Review by Tatiana Miranda

Ari, who is jokingly referred to as "more Mexican" than Dante, is plagued with the concept of machismo, which prevents him from being honest about his emotions toward Dante. Dante's and Ari's variation in their cultural identities is one of the most unique things about the novel, as it is not just a queer story but a story about the effects of cultural perceptions of the queer community. The author of the novel, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, makes it a point to critique the way most Mexicans perceive the LGBTQ+ community. Meanwhile, this theme is put on the back burner for the film, and it only plays a role in driving the relationship between Ari and Dante instead of defining them as individuals.​

Whereas the book was an intellectual look at young love as a taboo in an underrepresented community, the film comes across as a cheesy love story. The movie works so hard to push the characters together that it doesn't allow them to properly develop on their own. By turning the film into more of a romance, it lessens the fact that it is ultimately a coming-of-age story about a teenage boy as he faces his own internal bias and comes to terms with who he is. 
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There are some standout moments, such as Dante's introduction to Ari's parents, but ultimately the movie is full of unmemorable scenes and awkward bits of dialogue. Even the film's captivating aesthetics and cinematography can't make up for what is an underwhelming adaption of a beloved book about the complexities of growing up queer.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe screened at the 2023 edition of NewFest Pride, which runs June 1-5.​

Rating: 2/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Season 3 of Netflix's I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is full of the series's usual unhinged skits and surprising guest appearances. Some of this season's guest stars include Jason Schwartzman, Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Beck Bennett, Patti Harrison, and up-and-comer Ayo Edebiri. 

Jason Schwartzman's skit particularly stands out as he is one of the few guest stars without a comedy-centric background. Still, his skit from episode 5 is incredibly entertaining, although it feels like he is just a prop to contrast Tim Robinson's wildly outlandish character. In fact, several of the show's guest stars don't seem to be properly utilized — as is the case with Ayo Edebiri's role as a game show host in episode 2. ​

I Think You Should Leave has garnered many fans, and a variety of skits have evolved into online memes, but with the third season, one can't help but notice that Robinson has a hard time straying away from his usual character in these skits. He often ends up playing some kind of eccentric guy that sets the skit's humor into motion. And don't get me wrong, he excels at this. The show's absurdist humor is perfect for the Gen Z audience it has accumulated. But after three seasons of the same kind of skits, where Robinson either freaks out in public or acts weird at a party, it starts to feel repetitive and loses its unique style.

Some stand-out skits of Season 3 include one where Robinson gets booted off a The Bachelorette-style show due to his obsession with the pool zipline and another where he goes on a first date with a bad haircut. Another great one is when Robinson attempts to start a pay-it-forward chain so that he can get a large meal paid off. The thing that helps these skits succeed is that they feel a bit more topical than some of the other skits. With the dating show skit, it plays with the recent obsession with shows like The Bachelorette and Love Island. ​

Meanwhile, some of his other skits that fall flat, such as one that features a game show robot costume with technical issues, only find their humor in how bizarre the scenario is. This season also has issues with variety in terms of setting. Two of the skits showcase a game show gone wrong, several involve weird actions at office parties, and another two skits deal with Robinson recounting a bad date he had. 

Many of the skits are unmemorable, and the guest performances are not as entertaining as in past seasons. Overall, Season 3 of I Think You Should Leave has some highlights, yet it is not a fantastic addition to this sketch comedy show. 

Season 3 of I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson premiers on Netflix on May 30th. All six episodes reviewed.

Rating: 2/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Anna Cathcart first made her appearance as Kitty Covey, the protagonist’s younger, scheming sister, in the 2018 Netflix original To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which is inspired by Jenny Han’s YA novel of the same name. Since then, Jenny Han's work has inspired two more To All the Boys movies and the Amazon Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty. Now she returns with XO, Kitty, a spin-off of To All the Boys that focuses on Kitty as she attends a prestigious boarding school in Korea. While To All the Boys is more of a rom-com and The Summer I Turned Pretty is more teen drama and romance, XO, Kitty takes inspiration from its setting and watches more like a stereotypical K-drama, complete with shocking plot twists and all.
 
Kitty, now seventeen and entering her junior year of high school, decides to attend KISS, a boarding school located in Seoul that her mom attended in the 90's. KISS also just so happens to be where Kitty’s long-term, long-distance boyfriend Dae goes to school. In an attempt to learn more about her late mother and surprise her boyfriend, Kitty arrives in Korea unaware of all the drama yet to unfold.
 
