Month: September 2020

There was so much build up to Mulan’s release, especially considering it was supposed to come out in March and ended up being pushed back numerous times due to the pandemic. If you ask me, Disney should have just released it straight away instead of waiting. This is why I believe the reboot was just not good. It pains me to say that I really did not like it because the story was so well known and groundbreaking for it’s time, but there was too much here that didn’t work.

We all know the story. A young Chinese maiden named Mulan (Yifei Liu) has always been different from what society says a woman is supposed to be. When her father is called forward to serve in the war, Mulan can’t allow that to happen for he is too old and will surely die in battle. So she decides to disguise herself as a man to take his place.

Having a female warrior front and center was so unheard of when the animated feature film came out in 1998. Mulan was bad ass and seemingly fearless. That aspect still holds true in this new version and it’s wonderful that little girls have a strong female role model, but there was something missing from Liu’s portrayal. I don’t think that she did the role justice and felt that outside of the fighting scenes, there was no emotion or energy.

The only other thing I liked was the cinematography. Many of the views depicted were breathtaking and at times it really felt like I was actually there instead of just watching something on a screen. Disney has always been good at making their audience feel like part of the story and they did this one right.

Unfortunately nothing else worked. Too much was changed from the original and I couldn’t handle it. Mulan is known for classic songs like Reflection and I’ll Make A Man Out Of You, but none of these numbers were featured. The songs were scrapped all together which was a major mistake. Sure they had instrumental versions, but it wasn’t the same at all.

The story was completely changed as well. I understand wanting to take a more modern approach, but it wasn’t done properly at all. With these changes meant getting rid of the romantic lead, Mulan’s hilarious grandmother and the best ever sidekick in Mushu. In fact, because these characters were taken out, all the humor from the animated film was gone, taking the magic with it.

Overall, Mulan was a disappointment. Maybe I had high expectations, but wouldn’t you have had too? Don’t waste your thirty dollars on this.

Rating: ♥♥

Thanks to the Toronto Film Festival, I was able to preview Shadow in the Cloud. If I’m being honest, I probably wouldn’t have looked twice at it otherwise. And I have to say that the movie puzzled me. It was unlike anything I have ever watched before. My initial thoughts were that I didn’t enjoy it very much at all, but as I let what I just saw sink in, it dawned on me that it was actually quite good. I think I didn’t like it straight away because I was put out of my comfort zone though that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The story follows a World War II pilot named Maude Garret (Chloe Grace Moretz) who infiltrates a B-17 Flying Fortress for a mission. Whatever happens to her, she must guard the top secret documents that she has brought along on board. But Garrett soon realises that this is not going to be as easy as she expected. The rest of the crew aren’t trustworthy and on top of that, she encounters an evil presence that threatens to ruin everything she has worked so hard for.

Let me start with the positives. Chloe Grace Moretz led this movie amazingly. A lot of the scenes focused solely on her and I was very impressed with the direction in which she took her character. During the war, there weren’t many women in high rankings of power and if there were, it is rare that they were heard of. So seeing such an established and bad ass lady pilot who didn’t take shit from anybody was pretty fucking cool.

Something else I enjoyed was how this was filmed. While the dark greens and reds did tire me out, the fact that Chloe was trapped in such a small space throughout was unlike anything I had seen before and it really added an extra oomph to atmosphere. Similarly, the special effects were well executed and made me feel like I was there.

I also need to give props to the fact that this was directed by a woman. Having a woman’s touch and knowing how closely Roseanne Liang worked with her lead star really did allow for that girl power to shine through.

There were, however, some aspects I couldn’t wrap my head around no matter how hard I tried. First of all, the genre for this one is horror and that is something that I normally stay far away from. Luckily the supernatural nature wasn’t too bad for me to sit through in the end, but I did feel like it was out of place in the rest of the story. I understand that people believed in monsters during this time period, but I don’t think it really added anything.

If you are in the mood for something totally bonkers and outside of your comfort zone, then this is the movie for you. Allow yourself to be open minded for a change!

