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YESTERDAY (Movie Review)

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Title: Yesterday (2019)

Director: Danny Boyle

Story By: Jack Barth and Richard Curtis

Screenplay Writer: Richard Curtis

Stars: Himesh Patel and Lily James

Genre(s): Comedy | Fantasy | Music

Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW ★★★★ (4.66 Stars)

Writing/Story: ★★★★★  |  Cinematography:  ★★★★★  |  Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★

IMDB STORY LINE:

In Lowestoft UK, Jack Malik is a frustrated musician whose musical career is going nowhere despite the faith that his friend/manager Ellie Appleton has in him. However, on the night Jack decides to give up, the whole world is momentarily hit with a massive blackout that lasts just 12 seconds. During this strange event, Jack is hit by a bus. Upon regaining consciousness, Jack learns to his astonishment that he is apparently now the only one who knows the music of the Beatles. Realizing this improbable opportunity, Jack begins playing the music of the greatest rock band, claiming it as his own. It pays off quickly and Jack becomes a worldwide musical sensation. However, Jack finds himself drifting away from Ellie, only realizing his love for her when she has become intimidated by his success, which is dependent on a blatant plagiarization that no one could find out. Now, Jack must make a fundamental moral decision about his music to satisfy his conscience as he decides what he truly needs.

MY 2 CENTS:

This movie went under the radar for me. I never heard about it until I was scrolling through my movie apps one day. I had seen Bohemian Rhapsody (which I loved) and Rocketman (which I thought was just ok), but had never even heard of Yesterday. When I found out it was all about The Beatles… and that it takes place in modern day, I was intrigued.

Basically, it asks the question; What would you do if you were a musician and one day you woke up and The Beatles never existed? You’re the only one who knows who The Beatles are—or were—and you know all their songs. Would you play their music and claim it as your own?

That is exactly what Jack Malik, played by Himesh Patel, did in this film.

Writing/Story: ★★★★★

This film was fun and fast paced. The way the writer incorporated the music of The Beatles so smoothly really leads to the question, if The Beatles has started today… would their music have done as well? The music was obviously fantastic for anyone, like myself, who loves The Beatles. If you don’t like the music of The Beatles, don’t watch this film.

To be honest, I don’t typically enjoy musicals. I can watch them. I can appreciate the talent it takes to create them. However, I have a hard time suspending my disbelief. I didn’t have that problem with this film. Yesterday is different than other music centered films such as Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody. This one isn’t about The Beatles. It’s not about the band. At its core, Yesterday is a musical rom-com. It’s a romantic comedy, centered around a musician who just so happens to be the only guy in the world who knows the music of The Beatles and the girl who loves him.

Cinematography ★★★★★

I really enjoyed the cinematography throughout this film. The global blackout, the moment Jack gets hit by the bus, the concert scenes… and so many other scenes are visually stunning.

Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★

OK, first let me just say that the chemistry between Himesh Patel and Lily James is amazing! For that reason alone, this is a great film to go see.

Himesh Patel is a wonderfully talented actor and musician. He actually did all his own signing and playing in the movie. He is completely natural on screen and just seems to slide right into this role.

It was fun to see that Ed Sheeran has a memorable role, playing himself in the film, and honestly did a great job. He stated in an interview that The Beatles are his main inspiration for his songs.

In my opinion, the weakest role was that of Kate McKinnon. She plays the Hollywood producer that takes Jack on and jumpstarts his career. She was fine, but she played the same over the top role she plays in most films.

FUN FACTS:

Screenwriter Richard Curtis asked for Paul McCartney‘s approval of the title of the film. Sir Paul gave his blessing, but also suggested they call it “Scrambled Eggs” instead. This was a lighthearted reference to the fact that before coming up with the lyrics for Yesterday, Paul McCartney had the temporary lyrics of Scrambled Eggs as a placeholder for the song.

MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

“You want a good life? It’s not complicated. Tell the girl you love that you love her. And tell the truth to everyone whenever you can.” ~ John Lennon (Yesterday)

TO SUM IT UP:

This film is definitely worth the time!

Have you seen Yesterday? If you have, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If not, I recommend seeing it for yourself and forming your own opinion.

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

It’s You… by Nina Soden

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Who looks across a crowded room and knows with just a glance, the things my heart is feeling in every circumstance?

Who holds me when I’m feeling blue and listens to my woes, then hugs my heart with gentle words until that feeling goes?

Who knows me by what I hide, but loves me with the promise that he’ll stay right by my side?

Who comforts and protects me, no matter what life brings – It’s you, the man who fills my life with a million happy things!

