Tag: MovieReview

Woman Of The Hour

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Based on a true story, Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick) is an aspiring actress who goes on the matchmaking TV show The Dating Game. Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), also known as bachelor number three, is the lucky winner. What nobody knows is that Alcala is a serial killer responsible for the death of many women.

I remember hearing about this ages ago so the fact that it is now out for the world to see is a treat. Kendrick, who not only stars in the film, also directs for the first time. I have to say that I was very impressed; the way in which she approached the subject matter was perfect. I can’t wait to see what else she ends up working on behind the camera in the hopefully near future.

The acting on display is nothing short of brilliant. Kendrick aside, we have Zovatto who was so amazingly creepy that I was very much convinced with his performance. He made you want to know more about him. Not only that, he was very charming and easily manipulative towards the women we see him come in contact with. I do wish we’d had more backstory about why he was the way he was though. The supporting cast of Tony Hale as Ed, the TV show host, Nicolette Robinson as Laura, a woman who had a previous brush with Alcala, and the various victims we were introduced to were all great additions. It was Autumn Best, however, whose portrayal of Amy, was pivotal to the story. The final act of the film had me on the edge of my seat.

Another aspect that I appreciated was the combination of pure seriousness one moment and the sudden change to something more light and comedic. I would be holding my breath during those tough scenes and then I would have to recalibrate my brain and shift gears. I truly believe that The Dating Game sequences are the best of the film, with great writing to boot.

Overall, Woman of the Hour was a captivating experience. I went into the film not knowing anything about it and found myself completely enthralled with what was unfolding in front of me. I hadn’t know anything about Rodney Alacala until that moment and learning about how horrible he was was eye opening. I recommend giving this one a go.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Joker: Folie À Deux

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Todd Phillip’s 2019 version of Joker was so successful, it came as no surprise when a sequel was announced. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is waiting for trial in Arkham for the crimes he committed. He meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga) and the two form a bond unlike any other.

I was so much looking forward to this film. The original was one of the best I have ever seen from DC that I just wanted more. I’m so sad to say that this was just awful. None of it worked and I kept scratching my head in complete disbelief as to what was unfolding in front of me. It’s like Phillips took everything that made the original so great and tore it apart bit by bit until there was nothing left.

While I was initially unsure of the musical aspects, I tried to keep an open mind. Most of these sequences taker place in Arthur’s mind so I can understand why they were implemented. I don’t think it did much to strengthen the plot. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference if they were there or not. At least we know that Phoenix and Gaga can carry a tune.

Speaking of our leads, Phoenix is once again brilliant as our troubled Arthur. You never really know if you’re supposed to be rooting for him. He keeps you fascinated though whether or not he’s himself or Joker. I wanted to like Gaga’s version of Harley, or Lee, as she goes by here, but unfortunately I wasn’t sold. Nothing against her whatsoever as an actress, but I didn’t feel like her character really went anywhere. Luckily the supporting cast of Brendan Gleeson as cop Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener as Arthur’s lawyer Maryanne Stewart and Harry Lawtey as lawyer Harvey Dent helped elevate things.

There were a lot of bold choices made throughout. The opening sequence for starters was something I certainly wasn’t expecting. I felt like the courtroom scenes became drawn out and slow and then when the third act came about, it all just kind of jumbled together. There was no flow. I kept waiting for it to all fall into place, but it never did.

I know that everything has a sequel or a reboot these days, but Joker: Folie À Deux is one that never should have happened. It ruined everything it had going for it in the first one and made it into something unrecognizable. Even the acting couldn’t save it. This is probably the worst film I have seen so far this year and that just makes me so sad to say.

Rating: ♥️.5

Wolfs

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When Margaret (Amy Ryan) finds herself in a delicate situation, she calls a fixer (George Clooney) to come and cover it up. But then another fixer (Brad Pitt) shows up and the two realize that they need to work together. The night spirals out of control in more ways than one.

The big selling point here is the team up of old time pals Clooney and Pitt. Their real life friendship truly shines through. The banter between them as rivals is whip smart and snappy; I found myself chuckling along at various intervals. I liked how their characters started off seemingly so different from one another, but as time goes on, you realize that they are actually quite similar.

