#family star movie review

[3nn-express]

Family Star Movie: Vijay Deverakonda & Mrunal Thakur’s film.

Family Star Movie review: The biggest drawback of the Vijay Deverakonda-Mrunal Thakur film perhaps is Parashuram’s writing. The story itself is utterly dated and the treatment has no spark.

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[theflixdiaryproject]

"close your mouth, please, Michael. we are not a codfish." - Mary Poppins

in Edwardian London, George Banks (David Tomlinson) struggles to manage his mischievous children, Jane and Michael. after their latest nanny resigns, the magical and enchanting Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) arrives to bring order to the household. with the help of her fun-loving friend Bert (Dick Van Dyke), Mary takes the children on whimsical adventures, teaching them important lessons along the way.

read my review below (may contains spoiler):

rewatched July 1st, 2023 on Google TV

Mary Poppins is one of the favourite movies that I watched during childhood, and it still holds a special place in my heart. watching it as a kid felt like stepping into a magical world where anything is possible. I remember wishing I could be one of the children in the story, going on adventures with Mary Poppins and Bert. this movie was more than just a story. it was a whole experience. even now, when I rewatch it, it feels like I’m revisiting a happy, magical part of my childhood. the imaginative scenes in this movie are unforgettable. I wanted to jump into a painting and explore a colourful cartoon world, just like Jane and Michael did. that part was so exciting! and who wouldn’t want to ride on a merry-go-round that comes to life? the whimsical blend of real life and fantasy makes this movie truly unique. back then, I was amazed by how real it all seemed, and even now, it never fails to make me smile. I think Mary Poppins shaped my childhood dreams in so many ways. I remember wishing I could float up to the ceiling while laughing or have magical powers like Mary. the way she makes ordinary things extraordinary is so inspiring. it’s not just about the magic, though; it’s about how she teaches the children (and adults) to see life differently. watching this movie reminds me that sometimes, all you need is a little imagination to make life feel special.

the songs are absolutely timeless. I love every single one of them, but my favourite is Chim Chim Cher-ee. it’s so catchy and I the tap dance on the rooftop during Step in Time. I also love how the music adds to the magic of the story. every song feels like it belongs perfectly in the scene it’s in. back then, I used to confuse Mary Poppins with Bedknobs and Broomsticks because both movies are so magical and creative ahaha. even after so many years, this movie doesn’t feel old or outdated. it’s a timeless classic that I can watch over and over again without getting bored. I think that’s because it’s not just a movie; it’s a celebration of imagination, kindness, and joy. it’s one of those rare stories that can make me laugh, cry, and dream all at the same time. no matter how old I get, Mary Poppins will always have a special place in my heart. overall, Mary Poppins is more than just a movie. it’s an experience that shaped part of my childhood. it’s magical, heartwarming, and full of life lessons. I always finish it feeling happy and inspired. this movie is a must-watch for anyone who loves a bit of magic in their life or revisit their childhood.

final verdict: I totally loved it!!

maturity rating: all ages genre: comedy, family, fantasy, musical duration: 2h 19m (139 mins) country: USA language: english screenplay: Bill Walsh, Don DaGradi based on: the novel Mary Poppins by P.L Travers major cast: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber

[hannahwatcheshorror]

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979)

This movie dragged a lot in the second half and was generally just not entirely compelling. The DeFeo family case is famous in that house (in real life) but the film lent itself more towards the paranormal aspects of what the Lutz family claimed to experience after the murders. An interesting take on the reported events but overall a drag.

(Trigger Warning Domestic Violence, Lots of Flies)

⭐⭐.5

To be entirely fair to the couple that buys the murder house, it looks VERY normal from the front and not like a creepy face like it does from the side… (I said out loud, “It looks like a normal house from the house.”) Oh, just kidding, the Lutz’ knew that a family got murdered in the house and they still want to buy it… Dumb and crazy folks who have three (3) kids! Bring them on down to the murder house! Also, why is the wife costumed like a little kid all the time? She's got pigtails with ribbons in and next is a school girl outfit? Weird.

The longer they stay in the house the more the husband goes mad and this is shown by his incessant chopping of wood (I wish I was kidding). This is in part because he is so cold he is constantly stoking the fire, but also so he can be a big scary man with an axe in his hands. Anytime someone from the church comes to the house they become very ill, are forced to leave and then aren’t able to come back. Their priest got blisters on his hand for even trying to call them on the telephone from miles away! Wack! But no one believes the priest even though this ordeal makes him go blind (I would have demanded the higher ups go to the Lutz’ house and tell me first hand how I was wrong).

There is bubbling black bile in the toilet, large groups of flies gathering in random rooms, and a (low-key) portal to hell in the basement… But otherwise things are fine. Also there is random nun basketball after the spousal abuse which is a nice palette cleanser (the basketball, not the abuse). On their final night in the house it is raining so hard, the dad snaps for some reason and thinks that there is like a pig demon inside?  So he heads in the house with his very sharp axe but the mom has hidden the children away. She battles the dad and somehow his illusion breaks because he tells her he would never hurt her (except the part where he almost murdered them all with an axe). 

They escape but realize they left a furry family member behind so the dad runs back in for the dog! I am really impressed! Dad takes a bit of a dip in the hell pit but Harry the dog helps pull his human out of the black bile. They get to the van and vanish! The Lutz family never returned to that hell house.

-----------------------HANNAH WATCHES HORROR--------------------

[superfan44]

Superfan's Short Movie Reviews: "Wish"

From an animation studio that has now been around for a century, Disney's Wish is the kind of feel good movie you can take the whole family to see, and I mean that sincerely. This enjoyable feature has catchy songs, fun characters, and nice callbacks to the studios classic films but with a modern touch. A great mix of the old and the new.

[naviss]

Borderlands movie verdict: Low-level loot drop 😩 #Borderlands

[kaitmoviereviews]

You want to unlock some hidden memories from your childhood? Well, here's the key to one of them. I watched Rock-a-doodle last night with my boyfriend, it was his choice of movie as it was one of his favorites as a child. He said it unlocked some hidden memories, some nostalgia, whatnot.

This movie came out before I was born so I actually had no idea about this movie, had never heard of it. My boyfriend took joy in showing it to me, but uh.. He fell asleep during it so clearly he had no joy in the movie, I guess.

I actually love how dark cartoons used to be back in the 90's and earlier. People weren't afraid of showing their kids something dark and scary. I miss that.

That being said, this movie definitely has some dark and sinister plots within. Killer birds, low-key prostitution, and even what looks like penises in some scenes.

I enjoyed it.

Rotten Tomatoes gives this movie a 20% iMDB gives it a 6/10 stars.

I am with iMDB, giving it 6 stars. It was good and reminiscence but it's so crazy some of the plots older children movies had.

[mightmovies]

Leave a thumbs up Don't Forget to Like & Subscribe For More Upcoming Films 😀

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Dave Grusin - The Goonies - Fratelli Chase 1985

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus based on a story by Steven Spielberg and starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, and Ke Huy Quan. In the film, a group of kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, attempt to save their homes from foreclosure to an expanding country club and in doing so they discover an old treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate, while being pursued by the Fratellis, a family of criminals who are after the treasure as well.

The film grossed $125 million worldwide on a budget of $19 million. Critics reviewed the film positively and it has since become a cult film. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Special anniversary events for the film, hosted by the city of Astoria, have drawn about 10,000 to 15,000 visitors. The home used for the Walsh family has become a tourist attraction, receiving between 1,200 and 1,500 visitors a day during the summer of the 30th anniversary. As a result, in August 2015, the residents and owners of the home, their neighbors, and the city of Astoria took steps to limit public access to the home.

The main theme, "Fratelli Chase", has been used in numerous trailers, such as Innerspace, Scrooged, and Guarding Tess, and was re-recorded by compser Dave Grusin and the London Symphony Orchestra for the album Cinemagic. The score makes liberal use of the Max Steiner-composed theme from Adventures of Don Juan; the character Sloth is seen as an Errol Flynn fan and aspects of his movies are referenced throughout The Goonies as a result. Dave Grusin's score was unavailable for 25 years, until soundtrack label Varèse Sarabande released it on CD in March 2010 for the film's 25th anniversary in a limited edition of 5,000 copies. The company reissued the score soundtrack on CD as a wide release in June 2019, but with the previous CD's four bonus tracks omitted.

