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January 30, 2019

The Kid Who Would Be King (2019) --- "Evil Get's Schooled."




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     Written and directed by Joe Cornish (Ant-Man, Attack the Block), The Kid Who Would Be King (2019) is a heartwarming fantasy film that follows Alexander (Louis Ashbourne Serkis), a 12-year old kid who one day stumbles upon the legendary sword, Excalibur. After freeing the sword from the stone and with the guidance of Merlin (Angus Imrie/Patrick Stewart), Alex enlists the help of an unlikely trio to embark on a quest to defeat the wicked enchantress Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson), who seeks to poses the sword and destroy the world, before the end of the solar eclipse. Will Alex and his knights stop Morgana before it's too late? Or will the world face her destruction?

January 28, 2019

Kin (2018) --- “All He Needed Was A Way Out. No But Some Things Aren't Meant To Be Found.”


Review
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     Directed by brothers Jonathan and Josh Baker, based on they’re short film Bag Man (2014), and screenplay by Daniel Casey (Fast & Furious 9), Kin (2018) is a sci-fi action film that follows two brothers on a road trip, Elijah (Myles Truitt), whose discovered an advanced weapon in an abandoned warehouse, and Jimmy (Jack Reynor), who is in on the run from a group of thugs led by Taylor (James Franco). Along the way, they meet a slew of characters, including Milly (Zoe Kravitz), and leave a trail of destruction in their wake. Will they be able to outrun Taylor, the cops, and the true owners of the advanced weapon or will they succumb to the consequences of they’re actions?

January 25, 2019

A Dog's Way Home (2019) --- "There Are Some Bonds No Distance Can Break."


Review
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     Directed by Charles Martin Smith (A Dolphin Tale 1 & 2), and written by W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon (A Dog’s Purpose), A Dog’s Way Home (2019) is a surprisingly intense and heartwarming family film about a dog who finds her way back to her owner after crossing 400 miles of Colorado terrain in 2 years and meeting a number of interesting characters.
     The film is adapted from W. Bruce Cameron’s book, who also wrote the source material for and adapted A Dog’s Purpose 1 & 2 from book to film, but this is not A Dog’s Purpose (2017). This film focus on one dog’s life, not several, and her journey home. Along the way she finds herself caught in either some sort of danger or is tempted to stay with a family that wants her but all she wants is to be reunited with her Lucas so she continues to ‘go home’. The story is cute and funny but it also delivers a quite touching message.
     This film barely scratches the surface as it tries to explain the illogical scope of the term “pit bull”, a term that is as generic as labeling a canine as “a hound dog”. Pit Bulls or Pit Bulls mixes are routinely subjected to a false fear that is purely based on other peoples accounts due to being uninformed. Sure, Pit Bulls tend to have “violent” streak but the root behind their “violent nature” is due to the type of environment and level of abuse/neglect that they have fallen victim to. If a dog is encouraged to be violent then their going to be violent. If their abused or neglected then their probably going to be violent due to trust issues and fear. In a way, this is racism for dogs, and the writers deserve some praise for incorporating an issue that often gets ignored into this film.
     The cast performances were great. Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, Rocketman) is unrecognizable as the honeyed voice and lovable Bella, Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women, Howards End) is perfect as Lucas, Ashley Judd (Divergent) pulls off her role as Lucas’ war vet mom with depression, and Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon) is good as Olivia and her chemistry with King is also good.

     Overall, A Dog’s Way Home (2019) is a cute, funny, adventurous, and touching film about one dog’s life and her journey home. This film will make you smile, laugh, and possibly even shed a few tears, especially the kids, but the ending is all worth it. I highly recommend this a good family film for all.


"Lucas is waiting for me and I have to go to him."
- Bella

Final Vote --- 7.5 of 10 stars

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Movies Similar
Big Miracle (2012)
A Dog's Purpose (2017)
A Dog's Journey (2019)
A Dog's Way Home (2019)
Dolphin Tale (2011)
Dolphin Tale 2 (2014)
Eight Below (2006)
Flicka (2006)
Homeward Bound (1993)
Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Fransico (1996)
Hotel for Dogs (2009)
Marley and Me (2008)
Max (2015)
Max 2: White House Hero (2017)
Snow Dogs (2002)
We Bought A Zoo (2011)

January 23, 2019

Homeward Bound (1993) --- “This Is A Story About Courage, Adventure And Friendship.”

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Plot Summary

Before the Seavers leave for a family vacation to San Francisco, they drop off their pets -- Chance (Michael J. Fox), an adventurous American bulldog; Shadow (Don Ameche), a wise golden retriever; and Sassy (Sally Field), a cautious cat -- at a friend's ranch. But when the animals start to worry that they've been left for good, the three embark together on a treacherous and thrilling journey to find their way back home through the California wilderness. (1)





Review
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     Directed by Duwayne Dunham (Disney’s Double Team and Now You See It), and written by Caroline Thompson (Welcome to Marwen, Addams Family) and Linda Woolverton (Maleficent 1 & 2, Lion King, etc), Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) is a charming, heartwarming, fun, and adventurous family film based on the 1963 novel by Sheila Burnford (Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Fransisco).

