JASMINE's THOUGHTS on The Sandman (2022)

Genre:

Adult

Dark Fantasy/Horror/Drama

Rating:

TV-MA

Release Date:

August 5, 2022

Season:

1

Episodes:

10

Run Time:

37-54 minutes

Network:

Netflix

Based on:

The Sandman graphic novels by Neil Gaiman

Production Co.:

Netflix

Warner Bros. Productions

DC Entertainment

DC Comics

Distribution Co.:

Netflix

Social Media:

     

Cast:

Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Charles Dance, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Coleman, Mason Alexander Park, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Stephen Fry, David Thewlis, Ann Ogbomo, and more

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way.

Based on the beloved award-winning DC comic series written by Neil Gaiman, THE SANDMAN is a rich, character-driven blend of myth and dark fantasy woven together over the course of ten epic chapters following Dream’s many adventures. Developed and executive produced by Gaiman, showrunner Allan Heinberg, and David S. Goyer.

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~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Note: This Review contains NO spoilers

Although I haven't read the graphic novels, I was already enticed to watch this new series after watching the trailer and reading the synopsis. Now, after watching this first season, I am absolutely mesmerized with it! I enjoyed each and all of 10 episodes. The casting is great! The cinematography is stunning! The storytelling flowed seamlessly from episode to episode.

This is definitely a must watch for fans of dark fantasy and mythology. This contemporary adaptation of mythology and fantasy is mind-blowing and captivating. Each episode will take viewers on Dream's journey and struggle to adjust to the changes in time and history while he was imprisoned. This first season introduced viewers to the various characters and their connections to each other in the waking world and the dream world... and then some.

I was completely absorbed into the storytelling of this new Netflix series. I found it to be dark, fascinating, and dramatic. I also found myself having to watch scenes over again to understand the flow of the story better. Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad thing. I would say that even the smallest intriguing detail can make a difference in following the story.

After binge watching all 10 episodes, I am even more excited to see this series to continue on. Season 1 is just a tease of what to expect more of in the next season(s) to follow. I so hope The Sandman series continues with more seasons... with more stories to tell.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Devilman: Crybaby Season 1 (2018)

Genre:

Animation/Action/Fantasy

Horror Anime

Rating:

TV-MA

Release Date:

January 15, 2018

Season/Episodes

1/10

Run Time:

25-28 minutes

Based on the horror manga by:

Gô Nagai

Production Co.:

Aniplex

Netflix

Science SARU

Distribution Co.:

Netflix

Social Media:

      

Voice Cast:

Koki Uchiyama, Ayumu Murase, Megumi Han, Ami Koshimizu, Atsuko Tanaka, Rikiya Koyama, Avu-chan, Kenjiro Tsuda, KEN THE 390, Subaru Kimura, Young Dais, Hannya, AFRA

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

With demons reawakened and humanity in turmoil, a sensitive demon-boy is led into a brutal, degenerate war against evil by his mysterious friend, Ryo.

