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Ben’s Breakdown | “Red, White & Royal Blue” is almost a fairy tale come true.
Adapting books to the big screen is not new. Many Hollywood blockbusters came from an original novel. Many times it works. Sometimes it fails pretty badly. And sometimes you get something that is somewhat good but can’t snag that elusive gold ring. As romantic comedies go, this one is pretty basic. The adult child of…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Citadel” Two Episode Thoughts
Agent Nadia Sinh is working a spy case on a train in Europe. She is, to her surprise, backed by Agent Mason Kane. Just as she is about to achieve the mission’s goal, she learns that the mission was a setup by an enemy agency. There is a bomb on the trail, and Agents Sinh…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Judy Blume Forever” – A Revelation
I don’t think there is anyone of my age that didn’t grow up with Judy Blume. Her books and writing were groundbreaking and instrumental to so many on their path to adulthood. My hope was that the documentary would reveal truths about Judy Blume and that the film would reveal who she is to a…
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Andrea’s Angle | “On a Wing and a Prayer” – Feel Good Story, Heavy-Handed Message
One of the main reasons I wanted to watch this film is I’ve always been a fan of Dennis Quaid. He generally has a good track record in films, and most of the films he’s been in have been engaging. After watching this film, Dennis Quaid gives his usual strong performance with a story that…
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Ben’s Breakdown | As The Sun Also Sets, Life Becomes A “Soapdish”
It’s not uncommon to see a movie or some other artistic work and recognize where art is imitating life. What can be a surprise is when the lives of those in the movie are imitating the art they are a part of, and sometimes the result can be outrageously funny. Celeste Talbert is a soap…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Shotgun Wedding” Blows Up Comedy Target
From the first moment I saw the trailer, I was dying to see this movie. While I haven’t watched many of Jennifer Lopez’s films, I was familiar with the rest of the cast, especially comedy heavyweights Jennifer Coolidge and Cheech Marin. The film looked like an amazing combination of action, romance, and comedy. After watching,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Nanny” – Beautiful and Strange
I was wildly interested in Nanny. It looked unusual and different. I also have found Anna Diop mesmerizing in other performances. With an intriguing cast and an interesting premise, I hoped the film would be as compelling as the cast. When I watched the screening, I found Anna Diop mysterious and engaging. The film’s story…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Good Night Oppy” – Sublime Depiction of Human Endeavor
Good Night Oppy is amongst that rare breed, a documentary that is as fascinating and endearing as any fiction film. Depicting the journey of the Mar rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, from idea to creation to their time on the red planet, the documentary enlivens the audience with adventure, emotion, and the potential for human accomplishment.…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Anything’s Possible” – Authentic Acting
With the film Anything’s Possible, I was excited because the film has Billy Porter in his debut as a director. Having enjoyed him in his own movies and shows, I was excited to see what he would bring, especially with a story featuring a trans character. Since I believe we need more authentic representation in…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Don’t Make Me Go” – Unexpected and Emotional
I’ve been a fan of John Cho for years, since his days in the Harold and Kumar films. Having seen his work in many films and shows, I was very hopeful about the quality of the movie. Despite the subject, a dying man, this film goes to some unexpected places, is full of humor and…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Emergency” – Wild and Unexpectedly Insightful
When I first watched the trailer, I expected a college buddy comedy. However, as much as the billing of this movie is as a comedy, it is something far different and better; it is a satire, delving into race and politics as well as the nature of friendship. Not only are the performances brilliant and…
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Andrea’s Angle | “All the Old Knives” – Sizzling Intrigue
When I heard about this film, I was excited over two aspects: The cast, including Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, and Laurence Fishburne, all of who are excellent performers and who I have enjoyed on screen. I also was intrigued by the plot which sounded compelling and as though it would make an intriguing mystery. Fortunately,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Lucy and Desi” – Work of Love
When I heard about this documentary, I was beyond excited. I adored I Love Lucy on reruns when I was a child. I had also seen the fictionalized film Being the Ricardos and loved the bits of insight in the movie. What I was hoping for was that this documentary would bring even more enlightenment…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Alex Rider” Season 2: Three Episode Thoughts
Alex is a teenager in high school in England who finds himself recruited by the agency MI6 (or rather a dark offshoot for more “dirty work”) as a result of trying to get to the truth regarding his uncle’s death. He’s recruited for a special mission regarding an unusual school for troubled youth from rich…
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Andrea’s Angle | “I Want You Back” – Offbeat and Hilarious
I love a great Rom-Com. And when I watched the trailer, this particular romantic comedy looked extremely intriguing, with a potentially different plot and unique characters. After watching the film, I found the premise offbeat, the acting fantastic and the comedy elements are on point. This is one romantic comedy done right. I Want You…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” – Fun Addition to Series
The “Hotel Transylvania” movies are meant for families and children. The first time I watched one I wasn’t expecting it to be as fun as it was but it was surprisingly good with lots of witty insights and family love. With this fourth film in the series, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sometimes sequels…
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Ben’s Breakdown | Mixed Messages are at the Heart Of “A Hero.”
