Tag: film review

Scream VI: Movie Review

In 1996 the Scream movie came out and I remember persuading my friend to drive me to the nearest cinema to watch. We both found it a combination of scary and funny. As it became a franchise, we kept watching the films and they never let us down. This time I thought it would be handy to share my Scream VI movie review on my blog.

Now, the latest instalment is in movie theatres and has again managed to attract big audiences. I went to check it out last week and had a great time.

What’s Going On?

I was delighted to see a new Scream movie last year which was satisfying and thrilling. However, I would never have expected another movie to come along quite so quickly. When the trailer suddenly appeared, I was pleasantly surprised.

There was no Sydney in this one but Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) was a big part of this film. Alongside her, the two sisters from last year were now present as students living in New York. Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) played Tara and Melissa Barerra (In The Heights) played Sam. They both reprised their roles brilliantly alongside a couple of their friends, Mindy and Chad.

The Scream movies are a mix of horror and comedy. It is their tongue-in-cheek scripts that keep bringing me back for more. This one was not predictable and the one liners were distributed evenly throughout the movie.

When I asked my friend Harriet what she thought about Scream VI she said:

‘I like how we saw more detail of the knife actually going into the body.’

In other words, it got more gruesome in the darker moments. The director added extra detail into the violent scenes but the film still retained its humour. With contrasting moments of horror and comedy, I was definitely entertained throughout.

In A Nutshell

It is hard to discuss the Scream VI movie and not give away any spoilers. Without Officer Dewey there was a moment of reflection but Courtney Cox ensured that a legacy character was still available to bring on the drama.

My friend and I were constantly changing who we thought orchestrated the murders but neither of us guessed the final outcome. This instalment was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with laughter, pulse raising bits and scenes where your heart feels as though it is going to burst through your chest.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my movie review. For another of my film reviews, check out my recent Tar Movie review. Please also consider following my blog for similar future content.

Tar – Movie Review

The Luxembourg Philharmonie- not unlike the one on the film.

I saw the trailer for this intriguing movie the other week on Youtube. It was apparently about a fictional maestro who led the Berlin Orchestra. All I knew from this was that there was some controversy over the character’s treatment of other musicians. Nonetheless, I was inspired enough to watch this Indie project and now write my own Tar movie review.

I should mention that I really enjoyed the director’s last film – Little Children – which starred Kate Winslet, but this was back in 2006. Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett are my all time favourite actresses so it was fun to see Todd Field move from working with one to the other.

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What is Tar about?

Lydia Tar is a fictional conductor of the Berlin orchestra who gives masterclasses in being a Maestro. Her stick waving is outstanding and was inspired by her mentor, the famous Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story composer).

Cate Blanchett has already won a Golden Globe and BAFTA for the lead role in this film. Her portrayal of a tough and incredibly intelligent musician is amazing! Married to Sharon and being father to Petra, Blanchett’s character is a parent you wouldn’t mess with.

Lydia began the movie arguing with a University student as he refused to play a particular movement due to the composer being a misogynist. She pointed out that most composers had social issues and he stated that they were usually white and privileged. Quite a political debate to kick the movie into gear.

In a Nutshell

Lydia was apparently flawed by great musicians and she also had a weak spot for attractive young women. Her wife was used to her flirting with members of the orchestra. A past acquaintance stirred up a mess which gradually interrupted her busy career.

At the same time, a new cellist created a stir and caught Lydia’s eye. I should stop there before I say too much.

The Luxembourg Philharmonie – not unlike the film location

Positive Points

– The 2 hours 38 minutes go by relatively quickly, despite the conversational style.

– Cate Blanchett is a chameleon. She can change herself into so many forms. Here she becomes a talented orchestra conductor convincingly.

– The supporting cast were excellent too!

– I learned a lot about how an orchestra works.

– Todd Field (director) filmed this in a very beautiful way. Long takes and lingering cameras made this a piece of wonderful art.

– The script was engaging and covered controversy, LGBT+ issues and specific classical music terminology.

Final Thoughts

I was hoping this film would be worth the hype and IT WAS. I was pleased with the way the narrative played out. It was fascinating learning about a conductor and her orchestra. The awkwardness of the way she got too close to certain players gave the story a twist.

Film rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was a world class conductor played by a world class performer – Cate Blanchett. I would totally recommend watching this movie on Apple TV or Prime Video. It is well worth a watch.

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Thank you so much for reading my Tar movie review. For another of my film reviews, take a look at Shotgun Wedding: Is it worth the hype?. Perhaps also consider following my little blog for similar future articles.

Shotgun Wedding: Is It Worth The Hype?

It is hard for me to decide which film to watch next. My tastes are varied and one minute I am watching a thriller, the next a laugh-out-loud comedy. Not very often do I sit down to a Rom-Com but these are little indulgences from time to time.

Lately, I have seen a couple and both were really sweet, funny and kept me interested. Shotgun Wedding has been promoted on billboards in my city and pushed really hard as a Prime Video treat. These are my thoughts on this exciting new movie.

This is not J-Lo but it represents the cheesiness of Rom-Coms; a cheesiness I quite like.

In A Nutshell

This is a movie of two Jens: Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Coolidge. There is a guy in it too that I recognised but wasn’t sure why. He (Josh Duhamel) was due to marry J-Lo on an exotic Philippine island. Now, I do have a soft spot for Jennifer Lopez Rom-Coms and that is one of the reasons I popped it on. The question is – Was it any good?

Darcy (J-Lo) had a celebrity ex who showed up at her wedding randomly, in the guise of Sean, played by Lenny Kravitz. Her father was annoyed that he didn’t pay for the wedding and they had taken cheaper options, organised by husband-to-be Tom (Duhamel). It is fair to say there was some resentment between Tom, her father and Sean.

A mix of comedy, romance and action; This movie was really fun and quick paced. Moments of hilarity were often lit up by Coolidge but let’s not take away the jokes that J-Lo properly earned.

A dramatic twist of fate caused the wedding to be upturned by pirates. I’d better not give too much away. Suffice to say, adventure ensued and more comedy arose from it.

Favourite Elements

I was sure this film would entertain me but I hadn’t expected it to be such a witty production. It had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions.

Some of the positive points included:

– The script was fast and often really humorous

– Jennifer Lopez had moments of sweetness, of being a feisty action heroine and of playing the comedienne

– Jennifer Coolidge was hilarious as the mother of the groom

– The plot was exciting, if unrealistic

– The setting was lovely (with beautiful countryside and beaches)

– There were genuine hold-your-breath moments of action.

Negatives

– Some elements were predictable – although isn’t that always the case with Rom-Coms?

– They could have chosen a better actor for the father – he was a bit wooden

Final Thoughts

This Shotgun Wedding film popped up for free on Prime Video (assuming you are a member) and I checked it out. It was very funny and fast paced with great contributions from Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Coolidge. It was a good length (1 hour 40 minutes) which I consider the perfect movie duration.

So YES Shotgun Wedding is definitely worth the hype.

Rom-Com score ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half

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Thank you for taking the time to read my movie review. I hope that you will check out Shotgun Wedding. Drop a comment of what you think of it.

For the review of a film I recently enjoyed, check my Empire of Light Film Review. I appreciate any support and if you follow my blog you will make my day.