Welcome to the new profile
We're still working on updating some profile features. To see the badges, ratings breakdowns, and polls for this profile, please go to the previous version.
Reviews8
dreamtripp's rating
Why even buy the rights to a story if you're not going to honor the story, characters or author?
The only way to possibly like this series at all is to not have known the source material. This isn't even an adaptation, it's a very badly revised version with only basic plot elements left. The source matter was a very beautifully woven, intricate and descriptively told story of a family with supernatural powers and the mysterious being attached to them, whose motive for doing so are hidden and unknown.
As many have pointed out, two very major characters were erased and replaced by another that does not represent what the original characters brought to the story. Several other important characters are ignored or changed. (Where is Mona? Surely Tessa was not mean to replace her?) Intrinsic personality traits are also ignored in the major characters that are left. Rowan was cool, collected, and confident - Not here - she is confused, timid and easily manipulated by Lasher. Suzanne was feral and uninhibited - Not here - she is meek and cowering. Worst of all is Lasher. Rice's Lasher was ethereally tall, lithe and beautiful and presented himself as a romantic and sensitive being. In the books this is what creates a sense of dissonance in the reader. Although you are aware Lasher has ulterior motives you feel what the witches felt and why they are fooled by him. Lasher being presented as some outright villainous conman of a ghost is just...frustrating. Even the very symbol of the designees' inherited wealth and power, the Emerald necklace, is turned into some flea-market looking key medallion. Why???
Also changed or eliminated is the back story of the original 12 designees. Each one had their own story - which would have easily served this series with at least two to three seasons worth of material. Instead it is replaced by episodes and storylines that are not represented at all. Did we really need an entire episode of Rowan and Ciprien stuck in a loop in Mayfair Manor? In the original story we didn't need the cousins hold a "witch ceremony" to understand their powers and we certainly didn't need the modern day witch hunt storyline to understand how patriarchy works. Instead of the beautifully described old world of Celtic Europe or the New Orleans of the turn of the century and roaring 20s, we get watered-down modern television tropes and cliches. Ugh.
If you're a fan of the books, do yourself a favor and either prepare to be frustrated and annoyed, or better yet avoid this altogether and just reread the books. If you haven't read the books you may like this a bit better if you're ok with predictable TV cliches and bad character writing.
The only way to possibly like this series at all is to not have known the source material. This isn't even an adaptation, it's a very badly revised version with only basic plot elements left. The source matter was a very beautifully woven, intricate and descriptively told story of a family with supernatural powers and the mysterious being attached to them, whose motive for doing so are hidden and unknown.
As many have pointed out, two very major characters were erased and replaced by another that does not represent what the original characters brought to the story. Several other important characters are ignored or changed. (Where is Mona? Surely Tessa was not mean to replace her?) Intrinsic personality traits are also ignored in the major characters that are left. Rowan was cool, collected, and confident - Not here - she is confused, timid and easily manipulated by Lasher. Suzanne was feral and uninhibited - Not here - she is meek and cowering. Worst of all is Lasher. Rice's Lasher was ethereally tall, lithe and beautiful and presented himself as a romantic and sensitive being. In the books this is what creates a sense of dissonance in the reader. Although you are aware Lasher has ulterior motives you feel what the witches felt and why they are fooled by him. Lasher being presented as some outright villainous conman of a ghost is just...frustrating. Even the very symbol of the designees' inherited wealth and power, the Emerald necklace, is turned into some flea-market looking key medallion. Why???
Also changed or eliminated is the back story of the original 12 designees. Each one had their own story - which would have easily served this series with at least two to three seasons worth of material. Instead it is replaced by episodes and storylines that are not represented at all. Did we really need an entire episode of Rowan and Ciprien stuck in a loop in Mayfair Manor? In the original story we didn't need the cousins hold a "witch ceremony" to understand their powers and we certainly didn't need the modern day witch hunt storyline to understand how patriarchy works. Instead of the beautifully described old world of Celtic Europe or the New Orleans of the turn of the century and roaring 20s, we get watered-down modern television tropes and cliches. Ugh.
If you're a fan of the books, do yourself a favor and either prepare to be frustrated and annoyed, or better yet avoid this altogether and just reread the books. If you haven't read the books you may like this a bit better if you're ok with predictable TV cliches and bad character writing.
Adam Sandler found his niche a long time ago with the majority of his movie roles being in light-hearted, and for the most part, inoffensive comedies. He developed his own production company and kept his friends employed by prolifically putting out these standard comedy vehicles. While he has occasionally put in Oscar worthy dramatic performances, he has mostly chosen to stay within his goofy comedy lane. So having said that, this is your typical Adam Sandler family comedy movie. I think most people understand what that means.
The plot is a simple coming of age story with a Jewish twist. It has your typical teenager movie tropes such as mean girls, social awkwardness, having a spat with your bestie, suffering an unrequited crush and dealing with peer pressures. It's not deep and doesn't make any profound statement on the genre. It's just a cute film and a pleasant way to pass an hour plus.
As mentioned already, Sandler likes to employ his close friends but this is the first movie where he has employed his actual family with both his real-life daughters (one in the lead role, and the other supporting) and his wife (also supporting.) The lead Sunny, in my opinion, did a good job for a first time lead role and had chemistry with the actress who played her bff which was central to the story. Of course there was also a natural chemistry with her dad, which gave an authentic, sweet quality to this movie overall. I'm curious to see her in other roles and to see how she matures as an actress.
The other daughter Sadie, played the sardonic older sister. Her role was relatively small so it's hard to gauge her acting skills, but again the real life father-daughter relationship gave this movie a little more authenticity than it would have had otherwise.
I will say his wife's role as the BFF's mother felt less authentic. Maybe she's not a great actress and couldn't (or didn't want to) carry the larger role of the lead's mother. Instead that role was adequately filled by Idina Menzel. However, Sunny bares a strong, noticeable resemblance to her real life mother and it was hard to ignore this when they shared scenes. I mean if you're going to use your daughters as your daughters, you might as well use your wife as your wife, especially as Idina's role didn't require any outstanding acting. This was somewhat distracting but didn't really ruin the movie.
In the end, you either like Adam Sandler comedy movies or you don't. I gave this move a 7 because I generally do. It's a likeable movie if you come into it with low expectations and just want to be entertained. I mean this is an Adam Sandler movie so why are people even trying to compare this to Judy Blume or Ladybird? That's just ridiculous.
The plot is a simple coming of age story with a Jewish twist. It has your typical teenager movie tropes such as mean girls, social awkwardness, having a spat with your bestie, suffering an unrequited crush and dealing with peer pressures. It's not deep and doesn't make any profound statement on the genre. It's just a cute film and a pleasant way to pass an hour plus.
As mentioned already, Sandler likes to employ his close friends but this is the first movie where he has employed his actual family with both his real-life daughters (one in the lead role, and the other supporting) and his wife (also supporting.) The lead Sunny, in my opinion, did a good job for a first time lead role and had chemistry with the actress who played her bff which was central to the story. Of course there was also a natural chemistry with her dad, which gave an authentic, sweet quality to this movie overall. I'm curious to see her in other roles and to see how she matures as an actress.
The other daughter Sadie, played the sardonic older sister. Her role was relatively small so it's hard to gauge her acting skills, but again the real life father-daughter relationship gave this movie a little more authenticity than it would have had otherwise.
I will say his wife's role as the BFF's mother felt less authentic. Maybe she's not a great actress and couldn't (or didn't want to) carry the larger role of the lead's mother. Instead that role was adequately filled by Idina Menzel. However, Sunny bares a strong, noticeable resemblance to her real life mother and it was hard to ignore this when they shared scenes. I mean if you're going to use your daughters as your daughters, you might as well use your wife as your wife, especially as Idina's role didn't require any outstanding acting. This was somewhat distracting but didn't really ruin the movie.
In the end, you either like Adam Sandler comedy movies or you don't. I gave this move a 7 because I generally do. It's a likeable movie if you come into it with low expectations and just want to be entertained. I mean this is an Adam Sandler movie so why are people even trying to compare this to Judy Blume or Ladybird? That's just ridiculous.
Don't waste your time watching this garbage. It sheds no new information, does not offer an in-depth look at any aspect of the trial and only shows portions that are obvious biased to the defendant's side. Worst of all it is disrespectful to the professionalism of the Judge and Jury who gave their time, and insulting to anyone who watched the entire trial and made up their own mind by insinuating the verdict went the way it did because we were all under the sway of a "movie star" and social media. Everyone knows justice got served in this case. Completely unconvincing rubbish under the guise of a documentary.