Category: Whatcha Watching

Whatcha Watching, Geekly: December 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Coincidentally, Skye has watched a handful of Rob Reiner films this month, and I’m certain she’ll write a memorial for him. We lost a legend. RIP, Rob Reiner. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching this past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started.

Kyra’s Shows

Delicious in Dungeon marks the first anime I’ve watched in about a decade. Seriously. I haven’t found a single anime to spark my interest in almost ten years. Delicious in Dungeon’s premise is simple. What would various mythological creatures taste like, and how would one prepare them? There’s more to Delicious in Dungeon than that, but most viewers will watch for the interesting mystical meals. They look scrumptious.

I can’t wait to try a real-life–modified, of course–version of any one of these meals. Yum! The idea of eating mythical creatures has sparked another board game concept. I’m still in the early phases of game development, but I’ll share this game soon. Getting back to Delicious in Dungeon, the storyline is easy enough to follow. One adventurer’s sibling gets eaten by a red dragon, and the adventurer quests for their missing sister before the red dragon can digest her. The party has little to no supplies, so they must eat the flora and fauna they meet in the dungeon. Hence, Delicious in Dungeon.

The show ventures into corny territory more than once. I get a kick out of adventurers performing their best because “they got enough sleep, ate three balanced meals, and exercised.” Delicious in Dungeon often feels like a Saturday morning cartoon with a message for kids. But I’m here for it. One can’t help but eat a healthy snack while watching. I don’t always eat the best. Thank you for the reminder to eat balanced meals, Delicious in Dungeon.

Delicious in Dungeon only has one season (on Netflix), and after finishing that season twice, I switched to a show I once covered on this website when it first aired, Grimm. Grimm’s first season oddly goes with Delicious in Dungeon. A set of characters harvests bodies for medicinal purposes. This CW made for a perfect follow-up to Delicious in Dungeon, especially since I was finishing my mythic monster cooking game prototype.

I always graded Grimm on a curve. It’s a stellar show for a CW show. Yes. Grimm suffers from plenty of CW melodrama. But Grimm is less CW of a show than most CW shows. I like the premise. Grimms are mythical police officers; Grimms do their best to keep the peace between wesen (mythical creatures who look human to us normies, but Grimms can see through their built-in illusion magic). As you can surmise, Grimm borrows more than a little bit from the comic book series, Fables. One of the titular Grimm’s besties is a “Big Bad Wolf.”

But Grimm does enough to hold my interest almost a decade and a half after its initial release. It may have had the best CGI of a CW show, and that’s saying a lot. The Arrowverse put a ton of money into CGI. Strike that. No. Flash had the best CGI, but Grimm’s sparse use of CGI made it look better. Most of Grimm’s CGI was used to make human faces look animalistic. I’ve only watched most of the first season, but so far, I’m enjoying the ride.

Finally, I watched Sean Combs: The Reckoning on Netflix. It was eye-opening, disturbing, and well-done as most Netflix limited series are, but I’m unsure how many revelations I found in Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Since he’s a hip hop insider, producer 50 Cent has connections. I also appreciate it when a documentary openly shares its bias. Sean Combs: The Reckoning reminds me of the old essay adage: tell the truth, but tell it slant. Don’t be afraid to lean completely into your beliefs. It’s clear the director wants people to believe Sean Combs had something to do with Tupac’s murder. Sean Combs: The Reckoning does a great job of presenting the theory as fact.

And I’ll be honest. There’s more than a zero percent chance that Sean Combs had something to do with Tupac’s murder. I’m just not as certain as Sean Combs: The Reckoning appears to be. To be fair, Sean Combs: The Reckoning does state the Tupac murder theory as a theory. The one thing I know Sean Combs: The Reckoning adds to hip hop history is its inclusion of security camera footage during Biggie’s murder. I had to look away. I can’t stand that kind of senseless violence.

And Sean Combs: The Reckoning does a great job of illustrating the moments leading up to Biggie’s death. One can’t walk away and not feel like Combs had plenty to do with Biggie’s death. The fact that Combs made Biggie’s mom pay for his funeral was shameful. I didn’t care for Puff Daddy before this docuseries. I’m more of a Tupac and Biggie fan. Sean Combs: The Reckoning does enough that I don’t ever want to hear another Sean Combs track. I may act like Combs whenever a Tupac song plays on the radio. Yo! Change that!

That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Skye.

Skye’s Movies

I had been meaning to watch Misery for a while, and I finally got the opportunity a couple of weeks ago. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Misery ever since. Putting aside Kathy Bates’ iconic and Oscar-winning performance as Annie Wilkes, I know that’s a big ask, Misery is a great tale about the danger of getting too involved in our fandoms. Even with that powerful and necessary lesson for adults, Misery also delivers plenty of suspense. There were several moments I was grinding my teeth after Paul escaped his room while Annie was away, and the small, intimate setting of the Wilkes estate makes the sense of urgency feel even more real.

Misery also serves as a testament to one of our greatest modern filmmakers: Rob Reiner. With his recent passing, along with his producer and spouse, Michele Singer Reiner, I wish their family the best in the healing process. I now watch their old works, remembering what a gift they were to cinema, and I’ll remember their creations fondly. Rest in peace.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind happened to appear on my list of films to watch. It turned out to be much different from what I was expecting. What was I expecting? I don’t remember, but from what I saw, Eternal Sunshine seemed to be a charming flick. Upon first viewing, I had a hard time figuring out what Eternal Sunshine was trying to be, but I was able to get into it after the big reveal. Eternal Sunshine can be schmaltzy at times, but I was moved. The only thing I still don’t follow is how technology to remove specific memories from someone’s brain casually exists. I might give Eternal Sunshine another watch to fill in those memory gaps.

I love Pixar. It was only a matter of time before I watched Elio. Y’all might remember my “Top 5 Pixar Movies” this year. I’m surprised it took me this long to watch Elio, and it ended up slightly above average. Unlike certain other Disney Disappointments™, Elio had a well thought-out script. It only became frustrating when the film didn’t follow through on some ideas and opted for a standard family-friendly space adventure. No harm would be done if you played Elio for your kids, but it would still be depriving them of the best Pixar has to offer. Please, Pixar, be better than Disney. I miss you.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all our writers watched this past month. Feel free to share your opinions on these movies and shows in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly: November 2025

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. You’re welcome to join the fun and share what you’ve been watching, Geekly Gang. I’ll get us started with the movies I watched.

Kyra’s Movies

All our geekly writers watched the two movies I’ll be discussing. I’d like to see what Season and Skye have to say about each of these films.

In short, Weapons had too many point-of-view (POV) characters. If you’re like me and you thought Weapons started strong, dragged in the middle, and found its footing at the end, that’s because the movie had too many POVs. The teacher made the best choice as the first POV. Good job there. The audience needed at least one parent’s POV. Great choice to include one, but I question this POV’s placement in the movie’s sequence. I didn’t like how the parent immediately followed the teacher. Director Cregger didn’t trust his audience to remember someone painting “Witch” on the side of the teacher’s car. This will be an ongoing issue.

Then, we get a few POVs we didn’t need. The cop adds nothing. The junkie actively made the story worse. How cool would it have been if the first time the audience saw the kids in the basement was when the father found them? Instead, a random junkie undercuts that potential emotional weight. And the principal’s POV is repetitive. And what was with making the principal gay? This inclusion reeks of tokenism. Within ten minutes of learning the principal is gay (which we only learn because we’re in his POV), the principal kills his husband. Hollywood needs to uphold the tired trope of Bury Your Gays.

