Girlboss Review

When I initially saw the trailer for Girlboss I wasn’t sure how I felt about the leading lady Sophia. I’m down for equality and how gender should not define who can run a company, but Sophia’s character didn’t inspire me. However, her story did which is why I gave this show a chance and boy did it take me for a loop.

Girlboss is a Netflix original series that gives a loose, “Really loose”; retelling of Nasty Gal CEO Sophia Marlowe and how she became her own boss; creating her own online business selling vintage clothes. There is more to the show than just this basic synopsis. It isn’t just about young lady overcoming “the man” but is also about growing up, facing reality, and realizing that one person cannot do everything by themselves.

(Warning: Possible Spoilers. You have been Warned....I’ll tell you when it’s over.)

The story was very interesting and let’s be honest I binged this show. Hard. One of the major things I loved about this show was the character growth, especially with the main character Sophia. Throughout most of the show it was very difficult to like her. I respect her fearlessness, creativity, and wit that helped her overcome various obstacles. Because let’s be honest, she was selfish, self-centered, and she knew it. And she didn’t care, which was one of the problems.

I think it’s good to create shows where it expresses anyone (man or woman) with enough focus and effort can chase their dreams, creating something amazing. However, Sophia’s reasoning for starting Nasty Gal was childish. Since no one would let her be her disrespectful, lazy self at work, she was just going to do something else. She tried to justify it with not wanting to be trapped in the adult world, “Where dreams go to die”, but from the first two episodes it was clear, she just didn’t like not being able to do what she wanted.

If wasn’t for the amazing supporting cast I think I would’ve stopped the show after episode 3, but I’m glad I didn’t. The spunky neighbor Lionel (played by RuPaul), the saucy (and jerky) drummer Shane (Johnny Simmions), boring but informative Dax (Alphonso McAuley), and my personal favorite Sophia’s supportive best friend Annie (Ellie Reed) helped keep the show going. Without them I wouldn’t realize the other crucial elements that this show had to offer, and what made me such a huge fan.

As the series goes on Sophia starts to become more out of control, ending up building rivalries with other vintage sellers such as Gail (Melanie Lynskey, Two and a Half Men). Who due to Sophia’s disrespectful and cocky behavior, calls in other vintage resellers to concoct a plan to close Nasty Gal’s eBay page for good; and succeeds. On top of that Sophia’s behavior causes a serious break in the relationship with Annie, who ends up giving Gail the final push she needs to follow through with the sabotage.

These changes make her go visit her mom on Christmas, who she hasn’t seen in years; this meeting stirs a lot of changes in her. Sophia enjoys like-mindedness f* the world attitude they both share, however when she notices a lot of the selfish and radical behavior that her mom exhibits that is similar to her own; this is when she begins to realize how wrong she was. Gaining more humility to make amends with those she has hurt and start fresh.

The series ends on a few pinnacle moments in Sophia’s life and seeing how she is grown from the first episode made me thoroughly enjoy the series. Not only did she launch her own website which was a huge success but showing her gratitude and stating she could not have gotten there without them was a huge step and change in her character. However, it wasn’t a complete happy ending which leaves the possibility to season 2, as she is still struggling to cope with the one relationship she couldn’t repair, the one with her boyfriend Shane who cheated on her with one of his bandmates. Also, leaving the big question; what’s next for Nasty Gal?

(Spoilers Over.)

This show was full of some amazing actors, props specifically to Britt Robertson who transformed Sophia from a self-centered young adult to the ambitious more likeable woman who created Nasty Gal. There were so many characters I loved that I could talk about forever, a crazy but intriguing story, and it showed a side of San Francisco that made me love it even more. Sure, the show can drag on a bit if you were not a big fan of Sophia at the beginning like myself, but once you reach the end; you are hoping that they do a season 2. Overall: 8/10.

 Let me know what you guys thought of the show and until next time. See Ya!

