Netflix Friday - Volume 63

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

Action: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
In a twist to the fairytale, the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) ordered to take Snow White (Kristen Stewart) into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mento in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen (Charlize Theron)
 
Drama: Only the Brave (2017)
Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.
 
Comedy: Fighting with My Family (2019)
A former wrestler (Nick Frost) and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids (Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden) dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.
 
Animation: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
When Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious dragon rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.
 
Romance: Little Women (2019)
Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters: four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.
 
Horror: Fear Street Part 3: 1666 (2021)
The origins of Sarah Fier’s curse are finally revealed as history comes full circle on a night that changes the lives of Shadysiders forever.
 
Science Fiction: Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
The legendary Greek hero (Todd Armstrong) leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.
 
Crime: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Seven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.
 
Thriller: Disturbia (2007)
A teen (Shia LaBeaouf) under house arrest becomes convinced his neighbor (David Morse) is a serial killer.
 
Documentary: The Story of Diana (2017)
She was beloved by millions, but plagued by hidden turmoil. A tale of royalty, resilience and the heavy cost of fame.
 
Family: A Dog’s Way Home (2019)
A female dog (Bryce Dallas Howard) travels hundred miles in search of her owner throught a Colorado wilderness.

10s Movie Review - Fighting with My Family

Director: Stephen Merchant
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Heady, Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn, Stephen Merchant, Jack Lowden

Description: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

Review: There are families where all the member devote themselves to the same passion or hobby and the entire family will be dedicated to this activity. For Rick Knight, his wife Julia and kids Zak and Saraya, it’s wrestling. They run a wrestling school in Norwich and both kids are big fans of the WWE.
The real Saraya managed to become the youngest Diva-champion for the WWE, as her alter ego Paige. She was only 21 when she won. And she didn’t only grow to become a phenomenon, she managed to make the sport popular with women.
The story of a simple girl growing up in a warm, working class family is gold for film makers. Especially when it’s based on a true story and they can add Dwayne Johnson to it. It forms the base for “Fighting with My Family”, which is directed by comedian Stephen Merchant.
The life of the Knight family is fully focused on show wrestling. Rick and Julia wrestled themselves and now have all hopes for their children Zak and Saraya. When they get a call from the WWE, after they saw a video of them in action, Zak and Saraya are invited for try-outs. It’s a dream come true. But for one this dream ends quickly, because only Saraya manages to go on to the next round and travel to Florida for a training camp.
That wrestling is based on mutual trust and agreements isn’t enough. Merchant shows that wrestling is a very complex sport. When former models, dancers and actors enter the ring, Saraya judges them, because they never wrestled. But Saraya herself has a lot to learn about showmanship and learns that these ‘pretty faces’ have more to it than just that.
Because this ‘American world’ is showed from the perspective of a down-to-earth British family, the film has a lot more heart and humor to it. It could have easily become a typical Hollywood film with juvenile slapstick jokes. But with a lot of humor and ability to put things into perspective we see a stranger that stands out among the American fashion dolls because of her nonchalant appearance, jet-black hair and piercings.
“Fighting with My Family” was made with a lot of love and has a lot of heart. The direct humor, the sympathetic character and the great story of Paige make this comedic true story a very enjoyable film that I absolutely loved.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movies to Look Forward To - April 2019

I'm so ready for April to arrive. It has some of my most anticipated films and I can't wait to see them!

April 4th – Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Lena Heady, Nick Frost
Description: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

April 4th – Hotel Mumbai
Director: Anthony Maras
Starring: Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Jason Isaacs
Description: The true story of the Taj Hotel terrorist attack in Mumbai. Hotel staff risk their lives to keep everyone safe as people make unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and their families.

April 4th – Pet Semetary
Director: Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer
Starring: Jason Clarke, John Lithgow, Amy Seimetz
Description: Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie 'Pet Sematary' located nearby. After the tragedy of their cat being killed by a truck, Louis resorts to burying it in the mysterious pet cemetery, which is definitely not as it seems, as it proves to the Creeds that sometimes, dead is better.

April 4th – Shazam!
Director: David F. Sandberg
Starring: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong Description: We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's case, by shouting out one word - SHAZAM! - this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi).

April 11th – Captive State
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Starring: Vera Farmiga, John Goodman
Description: Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, Captive State explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.

April 11th – Hellboy
Director: Neil Marshall
Starring: David Harbour, Mila Jovovich, Thomas Hade Church, Ian McShane, Daniel Dae Kim
Description: Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Hellboy (David Harbour), caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge.

April 24th – Avengers: Endgame
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larsson, Josh Brolin, Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Olsen, Karen Gillan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Pm Klementieff, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Jeremy Renner, Tilda Swinton, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, Chadwick Boseman, Don Cheadle, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
Description: After the devastating events, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' (Josh Brolin) actions and restore order to the universe.