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泣き虫の高校生・不動明は、幼なじみの飛鳥了と再会し、

危険なパーティに誘われた。

そこで明は見る。悪魔に変わっていく人々を。

そしてまた明自身も……。

source

~~~

*My Thoughts*

Short, ten episodes, yet captivating, that is what Devilman: Crybaby is. It is a Netflix series that follows Akira Fudo, a track student, and a boy with a heart of gold, but one day his childhood friend Ryo Asuka appears. Ryo brings him to a Sabbath, more like a rave, where everything turns sour when Akira is possessed by the demon Amon and turned into what he calls a Devilman. The conflict is easy to follow and although characters are quickly introduced and tossed aside rather quickly, Devilman: Crybaby will get its audience somewhat attached to them. Although there are minor details to different characters sprinkled into each episode, they eventually tie up into the final episodes. What do we learn by the end? Humans are the demons and vice versa.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Ju-On: Origins Season 1 (2020)

Genre:

Horror/Mystery

Drama

Rating:

TV-MA

Release Date:

July 3, 2020

Episodes:

6

Run Time:

27-31 minutes

Language:

Japanese

Directed by:

Shô Miyake

Based on:

Ju-On by Takashi Shimizu

Production Co.:

NBC Universal Television

Distribution Co.:

Netflix

Social Media:

    

Cast:

Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Yuina Kuroshima, Ririka, Koki Osamura, Seiko Iwaido, Kai Inowaki, Ryushin Tei, Yuya Matsuura, Kaho Tsuchimura, Takemi Fujii, Ryota Matsushima, Haruka Kubo, Shinsuke Kato, Nana Yanagisawa, Atom Shukugawa, Yura Anno, Tokio Emoto, Nobuko, Sendo, Kana Kurashina

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

A paranormal researcher searches obsessively for a cursed home where something terrible happened to a mother and her child long ago.

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*My Thoughts*

Ju-On: Origins is a Netflix original drama influenced by Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) and its American adaptation, The Grudge (2004). It follows the story of a paranormal researcher and author as he explores into the mystery of a cursed house. The story starts in 1988 with Haruka Honjo, Testsuya Fukazawa, and researcher Yasuo Odajima, where Odajima is collecting information for his new book. Haruka and Tetsuya are experiencing supernatural noises and hallucinations. At the same time, high schoolers Kiyomi Kawai, Yoshie Minakami, Mai Hyodo, and Yudai Katsuragi visit the cursed house causing Mai and Yoshie to disappearance and hallucinations throughout Kiyomi and Yudai’s lives. These six episodes fast forward from the 1980’s through the 1990’s and follow different characters who are all haunted by this one residence.

Netflix’s Ju-On: Origins has the same atmosphere as the 2002 and 2004 movies, giving me the same chill. Even so, the onryō of this short series takes a different form from Kayako, the onryō I was familiar with. This one does not crawl or appear as often as Kayako. The threatening gurgling from Kayako’s throat isn’t there. Instead, the onryō is a mother who mumbles the words “Together” and “buried.” She doesn’t seem as malicious, and I thought that took away much of the original mood. The sense of doom is gone and the constant change of perspective in six episodes also make it difficult to sympathize with the different characters. Although I remember the names of the main characters, any support is rather forgettable such as the prisoners or police officers that were interviewed by Odajima. Despite all that, the story is easy to follow with time stamps.

Overall, Ju-On: Origins is pleasant for the time it is on screen. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or constant bloodletting, but Origins is not something that leaves a lasting impression. The accompanying music to the end credits of each episode is more relaxing than ominous, but that is because I think ominous is relaxing. I know the curse is never-ending and it leaves the last episode predictable. Ju-On: Origins made me curious ever so slightly to know what happens next to Haruka and Kiyomi but once I completed the series, it seems dull.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Blood of Zeus 2020 Season 1

 

Genre:

Animation/Action/Fantasy

Anime

Series:

Blood of Zeus

Season:

1

Rating:

TV-MA

Episodes:

8

Run Time:

26-38 minutes per episode

Release Year:

2020

Series Directed by:

Shaunt Nigoghossian

Series Writing by:

Charley Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides

Plot Summary:

A commoner living in ancient Greece, Heron discovers his true heritage as a son of Zeus, and his purpose: to save the world from a demonic army.

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Cast:

Derek Phillips, Jason O'Mara, Claudia Christian, Mamie Gummer, Jessica Henwick Elias Toufexis, Chris Diamantopoulos, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, Matthew Mercer, Melina Kanakaredes, Danny Jacobs, Matt Lowe, Adam Croasdell, Jennifer Hale, David Shaughnessy, Fred Tatasciore, Vanessa Marshall

See Full Cast & Crew on IMDB

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Blood of Zeus (2020) is an original Netflix animated series. Taking from Greek mythology with gods, titans, giants, and particularly the union between a god and human to create a demigod, Blood of Zeus makes its own demigod in the form of Heron. He is a man raised as a commoner and ostracized by the polis in which he and his mother live. Heron is raised without the knowledge of his true parentage until it is too late. He loses the people that he lived with for years, his beloved mother, and essentially everything he owns. He is then thrown into the role of the hero who must save the world. Along with Heron’s side of the story, Blood of Zeus jumps around from different characters mainly Zeus, Hera, and Seraphim, one of the series’ antagonist. And in that short summary, the Blood of Zeus (2020) does everything right. The protagonist and the main antagonist are revealed with fluid storytelling along with the conflict of the gods and giants. But not only is Seraphim introduced as an antagonist, midway through Blood of Zeus, twists and turns bring Hera in, shining radiantly in all her jealous glory, as another antagonist. 

 

 Blood of Zeus had a perfectly executed story, albeit a bit rushed, nice artwork and animation, but it didn’t deliver something new that could get me hooked. With only eight episodes, the series put in every bit of exposition needed to build up to the final fight i.e. a lot of death, a training montage, Seraphim’s struggles that lead him into the man he is during the present storyline, and Heron’s emotional struggles which he overcomes to fight the final fight. There are some unanswered questions by the last episode that make me curious, like the final whereabouts of Hera or if Seraphim drops his pride and rage to save himself from suffering. I am also interested about how Heron will later advance his relationship with his half-siblings Apollo and Hermes, as they seem to be the only two who accept Heron before he became a hero. While I do enjoy Blood of Zeus, I will unfortunately drop it as a three-and-a-half-star worthy watch.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Season 1 (2020)

Genre:

Comedy, Drama, Romance, Fantasy, School

Air Dates:

Apr 5, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020

Season:

1

Episodes:

12

Original Title:

Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... 

(乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…)

Based on the light novel written and illustrated by:

Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka

Produced by:

Mainichi Broadcasting System, Asmik Ace, King Records, Ichijinsha, Nichion

Plot Synopsis:

Most people would prefer being the protagonist of a world full of adventure, be it in a game or in another world. But, unfortunately, a certain girl is not so lucky. Regaining the memories of her past life, she realizes that she was reborn in the world of Fortune Lover—one of the games she used to play.

Unfortunately, the character she was reincarnated into—Katarina Claes—is the game's main antagonist, who faces utter doom in every ending. Using her extensive knowledge of the game, she takes it upon herself to escape from the chains of this accursed destiny.

However, this will not be an easy feat, especially since she needs to be cautious as to not set off death flags that may speed up the impending doom she is trying to avoid. Even so, to make a change that will affect the lives of everyone around her, she strives—not as the heroine—but as the villainess.

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Voice Cast:

Maaya Uchida, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Shouta Aoi, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Tetsuya Kakihara, Saori Hayami, Inori Minase, Miho Okasaki

Find the full cast on MyAnimeList.net

