Miguel Hermosa

“Eternals” is not your typical MCU film. It’s definitely something out of the Marvel norm. Darker and more mature, but without losing the lighter moments that maintain the Marvel magic. ‬Chloé Zhao successfully delivers an emotional and intriguing story complemented by its compelling characters and stellar visuals. Although the movie starts off with a slow pace and loads of exposition, it gets better as the plot moves forward and we are introduced to each of the characters, who all had interesting stories to tell, more than just their godly powers. With so many main characters, you would expect that some would not shine, but all of them had their key moments. Kudos to the cast for giving us brilliant performances. This movie would not be an emotional and thought-provoking experience without them. Moreover, the fight scenes were also epic. With a fantastic cinematography, the characters were able to showcase their spectacular powers, from Makkari’s incredible speed to Ikaris’ immense strength. This is hands down the best cinematography for an MCU film. To add, this isn’t just another superhero movie. Or a movie about gods. It’s an ode to humanity, wherein the complexities of human experience were genuinely explored. With themes of love, destiny, morality, and purpose, we get to see the beauty of life and humanity unfolded through the journey of gods living in the human world. And I think that’s what makes this movie really unique. Eternals is truly a great milestone for Marvel. It brings a different flavor to the MCU, and raises the bar for what’s possible in the future films. If you haven’t yet, go see this movie. You won’t regret it.

I just watched Season 2, and it didn’t change my opinion about this show. IT’S SO GOOD!!! (Note: This is a spoiler-free review.) It’s not your typical teenage show about love or school life, but that’s the beauty of it. The story is unique, one that you don’t see a lot in shows/movies nowadays, but it was executed well. It focuses on a group of teenagers embarking on a quest to find a treasure, while encountering countless adversities along the way, may it be other people who also want the treasure, the cops, or their personal conflicts. If you think this show would just be another clichéd show with one-dimensional and forgettable characters, think again. It’s actually the opposite. Outer Banks/OBX manages to keep the balance between humor, drama, action, and mystery. Every episode is a wild rollercoaster ride, with so many twists and cliffhangers driving you crazy. The writers surely know how to put the right cliffhangers at the right timing, without forcing it. Watching the Pogues’ (the main characters) adventure feels like you’re also part of the adventure, and there is seriously no dull or boring moment of this show. Don’t even dare to yawn or blink, because once you do, something big happens. I swear, this show just really surprises you!! Not to mention, the characters are well-written, and the fantastic actors made them even more interesting. John B would seem like your typical protagonist, but he’s a very strong-willed and courageous person, that you would love rooting for him. JJ, Pope, and Kie are more than just John B’s best friends, they all had intricate stories to tell that clearly explains the reasons for their actions throughout the show. And despite the unusual plot, you would still be able to relate with them. The antagonists of the show were also well-developed, you can see how their backgrounds reflect their personalities, and you would really hate them so much. Sarah was also a great character, but I don’t want to spoil about her role in the story. The only problem with this show is that there are some unrealistic scenes, and lots of dumb decisions that the characters keep making, but I believe it shows us how the treasure hunt affects them. They become both courageous and conflicted. They want to get the gold, that they resort to doing the most dangerous feats, even if sometimes, they don’t get to think things through and just put their lives on the line. That clearly shows how far they are willing to go just for the treasure that they think they deserve to get. And you gotta admit, those dumb and unrealistic scenes make a show fun to watch, right? That’s the case for OBX, although OBX manages to maintain the magic of its storyline and characters whilst having those scenes. This is by far one of the best shows Netflix ever made. It’s not perfect, but you would naturally enjoy it. So, what are you waiting for? If you’re still looking at reviews or asking your friends’ opinions, you better stop. Just get your popcorn, and watch this show already! You’re in for a wild ride, but believe me, you won’t ever regret it.

Saying that this is the best MCU show on Disney+ is quite an understatement. Frankly, it’s one of the best creations of the MCU. Who would’ve thought that the villain of the first Avengers movie suddenly gets his own show? And who would’ve thought that after hating this villain a decade ago, we are suddenly rooting for him? That’s the magic of this show. Over the years, we saw Loki constantly popping up in the MCU, may it be being in Thor’s company or getting involved with the Avengers. But he was always in Thor’s shadow. No matter how charismatic Loki is (and Tom Hiddleston), he never really got to shine on his own, and we never really got to see the whole side of his character. But in this show, Loki’s character gets completely fleshed out, which the movies failed to do. We learn more about Loki, more than just being Thor’s adopted brother and the god of mischief he calls himself as. He’s got his own conflicts, which we never really understood before, and we get a clearer grasp of the subtle aspects of his character. But aside from our Loki, another character whom this show fleshed out, is yet another Loki. Except it’s the female version, but she’s just as Loki as Loki. Like our Loki, she is a charismatic character with a compelling story to tell. It may take you a while to like her character, but with the help of her excellent chemistry with Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, you would find yourself rooting for her, and perhaps even like her more than Loki. Seriously, kudos to Tom Hiddleston and Sophia Di Martino, they made the unlikely dynamic between an familiar character and an unfamiliar character possible. Moreover, the rest of the cast also did great and were essential to the plot’s success. Owen Wilson as Mobius was fantastic, you’d immediately love his character in the beginning. And shoutout to the phenomenal Richard E. Grant, who appeared for only one episode, yet completely stole the show. I have nothing to say about the plot. It was written so well, with the right balance between humor and emotion. Every episode is a wild rollercoaster ride, with so many twists and cliffhangers driving you crazy. Watching Loki’s adventure feels like you’re also part of the adventure, and there is seriously no dull or boring moment of this show. Don’t even dare to yawn or blink, because once you do, something big happens. I swear, this show just really surprises you, gives you a lot of goosebumps, and make you fall from your chair while watching (yup, that happened to me). It’s so good... what else should I say?? The director and writers of this show are brilliant. The actors, especially Hiddleston, are outstanding. Totally one of the best and most creative MCU creations to date. If you’re reading this, you better stop checking reviews or asking your friends. Go ahead and watch this spectacular show already. You are ‘lowkey’ missing out... (no pun intended there)

Honestly, I don’t really understand the hate this show got. While I do agree that the Flag Smashers storyline was a let down, everything else about the show was fantastic. Especially the characters. They were the best part of the show. You see, this show is about two great men whom Captain America believed in. A man whom he believed should take his mantle, and a man he believed could still redeem himself. And in this show, they both proved that Cap made the right choice of believing in them. He didn’t believe in Sam and Bucky because they were his best friends, but because he knew they were good men. Sam Wilson proves why Steve Rogers chose him to be the next Captain America. Words aren’t enough to describe how golden this man’s heart is. He cares about everyone, and like Steve, always sees the good in people, and fights for what he thinks is right. He doesn’t need a super soldier serum to prove his strength and worth as Captain America. He may not be the strongest hero there is, but he surely has the strongest heart. That’s what Steve saw in him. Bucky Barnes, on the other hand, proves why Steve Rogers fought for him in Civil War. You would think that Steve Rogers chose to become a criminal for Bucky because he is his best friend, but actually, he did that because he knows Bucky is a good person who was only manipulated by evil people. Throughout the show, we see Bucky haunted by his past. He wants to make amends, but at the same time, the regret and guilt of killing just couldn’t stop getting to him. And you’ll be proud to see the moments when he shows his heroism, especially his reaction when the people started seeing him as a hero. These two proved something they couldn’t prove in the movies: that they are more than just Steve’s sidekicks. People always thought Sam Wilson is boring. People always thought that Bucky Barnes is evil. But man, they proved everyone wrong in this show. Suddenly, such unlikeable characters became likable. And don’t get me started on their chemistry... they were so hilarious together, but at the same time, they just naturally clicked. Can you believe Steve’s two best friends are best friends now? They’ve always been the perfect combo. Kudos to Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, their onscreen chemistry is just as great as their offscreen chemistry. Wherever Steve is now, whether on the moon or in heaven, he would be happy to know that his legacy is in the safe hands. But the success of these two noble characters wouldn’t be possible without the fantastic supporting characters as well. From the charismatic Helmut Zemo, the conflicted John Walker, the brilliant Sharon Carter, and of course, the legendary Isaiah Bradley, they all served their purposes for the story, and the show wouldn’t be the masterpiece it is without them. If we're talking about characters and character developments, this is definitely the best Disney+ MCU show. To sum it all up? This show is amazing, and worth the watch. Don’t waste your time reading reviews or asking your friends, just go watch it already!

When I first found out about this show, I thought it would just be another boring and cliché teenage series that I’d regret watching. But I was wrong. If you’ve watched shows with teenagers as characters, like Elite and 13 Reasons Why, you would definitely love this show and quickly get attached to the characters. All the characters were well-written and had their own complex yet interesting stories to tell. Especially Wilhelm and Simon, the main characters—the real stars of this show. You have Wilhelm, someone who wants to live a normal life like everyone else, but can’t, because of his destiny as a prince. He wants to follow his heart, but being a prince makes it dangerous for him. You have Simon, he’s basically an outsider to the boarding school along with his sister, but he doesn’t let it affect him. He’s very strong-willed, and he cares a lot for his sister that he even takes a lot of risks just to make her happy. The supporting characters were also great and served their purposes for the story. Even the antagonist himself was still likable, that you’d eventually sympathize with him, despite his wrongdoings. Kudos to the talented cast for successfully bringing life to such well-written characters. Not to mention, Wilhelm and Simon’s chemistry was just perfect. They just clicked naturally, and even if you’re not a fan of LGBTQ romances, you would suddenly find yourself rooting for them. Their connection was very genuine, especially with the way they look at each other and enjoy spending time together. And what makes their romance even better is how it didn’t focus on homophobia and society’s judgement. It’s not the typical in-your-face representation. It didn’t divert from their story arcs, the story still highlighted their conflicts as teenagers. There were a lot of themes explored in this show. May it be love, accepting your destiny, taking risks for the people you love, being yourself, and making mistakes as a conflicted teenager—the show depicted them so well and so realistically. Even the issues tackled such as ADHD, stress, anxiety, and Asperger’s were handled flawlessly, without being pushy or forced. The writers were truly brilliant in balancing out everything, and making the whole story realistic. Oh, and speaking of realistic, another great thing about this show is how the characters have acne and really look their age. If you’re a teenager just like them, then this show is definitely your relatable cup of tea. Overall, this show is just really fantastic. One of the best Netflix has made in a while. Worth the watch? Absolutely. So, don’t waste your time reading reviews or asking your friends. Just watch it already!