Month: July 2020

Ah, when comedies are done right! What a joy that is. I knew nothing about this movie until only a few days before it’s release, but the trailer alone was enough to gauge my interest. Plus, I have always had a fascination with the Groundhog Day effect so I knew I wasn’t going to pass this one up. It was actually so much better than I expected it to be too!

Nyles (Andy Samberg) is the plus one at Tala (Camila Mendes) and Abe’s (Tyler Hoechlin) wedding. Sarah (Cristin Milioti) is the bride’s sister. Both would rather be anywhere else than stuck (literally) in the middle of the desert in Palm Springs. Finding solace in each other one night, Sarah is transported into an alternate time loop in which she wakes up every day to the same day having to repeat it over and over again. As it turns out, Nyles is stuck in the very same predicament.

Desperate to break through the loop, Sarah attempts absolutely everything she possibly can to have the day be over. Though as she spends more time with Nyles and learns that he has been stuck for even longer than she initially thought, Sarah is forced to think about making some serious changes in her own life while trying staying true to herself in the process.

This was awesome all around! I already mentioned that the concept is one that I love because it makes you think and I love movies that are left open for interpretation. Not only that, but it was very funny and incredibly smart at the same time. It all just seemed to work well together.

With a stacked cast including Peter Gallagher and JK Simmons, it is impossible not to be starstruck. Mix them all in with a stunning backdrop and you are in for quite a treat!

At the end of the day though, I really do think that the moral of the story is an important one and I guarantee that you will walk away from this one with an impression that will last.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

We all know by now that comedies have been very hit or miss for me lately. That being said, this one pretty much captured my interest straight away. I think I can chalk that up to the female led cast! It was some mindless fun and that really is all that matters.

Wes (Nasim Pedrad) is not your usual type of girl. She is loud, outspoken and (kind of) desperate to find love. Her friends Brooke (Anna Camp) and Kaylie (Sarah Burns) are supportive in whatever shenanigans that Wes usually finds herself in despite the fact that they are dealing with their own problems. Brooke is trying to decide if she should divorce her husband while Kaylie is struggling with fertility issues.

But when Wes thinks she has met The One, all bets are off. She is willing to do whatever it takes to make Jared (Robbie Amell) hers, even if she has to pretend to be somebody she’s not in the process. Everything seems to be going well until Jared goes off the grid for a few days. Fearing the worst, Wes sends him a long and rambling email calling him out for ghosting her while in a drunken stupor.

Wes is immediately brought back to reality when she discovers that Jared was in an accident while down in Mexico. Panic over the email sets in; if he reads it then their relationship is over! So she decides to do what any other girl would do in the same situation – book a ticket and fly down with her best friends to take matters into her own hands!

Recovering the cellphone is no easy task. It seems as if the world just does not want anything to work out for Wes. Mix in a lot of misunderstandings, beautiful views and a cute guy named Sean (Lamorne Morris) who wants to help, this is one entertaining movie.

It is very unlikely in real life that someone would just drop everything to go and delete an email off someone’s phone, but it does make for an interesting storyline. All that can seemingly go wrong does and at the end of the day you really end up rooting for Wes to succeed.

The cast meshed very well together. I have loved the chemistry between Nasim and Lamorne ever since they starred in New Girl. It’s always a treat when actors pair up for more than one project. The dynamic between the leading ladies as well was quite believable and had me envying their on screen friendship.

If you are looking for a fun chick flick movie, then this is the one for you! Just don’t expect too much from it.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Call me a cheat, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to write about the greatest musical of our generation. When the news came out that Hamilton was being put onto Disney + for everyone to see, I was so excited! Despite the fact that I got to see the show live, having it more accessible now and knowing that the rest of the world can enjoy it too just makes me smile.

Normally, in my reviews, I discuss the plot and then go into the reasons as to why I liked or didn’t like it. This time around will be different because I feel like many of you already know the story of Alexander Hamilton and how he helped shape America. Instead I will take this time to explain why this musical is as amazing as everyone says it is and why you should all drop what you are doing right this moment to go and watch it!

History can be quite a dire subject. Even though I liked it for the most part, there were only certain time periods that really grasped my full attention. What is refreshing in Hamilton is that the story was given a modern spin. The characters talk about the past today which makes it more fun and engaging. While some details were changed for entertainment purposes, the general idea remained true and the way in which the story was actually told is unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Lin Manuel Miranda is an absolute legend! Creator, composer and writer, he put his blood, sweat and tears into this and it shows every step of the way. It literally took him seven years to make everything perfect. Every single word is told through song and rap making it unique and adding a whole new dimension to an otherwise mediocre story.

It was always my dream to see the original Broadway cast in action, especially after listening to them countless times on the soundtrack. Putting their voices to faces made everything full circle. You simply can’t beat the likes of Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr), Phillippa Soo (Eliza), Jonathan Groff (King George), Daveed Diggs (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica), Chris Jackson (George Washington), Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy/Maria Reynolds) and Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison). It’s hard imagining these characters being played by anybody else.