In regards to the supporting cast, Ryan does a good job at setting the scene though she disappears shortly thereafter. Austin Abrams helps kick things up a notch with his rather integral role. I feel like the action doesn’t really start until his character comes into play. I remember seeing him get his start in Euphoria so the fact that he is now starring along side two of the greatest actors of our generation is impressive. Poorna Jagannathan was also a welcome addition as June, a lady who works with both of the fixers.

Unfortunately the film doesn’t have much by means of plot. It takes a while to get going as it really needs to set it all up. The chase sequences and fight scenes are chaotic and entertaining, especially the one that takes place in the final act. With that being said, I think I may have missed the overall point.

Wolfs is your typical run of the mill action caper that does very little to break the mold. It excels thanks to its two lead stars who help drive the film forward in every single way. Not bad for Sunday afternoon viewing, but not entirely memorable either.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

My Old Ass

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Elliot (Maisy Stella) has always felt like a big fish in a small pond. She can’t wait to get out of Muskoka and stat over again at university in Toronto. When she and her friends Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks) trip out on shrooms, Elliot comes face to face with her thirty nine year old self (Aubrey Plaza). Older Elliot comes with some warnings that will completely alter everything younger Elliot thought she knew.

Over the years there have been many coming of age films. Lady Bird, Eighth Grade and Perks of Being a Wallflower all walked so that My Old Ass could run. I wish there was something like this around when I was growing up. Turns out it still had an impact on me now.

I first saw Stella in 2012’s Nashville. After some time away from the spotlight, she’s back and better than ever. She brought so much charm and charisma to the role and was so extremely relatable. I’m really looking forward to seeing what she does next. Plaza, on the other hand, was not who I would have thought for Stella’s older counterpart, but it worked. I really enjoyed their scenes together and thought that they had a natural chemistry.

This film was so completely Canadian and I loved that aspect so much. Being able to experience cottage country again in its full form was pure joy. The beautiful Muskoka lake, the little islands scattered around it and puttering around on a motorboat brought me back to the various summers that I spent in an area not too far away from there. I also appreciated the fact that they casted some proper Canadian talent too.

I had a feeling that I would love My Old Ass, but I wasn’t prepared for just how much. Director Megan Park truly understands the minds of young adults. There were so many moments where I felt sucker punched with how real it all was. It gave me a lot to think about and I love it when a film does that. I highly recommend checking this one out!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

His Three Daughters

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Three estranged sisters come together in the last days of their father’s life. They couldn’t be more different: Katie (Carrie Coon) who has been struggling to get through to her teenage daughter, Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) who is away from her child for the first time and Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) who has never left the apartment she shares with her dad. Being in such close quarters for the first time in years will surely bring up all sorts of emotions.

I always like it when a film takes place in one location. It makes me feel like I’m watching a play. Not only that, but it really makes the overall atmosphere more intimate than usual because its focus is on a few select players. The father’s apartment holds a different meaning for each of the sisters though that doesn’t make it any less important. The only time the setting shifts is when we see the park and that in itself just feels like an extension.

Each actor delivers an impressive performance. They know these characters well and the way in which they work off each other was enjoyable to watch. Coon drove me crazy at times with her controlling ways, but I could also emphasize because as the eldest daughter she obviously felt like she had the most responsibility. Olsen was the peacemaker; I appreciated her efforts to mend the bridge between Coon’s Katie and Lyonne’s Rachel. Speaking of Lyonne, I’ve never seen her in such a role before. Her fear of a life without her father was so relatable. I think she was my favorite.

One of the downfalls for me was that sometimes the arguments would be solved too quickly. I would have liked more time in between for the dust to settle. I do understand these time constraints, however. In addition, there was a choice made in the final act that I didn’t completely agree with. It would have been more impactful if they had left it out entirely.

Overall, His Three Daughters was a realistic depiction of a family going through tragedy. With plenty of dramatic moments, there were also had some hopeful ones that perfectly balanced everything out. I’m not sure if it’s a film I’ll be revisiting anytime soon, but it is one that I’m glad I watched.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

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It’s been thirty six years, but everyone’s favorite poltergeist is back in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. When tragedy strikes the Deetz family, Lydia (Wynona Ryder), Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and Astrid (Jenna Ortega) are forced to return to Winter River. Lydia, who has been trying to move away from her past, is still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) all these years later.

I’m a fairly new fan of Beetlejuice, having only seen the original for the first time a year ago. It was one of those films that instantly captured my heart and made me fall for the campiness and charm. The hype surrounding this much anticipated sequel directed by Tim Burton was at an all time high and I couldn’t wait to see it for myself.

Right from the opening credits, the audience are sucked back into this world. Catching up with the characters we got to know and love from the first film was a treat while getting to know some new faces. Lydia is exactly how I pictured she would be as a mom. Ryder does such an amazing job with this character and she always has. She was hands down the heart and soul of the film. O’Hara was certainly the scene stealer as Delia; her one liners had me in stitches all the way through and I could’t believe the antics she kept getting up to. Ortega was a welcome addition to the group though it felt like she’d been there all along. And who could forget Beetlejuice himself? Keaton once again smashes it as the titular character delivering an unforgettable performance.

While the sequel had the same look and feel as its predecessor, I could’t help but feel like there was too much going on. Some of the storylines I really enjoyed, like Lydia and Astrid reconnecting and Beetlejuice’s reunion with the Deetzes. However, there were others that I could have done without. Monica Belluci’s plot as Beetlejuice’s ex wife Delores seemed like an afterthought. We didn’t have enough time to really get to know her which was a pity because she had definite potential. Similarly it would have been nice to have more backstory on Astrid’s dad Richard (Santiago Cabrera) instead of Rory (Justin Theroux) who was rather annoying as Lydia’s producer and boyfriend. Willem Dafoe didn’t bother me so much because Wolf Jackson was amusing, but I did find myself missing a cameo from the Maitlands.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice may not have been really necessary, but I think die hard fans of the franchise will still have a lot of fun with it. It is the perfect foray into spooky season and was true delight to be reunited with these iconic characters. I know I’ll be adding it to my annual Halloween roaster.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Sing Sing

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Based on the real life Rehabilitation of the Arts at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, the film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), a man who was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, and the other incarcerated men who put on plays as a way to escape reality. When newcomer Clarence Maclin (as himself) warily joins the group, Divine steps in and helps teach him the craft.

While the film may be simple in its plot, there is so much more to it than meets the eye. For starters, the acting is phenomenal by everyone in the cast. Domingo is known for smashing just about every single role he’s been in and this one was no exception. What was so astounding to me, however, was the fact that most of the characters were actual prisoners who took part in the program and were playing versions of themselves. Coming to this realization really made the whole experience that much more authentic and gave the film a whole new meaning.

Because this is a character study above all else, the cinematography was often up close and personal. This made it feel like we were in the room with them, having these conversations and being privy to their inner most thoughts and demons, but not in a way that was intrusive. This combined with the juxtaposition of the prison shots brought the audience back to reality.

At the end of the day, these men are human just like everybody else. They made have made mistakes, but haven’t we all? When everything was taken from them, they found a way to keep going despite it all. It was so inspiring to see.

Sing Sing was thought-provoking, understated and sincere. It was also full of hope. Everything about it worked for me and I can’t wait to see how well it does in awards season.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Jackpot!

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After another Great Depression, The Grand Lottery is introduced to help boost the economy again. The only catch is that if you kill the winner before sundown, you can legally claim their prize. Katie (Awkwafina) is new to LA when she unknowingly becomes the newest lottery winner. She ends up joining forces with an amateur jackpot protector named Noel (Jon Cena) who vows to help Katie make it to the end of the day.

There was so much wrong with this film, I don’t even know where to start. The one positive I can think of is the cast. Awkwafina and Cena develop an enjoyable friendship that I did like watching. Simu Liu, who portrays Louis Lewis, another protector and rival of Cena’s Noel, is another great addition and it was fun having him and Awkwafina reunited after Shang Chi. I mustn’t forget about Sean William Scott who starred in a feature film again after so long which was a welcome treat. While the script lets them down, it’s easy to tell that they are doing what they can with the material they were given.

Unfortunately it’s pretty much all downhill after that. While the storyline held promise, despite the fact that it’s not something we haven’t seen before, it wasn’t executed well at all. I would appreciated more background as to why this lottery made people so crazy that they wanted to kill the winner to claim the prize for themselves. The action sequences were almost cartoonish after a while and became less and less exciting to watch.

I also didn’t think the film was funny. A couple of the jokes made me chuckle, but most of them fell flat. Very rarely am I a fan of slapstick comedy so I should have realized I would find problems here. It just didn’t work and after a while it all just started to feel like more of the same.

Overall, Jackpot! was a huge waste of time. Aside from the cast who were trying their best, there really were no redeeming qualities. I’m surprised that Paul Feig directed this as I usually like this work. With its runtime coming in at almost two hours, I couldn’t wait until it was over.

Rating: ♥️

It Ends With Us

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Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us took the world by storm when it first came out in 2016. Now it has been adapted for the screen. The story follows Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who moves to Boston in hopes of opening a flower shop after a traumatic childhood. She meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) and is swept up is his charm and good looks. But when Lily runs into her first love Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), her relationship with Ryle takes a turn for the worse.

There was a lot of backlash over the casting for the film. Many thought that the actors chosen were too old for the roles and they weren’t who the fans had previously envisioned. Although I read the book, I didn’t have anybody in mind so that didn’t bother me too much. I just decided to go into it as blindly as I could. I actually ended up being pleasantly surprised.

Lively gave a powerful performance as our protagonist. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while now and the way in which she portrayed each of Lily’s mannerisms and emotions was spot on. Sklenar worked perfectly as Atlas; his chemistry with Lively was exactly what I had hoped it would be. Jenny Slate, who played Lily’s best friend Allysa, and Hasan Minhaj who was Allysa’s husband provided some much needed comic relief. I was also very impressed with Isabela Ferrer and Alex Neustaedter who took on the roles of young Lily and Atlas. The former was almost like a carbon copy of Lively, it was insane. The only person I had a problem with was Baldoni as Ryle. He simply was not convincing enough for me.

The subject matter at play here is not for the faint hearted. Domestic violence is something that men and women deal with all the time and that question of whether the victim should stay or leave is not as black and white as everyone thinks it is. I thought the way in which this was depicted on screen was very tastefully done. It took some time for those who weren’t aware to figure out exactly what was going on and it really made you feel for every character in the situation.

I was one of those skeptical people who wasn’t sure if It Ends With Us should be made into a film. While I did enjoy the book on some level, I understand those people who didn’t. It was much better than I was expecting it to be and it certainly tugged on my heartstrings! Despite how heavy it got at times, I did love seeing Lily Bloom’s come to life as well as ogling all the fashion choices and digging the soundtrack.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Deadpool & Wolverine

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Everyone’s favorite anti-hero Deadpool is back and this time he’s teaming up with an unlikely ally. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has traded in his Deadpool life for something resembling normalcy after his break up with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). But when his timeline is threatened by new foe Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), Wade is coerced by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) of the TVA to suit up, find Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and save the world.

Fans have been waiting for this instalment for years and I’m happy to report that it totally delivered. Reynold’s sassy Deadpool mixed with Jackman’s grumpy Wolverine made for a match made in heaven. From their back and forth hijinks on social media to their natural chemistry on screen, I hope this isn’t the last time we see them together.

With any Deadpool movie, audiences can expect plenty of over the top action sequences, blood and gore. The opening number and the car fight in particular were especially entertaining. The writing was also strong and quippy with almost every single joke landing. There are also plenty of pop culture references, but they’re more blink and you’ll miss them.

One area in which the film suffered was its plot which was hard to follow at times. I’ve come to expect this from Marvel, however, as I often find it hard to keep track of everything that is happening. Luckily this didn’t take much away from my enjoyment and can even be considered a standalone for new potential fans.

It’s no secret that Marvel hasn’t quite been the same since Endgame. After quite a few fumbles, I think Deadpool and Wolverine is a step in the right direction for the franchise. There is a lot of fun to be had, with hilarious jokes, memorable characters and cameos galore. I also can’t forget to mention the outstanding soundtrack featuring hits from NSYNC, Madonna, and Avril Lavigne. For the first time in a long time, I’m feeling optimistic about the future of the MCU.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️