Bird Box

Bird Box is a Netflix distributed post-apocalyptic thriller starring Sandra Boullock, based on the novel of the same name. When a mysterious force has taken over the world, causing people to commit suicide, a woman and her two children must take a dangerous trip in the hopes to find safety. 

The plot resembled A Quite Place, but with vision as the weakness instead of sound. Even though the story wasn’t entirely original, I did still find the movie to be very entertaining. The editing and cinematography were well done; it helped to create a good amount of suspense for the viewer. Additionally, there were also some good twits throughout that helped to keep me engaged.

I thought that the script and acting from the entire cast were well done, making it easy to connect to the characters. They were all able to project the fear and desire to survive.

All in all I thought that the movie was well made and one that I would recommend.

The Princess Switch

The Princess Switch is a Netflix distributed romantic comedy starring Vanessa Hudgens. It’s the story of Stacy De Novo, an anal-retentive Chicago baker, who has been invited to compete in a world famous Christmas baking competition in the fictional country of Belgravia. During the trip she runs into the prince's fiancée, the Duchess of Montenaro, whom she looks exactly alike. In an effort to experience something different than their normal lives, they agree to a switch for 2 days.

The movie has a Parent Trap vibe to it. It is family friendly and fun. The theme of "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” was all about going outside your comfort zone, trying new things and opening yourself up to unexpected love. I thought they were all great and positive points placed throughout the movie.

Hudgens did a pretty good job in the lead roles as De Novo & the Duchess. Her English accent at times was a distraction but it wasn’t terrible. I also enjoyed seeing Nashville’s Sam Palladio in a new role as Prince Edward. They had good chemistry so it was easy to root for them.

Overall I thought that the move was cute and entertaining. Not something that will turn into a classic Christmas movie, nor something I’d see again, but not something I regretted seeing.

Aquaman

Aquaman is the origin story for, Arthur Curry, the title character, played by Jason Momoa. It follows him as he comes to terms with his lineage and the decision to either get involved in an upcoming underwater war or not, with his half-brother.

I thought that it was high action, full of heart and a touch of funny. Some of the fight scenes looked like a video game but overall looked pretty realistic for what it was. It was visually stunning, reminding me of Avatar with its bright colors and hues of blue.

The plot was interesting and had a couple of good twists so it wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be. It had great themes about family, humility and embracing your destiny.

The acting from the entire cast was pretty good. Specifically, Momoa was able to successfully carry the load of this role. He makes for a really great super hero. He physically fit the part and was able to successfully make this character into something more than a punch line.

I liked that the cast was diverse and full of talent. Unfortunately, the character development could have used some work for the supporting cast. They were fairly one dimensional while they focused so heavily on the main character.

Toward the beginning, the soundtrack was very Tron, which was cool. Then later in the movie the soundtrack turned really poppy and didn’t really fit the scene or the overall theme, which I found odd.

You could tell early on that the director was trying to go for a more family-friendly style movie. At times the script was really cheesy. There were also some repetitive shots, which I think were used to add more drama to a scene, but in the end came off really corny and overkill.

What I came to at the end of this movie was that it’s hard to live up to the competing Marvel franchise. The DC movies will always be a notch or so below the quality of most Marvel films. There were some critics saying that this movie could save the DC franchise but I don’t think that this was it. By no means was the movie terrible, I actually that it was a well-made, you just have to come in with certain realistic expectations with this franchise. Once you wrap your head around that, I think that people will still find this movie enjoyable, therefore I would still recommend for all. I don’t think that most would see it again but it would be something that I would be happy to see again.

Braven

Braven is an action, drama starring Jason Momoa. It follows Momoa as the title character, Joe Braven, a lumberjack and mountaineer who must defend his family, after he intercepts a package hidden in his cabin, from some unwelcome guests.

I thought that the cinematography was vast and beautiful. There were a couple of the action sequences were really creative and cool. The plot was interesting but unfortunately it was very predictable from the beginning. Even though I did enjoy the movie, it’s definitely best as a straight to DVD type of movie; I would not have been happy if I paid money to watch this in a theatre. The script was pretty basic and the acting was okay. Jason Momoa has definitely been type cast at this point so Momoa fans already know what they are getting into with this movie.

In the end, I think that this movie did enough to keep me entertained. I would say that it is one that is not necessary for everyone to see but one that fans will still enjoy.

Creed II

Creed II is the sequel to the 2015 hit starring Michael B Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson all reprising their roles as Adonis Creed, Rocky Balboa and Bianca, respectively. This film picks up a few years after the first. It follows Creed as he must decide who he is fighting for when he is challenged by his father’s killer’s son, Viktor Drago. 

The story was entertaining and emotionally charged. The script, at times, was a bit corny but overall well done. There was once again, really great character development and acting from the entire cast. It was almost to the point where you didn’t want anyone to lose because you could see both sides and really feel for both the protagonist and the antagonist. The themes surrounding family and picking yourself up when you are down, were also really positive and relatable. Because of that, I thought that the director did a great job at pulling at the heartstrings.

This movie also managed to successfully bring in new characters while also having cameos from the original Rocky movies, which will bring back some positive nostalgia for those fans.

Ryan Coogler didn’t direct this one and I noticed almost immediately. There was a change in the fight sequences that made it look fake, almost like a video game. The imagery wasn’t as sharp or realistic. Additionally, the actor cast as Drogo’s son was way too large to be a realistic competitor to Michael B Jourdan’s Creed. They are easily 2-3 weight classes apart which was a bit of a distraction at times.

Even though there were a couple of misses, I did still really enjoy this movie. This is definitely one I would recommend everyone check out. And for those that did not see Creed (2015), I would recommend seeing that one first.

Blindspotting

Blindspotting is a socially conscious drama based in present day Oakland, California. It stars Black-ish actor Daveed Diggs, as Collin, a young man, just released from prison who is trying to live a straight laced life while on probation. One night, while heading home, he witnesses an act of violence that will change the course of his life and his friendships.

The backdrop of this movie was an homage to the city of Oakland. I thought the director, Carlos López Estrada, did a great job bringing that to life with the cinematography, the sets and the soundtrack, which were all very authentically Oakland.

This movie showcased a lot of underlying themes about the effects of gentrification and racism. In that, I thought it was provocative and honest. There were also parts that were funny which helped to lighten up the mood a bit.

There were only a couple of pieces that I thought this movie could have improved upon. One was the character development. There were a lot of one dimensional characters that I would have liked to see expanded upon. Even Collins friendship with Miles, played by Rafael Casal, lacked some validity because there wasn’t enough of a backdrop to really let the viewers know how their friendship evolved. Additionally, the script was a bit odd. I wasn’t quite prepared, when it turned into a hip-hop musical, but once I wrapped my mind around its purpose, I thought that the lyricism was quite poignant and very hyphy.

In the end, I think that this movie was well made and did a great job of tapping into the viewers emotions through its intensity. It is relevant to the current social climate, and is the type of eye opening film that should be shown more often and seen by all.