Change Your Image
courtney_london
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)
Brutal but fantastic
I am usually not into war movies, the overly depressing content and "knowing" the ending isn't all that uplifting for me. However, All Quiet on the Western Front was so incredibly worth the watch!
The story is one we learn about so much in Canadian history but this rendition of the WWI events comes from a young German soldiers perspective that seems so authentic and heartbreakingly raw.
The story focuses on Paul Baümer played by the incredibly talented Felix Kammerer, and WOW is he fantastic! Should he have been nominated for Best Actor? I think so! Supporting cast are also stellar; my favourite is Albrecht Schurch who plays Stanislaus Katczinsky, he was fantastic as well! Worthy of a Best Supporting Actor? Again, I think so!
Although this is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel, the 2022 Netflix film is the only one that is not predominantly English dialogue. Considering the story is about a German soldier, this adaptation feels authentic (as authentic as I think it can be).
I highly recommend watching this movie and good news it's on Netflix. Bad news: I think it would be WAY better on the big screen but Netflix, you know?
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Not as good expected - not a comedy but not a sci-fi
Ah yes, another disappointing MCU movie. It's not that Quantumania was bad, it just wasn't as good as I expected it to be. So many people disliked Phase 4 in the MCU and this beginning of Phase 5 continued the trend of disappointment.
Quantumania begins quick, viewers are swept into the new universe in the opening 5 minutes. Although Quantumania is just over two hours in length, there are a good chunk of scenes that feel unnecessary or bloated (I almost fell asleep in a long drawn out scene).
One of my biggest issues with this movie is that there are so many forced comedic scenes and then there are attempts to be a serious sci-fi adventure immediately following. It just doesn't quite have a good balance of either. I truly believe that MCU needs to get a grip on some of these 2nd and 3rd tier characters (GofG, more specifically Peter Quill, Ant-Man and even Thor in some aspects, although I think Thor is a top tier MCU character). The main characters all have the same formula; somewhat goofy guy cracking jokes while side-kicks and supporting characters have to be the serious tone. Somehow the team bands together and saves the universe. I think I would have enjoyed this film more if they put some of the comedy aside and did a better sci-fi adaptation of the Quantum Realm.
I love Jonathan Majors as Kang, but there was some about this storyline that made him less intimidating compared to say, Thanos.
Oh and finally, I really disliked the ending of Quantumania! You'll know once you watch it but I'm trying to be vague to avoid spoilers!
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Lacking a Final Punch
M. Night Shyamalan's films are often polarizing with a twist at the end that, in my opinion, is often a huge letdown (cough The Village and The Happening). With that being said, I had high hopes for Knock at the Cabin. After all, The Sixth Sense is one of my favourite movies.
SPOILERS AHEAD*
Knock at the Cabin is unlike The Sixth Sense, not in a good way IMO. Although the beginning of the film holds a lot of intrigue, the 90 minute film doesn't really progress in terms of elevating into twists and suspense. Unfortunately you can get a lot of the overall atmosphere and general sense of the entire film from the 3 minute trailer. As I watched the final act I was waiting for a twist or surprise but nothing really happened, or it was mildly predictable that made the ending almost a letdown for me.
Dave Bautista was very good as Leonard, offering another side of the usual action star persona and I could see some future intriguing roles for him in the upcoming years based on this performance. It's obvious to me that Ben Aldridge is the powerhouse of this film, mostly because of the way the character was written compared to other characters in the film. Jonathan Groff, Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn and adorable Kristen Cui are all good in the respective roles.
The overall ambiance of the film is creepy and suspenseful but it doesn't evolve throughout the film which is a let down for me. You remember the creepy alien shot (on the TV new cast) that made everyone squirm and shriek? Well nothing to that extent ever really happened in Knock at the Cabin.... I was craving that jump or scare or something special!
Aftersun (2022)
Subtlety haunting
Aftersun is the kind of film that sticks with you after watching. The pace was slightly slow, incredibly subtle and in the end left you with a feeling of melancholy.
Writer/director Charlotte Wells has the incredible ability to touch on so many elements, almost in a confusing manner at first, but as the final scene draws to a close there is an overwhelming flood of emotion for the two main characters.
Paul Mescal is wonderous as dad Calum while new comer Frankie Corio is perfection as 11 year old Sophie. The two actors have an adorable dynamic that is incredibly heartwarming yet heartbreaking to watch unfold in the 100 minute film.
Sure it's great that Paul Mescal is getting recognition for his role as the vulnerable Calum, but I can't help but be disappointed that Charlotte Wells didn't get an Oscar nom for directing or writing. Either way I'm excited to what is next for Wells in upcoming years.
The Menu (2022)
Hilarious and Fun Watch
The Menu is a satirical film that follows a couple (Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor-Joy) as they travel to a remote island to experience the exclusive multi course dinner from a world renowned chef (Ralph Fiennes).
This movie is an absolute adventure to watch. Obviously the satirical nature of the film gives way to many hilarious moments, scenes and dialogue, but The Menu also has a number of mind blowing moments that will make you say WTF?!
The three leads, Taylor-Joy, Hoult and Fiennes all play their parts very well. It is, however, mildly predictable at times. The supporting cast are pretty funny when they add their two cents in here and there.
The writers, Seth Reiss and Will Tracy (you know him from Succession) are crafty with this film. The Menu includes an interesting commentary on consuming entertainment, in particular the film industry.
It's definitely worth the watch in my opinion.
Glass Onion (2022)
Decent but not as surprising as Knives Out
Continuing the murder mystery crazy is the sequel to the 2019 hit Knives Out from writer/director Rian Johnson, Glass Onion!
Good news: Glass Onion is a pretty crafty mystery. Much like Knives Out, there are multiple twists and turns that will keep you on your toes until the end.
Bad news: I'm keeping a lot of my thoughts to myself here, don't want to spoil anything! But what I will say is that I found Glass Onion not quite as thrilling and suspenseful as Knives Out. The movie is 2 hours and 20 minutes, and it does take a bit of time to lay down the groundwork for the rest of the film. Be weary if watching this late at night after having consumed a large meal!
You can stream Glass Onion on Netflix. I would definitely say worth the watch!
Bones and All (2022)
Extremely gruesome love story
Bones & All is the latest film from Luca Guadagnino featuring his favourite Timothée Chalamet but centres around Taylor Russell's Maren. And holy moly is she good!
Bones & All at its core is a love story; a story of outcasts trying to figure out how to exist in the world. Don't let the underlying love story fool you, this is NEXT LEVEL GORY! If you are squeamish in any way, Bones & All is not for you.
With that being said, I did enjoy this film but it also seemed like something was missing. There's one particular scene in the movie where two characters are driving together and it is cringe-level dialogue.
On a plus, Mark Rylance is great and hella creepy! Just want you want from an old man waiting for you in the dark.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Truly an Ode to Chadwick Boseman
Wakanda Forever truly is an ode to Chadwick Boseman. Not surprising for most, the film includes many references to King T'Challa's death and the impact it has on the Royal family, Wakanda and globally.
There is a great amount of depth within the characters because so much of the film is surrounding the death of the Black Panther; this bodes well for the character development of many of the more secondary characters from the original film.
The introduction of the underwater world, Talocan, was done extremely well. Not only was Talocan visually stunning, the story behind the city wasn't rushed and tied into Mesoamerica and Aztec culture similarly the introduction of Wakana in the original film. The costume and production design succeeded in what other underwater worlds were unable to do (cough Aquaman)! Shout out to Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler for their outstanding work!
The stand out in this movie for me is Tenoch Huerta whom plays Namor, the ruler of the underwater kingdom. In my opinion, Namor's story would have been a great stand alone film for MCU.
Not quite at the same level as the original Black Panther, but Wakanda Forever delivers for fans in a major way.
The Invitation (2022)
An underwhelming affair
A film that sounded like it was going to be similar to the horror comedy Ready or Not, instead lacks originality and ultimately is an hour and a half of boring.
A young woman is elated when she meets a distant relative and is offered an all expenses paid trip to an English wedding to meet more of her extended family.
There is a great deal of intrigue in the first half of the movie but once the "surprise" is illuminated The Invitation is meh at best.
The conclusion feels rushed and almost like an afterthought compared to the intrigue of the first half of the movie.
Sure there are decent performances all around but nothing that particularly stands out above mediocre.
I ended up renting this from the Cineplex Store and although it was only a few dollars, I would suggest waiting until it's free if you want to check this movie out for yourself.
Barbarian (2022)
Staying at an AirBnB will never be the same
What would you do if you showed up at your Airbnb and someone was already there? That's the entire premise of Barbarian. Watching the trailer gives away no hints so it's worth the watch.
The film written and directed by Zach Cregger is super creepy and you never end up shaking this eerie feeling the entire time you're watching.
The first two-thirds of the film will keep you at the edge of your seat. There are so many good suspenseful moments where you prematurely wince and can't help but turn away. Cregger gives enough in each shot but leaves mystery and intrigue in the dark spaces.
The cast of Barbarian is pretty good. Georgina Campbell embodies a great female lead in Tess while always creepy Bill Skarsgård is an ominous presence you expect. Justin Long's character is the dark horse here; not what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed.
That being said, the final third of the movie was a disappointment verging on campy and cringe worthy.
I would definitely recommend horror lovers check this one out. It's ready to watch on Disney+.
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Overhyped but decent thriller
Florence Pugh is as fantastic as ever as the lead Alice in Olivia Wilde's sophomore film Don't Worry Darling. The film focuses on a 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community where she begins to grow suspicious that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
The film has been plagued with drama in the past few months. Between "spit-gate", Shia Labeouf's news of quitting(?) and the alleged feud between Wilde and Pugh, there was one point where you couldn't go a day without hearing something about this film. But any publicity is good publicity, right?
With all the publicity aside, here are some of my thoughts about Don't Worry Darling:
Pugh is by far the stand out in this film but that's not surprising. She's a favourite of mine and can probably do no wrong in my books.
Chris Pine plays the charming antagonist so so so well.
Other supporting cast like Gemma Chan, Kiki Layne, Nick Kroll, Kate Berlet and Wilde herself are all good even in their limited capacity.
The tone and pace of the film gives me a lot of Suspiria vibes but have no relation in story whatsoever. I just couldn't help but see similarities between the ballet scenes and the flashy-creepy images throughout.
Now onto some of the less fun moments:
The only thing I think that really stands out as a miss is Harry Styles performance. He is so very clearly out performed by Pugh and it makes it difficult to watch in most scenes.
Aside from all the drama, Don't Worry Darling is a decent thriller. Unfortunately the hype surrounding the film overshadowed the actual film itself but it's still a decent watch.
X (2022)
Trailer is Creepier Than Movie
Writer/director Ti West brings you a horror thriller set in the 1970's where a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in Texas. The group shows up at an elderly couples barn and hides the fact that they are shooting an adult film. What could go wrong?
With a decent cast, the trailer is pretty creepy and has a lot of potential. Unfortunately I wasn't all that impressed with the movie. It may have been mostly surrounding Mia Goth as the pseudo muse of both the fictional adult movie as well as X itself; I'm just not an all around fan of hers. Also, her playing both Maxine and Pearl was just blaaaah!
X is pretty slow at getting to the good/exciting stuff and once the gore happens, it feels cheap and campy but not in a good way.
This is a solid "free" movie. I would have probably been disappointed paying $15 to see it in theatre.
Watched on the Cineplex Store (I had a free movie to use). Lucky me saw the movie move to Amazon Prime the very next day I watched it from the Cineplex Store, so that was fun 👎
The High Note (2020)
Cute Chick Flick
The High Note is a cute, fairly predictable, watch you can find on Netflix.
Dakota Johnson portrays Maggie, the personal assistant to superstar singer Grace Davis played by the gem of an actress Tracee Ellis Ross.
If you've watched the trailer you'll probably be able to predict most of the movie, but it's a cute, easy, fun watch. Nisha Ganatra has had some great films under her belt and I can't wait to see what else she puts out in the future!
Tracee Ellis Ross, I love her and will watch her in anything!
Johnson, straying from the whole Fifty Shades fiasco of a franchise, is putting in some interesting roles in what I can only relate to a Kristen Stewart level rebranding. It's intriguing to watch.
Nope (2022)
My Love for JP Films Continue
Jordan Peele films continue to surprise me in a very very good way!
The original teaser trailer for Nope had me extremely confused and possibly even turned off from watching. But once the trailer was released and gave a little bit more context I knew I was at least going to give this film a try.
I'm a huge fan of both Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer so with those two as the main characters in this Peele flick, I was hooked! The two play siblings with an awesome, hilarious yet realistic relationship.
The slow build in the movie turns very interesting, it's worth the watch!
Warning: as you can guess from the trailer horses are heavily involved in the movie...and you may also guess that some not so fun stuff happens to horses....that's it. That's the warning.
Day Shift (2022)
Average Netflix Comedy
Day Shift is an average comedy that you'll find on Netflix.
Although Jamie Foxx is incredibly charismatic, if it weren't for him in the movie this could have been a disaster! I'm not much of a Dave Franco fan but he plays the nerd/by-the-book kind of guy very well in this movie; I just don't find him very likeable. The supporting characters are OK, but don't really do a whole lot. The movie seems very superficial never really going into why things are happening, which is fine in this 90 minute comedy.
Watching this movie reminds me of the movies Netflix used to come up with 10-15 years ago; mostly basic and something you can "watch" while doing other things in the house like cooking and cleaning.
Goodnight Mommy (2022)
Spooky but not as good as the original
Goodnight Mommy is an American remake of the 2014 Austrian film Ich Seh Ich Seh.
The plot is quite simple: brothers Elias and Lukas return to their mother's house and begin to suspect something isn't right.
Naomi Watts is very good as Mother and real life twins Cameron and Nicolas Crovetti are also very good at playing brothers Elias and Lukas. The three actors above are the only characters in 95% of the movie and their dynamic made for a believable family relationship. The movie is very creepy throughout thanks to the lighting (or lack thereof), sinister music and an ambiance that is unsettling.
Like many American remakes, Goodnight Mommy does not live up to the hype or quality of the Austrian original. Goodnight Mommy is good, don't get me wrong, but it ties everything up in a nice little bow with very few questions unanswered. I would argue that it was the uncertainty in the original that made this horror/thriller such an enjoyment to watch.
I would definitely recommend watching the original Austrian version Ich Seh Ich Seh over this new release from Amazon but if you like thrillers this is decent.
What Comes Around (2022)
Uncomfortable but a good watch!
Roost is an uncomfortable film to watch, so there's your warning! The story centres around the relationship of three people: Anna, the 16 year-old falling for a guy she met online played by Grace Van Dien; Beth, Anna's mom played by Summer Phoenix; and Eric, the guy Anna talks to online played by Kyle Gallner. Just with that very minimal description of the film, I'm sure you can already sense some of the drama that ensues.
The film is absolutely uncomfortable, as was it's intention. There were many 😬 moments on my end, and it was evident that many people felt that way too. Grace and Summer are a good mother-daughter duo, sometimes overacting, but overall good. The real stand out in the film is Kyle Gallner; he was fantastic!
The film explores trauma, more specifically unprocessed trauma and how it can affect the lives of those around us. If this triggers you at all, maybe this movie should be a pass.
Definitely a provocative and twisted story, Roost was a film I picked just because it suited my schedule, but I am incredibly glad I was able to see it.
The Gray Man (2022)
Solid Action/Thriller from Netflix
The Gray Man is the newest HUGE budget action thriller from the Russo brothers on Netflix (over $200 million USD for this film)!
Starring Ryan Gosling (not a fan of the goatee), Chris Evans (not so Captain America and REALLY bad moustache), Ana de Armas (thank god she got more screen time and action than the recent Bond film), Billy Bob Thornton (didn't know he was still acting), Regé-Jean Page (definitely no Bridgerton romance here), among others, The Gray Man is a combination of all the action movies of the past 20 years combined into one film. You've got a crazy car chase action sequence, a fight sequence in a carrier plane, insane shoot outs in popular European cities, and so many other fights scenes it definitely pushes what you'd expect to see in a 2 hour Netflix movie. The supporting cast in this movie is also amazing; Alfre Woodard, Jessica Henwisk and Dhanush kicked ass in their respective roles!
I enjoyed the movie, it was a good film that had a decent story that wasn't too convoluted but still had sophisticated sequences that were entertaining. Obviously an unbelievable story, I enjoyed that the script didn't make for corny heartfelt moments, instead choosing to remain realistic to the characters personality (we didn't get any "because family" stupid moment that you get from the Fast and Furious series).
There were two main issues in my mind that I did not enjoy while watching. Throughout the movie, most notably in the opening fight scene, there were many uses of drone cameras to twist and twirl throughout explosions, gunfire and bystanders that made the action sequences look cheap and REALLY unflattering to watch.
Secondly, the ending was half-assed. Sure it ties up a very large story, but there's still an underlying story that was left unanswered. Maybe it has something to do with the text this movie is based upon?
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
If you liked Ragnarok, you'll like Love and Thunder
Thor Love and Thunder is exactly what you'd expect from a Taika Waititi Thor film; same style, pace and comedic tone as Ragnarok.
Although the movie is relatively short for the MCU (about 2 hours), I enjoyed the brief glimpses of backstory along with the new story arc of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman returns) and the introduction of bad dude Gorr played by Christian Bale. Some of the jokes seem forced and the opening sequence with The Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't up my alley but I can understand that fans will love to see this and it continues the Thor story very well.
There are small cameos about half way through the movie that are pretty hilarious!
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Bizarre and Amazing All At Once
What an absolutely thrilling ride!
Everything Everywhere All At Once is absolutely bizarre, hilarious but also incorporates a really touching underlying story.
This movie is getting a lot of buzz, and WOW is it justified! You've got the stellar acting of Michelle Yeoh accompanied by Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis. A perfectly twisted story that morphs into a very relatable ending thanks to writer/director duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
Although it's hard to describe EEAAO without spoiling some fun scenes, I definitely recommend this as a great watch!