Rating: ♥♥♥

I really didn’t know anything about The Broken Hearts Gallery until very recently and even then I wasn’t sure what to make of it. But as we all know already, I am a big fan of romantic comedies so I knew I was going to watch it eventually. And guys…I was blown away. It was so unlike anything I was expecting in the best way possible. Even my husband liked it and that says everything.

Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) is no stranger to falling in love. Having dated multiple men throughout her life, she has also gotten used to the inevitable heart break that is sure to follow after a relationship ends. She seems to have found a pretty good way to move on though; taking a trinket from each beau so that she never forgets them. When her latest boyfriend Max (Utkarsh Ambudkar) unexpectedly ends things and she gets fired from her job all in the same evening, Lucy is devastated.

Thinking everything is all doom and gloom, her best friends Amanda (Molly Gordon) and Nadine (Philippa Soo) do what they can to help Lucy get back up on her feet. And then she comes up with a brilliant idea – Lucy will start her own Broken Hearts gallery where she and others can donate their past relationship memorabilia in hopes it will help them, and her, move on.

Nick’s (Dacre Montgomery) passion for the past few years has been building a boutique hotel. As his funds run out and he has to start letting his team go, he feels like he’s hit a wall. When a chance encounter throws Nick and Lucy together, Lucy knows that The Chloe is the perfect spot for the gallery to be located. Nick isn’t one for a soppy romance story, but he knows the extra exposure will help get his project up and running again.

Spending all their time together, Lucy and Nick learn a lot about each other, as well as themselves, but mainly that it’s okay to leave the past behind them.

First of all, this film was so freaking funny. The jokes were on point and I never got tired of them. It was exactly the type of humor one would expect for the story too and even though some of the jokes were crude, it still worked.

I also loved the cast. There were some familiar faces amongst the side characters such as Bernadette Peters who plays Lucy’s boss Eva, Philippa Soo of Hamilton fame and Utkarsh Ambudkar from Pitch Perfect. Stranger Things fans will recognise Dacre Montgomery who got his claim to fame as Billy on the hit show. It was refreshing to see him in something new and more contemporary. However, Geraldine Viswanathan was the breakout of them all. Her portrayal of Lucy was so organic and invigorating. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what she does next because I’m sure it will be great.

Additionally, the soundtrack was superb and the fact that the movie was partially filmed in Toronto was cool. It’s fun trying to see how much of my city I can notice upon first glance! Plus, if you are a Selena Gomez fan, you’ll be happy to know that she was one of the producers.

Overall, this was brilliant and a big mood booster. It’s the perfect pick me up if you’re feeling down and is super relatable too. I highly recommend it for a good time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Unpregnant is officially one of my new all time favorites. Everything about it was exactly what I need in a movie. It’s funny, it’s topical, it’s relatable and there are friendship goals like I have never seen before. Sometimes a movie just clicks for a person. This was mine.

When Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) discovers that she is pregnant, she freaks out. Having a baby at seventeen is not something she ever saw for herself. Despite her overeager boyfriend being totally okay with the news, if Veronica’s parents ever found out, they’d be so disappointed. The only thing she can do is get an abortion. The problem is that the closest clinic that will preform the procedure without parental consent is in Albuquerque. Luckily Veronica has some savings, but she is missing means of transportation.

Enter Bailey (Barbie Ferreira). Veronica and Bailey used to be best friends, but they drifted apart in middle school. Bailey happened to be in the very restroom when Veronica was taking the test and so there was no hiding the truth. Plus, she had a car.

So the two former friends set off on a fourteen hour journey. Many obstacles are thrown their way and nothing goes the way that either planned. Soon they are reminded of why they were so close to begin with and where they went wrong in the past.

I laughed out loud so many times during this movie. It was that funny. The chemistry between Haley Lu and Barbie was off the charts. I want a friendship like theirs. They are truly each others’ ride or dies and it radiated from the screen.

