Mini-Reviews: Summerland, Ladies in Black, Mary, Queen of Scots

Accidentally, this set of mini-reviews has a period drama theme. What can I say, a girl likes what she likes!

variety.com

Summerland

Words can barely describe how perfect this film is. Honestly, it was just beautiful. I've been a fan of several of Gemma Arterton's works for quite a while now, and so I was excited to see this one even though I didn't know too much about it to start. Actually, I don't even believe I had watched the trailer for it! But after seeing it, I was moved by it in so many ways. It was a lovely story, beautifully filmed and acted, and it has stuck with me for months after. I would absolutely recommend it many times over.

netflix.com

Ladies in Black

This movie was...fine. I really loved Angourie Rice in Every Day, and I can't fault her on her performance here, nor that of Rachael Taylor. Overall though, I just didn't really attach to it much. If it's on, I wouldn't be against watching it again, but I wouldn't actively seek it out to view it.

theguardian.com

Mary, Queen of Scots

You might know that I'm a huge Tudor history lover, so I watched this rather cautiously. A lot of the films and shows that come out regarding this time period I avoid like the plague because I can get very hung-up on the lack of historical accuracy, and I instead prefer documentaries (if you know Lucy Worsley, know that I adore her). You know the saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"? Let's just say that the music is gorgeous, and Saoirse Ronan does a decent job. Does that tell you enough? Shockingly I finished it...I must have been very strong that day.

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Have you seen any of these? What do you think? Are you a stickler for details in historical pieces, or are you fine with some creative license?

Mini-Reviews: Daisy Jones and the Six, Bewilderment

Working through my huge backlog of books, movies, and TV shows from the past year or so, so I'm focusing on some mini-reviews. If you've read any of these, I'd love to chat more about them!

goodreads.com

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

I listened to this one on audiobook and thought that was the perfect format for it! Switching between multiple characters, the audio version had different actors for each voice. This made it easy to follow and engaging, allowing me to connect with it in a way that I don't think I would have in print. I haven't read any other books by Taylor Jenkins-Reid, or watched the series that was based on this book, but this was an enjoyable introduction to her work. I'd recommend it if you're a fan of the era, but I don't think the interview format this book is written in is going to work for everyone.

goodreads.com

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

This book was a ride. At first I had very little idea of what was going on (and honestly, even after finishing it, I know I didn't get everything), but I was instantly intrigued. The relationship between Theo and his son Robin was both sweet and heartbreaking at different moments, and Robin's experiences with neurofeedback training constantly made me wish I could be inside his head to learn more. That is the brilliance of the book though. Even if you know where it's going, the journey was still such an important one.

Mini-Reviews: Jumanji, The Prom, A Week Away

Looks like today we're talking about musicals and Jumanji...never thought that would be a combo I would be looking at, but here goes!

wonderwall.com

Jumanji (1995)

Can you believe that I only watched this recently? It was never one I was shown as a child, but I waited because I kept hearing about how many kids were terrified by parts of this movie. Not that I exactly expected to be scared of it as an adult, but that didn't really give it a glowing review, haha. I liked it though. I'm not going to say I loved it and thought it was fantastic, but I wouldn't have any issues watching it again if it was on television, or watching it in future with kids (just would make sure they're the right age for it!). I don't plan on seeing the newer/remake movies though - I was mostly in it for Robin Williams.

tvline.com

The Prom

Need a fun, modern musical? This is it! Let's break down the cast for a moment: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Kerry Washington and Keegan-Michael Key. And those are just the names you are most likely to know - there are several other amazing performers in this one. It's also directed by Ryan Murphy of Glee and Scream Queens fame. The Prom was recommended to me by a friend, who, although has an amazing track record for knowing when I am going to like something, I still doubted I was actually going to get invested in this one (when will I learn?). The funny thing though, is that it wasn't the big name characters that were my favourites (save James Corden - you incredible man, you), but the lesser-knowns were brilliant and absolutely shone. Ariana DeBose and Jo Ellen Pellman are amazing in their roles, there are lots of catchy and/or heartfelt songs, and it was a great one to watch. It's not going to go down as a perennial classic for me, but I will definitely watch it again (and I sure as heck have several songs that constantly get stuck in my head).

