Alyx’s Favorite Movies of the Decade
Another list! But this list is sharing what I considered to be my favorite movies of the decade. They may not necessarily be “the best” but they are the ones that I still think about years later, or maybe they were “the best” lol. I decided to go by year. I’m not going to go through each movie, but I will choose my favorite from that year (if applicable) and give a quick reason why.
Alyx’s Best Movies of 2019
Alyx’s Worst Movies of 2019
Alyx’s Favorite Movies of the Decade
2010
Top Film: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
I friggin love this movie. I don’t think it’s the “best” movie of the year but it’s my favorite. The use of music, the comedy, the acting is all so much fun that I watch this movie whenever it came on television. I’ve read the graphic novel series (the film is a great adaptation of that by the way). This movie is a gem. If you’ve never seen it then you should watch it. If I come across it and I don’t have something in mind I’m about to watch, I’ll watch this lol.
Black Swan, Kick Ass, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Karate Kid, Easy A
2011
Top Film: We Need to Talk About Kevin
If you haven’t seen this film, just know it’s a very strange film lol. But I remember watching it and being like WTF is this movie and it’s amazingly good. The acting is fantastic, particularly from Ezra Miller as Kevin. Each version of this kid is literally evil lol. I just… it’s dark but it’s so good.
Bridesmaids, Chronicle, Drive, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2, X-men: First Class, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Captain America: The First Avenger, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2012
Top Films: Avengers & Perks of Being a Wallflower
Avengers is such a monumental film for superhero movies in general. It brought together characters we watched come to life and grow in other films and now we have them working together! It was great! It was so much fun, and it was clear that the MCU had a hit on their hands and it made me excited for what they were going to do next.
Perks of Being a Wallflower is a movie I wanted to see when it first came out, I ended up seeing it much later, but I loved it. The book is also phenomenal. It’s a coming of age story, set in the 90s and it’s beautifully acted by Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller (the movie I fell in love with him). The musical choices were great and to take a book written in letters and create a film that feels so raw and real, was so good. I really do love this movie. It’s emotional and I think anyone can find something in common with one of the main characters.
Beasts of the Southern Wild, ParaNorman, Rise of the Guardians, Django Unchained
2013
Top Film: Fruitvale Station
I saw this movie years after it came out. It had such a heavy topic and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it and I wasn’t but it’s amazing. It was ignored during Awards season which is ridiculous. Michael B. Jordan was amazing as Oscar Grant, even if the movie takes liberties with the story, the heart of what was happening was there. This young man was taken from his family and this is still relevant to this day. Ryan Coogler created a beautiful film and it also launched the friendship/movie partnership between Coogler and Jordan, which I’m excited to see what else they do.
12 Years a Slave, Frozen, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Croods, Mud, The Spectacular Now, Short Term 12, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf of Wall Street
2014
2014 was a great year for movies!
Top Film: Captain America: Winter Soldier
Anyone who knows me knows that I love this movie and it’s my favorite and, in my opinion, the best MCU movie. It feels so different from the films that came before it. It was a spy movie wrapped in a super hero movie. There were major stakes. I always enjoyed Cap from the previous movies, but this movie is when I decided he was my favorite Avenger. His arc over the course of the movies really take a turn here even if his morals were never shaken. The action was amazing. Sebastian Stan as Bucky/Winter Soldier was delightfully tragic (also made me love Bucky to pieces, he’s not a villain and I understand Steve’s reasons in Civil War) I haven’t reviewed this movie but when I do my MCU marathon, I shall.
Birdman, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick, Nightcrawler, Whiplash, Selma, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Edge of Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, Kingsman: The Secret Service
2015
Top Film: Creed
This was hard because there wasn’t a lot of movies I loved, or that stuck with me this year. It came down to Room and Creed, but I chose Creed because I remember all the work, I put in just to watch it. I did a Rocky marathon, I managed to get pre-screening tickets to see it, I did some magazine contest or something. Then I saw it in the movies like three more times lol. I love this movie. I love Michael B. Jordan, I still feel like this movie got ignored a lot during awards season. Annoying. But I liked the journey that both Rocky and Donny go on in this film. I root for the relationship blooming with Donny and Bianca. I like the music choices. The fight scenes were both fantastic and I loved that Donny didn’t win at the end. Yes, I know it’s very much like Rocky in that it’s formulaic but when I watch it, I’m not thinking of the similarities, I’m thinking of the possibilities of what they could continue to do.
Ex Machina, Inside Out, Room
2016
This was a good year for movies as well!
Top Film: Moonlight & Zootopia
I believe my favorite film of this year at the time was La La Land and I don’t care, I loved it. But now that it’s been a little while, I recognize that I would much rather watch Zootopia (which was my number two film) and that Moonlight holds so much more weight.
Moonlight is a beautifully subtle film that goes through the life of this one young man. As a child, a teenager and a young man and we see him go through different things that help shape who he might choose to be later. Not to mention, there is a love story that stretches over two parts of his life and that’s handled without feeling to “try hard”. It’s beautiful. My favorite section is the “Chiron” part when he’s a teenager.
Zootopia is one of Disney’s best. It’s a cute animated, mystery adventure but at its center is a lot of reference to social issues. I’ve seen it many times and every time I watch it, I manage to catch something different each time. The voice cast is great, it’s funny, it’s colorful, kids can enjoy it and so can adults.
La La Land, Deadpool, Kubo and the Two Strings, Captain America: Civil War, Kicks, Moana, The Boy and the Beast, Don’t Breathe, The Jungle Book
2017
Another great year for movies!