Ultimately though, I loved how the story really went above and beyond to push the envelope when it comes to abortion. Abortion is a taboo subject you are either in favour for or not. Regardless, it is something that makes people uncomfortable to talk about. I believe that this was a realistic depiction of teen pregnancy and one of the outcomes that can come from it. Veronica knew that she was in no way prepared to become a mother and so she made the best decision she could, not only for herself, but for her unborn baby too. Grappling with her decision, especially considering her strict Christian upbringing, Veronica sticks to her guns and doesn’t let anybody get in her way. I found that to be so inspiring.

I truly think that everyone should watch Unpregnant. It taught me more about a difficult topic and has paved the way for conversations to come.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5

The critics totally panned this and I couldn’t understand why. I know superhero movies can be hit or miss, but to say that The New Mutants is one of the worst movies ever isn’t exactly fair. I was interested in seeing it from the get go because it’s a new generation of X-Men. I definitely don’t think it deserves the hate that it has received, though it certainly wasn’t perfect by any means either.

Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) loses her family and her home in a freak accident. Finding herself in an institution after the horrific events of that night, she discovers that she is a mutant with special abilities. The only problem is that Dani doesn’t know what they are yet. Here, she comes into contact with four other mutants: Rahne (Maisie Williams), Illyana (Anya Taylor-Joy), Sam (Charlie Heaton) and Roberto (Henry Zaga). Together they are learning how their powers work under the help and supervision of Dr. Reyes (Alice Braga).

But as the days pass, Dani begins to realize that everything she has been told isn’t at all what is seems. Suddenly she is forced to question who she can and cannot trust in order to save herself.

There were some good points to this movie. I loved how there was diversity in the cast. Having a Native Indian young lady as the lead was very new and refreshing. Additionally, having a Latino male as another main character was equally exciting. I also felt that the teens in question worked well off of each other whether it was in their blooming friendships, their rivalry or their romantic relationships. I liked how there was some exploration of a LGBTQ couple and hope that in a potential sequel this will be expanded upon more.

I also enjoyed the special effects. They didn’t look too tacky or artificial which was more realistic. Similarly, the horror sub-genre wasn’t too hard for me to sit through. I usually stay away from scary movies, and despite me jumping a couple times here and there, I was entertained the whole way through.

In regards to what I didn’t like: the story was predictable at times and I felt like the big ending showdown was anti-climatic. The events transpired too quickly and the story could have been fleshed out a bit more. I also wasn’t convinced by some of the acting. Some lines were corny and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

Overall, everyone should cut The New Mutants a break. If you like Marvel, X-Men, or superheroes, then you should definitely give this a chance. It really wasn’t as bad as everyone was making it out to be.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Romantic comedies are my go tos for any and all moods. Feeling sad? I pop one on to cheer myself up. Feeling happy? One will be on to keep my spirits high. They have always been my favorite genre and I have very rarely been let down by one. Unfortunately, Love, Guaranteed was one of those unusual titles that just did not do it for me. There was a lot wrong with it and I was left feeling bored and disconnected.

Susan Whitaker (Rachael Leigh Cook) takes pride in her career as a lawyer. Having successfully made a name for herself with her own firm, she has had to give up other things in life such as finding herself a partner and settling down to have a family. For her, spending time with her sister, brother in law and nephew is enough. Or is it?

When Nick Evans (Damon Wayans Jr.) former athlete, walks into the firm one day with a case, Susan doesn’t realize it, but her life is about to change. Nick wants to sue dating site Love, Guaranteed for wrongful marketing. After having gone on exactly one thousand dates with various women, he still hasn’t found the one. And unfortunately for Susan, even though she would rather turn this one down, the firm has been struggling.

So the two ban together to take down founder Tamara Taylor (Heather Graham). The only thing Nick wants is for them to change their slogans so that other people don’t have the same experience. What started off as a simple case escalates, especially as they get to know each other.

One thing that didn’t work here was the storyline. It was just so predictable to the point where I could pretty much tell what was going to happen next. In fact, I might as well have saved myself the time of watching an hour and a half film because every important plot point was featured in the trailer. I know that romcoms are notorious for their predictability, but this wasn’t in a good way. I wish there had been a few surprises along the way.

