:

What an incredible thrill ride. Excellent writing and story. Jenna Ortega was very good as Wednesday but my heart was with Thing. I loved Enid. It blew my mind that all the "teens" were 20+ years old in real life. But perhaps that allowed the actors to bring a different level to the teens they were portraying. 

I loved all the throwbacks to the original show and all the ways they brought in my favorite parts of the original but updated and in clever ways. Two snaps ;)

I loved all the twists and turns and red herrings. It kept me guessing and it was a very satisfying outcome overall. Although I would say I didn't try too hard to figure it out as I just wanted to watch, enjoy and see where we ended up.

I was ok knowing that there may not be a second season as this one was pretty much all encompassing but after it was all said and done and we found out during our binge watching that it would be back, I think it is a good decision and there is definitely more story to tell.

4 paws

The Sandman - Netflix

 Dangrdafne review:

I am again in love.

This time with Tom Sturridge as Sandman, Dream, Morpheus ... by any other name, he would be just as amazing in this role! Wow!

I have never read The Sandman but I know a lot about it from Brainwise and other friends who love the story and Neil Gaiman. I had no idea what to expect or if I would even like it. And I didn't like it.

I LOVED it! Although I will say having no background at all, I think there are some things that I missed and didn't understand. I am hopeful it is just a long game in the storytelling and it will all shake out in the end. But I am a little frustrated that we have watched the whole season and I still have questions. I guess I am more used to closed ended seasons, I will just have to let go and play along.

Death. 

What a glorious actress and performance for Death, sister to Dream. Their moments on screen together are some of the best acting and story I have seen, and I have watched a lot of amazing shows lately. I am completely taken with Kirby Howell-Baptiste in this role. It would sound a little funny to say that I think she was born to play this role :) I know she is completely different than the original but both are perfection and both can live in this story without any issue from me.

Vivienne Acheamong as Lucienne is another favorite of mine. I just love watching and listening to her. She is the perfect companion to Dream and I am completely jealous of her :)

I also adore Vanesu Samunyai as Rose Walker. She is brilliant in the role and although her story seemed to flip the storytelling around from the opening of the series, it ended up fitting right in and led to an incredible conclusion.

The music, the cinematography, the characters and the actors who portray them, the costuming, the everything is done to perfection. Including the end credits art that you definitely should not skip. 

Fair warning that there is lots of gore, violence and extremely difficult scenes but honestly they fit right in with our current times. I have to say that the show really affected me. I slept terribly each night we watched and I am not sure if was just The Sandman messing with my dreams or if the story lines had my mind working overtime. Worth every lost moment of sleep, mind you.

4 paws

Doom Patrol Season 3 - HBO Max

 Dangrdafne review:

Well this was quite the long con (for lack of a better term). 

But worth it for the pay off at the end.

I loved the three characters who show up in Dead Patrol. I hear there could be a spin off for them and I’m in if it is the same actors. I know absolutely nothing about these characters but Brainwise does and when I said the actors seemed perfectly fit to the roles he agreed.  

Michelle Gomez was beyond perfection in her role this season. I adore her as is but I think I love her even more now. She is simply amazing in her roles and this one is no exception. Good, bad, both, don’t know… maybe it doesn’t matter. Watching her is worth every second of this season. 

I was worried when a few sections seemed very disjointed and not tied to the season but it paid off. Patience was definitely a virtue this season.  Especially during the Undead Patrol. Definitely not my favorite episode but needed to fill in the season long story. 

I loved how the season all intersected and each piece was needed to tell the story. At the end, I could see how thought provoking it all was and I was quite moved by each character and their growth. One thing I always look for in a show is the growth of the characters. It doesn't have to be huge or major but anything that moves the character forward works for me and keeps me interested. The best thing I can say now is... when does Season 4 air??!!

Before the last two episodes I had 3 paws for the season but after watching the final 2 episodes and seeing the full completed puzzle I now rate season 3 of Doom Patrol...

4 paws 

and

4 paws and a tail for Michelle Gomez 

A Boy Called Christmas - Netflix

 Dangrdafne review 

I had seen that there was a new Holiday movie on Netflix but didn't run right off to see it. Then a friend of ours saw it and couldn't say enough good things about it, so I put it on the front burner. Last night we watched it.