87,4% never say die!

[e-vay]

SONIC 3 REVIEW

I wanted to wait a few weeks to give many people the chance to see Sonic 3 before I wrote a review, but of course I'll keep it under the cut for those who still haven't seen it.

DISCLAIMERS!

I acknowledge that the Sonic Cinematic Universe is a SEPARATE interpretation of the Sonic franchise so I will never dock it points for doing things different than we've seen in the games. These movies are inspired by the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, they are not direct adaptations. I have no sympathy for anyone who complains these movies get things 'wrong' about the games.

I acknowledge that the Sonic movies are family films marketed towards children, so some of the writing and plot devices are simplified or toned down for younger audiences. However, that won't stop me from pointing out some plot holes.

My review is just my opinion. I'm not saying I'm right or that you're wrong if you disagree.

I'm so damn excited to finally talk about it and I have SO MUCH to say, so buckle up!

TL;DR: I give Sonic 3 a score of 9/10, just barely shy of being an absolutely perfect movie! There were some editing choices and some plot holes that made me dock minor points. These nitpicks are small and almost insignificant compared to the whole of the film, but they stood out enough to bother me and they're why I can't give it a perfect rating.

Let's start with the positives.

CAST & CHARACTERS - 10/10

TL;DR - With a star-studded cast, it's almost impossible to say any one actor/character outshined the others. Every single person was on their A-game for this movie and gave emotional, hilarious, all-out performances.

Jim Carrey as both Ivo and Gerald Robotnik is genius! He plays both characters so differently that you could almost believe they were being played by two different people -- minus the tongue-in-cheek way the movie reminds you that they're the same person.

This iteration of Gerald is unlike any we've seen before, which kept me on my toes the entire time I was watching. He comes onto the scene fully claiming that he's a villain, but still he manages to suckerpunch you (and Ivo) with the final reveal of his ultimate plan. You would think that the same old man who was just doing a choreographed dance performance 20 minutes ago couldn't tear your heart out without even the use of words when we see him mourning the loss of his granddaughter, and then fill you with spine-chilling terror as he uses his whole chest to exclaim he's going to 'burn it all down!', but damn did Jim Carrey do that and more! This movie (and Jim Carrey alike) managed to make Gerald both the major comic relief of the movie AND simultaneously made him one of the most despicable villains in the franchise so far. His utter lack of compassion for Shadow or Ivo, using both of them as his puppets, really shows you how little this man values even those who are supposed to be closest to him. I encourage you to rewatch the movie and really appreciate the dynamic range we were given of this character in under a 2 hour window.

Ivo is back and better than ever, baby (despite what Tails says)! Though I liked the initial, unexpected take on his character in Sonic 1, it has been beyond satisfying to see the evil doctor's descent into madness, all culminating into THE Eggman we recognize from the games! Seeing him in the iconic Eggman suit was like seeing my baby in her gown for prom. I was one proud mama! Sonic 3 sends Ivo on an emotional rollercoaster and we not only get to see him the silliest he's ever been, but your heart truly breaks for him by the end of the film. Honestly, I'm still gutted over Gerald's "Ivo, you're no Maria" line! One thing I particularly loved is that repeatedly throughout this franchise, Ivo has mentioned how society has always rejected him, he's had nobody who loves him (except Stone ofc) and he's repeatedly reminded he's a failure. Yet at the end of this film, he's given the chance to live up to his real potential and Team Sonic (and Shadow (and all of Earth while we're at it)) wouldn't have stood a chance without him. With Ivo seemingly dead, this was a heartfelt, tearjerking, beautiful sendoff for Eggman in a way that doesn't feel forced and gives Jim Carrey the chance to excuse himself should he decide he no longer wants to be a part of the future movies. BUT if he does decide to come back (and it's sounding like he does) -- c'mon, y'all don't really think Shadow would have just left Eggman to die, do you? He absolutely could have teleported them both outta there at the last minute.

SHADOW. 👏👏👏 This was without a doubt, the BEST depiction of Shadow I have ever seen! Keanu Reeves and the animators put everything into this rendition of Shadow and I was moved to tears on several occasions. This movie gave us an emotional, heartbroken Shadow who doesn't mask his feelings. Even before losing Maria, we see that Shadow is someone who struggles with understanding who he is, where he comes from and what his purpose is. He's subjected to constant testing and when he's not 'in use,' he's seemingly stowed away in the dark for later. It isn't until Maria shows up and befriends him that we get to see that he's just a regular person. He's curious about music and dancing, he enjoys play and stargazing, he's self-conscious. And then the transformation he takes after being betrayed and losing his loved ones, UGH! Keanu Reeves freaking NAILS it in every single scene! One of the moments that stood out the most to me and physically gave me goosebumps was when Shadow begins to question if destroying the planet is what Maria would have wanted and Gerald convinces him to focus on the pain that was left from her death. When Shadow's charging the Eclipse Cannon and reliving the most devastating moment of his life, you can hear his rage just in the way he's breathing! Keanu Reeves doesn't even speak any words in that scene but I could feel every drop of anger and regret and hatred in his performance. But also he delivered some very funny lines too and at least to me, it didn't feel forced. I also really liked that Keanu Reeves did research for this character and actually 'created' a voice for Shadow instead of using his normal voice. (I strongly recommend watching this clip where he talks about how he came up with 'the voice'. It's fascinating and such a delight). I think a lot of people might have initially thought having him voice Shadow was cool but kind of a joke, but he took the role very seriously and I feel he made an effort to separate himself from Shadow. His voice scratched my brain in the most satisfying way lol. I wish he could permanently voice Shadow from now on, but at least I can always imagine his voice whenever I read or play any Shadow content. Also, Shadow's character model was GOR-GEOUS. He was so handsome and badass and also I love, love, LOVE the amount of contrast between him and Sonic. EVEN DOWN TO THE DETAILS IN THE TEXTILES OF THEIR GLOVES. Sonic's gloves appear to be cotton so they're soft and warm and porous -- a fabric that comforts and lets things in. Shadow's gloves are leather -- a fabric that's firm, resistant, impenetrable. SO MUCH thought and detail went into designing Shadow. AND SUPER SHADOW OH MYGOOOODDDDDDDD. He looked like an angel! I have always loved Super Shadow's platinum design in the games, but giving him the extra detail of iridescent and rose gold quills in the movie was so freaking beautiful. I truly can't fault a single thing about him in this movie. A thousand kisses to Keanu Shadow.

TEAM SONIC. That's right, I'm addressing the group here because this movie really treated each member of Team Sonic as equals and I loved it. Sonic may be the leader, but Knuckles packed this movie full of action, heart and laughs. Idris Elba and the writers found a great balance for Knuckles in that he delivered what I thought were some of the funniest lines of the film, but it didn't lessen the impact of his more serious scenes. When Knuckles is arguing with Sonic about using the Chaos Emeralds, there is so much tension and I feel like they really nailed the gravity of that fight. Knuckles ultimately chooses not to battle Sonic, but I felt that him reminding Sonic of their oath and pointing out that Sonic is breaking it was actually MORE of a punishment than a punch to the face. We also really got to see Knuckles 'THE GUARDIAN" in this movie which I greatly appreciated. We see a lot of Knuckles "the fighter" where he's quick to throw fists, but there were many moments in Sonic 3 where he got to serve as a proper protector. I cried when he caught Sonic and Tails and even after they're safe he's just holding them, the three of them a battered mess in the cornfield! AH MY HEART!

