All Forms of Art

  Netflix recently offered us a new historical documentary - World War II: From the Frontlines . It is a good addition to the streaming platform. It narrates the most significant moments of World War II with a delicate balance between facts and emotional depth. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the monumental tragedy. A Powerful Narrative with Emotional Depth A war is more than numbers and facts; World War II: From the Frontlines proves it. It captures both the gravity of the events and the human stories that unfolded during this tumultuous period. It conveys the emotional impact of the war without sacrificing the accuracy of historical details. This makes World War II: From the Frontlines a compelling watch, even for those who aren't history enthusiasts. Bringing History to Life The restoration and colorization of original footage is what sets this documentary apart from others on the matter. The decision to breathe life into these historical recordings adds immersion...

  When I started watching New Amsterdam , it was a good surprise among all the medical shows on TV. It was slightly different and good entertainment. Yet, in Season 3, it feels a little too much. Sure, most shows tend to become repetitive after a few seasons, but here, that's not exactly the issue. A Sweet but Unbelievable Character New Amsterdam 's Dr. Max Goodwin is shown as the megalomaniac boss with a heart of gold. He has decided to solve all the world's problems, but usually things go sideways. Initially endearing, his actions eventually affect the show's credibility. Who in the real world would act like this, brushing aside practicality and realism?  As the character takes bigger and bigger challenges as banners, the balance between a relatable protagonist and an idealistic savior is lost. Every Issue Becomes a Crisis New Amsterdam doesn't shy away from addressing moral dilemmas, but the sheer volume of dramatic situations can be overwhelming.  Every episod...

  Gen V is a new Prime Video show, and there was a lot of hype around it. Why? Because it is a spin-off of the successful show The Boys from the same platform.  I think spin-offs are always a shot in the dark, but Gen V delivered a product that matches The Boys ' quality. Its biggest problem is the lack of a charismatic character to love or hate, such as Homelander , Butcher , or Soldier Boy in the original show. Despite that, Gen V entertained and grabbed our attention to keep watching and see the story unfolding. It gets better with each episode.   Team Work While Gen V may lack a charismatic character, the outstanding group chemistry among the leading actors compensates for this shortcoming. That's a massive plus for all the "less good" scenes on the show. Sam and Marie have the potential to grow and, eventually, become the charismatic characters we need. For now, there is still room for improvement. I saw Marie as a weak protagonist in the first two episod...

  Once I learned about this show, I couldn't ignore it. I'm a big fan of Jared Padalecki , and, like many of us, I would love to watch him again in a new show. Also, I remember watching Walker, The Texas Ranger , as a kid with my dad, so I expected a little of the warmth that comes with childhood memories. Well, after 10 minutes into the first episode, I concluded that this show and this Cordell Walker have nothing to do with Chuck Norris' 90s show. At first, it felt like a slight disappointment, but that feeling disappeared. It is different, not worse. Family Drama From what I can recall, Chuck Norris' Walker was a very one-dimensional character, and his profession defined him. He was a Texas Ranger, and that's all he was (or near it). Padalecki's approach is quite different. It is a family drama, with all the sad and sweet moments due to that genre. At the end of the first season, I concluded that the show was not about a Texas Ranger. It is about a grieving w...

Many people talked to me about this show from the start, but since I’m not a big fan of superheros’ stories and didn’t know this universe at all, it took me a long time to check it. If only I knew… Once I started watching, there was no way I could stop! Surprise! The premise is excellent and makes total sense to me. After all, if people could have such a significant amount of power and zero consequences for their acts… how many wouldn’t go rogue? Yet, what makes this satire priceless is the incredible, surprising stuff that happens all the time. In such a way, “surprising” is the best word to describe The Boys . Every time you are chilling watching the show, something will happen, unexpected and… absurd (in a good way). The characters The characters are, all of them, absolutely great. They are complex, with many layers, and just as everything else in the show… surprising. Even in the most odious of them, you can take a glimpse of humanity, and sometimes, you may feel sorry for the bad ...

  Jack Kline enters the Supernatural show in the 13th season, but his story was designed in the 12th. Jack is a Nephilim, the son of Lucifer, with a human woman, Kelly Kline.  I will not get to all the details that led to his birth, despite the fact that they created an interesting storyline and yet another challenge for the Winchester brothers and the sweet angel Castiel. I'd instead focus on the character itself, as it was played by Alexander Calvert . A breath of fresh air After so many years on air, the show needed something new that would grab the audience's attention again - Sam's six-pack wasn't doing the trick anymore. So, the best way to develop interest was to create a new character that would be thickening the plot. A new permanent character that would take the spotlight along with Sam and Dean. Supernatural fans are used to regular characters that don't appear in every episode. For a while, Jack shared a significant amount of screen time with the broth...

  After how much I loved the first season of Good Omens , I was very excited to learn about a second season. I was expecting the same level of laughter and entertainment and I'd soon be disappointed. Archangel Gabriel This season, Gabriel is the problem to be solved—nothing too complicated, a simple plot that could be quite interesting. The Archangel Gabriel appears naked in the middle of the street, carrying an empty box with no memories at all… Curious? So was I. After this entrance, you'll sit in front of the screen waiting for… nothing. Nothing happens most of the time.  Sure, there are some interesting flashbacks that only prove the great friendship Crowley and Aziraphale have, but that's short to keep you interested.  Crowley takes the prize The whole season rests on Crowley's shoulders. It is the one thing to keep it from falling apart - a great character, interpreted by a great actor. No matter how bad this season is, he still can save the situation and keep us ...

  The Depp V Amber trial was one of the latest (and biggest) worldwide scandals, and Netflix couldn't risk missing out. Hollywood star Johnny Depp took his ex-wife, Amber Heard, to court for defamation after she claimed to have been a victim of domestic violence. I didn't follow the trial then, but I couldn't avoid hearing a couple of things. Everything I heard then sounded ridiculous, and I decided not to watch those videos.  Everything sounded slightly absurd, and as Johnny Depp's fan, I didn't want to believe he would do such things, but at the same time… who knows? The Documentary When I first saw that there was a documentary about all of it on Netflix , I didn't give it much importance. Everything was finished, and why explore that even more? So, I ignored it for a while. Eventually, I got curious, so I hit the watch now button. “Really?” This was my most asked question while watching the whole thing. There was so much absurd stuff, all exposed like a gi...

  Heartstopper is a beautiful British teen show about love and discovery. The main characters are Charlie and Nick. Charlie is a gay boy who was deeply bullied, and Nick is discovering his sexuality with a mist of fear and curiosity with all the naivety and sweetness of the teen years. It is a comedy-drama show, so you'll have moments when tears come to your eyes, but you'll also give good laughs. And that's life, isn't it? Sweet and Real One of the main problems with teen shows, especially American ones, is that teens are portrayed as adults with no consequences. What they do and how they behave is closer to a young adult than to a 16-year-old (And the actors are never teens, are they?). That always bothered me as a teen and as an adult. They pass terrible expectations of what your life should look like, and sometimes, that generates some negative feelings and confusion. Heartstopper is different, and I liked it. These teens' behavior is closer to real teens'...

  Queen Charlotte is a story from the Bridgerton series, where the main character is the queen.  It is not exactly a surprise because of all polemics surrounding the fact that a black woman represented the queen. The authors used that in their favor, and in a good way if you ask me - they created another successful series. Queen Charlotte is not brilliant, but it is a sweet story. Irreverence and Strong Female Characters Bridgerton already got us used to strong female characters that are not exactly aligned with the historical era they represent. Queen Charlotte wasn’t different. The impetuosity and bravery of the young queen are evident in the first scene. She is a fantastic character, and despite seeming so “badly behaved” for the time, she showed to have the biggest heart. It also focuses on the needs and intimacy of older women, which is rarely approached, especially in such a sensitive way as this.  Love Lesson Love is capable of everything, and you should do ev...

  Turn of the Tide is the new Netflix Portuguese show, and people seem to like it. It is in the global top 10 non-English speaking series (well, it has a bit of English, and those dialogues sound kind of ridiculous, sorry…) Anyway, it has had a lot of success, and I got curious to know why. Drugs… again? As a Portuguese person, I must say that drugs and trafficking were commonplace in Portuguese movies not that long ago. That made me suspicious - more of the same. Yet, a close friend advocated in their favor, and I was not disappointed.  Good cast, good pace I liked the show very much, and I feel that it is more about poverty than drugs. The actors are terrific, and the story is engaging. I wouldn’t say I liked the end, but at least we’ll have a second season. Let’s see what they do with it… The whole atmosphere was well-built. It has the right amount of suspense. You constantly find out something new, some detail that makes you want to know even more. I felt that the languag...

  Sexify is a Polish Netflix series that shows you the long path between having a good idea and building an actual company from it. Natalia is about to finish her degree and is building an app. She soon realizes that everything college students care about is sex. What can she do with that information? She is a slightly awkward and inexperienced girl, so she needs help. She has the modern and practical Monika and her best friend, Paulina.  Paulina is a girl from a traditional family, about to get married but eager to discover a whole new world.  The three of them will do incredible things and be in the middle of unbelievable (and sometimes amusing) situations. All in the name of the business! From College to Business The characters are very interesting, and together they seem to make the perfect team, despite being very different from each other. Yet, they are also very inexperienced in the business world. How to build a profitable company?  They need to deal with co...

  John Winchester is one of the main characters of Supernatural , even though he rarely appears. It is because of him that Sam and Dean get together again, and the story starts. So, what's his problem? He's a terrible father! Through Dean's Eyes In the beginning, most of us like John, and the one or two things he says or does which are idiotic… well, we ignore them. He looks cute and clearly loves his boys. We mostly see him by Dean's eyes, and Sam looks like a brat complaining that daddy doesn't understand him. Then John dies, we all share some tears, and dead guys tend to be seen as perfect, right? The past isn’t that glamorous As the story evolves, you may start questioning yourself about some things. Who raised the boys? Were they alone all the time? Why does he fight with everyone? If you look closely, the boys aren't always well-received by John's old friends, and most of them don't see him in a long time because… they had a fight. Are all his frie...

  Cleopatra is this figure who is a part of our collective imagination. Surrounded by all sorts of stories, myths, and legends spread through the years, no one can tell the truth from the lies anymore. So, since it is the historical figure everyone knows about, I had to watch Queen Cleopatra , the Netflix re-enactment documentary. Now, the great question is: is it good? No. Is it terrible? Trust me; it could be worse.  So, what’s the big issue, and why does everyone hate it? Who was Cleopatra? The truth is we all know her name. Unfortunately, mainly because of her romance with Mark Anthony rather than because of all she did as the ruler of Egypt. Yet, we know nothing about her. One of the things that is more controversial is her physical appearance. Queen Cleopatra choose to represent her as a black woman. And that became a big issue, even leading to a lawsuit against Netflix! Aren’t you taking it a bit too seriously? I don’t know why they did that. If it is because they hav...

  What would you think if someone got into your house and told you that you need to sacrifice one member of your family or humanity will end? Wait, what? Yes, that’s the premise of Knock at the Cabin . A little girl and her dads are on vacation in a cabin in the middle of nowhere when four people armed with strange weapons appear and say one of them should be sacrificed.  Is this horror? I’ve seen people rebuking the movie, and I get why, but let’s take a minute to think about it. Why do you feel so… well, nothing. When the story starts, it is promising. It is not something you’ve seen a thousand times in other movies, and you can feel the tension. It is an impossible choice to make. Here, the problem starts: it creates expectations. These expectations are not fulfilled. The movie is supposed to be a psychological thriller, but you never feel your heart race. Instead, it is slow and calm; all you see are four lunatics and one guy screaming at them. I believe the other guy is s...

  Lucy Worsley Investigates is an investigative documentary that will make you look at History classes differently. Forget the endless boring lessons. Here, the focus is on the mystery and actual investigation work. In this first season (I hope there will be more), Lucy Worsley investigates 4 dramatic chapters of British History. If you don't know much about it, don't worry, it is well-explained and put into context. It is like picking up a random of facts and happenings and giving them real meaning. Plague, witches, mental health, and murderer  In these 4 episodes, Lucy Worsley investigates the Black Death, the witch trials, how mental health evolved in the last couple of centuries, and the murder of the Princes in the tower. It is all well documented and narrated as a great entertaining story. Fascinating! You do not always have complete answers to the questions, though. For example, in the princes' episode, we never have a definite explanation for what happened or if th...

  Cunk on Earth is a satirical television show presented by the comedian Diane Morgan as the character Philomena Cunk. This mockumentary explores a wide range of historical and cultural topics in a humorous and irreverent style, as only Morgan could do.  The show covers a large branch of subjects. Each episode focuses on a different historical period or cultural phenomenon, from Cave Men to World War. While some topics are given more depth than others, the show generally does a good job of providing a broad overview while still managing to insert plenty of jokes and asides. It is a clever show that can simultaneously deliver many laughs and absurdities and some actual facts about human history. A unique brand of humor Humor is the first thing that comes to mind when considering Cunk on Earth . Philomena Cunk comes across as an ignorant journalist. She makes all kinds of stupid questions and observations you could imagine. Yet, her, at first sight, nonsensical comments are no...

  The third season of Emily in Paris got a lot of hate and love among the viewers. People can’t decide if it was the best season or the worst of all. And I understand why. We start the season with Emily’s life in perfect chaos, and she doesn’t seem to know what she wants. She never does… Is this good for the plot? Maybe. Is this annoying? Sometimes. So… why can’t we stop watching it? Are you feeling frustrated? Me too. She doesn’t know what she wants. She can’t make a decision, not in her love life, not in her job… And it is not because she wants it all. She is not mature enough to say no and own her decision and its consequences. Emily comes across as a spoiled little girl. The problem is that she is the main character, yet, Mindy starts to feel way more interesting than her. Also, any other character on the show is funnier than Emily, namely her co-workers, who apparently are very bad at their jobs and need her to save them with every single client… How did they keep the company...

  Invisible City ( Cidade Invisível in its original) is a Brazilian show starring on Netflix that may surprise you. The premise is not new - mystical, legendary beings coexisting with humans that, except for a few chosen ones, have no idea they are real. What may be surprising is that they are not the creatures we are most used to seeing in this kind of show, but rather particular beings from Brazilian folklore. Into Brazilian Folklore Invisible City takes the viewer on a journey into the vibrant world of Brazilian folklore. You have characters who can enter your dreams, others who transform into animals or make a little tornado. I started watching it out of curiosity, and because I’m a fan of the actress who plays the “Cuca”, but I didn’t have great expectations about it. So I was caught by surprise, and before I realized it, I had binged-watched the entire first season.  Entities and Nature I liked both seasons, but they are undoubtedly different. The first is more about...

  I got convinced by a friend to check out this show. I wasn’t sure because it was about sports, which isn’t exactly my thing, but she insisted, and I’m glad she did. I love this show. Ted Lasso is about an American football coach hired to coach a football club in Europe (yes, if you are American, it is soccer). He knows nothing about the game, but Ted is as sweet as fearless! Who’s Ted? At first sight, he looks like an idiot. He has no idea what he is doing, and all the other characters see him as dumb. He is not. He is, perhaps, a bit naive, but he is such a good person that most of us could feel embarrassed about our actions.  Yet, he is more than a good person. He’s there to work hard, help others do things, be better, and make all the people better.  At first, he has everyone against him - the players, the CEO… the things a frustrated, pissed-off woman can do, right? So everything is against him, but he is resilient, very focused, and will change everything around t...

  Pamela, a love story is a Netflix documentary where Pamela Anderson takes back the narrative of her life.  After being so exploited and even humiliated throughout the 90s, the time came when she was able to tell her story. She gives access to her thoughts and feelings through her own words, memories, videos, and journal entries.  Who is this woman? The media sold her as a plastic doll, a Barbie, ridiculous and dumb. So, you may find it intriguing to know who this woman is. You can argue that she is faking for the camera. In my opinion, she wasn't. She comes across as an adorable, gentle, and giggling person. A sweet mom and a passionate woman. She seems a little nervous, maybe a bit uncomfortable at some points, but she is a well-resolved middle-aged woman. She went through a lot in her life. From a young age, many things happened to her that no one should ever have to deal with, but she persevered without bitterness or victimization. “Why do these grown men hate me s...

  Derry Girls is probably the best sitcom on Netflix right now. It has the right amount of craziness, and no lousy mood could resist this show. You'll laugh so hard! Teens being teens It is impossible not to smile with this group of passionate teens ready to take the world. They are true teenagers, sensitive and self-centered. There are bombs outside, but they are worried about a lipstick being discontinued or the absence of good bands playing in town.  They are irreverent and fearless, the true face of resilience, I would say. Laughing in the face of the tragedy The girls are not clueless about the world's tragedies, but the show addresses them very lightly. They are not ignored but also not the center of the characters' life. The comedy is always stronger than the dark face of politics in the 90s Ireland.  Great Characters It is impossible to choose the best character or my favorite one. They are simply perfect together. Each one, in its own way, will make you laugh, ...

  The Bear is a very interesting show about life in a restaurant’s kitchen. And the most important part: it is quite surprising. This is hardly what most of us would expect from a show like this. No glamour in the kitchen Some people think of chefs as glamorous workers surrounded by fancy plates in an immaculately clean kitchen, where everything is white and shiny, near perfection. But the reality is often different. The biggest surprise in this show, for me, was that they could show precisely that: the stress, the fights, the raw dialogues, and the relationships. The absolute mess in the kitchen almost gives you anxiety only by watching it. And I must praise the director of photography for their great choices, which helped to create a whole atmosphere.  The Bear made an interesting portrait of the life of a chef and a very real one from what I heard from people that work in the field. Family matters, and sometimes it is too late. The show is not only about the work in the ...

  Earthstorm is a 4 episodes Netflix documentary about the wrath of Mother Nature. Each episode focuses on one of the most incredible and terrifying natural disasters one can find.  What you see is quite impressive. The footage is breathtaking, and you have different perspectives - scientific and humanitarian.  How it happened vs. How it felt One thing is what happens from a practical and technical point of view. Another, totally different, is the perspective of the people who see their lives destroyed on many levels.  The footage of the devastation and testimonials give a chill in your spine.  Especially the ones got by the storm chasers.  Solidarity wins Yet, despite the tragedies, this documentary also shows us that there is still good within the human race. Sometimes we forget about that.  It's heartwarming to see people united to help each other. Sometimes, coming from far away to help others attacked by such a tremendous force.   This ...

  Although it was a very emotional and beautiful one, season 6 is the end of the Pearsons’ story, and it was very moving in many ways. This season was about learning how to move on and accept things. These things are the divorce, the disease, or death itself, and keep living and being resilient. Time Jump While it was, without a doubt, a very beautiful finale, something about that time jump bothers me. It was too sudden, and it felt like its only purpose was to end the story. They just wanted to get over it and move on. I felt like this because the whole show was so detailed. It was all about the little things, those little things that make us… us. The little things that tell our story! When you look back on your life, the memories you value the most are usually about these little things, and the show was able to recreate that so perfectly. So why this rush to finish it? Life in its different moments This show was able to make us care about this family. We met them in different mom...