The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim {animated fim} (At the cinema!) [NZ/Japan/USA] - it's the last day of 2024 and I just saw this with several friends plus the offspring of one of them. It's a nostalgia-inducing experience, from the various nods throughout to the LotR trilogy to the film's anime style recalling TV series of my childhood. Thoroughly enjoyed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Family By Choice (Viki) [Korea] - yeah, it was alright. I kinda speed-ran the last few episodes cos I wanted to see how it resolved. And Choi Won Young. Really just enjoyed seeing his work. But it wasn't a series I'll rave about or wish I could watch again for the first time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blossom (WeTV) [China] - love me a bit of second chance/fix-it narrative. Was it perfect ? No. Did it stick the landing and give me some great characters amd narrative moments? Yes! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Lower Decks - Season 5 (Prime-Paramount+) [USA] - that was a great season. Loved Upper Decks and the multiverse episode. As always I feel sorry for any Trek fans who have ignored this show or dismissed it as not worth their time. Missing out! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
It Ends With Us {film} (Prime) [USA] - got curious, paid $7 to rent it. Was not bad. There's some clever stuff in the narrative and the concept of reliable narrators. Is it a deep plot? Not at all. It's mostly surface level stuff, skimming over complex and important issues. But it's well acted and there's clearly an attempt to engage a little. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In November:
First Note Of Love (Viki) [Taiwan] - a short and sweet romantic drama with a ouple of familiar faces in the leads. Love saves, love heals, love writes music... ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (WeTV) [China] - i really wanted this one to stick the landing. The first half, heck the first two thirds, were great. It was a bright bubble of sunshine that contrasted nicely with Fangs of Fortune. And then the wheels just fell right off. Watched the bulk of the scenes in the final six episodes on 2x speed just to get it done. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fangs of Fortune (iQiYi) [China] - oh gods, it's so goooood. Just the cinematography/visuals alone! And then you get this rich, fascinating world-build? Am in heaven. I love this show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Agarwood Like A Dream (Youku) [China] - just binged this short-length-episodes series with liberal application of 2.0x speed viewing. Not a bad lil show, just wanted to get it consumed in one sitting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Good Place (Netflix) [USA]- first time rewatching this since the finale aired, it all hits just that bit differently when you know what's actually going on. So many clues/hints!!! And so many foundations for plotlines of following seasons laid in preceding ones!! Fucking LOVE this show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Abigail {film} (Netflix) [USA] - now this was a solid vampire film. Far more enjoyable that last month's and with a much firmer belief in its own underlying mythology. Gory as hell, but who doesn't love an exploding nightsucker? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deadpool and Wolverine {film} (Disney+) [USA] - bwahahahahaha, loved it. An excellent threequal. Reynolds and Jackman clearly having so much fun. So many cameos and Easter Eggs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Twisters {film} (Prime) [USA] - it's fine. If I'd never seen Twister, maybe I'd be more impressed? But it just felt like they had a checklist of beats from the original to either match or try to exceed. ⭐️⭐️.5
Borderlands {film} (Prime) [USA] - oh damn... that is not a good film. I really hope the cast and crew at least had fun making it cos ... wow. I was hoping for a Guardians of the Galaxy meets Jupiter Ascending sort of vibe. Yeah, nah. ⭐️
In October:
Agatha All Along (Disney+) [USA] - oh, this was SUCH a great series. Absolutely loved it. The whole thing is fantastic and those last three episodes? Fucking brilliant. Will we get a second season? Not sure. I mean, it is queer as fuck, so that is likely a strike against it. And it's almost all female-focused. Another strike. Plus it's speculative fiction. Strike 3. But hey, maybe Disney+ will smell the money? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Splash Splash Love (Viki) [Korea] - rewatched this time travel story cos I just love it. Viki have pulled the many short episodes into two 60-ish minute long episodes, which I appreciate. I know there's now a Chinese version of the narrative, but it's 24 episodes and, tbh, I think that would affect my enjoyment. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mr Right {film} (Netflix) [USA] - second time I've watched this quirky lil romcom. Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick are bonkers adorable in the leads. It's silly, violent, and fun. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Up Our Love (Prime) [Korea] - did not realise this was a 2 episode-only spin off from "No Gain No Love", so not sure how much more I'd get out f it if I'd seen the originating series. That said, it does quite a bit with its limited run and I enjoyed the silliness and the romance. I'm a sucker for the isekai genre plus the character learns they are a character riff. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Invitation {film} (Netflix) [USA] - a rather light in the plot department addition to the vampire genre. Not to say it's not fun, it just feels a bit... colour-by-numbers in its attempt to bring a new spin to an old tale, like its speed-running its own mythos while trying to wink at the audience and point out all its 'clever' bits. ⭐️⭐️.5