~~~~~

**My Thoughts**

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is an isekai anime with nothing but light-hearted moments and enjoyable content. The main character, Katarina Claes, is a young girl with vivacity, determination, and almost carefree childishness. She aims to change her fate from a bad end to a slightly less bad end. Considering she is reborn as the antagonist of an otome game, Fortune Lover, her actions are understandable. Given this, the anime doesn’t limit Katarina’s choices like a real otome game. She has the freedom to make her own route, make her own choices, and subsequently, make her own ending. But like an otome game, this anime describes the leading male roles by describing their overall personalities in quick succession and their relationship to the main character, such as Gerald Stuart who is Katarina Claes’s fiancée. He is described as secretly terrible on the inside but also a genius at anything. Diving deeper, Katarina detours from the mean girl role she was reincarnated into and essentially turns this new world of hers into a reverse harem. To do so, she chooses to be kind, generous, and inclusive of the game’s characters regardless of their original roles and she eventually wins over their hearts. It is because of her attitude and character that the others break their own molds that the game has set for them. Each character and their deepening relationship to Katarina helps piece this short anime series together into enjoyable content.

My rating:

MARIAH'S THOUGHTS on Violet Evergarden (2018)

Japanese Title:

ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン

Genre:

Fantasy, Drama, Slice of Life

Season:
1
Rating:

PG-13 – Teens or older

Episodes:

13

Run Time:

23 min per episode

Release Date:

Jan 11, 2018 to Apr 5, 2018

Directed by:

Taichi Ishidate

Producers:

Lantis, Pony Canyon, Rakuonsha, ABC Animation

Cast:

Yui Ishikawa, Aya Endou, Kouki Uchiyama, Minori Chihara, Haruka Tomatsu, and more in different languages

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Plot Summary:

The Great War finally came to an end after four long years of conflict; fractured in two, the continent of Telesis slowly began to flourish once again. Caught up in the bloodshed was Violet Evergarden, a young girl raised for the sole purpose of decimating enemy lines. Hospitalized and maimed in a bloody skirmish during the War's final leg, she was left with only words from the person she held dearest, but with no understanding of their meaning.