Top Film: Lady Bird
This was my favorite movie of the year even when I did my Top Movies list. I really loved this movie. I really felt like I was watching someone’s life instead of a movie. As always, Saoirse Ronan was great and her tumultuous relationship with her mother was hilarious and tragic at the same time. For a debut film, Greta Gerwig had a gem.
Call Me by Your Name, Baby Driver, Coco, Get Out, IT, Thor: Ragnarök, Logan, Split, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Wonder Woman, Your Name, John Wick: Chapter 2, Beauty and the Beast, Sleight, Girl’s Trip, My Friend Dahmer
2018
Top Films: Black Panther & Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Black Panther- I mean, what can I say? It was amazing. It was my number 2 for 2018 but it’s still a monumental film. I mean, I felt every bit of this movie. The acting is amazing with the standout being Michael B. Jordan’s villainous Killmonger and Dain Gurira’s Okoye. The music, the costumes, the emotional story… this movie is amazing and for the ages!
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse- This is THE best Spider-Man film. The animation was unique and amazing. The characters were well written, well-acted and the message behind the story can touch anyone. It’s a bit of a coming of age story as well because Miles must really come into his own as a superhero, as someone who can trust himself be confident enough to embrace his new role. Not to mention, little kids can see themselves in Miles but especially little black and brown boys.
A Quiet Place, Avengers: Infinity War, Sorry to Bother You, The Hate U Give, Love Simon, Incredibles 2, Mission Impossible Fallout, Bumblebee,
2019
Top Film: Aladdin
Obviously, this wasn’t my “best of the year” but it’s probably my favorite. I saw it fives time in the theaters, no shame, and I love it. I don’t care about any negative things about. I loved it lol. It’s a remake but I thought it had a lot of heart, the costumes were great, I loved the music, even the changes to some of the classic songs and Jasmine’s new song. I think it’s an easy movie to watch and have a good time.
Knives Out, Booksmart, Aladdin, Queen & Slim, Little Women, Shazam! Spider-Man: Far from Home
So! That’s my movie decade in review! Of course, these are my opinions and I just had to share the movies that made an impression in the last decade.
Please share your favorite movies from the decade in the comments below! I would love to read your choices!
Thanks for reading and thank you to all my followers. I really appreciate you guys and welcome to all the new followers! I hope I can give you a little something to look forward to.
Alyx’s Worst Movies of 2019
You’ve seen Alyx’s Best of the Year list so now it’s time for Alyx’s Worst of the Year list. This year has been pretty good with the good movies outweighing the bad ones, at least that I saw but I still wanted to share the movies I saw that I either didn’t like, or I liked/enjoyed but recognized it wasn’t good.
In my opinion these are “Alyx’s Worst” Films of 2019.
Dishonorable Mentions: Anna, Don’t Let Go, Captive State, Ma, The Upside, Godzilla: King of Monsters, Shaft, Five Feet Apart, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, Tolkien
10. The Sun Is Also a Star
This movie is very disappointing to me to the point it hurts. I was really looking forward to it even when I was skeptical about the casting. But I loved this book, I even reviewed it because I loved it so much. The movie was boring, while I thought the two leads were okay, I still feel like they were miscast. It felt too long, and it felt like nothing was happening. The characters would go place to place and then talk. Rinse repeat.
9. The Lion King
I wasn’t going to have this on my list at first but then I thought about it and I remembered that while there was stuff, I enjoyed, there was a lot that was wrong. It’s a beautiful movie, don’t get me wrong but this is basically a shot for shot remake of the animated film which is already a great film. The cast had a lot of promise and for the most part, they delivered but there were some moments where the delivery was terrible. Sometimes the music also didn’t always make sense, like why is “Spirit” in the middle of the movie instead of in the credits? Why are they singing a love song about “love tonight” but it’s during the day? Why make Nala say a line like “lionesses attack!” when the delivery is laughable? I just can’t lol.
8. Dumbo
I love Disney and most times they can do no wrong, but this was wrong. I love the animated film and I am always optimistic about the remakes because I’m interested in seeing what they do. But outside of Dumbo being super cute, I really disliked that they focused on the humans. I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE HUMANS. Some movies just don’t work in live action because y’all want to make the people important and I didn’t come for them! I came for the cute elephant.
7. Brightburn
This is a movie where I was really interested in the premise because that’s an interesting premise. The idea of someone with great abilities turn evil instead of good? That’s awesome. But the acting was over the top, the story was rushed, and it just seemed like they wanted to get as many “scary/horror” moments as possible instead of giving me a well written story. There was a lot of potential here as well but alas, it was squandered.
6. Glass
So, I loved Split and I loved James McAvoy’s character and I was into seeing what they would do with it going forward, especially once it was revealed it was part of the Unbreakable universe. This movie was going to bring together three interesting characters annnnddd… nothing. The best part of this movie was any scene with James McAvoy. Don’t get me wrong, Samuel L. Jackson and Sarah Paulson are both great but SLJ sits quietly the entire film. It was so underwhelming, and I cannot imagine what it was like for people who have been fans of Unbreakable since it came out. I mean, I cannot believe that ending and it was so lackluster. Ugh. However, that gif of The Beast running was fantastic.
5. Escape Room
These people make stupid decisions. Again, interesting premise, especially considering escape rooms are popular. Most of the characters are extremely unlikable and the acting is also not good. It’s just bad. Some of them manage to do well but overall, it’s bad. It’s cliché. Then you have the last act of this film… WOW! This movie is not good. If you want a horror movie based on a phenomenon… don’t choose this one lol.