Much like her younger self in To All the Boys, Kitty sees herself as a matchmaker, yet she has problems figuring out her own love life. Her romance with Dae began in To All the Boys: Always and Forever, when her family took a trip to Korea to reconnect with their culture. In XO, Kitty, she plans to see him for the first time since then, now that they have been dating for about four years. When trying to surprise him of her arrival at KISS, she is caught off-guard by a dramatic change in their relationship brought on by classmate and principal’s daughter, Yuri.

While some of the tropes may feel similar to To All the Boys and The Summer I Turned Pretty, such as fake relationships and love triangles, XO, Kitty is wholly different in terms of its tone. Although some of the drama revolves around Kitty’s love life, the majority of it centers around Kitty’s discovery of her mom’s experiences at KISS. From secret romances to teenage pregnancies, XO, Kitty feels more like a K-drama than your average Netflix teen series.
 
XO, Kitty’s K-drama inspiration and representation of Korean culture is well-done, especially considering the recent critiques of Jenny Han’s tendency to give her characters predominantly non-Asian love interests. Past the overabundance of petty teenage drama, XO, Kitty is a unique look at the experiences of a half-White Asian-American as she tries to learn more about her deceased mother and her culture. It is also a subtle critique on how many non-Western cultures perceive the LGBT community, especially how it is treated generationally in Korea.
 
XO, Kitty is by no means a perfect series, as it seems to overdo it with the dramatic elements, often giving viewers whiplash as multiple relationships move from enemies to crushes then back to enemies again. Still, its characters are intensely likable and the series is full of equally comedic and heartwarming moments. With the final episode’s cliffhanger, one can hope that Netflix will renew the series for a second season.
 
XO, Kitty releases on Netflix on May 18. All ten episodes reviewed.
 
Rating: 3/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

​The Great returns with its classic humor and historical inaccuracy with Season 3 of the acclaimed Hulu series. Created by the co-writer of The Favourite, The Great has a similar satirical look at European royalty and historical figures. The Great centers around Catherine the Great as she comes to reign Russia. The latest season opens as Catherine and her recently overthrown husband Peter III deal with the actions that occurred between them in the Season 2 finale.
 
After Catherine’s failed attempt to kill her husband at the end of the last season, the two must learn to reconcile and find a way to exist together peacefully. To do this, they begin a sort of couples therapy to work through their long list of issues. While they eventually come to terms with their situation, that doesn’t mean all of their problems are fixed. Instead, Catherine must deal with a possible uprising, raising her son, and separating friend from foe — all within Season 3.
 
Like the previous two seasons, a fair bit of the humor in Season 3 of The Great is situational. Even scenes that aren’t likely to be construed as funny, such as character deaths and sex scenes, have tinges of dark humor throughout. Compared to earlier seasons, though, Season 3’s storyline is more dramatic and darker as Catherine is put through more hardships than ever. While the show has always had its fair share of heartbreaking scenes, Season 3 struggles to balance its humorous and dramatic moments. Part of this is due to a shocking storyline choice that happens midway through the season that leaves both characters and viewers disoriented.

Although the performances are at their best this season, most of the characters — including the titular Catherine — don’t seem to be properly utilized. Other characters, such as Peter’s ex and Catherine’s assumed nemesis, Georgina, have some of the more interesting scenes and storylines this season. Georgina, following the same path she had in Season 2, is attempting to kiss up to Catherine. Her wild outbursts praising Catherine are perhaps some of the funniest scenes as this starkly contrasts her behavior from earlier in the show. Even characters in the show point out how confusing her change is, and it’s never quite clear whether her actions are genuine or not.
 
Peter III has also steadily become a fan favorite. Originally obnoxious and disinterested in Catherine and his position as King, he has grown to be a lovable goof who only wants to raise his son and make Catherine happy. While their relationship is extremely complicated, Catherine and Peter’s love story is one of the greatest turns the show could have taken, and it only gets more affecting as the show progresses.
 
Season 3 of The Great is by no means the best season of the show so far, as it has its flaws — namely its disjointed tone and odd storyline choices. Along with those, Catherine’s character has also become more unlikable as the show progresses, making it hard to root for her and her reign. With the season’s semi-ambiguous ending, there’s still hope that a future Season 4 will right some of Season 3’s wrongs.
 
The Great Season 3 is now streaming on Hulu. All ten episodes reviewed.
 
