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Child's Play (1988)

For my final movie review, I want to go back to the horror film that changed my childhood. Tom Holland and Don Mancini created Child’s Play in 1988. This cult classic is so dear to my heart. The story follows a young boy, Andy who is gifted a Good Guy doll for his birthday. Alex Vincent was only six years old when he played Andy. He is the highlight of the film. His innocence adds to the character of the movie. Of course, the doll is not just any doll. It had been possessed by murderer Charles Lee Ray during his death at a toy store. Unlike the later films in the Chucky franchise, Child’s Play takes on more of a serious, frightening tone. Chucky is not as active in this film as in the others, which helps build suspense even though we know he is a killer. This will forever be one of my favorite films due to its uniqueness. It was the beginning of a character that would stand for decades.

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The Color Purple (2023)

The newly reimagined ‘The Color Purple’ was a phenomenal watch. Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, the film was a vibrant and entertaining journey. Although the music takes away from the seriousness of the original, the story is not lost in the songs. Fantasia plays an emotional Celie that pulls at your heartstrings watching her life story. I loved how they had Whoopi Goldberg, the original Celie in the first film, deliver Celie’s baby in this film. It was a great call back to the distinguished 1985 film. The casting director did a phenomenal job at casting great vocalists who take the story to another level. Taraji P. Henson’s character, Shug, was a highlight of the film. Her energy and presence gave Celie’s trauma-filled life another meaning. I enjoyed how we saw more of Celie’s attraction to Shug in this version as well. To conclude, if you enjoy musicals, you will more than enjoy this reimagined classic.

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Love & Basketball (2000)

For my final film review, I decided to choose the most prominent rom-com in the Black community, Love and Basketball. I must admit at times the movie had me blushing and kicking my feet at certain times as a young girl, but watching now the relationship was too toxic. Sanaan Lathan and Omar Epps play Monica and Quincy, the couple in the movie. Even from childhood, their relationship was tumultuous. As kids, they physically fought after becoming “boyfriend-girlfriend”, which set the tone for how their adulthood relationship would play out. The film also shined light on the gender roles and expectations of women who play basketball. Monica struggled with being forced to be feminine by her mother and sister. I love how the film showed how femininity does not equate to gender identity and sexuality. Their relationship faced some issues in college, which were all caused by Quincy. I believe he was able to do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted, while Monica had to be perfect in the relationship. Although I still love the film, I believe he did her wrong too many times for it to be a true lovely romance movie.

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Lemonade Mouth (2011)

Lemonade Mouth is arguably one of the most underrated Disney Channel Originals of the 2010s decade. Not only is the plot great, but the soundtrack really elevates the film. Directed by Patricia Riggen, the movie follows the journey of a high school band that consists of outlier students. The five band members met in detention and there was instant musical chemistry. I enjoy that each member of the band has their own individual struggles that they must work through. My personal favorite scene is when they perform at their school’s Halloween bash. The two songs are absolute bangers and they show that sometimes authority must be dismantled. The movie also highlights the significance of respecting the arts in schools along with sports. The end goal of the band was to win a big competition with a record deal as the reward. In classic Disney style, they did not win the competition due to external issues, but they won “something much bigger”.

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High School Musical 3 (2008)

High School Musical is the most popular Disney franchise of all time. Of course, the first film in the trilogy is a classic, but the third movie takes the cake as the greatest in the series. The third film has always been dear to my heart. I have rewatched the movie plenty of times, but watching it the day before graduating high school gave me a bittersweet feeling. The movie captures the feeling of ending a chapter in your life and moving on to the next. I related to the pressure of figuring out what I wanted to do in college and what school would be best for me to pursue. One of the biggest ways this movie stands out in comparison to the previous two is the camera quality. This film was made for the big screens in the theatres. The songs in the film are well-written and catchy. Overall, High School Musical 3 is a feel-good Disney classic that hits your heart in all of the right places. 

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Hamilton (2020)

This may not be qualified as a movie, but since the musical is filmed and uploaded onto Disney Plus, it will be included in my reviews. Hamilton is undeniably the most impactful and popular musical in recent years. Lin Manuel Miranda crafted an amazing story through his incredible songwriting. My only critique is that I do believe Lin does not have the vocal skillset that the rest of the cast members have and that difference is quite evident. Nevertheless, Lin Manuel portrays Hamilton and his ambitious personality quite well. The leading cast is amazing as well. Daveed Diggs plays such a charismatic Thomas Jefferson that it almost makes you forget about how terrible the actual man was. I believe the true highlight of this film/musical is the portrayal of Hamilton’s nemesis, Aaron Burr. Leslie Odom Jr. is truly an incredible singer and actor. The musical humanizes Burr to more than just the villain in Alexander Hamilton’s story. Overall, Lin crafted a brilliant and entertaining musical. 

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Mean Girls (2024)

The Mean Girls Movie Musical was such a fun watch. The viral TikTok videos of people shaming the film because they did not know it was a musical didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Granted, I am a huge fan of musicals, so my enjoyment was expected. My only negative take from the film is the casting of the role of Cady. Angourie Rice plays Cady in the musical and she falls flat in comparison to her castmates. Her acting was sufficient, but it is obvious she isn’t trained in musical theatre singing. On the other hand, Renee Rapp, who plays Regina George, was phenomenal. She played Regina George in the Broadway musical so it was only fitting for her to continue her role. Her voice sent chills throughout my body throughout every scene. The original Mean Girls film is probably ten times better, but I do believe the directors nailed this adaptation of the Broadway musical. To conclude, I would recommend this film if you’re looking for a hilarious, entertaining musical for the night.

