Love Again Review

I saw Love Again on May 7, 2023! I'm a guy that likes movies from all different genres. I like drama, comedy, thriller, action, etc., but one genre I've always really enjoyed is the good ol' fashioned romantic comedies, or rom-com, for short. Yes, I like a lot of so-called chick flicks as they say, but a lot of them have great stories, so that's why I've always liked them. Now, this movie definitely has romance, and definitely it's fair share of comedy (watch our for a truly hysterical Nick Jonas cameo), but there's such a beautiful story underneath the surface creating a deeper movie for audiences. I had been invested in the movie from the initial trailers. The actual movie ended up being really enthralling certainly tearing at my heart strings, and feeling for the characters. 

The movie deals with love and romance on the surface, but, the core of this movie lies in dealing with the loss of a loved one, the grief one feels from it, and a journey back to normalcy in some way. The movie does an exemplary job of presenting how people will always be a part of your life, despite them no longer being with us. It also does an illuminating job of portraying the ideal that people are put into our lives for a certain purpose. I have a strong credence that there are people in our lives for a reason. They are sent to us to heal, grow, laugh, and bring us back into the light from the darkness we may have been feeling. The core of this movie really delves into that, and, along with the initial romantic plot, this piece of the movie is why I enjoyed it so much. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas performance as Mira Ray is exceptional. She conveys so much in her performance of the constant hurt and suffering from losing a loved one. Watching her deal with it in a sullen, gloomy manner is such an apropos feeling that many can empathize with. It takes a long time for somebody to move on and feel a sense of betterment. You're in this constant flux of despair, trying to swim out from the abyss. I like her backstory as a children's author/illustrator. That caterpillar character is a great motif of capturing how she's feeling in her life whether it was happy, sad, or frustrated. Along with being one of, if not, the most physically beautiful woman in the world, PCJ is such a kind soul as well, really making the Mira character somebody you want to just reach out and help in any way. Trying to deal with her loss, she starts texting his old number, unaware that it's been reassigned to somebody else's phone. 

This leads to the other half of the story in Sam Heughan's Rob Burns. While PCJ is the overall star of the movie and does a tremendous job as the female lead, I think Heughan really gives the movie it's heart as it's male lead. While Mira is dealing with loss of her own, Rob is also dealing with his own loss in the romance department as well. Yes, it's in a completely different way, and, while not as tragic, is still loss that can definitely be hard to come back from. In a way, these two characters feel like they're both sent to each other to heal. Mira's messages give Rob that sentiment that love, though an absolute manic emotion at times, is possible to find in the most unexpected ways. Rob's presence and overall commitment to finding out what and who these messages are about ultimately helps Mira's heart mend and make the first steps to embracing the light again. Watching Mira and Rob heal each other in their own ways is such a beautiful story to watch, especially in Rob's case in taking care of Mira. I really like watching Mira smile and laugh again. It legitimately made me tear up, because, you just want her to get to that place. Watching how much Rob genuinely cares about Mira and goes out of his way to help heal her is truly delightful to watch. I liked their conversations. The dialogue was clever and witty, as well as lighthearted, but also really does a great job of delving into that dramatic spark that gives the movie more heart and warmth for audiences. 

Through the performances of Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan, a beautiful story with a deeper meaning, and the music of Celine Dion, this is a movie that will make your heart feel, and truly appreciate how good the romantic comedy, or, in this case dramedy can be when it's done properly. I really recommend this movie, especially if you're dealing with loss or just going through a hard time. By the end of the movie, it will make you feel better. It's a really beautiful movie! 

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Review

 I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on May 6, 2023! Guardians of the Galaxy has always been my favorite thing related to the MCU. I think these characters are some of the best in comics as well as recent movie history in general. James Gunn is a great storyteller.  His combination of larger than life characters, real emotion, well placed humor and overall world building has really shaped Guardians into something special. This final chapter is an epic conclusion to an excellent trilogy! 

