Well, everyone, today, we are going to be reviewing what may likely be classified as a romantic comedy, and was just released around Christmas time this past year. Before we get started on this review, I thought you all should know that I’m not normally one to see films of this type. Well, at least not ones that are rated R, and would therefore have more cussing, potentially too many inappropriate scenes, and things like that. However, after seeing trailers for this film, Anyone But You, this one did still look like a cute film. So, I went ahead, and saw it at the theater recently, and gave it a chance. So now, without further ado, let’s discuss Anyone But You, which stars Glen Powell, and Sydney Sweeney!
Plot: Six months after having a one time date, and breaking up, Ben (Glen Powell), and ex-girlfriend Bea (Sydney Sweeney) end up traveling together, along with their friends, and family, to a wedding in Sydney, Australia. Now, to prevent her parents from making her get back together with her older ex-boyfriend, Jonathan (Darren Barney), Ben, and Bea agree to pose as a couple. Now, will they succeed in faking the whole time, or will their scheme be discovered?
Okay, first off, for the next couple reviews, I will go ahead, and say the negatives for each film. With that said, let’s talk about the issues with Anyone But You, shall we? First of all, there were a couple unnecessary inappropriate moments in this film. Okay, I understand that this movie is supposed to be for a more mature audience. Still, does it need to be thrown in our face that this movie is rated R? Quite honestly, if it weren’t for those particular inappropriate moments, this film could have probably gotten away with a PG-13 rating. Also, did we really need to have a lesbian couple in this film? And why in the world did Hollywood decide to have a rule that in order for a movie to get awards like Oscars, or Golden Globes, most of them had to have either the majority of characters be of a different race, have a lesbian, or gay couple, or some other bull crap like that? Yeah, after seeing films like this one, and Booksmart, for instance, it comes to show that Hollywood needs to go back to just making fun stories, and not be so far on the political end of things, you know? The film also had quite a few cliches in it, most notably one of the main characters feeling insecure after making decision that may not have been the best ones. Oh, and there were points where the writing was most likely a little dumb for this movie, particularly when it came to certain characters being pushed to achieving certain goals by others in one of the most stupid ways that one could think of.
With all that said, is this movie bad? Well, no! Sure, Anyone But You could have improved in the ways that I mentioned just moments ago. Even so this film is still fun, due to, well, not having quite as many cuss words as most R-rated films of this type seem to have. I mean to have an R-rated film, where there isn’t a whole lot of foul language, that’s not heard of, is it? If anyone here can name other R-rated films where there were fewer scenes with foul language, please let me know! In addition to this, there were some rather, cute, and clever moments that helped make Anyone But You more memorable than it probably would have been otherwise. Also, who doesn’t like the chemistry that Glen Powell’s and Sydney Sweeney’s characters each have between each other? Just a thought! Also, seeing as Ben, and Bea have each been through similar situations, it makes sense that they end up in a relationship, and that the writers did well to develop the relationship. Not to mention the fact that Ben is likable because, if not for any other reason, then at least for the fact that he was willing risk anything, both really dangerous, and not as dangerous situations, to help either Bea, or even other people in his life. Sure, he would make stupid decisions at points throughout points in the film. But hey, at least he realized what he did wrong in those situations, and would learn from them. And yeah, Bea is also likable due to how well developed she is, how much she cares for others, and more. She also makes a couple interesting comments that also help make this film even more good, most notably a comment to someone at one point about that person having misguided views about marriage. Well said, Bea, well said! As for the story itself, though it has some convoluted things in it at different points, is still very well developed, likable, pleasant to watch, and an overall fun experience, especially for a film that’s rated R, and has come out in this day, and age. So, how about that?
And that concludes my review for Anyone But You. Yeah, this film may be rated R, and may have a few inappropriate scenes at points. However, considering that other R-rated films, specifically ones that have released in more recent years, have been worse, at least this one seems to pale in comparison to most of those. I mean not having as much foul language, not inserting as many inappropriate scenes, or things like those, that was very impressive for that to not be the case as much this time around. Even so, I would say that if parents were to allow kids in their teen years to watch Anyone But You, I will just advise parents to wait until their kids are around their mid to maybe later teen years. All to say, depending on how old you are, definitely give this film at some point. Though some people will take issues with some of the mini inappropriate content, at least this film will feel more like a family friendly film in comparison to other R-rated movies, especially ones released in more recent years. So, if not now, still Anyone But You at some point, and see what you think!
Everyone, today, we are going to be diving back into the anime world, known as Studio Ghibli! And not only that, but it is directed by Studio Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki (who directed Spirited Away, and many other films in this animation library). What’s more is that this Studio Ghibli movie recently won a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature. So now, let’s discuss the Golden Globe Award winner in the animation category, The Boy & The Heron.
Plot: During the Pacific War (aka World War II), a young boy named Mahito Maki (Luca Padovan), and his father Shoichi (Christian Bale), along with his father’s wife Natsuko (Gemma Chan), who is the sister of his late wife, evacuate from Tokyo to Natsuko’s rural estate. One day, when a gray heron (Robert Pattinson) appears, and reveals a shocking secret to Mahito, they embark on an adventure into an oceanic world in another dimension. Throughout this process, will the troubled Mahito end up finding peace with his family, other people around him, and with himself in the end?