Speaking of my heart-- Tails you good boy! Tails showed so much growth between Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 and I was so proud of him! He's still cute as can be and still has moments of childlike wonder, but he played a significantly larger role in this movie and showed a lot of maturity. He's quick to come up with plans but he is also actually in the action instead of shouting from the sidelines. I also really liked that during the bleakest part of the film, it's actually Tails who is trying to console Sonic about what's happened to Tom. You know things are bad when it's the baby sibling who attempts to be the emotionally strong one and comfort the older sibling. And I love that it's Tails and Knuckles who help Ivo to steer the Eclipse Cannon away from the Earth. It would have been easy to just sideline them and have them hope that Super Sonic and Super Shadow could handle things, but that diminishes the value of Team Sonic. The movie made it very clear that their teamwork is what made them so strong and it was through all of their combined efforts that the Earth was saved in the end. Sonic and Shadow could not have done it alone, even with the combined power of the Chaos Emeralds. I feel like a broken record by saying this but it has to be said: Colleen O'Shaughnessey killed it as Tails yet again. Go queen!

This might come as a surprise to some, but the Sonic in this movie is my favorite we've seen throughout the SCU franchise so far. I have heard people criticize that Sonic was a little 'boring' or 'underwhelming' during the first 2 acts of the movie, but I actually perceived that as intentional by design. At this point in Sonic's life, he's used to the whole hero thing. He's saved the world multiple times by now so it makes sense to me that he's become complacent and doesn't really take the time to consider how potentially dangerous a threat can be (I mean think about it, he nearly gets lasered-to-death via the forcefield at G.U.N. Headquarters just because he had to be a silly goof and do a tour of London NOW of all times! Yes it's funny and in-character and I still loved that scene ((and loved that it gave Tails a shining moment to save him)), but c'mon Sonic you almost fucked up the entire plan because you just had to do your goofy thing!). So when Shadow shows up and kicks his ass not once, but MULTIPLE times--and then he nearly loses his father figure TWICE--it serves as a rude awakening. He learns that there is a price to pay for being blasé, underestimating the gravity of a situation and not sticking to a plan, and that's where he dramatically overcompensates and goes on a vengeful arc. And vengeful Sonic is FUCKING. FANTASTIC. I think we as an audience can forget how lethal Sonic can be because he's normally so playful and silly, so to see him lock in and not hold back is actually pretty terrifying (but in a great way!). Ben Schwartz was AMAZING in this portion of the movie. I find him to be one of the funniest comedians on the planet, but I couldn't believe it was the same guy during this act. He dug deep and gave such a compelling performance full of anguish and hatred that I honestly didn't realize he was capable of. But most importantly--he was able to rein it in when it mattered most and Sonic didn't lose himself before it was too late. Sonic is not a perfect character, but one of the things that makes him such a great hero is that he always manages to hold on to the light that's inside of him. I always appreciate Sonic's motivational speeches and I loved that when he's having the heart-to-heart with Shadow, the emphasis is about who you are and the good that comes from the love you have for others. It's heavy and important but was delivered in a way that was easily digestible for younger viewers without diminishing the meaning of the message. However, what I found even more moving in this scene was the moment of silence that Sonic and Shadow share on the moon. It was so poignant and I'm glad they held that moment of stillness and quiet. By the end of the movie, we do get our loveable Sonic back but he acknowledges the mistakes he made and regrets putting everyone in danger because of his reckless decisions. Each movie builds up his character more and more and I think as long as they don't backpedal, Sonic's in store for some incredible things! ALSO! Just like I said with Shadow, I freaking LOVED Sonic's character model in this one! I love that we are seeing him physically growing up and maturing instead of being forever stuck in place (no shade to the games). This character model is SO much taller and stockier than the model in Sonic 1 and is evidence that not only is he emotionally maturing, but he's physically aging up as well. It's just so cool!

I absolutely adored Alyla Browne's portrayal of Maria in this movie! She was so charming and instantly loveable the moment she was onscreen. I've noticed many people highlighting the part where she draws the bunny face on Shadow (which I love) but even the seconds before that where she mocks his scowl INSTANTLY won me over. And she even gets Shadow to smile because of it! The smile is small and only visible for a few frames, but it's there! It was clear that this girl saw more to this alien than a menacing, dangerous little space demon and wasn't gonna put up with his charade. It's no wonder the two of them became fast friends. I don't know about you, but I have been STARVED of ARK Sibling content since Shadow's very first introduction so I was obsessed with every single scene we got of the two of them actually getting to spend time together. I do love drama but so far all we've seen is the ARK tragedy and rarely any of the highlights before that event. Yes the SCU is a different universe, but this filled a hole in my heart that I've been waiting on for years. It did not disappoint!

I also want to highlight Agent Stone. Listen, I've loved Lee Majdoub since Sonic 1, but his character is at his best in this movie. Agent Stone was proper badass in Sonic 3 and proved that he's far more than just a simple henchman. It's revealed that with Ivo sulking and remaining in hiding, Stone has stepped up and is constantly monitoring what's going on in the outside world and immediately jumps into action when he notices the doctor's tech being used by someone else. Eggman wasn't even aware of it and yet Stone is out there shutting it down and bringing back reinforcements to clear Eggman's name! That super suit?? And those MOTORCYCLE TRICKS?? And him dodging a freaking ROCKET like it ain't no thing??? Hell yeah, Stone! Lee Majdoub is so funny and I love how he can be so quiet and stoic around Eggman ( "Resourceful.") but he can also be so over the top like when he's mocking the hell out of Knuckles ("Įt'Ŝ 𝕋𝒽𝒆 ⓖ𝓸Ａ𝐓 𝔪𝕀ŁҜє𝓡!... Relax.") and both just work so well! I think it's further evidence of why he makes such a good partner for Eggman because they're both capable of some intense power but they're also both such weirdos. I loved the amount of emotion and vulnerability Stone had in this movie. He's always had an allegiance to Eggman and even in Sonic 2 we saw how much he missed the doctor while he was away and how enthusiastic he was when he learned he was alive, but it went a lot deeper in this film. We got to learn that there's a much stronger affinity there and Stone legitimately cares about Robotnik and supports him through thick and thin. Personally, I ship Stobotnik, so this movie gave me plenty of delicious food! But even if you don't ship it, I think it was so significant to show the depth to Stone and Robotnik's relationship and I believe that it was Stone's affection for the doctor (romantic or platonic) that ultimately made Eggman save the world in the end. Though I'm still hoping for Jim Carrey to come back, I think they set things up so Stone could take up the EggMantle in a seamless way and I sure wouldn't be mad about it!

[Allow me to pause for a deep inhale of breath...]

Ä̷͇̰̞́Ȁ̷̭̩̰̔͐Ấ̶̝̗̠A̴͉͗A̵̳̠̚ͅA̵̫̋Ḿ̴͕Y̴̨̯̆Y̷͖͍̜̓͝Ỹ̵͍̺͑̕Y̸̜̫̆͋͋Y̶͕̫̱̾̐!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭💖💖💖💖💖💖😘😘😘😘😍😍😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 My beloved! My most darling angel! My reason for waking up in the morning! SHE MADE IT! Amy is my favorite character of all time and I told y'all I was gonna throw up if she wasn't in this movie, so you'd better believe I SCREAMED when her hammer appeared in the post-credits scene! When she walked up and pulled back the hood of her cloak I was in tears and I was TREMBLING! I'm sure they're going to make changes to her once they finalize her design for Sonic 4, but this reveal was so freaking good and got me so excited for the next movie. Her character model is already so beautiful and I love that they turned the tables and have her rescuing Sonic this time! I cannot wait to see what they have in store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Metal Sonic was cool too btw)

ACTION - 10/10

TL;DR - Highspeed fun that has you on the edge of your seat for every single minute of screen time!

This movie is NONSTOP. I wasn't bored for a single second and by the time we hit the credits I couldn't believe how much time had passed. Every fight scene was so perfectly choreographed and so RAMPED UP that it had me stunned. There's a joke early in the movie that Sonic/Tails/Knuckles' antics are capable of cataclysmic events but the movie delivers on that promise a multitude of times! From city-wide power outages to mini-black holes to volcanic eruptions, there's no shortage of chaos and action in this movie!

