"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Streaming Service: Netflix Movie Name/Year: KPop Demon Hunters (2025) Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy Length: 1h 35min Rating: PG Director: Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang Writer: Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, Chris
Appelhans, Bo Yeon Kim, Erika Lippldt Actors: Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Ahn Hyoo-seop, Yunjin
Kim, Ken Jeong, Lee Byung-hun, Daniel Dae Kim, Rumi Oak Blurb from IMDb: A world-renowned K-Pop girl
group balance their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as
demon hunters.
Selina’s Point of View: The trailer for KPop
Demon Hunters was insane. I was looking forward to seeing it, but I just
couldn’t find the time. Then my daughter saw it while she was visiting with
some cousins, and her reaction made it essential that I see this film. My daughter
doesn’t like movies. She’ll occasionally watch one for my sake, but if she genuinely
likes a flick, that speaks wonders for it. She LOVED KPop Demon Hunters.
Honestly? I loved
it too.
The animation
style was gorgeous. The few times it wasn’t, was on purpose. Either because it
was exaggerating excitement or because it was pointing out a flaw we were meant
to see. Not unlike most anime. The soundtrack was also exceptional, and I
recommend having captions on so that you can catch as much meaning in the
lyrics as possible your first time around.
The best part about
KPop Demon Hunters, though, is how easily I was able to relate to the
characters. Anyone who’s ever had to deal with a brain that attacks them will.
When that happens
with me, I call it “Mean Brain.” That means my brain is saying awful things to
me, and I can’t seem to shut it up or block it out. The influence of Gwi-ma
sounds exactly like mean brain to me. It was interesting, and maybe even a
little triggering, to hear it on screen.
KPop
Demon Hunters
is so much more than I thought it would be, and I went into it with HIGH expectations.
I can’t recommend it enough.
Writers:
Robinne Lee, Michael Showalter, Jennifer Westfeldt
Actors:Anne
Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott,
Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Meg
Millidge, Cheech Manohar, Raymond Cham Jr., Jaiden Anthony, Viktor
White, Dakota Adan, Roxy Rivera, Graham Norton, Grace Junot, Jon
Levine, Demián Castro, Trevor David, Brent Bailey, Chandler Lovelle,
Nina Bloomgarden, Hedy Nasser, Luke Pierre Roness, Rashal James,
Angela Davis, Tanya Lim, Bethany Brown, Trinity Ansah, Holly A.
Morris
IMDb
Blurb: Solène, a 40-year-old
single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes
Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the
planet.
Cat’s
Point of View:
When I was building my Top20 article for this month, I passed on including The Idea
of You on my list. I was sorely tempted because I absolutely
adore Anne Hathaway (Dark Waters, WeCrashed, Eileen) . It just
didn't speak to me as much as the other films that made the final
cut, however. I wasn't upset about giving this movie a chance,
though.
The trailer for The Idea of You
gave me the impression of a cute drama-romance on the guilty-pleasure
side. It painted a picture of a mid-life fantasy where the older
woman reveled in her vibrance and cast caution to the wind to chase a
fairytale in spite of her own misgivings.
The fact that this was a novel
adaptation didn't factor in to my desire to watch, as I haven't read
the book. Fans of the source material may want to watch with a grain
of salt, however. I've seen several reviews that advised that there
were some changes made. I couldn't tell you whether or not the
screenplay honored the spirit of the book or not. This just isn't my
usual go-to.
All told, The Idea of You played
out pretty much as I expected. The fact that there weren't any
surprises here wasn't a bad thing. I enjoyed and took comfort in
things playing out as I'd envisioned.
It was solid for a whirlwind romance
and had some deeper emotions and themes than initially anticipated.
Hathaway's performance held the whole production together, and I also
appreciated that Nicholas Galitzine's (The Craft: Legacy,
Cinderella, Bottoms) character was given more depth than just
“the young boy-band hot guy.”
Considering this isn't my preferred
genre, I likely won't queue this up for re-watch, but I definitely
wouldn't steer anyone away from The Idea of You.