Weapons gets back on track with the kid’s POV, and then it’s relatively smooth sailing–from a story perspective. Weapons is a good movie, but it’s overhyped. It doesn’t deserve a 93% fresh rating. Limiting Weapons to three POVs (the teacher, the kid, and the father, and in that order) and bouncing between the three would’ve given Weapons a chance to dig deeper into these characters. Weapons is praised as a “smart film,” but it treats its audience like imbeciles. Writer/Director Zach Cregger doesn’t trust his audience to piece together things, which is why the movie spells out everything in the principal’s POV, even when all the information delivered in the principal’s POV can be obtained through the other POVs. We’re left with puddle-depth characters and inconsistent world-building.

Oh, and what was with dropping the machine gun references and imagery outside of the teacher and father’s POV after the beginning? Again, if we only got three POVs (specifically, the three I mentioned), the idea that Weapons is a metaphor for school shootings would’ve been clearer.

Objectively, Weapons is a better movie than The Monkey, but I had a lot more fun watching The Monkey. Even though it’s a horror comedy, The Monkey does a better job setting up stakes for its characters (we actually have a ticking clock of the father losing visitation rights with his son after the weekend) and building emotional resonance than Weapons. So, maybe The Monkey is the better film.

Make no mistake. The Monkey is ridiculous. Its acting is over-the-top but in the best possible ways. I laughed out loud during Elijah Wood’s scene; he’s a treasure. Some of the lines and character choices are jarring, but in a deliberate, self-aware manner. I loved watching the Final Destination-like deaths occur, preceded by the titular wind-up monkey drumming its tune. I especially like the bus filled with cheerleaders at the movie’s end. I won’t say any more, but it’s hilarious. And the nods to other Stephen King stories were fun.

The Monkey doesn’t have a lot to say, but doesn’t need to have a greater message. Sometimes you just want–or need–a good laugh.

Kyra’s Show

I’m back to watching true crime. While writing this post, I’m eagerly awaiting the final episode of Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family. I first learned about the Murdaughs when Netflix released its documentary series years ago, so I was somewhat familiar with what to expect. But Hulu’s docudrama Murdaugh: Death in the Family lives up to the craziness surrounding this case.

I forgot a lot of the specifics for the Murdaugh Murders. I’m fighting the urge to rewatch the Netflix documentary before finishing Murdaugh: Death in the Family. Going in blind must be a treat. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the Murdaugh Murders are perfect fodder for true crime series, movies, and much more. There are so many elements to this story. Money laundering. Drug abuse. Infidelity. Wire fraud. Witness tampering. Wrongful deaths–plural. And this all happens before Mags and Paul Murdaugh are slain. The suspect pool for the Murdaugh Murders is limited to the entire state of South Carolina. Who wouldn’t be a suspect?

At least, that’s what I would’ve thought if I hadn’t watched the other content before watching Murdaugh: Death in the Family. If you haven’t seen anything else about the Murdaughs, refrain from doing so until after watching this series. The acting is on point.

That’s all I have for this month. What’ve you been watching, Season?

Season’s Movie

I’m going to be honest. I didn’t watch much this past month. I’ve been busy and haven’t had time to sit down and watch something. However, I do like to have something playing in the background while I fall asleep. For that, A Goofy Movie is perfect.

I’ve been feeling nostalgic, and I remember owning A Goofy Movie on VHS. I watched it so much, my mom eventually hid it. I remember jamming out to Tevin Campbell’s music (“I2I” and “Stand Out”), which was the main reason I watched A Goofy Movie. This time, I focused on the parent-child relationship. It holds up, even after removing nostalgia glasses. A Goofy Movie is a good watch for all ages.

What are you watching, Skye?

Skye’s Movie

The Monkey was my introduction to director Osgood Perkins. I’m not dissatisfied. Kyra came to me on Halloween and told me about this ridiculous horror comedy that had to be seen to be believed. Funny thing: I’ve seen it, but I’m still not sure I believe it. Did I enjoy The Monkey? Without a doubt, yes. The Monkey was the most insane horror comedy I’ve seen in recent years, which kept me laughing even when the screen was covered in gore. Yeah, this movie loves its body parts. Everything is just the right amount of wrong, and the fact it all revolves around a monkey doll turns the absurdity up to 11. I highly recommend The Monkey, just not too soon after mealtime.

Skye’s Show

Um, sure. Since I watched Monster: Ed Gein last month, Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer felt like the next logical step. Technically, Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer is better than Monster: Ed Gein, but that’s a low bar. Simply put, it’s obvious why people call Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer insensitive. It’s dead set on violating the stories of real-life murder victims, and some episodes were downright infuriating. True crime has always fascinated me, but there’s a right and a wrong way to do it. Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer is definitely the wrong way. If you’re curious about these true stories, it’s better to watch documentaries or read dissertations about them. Don’t be Ryan Murphy.

Kyra Kyle again. It looks like Skye enjoyed The Monkey. Yay! Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? October 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Since it’s Wednesday, our writers will be sharing what they’ve been watching (television or movies, or other content) over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching over this past month, too. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get us started with what I’ve been watching.

Kyra’s Movie

If Sinners hadn’t been released this year, Companion would be the best horror film of 2025. Despite how good Sinners is, it has limited rewatchability. Companion may be one of the most rewatchable recent horror films I’ve seen. Companion’s blend of comedy and horror helps. There are laugh-out-loud moments. Dialogue is on point. The characters are as well-developed as any you’ll find in Sinners. Sophie Thatcher’s portrayal of Iris (Companion’s main character and emotional support robot who f***s) is the reason I chose her to play Apex Legends’ Wraith in an upcoming Geekly Casting (scheduled for February 2026). Thatcher does an amazing job, growing from naive f***bot to self-aware heroine. Companion is a joy to watch over and over again. Perfect for Spooky Season.

While Sinners tackles systemic racism, Companion takes on misogyny, toxic masculinity, and male fragility. And Companion doesn’t bother with straw man arguments or spend too much time on obviously misogynistic men. Antagonist Jack Quaid is affable. He’s likable, even after he reveals himself as a complete jerk. It’s those affable misogynists who are the worst. Quaid’s Josh gaslights. He refuses to take any responsibility for his own actions. Josh is the perfect representation of peak incel, broculture. And it’s fun hating Josh and laughing at his impotence. You should give Companion a watch.

I also love Harvey Guillén. I’ll watch anything that features Guillén, especially now that What We Do in the Shadows has concluded, and I won’t get to watch any more Guillermo. And I adore the scene depicted above with Guillén’s Eli and Lukas Gage’s Patrick. It’s so good. Companion even managed to squeeze in a bizarro tender moment or two.

Kyra’s Shows

I watched Orphan Black when it first released over a decade ago and couldn’t remember when or why I stopped watching the series. Spoiler: I figured out why by season 3. But seasons 1 and 2 are some of the best television has to offer. Orphan Black was one of the shows–along with Breaking Bad and the better seasons of Game of Thrones–that made me (and a lot of others) think a decade plus ago was peak television. The series holds up. Tatiana Maslany deserves all the accolades she earned for Orphan Black. Maslany portrays over a dozen clones. With the somewhat cringy exception of Tony Sawicki (the transman Leda clone who shows up in a one-off episode in season 2), who’s little more than a male version of Sarah, most of the clones are chef’s kiss good.

Over the course of Orphan Black’s five seasons, all of the clones develop and grow. I’m going to take a moment and mention how five seasons seems to be a television show’s sweet spot. Breaking Bad lasted five seasons. Game of Thrones and Mad Men began falling apart after five seasons. Heck, What We Do in the Shadows only added a sixth season. And isn’t Stranger Things planning its fifth season as its finale? Five is the magic number.

Anyway, I won’t go into too many Orphan Black details. This show is best watched with little to no prior knowledge. Discovery is key. But I will say that season 3 is where Orphan Black originally lost me. It lost sight of its core characters by adding too many auxiliary characters, and that’s not just my opinion. Many of those extra characters were removed for season 4, and Orphan Black went back to brass tacks. Originally, I had given up on this show too soon. I’m glad I gave the later seasons a second chance, and if you’re interested in biopunk (sci-fi based in biotechnology), Orphan Black is a great place to start.