You guys. The first time I saw this movie, I was at a prescreening so I was among critics and people from the media instead of a group of fans. It took EVERYTHING WITHIN ME to contain my glee. I was PHYSICALLY BALLED UP, knees pulled to my chest, palms pressed to my face to try to stay quiet. My heart burst through the roof of my skull! Even when I went to go see it for a fourth time, my heart was still racing. I actually had my friend feel my pulse as proof. This movie just gets you so excited it's insane!

The fact that the movie BEGAN with Shadow's breakout... god bless it. God bless everyone who worked on it. It was so intense and heartpumping! And I loved the choice to have little-to-no music during Shadow's fight with the soldiers. It just added to the tension and didn't give you any hint of when and where Shadow was going to teleport next. This was basically a scene from a horror movie! It set the entire tone for the film and showed that Shadow was NOT to be messed with.

I seriously could describe how much I loved every action scene but I will be here forever so I won't, but I have to say-

THE ✨SUPER✨ SCENES. OH. MY. 🎶GO~~~~OD🎶!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had high hopes and expectations we were going to see Super Shadow in this one, but never in my lifetime did I think we were going to finally see Super Sonic VERSUS Super Shadow!!! Holy hell, what a fight! We get to finally see what two god-mode characters are capable of when they're out to kill each other and aren't showing any mercy. EACH PUNCH LAUNCHING THE OPPONENT ACROSS THE FREAKING PLANET?!??!?? That editing choice in particular is one of my absolute FAVORITE things about this movie. There's a million ways this fight could have been done but showing just how fast and how strong these two are--- even causing the earth to split open and erupt just from one of them pushing off the ground--really shows just how minuscule and inferior us humans are hahaha. We wouldn't stand a freaking CHANCE. AND SONIC PUNCHES SHADOW TO THE MOON?!

ALSO THEY EACH TOOK TURNS PUNCHING THE SUPER OUT OF EACH OTHER!???!!!

I'm having to pause as I'm writing this because even though I've seen this movie four times I'm still getting so worked up just thinking about these action scenes again that I'm struggling to breathe omg

Even better than Super Sonic VERSUS Super Shadow was that final team up. That CLAP and they both turn super had me WEAK. I just about fainted right then but thank god I didn't because that entire sequence was INCREDIBLE. That little exchange of Sonic saying "Ready to recycle some tin cans?" and Shadow rolling his shoulder and saying "Try to keep up" before launching into a flurry of attacks is TATTOOED ON MY BRAIN. It will never leave my mind. It gave us SA2 and MORE. The battle was a masterpiece and it's something that words truly can't describe, you just have to witness it in all it's glory. I will never be normal about that fight scene.

One more moment I want to highlight because it shows action in nontraditional ways -- I am infatuated with the way they depicted Eggman and Shadow's last moments of saving the earth from the Eclipse Cannon. There was just something in the slow, labored movements that Jim Carrey made to show him attempting to block the explosions with shields, and the quietness of Shadow pushing the exterior of the ship with his hands and the metal is just crushing under his palms from the force. It isn't a moment of fast punches or flashing lights but it was so damn powerful and I absolutely loved it.

VISUALS - 10/10

TL;DR - Stellar effects and cinematography not only make for a delightful experience for your eyes but further immerse us into this fictional world.

WOW! I already touched on this in my above notes but seriously this movie was just beautiful. The character models were so good and felt real despite being cartoons (which goes to show you don't need them to look hyper-realistic to convince me it's a living creature). The lighting and the framing of shots were not only visually appealing but helped further the emotions of the scenes. The neon lights bouncing off Shadow in the rain as he's slowly walking down the streets of Shibuya was a WORK OF ART. Even all the moments of chaos and destruction were portrayed so well and so crisp that not only were they beautiful to look at -- I could actually tell what was going on! I watch a lot of action films and it gets so frustrating when there's so many explosions, lens flares, camera whips, etc that I can't actually make out what's happening. I never had that problem in this movie!

FAN SERVICE - 10/10

TL;DR - No, not that kind of fan service. This was a film FOR the fans!

I already said that the cinematic universe is clearly separate from the game universe. However, there were so many delightful little treats for fans of the games that felt like all the creators of this movie reached out and hugged me and said "This is for you!" BLESS! I won't list out all the Easter eggs and scene-recreations because there are too many, but man the joy I felt in sitting there and thinking "I KNOW THAT REFERENCE!" was healing to my soul. I figured "Live and Learn" was going to show up in some way because we heard the tune in the trailer, but I didn't realize how often and in how many different ways it would play throughout the movie! Starting out the movie with a memory of Maria playing "Live and Learn" on the guitar had me clutching my chest and I knew I was gonna be emotionally wrecked by this film! I loved the orchestral version of the song during the final battle which took an already badass theme and made it even more epic, but I do love that they included a snippet with the original lyrics too.

I don't know why people get so upset with these movies not being 100% like the games when it's clear that the people who work on these movies care so much about the games and want to reward us fans who love the games, too. Think about the scene where Shadow goes to push the Eclipse Cannon and he removes his inhibitor rings. That was specifically for us fans. The movie never explains what his inhibitor rings are or what they do or why he's removing them. Not knowing what the inhibitor rings are doesn't detract from the movie--but if you play the games you KNOW the significance of that moment. That was written and animated FOR YOU to enjoy. What's not to love about that???

DRAMAAAA~

Again, I know these SCU movies are marketed as family films and are more aimed for children, but I love that the movies are evolving and 'maturing' over time instead of repeating the same simple formula of some children's movies. With each Sonic movie that comes out, the themes and story are getting deeper and heavier without losing it's whimsy and fun. It's done in a way that feels like a natural progression and growth and I don't think the heavier subject matter will deter anyone who watched the previous two movies.

⭐BONUS POINTS!⭐

This is a hot take and I know many people are gonna disagree, but I was so pleased with there being LESS focus on the humans in this story (minus the Robotniks+Stone, of course). I do not care about the Wachowskis. I do not care about the Whipples. I understand why they were initially in the movies and I understand that Sonic considers the Wachowskis as his parents now, but I don't go to these movies to see the humans attending weddings or doing other sideplot shenanigans. I'm here for the aliens, damn it! So to have the humans' appearances mostly diminished to scenes that specifically related to the main plot was a huge relief to me!

THANK YOU SONIC 3.

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I could talk endlessly about this movie and even though I've written what feels like an entire essay there's still tons I'm leaving out, but to try to move this review along I'm going to move on to the negatives. Again, none of these below items were enough to ruin the movie for me and individually they aren't even worth a full point as far as a review. But ultimately these are things that I couldn't shake after watching and it's why I felt I had to dock the movie a single point in total.

EDITING WHIPLASH

I've already complimented this movie by several of the editing choices that were made, but there's one moment in particular that totally took me out of it and I'm sure you can guess what I'm going to say... Yes, it was the frequent cutting between the Super Hedgehogs and the Robotniks. Don't get me wrong -- individually these scenes were great. Ivo versus Gerald was hilarious and I did enjoy it and yes it was important to the plot -- but how DARE you interrupt my Super Sonic and Super Shadow fight with mustache wrestling! Whiplash is the best word I can use to describe how I felt in this moment. Sonic and Shadow fighting all of the robots and lasers to get to the Cannon was so dynamic and so intense and so spectacular, that when it suddenly cut away to Eggman getting spanked by a giant mech hand, I felt like I just got slapped across the face. My heart had just been racing so fast and then you cut away? Then I'm starting to calm down and just enjoy the Robotnik fight for the silliness but then it cuts BACK to the epic power of Sonic and Shadow --- and you do it AGAIN?! It just killed me!

I saw an edit somebody made where they spliced all of the super fight scenes together and removed the Robotnik fight and as you can imagine, it was infinitely better. You actually had the time to be fully enraptured by the battle and get to absorb every awesome second of it.

The Robotnik fight was still necessary (and yes, even the way they killed Gerald was hilarious to me and I still laugh even now) but they really should have edited this part of the movie better in my opinion.