Mini-Reviews: Their Finest, Isn't It Romantic?, Penelope

theguardian.com

Their Finest

I think I need to rewatch this one going forwards. It has all of the makings of a film I would really enjoy, but I just didn't find it absorbing. It was good, to be sure, but I found it quite slow, and found myself zoning out a bit and not truly engaged. I love Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, and Bill Nighy, and the plot is right up my alley, but it felt like something was missing for me. For now, I'm going to put this down to the fact that I was tired and the week I watched it was all over the place. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought! Oh, it's also based on a book, "Their Finest Hour and a Half" by Lissa Evans. I haven't read it though, so I don't know if the film is an accurate representation.

variety.com

Isn't It Romantic?

Okay, now colour me surprised by this one. Although I like romantic comedies to some extent (unless they are too goofy), I have shied away from many that have come out in the past several years unless they were the teen ones like To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and that sort of thing. However, I was in the mood for something light, and that wasn't going to be a long commitment, so, since the premise was interesting, I decided to give this one a go. And I actually quite enjoyed it! Quirky and humourous, but not overdone, I found this one to be a lovely time passer. Although it won't be an annual classic or anything for me, I would definitely watch it again, and would recommend it for sure if you are a fan of the genre. It's just different enough that you don't feel like you are watching a carbon copy of other films, pokes fun at them just the right amount, but still delivers in the way you want your romantic comedies to deliver.

nytimes.com

Penelope

This movie was exactly what I needed. I thought for a long time that it was going to be overdone and a total farce, but it wasn't. Definitely that cute and motivational modern-day fairytale we all need right now. Quite an interesting cast on this one, but it works. Not a lot to say here, but if you need something fun, light, and sweet (but less cheesy than a Hallmark movie - not to knock those, I watch them too from time to time!), then I think this is a great way to pass an afternoon.

Mini-Reviews: Only Yesterday, Only Lovers Left Alive, To The Bone

TW: To The Bone - mental health, eating disorders, self-harm

northamptonfilmfestival.com

Only Yesterday

One of Studio Ghibli's "quieter" movies, as I like to call them. They are not fantastical like Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away, but they are beautiful snapshots of life and feelings. I liked the premise of this movie when I looked it up a year or two ago, but wasn't sure how interested in it I would be since I was more familiar with the aforementioned films' styles. But wow did I ever love this one. It's sad and nostalgic, and also hopeful and lovely. It was the right time for me to watch it, for sure. Definitely would recommend giving it a watch.

thefilmstage.com

Only Lovers Left Alive

This is a favourite of one of my friends, so I decided to watch it. Although overall I'm a fan of Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton and I are a bit hit or miss, so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. Overall, it was fine but nothing to write home about. It just felt like it was missing something. It is slow paced, and mostly about the characters than an overarching plot, but...I wanted there to be more. More character development, or something. I would watch it again in order to see if there was more to it that I missed, but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

Mini-Reviews: As You Like It, Lorna Doone, Waitress

themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com

As You Like It

I'm rather confused as to why they decided to set this in feudal Japan... it is barely important in the overall look or feel of the movie, and really doesn't seem to serve any purpose. The music is absolutely gorgeous though, and fits absolutely perfectly with how the rest of the adaptation has been done. It uses Shakespearean English, and is overall good. If you like other Ken Brannagh adaptations, it definitely fits his style, and I would recommend it. If you're not a particular fan of his work, then I don't think this one is anything to write home about. It passed the time.

imdb.com

Lorna Doone (1990)

I almost stopped watching this more than once, but decided to power through. Honestly, I just couldn't get into it. I love Sean Bean, but have never really cared for Clive Owen, and this movie did nothing to change that. It felt very slow, and I really didn't get the point of it much. The plot was fine, and I do plan to watch another adaptation in the future, but this really didn't catch my interest.

