GreatestLoveofAll Posted December 20, 2020 Posted December 20, 2020 On 12/18/2020 at 3:35 PM, KasioKas said: Say So // Like That (feat. Gucci Mane) Classics fr. Doja's album really hits but im soooo happy at the Love Goes inclusion! Sam is si trashed here on this site when they really do serve some great songs! "Fire On Fire" and the other droplets dont really fit the theme (maybe cause they came out way before- still stellar tracks most of them) but "Diamonds" and "Dance" are sooo good. Ungodly Hour= R&B album of the year personally
K$Ellie Posted December 21, 2020 Posted December 21, 2020 Sawayama in the top 10 should be higher than Sam's album tho Hot Pink and Ungodly Hour full of bops and I love Experience from Jaguar Confetti was hit or miss for me
KasioKas Posted December 22, 2020 Author Posted December 22, 2020 Spoiler On 12/18/2020 at 8:40 PM, Pink Matter said: Go off sis Jhene, Doja, Tinashe, CxH, Victoria, and Rina I actually never got around to listening to Hot Pink but the singles slayed and I did enjoy Amala so I'll get to it eventually. I wish Sam went down the dance/electronic route, it suits their voice so well! Diamonds kinda stomps on all of the ballads on the album Please get into Hot Pink, lots of hits on there that weren't singles. I disagree re: Sam's ballads though.. why do ATRLers hate ballads so much IDGI!??? He went through a breakup ofc he's gonna sing sad songs that's his thing! lol On 12/18/2020 at 8:50 PM, ikiru said: love the fletcher ep! also discovered her this year and she def has some great bops! "shh....don't say it" is a cute pick for the recommended songs but "the one" is the song on the ep the production is so wild, the final chorus hits hard! the "who's gonna save u now" acclaim already 'The One' is a bop I debated which to include lol MORE who's gonna save u now acclaim COMING!!! On 12/18/2020 at 8:56 PM, dreamofyou said: the who’s gonna save u now standing, the way it’s on my soty too, our taste We stan talent. Period. On 12/18/2020 at 9:39 PM, Kevin2803 said: You put the wrong album title over Tinashe and i was confused for a second Confetti & The S(ex) Tapes making the top 10 oops On 12/18/2020 at 9:56 PM, Ewan Chaos said: Victoria, CxH, and Rina are my favorites from this list. Shame Sam's best songs were from last year and relegated to bonus tracks, but hopefully they realized that we want big bops from them not boring ballads anymore xo Yeah that was a poor decision, but at least they were included in some capacity On 12/18/2020 at 11:56 PM, Remmy said: Jaguar is the only project I've heard from Victoria so far, good to hear it's better than her others. Your top 3 is on point Songs for You + Ungodly Hour, we love R&B albums with a little pop mixed in Love Goes is nice and underrated Sam starting to do bops was a great idea, HYDS? is a contender for their best song (and Kids Again as well.) SAWAYAMA There really are so many genres and styles on it. Most people will stick to one for their debut but she said nope, let me try 'em all! I feel like JoJo's vocals sounded better in that 2nd verse than hers. Demi's 2020 output really was all duds for the most part. No I mean Positions is weak IN GENERAL not just when comparing her other albums Listen to life after love from Vic WYD!? positions is not weak, you're just a hater On 12/19/2020 at 4:12 AM, Legend E said: the only one i stan here is sawayama. i heard most of the others but they were quite meh :/ :/ On 12/19/2020 at 9:11 AM, TheWayWeWere said: omg, Chilombo stanning I feel like this album was so underrated, it's her best body of work! I'm so happy it getting nom at Grammys Hot Pink is an honey for ears tbh and I LOVE her as artist and person, she's so funny and quirky Jaguar was great introduction to me into her music Ungodly Hour is ****ing masterpiece SAWYAMA is so diverse! Check out Vic's previous work it's pretty good. Doja's personality is quite funny, she's definitely a star! On 12/19/2020 at 1:12 PM, M A R N ✮ said: little mix On 12/19/2020 at 7:37 PM, Mark Rih said: Doja, Victoria and Sam all winners YES On 12/20/2020 at 2:44 AM, Sunderland 4ever said: I really enjoyed Experience. Added it to my December playlist. woo! On 12/20/2020 at 7:17 AM, MP2K said: I just wanna say thankful for the Justine Skye and Brandy love More Brandy love in the update below On 12/20/2020 at 7:41 AM, potent said: Sam Yeah Dance was a highlight track for sure, I also really liked the title track Young is a very beautiful song Really strong release from Sam, I love it all lol On 12/20/2020 at 8:15 AM, Post Malone said: SFY was a serve On 12/20/2020 at 1:49 PM, prézli said: Yes, boy, Tinashe's album was released last year. (I hosted its album survivor, but abandoned it ddddd) There are my top 3 songs, so SLAYYYYYYYY TASTEEEEEEEEEEEEE On 12/20/2020 at 1:56 PM, GreatestLoveofAll said: Classics fr. Doja's album really hits but im soooo happy at the Love Goes inclusion! Sam is si trashed here on this site when they really do serve some great songs! "Fire On Fire" and the other droplets dont really fit the theme (maybe cause they came out way before- still stellar tracks most of them) but "Diamonds" and "Dance" are sooo good. Ungodly Hour= R&B album of the year personally YESS a Sam stan, we are so few on this site. My RnB album of the year is in the final update below!! On 12/21/2020 at 1:23 PM, Lazuli said: ungodly hour and sawayama amazing Great albums from both acts On 12/21/2020 at 3:30 PM, K$Ellie said: Sawayama in the top 10 should be higher than Sam's album tho Hot Pink and Ungodly Hour full of bops and I love Experience from Jaguar Confetti was hit or miss for me I know everyone's finishing up their lists but please stick around! FINAL TV update coming in a few minutes SOTY tomorrow!