In addition, I do not think that the two leads had chemistry with each other. Rachael Leigh Cook and Damon Wayans Jr. are great on their own. Josie and The Pussycats was a revelation for me and I loved Damon as Coach in New Girl. As love interests, they didn’t work. There was no passion, no sparks, nothing.

The only saving graces were the cast who I all like individually. Choosing actors who are diverse in ethnicity and race was a big plus too. Still, it just wasn’t enough for me.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed. In fact, I was actually pretty disappointed. Maybe I’m hard to please and by all means, do check it out if you like romantic comedies. Just don’t put all your eggs into one basket.

Rating: ♥♥

Going into this one, I didn’t have very many expectations. I saw it while scrolling through my Netflix feed and upon discovering that Auli’i Cravalho of Moana fame was the lead star, my interest was peaked. Especially because I assumed she would be singing. What I didn’t bargain for was a much deeper story about loss, love and life. It kind of hit me like a ton of bricks if I’m being honest.

Amber (Auli’i Cravalho) and her mother Becky (Justina Machado) are left homeless. When Amber’s dad passed away, Becky struggled to make ends met and fell into an abusive relationship. Five months later, Amber is doing what she can to protect her mom who seems to be back on the mend. Working part time at the elderly home and the local doughnut shop as well as helping out at the home of one of her best friends, Amber one day she hopes to leave it all behind to go to Carnegie Mellon to pursue her dream of singing.

But life happens and Amber comes close to losing absolutely everything. Trying to prepare for her upcoming audition suddenly doesn’t seem like top priority when everything else keeps crashing down around her. Feeling like she is alone, Amber is anything but. Her friends want to help, but will she let them?

This one was heavy. Definitely a lot sadder than I thought it was going to be. Seeing Amber struggle and seemingly lose all that she had really made me feel for her. However, despite the more emotional nature of the film, there were some uplifting moments and it was wonderful to see how everyone came together at the end of the day. In a way, it gave me hope that there are still some nice, genuine people out there who are willing to go above and beyond in times of need.

I learned a lot while watching this. Auli’i’s portrayal was so realistic that I felt like I was watching myself at times. Amber being able to overcome her problems was inspiring and I only wish I can be as brave as she was going forward.

If you are feeling down, out and lost, I recommend turning All Together Now on your screening devices. I’m sure that it will help give you a different perspective on whatever it is you are going through.

Rating: ♥♥♥

I’m not sure if I was more excited to watch Tenet because of the actual story or because it was the first real movie release in months. Regardless, I went into it with an open mind, which is something one needs to do while watching a Christopher Nolan movie – the man is notorious for leaving his audiences confused! Overall I had a positive experience throughout and was pleasantly surprised.

The story follows The Protagonist (John David Washington) whose mission is to save the world. In order to do this, he must travel between alternate periods of time. As he embarks on his journey with the help of Neil (Robert Pattinson), The Protagonist will realise that what is he grappling with is unlike anything he has ever experienced, let alone anything he will ever truly be able to comprehend.

I have to be completely honest here. I struggled to understand what was happening most of the time. There was a lot going on and the time travel really screwed with my mind.

That being said, this did not deter me from thoroughly enjoying myself the entire time. I was 100% engrossed and found the film to be very entertaining. It was an interesting concept, at least what I could grasp. The actions sequences in particular were perfectly executed and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I thought that John David Washington did an amazing job helming the cast of this picture. Robert Pattinson, in comparison, was a surprise for me. I was impressed with his acting chops and do feel that the guy gets so much flak for having starred in Twilight. We should all give him a break!  In addition, the supporting roles played by Elizabeth Debicki, Clemence Poesy and Kenneth Branagh were equally phenomenal. I truly believe if any other actor had been cast, the whole thing wouldn’t have worked.

When I think of Nolan’s films, aside from the general confusion, the one word that comes to my mind is epic. His movies are so intricately thought out, the cast always expertly chosen that it really does all come together seamlessly at the end of the day.

If you are looking for something epic, then this is the one for you! Just keep in mind that you may have to watch it a couple times to truly understand what is actually going on.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