My Own Little World

Film has the potential to be one of the most impactful forms of media because it excites the most senses: we can see, hear, and emotionally feel for everything that is happening on screen. We don’t always need big spectacles to do this for us either; sometimes, the smaller and more intimate a film is, the more impact it can have on the viewer. I recently saw Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri , a well-written character-driven mystery that has at its core a really unique portrayal of forgiveness and reconciliation. I think for a time like we are in now, this is a film that everybody must see. It doesn’t become overly political, and it doesn’t try to force these hefty themes: it simply tells a human story. The most central element to Three Billboards is the writing, both of the story and the screenplay. Martin McDonagh, the film’s director and writer, is actually best known for his plays, and that style of writing shows up constantly in this film. The dialogue is meaty...

(I need to open this review with something a little different than usual: a disclaimer. Typically, the reviews on my blog and the ratings I give should be some kind of indication as to whether or not you should watch or listen to something. This time, that is not the case. 13 Reasons Why  depicts sexual assault and suicide in quite graphic manners that could bring emotional and/or mental instability to those who have either gone through these traumatic acts (either as a first or third party), as well as those considering suicide. Therefore, despite the fact that I will give a positive verdict at the end of this review, if the things that the show depicts could be too much for you, then I urge you to not even risk watching this show. Your emotional and mental health is not worth it.) I remember when I read Jay Asher's novel 13 Reasons Why . That thing was one heck of a way to tell the story of a dead girl in a fresh way, and that made me want to see how it could be depicted on...