Dedicated to my amazing husband and my beautiful children.

(c) copyright 2008 ~ Nina Soden

For more poems, check out by collection on Amazon: Private Words Unspoken

Murder Mystery #SundayScreening Movie Review

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TITLE: Murder Mystery (2019)
DIRECTOR: Kyle Newacheck
WRITERS: James Vanderbilt
STARS: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, and Terence Stamp
GENRE(S): Action, Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Romance
RUNTIME: 97 minutes
RATED: PG-13

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW

WRITING: ★★★  CINEMATOGRAPHY: ★★★ STORY: ★★★ ACTING: ★★★
OVERALL: ★★★

STORYLINE:

A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage, but end up getting framed and on the run for the death of an elderly billionaire.

MY 2 CENTS:

Writing: ★★★ The writing is really the only thing holding this film together and it wasn’t that great. It has a decent plot – a New York cop and his wife go on a vacation they probably can’t afford and they end up getting framed for the murder of a billionaire. I guess they would have motive because they don’t have much money to start with, but come on.

Alternate Ending… There were hints at the beginning of the film… Jennifer Aniston’s character commented on how her husband, played by Adam Sandler, never listens. She has wanted to go on this vacation for years. In fact, it’s their honeymoon, but they have been married for a pretty long time already. Second hint… he was reading a murder mystery on the plane – she loves them. Where, as an author, I thought the film should go was that Adam Sandler was saving money for years, planning the perfect murder mystery vacation for his wife. In the end we would find out it was all a big game, just like in the movie The Game.

Nope, that isn’t what happened. You’ll just have to watch it for yourself to see the disappointing end.  

Cinematography:  ★★★ There were some decent shots when they were in the car chase, but other than that, the cinematography was nothing to write home about.

Story: ★★★ I thing I covered this when I was talking about the writing. I would have done things a bit different with the ending to allow for a plot twist that this movie failed to give the viewers.

Acting: ★★★ I’ve never been a huge fan of Adam Sandler; he tends to yell to much in his films. However, he didn’t do that in this one. No, in fact, he was very subdued. The acting wasn’t terrible, but it could have been better.

I like Jennifer Aniston, I have since her time on Friends, but she is a lot like Brad Pitt… nice to look at but a little one noted when it comes to character development.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“All women are actresses, dear. I’m just clever enough to get paid for it.”

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

View the Official Trailers Here!

Scene shot by shot with Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and the rest of the cast!

Other movies with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston!

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My 2 Cents… Unicorn Store

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unicornTitle: Unicorn Store (2017) 
Director: Brie Larson
Writers: Samantha McIntyre
Stars: Brie Larson (Kit), Samuel L. Jackson (The Salesman), Joan Cusack (Gladys), Bradley Whitford (Gene), and Mamoudou Athie (Virgil)
Genre(s): Comedy/Drama

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★
Cinematography: ★★★
Story: ★★
Acting: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★ (2.75)

STORYLINE:
A woman named Kit receives a mysterious invitation that would fulfill her childhood dreams.

MY 2 CENTS:
It will pass the time. This movie is more about the message than it is the acting or the script.

Let’s start with the cast. The lineup is pretty amazing. I mean, come on… you’ve got Brie Larson (AKA Captain Marvel) playing the lead – and, oh by the way, she directed the film too, ‘A List’ actor Samuel L. Jackson as the strange yet inspirational Salesman, Joan Cusack as Gladys, Kit’s quirky emotional mom, and Bradley Whitford as Gene, Kit’s caring and insightful father. The cast was great, so I expected the film to be great too. That is where I made my mistake.

I knew nothing about this film when I decided to watch it. I was Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson on the Netflix poster and said, “Yeah ok. I’ll give this a try.”

The idea of a store called “The Store” in the movie, or “Unicorn Store” in the title of the film, being able to fulfill your childhood dreams is somewhat intriguing. But then again, what were your childhood dreams? I mean really think back to when you were a little kid and what was the one thing you wanted more than anything?

The lead character, Kit, wanted to have a pet unicorn. Oddly enough, she carried that childhood dream into her adult life. When I was a kid, I’m sure I wanted a pony at some point or another, but more than anything I think I wanted a chauffeur driven limousine. Do I still want a pony? Probably not. Do I still want a chauffeur driven limousine? Sure, but not enough to follow a mysterious invitation into what appears to be an abandoned building to see if my dreams could be realized.

As I’ve gotten older, my dreams (or rather my goals) have changed. In most cases, I would think this is true for just about everyone. I think it would be hard to find someone with the same goals and dreams they had as a child well into their 30s, 40s, or even 50s and beyond. So, for me, this film lost its reality when we find a 20+ or 30+ struggling artist who still have a very powerful dream of one day owning a pet unicorn.

