Credits Rolling

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: ♥♥♥♥

Fact: I will watch anything that the cast of Riverdale does. Chemical Hearts was no exception. Lili Reinhart may have been the main reason for wanting to check this one out, but that was before I knew anything about the story. Mental health struggles depicted in cinema is still a taboo subject. Very rarely is it tackled properly and I have to commend this movie for going where they did. It certainly left a lasting impression on me.

Henry Page (Austin Abrams) has always played it safe. He has a great family life – his parents have been together since high school and his sister is an attendant at the local hospital. He has good grades and hopes to become editor of the school newspaper during his senior year.

Enter Grace Town (Lili Reinhart). A transfer student, she is paired up with Henry as co-editor. But Grace isn’t like all the other girls. She wears baggy clothes, never puts on make up and walks with a cane. Nobody really knows anything about her and she likes to keep it that way.

But Henry can’t help it when he falls in love at first sight. Wanting to learn everything about her, the two begin to spend more time together, and over time, Grace’s walls begin to come down. She wants to share her secrets with Henry but she isn’t sure that he will still feel the same after he knows the truth.

Watching this movie was like going on a rollercoaster ride. It took some time to get going, but when it did, I was very much swept up in Henry and Grace’s story separately as well as together. Though the two are polar opposites, their chemistry shined through the screen and gave me all sorts of emotions.

I mentioned earlier that the movie deals heavily with the topic of mental health and I was very impressed as to how it was handled. Lili in particular proved that her acting skills are far superior than anything Riverdale could ever give to her. She was so relatable and heartbreaking all at the same time. Similarly, Austin worked well off of her and it was interesting to see how each actor made their mark throughout the scenes.

What I loved the most was how, days after finishing, this one is still on my mind. Despite the heavy nature, there is a moral to the story that will stick with you. Any movie that can do that is a good one in my book!

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Action adventure comedies can be a ton of fun – if they are done right. It’s always disappointing when they fall flat and it pains me to say it, but that is exactly what happened with The Sleepover. I really did want to like it. It looked awesome and the cast was totally stacked. It just didn’t work for me. Why am I so hard to please?

Clancy (Sadie Stanley) and Kevin (Maxwell Simkins) are two siblings who couldn’t be more different. Clancy is an aspiring cellist while Kevin has a wild and untamed imagination that has often gotten him into trouble. The one thing that they do have in common is their seemingly normal, though uptight and weird (at least to them) parents.

So when they find out that their mom Margot (Malin Akerman) is a former thief who has been in the witness protection program since retiring, their lives are turned upside down. Margot is approached to pull one last job with her ex-fiance Leo (Joe Manganiello) and as she accepts, not only are her children involved, but so is her husband Ron (Ken Marino) who also had no clue about his wife’s past.

What follows is a night Clancy, Kevin and their respective friends Mim (Cree Cicchino) and Lewis (Lucas Jaye) will never forget.

I didn’t hate everything about this. I thought it was actually pretty funny. The kids, and Kevin in particular, had me in stitches on multiple occasions. This is quite unusual since I don’t often like child actors, but to me, they stole the show. I also loved how this was directed by a woman though it didn’t greatly impact my enjoyment at the end of the day.

Overall, the plot itself was predictable and I could tell more or less what was going to happen in each scene. There were also times where I felt bored, even with Mr. Manganiello on my screen. If he can’t change my mind about this, then nobody can.

Rating: ♥♥.5

How can you not like dance movies? They are tons of fun, always uplifting and make you seriously question your lack of talent. Upon my first hearing of Work It, I was having a sense of deja vu. I mean, hadn’t I just seen something similar in Feel The Beat? I couldn’t have been more wrong. While the movies share certain plot points, one is definitely superior to the other and that is this one.

Quinn Ackerman’s (Sabrina Carpenter) goal in life is to get into Duke University. That is the school where her dad went and if she can follow in his footsteps, she’s sure everything else will fall into place. How could she not get in? She’s head of student council, has an exceptional GPA, plays the cello and volunteers in a nursing home. On paper, Quinn is a shoo in.

Unfortunately for her, Duke has seen it all before. During her college admissions interview with Mrs. Veronica Ramirez (Michelle Butuea), Quinn is told that in order to get in, she will need to find another activity that will allow her to stand out from the crowd. They’re looking for individuality, not for everybody to have the same sort of qualifications.

So Quinn decides to sign up for her school’s prestigious dance team, The Thunderbirds. But when leader Julliard Pembrooke (Keiynan Lonsdale) won’t recruit her, Quinn has a better idea – she’ll start her own group! Together with the help of her best friend Jas (Liza Koshy), they put together a band of misfits who all share the love of dance. Recruiting well known talent Jake Taylor (Jordan Fisher) as choreographer, they only have a couple months to prepare for the Work It competition where Mrs. Ramirez will be watching.

A very sweet and fun story of learning to push yourself out of your comfort zone, Work It is a movie that will leave you smiling. The story, while predictable at times, is still endearing enough to keep you interested and the chemistry between Sabrina Carpenter and Jordan Fisher alone is enough to leave you positively melting.

In addition, the dance sequences were super impressive. There were routines in there that I had never seen before. The music was absolutely on point too.

If you are in the mood for something that will make you feel invincible, then this is the one for you!

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

 

 

 

 

 

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If you are a fan of the very popular book The Secret, then this is the movie for you. The concept of putting what you want out into the universe to attract positive thinking was a world phenomenon that people still believe in and practice today. When I heard they were making a movie about it, I knew this was something I had to check out. It is just the type of story that we need right now to give us a little hope.

Miranda Wells (Katie Holmes) attracts bad luck. Ever since her husband died five years ago, things haven’t been going her way. Juggling work at her boyfriend Tucker’s (Jerry O’Connell) restaurant, a house that is practically falling apart and three kids means that something as simple as a root canal takes a backseat. When a chance run in with Bray Johnson (Josh Lucas) occurs, Miranda’s life is changed almost in an instant.

A professor at Vanderbilt University, Bray is in town with a purpose. But what is his secret? Why does he keep extending his stay and how come he’s always turning up on Miranda’s doorstep offering to help her out?

A cute love story, this movie really does enable you to think about changing your thought process. While Miranda is struggling to see the good in her misfortunes, Bray is more spontaneous and easy going. The way he comes into her life and is seemingly welcomed with open arms by Miranda’s children really is heartwarming to see. And as Miranda starts to change her attitude, her luck changes which just goes to show that this method does actually work!

Though the acting was questionable at times and the storyline lacking in more depth, the meaning behind it at the end of the day makes this one worth a watch. Just don’t expect too much.

Rating: ♥♥.5