Movies in Review: "Hidden Figures"

Biographical films are definitely one of my favorite genres of movies because there is nothing like watching someone's real life story play out on the big screen. However films like Hidden Figures take it a step further by bringing to the surface pivotal moments in history that otherwise would have remained unknown and forgotten. I never knew the of the vital role black women played in getting us into space. When I first viewed the trailer my mouth dropped and there was an overwhelming feeling of pride and excitement to see this film. The trailer did more than intrigued me, and this film is likely the one I've been anticipating the most this year. There was no doubt in my mind this movie would be a hit, and I was looking forward to being educated on the beautiful black women playing an essential role in the Nasa Space program.

I would like to give this movie a standing ovation, and I am so happy this story was brought to the big screen. As a black woman, the pride I had watching this film gave my spirit life, and I recommend every person of color, especially women with daughters, go see this film. It is all of that and a bag of chips. This story needed to be told. These women played a huge part in history that can't be denied. What I loved about this film, besides the excellent performances, direction and story, were the lessons I walked away with. The strength of these women to overcome obstacles will touch you to the core. Preparation meets opportunity was a core message with Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughn. This was the message that hit me the deepest, and well as us looking out for one another and bringing each other up with support.

I could go on and on about this film because it brought out so many positive emotions. I walked out of the theater feeling revived a brand new. This film definitely lifted my spirits. Shout out to Pharrell for the banging soundtrack, because the movie was definitely on point. This is a movie you don't want to miss out on...A+

Movies in Review: "Passengers"

I love me a science fiction space movie, one of my favorites being Gravity, which is what I think I compare all space movies too these days...lol. Although Passengers trailer didn't give me the feeling Gravity did, it still intrigued me. I am a huge fan of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence is an actress whose work I respect as well. I loved the cinematography in the trailer, and there was enough of a teaser for the story line to have me wanting to see how this film played out. I did not have the best movie experiences this weekend, so I was really hoping this one would be able to deliver.

Womp Womp...Definitely didn't live up to the trailer. This movie was so freaking long that it had scenes that could have been eliminated because it made the movie drag. At least 15-20 min could have been eliminated just to keep the pace of the movie going. There was far too much down time. The movie didn't really get on a good pace until halfway through, but by that time I was a little too bored to really enjoy the last half of the film. The second half of the movie was pretty good though. However the ending failed miserably. In the last scene I was sitting there like "Really?"...smh. Honestly the second half of the movie was so good that if they had worked out a better ending I probably would have given this movie a higher mark, in spite of me being bored to death for the first hour...lol.

Passengers wasn't as intriguing as the trailer. Unfortunately the best part of the movie doesn't begin until the film is halfway over, and by the time the movie ends I pretty sure you will find yourself rolling your eyes and sucking your teeth...lol...C

Movies in Review: "Assassin's Creed"

I don't know if any of you were like me and found little interest in the trailer for this film. The only reason I went to see this movie was because Michael Fassbender was starring in it, so I thought maybe I was missing something and was wrong about this movie. I think Fassbender is a phenomenal actor, and couldn't see him in anything not worth seeing, even a little. I mean he was in The Counselor, which wasn't a great film, but had some nice performances, especially from him, that didn't make the film as bad as it should have been ~shrugs. I tossed a coin o with Assassin's Creed, and decided to take my chances...

One of the biggest movie mistakes I think I've made this year. True to form, Fassbender was great, but this movie was dumb as hell...lol. I should have known since the film is based on a video game...smh. Video games made into movies don't usually translate well, and you will definitely find yourself lost in translation with this one. I think only fans of the game would find worth in this film, because I was lost and totally annoyed with this movie. It felt like I was watching a video game with live characters, because there was no character development in the story. There were just character after character. The action sequences were well done, but that should have been expected right??? Nothing in this movie made sense to me, and I kept think was "Who Cares?” Although some of the dialogue had subtitles even the English spoken words didn't make sense...lol. Ugh...this movie should have been left at the arcade.

I was not a fan of this film. It was so annoying to watch because it didn't feel like a movie. There was limited dialogue that hardly made sense to me, filled with great action sequences, but a story that had no substance...Ugh! Can we please stop making video games into movies...ijs...D!

Movies in Review: "Sing"

We all know I love a good animated film, more so now because it is also the perfect activity me and my son can share. I've seen a number a spectacular animated films this year, however Sing was being advertised as one that would beat all the rest. From what I watched in the trailer, I didn't really believe that, but thought it would be cute enough that I would be entertained, and my kid would have a great time.

Just as I thought, this movie really didn't live up to all the marketing hype. The singing was absolutely phenomenal, but everything else about the movie was just ok. The story was blah, with mediocre animation. There wasn't anything too exciting about any character to really make me care about the film. However the singing performances are powerful enough to definitely draw you in and keep you from walking out of the theater. I would give a standing ovation for that alone, but unfortunately everything else fell a little flat. The humor was just wasn't there, and there was very little excitement to be found in the story ~shrugs. Kind of what I expected from this movie...

