Tag: MovieReview

After We Fell

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The third instalment of the popular After series, After We Fell, picks up right after the events of After We Collided. Tessa (Josephine Langford) has decided to take the leap and move to Seattle. Her choice hasn’t come lightly however, especially because Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) doesn’t want her to go. Their relationship has never been easy, but as all these changes occur, revelations about both Tessa and Hardin’s family threaten to tear them apart forever.

Long story short, I am very late to the After fandom. I read all four books in the span of two weeks back in June and fell head over heels in love. Are they crap? Absolutely. Are they amazing nonetheless? Yes, yes they are. It’s like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from and eventually I had to admit to myself that I was obsessed. So, you could imagine my excitement that I would finally have the opportunity to see one of the films on the big screen. I had high hopes for this one as book three is my favorite. The previous two instalments were fine, however I still wanted more from them. Book three had a lot to live up too.

There was a lot to appreciate in this movie. Both Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin have grown so much since they started this journey together and you can really tell this time around. Hero, in particular, really impressed me (and no, I’m not just saying that because I’m in love with him). It seems like he’s grown over the years and he really made me feel for him. Their chemistry together is on fire, it almost doesn’t seem real.

I loved that for once, it seems like we finally have a director who understands these characters and knows how important it is to deliver a close to perfect book to film adaptation for fans. Castille Landon did a fabulous job incorporating as much as she could from the largest volume in the series and I’m thrilled that she’s on board for the fourth and final one too.

After We Fell exceeded my expectations entirely. I really wasn’t sure what to expect going into it and was satisfied walking out of the cinema. Now excuse me while I wait (im)patiently for After Ever Happy.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Voyeurs

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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: ♥♥♥

Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings

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The much anticipated Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings premiered in cinemas this Friday. Shang Chi, or Shaun (Simu Liu) as he goes by most of the time, is a seemingly normal guy who works as a valet driver with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina). But when his past comes back to haunt him, he is forced to confront it as well as his father who just so happens to be notorious villain Mandarin (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung). Being the master of unarmed weaponry in Kung Fu, Shang Chi hopes his skills will help him in combating the Ten Rings organization all while saving the world at the same time.

I had such high hopes for this movie. Origin stories for superheroes can be very hit or miss and they hyped this one up like crazy. I am happy to say that it completely and totally exceeded my expectations! I can’t get over how good it was or how much I liked it. I was transfixed the whole way through and at times I found myself shaking my head at what I was seeing unfold in front of me.

The casting for Shang Chi himself was always on point for me. Simu Liu seems like such a down to earth guy and I couldn’t imagine anybody else in this role. He’s become a little Toronto treasure and I am proud to live in the city from where he hails. Awkwafina brought the much needed comedic relief and I just loved watching her friendship with Shang. I really hope they don’t make them go down the romantic route because it’s so refreshing to see a healthy boy girl friendship for once. Mandarin is possibly one of the most heartbreaking villains to ever come out of the MCU. Learning about his backstory and what his motives were really made you feel for him. A highlight for me was Shang’s sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) who I knew nothing about beforehand. Not only was she a complete badass, but she had a lot of depth too and I hope we see more of her in future films. And to have Michelle Yeoh in this as well was just a treat. She’s such a queen and her role here was no exception.

I cannot get over the special effects that were used. It seemed to be on a whole other level this time around and I don’t know how Marvel does it. The fight sequences were also impressive. In particular, the final one in Ta-Lo was like nothing I had ever seen before. Everything about it was A+ and deserves awards.

Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings was the first superhero movie to have proper Asian representation. It really was beautiful to be able to witness that. Everything about it was flawlessly executed that I can’t say anything to fault it. It’s no secret that I’m more of a DC girl but even I have to say that Marvel smashed it here. I think it’s my favorite one to date.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cinderella

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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: ♥♥♥

Afterlife of the Party

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Cassie (Victoria Justice) has always been the life of the party. No matter the occasion, she will drop everything to have a good time and her twenty fifth birthday is no exception. But when Cassie unexpectedly dies, she is transported to the ‘in between’ where she meets an angel named Val (Robyn Scott). Val tells Cassie that she has a chance to make amends with the important people in her life which will ultimately determine her path into the afterlife. Cassie thinks making her parents (Adam Garcia and Gloria Garcia) and best friend Lisa (Midori Francis) know she is okay will be a walk in the park however she soon realizes that she may need to put more work into it before it’s too late.

