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Big Little Lies: You Get What You Need (2017)
Possibly one of the most satisfying finales to a show ever.
This episode of Big Little Lies was simply outstanding. Throughout the course of the show we were introduced to many themes and story lines that seemed as if they would not be able to be wrapped up by the end of the shows short 7-episode run. This episode proved that wrong, as everything came to a conclusion. The performances by the entirety of the cast were stellar, most noticeably Nicole Kidman. She shined this episode and her seasoned experience as an actress showed. All of the other girls were fantastic as well. There's not much to be written without the use of a spoiler, so to summarize; it is so rare that in a finale everyone's questions are answered without the episode being lazy or obviously made for crowd-pleasing. This show clearly had a plan from the beginning and stuck to it. Big Little Lies was a fantastic show with an ending that will earn it some well-deserved Emmy nominations.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
The Good Dinosaur is Classic Disney, Which for Some Reason is Upsetting Viewers
Fresh off of their success from "Inside Out" (2015), The crew at Disney-Pixar visually stuns audiences with their new heartwarming tale "The Good Dinosaur" (2015). The premise of this new story answers the question "What if the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs actually missed Earth?" Arlo, a tiny, fearful dinosaur joins forces with an equally miniature human being, the fearless and eccentric Buck. Together they find their way back to Arlo's family after he is swept away in a river during a severe storm. Throughout their journey, Arlo and Buck learn how to adapt, befriend welcoming Tyrannosaurs Rex's, face evil foes, and become best friends. The premise of this film is somewhat clichéd, as it describes an outlier of the family who seeks to prove that he is deserving of some sort of honor, which in this film is putting their footprint on their families personalized food-container. Arlo, of course, is the last of the family to have his print on the wall. One thing all viewers seem to be able to agree on regarding "The Good Dinosaur" is the astonishing visual work of the film. The film takes place millions of years ago; meaning that virtually all of the scenery is pure nature. This may have been a challenge, as creating life-like visuals of nature can be hit or miss. With this films impressive rumored budget of $200 million, Disney-Pixar was able to produce visuals that made me question whether or not what I was looking at was real or animated. There were times during the film that I could not focus on the actual dialogue because I was so completely stunned by the scenery. This film is by far the most visually appealing film by Disney-Pixar, which gives it a great boost. The mistake Disney seemed to make was releasing this film the same year as their massive hit movie, "Inside Out." Similar to how "Big Hero 6" (2014) did not compete amazingly at the box office because people were still reeling from their most successful movie "Frozen" (2013), "The Good Dinosaur" has not impressed at the box office. It seems evident that people were feeling a slight overkill from Disney and company, so they seemed to ignore the new film. If "The Good Dinosaur" were to be released in 2016, there is no doubt that there would be a higher box office income as well as more critical acclaim. Still, even with the not-so-impressive commercial success, "The Good Dinosaur" managed to make just under $200 million worldwide, as well as receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Film. It is no surprise that at this point, Disney and company can successfully produce films that are entertaining for people of all ages. "The Good Dinosaur" relies on adults to explore their inner child, and remains simple enough for kids to understand what is going on. Rather than have huge underlying meanings like "Inside Out," this film is pretty straight-forward, but that in no way takes away from its charm. "The Good Dinosaur," which stars Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, and Sam Elliott, will not go down in history as one of Disney-Pixar's best films, but will without a doubt keep a loyal fan base, and will pave the way for stronger animated features in the future.
The Muppets (2011)
The Muppets movie was very great and lovable. I would recommend people of any age to see this.
When I first heard of "The Muppets" movie reboot, I truly had no major desire to see it. Having not been a big fan of them (because I was not alive when they were in their "heyday") there was no real urge for me to go and see it. Well with some twists and turns, I winded up going to watch the film.
Right from the get-go I realized this movie was not just meant for children, and it was actually, surprisingly funny. The "Muppets" sarcastic humor and witty personalities add up to make one lovable, great film.
On the down side, there were times during the film that I found myself dozing off. Maybe the cause of my fatigue was my lack of sleep, but I truly think at some points the movie just dragged on. Since this is a G rated film, that means there must be some "life lesson" moment during the film, which typically occurs once. Although in this movie, it was not a rare occasion to have the characters talk about how the lessons they learned will help them in life. Now while I am not saying this is a negative aspect, I just think they could have toned down those parts of the film.
Overall, "The Muppets" was an extremely pleasant surprise to me. Jason Segel and Amy Adams (both who are always a delight) made the film that much better. I think I could boldly say that any adult who was a fan of "The Muppets" as a child, will find out that they did not disappoint in this motion picture.
Parks and Recreation (2009)
This show is underrated and actually hysterically funny.
When I first heard about this upcoming show, I was skeptical about how humorous it could truly be. After being a fan of "The Office", I was not sure that a new show with the same formatted style could ever compare; "Parks and Recreation" proved it could do that. The show is phenomenally casted. Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones, and Nick Offerman were absolute perfect choices. Everyone knew Amy Poehler was hilarious since she starred in "Mean Girls", but her role in this show proves she is a comedic genius.
If you are looking for a good laugh, watch this show. The combined power of the female and male comedians, hilarious writing, and hysterical situations that occur are all ingredients that create an incredible new sitcom. I expect to see big awards for this show as it is probably one of the most underrated of all time.