Mini-Reviews: Call Me By Your Name, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Jane Austen Book Club

Welcome once again to the portion of the blog where I talk about some movies I've been watching! Some movies I simply don't feel motivated to write a full review on (or life gets busy!) but I still want to share my thoughts with you. So, here are a few things I've seen lately and how I felt about them!

tiff.net

Call Me By Your Name
Wow. I put off watching this one for a while because I thought it might have been popular because of the cast or subject matter rather than its own merit. Well, I was wrong. No, it's not perfect, but I definitely found it had a real impact on me to the point that I actually cried at one scene. My only previous experience with Timothée Chalamet had been in Lady Bird, and I hadn't watched anything with Armie Hammer in it, so this was a great way to get to know them better as actors. I would definitely recommend this one. It isn't overwhelmingly dramatic, and there isn't a lot going on in terms of action, but it's lovely nonetheless. I did have one or two moments where I wasn't really a fan of how they shot things/the content, but as far as I am aware they were true to the book for these things, so it's not really a fault of the film.

Mini-Reviews: Black Narcissus, Cheerful Weather For the Wedding, Laggies

Movies, movies and more movies! I definitely love to watch a lot of them in the winter. I'm spending quite a bit of time watching things I had meant to see years ago, and occasionally re-watching some comforting old favourites. So, here's what I've been watching recently!

slantmagazine.com

Black Narcissus
I remember watching this movie as a teen, and remembered liking it...but I didn't really recall all that much about it, and kept mixing it up with A Nun's Story. I watched it again recently, and oh boy...wow. Honestly, I was totally in love with it. Now yes, there are a few things where it is clearly a product of its time (such as some racist depictions - although nowhere near the worst I've seen), but the storyline, cinematography, and mood are incredible. It sort of has a similar feeling to Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca to me, so if you like the feeling of that story, I was check this one out. It is based on a book, but I've never read it.

Mini-Reviews: The Sun is Also a Star, Austenland, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

With all of the craziness going on in my life the past few months, I'm having the best time being able to sit down and just watch movies!  So over the next while, I'll probably be pumping out a bunch of mini-reviews. If there's something specific you would like to see reviewed, or that you would like to hear more in-depth about, let me know!

vanityfair.com

The Sun is Also a Star

I had been rather interested in this one for a while, but I've never read the book. The concept was one that I thought was probably a little far-fetched, but it looked cute enough that I figured it was worth a shot. Also, having a Hollywood-unconventional couple as the stars was a big plus. Now, right from the start I thought Charles Melton was going to have to convince me to like him as well as Yara Shahidi...and he didn't really succeed. I thought he was fine but I couldn't get as behind their romance as I wanted to. Yara, I think, did quite well. The movie was a decent distraction for an evening, and I liked the ending, but overall I sort of found it to be incredibly stereotypical and predictable...even for a Young Adult movie.

indiewire.com

Mini-Reviews: Aquaman, Billy Elliot, The Choice

The past few months have been crazy and hectic. I haven't watched a lot of TV or movies, but I've experienced quite the eclectic mix of titles! From superheroes to dance to romances, here are the most recent ones I'd like to share with you!

metro.co.uk

Aquaman
I walked into this one expecting it to be visually stunning, but not particularly great otherwise. As I am not a huge fan of the DC Universe, I didn't have any attachment to the characters or the story from the beginning. Well, it was exactly what I expected. Although I knew it was necessary, the film was very heavy in its use of CGI - and it wasn't always well done. Unfortunately this took away from the seriousness of certain scenes. Did I enjoy watching it well enough? Yes. Do I plan on watching it again or specifically recommend it? Nope, not really.

