mariajoaou27 Reviews

The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)

Addicting, Interesting TV Show.

[7/10 · 29 August 2013]

The first four episodes are disappointing. You hear people saying great things about this show, but then you start watching it and realize you're different than everyone else who thinks The Vampire Diaries is great. Well, I suggest you make it through the first four episodes and start watching what's from then on.

This show takes a while to take off, and it's likely that you won't find it addicting right from the beginning. However, once you make it through the first few episodes, you'll see what everyone else means.

Elena is not a very interesting character right away. Nevertheless, her true colors start showing as the plots advance, and we find ourselves rooting for her to find happiness. Stefan and Damon Salvatore, the vampire brothers, are too different, yet they're the same. There's an inner essence to them that makes their differences utterly interesting to watch, because you can understand exactly why they are who they are. They are what got me through the first four episodes of the show.

The supporting characters have unique story lines of their own, so you'll see something happening at all times. This is not one of those shows that ends with a cliffhanger every episode, but the plot, the characters and the mystery that runs through the veins of this town, will be enough to keep you interested. Will you find some things too far fetched? Probably. Are some scenes truly cliché? Definitely. Still, you'll be so interested in this story that none of these things will seem to matter after all.

There are some flaws in this show, hence why I can't bring it myself to give it a 10, but it's still really, really addicting, really interesting and I can't help but recommending it to all of you, even if you normally don't enjoy supernatural things. This show is not simply about supernatural activities. Rather, it talks about feelings, differences, prejudice, history. If you haven't watched it yet, do it. You won't regret your decision.

Teen Beach Movie (2013 TV Movie)

Fun!

[8/10 · 24 August 2013]

Teen Beach Movie is a fun movie. It puts you in a good mood with the catchy songs, the entertaining dance moves and the easy-flowing dialog. It's a light summer movie that will make you smile several times.

Sure, there are flaws in this movie. The conflict is not very clear and the plot is somewhat messy and hard to understand. The antagonists don't seem to go with the rest of the movie. However, 60s movies were just like this -- and this movie is based off a hypothetical 60s movie.

This isn't supposed to be a clever movie that makes you look back on your life and reflect. This is a movie that is supposed to make you feel good. And it serves its purpose really well. Go into this movie with an open minded and you're likely to enjoy it.

We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Beautiful Family Movie

[9/10 · 1 April 2013]

We Bought a Zoo is labeled as Drama/Family, but don't let that stop you from watching one of the best movies of 2011. The fact that it is a Family movie doesn't make it too cheesy, too cliché or boring. In fact, the movie's really interesting and the reason why it's labeled as a Family movie is that people of different ages will watch it from different points of view. Younger audiences may see it as an entertaining story about a family who lost a person very close to them and bought a zoo. Older audiences will be able to watch an interesting movie about how to deal with death, grief and how to start over.

First of all, the acting is amazing. Matt Damon is very believable, and the actors who play his kids in the movie are brilliant. The little girl is really cute and brings a touch of innocence to this movie. The boy shows how teenagers have a hard time dealing with problems that only adults should have to deal with and the magic of a first love.

Love is not the main focus of the movie, which makes it realistic and different from the lovey-dovey movies that have been trendy lately. However, they're important to the storyline and won't feel misplaced or irrelevant when you're watching the movie. This is definitely not one of those films where you feel like a love story was thrown in there to make teenage girls sigh.

The animals and landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful, and there's a little bit of comedy to it too, even though it's just in the right dose. It won't make you laugh out loud, but it will certainly make you smile.

To sum up, I think this is a movie that's definitely worth watching. It teaches us important lessons, such as that there is time for everything in this life, that we must know how to choose our priorities and that we must live and learn, or else we'll never learn to live. I highly recommend this movie and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.

New Girl (2011–2018)

Funny, intelligent, amazing.

[7/10 · 1 April 2013]

New Girl is the type of series that you won't want to stop watching. IT will certainly put you in a good mood and you'll find yourself laughing while watching it.

The characters are incredibly well-written, each one of them having a back story that is easy to keep up with and very believable. It doesn't take long for us to feel like we're also living in this apartment where Jess moves in after being cheated on by her boyfriend. Soon enough, you'll be feeling like these characters are your friends too and you know them well. Each one of them has their particularities; they all have different personalities and obsessions that make them unique and set them apart from each other.

