Tag: MovieReview

Deep Water

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After many delays, the much anticipated erotic thriller starring former couple Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas finally premiered on Hulu this weekend. Vic and Melinda are in a loveless marriage. Staying together to avoid the messiness of divorce, Melinda is allowed to take part in extramarital relationships as long as she comes home at the end of the day. But when her ‘boyfriends’ start turning up dead, their friends start thinking that Vic may be the one to blame.

There are so many things that went wrong with Deep Water. I remember the hype around this movie when it was first announced, but if I’m being honest, I forgot about it along the way? In addition to the delayed releases and the fact that the stars are no longer together, it seemed like it was doomed from the start.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around what it was that I watched. What started off promisingly enough soon plateaued and went nowhere. The plot was messy and never fully formed. It was as if each scene was cut along the way because there was so much missing. I also kept wondering what the point of it all was and why these characters were doing what they were doing.

Ana De Armas broke onto the scene with her role in 2019’s Knives Out. Since then, I have been a massive fan of hers and eagerly anticipate whatever she may be in next. While she was the best part of the movie (regardless of how horrible her character was), not even she was able to save it. I have never liked Ben Affleck. He always comes off so wooden and monotone to me. As a result, I did not buy their chemistry whatsoever.

Neither a thriller, nor erotic, Deep Water was such a disappointment. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and instead of getting answers, I was left having wasted almost two hours of my life that I will unfortunately never get back. Don’t waste your time with this one. It isn’t worth it.

Rating: ♥

The Adam Project

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The Adam Project follows Adam Reed, (Ryan Reynolds) a fighter pilot from 2050 who accidentally crash lands in 2022 instead of 2018 while time traveling and stumbles upon his younger self (Walker Scobell). Together, they team up to find their father Louis (Mark Ruffalo), the creator of time travel and the only person who can stop his partner Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) from furthering altering the timeline forever.

I was under the impression that Ryan Reynolds was taking a break from acting, yet here we are. While he once again played another version of himself, I have to say that I wasn’t bothered by it this time around. His jokes were all on point. I also really loved the camaraderie he had with Walker Scobell. That young man has such a future ahead of him. He embodied everything about Reynolds and had it down to a T.

Unfortunately some of the other cast were underused. It would have been nice to have more scenes with Adam’s mom Ellie (Jennifer Garner) and his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana). I would have loved to know more about them.

Boasting plenty of CGI, fight scenes and time travel, The Adam Project is a fun film for the whole family to enjoy. It is very much what you see is what you get. It’s not something I will run back to watch anytime soon, but I appreciated it for what it was. The family dynamics added a little something extra that made it worth while.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Turning Red

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Turning Red follows the story of Mei (Rosalie Chiang), who is torn between being her mother’s dutiful daughter and all the chaos that adolescence brings. When the women of the Lee family turn thirteen years old, an ‘inconvenience’ falls on them. Now, if Mei gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.

The fact that this movie took place in Toronto was a huge plus for me. It was fun spotting all the the Easter eggs. Thank you Disney for putting Canada on the map! The casting choices came hand in hand with the location. With the voice talents of Sandra Oh and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, the Asian Canadian representation was perfect.

Mei has to be one of the most relatable cartoon characters ever. Her obsession with boy bands and boys in general was something I could appreciate. I also loved the depiction of her relationship with her mother Ming. At the forefront of the film, it ticked all the right boxes for me. Mei wanting to embrace who she is and Ming afraid of letting her daughter grow up was so on point.

Yet another Pixar hit, Turning Red is an uplifting film about growing up and being true to yourself. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy it. There truly is something in it for everyone.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Fresh

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Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is fed up with dating. Believing she will never find the man of her dreams, when she happens upon Steve (Sebastian Stan) in a grocery store, she thinks her luck is changing. Not only is he a doctor, he’s charismatic, charming and very good looking. So, why shouldn’t she throw caution to the wind and go for it? When Steve suggests a trip away, Noa agrees, hoping it’ll bring the two of them closer together. What she doesn’t bargain for is just how much.

Directed by Mimi Cave, Fresh is one of the most refreshing movies I have seen in a long time. Just when you think you know where the film is going, you are forced to think again and re-access everything. With a witty script and an impending sense of dread through, I was kept on the edge of my seat all the way through.

