kingstoken

Moana 2:

My brother and I went to see Moana 2 on Thursday, it was cute, it was fun spending time with Moana and Maui again (although it takes about half the movie for them to be reunited), and I think it had a positive message to kids about needing community. That being said, it's not as good as the original, although sequels rarely are. They introduced a bunch of new characters, some of which were better then others, the one new character I really liked, Moni, he was such a Moana and Maui fangirl and a bit of a himbo. Also, Moana has a new baby sister in this one, a few years has past since the last film, and I know they would probably never have done it, but I think it would have been so much cooler to have seen Moana as a mom, and when she is called to go on this dangerous mission it would have been such a harder decision for Moana. Anyways, I don't think Disney is ready for a mom princess, but could have been interesting.

(Also, side note, it cost $16 each to see the matinee, and this was the non-3D one, because 3D sometimes makes me nauseous. Like no wonder no one is going to the movies anymore if it cost that much.)

The Franchise:

I binge watched The Franchise the last couple of days and enjoyed it. It's about a film crew trying to make a superhero film, it is clearly a spoof on Marvel. It's a comedy, but it can be a little dark at times, like it makes fun of a lot of stuff you hear about Hollywood and the big franchise movies in general. It covers steroid use, treatment of women by the toxic media/fans, product placement, having to suck up to China, interference from corporate executives, etc. Richard E. Grant is in it and he plays like such a jerk, but it is fun to watch him to do so. The cast is pretty top notch. I don't know if most of the characters are good people, but they do a good job at making some of them sympathetic.

Anyways, I don't know if I sold it well or not, but if you have HBO (or Crave in Canada) I think its worth the watch.

I just finished Dead Boy Detectives! I loved it! And I'm pretty sure I have a new ship! I want everyone to watch it! I don't know how to describe it, but it is about two boys who are ghosts that solve mysteries and they make friends with a girl who is a physic, then they end up accidentally stuck in this small seas side town, which actually has a lot of mysteries within it. It was surprisingly episodic, with a new case almost every episode, but there is an overarching plot that ties them together and culminates in the last couple of episodes. It has some great friendships. It is also very queer. I think the only drawback is the main characters are supposed to be 16-17 years old, and obviously they're using actors in their twenties, and you have to keep reminding yourself that they are supposed to be teens, but such as the ways of Hollywood. If you have Netflix please give it a try, I would really love if we got a second season, but you know Netflix everything is always up in the air with them.

Enjoy this little vid of my new ship Charles x Edwin, maybe it will be a good selling point for the show. (I tried to embed it, but won't it cooperate):

https://www.tumblr.com/beidouwanning/749133507547299840/edwin-x-charles-down-bad

So, I've watched the second season of Good Omens, twice actually since the its release on Friday, and I loved it! First off, I will say that season 1 is the better season of the two, it's has a better plot and is more tightly paced. But, if you love Ineffable Husbands at all I recommend you watch it. A few professional reviews have said it feels very much like watching fanfiction, and I think that is a very apt description. We get more of Aziraphale and Crowley and their journeys and shenanigans throughout history. We get outsider POV on Aziraphale and Crowley from Aziraphale's neighbours. We get to see Crowley before the Fall! We get affectionate looks, little touches, and dancing! So many little story ideas and head canons I've seen floating around the past four years show up in this season.

That being said there is still issues between the two of them that have not been resolved, and I could see many fans being disappointed that the two of them haven't made more progress. Also, a warning for a lot of angst right at the very end of the season, and the angst is not resolved. The main issue of the season does get resolved, but they are obviously setting things up for a season three. I have had a couple mutuals decide to skip the last fifteen minutes, so they can be happy and then they said they will watch the last fifteen minutes just before season 3 eventually comes out. I don't think I could do that, but to each their own.

Anyways, you could just watch season 1 and be happy with that as the ending, but if you love Ineffable Husbands and are okay with an angsty ending then give it a watch.

Prompt 2: Gladiolus
Generally, gladioli represent strength of character, faithfulness, moral integrity, and remembrance. Gladioli are actually the traditional 40th-anniversary flower and the birth flower for the month of August! Each individual colour of gladiolus is also symbolic.