Mini-Reviews: Clueless, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Age of Adaline, Then Came You

It's time for another round of mini-reviews! A few fun ones this time, I mostly kept things light except for the last review this time.

express.co.uk

Clueless
I actually watched Clueless! Although this was a huge cultural phenomenon for people of my age, I was never in the least bit interested in checking it out. When I heard it was actually based on Jane Austen's Emma, I thought about it briefly, but...Emma is hands-down my least favourite Austen work, so I still was hardly tempted. I decided to finally bite the bullet, and ended up enjoying it. It definitely wasn't my favourite movie, and there are some annoying aspects about it, but it also could be really cute (young Paul Rudd is a heartbreaker!). I likely wouldn't seek it out again, but I'm glad I checked it out. Basically, if you like Emma, then I would check this out, but if you despise it, then you're much safer staying away.

nospoilerreviews.com

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
I remember hearing the title of this book a while back and thought it was just about the dumbest title I had ever heard. It sounded like a book that only the seniors were going to read, and that it would be about as dull as dust. And now I make my copious apologies. When I saw the trailer for the movie, I realized that I had gotten it 100% incorrect. I knew I wanted to watch it right away, and ended up really loving it! It's sweet and lovely, and both Lily James and Michiel Huisman are great to watch. If you're looking for a feel-good romance film that has some hardships along the way, then this is perfect.

Mini-Reviews: The F Word, The Space Between Us, The Perfect Date

Here are a few things I've been watching for fun that I haven't done a full review for. Let me know if you've seen any of these and what you thought!

wearemoviegeeks.com

The F Word/What If
Now these are the types of roles Daniel Radcliffe shines in! Radcliffe's character is disillusioned with love, and both Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are both appropriately awkward and dorky together. It's a sweet movie with some offbeat humour that is really great for any day of the week. The main characters both have odd names though, and the movie is definitely quirky, so if you aren't into that, then it's likely not your cup of tea. It's that kind of predictable, but sweet romantic comedy like When Harry Met Sally that can't help but make you smile. The original title is "The F Word," however it was changed in some countries to "What If".

film.avclub.com

The Space Between Us
Although pretty predictable, it's still a sweet movie about two teens both trying to break free from the lives they've been forced into. It has lots of adorable moments and the connection between the two leads is perfect. Asa Butterfield is so, so cute in this, and Britt Robertson is great as a troubled but still good at heart kid. It's a nice movie with a cool concept, and definitely worth a watch if you are looking for something with a little depth but that won't leave you feeling too heavy-hearted.

Mini-Reviews: The DUFF, Mortal Engines, The Impossible

More movies in my long list of things that need to be reviewed! I love watching movies, but I don't like to review all of them. Why not? Well, there can be a few reasons for this: 1) sometimes there just wasn't enough going on in it for me to feel inspired to write a full review/have enough material to write about, 2) because I often just want to watch a movie for enjoyment, and without analyzing it. So, here's how we both win: I watch it for fun, and then I write a mini-review. However, if you see that I have watched a movie and you desperately want a full review...tell me! I am more than happy to consider writing a full review if I know readers are interested.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are some of the things I've been watching!

sheknows.com

The DUFF
Do you like Easy A? Well, this movie has that kind of feel to it. It's a relaxed, but fun teen movie that still deals with some important issues and relationships. It's a little bit quirky, but still very relatable. If you are looking for a fun movie for the weekend, or for an evening to curl up and relax with, then I think this is perfect. It will leave you feeling happy, and without having to think too intensely to keep up.

Mini-Reviews: On Chesil Beach, Juliet, Naked, Midnight Sun

If you could see the notes posted on my computer, you'd discover that I watch a lot of movies, and review...perhaps two thirds of them. What does that mean? Well, those notes contain all of the movies I've seen that I don't really want to write a full-length review for. I've been a bit lazy recently (i.e. too busy with other things that make blogging hard), so the list has been piling up, and up, and...up. Some of the movies on that list I watched back in the summer! Regardless, I will be starting to post a few mini-reviews again to get rid of the backlog...and to give you just a brief summary of what I thought. If you'd like a more in-depth review of any of these, please leave me a comment below or send me a message in the sidebar and let me know, and I will be more than happy to provide one. These ones are all recent ones first, and then I will be moving backwards to some older ones.

