Tag: AmazonPrime

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Based upon the book by Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is about a bookshop owner (Kunal Nayyar) who is struggling to stay afloat after the death of his wife. Tending to drink himself to sleep at night, he’s at his wits end. But then the unthinkable happens – a child is left in the store with instructions that A.J. must look after her from now on. Without second guessing it, he takes the girl under his wing, unbeknownst to himself that she is giving him a second chance.

This movie had everything I could possibly love wrapped into one. The romance aspect was perfectly executed with its budding relationship between A.J. and Amelia (Lucy Hale). Starting off as colleagues, becoming friends and eventually more, the gradual order of events made sense for both characters and really made me root for them to end up together. Nayyar and Hale’s chemistry was effortless and helped make their love story all the more realistic.

I loved the father daughter relationship that A.J. shared with Maya. Played by Charlotte Thanh Theresin, Jordyn McIntosh and Blaire Brown over the years, her introduction into A.J.’s life really was the turning point for the story. From then on, he was given a purpose and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. I consider my father to be my best friend and so this was a touching plot point to watch unfold.

What you probably wouldn’t expect about this film is that there is an air of mystery to it. Starting with A.J.’s most prized possession being stolen from his house one night while he is blackout drunk and some more instances that occur throughout, they keep the audience on their toes. I like how this wasn’t your typical romance where you can pretty much guarantee how it’ll all come together.

Taking place in a beautiful beachside location, with a stellar supporting cast consisting of Christina Hendricks, David Arquette and Scott Foley and great performances by the two leads, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry will surely capture your heart right from beginning to end. I unfortunately didn’t get around to reading the book before watching, but you can bet your ass I ordered myself a copy as soon as the credits rolled.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Jamie (Max Harwood) has always known he was different. Instead of wanting to pursue a traditional career, he knows he is destined for greatness. Jamie wants to become a drag queen. Lucky for him, he’s got a supportive mother (Sarah Lancashire), former drag queen mentor Hugo Battersby (Richard E. Grant) and an amazing best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) who are beside him every step of the way. Not everyone may understand Jamie’s path in life, but he knows that he is meant to be a star.

I have never seen the original musical so I cannot compare this adaption to the stage production. I remember it was playing back when I lived in the UK and unfortunately never had the opportunity to check it out for myself. This seemed to be the next best thing. I live for musicals and I miss going to the theatre so badly. There were quite a few things to like about this film and I thought it was a good time overall.

The storyline was interesting and heartbreaking all at the same time. It was inspiring to see the lengths to which Jamie would go to to achieve his dreams, no matter the obstacles that were standing in his way. He was relentless and even if he got knocked back a few times, he would brush himself off and try again. The relationship he had with his mother and Pritti in particular were a joy to watch. It was refreshing to see how much they rooted for him, especially when Jamie’s dad was absent from his life.

Another strong point for me were the colourful costumes and sets. They were vibrant and exciting and fit well into the movie. If anything, there could have been even more glitter and sparkle!

To my knowledge, this was Max Harwood’s first feature film and I think he did a great job. He really embodied the role of Jamie and brought him to life. I wish we had had more backstory to Pritti who, while she was supportive, seemed a bit one dimensional and only added to the strengthening of Jamie’s arc. And who can forget Richard E. Grant in drag?

My biggest problem with the movie was that there wasn’t enough musical numbers! When there was singing and dancing, they were executed perfectly, however there were moments scattered throughout where it was lacking. When this happened, I felt like the story would fall flat and I would lose interest.

Overall, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was as close to a musical as I have gotten in about a year and a half and so I enjoyed it for that reason. I think I expected more from it though and was therefore left feeling underwhelmed with certain aspects. At least there were some positives that came out of it too.

Rating: ♥♥.5

The Voyeurs

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

When young couple Pippa (Sydney Sweeney) and Thomas (Justice Smith) move into their dream apartment in Montreal, they are excited to embark on this next stage of their relationship. They soon realize that they can look directly into the apartment across the way. Inhabited by photographer Seb (Ben Hardy) and former model Julia (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), it’s impossible for Pippa and Thomas to look away. What starts off as innocent curiosity turns into a full blown obsession that will lead to inevitable disaster.

The Voyeurs is unlike any movie I have seen before. The concept was foreign to me and if it wasn’t for Sydney Sweeney, I probably wouldn’t have watched it. But my interest peaked while checking out the trailer and I knew I had to see what it was all about. What started as me being skeptical turned into full on investment and at some point I couldn’t even turn my eyes away from the screen. I needed to see what was going to happen next!

While the film is graphic on many levels, it’s important to look past it in order to fully appreciate the story. I don’t want to say too much and spoil it, but we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover.

I appreciated the young talent shown throughout. Sydney Sweeney’s star is definitely on the rise. Starting out in Euphoria and most recently starring in The White Lotus, girl is going places and I can’t wait for her career to flourish even more. Justice Smith was a great choice as Thomas – his chemistry with Sydney was believable and realistic. The couple across the street portrayed by Ben Hardy and Natasha Liu Bordizzo were entrancing and kind of scary. And for fans of Kim’s Convenience, Jean Yoon has a supporting role as Pippa’s boss.

Yes, The Voyeurs comes across as trashy, however it is anything but. It was really surprising and kept me guessing the whole way through. I wouldn’t write it off just yet.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Cinderella

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

A modern take on the classic fairytale, this new version of Cinderella follows an ambitious woman named Ella (Camila Cabello) who dreams of becoming a dressmaker. Living in the basement of her stepmother Vivian’s (Idina Menzel) house with only three mice (James Corden, James Acaster & Romesh Ranganathan) as friends, Ella knows she has what it takes to change her life for the better. When she bumps into Robert (Nicholas Galitzine), a handsome stranger who just so happens to be the prince, her choice of pursuing her dreams or following her heart suddenly seems impossible to choose between.

Let me start by saying that I think people are taking this movie way too seriously. It’s supposed to be fun and light and I think it succeeded. I enjoyed the updated plot and how they tried to blend together pieces of the original in with the twenty first century.

While some of the casting choices weren’t the best, I have to say that Camila Cabello’s acting wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. She wasn’t my favorite by far, but she didn’t bother me like I had anticipated. Idina Menzel was fabulous as Vivian and I appreciated how we were able to understand more about why her character was the way she was. Tallulah Greive who played Princess Gwen was a surprise; I only wish we had more of her. The best part of the whole film was Billy Porter. He brought a whole new meaning to being a fairy godmother and his one scene was simply not enough! I only wish Pierce Brosnan and Minnie Driver as King Rowan and Queen Beatrice were more convincing in their roles.

The best part of Cinderella was the singing and dancing. Mixing famous covers and original songs was brilliant and the dance sequences made me want to get up and sway along.

Overall, Cinderella was a good time and I think people should give it some more credit.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Unlicensed and under scrutiny, bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) decides it’s time to take a break. All seems to be going well until hitman Darius Kicaid’s (Samuel L. Jackson) wife Sonia (Salma Hayek) tracks Michael down and asks for his help. Soon, all three find themselves in a mission to save Europe from madman Aristotle Papadopolous (Antonio Banderas) and his evil scheme to get rid of Europe and change the world as they know it forever.

I had been looking forward to this one. 2017’s The Hitman’s Bodyguard was a ton of fun and I thought that this would be similar. Having to wait for more than a month to see it was tough and I couldn’t wait until it hit Demand so that I could finally check it out. Sadly my excitement was short lived.

First of all, there was way too much going on plot wise. More than half of the time I was confused and had to ask my husband what was happening. Also, I know for movie purposes that certain things are heightened, but it seriously bugged me at how unrealistic some of the scenes were. Unfortunately, a lot of eye rolling occurred.

Ryan Reynolds is hilarious and I have seen the majority of his films. That being said, I’m starting to think he plays himself in his various roles and I’m not sure if I mean that positively. It is as if they are starting to all blend together into one with their similarities. I did think that Salma Hayek was the best part even though she was seriously over the top. If I close my eyes, I can still hear her screeching voice. I must add that it is also always a treat to see Morgan Freeman.

While Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard was a letdown for me, there were some parts where I found myself laughing out loud. I also enjoyed the action sequences and thought they didn’t let up for one second. At the end of the day though, the movie was a mess and I kind of wish I had just given it a miss.

Rating: ♥♥

Stowaway

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

I never watch movies about space and I didn’t really know anything about Stowaway except for the fact that Anna Kendrick is in it. I think she is such a breath of fresh air and I will literally devour everything that she stars in. I didn’t know what I was going to think about the film going into it, but I am trying to break out of my comfort zone. I am happy to report that I liked it a lot more than I thought I was going to which is always a plus! Unfortunately there were still some things that could have been improved upon.

Zoe (Anna Kendrick), David (Daniel Dae Kim) and Marina (Toni Collette) have just embarked on a mission to Mars. Everything seems to be going smoothly until they discover an unplanned passenger named Michael (Shamier Anderson) has accidentally come along. Suddenly their voyage is jeopardized and they need to figure out how they are going to survive with an extra person onboard.

The part of the film that bothered me most was that this was a very slow burn. It took ages for something to happen and scenes were drawn out to each individual detail. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand that this is how it needed to be. It perfectly encapsulated the tone and atmosphere of being in space and the severity of what was happening. However, if you are looking something more fast paced, then this will not be for you. It took me awhile to adjust and get used to this pace and I’m still not sure I liked it.

Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim and Toni Collette are household names and I liked seeing them together in this. I am unfamiliar with Shamier Anderson, but I did think he was a great addition in the cast. While they gave great performances, I have to say that we didn’t learn very much about some of their characters. It seemed as though they stayed one dimensional and I would have appreciated more information there. I think it would have helped me root for some of them more.

Overall, Stowaway was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting something drab, but there were certainly moments that gripped me and kept me on the edge of my seat. I do feel like some things could have been fleshed out more and because of that, it did leave me wanting more.

Rating: ♥♥♥

I Care A Lot

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

I didn’t know what to expect from I Care A Lot. All I knew was everyone and their mother was talking about how amazing Rosamund Pike’s performance in it was. Frankly that was enough to gauge my interest. What I didn’t bargain for were the emotions this film took me on. I was gripped from the get go and can’t get over how eye opening it was at the same time.

Marla Greyson (Rosamund Pike) is a legal guardian who always gets off scot-free when she screws over her clients. Up until now she and her partner – in crime and in life – Fran (Eiza Gonzalez) have never had any problems. When Marla decides to target Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), however, she lands herself in hot water. Jennifer’s son Roman (Peter Dinklage) is a powerful gangster who will stop at nothing to make sure his mother is safe.

This movie is pegged as a comedy thriller and I definitely agree with that. At times it seems as though the comedic aspects don’t quite fit in, but I am glad that they are there because it is a nice balance to the darker nature of the story.

To reiterate what everyone has said about Rosamund Pike’s performance, I do believe that this is one of her best yet. We may not see her in a lot of projects, though when we do, she always gives 110% to whatever the role is. In some ways, I like how the character of Marla has been compared to Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. They are both conniving, ruthless and badass. I definitely think that Rosamund’s Golden Globe nomination is well deserved. In addition, the rest of the cast are brilliant too.

I think that what struck me the most about I Care A Lot is that it is based on true events. Being an elderly person in the United States is no easy feat these days because people really do pose as legal guardians in hopes of getting money. On top of this being eye opening, it was also educational and kind of scary.

I Care A Lot was a surprise for me. The fact that it was unlike what I was expecting it to be in the best way possible was just a bonus. It took me on a rollercoaster journey and I really loved every moment of it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

One Night in Miami

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

The hype leading up to One Night in Miami’s release was real. The directorial debut from Regina King was not one to be missed! Knowing that it would be added to my list, I chose to watch it on Inauguration Day. That choice was rather fitting, though I didn’t realize just how much until after it had finished. While the story was foreign to me going in, I did know the names of the four main characters and that was enough to gauge my interest.

On the night of February 25, 1964, four men gathered together in a room at the Hampton House. In this room, minister and activist Malcom X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), professional boxer Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay Jr. (Eli Goree), football player James Brown (Aldis Hodge) and singer songwriter Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) discussed various civil rights movements as well as what it is like to be a Black man in America. While the actual conversation these men had is not known, this seemed to be a pretty realistic account of what could have happened.

The movie which was based on the play of the same name written by Kemp Powers in 2013, was interesting to see unfold. While there were some other sets throughout, the room at Hampton House was integral to the story and most of the events took place there. It definitely had the feel of a play and I liked the more intimate feel that it brought. In fact, I think it would be rather interesting to see the play adaption so that I can compare the two.

The casting for One Night in Miami was flawlessly done. Kingsley Ben-Adair, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. were brilliant as these men who we have all come to know in one way or another. Despite the fictitious depiction of their conversation, I would like to think that there was some truth to these discussions as well as the chemistry that we saw on screen.

Overall, I really appreciated the story and I feel like I learned a lot while watching. I liked hearing each man’s beliefs that they not only shared with one another, but that they wanted to share with the world too. Black Lives Matter is not only something that happened back in the 60s. If the last year taught us anything, it’s that this is still a hot topic that needs to be addressed.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5