So, is The Boy & The Heron another masterpiece from Studio Ghibli, or is this film rather overrated in the end? Well, for the most part, one could probably see why this film has won a Golden Globe, and may also win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. This film is not quite perfect, but is still very good. First off, for those of us who are familiar with films from Studio Ghibli, we may realize that the studio takes real life settings, and sets them into a world of animation, and with fantasy elements. Case in point, films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and others, for instance. Well, gang, The Boy & The Heron is no exception. This film takes a realistic time period, like The Pacific War (aka World War II, and knows how to be creative with the story. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hayao Miyazaki took inspiration from authors like C.S. Lewis, especially with his Chronicles Of Narnia book series, when directing these Japanese animated films. You got me! Anyway, so what makes this latest offering from Studio Ghibli good, and worth your time? Well, there is the animation. Honestly, I’m not sure if this, or the studio’s other films are truly anime, or if they’re a mix of anime, and American animation. I say that because, well, when you look at the movement of people walking, and running in a movie like this one, or even the grass seating in the wind, and more, it feels like the style seems to lean a little toward the side of American animation. Well, maybe you guys should watch a full-on anime movie, or show, and a full-on American one, and let me know what you think regarding that. One way, or another, the animation is gorgeous. I heard it took the filmmakers seven years to make this film. This, along with storytelling, and other elements serve as proof of how hard they worked to make this film to perfection as much as possible. Well, that leads to the story. The story, though a little too sad at times, is very well done. Like you like the characters from the start, especially main characters Mahito Maki, and the Grey Heron. Honestly, once the Grey Heron comes on the scene, the film ends up being more fun, and engaging. I mean the Heron, once he came on the scene maybe 20 minutes into the film, or shortly after, just stole the show from beginning to end. He has creative scenes, and has quite a few hilarious moments in a lot of scenes that he’s in. Mahito Maki also is a likable character too. Maybe not as hilarious as the Heron, but still very good. He also may make some clumsy mistakes in this film as well. Still, throughout the journey that he, and the Heron go through, Mahito successfully grows as a character. This is especially proven during a scene near the end of the film. Again, I won’t spoil what happens. However, let’s just say that in this scene that you all will have to see for yourselves, he goes from acting careless, and somewhat negligent, and maybe even arrogant, to being humble, and admitting that he shouldn’t perform certain tasks that don’t sound right, or that he’s not worthy of having an honor of this position, or that position. As for the other characters, they’re really good too, including Mahito’s relatives, and other characters that appear around the middle to end of the film. As for the story overall, again, you can tell that the filmmakers, and animators really did put their heart, and soul into making no this film as good as possible. Through the art of animation, facial expressions, situations that were built upon, and more, there was a very good amount of character development, good development of the story, and more. Oh, and did I forget to mention that there are some very intriguing twists, and turns throughout this film as well? Not often that you hear of that in an animated film, now, is it!?! Anyhow, the climax was also very interesting, and certain aspects of the ending, both shocking, and interesting at the same time. Honestly, the one area in which this film could have been better is that there were a couple plot points around the middle, and near the end of the film that probably could have made more sense than they did in the end. If they made sense to you, then let’s have a discussion about them. Thanks! It didn’t hurt the movie, at least not by much. Just having those plot points make more sense could have made the movie a little better than it was in the end.
And that’s my review for The Boy & The Heron. Looking back, was this film good in the end? Well, yes, for sure. Is this film both Golden Globe, and maybe even Oscar worthy? Well, considering that this film is going up against other animated films of this past year, Wish, Elemental, Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse, and more, well, let’s just say that Spiderverse was still very good. Still, since The Boy & The Heron was good, and because this film took seven years to make, it was probably for the best that Boy & The Heron won the Golden Globe in the end. It has beautiful animation, fun characters, unexpected twists, and turns, a good premise, and all the good qualities that make for a good film period. Yes, having a couple plot points slightly set the film back from perfection. Still, when it comes to films that don’t have an engaging, or memorable storyline period, complaints for this movie pale in comparison to those situations in movies. That being said, if you haven’t seen The Boy & The Heron, I would highly recommend that you do. You will truly have a great time with this film. That is especially in an age when companies like Disney, and likely other companies have started to put quantity over quality as of the past year, or two, if not more. All to say, if you ever get a chance, go see The Boy & The Heron, and see what you think!
Well, everyone, now, it is time to review the newer Mean Girls film that was basically a remake of the 2004 film. Oh, but there’s a twist. This version is in the style of a Broadway musical, and based more on the Broadway version that was released on Broadway sometime after the 2004 version came out. This version stars Angourie Rice as main character Cady Heron, Renee Rapp as Regina George, Avantika as Karen Shetty, Bebe Wood as Gretchen Wieners, and more cast members. So now, let’s dive into the newer Mean Girls film version, shall we?
Plot: High school , and homeschooled student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice this time around), and her mother, Ms. Heron (Jenna Fischer) move from Kenya, Africa back to the U.S., after which Cady begins attending North Shore High School. As Cady begins to navigate the typical things that go with high school such as experiencing culture shock of going from homeschool, and one culture to another, cliques, and making some new friends, including relationships that may not be the best for her, will Cady still maintain her innocence, or will public high school begin to influence her for the worst?
Well, I will say this, though the story may basically feel the same as the 2004 version, with some changes here, and there, this newer 2024 remake of the popular 2004 Mean Girls movie is still very good. First of all, the way that the movie is first set up is really cool. Also, it was really cool to have original music as well. Honestly, if there was going to be a remake of the original film, then making this version a Broadway-style musical most likely was a great way to go. Are the songs classic ones that you’ll have stuck in your head? Not quite! Still, they are fun songs. I mean if you want a film that helps develop the story, and characters through songs, like many musicals have excelled in doing, then this is a good opportunity for you to do just that. Each character truly does shine through each of the songs that they either sing themselves, or are just a part of. Speaking of the characters, once again, many of them do stand out, each in his/her own way. Still, the ones that do stand out in this version the most are Cady Heron, and Regina George. The reason, first off, for Cady, is that she goes through culture not only because of realizing that high school is not always the way that it cracks to be, but also because she makes both good, and bad decisions, such as attempting to make the lives of certain people miserable, especially when they hurt her. Yet, in spite of this, Cady still manages to have a good heart, particularly when she learns to apologize for hurting those people, trying to reconcile with those that she hurt, and showing compassion, and love to everyone around her, including those that don’t deserve it. As for the Queen Bee of the Plastics, Regina George, wow, though she was developed in the original 2004 version, the girl is even more developed this time around. She even gets her own villain song at one point, if you want to put her solo song in such a category. Also, some of you have read the Book of Judges in the Bible, have you not? Well, you have read about the life of Samson in Judges chapters 13-16, yes? For those of you, then you’re surely familiar with the chapter known as “Samson & Delilah” in Judges 16. Well, for those of you who are, then you remember how deceptive, and manipulative Delilah was, I’m sure. Well, in recent years, I came up with a saying for females that seem to act like Delilah from time to time. I coin that expression “Delilah Resurrected Into Modern Times.” Ladies, and gentlemen, in this version of Mean Girls, Regina George can most definitely fall under such an expression because of how she has this smooth talk, but acts sly, and conniving. Yeah, Regina George, and Delilah could potentially be friends with each other as a result. The rest of the cast is great too, from Regina’s two members of the Plastics, Principal Duvall, who was played by Tim Meadows once again, and Ms. Norbury, played by Tina Fey. How interesting that they those two were played by the same people from the 2004 film! Oh, and did I forget Jenna Fischer as Cady’s mother? Though she wasn’t on screen that much, she was a great character during the times that she was onscreen. Not to mention that it was cool to see Jenna Fischer in a film after being in a somewhat long-running show like The Office. Oh, and Auli’i Cravalho as Janis, she sung well, just like when she played Moana in Disney’s Moana. And, last, but not least, let’s not forget to acknowledge Aaron, whom Cady Heron had a crush on in both of these versions. As for the story, again, it was cool the way that it was set up with the beginning musical number, and all the rest of the film. Despite keeping a lot of scenes in this version, there were some tweaks, and changes that came along with this film. So those were nice as well. Honestly, if there were any downsides, it would be that there were some moments that were left out of this new version, including a hilarious moment that made the original film all the more hilarious, and memorable. Oh well!