Recovering from her wounds, Violet starts a new life working at CH Postal Services after a falling out with her new intended guardian family. There, she witnesses by pure chance the work of an "Auto Memory Doll," amanuenses that transcribe people's thoughts and feelings into words on paper. Moved by the notion, Violet begins work as an Auto Memory Doll, a trade that will take her on an adventure, one that will reshape the lives of her clients and hopefully lead to self-discovery.

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*My Thoughts*

A simple story of self-discovery and emotional growth, Violet Evergarden is enhanced by the beautiful art and soundtrack. The story follows the main character, Violet, as she adapts to her new life at the CH Postal Services. She is mysterious, enigmatic, dutiful, and to top it all off, she is as small and elegant as a doll. In the beginning of the anime, Violet is stern and blunt when she writes letters for her clients and it leads to less than pleasant results. But throughout the anime, she learns more about how to interact with people and how to help them express their most heart-felt emotions, all the while learning about how to enjoy life herself. But Violet Evergarden is not just, about Violet. It is the connections she builds and those she helps that make Violet Evergarden so captivating. The empathy that Violet learns throughout the anime makes her an unforgettable friend to other characters. Her different view to see the world in a literal sense, helps them solve their problems and show their most sincere words.

My rating:

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on The Good Doctor Season 1 (2017)

Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore, Bates Motel), a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join a prestigious hospital's surgical unit. Alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, Shaun uses his extraordinary medical gifts to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.

Television Network:

ABC

Stay connected:

    

Genre:

Medical Drama

Creator:

David Shore

Cast:

Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy

Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman

Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez

Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Brown

Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu

Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews

Beau Garrett as Jessica Preston

See Full Cast & Crew on IMDB

Watch Full Episodes on abc.com

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

After watching the trailer, I was intrigued. A medical drama that centers around an autistic doctor with Savant Syndrome. Okay... I am not very knowledgeable on medical disorders and what not, but, this show gets into the heart of what it is and how this character deals with and handles himself in the hospital, especially since he is a surgeon. Interesting, right?!? Well, I thought so... The show is emotional and riveting. In this first season, we get to know Dr. Shaun Murphy as he begins his journey of becoming a surgeon. Not only do we watch him progress, we watch how he copes with varying situations and circumstances inside and outside of the hospital.

Of course, typically, the first season introduces viewers to main and supporting characters and sets up the world these characters live in. We get a lot of flashbacks from Shaun and Dr. Glassman on his childhood to his present. We come to find out how much involved Dr. Glassman was and is involved in Shaun's growing up and welfare. Just in this first season, Dr. Murphy has come a ways for himself. With each case he works on, he learns from it both professionally and personally. Each episode brings fresh new outlook for him in life and his career.

The cast is amazing in portraying their characters and how they handle the situations they are faced with in and out of the hospital. These individually unique and emotional characters, in one way or another, teaches Dr. Murphy on the different aspects of life.

The Good Doctor is a marvelously poignant medical drama that can reach a variety of different audiences. The characters each have their own strong personalities that the cast portrays well. This is a series that I am excited to see a second season to.

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Stranger Things Season 1 (2016)

Genre:

Supernatural/Science Fiction/Horror/Fantasy

Suspense/Mystery/Drama

Rating:

TV-14

Release Date:

July 15, 2016

Run Time:

55 minutes/episode

# of Episodes:

8

Created by:

The Duffer Brothers

(Matt & Ross)

Production Co:

21 Laps Entertainment

Monkey Massacre

Distributed by:

Netflix

Social Media:

   

Plot Synopsis:

The story of a young boy who vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl.

source

Cast:

Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, CalebMcLaughlin, Natalie Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Millie Bobby Brown, Joe Keery, Noah Schnapp, Shannon Purser, Matthew Modine

Find the full cast & crew on IMDB

**My Thoughts**

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

So... I finally watched it! And... I loved it! This show brought up a lot of nostalgia for all those horror, science fiction 80's flicks that I used to watch as a kid. I still would watch it on TV from time to time. Those were the classics, and Stranger Things definitely is a nod to all those great movies. No wonder some scenes throughout the season seemed familiar...haha! The series had all the elements expected, such as: mystery, suspense, horror, drama, the supernatural...even a little bit of comedy/humor. All these elements were balanced well and flowed smoothly. I loved the casting! There was well developed characters and settings.