And Orphan Black pays homage to a novel that may have begun biopunk, H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau.

With the rumors of a Mindhunter season three or a couple of Mindhunter movies to close out the series, entering the zeitgeist, I rewatched the only two seasons of Mindhunter available on Netflix…for now. Simply put, Mindhunter is the best true crime series. Period. It chronicles the people who started the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Behavioral Science Division. Because Mindhunter focuses on investigators, it manages to not glorify serial killers. It treats serial killers as cautionary tales and gives insight into how psychopaths think and behave.

You will find plenty of name-brand serial killers (or, in the case of Charles Manson, serial killer adjacent) in Mindhunters’ episodes. But the focus is always on what makes these people tick. Even the fictionalized versions of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Division’s founders explore how a push here or there may drive someone to do something unthinkable. Mindhunters is infinitely rewatchable. The show throws out so many references and breadcrumbs (for seasons that haven’t yet been released–fingers crossed), you’ll have to watch it more than once.

That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Season and Skye.

Season’s Shows

I’ve had a pretty full schedule lately, Geekly Gang. I haven’t had as much time to branch out and find new things to watch. However, I discovered Haunted Hotel on Netflix and fell in love with it. Needless to say, this show is on my most rewatched list (I’ve been falling asleep to it). The show follows a single mom with her two children as the owner of a haunted hotel that gets no business. How is it still standing? Who knows? I like to think the ghosts sell ectoplasm.

Kidding aside, Haunted Hotel is a comedy that has an overarching plot filled with family issues and the meaning of companionship. Each of the characters copes in unhealthy ways, which leads to the main plots (sometimes subplots) of the episodes. Each episode is between 21-25 minutes long, and there are only ten episodes so far. Haunted Hotel is easy to binge-watch in an afternoon.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. What have you been watching, Skye?

Skye’s Movies

Most excellent! That’s how I’d sum up Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. I didn’t have a reason for wanting to watch the Bill & Ted movies; I just felt like it. Oddly enough, that also seems like the vibe these movies give off. “I just felt like it.” Are they dumb? Yes. Are they pointless? Absolutely. But are they bad? I can’t bring myself to say yes. Despite centering around a utopian future created by a couple of lovable half-wit teenagers, I still really enjoyed the Bill & Ted movies. While they may not be winning any high artistic awards, the original Bill & Ted movies are great for some dumb fun. Party on, dudes!

Skye’s Show

You’re welcome for the 180° tone shift. After watching Monster: The Ed Gein Story, I can confirm that I enjoyed it. Only to a point, though. For the most part, Monster: Ed Gein felt like a deep dive into the creation of an infamous killer, which is what you’d want, but they often blended reality and fantasy in ways that were hard to follow. There are several rewinds and fast-forwards, which jumble the pacing even more. Charlie Hunnam’s (portrayer of Ed Gein) UK accent in the middle of small-town Wisconsin was distracting. Also, the overemphasis on Gein’s relationship with Adeline Watkins (played by Suzanna Son) didn’t feel right.

When you look at the real story of Ed Gein, Watkins was a long-time friend of his, but much of what’s shown on Monster: Ed Gein about her is heavily dramatized. It also makes bold claims by showing Watkins beating her landlady to death in New York City. In truth, much of Gein and Watkins’ relationship is unknown. All we know is what Watkins explained to reporters after Gein’s crimes came to light: they had known each other for 20 years and were relatively close. The prospect of romance was brought up by Gein when he proposed to her, but she declined. I wouldn’t mind this so much if Monster addressed these facts, but the show goes out of its way to paint her as a major influence on Gein’s character.

If you’re going to adapt a true story to the screen, particularly one as gruesome as this, you should try to be as truthful and forthright as possible. Implying that someone loosely connected to it had this much influence and could’ve even been a criminal themselves is insulting. I don’t always engage in true crime, especially if it’s a dramatized version of the real story. These stories are harrowing to listen to because they really happened, but when showrunners try to lighten up the events or change aspects, I get upset. These were real things that happened to real people, and that’s disrespectful.

Rant over. But if you enjoy true crime stories, you’ll probably enjoy Monster: Ed Gein. I’ll also say that I don’t think you’re wrong if you like it. While Monster: Ed Gein pushed specific buttons for me, it may be a perfect fit for you. What matters most is knowing the facts from fiction. What you’re watching is based on true events; it’s not a window to the past. Stay safe out there.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are the television shows and movies we’ve seen over the past month. Let us know in the comments what you’ve been watching. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? September 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Whatcha post. Today, our Geekly writers share which television shows and movies they’ve watched over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get us started.

Kyra’s Shows

Yes! It’s a Whatcha Wednesday, and I’m mentioning the show, Wednesday. I watched Wednesday for the first time this month, so I’m late to the party. I enjoyed the first season. I may even need to do a deep dive for the Wednesday Addams character as she’s had an intriguing transformation through the decades (I even have some of the original comic strips). So good. I liked the nods Tim Burton makes to the original Addams Family television show throughout Wednesday while allowing the show to forge its own path.

Wednesday isn’t just a retelling of the Addams Family. It’s a reimagining. And I appreciate how Wednesday has created this new boarding school environment. With Joanne Rowling showing her colors as a transphobe, Wednesday offers a great alternative for an LGBT community left disenchanted with Hogwarts. Of course, Enid and Wednesday’s budding friendship drives Wednesday’s first season. While a little predictable, the first season’s murder mystery was fun.

Wednesday’s second season may have a more complex mystery, but it suffers from bloat. The first season weaved in small callbacks to the original series; the second season pumps in more callbacks to the original series, the Nineties movies, and Wednesday’s first season. This season also pivots away from Enid and Wednesday’s relationship, which makes sense for the story (I won’t spoil it here), but the lack of this pair’s chemistry hurts.

This may be an unfair assessment for season two. I’m trying to stay ahead of weekly Geekly posts so I’ll have more time to work on my novel (something I’m sure Wednesday would approve of), and I’m writing this entry a week before the second half of Wednesday’s second season releases. I’m sure there will be some great payoff during Wednesday’s second half. You may get a second post for Wednesday next month.

I’m enjoying Wednesday’s second season and can’t wait for this season’s conclusion.

I also binged Netflix’s Trainwreck series. This series (of about hour-long mini documentaries) varies in its watchability. Each episode of Trainwreck has excellent production, don’t get me wrong. It’s the subject matter for each Trainwreck episode that makes or breaks the show’s watchability. I couldn’t stand the Storm Area 51 documentary. I wanted to reach through my screen a slap the kid who started that trend. But I felt for the Balloon Boy’s parents. It seemed like an honest mistake, and it was clear Balloon Boy Falcon’s mother wasn’t fluent in English. P.I. Moms was eye-opening. While I don’t care for reality TV, it’s a shame this show fell apart. And the Poop Cruise made me second-guess going on a cruise ship. Yikes!

That’s all I have for Whatcha Watching this month. Let’s check in with Season and Skye.

Season’s Shows

I got nostalgic last month, Geekly Gang. I remember watching the original Fruits Basket anime (2001) on my CRT TV from a folding chair in the basement, using my Nintendo Wii, while taking notes for my ninth-grade physical science class. Good times. I was upset that the 2001 anime never finished the Fruits Basket manga, which continued way after the anime ended. Being stunned when the 2019 anime came out, a few years after I graduated from high school, doesn’t begin to describe what I felt at the time.

