What I've Been Watching: New Movies

I am so excited to share with you some of the movies I've seen recently! I believe most of these are still in theaters. In April I signed up for MoviePass and have been using it quite frequently ever since. I definitely recommend the service. It's $10/month and you can see a new movie every day in theaters. Some of my friends have mentioned seeing complaints about the app and the companies customer service, but my experience has been very positive. I love watching movies and this is a great deal to see way more than I normally would. I've also used my pass to see A Shape of Water, Call Me By Your Name, and I Feel Pretty.


AMERICAN ANIMALS 

Now this is definitely a movie I probably never would have never seen in theaters if it wasn't for MoviePass. They did a lot of advertising for it and that definitely drew my attention. AMERICAN ANIMALS is based on the true story of four college students who plan a heist to steal millions of dollars in rare books from their school library. This was extremely well cast and I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout the film. It was very tense and I had no idea how things would end. AMERICAN ANIMALS also included the real people who participated in the heist and were impacted by it. Their comments were interspersed in the movie and it worked perfectly. Highly recommended! 

A QUIET PLACE 

This movie was crazy good! I hate "dumb" scary movies where people are just getting killed or chopped up for no reason and every character makes the worst decisions. A QUIET PLACE was smart, creepy, and incredibly tense. This is not the kind of movie you want to watch with someone who talks a lot or in a loud environment. The silence is part of what makes it so wonderfully scary. I've always been a fan of Jon Krasinski (literally just because of The Office), but he proved himself as more than capable to handle diverse roles and be a creator himself. The cast was superb and I was literally on the edge of my seat from the first scene to the last. 

OCEAN'S 8

I've never seen the original Ocean movies, but I was excited by the idea of an all-female heist movie. Plus, I loved the cast. It started out very fun and exciting, the only thing that seemed a bit hard to believe was the ending. OCEAN'S 8 had incredible fashion, celebrities, and a unique plot, but it wasn't my favorite heist film. It was overall very feel good and a nice guilty-pleasure to watch on a rainy afternoon.

BOOK CLUB

This is another one I probably would never have seen without MoviePass. Even though it's about books and has a stellar
cast, the trailer didn't really have enough to draw me in. Luckily, this ended up being a very real and enjoyable film. The four women in the book club are each dealing with things in their personal lives, mostly related to their relationships, and when they decided to read Fifty Shades of Gray for their book club, everything changes. Jane Fonda seriously never ages and I loved how this story would appeal to both older and younger generations. 

SOLO

I am definitely a Star Wars fan although it has been years since I've watched the originals. I need to remedy that! I enjoyed The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but haven't seen Rogue One. It has been a bit of Star Wars overkill, so that could partially explain why SOLO is performing so poorly at the box office. Still, I actually enjoyed SOLO a lot. It might not be made for the tried and true fan of the series, but it was entertaining with a great cast. My favorite aspects of the story were about Han and Chewbacca's meeting and watching their relationship develop. Some aspects of the story were a little off and I didn't love the ending. All in all though I do not think SOLO deserves all of the hate because it was an enjoyable story that kept me engaged until the end.



Have you seen any of these movies? I'm hoping to go see Adrift this week. 

What I've Been Watching

Orange is the New Black 
Netflix / Season 2

I can't believe I waited this long to start watching OITNB! I finished the first season in just over a week and am about half-way through the second one now. Everything about this show is awesome: the characters, the drama, the plot twists. I don't know how I am going to wait for season 3 after I finish the next few episodes. I definitely recommend watching this show ASAP if you have access to a Netflix account.


American Horror Story
FX / Season 3

Well this show is just plain crazy! I watched the first season on Netflix a few weeks ago and am currently working on season 2. I think my favorite thing about this show is how dark and unexpected it is. I have never been a big horror fan, but AHS definitely changed that for me. I also love how each season features a new plot and characters. Hopefully I'll be able to get caught up before the fourth season airs this fall!

