Review

Supergirl (2015-?)

Supergirl

Supergirl (2015-?)

Network:

CBS

Starring:

Melissa Benoist

Mehcad Brooks

Chyler Leigh

Jeremy Jordan

David Harewood

Calista Flockhart

Plot:

The adventures of Superman’s cousin in her own superhero career.

Review:

I’m slipping yet again on my TV pilot reviews. This show has been on for a while now and I just realized I hadn’t written a review. That was partly because I wanted to wait a few episodes before I made my judgement.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for this show. I really like Supergirl, but I think I like her potential more than what’s ever been done with her. Out of all comic book heroes I’ve read more of her comics than anyone else, and while I love her, she rarely has any good story lines.

The show is, to me, just like that. It has potential but Supergirl just kind of screws stuff up or stumbles on the answer or has someone else bail her out. Whether it’s her sister or her aunt or someone else, she’s more of a beat the enemy into submission hero than Superman is. I realize she’s just starting out and she’s going to make mistakes, but I guess I demand more.

I’m also not overly fond of the feel of the show, it’s so bright and girly. Which is weird because I honestly dislike how gritty and dull other superhero shows/movies can be. I’m not sure why it rubs me the wrong way, but it does.

The show has gotten better as its gone on. I like the supporting cast and think the Calista Flockhart is my favorite character. I’ll probably continue to watch it if it gets picked up, but it is definitely not my favorite superhero TV show. That award goes to Agent Carter.

3/5

Oliver and Company (1988)

Oliver and Company

Oliver and Company (1988)

Director:

George Scribner

Starring:

Joey Lawrence

Billy Joel

Cheech Marin

Plot:

A lost and alone kitten joins a gang of dogs engaged in petty larceny in New York.

Review:

I remember seeing this movie in theaters, which is actually kind of crazy since I was only two. Because of that early viewing I had some nostalgia attached to it. I remembered loving the songs and thinking it was a cute, happy movie. When my daughter picked it out to watch, I figured, why not.

Wow, what a shock. The fun happy film that I remembered was not what we watched. I still like the songs, but they are such a smaller part of the movie than I had remembered. When the animation was good it was like 101 Dalmatians and Aristacats in that it was gritty, but I don’t have a problem with that. New York City in the 80s was gritty. However, often times the quality would dip and it would look like something from a TV cartoon, definitely not on par with other Disney animation.

I was saddened and disappointed and almost wish I hadn’t watched it. My daughter liked it, but I’ll probably do my best not to add it to a regular rotation.

3/5

Darkness (New Species #12) By: Laurann Dohner

Darkness

Darkness (New Species #12) By: Laurann Dohner

Plot:

Kat’s boss wants dirt on the NSO. She is sent to Homeland undercover but everything goes wrong as soon as she enters the front gates. She is arrested by a big, powerful, sexy New Species but she is not frightened. He turns her on and things heat up fast between them. Now, she just hopes he does not break her heart.

Darkness admires Kat’s courage but he cannot trust anything she says. He hasn’t been with a female for years because he knows he is too damaged. He is not mate material, despite his desire to possess her in every way. Darkness fears losing control—the one thing that defines his life. He doesn’t think he can tear down the protective walls he’s built, even for her.

Inside Scoop: Kat never realized how much fun handcuffs and dominant males could be until she discovered her kinky side through Darkness’ need for control.

Review:

It’s been a while since I read a New Species novel and once again I can’t really explain why I like these books.

Kat is a strong willed kick-ass woman that handles a very violent scene in the first few pages. It was a pretty awesome introduction and I started to wonder if we were finally going to get a woman that goes toe to toe with a New Species. Well, we kind of did. Kind of.

She didn’t back down as quickly as others and really held out, but in the end she succumbed. It’s a romance, I knew it was going to happen, but one time I’d like to see the New Species do more of the submitting. The woman has to completely give up her entire life and live on a compound. I get that a lot of the world hates the New Species, but I wish there was more development in that area.

Darkness was a good male lead. He was tortured, like them all, too jealous for my liking (which is normal in this series), and he can’t resist Kat.

One of my favorite parts was Missy, Kat’s best friend, and I really hope she gets her own New Species hunk, but we’ll see.

4/5

Minions (2015)

Minions

Minions (2015)

Director:

Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin

Starring:

Sandra Bullock

Jon Hamm

Michael Keaton

Plot:

Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Review:

Best part of this movie was the music.

So, for the life of me, I tried to watch this movie but it just didn’t hold my attention. Thankfully, my daughter at least enjoyed it and she watched the entire thing, which is crazy.

I really like the Despicable Me movies, but I’ve never been Minion obsessed. Though, I do have a Minion pencil box, but that’s beside the point. There was really no need for a full length movie about them. I mean, they don’t even speak in an understandable language. It’s like French and gibberish and they’re such a continuous stream of stupid.

Oh well, this will not be added to my library and hopefully I’ll never have to try and watch it again.

2.5/5

Austenland (Austenland #1) By: Shannon Hale

Austenland

Austenland (Austenland #1) By: Shannon Hale

Plot:

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen—or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Review:

I really liked this movie and I enjoy reading books movies are based on, so reading this was a no brainer.

Anyway, there were parts of the book I enjoyed more than the movie and there were parts of the movie that I enjoyed more. The book added more character information and you got to see what Jane was thinking better than the book. She also didn’t come off as a Pride and Prejudice obsessed loser like in the movie. I thought the ending was much better in the book as well.

Movie wise I thought the pacing was better. Parts of the book kind of dragged and I could easily see the boredom Jane was experiencing.

I can completely understand her infatuation with Pride and Prejudice and all things Austen. I haven’t read all of Austen’s work, but easily one of my favorite books is P&P. The Colin Firth movie has also imprinted on my mind, but I just can’t see myself going native like Jane does. Of course I haven’t had the horrible relationships that she has.

If you liked the movie or Jane Austen I would definitely recommend this book.

4/5