Tag: Netflix

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: ♥♥♥

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

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: ♥♥♥♥

Moxie!

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Vivian (Hadley Robinson) is fed up with the sexist and toxic status quo at her high school. The jocks are always getting away with everything. Then, there is The List which annually compiles untrue titles of each student. Not to mention the fact that Principal Shelly (Marcia Gay Harden) does nothing to stop any of it. It has all gone too far. In order to step up and – hopefully – smash the patriarchy, Vivian follows in her mother Lisa’s (Amy Poehler) footsteps by anonymously publishing a zine. In the zine, she is able to speak out against these issues, but does that really count for anything when she’s not taking complete ownership?

I’ll be the first to admit that I was on the fence about watching Moxie! It seemed like it was going to be another teen movie that tried too hard to get it’s message across. While some parts were cliched and a bit cringe, it did work out well in the end.

They deal with serious issues that women face every day. Real issues that women face every day are depicted and it is important that they are addressed. Unfortunately Moxie! does not go into as much depth as it could have. It did sometimes seem as if the writers wanted the story to remain a comedy. There’s nothing wrong with humor; I just wish the approach wasn’t as superficial.

All in all, I think Moxie! mostly achieved what it set out to do. This is not only a film that teenage girls will look to, but it is one that everyone can learn something from.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

To All The Boys: Always and Forever

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The highly anticipated end to the popular To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise is finally here. Like every other fan, I was eagerly looking forward to seeing this last installment. I was so hoping that the story would be wrapped up in a perfect bow so that it would be easier for me to say goodbye to these characters that we have come to know and love. Luckily I got my wish!

Returning from a family trip to Korea, Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) is about to start her senior year! Together with her boyfriend Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), best friend Chris (Madeleine Arthur), nemesis Gen (Emilija Baranac) and friend Lucas (Trezzo Mahoro), they are ready to conquer everything from their trip to New York, Prom and graduation.

As she tries to immerse herself in her final days at Alder High, Lara Jean can’t help but be conflicted as to where she wants to go to college. The plan was to attend Stanford with Peter so they can stay together however when she gets into NYU, LJ isn’t so sure she wants to stay on the West Coast after all. Maybe following her dreams instead of her heart isn’t such a bad thing after all?

It has been some time since I read the trilogy so I can’t compare the movie to the books. Overall I was happy with how it all came together in the end. The characters got their happy ending and I liked how there were a lot of odes to the first two films. I’m sure that was much appreciated by the fans.

The only thing that bothered me throughout was how unsure Lara Jean was throughout the movie. She spent most of the time going back and forth between her decision and almost always based her choices on what she thought Peter would want her to do. Not going to lie – it got tiring after a while. It seemed like this whole topic of college swallowed up time she could have spent enjoying her last days at Alder High and with her family. I’m sure if she had been honest from the beginning, it would have saved a lot of heartache.

To All The Boys: Always and Forever was what I hoped it would be. If you are a long time fan of the series, I am sure you will be just as satisfied with this ending as I was.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Malcolm & Marie

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Quite possibly one of the most anticipated films of the year, Malcolm & Marie made headlines just under a year ago when news broke that it had been made during quarantine. People’s curiosities grew and so did the hype. Everyone wanted to know what the big secret was. I remember being incredibly excited to add this title to my list.

The story takes place over the span of one night. Malcolm (John David Washington) and Marie (Zendaya) have just returned home from a film premiere. Marie is disappointed in Malcolm because he forgot to thank her in his speech. What follows is a tumultuous evening complete with heightened tensions, many arguments and revelations between the two characters.

This movie left me feeling a mixed bag of emotions.

The acting was brilliant. Both John David Washington and Zendaya gave raw and chilling performances. At times I really did feel like I was right there in the room with them. I think it helped that it was just the two of them on screen as well. This made for a much more intimate experience that I won’t soon forget.

Something else that I loved was the cinematography. The black and white ambiance was a cool touch. I appreciated that it added a flair of timelessness. It was also filmed in 35mm which is unusual but added a uniqueness to the film.

However, the constant fighting really started to get to me after awhile. Just when you think it’s over, it starts all over again. The movie really is not for the faint hearted but it was eye opening at the same time. The message of giving gratitude to those you love was brought across perfectly and I felt a sense of solitary for Marie throughout.

Overall, Malcolm & Marie is a film that left an impression on me. I really don’t think I have seen anything like it before. Unfortunately the hype was too strong and it didn’t end up being like I expected.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

The White Tiger

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A rags to riches story is one of my favorite tropes. The White Tiger, a film by based on the 2008 book by Aravind Adiga, sparked my interest because it was executively produced by Ava DuVernay. I am convinced that everything she touches turns to gold. Together with director Ramin Bahrani, I knew that checking out this film was a no brainer. I just didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did!

Balram (Adarsh Gourav) knows that he is destined for greatness. When he gets a job as a driver for a wealthy Indian family, his life begins to change. But then Balram starts to see flaws in the system. He thought that working for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra) would be good for him, that they actually care about him and his wellbeing. Realizing that that couldn’t be further from the truth, Balram must use his wits to break free even if it means losing himself in the process.

This is not a light-hearted tale. It may start off on a hopeful note, complete with colorful visuals and lively music, however it slowly turns more dark as the film goes on. I thought this was also perfectly conveyed through the acting of the leads. The performances were all off the charts and I am excited to see what Adarsh Gourav does in the future. He put so many different emotions into his role and I was rooting for him the entire time.

I loved how the movie gave me major Parasite vibes in that the main character knows they are better than what society says they are. The caste system in India is just as thriving today than it was in the past and in some ways, it seems almost backwards for the 21st century. I appreciated how we as the audience had the opportunity to see this depicted because it helped make the movie more realistic.

The White Tiger was a joy to watch and I know it will stick with me for years to come. I’m sure it will have the same effect on you too.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