Breaking Bad
AMC / Five Seasons

I am definitely late to the game with this show, but I like the fact that I'm never left with a cliff-hanger because all of the seasons are on Netflix! I'm almost done season 3 and can't wait to see what happens next. This show is dark, intense, and incredibly well-acted. I never expected to get as into this show as I am, so if you haven't dived into this show yet I highly recommend it! Breaking Bad is completely unlike any other show out there and it only gets better each season.

What shows have you been watching? 

What I've Been Watching: TV in the New Year

I always love seeing what TV shows other bloggers are watching and since I've been watching some new shows this year I thought I'd post about them! I'd love to hear what shows you've been watching in the new year and your thoughts on any of these!

-- Catch-Up Shows 

The Big Bang Theory 

I am loving this show so, so, so much! I've been watching this show with my family and we've already flown through the first two seasons. The characters are so lovable and complex and I adore each of them in their own way. I've caught a few episodes of this on TV through the years, but I'm especially enjoying watching the episodes in order and watching the characters grow. Each episode always makes me laugh and there has not been one episode that I haven't liked. I cannot wait until I have the remaining seasons in hand!

Game of Thrones 

I read the first book, A Game of Thrones, over my winter break and immediately began watching the first season. It is incredible to see all of my favorite (and not-so-favorite) characters brought to life and to experience everything in a new way. I'm about halfway through the first season right now and am planning on starting the second book when I'm done. 

-- New Shows 

Nashville 

Wow, do I love Nashville! I've been watching this show since the first episode and am completely addicted. The characters, the plot twists, the music, the setting... everything about it is great. I'm glad this show is gaining more popularity because I would be so disappointed if it was canceled. I've downloaded all the music on my iPod and this is one of those shows that I have a hard time waiting to watch week to week! 

The Mindy Project 

This is one of the funniest shows out there (in my opinion). I find Mindy hilarious and I love how she is such a real and likable character. I got a little behind on this show over the past few weeks, so I had a catch-up day this weekend and was reminded just how much I enjoy The Mindy Project. All of the characters are unique and layered and each episode always brings a smile to my face. Fox has such great comedies-- New Girl is also one of my favorites and I had been enjoying Ben and Kate, so I was sad to hear it was being canceled! 

I'm also planning on starting The Carrie Diaries. Has anyone watched it? What did you think? 

What do you guys think of these shows? What have you been watching lately?

What I've Been Watching: The Catch-Up Version

A little while ago I posted about summer TV shows I'd been watching and thought it would be fun to post about some older shows I've been watching as well. Even though I am a devoted reader, I also love watching TV, especially shows that are already a few seasons in because that way I don't have to wait for new episodes! A few of these shows I am really late to start watching, but that only makes me more invested in catching up.

Anyway, I would love to know your thoughts on these shows and if you have any other recommendations for me to start watching!

The Inbetweeners 

I am really enjoying this British show and can say I think it is so much better than the new American version (although I've watched two seasons of this one and only one episode of the US version, but still I just didn't connect with our version as much) Anyway, The Inbetweeners is hilarious and all of the actors are fantastic and real. The adventures and situations these four friends get into are often crazy, but always entertaining and show just how important strong friendships are. No matter what happens, Jay, Neil, Will, and Simon always have each other. 

This show is definitely not for younger viewers and there are plenty of f-bombs and sex jokes that might make some people uncomfortable. For me, I think this just makes it all the more believable and the British humor is a plus. I started watching this on a recommendation from my friend who lives in Wales and I've already watched the first two seasons on Hulu and am now quickly devouring the third! 

The Vampire Diaries 

(No spoilers in the comments please! I'm still working my way through season one!) 

I am officially addicted to The Vampire Diaries! Wow, I can't believe I waited so long to watch this show! I have started watching the first season with my best friend and we love it. All I can say is I am so glad there are two more seasons for me to sink my teeth into and although I probably won't be caught up by October, I'm still excited for the new season to start because it just means I'll have more Vampire Diaries to watch in the future! 

