Migration

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Migration is the newest of Illumination’s offerings. The Mallard family have a pretty great set up in their New England pond. Mack (Kumail Nanjiani), the father in particular, isn’t bothered when everyone else flies south for the winter. This year is different when his wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks) convinces him otherwise. Together they set out with their two children Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal) as well as Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito) on the adventure of a lifetime.

Though the plot may be simple and straightforward, there’s plenty to enjoy. At the heart of the film the theme of family and this was depicted prominently throughout. The ways in which they worked together was heartwarming to see. You could tell they were close and would do anything for each other, no matter the trials and tribulations they faced.

At times it felt like the events unfolding were predictable. Sometimes this can be comforting because we know that everything will turn out okay. That was the case here. It was the journey leading up to the final destination that kept me invested with the scenes in New York City being my favorite. Chump (Awkwafina), a tough on the outside yet warm on the inside pigeon, and Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key), a down on his luck macaw, were introduced here and elevated the story.

From the tranquil pond where the Mallards live, to the skies up above and the bustling city down below, ending in the exotic beaches and waters of Jamaica, the audience is transported to many places over the course of the film. The animation was pretty to look at and really made me feel like I was along for the ride.

Overall Migration is the perfect film for all the family. Not only is there adventure, there are many laughs and a lot of heart thrown in that make for a perfect combination.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Argylle

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The highly anticipated new espionage flick from director Matthew Vaughn is about Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a reclusive novelist who doesn’t get out much. When the plot of one of her books gets a little too close to real life events, she finds herself swept up into a life that she only ever wrote about in her books. With the help of real agent Aidan (Sam Rockwell), the two must think ahead of the game to save themselves.

Argylle had all the right ingredients for a great film. Unfortunately it fell completely and utterly short in so many ways. While it did start off promisingly enough, it wasn’t long before I started to lose track of what exactly was going on as the plot grew more and more convoluted. At some point, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were supposed to be taking it seriously or if it was some sort of parody.

One of the issues here was that there was simply too much happening at once. It was as though one detail from every spy movie to ever exist was added in to make the ultimate spy film. I’m not sure why they thought this was the right move because instead of it having a positive effect, I’d say the opposite happened instead. And once the twists were introduced, they just didn’t stop.

Another aspect that really bugged me was Howard’s performance. I understand that Elly was supposed to be scared – anybody would be in her position! However, I got annoyed with her very quickly and eventually kept rolling my eyes every time she was on screen which was obviously a lot considering she’s the main character. At least the rest of the cast was filled to the brim with big stars from the likes of Henry Cavill, to Dua Lipa and Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, John Cena and of course Catherine O’Hara that it almost didn’t matter.

To say that Argylle was a disappointment is an understatement. I had been so looking forward to it especially since it was helmed as being the new Kingsman. It seemed as though there were some good foundations set that just weren’t executed well at all. I’ll probably still check out any future instalments to see if this one was just a fluke, but it wasn’t off to a great start.

Rating: ♥️♥️

The Color Purple

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Based on the Broadway musical that was based on the 1982 book by Alice Walker, The Color Purple has been reimagined by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg for a new generation. The story follows Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi and Fantasia Barrino) and her sister Nettie (Halle Bailey and Ciara) who are separated from one another when Celie is forced to move in with Mister (Colman Domingo). Over the years, Celie faces many hardships, but it is through the friendships she creates along the way where she finds her inner strength.

Unfortunately I have never read the book, nor have I watched the original 1985 movie, so I didn’t know what to expect going into this version. As the events unfolded before me, I soon realized that the material was pretty heavy so I am glad that music was incorporated.

The performances in the film are the true highlight. Barrino, who reprised her role from Broadway, delivered an emotional and raw portrayal to the main character that really had me feeling for her. Taraji P. Henson, who stars as Shug Avery, was electric, powerful and dominated every scene she was in. Danielle Brooks, who plays Sofia, really did give an Oscar worthy performance. And Domingo as the absolutely vile Mister really had me hating his guts.

Luckily they could all sing and sing well! The musical numbers were done brilliantly. I can only imagine how this must have looked live onstage. Unfortunately the plot sometimes fell a bit flat for me and the runtime was a tad too long, but the music really helped.

Overall, this version of The Color Purple is a high value musical extravaganza. It will make you laugh and it will bring tears to your eyes. It will also turn you into a dreamer. While it wasn’t perfect and it certainly could have been a tad bit shorter, it is well worth a watch.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Holdovers

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Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is a disliked history teacher at prep boarding school Barton Academy. With no family or friends to go to over Christmas break, Paul stays behind to supervise the students who are unable to journey home. At the beginning there are five boys, but then only one remains – the smart but troublemaking Angus (Dominic Sessa) who is always on the brink of getting expelled. Together with head cook Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is going through the loss of her son, they form an unlikely bond.

