Oldies Movie Review - Spartacus

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Adventure
Runtime: 197 minutes
Year: 1960
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Nina Foch, John Ireland, Herbert Lom, John Dall, Charles McGraw, Joanna Barnes, Harold J. Stone, Woody Strode, Peter Brocco

WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 21: A THREE-HOUR MOVIE
 
Description: The slave Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman Republic.

Review: “Spartacus” is a historical epic film, and is considered one of the best films in the genre. It was also one of the first films set in antiquity that did not have biblical motifs. Officially, the film is credited to Stanley Kubrick, but he only became involved in the project after the original director, Anthony Mann, was fired by lead actor (and co-producer) Kirk Douglas.
The film tells the story of the gladiator Spartacus, who escaped from a gladiatorial school in 73 BC with 77 fellow gladiators and subsequently sparked a slave revolt. After their escape, Spartacus and his cronies free slaves everywhere and train them in fighting techniques. Rome is divided. The first army leaders sent after Spartacus are inexperienced and are crushed. The only person who can quell the rebellion is Crassus, the richest person of his time, but the Senate fears that he will use the opportunity to institute a reign of terror. In the end, however, there is nothing but to use the services of Crassus. After several scuffles, Crassus finally manages to defeat the slave army. 6000 rebels are crucified just outside Rome.  
“Spartacus” was shot almost entirely in the U.S., but for the final battle it was diverted to Spain. The story is very strong and the mass scenes are impressive. The first half of the film, with the training of the gladiators and the uprising, is oppressive. In the second half, the pace slows down a bit, as attention becomes fragmented among the various characters and there are a bit too many scenes meant to outline the togetherness withing the slave army. Fortunately, the acting is at an exceptionally high level, so it never really gets boring.
With Laurence Olivier as Crassus and Charles Laughton as Gracchus, Kubrick has at his disposal the two greatest British actors of that time but he has the misfortune that they did not like each other. It was Peter Ustinov who tried as much as possible to keep the peace on the set. With all this acting, Kirk Douglas almost seems like a supporting actor in his own film, even though he certainly does a fantastic job.
“Spartacus”, yet another classic first-timer I can check off my list. As should everyone.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Mortal Kombat

Director: Simon McQuoid
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Mehcad Brooks, Matilda Kimber, Laura Brent, Tadanobu Asano, Hioyuki Sanada, Chin Han, Ludi Lin, Max Huang, Sisi Stringer, Mel Jarnson, Nathan Jones, Daniel Nelson, Ian Streetz, Yukiko Shinohara

Description: MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tan) seeks out Earth’s greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.

Review: As a fan of the 1995 film and the video games, I was eagerly awaiting the release of “Mortal Kombat”. A reboot of the franchise, which was announced in 2019, but due to Covid only appeared in cinemas in the US. I was lucky enough to see it at home.
Led by the evil wizard Shang Tsung, the enemies of Outworld are gearing up for battle against the warriors of Earth. They need only one more victory to seize control of Earth. Lord Raiden and his fighters are preparing for the all-decisive tournament. Together with Liu Kang and Kung Lao, he gathers the world’s best fighters to bring Outworld’s formidable opponents to a standstill.  
When announcing the new “Mortal Kombat” movie, the makes promised that it would be a spectacular and gory action movie and that’s what we got. Already from the first scene (which is amazing), the tone is set to what kind of film we get to see. The high tempo is maintained and one after the other brutal confrontation between the warriors of Outworld and Earth follows in rapid succession.
In that respect, we have nothing to complain about. The special effects are also convincing. The fight scenes are good and well-choreographed. The way they were edited aren’t always pleasant to watch though. There is hardly a wide shot, it’s cut from one angle to the next.
The characters of Kano and especially Subzero are the ones that stand out the most. They are true scene stealers. The four-armed creature Goro gets a thankless role, where it could have been spectacular. He has one epic fight and that’s it. I wanted to see more. The storyline between enemies Subzero and Scorpion is the best in the film. And that fight scene between them towards the end is the best of them all.
“Mortal Kombat” succeeds when it comes to being a good action film with bombastic elements. But the film is mostly an entertaining popcorn flick. And don’t be disappointed if you didn’t see your favorite character from the games. They hint at a sequel, where you can probably see them.