This supernatural comedy was something of a surprise for me. It had looked cute in the trailer, but of course I went into it not expecting much. And while the movie was no masterpiece, I enjoyed it for what it was. Sometimes you just need a mindless chick flick, you know?

The plot was different and interesting. I liked how Cassie was given a second chance and the audience had the opportunity to see her grow into a better version of herself. Victoria Justice did a good job in her role. A standout for me, however, was Midori Francis of Dash and Lily fame. I really liked her in that when it came out over Christmas and it is great to see her acting in more roles. Also, Robyn Scott as Val also provided a lot of necessary comedic relief.

Afterlife of the Party was one of those films that just made me smile and believe in happy endings despite the heavier underlying themes. It won’t be winning any awards anytime soon, but it was something I needed in the moment and that was enough for me.

Rating: ♥♥♥

He’s All That

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Based on the 1999 classic She’s All That, He’s All That is the gender swapped remake that has been on everybody’s lips since news broke that it was being made. Popular girl and social media influencer Padgett (Addison Rae) is humiliated when she catches her boyfriend Jordan (Peyton Meyer) cheating on her during a live stream. In order to revive her image and get her sponsorship back, she makes a bet with her friend Alden (Madison Pettis) to makeover a geeky guy into Prom King material. What Padgett doesn’t bargain for is that Cameron (Tanner Buchanan) is unlike anybody she could have imagined and she finds herself falling for him.

I knew going into this movie that I shouldn’t expect too much. The original version has such a huge following and has become absolutely iconic since its release. I also heard that the storyline and acting weren’t very good which had me weary. Still, I was intrigued.

To be honest, I have to say that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Some of the acting really wasn’t great – I’m not a fan of Addison Rae and thought she was kind of annoying throughout but not everybody was awful. Tanner Buchanan was fine (both acting and looks wise) as was Isabella Crovetti who played his sister Brin.

It was also awesome to see Rachael Leigh Cook and Matthew Lillard in this. Despite the fact that they didn’t reprise their roles from the original and played new characters instead, it made me feel all nostalgic to see them again. I appreciated the various callbacks made to the older version as well. Some of the lines were almost identical, if I remember correctly, and the dance battle scene at Prom was on point.

He’s All That is nothing to write home about though. Parts of it were boring and predictable and I definitely thought there was room for improvement. That being said, it wasn’t one of the worst movies I have ever seen and I think people are being way too harsh about it.

Rating: ♥♥.5

CODA

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Ruby, (Emilia Jones) a seventeen year old girl who lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts is the only hearing member of a deaf family. All her life, she has gone above and beyond to help her mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin), her father Frank (Troy Kotsur) and her brother Leo (Daniel Durant). When her family’s fishing business finds itself in trouble, Ruby feels herself being pulled in two directions. She wants to be there for her family, but she just started singing in the school’s choir led by Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez) who is aiding her to audition for Berklee College of Music.

All of the buzz surrounding CODA and the fact that it did so amazingly at the Sundance Film Festival is what made me want to watch it. I had a feeling that it would be something special. I just didn’t realize how much.

This was absolutely phenomenal. Based on a French movie called La Famille Belier, CODA had my heart breaking and mending simultaneously throughout. Ruby was such a relatable teen and yet I could never even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for her to choose between her family and her dream. At the same time, I felt bad for her family who wanted to be treated as equals, but who were also scared to put themselves out there. The fact that actual deaf actors were casted in the roles of Ruby’s parents and brother made it all the better and more impressive. More films should take a cue from this one going forward.

