All Forms of Art

  There was something comforting about The Summer I Turned Pretty when it started . It was a coming-of-age story about first love, family, grief, and the strange realization that childhood is slowly disappearing. Even when Belly was frustrating, her choices felt believable for a teenager trying to understand herself. By the third season, though, everyone is older—and somehow, they don't seem to have moved very far. Season 3 is easily my least favorite of the series. It isn't that the show suddenly becomes completely unwatchable. There are still emotional moments that work, and some characters get surprisingly good arcs. But the story that once felt like a bittersweet exploration of growing up now feels increasingly stuck in the same romantic drama. Growing Up Is Hard The season jumps ahead in time, immediately reminding us that these characters are meant to enter a different stage of their lives. Belly ( Lola Tung ) has opportunities ahead of her, including an internship i...

  The second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty picks up about a year after the emotional finale of season one —and it doesn’t waste time diving into grief, change, and complicated relationships.  While it remains heartfelt and engaging, this season also brings some frustrations that may divide viewers. A Story Shaped by Loss Season 2 begins in the shadow of Susannah’s (Rachel Blanchard) death, and her absence is felt in every scene. Each character copes differently, making the story deeply emotional and relatable. The use of flashbacks is particularly effective. As the season unfolds, these glimpses into the past slowly fill in the gaps, helping us understand how everyone has changed over this year.  When Cultural Differences Break the Immersion However, this was also the first time I experienced a real “cultural shock” while watching an American show. The legal situation surrounding the beach house was especially frustrating. The house, owned by Susannah and her ...

  The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age teen drama based on the book series by Jenny Han . The story follows Belly Conklin ( Lola Tung ), a teenage girl who spends every summer at a beach house with her family and the Fisher brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah(Gavin Casalegno - Walker ).  One particular summer marks a turning point: Belly is no longer “just a kid,” and her relationships, feelings, and sense of self begin to shift in ways that are both exciting and painful. At its core, the show explores first love, family dynamics, friendship, grief, and the bittersweet transition from childhood into adolescence. It’s a story about the summers that shape who we become—and the emotional messiness that comes with growing up. A Refreshing Take on Teen Romance One of  The Summer I Turned Pretty's biggest strengths  is how well it fits its genre while still feeling refreshing. The show is romantic and sweet without relying on shock value. Unlik...

  Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) Lena Dunham’s latest Netflix series Too Much arrives with a bold voice, an eccentric lead, and a lot of emotional baggage.  Created by Dunham and starring comedian Meg Stalter as the erratic, heartbroken New Yorker Jessica, the show attempts to blend offbeat comedy with a cross-cultural romance in London. Unfortunately, while the premise holds promise, the execution feels flat. A Rom-Com That Struggles to Engage From the first episode, Too Much sets itself up as a quirky, self-aware romantic comedy. Jessica, reeling from a breakup and an over-the-top life in New York, relocates to London and falls into a whirlwind connection with the reserved and emotionally withdrawn Felix (Will Sharpe). It’s a classic opposites-attract setup—but instead of sparking excitement, the pacing feels sluggish, and the story never quite takes off. As a viewer, I found it difficult to stay engaged. The stakes feel low, the emotional shifts abrupt, and while the dialogu...

  It took me a long time to give Emily in Paris a shot because I thought it would be a silly, shallow comedy about some sort of influencer. Well, it is a silly, shallow comedy about some sort of influencer, but to be honest, I liked it.  Emily is a young talent in a marketing career and has the opportunity of her life: working in Paris for a year! And since her boyfriend is an idiot, she can try the full experience of being a single woman in the city of love.  Unfortunately, she is not as good at managing her personal life as she is at work. In fact, she is frankly terrible at making decisions outside work. Cultural Differences Everyone who has been in a foreign country knows that sometimes we get ourselves into awkward situations due to cultural differences. So watching someone else go through the same is quite funny. I must admit that seeing an American trying to speak French is hilarious. Of course, I’m not French (and French people who hear me trying to speak French ...

Since I first watched the trailer, I was eager to see this movie. Yet, I must confess, it disappointed me a little bit. Kristen Bell’s character is annoying. At some point, I just wanted to tell her some unpleasant truths.   Good actors are not enough The movie structure is good, but I would like to see more details about the decision to go on the cruise anyway.  The movie was filled with some big names. Good actors and a few good scenes make it watchable. Yet, it needed something more. Many scenes were quite predictable. It is a [comedy] drama The story is dramatic; it’s sad. No matter how many jokes and stupid accidents you may throw in the middle of it. If you’re truly watching it, you can’t ignore how sad it really is. Indeed, it is a comedy-drama, so a few jokes were said here and there, and that’s good. An occasional laugh is always good. I have a problem though: the dramatic scenes. They lacked some emotional depth.  The actors tried their best, but the script...

As you already know, if you follow my blog, I’m not the biggest fan of romantic comedies. I find them tiring, and to me, they all look the same. Yet, one of these days, I just wanted to laugh a bit and have a good time, so I risked this Netflix comedy with Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell. I didn’t regret it. I had a lot of fun watching it. How to go around clichés? The characters are interesting, and the story makes you smile from the very beginning. It’s very simple and very cliché - two people trying to set up two other people. Yet, at the same time… They aren’t trying to help them. They don’t even care if they make a good couple. They just want a break!  The terrible workaholic bosses need to be “entertained”, so their exhausted assistants can breathe for a minute. So, how about entertaining them… with each other? Falling apart until the happy ending Obviously, this couldn’t go well, and that’s the biggest part of the fun. This movie shows us that we still can laugh with the fa...

I wasn't sure if I should write a review about something I didn't fully watch. Perhaps I shouldn't, but I'll risk it anyway. While the first movie was beautiful and romantic, this one was… boring. So boring, I stopped watching it after the first half of the film.  I'm sorry for the fans. I'm disappointing you, or you'll like it anyway. I don't know. As I said, I loved the first one, but in this one… nothing interesting happens! I went halfway through the movie and nothing! I usually don't say this without much more explanation, but it is boring ! Teenage Insecurities and Doubts Lara Jean ( Lana Condor ) remains insecure. Yes, she is a teenager, and all of us can relate. Yet, this is a piece of entertainment. I would rather see more development in the character.  Now, she has a boyfriend, and she finds out that there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. It is a disappointment to Lara Jean since her goal in the first ...

I watched this movie very recently. I hadn’t read the book, but I tend to trust Netflix ; it has some pretty good originals, and the trailer seemed cute, with a very sweet story.  Recently, most teen movies and shows have focused on their cruelty and how badly they can hurt each other. This one, however, is a beautiful, romantic movie about falling in love, and I enjoyed watching it. Emotions All Over While you watch the movie, you may feel emotional. It has a good script, focused on feelings and emotions. And it leads you to empathize with the characters and feel fully absorbed in their reality. Love is probably the first word that comes to mind after you watch it, but not only romantic love; the relationships within Lara Jean’s ( Lana Condor ) family are interesting and remarkably intense. You'll also be delighted by the work of Noah Centineo ( Sierra Burger is a Loser ) and Janel Parrish. It Didn't Disappoint I’m very curious to read the book , but ...