Rating: 3 / 5

90s Movie Review - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Director: Tom Shadyac
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 86 minutes
Year: 1994
Starring: Jim Carrey, Courtney Cox, Sean Young, Dan Marino, Tone Loc, Noble Willingham, Troy Evans, Raynor Scheine, Udo Kier, Frank Adonis, Jon Capdice, Judy Clayton, Bill Zuckert, Alice Drummond, Rebecca Ferratti, Mark Magolis

Description: A goofy detective (Jim Carrey) specializing in animals goes in search of the missing mascot of the Miami Dolphins.

Review: If you say 90s comedy, you think of Jim Carrey. He was all over the 90s with fun comedy films. And in my opinion, this is the funnies of them all.
Carrey plays the titular Ace Ventura, who works as a detective, specializing in animal cases. He is hired to find the mascot for the Miami Dolphins: dolphin Snowflake who was stolen from his tank. In search he gets helps from Melissa, who works for the Dolphins and she does everything she can to help Ace on his quest. And while the local police force is in the dark and loathes the unorthodox investigative methods of the animal detective, Ace is getting closer and closer to the truth. All the while, police detective Lois Einhorn is doing everything she can to thwart him. Still, that doesn’t stop Ace from continuing his sleuthing with a good dose of humor and disdain for the detectives investigating the Snowflake case.
Jim Carrey is great and only Jim Carrey can do what he does in this film. The film is funny from start to finish. His goofy voices and his signature facial expressions are hilarious. The scenes with the sliding door, the insane asylum and where is trying to find the missing championship ring are all memorable and humorous. “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” is one of the funniest movies ever.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 56

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Midway (2019)
The story of the Battle of Midway, told by the leaders and the sailors who fought it.
 

Drama: The Judge (2014)
Big-city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert DuVall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.
 

Comedy: Girl’s Trip (2017)
When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.
 

Animation: Over the Moon (2020)
A girl builds a rocket ship and blasts off, hoping to meet a mythical moon goddess.
 

Romance: The Age of Adeline (2015)
A young woman (Blake Lively), born at the turn of the 20^th century, is rendered ageless after an accident. After many solitary years, she meets a man (Michiel Huisman) who complicates the eternal life she has settled into.
 

Horror: Army of the Dead (2021)
Following a zombie outbreak in las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
 

Science Fiction: Dredd (2012)
In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop (Karl Urban) teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO.
 

Crime: American made (2017)
The story of Barry Seal (Tom Cruise), an American pilot who became a drug-runner for CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.
 

Thriller: Prisoners (2013)
When Keller Dover’s (Hugh Jackman) daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.
 

Documentary: Nail Bomber: Manhunt (2021)
This documentary tells the story of the 1999 London bombings that targeted minority communities, and the race to find the far-right extremist behind them.
 

Family: Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington (ben Wishaw), now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up  a series of off jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100^th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.

10s Movie Review - Dredd

Director: Pete Travis
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Heady, Domhnall Gleeson

Description: In a violent, futuristic city where the police have to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop (Karl Urban) teams with a trainee (Olivia Thirlby) to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug SLO-MO.

Review: The first time the comic book character Judge Dredd got a movie, was in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone. It wasn’t a success either critically or financially. Fans were also not very satisfied with Stallone’s interpretation of the comic book hero. Especially the fact that Stallone’s Dredd took off his helmet constantly, which Dredd practically never does in the comics. Seventeen years later, Karl Urban took on the role of Dredd.
The first thing to notice about “Dredd” is how raw and grim director Pete Travis’ vision of the future is. In a post-apocalyptic future, the population lives close together in megacities, with crime rates as high as skyscrapers. Everything is dirty, people walk ins rags and the poverty is almost palpable. There is very little room for humor, and the jokes that a remade often come at the expense of a poor soul who finds himself on the wrong side of Dredd’s gun.
Urban plays the title role with appropriate authority. His helmet never comes off, but Urban’s jawline is charismatic enough. With few words but many actions, he makes Dredd a determined and unstoppable force. Thus he forms a fine duo with Olivia Thirlby as the inexperienced Judge Anderson. While Dredd deals with the violence in a purely physical way, Anderson uses her feelings and her brain. It provides a nice interaction between the two opposites, and Urban and Thirlby know how to convey the bond of trust that slowly but unspoken develops between the two.
Across from them, the duo faces crime queen Ma-Ma, a violent brute. Ma-Ma deals in a drug called SLO-MO, which causes the user’s perception of time to slow down, making for some nice 3D scene. The two judges find themselves trapped in Ma Ma’s domain, apartment building Peach Trees. This results in cat-and-mouse game, with both sides not shying away from any violence. The action scenes are numerous, rock-hard, and simply but effectively put together. The violence is occasionally quite explicit. “Dredd” has an atmosphere that resembles an eighties action film and it is this no-nonsense approach that makes this film so entertaining.  
“Dredd” barely distinguishes itself from similar action films. Fortunately, it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than that either. This was a great film, not for the faint of heart though.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Miss You Already

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Paddy Considine, Dominic Cooper

Description: The friendship between two life-long girlfriends, Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore), is put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.

