Entertainment
‘One Day’ on Netflix Is Mediocre at Best, Woodall and Mod Save the Day
While the show is being lauded for its portrayal of romance and heartbreak, is the 14-episode-long watch actually worth it?
Dexter Mayhew is the guy of the guys, the popular Mr. Handsome, who has probably fallen on every man and woman’s radar in his four years at the University of Edinburgh (including Emma’s). Emma Morley is a working-class girl from Leeds and a bookworm with a double first in English and History.
The story of One Day unfolds when Dexter and Emma catch each other’s attention at the graduation ball on July 14, 1988, and end up spending the night together. To both of their surprises, the two don’t actually have sex, but something much sexier. They indulge in real conversation. This bond they end up building in that one night sets the course for our leads, Dexter and Emma.
Based on a novel by David Nicholls, One Day is a story of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew which spans through July 15 of every year for the next 20 years of their lives. The book was first adapted as a screenplay for a feature film of the same name which saw Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in the lead. Later, it was adapted as a television series for Netflix which premiered on February 8, 2024.
Since its release on Netflix, One Day has received rave reviews. While some of the viewers knew about its adaptational chain, some were taken aback upon finding out that the show is actually based on that film by Hathaway which was based on that book.
The writer personally had some mixed reactions to the show, where the unsatisfactory experience, unfortunately, outweighed the good ones.
Here’s what I think of Netflix’s One Day: likes first and then dislikes.
What I liked about Netflix’s ‘One Day’
One Day is a captivating drama series that intricately weaves together the lives of its characters in a poignant narrative that explores the complexities of human relationships and the passage of time.
Set against the backdrop of a small town, the show unfolds over the course of a single day for 20 years, offering viewers a snapshot of the character’s lives and the interconnectedness of their experiences through all those years.
Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as Emma and Dexter (Source: Netflix)
At the heart of the series is its ensemble cast, each delivering compelling performances that breathe life into their respective roles. Leo Woodall appears as electric as Dexter Mayhew. The actor is just the right bit of cocky and charming, which makes Woodall’s performance feel right for the show.
Hathaway’s film character is reprised on Netflix’s show by Ambika Mod. This slight but seemingly conscious difference in casting adds a layered context to the content of the novel, which gradually develops from the 1980s.
Mod, as Emma, is talented, intelligent, sarcastic, and sometimes mean, but that little arrogance Mod brings to Morley’s character makes a viewer wonder if she has had to make herself competitive over the years as a brown woman growing up among rich White people to feel like she belongs.
The show’s cinematography is another standout element, with sweeping shots of the picturesque town serving as a stunning backdrop for the unfolding drama. In the 14 episodes, we travel across Europe and the UK along with the characters. The viewers of the show, who are mostly Gen Z or millennials at best, are exposed to what it was like growing up in the 1980s and 90s in Europe and the UK.
The tinted screen with an orange hinge is used smartly to set the universe, which makes the viewers aware at all times that everything that’s happening and everything that we see is set in the past. The calm and steady frames evoke a sense of atmosphere and mood, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Thematically, One Day explores universal themes such as love, loss, redemption, and the passage of time. Through its cast of characters and their intersecting storylines, it offers a perspective, and a perspective shifts episode after episode.
There’s a lot of grief in the show. From grieving their youths to grieving the loss of their loved ones to grieving themselves as they were in the past, the passage of time is shown in an eloquent way. The story is not of success nor is it of failure. The leads are forever a work in progress, be it in their professional life, personal or emotional regards. This is also one of the most realistic parts of the show, just the fact that life’s not always the same. Every passing moment, no matter how eclectic or miserable, is transient at best.
What I didn’t like about Netflix’s ‘One Day’
While One Day excels in several aspects, it’s not without its flaws. At times, the pacing can feel uneven, with certain subplots dragging on longer than necessary. Additionally, some viewers may find the linear narrative structure monotonous, especially in the early episodes. The show is broken down into fourteen 30-minute episodes, and often feels too lengthy and dragged.
