Netflix/Movie Reviews – GamersUnitedGG Blog

Netflix Series of the Week: Insatiable!

Insatiable has been recommended to me since it released on Netflix and while I had a slight interest to watch it sometime in the future, I didn’t click Play on the series until the frequent tweets and post about Insatiable being “Controversial.” This reminded me of the reviews for 13 Reasons Why and viewers being upset about the type of message that could be sent out to teens. Today I write my series review on Insatiable and try to analyze, why this show has been tagged controversial.

Premise: Insatiable follows the story of Patricia Bladell and a lawyer named Bob Armstrong during Patricia’s senior year of high school. Fatty Patty as she is known by at school is struggling with her weight and after an unfortunate incident, returns back to school skinny with 1 thing on her mind; revenge! You follow Patty’s turbulent response to those who had bullied her. Patty’s entire life has revolved around her insatiable need to eat. When she drops the weight and doesn’t worry about her need to eat, her insatiable cravings turn into a need for revenge. Where does Bob fit in? Bob attempts to help Patty (and himself) by turning her into a beauty pageant contestant.

Settings & Visuals: Insatiable is set in Georgia where appearances are everything. Bob and his family navigate the social hierarchy while Patty and her friends deal with the drama that comes with being a high school teenager. The visuals are fine as this story is set in the present. The dark comedy has bold, bright colors that contrasts with the story being told.

Characters: The characters are the interesting points in this show for me. The accents are exaggerated to be Southern and there are varying personality types in the show. The acting is exaggerated in this show, but I believe that is the point of the series and it makes the show more comedic in a twisted way. You have your traditional High School characters like Brick Armstrong (High School Crush) or the mean girls from Patty’s past. Once Patty believes in the “Skinny is Magic” teachings of Bob, she turns into a character that you would love to hate.

Final Thoughts: I can see why people would love or hate Insatiable as it hits a few topics that hard to talk about like religion, eating disorders and the LGBTQ community. Personally, I didn’t feel that Insatiable had anything that was straight offensive to either side of an argument. I did find the show entertaining enough to binge watch the entire series in 1 day. The ridiculousness of Insatiable balances out the uncomfortable parts that are meant to be in jest. The episodes are about 40 minutes long and have enough conflict that you want to immediately play the next episode to view what will happens next. I love that underneath the main conflict, there are issues with the characters Patty and Bob interact with as well. Most of my intrigue came from finding out the secrets that are mentioned with a specific character and “Brazil.” When the revelation finally came about what happened in Brazil, I felt a sense of closure.

Next are my top reasons that you will want to Play or Skip Insatiable

Play:

An interesting high school dark comedy series
Highlights Hot Button Issues with a twist

Skip:

Non Traditional Main Character
Exaggerated Characters and Themes

Have you watched Insatiable? Did you like the series? What series are you currently binge watching? Let’s talk Netflix!

-Luna 🙂

Luna’s Rankings: Favorite Superheroes!

Happy Tuesday Novas and thank you for reading today’s Rankings Post! The Marvel Universe has been on fire lately with their box office hits and upcoming triumphs over the DC Universe. On Tuesdays I like to rank items from 5th until 1st on different topics and since Black Panther is releasing on DVD and Blu Ray today, I want to rank my favorite Superheroes from 5th until 1st place!

#5 Thor –

Thor makes an appearance on my list because he’s flipping amazing. I love that he uses his hammer in combat. The hammer is versatile and allows him to fly, go super fast and pretty much knock out his enemies. Thor is a god and his full strength of lightning makes him super cool and worthy of the number 5 spot on my list. Thor Ragnarok is my favorite Thor movie to date. Read the review here!

#4 Black Widow –

Black Widow has always been a super cool character to me. I love a story about a hero who didn’t always start off saving the world. She has a very checkered past but she has decided to use her skills in a more helpful way which is awesome. Plus, she’s played by Scarlett Johansson in the Avenger movies, what more can you ask.

