apersonwatchesmovies Reviews

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024– )

Imperfect, but still very, very good! Yip! Yip!

[22 February 2024]

I just finished binging all 8 episodes, so fair warning my thoughts are quite fresh. Overall, I liked this show, a lot, or else I wouldn't have rated it so high. A lot of what I liked here, sadly, was due to me liking the source material, and a lot of what worked here was because it worked already. And yet, I think it would be a great shame if this show was cancelled. I want more! This is coming from some who grew up watching ATLA on tv, including seeing the final episode live. I've watched the series probably a half a dozen times at least, along with TLOK, and I've even read all the comics as well, so I guess you can say I'm a pretty big fan. I could go on and on about the superb special effects, the realistic bending, the sets, etc., but that's already been done to death by others. So, instead, I'll talk about everything else. HEAVY SPOILER WARNING FYI:

• First off, I get why they made some of the controversial changes to Soka's "sexist" remarks, and how that could leave a bad taste in some general audience's mouths, especially those unfamiliar with the show, and overall I think they handled it fine, and I don't dwell too much on it.

• I loved how they showed the genocide of the air nomads (not that it happened haha!). I really do think doing it added a lot of depth and realism and stakes to the world. I was tearbending during first two episodes. I think those were the best of the entire series. They weren't hampered by this being a kid's show on Nickelodeon. Soka even gets to curse once!

• You really notice the show start deviating during the kyoshi island episode. I liked that episode. The weakest for me were definitely 3-5. A lot of the events of Omashu, the mechanist, Bumi, (the secret tunnel!), and Jet and his freedom fighters was a mixed bag.

• I genuinely laughed when I saw the freedom fighter's hideout, and not in a good way. It's supposed to be, like, fifty feet in the air! They had it built like five feet off the ground? It looked so so bad.

• Some people will disagree, but--still, I don't really like the whole team Azula. Visually, May and Ty Lee don't look right. They look like cosplayers, and the actress playing May is trying too hard to replicate her animated counterpart's iconic gloomy voice. They aren't given much, but they weren't even introduced until book 2, so my opinion could change. Azula I don't find her intimidating enough. Maybe it was her dialogue, her appearance, but something just isn't right there. I think they tried to humanize her too much. They tried to give her a chip on her shoulder from her manipulative father, but I think it hurts her in a way that makes her less interesting as a character.

• I didn't like how they showed the events leading to Katara's mom's death. I think it was premature to reveal she sacrificed herself to save Katara being the last water bender. The reason it had so much impact was because we found out in book 3 during her revenge episode w/ zuko, when we already cared about her so much, which was why it did have such an impact, and as opposed to them trying to make us care about her BECAUSE of what happened.

• Sad they cut out that scene of Zuko in the ice cave w/ Aang when he says he was "lucky to be born". It was personally one of my top favorite moments of the show, like top 5... Still bummed out about that. I do, however, really love Dallas's portrayal of him. He absolutely nailed it. The ferocity. The inner turmoil. The physicality. I mean, damn, can that boy can kick!

This review probably comes across as overly critical, and I don't do a good job giving praise. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot to love here. Are there parts I would've wished they'd done different? Absolutely! But I had so much fun watching this! It really made me feel like a kid again, watching cable TV with my family on the weekends, and that isn't nothing. 8/10.

Wendell & Wild (2022)

Halloween disappointment

[28 October 2022]

Very little charm, not scary or creepy, and lacking any heart. This was wholly disappointing. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters, although I tried my best to! Kat, the movie's protagonist and an orphan, should've been SO much more sympathetic than she was. Even the titular characters Wendall & Wild were pretty one-dimensional.

The story lines also felt very jarring and disjointed. The only thing keeping me engaged was the stop motion and the occasional laugh, but even that wasn't enough to make me care. There's something seriously wrong with this movie. It should've been amazing, but ultimately, there's no magic to be had here.

Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

cringefest

[3 October 2021]

Ben Platt, the oldest looking 27 y/o, had me squirming in my seat by his portrayal of the most sociopathic teenager ever brought to screen. Even the cheery upbeat songs, characters all singing "you will be found," couldn't be more ironic and nauseating, as if mental illness only required waiting around for some savior. PoBaW is one of my favorites. This... was beyond disappointing.

