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novagirl11
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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)
could have been better
I actually saw this movie last week at the early screening, but IMDB wouldn't let me submit a review before the official release date. Some parts were funny, and I loved the behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the main actors! Judy Greer is great, as always, and Molly Belle Wright's performance definitely has me looking forward to her future castings! However, overall the movie left me with a frustrating feeling about the unrealistic storylines and plot holes. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was a nice kick off to the holiday season, but it could have been better...not the "Best Ever"
Hit Man (2023)
great disguises, strong start, sloppy ending
It started off strong and developed the characters fairly well. Watching Glen in all the different disguises was so much fun! I liked watching him and Adria (who reminds me of a couple other actresses, in a good way) and seeing a couple other familiar faces in the cast too. During the first half, it was interesting to try to guess where the story would go. Overall, it wasn't quite as funny as I was hoping, though. Unfortunately, the resolution was rushed and nonsensical. It felt like they were running out of time and money, just finishing up the story in a panic. I enjoyed the beginning, but the end left me puzzled and unsatisfied. Oh well.
Challengers (2024)
dramatic, funny, creative but confusing and too loud
I went into this movie having only seen a trailer and did not know anything else about it. I expected the drama but didn't know I'd also be laughing out loud so much!
The actors did a particularly excellent job expressing the significance of non-verbal communication in relationships and in tennis. Creative cinematography made watching multiple tennis matches much more interesting, like following the shadows on the ground, from the perspective of the ball, and looking up from below the court.
The flashbacks were definitely interesting, providing background and foreshadowing, but the time jumps were often hard to follow and I found myself spending too much time trying to figure out the current timeline.
In the churros scene, I could tell that they were really eating, not just pushing food around on a plate, like actors typically do (for good reason). And, according to the trivia page, part of that was unscripted due to hunger!
I loved the way music was used to match and amplify the energy of a scene, but at times it was too loud - so much so that it made it really difficult to hear the dialogue. In fact, there were many times in general that it was hard to hear what the characters were saying - maybe I'll just have to watch it again at some point with subtitles!
The Idea of You (2024)
good romcom, well-chosen music, fan of the actors
This movie was a good combination of the traditional components that are so treasured in RomComs along with unique and innovative aspects as well. Of course, music plays a big part in the movie and I thought the soundtrack was a well-chosen set of existing songs (like ones from Maggie Rogers and Fiona Apple who both remind me of Sara Bareilles - in a good way) accompanied by decent originals written for August Moon. I've been a fan of Ann(i)e Hathaway's for a long time, and I already liked Nick Galitzine before this and now I can't wait to see him in more roles after this! All that said, I have to say (without giving away any spoilers), that I found the resolution of the conflict rather lazy.
Mean Girls (2024)
better than expected, funny, great dancing!
After seeing both the original film and the Broadway musical, it had a lot to live up to. I appreciated that they slowed down the tempo of a couple songs because it made it easier to hear and understand the words. I enjoyed the cameos and star-studded cast, even those who were not in it for very long. I was definitely laughing out loud and I love that there were new jokes along with the traditional ones! The choreography and dancing were awesome. There was obviously a lot cut out from the musical, for obvious reasons, but I think the movie could have benefitted from being just a little longer. Plus, it felt too diluted and blatantly censored in ways that could have otherwise better developed the characters and plot. But, overall it was still better than expected.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
funny, sweet, but parts were painful/uncomfortable to watch
Overall, it was funny and ended up being a sweet story, but there were parts that were painful to sit through. Maddie's character was a bit unbelievable and difficult to relate to. It seems crazy that Jennifer Lawrence signed on for this movie at this point. But, I gotta say I always really enjoy watching Laura Benanti, even in this silly role. Also, a couple scenes that were meant to be funny made me uncomfortable because it would have been very dangerous if it happened in real life, and someone could have gotten seriously injured. Also, I'll say that the scene that involved a piano was epic!
Bottoms (2023)
unnecessarily violent, not funny enough, distractingly unrealistic
One of the reasons we wanted to watch this movie was because we saw that it was supposed to be similar to Booksmart. Well, I would've rather just re-watched Booksmart. I wanted to like it, but it was surprisingly and unnecessarily violent and very few parts were actually funny. The part I found funniest was actually just watching Nicholas Galitzine play an American, idiotic, ridiculous football player. The part I enjoyed the most was seeing so many familiar faces who I didn't realize were in the cast, like Kaia Gerber, Marshawn Lynch, and Punkie Johnson. There were so many parts that were distractingly unrealistic and overall it fell short of expectations.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023)
funny, lots going on, will watch again
It was laugh-out-loud funny, as expected, and I'm glad we got to see it for a what is now a rare trip to the theater. I'll admit, there were a few parts that were confusing. I feel like it's the kind of movie that I might catch different things upon a re-watch. There were often multiple things going on at once and it was easy to have missed hearing or seeing something. With the trip to Greece, it reminded me of Mamma Mia and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, neither of which is a bad thing. Would recommend - I will definitely watch it again - maybe next time I'll watch it with subtitles turned on!
Maybe I Do (2023)
It was funny, but it was also weird.
It starts out with several minutes of credits - and I'm not talking about names on top of scenic landscapes in the background, literally just white text on a black screen. But, at least the original song "Always You" was playing, which I liked. It was very obvious that the story was originally a play and was not adapted much for a screenplay of a movie. There was a lot of dialogue...I mean A LOT. And sometimes it seemed like they were talking in circles or in a translated language because I didn't even understand what they were talking about. It also felt like it didn't have enough characters and lacked a variety of scenery and settings. With such a great cast list and well-known writer/director (for TV anyways), I had higher hopes but there was much room for improvement in terms of making it into a romcom movie.
The Fabelmans (2022)
not worth the trip to the theater
Honestly, I didn't think it was well-made. It was disjointed and the elements were not assembled successfully: acting, writing, cinematography, score, etc. I left the theater feeling confused and uncomfortable. I was unable to suspend reality or immerse myself into the plot, but instead was very aware that I was watching a movie the entire time. The characters were not relatable, and the story was boring and did not inspire empathy.
When watching some of the scenes, I didn't know what emotion to feel: sadness, anger, sorrow, frustration, or something else? The script was awful; I didn't know what some of the lines meant or even the sentiment they were intended to convey.
There are still parts that I don't understand. There were so many loose ends and lingering questions, even at the end of the movie. I understand that, in real life, there might be remaining uncertainties; but why did he decide to give everyone fake names if he wasn't going to slightly alter the events/details for the better of the movie?
I suppose Michelle Williams played a complex character interestingly, but Paul Dano seemed kinda creepy, which I don't think was the intention. I liked seeing the behind-the-scenes of Sam creating scenes in his amateur movies. The set design/prop curation were spot-on! In my opinion, that would be the only category for which it deserves an Academy Award.
Ticket to Paradise (2022)
a great romantic comedy
This was truly a RomCom and I was so excited to finally see it. It was great to see George Clooney and Julia Roberts together, especially when you could tell they were really laughing together. It was great to watch a blooper reel again too! I don't know of any graduation ceremonies with assigned seats or any lawyers who don't plan to go to law school after college, but I guess we're supposed to just overlook things like that. Also, why was Julia Roberts wearing a variation of the same outfit in different colors for the entire trip? Anyways, I loved seeing Lucas Bravo and I hope he gets more roles soon.
Do Revenge (2022)
unrealistic but fun with lots of references
I particularly enjoyed watching Maya Hawke for the first time (and recognizing features/mannerisms from her parents) and Austin Abrams again (Dash & Lily). On the other hand, parts of the plot were unrealistic, and it was difficult (and annoying) for the audience to figure out who to root for, given that ALL of the characters have villainous characteristics.
For me, the best part was looking for the Easter eggs and allusions to other movies/tv, especially those from the 90s! Here is the list of references I noticed in Do Revenge:
Mean Girls
10 Things I Hate About You
John Tucker Must Die
Heathers
The Princess Diaries
She's All That
Cruel Intentions
Clueless
Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor Swift music video)
Fatal Attraction (direct mention)
Pretty Little Liars
Gossip Girl
Frozen (direct mention)
Bring It On
Easy A
Also, the soundtrack is truly awesome! Songs I noticed (and there are many more!):
How Bizarre (orchestral version)
How It's Going To Be by Third Eye Blind
B*tch by Meredith Brooks
Kids in America (cover)
Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger
Praise You by Fatboy Slim
Dreams by The Cranberries.
Elvis (2022)
interesting, too long, but makeup/costumes and Austin are great
There's a lot I didn't realize about Elvis, so this was interesting to watch. It was already way too long, but I do wish it had focused a little more on the music and developing his songs. Some accents were a little hard to hear and it was often difficult to understand what the colonel was trying to say, even if I could actually hear the words he was uttering. The makeup/costume departments definitely deserve recognition for their excellent work! Finally, I absolutely look forward to seeing Austin Butler in more movies!