Bullet Train {film} (Netflix) [USA] - violently entertaining. Absolutely here for Hiroyuki Sanada's scenes - that man is beautiful. The two cameos were a treat. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Monster Next Door (WeTV) [Thai] - adorable rom-com. Adorable all the way to the end. God and Diew were such a good example of the benefits of actual communication between partners. Diew's ex should be shot out of a canon. Plus, possibly controversial take, Beer deserves better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fateful Love (WeTV) [Chinese] - Good news! I got used to the crazy and am enjoying the ride. Especially the leads. It was an fascinating series, with such an odd mix of vibes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
In September:
GyeongSeong Creature - Season 2 (Netflix) [Korean] - I am pretty pleased with this second venture into this narrative world. Does it give us a nice tidy resolution? Nope. Is it a HEA? Not really. Are there enough loose threads for a third entry? Absolutely. Am I okay if that doesn't happen? Yeah, I reckon so. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kaos (Netiflix) [USA] - sat down with husband to "just check out Episode 1" and binged the whole show in one day. Thoroughly enjoyed this modern spin of Greek myth, except how they reffered to Hercules not Herakles when all the other names were the Greek ones. Aesthetic has a sense of the ROMEO+JULIET to it. Will it get season 2? It's Netflix, so who the fuck knows. UPDATE (11/10/24): fuck Netflix. Bastards. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire {film} (Prime) [USA] - second of the new generation of Ghostbuster movies and it was just as enjoyable as the first one. For me, both films embody the same spirit (ha) as the originals and work as continuations of that narrative. I am a fan of the way the film makers worked to incorporate all the promo and merch from the 80s into the narrative. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Brokenwood Mysteries - Season 9 (AMC+) [New Zealand/Aotearoa] - yes, like most cop-focused series it is laced through with copaganda and suspects who absolutely should shut the fuck up and call a lawyer... but I can't help loving this show and its cast. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Melody of Golden Age (Viki) [Chinese] - this was exactly what I expected. 40 episodes of gentle burn, with a rapid run towards the end with various plot reveals and several unexplored plot points left waving in the breeze of the HEA conclusion. Thoroughly enjoyed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Hard noble lady (iQIYI) [Chinese] - a short form series, with another spin on the "modern man's soul gets thrown back in time and into the body of a woman" plot/trope. Ying Ke did a reasonable job as the FL, but the plot, in general, was not strong, particularly around the core premise. Most of the time it felt more like a modern woman in the past, and the ending was disappointing with the implied "it was all a dream" as was the show's inability to commit to the romance in any substantial way. ⭐️⭐️.5
In August:
GyeongSeong Creature - Part 1 (Netflix) [Korean] - I can tell I liked this one by how much I rambled at husband while watching it. Heartbreaking scenes, some utterly wrenching dialogue, fantastic performances, decent effects... curious to see how Part 2 plays out and they explain why she's a) still alive and b) not a brain-eating predator...? Also is that really him in the teaser for Part 2 and what's with that scar? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You Are My Secret (Viki) [Chinese] - Stayed til the end cos Karlina Zhang is as adorable as she is in Minglan PLUS Liu Jun is playing her dad again, only this time he's not a cowardly, incompetent bastard. But the plot really did start to drag and all the bank-related storylines just felt more than a bit boring/repetitive. Plus the ending feels more like "well, i guess we're done" halt, rather than a proper resolution. ⭐️⭐️.5
Parasyte: The Grey (Netflix) [Korean] - this and Sweet Home is pretty much my limit on body horror. If the creatures look reminiscent of the work of the late, great, Ray Harryhausen or remind me of the attempt by Barbara and Adam Maitland to look scary, then it seems I am okay. Finally finished this one. Only took me, what, 4 months to watch 6 episodes? 😂 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love in a Dream (WeTV) [Chinese] - fun little short-form wuxia that is entirely @dangermousie's fault. The ending is very open to interpretation - has he survived, has he died - it's up to the viewer, really. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Eve (Netflix) [Korean] - so I know I watched this series back when it dropped in 2022... but I remember very little of it. So I'm not sure this counts as a rewatch. 🤣 It sits in a similar genre space to "The Glory" but over by the melodrama side, and maybe a little less depth to its tale. But several similar character types in the mix: spoiled rich kids/adults, powerful and corrupt people, aloof chaebol who adores his cute little daughter, deeply traumatised female lead, utterly smitten male lead, and so forth. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Star Trek: Discovery: Season 5 (Prime) [USA] - jumped from Episode 7 to 10 cos I was mostly uninterested in the entire thing by this stage but wanted a semblance of resolution. Gods... the utterly stupid way they try to explain the Short Trek? ⭐️⭐️.5
Kingdom: Season 1 (Netflix) [Korean] - going onto the very short list of zombie- related media I have been able to watch in its entirety. What a fucking cliffhanger to end the first season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In July:
Revenge of the Reborn Princess (WeTV) [Chinese] - feels like it's been the year for dramas featuring lead characters who die and get a do-over on their lives - most for revenge purposes. This one is one of the quick episodes dramas, but even so, it took me a little while to get it done. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Interview With The Vampire: Season 2 (Prime) [USA] - Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. So damn good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rise From The Ashes (YouTube) [Chinese] - it has moments of excellence and moments of total "what the hell just happened, this makes no sense narratively speaking" but I still enjoyed this web series entry into the "get killed, get a second chance ad some revenge" category. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Lost You Forever: Part 2 (Viki) [Chinese] - I'm fine. Shuddup. I'm just peachy. Honestly, being a handful of episodes behind and seeing gifs of stuff to come is helping manage the anxiety. And then I caught up... and then I ended up paying for early access to the final 6 episodes. I know although of folk are V unhappy with how this played out. I get it. And that final episode was a mess. But I didn't hate this season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sweet Home - Season 3 (Netflix) [Korean] - fuck you, Netflix. Just fuck you. Honestly, if someone is reading this and wondering if they should watch this series, just watch season 1 and then headcanon whatever the fuck you want for what comes next. It CANNOT be as shit as what they did. ⭐️
The New Mutants (Disney+) [USA] {movie} - been meaning to watch it for ages but youngest bro-in-law told me it was horror and I'm not great (generally) with horror. Decided "fuck it" today (cos I'm feeling crap) and watched it. And it's fine. I mean, yeah, the Smiling Men as creepy but nothing on the fucking Gentlemen of Buffy (loved how that was the only show they had playing in the Rec Room, btw.) I'm mostly stuck on how poorly planned the staffing at that facility was given its purpose. Plus I really wanted a post-credit scene of them ruining Essex Corp. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Princess Royal (Youku) [Chinese] - dear gods, please can Youku get a TV app. Was absolutely here for another in this year's run of ML and FL get a redo dramas. So much that I spent AUD$4.80 to get my mitts on the final 6 episodes tonight and speed-ran the final part of the story. Gods but Su Rongqing was just so meh by the end... possibly even more so when I've so recently watched The Double and seen how his sort of character could have been played. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brats (Disney+) {doco} [USA] - Andrew McCarthy's very personal look at the impact being labelled "The Brat Pack" had on him and his peers. Nostalgic and fascinating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lost You Forever: Part 1 (Viki/WeTV) [Chinese] - I finally finished the last few episodes once I knew for sure that Part 2 was available to watch. I did enjoy this season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Queen Charlotte - A Bridgerton Story (Netflix) [USA/UK] - binged it over the weekend. Cried at the end. Possibly my fave of all the Bridgerton series thus far. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bridgerton, Season 3, Part 2 (Netflix) [USA/UK] - Just realised I forgot to put Part 1 in, so I've bunged it in May. Anyway, I want to look as good as Penelope in the gorgeous dresses she wears in this season. Hell, I want the dresses. Love her. Colin is a bit of a twit, but he's alright in the end. I am disappointed that I only find Benedict interesting when he's interacting with his siblings. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
In June:
Love Like The Galaxy (Viki) [Chinese] - rewatch. Either my third or fourth visit to Shaoshang and Zicheng's story. Is this series perfect? Nope. Do I care? Nope. Although that final episode always feels a bit... choppy and sudden, I still find this one gets: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Doctor Who (Disney+) [UK] - the 15th Doctor's first season. SPACE BABIES! SNOT MONSTERS! JINXX MONSOOOOOOON!! Capitalism is War. Who... what is Ruby Sunday? Eat The Rich. Is that a Bridgerton set? Wrong freaking anagram!?!?!? Unresolved plot points just waving about like a culturally appropriated doggo on a string... loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Double (Youku) [Chinese] - hands up if you paid to access the last four episodes early... 🖐 and then for the adorable lil epilogue/special with its set of happy ever after vignettes... 