Credits Rolling

I love musicals! I am such a sucker for them. No matter my mood, I will automatically be transported into the story and everything in my life will feel better. The Prom was a title I had been excited for since hearing about it however many months ago. I mean, how could I not be? Directed by Ryan Murphy and filled with such a star studded cast, I knew I would love it.

All Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman) wants is to go to the prom and dance with her girlfriend Alyssa (Ariana DeBose). It should be simple, but the PTA members lead by Mrs. Greene (Kerry Washington) are doing whatever they can to put a stop to this happening. Even Principal Hawkins (Keegan-Michael Key) is struggling to settle the matter.

Enter a group of washed up, self-obsessed Broadway stars: Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), Barry Glickman (James Corden), Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman) and Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells). Looking for something that will get them back into the spotlight, they make the trek over to Indiana to help Emma make her dreams come true.

I briefly mentioned the cast earlier, but I must reiterate just how phenomenal they all were. To have such a big budget movie with so many household names is a gift. I really do feel like everyone was casted perfectly and their roles will live rent free in my heart forever.

The music and dancing was amazing. It needed to be and I was so happy at how it was executed. I also appreciated how each actor had some sort of singing capability. And I was very impressed with Jo Ellen Pellmen. I believe that this was her first major role and she definitely has a bright future ahead, especially with that angelic voice of hers. The costumes were full of glitter, lots of bright colors and patterns. It really fit with the Broadway theme. Even the sets were outstanding.

There was a slight dip about midway through and I would have liked to have more ensemble numbers throughout. Also Nicole Kidman could have been in more scenes, but that’s me being biased.

If you love musicals like I do, then you need to watch The Prom. It’s a ton of fun for people of all ages to enjoy and is just the type of film we need nowadays.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

The hype for Freaky has been real! The movie was released in cinemas about a month ago, but due to the pandemic, I had to wait until it was on Demand in order to watch it. This genre isn’t even my usual go to and I think I only wanted to check it out because it reminded me of Jennifer’s Body. I am so happy to report that this did live up to my expectations though it did not exceed them. It was a ton of fun though and highly enjoyable.

When Millie (Kathryn Newton) magically swaps bodies with a serial killer by the name of The Butcher (Vince Vaughn), she learns that she only has one day, Friday the 13th, to find him and change back or else the swap will become permanent. In The Butcher’s body, Millie needs to convince her friends to help her before time runs out for good.

As you could imagine, this film had a lot of funny moments. In particular, I loved when the two leads had switched bodies and Vince Vaughn had to act like a high school girl. That was something I never thought I would witness and it still cracks me up just thinking about it. Alternatively, Kathryn Newton as a deranged serial killer was kinda genius and sort of bad ass because she didn’t take anybody’s shit.

I also appreciated the supporting cast of characters in Millie’s best friends Nyla (Celeste O’Connor) and Josh (Misha Osherovich), her crush Booker (Uriah Shelton), as well as her sister Charlene (Dana Drori) and her mother Coral (Katie Finneran). The dynamics helped to strengthen the story and made it more relatable.

While I did really like Freaky, I do believe that the extra wait time affected my overall enjoyment. I had built it up for so long in my head which isn’t always a good thing. Still I had a blast while watching and would definitely revisit it again in the future.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

One is never too old for Disney movies. I actually think I gain a new appreciation for them as the years go on. Godmothered wasn’t a title I had heard much about. Despite having Disney +, I often forget to check what they have on there. It was my husband who told me about this movie and when I discovered that Isla Fisher was the star, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I needed to check it out. I have seen so many of her films and loved every one. Luckily Godmothered lived up to my expectations.

Eleanor (Jillian Bell) is a young fairy godmother who, clumsy at times, is eager and willing to learn the tricks of her trade. Over the last few years, the use of fairy godmothers hasn’t been as great as before. With talks that the Motherland is closing for good, Eleanor decides to set out on a journey of her own to prove that she can turn things around for her people by finding Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), a little girl who wrote to the godmothers and whose letter ended up in the archives.

When Eleanor makes it to America, she discovers that Mackenzie is no longer the ten year old who wrote that letter all those years ago. Instead, she is an overworked, single mother of two who never got her happily ever after. Eleanor only has a few days to help Mackenzie turn her life around or the portal to get back home will be closed forever.

