disney

Wish

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

‘Introverts deserve sanctuary!’

It’s been 100 years since Walt Disney and his brother, Roy, signed an agreement to produce an animated series called Alice Comedies. In 1928, Steamboat Willie came along – introducing the world to both Mickey Mouse and animation being screened in a cinema with synchronised sound. In 1937 they released their first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. And the rest, as they say is history. To mark their centenary they’ve made a film, their 62nd feature film, celebrating their history with a very literal look at what happens when dreams & wishes do or don’t come true. Suffice to say, Disney have a lot riding on this one.

Life in the Kingdom of Rosas is a pretty sweet deal. Founded by King Magnifico (Chris Pine) and his wife Amaya (Angelique Cabral), he uses his sorcery to protect his citizens from harm. All he asks for in return is that, on their 18th birthday, each person must hand over their wish – their heart’s truest desire. He protects these wishes in his tower, each month granting a different wish as a sign of his great leadership and benevolence. Asha (Ariana DeBose) is 17 years old and is desperate to be the King’s newest apprentice, but during her training she quickly realises all is not well and will do all she can to stop it.

The biggest problem that Wish has is that it is fine. It’s neither amazingly good, nor is it bad by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a pass. Nice. All-right. A-Okay. It does relatively well with balancing nods to the past with some lovely little Easter Eggs along the way. There’s a couple of good gags for all ages. It’s heroine is very likeable, endearing, funny and kind. The ensemble cast is great and the supporting characters memorable. The songs vary between solid to ear-worm potential. The animation style is unique, maybe slightly-off if we’re being honest, but there’s beauty within it.

It’s just. That’s it. It does the job, no more and no less. There’s nothing superlative about it, which feels a bit sad for something that is being pitched as so monumental. But perhaps that’s where the problem lies, the weight of expectation, purpose and meaning weighs every moment down. It’s been robbed from being a film in it’s own right, instead it is a self-appointed monument to the studio’s legacy. This feels more content than movie. They’ve simultaneously followed the formula whilst having also metaphorically plastered ‘This is significant!’ across the screen in bright, flashing lights. Never is this more felt than during at least two of the musical numbers, which both have a subsequent pause that seems almost expectant, if not even demanding of applause – a la a live theatrical performance. I mean, the songs are good. But they’re not *that* good…

Wish doesn’t necessarily shine incandescently, but there’s enough of a glow that it’s worth giving a go. [3/5 stars]

Wish is in UK cinemas from Friday 24th November.

Stream On: The Resurrection #3

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

5 things you need to watch. Now. Right now. After you’ve read this list, obviously. Here’s the previous edition if you’re in need of more recommendations: #1, #2.

For All Mankind (Apple TV+ – 40 x 60 mins)

We’re now on season 4 of one of the greatest science fiction shows of the 21st Century, so it’s about time you get on board. With each episode of the new season dropping weekly on a Friday, you’ve got a bit of time to catch up. The premise of an alternate history is not necessarily a new one, but the one this show picks really is – What if, in 1969, the Soviet Union beat the United States to the moon? The result is a blend of science fiction, drama and thriller on a big budget, with amazing performances and beautiful cinematography.

The Greatest Show Never Made (Prime – 3 x 60 mins)

We’re in a fascinating time at the moment of reassessing the noughties, both the high and the contradictory lows – this docuseries is a great addition to that analysis. In 2002, six young people seeking fame & fortune applied for a new, top secret, reality show. Twenty years after those dreams were shattered, we revisit them and find out how a show that didn’t ever exist, changed their lives forever.

Studio 666 (Netflix – 106 mins)

The Foo Fighters are one of those bands that we universally agree are pretty great, right? Even in the unlikelihood you don’t like any of their music, you probably agree that Dave Grohl seems to be one of the nicest men in music. That view will be cemented by this ramshackle yet enjoyable horror-ish film, as The Foos face off with demonic forces in a fight for their lives. A fun and immensely likeable romp.

