Chris Pratt goes back to the future and Marvel goes back to theaters (and Disney+) this July.
July 1
No Sudden Move
July 2
The Tomorrow War
Chris Pratt goes back to the future in this Amazon Prime exclusive release about an alien invasion.
July 9
Black Widow
The MCU hits big screens (and little screens simultaneously) for the first time in two years in this superhero movie about a character who doesn't have any superpowers.
July 21
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
July 23
Old
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan's back in a story that most likely has a twist ending. Spoiler Alert.
Snake Eyes
July 30
The Green Knight
Hollywood goes the King Arthur route once again in this feature that hopefully makes up for 2019's The Kid Who Would Be King, 2017's Legend of the Sword and 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight.
Ok, if you think that the latest documentary on Hulu , ‘Sasquatch’, is nothing but fluff and something to laugh about, you would be so wrong. I was one of those who thought, ‘Sasquatch? What can this show add or cover that all the other shows and documentaries haven't done already?’ Well, they definitely did it and in a brilliant way, which I won't spoil by any means.
The beginning of this short (3 episodes) series introduces investigative journalist David Holthouse, who tells the story of how he was on a cannabis farm back in the fall of 1993 doing undercover work and 2 workers came running into the cabin he was staying in that night terrorized, saying that they had come across 3 workers who had been torn apart and mutilated by a Sasquatch. The leader or owner of the farm got the men to calm down and leave and laughed it off but Holthouse said he wondered all these years later if there was anything to the story. Thus, he decided to pursue it and does so in this brilliant documentary.
Note that this is a rough one to watch and definitely isn't something like you might have watched on the old Leonard Nimoy series, ‘In Search Of', which I loved as a kid. This one delves into something else very popular at the time that Bigfoot or Sasquatch was being ‘seen’ in the California area and that was the increase in pot farms and what people did to protect their growth. Needless to say, this is where the show really begins to get interesting and scary and the end just left me thinking, ‘Wow!’ It turned out to be frightening stuff but not because of the story of Sasquatch itself.
This is definitely a very well made, informative and disturbing documentary that I highly recommend.
If you're looking for a mini-series that has a good solid storyline, excellent acting, plenty of action and beautifully fitting music to boot, then you must watch ‘ZeroZeroZero’ on Amazon Prime. It's in the same vein of the classic ‘The Godfather’ but set in modern times. The great thing about this story of a shipment of cocaine from Mexico to Italy is how it involves three different powerful families and how they eventually cross paths based on the actions they take. As one critic stated, this series is, ‘Explosive, tragic, fulfilling’ and I could not agree more. It's definitely rough and raw and can be difficult to watch. But some of the moments are truly heartbreaking, especially the relationship between Stefano and his grandfather/godfather Don; Chris and his sister Emma; and Henry and his former friend’s widow. When the show reaches its peak and the explosions take place between the characters, it's just crushing to watch. But that's what makes this a great show because the character development is so good. You may not like what the characters are doing or what they're involved in but you're mesmerized by them and have to see how things turn out.
The pace of each episode is perfect and the action is plenty so you're never bored by any means. I also mentioned the music in this series and it captures your attention as it;s hypnotic and fits each scene perfectly.
I have read that there are no plans at this point to continue with any more episodes of this show as it was intended to be a miniseries with a limited number of episodes but I could definitely watch this cast in another season.
I have to say I had very low expectations for the movie ‘Voyagers’ but I'm surprised to say it's actually a pretty good film. It's not an Oscar winner or the best film I've ever seen by any means, but the story is solid (which is what originally gave me the most concerns), the acting is pretty good and the suspense and action are attention-grabbing. It also has plenty of thought-provoking moments about how some of the things in the film actually relate to our society today.
All the actors in this young, diverse cast do a great job and they all work together very well to make the film what it is. They especially shine when the only adult on the ship - Colin Farrell - leaves them and they have to take control when things begin to fall apart. It actually gets pretty creepy when you begin to see how quickly people try to control others and thirst for power. While some might say this happened too quickly, I think the progression was realistic because I have no doubt that most (not all) people, once given a taste of control and power - will quickly try to increase their hold and take over more and more.
