Netflix Friday - Volume 97

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

Action: Bumblebee (2018)
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. On the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.
 

Drama: Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
The story of the legendary British rock bank Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid.
 

Comedy: Instant Family (2018)
A couple (Rose Byrne, Mark Wahlberg) find themselves in over their heads when tey foster three children.
 

Animation: Shrek the Third (2007)
Reluctantly designated as the heir of the land Far, Far Away, Shrek (Mike Myers) hatches a plan to install the rebellious Artie (Justin Timberlake) as the new king while Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) tries to fend off a coup d’état by the jilted Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).
 

Romance: Meskina (2021)
A Moroccan-Dutch single thirty-something (Maryam Hassouni) is seen as a ‘Meskina’ a (pity-case) by her family, who desperately want to couple her.
 

Horror: The First Purge (2018)
America’s third political party, the New Founding Fathers of America, comes to power and conducts an experiment: no laws for 12 hours on Staten Island. No one has to stay on the island, but $5,000 is given to anyone who does.
 

Science Fiction: The Adam Project (2022)
A time-traveling pilot (Ryan Reynolds) teams up with his younger self (Walker Scobell) and his late father (Mark Ruffalo) to come to terms with his past while saving the future.
 

Crime: Gone Girl (2014)
With his wife’s (Rosamund Pike) disappearance having become the focus of an inense media circus, a man (Ben Affleck) sees the spotlight turned on him when it’s suspected that he may not be innocent.
 

Thriller: A Cure for Wellness (2016)
An ambitious young executive (Dane DeHaan) is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious ‘wellness center’ at a remote location in the Swiss Alps, but soon suspects that the spa’s treatments are not what they seem.
 

Documentary: Winter On Fire (2015)
A documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
 

Family: Rescued by Ruby (2022)
Chasing his dream to join an elite K-9 unit, a state trooper (Dan Gustin) partners with a fellow underdog: clever but naughty shelter pup Ruby.

Academy Awards 2019 - Predictions

Tonight it's Oscar night. And here are my predictions for the 2019 Academy Awards. I'm feeling Lucky this year!!!

Best Motion Picture of the Year: "Roma"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Best Performance by and Actress in a Leading Role: Glenn Close, "The Wife"
Best Performance by and Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"
Best Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
Best Original Screenplay: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, "The Favourite"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowirz, Kevin Wilmott and Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"
Best Achievement in Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
Best Achievement in Editing: Barry Alexander Brown, "BlacKkKlansman"

Best Achievement in Production Design: Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart, "Black Panther"
Best Achievement in Costume Design: Ruth E. Carter, "Black Panther"
best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney, "Vice"
Best Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Score): Terence Blanchard, "BlacKkKlansman"
Best Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Song): Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, "A Star is Born" (Shallow)
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing: Tom Ozanich, Dean A. Supancic, Jason Ruder and Steven Morrow, "A Star is Born"
Best Achievement in Sound Editing: Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou, "First Man"

Best Achievement in Visual Effects: Dan DeLeeuw, Kelly Port, Russel Earl and Daniel Sudick, "Avengers: Infinity War"
Best Documentary Feature: "Free Solo"
Best Documentary Short Subject: "End Game"
Best Animated Feature Film: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"
Best Animated Short Film: "Bao" Best Live-Action Short Film: "Marguerite" Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: "Roma"

Movie Reviews - Bohemian Rhapsody

Director: Bryan Singer
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander, Mike Myers, Allen Leech

Description: A chronicle of the years leading up to Queen's legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.

Review: ‘Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?’ The two first lines from Queen’s most famous hit “Bohemian Rhapsody”. And those two lines describe the life of charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury, who was constantly struggling between his life as showstopper on stage and his doubting social life.
When “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released in 1975, critics were divided. Was it a masterpiece or experimental crap? Whatever you think, nowadays it’s a timeless classic and radio station still often play it. According to the record company Queen presented it to in the days, the radio stations were never going to play a six minute song. But Freddy and his guys decided to release it anyway and turn their back to the record company.
Mercury was born in Zanzibar, as Farrokh Bulsara, and grew up in an Indian family in London. He was always extraordinary and had a distinctive look due to his teeth. When three band members of the band Smile tell him he can never be a lead singer because of his teeth, Mercury has his answer ready: he was born with four extra teeth, which eventually give him a wider range. Hired, and Queen was born.
Mercury becomes their front man and he is the one that calls the shots. He is extravagant, a showstopper and gets his band in unknown creative territory. No one has ever heard anything like Queen or saw anyone like Mercury.
Most hits were born due to creative differences, arguments and the experimental nature of Mercury. This is the focus in the first half of the film. The second half is more focused on Mercury and his inner struggles.
All the actors look like the bandmembers, but it’s Rami Malek that steals the show. From beginning to end, you got the feeling that you’re not watching an actor but you’re actually seeing Freddy Mercury. He looks, walks and talks like Mercury and his performance is unforgettable.
The biopic ends with the memorable performance Queen delivered at Live Aid in 1985. It wasn’t only a highlight for the concert, but also a comeback for Queen. This part of the film is the biggest highlight and the film ends with a bang. Every detail in this sequence is right and Rami Malek is hypnotizing as Mercury. Really mind blowing!!!
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is the biopic both Freddy Mercury and Queen deserved. Definitely one of the best films of 2018.

Rating: 5 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - November 2018

November has two movies I'm super excited for, two movies I've been dying to see since I heard about them. But it has more in store for us. Here is a list of films to look forward to in November.

November 1st – Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Brian Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Joseph Mazzello, Mike Myers, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander
Description: A chronicle of the years leading up to Queen's legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.

November 1st – Halloween
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer
Description: Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

November 1st – The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Director: Lasse Hallström, Joe Johnston
Starring: Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Jake Whitehall, Richard E. Grant, Matthew Mcfadyen, Miranda Hart
Description: A young girl (Mackenzie Foy) is transported into a magical world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice.

November 15th – Destination Wedding
Director: Victor Levin
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder
Description: The story of two miserable and unpleasant wedding guests, Lindsay (Winona Ruder) and Frank (Keanu Reeves), who develop a mutual affection despite themselves.

November 22nd – Widows
Director: Steve McQueen
Starring: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Colin Farrell, Robert DuVall
Description: Set in contemporary Chicago, amidst a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.