As great and convenient as it is to watch a good film from the comfort of my own home, there's nothing like seeing a movie for the first time on the big screen. I have missed going to the movies so much since the pandemic started and I was so excited to go see Shang-Chi in theaters. It was definitely THE movie to see for my first time in nearly two years, and I'm so glad I didn't wait for this one to hit Disney+. So, without further ado, my thoughts on the newest entry in the MCU's vast catalog. (Spoilers, obviously) Things I Liked Simu Liu - As the titular character, Liu was a great blend of badass and relatable. He wasn't overly broody nor was he goofy. The humorous moments overall did not feel forced or cringe, and there was no annoying posturing and gratuitous shirtlessness. The one part of the film when he was able to show off his physique included a funny line from Awkwafina's character Katy followed by an even funnier Jim Halpert-style shrug from Liu
A month or so ago I completed a medical survey that asked several questions about my background, specifically my childhood. There were the typical questions about diet and exercise, but also ones that asked about any trauma that may have occurred before I reached adulthood. Now, I was fortunate to have grown up in a stable two-parent household in upper-middle-class suburbia. My childhood was happy, my needs met. The most traumatic thing I can remember happening before I reached the age of reason was when I got some ants in my pants that then crawled all the way into my underwear (not fun). My life was fairly peaceful and free from worry. So when I came to the question of whether I had ever witnessed someone die in a violent way, I was prepared to click the 'no' circle and move on. Sure, I had seen the aftermath of some bad accidents on the highway, seen the cluster of ambulances and police cars on the scene, but I had never seen someone loaded onto a gurney, bruised and bloodi