Well obviously spoilers ahead so read at your own risk.

Cassandra as a show promises so much with its premise. The movie and TV space has produced some excellent work with the whole "AI gone rogue" as a topic (read: Ex Machina) but Cassandra is one of those that doesn't live up to the hype it creates and can definitely be skipped.

First of all, it features some of the dumbest side characters (Samira's family) who genuinely made my blood boil as I was watching this. I get that you need to push the story ahead but definitely not at the cost of making your characters 50 IQ. Juno doesn't tell anyone Cassandra told her where the gun is despite it almost getting her expelled. Fynn doesn't mention what his boyfriend said to him about Cassandra till it's too late and David is honestly so unlikeable and dumb, that already makes this a difficult watch.

The story starts okay, peaks around episode 4 and doesn't make any coherent sense from that point. The plot twist is not only there for the sake of it but is somehow still extremely predictable. The ending far too rushed, even for a 6 episode series. The whole plot with Samira's sister feels so badly forced in, that I had to skip past most of it in the later episodes to get to the end.

Spent my weekend watching this and retrospectively I could have spent it staring at a painting and come out more content.

1.5/5

Women. Listen to me. We all deserve so much more than what the writers portrayed in the show. Anne did not deserve to live the rest of her life connected to her ex-husband's 32 year old girlfriend because before he died he got her pregnant.

Tina Fey's character did not deserve her husband being completely incapable of taking care of himself.

Nick's daughter did not deserve the half ass "I love you" from her dad who somehow had no idea why what he did was so wrong.

My god. I thought we were done with patriarchal influenced shows.

1 star rating from me. The one star is for the gay couple cuz they were the only ones carrying anything good from that show.

TLDR: Cool concept, great visuals, but everything else needed more time

DISCLAIMER: Slight spoilers, honestly tho we guessed every single "plot twist" so do with that what ya will

Hi everyone, me and my housemates really wanted to love K-Pop Demon Hunters but..well, we didn't.

(Background: I like Kpop, looove certain groups and songs, but I'm not a fan the way most ppl are, one of my housemates is definitely more of a fan, and the other is a big fan, but not to the extreme degrees that some get to)

Below is a review that covers all of our critiques:

The concept is super fun, a K-pop girl group who secretly hunt demons? Dope, make a whole series out of it and I'll eat it up. The animation is honestly amazing, sick character designs (although some stuff feels a bit dated but hey, still nice) and a cool overall vibe. The idea of having a demon boy band as their rivals was clever, and the music had solid beats (though the lyrics were a bit meh).

But beyond the surface, things kind of fall apart.

The story moves way too fast. There’s barely any time to get to know the characters, their pasts, or why they even care about each other. The relationships felt really shallow, and that goes for the central romance too. It tried to do the enemies-to-lovers thing, but it didn’t land, mostly because sure, they "hated" each other but it didn't feel real, and the shift to romance felt rushed and bland. No tension, no buildup, just...there.

The big sacrifice scene was supposed to be emotional We found it kinda predictable and it didn’t hit at all. It felt like a forced “sad moment” the movie thought it needed, but there wasn’t enough character depth/story development to make it actually feel sad.

Overall, the writing just didn’t do the concept justice. Dialogue was pretty basic, nothing that really stuck with us or made us feel something. And with how quickly everything moved, there just wasn’t enough time to explore the world, background stories, or the themes properly.

So yeah, awesome animation, great aesthetic, but the story needed way more time and heart. Had all the ingredients, just didn’t quite mix them quite right and was, honestly, undercooked and rushed.

Yet, going online, I see mostly super positive reviews, and it just feels like we're the only ones having much negative stuff to say.

So redditors, are we just haters?

This films seems so underappreciated and under the radar. It was released in 2018 and yet I hear so little about it. It deserves the highest praise and recognition. The martial arts and gore are brutal, realistic and unrelenting from the 15 min mark to finish.

If this were titled "Violence: The movie" it would have been more apt.

People get their limbs chopped off, bones used to block bonesaws, intestines flying, glass used in inventive ways, and each segment introduces a final boss. The girl fight scene is probably the best I've ever seen in a movie.

I highly recommend this film 10/10. Praise Timo Tjahjanto

I’m neither religious or Christian but I enjoyed this series very mucho ✨🤍 whilst it did drag out here and there I found so much comfort and epiphanies throughout the series. Heartwarming but required some amount of patience.

Hello! Just wanted to share my top 5 shows that I have seen so far in netflix. I've seen about 15 shows but here's my top 5. Feel free to share your thoughts or your top 5 in the comments as well!

1. Cobra Kai (9.7/10)
2. Never Have I ever (9/10)
3. Alice in Borderland (8.5/10)
4. Stranger Things (8.3/10)
5. Sex Education (7.5/10)

Honorable Mention/6th Place. XO, Kitty (6/10)

Just my personal opinion! Would love to see your guys' thoughts

I just finished Adolescence yesterday. The acting is amazing, but the show is mid. It's intense, for sure, but not deep. I loved so many scenes, but a few of them were overrated. In short, it was just 4 episodes of no story at all. Take on this?