I just finished binge watching What We Do In The Shadows and I was going to make a post about it, but then I thought I'd combine that with my sunshine post because the character of Guillermo de la Cruz is a character that represents faithfulness.

I really enjoyed the first four seasons (the fifth season is coming out in a couple of weeks), it's a situational comedy, but with vampires. Most seasons have a kind of overarching thread, but it's mostly episodic. There are many moments of dark comedy, but overall it is mostly them getting into wacky situations and then trying to get out of them. The first couple of episodes were a little rough and I almost gave up on it, but it gets better and the characters really grow on you. Also, the horror elements are little more in your face at first, but then they are played down a little more after that. Not to say that the horror is not still there, because it is, but it is not the main focus.

My favourite character is Guillermo de la Cruz:

He starts out as a mild, subservient character, but he slowly grows and gets stronger over the course of the series. He is really badass at some points. However, he is still unappreciated by those around him. I don't think I am alone in picking him as my favourite, he seems to be pretty popular from what I can see. From what I've seen everyone ships Guillermo/Nandor, which I totally get, they have a certain dynamic that would be like catnip to some, the whole master/servant, bodyguard/lord type thing, but I also kind of feel like Guillermo could do better than Nandor.

That being said, I really enjoyed all the characters, even the minor recurring ones were funny. I think my second favourite character is Nadja:

She's nothing like Guillermo, she can be selfish, and needy and occasionally manipulative, but she is also smart and funny and over the top. She is also the only main female presence for the first couple of seasons.

I don't know if I'm selling this well, but if you like comedy with horror elements then check it out.

Over the past week I have been watching the new Interview with a Vampire series, and I must say it is very well done and I liked it, but I didn't love it, and I can't quite figure out why. Some of the great things about it are:
-Really loved that they made the interviewer older, and less afraid to call out Louis on his bullshit, the dynamic between the two of them was great
-they made the subtext text, which was very nice to see
-I liked how they changed the story to make Louis a creole black man, and how his place in society was maybe a factor in his choice in becoming a vampire

Things I didn't like or have mixed feelings on:
-If I remember correctly, Louis was really tormented about killing humans, it was kind of a big deal for him throughout the story. In this adaptation it is brought up, but it is not as big a factor as I would have liked.
-I liked Claudia, and the actress did a great job of when Claudia was getting older, a woman in a child's body, but I feel like Claudia's initial sweetness and naivete was missing a bit. I don't know if this is just because they aged the character up (which was necessary) or because they skimmed over her early years as a vampire very quickly
-I liked Lestat, again the actor did a great job, he really captured that obsessive, over the top manner. Louis and Lestat definitely had chemistry. However, I think he lacked some charm, Lestat's ability to convince people of things was missing somewhat here. (Also, don't hate me here, but I think in the 1990s film Tom Cruise's Lestat did have the charm, but it's been years since I saw that film, and I know a lot of fans don't like that version, so don't some at me with pitchforks)
-I didn't like Armand, I know we didn't see a lot of him yet, so that may change if we get a second season

I don't know if any of this is just me, I am not a big fan of vampire stuff in general so that may be colouring my judgement. Anyways, it will be very interesting to see where they take this series, especially if they decide to go past the first book.

I just binged this series over the last three days and it was a delight! You might have seen it floating around social media, and people encouraging others to watch it, and now I have also jumped on that bandwagon. It has a gay love story, great team vibes, pirate high jinks, and so much more! It is a comedy, but also has some deeper meaning following underneath it. I loved it, and I can't wait til season 2.

One warning, it is about pirates, so their is some minor character death and mild gore, nothing too excessive, it is obviously not the focus, but it is there, so I'm warning for it just in case.

It is available on HBO Max in the States and Crave in Canada.

I watched the first two episodes of the new Hawkeye series (don't worry I found a way to see it without paying the mouse), and I enjoyed it. There are a few things I'm not completely happy with, like they rewrote Kate's back story somewhat, swapping out the mom's death for the dad's, but at least we get to see the lovely Vera Farmiga on our screens. They also changed Lucky's origin story, making him Kate's dog first, which I am a little sad about. The stunt work didn't seem as well done as I'm used to seeing from Marvel, but that is maybe the difference between a big budget movie and a TV series. However, overall I am liking it, the dynamic between Kate and Clint is starting to develop well and I am hoping that they continue to focus on that, because Clint and Kate's relationship is one of the things I loved most about the comics.

