Onward (Zee)

Onward (2020)

It been a couple of weeks since i watched this film, I personally had to wait a couple of weeks till I could mentally toyched me as I related to the main character and the whole storyline of the film Onward. So sorry for the wait on the film review.

This follows a 16 yeae old elf called Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland) and his brother Barley (Chris Pratt) who lost their father when they are young and their quest of finally having the chance to see him for the first time since his past away. However, the spell went wrong and only the legs of him. 

It was emotional as a person who losy my father when I was two years old and wished that I had a chance to even talk to him one more time. So, in my opinion Disney touched on such a sensitive subject in a beautiful way. As I, like Ian had older brothers who taught me life skills that you would thought a dad would do. 

This is a beautiful family film with bring magic and light in such a dark and touchy subject that sometimes can be hard to talk to young children about. But onward shows that you don't need both parents to show you the way as they will be important people in your life who will guid you through the world in which we call life.

I would give this film a 5 out of 5 stars 

zee tay

 

TV Review: Wynonna Earp - Season 1 [Emz]

 

So I have watched this show (Seasons 1 & 2) quite a few times now, but I have recently started a re-watch with my friend who is seeing all episodes for the first time.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started watching this show, I admit that it is a little violent but that works with it being rated 18 in the UK. I was addicted after the first episode, I loved the characters, comedy, the action and the drama.

The show is adapted from comic  books pf the same name created by Beau Smith.

For those who haven't seen this show before here is a quick overview:

Wynonna Earp has been away from her hometown, Purgatory, for years but returns to reluctantly take on the role that Wyatt Earp's heir is destined for -- demon protector. Her task is to take out Revenants, the resurrected souls of the criminals who were taken down at one time by her great-grandfather. Wynonna teams up with sister Waverly, agent Xavier Dolls and Doc Holliday, the cursed-with-immortality best friend of Wyatt Earp, as they work to stop the Revenants from taking over Purgatory and escaping into the world. The show is based on the graphic novel series of the same name.

I started watching this on Netflix UK in 2018 just before season 3 was released on 5Spike. I wasn't quite sure what to think after the first few minutes but after fully getting know Wynonna's character and the secrets of Purgatory, I was hooked.

I love the sarcastic nature of Wynonna, which ties in nicely with her duty as the Earp heir. As she aims alot of her sarcasm at the Revenants who are always trying to get rid of her.

Melanie Scrofano who plays Wynonna, doesn't hesitate to show Wynonna's vulnerabilities also and her love for her family.

As we meet the other characters of Doc Holiday, Deputy Marshall Dolls and Officer Haught to name but a few, Wynonna's character interacts with all of them in different ways.

The twist and turns throughout the season keep you guessing at almost ever turn including the big reveal towards the end of Season 1.. which I will not let you in to if you haven't seen it yet, but it is a big surprise but as you get closer you almost guess it.

The actors who play the characters work brilliantly together and I love how the show is called Wynonna Earp but all the other characters are given their times to shine.

Lot' of credit to the writers of the show for creating a show that now has such a deadicated fandom behind it.

The show can be violent in nature, which works as the show is 18 rated, but after a while you get so gripped by the storylines you forget about the bloodshed.. well almost..

This is a show I would recommend if you like scifi/ action tv shows. But just to be aware due to the interational rights chaging hands, the show is sadly leaving UK Netflix at the end of September, so if you are interested, get watching!

I have some catching up to do with Season 3 before I can watch Season 4, but I will review Season 2 soon, after I have finished my rewatch with my friend.

Till next time

Emz x

Movie Review: Trolls world tour [Zee]

 

Trolls: world tour

I went to watch this movie in cinema back in August as cinemas is one of the few places I've been missing since Covid-19 sent us to lockdown. I am glade to say that I picked Trolls: The world tour is the first film that I went to see since cinema has reopened. This films has loads of well-known voice that made a recurrence from the first film, James Corden, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, with some new voices like Kelly Clarkson. 

Set when Poppy (Anna Kendrick) is now queen she found out that the pop trolls are not the only trolls out there and not everybody like the same music. She has to go on a quest to stop the rock trolls from going under the control of rock trolls. But will her understanding that not everything can be fixed with a hug and cupcakes are will she learn to listen to the people who love her and take their words into consideration.

