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abbybakersfield
Reviews
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Brilliant Writing
One of the best films of 2020. This time awards season got it right. Fascinating, important historical topic with smart, entertaining dialogue. Just watch it.
Ava (2020)
Decent thriller but needed more heart
It's not unlike a bunch of spy/assassin thriller type movies that are out there with the schemes, kills, and action thrills. But it failed to develop Jessica Chastain's character as super sympathetic, so you're really just in it for the action pieces, but unlike a movie like Atomic Blonde which lacked heart but made up for it with amazing action, Ava's action is adequate but not awesome. Partly because Chastain doesn't really run or move like someone who I'd believe could kick ass.
Bridgerton (2020)
Cute but overrated
Totally overrated but still cute and fun. I was more interested in some of the other family members' side stories than I was in the two main romantic leads. Daphne's character was so sweet and proper that I found her a bit boring. The Duke was handsome but also felt a little bland. I also don't understand all the buzz about how "hot" the sex scenes were. They felt pretty vanilla overall and at times unintentionally comical.
The first half of the season had WAY more momentum than the second half, at which point it started to amble about with drama that felt really artificial no matter how hard the writers and actors tried to invent "conflict."
Some of the side stories with the "less perfect" characters that seem to be developed for later seasons show promise though, so I'll probably check out season 2.
Happiest Season (2020)
Charming Christmas Rom-Com
In the opening scenes, I wasn't so sure about this movie. I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie or one of Netflix's typically underwhelming Christmas movies, but then the humor got a bit edgier and the characters pulled me in, and I realized it was far superior. Kristen Stewart is quite good in this. Relatable and funny in s very subtle way. A good mixture of comedy and romance and holiday spirit.
Belgravia (2020)
Good until the Terrible Ending - Skipped ALL of the emotional payoffs
Ugh. Why do the creators of Downton Abbey constantly fall short of what they are capable of? Seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey were fabulous. But later seasons of that series and the Belgravia series fall prey to the same thing over and over again - putting all of the important emotional scenes (the payoffs, the confrontations, etc). OFF SCREEN. Instead, they cutely cut to the scene AFTER the meat. Guess what? If someone is going to tell someone that they are in love with them, I want to see it. Don't cut to the hand-holding after the fact!
Lazy writing? For sure. An attempt to not seem melodramatic? Maybe. What ever the faulty reasoning behind this repeated offense, Belgravia does a good job in the early episodes of setting up scenarios that should give you major payoffs that you anticipate over its 8 episodes....Only to have a rushed finale that SKIPS the most highly anticipated scenes. CUT TO: the wrap-up after the fact. I don't think I'll be watching anymore Julian Fellowes shows. After getting cheated out of the emotional payoff, I feel as though I wasted 8 hours. Prior to the finale, I would give the series a "7" ranking. The finale itself was a "1" ranking. Thus, I give it a "3" overall.
Ma (2019)
Sillier than expected
This trailer looked like great horror film fun, but it's mostly just kind of silly. The whole premise doesn't need to be so implausible but the way is plays out is pretty unbelievable (that these kids go party at Ma's house and then stay there after Ma pulls a gun on one of them - just a funny prank - hahaha......).
Another weird aspect was the casting of the male leads. Two of the guys look almost identical. None of the young actors in the ensemble are famous, so it's so important to cast people that don' t look like each other. I literally couldn't tell the two guys apart.
Despite the Falling Snow (2016)
Pretty cinematography
This movie has a lush, romanticized wartime feel. But I wish that it hadn't started in present day though, because in doing so, it diminished some of the intensity and intrigue around the past story.
Forever My Girl (2018)
Like a faith film Hallmark hybrid
I thought this was a romantic movie with promise when I turned it on. Its saccharine feel made me start to question immediately if I was watching a faith film. It either had to be that or a Hallmark romance. As it were, it had the hint of the former but could have easily aired on the latter. I just get bored with stories that are watered down with no real grit or humanity. So it never really got me.