I would not rate this film anywhere near the top for animated films released this year. I think Moana is still in the theaters, and by far a better movie choice if you haven't seen it. There isn't too much except the singing that grabs your attention. I have to admit though, my son seemed to enjoy it, and was lit up with interest during every vocal performance, and was dancing as the credits rolled, however for me, the movie was a bit of a bore...C+

Movies in Review: "Fences"

I was so sad that I was unable to catch the play when it was on Broadway and starred Denzel Washington. However when I watched the trailer, I was beyond happy, and totally looking forward to the release of this film. What sparked my interest even more about this film was that Denzel would also be in the director's chair....Yaaaaasssssss. The screenplay for the film was written by the late August Wilson, and finished right before his death in 2005. I am pleased that the release of this film has finally arrived.

I can see why August Wilson is 2 time Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama. I not as familiar with all of his work, but the writing in this film gave me goosebumps. There were more than a few lines that had reacting with an "Amen"...wow. To add to the writing you have Viola Davis and Denzel Washington giving us Oscar Winning performances in both their respective roles. By the end of the film I was giving a standing ovation for them both, especially Denzel who also did a hell of a job in the director's chair. There is nothing I can say badly about this film because it is true perfection. I'd like to also recognize the performance given by Mykelti Williamson as Gabriel Maxson. You know this actor from a number of small roles, but the performance he made in this film has shined a light on this man's capabilities. He was everything, and I didn't know he had it in him. He was my favorite character in the film by far.

I went to see 4 films this weekend and 3 of them I absolutely loved, but this one was by far my favorite. This is not a film you need to think about seeing, you just need to go see it...A+

Movies in Review: "Rogue One"

So I admit I am not the biggest Star Wars fan. As a matter of fact, the summer release Star Wars film was the only one I had been able to watch in its entirety. I thought it was corny, and still surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think I only went to see it because everyone else was so hyped about it. However when I watched the trailer for Rogue One, I was sincerely intrigued. This was the first film from this franchise that I actually wanted to see. I have no idea why the others didn't appeal to me as much as this one ~shrugs. I usually have hard time keeping up with these films, so I was just hoping not to get lost in the sauce.

By far my favorite movie from this franchise. What I usually hate about Star War films is that there are too many characters, and too many stories and realms to keep track of. There is also very little character development, usually making far too many story lines forgettable, but this was not this film's case. The cast of main characters was small, so the story felt tight, and was easy to follow. The film had a number of strong memorable characters and a cohesive story line to go with it. The humor was on point and I loved the characters on-screen chemistry. The last 30 mins of the film were remarkable and powerful. This movie had a spark that I find lacked in the other Star War films. There weren't too many dull moments at all. The blind warrior and the Rebel Robot were definitely my favorites from the film. They were everything!

This film was filled with humor, excitement and unexpected moments that made it worthwhile. Star War films tend to feel like a long drawn out sometimes dull crusade, but this one didn't have a dull moment to notice the time. One of my favorite films from this weekend's movie adventures...A!

Movies in Review: "Collateral Beauty"

When I watched the trailer for this film I seriously got chills. There was something about the trailer that captured my attention, besides the fact that it starred Will Smith, and a few of my other favorite actor/actresses. I loved the marketing for this film, and it was the movie I was looking forward to seeing the most. However when checking for show times on Fandango I noticed that Rotten Tomatoes was rating this film a 14% Rotten...Nooooooooo!!! I was not expecting that. I can't see how a film with a cast as strong as this film could ever get a rating so low. I admit the rating put a damper on my expectations for the film, but I went in feeling like Rotten Tomatoes is a hater and I should trust anything they say! Lol...

Ummmmmmm...I was seriously at a loss when watching this movie because it was nothing like I had expected. I was expecting good film that was centered on a profound message I could take away from the movie, but no such thing happened. This movie was so odd. With a 90min running time, there wasn't enough time to character development for all the actors in the film. There were too many characters, and subplots that went with each character. I think the film would have been better if Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, and Michael Pena's characters were removed. The story could have used maybe one of them at the most, but the others took away screen time that should have been spent on Will Smith and Naomie Harris's characters, as well as the characters Love, Time and Death. I didn't really get much from Smith except in the last 20-30 min of the film. Most of the movie he was riding around on his bike, and not saying much ~shrugs. However I loved every scene he shared with Naomie Harris, and Harris's performance was my favorite. I thought Love, Death, and Time would have a more profound impact on the film, but they had very few scenes. 

There was so much death in this film that it was hard to see the beauty. There was humor injected in a movie that felt so heavy it just felt odd. I wanted to like this movie, but I just didn't get it. Can someone please explain the ending and Helen Mirren's character to me? The ending was a little predictable and very silly at the same time, but mostly because there was a lack of development for the story ~shrugs. I didn't hate it as much as Rotten Tomatoes, but I can't say I loved it either...C+

Movies in Review: "La La Land"

There was such great buzz around this movie that it finally convinced myself to go see it. Although I am a huge fan of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and their on-screen chemistry, I can't say I'm the biggest fan of musical films ~shrugs. I thought the trailer was cute, but the thought of all that singing made me wince. However as an avid movie-goer, there was no way I could pass up a film that has Oscar noms, and received 7 Golden Globe nominations...right!? I wasn't sure how I would feel after seeing it, but I had to know if it was worth all of the hype it has been receiving.