This movie was so freaking cute. I couldn’t get over how adorable it all was. I felt major Enchanted vibes while watching which is awesome because that is also one of my all time favorites. In true Disney fashion, the backgrounds, costumes and make up were completely magical and served as a perfect escape for me. Additionally, the fact that the storyline takes place around Christmas was very fitting.

I loved the friendship that grew between Eleanor and Mackenzie. The adventures they went on together were fun and definitely otherworldly. The fact that the film was helmed by two strong, female characters was much appreciated.

If you are in the mood for something lighthearted, I recommend giving Godmothered a try. I guarantee it will put a smile on your face and envelope you in a giant hug.

Rating: ♥♥♥

If I remember correctly, I had stumbled across an article written about Life In A Year quite recently. It was this that got me interested in the story. I have to admit that the reviews were off putting and I almost didn’t even finish watching. But I’m not a quitter and I wanted to find out what would happen. After all, I am a sucker for my teen romance films. Unfortunately I’m still on the fence about this one. There were some things I liked, but overall it left me feeling rather indifferent. I guess I just expected more?

When Daryn (Justice Smith) meets Isabella (Cara Delevingne) one night while they are both attempting to crash a concert, their lives are forever changed.

Unable to get her out of his head, Daryn tracks Isabella down and asks her on a date. Isabella, though hesitant at first, eventually relents. But then Daryn finds out that she is sick and only has one year left to live. He comes up with a plan to give Isabella every experience he can possibly think of for the time she has left.

I actually quite liked the idea of the movie. I knew going into it that it was going to be sad, but because I never really felt the chemistry between the two leads, I struggled to really feel that emotion. Separately the actors were fine; I have seen Cara Delevingne in various other projects over the years and while she isn’t a favorite by any means, I don’t mind her work. I believe this was my first time seeing Justice Smith in anything and while he was also just okay, I was impressed with the scene he shared with his mom at the hospital.

Because of this issue, it was hard to me to relate to the story and to take anything away from it. I kept hoping for something new and different to happen, but it was all very predictable. There was just nothing to look forward to because I knew how the movie was going to play out down to a tee.

Overall, I am still glad that I checked this out despite my disappointments. It did make me cry which can sometimes be cathartic. Unfortunately my expectations were just too high.

Rating: ♥.5

Happiest Season was one of those movies that once I saw the trailer, I knew I had to watch it. The cast, the humour, the heart and the fact that we need all the festive movies ever right now – sign me up! I just don’t think I expected to love it as much as I did. It will definitely be one of those films that I watch every year around the holidays.

Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis) are completely inseparable and totally in love. When Harper decides to invite Abby home for Christmas, everything changes for them. Unfortunately for Abby, Harper’s family are not exactly the most welcoming. Her father Ted (Victor Garber) is running for mayor while her mother Tipper (Mary Steenburgen) is busy with his campaign. Older sister Sloane (Alison Brie) quit her high profile lawyer gig to get married and have children and has regretted it ever since, while younger sister Jane (Mary Holland) was always overlooked by everybody. But nobody knows that Harper, always the ‘perfect’ daughter, is gay.

So now Abby is stuck at her girlfriend’s family house pretending that she and Harper are just friends and roommates. Raising many red flags for her and her best friend John (Dan Levy), she does her best to get through it. After all, it’s only for a few days right? And then there is Harper’s ex Riley (Aubrey Plaza) who keeps showing up everywhere that Abby is…

This movie had me in actual stitches. It was hilarious and I can’t praise the writing enough. Clea Duvall really outdid herself and I was impressed.

I touched briefly on the cast, but I must reiterate how stellar they all were together. So many big names on one project doesn’t always pay off, but that wasn’t the case here. I couldn’t get enough of them. Also, if you are still pigeonholing KStew for her role in Twilight, y’all really need to wake up. Girl has seriously grown up and is actually a diverse actress who I have grown to love watching.

Another thing that I loved about this was that for once we have a major motion picture that features a same sex couple in the forefront. I know that this has been improving over the years, but I cannot stress enough how refreshing it was to see the representation in such a popular movie. Neither characters were sexualized either which I appreciated greatly.