The performances by our two leads are outstanding. Daisy Edgar-Jones is the heroine that you want to root for. I’m so glad that Daisy is getting more recognition. After starring in Normal People, it was clear that she’s got a bright future ahead. As for Sebastian Stan, I was completely blown away with what he brought to the table. It’s nice to see that he can branch away from the Marvel Universe into a completely different genre.

I don’t want to say too much about Fresh. It’s best if you go into this movie blind. I wouldn’t even watch the trailer. The less you know the better. I guarantee that the rollercoaster ride you embark on will be well worth it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Weekend Away

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Based on the novel by Sarah Alderson, The Weekend Away is about best friends Beth (Leighton Meester) and Kate (Christina Wolfe) who meet up in Croatia for a girl’s trip. Beth has just had a baby while Kate is going through a divorce. After a crazy night of partying, Beth wakes up and discovers that Kate is missing. She’s not answering her phone, her purse has disappeared and the police don’t seem concerned. With the help of Zain (Ziad Bakri), Beth races against time to piece together what happened, with each clue becoming more deceptive than the last.

When I heard that Netflix was coming out with a new book to movie adapation, I raced to buy it. I always try to read the book before the movie and let’s be real, most of the time the former is better than the latter. I devoured it in one sitting and was completely swept up in the story; surely there was no way the movie would be done justice. I just wish I hadn’t been right about that.

My first problem with the film was the acting. It was subpar at best. Even Leighton Meester who I’m a big fan of wasn’t able to save it. There weren’t any standout performances and some of the characters lacked depth. At least we had the beautiful Croatian background to keep us happy.

For the most part, I have to admit that the movie hit the most important plot points. It drove me crazy that they changed the main character’s name and the initial location, but I digress. Where it all went wrong was during the climax. That final twist is make or break for me and I really don’t like what they did with it here. It changed my whole outlook.

Overall, The Weekend Away was fine, but if I’m being honest, you are probably better off reading the book. I promise it is so much more worth it.

Rating: ♥♥

The Batman

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When serial killer The Riddler (Paul Dano) starts targeting political members of Gotham City, leaving behind a trial of clues in his wake, Batman (Robert Pattinson) takes it upon himself to find out why. Striking up partnerships with James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) to unmask the culprit and bring justice to all, Batman soon realizes that The Riddler’s motivations are much more personal than he thought.

I was so, so hesitant to check out this latest venture into Batman’s story. The Dark Knight is one of my all time favorite films and it is what got me into the superhero genre to begin with. I didn’t understand why the story needed to be redone. When I say I went into this cautiously, that was an understatement. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I have to say that I wound up being pleasantly surprised.

This version of our beloved vigilante is much darker and that sets the tone for what’s to come. This paved the way for the Riddler which is by far one of the most intimidating villains I’ve ever seen. Paul Dano’s performance was out of this world; I really commend him for taking it as far as he did. The casting in general was on point. I loved what Zoë Kravitz did with Selina Kyle and Jeffrey Wright is brilliant as Gordon. I also can’t forget Colin Farrell who portrayed the Penguin. I didn’t even realize it was him!

As for Robert Pattinson, when news broke that he was casted as the lead, I really did not know what to think. Like many before me, when they think of him, their minds automatically go to Twilight. I really wasn’t sure if he’d be the right fit for this. I appreciate that he put his own stamp on the role and think he did well with it, however, I can’t say that I prefer him to Christian Bale.

Overall, The Batman was much better than I expected it to be and for that I am glad. In spite of the nearly three hour run time, the first chapter of this new story ticked all of the right boxes and I cannot wait for more.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Cyrano

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The story of Cyrano de Bergerac is one that is known by many. Though he has a way with words, Cyrano (Peter Dinklage) struggles with his appearance and worries that it will prevent him from winning over the woman of his dreams, Roxanne (Haley Bennett). Meanwhile, Roxanne has fallen in love with Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) at first sight, and Cyrano jumps at the chance to intervene. He’ll write letters to Roxanne on Christian’s behalf and she’ll never know that it’s him. As his feelings grow, however, so do the complications of this agreement.

Musicals are a big plus for me. Incorporating various numbers throughout was a fresh and interesting take. Having witnessed Haley Bennett’s singing chops in Music and Lyrics, I knew that she would knock this out of the park. Kelvin Harrison Jr. was a great accompaniment to her and even Peter Dinklage did what he could with his songs. In fact, Peter Dinklage’s overall performance was absolutely wonderful. I’ve been a fan of his since Game of Thrones, but his portrayal of Cyrano solidified that he can helm any project.