Don’t get me wrong, I know this movie isn’t just about the pet unicorn or struggle to obtain a unicorn. It’s a metaphor. Behind the weird script lies a message is about belief, I not only yourself but others. It is full of childlike love, ambition, wonder, and even fear. Think of it as a mid-life crisis… a coming of age story about a woman in her late 20s/early 30s struggling to find herself, her purpose, and most importantly her place in life.

This movie is not for everyone, and I don’t really think I am part of the target audience. With that said, I’m sure there is an audience perfectly in tuned to its unique sense of quirkiness.

If you’ve seen this film, please comment below and let me know what you thought. If you haven’t and are daring, I’d love it if you’d watch it and then come back to share your thoughts with me and my readers.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“The most adult thing you can do is failing in what you really care about.” ~ Gladys

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

https://youtu.be/DTwewG2zwQ4

You can watch the official trailer here:

My 2 Cents… Five Feet Apart

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Title: Five Feet Apart (2019)
Director: Justin Baldoni
Writers: Mikki Daughtey and Tobias Iaconis
Stars: Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Moises Arias, and Kimberly Hebert Gregory

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (5)

PLOT SUMMARY:

A pair of teenagers with life-threatening illnesses meet in a hospital and fall in love.

SYNOPSIS:

Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson) is a cystic fibrosis (CF) patient who actively uses social media to cope with her illness and try to live a normal life. Her sister, Abby, was the adventurous type and died a few years ago while she was cliff diving.

Stella’s best friend, Poe (Moises Arias), also has CF and is openly gay. He tells Stella that he broke up with his new boyfriend; Stella later realizes Poe pushes him away because of his CF. 

Stella meets another CF patient, Will Newman (Cole Sprouse), and they quickly develop feelings for each other. Will finds Stella’s Vlog on YouTube, in which Stella discusses living with CF. Will is intrigued and watches every single video she posted.

CF patients are strictly kept at least six feet apart at all times in an effort to reduce the risk of cross-infection, as contracting bacterial infections from other CF patients can be life-threatening. Stella’s nurse, Barbara (Kimberly Hebert Gregory), previously had a pair of romantically involved CF patients who died from cross-infection, and Barbara does not want to see this happen again.

Watch the movie to find out what happens next!

MY 2 CENTS:

To understand this film, you first have to understand what CF is. CF or Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

This film broke my heart!

I believe on IMDB, this film has a 7 out of 10 star rating, I’ve rated it 5 out of 5. 

When I go to a movie and can hear crying throughout the theatre, and am crying myself, I know they’ve done something right. 

Five Feet Apart is full of laughs, loves, heart-felt moments, and devastating loss. I’m not going to tell you who dies, who leaves, or who is heart-broken. What I will tell you, is that I cried… I wept… I mourned. I was on the edge of my seat with my heart racing in my chest for the characters to just be ok. If I could have hugged them, I would have. I was utterly and completely lost in the film and invested in the storyline. 

I forgot they were actors and fully believed their reality. That, to me, says a lot about the acting, the writing, and the directing.

Five Feet Apart is a fatalistic love story that must be told, seen, and remembered. If you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you do. If you have seen it, comment below and tell me what you thought. Misery loves company, so if you were as devastated as I was let me know that too!

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Human touch, we need that touch from the one we love almost as much as we need air to breathe.” ~ Stella

“This whole time I’ve been living for my treatment, instead of doing my treatment so that I can live, and I want to live.” ~ Stella

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

https://youtu.be/LPs5-58YwFM

Check out the official movie trailer here:

https://youtu.be/Ts1t_lgdyUY 

On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson

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Golden Pond

PLAY TITLE: On Golden Pond
AUTHOR: Ernest Thompson

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (4.75)

AMAZON DESCRIPTION:
A comedy for a cast of 3 men, 2 women, 1 boy. This is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who are returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the forty-eighth year. He is a retired professor, nearing eighty, with heart palpitations and a failing memory-but still as tart-tongued, observant and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger, and the perfect foil for Norman, delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé, who then go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. The boy quickly becomes the “grandchild” the elderly couple have longed for, and as Norman revels in taking his ward fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness-and slang-in return. In the end, as the summer wanes, so does their brief idyll, and in the final, deeply moving moments of the play, Norman and Ethel are brought even closer together by the incidence of a mild heart attack. Time, they know, is now against them, but the years have been good and, perhaps, another summer on Golden Pond still awaits.

Buy the play HERE!

