Tag Archives: Movie

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

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wonderTITLE: Wonder
AUTHOR: R.J. Palacio

RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Appearance: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (5)

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIA ROBERTS, OWEN WILSON, AND JACOB TREMBLAY!

Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.

The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

“Wonder is the best kids’ book of the year,” said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Buy the book HERE! 

MY 2 CENTS:

WRITING (★★★★★): I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It is a truly amazing story with a profoundly important message – Choose Kindness!

I read this book because my son wanted to see the movie and I suggested we read the story first. Within the first couple of chapters, I was hooked. It took us only a few days to finish the book and we were both on the edges of our seats the whole time.

I cried… a lot!

Palacio has a beautiful way of capturing the emotion in what’s happening throughout the story. Her writing style is fluid. Wonder can be easily read by young children and still enjoyed by adults. Not an easy task for a children’s author to manage, but Palacio pulled it off seamlessly.

STORY (★★★★★): Wonder is the story of August (Auggie) Pullman, a young boy who has a congenital facial abnormality. Do to his unusual appearance, he has had to deal with a range of reactions from people he meets and others who just noticing him passing by. Kids he encounters, as well as many adults, are cruel. They use hateful, hurtful language, often displaying their disgust without trying to hide it. However, it is important to know – if you are letting your child read this book – that goodness does win in the end. Readers will learn a valuable lesson on choosing kindness and should find Auggie’s story to be both inspiring and emotionally moving.

It is hard to read a story about suffering, especially the suffering of a child. The way the character of Auggie Pullman has suffered all his “life” is devastating. Yet, he keeps a positive attitude in the face of bullying, ridicule, pain, loss, and humiliation. There are days that I wish I was as strong as he is.

This story started the Choose Kind movement and honestly, I believe it should be required reading in all elementary and middle schools across the country and around the world. We could all learn something from Auggie Pullman.

CHARACTERS (★★★★★): Auggie Pullman is the epitome of kind-hearted and selfless. Not only do I feel that the author gave us a completely fleshed out lead character, she successfully brought to life Auggie’s parents, sister, and the school staff and other children around him. There wasn’t a single character that I didn’t feel I got to know, understand, and relate to.

APPEARANCE (★★★★★): The cover of Wonder is simple and powerful at the same time. I’m not sure who designed it, but the minimalist illustration of August (Auggie) Pullman’s face on the cover is perfect.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”

“Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

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

You can check out the Movie Trailer here:

https://youtu.be/Ob7fPOzbmzE

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… 11.22.63 Hulu Mini-Series

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11.22.63 mini seriesMini-Series Title: 11.22.63
Creator: Bridget Carpenter
Based on a Novel by: Stephen King
Stars: James Franco (Jake Epping), Sarah Gadon (Sadie Dunhill),
George MacKay (Bill Turcotte), Chris Cooper (Al
Templeton), and Daniel Webber (Lee Harvey Oswald)

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★
Story: ★★★
Acting: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★ (3.333)

 

STORYLINE:
A teacher discovers a time portal that leads to October 21st, 1960 and goes on a quest to try and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which is complicated by the presence of Lee Harvey Oswald and the fact that he’s falling in love with the past itself. Written by Anonymous

MY 2 CENTS:
I was so excited when I finished the novel that I immediately turned on Hulu to find the mini-series. My hope, was to watch the story that Stephen King had created come to live. I wanted to watch as Jake Epping discovered the “rabbit hole”, see how he would handle Harry Dunning’s murderous father, watch him plot and plan how he would save the president, and… I wanted to watch as his relationship with Sadie turned from friendship to love.

Did Hulu give that to me? NO!

If I had watched the Hulu mini-series prior to reading the novel, maybe I would have enjoyed it more. However, having known the characters so well, having known what actually happened in the novel, I was SO DISAPPOINTED by the mini-series.