This final entry is all about character arcs, helping everybody realize their own self worth to the group, and to themselves as individuals. This is such a fantastic ensemble cast that truly understands how special these characters are. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Pom Klamentieff, etc. all have their own journeys, and, we as the audience care about them, because they're all flawed, layered heroes. To me, the Guardians as a whole always come across as a more cohesive team than the Avengers ever did. This installment really shows how much each of the Guardians care about each other. There's so much intense emotion, and you definitely get caught up in all of it. There's such a different style to Guardians than anything else in the MCU, and that's why I've always liked these movies. There's just something astonishing about them. 

While every character in this movie has a story, and all of it connects to form a fitting conclusion, the bulk of the movie focuses on Rocket. His story is so moving. You find out so much about his background, and how he became the character we know. Rocket has been through so much torment physically and emotionally throughout his existence. Rocket's heart might just be the biggest of the group, and this movie will show you that. His friendships with other animals like him, and how much he means to the rest of his team show you how integral Rocket is to everything going on in this universe. His intelligence is intimidating, and his overall potential as a leader is realized throughout his story. Bradley Cooper conveyed so much emotion in this performance, and I felt all of Rocket's pain, suffering and eventual anguish.

Rocket's story is even more intriguing when you factor in the High Evolutionary, who is by far the most insidious villain the MCU has had, and, honestly, I'm including Thanos in that. To me, the High Evolutionary is far more sinister. He has the qualities of some of the worst leaders in world history. His fascist ideals, narcissistic persona, and overall manipulative nature makes him one of the best villains in some time. This is a villain you absolutely despise. I was so impressed with Chukwudi Iwuji. His performance was great as he gave the character such an unsettling personality through unbridled charisma. It's been a long time since I've actually hated a villain in movies, but I despise the High Evolutionary, and all of it lies in the brilliant performance of Iwuji. 

I also think the addition of Will Poulter's Adam Warlock was phenomenal as well. He's this all powerful being, but he's also a little goofy, while also being defiant of cosmic leadership. He's a representation of change in generational view points. His mother is very much a zealot, while Adam is trying to make his own path, assisting the rebels so to speak. He's important in both the open and the close of this movie in big ways. He can almost be seen as an anti-hero in this movie, based on some of his actions, but he's definitely an important character, and we'll probably see more of him in the future. Poulter made Adam likable making a god like character vulnerable connecting very well to the overall team dynamic of the Guardians.

Along with Rocket's story, the looming threat of the High Evolutionary and the Guardians becoming a stronger unit based on how much they genuinely love each other, like family, there's more incredible action befitting of an epic conclusion. The action sequences look crisp and have a certain gritty quality to it that just feels right for this franchise. The different worlds they explore such as Counter Earth are mystifying, yet magnificent. I really liked the different creature designs, and interactions with these characters and the Guardians. Every member of the team has their chance to shine. Every member of the team matters, and realizes, that despite their faults, they have a lot more strengths. Watching this team work together is remarkable. The amount of obstacles these characters have faced is truly herculean, but they find a way to come together and win the day. 

Through brilliant characters, an impressive cast, excellent storytelling, world building, action sequences, incredible soundtrack (which has always been a cornerstone of these movies), and James Gunn's writing and directing Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is a fitting conclusion to this space odyssey. It's been a wild ride, an incredible experience, and keeps me hooked on a feeling for more adventures in the future!

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Review

 I saw Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret on April 30, 2023! Every once in a while a movie comes along that just feels special. Recently reacquainting myself with Judy Blume's novel, I found myself immersed in one of the most impactful coming of age stories through her words and her characters. Kelly Fremon Craig did an impeccable job adapting a story sprung forth from 1970 to 2023. It's a story 50 plus years in the making, and, it's still relevant to girls of this generation, just as it was then.  It's about Margaret Simon's journey dealing with physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of her life, and finding her place in all of it. 

What makes this movie adaptation as good as it does lies in the casting of it's main character, Margaret Simon. Abby Ryder Forsten delivers one of the best young actress performances I've seen in years. Yes, she's been involved with other projects before, such as Cassie Lang in the MCU, but this performance right here is her breakthrough role. She captures the awkward naivete, the burgeoning excitement, the adolescent ire and looming dread that comes with being a girl on the cusp of everything in front of her with such precision, displaying an dramatic acumen of somebody that's been in the industry for decades. This girl has a bright future as she has the ability to command a screen, and really get into the mind of the character she's playing. Her reactions come off as natural, and makes the performance that much better as a result. I really hope to see more from ARF. She's a shining star on the rise, and this performance will show you that. 