Here we go!

time.com

On Chesil Beach
I was going to do an in-depth review here, but then I realized I didn't have too much to say about it. I'm also planning on reading the book (by Ian McEwan), so I might do a Read vs. Reel post on that in the future. But, I digress. On Chesil Beach is sad. It's entirely about character development, and about two people who are unable to communicate properly, especially in the midst of a difficult situation, and this changes their relationship forever. It's told through present moments interspersed with flashbacks so you can fully understand where each person is coming from. I did think it was well done, but I'm not sure it's one that will appeal to a lot of people. If you want a lot of action, or a neat and tidy resolution with all of the answers, then this isn't really your type of film. If you like character-driven plots, where you get a resolution that comes full circle as an end but doesn't give you all the bits that happened in between, then you'll be good with this one. Saorise Ronan, Billy Howe and Anne-Marie Duff (whom I adore) are all great.

Mini-Reviews: The Spectacular Now, Joy, Pompeii, The Edge of Seventeen

I've watched several films over the past few months that I just haven't felt motivated to review in depth. I don't have tons to say about any of these, but at the same time I wanted to let you all know what I thought about them! That being said, here are some mini-reviews so that you get the gist. If anyone wants to know more about any of these movies, please leave me a comment!

slashfilm.com

The Spectacular Now

Based on the novel by Tim Tharp, The Spectacular Now is a slice of teenage awkwardness. It's fairly likely you've met both an Aimee and a Sutter at some point in your life (whether in high school or college), so these characters feel fairly realistic. The question is, do you like Sutter or do you want to punch him in the face? Well, you'll probably feel both things at some point but that's sort of a good thing. My one major complaint about this one was that the volume was very inconsistent throughout. Overall a decent movie.

wsj.com

Joy

The beginning is rage-inducing and frustrating, and anyone who has family troubles will relate to this horrible dynamic, and want to punch something. The movie picks up quite well and ends up being surprisingly interesting (yes it is about a mop, but it is really about so much more than that). It was overall enjoyable, and Jennifer Lawrence does a good job with this one.

May 2018 Update

You know how I said May would pick up? Well, May is crazy time at work (through until September), and everything started in April that I was watching and hasn't finished yet. So because of that, I'm including a few movies that I am not planning on reviewing, rather than just television shows.

Started Watching:

bbcamerica.com

Merlin season 3
I've slowed down a bit on Merlin since I've been busy with The 100 and The Handmaid's Tale this month, but I'm still watching it. The plot development is better this season, with storylines carrying forward more than they did in past seasons. Still a nice show to casually watch.

koreandramaland.com

Something in the Rain
This is a sweet little K-drama that I just started watching about two people who have known each other since childhood. As they get to spend more time together, they become closer and closer and fall for each other. I'm only a few episodes in, but really enjoying it. It's nice to find another K-drama I'm liking after having a string of bad ones!

Mini Reviews: Before I Fall, Dear Fahrenheit 451

Working on one of my goals for this year, I wanted to try and get a brief review out for those things that I was having a hard time writing about (whether because I was uninspired, had tons going on, or whatever other reason). It's definitely more important to share a brief review (in my opinion!) than it is to struggle through one that you are having a hard time with and making your work sub par and/or not an accurate picture of how you feel about something. Anyway, here we go!

Before I Fall (2017)
I haven't read the book this movie was based on (by Lauren Oliver), so I can't say how accurate it is, but I did enjoy the film. Although it involves a lot of repetition, it was well done so that it doesn't feel like it goes on forever. I thought the cast was good and everyone felt like they fit the role they were given. The ending had me feeling a bit funny, but glad I watched it.

thefilmstage.com