Humanz: Gorillaz Album Review

After seven years, a new album by Gorillaz has finally been released, and I’m sure many fans like myself were just as excited as I was for this day to come. Gorillaz is a genre all its own each album full of collaborations and flairs of electronic, R&B, new wave, hip-hop, and alternative music. So, with the new album coming out there was a lot expectations and questions swarming around this album. However, they did not disappoint and this album has been on repeat since I woke up.

Humanz, Gorillaz newest album; is one of the longest albums they have put out to date. With over 27 tracks which consists of 7 interludes and 20 music tracks. This album has kept up the Gorillaz tradition of collaborations, in fact this is the biggest element of the album. All but one track has at least one other featured artist. With such artists like Popcaan, Grace Jones, Jehnny Beth, Benjamin Clementine, Zebra Katz, and so many more helped create the overall vibe of the album. With so many different artists, the musical theme of this album is a mixture of electronic, hip-hop, and R&B which is a bit different from their other albums. And it’s not bad. The consistent beats of each song makes it difficult to not bob your head along and I could see this being a good road trip album for me in the future.

The only downside to this album, is the same thing that makes it just as enjoyable. There are a lot of collaborations. These artists seem to overtake the songs so much, that it’s a rare treat for the familiar vocals of our lovable 2D to appear. Busted and Blue, is the only song that is just Gorillaz, the chill song sounded like the familiar tracks of their first two albums despite being slow-paced. The different flairs seemed to make the album different from their original works as well, mainly Demon Days; their best-selling album. So, if people were expecting another Demon Days they might be disappointed. But it’s Gorillaz, so what do you expect.

What makes them have such a strong fanbase, is to mix the new and old together, combining different musical styles to create a new experience with each album. After such a long hiatus and the current music today, I could see Humanz being one if not the most popular album in their current career.

There is so much to love about this album that if it wasn’t for the lack of Gorillaz frontman himself, this album would receive full marks. Humanz will be a treat for old and new Gorillaz fans and will definitely give you new artists to look into after you get tired of this album. Although, I think that might be a while.

9/10

Most Notable Tracks: Saturnz Barz (Feat. Popcaan)

Personal Favs: Busted and Blue, We Got the Power (Feat. Jehnny Beth), and Hallelujah Money (Feat Benjamin Clementine)
Check out the full album here on Spotify: Humanz (Deluxe) on Spotify
Or purchase it wherever you get your tunes.

Unravel Game Review

On Febuary 9^th, I anxiously awaited the download that I have been excited for since I saw the trailer at E3 and then as I was finally able to hit the play button; I could not wait to see what this game had in store. I am talking about the new puzzle platformer, Unravel.

To begin with and to correct many people who I have seen talking about this game, Unravel was not made by EA at all. Yes their logo does appear each time you start up the game but they actually had nothing to do with making it. EA made a distribution deal with a small gaming company based in Sweden called, Coldwood Interactive. Due to the interest in the game EA made a deal to help distribute it to different countries and that ends with the involvement of EA.

Made by Coldwood Interactive on the PhyreEngine, Unravel is a game that is about the adventure of the adorable Yarny, a anthropomorphic creature that you have to guide through different beautifully designed landscapes solving puzzles and gathering memories. There are altogether twelve levels and I will not spoil any of the story in this review instead I will talk about the game itself.

Now for me personally there are two forms of criteria that causes me to be fully enraptured by game and grow to love it. Story and Music. Unravel not only has both but also has amazing art, interesting gaming mechanics, and decent gameplay that ranges from super easy to head scratching.

Yarn is the tool you use as you go through each chapter, solving puzzles and like yarn it has its limits and can get knotted. Which is why, when you are playing you have to be cautious and a bit meticulous about how you use yarn. If you mess up there is an option to reload at your last checkpoint which is nice, however this can sometimes set you back a ways so only do it if absolutely necessary.

