AvidBards
Reviews

“Atypical” Season 2 Highlights

Warning: major spoilers for “Atypical” Season 1 and 2 below! Netflix original show Atypical, created by Robia Rashid, quickly became one of my  favourite shows almost immediately into watching Season 1 (released in 2017). It presented itself as a world that you can both escape to as well as relate to, which is something I always enjoy. Atypical balances real, raw content with quirky fun, all wrapped up into half-hour episodes in relatively short seasons; a tactic that always leaves you wanting more. Of course, the main reason why I love this show is because of the representation. Focusing on…

View Post
Movies

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” Film Review

Warning: Major Spoilers below! When I first watched the trailer for the new Netflix film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (based on a novel of the same name), I wasn’t sure what to think. Personally, I am not a massive fan of overly sappy movies or shows because I find sappiness to be disingenuous most of the times, or romanticized to a point of unbelievability. That’s sort of how this film came across, but what caught my eye was that the main character was a PoC (actress Lana Condor is of Vietnamese ethnicity, playing half-Korean character Lara Jean…

View Post
5 Best Series

5 Best Binge-worthy Netflix Originals

Anbody who has Netflix knows that there are a ton of – perhaps too many – options when it comes to Netflix Originals. This behemoth of a company pumps out a new show or film seemingly every month, so it can be tough to figure out which ones are worth watching. And hey, maybe they’re all worth watching; Netflix does, after all, generally dedicate quality production and content. However, if you just need a place to start and don’t know where to, here’s a list of five amazing original series that truly give Netflix a good rep. Since some of…

View Post
Books

On Reading Shakespeare

I’m sure that a lot of you have, at some point, understood the struggle of reading Shakespeare plays during our school days. Of course, we have always been taught that William Shakespeare, the Bard himself, whose works have survived for over a whopping four centuries later, is one of the most timeless and classic playwrights ever. And hey, I am certainly not one to doubt that; Shakespeare’s vast repertoire offers a variety of genres, historical events, themes, and plotlines with an intelligence and wit that will always be considered pertinent. As a Canadian living in Toronto, “Shakespeare for Kids” versions…

View Post
Music

Summer Vacation Playlist

Summer is the time to enjoy the gorgeous weather. And what better way to have fun with your summer activities than to accompany them with some music? Whether you’re having a BBQ in the backyard, sipping drinks on a patio, going to the beach with friends, road tripping with family, flying out to your next destination, or even just relaxing at home, a good playlist is always a nice addition. Today’s Spotify list is a carefully curated list of 40 songs: a combination of current summer hits, a few slightly older ones (like Robert Glasper and Yasiin Bey’s incredible collab…

View Post
Movies

“I, Tonya” Review

Even though I watched (and loved) this film the first week it came out in theatres back in December, its arrival onto Netflix reminded me of just how good it was. After re-watching it, my thoughts on it have solidified, and my love for it has grown. Here are the reasons why I thought I, Tonya (2017, dir. Craig Gillespie) is an incredibly introspective film that took a real life event and transformed itself into a thought-provoking commentary on fame, media depiction, mob mentality, and elitism in the figure skating world. (Warning: major spoilers ahead.) Here’s what you have to…

View Post