PLOT HOLE -- ARE WE MISSING PART OF THE SCRIPT?

Although I think the writing for this movie was overall great, I felt there were key elements missing from the G.U.N. plot line that was meant to drive the narrative. This led me to think... was there a deleted scene and the filmmakers thought nobody would care/question it? Here are the things that I felt the movie did not clearly address:

1: Why are Team Sonic and Commander Walters close allies now? G.U.N. and Walters were previously antagonists in these films. Yes, at the end of Sonic 2 Commander Walters gives up his goal of capturing Sonic, but surrendering isn't the same as forming a partnership. Why is Team Sonic on-call for G.U.N. missions at Walters' requests all of a sudden? Then there's the scene in the Chao Garden. Why do Team Sonic and Walters meet up without anyone else from G.U.N. knowing about it? Why does Sonic trust Walters more than the rest of G.U.N.? I understand Sonic is a hero and especially in these movies he likes to see the good in people, but throughout these movies Walters ALWAYS lies. In Sonic 2, not only does Walters/G.U.N. fabricate an entire wedding as a sting operation to capture Sonic, but Walters lies when he claims that G.U.N. was formed because of Sonic's misadventures in San Francisco. In Sonic 3 we learn that G.U.N. was around for Project Shadow in the 70s. Nobody calls him out on this. Even in the Chao Garden scene, Walters is lying to Sonic about Shadow's history! He tells Sonic that Maria was killed in a terrible accident and Gerald was blamed for it. It was no accident! Soldiers showed up with guns and when Walters tried to stop them, they said "We have our orders." Sure, shooting the canister of chaos energy was not the intention and so the explosion itself was an accident, but those soldiers had every intent on taking Maria and Gerald out (if not Shadow as well). I'm sure Walters left that detail out to keep Sonic from asking further questions, but that makes him all the more of an unreliable storyteller and someone Sonic should NOT trust.

2: Why doesn't Walters trust G.U.N.? When Walters is injured in the Chao Garden attack, he gives Sonic one of the keys to the Eclipse Cannon and tells him that Sonic's the only person he trusts to keep it safe. Walters is the commander of G.U.N. -- surely he would trust a member of his team to hold onto the key, right? And if he doesn't, WHY? If you watched the Knuckles series then you know that there are indeed rogue members of G.U.N., but people watching the movie don't know that. Walters telling Sonic to keep the key safe from everyone suddenly puts Sonic on heightened alert and makes him believe he can't trust anyone, but we aren't given a reason why. Even if Walters simply had a line saying "I worry there's corruption in G.U.N." then I would have been satisfied.

3: Why is Team Sonic stealing the second key? Once the Team learns that there is a second key to the Eclipse Cannon and that the Robotniks are planning to steal it, they devise a heist to steal the second key themselves. Why? Walters didn't tell Sonic about a second key or tell him to retrieve the second key. Doesn't that mean Walters believes the safest place for the second key is where it's currently stored: at G.U.N. headquarters? Team Sonic knew Robotnik was en route, so the wisest option would have been to alert G.U.N. so they could heighten security and be on the lookout (which turns out, they already were). Again, all of this would make sense if Sonic was given an explicit reason to not trust G.U.N. and was specifically told to keep the keyS away from them, but at this point he went from trusting them to suddenly trying to take both keys from them. I loved the heist scenes and I don't want them removed, I feel they just need justification.

4: What is Director Rockwell's problem? It's clear that Rockwell is not a fan of Team Sonic (some people just can't trust aliens) but it seemed her character was going a certain direction and then just... stopped. After Walters is killed, the first thing she does is check his pocket for the key. Surely Walters would have known that Director Rockwell would have checked his pockets, especially since she was in Tokyo at the time of his death, again going back to my question of why he wouldn't trust her to retrieve the key instead of handing it over to Sonic? I was fully expecting a reveal of her being a rogue agent, especially because Team Sonic was still trying to take the second key even after the Robotniks had been thwarted. Think about it -- G.U.N. has stopped the Robotniks (and Team Sonic) from stealing the second key. That was the whole point, right? So why is Tom now trying to take the key FROM Rockwell? Isn't the key safely where it belongs and the Robotniks are supposedly in custody? So again, was there a reason Rockwell wasn't meant to be trusted, but we just don't know? I really felt like she was being set up to be a villain, but it led nowhere.

Now a lot of the elements I just addressed can be inferred and we can use context clues to guess, but I think it's the writers' job (especially in a family film) to make it clear why characters are making the choices/decisions they're making, at least by the time you reach the end of the movie. I know some stories are more ambiguous than others, but to me it felt like something was missing. I guess we'll see if there's anything hidden in deleted scenes.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As a whole, I absolutely loved this movie and I am so thankful it exists. I can't wait for Sonic 4 and I hope it receives just as much hype, love and attention that this movie did! If you read my entire review, thank you! I hope you enjoyed it, even if you didn't agree with all of it :)

[theflixdiaryproject]

"I've been looking for you, God. I looked for you in Temple. I looked for you in Church. I didn't feel you at all. why ? why, God ? why do I only feel you when I'm alone ?" - Margaret

Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson), an 11-year-old girl, goes through her pre-adolescent years with complex emotions, family changes, and her search for identity, all while exploring the world of womanhood and the spiritual questions that arise along the way.

read my review below (may contain spoilers):

watched November 9th, 2024 on netflix

so I was fully expecting some cheesy, predictable Netflix-style flick – you know, the kind that gives a warm, sugary dose of “meh.” but then, I saw the Sony logo, and I thought that this could be good. and boy, I’m so glad I gave it a shot because it turned out to be way better than I anticipated. this film literally took me back in time, like a nostalgic time machine that landed me squarely in my own awkward puberty years. and let me tell you, the emotions hit HARD. I mean, I was shook. I found myself connecting with Margaret in a way that’s almost spooky. the movie does such an incredible job of capturing the pure chaos and raw feelings that come with growing up – all that anxiety, confusion, and excitement that we go through. and don't even get me started on the first period scenes. every time they came up, I was hit with a wave of emotions. it’s like watching a rite of passage unfold on screen. I’m sure every girl can relate to that gut-wrenching, terrifying, but oddly significant moment in life. just like the little girl in this movie, I cried when I got my first period, too – and I don't know why. maybe because it was too sudden (I didn't feel a thing, not even pain when it happened), maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s relief, maybe it’s all the crazy mixed emotions wrapped up in one overwhelming moment. it’s universal. and this movie nails it. now, the real cherry on top was the relationship between Margaret and her mum, played by Rachel McAdams.

as someone who grew up with a religious background, I really appreciated how this film doesn’t sugar-coat things. Margaret’s journey to understand her own spiritual beliefs felt so honest. the film is not afraid to confront the complexities of religion, and the letter Margaret writes to Mr. Benedict made me think a lot about my own experiences. it’s funny how we can start out thinking that praying is the answer to everything, but the more we grow, the more we realise that maybe it’s not about following all the rules – it’s about understanding ourselves, the world, and the people around us. and the whole “religions just make us fight” line? I felt that on a deep level. I really loved how Margaret wasn’t just the stereotypical girl with a crush on the popular boy. I think it was refreshing and empowering to see her be so much more than that. watching her develop her sense of self was so satisfying. it wasn’t all about boys or fitting in; it was about figuring out who we are and what we want out of life. that’s the real journey, isn’t it? the acting was on point across the board, especially from Abby Ryder Fortson. she brought Margaret to life in such a real, relatable way that I couldn’t help but root for her the whole time. and Rachel McAdams? she's just a background character, but she's important. so is Kathy Bates. the emotional depth in this film made me think about my own upbringing and the importance of being supportive during those tough growing-up years. if you’ve got a daughter, or if you’re a parent who’s looking for a way to help your kid navigate the rollercoaster of puberty, this is a must-watch. it’s the perfect combination of humour, tenderness, and insight – and it’s definitely one of those films that’ll leave a lasting impact.

final verdict: I totally loved it!!

maturity rating: 13+ genre: drama, family, comedy duration: 1h 46m (106 mins) country: USA language: English screenplay: Kelly Fremon Craig based on: the novel Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume major cast: Abby Ryder Fortson, Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price, Katherine Kupferer, Echo Kellum, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates

[hannahwatcheshorror]

HOME ALONE (1990) REWATCH

You may be asking why is a horror blog reviewing Home Alone? Because the premise is terrifying! An eight-year-old being left Home Alone for the holidays and two (2) grown burglars coming in to do nefarious deeds? And how about from the perspective of the burglars who get bested by this child? They go through a living hell because of Kevin! Either way it felt more than appropriate to be reviewed here. This movie is very fun and very heartfelt. Worth a watch each holiday season or just whenever you want a bit of Culkin family fun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Our film starts with a horror story about how the McCallister family live next door to a crazy killer (he is just a kindly old man but the kids don’t know that yet). Kevin is the runt of the family and isn’t having the best time being treated poorly by everyone. Things get even worse when he is left Home Alone when everyone else leaves for the Christmas vacation! At first Kevin is very excited about this but that excitement fades quickly when he meets our next two characters (and are they ever characters) Harry and Marv who plan to burgle Kevin’s home! This is very scary for him but he wants to be the man of the house so he staves them off by tricking them into thinking the family was still home by hosting a fake party.

Kevin is able to keep up his charade for a little but Harry and Marv are hungry for the house and are not going to let some snot nosed little brat stand in the way of them and treasure so they make a plan to break in. Kevin hears this plan and makes his own plans to thwart the burglars. Icing the stairs was a devastating blow to both men, he set Harry’s hat on fire, dropped an iron on Marv, honestly it was a house of horrors for those two men. And not to mention the tarantula! Kevin's brother, Buzz, had a pet tarantula that Kevin used to scare Marv and it worked like a charm. Kevin is caught momentarily but is saved by the man he thought was a killer in the beginning. It just goes to show what you really know, especially since Kevin and his neighbor are now friends. The family comes home and everything ends up okay!

----------------------HANNAH WATCHES HORROR---------------------

[galactic-rhea]

WDYM Anakin is Luke and Leia's dad

I dunno if this post will reach the Star Wars fandom but I hope it does because I'm sure you all will get a good laugh at me.

As of recent I have developed a good hiperfixation for Star Wars, the thing is I knew nothing. NOTHING about Star Wars besides the fact it had aliens and...a war...in space? And funny swords. And main character is Luke or something, I spent over 20 years ignoring anything about Star Wars and somehow missing most references out there.

And recently, literally less than a month ago I saw a gif and said to my partner "oh this guy this guy looks cool, this gif looks nice" and he said "Oh well, he's a good character." And it all developed into me watching Clone Wars, the animated series you know and...and I was kinda blown away, on my opinion the show IS GREAT. And I love every character and their interactions, I love how much they focus on side characters, and they all seem very well written. I got hiperfixated really fast and saw Anakin and I was like "Omg, babygirl. He's a blorbo now."

And because of the show, this was super unexpected, but somehow I also got, really got, into the ship with Padmé because omg, cool woman. Literal happy squeaky noises of someone who was in a bad state and needed some good ol' distraction and comfort.

Now, like I said I knew nothing about Star Wars as a whole. And I still haven't watched the movies, besides the ocassional gif?

So imagine my shock, my surprise, my...bewilderment when I realized.

"Wait a minute, LUKE IS ANAKIN'S SON?! HOLY-"

Ladies, gentleman, and others, I think I came very late to this party and I don't even know how it took me so long.

Not only that, but because of this sudden love for the series, I went to my friends circle like "BESTIE, GUESS WHAT, I HAVE A NEW BLROBO AND A NEW FAV SHIP AND EEEP"

And my friends are like "omg that's amazing, what is it?"

I tell them, and of course they all know these characters and they all react like they know this very bad secret fact and I got told several times already "Please, don't watch the episodes 2 and 3 alone, it will hurt."

I feel like blissfully walking among rainbows and blue skies while everyone else know that my future is doomed. Somehow.

(Uncomfortable silence)

Not only that, but then I spent a whole deal of time thinking "Where the heck I have seen these guys" cus there was some fmailiarity I couldn't just point out and then one day I woke up, brushed my teeth and of all sudden I realized and it was such a shock.

Do you know how SURREAL is to get very into a character, and into a ship, and then realize they're the same from that super widespread meme that has been around for who knows how much time?

I swear I thought that meme was from some old medieval fantasy movies or something.

But alas, Star Wars now is EVERYWHERE. People do references to Star Wars ALL THE TIME and it's just now I'm catching them.

I got spoilers. From a meme. In a youtube review that had nothing to do with Star Wars hah. Everything is a spoiler, the world is an apparent spoiler. Now I'm here, trying to avoid spoilers from something everyone seems to know, even my family knows. It's so surreal and I wouldn't have it any other way 😂

Anyways, if you read until here, know that a wild ride still waits me, cuz I'm only starting Season 3 of Clone Wars and I don't plan to watch the movies until I finish the series.

And yes, I made this blog just to ramble freely about SW and draw stuff because it sparked my inspiration after a long art block.

Have this doodle I drew after watching the two first episodes, my offering for you reaching this far.

Note: Wouldn't Anakin and Padmé's ship name be Animé? Cuz that's hilarious.

[lenalenouilleisblogging]

2024 feminist movie retrospective ~ day 1

Yeah, let's get the big one™ out of the way first. Or one of the two big ones I guess. I'm sure you can guess what the second one is. Just a heads up : even if it doesn't reflect my convictions, I'll use "sex work is work" vocabulary in this review for the sake of time, clarity, and because the movie uses these words. Also obviously graphic talk of sexual content ahead. Spoilers will be in red.

Watched : November 3rd at an independent theater. The showing was quite packed.

I went to see this film with my mom and brother, and the conversation we had after the film immediately made me realize that gen Z male "feminists" like my brother are 100% this movie's target audience. You'll understand why later...

I'm gonna be transparent, I did not go into this with a fully open mind, I had 2 worries from the getgo : one, Adum from YMS gave this movie a 9/10. This guy is one of the most competent YouTube film critics but he's also a spineless, hypocritical liberal "male feminist", every time he recommends a movie about a feminist issue it's a red flag. And two, the only other Sean Baker film I've seen is Red Rocket. If you haven't seen it (honestly good for you) it's about an ex "porn star" who is now too old for the job and is forced to move back to his shitty home town. When he meets a teenage girl who develops an obvious crush on him, he sees it as an opportunity to groom her into "sex work" to make money off her and get back into the industry. Not only was the film really boring with zero likable characters, but knowing what I know now about Sean Baker, a creepy pro-porn, pro-unregulated prostitution """activist""" the movie is even creepier. (Full disclosure, I wasn't aware of these things when I saw Anora)

Let's start with what works in Anora. Honestly, I don't really have anything negative to say about the technical aspects of the film. It's very well shot, well lit, well edited. The dialogues are realistic, fun and dynamic and all the character interactions feel very real and genuine. Mikey Madison is the obvious standout in terms of acting but the rest of the cast is very good as well. The actor who plays Ivan (the husband) is quite good at being an absolute tête-à-claques (face made for slapping) as we say in french. Seriously this guy's insufferable. The two russian henchmen are a new spin on a tired character archetype and they're super likable and entertaining. I also appreciate that they cast Russian actors to play the russian characters, and not USAmerican actors of vaguely slavic descent. That's a big pet peeve of mine.

In short, the way the movie conveys what it conveys is very good. The problem is, well, WHAT it conveys.

Anora is the character who gives the movie its name. She's a prostitute at a strip club who meets Ivan, the son of a russian oligarch. He's a very easy client for her as he's very rich, not violent (or very active at all seemingly) in bed, gives her access to drugs and alcohol and he immediately decides to exclusively hire her. He buys her more and more often, to the point of bringing her to Vegas with his friends as a "date" and the two end up getting married there, and she moves into his massive house.