#3 Wonder Woman –

Before the Wonder Woman movie came out I would have not listed her as one of my top 5 favorite superheroes. Learning her story and delving more into her world has opened my eyes to the character. She’s strong, courageous and willing to follow her heart to help anyone in need. That’s the king of superhero we need!

#2 Black Panther –

Black Panther is another hero that was off my radar until the movie hit theaters in February. What I love about T’Challa is that he is a king that wants to help his people survive. He also embraces other cultures and wants to help fight to protect all people. His suit is cool, his movements are great and he has a great supporting cast of characters. You can check out the Spoiler Free Review of Black Panther here!

#1 Ironman –

Ironman has been my favorite superhero for as long as I remember. I love that his character is entirely plausible (you know, if you were a billionaire)/. Ok let’s be honest, most of the list (all of this list lol) is based on the portrayals in Hollywood. Tony Stark as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. Is a sarcastic, witty and intelligent character that I love watching. I’m not a Superman girl, not a Batman girl but Ironman is my man. Wonder what would happen if Batman met Ironman, check out their TKO Battle by clicking here!

Those are my top 5 superheroes, what are yours? Which Superhero movies are you looking forward to? Let’s talk heroes!

-Luna 🙂

You Should Try…. Chopped & Big Little Lies!

Happy Monday Novas! Thank you for reading today’s blog post which will focus on those tv shows that friends have recommended to you. A quick update with me…. My birthday was Thursday April 26th so I took a 12 day vacation from work. During my relaxing staycation, my friends recommended tv shows to me and I was able to catch up and binge watch a few days of my vacation. Here are my 2 recommends from Friends!

Featuring: Chopped & Big Little Lies!

Chopped is recommended by my co-worker that knows I love watching cooking competitions. I watch Top Chef and Master Chef in particular and was recommended Chopped for the first time. I’m not sure why I was never drawn to this show before, but I’m glad that I gave it a chance.

Premise: 4 Chefs compete in 3 rounds to crown a winner of Chopped and $10,000. Each episode is an hour and has a different theme. Based on the theme of the show, the chefs will have to prepare a dish using ALL of the mystery box ingredients. Each round has a time limit and the worse dish is CHOPPED while the others move on. Normally the rounds are Appetizer, Entree and Dessert.

Mystery Boxes – The mystery boxes are what makes Chopped an addicting show. 3 out of the 4 mystery items will be somewhat normal, while the final ingredient is usually something off the wall or not well known.

Ranking: I’m really enjoying chopped and I would give it a B and high recommend to binge watchers that loveeee cooking shows.

The 2nd show recommended to me is Big Little Lies on HBO by my friend Erick. I have wanted to watch this show since seeing previews for it last year, but never got around to it. Hulu offered me HBO Now at a great rate of $4.99 a month for 6 months, so I signed up and binge watched the show Saturday Night.

Premise: Big Little Lies follows the lives of mothers in the town of Monterey California. The cast follows Madeline, the Rich, Popular Mom, Jane the new single mom in town, Celeste, the Beautiful hot shot ex-lawyer, Renata the Corporate mom and Bonnie the relaxed organix moms and they’re lives in Monterey. The series begins at a fundraiser where there has just been a murder. Witnesses answer questions to the investigators but you do not know who was murdered until the finale.

Secrets: The best thing about Big Little Lies is that everyone is hiding something in theirs lives. These secrets threaten to tear their families and friends apart, but appearances must be kept. I even love that the secret of the person murdered is not revealed until the finale. The 7, 1 hour episodes recall the events leading up until the fundraiser where all is revealed.

Ranking : I give Big Little Lies a B+. They were renewed for a 2nd season but it will not be released until 2019 :(.

Those are my 2 currently recommends. Are you currently watching any shows recommended by friends? Do you have any tv show recommends for me to try? Which shows are you currently Binge Watching? Let’s talk shows!

-Luna 🙂

Marvel Avengers: Infinity War Spoiler Free Review!

Happy Sunday Novas! This past weekend the Marvel Avengers: Infinity War movie released in theaters. Today I will provide my spoiler free review of the movie! This movie was great and to stay away from spoilers, I will provide a brief overview of the movie.