There's some other great performances here that stick out, particularly from Rachel McAdams as Barbara Simon and Kathy Bates as Sylvia Simon. Bates is always who I envisioned in the role of Sylvia, so it just came off as a natural performance to me, and Bates excels here selling the close bond with her granddaughter. McAdams is phenomenal here as Margaret's mother, a kind soul who goes out of her way for everybody, and she shows that in every step of her performance as well. The other young performances were fantastic, especially Elle Graham, who captured the embodiment of what Nancy Wheeler is all about. The difference in characters from Margaret and Nancy is astounding. One aspect of this story that I always liked is you get a sense of everybody's view point, looking deeper into their characters. The cast does a great job conveying that for audiences. 

The movie captures several of the key scenes from the book in an illuminating manner, showing how incredible these scenes are. From the reactions to the religious services to shopping for lady garments and products to the PTS meetings to Norman's party to Margaret's first kiss, everything feels how it was when Judy Blume sat down to write the words. I found myself laughing loudly at the reactions to the puberty video. The shots of the girls horrific looks was absolutely hilarious. It's just one of the examples of an adaptation that works on all levels. The movie flows well, capturing moments of euphoric emotion, while also capturing despondent drama. Audiences get perspectives from different characters, such as Laura Danker, and how she feels about herself, giving a more worldly approach to everything going on around these characters. It's a movie that really celebrates life and all the trials and tribulations that come of it, especially at a young age. 

From a brilliant lead performance by Abby Ryder Forsten to a compelling narrative capturing the essence of it's author, Judy Blume to memorable scenes encapsulating a young girl's odyssey into life as a whole through a fantastic visual adaptation, this movie gets everything right, making the characters and the words originally on the page that much more exceptional on screen. 

Pearl Review

 I saw Pearl on September 17, 2022! I have not seen X yet, but this prequel movie centering on the younger version of the character, Pearl is the best way to start this soon to be trilogy. As this is technically the first movie of the series, I wanted to see what the world is all about, and I have to say I was very intrigued by everything going on. Yes, some of the subject matter is definitely violent and outright gruesome, but the crimson and clover of this world actually makes it a necessary road to take. 

I think it's one of the most unique horror worlds that I've seen in some time. While it's not outright a horror movie, the actions and atmosphere surrounding our main character is certainly befitting of the genre. I found this to be a tremendous slow burn descent into madness which works for the character. The building deterioration of her fragile psyche is terrifying to watch, but at the same time, she's also really good at feigning naivety and innocence making the character one of the most cerebral villains in recent cinematic history. 

This movie's success lies in the performance of it's main actress, Mia Goth, and she succeeds in flying colors! Goth's performance here is one of the absolute best I've seen in years not only in the horror/psychological thriller genre, but of any genre. Her name works so well for the movie as well giving it that macabre crescendo that everything builds on. Goth is such a gifted actress, and her outstanding performance here is indicative that she's one of the most underrated people in the industry. She's simply amazing! Her commitment to this character shaping it into one of the most layered killers in movie history is truly remarkable. As an actress, writer and producer of this role, she helps to expand this character's emotions, build on her motivations, dissect her intellect and establish her rebellious spirit. Pearl's mental health struggles are always on full display in terms of dealing with her life on the farm, outside in the real world and her awkward interactions with other people. I like Pearl's ideals of basically trying to find out there's more than her provincial life, standing up for herself and overtly taking control of her situation (albeit, in heinous ways) showing somebody that is trying to repair herself and make improvements in her life. Goth actually gives Pearl an almost child like expression to many things going on around her which is expertly done to explore her descent into lunacy. Initially, this works well as the obedient daughter, but the subtle changes in her speech and tone of voice show, as well as the change in colors she wears from blue to dark red display the changes of her mind, as well as her resistance to her current life. One of the best aspects of the movie is Goth's performance in a  soliloquy about her sacrifice and her suffering for everybody else around her showcasing the fervor she has for this character explaining her reasoning for her actions. It's her telling us she's done being the polite girl, done pretending to be somebody she isn't, finally embracing the monster she's created underneath coming to the surface in pure fruition. Goth commands the screen in every scene she's in. As the main character, this should be expected, but whenever she's on screen her charisma is luminous making this fresh character one of the most exciting, as well as intimidating dancing between sweet and sour in such a manner making it truly shocking to watch, while also adding an artistic flair to her that makes her stand out among other female characters in recent memory.

