All Forms of Art

  I'll admit it: I went into Julie and the Phantoms expecting the predictable, overly polished teen show Disney Channel has made me associate with this genre. I wasn't expecting much. Fortunately, I was wrong. This Netflix series turned out to be a genuinely enjoyable surprise, with good music, likable characters, and a story with more heart than I expected. At its center is Julie (Madison Reyes), a teenager trying to reconnect with music while dealing with grief and the complicated emotions surrounding her family. When she meets three teenage ghosts who were once musicians, an unexpected partnership begins.  The Relationships Are the Real Stars What I enjoyed most about Julie and the Phantoms wasn't necessarily the supernatural element. It was the relationships. Julie's family storyline gives the series an emotional foundation, while her relationships with her best friend and her school rival add the kind of tension and awkwardness that make teenage stories interes...

  If there's one thing Nikki Maxwell knows how to do, it's feel humiliated. Every slightly awkward situation seems to be the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to her. And honestly, if that doesn't perfectly capture the dramatic experience of being a teenage girl, I don't know what does! The humor and ridiculous situations that define the Dork Diaries series are still very much present in the fourth book. The ballet chaos is particularly hilarious, delivering exactly the kind of mess you'd expect from Nikki. But this time, I enjoyed the story for reasons beyond the laughs. Nikki is growing up, and that makes all the difference. A Bigger Heart Behind the Chaos One thing that bothered me in previous books was Nikki's tendency to get caught up in her own problems, sometimes without taking enough responsibility for her actions. In this installment, however, I noticed a real change. The ballet incident, for example, takes a more serious turn when Ni...

  In Lanterns , John “Junior” (Aaron Pierre) commands attention the moment he walks on screen. But as his backstory unfolds, we quickly learn that his restraint and extraordinary discipline weren't just born—they were engineered. Following his father’s (J. Alphonse Nicholson) failure, Junior’s mother became determined to produce a different outcome. Her approach to preparing her son for greatness goes far beyond ordinary parenting, dipping into something much darker and more controlling. A Mother Who Wants to Build the Perfect Son John's mother (Jasmine Cephas Jones) has a very specific idea of what her son needs to become to be the next Green Lantern, and she seems willing to push him towards that goal despite everything.  She isn't simply teaching him skills; she's trying to shape his responses, his limits, and even his relationship with fear. Psychologically, this matters. A parent who helps a child overcome a challenge is giving that child an opportunity to deve...

  Lili Reinhart is an American actress and producer best known for playing Betty Cooper in the hit teen drama Riverdale . Since her breakthrough role, she has built a filmography that includes romantic dramas, thrillers, and comedies, showing audiences a different side of her acting abilities. Early Life and Career Born on September 13, 1996, in Cleveland, Ohio, Lili Pauline Reinhart developed an interest in performing at a young age. She participated in community theatre and pursued acting opportunities as a teenager before moving to Los Angeles to further her career. Before becoming widely recognized, Reinhart appeared in smaller film and television roles, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Kings of Summer . Her persistence eventually led to the role that would change her career. Riverdale and Her Breakthrough In 2017, Reinhart began playing Betty Cooper in Riverdale , a darker adaptation of the Archie Comics universe. Betty starts as the seemingly perfe...

  Two brilliant scientists with absolutely no idea how to deal with people end up pretending they're in a relationship. What could go wrong?  Well, apparently, quite a lot of awkwardness, questionable decisions, and hilarious situations. Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) has charm, and the chemistry between him and Olive ( Lili Reinhart ) makes the predictable romantic developments enjoyable rather than frustrating.  We know where this is going almost from the start, but the journey is still worth it. The Dark Side of Academia As the movie unfolds, we see a lot of arrogance and, quite frankly, discrimination. Everyone thinks they are better than the others, and some believe that gives them a reason to humiliate others.  Yet, no one goes as far as Tom (Arty Froushan). The movie offers an uncomfortable glimpse into how women can be treated in professional environments, especially when power and reputation make it hard to challenge those responsible. This is an interes...

  Austin Abrams is an American actor who has steadily built a career across television, independent cinema, horror, and comedy. Born in 1996, Abrams began acting at a young age and gradually became a familiar face to audiences through roles that showcase his versatility and willingness to explore different kinds of characters. Rather than becoming known for a single type of performance, he has moved between coming-of-age stories, psychological drama, and horror, building an evolving filmography. From The Walking Dead to Euphoria One of Abrams' early recognizable roles came in The Walking Dead , where he played Ron Anderson. Appearing in the show's fifth and sixth seasons, he became part of a story where survival was as much about human conflict as the threat of the undead. His profile grew further with Euphoria , in which he played Ethan Lewis. The HBO drama explores the complicated emotional lives of teenagers, and Abrams brought a more understated presence to a character ...