I didn’t know what to expect going into CODA and it wound up completely blowing my mind. The storyline, the music – everything was perfectly executed. It’s a film that really makes you think and one that will definitely make you cry. I know I did.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Respect

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Based on the true story of Aretha Franklin’s life, the movie follows Aretha (Jennifer Hudson) as a child singing in her father’s (Forrest Whitaker) church choir to her rise to fame as an international superstar.

There was a lot about Ms. Franklin that I did not know and so I found Respect to be rather interesting. I had no idea that she went through so much at such a young age that my heart broke for her several times. I have always enjoyed watching biopics and this one was no exception. The few things that worked did so very well while there were other aspects that could have been better.

Jennifer Hudson, for starters, was the standout of the show. I had a feeling that she would be and while I haven’t been a fan of her work in the past, one thing is for sure and it’s the fact that she can sing! I don’t see how anybody else could have stepped into this role and I understand why Ms. Franklin handpicked Hudson herself. The fact that they spent such a long period of time working on this special project showed.

The other cast members such as Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Tate Donovan and Mary J. Blige all helped to bring their notable characters to life. In addition, I felt like I was transported to this time and was mostly stuck into the story throughout.

While the movie was capitivating enough, I have to admit that I felt there was something missing. I can’t exactly put my finger on it though. Maybe there needed to be better closure on some of the plot points. It seemed like we jumped around a lot and like things weren’t tied up properly. I definitely could have used some more singing as well. I don’t care that we’ve already heard Respect or Think, I wanna hear it another TEN times. It was also a little bit too long and the pacing too slow.

All that being said, I still think that Respect was a story that I won’t soon forget. JHud blew this out of the water and I loved seeing her return to the types of roles that she does best. I wouldn’t be surprised if this sparked some award nominations in the near future.

Rating: ♥♥♥. 5

Free Guy

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Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a bank teller who lives in Free City. Every day is the same and soon he starts to wonder – is there more to life? When he realizes that he is actually a background player in an open world video game, he takes matters into his own hands. Instead of playing it safe, Guy will become a hero.

One of my most anticipated movies of the year, the theatrical release of Free Guy had previously been impacted by the pandemic. I finally had the chance to watch it over the weekend and it truly was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

This is Ryan Reynolds at his absolute best and he did not let me down. The story was intricately planned out and executed, the special effects were brilliant and all the jokes had me laughing out loud.

The rest of the cast were so on point too. I have loved Jodie Comer since discovering her talent on Killing Eve and she was wonderful as coder Millie. After seeing her in this role, I hope she will go on to star in many more blockbuster hits. Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame was a pleasant surprise. Like Jodie, I hadn’t seen him in anything outside of the show that launched him to stardom. I enjoyed his characters Keys and thought he added something extra to the story. And then there was Taika Waititi who was outstanding as antagonist Antoine. He was both hilarious and over the top crazy which I got a kick out of.

Everything about Free Guy landed for me. It was such escapism and held my interest from the get-go. In addition to it being a ton of fun, it also has great morals and will surely leave you in a great mood.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5

Vivo

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Ever since he was young, it was always Vivo (Lin Manuel Miranda), a kinkajou and his owner Andres (Juan de Marcos Gonzalez) against the world playing music for the people of Havana. When tragedy strikes, Vivo takes it upon himself to deliver a love song from Andres to Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), his lost love and a famous singer. With the help of a teenage girl named Gabi (Ynairaly Simo), they travel through Florida in hopes of getting to Marta’s farewell concert before it’s too late.

Vivo had been on my list for some time. I really wanted to see it because of Lin Manuel Miranda who not only stars as the title character, but who wrote and composed all the music. They were certainly the highlight of the film and brought such a bright atmosphere to an otherwise somber movie.

Despite the colorful setting and the very talented cast which also included the likes of Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Nicole Buyer and Katie Lowes, the rest of the plot was just okay. It wasn’t very surprising and at times I kind of wanted it to move along more. I think I kind of expected more from it at times.

All that being said, Vivo is a story about hope and finding your place in the world. It is also about accepting others as well as yourself in the process. It did leave me feel warm and fuzzy inside so I guess it did it’s job!

Rating: ♥♥♥