20 – Popular
Theory (2/9) Director: Ali
Scher Writer: Ali Scher,
Joe Swanson Actors: Sophia
Reid-Gantzert, Lincoln Lambert, Chloe East, Cheryl Hines, Marc Evan Jackson,
Kat Conner Sterling Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Family Rated: PG Length: Unknown
Length IMDb Blurb: Erwin, a girl genius, is the youngest student in
high school. Unfortunately she struggles with social isolation. When she meets
fellow science guru, Winston, they team up to invent a chemical that changes
the high school hierarchy forever. Popular Theory looks cute, but I have seen it before. In the 90s, it was called Love Potion No. 9 (1992),
and I watched it so much that I wore out the VHS tape. Back in the day, it was
my favorite rom-com. The trailer for Popular Theory leads me to believe
that it’s basically a reboot for teens. Some of the scenes are pulled almost
completely from the 1992 film. I wanted to put it a bit higher on the list, but there are
some creative flicks coming out this February, so it feels like something to
mention, but not push. 19 – Lights Out
(2/16) Director: Christian
Sesma Writer: Chad Law,
Garry Charles Actors: Dermot
Mulroney, Scott Adkins, Jaime King, Frank Grillo, Kevin Gage, Mekhi Phifer Genre: Action, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 30min IMDb Blurb: A drifting ex-soldier turns underground fighter
with the help of a just released ex-con, pitting them both against a crime
boss, corrupt cops and hired killers. When I see Frank Grillo (The Grey, Boss Level, Copshop)
in an action flick, I take notice. I’m not a hardcore fan of his, but I can’t
deny that he brings something fun to anything action. He’s just got that action
hero way about him. Of course, Lights Out still looks a little basic, so
I couldn’t really have it any higher on my list. 18 – Float (2/9) Director: Sherren
Lee Writer: Jesse
LaVercombe, Sherren Lee, Kate Marchant Actors: Robbie
Amell, Andrea Bang Genre: Drama,
Romance Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: After she nearly drowns, a young woman unexpectedly
falls for the small-town lifeguard who rescued her. Based on the novel by Kate
Marchant. As rom-coms go, Float looks pretty decent. It’s adorable,
and I can feel the chemistry between Robbie Amell (Upload, The Tomorrow People,
ARQ) and Andrea Bang (Kim’s Convenience, A Million Little Things, Fresh)
throughout the trailer. It will almost undoubtedly be a bit on the trope-y
side, but cute none-the-less. 17 – Land of Bad
(2/16) Director: William
Eubank Writer: William
Eubank, David Frigerio Actors: Milo
Ventimiglia, Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, Luke Hemsworth Genre: Action,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 50min IMDb Blurb: A rookie air force combat controller and a seasoned
drone pilot support a Delta Force team as they try to shift a mission gone
wrong into a rescue operation. The cast for Land of Bad is outstanding. That said,
the writers/director leave a bit to be desired and the plot is a touch on the
overdone side. Still, I have faith in it. I think there’s every possibility
that Land of Bad could be something special. 16 – Red Right
Hand (2/23) Director: Eshom
Nelms, Ian Nelms Writer: Jonathan
Easley Actors: Andie
MacDowell, Orlando Bloom, Garret Dillahunt, Brian Geraghty, James Lafferty,
Jeremy Ratchford, Scott Haze Genre: Action, Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 51min IMDb Blurb: Cash is trying to live an honest and quiet life,
but when Big Cat forces him back into her services, he proves capable of
anything to protect the town and the only family he has left. I did several double takes before I realized the lead in
this film was Orlando Bloom (Gran Turismo, Zulu, Pirate of the Caribbean).
It caught me very off-guard. This is simply not the kind of flick I expect to
see him in. That said, I’m here for it. I’m especially excited to see Eshom and Ian Nelms (Squirrel
Trap, Night of the Dog, Small Town Crime) at the helm of Red Right Hand.
