Just Add Magic is an exciting magical mystery kids series, if you were a Nickelodeon child, series like this should not be new to you. The series was adapted from a 2010 middle-grade fantasy novel of the same name by Cindy Callaghan. It follows three friends; Kelly, Hannah and Darbie, who finds a old cookbook with weird recipes and spices they've never heard.

I've always loved magical shows, shows that are mystical with a tinge of mystery. It's a show from my childhood, it aired on Nickelodeon at a particular time and I was not privileged enough to watch it without being disturbed,so I did what anyone with a lot of time on their hands would do, I binged the whole 3 season under 24 hours.

Just add magic was so easy to follow, I would even say that it was addictive, as exciting events would pop up one after the other. There was no dull moment, there's always a new mystery to solve, the series is quite engaging for both adults and kids. The girls try to solve mystery that comes with finding this cookbook, like why Kelly's grandmother can't talk or why Miss Silvers stop playing in public, who is Chuck and why does the three friends; Kelly's grandmother, Miss Silvers and Mama P no longer talk to each other, as they try to find answers to this question they try to balance school, family, hobbies and their friendship around the Magic. The series evoke critical thinking, as the girls try to crack the riddles that come with the recipes.The magic is not free, each spice has its own drawback, some of the recipes are more powerful than you think and would demand something of value in return.

The production team really brought the story to life with the enchanted cozy cinematic feel. They made the magic real with the props that made you feel like you are in a mythical world; magical props, mythical ingredients and even Kelly's kitchen, were it was necessary and brought back to a modern feel when the magic was hidden. The kid actors; Olivia Sanabia (Kelly), Abby Donnelly (Hannah), Aubrey K. Miller (Darbie) gave a stellar performance and really told the story well though their acting, other actors like Judah Bellamy(Jake), Amy Hill (Mama P), Ellen Karsten (Ms. Silvers) Dee Wallace (Becky) did a get job on their roles as their characters brought dimension to the show.

Like all good things, it comes to an end at season 3 but the magic continues in the spin off; Just Add Magic: mystery city. Just Add Magic is a family friendly series that you form bonds over. It is suspenseful, thoughtful and evoke empathy, friendship and feeling of responsibility wrapped in magic. Perfect for families, kids and lover of mystery like me.

Images are a screenshots from the series. Thanks for Reading ☺️

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It's been pretty bad for me lately as far as searching for a series or mini-series is concerned. I was hopeful about Alien Earth but don't like the tweener direction that it is going and there are a number of other series that I thought were ok, but just not good enough that I am in that zone at the end of each episode where I simply cannot wait to get the next one started.

After watching a single episode of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox I believe I have finally found something that I think will appeal to almost anyone and it, so far, has been exceptionally done by all metrics.

This is apparently based on a true story about a murder and investigation in Italy involving an American foreign-exchange student and how she became the prime suspect in the murder of her then roommate even though she was innocent of said crime. This might be common knowledge to people out there that keep up with current events better than I do but for me, this is the first I am hearing about it.

The way that the show is presented stays seriously interesting because they keep skipping back and forth through time, jumping back to before the murder, then jumping to the investigation, and then jumping to well after it. This is all labeled on screen and is quite easy to follow and keeps the tension high throughout.

me telling you that Amanda didn't do it isn't a spoiler, this is spelled out in both the trailer and the first few minutes of the film not to mention the fact that a lot of people around the world are likely already quite familiar with the entire thing anyway.

For the viewer it is probably easy for a lot of us to identify the ignorance of youth on full display here as Amanda, being innocent, has this idea in her head that due to her innocence that she has nothing to worry about. She nonchalantly sits through hours and hours in police interviews, often attempting to answer the questions in Italian, which she does not speak very well. Then once an interpreter gets involved, Amanda appears to contradict some of what she had previously said but that was only because she was being perhaps a bit too agreeable with the detectives and answering "yes" to questions that she didn't fully understand. This appears to get her into trouble almost immediately.

The fact that she is trying to keep up a tough facade instead of acting super emotional gives the appearance of a sociopath as well, so in the eyes of the police, they start to suspect that not only is she a murderer but that she feels no remorse for having done so.

We, as the audience are able to kind of understand how they would get this impression as Amanda continually plays it cool when honestly, having an over-the-top emotional response would have likely been a better choice.

I'm only one episode in and I can already relate to every viewpoint in this story. It's easy to understand the motivations of the detectives in focusing on her as a suspect, and it is also easy to understand why Amanda would presume that because she is innocent and is cooperating completely, that she would never be a suspect.

Things have a way of happening though, I guess and that is what this show is all about.

The tension is kept high and things don't ever have a chance to slow down to a crawl by virtue of them going back and forth in time to keep us informed about all the pieces of the puzzle.

Whether they can keep this up for the entirety of the mini-series remains to be seen but up to this point, this is one of the best made mini-series I have seen in years and definitely the best one I have seen in 2025.

Should I watch it?

Absolutely. It definitely is not necessary for you to be familiar with the real-life story to understand what is going on here. They catch you up on all of that in a very inventive and easy to follow way. The actors are all phenomenal, and perfect in their respective roles. There are only 2 of 8 episodes currently available on Hulu exclusively (perhaps Disney as well since they are the same company) and the remaining episodes are going to be released week by week going forward.

If you like to have all episodes available all at once you will need to wait until the start of October before they are all out there. You will also need to pay close attention unless you happen to be fluent in both English and Italian.

One Arrest (S01E07)

Airdate: July 14th 2002

Written by: Rafael Alvarez Directed by: Joe Chappelle

Running Time: 59 minutes

The Wire’s inaugural season remains a benchmark for television storytelling, its genius lying not in bombast but in an almost surgical precision with which it constructs an immensely complex urban ecosystem. David Simon and his team demonstrated an unparalleled ability to weave intricate narratives with deceptive efficiency, favouring realism over melodrama. This approach is epitomised by the show’s handling of character introduction and development – significant figures often emerge not with fanfare, but in a matter-of-fact, almost incidental manner, their importance revealed gradually through the grinding machinery of the streets and the police procedural. The seventh episode, One Arrest, serves as a prime example of this methodology, showcasing how seemingly minor moments and late introductions coalesce into pivotal narrative and thematic turning points, all while the title itself subtly misleads the viewer regarding the episode’s true structural weight.

