All Forms of Art

Fractured is a psychological thriller told from Ray Monroe's point of view. Ray (Sam Worthington) travels across the country with his wife and daughter. One quick stop in the journey, and tragedy happens.  From that moment on, we follow his doubts and fears, dragging us into a spiral of madness, disorientation, and paranoia. Predictable The main issue I notice in the plot is that it feels completely predictable. It’s an interesting story, but, at least by the middle of it, you already realize what happened. It is not an original or surprising story. You can see others of the same sort in many different movies. Just the context is slightly different. Emotionless I like emotion. I want to watch a movie that makes me feel something. This was not the case. Sam Worthington is fairly convincing in his role, but something is missing in the film. I felt some lack of emotional connection. In a story like this, you expect to suffer with the characte...

The available time to read is, unfortunately, much less than I would like to. Yet, I try to read every day, even if I can only read a single page at a time.  This time, I chose something in my first language, written by a renowned author.   Fancy writing, poor content I’m not the biggest fan of Portuguese literature. You may find it odd. It would be expected that we would quickly identify with our country, culture, and language. Unfortunately, what I see in Portuguese literature most of the time is a whole lot of beautiful words and fancy sentences, with little ability to make us dream.  Beautifully arranged sentences and highly educated words seem more important than the story itself. It lacks the fantastic ability to transport us to other worlds, to make us live what we are reading, or to feel what the characters are feeling. Despite that, I try to stay up to date on what’s new or considered a ‘must-read.’ I must say, however, and with g...

Many months have passed since we last saw Audrey (Alison Bell). Stevie is now one year old, and Audrey keeps trying to put her life back together.  ( If you didn’t watch the show yet, consider stopping reading - spoilers ahead. ) Endless work The sentiment of inadequacy and inferiority continues overwhelming Audrey, but she fights back. We can now see a different Audrey, trying to be more assertive and take control of her life. However, it's a difficult task, and she is always afraid of others' judgments. In the first episode, you might get caught by surprise when she is worried about what people will going to think about the cutlery she uses in Stevie’s birthday party. Motherhood seems to be easier for everybody else. It is, from the beginning, the most realistic part of the show. A new mom often feels so overwhelmed that she looks at other mothers and thinks it’s all easier for them. Abortion Season one ended with pregnancy news. After...

Mindhunter  is an interesting show about the origins of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit.  I was curious, the minute I heard about it. It’s the beginning of a study that I was quite interested in during my college days. The story takes place in the seventies, extremely well recreated down to the smallest detail. It also gives us good, deep characters in a combination that makes it impossible for you to watch only one episode. As The Sinner , it is not about the crime itself, but rather about the "why" and understanding the mind of the criminal.  Fighting For Recognition Focused on the  early days of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit,  Mindhunter  shows how  a couple of passionate professionals worked hard to be taken seriously by the rest of the bureau and other law enforcement agencies. It is fascinating the way they enter the psyche of serial killers, trying to find out how their minds work. While conducting their intriguing stud...

This is not the sort of show that I usually talk about on this blog. However, as a psychologist, I’m usually quite curious about criminals and their minds, and one day I started watching this documentary on Netflix. Taking into consideration the kind of thing this is, I can’t say I ‘liked’ it. I mean, what you see in there is nothing to like, but I was rather terrified, which is probably the usual response.  Nonetheless, it was definitely a good documentary. The eyes of a killer Everything displayed in this story was terrible. The descriptions, Bundy’s posture, everything seemed like some sort of horror show, putting into perspective what we may consider to be lucky or unlucky in this life. Before I even start watching it, I read somewhere that this was the kind of thing you shouldn’t watch alone. Sounds accurate right now. At the time, and considering my mostly academic experience, I didn’t think that this could actually be so upsetting. Every time...

As a mother of a young child who cries for me every 5 minutes, it’s difficult to imagine the moment she’ll leave home, as well as the feeling of an empty nest.  As a daughter, I’ve heard, “You could come to see me more often…” a few times already. That is what this comedy is about, and I loved it. The Message No matter how you feel about the movie itself, it has a particular message. It is an essential part of it. It is indeed a cliché, but even as such, some people still need to hear it. With Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman, this is, in fact, a movie for moms and children, and it contains messages for both to think about.  For mothers, it tells you you need to let your kids grow. Be there when they need you, but without interfering. You need to give them space to evolve. Your life doesn't end when they leave your house; it is just a new beginning - where you can rediscover yourself and redefine your life. For children, the m...

There are more and more shows helping to demystify the LGBTQ+ world. This show was the first one to do it in the 90s, and now it returns with this fantastic miniseries.  The backstory introduces us to different generations of the LGBTQ community, each facing their own problems and offering the public a wide range of perspectives. I had zero knowledge of the story, the book, and previous adaptations, other than knowing they exist. You definitely don’t need to know them to get into the story and love it. Anna Madrigal Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) is a 90-year-old lady who built a haven for all in the middle of San Francisco. Anna takes care of everybody, as if they were her children, “because they are,” she says in one of the episodes.  That alone makes her an amazing character, impossible not to like, but that’s not all. Throughout the show, you’ll know the real and sad story of Anna Madrigal. It is a reminder for all new generations of how the L...

Good Girls is a funny, light comedy with a great cast. It touches on a few interesting topics amid much craziness and a not-so-realistic storyline. The plot is about three moms who, out of despair and facing financial problems, decide to rob a shop. Everything seemed to go perfectly well until they realized that they found more money in the safe than what would be expected. The problem? It belongs to a local gang. The story is, indeed, a little implausible. Nonetheless, quite interesting. You simply can’t stop watching it. The perfect mom The main characters are mothers who would do anything for their children. However, forget the idea of the perfect mom. They are human beings, after all.  The excitement of committing a felony, the fear of getting caught, seems to be the rush of adrenaline they lacked in their lives. Nevertheless, one second is enough for everything to get out of control. They are trying to remain ‘good’ while they need to hide all they ...

Daddy’s Home 2 is a light Christmas comedy, and as such, it had a few negative reviews. I’m not a fan of this kind of movie, but I was in the mood for a light, laughing night. So, why not? The movie is a sequel to Daddy’s Home , which I didn’t watch, so I can’t compare it to it. Hard critics The critics slammed it!  The movie’s plot has two significant points: two men trying to co-parent their children in a respectful, caring environment, and the arrival of the grandfathers for Christmas, which will mess with the already fragile family dynamics. Both of them were highly criticized. I read a lot of reviews, and the vast majority were not kind. Comedy  It is a comedy movie, or it is supposed to be. It has a few non-significant situations that make us laugh, sure. But, other than that, there is nothing.  I watched the movie and read some reviews. I sat down to write a review, and… there is almost nothing to write about. It’s empty. ...

After getting disappointed at Season 2 , I believed this was one of those shows that should not continue beyond its first season. Nonetheless, I give it another try to find a storyline full of questionable choices. (contains spoilers) Ani, the new girl With the new school year, a new student comes to Liberty High: Ani (Grace Saif). Ani comes from a different country, doesn’t know anyone, and suddenly becomes the new narrator of the story.  It seemed interesting in the beginning. We would have an outsider's perspective on what was happening. The problem is that Ani does not behave exactly as an outsider.  She is a strong, independent, confident young woman who knows how to move around, mingling amongst her new colleagues. The problem is, the new girl, whom no one really knows, is suddenly ‘besties’ with everyone. How reasonable is that?  Have the authors ever been “the new girl”? Something interesting to explore was her cultural background. How...

The show's fans had been waiting for this season for a long time. Personally, I felt it should have ended in the second one . Maybe I was right. I know, I know! You all loved it, but I have mixed feelings about it. I didn’t find the first couple of episodes that interesting. It took longer than it should to get into the action, and the omnipresence of the professor is going a bit too far. But let’s see the ups and downs of this season. (If you did not watch this season yet, consider stopping reading. Spoilers ahead.) Rio’s Mistake As annoying as it can be, Rio’s (Miguel Herrán) mistake is quite realistic. There is no perfect crime, and there is always someone who doesn’t follow the rules. I found it a rational choice to pursue a new storyline.  New characters This season has new characters, and I loved them. Palermo (Rodrigo de la Serna) is, somehow, the new Berlin (Pedro Alonso), and he brings new dramas and conflicts inside the group, w...

After watching a couple of quality Spanish shows, we get used to the language and get more curious about what else they have to offer.  Cable Girls  is a drama set in the ’20s and ‘30s, about four female coworkers.   Freedom... But Not For All In a time of abrupt changes, we can see some fierce independent women fighting for their rights. While that, others blindly obey their husbands and other men in the family. The contrast is evident from the first episode. The surrounding society, where all the action takes place, was what I liked the most in the show.  Freedom was the keyword in the crazy ’20s, but it comes with a price tag, and each character will pay for it in very different ways. Women Emancipation You can’t talk about the decade of 1920 without talking about the suffragists and female emancipation. The fight against a society that does everything it can to keep the status quo. At the same time, this agitation and modernity contrast with the woman sp...

I was a big fan of Disney’s cartoon version of this story. Said so, as soon as I watched the trailer on Netflix , I decided to watch the movie. It is a very different version, but I liked it. It’s intense, violent, dark, and makes you sit in front of the screen for 2 hours without even thinking of it. Also, prepare yourself to hold your breath many times. The Good and the Bad The protagonist is a good actor. Acting and counter scene with something that is not really there, it’s never easy. I imagine it is an even more significant challenge for a kid. Nevertheless, Rohan Chand was flawless in his role. The special effects bothered me a little bit, though. The fact that the animals don’t look real takes out a bit of the magic of this movie. However, given the quality of the story and its characters, it turns out not to be so important after all.  Another Story Layer The story is more complex than in earlier versions. We have a fierce fight for power, with alliances and games ...

I hadn’t watched the first season of American Crime Story . Never felt very interested in the show, and the only reason I watched this most recent season was that it was about Versace .   I was very intrigued by the show because I remember the case, which was thoroughly covered by the media at the time. So I decided I’d give the show a try. Who's the True Protagonist? I didn’t know a lot about Versace’s life. Almost nothing, really, so I can’t truly criticize the choices by the production when it came to the story. However, I have a problem with the title.  It may have been better not to call it “the assassination of Versace”, but rather “Versace’s killer” as the protagonist is not the designer but rather his killer, and this wasn’t exactly what most people seemed to expect going in. This was also the case for me, and I must admit I got a bit disappointed. Slow Pace The show is good enough to make you curious and keep you watching it, but it isn’t all...

This is one of those situations where I’m not sure what to say in a review of this show. The show is… not good. Sure, Renée Zellweger (recently in Only murders in the Building ) helps (a lot), but she isn’t enough to pull the show through its mediocrity. When she isn’t on the screen, we aren’t left with much at all, unfortunately. The Good is also Bad It’s a lot of fun to see her trying to impersonate a femme fatale , with zero ethics or moral principles, but it’s a little too stereotyped for my personal taste. Yet, it’s definitely the best part of the entire show.  That alone speaks volumes. Shallow The story is primarily about secrets, and all the characters are, in some way, emotionally broken. Some of them don’t even make a whole lot of sense, and while watching, you’re commonly asking yourself why they’re even here, to begin with.  It looks like they don’t belong.  They are connected by bonds of blood or friendship, but everything seems a bit too...

This was a very surprising show, in which disability is showcased in a natural, even sometimes fun way, clearly meant to show the audience that our focus should really be on the human being, beyond any apparent disabilities. True Empowerment  It’s a comedy, at times dark, and at times filled with strength, willpower, and motivational messages, and you can easily find yourself watching it for a couple of hours in a row since it only features eight 15-minute episodes.  It’s kind of autobiographical, but I had no idea at the time I watched it, so I’m giving my opinion on the impact it had on me, whilst unaware of that fact. Your Disability is NOT Who You Are The protagonist (Ryan O'Connell) is a gay guy with Cerebral Palsy, fighting to be able to be independent, have a job, and, like all of us, love.  He is somewhat ashamed of his health condition, also being very tired of not getting treated like any other person, so he tries to hide it, which tends to lead hi...

This new show by Netflix is another “ surprisingly addictive ” one that you’ll want to binge-watch.  It follows a story in which a big secret is at the center of the action. Fun fact, you know this from the very beginning, but that doesn’t take away your interest in the story, and where it’s headed, quite the opposite. Good Package The cast is pretty good, and the story and action are guided well throughout. Labeled as a dark comedy, you’ll find it to be a near-perfect mix of funny and tragic moments that will keep you glued to your screens. Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy (Linda Cardellini) are an amazing duo! It has a very similar "How did you get here?" energy with Good Girls - ordinary women doing illegal things, crime mixed with humor and moral gray areas, and, of course, friendship tested by lies and bad decisions. What if...? One of the things I found most interesting was that, for the first time, I second-guessed what to do while watching a sh...

After 2 years of waiting, we finally watched the last episode of Game of Thrones this week, and the results were... let's say, unexpected. Being a huge fan of the books and the show, I couldn't let this end without saying anything.  I'm quite used to bad endings for good shows by now (just think about  Dexter  or  Lost ...), so I didn't have many expectations. Running, running, running... This whole season was some sort of race against time, and that was quite annoying for me, and as far as I know, for most of GoT fans around the world.  We get it, they needed to end the show, but there were so many choices... The Absolute Need to Prove Us Wrong We can't say that the show didn't surprise us; there were so many (and much more obvious) choices that weren't made. In fact, if you watched it closely, you'll probably feel that they wrote it precisely to destroy every single fan theory that exists.  What they forgot was that those theor...