Review: Few manage to elicit as many tears as a film in which someone is diagnosed with cancer and, after a long fight and emotional goodbye, suffers. Think of “Terms of Endearment”, “My Sister’s Keeper” and “The Fault on Our Stars”. In “Miss You Already”, we deal with two best friends, one of whom is told of the dreaded diagnosis early in the film.
The two inseparable friends, Milly and Jess, have been friends since elementary school. An opening montage shows us how their friendship started and what they have been up to together. After this we see Milly visiting her doctor and is told the bad news. She gets sich from the chemo, needs surgery. While Milly faces this disease and potentially leaving her husband and children behind, Jess is busy starting a family of her own and building a life with her husband. For years she was there for Milly and was part of her life, now she is finally at the point where she can build those things for herself. Jess is trying to find a balance between being there for her friend and living her own life, something that isn’t easy.
“Miss You Already” tries to show the disease process and its impact on relationships in a raw way. Thanks to Toni Collette’s good acting as Milly, it certainly succeeds. A great moment is when Milly shows her friend the scars from the mastectomy. It is fully portrayed and that is quite shocking, but at the same time real as so many women have experienced that moment. It also tries to paint an honest picture of the relationship between best friends, who have become dependent on each other. The men in their lives sometimes seem to take second place, which is well played by male supporting roles of Dominic Cooper and Paddy Considine.
Less successful is the unsympathetic side of Milly. In the opening montage, you can see that se used to lead a free life, be a good mother and a heartthrob with whom Jess had countless great nights out.  But from the moment of diagnosis and insufferable narcissist emerges, who expects her friend to constantly drop everything to be there for her. She also cheats on her husband because he has trouble dealing with her changed body (and the psychological aspects that go with it) and she is angry at everything and everyone around her. Pleasant is different and because of this you miss the connection with Milly. Not unimportant within this genre.
With many of these films you sometimes have to wipe away the tears or unexpectedly rush through a whole box of tissues, but that is not the case with “Miss You Already”. There is certainly an attempt to move the viewer, especially towards the end, but by that time you feel Milly’s death may have put an end to Jess’ life as a doormat, especially since Drew Barrymore knows how to portray the character warmly. Ultimately, this makes it really nothing more than a drama about the raw effects of getting cancer, without the much-needed heartwarming (and therefore emotional element) needed to move you.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

00s Movie Review - The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer

Director: Craig R. Baxley
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Mystery
Runtime: 88 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Laura Brenner, Steven Brand, Kate Burton, Brad Greenquist, Deirdre Quinn

Description: The wife (Laura Brenner) is an oil tycoon (Steven Brand) becomes engrossed in the sinister evil residing withing her Seattle mansion home.

Review: In 1910, wealthy oil industrialist John Rimbauer marries his timid girlfriend Ellen. As a wedding gift, Rimbauer builds a huge villa in Seattle called Rose Red. The construction of the house does not go smoothly, including a deadly shooting among the builders. The brand new couple goes to Africa for their honeymoon, where Ellen sees a different side of her husband. John tries to make Ellen partake in his insatiable perverted sexual preferences. In Africa, Ellen befriends Sukeena, who returns with her to Rose Red as her personal servant. John, meanwhile, indulges himself as the adulterous industrialist. Then strange things happen. The woman John is cheating with, mysteriously disappears in Rose Red. Sukeena has a feeling that other, dark powers are in the house, with Ellen appearing to be protected by the Rose Red house
“The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” tells the story that precedes Stephen King’s “Rose Red”. This story reveals how the bizarre marriage between an influential woman and an adulterous industrialist in the early 20^th century sowed the seeds for the horrific events at their giant mansion in Seattle.
“The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” was made for as a short television series and is based on the story of the same name written by Ridley Pearson. Pearson, of course, took inspiration from Stephen King’s story “Rose Red” in doing so. The original Stephen King story had been filmed as a miniseries in 2002. Most of the crew that worked on that series, also worked on “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer”.
The promise that the story will shed more light on what preceded Stephen King’s “Rose Red” is not fulfilled. For the most “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” is a very boring movie. The story builds slowly and it ends very abruptly with a rather unsatisfying ending. The setting is beautiful, but there is hardly any tension or mystery.