I’ve seen how they handle crime and comedy, and they have an eye for that kind
of direction that I think would lend brilliantly to an action/thriller. 15 – No Way Up
(2/16) Director: Claudio
Fäh Writer: Andy
Mayson Actors: Phyllis
Logan, Colm Meaney, Will Attenborough, James Carroll Jordan, Sophie McIntosh,
Jeremias Amoore, Grace Nettle, Manuel Pacific, David Samartin, Scott Coker Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 30min IMDb Blurb: Characters from different backgrounds are thrown
together when the plane they're travelling on crashes into the Pacific Ocean. A
nightmare fight for survival ensues with the air supply running out and dangers
creeping in from all sides. I love disaster films, but it’s very easy for them to become
repetitive. After all, how many plane crash movies are there? And we all know
none of them are ever going to be better than Cast Away (2000). What I like about No Way Up is that there’s something
to set it apart from the others. Being alive after a plane crash on a desert
island, or even in the middle of the sea is one thing. On the bottom of the
ocean? Especially after the whole world learned, just this past summer, exactly
what could happen to people that go down too far? That’s a different animal
altogether. It’s still a disaster film, so I’m sure there’ll be tropes
utilized that are the same in just about all of them, but I’m still excited. 14 – How to Have
Sex (2/2) Director: Molly
Manning Walker Writer: Molly
Manning Walker Actors: Anna Antoniades,
Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Enva Lewis, Samuel Bottomley, Shaun Thomas Genre: Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 31min IMDb Blurb: Three British teenage girls go on a
rites-of-passage holiday - drinking, clubbing and hooking up, in what should be
the best summer of their lives. I’ll be honest, How to Have Sex is not the kind of
movie that usually draws me in. That said, there’s something about it that
really draws me in. As I continued through my list of trailers, I kept
returning to this one. It’s all instinct where this flick is concerned. I wish I
could point out exactly what it was that made me believe How to Have Sex
was something to look out for, but I can’t. Sometimes there are just
indecipherable patterns. None-the-less, I’m looking forward to it. 13 – Orion and
the Dark (2/2) Director: Sean
Charmatz Writer: Charlie
Kaufman, Lloyd Taylor, Emma Yarlett Actors: Carla
Gugino, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasia Demetriou, Jacob Tremblay, Angela Bassett,
Colin Hanks, Werner Herzog, Ike Barinholtz Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: TV-Y7 Length: 1h 30min IMDb Blurb: A boy with an active imagination faces his fears on
an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend: a giant,
smiling creature named Dark. Personally, I’m more into Orion and the Dark than I
am The Tiger’s Apprentice, but I can’t ignore the target demographic.
Since my daughter falls right into that category, I showed her both trailers
and let her choose the order. Obviously, I trust Dreamworks. The How to Train Your
Dragon (2010-2019) flicks are among my favorites. That said, even I have to
admit that Orion and the Dark doesn’t seem quite up to their normal
standards. Still, the story has some great lessons and an age-appropriate plot
that still seems to appeal to adults as well. 12 – The Tiger’s
Apprentice (2/2)
Director: Raman
Hui, Yong Duk Jhun, Paul Watling Writer: David
Magee, Christopher L. Yost, Laurence Yep Actors: Henry
Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Leah
Lewis, Jo Koy Genre: Animation,
Action, Adventure Rated: PG Length: 1h 39min IMDb Blurb: Tom Lee, a Chinese-American boy, after the death of
his grandmother, has to be apprenticed to the talking tiger Mr. Hu and learn
ancient magic to become the new guardian of an ancient phoenix. The Tiger’s Apprentice feels a little less original
than Orion and the Dark, but it’s not a bad mix of inspirations. I’d say
it combines Kung Fu Panda (2008) with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)
– which are both cute, decent films. It’s got a clean animation style, with beautiful settings
and designs. Not the best children’s offering I’ve seen, but it works for a
February release. 11 – Madame Web (2/14) Director: S.J.
Clarkson Writer: Matt
Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claie Parker, S.J. Clarkson Actors: Sydney
Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Dakota Johnson, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott, Celeste O’Connor,
Jill Hennessy, Mike Epps Genre: Action,
Adventure, Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 56min IMDb Blurb: Cassandra Webb develops the power to see the
future. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a
relationship with three young women bound for powerful destinies, if they can
all survive a deadly present. I don’t know anything about Madame Web as a comic book
character, but we all know I’m a Marvel fan girl. Just based on my fan-girl
status, Madame Web should be high up on my list. So, why doesn’t it even
make my top 10 this month? Sony/Columbia. As much as any Marvel fan will go and see every one of the
movies, no matter how disappointing the last one was, we all also know that
other companies tend to spoil things. The trailer looks great, the cast is fantastic, and the
director has a hell of a filmography behind her, she even directed a couple episodes
of Jessica Jones (2015) – which was an amazing show. All promising
facts. A less promising fact is that the writers of Morbius (2022)
are involved. After the travesty that was that shit show, it’s something that’s
hard to ignore. I will never understand why another Marvel property has been
entrusted to them. Seems like a bad call. I’m looking forward to Madame Web, but I won’t be too
surprised if it winds up disappointing me.
10 – Players (2/14) Director: Trish
Sie Writer: Whit
Anderson Actors: Tom
Ellis, Gina Rodriguez, Joel Courtney, Damon Wayans Jr., Liza Koshy, Genre: Comedy,
Romance Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 45min IMDb Blurb: New York sportswriter Mack has spent years devising
successful hook-up "plays" with her friends, but when she
unexpectedly falls for one of her targets, she must learn what it takes to go
from simply scoring to playing for keeps Although Players has that ridiculously convoluted
heist-y vibe, it doesn’t remind me of the movies a flick like that would tend
to remind me of. Instead, it reminds me of Slackers (2002) – a movie I
only know about because I followed Devon Sawa’s (Idle Hands, Final
Destination, Chucky) career closely when I was younger. Both movies are about a group of friends working closely to
game a system. In Slackers, it’s about cheating through college, while Players
is about running the perfect scheme to get a date from someone. Players has a comedy-heavy cast to work with. Gina
Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin, Someone Great, Not Dead Yet), Damon Wayans
Jr. (The Other Guys, Big Hero 6, New Girl), Liza Koshy (Work It, Cat
Person, Liza on Demand), and Tom Ellis (Lucifer, Isn’t It Romantic,
Miranda) are all well known for comedic roles. I’m not the biggest fan of
Trish Sie’s (Pitch Perfect 3, The Sleepover, Step Up All In) directorial
work, but Whit Anderson (Ozark, Daredevil, Allegiance) impressed pretty
much all of us with his TV Shows – though they aren’t of the comedy genre. I’m
a bit curious about how that will translate to this project. 9 – Stopmotion
(2/23) Director: Robert
Morgan Writer: Robin King,
Robert Morgan Actors: Aisling
Franciosi, Stella Gonet, Tom York, Caoilinn Springall, James Swanton Genre: Animation,
Horror Rated: R Length: 1h 33min IMDb Blurb: A stop-motion animator struggles to control her
demons after the loss of her overbearing mother. Until recently, I’d completely written off stop-motion
animation as something I could get into. Then Phil Tippett (Jurassic Park,
Starship Troopers, RoboCop) came along with his absolutely glorious Mad
God (2021) and my mind changed so quickly. Now I find myself actively
searching it out. I think stop-motion animation is an underused, and fruitful,
medium for horror. It produces an uncanny valley kind of feel throughout the
jerky motions and versatile model designs. I understand why it’s not more widely
used – it’s extremely labor intensive after all – but I’m definitely paying
more attention to a film when it is. Stopmotion is intensely creative and seems to utilize
stop-motion animation well. The creepy story telling meshes with the animation
style well. I was thoroughly uneasy each time I watched the coming attractions. 8 – Bob Marley:
One Love (2/14) Director: Reinaldo
Marcus Green Writer: Terence
Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin, Reinaldo Marcus Green Actors: Kingsley
Ben-Adir, James Norton, Lashana Lynch, Michael Gandolfini Genre: Biography,
Drama, Music Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 44min IMDb Blurb: The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame
adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Bob Marley is one of the most influential artists of our
time. I don’t think there’s a soul alive that doesn’t know at least one of his
songs. I don’t know anything about the story behind his music, but
I’m not surprised that there’s violence. People react harshly to messages of peace
and unity. That’s what his music is about, after all. In a world of darkness, his
tunes bring some light and hope. The only reason Bob Marley: One Love is so low on my
list is because biographies are tricky. They’re starting to get a bit played
out at this point, so there needs to be a hook that draws people in other than
the big name. 7 – This is Me…
Now (2/16) Director: Dave
Meyers Writer: Jennifer Lopez,
Matt Walton Actors: Sofia
Vergara, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Kim Petras, Trevor Noah,
Alix Angelis, Post Malone, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Derek Hough, Fat Joe Genre: Music Rated: Unrated Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: Coinciding with the release of her album of the
same name, this narrative-driven odyssey tells the story of Jennifer Lopez's
journey to love through her own eyes. Hey look, it’s a musical that is actually being marketed as
a musical. I have to say, that’s been my biggest pet peeve of the last
couple of years. Production companies have decided that people don’t like
musicals, so they don’t let you know when something is one. I had no idea Wonka
(2023) was a musical before it came out, or Mean Girls (2024). That
information for both flicks would have strengthened my interest. Instead of
being clear about what those films were, companies decided to bait and switch
people. That’s a good way to make people mad. At the very least we know what we’re getting with This is
Me… Now. It’s more of an opera based around the life of Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers,
Marry Me, Shades of Blue) than anything else. I’m not her biggest fan, but
no one can deny her talent. For This is Me… Now, she’s collected a highly diverse
group of talent. Actors and musicians alike are involved: Sofia Vergara (Modern
Family, Chef, Strays), Ben Affleck (Argo, Gone Girl, Zack Snyder’s Justice
League), Keke Palmer (Nope, Hustlers, Scream Queens), Kim Petras (Los
Espookys, The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, Sam Smith & Kim Petras: Unholy),
Trevor Noah (The Daily Show, Black Panther, Coming 2 America), Post
Malone (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Good Mythical Evening,
Wrath of Man), Alix Angelis (Imaginary, The Cleansing Hour, The
Magnificent Seven), Neil deGrasse Tyson (Miles from Tomorrowland, Batman
v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Lazer Team), Fat Joe (Happy Feet, The White
Tiger, Hustle), and Derek Hough (High School Musical: The Musical: The
Series, Hairspray Live!, Nashville). It’s even directed by accomplished
music video director, Dave Meyers (Billie Eilish: Bad Guy, P!Nk: So What,
Missy Elliott: Get Ur Freak On). This kind of movie concert is picking up steam, and I don’t
think This is Me… Now is going to kill interest in the genre at all. I
do, however, think that studios need to reconsider their stance on musicals. 6 – Code 8: Part
II (2/28) Director: Jeff
Chan Writer: Jeff
Chan, Chris Pare, Sherren Lee, Jesse LaVercombe Actors: Robbie
Amell, Stephen Amell, Aaron Abrams, Jean Yoon, Alex Mallari Jr. Genre: Action,
Crime, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: Follows a girl fighting to get justice for her
slain brother by corrupt police officers. She enlists the help of an ex-con and
his former partner, they face a highly regarded and well protected police
sergeant who doesn't want to be. If you’ve been following Trust the Dice for any length of
time, then you know that we invested in the first Code 8 (2019). It was
a pre-2020 world when we had a little extra money to burn and wanted to use it
to help make great movies. Times have changed, our pockets are a little too
light to do it these days, but we still have great faith in the films we did
choose to add to. We reviewed Code 8 back in April of 2020, well
embroiled in our lockdown. Long story short: we felt the film was a great
success. Fun and original. Some critics did believe there was an X-Men feel to
it, but most movies involving any kind of mutated power in humans tends to be
compared to X-Men. It’s a bit of an overdone critique. I’m looking forward to Code 8: Part II. A
continuation of the story should be great fun. 5 – Restore Point
(2/8) Director: Robert
Hloz Writer: Robert
Hloz Actors: Andrea
Mohylová, Matej Hádek, Milan Ondrík, Václav Neuzil Genre: Crime,
Drama, Sci-Fi Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 55min IMDb Blurb: Set in central Europe during 2041, a female
detective investigates the case of a murdered couple where a restoration team
is able to bring one of them back to life. There’s nothing quite like a good science fiction. The cool
technology gone rogue, the anything-can-happen story, the familiar-but-different
world… both Cat and I go nuts for it. I waffled over whether to put Code 8: Part 2 or Restore
Point higher, but I settled on Restore Point. It’s an original film, as opposed to a sequel. That’s really
the only thing that put it higher for me. I may be more familiar with the people
involved in Code 8:Part 2, but Restore Point has that
originality to it that comes with the start of a brand new story. Restore Point seems to be the full-length feature film
debut of writer/director Robert Hloz. He has some shorts to his name, however,
that boast impressive ratings on IMDb. Only one of which dips into the 5s,
while the others never hit lower than a 6.5. As ‘dark horse’ of a pick as Restore Point seems, I’m
confident that it’s a must see. 4 – Drive-Away
Dolls (2/23) Director: Ethan
Coen Writer: Ethan
Coen, Tricia Cooke Actors: Margaret
Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon Genre: Action,
Comedy, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 24min IMDb Blurb: Jamie regrets her breakup with her girlfriend,
while Marian needs to relax. In search of a fresh start, they embark on an
unexpected road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross
paths with a group of inept criminals. I enjoy both central tropes utilized in Drive-Away Dolls.
That odd-couple dynamic between the leads, and the clueless good-guys getting
sucked into a criminal enterprise. Both tropes give me the warm and fuzzies. With Drive-Away Dolls there are two lead actors with
exceptional experience representing the odd duo, which I think will elevate the
on-screen chemistry. Margaret Qualley (Poor Things, Wake Up, Once Upon a
Time in Hollywood) and Geraldine Viswanathan (Miracle Workers, 7 Days,
Blockers) may not be household names, but they have a body of work that
proves that’s what they could become in the future. There’s also Ethan Coen (The
Ballad of Buster Scruggs, True Grit, No Country for Old Men), one half of
the legendary Coen brothers and the director of classics such as Fargo (1996)
and The Big Lebowski (1998) – though he was uncredited on both. This is
exactly the kind of story he should have a hand in directing. It’s his bread
and butter. Admittedly, I’m not familiar with Tricia Cooke as a writer, but she
has so much talent backing her up that this is a great project to be her full-length
feature-film debut. 3 – Lisa
Frankenstein (2/9) Director: Zelda
Williams Writer: Diablo
Cody Actors: Kathryn
Newton, Cole Sprouse Genre: Comedy,
Horror, Romance Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and
her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances
bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness -
and a few missing body parts. Is it just me, or is Cole Sprouse (Riverdale, Five Feet
Apart, The Suite Life on Deck) looking a little Johnny Depp (Sweeney
Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Pirates of the Caribbean: The
Curse of the Black Pearl, Tusk) in this trailer? It makes me wonder if
we’re going to be seeing a transformation of his career. One of the things that
made Johnny Depp so beloved at the height of his career was his ability to
become literally anyone – or anything. He played such iconic characters because
he became them so completely that it was almost impossible to tell there was an
actor under there. Sprouse is the full incarnation of his character in the
trailer for Lisa Frankenstein. I even had to do a second watch-through
when I saw his name come up, because I didn’t believe it. I think that bodes
incredibly well for this creative flick. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Lisa
Frankenstein is directed by the lovely Zelda Williams (Kappa Kappa Die,
Shrimp, Dark/Web). If that name sounds familiar, that’s because it should
be. She’s the daughter of the late legendary Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire,
Good Morning, Vietnam, The Birdcage). I cannot wait to see what she does. I
want to see her succeed more than most. 2 – The Promised
Land (2/2) Director: Nikolaj
Arcel Writer: Nikolaj
Arcel, Anders Thomas Jensen, Ida Jessen Actors: Mads
Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Gustav Lindh Genre: Biography,
Drama, History Rated: R Length: 2h 7min IMDb Blurb: The story of Ludvig Kahlen who pursued his lifelong
dream: To make the heath bring him wealth and honor. There is probably no more perfect part for Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal,
The Hunt, Another Round) than this. He gets to highlight his intensity and
flex his drama chops. Even if the rest of the creative team were lesser,
Mikkelsen could carry the whole thing. Luckily, that’s not even the case. Nikolaj Arcel (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Journal
64, Riders of Justice) is a celebrated director with some amazing work
under his belt, while Anders Thomas Jensen (Riders of Justice, Held for
Ransom, Mikavlerne) has written some incredible work – winning 40 awards in
total. The cast is no worse, with Amanda Collin (Raised by Wolves, Fathers
and Mothers, A Horrible Woman) and Gustav Lindh (Burn All My Letters,
Riders of Justice, Top Dog) having incredible past filmographies where
they’ve been responsible for some outstanding work. Even though The Promised Land is based on a true
story and is technically a biography, the trailer doesn’t feel like it. That
keeps it from feeling as overdone as some biopics can. 1 – Argylle (2/2) Director: Matthew
Vaughn Writer: Jacon
Fuchs Actors: Sofia
Boutella, Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ariana DeBose, Sam
Rockwell, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara Genre: Action,
Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: 2h 19min IMDb Blurb: An introverted spy novelist is drawn into the
activities of a sinister underground syndicate. Nothing will keep me from devouring a Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman:
The Secret Service, Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) directed film. In fact,
that’s one of the easiest ways to get on to my ‘must see’ list. His films are
so clean and vivid. The action in them is phenomenally choreographed. Immersion
is at its peak in a Vaughn flick. Sure, they’re usually popcorn films, but they are the
highest quality popcorn flicks with flawless escapism. I never miss a Matthew
Vaughn film.
Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat
Molli and Max in the
Future .20
Upgraded .19
Marmalade .18
Red Right Hand .17
Players .16
Float .15
Stopmotion .14
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu
no Yaiba: To the Hashira Training .13
Actors:Heather Graham, Brandy
Norwood, Jason Biggs, Matt Cedeño, Wyatt Hunt, Abby Villasmil, Madison Skye
Validum, Nadia Sine, Janet Lo, Camille Cadarette, Chase Ramsey
IMDb Blurb: Friendships are put to
the ultimate test over a boastful holiday newsletter.
Selina’s Point of View:
Tis the season for
cheesy movies. I need to get into the headspace for it, which is proving
difficult this year. A Christmas magic rom-com should have been what I needed,
but Best. Christmas. Ever! went a little too far past the
campy line to make much of a positive difference to me.
I’m going to start with
the good, though.