My favorite thing about Happiest Season was it’s depiction of family. We know that every family dynamic is different: some of us have great relationships while others may not be so fortunate. I feel like emotions are heightened during the holidays and the way in which this was portrayed throughout was a true illustration of these struggles. However, the movie also showed how we all just want to be true to ourselves while hoping for our family’s acceptance at the same time. I’ll admit that I was moved to tears on a few occasions because of how realistic and relatable it all was.

I want everyone to watch this movie. I cannot sing it’s praises enough and I am sure that you will be able to take away something from it afterwards. And I am keeping my fingers crossed that there’ll be a sequel!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

I was so excited to see The Christmas Chronicles 2. I remember absolutely loving the first instalment when it was released two years ago and have been hoping for a sequel ever since. This year I got my wish! My expectations for this one was higher than normal and I’ll admit that it did take awhile to get going, but when it did, I was completely engrossed. I loved it almost as much as the original and am still smiling about it days later.

The story picks up a couple years later. Kate Pierce (Darby Camp) is on vacation in Mexico with her brother Teddy (Judah Lewis), her mother Claire (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) as well as her mom’s new boyfriend Bob (Tyrese Gibson) and his son Jack (Jahzir Bruno). Unfortunately, Kate does not like Bob very much and fears that her mother has started to forget about her late father.

Fed up and wanting to return home, Kate decides to take matters into her own hands. Her escape route, however, goes completely wrong and she is instead reunited with Santa (Kurt Russell) and Mrs. Clause (Goldie Hawn). Together with Jack who ended up coming along for the journey, the four must work together to stop a troublesome elf from canceling Christmas forever.

Guys, the visuals in this movie are un-freaking-real. Mexico is already breathtaking, but when we are transported to the North Pole, I couldn’t get over how everything looked. The sweets, the elves, the toy shops in Santa’s Village and of course the house where Santa and Mrs. Clause live. I wanted to pack my bags and go there immediately!

I have to say that while I did guess a few of the plot twists ahead of time, it did not take away from my overall enjoyment. There were a few different things going on at a time which seemed confusing at the beginning. Luckily everything came together at the end of the day which is all that matters.

The Christmas Chronicles 2 is a wonderful festive film for people of all ages to fall in love with. The humour, intrigue, adventure and heart makes for an unforgettable experience that be appreciated for years to come.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Hillbilly Elegy was a film that I went back and forth on many times before settling on watching it. At the end of the day, I didn’t really know much about it except for the fact that it was getting a lot of awards buzz. Overall I am glad that I checked it out though I am still unsure as to how I feel about it.

For his whole life, JD Vance (Owen Asztalos) has dealt with his mother Bev’s (Amy Adams) rollercoaster lifestyle of using drugs. Together with his sister Lindsay (Haley Bennett), they always hoped something would change. Lucky for them they had their Mamaw (Glenn Close) for help if they ever needed.

When he’s older, JD (Gabrile Basso) has finally managed to get away from his toxic upbringing and is studying at Yale University. Trying to make a name for himself with the support of his girlfriend Usha (Freida Pinto), he is surprised when he receives a call from Lindsay that his mother has had an overdose. Unsure of what to do, he eventually finds his way back to the life and home he left behind so many years ago.

Amy Adams slayed her role as Bev. I have seen quite a few of her films and this one was on a completely different level from what she has done in the past. Glenn Close, similarly, was also a standout. I definitely agree with everyone who has said that this is the year they will get their Oscars. The whole transformation set that in stone.

Now this is where my confusion comes in. I’m just not sure the effect that this film had on me. It is a film about substance abuse and how so many people grapple with it on a daily basis and I think it’s a good thing that Hillbilly Elegy decided to focus on the topic. I’m pleased that it was illustrated in such a raw and realistic way.

I guess what I’m saying is that the movie was hard for me to watch at times. It made me sad and left me with a heavy heart. At least that means that the message was brought across properly.

Rating: ♥♥♥

I decided to check out Dreamland on a whim. I didn’t know anything about it until I was scrolling through Apple TV+. It’s definitely not something I would have usually watched, but I’m always up for trying something new. Not to mention the fact that it would be good fodder for the blog. I just wish I had more positive things to say about this one because it lacked in every department.

Allison Wells (Margot Robbie) is wanted for a bank robbery that ended badly. In order to get away from the cops, she flees and finds solace in the Evans’ barn. Here, she meets son Eugene (Finn Cole) who has always dreamed of becoming a bounty hunter, and ultimately, leaving behind the town he calls home for good. Together they team up to help each other achieve their dreams.