Rating: 2/ 5

Ranking the Franchise - Harry Potter

It’s been 20 years since the first Harry Potter movie was released. Feel old yet? And since they have been showing them again on television (October is magic) I decided to take a closer look and actually rank all the eight Harry Potter movies. And it wasn’t an easy job.
 

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
The beginning of the end. Warner Brothers decided to split the last book into two movies. In a way the right choice, since there is a lot to be told. But because of that, the seventh film doesn’t feel finished and is just a set-up for everything that will happen in the final movie.
 

7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
A dark, exciting film. This part also made it clear that director David Yates was here to stay. The film was made with confidence, where everyone finally acknowledges that Voldemort is back. Together with Dumbledore, Harry tries to figure out how to defeat the evil wizard. Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Hermione are also becoming real adolescents and slowly love blossoms here and there. And this is the part I hated and why the film is so low on the list.
 

6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Mike Newell directs this fourth film in the series and it’s one of the most complex films in the franchise. A visually good-looking film, in which the visual effects are more beautiful than ever, the characters mature slowly and the actors are completely invested. As the film begins, Harry wonders why his scar hurts from time to time. And where do these mysterious visions come from? In the fourth year of Hogwarts, Harry also has to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
 

5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
The second Harry Potter film is worst received movie in the series. Mainly because director Chris Columbus has put just about everything from the book into the film, which makes it a bit overcrowded. For me, not less fun, since I actually really like it. It’s nice to see how the actors slowly grow into their roles. This was sadly also the final film with Richard Griffiths as Dumbledore, who I always found the better version of the iconic wizard. He had the calmness and wise nature that was described in the books. But since his passing, he needed to be recast.
 

4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2003)
One of the very best films in the franchise. The film strikes a wonderful balance between a dark tone, a complex story and a lot of magic. The first film in the franchise that became darker in tone and content. The film introduces Sirius Black, who escapes after twelve years in Azkaban. And we meet Remus Lupin, the new Defense Agains the Dark Arts teacher. Two of my favorite characters in the franchise.
 

3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
The very first film in the franchise and the one that started it all. Director Chris Columbus managed to adapt the amazing source material to the big screen, without overcrowding the film. This is where we meet Harry, his friends and all the great characters we came to love over the years. And I think the audience was just as amazed and overwhelmed as Harry was.
 

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
I was very surprised myself that I loved this film so much. Director David Yates was given a difficult task. He had to adapt the longest book to film. And it worked out very well. But it did result in the shortest Harry Potter film, which is therefore entertaining and full of action. Harry is distrusted in this film: Voldemort wouldn’t be back at all. Meanwhile, Dolores Umbridge is the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and she gets the task of keeping a close eye on Dumbledore, Harry and the other students of Hogwarts. In doing so, the entire curriculum in which the wizards learn to defend themselves is immediately destroyed. Harry and his friends decide to teach themselves. Imelda Staunton is the star of this film, since she embodies the awful Umbridge so well.
 

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
I never expected that the eight and final film to be my favorite. Harry and his battle with the evil Voldemort had to end at the top. It is an exciting, thrilling, well-acted and visually extremely impressive film. Especially the battle of Hogwarts is an epic and unforgettable scene. But what is especially clever is that this eight-part film series is brought to a very satisfactory ending. The battle between good and evil in the magical world has broken out into a real war. Harry, tother with Ron and Hermione, has the task to end it.

20s Movie Review - The New Mutants

Director: Josh Boone
Genre: Action/ Horror/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, Henry Zaga, Adam Beach

Description: Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past and save themselves.

Review: “The New Mutants” was shelved for years. It follows five young mutants that are kept in a secret facility. They learn to deal with their powers, but soon find that dark forces are lurking and they will have to work together to survive.
If one film deserved to be peerless is was “The Ne Mutants”, which after being delayed for years, was finally brought to the audience. But alas…
First the positives. I can especially appreciate the ideas in the film. A superhero movie with a female lead, a prominent lesbian storyline and the combination of horror and action. That should all definitely be applauded. In addition, director Josh Boone got together a young, talented cast.
Where the films falls short, however, is in almost every other area. It starts with the poor script. No one feels like a real character and the story is paper-thin. It doesn’t stop there: many internal inconsistencies and the huge amount of flashbacks are hugely distracting.
The (also inconsistent) accents of the actors are also an annoying addition. The cast has capable actors, but their characters remains fairly one-dimensional. It’s definitely a missed opportunity.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Enough Said

Director: Nicole Holofcener
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette, Ben Falcone, Tracey Fairaway, Michaela Watkins, Tavi Gevinson

Description: A divorced woman (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who decides to pursue the man (James Galdofini) she’s in interested in learns he’s her new friend’s (Catherine Keener) ex-husband.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.