Plot: Infinity War brings together the Marvel characters and their independent movies over the last few years. The characters are brought together by an impending threat who goes by the name of Thanos. Thanos is searching for the Infinity Stones in the Universe to be able to bring balance by genocide. 2 of the Infinity Stones rest with our heroes of Doctor Strange and Vision, so naturally, Thanos and his tyranny come back to Earth.

Consistency was something that I was worried about in the movie. When you are melding so many storylines together, you can easily miss a few pieces. I was pleased that Infinity War (from what I have seen of the preceding movies) matched up the characters, locations and state of being of each hero to a T.

Visuals & Sounds – The cinematic quality of the movie was pretty good. If there is one critique, the giant Iron Man suit with it’s pilot looked a bit weird in a few scenes. Each location of our heroes, is given the breathtaking quality that it received in the independant film.

Characters: We catch up with all of our favorite Marvel Characters: Captain America, Ironman, The Hulk, Thor, Loki, Black Widow, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Starlord and more are united in Infinity War. We are even graced with the side characters that we love like Suri and Rocket! Each character provided their distinct personalities and upon meeting new heroes, we receive more banter that pushes the movie forward. One of my favorite interactions is between Tony Stark and Doctor Strange!

Action: Marvel movies are known for cool action and battle scenes. With Infinity War, since there are so many main players in the movie, there’s constant action or conflict throughout the movie. Ever scene felt important so my recommendation is to make sure to empty your bladder before sitting down to this 2 hour and 30 minute masterpiece. The integration of the different battle styles from each character makes for an innovative new movie.

Final Thoughts: I have really enjoyed the Marvel Avengers: Infinity War movie. The plot was good, it’s another one of those plots that causes you to think about WHY the villain is doing what they are doing. All of the characters were used properly and the story made sense. Don’t forget to watch the ending credits and be prepared to be SHOOK throughout the movie.

Have you watched Infinity War? Who’s your favorite Marvel Character? Let’s talk Infinity War!

-Luna 🙂

Pacific Rim Uprising Spoiler Free Movie Review!

Happy Friday Novas and thank you for tuning into this week’s Spoiler Free Review of the new release movie Pacific Rim! I was fortunate enough to have a sneak preview of the movie on Wednesday night and I’m posting the review today so that you can have a heads up on what to expect without spoiling the movie or major plots.

Story: We join Jake Pentecost, son of Major Pentecoste and brother to Mako from the first Pacific Rim movie, as he is living a life unlike his heroic families name would suggest. Jake is played by ( John Boyega ) who you can most recently remember as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Jake makes it clear from the beginning that he is NOT his father and we join him in a less than glorious life, 10 years after the last Kaiju uprising. During a typical day for Jake, he is bested by a unknown assailant who has been affected by the past Kaiju attacks and has a special place in their heart for the Jaegers used to protect and save the world. Rewind… Lesson Time if you haven’t watched the first Pacific Rim movie:

Kaiju – The name given to the monsters attacking the world. Think Godzilla, Godzilla!
Jaeger – Jaegers are the giant robots that are controlled by pilots. Think you and your friends wearing a VR headset and being able to control the “Gundam (rofl)” with your movements. You both have to be connected through your minds which is called “Drifting.”
Drifting – Allows you to be compatible with your partner and the bot.

Ok got it? Now back to the story. Jake and his new recruit Amara’s fates are both now connected as both struggle with being pilots in the eventuality that the Kaiju return.

Visuals & Sounds: The soundtrack on the movie was hyped to be a great addition to the movie. While I didn’t notice anything groundbreaking, the soundtrack wasn’t bad at all. The sounds in the movie from the different actions and fight scenes was really well done. The movie is a bit brighter than the original but still has the dark elements of a Jaeger being built, maintained and operated. The cinematic quality is top notched and looks realistic.

Characters: The characters in this movie are played really well. I especially like the performance of Amara. She plays her part very well and displays excellent emotion. Pacific Rim has more comedy in it than the original (which seems to be a trend with many action movies in the past few years). Jake is the source of the majority of the comedy and the actor also took on the role of co-directing the movie.