KasioKas Posted December 22, 2020 Author Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) 05. Future Nostalgia - Dua Lipa This was a surpsingly strong sophmore album from Dua, shorter but sweeter, leaning way more into up-tempo pop songs that aren't generic and mostly very addictive. For a few months it was my favourite album of the year because it was a joy to revisit as a guaranteed upbeat listen. Dua is beginning to cement herself as a notable and certified hit maker. She clearly has a good ear for really good pop music and delivers in live performances and music videos as well! She's found a way to please both the straights and gays and has already planted a foot in the US market as well as continuing to dominate the UK. She's easily the most interesting new pop girl since Ariana debuted in 2013/2014, and I now have high hopes for her.. that is until I heard the Future Nostalgia remixes.. Nevertheless, you don't expect superb vocal from her but her low tone is unique an easily identifiable, she knows how to pack on the energy (having no ballads and just releasing an album of mid/up tempos), and lyrically and production wise she never seem to falter. This was the best pop album released in 2020 and the grammy noms are very deserved. It's really hard to recommend tracks because 90% of the album is a party, with the only dud being 'Boys Will Be Boys', which was a familiar topic with poor execution. 'Physical' & 'Levitating' in particular are club bangers that are undeniably monster hits and I can't wait to hear live. Recommend: Physical // Levitating // Break My Heart 04. An Invitation to the Cookout - Terrell Grice Terrell is primarily a youtuber who invites extremely talented singers to sing 'Song Association' on his channel, he only invites talent, with varying accolades/popularity and is an extremely appealing personality, he's featured Jojo, Amber Riley, Tori Kelly, Cynthia Erivo, MNEK, Avery WIlson & many others. In 2019 he hosted a competition where unknown talents can play virtually by selecting songs of their choice, would be judged and viewers would vote weekly, the winner would be flown out to be on his channel for his usual interview/singing format. He surprised viewers by announcing an album in 2020!, featuring singers from previous interviews as well as competitors that fans loved listening too but got eliminated, including the winner Kim Cruse. The album is a well produced, vocally superior album, very heavily RnB and Gospel. It is an amalgamation of talented singers featuring a original and shortened covers of older RnB hits. The moment I heard this I fell in love. Vocally everyone is so talented and the original songs are really fun and well written. It does very much have the feel of a party of friends coming together and singing their best, and as a channel viewer who knows all of the singers, their pasts and struggles, it was really nice to see them all come together like this to release such a solid body of work. It's also a really great way of giving unknown talents a massive opportunity to be included in the music making process. It was extremely risky but really well executed by Terrell, who featured few background vocals and mainly took the helm of director/composer. If you enjoy great singing and RnB bops the first half is teriffic, and the latter half is more gospel leaning and slightly slower. Very good debut album from Terrell. Recommend: Nobody Else Gonna Get My Love // All // Creep TOP 3!! Spoiler positions - Ariana Grande This is in no way shape or form Ariana's best work. I think Ariana's fans feel the need to defend her to no end even if they know the truth themselves. That said, it is not a bad album, nor is it boring. Ariana attempted a risk but didn't fully execute it, assuming this was the RnB release fans had been asking for, because once again it keeps the familiar trap/pop beats/production of tracks done on the Thank U, Next album that became I dare say her biggest success. If she wasn't attempting a proper RnB release, this still feels a half-a**ed attempt, like dipping her toes into RnB but not diving in completely. It's familiar territory rather than fully delving into a new RnB sound. She doesn't have to fully change her sound every era, but honestly if some new songs sound like they could have fit on previous albums, it feels less fresh and new and exciting, especially if it feels that way for most of the album. What she does attempt though, I think she does extremely well; 'off the table' to 'love language' seem to be the real RnB-esque tracks while others are more pop leaning, but I suppose that can be subjective, I do feel like 'Just Like Magic' and 'Motive' walk the fine line. Had this been pure RnB though it would definitely stand out more, instead of listeners immediately calling it a 2.0 of Sweetener or Thank U, Next. Ariana needs to either work with different producers if she wants a new sound, or encourage her familiar producers to push themselves further. Vocally Ariana goes for softer vocals, choosing to remain in head voice and just rarely blessing us with a belt, however, the whistle notes are a plenty, appearing in the forefront on 3 tracks and an unknown number of background whistles on others. She reminds you of her superior range but chooses to take it easy. It's welcomed, because it's not necessary to be belting and hitting Bb4s and G5s on every album, though pop fans were disappointed.. Lyrically however, it's even more apparent that the album isn't an evolution . I had this criticism with 'Sweetener', the