[REVIEW] Luca (2021) Spoke to Me on a Very Personal Level

 

Just like the character of Luca, we sometimes need to say, "Silenzio, Bruno!" and take a leap of faith.

On the 16th of June, DisneyPlus premiered a little film known as Luca, the latest creation from Disney Pixar animation about the adventures of two young sea creatures, but to say that the movie has received mixed reactions since its debut would seem like an understatement.

Some have absolutely adored the film, and some have found it too simplistic, or just straight-up boring. As for me, though? Well, it became an instant favorite of mine, and today, I wanted to explain why and share the personal connection I've formed with the character of Luca.

Written by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones, the latest Disney Pixar animation "Luca" is a coming-of-age story about a young boy who sets out on a fun-filled adventure with his new friend, Alberto, to a charming seaside town on the Italian Riviera. But the two of them have a big secret that could potentially ruin all of their excitement: Luca and Alberto are both sea creatures from another world that's just below the water's surface.

The film was directed by Enrico Casarosa, produced by Andrea Warren, and features voice work by actors Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto, and Jacob Tremblay as Luca.

The story of Luca is not overly complicated, it's about two friends who find adventure together, pretty straightforward and to the point. But, that said, so much of this story can be interpreted in many different ways depending on what aspects of the movie are most relatable for you.

For me, it's the story of Luca developing the ability to overcome that spoke to me on a much more personal level; thanks in part to the new friendship he forms with the boisterous Alberto, Luca takes a huge risk by leaving behind the sea, and everything he's ever known in order to venture out into the human world and explore life outside of his comfort zone and speaking as someone who has a difficult time coming out of her shell, this felt very inspiring to me.

At the beginning of the movie, Alberto shows his new friend Luca how he can do more of what scares him by silencing the "Bruno" in his head, the pesky little voice that continuously tries to convince us to doubt ourselves, and question what we are truly capable of, and when the two are presented with tough challenges, they frequently repeat the words, "Silenzio, Bruno!" in an effort to push out their more negative thoughts and take a walk on the wild side.

Luca had to actively choose to block out his fear, to allow himself the chance to move forward and try regardless of what the voice in his head was telling him, and in the process, he came to realize just how capable he truly was; Luca's story put emphasis on the reality that our fear will never just "poof" and disappear from our lives, but also reveals that we all have an inner strength that can prevent it from controlling what we do.

Just like the character of Luca, we sometimes need to say, "Silenzio, Bruno!" and take a leap of faith rather than allowing our own worries and doubts to keep us from experiencing all sorts of new and exciting things. Of course, it's not always easy, but the sense of pride we feel after we overcome, and surprise ourselves, makes it all worthwhile, and this movie served as quite the nice little reminder of that for me.

I have struggled with an anxiety disorder from an incredibly young age, and while I have been vocal about this through social media, it can be difficult to describe how much it can affect and interfere with my life, and when I'm going through a particularly hard time, it sometimes seems easier to stay tucked away in my shell, avoiding failure, or embarrassment.

But the truth is, I will never be able to find happiness that way; Luca found happiness in his friendship with Alberto, someone who helped him to change his mindset, and encourage him to come out of his shell and take a few risks, and it's because of Luca's willingness to take a chance, that he ended up with a life full of endless possibilities, something I want, too.

And my appreciation for this film doesn't stop at the message I was able to take away from it. The animation was superb as per usual in the case of Disney Pixar, it's fun, and full of laughs all while maintaining a pretty chill vibe, which makes for a great comfort movie.

Overall, Luca was a delightful viewing experience for me, and while I can understand how some may have seen the film as boring, I found it to be very soothing; watching a friendship grow between two characters as they dream of cruising around on a Vespa motorscooter together, exploring all of Italy, felt very wholesome. And the fact that they had to keep dry in order to conceal their identities from the human world added a creative twist.