This film has many massive throughout the movie but the main theme of this movie is that we have different taste in things but those differences that what makes us stronger. That we need to stop trying to make us like the same sort of music because that will never work. They will be people who like country, people who like k-pop and even people who like yodelling.

the songs that were added to the movie really helped create a nice moving storyline and was added to make it more effective. They didn't use any repeats from the first film which made it fresh and new. I espically loved the mesh-up they did in the country troll area, because it was funny and if i was at home i would be singing along to  because it were the classic pop songs that nobody can help but sing to them.

I would give this film a 5 out of five. totally recommend going to see.

Zee Tay.

TV Review: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist - Season 1 [Emz]

 

As someone with a love of musicals, I decided to give this show a go earlier this year. Through living in the UK, I was slightly behind the US and would catch up with the episodes after they aired on Channel 4.

Here is the synopsis on the show:

"After an unusual event, whip-smart computer coder Zoey Clarke magically begins to hear people's innermost wants and desires through popular songs. Suddenly, strangers, friends, co-workers and family are unknowingly singing their feelings -- just to her. At first, Zoey questions her own sanity,but after some guidance from Mo, her musically attuned neighbour, and making a breakthrough with her ailing father, Zoey soon realizes this unwanted curse may just be an amazing and wonderful gift --as she now connects with the world like never before."

I absolutely love this show. The cast are incredible, we have Jane Levy who was in the US version of Shameless and then Suburgatory.  Skylar Astin who is mainly known for playing Jesse in the first 2 Pitch Perfect movies and a gust role on Glee. He has also acted on Broadway. Another actor is a Glee alum, Alex Newell, Peter Gallagher portrays Zoey's father and he is very well known in the acting world, for me though I remember him best as being in The OC. Then there is Lauren Graham best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore in the Gilmore Girls.

The guest cast that have starred in this show are brilliant, one such guest star is Bernadette Peters who is well known in man circles, Broadway the most and she also starred in Amazon's TV Show, Mozart in the Jungle.

I love the way the character of Zoey can see what people are thinking as its sung out in front of her, but to everyone else nothing out of the ordinary is happening.

The way she interacts with people within her life as this is unfolding is brilliant. 

Peter Gallagher is amazing as Zoey's father, Mitch, who suffers from PSP because of this the character suffers from muscle weakness and is unable to speak so communicates via a computer. the scenes with Mitch's 'heartsong' playing out in front of Zoey are very emotional.

I haven't completely finished the show yet but I have enjoyed what I have seen so far.

Til next time 

Emz x

Netflix Party Review: Paradise Hills [Emz]

 

Paradise Hills was Zee's pick for our latest Netflix Party. 

The film was released in 2019 but was never released to mainstream cinema in the UK. The film stars Emma Roberts as the main character, Uma in this film as you follow the story through her characters eyes so to speak. 

I have aware on Emma Roberts since her acting days in Nickelodeon's Unfabulous.

The cast also consists of Milla Jovovich , Danielle MacDonald, Awkwafina, Jeremy Irvine and Eiza González.

So I found this film extremely weird and crazily futuristic. 

Emma Roberts' character Uma wakes up on a strange island and is told she has to conform to how her mother wants her to be so when she returns to the mainland she will marry Son. 

All the other girls have back stories also, Danielle MacDonald's character, has been sent to lose weight so she can join the family in pageants, Awkwafina's character suffers with anxiety and doesn't fit in the mould of her rich Aunt and Uncle and  Eiza González's character is bring sent there to conform to how her record label want her to be. 

I found that the characters are actually being abused from the beginning if you re-watch the film after knowing what happens at the end, after all they are only using them to form replicants that are sent out the real world whilst the girls that have arrived are disposed of. The girls are drugged to sleep through the night, all sessions are recorded to the replicants can study their behaviour. 

Milla Jovovich's character seems like some form of Headmistress but it is unveiled at the end that she is some form of human looking life drinking plant?  Its all extremely bizarre.

The fact that she manages to team up with her replicant and get revenge on Son is the best part of the film, it's the best of both worlds, Uma gets her freedom and the replicant who by this time we know her name has been given the wealth that Uma would have had but as a widow.

Apart from the film, the setting was beautiful, I researched it was filmed in the Canary Islands and Barcelona.

I mean if you like films that you can't understand, then this one is for you.