I wasn’t sure that The Holdovers was going to be my type of film, but I was quickly proven wrong. David Hemingson created a simple yet effective script while Alexander Payne helped bring to life a story of three mismatched people who are just looking to find their place in the world. There were no special effects or CGI, nor were there any gimmicks. Instead, we had a character study of these different individuals who, at the end of the day, weren’t that different from one another after all.

Giamatti was the perfect choice for the despicable history teacher. From the get go, you really dislike him, but as the layers are pulled back, you start to realize why he was the way he was. I loved the way in which Giamatti portrayed the character; the delivery was both sad and comedic at the same time. Randolph was also in top form here playing a grieving mother. Every time she was on screen, I had tears in my eyes. And I was in complete awe by Sessa. The fact that this is his first role is incredible because he really held his own.

As the events took place in the seventies, it was important that everything was as authentic as possible. I was immediately transported to the times thanks to the opening title sequence and the way in which it was all shot. I was also a big fan of the boarding school aesthetic amongst all that glorious snow.

The Holdovers is the perfect example that a film can just…be. It was poignant, yet funny when it needed to be and so unbelievably relatable. I saw myself in Mr. Hunham, Angus and Mary and I wanted them all to succeed. I’m so glad that this film has been getting so much awards buzz because it is certainly worth the hype.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Mean Girls

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Is it 2004 or 2024 I had to wonder while watching this new adaptation of Mean Girls. Based on the musical that was based on the classic film, the story follows new student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) as she is invited to hang out with the Plastics: Regina George (Renée Rapp), Karen Shetty (Avantika) and Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood). But when Cody falls for Aaron Samuels, (Christopher Briney) who just so happens to be Regina’s ex boyfriend, she finds herself in Regina’s crosshairs.

The 2004 version of Mean Girls is one of my all time favorite films. It is untouchable to me. I have seen it more times than I can count and I can recite the lines word for word. Did we really need an upgrade on something that was already perfect? I wasn’t sure, but I was willing to give it a chance.

I’m surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. Firstly, everyone could carry a tune which was much appreciated. This allowed for the musical numbers to be even more fun. They were big and colorful and one was completely different from the other.

Of course there were going to be some updates to the material, since the original came out twenty years ago. While some of these didn’t quite work for me and a few of the newer jokes failed to land, I still found myself laughing out loud. The Halloween scene in particular and Karen’s song Sexy were such a vibe.

The casting was also pretty good. I was not familiar with Rice prior to her taking on the role of Cady, but I felt like she did it justice. Her portrayal was reminiscent of Lindsay Lohan’s for sure. Rapp, Shetty and Wood were fabulous as the Plastics and Briney worked well as our lovable heartthrob. I did think that Auli’i Cravalho’s Janis and Jaquel Spivey’s Damien were the scene stealers though – I loved that they narrated us through the story.

While I didn’t initially think we needed an updated version of Mean Girls, I am glad that we got one. It’s a slightly new take on a beloved classic that will be able to reach a new generation of fans. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Role Play

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Emma (Kaley Cuoco) seems to have the perfect life: a doting husband Dave (David Oyelowo), a big house in the suburbs and two adorable children. But Emma has a secret – she’s an assassin for hire and has been trying to get out of the game for years! When Emma and Dave decide they want to spice up their marriage, Emma’s past comes to light as she’s recognized and exposed.

These types of films start off promisingly enough and I don’t know why I’m still taken aback when they all turn out the same way. It’s like you can almost tell exactly how the plot is going to play out, especially if they hit a streaming service.It’s a pity really, but it’s something I think that we have all gotten used to by now.

I swear I just watched a film that had this exact same storyline (The Family Plan). Having a female assassin for a change was refreshing and Cuoco did a fine enough job as our lead. I thought it was pretty impressive that she filmed everything while pregnant and nobody knew about it! But that’s about where the enjoyment ended.

The jokes didn’t land. They were all things I’ve heard before. The incorporation of Dave in Emma’s double life started off on a promising note that soon faded too. I found Connie Nielson’s Gwen annoying and not very threatening for a villain; I would have much rather had more screen time with Bill Nighy!

Overall, Role Play was another run of the mill action flick with no substance. It was fine to have it on in the background on a lazy Sunday afternoon, but if I’m being honest I’ve already forgotten a lot of what happened.

Rating: ♥️♥️

Poor Things

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In this Frankenstein like tale, we follow Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman who has been brought back to life by scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Yearning to learn more about the world and her purpose in it, Bella sets off on an adventure with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo).

I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this before. Right from the very beginning, I knew I was about to be whisked away on the ride of my life. I just didn’t know how wild this ride was going to be. Let me tell you though, I loved every single second of it.

I am not familiar with Yargos Lanthimos’s previous works, but now I am curious to discover more. Everything was loud, bold and colorful. The sets were stunning to look at, from the psychedelic skies to the different title cards that separated each section of the film. The mixture of black and white with some fish lens scenes thrown in, I felt like I was watching a Dali or Picasso work of art.