A Murder At The End Of The World (Disney+ – 7 x 65 mins)

Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling‘s latest creation (the geniuses behind Netflix’s The OA, gone but never forgotten) follows Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), a Gen Z amateur sleuth, attempts to solve a murder at a secluded retreat. Also starring Marling, Harris Dickinson, Raúl Esparza and Clive Owen to name but a few – what starts of as feeling rather Knives Out becomes something far stranger and unsettling. Airing weekly, every Tuesday, the first two episodes are already up.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix- 8 x 60 mins)

Nearly 20 years since comic book writer-illustrator Bryan O’Malley brought Scott Pilgrim to the world, and13 years on from Edgar Wright’s film adaption, we return to his universe – in Netflix’s new animated series. This isn’t a remake, it’s a revitalisation with a touch of reimagining about our beloved dweeby Canadian bassist who meet-cutes his mysterious American dream girl, Ramona Flowers, only to discover that in order to date Ramona, he must first defeat her “seven evil exes” in a series of boss fights across the mean streets and concert halls of Toronto. With all of the live action cast returning as voice artists, to call this a treat would be an understatement.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

‘I know this place isn’t as warm as I hoped. But I’m gonna light a vanilla candle, and it’s gonna be a game-changer.’

I’ve written before about what happens when bad films happen to good actors, but I feel like Haunted Mansion warrants a new sub-genre – what happens when a film has the best ingredients and manages to fumble them completely. As harsh as it may sound, that is the prevailing thought when watching this latest fare from the House of Mouse because, really, the most impressive thing about it is how unimpressive it is. Which is fascinating when you consider it’s parts.

The Haunted Mansion ride first opened in Disneyland in the 1960s, with four cousins appearing at it’s kinderlands over the decades. A film adaptation appeared in 2003, with Eddie Murphy in the lead role. 10 year-old me loved it, but I’d dare not watch it now. In 2010 we were teased and tantalised by the prospect of a Guillermo del Toro production. Oh, what might have been.

Instead, in 2023, we are gifted a flat and overlong attempt at a family friendly spooky comedy movie that is too convoluted for kids and without enough jokes for the adults. It’s so overly dependent on both formula and nostalgia that it just ends up being a dull cash grab.

New Orleans-based scientist turned tour guide Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) is in such a state of grief that he’s drifting through life, until a surprise visit from a priest (Owen Wilson) offers a chance at putting his unique skills to the test, or at least making a wad of cash. The job? Visit the new home of single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase Dillon) to help them exorcise the ghosts that are haunting them. The scale of the job is so big that they need to rope in a medium (Tiffany Haddish), a historian (Danny DeVito) and a spirit entrapped in a crystal ball (Jamie Lee Curtis). But, with their lives in increasing danger, can they stop the mysterious malicious force that may doom them all?

Look at the cast involved. The talent. The charisma. The screen presence. Now, imagine they are given an overly plotted, poorly dialogued script and occupy a screen full of some dodgy-looking special effects. There, now you’ve pretty much seen the film and I’ve saved you 123 minutes of your lives. And you’ve not had to endure Jared Leto. You’re welcome.

The really frustrating factor here is that it feels like such an own-goal that should have worked, but really doesn’t. It wants to be a Ghostbusters or Coraline, and it has the potential to do so with it’s grief-leaning storyline, but instead it gets weighted down by attempts at jokes that fail to raise anybody’s spirits.

[2/5 stars]

Haunted Mansion is in UK cinemas from Friday 11th August.

What To Watch Wednesday #8

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

I’m sure there’s theory for it, but when it gets darker and colder – I crave crime-related telly. If you’re the same, then this week’s 6 picks are for you….

Here’s What To Watch Wednesday #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7.

Slow Horses (Apple TV+: 2022: 6 x 50 mins)

River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) was an up-and-coming MI5 Agent until he made a serious mistake during a live training exercise, and found himself relegated to dead end work at Slough House. Ruled over by the curmudgeonly Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), it’s usually the home of dead end missions – until something dangerous comes headed quickly their way. The stacked cast also includes Olivia Cooke, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jonathon Pryce – to name but a few. An excellent addition to the espionage genre.

Inside Man (BBC iPlayer: 2022: 4 x 60 mins – two episodes shown so far)

Speaking of stacked cast, we turn here to David Tennant, Dolly Wells, Lydia West and Stanley Tucci fronting this intriguingly intricate crime drama. Tucci plays Jefferson Grieff – a law lecturer turned criminal on death row. His unique skillset has people turning to him to solve crimes. Lydia West plays Beth Davenport, a journalist who’s come to interview Jefferson and is also planning to use the opportunity to ask for his help with finding new friend Janice (Wells) who was last seen going to tutor the son of Rev Harry Watling (Tennant). Pulpy and properly compelling.