Nostalgia aside, there are aspects of the story that haven’t aged well. The premise is goofy enough on its own–people turning into animals of the Chinese Zodiac when hugged by a member of a different gender (male and female in this story). Many of the characters in Fruits Basket adhere to ideas of masculinity and femininity. The men suck at housework while the women are expected to do it. At least, as far as Tohru Honda (the female lead) goes. There is a character in the show who enjoys wearing women’s kimonos because he feels more at ease wearing them, but gets made fun of for it by some of the characters. If you’re willing to look past these things, Fruits Basket (2019) is an enjoyable watch that lets you turn off your brain.

Fruits Basket (2019) doesn’t take itself seriously in the beginning. Things ramp up toward the end, but there are still many comedic moments. Most of the characters have a lot of depth. Even the side characters who were around for, like, two episodes.

Fun fact: The original English cast of Fruits Basket (2001) reprised their roles for Fruits Basket (2019). I’m not sure about the Japanese cast.

That’s all from me. What have you been watching this week, Skye?

Skye’s Movies

I’ve never been a huge fan of The Conjuring franchise. While I enjoyed the first film when I saw it 5 years ago, it didn’t make me eager to watch the rest. Only after the recent release of The Conjuring: The Last Rites did I think, “It might be time to watch The Conjuring movies.” Over the past month, I watched 9 Conjuring movies. This includes the Annabelle spinoff trilogy, the 2 Nun films, and The Curse of La Llorona. What did I learn? Hollywood loves doing the same thing.

Are all the Conjuring movies the same? No, but they have striking similarities. Typically, there’s a cursed object, haunted house, or tormented family. Spooky stuff happens, experts show up, the spirits freak out, and the power of Christ compels them. I must admit, of The Conjuring films I watched, the ones bearing the “Conjuring” title were my favorites. These movies owe their watchability to the star power of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). Every time they were on screen, they shared an unrivaled chemistry that made their relationship much more real and adorable.

Do I recommend The Conjuring series? It depends on what you’re into, but if you like spooky films involving ghosts, demon possessions, and haunted dolls, I’m sure you’ll like the Conjuring franchise. Also, I gotta admit that I have a soft spot for Annabelle Comes Home. It’s just a fun romp through a carnival of horrors.

Skye’s Show

Watching the Netflix Ranma ½ remake came as an accident last month. I hadn’t intended to watch it anytime soon, until I woke up one day and decided to binge the whole first season. Overall, I feel like Ranma ½ (2024) did the original series justice while reintroducing it to a new generation. As a fan of the original, the main thing I noticed was a lack of alterations. The Ranma 1/2 (2024) team made changes like modernizing the animation, changing voice actors, and adjusting the pacing of the story. The show’s story remains untouched.

Because of that, I can’t help but ask, “Then why remake it at all?” I have 4 seasons of the original series on DVD box set, so why wouldn’t I just watch that? I know modern film and TV culture has shifted media consumption to online streaming, but Netflix could’ve just as easily put the original series in their library. I still enjoyed Ranma ½ (2024), but that’s essentially the same thing as saying I enjoyed Ranma ½ (1989). Take that as you will, and feel free to watch Ranma ½ (2024) if you don’t have access to the original. Otherwise, just watch the original.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Those are all the shows and movies our writers watched over the past month. What’ve you been watching, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? August 2025

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today’s Whatcha post will be what our writers have been watching, movies and television, over the past month. We won’t be including Fantastic Four: First Steps because we have a full review of the movie. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching this past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Movies

I didn’t know what a vivarium was before watching the Vivarium film. A vivarium is a glass enclosure where someone can examine a living being. This object is a fitting name for this film. The first two films I’m including in this month’s whatcha watching have a common theme: horror films that use liminal space. Vivarium is trippy. It puts protagonists Imogen Poots (Gemma) and Jesse Eisenberg (Tom) in a suburb functioning like a vivarium, but this suburb is more sinister than an observation bowl.

The human-like otherworldly being (behind the odd suburb the humans can’t escape) drops off one of its babies and commands the pair to care for it. During a classroom scene with Gemma during the film’s opening, Vivarium establishes an analogy of a cuckoo bird, a bird that replaces a baby bird with one of its own, tricking the mother bird to care for the cuckoo’s young. The cuckoo bird analogy fits. Vivarium also serves as a cynical version of The Giving Tree, with humans replacing the tree. Quick spoiler: When Gemma asks who she is in relation to the cuckoo humanoid, the cuckoo humanoid answers, You’re here to die. Yeah. Vivarium may be more of a pessimistic version of The Giving Tree.

Overall, Vivarium was a disturbing but enjoyable watch if you’re into films with an uncanny valley aesthetic. And thank you for the nightmares of an odd child screaming at the foot of my bed. I needed that, Vivarium.

I watched Vivarium on YouTube. There’s no telling if Vivarium is still available on YT as you’re reading this. Fingers crossed.

The above image sums up Skinamarink. This horror film follows two young children in the middle of the night. Their parents aren’t at home, the house loses its doors and windows, and an other-worldly presence is in the house with them. The film uses limited lighting. In fact, there are multiple scenes where the only source of light is a television or flashlight flickering on and off. That’s Skinamarink’s premise, but I don’t think the movie upholds this premise.

The doors and windows disappear and then reappear for “reasons.” I don’t know who or what the entity is. The entity has the power to erase the older sister’s mouth and does so because she calls out for her parents, but the same entity does nothing when the four-year-old boy calls 911. While Vivarium has a tight narrative, Skinamarink is all about the vibes.

Skinamarink gave me the impression of Community’s Abed making an atmospheric horror film. The shots lingered on images for too long. The images were often nonsensical. But hey, if you want to get creeped out by some bizarre imagery for an hour and a half, Skinamarink can scratch that itch.

I watched Skinamarink on Hulu. Hopefully, it can still be found on that service.

Nimona is a Netflix original film. I won’t go into too much detail. I’m writing a transgender representation deep dive for Nimona set for a December 2025 release. Yeah. Nimona offers some fantastic gender non-conforming representation, and I can’t wait to share that deep dive with you later this year.

Nimona gives me Shrek vibes, as in I haven’t watched an animated feature as refreshing as Nimona since Shrek. Nimona exhibits great storytelling. Its characters go on a roller coaster of personal growth. Good thing it’s infinitely rewatchable because I had to rewatch Nimona a lot for the deep dive. I highly recommend Nimona. In fact, one of the things my family did for Mapa Day (July 27, 2025: Parents Day, which is also for gender non-conforming parents) was watch Nimona. It was metal.

I don’t remember too many of the shows I watched over the past month. I’m certain I watched at least a few. Oh, well. I’m sure I’ll have shows for next month. Until then, let’s see what Season and Skye have been watching.

Season’s Movies

I haven’t been watching as much anime lately, but I had the itch. The Stranger by the Shore (or L’étranger de la Plage) is a short love story about Shun Hashimoto, a gay novelist ostracized by his family, and Mio Chibana, who lost his family at a young age. Both of them struggle to connect with people, which draws them to one another. They end up separated for a few years when Mio moves to Tokyo.

I won’t go into too much detail, but as a romance, The Stranger by the Shore was grounded in reality. Shun has moments of internalized homophobia. He rejects Mio’s advances for most of the movie before accepting himself and Mio. A lot of BL (Boys’ Love) manga and anime tend to shy away from real-world struggles people of the LGBTQ+ community face (outside of trying to not get caught). I found The Stranger by the Shore to be refreshing. And super cute.

The only reason I watched Jurassic World: Rebirth is that I love dinosaurs, and I wanted to see them on the big screen. I don’t care for the hybrids, even though they’re supposed to be the big bads of the movie. Jurassic World: Rebirth followed a similar formula to the original Jurassic Park, even down to the timing of the main theme song. The theme song played when we saw the Titanosaurs in Jurassic World: Rebirth. In the original Jurassic Park, the theme song played when we saw Brachiosaurus. They’re both sauropods. Coincidence?