Along with Goth's phenomenal performance, there are other aspects of this movie that really help it stand out as a unique project. The use of technicolor makes everything pop on screen. In some ways, there are instances in this movie where you feel like you're watching a really macabre Wizard of Oz, and I really loved that aspect of it as well. There's scenes that are literally put in the movie that are meant to give you that feeling as well, since this movie is really Pearl putting away her black and white existence and walking into her new colorful world of madness, so that worked really well. Along with the technicolor, the costumes were just beautiful. Pearl's dresses captured great use of light blues to dark reds showing the changing aspects of her personality, as well as capturing the era of the characters. The dance choreography was fantastic with Goth's routine really impressing. The sound was really great here, because it was mixed in a way that gave it that silent movie, early talkie era effect, which was just fun to see. It made the character's dialogue pop on screen, and Goth made full use of it to sell her emotions verbally. It's really tremendous to see. Combining that with the cinematography of the location sets like the farm and the interior of Pearl's house made it feel like an older movie, and with the movie being set in 1918 that felt very accurate, and helped sell the movie's premise even better. The use of blood and overtly sexual aspects of the movie worked for the character and the world this movie is set in. While it can definitely be disturbing, the sell of the movie is in some of the shock value of Pearl's actions, so it actually works for the general nature of the movie. There's definitely moments where you'll be horrified by the actions she takes, but the movie has been building up to these, and the moments are dispersed throughout so they're not all at once. Pacing scenes like that is the right way to go in general, but especially here, because each violent action is increased by the state she's in at that moment. It's done in a way to show how far she's fallen from when she's introduced that she can't come back to that moment. She's put all of what she was (or what she was pretending to be) behind her. These scenes are shot so well utilizing great camera tricks to bring the audience right into the moment, and right into her mindset. 

With an excellent lead performance by Mia Goth, a well constructed psychological thriller, great technical aspects and incredibly effective scenes selling the origins of this character, Pearl manages to entertain, horrify and intrigue you all at the same time, while also inviting you to delve further into this world. Mia Goth's performance alone gives this a 5/5! I love watching her passion for this character come to life in each scene. Even if this genre isn't up your alley, I'd highly recommend it for Goth's performance here. Yes, it's a dark world, but it's also such an ambitious one really upping the ante for this genre. 

Where The Crawdads Sing Review

 I saw Where The Crawdads Sing on July 17, 2022. I haven't written a formal review in a while on the blog, but I feel so much emotion with this story that I had to write one for this. After reading the book over the last week and a half becoming enamored with the characters and the beautiful scenery of the North Carolina marsh, I felt this was something special. I really think the movie did a fantastic job capturing the essence of the story, it's characters and it's events in a way to make it a satisfactory visual representation of Delia Owens beautiful, yet haunting story. Everything about this movie had the words and characters leap off the page in a way that made me believe the actors and actresses, and seeing some scenes work out visually added an even stronger sense of emotion that I already felt. 

Daisy Edgar-Jones gives an excellent performance as Catherine "Kya" Danielle Clark. Kya has become one of my favorite characters, and DEJ's performance allows me to love this character even more. Through the abandonment, abuse, harassment and hardships that she goes through, she finds a way to survive and adapt. She finds ways to make money, stand up in the face of adverse conditions, not of the natural world around her, but of the people that toss her out for being a little "different", utilizes her intellect and is able to form bonds with people she can trust to be a truly successful person. I feel the pain and sadness in DEJ when people leave Kya. I feel her thinking loudly even while she's quietly observing. I also think DEJ is a great physical representation of Kya from the book. She's an absolutely beautiful girl and a gifted actress that will go far. This will be a breakout role for her. Watching DEJ in both moments of bliss and moments of heartbreak made me believe in her performance, and I felt everything she was feeling on screen rooting for Kya, and amazed at how much this girl rises up through a successful career, an eventual eternal loving relationship and her own natural instincts.