The beautiful atmosphere is definitely something that must be touched on as well, when discussing Unravel. The adorable Yarny, folky music, and gorgeous chapters; the entire atmosphere of this game just makes you want to really sit back and enjoy the game. However, as the game goes on the cheerful atmosphere grows a bit more somber as Yarny collects the memories and the story unfolds, because like in life; not every memory is a good one. Nonetheless, the game's beautiful way of story telling really pulls you in. This type of atmosphere has actually had quite a few people comparing Unravel to Ori and the Blind Forest, and in some aspects I agree. If you liked the music, art, and cute little protagonist Ori then you would like Unravel. However, gameplay wise Ori and the Blind Forest is definitely more of a challenge compared to Unravel, in all honesty I still have not fully completed Ori and the Blind Forest due to getting too frustrated at certain points. That doesn’t mean Unravel is completely easy, it definitely does have its hard moments. If you wish to unlock the “No Stone Unturned” achievement which requires you gathering all 5 secrets in each chapter then you will be spending quite a bit of time on it, especially in the final chapter. There are a couple of other achievements as well that can make this game more challenging, however as I said Ori and the Blind Forest is definitely more difficult.

All in all, Unravel was a wonderful experience and is a game that anyone of all ages would enjoy if they wish for something a bit more relaxing that requires a bit of brain power. This game will definitely warm your heart and maybe bring a tear to your eye, it had its few quirks but nothing that wouldn’t completely ruin the game, and will probably be one of my favorite games of the year.

Rating: 9/10

You can buy this game for Xbox One, PS4, or your PC on Origin.

Twinsters: A Review about a Unique & Heartwarming Documentary

I will be honest. I am not a huge fan of documentaries. It's not that I don't like them but there are a lot of times that I cannot finish a documentary in one sitting because I lose interest in them or I just end up feeling like I need to take a nap. So, if I do a review about a documentary that probably means its a good one. Twinsters is one of the documentaries.
Released in July of 2015 but recently available on Netflix, Twinsters is about two adopted young ladies (Samantha Futerman & Anais Bordier) raised on different continents, who discover they are actually identical twin sisters.
The documentary is primarily from Samantha's perspective who is an up & coming actress in Los Angeles. In 2013 she receives a tweet to check her facebook messages where she discovers Anais, a young woman from France who currently lives in London as a senior in a fashion school. Anais states that she first discovered her through a friend who had watched a YouTube video in which Samantha played a part of a high school girl, & ever since Anais has had a desire to reach out to Samantha. Shocked by how similar they look as well as several other similarities, Samantha & Anais begin to correspond with each other, beginning the journey of learning they are twins & integrating into each other lives.

Going from Los Angeles to London to Seoul, South Korea (their mother country) this documentary takes you along for the ride & makes you feel like part of the family. One of the interesting aspects of this documentary was the twin's different perspectives of adoption & the similarities (as well as differences) that they have despite being raised apart. It also goes into some depth, on different aspects of adoption as well, giving you a more wide perspective of life as an adopted child & adoption agencies in South Korea.

I do not want to give any more details away about this documentary, but it is definitely a unique experience that you will enjoy watching. I do not have hardly any negative complaints about this documentary as it didn't feel too dragged out, it doesn't bombard you with a ton of information, the cinematography was well done (even with some of it being filmed by cell phones), & the story itself is just so unique that this documentary is one of kind. There is a few times that Sh*t bomb is dropped, so if you do not want little ears to hear that then you might want to wait until they are bed. However if you want to watch something a bit different on Netflix for the night, that is heartwarming & doesn't need 110% attention to watch, then I would say watch Twinsters.
Rating: 10/10
Watch the Trailer Here: https://youtu.be/Y72med6m7ho
Also available instantly on Netflix as well as to rent or buy on YouTube & Amazon.
So, let me know what you guys think of this film & if you have anytainment recommendations let me know in the comments. Until next time, have a good whatever!