The other hugely disappointing factor about the show is the chemistry between the leads. Woodall and Mod are individually at their best, but their coming together is underwhelming to the core. There is no story there. The leads profess their attraction to one another at different points in their life, and not one of the moments is romantically convincing enough.
The tension between the lead characters remains unexplored and is boiled down to mere sex in the latter part of the show, but it could have been so much more. The ‘time factor’ could easily chime in here. The emotional intimacy, especially from the female lead’s part, is concealed in the form of rude remarks, and while it’s funny at first, it gets boring later on.
Still from Netflix’s ‘One Day’
The subplots don’t add up. Characters like Tilly and Ian just appear and disappear out of nowhere. Sylvie and Callum’s characters were just swept under the rugs. The weak direction wasn’t able to portray the nature of the leads’ relationship with the supporting characters, leaving the viewers to wonder if the other characters indeed added something of significance to the story.
The climax is, to say the least, lacking. The most obvious, predictable climax was also the least sellable part of the show. It is abrupt and random and feels unnecessary. The novel readers and moviegoers were familiar with what was coming, but that shouldn’t have stopped the makers of the show from pulling all stops to make ‘the moment’ as gut-wrenching as possible.
While Woodall pulls off an immaculate performance in the final episode and tries to make up for the abysmal attempt at the climax, it is still not enough.
The show is being compared to a contemporary adaptation of another successful novel, Normal People. Both shows are about young people discovering themselves with some complicated romantic will-they-won’t-they entanglement along the way. Sadly, this is where the similarities between the shows begin and end. There are no layers to peel on Netflix’s One Day.
All in all, One Day on Netflix is a solid take on the retro romance genre, with two promising up-and-coming actors showcasing their talent. Sadly, it is neither too deep nor very philosophical and oftentimes bland.
The show is also a commitment of a few hours of one’s time. So, if you are looking for a no-brainer romance, this may be a suitable weekend binge, but if you are a character-driven person, it’s best to skip it as the show doesn’t offer anything new or groundbreaking.
Entertainment
Three True-Crime Documentaries Coming to Netflix in April 2024
Time to snuggle with a cozy blanket and some popcorns!
Netflix has a wide range of TV shows and movies.
Alongside them, Netflix also hosts a lot of documentaries. It has a wide range of documentaries but the true-crime genre is the one that has its audience sitting on the edge of their seats.
There are various true-crime documentaries and docuseries on the platform, including American Nightmare, Girl in the Picture, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, Tiger King, and Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer, among others.
In April 2024, various documentaries and docuseries are coming to Netflix. However, the three most anticipated true-crime shows are — What Jennifer Did, Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer, and Files of the Unexplained.
Here is all we know about it.
‘What Jennifer Did’
What Jennifer Did is an upcoming documentary directed by Jenny Popplewell, the creator of another famous Netflix documentary, American Murder: The Family Next Door.
What Jennifer Did digs into the frightening story of Jennifer Pan, who plotted to murder her parents. The crime, disguised as a heist gone wrong, unravels through police interrogation film and interviews, showing Pan’s network of lies leading up to the incident.
Pan is a Canadian woman who was convicted of a 2010 kill-for-hire attack on her parents, which killed her mother and injured her father. The crime occurred at the Pan house in Unionville, Markham, Ontario, in the Greater Toronto Area.
According to her exact account, several gunmen entered the house, forcefully retrained her and her parents, then shot them. Her father, Huei Hann, was sent to the hospital, and her mother, Bich Ha, died instantaneously.
A whole new image appears as the law enforcement personnel piece together the facts. Pan plotted the entire operation with her drug dealer boyfriend, Daniel Wong, whom her parents had forbidden her from dating.
This motivated her to seek his help and devise a plan to murder her parents. This threatening notion was carried out in the form of a burglary, with Pan as the victim. The documentary will also concentrate on her arrest and the legal processes.
What Jennifer Did will be released on April 10, 2024.
‘Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer’
As the name of the documentary suggests, Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is based on true events that occurred in Berlin. The series examines the case of several odd and unusual killings.
In 2012, three guys were murdered and robbed in Berlin after being unintentionally drugged. While the murderer was called ‘The Darkroom Murderer’ at the time, just one occurred in a dark room at a homosexual bar in Berlin.
‘Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer’ will be released on April 3, 2024. (Source: Netflix)
However, the murderer did look for guys in and around the city’s party scene to prey on victims. Only when one of his targets survived his attack and the assassin attempted to purchase a train ticket with one of the deceased men’s credit cards did the inquiry begin to narrow.
Jan Zabeil and Caroline Schaper directed this true crime show and Netflix will begin streaming the series on April 3, 2024.
‘Files of the Unexplained’
Files of the Unexplained is an upcoming terrifying eight-episode docu-series that talks about strange encounters, weird disappearances, disturbing incidents, the mystery of mutilated feet washing up, and more.
This investigative documentary series examines genuine stories that defy explanations and talk about witnessing weird encounters and strange events.
Files of the Unexplained kind of dives into a similar area as its previous documentaries like Unsolved Mysteries, Haunted, and 28 Days Haunted. According to its plot on Netflix, the series is described as “Eerie encounters, bizarre disappearances, haunting events, and more perplexing phenomena are explored in this chilling investigative docuseries.”
The docuseries will be released on April 3, 2024.
Entertainment
‘Cowboy Carter’ — Everything You Need to Know About Beyonce’s New Album
The album will be released on March 29, 2024.
When Beyoncé announced her 2022 album Renaissance, she made it clear that it was merely the first installment of a multi-act body of work.
And now, after over two years of waiting, the singer has revealed that Act II is on the way — Cowboy Carter. Cowboy Carter, also known as Act II: Cowboy Carter or just Act II, is Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, set to be released on March 29, 2024, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.
It is the second chapter of Beyoncé’s trilogy project, developed during the COVID-19 epidemic, and follows Renaissance (2022).
The then-untitled album was first announced on February 11, 2024, during Super Bowl LVIII, when Verizon Communications aired a Super Bowl commercial, titled ‘Can’t B Broken,’ in which Beyoncé tried to ‘break the Internet’ by doing increasingly outlandish means — from releasing a jazz saxophone record and performing on top of the Las Vegas Sphere to building an AI version of herself and launching a “Barbey” doll collection.
After all of the ideas failed, Beyoncé closed the advertisement by saying, “Okay, they ready. Drop the new music.” Following the broadcast, the singer shared a preview video for Act II on Instagram.
The video paid tribute to the 1984 movie, Paris, Texas, which mentions border blasters, and incorporates Chuck Berry’s 1955 song ‘Maybellene.’ The singer’s official website was updated the same day, announcing her eighth studio album, Act II, which would be released on March 29, 2024.
The album’s two main singles, ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and ‘16 Carriages,’ were then made available for digital download and streaming. On March 12, 2024, Beyoncé stated that the album would be called Cowboy Carter via a teaser poster with a western saddle and sash.
She released the album cover on Instagram on March 19, 2024, and teased surprises and collaborations on the album. On March 20, 2024, she unveiled a limited edition unique cover featuring a ribbon that says “act ii BEYINCÉ,” referring to a generational family surname.
On March 27, 2024, she unveiled the album’s tracklist via a themed poster. She shared a graphic on Instagram of the album’s tracklist, which was inspired by classic Chitlin’ Circuit posters.
Cover of Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, ‘Cowboy Carter.’ (Source: Instagram)
It includes the titles “Dolly P” and “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson,” implying possible collaborations with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Similarly, ‘Jolene,’ was written on the poster, which netizens believe is a cover or reinterpretation of the Parton’s song of the same name.