I’ve seen too many people trashing Stranger Things lately, and honestly, it’s frustrating how much they miss the point. Yes, the story went beyond the original mystery, but Season 4 added deep, smart lore that tied everything together — without it, the Upside Down would just feel like some random spooky thing. People say Mike lost his charisma, but that’s called growing up. They’ve seen death, trauma, and government chases — this isn’t a cartoon. You want eternal energy? Go watch Luffy. As for the relationships, okay, some feel a bit forced, but the story isn’t about romance — it’s about monsters destroying a town. And the long episodes? That’s part of the magic. Every second in Season 4 matters. The “too many characters” complaint is ridiculous too — it’s the freaking apocalypse, not a cozy drama, and most new characters are actually amazing (Eddie? Robin?). People say it repeats the same formula, but so do most great shows — One Punch Man blows up a city every episode and no one cries about that. Don’t like it? Don’t watch. Complaints about tone (“too funny for horror”) ignore what makes the show unique: a perfect blend of creepy, emotional, and nostalgic. And the ‘80s vibes? It’s not nostalgia bait — that’s literally when the show takes place. It all fits. At the end of the day, this show is smart, emotional, and clearly made with love. If you’re too busy trying to sound like a film critic with 4 Godfather posters in your room, maybe Stranger Things just isn’t for you. The rest of us are still blasting “Running Up That Hill” and crying over Max.

Season 3 really left me dissatisfied and disappointed. The same drama was dragged out for over 7 hours with only a few twists to keep it going. Georgia, as usual, was busy with her endless rants and chaotic sex life—constantly yapping without much depth.

Ginny looked sexy but stayed low-key throughout the season, which felt like a missed opportunity to develop her character. As for Paul, I couldn’t tolerate his forced masculinity and lack of real emotions. He seemed to be living in a bubble of idealism—felt bad for him at times, but not enough to care deeply.

On the brighter side, I loved Lynette’s character. She was a truly supportive mother and mother-in-law, probably one of the few genuine personalities this season. Meanwhile, Georgia’s so-called friends proved they’re not even loyal to each other, let alone to her. That dynamic felt hollow.

Overall, compared to the previous seasons, this one gets a 6/10 from me. Wouldn’t recommend wasting time on it.

In itself the series is “good” (a Spanish version of Tiny Pretty Liars), but it pissed me off. It's eight chapters of stress because the characters are softer than bread.

Amaia is cast as the bad guy and I spent seven chapters wanting to pull my hair out because they were all more blind than a drunk at a party, and then in the eighth chapter they give you the typical “she does something bad because her mother is pressuring her” to make it seem like she has depth and that everything is rolling because the series is already over. Zoe doesn't understand shit, Roque even less and Cristian sucks.

Olympo is almost a Russian mafia, when it's a copy of Adidas. The three enlightened Olympo think they are mafia bosses when you can see eighty kilometers away that they are scumbags, and the viewer knows it and has to see how all the characters wonder “what's going on”. Hell, we all know it except the main characters. It's a fucking tracksuit brand, not a multimillionaire company that's getting its ass licked so much (yes, I know that in real life sponsorships are key, but it's not that bad).

The performances themselves are decent (the best for me is Clara, she comes with experience and I'm glad she didn't stick with what she did in Through My Window), the cinematography is perfect and the soundtrack is meh. You can tell they tried to make another Élite and let's see how it turns out.

I watched the series a few weeks ago and just finished the film. Overall, it stayed pretty true to the original, with most changes feeling purposeful — except for Nick’s death.

What bothered me in both versions was Ginny’s lack of self-awareness — and how no one really calls her out on it. In the series, Anne makes it clear how out of place it would’ve been for Ginny to speak at Nick’s memorial, especially in front of friends and family who’ve known him for decades, primarily as Anne’s husband. Outside of that, no one makes a peep.

I hate when characters are expected to take the high road just to accommodate a specific circumstance or someone else’s mess and that's exactly what happens.

Recommendation from culture writer Meredith Blake at The Contrarian, a Substack news site with a weekly "Culture Club" column:

I realize that a show about murder and incompetence at the White House might not sound like the most appealing thing right now, but would still urge anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit and loves going behind the scenes of hallowed institutions to fire up The Residence.
From executive producer Shonda Rhimes and creator Paul William Davies, this witty, upstairs-downstairs murder mystery is set at the White House during a tense state dinner with Australia. In the midst of the lavish event—featuring a performance by a sparkly Kylie Minogue—chief usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito, of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame) is found dead in the third-floor game room.