4. Dark Phoenix
I normally like the X-men films. I mean, some are way better than others but for some reason, they keep attempting this story without giving it the proper attention it deserves. It felt like nothing was happening except Jean running from place to place crying. What was the point of having that alien race? That felt like it was thrown in at the last minute. Why couldn’t Chastain’s character be like a human embodiment of the phoenix force? I don’t like how they villainized Charles! What was the point of even having Erik in this movie if he effed off to some peaceful colony? People still feel useless, but they keep putting them in these films! I just! I don’t get it! This movie was soulless! The potential is there and that’s why it’s so high! Because it makes me mad!
3. The Intruder
This is a movie we’ve seen 50 million times and it’s just not good! I hated these characters, especially Megan Goode’s character, she is the reason a lot of the stupid stuff happens in this movie. Girl, your husband said he didn’t like or trust this man, stop letting him come in your house! I wanted to smack the taste out of her mouth. Ugh! Then the music would assault to let me know something was about to happen instead of just letting it happen. If you’re a thriller, THRILL me, don’t ASSAULT me. Man, I want to fight this movie lol. I’m getting mad just thinking about it.
2. Gemini Man
I did not like this movie and I think it sucks because there’s a ton of potential in it. The acting is fine and most times the CGI is good for young Will but the CGI on other stuff doesn’t work for me. The story also isn’t that interesting, and the movie feels like it was made in the wrong time. It feels dated. I didn’t like it lol.
1. Men in Black: International
I didn’t really expect much from this movie to be honest but literally no one cared about this movie. Hemsworth and Thompson were great because they are and they have great chemistry but the story, was so bad. I can’t even tell you what happened in it because I literally did not care. This is the worst movie of the year to me because it just felt like them trying to “reboot” this franchise, but they had no idea how to accomplish that.
That’s it! That’s my list! I hope you all have enjoyed spending the movies of 2019 with me! Please in the comments share your WORST movies of 2019.
Happy New Year!
Alyx’s Best Movies of 2019
Of course, everyone usually puts these kinds of lists out before the year is out BUT I wanted to give myself a chance to watch a few more movies I had in my queue, but I probably won’t be able to watch them and get this list out before its been too long. So, without further ado…
In my opinion these are “Alyx’s Best” or better yet “My favorite” Films of 2019. I saw a lot of movies, some I never managed to get to, but I saw most of the ones I was looking forward to.
Honorable Mentions: Frozen II, Abominable, John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum, Good Boys, Captain Marvel, It Chapter Two, Avengers: Endgame, Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Joker, Fighting with My Family, Toy Story 4, The Kid Who Would Be King, Us
Alyx’s Top Movies of 2019
12. Spider-Man: Far from Home
I loved this movie. As I said in my review, it’s probably now my favorite live action Spider-Man film. It’s my opinion of course and that could change when I finally do my “Spider-Man” marathon but I loved what it did. It connected to the previous stories in the MCU, but I liked what they did on their own. Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man is so relatable. Zendaya’s MJ was given more life and we got to know and like her more. Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio was a great villain and the story is emotional but contained. I really loved it.
11. Aladdin
This movie is here because I loved it. It’s also second to last because I don’t think it’s the best movie out of my choices, but I loved it so much. So much. The music was great, the costumes were amazing. I loved the chemistry between Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott, plus the friendship between Aladdin and Genie (Will Smith) was fantastic. I loved the new life they breathed into the story. It didn’t replace the animated classic, but it just added to my love for Aladdin in general.
10. How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World
I went over the animated films I’d seen this year and I think this is the best one. I’m sure it will once again not get the Oscar is deserves, but this is a great finale to an equally great trilogy. The animation is amazing and clearly has gotten better since the first film. The emotional weight in this story between Hiccup and Toothless is handled well. I’m pretty sure I cried. If you want a wonderfully animated and written story, this trilogy is where to go, and this final film wraps it up beautifully.
9. Booksmart
My friend and I saw this movie and we had a great time. The friendship between the two leads worked well, their chemistry was amazing. It’s a funny adventure of two high school graduates trying to rectify their high school career of not having fun. They want all the fun now and it leads to a ton of shenanigans. For Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, it was a great and hilarious film!
8. Fast Color
I was going to put this in my honorable mentions but considering how different and fresh this film felt, I had to put it here. I spent most of this movie in awe because of how beautiful it is. There is a sadness to it because of the estranged relationship between mother and daughter on both ends. But a movie about generations of black women having powers? Not to mention, how the film portrays those powers using color, this film is so beautiful and subtle that I really want a sequel.
7. Shazam!
This is the only DCEU film so far, that I really liked all the way through. It’s funny! It’s fun and I loved the chemistry between Billy (both versions) and Freddy. The superhero stuff is great too. While the villain was one dimensional, I liked Mark Strong in the role. I also liked the mythology behind the shazam powers. I like the idea of them being passed on to others who are worthy and that they look for kids because there is a chance they haven’t been “corrupted” by the world yet. That’s a very nice idea. This is a movie I would come back to often.
6. Ready or Not
A movie I watched recently, I had no idea what I would expect but I really liked it! The characters are fun, and the actors clearly had a great time in the film. The story is unique in that the characters aren’t quite into doing what they’re doing but they do it because of… weird reasons lol. It gives a new meaning to the phrase “final girl” lol.
5. Rocketman
I LOVED this movie. I mean I really did. I was surprised at how much I loved it. I am by no means an “Elton John fan” pass me knowing some of his music and I like it. The music is amazing, and Taron Egerton was so good as Elton! It’s emotional and being based on a true story, I like how they incorporated reality with music to allow us to understand the times in Elton’s life. I love musicals and this is very much one, but the music helps tell the story instead of just happening.