🖐 Did Episode 40 feel a bit... off-balance? Yeah, a little. The battle scene really is at odds with all the episodes prior, and I swear Su gaogong tells the Emperor he's going to the border to fight 'tomorrow' but some how there's enough time for a wedding and some fun interactions with A'Li, plus did it really need those deaths? And I can see why some folk are struggling to read it as a happy ending. That said, I enjoyed it. The cast, production, and story were fantastic. (Really wish Youku would get a TV app soon... whine whine complain complain) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration {comedy special} (Netflix) [USA] - pretty impressive line-up, interesting to listen to folks doing stand-up in 2022 when it was still okay to be concerned about COVID. The sets were not long enough! 😆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution {documentary} (Netflix) [USA] - thoroughly engaging doco, brought a bunch of comedians to my attention, need to now watch the comedy night it is connected to: "Stand Out". ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hidden Love (Netflix) [Chinese] - rewatch. Is it perfect? Nope. Does that stop me enjoying the story and the characters? Nope. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Joy of Life: Season/Part 2 (Viki/YouTube) [Chinese] - Am I okay that Part 2 has finished? Nope. Was it absolutely brilliant and do I kinda want to rewatch it right now? Yes. Possibly going all the way back to the start of Part 1 and starting over. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lovely Runner (Viki) [Korean] - binged the last 6 episodes on the first day of June. What a fantastic series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In May:
Bridgerton, Season 3, Part 1 (Netflix) [USA/UK] ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jennifer's Body {movie} (Disney+) [USA] - rewatch #3. Feel like this is an under-appreciated, and under-rated film. It's also one of the rare horror genre films I can watch (and rewatch) without freaking out during it nor having subsequent nightmares. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Joy of Life (Viki) [Chinese] - rewatch. Needed to refresh on character and plot before Part 2 drops! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ye Cheng (Viki) [Chinese] - picked this one back up after leaving it mid series last year. Whatever you do, if you watch it, do not watch the not-quite 5 minute hot mess that Viki labelled Episode 17. Embrace the ending of Episode 16 for all that it is abrupt and flawed, and move on. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
An Idea Of You {movie} (Prime) [USA] - looking to fill the gaps as I wait for more Lovely Runner, and this did a satisfactory job. Love that Nicholas Galitzine does his own singing; he's got a decent voice. The cynic in me kept up a running commentary on how this film's premise falls apart if Solène doesn't look like Anne Hathaway, and that merely waiting five years does not guarantee any improvement on the horrendous media/online treatment her character experiences. But still... it's any enjoyable 110-ish minutes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5
Star Wars: A New Hope {movie} (Hoyts) [USA] - it Star Wars Day today, and a good friend's birthday, so we went to see the first Star Wars movie on the big screen. ...it kills me to say this, but gods it is a poorly written film. Hilariously, compared to all of the original VFX, the Lucas-cut CGI additions have not aged well at all, they are stand out in the worst way. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In April:
Happiness (Netflix) [Korea] - rewatch. I'm not great with zombie stuff, but this series is in the very small sweet spot that is pretty much just the zom-com/rom-zom stuff. It is a solid little drama but the ending it too... abrupt. Feels like "andtheylivedhappilyeverafter.theend" with some important resolutions missing. Thus it doesn't get five. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Different Princess (Youku) [Chinese] - was going to give this lil nugget five stars, but that final scene was... lacking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dead Boy Detective Agency (Netflix) [USA] - devoured in two days. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moon In The Day (Viki) [Korean] - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unknown (Youku) [Taiwanese] - this is such a good series. Paid the $5 to get access to the final episodes early cos I had a definite need to know how it all came together in the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dune: Part 2 {movie} (Prime) [USA] ⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5
The Legend of Shen Li (Viki) [Chinese] - absolutely loved this series. Paid $9.99 to access the final four episodes early. That is how much I liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Story Of Minglan (Viki) [China] - rewatch - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Magicians - Season 4 (Prime) [USA] - rewatch - gods, this should be a five star season. It really should. But FUCK that ending. Fuck whoever made that decision. Honestly, part of me wants to give the damn thing a single star but that's not fair to all the great episodes and performances that precede that utter shit finale. I don't think I'll ever watch Season 5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