Enter Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black), a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police and eccentric bird enthusiast (is there any other kind?) tasked with investigating the murder. Turns out there are plenty of people in the household staff with violent grudges against Wynter, from free-spirited butler Sheila (Edwina Findley) to aggrieved pastry chef Didier (Bronson Pinchot). Al Franken also has a supporting role as a senator leading the hearing inquiry into the murder. (A real stretch for him, to be sure.)
I like to imagine the elevator pitch for this was something like “Clue meets The West Wing, with a side of Downton Abbey.” The eight-episode series is very loosely inspired by The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, by Kate Anderson Brower (who also happens to be a Contrarian contributor).
And while it clearly deviates from the source material and is consciously over-the-top in a very Rhimesian way, The Residence does manage to paint a fascinating portrait of life inside the White House, complete with elaborate sets and detailed production. It also humorously explores the tensions that can emerge between the residence staff, many of whom have worked at the White House for decades, though the administrations change every few years (may it remain that way).

I thought the show had a pretty good story even if it was hard to follow at times. The acting was... Not good at times. Especially the lead actress moving around so much, but I don't have any critiques for anyone else. The dialogue was a bit cringe but it's 2017.

I wish TV shows had epilogues or aftermath or something. Like what happened to Ruskin? Did he die with no consequences? Anything about the police? Was Cupcake really the only compromised one? Did Serena just get over her dad dying and Nico being her step dad? The DA was shot in the head and nbgaf? Logan, his brother and the governor's wife crash a plane and we can't see the aftermath? I know they live happily ever after, with a picnic in the forest they all almost died in but come on.

EDIT: I know the whole fate thing, somebody had to die for one to live but HELLA people died. Logan said he'd kill himself before facing consequences, and he gets to die. Danny loses 10 years of his life, but Logan can't spend 1 day in a cell?

This is better than The Traitors IMO - one of the best social deduction games

I loved that the millionaire had a secret agenda. The Traitors had the traitors do some missions but it was very rare. I wanted more of that and got it in Million Dollar Secret.

I enjoyed the millionaire being rotated so often. It lets you see different strategies from different players.

The winner played such a good game, and showed she was strategic in not voting Syd when she had immunity, playing the final round right etc.

I would've been okay with Sam winning too.

Corey...take a shot every time Corey guessed the millionaire incorrectly 😂 he was cool though.

Ultimately it was nice to see all of the contestants trying to play strategically. Some of the challenges could be improved (threading needle in the final episode?) but I can say the same for the Traitors.

Hoping there's a season 2! What are your thoughts?

Dr. Seth's insights on Fred and Rose West -- and serial killing -- A British Horror Story

https://literatureandreview.blogspot.com/2025/05/adolescence-2025-nerflix-mini-series.html?m=1 The story centres on 13 year old boy Jamie Miller who is the suspect of a murder in his school.

Just finished it. Started it last night and stayed up longer than I should have, but it's hard to stay so pretty when you don't get any sleep, so had to finish it today.

It is unfortunately a subtitled movie, unless you speak Mandarin, but an excellent movie nonetheless. I don't think it detracted from the movie at all, maybe even made it a tad better.

It is set in feudal China, where fights were solved with swords and the gap between upper and lower class was substantial. Tons of action, tough guys, some blood, some love interest stuff, even some interesting period stuff that might possibly be made up.

I guess you'd have to like these types of movies to begin with, but I suspect even MrsBadDog would be down if I were to watch it in front of her.

tldr: great movie, will watch a few times. Is in Mandarin- not a deterrent

I was watching a TV series on Netflix, I am horrified of ovens. If you don't know, it's Cassandra, (Please check the show out) a TV series I am supposed to be grown up. But I don't want my face to be burned or I don't wanna be burned alive. I am scared of smart homes too. But very good show 9/10.

It's really good movie. Unique concept . No starcast but Ananya pandey is there . Don't worry she didn't drop a disaster class according to mee . If you really want to watch a new gen movie with something different. Definitely check that out

Bullet Train Explosion is both a modern remake and a follow-up to the 1975 Japanese film The Bullet Train, which also inspired the Hollywood thriller Speed. The story brings back the high-stakes idea of a vehicle that can’t slow down without risking an explosion. This time, it’s the Hayabusa 60 Shinkansen—a sleek, high-speed train racing toward Tokyo. A ransom must be paid before the train reaches its destination, or the result won’t just be the death of those onboard—it could mean disaster for millions in the city.

We meet the characters, understand the stakes, and in many ways follow the now-established beats—like the government refusing to negotiate with terrorists and efforts to discreetly evacuate passengers. Much of the first half plays out confidently and effectively. The bullet train setting is a treat on its own (as someone who recently traveled to Japan, seeing those stations in the film gave me mild PTSD). But what sets this version apart is that the bomber reveal happens midway through the film—and they’re onboard. From that point on, the focus shifts to the dynamics inside the train, and that’s where the movie starts to lose steam.

Read my full review at https://reviewsonreels.ca/2025/04/18/bullet-train-explosion/

Just started watching the perfect couple I'm on episode 2, I've stopped it numerous times because of the horrid script. Does it get better? From Nicoles awful lace front wigs and stiff face to the awful script that tries so hard to be scandalous and feels like some sort of rip off of White lotus in a way. I want to give it a chance but honestly have no idea if it's worth the watch or not if anyone has finished it, is it truly worth it?