And that’s my review for 2024’s Mean Girls. If you haven’t seen this newer one, I would still recommend it. That is especially if you liked the 2004 version, and would be happy to see some of the old cast return. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Lindsay Lohan, who played Cady Heron in the original film, makes a cameo appearance as an additional character at one point in this newer version? So, all the more reason to see this film. Anyway, this film has fun numbers, a creative setup, memorable characters, and other elements that make this film really good. My recommendation would be that if you saw the 2004 version, liked it, and like musicals, then all the more reason to see this 2024 Mean Girls movie. All to say, go see it, and give your verdict as well. Hope you end up enjoying it as much as I, and other people did.
Well, everyone, today, in honor of a Broadway musical version of this story being released recently, we review a teen comedy that was released twenty years ago, and surprisingly has seemed to be successful enough to leave a legacy since then. I mean there’s been a sequel that aired on ABC in 2011, a Broadway musical version of the story, and, as of recently, a film adaptation of that musical that was just released in theaters recently. So now, let’s review the one Mean Girls film that started it all, and stars Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried.
Plot: When a high school student named Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), and her parents move from Africa to a high school in Evanston, Illinois called North Shore High School, Cady comes to discover how much of a culture shock it is to go from living life in a third world country to living in a rich country like America, where high schools have cliques, and other issues. Now, she becomes friends with a trio of females called The Plastics, consisting of the leader, Regina George (Rachel McAdams), her lieutenant, Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert), and the third female member, Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried). She also becomes friends with a female named Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan), and a gay male named Damian (Daniel Franzese). Because Cady’s friends with the Plastics, and Janis wants revenge on Regina for something that happened in 8th grade, Janis asks Cady to find out the secrets of Regina after Cady herself feels betrayed by Regina following an incident at a Halloween party. Throughout this whole process, will Cady still manage to keep her innocence in her spirit, or will she become heavily influenced by high school drama, and the friends that she has surrounded herself with?
Well, what can I say? Mean Girls does act like a typical high school teen comedy film. And yet, unlike with other teen films like 10 Things I Hate About You, Drive Me Crazy, She’s All That, and ones like those, Mean Girls has been capitalized on, due to getting a direct-to-TV sequel, a Broadway musical version, and things like that. So now, the question remains, is there something that’s actually special about Mean Girls, or is this film just overrated? Well, besides maybe Grease, I’m not sure that we have heard of a main, main character transferring from some other part of the world, and into high school in the U.S. That being said, if someone can name other teen films where something like that happened besides Mean Girls, and/or possibly Grease, please let me know! So, if that’s more on the unique side for this particular teen story, then that’s awesome! Well, with that said, it would seem as if Mean Girls does seem to tackle some potentially heavy subjects such as culture shock, gossip, wanting revenge on others, and why that’s not the best course of action, being careful of who you trust, and don’t trust, and topics like those. Did this film do an excellent job in tackling those particular subjects? In all honestly, though some of those topics could have likely been handled a little better, especially when it came to some of the characters that they were associated with, they did a fairly good job of handling them very well. Seeing as high school is filled with many teenage kids that end up being overly dramatic about many things, it was really great to see Mean Girls depict that whole deal very accurately. Next, the characters are developed really well, including main character Cady Heron, all three of the original Plastic members, Regina George, Gretchen Wieners, and Karen Smith, and even staff members of the North Shore High School that was depicted in this film, especially Tina Fey’s character, Ms. Norbury, and Tim Meadows’ character, Mr. Duvall, who was the principal of the school in this film. Okay, first of all, with a character like principal Mr. Duvall, not only did he know to be serious when needed be, but he also had a very good sense of humor, sometimes even at the most unexpected moments in this film. As for Cady George, this film did a great job with showing how naive she sometimes seemed to be about people, and not always realizing how hurt people can be by the negative actions of others. Then, there is the Tina Fey’s character, who, like the principal, also had a very good sense of humor. As for duo Damien, and Janis, they were really well fleshed out too. And of course, there’s the Plastics. All three of those members were really well developed too. First off, there’s Karen Smith, and Gretchen Wieners. Both of them, especially the latter, serve as examples of teens in high school who, though deep down have good hearts, but are afraid to show it due to being afraid of what others might think, or something along those lines. And, of course, there’s the Queen of the Plastics, Regina George. Man, did the writers do a phenomenal job of making her the Queen of Drama, so to speak. I mean making a big deal out of not wearing the right clothes on the right days, wanting to ruin the lives of others that she thinks might be out to get her by any means necessary, and more, she is an excellent example of someone who appears nice at first sight, but you would need to watch your back on. For reasons such as this, one can’t help but wonder if this film may have spawned quite a few follow ups is perhaps because this film does a swell job of showing what high school is like, and has been for probably quite some time. It was also nice to hear Lindsay Lohan narrate some additional dialogue for her character in terms of what she would experience, what’s happening in her friend’s lives, and more. One other thing! Did I forget to mention the incredible acting in this film. Man, did they do well with that, especially Rachel McAdams, and Lindsay Lohan. Honestly, if there were any flaws, it would be that the film could potentially be a little too inappropriate at times. Not quite R territory, but could sometimes come close to that.
And that’s my review for Mean Girls. It has really memorable characters that stand out, excellent acting, and has a really good storyline. It also has some really funny moments as well. It would seem that one of the main reasons that 2004’s Mean Girls stands out is because of how it handles it’s characters, developing the story overall, and teaching some really valuable lessons that kids, especially ones in middle school, and high school, could take away from in order to have a better understanding of what high school is usually so that they’re not so naive, and/or overly optimistic before going into that phase of life. If you haven’t seen Mean Girls yet, make it a point to. You would definitely be surprised by how well done a teen films like this ends up being in the end. So, hope you get to see this film, if you haven’t already.