What a glorious movie. The story telling is wonderful, the cinematography entrancing and the cast is impeccable. Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Stephen Merchant, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins and the glorious actor, portraying the Boy, Henry Lawfull. Even all the supporting cast is incredible. The are all perfect for their roles and honestly, for me, the movie is 4 paws just for having Maggie Smith in it. Luckily the whole movie supports the paw rating outside of Maggie Smith too.

The story overall is the history of Christmas and it is told in such a clever way. It is also about loss and we did indeed cry as the story hits home and doesn't let go. There were so many other stories this reminded me of and they are all other stories I love so it was very comforting and warm to watch.

I highly recommend adding this movie to your holiday watch list. When it ended Brainwise had already added it to the annual viewings, a list that includes: White Christmas, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Elf, Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim and a few other classics. So this is quite the company for this new movie to be added to and it is well deserved in our household.

Go and lose yourself in this world, enjoy a "history" lesson and in the end, a kindness lesson too. 

 Happy Holidays to you and yours.

4 paws

Sip Sip Bang Bang by Danika Stone

 Dangrdafne review:

 

A fast paced thriller with a love story brewing underneath it all. I was literally exhausted after reading this book. Soooo good.

I LOVE Danika Stone's writing. She always creates incredible characters that go against the norm and surprise you at every turn. She also creates wonderful scenes and tales that intrigue and excite.

I truly don’t want to tell you about this book because you have to read it to feel it all. I literally was out of breath at certain points because the writing and story were so thrilling and one part was verrry claustrophobic!

I love how the book is set in real time and uses the perfect pop culture references to move the story along and add just the right extra insight into the story. Danika knows her pop culture and I often wonder which cane first: the reference or the story. Whichever it is, I’m just glad it’s there 🙂

The ironic part of the book, that I will say, is that I kept thinking about what a good movie this will make and it turns out to be part of the book too. I could really see the book in my mind and I definitely would LOVE to meet the main characters in real life. I feel that way about all Danika’s books. She just has a way of writing her characters and making them real and plausible. Even if the story is winding around like crazy, her people are realistic and I want to know them more.

4 paws

GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE Trailer (2021)

Will definitely be watching this when it is released on Netflix!

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Final Season

 Dangrdafne review:

I loved the first 3 seasons of Sabrina and was really looking forward to this final season. I was a little disappointed through the first few episodes as they were overly predictable and a fully encapsulated story but around episode 4 to 5 it went back to what I liked and the episodes ran together more and carried the story over the episodes instead of ending after an hour.

My favorite part of the season is something I don’t want to spoil for people as I wasn’t spoiled, which I can not believe at all, but it was a glorious idea and a perfect use of characters. A great homage and inclusion of history.

And even though I knew what the ending would be, I was ok with it and I still sobbed (but I cry at almost anything really). I think Kiernan Shipka is just incredible and she did Sabrina proud and any girls who watch this show should find a great woman to watch and strive to be in many ways. I do love how women are the forefront of the show and we see all kinds of women throughout the four seasons.

I love that quite a few story lines were worked through and closed. Many characters received extra special treatment and I am glad for that. It felt good to see some closure for some characters close to my heart. Although I wish there were two more episodes to the season so that some things were not so rushed and prettily put together in order to end the show.

I am grateful this show was created and lasted as long as it did. I loved the family aspects of the show and appreciate the female centric stories. It is a little gory at times and scary too but if I can watch it, you can too. It is worth it.

4 paws - all seasons

Jingle Jangle

Dangrdafne review:

If you watch any new Christmas movie this year please make it Jingle Jangle on Netflix. 

It is a glorious film. It is eye candy, ear candy and best of all soul candy. 

The costumes are incredible, the music is spectacular with moving and inspiring lyrics and the story warms the soul. 

Each actor is perfectly matched to their character and the singing is amazing. Every child should see this movie and they should pay special attention to the Possible song sung by the young girl. Tears come to my eyes just remembering this beautiful moment.

I remember reading the review in Entertainment Weekly and being so excited to see this movie. The writer was so enthralled with the movie that it came through directly to me and made me want to see it too. This was the first night hubby and I had time together to watch. It was worth the wait! And I’m ready to watch it again already. 

I am not going to discuss the story at all as you should experience all the wishes and wonder for yourself. Please treat yourself and your family and watch Jingle Jangle and believe in the impossible. 

