Another Simple Favor is not as good as the first movie, but it is still a decent sequel. It is bloodier, bigger, and goes international.
Another Simple Favor is more or less exactly what I expected it to be. The first movie is better, lets get that out of the way first, but it is still a good movie. Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively continue the awkward chemistry of the first movie that boarders on obsession and sexual tension. It is funnier than I anticipated and the mystery aspect kept me entertained, but it is not without its issues.
Kendrick is one of my favorite actresses and has been for some time. She is great in A Simple Favor so I was looking forward to her reprising her role in this sequel. Unsurprisingly, she is equally hilarious and fantastic as Stephanie Smothers. Lively knows exactly what kind of person her character is and does great as her return to Emily.
All of that said, newcomer Allison Janney is the stand out. A lot of the humor she drops is subtle but it is done extremely well, proving that she is a seasoned actress that knows how to deliver an unforgettable performance.
In Another Simple Favor Emily has been released from prison and basically forces Stephanie to be her maid of honor at her remote wedding in Capri. To no one’s surprise, things go horribly wrong and someone is murdered. What I enjoyed most about this movie is that it the mystery of the killer is concealed well. It is not predictable at all, almost coming out of left field, but in a way that is satisfying.
Again, A Simple Favor is a great movie, and while the follow-up is not as good, it has a lot of great elements. The third act is by far the best, able to bring the suspense, comedy, and emotion to a head into a very memorable climax. There is just enough action to keep viewers entertained, but it is the comedy that really shines this time around.
Without too many details and in an effort to avoid spoilers, there is a scene in Another Simple Favor that is sexual assault, and yet it is made the butt of a joke. That did not sit well with me and the more I think about it, the more I am bothered by it. The events are glossed over and poked fun at (more than once) which feels inconsiderate to victims of assault.
There is a lot of mystery in Another Simple Favor. Without giving too much away, audiences will be constantly forming theories and trying to put all of the pieces together. Already from the trailer people are speculating, but I have yet to see anyone figure it out.
Overall, Another Simple Favor is fun and leaves the door open for a third film. There are some things that I have had a hard time getting over, but it made me laugh out loud multiple times and I was genuinely shocked when the killer was revealed, so it accomplished what it set out to do.
Another Simple Favor is skipping a theatrical release and will be available to stream on Prime Video May 1.
Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.
Death of a Unicorn is basically Jurassic Park with unicorns, which makes it an absolute blast. The entire cast is incredible but Will Poulter steals the show.
From the first moment I saw the trailer for Death of a Unicorn, I knew it was right up my alley. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. This film is over the top and absolutely ridiculous, which is to be expected when you know it about killer unicorns.
When Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jessica Ortega) are summoned to a weekend away to remote home of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO things quickly get out of hand when they accidentally hit a unicorn with their rental car. Unicorns have long been thought to have magical medicinal powers, and that is exactly what this familiy discovers after being soaked in unicorn blood during one of the best over-the-top sequences in a movie so far this year.
This is Alex Scharfman directorial debut. He also wrote the film and landed one of the most hilarious ensemble casts that I have seen in a while. Jenna Ortega is basically the straight man of the movie, with a sea of ridiculous insanity surrounding her. She does so brilliantly, fully becoming the heart of this bonkers story.
Paul Rudd, of course, brings the charm, but he offers more of the subtle comedy than the laugh-out-loud lines, as does Anthony Carrigan. If they gave awards for the best facial expressions, mannerisms, and silent reactions, Carrigan would absolutely deserve it for his role in Death of a Unicorn.
Richard E. Grant and Téa Leoni, play the CEO Odell and his wife Belinda. They are horrible people, as is their son. It is completely unsurprising when they decide to use the revelation of the unicorn blood for their own gain, fully disrespecting the animal and the life it once had.
Will Poulter, who plays Shephard, the son of the pharmaceutical CEO, is hands down the best part of this movie. Every line that comes out his mouth is hilarious and each joke is perfectly timed. Of course this has a lot to do with the script and direction, but he pulls it off seemlessly. I would bet money that the majority of the memes that come out of Death of a Unicorn will be of him, as well as that most of the lines quoted from it will be his.
Things go off the rails when more unicorns show up to enact revenge on the humans. As expected, this is where things fully get crazy. It doesn’t take too long for the movie to get there and while I wish it went a little harder at times, I fully love the unicorn carnage that is unleashed.
When we hit this part of the movie, Death of a Unicorn feels as if it is giving its best Jurassic Park impression, but in a way that totally works. The unicorns find themselves stalking their prey and the way many of these scenes are shot almost mirror ones from the popular dinosaur frachise.