What did you think of the latest from Disney Pixar? Did you enjoy Luca? I'd love to know what your thoughts were on the movie, so please be sure to leave me a comment below, and don't forget to follow me over on Twitter @RR_Everything, where I talk about all of the shows and movies that I watch and also provide updates on future content!

[REVIEW] iCarly (2021-) Delivers Nostalgia With a Kick!

Quirky, fun, and just grown up enough for its now-adult audience, iCarly is back and arguably better than ever. 

Almost ten years after Nickelodeon's smash hit series "iCarly" went off the air, Paramount+ has revived the beloved comedy for its now grown-up audience, exploring uncharted territory as the old crew navigates adulthood as they look to bring back their old web show in the age of social media, and social media influencers.

The Positive

For those of you who happened to be living under a rock from 2007 to 2012, iCarly followed high schooler Carly Shay, (Miranda Cosgrove) and her friends Sam and Freddie whose lives are turned upside down when Freddie (Nathan Kress) uploads a hilarious convo of Carly and Sam's to the internet and it shockingly goes viral, prompting the group to create their own web show with the help and support of Carly's whacky older brother, (Jerry Trainor) Spencer.

The show ended in 2012 with its finale, "iGoodbye" in which Carly decides to move with her father, Colonel Shay, to Italy. Leaving her friends, and web show, behind; fast-forward to 2021, Carly is back in Seattle with Spencer and Freddie, and fresh off of a breakup decides to bring iCarly back to the internet in the age of social media and social media influencers.

This time around, Carly has to go it alone, as her co-host has been written off the show and is "following her bliss with that biker gang." as Carly describes in the first episode of the revival, due to the fact that Jennette McCurdy is now retired from acting and opted not to reprise her role as Carly's fried chicken loving, butter-sock slinging bestie, Sam, in this continuation.

But with the love and support of her friends behind the scenes, Carly is more than ready to take on the challenge of going solo. Freddie is back behind the camera and serving as the show's producer, while her trendy friend and roommate Harper, helps to keep Carly's social media presence strong. Oh, and we can't forget about the return of Baby Spencer!

While maintaining the humor of its Nickelodeon predecessor, this new version of iCarly seems to have struck a good balance between being just grown-up enough to appeal to its now-adult target audience of those who watched its original run, without feeling too jarring for the viewer as if they were watching an entirely different show.

Admittedly I was worried when I heard that this revival would be tackling more mature themes since most shows tend to push the envelope so much further than they actually need to these days, with no real consideration behind it, but I was pleasantly surprised that wasn't the case this time around, at least for the first three episodes.

The old episodes of iCarly were rated TV-G for older kids and teens, where the first three episodes of this new series have only been bumped up to a TV-PG rating which allows the show to explore a bit of uncharted territory without straying from the format that made it so beloved in the first place; the debut episodes featured storylines that involved dating as an adult, raising children and of course, fighting off social media trolls...As grown-up as it gets!

This new version of the show does feature a small amount of language and the occasional alcoholic beverage but ultimately seems to have captured the essence of the original series on Nickelodeon by keeping things quirky, fun, and self-aware, not to mention hilarious.

But even with the unfortunate absence of Jennette McCurdy's Sam, we were lucky enough to have seen the return of some familiar faces such as Nora Dershlit, the crazy, iCarly obsessed super-fan who once locked the three friends in her basement, and of course, Freddie's mom, Marissa Benson portrayed by Mary Scheer who Freddie is back living at home with.

And there are still some pretty iconic returns yet to come, but in addition to old faces, we've seen the inclusion of some new ones as well with Carly's friend and roommate Harper, (Laci Mosley) and Millicent, (Jaidyn Triplett) Freddie's adopted step-daughter.

Millicent adds an interesting element to the show with Freddie as a single dad following his second divorce, and considering Millicent is living with Freddie and Grandma Benson instead of her mother, it appears to be quite the complicated situation. But, as an aspiring influencer herself, Millicent is a bit envious of Carly's popularity, and frequently tries to take her down a notch or two, making for a clever foil during this chapter of Carly's life.