lyrics are not the best, they're not cringey but they're not sophisticated either. It's all simple. She's definitely getting better!, verses in alot of these songs are better than the choruses, but still it's not great. Lyrics like "I've been drinking coffee, And I've been eating healthy, Know I keep it squeaky, yeah" or "Down like six thirty (Mmm), Down like sunset (Down like sunset), Down like my foot on the gas, skrrt, skrrt" are trivial. Ariana seems to excel in songwriting only when portraying her more personal/vulnerable sides. (I see the irony here that one of these lyrics is about her most personal body part though lol) Best songs on the album are the ones not leaning on sex but have a pinch of personality, 'pov' is one of Ariana's best ballads of her career, it's honest and extremely relatable, she delivers the emotion and the instrumental in minimal, 'off the table' as I said in my top songs comments is a great 2nd collab from the pair that duet on the take of whether re-visiting an olf flame is wise or a waste of time, both artists compliment each other, and the lyrics "Can I still love you? Not yet healed or ready, Shouldn't be goin' too steady // I'll wait for you, Even though it always feels like I'll be number two to someone you can't hold anymore" again are brutally honest and incredibly sad given her past. 'my hair' and 'nasty' are on the lighter side in terms of topic but vocally are the two best tracks where she leaned more into showcasing her full range and having fun with it; the whistle chorus is IMMENSELY impressive, a feat very very few can replicate and deserves very high praise , and 'love language' is a standout sound reminicent of Justin Timberlake's take on RnB that's up-beat with snazzy production, i'd love to hear him feature on the track just for the hell of it. All in all a very enjoyable listen, Ariana will always grasp me when it comes to vocals and just her general style, she has a great ear and is becoming more involved in the writing and production of her own work, which is commendable, but I have to be honest, she's had better albums. It can be summarised as an extremely cohesive body of work but with a strong feeling of familiarity of previous efforts, mixed in with career defining moments. Recommend: pov // positions // my hair Spoiler Spoiler good to know + (Deluxe) - JoJo Jojo's album lyrically was one of my favourites of the year. My gosh the ballads were all extremely well written and the immense emotion she brings when she belts her feelings is so powerful that it commands attention on some songs. She reminds everyone who's listened to this album that she IS a threat to the pop girls of today, especially vocally, and that she isn't going anywhere. The album is very mature, a mix of sexy and strong ballads, and a much stronger effort than her previous album imo. Jojo gives you just a glimpse into how she acts in relationships, her regrets, her heartbreak, it's not too much, it's subtle enough that you can find something to relate too as you listen. The control she has of her voice is unmatched, I compare her very much to Tori Kelly in that sense. Jo is NEVER afraid to show you her full range, she hits lows and highs that are enviable to other girls in the industry. She's definitely here to acquire the success she was cheated of due to previous label issues and this was a terrific foot forward. The deluxe provides even more hits, 'What U Need' being a particular standout that's high energy and quitessential pop. Unlike others, every new song provided is great and almost as strong as the standard ones. The fact that this album is still on repeat and shows NO SIGNS of aging is amazing to me, I love every single song, there's one for every mood - seriously I hope she continues to work with these writers and continues to be bold in her vocal efforts because it's such a f*cking serve, keep feeding us Jo I love it *Also this was definitely the hardest to recommend songs for.. like seriously so good!!* Recommend: Lonely Hearts (feat. Demi Lovato) // Small Things // Don't Talk Me Down AOTY Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler B7 - Brandy My queen. Brandy has a sound that is so very unique. Her plethora of vocal stacking and harmonies and the most intricate of runs also elevate a song to heights of quality I desire so f*cking badly. Her ear for a good song and how she can make it better is unmatched. Victoria Monet once called adding adlibs and runs to a song as "colouring it in" and i've always loved that and damn can Brandy colour!! After EIGHT. PAINFUL. YEARS. of no new album, she has returned wth an apology on the first line of the first song "Sorry for my tardy, Long time, I was broken-hearted - Hearted and guarded". Brandy returns with the all too familiar sound, modernised for this era of RnB listeners accustomed to heavier beats and rap-centric voices. She adapts beautifully, singing and belting here, soothingly cooing there, and rap-singing elsewhere. Brandy's remarkable ability to blend old and new RnB is such a joy. She was smart to choose to work with current producers and tell her story to old and new audiences in a fresh way. Lyrically, this is another of my favourites of the year. Brandy doesn't hold back at brutally attacking her ex, defending herself, and finding new found love & respect for herself. Lyrics such as "You were a mute, a fluke with so many needs, A fraud, living with me and seed", "Ill intentional love distorted my reflection", "Guilt dealt me tragedy inside, Ate me alive I wanted to