Tag: AppleTV+

Echo Valley

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Kate (Julianne Moore) owns and lives in Echo Valley, a tranquil ranch, where she trains horses and provides riding lessons to the community. Struggling with the loss of her wife, she is starting to wonder how she will continue to make ends meet. When her daughter Claire (Sydney Sweeney) shows up unexpectedly, Kate’s life is turned upside down.

Penned by Brad Ingelsby, the man behind Mare of Easttown, the audience is gripped from the get go. While it takes a bit of time to set up, this is all important in the grand scheme of things. Once the players are established and we learn what’s at stake, it ramps up rather quickly.

Where the film excels is definitely in its performances. Moore is almost always perfect and she more than delivers here. She really drives home the never-ending question of how far a mother would go for their child. Sweeney is a convincing drug addict. She really made me hate her character which just goes to show that she gave everything she had to the role. Fiona Shaw portrays Leslie who serves as an anchor of sorts for Moore’s Kate; a ride or die friend who deserves a medal. Lastly Domhnall Gleeson is dealer Jackie. Perfectly creepy in every single way, it was strange to see him like this!

There’s no doubt that the setting is stunning. It helps bring out the uneasy tone that is felt throughout. From the vast acres of the ranch to the serene lake and the old-fashioned house where Kate resides, the limited locations make the film even more intimate and like these characters and places could actually be real.

Overall Echo Valley is an entertaining thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. It may have taken some time to get going and the plot may not be entirely original, but that didn’t bother me. I liked that it didn’t go where I was expecting it to and that there were still some surprises along the way.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Family Plan

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What would your reaction be if you found out your dad was actually a former government assassin who gave it all up for a chance of normalcy?

That is what happens in The Family Plan. Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) has enjoyed his life in the suburbs with his wife Jess (Michelle Monaghan), daughter Nina (Zoe Colletti), son Kyle (Van Crosby) and baby Max (Iliana and Vienna Norris). When a picture shows up on social media, his cover is blown and he’s forced to take them on a road trip across the country to keep them safe.

With its almost two hour run time, the film provided enough thrills to keep me engaged throughout. The action started more or less right off the bat where we see that Wahlberg is still in top form. The best sequences were in the grocery store and the Enya car scene.

Having recently watched a film that focused heavily on a family reconnecting (Family Switch I’m looking at you), it was sometimes hard to differentiate between the two. The age demographic of the children and adults was similar and save for the whole body swapping thing, I could have very well been watching the same film twice. I appreciated the fact that this one at least had the action adventure storyline going for it and how the family did get in on said action.

While it isn’t anything to write home about, The Family Plan is a decent enough romp that people of all ages can find something to appreciate. It’s the type of film that’s perfect to pop on after a long week at work though I did find it dragging towards the end there. All that being said, there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming and it did more or less hold my attention so I guess that’s all that matters!

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Flora And Son

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Flora (Eve Hewson) is a single mother in Dublin who is struggling to raise her troublesome son Max (Orén Kinlan). In an attempt to find him a hobby, she rescues a guitar from a dumpster. But when Max is uninterested in the instrument, Flora decides to take up some lessons herself.

Hewson finally gets the leading role in a project and after seeing her in some hits over the last couple of years, she more than deserves it. Her performance as our lead was so endearing. You just want her to succeed in everything she does, no matter the amount of mistakes she’s made to get there. Starting guitar lessons is the first time she truly does something because she wants to and it’s so inspiring to see.

The relationship Hewson shared with Kinlan was that of a proper mother and son. All the bickering aside, their shared appreciation for music elevated the story and made for some really genuine scenes. Additionally, the friendship between Flora and Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a guitar teacher who lives in LA, was also one of the strongest aspects of the film. Though they never interact in person, the chemistry that seeps through their video calls is simply lovely. I thought it was a smart touch to have the two brought together in a dreamlike state during these moments.

When I learned that this was directed by John Carney, the same man who brought us Begin Again, everything made sense. Being my favorite movie of all time, I wasn’t surprised to completely fall in love with Flora and Son. The theme music played throughout was one again done in such a magical and beautiful way. This story was uplifting, touching and definitely gives you hope. That is truly the recipe of a great movie!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

The Beanie Bubble

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I remember the Beanie Baby craze like it was yesterday. I had dozens of them and was always looking for more to add to my collection. My favorite was Patti the platypus because she was purple and that was my favorite color. And then suddenly, they were just gone and I never really knew why. That is why I was looking forward to checking out The Beanie Bubble.

Released on Apple TV+, the movie follows Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis), a salesman down on his luck. When he teams up with friend and neighbor Robbie (Elizabeth Banks), their creation takes on a life of their own. Thanks to the help of a gifted receptionist named Maya (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Ty’s fiancée Sheila (Sarah Snook), we see the rise and fall of one of the greatest times in consumerism.

While this is mostly based on a true story, there were some liberties taken here and there to elevate the material. What they wanted was to give this film more of a comedic air and while I appreciated the notion, I didn’t really see it in the long run. Yes there were some funny moments, but it was mixed in with some dramatic moments too. At least the color palette was poppy and vibrant which, combined with the fun soundtrack mixed with early 90s hits, made for an uplifting experience.

Galifianakis and Banks are fine comedians who did a great job at carrying this film on their backs. The former was unrecognisable as the toy tycoon. He makes you want to root for him at the beginning, but as time goes by, you realize it is actually the women in his life who are the true heroes of this phenomenon. Maya, in particular, was the most impressive of all – give this woman her own film!

Although there was nothing to write home about, The Beanie Bubble was an interesting enough addition to the long list of consumerist movies ranging from Tetris, to BlackBerry and most recently Barbie. With a likeable cast and insight into the rise and fall of a toy that I loved growing up, it made for great Sunday afternoon viewing.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Tetris

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Everybody knows Tetris. To this day, it is one of the most successful games ever and it is still loved by many. But what a lot of people don’t know is the story behind its creation.

The year is 1988 and Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) is going after Tetris. Unfortunately for him, there’s a long line of people who want the game for exactly the same reasons as he does. Deciding to travel to the Soviet Union, he hopes to join forces with creator Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov) to bring the game to the masses.

I was one of the many kids who grew up playing Tetris on my Gameboy. That adrenaline that would be pumping through my veins when I’d be close to beating a level – there was nothing like it. I never stopped to think of what went on behind the scenes to get this game into the hands of everyone around the world.

While at times the events in the movie were exaggerated, it did help move the story along at a nice enough pace that I never felt bored. Instead, I became invested in what was unfolding in front of me and I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next, even if I couldn’t stop myself from thinking all of this over a game? But then again, what do I know?

Egerton was brilliant in the role of Henk Rogers. Not only did he exude a charisma that sucked in the audience, his passion for the part helped make everything that much more authentic. I’ve always liked him as an actor and I believe he chooses projects that you would never expect. Another standout for me was Efremov who, as a native, was the perfect fit for Pajitnov. Additionally, his chemistry with Egerton was spot on and I kind of wish we’d seen more of them together.

Paired with a brilliant soundtrack filled with fun covers of popular hits to the way in which each chapter was broken up into a video game design, Tetris was a much better watch that I’d given it credit for. The delightful performances, twisty storyline and fast pace made it an enjoyable watch.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Spirited

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We all know Charles Dickens’ classic story A Christmas Carol. A somewhat awful person is visited by the ghosts of past, present and future in hopes that they will learn from their mistakes and become a better person. Spirited is the modernized version. Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) is considered to be irredeemable; he doesn’t care what anybody thinks about him. But Present (Will Ferrell) wants to give Clint a chance to turn things around. And so begins a most magical adventure…

I feel like we’ve been waiting for Spirited to release for forever. It’s been sitting in the coming soon section of Apple TV+ all year long. Luckily it did not disappoint.

Although it took some time for me to become invested in the story, once I got there, it was all smooth sailing for me. I wanted to know why Clint was such an asshole and I doubted whether or not he really could change. It was such a breath of fresh air to have Reynolds play a different kind of character. The same can be said for Ferrell. He didn’t bother me like he usually does and his scenes with Reynolds were so entertaining.

The film would not be complete without Octavia Spencer. As Kimberly was a great addition not only as Clint’s work colleague, but also as a love interest for Present. I also loved seeing the different ghosts. I wish Past (Sunita Mani) had been featured more as I found her important to the story. Yet-To-Come (Loren G. Woods and Tracy Morgan respectively) was probably my favorite due to the fact that his looks and voice did not match whatsoever. And then of course there was Marley (Patrick Page) who audiences may remember from the original.

Turning this into a musical was a brilliant idea. The songs were catchy and the choreography exceptional. Combine the two with a Christmas backdrop and you have a winner. I may have been unsure about some of the actors’ singing talents, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, Spirited is a holiday treat for the whole family to enjoy. Despite the slow start, it really picks up and whisks you away for two hours. It has a good moral and some twists along the way that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5