Problem is, Ivan didn't ask permission before spending massive amounts of money (and marrying a prostitute) in the US and his family's pissed off. They send three henchmen that are supposed to make him divorce Anora and bring him back to Russia, except he runs away and from then on, the movie follows Anora and the three henchmen in wacky situations as they look for him.

I just made the plot of this movie sound way more clear and concise than it actually is. Because in the actual final product, the rhythm is WACK. But that's by design. The movie sacrifices a lot to make the audience's dick hard, because a lot of it is just porn.

Ivan's family intervenes around the 45min mark, before that we follow Anora as she lives her prostitute life. We also see a lot of other prostitutes at the club she works at. The movie is EXTREMELY explicit for no reason. From what I can remember, there are at least 6 or 7 sex scenes (I count stripping scenes as sex scenes here) in that first third which is enormous, they don't seem to serve a purpose and seem to only exist to titillate the male audience. The stripping scenes in particular are just full dance/stripping routines with the actress shaking her ass and naked breasts at the camera. It drags on and it's very uncomfortable to watch. But hey what do I know. When people suggest skipping the sex scenes to move on to the actual plot this is how men on reddit react :

The movie's sexism doesn't stop at gratuitous sex and nudity. There's also the fact that Anora is BARELY a character. Apart from the fact that she fights off the russians to stay married to Ivan, she makes no real decision at all in the film. She has no fears, wants or dreams. She is entirely defined by what other people do TO her. She has no real personality, especially since the character herself plays a role of sort for a lot of it. She plays the role of a willing, consenting girlfriend/wife with Ivan AND with his family. As shown in the trailer, she's very angry and aggressive with the henchmen during a lot of the film, she physically fights them, she has a foul mouth, she's constantly antagonizing everyone. But it never makes her feel real. She feels like a character archetype in a hentai game. The rude prostitute with the Brooklyn accent who gets into fights but is super sweet to her rich husband <3

Apart from that, the most emotion we see from her is the final scene, after the final confrontation with Ivan's family. Him and Anora divorce, she's not gonna get anything out of it, she even gives the ring back, and she goes back to her sister's place where she lived at the beginning of the film. One of the henchmen, Igor, has been tasked with driving her there. (Igor is a very silent character but the camera often shows us his reactions to the action, and it's abundantly clear that he was on HER side during this whole ordeal) Before she exits the car, Igor reveals that he has managed to snatch the ring back, and he gives it to Anora. Anora then climbs on top of Igor in the car, and long story short (the scene is once again an uncomfortable length) she puts his penis in her and does her thing until he cums. (I feel like even in the context of the film I can't call what she does sex because it's something she does very clinically and almost on auto-pilot) Igor then tries to kiss her, which sends her into a fit of rage, she starts hitting him then slowly starts crying and breaks down in his arms. End of the movie.

So. If you're watching this movie with a feminist eye, the final scene feels like it makes sense. This poor woman has finally found a way to """escape sex work""" by sticking to one client who's not too bad, and just when it becomes comfortable, she is snatched back to the cold reality. When a man does something nice for her completely selflessly, she reacts by giving him sex because it feels to her like it's the only way to say thank you, she only sees sex as something transactional. What defines her interactions with all men. But when it turns out this man likes her as a person and not just as a piece of meat, she doesn't know how to react because it's so unknown to her. And she ends the movie sobbing because after all that, she has to go back to poverty and full-time sex work.

When it's told like this, it almost seems like this narrative takes a stand against prostitution right? It shows us how it broke this woman, how miserable she is, how it affects all of her relationships. Except that's when it all crumbles, because what makes this movie horrible is that this is very much NOT its message.

(just a quick note about the character of Igor because I don't know where in the review to put this : I'm curious what other women, especially women who are survivors, felt about him. That character actually really worried me for a big part of the film. Every time he was alone with Anora (which happens a few times) I was expecting something horrible to happen. In the end obviously it was fine, because this movie takes place in a fantasy land where strippers love their job and criminal henchmen are never inappropriate towards the tied up prostitute they're meant to be intimidating. And yeah I sincerely believe that the character is supposed to be read as this innocent guy who has a crush on Anora or at least really respects her. That's what I meant by "likes her as a person" anyway!)

As I said at the beginning of this post (approximately 84 years ago) I had a conversation with my mother and brother over some fries after the film. My mother and I started talking about how sad we were for the main character, saying pretty much what I've written in these last paragraphs. And then my brother intervenes. "No" he says. "She's so sad at the end of the film because she was genuinely in love with Ivan and that's why she fought so hard to stay married to him, and she has sex with Igor at the end because she likes him too, she has grown attracted to him during the movie." I'm sure you can imagine the look of disbelieving shock on my mother's and my face. The details of the discussion that followed don't matter (My brother was the only one who hadn't been made extremely uncomfortable by the half hour of sex and stripping in the film, funny that) but it made me think.

Let's see this movie for what it is. It's an hour of misery porn that follows 45 minutes of actual porn. It's the misadventures of a poor prostitute who gets thrown around by the plot, written, directed, and produced by a man who believes prostitution should be 100% unregulated and is proud of being a big onlyfans patron. (and holy shit don't look at his following list on twitter) Oh yeah, and he was okay with not having an intimacy coordinator because Mikey Madison didn't want one. It's fine if it's what she wanted right? Liberal feminism is starting to sound like a parody of itself.

As much as it hurts to admit, I think the film my "male feminist" brother believes he saw is closer to what the creator intended than what I think I saw. Because it just makes sense. If it's a porn fantasy about a prostitute who loves her job and falls in love with a rich client, then yeah, the nudity and sexual content are on theme. The ending is still bleak as fuck tho. But let's not forget that the movie at its core is still just award bait. And no wonder the old guys who give these awards loved it. It was made for them. And it's also easier for everyone, no one likes how dark the real world is. They want easy archetypes. That's why radical feminism is unpopular, it's depressing. This movie's highest rated comment on letterboxd is just "a terrifying tale of dating a mama's boy" because yeah, apparently everybody else agrees that what we saw in this film was "dating". What the hell, sure. I'm sure these people also thought Red Rocket was about a harmless cute couple with a bit of an age gap. Well anyway, that was my last Sean Baker.

Final rating : KAM/10

This post wasn't meant to be this long! I had more to say than expected. The other reviews won't be nearly as long. The only other movie I predict I'll yap this much about might be the other big one. See you tomorrow, same time for part 2!

[kerryshifts]

I’D RATHER GET HIGH FASHION,

that girl reading a book next to sofia coppola? oh, that’s kerry colt.

kerrylyn magnolia colt (born 24 october 2003) is an italian and albanian actress, singer and philosopher. born to luxury brand ‘paradiso’ owner roselyn paradis and owner of luxury car company ‘carvaya’ elia colt, and with martin scorsese as a godfather, she began her acting career in major film as a co-star lolita (2016) and later on pursued a career as a singer with her rock band, their debut album being detention diaries (2019). she also appeared on some of her mother’s fashion runaways, the most known are: paradiso 2020 spring collection & 2023 autumn collection.

in 2022, colt starred in the critically acclaimed film drama saint joan dir. by christopher nolan, winning her first oscar as best actess in a leading role, and making her the youngest female academy award of that category, at only nineteen.