I would personally give this film a 4/10 as its to bizarre and really not for me. I did find the setting very beautiful which helped the review a little. If you enjoy this film then don't take my review as a way to base all reviews.

Till next time

Emz

Netflix Party Review: Work it (2020) [Zee]

Work It (2020)

A twist on step up, a film that was influenced by the very popular film series of Step up, work it followers an 18-year-old Quinn (Sabrina Carpenter) who want to follow her father footsteps and attend Duke University. However, she too many box, in their eyes she ticked so many of them that she is like the rest of Dukes university applications that she is nothing new and now she has to dance her way out of the box to get in. Starring Disney Girls meet world Sabrina Carpenter and Jordan Fisher who plays Seacat in Disney Teen beach movies. This is my review of Emzie pick of the week Work it.

I tried to keep an open mind about this film because of the great cast, but it just shows that you could have a film the is full of a-listers but doesn't make it a great film. it just not original. Now I know that all films are similar but they are different at the same time. With Work It, I just fill like it to it too much like the step u movie, the only difference is the main character wants to go off to university and instead of hip-hop it contemporary.

Now it has it pros like it is funny in parts but this is one of those films that you can easily put it in the background and do some work on you laptop and still know what is going on in the film. overall i would give this film a 3stars out of 5. It one hundred per cent, not a film i would rush to watch again, but if I am bored  and it is on, than i won't mind.

Till next week

Zee Tay

Netflix Party Review: Ladies In Black [Emz]

 

So this film was Zee's pick for last Saturday's Netflix party.

I apologize for the late upload, it was my birthday last week so I decided to milk it and celebrate throughout the week. I mean you only turn 30 once right?

Anyway onto the review.  I had never heard of this film before but was certainly curious when Zee picked it. It is based around the 1993 novel The Women in Black.

Here is the synopsis:

In the summer of 1959, Lisa, a shy schoolgirl, takes a job in Sydney's prestigious department store Goode's. There, her life is changed forever when she meets the "ladies in black."

I  found this film to have many sweet moments but many other moments that really showed the year that film was set.

So this film was set in Australia, with a mainly Australian cast. 

The found the naivety of the main character quite charming. as shes sees things a different way to the other staff members. 

I didn't enjoy the racism towards the immigrants that had made a life for themselves in Australia, but one you have to think back to the year the film is set and also a mixture of ignorance and unwillingness to embrace change.

Lisa's parents fall under the umbrella of unwillingness to embrace change as we learn that her name is actually Leslie but she hates her name. Her dad takes the entire film to embrace that his daughter is very intelligent and wants to go to University as he never went himself and feels he is fine. Her mother seemingly doesn't want her daughter to grow up and has trouble letting her find her style in fashion.

I find Lisa's friendship with Magda to be really lovely and how she embraces the fact that she is an immigrant from Slovenia and actually knows where Slovenia is and the capital city, which impresses Magda.

I find the character of Fay (Rachael Taylor - Jessica Jones) to be a little naive as well, I find that she takes on other people's opinions as her own without making up her own mind.

Patty has her own issues beyond the store with her husband, confusion and mixed emotions ensue between them as the story progresses.

Overall I found this to be a lovely story for the period it was set and it opens your eyes to how things must have been in the late '50s.

I would recommend this film and I give it a 9/10.

Next up will be Zee's review with my pick for this weekend.

Till next time

Emz x

Tv Review: Chicago Med Season 1 Episode 1 "Derailed" [Emz]

 

I have just started rewatching this series from the beginning through Amazon Prime. It is the second spin-off from NBC's Chicago Fire, after Chicago P.D.

The first episode is called Derailed. Here is the synopsis:

The grand opening of Chicago Med's emergency department is interrupted by victims of an "L" train crash, pushing the staff to their limits. Dr. Will Halstead and the new trauma fellow Dr. Connor Rhodes butt heads when the latter pulls rank when it comes to treating patients. Pregnant pediatrician Dr. Natalie Manning reveals that her husband was killed during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Medical student Sarah Reese's first days on rotation take an emotional toll on her. Halstead and Manning are forced to perform an emergency surgery on a patient who is a surrogate to a couple.

 

The premiere episode sees the debut of Dr. Connor Rhodes (Arrow's Colin Donnell).

I enjoyed the episode. It certainly wasn't a slow opening by any means, whilst the staff at the hospital are opening a new emergency wing, the new Dr. is involved in an accident on the Chicago "L" Train. 