Brandy Norwood (Cinderella,
Star, The Game) simply hasn’t aged. Not only that, but she was built for
parts like these. Although cheesy, she puts enough heart into characters to
make them feel worth watching. I’m also fond of Jason Biggs (Orange is the
New Black, Loser, American Pie), I always have been. He has an ‘effortless’
quality to his acting that makes him perfect for family roles. I almost always
instantly buy him as the dad, or husband, in any story. He feels normal. In a
good way.
The beginning of the
flick made sense and felt cute to me, as well, but it devolved from there.
All the rest of Best.
Christmas. Ever! felt cringy – at best. The main character was
absolutely obnoxious, and Heather Graham (Suitable Flesh, The Rest of Us,
Boogie Nights) did nothing to help that first impression. There were scenes
where she did things that felt so forced that I found myself actively making
faces at the screen.
Then there was the
ending.
For a moment, I thought
they were taking an impressive route. Unfortunately, they left every thread of
plot from that moment dangling. Even the short scene just before the credits
didn’t close the holes they created. It wound up feeling ridiculous instead of
magical.
There are better cheesy
Christmas movies than Best. Christmas. Ever!
Cat’s Point of View:
The title of Best. Christmas. Ever! set a very high bar
for expectations regarding this new Christmas movie offering. This is the time of
year, after all, that we tend to get inundated with cheesy and saccharine
movies full of the Spirit of the Season and magical romance experiences. We all
know about the networks that shift to pretty much round-the-clock Christmas and
holiday romance movies. There are so many within this genre out there that there’s
no shortage to fill up their programming spots for the entire month and then
some. Best. Christmas. Ever! felt like it could have been in the mix
with that rotation – this one just came from Netflix instead of Hallmark.
I’m on the fence with how I feel about this movie.
On one hand, Best. Christmas. Ever! delivered what
felt like a fresh concept with a holiday check-in letter becoming the catalyst
for Christmas shenanigans. Rather than the typical meet-cute or crisis because
something is in trouble and someone or the community needs to save whatever it
is tropes. this film does offer something relatable that I can’t remember
seeing before.
I love getting letters from friends and relatives around the
holidays. I try to keep tabs on how everyone is doing via social media if not
directly, but it’s that little personal touch of a letter in my hand that feels
special that they took extra time to think about sending it to me that gives me
warm fuzzies. Sometimes I can’t help but compare where my own life status is to
the adventures and milestones shared. It’s human nature, I think. Best.
Christmas. Ever! takes that sentiment and spins an elaborate ‘what if’
scenario for us.
It was a bit of a roller-coaster ride, though. Perhaps there
was too much cringe involved, or maybe the fact that the families on screen
lived in this super-rich fantasy land. It was a feast for the eyes from a set-dressing
standpoint, but it was hard to connect with the characters. Too much was going
on at once, perhaps. I was even afraid this was about to turn into a swingers situation
with these couples, but the rating helped me hold on to hope that it wouldn’t –
and it thankfully didn’t. There were just some weird vibes going on.
For a movie about embracing and pushing through life not
working out perfectly, there was too much of a glossy perfect sheen on everything.
The message was there, but it was like someone gave me candy rather than a
cough drop for a sore throat.
I’m afraid that I have to agree with most of the critical
reviews that I’ve seen for Best. Christmas. Ever! which pretty much
state that this movie works better as a TV holiday special rather than a
feature film. Of course, if we consider Netflix as a non-traditional TV
network, then that’s exactly what this was.
Best. Christmas. Ever! has its fun and heartwarming moments
and wasn’t a total travesty, mind you. It just didn’t live up to the sales
pitch its own title offered. Brandy Norwood’s voice remains spectacular, though,
so having this playing in the background wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime ($3.99) Movie Name/Year: Belle (2022) Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama Length: 2h 1min Rating: PG Production/Distribution: Studio Chizu, BookWalker, Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media
Partners, Kadokawa, Nippon Television Network, Toho Company, Yomiuri
Telecasting Corporation, Toho, Golden Village Pictures, Purple Plan, GKIDS,
Koch Films, BfParis, Wild Bunch Distribution Director: Mamoru Hosoda Writer: Mamoru Hosoda Actors: Kaho Nakamura, Kenjirô Tsuda, Kôji
Yakusho, Mami Koyama, Mamoru Miyano, Michiko Shimizu, Rina Izuta, Ryô Narita,
Shôta Sometani, Tina Tamashiro, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Ikura, Ryôko Moriyama,
Fuyumi Sakamoto, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Sachiyo Nakao, Sumi Shimamoto, Ken Ishiguro,
Ermhoi, Hana, Takeru Satoh, Taichi Masu, Asami Miura, John Eric Bentley, Tom
Bromhead, Tiana Camacho, Paul Castro Jr., David Chen, SungWon Cho, Courtney
Chu, Victoria Dean, Jessica DiCicco, Brandon Engman, Larissa Gallagher, Jessica
Gee-George, Heather Gonzalez, Barbara Goodson, Bentley Griffin, Martha Harms,
Xanthe Huynh, Andrew Kishino, Anjali Kunapaneni, Wendee Lee, Ben Lepley,
Lilypichu, Kyle McCarley, Noelle McGrath, Kylie McNeill, Julie Nathanson, Aaron
Phillips, Zeno Robinson, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Rachel Slotky,
Laura Megan Stahl, Ellyn Stern, Frank Todaro, Cristina Valenzuela, Kiff
VandenHeuvel, Aoi Yûki IMDb Blurb: Suzu is a shy high school student
living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself.
But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into
her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.
Cat’s Point of View: I have been chomping at the bit to watch Belle since it came to my attention in
preparation for the Top 20 Movies to Look Out For in January 2022 article. I
was so excited for Belle’s release
that I listed it as my #4 pick. Now that I’ve watched Belle
(multiple times, at that) I sincerely wish that I’d listed it higher
(especially since a certain Marvel movie I’d listed as #1 didn’t even release
as planned that month). At some point this month, Belle became available for rental On-Demand at a price that fit my
budget. My daughter had also wanted to watch Belle and so the moment we saw it available, we knew it had to be watched
ASAP. As I write this review, I’m actually viewing Belle again (in the background) for the 3rd time. My
daughter has already watched it 3 times, herself – one instance while I was out
running errands. I digress…
Why so many times? It deserves it and we are eking out every
moment we’re able to out of the rental period for Belle. I’d say it’s safe to call Belle one of my new favorite movies of all time. What’s the big deal, you might wonder? Belle was gorgeous and profound. The music was sensational, the
imagery spectacular, the story layered and nuanced, and the performances were
emotional. I resonated with the narrative on so many levels. The first
watch-through nearly involved ugly crying. Admittedly, I can be a sap at times,
but the themes echoed some of my life experiences to a degree. Music helped me
find my ‘voice’ and break out of my shell when I was younger and the digital
universe helped me connect with some of the most important people in my life.
In my Top 20 article, I compared Belle to a mash-up of the universe style of Ready Player One (2018), some similar tech to Sword Art Online (2012-), and the classic fairytale of Beauty and
the Beast. On the surface, the story tackles coming-of-age in this increasingly
digital age with social media and the like. The plot takes on bullying –
particularly the cyber variety where netizens are quick to harass and cancel
people from behind their mask of anonymity. The characters also had to navigate
the craziness of High School. I thought it was a brilliant touch that the story
used a game something like Risk as imagery of how kids and young adults have to
navigate school factions and the rumor-mill, and what an extra nightmare that
sort of scenario would be for a shy, introverted person or someone struggling
with anxiety. What the trailer doesn’t make clear, however, is that Belle also takes on trauma and loss from
multiple angles.
Each of these elements became woven so deftly into the story
so that I cared deeply for the characters. I understood their drive. I rooted
for their friendships. It celebrated the essence of Beauty and the Beast without
delving into the Stockholm Syndrome story we’re all used to. It leaned,
instead, on compassion and empathy as well as finding inner resolve and taking
action to right wrongs rather than just paying lip service with platitudes. I am absolutely in awe of the work Mamoru Hosoda (Samurai Champloo, Wolf Children, Mirai)
accomplished as writer and director of Belle.
Hosoda’s Studio Chizu was given an amazing 10th-anniversary celebration with
this production. I have enjoyed his work in the past and I certainly hope that
he brings more ambitious projects like Belle
to the table in the future.
At the moment, Belle
does not appear to be included on any specific streaming platforms; however,
you can find ways to view it by clicking here for its JustWatch listing. If you’re able to find it, I couldn’t recommend Belle enough. I can tell you with
certainty that this movie will soon become part of our ‘wall-o-movies’ personal
collection in my home and I will be looking to purchase the soundtrack as well.
I can’t get these songs out of my head.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 95% Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 95% Metascore – 83% Metacritic
User Score – 7.7/10 IMDB
Score – 7.2/10 Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5 P.S.
– Stills from scenes throughout the movie are shown during the credits. Movie
Trailer:
