la_rubiecita

I liked season 1 and 2, even though the first season was much stronger than the second. Season 3 is a meandering mess, uplifted by sporadic scenes with Parker Posey and Aimee Lou Wood who are the only comedic relief/ heart which is sorely needed now that Jennifer Coolidge got written out of the show. All seasons are a slow burn but season 3 is just plain uninteresting. The first 4 episodes there is no tension. I still don't know where this is going and I'm at episode 7. This is not due to the cast or the setting, Thailand and the Four Seasons Resort are stunning. Everyone is trying really hard. The writing is just bad. I won't even get to the side plot of the brothers, I did NOT need that image inside my head, nor Sam Rockwell's character's disturbing and useless monologue in episode 5. Both did not move the plot forward in any way, plus we are not invested in this side character Frank in any way other than a weird waste of time discussing debauchery. Skip this season. Stick to the first 2 and you're good.

The opening scene of this movie may initially surprise you, as the animation style at first feels very low budget. Don't be put off by this please, give the movie a chance. It's actually a beautiful, almost silent cinematographic adventure that will have you deeply invested in the story of 5 animals; the cat, a capybara, a very large bird, a lemur and a playful golden retriever. The scenery is that of a world that has moved on; a flood, think Noah's Ark vibes, has overtaken most of Earth. The 5 animals find each other by chance on their journey of survival.

The bird initially is part of a flock, but this turns sideways as she's trying to help the little cat. The capybara finds the cat on his boat, she drifts aboard so to speak. The story bobs on quite literally, as most of it takes place on the boat or in the water.

The stunning dystopian world that's being created here is never desolate, the film focuses on the beauty of rain, the hope of a sunrise rather then showing decay and misery. The animals get along for the most part and share whatever little they can find. In the end, you feel deeply for them, and hope that they, and the world, will be okay.

I expected a much worse film based on all the reviews and the controversy surrounding this film but the movie actually has heart. It's just a pity that that heart is not Ms Lively, but Brendan Sklenar. From the moment he enters the picture, you want him to stay in the shot. The scenes with him are the highlights, even if Justin Baldoni portrayed a good Ryan. Justin was ripped and coolly aggressive. He's a well-established actor (and director!) that deserved a better co-star than Ms. Lively. She cannot utter one complete sentence in this movie without purring, 3 yeahs, oh's and uhms. Her hair is a mess and distracting with these eternal strands in her face, her outfits just plain weird and inappropriate for what the character is doing, taking away from the impact of the scene. There were some good scenes with Blake, it's not all bad but the young Lily Bloom left a better impression on me than Blake. If they may reshoot this with a stronger actress, it would be a better movie. I'm happy that the movie, despite all the gossip (or maybe thanks to it) was a success for Justin's and Brendan's sake. You may watch it and be invested in the story, just don't get frustrated with Blake.