We also had an evil dude (I forgot his name) run away with the blood samples and got eaten (just like Dennis Nedry). Jurassic World: Rebirth played it safe with the plot. It wasn’t a bad movie. But it wasn’t amazing, either.

Jurassic World: Rebirth claims Quetzalcoatlus was the biggest pterosaur to ever live. Geekly Gang, of these two giant pterosaurs, do you believe Quetzalcoatlus was bigger than Hatzegopteryx? I’d love to read your answers. 😀

Let’s see what Skye has been watching.

Skye’s Movies

In light of the recently released remake (alliteration; you’re welcome), I felt the need to revisit the original The Naked Gun. Simply put, The Naked Gun is still funny all these years later. I can understand why you wouldn’t want to rewatch it. O.J. Simpson’s inclusion in the film as a side character, Officer Nordberg, is off-putting. I tugged at my shirt collar when I saw him on screen. However, Nordberg’s scenes involved him getting injured in a ridiculously over-the-top way. That makes those scenes go down easier.

Chungking Express plays like a slice-of-life film that highlights the complex lives of people we pass by on the street. We don’t know them, we never will, but here’s a movie about them. That may go against the director’s intention, but that was my takeaway. The most notable thing I got from Chungking Express was the fantastic cinematography, namely the masterful one-takes, which made Chungking Express feel so much more like a glimpse into people’s lives.

I hadn’t heard of Night Moves until a couple of months ago. I thought watching Night Moves would be fitting since the recent passing of Gene Hackman. Rest in peace. Put simply, Night Moves was a roller coaster mystery. Most of the film is slow-paced and low-key, but once you get to the final half hour, boy, does Night Moves deliver. Hackman’s Harry Moseby is a private investigator tasked with locating a has-been movie star’s daughter. He’s not John Shaft, but he’s got drive. What will he discover…?

I had never seen Titanic up until this past month. I figured it was about time. Titanic’s focus is the romance between its two leads, but I got more from the side characters. The string quartet that was playing as the ship sank to lift the people’s spirits. The captain and designer of the ship being distraught and mortified at what became of their pride and joy. The heart-breaking moment when the naval officer shot himself after realizing the error of his ways. Those were Titanic’s real emotions.

Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle again. That’s all our writers have for this month’s Whatcha Watching. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching; you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? July 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. It’s another day for our Whatcha series. This week is Whatcha Watching. Even though we’ve watched Superman earlier this week, we won’t be including it with any of our write-ups. You’ll have to wait for our review this Friday. With that announcement out of the way, I guess I’ll begin this post with what I’ve been watching this past month.

Kyra’s Movies

I finally watched Sinners on HBO Max, back when the streaming service was still called Max (don’t get me started on the name change), and I’m kicking myself for not watching Sinners on the big screen. The scene where Sammy plays at the Juke Joint and summons generations of musicians is a marvel. That would’ve been fantastic to see in the theater. Despite watching on a smaller screen, the scene still slaps.

Sinners is easily one of 2025’s best films. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t take home a few awards. It does a great job of depicting the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s. I like how the twin brothers (a double role for Michael B. Jordan) say that Chicago was like the South, but with taller buildings, and they’d rather dance with the devil they knew. While the South was brutal to black people during this time, the North wasn’t much better. The North was subtler. I live outside of Omaha, Nebraska, which is still one of the most segregated cities in the United States. Sinners shows the United States’ sordid past but manages not to get too preachy.

Horror as allegory for racism and social injustice is in vogue right now, and I’m all for it. Horror is a great vehicle for forcing people to face their fears and their past. Horror allows for reflection. Sinners does this well. But I could see someone viewing Sinners through various lenses, and that’s the mark of a great baseline story.

I’ll try to avoid spoilers here; I highly recommend watching Sinners if you have the chance. Religion plays a large role in plenty of Sinners‘ scenes. One of Sammy’s many nicknames is Preacher’s Son on account that he is a preacher’s son. The film even opens with strong religious overtones, with a bloodied Sammy interrupting his father’s church service. Sammy’s at a crossroads, and we get the vampire backstory that precedes this crossroads scene. Not gonna lie, I thought of Robert Johnson, a blues guitarist and singer who died in the late 1930s while watching Sammy. Robert Johnson, the blues guitarist who met the devil at the crossroads, spoke to generations of musicians he would never know. Sammy’s scene at the Juke Joint was awesome.

Honestly, one could choose a couple of other themes besides the ones already mentioned, and it would work for Sinners: regret, income inequality, or the loss of innocence. Sinners‘ layers keep it from being another allegory for racism. But I do have one small nitpick. Sinners didn’t leave enough breadcrumbs for the link between the vampire white couple (at the beginning) and the man who sold the twins the old mill. It’s a small nitpick, and I may need to rewatch Sinners to see if I missed something. Like I need an excuse to rewatch Sinners. Outside of that, I like how the Ku Klux Klan’s motives mirror the vampires’. I’ll be rooting for Sinners this award season.

Kyra’s Shows

I didn’t watch too many new-to-me shows this past month. One of my rewatched highlights is The Book of Queer. You can also find this series on HBO Max. It’s not very long, but if you’re a member of the LGBT+ community, I challenge you not to feel empowered after watching this series. The Book of Queer proves that all letters of the LGBT+ community existed for millennia. This isn’t a new fad. It isn’t a phase. We’ve always been here. History has a way of sweeping the LGBT+ community into the closet like Sappho and her “friend.” Note: one of The Book of Queer’s episodes features Sappho.

The Book of Queer keeps things light. I appreciate how the series takes what could be a touchy subject and adds enough comedic relief to keep it from getting too overwhelming. But The Book of Queer manages to bring on the waterworks. Some of these historical figures are tragic. Rest assured, each episode of The Book of Queer ends with a fabulous music video. Get ready to “Sashay to the Top.”

That’s all I have for this month. Let’s check in with Season and see what she’s been watching.

Season’s Shows

I already mentioned K-Pop Demon Hunters in my Whatcha Listening to, and our Superman review is underway, so I won’t be including those. I know. I struggle with watching movies, but I can sit through six-hour-plus episodes of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. My own logic doesn’t make sense to me.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is in no way historically accurate. It takes several liberties for the sake of drama, which I was craving when I watched it. There’s no proof that King George III struggled with his mental health when he was younger in real life, as was portrayed in the show. He definitely did in his later life. I didn’t care for this aspect of the story, but I knew what I was getting into.

My main reason for watching Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is because I fell in love with Golda Rosheuvel’s performance in Bridgerton as Queen Charlotte. Her delivery and facial expressions made her steal each scene she was in. That said, India Amarteifio did an amazing job as young Queen Charlotte and mirrored Golda Rosheuvel’s older Queen Charlotte’s personality to a T. I’m not one for re-watching shows, but I’d re-watch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That wraps up what our Geekly writers have been watching this past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching, too, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly: June 2025

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Happy Wednesday! Since it’s Wednesday, we have another Whatcha post. Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, the Geekly writers will share the TV shows and movies they watched over the last month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too.

Kyra’s Shows

I’ve watched a handful of shows, but Good American Family may be the most noteworthy. Good American Family is another true crime documentary, but it doesn’t involve murder like my last month’s picks, just child abuse and neglect. Trigger Warning: If you don’t care to watch a show about child abuse, I would skip Good American Family.

This Hulu exclusive follows a real-world couple (Kristine and Michael Barnett) as they adopt a child with dwarfism (Natalia Grace). Good American Family makes an interesting choice with its narrative structure; it attempts to show both sides of the issue. This idea may work better in theory than in practice. Kristine (portrayed by Ellen Pompeo) and Michael (played by Mark Duplass) tell their story first. In fact, the first two episodes (which originally aired the same day, March 19, 2025) follow the Barnett’s sequence of events.

Kristine champions autistic children. She believed in her autistic son, Jacob, and helped him adjust to his neurodivergence and strives to do the same for other children like Jacob. Good American Family goes out of its way to paint Kristine as an angel of mercy in these first two episodes. The same can’t be said for Natalia (played by Imogen Faith Reid).

Natalia does some horrific things like putting her hands over Kristine’s eyes while she’s driving, decapitating her adoptive brother’s stuffed giraffe, and poisoning Kristine’s coffee. What makes matters worse is that Kristine believes that Natalia Grace is a twenty-two-year-old woman instead of a seven-year-old child. It’s like a scene from the movie Orphan. Natalia is getting close to Kristine’s husband, Michael. The first two episodes do a great job of setting up this conceit. It even appears that Natalia has gone through puberty (she might have a period and has pubic hair), so Kristine Barnett’s hypothesis sounds like it could be true.

But then we get Natalia’s point of view in Good American Family’s third episode. She is clearly a child, not an adult. Her outbursts are those of a troubled child with disabilities. What seemed to be understandable–if extreme–responses by the Barnetts in the first two episodes transform into horrific child abuse in the third episode. By the end of the second episode, the Barnetts legally change Natalia’s age to 22 and dump her in an apartment by herself. So, the Barnetts just abandoned their child. That’s terrible. Things get worse for Natalia as the Barnetts sprinkle in some torment (during the third episode and beyond). Spoiler Alert: Eventually, Natalia finds a supportive family, her life turns around, and she takes the Barnetts to court.

Again, I’m most interested in Good American Family’s narrative structure. While I like the attempt to show both sides of this story, the show’s structure holds it back. Many viewers said things like I can’t believe this 22-year-old duped this couple. Clearly, these viewers didn’t watch Good American Family beyond its opening night (when it released its first two episodes). Perhaps Good American Family should’ve released the third episode on opening day or consolidated the first two episodes. The second episode ventures into some nice psychological horror; I could’ve done without the first episode’s melodrama.

The point of view shifts to Michael Barnett near the end of Good American Family. This episode (or episodes) paints Michael as another potential Kristine victim. I never bought it. Good American Family hammers home the point that Natalia was the only victim in this story during its final episode. Ultimately, Good American Family obscured a heap of details during those first two episodes. It didn’t just show the Barnetts’ point of view; it sanitized the Barnetts’ wrongdoing. And what the Barnetts did gets sick.

Kyra’s Movies

I watched plenty of true crime documentaries. I won’t add another one to the movies I watched this last month. Instead, Captain America: Brave New World was added to Disney+. I didn’t watch it in theaters, so I figured I would give it a quick review.

Captain America: Brave New World wasn’t as bad as I feared, but it wasn’t as good as it could’ve been. The Serpent Society barely played a role. The movie doubled down on traditional Hulk villains, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Red Hulk) and The Leader. While I still think Hulk villains in a Captain America movie makes little sense, I like that Captain America: Brave New World didn’t try to shoehorn more members of the Serpent Society. The movie’s villains could’ve been crowded.

Despite being a more focused story than I originally thought, Captain America: Brave New World requires a lot of MCU homework. Falcon/Winter Soldier, The Incredible Hulk, and Eternals. I could see a lot of people watching Falcon/Winter Soldier. That series did well enough on Disney+, but MCU fans would need to subscribe to Disney+ and watch an eight-hour miniseries.

The Incredible Hulk is eighteen years old by this point. Captain America: Brave New World does a good job of building up Ross and his daughter, Betty, but talk about striking while the iron is ice cold. Fewer moviegoers watched Eternals. I wouldn’t have watched Eternals if it weren’t available on my flight to London. I wasn’t going anywhere for eight hours. Why not watch Eternals?

I like how Captain America: Brave New World introduced adamantium by using Celestial Island (an event from Eternals). But I can’t help but imagine the MCU viewer who saw the massive body in the middle of the Indian Ocean and wondered if that was Galactus. There’s a lot of mandatory MCU homework for Captain America: Brave New World. In fact, this movie may have the most required MCU homework. By my count, one would need to watch about 40 hours. 40 hours? Yikes!

And while I said that Captain America: Brave New World’s story could’ve been far more scattered with additional Serpent Society members, that doesn’t mean that the movie has a tight script. It rambles. I thought the movie could’ve ended a handful of times before it did. And my final note is on Sam Wilson’s Captain America (who didn’t take the super soldier serum). The Wakandans did Sam a solid. His vibranium wings saved him multiple times. While that makes sense for the character and within the confines of the MCU, I didn’t like how little I feared for Sam’s safety.

I didn’t want Sam to get hurt, but he’s the one Captain America who didn’t take the super soldier serum, and he went toe to toe with a Hulk. I didn’t gasp once during his battle. It was as if Sam had taken the super soldier serum. Captain America: Brave New World may be a mixed bag, but I love Tim Black Nelson’s Leader. The Leader may have been worth an eighteen-year wait.

That’s all I have for this month. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been watching.

Skye’s Movies

After watching Goodfellas, I can see what everybody’s talking about. Goodfellas isn’t one of those movies I hear a lot about, but whenever I do hear about it, it’s always good things. I wouldn’t say Goodfellas is the quintessential mob movie (considering we live in a world where The Godfather still exists), but it’s still pretty darn good. Goodfellas does a great job of capturing the feel of organized crime, has gritty violence, is just the right amount of uncomfortable, and I loved it.

While not the whole story, Goodfellas does enough to show us both the glamour and danger of mob life. Also, the piano exit from “Layla” has been stuck in my head for weeks.

Some Like it Hot has been on my watch list for years. After watching it, I can confirm that I enjoyed Some Like it Hot, but not as much as I thought. To be clear, Some Like it Hot is still a very funny movie and got some genuine laughs despite its age, but I was surprised by how slow it could be at times. I was taken aback by the sudden romance that came halfway through. It wasn’t necessarily bad; I just wasn’t expecting it.

Even if Some Like it Hot wasn’t as bombastically funny as I anticipated, I still had a fun time with it. After all, nobody’s perfect.

The Seventh Seal is a classic in every meaning of the word. Even to this day, The Seventh Seal is one of those movies that’s studied in film schools around the world. This was my first time watching The Seventh Seal. Put simply, I wasn’t disappointed. I respected The Seventh Seal’s patient approach to suspense and thrills. Modern horror films overly rely on jump scares to make the movie seem scarier. The Seventh Seal‘s silence scared me the most.

If you haven’t seen The Seventh Seal, I highly recommend you treat yourself to one of cinema’s most revered classics.

Eraserhead is a movie I had already seen before this month, but I felt like I needed to watch it again. If you’ve never seen Eraserhead, you’d best go into this experience blind. This is a cinematic journey you’ll never forget. It’s difficult to go into details about what Eraserhead is because it uses shrouded symbolism, abstract storytelling, and deliberate imagery. Despite having seen Eraserhead three times, I still don’t fully understand it. What I like the most about Eraserhead is how you can watch it several times and always come up with a different explanation. That’s, without a doubt, David Lynch’s intention. Rest in peace, David Lynch.

If you’ve never seen it, make sure you watch Eraserhead on an empty stomach. You’ll thank me later. Also, keep telling yourself: “In Heaven, everything is fine.”

Season’s Movies

I’m not much of a movie watcher, but I did re-watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & Part 2. No. I didn’t re-watch The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It’s been a while since I read the books, so I can’t remember everything in the books that got left out of the movies. I think Katniss singing “The Hanging Tree” was my favorite part across both movies. I think the movies did a decent job of representing the books from an outside perspective. As a viewer, I wasn’t completely inundated with Katniss’s every thought. The Hunger Games, in general, is definitely a good series to revisit, both in novel and film form.

