IF

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John Krasinki is back in the director’s seat with a completely different type of film. Bea (Cailey Fleming) is going through a tough time. When she moves in with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw), she ends up befriending one of the upstairs neighbors named Cal (Ryan Reynolds). Cal is on a mission to reunite IFs, or imaginary friends, with new children as their old ones have grown up and forgotten about them. He enlists the help of Bea and together they embark on a magical adventure.

Where the film exceeds is in its casting. Fleming is a great pick for our protagonist. I’ve never seen her before, but her performance was endearing and relatable. Reynolds seems to dial it back a bit from his usual song and dance to give Fleming more of the spotlight. He’s still a very important player though and the two worked well together. For me it was the different voices that brought the IFs to life that I had fun discovering: Steve Carell as Blue, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Blossom, Louis Gossett Jr. as Lewis, Akwafina as Bubble, Emily Blunt as Unicorn, George Clooney as Spaceman, Bradley Cooper as Ice and many more.

Unfortunately there are some pacing issues that are evident throughout. Things take too long to get going in the beginning. There’s some groundwork that needs to be set up with the audience learning about Bea’s life which is fine, but I wanted more time with the IFs! I also felt like it wrapped up way too quickly in the end.

The moral of the story of getting back in touch with your inner child really spoke to me. I was one of those kids who had an imaginary friend and I could totally relate in that I don’t even remember who they are anymore. Just because you grow up doesn’t mean you don’t have to forget the parts of you that made you happy when you were younger. These sentiments really tugged at my heartstrings.

Overall IF was an enjoyable film that the whole family can enjoy. It will certainly resonate with children for the beloved friends they will meet along the way, but I think it is the adults who will get the most out of it. Though it may have gotten a bit muddled along the way, it is still worth checking out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Turtles All The Way Down

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Turtles All The Way Down by John Green was first introduced to the world in October of 2017. Now, the beloved book has been adapted for the screen. Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced) is trying to live her life as normally as she can which isn’t easy due to her obsessive compulsive disorder. When she reconnects with her old crush Davis (Felix Mallard), she is swept up in the mystery of where his business tycoon father disappeared to.

Like many others, I devoured Green’s novel when it first came out. It’s been some time so I cannot confirm or deny as to how close they stuck to the original material. But I am happy that this one finally got the same treatment that many of his other pieces of work have received.

Merced completely brings Aza to life. The way in which she depicted her difficulties was nothing like I had seen before and I mean that in a good way. We saw the good, the bad and everything in between and I found that to be really refreshing. I truly believe that people who deal with the same disorder felt seen while watching this.

The rest of the cast were perfectly chosen for their roles. I absolutely loved Daisy (Cree), Aza’s best friend. They were there for each other through it all and she brought some much needed comedy to the film. It was nice seeing Mallard in something outside of his usual stint on Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia and Judy Reyes was a spot on choice for Aza’s mom Gina. I also appreciated the inclusion of J. Smith-Cameron as Professor Abbott and Poorna Jagannathan as Aza’s therapist Dr. Singh.

While Turtles All The Way Down did seem to target more of a teenage audience, I am still glad that I watched it. It’s not often we see OCD depicted in this way on screen, so I have to commend the choices that were taken to make it happen.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Abigail

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From the team that brought us Ready or Not comes a new take on the vampire genre. When a group of misfits are brought together to kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure in order to collect a very handsome cash prize, they think it’ll be a piece of cake. But as they spend more time in an isolated mansion, they start to realize that the little girl is not as innocent as she originally seemed.

I know that I am very late to the party, but in my defense I had prior arrangements the weekend that this hit theatres. Now that it’s available on Demand, I couldn’t wait to finally check it out. Lo and behold it was exactly as I was hoping it would be!

Locked room stories are always a good call; without the distractions of jumping from place to place, it is so much more intimate. The audience gets the chance to really know the different players that are involved.