Life Update

Hey Everybody!!
First off Happy New Year...which I know is really..really late.
Anyways it has been a while since I did any posts on this blog & I know it is really my fault, so as part of my other new year resolutions I've decided to jump back into this blog. I will continue to cover anything entertainment wise, but due to being a poor college student there will be some restrictions. Mainly movies.
I love, love, love films!! However, I just do not have the money to constantly go out & see what's new. Sad enough, I still haven't seen the new Star Wars film yet (but I will!!). So I will be covering music, TV shows, video games, & other tainment things that catch my eye. So, if there is anything you will like me to review/talk about please let me know.
I plan on doing my artist of the month in the next couple of days so keep an eye for that, as well. Look forward to more posts about anytainment!!

BΔSTILLE's Bad Blood Album Review

BΔSTILLE – Bad Blood Album Review 9/10

  Bastille has honestly made a great start with their first album “Bad Blood.” Having an indie-pop-synch style, Bastille has created an album that is catchy and seems like a soundtrack for a movie about finding yourself. I feel the overall theme for this album includes nostalgia for the past and moving forward. The majority of these songs (ex. “Pompeii”, “Things We Lost in the Fire”, “These Streets”) reflect on things that have been lost and the memory of what use to be. While other songs, (ex.“The Weight of Living Pt. II”, “Laura Palmer”, “Bad Blood”) have a clear message of learning to move on from the past that can bind us. Whatever the message, the whole time this album keeps a pretty upbeat tone, however there are few parts where it seems the album gets boring before spiking back up to becoming more enjoyable. Bastille seems to be falling in the new synchronicity of mixing indie/alternative with an electronic style (like Imagine Dragons) making it more addicting after every listen. The reason I’m not giving it a perfect 10 is as I previously stated somewhere in the middle of the album it just seemed to lack the vibe as it has at the beginning and the end, this made me almost stop listening to it but I am very glad I didn’t. Despite this, Bastille’s Bad Blood album is instant buy for me and I would also highly recommend buying this if you liked their song “Pompeii.” I hope you found this review useful, tell me what you like best about this album and I will be reviewing their deluxe version of this album, “All this Bad Blood” next week.

Most Notable track: Pompeii

Favorite Tracks: Things We Lost in the Fire, Bad Blood, and Daniel in the Den

Til Next Time,

Kati

Listen to this full album at Spotify online (click the link below) or download Spotify onto your computer!
http://open.spotify.com/album/1jUoeAbO2HCADZ1uiyLYIo

 

BΔSTILLE: The First Artist of the Month

How's it going everyone?!
 I will start off the reviews with an artist of the month. I might make this an artist of the week, because I love music and I am not under-stating this. I listen to all sorts of music, mainstream pop, rap, country, indie, techno, and whatever else there is (except polka). I even listen to music from different countries, I really like J-pop...but I won't do that. What I like to do is focus on artists that I am currently obsessed with whether you hear them on the radio or they only have a YouTube page, I want to share my musical discoveries with you!
 Now, for my first month I thought I would cover an artist who is a bit mainstream however they just got their popularity (over here in America particularly) last year with their hit "Pompeii." Yes, I am talking about Bastille.
 To do a little background they were at first, a solo project formed in 2010 in London by singer/songwriter Dan Smith who later decided to form it into a band. There first single "Over flawed" came out in 2012 but it wasn't until the band's first album, "Bad Blood" that came out in 2013 (which I will review later, right now I'm doing a summary) that their popularity rose. The band's album has reached platinum status becoming number 1 in the UK and number 11 on the US charts.
 Even though this band has been around for a couple years and I just recently discover them, I honestly love their music. My current favorite is "Things We Lost in the Fire." Which you can watch the full video here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGR4U7W1dZU .
 Now throughout this month of February I will do a few reviews of their album "Bad Blood" and their deluxe version "All This Bad Blood." For now, I would recommend listening to their album for free on Spotify or watching their videos on their YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/BastilleVEVO .
 Check them out and tell me what you think. Do you like them? What is your favorite song by them? And while we're at it if there is any there is any band or artist you want me to check out let me know, like I said before I listen to pretty much anything. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this and stay tuned for more Anytainment reviews.
 Until next time,
 Kati