I binge-watched Only Murders in the Building today, and it was so good! You wouldn't think that the prefect third for Steve Martin and Martin Short would be Selena Gomez, but they are fantastic together! It is a great murder mystery, but what really sells it is the dynamics between the characters. They also have a great cast of supporting characters, and some wonderful cameos from Tiny Fey, Nathan Lane, among others. The basic premise is that there is a murder in their building and the three of them team up to investigate while also hosting a podcast about it. It is a great mix of comedy and mystery, so if that sounds up your alley, check it out, if you can.

I finished Schmigadoon today, and I have to say I found it delightful. It is a parody of musicals, and there are a couple of comedy moments that made me cringe, but overall you got the feeling, that even though the creators are making fun of musicals, they also have a deep love for the genre. Some of the musical numbers where catchy and fun, and I really enjoyed a lot of the characters.

There are rumors of a season 2, I have no idea how they would do it, because this season seemed like such a complete story, but I'd definitely be interested in seeing where it would go.

Okay I caved and watched the Loki series, and I have to say I absolutely love it so far. I've always had a soft spot for Loki and I love him even more here. This Loki is a mix of the soft and endearing, while still being bombastic and manipulative, it is such a delight to watch. I am growing to love all the side characters as well. We also got canon bisexual Loki, which is a plus. I am a little worried how it is all going to end though.
( Some spoiler thoughts and worries )

Over the last two days I have binge watched all of Superman and Lois, the episodes that have aired so far, and I have to say I am really enjoying them. This is a big surprise to me, because I normally don't like Superhero TV shows, but for whatever reason this one really works for me.

All the main characters are very likable, and it has a good supporting cast. They have also done a good job of keeping the background or minor characters consistent and some of them have gone on to feature in later episodes, which isn't always done on episodic television, and I really like the setting of a small town that is struggling.

There were two contrasting antagonist storylines in this first half season, and they are both done well. Lois had her own storyline and her own antagonist, so it wasn't just her sitting around worrying about Clark.

I really like the twins, although my favourite is Jonathan, I don't know why but I love the dynamic of one brother having powers and the other "normal" brother being protective of him, while also being a little lost (that is probably why I liked very early seasons Dean Winchester). My only complaint about the twins is they seem a little too old to be 14, but I understand why they have to use older actors. At least this time the actors are actually teenagers, I looked online and it seems one actor is 19 and the other is 17, which way closer than other series. The girl Sara, who is the love interest, is 24, which I would have never believed until I looked it up online, she has a baby face.

Anyways, I also kind of ship Lois/Lana, I was worried that they were going to have them be competitive or jealous of each other, but instead they made them friends, and I think the two actresses have really good chemistry with each other.

My only worry is that they are throwing an awful lot into this first season so far, and I worry they might not be able to keep up the momentum, but we shall see.

I watched all of season 1 of Star Trek: Lower Decks today, and surprisingly I really enjoyed it. It is not prefect by any means, there were a few moments that were a little cringey, and would warn you that Beckett Mariner can be a little too much in the beginning, but she grows on you. Overall it had a very fun feel to it, it being Trek without taking itself too seriously. I loved all the references to other trek series, I think there was at least one reference for each of the past series, and a couple of cameos. I think my favourite episode was the episode where they put themselves into a movie, which was obviously poking fun at the TOS films, but in a loving way. It will be very interesting to see where season 2 goes, because the ending was a little surprising. If you like older Trek than I suggest checking it out.

Over the past week I've bingewatched a TV series called Fortunate Son, it begins with a woman that helps draft dodgers in the 1960s sneak across the boarder into the Canada during the Vietnam war, and it escalates from there. It was a mix of spy thriller and family drama. Was it a prestige drama? No, I'd say it is more of a middle of the road drama, but I still enjoyed it.

