TV Show Review - Wednesday (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Mystery/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2022

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Emma Myers, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Christina Ricci, Luis Guzman, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Jamie McShane

Description: Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) attempts to master her emerging psychic ability by solving a mystery at her new school.  

Review: Just a year ago, the last adaptation of the well-known Addams Family stories released in the form of an animated film. This film didn’t succeed to bring the world to life. At least not as much as the creators of “Wednesday”, which focuses on the daughter of the Addams family.

With the knowledge that Tim Burton directed half of the episodes, it can come as no surprise that the series is visually stunning and incredibly interesting. The character Wednesday is notorious for her penchant for the monochromatic and yet the world around her is colorful in a special way, completely true to Burton’s style.

The series is set at Nevermore Academy, where Wednesday’s parents met when they were young. After Wednesday unleashes a bunch of piranhas in her high school pool, Morticia and Gomez decide it’s best for Wednesday to go to Nevermore. At this school, supernatural misfits meet. Whereas the Addams family was always out of place in previous versions, the change of scenery allows us a fresh look into their own world.

Even for viewers unfamiliar with Addams Family traditions, “Wednesday” has plenty to offer, as the series is still interesting as a standalone. Fans of the mystery genre of the supernatural will be in for a treat. We follow Wednesday Addams in the role of an amateur detective as she tries to solve multiple murders around Nevermore Academy against all warnings while trying to find her place in the world.
By the end of this season, the major storyline surrounding the murderous monster is neatly wrapped up, but jokingly introduces new questions and mysteries that could be fleshed out in a second season.

Jenna Ortega plays the role of Wednesday and knocks it out of the park. She is so good in her role, really captures her character and it looks like no other actress could have done it better. I also loved seeing Chrisina Ricci in supporting role, she played Wednesday in the 1991 film. And Gwendoline Christie as the head master of Nevermore Academy is fantastic as well.

“Wednesday” is such a good series, I can’t wait for the second season to start.

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 131: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Director: Rian Johnson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 152 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Gwendoline Christie, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, Lupita Nyong’o, Warwick Davis, Peter Mayhew, Kelly Marie Tran

Description: Rey (Daisy Ridley) develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.

Review: As a fan of the Star Wars franchise, I am relieved. It’s a good one! “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was already a great start of a new Star Wars series and I was extremely excited for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”. Director Rian Johnson took over from J.J. Abramds and manages to impress with a good mix of action, character moments, humor and drama.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” showed that the franchise still had the magic, we saw old heroes and new ones stole our hearts. Rian Johnson had a difficult task. He clearly respects and loves the Star Wars universe, but is also not scared to make it his own, especially with the humor he adds to it. The meeting between Rey and Luke Skywalker is great, but really nothing like you’d expect.
The film doesn’t focus on the training that Rey is undergoing, but more the inner struggle and insecurities of Rey. Daisy Ridley really does a great job. She is looking for her identity and in this she has a connection with Kylo Ren, who is also dealing with some struggles. How much are they alike and which character trade will eventually dominate?
I loved the fact that Poe Damercon, played by Oscar Isaac, had a bigger role in this film. He’s a character a liked from the start, also thanks to his sidekick BB-8, but his character was a little underused in the previous film. We got to know him better and he had a more important role too.
The return of Mark Hamill to the franchise probably made every nerd heart beat a little faster. And I have to say he was the best Luke Skywalker ever. I loved him in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”. Also in combination with Daisy Ridley.
The addition of the Porgs was exactly right. I expected them to be as annoying as Jar Jar Binks in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”, but they were in it just enough to make them loveable and not annoying.
The storyline of Finn and Rose is probably my only negative of the film. It took the pace out of the film a little bit and wasn’t as interesting. And off course the last performance of Carrie Fisher. It’s a bit heart breaking, but I loved seeing her one last time as Leia.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” was really good. I enjoyed it very much and wasn’t disappointed one bit. It’s not better than “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, but certainly an excellent sequel. I would say they are equal.

Rating: 4,5/ 5