The cast gave career best performances all around. The character of Bella was no easy feat to tackle, but Stone took it in stride. I’ve seen her in various roles in the past though nothing has come close to this. I really believe that she can snag her second Oscar as a result! This was one of Ruffalo’s best roles to date as well; I think I laughed the most whenever he was on screen. Dafoe helped hold it all together. I found his portrayal of the scientist to be somewhat poetic.

What I liked the most about Poor Things is the fact that while it was completely out there, there was a moral to the story. The evolution that Bella goes on is one that I really enjoyed watching unfold. She starts off, essentially, as a child who grows into a self assured and worldly woman. It was pretty empowering! It’s a peculiar film that may not be everyone’s cup of tea due to its extreme graphic scenes, but it is one that has certainly left an impression on me.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Good Grief

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In this story of love lost and love found, Marc (Dan Levy) is going through the loss of his mother when he dives headfirst into a comfortable marriage with the older and wealthier Oliver (Luke Evans). But when Oliver also dies unexpectedly, Marc is left with nowhere to hide. Hoping it will help, Marc enlists his two best friends Sophie (Ruth Nega) and Thomas (Himesh Patel) to join him on a trip to Paris that will surely be life changing.

Levy, who not only directed but also wrote, produced and starred in the film, has crafted a brilliant depiction of the stages of grief. It is how this grief is handled that differs for everyone involved and as the story unfolds for the audience, we see these three friends learn about life and loss as they are about to enter middle age. I always knew that Levy would be going places after his triumphs on Schitt’s Creek – this is just the icing on top of the cake for him.

The casting was well done and everyone plays their part perfectly. Levy, Nega and Patel are realistic as our trio. I like how they showed that each friendship is not always sunshine and rainbows. It’s normal to have disagreements and to be able to talk about them in a healthy way. The elusive Oliver, who we only see through flashbacks after his death, was brilliantly portrayed by Evans as was David Bradley as Oliver’s father Duncan and Celia Imrie as Marc’s lawyer Imelda.

Spanning across London and Paris, two of my most favorite cities in the entire world, I felt like I was being spoiled with the very best that a film could offer. The cinematography, especially in the latter, was beautifully shot as we spend most of the time here. I felt like I was immediately transported to the place and time and thought those nighttime shots with city illuminated in lights were beautiful.

One would expect a film called Good Grief to only be filled with sadness. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Thanks to the tight knit script, there are some laughs scattered throughout that help balance the overall tone. It is the perfect mix between drama and comedy that was needed. Though I didn’t cry while watching, the film still hit all the right note for me.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Priscilla

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Elvis Presley has been the topic of many films and TV shows over the year, but the same cannot be said about his wife Priscilla. From director Sofia Coppola comes a tale based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me. When she was just a teen, Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) meets an already famous Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) at a party. The two form an unlikely bond despite their rather large age gap – from the German army base to Graceland, Vegas and beyond, we are brought into their world and all the ups and downs that surround it.

It wasn’t too long ago that Baz Luhrmann’s version of Elvis swept the nation. Still fresh in my mind, I wasn’t sure the world needed more. Luckily for us, this was very much Priscilla’s story and that in itself was a huge improvement. During their relationship, many rumors emerged and while this is just one interpretation of the events that unfolded, it was a welcome one. In Coppola’s signature style, we had a refreshing take that perfectly captured the times.

Spaeny, who is moderately new on the scene, shines bright as the titular character. Her evolution throughout the film was wonderful to watch as she slowly, but surely, learned her worth. In addition to this, she looked exactly like Priscilla. On the other hand, Elordi did a fine job as Elvis. I liked that he wasn’t too much in the forefront though still present when needed. Though I wasn’t completely sold on his accent, I have to say that he has been having quite the moment lately and I am here for it.

In spite of its almost two hour run time, I was completely swept away in this story from start to finish. Told through the eyes of a girl who transformed into a woman before our very eyes, there was never a dull moment for me. Combined with the colorful sets and catchy soundtrack, I am so pleased that Priscilla was my first film of 2024!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

2023 Wrap Up

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2023 has been an incredible year for cinema.

I feel like this was the year that found us return to cinema in full force. Some could say that was all thanks to Barbenheimer. The way in which literally everyone from all over the world took part in this monumental occasion by dressing up and doing double features for each film – I don’t think we will ever have anything like it again.

2023 was also the year that saw me reach one thousand followers on Instagram. What a highlight that was! And though I’ve been stuck at the same number now for the past few months, I absolutely love writing these reviews. Credits Rolling has been a safe haven for me and I would be lost without it.

As I look back on this year, here are my top five best and worst films:

Best:

  1. Barbie
  2. Saltburn
  3. Past Lives
  4. Oppenheimer
  5. Banshees of Inisherin

Worst:

  1. The Outlaws
  2. Murder Mystery 2
  3. Heart of Stone
  4. Your Place Or Mine
  5. The Marvels