Well, everyone, here we are at last! Today, we review a musical, and prequel to the classic 1971 musical film, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. So now, let’s review the prequel, simply known as Wonka, and starring Timothee Chalamet as the title character.
Plot: When an illiterate, but aspiring magician, inventor, and chocolatier named Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) arrives in Europe by boat, he aspires to use his love for chocolate to make his own chocolate factory. But trouble brews, as corrupts members of a Chocolate Cartel try to prevent Willy Wonka from achieving his dream. With the help of an orphaned girl named Noodle (Calah Lane), and a few other friends from a launderette that he becomes part of, will Willy Wonka still be able to achieve his dream in the end?
Now, as some of us probably know already, Wonka has performed really well at the box office, between $150-200 million domestically thus far. So, after seeing this movie recently, are those numbers justified? Surprisingly, very much so! First of all, while watching Wonka, I found myself having a lot of fun with this film. In all honesty, I wouldn’t be surprised if many other people that saw this movie felt the same way. To begin, if you go into this film expecting a generic, and typical Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory type of story, let’s just say that you’re most definitely in for a surprise. To begin, the storyline is one that, let’s just say you may, or may not expect for a Willy Wonka type of film. It is a film that incorporates some very valuable lessons, including learning to not give up, any struggles, and obstacles that come when a person tries to achieve his/her dreams, especially the right ones, learning when to trust the right people, and when you need to be careful not to trust the wrong ones, and, most importantly, the people that you share your dreams, and your life with. It is a film with both heroes, and villains, both character sides of which are written really well, thanks to the good pacing of the story, and some really fun songs, a couple of which were taken from the original film, and used for this film, while the others were original songs that were written for this prequel. Speaking of the songs, much like recent musicals like The Greatest Showman, one of Wonka’s greatest strengths comes from its beautiful, and well-crafted musical numbers. Granted, unlike with films like The Color Purple, Wonka didn’t have to have numbers to be more enjoyable. Not to mention that Wonka, though it had some heavy subjects here, and there, they weren’t as dark, or heavy-handed like with the newer version of the musical, The Color Purple. As a result, Wonka didn’t have to rely on the songs in order to have a partial light-hearted tone. Even so, having musical numbers in Wonka makes this film more fun, more upbeat, have more emotion, and heart to the story, and many other elements that help make for a good musical film, and good film period. As far as the numbers go, it was good to have songs like “Pure Imagination”, and “Oompa Loompa” included in this film, as they were the only songs from the original Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory movie. It was also great to have more additional original songs that were never in the original film as well. Oh, and did I forget to mention some of the really great choreography for this film? Yeah, this film has really great dancing moves, and even really cool tap dancing at one point, included in this movie. I’m not sure how long it took for the dancers, included the people that played the main characters, to get these moves down. What I will say is that it makes this film all the more enjoyable. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if, after watching this film, people would be interested in wanting to practice some of the dance moves, or even try out tap dancing afterwards. Heck, it also wouldn’t be surprising if some people wished that they were in the movie dancing with the characters at different points when some of the musical numbers occur. So, because of reasons like these, and more, it was probably for the best that this particular film was released during a time like Christmas last year. There was also really great character development involved with Wonka. Again, the songs most definitely helped make the characters shine. That went not only for Wonka himself, but also for characters like Noodle, most of the supporting cast, and, even the villains for this film. Man, were the villains even great characters as well. Not only do you love to hate them, but even they provide some rather comedic moments, including in their musical villain number, “Sweet Tooth”. Honestly, even if you might not find yourself loving all the musical numbers in Wonka, there will probably at least be a few that will stand out, and you’ll probably find yourself humming to. One other thing to mention about the numbers is that Wonka is one of those musicals that almost feels like it could have easily been made decades ago. I mean the songs almost, in a sense, seem to make a sort of callback to decades like the 1950s, 1960s, or probably even 1970s in particular. The reason being is that the songs almost have a feel of songs from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, it also has a feel of songs from musicals like Newsies, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, and musicals like those. Now, for the other aspects of Wonka. There is also the directing by film director Paul King. Now, for those of you who are familiar with him, and the fact that he directed Wonka, you may also know him as the one who directed films like both Paddington, and it’s sequel, Paddington 2, some time ago, yes? Well, if you saw both of those movies, you may know that the cinematography, and lighting seemed very different, and unique from those of other films. It’s almost like in both of those movies, nearly every scene seemed symbolic in one sense, or another. Well, Wonka is no exception. When it comes to the backgrounds, be it in the daytime, or even at nighttime, Paul King, and the team seem to really capture when things are going well for our heroes, and shown by the lighter colors in a particular scene, as well as when they are either having sad, and depressing moments, or are even in perilous situations in the navy blue dark colors showing more somber, and tragic ones. And what more can I say? I suppose, in a shorter way, I could mention how this film does well with developing friendships, along with a romantic one between two of the film’s characters, how there are some funny characters, including the villains, and a character that is played by Rowan Atkinson, a hilarious mythical Oompa Loompa creature that is played by Hugh Grant, the score by Joby Talbot, along with Neil Hankon being the one to write the songs for this film, and a good amount of comedy that goes with Wonka, the bright, and colorful colors of shops, the chocolates, and more. In all honesty, if there were any flaws that could be found with the movie, it would be that some of the ending felt a little rushed in some aspects. I mean yes, for reasons that I won’t mention, you’ll probably find yourself enjoying how things come full circle by the end. However, in other ways, you’ll probably find yourself wishing that there ending was extended to a degree, and that things were to be slightly different by the end. Granted, not by much, but still. Nevertheless, for what the beginning, middle, and even ending are, you’ll still find yourself having a lot of fun while watching Wonka, and leave with a smile on your face.
And that’s my review for Wonka. Wonka is one of those musicals, and films overall, that, after seeing it, you’ll find yourself glad that you did in the end. Truly, with musical films like this one, along with other more recent ones like In The Heights, Mary Poppins Returns, and especially The Greatest Showman, we are truly in an age where musical films seem to be well accepted once again, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Wonka serves as proof that even prequels can have a good storyline when given to the right directors that know how to make a really good story. Wonka has some really fun music, excellent choreography, well-thought out characters that are both well-written, and funny, beautiful cinematography, scenes that are very symbolic, great action at times, and even more than one can ask for. After seeing this film around the beginning of January, I can most definitely see why Wonka has been as popular as it’s been in the end. It is truly a fun film in which you’ll see it, and enjoy it for the music, and memorable characters, and leave with a smile on your face, despite most likely feeling ambivalent about some aspects of the ending. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Wonka yet, please make a point to! It is truly one that you’ll want to see it in the theater for, especially if you like musicals, or have enjoyed either Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, or even Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. So, again, go see it, and see what you think!