January 21, 2019

The Upside (2019) --- "Based On A True Story About An Incredible Friendship."




Review
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     Directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist) and written by Jon Hartmere (The Seventh Sense), The Upside (2019) is a thoughtfully crafted remake of the French film, Les Intouchables, and follows Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston), a paralyzed billionaire in search for a new Caregiver. Needing help to get through daily life and activities, Lacasse hires Dell Scott (Kevin Hart), a previously convicted felon, to take on the position at the disinclination of his business employee, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman).

January 18, 2019

Replicas (2019) --- "Some Humans Are Unstoppable."




Review
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     Directed by Jeffery Nachmanoff (Homeland, Meet Jane) and written by Chad St. John (London Has Fallen, Peppermint) and Stephen Hamel (Siberia, Henry’s Crime), Replicas (2019) is a sci-fi drama about a daring Neuro-scientist who, after losing his family in a freak car accident, will stop at nothing to bring his family back, even if it means going against the bio-lab he works for and possibly going to jail.

January 16, 2019

Bird Box (2018) --- "Never Lose Sight Of Survival"

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Plot Summary
When a mysterious force decimates the population, only one thing is certain -- if you see it, you die. The survivors must now avoid coming face to face with an entity that takes the form of their worst fears. Searching for hope and a new beginning, a woman and her children embark on a dangerous journey through the woods and down a river to find the one place that may offer sanctuary. To make it, they'll have to cover their eyes from the evil that chases them -- and complete the trip blindfolded. (1)


Review
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     Award-winning writer and director Susanne Bier has a unique style of filmmaking that allows her to create films that often play out against a wide-reaching global backdrop with an incredible attention to detail. They focus carefully on exploring the explosive nature of human emotions and the complexities surrounding familial bonds. This unique style of filmmaking made her the perfect candidate to helm Netflix’s most recent success, Bird Box (2018).

January 14, 2019

Green Book (2018) --- "Inspired By The True Story Of An Unlikely, Lifelong Friendship."


Review
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     Directed and co-written by Peter Farrelly (Dumber and Dumber To) and co-written by Nick Vallelonga (Green Book as Augie) and Brian Hayes Currie (Actor in Con Air, Armageddon), Green Book (2018) takes place in the 1960s and is based on a true story about an unlikely friendship. Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) is a highly famous and incredibly successful pianist embarking on a tour in the Deep South. However, his race as an African American might be an issue and a threat to his safety in a highly racial world of the Deep South. So Tony "Lip" Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), a cocky tough-guy Italian from the Bronx, is hired to be his driver and bodyguard. From the start it is clear that they come from two completely worlds – Tony is an unrefined, academically dim, and proud of his rough Italian heritage while Don is classy, well-educated, and proud of his classical training. As the tour progresses and they come to rely on one another, they learn more about each other’s character, the problem of racial injustice and by the end, they have formed an unlikely friendship. This is not a film you want to miss.

January 11, 2019

Me Before You (2016) --- "Live Boldly. Push Yourself. Don't Settle."




Review
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     Directed by Thea Sharrock (The Hollow Crown TV series) in her first film debut and written by JoJo Moyes (Head Full of Honey), Me Before You (2016) is the film adaptation of Moyes’ 2012 best-selling romantic novel. The story follows Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke), a naive and energetic young woman who lives a dull life in a peaceful village where nothing happens and works hard to support her family without ever leaving her home town. After losing her job, Lou goes to the local job center and is proposed with the offer to work as a caregiver to Will Traynor (Sam Clafin), a once adventurous and arrogant man until a motorcycle accident made him a quadriplegic. His desire to refuse help gives him a depressed and pessimistic attitude that makes it miserable to be around him. However, with time and her unique personality, Lou breaks down Will’s walls and shows him how great life could be if only he tried. But one revelation will change their relationship forever.
     I have not read the book but I have to assume that the film and the book are very close together considering that the original author of the book also wrote the film’s screenplay. Sometimes this can be a weakness for a book-to-film adaptation but considering the story’s sensitive and controversial nature what could be the film’s weakness is now the film’s strength. From what I have gathered from people who have read the book, Jojo Moyes did an incredible transitioning her story from book to film and while some little details were left out none were needed to move the story along. Although the story has a sensitive and controversial nature, it is also charming and touching with a lot of humorous moments and emotional moments. In addition, the story also shares insight between the wealthy and the poor – emphasizing that richness is in the spirit of a person not in the bank account – in a very subtle way.
The cast delivered wonderful performances. I am not a huge fan of Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) but here she did wonderfully as Lou – with the emotional range of Moira Kelly in The Cutting Edge, the lovely accent of Rachel Weisz in The Mummy 1 & 2, and the fashion sense of Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. She is a nerdy, quirky, witty, and lovable all at the same time, its no wonder why Will couldn’t help but fall in love with her. I am a huge fan of Sam Claflin (Hunger Games, Adrift) and his portrayal of Will, a quadriplegic man who needs to feel like a man again, is exquisite. He takes on a role that physically and psychologically challenging and convinces us that words are way more impactful than simply being good-looking. His chemistry with Clarke is excellent. The rest of the characters are also good: Lou’s cartoonish boyfriend, Patrick (Matthew LewisHarry Potter), Lou’s family, and Will’s parents played by Janet McTeer (Ozark) and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones).