Am I Being Unreasonable? (BBC iPlayer: 2022: 6 x 30 mins)

The show’s title comes from the message board of the infamous Mumsnet, an online forum where mums around the world vent about their lives – which inspired Daisy May Cooper during her own unhappy marriage that she went on to co-write a show with her best friend Seline Hizli. Nic is depressed and mourning the secret lover her oblivious husband (Dustin Demri-Jones) knows nothing about. Lonely and isolated, Nic makes friends with a new school mum. Jen (Hizli) is unlike all the other mums in the village, and her friendship quickly becomes everything Nic has ever wanted – except it seems like Jen isn’t all that she appears… Savagely funny and dark as anything, a special mention has to go to young actor Lenny Rush who is incredible as Nic’s son.

Sicario (Netflix: 2015: 121 mins)

Taylor Sheridan has written some of the most underappreciated crime movies of the 21st Century, a run that kicked off with this film. Add in the iconic director Denis Villeneuve at the helm. Round it off with cast members Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benico Del Toro, Daniel Kaluuya and Jon Bernthal – I don’t think I need to say much more aside from the fact you need to be prepared for this dark and murky thriller.

Cruel Summer (Prime Video:2021: 10 x 45 mins)

In the summer of 1993 Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) was nerdy and invisible. In summer 1994 she was the most popular girl in school. By 1995, the loser outcast. Over the course of the ten episodes we hop between the three years as things begun to become more apparent. Whilst it clearly has something to do with the disappearance of beloved Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt), how exactly is Jeanette involved? Deviously twisty and turny.

Romcom of the week – While You Were Sleeping (Disney+: 1995: 103 mins)

The fun thing about this film is, it’s on the cusp of creepy and it’s down to the charm of the leads that it really isn’t and ends up being one of the finest romantic comedies of the 90s. A hopelessly romantic Chicago Transit Authority token collector (Sandra Bullock) has been lusting over commuter Peter (Peter Gallagher) for as long as she can remember. When an accident occurs, and Peter ends up in a coma, she finds herself being mistaken as his fiancée. Enamoured with his close-knit family, she decides to play the role – although a growing connection with his brother Jack (Bill Pullman) may just jeopardise everything. I know, just trust me with this one. If you’re not sure, Bill Pullman as a plaid lumberjack shirt wearing grumpy love interest should be reason enough.

What To Watch Wednesday #3

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

Welcome back! Just like my Stream On feature from last year (all 19 editions available here), every Wednesday I’ll put up some suggestions of TV & Films you may be missing on your various streaming services. Here’s What To Watch Wednesday #1 and #2.

The Con (2020: Disney+: 8 x 45 mins)

Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, each episode focuses on a different con – from more familiar stories such as Fyre Festival and the 2019 college admissions scandal, to the story of a manipulative love bombing surgeon and a film-industry producer whose scam has to be seen to be believed.

If you like this, you might like: Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist (2022), The Tinder Swindler (2022)

Hobby Man (2022: All4: 4 x 60 minutes – two episodes aired already, two to go)

Alex Brooker has realised he’s a 38-year-old man with the same interests he had as a child, ‘football and Ghostbusters’. So, paired with a different friend each week, he tries out three different hobbies and meets the incredibly passionate people who are involved in them. The end result is an incredibly charming show full of joy, a celebration of oft underappreciated and undercelebrated people & their passions.

If you like this, you might like: The Great Pottery Throw Down (2015-), The Great British Sewing Bee (2013-)

Boys State (2020: Apple TV+: 109 mins)

‘Won’t somebody please think of the children?!?’ In the heart of Texas, there’s something on an unusual rite of passage for a select 1,100 teenage boys. A chance to come together and build a representative government from the ground up, over the course of a week. It’s a fascinating experiment to behold, with truly unpredictable consequences.

If you like this, you might like: Minding the Gap (2018), Accepted (2021)

Bad Sisters (2022: Apple TV+: 10 x 45 mins – two episodes aired, eight to go)

John Paul Williams (Claes Bang) may very well have been the worst brother-in-law in the world. But he didn’t deserve to die, did he…? The Garvey sisters – Eva (Sharon Horgan), Becka (Eve Hewson), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene) and Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) always swore to look out for each other. But just how far have they taken this promise? A pitch-black revenge comedy, deliciously well-cast this is a must-watch.

