Happy New Year and welcome to 2017! It’s a fresh new start to the year and I’m gearing up for all the awesome moments and adventures to come, big and small!
If you know me or have read this blog for a while, you’ll know that I am a movie buff. Yes, I love going to movies, the adventure of getting out, fresh warm popcorn, finding our favourite seats, always the ones with the footrest! Or I just love being at home, cozied up with a blanket, and choosing some new-to-me adventure right in my own living room. I also love writing movie reviews and giving you my 2 cents on what I liked and why or what to give a pass. (see the new Reviews tab above)
PLUS, over the Christmas holidays, I discovered that our newly revamped Capital 6 Theatre in Victoria has been redone with ALL new RECLINER seating!! Gah! So cool! The Odeon downtown also has been updating with recliner seats. What a way to watch a movie! So comfy, not jammed up against some stranger, loads of room! I highly recommend watching in these places in this awesome style!
I wrote a few movie reviews back in September, where I mentioned a few upcoming films I was excited to see. Here’s what I thought of some of those films, plus a few more I’ve recently seen.
Reviews of Recent Movies:
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story –So good! I really enjoyed this side-story in the well-known Star Wars universe. Anyone who knows any little thing about Star Wars can watch this and understand most of what goes on. For uber Star Wars geeks like me (who used to reenact Ewoks on the Kindergarten playground!) it really filled the role of anthology or sub-story to go along with our favourite Rebel heroes. It gave us more to route for, more to wonder about, more to connect-the-stars, and more to love. Yes, there were a few weird plot points that either didn’t make much sense or asked us to reeeeally suspend our disbelief for a moment when it came to certain character’s motivations, but overall, I liked how they gave us some heart and faces to put to both the Rebellion and the Empire.
- The Magnificent Seven – Decent enough Western..with a LOT of shooting. Some shooting, and killing, and scalping, and more shooting. Oh and shooting…with guns. Plus I thought it a very funny choice of Vincent D’Onofrio to play his character with the voice of a dying little old lady.
- Doctor Strange – I’m not a huge fan of the Marvel comic movies, they are just okay and not usually on my must-see list. However, I really liked Doctor Strange!A very different twist on a hero, very cerebral, but fun and interesting.PS – Cape! My favourite part!
- Manchester by the Sea – I actually ended up seeing this movie twice, once because I got into a free pre-screening and once with my Mom after I told her a bit about it. Very down to earth film about people and their issues. Lots of shades of grief, dealing with grief, dealing with family, and caring for family. Warning, lots of swearing! (I think it goes in had with one of the Affleck brothers.) Casey Affleck was awesome, conveying so much emotion is such a solid and controlled, but under the surface performance.
- Arrival – Another very deep movie, this one more about humans than the aliens who land on earth. I appreciated the complexity and odd manner this story unfolded as the scientists tried to figure out what to do with the alien crafts across the globe. I won’t say much more than that, but watch this one for yourself and let me know so we can talk about it!
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – A good opening back into the Potter-verse with this backstory of a different villain and a different rag-tag of heroes. Loved all the magic gags and details, from crazy weird animals (although the bulbous and amorous rhino was a little too much), to making supper with the flick of a wrist. A few plot holes and choices seemed odd but just go with it and try to figure out what Newt is saying as he mumbles along. I look forward to seeing where this takes us in the past of the wizarding world we already know and love. PS – Loved the Niffler!
- Lion – A must-see! Seriously! Truly a story for everyone that doesn’t just tug on your heartstrings but pulls them out and squeezes them tight until they sing once again. Perhaps that’s a strange analogy, but you’ll see. Based on a true and almost unbelievable story but it will have you sniffling and faking dust in your eye by mid-movie. Excellent performances all around! (Also stay for some bonus real-life scenes in the credits.)
- Underworld: Blood Wars – Vampire, Lycans (Werewolves for you Muggles), battles, cool costumes, goth-galas…who doesn’t like a good vampire movie? Lots of action and interesting turns for this Underworld continuation. I honestly couldn’t remember the plot of the last in the franchise, but they filled us in right away on what you needed to know. Lots of handsome men, awesome clothing, and neat ideas for a genre of stories that ranges from sparkly to horrific. I don’t like horror films but these are just jumpy and silly enough to be fun and entertaining.
- Jackie – Another must-see! You may know only a bit about the assassination of President Kennedy or about his wife, or you may have lived through that awful event, either way, you will see some of the heart behind these real life historical figures. Jackie is excellently played by Natalie Portman, who becomes so unlike her usual self in this role that I soon forgot it was her and really felt the pressure and pain of that event.
- The Lobster – This was supposed to be one of the top movies from the past couple of years. An allegory for being single in our society. A play of how the world is geared for couples and how we treat singles. I not only found this movie boring but disturbing in parts and just too cringe-worthy, like a bad bus driver grinding the gears as he takes you to a school you’d rather be skipping. Interesting, yes. A must-see…nope. Not unless you are really bored.
- Bridget Jones’ Baby – I went to this one as a social outing. If you like silly, nay, ridiculous stories with drivel-ish characters and dialogue, go see this one. It’s entertaining but slightly painful to watch.
Movies I still want to see:
- Queen of Katwe – For the story.
- Deepwater Horizon – For the realism.
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – For the fantasy.
- The Accountant – For the action.
- Hacksaw Ridge – For the heart.
- Passengers – For the space romance.
- Hidden Figures – For the girl-power.
- Moana – For the music and fun.
- Assassin’s Creed – For the gamer action.
What movies did YOU enjoy over the holidays and what are YOU looking forward to seeing?
Leave a comment and I will be thrilled! 🙂
There There Kitten 