Action: There’s a fair amount of action right from the jump of the movie. The fighting sequences with the Jaegers are well done. I love that there are different types of Jaegers each with their own unique abilities and drifting pilots needed. My favorite Jaeger is Saber Athena and of course Scrapper. When you see those 2, you will likely understand why lol.

Final Thoughts: The new additions to the Pacific Rim franchise seems to cater to a new generation. You don’t need to have watched the first Pacific Rim as there are flashbacks and a very good explanation on what is going on in the movie. I have to admit that I was only going to see this movie because I knew my brother Kenny really wanted to see it, however, I was really happy with it and wouldn’t have mind paying for the tickets if I didn’t get the perk!

Play:

A great sci-fi action movie with a hint of comedy
A well thought out story that’s intriguing and easy to understand
Brilliant acting and believable

Skip:

You do not enjoy action movies
If you didn’t really enjoy the first movie (although this one is hands down better, I was one of those “not really impressed” movie goers)

That’s my review of Pacific Rim! Have you watched the first movie? Are you planning on seeing this movie? What are you expecting to see from Pacific Rim? Let’s talk Pacific Rim!

-Luna 🙂

Netflix Series of the Week: The Crown Season 1!

Happy Friday Novas! Remember last year when I did the Netflix Series of the Week? Well I’m bringing that series back to blog every other week! To start things off, since it is Women’s History Month I thought the perfect series to review would be The Crown Season 1! Recognizing a strong, woman in history is what March’s Women’s History Month is all about so why not highlight one of the greatest and longest reigning women in history; Queen Elizabeth II. Get your popcorn and sit back for this spoiler free review of the series!

It’s very clear by now that I am in love with Royalty, Medieval Adventures and most Period Dramas. For about a year my co-workers have been raving about The Crown and asking me to watch it. This could have easily been one of my “You Should Try…” posts with the number of people asking me to watch this show. I’ve finally been in the mood to watch the show and I’m happy that I did, although we’ve had a rough go at the series in the beginning.

Story: The Crown is a series inspired by true events, of Britain’s Longest Reigning Queen, Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch is currently still in power today. She inherited the throne at a young age, and the Crown gives us a look into her life, her struggles and how she has dealt with the burden placed on her literal head. We get a look at what happens behind the cameras and tabloids and we are able to chronocial the Queen’s life by watching a few hours of the series (which I’m sure she oversaw and approved).

Season 1: I’m curently trying to finish up Season 2 of the Crown, but Season 1 is the beginning of Queen Elizabeth taking her place. She is getting used to making decisions and running the country with her Prime Minister, the great Winston Churchill. Elizabeth battles with the struggle of balancing her personal life with the demands of being the sovereign of England and it’s commonwealths. The season is not only viewed through the Queen’s eyes, we also take a journey with the other members of the family like her mother, a displaced queen, her sister a royal princess and her husband as consort to the queen. We also get a glimpse into The Prime Minster’s, Lead Secretary and other government officials tasks as the country transitions to Elizabeth’s rule.

Setting & Visuals – The setting on the series is in the early 1900’s in the United Kingdom. You arrive on the scene just before Princess Elizabeth’s marriage to her long fond of mate, Philip. The costumes and decor of the palace immediately alerts the viewer that they are taken back in time. The Crown has wonderful stills and integrates footage from the actual events into the series. We travel around the world to different Commonwealth territories of the United Kingdom and each location has a specific weather and color scheme which really helps with the story.

Character & Portrayals – One of my favorite characters in the Crown is Princess Margaret, the Queen’s sister. Margaret is entirely opposite of Elizabeth and filled with a need to Shine or be accepted. Truth time… I tried to watch 3 episodes of the Crown before and I was not into it at all. It was kind of boring to me. But after finishing the Royal Pains book and reading about it’s final entrant, Princess Margaret, I had to continue watching just for her. Prince Philip MountBatten is a great character as well. You can see how being a spouse to a monarch can make someone feel trapped or useless. I really like the way that we are invited to share in the struggles of every member of the Royal Family, not just the star… the Queen. Each character has a completely different outlook and problem that they are facing. I found myself loving characters, pitying others and completely despising some. My array of emotions bodes well for the relatable characters and the series does a great job at making you feel some kind of way.

Play:

A great storyline on the history of Britain’s current Monarch
In depth and well portrayed characters

Skip:

If you’re not into Period Dramas or Historical Pieces

Final Thoughts: I have to admit that for some reason I was not interested in The Crown when I first began watching. Somewhere along the way, I found interest in it and I am now propelling through Season 2 as if I was always invested in the show. The lead actress and supporting roles were played brilliantly and I find myself connecting with each character. I haven’t studied on the Royal Family so I’m not sure how accurate the series is in regards to the events that have occurred, but I would imagine that it is spot on with the events, but a little embellished on some of the character’s part.

I give The Crown 3.5 out of 5 Screens!

Thank you for reading today’s Netflix Series of the Week! Have you watched The Crown? Which shows are you currently binge watching? Let’s talk tv!

-Luna 🙂

Black Panther Spoiler Free Movie Review!

Happy Sunday Novas and thank you for reading today’s movie review for Black Panther. When I seen this movie preview last year before Thor: Ragnarok, I knew that I would want to make plans to see this movie on opening weekend. Sit back and relax for the spoiler free Black Panther moview review!

Story: Black Panther is the story of the rise of T’Challa, son of the King of Wakanda, an African Nation that is technologically superior to the world. Wakanda is comprised of different tribes in Africa, who band together to keep the secret of their advances and most powerful resource, Vibranium from the outside world. For centuries, the lands of Wakanda have been hidden in plain sight and while the rest of the world views it as a 3rd world country, Wakanda has built a city that is far more superior than anyone else. As a member of the royal family, T’Challa uses the powers of the Black Panther to help fight crime and bring justice.

Following his rise to power, T’Challa faces and enemy that looks to destroy everything that his father has built. Can he be the leader that Wakanda needs to usher in a new century or will he be rivaled for his claim to the throne? The true test of Leadership and ruling is just around the corner.

Visuals & Sounds: Black Panther is a truly visually stunning movie. I remember the scene where T’Challa, his head general and his ex-girlfriend Nakita walked into an underground gambling house. This scene was beautiful with the use of bright oranges and reds, you can feel the atmosphere that they are walking into. The scenery when the cameras pan over Wakanda shows a breathtaking landscape and each tribe has their signature colors and cultural rituals.

Characters: There’s a great mix of characters in Black Panther and you may know most of the actors featured in this film. One of the most notable characters for me is the general Okoye played by Danai Gurira, you may know her as Michonne from AMC’s The Walking Dead series. Okoye is probably my favorite character in the series. She represents strength, loyalty and a clear conscious when it comes to T’Challa. Other notable characters are Forest Whitaker, Angela Basset and Michael B. Jordan. All of the roles were played perfectly and I really enjoyed the differences in each character.

The main character T’Challa adorned many different looks that seem comparable to the African Culture. The style of the Wakanda people versus the style of the outside characters are portrayed very well.

Action: What I really loved about this movie was the believability. While Black Panther is a superhero, the aspects and fight scenes were not too far exaggerated. The integration of the Vibranium technology made for unique fight scenes and they were perfect in execution. This movie does not have action around every corner as it is more story driven, but when a fight scene appears, you better hold onto your hats.

Final Thoughts: If you couldn’t tell from the review of the movie elements, I really loved this movie. I think Black Panther is one of the best Marvel Movies that I have watched and it really makes me eager to see the new Avengers movie releasing later this year. From the costumes to the action to the story I think that Black Panther was really well done, albeit a bit lengthy. The movie runs about 2 hours and 15 minutes. I’m not the only one giving the movie a rave review. Rotten Tomatoes gives Black Panther a 97% rating. Check out the trailer below and if you’re looking for a great movie to watch, stop by your local theaters and watch Black Panther! Don’t forget to stick around after the credits 😉

This is the section of my reviews where I will list my top reasons to Play or Skip the film!