Rating: 2/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Florida-native Ethel Cain’s music deals with what she knows: religious fervor in the South. Yet her music resonates with more than just the small population she is familiar with, as she even plays acclaimed festivals such as Coachella. Other pieces of media like the recent film Bones and All give a voice to the inhabitants of mid-America in a way that seems idealized yet eerie, similar to Ethel Cain’s discography. Laurel Parmet’s directorial debut, The Starling Girl, follows in this footstep, as it centers around a teenage girl living in rural Kentucky surrounded by Christian fundamentalists. As lyrics about religious upbringings flood TikTok and denim maxi skirts make a return, The Starling Girl can’t help but being incredibly meta, whether intentionally or not.
 
While its depiction of Christianity might feel extremely familiar to those with religious backgrounds, its coming-of-age tone is applicable to almost anyone. The film opens with 17-year-old Jem Starling as she performs in her local church’s dance troupe. As she talks to her family and pastor, another woman in the church pulls her aside to tell her that she could see her bra through her top. Like how anyone who has grown up in the church would react, Jem suddenly feels ashamed and dashes out of the church to cry. This is when she bumps into Owen Taylor, the pastor’s son who has just returned from a mission trip.

Owen resumes his role in the church as the youth pastor and his weird way of leading bible study catches the attention of Jem. Soon she finds herself itching to get closer to him and gain his approval. Her interest in him mixed with her courting his younger brother, Ben, signals the beginning of her romantic life and entry into womanhood. Jem’s perception of Owen starkly contrasts that of his brother. In one scene, she is disgusted as Ben talks about a sick animal he once saw. Meanwhile, she perceives Owen as caring and mature. This is all through her rose-tinted glasses, though, as his true nature comes out sooner rather than later.
 
Even though Parmet’s teenage years were quite different from Jem’s, as she is the daughter of cinematographer Phil Parmet, she captures the youthful infatuation and sexually repressed confusion in an incredibly nuanced way. The Starling Girl’s depiction of religious beliefs is never criticized in and of itself, but instead points out the flaws that come from the people around Jem who manipulate the religion to fit their agenda. Even Owen, who she believes is above that, routinely uses Christianity to justify his decisions.
 
Religion is at the heart of the movie, and it would have been easy for it to take an overly critical route. Instead, it points out its downfalls but also how it provides a sense of hope and belonging for Jem. The Starling Girl is perhaps one of the most accurate fictionalized portrayals of Christian fundamentalist communities, and it does so in a way that doesn’t feel condescending or judgmental.
 
The Starling Girl is now in theaters.
 
Rating: 5/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

In the hiatus between seasons of Bridgerton comes the limited Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Similar to its source material, Queen Charlotte is centered around the romantic exploits of the people of the ton, only the story is set about 40 years earlier. As the title suggests, the series recounts the fan-favorite Queen Charlotte's romance with King George III. Much of the series also depicts the evolution of the ton in terms of the integration of different races, which had been mentioned in Season 1 of Bridgerton, yet never properly developed.

Loosely inspired by the real-life king and queen of the UK, Queen Charlotte and King George III are not necessarily the focus of Bridgerton. In the popular Netflix series, Queen Charlotte is the bossy but loveable leader of the ton. Meanwhile, her husband is only mentioned in passing or shown infrequently. His absence is attributed to his mental illness, which is inspired by rumors of the real king. In this spin-off, fans get to see the beginning of their relationship and understand more of Charlotte's personality and motives.

As mentioned briefly in Season 1, the marriage between Charlotte and George signaled the introduction of titles — such as Lord and Lady — for people of color in the ton and, therefore, a sense of integration. While it makes sense to establish the fact that the world wasn't always as progressive, it puts Queen Charlotte into a narrative box that it doesn't excel at developing. Because the series jumps straight into the marriage between George and Charlotte, it doesn't give a lot of time to establish the ton's layout before what George's mother refers to as "The Great Experiment." 

Although the topic of racial prejudice is discussed in relation to Charlotte's interracial marriage and Lady Danbury's entry into polite society, a lot of factors, such as Charlotte's heritage and Lord and Lady Danbury's wealth, are contrary to the mistreatment they face from the ton. Since it is meant to be a big deal for the ton and a major driving factor in Lady Danbury's backstory, its lack of development is distracting. ​

King George's "madness" is another predominant part of the series that lacks proper development. While the real King's mental health issues are undiagnosed, many professionals suggest that he may have had manic episodes as a result of bipolar disorder or porphyria. Queen Charlotte takes more creative liberties, instead giving him episodes more closely resembling schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder. ​

This change was likely made to add more narrative hardship to Charlotte and George's love story, similar to Simon's and Antony's parental issues and trauma from Seasons 1 and 2 of Bridgerton. Because of its heavily narrative use, the depiction of George's mental state comes across as an unrealistic and poor representation of mental illnesses. 
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When it comes to Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte feels more like an intermission rather than a part of the narrative, as its development of secondary characters will likely have no impact on the plot of the upcoming third season. Many flash-forward scenes to the present day of Bridgerton fall flat in comparison to the romance between Charlotte and George. Overall, Queen Charlotte excels in developing the background of several key characters from the main series, yet it fails to properly develop the world and the future of these same characters. 

