Tag: MovieReview

Plan B

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Sunny (Kuhoo Verma) and Lupe (Victoria Moroles) are best friends who couldn’t be more opposite from each other. Sunny is a straight-laced Indian girl who was brought up to do everything by the book, whereas Lupe is a complete slacker and does all that she can to defy her father and their Hispanic roots. After a regrettable first sexual encounter at a party, the two embark on the journey of a lifetime in order to track down the Plan B pill.

I actually hadn’t heard much about this movie. It didn’t seem like it was very well advertised which is unfortunate. Although I didn’t know much about it at first, I really did find it enjoyable. While the genre is a bit muddled between being a comedy, a drama and a coming of age story, I felt like it was still captivating to watch and I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next!

What made it so relatable for me was the friendship between Sunny and Lupe. Their chemistry was perfectly balanced and it really was a joy to watch them go on this journey together. You always have this one friend who is your ride or die, who you would literally do anything for and it was lovely to see this portrayed on screen. Without the two of them, I do believe that the film wouldn’t have been the same. I also loved how two women of color were at the forefront here. That was very refreshing to see.

Unfortunately what didn’t work for me aside from the confused genres, was the fact that it wasn’t all neatly tied up with a bow in the end. I would have liked for some more answers to give me peace of mind. Not to mention the fact that it had a very similar storyline to last year’s Unpregnant. I couldn’t help but compare the two while I was watching.

Still, Plan B is a cute movie with strong female leads and that was enough for me. I recommend it if you are looking for something fun and light-hearted to watch!

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Cruella

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Estella (Emma Stone) has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. A grifter, she meets Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) and the three of them build a life for themselves on the streets of London. When Estella lands a job working for Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), she believes that she has finally made it. Unfortunately for her, the Baroness is not who Estella was hoping she would be and desire to rivel the Baroness grows. Before she knows it, Estella is no more and Cruella has taken her place.

The newest addition to Disney’s live action remakes, Cruella has been taking the world by storm. A lot of build up and anticipation for fans of the original classic, I have to say that this was a solid movie at the end of the day. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely is one of the better films Disney has put out lately.

One of the things that worked best was the cast. They were all phenomenal and that says a lot because I wasn’t sure what to think of Emma Stone at first. I love her, but the idea of her as Cruella didn’t seem to fit. She proved me wrong though and I am so happy about that. Emma Thompson is a queen and she was fabulous in this. Paul Walter Hauser and Joel Fry were exactly how I pictured Horace and Jasper to be and the additions of Mark Strong as John, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Anita and Kayvan Novak as Roger were also well done.

I cannot get over the beautiful costumes that were created for this movie. Heavily influenced by punk rock, it was different and edgy. I coveted all the looks! I also appreciated the music choices and thought that they fit well into the various scenes.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the length of the film. It felt too long and could have certainly been cut down a bit, especially in the beginning. The story took some time to really lift off though I have to admit that once it did, it didn’t let up for a second.

Cruella was a movie that I had been looking forward to ever since it was announced. I remember loving 101 Dalmatians as a child and so I was excited to see the origin story for its villain. I’m really glad that it delivered. It kept me thoroughly entertained and yes, I am hoping for a sequel.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Army of the Dead

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After a zombie outbreak occurs in Las Vegas, a mismatched group of people are recruited to pull off the greatest heist ever. They must walk into the quarantine zone to retrieve money from a vault underneath one of the casinos. Putting their lives at risk, no matter what, is no problem when the payout is sure to be worth it.

Zack Snyder really has done it again. I don’t know where the man comes up with all these epic movie ideas, but he is a visionary. This was unlike anything I had ever seen before in the best way possible. There was not one dull moment starting right from the get go. That opening sequence alone helped set the tone and was completely captivating. The film didn’t let up afterwards and I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time. I also caught myself constantly screaming at my TV when something crazy happened.

I must give a special shoutout to the incredible cast that helmed this movie. Each played their role so flawlessly and the chemistry between them was off the charts. I couldn’t have imagined a better group. Dave Bautista, in particular, was able to show off more of his range as Scott Ward. I also thoroughly enjoyed the characters of Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), Dieter (Matthias Schweighofer) and Mikey Guzman (Raul Castillo).

To be honest, I’m not sure why I liked Army of the Dead so much. It’s not usually my cup of tea, however, there was just something about it that was so intriguing to me. It was fun, entertaining and pure escapism. That is truly what we all need these days.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Woman in the Window

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The Woman in the Window was one of my most anticipated films of the year. I read the book by A.J. Finn at the very beginning of the pandemic in preparation for the big screen release. As we all know now, the date was pushed back and the rights were ultimately bought by Netflix. You can imagine the build up and excitement that I have harboured ever since. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it this weekend!

