For my brother’s birthday, I went over to my mom’s house. We had steak, had family dinner debates, and played a board game. During our dinner discussion, we talked about movies we would always watch growing up. This led to a discussion about strong female characters in the early ’00s. I wanted to create a list of my favorite heroines / kickass women in various forms of media.

Elektra

Elektra is a widely criticized movie and was considered a box office bomb. It’s not comic-book accurate by any means; however, I loved this movie. I always requested watching Elektra. I liked her katana’s, and I would play pretend in our backyard pretending to be Elektra. This is a movie I will always be fond of, despite its flaws.

Hermione

While I have been trying to distance myself from Harry Potter, I can’t make a list like this and leave out Hermione.

Padme

This was when I learned female characters could be written so poorly. I cannot believe George Lucas wrote in a script that she “lost the will to live”. Give me a break. I like the fan theory where Palpatine drew upon her life force to save Anakin. I know it’s not canon, but it gives her death way more clarity.

Evelyn (Evy) Carnahan

How can you not love Evy? Evy is first featured in The Mummy as a librarian who’s a bit clumsy. She is intelligent, capable, and helps Rick (played by Brendan Fraser) escape from the tomb. In The Mummy Returns, Evy is the same, except it’s clear Rick has taught her how to defend herself. She’s featured in more action sequences in the second film, which I was a huge fan of. Both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns are movies I would credit as to why action movies are often my favorite genre of movies to watch.

Martha Jones

I’m cheating with this pick since I started watching Doctor Who as an adult. Although I think I would have liked Martha still, even if I had seen Doctor Who when I was a kid. Martha Jones is the most underrated companion. I find a lot of people don’t like Martha because of her obvious crush on the Doctor. This isn’t the fault of Martha, but the writers on Doctor Who during her era. Martha calls out racism in one particular episode where she lists off the bones of the hand when a woman doesn’t believe she’s capable of being a medical doctor. Martha is easily one of the best companions of Tennant’s era.

Let me know which female heroines you loved growing up in the comments below!

My fiancé took off work on the release date of Zach Synder’s Justice League. My fiancé is a big DC fan. While I didn’t hate the original Justice League, the movie felt like a mess. There were rumors of a Snyder Cut; however, with DC’s movie track record, I didn’t get my hopes up. After my fiancé finished watching the movie, he came into the office where I was working and couldn’t stop talking about how good this film was. I was still skeptical, but I agreed to watch it with him the following weekend. I was pleasantly surprised because Zach Snyder’s Justice League was amazing. It was way better than WW84.

My expectations for watching the Snyder Cut were Joss Whedon’s movie with more scenes. To be blunt, this was a completely different movie. Cyborg (aka Victor Stone) in this full version had much more of a character arc than in the theatrical release. In this film, Cyborg’s origin story is told on screen. The relationship Victor has with his parents, how Victor’s father ends up helping the League, and Victor listening to a recording from his father saying how proud he is and how he is fortunate to be given a second chance. Ray Fisher (who plays Cyborg) has been the most vocal about Joss Whedon and his abuse of power behind the scenes. I can understand Fisher being upset after the theatrical release because his character’s backstory was erased. Cyborg is easily the MVP, and his role in splitting the mother boxes was crucial to preventing Darkseid from coming to Earth.

The return of Superman is so much more satisfying in the Snyder Cut. As Cyborg is pulling apart the mother boxes, Steppenwolf comes up behind him, about to deliver a devastating blow, when Superman appears, blocking the attack in his black suit. Superman pummels Steppenwolf, buying more time to assist Cyborg. I could feel myself getting amped at seeing Henry Cavill back in action at just the right moment.

Another surprising moment for me was the role of the Flash (aka Barry Allen). In the theatrical release, Barry seemed incompetent and immature. In the Snyder Cut, Barry is much more aware of his powers and the speed force. In the final battle, Cyborg isn’t able to pull the mother boxes apart in time, leading to the Justice League losing. However, Barry notices this and runs back in time to produce the energy needed to split the mother boxes. This moment was special to watch because, without Barry’s help, Darkseid and Steppenwolf would have won. In this version, each member of the League has a role. Without one of them, they would have failed at various steps of their plan. In the theatrical version, this wasn’t laid out.

If I had been told months ago that I would have liked the Snyder Cut better than WW84, I would have laughed. The Snyder Cut was everything I would have hoped for from a film adaptation of the Justice League. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. was trying to control Zach Snyder’s vision, leading to the theatrical version. Zach Snyder’s Justice League was amazing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was my favorite movie of 2021.

With the discontinuation of DC Universe, HBO Max has collected all the DC content. As a DC fan, I prefer the DC animated series to the live-action movies. As someone who was disappointed by Wonder Woman 1984, I wanted to watch a DC title with promise. One series that has been highly rated is the Harley Quinn animated series. This series centers on Harley Quinn getting away from the Joker and building a strong friendship with Poison Ivy. I loved every minute of this show! It’s raunchy, hilarious, gory, and showcases Harley as being the complex villain that she is.

In the first season, Harley (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) finally dumps Joker and tries to establish her credit as a villain. Always living in Joker’s shadow, Harley creates her supervillain team consisting of Poison Ivy (voiced by Lake Bell), Clayface, Doctor Psycho, King Shark, and Sy Borgman. As Harley performs more villainous acts, she’s invited to join the Legion of Doom, which infuriates Joker. Throughout the season, Harley has to reckon with how Joker treated her and how her life can’t solely be about getting back at him. She needs to move on, and her team helps her do this.

At the heart of this show is Harley Quinn’s friendship with Poison Ivy. In the comics, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy end up in a romantic relationship. The show develops this as a slow burn with the season #2 finale leading into Harley and Poison Ivy confessing their feelings for each other. Harley needs Poison Ivy as she tells Harley the truth. The Joker doesn’t love her, and she deserves better. Poison Ivy needs Harley in season #2 to help her realize she’s getting married to the wrong person. Their friendship is fun to watch.

This show is hilarious! The witty one-liners and subtle references to pop culture are well-written. Any show that can make me laugh until I cry is much needed during this time. Adding to the comical relief was the way the villains were given personalities. King Shark is a big shark teddy bear. Clayface loves theater and improv, and Doctor Psycho called Wonder Woman a slur, which led to him getting kicked out of the Legion of Doom. It’s the hypocrisy of using a slur that gets Doctor Psycho banned, even though the Legion kills people regularly.

While DC’s film universe has been mediocre, their animated series is a hit. Harley Quinn is no exception. With only two seasons, it won’t take long to finish the series. The Harley Quinn animated series can be streamed on HBO Max.

If I have extra time at work, I listen to TED talks. One TED talk I recently watched was by lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who talks about racial injustice within our legal system. Bryan Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance to those arrested illegally and those who are innocent of the crimes they have supposedly committed. The Equal Justice Initiative fights back against the use of capital punishment in certain states. He wrote a book about this injustice titled Just Mercy, which the movie was based on. I watched Just Mercy, and it left me feeling broken and infuriated.

Just Mercy follows Bryan (played by Michael B. Jordan) as he is beginning to establish the Equal Justice Initiative. While reviewing cases in Alabama, he’s introduced to Walter “Johnny D” McMillian (played by Jamie Foxx), who’s in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Walter has lost hope in his case due to several lawyers offering their assistance and then declining the case. It’s not until Bryan meets with Johnny’s family does Johnny realizes his intentions are pure. Bryan faces several roadblocks in the case, such as being physically intimidated by the police, the blatant refusal by the judge of a retrial, even though the evidence is shady, and the reluctant town, which is convinced Johnny is guilty. Bryan barrels through the obstacles, and ultimately, Johnny is released from prison.

The cast of this movie did a great job at replicating Bryan’s story. Michael B. Jordan has quickly become one of my favorite actors on screen. I wasn’t expecting to see Brie Larson in this. She plays Bryan’s partner. Jamie Foxx, of course, does a great job. The best performance in this film comes from Rob Morgan, who plays another death row inmate, Herbert Richardson. While Bryan does everything in his power to rescue him, Richardson is executed. Morgan’s emotional performance as he awaited being escorted to the electric chair was powerful. Where was his Oscar Nomination??

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, this movie infuriated me. After watching the film, I read more about Johnny D’s story, Richardson’s story, and another inmate featured in the film. The movie is accurate based on these real events. Our justice system is broken, and Bryan is one of the passionate fighters who is fighting a just cause. Racism is responsible for putting Black men in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. As a reminder, this story took place in Alabama in the 80s. This only occurred 30 years ago. I’m against the death penalty, and this movie reminded me of why I hold this stance.

Just Mercy was a heartwrenching story. It’s a film that’s uncomfortable to watch, although that’s part of the importance of the film. I have added Just Mercy to my TBR on Goodreads.

My mom was a teenager when Elton John released “Rocket Man”. I told my mom I watched the Rocketman biopic, and she reminisced about Elton John and how his music had shaped her younger years. When I spoke to my mom about Elton John, she mentioned his charity work for HIV/AIDS and how he was a personal friend of Princess Diana. This biopic focuses less on his charity work and more on his life story. I thought this was a fun, musical film. The soundtrack is also quite good, as I often find myself listening to it while I work.

The film opens up with Elton (played by Taron Egerton) in rehab, wearing an orange horned costume. The film shows Elton’s (his name at birth was Reginald Dwight) home life with his absent father, stern mother, and lovely grandmother. Elton is a brilliant piano player, leading him to study at the Royal Academy of Music. Eventually, Elton partners with Bernie Taupin (played by Jamie Bell), who writes the music Elton plays. Elton, like many musicians, is thrown into the rock and roll scene by his manager, John Reid (played by Richard Madden). Elton struggles with his sexuality, weight, and his home life, which leads him to go to rehab.

I thought Taron Egerton did a fabulous job portraying Elton. Taron did do all of his own singing, which was something Elton wanted for the actor who played him in the movie. Richard Madden is one of my favorite actors, and he was ruthless in this movie. If you haven’t watched Bodyguard on Netflix, you absolutely need to. Bernie and Elton’s friendship is so special, and it felt like Jamie and Taron had legitimate chemistry together.

This biopic does feel a bit more like a musical than other biopics I have watched. I found myself comparing this to Bohemian Rhapsody while watching the film. In Bohemian Rhapsody, it was less of a musical, more of a serious film with the music playing in the background. In Rocketman, there are choreographed musical routines, especially towards the beginning of the film. I’m a bit picky with musicals; they are usually not my favorite genre to watch. However, I think Rocketman feels like an Elton John movie, and it captures Elton’s flamboyant persona.

Towards the end of the film, words appear on screen detailing Elton’s life post-rehab. He has been sober for 28 years! He’s been sober longer than I have been alive. There is a brief description of Elton’s charity work with AIDS. The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 to end the HIV epidemic. I remember watching an Oprah Winfrey interview with Elton as he talked about why he needed to change and why he’s passionate about HIV. He mentions the death of Ryan White, who was a teenager who died of the disease. Elton used his fame and fortune to help others, and I think that’s something I wish Rocketman would have touched on more.

Rocketman was a fun film with a decent soundtrack. Rocketman can be streamed on Hulu.

There’s a reason I have an annual subscription to Disney+. After watching The Mandalorian, I was looking for something new to watch. WandaVision caught my eye, and after work, I decided to watch the series. I’m intrigued as to how WandaVision will play out, as I’m not exactly sure what’s going on in the story.

Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany) are a married couple living in suburbia. Each episode released so far has shown Wanda and Vision in a different time era. It’s not explicitly stated which time period each episode occurs in. The first episode is clearly the 50’s as Wanda stays home cooking and levitating dishes while she cleans them. In the second episode, Wanda is wearing pants, so it must be later on. There are certain occurrences between both episodes leading Wanda and Vision to be hesitant about the life they are living. WandaVision has been compared to classic sitcoms, although my first impression of the series reminded me of The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey.

I’m happy with the WandaVision series thus far! Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have great chemistry together. They cover for each other when there’s the off chance someone might discover their powerful abilities. One fun scene to watch was in the second episode when Vision and Wanda were performing for a talent show. Vision would complete these magic tricks using his natural strengths. Wanda would summon an object to counteract Vision’s trick. It shows how they work together, even if it’s as simple as a neighborhood talent show.

There are so many unanswered questions! At the end of episode #2, there’s a beekeeper who appears out of a storm drain. I’m not sure who that’s supposed to be. Additionally, Wanda hears her name being called out on a radio. This moment in the second episode is why I was reminded of The Truman Show. WandaVision is supposed to tie into the Doctor Strange sequel, so I’m curious as to how this will be achieved. Are Wanda and Vision in an alternate reality? Were they kidnapped and forced to be in this show to entertain others? How is Vision back because he died in Avengers: Infinity War? There was an ad in one of the episodes of WandaVision listing Hydra as a sponsor. I thought that was a clever “blink and you miss it” Easter Egg.

If you have already watched WandaVision, please comment your theories in the comments below! The third episode of WandaVision will air on Friday, January 22nd, only on Disney+.

I remember watching the No Man’s Land Scene from the first Wonder Woman movie. Watching this scene in the theater was an empowering moment. Diana wasn’t going to let Steve hold her back, especially since she needed Steve’s help in getting through the battleground. When my fiancé and I watched WW84, I felt let down in a huge way. The plot left a sour taste in my mouth. Diana is a part of history as seen through the mementos in her apartment. However, all of that can’t be celebrated because she’s still missing Steve???? Why does WW84 feel so different from the first film?

After the shopping mall fight sequence, Diana (played by Gal Gadot) is shown at a restaurant eating by herself and looking up at a plane flying in the night sky. These scenes conveyed to the viewer how Diana is not over Steve. Losing Steve during the war was traumatic for Diana, but I find it hard to believe that she hasn’t moved on. When I think of Wonder Woman as a character, she’s a role model to women and has fought for everyone on the planet. I would have liked to see Diana live a normal life when, suddenly, Steve is revived. It would have been more believable to the character. This Mary Sue article reiterates my thoughts regarding Diana and the way she’s portrayed in WW84.

Besides Diana, there’s Barbara Minerva. Barbara (played by Kristin Wiig) wants to be Diana, to be acknowledged, and attractive. Who cares about Barbara’s multiple Ph.Ds because she wants to be the hot girl. I felt there weren’t enough scenes in the film where I could actually buy into Barbara wanting to be Diana. There’s a brief mention of Barbara being bullied for being a nerd, so it’s assumed Barbara wants to be like Diana to be accepted. When I think of female empowerment, Barbara’s story doesn’t do that either. She feels she needs to be attractive and feminine to be taken seriously. This could be an overreaction on my part, but if someone could help me understand why Barbara wants to be like Diana, other than the fact that she’s attractive, please enlighten me. I would have liked to see Barbara own her shit and use the dream stone to wish for good luck with her research. This research could have led her to become Cheetah and seek power from Diana. This is what I would have liked to see out of the character.

When I first watched WW84, I was hoping for a friendship to be developed between Diana and Barbara. There’s only one scene where Diana and Barbara are out to dinner, where they talk about love. This again brings up the fact that Diana is still not over Steve. Once this scene ends, I’m supposed to believe Diana and Barbara are BFFs? I think there could have been more development in the friendship between Diana and Barbara.

Ultimately, if you loved WW84, I’m happy for you! I think it’s annoying when I state how much I like something, and fans remind me how much the thing I like sucks. I felt WW84 could have been a much better film if it had been structured differently. With the first Wonder Woman film, I walked out of the theater feeling elated, and with WW84, I sat at home pondering what it was that I just watched.

My friend finished watching Normal People on Hulu and immediately messaged me asking if I had watched this series yet. As a side note, I take a while to watch TV shows since my fiancé and friends seem to watch them faster than I do. She couldn’t stop raving about Normal People and how the sex scenes seemed to be realistic. Normal People is an emotionally charged story of two people falling in and out of love throughout their lives.

Based on the book of the same name by Sally Rooney, the series follows Marianne Sheridan (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Walderon (played by Paul Mescal). Marianne and Connell first meet in secondary school, with Marianne being painted as the weird girl who reads too many books. Connell is popular, although he is attracted to Marianne, he doesn’t want his friends to know. They have sex, and Marianne is angered to learn Connell takes another girl to a dance. Marianne and Connell meet again throughout their adult lives as they contemplate being committed together.

The chemistry between Daisy and Paul is undeniable. I wouldn’t be surprised if these two were dating after the camera stopped rolling. This show is an emotional rollercoaster. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t crying every other episode. The sex scenes feel real. They aren’t fake and feature over-the-top moaning. As I watch these scenes, it feels like two people having sex who truly care about each other’s well-being.

I have to offer a slight content warning as this series is extremely emotional to watch. Marianne is a victim of familial physical abuse by her brother. The show doesn’t explain why this happens unless I missed it. From the abuse, Marianne finds herself in abusive relationships. It’s heartwrenching to watch because we know Marianne deserves so much more. There’s a storyline leading back to suicide as one of Paul’s friends from secondary school commits suicide. As I mentioned, this is an emotional series beyond Marianne and Connell’s relationship. It’s important to be in that mindset to fully enjoy this series.

I haven’t read Sally Rooney’s book, which the series is based on. I’m undecided if I will read the book because I loved the show. Usually, I recommend reading a book before viewing the adaptation, but this adaptation is so good! A couple of my favorite book vloggers have already rated the book, and their reviews weren’t positive. I have this book on my to-be-read shelf, so maybe I will get around to reading it eventually, but it’s not a high priority.

Normal People is so much more than a love story. It’s a commentary on love, life, and experiencing tragedy. As mentioned above, it’s best to be in the mood to watch this series. I cried every other episode because I was happy for the characters, or I genuinely was sad for them. This is a series I would re-watch if I need a good cry. If you have read the Normal People book or seen the series, let me know in the comments below.