Another reason why this film worked so well was because of its talented cast. Leading the tribe of kidnappers is Melissa Barrera as Joey who proves that she is still one of the best Scream Queens around. Her mysterious past and unexpected connection to Abigail was interesting to watch unfold. Kathryn Newton, who has also proven herself as quite the Scream Queen lately, was brilliant as hacker Sammy while Angus Cloud truly brought the goofy Dean to life, may he rest in peace. Kevin Durand made me laugh as Peter while Dan Stevens was absolutely perfect as the douchey know it all Frank. I didn’t know whether to love him or hate him sometimes because he was just so convincing. All that being said, it was Alisha Weir who stole the show as our titular character Abigail. Going from playing Matilda in the musical version of the stage show to this? The girl has range!

The best part of all is that Abigail never took itself too seriously. Parodying past movies of the genre was such a smart move. It was laugh out loud funny with every joke landing and filled with lots of blood and gore. I was worried that part would be overkill, but I actually loved it. This was just the type of horror film that I can vibe with and I would very much be onboard with some more in this universe. Let’s make it happen!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

The Idea Of You

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Adapted from Robinne Lee’s acclaimed novel The Idea of You, follows Solène (Anne Hathaway), a forty year old single mother who meets Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), lead singer of the most popular boyband on the planet August Moon, while at Coachella. Their undeniable chemistry develops into something more, but Hayes’s celebrity status and Solène’s age threaten to come between them.

I read the book earlier this year in anticipation of the film. It instantly became one of my all time favorites. I didn’t think anything would be able to come close to its perfection. Overall I was pleased with how it turned out and felt like it stayed true to the source material.

Hathaway has never been better. This woman does not age; she is not only gorgeous, but her interpretation of Solène was so on point. As you get to know her, you just want her to get her happy ending. Galitzine, on the other hand, has shown that he is a dynamic actor who is up for pretty much everything that is thrown his way. He was the perfect choice for Hayes. Harry Styles comparisons aside, he made Hayes his own complete with the British accent, dark smouldering look and tattoos to boot. The two flickered brightly when they were on screen together and made me feel all the feels.

There have been a few instances portrayed on screen where the woman is older than the man in the relationship. She’s often shown as being in the wrong whereas if it was the other way around, the man would be patted on the back. The fact that these two individuals just want to be together regardless of what society expects from them was refreshing. It didn’t come without its backlashes and these were hard to watch, but it was extremely realistic and I appreciated how the film explored it like it did in the book.

The Idea of You is one of the better book to film adaptions that I have seen. Thanks to the incredible casting and sizzling attraction between Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, the characters that I fell in love with in the book were able to come to life. While I wasn’t a fan of the changes they made to the ending, this is a film that I will happily revisit in the future. Until then, I will be singing along to all of August Moon’s hits.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Fall Guy

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Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the best stunt man around. When an on set injury results in him breaking his back, he’s hesitant to get back into the game – that is until he learns his ex fling Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) is directing her feature debut and according to her producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), he’s the guy for the job. But Colt has been brought onto the project with ulterior motives. Mega movie star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor Johnson) has disappeared and it is up to Colt to find him so they can finish filming.

Fresh off the success of two of the biggest films of last year are Gosling and Blunt. Individually they know how to do their thing and they do it perfectly. But when they are together, that is when the magic happens. The way in which Colt is determined to win Jody back despite her efforts not to give in is one of my favorite tropes. I would be more than happy for these actors to star together in many more projects to come.

Director David Leitch got his start as a stunt man himself and this is an ode to others is this part of the industry. Stunt people aren’t always given the appreciation they deserve which is crazy to me. The sequences we see throughout are unique, pulse pounding and really push the limit. I couldn’t decide which one was my favorite. I also thought it was a nice touch that the audience was able to see some behind the scenes footage of them being made.

Some have said that the comedy didn’t entirely hit the mark, but I still found myself giggling more or less the whole way through. Maybe that was more due to the circumstances that our characters found themselves in at times. For example, Colt crying in his car while listening to Taylor Swift was just so perfect! I also liked the crime parts of the story. I didn’t feel like they were far fetched and I felt like it fit with everything else that was going on.