All of the characters, the mystery, the creepiness, the romance... this show has it all and I can't wait to see what happens next

Jane By Design 

Yes, I know this show was canceled, but I still want to finish watching the first season because I really like this show. I'm sad there won't be a second season because the plot and characters are all great and I have a soft spot for Billy! Anyway, I have been really enjoying this show and if you don't want to watch it now because there won't be another season, I say still give it a shot because it is a heartwarming and entertaining program that I think a lot of teens and adults will enjoy! Plus, the fashion is great!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 

Not only is this another vampire show, it is another fantastically addicting show! I watched the whole first season this summer and while I know the series is supposed to just get better and better, I enjoyed it a lot. Buffy is a kick-ass main character and this show has just the right amount of creepy and fun. As I'm sure most of you have already seen Buffy I won't go into too much detail, but I just want to say I am anxious to get started on the second season and see what happens next!

What do you guys think of these shows? What are some TV programs you've been catching up on?

Summer TV

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I've been MIA for so long, but the end of junior year was crazy and summer even more so with all my college road trips and family vacations. Anyway! I finally have some time away from working on all my AP summer assignments and am working on writing up reviews! In the meantime, I wanted to talk about some of the shows I've been watching this summer! (Because what better way to procrastinate than watching shows on Hulu?)

Pretty Little Liars 

I've been a Pretty Little Liars fan from the time the first book was released. It is one of my favorite series and while I haven't had the chance to read the last few additions to the series, I have been keeping up with the show!

This is such a great show and is such a fun one to watch with friends. There are always crazy twists and turns to keep me guessing and I love seeing all the different outfits the girls wear. I can't wait to see where this season will go and to see what new secrets will be revealed!

Awkward. 

This show is my new addiction. I watched the entire first season while on a trip out west with my parents and am now all caught up with the new season as well. Wow! This show is fantastic. It does a good job of depicting real high school life and the actors are all unique and always have such entertaining experiences. Jenna Hamilton is someone I would love to be friends with and while at first I was flip-flopping between Jake and Matty, I am pretty sure I am solidly Team Jake at the moment. I can't believe I didn't watch this show before!

The Glee Project 

I am a huge Glee fan and really liked the first season of The Glee Project (Go Damian!) even though it wasn't perfect. While I don't particularly love any one of the contestants this season I am rooting for Nellie, Blake, and Shanna.

Who do you think should win

Let me know your thoughts on these shows and what you're watching this summer! I'm catching up on my reviews this week and will hopefully be back with more posts soon!

What I've Been Watching: New TV Version

I always enjoy seeing what TV shows and movies fellow bloggers are watching and I thought I would showcase some of the new shows I've been watching in 2011. All of these shows are on their first season! I'll hopefully be putting up another post next weekend discussing older shows I enjoy.

Please comment with your thoughts on these new shows and any other suggestions you have! I don't always have time to keep up with all of these, but I try to do my best!

Pan Am (Sundays @ 10 on ABC)

I've heard so many good things about shows like Mad Men and when I heard this was being compared to it, I thought I'd give it a shot. The historical setting it fantastic and I love seeing the different destinations the characters visit. There are a lot of story lines to follow, but I'm enjoying this one a lot so far.

The Secret Circle (Thursdays @ 9 on The CW)

The Secret Circle is a book series by LJ Smith, which I unfortunately haven't read, and the show is very good! I love anything to do with witches and the premise of this series is fantastic. A few episodes have freaked me out, but I highly recommend it!

New Girl (Tuesdays @ 9 on Fox)

Some people don't like New Girl at all, but I think it is hilarious! The more I watch, the more attached I become to the different characters, particularly Jess. Zooey Deschanel is awesome and she adds so much to this show.

Once Upon a Time (Sundays @ 8 on ABC)

I adore this show! There have only been two episodes so far, but I'm really enjoying it. The concept is highly original and it's fun seeing my favorite favorite tale characters come to life. My whole family enjoys this program and we're looking forward to see what happens as the season progresses (I am so glad it has been granted a full season!).

Thank you to Nina from We Adore Happy Endings for the idea for this post!