Month: November 2023

Wish

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In celebration of one hundred years of Disney comes Wish. In the city of Rosas, people’s wishes are given to King Magnifico (Chris Pine) for safe keeping. When Asha (Ariana DeBose) learns that Magnifico is not what he seems, she makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by Star. Together with Star and her goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk), Asha must save her kingdom.

While reading up on what others have thought about the film so far, I was surprised with all the negativity. Disney has had so many home runs over the years, it’s hard for me to fathom a flop. That being said, I wasn’t put off by what people were saying as I knew it was important for me to see it for myself. I’m so glad that I did because I loved it!

Firstly, there was no other choice for Asha than DeBose. Bringing this now iconic character to life with her determination and angelic voice was brilliant to witness. The fact that she never gave up no matter obstacles were thrown in her way was truly inspiring and I’m sure youngsters will be able to look up to her. I didn’t know what to think of Pine taking on the role of the villain initially as I’d never seen him in something similar. He completely made Magnifico his own. The charisma he put into the character and his decline was done perfectly. Additionally, Tudyk was hilarious as Valentino. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t oversell his performance and instead picked his moments to shine.

Another aspect I found so well done was the use of Easter eggs littered throughout the story. These callbacks to previous Disney films from Snow White, to Sleeping Beauty and Bambi gave the film a little more magic. I liked how some were very obvious while others were a little harder to identify. I already want to go back and pay attention to these details to see if I can find anymore!

Wish is epitome of Disney. It showcases the importance of family, friendship and being true to yourself. It really bums me out to hear that so many people didn’t see what I did. While most will say the film is generic and missing that spark, I have to disagree. An instant classic to me for sure.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Saltburn

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Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is struggling to find his place when he starts at Oxford University. Soon he meets Felix, (Jacob Elordi) who with his good looks and wealth is everything that Oliver is not. When the two strike up a friendship, Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer with him at his family’s estate for the summer.

Never have I ever been so engrossed while watching a film, but that is what happened with Saltburn. It took me on a journey from the very beginning and did not let up for one single moment. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the rug was pulled from underneath me. As the story unfolded, the events got crazier and more deranged, but I mean that in the best way possible.

Emerald Fennell is a visionary. I was such a fan of her debut Promising Young Woman; she made it known right off the bat that she wasn’t afraid to push the envelope and I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do next. I just had no idea she was capable of this.

The script is punchy with many jokes thrown in. They all land, thanks to the amazing delivery of the cast. Keoghan has proven time and time again that he is an absolute star. The places he took Oliver to were otherworldly and I have to commend him. I was pleasantly surprised by Elordi as well. Not only did he have the role of heartthrob down pat, he added that extra ounce of humanity to the character that made you give a shit.

The film would be nothing without its supporting cast, all of who knocked it out of the park. Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike and Alison Oliver make up the rest of the Catton clan. Their chemistry is impeccable and they each brought something unique to the table. I loved the addition of Carey Mulligan as the slightly unstable family friend too.

Saltburn is like a rollercoaster you don’t want to get off of. It is insane and didn’t hold anything back, but that is what I loved about it. Not knowing where it was going to go was refreshing and I never wanted the experience to end.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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Sixty four years before Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), there was another victor in town. Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) wasn’t always a tyrannical dictator. Wanting what is best for his family, he sees a chance at improving not only their future but his own when he is chosen as a mentor for the tenth annual Hunger Games. Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) is everything that Coriolanus is not. Somehow he still find himself drawn to her.

The grand return to Panem was one I wasn’t sure how to feel about. I remember being hesitant about this prequel because Snow wasn’t a character I cared for in the first four films. Why would I want to read about him? I did become curious, however, when I heard they were adapting the novel for the screen.

While I cannot speak as to whether or not they stayed close to the source material, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the film. There was a lot to fit into its two hour and twenty seven minute run time, but I think it flowed moderately well. The first two parts were jam-packed. Unfortunately the momentum was lost in the final act and we were left with a rather abrupt ending.

The casting was pretty spot on here. Blythe was a great choice for our lead. I’d not seen him before and appreciated that he was able to keep things going. Zegler, on the other hand, is an actress that I have grown to love over the years. She is so talented and I love that she was able to show off her incredible singing voice in this role. Other standouts include Viola Davis as the creepy Dr. Gaul, Hunter Schafer as Corio’s devoted sister Tigris and Peter Dinklage as Dean Casca Highbottom.

With brilliant set design and special effects that totally transported me back to the Capital and the Districts, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is definitely one of the stronger entries of the franchise. It had constant high energy that had me gripping my seat, a diverse cast of characters and a touching love story that I couldn’t help rooting for. Of course I wish we’d seen more of Snow’s downfall, but I still had a good time.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

How To Have Sex

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Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake) and Em (Enva Lewis) are best friends embarking on a rite of passage holiday to Greece. It should be the best summer of their lives filled with drinking, clubbing and meeting cute guys, though it quickly turns into anything but.

