The Color Purple

Torn apart from her sister and her children, Celie faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

This was a very great and powerful watch.  The acting, singing and choreography was awesome and didn't seem forced or awkward.  The only knock I would make on this is the same knock I have made on all the versions of it that the time jumps are a little too choppy to get through all of the traumatic events over a lifetime and introduce all of the important supporting characters.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very enjoyable and powerful watch filled with awesome performances.

The Boys In The Boat

During the height of the Great Depression, members of the rowing team at the University of Washington get thrust into the spotlight as they compete for gold at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

This movie was the textbook underdog sports movie but was done sooooooooo well.  You are hooked to pretty much every character and on edge for every race.  You are so hooked that you are cheering and clapping during the movie.  Never in a million years thought that one of my favorite underdog movies ever would be about rowing.  LOL!

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very very enjoyable movie and leaves you feeling really really good.

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom

After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.

And the DCEU as we know it comes to an end with possibly the biggest dud of them all.  This movie was honestly hot garbage.  The dialogue was so beyond groan worthy.  The effects were total trash.  The story . . . . . who cares.  And it has to be the most pointless comic book movie release with it being public knowledge that nothing was coming of this and that it was just a money grab.  Excited to see what James Gunn can do moving forward but so glad that these DC movies are over.   How do you have Jason Momoa who is just fun to watch be this bad?

No - I would never recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  Again - absolute hot garbage on every level.   

Anyone But You

Despite an amazing first date, Bea and Ben's initial attraction quickly turns sour. However, when they unexpectedly find themselves at a destination wedding in Australia, they pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances.

This is your textbook run of the mill rom-com but it works.  The chemistry was there.  The side characters checked all the boxes and you care about how it's going to play out even though it is completely formula in every way.

Even though it is is formula and very over the top at times I would still recommend fans of rom-coms checking this out just because of the chemistry between the two leads.

The Iron Claw

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who make history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

This was a very good and enjoyable biographical drama.  The performances were good (except for the guy playing Ric Flair - that was terrible) and the story was heartbreaking.  My only knock against it would be the pacing was a little off.   Like they spent so much time with you getting to know the characters and then it was one thing after another in rapid fire with the family even though there was a lot of time inbetween the incidents.

I would definitely still recommend people checking this out.  It was one of the better end of year biographical offerings this year.

Ferrari

During the summer of 1957, bankruptcy looms over the company that Enzo Ferrari and his wife built 10 years earlier. He decides to roll the dice and wager it all on the iconic Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy.

This is one of those movies where you know you are watching a very well made movie and a very well acted movie but like there is next to zero hook that makes you care.  Like I very much respect the movie but it wasn't that high on the enjoyable meter because it ended up just kind of being there and led to me wondering how/why this guy was worthy of an autobiographical movie.   

I would kind of recommend people checking this out because I'm pretty sure that it will be in the running for end of year awards.  Again - very well done but kind of dropped the ball on the emotional hook for me at least.

Wonka

Armed with nothing but a hatful of dreams, young chocolatier Willy Wonka manages to change the world, one delectable bite at a time.

Not going to lie - I had very low expectations for this movie.   Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is one of my favorite movies ever.   Pretty much a staple of my childhood.   So when I heard that they were doing a prequel I thought for sure this was another here we go with ruining something remake or prequel style.  I was happily very wrong.  I absolutely loved this movie.   It could have been paced a little better but overall I loved the characters, I loved the songs and I loved the story with callouts to the original.  I thought Timothy Chalemet was great as Wonka and Hugh Grant as the Oompa Loompa didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  This was a movie that is perfect for seeing in theaters and just escaping the world for a couple of hours.

Migration

A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

This was a great movie for what it is supposed to be - a quick and enjoyable family movie for the holiday season at theaters.  Does it have franchise material?   Not really.  But is it an enjoyable enough watch with some good laughs and characters for both adults and the kids they bring?   Yes.

I would definitely recommend families checking this movie out.  It's an enjoyable and quick watch that will put smiles on everyone's faces.  

Poor Things

Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

This was a weird weird weird movie.  LOL!   Like next level weird.  The filming style of it, the subject matter, the performances were all off the charts weird.   I'm actually very surprised I was able to make it through this movie but the social commentary throughout really had me hooked and made me want to see how things play out.  It also definitely helped that I love Emma Stone.   I'm pretty sure this movie will be up for a lot of end of year awards but this is about as far from a mainstream movie that you can get.

I would have to know who was asking whether or not to recommend checking this out.  Like I have said it was very arthouse weird but it managed to keep me hooked.

Silent Night

On Christmas Eve, a man witnesses the death of his young son when the boy gets caught in crossfire between warring gangs. Recovering from a wound that cost him his voice, he soon embarks on a bloody and grueling quest to punish those responsible.

Imagine if The Punisher and Rocky got mushed together and former blockbuster director John Woo decided to make a movie about it with no dialogue and you have this.  That is honestly so spot on as ridiculous as it sounds.   This movie was a silent training for a calendar year and then the act of getting revenge in one night with zero words.   And you felt like you were there for the whole damn year and don't honestly care by the time the revenge starts playing out.

I wouldn't remotely recommend anyone bothering with this.   I really have no idea how I made it through this movie without leaving because it was epically pointless.