WEEK 20: A MOVIE DIRECTED BY A WOMAN
 
Review: James Gandolfini was never a big movie star. Nor did he ever wanted to be. He initially even refused the role of Tony Sopranos in “The Sopranos”. However, the role was right up his alley, of which he became convinced himself. After he accepted, he became famous, but still turned down leading roles in large projects and played mostly supporting roles or bigger roles in smaller films. When he died in 2012, he left behind only a small body of work. Not because he wasn’t a good actor. His portrayal of Tony Soprano alone proved that. And the small comedy drama “Enough Said” also does.
We meet divorced mother Eva. Eva meets Albert at a party, and from that tentatively emerges a relationship of sorts, blossoming through recognition, vulnerability and light disarming humor. It is that vulnerability and previous hurts and failed relationships that make both Eva and Albert insecure in this new relationship, which is therefore immediately compromised.
At that same party, Eva also meet Marianne, at that point not knowing it’s Albert’s ex-wife. They become friends. When Marianne constantly complains about her ex-husband, Eva finds out about the connection. She keeps it quiet to find out more about Albert, which starts to get in the way of her own perspective about her new relationship.
Thanks to the two lead actors, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini, their chemistry and the humor of writer-director Nicole Holofcener it’s a fine, intelligent film. The insecurities that get in the way of the characters retain their dramatic power and you are watching two real people, instead of characters written for film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 55

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Fast & Furious 8 (2017)
When a mysterious woman seduces Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew faces trials that will test them as never before.
 

Drama: The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
A motorcycle stunt rider (Ryan Gosling) turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover (Eva Mendes) and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop (Bradley Cooper) navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective.
 

Comedy: Liar Liar (1997)
A fast-track lawyer (Jim Carrey) can’t lie for 24 hours due to his son’s birthday wish after he disappoints his son for the last time.
 

Animation: Watership Down (2018)
Fleeing their home doomed warren, a colony of rabbits struggle to find and defend a new home.
 

Romance: Chocolat (2000)
A woman (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.  
 

Horror: Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
While babysitting the daughter (Mckenna Grace) of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga), a teenager and her friends unknowingly awaken an evil spirit trapped in a doll.
 

Science Fiction: Oxygene (2021)
A woman (Mélanie Laurent)wakes in a cryogenic chamber with no recollection of how she got there. As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare.
 

Crime: The Punisher (2014)
An undercover FBO agent (Thomas Jane) becomes a vigilante and sets out to unleash his wrath upon the corrupt businessman (John Travolta) who slaughtered his entire family at a reunion.
 

Thriller: The Beguiled (2017)
The unexpected arrival of a wounded Union soldier (Colin Farrell) at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.
 

Documentary: They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)
A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
 

Family: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) partners with his mom’s husband (Dwayne Johnson) on a mission to find his grandfather (Michael Caine), who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.
 

Movie Night - Pixar Movies

When I was visiting my best friend, her kids gave me the movie “Wall-E” which they had borrowed to watched. That gave a genuine urge to rewatch it. So I decided to make a movie night out of it and watch three Pixar movies. Besides this rewatch, I picked another that I haven’t seen in a long time. Plus one I hadn’t seen yet.  
 
I watched all three movies on my own.
 

The first film I watched was, of course, “Wall-E”. My other friend was bored the first twenty-something minutes, since there is no spoken dialogue whatsoever. I think this is the best part of the film, because it’s so unique from any other Disney/ Pixar film we’ve had. And Wall-E is super adorable. Such a cute robot. And I love his connection with EVE. Read my full review HERE
 

The second film was a first-timer: “Onward”. Set in a mythical world, which turned into a more modern word where all magic has been forgotten. I really loved the message the film gave us and really felt the connection between Ian and Barley. Not one of Pixar’s best films ever, but a movie they can be proud of. Read my full review HERE
 

My favorite of tonight was “The Incredibles”. I love that Pixar took on the superhero theme with an entire superhero family. I believe they should have stuck with this movie, no sequel, even though I also liked that movie. But this film is so cool and I hadn’t seen is for so long. You can read my full review HERE
 
What are some of your favorite Pixar movies? Mine is actually “Monsters Inc.”, which I do need to rewatch too someday.