Again, I must express, this is a brilliant move and makes it that much crazier. In an effort not to give anything away, I will simply say that people get what they deserve in a more than satisfying way.
My only real issue with Death of a Unicorn is that I would have loved for it to go a little bit harder. Still, I was laughing until my sides hurt, wincing at the gore, and having the time of my life. Sure, the CGI isn’t great, but it feels as if that fits the style of the movie. I had an absolute blast, which is the most I could have asked for.
This one begs to be seen on the big screen so be sure to check out Death of a Unicorn when it comes to theaters on March 28.
A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.
The Righteous Gemstones cast reflects on the emotional journeys that their characters have gone through over the course of the series.
The Righteous Gemstones is coming to an end with the fourth and final season. During a press conference in support of this last season, we caught up with Danny McBride, Cassidy Freeman, Edi Patterson, Tim Baltz, Adam Devine, and Tony Cavalero.
When asked about watching their characters grow over the seasons, the cast reflects on their emotional journeys and how happy they are with how things end for them in the final episode.
The Righteous Gemstones Cast Reflects On Their Characters’ Emotional Journeys Throughout The Series
Tessa Smith: After playing these characters for so long, what was it like for you to see them grow and ultimately end up as their best selves at the end of the series?
Adam DeVine: Well, for Kelvin, it was so fun to be like this deeply closeted man and then finally come out and be able to be his true self. And I have family members that have come out and you see like a weight is lifted off of them when they finally do – you know, they tell everyone and they’re more free. And so this last season was really, really fun to play Kelvin in all of his Kelvin-isms. I butchered that word.
Tony Cavalero: I think for Keefe, I mean good Lord, what a shell of a guy initially when we first met him. I always said like he was like literally discovering his skin and his clothes for the first time. And to have him come this like full circle and like finally there’s no God Squad, there’s no Smutbusters. He finally just gets one-on-one time with his guy. And he’s able to like love and support him the best. You know, I just cannot wait for my moms to see this last episode. They’re gonna freak. It’s amazing. It’s so beautiful.
Edi Patterson: Hey, with Judy, I felt, I feel like she had constant sort of almost real-life level growth. I think, if you think about how people grow in real life, it’s not a lot. It’s not how we see in a movie. We’re like wow, they’re good now, wow. They’re nice to everyone now. Oh, he was so cranky at the beginning. And it’s like it’s so incremental in real life, and I think that I’ve gotten to do a ton of increments of that with Judy. And I, yeah, I love where she ends up, that yeah, she can actually be totally selfless in loving someone. I think it was a journey to get there, but…
Tim Baltz: I felt like with BJ, he started as literally being called a wisp of a man. Wisp? And he was successively in consecutive seasons trying to prove himself to the family in different ways. His wardrobe probably being tweaked and guided by Judy, his workout regimen going from rollerblading to pickle ball to pole fitness. Not dancing, fitness like Danny said. And then having, without spoiling anything, getting to a place at the end where he’s kind of like packing up the pole and coming to terms with like who he is, kind of accepting himself. That he doesn’t need to go through this in order to prove who he is to them or to fit in. And then I think there’s some really nice moments in the last episode, without any spoilers, that kind of show how integrated he has become in the family.
Cassidy Freeman: No, Amber, you know Amber went from being a poverty person to being Amber Gemstone. Her journey in the seasons is I think, to me, she always had this wish to be the next Aimee-Leigh, to be – her and Jesse were gonna be the next couple that took over. And what was interesting is watching her try and prove that in a lot of ways, fighting with her own sense of who she is and who she is to her husband when she feels betrayed, and how she can find her own way when she gets that church group of her own. : And the discord between her and Jesse to where I think she landed, which I really love, is becoming that glue without having to show it. Which is I think something that Aimee-Leigh was as well, which is why the loss of her created such a ripple effect in everybody. But to watch Amber in this last season sort of be a true support, to try and mend all of the discord between her sons and her husband and the family, and just that person that wants to hold everybody up and make sure everybody is taking care of each other.
Danny McBride: Well, I feel like Jesse is like – he battles his own ego all the time. He puts weight on being the first born. He puts – you know, he sees his dad and he wants to be that and wants to be a version of that. He wants to have the respect that goes with that. But he has such a hard time sort of getting out of his own way. And I think in this season in particular, the beginning of it they’re like on jet packs and he’s like flying to the ceiling just doing all this nonsense that has nothing to do with what the job is. By the end they find themselves in this moment where everything is stripped away, and they just have to do what the job is. All three of the siblings like rise to that occasion. And that’s sort of what the arc of Jesse is in a way. If that changes him, hopefully so, but it’s the idea of stripping away all of these things that don’t really matter and just doing what the point of the job is sort of, for him and kind of coming to that understanding and actually having the ability to kind of rise to the occasion of the moment.
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 premieres on HBO and Max Sunday March 9, with episodes releasing weekly until May 4.
The Righteous Gemstones tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. Despite constant bickering, Gemstone family ties run deep, and this season the family’s codependence is tested as they attempt to move forward without letting go of their storied past.
The Righteous Gemstones is created and written by Danny McBride; directed and executive produced by Danny McBride, Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, and Jonathan Watson; executive produced by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley, and Brandon James; produced by David Brightbill; consulting produced by Kevin Barnett, Edi Patterson, and Chris Pappas.
O’Dessa is like nothing you have ever seen before. It is an epic, twisted, brilliant, colorful, tragic love story filled with unforgettable musical performances.
O’Dessa is truly like nothing you have ever seen before. It is, by definition, an epic rock opera, but it is so much more. Sadie Sink is phenomenal in the lead role not only proving her acting chops, but her sining skills as well. This film delivers many unforgettable moments with its vibrant storytelling.
This movie likely will not be for everyone. It is a muscial, magicial, tragic journey that will take viewers on a wild ride. From the very second Sadie Sink opens her mouth it becomes clear that she has a true calling. If acting ever stops working out for her, or she becomes bored of it, she could absolutely be a singer. I would buy any album she puts out as she has the voice of an angel.
With sixteen original songs, O’Dessa is very much a rock opera. Writer / Director / Composer Geremy Jasper has been working on this film for years and I can see why he never let the idea go. The world that he created is one that is equal parts terrifying, tragic, and beautiful. The film is visually stunning thanks to bright colors and eccentric characters.
At the start of the movie, I instantly thought of Mad Max. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which there are ramblers and cities run by people who don’t always have the best intentions (in fact, they never do).
The general population, or what is left of it, are obsessed with an over-the-top televison personality named Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett) who is one of the best parts of the film. Whenever he is around, I got Fifth Element vibes. He has a decent amount of screentime, but if I am being honest, my only real complaint about O’Dessa is that I wanted to see more of him. Bartlett always gives one hundred and ten percent during his performances and this is yet again another time he does so.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays Euri Dervish, O’Dessa’s love interest, and he was absolutely the perfect choice for this role. Euri is androgynous, sexy, and deeply in need of rescuing. I love the way things are switched up from the normal romantic trope and that O’Dessa becomes his knight in shining armor. O’Dessa is actually quite androgynous as well, which adds an added layer to this film that allows viewers to connect with both characters on a different level.
I cannot talk about O’Dessa without talking about the asthetic of the film. It is colorful and bright, which is the perfect contradiction to the dark and tragic love story. Sink and Harrison Jr. have incredible chemistry. While I can honestly say that I enjoy the musical performances the most out of everything in the film (and lowkey wish there were more), it is the love aspect of the plot that is my favorite. These two shine together and I hope they collaborate on another project soon.
O’Dessa will be streaming on Hulu March 20th and I cannot stress enough how much I wish it was coming to the big screen. This is one of those movies that I feel should be seen on the biggest screen possible, with an audience. Fingers crossed that it will end up getting a limited theatrical release because it deserves it.
I loved stepping into this bizarre, post-apocalyptic world alongside Sadie Sink, who proves herself as a strong lead. That girl has some pipes on her. I will be anxiously awaiting the soundtrack release on vinyl because I am obsessed with every song.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa is an original rock opera about a farm girl on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom.
Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.
I love a post-apocalyptic film and while The Electric State is not exactly that, it does have a lot of the same elements. Set in the aftermath of a robot-human war, Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) enlists the help of Keats (Chris Pratt) in tracking down her brother, whom she thought was dead.
While humans do not use robots anymore, and have exiled them, they now spend a lot of their time in virtual reality. This has consumed and distracted them, causing much of the world be a desolate place.
One of the best parts of this movie is the asthetic. The retro 1990s vibe resonated with me immediately, drawing me in and keeping me entertained. I often found myself looking in the background of scenes to see what I could recognize.
The robots are mostly mascots and cartoons, each one looking cooler than the last. The use of so much CGI to bring them to life could have easily been the film’s downfall, but instead, it takes it to the next level. There are quite a few action sequences and each time the CG is seamless and believable.
These robots add a bit of fun and whimsy to a story that is otherwise pretty dark at its core. Every voice actor – from Alan Tudyk to Jenny Slate – understands their assignment. They are some of the most lovable characters in the movie, which is in part due to the right actors being assigned to the right robots.
Millie Bobby Brown has always been a formidable actress. She is incredibly talented, proving herself in Stranger Things, as well as several projects afterwards. But it is her work in The Electric State that solidifies her ability to command a movie as a lead. She is funny when she needs to be and strong when she needs to be.
Her connection and chemistry with Woody Norman, who plays her brother Christopher, brought me to tears several times. Perhaps it is because I am a mom of two children who I so desperately want to be there for each other during tough times, but either way, their scenes together and extremely touching.
Chris Pratt has always had great comedic timing, and that remains true in The Electric State. He is hilarous, especially when it comes to his interactions with Brown. He plays a character similar to Star Lord, who is one of my Marvel favorites, so that could be why I was so drawn to him.
The Electric State once again has me thrilled that Ke Huy Quan has found himself back to a place in front of the camera. He might not have a lead role, technically, but his character is extremely important to the story and he nails it. He even made me a bit emotional at times and was a complete joy to watch.
To say The Electric State has an all-star cast is not an exaggeration. Giancarlo Esposito (who plays Colonel Bradbury) and Stanely Tucci (who plays Ethan Skate) are also involved. They are the villains of the story and characters that you are certain to love to hate. To no one’s surprise, both are incredible in the film.
The Electric State, while extremely dark at times, is also cute. The sibling connection adds a lot of emotional elements to the film and the robots bring the fun. Themes of segregation and basic equal rights are woven throughout but not shoved down your throat, which makes it all work really well together.
Millie Bobby Brown proves herself once again as a powerful lead, demanding attention and commanding every scene she is in.
The Electric State heads to theaters on March 7 for a limited run before streaming on Netflix March 14.
The Electric State is a spectacular sci-fi adventure from the directors of Avengers: Endgame set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the 1990s. Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Enola Holmes, Damsel) stars as Michelle, an orphaned teenager navigating life in a society where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising.
Everything Michelle thinks she knows about the world is upended one night when she’s visited by Cosmo, a sweet, mysterious robot who appears to be controlled by Christopher — Michelle’s genius younger brother whom she thought was dead.
Determined to find the beloved sibling she thought she had lost, Michelle sets out across the American southwest with Cosmo, and soon finds herself reluctantly joining forces with Keats (Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World), a low-rent smuggler, and his wisecracking robot sidekick, Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie).
As they venture into the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots now exist on their own, Keats and Michelle find a strange, colorful group of new animatronic allies — and begin to learn that the forces behind Christopher’s disappearance are more sinister than they ever expected.
The Electric State is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and stars Brown, Pratt, Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito, Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci, and Woody Norman. Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, and Alan Tudyk lend their talents as the voices of the robots. The film is based on the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag with a screenplay written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.
I love a villain. And while Plankton might not be as good at the job as he thinks he is, he is one of my all time favorites. From the first moment we met him in SpongeBob SquarePants he has been entertaining, hilarious, and a lot of fun. He finally is getting to step into the spotlight now with Plankton: The Movie, which gave me everything I wanted – and several things I did not know I needed.
If you have seen the trailers then you know the tables are turned in this movie. Karen, Plankton’s wife, has always been by his side, even when he overlooks her or puts her (brilliant) ideas down. She has committed to him and fully loves him – but every woman has her breaking point, even one who is a super-computer.
In Plankton: The Movie, the final straw is broken and Karen spirals. She decides that it is time for her to do what Plankton could never – achieve world domination.
When she finally breaks, this causes her personalities to split, which is just as hilarious as you might think. Her empathy and love for Plankton is gone, replaced by sassy Karen, evil Karen, and smart Karen. This is easily one of my favorite aspects of the film, as it ushers in a fresh take on a character that we have known for quite some time.
Even though this is a Plankton focused movie, SpongeBob SquarePants is a part of it. He is there to help Plankton on his journey to get the love of his life back, always throwing in his classic humor when he can. It was fun to see SpongeBob take a step backwards to allow Plankton to step into the spotlight.
While I was excited to see the tables turned on Plankton, I was not expecting to learn more about Karen and Plankton’s backstory. This was a lovely surprise. It adds a lot more depth to both of them, knowing how they fell in love, and how Karen was created.
Plankton: The Movie might not fully be considered a musical, but there are a few songs sprinkled throughout the film. All of them are fantastic and extremely catchy. My kids have been singing them repeatedly since watching (be warned parents).
Of course, the animation is gorgeous and in true SpongeBob fashion, the styles vary and there is a bit of live-action sprinkled in. Overall, Plankton: The Movie is a ton of fun. It tells a story that SpongeBob fans might not know they needed, but they are certainly better off now because of it.
In this interview School Spirits creators breakdown the epic season two finale as well as tease what it means for Maddie, Wally, Simon, and the rest going forward.
School Spirits Season 2 has come to an end in what can best be described as an epic showdown between Janet, Mr. Martin, and the rest of the gang. Warning: Spoilers ahead for School Spirits Season 2 Episode 8.
We spoke with creators Megan Trinrud, Nate Trinrud, and Oliver Goldstick about the incredible season two finale. They break down what evolved from their first draft, as well as what this means for Wally, Maddie, and Simon going forward – should there be a School Spirits season 3 announced.
“The point of our show is to learn to be vulnerable with other people and connect and maybe that can help heal us all.”
Tessa Smith: What has the fan reactions to School Spirits meant to you?
Oliver Goldstick: It’s a joy. It’s why we do this. You know what I mean? The idea of immediate gratification is also new. I’ve been doing this for so long that Ugly Betty was the first show where somebody was on the internet responding to a kiss that Betty got in the office. It’s incredibly gratifying, because it makes us feel like we’re doing something right. People are connecting to the humanity of these characters. They’re relating and identifying with the relationships. And that’s the longevity of talent and of a great series, the relationships they have. So to us, it’s incredibly gratifying. And we know that we have because they’re people to us too. When you sit in a writer’s room, they’re not characters. They’re extensions of us. They’re all extensions of Nate, Megan, and I. People are connecting and understanding the things that these kids are grappling with on the screen and we’re thrilled.
Megan Trinrud: I also would deeply identify myself as a fan in life. I get very, very passionate about the things that I love. So fan culture is really important to me. So the idea that anyone feels that way about this thing that we created is so special to me, because I am that person who’s on the message boards, joining the Instagram groups, getting so ingrained that it’s all I think about all the time, 24/7, that is my personality. So I feel like this is all I’ve ever wanted, was to create something that cultivated the excitement in people.
Nate Trinrud: What’s wild too, is we have the best fan base in the world, but, oh my god, I guess we all expected them to go online and talk about the mystery or theorize. But I think what we’ve seen is like people are really connecting over this show, in these groups. I have found threads or been sent things where people suddenly take a theme from the show and they’re just talking about their life with strangers online in these in these groups and that is even more rewarding. The point of our show is to learn to be vulnerable with other people and connect and maybe that can help heal us all right? And getting to see that somehow this fan base is doing that too has been so unexpected and moving. But it’s amazing,
“I think there’s a lot to explore in a third season where two people who care deeply had to make a tough decision and what happens next.”
Tessa Smith: Wally and Maddie finally hook up this season. Can you talk about the importance of doing that scene right?
Megan Trinrud: We’ve talked about this a little bit in a way that I think for us, what we wanted to do was really earn it. I feel like it’s so easy to see online, oh, people ship these people. Let’s just give the people what they want. But I think that we always intended for this to be that kind of relationship where you don’t know how it’s going to work out. You don’t know if it can be a forever thing, but you can’t deny that these people have connected in a real big way. I think that character wise, one of Maddie’s biggest challenges is being able to be vulnerable and intimate with people, because she’s been hurt so badly in her life. So we wanted to show that Wally was there for her. He took his time with her, he listened to her. He wasn’t just trying to be this Casanova who was going to come save the day. He saw her, and he let her know, you’re safe here. And she felt safe. So we wanted to build that up over time. These two people both opened up to each other. Both were in a place where they’ve earned that from one another, and they were in a true mutual love. You know they truly care and so it felt good for us too. It was this beautiful moment of being able to say, I see you, I care about you, and you’re safe with me and I think that it was a special moment for us as writers too.
Tessa Smith: And then you ripped it all away in the finale…
Oliver Goldstick: That’s the price of coming back to life. What can you do? This time in people’s lives, when kids are seniors in high school and learning that their best friend is going to college 3000 miles away and it’s very painful. Those are moments of transition into adulthood that is really scary. I think we’re trying to explore that thematically and illustrating it through these characters who are, with Wally, it’s Carpe Diem, because he’s trying to help this girl who he cares so deeply about, but the same time helping her means he’s going to lose her. And that’s very poignant.
Megan Trinrud: Nate said something really beautiful earlier, about the fact that these are relationships that are so big and important when you’re young, and they do become a part of who you are. It informs you. Moving forward, you never lose what that was, even if it is something where you’re forced to be a part and it and it can’t work out. I’m not saying, we’ll see what happens with Maddie and Wally, but I think that the thing we want to say is it’s not, Nate, what did you say?
Nate Trinrud: Basically just that people come into our lives, and there’s a moment where maybe you’re not with them forever, but it’s not about that. It’s about what you do when you are with them. It’s about taking advantage of the present, right? I think this poses a really huge existential question that is true, whether you go to college or whether you really lose somebody, and it’s, do we ever really lose anybody? Are people, either metaphysically or even just emotionally, always with you? It’s like, what does that mean, and what does that look like? But the show’s always been about longing and navigating really tough dynamics. I think there’s a lot to explore in a third season where two people who care deeply had to make a tough decision and what happens next.
Megan Trinrud: Maddie is somebody who has dealt with loss, literal loss, of her father, the loss, you know, sort of figuratively, of her mother to alcoholism, and now she’s having to face like stare in the face again, and she’s just a kid. And I think that’s another thing that we that’s, that’s real, that’s a lot of kids have to do that way too young. And so it’s, it’s just, it’s a part of of how she sees and navigates life.
“It costs a lot to leave people behind who might be in peril.”
Tessa Smith: The finale almost felt like it was going to be the series finale for a minute there…
Oliver Goldstick: We don’t want to poke you in the eye and not leave you with something satisfying, because you have invested in this character, and you’ve been part of her journey for 16 episodes, and you deserve, as an audience you deserve to know where is she going to be. But at the same time, there’s still questions that have to be answered and there’s prices to be paid. It costs a lot to leave people behind who might be in peril. That was part of for us, too, to know that not everything’s so tidy. It wasn’t going to be tidy. You say goodbye, and that was it. It was a lovely summer. Loved meeting you all loved the summer romance. No, there’s real investments, and I think you care about it’s very painful for Maddie not knowing what the future is. Are these people left in purgatory forever? Are these people ever going to cross over? I mean, what are the answers? Are they left with somebody who might be nefarious in that school? I think we want to propose all those questions and leave a door open to explore the legacy of Split River. What is the story of that school in this town?And can people get out?
“If you just look close enough, there are answers hidden.”
Tessa Smith: How is this going to affect Maddie going forward?
Nate Trinrud: I mean, one thing we always talk about is, a lot of this show, we’re talking about what it means to deal with something really difficult, to feel like you’ve been at a place in your life that is your lowest point, and can you go from that place to feeling like you’re alive again. I think that when a person goes through something really difficult and they get back to a place of healing, that’s not the end of the story. Right now, you’ve got to figure out, how do I take this new version of myself into a life that that was different, and apply that so suddenly. Everything she’s learned in this world, she’s just gotta figure out how to bring back into her actual life. But does that mean leaving the other world behind, or does it just complicate it? I think those are big, exciting things to explore, but there’s a lot of story.
Oliver Goldstick: You can’t unknow what you already know. That’s one of the reasons putting Simon in that situation, because he did have a connection to the other world. He is aware that not everything you see is the whole world. There’s another world, an unseen world, sitting with us, and because the danger and the price of knowing, having that knowledge has now put him in peril, and that’s sort of something we wanted to explore. I don’t think Maddie can unknow what she knows now.
Nate Trinrud: I do think, if our fans pay such close attention, there are a lot of easter eggs and a lot of clues we’ve laid through this season that really help give an idea of what’s happening looking forward. If you just look close enough, there are answers hidden.
“When we got toward the last couple episodes, we thought we don’t want to lose her and she’s kind of a great advocate for the other ghosts.”
Tessa Smith: Is there anything that changed from your initial plan?
Oliver Goldstick: Janet is the clearest answer. We found this actress. We love the actor and we loved when we started creating the backstory of who she was, and how nuanced she was, that I think we started to see in the writers room. We started the season thinking Janet is crossing over. She deserves it. This poor thing has been through so much. Then I think when we got toward the last couple episodes, we thought we don’t want to lose her and she’s kind of a great advocate for the other ghosts.
Nate Trinrud: They need her if they want to have a chance. She’s finally cracked the code. That door opened for her. Originally, in the script, we brought in day one to Oliver, way back three years ago now, the big culmination with Janet and Mr. Martin leads to Janet finally crossing over. But exactly what Oliver said, Jess is so incredible, and I think we realized they need her. If they have a chance of getting out, they need somebody who’s got more info, and she definitely has that. I think it’s a really powerful thing to know that you could go, you could say that it’s all over, or you could decide to stay.
“He put his life aside, maybe jeopardized his own future to try and save someone else, but there’s a cost to that.”
Tessa Smith: Where do you see Simon going from here, should there be a School Spirits season 3?
Nate Trinrud: Well, much to be determined, right? There’s something’s going on with Simon, and something’s happened at that school, but I think that thematically, a thing that we’ve all been talking about in these interviews that I think is real, is in a very literal way, now we’re seeing what happens when you can lose yourself in trying to save someone else, right? What happens and what does it mean for this character, who we’ve watched for 16 episodes now show up for Maddie non stop. He put his life aside, maybe jeopardized his own future to try and save someone else, but there’s a cost to that, and I think that there are so many conversations today that happen about codependency and what it means to have these kinds of relationships. Simon’s in a very strange predicament now, but I think we have to look at all that and figure out what does it mean when he needs help?
Megan Trinrud: What brought him here? He has to really examine, how did I get to this? How did I get here?
Tessa Smith: I am really looking forward to the School Spirits graphic novel, which is coming right?
Megan Trinrud: Yeah. It takes so much longer than we knew.
About School Spirits Season 2
Maddie finds herself stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance. She goes on a crime-solving journey as she adjusts to school in the afterlife, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more secrets and lies she discovers.
The Righteous Gemstones fourth and final season is probably the funniest season yet, but it also weaves in quite a bit of heart.
One of the best series on television is about to come to an end. The fourth and final season of The Righteous Gemstones premieres on March 9 on Max and HBO, and while it is sad to see things wrap up, this season perfectly does so.
What I have always loved about this show is how hilarious it is, which should come as no surprise when you look at the cast list and discover that it is created and written by Danny McBride, who is a comedic genuis. Just as with past seasons, there are several laugh-out-loud moments, but there is also quite a bit of heart weaved into the final arc.
At the start of The Righteous Gemstones Season 4, Eli (John Goodman) is retired and living on a boat. Jesse (McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam Devine) are running the church together, but they still miss having their daddy involved. It doesn’t take too long for them to all be reunited and what follows is a wild ride of a season filled with mystery, deciet, and everyone in the family learning to reflect inward and see who they really are inside.
Of course everyone’s favorite characters are back (more on my favorite returnee later), but there are also several new cast members. Megan Mullalley plays Aimee-Leigh’s best friend Lori, who has not seen the Gemstones in years, but now they are able to mourn together. There is an incredible storyline surrounding her, which I cannot discuss for fear of spoilers, but just know that this plot point is part of what makes this final season so good.
Sean William Scott and Arden Myrin also join the cast. Scott plays Mullalley’s son Casey, and Myrin plays his wife. Scott is a great addition to the cast, especially considering that because of his role we get to learn more about the young Gemstones. He is kind of horrible to his wife, but also acts like he is supportive and perfect when it comes to others. He is a character with a lot of sides, and brings a lot to the show.
Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) is back and better than ever. He has always stood out in The RIghteous Gemstones but this season he takes it to the next level. Looking for a way to set up his family financially before he dies means interesting, to say the least, business ventures. Every interaction he has with his children’s nanny will have you laughing until you start crying. They are extremely over the top and ridiculous, but easily one of the best parts of the season.
While every character has their moment to shine in The Righteous Gemstones, Kelvin steals the show for me. His arc throughout the course of the series is remarkable. He has truly come a long way and I found myself proud of him this season, as one would be for a son or good friend. He has grown in ways I never imagined and while he is still immature at times, he has truly found himself this season.
The same can be said for the rest of the Gemstones. With their arcs coming to an end, everyone is left in a good place. But most importantly, their stories are believable for the character and never feel out of left field.
There is a lot of humor in The Righteous Gemstones Season 4, but there is also a lot of heart. I am truly sad to see this series come to an end, but the fact that it is going out on its own terms, with nine phenomenal episodes, makes it one of the best that will ever be. I can honestly say I will miss this crazy family.
The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 premieres on HBO and Max Sunday March 9, with episodes releasing weekly until May 4.
The Righteous Gemstones tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. Despite constant bickering, Gemstone family ties run deep, and this season the family’s codependence is tested as they attempt to move forward without letting go of their storied past.
The Righteous Gemstones is created and written by Danny McBride; directed and executive produced by Danny McBride, Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, and Jonathan Watson; executive produced by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley, and Brandon James; produced by David Brightbill; consulting produced by Kevin Barnett, Edi Patterson, and Chris Pappas.
Mickey 17 is a brilliant film, but it is scary how much it relates to the world that we are living in today. Several incredible acting performances take it to the next level.
Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 is a really well done film that will have viewers comparing quite a few things to the real world. Mark Ruffalo’s Kenneth Marshall is one of those things. That said, there are a lot of important themes woven into this film, and while I would classify it as political, it is also a fun watch.
Robert Pattinson stars as Mickey, an expendable, which is exactly what you would think it is. He works for the government and every time he dies, which is sometimes an accident but often because of tests and experiments they are running, he is reprinted. His memories are uploaded to him and he is now available for another go round.
Honestly, when the film started and I heard the voice that Pattinson chose for Mickey, I thought to myself, well this is going to get annoying really quickly. But good news, it doesn’t. In fact, after about ten minutes I totally forgot all about it.
I am always in awe of actors who can play multiple characters in the same movie and make us really feel like they are totally different. Even though Mickey is technically the same character, each version has their own personalities, something Pattinson does brilliantly. He also ends up playing opposite himself in several scenes because at one point, two Mickey’s end up alive at the same time by accident.