There are a few moments that make you say, ‘Yeah right’ but those are far and few in between, fortunately. The buildup of the suspense is really good and definitely keeps your attention. It actually has ‘edge of your seat’ moments which is why I recommend this science fiction flick.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It was not one chosen by my book club or referred to me but one that I read a synopsis of and thought would be pretty intriguing.
The story is about a young female American who recently lost her military husband in an accident while he was in Hawaii during the Pearl Harbor bombings. The issue is that she and her husband had recently admitted not having feelings for each other as a married couple should so Anna is plagued with guilt about that and his death.
Trying to get herself focused on something that really matters to her and has meaning, she's approached by a close friend of her family, who just happens to be a high ranking commander in the military. She has an opportunity to become an American spy in Nazi-occupied France, where she has history with friends and someone she loves, so she jumps at the chance. Needless to say, she encounters danger, love and hard times, among many other challenges.
Anna is a great character as she's a dedicated worker, daughter, friend and patriot to her country. She is absolutely determined to do everything she can to help her comrades and her country and it's interesting to read what she and the female spies have to go through and what risks they're willing to take to play a significant part in the war campaign. While this novel itself is fiction, the author did indicate that some of the characters in the novel are based on real people.
It was a very interesting blend of suspense, romance and war time scares and heroics.
Over the recent days I’ve come to watch movies my mom liked and when I got back to this one it took me back as I’ve only watched it a few times and didn’t remember much about it. But I really took the time to understand the reason behind it and I’ve come to this conclusion: it’s a rom-com and it has Cher in it and that’s why she liked it lol. Moonstruck is exactly like every other rom-com except this one has Nicolas Cage and Cher in it. It was made in 1987, based on Italian family roots. This movie is funny, sweet and has a few things you wouldn’t expect. There are also a few quotable lines that me and my family would repeat a lot or just bring up in normal conversations to make it fun. Nice film. Cher is good in it and I have to say, it's one of Nicolas Cage’s better performances.
I have never watched anything by Joss Whedon so what possessed me to watch his new show ‘The Nevers’ (on HBO Max) I don’t know. I wasn't sure I should watch it either, considering the latest controversy around him and his onset behavior toward cast and crew members. But the previews looked interesting. So I figured why not?
Actually, I honestly forgot that Whedon had anything to do with it until about half way through the show when I began to read about it. I was confused at the point I was at in the show and was hoping to get some answers. Anyway, I understand that he has since left the show. With all that being said, I honestly don't know how I feel about it. It has some pretty cool scenes and I like the heroic acts and special abilities of the two female leads. I like the chemistry between them for sure. But the storyline is all over the place in my opinion. Is it supposed to be a focus on the supernatural, demonic or aliens? It's very confusing in many parts.
***Spoiler Alert***
But the alien aspect is what's crazy. Here you think the show is about one thing and then the end has that twist that just blows your mind. What is it about and what is this ‘magical dust’ that's released over England? Very odd…it will be interesting to see how this show plays out and if it can keep its audience.
I was pretty psyched after seeing previews for the show ‘Tell Me Your Secrets’, on Amazon Prime. It smacked of mystery and intrigue, plus it highlighted Lily Rabe as a star and I'm a big fan of hers. Well, after having watched all 10 episodes, this is one I definitely have mixed feelings about. For those not familiar with the story, it's about a woman whose daughter has been missing for 7 years, assumed dead as the result of an encounter with a serial killer. The mother, Mary, portrayed by Amy Brenneman, has a foundation that helps families with similar situations and seeks to find and reunite missing kids with their families.
Where Lily Rabe's character, Emma, comes into play, is that she was in love with the serial killer, Kit, and was arrested for keeping information about him from the police. Mary even visits Emma and asks her what she knows about her daughter, but Emma reveals nothing. Eventually Emma is released for finally cooperating with police and the information provided leads to Kit being captured. Emma is put into a witness protection program, having to stay in touch with a psychiatrist, and ends up in a small town in Louisiana. She has also written Kit a note telling him things are over. Mary is on the way to see Kit in prison to ask him about her daughter and whether or not he did kill her but having read Emma’s note, Kit manages to kill himself in prison. Needless to say, this devastates Mary as she feels her last chance to find out anything about her daughter is gone.
