Hi everyone and welcome to our new blog!
You'll notice there are some older, random blog posts. Those were pulled over when Amanda had her own movie review blog, so feel free to check those out!
These blog posts are a way to chat about random shows/movies we watched that we won't cover on the podcast. So without further ado, here's what we've been up to!
Besides Amanda rewatching Toy Story and Dance Moms as background shows/comfort movies, we have watched quite a bit in the new year. The first film to note is Smile 2:
What is creepier than someone smiling menacingly at you? That is the motive of both its predecessor and Smile 2; to make the viewer uncomfortable. Plus adding the fact that a dark entity is behind those smiles, cursing the person to see hallucinations and ultimately, making them go completely insane to the end.
The first film drew us because of how uncomfortable we felt from the poster, and Amanda, being a big horror fan, we decided to check it out. We were so surprised how GOOD the story was! We went into this film with low expectations, but the story and characters truly held up.
So as for Smile 2, our first impression when we saw the trailer was that they were really building on this franchise to make this "curse" grow more in the world instead of limiting to like 3 characters. Plus, casting Naomi Scott for the main role, who has a great resume, was a smart move.
Scott absolutely nailed this role as a famous superstar who already faces mental health issues. She finds herself at the wrong place at the wrong time and we see the slow decline after she is cursed. The emotional cues were spot on and you just felt Scott's fear.
The story itself was good until the ending. We felt the end was predictable and the special effects were not the best. However, that won't stop us from seeing Smile 3 because we want to know what's next in this chapter as the creepy smile curse is now everywhere, literally.
Fall, oh my goodness, what a horrific treat. This is another film that intentionally makes the viewer uncomfortable for a whole other reason, which is aimed at those with a fear of heights. However, regardless if you have that fear, this film makes you squirm!
We've had family and friends hype this film up for us, and we noticed it was available to stream on Disney+. We took that opportunity to sit down and watch it. To note, this film has mixed reviews and ratings (79% on Rotten Tomatoes), but overall, the audience loves it.
We knew that the film's setting would be on top of this freakishly high telecom tower and it's survival of the fittest for the two characters Becky and Hunter.
These two characters dealt with tragedy prior with Becky losing her husband when she, her husband, and Hunter, scaled a mountain at the start of the movie.
Hunter, is an attention seeking social media influencer with a scope of being a daredevil and doing dangerous climbs and stunts. We also understand that this is a mask. She is insecure, a third-wheel, loves her bestie, and yet, has a dark secret about Becky's husband.
Becky is pressured by Hunter to climb this tall tower and, despite having PTSD, she conquers her fear as the two girls celebrate, but it's cut short when the ladder to get down collapses.
The rest of the story is about survival and you're constantly wondering what's going to happen. True colors come to light, desperate measures are taken, and there is a huge plot twist to throw off the viewer. The plot twist, for us, left us speechless and it made sense as to why Becky was feeling and doing the things she did.
Becky is played by actress Grace Caroline Currey and Hunter is played by Virginia Gardner. Both girls nailed these roles and made the characters so believable. They instilled secondhand fear and discomfort for the viewer. There are some behind the scenes features that we watched and these actresses went through a lot to make these characters come to life.
We HIGHLY recommend to watch Fall!
Tim Allen is back in the sitcom world in the new show Shifting Gears on Disney+. As a bonus, we also have Kat Dennings starring in a role as a struggling single mother who has to move back home with her two kids. This show is still ongoing, but the chemistry between Allen and Dennings is not only hilarious, but full of heart.
Dennings' character could be relatable in today's world. She puts on a front to mask her past screw ups, but in reality, she needs her father's help.
Allen's character is also in a conflicting challenge since his daughter walked out on him. We see him try to reconnect not only with her, but his grandkids. He hilariously tries to understand his millennial daughter and his gen-z grandkids.
If you're looking for a light-hearted, fun, and chuckle-worthy show, this one is for you.
Say no more, Invincible is it. This adult animated superhero series on Prime is a must watch for those who are into more mature superhero battles and themes.
We have been watching/catching up on Invincible, which came out in 2021, and the series is still ongoing in its third season. The story arc these characters have are wild.
The story follows Mark aka Invincible and him trying to navigate and balance his inherited superhero powers and college life. His father is not who he seems and Mark is taken on a wild ride when it comes to trust and doing what's right. We see him overcome guilt, find forgiveness even if it's not needed, and, despite what he has learned, hold back on finishing off the villains, no matter how much he deserves it.
All the characters are so relatable on a personal level. The group of Earth's superheroes are just fun, young adults that each have their own stories and issues. One notable character is Mark's romantic interest, Atom Eve, who also has the same issues as Mark regarding balancing normal life and superhero life. Atom Even also has her own spinoff series as well!
We plan on doing a deep dive episode of Invincible when Season 3 wraps up, so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, you can catch up on Amazon Prime AND the comics!
Amanda is a true-crime buff, and has followed the case of Gabby Petito since Gabby was declared missing in the fall of 2021. It only made sense to watch the documentary on Netflix.
Gabby Petito and her fiance appeared to have an amazing life full of love and travel. She wanted to become a blogger and YouTuber covering all the national parks and the beauty of the country. She bought a van and they turned into a home for them to do just that.
This case shows that it's not what it seems on social media. Police body cams paint a picture of domestic violence between the couple shortly before Gabby went missing. It is a disturbing watch, but important to get the message out.
This documentary focuses on justice for Gabby and awareness to domestic violence. We see what went on after Gabby disappeared and what her family had to go through. We also see a community coming together to bring her home.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here are some resources:
Currently, our main focus is watching Daredevil Born Again on Disney+, which we will cover in a future episode. Daredevil is near and dear to us. We actually met Charlie Cox this past August at Fan Expo here in Chicago:
Also on our watchlist:
Disney+
Pixar's new short series "Win or Lose"
Andor Season 2
Netflix:
Nobody Wants This
Spencer
Peacock:
SNL 30
If there is anything you think we should watch, let us know! As always, make sure you subscribe to our podcast and email list to not miss episodes, news, and blog posts!
We are always open to collaboration as well!
Apple Podcast:
YouTube
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