This movie is worth the hype and then some. I admit the opening scene made me cringe a little, because of course it started with a corny song...lol. However I got myself to relax to try and enjoy the film, and I found myself completely wrapped in it. I'm not a huge fan of musical film, but the performance scenes in this movie had me open. The music and performances were phenomenal. It was like a breath of fresh air was blown into a mirage of mundane films. This was something new...finally! The film industry needed this creative masterpiece. I could go on and on about Gosling and Stone, but anything I have to say about them is worth seeing on the big screen. This movie made me laugh and pulled and my heart strings. One of the best films I have seen this year.

I don't know what to say to anyone who isn't a fan of musicals, except I think you will still find enough entertainment value in this movie that the music will not be a negative factor. This movie is worth all the praises it has received, and well worth you seeing...A+

Movies in Review: "Office Christmas Party"

This was the movie I was most looking forward to seeing this weekend. The trailer for this film had me in stitches. I loved the cast, I was just hoping that there was more humor to the film than what was shown in the trailer. I tried not to get too excited about this one because I didn't want to be too disappointed, but there is no way in the world this movie wasn't going to be funny right!?

This movie was funny as hell. It was filled with some of the most entertaining characters I've seen in a comedy in a while. Everyone played their part well, even Jennifer Aniston, who would have been my only reason to not see this movie. Surprisingly, she wasn't that bad. My favorite characters were of course TJ Miller. This man knows how to be funny without trying to be funny. I love him for that. I think I laugh every time he opens his mouth...lol. Jason Bateman was also a fave of mine. I love his sarcastic quirky sense of humor. It always works for me. Kate McKinnon (the lady from Saturday Night Live) kind of annoyed me, but she always does. It always feels like she's trying too hard. My only other complaint was that the party scene was a little excessive and this movie could have been shortened by 25min. I think the funniest parts happened before the party really got started, but there is still enough laughter to hold you throughout the film.

I was a little worried that this movie wouldn't be able to deliver, but I am happy to say it did. This film is filmed with great comedic actors that all worked well together. I laughed out loud more than a few times, and found this movie to be super entertaining...B+

Movies in Review: "Miss Sloane"

Miss Sloane caught my eye while searching through fandango working out my weekend movie plans. I was surprised I had not seen a trailer for this film, it has a stellar cast with Jessica Chastain taking the lead, and looked like a great thriller. I love thrillers, although some of the material in political thrillers can fly over my head, I never walk out of the theater not catching the jist of the story...lol. I was looking forward to see this movie, and I was hoping to leave the theater more thrilled than confused...lol.

Now this was a good movie. Everything about this movie was great. Chastain was remarkable as the lead character Elizabeth Sloane. She is a BOSS! I really had a hard time figuring out if I hated her or loved her...but I think I'm definitely leaning more towards love. The story had a steady pace which I enjoyed, and great build-up. It is a must that you don't walk away and miss anything because it all comes together in the end. I honestly had no clue how this film was going to end, but with a running time of 2hrs + by the end I was ready for things to get sealed up. I wasn't expecting the ending that I got, which left my jaw on the floor and made this movie totally worth the 2+hrs.

I love a movie that can leave me stunned by end. It makes the movie less predictable and well worth it. I was beyond pleased with this film, but it was definitely the ending that won me over. If you are looking for a strong film that is thrilling and unpredictable, this is the one for you. I know you will enjoy it...A-

Movies in Review: "Jackie"

I love weekends like these, where there aren't any worldwide releases that I feel obligated to review. This was one of those weeks where I usually stay home, or indulge myself in an independent/limited release film, which was the case for Jackie. When I watched the trailer the story immediately grabbed me. We always hear about the assassination of Kennedy, but no one really spoke about the experience of the events for his wife sitting next to him. Besides it getting great reviews, I knew I wanted to see this anyway. Not to mention the theatrical poster is EVERYTHING. I love theatrical posters as much as I love movies, and the one for this film appealed to all of my senses, and is simply breathtaking, as the woman herself.

Natalie Portman is getting high praises for her performance as Jackie, and yes I think those praises are deserved...to an extent. She gave a great emotional performance, and seemed to really capture Jackie, but at times it seemed far too much. There were some parts of her performance that had me cringing. The way she was speaking at times annoyed the crap out of me, and also the stiff poses that she would make with her arms and faces had her looking like a mannequin. She definitely captured Mrs. Kennedy's shy demeanor, brains and beauty, but sometimes her performance was a little over the top. I enjoyed the film, but wished it had a better flow. The story would bounce back and forth from before the assassination to her husband's funeral arrangements, and killed the flow of the film. 

I enjoyed this side of the story being told, but I kind of wish it was told in a better way. I loved Portman's portrayal, but also found some of her performance to be cringe worthy. I was hoping to walk out the theater hoping to say I loved this one, but left the theater with a shrug and needing a nap...B-