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
This truly was a great movie!
It's funny, dramatic, action-packed, heartfelt. I appreciated the little introductory clip from Tom Cruise explaining about the authenticity of the film's production and welcoming everyone back to the theater. I thought Miles Teller did a great job (and quite obviously was cast/costumed/made-up very well) and that there was a nice balance of nostalgia and new characters. When we first arrived in the theater, I was worried it was going to be way too loud, but thankfully it got better. Also, the soundtrack is superb!
The Lost City (2022)
did not disappoint - so funny!
I was looking for a good romantic comedy to welcome me back to the theater for the first time in a very long time, and this did not disappoint! I laughed harder than I have at a movie in a long time! My favorite part was when Alan was trying to put Loretta into the car - so funny! Obviously, everyone wished Brad Pitt's character was in the movie for longer, but Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum killed it!
Belfast (2021)
loved Jamie Dornan singing and dancing
There were some Wes Anderson-like aspects. I was confused by the parts in color when everything else was in black-and-white. Caitriona Balfe totally reminded me of a younger Renée Zellweger. Most of all, I absolutely loved watching Jamie Dornan sing and dance!
Haunted by Murder (2022)
loved the casting of daughters as younger characters in flashbacks!
Candace Cameron Bure's daughter, Natasha Bure, and Lexa Doig's daughter, Mia Shanks, both play the parts of a teenage Aurora and Sally perfectly! They look, talk, and move just like their adult counterparts. I loved it! I didn't love Niall Matter's beard, though, - it looks fake and he looks like a different person! One question: why did Hallmark release a Halloween movie in February?
Marry Me (2022)
solid rom-com Valentine's Day movie
This was a solid rom-com Valentine's Day movie! I loved the songs and performances. It was great that the parts we already knew about from the trailer happened right at the beginning and pretty quickly, and then the plot moved beyond that at a good pace. What I initially thought of as a "snow globe effect", created by the fisheye lens (especially in the classroom scenes) was very distracting and annoying. Sarah Silverman adds some great comedy and commentary. As an introverted girl who always loved math myself, I particularly loved watching Chloe Coleman's (Lou's) performance!
Destination Wedding (2018)
not laugh-out-loud funny, more like a play
The cast list is very short and only the 2 leads have lines throughout the whole movie. So, there is a LOT of dialogue, and I had to rewind in a few instances to understand what they were saying. It felt like watching a play - the good news is it's not an extremely long one. I didn't find it laugh-out-loud funny, but I liked the scene with the mountain lion.
Valentine's Day (2010)
I love Gary Marshall movies :)
I like the star-studded cast movies with connecting storylines and this is no exception, although too silly at times. Gary Marshall is great! Also, I love the reference scene during the credits, but no spoilers!
Titanic (1997)
powerful scenery, emotional music, amazing costumes, and breathtaking cinematography
Decided to re-watch this because it's Valentine's weekend and because I thought there were probably parts I didn't remember. It's definitely the kind of movie that you catch more/different things every time you watch it. Of course, it's hard not to notice the powerful scenery, emotional music, amazing costumes, and breathtaking cinematography.
The Sweetest Thing (2002)
stupid, unrealistic comedy for male audience
Initially it seemed it was supposed to be a slapstick comedy about relationships and sexuality from the female perspective, but it still seems to be intended for a male audience, despite the rom com genre. I found myself repeatedly asking are they supposed to be drunk right now or are they really that stupid? My favorite part was the movie montage in the dressing room, although that too was super unrealistic, like the rest of the plot.
The Half of It (2020)
Cute story, but a little slow
Cute story, but a little slow. Plus, most scenes were too dark to watch during the day. There was too much glare on the screen, which made it very hard to see.
Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (2021)
loved the double feature combo
I love the sister swap concept, each lady starring as lead actress in their own movie and as a supporting character in the other, overlapping the same timeline and some of the same events, from different perspectives. I liked that it was actually filmed in Salt Lake City. Also, in the red hat shopping scene, you can see Jen Lilley's Christmas Is Not Cancelled striped winter hat in the background!
Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday (2021)
loved the double feature combo
I love the sister swap concept, each lady starring as lead actress in their own movie and as a supporting character in the other, overlapping the same timeline and some of the same events, from different perspectives. The flashback home videos with Kevin Nealon were very sweet and seemed authentic.