Play:

If you love Marvel Movies and want to stay in order before watching the new Avengers Movie.
A Great Superhero movie with a well developed story

Skip:

The movie is pretty lengthy
Don’t skip, go watch! lol

-Luna 😀

Luna’s Rankings: Favorite Game of Thrones Characters!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Every Tuesday I will try to upload a Rankings post where we rank our top 5 items in a category from the least loved to the totally Favorite ranking. If there are more than 5 items in the category, the top 5 results are essentially my favorites and I am ranking their placings. This year I want to try something new, so I will be asking for your feedback as well to feature in the next week’s rankings!

Game Guide:

Respond in the comments with your top 5 placings
Tune in the following Tuesday to view the results of the Community’s Rankings and see your answers featured!

It’s that easy! Furthermore, if you would like to participate in my Rankings Post each week, let me know in the comments and we can set topics to post each Tuesday!

The Community Rankings for last week’s Favorite Star Wars movies are:

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Sith
Return of the Jedi
The Force Awakens

1. Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. The Last Jedi
4. Return of the Jedi
5. The Force Awakens

Here’s my personal list:
5. Revenge of the Sith
4. The Force Awakens
3. Return of the Jedi
2. A New Hope
1. The Empire Strikes Back

5. Force Awakens
4. Last Jedi
3. New Hope
2. Return of the Jedi
1. Empire Strikes Back

There were other participants like Frazier’s Racket and The Crown. Let’s see what’s going on this week!

This week we are ranking out favorite characters in the Game of Thrones series for 5th place to 1st place. I really love Game of Thrones and it’s been a year since I was introduced to the brilliant world of George RR Martin. Since we have to wait until 2019 for the new season, why not start out our year paying tribute to the characters that we know and love! You can read all of my Season 7 recap posts by clicking here! If you haven’t watched Game of Thrones, there will be mild spoilers in my post so this is your official *Spoiler Alert, Spoiler!”

Now onto the Rankings…

#5 Eddard (Ned) Stark –

The Patriarch of House Stark has to make my list of favorite characters. This may be a surprise pick to many, but let me explain why Ned is on my list and should be on everyone else’s list! Ned is the ultimate “good guy” in the Game of thrones series. He is humble, loyal and a great person to have on your side as an ally. Ned is one of the strongest driving forces in GOT. Think about it, most of the action is driven by the 2 strongest families, the Starks and the Lannisters fighting each other. Ned’s death puts the Starks on a path of revenge against the Lannisters and in my opinion, strengthens the entire clan. If it wasn’t for Ned and his discoveries, along with his death, we would not have a Game of Thrones show.

#4 Cersei Lannister –

So we’ve been down this road before with my love of villains. A great villain drives the story and adds the tension that propels our heroes to new heights. Cersei is probably one of the better villains ever portrayed. She is smart and ruthless, 2 deadly combinations. I have this debate with my friend Erick that Cersei is the smartest person in the show, he argues that her father Tywin was. I think that Cersei has committed unspeakable atrocities and she is the one that is prolonging her family’s name. Tywin set the framework, but Cersei was the warrior that kept the wolves at bay. I think that Cersei will make a cameo in our Memoirs of a Villain segment very soon ;).

#3 Jon Snow/ Daenerys –

So I cheated a bit and combined Jon Snow with Daenerys. I personally feel that these 2 characters represent the same thing and are essentially the same. Both are striving for a new world of peace and equality. I thought about putting these 2 higher up on the list but I felt as though it’s a common thing to say Jon Snow or Daenerys and I wanted to provide a bit more diversity in this post. Jon is probably my favorite of the 2 because he’s brave, humble and he helps out the people in need, even when it could cost him dearly. Both Jon and Dany grew up in the shadows of their families, Jon for being a bastard born to a high noble house and Dany for being a displaced monarch on the run from the usurpers of her family’s throne.