I love the way in which this was filmed. Like something from a dream, the colorful and old fashioned costumes as well as the lavish locations used throughout, I thought it was a great choice. It made me yearn for a time and place for which I have only ever seen or read about.

This new version of Cyrano was one that surprised me, delighted me and also made me feel kind of sad. It is quite the story and I appreciated the changes that director Joe Wright took to bring it into the 21st century.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Uncharted

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Based on the video game of the same name, Uncharted follows the story of Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) who is recruited by treasure hunter Victor Sullivan (Mark Walhberg) to search for Ferdinand Magellan’s fortune that was lost 500 years ago. Trekking across the globe performing various heists and attempting to outrun the bad guys, Nate and Sully find themselves in a race against time to uncover the gold.

First and foremost, let me disclose that I know nothing about the game. Going in somewhat blindly worked in my favor and made for a rather fun night out at the cinema.

Tom Holland once again shines as Nate Drake. He has really grown on me over the years and now I can’t help but look forward to everything he stars in. Another stand out for me was Sophia Ali as Chloe. Previously starring in Prime’s The Wilds, she was a strong female character who didn’t take no for an answer.

Unfortunately, I wish I could say the same for the others. Mark Walhberg seemed out of place here. I didn’t fully believe in his chemistry with Holland which was disappointing as it was integral to the story. The villains in Antonio Banderas and Tati Gabrille were one dimensional and underused. I wish we could have learned more about them both.

While there is nothing particularly special about Uncharted, it is a fun action adventure flick that delivers. It had great action sequences, fabulous locations, as well as major Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones and sometimes even Titanic vibes that I was all for.

Rating: ♥♥♥

I Want You Back

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Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) are both dumped on the same weekend. Struggling to move on from their respective exes Anne (Gina Rodriguez) and Noah (Scott Eastwood), the two stumble across one another in the office building where they work. After much commiseration, they come up with a seemingly perfect plan: break up their exes’ new relationships and win them back.

An offbeat romantic comedy, I Want You Back has been getting lots of praise since its initial Friday release. While the storyline may come across as predictable, there is still a lot to enjoy here. You’ll want to root for Peter and Emma from the get go, not only to make their exes regret their choices, but to also get together themselves. The chemistry between Charlie Day and Jenny Slate was really charming to watch, not to mention the two are really funny individually.

The supporting cast in Rodriguez and Eastwood, as well as their new love interests Logan (Manny Jacinto) and Ginny (Clark Backo), all added that something extra. Ben McKenzie of The OC fame also had a cameo in this as a dad. Oh how times have changed. He’s still hot though. The intricacies of these characters was fun to watch and never provided a dull moment.

Though there is nothing particularly special about the plot, I Want You Back reminded me of something from the 90s or early 2000s. It kept me engaged throughout and apart from that abrupt ending, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the ambiance of it all.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Death on the Nile

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When the wealthy Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) meets Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer), there’s no denying the sparks between them. Ending his engagement with Jackie Bellefort (Emma Mackey) so he and Linnet can tie the knot, they think they will go on to live happily ever after. Together with their friends, Linnet and Simon embark on their honeymoon where Jackie seems to be following them every step of the way. Feeling unsafe, they enlist the help of detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) to keep an eye out on things. But when the event turns deadly, everyone is a suspect.

After being delayed multiple times due to the pandemic (and the allegations made to a certain actor), Death on the Nile finally debuted in cinema this weekend. Boasting a stacked cast with the likes of Tom Bateman, Letitia Wright, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Rose Leslie and Sophie Okonedo, this was a must see on the big screen.

While I haven’t read the Agatha Christie novel and therefore cannot compare between the two, I have to say that I enjoyed the movie. The Egyptian backdrop was absolutely stunning and gave me major wanderlust. The storyline was intricate and kept me guessing throughout. The only downfall was the great amount of characters, some of which didn’t get nearly enough screen time or backstory as I would have liked. Additionally, I felt like the mystery took too long to get going and the runtime could have been cut down a bit.

Overall, Death on the Nile was well worth the wait. For two hours I was able to forget the outside world and become enveloped in what was unfolding around me. I can only hope that there is another Poirot story to come in the near future.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5