If you like this, you might like: The Resort (2022), In Bruges (2008)

Romcom of the week: Set It Up (2018: Netflix: 105 mins)

Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell) are both overworked and underpaid assistants. Their respective bosses, Kirsten (Lucy Liu) and Richard (Taye Diggs) make their lives miserable – seemingly because they’re miserable themselves. Thrown together in unlikely circumstances, the two assistants decide to set their bosses up together – it looks set to work a treat, although it involves Harper & Charlie working very closely together. So closely, in fact, their may be even more attachments forming… Cinematic comfort food at it’s finest, both Deutch and Powell are charisma machines and a total joy to watch.

What To Watch Wednesday #2

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

Welcome back! Just like my Stream On feature from last year (all 19 editions available here), every Wednesday I’ll put up some suggestions of TV & Films you may be missing on your various streaming services. Here’s What To Watch Wednesday #1.

A League of Their Own (Amazon Prime: 8 X 60 mins)

Chicago, 1943. With so many men fighting in the war, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is formed by a confectionary tycoon. The intent is to make money and create entertainment. For the women who attend the try-out, this is their big moment. After spending their entire lives being told they cannot take part, this is finally their chance to spend their lives doing what they love. For Carson Shaw (Abbi Jacobson) it’s a chance to feel alive whilst also, literally, running away from home & her husband. For Greta Gil (D’Arcy Carden) it’s a chance for fame and adoration. But,  for Max Chapman (Chanté Adams), she quickly realises how little it changes as there may now be space for white female players – there isn’t for black women. Often funny, but rooted in carefully handled serious issues, along with the queerness, – the show hits home thanks to a roster filled with all-stars and a field rich with possibilities.

If you like this, you might like: A League of Their Own (1992), The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel (2017-)

A Secret Love (Netflix: 83 minutes)

Then, when you can’t get enough of a wonderful baseball drama that is about more than just sport, check out a true story from the time period. This understated and moving documentary is about two women who met while taking part in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, fell in love and then kept their love a secret for seven decades. A moving and profound love conquers all story.

If you like this, you might like: Circus of Books (2020), The Pass (2016)

Big Boys (All4: 6 x 30 mins)

Jack (Dylan Llewellyn) is finally starting university after a gap year. His dad died a year ago after a long illness, starting uni so soon after would not have been possible. He arrives to campus, driven by his doting mum Peggy (Camille Coduri) only to find that he’s not been given campus accommodation and his housemate is not only a mature student but a bit of a lad. However, there’s more to Danny (Jon Pointing) than first appears. When Jack inadvertently comes out to Danny, as unlikely friendship follows as Danny devotes himself to supporting Jack. Based on comedian Jack Rooke’s real life experiences, this show is funny, moving and a total joy.

If you like this, you might like: Dead Pixels (2019-), This Is Going to Hurt (2022)

Prey (Disney: 99 mins)

The Great Plains, 1719. Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a a young Comanche woman trained as a healer, yet dreams of becoming a great hunter like her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers). When part of a search party for the mountain lion that attacked one of the tribe’s hunters, Naru quickly realises something far scarier is hunting them. A prequel to the Predator franchise, this taut and thrilling is atmospheric and exceptionally well-told.

If you like this, you might like: Edge of Tomorrow (2014), District 9 (2009)

Romcom of the week: Wedding Season (2022: Netflix: 98 mins)

Pressured by their parents to find spouses, Asha (Suraj Sharma) and Ravi (Pallavi Sharda) pretend to date during a summer of weddings, only to find themselves falling for each other. It may tick all the tropes of the romcom bingo card, but when it does it this charmingly – who are we to complain?!?

What-To-Watch Wednesday

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

My weekly recommendations are back, baby! Just like my Stream On feature from last year (all 19 editions available here), every Wednesday I’ll put up some suggestions of TV & Films you may be missing on your various streaming services.

The Newsreader (BBC iPlayer: 6 X 50 mins)

Set in Melbourne in 1986, The Newsreader follows a daily news team through their trials & tribulations – both professional and personal. The sets & costumes are so evocative, the storylines so well rendered but it’s the cast that are standout. Anna Torv (Fringe, Mindhunter) plays the station figurehead, a ‘difficult’ woman who wants to cover real news. Sam Reid (The Limehouse Golem and the upcoming tv adaption of Interview With the Vampire) is the up-and-comer desperate to break through. Covering the AIDS crisis, Chernobyl, Halley’s Comet and the Challenger space shuttle explosion – The Newsreader is a compelling drama series grounded in reality.

