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. 

Ginny & Georgia Review

Over the past few weeks, trying to find new shows to watch and enjoy has been an arduous streaming journey. However, I luckily found one to savor and become enthralled by in Ginny & Georgia. This is a show that immediately piqued my interest as it has strong female characters, has teen drama, mystery, and great themes covering serious social issues that my generation and younger generations can understand and examine further. Each episode had good writing and interesting twists and turns that kept me invested in the narrative. The dialogue is smart, quick paced, and witty, while also being quirky, funny, and, at times, intense. 

I think the strength of a show like this hinges on the performances of the cast. The two leads of Virginia "Ginny" Miller and Georgia Miller are two of the most charismatic, well written, larger than life characters I've seen in modern television shows in a long time. First, let's talk about the incredible work by Antonia Gentry, the young teenage daughter, Ginny, who is trying to navigate her way through her life of running from town to town (this time settling in Wellerby), trying to find purpose, as well as answers. Gentry's work here is absolutely amazing. The talent of this girl is so on point. Her voice, heart, and mind are strong, but I also love that we see her vulnerabilities as well to make a complete character. We watch her feel accepted, loved, betrayed, hurt, and damaged throughout all the episodes. I love watching her interactions with MANG (one of the most charismatic group of girls you'll find in any show), and I like that each member of that group has their own little storyline going on. Sara Waisglass, Katie Douglas, Chelsea Clark portray Maxine, Abby, and Norah, and display an enviable chemistry with each other and with Ginny that you feel like this is a real life group of friends. MANG just makes you feel the emotion from their strong performances and many of the best scenes of the show feature the four of them in both a jovial and somber mood. Gentry's interactions with Felix Mallard's and Mason Temple's Marcus and Hunter present two very different male characters, but also present Ginny in two different lights. Each boy brings something out in her, but at the same time, Ginny brings the most out of the boys as well. She has great chemistry with both, and I believe in their emotions. Depending on the episode, she will feel stronger connections to one boy over the other, but she also makes sure to keep her own footing on the journey to decide. Antonia Gentry is one of the best young actresses out there, and her performance here as Ginny is proof of that as she takes one girl's personality and presents all different aspects of it to the audience never missing a beat as to what she is feeling in that moment, and putting every part of herself into the happy, angry, or upset nature of the performance! 

When you talk about charisma, look no further than Brianne Howey's Georgia Miller. Here's this gorgeous, Southern belle blonde with a flamboyant personality that you instantly want to talk to, because she's the life of the party. However, deep down there's so much dark mystery surrounding her, and I think that's the most fascinating thing about her character. Georgia is a survivor, and I think Howey really does a phenomenal job presenting that. She's always finding a way to rise above and keep her head above water. She's always thinking. She's always trying to find ways to protect her children, no matter how she has to do it. That smile lights up a room, but I love that there's so much going on behind that smile to make her an even more intriguing character. Much like Ginny, Georgia is always trying to find herself and a purpose as well. As she puts the stilettos to the pavement moving around town in such a graceful, but meticulous manner, we watch a lot of her backstory, and definitely feel a lot of the heart wrenching ordeals she's been through. Her and Antonia Gentry's scenes are really powerful dialogue scenes. There's a disconnect between Ginny and Georgia, but there's also a mother/daughter bond that is unlike any other. While there's mistrust on Ginny's part, Georgia keeping people in the dark is actually a benefit. I wouldn't cross Georgia, because I feel she always has somebody's number, and will find a way to win. She's an awesome character, and I became a bigger fan of her with each episode. Even when she has to scold her children, we see it hurts her to do that. Her past with the men in her life has not defeated her, and, IMO, it actually has made her stronger. I think she has great scenes with Raymond Ablack's Joe, and definitely Scott Porter's Paul, and obviously scenes with Ginny and Austin display an intriguing family dynamic that is unconventional, but much like Georgia, thrives. 

Throughout the show, there's many great scenes perfectly blending Ginny and Georgia's personal and social lives in a vivid, colorful picture displaying both the positives and negatives of not only their current home, Wellerby, but their lives as a whole. Each scene has specific details in it that sum up the theme of the episode, or a quote about Georgia's philosophy of life that Ginny interestingly enough is echoing in her current situation. While they may be at odds more than not, there's a level of mirror reflection seeing each other in the other. There's a lot of real emotion here with both the two main characters, and definitely the supporting characters as well dealing with relationships, family issues, etc. that will definitely hit you when you least expect it, but when it does, you immediately feel it and you realize what you're watching is a scintillating world created by Sarah Lampert helmed by two incredible lead performances by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey,  intricate characters in each episode that all add to the narrative, storylines that present a bigger picture of past, present, and perhaps, future of these characters, and mystery around every corner that has me wanting more episodes. 

The Queen's Gambit Review

 Over the past week, I have sat back and watched The Queen's Gambit! While I normally don't do formal reviews for television shows or limited series, I was so enamored by this series that I felt it warranted one! I was so emotionally invested in all seven of these episodes! It's one of the best series I've seen in a while honestly, and each episode made me feel more for the character and the overall story! The storytelling and character study of Elizabeth Harmon is just incredible to watch! Her emotional journey is upsetting at times, but it's also triumphant as well in many ways, despite the obstacles in her path. This show is also able to present chess as one of the most pulse pounding sports to watch! Each move is so precise, and each movement, no matter how small or large, matters in the game as a whole, much like the Beth's movements in her own life. The chess board is a great representation of Beth's triumphs and failures, and I think that makes the whole show even more impressive as a whole. In some ways, her biggest opponent at times is herself, and she is able to find a way to beat that and become the international star she was destined for. 

Over the past three years, Anya Taylor-Joy has become one of my favorite actresses through great performances in Split, Thoroughbreds, and Emma, but I personally feel her performance as Beth Harmon in The Queen's Gambit might just be her best work to date, and that's saying something based on how good her performances are in the other projects I mentioned here. There's so much heartbreak and emotional trauma in her life with personal loss of female figures in her life, as well as desertion from many male figures in her life, and struggles with substance abuse (which at times wrestles with her genius) that you think Beth is going to be defeated by all of it. Even at her lowest point, Beth has people in her corner helping her out of the hole, and with this support, her keen intellect, poise and grace, and ability to ditch the poison in her life, she's able to take the world by storm taking kings and queens down in her path amassing a huge reputation and following as a grand master at a young age. There's a great quote Beth says where she compares chess to her life , and how it helps her escape some of the darkness around her. "Chess isn't always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful. It was the board I noticed first. It's an entire world of 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it. I can dominate it. And it's predictable, so if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame." The quote really means so much to the show as a whole, and Beth ultimately takes this whole ideology to light, and rectifies her wrongs which is so uplifting to watch. I really hope Anya Taylor-Joy gets some Best Lead Actress nominations for Best Limited Series Actress at the Golden Globes and Emmys as she's just phenomenal here. Her performance made me laugh, cry, and cheer throughout the show. Watching her high points and low points throughout the show presents a great study of humanity as we're all capable of mistakes, but we can all find a way to get past it and defeat those mistakes. Beth Harmon is an incredible character. I love her sass, sense of style, pure beauty (she's absolutely gorgeous), and overall intelligence making her an absolute threat to all her opponents, even if it is herself! 

From the Kentucky Championship to the Moscow Championships in 1968, there's so many incredible chess match-ups to watch. I am so into the games as they happen as the music and movements of the pieces brings you right into the games. Anya Taylor-Joy's eyes really sell a lot of these games as she folds her hands under her chin watching her opponent make their move. While they're making their moves, Beth is thinking about how to counter that move, and I think it just makes the matches that much more exciting. While I'm not a chess expert at all, I love watching the different game styles and maneuvers throughout as they're always intriguing and have you on the edge of your seat. That final match-up in Moscow between Beth and Borgov had me calling moves and wanting the game to continue. They did such a good job making these chess matches look great. The performances of the cast during these matches made them so incredible to watch. Facial expressions and the ticking of the clock add to the ambience of the moment. Watching the graceful movements of the pieces as they move to each square is incredible to watch. In the middle of all these incredible matches is a female taking the challenge to experienced male players and defeating them, while also gaining the respect of these men and the countries she's playing in. It's really empowering to watch! 

While Anya Taylor-Joy's performance as Beth Harmon is ultimately my favorite thing about the show, I think there's a lot of great supporting performances as well by Bill Camp as Mr. Shaibel, Marielle Heller as Alma Wheatley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, Harry Melling as Harry Beltik, Marcin Dorocinski as Borgov, and, IMO, a girl I'd nominate for Best Supporting Actress in Moses Ingram's performance as Jolene to name a few. This cast is excellent as a whole, and everybody matters in furthering the story. I like all the different costumes and interior designs of hotels and cinematography of Las Vegas, Moscow, Kentucky, etc.

This is a great character study show with chess as the main backdrop with so many other stories going on. This gets a 5/5 for several reasons: an excellent performance by Anya Taylor-Joy as Elizabeth Harmon, fantastic supporting performances that all are essential in shaping Beth's character and personality, exciting chess matches, great dialogue, an incredible period piece, great costume, make-up, and production design, and an excellent soundtrack make this one of the best series I've seen in some time. I'd highly recommend watching this as it's a series that makes you care about the characters you're watching and keeps you emotionally invested in each episode, which is not something all shows can do these days.