die" and "Aggregated, Agitated, I got an attitude problem, Let’s resolve it" are so honest, such a bird's eye view into her life, her struggles. The album is sad but hopeful, and when she changes it to upbeat for a breath of fresh air, it's so fun and light hearted! I love when an artist is able to showcase the complexities of their life through song in such a f**king compelling way!? This is an album you have to listen to multiple times, a few times to catch the deep lyrics, then to hear the way she EXPERTLY sings it to you, then to analyse the harmonies and adlibs interlaced within. I love RnB music and this is it at it's best. It might be a grower for some but for me it was an instant love. There are no duds, no skippable moments, but a plethora of addicting vocals and beautiful lyrics. This is an experienced artist at their best, after a much needed break from the public eye. I pray with everything that I have that she doesn't close the faucet again, and instead gives us more music more frequently, but until then, this will remain on repeat along with her older classics that have stood the test of time. Brandy is undeniably a superior musician. *Again VERY hard to recommend songs, it works much better as a cohesive album listen, give it some time.* Recommend: No Tomorrow // Rather Be // Bye Bipolar Edited December 22, 2020 by KasioKas
prézli Posted December 22, 2020 Posted December 22, 2020 OMG BRANDY Yes, girl! Two Eleven was better, tho. 1 minute ago, KasioKas said: Recommend: No Tomorrow // Rather Be // Bye Bipolar Change BB with High Heels
Remmy Posted December 22, 2020 Posted December 22, 2020 Yeah you already know my thoughts on Positions Your trinity is really on point though! It's almost mine, but swap the title track (my #4) for six thirty. good to know Probably my favorite JoJo album, an enjoyable one for sure. Future Nostalgia is obviously amazing and it's nice to see it make the top 5 Physical is a contender for her best single (and overall best song) yup yup Quote positions is not weak, you're just a hater Now say it without crying this time
Kevin2803 Posted December 22, 2020 Posted December 22, 2020 Positions, Future Nostalgia & Good To Know One of these albums might have the same position on my best of list
KasioKas Posted December 22, 2020 Author Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) Cheer (2020) LIKE Incredibly suspenseful and with its fair share of drama and brutal athleticism. This show has no filter and I appreciate it, didn't think i'd like it let alone binge it but I got really into the story. I found myself rooting for some of the athletes, and because it s real, the falls are real, the bruises and emotions are real, and that added to my fascination of the show, its characters and the sport. They definitely have a season 2 if they want it due to the recent allegations of one of the team members facing jail time, which must put a massive strain on their reputation and team dynamic. Yikes. Upload (2020) Meh What a bore. It's basically another 'The Good Place', not better or worse, just the same. Another mildly interesting premise 'Upon dying, humans have the option to reside in a virtual afterlife in they are saved in time, that is a virtual world where they can communicate with the living, but the richer you are the nicer the virtual experience'. The characters are not interesting and the plot that the main character might have been murdered is boring and provides no real incentive for you to continue watching to see how it ends. However, the most redeeming quality of this show is the romance. The two main characters have great chemistry on screen, their developing relationship is very pleasant to watch and the only thing I cared for about the show. It ends terribly when they're so close that you would think the female lead would be wiser when everything goes to ****. It's cute enough that I may watch another season and just play in the background, but not worth recommending. Dead to Me Season 1 (2019) & Season 2 (2020) LIKE This would have been loved if I had just seen season 1. This show benefits from really great, witty humour writing. Christina's char Jen's dialogue is hilarious, as a new widow who's very sarcastic and pessimistic. The actress does a really great job of leading the show, opposite the quirkier Linda's character Judy that is presented realistically as a positive optimist. It's a pairing that's a match made in heaven, they play off each other well and the best scenes are when they alone are on screen or trying to stay calm amidst others. I just love Christina's character as the realist she is, she's unhinged and suspicious of everything and everyone. Judy is an apologist, especially to her questionable husband, and the immense guilt she feels and lives with and eats at her from the inside is well protrayed by the actress. Unfortunately, both characters are placed in a subpar plot. Season 1 was great primarily for the acting. Switch to season 2, where we're basically going through a very similar series of events... where's the change in plot? I wanted them to move on from the death but instead they went back into it, can we move on? Can we give these women more to do? I get that they've boxed themselves into a corner with the show being about a murder but they could have done miles better than a twin showing up.. you're bordering soap opera territory writers, do better and don't let these good characters go to waste! Also the actor playing Christina's older son is horrible. Give him a decent plot and stop making him