Tag: Hollywood

Marry Me – Movie Review

I know it has just been Valentine’s Day and romance was in the air but that wasn’t the reason I decided to try the new Jennifer Lopez film. Being someone who likes comedy, dramas and big budget movies, I still have a soft spot for a cheeky Rom-Com now and again. My friend and I have gone to see almost every single J-Lo movie in the past and have never come out complaining. So, we were going to watch this film, no matter what! The Marry Me movie awaited us and here is my analysis.

Normally I like really deep and clever scripts, so this may seem a departure from the bookish films I often talk about. However, I also like cheesy stuff. For point of record, this movie stemmed from a comic book which was popular ten years ago. Going back to the cheesy bit, this picture feels like it is going to be oozing cheese sauce, but it has some brilliant nuances. I would go as far as to say it yielded a strong message.

Overview

Jennifer played a pop star (Kat) who was going to publicly marry another singer at a huge event, screened across the world. A twist caused her to find she had different options, mainly the appearance of a charming teacher (Charlie), played by the brilliant Owen Wilson. The chemistry between these two was lovely and very funny. Owen seems to have bounced back onto the screen recently, with a starring role in the Loki series on Disney too.

The story is about trying to go against expectation. A situation leads to a marriage which is unwanted but also creates great publicity. Kat was a believable character who was fed up with being used. She was starting to see beyond branding, selfies and non-stop documenting of her daily routine.

Thoughts

One thing that stood out was the soundtrack, which I later found myself downloading. The songs were catchy and modern with J-Lo showing off her voice and talent. The script was unpredictable (although one key idea was easy to see through to its conclusion) with funny elements and plenty of self-reflection by the characters. Supported by John Bradley (Game of Thrones) as her manager, Kat really explored what is actually important and what’s facade.

Apparently it was the most watched movie on Valentine’s Day but I went the day after. This movie was just the right amount of sweet, with a twist or two to make it worthwhile. If you want something to make you feel good, then try this. For a review of the last film I saw, click my write up of Belfast.

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Danny O’Dea’s 2021 in Review

This was a fun read, revisiting some outstanding moments in the movies made in 2021. I especially loved West Side Story, In The Heights, Luca and Dune. Check out this intriguing review. 2021 saw the return of big screen movies.

To write a year-in-review list immediately after the year ends is always a fascinating experiment. What ends up sticking in your brain five, ten, …

Danny O’Dea’s 2021 in Review

TV Shows Worth Trying

Every now and again you will find me reviewing some of the latest TV content that I have been hooked into. So here I am again sharing my thoughts on some brilliant recent TV series. The first has two very entertaining seasons so far and each episode is thirty minutes long, while the second is a three-part police drama which I found to be riveting.

Dead To Me (Netflix)

This funny series has quite a stark backdrop. Jen Harding (Christina Applegate) has lost her husband in a car accident when she is befriended by Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini), not knowing that she is reaching out as the woman who ran the hubby over. The guilt that Judy holds is palpable and makes every scene either funny or intense.

The strange friendship that they established becomes uncomfortable and amusing. Judy finds that she is trying to hide her connection, but her ex-boyfriend keeps stirring up trouble for her. In season two, working as a duo, her and Jen have such hilarious situations consume them, as they now both know the full story about each other.

From moments of drama to scenes of laughter, these two Hollywood actors do a great job of taking you on a journey through their chaotic lives. With short episodes, it would be a shame not to try out one and see if you agree that this Netflix show is well worth a watch.

The Tower (ITV/Britbox)

I have always loved watching Gemma Whelan act, starting when I saw her in Game of Thrones as Yara Greyjoy. Her recent three-part series is about a police sergeant who was in charge of investigating a tragic event that occurred at a high storey building in London.

Taken from a short book called ‘The Tower: Post Mortem’ by Kate London, this was an extremely gripping show where Gemma got to showcase her subtle ability to closely portray any character. A policeman and teenage girl had jumped from a tower block for no obvious reason. Rather than wiping it out as an accident, DS Sarah Collins (Gemma) was determined to get to the bottom of the more sinister causes.

Both of these shows have been enjoyable. Dead To Me is now returning for a third season and it is rumoured that DS Sarah Collins will also be coming back in another drama, utilising her detective skills. For another TV review check here.