4.Luce
I recently watched this movie and it’s amazing. The story leaves a lot of room for viewers to interpret differently. I think that’s important for a film like this. The acting is fantastic, led by Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Luce. His character is enigmatic and you’re probably going to go back and forth between what you believe in this. It’s a quiet film in a lot of ways and worth watching for different understandings each time you watch.
3. Knives Out
I really liked this! The cast in this movie is AMAZING. Everyone really does a great job. The mystery is intriguing and mysterious and very well written. Plus, the cinematography and costuming give it this old-fashioned look and feel which works for the world these people are living in. I find that mysteries like this aren’t always handled well when it comes to films, they try too hard to make it “mysterious” or they don’t allow the audience to figure it out as well but this film doesn’t try too hard but allows the story to unfold and allows the audience to figure it out as well.
2. Queen & Slim
It took me a moment to decide where this movie would fall in my lineup. I was a little unsure of how I feel about it when I finally saw it but the black romance that develops in this film is written really well. I found the two main characters well written and well acted, particularly Daniel Kaluuya who I love. The story is important, relevant and emotional. It think everyone will get a little something different out of it and perhaps discover something new each time they watch it. I hope for more well written black stories in the future.
1. Little Women
I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I’ve always loved Little Women and it truly is a timeless story because watching it in a different storyteller’s hands as an adult, gives me the chance to completely connect way more than I ever did. It feels new. The acting is amazing, especially Florence Pugh, who plays a character I never quite liked, but she made me like her. She made me be okay with the romantic choices that I was never okay with. Saoirse Ronan was also amazing as Jo March and I connected so much with her. It’s an emotional story that I loved and I will watch again and again.
That’s it! That’s my list! I hope you all have enjoyed spending the movies of 2019 with me! Please in the comments share your favorite movies of 2019.
Happy New Year!
Movie Review: Little Women (2019)
Summary: Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Um… this is a well-known story so there will be spoilers… but if you’ve never read the book or seen any of the previous movies, then I guess… I don’t know, it’s hard because this another adaptation…lol it’s up to you.
Pros:
Cast and Characters.
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Saoirse Ronan as Josephine “Jo” March. Jo is the main heroine of our story. She is headstrong, passionate, stubborn and a writer. She is responsible for the plays the sisters put on for themselves and for the kids in their small town. She marches to the beat of her own drum. She loves her family fiercely and feels jealous and/or scared whenever she feels like something or someone is coming between her and her sisters. Like when Meg starts going off to parties or meeting men. She becomes fast friends with Laurie. She does at times laments being born a girl due to the restrictions placed on her, but she rages against the system anyway lol. We see her as a young woman and a teenager and her dreams are the same but she seems to struggle a bit more as an adult with her dreams because of the situation she finds herself in of trying to get her work bought to support her family but also trying to maintain her integrity of the kind of writer she wants to be. I feel that. The thing I always loved and identified with about Jo was she was a writer and was passionate about it. The only way someone could hurt her would be to destroy her work so when it happened, her anger and sadness, I got that. She wants to be in a world where her value as a woman, as a writer, a creator, is more important than being a wife or a mother. Saoirse Ronan was a great choice for Jo because she has the energy needed for someone so passionate and strong-willed. She had great chemistry with her sisters, and when she was angry at any of them for whatever reason, the looks she would give, as a sister, I was like “yep”, been there. Her friendship with Laurie was great and that is due to the chemistry she has with Chalamet and I believed in their friendship. I believed in her ambitions and her need to write, and I understood her slumps and Saoirse does such a great job in embodying her, that she might be my favorite portrayal of Jo thus far.
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Emma Watson as Margaret “Meg” March. Meg is the oldest of the sisters and usually considered the “prettiest” and I think Emma Watson really does look beautiful in this film. The darker hair really suits her. Being that she’s the oldest, a lot of times the “motherly” duties fall to her, but she struggles a little because she wants to be had nice things, she doesn’t want to be poor for all her life, she wants to be a wife and a mother. She wants a family of her own. She has a great line to Jo “Just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t make them any less important” and I thought that was a great line for her. It showed that while she may not be as independent as Jo, she knows what she wants in her life and that’s just as important as Jo’s independence. It was always an interesting addition to her that she wishes for the finer things in life but then falls in love with a poor man. It really goes to show you how love could be. I’ve always loved Emma Watson and I thought she was a great choice for Meg, because she has a youthful energy about her but also very poised which is what Meg is, which is why she can turn heads of young men. She and Saoirse have great chemistry since they seem close and I felt like she was the oldest sister in this unique group of sisters. There were a few times where her British accent came through, but she does a really good job at her American accent. It gets better every time I hear her do one. I love her, she’s great lol.
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Florence Pugh as Amy March. So, at first, I was a little surprised that she played Amy as both an adult and a child. Usually, Amy is played by two actresses and maybe that’s the problem. I’ve seen reviews complain about her coming off awkward as young Amy, but I thought she embodied the bratty, spoiled and energetic personality that Amy has as a child really well. The only time I didn’t believe her was when she was crying after getting in trouble at school. That looked silly lol but otherwise, I believed her at both stages in Amy’s life. Honestly, she was the standout as well, which is a lot coming from me because Amy was always the sister, I liked the least. As an adult, which we get to see a lot of this version of Amy as well, she really is a proper lady, but she is outspoken and has a maturity and strength to her that she’s always had, but now that she’s older and has a bit more life experience, it’s clearer now. One of my favorite scenes is when she’s speaking to Laurie about him throwing away his life, and she talks about women’s role. It was a fantastic scene and she did it in such a subtle but clearly passionate way. She was great. I really like Florence Pugh, I like her a lot.