The Night Of (2016– )

Well made but poorly conceived

[19 August 2021]

Great acting with thought provoking racial subtext, but albeit very predictable. I already narrowed down the killer to the two men at the funeral by episode two. It's glaringly obvious that an unemployed, drug-addicted young women owning a $20 million brownstone in the upper west side is a red flag. How can she afford to live there? Do the writers know how much to cost to even rent in manhattan? The moment the stepfather came into the picture, I knew immediately he was a suspect, but how come no one else thought of it before the episode six? His apathy, the dead mother, he lived in separately... (I wonder why??) I felt this show was more of a showcasing of someone falsely accused and how incarceration changes that person, but to me, it felt more of waiting for idiot detectives to see the obvious. Maybe they didn't want to see, and maybe, that's entirely the point, and if it is, there are other ways to do that without frustrating viewers.

Wish Dragon (2021)

A fun ride I've been on before

[11 June 2021]

Really great animation, not Pixar-level water-so-real-it-makes-you-question-reality, but really great. This is a fun ride, if not a bit derivative; Aladdin and Cinderella come to mind. Loved the culturally appropriate casting! I'm a bit disappointed the film's director/writer wasn't the same. Personally, I did not like Papi God. Ronnie Chieng seemed out of place imho. There's some logical jumps kids won't notice. Like how Din's mother automatically knows Li Na "rejects" him (not really, but you gotta add drama somehow right?) without her seeing or Din telling her. There's others inconsistencies I'm sure old farts like me will notice, but this is a kids movies so no biggie. The highest emotion height was at Din's final wish scene. He said, "make me rich or piles or gold or whatever you do. Give me the good life." (Along those lines) great moment & ultimately this film delivers a deeper message than Aladdin. Excited to see where the sequel goes!

The Education of Fredrick Fitzell (2020)

Interesting concept, but falls flat.

[4 June 2021]

I was prepared to love this movie. I liked the cast and concept, but sadly I felt this movie failed to deliver an emotional punch. Major kudos to the cast and crew. I could tell a lot of care went into making this film and it shined through. I really thought this movie would have more to offer than it did. I remember hoping Freddie's girlfriend would tie into the plot the way she reacted to the yellow house and Freddy's drawings. I hoped she somehow knew and was trying to keep him present, but it turns out she was just concerned with his well-being. The ending really leaves more questions than answers. Why does Freddy decide to stop following Cindy? Why was the girl Freddy scarred so important? What is the invasive entity? Where is Cindy now? Is she dead or still exploring? Why was Andre so freaked out in the bathroom? What were the numbers in the bathroom stall all about? Why did Sebastian's mom tell him not to call again? Maybe I'm just dumb, but as an average audience member I felt this film had a lot of interesting ideas but no substance to back it up.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: New World Order (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

See where this takes us...

[21 March 2021]

The opening action sequence was a bit corny. Helicopters appearing out of nowhere, Falcon getting outmaneuvered by random henchmen from another new "secret" organization, the arbitrary ticking time bomb "we can't break treaties" bit.

I mean, it makes sense. Falcon could've just stayed back and waited until the gilder dudes landed, so they had to add an extra level of urgency, but why write yourself into a corner to begin with? It could've been a totally different scene and still accomplished the same goal of introducing the big bad anti-blippers.

On the nose dialogue was a bit cringe. Esp during winter soldiers meet-cute with the bartender.

I liked the direction of Bucky exploring his PTSD, not so much Sam having money problems. I mean, my guy, just get a brand sponsorship, anything. You're a freaking Avenger.

Some nitpicks: I had no idea why they had to shoot the therapy scene with such a low-depth of field, and why of why did that undercover ops had to step FORWARD and get his assed kicked when he had a gun POINTED at masked big-bad.

There's a lot of potential, but some of the logic behind these scene really takes me out of it.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

bold, funny, & heartbreakingly tragic

[19 January 2021]

Came in with fresh eyes and left speechless. Carey Mulligan gives an all-star performance. This movie is fearless. 9/10