At some point, Mary interviews a recently released serial rapist, John, played by Hamish Linklater, who thinks he can work for her foundation trying to help locate the abductees and profiling the killers since he himself has done the same thing. Very weird thinking in my opinion. Well, Mary doesn't hire John for what he wanted, instead she hires him on the side to try and find out where Emma is now located. Needless to say, she learns that this was a mistake.
Ok, this is the ‘basis’ or the ‘main’ story but then many other characters and storylines come into play. In fact, it's really almost too much to keep up with. There are actually 3 storylines to try and follow.
The main actors of the story, Rabe, Brenneman, and Linklater all do a great job in their roles. But there's so much ‘filler’ and side stories and characters that distract you from the real story and how these characters are tied to each other. I just read that Amazon bought this series from another studio and I'm not sure they made the right decision with this one as it's almost something you might see on Lifetime.
With that being said, I'm still going to follow the series, since it's been set up for another season for sure, but I'm not going to recommend this one.
Since Free Guy is about a mediocre dude who doesn't realize that he lives inside of a video game who falls for a woman of action who shows up outta nowhere, it seems to pretty much be a live-action version of The LEGO Movie. But the visuals look great, so let's do this.
There have been so many movies around drug addiction - some good, some bad, with the majority being bad in my opinion - but one that definitely is well done and has some great performances is the 2018 film, ‘Beautiful Boy’, starring Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet. I read this book in the last year or so and loved it so was hoping that the movie would not disappoint and I'm glad to say it did not. Don’t get me wrong, the book is still much better, as there is more depth and details in it, but the film is good as well. In particular is the outstanding performance - nominated in fact for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year for his performance - by Chalamet as the son, Nic Sheff. Steve Carell plays the father, David Sheff, who absolutely adores his son. He and Nic’s mother are divorced and share joint custody but he manages to keep a close relationship with Nic. Even being remarried with two other children, who adore Nic, the relationship appears to be solid. Nic himself appears to be well adjusted and excels in school, sports and has a lot going for him. It's his slow slide into the horror of drug addiction that takes David and his family by surprise and begins their nightmare.
The book - as well as the movie - really enlightened me more about crystal meth, which they say is the strongest addictive drug that exists. It's absolutely terrifying to see how people’s lives - not just the addict but family members as well - are totally destroyed by this horrible drug. Nic stole, lied, robbed and who knows what else to feed his addiction. They say the rate of recovery from meth addiction is very low. Chalamet gives a stunning, believable performance in his role as an addict and I can see why he was nominated. Carell is also great as the father and it's heart-wrenching watching what he goes through.
This is an important film to watch as the message is still relevant today.
I'm sitting here absolutely overwhelmed with love and admiration for ‘Minari.’ I really had no idea what to expect but I'm so glad I finally watched it. It's such a well-made and beautiful film about an immigrant family working hard to find a new life for themselves in America. This Asian American family still has traditions of their native country that they respect and love and follow but they don’t sacrifice that to be part of America. There are struggles, hardship and sacrifices that they make and go through but that's what makes them a family you want to see succeed. Everyone in this film is amazing and I loved being able to watch them interact with each other talking in both English and their native language. Where did they find these child actors, especially Alan S. Kim, who plays David? Definitely a young man with skills way beyond his years. I'm also so proud of Steven Yeun (whom any follower of ‘The Walking Dead’ series will know as Glenn) as he really showcases his talent in his role as the father. But the real scene stealer is Grandma, portrayed by Youn Yuh-jung. She is absolutely brilliant in her comedic/sad/heartbreaking role in this film. Awesome ensemble indeed!
The other things I love about this film are the cinematography and music. It all just works perfectly together and is almost a work of art on its own. It's just magic together and made the film work.
I can definitely see now why the movie's getting all the raves and it's honestly going to be one to watch on Oscar night.