There is already brewing animosity between  Dr. Halstead and Dr. Rhodes with in the first 5 minutes of them sharing the screen together. 

We also meet other staff members including Dr. Natalie Manning (Torey DeVitto), Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) who is the brother of Jay Halstead from Chicago P.D, Nurse April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) and Sarah Reese (Rachel DiPillo) who is a medical student, first day on rotation.

We also meet a young patient called Jamie, who has been a regular visitor to the hospital since he was 8 years old he has Cystic Fibrosis. We see the progression of his story and his relationship with many of the staff at the hospital throughout the episode.

I enjoy the fact that you can jump straight into these characters and it feels like the shows been running longer than it has.  You immediately become attached to the patients and the main characters.

The link with the other Chicago series is shown through guest appearances from Fire and P.D.

I like the fact that I have at least 4 seasons to work through on Amazon, the boxsets can cost so much more than a yearly payment to Amazon Prime.

I am working my way through the episodes so I will hopefully post once a week about this show.

Emz

Netflix Party Review: Victor Frankenstein [Emz]

 

This was Zee's pick for one of our recent Netflix Party Film nights. 

The film was released in 2015. It was a Horror film with a Scifi twist (more emphasis on the Sci-fi). It stars Daniel Radcliffe as Igor and James McAvoy as Victor Frankenstein.

I thought this film was an interesting twist on the Frankenstein tale. I idea that Victor is actually trying to replace his elder brother and that he probably blames himself for his death after going out to play in the snow as children and getting stuck in the blizzard.

The most talkative point for me was Daniel Radcliffe's hair.. it was rather girly looking.. I guess it can't be helped as perhaps it is trying to be in keeping with the era or the character.

The special effects throughout that whole film were incredible, if this film had been released 10 years earlier, the scale wouldn't have been able to look so impressive. The added effect with the flies did make my stomach turn just a little.

The big reveal of the original Igor being dead wasn't a huge surprise towards the end as he hadn't turned up at all. I was surprised to see the condition of him. The bit I found strange was that Daniel Radcliffe's Igor didn't ask many questions at all as to his whereabouts when he was given his name, I guess his character is a little naive. 

The storyline was good, but for me, it wouldn't be a film I would watch over and over again. 

Overall I'd probably give the film a 7/10, for the scale of the film and the quality of acting.

Til Next Time

Emz x

New and Returning TV Shows 2020

 So, I thought I'd start out posting about the upcoming TV shows I'm looking forward to that are still to be released this year.

1. WandaVision

So first up we have the first Disney+ MCU TV Show of Phase 4. WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany as Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) and Vision. 

As most of you would know if you have been watching the Marvel films, Vision's last film was Avengers: Infinity War. I'm not too sure how this show will unfold but i get the impression that Wanda is behind it all. obviously, the show ties into the movie Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

Here is the Synopsis we have been given:

Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Wanda Maximoff and Vision begin to suspect things are not as they seem as the two live their ideal suburban life.

We should also expect Thre Falcon and the Winter Soldier this year also. Next year should bring Loki and Hawkeye.

The show is set to premiere in December 2020.

2. Wynonna Earp - Season 4

Well, this is something Earpers have been waiting for this for quite some time now. Season 3 ended in 2018  and it was announced that the show had been renewed for Seasons 4 and 5.

IDW Entertainment held back production on Season 4 due to financial difficulties. The Earpers did not back down, the hashtag #FightForWynonna went viral all over the world and even reached Times Square in New York City.

The fight was worth it and production finally began late last year (2019). The show was halted after filming half the number of episodes due to the current global pandemic - Covid-19 in March 2020. Filming was resumed under very strict regulations in July 2020, because of this only 6 episodes will air this year unless otherwise announced,

The current season can only be aired in the USA and Canada right now but they are working hard to get the next season to the rest of the world. 

For those who do not know what the show is about here is a brief plot:

On her 27th birthday, Wynonna Earp, the great-great-granddaughter of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, inherits the special power to return revenants, the reincarnated outlaws that Wyatt had killed, back to Hell. Using her ancestor's magic gun, "Peacemaker," Wynonna works to break her family's curse by sending demons back where they belong. She also fights other supernatural beings that inhabit the Ghost River Triangle, a cursed territory near the Canadian Rockies that includes Purgatory, her hometown. After being recruited by the Black Badge Division (BBD), a secret government agency led by Special Agent Xavier Dolls, she is joined by an ageless Doc Holliday and Wynonna's sister, Waverly Earp. Nicole Haught, a Purgatory Sheriff's Deputy and Waverly's girlfriend, assists the team in her local police role.