My two favourite characters were two Canadian police detectives that were trying to figure out what the hell was going on, because everyone else had more information than they did (also, if you watch SPN you'll recognize one of them). My least favourite, of the main characters, was the teenage son, because he wouldn't listen and did stupid shit, but he was a teenager, so I think that was the point, plus his parents were not honest with him and he really didn't know fully what was going on.

The show had a great 1960s aesthetic, and seemed really authentic, like someone in the costume and and props department did their homework, I swear my grandmother had the same set of white cups with ugly patterns on them that the characters used. That, and the background news events, were probably the only things that were historically about the series.

One other thing, the series is supposed to take place in British Columbia, but I'm pretty sure it was shot in Alberta, it was little weird when the characters kept referencing BC places, when some of the locations screamed Prairies to me.

I saw one review on IMDb that called it Canadian propaganda, because of how it portrays Americans, which I laughed at, 80% of the characters are Americans or ex-Americans living in Canada, some of them are good, and some of them are bad. The only ones who come out looking like true villains are the CIA, and come on, does the CIA ever look good in any film or TV series?

It is only 8 episodes, and the main storyline was wrapped up, but they did leave the ending open for a possible second season, so I'd be interested to see if it goes forward. If you are Canadian you can watch it free through CBC's Gem app, I'm not sure if it is available internationally (but that American reviewer must have seen it somewhere).

Promotional banner depicting a snow-covered green bench in a snowy park. Text: Snowflake Challenge: 1-31 January.

In your own space, promote at least one canon that you adore (old, new, forever fandom).

One, only one, Ha Ha Ha, I laugh in the face of that. Just kidding, if you can only rec one that is great, but I'm going to give quite a few canon recs. I will preface this by saying most of my main canons are things that probably don't need reccing like Game of Thrones, Star Trek, etc, so I'm going to try and rec canons that are a little less popular.

Books:
Station Eleven - Multi POV dystopian, that flips back and forth between present day and twenty years in future after the fall of society. It has many dystopian elements, but it is much more hopeful than most books in this genre, and how the author interweaves the characters lives is beautifully done. Bonus, it is being made into a limited run TV series, that is supposed air this year, so if you read it now you will be ahead of the game.
Light Years - Tropey YA Sci-Fi, it doesn't do anything particularly unique or genre defying, but that is not always what you want. It follows four teens at space academy learning to fly spacecrafts. It loved one character in particular, Arran, he is a cinnamon roll of a character, he just wants to make his mother proud, but he is insecure because he comes from poverty and he's never kissed a boy. I just want to wrap him in a warm blanket.
A Song of Ice and Fire - Grim-dark High Fantasy, this one is obviously extremely well known, because it is the basis for the Game of Thrones television series. I will say even if you watched the show give the books a try. There are several minor characters and subplots that are dropped completely or condensed for the TV series, which is understandable, sacrifices have to made many times for adaptations. One subplot I really loved, that never made it to screen, the creepy Lady Stoneheart and the dark Brotherhood without Banners. One warning, the books are absolute tomes, the series is currently over 1 million words, and is unfinished, and it may never be finished.

Graphic Novels:
Pumpkinheads - This should be saved for autumn, it really is a love letter to the season, especially from a North American standpoint. Plus, it has the beginnings of a really sweet romance in it.
Also, I just want to rec graphic novels/comics in general. I just discovered them last year and there is such a great variety of stories. If you're worried about where to start may I suggest starting with a TV series you liked as a kid, many have been continued in comic form, like Xena, Star Trek, Batman '66, Wonder Woman '77 etc.

Television:
The 100 - I'm going to rec the first 5 seasons of this show, it's dystopian sci-fi, with an diverse ensemble cast, it has it's issues, as you may have heard, but I love the characters so much. Plus it had one of the best adult ships on a teen show ever, they were the perfect antagonists to friends to lovers story. I'm deeply unhappy with where the series went in season 6, so for me the season 5 finale, with a few tweaks, is my head-canon for the end of the show.
Fear the Walking Dead - this is TWD's less loved little cousin, and like The 100 I'm only going to rec the first 3 seasons of this show. It's horror, and features a main group that is mostly family and very dysfunctional, but are kind of stuck together because it is the apocalypse, and bad stuff keeps happening. It also features a main female character who is middle aged, sometimes manipulative, and probably isn't a good parent, which is kind of refreshing to see. In season 4 they did a soft reboot, and it ruined the show for me, so for me Fear ends at the season 3 finale.
X-Men: The Animated Series - the 1990's X-Men, this is the show that made me love the X-men. It has the essential X-Men team, plus cameos from many others throughout the series, and it is one of the only X-Men canons to ever do the Dark Phoenix storyline well, yes that Dark Phoenix, that every other film or series has a terrible time adapting. The animation is not up to today's standards, but was probably considered good for the time.
Supernatural - this one maybe needs no introduction, but I will say if you stopped watching in the early seasons please give the series another go. I may be a loner here, but I really love the later seasons of this show, especially seasons 11 and 13.