EARLY LIFE.

kerrylyn magnolia colt was born on october 24, 2003, at the gemelli university hospital, to billionaires roselyn paradis and elia colt. her godfather is martin scorsese, who colt later on says ‘is the man that introduced her to cinema’ and the one who told her to follow her own path instead of doing what her parents wanted her to do. on her father’s side, colt is italian, while on her mother’s side, she is of albanian descendants, even if colt claims to have a love-and-hate relationship with that part of her lineage.

when she was three years of age, her parents made the decision to move from rome to new york city, where kerrylyn colt grew up alongside her childhood best friend and self-proclaimed cousin, james potter. her penthouse in manhattan is known by the public as the luxury 80s dream so many people aspire to have. as a child, she often watched films directed by family-friends and barbie movies, and thanks to scorsese, she secretly started having acting lessons. colt later on says that her parents wanted her to use her privilege to do something more important in life instead of acting.

colt first attended the edelrose academy in manhattan from age to 12 until graduation at 17, where she was very popular. her circle was made of the children of some of the most affluent families of europe and united states. since her birth, she has been the subject of tabloid and media reporting, including birthdays, attendance at society events, and reviews of her fashion choices; and this resulted into the public speculating on her friendships and personal romantic interests. at age 16, colt was on covers of magazines who explained in detail her outfit choices, and gossiping about her complicated relationship with the most beloved students at edelrose academy, now writer and director, regulus black.

as a teenager, colt said that the social-media apps such as tumblr made her open her interests in numerous things. at age 15 she anonymously started a blog about spirituality, astrology, showing her love for stevie nicks, lana del rey, nirvana and david bowie, and philosophy; she has said that people seemed interested in reading her takes on death and the universe, (and her humor), so she started researching more, and more, about the meanings of everything. here’s a later-found post of her tumblr when she was still anonymous, before deactivating, and later on used as one of her lyrics:

we are souls with a body not the contrary.

after her first acting role at twelve years old, colt later on says that her parents were very disappointed in her for choosing that career, and, just out of spite, colt lied to her headmaster at edelrose academy and said that her parents were okay with her being part of the edelrose-project-short series baby directed by luca guadagnino, as a lead actress in the role of ludovica. years later, her parents still wonder how the fake documents looked so real.

after graduating at the edelrose academy at 17, colt proceeded with an higher education at the new york academy as a philosophy student, and after completing her advanced studies, becoming a philosopher-scolar.

CAREER.

colt, controversially, made her acting debut in 2016 with a major role in the thriller and psychological horror film lolita. in 2018 she started another major scandal by acting as co-star in the edelrose acting project baby, and almost got everyone involved with the project sued by her parents. in 2019, at age 16, colt began her modeling career as a brand ambassador for the fashion house paradiso. as an act of rebellion against her mother, colt found a way to have a partnership with miu miu, who’s founder had historically a hateful relationship with paradiso’s founder. colt has also modeled for the brands on runways and in numerous fashion magazines, including vogue, glamour, elle, harper’s bazaar, wonderland, love, madame figaro, w, and v.

in the same year, colt and her alternative rock/grunge/desert rock band THE INKSTAINS, signed under the geffen records, made their debut album detention diaries with their producers; dan nigro, jack endino and butch vig. five of their songs peaked number 1 on the billboard hot 100 charts, and surpassed 1 billion streams on spotify. their single my killer became a world-wide sensation. at the v mas, they won: video of the year, best new artist, best rock. while at the grammys, they won: best rock album. during early 2020 they started their ESCAPE TOUR.

in 2020, at age 17, colt had a leading role in the film unholy, dir. by sofia coppola. for her performance in the film, colt was nominated and won the screen actors guild award in outstanding performance by female actress in a leading role. in the same year, she closed the show for the paradiso spring collection runaway.

in 2021 colt got the lead female role in the movie badlands, alongside austin butler as lead male role. colt was nominated and won the marcello mastroianni award. later that year, she dropped her second rock album under the inkstains, rust&ruin, who performed even better than the debut and later on started the IRONWORLDTOUR.

everything changed for colt in 2022, at only 19 years of age. she got casted as lead female role in the movie saint joan, dir. by christopher nolan, and this being her very first taste of respect in hollywood. she won a BAFTA award for best actress in a leading role, and SAG award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role, and academy award for best leading actress. ‘so, uhm, what the fuck’ the famous words of kerrylyn colt with the oscar in her hands.

she reunited with director sofia coppola in 2023 for the shakespeare adaptation romeo & juliet, and later that year lisa frankenstein directed by anna biller. months later, colt stated that lisa frankenstein was her favourite movie she had ever been in.

in 2024, colt starred as ellen hutter, a young woman traumatized by the vampire count orlok, in robert eggers’ gothic horror film nosferatu. terming it a ‘transfixing performance’ the hollywood reporter's david rooney added that "the movie belongs to colt, whose performance is a revelation". nominated for her second academy award, she later that night lost.

in the same year, at age twenty-one, colt got casted alongside some of big & new stars in the industry, for the fantasy tv show mélusine’s ballad. after the success of game of thrones, everyone was looking for a new fantasy adaptation that was about to shape pop culture once again; and directors robert eggers, guillermo del toro, peter jackson & regulus black listened. from 2024 to 2030, colt worked on this masterpiece that got her many emmys. during that summer, THE INKSTAINS released their third studio album. dirtunderglitters and later on started their world tour.

filmography.

discography.

public imagine. (coming soon!)

PERSONAL LIFE.

colt is trilingual in english, italian and albanian, and has italian, albanian and U.S.and citizenship. she has been known by the public since she was younger as the rebellious daughter, not surprising anyone once she started her career as a rockstar. before revealing herself on her tumblr account, colt has been using instagram on-and-off since 2018, gaining a cult following.

even if very private about her personal life, gossip magazines and paparazzi never failed to catch her partying and breaking the rules with her now band members.

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[sirfrogsworth]

These folks watched a whole ass movie not realizing the main character was transgender and it was a 2 second kiss between men that made them lose their ever-loving minds.

It's amazing to me that if it weren't for those 2 seconds, many of these folks would have given this movie a 4 or 5 star review. But two seconds of the most vanilla, non-sexy, yet genuine and loving kiss somehow ruined every moment of enjoyment the previous 90 minutes brought them.

Imagine if they realized the trans allegory. I wish I had a way to tell them. I wish I had a way to make them realize they related to a trans character. That they rooted for them. That they accidentally empathized with a trans story.

This was a beautiful movie. In every sense. I really hope between this and Spider-Verse, we can have a moratorium on every 3D animated movie using this style of character design.

It's time to let go of the rubber toy look.

I love Toy Story, but its success kind of doomed 3D animation to never take any risks. I thought maybe it was just a limitation of the medium, and perhaps it was for a time... but after seeing Love Death + Robots and Arcane...

I realized they can make 3D animation look however the hell they want now.

The rubber people were just risk avoidance.

"That's what people are used to and so we're sticking with it."

But the real beauty of Nimona was the story. I won't spoil it but the plot is pretty much, "If you get to know a trans person, you probably won't hate them anymore."

Not knowing any trans people is one of the biggest factors in anti-trans bigotry. And so this movie uses allegory to let an audience get to know a trans person. And you get to experience someone slowly start to understand what it is to be trans from an outside perspective.

It's sad that will probably be lost on those folks above because all they will remember is the kiss. Seriously, it was such a harmless, mundane, blink-and-you-miss-it kiss. But I'm hoping that others will take the lesson of this movie to heart. That you should get to know people before you judge them.

Part of me does wish we could tell trans stories without allegory. That we could just have overt trans characters. But I think this is the best representation possible right now.

It's crazy that Supergirl was one of the bravest shows as far as modern trans representation. It wasn't an edgy HBO drama trying to push boundaries. It was a family-friendly superhero show and they were just like, "Here is a transgender woman with superpowers and it's fine." And I loved that it was part of the character but it wasn't all the character was. Though I think they just missed the manufactured "moral panic" window where that choice would have been extremely controversial causing boycotts of Warner Bros. and whatnot.

My only complaint about Nimona was a small penis joke. It went by very quickly and many may even miss it. But I was surprised to see it in this movie in particular. Especially since those jokes can have collateral damage toward trans folks. With all of the positive messages, wasting a joke on body shaming was a tad disappointing. I mean, it was a fairly lighthearted "Is it cold in here?" joke. I don't want to make it sound worse than it was. But it still registered on my Richter scale of things that bother me.

Anyway, I wholeheartedly give Nimona a 5 out of 5. It helped me understand my friends on a deeper level and it was warm and funny and entertaining. There was a scene at the end that was so beautiful and heart-wrenching and I was crying my eyes out. The animation and the symbolism and the acting were just so perfect.

It's a shame Disney tried to kill this movie. But I am so glad it was allowed to exist despite that.

[mightmovies]

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