One saving grace for an otherwise slow and boring movie was Margot Robbie. She shines in everything she does and she helmed this picture well. Additionally, Finn Cole was also impressive. Despite their chemistry, not even they could save the overall experience.

Another thing I liked was the old school Hollywood vibe that I felt while watching. The costumes, the scenery and atmosphere did help transport me to another time and place. That is something that I always want from a movie and it was delivered here.

Everything else unfortunately didn’t work for me. The pace moved like a snail and I felt like it took forever for something to actually happen. At least Dreamland wasn’t a very long film because I don’t think I could have handled much more of it.

Rating: ♥♥

I have no idea where Netflix comes up with the ideas for these movies because they truly astound me every time. It’s not that they are supposed to be amazing. In fact, they are usually pretty awful. But that’s part of their charm and the sequel to 2018’s The Princess Switch was one I had been looking forward to for a long time. Whatever they were about to throw at me this time – three Vanessa Hudgens – I was ready!

When Duchess Margaret (Vanessa Hudgens) unexpectedly comes into inheritance of the throne of Montenaro, a rift is caused between her and Kevin (Nick Sagar). Believing they are better off apart, the two decide to go their separate ways. However, seeing that the two are clearly still in love with each other, Margaret’s look alike Stacey (also Vanessa Hudgens) steps in to help. With the assistance of her husband Edward (Sam Palladio) and Kevin’s daughter Olivia (Mia Lloyd), their plan seems to be foolproof. Or is it?

Enter Magaret’s cousin Fiona (again Vanessa Hudgens). A raucous party girl who never quite fit in with the royal family, she wants what Margaret is about to get – the crown. And she’ll do whatever she can to get it even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way.

This was…a lot. I thought having two Vanessa Hudgens was enough, but adding another one into the mix proved to be confusing. I guess I have to give her props for playing three different roles and all off of herself no less. While the addition of Fiona was an interesting one, her accent was pretty questionable and at times had me rolling my eyes. Same with Margaret. They weren’t believable at all.

The rest was just mediocre. I enjoyed the storyline enough, but it wasn’t anything special. If anything, it was pretty predictable. I found myself a bit bored at times and I’m not sure if that was because of the not so great acting or the plot overall.

Still, The Princess Switch: Switched Again is mindless fun for everyone to enjoy. It was a proper sequel that lived up to my expectations and that’s really all I wanted at the end of the day. Despite how bad it was, I love it all the same.

Rating: ♥♥

Expect a lot of Christmas themed movies coming up guys! There isn’t much else out there these days. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey was not originally on my radar which is strange. You’d think it was right up my alley considering the fact that it’s also a musical. Something about it just didn’t appeal to me straight away and I probably wouldn’t have watched it if it wasn’t for my husband. But you know what? I’m so glad I did because it was pretty awesome!

Jeronicus Jangle (Justin Cornwell) is the world’s most successful toy maker. Supported by his wife (Sharon Rose) and daughter (Diaana Babnicova), he knows he’s going places in his life. When his apprentice Gusatfson (Miles Barrow) decides to steal all of Jeronicus’s ideas, Jeronicus is left with nothing.

Fast forward several years later and Jeronicus (Forest Whitaker) isn’t doing well. His wife passed and he made his daughter move away. He also opened a pawn shop in order to make ends meet. Gustafson (Keegan Michael Key) is now the word’s best toy maker and living out the dreams that Jeronicus once had. But then Jeronicus’s granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) comes to visit and his life is turned upside down. Together they must put aside their differences so they can once again be a family.

I have no idea why I didn’t want to watch this. There are so many good things about it! First of all, the music. All the songs were written by John Legend and were performed amazingly. This is the type of production I’d love to see on stage in a room full of people. The energy was electrifying.

Similarly, the costumes and make up were A+. I felt like I was in a whole other world because these people were so life like and animated. In addition, the sets and special effects were also on a whole other level and unlike anything I had ever seen before.

I also liked the change in cast members to depict how much time has passed in the story. There was some fabulous talent there with old and new names alike. Ultimately though, it was the family aspect that I enjoyed the most. It was believable, relatable and truly gave me all the feels.

Overall, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is the best movie you could hope to see this holiday season. It has so much to offer and may even leave you with tears in your eyes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