Tag: MayaHawke

One Night Only

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Sometime in the near distant future, a mandate is passed that prevents single people from having pre-marital sex. The rules are allowed to be broken one night a year. For Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro), this is a night that they’d much rather avoid. This year, Owen’s long term girlfriend Malika (Maya Hawke) says she wants to explore other options while Allie is looking for true love. When the two strangers meet, sparks fly, but a series of missteps and side quests complicate their evening.

Director Will Gluck, who was behind the films Anyone But You and Friends With Benefits, is back with One Night Only. This one has been getting a lot of flack from the critics and I cannot for the life of me understand why. I loved everything about this film! As long as you lean into the crazy, it totally and completely works. I was sold from the get go and I found it to be a breath of fresh air.

This was my first time seeing both Turner and Barbaro star is something light-hearted and they completely smashed it. Their comedic timing was perfect; they had me cracking up during their various antics and I couldn’t wait to see how each of their evenings were going to pan out. Together they were electric and I thought it was smart to not have them immediately drawn to one another. It kept the audience on their toes because even though we know how it’s going to end, it wasn’t as predictable as it otherwise could have been.

There were so many cameos scattered throughout that it was hard to keep track. Every time somebody I knew popped up on screen, I squealed in delight because I really did not expect some of them to be there. For those who weren’t so much of a surprise, I enjoyed seeing Maya Hawke in something new. It was also a delight to have Molly Ringwald star as Linda, Owen’s very sexually liberated mother.

While the premise may be a bit far fetched, it is actually one we have seen before although much less violent and a lot more horny. The situations we see these characters get into are laugh out loud hilarious and not at all realistic, but they don’t have to be. I appreciated the way in which this film was very self-assured. The parodies were spot on, but they held an important message. Not only that, it was very sex positive which is not something we see too often.

Overall, One Night Only was a total blast. It sucked me in front the beginning and didn’t let go until the credits rolled. Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro served as charming leads and the comedy landed. Don’t listen to the haters – give this film a chance!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Inside Out 2

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Ten years after its first instalment, Inside Out is back and so are its beloved emotions. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Liza Lapira), Fear (Tony Hale) and Anger (Lewis Black) have perfectly curated Riley (Kensington Tillman) to be the best person she can be. None of them expected what was going to come next: puberty. And with this new chapter in Riley’s life comes some new emotions: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser).

While I thoroughly enjoyed the original story, it was never up there with the greats. I still couldn’t help but wonder how Pixar would top it, considering it is a movie that so many people hold dear. I actually think I loved this one even more because I was able to relate to it on a whole different level.

As usual, Pixar knocks it out of the park with the animation. Whether it is the different areas of Riley’s mind like the stream of consciousness, the pits of sarcasm or the back where bad memories are banished to, or in the real world where we see Riley at hockey camp, there is a blend of vibrant colors and out of the box ideas that completely sucked me into the story.

The cast is once again a stand out here with some returning favorites and other newcomers. Taking on the roles of Disgust and Fear respectively are Lapira and Hale who do a fine job; it is like they had been there since the beginning. I’ve always had a soft spot for Sadness and was overjoyed to see her back – when she bursts into tears and face plants in the ground I feel that! But I also have to give major props to the new emotions who each brought something to the table. Ennui was much funnier than I expected, but it was Anxiety who impacted me more than anyone else. The way in which Hawke portrayed this character was so on point it was scary at times.

It wouldn’t be a Pixar film if it didn’t make me cry. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it, but I have anxiety and depression, so seeing these depicted on screen really hit me hard. With Anxiety getting more out of control and Joy’s line about struggling to find joy when you become an adult was like a punch to the gut.

I am so glad that movies like Inside Out exist. They teach children the truths about growing up and how important it is to stay true to yourself in such a smart way. Though our theatre was packed with people young and old, I do think it was the adults who took more away from it. I am sure that when the youngsters grow to understand the subject matter a bit more, Pixar will have done its job and that is something they should be proud of.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

Do Revenge

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If Gossip Girl, Mean Girls and John Tucker Must Die had a baby, it would be Do Revenge. Everything that Drea (Camila Mendes) has worked so hard for to be popular in high school and get into an Ivy League college goes up in flames when her sex tape is leaked by her boyfriend Max (Austin Abrams). Over the summer at tennis camp, she befriends transfer student Eleanor (Maya Hawke) who was recently outcasted by the girl she had a crush on (Ava Capri). Realizing they have more in common than they would have ever thought, the two decide to team up to carry out each other’s revenge.

It has been a very long time that a teen movie hit all the right notes for me. The script was sharp, witty and modern while not trying to be over the top about it. It also had a color palette and costume design to die for as well as a killer soundtrack. Hearing Olivia Rodrigo one moment and Meredith Brooks at the end was genius.

The main selling point for me here was it’s cast. Take Veronica Lodge from Riverdale, Robin Buckley from Stranger Things, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) from Game of Thrones, Ethan Daley from Euphoria (Austin Abrams), Kamran (Rish Shah) from Ms. Marvel, Jessica Davis (Alisha Boe) from 13 Reasons Why and Pope Heyward (Jonathan Daviss) from Outer Banks, mesh them all into one project and the outcome is fantastic. Sure it may seem like a bunch of cameos, but for once I’m not complaining about it. The standouts are, of course, Mendes and Hawke whose chemistry was delightful to watch. I didn’t know if I wanted them to remain friends or if I wanted them to get together romantically.

On the surface, Do Revenge might seem like a vapid film that you will forget after just one viewing. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Drea and Eleanor wanting to right the wrongs that were bestowed upon them was inspiring to watch, especially because both cases were so relatable in today’s day and age. As you watch their stories unfold on screen, you notice that they could very well be yours. This one is definitely worth checking out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

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Welcome to Shadyside. Legend has it that a curse has shadowed the town for centuries. When a circle of friends accidentally stumble across the grave site of the witch responsible for said curse, a series of murders begins. As it turns out, this is not the first time something like this has happened either. It is up to the teenagers to do whatever they can to stop the forces of evil while facing their fears in the process.

First things first, I am not a fan of horror. It is not a genre that I usually gravitate towards. Jump scares, in particular, are too much for me to handle. But I don’t mind a bit of gore. When I heard about the premise of this trilogy, I was intrigued. I never read the books, but I am familiar with R.L. Stine’s work. I had a feeling that this was the type of horror I could take, even if it meant I would watch some of it hiding behind a pillow.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It was very entertaining and I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. I liked how the energy was turned on high and just when you thought you knew the direction in which things were going, you had to think again!

Another aspect that I appreciated was the 90s setting. As someone who grew up during that time period, it made me feel nostalgic to see the cassette tapes, fashion and those retro TVs. I also loved the music choices that were made throughout. I felt like I had stepped into a time machine.

Unfortunately the main character just didn’t do it for me. Deena (Kiana Madeira) came off as whiny and annoying. I found it difficult to root for her at times. Everyone else was cast well though. I particularly enjoyed Deena’s brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) who was the horror know it all and Deena’s girlfriend Sam (Olivia Welch).

I also thought that there were a couple of unanswered plot points by the end of this film. I understand that this is the first instalment of three so I am hoping that these questions will be tackled down the line.

As far as horror goes, Fear Street Part 1: 1994 was a wild ride that I did not want to get off from. I am very excited to see what 1978 has in store. Bring on the scares.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