an angry annoyance 100% of the time, give him something to do and a mood change or kick him off the show by sending him to college. I as a viewer don't care. I HAAATTTEE when writers dimish a teenager to an unreasonable, angry all the time, superficial person.. Will & Grace Final Season 11 (2019 - 2020) DISLIKE Bringing this back was.. a decent idea in theory.. (having new jokes related to current pop culture made me excited).. but so poorly executed.. and made no noise. How sad. The writing could have been great, but it was just okay.. and the final season? Wow. The writers constantly went "let's put them in a relationship! Oh they're happy?? Let's break them up in a super ridiculous way! har har ooh let's get them in relationships together again! Nah let's break them up now!" Seriously what the f*ck?? Make up your minds. The show finally found great partners for both Will & Grace and then ended the show in a horrible way. The final episode felt like just another random middle of the season episode, there was little feeling of a grand end for this previously iconic show. They tried to lean on bashing current political figures but relegated back to "har i'm so old idk technology" and it was just... weird.. Having Karen be a conservative was a choice..? Karen and Jack were once again the highlights of the show and the few actually funny moments of the show. I'm not sure if the alleged feud behind the scenes is true but if it resulted in the show's end i'm kinda grateful? It's sad but i'm glad it's come to an end, maybe this is a lesson to leave a good thing alone. The God of High School (2020) Meh This was highly anticipated by many anime fans so I though we were going to get a great plot and some great action scenes... instead what I got was a carbon copy of previous animes and no real interesting plot until the latter episodes where things finally got interesting. This show has a horrible way of explaining things. Everything's hush hush and neither characters on the show or the viewers are allowed to know.. which makes me wonder if the writers even know themselves what the f*ck they are doing. I get that it's a manga and more fleshed out there, but if you adapt to anime OBVIOUSLY you want to keep new viewers engaged by giving them something to bite onto? The show starts with a competition, which again is a carbon copy of shows like Naruto or HxH where we get to see multiple character powersets and personalities in a 1v1 setting, but instead it opts to skip all fights but the 3 main characters!?? and speeds through the competition like it's a nuisance they want to get over. There's VERY little character progression andstill don't know some main characters that well. That said the action scenes are really well animated, and the latter half served alot of action and had a formidable villain that made me finally feel like I was watching something good. Things moved at a slightly slower pace and we saw full fights rather than skippng to the end. It's like the show was in a mad dash to get to this moment, and while it was good, I would have liked better writing on how we get there. Needless to say this is not enticing me to read further, which is usually the point of anime. I just don't care enough to want to proceed, but I will watch a season 2 providd we finally get some answers. Blood of Zeus (2020) Meh Not a bad take on the greek world. Although I was way more interested in the gods than I was the main character. Everyone seemed to shine more than he did n every scene. The animation was decent in my opinion, but I guess fans of the other animated show on Netflix by the same animators praised it due to a sense of familiarity. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this, even for someone who primarily enjoys anime, but I don't feel bad having watched it. The plot was interesting enough, and the final action scenes very exciting and a really nice payoff for the build up the show worked to create. All of the voice actors did a terrific job honestly, and I say this surprised as I usually hate dubs because english voice actors are not good at projecting emotions for anime, but all in all this was decent and a nice new tale on the legendary greek stories. I'm curious where they could even go with a season 2 that's been announced, but if they don't bring Zeus back in some way I shall riot. Killing Eve Season 3 (2020) LIKE Another seaosn comes and goes, and this was one was good imo. There were alot of good things bad things that make me overally enjoy it but not LOVE it. The death on this show's first ep... woooooooo it hit me HARD. I'm still PISSED But the following eps investigating who/what it was were alright, as was the new character Dasha that made Villainelle question her future and wreaked some havoc of her own. Once again the best scenes were with Eve & villainelle, the 'will they/won't they' feeling when they're together, the intense dramatic acting when they're apart. The show did have some good moments, killing off Kenny... ... was a nice central plot to get Eve working again and Carolyn more involved. having Irnna run over her step dad.. PERFECT.. ofcourse she would do something like that given who she interacts with and her general personality - that was a top notch decision. Standout eps were when Villainelle met her old family and murdered everyone but the little boy whom she liked, or their interaction on the bus, or them speaking on the bridge. That scene where Eve goes past the point of no return by stepping on Dasha's ribs.. slowly.. and looking like