I thought she played off well against the two male leads as well with Taylor John Smith's Tate Walker and Harris Dickinson's Chase Andrews. The differences between these two characters is astounding. I really like the Tate character. He takes such good care of Kya, teaching her to read, and helps her on the path to becoming the successful person she will grow up to be. Tate has always been there for Kya. I felt a spark between Daisy and Taylor. I felt like they loved each other, and I felt Tate's genuine affection for Kya. I absolutely loathe Chase Andrews. I honestly disliked him from the second he was introduced in the story. He's somebody from the town, who definitely doesn't fit into Kya's world. He never gives an impression that he's genuine about Kya. Kya getting dragged along by this guy as he lies every step of the way is sickening. The big difference between Tate and Chase for me is Tate treats Kya like a human being who genuinely wants to be with him, while Chase treats Kya like she's property and only good for one thing. His punchable face will unnerve you at all times, even when he is appearing to be in love with Kya. DEJ's performance with both shows the genuine feeling of comfort she has with Tate, while you always sense Kya's apprehension and nervousness around Chase, even when she is feeling like she loves him.

The story is split into two parts between a murder trial and the trials and tribulations of Kya growing up from a 7 year old girl into the woman she is. The movie does a great job cutting between the trial and Kya's story. The cuts are crisp and the story flows well on screen. The scenes are loyal to the book overall, and, aforementioned, certain scenes really stand out. Scenes with Kya and Tate reading on the log, Kya and Tate becoming closer, the classroom, Kya navigating her way through the marsh via her boat, digging for mussels for Jumpin' and Mabel, the beautiful book designs, the illustrations and words, the dreaded motel, the shell necklace and THAT scene from the book that is even more disturbing visually, but necessary for Kya showing that she won't be broken no matter what's thrown at her and the trial itself has all the nuances from the book. 

Another great aspect of this movie is the beautiful cinematography and location sites that bring forth the magnificent color of the water on the backdrop of a pink sunset catching fireflies on the wings of a gull feather, and showing how this world captures both the yin and yang of what makes this world so beautiful. While there are bad things that happen, there's silver linings everywhere you turn. Kya says it best: "I don't think there's a dark side to nature; just inventive ways to endure." 

Through an outstanding lead performance by Daisy Edgar-Jones, adept storytelling about survival in and out of nature, both the positives and negatives of relationships, intense emotion, gorgeous set designs, a brilliant kaleidoscope of color and great music capturing the southern marsh, Where The Crawdads Sing is a definite 5/5 for me and my favorite movie of 2022 thus far. It's such a special movie that makes you appreciate the wonder and majesty of the world and understanding that it's always there, despite the muck and darkness that can inhabit it from time to time. 

Cruella Review

It's been more than a year since I've been able to go to the movies, but finally, on May 29, 2021, it feels good to say that I was able to. I was also waiting for just the right movie as my first foray back into the theater, and Cruella is just the movie to bring me back! I had a blast with this movie enjoying the journey with each twist and turn! 

I tend to like characters that are pegged as the antagonist, but really have a story there to show why they are the way they are. It also shows that these characters might not necessarily be antagonists as a whole, but are protagonists of their own stories, and Cruella presents that perfectly. For over a decade, Emma Stone has been one of my absolute favorite actresses. Her performance here was astounding, charismatic, and simply spellbinding at every turn! Watching her transform from Estella to Cruella in this movie is simply incredible! The difference in her personality through each stage of the movie shows her tremendous range as an actress, and is indicative of why I have become a big fan of her stellar work over the years. She puts her all into her characters, and she made both Estella and Cruella two unique characters that we both root for, because her ambition to achieve her dreams are done in such a fun rebellious way. Estella and Cruella represent the yin and yang in all of us, and represent two different parts of her life as well. Estella is her timid, but kind, honest, intelligent and innovative yin, while Cruella is her captivating, cunning, and charismatic yang...with a potential killer instinct! Both sides matter, and both sides work hard to create the icon that has become a huge part of Disney lore, and pop culture as a whole, and it's all through the brilliant performance by Emma Stone. Throughout this movie, she blends dark comedy and drama showing how layered the character is. This was probably my favorite performance since Margot Robbie in I, Tonya in 2017 so far, and that's an interesting observation as Cruella was directed by Craig Gillespie, who also directed the former. 