Anyways, this first season definitely built up the storyline to its suspenseful and thrilling climax to the end. But, of course, there is that cliffhanger. There just had to be more...hmmm. The final episode definitely makes viewers wonder... Is it REALLY over?!? Well, the season finale made it apparent that there's more to it than what was revealed. Talk about mystery... Well, it was clearly enough to make me want to Season 2 to come sooner than October.

With a nostalgic (that is the word!) nod to all those 80's classic horror/sci-fi movies, Stranger Things is one series that is a must watch! The series has brought up a lot of the cool and awesome feels of those yester-years of watching those Stephen King and Steven Spielberg movies that I grew up with.

My rating:

Watch the Stranger Things Season 2 SDCC 2017 Trailer!

It's 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana are still reeling from the horrors of the demogorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived.

Season 2 premieres October 27, 2017

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MARIAH's THOUGHTS on 13 Reasons Why Season 1 Episode 13 - "Tape 7, Side A"

About the Show:

After a teenage girl's perplexing suicide, a classmate receives a series of tapes that unravel the mystery of her tragic choice.
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Network:
Netflix

Genre:
Young Adult

Crime Drama/Mystery

Rating:

TV-MA

Created by:

Brian Yorkey

Series based on:

Thirteen Reasons Why

Based on the Novel Written by:

Jay Asher

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Dylan Minnette – Clay Jensen

Katherine Langford – Hannah Baker

Christian Navarro - Tony

Brandon Flynn – Justin

Jutsin Prentice - Bryce

Kate Walsh – Mrs. Baker

See Full List of Cast & Crew on IMDB

~~~

Episode 13: "Tape 7, Side A"
Hannah seeks help from Mr. Porter, the school counselor. Clay plays the new tape for Tony and weighs what to do next.

~~~~~

My Thoughts

Note: This review contains spoilers

“Before she died, Hannah recorded thirteen reasons why she killed herself.”

13 Reasons Why brings important humanitarian issues to light and I thank the cast for making one of my favorite books come to life. The actors performed beautifully to the point I let a tear drop or became angry because of their actions. Not minding that it is set in a fantasy town with fantasy people, 13 Reasons Why had a message and I think it was fully executed. After watching the last commentary episode, the audience learns more about the actors and why they auditioned for their roles. Examples being: they were confused teenagers once or they know a rape survivor. These are often issues that get shamed or criticized, because of the existence of false claims, but those are the claims that keep real victims quiet.

The guilt the characters carry and their lives are still in shambles after Clay had finished listening to the tapes. Some have been more damaged than others such as Alex who shot himself in the head and is in critical condition, Justin is now homeless, and Jessica is trying to bring the subject of her rape to her father. However, we aren’t given a trail on the Bakers versus the school for the cause of Hannah’s death. Even if it’s painful, life just moves on for the characters.

Considering the book Thirteen Reasons Why ends at Clay in possession of the tapes and him completing them, the direction of the story is open to the imagination. Some people say it needs a second season, I don’t believe that at all. 13 Reasons Why included depression, suicide, rape, and (subtly) mental health that can carry on into adulthood. Each episode related to an experience could have happened to them or someone they knew. It is because these issues are a part of real life that I enjoyed Thirteen Reasons Why not only as a novel, but also as a visual series.

“This tape blows up the world.”

“Which is what we should do, don’t you think?”

I speak so highly about the issues 13 Reasons Why because it brings up contemporary issues and how perfectly executed it was, but I can still only give it 3 and ½ stars. It’s finale episode, like stated before, does not have a sound resolution. There was no trial and the characters’ lives just seem to move on for better or for worse. This series has potential for a season two.

My Rating: