PassThePopcornnn

Weekly movie reviews of all genres :P

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

For our movie review post this week, I decided to rewatch one of my favorite science-fiction movies of all time. The Maze Runner stars Dylan O'Brien (known for his role in numerous movies and TV shows, like Teen Wolf), Kaya Scodelario (starred in Skins), and many other familiar faces. To preface, I had always been obsessed with this book series as a kid, so my opinion may be slightly biased.

While this movie originally transpired from a book series, I will say that this one does a great job of replicating the plot in the book to the plot onscreen. I feel like I have seen a lot of movies that do not fully capture the plot from the books, which make them kind of disappointing.

To summarize the movie for those who have not read the book, we are quickly introduced to Thomas, who arrives at this place called 'The Glade,' with no memory. When he gets there, he quickly learns that there are multiple other boys who have arrived in the same condition. The Glade is essentially the main setting for this movie, with a stone 'Maze' surrounding it. After getting a better understanding of the dynamic of The Glade, Thomas gets promoted to a 'Runner', whose main priority is to memorize the Maze and find a way out. After the norms of the Maze start to change when a female shows up, Thomas leads a group of Maze occupants to safety--or so he thinks.

All in all, I think the acting in the movie is done exceptionally well. I feel like the emotions from the characters are exhibited well through the actors, throughout the movie. There are a few scenes in particular where I feel like the fear of the characters seem very real. I also think that the actors work well together. There have been movies that I have watched before, where the characters do not seem to gel onscreen. In this movie, I feel like these actors really locked into their roles and created a bond that their characters were supposed to have.

I think this movie also does a good job of staying true to the age of these characters. Being that The Glade is filled with teenage boys, I feel like the actors truly acted like the teenagers they were supposed to be. I know that may have been confusing, but they were making some jokes that seem pretty on par for a teenage group of boys to make. Overall, it just seemed realistic.

While I love me a good dystopian society novel, I love when they get converted into movies even more. I am a sucker for the sci-fi genre and love how this movie was crafted. Overall, I would give this movie a solid 9/10, in relation to others in its' genre. Side note, I actually LOVE the second movie, The Scorch Trials, and would highly recommend. It has everything that this movie has, and more!

NEXT WEEK: Since Hallmark season is just around the corner, I think it is pretty mandatory to watch at least one of them for next week's review. I think that people either tend to absolutely love them, or absolutely hate them. But, lucky for you all, I happen to LOVE them! As always, feel free to leave any movie recommendations!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

This week we are focusing our attention on a well-known movie that was recently remade this year. I Know What You Did Last Summer, starring Madeline Cline (previously mentioned in another movie review) and some other familiar faces from the previous movies (like Jennifer Love Hewitt). Now to be completely honest, I did have high hopes for this movie, but was sadly let down.

This story primarily follows Danica's character (Madeline Cline) throughout the whole movie. While this story does highlight a particular group of friends, her story seemed to be included the most. The story starts out with a rehearsal dinner for two soon to be newlyweds, Danica and Teddy. After the party, this group of friends kind of rekindle their high school friendship and decide to go on an "adventure". By adventure, I mean get high in the middle of a road that is on the side of a cliff. Safe, right? Anyway, while they are up there, Teddy decides to stand in the middle of the road just as a car is making its way up the mountain. As predicted, the car swerves to avoid Teddy, and ultimately flies off the cliff. Of course everyone is freaking out and trying to call 911. However, Teddy is adament that his father will cover up their tracks to keep their slates clean. Everyone ends up trusting him and they basically just leave the scene of the crime without saying anything. Some time passes and then next thing you know, you are back at another rehearsal dinner of Danica's, this time with a new man. How charming! Turns out that Teddy and Danica called it quits before they ended up getting married. At this new party, Danica is seen opening gifts from her friends and family until she lands on one gift in particular. It is a card that reads, "I know what you did last summer." Of course she thinks this is some type of sick joke, but that night is when the murders begin. One by one, people are being killed off in the movie, as expected.

So my first problem here is how unrealistic this movie is. The first murder happens when Danica is taking a bath, and her fiancé is brutally murdered downstairs without her knowing. How convenient? I tend to have a problem with movies that have such perfect timing in situations like this, just because that is so unlikely to actually happen. My next problem is the predictability this movie has. As expected, the person that ends up being the one who is killing everybody was one of the friends the rekindled with the rest of the group that first night. Stevie just so happened to be close to the driver of the car that flew off the cliff. Now that wasn't necessarily the issue itself, but the problem is the way that they found out Stevie was behind all of it. They literally saw a picture of her and the driver together and then did some digging. Like could they not have figured that out sooner before the whole friend group was killed off???

Also, the ending was very cheesy as well. When they killed Stevie and her accomplice, both scenes were rather boring and not very enjoyable. Usually in movies like this, I get a sense of satisfaction knowing the killer was brought to justice, but these ones were just hard to watch and not in a good way.

One thing that I felt like this movie did a good job of was bringing back old characters from previous movies. Now I'm not going to lie, I have not seen the original movies, so I do not exactly know the role of the characters in the originals. However, I felt like they played a big enough part in the movie that made me interested in watching the earlier ones.

I also want to note that the acting was not entirely terrible, but it wasn't good either. It was one of those situations that occasionally made you cringe whenever someone screamed or just acted out of stupidity. I do think the acting was better outside of the suspenseful scenes, if that makes sense.

While this movie franchise is highly known, I was not very impressed with the film overall. Between the predictable plot and the very average acting, I would not say that I would recommend this movie to anyone. Sure it works well as a pastime, but if you are looking for something that is actually engaging, this is not it. While I do enjoy my thrillers, this one ranks particularly low in my book. I would have to give this movie like a solid 4/10. I simply was not impressed.

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for something a little more light hearted and a little less gory. Don't forget to comment any recommendations you all have for me!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

This week I decided to switch up the genre a little with one of my favorite comedies of all time. White Chicks, starring the Wayans brothers (Marlon and Shawn), came out in 2004. This is important to note because of the controversy that is surrounded behind this film.

For context, this movie follows two African American FBI agents who repeatedly mess up cases that they are assigned. They are then tasked with the protection of two white sisters, who are very well known and "famous", if you will. When an unexpected turn causes the original Wilson sisters to not attend a weekend in the Hamptons, the FBI agents pose as the sisters, to keep their jobs with the FBI. Essentially, these two agents have to learn the ways of these sisters in order to keep their identities a secret and not have their covers blown. This includes anything from rivalries with other females, shopping, dance offs, and fashion shows.

Back to the controversy that this movie holds, I am sure you can see where some people may take offense to this movie. While I can understand where they may be coming from, I do this this movie is a harmless attempt at making people laugh, and it works.

I have watched this movie multiple times, and each time I watch it I laugh just as hard as I did the first time. I can confidently say that I think all of the actors really lean into their roles within this movie to make it come together. Not to mention, the overall plot of this movie is actually enjoyable, too. There is originality to this movie and I feel like it really stands out compared to all of the other comedies that I have seen before. However, the ending of this movie is pretty predictable in the sense that you know the chief of the FBI will be impressed with their work and allow them to continue working. I think it is predictable just because that is something you kind of expect when watching these types of movies.

I also think it is important to note how this movie's popularity has not really gone away. I have actually heard TikTok trends that have used sounds from this movie. For example, the "Where's Latrell?" sound is in the middle of the night club scene. While this particular scene is hilarious in itself, I just think it's funny how other people have taken the time to use a sound from this movie to create an online trend.

While I strayed away from my typical reviews this week, I am glad that I took the time to rewatch this movie. The humor that this movie hold is incomparable to other comedies that I have watched in the past. Because of that, when considering the comedy genre as a whole, I would have to rate this movie a solid 8.9/10.

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for next week's review. I plan on adding a mystery/thriller to the list. As always, feel free to leave a comment or recommendation!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

As promised, this week I will be reviewing a CLASSIC for all of the kids that grew up on Disney Chanel in the early 2000s (like me). As I am sure many of you know, Halloweentown was not just a movie for us kids, but a holiday STAPLE. This film, starring Kimberly J. Brown (starred in many Disney films as a kid), unlocked a world of Halloween for us to all enjoy. As a kid, I distinctly remember looking forward to this particular movie every year.

This story follows 13 year old Marnie, who evidently finds out that she is a witch after being hidden from all things Halloween, by her mother. Naturally, Marnie and her siblings follow their grandma to Halloweentown and a new realm of Halloween possibilities are unlocked for them. This town is home to monsters of many kinds, all of which live seemingly normal lives. However, the plot of this movie comes to play when the villain of the movie, Kalabar, tries to conquer the human's world. Of course his efforts are put to a halt, when Marnie's family comes together and uses their combined powers to stop him.

While this movie was released in 1998, I think that the overall film itself works. Is the CGI a little cheesy at times? Sure, but we have to remember that this film most likely came before its time with all of the effects added to it. I think the lack of up-to-date CGI effects actually add to the nostalgia of the movie because I feel like I am transported to my childhood every time I watch it. Not to mention, I feel like no Halloween is complete until this movie has been watched at least once.

I feel like the acting that is taking place in this movie is definitely dated, but as mentioned before, it works. I honestly think that it is hard to say that this movie lacks a lot of elements, simply because of the year it was released. In my opinion, it would be like comparing apples to oranges.

Overall, this movie is one of my favorite holiday films that I have to watch every year. Because of this, this movie rates high on my holiday movie genre list at a 9/10. It's a classic, for one, very nostalgic, and makes me feel complete when watching. Highly recommend pairing with a bucket of popcorn and a pair of Halloween pajamas!

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for something different on the watch list! I plan on branching out from my typical romance genre and shoot for a mystery/thriller. As always, don't forget to comment any recommendations that you have for me!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

This week we focus our attention to another romance drama, The Map that Leads to You, starring KJ Apa (known for his role in Riverdale) and Madelyn Cline (starred in Outer Banks). I honestly felt pretty good about their overall acting performance. These two definitely appeared to have a genuine connection on the screen, which led to a more compelling romance between the two. Some actors have a very fake relationship on screen (obviously), but overall I feel like Apa and Cline seemed to work well together.

Now it is my understanding that this movie was originally a book, which kind of makes me sad because I wish I had read it first. However, considering the plot of the movie, I would say that it is fairly unique. I do not recall many movies that I have watched where the main character goes overseas and falls in love with a stranger, only to have to leave him. Now, I understand that the "meeting someone new and having to move away" trope is common, but the flow of this plot made it seem slightly more unique than others.

For context, this movie takes place in Europe and follows a group of three friends. From what I can remember, they are post college graduates and have taken a Europe trip before they all have to start their "real" adult lives. The main character, Heather (Madelyn Cline), specifically has a big job lined up for her in New York when she gets back to the states. However, she meets this one guy, Jack (KJ Apa), on a train headed for Barcelona. From their first interaction, the two have many shared interests and seemingly get along well. Fast forward, Jack and his friend end up following the friend group for the next couple of days, sort of like a joint friend group hangout. Jack's friend and one of Heather's friends are also growing a relationship on their own time, but Jack and Heather slowly fall in love. Heather eventually decides that she is going to stay a little longer in Europe because she is not ready to leave Jack just yet. Her friends end up doing their own thing, leaving her to continue to develop her feelings for Jack. As usual, one thing leads to another and soon both of our main characters end up falling in love. Heather suggests that Jack should go with her since he does not really have a plan with his life, and he sort of freaks out on her, only to agree and go back to New York with her. However, this is where things get interesting. While in the airport, Jack leaves Heather hanging and never boards the flight with her, and ends up ghosting her entirely. As an audience member, you think about the total POS that Jack is, but we later learn that he has his own reasonings. Spoiler alert: Jack finds out he has cancer and does not want to bring Heather down and have to care for a sick person. Of course the ending it a little more on the cliché side. Obviously, they meet again and the movie ends with a dramatic monologue confessing their love for each other and then they kiss.

This movie did a good job of making you question Heather's sanity at times, or even Jacks'. However, the plot of the story was cute and it had a good message behind it. Although, I would still argue that Jack did not handle the situation correctly and could have totally avoided the conflict had he communicated his problems to Heather. But, I think the message here is that sometimes people go through different thought processes when faced with illness, or something life-changing.

Clearly being a fan of romantic movies, I would say that this movie rates fairly high on my scale. Was it somewhat predictable at times? Sure. But, I feel like there were not as many predictable moments, unlike others that I have watched before. With that being said, I would rank this movie an 8/10 when considering the romance/drama genre as a whole.

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for something a little more fitting for the month of October! I plan on throwing it back to my childhood days with a classic movie most of us have seen on Disney Chanel. As always, don't forget to comment any recommendations you have for me!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

This week, we are switching up the genres and covering Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. This documentary covers the true story of a young high schooler, and her boyfriend, who are cyberbullied for months by an unknown number. While this whole story gets wrapped up into a deep investigation that later involves FBI, let's just say that my jaw was immediately dropped once I found out who was behind those texts from the beginning.

I feel like it is necessary to rant about who was behind these texts. Wait for it..... HER MOM! How in the world could someone do that to their own child? When you watch this documentary, you'll understand what I mean when you see some of the graphic texts that she texted. There was a point in which the mom literally texted her daughter, "Kill yourself." Obviously, that is just outrageous and I do not understand how someone could be so willing to do that in general, but to your own child?!

I suppose some may try to defend her by saying she had a lot of stressors in the picture, like her jobs, her financial stability, etc. But this lady legitimately lied to her husband, her best friend, and the whole community about nearly everything that was going on in her life. What is even crazier is that she was such an advocate about finding the person behind the number, too. Then on top of that, she really pretended to be surprised when the FBI came back and said it was her. Like HELLO? What do you think was going to happen?

I will say that while this story takes place in a small town in Michigan, it surprises me to think that this sort of thing would happen here. Small towns are supposed to be known for their comforting nature and the internal support that it has for one another, but this story totally changed that narrative for me. I think it is safe to say that you can never trust anyone!

While this documentary was not one of my top 10 favorites that I have ever watched, I will say I was still very intrigued in the film to find out who the culprit was. However, once you figure out that the mom was behind the whole thing, it kind of enraged me. One, how could a mother do that to her own daughter?? But two, how can the daughter just so willingly forgive her?!?! Either way, I think this documentary is worth the watch if you enjoy being nosey and have a fancy for true crime related plots. Overall, I would give this movie a solid 5/10 in all of the movies I have ever watched, but a 6/10 in the world of documentaries.

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for next weeks post on an infamously bad movie that many reviewers have negatively commented on. I have yet to watch it, so I am excited to see how bad it really is!!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

(DISCLAIMER: Potential spoilers ahead!!!)

For our first movie review post, I wanted to share this one that I recently watched the other night. My Oxford Year stars both Sofia Carson (starred in Purple Hearts) and Corey Mylchreest (starred in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story). While the overall acting of both of these professionals were rather average, nothing really stood out to me as far as performance goes.

This movie plot falls very similar to practically any RomCom you may ever watch, and could be easily predicted within the first 10 minutes (or-so) of the movie. Was this movie cliché? Yes. Did I cringe in some instances? Yes, again. But did I enjoy curling up in bed with a bucket of popcorn to keep me company? Absolutely.

For context, this movie starts with a young American whose childhood dream is to attend Oxford. Upon arrival, she meets a stranger whom she does not have a good interaction with. This causes her to feel some type of way about him, but proceeds to go to her first class anyway. Here, she learns that the mystery stranger is actually her professor, which eventually leads to the very cliché "enemies to lovers" troupe. After some further interaction between the two over time, with feelings now involved, she learns that he has fallen ill and does not have very long to live. Essentially, he does not want to receive any treatments and devastates a lot of people because of this, including our main character. She learns to accept his wishes, and chooses to enjoy the little time she has remaining with him.

As a fan of cheesy RomComs myself, I have learned that most of these plots fall along the same lines. I do not necessarily think that there is anything wrong with that, but just know that this movie is rather predictable. I will say that there was one portion of the movie that did throw me through a loop. After the main character, Anna, seemingly catches Jamie in a lie, we quickly see a turn of events that changes the entire mood of the movie. I do feel like this movie successfully makes the audience feel all emotions throughout its' entirety, which is very hard to do.

While this movie is not anything special, I feel like it was an above average movie that will suffice for a decent watch on a boring night. Would I ever watch this movie again? Probably not, but I have always been a fan of Sofia Carson and will probably watch anything she puts out there in the future. I did like this movie and if I would have to rate it, I would give it a solid 6/10 in a category of all the movies I have every watched, but a 7/10 when compared to all of the other RomComs I have enjoyed prior to this one.

NEXT WEEK: Stay tuned for next week's post on a documentary that I found on Netflix! Don't forget to comment any recommendations you all have for me!

HAPPY MOVIE SNOOPING!!!

[passthepopcornnn]

HEYYY Movie Lovers,

I am super excited to say that I have recently created this account to share my love for all things movies (and popcorn of course). This blog will serve as a place for movie reviews and my overall opinions of the movies that I share with you!

Being an avid movie watcher myself, I will like to add that I typically tend to gravitate toward RomComs, Thrillers, and Dramas. However, I do intend on branching out from my norm, and adding more genres to the mix.

Excited to start posting more and sharing my opinions with you all. Happy movie snooping!!!