While Cruella is definitely Emma Stone's show, the rest of the cast adds to each part of the movie to make it an incredible ensemble piece. Emma Thompson gives a great villainous performance here as the Baroness. Thompson always has been an actress I felt gets underrated in the discussion of great actresses, and it's no exception here as she really pushed a lot of the dramatic turns. I thought the chemistry between her and Stone was exceptional here, and really adds to the narrative with each scene they share. One of the most important aspects of this movie is the dynamic between Estella/Cruella and the Baroness, but another part of the movie that's just as important is the proof that Cruella has a big heart and that's seen with her friendships with the lovable Horace and Jasper, who you might remember from the animated movie. The duo of  Paul Walter Hauser and Joel Fry was great here. It reminded me of Abbott and Costello movies I used to like when I was younger. Hauser's Horace would be Costello, while Fry's Jasper would be Abbott. Watching Estella/Cruella, Horace, and Jasper pull off fun heists as an unstoppable trio is entertaining at every turn, and provides so much excitement for the audience selling well choreographed action sequences, as well as in the moment thinking to get to the next step of the angle.  Cruella constantly shows that she will do whatever it takes to protect those around her, especially those two, even if she sometimes loses track of her focus, and gets lost in her rage. However, she always finds a way to pull herself out of it, and a lot of it is because she always remembers those who are there for her. I always see that in her character, and it's amplified through different turning points of the movie. 

While the cast, writing, and overall story is excellent, some of the most impressive aspects of this movie are in the costumes, make-up, and music. The dresses are gorgeous from the color designs to the way the fabric is cut. It just looks amazing, and when characters rock the dresses or outfits, the clothes act as living, breathing characters due to the colorful charisma of the character making them. The make-up adds to Estella's initial transition from milquetoast to maniacal. The soundtrack proves the importance of music in movies as pop songs of the 1960's & 1970's add to personality quirks and tweaks as well as the world of fashion and the showmanship present in it. The colors, sounds, and lighting/darkness in scenes from fashion shows to heist scenes to dramatic monologues to rivalries, and everything in between makes a complete film here. 

With a phenomenal performance by Emma Stone, a great story filled with twists, gorgeous costume and fashion design, a colorful palette, clever action sequences, excellent soundtrack, a brilliant blend of drama and comedy, as well as an overall impressive presentation by Disney, this movie gets a 5/5 from me. 

Shadow & Bone Review

 Every now and then, there's a new series that immediately grips your attention leaving you wanting more, especially in the fantasy genre. The fantasy genre is always intriguing, because it's exciting to see what each universe entails, and what these characters are all about. After viewing all eight episodes of an incredible first season, I knew I had to write a formal review for Shadow & Bone, because I am already so enamored with this world. I know this world is based on a series of books by Leigh Bardugo. I wasn't familiar with them at all, but the trailer looked enticing enough to give the show a glance, and I'm absolutely glad I did. 

Where many shows borrow from western civilization, this universe borrows from the czarist Russia era, and I think that's well presented throughout the show. I like the Grisha plot centering around magic and controlling the elements around them. There's a fear of Grisha, but at the same time, Grisha also protect each of the territories from this ominous presence known as The Fold! Making The Fold a living, breathing darkness is absolutely incredible, and the Volcra represent the shadows over our shoulder when we're walking in the dark. I think making darkness a physical threat is truly creative, and this presents the core setting for all of our characters to converge towards. 

Essentially, there's two big storylines going on in here: Alina Starkov recognizing who and what she is, as well as her connection to both her best friend, Mal, as well as General Kirigan, who has a lot more going on with him beneath the surface, and the fascinating Crow's and their adventurous mission. Both stories are told brilliantly, presenting excellent character development throughout each of the eight episodes, while also blending both together in a clever interwoven manner that works and connects this Grishaverse on a grander scale. 