4 paws and a tail!!

Dead to Me - Season 2 - Netflix

Dangrdafne review - NO spoilers are here

Dead to Me season 1 and 2 are over the top. Waaaay over the top and I love it. Both seasons are amazing and I love that each season is 10 episodes at 30 minutes an episode. It isn’t long and drawn out, well I guess the overall story is but it is so good and you just want to know what happens. So sit back and enjoy the crazy. Let yourself be fooled. Yell at the characters and pray none of this ever happens to you.

Christina Applegate (Jen) and Linda Cardellini (Judy) are incredible actresses. The emotions and mental anguish they both have to go through on this show are out of this world. For instance, episode 9 of season 2 had me sobbing on my treadmill as I was walking while watching the show. Judy has a breakdown and I couldn’t contain myself. I felt all her emotions pouring out of her. I worry what Linda Cardellini was actually thinking about that allowed her this cathartic moment. It was raw and real and just amazing to witness.

The best part of the show is the mystery and the twist and turns, many you don’t even know exist until they are happening. I love being fooled and surprised. I hate ruining things for myself by figuring it all out. I either can’t in this show or choose not to. Sometimes it feels like every piece of the episode is a cliffhanger and again I love it.

Actually maybe the best part of the show is the female power. The friendship between Jen and Judy is unlike most that I see on TV. And most of the other people around them are all women too. Oh, and the music is perfection. The songs mean just as much as the script and the cinematography. I will have to see if there is a soundtrack available.

The supporting cast is also just incredible. Jen’s children pay a main role in everything and the actors hold up their end without question. There are no small roles here, trust me, even if you think they are... they are not ;)

If you have never watched this show before, you can not start at Season 2. You MUST watch season 1 to understand anything and to fully enjoy it all. Unless you just want to watch master classes on acting, then just jump right in anywhere but again it all starts in Season 1. I truly can’t believe how much I love this show. The foul language is horrible and overbearing and usually I would shy away from it all but somehow it works and fits and I just let it go.

 I am terrified to see what will happen in Season 3 as the ending to 2 was cataclysmic and I definitely did NOT see it coming. This is easy to binge and I highly recommend it.

4 paws

Lucifer Convention

A friend of mine was worried when she saw I was attending a Lucifer convention. She did not realize it was for the TV show Lucifer.

We flew to LA and stayed right at LAX. We didn't say in the convention hotel but we easily walked to it. The convention hotel was the Hyatt Regency and it was a lovely hotel and the ballroom we were in worked out very well. It was small and intimate with good sound and our seats were very good too.

This was a Creation Entertainment convention and I always go Gold because it is always worth every penny and this was no exception. We were close to the stage, we got all but one autograph included and we had a special Gold panel on Sunday morning with Tom Ellis, Kevin Alejandro and Tricia Helfer.

We met some amazing attendees and throughly enjoyed meeting all the actors and hearing their stories. They were all hilarious and all very engaging. They LOVE their show and the fans too. And the fans LOVE them right back. All the fans were well versed in the show and at times stumped the actors with their questions. It truly was a lovefest and it was sad it was only two days. They mentioned maybe doing another in Chicago in 2020 and we will definitely check it out if they do.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Dangrdafne Review - first “season” only

While I was away on vacation I had some free time. I had heard so many good things about this show that I decided to check out and hey it was Halloween week.

I was a little nervous because I do not like really scary or gory things. Luckily, this was just right. It reminds of Goosebumps for kids. Lots of suspense and some scare and “gore” but nothing I couldn’t handle.

I really liked the show. Kieran Shipka is excellent as Sabrina but sometimes I can’t stop seeing and hearing Hermione from Harry Potter (although to me, that isn’t too bad of a thing).

I love the chemistry between Sabrina and Harvey and appreciate the more open relationship when it comes to feelings and thoughts for teenagers, refreshing overall.

The friendship between the 4 teens is also a highlight for me. It is nice to see kids getting along and fighting for each other and seeing the bullies get their due.

My most favorite part of the show... Michelle Gomez as Ms. Wardwell. She is incredible. Terrifying, wonderful, hilarious, just perfect.

I am looking forward to “season” two but not sure when I will get a chance to see it. I recommend this show and even if you are prone to scare or gore, I think you will be ok. I think it is worth it for the great story and actors.

3 paws