Buy the movie HERE!
MY 2 CENTS: 
On Golden Pond is a classic. The way that Thompson brings these characters to live is simply beautiful. It’s about life, relationships, and the heart.

I love when an author like Thompson can take a simple story, a retired couple spending the summer at their lake house, and turn it into so much more. By the end of the script, you’re emotionally attached to the characters, you care what happens to them, and you long to learn more about them.

The father/daughter relationship between Norman and Chelsea is heartbreaking. In just the few scenes in which they are together, it is obvious how much they love each other… how much they want to be close… and yet, they aren’t. It isn’t until Chelsea brings Billy, her boyfriend’s son, to visit her parents that Norman finally bonds with a child. It’s just said that it wasn’t his own child.

The husband/wife relationship between Norman and Ethel is exactly what I believe my grandparents had. They lived a similar life and were not only each other’s best friends, but they were soul mates. They were perfect together in every way. I believe that Thompson wrote their relationship to be perfect… almost to perfect, but not unbelievable in any way.

As an actress, reading this script has just added two characters to my list of dream roles I’d love to play. If I ever get the chance, in the next few years to audition for Chelsea, I will not let it pass me by, and of course… Ethel would be a dream role when I get older.

As a director, I have to be honest… I think it would be hard knowing how emotionally connected I am with the characters. I think I’d want to be on stage too much to do justice as a director.

APPEARANCE: Plain green cover with black text… Typical Dramatists Play Service cover. I feel like the plain cover allows the reader to use their imagination when envisioning the characters.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Sometimes you have to look hard at a person and remember he’s doing the best he can. He’s just trying to find his way, just like you.”

“Well, that’s what happens if you live long enough: You end up being old. it’s one of the disadvantages of a long life. I still prefer it to the alternative.” 

Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.

 

on golden pond movie posterMovie Title: On Golden Pond
Director: Mark Rydell
Stars: Katharine Hepburn (Ethel Thayer), Henry Fonda (Norman Thayer Jr.), and Jane Fonda (Chelsea Thayer Wayne)

STORYLINE: The loons are back again on Golden Pond and so are Norman Thayer, a retired professor, and Ethel who have had a summer cottage there since early in their marriage. This summer their daughter Chelsea — whom they haven’t seen for years — feels she must be there for Norman’s birthday. She and her fiancé are on their way to Europe the next day but will be back in a couple of weeks to pick up the fiancé’s son. When she returns Chelsea is married and her stepson has the relationship with her father that she always wanted. Will father and daughter be able to communicate at last? (IMDB.COM)

Watch the official movie trailers here:

https://youtu.be/l-lcl2j3yf0

https://youtu.be/Y85sfYVOS84

My 2 Cents… The Favorite

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The Favorite

Title: The Favorite
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Writers: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara
Stars: Olivia Colman (Queen Anne), Emma Stone (Queen’s Maid), and Rachel Weisz (Lady Sarah)

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★
Story: ★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Costumes: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★ (3.5)

 

 

Storyline:
Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill-health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time-consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way. Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures

My 2 Cents:
I really don’t even know what to say… I read all the amazing reviews and was so excited when the DVD from SAG showed up for my pre-award screening. Then, I watched the film and wondered, what am I missing?

I will admit that the acting was wonderful. If it weren’t for Emma Stone, who played her role beautifully, I probably wouldn’t have made it to the end credits. She was wonderful, with what she was given. Olivia Colman is a strong actress as is Rachel Weisz, but what they had to work with wasn’t worth their talent.

The costumes and even the accuracy of the set was very well done.

The script was bizarre… weird… and poorly written and seemed to have no real plot. The directing was artistic in a pretentious way, rather than a thought-provoking way.

The soundtrack drowned out the dialogue so badly that I’m sure I missed major aspects of the plot (if there was a plot). It annoyed me to the point where I found myself distracted.

Honestly, I feel like I waisted time that I will never be able to get back.

You can watch the official trailer here:

My 2 Cents… Beautiful Boy

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beautiful boyTitle: Beautiful Boy
Director: Felix van Groeningen
Writers: Luke Davies, Felix van Groeningen, David Sheff, and Nic Sheff
Stars: Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet, and Maura Tierney

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (5)

By your copy of the book Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction HERE!

Storyline:
Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.

My 2 Cents:
This movie tore me apart and broke my heart. As a mother, I pray my children never find themselves in a situation like this, but if they do, I hope and pray I have the strength to help them fight.

This is probably one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time and yet, there is no way you could make me watch it again. It was heart-wrenching and emotionally devastating. The casting was spot on and I truly believe that Timothee Chalamet is one of the best young actors in movies today. I look forward to watching more of his films in the coming months and years.

