Movie Review - A Tale of Love and Darkness

This cold and dreary Sunday was a perfect day for a Netflix binge.  I found a movie I was really a fan of. A Tale of Love and Darkness which was the first movie for writer and director Natalie Portman.  The movie is based on the memories of Amos Oz who grew up in Jerusalem before the Israeli statehood Arieh.  The family moves to Palestine to escape persecution.  His mother, Fania, has a hard time adjusting to normal life after running from the terror of war.  To entertain herself and her son Amos, she would tell stories of adventure to lift both of their spirits.

Overall I thought this movie was really good,  but it is in Hebrew so subtitles are a must.  This definitely doesn't take away from the story telling.  The flashback style story telling really makes you feel for Amos and understand the story on a deeper level.   This movie is an adaptation of the international best seller written Amos Oz about his childhood in Palestine. I really enjoyed Natalie Portman as the mother and it was interesting to know this was her first written and directed work.

I was really impressed by the message she was able to convey about the impact Fania had on Amos and really showing their relationship.  I would give this movie an 8/10, overall I really enjoyed the story and how it was adapted.



A Tale of Love and Darkness 1hr 35mins

Movie Review - Kubo and the Two Strings

We're back after a bit of a break with a review of another animated movie: Kubo and the Two Strings! This movie was recently added to Netflix, so I figured I would check it out after missing it in theaters last year. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

Kubo stands out from other animated films because it is a stop-motion animation, meaning every frame is actually an individual photograph, with hundreds of thousands of these placed one after the other to give the illusion of motion as they move models on a set. This unique style of animation really helps this film stand out from others, especially in a world where computer graphics are becoming incredibly lifelike.

Another thing that I loved about Kubo is that not only does it have great imagery, it has a great story. While the story's twists are admittedly predictable at times, the film is still an emotional one which manages to keep my attention until the very end. Which feels like quite the accomplishment considering this is the longest stop-motion film ever released at 1 hour and 41 minutes long.

I highly recommend Kubo and the Two Strings for anyone who is looking for a heartwarming, yet emotional break from their work as we near the end of the semester. This movie certainly has a lot to offer.

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) 1 hr and 41 mins long

Guest TV Show Review - 13 Reasons Why (Alexis Cruz)

Hi there everybody! Hope you don’t miss Cody and Bridget too much, but today I’m taking over to tell you all about the new Netflix original series, 13 Reasons Why. 13 Reasons Why was adapted from the beloved young adult novel by Jay Asher. The original story is about protagonist, Clay Jensen, who receives a box of tapes explaining the thirteen reasons why his classmate and friend, Hannah Baker, committed suicide. The series holds true to the original story while delving even deeper to explore how a suicide and situation like this affects a number of people in different ways.

As someone who read and loved the original book, I was very nervous to watch this show. With such a serious subject matter (plus being the only book I’ve ever reread on multiple occasions by my own free will) the pressure was on. Thankfully, the show did not disappoint and I finished the series feeling a number of emotions, none of which were disappointment.

While I may have a bias from already loving the book so much, I think it’s fair to say that this show will enthrall anyone who watches whether they are familiar with the book or not. The writers created an additional plot of a lawsuit against Hannah Baker’s school adding in extra tensions and giving the characters new motivations to show their true colors. While none of this was included in the original book, I think that it opens up the world and gives people the chance to see multiple characters as more than just monsters who led a girl to kill herself, but as real human beings with flaws and feelings.

The show touches on a number of very important issues such as sexual assault, mental illness, and suicide. While a lot of shows may shy away from portraying these subjects, 13 Reasons Why takes a raw and honest approach confronting each issue. Because of this, the show can be very tough to watch at times, but certainly gets its point across.

I could write so much more about how I loved the underlying meanings I interpreted from the coloring of the show, or how Clay was exactly how I pictured he would be. Rather than bore you, I’ll just recommend you go on over to Netflix and watch 13 Reasons Why for yourself!

xoxo Gossip Girl (Alexis Cruz)

13 Reasons Why (2017) 13 episodes about an hour long each