I drove fourteen hours to get back to Minneapolis from Denver and I’m happy to be home. Colorado was breathtaking with the sight of the snow capped Rocky Mountains. I plan on writing up a post about my trip specifically with all the hiking we did. During my time, I stayed with a friend that I grew up with. We decided to watch some Halloween themed movies because he also appreciates a good slasher flick. He suggested we watch Halloween, the newest movie in the Halloween film franchise. I went into watching this movie with little expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie.

Halloween is a modernized take on the slasher genre. True crime podcasters Aaron Korey and Dana Haines go to see Michael Myers in the Sanatarium to try and talk to him about the murders. Flash forward to Laurie Strode who’s living an isolated life away from her family. She has redesigned her home to be a safehouse which gives her a little ounce of safety from Michael. Laurie has trained herself in the off chance that Michael does become free to kill again. Unsurprisingly, Michael does escape from the Sanitarium where he heads to Haddonfield to kill again. The difference is Laurie’s grand daughter lives there and Laurie will do whatever it takes to protect her family.

As I mentioned, Halloween feels modern despite the fact that it’s still an old fashioned, slasher horror movie. The addition of the true crime podcasters feels updated and believable. There are many various true crime podcasts to pick from nowadays (my favorite being Once Upon a Crime). It helps make the Halloween franchise feel relevant with the current wave of horror movies.

Another positive note with this movie is how it’s filmed. There are scenes where Michael is seen walking around as more of a background image and then he reappears behind his victims making it more scary to watch. I felt this movie was scary, but I’m also a “jumpy” person. As I was driving home, there was a creepy rest stop I drove by that I didn’t stop into based on a certain sequence in this film I had watched earlier.

I’m not sure how many horror movies I will watch by the time Halloween comes around, but if you’re a slasher movie fan, I recommend checking out the latest Halloween film. It’s entertaining, modern and provides a fresh look at slasher films.

Promoting on Facebook is one of the best ways to market a blog or a TV show. I had seen ads about Prodigal Son almost every day as I scrolled through my Facebook feed. Serial killer TV shows are my jam as I’m a lifelong fan of Criminal Minds. Eventually, I caved into the ads around me and watched the first episode of Prodigal Son. Of course this is right up my alley and I’m curious to see how the show plays out.

Prodigal Son follows Malcolm Bright (played by Tom Payne), a gifted FBI profiler. He’s fired after punching a police officer, but soon recruited by NYPD lieutenant, Gil Arroyo (played by Lou Diamond Phillips). Both Gil and Malcolm are called to investigate a series of grisly murders. These murders are eerily familiar as they are identical to the killings committed by Malcolm’s imprisoned father, Martin Whitly (played by Michael Sheen). Malcolm is forced to visit his father in prison to get his expertise as to who committed these murders. Their communication doesn’t stop and in fact triggers PTSD memories in Malcolm from the time his father is caught by the NYPD when he was a young boy. There’s something amiss within Malcolm’s memories which includes a woman in the box that no one seems to know about.

Michael Sheen can do no wrong in his acting range. He’s creepy in his positive demeanor and erratic bursts of anger when his son doesn’t communicate with him. Bellamy Young appears as Malcolm’s mother. She plays the part of the innocent mother, but I believe she knows more than what she lets on. There’s Detective Dani Powell (played by Aurora Perrineau) who is the most sympathetic to Malcolm’s struggles. It seems the show is trying to build a romantic relationship between the two, which I hope doesn’t happen because Malcolm needs therapy, not romance.

Prodigal Son has set up a nice build up being only two episodes into the first season. I’m wondering whether there is a woman in the box which is what Malcolm seems to think or if it’s a delusion. Prodigal Son airs Mondays on Fox.

When I heard DC was filming a Birds of Prey movie with Harley Quinn leading the charge, I was skeptical. Suicide Squad was a fun movie, but had inconsistencies including the over the top performance by Jared Leto. I didn’t mind Margot Robbie’s version of Harley, I hated how she was dressed in the movie. It’s ironic because I have cosplayed Suicide Squad Harley multiple times this year. However, I bought the “Daddy’s Little Monster” crop top at good will for $3 and if that’s not thrifty cosplay, I don’t know what is. The first trailer of Birds of Prey was released in the beginning of September. Here are my thoughts when I watched the trailer.

Harley’s new neon outfit is fun. It’s a departure from the “jester” origins, and it doesn’t look as hyper-sexualized like the Suicide Squad movie portrayed her as. She has her mallet which is certainly Harley’s weapon of choice, and I like the eyeliner black heart on her cheek. She comes into camera saying, “I’m so  f****** over clowns.” I’m glad the DC cinematic movies are bringing her into their universe, while allowing her to get away from being the Joker’s side kick.

We see a short clip of Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress who I think looks bad ass. She takes off her hood and we can see the cross bow being unleashed on an unseen enemy. Right after the appearance of Huntress, there’s a clip of Black Canary in golden leather pants. Ewan McGregor was cast as Black Mask and I adore him, so I’m into it. He looks like a spoiled rich boy and even though it doesn’t seem like Black Mask from the comics, I’m still interested in how he plays his role.

The Bird’s of Prey logo appears and that’s when we can see some of the cast members walking around in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse. Towards the end of the trailer, Harley is sucking on a lollipop with the words “see you soon” flashing on screen which signals the end of the trailer.

As a fan, I do my best to reserve judgement. I have been proven wrong on casting choices too many times to count. As a prominent DC fan, I can’t wait for this movie. Birds of Prey is one of my most anticipated movies in 2020.

Without a doubt my favorite Stephen King novel is Carrie. She is the protagonist I would constantly root for as she gets revenge on her bullies, yet she’s a villain because of her methods. Plus Carrie features the absolutely terrifying fictional mother I have ever read about. Since reading Carrie in high school, I tend to gravitate to his books. When my fiance took me to see It, I was blown away by how great the movie was. The child actors they picked could act despite their age and Bill Skarsgard became this demonic clown creature. As more is being revealed about It Chapter #2, the more excited I become to see this movie in September. 

The newest trailer dropped at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). After watching the trailer, one of the things I loved was the soundtrack. In horror movies, the music makes the movie. It’s creepy and the theme music stays with you.

Another reason I’m personally looking forward to this movie is the casting. Besides Bill Skarsgard, the “Loser’s Club” is perfectly cast. Bill Hader is the older Richie incarnated. Richie is this humorous, slightly nerdy kid, and Bill seems to adapt his personality well. Jessica Chastain seems to embody the adult Beverly with her red hair and how she holds the whole group together. James McAvoy plays Bill Denbrough which is another excellent casting choice. The sequence in the trailer with James McAvoy in the fun house mirrors chasing after the little boy who is also being targeted by It is fucking scary.

I’m not a horror movie fan, but I can’t wait to see this movie opening weekend. It Chapter #2 opens on September 6th, 2019.

Me and my brother loved watching Law & Order SVU in middle school. Law & Order SVU is the show I watch when doing chores or when I need a distraction from a tough day. Lucifer is a Law & Order-inspired show with demons thrown into the mix.

Lucifer is the literal king of hell played wonderfully by Tom Ellis. He’s the owner of a nightclub and finds amusement in having sex with beautiful women and drinking copious amounts of booze. After one of Lucifer’s friends is shot and killed, he meets Chloe Decker, an LA homicide detective who’s assigned to this case. Chloe, played by Lauren German, is unique because she’s immune to Lucifer’s gifts. His “gifts” include being able to persuade people to reveal their deepest darkest secrets. Chloe uses this to her advantage to solve crimes throughout Los Angeles.

Each season of Lucifer has a larger subplot intertwined throughout the season. The first season involves Lucifer getting shot by Chloe and he starts to bleed. Lucifer is immortal, so why is he bleeding from a simple gunshot wound? Meanwhile, Chloe is trying to build a case surrounding a supposed corrupt cop. The plot twists in the first season were shocking.

Lucifer is a favorite show of mine because of the characters. Lucifer can be an asshole, but he also has good intentions despite being the retired ruler of hell. Chloe is sassy to Lucifer while using her cunning investigative techniques to seek the truth. I cannot forget to mention Trixie, Chloe’s cute daughter. Trixie adores Lucifer which is hilarious since Lucifer hates kids. His apparent hate for children doesn’t stop Trixie from giving him hugs throughout the season.

I wanted to give a special shout-out to the fans who utilized the internet to save the show. Lucifer originally premiered on Fox until it was canceled. Fans were irritated and created a petition to save the show. Netflix realizing they could make money off of Lucifer fans, swooped in to renew the show at the last minute. I wish I was a part of this legion of fans, but I only discovered Lucifer a week ago.

Lucifer is a fabulous show featuring demon drama in downtown LA. I finished season one a couple days ago and I plan on watching season two either today or tomorrow. I’m trying to slowly get through the show as I don’t want to wait for new episodes.

I have been stuck in a TV-watching rut. I tried watching Castle Rock and Homeland this year and couldn’t get into these shows. Whenever I watch a show I can’t get into, it puts me in a funk. Thanks to Hot Date, I found an amusing show with sketches that realistically depict sex, dating, and marriage.

Originally, I discovered Emily and Brian after listening to Not Another DnD Podcast. I don’t normally listen to DnD podcasts because I find if I “zone out” a little bit, I’m lost in the DnD story. However, Not Another DnD Podcast, is hilarious and I have no trouble listening to the voice actors for a two hour episode. At the end of each episode, the hosts usually plug their current books or other projects they have been working on. This is where I discovered Hot Date. 

Hot Date centers around Emily and Brian’s relationship and how it evolves through social interaction and taking on responsibilities. Each episode is roughly twenty minutes long with numerous sketches occurring in between Emily and Brian’s bits. One of my favorite sketches is where Emily and Brian feel they need to “spice up their relationship”. They visit a sex store where they purchase a sex swing. Things go awry when they don’t read the instructions and get stuck in the sex swing. This sketch sticks with me because I feel there is a stereotype for couples in long term relationships to try and “spice up their relationship.” I am perfectly content with my relationship, but I feel this insecurity every now and then.

Regardless if you’re single, in a relationship or married, I think anyone could find this show entertaining. I like that it’s not a huge commitment to watch the show as there are only ten episodes in season #1. Before watching Hot Date, I would recommend listening to Not Another DnD podcast because then you can get an idea on Emily and Brian’s humor to see if Hot Date would be for you. As far as what to watch next. . . I’m thinking about re-watching Doctor Who or I heard Good Omens was good. I’m glad to be out of my TV watching rut.

SPOILERS

Like many fans, I cried throughout the whole Avengers: Endgame movie. It was an emotional experience, to say the least. The original Avengers movie drew me to comics originally, and Avengers: Endgame felt like the end of an era. I wanted to discuss openly about the relationship between Steve & Bucky. I read a fan article which I can’t find when I need to reference it. It stated how it was rather selfish that Steve stayed in time to be with Peggy versus going to help Bucky as he was tortured to become the Winter Soldier. I wanted to address that in my post.

I don’t think it would have been a good idea for Steve to help Bucky. Hulk says “We cannot change the past, only the future.” This is also why they couldn’t kill baby Thanos because it wouldn’t change the future outcome for planet Earth. Let’s say Steve goes back in time to see Peggy and free Bucky. If the past doesn’t change the future, something awful will happen to Bucky, which could also impact Tony Stark. Stark’s parents were murdered by Bucky, what would happen to them? Bucky is one of my favorite characters in the MCU, but I don’t think his past could be changed without a negative impact.

I felt Steve’s ending was heartwarming to his run of Captain America. In an alternative timeline, he gets the dance he never had with Peggy. I knew watching Avengers: Endgame that Robert Downy Jr. and Chris Evans would be done with their respective characters. I’m happy that the Russo brothers decided to give Steve Rogers a redeeming ending instead of easily letting Thanos brutally kill him. I’m curious to see how Falcon will do as the newly promoted Captain America.

Don’t mind me watching so many shows at once. I’m watching Queer Eye season #3, Castle Rock, and The Good Place simultaneously. When I was at C2E2 with my friend, she couldn’t stop raving about Shrill and how honest it was at portraying a young woman going through her professional career. I have been a fan of Aidy Bryant for a while now, so I figured I’d add this show to my watchlist.

Shrill focuses on Annie Easton (played by Aidy Bryant) a woman working in Portland. She’s been having on/off sex with Ryan who refuses to have her meet his friends and sneaks her out the back door every time she comes over. Annie also receives off-handed remarks from her boss at work and her mom about trying to lose weight. As she has unprotected sex with Ryan, she gets pregnant when she discovers that Plan B doesn’t work as well because of her weight.

I was today years old when I discovered that Plan B doesn’t work if you’re over a certain weight. I’m shocked because I never knew weight played a role in how Plan B worked. There is even research saying some morning-after pills won’t work on women who weigh more than 150 lbs. This means Plan B may not work for me. Anyway, I can’t believe I didn’t know this earlier.

Annie decides to get an abortion which is shown to some degree on the show. I’m pro-choice which means I support someone’s right to choose what they want to do whether that be getting an abortion, adoption, or having support resources to keep their child. I’m glad we are representing this on TV.

Annie goes through many other experiences and slowly learns to not give a fuck. The episodes where Annie stands up for herself are my favorite because I was rooting for her. This show is based on Lindy West’s book Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman which is a book about fat representation and obstacles Lindy faced in her career due to her weight.

Shrill was a good show! I found myself quickly going through episodes. Shrill can be watched on Hulu.

In 2003, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy aired on Bravo. I would watch a couple episodes with my mom and the only person I actively remember was Carson Kressley. My mom liked watching the transformations and seeing them learn to love themselves. Now, Queer Eye has been rebooted on Netflix and I haven’t had time to watch it, until now. This show is more meaningful than giving a makeover, it’s giving someone their confidence back. Before I reveal which one of the Fab 5 is my soulmate (thanks to Buzzfeed), I wanted to share a little bit about the cast.

Bobby Berk

Bobby is the interior design expert on the team. Some of the apartments he has redone look incredible. One of my favorite episodes is Below Average Joe where Bobby redesigns a basement for a man who still lives with his parents. This basement doesn’t look like a basement, but more like a modern apartment once it’s finished. Bobby has impeccable taste in furniture too. Can he come to my apartment?

Karamo Brown

Karamo is by far the coolest out of the five. He’s the culture expert and I take that as teaching someone how to act, network on social media, and be more confident. His connection with Cory in the episode Dega Don’t was a moving episode. Cory’s friend is a police officer who pulls the Fab 5 over as a “joke”. With all of the recent police shootings, this alarms Karamo. Cory and Karamo discuss the political nature of unarmed police shootings. I’m glad Karamo and Cory were able to have such a respectful conversation with each other.

Jonathan Van Ness

Jonathan is my favorite of the Queer Eye Fab 5. I can’t stop smiling every time Jonathan says “YAAAAASSS QUEEEN.”. If I had all the money in the world, I would hire them to be my daily beauty assistant. They are the hair, skincare, and style experts of the group. I’m a fan of their style because they push boundaries without giving a flying fuck about what anyone thinks of them. Also, they have beautiful hair and I’m jealous.

Antoni Porowski

Antoni is the one I have the biggest crush on because he’s so damn attractive. He has the best smile, and great hair and could cook me the most delicious dinner. Being the “foodie” of the group, I would argue his expertise is most important. You can look great, but if you can cook, even better.

Tan France

Tan and Jonathan are the Ying & the Yang. Jonathan is the hair and beauty product expert and Tan is the style icon. I felt the series does a great job of highlighting Tan’s personality. I would say he’s one of the more quiet guys in the group which helps to balance them out.

So who is my soulmate??? Drum roll, please…..

I’m not mad about this. I’m not going to lie, I was hoping for Antoni, but Tan is a great choice. When I read the description for Tan, this doesn’t sound like my personality. I wouldn’t label myself as direct, although I love going shopping for new clothes to wear.

I cannot recommend Queer Eye enough. The show is lighthearted, while also diving into some tough political topics. Tears have been shed in many of the episodes and I’m surprised at how addicted I became to the show in just watching one episode. I’m not on season #2 yet, but I’m excited to watch more stories unfold in the heart of the Deep South.