Comedy

Heartstopper Review | An Irresistible Gay Teen Drama

Published

1 year ago

April 22, 2022

Based on Alice Oseman’s beloved graphic novels, Netflix’s bite-sized adaptation of Heartstopper continues to kick the door wide open for queer stories on the small screen. In the same vain as Young Royals and Dear Victor, Heartstopper’s exploration of queer teen romance is just as endearing, if not made more real and lovable by some incredible performances by Joe Locke and Kit Connor who play the show’s main high-school sweethearts.

Heartstopper owes its incredible binge-factor to its main focus on the story of two British teens at Truham Boys School, Charlie (Locke) and Nick (Connor) and how their entanglement perfectly represents the highs and lows of young romance. Manoeuvring alongside our main characters’ connection are some other, deeply adorable queer-centric stories – from a pair of secret lesbians at the nearby all-girls grammar school, to the perspective of a trans girl navigating life outside Truham; all of which tangle throughout the show’s eight chapters, giving a genuine take on teen love and friendship during the digital age.

Photo: Netflix

While Euphoria is a ridiculously over-the-top representation of high school life with actors well-in their twenties playing teens, Heartstopper instead follows leads and supporting characters that feel like real teenagers, which doesn’t help the waterworks when it comes to some incredibly emotional moments in the show.

What the show decides not to focus on is sex and swearing, which is usual when it comes to these kinds of stories. Instead, Heartstopper goes down a more wholesome route, diluting some of the web comic’s more serious topics in favour of a more family-friendly teen drama. That’s more than acceptable, but it may leave the show not exactly suitable for everyone for how young it is leaning, despite how charming it is. It’ll be interesting to see how the web comic’s strong fanbase take to these changes, but it feels like a good move for the most part.

That being said, Heartstopper brilliantly doesn’t leave out realistic aspects that come to growing up queer in Britain; our main characters are never far from bullies or trolls. With how young the show’s audience is targeting towards, this feels like a great move on showing how to approach these pressures that make-up everyday life for teenagers.

Overall, Heartstopper is easily destined to prove a success for Netflix; from the authentic feel of all the friendships and relationships depicted to the enjoyable ride that comes with all eight chapters, this show is a welcome addition to the increasingly queer canon that is flying into the mainstream.

FILM RATING

Comedy

Dream Scenario | Official Trailer — A24 Starring Nicolas Cage

A hapless family man finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. When his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2023

Staff

Genre:

Comedy

Release Date:

2023

Director:

Kristoffer Borgli

Cast:

Lily Bird, Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson

Plot Summary:

FILM RATING

Comedy

Totally Killer | Official Trailer — Available on Prime Video October 6th, 2023

Published

2 weeks ago

September 13, 2023

Jacques van Zyl

Amazon Studios

The following piece was written during the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie material being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Genre: Comedy Horror

Release Date: 6 October 2023

Director: Nahnatchka Khan

Writers: David Matalon, Sasha Perl-Raver & Jen D’Angelo

Distributed by: Amazon Prime Video

Production Companies: Blumhouse Television & Divide/Conquer

Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, Liana Liberato, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin-Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi, Jeremy Monn-Djasgnar, Nathaniel Appiah, Jonathan Potts, Randall Park & Julie Bowen

Plot Summary

Thirty-five years after the shocking murders of three teens, an infamous killer returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. When 17-year-old Jamie comes face-to-face with the masked maniac, she accidentally time-travels back to 1987. Forced to navigate the unfamiliar culture, Jamie teams up with her teenage mother to take down the psycho once and for all.

Streaming October 6, 2023, exclusively on Prime Video. Watch the official trailer now!

FILM RATING

Comedy

Heartstopper Season 2 Review: A Blissful Sophomore Return.

Published

2 months ago

July 29, 2023

Kevin Verma

Heartstopper was one of those shows that comes out of nowhere and instantly becomes a sensation. Last summer we were introduced to this heartwarming and sweet show from Netflix, and now we finally have its second season. The wait was only a little over a year since its freshman season, but the wait still felt like an age. But the teen drama is back, this time with a more mature and settled storyline.

The show created by Alice Oseman and also based on her graphic novel, follows Nick and Charlie on a journey of self-discovery and romance at an all-boys school. Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, and Tobie Donovan all return this season. Season 2 picks up right where season 1 left off with Nick and Charlie finally getting together. Season 1 was quite simply a delight, and going into season 2 many were concerned that season 2 will not be able to reach the standards set by the first one, but season 2 will prove the doubters wrong.

Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring were finally together after so many ups and downs, but there were still a lot of problems left to deal with. Charlie has problems at home while Nick is still figuring out who he is and figuring out how and when he wants to come out to other people, as their relationship is still a secret apart from charlie’s close friend group, who have supported them all along.

Fisayo Akinade as Mr Ajayi, Nima Taleghani as Mr Farouk

The story tackles more mature themes this time around and dives into more serious teenage issues. The pacing is good as always and the tone stays consistent throughout. The direction is a notch above the first season with some very smart shots in key scenes. Kit Connor and Joe Locke are as amazing as always and their storyline keeps on finding interesting routes to go to and keeps the viewer rooting for them.

William Gao as Tao is a standout and steals the first half of the season. His development as a character is very clear and he grows a lot as a person this season. Tobie Donovan stays in the shadows for most of the season but packs a solid punch in the end. Olivia Colman has a small yet impactful role and it is always a delight when she’s on screen. Fisayo Akinade as Mr Ajayi also has a bigger role this time and Nima Taleghani as Mr Farouk was another standout for me.

Heartstopper Season 2 is a blissful return for the wonderfully radiant show that somehow finds a way to consistently put a smile on your face and get you invested in the enchanting storyline. It is filled with so many likable characters and adorable romances. The performances are incredibly charming and you’ll never get tired of watching them. Fans of the first season will be anything but disappointed and I personally believe that it is an improvement from its first season.

Heartstopper season 2 will stream on Netflix from August 3.