Well, everyone, today, we review one of two musical films that was released during the Christmas holiday season. Interestingly enough, one of them was released on Christmas Day. Go figure, eh? Anyway, let’s review what is apparently a remake of a 1985 musical drama film. Presenting to you all my review of the 2023 version of The Color Purple!
Plot: Set in Georgia in 1909, the movie revolves around teenager Celie Harris-Johnson (Fantasia Barrino), and her sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey). Shortly after Celie marries local farmer Albert “Mister” Johnson, who turns out to be a psychopath, circumstances cause Mister to separate Celie, and Nettie, and not see, or talk to each other, despite Nettie attempting to write letters to Celie that Mister hides for a long while. In spite of this situation, and the hardships that are occurring in Georgia during this period of history, will Celie, and Nettie ever be able to reunite with each other in the end?
Disclaimer: Before I start this review, I thought I’d begin by letting you all know that I never saw the 1985 version of this movie. Because of that, I will not be making any comparisons to it, or saying whether that version was better, or vice versa, or anything like that. Well, with that out of the way, on with the rest of the review!
I have to say that though this film may not be one of the most memorable musicals, mainly due to there being some heavy subject matters in this movie, The Color Purple, or the 2023 version, does have a few memorable numbers, particularly “Mysterious Ways”, “Keep It Movin’”, “Maybe God Is Trying To Tell You Something”, and “The Color Purple” to name a few. And I suppose, since words like “heck” weren’t used quite as much in a time period like this, I suppose it was understandable for the people to sing “Hell no” in a musical number that was titled “Hell no!” rather than them saying “Heck no!”, you know? Oh, and did I forget to mention some of the cool choreography that went along with some of the numbers? Though some of that might not be memorable, there were a few standout moments when it came to that aspect of the music, and film overall. Additionally, in all honesty, depending on people’s tastes, being if they like movies with more mean people, and violence, or if they like films with more lighthearted subject matters, your enjoyment of The Color Purple will probably depend on your movie taste in that regard. Also, presuming that there were scenes of sex that were implied, it was good for those scenes to most likely be implied rather than shown, and thrown in your face like in many other newer movies made in this day, and age. So, kudos to the filmmakers on that! The acting was also really great, especially from Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, and Halle Bailey. Honestly, though, one of the major highlights of The Color Purple would be the fact that’s this movie even briefly talks about God, and faith, and things like those. I mean for a film like this to talk about The Lord, and faith in God, and things like that even a little bit, wow, that definitely serves as a big bonus, wouldn’t at least some of you say? One final thing for positives is that The Color Purple ends up providing some very valuable lessons that range from how even really, really cruel people can change, that people need to stand up for themselves, and to others from time to time, that God can, and will bring good even out of the most difficult situations, and lessons like those.
Honestly, I will say that though a lot of the characters are memorable, and some of the songs are good, the film, overall, can still end up being a little too heavy-handed at times. I mean the film may be a little too over the top with the violence, and the story may feel a little too sad, and depressing at times. To be honest, if it weren’t for the musical numbers in this movie, especially some of the of the more memorable ones, The Color Purple probably wouldn’t be that fun of a film to watch. Now, am I saying that this film is okay, or average because of that? No. In fact, the numbers, and some of the more uplifting messages that this film has help keep this movie from being either mediocre, or even a bad film period. And thank God too! I even heard that the 1985 version was way more sad than this 2023 version ended up being in the end. If that’s true, then most likely all the more reason to appreciate this film even more? Most likely! Then again, I will need to see the 1985 version to make that final call in that regard. For now, at least we do have this 2023 version to appreciate.
And that’s my review for the 2023 version of the musical film, The Color Purple. Though it has some really heavy subject matters, and can be a little too dark, and depressing at times, this movie is still very enjoyable. Yes, it is the numbers, one, or two funny moments, and some uplifting messages that will help one enjoy this film even more. My advice would be to see this film at maybe a cheaper price, or see it for free if you have the AMC Stubs deal, or something like that. You’ll definitely enjoy things like what I mentioned before, and some of the choreography. Just don’t expect as good of a musical like Sound Of Music, or Greatest Showman, or a really good musical like that kind of level. Still, definitely see The Color Purple, and see what you think!
Ladies, and gentlemen, today, we go from reviewing the first Aquaman movie to its sequel that was just released shortly before Christmas time a couple weeks ago. So now, with Jason Mamoa, and the gang back in the game, let’s discuss the 2023 sequel, Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom.
Plot: Several years after the events of the first Aquaman movie, Arthur/Aquaman (Jason Mamoa) and Queen Mera (Amber Heard) are married, and have a child, whom they name Arthur Jr.. Meanwhile, after hiring, and while working with marine biologist Stephen Shin (Randall Park), David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) becomes even more obsessed with avenging his father’s death after attaining an Atlantean artifact called the Black Trident. After breaking breaking his half-brother, Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson) out of prison, both he, and Aquaman eventually come to discover a lost kingdom called Necrus, which became lost, and cursed after the former king used the Black Trident for evil purposes. So now, upon discovering that Black Manta plans to use it at the lost kingdom of Necrus to awaken evil forces, will Aquaman, and Orm be able to stop him before he can do so?
So now, you may all be wondering, is Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom as good as its predecessor? Well, though there are one, or two flaws in it that keep it from being superior to the first film, It’s still really good. First of all, there is some really creative symbolism in this film. I won’t say how, but let’s just say that people will be very impressed by that aspect of the film. Next, there are the really impressive visuals. Oh man did they go all out on those this time around. From the vibrant bright colors of Atlantis, to the explosions during action scenes, the scenes involving deserts, to even the really dark colors of this film, the filmmakers really did make some great-looking CGI this time around. Additionally, Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom seems to have a feel of films like Iron Man, Star Wars, and even Lord Of The Rings to a degree as well. Very interesting for a DC Comics movie, wouldn’t you say? Additionally, Rupert Gregson-Williams’ score goes bigger, and better this time around. It almost seems to have not only a 1980s feel to it, but also an anime kind of feel as well. Oh, and there’s some really impressive, and creative comedy well crafted in this sequel. Sure, some of that comedy is crude, but more cleaner humor seemed to outweigh the crude moments. It was also great to see the Aquaman’s kingdom expanded upon, and to learn more about the myth of Aquaman. What’s more is that there were some really well-written character arcs particularly for our main characters. Finally, for positives, it was really good to have messages about being willing to let go of power, and willing to give others second chances.
