Essential Entertainment Weekly

When I saw the trailer for “A Promising Young Woman” back in 2020, I knew that I had to watch it. Now that it is on HBO Max, I was finally able to. Cassie’s badass and merciless character, played by Carey Mulligan, represents the general population of women who are fed up with rape culture as well as those who have seen the suffering of a loved one who has been sexually assaulted. This secondhand view of the rape of Cassie’s best friend, Nina, makes the film a little bit easier to digest-- especially for the men watching the film, who cannot understand the female experience of rape culture. However, men can relate to Cassie’s character by imagining Nina as their best friend, sister, wife, etc.  The film opens with Cassie pretending to be so drunk that she is unable to stand. A “nice guy” comes over and offers to help her. Unfortunately, he cannot resist his desires and ends up taking her to his apartment where he makes unwanted advances on her. When Cassie drops the “sloppy drunk” ...

Since Halloween is this weekend, I thought I’d take a stroll down memory lane. As a kid, I was terrified of horror movies— as I imagine most kids probably are. However, there were some Halloween movies that I still love and watch to this day. “Halloweentown” (1998) I cannot express the excitement I felt as I watched Disney Channel the week before Halloween waiting for this movie to come on. The idea of there being this secret Halloween village to explore heightened my kid imagination. However, I was not a fan of “Return to Halloweentown.” I was attached to the specific actors and characters from the first 2 “Halloweentown” movies. “Monster House” (2006) I was lucky enough to see this movie in theaters when it came out in 2006. I was only 6-years-old, so it was a little frightening to me. However, “Monster House” has become a classic Halloween movie for me as I’m sure it is for others of my generation.  “Corpse Bride” (2005) In general, I’m a huge Tim Burton fan. Burton has always h...

  Unless you live under a rock, you’ve heard of the newest viral TV show, Squid Games. This South Korean show, directed and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, went viral for good reason. Personally, I binge-watched the entire season in one day. This show will take you on a journey of many emotions through immaculate character development, acting, and thrilling plot lines. A show that was once only available in South Korea made its way to Netflix. According to The Business Insider, Netflix’s co-CEO said that “Squid Games” could most definitely become their biggest show ever (Sept. 28, 2021).  “Squid Games” envelops themes of greed, what it takes to survive, and what it means to be a good person. As participants play in life-or-death children’s games to win a large cash prize, they must decide who they can trust. Heo Sung-tae’s portrayal of the main antagonist, Jang Deok-su, is outstanding. I found myself terrified and infuriated with him. In contrast to Jang Deok-su is the main charac...

 Hello! I've decided to widen the variety of my blog posts. Instead of just posting about movies, I'd like to begin writing about multiple forms of entertainment. This may be anywhere from movies, TV shows, to books. I love storytelling and would like to continue sharing my likes/dislikes with you! Please feel free to leave recommendations for any of your favorite stories of any form.  Talk soon, Rachel

  Introduction Mental health and poverty are growing concerns in today’s society. It seems that the rate of suicides is always increasing along with violence in impoverished cities. Something everyone says they want to do better is look out for others and help bring awareness to important issues in today’s world. One of the best ways to bring attention to current problems is through film. One film that does a great job of facilitating conversation and bringing awareness to two major issues, poverty, and mental health, is the Joker (2019). This Todd Phillips film was so monumental it landed star, Joaquin Pheonix his first Oscar for Best Male Actor. Joaquin’s portrayal of a suffering lower-class citizen of New York is breathtaking. The Joker, or Arthur Fleck, cannot seem to catch a single break in this film. After being handed the crappy end of the stick his whole life, he finally snaps. Fleck explains himself as being a product of the system and is a prime example of what can happen...

  A Different Kind of Romantic Comedy “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” had me doing what I expect from all romantic comedies-- laughing and crying. This 2012 film starring Steve Carell and Kiera Knightly is not your typical romantic comedy-- although it does have common archetypes. With Knightly playing the quirky optimistic romantic who loves records and Carell playing a middle-aged depressed lonely nobody. When I came across this Lorene Scafaria film on HBOMAX I wasn’t really expecting to be emotional about it, so don’t make the same mistake I did.  The unlikely couple is brought together by the world’s impending doom. The beginning of the movie announces that there is an asteroid heading toward Earth and despite scientists’ efforts, it is going to destroy the world. When Dodge’s (Carell) wife leaves him, he expects to spend his final days alone. However, Penny (Knightly) comes along and changes that. They go on a journey together with the goal of Dodge taking Pen...