The Fall Guy was one of my most anticipated films of the year, but I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. It made me laugh out loud, was filled with incredible action sequences and the chemistry between the two leads was some of the best I’ve seen in a long time. It just left a huge smile on my face. The summer blockbuster season has officially begun!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Challengers

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After being delayed a couple of times, Challengers has finally graced cinema screens around the globe. Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach makes no excuses for the person she is on and off the court. Married to Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), a champion who has been on somewhat of a losing streak, she signs him up for a smaller scale competition in hopes it’ll bring him redemption. He just has to face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former flame Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) first.

Tennis may play an important part in the film, but at the center of it all is a love triangle. Zendaya delivers her most mature and captivating performance yet. Tashi was a magnetic character who didn’t care about anybody but herself and the way she commanded those boys was intriguing to watch. Faist and O’Connor held their own against her as well as each other; their bromance was one for the books and if you ask me, I think they should have been together, not fighting over who got to be with Tashi! That being said, all three had crazy chemistry that I won’t be recovering from anytime soon.

Music helps amplify certain scenes and put you in the right frame of mind. The score that was used throughout was so unlike any that I have ever experienced before. It was loud and pulsating especially during the big tennis match. That mixed with the unique way in which it was shot was a palette not only for the ears but for the eyes too.

To help bridge the gap between the past and the present, there were multiple flashbacks. The first one really set the stage. After a while, it started skipping around a bit too much and was hard to keep track of. As a result, the big match almost seemed to take a backseat while simultaneously feeling like it lasted far too long.

My expectations for Challengers was pretty high and for the most part I feel like it delivered. Thanks to the stunning performance from our three leads and the direction of Luca Guadagnino, this is a film that tingled all of my senses while also staying true to such a beloved sport.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

The Greatest Hits

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Harriet (Lucy Boynton) has been dealing with the sudden loss of her boyfriend Max (David Corenswet). In order to help her grieve, she discovers that certain songs can transport her back into a particular time in which they spent together. As she tries to fit the pieces together in the past, her life in the present takes off when she meets David (Justin H. Min).

I really liked the concept of this movie. It blends so many different genres together from romance, comedy and drama to time travel. It’s so true that one particular song can really send you back to when you first heard it. The way in which this was incorporated throughout the film was really smart. The song choices were A+ too; there were some well known classics and others that I wasn’t familiar with, but they all fit perfectly.

Boynton should lead more films because she did a stellar job as our protagonist. She’s clearly been through a lot and she’s torn between her past and her future, but wouldn’t anybody be in her predicament? Max and David couldn’t be more different, but neither of them outshine the other. Boynton has pitch perfect chemistry with both Corenswet and Min that you can’t help rooting for both of them to end up with her. The addition of Harriet’s best friend Morris (Austin Crute) was a welcome one. You could tell he was her ride or die and I appreciated how supportive he was of her while also keeping her grounded.

As much as I enjoyed the time travel aspect of the story, I have to say that it did get a bit repetitive. I also wish we’d had a bit more background on Max. As the film was told in Harriet’s point of view we didn’t really get to know him outside of her thoughts and feelings.

The Greatest Hits is an emotionally charged romantic dramedy that only got better as it progressed. With fabulous performances and an even better soundtrack, this is a film I will be revisiting.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Back To Black

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Amy Winehouse was an icon. Gone too soon from this world, she is still sorely missed. Now, twelve years after her death, we have Back To Black, a biography about Amy’s life, her music and her legacy. Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director behind Fifty Shades of Grey, helmed this project and did what she could to bring Amy back into our lives.

There was some backlash when news broke that this film was being made. Some felt it was too soon after the singer’s untimely death while others had something to say about the casting of our star. Amy had a particular look and style, who could possibly even begin to try and portray her on screen? I’ll admit even I had my reservations, but I was pleasantly surprised by Marisa Abela’s interpretation. While she didn’t exactly look the part, she did sound it, especially while she was singing (yes that was actually her voice). Combined with the same hairstyles and fashion choices that Amy was spotted wearing, I thought Abela did a good job.

Other prominent players in Amy’s life included lover Blake Fielder-Civil who was played by Jack O’Connell. Not only did he provide us with some laughs, you could really see how tumultuous his relationship with Amy was and how that had such an influence in her music and her addiction to drugs and alcohol. Amy’s dad Mitch Winehouse, played by Eddie Marsan and her Nan Cynthia, played by Lesley Manville were also central to the plot.

