Credits Rolling

Movies about music are so much fun and The High Note is no exception. I remember seeing trailers for this at the beginning of the year feeling instantly intrigued. And since most big blockbusters are still postponed, I thought a feel good movie like this one was exactly what I needed, especially after my previous bad choice. For my devoted readers, you know what I’m referring to.

Maggie Sherwoode (Dakota Johnson) is the personal assistant to mega-superstar Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross). Grace has been on the scene for years and was always somebody that Maggie looked up to. Working for Grace should be a dream come true, but the gig is not glamorous by any means. The only upside is that Maggie is constantly exposed to the world she so badly wants to break into.

See, Maggie wants to become a music producer. She has an affinity for sound and when the opportunity arises to help launch rising artist David Cliff (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), it seems like Maggie will finally have her shot. It’s no easy feat though, as her PA duties tend to get hectic and Grace’s manager Jack Robertson (Ice Cube) keeps getting in the way.

This film was like a warm hug. It put the biggest smile on my face and I really enjoyed every moment. The story was quite inspiring as well as uplifting – it moved me to tears on more than one occasion. Only a good movie has that power over me.

Witnessing Dakota Johnson in something new was a treat. The girl gets a lot of shit for having starred in Fifty Shades of Grey, but if you think about it, she did something right as that franchise did catapult her to stardom. She is literally in every single scene here, stealing them all with her soothing presence. I also appreciated Tracee Ellis Ross’s performance. For some reason she always rubbed me the wrong way, but I have to admit that she really embodied the role and knocked it out of the park.

Of course, the music was another reason why this movie was what it was. As far as I know the songs were all originals and each actor sang on their own. I’m still humming along to that final number!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Wrong Missy…the wrong movie! Guys. This was SO BAD. I don’t even know what possessed me to watch it in the first place. I guess quarantine did. These types of films are not usually my thing and I’m not a fan of any of the actors either. I should have just trusted my initial instinct after seeing the trailer that it was not for me, but I didn’t. I wanted so badly to think it was going to be okay and now, almost two weeks later, I am still scarred.

Tim (David Spade) has been at the same job for forever. He desperately wants to move up and go for a promotion, but no matter what he does, he is overlooked. Throw in a recent break up with his fiancee (Sarah Chalke), and he’s got on his plate. When he runs into the beautiful Melissa (Molly Sims) at the airport before a business trip, sparks fly. The two swap numbers and vow to stay in touch. The company retreat is fast approaching and Tim has the great idea to invite Melissa along for the weekend. He’s hoping that with her on his arm, his boss (Geoff Pierson) might finally notice him.

So when an entirely different woman shows up on the flight to Hawaii, Tim is dumbfounded. Turns out he had two numbers with the name Missy in his phone and the one he accidentally invited is none other than the girl he went on a disastrous date with months ago.

Now Tim is stuck with her. This Missy (Lauren Lapkus) is rude, she’s crude and she’s literally batshit crazy. But as he starts spending more time with her, he realises that there’s something about her that he just can’t seem to shake.

The type of humor depicted throughout is not my cup of tea. Most of the time it was like they were trying way too hard to be funny, but the jokes ended up flat. I maybe laughed a couple of times at the most, if at all.

In addition, there were so many problematic scenes that I came close to grabbing the remote and switching the thing off halfway through. This was probably where I struggled most because I’ve seen it so many times before. These types of movies remind me so much of Superbad and Knocked Up where women are used as pawns for a man’s desire and because of that, treated so unfairly.

Something else that really did not sit well with me was a scene where Missy engaged in some sexual activities with Tim that seemed to be against his will. No means no and she still carried on regardless of what he wanted. I just…I can’t.

The only reason this movie is getting any stars at all is because of the gorgeous Hawaiian views and the fact that it didn’t have your typical Hollywood ending. Despite Missy getting a lot of flak in the beginning for being out there, there are some redeeming and endearing qualities about her and she really did mean well.

Unfortunately I wish I could go back in time and unsee this. I want that hour and a half back.

Rating: ♥

I remember reading this book years ago, but if I’m being completely honest, that’s as far as my memory goes. Maybe I was too young to appreciate it back then as it certainly did not leave a lasting impression. That didn’t deter me from wanting to see the film adaption though, especially when I found out that Beanie Feldstein would be the star. Going in I was a bit apprehensive, but I came out loving what I saw!

Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) knows she has a gift for writing and she wants nothing more than to be able to do this for the rest of her life. The fact that it would provide financial aid for her struggling musician of a father, her depressed mother, the brother she shares a bedroom with and the newborn twins is only a bonus.

When she applies for a gig as a music critic at a reputable magazine in London, nobody takes her seriously. As a regular sixteen year old girl from Wolverhampton, she is not what anybody in the industry was expecting. How could someone who was so witty and sharp in her articles come off as shy and quiet in person?

So, in order to get ahead, Johanna decides to adopt an alter ego by the name of Dolly Wilde. Dolly does not take crap from anybody and instead of singing the praises of the bands she critiques, she slams them and points out all their flaws. Johanna is no more as she transforms more and more into Dolly. Everything she used to believe in no longer seems important. She will stop at nothing to impress her male colleagues and to get ahead, all while keeping her sights set on musical artist John Kite (Alfie Allen), the one man who is out of her league.

A coming of age story, How To Build A Girl was such a lovely film that kept me transfixed throughout. Watching Johanna change everything about herself to fit in was extremely relatable and there were many instances where I saw myself in her.

The time frame of the movie is in the early nineties and I loved taking a look back at what our world was like back then. The bands that were popular and the fashion choices were a total nostalgia trip that I didn’t want to end. Even London was unrecognisable!

I also appreciated how original writer Caitlin Moran created the screenplay because she helped make this movie into what it was. Considering the events that transpired were partially based on her life, it would have been wrong not having her on board.

How To Build A Girl is one of those stories that stays with you long after you’ve watched it. Despite watching it one week ago now, I am still thinking about it with a smile on my face.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

LGBTQ representation is so important though it is not always handled well on screen. How many times have I seen a movie where these individuals are sexualised or are only used as a plot device for the main character? That is why I appreciated The Half Of It. It was refreshing to finally come across a director who gets it!

This is the story of Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a smart teenage girl who works at the small railroad station in her hometown of Squahamish. Her mother passed away years ago and she does what she can to help take care of her dad (Collin Chou) who struggles to speak English. As a side gig, she writes the school assignments of her classmates, but aside from that, tends to stick to herself.

When popular jock Paul Minksy (Daniel Diemer) asks Ellie to write a love letter to Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire) the prettiest girl in school, Ellie isn’t sure what do to. After thinking it over, she complies thinking it will be helpful for her and her father. As Ellie begins communicating with Aster, she starts to feel things she didn’t know was possible. However, the entire time Aster believes that she is speaking to Paul and she can’t figure out why he acts one way in person and another in his letters? How will she react once the truth comes out?

This movie was super cute! The love story was totally believable and I liked watching it blossom. The dynamics between Ellie and Aster, Aster and Paul and Paul and Ellie were all great to watch. Despite the inevitable love triangle and their social rankings at school, the friendships were rooted deep.

Another stand out aspect of this picture was the Asian representation. This is something that has only been present recently thanks to Crazy Rich Asians. And for our heroine to be gay as well is pretty groundbreaking. I don’t understand why this isn’t more common.

I have to admit that I did find parts of the film to be rather slow. I found it difficult to stay focused and would often be checking my watch for the time. But I also understand that the style worked for the storyline, so it didn’t bother me too much.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

I love a good mystery though I go into them cautiously. There is nothing worse than becoming invested in the story, being on the edge of my seat to then end up disappointed by the big reveal. And because Netflix films are so hit or miss, I didn’t want to get my hopes up with Dangerous Lies. I’m glad I didn’t because I was left pleasantly surprised!

After a robbery at her diner job goes terribly wrong, Katie (Camila Mendes) is forced to leave and look for something else. Meanwhile, her husband Adam (Jessie T. Usher) has just finished his studies and is unable to find work. In order to make ends meet, she becomes a caregiver to an elderly man named Leonard (Elliot Gould). Over time, the two form a special bond and when Leonard discovers that Katie is struggling financially, he offers to help.

But when Leonard dies unexpectedly and leaves his house and estate to Katie, secrets start to unravel. The police don’t understand why this man has left everything he has to someone he only knew for four months.

Twist after twist, we are brought on a roller-coaster ride as Katie tries to decide who she can and cannot trust. And just when you think you have everything figured out, be prepared to think again! I’m so happy that I enjoyed this and I am still surprised as to how much. The plot was believable enough to be true and everyone of the characters was interesting.

Seeing Camila Mendes in something outside of Riverdale was refreshing. It’s so common to be pigeonholed into one type of character but that isn’t the case with her. Also, if you are a fan of teen dramas, you’d be able to recognise the likes of Cam Gigandet who had a small role in The OC and Twilight as well as Jamie Chung who most recently starred in The Gifted.

If you are looking for a fun, twisty thriller that will give you a couple of jumps, then this one is for you.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

If I remember correctly, the movie I probably should have been writing about now was the new James Bond, but because of these unprecedented times, I’m left with Love Wedding Repeat instead. Not that there’s anything wrong with this of course. It just isn’t the same. I actually had not heard about this film until I saw it on my Netflix feed, but I figured since it was a British comedy, I would end up liking it. Sadly it ended up being the complete opposite of what I expected.

Imagine that there are various ways in which a particular scenario can play out in your life. The only thing that changes each time is one small, minuscule detail. With this in mind, we find ourselves at Hayley (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Roberto’s (Tiziano Caputo) Italian wedding.

What is supposed to be a momentous and happy occasion is suddenly turned upside down when Hayley’s ex-boyfriend Marc (Jack Farthing) shows up uninvited. Hayley enlists the help of her brother Jack (Sam Clafin) to ensure that Marc stays out of everyone’s way – mainly Roberto’s and suggests giving him some of the heavy sleeping aids she’d been using lately.

But Jack has other things on his mind. A few years before, he spent an unforgettable evening with Hayley’s American friend Dina (Olivia Munn).The two seemed to hit it off, but he never made it clear to her that he felt some sort of spark causing them to part awkwardly. So when he sets off on his task to protect his sister on her special day, he doesn’t predict that fate will intervene once again.

Thinking he put the sleeping aid into Marc’s drink, Jack is excited to get back into Dina’s good books while dodging his ex-girlfriend Amanda (Freida Pinto). However, right before the reception starts, we see a group of children come in and change around everyone’s place cards. The drink that was supposed to be Marc’s now belongs to someone else entirely.

One of the things that I really did like about this movie was seeing the different outcomes play out on screen. Not only are the characters unaware of what is about to happen to them, but the audience is left in the dark too. Some of these results were funny while some  were a bit more on the serious side but it worked well together.

Also, because the film takes place in Italy, the cinematography and atmosphere were gorgeous. In addition, there were many Italian cast members which made everything more realistic.

I love British humor and there is nothing quite like a good British comedy (Love Actually, I’m looking at you). But Love Wedding Repeat did not meet my expectations. Some of the jokes fell flat and at times I really felt like it was trying too hard. There was too much going on and in the end, it was one big mess.

Rating: ♥♥.5

Call me crazy, call me childish, but I freaking LOVE Trolls. The first movie was a total revelation for me. Poppy was my spirit animal. I wanted to live with these little creatures and sing all day with them. I was so pumped for the sequel as all my favorites would be back! I just wish the plot had been a bit more entertaining.

This new installment starts after the events of the first one. Poppy (Anna Kendrick) has been crowned queen and is getting used to her new role when she receives an invitation to a party by Barb (Rachel Bloom), the leader of the Rock tribe. Not knowing that there are other types of Trolls out there, Poppy’s father shares the story of how Pop, Rock, Classical, Techno, Funk and Country used to live all together in harmony. One day, Rock became greedy, and deciding to go out on their own, stole their magical string back. That was the end of the tribes’ unity and why knowledge about them is so scarce.

Poppy decides she’ll use Barb’s invite as a way to convince the Trolls that they are better together. Much to the dismay of her father and the rest of the Pop community, she sets out with Branch (Justin Timberlake) and Biggie (James Corden) on a journey to meet with the tribe leaders to try and persuade them to forgive and forget.

But not everything is as it seems and Poppy soon begins to realise that she has bitten off more than she can chew. She wants to do what is right as queen, but must keep in mind that her friends and family are just as, if not more, important.

I have to admit that part of me was let down by this sequel. Yes, it was adorable and the music was amazing but I simply wanted more! While I enjoyed learning more about the different music groups, they were glossed over at times and there was a whole chunk in the middle that had no singing at all.

Overall Trolls World Tour was fun. The star studded cast is a treat with some new additions such as Kelly Clarkson, Sam Rockwell, Mary J. Blige and Kenan Thompson. The musical numbers that we did have were stellar. Regardless of my expectations not being met, I would still watch if they decided to make a third film.

Rating: ♥♥♥

To be honest, I’m not sure why I was so keen on seeing this movie. I’m not a big fan of the actor who plays the main character and anything that focuses too much on religion is not usually my thing. So, I decided to branch out and try something new. The anticipation surely built up over time as well because I had to wait even longer for it to arrive on demand. At least it was worth the wait!

Jeremy Camp (K. J. Apa) an aspiring music star, moves to California so he can attend a special school in order to help and perfect his craft. Coming from a humble family who scrape by on what they can, he is a fish out of water in his new surroundings.

Enter Melissa Henning (Britt Roberston). Jeremy spots her in the crowd at one of his gigs and the rest is history. He falls completely head over heels for someone he barely knows and vows to do whatever he can to make her his. However, Melissa is adamant that she will focus on her studies this year and have no romantic entanglements. Still Jeremy is persistent and while they begin to spend more time together, Melissa finds herself falling right back.

But this is not your typical happy go lucky romance story. In fact, it is the complete opposite. Melissa has a secret and it is one that could upend both her life and Jeremy’s. Before he knows it, he is forced to decide what is truly important to him, his family and above all, his faith.

Based on the true story of Jeremy Camp’s life, this movie is a tearjerker that had me sobbing long after the credits stopped rolling. The extreme selflessness and love that Jeremy depicts throughout all the obstacles that are thrown at him is inspiring and touching. I had no idea that these events actually happened. This only had a stronger impact on me while watching.

Despite me not liking one of the celebrities, even I have to admit that he did a brilliant job at portraying the young musician. It was refreshing to see Apa in a role outside of Riverdale and to witness his range. The rest of the cast consisting of Melissa Roxburgh as Melissa’s sister Heather, Nathan Parsons as fellow Christian star Jean-Luc La Joie and even Shania Twain as Mrs. Camp were also perfect in their roles.

I’m not lying when I say that I was worried about the heavy religious influences, but it actually didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. The most important thing was the story and how beautiful it was. Love sometimes really is all you need.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Pixar movies, much like Disney itself, are anticipated by everyone around the globe. Young and old, it doesn’t matter – they are beloved. So, when news came that Onward was next in the line up, you would have expected me to be excited. Well, you would be wrong. Sure I would go and see it regardless, but there was something about the storyline that didn’t completely interest me.

Onward is about two brothers who couldn’t be more opposite. Ian (Tom Holland) is socially awkward, shy and doesn’t have many friends as a result. Barley (Chris Pratt) is outspoken, loud and often finds himself in all sorts of trouble.

On Ian’s birthday, his mother presents him and Barley with a gift from their late father. Wilden Lightfoot was a renowned wizard in his time. Many people knew who he was and his loss was felt all across the magical world. The gift in question, his staff, comes with a spell that will allow the boys to bring him back for twenty four hours. Never having conducted magic before, the boys give it a try. Ian is ultimately successful, but only half so as Wilden Lightfoot is left with only the bottom half of his body.

In order to complete the spell, Ian and Barley embark on a quest for the Phoenix Stone. Many hijinks ensue and the brothers find themselves in a variety of crazy scenarios. However they will stop at nothing to see their dad again, especially Ian who has very little memories of the man to begin with. As their journey unfolds, they realise along the way just how important family really is.

I am pleased to report that the film was better than I thought it was going to be. There were a lot of funny moments and in true Pixar fashion, some tears were shed too. The cast is made up of some brilliant talent complete with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Ian and Barley’s mom and Octavia Spencer as The Manticore, a mystical creature who becomes an ally to the Lightfoots.

While the plot did keep me guessing, I expected more at the end of the day. There’s nothing I dislike more than feeling dissatisfied after leaving the cinema.

Rating: ♥♥♥

The story of title character Emma is a timeless classic. Created by Jane Austen, it follows a young woman (Anya Taylor-Joy) who prides herself on her good looks, charm and wit.  Thrust with the responsibility of looking after her father (Bill Nighy) after her older sister decided to get married and have eventually had a child, Emma vows that she will never to follow down the same path for she does not need a man in her life in order to be happy. In the eyes of Mr. Woodhouse, Emma can do no wrong – the whole world seemingly revolves around her.

One of Emma’s past-times includes helping others, especially if it means making herself look good in the process. So when she goes out of her way to befriend Harriet (Mia Goth), many in her life wonder exactly what the two could possibly have in common. Emma does what she can to groom Harriet into her idea of a proper lady complete with a make over and etiquette lessons, as well as invitations to the most prestigious parties and social gatherings.  And the most important of all is that Emma wants to set Harriet up with the dashing Mr. Elton (Josh O’Connor) and will do everything she can to make that happen.

But all of Emma’s plans seem to go haywire right from the start. Mr. Elton has no interest in asking Harriet for her hand and why is her childhood friend and ex-brother in law Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn) suddenly bringing up feelings she never knew existed?

This was the first version of Emma that I had the pleasure of watching. I never got around to checking out the one from the early nineties. The modernized retelling in Clueless though is one of my all time favorite movies so I knew what to expect going into this one. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp and funny it was. Many a time did I find myself laughing out loud in the cinema and it was a fresh take that I did not expect. This was depicted in the cinematography and the beautiful aesthetics.

The story itself is one of my favorites from Austen. She was always ahead of her time and promoted feminism in all of her pieces of writing. Emma is no exception and this shines through in the film. There is a sense of girl power that is inspiring and it makes you root for the female characters throughout.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