she enjoyed it.. haunting and BRILLIANT. The duality of Villainelle becoming more human and Eve becoming a killer was something that's been suggested and teased in past seasons and some nice progression was made in that ep to further that idea along. The two leading ladies carry the show on their backs once again. Jodie is a bombshell, she lights up literally every single scene she appears in without effort, it's amazing! I will always say that the issue of this show is easily fixable and everyone just refuses to do it, BRING PHOEBE BACK. I get the female empowerment move of making a new female lead it every season but it's clearly not working so well. It's uncohesive at times and the new female writers tend to kill off or make huge decisions that impact the show and its characters in a questionable way. It's like everyone's playing with Phoebe's dolls and trying to imitate its season 1 success and failing. Why would you start the season with Villainelle getting married and then never bring up the wife again?? Why would you make a character take a pitchfork to the throat and then somehow let him live?? How does someone live from that what is this grey's anatomy?? Did Sandra Oh switch from Eve to Cristina Yang and do emergency surgery on the spot? What the f*ck? Carolyn's daughter Geraldine was a dreadful character who I never want to see again.. she's insuferable with no redeeming qualities. Let your mother grieve in her own way what the actual f*ck?? I got annoyed any time she was on screen. Whoever the new head writer is let's see how she changes things next season.. i'll be watching.. i'm hooked on this show and its main characters.. despite the weird spiral it follows. The Boys Season 2 (2020) LOVE This season grabs the baton the massive high that season 1 leads with and continues running forward.., the quality, humour and drama are all just as good, and the characters are as hilarious, unforgiving and brutal, naive, powerful as they were before! Last year I HIGHLY praised this show for the complexity of Homelander played by the brilliant Antony Starr. The show continues to show vulnerability and despicability in his thoughts and actions. When we saw the scene of him massacring the group of rioters I was convinced it was real and my jaw dropped to the floor, until ofcourse it was revealed to be a strong desire and not a literal action. The actor does a spectacular job of showing the duality on his face, they give close ups to highlight he's on the edge and it's good editing, and he's finally met with what at least in the beginning seemed to be his match - enter Stormfront - a new but also fully fleshed out villain. They did a great job showcasing who she was in her first few scenes, no need for long history, and they almost made a great pair until the end. I love the new layer of him really caring about his public image, with his old manager/lover gone he's in a tight spot and one person finds a way to exploit that. It's clear he's unstable on his own so how's he going to act to Maeve's betrayal in S3?? My slight criticism of the show previously was the plethora of characters making it difficult to do character progression, but they fixed that with ease this season. Now that we know who they are it's easy to root for or hate them, and while I preferred the heroes(villains) to the normal humans (the boys) the show did a great job of giving them more to do and making them more interesting. I loved/hated the beginning plot of Butcher asserting his dominance as the undisputed leader of the group over Hughie, but in essence that's his character.. an a**hole... Kimiko finally has more to do and is given more depth despite still having little to say.. (It's interesting that the show got a little heat for having two people of colour in non-speaking roles - Kimiko & Black Noir played by a black actor - I hadn't noticed before but I almost don't mind it because I know Kimiko will speak eventually? and there are other poc's that have important roles like the CEO and A-train..) The show just continues on it's crazy but extremely exciting story and I love every episode of it. A-train & the deep were definitely the duds of the season, the latter supposed to be comic relief but failing imo (except for the whale chase scene ). The whole 'Church of the Collective' sub-plot was a bore and I hope it's over with the death of the leader. The surprise end... just wow. I didn't think for a second it was who they showed it as and what A BRILLIANT stride into season 3 How can she be stopped!? Does she even have a weakness?? How did she kill Raynor was she in the area?? How far does she have to be to do that? Is she secretly working for the CEO of the seven (hence the killing the witness at the court hearing!?)? ALSO is Stormfront going to live? What's going to happen to Butcher's son?? What's their next move?? Is Hughie going to find out about the woman and work undercover with her while trying to out her?? UGHH I can't wait for season 3! The Queen's Gambit (2020) LOVE It's been a while since i've binged a show so quickly and with such anticipation but this was such an easy and pleasant watch from beginning to end. The drama, sadness, slight humour, SUSPENSE, just all top notch. The writing is fantastic, there's never a cringey moment or a roll-of-the-eye cliché, and all of the actors do a great job of portraying their characters's strengths and weaknesses. Anya Taylor‑Joy in particular was exceptional from portrayal of teenager to adult (with alchohol/drug problems). The posture and facial expression differences, the drunk acting, the poker face during matches. I have literally no criticisms. The show does a great job of telling a coming of age story of a protégé finding success, it benefits from not switching to sub-stories of supporting characters, instead having them return to Beth's life with updates and ways of making her journey easier. It's a great sense of chosen family. It also had the difficulty of essentially telling 2 of beth's pasts, her orphange past & her past with her birth mother, one being with flashbacks and the other with a temporary episode with a younger actress who also did a fine job with the role. I can't speak enough about the suspense this show gives, it's a great tool to have when especially having to hold the attention of none chess players who have no idea what's going on! Its success is commendable for that reason alone! The second mother's passing was a well executed surprise, as was Townes & Jolene's (we stan ) return. The visuals and fashion on this show were top notch, as was the editing of the games and the lighting! I also was recently made aware that the character Cleo was not in the original book, when a youtuber questioned whether Cleo was secretly trying to sabotage Beth. I instead think she actually fancied Beth, found her alluring and was more interested in her than any man in the room. I think she saw Beth as having a killer combo of beauty and brains. Others online calimed she was a russian spy whose job was to get Beth drunk, which I think is laughable and false. Although.., if she wasn't an original character, someone commented that it begs the question as to whether Cleo was a figment of Beth's imagination, and mentions that noone in the room ever addressed Cleo directly at Benny's apartment. I looked back and it's not exactly true, Benny doesn't introduce her, she just walks in to his place but she is acknowledged later by Benny pointing after she asks a question. However, given that she's a new made-up character, did Beth subconsciously imagine Cleo at the bar in Russia as someone who encourages her to drink? maybe that's a stretch..? I- Anyway that aside, this was extremely pleasant and apparently now very acclaimed and successful, staying in Netflix's top 10 for multiple weeks! I pray Hollywood doesn't mess this up by announcing a season 2. It's a perfect miniseries leave it alone. --------------------------------- @Maddox @Wicked Watchlist for 2021(other than new seasons of current faves): The Undoing Raised by Wolves Little Fires Everywhere Chernobyl Breaking Bad.. Currently watching: The Flight Attendant Jujutsu Kaisen Akudama Drive Talentless Nana Not worth writing about in 2020: Drag Race (S12 and all stars - great fashion and funny at times), Canada/Holland (Okay for a 1st season) Bofuri (Very cute!) Dinnerladies (Oldie but goldie! VERY funny and witty, I needed subtitles though) High School Prodigies (Meh, decent, mildy interesting, would like a S2) Making the Cut () Legendary (LOVED, the moment where they're voguing and the girl pulls on the guy and pushes him back, so fierce and hilarious) Edited December 23, 2020 by KasioKas
Into The Void Posted December 22, 2020 Posted December 22, 2020 1 hour ago, KasioKas said: lol this is the only show on you're list I've seen it and I loved it tbh. I still need to watch Dead to Me s2 and I never finished s1 of The Boys lol
KasioKas Posted December 23, 2020 Author Posted December 23, 2020 SOTY tomorrow! (or thursday if I don't get many replies to push to the next page..) Spoiler 3 hours ago, Orfeo said: Ariana and JoJo Queens! 3 hours ago, prézli said: OMG BRANDY Yes, girl! Two Eleven was better, tho. Change BB with High Heels Oh definitely, i'm a 2/11 STAN!! High heels is cute but even Say Something is a better upbeat than it 3 hours ago, Remmy said: Yeah you already know my thoughts on Positions Your trinity is really on point though! It's almost mine, but swap the title track (my #4) for six thirty. good to know Probably my favorite JoJo album, an enjoyable one for sure. Future Nostalgia is obviously amazing and it's nice to see it make the top 5 Physical is a contender for her best single (and overall best song) yup yup Now say it without crying this time Meh I don't love six thirty lyrically but it's okay. Stay tuned for Physical's ranking on my final song list 2 hours ago, Kevin2803 said: Positions, Future Nostalgia & Good To Know One of these albums might have the same position on my best of list oop I wonder which
ATRL Moderator Legend E Posted December 23, 2020 ATRL Moderator Posted December 23, 2020 i- the albums list only FN is good omg STAN killing eve. i actually found season 3 > season 2. it also had the best final episode out of all the three seasons. can't wait for it to be back
Sunderland 4ever Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 I plan to watch The Queen's Gambit once I'm on vacation. After reading your review, I'm so excited.
ikiru Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 I only know Future Nostalgia and the Ariana album from your album top 5 Future Nostalgia is obviously perfect! The Ariana album not so much Still need to watch the latest Killing Eve season! Love that show so much! The Queen's Gambit absolutely slayed me! Enjoyed every second of it
Kevin2803 Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 Killing Eve Dead To Me was pretty great, too. I love The Boys, but i thought season 2 was weaker than the first season Too bad that you thought that Upload was only meh. It's actually pretty high on my list.
