We get trailers every single week, but I feel like they really blessed us with some great stuff these past couple of days. Let’s dive right in on this final day of April!
Month: April 2023
Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #65
Where I ramble about all the TV shows and movies I’ve watched in the past week ….
Can’t believe the month is almost over, like … where has time gone? In true me-fashion, I’ve watched a ton of stuff again, despite some shows having taken a break this week. Let’s talk!
FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS
Firefly Lane (Series Finale)
I was kind of spoiled for the ending of the show by people who have read the book, so it probably didn’t hit me as hard as it would have if I had had no idea. I always related more to Kate than Tully, so it definitely bummed me out either way, but I like that it all came full circle.
A lot of the time, in this final season, it felt like the flashbacks to the past weren’t as vital for the storytelling as they had been previously. I definitely considered having all the necessary pieces for a full picture from mostly just the present timeline.
Either way, glad Netflix let them tell the whole thing, that’s super rare these days. It’s a corny show, but I enjoyed it. They really managed to show that you can have ups and downs in all your relationships and that doesn’t mean they are bad or over forever. I appreciated that most of all.
WEEKLY TV SHOWS
Will Trent (Season 1)
I knew that Will would see right through Angie’s charade about what happened. Didn’t expect the season finale to be a two-parter about a serial killer targeting orphans from Will’s home though. This show sure has my attention.
Ted Lasso (Season 3)
Season 3 of Ted Lasso sure has hit its stride now. It took them a minute, but the wait was well worth it, because we’re in it now! Season 1 me would have never believed that Trent Crimm (our dork) and Jamie Tartt would be my absolute freaking favorite characters, yet here we are.
I loved that we got to meet Sam’s dad and it broke my heart to see what they did to his restaurant. When the team showed up to help clean and the name of the restaurant was explained – I shed some tears!
9-1-1: Lone Star (Season 4)
They really tricked me with that teaser last week, because I was fully ready to believe that this woman was a black widow.
Good Trouble (Season 5)
The family episodes, where really EVERYONE is there, can sometimes get a bit overwhelming, but I think they handled it well. I was happy to see so much growth and communication in the group as a whole.
9-1-1 (Season 6)
Ravi really is back and I love that so much for me. I can already tell that a huge chunk of the fandom doesn’t care about Buck’s new love interest. All I saw on my Twitter timeline was people showing Eddie confused when Buck said that he finally found someone, who saw him for him, and like … honestly. Eddie sees you bro.
MOVIES
As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences!
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
I was SO excited for this movie and I guess that’s where my downfall came from. It’s not that it let me down exactly, but I wasn’t vibing with it as much as I had hoped to. While there were some absolutely lovely moments and I thought a well-balanced view on relationships, there was one thing that didn’t click with me.
The two leads have amazing friend chemistry and I truly believed that they had grown up together, knew each others quirks and had a history, however, the romantic side of it wasn’t as prominent to me. The whole movie is based on the premise that you probably shouldn’t marry someone you don’t have a “romantic spark” with, but somehow that was exactly the thing lacking with the main characters? Zoe and Kaz only really showed that there was more than platonic feelings rather far along in the movie and at that point it was kind of too little too late for me?
Also, there’s no way Zoe made a cinema-quality documentary the way she worked … no way!
A Pinch of Portugal
It’s a Hallmark romance movie, what more am I supposed to say? I initially watched it because of my darling Heather Hemmens and stayed for the feel good vibe. These movies aren’t necessarily the most realistic, but no one is watched a Hallmark movie for realism. It was nice, but obviously a very copy-paste-concept.
The Portable Door
Do you ever watch a movie and just think that everything about it screams that it was based on a book? The Portable Door is that kind of movie. I’ve not read it, so I can’t compare, but I immediately knew that there was rich worldbuilding somewhere out there and they wanted to make it into a film – I think they succeeded.
I had a really fun time watching the movie, it was weird and funny and quirky. They managed to get an absolutely amazing cast! The thing I couldn’t shake was the color grading? Something about the way that was handled made the film seem outdated to me, because it felt like it was produced such a long time ago, when it’s really a recent release. Anyway, it’s a nice distraction for a lazy Sunday at home!
Did you watch anything I’ve watched? For all my German-speaking folks, I also watched “Dr. Nice” and can recommend it. Are there some more movies/shows I should take a look at? Let’s talk about that!
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee (Book Review)
Publisher
: Bloomsbury UK
Page Count: 209
Translator: Anton Hur
Release Date: June 20, 2018
CW: depression, mental health issues, body shaming
When I saw this book – a very colorful hardcover with a quirky illustration – in the store, I thought it sounded like it could potentially be heavy, but I also knew I had to have it. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I regret buying this book, but I do think that the cover led me astray a little bit.
Let me start by saying that this is non-fiction. Everything in book is either a transcript from a therapy session the author had or a summary of their thoughts on certain themes. I understand that this is deeply personal and don’t feel like I can judge the content all that well. However, there were a few components that I struggled with and that I would like to convey to you:
- I’m not sure if it’s the English translation or because the content was shortened, but the conversations between the author and her therapist felt incredibly stilted. I couldn’t imagine people actually talking like this in sessions, making fairly big generalizations and barely ever digging deep.
- Speaking of the therapist – they gave a diagnosis after like three sentences exchanged and I didn’t find that particularly professional. I, personally, consider it a bit of a red flag when someone tries to diagnose you after not even a whole session – and does so with certainty and authority – but again, I’m not sure how much of the actual conversations was cut.
- The book was marketed as part memoir and part self-help-book and I don’t really think it was either. Again, I want to point out that this was a very personal book, I’m sure, and that there might be some cultural differences that I don’t fully understand, but it all just felt a bit … adrift. There was no real direction and I didn’t feel like the author received actual guidance or coping mechanisms that could potentially help them or others.
As someone who can understand anxiety and wanting to please people etc. I thought that I would find this book more relatable, but only parts of it really resonated with me. I can still see it benefiting others, but it wasn’t a good fit for me. If this helped you and you feel comfortable talking about it, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments!
Fazit: 3/5 stars! Unfortunately, not a hit with me.
Have you read this book? Do you plan to? What is a non-fiction book you’ve picked up lately?
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry (Book Review)
Publisher: Penguin UK
Page Count: 368
Release Date: May 11, 2021
CW: sexual content, death of parent, grief, mention of bullying
Look at me go, I finally read an Emily Henry novel! While some of you are probably familiar with the title “You and Me on Vacation“, others might now the same book by the name “People We Meet on Vacation“. I, personally, don’t know why they didn’t stick to the same title in all territories, but I prefer the UK one, since it feels more fitting for the story (and it’s the one I read).
Mixed between present tense and past, we get to experience Alex and Poppy’s relationship and how they went from friends to strangers and back again with some added romance. I love a good friends to lovers story and I also – not so secretly – enjoy when people are a bit too silly to realize they’ve been in love all along. Basically, there’s mutual pining for no other reason than these people not communicating well. Their feelings felt authentic and I definitely understood why they were so drawn to each other.
Like, I really understood their connection and enjoyed these seemingly mundane interactions. They were two deeply lonely people, who didn’t realize they were lonely until they met each other and just … clicked. It’s a beautiful thing to find someone you can be so unabashedly yourself with.
“I wish I could bottle this moment and wear it as a perfume. It would always be with me. Everywhere I went, he’d be there too, and so I’d always feel like myself.”
What I had some issues with was the main conflict. They really were propping up that fall out from two years ago and it takes a very long time until you find out what actually happened and it’s … so dumb. I, to this day, can’t believe they stopped talking over this. It feels weird that that was the “breaking point” of sorts and it felt disproportionate to other things that have happened.
The thing is, their issues were valid and real. They had to work on themselves in order to work together again, but the last minute therapy sessions and confession were rushed and odd. I was rooting for them for most of the book, but would have wished for a differently structured third act. It’s always the darn third act! *shakes fist at the sky*
“And that’s how it is in real life too. You can love someone and still know the future you’d have with them wouldn’t work for you, or for them, or maybe even for both of you.”
Anyway, I had fun reading You and Me on Vacation, just not the most fun ever. It did make me want to go on vacation though.
Fazit: 3.75/5 stars! It was good, but it could have been better.
RUMORS ABOUT THE FILM ADAPTATION
Now, here’s a little insight as to why I actually picked up the book. You know me, you’ve probably been here for a while, and I simply cannot resist a book to screen adaptation that might include an actor I love.
Well, rumor has it that Calahan Skogman – also known as Matthias Helvar from the Netflix adaptation of Shadow & Bone – might play Alex. I don’t think he necessarily looks like people imagined the character, but I could 100% see him embody Alex. It’s mentioned like so many times how fit and tall Alex is and Cal is that for sure. Add to that Midwestern charm and that kind of quiet but secretly weird personality, he got this.
I’m not quite sure how people honed in on him potentially being Alex, but Emily Henry and Calahan certainly follow each other on instagram and have interacted a lot. Now … I definitely wouldn’t be mad if Danielle Galligan were to play Poppy either, but that’s probably wishful thinking on my part. Do you have thoughts on the potential casting?
Have you read this book? Are there other Emily Henry romances I should check out? Let’s talk!
Trailers You Might Have Missed … (April 17-23/2023)
I’ve already told you all how I’ve not been ahead of my blogging, but the trailers will always reach you right on schedule. Let’s jump right in and hope there’s something for everyone.
Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #64
Where I ramble about all the TV shows and movies I’ve watched in the past week ….
I technically finished two books this week, but somehow didn’t write a single post. I was going to say that I didn’t have time, but when you see what all I watched, you might not agree …
FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS
Jury Duty (Season 1)
Jury Duty is one of my new all time favorite shows! They really went and Truman Show-ed a dude and somehow they managed to find the most wholesome person for the job. As the trailer showed, everyone except one person is an actor – Ronald – and during the entire trial he thinks he is part of a documentary and not an actual reality show.
Granted, it’s a little mean to trick a person like that, but Ronald is, as already mentioned, just plain good. He embraced the oddballs and was supportive, patient and kind. The show wouldn’t have worked without him and was equally as sweet as it was plain hilarious. I laughed so hard and can only imagine how tricky it sometimes must have been for the actors not to break character. I guess I’d now suspect a camera behind every mirror my whole life, but nothing brought me more joy than to see Ronald be good and it pay off for him. To this day, he’s still friends with the cast and now a famous boy.
Abbott Elementary (Season 2)
We all are well aware of the fact that I love this show. It’s funny and has just so much heart. It shows all the flaws and beauty of the American educational system, uplifting the people that put in so much work and are never appreciated enough. Quinta Brunson really did something special here and I’m so happy to see the show continue.
In my eyes, the show really focused on the development and slow burn of Janine and Gregory and I AM SO HERE FOR IT! They’re done so well and I cannot wait to continue the slow torture until they finally get together.
The Mandalorian (Season 3)
Frankly, this wasn’t my favorite season of The Mandalorian. While I don’t mind a focus on the people of Mandalore as a whole rather than Djarin (who would have thought that’s his first name, eh?) and Grogu, I felt that the storytelling was a bit disjointed. We got to see so many glimpses of different parts of the universe, which is fine, but it didn’t fit together as smoothly as I’d have liked it. Either way, it was worth it in the end, because that was wholesome stuff right there. Loved seeing that ending for real, because I know we were all stressed about that finale.
WEEKLY TV SHOWS
Ride (Season 1)
I want cowboys in my life, but I might have to drop this show. I’m just not as invested as I’d like to be.
The Company You Keep (Season 1)
Sad to see this season end so soon, because it has been so much fun. I genuinely love all the cons and family dynamics.
Fire Country (Season 1)
I don’t like that there are drugs at the camp now. No one mess with that crew, they’re trying so hard!
Will Trent (Season 1)
I guess GBI officers can go undercover as well, but somehow I didn’t expect to have Will do that. Really glad to have him back either way, although Angie’s storyline is crushing me. Also, they really gotta stop with all the breaks between episodes. It’s so annoying.
Ted Lasso (Season 3)
I didn’t expect this episode to be so divisive, because except for Ted’s storyline, I thought this was one of the best episodes of the season. I don’t want to rile up any TedBecca stans, but I’m glad to see Rebecca have such chemistry with someone else, I just see her more as friends with Ted. The best part to me was 1. Colin finding someone to confide in with Trent (I cried) and 2. Jamie and Roy’s growing friendship. There was genuinely so much good stuff there!
9-1-1: Lone Star (Season 4)
How often I had to explain that I don’t know why a fire captain with a lot of training would attempt CPR on a frozen man has made me lose count. Either way, weird writing choice … but also … is the widow a stone cold killer? Owen never finds normal women.
Good Trouble (Season 5)
There’s a lot going on at this point and I’m not sure I’m loving any particular storyline a 100%. As long as we don’t separate Davia and Dennis, I should be good. I feel like there’s something weird going on with her co-stars though.
9-1-1 (Season 6)
Eddie being kind of smitten with the woman his aunt set him up with is a blow for all Buddie fans out there, but I highly doubt it’s ever going to happen anyway. I LOVED that we’re getting Ravi back though. I know the actor went on to be on a season of “Never Have I Ever”, but it still felt weird the way his character just disappeared without explanation, when he was supposed to be the next Buck. He better be back for good now.
Station 19 (Season 6)
When they intertwined the Carina/Maya shower scene with the house collapsing, I was in disbelief. Who makes a choice like that?
Grey’s Anatomy (Season 19)
Lucas not being able to Simone’s man of honor, because he’s in love with her – that’s what I’m here for! Bailey getting doxxed had me so stressed out though. As someone who worked in customer service, I’m telling you that none of these phone calls would have run this smoothly and I love the idealism behind it, but it’s not realistic to me.
MOVIES
As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences!
Ghosted
Can I buy into Chris Evans being a goofy farmer boy? Yeah, I can. Do I believe that Ana de Armas is capable of being a badass spy? Also, yes. Where it gets tricky is the concept of their first encounter basically being an entire argument, them bickering all the time, spending one night together and then sorta doing stalker-y stuff. In reality, none of this would be cute and they seem utterly incompatible. Sure, this is a movie, so what does it need to be realistic for, but it just felt so silly.
They went so overboard with cameos and action sequences, they sometimes didn’t know what genre exactly they wanted to be. Is it an action romance, is it a romantic comedy … like, what do we want? And I still don’t know why Ana de Armas had that terrible wig … I guess, I just expected more, but I did like a lot of the music selection.
Did you watch anything I’ve watched? Are there some more movies/shows I should take a look at? Let’s talk about that!
Trailers You Might Have Missed … (April 10-16/2023)
We’ve already established that this was another not so great blogging week. Maybe I’ll have some book reviews for you in the upcoming days. We will see! For now, let’s check out the latest trailers for some upcoming TV shows and movies!
Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #63
Where I ramble about all the TV shows and movies I’ve watched in the past week ….
Just like last week, this wasn’t exactly stellar work on the blog. But Easter is a busy time for me and I was at a book event and did some other stuff that kept me quite occupied. Therefore, I also don’t have loads to talk about, but I’ll share what I can!
FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS
School Spirits (Season 1)
I loved this show so very much, right from the beginning. The relationship and chemistry between the characters was spot on, the mystery so intriguing and the lore concerning the ghosts really interesting as well. Why was Maddie’s story so different? What had happened to her?
I can only highly recommend the show and am praying to some higher power that it will get picked up for another season. The suspects in Maddie’s murder kept changing and therefore, kept the viewers on their toes. The final twist was really well done and while it probably came a complete surprise to many, the seeds were all planted and it made a lot of sense in hindsight. I’d absolutely love to just get to watch more of it all!
WEEKLY TV SHOWS
Ride (Season 1)
I like the show well enough, but I almost think it would work better with a smidge less characters? We have so many storylines going on and yes, they are all centered at the farm, but I’d have liked a bit more focus.
The Company You Keep (Season 1)
You can say whatever you like, but Charlie and Daphne have wicked chemistry.
Abbott Elementary (Season 2)
Janine’s mom and Barbara’s protectiveness was a highlight for me.
The Mandalorian (Season 3)
I think half the fandom isn’t okay after that one …
Ted Lasso (Season 3)
I think most of us are glad to be done with the Zava storyline, although I think it was necessary for the progression of the team.
Weird thing I noticed was people dunking on Jack and Keeley getting it on. While I get that many would like to see Keeley back with Roy, some of the criticism just felt weird. Like … people claiming it’s bad, because Jack is her boss, while simultaneously people are shipping Rebecca and Ted like crazy? Double standard much …
9-1-1: Lone Star (Season 4)
How fun is it that the real life boyfriend of Marjan’s actress now gets to play her on screen love interest??
Good Trouble (Season 5)
I love Davia’s stuff at the musical and want to see more of it, not vibing with Dennis’ restaurant stuff as much, but I actually got invested in the Mariana stuff. That ending had me furious.
Station 19 (Season 6)
This week was all over the place and not in a fun way.
Grey’s Anatomy (Season 19)
We got a double feature for Maggie’s departure and I enjoyed both episodes. I still prefer the focus to be on the interns rather than the older gen of doctors, but that’s that. I’m not looking forward to being afraid for Bailey all the time.
MOVIES
As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences!
I have not had time for movies this week …
Did you watch anything I’ve watched? Are there some more movies/shows I should take a look at? Let’s talk about that!
Trailers You Might Have Missed … (April 3-9/2023)
Happy Easter to all those who celebrate! It’s one of my favorite holidays, but for 100% non-religious reasons. I just thought I saw a real Easter bunny as a child and it’s an ingrained memory, even if it was a man dressed as a bunny, who got into a car. But we’re here for trailers, so let’s get started!
Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #62
Where I ramble about all the TV shows and movies I’ve watched in the past week ….
Not exactly starting off strong in April, but I’ve been busy … as usual. Let’s just talk about shows and movies then …
FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS
I haven’t finished any shows this week. I was about to start Beef, but then just didn’t have the time.
WEEKLY TV SHOWS
Ride (Season 1)
Not exactly loving the pace of this show, but I love seeing cowboys. So I don’t have particularly strong feelings either way just yet.
School Spirits (Season 1)
Wally is definitely jealous and I like to see it. Simon and Maddy’s relationship is so specia.
The Company You Keep (Season 1)
Everything is going so much faster than I expected and I’m curious about Charlie trying to con Daphne for Emma now??
Abbott Elementary (Season 2)
Janine and Gregory are SO OBVIOUS and I just love seeing that ship develop.
The Mandalorian (Season 3)
Din definitely isn’t *the* main character anymore and I’m not mad about it. It’s just about the Mandalorians as a whole now and that’s interesting in its own way. It’s still not my favorite season at this point.
Ted Lasso (Season 3)
Are you tired of me being in love with Jamie Tartt yet? Cause this is his best season so far and I will not shut up about that.
Everyone giving Nate the side-eye was truly a favorite moment of mine.
9-1-1: Lone Star (Season 4)
Not gonna lie, I didn’t see Wyatt as a firefighter either. But I’m glad Judd is so involved and wants to make things work, even if he disagrees. He’s a good dad.
Good Trouble (Season 5)
No Denvia, but a lot about the cult and stuff. It’s just not my preferred storyline, so I wasn’t as invested this week.
Station 19 (Season 6)
Legit no couple is allowed to be happy on this show, right? I saw some troubles a mile away, but the Andy/Eli/Montgomery love triangle was NOT on my radar. I really thought Eli was into Andy more.
Grey’s Anatomy (Season 19)
I’m sad about some developments, but also applaud the teams of both Grey’s and Station 19 for shedding such a light on the dramatic changes in healthcare for women in the US. It feels insane, but that stuff is indeed reality. Also, I continue to adore the interns and Lucas being Simone’s Man of Honor is a trope that’s going to be epic!
MOVIES
As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences!
Sterne unter der Stadt/First Snow of Summer
This little Austrian movie completely captured my heart! It’s part of the “Stadtmärchen” genre, which is an absolute favorite of mine – think, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain – and there’s just not enough movies like that out there. They are whimsical and fantastical, but also set in an existing town. This one was set in my hometown, Vienna, and made such mundane things as waiting for the subway absolutely magical. I definitely want to watch it again.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves
I was super hyped for this movie, which might have been a bit of a detriment for my enjoyment. It wasn’t a bad movie at all, but somehow I expected more? I kept thinking about how things would have been if I had rolled the dice for some stuff that went down and frankly, a lot of it went way too smoothly. But it also absolutely captured the spirit of DnD and was generally very fun. I would have liked to see more of certain characters, but that’s okay. I can see this actually developing into a franchise.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
What I love about this franchise is the very strong focus on family. They carried that through to the second movie and I really appreciate it, but while some moments had me tear up, it didn’t hit like the first one. I realized how old the “kids” actually are and found Levi’s acting a bit over the top. Billy is about to turn 18 and his “adult version” sometimes acts like 12. He’s really not THAT goofy! But it was pretty cool and I enjoyed it anyway.
Life and Other Disasters 