Harper, on the other hand, is a fashionista who dreams of becoming a stylist as she works as a barista at a local coffee shop. She's the daughter of formerly wealthy parents who suffered a financial hardship but instead of wallowing in her own self-pity, she decided to take the difficult situation and turn it into an opportunity to work and discover her passion in life.

The Negative

While there isn't much to complain about this early on in the series, I do feel the need to mention that you do feel the absence of Jennette McCurdy's Sam Puckett throughout these first three episodes. The character added a splash of conflict to the series with her signature sarcasm and excessive use of violence, both of which are greatly missed.

Sam was my second favorite character growing up, after Spencer, and it was probably due to the fact that there wasn't a lot of difference between Sam and young Rachel personality-wise. But for this reason, I think it might take me a while to warm up to the character of Harper, through no fault of the show's writers or the actress.

Harper has some big shoes to fill as she ultimately is a replacement for Sam, and it can be difficult when a character is created in order to take the spot of one that was beloved by so many, it can take an adjustment period for the viewer to get used to that change.

Thankfully Harper isn't a rip-off of Sam, she's her own character, her own person. But she's also different enough to the point where you miss that bit of spice Sam added to the show a little bit extra; Even though I'm not super into the character yet, Laci Mosley's performance has been enjoyable, and I am excited to see what direction they will take her in as we go through the rest of the season.

Conclusion

Needless to say, I'm very impressed by this direction Paramount+ has chosen to take the new iCarly in, the slightly more mature nature feels very natural as if the show had never stopped, and had grown up in the same way our favorite characters did.

You can stream iCarly over on Paramount+ where new episodes are set to premiere every Thursday and be sure to check back with me for a full season review after the first season wraps up...Until then, who's up for Spaghetti tacos?

iStarOver - 8/10

iHateCarly - 9/10

iFauxpologize - 8/10

Have you seen the first three episodes of the new iCarly revival? I'd love to know what your thoughts were, so please be sure to leave me a comment below, and don't forget to follow me over on Twitter @RR_Everything, where I talk about all of the shows and movies that I watch and also provide updates on future content!

[REVIEW] Secrets of Sulphur Springs (2021-) Disney's Best Mystery Yet?

 

Just like the fictional town, Secrets of Sulphur Springs on DisneyPlus is so much more than what meets the eye. 

Have you ever wondered if you were born into the wrong decade? As if there were a time period that would have suited you, and your personality better than the one you're in right now? Well, I certainly have, and during my twenty-four years here on this earth, it's caused me to develop quite a fascination with the concept of time travel.

From shows like Quantum Leap to movies such as Somewhere in Time, there's something special about storytelling centered around this idea and I'm always eager for more.

Today we'll be discussing the DisneyPlus original, Secrets of Sulphur Springs, a new series that blends time travel with elements of the paranormal to create a compelling mystery about two friends who set out to solve the disappearance of a young girl who had gone missing 30 years ago, in the year of 1991.

The Positive

Secrets of Sulphur Springs follows Griffin Campbell, a 12-year-old boy who has been recently uprooted from his hometown of Chicago and moved to Sulphur Springs, Louisiana, where his father Bennett has purchased an old, dilapidated hotel known as the Tremont.

Based on that description alone, it'd be easy to assume that the show would be focused on the challenges Griffin would face with being the new kid in the area, and figuring out how and where exactly he fits in all while living in a spooky, haunted hotel. But rest assured, this series is not that same ol' broken record.

Shortly after his family's arrival in Sulphur Springs, Griffin meets a new kid at school by the name of Harper, a bright young lady who eagerly fills him in on the story of Savannah Dillion, a camper who had gone missing near the Tremont 30 years ago in 1991 and is now believed to be a ghost, roaming the halls of the hotel.

Soon Griffin and his new friend begin to unravel the mystery surrounding Savannah following their discovery of an underground bunker located down in the Tremont basement, containing a portal that allows the two to travel back and forth between various decades in time to see the hotel in its glory days, including the period Savannah went missing.

But as Griffin and Harper dig deeper into their investigation at the Tremont, the two find themselves staring down several suspects who could have been involved in Savannah's sudden disappearance, including Griffin's dad, Bennett, and Harper's mom, Jess, further complicating their quest to uncover the truth.

The use of the parents in this story added a well-executed element of conflict throughout the episodes as we see Bennett become irritated and visibly upset by Griffin's curiosity toward the case of Savannah, while Jess claims the Tremont is cursed and wants Harper kept as far from the hotel as possible; the two display various moments of suspicious behavior and it's made clear that the two of them are harboring a few secrets from their children.

Having the ability to change the past would place a big responsibility on anyone's shoulders but Griffin and Harper having their own parents entangled in this mystery makes it so much more difficult to solve, as one false move could result in some life-altering consequences.

From Left to Right: Elle Graham, Jake Melrose, Preston Oliver, and Kyliegh Curran

But Secrets of Sulphur Springs doesn't focus solely on time travel, it also blends the concept with a touch of the paranormal to keep you guessing whether or not there really is some kind of unexplained haunting going on back at the Tremont.

While Griffin and Harper spend most of their time back in the past, Griffin's younger twin siblings Zoey (Madeleine McGraw) and Wyatt (Landon Gordon) are determined to prove the existence of Savannah's ghost after experiencing some odd occurrences in their new home; the two seek out help from Harper's younger sibling Topher (portrayed by Bryant Tardy) who helps them to use an old camcorder to capture evidence with.

The subtle hints toward a potential haunting helped to create a more suspenseful atmosphere throughout the show that causes the viewer to wonder if what twins are experiencing back at the Tremont are indeed real, or if it's just the sounds of an old home playing tricks on the kids.

Speaking of subtlety, this first season also felt like the beginnings of a really sweet love story between our main characters; Griffin and Harper quickly develope a bit of a mutual crush on each other as the show progresses forward, which was not only handled in a very innocent and appropriate way, but it was also ridiculously cute and far from cringe-worthy like most young love is portrayed on television.

The Negative

While I can't speak highly enough of this show, there was one little thing that I found to be a bit irritating and unrealistic about Harper and Griffin's trips to the past, and that's the effect that their actions had on the present, or in this case, lack thereof.

As you can imagine, Griffin and Harper travel back and forth between 1991 and the present day quite frequently throughout the season, and yet, their actions in the past never seem to impact anything in the present aside from Savannah.

When the show progresses forward the kids find themselves interacting with the childhood versions of Bennett and Jess much more often, and with each time Harper and Griffin would return from the past, I couldn't help but wonder when one of the parents would finally notice that the two of them bare a striking resemblance to two mysterious kids they once knew.

I kept waiting for some sort of indication that the parents remembered "Harry and Hermione" as the kids called themselves to protect their true identities, but unfortunately, it never came up, and it seemed strange that with the constant mention of Savannah, that nothing would dust the cobwebs off of those memories; I found this to be a small, but impactful detail that managed to slip through the cracks.

Conclusion

Just like the fictional town, Secrets of Sulphur Springs on DisneyPlus is so much more than what meets the eye. The show is a great watch for anyone looking for some wholesome entertainment with a well-executed mystery involved.

The show has thankfully drawn some great ratings since its debut and has been renewed for a second season which is set to come out at some point in 2022, and I'm incredibly eager to see what adventures Griffin and Harper get wrapped up in next!

Have you seen Secrets of Sulphur Springs? I'd love to know what your thoughts were on the debut season, so please be sure to leave me a comment below, and don't forget to follow me over on Twitter @RR_Everything, where I talk about all of the shows and movies that I watch and also provide updates on future reviews!

[FIRST IMPRESSIONS REVIEW] Cruel Summer (2021-) Episodes 1 & 2 "Happy Birthday Jeanette Turner" & "A Smashing Good Time"

 

The first two episodes in this series both have quite a lot to unpack but everything was well-balanced and thankfully easy to understand.