From debut director Molly Manning Walker comes a thought provoking and raw portrayal of friendship, love and consent. It helps knowing that she also penned the script which had the perfect blend of humor and drama. The whole film was an experience, one that I simply couldn’t tear my gaze away from.

Throughout its entirety, I couldn’t help but feel like I was watching my life unfolding in front of me. This trio of girls were so incredibly realistic; their conversations and the antics they found themselves in during the various nights out was reminiscent of my own memories. When they talked to one another, it seemed more like improv than lines because their chemistry just clicked. It really was like I was watching real life friends. And with friendships at that age comes the highs and lows which were depicted brilliantly.

While everyone gives impressive performances, it is McKenna-Bruce who takes the spotlight. The transformation we see Tara go through is mesmerizing. She perfectly encapsulated the excitement at the beginning of the holiday to when things start to go awry and how she wonders if she really wants to be there at all. When an event happens that changes everything for her, the performance shifted and became heartbreaking.

The topic of consent is an important one. The ambiguous way in which it is handled was smart because it leaves it open for interpretation. Sadly, this is the way in which these situations usually happen. I appreciated that it wasn’t obvious, but that I was never able to forget it.

How To Have Sex completely blew me away. I loved its boldness and the way in which it didn’t shy away from real situations. I commend Manning Walker for her direction and her writing and I am thankful to the cast for telling this story. This is a film that will truly stay with me and I urge you all to watch it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

The Marvels

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Having reclaimed her identity from the Kree, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) finds herself on a new space mission. While there, her powers become entangled with those of her niece Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and fangirl Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani). The three are left with no choice but to team up in order to take down a new foe.

This next entry in the MCU is one that fans have been waiting for for awhile. Unfortunately I didn’t quite feel like it held up to the hype. There was a lot about the story that seemed off to me and while it wasn’t terrible, it’s certainly one of the least impressive of the franchise to date.

With a run time of only an hour and forty five minutes, this is the shortest Marvel yet. I feel like this could have benefitted from some extra time to flesh things out. For example, new villain Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) was given literally no backstory. She just showed up and we were supposed to figure her out as the plot progressed. She would have been so much more multidimensional with some extra scenes to fill in those holes. The shortened length also impacted a lot of the flow. There were scenes that occurred in the second half that seemed random and like they weren’t supposed to be there.

The shining light here was Kamala Khan. She truly stole every scene she was in. All of her one liners had me laughing out loud and I loved how she was always unapologetically herself. Her family was another bright spot, especially the scenes in which they shared with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). I also got a kick out of Goose the cat. Sadly, I couldn’t get on board with Larson’s performance as Carol this time around. It felt flat and like there was no passion there at all. I also got rather annoyed by the beef she and Monica shared with one another. Luckily all three balanced one another out well and made a good team.

It’s a pity that The Marvels left a lot to be desired, but I can’t help but think that Marvel may be having somewhat of an identity crisis. A lot of fans have claimed there hasn’t been a decent installment since Endgame and I’m starting to agree with the,. It seems like they’ve been preferring quantity over quality which is not always a good thing. Though the mid credits scene did peak my interest, I hope they work out the kinks and get back on track soon.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Quiz Lady

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Anne (Awkwafina) and Jenny (Sandra Oh) couldn’t be more opposite. When their mother’s gambling addiction throws them together, they are required to put aside their differences in order to settle her debts. Obsessed with the same game show since childhood, Anne just needs to land herself an audition and everything else will fall into place. If only it were that easy.

I don’t know about you, but I grew up watching a game show every evening. My grandmother introduced me to Jeopardy and before I knew it, I was hooked. The routine was soothing and I began to think of Alex Trebec as family since he was in my home all the time. Unlike myself, Anne grew up feeling neglecting by the other members of her family and so she turned to Can’t Stop The Quiz for solace. I liked how the show became a way that she and Jenny eventually reconnected.

The dynamic duo of Awkwafina and Oh was one that I never knew I needed. They worked so flawlessly off each other and really did pass as sisters. What I enjoyed the most was the fact that they didn’t play the characters we expect of them; Awkwafina usually tackles the more offbeat individuals, while Oh plays the more straight laced, career-driven types. To see them essentially swap places was a breath of fresh air and it worked.

The film wouldn’t have been complete without its supporting cast. Will Ferrell gave quite a touching performance as game show host Terry McTeer. It was nice to see him as a father figure to Anne and I’m glad he didn’t dial it up too much. Holland Taylor was great as Anne’s elderly neighbor Francine, while Jason Schwartzman a shoe in for villainous fellow contestant Ron. And of course I can’t leave out the cameo by Paul Reubens who left us not too long ago.

Overall, Quiz Lady is a quirky story filled with lots of laughs and some heart along the way. The shenanigans that Anne and Jenny found themselves in throughout kept me on the edge of my seat. If you’re looking for something fun to watch this weekend, I recommend checking this one out as it’ll surely leave a smile on your face.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5