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premiers on Netflix May 1. All six episodes reviewed.

Rating: 2/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Although most of his work was destroyed by Napolean Bonaparte only a couple of years after his death, Joseph Bologne's impact lives on through the new film Chevalier. Named after his role as Chevalier in Versailles, the film focuses more on Bologne's accomplishments as a violinist. 

The son of a wealthy plantation owner and an enslaved woman, Bologne was a Creole, free man of color who was taken to France at the age of seven, where he studied fencing and music composition. Because not much is known about Bologne, Chevalier does take plenty of creative liberties, yet the film does excel in portraying Bologne's unique perspective as a Black man living in Marie Antoinette's court during the early days of the French Revolution. 
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The film opens with a concert performance by Mozart that is hijacked by Bologne after he asks to play alongside him. In a rap battle-style duel, the two musicians battle using their violins, with Bologne coming out on top. While this scene is wildly entertaining and a clever way to modernize the audience's perception of violinists, it's heavily fictionalized. ​

Partially a result of the lack of remaining artifacts from Bologne's life and a mode of storytelling, Chevalier centers around the "height" of Bologne's career as a member of Marie Antoinette's court and a celebrated composer and chevelier. Then, after the death of his father and reunion with his mother, Bologne is confronted with his Blackness and the resulting limits of his career and love life. 

While Chevalier is unique in the fact that it is the first movie, better yet, the first piece of media to depict Bologne's life, it's not particularly distinctive when it comes to biopics. There are moments in the film, such as the opening performance with Mozart, that inject a sense of modernity in an otherwise period setting in a clever and practical way. ​

These moments are akin to movies like Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. Yet, director Stephen Williams doesn't commit to this, instead clumsily juxtaposing these exciting scenes full of personality with ones that could have been pulled from any period drama. 

Chevalier is also lacking in terms of what parts of Bologne's story it decides to tell. Through his friend Louis Philippe II, the audience sees snippets of the French Revolution from the eyes of the nobility. 

For the most part, Bologne seems uninterested in the revolution as he is accustomed to his lifestyle and is close to Marie Antoinette. Yet, his rejection as the next conductor of the Paris Opera due to his skin color seemingly causes him to rethink his alliance. 

This, compared to Bologne's real-life experience as a colonel fighting in the revolution, come across as petty and understated. Oftentimes throughout the film, the discussion of Bologne's race feels like an afterthought. While this might be supposed to be a representation of Bologne's attitude toward it, it is more unusual as he is supposedly the first Black European composer to receive widespread critical acclaim. 

Although Chevalier is certainly a story about Joseph Bologne, it is not the definitive portrayal of his life and will likely cause viewers to want to learn more about him. While much is left unfulfilled in terms of historical accuracy and conclusive storytelling, Chevalier gives a voice to a previously unrepresented figure in history, which is a feat in itself.

Chevalier is now playing in theaters.

Rating: 3/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

In 2017, writer-producer duo and couple Daniel Palladino and Amy Sherman-Palladino released the first season of the Prime Video original series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Over the following five years, Mrs. Maisel went on to win 20 Emmys, including the first win from a streaming series for best comedy. Centered around a 1950s housewife who decides to become a stand-up comic after divorcing her husband, Mrs. Maisel is full of Sherman-Palladino’s signature quick dialogue and thought-out set design and costuming that is accurate to the time period. 

The series quickly found its fanbase in both fans of period dramas and those familiar with the Palladinos’ previous comedy series, Gilmore Girls. Starring real-life historical figures, such as the infamous comic Lenny Bruce, and original characters full of personality and humor, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a show that only improves season after season, reaching its climax in the fifth and final season.

From the Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village to a resort in Miami, the titular Midge Maisel has traveled far and wide in search of her “big break” as a stand-up comic. After her husband, Joel, leaves her in season 1, she begins her new life as a comic with the help of her friend and manager, Susie Myerson. In the final season, Midge is more determined than ever to make it big as she reflects on a confrontation with her romantic interest and mentor, Lenny Bruce, that occurred at the end of season 4. While still continuing her gig as an emcee at a strip club from the previous season, Midge embarks on a new journey that might finally give her the extra push she’s been needing. ​

Like Mrs. Maisel’s previous seasons, season 5 has no shortage of hilarious exchanges of dialogue and stand-up routines. Many beloved characters also return in the final season and even more are introduced. Recurring characters from season 4 make more major appearances this season, including the television show host, Gordon Ford, and the show’s booker, Mike Carr. 