Although I think James Franco is a fine actor, I don’t feel he was the right choice for Epping. He just isn’t strong enough and he doesn’t feel the part. Chris Cooper was wonderful as Al Templeton as was Sarah Gadon who played Sadie Dunhill.

There were so many deviations… changes that were made when the mini-series was developed, things that just didn’t have to be changed. Some of the minor ones that just irked me a bit where:

  • The book, like so many Stephen King books, connects to other Stephen King books. In particular the mention of the Derry murders… IT! We even get to see two of the young children, Beverly Marsh and Richie Tozier, while Epping is in Derry… However, the mini-series leaves this out… WHY?
  • In the book, we get to see Epping learn about how his actions in the past affect the future when he first goes back to stop Harry Dunning’s father from killing his family. When he returns to the present, he finds out that Harry once alive is not dead. He then goes back to the past to try again… Why the producers decided to take that out, I don’t understand.
  • The relationship between Al Templeton and Jake Epping is beautifully written in the book… We also get a better feel for why Al chose Jake to share his secret and we understand more why Jake decides to go. In the mini-series, the spread the conversation between Al and Jake out across the series, instead of putting it all up front and then letting Al die (LIKE IN THE BOOK). The book gives a finality to the relationship, an urgency to Jake’s decision, and a purpose that the series didn’t do.
  • There is virtually no character development for the students at the school Jake teaches at in the past. We don’t get to know Bobbi Jill Allnut or Mike Coslaw. We don’t watch them grow as people. The book allows these smaller characters to shine… I think the producers forgot they even existed.

That was just 4 of MANY minor differences that bothered me along the way… The thing is, the book was 849 pages, that was more than enough material to make a wonderful 8-episode series. Yet, I found myself saying “That wasn’t in the book,” “That never happened in the novel,” over and over as I watched the series. WHY?

NOW FOR SOME OF THE BIG STUFF…

  • In the series Bill Turcotte, played by George MacKay, was a huge part of the story. He became Epping’s side-kick… his brother from another mother… his support system. WHAT? WHY? In the book, King left Epping to carry the responsibility of saving the president on his own. Epping didn’t run around telling everyone he was from the future, that the president was going to die, and soliciting help. In the novel, Bill Turcotte played a small role, important but small, and his role ended when Epping killed Harry’s father. That is where it should have ended in the show as well.
  • Again, with Bill Turcotte… WHY did the series have to make Bill Turcotte fall in love with Lee Harvey Oswald’s wife? That side story was not in the book, did not further the story in any way, and was completely unnecessary!
  • Relationship and character development are one of Stephen King’s strongest talents… he laid out the unconventional (for the early 60s) interracial relationship between Deke Simmons (played by Nick Searcy) and Mia Mimi Corcoran (played by Tonya Pinkins) so beautifully. In the series… well, their relationship didn’t really exist. We never got to see that love affair, and yet we were supposed to just believe Mimi when she told Jake that she was dying and that she loved Deke and he loved her. We didn’t get to see the wedding… but they, at some point, got married. SHOW US, the book did!
  • Mia Mimi Corcoran… She was a pivotal character in the novel and yet, the series all but reduced her role to almost nothing. We didn’t celebrate her wedding to Deke Simmons, we didn’t mourn her when she died… in fact, the viewer has no idea she died… she is just gone one day and eventually there is mention of her death.

I didn’t list everything, I don’t have time. I guess I just wanted to prove a point… the book is often times (99%) better than this show/series/movie. This novel was fantastic and I highly recommend reading it, but the series more than disappointed me. Purchase your copy of 11/22/63 by Stephen King HERE!

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/NtvGj-SwiXc

You can watch the official trailers and video clips here:

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Want to know my thoughts on the novel by Stephen King? Check out my blog post HERE! 