     Overall, Me Before You (2016) is an entertaining, charming, and touching film with enough comedic moments to cut through all the sad parts. It's not groundbreaking or challenging but rather it is simply bittersweet. At first, you wish it ended differently but after a while, you start to realize that it was better this way. The cast performances are solid and wonderful. I highly recommend this film even if your not a fan of romantic films.

 “I just wanna be a man who has been to a concert with a girl in a red dress.”
- Will Traynor



Final Vote --- 8 of 10 stars


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Movies Similar
The Art of Getting By (2011)
Alex Strangelove (2018)
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Every Day (2018)
Everything, Everything (2017)
The F-Prom (2017)
The First Time (2012)
Forever My Girl (2018)
Girlboss (2017)
The Kissing Booth (2017)
Me Before You (2016)
Midnight Sun (2018)
The Outcasts (2017)
Sierra Burgess is a Loser (2018)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Spring Breakers (2012)
Teen Spirit (2011)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

January 9, 2019

Midnight Sun (2018) --- "Dreams Come True At Night And Love Will Light The Way."

Review
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     Directed by Scott Speer (Step Up: Revolution) and written by Kenji Bando (Taiyô no uta, the original story) and Eric Kirsten, Midnight Sun (2018) takes a familiar plot device, which has been seen before in Everything, Everything (2017), and delivers a fresh, relevant, and exciting film. The story follows Katie (Bella Thorne) a sheltered young woman, due to having XP, whose day starts with sundown and ends before sunrise. Katie's predictable and controlled environment is suddenly upended when she meets fellow graduate Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger), a boy she’s had a crush on for years, during one of her normal nightly outings. Rather than let her condition keep her from experiencing life, the pair embarks on midnight dates and love quickly blossoms between them. But will their love be enough to help Katie conquer her fears of avoided because of her condition? Will it stand the test of time? Or will it end with the midnight sun?

January 7, 2019

Every Day (2018) --- “Everyday A Different Life. Every Day In Love With The Same Girl.”

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Plot Summary
Sixteen-year-old Rhiannon falls in love with A, a mysterious spirit who inhabits a different body every day. Feeling an unmatched connection, Rhiannon and A try to find each other on a daily basis, always unsure of what or who the next day will bring. Soon, the realities of loving someone who is a different person every 24 hours starts to take its toll, leaving Rhiannon and A to face the hardest decision either has ever had to make. (1)


Review
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     Directed by Michael Sucsy (The Vow), written by Jesse Andrews (Margot vs. Lily), and based on the novel by David Levithan (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist), Every Day (2018) is a young adult romantic-drama that follows “A” a traveling spirit who wakes up in a different body every day, male or female. On one such day, he wakes up as Justin (Justice Smith) and falls for his girlfriend Rhiannon (Angourice Rice), who finds it odd that Justin is suddenly attentive to her one day and then goes back to being a selfish jerk. Quickly “A” convinces Rhiannon of what he/she is and together the two embark on a star-crossed love affair.

January 4, 2019

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) --- “The Past Never Forgets...Discover What Made Her The Girl.”

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Plot Summary
Fired from the National Security Agency, Frans Balder recruits hacker Lisbeth Salander to steal FireWall, a computer program that can access codes for nuclear weapons worldwide. The download soon draws attention from an NSA agent who traces the activity to Stockholm. Further problems arise when Russian thugs take Lisbeth's laptop and kidnap a math whiz who can make FireWall work. Now, Lisbeth and an unlikely ally must race against time to save the boy and recover the codes to avert disaster. (1)

Review
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     The original Millenium book trilogy by Stieg Larsson was adapted into films in Sweden of 2009 with Noomi Rapace starring as the main protagonist. In 2010 the films were compiled into a TV-mini-series that featured both extended and deleted scenes. In 2011, an American remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was made with director David Fincher at the helm and Rooney Mara as the main protagonist. After the passing of the original author, Stieg Larsson, in 2004, author David Lagercrantz has since started writing a new book series which continues after the trilogy and features the source material for the most recent film addition.

January 2, 2019

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) --- “What Is Hidden In The Snow, Comes Forth In The Thaw… She's Coming.”

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Plot Summary
Disgraced financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) finds a chance to redeem his honor after being hired by wealthy Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to solve the 40-year-old murder of Vanger's niece, Harriet. Vanger believes that Harriet was killed by a member of his own family. Eventually joining Blomkvist on his dangerous quest for the truth is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator whose fragile trust is not easily won. (1)

Review
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     Directed by David Fincher (Gone Girl, World War z 2), written by Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List, Hannibal), and based on the novel, of the same name, by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) is a nail-biting, brutal, and edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you in suspense until the very end. This is a must-see film that is more poised to get under your skin than most films but the end result is an unforgettable experience.