Honestly, the only flaws are that, first of all, though most of the characters are well developed, and some of the newer ones, there is some development, at least from some of the newer ones, that seems to be lacking at points. The other thing would be that, though there was a fair amount of depth to certain aspects of Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, those aspects could have maybe been elaborated on a little more than they were in the end.
And that’s my review for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom. Though it doesn’t beat the first film as far as quality goes, it still did a mostly great job of going above, and beyond what the first film gave us. It’s fun, has impressive action, really cool visuals, mostly good comedy, a good majority of well-written characters, and more than one could ask for in a sequel. All to say, definitely go see Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, if you haven’t yet. It is most definitely worth your time. It is one of those sequels that you’ll really like, if not love, from beginning to end.
Ladies, and gentlemen, today, in preparation for the newest DC superhero film, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom being released as of recently, we review the newest Aquaman film that was just released around Christmas. It is the one, and only film that stars Jason Mamoa as the title character, alongside Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, and quite a few other people. Presenting to you all my review of 2018 DC film, which is simply titled Aquaman.
Plot: In 1985, when a lighthouse keeper named Thomas Curry (Temuera Morrison) rescues Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), the Queen of Atlantis, from the ocean after she gets injured, they fall in love, and have a child, whom they name Arthur. When Arthur grows up, and discovers that he’s destined to become King of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, it is up to him, with help from Princess Princess Mera (Amber Heard), Atlantis’ royal vizier, Nuidis Vulko (Willem Dafoe), and some other new friends to dethrone the current ruler of Atlantis (Patrick Wilson), who has currently put the kingdom of Atlantis in jeopardy, and then become the rightful ruler of Atlantis.
Well, folks, was the first Aquaman film from 2018 a good film? Well, yes, very much so. First off, though the film could potentially feel a little fast-paced at points, the more well-paced points seem to outweigh the fast-paced ones by a long shot. Then, there are the characters. They are all well developed. Not only is Aquaman himself really well written, but you have other characters like Arthur/Aquaman’s brother, Orm Marius, and Nuidis Vulko, the vizier of Atlantis, who end up being rather complex characters. The movie also does some excellent jobs with the relationships. This goes not only with the love relationship with Arthur, and Princess Mera, but also Arthur, and Vulko, who is revealed to be like a mentor to him especially in his younger years, and other relationships like those as well. It was great how well established the relationships in this film were in the end. I’m not sure if it was due to this film being around 2-2.5 hours, and/or other factors, but it would seem as if the film’s long running time seemed to help balance out the action, the character development, the world building of Atlantis, and elements like those by helping them all be well developed as best as possible. Honestly, you can probably tell that the filmmakers were trying to go all out as much as possible for this film. The only thing I will say is that as far as the villain, David Kane/Black Manta, goes, his motivations for being a villain were probably both understandable, but also somewhat lame at the same time. Anyway, then, there’s the visuals. Wow, these visuals are amazing, especially when you see the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. As I was watching this film, I remember thinking to myself that if Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire had the world of Atlantis this well developed, and/or it didn’t have to have a bit of a time constraint likely due to that one being a Disney animated film, just think of how better that one could have been, but not having the superhero element. Anyway, back to fully Aquaman! I’m not sure how many people that went, and saw this film back in late 2018, or early 2019, saw it in 3D. Either way, I’m sure that a great majority of the underwater shots, or the kingdom itself probably looked cooler, despite it probably being more expensive to see it in that format. Rupert Gregson-William’s score was also amazing. Would it have been worthy of an Oscar? Probably not! Still, it was definitely nice that the score had an 80’s vibe before the film fast forwarded from 1985 to the present time of the 2010’s (or should we say present time back then?). Even when the film fast forwards to that time period, it was nice to hear the score have a beauty, and nostalgia of a type of music that played back in the 1980s. It was almost like it helped the audience, figuratively speaking, transport into the world of Aquaman even more. Oh, and another thing! The climax was very well done. Basically, because of some of the struggles that occur throughout that portion of the film (which I won’t go into details on), it ends up being an additional highlight for this film. Finally, as far as positives go, Aquaman provides great lessons about not letting our mistakes define our present, or future, repaying those who wrong us with good, and lessons like those.
That all being said, the only potential flaws for this film would be that the villain’s motives are both understandable, and sort of lame. In addition to this, people may find themselves ambivalent about how certain situations in this film were handled.
And that’s my review for the first Aquaman film, from 2018. If you haven’t seen this film, then you need to. If you want to see a DC film with a mostly good storyline, then do so. That is especially since DC didn’t seem to have a lot of great films at the time, but started to get better after this slowly but surely. This film has a good, and creative story, fun characters, a lot of heart, excellent world building, and more than one could ask for. Also, who wouldn’t want to see a film in which Willem Dafoe doesn’t play a villain (minus animated films like Finding Nemo)? Just a thought there! So, especially if you plan to see the second film, definitely make an effort to see this one. You won’t be disappointed, that’s for certain.
Alright, now, as I’m sure many of you know, this newer Disney animated film, known simply as Wish, was just released 5-6 weeks ago. At this point, you may be wondering why I’m finally getting to reviewing this film this many weeks later, following it’s release on Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023. Was it because I didn’t originally plan to see this Disney film after hearing reviews of it that leaned more towards the negative side than the positive one? Absolutely not! In fact, I still planned to see Wish, regardless of whether people were saying more good, bad, or even ambivalent things about it. However, because I was out of town during the time that it was first out around Thanksgiving time, and because I was either seeing other films afterwards, and things like that, it was more that I decided to go ahead, and just see this film closer to Christmas time. In this case, I finally did see Disney’s Wish a couple times already, once a couple weeks before Christmas Day, and another time shortly after that holiday. So now that I’ve finally seen it, let’s discuss Disney’s 62nd Animated Feature, Wish, which stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Victor Garber, and a few other actors, and actresses.
