Winx Club is an animated television series that first aired in 2004. It follows a group of fairies who attend a magical boarding school called Alfea. One of the main characters in the series is Bloom, who is the leader of the Winx Club. Bloom discovers that she is a fairy with incredible powers, including the power of the Dragon Flame. In the original version of the show, which aired in 2004, Bloom's backstory was slightly different. She was not originally from the magical world of Alfea but instead grew up on Earth.
She was not originally from the magical world of Alfea but instead grew up on Earth. In this version, Bloom discovers her powers on her 16th birthday and goes on a journey to find her birth parents, who are from the planet Domino. Along the way, she forms the Winx Club with four other fairies: Stella, Flora, Musa, and Tecna.
HISTORY OF THE OCCULT (aka HISORIA DE LO OCULTO, 2020)
Directed and written by Cristian Ponce.
Starring Germán Baudino, Nadia Lozano, Héctor Ostrofsky, Agustín Recondo, Lucia Arreche, Ivan Ezquerré, Casper Uncal, Luciano Guglielmino, Hernan Altamirano, Raúl Omar García, Mario Lombard, Victoria Reyes, Cristian Salgueiro, Victor Díaz, Lucia Cano, Hernán Bengoa, Federico Aimetta, René Mantiñan, Pedro Saieg, Gabriela Lage, Alex Abdeneve, Juanjo Suker
A group of producers attempt to uncover a conspiracy leading all the way up to the Argentinian presidency that leads back to a coven of witches and warlocks. They try to expose this truth on live television on a show called 60 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, but many forces human and otherwise are working hard to keep the truth unknown by the masses.
HISTORY OF THE OCCULT is supposed to be one of the most successful Latin horrors of all time, ranking as the highest-rated horror movie of 2021 on Letterboxd’s Year in Review roundup, as rated by Letterboxd users. All of that is fine and dandy, but how is the film? It’s…interesting. I’ll give you that. One of the things that I think is a huge detriment to HISTORY OF THE OCCULT is that it requires its viewer to understand the politics of Argentina, specifically what they were like in the 1980’s when this film is set. That’s a pretty specific requirement that a lot of US viewers are not going to know, so a lot of the details involving specific points in Argentinian history are going to fall on deaf ears if you aren’t from there. Now, I do understand conspiracy and distrust in the government is pretty much a universal notion, so though I wasn’t up to date on the state of the Argentinian union in 1985, I still got the gist of what was going on. So my recommendation is not to get caught up in the details laid out in HISTORY OF THE OCCULT and simply follow the human emotions and feelings presented along the way and you might have an ok time with this film.
That said, HISTORY OF THE OCCULT does a really good job of bringing a talk show in the 80’s to life with natural acting from the host as well as the guests, an overreliance on advertising so the show takes breaks with its very own commercials (which also seem to be tied to the conspiracy), and a tendency to go on and off the air, seemingly edited by the government or other dimensional forces or both. In making this show believable, it makes for a compelling 60 MINUTES style roundtable discussion about conspiracy, the occult, and other issues involving the two.
During the commercial breaks, the story cuts to a group of the show’s producers, hoping to lead a rebellion against this occult backed government movement. This is where most of the emotional beats come from and its going to convey how important this show is to the common man watching. There are also snippets outside of the watching room where the information proving the occult government connection has been attained. The whole thing is crisply edited, flipping through flashbacks, info gathering, and people’s rections at a rapid-fire clip that made Oliver Stone conspiracy films like JFK so effective. The sense of urgency and stress communicated in HISTORY OF THE OCCULT works very well.
That said, HISTORY OF THE OCCULT is for the patient and those who appreciate that slow burn. There are some very subtle, yet terrifying scenes of strange happenings. But for the most part, the bulk of a group of people staring at a TV screen and a Mclaughlin Report style roundtable show. While there is a persistent sense of dread and doom, I wouldn’t call HISTORY OF THE OCCULT a thrill a minute. I found it somewhat dry in delivery, yet was compelled by the conspiracy angle and the use of the 60-Minutes style format. But don’t go looking for a slam-bang horror show here. It’s more of the horror that creeps in on you in the periphery, which to some will be just the kind of sneaky horror they’re looking for. Your enjoyment will vary, but I will recommend HISTORY OF THE OCCULT for those who like their terrors in slow, sneaky doses.
Bloom's journey takes her to the magical realm of Magix, where she attends Alfea and learns to control her powers. She also meets the Specialists, a group of boys from the nearby school Red Fountain, including Sky, who becomes her love interest. Together, the Winx Club and the Specialists team up to fight against the forces of evil, including the Trix, a group of witches who are constantly trying to steal Bloom's powers. The original version of the show was created by Italian animator Iginio Straffi and quickly became popular around the world. It was praised for its positive messages about friendship, empowerment, and the importance of believing in oneself. The show spawned several spin-offs, including movies, merchandise, and even a live-action adaptation. While the show has gone through several changes and updates over the years, the character of Bloom and her storyline remains a central part of the Winx Club universe. The character has become a popular icon and role model for young girls, inspiring them to embrace their own inner power and believe in the magic within themselves. Overall, Winx Club Magic Bloom 1999 is a captivating animated series that tells the story of Bloom and her journey to discover her true identity and powers. The show continues to inspire and entertain audiences around the world with its messages of friendship, empowerment, and the magic that can be found within each of us..
Reviews for "The Legacy of Magic Bloom: How the Character Continues to Inspire in 1999"
1. Jessica - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Winx club magic bloom 1999". The storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and their development was hardly noticeable. The animation felt outdated and the overall graphics were quite poor. I expected more from a show that claims to be about magic and adventure. It just didn't live up to my expectations.
2. David - 1/5 - I couldn't even get through the first episode of "Winx club magic bloom 1999". The dialogue was cringeworthy and the voice acting was terrible. The plot was predictable and didn't offer anything new or exciting. The animation looked cheap and the character designs were unimpressive. Overall, it felt like a waste of time and I would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Emily - 3/5 - While "Winx club magic bloom 1999" had its moments, I found it to be quite mediocre. The storylines lacked originality and felt repetitive. The animation was decent but nothing exceptional. The characters were forgettable and their relationships were underdeveloped. It had potential, but it just didn't deliver anything special. I don't regret watching it, but I wouldn't watch it again.
4. Alex - 2/5 - "Winx club magic bloom 1999" seemed promising, but it fell flat for me. The plot was sluggish and it took a long time for anything interesting to happen. The animation was average and the character designs lacked creativity. The voice acting was mediocre and didn't bring the characters to life. Overall, it felt like a generic cartoon that didn't bring anything new or exciting to the table.
5. Sarah - 2/5 - "Winx club magic bloom 1999" had potential, but it failed to captivate me. The storylines were predictable and lacked depth. The animation was mediocre and the character designs were unimpressive. The dialogue was corny and the voice acting was subpar. I expected more from a show that was supposed to be about magic and fantasy. Unfortunately, it just didn't deliver what I was hoping for.