Lastly, I made a canon rec post for last year's Sunshine Challenge, you can find it here

Canon Recs

Most of my main fandoms are from major canons that almost everyone knows, like Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, etc, so I am going to try and rec some things that may be a little lesser know.

Books:
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Harcastle - it takes the classic cozy mystery and mixes it with the groundhog day trope and other elements that make it a very unique read. (Warning: there is some fat shaming)
Koko Takes a Holiday - pulpy sci-fi with a badass heroine and a sensitive hero. I liked the first book so much I have been afraid to read the sequel, because I am afraid it won't be as fun. (Warning: it does contain a scene involving suicide)
Mary Balogh - this is just an overall rec for the author, if you like historical romance then check her out, her books are not really hot and steamy, but she does spend a lot of time building up relationships, I especially like her novels featuring mature heroines.

Graphic Novels:
Hawkeye Comics (Marvel): the Matt Fraction run and the sequels by Kelly Thompson. The amazing team of Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, and how they are superheroes with no superpowers. (Heads Up: this Clint and MCU Clint hardly share even a passing resemblance)
Unbelievable Gwenpool (Marvel): a young woman from our world that gets stuck in the Marvel comic book universe and decides to become a superhero, very funny in places, and her only superpower is her knowledge of comics and the Marvel Universe, plus her love of large guns.
Lake of Fire (Image): what if insect aliens had landed during the middle ages? This reads like an old fashioned action movie from beginning to end (Warning: for violence)

Movies:
Destination Wedding: Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves! Who fight like an old married couple pretty much from the moment they meet, more of my thoughts here
Entanglement: a film that you think is going to be the typical manic pixie dream girl saves depressed guy, but then it goes somewhere different (Warning: for depictions of mental illness)
Sabrina (1954): Most people have seen the remake, but give the original a try, seeing this film as a teen made me fall in love with Audrey Hepburn
African Queen: there are elements of this film that are problematic, but I do love the dynamic between Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, a religious spinster who ends up paired with a drinking, good times boat captain. Also, Bogart plays a Canadian, but obviously sounds American (Warning: for inaccurate depictions of Africans at the beginning of the film).

Television:
Murdoch Mysteries: a detective at the turn of the last century in Toronto, Canada, who must solve mysteries, usually murder, with the technology of the time. This show is well known in Canada, but might not be so well known else where.
Heartland: another Canadian show, about a young woman living on a ranch in Alberta, and her special connection to horses
Major Crimes: Police procedural and sequel to The Closer, focusing on Captain Sharon Rydor. I am still deeply unhappy with how this series ended, but the series overall was really great.

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Stuff I Watched Lately: Moana 2 and The Franchise
Dead Boy Detectives!
Good Omens 2
Sunshine Challenge Day 2
Interview with a Vampire TV Series
Our Flag Means Death
Hawkeye TV Series
Only Murders in the Building
Schmigadoon
Loki Series
Superman and Lois
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Fortunate Son TV Series
Snowflake Challenge Day #9
Sunshine Challenge Prompt #3

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Entries tagged with tv rec

Stuff I Watched Lately: Moana 2 and The Franchise

Dead Boy Detectives!

Good Omens 2

Sunshine Challenge Day 2

Interview with a Vampire TV Series

Our Flag Means Death

Hawkeye TV Series

Only Murders in the Building

Schmigadoon

Loki Series

Superman and Lois

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Fortunate Son TV Series

Snowflake Challenge Day #9

Sunshine Challenge Prompt #3