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The Underdogg (2024)

The Underdogg produced by the legendary rapper, Snoop Dogg may be the most weirdly entertaining movie I’ve watched this year. Snoop Dogg’s character is a former NFL player ordered to serve his community for reckless driving. For his service, he decides to coach a youth football team. The movie decides the comedic focal point is a group of rowdy, fouled-mouth children. Once the initial shock of how the children speak wears off, it is repetitive and annoying. Personally, children cursing and throwing out sexual innuendos to children is not funny, but I regress. The movie's plot is similar to every underdog sports movie, but it is enjoyable. Snoop’s love interest in the film looks thirty years younger than him, so I couldn’t get on board with the relationship. Luckily, that wasn’t the focal point of the film. In the end, his team lost in the championship, but they were happy to have each other as a team regardless. Overall, the film lacks emotion and depth, but it is fun to watch on a boring day.

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Moana (2016)

It would be criminal to not think of the beautiful film Moana in terms of great animated movies. I believe this film is the gem of recent Disney Channel originals. Not only is the film visually stunning, but the plot is outstanding as well. The film follows a young girl, Moana, who is the future chief of her island, Motunui. Ancient Polynesian monsters cursed her island and the only way to break it was to restore the heart of Te Fiti. Moana’s father forbids her from going out to the sea, although her body has been called to it her entire life. She disregards his wishes once her grandmother passes away, whom had had encouraged her to in her final moments. She voyages out to the sea in hopes of finding a demigod, Maui, who can help her. Maui is played by The Rock. His character is arrogant and hilarious and brings a sense of comedy to the film. Moana’s triumph outstands her struggles in the end and her people are saved. The film’s soundtrack is one of its highlights. “Where We Are” written by Lin Manuel Miranda has just the right amount of ancient influence to bring the audience in. All in all, this film teaches a story of self-discovery and perseverance through a strongheaded female protagonist.

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Barbie (2023)

The Barbie movie undeniably was the movie of the summer back in 2023. Now that the hype has worn down, I can watch and digest it without the pressure of social media’s hype. The vibrant movie starring the wonderful Margot Robbie missed the mark for me. The plot was too apparent for me in the film's first fifteen minutes. The feminist storyline could have been much greater if it was not so surface-level. I do understand the movie could inspire young girls, but as a young woman, I was left feeling the same way about being a woman as I had before watching the film. I do believe Margot did a phenomenal job as Barbie. She and the song “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish were the film's highlights. Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken was hilarious, but I believe casting a man just a tad bit younger would have made the film more visually pleasing. To conclude, the film was okay and could have been better if the director had gone deeper with the theme.

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Remember the Titans (2000)

Remember the Titans is a feel-good sports movie that is executed phenomenally. This film has been rewatched on my Disney Plus account too many times to count. Denzel Washinton plays the role of a coach who has his hands filled with leading a racially integrated football team in its first season. The film demonstrates how racial tension can be erased with quality time and bonding. The football team learned how to treat one another with respect, all while succeeding as a team. The real trial comes when the boys have to return to school after living in bliss during Summer training. The reality of the integration of schools causes conflict throughout the film. The personalities of the football players play a major part in why the film is so enjoyable. They are the real stars of the film. All in all, the film is truly a great family watch that will leave you feeling satisfied.

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Saltburn (2023)

Watching Saltburn was quite a displeasing experience. The film went quite viral on TikTok for its “shocking” scenes, so my friends and I decided to watch it as a group. Watching a man drink the semen of his friend that he was slightly obsessed with out of his bathtub was not my cup of tea, unfortunately.  Weird things are not likely to freak me out often, so seeing the scenes that went viral didn’t make me scream like everyone else on social media; it just came off as forced edginess. Regardless of the disturbing scenes, the thriller was quite predictable. As an avid book reader, I could have told you Oliver’s plans from the beginning. On a positive note, the cinematography was phenomenal and Jacob Elordi is great to look at, but that is not enough to make a great film. All in all, I wish I could get my time back and I hope the director, Emerald Fennel, has some stronger films under her belt.

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Get Out (2017)

This film was the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. I have never watched a movie more intriguing and show-stopping. The psychological thriller follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) and his visit to his girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) home. Once Chris arrives at her home, he notices the peculiarness of the workers in the home, who are all Black. He also meets a Black man who goes missing and undergoes an entire personality change. Unknowingly to him, he’d be an unwilling participant in a silent auction for his body. Race plays a significant role in the telling of this story.  There is quite a bit of unsettling symbolism that one may not catch on their first viewing of the movie. It is something that you would need to watch multiple times to fully digest all of the foreshadowing and directing decisions. Peele tells a bigger picture that racism is still at the forefront of American issues and that the good guys can sometimes win.

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Red White and Royal Blue (2023)

Matthew Lopez’s film is an adaption of the popular book written by Casey McQuiston. This adaptation brings back all the good feelings of a classic rom-com in a queer perspective. The main characters, Prince Henry of England (Nicholas Galetzine), and Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the United States, have negative feelings towards one another due to a misunderstanding in the past. They have to meet again at the Royal Wedding. There, the infamous ‘Cakegate’ situation occurs, resulting in a friendship PR tour by Henry and Alex. This leads to a whirlwind secret romance between the two. The chemistry between the two actors is unbelievably strong and jumps out of the screen to the viewers. Popular LGBTQ+ movies usually have tragic, despairing endings, so Red White and Royal Blue is a breath of fresh air in the genre. There is always a need for a cheesy, romantic, feel-good movie that hits the right spot in the heart.