Plot: In the fictional Kingdom Of Rosas, King Magnifico (Chris Pine) grants wishes to the the citizens of his kingdom once a year. But when a young teenage girl named Asha (Ariana DeBose) discovers a secret corruption in regards to the King, and his Kingdom, it is up to her, with the help of human friends of hers, a star from the sky named Star, and a goat named Valentino (Alan Tudyk) to deal with the agenda, and put Rosas in a better position than it was before.
Well, now that I’ve seen Disney’s latest animated film a few weeks after it was first released, you may be wondering, is this film as bad as a lot of people are saying it is? Well, let me put it to you all this way! Wish wasn’t exactly a horrible film, but it wasn’t one of Disney’s best works either. So, allow me to elaborate! This time around, I think I’ll have the negatives, and positives in one paragraph, simply because a lot of elements for this film, I think a lot of people that see this film will have mixed elements on. For those of you that have seen this film already, and disagree, let’s have a peaceful discussion about that. Anyway, on with the review!
First off, let’s start off with the character development. Okay, the character development could have improved. Let’s start off with the main character herself, Asha. Well, she was an alright character for the way that she was written. Don’t get me wrong. There are for sure some good qualities to her, such as the fact that she’s selfless in terms of wanting to give other people’s wishes a chance, especially those in her family. She also is willing to go to great risks to accomplish what she needs to. Also, how could we not like her solo I want song, “This Wish”? Honestly, though it may not win, hopefully it will at least get nominated. The thing about this song is that, though Asha may be singing about wanting certain goals for herself, she sings, and shows in the song that she cares more about the possible best interest of her kingdom of Rosas. Don’t believe me? Well, listen to the song, and you’ll likely know, and understand what I mean. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people would have mixed feelings about how she was written, and/or how she handled situations throughout the course of this film. As for the side characters, hardly any of them, aside from the goat, Valentino, and Asha’s best friend, Dahlia, who looks sort of like Snow White, hardly are interesting at all. So, Asha has seven human friends that are supposed to basically serve as the side characters, and/or comic relief, in addition to Valentino, and Star. Sadly, none of them seem to have that much development, again, with the exception of Dahlia, and don’t seem to shine as well as they could have. As I was watching Wish, I remember finding myself comparing them to say the Seven Dwarves from the 1937 Disney film, Snow White & The Seven Dwarves, or even the lesser known six side characters from the 2001 Disney animated film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Granted the side characters from Atlantis weren’t quite as memorable as at least the dwarves, but they were still memorable, and likable, which is more than can be said about these newer side characters from Wish. Oh, and one more thing! The way that some of the side characters were written, and how some character arcs were handled with some of them, it felt rushed, and kind of out of place. Then, there’s the villain, King Magnifico. Okay, Disney seemed to write him as this supposed complex villain who thinks he’s doing good, but turns out that he isn’t. Oh my gosh! His character was done so much better in older Disney films like with Frollo in 1996’s Hunchback Of Notre Dame, or even someone like Kron from 2000’s Dinosaur. But with Magnifico, as you watch this film, let’s just say that you could potentially find yourself cheering for him, and feeling sorry for him more than Asha. Yeah, when you feel more sorry for a villain than your hero, or heroine, that’s kind of tragic, wouldn’t you say? Finally, that leads to my final character, Asha. Again, she is a fun character, and one must give her credit for her compassionate nature, caring for those around her, and more. Still, her character could have probably maybe been written better, and her potentially having a better character arc than she seemed to have in the end. Next, there’s the storyline overall. Okay, I heard that in earlier drafts, both the King, and Queen were going to be a villain duo, and the star character was going to be a human, and star character named Starboy, who would basically serve as a love interest for Asha, among other things that made it sound like this film would have been stronger than it was in the end. Okay, am I saying that it’s bad that both the King, and Queen weren’t villains. Well, it was certainly a nice change to have only one of them be villains. Still, with this being a fairytale, maybe this film would have been stronger. You got me! Also, with the whole Starboy, and Asha deal, especially since one of the songs, by the name of “At All Costs” seemed to sound more like a love ballad between those two, and then changed to being used for something entirely different, and for a rather stupid reason, in the final version of this film, yeah, that’s another reason why the writing for this Disney film wasn’t all that great. Okay, the writing did have its strong points. Still, the weaker points seemed to outweigh the stronger ones in this case. And one other thing regarding the original Asha, and Starboy deal! Is Disney really afraid to have a main character have a love interest? Don’t get me wrong! It is nice that Disney is diverting from the romantic happily ever after in more recent years. Still, is it really wrong for Disney to have a love relationship between a male, and female character as of nowadays? Just wondering! With that said, what’s even more is that likely because of the fact that this Disney film was commemorating Disney’s 100th anniversary, Disney seemed to rush this film, and cared more about making callbacks, Easter eggs, and references to previous Disney films than making a good story overall. Honestly, if Disney had just cared more about making a good story than about these callbacks, references, and things like that, then that’s another reason this film could have been better than it was in the end. Well, hopefully Disney learned their lesson after this one to not rush their films, animated, or live-action, because of a special occasion, or things like that. Time will tell. Next, there’s the animation for this film. First of all, what Disney was trying to do when mixing 3D, and 2D animation, that was most definitely an intriguing move on their part. Did it work in the end? Well, yes, and no. Here’s the thing. The visuals were phenomenal, particularly during numbers like “I’m A Star”, and “Knowing What I Know Now.” And, again, the 2D, and 3D mix was a nice idea. Not to mention having callbacks to older films like with Snow White & The Seven Dwarves, or even other films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and even using the storybook to tell a story. At other times, however, like during songs such as “This Wish,” the animation kind of felt like something that could be out of a video game like one of the Mario games, or maybe one of the Zelda ones, or games like those. As a result, the animation could have been better, and improved. Next, there are the numbers for this film. Well, though they won’t be impactful like many other songs of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ features, they were still simple, and fun, including ones like “Kingdom Of Rosas”, and “At All Costs”, and ones that you might find yourself humming to like “This Wish”, “I’m A Star”, “Knowing What I Know Now”, and the villain song, “This Is The Thanks I Get.” For the last one, it was more upbeat than an actual villain song. I would say that if there was ever a time when there was a Category for Best Villain Song, and this past year was one of those years, “Good To Be King” from Journey To Bethlehem would have been the one I would have voted for. Don’t get me wrong, “This Is The Thanks I Get” was still fun, and even hilarious at times. Still, if people were to say what would be a potential more memorable, and richer song, the one from Journey To Bethlehem would probably sound cooler, and better. Still, it was nice to have a villain song from a Disney animated film in over a decade. Oh, and did I forget to mention the reprise of “This Wish” that occurs near the end of this film? I won’t go into details as to why it occurs, but let’s just say that hearing Asha sing, and nearly every other character sing it, and having it sound like an actual choir, wow, most definitely one of the major highlights when it comes to the songs in this film. Oh, and the choreography in some of the songs was really great as well. One other thing to mention in regard to the songs is that the instruments, and choreography that were used throughout this film were amazing. Finally, the messages in this film can come off as a mixed bag, and possible even convoluted. I mean it’s good to have dreams, and wishes. But seeing as this film seemed to depict the message that it could potentially be wrong for some to not be granted, that was definitely not the best part of this film. Like nearly everything else, the messages of this movie can be both good, and bad-sided at the same time.