A man who is on a two-day furlough from a debtor’s prison is given an opportunity to pay his creditor and be freed from jail. However, he isn’t comfortable with the means this money came about and desires to see it returned to its rightful owner. What he does not foresee is the amount of…
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Ben’s Holiday Breakdown | “The Perfect Wedding” Is The Perfect Holiday Love Story!
It’s coming up on Christmas and the Fowler family is also knee-deep into wedding preparations for their daughter Alana. Because of the enormity of the upcoming nuptials the whole family, along with friends and extended family, have been called together to help out. This includes Roy Madigan, Alana’s best friend who also happens to be…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Tender Bar” – Great Performances, Shallow Story
When I watched the trailer for The Tender Bar, I was incredibly interested. It looked funny and has an incredible cast, including Christopher Lloyd, Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan, and Lily Rabe. I’ve been a fan of Christopher Lloyd forever, I like Ben Affleck when he’s in a solid role and have loved Lily Rabe in…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Being the Ricardos” – Stellar Cast and Story
I admit that I grew up on reruns of I Love Lucy and like everyone who watched the live show, I absolutely loved it. I’m fairly certain that I watched every episode and fell in love with Lucy and Ricky. But I also loved Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. When I heard about this film,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Encounter” – Powerful Performances
When I heard about Encounter, I was intrigued by the premise, especially as it dealt with a father and his two young sons. I also discovered that the main lead is Riz Ahmed with Octavia Spencer in a secondary role. Both actors are phenomenal and I was hoping the film would live up to my…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” Gives Beautiful and Moving Insight into Autism
My only familiarity with Louis Wain was from his beautiful cat drawings and illustrations I had seen in my youth, but I knew nothing of the man. When I learned of this movie it was apparent to me that I had to see it because it not only starred an actor who has made an…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Black as Night” – Entertaining Twist on Vampires
I’ve liked quite a few of the Blumhouse films and learning that Amazon Prime and they have teamed up to offer double features for October, made me want to check out one of their films in the selection, Black as Night. Not only does it have vampires in New Orleans but Keith David is in…
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Andrea’s Angle | “My Name is Pauli Murray” – Extraordinary Vision, Extraordinary Person
I found it absolutely terrible that I’d not heard of Pauli Murray. History does not give Pauli credit for their work, for their vision, for their extraordinary words. Once I read the synopsis of the documentary, I knew I had to watch the film. For me, it was incredible to learn about Pauli, their life,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” – Empowering and Emotional
When I saw the trailer for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, I knew that I wanted to see it. It looked fun with a great cast so I was excited to watch it. I thought the premise of the main character wanting to be a drag queen sounded intriguing. Since watching it, I am absolutely in…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Cinderella” – Inspiring Cast, Unoriginal Story
When I watched the trailer for Cinderella, I was excited. It looked like the story was going to be a slightly different twist on a very old story. The story has had many variations and it is difficult to come up with a new spin. The cast looked excellent and I looked forward to seeing…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Annette” – Surreal and Original
Written by Ron and Russel Mael of Sparks, I was intensely curious about this highly unusual film. Not only is the film original in it’s presentation but the premise is interesting as well. With the addition of Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, I was hopeful for a creative film. And that is exactly what we…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Tomorrow War”: Engaging and Smart
When I saw the trailer for The Tomorrow War, frankly, I was excited. I love science fiction, I love time travel, and the actors involved are talented. It had an intriguing premise. My excitement after watching the film has not waned. While the trailer is a bit misleading, the overall story is clever, the film…
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Andrea’s Angle | “P!NK: All I Know So Far”: Authentic Portrait of a Talented Woman
I have to admit to not being terribly familiar with the singer’s P!NK’s work. I have my favorites and hadn’t branched out much but I was curious about her. I’d heard of her, especially because of her outspoken advocacy of LGBT rights and support of same-sex marriage as well as her work with the Human…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Justice Society: World War II” Is A Modern Look Into The Past
While most comic book fans my age might fall into the camp of the Silver Age of comics, I’m a massive fan of the Golden Age. I’ve always appreciated these heroes who fought the good fight during World War II and some of those heroes were never updated when we came into the Silver Age…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Without Remorse” Delivers A Stale Story, But With Emotional Acting
Having grown up on Tom Clancy in various forms of film and books (My dad was a huge fan), I was absolutely looking forward to Without Remorse. With the addition of Michael B. Jordan, whose powerful performance in Black Panther made me a fan of his work, it was guaranteed that I’d want to see…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Invincible” – Season 1: 3 Episode Thoughts
Animated superhero shows have been around for decades. From the earliest Superman short films, we were always shown the noble hero who could do no wrong and was truly invincible. He might have the occasional setback, but both his physical strength and his strength of character would see him through. Those animated features have evolved…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Coming 2 America”: Laugh-Out-Loud Funny
With over thirty years since the original film, one wouldn’t think a sequel would even happen. However, I watched the original when it came out and it is one of my favorite Eddie Murphy films. So I was totally interested when I heard they were making the film and couldn’t wait to see what they…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” Is Perfectly, Wonderfully Imaginative
I was so intrigued as soon as I read about this film. First, it is written by Lev Grossman, of Magicians fame. I really loved that series and while I haven’t read the books, felt like anything written by him would be engaging and interesting. Plus, the idea of two people reliving the same day…
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Andrea’s Angle | For a Sci-Fi Romance “Bliss” is Surreal yet Beautiful
Some films bring together ideas and actors that are an incredible draw. I’ve rarely been disappointed with any movie that Salma Hayek stars in and I’ve always found Owen Wilson to be likable in his roles. The plot is fantastical and mind-bending, a story that makes the audience question what is reality and had me…
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Andrea’s Angle | Hear Voices From The Past in “One Night in Miami”
Even just reading the description of this film, I could see the potential, the possibilities for it to speak to not only a particular point in time but also address some of the racial inequities that continue. When I saw that it also featured Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr, Eli Goree, Kingsley Ben-Adir, my hopes…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Herself”: Emotional and Empowering
Herself was a film I wanted to watch from the first moment I read the description. While I knew there would be intense scenes in the film, that it depicted domestic abuse and the subsequent consequences of escaping the situation, I also knew if done well, it would be powerful and emotional. My hopes were…
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Ben’s Holiday Breakdown | “The Perfect Wedding” Is The Perfect Holiday Love Story!
It’s coming up on Christmas and the Fowler family is also knee-deep into wedding preparations for their daughter Alana. Because of the enormity of the upcoming nuptials the whole family, along with friends and extended family, have been called together to help out. This includes Roy Madigan, Alana’s best friend who also happens to be…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Sylvie’s Love” Is An Extraordinary Love Story With Beautiful Music
Sylvie’s Love has been teased on Amazon Prime for a few months now and I couldn’t wait. A story set in the fifties, in the midst of Harlem and the jazz scene, with an incredible cast led by Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, this was a film that was irresistible. Now that I’ve watched the…
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Andrea’s Angle | “I’m Your Woman” Has Rich Characters, But Is Slow on Pacing
I’m Your Woman is the kind of film I want to love. When I watched the trailer, what grabbed me was the concept, a criminal’s wife on the run with her infant baby and no idea of what’s happening. What I loved is that in the movie the main character goes from being a frightened…
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Ben’s Breakdown | There Is Power With Silence In “Sound of Metal”
As a child, I had the enormous pleasure to be introduced to students who were deaf. They were in the classroom next to mine, and because my teacher was learning American Sign Language she thought it was a good idea to be introduced to these students. There was also a student in my class who…