Anna Fox (Amy Adams), is a psychologist who has recently separated from her husband. She lives in their New York City home with her cat Punch where she sees a therapist on the regular for her agoraphobia. Since she doesn’t go outside, Anna often finds herself spying on her neighbours, assuming that she will never have to come face to face with them.

One day, new to the area Jane Russell (Julianne Moore) from across the street appears on her doorstep. The two form a bond over a game of gin and a couple bottles of wine. So, when Anna witnesses a violent incident happening to Jane through her window, who will believe her? Nobody saw them together and to make matters worse, Anna usually washes her medication down with alcohol altering her perception of reality. Not to mention the fact, that it appears Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh) seems to be alive and well, except she is not at all who Anna met that night.

Let’s start with the good. I thought the casting choices were well done. While I am not usually a fan of Amy Adams, I actually thought her portrayal of Anna was spot on. That was exactly how I imagined the character while reading about her a year ago. Julianne Moore as Jane was uncanny and the two had great chemistry together. Having Gary Oldman as Jane’s husband Alistair and Fred Hechinger as their troubled son Ethan were perfect additions. Rounding out with Wyatt Russell as Anna’s tenant David, Brian Tyree Henry as Detective Little and Anthony Mackie as Anna’s husband Ed, there are a lot of familiar faces to appreciate.

I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. Despite knowing what they were going to be, seeing the reveals occur on screen was still satisfying. The pacing, while slow to start, was necessary for the film and helped set the tone. It was creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat which is really all that I could want from a thriller.

Unfortunately, as is customary with every book to movie adaption, some scenes just do not make the cut. Most of the time, these changes are necessary and I can understand them. This time around, however, there were two plot points in particular that I felt were integral to the story and therefore should have been included. I truly believe if they were added in that everything would have been fleshed out more.

At the end of the day, I am still happy that I finally had the chance to watch The Woman in the Window. It may not have been entirely what I was expecting, but I did like it for what it was.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Stowaway

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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: ♥♥♥

Monday

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Have you ever been so attracted to someone that you want to give up everything to be with them?

That is what happens in the steam romance flick Monday. Mickey (Sebastian Stan) and Chloe (Denise Gough), two American expats, meet one night at a party in Athens, Greece. Sparks fly instantly and before they know it, they are spending a whirlwind weekend together. But as the two lovebirds try to take their infatuation and turn it into a proper relationship, they realize that Monday morning will still roll around eventually.

Sebastian Stan and Denise Gough lead the film brilliantly with their palpable chemistry. I don’t think it would have been half as good without them as the two main characters. They really meshed well together and I could tell that they put everything they had into these roles.

This is not your typical rom-com however, so don’t let the steamy love scenes and declarations of love fool you. It becomes evident as the movie goes on that both Mickey and Chloe have baggage that they are trying to run away from. This is what ultimately puts their relationship to the test as they learn more about each other. Will their differences bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

What didn’t work for me here was that the story did drag on at some points. I understand that the relationship was at the forefront and therefore pivotal, but at times, I started getting bored. It was almost predictable in a way. And even though the timeline took place over the course of a year, it sometimes felt as though nothing had really happened at all.

Still, Monday was an interesting film that I am glad I watched. I’m sure we have all had that one person come into our lives that has consumed us like in Mickey and Chloe’s case and I enjoyed seeing that unfold on screen. I just wish it hadn’t left me feeling confused and yearning for more.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Love and Monsters

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In a world where monsters have taken over and wiped out the majority of the population, those who did survive now live in underground colonies and do what they can to get by. It has been seven years since Joel (Dylan O’Brien) lost his family and parted ways with his girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick). When he learns that she is actually only eight five miles away, he decides to embark on the journey above to be with her, regardless of the foes he may encounter on the way.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to think about Love and Monsters going into it. I did appreciate how it gave me Walking Dead vibes with it’s apocalyptic feel and I liked how it was mixed with a ton of humor too. It seemed like it was either going to be a blast or flop and I am happy to say that the former happened. Every second of it was truly entertaining.

I will admit that my main reason for wanting to watch this was for Dylan O’Brien. I have liked him ever since his Teen Wolf days and always thought he was destined for greatness. I believe that he was the perfect choice for this role – he carried the whole film on his back and it solidified the fact that we really don’t see enough of him. Along with Jessica Henwick as his dream girl Aimee and the father and daughter Clyde (Michael Rooker) and Minnow (Ariana Greenblatt) he meets along the way, the cast were great.

My favorite thing about the film was that at the end of the day it really was about finding out who you really are and what it means to be your own hero. It’s easy to forget that we have the strength to do just about anything if we just put our minds to it.