The Northman (2022)
Epic, brutal revenge story
The Northman is a very straightforward story about revenge. The story follows Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), a Viking prince, on his quest to avenge his father's murder.
There is a great blend between historically accurate viking culture and lifestyle, with the added mix of the supernatural that makes for a very enticing story. There are epic scenes of intense rituals, powerful imagery all elevated due to the guttural and pounding music. The Northman is incredibly violent with next level brutal and bloody fight scenes (I'm surprised this was only rated 14A here in Canada, more realistically rated R in the US).
Acting is superb throughout, but my favourite performance of all actors was surprisingly Nicole Kidman as Queen Gudrún. Alexander Skarsgård is an absolute beast as Amleth both physically and capturing the essence of the character. Anya Taylor-Joy is great as always, and Claes Bang is enjoyable to watch as Fjölnir. Even Björk does a solid job as creepy witch-esque Seeress.
My only pseudo negative about this film is that it's fairly predictable. I was expecting a twist or some type of shocking chapter in this 2 hour 20 minute story similar to Eggers previous films (The Witch and The Lighthouse).
The Green Knight (2021)
Well Acted but Boring Overall
I thoroughly enjoyed many parts of this 2 hour film, but there were a few other segments that were confusing and kept me at a distance.
There are many aspects of this story that seem disjointed, likely because of the storyline itself. Gawain (Dev Patel) goes through multiple little quests in order to prove that he's worthy of being a knight. At times the many little adventures are confusing to watch and are not pieced together in one cohesive story. The episodic quests get real boring real fast. Some of the scenes also seem like they come out of nowhere (hello giants?).
Although there is solid acting, I'm afraid the storyline really puts this movie as a miss in my mind.
**SPOILER**
The adorable little fox survives! I don't know how I would have coped if that little dude ended up getting killed. Is it a huge spoiler? Not really in the grand scheme.
The Night House (2020)
Great Atmosphere, Not So Scary
The Night House is an indie horror film originally released in 2020. Staring Rebecca Hall (she's a gem) and directed by David Buckner, The Night House tells the story of recently widowed Beth whom experiences troubling events while trying to uncover the mysteries around the shocking death of her husband.
The Night House creates a fantastic atmosphere full of creepy reflections and ominous noises throughout. I truly believe Rebecca Hall is an underrated actor, and it's so clearly evident in this movie; she sells every single scene as if it were a documentary.
Although the movie is at a slow pace, it has constant intrigued that keeps you questioning.
Good news is this movie isn't obvious from the beginning so that's a plus for any horror fan. I wasn't all that pleased by the ending since I think it garnered more questions than coming to a resolution (sometimes I don't like to be left hanging).
Blood Quantum (2019)
Great Canadian Zombie Flick!
Blood Quantum is a solid zombie flick, and best part: Canadian through and through!
Filmed in Quebec, Blood Quantum tells the story of Red Crow Reservation where the dead are coming back to life.
*SOME SPOILERS AHEAD (although not important to overall story)*
We all know that zombie movies are at a surplus, even the number of TV shows that center around the zombie apocalypse makes this genre very saturated, but Blood Quantum focuses of characters first and it's refreshing to see a predominantly Indigenous cast and indigenous focused back story (main story being the whole zombie situation).
Although the film does not waste time moving through the story, the pace is very fast and some parts could use a pause or more dialogue as to stay in the moment and absorb the seriousness of each event.
On one hand this is a standard zombie flick; blood, guts and gore galore. But what separates this movie is the Indigenous community is immune to the virus. What follows is an incredible commentary on social cleansing and the differences between survivors.
Overall Blood Quantum is worth the watch if you are a horror/zombie fan. Writer/Director Jeff Barnaby shows promise on this movie and I can't wait to watch more of his work!
Belfast (2021)
Cute watch!
Belfast is writer/director Kenneth Branagh's love letter to his home town.
Winner of the People's Choice Award at #TIFF2021, and nominated for a solid 7 Academy Awards, this semi-autobiographic film is a cute watch with a heavy story. Set in the late 1960's during the beginning of The Troubles, the movie tells the story of a Northern-Irish family through the lens of the youngest child Buddy as they come to terms with the possibility of finding a better life elsewhere.
Although the movie is set during a tumultuous time period, Branagh does a great job at keeping the story touching and sweet. I truly love the opening scene, starting in colour and moving to black and white really sets the tone. The film is peppered with Van Morrison tunes that transports you effortlessly back in time. Caitrion Balfe, whom plays Ma aka the mother, is my favourite character in this film (no wonder she's nominated for Best Actress). Dame Judi Dench is also adorable as Granny. Dench's scene at the end will linger as you watch the credits scroll.