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Eliza Scanlen as Elizabeth “Beth” March. I haven’t seen her in anything, but she was a great Beth. She was shy, compassionate and loving. I loved how much she loved others. She was sweet and had a great bond with her sisters and they were fiercely protective of her because of her shy nature, but she also didn’t take their strong personalities laying down. I really liked the relationship that she had with Mr. Laurence, even if all of it was not always them talking to each other. There was a mutual understanding between them, and I liked it. She was great.
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Timothée Chalamet as Theodore “Laurie” Laurence. Laurie has always been one of my favorite male literary characters. I don’t know why lol, I think Christian Bale helped my love for him growing up and I think Timothée Chalamet was a great choice to play him. I really like Timothée Chalamet, there’s something delightfully tragic and romantic about him, I think it’s the eyes. But I like how quickly him, and Jo fall into a friendship and it’s clear he’s falling in love with her. I disagree that people who start out as best friends can’t at some point fall in love, in fact, I think that’s what usually happens at some point. It may not last forever, but someone has considered if their feelings were more romantic than platonic at some point. Anyway, he becomes so ingrained in the family and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he doesn’t have his parents, and the delightful chaos of the March women pulls him in. There’s a scene, after he helps Jo bring Meg (when she hurt her ankle) that he just stands off to the side and watches them fuss over each other and the look on his face shows it all. Later, when he’s an adult, he’s lost, clearly and just fumbles through life and I think Timothée Chalamet does a great job at the fun loving Laurie who falls in love with the March family, who falls in love with Jo, the Laurie who is fumbling through life and then the one who is getting his revelation later. I do think, for the older versions, his young face might throw you off lol, but I think he was a great choice.
Supporting Characters.
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Laura Dern as Marmee March. I think she just the right amount of loving and selfless. She and Jo have a nice moment where she confesses seeing a lot of herself in Jo, which shocks her, but she says that she had a revelation which helped her in life. I think she works well as their mother, she may not always say what she’s feeling or thinking but you see it on her face. Laura Dern has a very expressive face. She’s great.
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Meryl Streep as Aunt March. I mean, she’s Meryl Streep, you can’t go wrong with that lol. She’s a great Aunt March, perfectly funny, sassy and crotchety as Aunt March always is. While she doesn’t always come off as the most loving person, I think it’s clear she loves the girls, particularly Jo who might be the thorn in her side. She has some nuggets of wisdom as well. What can I say? Always great.
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James Norton as John Brooke. His role is small but he’s likable as he always is, at least to me. He’s Laurie’s tutor and he becomes taken with Meg. I like how we get a few moments of them running into each other or interacting before they move forward with anything. I also like we get to see him and his family with their issues later. He’s just not forgotten about. I don’t think I’ve seen this actor in anything, but he has a recognizable face. He’s fine though, he’s sweet and that’s what matters for Mr. Brooke.
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Louis Garrel as Friedrich Bhaer. We get introduced to him earlier on since the movie starts out with them as adults and Jo is in New York. He’s French and a Professor living in the boarding house with Jo. They kind of are friends but it’s a little awkward lol. He’s nice though. I don’t think he’s as old as he was supposed to be, but it works because while he physically might not be 40, he has an older/wiser soul and you can feel that.
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Chris Cooper as Mr. Laurence. I almost didn’t recognize him until they showed a painting of younger Mr. Laurence lol, but he looks great with that beard. He’s Laurie’s grandfather and he also takes a liking to the March family, particularly Beth and I like the moments we get with the two of them, even if they’re not directly interacting with each other. I thought he was great. I wish we got to see him interact with Laurie more though.
Family Dynamic. I’ve always loved the March family because they’re different in their interests but they’re sisters and they love each other. The chaos in this movie of their everyday lives is amazing. I really enjoyed watching them bicker back and forth, talk over each other and just be. Whenever all four sisters were on screen together, it was great. They had chemistry and when Marmee was involved, it was nice as well. I think it really worked and it always matters how the March family works with each other and I really believed these ladies were a family. It reminded me of my family in how there’s energy and chaos, but they love each other, and it works.
Character Chemistry. Going along with the point above, the character chemistry in this movie is amazing. The March family’s chemistry is great, the sisters are great. Even when they’re angry with each other, it’s great. This is particularly noticeable in how Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet work with each other and the friendship that Jo and Laurie have. Ever since I was a little girl and I read the book, though I’m not sure if I ever read the whole book, I know I read the condensed version lol, I always was mad that Jo and Laurie didn’t end up together. I get Jo’s reasoning, always have, doesn’t mean I have to agree!! Anyway, they have great chemistry so their friendship is great, and you can clearly see the love that Laurie has for her during their younger years. Timothée Chalamet’s love eyes are noticeable lol. THEN what also works, which super annoys me, is the chemistry between Amy and Laurie. I never liked that they ended up together. Yes, Laurie says he always knew he would be part of the March family, but the fact it was Amy, always bugged me. She was my least favorite of the sisters and it seemed like he downgraded HOWEVER because they allowed more maturity from Amy, and we got to see more with her and Florence Pugh was so charismatic and likable as Amy, I found that I was annoyingly okay with their marriage. Meg and John Brooks work as well, even Beth and Mr. Lawrence have nice moments together. The script is great, but the acting really works.
Cinematography. I think this movie is beautiful! Because this movie isn’t told linearly, the way the film tells you as it moves forward, when scenes are. It’s because of the color palette. When it’s the past, the colors are brighter and when it’s the present, then it’s a bit softer in color. It’s noticeable I think, and it helped me from getting confused of the timeline. Plus, I know the story so that helped too lol. But the movie is beautiful.
Emotionally Beautiful. I think I cried like 5 times in the film. I don’t know if it’s because I’m just emotional right now, but I cried. I don’t think I’ve ever cried past Beth death. I think I even cried during Laurie and Jo’s argument scene when she rejects him. I think I also cried when she finds out later that Laurie married Amy. I cried during Jo’s scene with her mother.
Women have minds and souls as well as just hearts, and they’ve got ambition and talent as well as just beauty. And I’m sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it! But… I’m so lonely!
-Jo March (Little Women 2019)
It’s such a beautiful monologue and Saoirse Ronan performs it perfectly. I felt that because even though it’s 2019 almost 2020 this is still something that people think of women. I’m sick of it! She’s talking about being independent but there’s so much pressure on women in being mothers and wives and she hates it but she’s lonely. I felt that entire scene. I was in tears. I’ve always identified with Jo and I think I really identified with her the most in this film. I’m not sure why, perhaps it’s because she’s more outspoken about romance and how she feels about women and their place in the world and I’m an adult now, so her personality and roles hit me more. But she gives this speech to Marmee and I felt all of that and I identified with that that it made me cry.
Storytelling. This movie is not told in order. I was a little unsure about this at first but as the movie went on, I became increasingly okay with it. When we first start, it’s in the present with Jo in New York, we’ll see her life there, trying to get her work published in newspapers and we even meet the Professor. I was shocked because all of this happens later in the story.
Costumes! I do really love period pieces because I love the clothes. Jacqueline Durran (Atonement, Beauty and the Beast, Anna Karenina, Pride & Prejudice) does the costume design in this film and I love all the clothes. I particularly love the blue dress we first see Amy in as an adult and the pink dress Meg wears (pictured below). Timothée Chalamet has some nice pieces as Laurie too, I’ve never realized how tall and lanky he is until watching him in these clothes lol, but he wears them well. I also really loved Amy’s white and black ensemble when she and Laurie have their “fight” outside. They’re just beautiful and the lighting really compliments the clothing.
Cons:
It’s not Linear. This didn’t particularly bother me as the film went on, I was a little shocked it was going to do this at first. I can imagine people not liking that though. I can imagine the shifts being a bit too subtle and viewers complaining about it. I’ve already seen someone complain about it online, so I wanted to put it here, to show that I noticed and at first, I was unsure about that choice.
Overall, I looooved this movie. I really did. I love Little Women in general but I really loved this adaptation. There was something refreshing about it and I thought Greta Gerwig did a great job in adapting it for a new audience. The casting was spot on with Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh being standouts respectively. Everyone had wonderful chemistry while working together, I believed in their familial ties, friendships and romances respectively. It’s emotionally beautiful, so don’t be surprised if you cry. A lot. It has amazing cinematography; the colors help emphasize the time period and it helps bring out the colors in the amazing costumes. I also like how the story is told, it’s not linear which works just fine for me. My only problem was with the fact it wasn’t linear but it’s not a personal problem, just something I’m acknowledging for those who might dislike that. But in the end, I really loved this movie.
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Little Women? What are your thoughts on this timeless classic? Which adaptation is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
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Movie Review: Ready or Not (2019)
Summary: A bride’s wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.
Pros:
Cast and Characters.
- Samara Weaving as Grace Le Domas. She is an orphan and yearns for a family so she’s eager to please Alex’s family and to become a part. When she finds out that this “game night” is a serious affair, she begins to quickly adapt to what she needs to do in order to survive. She’s not like super competent at everything because she gets hurt, she falls (not while running), she scrambles to live and you really root for her to win. I don’t believe I’ve seen this actress in anything, I actually thought she was someone else, but she’s really likable and a trooper. I think she probably did a lot while filming this and it really comes through on the screen. She’s having fun but she’s completely badass.
- Adam Brody as Daniel Le Domas. I think he’s the oldest son but he’s an alcoholic and probably the one in the family I found the most interesting and layered, followed by Becky. He might come off at the beginning as being just sleazy but that’s just the alcohol talking lol. Throughout the film, we see him go through things that will keep the audience guessing what he’ll do by the end. I like Adam Brody. I’m not super familiar with everything he does but everything I’ve seen him in, I’ve liked him. I think he’s charming and really likable and I’m not sure if his character was meant to come off that way but he does and I really wish that Grace met him first lol, they had really good chemistry lol.
- Mark O’Brien as Alex Le Domas. He is Grace’s husband and completely against the games his family plays. He spends a lot of the movie trying to help Grace, to save her and as it goes on, you learn about his relationship to his other family members. He’s close with his mom and his brother so he goes through a lot of struggle. I find him interesting. The actor does a great job in handling Alex’s trepidation of their tradition while also handling any emotional shifts we see as the film goes on.
The Rest of the Family.
- Henry Czerny as Tony Le Domas. He really steals a lot of his scenes; his delivery is very much “petulant child” and it works for his character! He’s so deep in this family history that if things aren’t going according to plan, he freaks out. He’s hilarious and also really likable.
- Andie MacDowell as Becky Le Domas. She is Daniel, Emilie and Alex’s mother. She and Grace connect early on and she talks a lot about not having Alex around anymore and it clearly affects her. But she’s so… nice that’s it’s very weird lol.
- Nicky Guadagni as Helene Le Domas. She is Tony’s sister and she is a trip. In the beginning, we get to see her going through this but it’s interesting to see what she ended up as. She is crazy and I thoroughly loved her. Even her hair was crazy. The actress clearly had fun.
- Melanie Scrofano as Emilie Le Domas-Bradley. She was hilarious! I think she’s the youngest of the siblings and she’s on drugs lol and the actress CLEARLY is having fun playing the part. She is responsible for some crazy stuff the that happens because she’s just too all over the place. I’ve never seen this actress in anything, but she’s very likable and I really enjoyed her energy.
- Kristian Bruun as Fitch Bradley. He is Emilie’s husband and his game was “Old Maid” and he has a lot of funny bits. Also, quite likable. But he’s really there to not believe in the whole background side of what they’re doing. He’s the naysayer.
- Elyse Levesque as Charity Le Domas. She is Daniel’s wife and the “ice queen”. She has some interesting things that are brought about her background and of course the movie doesn’t go into detail about this because it’s not about her but I found it very interesting that she married into this family and had to play “Chess” but she’s really into this game. She wants to be part of this family more than anything. That’s clear. I’ve seen Elyse in televisions and I’ve never liked any of her characters but I quite enjoyed her here. I think between good character writing and her playing an interesting character, that works in her favor.
Black Comedy/Quite Hilarious. This movie is actually pretty funny but it’s very much a black comedy. People are trying to kill this girl; there’s blood and other people die and it’s not like super gratuitous but you still see stuff. The dialogue is really funny and I think the actors really did well in elevating the script because while the dialogue is funny, their delivery of those moments always helps. Emilie was hilarious because she is the cause for some stuff that happens and it’s so shocking and hilarious. It happens like twice. I cackled. Then the ending was also pretty hilarious.
Refreshing Premise. I liked the idea behind the movie a lot, the idea of marrying into this family where they play a game that could possible kill you. That’s insane! There’s other stuff that happens too that I was like “meh okay” but I think it works in this movie’s world and half the time you’re not even sure if these people are just crazy or if they’re serious. That’s the fun of it to be honest. Plus, Grace is super competent as well so you’re not annoyed with her the entire movie.
Super Fun! This movie is so fun to watch! I had a good time. Even if you didn’t care for the storyline, I think it’s fun to just sit back and watch. The family dynamic is hilarious, the dialogue is great and the acting is fantastic and if you like violence, it’s here but it’s not “too much”. It fits in the frame of what the film sets up. Plus, I like the feel of the movie, you’re not really sure when it’s set but it feels “old” where Grace feels “other”. I like that aesthetic.
Cons:
The Story Behind the Story. Obviously, you have the movie with the main stuff going on and there’s this other thing that the family talks about a lot. I think it’s a little ridiculous and at times, it feels out of place with the rest of the movie… at times. When the ending comes around, I cackled. It’s still ridiculous and I do think that part does make the movie feel… I mean it’s already crazy but less in reality? I guess is the best way to say it. You’ll know what I mean when you watch it lol.
Overall, Ready or Not is a really fun adventure to watch! It’s interesting and I really enjoyed myself. The cast is fantastic with Samara Weaving really doing a good job at being emotional, funny and badass all at the same time. You root for her. Adam Brody is also really good and his character is really interesting to watch throughout the film. Everyone else is great too. I think it’s really funny, I laughed a lot or I sat with a smile on my face. I think the premise is pretty different than what we’ve seen from other “horror” movies in the past. I know, I don’t watch a ton of horror but I know about them lol, I can make that assumption! My only problem, that I can at least think of and that I thought while watching the movie, is the whole… other part of the story. It’s funny but I wonder if you took that out, could the movie be the same? I think it could be but it just wouldn’t have that other thing as a reason why the family does this… anyways, check out Ready or Not. I recommend it!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Ready or Not? If so, what are your thoughts? What is your favorite black comedy horror film? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Happy Holidays!
Movie Review: Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker
Summary: The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron’s journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.
Pros:
Cast and Characters. Obviously, we have a ton of returning characters but I’m not going to hit them all. I’m really only going to focus on the ones we spend the movie with because they’re who we’ve become acquainted with. Carrie Fisher passed before the filming of this movie so while Leia is still here, it’s through repurposed unreleased footage from TFA. But she’s great.
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Daisy Ridley as Rey. She is a scavenger from Jakku. Where we find her in this movie, she is training, to become better etc. Once they get a lead on how they could defeat The First Order, she goes on a series of quests with Finn and Poe. Throughout the film, we see Rey continue to struggle with her who she is, where she comes from. This film ultimately deals with her identity. We get to see this struggle throughout the film and Daisy Ridley does a great job at portraying the various states of emotions Rey finds herself going through. I think she really shines in the third act of the film because she’s emotional and it almost seems uncontrollable at times. I like Rey, I think she’s interesting and finding out her lineage was interesting and I like how they first showed us confirmation on that. This whole “Mary Sue” thing I see online about her, I think is stupid. For one, if Rey is a Mary Sue then so was Luke Skywalker. Sure, she’s good at a lot of things but considering how she had to survive on her own for her entire life, it makes sense she makes sure she’s great at things. Anyway, I just wanted to say that lol.
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John Boyega as Finn. He is a former stormtrooper who defected to the Resistance. This is probably the most I’ve liked him in the trilogy which is a shame because I find John Boyega very charismatic and likable. In this one, he’s come into his own as being part of the Resistance, he’s brave and willing to do what he needs to do in order to protect his friends and the world. It’s no longer a “every man for himself” kind of thing. Throughout the film, there’s something he’s been trying to tell Rey and spoiler alert, he never gets to tell her and I think he wanted to tell her he’s Force Sensitive which is something we as the audience already knows from the first film. I would assume that Rey would know considering she’s a Jedi.
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Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron. He’s my favorite lol and it’s not just because I adore Oscar Isaac, which is a major part of it but I liked him since his first sequence in the first film lol. He is a high-ranking X-wing fighter pilot and commander of the Resistance. Poe went through a lot last movie and I think he really comes full circle in this one, because he’s not as arrogant as he was about knowing what’s best for everyone (like in TLJ), I mean he’s still a little arrogant lol, but not in the same way. His lesson is leadership and feeling like he’s earned the roles given to him by Leia. I think is probably my favorite version of Poe as well, just because he gets to be lighthearted and sassy which works for his character. I love Oscar Isaac. That’s it lol.
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Adam Driver as Ben Solo / Kylo Ren. He is the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Born as Ben Solo, he is the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, the nephew of Luke Skywalker and grandson of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader. His role in this one is very different than we’ve seen in the past. I feel like he wasn’t as prominent in this one but perhaps that was the point. Just like Rey, he’s going through a lot emotionally as well, identity and all that. But that’s all because I can’t get into it without spoiling things. But Adam Driver is great in this role, this is probably the most I’ve liked him as well. I thought he was interesting but I can’t say I liked him or anything before. But I liked what we see out of him here.
Character Chemistry. This is always important when you have characters who spend a lot of time together. It’s important they work well together, if the chemistry is off, you can tell. Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega work really well together and I’ll get into this in the cons as well, but the moments we get to see them working together, or when they have a moment to go back and forth, are moments I really enjoyed. I wish we got more of that to really establish their friendship.
Some Interesting Character Arcs. This is particularly for Rey, Poe and Kylo. Being that the trilogy has been about Rey and Kylo, it makes sense that their arcs parallel each other. I think they’re done well. As I said, Rey has identity issues she has to work through and I think that’s handled pretty well. Same with Kylo, they’ve built up his issues since the first film and he really gets his chance for that to come full circle. As for Poe, he’s dealing with the whole being a leader thing, leading people and all that. I think though, that mostly because a struggle towards the end. But I like those arcs though. As for Finn, I think his arc was handled before this movie because he seems really competent and confident here. So that’s a win.
Visual Effects Are Amazing. Y’all this movie is amazing in how a lot of the effects are handled. There is this great shot of them standing over rushing dark waters and that was some beautiful technology right there. Not to mention, the fight between Rey and Kylo while on that water, also pretty dope. Then, at the end, there is a shot of Rey walking between these two giant black walls and you see this blue light flashing. It was amazing. Technically, this movie has a lot going for it. The opening sequence with Poe, Finn and Chewie on The Falcon was awesome! I mean, I was really into it from the beginning.
Cons:
Weak Storytelling. Listen, I feel like nothing happened in this movie lol until we got to the last act. I just remember thinking “what is the point of this and this and this?” because when we got to the end, some of it didn’t seem as important or that we didn’t need it. Maybe it’s because I didn’t feel any tension? *thinking face* They just jumped from place to place with mini quests and don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but the real meat comes at the end. Everything else felt frivolous. I wonder if that’s because Rain Johnson deviated a lot from what JJ Abrams wanted to do? I mean, I don’t know what the full plan was but The Last Jedi feels out of place with The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. So maybe that’s part of the problem, JJ was trying to correct some wrongs.
Main Three Friendship. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the chemistry between the main three, just like I said in the “pros”. But my big problem is that I feel shafted in their time together. When Poe and Finn get back to wherever the Resistance is and the three have this moment where they go back and forth, particularly Poe and Rey arguing about The Falcon and BB-8. It was cute and I laughed but then we don’t really get to see Rey and Poe connect again. I really like their dynamic, even if viewers wanted romance between all three or two of the three, which is fine, but I feel like the movies never quite established how close they are to even earn their big hug. I get more out of their friendship in fanfiction then I have in the films.
Plot Twist Reveals/No Tension. This is big big spoilers so I can’t go into it though I’m sure people have already figured it out, but while the reveal is cool, the way it’s gone about is really lame. Again, I’m sure part of it has to do with the fact that the second movie feels out of place because I feel like the reveal happens so fast, that it fizzles when it should ignite. I mean, it’s cool to watch everything come to a head at the end, but again there’s no tension! I don’t feel any tension! Plus the stuff with Kylo at the end, it’s just… I mean, again, I don’t know everything about SW but some stuff feels like it was either added/changed at the last minute or it was just… bleh. It’s really frustrating now that I think about it.
Overall, I enjoyed myself and I think I enjoyed this one out of the sequel trilogy the most. I don’t know why but I did lol. I continue to like Rey, Finn and Poe but I like them the most here. It seems like there was a bit more fun to be had and whenever they got to work off each other, they did it really well. The use of sound in this movie is great, between the score and how they combine the score with sound effects to add tension in later scenes. This movie has fantastic visual effects, I particularly like the shots with the moving water. There are some interesting character arcs going on in the movie, particularly for Kylo, Rey and Poe. I feel like Finn completed his arc before this movie but after TLJ lol. I’m a casual Star Wars fan, so I feel like this movie does a pretty good job at closing the Skywalker story. I mean, I sure there’s a ton left to do but I don’t think I’d be disappointed if they didn’t include anyone else related to the Skywalkers. Unless it’s Poe. I want more Poe content. He has a comic series, let’s do a spin off series lol. Now, I do think the storytelling element is pretty weak in the film, it just feels monotonous until the end and I feel shafted out of seeing a true and fleshed out friendship between Rey, Poe and Finn. I also think there isn’t much tension when there should be. There’s some big important stuff that is revealed and I think if it was handled better and not just thrown away, it would have landed harder in this film. I think that’s the issue you face when you have a trilogy done by two different directors. Everyone doesn’t have the same vision. Anyways, I don’t think The Rise of Skywalker is horrible, I quite liked it. It’s a good adventure to spend your time watching.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker? If so, what are your thoughts? If you have a dissertation to write, please, feel free. I’d love to hear thoughts, especially from viewers who are more than casual Star Wars fans. Let me know in the comments.
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