I recommend Love and Monsters for anyone who is looking to escape for a couple of hours. It will instantly lift up your mood and make you smile.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Thunder Force

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I am not a fan of Melissa McCarthy so I don’t know why I watched this. Spoiler alert: it was bad. I didn’t have a good feeling about it going in, but somehow that didn’t stop me. I wanted to give Thunder Force a chance. I should have listened to my gut feeling telling me to run far, far away. Instead I wasted two hours of my life. I sacrificed myself so that you wouldn’t have to. You’re welcome.

Picture a world where villains have been wrecking havoc on humans for years. Emily Stanton (Octavia Spencer) has dedicated her whole life devising a plan to get revenge on the ‘Miscreants’ that killed her parents when she was a child. Together with the help of her estranged friend Lydia Berman (Melissa McCarthy), they team up to become Thunder Force, a superhero duo who will stop at nothing to achieve Emily’s dream and save the world.

I have to admit that the movie did actually start off on a promising note. I liked the backstory on Emily and her parents as well as how she became friends with Lydia. The two were so different, but had great chemistry and meshed well together. It wasn’t until they had a fight and decided to go their separate ways that it all went downhill for me. I couldn’t’ really get back on board afterwards.

I did not find the movie funny at all. I like a very particular sense of humor and this was not it. At times, it was as if the jokes were trying too hard and they all fell flat. I have also noticed that the projects created by Ben Falcone and which star his wife Melissa McCarthy never tend to do well. I don’t know who keeps green lighting them to get made. I also, for the life of me, cannot understand why Octavia Spencer would star in something like this. That woman is a queen and she seemed very out of place here.

While the title has an impressive line up of side characters in Jason Bateman as The Crab, Bobby Cannavale as The King, Pom Klementieff as Laser, Melissa Leo as Allie and Taylor Mosby as Emily’s daughter Tracy, they couldn’t do anything to save it.

Overall, I really did try to give Thunder Force a fair shot. Unfortunately, going forward, I will stick to my initial instincts and continue to skip out on the Falcone/McCarthy team ups.

Rating: ♥.5

Minari

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I finally sat down and watched Minari the other day. It really is worth all the hype. I wasn’t sure that it would be my type of movie at first, but after all of it’s success and the fact that it has been winning all of these awards left, right and center, my interest peaked. I knew I had to watch it! I had a feeling it was going to leave an impression on me though I don’t think I realized just how special it was really going to be.

The story follows a Korean-American family who move to Arkansas in hopes of starting a farm. Despite the fact that they will face many challenges along the way in order to achieve their American dream, they will also learn about the true value of family and what it really means to make a home.

While the movie is slow, I felt like it needed to be that way in order to capture the true essence of it. Usually something like this would put me off, however I have to say that that wasn’t the case here. I enjoyed watching the events unfold while learning about these characters in the process.

The casting choices in Steven Yeun as father Jacob, Han Ye-ri as mother Monica, Alan S. Kim as son David, Noel Cho as daughter Anne and Youn Yuh-Jung as grandmother Soonja were all A+ choices. They were so believable as a family with their many ups and downs that you really do end up rooting for them throughout. The addition of Will Patton as Paul who helped Jacob on the farm was great as well.

Minari really is as good as everyone says it is. I loved every moment. It left me feeling deeply touched and hopeful for the future which is so important these days. I hope it wins the Oscar for Best Picture.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

A Week Away

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Bad boy Will Hawkins (Kevin Quinn) from the wrong side of the tracks literally has nowhere left to go when he finds himself at summer camp for the first time. Feeling like a fish out of water, he somehow finds a friend in bunk mate George (Jahbril Cook), a father figure in camp director David (David Koechner) as well as girl next door Avery (Bailee Madison) who completely changes his outlook on life – and love.

If High School Musical and Camp Rock had a baby, it would be A Week Away. High School Musical and Camp Rock both helped shape my teenage years which meant there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that this movie was a must watch. I knew I would end up liking it; I just wasn’t sure by how much. I’m actually surprised this movie wasn’t marketed more and that more people aren’t talking about it!

I liked the musical for a variety of reasons. The cast are all fresh-faced and full of talent. Kevin Quinn and Bailee Madison had amazing chemistry that had me rooting for their characters from the very first time they were on screen together. The supporting cast in Jahrbil Cook and David Koechner as well as Kat Conner Sterling as Avery’s best friend Presley, Iain Tucker as troublemaker Sean and Sherri Shepherd as George’s mom Kristin, I am sure we will see them all in many projects to come.

The storyline, while predictable at times, was still entertaining. I appreciated that more adult themes were dealt with and despite the cheesiness of some scenes, it didn’t deter from the overall moral of the story.

I also really enjoyed the music. All of the songs were catchy and came with top notch dance sequences. I know that they will all be stuck in my head as I’ve basically had them on repeat since.

If you are in the mood for a fun musical, A Week Away is worth checking out. It’ll have you smiling from ear to ear and dreaming of summer.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