Season’s Shows

I’ve been binge-watching Dead End: Paranormal Park the past few days, and I’m in love with it. It’s a cute show that combines accepting people for who they are and fantasy. Who doesn’t like fighting demons while having to deal with scary family/people situations in the real world? Dead End: Paranormal Park features LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent representation. There is one character who got gender binary-coded, which differs from the comic. This aspect of the show irritates me, but other than that, I’d definitely recommend Dead End: Paranormal Park for people who are looking for something fun and in the spirit of Pride.

Kyra Kyle here again. That’s what the Geekly writers have been watching this past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? May 2025

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. It’s another Wednesday, and Geekly will be discussing the shows and movies we watched over the past month. I won’t be including Thunderbolts* in this post because I’ve already written a review about that movie. And as usual, we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching over the last month.

Kyra’s Shows

Ten minutes into watching Love & Death, it dawned on me that I had already watched a show with this same premise, Candy. So, I decided to do something a little different with this month’s Whatcha Watching. I rewatched Candy after finishing Love & Death and compared the two shows. Candy and Love & Death differ in two key ways: narrative structure and whose side of the story is told.

Candy (released in 2022 on Hulu) and Love & Death (released in 2023 on Max) follow Candy Montgomery, who was charged with the murder of Betty Gore in 1980. Candy pleaded not guilty based on self-defense. Both mini-series (with some alterations) share the basic details of the case. Candy Montgomery and Allan Gore (Betty’s husband) had an affair that ended amicably. Betty finds out about the affair a year later and accosts Candy with an axe, and Candy defends herself. Both shows also share specific details, such as Candy’s attorney quoting John Steinbeck in his closing arguments, but the two shows couldn’t be any more different.

Love & Death frames its story chronologically. This happens, and then this, and then this. It’s easy to follow. The structure and the time Love & Death spends on developing characters provide a window into who the characters (or real-life people) are and why they may do what they do, and when we finally see the death scene (which happens beyond the halfway point), the murder scene carries a lot of weight.

Conversely, Candy uses non-linear storytelling, bouncing from the present to the past and back again. I’m unsure why Candy chose this style of storytelling. Non-linear narrative structure is often nicknamed the narrative structure of trauma. Perhaps that was what they were going for. Candy shows the murder weapon within the first fifteen minutes and a glimpse of the murder within the first thirty minutes. It’s easy to get lost when something is supposed to happen because Candy shifts timelines.

Narrative structure isn’t the only way these shows differ. Love & Death attempts to stay neutral for all parties involved but leans toward sympathy for Candy Montgomery. Candy leans further into siding with the victim, Betty Gore. Betty’s ghost is even present during the reading of Candy’s verdict. What? There are some head-scratching choices made with Candy, but the show is still a good watch.

Before we move on, I have one other note: Candy uses the commonly seen “Based on a true story” at the beginning of each episode, while Love and Death uses the less common “This is a true story.” I didn’t know where to discuss this; it’s odd. The producers of Love & Death must be wagging their fingers at the producers of Candy. Tsk tsk. I’m unsure how I feel about Love & Death’s assertion, but I am sure that I prefer Love & Death slightly more than Candy.

Both are solid shows, and it was fun watching them back to back. Even though I watched Candy years ago, I forgot the show’s particulars. Watching Love & Death first before rewatching Candy allowed me to keep the timeline straight.

Candy’s narrative structure doesn’t help the story. There were scenes where I wondered if Candy’s husband was distant (like he was in Love & Death), and that’s why Candy cheated, or that Candy cheated on a man trying to make their marriage work (which seemed to be the direction Candy had gone). Candy’s non-linear narrative makes it difficult to track Pat Montgomery (Candy’s husband). Pat learns things about Candy, and he changes over time. Love & Death shows this well. Candy makes it unnecessarily murky at times.

Even so, I love Candy’s set design and atmosphere. Jessica Biel looks the part of Candy Montgomery. And I like that Candy is a trippy mini-series. But I lean toward Love & Death as the better series, even if they may be reaching with “This is a true story.” Biel may look more like Candy, but Elizabeth Olsen has the space and story to embody the character…I mean, real person.

I’ve watched other shows, but I wanted to share my thoughts on these two shows about the same topic that were released a year apart. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been watching.

Skye’s Movies

Blade Runner

I’ve been catching up on my movies. After several trips to my local Barnes & Noble, I’ve gotten a few DVDs. Among them is the original Blade Runner. This is a film that’s been on my watchlist for a while, and I’m glad I watched it, but I must admit I have complicated feelings. This is a movie I want to like, but I don’t know if I can.

I’ve heard an abundance of praise for the original Blade Runner, and I was hoping it would live up to expectations. Blade Runner’s look and feel are amazing, but plot-wise, I don’t know what it’s about. A few things likely went over my head. Before solidifying my opinion, I’d prefer to watch it at least one more time. I’ll gladly give Blade Runner a second chance.

Se7en

I’ve already seen Se7en, but I didn’t own it on DVD. Since I picked it up at Barnes & Noble, I needed to recapture the magic. Needless to say, Se7en holds up pretty well. It’s one of those movies that makes me question my reality and the value we place on morality. How do we determine objectively good morals, and how do we enforce them?

Since humans are imperfect, does anyone have the right to enforce morality? I know that’s deep, but these were the questions running through my head after first viewing Se7en. Of course, they came right back when I rewatched it. If you’re in the mood for an eerie, mysterious, and brutal tale detailing the human condition, Se7en is for you. Find out what’s in the box.

The Secret World of Arrietty

I’ve been on a Studio Ghibli kick, so it’s a great time to watch The Secret World of Arrietty. My favorite thing about the film is the worldbuilding. Focusing on a family of little people living inside a normal sized house, there’s a lot of inventive gadgetry they come up with to maneuver around the place. Each item was clever and cute when I saw them on screen.

Outside of that, I couldn’t get into The Secret World of Arrietty’s story. Mostly because there wasn’t much of a story. I respect The Secret World of Arrietty for trying to embrace a non-traditional plot structure, but in the process, it lost the personal connection. This movie is very cute (one that kids will love), but there unfortunately isn’t much substance to it. Since it’s a Ghibli film, you can bet The Secret World of Arrietty has plenty of breathtaking animation.

Season’s Movie

Hey, Geekly Gang! I’ve been watching more anime than usual lately, which isn’t something I’ve done in a while. I watched The Rose of Versailles (2025) because I saw some clips on Instagram and thought it looked interesting. I had no idea what it was about. The Rose of Versailles is a period piece set during the French Revolution in which a woman leads an army and storms the Bastille (which was a pivotal moment in the actual French Revolution). The Rose of Versailles follows the themes of empowering women and romance. Apparently.

I say “apparently” for the romance because I didn’t care for it. Spoiler alert: The female lead (Oscar) dies at the end of the movie and wants to be with the man she fell in love with. It wasn’t necessarily out of nowhere because the guy she fell in love with grew up with her. But it was shoved in toward the end after she was adamant that she wouldn’t marry and live for her country.

On a different note, Aya Hirano was cast as Marie Antoinette in the Japanese version. I enjoyed watching her in something again after she’d received threats from former fans. I watched a lot of anime she was in when I was a teenager. Some of her notable work includes Fairy Tail (Lucy), The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Haruhi), and Death Note (Misa).

Season’s Show

It was a matter of time before I started watching the Ranma 1/2 remake. I loved the original anime. This remake has a lot to live up to. Right off the bat, they faked me out with the intro song. It opened with Genma hitting a gong, but the song was completely different, so I’m docking points for that. Outside of that, the Ranma 1/2 remake stayed true to both the original anime and the manga. I’m watching the English dub first because that’s how I first watched the original when I was younger. I’ll probably re-watch Ranma 1/2 in Japanese at some point.