And that’s my review for Disney’s 62nd animated feature, Wish. I’m not sure if it was due to there being a change in leadership over the past few years, Disney rushing this film since the company reached it’s 100th anniversary, or even a combination of them both, and more. Either way, Wish was decent, but still had some potential to improve. I would say that since John Lasseter was let go as head of Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios a few years ago, the company slowly, but surely seemed to go downhill in their quality of storytelling. Not just Lasseter, but maybe even change in the creative team overall. With all that said, hopefully Disney will learn their lesson from what went wrong with Disney’s Wish, and will improve in quality of storytelling in the future. With Wish flopping, Disney needs to learn that rushing projects is never a good idea, being political, and/or woke is never the way to go, and lessons like those. No, Wish didn’t feel so woke aside from the messages of this film feeling rather mixed, and convoluted. Still, the messages can come off as not being the best. I would say that if you really want to see Wish, then just see it for free at the movie theater, or wait for the film to arrive on Disney+ in a few months. So now that I’ve reviewed Wish, let me tell you to go ahead, and see it, and see what you think! One more thing! When the credits roll, please do not leave the theater, or stop the movie yet. There are drawings that are scattered throughout the movie that will serve as callbacks to older Disney animated films, as well as a post credit scene that you definitely don’t want to miss for a reason that I won’t give away to avoid spoilers. So, after watching Wish, please watch the credits, and stick to the very end, when the post credit scene occurs.
Well, everyone, today we are going to go into the genre known as historical drama. Therefore, today’s review will be based on a true story. This time, it will be a film that is set in 1936, between WWI, and WWII. So now, let’s discuss the historical drama film that was just released on Christmas Day, The Boys In The Boat.
Plot: The Boys In The Boat depicts how, in 1936, a college student from University Of Washington named Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), and seven other college students from that school became some of the best boat rowers and representatives from the US at that time.
Well, I will start this review off by saying that the score in this film is amazing. I haven’t usually been one to start off the positive aspects of a movie review by saying something like that in the past. So, I figured it was time for me to start off a film review like this one by mentioning something along those lines now. That being said, in regards, Desplat has this beautiful, calm, and peaceful way of drawing the audience into the story from the start. That is thanks to a mix of piano, and some other instruments that were thrown into the mix throughout the beginning, and the rest of the film. Truthfully, Desplat should get a nomination for Best Original Score for this film. He most definitely deserves it. If he does get nominated in that category, will he win? Probably not, but one can only hope, and dream, that’s for sure. In addition to all of this, the acting is phenomenal, especially from Callun Turner (Joe Rantz), Joel Edgerton (Coach Ulbrickson), Hadley Robinson (Joyce Simdars), and others. Next, there’s the cinematography. Boy, is the scenery from the cinematography amazing in this film! What else is there!?! Well, there’s also the amazing history that goes along with this movie in particular. I mean to hear that the US competed not only with other states like California, but also with other nations around the world, including ones like Austria, and Germany, which is interesting considering that the events in which this film took place occurred just three years before WWII began. Not only that, but it was also amazing that this movie showed how different things were back then. Yes, that may be the case due to there not being Internet back then, or not as much technological advancement, and things like that. However, this movie also successfully showed how much kinder people were back then, how much more determined people during this time period were to get done what they needed to, regardless of how much work they had to go through, how much food people sometimes needed to cut out, or things like that. After I watched this film, I had a conversation with someone who also saw this movie, and made a comment that so many of the younger people in their 20s, 30s, and maybe even 40s, if not older, especially need to see The Boys In The Boat. His reason being that he’s noticed that a lot of people in today’s day, and age have seemed to act as if they’re entitled to have whatever they want, regardless of how much, or little work they do. Is he right? Very much so! In fact, when one compares people who lived during the time that this film took place, and those who in today’s society, it’s surprisingly very drastic, and I’m sure some people can guess why. So, there’s another reason for hoping that a lot of people will see this movie, and learn some very valuable lessons from the people who lived during the events in which The Boys In The Boat took place. Anyway, not only does the film show how much kinder people were back then, and sometimes how generous others were when one is asking, and praying for a miracle, but it also showed the unfair side of people as well. Seeing as that was life even back then, it was good for this film to do that as well. And there’s another thing to mention in this review. This film did a tremendous job of showing how people like Joe Rantz were to get college paid for, being successful at Olympic sports like boat rowing, and how even people like Coach Al Ulbrickson were to get his team well-trained in the sport. Because of this, this movie taught amazing lessons on the appreciation of hard work, dedication to things one can be passionate about, and learning not to give up even when potentially easy to do. Not to mention how important it is to forgive others, no matter how much one has hurt you. If none of these aren’t reasons to convince one to see this film, then there could be others that I’m not mentioning. Still, hopefully these elements will be reasons to help others take seeing this film into consideration.
And that’s my review for The Boys In The Boat. If you want a film that not only is based on a true story, but also can help one take away some valuable lessons, then this is a film that is most definitely worth your time. The characters are well developed, are likable, especially main characters like Joe Rantz, and Coach Ulbrickson, and the characters, and story, overall, will teach people some really valuable lessons. If you haven’t seen this film, then please make a point to add The Boys In The Boat to your docket of movies to see in the movie theater, if you have one, ASAP. If you liked films like Remember The Titans, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, and other films of this type, then you’ll most definitely love The Boys In The Boat. So, go see it today, or some other time in the very near future. You’ll be blown away by lessons that can be taken away from this film, and the richness in history for this time period as well. So, fairwell, and see you in the next film review!
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 