Pink Matter Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 20 hours ago, KasioKas said: Reveal hidden contents Please get into Hot Pink, lots of hits on there that weren't singles. I disagree re: Sam's ballads though.. why do ATRLers hate ballads so much IDGI!??? He went through a breakup ofc he's gonna sing sad songs that's his thing! lol 'The One' is a bop I debated which to include lol MORE who's gonna save u now acclaim COMING!!! We stan talent. Period. oops Yeah that was a poor decision, but at least they were included in some capacity Listen to life after love from Vic WYD!? positions is not weak, you're just a hater :/ Check out Vic's previous work it's pretty good. Doja's personality is quite funny, she's definitely a star! YES woo! More Brandy love in the update below Really strong release from Sam, I love it all lol YESS a Sam stan, we are so few on this site. My RnB album of the year is in the final update below!! Great albums from both acts I know everyone's finishing up their lists but please stick around! FINAL TV update coming in a few minutes SOTY tomorrow! It's not that I dislike ballads but it's just their dance songs are just soooo much better in comparison. Dua and Ari in the top 5 Nice way to end your music lists! I haven't finished The Boys so I would read the commentary but so far I'm enjoying it as much as I enjoyed season 1 (not sure if you feel the same way nn)
TheWayWeWere Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 Future Nostalgia is amazing STEP UP from cute girl with some bops to main pop girl the way entire era was planned omg, TOP 3 Positions finally getting some luv Good to Know deserved #1 I'm so pressed she stays underrated even with that masterpiece great writing btw!
Remmy Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 The Boys seems like a show I would enjoy but I don't handle gore well
Mr. Loco Posted December 23, 2020 Posted December 23, 2020 Future Nostalgia is such a great album!! Dua really delivered some bops
Lazuli Posted December 24, 2020 Posted December 24, 2020 oh i didnt know brandy is still releasing music future nostalgia
KasioKas Posted December 26, 2020 Author Posted December 26, 2020 Spoiler On 12/22/2020 at 10:56 PM, GreatestLoveofAll said: I love that album top five! Thanks! Did you listen to B7 and did you like it? On 12/22/2020 at 11:41 PM, Insanity said: lol this is the only show on you're list I've seen it and I loved it tbh. I still need to watch Dead to Me s2 and I never finished s1 of The Boys lol Finish the boys it's sooooo good!! Did you not enjoy it? On 12/23/2020 at 2:06 AM, Legend E said: i- the albums list only FN is good omg STAN killing eve. i actually found season 3 > season 2. it also had the best final episode out of all the three seasons. can't wait for it to be back You need to revisit them because FN is NOT the only good album there. On 12/23/2020 at 3:31 AM, Sunderland 4ever said: I plan to watch The Queen's Gambit once I'm on vacation. After reading your review, I'm so excited. YAY! Enjoy! I hope you like it! On 12/23/2020 at 3:59 AM, Ava Max said: Future Nostalgia On 12/23/2020 at 9:37 AM, ikiru said: I only know Future Nostalgia and the Ariana album from your album top 5 Future Nostalgia is obviously perfect! The Ariana album not so much Still need to watch the latest Killing Eve season! Love that show so much! The Queen's Gambit absolutely slayed me! Enjoyed every second of it KE definitely has a lot of jaw dropping moments this season" YAS another QG fan On 12/23/2020 at 9:38 AM, M A R N ✮ said: Dua Lipa On 12/23/2020 at 3:28 PM, Kevin2803 said: Killing Eve Dead To Me was pretty great, too. I love The Boys, but i thought season 2 was weaker than the first season Too bad that you thought that Upload was only meh. It's actually pretty high on my list. I disagree re: the boys? Care to tell me why you feel that way? Mess at someone actually liking Upload.. you didn;t think the finale was trash? On 12/23/2020 at 3:38 PM, Pink Matter said: It's not that I dislike ballads but it's just their dance songs are just soooo much better in comparison. Dua and Ari in the top 5 Nice way to end your music lists! I haven't finished The Boys so I would read the commentary but so far I'm enjoying it as much as I enjoyed season 1 (not sure if you feel the same way nn) Yeah definitely loved Boys S2 as I did S1! On 12/23/2020 at 7:07 PM, TheWayWeWere said: Future Nostalgia is amazing STEP UP from cute girl with some bops to main pop girl the way entire era was planned omg, TOP 3 Positions finally getting some luv Good to Know deserved #1 I'm so pressed she stays underrated even with that masterpiece great writing btw! GTK was SO CLOSE to #1 believe me! B7 edged her out because I play it and enjoy it more as a whole. On 12/23/2020 at 7:09 PM, Remmy said: The Boys seems like a show I would enjoy but I don't handle gore well Lots of gore but the humour and plot are worth it. Let me know if you ever get into it. On 12/23/2020 at 7:28 PM, Mr. Loco said: Future Nostalgia is such a great album!! Dua really delivered some bops Bops on bops. Love that for me. I hope she continues to be the IT pop girls and gives us more quality like this. On 12/24/2020 at 3:49 PM, Lazuli said: oh i didnt know brandy is still releasing music future nostalgia Yes Brand'y releasing music and it made many critic best album lists FYI FINAL update - SOTY - out now! Thanks so much for all of your comments!
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