What this if you like: The Newsroom (2012), Please Like Me (2013)

The Resort (Sky/Now: currently airing season 1, 4 x 30 mins aired already, 4 left of season 1)

A bitterly frustrated couple go on vacation to celebrate their ten-year anniversary. Neither Emma (Cristin Milioti – Palm Springs, HIMYM) or Noah (William Jackson Harper – The Good Place, Love Life season two) seem able to acknowledge to each other just how unhappy they are. When Emma falls off a quad bike during a day trip, she finds an abandoned  and extremely outdated mobile phone. Intrigued by the mystery, she discovers it belongs to Sam (Skyler Gisondo – Booksmart, The Righteous Gemstones) who disappeared from the resort fifteen years prior. Emma & Noah decide to solve the case together which may just force them to answer some far bigger questions along the way. Part comedy, part love story, part thriller and part sci-fi tinge – this is exactly what you might expect from the writer of the wonderful Palm Springs.

What this if you like: The White Lotus (2021-), Palm Springs (2020)

Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 (Netflix: 3 x 45 mins)

The 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair was a coming together of likeminded souls, spirits joined in a search for peace, harmony, and good vibes. To commemorate its 30 year anniversary, the organisers decided to throw Woodstock ’99 in an act of celebration. As you probably guess from the title, it didn’t go well. Each of the three episodes focuses chronologically on a separate day of the festival – Friday, Saturday and Sunday – whilst also intercutting the now with some past decisions that emphasises the hubris and obviousness to the awfulness to come. This one really needs to be seen and talked about, particularly when it comes to accountability of mob mentality and the pervasive nature of sexual assault at music festivals.

What this if you like: Fyre (2019), Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey (2022)

Instant Hotel (Netflix: 15 x 45 mins)

This Australian series may just be the greatest example of perfect reality tv. Using all the formats and formulas you know and love, this show manages to be the pinnacle of how it’s done. Five couples tour the country visiting each other’s ‘Instant Hotels’ (think Air BnBs). As you’d expect, there’s personality clashes galore and all manner of surprises along the way. Chuck in the various glamourous, and not so glamourous settings, you’re in for a treat.

What this if you like: Selling Sunset (2019-), Four In A Bed (2010-)

The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020: Netflix: 108 mins)

Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan – Blockers, Miracle Workers) is devastated after her boyfriend breaks up with her. But when she meets Nick (Dacre Montgomery – Stranger Things, Elvis), a hotelier, she decides to create a gallery where people can leave memorabilia from their past relationships. Funny, charming and a total joy.

Stream On Vol.13

Posted on by Charlotte_Sometimes

Hope you’re having a fab week and enjoying the beautiful weather! Welcome to volume thirteen of Stream On, where I recommend 5 things you could watch on some of your favourite streaming sites. Not enough for you here? Try the previous volumes – volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Luca (2021 – Disney+ – 95 mins)

Unusual for Pixar, this isn’t an achingly poignant watch. Instead it’s a really charming coming-of-age summer movie, about a sea monster Luca (Jacob Tremblay) who tries out being human with the help of Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) and unknowing villager Giulia (Emma Berman). Gorgeous animation – to the extent I really wish we’d had the option of watching on the big screen – told with humour and heart. Really bloody charming.

Us Again (2021 – Disney+ – 7 mins)

Before you watch Luca you’re going to need to watch a Pixar short, as per their cinematic tradition. Go for this one and have a lovely cathartic weep.

Together (2021 – BBC iPlayer – 90 mins)

A married couple, He (James McAvoy) and She (Sharon Horgan) are forced to re-evaluate themselves and their relationship through the reality of the Covid-19 lockdown. Hilarious, heart-breaking and beautifully done.

On Becoming A God In Central Florida (2019 – Netflix – 10 x 46 mins)

Disclaimer, I’m only on episode three of this so I can’t speak upon the whole series, but the those first few episodes are so compelling I’m going to give this an early seal of approval. In 1992 Central Florida, a minimum-wage water park employee (Kirsten Dunst) lies, schemes, and cons her way up the ranks of the cultish, multibillion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her family to ruin. So dark and scathing, Dunst is incredible.

Our Friend (2019 – Amazon Prime – 124 mins)

Inspired by a true story, that first appeared as this Esquire story, Dane (Jason Segel) puts his life on hold and moves in with his best friends Matt (Casey Affleck) and Nicole (Dakota Johnson) when she receives life-altering news. Although it doesn’t reinvent the wheel in how the story is told, the story itself will tug at the heartstrings. Perfect Sunday afternoon watching.