I myself have some catching up to do as I haven't completed Season 3 yet. Hopefully, I'll be caught up by the time Season 4 reaches the UK.

Wynonna Earp is currently airing on SyFy and Space in the USA can Canada.

3. The Umbrella Academy - Season 2

It is official, this show is addictive. I binge-watched Season 1 and I am slowly making my way through season 2.

Season 1 left off with the apocalypse and Five transporting them back in time to stop it. 

So where does season 2 pick up...

Here is the plot:

"Five warned his family (so, so many times) that using his powers to escape from Vanya’s 2019 apocalypse was risky. Well, he was right - the time jump scatters the siblings in time in and around Dallas, Texas. Over a three year period. Starting in 1960."

"Some, having been stuck in the past for years, have built lives and moved on, certain they’re the only ones who survived. Five is the last to land, smack dab in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, which - spoiler alert! - turns out is a result of the group’s disruption of the timeline (déjà vu, anyone?)."

"Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins. But seriously, no pressure or anything."

This season is bound to have as many twists and turns as the first.

Season 2 was released onto Netflix on the 31st July.

These are my top 3 picks for now. what shows are you looking forward to? Feel free to let me know.

Till next time

Emz x

Netflix Party Review: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days [Zee]

 

Chick Flick is common slang young for romance genre's that are normally aimed at young teenagers- early twenties female, such films include twilight, dirty dancing, Notting hill and films like Titanic. They are all, great example of chick-flicks. 

In today's blog, I am writing about the 2003 film How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, starring Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Thomas Lennon and Annie Parisse. It about a young woman who tries to make her way in the journalistic world writing a “how too” column for a beauty magazine where she took on a bet with a boss that she can lose a guy ten days too write a column about how to lose them in which hopefully the women reading it find out that if they want to keep a guy to not do this. But what happens if the guy who she trying to lose is trying to make her stay. 

Here my top five on how to. 

1. This film is a different way of telling a cheesy chick-flick movie, as a girl who mainly try to stay far away from the too cliché rom-com/chick-flick movie. This trying to lose a guy feel + the guy trying to win the guy instead the girl trying to win the man. Is a very funny, interesting spin to the genre. 

2. Now this is the film I ever watch with Matthew McConaughey and I am impressed with his acting in this film or they did a lot of takes, because of the stuff the character Andie (Kate Hudson) It would be very hard to keep a straight face. So, I truly am applauding his acting talent. 

3. One error with the storyline I mainly picked out on though. On day Sevan of Ten, they went to a fake couple therapist. The Therapist suggest a week away to visit Ben’s parents. The fake therapist knows Andi’s plan as she in on it. And by suggesting a week away meaning by the time they arrive back it will be at least twelve days but when they came back, they were on day nine, so that didn’t make sense.  

4. The soundtrack of this movie fits with the overall film of the film, and as a noughties child, it brought back lot of happy memories of schools parties, birthdays parties and sitting in my room listening to the radio. (yes young people in the early 2000’s we still had radios) How to is more than a chick-flick it a journey back to the past to a time when you was younger, back when you are a child or even in your twenties yourself. 

5. Cinematography, it won’t past as a blockbuster in today’s standard but for the era the cinematography is of a good standard. The closeness, lighting everything was tied in very nice and made you feel related to the character even when Andie called Ben’s Spike, Princess Sofia. 

Overall, coming from a girl like myself who not a fan of chick-flick how to lose a guy in 10 days gets 5 stars from me. It is funny, and you kind of forget a time that you are watching a chick-flick.  so totally recommend watching this to somebody who not a chick-flix fan. 

Zee tay 

Coming Soon

 Welcome to Showtime with Emz & Zee.

We will be posting our reviews on TV shows and Movies we have been watching during this lockdown period.

We will be starting with the movies we have been watching together via Netflix Party.

We have an old blog called Emz & Zee's Media Mania, but we stopped updating as life got in the way.

Look out because the reviews are coming soon.