Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

It’s been ten years since we last saw The Horsemen, but they are finally back on our screens! New performers Charlie (Justice Smith), Bosco (Dominic Sesa) and June (Ariana Greenblatt) team up with the retired gang for a diamond heist unlike any other. Spanning multiple countries and high stakes magic tricks, they have to take on new villain Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike).

I love the first two Now You See Me films so much! When film number one came out I remember being completely enthralled in the idea of it; they took magic and amped it up by a million. While the second wasn’t as great, it was still a fun time. And although this third outing probably wasn’t necessary, I still enjoyed every single minute of it.

All the major players were back: Jesse Eisenberg as J. Daniel Atlas, Woody Harrelson as Merrit McKinney, Dave Franco as Jack Wilder and Isla Fisher as Henley Reeves reprised their roles and it was honestly like no time had passed. They still had such an effortless chemistry with one another and it looked like they were having a ball. I actually liked the new character additions. It made sense to introduce some fresh blood and they fit in well. Pike also completely smashed it as a bad guy. Her accent was not at all convincing, but I think that was supposed to be the point and it added some surprising comedy to her scenes.

I’ve heard some people say that there wasn’t as many full on magic tricks as before and while I can see where they are coming from, I do understand why they had to go bigger this time around. There was still the usual slight of hand and card tricks, but the scene in chateau in France was cool and the final trick came together in a way that I wasn’t expecting though I mean that in the best way possible.

Overall, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t may not have been the best in the franchise, but I still had a blast with it. I could literally watch a million of these films and never get bored of them so here’s hoping we get many more!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Saltburn

Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is struggling to find his place when he starts at Oxford University. Soon he meets Felix, (Jacob Elordi) who with his good looks and wealth is everything that Oliver is not. When the two strike up a friendship, Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer with him at his family’s estate for the summer.

Never have I ever been so engrossed while watching a film, but that is what happened with Saltburn. It took me on a journey from the very beginning and did not let up for one single moment. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the rug was pulled from underneath me. As the story unfolded, the events got crazier and more deranged, but I mean that in the best way possible.

Emerald Fennell is a visionary. I was such a fan of her debut Promising Young Woman; she made it known right off the bat that she wasn’t afraid to push the envelope and I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do next. I just had no idea she was capable of this.

The script is punchy with many jokes thrown in. They all land, thanks to the amazing delivery of the cast. Keoghan has proven time and time again that he is an absolute star. The places he took Oliver to were otherworldly and I have to commend him. I was pleasantly surprised by Elordi as well. Not only did he have the role of heartthrob down pat, he added that extra ounce of humanity to the character that made you give a shit.

The film would be nothing without its supporting cast, all of who knocked it out of the park. Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike and Alison Oliver make up the rest of the Catton clan. Their chemistry is impeccable and they each brought something unique to the table. I loved the addition of Carey Mulligan as the slightly unstable family friend too.

Saltburn is like a rollercoaster you don’t want to get off of. It is insane and didn’t hold anything back, but that is what I loved about it. Not knowing where it was going to go was refreshing and I never wanted the experience to end.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

I Care A Lot

I didn’t know what to expect from I Care A Lot. All I knew was everyone and their mother was talking about how amazing Rosamund Pike’s performance in it was. Frankly that was enough to gauge my interest. What I didn’t bargain for were the emotions this film took me on. I was gripped from the get go and can’t get over how eye opening it was at the same time.

Marla Greyson (Rosamund Pike) is a legal guardian who always gets off scot-free when she screws over her clients. Up until now she and her partner – in crime and in life – Fran (Eiza Gonzalez) have never had any problems. When Marla decides to target Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), however, she lands herself in hot water. Jennifer’s son Roman (Peter Dinklage) is a powerful gangster who will stop at nothing to make sure his mother is safe.

This movie is pegged as a comedy thriller and I definitely agree with that. At times it seems as though the comedic aspects don’t quite fit in, but I am glad that they are there because it is a nice balance to the darker nature of the story.

To reiterate what everyone has said about Rosamund Pike’s performance, I do believe that this is one of her best yet. We may not see her in a lot of projects, though when we do, she always gives 110% to whatever the role is. In some ways, I like how the character of Marla has been compared to Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. They are both conniving, ruthless and badass. I definitely think that Rosamund’s Golden Globe nomination is well deserved. In addition, the rest of the cast are brilliant too.

I think that what struck me the most about I Care A Lot is that it is based on true events. Being an elderly person in the United States is no easy feat these days because people really do pose as legal guardians in hopes of getting money. On top of this being eye opening, it was also educational and kind of scary.

I Care A Lot was a surprise for me. The fact that it was unlike what I was expecting it to be in the best way possible was just a bonus. It took me on a rollercoaster journey and I really loved every moment of it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