The strained father/son relationship between David Sheff (played by Steve Carell) and Nic Sheff (played by Timothee Chalamet) is so real and raw that it makes you feel guilty for watching. Steve Carell who I always think of as a comedic actor was nothing less than perfect in his role.

Beautiful Boy deserves to be recognized for the beautiful work it is. It deserves Oscar nominations for directing, cinematography, adapted screenplay, and of course for both Timothee Chalamet and Steve Carell.

I dare you to watch this film without crying!

You can watch the official trailers and video clips here:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226837/videoplayer/vi3210525465?ref_=tt_pv_vi_aiv_1

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226837/videoplayer/vi2885335833?ref_=tt_pv_vi_aiv_2

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226837/videoplayer/vi2593110553?ref_=tt_pv_vi_aiv_3

My 2 Cents… Ocean’s Eight

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Oceans Eight

Title: Ocean’s Eight
Director: Gary Ross
Writers: Gary Ross and Olivia Milch (Screenplay)
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★
Story: ★★★
Acting: ★★★
Overall: ★★★ (3)

Blurb:
Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City’s yearly Met Gala.

Storyline:
Danny Ocean’s estranged sister Debbie attempts to pull off the heist of the century at New York City’s star-studded annual Met Gala. Her first stop is to assemble the perfect all-female crew: Lou, Rose, Daphne Kluger, Nine Ball, Tammy, Amita, and Constance. Written by Coors71

My 2 Cents:
Let me just say up front that Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite actresses. As an actress myself, I’ve always wanted her career. I obviously don’t have it. With that said, I was sad to give this movie only a 3-star rating, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. If I’m honest with myself, it probably shouldn’t have even been a 3-star rating, but I refuse to give it any less because it did keep me minimally entertained on the airplane… and it kept my mind off the fact that I was nauseous and hate to fly.

Admittedly, the cast lineup was fantastic. Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, and even Anne Hathaway.

However, what this movie proved was that even with an AMAZING CAST, you wont always end up with an amazing film. The directing was subpar – trying to live off the success of the previous Ocean movies… The script was predictable. It wasn’t humorous, the characters weren’t likeable, and worst of all there was no suspense. It was supposed to be a heist movie, where was the thrill, danger, suspense?

All in all, I’d say, if you’re really bored and there is nothing else on – go ahead and watch Ocean’s Eight. However, I wouldn’t rent it. Save your $3.99 and watch it when it becomes free on Netflix.

You can watch the official trailers here:


 

My 2 Cents… Ex Machina

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ex m

Title: Ex Machina
Director: Alex Garland
Writer: Alex Garland
Stars: Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Sonoya Mizuno

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (5)

Blurb:
A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breath-taking humanoid A.I.

Storyline:
Caleb, a 26-year-old programmer at the world’s largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location, he finds that he will have to participate in a strange and fascinating experiment in which he must interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl. Written by DNA FILMS

My 2 Cents:
OK, I’ll admit – I did not see this one in the theatre. Big surprise, right? I mean it did come out back in 2014 and I’m just now reviewing it. I had never even heard of Ex Machina until the image of it scrolled across my Netflix feed.

I had no clue what to expect, but I tend to like AI movies so I gave it a shot.

Ultimately, this movie is about a computer programmer, Caleb – played by Domhnall Gleeson, who “wins” a chance to be flown to the estate where the owner of the company he works for, Nathan – played by Oscar Isaac, lives. Caleb gets there… to what is basically this massive, underground bunker where Nathan lives, works, and creates. His boss makes him sign an NDA and then shows him this beautiful AI woman, Ava – played by Alicia Vikander, that he created and keeps locked up – secluded from the outside world. He explains that the reason he brought Caleb there was to spend a week talking with Ava, questioning her, etc. to see if she is a real AI or just another robot.

Tension… tension… tension…

This really was a tension filled movie. Basically, because the acting was fantastic!!! I was captivated by the acting AND the dialogue. I have to hand it to Alex Garland, the writer and director, for such a well thought out, thought-provoking script. I was so surprised to find out that this was the first movie he had ever directed. WHAT?!?! Yup, its true.

As the viewer, you don’t know who to trust… who to believe… who to care for. That is part of the genius behind the writing. It also gives credit to the execution of the acting and directing.

I’m not going to tell you what happens, and I really won’t tell you the twist at the end. Yes, there is a twist. What I will tell you is – this is an EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!! If you haven’t seen it, you need to rent this one, it will not disappoint.

You can watch the official trailers here: