"Lady Ballers" (2023)

It has been quite a while since I've watched a brand new movie.  Part of it was "life," but also part has been nothing has really grabbed my interest enough to want to see it.  I have a few movies I've purchased, but even now, they sit on the coffee table waiting...waiting.  They even still have the plastic wrappers still on.  Maybe I'll get them watched over the holiday break...or maybe not.  We'll see.  In the meantime, tonight I decided to watch Lady Ballers.  This was a good see.

This kept my interest for the whole movie.  More than that, I can see actually watching this movie a second time.  The story arc was good.  I liked the ending.  It made sense how they got into the predicaments and how they got out of things in the end.  It had the right mix of humor and serious moments while maintaining the overall comedy genre.  I only wish I weren't still prone to coughing/hacking (recent illness) in order to full-out laugh.  All the more reason to re-watch it again later.

Some of the fun of this movie was to watch things get crazier and crazier.  I especially enjoyed the progression of change from the two WIAW newscasters.  Some of the other fun with this movie was spotting where the different personalities from the Daily Wire--and Jeremy's products--would make their appearance.  Some subtle appearances.  Some not so subtle.  And some was hearing particular lines coming out of particular personalities' mouths (Ben Shapiro, Brett Cooper, Matt Walsh, etc.).

I also quite liked the choice of ballet-music as the music of choice for some of the sports montages, heightened by the slo-mo and staging choices.

This was a comedy that I could enjoy, and I do recommend that others see it.  It is well worth the watch.

"A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits" (2016)

 My second dive into Tubi on Roku resulted in me coming across this film.  As I've said before, I'm a sucker for a good Cinderella story.  That's probably my favorite story type, and this was a fun find.  It's carried out in the vein of a musical--both in story style and a large part of the setting.  

The costumes were so much fun.  Oh, my--Divine's outfits were hilariously and wonderfully over the top.  Olympia (the short one) was a extremely close second.  Okay, those two might be a tie.  The show's costumes fit into style of musical theatre, too.  

I love the comic ploys to extend and cover delays in the play within a play.

It had the right amount of songs and dance sequences.  I kind of liked the repeated song motif that they went with.  I could live with the lip synced songs, although, I was momentarily pulled out each time the transition happened, especially at the start of the song.

I was okay with the choice for Cinderella to save herself--and it did work for this movie--but it's also one of the things I like about this story line, so I miss it when it doesn't happen.  I know that if  the script writers would have had "Prince Charming" come to save Cinderella, there would be push back criticizing the story bit in terms of modern public values.

But that's just it.

Sometimes a person finds themself so buried in a situation that it takes someone outside of themselves to say, "Hey, let me lend you a hand." And that moment, is one of this story arc's sweet spots.  Instead, this Cinderella had a split moment of stress, a huff, and then, "Okay, how do I solve this?"  So, she sings, dances, fixes motors, and saves herself.  So, why did she need "Prince Charming" again?  The answer to that makes me sad.

Missing sweet spots aside (yes, plural), I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Once I decided to deliberately suspend my disbelief (and I had to take a firm step in that direction to have that happen), then I am relaxed into enjoying the show.  In fact, I definitely would watch this again...and again.  That's a "win!" that I don't say about musicals very often.

"Queen Bees" (2021)

 "It will be funny!"

"We laughed--a lot!"

"It's so funny!"

My friends had heard this a lot, and the trailer certainly tried to promote this movie as a comedy.  I will attest that the group of movie go-ers in front of us did laugh throughout film, so would probably agree with the sentiments above.  I, however, have a much drier sense of humor, so I would not have called this a comedy.  

That said, I will admit that "Rom-Com" is probably the genre that fits this movie best.  The romance story line for this movie was good, the characters well-developed--or at least good enough for a Rom-Com, and almost had the makings for an all-around sweet, light-hearted escape.

Almost.

I have been trying to guess what happened.  Maybe the writers/movie makers took a detour in the midst of the otherwise solid movie because of compromises made behind the scenes; or maybe the choices were dictated by those who had a different vision from those who had the original concept; or maybe it was an attempt to add elements to make the movie conform to a particular standard genre; or maybe it was trying too hard to be funny (which isn't effective); or maybe it was a new writer/director/somebody trying out their wings and still growing in confidence and skill.  I'm not sure what it is.  I only know that the movie wasn't 100% cohesive, and the non-cohesive part felt forced.

Authors know that sometimes cuts have to be made if something isn't contributing to the bigger whole.  Sometimes those cuts are painful or difficult, but the end result is a better product.  I wished that that had been done because this movie had the makings to be a 9 out of 10.  Instead, I was left feeling that it had reached a 7.7.  

I think I would've loved what was done with the end credits, but my personal experience was marred a little by an unfortunate incident that happened within my specific movie-going experience; so, I can only surmise what I think the effect of the end credits would have been, and I think I would've loved it.

Positives:  The romance story really is quite sweet.  Seeing the friendships start to come together was also promising.

Suggestions for improvement:  read  "The Miller, his Son, and the Ass"

"Jungle Cruise" (2021)

I didn't know I was going to be going to the movies and didn't know a thing about this movie beforehand, but I don't mind going into a movie blind.  

For the most part, the movie did a good job.  Decent plot (8 out 10), although the plot-twist was fun because I didn't see it coming.  Acceptable characters (7.5 out 10, [although I'd add more to that rating for Frankie's looks]).  Gorgeous music--especially during the end credits (10 out of 10).  Action sequences (9.5 out 10).  Humor (8 out of 10).  All of the elements combined together created an enjoyable diversion that afternoon.  The scenery and set were wonderful (10 out of 10).  

But, aside from the music and the set, I don't know that there was much to make the movie standout (e.g memorable lines, captivating moments/scene).  That said, I'm definitely looking up that end music again.

"The Man Who Invented Christmas" (2017)

When a friend recommended this movie to me, I was intrigued and skeptical.  Intrigued because as a novel writer myself, I can relate to characters existing "in the room"--so I wanted to see how close someone else's view was of this.  (It was practically identical.  Nice.)  Skeptical because I wasn't sure how much of my own writer's experiences would get in the way of just being able to enjoy the movie.  While there were moments where I worried whether this movie's Dickens would lose a page or miss a deadline, the direction, editing, and writing of this movie quickly assured me that these common plot elements had no place here and would not be making any appearances in this film.  With only a fleeting moment or two to give such a worry place in mind, the worries were quickly dispelled, and I was happily able to just enjoy this movie.

This "retelling" of A Christmas Carol was well done.  It was nice being able to just follow Dickens's story along as he was creating it, and the interspersion of London came at welcome intervals.  There was a good balance of up and down moments, and of serious and comical story threads.  The music played to this wonderfully well--"amusing" music lest we take ourselves too serious for too long, and tugs of more serious tones lest the movie get too shallow or too silly--tugs assisted by art direction, of course.

I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Dickens' listening in.  Make-up/costuming with Dickens's red, sleep-lost eyes was noticed and appreciated.  The bright red cover of the finished book at the end.  Just the right length of movie, and suitable end credit music to help the audience reluctantly leave the world of Dickens to return home.  The two screens of historical note material was probably the best way to have done that--although, the movie did end with the line of eager customers at the store--a cozily lit store surrounded by snow and closed businesses--and a reading of the newspaper review in the Christmas-y parlor.

Well done.  Merry Christmas!

"Wonder Woman" (2017)

Well, I've finally seen it.  Finally watched this movie.  And it took me a while because I was quite conscious of all the hype that was made about this movie when it originally came out.  As such, I think this response needs two parts.

First, the movie itself--just as it is:  a movie.  Plot was fine--nothing elaborate.  Characters weren't flat, but basic.  The action/fight sequences were fun to watch.  And all the other aspects--set, costume, music, etc.--quite adequate.  Good even.  High points of quality:  the action sequences, and the way Gal Gadot carried Diana--her poise, her bearing, her charisma.  As a movie, I'd give it an 8 out 10, maybe even 8.5.  But as far a movie goes, I don't know that there's too much more to say.  The movie seems to hang it's hat on the action sequences--and if it was merely aiming at a good action movie that carried out DC's conception of Wonder Woman for a modern audience, then it was successful.  Quite successful.  Well done.

But I can't help noticing that the second part of this response colors the my thoughts on the first, and in that respects, I was quite disappointed.

The second part of this response is all the things that surrounded this movie when it came out.  There was a great deal of hoopla at the time.  The movie was being touted as a celebration of women.  There was even a little bit of controversy as some movie theaters held the first showing of the movie for women only (and some of the men didn't like being excluded).  And a few of those who saw it came out of the theater vindicated and ecstatic that the movie was a celebration of women. 

So, maybe all of this set the movie up for higher expectations within me--higher than it should have, higher than what may be was realistic. 

I can see that if a person wanted to see women as equal to men--as better than men--then, I suppose the movie accomplished that.  But what does that mean?  Within this movie, it means they gave a woman the bigger weapon, the better skills, and the higher success rate than the male characters. 

Is that a celebration of women?  That sounds more like trying to make a woman become a man, not celebrate being a woman. 

Oh, I know.  There are those who would say, "I am tired of seeing men get all the laud, and women being lowered..." [or whatever adjective would be chosen to be put there].  "...and it was time to show that women could be a hero/heroine just as much as men."  I still can't help feeling like something's been lost.  It's kind of like the old story of a woman climbing the business ladder only to find that what it took to climb ladder (male tactics) made her lose all the qualities that made her uniquely a woman.

If I'm looking at this movie as a story, as a movie, then it was a good movie--8 or 8.5 out of 10.  If I'm looking at this movie as a "celebration of women," then I think it is a failure.  I think that there needs to be a better movie that can celebrate those things a woman can do that a man can't, and that would be a "celebration of women."  I can think of several movies plus a few characters that do a better job on that front.  Ocean's Eight pulls off fashion, smarts, the ability to blend in, and most importantly collectivity--almost a sisterhood--between the characters.  That's something you'll find in the female aspects of our society  Even The Single Moms Club does a much better job celebrating what makes women unique and wonderful. 

It's also one thing to be brave when you're invincible.  It's another thing to be brave when you're not.  Think of the character Narcissa Malfoy who for the love of her son has the nerve to ask someone trying to look dead if her son is alive and then turn and lie to Voldemort about it.  Talk about a gutsy woman.  As for action scenes, we have that too:  Turn to Lara Croft to find a way to take an action sequence and make it over into a woman's style, and not just give the girl a bigger "gun."

So if you're looking for a page out of the comics brought to life, if you just want to see a woman "kick some butt," then this movie is great for that.  I'll completely support that.  But if you're wanting a movie to "celebrate women," then I think you need to keep looking.

"Ocean's Eight" (2018)

Having seen the other three Ocean's movies (still haven't seen the original, though), this one had me intrigued and it did not disappoint. 

I came across it on a Mother's Day display, and it caught my attention.  It amuses me that the girls could do their heist in less numbers than the guys and do it with their own flair.

It's a light movie, but that's what it was meant to be.  Would love to have seen a few more personality moments, though, from each of the eight.  I mean, we have come a ways from the original TV show Charlie's Angels where the girls are just active figures with no distinguishing personality traits, right?  Right?

I did enjoy the runway exit for ladies displaying the re-cut jewelry and their fancy garb, but I'm afraid my "I want to re-watch that moment" might be limited to Awkwafina's stall sprawl and a few other of her smooth moves such as her pocketing this and depositing that.  Maybe Rose Weil's Met Gala outfit.

That said, I do recommend this movie as a good watch, worth the time.