Jessie Mei Li's performance as Alina Starkov presents a well written heroine who starts off in a timid, incredulous, and apprehensive manner as this cartographer thrust into the bigger picture. Alina is unaware of her importance to Ravka, and the territories that make up the whole of the land. She has gotten her share of discrimination being part Shu, but that uniqueness about her is what makes her even more appealing as a character. She's had to deal with being the underdog for so long, and uses the frustration of how people treated her to become a confident, strong, woman bringing light into this darkness both Grisha and non-Grisha both literally and figuratively. Watching Alina transform into the powerful saint over the course of the episodes is amazing to watch! I love watching her confidence grow as she becomes stronger physically and emotionally as the larger than life Sun Summoner! The aura of the stag shines bright within her, and the strength of the light she brings upon Ravka is the spark of hope that was needed. Her connection with General Kirigan is a great story to watch unfold. Ben Barnes was a phenomenal casting choice for this role as he presents a cerebral character that has a Machiavellian mentality to control all of the light and dark around him. He may be considered an antagonist, but I think he's also a layered character where audiences can understand his motivations. The light vs. dark motif is the main theme of the story, and presented brilliantly through both of these characters based on the strength of their performances. 

I think one of the biggest highlights of the show is The Crow's story. They are all rebels with a cause, and each of them has a great back story that makes the audience care about them more. They're all such cool characters. They all have this swagger to them that makes them easy to like. Led by the cynical Kaz Brekker, these three cause mischief where ever they go, but at the same time, all the mischief caused is for the benefit of their bond. They might be thieves, and not above causing a little blood to flow, but they have such a connection between them that you root for them from their introduction to that final battle. Their story is highly connected to the big story with Alina Starkov, and I like watching how they end up weaving the story together. Freddy Carter does such an incredible job as the brooding leader of The Crow's. He is always thinking one step ahead of the competition. I love watching him move around with that cane with that sneer on his face ready to secure another win for The Crows. Kit Young's Jesper Fahey is the showboat of the group, and a perfect foil for Kaz's brooding personality. He provides some great lines, and watching his sharpshooting skills presents some awesome action sequences. It's such a fun performance. He's a  master sleuth with charm and fashion sense. Then, we have my favorite character of the show in Inej Ghafa. Amita Suman is the spy behind the scenes for The Crow's. Her mental strength, physical beauty with her Suli origins, acrobatic skills, and precision with weapons makes her an absolute bad ass. She's physically tough, and moves fast in a blur of blue to protect her boys. She's The Wraith after all.  She's the best fighter of the three, although, all three know how to physically get the advantage over an enemy. I also love how she maintains her serious demeanor even in the face of Kaz letting his cynicism down, and Jesper's making light of everything. It makes for great on screen chemistry between Suman, Carter, and and they never miss a beat selling how much all three care about each other, while also displaying how different all of their personalities are, and how amazing they work together despite their differences. 

The action sequences are excellent, particularly all the actions during the battle on the skiff. So many important and incredible moments happen here. Everything that led up to this battle was so well constructed, which made everything in this moment that much better as a whole. The action sequences were presented in such a beautiful, artistic manner that made everything look that much better, which says something about the visual effects crew of the show, which worked really hard to make this world a truly epic experience. Watching the magic of the Grisha vs. the firepower of guns is also an intriguing aspect of the show, making for unique battle sequences that pop on screen. A Grisha's graceful hand movements to halt bullets is a wonder to behold. The scenes at The Little Palace are a great example of how incredible the cinematography and overall presentation of the show is. All of the locations are breathtaking, especially when you see the enormity of the Little Palace, and the white, gold, and black exterior, and the bright, colorful interior. The building is a living interpretation of what our characters are going through. Nothing is quite as beautiful as the stag and it's antlers, though! I absolutely love the costumes as well. Each of the Grisha wears a color pertinent to their ability. I think the blue outfits look the best, especially on the female grisha like Zoya, who is another character I really liked played brilliantly by the beautiful Sujaya Dasgupta. The red outfits look great as well, and the fire magic from these characters are incredible to watch. 

Through amazing characters, great writing and character development, an incredible, diverse cast, and a unique fantasy story that has a lot of leverage, Shadow and Bone is one of the most refreshing entries into the fantasy genre and a series that I am looking forward to seeing more of.