Pattinson is great in the movie, but it really is Naomi Ackie, who plays his love interest Nasha, that steals the show. She is phenomenal all throughout this film, but especially in the third act when she steps up with several monologues. The types of monologues that will have viewers rallying behind her and ready to join this fictional fight.
While she is incredible in the film, there is one moment that involves her, Kai (Anamaria Vartolomei), and the two Mickeys that is hilarious, but feels out of place as it never really leads anywhere.
It is one of those plot points that makes you think, if they were not going to to commit, why even do it. Especially when the movie clocks in at two hours and seventeen minutes – this is a place where things could have been tightened up.
Ruffalo might not have meant to (or maybe he did), but he is doing his best Donald Trump impression in this movie. It is so bizarre to think about the fact that Mickey 17 was filmed years ago, and yet it feels as if there are references that happened only a few months ago. He plays a bit of a baffoon who certainly does not have the experience or the know-how to run a colony, and yet he was selected by a church to do so.
His wife, played by Toni Collette, is actually the one calling the shots. Collette and Ruffalo work extremely well together. They are hilarious and were clearly having the time of their lives while filming. They are both love to hate kind of characters and a lot of fun to watch.
This exploration of government corruption and the fact that if you are in power, you can get away with practically anything – even ridiculously inhumane things – is absolutely terrifying. Mickey might have signed on to be an expendable, but he is still a human being. The way he is treated, and the way the creatures that live on the planet Marshall is trying to colonize are treated, is horrific and unforgivable.
Mickey 17 is a dark comedy that will cause audiences to start to truly think about life and the world we are living in today. There are a lot of great themes woven throughout the film, including the fact that death is scary, no matter what. Even someone like Mickey who dies for a living is scared to do so.
This movie is brilliantly done. The connective tissue to the world that we are living in makes it that much more scary, but also should be a lesson for some people. Pattinson, Ruffalo, Collette, Steven Yeun, and especially Ackie deliver unforgettable performances.
While I do feel the film is a bit on the long side and could have been tightened up here and there, I absolutely recommend seeing Mickey 17 on the big screen when it comes to theaters on March 7.
Daredevil: Born Again is here and it feels like we never left, even though Netflix wrapped up the series years ago. It is so good to be back in New York City with these characters that we have all loved for so long. Born Again season one is dark, brutal, and intense. It perfectly captures the feel of the original series, even upping the ante when it comes to certain aspects.
Daredevil: Born Again picks up with Foggy, Karen, and Matt exactly as we left them. They are thriving and happy and yes, it is extremely emotional to see. This episode is exposition heavy, but that is necessary in order to set the stage for what is to come and so that viewers will be caught up on what has occured over the last few years.
While the opening sequence may be absolutely devastating, it catapults Matt Murdock into a place that he needs to be in order for the rest of the events of the season to make sense. It sets him down a path in which he must truly look inside himself to see what he is capable of.
This season has heavy themes of revenge, redemption, and grief – and not just for Matt. Wilson Fisk is back and he has a plan for the city. Becoming Mayor is something that is ripped right out of the comic books, but it cannot help but feel more on brand because of the similarities of what is happening in the real world right now.
Fisk is charasmatic and that makes him dangerous. Half the citizens hate him and the other halff love him, which adds to the conflict of the season. Sometimes it becomes hard to watch and impossible to separate from real life.
There is so much to love about Daredevil: Born Again, but it truly shines when Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are on screen together. This doesn’t happen a lot, but when it does, it is electric and something special. The diner scene is sure to go down in history as one of the best MCU scenes ever. Maybe even one of the best Disney+ scenes ever.
The back and forth between the two of them is a masterclass in acting. They are nice to one another, but also condescending and passive agressive. It sets the tone for their relationship in Born Again brilliantly.
The Daredevil Netflix series is known for its incredible action sequences and fight scenes – have no fear, those are back. Each one is epic in its own way and every single episode has one. While Matt does not suit up in every episode, he still does Daredevil-like things, making for great television.
If I was to have one small issue with this series, it is the CGI in some of these scenes and in scenes where Matt is exploring the city. Sometimes it looks a bit off but it is usually short-lived and honestly, doesn’t take much away from the show.
In an effort to keep this review spoiler free, I will simply note that some fan favorite characters are back and some never before seen comic book characters make an appearance. We know that Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle is back and boy is he better than ever in this. His performance has me begging Marvel for a Punisher series revival next.
Daredevil: Born Again is dark and gritty. It is exactly what fans have been wanting and it is well worth the wait. All nine episodes are incredible. This show is all that I wanted and more – even though I will never forgive Marvel for that opening sequence.
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