Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

West Side Story (2021):
It's been over 30 years since I last watched the original movie version of West Side Story (in the last days of 8th grade band following an awful Spring Concert medley of the songs), so I had no expectations going in. I enjoyed this remake, especially how traditional it all feels. From the color saturation to the heavy use of choreography, the movie doesn't try too hard at modernizing any particular facet. Minor faults: I got pretty tired of the sideways lens flares that busy up every shot, and felt like the motivations of the main characters in the build-up to the final scenes could have been explored more. On Disney+.

Final Grade: B

Jimmy O. Yang: Good Deal:
This stand-up special from an actor mainly known for his supporting role on Silicon Valley was moderately funny. A few solid laughs and pleasant stories, although there was a little too much emphasis on jokes about being Asian. On Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: B-

Draftosaurus:
This board game requires players to select and arrange different dinosaurs in a theme park while discarding the rest of their dinosaurs to other players. It moves very quickly and is easy to understand. However, it doesn't feel deep enough to warrant too many replays.

Final Grade: B-

Willow:
I watched this movie ad nauseum as a kid and recently noticed that it was available on Disney+. It holds up pretty well, with charming special effects and comic relief. The whole of the story doesn't make as much sense anymore but it remains a fun, nostalgic journey. On Disney+.

Final Grade: B