Tuesday, April 20th, Freeform premiered the first two episodes of its original series known as "Cruel Summer", a new dramatic thriller starring Chiara Aurelia, and Olivia Holt that takes place over the span of three separate summers in the 1990s.

I've never cared much for Freeform or its original content. Quite frankly disliking what I have seen and having little to no interest in what I haven't, but admittedly the network did manage to deliver quite a compelling trailer for Cruel Summer, and I thought whether it would be for good or for bad, it might be something fun to talk about.

And don't worry, this review is completely spoiler-free so if you'd like to check it out for yourself, you can catch the show on Freeform or Hulu!

The Positive

Cruel Summer follows the life of Jeanette Turner, a seemingly innocent fifteen-year-old girl who appears to take the place of local popular girl, Kate Wallis after she mysteriously goes missing from their town of Skylin, Texas in the year 1993.

After her sudden disappearance, Jeanette finds herself gaining the popularity that once belonged to Kate by transforming from "geek to chic" and trading in her old friendships for Kate's former besties. Jeanette even manages to land Kate's old boyfriend, Jamie.

As I mentioned earlier, this series does consist of moments taking place on specific dates each episode in three separate summers, 1993, 1994, and 1995. Each year showing us a different version of Jeanette and a look into the aftermath of Kate's disappearance, and the impact the situation has had on those in their town.

From the producer of "The Sinner" Jessica Biel, this teen thriller has a long list of positives going for it at this moment in time. Cruel Summer features a ton of surprising twists and turns, loads of suspects, and of course, plenty of good ol' teen drama.

The first two episodes in this series both have quite a lot to unpack but everything was well-balanced and thankfully easy to understand, even with the three different timelines and shifts between them, which is quite the compliment coming from someone who doesn't always do the greatest job at paying attention to the little details in these stories.

The Negative

As of right now, my one issue with Cruel Summer is strictly, where do we go from here?

Each of these debut episodes really got the ball rolling for the show, but it also revealed a major plot point that I was not expecting to come to fruition so swiftly and it begs the question, did the writers play their hand too soon?

The series as of right now consists of ten episodes, which leaves plenty of time to further explore details and expand upon them, as well as plenty of time for us to find out if there's more to Kate and Jeanette's story than what meets the eye, which I certainly hope there is. However, if that doesn't turn out to be the case, it could be detrimental to the show's pacing.

Conclusion

Only time will tell whether or not Cruel Summer has more up its sleeve, will it turn out to be something that could have wrapped in a special, or will it continue with a consistent pace and deliver a few more shockers? At the end of the day, this is a teen drama, something that I can't say I always enjoy, but I'm enjoying it for what it is and it's definitely killing some time and satisfying that part of me that is always desperate for a mystery.

I've decided to rate these first two episodes an 8/10. While I do think the show may have moved a bit too quickly and revealed too much too soon, I am curious to see how things play out over the next eight episodes thanks to its writing, characters, and impressive time shifts.

Is Cruel Summer worth the watch? As of right now, yes!

How many of you guys have watched Cruel Summer? I'd love to know what your thoughts were on the first two episodes of the series so please be sure to leave me a comment below, and don't forget to follow me over on Twitter @RR_Everything, where I talk about all of the shows and movies that I watch and also provide updates on future reviews!

[REVIEW] Young Rock (2021) Episode 1, "Working The Gimmick" First Impressions of the New NBC Series!

 

I'm somewhat skeptical when it comes to the direction that Young Rock was taken in due to what I considered to be some rather odd, creative choices.

I remember February 14th, 2011, as if it were only yesterday. I was just fourteen-years-old when The Rock made his surprise return to the WWE after a seven-year absence from the company, and just the very thought of it still gives me goosebumps; no matter how many times I rewatch that segment, I'm always overcome with pure emotion.

In case you couldn't already tell, I have quite the strong love for the business of professional wrestling; I've been completely captivated by it since I was young enough to mistakenly call The Rock's signature move, "The People's Elbow", "The People's Elmo" instead and so naturally, the man himself has always held a special place in my heart.

Today, we'll be taking a moment to discuss one of NBC's latest sitcoms, "Young Rock" which is based on the earlier years of "The Great One", and I'll be sharing my first impressions of its debut episode in order to help you decide if it is worth your valuable time to watch!

 

The Positive

Set in the year 2032, professional wrestler-turned-actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has decided to run for President of the United States, and in an effort to appeal to the American people, he sits down in an interview with Randall Park to take a look back on his adolescent years to prove that he can still relate to them despite his massive amount of success.

The series explores The Rock's childhood in 1982, high school in the year of 1987, as well as his life as a young adult preparing to play college football for the University of Miami in 1990; the first episode of this brand new NBC sitcom takes us through what it was like for Johnson growing up in the business of professional wrestling, the complicated relationship that he shared with his father, Rocky Johnson, and everyday financial difficulties at home.

After watching this first episode of Young Rock, I couldn't help but notice what I thought to be a surprisingly melancholy undertone. Throughout the show, we're shown that Dwayne's father and hero, Rocky Johnson, appears to be rather unreliable at times. Whether it be skipping out on his promise to take his son out for ice cream after a wrestling show or just being away from home due to an autograph signing, it was made clear that Dwayne longed for his father to be a bigger part of his life in his earlier years.

As it turns out, "Soul Man" Rocky Johnson was pretty heavily wrapped up in the world of professional wrestling, mentioning his "work the gimmick" mentality throughout the episode, which would lead to some questionable parenting choices, but it's also made clear that the man will remain Dwayne's hero throughout his childhood flashbacks within the show.

Rocky Johnson passed away in January of last year, but The Rock has continued to express his love for the man who helped shape him into the person he is today, and I hope to see a bit more of what he considered to be his father's more admirable attributes in future episodes.

With The Rock's story bouncing back and forth between three different periods in his lifetime, three different actors were cast to play the part. In order of youngest to oldest, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, and Uli Latukefu were all quite impressive in their individual roles, between their appearances and performances, I had no trouble imagining that each of these actors really were Dwayne Johnson for those thirty-minutes the show was on.

The Negative

I'm somewhat skeptical when it comes to the direction that Young Rock was taken in due to what I considered to be some rather odd, creative choices. I thought the idea of "present-day" taking place so far into the future seemed a little bit strange, even more so when I realized that the beginning of the show featured The Rock out on the campaign trail.

While a future presidential run isn't out of the question for Dwayne Johnson, I couldn't help but think this idea was a bit too much for a show that's supposed to be based on true events and the concept didn't seem to contribute anything of value to the show as a whole; it's too early to say for sure, but I think the show would have been much better off scrapping the presidential angle and going in the "Everybody Hates Chris " direction, where Johnson could have added commentary throughout each episode as he relieved significant moments of his youth.

While I hate to say it, this first episode was also severely lacking in the comedy department for me, personally. While some moments within the show did happen to make me crack a bit of a smile, I honestly don't recall laughing even once throughout my first viewing, and should that continue on throughout the rest of the season, that's a definite issue for a sitcom.

Conclusion

Young Rock is an interesting look into the life of Dwayne Johnson before he became the mega-star we now know him as today. Even though I feel the first episode of the show lacked a bit, it's rare that a series hits its stride from the very beginning, there's still plenty of room for improvement, and I'm willing to give it a proper chance before deciding how I feel about it on the overall.

If you're a fan of The Rock, whether it be of his in-ring career or his work as an actor in Hollywood, it's worth the watch for that alone. If you're only a casual fan of his, or if you have no interest in the business of professional wrestling then you probably could get away with sitting this one out. But those are just my two cents, in the end, it's up to you!

How many of you guys have watched Young Rock? Please let me know what your thoughts were on the first episode of the series by leaving me a comment below, and don't forget to follow me over on Twitter @RR_Everything, where I talk about all of the shows and movies that I watch and also provide updates on future reviews!