Cooking Competitions
- Every year, I really enjoy the holiday specific baking competitions that are aired on Food Network. The Halloween ones are a particular favorite of mine, but I also enjoy the Christmas ones too.
- I love stop-motion animation, and when I heard about this project (plus Henry Selick and Jordan Peele’s involvement with it), suffice it to say, I was hyped. Wendell & Wild was fantastic. The animation was stylish and fit the tone of the movie. It was spooky and fun, combined with serious and somber topics. It was also a coming of age tale, following Kat Elliott's turmoil and guilt after the death of her parents. Her issues were real and hard-hitting, while the supernatural aspects added the eerie imagery and a slight comedic element that broke up some of the tension—especially with the titular duo, Wendell and Wild. The voice performances were great as well, and I really enjoyed the music. All-in-all, I had a great time watching this movie. I know it’s easily going to be another Halloween favorite that I revisit every year, just like Coraline.
- There is a channel I’ve gotten into lately (thanks Adri!) called H&I. I’ve been watching shows like the original Hawaii Five-O, MacGyver, and Star Trek as well as Vega$ among others.
- The Curse of Bridge Hollow arrived right on time for Halloween. I liked this one. The comedic moments arrived at the perfect times, and it made me laugh. The story—while simple with Halloween decorations brought to life by accident—was enjoyable, particularly because it had a great cast. I also liked the overall messaging.
- I love stuff that incorporates folklore and magic as well as mystery, adventure, and comedy. And, Mr. Midnight checked all the boxes. It was so good! The supernatural occurrences were episodic with an overarching plot that continued till the end. The folklore and magic elements were pretty awesome. I loved the effects and the design of the spirits, other creatures, and the overall look and setting of the series. The characters were just as interesting too, and the connection developed between the main and reoccurring cast was one of the highlights. Everyone had a fully developed personality with their own goals, fears, and secrets—something that was embellished by the great performances of the actors. So even when the characters clashed, it made for interesting situations with a number of emotional and heartfelt moments. The dynamics between the core group—Tyar, Ling, Nat, and Zoe—who were collectively Mr. Midnight, was fun. There was plenty of camaraderie (and friendship) between them, which was also tied-up with the supernatural occurrences they ultimately got involved with. All-in-all, I really enjoyed this series, and I ended up binge watching all thirteen episodes.
Business Proposal
- In November, I decided to check out a Korean romantic comedy called Business Proposal, which was in my Netflix recommendations. I haven't read the webtoon it's based on, but that didn't stop me from watching it. It's an office romance, and I loved this series! I laughed so much at the antics of the characters, the situations they found themselves in, and the bright and colorful comical effects that sometimes appeared in the background. It was ridiculous, heartwarming, and romantic. (Even the side characters had a lot going on.) I had a lot of fun watching this series!