I also really appreciated the new footage that includes close ups of the actor’s faces,  aerial shots etc. When I saw the show live, I was sat all the way at the back and missed out on a ton of details. These extra shots definitely add to the overall experience.

Most of all, I am so happy that this musical was finally put out into the world. So many people were stripped of the opportunity to see this live (not to mention tickets were ridiculously expensive). Having it now at our disposal whenever we want it is great. Everyone should watch this at least once and I dare you not to come away feeling all the feelings.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Full disclosure: I have never watched Eurovision before. Oh, I am fully aware of the concept, but for some reason it never grasped my attention. Until now. This movie was SO MUCH BETTER than I ever could have hoped for. I was excited for it because it looked completely batshit crazy (and it really was). Half the time it didn’t make any sense and it was not very realistic, but it still had me in stitches. It has now been about two and a half weeks since I watched and I want to go back and see it ten more times. That’s how much fun it is!

Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) have always dreamed of competing in Eurovision. Ever since childhood, their families would get together every year to watch the show. Unfortunately, no one seems to take their endeavours seriously. Lars’s father Erick (Pierce Brosnan) acts as if his son doesn’t even exist while Sigrit’s mother would prefer that her daughter do something more worthwhile with her time.

When fate intervenes and a spot opens up for them to fly to Scotland for the competition, the duo known as Fire Saga are ecstatic. However, what comes next is not at all what they were expecting. The rest of the artists are fierce and well established. They have no problem going after what they want in order to get ahead. In addition, Lars and Sigrit begin to butt heads over their set as jealousy arises.

I loved this movie! It is no parody – if you are a fan of Eurovision, it will seem as if you are actually watching the real life competition. It is pure escapism and the same can be said for the movie. It was hilarious though it also stayed true to the story and had a lot of heart in it at the same time.

In true Eurovision fashion, the music is the most important aspect. Think back to ABBA’s Waterloo. An iconic song that we still know all the lyrics to today. The soundtrack here is absolutely brilliant. There is no bad song and they all fit into the theme as well. I’ve had Double Trouble stuck in my head on repeat.

For those who know me, Will Ferrell is not one of my favorite actors. In fact, I have never liked anything that he has starred in. But here, I was so wrapped up in the story and the characters that I didn’t even see him. I only saw who they were portraying on screen. Rachel McAdams, in contrast, is an actress that I have always been a fan of. To me, she stole the movie. She is such a breath of fresh air and it’s a pity that we don’t see as much of her anymore. Having Pierce Brosnan in another musical role was amusing and Dan Stevens as Russian competitior Alexander Lemtov was almost unrecognisable. Seriously. I couldn’t figure him out the entire time.

This film truly has something in it for everybody. It was funny, lighthearted and simply out of this world. For the first time in it’s history, Eurovision was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many were disappointed as this is an event that people look forward to every year. But this film is a great replacement. It’s almost as if they knew what was going to happen and the creator wanted to give the fans something to hold on to.

And for those die hard fans? Pay close attention while watching. There’s some special Easter eggs hidden just for you!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Surprise movies are the best. There’s nothing I love more than going into one more or less blind and coming out feeling really satisfied. It’s actually how I was introduced to some of my all time favorite titles. Infamous might just be another one to add to my list! it had pretty much all you could want in a movie and was not at all what I was expecting.

Ever since she can remember, Arielle (Bella Thorne) has wanted to be famous. With big ambitions to one day leave behind her dull life in Florida and make her way to Hollywood, she has been saving up as much money as possible from her job as a waitress in order to make this a reality. But when she discovers that her money is missing, her plans are thwarted.

Not knowing who to trust, Arielle decides to leave that very night. She invites along the mysterious Dean (Jake Manley) who moved to town after a stint in prison. Relieved to finally be away from their problems, they start to wonder what they will do in order to make a living for themselves.

And so they decide to start robbing from gas stations, weed dispensaries and the like, anywhere really that is off the beaten path. Their exploits are put up on social media for the everyone to see. It’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt and Arielle will stop at nothing until the world knows her name.

I loved the twists and turns that this movie took throughout. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, an obstacle is thrown in the works and derails everything. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Infamous was made up of an array of genres so it reaches a wider range of audiences. The romance between Arielle and Dean rivals that of Bonnie and Clyde. There’s a lot of action and adventure with some humor thrown in too. Ultimately I would classify it as a drama because of the gripping storyline.

I believe that Bella Thorne is underrated. While she got her start at Disney, she was successful in branching away from that squeaky clean image and established herself as a diverse actress and business woman. She is passionate about all her projects and that is apparent here. While Jake Manley didn’t leave a lasting impression (his bleached blonde hair was too distracting), I did appreciate having Amber Riley on my screen again in a supporting role.

If you want to be surprised, then this is the film for you. I’m sure that you will end up rooting for Arielle and Dean even though what they are doing is morally wrong. They have a lot to lose and because of that, it is easy to relate to them.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