You can also check out my YouTube review of 11/22/63 by Stephen King below:

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 

My 2 Cents… IO (2019)

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IO

Title: IO (2019)
Director: Jonathan Helpert
Writers: Clay Jeter, Charles Spano, and Will Basanta
Stars: Margaret Qualley (Sam), Anthony Mackie (Micah), Danny Huston (Henry), and Tom Payne (Elon)

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (4.25)

STORYLINE:
Sam (Margaret Qualley), one of the last survivors on a post-cataclysmic Earth, is a young scientist dedicated to finding a way for humans to adapt and survive, rather than abandon their world. But with the final shuttle scheduled to leave the planet for a distant colony, her determination to stay is rocked by the arrival of another survivor, Micah (Anthony Mackie). She must decide whether to journey with him to join the rest of humanity and begin life anew, or stay to fight for Earth’s survival.

MY 2 CENTS:
IO is not an action-packed Sci-Fi movie, so if that is what you want, you’ll be disappointed. This is a movie about human connection. It’s a movie with heart, emotion, and a desire to make the world a better place. I’m not sure why it got so many bad reviews, and certainly don’t feel like they were warranted. The script is all dialog and very little action, but that was the point. This movie will make you think, ask questions, wonder what if, and wonder if what we are doing to the world today will one day the devastation this movie shows us.

There are only three on-screen actors; Margaret Qualley, Anthony Mackie, and Danny Huston. They all did a wonderful job, with Margaret Qualley carrying the bulk of the performance all on her own. She was beautiful in her performance of Sam.

I wanted more, but the ending the writers and director gave us was satisfying. They gave the viewers hope, where there was little to be found.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Don’t underestimate the power of human connection. That’s all there is. There is no bigger meaning. Just human connection.” ~ Henry

“We have learned to fear our planet and fled to the stars in search of a new one. But the fascination for other worlds could not turn my eyes away from the beauty of our home. The waves are crashing on the shore… and the wind is blowing in my hair. Tell them it feels good. Tell them the dark clouds have given way to the ocean mist. Tell them a new world awaits us. Tell them we’re waiting for you. Waiting for you to come back.” ~ Sam

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/N6kW0KLqyj0

You can watch the official trailer here:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3256226/videoplayer/vi2167388697

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… Girl (2018)

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GIRLTitle: Girl
Director: Lukas Dhont
Writers: Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens
Stars: Victor Polster (Lara), Arieh Worthalter (Mathias), and Oliver Bodart (Milo)

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (4.25)

STORYLINE:
Lara, a 15-year-old transgender girl who aspires to be a professional ballerina, moves with her supportive father, Mathias, and younger brother to attend a prestigious Dutch-speaking dance academy. Undergoing hormone replacement therapy in preparation for sex reassignment surgery, she is frustrated by the slow progress of the treatment. At school, she tucks her penis with tape during ballet practices and experiences transphobic harassment from her classmates. Since the taping has caused an infection, she is denied the surgery for now, so she mutilates herself with a pair of scissors. The film ends with a shot of Lara walking down a street in the sun.

MY 2 CENTS:
• Golden Globes Awards – Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film

It’s hard being a teenager. It’s hard being a teenage girl going through hormonal changes, self-doubt, body issues, and so much more. Throw into the mix the fact that Lara, played by Victor Polster, is a 15-year-old girl who was born in the body of a boy that she doesn’t relate to.

I don’t know, nor would I ever presume to understand, what that might feel like. But I can say this, I know it couldn’t be easy.

Although Girl is not a documentary, or true story, it was inspired by Nora Monsecour, a trans female dancer from Belgium. I’m not sure how much of the story was true to Nora’s life or how much was purely fiction, but it was beautifully told.

I’ve read a number of reviews and articles that have criticized the film for its depiction of self-harm and gender-dysphoria, which I recently learned is the distress a person experiences when the gender they are assigned at birth does not match the person’s gender identity causing them to be transgender. Honestly, I can’t criticize a film for something I don’t truly understand. All I know is that the struggle Lara was going through in the film, felt honest, raw, and real.