The title "One Arrest" is, in fact, a piece of narrative sleight of hand. While the episode centres on police operations, it hinges upon two critical arrests, each carrying profound consequences for the Barksdale investigation and the moral landscape of the characters involved. The first stems from the wiretap operation, revealing a critical drug resupply point. Detectives successfully seize the stash, yet make the calculated, ethically fraught decision to allow Avon Barksdale’s enforcer, Anton "Stinkum" Artis (Brandon Price), to escape. This deliberate act of operational restraint – sacrificing an immediate collar to preserve the long-term intelligence stream – underscores the task force’s professionalism, however morally ambiguous. Instead, they arrest Stinkum’s runner, Kevin Johnston (Jimmy Jelani Manners), the traumatised teenager blinded by Prez’s errant punch in a prior incident. Johnston’s presence in the task force basement is a visceral confrontation for Prez, embodying the human cost of his recklessness. Despite the palpable awkwardness and Prez’s discomfort, Lieutenant Cedric Daniels, ever the pragmatist seeking leverage, offers Johnston the chance to become an informant – an offer Johnston understandably rejects, hardened by his experience. Crucially, this arrest triggers Stringer Bell’s sharp intelligence; the near-miss makes him suspicious, leading him to implement stricter communication protocols, banning the use of payphones near The Pit.

The second arrest, however, delivers a far more brutal and morally destabilising blow. Omar Little’s tip regarding Bird’s murder of William Gant proves credible. Corroborated by a witness visited by Jimmy McNulty and Bunk Moreland, the arrest of Bird – a desperate addict forced to seek drugs outside Barksdale territory due to their strict "no user" policy – yields forensic evidence linking him to multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty. The task force offers Bird a stark choice: testify against Avon Barksdale and save himself, or face execution. His refusal is laced with vicious, homophobic taunts directed at Kima Greggs. This transgression shatters the usually composed Daniels. The scene where he, alongside his detectives, participates in a savage beatdown of the restrained Bird is a watershed moment. It reveals the thin veneer of institutional restraint; the victim’s reprehensible character momentarily overrides professional ethics and legal procedure, exposing the raw, vengeful humanity simmering beneath the detectives' badges. Daniels’ participation marks a significant, unsettling compromise of his previously established principled pragmatism.

Parallel to this central narrative, the episode expertly develops secondary threads that deepen the show’s institutional critique. Major Rawls’ relentless vendetta against McNulty places Detective Santangelo in an untenable position, forcing him to act as an unwilling spy within the task force. Santangelo’s profound discomfort culminates in Rawls issuing an ultimatum: spy or solve an impossible cold case. Choosing the latter out of desperation, Santangelo absurdly acts on Sergeant Landsman’s offhand joke about consulting psychic Madame La Rue (Robin Skye). While Santangelo initially credits the psychic’s bizarre instructions for the case’s resolution, he later discovers it was McNulty and Bunk’s diligent police work. This humiliation compels Santangelo to confess Rawls’ ultimatum to McNulty, whose reaction – a quiet, troubled admission that solving murders is he actually likes to do – poignantly underscores his core identity as a detective, stripped bare of politics or ambition.

Written by Rafael Alvarez, Simon’s former Baltimore Sun colleague sharing his journalistic grounding, the episode exemplifies the show’s strength: advancing complex plot through utterly believable character actions and dialogue. Alvarez’s background shines in the nuanced political subplot. A fundraiser scene introduces Lieutenant Daniels to the formidable State Senator Clay Davis (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), a masterclass in political theatre. Daniels’ accidental encounter with Davis’ driver, Damien Price (Donnell Rawlings), whose careless boasts about house robbery vulnerabilities hint at the Senator’s dubious entourage, is a perfectly understated revelation. It’s not a dramatic exposé, but a quiet, realistic glimpse into the rot at the city’s political core, achieved through naturalistic conversation – a hallmark of the series.

One Arrest further cements The Wire’s commitment to surprising yet utterly plausible character revelations. Bubbles arranges for his friend Johnny Weeks’ release from jail on drug charges in exchange for his own cooperation, stipulating Johnny attempts to get clean. Their attendance at a support group meeting reveals a poignant irony: it is Bubbles, the chronic user, who displays genuine engagement with the recovery process, while Johnny remains detached. Simultaneously, the traumatic memory of Brandon Wright’s murder proves overwhelming for Wallace. Unable to process his complicity, he effectively abandons his role at The Pit, seeking escape not in responsibility but in the very drugs he previously avoided – a devastating illustration of trauma’s corrosive effect.

The episode’s quiet power lies in these accumulations: the deceptive title masking dual pivotal arrests, the slow burn of institutional pressures corrupting individuals like Daniels and implicating figures like Judge Phelan (whose awkward admission of lust for Rhonda Pearlman, unaware of her relationship with McNulty, adds another layer of human frailty), and the relentless focus on how systemic forces shape individual choices, for better or worse. It avoids grand pronouncements, instead trusting the audience to grasp the profound implications within a teenager’s refusal to inform, a psychic’s accidental credibility, or the knuckles whitening on a detective’s fist during an illegal beating. One Arrest is not about a single event, but about the intricate, often brutal, web of consequences spun from every action within the unforgiving ecosystem of Baltimore. It is a masterclass in efficient, realistic storytelling where the most significant moments often occur not with a bang, but with the quiet, chilling sound of a door closing on principle.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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Fuente

Out of Darkness es una película que te lleva directo a la época de la Edad de Piedra, donde un grupo de vagabundos estan buscando un nuevo hogar en medio de la fría y agresiva naturaleza, pero pronto comenzó a notarse que algo los seguía en el bosque de Escocia, ningún ruido ayuda a tranquilizarlos, pero algo los esta cazando en la oscuridad. Adem es su líder valiente y tiene que cargar con la presión para salvar a su hijo y proteger a su esposa embarazada mientras enfrentan un enemigo invisible. Toda la parte del bosque que no se ve nada y la forma que usan para jugar con las luces y el sonido mantienen la intriga, aunque me parece que la premisa es débil además que los actores tienen los dientes perfectos la piel impecable y la ropa es de cuerina que parecen más bien sacados de un desfile y eso hace que no sientas ninugn peligro. Parece que el equipo de produccion esta a medio metro de lo falsa uqe se ve la historia y lo medio bueno es la actuacion de Safia Oakley que si se siente natural, pero igual me perdi a veces y el final fue apresurado y decepcionante. Algo que también medio lograron que fuera creible es el frio que se siente más fuerte por la noche, los sonidos del bosque parecieran cobrar vida propia y aunque intentan mantenerse cerca del fuego, el miedo les juega malas pasadas, el instinto de supervivencia es fuerte, pero la incertidumbre puede más que eso, cada sombra parece esconder un destino fatal.

Fuente

El director intenta como crear un ambiente usando juegos de luces y sombras y también un diseño de sonido que hace que parezca todo misterioso pero al final el terror no termina por pegar, los actores lucen más como modelos que como sobrevivientes de realidad primitiva y yo la verdad me desconecte de la histria, así que no esperen ver una película que asuste mucho y si quieren verla que sea cuando no tengan nada mas que hacer. La historia no avanza ni tiene ritmo y las y todo es como vacío y simple y aunque el amibente trate de meterte en la historia el problema es que los personajes son muy modernos y no se ven creibles ni primitivos, el director quiso hacer un suspenso más que sangre directa pero para mí falló en muchas cosas. El ritmo es malo y el final no tiene emocion, yo sentí a hstoria como atropellada como si estuviera incompleta, para mí faltó más desarrollo para que me importara lo que le pasara a algún personaje. La tension de cuando alguien desaparece se va rápidamente y lo que está amenazando a estos tipos no es tan impactante. Usaron un lenguaje ficticio que si me pareció que funcionaba bien esto es algo que debo reconocer se nota el esfuerzo que pusieron en crear este lenguaje, toda la película esta hablada en lo que ellos llaman Tola que aparentemente está basado en el idioma vasco y eso al menos te ayuda a sentir que estás viendo algo diferente y autentico en lugar de escuchar ingles británico saliendo de la boca de cavernícolas.

Fuente

Una falla notable es esto de que los personajes parecen muy sanos y limpiecitos, quien aguanta frio, hambre y bosque hostil y tiene unos dientes blancos, los actores tenían que revolcarse en barro o dejar de bañarse durante la grabación o no se un maquillaje para que tuvieran ese aspecto de cavernicolas porque esto hace que el look de la peli sea falso y nada intenso. Lo único que la salva es las luces, el sonido y el bosque si no fuera por esos detalles creo que esto seria un aburrimiento total. Para mí los detalles pequeños son importantes para lograr que todo sea creíble y aquí entra la suciedad, las heridas, los roces en la piel y toda esa imperfección natural que está en la vida salvaje, aquí todo es como demasiado pensado y no da lugar para algo imprevisto. Otro gran problema de Out of Darkness es que pasa más tiempo tratando de ser misteriosa y se olvida de desarrollar a los personajes o crear situaciones realmente tensas, la mayor parte de la pelicula es puro caminar por el bosque, escuchar ruidos y de vez en cuando encontrar evidencia de que algo anda mal, pero nunca llegas a creer que los personajes esten en peligro real hasta que ya es muy tarde en la historia, cuando por fin se revela que lo que los esta cazando es una familia de neandertales que tambien estan tratando de sobrevivir y esto no me generó ningún impacto porque no dieron suficientes raxones para que me importara lo que le pasaba a los personajes.

Fuente

Fuente

Adem enfrenta un peligro invisible pero principalmente una decision dificil para liderar su gente primitiva, es el hombre clave que debe velar por la supervivencia de su clan y aunque tenga valor a veces pareciera que estuviera perdido. El final llega demasiado rapidito y no tuvo ningún sentido, además el climax de la película pasa por alto oportunidades de generar conflicto real y emocionante, las decisiones de Adem son importantes, pero a mi no me convencieron más bien me pareció que todo era conveniente para terminar la historia sin arriesgar ni mostrar consecuencias verdaderas para los personajes, sentí que le faltó bastante profundidad emocional pudo haber sido muy diferente con un enfoque mas lento y mayor desarrollo humano, pero lamentablemente no fue asi. La actuacion de Safia Oakley Green como Beyah es probablemente lo mejor que da la pelicula, ella logra darle personalidad y credibilidad a su personaje sin caer en los cliches pero una buena actuacion no puede cargar sola todo el peso de una pelicula que tiene problemas mas profundos, el resto de los actores cumple pero sin brillar realmente, Chuku Modu hace lo que puede con el papel de lider pero nunca logra transmitir esa autoridad natural que necesita el personaje para ser creible.

Fuente

El final de la película además de ser apresurado no es satisfactorio parece como si hubieran llegado al limite del presupuesto y tuvieron que terminar la historia rapido sin importar si tenia sentido o no, la confrontación entre los humanos modernos y los neandertales que debió tener más emoción se resuelve de manera confusa, me pareció frustrante porque creo que habia potencial para algo mejor si hubieran desarrolladi mejor la idea, La verdad si quieres ver Out of Darkness no tengas esperanzas de mucho terror ni suspenso real, la actuación de Safia Oakley brilla si las comparas con las otras actuaciones que parecen mediocres y poco convincentes. Yo le doy un 5.5/10 Out of Darkness, las fallas abundan por todos lados, no es una película para los amantes del terror fuerte, ni para quienes buscan historias con cambios inteligentes o sorprendentes, más bien es un intento de contar algo que a modo visual si es atractivo pero la historia es bastante superficial.

[ENGLISH VERSION]

Source

Out of Darkness is a film that takes you straight to the Stone Age era, where a group of wanderers are looking for a new home in the middle of the cold and aggressive nature, but soon they begin to notice that something is following them in the forest of Scotland, no noise helps to reassure them, but something is hunting them in the dark. Adem is their fearless leader and has to bear the pressure to save his son and protect his pregnant wife while facing an unseen enemy. The whole part of the forest where you can't see anything and the way they play with the lights and sound keeps the intrigue going, although I think the premise is weak and the actors have perfect teeth, flawless skin and leather clothes that look more like something out of a parade and that makes you feel no danger at all. It seems that the production team is half a meter away from how fake the story looks and the only good thing is Safia Oakley's performance that feels natural, but I still got lost at times and the ending was rushed and disappointing. Something that also half managed to be believable is the cold that feels stronger at night, the sounds of the forest seem to take on a life of their own and although they try to stay close to the fire, fear plays tricks on them, the survival instinct is strong, but the uncertainty is stronger than that, every shadow seems to hide a fatal destiny.

Source

The director tries to create an atmosphere using lights and shadows and also a sound design that makes everything look mysterious but in the end the terror does not end up sticking, the actors look more like models than as survivors of primitive reality and I really disconnected from the story, so do not expect to see a movie that scares a lot and if you want to see it when you have nothing else to do. The story does not move forward and has no rhythm and everything is kind of empty and simple and even though the actor tries to get you into the story the problem is that the characters are very modern and do not look credible or primitive, the director wanted to make a suspense rather than direct blood but for me he failed in many things. The pacing is bad and the ending has no emotion, I felt the story was rushed as if it was incomplete, for me it lacked more development to make me care about what happened to any character. The tension of when someone disappears is gone quickly and what is threatening these guys is not that shocking. They used a fictitious language that I thought worked well, this is something that I must recognize the effort they put in creating this language, the whole movie is spoken in what they call Tola which apparently is based on the Basque language and that at least helps you feel that you are watching something different and authentic instead of listening to British English coming out of the mouths of cavemen.

Source

One notable flaw is that the characters look very healthy and clean, who endure cold, hunger and hostile forest and have white teeth, the actors had to wallow in mud or stop bathing during filming or I don't know a makeup to make them look like cavemen because it makes the look of the movie fake and not intense at all. The only thing that saves it is the lights, the sound and the forest if it wasn't for those details I think this would be a total bore. For me the small details are important to make everything believable and here comes the dirt, the wounds, the scratches on the skin and all that natural imperfection that is in the wild, here everything is like too thought out and does not give room for something unexpected. Another big problem with Out of Darkness is that it spends more time trying to be mysterious and forgets to develop the characters or create really tense situations, most of the movie is just walking through the forest, listening to noises and occasionally finding evidence that something is wrong, but you never really come to believe that the characters are in real danger until very late in the story, when it is finally revealed that what is hunting them is a family of Neanderthals who are also trying to survive and this didn't make any impact on me because they didn't give enough raxons to make me care about what was happening to the characters.

Source

Source

Adem faces an unseen danger but mainly a difficult decision to lead his primitive people, he is the key man who must see to the survival of his clan and although he has courage at times he seems lost. The ending comes too quickly and did not make any sense, also the climax of the film overlooks opportunities to generate real and exciting conflict, Adem's decisions are important, but I was not convinced but it seemed to me that everything was convenient to end the story without risking or show real consequences for the characters, I felt it lacked enough emotional depth could have been very different with a slower approach and more human development, but unfortunately it was not. Safia Oakley Green's performance as Beyah is probably the best that the film gives, she manages to give personality and credibility to her character without falling into clichés but a good performance alone can not carry all the weight of a film that has deeper problems, the rest of the actors meet but without really shine, Chuku Modu does what he can with the role of leader but never manages to convey that natural authority that the character needs to be credible.

Source

The ending of the movie besides being rushed is not satisfactory it seems as if they had reached the limit of the budget and had to finish the story quickly regardless of whether it made sense or not, the confrontation between modern humans and Neanderthals that should have had more emotion is resolved in a confusing way, I found it frustrating because I think there was potential for something better if they had developed the idea better, The truth is if you want to see Out of Darkness don't expect much horror or real suspense, Safia Oakley's performance shines if you compare it with the other performances that seem mediocre and unconvincing. I give it a 5.5/10 Out of Darkness, flaws abound everywhere, it is not a film for lovers of strong horror, nor for those looking for stories with intelligent or surprising changes, rather it is an attempt to tell something that visually if it is attractive but the story is quite superficial.

TranslatedwithDeepL 

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Sicario Day of the Soldado is the kind of sequel that drops you in deep and never really lets you breathe but what is it about sequels that they most of the time cant get things right, this sequel is not trying to outclass Villeneuve’s original and you can feel that from the first minutes but it does lock in on raw tension and a very grounded sense of danger that will have you tense all the time, the movie opens with hard shocks, ugly detonations and that immediate feeling that the world just got way worse, I kept thinking this one wants to be more of a gory and savage than the first one like they trying to set the bar higher, the conversations are cold and straight, the operations are blunt, there is this idea that someone higher up just snaps a finger and dudes like Matt Graver move mountains with very few questions asked, I honestly liked that stripped tone here, it fits a story that keeps telling you there are no rules today and everyone understands exactly what that means, even when I felt the plot turning messy or the script dragging that it actually does a bit heavy during the second part of the movie. There are many technical aspects of the movie that were really cool like that overhead eye tracking convoys, that whispered orders in the dark, that plane that just appears on demand, I get the vibe this is exactly the point, look how fast they can change a map, look how cheaply a life can be traded when the job is labeled necessary, this is not pretty but it is focused, it gets darker as the movie progress and there is a moral fog in every conversation specially on the second part of the movie that has less action before the closing scenes.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052474/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Rottentomatoes Rating

After the success of the first movie we get all this familiar faces in a new configuration, Josh Brolin’s Graver is still that casual destroyer, a man in crocs barking about no rules, very direct, zero fluff and yet this time he is forced to stare at his own reflection when the plan gets ugly, Benicio del Toro’s Alejandro barely speaks, as usall although this time we see a more sentimental and moral oriented side of the character, he remains one of those rare characters who can be terrifying without raising his voice, different from the first movie this time we get Alejandro gettting beat up very very badle to the point that he almost died and Benicio sells the pain but over all sells that survival mode he locks into, he has to chew glass through half that stretch and still keep moving , it is nasty and it is tense as hell and it might be the closest this sequel gets to that Children of Men level of breathe in the moment realism, not quite there but it still hits hard, on the other side you have the young cartel world kid because thats all most of them are, the kid who thinks he is ready because he can look someone in the eyes and not blink, one day you are flexing by a truck, the next day you are asked to do something that ruins a piece of your soul, I know its a bit cliche have the new guy on the cartel kll someone as their final test to be accepted but what else there is? and its this moment that lands in a place that sets up something bigger or darker, or both.

The big swing in Soldado is building a fake war to spark a real one, on the first movie was a similar situation but there was Alejandro personal motives too, it is that cold idea of kidnap a daughter, make it look like the rivals did it while watch the world burn but as a result or say "karma" there is the mid sequence rescue, the whole convoy choreography, the panic and then the abrupt cut to carnage, I loved how the camera keeps distance until the second the movie decides to drop you into that chaos, from the two movies its probably the best scene compared to the one on the border, the movie keeps returning to that drone view too like a god eye, always there. I do not think it is subtle but it is effective, when Graver realizes the rules have changed mid mission and that the kid is not the only target anymore, he is still efficient as hell but there is something like doubt, I found that interesting, the movie never softens him into a hero, it just lets him feel something and then keep working and that is more truthful for this world. Isabella the daughter at the center, is sharper than people around her expect, you can see the exact moment she starts piecing it together in the staging area, soldiers not cops, this is not a rescue, just a different kind of cage, her scenes during the ambush connect the horror with a real human reaction, the shock in her ears when the gunfire hits the truck, the silence right after, that was really good, there are little touches like that that kept me inside the movie even when the broader plotting felt like it wanted to sprint past some logic, for me the experience was the goal, and in that lane it delivers.

I know a lot of people are going to say the story feels over complicated and at times it does, the early terrorism thread seems to point one way and then it turns into something else, by design the movie is suppose to confuses intention and method as the first one did but this time same as the action and corrupt police they try to set things higher but in ther certain point the story also how creates too much friction with Alejandro’s path still made for a nasty moral turn, there is also a late helicopter decision that plays like a clear break in Graver’s mind, I wish the aftermath of that had one more scene or something else because it really felt like they were either running out of time or ideas so decide to throw the hole helicopter scene as a shocking effect, the cut forward leaves you hanging, yes the final stint of the movie tries to set up a next chapter but it felt a little too abrupt, I still liked the nerve of the ending though, the conversation in that shop, the quiet anger that worked for me and it fits the modern western angle that keeps showing up, dusty roads, hard men, a town that decides to look away, Sheridan’s writing always bends that way and it shows in how these characters solve problems, they do not give speeches they just pick make things happen and bring down chaos.

I am not going to pretend this sequel is perfect in fact the middle of the movie kills the mood and deviates from the formula of the original movie that had multiple small action scenes one after another to keep you hooked all the time, there are beats I wanted more from, a few threads could have landed cleaner and I do think the first movie sits in a league of its own but I still had a good time with Day of the Soldado for what it is, as usual most sequels cant overcome the original and then its always the same as we cant keep toping things off, so its ok for sequels to basically fail as most of the time the target is to either continue the story for a third one or just set the bar higher but Day of The Soldado failed at the second one. The movie keeps that pressure on from the start but certainly a more emotional movie and it shows when there are choices that force these characters to live with what they done and honestly that ending sticks as we see the mighty Alejandro all fucked up but isnt him a bad as to still survive all what he have to go through, the second movie really put him to the test and show more than his Sicario skills and then again leaves the door open for revenge and everyone he just spent time with is standing too close to the edge, I guess thats the cost of doing business with the enemy, Day of The Solcdado main idea probably was to show what that no rules day actually costs.

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Firstly, I don't like being misled because this particular movie did a thing to me, or should I say it's the title that did that thing to me. So let me take you guys to the beginning where it all started.

When I first saw the title of the movie, my expectations became very high because I was in for horror scenes that would sweep me off my feet. I said to myself, "I can't wait for those scenes to unfold." Then I dived into the movie, and the seconds started counting. The beginning seemed normal till everything started taking a different turn. The only mistake I made was not watching the trailer before embarking on that journey.

The Plot

The movie "Night always comes" tells the story of a girl named "Lynette" who keeps multiple jobs just to keep her childhood home. Lynette lives with her mother, "Doreen," and her older brother, "Kenny," who has Down syndrome.

The house Lynette and her family live in is up for renewal, but Lynette, on the other hand, doesn't possess the finances required to acquire the house forever. So Lynette and her mother were to meet with someone at the bank to acquire a loan that would enable them to settle the house fund.

On the day of the meeting, Lynette's mother is nowhere to be found. Arriving home from the bank, Lynette discovers that her mother has purchased a brand new car worth twenty-five thousand dollars, which is equivalent to the amount needed to secure the house.

Lynette has to look at different possible means to acquire a loan that would enable her to secure the house for her family. It contains a lot of plot twists, so I will leave you to watch it for yourself in order not to be a spoiler.

My Review

I'm gonna start by giving out my flowers to the lead cast "Vanessa Kirby", she deserves it and even more, she embodied that character so well, that I couldn't predict if I was seeing a movie or a real event occurring in front of me. Her performance contains elements of vulnerability. The fact that she doesn't need any flashy dialogue to make you feel what she is going through is something that got me glued to my screen.

This movie kept me on the edge of my seat all through thereby allowing different scenes to unfold, unpredictable scenes. I was always waiting for the next action to happen, and before I knew it, it was making me pay more attention to the movie in order not to feel wanting or look clueless and confused.

The movie was a brilliant one I'm not gonna lie. At some point, I felt like Lynette's mother was not helping with the whole thing happening in the house. I mean, she would have told Lynette that she didn't want the house due to reasons best known to her, instead of allowing Lynette to hustle for something that doesn't seem possible.

The question I kept asking myself is, "How would Lynette raise twenty thousand dollars in just one night?" That is the most impossible thing I've ever heard. Though she tried every possible means to raise the money, she was still faced with some setbacks.

I feel like Lynette was busy fighting for her family when the family she was fighting for wasn't doing the same for her. "Now that can be pitiful," knowing that the people you are doing everything for aren't seeing the impact you are making. I felt pained seeing that her mother did not approve of her plans.

Lynette lacked love and support from her mother, but then, looking at the bright side, she had her older brother, who supported and showed her that she had someone, even if it was just him. I'm gonna rate this movie an 8/10

Images are screenshots from my phone

Thanks for reading 🧡

....English Version....

....Versión En Español....

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FULL VERSION ESPAÑOL

This post is in Spanish and English. You can go to the post in English by clicking HERE

  Saludos amantes del cine de #CineTV. Hace poco tuve la linda oportunidad de disfrutar de todas las temporadas de Los Elegidos. Una serie que les recomiendo ver por dos razones, para entender mejor las escrituras y para aumentar su fe. Además puedes encontrar en Netflix y en Amazon Prime.

  Si, esta serie sin duda es evangelizadora, pero en este post no les vengo a hablar sobre temas religiosos, sino de la serie en sí, lo que me gustó, lo que me encantó y la única cosa que no me gustaron. Sin embargo, debo resaltar que esta serie te lleva por un camino espiritual y emocional, incluso si decides verla como una serie más.

  Yo, honestamente, empecé viéndola así, como una serie más y paré a mitad de la segunda temporada, no porque no me gustara sino por falta de tiempo y porque le di prioridad a otras cosas. Y fue hace poco, con el estreno de su 5ta temporada, que decidí terminar de verla completa. Obviamente volví a verme la segunda temporada porque no recordaba en dónde me había quedado.

  Lo que más me impactó de esta adaptación es la humanidad de sus personajes, no solamente de sus apóstoles sino de Jesús de Nazareth. Donde es mostrado más como una persona que como un Dios, con un sentido del humor sutil e inesperado. Claro que muestran más momentos donde Jesús se muestra como el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios, el Ser Supremo que sólo Él pudo ser.

  Pero como espectador notas ese contraste afincado entre el Hijo del Hombre y el Hijo de Dios, ya que Jesús no sólo vino a cambiar al mundo, sino que convivió con sus apóstoles, los amó y los instruyó con un libre albedrío siempre existente. Y que a pesar de todo, cada uno de ellos decidió decirle un Sí rotundo, dejar su antigua vida y seguirlo hasta el final de sus días.

  En esta serie, vemos cómo Simón Pedro es un manojo de inseguridades, María Magdalena buscando un milagro para encontrar la redención y luego verla dudar de ser merecedora de tal perdón, y también está Mateo, mi apóstol favorito, quien dejó todo atrás, su trabajo, casa, una vida llena de comodidades, mucho dinero y hasta su perro para seguir a Jesús.

  Ver tan buenas actuaciones e interpretaciones a lo largo de cada capítulo, me hizo conectar con cada vivencia, cada frase icónica de la biblia, cada momento evolutivo del personaje a tal punto de hacerme derramar algunas lágrimas porque me sentí literalmente como ese personaje en cierto momento. Porque he vivido en carne propia sus dudas, sus luchas y algunas veces sus alegrías.

  La producción muestra un profundo respeto por los textos bíblicos, manteniéndose fiel a las escrituras de una manera notable. Sin embargo, no tiene miedo de tomar algunas libertades creativas para enriquecer la narrativa y llenar esos vacíos históricos, lo que permite a la audiencia reflexionar sobre aspectos menos conocidos. Este enfoque, aunque no siempre perfecto (como en el caso de la Última Cena con Judas presente), es lo que hace que la serie sea tan conmovedora.

  Para mí, Los Elegidos es más que solo entretenimiento; es una experiencia que me acerca a la fe. Me hizo reflexionar sobre mi propia vida y me permitió sentir una conexión más profunda con Dios. Ver cómo Jesús conocía y comprendía a cada persona me recordó que mi existencia tiene un propósito, que soy vista y valorada, al menos por Él, aunque muchas veces no lo sienta así.

  En conclusión esta adaptación resultó ser un enfoque único y diferente de sus personajes. A diferencia de otras producciones que se enfocan principalmente en los milagros y los discursos de Jesús, esta serie se toma el tiempo para profundizar en las vidas, los conflictos y las personalidades de quienes lo rodearon.

  Y aunque la serie aún no termina, se estima que se vienen 2 temporadas más. Una para la Pasión de Jesús y otra para Su Resurrección. Por estar tan bien hecha no sólo a nivel de la trama, diálogos y personajes bien plasmados, sino por serle fiel a la historia y permitirme conectar más con Dios. De mi parte la recomiendo y le doy sus bien merecidas:

Al Final del post puedes ver el Trailer o pincha AQUI para ir allá

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  Greetings, #CineTV movie lovers. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to enjoy all seasons of The Chosen. I highly recommend watching this series for two reasons: to better understand the scriptures and to increase your faith. You can also find it on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

  Yes, this series is undoubtedly evangelical, but in this post, I'm not here to talk about religious themes, but rather about the series itself: what I liked, what I loved, and the only thing I didn't like. However, I must emphasize that this series takes you on a spiritual and emotional journey, even if you choose to watch it as just another series.

  Honestly, I started watching it like any other series, and stopped halfway through the second season, not because I didn't like it, but because I didn't have time and prioritized other things. It wasn't until recently, with the premiere of its fifth season, that I decided to finish watching it completely. Obviously, I rewatched the second season because I couldn't remember where I left off.

  What struck me most about this adaptation is the humanity of its characters, not only his apostles but also Jesus of Nazareth. He is portrayed more as a person than a God, with a subtle and unexpected sense of humor. Of course, they show more moments where Jesus is shown as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Supreme Being that only He could be.

  But as a viewer, you notice that stark contrast between the Son of Man and the Son of God, since Jesus not only came to change the world, but also lived with his apostles, loved them, and taught them with an ever-present free will. And yet, despite everything, each of them decided to say a resounding yes to him, to leave their old lives, and follow him until the end of their days.

  In this series, we see Simon Peter as a bundle of insecurities, Mary Magdalene searching for a miracle to find redemption and then seeing her doubt whether she deserves such forgiveness, and then there's Matthew, my favorite apostle, who left everything behind: his job, home, a life full of comfort, lots of money, and even his dog to follow Jesus.

  Seeing such strong performances throughout each episode made me connect with every experience, every iconic phrase from the Bible, every moment of the character's evolution, to the point of bringing tears to my eyes because I literally felt like that character at one point. Because I have personally experienced their doubts, their struggles, and sometimes their joys.

  The production shows a profound respect for the biblical texts, remaining faithful to the scriptures in a remarkable way. However, it isn't afraid to take some creative liberties to enrich the narrative and fill in those historical gaps, allowing the audience to reflect on lesser-known aspects. This approach, although not always perfect (as in the case of the Last Supper with Judas present), is what makes the series so moving.

  For me, The Chosen is more than just entertainment; it's an experience that brings me closer to faith. It made me reflect on my own life and allowed me to feel a deeper connection with God. Seeing how Jesus knew and understood each person reminded me that my existence has a purpose, that I am seen and valued, at least by Him, even if I don't often feel that way.

  In conclusion, this adaptation proved to be a unique and different approach to its characters. Unlike other productions that focus primarily on Jesus' miracles and speeches, this series takes the time to delve deeper into the lives, struggles, and personalities of those who surrounded him.

  And although the series isn't over yet, two more seasons are expected. One for the Passion of Jesus and another for His Resurrection. For being so well done, not only in terms of the plot, dialogue, and well-drawn characters, but also for being faithful to the story and allowing me to connect more with God. For my part, I recommend it and give it its well-deserved praise:

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫

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💚

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Encounter at Farpoint (S01E01/S01E02)

Airdate: September 28th 1987

Written by: D. C. Fontana & Gene Roddenberry Directed by: Corey Allen

Running Time: 92 minutes

It is frequently asserted, with considerable justification, that the Golden Age of Star Trek commenced with the launch of The Next Generation (TNG). This era, spanning seven seasons, redefined science fiction television and revitalised a franchise that had seemingly reached its zenith with the original series (TOS) and its cinematic successors. Yet, the inception of this now-celebrated and deeply beloved series was a period marked not by universal anticipation, but by profound anxiety among dedicated Trekkies and deep-seated scepticism within wider science fiction circles. This palpable unease, a direct consequence of the immense shadow cast by TOS and the high stakes of reviving such an iconic property, inevitably coloured the reception of the series premiere, Encounter at Farpoint. Much like the entirety of Season 1 and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Season 2, the episode became a lightning rod for intense criticism. Its perceived shortcomings – narrative clumsiness, underdeveloped characters, and tonal inconsistencies – sharply divided fans upon its broadcast in 1987, and remarkably, those divisions persist to a discernible degree even among contemporary viewers, reflecting the episode's enduringly contested status as the foundation stone of Trek's modern era.

The burden carried by Encounter at Farpoint was immense, dwarfing the challenges faced by most television pilots. Star Trek was no longer merely a cult phenomenon; it was a deeply embedded pop culture institution, sustained for over two decades by the unwavering devotion to TOS and the significant critical and commercial triumphs of the feature film series. When Gene Roddenberry, the franchise's creator, embarked on developing TNG alongside his trusted collaborator D. C. Fontana, the pressure was extraordinary. He wasn't merely launching a new show; he was attempting to resurrect and evolve a universe that had previously stumbled. The premature cancellation of TOS due to network politics and the costly, ambitious collapse of the planned sequel series Phase II loomed large in the collective memory. Roddenberry had to honour the spirit of TOS – its core ideals, its sense of exploration – while simultaneously learning from its perceived limitations and the industry realities that had ended it. Encounter at Farpoint thus carried the dual mandate of appealing to nostalgic fans and attracting a new audience, all while proving Star Trek could thrive in the late 1980s television landscape.

Structurally, the feature-length premiere (often mislabelled as a pilot, though the series was greenlit before its production) immediately signalled a significant departure from TOS's format. The original series functioned effectively as an anthology, with episodes largely self-contained; this flexibility even allowed the fifth episode, The Man Trap, to serve as the de facto launch. TNG, however, heralded a shift towards greater narrative continuity. While multi-episode arcs remained rare in the early seasons, the very premise of Encounter at Farpoint established the Enterprise-D's maiden voyage as the beginning of an ongoing saga. The episode’s conclusion, with the ship warping away from Farpoint Station towards the unknown, powerfully communicated this: this wasn't just another adventure, but the commencement of a sustained journey, a new chapter in Star Trek history demanding commitment from the audience.

Set in 2364, roughly a century after Kirk's era, the episode introduces Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), a figure of calm authority assuming command of the state-of-the-art Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D. The crew assembly is extensive: the pragmatic security chief Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby), the honour-bound Klingon tactical officer Worf (Michael Dorn), the inquisitive android operations officer Data (Brent Spiner), the empathic half-Betazoid counsellor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), the newly arrived first officer William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the ship's doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and her precocious son Wesley (Wil Wheaton), and the visor-wearing conn officer Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). Their mission to Deneb IV and the enigmatic Farpoint Station, built by the seemingly primitive Bandi, forms one narrative strand. The other, far more compelling, involves the omnipotent, mischievous entity Q (John de Lancie), who intercepts the Enterprise, subjects humanity to a trial for its "savage" past, and forces Picard to confront the very essence of his species' evolution. The resolution intertwines these plots: Picard's crew discovers the Bandi have enslaved a benevolent energy-based lifeform, the source of Farpoint's wonders; freeing it satisfies Q's test of humanity's capacity for compassion over exploitation, allowing the Enterprise to continue its journey.

Visually, Encounter at Farpoint represented a quantum leap from TOS. The significantly higher budget translated into slick special effects – the Enterprise-D's saucer separation sequence remains impressive decades later – and meticulous production and costume design. Roddenberry’s vision of the 24th century felt more cohesive, detailed, and aspirational than his 23rd-century blueprint, profoundly influencing subsequent sci-fi aesthetics. However, inevitable comparisons to the contemporary film series, underscored by the stirring reuse of Jerry Goldsmith’s Motion Picture theme, highlighted the episode’s television limitations. The 4:3 aspect ratio, constrained pacing, and inherent production schedules of weekly TV prevented it from matching the cinematic scope, making it feel somewhat constrained next to the big-screen adventures, despite its technical achievements for the small screen.

Roddenberry and Fontana’s script performs the crucial, if uneven, task of world-building. Picard is established as Kirk’s philosophical antithesis – a diplomat who favours the power of rhetoric over phasers, a nuance brilliantly embodied by Stewart in his defining role. Riker, introduced later, provides a familiar Kirk-esque counterpoint, though Frakes’ clean-shaven appearance feels initially jarring. Yet, it is John de Lancie’s Q who utterly dominates, transforming a potentially one-dimensional trickster into an enigmatic, darkly comic, and profoundly unsettling force. His chilling warning of a potential return resonated instantly, cementing Q as not merely a guest star, but one of the franchise’s most iconic and enduring creations. Regrettably, most other regulars remain mere sketches. Worf is saddled with tired Klingon warrior clichés, the Crusher family dynamic (particularly the introduction of Wesley) feels forced and grating, and the holodeck’s debut, while promising, serves little purpose here beyond spectacle.