#2 Sandor Clegane (The Hound) –

The Hound is one of my favorite characters in the GOT series. His character most closely reminds me of what commoners personalities would have been in the Medieval time period. Think about it, most of the characters in the show are privileged, Sandor used his rage and strength to the best of his abilities and became the personal guard of the Hound. Yes, he had to execute characters that did not deserve it, but he was being loyal to his prince. We see signs that the Hound isn’t as evil as we thought when he would save Sansa, try to talk sense into Geoffrey and when he looked after Arya. The Hound is awesome and his dry humor makes the show that much better.

#1 Arya Stark –

This is probably no surprise as I think most people would place Arya in their top 5. She is the Stark that is bound by a different sense of honor. She still respectes the morals of her father Ned, but she has a higher sense of honor to herself. Arya believes that exterminating those who corrupt the realm is the best course of action. She doesn’t engage them to make truces and she doesn’t fall for the tricks of her enemies. Arya gets things done and if it be through slitting their throats after they have eaten pieces of their kin (Walder Frey), so be it.

Those are my favorite characters in Game of Thrones! Which characters are your favorites? List your top 5 Game of Thrones rankings to join the community board that will be posted in next week’s post. Let’s talk favorite characters!

-Luna 🙂

Log On Players to our Patroen Page for exclusive behind the scenes access and perks when you support our blog ! Click Here To Support!

Hulu Series of the Week: Harlots!

Happy Friday Binge-Watching Addicts and welcome to the first series review of 2018! I was actually watching the Hulu Original Series of Harlots when it was premiering each week. I’ve finally decided to review the series and bring it to your attention!

London in 1763 is booming, and one in five women makes a living selling sex. Women’s opportunity for economic advancement is to marry well or be a prostitute.

Overview: Harlots was introduced to me by Hulu’s recommended list. It was also highly advertise during the time that I was watching as a Hulu Original Series so I decided to give it a go. The first episode was interesting and captivating that it held my attention and I watched every Wednesday when the new episode would release.

Story:

harlots3 — Margart Wells (Left) & Lydia Quigley (Right)

Harlots is a series following the rival brothel houses and their owners Margaret Wells and Lydia Quigley in 18th Century England. On one side you have the high end escorts and courtesans of Mrs. Quigley and on the other side you have the respectable but indulgent gals working at Mrs. Wells. Mrs. Wells is raising her daughters and family in a world and a time where it is very difficult for women to have safety, security and any rights of their own. Each character has their own internal struggle to deal with and the struggles of their employers intensifies their anxiety.

Setting & Visuals –

Harlots takes place in the brothels and on the streets of 18th Century London. The dress, language and visuals will be reminiscent of Georgian London. As I watched the series there were lower light shades emulating a colder, overcast weather. The days seemed gloomy but the lights were brought to light with the candles and vibrant colors of the women working in the brothel.

Characters & Portrayals –

I don’t believe Harlots is based on actual events but it is based on the book Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies written by Hallie Rubenhold. I’ve never read the book so I am unable to comment on the portrayals and accuracy to the text. What I can comment on is the acting of the characters inside of the series and if they are believable. I enjoyed the acting of each character in the series. One of my favorite performances is by Margaret’s Daughter, Charlotte. Charlotte does an excellent job of portraying a woman that men would pine for, but also a smart business women as well. She protects her assets and comes to the aid of her family, especially her little sister Lucy who is old enough to become a professional.

Final Thoughts –

Harlots was very intriguing and a great show for my taste. Season 2 will be premiering sometimes this year. I will say that this show is not for everyone because there are some delicate scenes with maidenhoods being taken and the way women are treated in the show but I think it touches on what life was like in that time period. You will have your fill of powder makeup and powdered wigs, along with the seductively sensual language of people in the business of “pleasure.”

Play:

If you have read and enjoyed Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies
If you love period dramas
For a great story of rival ladies

Skip:

Because of the graphic nature in the some of the scenes
If you do not enjoy period based shows
Recommended for a more mature audience

I rate Harlots a solid 4 out of 5 screens!

Thank you for reading! Have you watched or are interested in watching Harlots? Which shows are you currently binge watching on Hulu or Netflix? Any recommendations for additional period dramas that I should watch? Let’s talk television and shows!