VictorGirl was actor Victor Polster’s debut role and he did a beautiful job. I won’t lie, I had to look up the film’s IMDB page to find out if Lara was played by a male or female actor. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know if the director had used a body double for the nude scenes or if the actress was actually an actor. I will say this, I am a bit shocked that the actor was only fourteen at the time of the filming and there were scenes of him with full frontal nudity (with his parent’s permission). That was off-putting to say the least.

Arieh Worthalter, who played Mathias – Lara’s father, was amazing. He was so natural on-screen. He wore his emotions on his sleeve… on his face… in his eyes. Half the time, I just wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be alright. You could see that he, as much as his daughter, was struggling just to keep himself together. The love he felt for both of his children was so pure and you could tell he would do anything for them. Enough so that he uprooted his family so that Lara, the oldest of the two children, could attend an elite dance school and be treated by doctors who could really help her. He supported her 100% through the process of preparing for sex reassignment surgery and was there for her every step of the way even though he was worried sick about her.

It was a beautiful story of family, love, pain, growing up, and discovering yourself even when you have to look through the mud to find out who you really are.

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/1JqjW0wUtFA

You can watch the official trailer here:

https://youtu.be/Kdzu26tnUTc

My 2 Cents… Set it Up

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Title: Set it Up
Director: Claire Scanlon
Writer: Katie Silberman
Stars: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, and Taye Diggs

SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★ (The only reason this is 4 stars and not 5 is because of the predictability of the script).
Acting: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★ (4.66)

 

STORYLINE:
Two young assistants in New York City realize they can make their lives easier by setting up their workaholics bosses to date. While trying to perpetuate this romantic ruse between their nightmare bosses, the assistants realize they might be right for each other. Written by https://teaser-trailer.com

MY 2 CENTS:
I was in the mood for a fun, predictable, romantic comedy… Set it Up did not disappoint! I loved the chemistry between Zoey Deutch and glen Powell who played off of each other perfectly and looked great together. Even the supporting characters; the guy in the elevator, the best friend/roommate, and the waiter played their characters perfectly.

The script was tight, with little to no plot holes our unanswered questions. Although I had predicted the ending, long before, I was still crossing my fingers and rooting for the characters.

This film has a little bit for everyone… romance, humor, sports, etc. It is a feel-good film that is perfect for a rainy day.

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/RhphTXUVotM

You can watch the official trailers and video clips here:

https://youtu.be/X-eRc9PF3TU

My 2 Cents… Velvet Buzzsaw

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 Would you prefer to watch the review, instead of reading it? CLICK HEREVB

Title: Velvet Buzzsaw
Director: Dan Gilroy
Writer: Dan Gilroy
Stars: Jake Gyllenhall, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashton, Toni Collette, Natalia Dyer, and John Malkovich

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

 

Storyline:
After a series of paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art.

My 2 Cents:
Being a horror movie lover, I was excited to see what this was all about. I felt like the concept… an art-world satire/horror where art comes to life and kills…was intriguing, but the end result was underwhelming to say the least. The first 2/3 of the film was fine, a bit slow, but fine. The last 1/3 of the film seemed to forget the actual plot or purpose. Instead of one dead man’s art coming to life and killing… all the art starting to kill people, even the tattoo on one of the character’s shoulder. That, was just one of many moments where the film script lost focus completely.

ACTORS: The cast lineup was impressive with Jake Gyllenhall, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Natalia Dyer, and John Malkovich and their performances did not disappoint, despite the poorly written script and minimal character development. With that said… this felt more like a role that James Franco would play, rather than Jake Gyllenhall. 

STORY: Honestly, I felt that Velvet Buzzsaw was a mess. I enjoy a good b-movie horror, but this didn’t even live up to that.

WRITING: The writing, in my opinion, was all over the place.

EDITING: The editing was choppy and the felt forced.

Do I recommend this one? No.
Would I see it again? No. I feel like that was two hours of my life that I will never get back.

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/vQUoWaZSACA

You can watch the official trailers and video clips here:

https://youtu.be/XdAR-lK43YU

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