The fact that there's some plot development throughout the series makes it an interesting show to actually follow and not just watch once in a while. We also see some character development, changes in the characters' personalities that make us either proud or disappointed.

Truth is, there's no chance this show won't leave a mark on you. It's funny, but still intelligent. It's not some dumb show that simply aims at making the viewer laugh. The jokes are not corny and the events are not random. This is one comedy show like no other: The characters are not stereotyped, and the storyline is not typical and easily foreseeable.

Give this show a chance. You won't regret it.

Liberal Arts (2012)

Amazing movie!

[9/10 · 3 March 2013]

'Liberal Arts' is an amazing movie. It is not about love, not about college. It is about life in general, the doubts and fears you face on different phases of your life. Unlike most movies nowadays, it is intelligent, philosophical, interesting, but still a light movie. It teaches you valuable life lessons without being too obvious about it. It is not the kind of movie that just tries to push lessons down your throat. You actually learn them yourself, through observing the behaviors and problems of the characters.

The cast is amazing, as well as the storyline and the production of the movie. Radnor should be unbelievably proud of this film.

In 'Liberal Arts', you'll find at least one character to relate to. There are different generations portrayed by different characters, all of which represent a specific time in your life or a specific feeling, doubt, fear. The movie was extremely well-thought. The dialogs are very interesting and never boring. The events may seem forced at the time, but at the end of the movie everything makes sense. Not all the answers are delivered in this movie, which gives you room to try and decide what happened by yourself.

This is one of those movies that will make you feel something. You'll be thinking of it for a long while. I highly recommend it.

The Carrie Diaries (2013–2014)

Couldn't keep me interested

[5/10 · 13 February 2013]

I was very disappointed by this show. I started watching it with really high expectations, but the show definitely couldn't meet those expectations.

The cast is good, and believable -- unless you compare them with Sex & the City's cast. Carrie (in this show) looks nothing like Carrie (in the original show), which makes you feel like you're watching a completely different thing. However, this is not a good show, not even if you try to forget it is a prequel to Sex & the City.

Some moments in this show are really forced and they're just not believable. It's actually hard to imagine it happening in real life, because it seems like writers have forgotten they're writing about a 16-year-old girl and not a 25-year-old woman. Carrie makes awful choices, which could be justified because she's just a teenager, but those choices turn the show into something awfully random.

I didn't make it to the end of episode 1 because I was really bored and I won't even dare to try watching the rest of it. It just isn't worth it.

Knocked Up (2007)

Not good, not bad,

[6/10 · 13 February 2013]

While this is not by any chance a movie that you will forever remember, it is not bad either.

Some parts of the movie seem misplaced, random and unnecessary. The whole story could be told in 30 minutes, yet it drags itself through more than 120. It lacks depth and originality and it is predictable and portraits a society I hope does not exist.

However, there's not only bad things about this movie. The cast is decent and the characters are funny. You'll be left wondering why some of them are even there, but they're funny nonetheless. Some jokes are really corny, but others are good. Some characters are really plain, but others develop through the movie and it is good watching that.

Overall, this is not the kind of movie I want to rewatch, but it kept me entertained for 2 hours.

So Undercover (2012)

Not that bad!

[7/10 · 9 February 2013]

When I went to watch this movie, I had pretty low expectations because of its rating of 4,2 here on IMDb. I was surprised to find out it is not as bad as I thought it would be.

This is not one of those unforgettable movies that get stuck in your head for about a week, but it is not trash either.

Miley is not terrible here. Her character is a little too plain and I wish there was more depth to it, but that is the writer's fault, not hers. Her acting is okay.

The story itself is interesting. There are some unexpected plot twists that make the movie not as bad as it could be.

If you're looking for a light movie that still has some mystery, action, comedy and romance, this might be the right movie for you. It is definitely nothing special, but it is not as weak as it is made out to be.

Nashville (2012–2018)

Absolutely perfect show

[7/10 · 27 January 2013]

I should begin by saying that I'm not usually a fan of dramas. If a show doesn't make me laugh, then most likely, I won't keep up with it. I am, however, a big country music lover so I decided to give this show a shot. I ended up watching three episodes in a row and had to stop myself or else I would just forget about my real life obligations.

There is a lot of story in this show. Nashville is not one of those TV shows that keep you wishing something would happen, but it never does. This show is fast-paced, but not so much that you'll lose track of what's happening.

The music on the show is superb, even for those who don't like country music. They sing about love, freedom, loneliness, not drinking a beer on a Friday night like you'd probably expect.

The characters are well-written and well-performed; you're going to be left wishing some characters developed faster, but truth is that it is what it is and, at the end of the day, it makes sense that they don't develop faster than they do.

Give this show a shot. It's not a coincidence that it is one of the best critically acclaimed shows this season. This is a show worth watching and worth following. It always keeps you wishing the episode didn't end.

Country Strong (2010)

An amazing movie with an amazing soundtrack

[9/10 · 3 January 2013]

If you love country music, this might very well be the movie you've been waiting for. Actually, this is a good movie even if you don't like country music.

The storyline is really interesting and it is one of those cliché movies where you already know how it's going to end when you've barely started watching. There's just enough singing, just enough romance. It's not an empty movie. There is a lot of character and plot development and it is not hard to get attached easily to the characters. The cast does a terrific job as they're all very believable and talented.

I don't really see anything negative about this movie, other than the fact that the ending may come off a little forced but it is not enough to ruin the movie. If you think about it for a while, it even ends up making sense.

This is a movie I would definitely recommend.

Ted (2012)

A big disappointment

[6/10 · 2 January 2013]

I didn't have the chance to watch this movie when it was in theaters and I was pretty upset by it because I was rather curious. I ended up watching it later and was deeply disappointed by it.

The movie starts out alright for a comedy movie, but about halfway down the line it starts going downhill. It is like you're not even watching the same movie anymore. There's a shifting in movie genres, from comedy to action or romance, I don't know. The movie puts you in a good mood and then just ruins it by beginning to be awful all of the sudden. It's undeniable that you will laugh out loud a few times in the first part of the movie and for the rest of if you'll just be wondering whether you started watching another movie without realizing it. I gave it a 6 because the first part is actually good. If the whole movie was like the last part of it, I'd rate it a lot lower.

Project X (2012)

Just an epic fail

[4/10 · 2 January 2013]

My friends decided to watch this and as I'm not very into the kind of movies they like I decided I'd look it up here first and gave it a shot because some reviews were good and normally I like comedy movies.

However, I didn't find anything funny about this movie. I do not understand why it is labeled as comedy, but I guess it was because it is so dull and plain and soulless that it does not fit in any other genre either. It's all about a party that gets out of control and then people get wasted and crazy and act like stupid teenagers. It is kind of unrealistic too, because not all teenagers are only interested in drinking and having sex like the movie makes it seem.

Furthermore, there really is no plot development. When the movie ends you don't really know anything you didn't when the movie started. There is a little character development and that is the reason why I didn't rate it even lower than 4 stars. You can see some characters regretting what is happening but eventually they decide to get high and just like that, character development is gone

So if you're looking for a good movie, you'll have to look somewhere else. This movie is boring from start to finish. This could not even be considered a light movie because it is actually disturbing in some parts and makes you wonder what society is this we're living in. This is a movie I would not recommend. It is not worth the time you'll spend watching it.

Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017)

my favorite show

[7/10 · 8 August 2012]

I started watching this last summer. I was bored and a friend recommended me this series. I'm not a big fan of scary drama, but I was addicted from episode one.

The characters are unbelievably interesting, and every little detail makes sense. It's the kind of show that keeps you wishing you had more and more episodes available to watch. It's really thought-provoking-- meaning, a lot of theories and ideas are going to start popping up in your head and you'll find yourself addicted to this show soon enough.

If you haven't watched it yet, do yourself a favor and do it. It's absolutely brilliant.

The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)

Amazing.

[10/10 · 5 July 2012]

This is one of the best shows I've ever watched in my life. The characters have depth, they're not stereotypical characters you'd expect to see in any other show. As unusual as they are, you can always find a way to connect with them, and understanding their behaviors is actually easy. Once you've watched twenty episodes or so, you'll feel like those guys could be your friends because you'll know them so well. The language used is not too complex, and even though some jokes may sometimes involve physical, chemical or biological concepts, they're easy to understand for anyone with minimum knowledge about these matters. To sum up, their super- smartness is simple to understand and the story lines are easy to follow. It really is a show worth watching.

Unforgettable (2011–2016)

One of the best series around

[8/10 · 5 July 2012]

Do you know those shows that just keep getting better? The more you watch, the more you can't stop watching. Poppy's acting skills are breathtaking, and it's so believable, really. By reading the synopsis, you might think this show is some cliché where the main character remembers everything and is some kind of superhero. No. People like her do exist in this world, and that's what makes it amazing. The characters are amazing, well-thought and well-played by the actors. The teamwork displayed throughout the series is really amazing and the way they get to amazing conclusions simply by discussing their points of view and discoveries is fantastic and believable, and their thoughts are easy to follow. All in all, this is an amazing show and you're missing out if you haven't watched it yet. WARNING: Ridiculously addictive.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Marvel's ruined Captain America for me.

[1/10 · 22 December 2011]

To start with, I didn't even understand the movie. I found myself daydreaming in the theater, simply because the movie couldn't keep me interested. It was disappointing, since I had very high expectations about this movie. It was a waste of money. If you're a fan of movies where you see everybody running and everything exploding and people screaming and a predictable, soulless love story... (if that can be called story... you don't really see them falling in love, it's like they start loving each other simply because they spend much time together (running and screaming and being afraid). I'm pretty sure the only reason why that love "story" was put there to attract to the movie not only men or boys who remember the actual, and good, Captain America, but also their wives and girlfriends. Pointless, let me tell you. It was awful. I found myself frowning when they kissed)... then this movie is for you. If you like good movies with an interesting story, character development, don't even bother to watch this one. It was one of the worst movies I've ever watched. I watched it in the theater with my boyfriend, which are two things that always make the movies better.. but not even the great company and the comfortableness of the chairs and wideness of the screen could save this unbearable movie. I'm the I'll-stay-until-the-end-of-the-credits-because-there-may- be-something-nice-after-them kinda movie watcher, but I found myself rushing to the door even before the credits started. I don't recommend watching this movie to anyone, and I need to thank Marvel *cough cough* for ruining Captain America for me.

The Last Song (2010)

Amazing

[9/10 · 8 October 2011]

I really liked this movie. Being a fan of both Miley and Nicholas Sparks, it's amazing to see how amazing this movie turned out to be. I feel like it wasn't for Miley playing Ronnie, this movie's rate would be insanely higher than just 4.6 stars. However, the book was written having her in mind, in her house, and I feel like it would be stupid to have someone else playing Ronnie's role. That being said, I'm very happy with her performance. The story line is just perfect, what's nothing new given the fact that the movies based on Nicholas Sparks' books are never disappointing. I didn't appreciate the fact that some important facts were left out, but overall it was a very good movie. Steve's illness was very well portrayed, as well as his death. Images are worth more than a thousand words, and no one needed to say he had died for us to be left in tears right by the second when we saw that empty chair. Even almost a year after the last time I watched this movie, I still have that image in my head. I highly recommend this movie, if you haven't watched it yet.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Best Movie Ever.

[10/10 · 8 October 2011]

This is my favorite movie of all time. I never get tired of watching it and it always puts me in such a great mood! Nobody likes to watch it with me, though, because I already know every song, every choreography and every line by heart and I'm not ashamed of singing and speaking along with the characters. The landscapes couldn't be more beautiful, and even though it can get a little bit confusing the first time you watch it, the story of this movie is somewhat intriguing and fascinating. When it gets to the end, you'll be left screaming that you need another one. A sequel would be perfect, even if I cannot picture it happening. Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep are my favorite actresses, and they did such a terrific job! Their acting skills are amazing, and so are their singing skills! In my opinion, Pierce Brosnan shouldn't have sung in the movie, but it was something that ended up growing in me. It doesn't bother me much anymore. The only parts I dislike on this movie, are the performances of "The Winner Takes It All" and "Slipping through My Fingers", as they end up being a little bit boring. I always find myself skipping those parts. Overall, it's a great movie, and if you haven't watched it yet, I don't really know what could you possibly be waiting for.