Tag: Netflix

Frankenstein

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From the creative mind of Guillermo del Torro comes a new adaption of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The story follows Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a mad scientist, who attempts to bring people back from the dead. When he successfully gives life to a new type of creature (Jacob Elordi), nothing will never be the same again.

This film has been in the works for many years and I have to say it was well worth the wait. Coming in at two and a half hours seemed daunting at first, but every single one of those minutes is warranted. There have been quite a few versions of this story told and this one breathes new life into it while still staying true to the source material.

With del Torro saying he wanted real sets built for authenticity he truly brought his point across. Not only were they expertly crafted, they were so otherworldly that I was left speechless at times. All of a sudden it felt like I was transported into this place with its vibrant colors and cool locations. Each one just kept getting better. The beautiful set designs paired brilliantly with the costumes and the haunting score that played throughout.

The casting was spot on and the performances well done. Isaac was perfect as the titular character. You root for him at the beginning because he wants to prove himself so badly, but by the end I couldn’t help resenting him for the choices he made. Elordi, however, stole the show for me. I was so impressed with the way in which he approached his role. Not only was he unrecognizable, he also had to change his voice and mannerisms to match those of a monster. While Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth did not have a lot of screen time, they were so present every time we did see them and their character’s were just as integral to the story.

I loved the idea of splitting the film into three separate chapters. This gave the audience a chance to experience the events that were unfolding from different perspectives. You know the saying there are two sides to every story and then there’s the truth? That seemed to ring true here. Each part helped build all the important plot points and didn’t leave anything out. In most reiterations of Frankenstein, the Creation is usually depicted as an evil monster. This time around he was given some proper human qualities. I really appreciated this change and felt like it added so much more.

Overall Frankenstein really is as epic as everyone has been saying it is. From the performances, to the brilliant sets, costumes and the world building itself, it is truly a treat. Although I wish I had had the chance to see this in the cinema, I am glad that it exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to see how it does come awards season.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

The Woman in Cabin 10

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Based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, The Woman in Cabin 10 follows Laura ‘Lo’ Blacklock (Keira Knightley), a journalist who has been invited on a luxury cruise for an assignment. When she sees a woman thrown overboard late one evening, she is told that no such thing happened. Despite nobody believing Lo’s claims, she does what she can to find out the truth.

Although I’ve not read the book, I was familiar with the story. I am also always up for a good whodunnit and this one seemed to tick all the boxes. While it was far from groundbreaking, I had a ton of fun with it and thought that it provided some satisfying entertainment.

Locked room mysteries are one of my favorite tropes because everything is heightened. The players cannot leave the premises and they are forced to coexist in close quarters. Having the film take place on a yacht was a smart choice because not only does it serve as a stunning backdrop, most is spent in the middle of a body of water with no sign of land for miles. This makes it feel even more isolating and therefore like something bad is about to happen.

I’ve been a fan of Knightley’s ever since I was a teenager. I’m so glad that she’s been coming back to the silver screen as of late. She carried the film on her back and was absolutely perfect as our protagonist. As Lo, she was fearless and never gave up despite everybody around her telling her she was crazy. With any thriller comes a slew of characters. Guy Pearce, David Ajala, Art Malik, Hannah Waddingham, Kaya Scodelario, Lisa Loven Kongsli and David Morrissey all portrayed obnoxiously rich people who were along for the ride. Some were featured more than others and that was one of the downsides. I wish each had their own chance to shine. I still have questions about some of these people!

Maybe I’m just not good at solving puzzles, but I didn’t see the twist coming. For that reason alone, I have to say that I had a great time watching the events unfold. There were many red herrings and just when I thought I knew what was happening, I realized how very wrong I was. I do wish the final act had been fleshed out a little bit more. It seemed rather rushed.

Overall, The Woman in Cabin 10 was a decent enough mystery that had me engaged from the get go. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was a great way to spend a quiet Saturday night in. I doubt I’ll remember much about it in a week’s time and that’s okay. It more than served its purpose when I needed it to.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

The Thursday Murder Club

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Based upon Richard Osman’s 2020 novel of the same name, The Thursday Murder Club follows four individuals who meet every week to try and solve cold cases. Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahaim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) couldn’t be more different save for their love of true crime. When one of the co-owners of their retirement home is found dead, they finally have the chance to put their sleuthing skills to the test.

I did read the book shortly after it came out, but I really don’t remember it. What I do know is that I wasn’t a big fan and soon put it out of my mind. I did find my interest peaking when news of the film broke and especially with that cast. I honestly did not know what to expect going into it though I wouldn’t be surprised if me not recalling any details helped with the overall enjoyment.

Mirren, Brosnan, Kingsley and Imrie are practically British royalty. To have them star together in such an adaptation is a lot of pressure; we all know that mixing big names together doesn’t always have the desired effect. With that being said, I actually think they were perfect. Mirren helmed the film effortlessly – she was Elizabeth. There was also so much more to her character that we simply didn’t get to see so hopefully there will be more opportunities for that in the future. They all had their moments to shine, however. I do think that Kingsley and Imrie could have been a little bit more at the forefront though.

The rest of the cast was absolutely stacked as well, I can’t not mention them. Naomi Ackie is Donna, a police officer who ends up working closely with the Murder Club on the case. Tom Ellis is Jason, Ron’s son and former boxing champ. Jonathan Pryce is Elizabeth’s husband Stephen who has dementia. David Tennant is Ian, another owner of the retirement home who is into all sorts of dodgy business. And Richard E. Grant is Bobby, a mysterious man who has disappeared, but who has a specific connection to the case. I loved seeing who would pop up where and thought they all did brilliantly in their roles.

I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the reasons why I didn’t enjoy the book as much was because the mystery was more of an Agatha Christie whodunnit and not so much of an earth-shattering twist that I’m always gagged for. I didn’t mind that in the film. It made the whole atmosphere quite cozy and autumnal which is fitting considering we are soon entering the ber months. These aspects combined with the beautiful backdrop of Coopers Chase (a literal castle?!) complete with it’s stunning manicured lawns and a cemetery really just enhanced the whole experience.

Overall, I enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club more than I thought I would. I would one hundred percent be open to them adapting the other books so let’s hope that they do. This has also prompted me to revisit the book – maybe I will appreciate it more now.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

My Oxford Year

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Based on the book by Julia Whelan, My Oxford Year follows Anna De La Vega (Sofia Carson) as she sets out to the prestigious university to study poetry. She’s had her life planned out just so, but she never expected to meet Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest). A PHD student filling in as a TA for the poetry class that Anna is taking, the two have a rocky start that quickly develops into something life changing.

The student teacher relationship aside, I have to say that I thought the relationship between our two main characters was lovely to watch. I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope, but this one packed a punch I didn’t see coming. It seems as though Carson has been in everything and anything on Netflix lately, but I am not complaining. I was familiar with Mylchreest from Queen Charlotte and remember him being quite the heartthrob. Together they had a sweet and organic chemistry; I was rooting for them from the beginning.

As I hadn’t read the book prior to watching the film, I went in blindly and I was completely floored when I discovered where the story was going. I probably shouldn’t have been too surprised and yet I was still caught off guard by how touching the whole thing was. The importance of living every moment as if it’s your last was not only prominent, but depicted perfectly.

Another selling point for me was, of course, the beautiful Oxford backdrop. It’s been a hot minute since I last visited, but I was instantly transported there. The various pub outings, kebab stand and the Oxford vs. Cambridge boat race were just so quintessentially British that I couldn’t help but smile.

Overall, I went into My Oxford Year expecting a cute, easy going rom-com and came out of it with something more. The acting may not have been the best and I didn’t really care for the side characters, but that’s okay. The story and the central romance was enough to keep me invested.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Fear Street: Prom Queen

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Prom is a rite of passage for every high school student even when said high school is in Shadyside. For one night only they will try to take their minds off of the curse that has fallen on their town for a good night. Lori Granger (India Fowler) is an outsider who has been nominated for Prom Queen. It’s clear that none of the It Girls, lead by Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza), want Lori to be competing against them. When they start disappearing one by one, it becomes clear that a killer is on the loose and none of them are safe.

The first three Fear Street films came out in the summer of 2021 and became instant hits. This trilogy singlehandedly got me into the horror genre. I was so excited for this new instalment. Unfortunately it did not exactly live up to my expectations though there were some things I still appreciated.

Fowler did just fine as our final girl though I wasn’t completely sold on her performance. The same can be said about the other younger talent. Strazza was probably my favorite because she was so mean, she could very well give Regina George a run for her money. It would have been nice to see more of Christy, portrayed by Ariana Greenblatt, and I would have appreciated more backstory of the other girls. The adult cast were much more enjoyable. Nancy (Katherine Waterston) and Dan Falconer (Chris Klein) were hilarious as Tiffany’s overbearing parents and I thought Vice Principal Dolores Brekenridge (Lili Taylor) and Principal Wayland (Darrin Baker) were quite the pair.

Though a lot of the kills were predictable, they were still really well executed. I was unsure at the beginning because we didn’t see the first one happen on screen, but luckily it was ramped up by a thousand percent thereafter. I also have to say that I did not see the reveal coming whatsoever. It genuinely caught me off guard.

Fear Street: Prom Queen may not have been the outing I had anticipated it would be. I guess that what happens when you get your hopes up too high. At least the kills were good and the soundtrack perfectly encapsulated the eighties. I am looking forward to more of the Fear Street books being adapted.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

The Life List

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Alex (Sofia Carson) used to know what she wanted in life, but lately she’s been feeling lost. When her mother Elizabeth (Connie Britton) passes away, she implores Alex to complete the life list she made when she was thirteen years old. From getting a tattoo to learning how to play Clair de Lune on the piano to going back to teaching, Alex starts to fall in love with her life again.

I actually didn’t know much about this film going into it. Here I was expecting a light-hearted romantic comedy so you could imagine my surprise when I discovered it wasn’t quite that at all. Instead, what I discovered, was something more.

Carson has played similar characters in the past. What I liked about Alex and what I felt was different this time around was the emotional rollercoaster she goes through. From losing her mom, to trying to find herself again and maybe even falling in love along the way, it was a more complex role and I thought she did well. Though Britton’s Elizabeth is killed off rather quickly, she is still very much an integral part of the story. I loved the relationship she and Alex shared; you could tell that it was them against the world.

The theme of romance was certainly prominent throughout, but it wasn’t at the forefront. One of the items on Alex’s life list was to find true love and this was no easy feat. Her two potential suitors Brad (Kyle Allen) and Garrett (Sebastian De Souza) were attractive and had many positive attributes to them. She really could have ended up with either of them, though I did have my preference.

What I liked the most about this film was the message behind it. Pain and loss is a part of life. It’s how to deal with it that makes all the difference. This is easier said than done, but it was really inspiring to see how Alex did what she could to lift herself up in what was otherwise a heartbreaking situation.

Overall, The Life List is definitely one of Netflix’s better original films. The depth and emotions behind it wasn’t what I was expecting whatsoever, but that just made the experience so much more enjoyable.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Electric State

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Based on the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag, The Electric State follows Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), an orphan, whose life hasn’t been the same since the war. She teams up with a robot and a smuggler named Keats (Chris Pratt) to find her long lost brother who she presumed was dead.

Directed by the Russo brothers and boasted to be the most expensive Netflix project ever made, one would expect this film to be slam dunk. Unfortunately that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. While there were some glimmers of hope at the beginning, my interest in the film grew thinner and thinner as the time went on and I just didn’t really see the point anymore.

Where the film excels is in its special effects and cinematography. The various robots that the audience meets throughout come with their own individual personalities thanks to the voice talents of Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Ke Huy Quan and Jenny Slate. The world building was pretty impressive as well with the vast lands of a post apocalyptic United States. As the film took place in the nineties, I also loved the throwback songs that were featured throughout as it really helped set the tone.

Brown is great in everything she does. I’ve grown to admire her as an actor over the years and she does what she can with the role. I can imagine that talking one on one to a robot for most of the film couldn’t have been easy. I can’t help but think that Pratt is being typecasted in yet another Peter Quill sort of role. I’m also not a fan of his in general so I found watching his scenes to be a bit annoying. Stanley Tucci is supposed to be a villain, but I didn’t find him menacing whatsoever.

Pacing was also an issue for me. It felt kind of all over the place and I’m wondering if maybe it had been made into a show instead of a film would it have fared better? The same can be said about the characters. Aside from Michelle, we really didn’t have much backstory on Keats or Tucci’s Ethan Skate which left them rather one-dimensional. I also couldn’t figure out who the target audience for the film was supposed to be.

While I may not have had high expectations for The Electric State, I was still hoping it wouldn’t be that bad. I guess this is something that I should just expect from Netflix going forward though I really wish they would give us more quality films.

Rating: ♥️♥️

Back In Action

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Once upon a time, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) were spies. They gave it all up to settle down and start a family. Fast forward fifteen years, they’re living a life of lies in suburbia with their children Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). When someone from their past shows up on their doorstep, they are forced to go on the run to try and clear their name.

Diaz’s last role was in 2014. She is finally back on our screens and I couldn’t be happier. She’s always been up there as one of my favorite actors of all time – I didn’t realize how much I missed her until now. She and Foxx shined as our leading characters. Having starred together in projects before, you know that they have a good camaraderie and can make any film entertaining.

In addition we had Glenn Close as Ginny, Emily’s mother and Jamie Demetriou as Nigel, Ginny’s much younger boyfriend. These two stole the show. With Ginny as a former MI6 agent and Nigel providing the comic relief, they were another duo I didn’t know I needed. Kyle Chandler and Andrew Scott also made appearances as important figures in Emily and Matt’s past.

Where the film excelled was in its comedy. There was a steady stream of laughs throughout and I kind of wish they’d leaned into the humour more instead of taking themselves too seriously. On the action side of things, it isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. From the get go, I felt like I was watching 2023’s The Family Plan. While I did like that one as well, I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more originality.

Overall, Back In Action is an enjoyable enough action flick that’s perfect for a Saturday night. Complete with a sparkling cast and some zany adventures, I had a good enough time with it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Carry-On

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Having coasted through life the past couple of years, Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) feels the pressure to step up after his longtime girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) becomes pregnant. On Christmas Eve, the busiest day of the year for airports, Ethan is put on the x-ray machine. When a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) blackmails him into playing along with his terrorist attack, Ethan must go along with the plan while also figuring out a way to save not only Nora, but thousands of other passengers too.

What initially attracted me to this film was the cast. Egerton has always been enjoyable and it was fun seeing him back in an action flick again. He plays the hero well and kept the film grounded. Though Bateman was only really present in the film throughout the second half, he carried an ominous presence from the moment you hear his voice through the earpiece. The way in which those two worked off each other was like watching a delicious game of cat and mouse. The supporting cast members elevated the story too. Carson had a sweet romance with Egerton’s character while Danielle Deadwyler was kick ass as LAPD officer Elena Cole.

As far as action goes, this certainly delivered. After a small introduction, it didn’t waste any time to get going. The airport setting really made it that locked room vibe which I liked and it added to the chaos as well. There was so much tension, like Ethan was running against a clock. I also never in a million years thought that I would watch a fight sequence set to Wham’s Last Christmas, but I wasn’t mad about it.

I didn’t have high hopes for Carry-On at first. It was much better than I thought it was going to be! Not only did it grip my attention from the very beginning, it had enough twists and turns throughout that kept me on the edge of my seat. It may not have been very realistic, but I didn’t care. I had a great time with it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Our Little Secret

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year because Lindsay Lohan is back on our screens starring in another Christmas film. This time around she stars as Avery, a career driven woman who is spending the holidays with her boyfriend Cam (Jon Rudnitsky) and his family. What she doesn’t know is that her ex from ten years ago Logan (Ian Harding) is now dating Cassie (Katie Baker) who just so happens to be Cam’s sister and he’ll be joining in for the festivities. Instead of coming forward about their past relationship, they decide to keep it a secret.

Out of the slew of festive films that Netflix have released this year, this one has been my favorite. Lohan is in top form here; she’s so effortless in the romcom genre and she always delivers when it comes to comedy. I thought that Harding was a good choice for the role of Logan. The chemistry between the two of them was cute. I’ve always liked the friends to lovers trope and while they were mostly exes during the film, we got to see their relationship develop in a more mature way.

Among the rest of the cast were some familiar names like Tim Meadows and Judy Reyes who portray Stan and Margaret, family friends, respectively. The big scene stealer, however, was Kristin Chenoweth as Erica, Cam and Cassie’s mother. She was such a bitch, but that just made me love her more. You could tell that she was having the time of her life.

I found the film to be genuinely funny. The scene in the church and the one with the family dog particularly had me in stitches. They were just so over the top! But what I appreciated was the balance with Avery dealing with her mother’s sudden loss from a few years ago. It was something I could relate to and it added a deeper layer to the story.

Overall Our Little Secret was a cute little Christmas romcom. With a great cast, hilarious hijinks and a heartwarming love story, this is one that I will definitely revisit in the future.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️