‘The Linda Martell Show,’ has also been mentioned on the poster, possibly referring to the first Black woman to achieve commercial success in the country genre.
The themed poster revealing the album’s tracklist has been confusing a lot of netizens. The following things have been mentioned on the poster, so possibly, these are the songs on the album.
They are — ‘Texas Hold ‘Em,’ ‘16 Carriages,’ ‘Ameriican Requiem,’ ‘Blackbiird,’ ‘Protector,’ ‘My Rose,’ ‘Bodyguard,’ ‘Daughter,’ ‘Spaghettii,’ ‘Alliigator Tears,’ ‘Smoke Hour Willie Nelson,’ ‘Smoke Hour II,’ ‘Just for Fun,’ ‘II Most Wanted,’ ‘Levii’s Jeans,’ ‘Flamenco,’ ‘Ya Ya,’ ‘Oh Louisiana,’ ‘Desert Eagle,’ ‘Riiverdance,’ ‘Tyrant,’ ‘II Hands II Heaven,’ ‘Sweet Honey Buckin’,’ ‘Amen,’ ‘Jolene,’ and ‘The Linda Martell Show.’
It looks like we will only get to know the collaborations and tracklist of Cowboy Carter after its release on March 29, 2024.
Entertainment
‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’ Debuted With 100% Rotten Tomatoes
“A drastic improvement over its novel predecessor.”
When Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was released back on March 10, 2023, it was not received well.
It was neither liked by critics nor the audience. At the time of writing, it has 3% on Tomatometer out of 62 reviews and a 50% audience score.
Looking at the previous installment, many believed that the second movie — Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 — would not do well. However, it came with a massive comeback.
It debuted with 100% on Tomatometer and at the time of writing, it has 56% with 18 reviews. One of the critics wrote, “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 is a drastic improvement over its novel predecessor, even if it suffers from some of the same problems.”
“This flawed but enjoyable sequel defies expectations — albeit low ones — and outperforms its predecessor on most levels,” another critic quipped.
By the looks of it, the audience is loving the second movie more than the first. It has an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes with over 250 audience reviews.
Giving reviews on the movie, one netizen wrote, “Really fun twist on a classic. Directing acting and plot was fantastic. Not corny like most movies just fun and worth the watch.”
“This sequel was incredibly enjoyable! Despite my appreciation for the first film, this one surpassed it 1000% with its fantastic kills, (so much fun brutal, gory kills) the enhanced appearance of Pooh and friends, and a captivating storyline that kept me interested throughout. I’m eager to add this movie to my collection,” another commented.
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 is a 2024 British indie horror film directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield and written by Matt Leslie. It is the second installment in the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) and a follow-up to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023), a horror reinterpretation of A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
The film stars Scott Chambers as Christopher Robin and Ryan Oliva as the eponymous figure, with Tallulah Evans, Eddy MacKenzie, Lewis Santer, Marcus Massey, and Simon Callow in support.
In a June 2022 interview with Dread Central, Frake-Waterfield showed interest in making a sequel to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, stating that he wants to ramp it up even more, go even crazier, and go even more extreme. In September 2023, teaser photographs were revealed revealing the new character Owl.
The film contains a fresh cast and character designs, and it is set in the Ashdown town rather than the Hundred Acre Wood. Furthermore, the character Tigger, who was absent from the original film, reappeared after entering the public domain in January 2024.
The film’s budget was first rumored to be five times bigger than its predecessor, it was subsequently revealed that the budget had climbed to ten times that of the previous picture. Shaune Harrison, who has previously worked on the Harry Potter franchise and Game of Thrones, was the film’s monster and gore designer, while Paula Anne Booker oversaw the special effects.
In the movie, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Owl’s house and life are jeopardized as Robin discovers their presence. Not wishing to remain in the shadows any longer, the group resolves to go on a rampage through Robin’s native village of Ashdown to exact their retribution once and for all.
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