Unlike its previous seasons, though, there is a sense of finality that goes beyond just the series nearing its end. As is revealed in the first episode of the new season, Midge has reached a mindset of “now or nothing.” Meaning that Susie must work harder than ever to get Midge’s big break before their time runs out. 

Season 5 also takes a unique and new direction in terms of storytelling. Whether it be to fit in Midge’s entire story within the confines of the nine-episode season or to quell any fears about her future, this season of Mrs. Maisel regularly has opening scenes and, in one case, an entire episode that flashes forward in time. Although it’s disorienting at first to see these characters in a new time period, the change makes sense structurally and allows the audience to feel content as the series concludes.

Like Midge herself, season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is visually stunning and full of laughs. This season takes its chances, and they pay off, making it probably the most conclusive and heartfelt final season of a show to come out in recent years. 

The first three episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 5 begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video on April 14. All nine episodes reviewed.​

Rating: 5/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

While the film's lead does have a striking resemblance to the PBS icon, Paint is not about Bob Ross and his hit program The Joy of Painting. Instead, Paint centers around a similar yet fictional PBS host, Carl Nargle. Played by Owen Wilson, Carl Nargle resembles Bob Ross in more ways than one, including his famous afro and serene nature painting tutorials. But unlike the character's blatant inspiration, Carl is less lovable than Bob Ross. Full of himself and unaware of his declining fame, Carl begins to lose everything and everyone he loves to a younger, more modern artist that takes over his show.
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While Bob Ross's The Joy of Painting ran from 1983-1994, Paint has a more modern setting. In this way and others, Paint separates itself from its source material while also cleverly utilizing these changes. Quite literally, Carl Nargle is an old soul. He uses an old-time pipe to smoke tobacco and weed, regularly wears denim-on-denim, and has difficulty using technology such as his phone. In some ways, he is a hipster icon, much like his real-life predecessor.​

Almost thirty years after his death, Bob Ross has had a resurgence as both a meme and a source of nostalgia for many hipsters and millennials. Older generations who used to watch his program also have a continued love for him, similar to Carl's fanbase in Paint. While most of his fans seem to be older people watching PBS in their retirement homes, Carl has also taken on the role of a sex symbol for his younger female fans. This is perhaps the crux of the film's comedy, as Carl is routinely followed by different adoring program employees. His pursuit of the youngest of the crew closely resembles that of his show's manager, Katherine, who also had a former fling with Carl.

Katherine hopes to leave PBS and decides to hire a new host for Carl's show. The new host, Ambrosia, is young, mixed-race, and queer, which ultimately makes her a symbol of modernism. This is something that goes against Carl's old soul nature and makes them perfect opposites. Even Ambrosia's art is completely different from Carl's. Whereas Carl tends to paint the same idyllic nature landscapes, Ambrosia shakes things up, even painting a UFO spewing blood on her first show. Although Ambrosia and Carl seem to be complete opposites, they are not enemies, but Ambrosia's outgoing art and personality act as a sort of wake-up call for Carl.

Paint is a clever parody of Bob Ross's fame while also being a wholly unique comedy. Packed full of interesting characters and incredible performances, this movie is a great time for both Bob Ross fans and those unfamiliar with his work.

Paint releases in theaters on April 7.​

Rating: 4/5

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Based on the book of the same name by M.O. Walsh, The Big Door Prize poses questions for both its characters and the audience about their potential and asks how far they'll go in order to fulfill it. The ten-episode first season opens on high school history teacher Dusty as he celebrates his 40th birthday with his wife, Cass, and teenage daughter, Trina. What seems to be an ordinary day in their small town of Deerfield is quickly derailed by a mysterious machine that appeared in the general store overnight. On the front of the machine are the words "Morpho. Discover Your Life Potential." Deerfield's inhabitants quickly spread the news of the machine and its magical ability to assign you your potential with just $2 and your handprint and social security number. ​

Soon, everyone in Deerfield has used the Morpho, with some residents gaining specific roles such as "Male Model" or "Tattoo Artist." Others have more ambiguous potentials, including "Royalty" and "Hero." Characters like Dusty question the validity of the machine, but more so the effect the results have on the townspeople. For some, their "potential" pushes them to quit their job or get a divorce. For Cass, Dusty's wife and daughter of the mayor, her Morpho result pushes her to take action and gain confidence.