-Luna 🙂

Luna’s Rankings: Favorite Star Wars Movies!

Happy Tuesday Novas! I hope the New Year is starting off well for everyone! Every Tuesday I will try to upload a Rankings post where we rank our top 5 items in a category from the least loved to the totally binge watch rankings. If there are more than 5 items in the category, the top 5 results are essentially my favorites and I am ranking their placings. This year I want to try something new, so I will be asking for your feedback as well to feature in the next week’s rankings!

Game Guide:

Respond in the comments with your top 5 placings
Tune in the following Tuesday to view the results of the Community’s Rankings and see your answers featured!

It’s that easy! Furthermore, if you would like to participate in my Rankings Post each week, let me know in the comments and we can set topics to post each Tuesday!

Now onto the Rankings….

But First: I have been super excited to make this Rankings Post because my co-worker Dan and I have talked about our rankings just before The Last Jedi movie released. He told me that my #1 choice is NO ONE”S FAVORITE and that I’m ALLOWED TO BE WRONG! Lol, it’s super funny because I told him that I would do this post. I’m aware that my favorite will probably not make anyone else’s.

#5 Revenge of the Sith –

Revenge of the Sith is one of my favorite movies in the 2nd set of Star Wars Trilogies, mainly because you see the foreshadowed and anticipated turn of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin is upset, he’s scared and he is very, very angry. The puppeteer Darth Sidious tapped into every emotional imbalance that he could find to get Anakin to make the turn, but it wasn’t until seeing the fate of his beloved Padma did Anakin let the darkness consume him which lead to one of my favorite lightsaber battles; Anakin versus Obi Wan Kenobi.

#4 The Force Awakens –

The Force Awakens makes my lists for a few reasons, one of which being that a main character and Jedi was portrayed as a female lead. I personally take pride in seeing Rey develop her skills and learn that she is destined for more than a life as a scraper. We also receive a more humanized point of view of the Storm Troopers in Finn. Finn gives us a point of view that was never explored in the previous Star Wars movies and when he connects with Rey, a new journey begins.

#3 Empire Strikes Back –

The Empire Strikes Back is one of the original 3 Star Wars movies and one of the most well known movies. This is the movie where Vader reveals his secret to Luke, where Luke trains with the infamous Yoda and Han Solo meets with a beautiful Princess Leia. Empire Strikes Back is the most recognizable and action packed episode and it’s the one that I remember the most from my childhood. Empire Strikes Back “I Love you!”…. “I Know!”

#2 The Last Jedi –

I should have prefaced this post by saying that I feel like I hold the millennials view of the Star Wars Saga. I don’t remember too much of episodes 4, 5 and 6 but I do remember my brother lovinggggg the movies. With that said, you will find that the originals are pretty scarce in my list so I’m excited to see what the community votes as their favorites. I really enjoyed the Last Jedi despite the arguments on both sides and it comes near the top of the list. You can read my review about why I loved the movie so much by clicking here!

#1 The Phantom Menace –

Listen! Dan has already grilled me about being incorrect and that the Phantom Menace couldn’t possibly be my favorite. But it is. The Phantom Menace is one of the reasons I became re-invested in the Star Wars movies. Seeing my favorite Character Darth Maul and how cool he was (no matter how short lived) and seeing the strength of Queen Amidala amongst the pressures of the Federation just lit a spark in mie that is not easily distinguished. I LOVEEEEE THIS MOVIE! Jar Jar, The Gongons, Qui Gon, Podracers… what more can you ask?

Those are my top 5 movies in the Star Wars Saga. It’s time to get everyone involved and I would love if you would tell me your top 5 in the comments. Each movie will receive a number and the movies will be ranked on the Community board which will be announced next week! So what are your top 5 Star Wars Movies? What do you think of my list? Is Phantom Menace really that bad? Let’s talk Star Wars!

-Luna 🙂

Log On Players to our Patroen Page for exclusive behind the scenes access and perks when you support our blog ! Click Here To Support!

Featured Image Credits: Reddit