Speaking of the English dub, what the heck is up with Nabiki’s voice? Her voice used to be smooth and cool-sounding in the original anime, but they made Nabiki sound screechy in the remake. On the flip side, girl Ranma is more palatable to listen to this time. The original anime didn’t finish the manga’s story and ended in a weird place. I think this had something to do with the producer at the time. I hope the Ranma 1/2 remake sees the full story through to the end.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching over the last month, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly: April 2025

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This is our second new Wednesday segment: “Whatcha Watching, Geekly?” Today, the Geekly Gang will discuss which shows and movies they watched the prior month. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Let’s give the Geekly Gang one criterion for this post; we won’t include any television shows or movies that we reviewed for JK Geekly. We obviously watched those shows and films. And feel free to share which movies and shows you’ve watched this past month. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra

Shows

Not gonna lie. I’m basic. I’ve been watching true crime shows. I binge-watched all eight seasons of Signs of a Psychopath on Max so fast that I could predict what the psychologists would say next. Shallow affect. Check. Refusal to accept any responsibility. Double check. See how the killer describes the details of a gristly murder like someone would describe their grocery list. Quadruple check. Frankly. I watched too many true crime shows this past month. I may have traveled too far down this rabbit hole.

While YouTuber KallMeKris may not be a forensic psychologist or pathologist like Signs of a Psychopath’s experts, she has more personality than at least three-quarters of the people on that show. And it doesn’t hurt that her platform is free. Crime. Conspiracy. Cults. Serial Killers And Murder. I guess I am one of those sick, beautiful, intellectually minded freaks, and I love it when Kris screws up her intro. Sick, intellectiful binded, anyone? Anyone? Kris is a popular YouTuber for a reason. If you haven’t checked out her channel and you like true crime, give one of her episodes a watch.

Staying on brand, I also binged Netflix’s The Residence. I highly recommend this whodunnit with plenty of comedic moments. The Residence will keep you guessing until the very end. The performances are stellar. Uzo Aduba as Detective Cupp is phenomenal. Ken Marino’s Harry Hollinger is a character you love to hate. The rest of the star-studded cast are brilliant. Giancarlo Esposito goes against type with his portrayal of A. B. Winter. I love Esposito’s performance, but it’s bittersweet. The Residence was supposed to be Andre Braugher’s final performance. The Residence is dedicated to him, and Esposito reluctantly took Braugher’s role. If you’re a fan of whodunnits with a comedic touch, you should watch The Residence.

Movies

I kept seeing YouTube clips of a 2006 Rom-Com, Wedding Daze, starring Isla Fischer (Wedding Crashers) and Jason Biggs (American Pie), and decided to watch it free with ads on YouTube. I vaguely remember watching Wedding Daze years ago. It’s a shameless cash-grab on Biggs’s and Fischer’s notoriety at the time. I’ve seen both actors in better movies/shows since. Biggs portrayed an intriguing side character in Orange is the New Black, while Fischer was excellent in Wolf Like Me. Wedding Daze makes little sense. I give the movie props for swinging hard into the absurd. I mostly “watched” Wedding Daze while I worked on my board game prototypes. But you can’t beat free. YouTube ads within movies aren’t that intrusive. At least they weren’t while I watched Wedding Daze.

Great! Now that I mentioned the show, I may need to rewatch Wolf Like Me.

I may have seen Monsters, Inc. and the previous movie the same day. I definitely watched them the same week. I must’ve been on a nostalgia kick. Monsters, Inc. (2001) holds up almost two and half decades later. Mrs. Geekly shared that one of the movie’s sound technicians followed the toddler who portrayed Boo and recorded whatever she said or sang. And Mary Gibbs (Boo) was allowed to explore the studio and do whatever she wanted. Mrs. Geekly insisted that the one sound technician had the best job in Hollywood. The only problem she could see was refraining from giggling. I have to agree.

I could include a few more movies and shows that I’ve seen and haven’t covered for Geekly this past month, but I’ll turn the post over to Season and Skye. I’d like to see what they’ve been watching. Thank you for reading.

Season

shows

Normally, I’m not a fan of shows (unless we’re watching them for Geekly). Most shows run an hour long for one episode. There are exceptions for me, but the way I see it, if I’m going to watch something long, I may as well watch a movie. That aside, I watch a lot of YouTube. I’ve been into obscure stories and gross-out content. Papa Meat has a lot of content like this. He creates his own set pieces, does food ranking videos, and discusses movies. I prefer the videos where he discusses new age health trends or deadly pranks. Also, his animation channel, MeatCanyon, is a cool showcase of his art. He pokes fun at celebrities and Disney Adults.

Keeping up with the YouTube trend, I fall asleep to ManlyBadassHero’s videos. He’s a horror YouTuber, but he seldom screams or gets loud. Sometimes, the game he’s playing will jump scare me, but his videos are calming. One of my favorite videos of his is when he covers the indie game Hunsvotti. Hunsvotti is about the traditional Finnish holiday of Juhannus (or Midsummer) in which the player runs around finding flowers to throw into a well to find their true love. The player character is bullied because they have black hair while the other villagers are blonde. If I remember correctly, “hunsvotti” is a slur in Finnish, but I’m not sure if it’s still in use. The video itself is about twenty-five minutes, so I won’t go into too much detail.

movies

I got hit with a wave of nostalgia and binged all four Shrek movies. I grew up in the early 2000’s and Shrek was a staple of my childhood. I used to get Shrek toys in my McDonald’s happy meals whenever a new movie came out. I’m not going to lie, I thought the making of next year’s Shrek 5 was a joke. I’m not jumping at the idea of another Shrek movie, but I will watch it. Because Shrek. It’s like me with the Jurassic Park series. I don’t like most of the movies, but I like dinosaurs, so I watch them.

I recently got the Shrek 2 video game for PS2. Skye and I used to play it together growing up. Time to relive the glory days.

Skye

Ah, now this is more up my alley. 😉

If y’all know me, you know that I love TV and film. Heck, I have a movie review blog. To keep things fresh, I won’t include anything you’ll see on Geekly or my other blog. Surprisingly, I enjoy watching a lot of stuff.

Movies

I have a list of movies and shows I feel I need to watch. There isn’t any rhyme or reason to what I decide to watch; I just see something I wrote down and go with it. I’ve meant to watch the Mad Max film franchise for years, and decided there’s no time like the present.

I’ve since seen the first two films, and so far, I’m having a good time with them. While I don’t always follow the plotlines or understand character motivations, the atmosphere of these movies is distinct. That’s easily my favorite aspect. Given that I enjoyed The Road Warrior more than the original, I’m excited to see if the franchise continues this trend of improvement. Naturally, the one movie I’m looking forward to the most is Fury Road.

Anime

I have an otaku side as well. Don’t we all? Since I adored the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime series, I was more than happy to dive into Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It’s been on my radar for way too long.

It’s great to see the Elric brothers again. The animation is as great as ever. The homunculi biding their time in the background gives me goosebumps, and Armstrong is my favorite character. Even in the first series, he always brought a smile to my face.

YouTube

Did I not tell you I’m a fan of online media too? Well, I am. I go through phases of watching my favorite channels, but right now my go-to channel is CoryxKenshin. Even while I write this, I’m listening to his Let’s Play of Murder House.

CoryxKenshin’s sense of humor, love of music, over-the-top reactions, and lovable wit are impossible to resist. It’s tricky for me to describe in this kind of format, but if you’re a fan of YouTube gaming, particularly horror, I’d recommend this channel.

That’s all we have for this week, Geekly Gang. Next week will be our Geekly Tunes post for the month. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.