This points to the episode’s fundamental structural flaw: it feels like two distinct stories – Roddenberry’s Q-driven philosophical trial and Fontana’s Farpoint mystery – awkwardly spliced together. Neither plot fully supports the other; Q’s cosmic test seems arbitrarily tethered to the Bandi’s planetary dilemma. Scenes exist primarily as fan service (DeForest Kelley’s poignant but dramatically inert cameo as an aged Admiral McCoy) or to showcase new effects (the visually stunning but narratively superfluous saucer separation), further muddying the narrative waters. Corey Allen’s direction, while competent and later rewarded with further Trek assignments, cannot fully overcome this inherent disjointedness.

Encounter at Farpoint is, by any objective measure, not a classic episode. Its narrative shortcomings, underdeveloped characters, and structural awkwardness were noted even by members of the cast, with Marina Sirtis famously disowning her own performance. The intense criticism it received upon release was not without merit. However, to dismiss it entirely is to misunderstand its vital historical function. Despite its flaws – perhaps even because of the anxieties it channelled and the bold steps it attempted – it provided a crucial, serviceable foundation. It successfully launched the vessel, assembled the crew (however tentatively), introduced concepts that would flourish, and, most importantly, passed Q’s initial test: it proved Star Trek could evolve, could survive the loss of its original creator, and could embark on a new adventure. The Golden Age didn’t begin perfectly formed in this episode; it began with this episode, warts and all, a necessary, if flawed, first step into a future that would ultimately vindicate Roddenberry’s vision and silence most of the early sceptics. Its enduring divisiveness is less a mark of failure and more a testament to the immense weight of expectation it bore – the birth pangs of a new era in the final frontier.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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Gosh, that drama took a huge toll on me. It wasn’t just a watch; it was an experience. I laughed, I cried, I got uncomfortable, and then I cried some more. I only pressed play because, well, Kim Soo-Hyun. That man has owned me since Moorim School. And Seo Ye-Ji? One of my favorites.

**Storyline**

At first glance, I thought it would be another cute K-drama with quirky tropes, but no. This one was different. It had that dark, eerie fairytale vibe from the start, almost Tim Burton-ish.

The story follows Moon Gang-Tae (Kim Soo-Hyun), a caregiver who sacrifices his own happiness to look after his autistic older brother, Sang-Tae, and Ko Mun-Yeong (Seo Ye-Ji), a children’s book author with a sharp tongue, a dark past, and the emotional stability of a hurricane.

Their worlds collide in the messiest way possible. Him, always holding back; her, never holding back at all. And in between all that chaos, the show weaves childhood trauma, healing, mental illness, and family scars into one giant storybook that feels like it’s reading you while you’re reading it.

**My Experience: What Actually Happened**

Let me be honest: this show dragged me. By episode three, I was already emotionally tired. I’d pause an episode, walk around my room like I’d just fought someone, then come back and hit play again. At one point, I legit sat staring at my laptop screen at 2 a.m., tears running down my face, wondering why I voluntarily chose pain as entertainment. But the thing is, I couldn’t stop. The story felt too raw.

Whenever Mun-Yeong spiraled into her darkness, it reminded me of how real these things are, the anger, the fear of abandonment, the way you sometimes push people away before they can leave you. And the part where it's not even within your control, it's just what happens when you have ADHD, OCD, Bipolar Disorder, etc. This is some people's reality, and it's REAL.

And Gang-Tae? His endless self-sacrifice felt like looking at my reflection on bad days. Carrying everyone’s burden but forgetting myself in the process. It was just too much, yet so real.

**Standout Performances**

Let me scream about Seo Ye-Ji for a second. That woman ate. Her voice, her walk, the coldness in her eyes, it was like she was built for that role. And her bluntness? I remember that one part she yelled 'that explicit word' in public, it was hilarious. She loves messing with Gang Tae. Her fashion sense in this K-drama is to-die-for.

My goodness, I still have some images from her scenes saved in my Pinterest board as fashion inspo.

And Kim Soo-Hyun? He doesn’t just cry; he weeps with every muscle in his face. If you don’t feel something when he breaks down, check your pulse.

But the real scene-stealer for me was Oh Jung-Se as Sang-Tae. Playing an autistic character is tough, it can so easily slide into caricature or insensitivity. But he carried it with so much heart and depth that sometimes I forgot I was watching an actor. His innocence, his fears, his little victories, he made me laugh and cry in the same breath.

These guys deserve more than just a round of applause!

**The Overwhelming Bit**

Here’s where it got to be “too much”: the metaphors. The fairytales inside the drama were so hauntingly beautiful but also gut-wrenching. Each one was basically trauma wrapped in a bedtime story.

The way Mun Yeong (Ye-Ji) would fixate on something. Some would see that in modern day as passion, yet this same thing can be an obsession. It all depends on the mental angle from which it's being viewed.

I’d hear a line and suddenly feel like I was ten years old again, remembering things I thought I buried. It was overwhelming because it didn’t let me hide. It forced me to sit with uncomfortable truths about pain, healing, and how brokenness doesn’t disappear just because you find love.

And the representation of what it means to be autistic or to have an autistic family member, it was so so so so heartbreaking to watch Sang-Tae's meltdowns. To be the eldest yet with the memory of a five-year-old. Although autism can be presented in different forms based on the spectrum, however, the way it was represented in this movie is one of the most common spectrums, and it was so emotional to watch. To watch him struggle with understanding and recognizing emotions, wounded by the trauma of the past, difficulty accepting someone else as a family and the struggle of bearing the cross of being the eldest that has to be taken care of by the youngest.

Gosh, it was overwhelming, emotionally.

**Final Thought**

Would I watch it again? Probably not, not because it wasn’t good (it’s brilliant) but because it’s not the kind of drama you casually rewatch. It’s heavy. It’s spicy food levels of heavy, you love it, you respect it, but you don’t eat it every week. It’s Okay Not To Be Okay overwhelmed me, drained me, and at the same time, stitched a small part of me back together. It was too much, but maybe that’s why it was exactly what I needed. If I re-watch it, it'd probably be for the fashion of Mun Yeong, the humor, and her bluntness.

All images except the first are from IMDb