Month: January 2025

You’re Cordially Invited

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Palmetto Island is one of the most idyllic locations to get married. When two weddings are booked on the same day, the rival families vow to make the most of it. But things get messy when father of the bride Jim (Will Ferrell) and sister of the other bride Margot (Reese Witherspoon) go head to head.

It’s hard to believe that this is the first time Ferrell and Witherspoon have teamed up in a film. While their characters were great individually, I have to say that I did not completely buy their romantic chemistry. If anything, I would have preferred for them to stay friends. I did enjoy watching their antics unfold on screen and them calling each other out had me laughing out loud.

The rest of the cast is stacked with some familiar names. Geraldine Viswanathan, who portrays Jim’s daughter Jenni, was brilliant. The father daughter relationship was a big selling point for me, even though it was borderline cringe on several occasions. Meredith Hagner was Neve, the other bride and sister of Margot, who was super bubbly and added an extra layer of comedy. Jack McBrayer played Leslie, the inn keeper who you couldn’t help but feel sorry for among the and Celia Weston was kinda scary and a little bitchy as Margot and Neve’s mother.

Though the film started off promisingly enough and with an interesting concept, it soon grew to be tired. The constant back and forth initially kept me enthralled. After a while it was repetition. The insults weren’t as funny and the hijinks were too far fetched. It also seemed liked the film didn’t really know what it wanted to be. The constant back and forth started to give me whiplash.

You’re Cordially Invited was better than I thought it was going to be. Unfortunately, I just don’t think it reached its full potential. It’s a pity because the cast were great and really seemed to give it their all. I just wish the story would have been more well rounded.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Back In Action

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Once upon a time, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) were spies. They gave it all up to settle down and start a family. Fast forward fifteen years, they’re living a life of lies in suburbia with their children Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). When someone from their past shows up on their doorstep, they are forced to go on the run to try and clear their name.

Diaz’s last role was in 2014. She is finally back on our screens and I couldn’t be happier. She’s always been up there as one of my favorite actors of all time – I didn’t realize how much I missed her until now. She and Foxx shined as our leading characters. Having starred together in projects before, you know that they have a good camaraderie and can make any film entertaining.

In addition we had Glenn Close as Ginny, Emily’s mother and Jamie Demetriou as Nigel, Ginny’s much younger boyfriend. These two stole the show. With Ginny as a former MI6 agent and Nigel providing the comic relief, they were another duo I didn’t know I needed. Kyle Chandler and Andrew Scott also made appearances as important figures in Emily and Matt’s past.

Where the film excelled was in its comedy. There was a steady stream of laughs throughout and I kind of wish they’d leaned into the humour more instead of taking themselves too seriously. On the action side of things, it isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. From the get go, I felt like I was watching 2023’s The Family Plan. While I did like that one as well, I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more originality.

Overall, Back In Action is an enjoyable enough action flick that’s perfect for a Saturday night. Complete with a sparkling cast and some zany adventures, I had a good enough time with it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Babygirl

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

From director Halina Reijn comes an erotic thriller about power and the lengths people will go to for their desires. Romy (Nicole Kidman) has it all. She’s the CEO of a high profile company and she has a doting husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) and two daughters. But something is missing. Embarking on a torrid affair with a much younger intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson), Romy puts everything on the line.

Kidman is one of the greatest actors of our time. I’ve been a fan of hers since Moulin Rouge! and this performance is definitely one of her best. She really gives it everything she has and bares it all. It’s vulnerable, nuanced and twisted all at the same time and I sincerely commend her for her dedication. Dickinson was impressive as well. There was something slightly unnerving about the character of Samuel, though I just became more and more enthralled by him. I would have loved to learn more about his backstory. Banderas also gave a solid performance as well. He really makes you feel for his character.

The subject matter of this film is not for the faint hearted. With many explicit scenes, one may wonder if they’re really necessary. While there is a lot of sex, it is integral to the plot and to Romy’s story as she explores a side of herself she didn’t know she wanted. These scenes are never gratuitous and instead serve a purpose. They may even be uncomfortable, but they are real and honest.

Power is the running theme throughout. Romy is the matriarch of her family and the big boss at work, but that isn’t really what she wants. Though she claims she needs to be in control, the tables are turned when Samuel comes around and starts telling her what to do. It’s almost as if the two are dancing around one another, pushing the limits and seeing how far they can really go before it all goes up in flames.

I’ve seen a lot of divisive reactions to Babygirl and I agree that it’s not one of those films that’s just black and white. It’s a study of these characters and what really makes them tick down to the deep, dark crevices of their minds. The performances alone made this worth watching for me. With that impending feeling of doom, I was completely engrossed and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

We Live In Time

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

When Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) meet under unique circumstances, they embark on a once in a lifetime love. From the very first moment they laid eyes on each other, to when they become a couple and eventually move in together and have a child, they don’t think it will get any better. That is until a shocking revelation comes to light that threatens to tear them apart.

To say I’ve been looking forward to this film is an understatement. Two of my all time favorite actors Pugh and Garfield starring in the same project? Sign me up! Their chemistry was off the charts and I found myself swooning throughout. Not only did they look great together, but the personalities of their characters just meshed so well.

Films are usually portayed sequentially. That is not the case here. We flip back and forth between different periods of time. At first it was a bit confusing to follow. After a while I got the hang of it. I appreciated that they took a different approach than usual though I’m not sure it will work for everyone.

What I liked most is the moral of the story. Appreciating the little things in life and learning to cherish each moment is easier said than done when obstacles are in the way. The love that Almut and Tobias shared and the fact that they really did what they could to embrace it regardless of the consequences was really inspiring. It’s something that will stick with me for a while, I think.

We Live In Time is one of those romance stories you could only ever dream about. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will make you feel all the feels. Thanks to the incredible chemistry between Pugh and Garfield, this was a brilliant film to kick off 2025 with.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️