As a casual listener of Amy’s music, there was a lot I didn’t know about her. By an entertainment point of view, I was intrigued by the events that unfolded in front of me. That being said, there was no way the film would be able to cover everything. For one, I thought there was too much focus on Amy’s love life. It would have been nice to see how she really got her start with song writing and where she got her inspiration from. I also would have liked the timeline to be a bit more fleshed out as we jumped ahead quite often. And of course there was a lot of sadness during Amy’s life that would just come and go in some scenes, but they would quickly be forgotten when the next moment came along. A bit more tightening up in these areas would have certainly made a difference.

To make a biopic of such an iconic person is no easy feat. I didn’t go in with high expectations and felt like while I learned a lot, there is still a big chunk of the story that I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that thanks to an endearing performance by Marisa Abel, Back To Black wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be. It just could have been more.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Scoop

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In 2019, the world watched as journalist Emily Maitlis sat with Prince Andrew to discuss his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. So many people tuned in to the interview that eventually led to Andrew being stripped of his royal duties. Now Netflix has brought us a recounting of what happened.

I actually did not see the original interview, though I did hear about all of its ins and outs. This sequence in the film was certainly the highlight. Everything was building up to it and I thought that it was done very well; it seemed incredibly realistic. I wish that there had been more focus on the interview and the aftermath of it instead of so much build up. Some plot points didn’t seem necessary and were only there for dramatization purposes.

The cast choices were bang on. Gillian Anderson was a force as Maitlis. Her character took centre stage later on, but once she was at the forefront, she completely excelled. Rufus Sewell looked so much like Prince Andrew it was scary. He had the mannerisms down pat too. Keeley Hawes was ever so dedicated as Prince Andrew’s private secretary, not willing to believe he could be at fault for anything and Romola Garai helped bring it all together as fellow journalist Esme Wren. It was Billie Piper as Sam McAlister, however, who shined the brightest of all. Not only did she break the story, she the real life Sam wrote the book that the film is based on.

Adapting a real life news story like this is no easy feat. Similar projects like Bombshell and She Said paved the way for Scoop and I feel like it was mostly enjoyable. It’s natural to add some padding for entertainment’s sake, but I wish there’d been just that something more to completely hold my attention.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Musica

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Directed, written and starring Rudy Mancuso, this coming of age love story follows Rudy (Mansuco) who is an aspiring creator. He has synesthesia; every noise he hears he turns into a rhythm. This has proven to be quite difficult in his day to day life, especially in dealing with his mother Maria (Maria Mancuso) and his girlfriend Haley (Francesca Reale). But everything changes when he runs into Isabella (Camila Mendes) at the fish market. Suddenly the prospect of figuring out his future doesn’t seem so bad.

I have never seen a film like this, but I loved every moment of it. There were some scenes that seemed to be right out of Stomp. The way in which each rhythm, melody and dissonance were depicted was so unique – at times it was like an overload to the brain as well which I guess is just how Rudy felt on a daily basis. As these moments came on screen, I grew to enjoy them more and more. My favorite was when Rudy and Isabella were in the playground and he was trying to explain his situation to her.

The casting is spot on here, with Mancuso proving that he is a triple threat. Mendes shines as the girl of his dreams and it’s no surprise that the two fell for each other while making the film. You can’t help but feel for Reale’s Haley and laugh at J.B. Smoove’s Anwar, Rudy’s best friend. But it is Mancuso’s real life mom Maria who is the scene stealer. Not only is she absolutely hilarious, but she is everything you’d expect a Brazilian mother to be. I really liked seeing their authentic chemistry come to life on the screen.

New York City and Newark pose as the backdrop of the film. In some ways they could be additional characters. They are constantly brought up by the characters, particularly in Mancuso’s case, when he is trying to figure out what it is he wants to do with his life and I liked how they were never forgotten.

Musica was truly a delight. Mancuso has created a beautiful story that everyone can relate to. While his character didn’t always do the right thing, this was integral to the plot and it all came together nicely in the end. With great cast chemistry and stellar music performances, this isn’t a film I won’t soon forget.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️